Chase Claypool honored as Steelers rookie of year, Ben Roethlisberger for media cooperation

Chris Adamski
Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020 12:37 p.m. | Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020 12:37 p.m.

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Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool gets past Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Addison during a game earlier this month. The Steelers’ top draft pick this year, Claypool on Wednesday was named the team’s rookie of the year.

There was little drama surrounding any consideration for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie of the year award. Even without a first-round pick for the first time in more than five decades, the team’s top choice was a runaway winner.

Receiver Chase Claypool on Wednesday was announced as the recipient of the Joe Greene Great Performance Award, given annually to the Steelers’ top rookie as voted on by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America.

Through 15 games, Claypool has 57 catches, 772 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns (two rushing). He also has accumulated an NFL-high 185 yards for the Steelers via drawing eight pass-interference flags from opponents in coverage.

Selected out of Notre Dame with the 49th overall pick in the second round of the April draft, the 6-foot-4, 238-pound Claypool began making a impact on the Steelers offense almost immediately. This despite the lack of offseason practices or preseason games and with an initial plan by coaches to ease Claypool into the gameplan.

YOU CANNOT STOP CHASE CLAYPOOL. FOUR TOUCHDOWNS.

?: #PHIvsPIT on FOX
?: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/BGCKhfX8uY pic.twitter.com/RhFzFu2IMA

— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2020

Also Wednesday, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was named the recipient of The Chief Award for the 2020 season as the member of the Steelers organization that best exemplifies the spirit of cooperation with the media. The award, named in honor of team founder Art Rooney Sr., is presented by the Pittsburgh chapter of the PFWA.

Roethlisberger also won the award in 2010. During this odd season in which locker rooms were not open to reporters, Roethlisberger was the only player available via Zoom after every game and at some point during every practice week.

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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.