Mike Tomlin applauds once-demoted Steelers trio of Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland, James Pierre
At differing points over the prior two years, running backs Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland and cornerback James Pierre were taking on significant roles for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
All, to varying degrees, were demoted by 2022, though. McFarland didn’t make the active roster (he’s on the practice squad), Pierre went a stretch of 12 consecutive games (over two seasons, including playoffs) without playing a snap on defense and Snell didn’t get even one carry over the first 10 games of this season.
For a variety of circumstances, that changed by the time the Steelers played the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night. Snell, McFarland and Pierre all played a significant roles in the Steelers’ 24-17 victory.
Tomlin opened up Tuesday’s weekly news conference expressing how pleased he was in “the production that (the Steelers) got from a lot of different areas,” before singling out Pierre, Snell and McFarland.
“People rising up and making significant plays for us,” Tomlin said. “And really, I just think that has to happen at this point in the journey that is the season, due to attrition or people evolving. I just think people get an opportunity to put their hand in the pile and be reasons why we are successful.”
Pierre had a first-quarter interception in the midst of playing 47% of the Steelers’ defensive snaps — the third-most since he went from starter to permanently stapled to the bench on defense late last season.
After entering the game with three snaps played on offense in 2022 (all of them came last week), Snell had 12 carries for 62 yards, a 6-yard catch and his first touchdown since Dec. 21, 2020.
McFarland was called up from the practice squad to play for the first time this season. He gained 41 yards on eight touches.
Snell and McFarland were playing because of injuries to Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Warren did not play after leaving the Steelers’ prior game in the first half because of a hamstring injury. Harris left Monday’s game in the second quarter because of an abdominal injury.
Tomlin on Tuesday did not have any substantive update on Harris’ condition or prognosis.
Pierre, in part, is playing more because of Ahkello Witherspoon’s hamstring injury that has kept him out of all of one half of play since Week 3. But Pierre also has impressed when given a chance, and he has usurped Arthur Maulet as the Steelers’ No. 3 cornerback in passing situations via Cameron Sutton moving into the slot (instead of Maulet) while Pierre plays the outside.
“We always acknowledge their roles never stay the same and are ever-changing,” Tomlin said, referencing the lessened roles given to Pierre, McFarland and Snell to start 2022. “So sometimes, it’s positive. Sometimes, it’s negative. This is football. It’s a high level. I think all guys know and understand that, and that’s why they walk in the building with the spirit that they do every day. They’ve got to learn daily. And those guys continue to walk in with their spirit, regardless of what the division of labor might be, because they need to be ready for their next opportunity.”
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.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.