Steelers/NFL category, Page 237
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers are bound for a losing season
Here’s my Pittsburgh Steelers prediction. You won’t like it. The Steelers will go 7-10. Coach Mike Tomlin’s first losing season. (What a relief that will be. The streak of years without a playoff win will be extended to six, however.) I’m not totally convinced of my prediction. This Steelers team...
No longer the series’ bully, Steelers make 1st trip to Cincinnati, out to avenge ‘embarrassing’ loss
The descriptors used in the immediate aftermath of one the Pittsburgh Steelers’ most lopsided defeats in decades? They said it all. “We stunk it up today,” coach Mike Tomlin said that gray November afternoon. T.J. Watt chose the verbiage “absolutely embarrassing” to sum up the 41-10 loss at the Cincinnati...
Najee Harris says he’s 100% healthy as season opens, appreciates Steelers captaincy
Two days before the regular-season opener, Najee Harris declared his left foot completely healed from the Lisfranc injury suffered early on during training camp. “It’s been six or seven weeks,” the Pittsburgh Steelers’ workhorse running back said Friday, “so I am on track with everything. It’s all good.” Harris, who...
Steelers ready to trot out seasoned cornerback group for opener at Cincinnati
When the Pittsburgh Steelers last faced the Cincinnati Bengals, their cornerback room was in a state of flux. Veteran Joe Haden was out with a Lisfranc injury. Cameron Sutton was in his first year starting at the other outside spot. Undrafted free agent James Pierre replaced Haden as a starter,...
Steelers to wear helmet decal this season to honor late teammate Dwayne Haskins
The Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday announced the team will wear a No. 3 decal on the back of its helmets throughout this season in memoriam of late quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Haskins, who spent last season as the Steelers’ No. 3 QB, died in April. He wore No. 3. A star...
Diontae Johnson, Chuks Okorafor each declares himself ‘good to go’ for Steelers opener
Two tenured, important starters on the Pittsburgh Steelers offense declared themselves “good to go” Friday for Sunday’s season opener. Wide receiver Diontae Johnson has been hindered by a shoulder injury, and he left Thursday’s practice because of a painful cramp in his foot. Right tackle Chuks Okorafor was listed on...
3 things Steelers defense must do to prevent a 4th straight loss to Bengals
The Pittsburgh Steelers should have two goals heading into their season opener Sunday in Cincinnati. • Make this opener look as much like the one last year in Buffalo as possible. • Make this game as unrecognizable as possible when comparing it to the two games against the Bengals last...
Mark Madden: Futures bets that could pay off during NFL season
The NFL season is here. The most important thing is to get your bets down. What would football be without gambling? The most flawed wager I’ve witnessed so far this season is Carolina back Christian McCaffrey drafted second overall in a $6,500-per-team fantasy league. McCaffrey has played just 10 games...
Friday Football Footnotes: Steelers history in openers vs. division foes; Aaron Donald’s ‘retirement’ note; NFL revenge games
This week’s “Friday Football Footnotes” examines the Steelers’ history in AFC North season-opening games — and why this one in Cincinnati is so unique. There are some other quirks to the NFL’s schedule to begin 2022. We get the story behind Aaron Donald’s alleged retirement letter. An old Tennessee team...
Tim Benz: How the Steelers can replicate the 2021 season-opening upset in Buffalo this year in Cincinnati
The Pittsburgh Steelers began 2021 on the road in Buffalo as a 6 ½ point underdog against a Bills team that was coming off a division championship and was among the AFC Super Bowl favorites. Yet Mike Tomlin’s team won 23-16. This year they are opening on the road in...
Steelers rookie George Pickens wants to show off blocking abilities in season opener
George Pickens made his mark in his first NFL training camp with the type of body control and spatial awareness that led to a series of artistic catches which he carried over into the preseason. As his NFL debut approaches for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team’s second-round draft pick would...
After eventful offseason, Larry Ogunjobi to make Steelers debut vs. former Bengals teammates
Larry Ogunjobi’s first game with his new team is on the same field as his last game with his most recent team. It’s against that team, too. “We always say,” the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman said, “that God has a funny sense of humor.” Ogunjobi has had quite a ride...
Diontae Johnson deals with cramps; Cam Heyward, Chuks Okorafor sit out practice
For the second day in a row, wide receiver Diontae Johnson was a limited participant in practice for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In addition to dealing with a shoulder injury, Johnson was bothered by cramps Thursday. Miles Boykin said he had to take Johnson’s spot with the first-team offense when the...
Adrian Peterson set to box Le’Veon Bell, wants to play again
Adrian Peterson still wants to play in the NFL after he fights Le’Veon Bell in the boxing ring. A four-time All-Pro running back, Peterson is taking on the two-time All-Pro back Bell on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. It’ll be the first boxing match for the former...
Dead last? Above average? Varied rankings for Steelers’ Mitch Trubisky among NFL starting QBs
After 18 years of a future Hall of Famer at the position, the Pittsburgh Steelers are learning how the other side lives in regards to their starting quarterback in 2022. Free-agent acquisition Mitch Trubisky was officially confirmed as the starter Tuesday. A day later, three national outlets who cover the...
Tim Benz: How Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt thinks he can improve upon an award-winning season in 2022
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt and his brothers (J.J. and Derek) weren’t just youth football players growing up in Wisconsin. En route to their NFL careers, they played a lot of hockey, too. So Watt can appreciate an NHL analogy when there is one to make. That’s good because Watt...
First Call: NFL.com’s low rating for Mitch Trubisky; ex-Steelers WR retires; Heinz Field name-change gets bad poll results
Thursday’s “First Call” features an unfavorable view of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Meanwhile, a former Steelers wide receiver is walking away from the game. New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson may make his season debut in Pittsburgh. Gerrit Cole had a huge night for the Yankees. And Heinz Field’s...
U mad, bro?: Fans rally around Mike Tomlin and Kedon Slovis, lash out about Pirates and … craft beer?
The No. 1 tip I give to young sports journalists entering the workplace these days is to diversify. Get experience in front of the camera, on the radio and in print. Do some play-by-play. Try anchoring. Host a talk show or podcast. Join the student newspaper. Apparently, my readers are...
Not used to being a backup, Kenny Pickett willing to do all he can for Steelers as QB2
Since he was a young boy, Kenny Pickett has spent exactly 11 weeks of his life as a backup quarterback. Until Sunday, when he will be the No. 2 for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. The only other time — presumably, ever in Pickett’s...
Franco Harris’ Steelers No. 32 joins roster of Pittsburgh pro team retired numbers
No. 32 became No. 14 when it comes to retired numbers by Pittsburgh’s pro sports franchises. The announcement Tuesday that No. 32 will – officially – never be worn again by any Pittsburgh Steelers player made for an aggregate 14 uniform numbers retired by the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins. Four-time...
Diontae Johnson ‘doing whatever I can’ to return from shoulder injury for Steelers opener
Diontae Johnson has two more days to return to full practice participation before the Pittsburgh Steelers open the season Sunday at Cincinnati. The Pro Bowl wide receiver might need them as he recovers from a shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions. “It’s tough,” he...
Mason Rudolph, on Steelers future: ‘For now, I’m on this team’ as No. 3 quarterback
Given the way training camp and the preseason games unfolded, Mason Rudolph realized he wasn’t going to open the season as the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback. But to begin the year third on the depth chart — behind Mitch Trubisky and rookie Kenny Pickett — that had to be a...
Former Steelers WR Emmanuel Sanders retires after 12-year career in NFL
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders announced his retirement Wednesday after a 12-year NFL career that included six season in Denver, where he helped the Broncos win Super Bowl 50. Sanders started his career in Pittsburgh in 2010 and joined the Broncos as a free agent in 2014. He...
Officially the Steelers’ starting QB, Mitch Trubisky looking forward to season opener
The depth chart released by Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin on Monday — and updated Tuesday — didn’t exactly come as a surprise to starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Not just because Trubisky took almost all of the first-team reps in practice in training camp and started all three preseason games....
Mark Madden: Mason Rudolph makes more sense as Steelers No. 2 QB, but it doesn’t matter
A tale of two things that don’t really matter but we nonetheless discuss: It doesn’t matter that Kenny Pickett is No. 2 on the Steelers’ depth chart at quarterback and that Mason Rudolph is No. 3. It wouldn’t matter if it was vice-versa, either. If Mitch Trubisky gets knocked out...
