Steelers/NFL category, Page 47

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had Georgia on their minds since the NFL schedule was released in May. Then everybody’s minds got scrambled late last week. That’s when we found out Russell Wilson’s bothersome calf flared up, and Justin Fields may start in Atlanta to open the 2024 campaign. That’s what...

ATLANTA — Two days after rewarding Pat Freiermuth with a five-year, $49.88 million contract, the Pittsburgh Steelers showed the fourth-year tight end will be a pivotal part of their offense. Freiermuth had four catches for 27 yards Sunday in the Steelers’ 18-10 victory against the Atlanta Falcons in the season...

ATLANTA — No Super Bowl-winning veteran quarterback under center. No legitimate No. 2 wide receiver on the field. No problem for the Pittsburgh Steelers offense. The game plan was simple in the season opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Justin Fields subbing for an injured Russell Wilson against the Atlanta Falcons....

ATLANTA — The first snap that Justin Fields handled Sunday was fumbled. He bobbled another exchange later in the opening series. His first pass attempt was incomplete, and his second was behind running back Najee Harris. Not the kind of start that Fields envisioned when he was summoned to start...

The Pittsburgh Steelers added a fifth healthy wide receiver to their active roster in advance of Sunday’s season opener, promoting veteran Ben Skowronek from the practice squad on Saturday. Skowronek was signed to the practice squad last week after the Houston Texans cut him at the end of their training...

Those who do what I do root for the story. Not for a team or an athlete, but the story. Anybody in my profession who says otherwise is either a mark, or lying. Best-case scenario as the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to open their season at Atlanta is: • Russell Wilson...

1. Queen in spades The Pittsburgh Steelers gave Patrick Queen the richest contract to an external free agent in franchise history, and they figure to get plenty of return on that investment. Queen is expected to be an every-down player, an inside linebacker who plays in all situations and performs...

The last time the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared in a Super Bowl, Cameron Heyward was in his final semester at Ohio State. The last time the Steelers appeared in an AFC championship game, T.J. Watt was two weeks removed from foregoing his final season of eligibility at Wisconsin and declaring for...

The NFL debut for rookies Roman Wilson and Logan Lee will have to wait. But the most prominent member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 draft class was cleared to play in Sunday’s season opener. Tackle Troy Fautanu practiced fully for a second consecutive day Friday, according to the league-mandated injury...

Pat Freiermuth was beaming after practice Friday. And not just because it was the final practice before the regular season begins. “It was cool seeing him walk off the field,” Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson said of Freiermuth, his No. 1 tight end. “Pat is always smiling — but just...

The best thing that could realistically happen for the Steelers is to go 8-9 or worse. To get out from under the phony non-achievement of Coach T never having a losing season. To then set the bar higher and take a hard look at the team as it really is,...

In our first “Football Footnotes” post to open the 2023 NFL season, I hit a home run with my Pittsburgh Steelers predictions. I said, “The Steelers will go 10-7 and make the playoffs as an AFC wild-card team.” They did exactly that. I also predicted they’d lose their first-round game,...

Friday’s “First Call” has a national report on the injury to Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson. We get an explanation as to how the NFL constructed the Christmas Day game between the Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. An old name from the Steelers wide receiver hunt has resurfaced. Plus, we...

As is the accelerated cycle of life in the NFL, Najee Harris seemingly has gone quickly from hotshot rookie to veteran who very well might be in his last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. For the first time during his four-year Steelers tenure, though, Harris enters a season with a...

Tight end Darnell Washington was an addition to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ injury report, sitting out Thursday’s practice because of a knee injury. Washington joined veteran starting left guard Isaac Seumalo and rookie defensive lineman Logan Lee as Steelers who were listed as “did not participate” on the league-mandated injury report....

Revenge won’t be on Arthur Smith’s mind Sunday when he returns to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the first time since he was fired in January as the Atlanta Falcons head coach. Smith will be standing on the visiting sideline focusing on his role as offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. His...

Three days before the Pittsburgh Steelers are scheduled to kick off the regular season in Atlanta, they had an unexpected switch at quarterback. Russell Wilson aggravated the calf injury Thursday that kept him sidelined at the start of training camp and was a limited participant in practice, coach Mike Tomlin...

This is the annual column about the Pittsburgh Steelers that everyone wishes didn’t have to be so annual. The column I feel like I write every year about how the Steelers need to get off to a better start than they have in recent seasons. At least last year, the...

How do we know that things are going badly for the Pittsburgh Pirates? Well, the Steelers are about to start the 2024 regular season after going 0-3 in the preseason. The team failed to improve the wide receiver position, and the offensive line is a mess. Yet, I’m still being...

Thursday’s “First Call” has some quotable lines from Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris in advance of his team’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts insists he’ll be ready for the Black and Gold in the season opener. Kirk Cousins is actually looking forward to...

As any mother is apt to do, Charlotte Heyward reminded her eldest son this week that he is special. Only this time she wasn’t just feeding him words of encouragement. She had statistical evidence to support it. Cameron Heyward was driving to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Tuesday to sign...

A trio of non-starters who are expected to play not-insignificant roles on offense and defense for the Pittsburgh Steelers were limited participants in what was the first official practice of the 2024 regular season. Running back Jaylen Warren, receiver Roman Wilson and cornerback Cory Trice Jr. each had previously-known injuries....

Rookie offensive tackle Troy Fautanu said he “felt good” in taking part in Pittsburgh Steelers practice Wednesday as he continues to ramp up after suffering a knee injury during the preseason opener 3½ weeks ago. “I feel like I am progressing on time with what we had talked about when...

How did George Pickens go from the NFL pass catcher with the lowest average yards-after-catch as a rookie to the wide receiver with the seventh-best “YAC” in his second season? “Hard work,” Pickens said after Pittsburgh Steelers practice Wednesday. “It’s all I put into it. If you work hard, you...