Friday Football Footnotes: Kevin Dotson on trade to Rams; ex-Steelers kicker signs with 49ers; Joe Burrow update
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The Pittsburgh Steelers open the season next weekend. It’s a game weekend in college football for Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia. And there’s news all over the NFL about ex-Steelers and upcoming opponents for the team.
So let’s dive in with our inaugural “Friday Football Footnotes” post for 2023.
• Kevin Dotson spoke with Rams.com after his arrival in Los Angeles. The former Steelers guard was traded to the Rams in advance of roster cuts. He took a diplomatic approach to the deal.
“I know what I am capable of. I know the Steelers knew what I was capable of. But it’s a business,” Dotson said. “You’ve got to do what you have to do to be great. So they did what they had to do. I’ve got to take full advantage of the opportunity and see what I can do when it comes to next year — if I can show that I’m the guy (at guard).”
After being drafted in 2020, Dotson played 39 games for the Steelers, with 30 starts.
• Here’s the report on Joe Burrow’s comeback from Geoff Hobson at Bengals.com. The Cincinnati quarterback suffered a calf strain during training camp and hasn’t played in the preseason.
“Asked if Burrow’s return to practice Wednesday after five weeks dealing with a calf strain meant he was starting the opener, (coach Zac) Taylor said, ‘We’re taking it day-to-day right now.’
Asked before Thursday’s practice if he considers Burrow limited, Taylor said, ‘We’re just taking it day-to-day with how we’re going to integrate him in there.’”
As for offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, he said via ESPN.com, “I think he’s in a good place and we got a good plan in place for him to get ready for Week 1.”
Last year, Burrow suffered a burst appendix prior to the opener against the Steelers and threw four interceptions during a 23-20 overtime loss. In 2020, he endured a torn ACL.
It took a while for Cincinnati to get in gear last season. The Bengals started 4-4 before finishing as AFC North champs at 12-4. They visit Cleveland to open the 2023 season on Sept. 10.
• The Nick Bosa contract dispute isn’t the only alarm for the San Francisco 49ers right now. As the team gets ready for the season opener against the Steelers, they have a sticky situation at kicker as well.
Having decided to move on from 40-year-old veteran Robbie Gould, San Francisco drafted Michigan kicker Jake Moody in the third round. But he had some misses in the preseason and then got hurt. The club’s next option, veteran Zane Gonzalez, suffered a calf strain before the season finale and was put on season-ending injured reserve.
So the Niners are bringing in former Steelers kicker Matthew Wright, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Between Pittsburgh and Kansas City last year, Wright was 15 for 15 on PATs and 15 for 18 on field-goal tries.
• Kentucky basketball coach and Moon native John Calipari stopped by the ESPN studios and went on NFL Live.
A longtime Steelers fan, Calipari pumped the tires of his friend Mike Tomlin in advance of the season.
“The biggest thing he does is he builds confidence. They’re going to struggle some, and he’ll keep that ship straight. Kenny Pickett, the exact right coach for him, is Mike Tomlin. Mike’s going to build him up. I think Kenny could be the breakout player. He could be that guy. And I think Mike will help him and that will be the goal,” Calipari said.
Calipari says that he plans to hit up Tomlin for some tickets to the home opener next Sunday against San Francisco.
• Pitt isn’t the only school in the ACC that’s warming up with an opponent from the FCS ranks to start the year. They are hosting Wofford, who was 3-8 in the Southern Conference last year, on Saturday to begin the 2023 season.
Colgate is making the hour-long drive to Syracuse to play the Orange. Wake Forest already beat Elon 37-17 on Thursday night.
Other ACC schools who are opening against competition outside of the Power 5 conferences include NC State, who already beat UConn 24-14 on Thursday. Boston College welcomes Northern Illinois Saturday and Virginia Tech hosts Old Dominion.
But my favorite matchup is Friday night when Miami (Fla.) hosts Miami (Ohio).
That won’t be at all confusing for the broadcast team, will it?
More sports
• Tim Benz: Steelers have used lull ahead of the season to pull off upsets before — time to do it again in 2023
• First Call: 49ers insist Nick Bosa won’t be traded; Arthur Maulet has Steelers games ‘circled’
• For more than 50 years, Bill Hillgrove’s voice has been ‘the soundtrack to our sports memories’
• Penn State is still a 20.5-point favorite over West Virginia on Saturday. The over-under is 49.5.
• When Duquesne hosts Edinboro on Saturday, Jerry Schmitt will begin his 19th season as the Dukes head coach. He will do so by facing a pair of former assistants.
The Fighting Scots are now coached by Jake Nulph. He served as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach at Duquesne in 2018. Also, defensive coordinator Tony Papley was the special teams coordinator, defensive line coach and director of football operations over the course of six years on the Bluff.
• Robert Morris opens its season Saturday at Air Force. The Colonials are looking to turn around an 0-11 season, which was their second in the Big South.
Bernard Clark’s team has five non-conference games before they get into conference play. After visiting the Falcons, RMU takes on St. Francis, Youngstown State, Virginia-Lynchburg and Howard.