Category: Former Steelers

Former Steelers WR helps lead Lions to NFC divisional round of playoffs

Ex-Steelers WR Antwaan Randle El has been part of the Detroit Lions staff since 2021.

The Detroit Lions have just won their first playoff game since 1992, and former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antwaan Randle El is part of the reason why.

Randle El spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons as an offensive assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and helped lead them to a 31-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

And now he’s making another postseason run in the quest for a second ring.

Randle El was hired as Detroit’s wide receivers coach in 2021.

As a player, Randle El came into the NFL via the second round (No. 62 overall) by the Steelers 2002 draft.

In five seasons with the Black and Gold (2002-2005, 2010), Randle El produced 2,265 yards and seven touchdowns. He was also a threat as a special teamer, adding 1,650 yards and four scores on punt returns and 1,742 yards and one touchdown on kick returns.

And, of course, who can forget the beautiful touchdown pass to Hines Ward in Super Bowl 50? Not us.

Another former Steeler, cornerback Cam Sutton, is also a member of the Lions.

Best of luck to Randle El and Sutton as the Lions host the winner of tonight’s Buccaneers-Philadelphia Eagles wild card matchup.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Ex-Steelers TE Eric Ebron gets real about death of former teammate DJ Hayden

Ex-Steelers TE Eric Ebron shared a moving post on X after hearing that his close friend, D.J. Hayden, died in an auto accident.

On Saturday, the sports world was rocked by the news of a horrific auto accident in Houston, TX, that killed six people, including former NFL cornerback D.J. Hayden.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Eric Ebron, who was once a teammate of Hayden in Detroit, used X as an outlet for self-expression.

Ebron wrote on X shortly after the news was reported on Nov. 11, “My heart is broken. My Mental aint right. my brother from another mother. I hate people that drink and drive. I hate people with no common sense. I lost my bestie, my brother, my teammate. smfh”

According to ABC 13 Houston, a driver in an SUV sped through a red light, colliding with a Chrysler 300, in the early morning of Nov. 11. Investigators said both drivers lost control, the SUV flipped, and four people were killed on the scene. Four others were hospitalized, where two more people died. Five men and one woman, including the driver at fault, were killed, per Houston authorities.

Hayden, the Raiders 12th-overall pick of the 2013 NFL draft, survived a life-threatening heart injury during University of Houston football practice in 2012. He survived and went on to play for Oakland, Detroit, Jacksonville and Washington from 2013-2021.

Ebron and Hayden were teammates in Ebron’s last season with the Lions.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Ex-Steelers WR Martavis Bryant to workout with Cowboys, Titans

Ex-Steelers WR Martavis Bryant, reinstated to the NFL on Saturday, is working out with the Cowboys on Tuesday.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant on Saturday, and he’s already scheduled to meet with two teams.

Per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, first up is a workout with the Dallas Cowboys. Should Bryant leave Arlington without a deal, he’ll meet with the Tennessee Titans.

It’s been five years since Bryant, the Steelers’ fourth-round draft pick in 2014, has played in the NFL. His history of substance abuse issues led to multiple suspensions, the most recent an indefinite suspension in 2020.

Bryant, who turns 32 next month, last played at the highest level with the then-Oakland Raiders in 2018. He had a stint in the CFL and spent the 2022 season with Rod Woodson’s Vegas Vipers.

In four NFL seasons (he was suspended for the entirety of 2016), he logged 145 receptions on 251 targets for 2,183 yards and 17 touchdowns. His best season, 765 yards and six scores, came with Pittsburgh in 2015.

Five years is an eternity in NFL years, and it’s valid to wonder what he still has left in the tank to offer a professional club.

 

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Ex-Steelers RB Benny Snell could join AFC North rival

Benny Snell has been on the free-agent market since August.

Ever since All-Pro running back Nick Chubb went down with a season-ending injury in September, the Cleveland Browns have been hunting for depth. Today, that running back was a name familiar to Pittsburgh Steelers fans.

Per the NFL transaction wire, Benny Snell, selected by Pittsburgh in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft, worked out with Cleveland.

In four seasons, he played 63 games (five starts), rushing for 982 yards and seven touchdowns. He was the team’s primary backup until Jaylen Warren firmly took hold of that role.

After going unsigned by Pittsburgh this season, the Detroit Lions picked him up, only to release him on cutdown day. He’s been a free agent since.

Snell was always solid on special teams and pass-blocking and could be a nice depth piece for Cleveland.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

‘Reclamation project’ JuJu Smith-Schuster isn’t paying dividends with new team

As they say, you get what you pay for.

As they say, you get what you pay for. And the New England Patriots are getting just that with former Pittsburgh Steelers star JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Rarely does a player go from Pittsburgh to another team and find success. Smith-Schuster, however, did — albeit briefly. It helped that the team was the Kansas City Chiefs, and his quarterback was Patrick Mahomes. But he got a ring, something he never came close to in the Black & Gold.

Another thing he got was a knee injury, which nearly kept him from suiting up for the Super Bowl. But, like any athlete, he would have to be pried from the field not to play.

Smith-Schuster, who turns 27 next month, is in his seventh season and might not be in the league much longer. The knee remains a serious concern, and he was knocked out of the Week 5 Saints matchup with a concussion.

But the Patriots got him at a discount because of the injury concerns. “The knee gave you the chance to sign a guy at a premium position at a less-than-premium rate,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer told NBC Sports Boston.

“There was a lot of concern that the knee was going get worse, not better, from other teams, which is why other teams stayed away from him — and which is why he was available at this price point.”

Top receivers around the league are making bank. Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill makes $30 million a year, A.J. Brown in Philly $25 million. Smith-Schuster is the 32nd highest-paid receiver at $8.5 million.

“At his price point, you either get a guy who’s probably a borderline No. 2 or No. 3, or you get a reclamation project like this because of his cost. You pay him with the hope that he’s going to turn into what he used to be.”

But that hasn’t happened for Smith-Schuster. The “reclamation project” hasn’t paid dividends to date: He has just 14 receptions for 86 yards on 25 targets through five games and, at best, looks like a No. 3 wideout in New England.

While he insists he has no issues with his knee, Smith-Schuster isn’t the same guy who played second fiddle to Travis Kelce in Kansas City in 2022.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Social media reacts to Bears’ WR Chase Claypool trade

Steelers fans and the rest of social media react to the Chicago Bears trade of Chase Claypool to Miami Dolphins.

On Friday morning, the news broke that the Chicago Bears were trading former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Miami Dolphins. Claypool’s fate will forever be of interest to the Steelers because Pittsburgh fleeced the Bears for a second-round pick in that trade last year. Let’s see what social media is saying about the trade.

Chicago Bears trade ex-Steelers WR Chase Claypool to Miami Dolphins

The Bears trade to acquire Chase Claypool will go down as one of the worst in history.

The next chapter of the Chase Claypool saga now heads south to Miami. The former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, who was traded to the Chicago Bears last season didn’t make it a full year and has now been traded to the Miami Dolphins for a swap of 6th and 7th round NFL draft picks.

Pittsburgh dealt Claypool to the Bears in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL daft. This is the pick the Steelers used to draft cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The problems Claypool had in Pittsburgh were not cured by a new team and Chicago saw much of the same issues, forcing the trade.

Miami is probably a nice landing spot for Claypool given how much talent is on the roster, there won’t be much asked of him in the passing offense. Miami is loaded with skill players and an emphasis on speed. There should be very little pressure on Claypool to even contribute.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Report: Kendrick Green out indefinitely after injury suffered in Steelers-Texans game

Kendrick Green, the lineman who the Steelers were able to snag a 2025 sixth-round pick for in August, is out indefinitely.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Kendrick Green is out indefinitely after sustaining a torn meniscus in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s victory with the Texans.

Per ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime, Green is expected to be sidelined indefinitely.

Green was part of the unit that kept quarterback C.J. Stroud clean and didn’t allow any sacks for the first time all season.

The Steelers were surprisingly able to land a 2025 sixth-round pick for Green in August. I bet the Texans are wishing that was conditional right about now.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

 

Ex-Steelers WR Chase Claypool bounces back after sluggish start with Bears

The Chicago Bears were ready to bench former Steelers WR Chase Claypool after his lack of Week 1 effort, but he showed up versus the Bucs.

They never used the phrase, but a significant reason why the Pittsburgh Steelers dumped Chase Claypool was because of his lack of effort. Never mind the return they got in exchange for him — which is looking more and more genius by the week.

This offseason, if not before, the Bears saw what the Steelers did. His level of motivation wasn’t reflective of a pro, which showed in practices and, most recently, in Week 1 versus the Green Bay Packers. The fourth-year receiver had no catches on just two targets and looked like he didn’t even want to be there.

For Week 2, he was put on notice. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported that Claypool was told he’d be a healthy game day scratch — and “possibly even shipped out of town again” — if he didn’t execute.

Claypool heard the message loud and clear and responded — at least for now. Per Glazer, Claypool apologized to teammates, head coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles for the lack of effort.

Midway through the second quarter, the Bears trailed the Bucs 10–7 and Claypool didn’t have a reception. He finally got things going and ended with three catches for 36 yards and a score.

“He played hard in this game,” said former Steelers and Bears quarterback Jim Miller on SiriusXM’s Movin’ the Chains. “He blocked extremely well, he was physical, he had a presence. He caught that skinny post for a touchdown.”

“He was shown the door in Pittsburgh,” added MTC cohost and former general manager Pat Kirwan. “That was the first warning sign. They’d had enough of him… He’s too talented to not be an aggressive and complete player. I like that he responded but I would say to him it’s not a one-week thing. You cannot revert. You’ve gotta be that guy every week. If he does, with his athleticism and size, he’ll get a nice fat contract from somebody. Right now, his career’s on the bubble.

Claypool earned himself a second chance, but it’s hard to imagine that Chicago’s offense and a quarterback who struggles to put the ball up will be able to keep him satisfied enough to remain motivated. It’s likely he’ll be wearing different colors next season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Ex-Steelers QB Josh Dobbs set to make first start with new team

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Josh Dobbs will make his first start when the Arizona Cardinals take on the Washington Commanders.

Josh Dobbs won’t be riding pine Week 1. He’ll be grabbing a helmet to make his first start with the Arizona Cardinals, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Dobbs has bounced around the league since he left the Pittsburgh Steelers, landing on the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns before starting a couple of games with the Tennessee Titans. In March 2023, the Browns brought Dobbs back before trading him to the Cardinals in August.

Dobbs, selected by Pittsburgh in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft, made two starts at the end of last season with Tennessee. He threw for 411 yards and two scores. He appeared in six games during his career with the Steelers.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]