Category: Steelers Wire News

Steelers FO guru tabbed as a future GM

The Steelers could lose Andy Weidl at the end of the season.

One of the biggest additions for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the past two years has been assistant general manager Andy Weidl. Weidl came over from the Philadelphia Eagles and taken over the responsibilities of the NFL draft with great success. Weidl’s success has put him squarely on the radar of other NFL teams as a future general manager according to Sports Illustrated.

Weidl has a similar path to Cunningham’s, having come up in Baltimore, before going with Douglas to Philly. Plenty of people who’ve worked with him have asked why he doesn’t get mentioned more—and there’s a reason why Omar Khan, whose background was on the cap side, worked hard to get him to be his No. 2 after Kevin Colbert retired. Few have the path of having worked for three perennial winners that Weidl brings to the table.

Weidl and Omar Khan are the ultimate front-office tandem but we expect to see Weidl get plenty of offers to run his own team at the end of the season. If he leaves, Pittsburgh might need to coax another person off of this list to help fill that void.

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December football continues to be Steelers’ kryptonite

The Steelers’ December struggles continue, with another late-season collapse highlighting their ongoing issues during this critical stretch.

As many gather with their loved ones to reflect on 2024 as the New Year approaches, fans of the Black and Gold may find nothing but utter disappointment throughout the month of December.

From September to November, the Pittsburgh Steelers boasted an impressive 8-3 record. Momentum quickly shifted, however, as the team would lose three of their last five games in December.

For many, it is heartbreaking, to say the least. The team seemed primed for a Super Bowl run—and still very much could be—but their late-season collapse has once again left much to be desired.

In recent years, December has been unkind to the Pittsburgh Steelers, with the team posting a mediocre 15-18 record since 2018. Fatigue, injuries, and tough scheduling could be to blame, but HC Mike Tomlin’s decision-making is often linked to these late-season stumbles.

It is clear to everyone watching Pittsburgh Steelers football on Sundays that something needs to change. Several organizational changes to the coaching staff may need to be discussed if the team once again fails to record a playoff win.

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Could Steelers lose Odell Beckham Jr. sweepstakes to AFC North Rival?

Could Steelers lose out on OBJ to the Ravens, as Lamar Jackson’s MVP-caliber play and Diontae Johnson’s uncertain future spark debate?

The more things change, the more they stay the same for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In regards to which teams may sign the recently released Odell Beckham Jr., the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Los Angeles Rams were considered the odds-on favorites to sign OBJ, according to Bovada.

However, with Rams HC Sean McVay describing the team’s reluctance to pursue Beckham, this kicked the door wide open for Steelers GM Omar Khan to pull off the heist of the century.

Beckham had previously spent time on the Rams and the Ravens, and while Los Angeles is seemingly out of the hunt, Baltimore is showing signs of needing additional talent at the WR position.

Former Steelers WR Diontae Johnson is practically one foot in, one foot out of the Ravens organization, and Beckham may prefer to play in an organization he played for previously.

With Ravens QB Lamar Jackson lighting up defenses with his arm and legs, the two-time MVP award winner may present Beckham an opportunity he simply can’t pass up to close out the 2024 season.

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Mike Tomlin might coach the Steelers forever

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin loves coaching the Pittsburgh.

One of the biggest takeaways from this new season of HBO’s Hard Knocks is that Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is the star of the show. It might be about four different teams but Tomlin is the main character.

We hope Steelers fans who have been hyper critical of Tomlin and call for his job on a weekly basis have been able to tune in and have a different perspective on him after seeing how different he is from the other coaches in the AFC North.

In one scene on Tuesday, Tomlin was talking to quarterback Russell Wilson on the sidelines, getting a fellow Virginian hyped up for the game and made it clear he loves coaching the Steelers so much, he’d pay the team to do it.

“I’d pay them to do this,” Tomlin said. “I’d never tell them that, but we living.”

Tomlin has always had the reputation of being a player’s coach and Hard Knocks has really confirmed that. He’s in his 18th season as the Steelers head coach and last week he secured a spot in the playoffs.

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Watch referee give Steelers HC Mike Tomlin nonsense excuse on penalties

We got a little more insight into the unusual call in last week’s Steelers game.

Early on in the Pittsburgh Steelers loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the officials got involved and it felt a lot like home cooking for the Eagles. On an early red zone play, Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones engaged with Philadelphia cornerback Darius Slay and walked him back into the stands like a scene out of The Blind Side. Slay took exception and a scrum ensued.

When the dust settled, the officials chose to throw two flags. But instead of offsetting penalties as is normally the case when both sides are throwing punches, all flags went to the Steelers. This was in spite of a clear view of multiple Eagles throwing punches.

Head coach Mike Tomlin wanted some clarification from the officials and we got to hear it straight from them on Tuesday’s episode of Hard Knocks. And spoiler alert: It’s ridiculous.

Ultimately, it’s impossible to know how much this interaction impacted the outcome of the game. The Steelers fell to the Eagles 27-13, however, the Steelers still secured a spot in the playoffs.

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Where do the Steelers stand in the crowded AFC playoff race?

The AFC playoff picture is tightening as the Pittsburgh Steelers secure their spot, with seeding battles heating up among top contenders.

Steelers fans rejoice! Although the matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles left much to be desired for the Black and Gold faithful, the Pittsburgh Steelers clinched a playoff spot following losses by the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15. However, the playoff race remains extremely tight, with the Steelers currently holding the number three seed in the AFC.

The AFC playoff standings are beginning to take shape. The 13-1 Kansas City Chiefs hold the number one seed, followed by the other AFC divisional leaders: the 11-3 Buffalo Bills, the 10-4 Pittsburgh Steelers, and the 9-5 Houston Texans.

After the divisional leaders, seeded one through four, the AFC wild-card teams are as follows: the fifth-seeded 9-5 Baltimore Ravens, the sixth-seeded 9-5 Denver Broncos, and the seventh-seeded 8-6 Los Angeles Chargers.

Currently in the hunt are three AFC teams locked in a three-way tie, with identical 6-8 records: the Indianapolis Colts, the Miami Dolphins, and the Cincinnati Bengals.

An intriguing aspect of the playoff race is that, if the season ended today, the 10-4 Pittsburgh Steelers would host the 9-5 Denver Broncos in the wild-card round.  Furthermore, the Steelers can also secure the AFC North divisional title with a win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16.

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Steelers QB misses Tuesday practice with injury

Justin Fields suffered an abdominal injury in Sunday’s loss.

On Sunday, Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback only came in for a single play against the Philadelphia Eagles. That one play was a nice eight-yard rush made even better by a 15-yard penalty for a late hit.

Unfortunately, on that play, Fields suffered an abdominal injury that didn’t allow him to return to the game. That same abdominal injury kept him out of practice on Tuesday as the team begins preparations to take on the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.

If Fields cannot go on Saturday, the situation is two-fold. First, the Steelers lose that element of Fields running the football in his speciality packages that have worked in very limited use since Russell Wilson took over as the starting quarterback.

In addition, if Fields cannot go, it would make Kyle Allen the backup and be just one play away from being the starter in the most important game of the season for the Steelers. If Pittsburgh can beat the Ravens this week, they will clinch the AFC North title.

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Steelers fans conflicted on potential reunion with Diontae Johnson

Fans are divided over whether the Pittsburgh Steelers should consider bringing Diontae Johnson back if the Ravens release him.

The grass isn’t always greener, and Diontae Johnson, along with the Baltimore Ravens, found this out the hard way. In an attempt to provide a much-needed boost to their receiver room, the Ravens took a chance on the ever-dramatic wide receiver. However, Baltimore’s greed blinded them to not only the emerging wide receiver threat already on their roster, Rashod Bateman, but also to Johnson’s tendency to self-implode.

Some fans are clamoring for the Pittsburgh Steelers to sign Johnson if he is released, but others remember his less-than-ideal attitude when he played for the Black and Gold.

One rule that came to light in 2024, due to the New York Jets’ trade for Haason Reddick, prevented the Steelers from reuniting with Johnson at the trade deadline. The rule explicitly states that teams cannot reacquire a player via trade that they previously traded away until two years have passed. However, much confusion surrounds the rule and whether the Steelers could potentially sign Johnson if he is released and clears waivers.

Here are some of the best fan reactions to the potential Black and Gold reunion with Diontae Johnson.

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AFC North title at stake in Week 16

The Steelers can clinch the AFC North with a win on Saturday.

Putting aside the Week 15 debacle against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in a surprisingly good place this week. Not only did the Steelers clinch a spot in the playoffs despite the loss, the Steelers can now focus on capturing the AFC North on Saturday vs the Baltimore Ravens.

If the Steelers can complete the season sweep of the Ravens this week, they will improve to 11-4 and secure their first AFC North title since 2020. Winning on Saturday would also give the Steelers some flexibility with the team’s final two games.

Pittsburgh has to follow up their game against Baltimore with a huge home showdown on Christmas Day against the Kansas City Chiefs, The Steelers then wrap up the year against the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Steelers insider believes injured linebacker could soon return in 2024

Cole Holcomb’s recovery progress sparks hope for his return to bolster the Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker unit.

In what has been a turbulent buildup to the Week 15 contest between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, injuries have plagued both sides of the ball for the Black and Gold. However, one Steelers insider believes that do-it-all linebacker Cole Holcomb may be returning from injury very soon.

In his well-known Steelers Chat on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, insider Gerry Dulac shared an update on Holcomb’s recovery process after being asked to check in. He stated, “Well, I can at least tell you his recovery has been outstanding, and, to me, from what I’ve seen, I wouldn’t be surprised if they add him back to the roster soon.”

Holcomb has been sidelined since suffering a season-ending left knee injury on November 2, 2023, during the Steelers’ Week 9 contest against the Tennessee Titans.

His return would help solidify the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ linebacker corps as arguably the best in the NFL, with LBs Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, and rookie Payton Wilson all playing at an exceptional level.

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