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Art Rooney talked about the Steelers 2023 season and looked ahead to 2024.
On Monday, Pittsburgh Steelers President Art Rooney II did a sit down with Rob King and discussed the 2023 season and looked ahead to the 2024 season. Here are the quick highlights from the interview.
Here are grades for every rookie in the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 draft class, including Joey Porter Jr. and Broderick Jones.
2023 was the first Pittsburgh Steelers rookie class built by general manager Omar Khan, As is the norm in the NFL, rookies get very little time to get acclimated before being thrust into a significant role but the Steelers were able to handle their rookie class just right. Here are our grades for the Steelers rookies.
Mike Tomlin expects Keeanu Benton to dominate.
During his end-of-the-season press conference, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin handed out some evaluations of several players on the roster. One player he didn’t hesitate to heap praise on was defensive tackle Keeanu Benton. Benton was one of the Steelers two second-round picks in the 2023 NFL draft.
“He’s really talented,” Benton said. “I think he’s capable of being dominant – and sooner rather than later.”
Benton’s rookie season went down a lot like fellow rookie Broderick Jones at offensive tackle. The coaches eased Benton into the defensive line rotation before finally settling in and starting nine games. It was never about the box score for Benton as he only finished with 36 tackles and a single sack but his ability to be disruptive in the backfield was evident.
The Steelers have some decisions to make about the defensive line but listening to Tomlin talk he has high expectations for Benton in the 2024 season.
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The Steelers have officially named NT Keeanu Benton starter over Montravius Adams.
On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers updated its official depth chart and made one key adjustment. Rookie nose tackle Keeanu Benton has been officially listed as the starter ahead of Montravius Adams.
Benton has developed quickly while Adams has been dealing with an injury and more than earned the right to get the bulk of the snaps. Benton has been a real bright spot on defense in a season where there hasn’t been a whole lot to be excited about. He’s far more than just a big run-stuffing nose tackle and provides a nice pass rush up the middle with his burst.
Benton currently has a 74.9 grade with Pro Football Focus which puts him consistently among the Top 10 rookies in the NFL.
This week the Steelers travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts clinging to the slimmest of playoff hopes.
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On the latest episode of @TheChiefsWire podcast: @EdEastonJr’s chats w/ #Steelers rookie Keeanu Benton & managing editor John Dillon #KCvsGB
We’re back with an all-new episode of the Chiefs Wire podcast! This week, we’re previewing the Kansas City Chiefs Week 13 matchup with the Green Bay Packers.
Chiefs Wire managing editor John Dillon provided his opinion on the team this season as they gear up for the postseason run. We check in with this past week’s press conferences featuring comments from the Chiefs. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, wide receiver Rashee Rice, and head coach Andy Reid shared their thoughts on last week’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
We also flashback to Ed Easton Jr.’s NFL Draft Combine conversation with Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Keeanu Benton. He discusses his appreciation for former Wisconsin teammate and friend Leo Chenal’s Super Bowl LVII victory.
Listeners can look forward to being well-informed about the Chiefs’ mindset following their Week 12 victory over the Raiders and anticipation for this Sunday night’s visit to Lambeau Field.
Check out the link below to get your fill of Chiefs talk ahead of Sunday’s kickoff:
T.J. Watt is a pretty good judge of talent, so when he talks about the performance of his Steelers teammates, you listen.
T.J. Watt is a pretty good judge of talent, so when he talks about the performance of Pittsburgh Steelers rookie defensive lineman Keeanu Benton, you listen.
“Kid plays hard. And he’s a big guy that can move really well, and he continues to get better week in and week out,” Watt said after defeating the Raiders.
And he’s excited about what’s to come for his fellow defender.
“He loves the game, he works hard, and just another guy I’m not surprised by. But super excited to have him continue to take steps each and every week, it’s important at this level.”
Benton played the least amount of snaps he has all regular season (21-28-29) but made them count. He drove right through the center and mowed down Raiders’ Jimmy Garoppolo, notching the first of what’ll be many career sacks.
Keeanu Benton is going to be a baller for the Steelers.
That swim move is so swift and killer.
pic.twitter.com/CgkKeRl1BQ— Daniel Valente (@StatsGuyDaniel) September 25, 2023
As for Watt, in typical Watt-like fashion, he was all over the ball, forcing the interception to Patrick Peterson and adding two more sacks for an NFL-leading six.
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Big man leading the way for Wisconsin so far
The Badgers football team has started the season 3-1 and they’ve won their last two contests heading into their bye week this week and James Thompson Jr. has been a huge part of their defensive success.
Thompson Jr. has recorded 15 total tackles (11 solo) including a team-high three sacks while also adding a pass deflection over the first four games of the year.
With Nick Herbig and Keeanu Benton (15.5 combined sacks in 2022) both being drafted by the Steelers following the 2022 season, a lot of production was lost on the Badgers’ defense and Thompson Jr. could be the one who leads the team in sacks moving forward.
Bringing the ππππππππ π₯@james_jr56 has been πππ¨π§πͺπ₯π©ππ«π on defense and currently leads the team in sacks πͺ #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/Z4EcLZb90c
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) September 26, 2023
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Big play from Keeanu Benton:
Wisconsin Badgers fans who watched last year’s team play know how important DL Keeanu Benton was to the team’s success. The defense was quite good when Benton was on the field, and then struggled to stop anything when he went to the sideline.
The defensive lineman registered 35 tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss and 4.5 sacks for the Badgers in 2022. I’d argue his value to the team isn’t close to fully represented with those numbers.
Related:Β Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 4: The Big Ten West is really, really, bad
The Pittsburgh Steelers wisely selected Benton in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Since stepping on the field Week 1, he’s already made a sizable impact.
It took until last night’s contest for the former Badger to register his first career sack, though. He quickly cut through the offensive line late in the third quarter and wrapped up Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garrappolo.
Big man, big hit! Rookie @keeanu_benton with a massive sack for the @steelers πͺ
πΊ: #PITvsLV on NBC
π±: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/oKZBIH1jw0 pic.twitter.com/QM8wJEmelS— NFL (@NFL) September 25, 2023
Benton’s stat line this season now includes six total tackles and that sack from last night.
How every former Badger performed this weekend:
Week 3 of the 2023 NFL Season is nearing its completion, with two Monday Night Football games yet to play.
Former Wisconsin Badgers were in the middle of some of the headline-grabbing action on Sunday, and it wasn’t all for great reasons.
First, Russell Wilson’s Broncos were the subject of a 70-20 demolishing by Alec Ingold and Andrew Van Ginkel’s Miami Dolphins. Then, T.J. Edwards and Jack Sanborn’s Bears fell in Kansas City 41-10. A combined score of 110-30 from those two games tells the proper story of how much of a mismatch each contest was.
Related:Β Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 4: The Big Ten West is really, really, bad
Some Wisconsin products did have big days. Keeanu Benton registered his first career sack, Jake Ferguson continues to emerge as one of the Cowboys’ top options at tight end and more.
Here is how every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 3:
A high grade for a former Wisconsin DT:
There were very few bright spots during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 30-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
As it happens to be, most of the bright spots were former Wisconsin Badgers.
The first was perennial All-Pro T.J. Watt, who recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles.
Related:Β How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 1
The second was rookie Keeanu Benton, who ProFootballFocus graded as one of its top rookies of Week 1. The former Badger only recorded three total tackles, but PFF ranked his performance an 86.1 thanks to some excellence defending the run:
The Wisconsin product showed his run-stuffing ability in Week 1 against the Niners, earning a positive grade on over 11.8% of his run-defense snaps. And perhaps more impressively for a rookie, he earned no negative grades on those snaps.
The service also noted Benton was the second-highest graded Pittsburgh Steeler overall, behind another former Badger in T.J. Watt.
1. Jalen Carter, PHI
15. Darnell Wright, CHITop 15 Highest Graded Rookies from NFL Week 1β¬οΈhttps://t.co/phqybmJ2K9
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 12, 2023
Benton, Watt and the rest of the Steelers’ cast of Wisconsin products are back in action Monday night as they host the Cleveland Browns.
