Tag: Maurkice Pouncey

Ex-Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey reacts to Mike Tomlin’s ‘biggest regret’

Maurkice Pouncey got wind of Mike Tomlin’s comment and responded in a touching way via Instagram.

In his 2023 season-ending press conference, Mike Tomlin admitted his biggest regret was not getting a Lombardi Trophy for the Pittsburgh Steelers when Maurkice Pouncey was a member of the Black and Gold.

“It’s probably one of my biggest regrets professionally that Maurkice Pouncey, for example, is not a world champion because that guy is,” Tomlin said when asked if there’s a sense of urgency to get Cam Heyward a ring. “So that is a motivating factor for me certainly, but continually, it is.”

Pouncey got wind of Tomlin’s comment and responded in a touching way via Instagram.

“Thank you Coach T means the world but Never regret it Coach You made me a champion at life Im forever thankful!”

Pouncey, who entered the league one season before Heyward, was a rookie when Pittsburgh lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV.

The Steelers made six more postseason appearances in Pouncey’s career, losing in the wild card round three times.

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Mike Tomlin admits one of his ‘biggest regrets’ as Steelers head coach

Mike Tomlin wore his heart on his sleeve when asked about the urgency of winning now.

As fans, we often fail to see players and coaches as human. We put them on a pedestal and blast them left and right when they make mistakes. They have feelings just like you and me.

Mike Tomlin is one of those coaches. And he wore his heart on his sleeve today when asked about the urgency of winning now, especially for a guy like Cam Heyward, who is nearing retirement.

The Steelers have been on the losing end in their seven postseason appearances in Heyward’s 13-year career.

“I always move with that urgency,” Tomlin shared in his season-end press conference. “I think you can point to guys like that annually that are deserving of being champions. You want them to have that taste.

“It’s probably one of my biggest regrets professionally that Maurkice Pouncey, for example, is not a world champion because that guy is. So that is a motivating factor for me certainly, but continually, it is.”

Pouncey, who entered the league one season before Heyward, was a rookie when Pittsburgh lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV.

He didn’t get that Jerome Bettis storybook ending, and though it’s the ultimate goal for any team to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, it’s looking like Cam Heyward won’t have that honor.

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Florida offensive guard becomes program’s 34th Consensus All-American in history

Florida Gators offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence has become the 34th Consensus All-American in Florida football program history

Florida Gators offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] has become a Consensus All-American. To be considered a Consensus All-American, a player must be named to the three major All-American teams (Walter Camp, Sporting News, AP), something Torrence did in his only season as a Florida football player.

Torrence becomes the 34th player in Florida football history to be a consensus All-American and the first since [autotag]Kyle Pitts[/autotag] in 2020. He joins [autotag]Lomas Brown[/autotag] (1984), [autotag]Jason Odom[/autotag] (1995), [autotag]Mike Pearson[/autotag] (2001), and [autotag]Maurkice Pouncey[/autotag] (2009) as the only Gators offensive linemen to be named a Consensus All-American. He is the first offensive guard in Florida football history to earn the honor.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 347-pound senior was also named an All-American by The Athletic, CBS, and Pro Football Focus (PFF).

Torrence was a vital part of the Florida run game. He transferred to Florida from Louisiana, joining [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] in the move from Lafayette to Gainesville. He brought stability and familiarity in a run game that became the Gators’ offensive identity.

The offensive line was a position of need before Napier was hired and brought Torrence with him to the SEC. Once Torrence was brought in, the unit flourished. They finished the season No. 1 in SEC yards per carry (5.8), and second in the SEC in sacks allowed (12) and tackles for loss allowed per game (4). Torrence was also named to the First-Team All-SEC team for his role in one of the best offensive lines in the conference.

Unfortunately for the Gators, Torrence will be unavailable for the upcoming bowl game. In fact, the Gators will finish their season with a depleted roster after over a dozen players have entered the transfer portal.

Other top players like [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] and [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] have also declared for the NFL draft and will not be playing against the Oregon State Beavers in the Las Vegas Bowl. That game will be played on Saturday starting at 2:30 p.m. EST and broadcast on ESPN.

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Mock Draft Monday: Where is Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey projected?

Former Oklahoma Sooners center Creed Humphrey mocked in the first round after first wave of free agency.

The NFL just finished wrapped up the very first wave of free agency. With each event in the NFL offseason, it becomes clearer what teams need going into the draft. Continue reading “Mock Draft Monday: Where is Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey projected?”

Steelers 2021 draft: 5 top prospects at center

With the news of Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement on Friday, the probability of the Steelers taking a center at No. 24 skyrocketed.

As the Pittsburgh Steelers start the slow process of revamping their offensive line this offseason, an O-line-heavy draft is inevitable.

With the news of Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement on Friday, the probability of the Steelers taking a center at No. 24 skyrocketed. Certainly not a sexy position, but critical to the offense’s success in 2021 and beyond.

Our friends over at Draft Wire will be rolling out prospect rankings this week, but they’ve given us a sneak peek at their top players at the center position.

Without further adieu…

Gator greats the Pouncey twins retiring from NFL after decade of excellence

Two of the NFL’s finest offensive linemen of the past decade, the Pouncey twins, are calling it a career after years of excellence.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published by Touchdown Wire and has been republished in its entirety below.

Two of the finest offensive linemen of the past decade are calling it a career.

Twin brothers Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, with 13 total Pro Bowl selections between them, are retiring from the NFL. The news was revealed Friday morning in a Twitter post by Ramon Foster, a longtime teammate of Maurkice with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maurkice was named to nine Pro Bowl squads in 10 seasons as the Steelers’ center. He also earned two first-team All-Pro selections and was picked for the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2010s by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was selected No. 18 overall in the 2010 NFL draft by Pittsburgh.

Mike earned four Pro Bowl invitations during his decade-long pro career with the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers. The No. 15 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, he mostly played center as a professional but also briefly served as a guard with the Dolphins.

The brothers starred as teammates at Lakeland High School in central Florida and at the University of Florida prior to their NFL careers. They were key members of the Gators’ BCS national championship team in the 2008 season.

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Pouncey brothers retiring after decade of excellence

Twin brothers combined for 13 Pro Bowl selections after playing together at the University of Florida.

Two of the finest offensive linemen of the past decade are calling it a career.

Twin brothers Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, with 13 total Pro Bowl selections between them, are retiring from the NFL. The news was revealed Friday morning in a Twitter post by Ramon Foster, a longtime teammate of Maurkice with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maurkice was named to nine Pro Bowl squads in 10 seasons as the Steelers’ center. He also earned two first-team All-Pro selections and was picked for the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2010s by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was selected No. 18 overall in the 2010 NFL draft by Pittsburgh.

Mike earned four Pro Bowl invitations during his decade-long pro career with the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers. The No. 15 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, he mostly played center as a professional but also briefly served as a guard with the Dolphins.

The brothers starred as teammates at Lakeland High School in central Florida and at the University of Florida prior to their NFL careers. They were key members of the Gators’ BCS national championship team in the 2008 season.

Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey is retiring from NFL

Maurkcie Pouncey’s stellar career in Pittsburgh is coming to an end.

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The news we all expected came today via former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Ramon Foster. Foster announced on Twitter that Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey along with his brother Mike who plays for the Los Angeles Chargers are retiring from the NFL.

Pouncey has been one of the best centers in the AFC for much of his career. He was the Steelers first-round pick back in 2010 and started 134 games.

Pouncey made the Pro Bowl nine times and was named an All-Pro five of those seasons.

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Mic’d up Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger to C Maurkice Pouncey: ‘I’m sorry, brother’

Reports have surfaced that Pouncey plans to retire, which would make this conversation all the more memorable.

While the Cleveland Browns were celebrating a playoff win in their locker room, the Pittsburgh Steelers were quietly lamenting their loss on the sideline.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and center Maurkice Pouncey, who have spent the last 11 seasons together, shared an emotional postgame moment on an otherwise empty bench.

But it wasn’t a private one. NFL Films was there to capture every word for Inside the NFL.

“I’m sorry, brother,” Roethlisberger told Pouncey. “You’re the only reason I wanted to do this, man… Oh, I feel worse for you than me. I hate it, man.”

Monday brought speculation about whether Pouncey had played the final game of his career. Though nothing is official yet, Steelers beat reporter Dale Lolley indicates Pouncey plans to retire.

Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh press after the game, “I love that guy. He is one of the best competitors and teammates I’ve ever had. It’s been so much fun to share a football field with him. I hate that it ended the way it did. I just wanted to apologize to him that I wanted to win it for him.”

It sure sounds like Pouncey has his mind made up.

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Ben Roethlisberger apologized to Maurkice Pouncey in emotional, mic’d-up conversation

“I’m sorry, brother.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers saw their 11-0 start to the 2020 season end with a 48-37 loss to the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Wild Card round on Sunday. And in the moments after the loss, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was overcome with emotion.

The NBC broadcast showed a tearful Roethlisberger on the bench with longtime Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey who had spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers. Reports out of Pittsburgh pointed to Pouncey’s likely retirement after the loss, and with that in mind, Roethlisberger’s emotional reaction made all the more sense.

NFL Films released mic’d-up video on Monday of that conversation, and we could hear as Roethlisberger apologized to Pouncey for letting him down.

Roethlisberger said:

“I’m sorry, brother. You’re the only reason I wanted to do this, man. … Oh, I feel worse for you than me. I hate it, man.”

Just judging from that, Roethlisberger certainly felt that Pouncey had played his final NFL game. The two had been teammates since 2010. Pouncey lost in his lone Super Bowl appearance as a rookie against the Green Bay Packers.