Tag: NFL timely

Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick wins 2024 Bart Starr Award

Minkah Fitzpatrick is a true leader for the Steelers.

On Friday, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced safety Minkah Fitzpatrick had won the 2024 Bart Starr Award for displaying outstanding character, integrity and leadership on and off the field.

“It’s a huge honor,” said Fitzpatrick. “I am grateful for you guys to select me. I appreciate it very much.”

“That my peers selected me means a lot. I say all the time the better man you are, the better ball player you will be. I feel like that’s a phrase not a lot of people really believe in across the league.”

“The fact that people see a good man in me means a lot. I am always trying to be a better man, better brother, better son. The fact that people recognize that is a huge honor.”

Fitzpatrick has quickly developed into the best all-around safety in the NFL. But it has been his leadership that stood out this season when he called out his own team for playing flat and getting beat. This season hasn’t gone according to play for Fitzpatrick thanks to injuries but he remains an integral part of the team.

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5 big takeaways from the Steelers loss to the Cardinals

The Steelers played an ugly football game on Sunday in all phases.

Sunday’s 24-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals is a season low for the Pittsburgh Steelers in terms of play. This was an ugly loss that ranks in the top five of worst losses we’ve seen during the tenure of head coach Mike Tomlin. Here are our big takeaways from the game.

Mykal Walker ready to be the next man up for the Steelers

The Steelers could call up Mykal Walker to the roster very soon.

The Pittsburgh Steelers quietly added former Atlanta Falcons inside linebacker Mykal Walker on October 30. This was prior to the Steelers losing inside linebacker Cole Holcomb for the year to a knee injury. And it was well ahead of the Steelers losing Kwon Alexander for the year with an Achilles injury the following week.

But now, with Holcomb and Alexander on the shelf for the rest of the year, it could be Walker’s time to shine. When Walker spoke to the media on Monday, he sounded like a guy who is ready to be that next man up.

“I’ve always been that guy who had to wait and scrap and fight to get to the top,” Walker said. “If my opportunity is called, I’ll be ready.”

Walker and fellow practice squad inside linebacker Tariq Carpenter should be on notice that they might get the call this week and going forward. The Steelers only have Elandon Roberts and Mark Robinson on the 53-man roster and have carried four all season. Even if Pittsburgh dives into free agency, Carpenter and Walker are the two guys we expect to see rounding out the depth chart for the rest of the season.

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5 takeaways from Mike Tomlin’s Tuesday Steelers press conference

Mike Tomlin was his usual blunt self at his Tuesday Steelers press conference.

On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin addressed the media to talk about last week’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers and the lead into this week’s game against the Cleveland Browns. The news was bad on all fronts but here are the big takeaways from the presser.

Steelers WR George Pickens isn’t talking about last week’s sideline tantrum

George Pickens isn’t going to let the media take anything he says and run with it.

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On Wednesday, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens chose to address his sideline behavior from last week by letting everyone know he would not be addressing it.

Before any reporters could even ask him about his sideline tantrum last week versus the Atlanta Falcons he made it clear he wasn’t making any statements about it. He then simply pulled his gaiter back up over his mouth and shook his head “no” to two very innocuous questions about if the coaches had spoken to him about it or if he heard what head coach Mike Tomlin said about it on Tuesday.

Pickens might not have said much on Wednesday but he honestly said plenty. Tomlin noted he wants guys who want the football so he was ok with what Pickens did. But for quarterback Kenny Pickett, this could turn into a much bigger issue if Pickens doesn’t feel like he is targeting him enough in the games.

Let us know in the comments what you thought of how Pickens handled the press on Wednesday.

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Steelers vs Colts: LB Robert Spillane, RB Jaylen Warren headlines Pittsburgh inactives

Here is the full list of Steelers inactives for this week.

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This week the Pittsburgh Steelers get a chance to pull off a solid road win on Monday Night Football as this team clings to credibility in the NFL. But to do that, they will need to do it without key reserve running back Jaylen Warren.

Warren suffered a hamstring injury in last week’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and wasn’t recovered enough to go this week. Pittsburgh will rely on Anthony McFarland Jr. to back up Najee Harris this week.

Here is the full list:

  • QB Mason Rudolph
  • WR Miles Boykin
  • LB Robert Spillane
  • G Kendrick Green
  • CB Josh Jackson
  • CB Ahkello Witherspoon
  • RB Jaylen Warren

Here are the Colts inactives for this week:

  • WR Keke Coutee
  • QB Nick Foles
  • C Wesley French
  • TE Kylen Granson (illness)
  • DE Khalid Kareem
  • DE Ifeadi Odenigbo
  • DE Kwity Paye (ankle)

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Steelers vs Jets official prediction for this week’s game

Cast your vote and pick the winner this week.

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A 1-2 team coming to Pittsburgh shouldn’t be a cause for concern for the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, 2022 is different as the Steelers also sit at 1-2 and need to stop the New York Jets this week to hold onto any hope of making the playoffs.

For the Jets, they get Zach Wilson back at quarterback but will be very thin at linebacker. The Steelers continue to be without linebacker T.J. Watt and will also be minus cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon this week. The Steelers offense continues to struggle while it finds its identity and a quarterback change could be coming.

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Cast your vote and give us your prediction for this week’s game. Pittsburgh hasn’t solved all of its problems but New York has its own share of struggles. In the end Pittsburgh will find a way to win an ugly football game and hold onto hope heading into the worst four-game stretch of the season. Steelers 27, Jets 17

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3 things Minkah Fitzpatrick on the COVID list means for the Steelers

The Steelers could have a new starting free safety this week.

Just two days after finding out quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had tested positive for COVID-19, the Pittsburgh Steelers got even more bad news. Now starting safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has tested positive as well. Here are three things this news could mean for the Steelers this week.

Steelers DL Stephon Tuitt could be headed to IR

The Steelers could start the season without one of its best defensive players.

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Pittsburgh Steelers beat writer Gerry Dulac is reporting that the Pittsburgh Steelers are considering putting defensive end Stephon Tuitt on the Injured/Reserve list to start the 2021 NFL season.

Tuitt has been absent for the entirety of the Steelers training camp and preseason dealing with an injury so this move makes perfect sense. It also lines up perfectly, as Dulac pointed out with the Steelers opting to keep an extra defensive lineman on their initial 53-man roster.

If the Steelers put Tuitt on IR, he would be able to return in Week Three by rule. The key to getting a player off IR early is for them to be on the 53-man roster after final cuts.

Tuitt has been the unsung hero on the Steelers defense and is grossly underrated by non-Steeler fans. Last season, Tuitt was dominant with 11 sacks in 15 games but you rarely hear his name among the top 3-4 defensive linemen in the league. The Steelers defense would take a hit if Tuitt has to miss an extended period of time this season.

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