Tag: sports news

What exactly does Roman Wilson need to prove to Mike Tomlin?

Mike Tomlin stated that ‘moving on’ from Roman Wilson was due to the rookie not showing enough, but what exactly does he need to prove?

When is the last time Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin openly spoke about moving on from a rookie? Roman Wilson and questions about his gameday availability appear to be a thorn in the sides of Tomlin and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith, as both have seemingly alluded to the rookie’s availability as vaguely as humanly possible. 

It was confirmed last week that Wilson’s hamstring injury was not the reason he was held out of Week 7’s contest, but rather that he didn’t prove himself enough to Tomlin. That seems to be the big question: what exactly does the rookie third-rounder need to do? 

Wilson will also miss Week 8’s Monday Night Football game against the New York Giants with the supposed hamstring ‘injury,’ but those who have seen the rookie in practice have stated that Wilson looks like he is the definitive WR2 for the offense. 

In Wilson’s debut game, the rookie was only used on five snaps, with zero targets and zero receptions to show for it.  It is clear that Tomlin is either seeing something that everyone else isn’t, or the rookie wide receiver has ruffled the feathers of his head coach in some way.

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Will a win in Week 8 send Justin Fields packing before trade deadline?

Justin Fields may find himself being traded out of Pittsburgh if Russell Wilson leads the Steelers to another dominant victory in Week 8.

As the saying goes, ‘The best ability is availability.’ This is something both Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields know all too well. Several weeks ago, speculation over potential trades for Wilson ran rampant while Fields handled starting duties. 

Wilson was dealing with a calf injury to start the season, and fans, players, and analysts assumed the veteran QB was on his way out of the Steel City. However, Wilson was given a chance to earn his starting job back, and he did just that in the Steelers’ dominant Week 7 victory over the New York Jets. 

Fields, dealing with a hamstring injury, finds himself as the odd man out in the QB room. If Pittsburgh cannot financially afford to keep Fields with the team beyond 2025, and Wilson puts together another impressive performance in Week 8, General Manager Omar Khan may have no choice but to test Fields’ value on the trade market.

If the Steelers are serious about contending for a Super Bowl this season, the team would be wise to fully commit to Wilson and explore what value they could get for Fields in a trade. 

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Two-time SB Champion returns to Pittsburgh in Week 8

Two-time Super Bowl champion and one of the greatest Steelers’ kickers of all-time, Jeff Reed, is attending the Steelers’ Week 8 contest.

Fans of the 2000’s Pittsburgh Steelers rejoice!  Two-time Super Bowl champion, third-all time Steelers’ leading scorer, and one of the greatest kickers in Pittsburgh history, Jeff Reed, is attending his former team’s Week 8 contest against the New York Giants.

Reed belonged to the Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII championship teams, assisting in bringing the Steelers’ last two Lombardi trophies to Pittsburgh, with 12 points off his right foot in these games.

Reed will follow in the footsteps of former Steelers’ All-Pro players, WR Antonio Brown and RB Le’Veon Bell, who also attended Pittsburgh games this season, as well as making their appearances at the Terrible Tailgate before the game.

 

Pittsburgh has enjoyed having some of the greatest kickers the NFL has ever seen on their rosters, and it is heartwarming to say the least when former Steelers players reunite with their team and fans.

Keep an eye out for Steelers’ legend and two-time Super Bowl kicker Jeff Reed at not only the Terrible Tailgate on October 28th at 3:30 PM EST, but the Monday Night Football game at 8:15 PM EST as well.

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Steelers are now first place in the AFC North following Ravens’ loss

The Browns pulled off an unbelievable win by beating the 5-2 Ravens, 29-24. The Steelers are now 1st in the AFC North following the upset.

Jaws have dropped in Pittsburgh. The Cleveland Browns have done the unthinkable, pulling off an upset victory against the Baltimore Ravens. While Steelers fans wish both rivals could have lost on Sunday, Pittsburgh now holds a half-game lead over the Ravens in the divisional race.

The Cleveland Browns entered the contest with an abysmal 1-6 record and were tasked with the impossible—stopping the 5-2 Ravens and their dynamic offense in Week 8. Browns’ starting QB Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending torn Achilles, leaving backup QB Jameis Winston to take over the signal-calling duties. 

Winston stepped up in a big way for his team, and in some ways for the Black and Gold faithful, as he threw a game-deciding TD pass with 59 seconds remaining to seal the win against the Ravens. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers are poised to improve their record to 6-2 against the New York Giants, furthering their lead in the AFC North divisional race, on Monday Night Football, October 28th at 8:15 PM EST.

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Steelers OC: QB battle was decided by who had the best deep ball

Steelers’ OC Arthur Smith stated that while Justin Fields had a solid deep-ball, Russell Wilson’s amazing deep-ball forced the teams hand.

While the decision to start Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson over Justin Fields in last week’s contest was polarizing, to say the least, Head Coach Mike Tomlin appeared to make the right call. No specific rhyme or reason was given for the decision, other than Tomlin’s desire to ‘win championships.’ 

It confused former players, analysts, and fans, especially since Fields had led the Steelers to an impressive 4-2 record through six games. However, Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith shed some light on why the decision to start Wilson over Fields was simpler than people made it out to be. 


It seems Wilson’s talent in throwing his immaculate deep ball, as displayed throughout Week 7’s contest, was a huge reason he got his opportunity to showcase his signal calling in 2024. This ‘greed’ on the offensive side of the ball is much appreciated, as although Fields’ athleticism is impressive, the passing game overall has become an area of concern in recent years for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Steelers’ safety is ranked 1st by PFF in run defense

Steelers’ safety DeShon Elliott has been great through seven games of football. PFF has recognized him as the best run defending safety.

Pro Football Focus has decided to give Pittsburgh Steelers safety DeShon Elliott his flowers. The former Raven was acquired in free agency by Pittsburgh during the 2024 offseason and has made his presence felt immediately. While Steelers free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick hasn’t had his usual success this season, struggling to record any splash plays, Elliott has played at an elite level thus far. 

PFF has an interesting reputation in Pittsburgh, as the polarizing grades of Steelers players have sometimes left a lot to be desired. However, Elliott is currently being graded by the organization as the best safety in the 2024 NFL season against the run. 

While many were aware of the talent Elliott possessed, no one could have truly predicted the impact the Pittsburgh strong safety would make when he signed his two-year, $6.0 million dollar contract back in March.

Elliott is a key component to this Steelers’ defense and why it has played at such an elite level in 2024, and will look to continue his dominance against the run when his team takes on the NY Giants in Monday Night Football, on October 28th at 8:15 PM EST.

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Steelers’ DC isn’t keen on treating LB Payton Wilson like a rookie

Steelers’ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin spoke highly of Payton Wilson’s maturity and what it means for the team.

It is clear that not every rookie needs time to adjust to the NFL level of speed.  Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Payton Wilson has been turning heads through seven weeks of the 2024 season with his elite play in both the pass and run defense.  His instincts have further supported the argument that Wilson deserves more play time on defense, as he has been used sparingly thus far.

Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin seems to agree that the rookie linebacker shouldn’t be restrained in any capacity, as his maturity allows for the team to place more trust in his play.

The team would be wise to continue to treat him as a more established player in the league, even though he might have far less experience than other linebackers on the roster.  The admiration that Wilson’s teammates and coaches have for him is backed up by his competitive spirit on and off the field.

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Steelers’ DT to make history in Week 8 matchup

Steelers DT Cam Heyward will make history on Monday Night Football when his team hosts the New York Giants in Week 8.

No Pittsburgh Steelers defender bleeds Black and Gold quite like DT Cameron Heyward has in his 14 seasons with the Steelers. Heyward represents the Steel City honorably and continues to show younger generations of Steelers players exactly what it means to represent the city of Pittsburgh.

Teammate and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt cemented his name in history this year when he became the second-fastest player to reach 100 career sacks, and now it is Heyward’s turn to make history.

Heyward will play in his 202nd game on Monday Night Football when his team hosts the New York Giants in Week 8, and that is more games played than any Steelers defender before him.

Heyward has played more games for the Steelers than all-time great Pittsburgh defenders ‘Mean’ Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Mel Blount, Troy Polamalu, Jack Ham, and L.C. Greenwood, just to name a few.

While Heyward will forever have his name in Pittsburgh sports history, he will look to accomplish for this city what all-time great Steelers’ defenders have done for Pittsburgh before him—bring a Super Bowl to the Steel City.

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Pittsburgh could still acquire All-Pro WR if Rams lose Week 9 matchup

The Rams could still trade WR Cooper Kupp away if they lose their Week 9 matchup to the Seattle Seahawks just two days before the deadline.

Speculation has run rampant the past few days, as the Los Angeles Rams were reportedly making multiple calls to teams regarding interest in trading for their 31-year old All-Pro WR Cooper Kupp.  The Pittsburgh Steelers, needy of additional talent at the wide receiver position, were one of the teams interested in acquiring his talents.  

While Rams’ HC Sean McVay seemingly put the trade rumors to bed, and confirmed Kupp would most likely remain in Los Angeles after their Week 8 win on Thursday Night Football, the team may be forced to sell if they lose their Week 9 matchup. 

The Los Angeles Rams, currently 3-4 on the season, could make the decision to sell their season just two days before the trade deadline.  On November 3rd, the Rams face their tough 4-3 NFC West rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, and a loss here in Week 9 could force the team to deal their aging and injury prone All-Pro wide receiver. 

If the Los Angeles Rams drop to 3-5 on the season, and Pittsburgh wins their Week 8 matchup to improve to 6-2, could Steelers’ GM Omar Khan make the Rams an offer they can’t refuse for Kupp? 

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Pittsburgh seemingly misses out on another All-Pro WR trade

Four potential WR trade targets have come and gone for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the Rams’ HC seemingly ended the Cooper Kupp trade hype.

From excitment to disappointment, what a difference a day makes. Head Coach Sean McVay crushed the hearts of Pittsburgh Steelers fans in the post-game press conference following Thursday Night Football’s matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams.

The most recent WR trade target on the Steelers’ radar was none other than 31-year-old All-Pro Cooper Kupp of the Rams. The superstar wideout had a solid outing on Thursday Night Football, and McVay took notice. While speaking to the media, the Rams head coach alluded to the trade rumors and practically dashed any hopes of the ‘Steel City’ acquiring the talented receiver.

 

Are fans placing too much pressure on the shoulders of General Manager Omar Khan and the Steelers’ front office?  Possibly, however, Khan should never have traded away the number one receiver in Pittsburgh, Diontae Johnson, without a proper backup plan in place.

Steelers’ RB Cordarrelle Patterson may end up being the last line of defense for recruiting a star player to Pittsburgh, and WR Mike Williams of the New York Jets could fit that bill.

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