Former 49ers TE Vance McDonald announces retirement

Former San Francisco 49ers draft pick Vance McDonald is calling it quits after 8 NFL seasons.

Former 49ers tight end Vance McDonald is calling it a career. The Steelers announced the 30-year-old will hang up his pads after eight NFL seasons.

McDonald was the 49ers’ second-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft (No. 55 overall) and spent the first four seasons of his career in San Francisco. He didn’t have much success in the Bay Area where he was supposed to be the team’s long-term TE in the post-Vernon Davis era. He wound up posting 64 catches for 866 yards and seven touchdowns in 48 games.

He found a little more success in Pittsburgh where he was traded after signing an extension with San Francisco. In four seasons as a Steeler he had 117 receptions, 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns in 53 games.

In all, the Rice product finished his NFL tenure with 101 games played, 181 catches, 2,036 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Steelers TE Vance McDonald calls it a career

After an eight-year career, half with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the tight end announced his retirement on Friday.

After a brief eight-year career, half with the Pittsburgh Steelers, tight end Vance McDonald announced his retirement on Friday.

Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers at No. 55 overall in the 2013 NFL draft, McDonald spent his first four seasons there before being traded to Pittsburgh in 2017.

McDonald played in 101 games (77 starts) and finished with 181 receptions for 2,036 yards and 15 touchdowns. In the Black and Gold, he played in 53 games (47 starts) and caught 117 passes for 1,170 yards and eight scores.

Vance’s best season coincided with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s. In 2018, Big Ben threw for 5,129 yards and 16 touchdowns — McDonald was on the receiving end of 50 passes for 610 yards and four touchdowns.

“My family and I are so grateful for everything NFL football has provided us in our life—all the memories both good and the difficult, the relationships and friends we’ve made along the way, the life lessons the game provided both me and my loved ones,” said McDonald via Steelers.com. “It’s always been our dream and mission to leverage the platform given us through the NFL to help serve and uplift others along the way, and we will continue to find ways to serve others as we begin this next chapter of our lives. I am proud to retire a Steeler.”

“I am appreciative of Vance’s contributions during the last four years of his career that he spent in Pittsburgh,” said head coach Mike Tomlin via Steelers.com. “He was a class act on and off the field, leading many of our efforts in the community while also being a voice for our social justice efforts and the community work during the pandemic. I wish he and his family nothing but the best in his retirement and his continued work to be a pillar in the community.”

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Pittsburgh Steelers RB James Conner tests positive for COVID-19

Conner and special teams coordinator Danny Smith have been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing positive for the virus.

Moments after ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news that additional Steelers have tested positive for COVID-19, specific names were reported.

NFL Network’s Aditi Kinwahbala first reported Steelers running back James Conner tested positive. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirmed the second person is special teams coach Danny Smith.

The news comes the day after Pittsburgh placed defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt, defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs and offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Since Tuitt, Buggs and Hawkins were never reported as positive, it’s presumed they tested negative and were merely in close contact.

With the Steelers-Ravens game still three days out, if this is the end of the positive cases, the game should be on as scheduled on Tuesday. However, contact tracing is a lengthy process, and the result will inevitably mean players in close contact with Conner and Smith are placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

When tight end Vance McDonald tested positive, contact tracing landed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Jaylen Samuels, offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins and linebacker Vince Williams on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

If anything is working in Pittsburgh’s favor that the virus hasn’t spread, it’s that the team hasn’t practiced since Nov. 25.

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Steelers place RB Trey Edmunds on IR and add TE Vance McDonald to roster

Edmunds’ hamstring has landed him on injured reserve, making room for McDonald.

The Thanksgiving holiday doesn’t keep the Pittsburgh Steelers from making moves necessary to strengthen the team.

Running back Trey Edmunds, who was signed to the roster on Oct. 10, was placed on injured reserve. He suffered a hamstring injury in the Week 10 Steelers-Bengals matchup.

The Edmunds move allowed Pittsburgh to add tight end Vance McDonald to the active/inactive roster. He was activated on Nov. 24 and returned to practice after being removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Though McDonald hasn’t contributed much in the passing game (9 rec., 61 yards), the Steelers could use his blocking skills in the run and pass game. Hopefully, Vance will be active for the rescheduled Steelers-Ravens brawl on Sunday.

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Pittsburgh area native Christian Kuntz signed to Steelers practice squad, among slew of moves made on Tuesday

The Pittsburgh Steelers were busy making moves on Tuesday.

Among the slew of roster transactions the Steelers made on Tuesday was the signing of two names that might already be familiar to Black and Gold fans.

Linebacker/long snapper Christian Kuntz was signed to the practice squad, and Pine-Richland High School graduate, tight end Kevin Rader was signed to the 53-man roster.

Kuntz, a Pittsburgh native, worked out for the team last week and is now in his second stint. He was part of the Steelers during training camp in 2019 and 2020 but was released after roster cut-downs. Kuntz was a practice squad member with the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Chartiers Valley High School graduate played collegiately at Duquesne University, where he logged 248 tackles (71.5 for loss) and a school-record 30.5 sacks. Kuntz was also the recipient of two Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year awards and, according to Teresa Varley of Steelers.com, is the only player three-time All-American honoree in school history.

Rader was part of the Steelers practice squad for most of 2019 and, again, since the start of the 2020 season. The former Green Bay Packer played for Youngstown State University, where he had 44 receptions for 601 yards and four touchdowns.

Pittsburgh also activated tight end Vance McDonald off the reserve/COVID-19 list, where he’s been since Nov. 9. Zach Gentry, who was promoted to the active roster in McDonald’s place versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, suffered a season-ending knee injury in the game. The Steelers placed him on injured reserve on Tuesday.

The tight end moves shore up the position as the Steelers were down to just Eric Ebron for most of the Jaguars game.

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Pittsburgh Steelers rule out 3 for Jacksonville Jaguars game

The Steelers look to be heading into Jacksonville with nearly a clean slate on the injury front.

The Steelers Friday injury report looks fairly clean, with only running backs Trey Edmunds, Jaylen Samuels, and linebacker Jayrone Elliott ruled out for Sunday.

Edmunds (hamstring) and Samuels (quad) were both injured versus the Bengals. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin indicated on Tuesday that the backs’ availability would be dependent on practice participation, and neither took part all week. Elliott (illness) also has not been at practice this week.

As anticipated, cornerback Mike Hilton will be back in action. He was a full practice participant all week after exiting with a shoulder injury in the second quarter of Week 6.

Though Cam Sutton has played solid in Hilton’s absence, having him back in the lineup is just the injection Pittsburgh’s defense needs.

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Tight end Vance McDonald and guard Kevin Dotson have not yet been activated from reserve/COVID-19.

Here’s Friday’s full rundown as reported by Teresa Varley of Steelers.com:

Game status
RB Trey Edmunds (Hamstring) – Out
RB Jaylen Samuels (Quadriceps) – Out
LB Jayrone Elliott (Illness) – Out

Practice participation
QB Ben Roethlisberger (NIR) – Full
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (NIR) – Full
RB Anthony McFarland (Illness) – Full
CB Mike Hilton (Shoulder) – Full
RB Trey Edmunds (Hamstring) – DNP
RB Jaylen Samuels (Quadriceps) – DNP
LB Jayrone Elliott (Illness) – DNP
C Maurkice Pouncey (NIR) – Full
G David DeCastro (NIR) – Full
T Alejandro Villanueva (NIR) – Full
DE Stephon Tuitt (NIR) – Full
DE Isaiah Buggs (Ankle) – Full

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Latest on Vance McDonald, Kevin Dotson and reserve/COVID-19 list

There has been no official update to the contrary on McDonald or Dotson in recent days. 

As of Friday, Steelers tight end Vance McDonald and Kevin Dotson remain on the reserve/COVID-19 list where they were both placed earlier this month. Since Thursday, Nov. 5, McDonald has not practiced and returned a positive test the day following the Dallas Cowboy’s game on Nov. 9. Though it was never made clear whether Dotson tested positive, the guard has not practiced since Thursday, Nov. 12.

Following a positive test, the current COVID protocol states that a player can return after at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and at least 72 hours after he last experienced symptoms.

Though it’s estimated McDonald could’ve returned to practice on or around Nov. 17, Dotson still has three days according to the guidelines.

There has been no official update on the status of either player in recent days. The two are not listed among the activations from reserve/COVID-19 on Friday’s NFL transaction wire.

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Steelers practice squad 2020: Pittsburgh protects 4 PS players for Week 11

A new concept for the 2020 season is the “protected” practice squad. Here are the four players the Steelers chose to protect.

For Week 11 practice squad protections, Pittsburgh again tabbed rookie safety Antoine Brooks, wide receiver Deon Cain, tight end Kevin Rader and running back Wendell Smallwood. These four are not eligible to sign with another team until after Sunday’s game.

The Steelers signed tight end Charles Jones to the practice squad on Tuesday, as the team was down a tight end with Vance McDonald still on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

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Practice squad “protection” is a new concept for the 2020 season. It’s a concession for the potential personnel shortages that could occur if the virus strikes the locker room.

Teams can designate protected players each Tuesday beginning at 4 p.m., except for clubs that played on the previous Monday night; their designations go into effect prior to 4 p.m. Wednesday.

The Steelers travel to Jacksonville Sunday, Nov. 22 to take on the Jaguars.

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Vance McDonald’s Week 9 contributions weren’t worth the distraction

While the Steelers are no strangers to internal complications, they could’ve easily been avoided.

In a nearly replicate situation to the Baltimore Ravens playing star cornerback Marlon Humphrey in Week 8, the Steelers felt the need to play tight end Vance McDonald in Week 9.

The most significant difference is the Ravens game was home and Humphrey didn’t have to travel. McDonald did. The result is, so far, four additional players have been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, including Ben Roethlisberger.

They all tested negative and, if they continue to test negative throughout the week, should be available for practice Saturday and play on Sunday.

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When ESPN’s Brooke Pryor pressed Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin on how the travel determination was made, Tomlin had this to say:

“Those aren’t decisions that are made by us. It’s really cut and dry. It’s all in the COVID procedural policy established in New York by the NFL. As long as [the player] is negative and not showing signs of COVID, he’s able to travel, and [Vance McDonald] was and we did. We don’t overanalyze it that way. We utilize all the mechanisms at our disposal to minimize the potential of interaction. We’re all masked up. We’re all exercising good personal hygiene and social distancing. We’re doing all the things that we are asked. That’s our mindset regarding it.”

Unfortunately, it was a bad judgment call. Instead of heeding caution after what went down in Baltimore last week, the Steelers chose to allow McDonald to travel after being listed on the injury report with an illness the day before.

Contributions to the game

Was Pittsburgh’s decision to have McDonald board the plane and play worth the distractions?

No.

On the Steelers’ first play of the second half’s opening drive, McDonald caught a pass for two yards. That’s it. That was the only time he was targeted and his only contribution to the receiving game. Pittsburgh would go three-and-out and punt.

McDonald’s single pass pro snap was graded at 70.2 by Pro Football Focus, as he didn’t allow any pressure on Big Ben.

NFL should revise its COVID-19 policy

The Steelers did go by the “book.” But that book needs revising. For instance, as Pryor tweeted on Tuesday, NFL’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Allen Sills, says they don’t only rely on testing to rule out whether someone has contracted the virus.

If that is the case, it needs to be made clear to the teams. If a player is ill, especially close to game day (whether traveling or not), as a precaution, he should sit. I understand how it could impact the game, depending on the role of said player. Being prudent could mean the difference between keeping the season to 16 weeks and extending it, or worse, canceling it.

When you don’t bubble up (I don’t blame them for not wanting to), situations like the Ravens and the Steelers, or even the Raiders or Titans, are going to happen again. It’s, unfortunately, inevitable.

The league needs to revise its procedures as to how to appropriately proceed with sick players who test negative. It could very well prevent an outbreak.

Since McDonald was questionable for the game, it’s likely he was still showing signs of the undisclosed illness. If it was the cold or flu, those symptoms can mimic the coronavirus. Although Vance tested negative before the Steelers headed for Dallas, the organization should’ve recalled what happened with Humphrey and thought better than to let him travel.

Pittsburgh is lucky that, so far, McDonald is the only player who tested positive.

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Steelers practice squad 2020: Pittsburgh protects 4 PS players for Week 10

A new concept for the 2020 season is the “protected” practice squad. Here are the four players the Steelers chose to protect.

For Week 10 practice squad protections, Pittsburgh tabbed rookie safety Antoine Brooks, wide receiver Deon Cain, tight end Kevin Rader and running back Wendell Smallwood. These four are not eligible to sign with another team until after Sunday’s game.

This is the first time Rader has been protected this season. The Steelers are thin at tight end after Vance McDonald tested positive for COVID-19.

It’s worth noting the Steelers currently have one spot open on the practice squad.

Practice squad “protection” is a new concept for the 2020 season. It’s a concession for the potential personnel shortages that could occur if the virus strikes the locker room.

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Teams can designate protected players each Tuesday beginning at 4 p.m., except for clubs that played on the previous Monday night; their designations go into effect prior to 4 p.m. Wednesday.

The Steelers host the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, Nov. 15 versus the Dallas Cowboys at Heinz Field.

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