Teams Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steel Curtain

[Exe Gesis]

 

[Exe Gesis]

The Steelers are the only team to go 7-0 in division since division realignment. And they've done it twice (2002, 2008).

 

[Exe Gesis]

PFN's Aaron Wilson reports that the Steelers are expected to name secondary coach Teryl Austin defensive coordinator in the wake of Keith Butler's retirement.​

Austin was fired mid-season as Bengals defensive coordinator in 2018 and had been the Lions defensive coordinator for four years before the Matt Patricia hire spilled him out. Austin had some pedigree of success with the Lions, and it'll be interesting to see how much of a change this actually is from the standard Steelers defense that has been mostly unchanged for years, if not decades.

SOURCE: Aaron Wilson on Twitter
Jan 22, 2022, 8:17 PM ET

 

[Constantgin]

 

[Monocle]

Ben Roethlisberger..........what a CHAMP.

This guy epitomises all thats great about the NFL.

A guy who is loyal, a one team player, a team player ....................... and a winner.

Family man who eked out a wonderful career as a franchise QB.





He symbolises those special qualities of a member of an elite franchise, a franchise thats respected by most NFL followers.

Built like a DT rather than a QB, he wasn't flashy, he wasn't fancy he was more a grind and pound sort of guy.
Sort of sums up the Steelers personality, pretty well.

He summed up that successful fabric, of the organisations DNA thats infectious, few teams have it .......... The Steelers have it in spades.

Thrilled and honoured to have watched his entire career.

Played most of his career in the shadow of Manning, Brees and Brady ........ well for the most part.

But walks away from the game with two SB rings and 6 Pro Bowls.

The guy is heading to Canton a Yellow Jacket awaits him.

Much respect to BR .

 

[Exe Gesis]

Ben Roethlisberger is officially retiring after 18 seasons.​

The No. 11 overall pick of the legendary 2004 draft out of small-school Miami of Ohio, Roethlisberger wasn't a "can't miss" prospect, but the Steelers won 14 straight games his rookie year to finish 15-1 and reach the AFC Championship Game. They lost to the Patriots but finished the job the following year, defeating the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL. They would go on to reach two more championship games with Roethlisberger under center, hoisting one more Lombardi. Roethlisberger never won MVP or received first-team All-Pro honors — that will happen when your career overlaps with Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers — but he retires as a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer who is currently fifth all time in career passing at 64,088. That is the highest total for any player whose entire career came with one team. Ben also had a top-five single-game effort with 522 yards in 2014, and top-10 single season effort in 2018. Although Roethlisberger was never the same after a major 2019 elbow injury, he still finished his career with a playoff start at age 39. The Steelers' post-Roethlisberger plans are unclear, though it is impossible to believe they will involve Mason Rudolph as anything other than a strict bridge option.

Jan 27, 2022, 10:09 AM ET

 

[Constantgin]

 

[Exe Gesis]

Art Rooney II: You can’t go to the grocery store and order a quarterback​

Posted by Charean Williams on January 28, 2022, 5:29 PM EST

The Steelers’ search for Ben Roethlisberger‘s replacement has begun. They know what they want if not yet who they want.

They want a young Roethlisberger, a quarterback mobile enough to extend plays but not a “running” quarterback.

“Having a quarterback who is consistently a threat to be a part of your rushing attack, I am not sure that is something I want to rely on game-in, game-out, season-in, season-out,” Rooney said, via Mark Kaboly of TheAthletic.com. “Having some of that ability is important, but the days of having quarterbacks whose biggest threat is running are probably not what we are looking for.”

Coach Mike Tomlin, though, repeatedly has pointed to a quarterback’s mobility as being important. That doesn’t bode well for backup Mason Rudolph‘s chances of winning the job, with third-stringer Dwayne Haskins‘ traits perhaps being closer to the team’s description of what they seek.

“Certainly, the mobile quarterback is the wave of the future, so to speak, and having mobility at that position would be desirable,” Rooney said. “You don’t always get someone who meets every criterion you might want. You have to get the best player, plug him in and put the best players around them and try to put everybody in the best position to be successful.”

It’s been a long time since the Steelers were in this position.

For the first time since taking Roethlisberger 11th overall in 2004, the Steelers are in the market for a franchise quarterback. But it was a long search between Terry Bradshaw and Roethlisberger, with the Steelers starting 13 quarterbacks in between the Hall of Famer and future Hall of Famer with no championships.

Both Rudolph and Haskins have expressed their confidence in being the heir apparent, but Rooney isn’t ruling out anything. The Steelers could draft one, trade for one or sign one, though it does not appear a great quarterback draft.

“You have to take advantage of every opportunity you have to get the best quarterback you can find,” Rooney said. “You don’t always have the luxury of saying you want A, B and C. You can’t go to the grocery store and order a quarterback. We will evaluate all the options that we have. We certainly won’t close any doors. It is still early in the process and there will be a lot of drawers to open and look through. We will be looking at the position like any other position and that’s to put the best roster on the field and the best player at quarterback next year.

“Certainly you start with somebody who can buy some time (because that) is very desirable.”

Roethlisberger was sacked 38 times in 16 games this season.

 

[Exe Gesis]

 

[Exe Gesis]

I like the Steeler approach/tradition. Stay good. Use picks wisely, on lineman. Develop a QB.

 

[Exe Gesis]

JuJu Smith-Schuster: Cowboys’ facility is “amazing,” Steelers are working on wooden locker rooms​

Posted by Michael David Smith on February 3, 2022, 4:32 PM EST

JuJu Smith-Schuster is, for now, still a Steeler. But he’s expecting to hit free agency next month, and he’s letting the Steelers know he thinks they should step up their game in more than just the contract they offer him.

Smith-Schuster was at the Cowboys’ facility to shoot a commercial this week, and he raved about the “amazing” work environment that Cowboys players had, and then said the Steelers have a long way to go before they’re in the same class.

“It’s unbeatable,” Smith-Schuster said of the Cowboys’ facility, via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. “The Steelers are still working on trying to get out of the wooden locker rooms. And over here, it’s very prestige. Oh, they’ll definitely hear this. I want them [the Steelers] to hear this.”

The Steelers surely will hear that, and it may lead them to decide not to make a competitive contract offer to keep Smith-Schuster. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has said he wants players to feel like volunteers, not hostages, and if Smith-Schuster doesn’t like the facilities in Pittsburgh, the Steelers may decide it’s better if he leaves.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Steelers announce Teryl Austin’s promotion to defensive coordinator​

Posted by Myles Simmons on February 9, 2022, 4:33 PM EST

The Steelers have officially found their replacement for retired defensive coordinator Keith Butler, and they didn’t have to look very far.

Pittsburgh announced on Wednesday that the club has promoted Teryl Austin to the position.

He was previously the Steelers’ senior defensive assistant/secondary coach for the last three seasons.
Austin has coached for several teams in his NFL career, spending the 2018 season as Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator and 2014-2017 as Detroit’s defensive coordinator. He was also a defensive backs coach for the Seahawks, Cardinals, and Ravens.

Austin also drew some interest from the Giants to become their defensive coordinator after Patrick Graham departed for the Raiders. Austin ultimately decided to stick with Pittsburgh, with reports emerging on Sunday that he was the Steelers’ choice.

 

[Exe Gesis]

T.J. Watt wins defensive player of the year​

Posted by Charean Williams on February 10, 2022, 9:15 PM EST

Aaron Donald had a chance to break a tie with Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt for the most defensive player of the year awards. The Rams defensive tackle could have won the award this season, which would have given him four for his career.

But voters for the Associated Press’ defensive player of the year award went with Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt, who tied the NFL’s single-season sacks record with 22.5. The NFL announced the results of the regular-season award during Thursday’s NFL Honors show.

Watt received 42 of the 50 votes, with Cowboys rookie linebacker Micah Parsons finishing second with five votes and Donald third with three.

It was the first defensive player of the year award for Watt, the younger brother of J.J. He finished third in 2019 to Stephon Gilmore and Chandler Jones and second in 2020 to Donald by seven votes.

This year was Watt’s year.

Watt played only 15 games this season, missing Weeks 3 and 11 with injuries and still led the league in sacks and tackles for loss (21). He had 39 quarterback hits.

Watt proved worth every penny of the four-year, $112 million deal he signed before the season and now trails his brother by only two DPOY trophies.

 

[Constantgin]

 

[Exe Gesis]

No fanfare, no word even that the team was interviewing him, no media whoring, no engaging in fantasy or hype to attract attention....we just knuckle down and do things.

 

[Constantgin]

No fanfare, no word even that the team was interviewing him, no media whoring, no engaging in fantasy or hype to attract attention....we just knuckle down and do things.

First time i heard it on twitter last night i thought was fake news had to wait to saw adam tweet about it. Most low key but best hiring of this off season.

 

[Exe Gesis]

First time i heard it on twitter last night i thought was fake news had to wait to saw adam tweet about it. Most low key but best hiring of this off season.

Doug Pederson was also a great hire.

Probably the best two hires out of the whole cycle.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Josh McCown would have been the best hire but politics got in the way.

 

[Glenno23]

Flores will be a great get for the Steelers.

If they can find a QB, they'll be up there competing with the likes of KC, Buffalo, Cinci and co for the AFC

 

[Exe Gesis]

Flores will be a great get for the Steelers.

If they can find a QB, they'll be up there competing with the likes of KC, Buffalo, Cinci and co for the AFC

Wonder whether that might mean Watson coming over to be with his BFF Flores?

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Wonder whether that might mean Watson coming over to be with his BFF Flores?

Could be on to something there. Steelers have said they aren't interested but I'm not so sure.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Could be on to something there. Steelers have said they aren't interested but I'm not so sure.

Depends if the Texans come back to planet Earth regards compensation. If it's not ridiculous picks, or too many top players, maybe. Interesting also whether Flores vs Minkah might mean he is part of the package trade.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Depends if the Texans come back to planet Earth regards compensation. If it's not ridiculous picks, or too many top players, maybe. Interesting also whether Flores vs Minkah might mean he is part of the package trade.

Rudolph, Haskins and Fitzpatrick for Watson. take it or leave it Texans.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Fitzpatrick, Bush, D.Johnson, 2nd.

Couple of 1st rounders there, and Johnson is a solid piece. Texans probably push for a 1st, but...

depends what transpires with Watsons case. Settled out of court, NDAs vs conviction (time?) and NFL suspension.

If it's the latter, Watsons career could be over (Snyder, Cowboys situations running concurrently), or rep ruined and lost time that Texans have to get rid of him for dirt cheap.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Personally tho, Id rather we hold onto those players, and our picks, have a solid draft, and maybe entertain a bridge guy like Minshee, say.