Tag Archives: Arthur Smith

The Fullback is Back! Steelers Take Riley Nowakowski of Indiana in 5th Round of 2026 NFL Draft

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The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Riley Nowakowski out of Indiana in the 5th round of the 2026 NFL Draft, after trading down 9 spots.

And, in news that will please Steelers football purists, although Nowakowski played tight end for the Hoosiers, the Steelers are listing him as a fullback, hopefully signaling a renewed commitment to a physical, run-first identity.

Riley Nowakowski rushing for the Indiana Hoosiers.

Steelers 2026 5th round draft pick Riley Nowakowski while at Indiana. Photo Credit: Grace Hollars, Imagn Images via The Indianapolis Star

The move was another departure from the Steelers 2026 Draft Needs Matrix, as running back was rated as the second-lowest area of need, but there’s a lot to like about Nowakowski.

Steelers running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung declared, “He’s shown on tape that he has an ability to navigate through the backfield. The young man plays with grit, and at the end of the day, it’s all about will, like, you’ve got to be willing to go hunt.”

Riley Nowakowski began his college career as a linebacker, and played 5 seasons for Wisconsin before transferring to Indiana, where he helped the Hoosiers win the National Championship.

Matt C. Steel described him as his “favorite pick of the draft.” Steel explains why:

6-2 250 with great work as a fullback who also can play a little H-Back. 32 receptions and 382 yards is a great average for a guy with his role. No drops. Great kid. Former walk on. Growing up played running back. Has running back vision. Between him and  Gennings Dunker, gives me a little hope McCarthy might actually commit to the run enough.

[Editors Note: Anyone who has read a smidgen of Matt C. Steel’s work on Steel City Insider knows he is passionate about committing to the run.]

Riley Nowakowski Highlights: Why the Steelers Are Bringing Back the Fullback

Riley Nowakowski only played one year for Indiana, but as the video confirms, he made an immediate impact.

Watching this I can’t help but hope I’m seeing the next Merril Hoge.

Yes, that’s a lot to ask, but dreams are what make the draft special.

Riley Nowakowski’s Role: Can He Win a Spot as the Steelers’ Fullback?

5th Round picks must earn their NFL roster spots as rookies. With Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle and Kaleb Johnson already keeping seats warm in the running back room, the odds might seem long for Riley Nowakowski to make the team.

Beyond showing he can play special teams, Nowakowski will need to turn his versatility into an asset, the way Connor Heyward was doing before Arthur Smith arrived and reduced his role.

If the tape above is any indication, he’s got a shot at doing that.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Riley Nowakowski.

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Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Tight End: Time to Tighten Up Depth

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Tight end was supposed to be a position of strength in the Steelers 2025 offense.

Instead it was a source of frustration, for the most part. Two of the four tight ends from the Steelers 2025 roster are gone – Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington remain while Connor Heyward left in free agency and Jonnu Smith got his walking papers.

So Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy will have to add someone, but how urgent of a need is tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers going into the 2026 NFL Draft?

This is the latest article in our Steelers 2026 Draft series.

Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward during the Steelers 2025 win over the Miami Dolphins at Acrisure Stadium.

Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward celebrate a touchdown. Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images via A to Z Sports.

The Steelers Tight End Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Starters

We will not remember Kevin Colbert’s final drafts fondly. But he clearly made the right pick when he drafted Pat Freiermuth in the 2nd round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Pat Freiermuth won the starting job as a rookie and has appeared in all but five games since then. Far more importantly, Pat Freiermuth has been the most consistent player on the Pittsburgh Steelers offense during that entire span.

When Ben Roethlisberger, Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers have absolutely needed to complete a pass, they’ve looked Pat Freiermuth’s way. Hence, the frustration in 2025 when Arthur Smith gave playing time to Jonnu Smith at Freiermuth’s expense.

One player who the Steelers did look to involve whenever possible was Darnell Washington. You can see for yourself:

The Steelers drafted Darnell Washington in the 4th round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and the prospect of a 6’7” 264 pound (that’s his weight listed in Pro Football Reference. Yeah, right) tight end captivated the imagination of Steelers Nation.

Washington’s overall numbers as a pass catcher are not terribly impressive, but his role has grown on the offense every year, and he continues to improve. More importantly, as the clip above reveals, Washington has potential as a weapon in the passing game that goes well beyond what’s stats measure.

Oh, and Washington enough of an asset as a blocker that veteran Steelers scribe Jim Wexell thinks he may one day follow in Larry Brown’s footsteps and transition to tackle.

Larry Brown, Super Bowl IX

Larry Brown catches a touchdown in Super Bowl XI. Photo Credit, Twitter, Vintage Steelers

Pat Freiermuth already has 5 years of experience under his belt and is just 28 years and remains under contract through the 2028 season.

Darnell Washington is 24, and although he’s only got one year remaining on his rookie contract, the Steelers have already indicated that re-upping him is one of this summer’s priorities.

The Steelers Tight End Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Backup

If the Steelers have two solid starters at tight end, the cupboard behind them is pretty bare. The only other tight end they have is JJ Galbreath. JJ Galbreath played at South Dakota was part of the Steelers 2025 undrafted rookie free agent class.

At the time, Steel City Insider’s Roy Coutryman described him this way:

He possesses an enticing build (6-3, 231) with solid length (32 arms) that needs more bulk to withstand the rigors of the next level. However, his athletic testing speaks for itself with a 4.67 40, 38 inch vertical, and agility times (4.20 short shuttle and 6.82 3-cone) that put him on par with some of the best in the league.

Galbreath is an ideal candidate to squirrel away on the practice squad for a year while he adds the necessary strength and bulk to contribute in the run game. His athleticism and prowess as a pass-catcher alone make him enough of a talent that deserves monitoring during training camp.

The Steelers did cut him at the end of the summer and put him on the practice squad, but his stint there was short, as they released him on mid-September, but did sign him to a futures contract in January.

Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Tight End

And the Steelers resigned Connor Heyward their draft need at tight end would be Fair and possibly trending towards Low.

But they let Heyward walk, and the only other tight end they have on their roster was a guy who they didn’t deem worthy of a practice squad spot beyond week 2.

The Pittsburgh Steelers draft needs scale

They’re set at starter with Freiermuth and Washington as their starters. And, assuming they can sign Washington and both enjoy good health the Steelers shouldn’t have toe worry about finding starter-capable or future starting tight end for at least a season or two.

By they must add depth behind Freiermuth and Washington, so the Steelers need at tight end going into the 2026 NFL Draft must be considered as Moderate.

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Steelers Free Agency: Should Pittsburgh Re-Sign Connor Heyward?

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“Bloodlines are important to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.”

We heard it when they drafted Terrell Edmunds. A year later we heard it again when Kevin Colbert traded up to get Devin Bush Jr.. The words were ringing in our ears when they signed Derek Watt in free agency yet another year later.

By the time they drafted Connor Heyward in 2022, the phrase had almost become passé.

Yet neither Terrell Edmunds, nor Devin Bush, nor Derek Watt stuck around long-term in Pittsburgh. As Connor Heyward reaches free agency, will he be the exception?

Connor Heyward, Connor Heyward 1st touchdown, Steelers vs Falcons

Connor Heyward scores his first touchdown. Photo Credit: Post-Gazette.com

Capsule Profile of Connor Heyward’s Career with the Pittsburgh Steelers

Kevin Colbert drafted Connor Heyward in the 6th round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Heyward was a roster-bubble baby to begin with, but made the team officially as a reserve tight end, with the understanding that his role would be as a hybrid tight end/full back.

After seeing spot duty early in the season, Connor Heyward made his first highlight-worthy play when he caught a field-flipping 45 yard pass from Mitch Trubisky at set up Chase Claypool’s touchdown in the Steelers upset of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Six weeks later he scored his first touchdown, on a 17-yard strike from Kenny Pickett, giving the Steelers their only touchdown in a 19-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

In 2023 Heyward’s role grew in the offense, as his nearly doubled his catch and target total from the previous year. He only made 45 catches over his first two years, but 14 of those converted first downs and Heyward appeared to be building a niche for himself in the Steelers’ offense….

….And then Arthur Smith arrived.

At first glance Smith’s hire seemed like it might be a boon for Connor Heyward, as his offense feature tight ends. Indeed, they do. So much that Smith had a hand in bringing MyCole Pruitt and Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh.

  • And both players got playing time at Connor Heyward’s expense.

Heyward got 12 targets and 9 catches in 2024 and 2025, combined – or fewer than his rookie season. During 2024 Connor Heyward did earn role as the ball carrier on the Steel City Shove.

Connor Heyward scores a touchdown during the 2025 Steelers win over the Ravens at Acrisure.

Connor Heyward ties the game on the Steel City Shove. Photo Credit: Taylor Ollason, Steelers.com

He rushed the ball 15 times for 45 yards, 11 first downs and 2 touchdowns, including the Steelers first in Mike Tomlin’s final career win.

The Case for the Steelers Re-Signing Connor Heyward

Connor Heyward has delivered excellent value as a 6th round pick. He’s proven to be versatile, both as a blocker, receiver and rusher. Connor Heyward is never going to be the kind of player that opposing defensive coordinators lose sleep game planning against, nor is he ever going to give defenders 2nd thoughts about tackling him the way Darnell Washington will.

But in four years, Connor Heyward has shown he is the kind of player who you delivers when you call his number.

He’s the kind of player who makes plays that help win football games that don’t always show up in the stat sheet.

The Case Against the Steelers Re-Signing Connor Heyward

In four years has Connor Heyward done anything that an undrafted rookie free agent couldn’t do? Sure, Arthur Smith favored his former players at Heyward’s expense, but contrast Connor Heyward’s contributions with Derek Watt’s, a niche player who did deliver a difference.

Derek Watt, Steelers vs Eagles

Derek Watt catches a touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

The Steelers were 7-1 when Derek Watt got a carry. Can anyone look at the last two years and argue:

You know, what the missing link for Steelers offense has been? They never let Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers let it rip to Connor Heyward.

Yeah, right.

Having Connor Heyward as Cam Heyward’s little brother in Pittsburgh has given the franchise a feel good story. But he’s had four years to prove he can be a difference maker and four years later, the Steelers offense is still struggling.

It is unduly harsh to charge Connor Heyward with being part of the problem, but he’s done scant little to suggest he’s earned the right to be part of the solution.

The Curtain’s Call on Connor Heyward and Steelers

Connor Heyward is the type of player you want to have on your team. He’s always going to be one of the guys on the roster bubble, but one of the tricks to making a championship run is to get roster bubble guys who give you a little something extra.

The Steelers have two solid tight ends in Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. Connor Heyward gives them a versatile 3rd option who can line up in the backfield in a pinch. Mike McCarthy once went into a regular season carrying 5 tight ends on his roster.

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Steelers Cut Jonnu Smith — Raising Questions About Arthur Smith’s Offensive Choices

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The Pittsburgh Steelers cut tight end Jonnu Smith, making their first major personnel move ahead of free agency. The decision isn’t a surprise and upon closer inspection reveals more about ” the other Mr. Smith,” Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and his 2025 offense than it does about Jonnu.

Jonnu Smith Denzel Ward, Steelers vs Browns

Jonnu Smith with 1 of his 3 catches. Photo Credit: Alyssa Rubin, Steelers.com

But cutting Jonnu Smith does save them 7 million dollars against the salary cap and while the Steelers aren’t strapped for space, more is better than less.

Jonnu Smith arrived in Pittsburgh last June as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami in return for Smith and Jalen Ramsey.

And Smith came in on a hot streak. He’d logged 50 catches in 2023 for Atlanta, doubling his 2022 total. In 2025 he played for the Miami Dolphins where he hauled in 88 catches, including 8 touchdowns.

With no true number 2 wide receiver to pair with D.K. Metcalf, Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin hoped they could Jonnu Smith would fill the void. Alas he could not.

Pat Freiermuth, Jordan Battle, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals TNF

Pat Freiermuth stiff arms Jordan Battle en route to the end zone. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Perhaps most tellingly, the loss to the Bengals was the only game an Arthur Smith led tight-end-centric Steelers offense seemed to be viable concept, Jonnu Smith had 3 catches for 28 yards and was clearly outplayed by Pat Freiermuth who had 111 yards and 2 touchdowns.

  • One would figure that Arthur Smith would feature Pat Freiermuth more after that.

Alas, he did not.

By a hair, Jonnu Smith actually had a higher snap count that Freiermuth, despite the fact that Freiermuth more touchdowns, a better catch rate and higher success rate that Smith.

And that brings into focus the biggest quibble about former Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s brief tenure in Pittsburgh: He tended to favor his former players.

Jonnu Smith played for Arthur Smith both in Tennessee and at Atlanta. A year ago, MyCole Pruitt got playing time at the expense of Connor Heyward, despite the fact that Heyward out performed Pruitt – although the sample size is much smaller than the one for the Smith-Freiermuth comparison.

This is how Alan Saunders at SteelersNow described the dynamic after criticizing Omar Khan for acquiring Jonnu:

To be clear, it’s not necessarily his fault that Arthur Smith played favorites with Jonnu Smith to the point that he sabotaged his own unit’s success.

Saunders may be being a little harsh – the Steelers could have and should have found ways to get the ball into Freiermuth’s hands more frequently, but there were a lot of other things ailing the offense.

But in 2024 it seemed like Smith’s favoritism of Pruitt over Heyward suggested he had a blind spot when it came to favoring his former players, and his reliance on Smith at the expense of Freiermuth confirmed that suspicion in 2025.

Anderson Leaves Pittsburgh with Class

The Steelers also cut vetern offensive tackle Calvin Anderson ahead of free agency, saving themselves another 2 million dollars in salary cap space.

Anderson took the high road out of Pittsburgh

The NFL is a business. Players know that. But getting a visit from the Turk is never easy, especially when it may be your last stop.

But Anderson is handling it with class. We wish him well at his next stop or, if fate be it, in his “Life’s Work.”

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Steelers Report Card for Win over Dolphins – Delivering in December Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher happy to see his students delivering for December football, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the MNF win over the Dolphins at Acrisure.

Jalen Ramsey, Tua Tagovailoa, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Jalen Ramsey sacks Tua Tagovailoa. Photo Credit: Alysia Rubin, Steelers.come

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers completed 22 of 27 for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns. Rodgers commanded the field with the authority of a Civil War General leading a counter-attack at Little Round top. He hit 8 different receivers, engineered a penalty to covert a third down, and threw a pure laser for his second touchdown pass. Grade: ASteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Kenneth Gainwell led the unit with 126 all-purpose yards, including 80 on the ground and 46 on 7 passes through the air. At this point, everyone should understand why the coaches have made a concerted effort to work him into the game plan. Jaylen Warren ran for 33 yards on 12 carries and caught 3 passes for 15 yards. Kaleb Johnson had 2 carries for 4 yards. Grade: B+

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth led the unit with 3 catches for 45 yards. Darnell Washington had 3 of his own for 25. Jonnu Smith had 2 catches for 12 yards, but also scored the final touchdown on a 1 14 yard run. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers
If you ever question the value of having a “big” wide receiver, look no further that D.K. Metcalf’s touchdown run. HE caught a bullet from Rodgers, and then bullied his way through 3 Dolphin defenders to find the end zone from about 10 yards out.  Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Adam Thielen only caught 2 passes, with Valdes-Scantling going for a score, but clearly the wide outs playing better with him in the lineup. Grade: B+

Offensive Line
The line was playing its 4th string tackle. It lost its starting guard during the middle of the game. Yet the Steelers dominated time of possession, ran effectively, and Rodgers – 2 sacks notwithstanding, had time to throw. A very welcome performance from a unit under duress. Grade: B+

Defensive Line
No Derrick Harmon? No problem. The Steelers contained De’Von Achane. He had some good runs, but nothing like what we saw against the Bills. Cam Heyward continues to lead the unit. He set the tone early with a tackle for no gain and punctuated it with a sack late. Grade: B+

Linebackers
Did you realize that T.J. Watt was out? And that Nick Herbig had to leave? Patrick Queen made a phenomenal tackle for a loss to force a field goal, and Payton Wilson recorded a sack to obliterate any semblance of a comeback. A very good night for the linebackers. Grade: A-

Secondary
Before garbage time kicked in, Tug Tagovailoa completed 6 of 10 passes for 65 yards with an interception and took two sacks. Asante Samuel Jr. got his first interception snuffing out a Miami attempt to get into scoring position. And Jalen Ramsey’s sack forced the Dolphins to punt away their first possession. Not bad for a secondary where Joey Porter Jr. is the only starter who was both on the roster and playing in the same position on opening day. Grade: A-

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was perfect with place kicks, although he did land one outside of the landing zone. Corliss Waitman and a strong night and both the return game and the return coverage was solid. Ben Skowronek was a monster. Grade: B

Coaching
Let’s get this straight. No one would have compared the Miami Dolphins’ defenes to the 85 Bears going into the game. But the unit had been allowing less than 2 touchdowns per game during the resurgence that began at mid season.

Yet Arthur Smith’s unit had its best night of the season and patched together its first game with four consecutive touchdown drives since 2018. Smith needs to find a way to sustain this, but the unit is coming together nicely as the Steelers reach mid-December.

Its also time to give Teryl Austin credit. He went into this game missing two of his best strong-side defenders. And just two weeks ago a James Cook had humiliated the his defense on this same ground.

  • But Austin’s defense owned this night.

Sure, Miami had some nice runs and moved the ball a little to open the game, but Austin adjusted and dominated the Dolphins, effectively shutting them out of the game in the 3rd quarter.

  • Mike Tomlin has taken a lot of heat this season.

While some of the barbs have been unjustified, when the Steelers have swooned low, they’ve looked as bad as any variety of numbers could suggest. But every NFL season has its ups and downs, and December is the time to bring it together. Two games into the month finds Mike Tomlin’s team doing just that. Grade: A

Connor Heyward, Steel City Shove, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolpins MNF

Connor Heyward scores with the Steel City Shove. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerman, Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
4 Carries for 4 yards doe not impress on the stat sheet. But when 3 of those converted 3rd or 4th downs and one of those was a touchdown it shows you how stats alone seldom tell the full story. Because of that, a because he caught an on-sides kick that had bounced past the first man, Connor Heyward wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2025 MNF win over the Dolphins at Acrisure.

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Strike Hard, Strike Smart: Steelers Dominate Dolphins 28-15 on MNF

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On a cold night at Acrisure Stadium, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Miami Dolphins 28-15.

The Steelers emerged with their undefeated streak on Monday Night Football that began in 1992 intact and, more importantly, with an 8-6 record and a one-game lead in the AFC North.

Both teams came to the field with something to prove.

The Dolphins had won 4 straight and 5 out of their last 6 and need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Steelers were on a one-game winning streak, having lost 5 out of their last 8. But Pittsburgh prevailed because with the realities of December football closing in, Mike Tomlin’s team found a way to shift into higher gear while the Dolphins sputtered.

Aaron Rodgers, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Aaron Rodgers flicks it as Minkah Fitzpatrick can only watch. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Dolphins Swing Hard, Steelers Stand Strong

When the Dolphins won the toss and elected to receive, the narrative for this game was a latent storyline waiting to be activated.

Miami had been rushing on anyone and everyone. The Steelers struggled to stop anyone on the ground. The Dolphins defense had been dominating opponents, while the JVness of Pittsburgh’s offense has been on display all season long.

  • But football teams author their own narratives.

And, to that end, there’s one thread that will get lost from this contest: The Miami Dolphins exited their corner swinging hard:

  • Their defense forced a 3 and out on its first go against Pittsburgh’s offense
  • Jordyn Brooks ended Miami’s next drive with a sack of Aaron Rodgers
  • Eleven plays later, Zach Sieler did it again, giving Corliss Waitman his third opportunity to punt
  • On offense De’Von Achane appeared to be finding his footing and building up to a big night

Despite suffering a few misfires, the Steelers yielded nothing, and stood tall. Asante Samuel ended Miami’s second drive with an interception. Pittsburgh ended up punting on the ensuing Steelers drive, but Mike Tomlin threw down the gauntlet by going for it on 4th and 1 at his own 28, and Connor Heyward set the tone for the offense by converting.

Patrick Queen did his part on the next Dolphins drive, dropping Ollie Gorden for a four yard loss on 3rd and 1 at the Steelers 32, forcing a punt.

Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Jaylen Warren rushes. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

With just over 5 minutes left Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense went to work. Rodgers methodically moved the Steelers down the field, mixing up passes to Darnell Washington, Jonnu Smith, Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren while Gainwell and Warren advanced on the ground.

When the Steelers faced a 4th and 1 at Miami’s 15, there was no doubt they were going for it, and once again Connor Heyward delivered.

Five plays later, the offense was executing the Steel City Shove for the 4th time that night as Connor Heyward was putting the Steelers up by 4 with his first rushing touchdown.

Steelers Strike Hard, Strike Smart

Taking a 7-3 lead out of the locker room at halftime doesn’t deliver much of an advantage, but it does give you a foothold – if you can hold it. And Pittsburgh Steelers, as we know, have been abysmal during the 3rd quarter in 2025.

  • To remedy that, Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith leaned into the spirit of Ron Erhardt.

Even though Aaron Rodger’s had gone 13 of 14 in the first, half, the Steelers began the second one by feeding the ball to Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. In doing so they fulfilled Erhardt’s philosophy of “Throw to score, run to win.”

The Steelers ran 5 sright times to open the second half, burning nearly 4 minutes off of the clock by the time they reached the Miami 19. There Aaron Rodgers faked the handoff to Gainwell, and then hit Marquez Valdes-Scantling  who was wide open in the end zone, scoring a touchdown on his first catch as a Pittsburgh Steeler.

Leaning into your ground game when you’re down 14-3 in the second half is certainly doable, but it isn’t a mode your offense can automatically slip into. So after Cam Heyward stuffed Archane for no gain on Mami’s first play the Dolphins were forced to pass. Tua Tagovailoa managed to find Alec Ingold for 4 yards on second down, but on third down Jalen Ramsey sacked Tagovailoa without even laying a hand on him.

  • It was on the next drive where the Steelers offense definitively shifted into high gear.

Aaron Rodgers converted a third down by catching the Dolphins with 12 men on the field. Gainwell ripped of several 9 yard runs, and Pat Freiermuth caught a chunk pass. From Miami’s 26, Gainwell lost a yard. Then Rodgers missed Freiermuth. But on the next play, he iced the game.

He threw a laser to D.K. Metcalf and Metcalf, then took the ball and stiff armed two Dolphin defenders while beating a third on his way into the end zone.


By the time he finished moving, the Steelers were up 21-0, as the Steelers offense was simultaneously striking smart and striking hard.

Rudolph on the Bench, but Misfit Toys Have Their Day

A little over two years ago, the Steelers had been left for dead, only to have Mason Rudolph come off the bench and lead Pittsburgh to 3 straight wins on Christmas weekend.

Although Rudolph remained on the bench throughout the night, the Steelers team that took the filed in many ways represented the NFL equivalent of the Island of Misfit Toys.

  • T.J. Watt was out.
  • Nick Herbig had to leave the game with an injury.
  • Rookie run stuffer Derrick Harmon was injured and unable to play.
  • James Pierre, who has been improving by the week, missed game due to injury
  • Receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Adam Thielen were practice squad call ups and waiver wire pickups
  • Dylan Cook, their 4th string offensive tackle, started his first game

Yet the Steelers collectively came together and not only found a way to defeat, but dominat the Dolphins. After Metcalf’s touchdown, Payton Wilson ended the Dolphins next drive with a sack. By the time Jonnu Smith opened the 4th quarter by running it into the end zone from 14 yards out, it was icing on the cake.

December Football Has Arrived, and the Steelers Are Delivering

December has become a month of deliveries. The NFL is no exception. As the Steelers so painfully learned last year, either you step up and deliver in December, or you wither on the vine.

  • The Steelers opened December with a win over the Baltimore Ravens, on the road no less.

But, as Jim Wexell has pointed out through the years at Steel City Insider, the Steelers have typically struggled after a win against the Ravens. Instead, Mike Tomlin found a way for a short-handed Steelers team to dominate a Dolphins team coming into Pittsburgh on a hot streak, and fighting for their playoff lives.

That’s good. But it is December and deliveries must continue. Now the Steelers need to find a way to go into the Detroit Lions in their own lair.

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Steelers Report Card for Win Over Ravens – End of Semester Sprint Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher crossing his fingers in hopes that the end of the semester sprint has started, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the win over the 2025 Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

Alex Highsmith, Derrick Harmon, Steelers vs Ravens

Alex Highsmith shut down Derrick Harmon. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham, via Steelers.com

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers grabbed the “no long passes for a month” bull by the horns and tossed a 52 yarder to open the day. He launched several more long and intermediate passes throughout the afternoon, finishing 23 of 34 for 284 yards and one touchdown. Things trailed off in the 4th quarter, and that brings his grade down, but Rodgers’ performance was the difference in the game. Grade: A-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
It was rough sledding on the ground for the Steelers. Jaylen Warren had 8 carries and only 13 yards. Kenneth Gainwell did “better” getting 15 yards and a touchdown on his 4 carries. Kaleb Johnson 4 yards on 2 carries. However, Gainwell had 6 catches for 27 yards, while Warren had 3 catches for 49 yards including a 38 yarder that he took to the house. Connor Heyward had 2 yards. Grade: C

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington had 1 catch for 12 yards and then left the game with a concussion. Pat Freiermuth had 2 catches for 9 yards. Jonnu Smith had zero catches on one target. Grade: C-

Wide Receiver
D.K. Metcalf exploded for 7 catches for 148 yards – this is exactly why the Steelers brought him to Pittsburgh. Calvin Austin turned a Go Ball on 3rd and 5 into a 31-yard gain on the final TD drive. Ben caught one pass for 13 yards that jump-started a drive. New comers Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdes-Scantling only had 2 targets, but in Tony Romo’s estimate, they commanded the attention of the defense in ways that Roman Wilson had been unable to do. Grade: A-

Offensive Line
It was a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde effort for the Steelers offensive line. The line’s inability to create any sort of space to support a running game is simply appalling. It may have been the unit’s worst run blocking effort all year. On the flip side, have we ever seen a Steelers quarterback have that much time to throw against a Ravens’ defense – on the road no less. Grade: C

Defensive Line
The sample size is large enough. Keeanu Benton looks like he has it in him to be a decent to good defensive lineman, but he’s not a true nose tackle. He was moved too early and too often against the Ravens. Yahya Black continues to look good in the absence of Derrick Harmon. Cam Heyward led the group in tackles and made all sorts of contributions that don’t show up on the stat sheet. Grade: D

Linebackers
The Steelers defense, lost on the stat sheet. The linebackers had a role in giving up so much rushing yardage. But they also had a role in the defense’s ability to contain Derrick Henry without stopping him. Look no further than Cole Holcomb leading the team in tackles despite entering the game as an injury replacement. Beyond that, T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig both helped pressure Lamar Jackson into critical third down incompletions. The real star was Alex Highsmith. He had 3 tackles for a loss, including a critical goal line stop of Henry that forced a field goal, hit Lamar Jackson twice and ended the game with a sack. Grade: B-

Secondary
The Baltimore Ravens third down efficiency was 38% which is just a tick above average for them. That’s also about two ticks above average for the Steelers defense. The secondary accounted for one interception by James Pierre and two end zone pass breakups. More importantly, they helped force field goals on multiple occasions when no one was open on third down. That’s a little discussed difference. Grade: B+

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was perfect on his kicks. The Steelers return coverage was solid, never allowing Baltimore to gain an extra advantage. Corliss Waitman boomed off punts averaging close to 50 yards. Pittsburgh’s return game was sound. Grade: B

Cam Heyward, Mike Tomlin, Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Ravens

Cam Heyward, Mike Tomlin & Aaron Rodgers walk off in triumph. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Coaching
Arthur Smith did not shy away from changing, incorporating two new receivers into his offense – clearly something had to change. He also decided to be aggressive early and often, throwing several deep strikes. Truth be told, he’d tried to do that in the last two games, without success.

  • They were successful against the Ravens, and that was the difference.

Ditto the solid pass protection from a line playing his 4th string right tackle – the Ravens may not have much of a pass rush, but the Steelers line won the battle it was supposed to win.

Commentators are already jumping on Teryl Austin for allowing the Ravens to pad their stats.

Those gaudy number might make Fantasy Football owners happy, and the Steelers clearly cannot allow that to continue, but judge performance by Reality Football metrics and you’ll that the Steelers defense forced field goals in 3 critical situations and made several other crucial third down stops.

To quote the late, great Craig Wolfley, losses like the last one against the Bills have the potential to be “Chess Grater” games.

  • Mike Tomlin did not allow that to happen.

Pittsburgh was far from perfect against Baltimore. But the Steelers were aggressive, focused, hungry while playing with the intensity you’d expect with the division title on the line. Credit Mike Tomlin for that. Grade: B+

Brandin Echols, Zay Flowers, Steelers vs Ravens

Brandin Echols knocks a touchdown pass away from Zay Flowers. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Unsung Hero Award
He batted away a pass to Zay Flowers in the end zone on Baltimore’s first trip to the Red Zone to force a field goal. After the Steelers scored a touchdown, he sacked Lamar Jackson on third down to force a punt. For those plays and for an afternoon of end-to-end solid play, Brandin Echols wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2025 win over the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

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Steelers Report Card for Loss to Bills – “Free Falling” Edition

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Taken from the gradebook of a teacher humming Tom Petty’s “Free Falling” as he fills out his grade sheet, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the loss to the Bills at Acrisure.

Joey Bosa, Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Bills

Joey Bosa strip sacks Aaron Rodgers. Photo Credit: Bills.com

Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers went 10 of 21 for 117 yards – which includes garbage time and was strip-sacked to open the second half. Mason Rudolph again got picked off deep in relief of Rodgers. He returned during garbage time but still did not complete a pass. Grade: FSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Jaylen Warren ran for 35 yards on 10 carries and scored a touchdown. He also had 2 catches for 9 yards. Kenneth Gainwell had 5 carries for 20 yards and his stat line of 2 catches for 25 yards might look ho-hum, his 17 yarder was an All Pro grab of a low ball. Kaleb Johnson ran twice for 3 yards in garbage time. The Steelers lost for lots of reasons. The running backs weren’t one of those. Grade: C+

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington led the team in receiving with 2 catches for 45 yards, both of which came in garbage time. Jonnu Smith had one catch for 6 yards and ran the wrong route on another catch. Grade: F

Wide Receivers
In his quest to seemingly become a modern-day Charles Lockett, D.K. Metcalf led the Steelers wide receivers with 3 catches for 32 yards. Calvin Austin, Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek combined for a grand total of ZERO catches on 5 targets. Grade: F

Offensive Line
Before looking at any numbers, put yourself through a quick eye test: Which offensive line looked like it was playing without its two starting tackles? For the record, the Bills only sacked Aaron Rodgers once and hit him two other times. The Steelers rushing average was respectable. But the Steelers offensive line never dictated tempo, and never dominated. Not only did the line fail to get sufficient push to get 2 yards on 4th and 2 in garbage time – the play lost yards. Grade: F

Defensive Line
Derrick Harmon may not have put up a lot of pretty stats so far in his rookie year, but the Steelers clearly missed him. No one should scapegoat the defensive line for a historically poor performance against the Bills. But they are the first line of defense. Grade: F

Linebackers
Let’s get this straight – the Buffalo Bills entered the game missing both starting tackles, yet the only player to touch Josh Allen was Patrick Queen? Where were T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig? What about Malik Harrison who was supposed to be an elite run stuffer? Grade: F

Secondary
Brandin Echols opened the game with an interception that, in an alternate reality, should have set the tone. Fun fact: Josh Allen only threw for 6 more yards than Aaron Rodgers. Fair enough. He didn’t need to. Grade: D

Special Teams
Corliss Waitman had a strong day punting, pinning the Bills deep twice and booming off a 51 yarder. Calvin Austin had a punt nice return of 12 yards. Steelers solid kick return coverage and average returns. Chris Boswell made his one field goal. Grade: C

Coaching
OK…. Where to start?

How about here: Question for Arthur Smith. Why did Pat Freiermuth get 13% fewer snaps than Jonnu Smith?

To be fair, there’s no obvious correlation between respective workloads for both players and won/loss results. But Pat Freiermuth has an 81% catch rate this year vs 69% for Jonnu Smith, and for those meta state folks, Freiermuth’s “success rate” is 59.4% vs 46.5%.

Let’s be honest here – this Steelers offense has talent issues that Joe Gibbs, an man who wrote the book of “Doing More on Offense with Less,” couldn’t fix in his prime. This offense’s ills are not getting cured by a home remedy of “Feed Freiermuth more” and call me in the morning.

But that’s the point – because he’s got such a dearth of talent, Smith needs to maximize every advantage that he has, and giving Smith priority over Freiermuth provides a perfect example of how Smith fails to do that.

As for the running game, the Bills displayed the type of rushing offense the Steelers want and are very, very far from getting.

As for the Bills rushing offense….

Wow. The Steelers run defense has some high profile struggles this year (see the first  Bengals game). It suffered some hiccups that largely flew under the radar. But successes against the Colts, Chargers and Bears suggested that Teryl Austin’s team had turned a corner.

The Steelers run defense did turn a corner against the Bills – it turned a corner and went the wrong way. Its hard to evaluate the passing defense, because Buffalo barely needed to pass.

Whether you use the “eye test” or choose to base your analysis on hard statistics, the Steelers arrive at December 1st as a team that has regressed in every meaningful way from where they stood on October 1st.

And that’s firmly on Mike Tomlin’s shoulders. Grade: F

Joey Porter Jr., Keon Coleman, Steelers vs Bills.

Joey Porter Jr. tackles Keon Coleman. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Unsung Hero Award
There’s one player who quietly had a good game. You didn’t hear his name much or even see him much – save for the touchdown-saving open field tackles he made, and for that Joey Porter Jr. wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2025 loss to the Bills at Acrisure.

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Steelers Report Card for Loss to Bears: Chicago Blues Edition

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Taken from the gradebook of a teacher who is tired of signing the Chicago Blues, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the loss to the Bears at Soldier Field.

Colston Loveland, Jalen Ramsey, Kyle Dugger, Steelers vs Bears

Colston Loveland scores. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune-Revew

Quarterback
In his first start of the season, Mason Rudolph went 24 of 31. Completing just shy of 80% of your passes looks good superficially. His first interception negated a great defensive start. His fumble turned over the ball while the Steelers were sniffing field goal range, setting up a touchdown that put the Bears up by 10. Beyond the turnovers, his longest completion went for 21 yards and appeared to be incapable of passing downfield. The deep ball was supposed to be his specialty. Grade: FSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Kenneth Gainwell led the way with 92 yards on 10 carries retaining a respectable average even if you take out his 55 yard scamper. Gainwell also had 6 catches for 30 yards, making him the team’s number 1 receiver. Jaylen Warren had a strong day, rushing for 68 yards on 18 carries. Connor Heyward ran once for zero yards. Grade: B+

Tight Ends
Steelers Tight Ends combined for 8 catches for over 60 yards with Jonnu Smith taking two tosses as runs for 6 yards and Pat Freiermuth catching a touchdown pass. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
Calvin Austin led the Steelers wide receivers with 4 catches for 36 yards. D.K. Metcalf had 5 catches for 22 yards, losing on yet another combat catch. Ben Skowronek had a nice catch for 21 yards, but that was the longest catch of the day. Roman Wilson had zero catches but executed an excellent pass break up negating a would-be interception. The receivers must share blame with the quarterback for the failure of the downfield passing game. Grade: F

Offensive Line
Run blocking was solid. Mason Rudolph was only sacked once twice and hit 4 other times. And statistically speaking, that looks pretty good. But one of those sacks helped scuttle the Steelers first drive, and the second one resulted in a forced fumble. Grades here are driven by performance and results. Grade: C-

Defensive Line
The Steelers held the Bears running game in check for the most part, but Caleb Williams did escape four times. The defensive line, as a unit, was overpowered on the Bears touchdown run. Yahya Black recovered a fumble in what should have been a game-changing play. Grade: C

Linebackers
T.J. Watt made an All Pro move by first forcing Caleb Williams into the end zone and then strip sacking him. Nick Herbig pounced on it for the touchdown. However, a neutral zone infraction by Herbig negated a Joey Porter Jr. interception on the final drive at halftime that resulted in the Bears getting three extra points that decided the game. Grade: D

Secondary
Overall play of the secondary was OK at times with Kyle Dugger’s addition paying dividends. He had a pass defensed as did James Pierre. But the Bears passed for 3 touchdowns. Grade: D

Special Teams
The Bears had more kick return success than you’d like to see. After Chicago forced the Steelers to punt to start the second half, Corliss Waitman boomed off a deep punt. Unfortunately a Ben Skowronek penalty forced a re-punt and Waitman did not do a good job of that. This set up the Bears only non-turnover assisted touchdown drive. Grade: D

Coaching
Several times during his tenure we’ve credited Arthur Smith for leading an offense where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Against the Bears, the opposite was true.

The Steelers led in all sorts of offensive stat categories, even edging an impressive 6-minute time of possession advantage. Yet, they came up short on the score board. Turnovers, which are not Smith’s fault are a huge factor here. But so is the Steelers chronic inability to pass down field.

  • Critics are already calling out the 31 points given up by Teryl Austin’s defense.

Fair enough. Numbers don’t lie. The defense wasn’t good enough, especially in the Red Zone. But the defense was also sandbagged by the offense and special teams on each scoring drive and self-sabotaged on the Bears field goal drive. That’s not on Austin’s game planning.

  • Still, Austin’s defense gave up 3 passing touchdowns. That’s three too many.

The Steelers have been playing the Bears in Chicago since 1938, one year before my oldest living blood relative was born in Mt. Oliver. Since then, they’ve beaten the Bears in Chicago precisely one time.

  • Any number of individual plays could have turned the collective outcome.

That may not come down on game plan or coaching, but Mike Tomlin and his staff are ultimately responsible. The Steelers needed a win in Chicago. Instead they got a loss. Grade: F

Kenneth Gainwell, Darnell Washington, Steelers vs Bears

Kenneth Gainwell runs for 55 yards. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
Kenneth Gainwell may have authored the offense’s most explosive play but that was all made possible by the block leveled by Darnell Washington, and for that he wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers loss in Chicago to the Bears.

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Steeler Report Card for Win over Bengals: Substitute Students Edition

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From the gradebook of a teacher pleased to see his substitute students shine here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the win over the Bengals at Acrisure.

Jalen Ramsey, Steelers vs Bengals

Jalen Ramsey lays in the wood. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers was 3-3 on the opening drive including his touchdown pass. On the afternoon he finished 9-15-116 yards and no picks. He also had an impressive 8 yard sprint that extended a drive that ended with a field goal. Mason Rudolph entered the game in the 2nd half and looked sharp, going 12 of 16 for 127 yards an a touchdown. Both quarterbacks managed to lead drives that point 10 points on the board. Grade: ASteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Jaylen Warren started out looking like a back who might take over the game. And it seemed like the coaches might let him try, as he ran 62 yards on 10 carries before leaving with an injury. Kenneth Gainwell only managed 24 yards on nine carries in relief of Warren, but did catch 7 passes for 81 yards, including 2 touchdowns. Kaleb Johnson 5 carries for 15 yards which doesn’t include and impressive run that was called back by a penalty. Connor Heyward converted 2 first downs via the tush push. Grade: B

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington’s 4 catches for 67 yards might not impress on paper, but he was a force, barreling through reluctant defenders. Pat Freiermuth had one catch for 19 yards. Washington was also a force in the blocking game. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers
D.K. Metcalf had 5 catches for 49 yards several of which were drive extenders. Roman Wilson caught 1 pass for 17 yards converting a third down on the Steelers opening drive in the second half. Calvin Austin caught one pass for 5 yards and drew another pass interference penalty. Grade: B-

Offensive Line
The Steelers only gave up one sack and 3 other quarterback hits. The line also opened excellent holes for Jaylen Warren although Gainwell did not fair as well. Grade: B

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward led the unit in tackles, and overall performance of the unit was strong. If you take the one long run the Bengals had, the Steelers limited them to a respectable average. Grade: B

Linebackers
Patrick Queen led the team in tackles, Malik Harrison helped shore up the run defense, and Nick Herbig had a sack that not only cost the Bengals 7 yards but rattled Joe Flacco enough to cause a delay of game penalty helping force a field goal when it was still an 11 point game. Grade: B+

Secondary
Kyle Dugger’s pick six came at the end of the third quarter and transformed a 5 point lead into a 11 point lead. James Pierre’s fumble return for a touchdown slammed the door shut on even a theoretical Bengals comeback. But those are not the two most impressive stats from this game.
Kenneth Gainwell had more catches and only 12 yards less than Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Combined. It looked like a completely different Steelers secondary in this match up. Grade: A

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was 2-2 on field goals and 4-4 on extra points. Corliss Waitman had a strong afternoon punting, pinning the Bengals down inside the 20 on two of his three punts. Kick coverage was good and the returns were respectable. Grade: B

Coaching
Arthur Smith clearly has a knack for game planning going into contests, as the Steelers improved success in scoring on their first drives demonstrates. However, in the first half his unit struggled to sustain that, with their final scoring drive in that period should be characterized as “heavily penalty-aided.”

Still, it was a solid outing for the Steelers offense. Not only did they finally manage to win the time of possession battle, the offense executed a 12-play, 6-minute drive in the fourth quarter to turn an 11 point lead into an 18 point lead. This was a welcome sight.

This didn’t just look like a different Steelers secondary against potent Bengals offense, it looked like an entirely different defense. Since Joe Flacco’s arrival, Cincinnati’s offense has been a Fantasy Football owner’s dream.

By leaning into Reality Football — hard hitting and smart playing — Teryl Austin’s defense made it a nightmare afternoon for he Bengals.

Pittsburgh Steelers have been run hot and cold during the 2025 season, but after a rough outing on national TV, Mike Tomlin has his team ready, willing and able to play winning football. Grade: A-

T.J. Watt, Joe Flacco, Steelers vs Bengals

T.J. Watt hits Joe Flacco. Photo Credit: T.O. Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
The stat sheet says he only had one tackle, albeit for a loss, 2 tipped passes and one quarterback hit. But that hit was hard. His tipped pass helped set up a third down and on that third down his pressure helped force a pick six, and for that T.J. Watt wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers win over the Bengals at Acrisure.

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