Tag Archives: MyCole Pruitt

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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Cordarrelle Patterson Cut. Did Arthur Smith Bring “False Friends” to the Steelers?

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When news broke that the Steelers cut Cordarrelle Patterson earlier this week observers the reaction of many was, “What took them so long?”

Cordarelle Patterson, Steelers vs Colts

Cordarrelle Patterson runs against the Colts. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Michael Conroy

They may be right – I think the Steelers were probably wise to bring him to camp, but my conclusions track in a different direction. Namely that the Cordarrelle Patterson experiment highlights the dangers of “False Friends” in NFL roster building.

Let’s clarify something important here: Using “False Friends” to describe Cordarrelle Patterson or the other players soon to be mentioned, says nothing about their character, work ethnic or presence in the locker room.

  • Rather, “False Friends” in this context is a concept borrowed from second language acquisition.

Take the words “assist” and “asistir” in English and Spanish. In my first week living in Buenos Aires, Mari my Argentine “aunt” asked me, “Te vas a asistir la clase de Jose Luis hoy?”

Although I was planning to make an appearance at my friend Jose Luis’ English class that afternoon, I responded, “No. Si voy, pero no voy a asistir.” thinking she was asking me if I was planning on helping her son teach the class.

This thoroughly confused Mari, who spoke no English and had many, many virtues — none of which was patience, because “asistir” in Spanish means “attend.” There’s a strong chance I further confounded her by saying something like, “Si. Voy a attender us clase, pero no voy a asistir.” (“Attender” in Spanish sort of means to “help” someone, but I was using it completely out of context.)

The concept of “False Friends” applies here due to Patterson’s relationship with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Patterson played for Smith, and he was one of the more notable free agent signings in the 2024 off season.

The Steelers also signed Van Jefferson and MyCole Pruitt, two other players with a productive history from their time playing under Arthur Smith.

Pruitt almost certainly cost Connor Heyward snaps, but failed to deliver much on the field. Van Jefferson was not only a substandard NFL WR No. 2 by today’s standards, he was badly outclassed by other lackluster Steelers WR No 2’s from yesteryear such as Charles Lockett and Derek Hill. (Dwight Stone looked like a Pro Bowler compared to Jefferson.)

  • The Steelers signed Patterson due to his kick-returning prowess.

However, the Steelers got no spark from their kick return game in 2024, despite the rule changes and despite Patterson’s pedigree. Bringing Patterson to camp still made sense to this scribe, given how well he ran during limited duty against the Raiders and Colts.

But he got injured at Indianapolis and never got back on track. Giving him one last chance seemed to be a no brainer, low-risk risk high-reward move.

When a coach arrives at a new team, the idea of bringing some of his former players into the fold to recapture old magic can often be irresistible. Sometimes, as then rookie coach Mike Tomlin found out with Allen Rossum and Sean Mahan in 2007 they don’t always work out.

But there’s a flip side to this story:

A year later the Steelers signed Mewelde Moore who was the Unsung Hero of the 2008 season and delivered a critical block freeing Ben Roethlisberger to find Santonio Holmes in Super Bowl XLIII.

Fortunately, former players don’t always turn out to be “False Friends.”

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Steelers 2025 Draft Needs @ Tight End – Low

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have drafted tight ends in 3 of their last four drafts, using premium picks to take 2 of three of those players.

So should Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin dip into that well in the 2025 NFL Draft? Time to take a look.

Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward, Alfredo Roberts, Steelers tight ends

The Steelers Tight Ends. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Steelers Depth Cart at Tight End: The Starter

In his penultimate draft, Kevin Colbert took Pat Freiermuth in the 2nd round of the 2021 NFL Draft and since then Freiermuth has easily been the most consistent player on the Pittsburgh Steelers offense.

Whether he’s been catching passes from Ben Roethlisberger, Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, Pat Freiermuth has easily been the quarterbacks’ most reliable target. Freiermuth has improved his game each year, despite the fact that the Steelers offense has conspicuously avoided the middle of the field.

Fans may have given Freiermuth some heat for failing to convert a few first downs during the ugly 5-game losing streak the Steelers suffered, but that frustration is misplaced. Had the rest of the Steelers offense played at the level Freiermuth was playing at, the Steelers wouldn’t have lost 5 straight.

Steelers Tight End Depth Chart: The Backups

Has there ever been a third round pick that’s captivated the collective imagination of Steelers Nation the way Darnell Washington did when Pittsburgh picked him in the 3rd round of the 2023 NFL Draft?

Visions of a 6’7”, 264-pound tight end towering over linebackers in the end zone have a way of doing that.

Alas, two seasons into his NFL career, Darnell Washington hasn’t flashed that he’s the next Ron Gronkowski, but it was unfair to expect him to be. What Washington has done is improve from his rookie to his sophomore year, by almost trebling his receptions, increasing his yards catching by more than 3 times, and more than doubling his catches for first downs.

Darnell Washington, Steelers vs Broncos, Darnell Washington first touchdown

Darnell Washington catches the first touchdown of his career. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

If nothing else, Connor Heyward will always be the last offensive player drafted by Kevin Colbert to play a down for the Steelers. In his first two season, Connor Heyward seemed to be carving a niche out for himself in the Steelers offense as a sort of utility receiver as he worked in as an H-Back.

2024 saw his playing time and production decline, as MyCole Pruitt got snaps at Heyward’s expense. The Steelers also have Donald Parham Jr. whom they signed to a futures contract and who brings 47 games, 23 starts and 67 catches of experience to the Steelers.

The Steelers 2025 Draft Needs @ Tight End

Overall, the Steelers are in a very good place at tight end going into the 2025 NFL Draft. It is not a position Pittsburgh must prioritize.Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Needs Scale

There is one X-Factor at work, however.

Mike Tomlin pointedly declined to endorse his returning starting offensive line, and reporters such as Jim Wexell have suggested that tackle is actually Darnell Washington’s natural position, intimating that he could make the transition from tight end much the way Larry Brown did two generations ago.

Currently the Steelers don’t have the depth at tight end to entertain such a move, but if they draft a tight end early, that could change.

But until that happens, this is just speculation and therefore the Steelers need at tight end going into the 2025 NFL Draft should be considered as Low.

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Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 Free Agent Tracker

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Free Agency started on Monday March 10th at noon.

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered free agency with as much as much to lose as they do have to gain.

The Steelers have 17 players set to become free agents. Omar Khan has over 60 million dollars in salary cap money to spend, with the ability to increase that quickly and easily with restructures and extensions. Yet, the team has been cautious.

  • If anyone is panicking over the Steelers lack of a quarterback, they’re not on the South Side.

Beyond that, the Steelers have seen far more free agents depart for greener patures than they have extended the welcome mat to.

steelers press conference,

Is Omar Khan stockpiling compensatory picks? That may not be his intent, but thus far that’s the end-product of his approach to free agency as the legal tampering period comes to an end.

Steelers 2024 Pickups During Free Agency

Jaylen Warren, Running Back
Extended 2nd round Restricted Free Agent Tender
Ryan McCollum, Center
Extended an Exclusive Rights Free Agent tender
D.K. Metcalf
Traded their 2nd round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft for D.K. Metcalf who signed a 4 year extension
Kenneth Gainwell, running back
Signed the former Philadelphia Eagles running back to a 1 year deal.
Malik Harrison, Inside Linebacker
Signs a 2-year, 10 million dollar contract to leave the Baltimore Ravens.
Brandin Echols, Cornerback
Signs with Steelers from the New York Jets, terms undisclosed.
Darius Slay, Cornerback
Signs 1-year, 10 million dollar contract after getting cut from Philadelphia Eagles.
Mason Rudolph, Quarterback
Signs 2-year, 8 million dollar contract.
Scotty Miller, Wide Receiver
Signs 1-year deal, presumptively at the veteran minimum.
Ben Skowronek, Wide Receiver
Signs 2-year deal, 4.5 million dollar contract.
Daniel Ekuale, Defensive End
Signs with Steelers from the New England Patriots
Juan Thornhill, Safety
Signs 1-year deal from the Cleveland Browns
Isaiahh Loudermilk, Defensive line
Signs 1-year deal, presumptively at the veteran minimum.
Esezi Otomewo, defensive lineman
Signs 1-year contract, presumptively at the veteran minimum, from the Jacksonville Jaguars

Steelers 2024 Free Agent Losses


Justin Fields, Quarterback
Signed 2 year, 40 million dollar deal with the New York Jets
Donte Jackson, Cornerback
Signed 2 year, 13 million dollar contract with San Die er um Los Angeles Chargers
Dan Moore, Offensive Tackle
Signed 4 year, 82 million dollar contract with Tennessee Titans
Najee Harris, Running Back
Signs 1 year, 9.25 million dollar contract with Los Angeles Chargers
Elandon Roberts, Inside Linebacker
Signs 1 year, 3 million dollar contract with Las Vegas Raiders
James Daniels, Guard
Signs 3 year 24 million dollar contract with Miami Dolphins
Van Jefferson, Wide Receiver
Signs 1 year, 2.5 million dollar contract with Tennessee Titans
Mike Williams, Wide Receiver
Signs 1 year, 7 million dollar contract to return to the Los Angeles Chargers
Nate Herbig, Guard/Center
Signs 1 year deal with Washington Commanders

Steelers 2024 Remaining Unrestricted Free Agents

Russell Wilson, Quarterback
Cam Sutton, Cornerback
MyCole Pruitt, Tight End
Kyle Allen, Quarterback
Tyler Matakevich, Inside Linebacker/Special Teams
Damontae Kazee, Safety

Exclusive Rights Free Agents

Jeremiah Moon, Outside Linebacker

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Time for Steelers to Send MyCole Pruitt to Pasture

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In 2024 the Pittsburgh Steelers cut against the grain of conventional wisdom and went with four tight ends. As expected they kept Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward.

MyCole Pruitt held down the extra spot at tight end. Did he do enough to earn an extended stay in Pittsburgh?

MyCole Pruitt, Steelers vs Lions preseason

MyCole Pruitt goes for 22 yards. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Capsule Profile of MyCole Pruitt’s Career with the Steelers

Like Van Jefferson, MyCole Pruitt came to Pittsburgh after having played with Arthur Smith. Pruitt had experience with Smith both in Tennessee and in Atlanta. As expected Puritt made the 53 man roster and appeared in 12 games.

His stat line was pretty sparse, as he caught 6 passes on 10 targets for 40 yards accounting for 2 first downs and one touchdown in the December 21st regular season loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Pruitt logged 34% of the offensive snaps for the Steelers.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning MyCole Pruitt

MyCole Pruitt knows Arthur Smith’s system and he’s clearly someone that Smith is comfortable with. He’s got 121 games under his belt with 44 starts and, as they say, “there’s no substitute for experience.”

Or something like that.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning MyCole Pruitt

With the Steelers fielding a J.V. wide receiver corps behind George Pickens (OK, Calvin Austin isn’t J.V.), the tight ends were supposed to help pick up the slack.

It is impossible to even make a theoretical argument that MyCole Pruitt contributed anything towards that objective. He’s never had more than 21 targets in a season, and at age 33 he has no upside.

And while I don’t pretend to be able to evaluate Pruitt’s run-blocking technique, given that he played in 34% of the snaps the “Eye Test” suggests he was hardly a difference maker as a run blocker.

Finally, with Pruitt on the roster, Connor Heyward’s snap count dropped from 38% in 2023 to 18% in 2024. Even if we control for sentimental bias, Heyward still has a legitimate “upside.” To repeat: Pruitt does not.

Neither did he contribute on special teams, only appearing in 5% of those saps.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and MyCole Pruitt

While the Steelers made a worthwhile decision in taking a flyer on MyCole Pruitt, there’s no reason to extend this one year experiment.

Expect the Steelers to move on this spring, and for Pruitt to either eek another year or two of NFL existence as a veteran minimum roster bubble player or being his “Life’s Work.”

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Steelers Report Card for 2024 Season – Tired of Grading Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who is tired of grading, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2024 season.

Russell Wilson, Steelers vs Chiefs, Chiefs sack Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson is sacked. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterbacks
Justin Fields started in led the Steelers to a 4-2 record. He legs proved to be as much if not more of a weapon than his arm. Which is OK, he largely did what the Steelers asked him to do. Russell Wilson took over a 4-2 team and was cooking by the time the team reached 10-3 before the meat girder portion of their schedule. There Russ faltered a bit, but mainly because he tried to do too much. If there’s one player who “left it all on the field” in the playoff debacle against Baltimore, it was Wilson. The Steelers had winning quarterback play in 2024. Grade: BSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Najee Harris logged his 4th consecutive 1000 yard season, earn his best rushing average. Jaylen Warren had 511 yards and an even better average. Don’t look now, but Cordarrelle Patterson actually had a better average than both of them. And yet, for all of those numbers, the whole of the Steelers rushing game was still less than the sum of its parts. Too often “Sludge Ball” on 1st and 2nd down resulted in 3rd and 8s. The running backs did a respectable job in catching passes, but were never true weapons. The running rarely establish a rhythm. That’s not all on the backs, but the Steelers needed more. Grade: C-

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth was easily the offense’s most reliable player, catching 65 passes for 653 yards and 7 touchdowns. Darnell Washington caught 19 passes for 200 yards, but never emerged as a consistent threat. MyCole Pruitt didn’t add much and Connor Heyward seemed to be the odd man out. Pat Freiermuth lifts the group grade, but the Steelers needed more from the tight ends in 2024. Grade: B-

Wide Receivers
George Pickens displayed his incredible athletic talent on the field on several occasions, but his immaturity with pointless penalties cost the team on many others. And his production dropped year-by-year. Calvin Austin had a nice second season and flashed playmaking potential at times, but he wasn’t able to do so consistently. Van Jefferson showed he might have it to be an NFL WR No. 4 or maybe even a No. 3. But he’s no No. 2. Mike Williams flashed at times, but wasn’t able to pick up the slack when Pickens was out. Ben Skowronek only saw spot duty, but he did quite well there. Scotty Miller was a non-factor. The Steelers clearly didn’t have the wide outs needed for a playoff run, let alone a championship run. Grade: D

Offensive Line
Injuries scrambled the line’s continuity early in the year, and it showed. By mid-season the line appeared to be making progress – then things fell apart as the weather got cold, rookie walls got hit, and from there on out “Sludge Ball” and sacks characterized the line play. Given the investment of free agent dollars an draft picks, this was a failing performance. Grade: F

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward bounced back after an injury plagued 2023. He was not only the best player on the line, if there is any football justice in the world, Heyward should have punched his card to Canton. His 8 sacks, 11 passes defensed an 12 tackles for losses don’t do justice to the ass kicker he was. Keeanu Benton had his moments, but really didn’t make second year leap, and Larry Ogunjobi likely set himelf up to be a cap casualty. Grade: B-

T.J. Watt, Joe Burrow, T.J. Watt strip sack Joe Burrow, Steelers vs Bengals

T.J. Watt strip sacks Joe Burrow. Photo Credit: X.com

Linebackers
T.J. Watt was voted team MVP, and he did some through with several splash plays that swung or sealed games. Yet, he was hot and cold and not effective late in the year. Alex Highsmith had a strong year over coming injury, and Nick Herbig made things happen. Rookie Peyton Wilson shown at times, but also appears to have it the “rookie wall.” Patrick Queen led the unit in tackles, while Elandon Roberts proved himself to be a “tooth chipper.” Grade: B

Secondary
Joey Porter Jr. had some sophomore struggles and must learn to avoid costly penalties. Donte Jackson had 5 interceptions, although if Pro Football Focus ratings are to be believed – and perhaps they are not, he struggled in coverage. Minkah Fitzpatrick led the team in tackles, but the big play “Minkah Magic” was missing. Beanie Bishop looks to be like a nice find as an undrafted rookie free agent. The secondary had a solid year in at lot of ways, but it faltered against elite QB’s down the stretch. Grade: C-

Special Teams
Chris Boswell had a otherworldly season, accounting for all of the team’s scoring in two games. Corliss Waitman started the year strong in relief of injured Cameron Johnston, but his performance leveled off as the trees grew bare. The Steelers punt coverage was strong, kick return coverage could have been better. The Steelers got little out of their kick return game, but Calvin Austin did a fair job as a returner. And the Steelers had several blocks early in the season. Grade: B

Coaching
Where to start?

Arthur Smith had his hands full – his offensive line was injured early and often, he never got a legit WR No. 2, and his starting quarterback was out for the first six weeks. Yet he found ways to make things work for the bulk of the season’s first 13 weeks.

But his offensive line began to falter at the same moment that he lost his starting wide receiver, and the unit struggled through December football.

Teryl Austin’s followed a similar arc. It might not have dominated during the season’s first 13 weeks, but the only truly worrisome performance came in the loss to Dallas, and he rectified that in short order. The defense was able to produce turnovers, and succeeded in making Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry look human when they came to Acrisure.

But the brutal reality is that his defense went into 5-star matchups on Christmas against the Chiefs and in the playoffs against Baltimore at full health and came up Choto on both occasions. (Choto is Argentine slang for coming up short – it carries both practical and anatomical implications.)

Arthur Smith, Mike Tomlin, Steelers vs Browns, Steelers vs Browns snow

Arthur Smith confers with Mike Tomlin. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

And finally, that brings us to Mike Tomlin.

Dispassionate analysts who focus on calling things as they see them as opposed to catering to angry fans to generate clicks, have argued that a sober analysis of this roster shows it to be an 8 or 9 win team. In that light, Tomlin should be credited for bringing out the best in what is a middle-of-the-road roster.

That may be true.

But here is something else that is true: In 2023 the Steelers finished 10-7 with weaker quarterback play, and were within a touchdown of trying the Buffalo Bills with 10:32 remaining in the 4th quarter in the playoffs. In 2024 they finished 10-7 and then Baltimore Ravens ridiculed them in the playoffs.

The objective of the Pittsburgh Steelers football club is to win a Super Bowl, and the franchise regressed in 2024. And that is on Mike Tomlin. Grade: F

Front Office
It is tempting to point a finger at the front offense for the failure of the line to step up, but the unit is young.

And clearly, Omar Khan executed addition by subtraction by dealing Diontae Johnson for Donte Jackson. Nonetheless, no “Khan Artist” plan to land a true number 2 wideout ever materialized. And that clearly hurt the offense, if for no other reason than it allowed defenses to crowd the box.

Deshon Elliott, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Colts

DeShon Elliot. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

The defense did not deliver on bang for its salary cap buck, but the only major contract given on that side of the ball this off season was to Patrick Queen, who played pretty well. Grade: C

Unsung Hero Award
Fans have always salivated over free agent signings, in large part because the Steelers seldom make big ticket moves. The ones that the franchise has historically excelled at are the under the radar ones. And this year the Steelers made one in the secondary, and his number seemed to show up on the field where ever it was needed and for that DeShon Elloitt wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2024 season.

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Steelers Report Card for Loss to Ravens: NO More Health Room Passes Edition

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Taken from the desk of a teacher who is tired of writing passes to the health room, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2024 loss to the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Derrick Henry, Steelers vs Ravens

Minkah Fitzpatrick slows down Derrick Henry. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterback
Russell Wilson went 22 of 33 for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns. In many ways, he is the reason the Steelers were in this game for 3 quarters. But his fumble took at least 3 points off of the board. And his pick-six effectively ended the game. Grade: DSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Collectively the Steelers running backs only totaled 90 yards rushing, which on the surface appears anemic. However, Najee Harris had his best night in several weeks. He hit holes with authority and made piles fall forward. Cordarrelle Patterson caught his only pass – after bobbling it. Connor Heyward worked effectively as a blocker and caught one pass. The Steelers lost to the Ravens for many reasons. The running backs weren’t one of them. Grade: C+

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth caught 3 passes for 16 yards. MyCole Pruitt caught 1 pass for one yard and a touchdown, although he was the target on the pick six. Grade: C

Wide Receivers
With each passing game, Calvin Austin seems to do a little more to step up. On his sideline catch he showed incredible concentration and ball skills to bring in a very low percentage pass. Still, there was a breakdown on the 4th down conversion attempt and that could have been a game-changer. Van Jefferson caught 2 passes for 27 yards and Mike Williams caught 3 for 24. Both men look like they could be effective number 3 or 4 wide outs — this team needs a number 1. Flying under the radar is Ben Skowronek who had 2 catches for 25. Grade: D+

Offensive Line
Russell Wilson was sacked 3 times, hit a total of 6 times and had to take off and run 3 more times. Run blocking was a little better, but overall the Steelers needed the line to dominate up front. It did not. Grade: D

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward led the unit in tackles and had one for a loss. But it was a bad night for the defensive line as it neither mounted pass pressure nor stopped the run. Grade: F

Linebackers
Alex Highsmith had a strip sack and Elandon Roberts had a nice tackle behind the line of scrimmage. And Patrick Queen was the team’s leading tackler. But Derrick Henry ran where he wanted, when he wanted, and Lamar Jackson litterally was untouched beyond the sack (per ESPN’s stats.) Grade: F

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Ravens, Minka Fitzpatrick interception Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry

Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepts Lamar Jackson. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Secondary
Minkah Fitzpatrick had what should have been a game-changing interception and he was also stoudt against the run. Damontae Kazee led the team in tackles, but along with James Pierre and Cory Trice, this look like a secondary missing 3 out of 4 starters. Grade: D

Special Teams
James Pierre forced a fumble but the Steelers were unable to recover. Chris Boswell made all of his kicks, but he shanked a kickoff which gave Baltimore 10 more yards on a drive a touchdown drive. In a game like this, the last thing you can do is give Baltimore extra yards. Grade: D

Coaching
Arthur Smith does not have a lot to work with at this point. He’s got a young line with 2 rookies. He’s missing he’s got an offense that’s missing its WR number 1 and really doesn’t have a WR number 2. Yet he found ways to use players at the bottom of his depth chat and make just enough plays that, had it not been for two turnovers, would have been competitive.

  • Teryl Austin had a bad night.

Derrick Henry dominated at a level that the Steelers strived, but failed to attain during Jerome Bettis‘ tenure. Lamar Jackson likewise had a very good night, picking apart the Steelers pass coverage with relative ease.

The Steelers entered this game with fire and fight after a tough loss to the Eagles, and that’s to Mike Tomlin’s credit. Further to Tomlin’s credit, he refused to use the fact that his defense is missing 4 starters as an excuse.

Jaylen Warren, Marion Humphrey, Steelers vs Ravens

Jaylen Warren drags Marion Humphrey. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

If the Steelers are to have any chance against Kansas City, Tomlin must either find a heal his players Mr. Miyagi style or mind-meld Mr. Spock style with his backup secondary get them to fully but into the “Standard is the Standard.” Grade: C

Unsung Hero Award
Nights like this require players to dig deep. They must bring a little something extra to the field. One player who ran decisively, fought for every extra yard and even made a minor splash as a kick returner was Jaylen Warren, who wins the Unsung Hero Award for the 2024 loss to the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

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Ravens Route Steelers 32-17, Tie for AFC North Lead

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The Steelers traveled to Baltimore. This time when “Mr. Jackson” and “Mr. Henry” spoke, all of Pittsburgh listened, as the Steelers suffered a 34-17 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens.

The loss drops the Steelers record to 10-5 while improving the Ravens to 10-5, leaving the teams tied in the AFC North crown. It is also the second straight week the Steelers have gone into “Alpha Male” matchups and come out with their lips busted and their nose bloodied.

  • Clearly, this not the type of performance you want to see from the Steelers in “December football.”

But does that mean the Steelers are doomed to another December derrota? The answer is no, it doesn’t. But that “No” comes with a rather large caveat.

Ar'Darius Washington, Russell Wilson, Russell Wilson fumble Ravens, Steelers vs Ravens

Russell Wilson fumbles at the 4 yard line. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh, Meet “Mr. Jackson” and “Mr. Henry”

Several trends favored the Steelers going into the game.

  • The Steelers had won 8 out of 9 against the Ravens
  • Mike Tomlin had found a way to mortalize Lamar Jackson
  • Although it didn’t get much ink, Pittsburgh had enjoyed similar success vs Derrick Henry

But anyone who thought that the Steelers “had Jackson’s number” was fooling themselves. Lamar Jackson has won multiple league MVP awards in the past and will almost certainly earn the honor multiple times in the future.

As for Derrick Henry, he quite simply runs like the kind of running back that the Steelers offense wishes it had. True, the Steelers have had success in stopping elite running backs this season. One of the few highlights of the flame out in Philly was that the Steelers kept Saquon Barkley down to earth.

  • Both “Mr. Jackson” and “Mr. Henry” took off against the Steelers.

Sure, the Steelers limited Jackson on the ground. But he tossed 3 touchdown passes and, frankly, each one looked  easier. Jackson might have “only” thrown for 209 yards. He didn’t need to throw for more. Henry rushed for 162 on the ground.

Cam Heyward, Elandon Roberts and Minkah Fitzpatrick all logged a few nice stops of Henry behind or near the line of scrimmage. But those were few and far between. The story of the night was the Ravens ripping gaping holes in the Steelers front seven, Henry hitting them to gouge the defense, while members of the secondary barely stopped him from scoring.

  • The Baltimore Ravens were the better team than the Pittsburgh Steelers in all three phases.

John Harbaugh could given out multiple game-balls following this win. But no two players exemplified the Ravens dominance like Jackson and Henry.

ICYMI: The Steelers Were Actually In This Game

The Steelers went into this game down three starters on defense, lost a fourth during the game, and of course George Pickens their most dynamic talent on offense.

  • To score an upset, several players would have to step up.
  • Beyond individual efforts, Arthur Smith would have to coax something extra out of his collective unit

And in a lot of ways that happened. Although you wouldn’t know if you only looked at their rushing totals, Smith platooned Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren more effectively than he has all season.

Calvin Austin, Steelers vs Ravens

Calvin Austin hauls in a sideline pass. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Warren averaged 4 yards a carry and Harris managed 4.7. Neither man had a run longer than 11 yards. That shows just how scrappy both men were in fighting for extra yards and forcing piles to fall forward. Warren also had several catches.

The offense still clearly misses George Pickens, but Smith found ways to get contributions form others:

No, no one will ever confuse this effort for the Greatest Show on Turf. Nor will they mistake the rushing attack for a dominant ground game. But it does so that, had the game dynamics been different, Arthur Smith’s offense may have risen to the occasion.

The defense was more problematic, but they still found ways to make splash plays when it counted.

After the Steelers offense turned over on downs and then gave up a 44-yard run to Henry, Minkah Fitzpatrick struck back with an interception. It was a play that, had the “game dynamics” been different, could have shifted moment in Pittsburgh’s direction.

Pittsburgh Bounces the Ball Baltimore’s Way. Literally

Against the Eagles, the Steelers lost in large part because the defense and special teams created two turnovers that the offense failed to capitalize. On the 7th play of the game against the Ravens, Alex Highsmith strip sacked Lamar Jackson.

  • But the ball bounced to Ronnie Stanley who recovered for the Ravens.
Alex Highsmith, Lamar Jackson, Steelers vs Ravens

Alex Highsmith strip sacks Lamar Jackson. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Baltimore forced a punt on the very next series. James Pierre forced Desmond King to fumble. But it rolled in Chris Board’s direction and the Ravens recovered, and then Ravens scored a touchdown.

The Steelers answered with a touchdown of their own. The Steelers forced a punt. On the next drive they were moving steadily down the field when Russell Wilson took off. He ran for 19 yards and reached the Baltimore four.

There he fumbled. He tried to get it back but the ball Kyle Van Noy who recovered for the Ravens.

  • The ball literally wasn’t bouncing Pittsburgh’s way.

And when it wasn’t, the Steelers helped roll it to the Ravens. Two plays after Minkah Fitzpatrick’s interception figured to get the Steelers right back into the game, Russell Wilson fired off a pass towards Puritt that left his hand a second too soon.

Marion Humphrey caught it and took it to the house, bringing the score to 31-17 and effectively icing the game for Baltimore.

Health Critical for the Steelers

Despite losing badly to the Eagles, the Steelers came into the game against the Ravens with fire and fight. For a second straight week, the Steelers learned that fire and fight alone don’t win games. Playmaking does.

  • Avoid a few errors, and the Steelers contest both of those games
  • Make a few plays, and maybe they could have even won

But to make plays, your best players have to be on the field. The Steelers are missing their best offensive playmaker and 3/4ths of their secondary.

Patrick Mahomes is spending Christmas in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers had better find a way to get healthy. Fast.

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The Case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024

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The Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 season is here. And again I’m honoring the memory and work of my friend, the late, great Ivan Cole, by penning “The Case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.”

Ivan wrote these columns annually while he was at BTSC and then Going Deep with the Steelers.

And I am happy to continue his tradition as I try to meld my own insights while striving to find Ivan’s tone and voice.

Mike Tomlin, Russell Wilson, George Pickens

Mike Tomlin, Russell Wilson and George Pickens. Photo Credit: Reddit

A Mature, Self-Confident Franchise

So what is the “The Case for the Steelers in 2024” let’s use the words of Ivan himself to establish the ground rules:

Let me start with the disclaimer up front. If you’re looking for yet another set of predictions in what is the season of predictions you will be sorely disappointed here. I don’t do predictions, don’t believe in them. I’m sure someone will hit the nail on the head as to how the [2024] season will unfold, and there will be a certain element of skill involved in their assessment, but there will probably be a lot of luck involved as well.

What I attempt to bring to the table are some observations as to how to think about what factors might be key to a positive outcome for the Steelers this season. Specifically, what has to happen (and what has to not happen) in order for the team to, hopefully, make it to the playoffs and have a shot at the world championship.

No, these columns are intended to be predictive.

Case in point, one year ago this column cited the Steelers quarterback room as an area of strength. Yet after starting 3 separate quarterbacks in 2023, Mike Tomlin decided to completely remake the room in 2024.

  • But that actually points to one of the biggest assets this team has going into the season.

How’s that you ask? Fair question.

Fair question. But if you look at the way the Steelers brain trust has handled the quarterback situation, it reveals the franchise’s maturity and self-confidence. Suffice to say, the Kenny Pickett of 2023 did not pick up right where the “Kenny F___ Picket” of 2022 left off.

Far from it. But Mike Tomlin stuck by his young signal caller. First, he tried forcing his offensive coordinator to change ways. When that failed, Tomlin shattered franchise precedent and fired Matt Canada midseason.

Kenny Pickett, Johnathan Ledbetter

Kenny Pickett final play in Pittsburgh. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Tomlin then adopted a “fail fast” philosophy. When Kenny Pickett got injured on third down at the goal line against the Cardinals, Tomlin didn’t hesitate to go for it on 4th and goal. He did the same thing a week later against the Patriots. And, after giving Mitch Trubisky a full week to prepare and seeing him come woefully up short, Tomlin brought Pittsburgh’s Mitch Tribusky era to a shift end.

To a man, Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan kicked off the off season by expressing their faith in Kenny Pickett. Yet, Tomlin promised competition and Khan pledged to explore all available means to improve the team.

So when Russell Wilson became available for a song, the Steelers snatched him up immediately. And when Pickett balked at competing with and being mentored by a perennial Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion, they again embraced the fail-fast concept and shipped to the other end of Turnpike for clipboard holding duty.

  • Franchise self-confidence was also evident in the hire of Arthur Smith.

One of the benefits of employing the same coach for 17 years is that it gives you a data set that is booth deep and wide to draw samples from. And one of the things that we can say about Mike Tomlin is that while he may excel at many things as a head coach, cultivating young coaching talent is not one of them.

  • For his part, Mike Tomlin seems to realize that even if he has not said it in so many words.

Late last season we saw that, with competent quarterback play, the Steelers offense was capable of playoff-caliber football. But merely reaching the playoffs is not something that Mike Tomlin can or should take comfort in.

  • Fortunately, he does not.

The quarterback who got him to the playoffs is gone, as just good enough isn’t sufficient. Tomlin applied the same mindset to his coaching staff. It would have been very easy to point to the late season improvement and promote either Eddie Faulkner or Mike Sullivan to as his next offensive coordinator.

Instead, Mike Tomlin acknowledged he needed to go outside the organization for the first time in 10 years to fill the offensive coordinator spot and hired Arthur Smith, who promises to bring brand of football Pittsburgh hasn’t seen since Ken Whisenhunt’s days.

And that’s a brand difference that could become relevant given the roster that’s been assembled.

The Unheralded Steelers 2024 Offense

The Steelers have a history of bringing quarterbacks to Pittsburgh, but none have ever boasted the track record of Russell Wilson. Wilson is of course a Super Bowl champion and 9 time Pro Bowler. And, while his skills may have diminished at age 35, he still possesses a beautiful deep ball.

But it is the intangibles that Wilson brings to the Steelers that should give us the greatest cause for excitement. Ever since the moment he touched down in Pittsburgh, Wilson has made every effort not only to connect with the team, but with the entire city. Watch an interview with him and, you’ll see the portrait of the man able to strike a healthy equilibrium between self confidence and humility.

In that respect, Wilson seems like the ideal mentor for his understudy, Justin Fields. During the preseason both saw why Chicago drafted him with the 11th overall pick and we saw why they decided to move on. But he’s certainly worth a 6th round pick and an excellent man to have as your number two. Furthermore, sub packages involving Fields could inject an X-Factor into this offense not seen since the heyday of Slash during the 1995 season.

Kyle Allen rounds out the group. Last year we saw why the Steelers believe in keeping 3 quarterbacks and once again everyone on their depth chart has starting NFL experience.

That brings us to running back. Let’s begin by asking that we please tune out the Najee Harris vs Jaylen Warren “controversy.” Attempts to present this as an either/or proposition represent a false dichotomy.

Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren

Could we see Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren paired in the same backfield? Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield via SteelerNation.com

Instead, the Harris/Warren tandem gives Pittsburgh their most potent 1-2 combo since the brief stretch in the 2004 season with both Duce Staley and Jerome Bettis enjoyed full health. And Cordarrelle Patterson gives the Steelers a nice RB number 3 option who offers excellent position flexibility.

At tight end the Steelers will field their deepest group arguably since the early 1990s. Pat Freiermuth looks poised to have a breakout year. Darnell Washington should help re-establish the offense’s smash-mouth mentality. Connor Heyward and MyCole Pruitt should give multiple options in the passing game, with Heyward able to do duty as a fullback when needed.

I would be remiss to say that, days before the season’s start, injuries to the offensive line make this an area of legitimate concern. In the last two year, slow starts by the Steelers offensive lines have nearly sabotaged both seasons. Given the back-loaded nature of this season’s schedule another slow start is something this team can ill afford.

If there is a silver lining it’s that the coaches are aware and can prepare. Yes, depth will be tested early, but at least the depth is there and it won’t be like getting a pop quiz on the day after summer vacation ends.

And finally, we come to the wide receivers, the one area of the depth chart that has generated as much angst among the fan base as all others combined. Debate and analysis of the strengths, or lack thereof, of the depth behind George Pickens is available in abundance elsewhere and need not be repeated here.

  • Could the doomsday predictions of the naysayers come to pass?

Yes, they certainly could. But the reverse could be true. And if you’re scoffing, ask yourself, who was the only legitimate stand-out at wide receiver on the 2005 squad that won Super Bowl XL? Hines Ward. Antwaan Randle El was a good number 2, and there are several players on the 2024 squad who can plausibly reach his level albeit with different skill sets.

  • Who were the number 3 and number 4 wide outs on the 2005 team?

You forgot, didn’t you? (It was Cedrick Wilson and Quincy Morgan — although I had to look them up.) And that’s in large part because of type of offense that the Steelers fielded under Ken Whisenhunt. An offense that is very similar to Arthur Smith. And Smith’s offense has the potential to be deeper at both tight end and running back than W’s was in 2005.

Does Defense Still Win Championships? We May Be About to Find Out

The “experts” assure as, as they have since at least 2011 or so, that defense is irrelevant in today’s pass happy, fantasy football fueled NFL.

The new conventional wisdom is that defenses don’t win championships franchise quarterbacks do.

  • NFL fans are instructed to question this dictum only at your peril.

Never mind that a defensive score helped provide Kansas City with his margin of error in Super Bowl LVII with a defensive turnover, and that Chiefs sustained its rally by disrupting Jaylen Hurts by forcing him out of the pocket in a direction he did not want to go. Never mind that network commentators spent the Super Bowl LVIII gushing over Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

As it relates to the Steelers, Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell argues that this is the most talented defensive unit the franchise has fielded since 2010.

  • And that’s and argument that holds up well under objective observation.
Cam Heyward, Cam Heyward Franco Harris Number 32, Steelers vs Raiders

Paying homage to Franco, Cam Heyward leads Steelers out of tunnel. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

The defensive line is led by Cam Heyward who is as much a pillar of the franchise as Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis were before him. Keeanu Benton logged a sensational rookie year, and looks ready to make the proverbial sophomore leap. Larry Ogunjobi appears to be fully healthy and if he can remain that way he should continue to be a disruptive force.

Behind them we have DeMarvin Leal, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Montravius Adams and Logan Lee giving us one of the deepest units in decades.

Looking over at the linebackers, one of the most exciting questions we can ask going into the season is “How will Teryl Austin find ways to get Nick Herbig on to the field?” No one is going to suggest he should be pushing T.J. Watt for time, but he’s given coaches every justification for setting up some sort of rotation and/or establishing a scheme that gets him, Watt and Alex Highsmith on the field at the same time.

At inside linebacker the Steelers have quantity, and they also look to have quality, with Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts leading the way, while Mark Robinson, Tyler Matakevich and Payton Wilson provide depth that features both youth and experience.

  • The secondary is another area of intrigue.

Last season Joey Porter Jr. showed everyone why he should have been a first round pick. Opposite him the Steelers will start Donte Jackson, with Beanie Bishop, Cory Trice, and Darius Rush rounding out the depth chart. A year ago the Steelers leaned into experience at cornerback, and ranked near the bottom of the league in yards per pass allowed.

  • This year they’re leaning into youth in hopes of reversing their fortunes.

At safety Minkah Fitzpatrick leads the way with DeShon Elliott and Damontae Kazee alongside him. Last year the Steelers really wanted to deploy their three safety package, but injuries seldom allowed them to. Look for the 3 safety package to return.

As the off season began, if you listened beyond the conversation about Kenny Pickett, you’d hear griping about how the Steelers defense failed to deliver given the franchise’s salary cap investment in that side of the ball.

Such analysis belies the fact that starting in late October, the defense began losing either a starting inside linebacker and/or a safety to injury (or suspension) each week. Yet the unit continued to make splay play after splash play that either sealed victory or kept the team in games as the offensive struggled.

If this defense can even maintain an average level of health it should be very, very dangerous.

A Final Word about the AFC North

Thus far I have made the case for the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers solely by looking at the mirror.

But of course the team does not exist in a vacuum, and instead in the AFC North, the division that sent 3 teams to the playoffs last year. The division that features Joe Burrow AND Lamar Jackson. The division that saw one of its teams go through 3 quarterbacks and still make the playoffs.

Yes, the Steelers play in this NFL’s toughest division. Yes, the Steelers will play the blunk of their division games in late in the year, on a ridiculously compacted schedule (don’t get me $tarted on the NFL’s hypocri$y when it comes to player $afety.)

  • Does this make the prospect of bringing home Lombardi Number 7 all the more daunting?

You bet it does. But if Pittsburghers know anything, its that iron sharpens iron.

Let the games begin!

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