Tag Archives: Aaron Smith

Steelers Extend Chris Boswell’s Contract, Cut Cory Trice Revealing Wicked Role Injuries Play in NFL

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What at first glance appear to be two routine roster moves by Omar Khan actually shed a lot of light on the NFL’s darker side.

Coming out of rookie mini-camp, the Steelers made two moves: They extended Chris Boswell’s contract through 2030, and they cut cornerback Cory Trice.

While neither move is surprising, both reveal the wicked role injuries play in a player’s success or failure when he rides the NFL roulette wheel.

Chris Boswell, kicks 6 field goals in the Steelers 2024 opener vs the Falcons. Cory Trice carted off with an Injury at St. Vincents in the summer of 2025.

Chris Boswell kicking 1 of 6 field goals. Cory Trice injured at St. Vincents. Photo Credits: AP via Tribune-Review; Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Taken at face value, a glance at Boswell and Trice’s stat sheets suggests that you’re simply looking at two Pittsburgh Steelers players on the opposite ends of the NFL’s bell curve of career trajectories.

  • Chris Boswell has played for 11 years in 167 games and scored 1250 points.
  • Cory Trice has been on an NFL roster for 3 seasons, appeared in 6 games, making one start

There you have it ladies and gentleman — see for yourself ultimate meritocracy that is the NFL in action. The truly great players endure to play in hundreds of games, while others who can’t crack double digits are discarded as below average.

That is true, to a degree. About 40% of the players who begin the summer at St. Vincents won’t be on the opening day roster. Each summer, the cycle renews itself.

But merely looking at the number ignores the role that injuries play in swaying the NFL’s hand of fate.

  • Boswell and Trice’s experiences drive that point home.

The Steelers drafted Cory Trice in the 7th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Injuries were the reason why he fell to the 7th round. Still, immediately after the draft, Jim Wexell waxed about the prospect of Trice tandeming with Joey Porter Jr.

That dream got delayed by a season as Trice tore his ACL in his rookie training camp. His second year he not only made the 53 man roster, but started the Steelers 2024 week 2 road win over the Broncos, and made an end zone interception in what was a 13-6 win for Pittsburgh.

 

The following week against the Chargers he lasted all of 3 snaps, and was out until the week 16 road loss to the Ravens. He got injured in camp again in the summer of 2025, healed enough to have his practice window opened, but got hurt again and finished the year where he started it – on injured reserve.

After having him spend 45 of 51 games in injured reserve, the Steelers waived Trice with a failed physical designation.

  • Cory Trice may get another shot with a new team, but his NFL dream is on borrowed time.

In contrast, Chris Boswell inked a 4-year contract extension for a reported 28 million dollars. Even if he doesn’t play out the entire length of that contract, he’ll almost certainly break the Steelers all-time scoring record.

Boswell’s field goal percentage may “only” rank 5th among active kickers, but half of his kicks come at Acrisure Stadium one of the NFL’s most difficult venues.

  • But Boswell didn’t get where he is on merit alone.

He joined the Steelers in 2015. Shaun Suisham began the summer as the Steelers kicker. But he got hurt during the Hall of Fame Game. So Kevin Colbert signed Garrett Hartley. Then Hartley got hurt. So Colbert traded for Josh Scobe. Scobe was OK. Until the Steelers lost on the road to the Ravens due in no small part to missed kicks , and then not so much.

Mike Tomlin let him go. Scobe’s agent leaked news of an injury. Maybe it was true, maybe it was made up.

  • Either way neither Suisham, nor Hartley, nor Scobe ever kicked another ball in an NFL game.

Their injuries opened the door for Chris Boswell to make 1570 kicks in the NFL and counting, not including his one punt.

  • Yes, injuries are as much a part of football as blocking and tackling.

They stop promising careers from one moment to the next, think Ryan Shazier. Other times they grind good players down, think Aaron Smith. Sometimes they end careers before they start, think Senquez Golson and now fellow cornerback Cory Trice.

  • But for as harsh as that reality is, injuries also open doors for players such as Chris Boswell.

Here’s to wishing Chris Boswell success – and health – as he plays through his latest contract with the Steelers, and here’s to wishing Cory Trice better luck — and health — in either his next NFL stop – or his “Life’s Work.”

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5 Steelers Draft Lessons Omar Khan Must Apply in the 2026 NFL Draft

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The 2026 NFL Draft is days away, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting on a mother lode of draft picks. Thanks to trades, compensatory picks and hoarding his own, Omar Khan has 12 choices at his disposal in the upcoming draft.

  • Those picks open many possibilities for Pittsburgh.

But to be successful, the Steelers brain trust must make wise decisions. With that in mind, let’s take a look at lessons Steelers draft history teaches us.

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

Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan, Photo Credit: Nola.com

1. Challenge Conventional Wisdom on Compensatory Picks

Omar Khan is already learning this lesson in real time. Last spring Khan’s focus in free agency was to stockpile compensatory picks so he could trade up in what was supposed to be a QB-rich draft.

“Stockpile compensatory picks Khan has, but QB poor has this draft turned out to be,” in Yoda speak.

  • Other drafts teach a similar lesson.

The Steelers went into the 1998 draft with 14 picks. Tom Donahoe made no bones about trading some of those, boasting, “There’s no way 14 rookies can make our team.”

Donahoe was right. It’s near-impossible to imagine 14 rookies making any non-expansion NFL roster. Yet, Donahoe’s claim was laced with a touch of latent arrogance.

Stub from April 1st 1998 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette detailing the Steelers compensatory draft picks.

Stub from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 1, 1998. Thanks to Gordon Gordon Dedman, @SteelUK for supplying this.

Free agent exoduses had been the norm in Pittsburgh throughout the 1990s. The 1997 Steelers AFC Championship loss seemed to have proven franchise could defy gravity. Instead, 1998 was the year the Steelers came crashing back down to earth.

Now, several things led to Bill Cowher’s first losing season in 1998, but a wiser use of draft choices could have helped avert that (see below.)

2. Initial Story Lines Come with a Grain of Salt

The NFL Draft is such a successful media event because its core product is hope. And best way to sell hope is with a good story. And that’s perfectly fine, as long as you remember that many of the initial stories spawned on draft day won’t come to fruition, or at least not the way you expect them to.

When the Steelers drafted him, Chris Berman and company mused about whether Ward’s arrival heralded the advent of Slash II. (“Slash” is of course Kordell Stewart, whose play as a QB/WR/RB helped propel the 1995 Steelers all the way to Super Bowl XXX.)

Ward after all had played quarterback and running back in addition to wide receiver at Georgia. Both the Post-Gazette and Tribune Review ran articles exploring the “Slash” angle.

Hines Ward, Super Bowl XL, Steelers Super Bowl XL, Antwaan Randle El Hines Ward Super Bowl XL

Hines Ward seals the win in Super Bowl XL. Photo Credit: Bill Frakes, Sports Illustrated

They were great draft-day stories, and Ward authored a Hall of Fame-worthy resume which included his MVP performance in Super Bowl XL. But he only threw two passes in his NFL career.

3. Good Drafts Age Like Fine Wine

To borrow from Eddie Van Halen, a “Right Here, Right Now” mentality dominates the NFL draft.

People go to the inane extent of grading mock drafts. Before the ink on draft cards even dries, we’re bombarded by “draft grades.”

That’s fun. It generates clicks. But no amount of page views can alter the simple reality that judging a draft takes several years. Tom Donahoe’s final drafts in Pittsburgh prove that point.

Dan Rooney, Dan Rooney decisions, Tom Donahoe, Bill Cowher, Tom Modark, Steelers 1992 Draft

Tom Donahoe, Tom Modark, Dan Rooney and Bill Cowher in the Steelers 1992 draft room. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Dan Rooney fired Tom Donahoe after the 1999 Steelers finished 6-10. Rooney’s main reason was that Donahoe and Cowher were barely on speaking terms. But at the time, many also questioned Donahoe’s personnel decisions, particularly his recent drafts.

The 1998 and 1999 drafts brought Alan Faneca, Hines Ward, Deshea Townsend, Joey Porter, Sr. and Aaron Smith to Pittsburgh. Today, we see them as foundational players of the Steelers second Super Bowl Era.

  • But that would have been a hard sell when Kevin Colbert was hired in 2000.

Aaron Smith was an unknown. Joey Porter Sr. was the pre-season sensation that Carlos Emmons had kept on the bench. Deshea Townsend had started 4 games and wouldn’t start full-time until Dick LeBeau returned in 2004.

Kevin Colbert actively tried to replace Hines Ward in his first draft and, in the pages of the Steelers Digest, Bob Labriola was raising questions, albeit in measured tones, about Alan Faneca.

Yes. Like Riglos Gran Crote, good drafts age well with time.

4. Measure Drafts by Quality, Not Quantity

True to his word, Tom Donahoe didn’t draft 14 players, trading a 2nd, a 3rd and a 5th to move up to get Jeremy Staat in the 2nd round. So Donahoe gave up 3 picks to get one player who made 2 career starts. Anyone of those picks could have been to add a much-needed offensive tackle or wide receiver.

On the flip side, the Steelers picked 13 players in the 2003 and 2004 drafts. And collectively, those drafts only yielded 4 starters. Sounds pretty damning doesn’t it? Well, it does, until you consider that those starters were Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, Max Starks and Ben Roethlisberger.

Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, AFC Championship

Ben Roethlisberger hugs Troy Polmalu after the AFC Championship. Photo Credit: Pin Interest

The Steelers don’t win either Super Bowl XL or Super Bowl XLIII if they’re missing any one of those players. Joe Flacco, Matt Hasselbeck or Ken Whisenhunt would all agree.

The lesson for Omar Khan? When in doubt, draft the next Hall of Famer.

5. Steelers Should be Swindlers Not Suckers

Like their predecessors, there’s little chance Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy will draft 12 players later this week. Khan, as we know, likes to wheel-and-deal.

And while most of the focus is on who Khan should trade up for, where he should do it and how much he should give up, the Steelers would be wise try to trade 2026 picks for picks in the 2027 NFL Draft.

How might this dynamic play out? Khan’s own words from the George Pickens trade press conference guide us. This is how Khan explained the value of draft picks:

But, yeah, when you’re, the day of the draft or going through the draft, every one of those picks feels like they’re the greatest pick. You don’t want to get rid of them. They’re valuable. They’re all important.

Here’s the simple English take away: Suckers are born every minute in the NFL draft.

  • The Steelers have been suckers in the past.

During the 2013 NFL Draft, Steelers traded their 2014 third round pick for a 2013 4th rounder get Shamarko Thomas (Ouch!). In the 2021 NFL Draft they traded their 2022 fourth rounder to get a 2021 5th rounder to draft Isaiahh Loudermilk (ouch!)

It takes two to tango — Khan can’t simply snap his fingers and turn one (or two) of the Steelers 2026 thirds in to 2027 seconds. Moreover, the Bengals-Giants Dexter Lawrence trade suggests there’ll be a buyer’s market in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Sounds like its time for someone to go out and remind us why we call him the Khan artist…..

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Steelers Shake Up Secondary: Ramsey’s Move to Safety Recalls 2000 Turnaround After Thornhill Cut

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Twin above the line performances against good offenses isn’t about to make Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin complacent when it comes to strengthening a struggling Steelers secondary.

The sting of the loss to the San Dieg er um, Los Angles Chargers was still fresh when the news broke that the Steelers had claimed Sebastian Castro off of waivers.

  • That wasn’t surprising.
  • The Steelers liked Castro and hadn’t wanted to lose him from the practice squad.

But cutting Juan Thornhill to make room for Castro was a bit of a surprise. After all, they’d thought enough of Thornhill in the off season to return Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Dolphins.

Sebastian Castro, Garrett Greene, Steelers vs Buccaneers preseason

Sebastian Castro makes a tackle in preseason. Photo Credit: Barry Reeger, IMGAN Images via Dearoldgold.com

Prior to cutting Thornhill and claiming Castro off of waivers, Mike Tomlin had already benched him and shifted Jalen Ramsey to safety so the secondary shakeup was already in motion.

This sequence got the grey matter churning back to memories of a similar move at safety a long time ago and to the larger question of how much impact one person can have on the overall performance of a defense.

Echos of the 2000 Turnaround?

Today Steelers Nation remembers the 1999 NFL Draft for bringing Joey Porter Sr. and Aaron Smith to Pittsburgh. Add two players like that in a single draft, and you’ve done well, no bones about it.

  • But the early take on the 1999 wasn’t so good and Scott Shields was one of the main reasons.

Having lost had lost Rod Woodson and Carnell Lake in rapid succession and with Darren Perry aging rapidly, the Steelers went into the 1999 draft needing to bolster safety. And to do that Tom Donahoe and Bill Cowher took Scott Shields in the 2nd round.

Shields came from Weber State, so the move surprised people. Washington, DC radio journalist Ken Beatrice decried the Steelers pick of Shields as “inexplicable.” Still, Shields boasted an uber-athletic profile who even might be able to place kick in a pinch. Somebody at Three Rivers Stadium head Shields in high regard as they issued him Number 47.

Scott Shields, Tony Banks, Steelers vs Ravens

Scott Shields sacks Tony Banks. Photo Credit: Bigskyconf.com

Shields appeared in all 16 games as a rookie and made 4 interceptions, batted away 6 passes and even recorded a sack. Those flashes were one of the few signs of hope during a dismal 6-10 1999 Steelers season.

The 2000 Steelers opened with a brutal loss to Baltimore at home, followed by a last-second loss to Cleveland on the road that featured, among other things, Tim Couch leading his team down the field late in the 4th quarter for a go-ahead score.

Bill Cowher and Tim Lewis relieved Shields of his starting duties after that game.

A week later saw the Steelers lead the Titans for almost an entire game until Jason Gildon knocked out Neil O’Donnell, bringing in Steve McNair, who only needed 3 passes and 2 runs to pull the Titans ahead.

  • Shields, who’d been relegated to playing in the dime, got benched outright after week three.

Week four saw the Steelers travel to Jacksonville, where their dominating defense set the tone for the coming decade by upsetting the Jaguars.

Shortly afterwards, Tim McMillen, perhaps the pioneer of the Steelers blogging community, made an observation along the lines of, “I don’t want to scapegoat anyone, but has anyone noticed how much better the defense has been since Scott Shields started riding the pine full time?”

For his part, Shields would appear on special teams for 7 more games in 2000 before going on IR in November and got cut in 2001. After that he’d spend time on training camp rosters for the Bills, Dolphins and Chiefs, but he never played another down of NFL football.

Jerome Bettis, Hines Ward, Steelers vs Bengals

Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward in the playoff win against the Bengals. Photo Credit: Tony Tribble, AP via Al.com

The 2000 Pittsburgh Steelers continued to improve, but missed the playoffs. At the time, few could read between the 9-7 lines to see that with Alan Faneca, Hines Ward, Deshea Townsend, Smith and Porter Pittsburgh was assembling the core of two Super Bowl teams.

Ramsey as a Difference Maker to be Put to the Test

When the history of the 2025 Steelers season is written, no one will finger Sebastian Castro’s return as the moment the secondary turned a corner.

  • Mike Tomlin’s decision to move Jalen Ramsey to safety may be a different story.

In Juan Thornhill’s last two starts a free safety the Steelers gave up a combined 702 yards to Joe Flacco and Jordan Love. Since Ramsey moved to safety, the Steelers have given up 562 to Daniel Jones and Justin Herbert – with a good chunk of Jones’ yards coming in garbage time.

Jalen Ramsey, Tyler Warren, Steelers vs Colts

Jalen Ramsey lays in the wood on Tyler Warren. Photo Credit: Alysa Rubin, Steelers.com

To paraphrase my old friend Tim McMillen, “…I don’t want to scapegoat Tornhill or anything like that, but with him out and Jalen Ramsey at safety, the defense seems to be better.”

Better it has been. But with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins coming to down, the biggest test of Ramsey moving to safety is yet to come.

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Trading Up for Isaiahh Loudermilk Was a Mistake by the Steelers. But, Should He Be Done in Pittsburgh?

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are conservative about making draft-day trades involving future draft picks. So when they do it raises eyebrows and turns heads. This was the reaction when they traded up for Shamarko Thomas in 2013.

When they did it again in 2021 with Isaiahh Loudermilk triggered memories of that ill-fated draft-day trade.

As he reaches free agency, there’s no question that, like Shamarko Thomas before him, Loudermilk clearly hasn’t been worth trading up for. The question remains, can anything be salvaged with an extended stay in Pittsburgh?

Isaiahh Loudermilk, James Conner, Steelers vs Cardinals

Isaiahh Loudermilk tackles James Conner. Photo Credit: SteelersNOW.com

Profile of Isaiahh Loudermilk’s  Steelers Career

When the Steelers traded their 2022 4th round pick for the Dolphin’s 2021 5th round pick and drafted Isaiahh Loudermilk, little did they know that their defense line was about to fall off a cliff. First Stephon Tuitt retired. And then, 5 quarters into the season, Tyson Alualu was lost.

Suddenly, the Steelers defensive line was down to Cam Heyward playing alongside a bunch of J.V. defensive lineman whose names no one remembers. Loudermilk got pressed into service sooner than expected appearing in 15 games clocking in at 29% of the defensive snaps.

  • And the early look on Loudermilk was good.

In his rookie year he batted down 3 passes, recorded a sack and logged 23 tackles – not bad for a 5th round draft pick, right? Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell even flirted with the idea that Loudermilk reminded him a bit of a young Aaron Smith.

Unfortunately, Loudermilk had difficulty building on that, as he averaged below 20% of defensive snaps for 2022 and 2023. While Larry Ogunjobi and Keeanu Benton’s arrivals had a lot to do with that, Loudermilk failed to push either man for playing time.

Loudermilk’s snap count did increase in 2024, but he only registered 1 more tackle than 2023. He’s also been a regular contributor on special teams, highlighted by his block of Brandon Aubrey’s field goal attempt in the Steelers loss to the Cowboys.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Isaiahh Loudermilk

Let’s embrace the elephant in the room: Isaiahh Loudermilk has not proved himself worthy of trading a future 4th round pick in order to get him in the 5th round.

But that’s not his fault any more than it was Matt Spaeth’s fault that the Steelers traded up to the third round to grab him. If you view Loudermilk as solely on his status as a 5th-round draft pick who has developed into a serviceable back up and solid special teamer you see him in a different light.

That makes him the perfect “…He knows the system” veteran that you resign at the veteran minimum for depth and to staff special teams.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Isaiahh Loudermilk

The good news is that the Steelers defensive line has improved since suffering its historic lows of the Loudermilk’s rookie season. The bad new is that there’s scant evidence to show that Loudermilk has contributed to that improvement. Worse yet, the 2024 NFL playoffs reinforced the reality that the Steelers defensive line is a long, long way away from being championship caliber.

Has Loudermilk shown us any evidence to suggest that he can be a component of a championship caliber NFL defensive line?

No he hasn’t.

Ergo Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin should like Loudermilk walk and find this generation’s Nick Eason or Travis Kirschke elsewhere.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Isaiahh Loudermilk

Defensive line is clearly Pittsburgh’s biggest need in the 2025 off season. They must add quality and quantity. An ideal scenario would see them adding a 3-down capable nose tackle or a pure defensive end capable of taking Cam Heyward’s place. And, if they could find someone capable of replacing Larry Ogunjobi either now or in the future that would be even better.

Loudermilk’s fate likely hinges on how the draft unfolds for the Steelers.

If the Steelers come out of the 2025 NFL Draft with 3 new defensive lineman, Loudermilk likely gets caught up in a numbers game. If they don’t then he’ll likely get return for at or near the veteran minimum.

 

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What to Make of the Steelers “Maginot” Offensive Line?

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to kickoff their celebration of the 1974 Super Bowl IX championship team at half time when the New York Jets come to Acrisure Stadium for Sunday Night football.

  • As Tony Dungy noted on Instagram, there’s a historical parallel emerging in real time.

In week 7 of the 1974 season Chuck Noll benched Joe Gilliam who was 4-1-1 in favor of the veteran Terry Bradshaw. And here in week 7 in 2024, all indicators point to Mike Tomlin benching Justin Fields, who is 4-2 as a starter, in favor of veteran Russell Wilson.

James Daniels, James Daniels guardian cap

James Daniels at Acrisure Stadium. Photo Credit: Kylee Surike, PennLive.com

That’s a great story and an awesome piece of historical symmetry that – God willing – will sustain itself through February.

But a tweet from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac has me reaching further back into history for another parallel.

 

Will we remember 2024 as the year the Maginot Line reached Pittsburgh?

The Maginot Line in 88 Words

World War I was fought in muddy trenches in Northern and Eastern France. Determined to avoid a repeat, France spent 3.9 billion dollars building the Maginot Line along the German border.

The Maginot Line featured the best weapons and best fortification that money could buy, including air conditioning and its own subway.

But for all its bells and whistles, the Maginot Line was a complete failure. When Germany attacked in 1940 it went around, over or otherwise ignored France’s border defenses, securing victory in a few short weeks.

The Backstory Behind the Steelers 2024 Offensive Line

For a good chunk of the teens the Steelers had the best offensive line in the business. Then a combination of age, injury and Salary Cap Armageddon forced them to rebuild overnight.

Between the playoff loss against Cleveland in 2020 and opening day 2021 the Steelers fielded 4 new starters on offensive line. But rebuilding on the fly on the cheap didn’t work. Dan Moore is the only starter from that 2021 opening-day offensive line that remains.

Since then, Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert and Omar Khan have invested heavily in the offensive line. And they’re playing the long game in both free agency and the draft

James Daniels, 2022 free agent signing
Nate Herbig, 2023 free agent signing
Isaac Seumalo, 2023 free agent signing

Broderick Jones, First round draft pick 2023 NFL Draft
Troy Fautanu, First round draft pick 2024 NFL Draft
Zach Fraizer, 2nd round draft pick, 2024 NFL Draft
Mason McCormick, 4th round draft pick 2024 NFL Draft

The plan was for the line was to be rock that offensive coordinator Arthur Smith built is Bill Cowheresque offensive around.

But the Steelers will take the field against the Jets with Daniels, Herbig, Fautanu on injured reserve, Frazier out with an injury, Broderick Jones playing with an injured elbow, Seumalo starting just his third game due to injury and McCormick starting for Daniels.

So yes it does feel like Khan and company have built the football equivalent of the Maginot line in Pittsburgh. But that feeling is where the analogy should end.

The Maginot Line is a textbook example of a country preparing for the last war instead of the next one. In contrast, investing in the offensive line is always a sound strategy in football, at any level.

The Steelers have just has an incredibly bad streak of luck in terms of injuries on the offensive line.

  • But that hardly dooms the Terry Bradshaw-Russell Wilson parallel.

The last time the Steelers had to rebuild their offensive line in season was 2008.  It did not go smoothly, but it did end with Ben Roethlisberger holding the Lombardi on the dais after Super Bowl XLIII asking, “Offensive line, who’s laughing now?”

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Keeping the Family Together! Steelers Resign Cam Heyward for 3 Years

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In the end, Art Rooney II has decided to keep the family together as the Steelers announced that they have signed Cam Heyward to a three-year $45 million contract, with 16 million in guarantees, a 15 million dollar signing bonus and $29 million in new money.

The Steelers drafted Cam Heyward in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft and since then he has grown into the face of the franchise.

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

Heyward was entering the final year of his contract leading to speculation that this could be his last year in Pittsburgh. Heyward made it clear he had no intention of retiring and that he preferred to spend his entire career in Pittsburgh.

  • The only question was whether the Steelers would comply.

They answered that definitively with this contract extension.

Rooney, Khan and Tomlin Make the Right Move – On and Off the Field

Cam Heyward is already 35. There are not a lot of football players let alone defensive lineman playing at that age. Furthermore, he was injured last season and his performance dipped.

The football realpolitik would have been to let him play out his contract and then see what the off season would bring. But the Steelers brain trust did the right thing by extending Heyward now.

While Cam Heyward didn’t make the same impact last season has he has before, the Steelers defense was noticeably better with him in the line up. How else do you think the franchise could lose an inside linebacker and/or a safety a week, every week starting at about Halloween?

Moreover, the Steelers enter the 2024 season with one of the deepest defensive lines they have fielded since the days when Heyward was buried on the depth chart behind Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Ziggy Hood and Steve McLendon.

Larry Ogunjobi is a solid starter, and Keeanu Benton looks poised to make the proverbial “second year leap.” DeMarvin Leal is also looking strong as is Isaiahh Loudermilk, while Montravius Adams brings valuable depth with rookie Logan Lee waiting in the bull pen.

  • Karl Dunbar now has the personnel to do a robust defensive line rotation.

This should lower Heyward’s snap count while improving his effectiveness. Committing not only to keeping Heyward around will reinforce his role as a mentor to the younger lineman, and cement his status as one of the locker room’s undisputed leaders.

Anytime you extend a veteran at this age does carry risk, but the public parameters suggest this is a team-friendly deal.

  • But that misses the point.

This deal all but ensures that Cam Heyward will spend his entire career wearing Black and Gold and retire as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. That alone is worth the risk.

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Steelers Fire Matt Canada. Now What? 1999’s Kordell Stewart Benching Offers a Warning….

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Yesterday Mike Tomlin shattered franchise precedent by firing Matt Canada in season and in the process he gave Steelers fans what they’ve long wanted. Tomlin’s decision makes sense for a lot of reasons.

Sure, the Steelers are sitting on a 6-4 record, but each of those six wins has been ugly. And the last second loss to the Browns felt like the proverbial other foot had dropped. The Steelers offense has been lackluster for years, but it was poignantly pathetic in Cleveland. And it wasn’t going to get any better with Canada at the helm.

  • But with Matt Canada gone the focus now becomes more intense: What happens next?

As I watch Steelers Nation celebrate Canada’s dismissal on social media, I can’t help but think of a similar situation the Steeler found themselves in back in November 22, 1999. Indeed, as this current season has evolved, its resonance with the 1999 Steelers has grown stronger.

That season offers a clear lesson for today: While Matt Canada was part of the problem, there’s no assurance that firing him will work as a solution.

Kordell Stewart, Mike Tomczak, 1999 Steelers

Kordell Stewart and Mike Tomlin in the late 1990s.

Nightmare Like Its 1999

You can take a deep dive on the 1999 Steelers here. This is the the backstory you need to know now:

Although the Steelers closed 1998 with 5 straight losses to finish 7-9, they began 1999 with hope. Director of Football Operations Tom Donahoe confidently boasted to the media something along the lines of, “…No offense. But I like proving you wrong. I don’t think we’re that far off from being a contender again.”

Jon Witman, steelers running back jon witman, Jerome Bettis, Steelers vs Jaguars 1990's

Jon Witman blocks for Jerome Bettis. Photo Credit: Statesman Journal

The ’99 Steelers opened with a blowout over the expansion Cleveland Browns and a lack luster win against a weak Bears team. Three butt ugly losses to the Seahawks and Jaguars at home, and Doug Fluite and the Bills on the road followed.

  • If you asked any fan what the Steelers needed to do they’d have answered in unison: Bench Kordell!

But Bill Cowher stuck with Kordell Stewart, and the Steelers won 3 straight, then dropped a horrific home loss to the Browns, and an terrible loss to the Titans on the road.

That brought a home game against the Bengals. The Cincinnati Bengals of that era were the AFC Central’s doormat. Tom Donahoe, in a bit of candor you would never see in 2023, openly proclaimed Pittsburgh as the more talented team.

The Bengals scored a touchdown on their first possession. The Steelers answered with 4 plays followed by an interception. The Bengals responded with a second touchdown. The teams traded a couple of punts, Pittsburgh managed to get a field goal and Carlos Emmons even opened the second quarter with an interception of his own.

After a 1 yard run to Jerome Bettis, (“Sludge Ball” foreshadowed) Kordell fired off pass towards Jon Witman and Rodney Heath intercepted, returning it 58 yards for a pick six.

Bill Cowher had seen enough.

On the next series Mike Tomczak was under center at quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The crowd at Baltimore’s legendary Purple Goose Saloon cheered. The guy two bar stools down from me who’d spent the previous hour alternating between railing against “Queerdell!” and asking “You guy’s don’t think this makes me a racist, do you?” was elated.

Meanwhile, at Three Rivers Stadium where it actually counted, Mike Tomczak hit Troy Edwards for 4 yards. Jerome Bettis ran for 4 more. On third and 3 Richard Huntley ran for 3 more…

…before fumbling, with Takeo Spikes recovering. Corey Dillon ripped off runs of 20 and 12 yards and 6 plays later the Bengals were scoring again, leaving Pittsburgh down by 24-3 just 20 minutes into the game.

To be fair to Mike Tomczak and everyone else, the Steelers offense perked up, putting 17 points on the board in the next 25 minutes to enter the third quarter only down 24 to 20. But here’s how the 4th quarter unfolded for Pittsburgh:

  • Jerome Bettis being stopped for no gain on 3rd and 4th down
  • Tomczak tossing incompletes and then giving up 2 sacks
  • A Wayne Gandy penalty at Cincinnati’s 21, follow by 3 straight Tomczak incompletes

The Bengals scored another field goal along the way, winning the game 27 to 20.

1999’s Lessons for 2023

That home loss to the Bengals left the 1999 Steelers at 5-6, but Pittsburgh still had a shot at the playoffs if not the AFC Central crown. Bill Cowher stuck with Mike Tomczak as quarterback, but the Steelers only won one of its next 5 games.

Tomzack’s final quarterback rating was 75.8 compared to Stewart’s 64.9, but his completion percentage was 5 percentage points lower. Benching Kordell Stewart did spark the offense a bit, but here’s what it didn’t do:

Qadry Ismail, Steelers vs Ravens, Dwyane Washington

Quadry Ismail scorches Steelers. Photo Credit: Post-Gazette.com

Indeed, two weeks after Stewart’s benching, the Ravens came to town and earned their first victory in Pittsburgh on the back of a Qadry Ismail 258 yards receiving performance. As Scottie Brown, who was sort of the dean of the Purple Goose quipped after Ismail’s second 50 yard plus touchdown, “Its Kordell’s fault!”

  • And that’s something to keep in mind as the Steelers start life without Matt Canada.

As someone who defended the decision to bring Canada back after 2022’s strong finish, I have no problem eat my share of crow this morning. I was wrong. Clearly his offense lacked “coordination” and, well, that was his job.

But it’s also wise to remember isn’t the only thing that ails the 2023 Steelers. Canada’s absence won’t change the fact that the Steelers seem to be losing a safety and/or an inside linebacker to injured reserve per week.

When the calls to “Fire Canada” went viral in September, I’d have warned you that firing Canada wouldn’t have made any of the offensive lineman playing better. Fortunately offensive line play has improved.

As recently as two weeks ago following the Titans game, there were still tangible reasons to be optimistic that things might soon “click” for Kenny Pickett. After watching him “get by” against the Packers and then struggle against the Browns, I’m less sure.

Kenny Pickett, Myles Garrett, Steelers vs Browns

Myles Garrett sacks Kenny Pickett in the 4th quarter. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

It is true that a bad offensive coordinator can stunt the development of a young quarterback (see Joe Walton and Bubby Brister, or Ray Sherman and/or Kevin Gilbride and Kordell Stewart). And when you invest a first round draft pick in a quarterback, you need to do all you can to make it work.

But the fact is that far more quarterbacks drafted in the first round fail than succeed and replacing one franchise quarterback with another is very difficult to do.

And firing Matt Canada isn’t going to change either of those realities.

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Watch Tower: Labriola Mans Up, Trubisky Non-Story & Steelers Draft History Gem

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The Watch Tower has been dim for quite a while, but its lights shine again today with a focus on a major Steelers media figure manning up, making a story out of a non-story and draft war room nuggets.

Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Steelers 2022 quarterback competition

Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Photo Credit: Brandon Sloter / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images and The Athletic.)

Bob Labriola Mans Up

Dick Haley’s death marked the passing of yet another of the architects of the Steelers Dynasty of the 1970’s.

As Haley’s role in building four Super Bowl Championships doesn’t get the attention that Dan Rooney, Chuck Noll, Art Rooney Jr. and Bill Nunn Jr.’s roles do, the Watch Tower made an extra effort to soak up as much as possible from his eulogies.

So the Watch Tower reached out to Ron Lippock who seemed to have published the quote before, and the Steelers Takeaways author confirmed that the quote indeed had come from his 2012 interview with Dick Haley.

Lippock contacted Labriola, and to his credit the editor of Steelers.com immediately manned up:

Rampant content stealing is a depressing downside of the digital age. Often, if not most of the time, it it’s not a question of who has the idea, the insight or who is breaking news, but who has the ability to push it to their followers. Rarely do those who engage in that behavior recognize it let alone apologize for it.

Bob Labriola, who assuredly made an honest mistake, acknowelged it immediately and made things right. In doing so, he set an example for all of us. Good for you Bob.

Mitch Tribusky Staying with Steelers – The Non-Story of the Century

Art Rooney II does his annual State of the Steelers sit down with the press after the season is over, and he rarely, if ever, speaks after that.

  • But the flip side is that the Steelers President isn’t coy.

Yes, he is guarded with his words. But if he says the Steelers are leaning in certain way, expect his lieutenants to follow in that direction. After the 2009 season he said the Steelers need to run better. And guess what? The Steelers ran better in 2010. In January 2017 he said the Steelers would probably draft a quarterback, and sure enough they picked Joshua Dobbs.

So when Art Rooney II opened the 2023 off season by confirming that the Steelers expected Mitch Trubisky back,  that should have ended any and all questions about Trubisky’s future in Pittsburgh.

Except the opposite happened.

Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan, Photo Credit: Nola.com

When Omar Khan spoke to reporters at the NFL Combine a month later, reporters asked him if Tribuisky would be back, Khan confirmed he would, and the exchange spawned dozens (if not hundreds) of stories from both bloggers and the professional press alike.

  • But you’d figure that the “story” would have ended with Khan’s comments.

Except it didn’t.

One month later reporters asked Mike Tomlin about Tribuisky at the NFL Owners Meeting, where Tomlin confirmed (again) that the Steelers were keeping Tribuisky. And again the exchange spawned dozens (if not hundreds) of stories from both the professional press and bloggers alike.

In the past the Watch Tower has wondered, “If a reporter breaks news and it doesn’t go viral is it still a scoop?” with Jim Wexell getting Ben Roethlisberger on the record confirming his plans to return before the Jaguars playoff game, only to have Roethlisberger say the same thing after the loss and have it treated as “new news.”

  • Here, the opposite has happened.

Each of the Steelers top three officials all confirmed that Mitch Tribuisky was in the team’s long term plans, yet somehow both bloggers and writers kept spinning yarns about scenarios that would see him leave Pittsburgh right up until Trubisky signed signed a contract extension.

Who knows? Maybe next off season reporters can try coaxing Khan, Tomlin or Rooney into saying, “Yes we’ll wear dark jerseys at home and white ones on the road next year” to see if that generates page views.

Donahoe’s Reveal on Steelers Draft Strategy in the ‘90’s

Tom Donahoe joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1986 as a BLESTO scout and quickly rose to Director of Pro Player Personnel and Development in 1989 before ascending to  Director of Football Operations in 1992, upon Chuck Noll’s retirement.

Dan Rooney, Dan Rooney decisions, Tom Donahoe, Bill Cowher, Tom Modark, Steelers 1992 Draft

Tom Donahoe, Tom Modark, Dan Rooney and Bill Cowher in the Steelers 1992 draft room. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

With Bill Cowher, Donahoe oversaw the Steeler return to contender status during the 1990’s, but ultimately clashes with The Chin came to a head in 1999, and Dan Rooney sided with his head coach.

Still, Donahoe’s service to the Steelers from ’86 to until early 2000 make him one of the organization’s most informed insiders from that period. Yet, he’s seldom spoken about the organization since leaving.

Jim Wexell has changed that in a big way to the tune of a 4,301 word interview as part of research for his book On the Clock, the History of the Steelers Draft. Wexell shared the full interview with Steel City Insider subscribers last spring.

The interview is a pure gold for Steelers history buffs, as Donahoe shares insights into how stars from the ‘90s  like Greg Lloyd, Rod Woodson, Dermontii Dawson, Levon Kirkland, Joel Steed, Darren Perry, and Chad Brown made their way to Pittsburgh.

Donahoe also offers draft room back stories about players such as Alan Faneca, Hines Ward, Deshea Townsend and Aaron Smith who’d go on to help Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin win Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII.

Any one of Donahoe’s 36 answers would  suffice to earn Wexell Watch Tower kudos, but here’s an exceptional exchange:

Q: Did it hurt you guys economically not having the new stadium in free agency?
TD: It was a challenge. But we always tried to prepare for the guys that we thought were probably not going to be here to replace them. Maybe not to the same degree but we would at least have a player waiting in the wings where we wouldn’t have to just go out and buy a free agent. Although we did that the one year with Kevin Greene. He was a great pickup for us at that time. But Chad Brown was a tough loss.

Tom Donahoe’s answer might not qualify as “news” or a “revelation” for fans who suffered through those annual free agent exoduses during the 1990’s. But, to the Watch Tower’s knowledge, this is the first time that someone from the organization actually confirmed that anticipated free agent losses shaped the Steelers draft strategy in the 90’s.

And for that Jim Wexell earns a double dose of Watch Tower Kudos.

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End of an Era: John Mitchell Retires after 29 Years as a Steelers Assistant Coach

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Little did he know, but Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher was about to start the “John Mitchell” era.

The day was Tuesday January 11th, 1993. The site was Three Rivers Stadium and the 1993 Steelers season had ended in with a bang. Literally.

The Steelers reached the end of 4th quarter clinging to a 7-point lead in a Wild Card game against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. A failed attempt on third down sent Mark Royals out to punt. Steelers cast off Keith Cash blocked it, giving the Chiefs the ball deep in Pittsburgh territory. Worse yet, Cash gave Joe Montana what you absolutely could not give him – a 2nd chance.

Montana tied the game in regulation and Nick Lowery won it on overtime. Bill Cowher reacted decisively.

He fired Special Teams coach John Guy. Everyone expected this. The blocked punt culminated a season of special team’s disaster. He also fired wide receivers coach Bob Harrison. And Cowher made one more move: He sacked defensive line coach Steve Furness.

Cowher surprised everyone with the Furness firing. Not only was Steve Furness a Steel Curtain Veteran sporting 4 Super Bowl rings, but the arrow seemed to be pointing up on Steelers defensive line.

Indeed. Instead of mouthing the obligatory “Thanks to the Rooneys for the opportunity” words, Furness made no attempt to hide his bitterness and the firing apparently haunted him for the rest of his life.

  • But as so often is the case in the NFL, when a door closes for one person, it creates an opportunity for another.
John Mitchell, Steelers Assistant Coach 29 years

John Mitchell, 29 years a Steelers Assistant coach. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Bill Cowher hired John Mitchell to coach the defensive line. John Mitchell didn’t so much as take advantage of that opportunity, but rather he molded it, transformed it and remade it as his own.

  • Mitchell retired last week after 29 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In stepping away, Mitchell ends an era for the Pittsburgh Steelers that was as remarkable as it was understated.

To understand just how understated the “Mitchell Era” was try this test: Strip a Steelers fan of his or her smart phone and ask – “Who was the longest tenured Steelers defensive coach?” Most would probably answer “Dick LeBeau.” Some will probably say “Bud Carson” or “George Perles.” “Tony Dungy” might earn an honorable mention. I guarantee you that few would answer “John Mitchell” even though with 29 years of service as defensive line and then assistant head coach that is the right answer.

To understand how remarkable Mitchell’s tenure has been, consider the fate of his opposite number on offensive line. When the Steelers hired Karl Dunbar to replace Mitchell as defensive line coach in 2018, we observed that since Dunbar’s rookie training camp at St. Vincents in 1991, the only other coaches the title of “Defensive line coach” for the Pittsburgh Steelers were Joe Greene and Furness.

Since Dunbar’s return in 2018, the Steelers have cycled through Mike Munchak, Shaun Saurett, Adrian Klemm and Pat Meyer as offensive line coaches.

As Dick Hoak observed when he retired as Steelers running backs coach “You’re hired to be fired. I guess I beat the system.” So did John Mitchell.

And he beat the system by remolding and reforming the young defensive lineman in his own image. This fact has been well known and evident in the fact that very few defensive lineman started for John Mitchell as rookies.

Mitchell explained this system to Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell,

Aaron Smith’s first two years, he didn’t like me because I never called him by his name. I called him ninety-one. Aaron Smith came from a small school, Northern Colorado, and they only had about three or four coaches on the staff, so Aaron Smith didn’t know any fine points about football. When he got here, he had to play technique football. The first year and a half was pretty tough on him.

Aaron Smith agrees, sharing with Ron Lippock from Steelers Takeaways: “We laugh about it now. I thought he hated me and I hated him. But now, there’s no greater person.”

  • For a quarter century Mitchell put the Steelers defensive line through similar paces.
Johnny Mitchell, Steelers defensive line coach Johnny Mitchell, Johnny Mitchell's Steelers coaching career

Steelers defensive line coach Johnny Mitchell at his best – teaching in the trenches. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Even the most educated fan has a difficult, if not impossible time assessing a position coach. Do you judge Carnell Lake on the disappointing careers that Cortez Allen and Shamarko Thomas authored? Or do you measure the “Lake Effect” on William Gay’s maturation following his return to Pittsburgh and rejuvenation of Kennan Lewis under Lake’s tutelage?

But when a truly great assistant coach comes along no such intellectual gymnastics are necessary. John Mitchell is one of those assistant coaches. What to understand his impact? The just look at these players: Joel Steed, Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Chris Hoke, Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt and Javon Hargrave.

Thank you John Mitchell to your contributions to the “Steelers Way.” We wish you the best in retirement.

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Upset! Short-Handed Steelers Beat Tom Brady, Buccaneers 20-18 as Trubisky Comes Off the Bench

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The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-18 at Acrisure Stadium in a game that embodies the concept of “Upset.”

Mike Tomlin’s Steelers hadn’t simply dropped four straight games since their opening day win over the Bengals: They got progressively worse with each loss. They arrived at the stadium today absent their number 1 tight end, their All Pro safety and their top three cornerbacks.

  • Worse yet, Tom Brady, the GOAT was their opponent.

Did anyone give the Steelers a chance? I know I didn’t. Craig Wolfley, the optimists’ optimist was none too positive in his pregame comments. Mike Tomlin, however, did give Pittsburgh a chance, and he made sure his players gave themselves a chance, and that attitude carried the Steelers from the very first play to the very last.

Chase Claypool, Steelers vs Buccaneers

Chase Claypool scores the go ahead touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Steelers Upsets in Context

Special upsets occur not when a team wins a game that they “shouldn’t” win, but rather when they prevail when the consensus is that they “couldn’t” win.

I experienced my first special Steelers upset listening to Myron Cope on WTAE while on the Pennsylvania Turnpike as Chuck Noll’s 1989 Steelers, after losing their first two games 51-0 and 41-10, shocked the Minnesota Vikings, then a Super Bowl favorite, 27-14 at Three Rivers Stadium.

Eleven years later I stood in Baltimore’s Purple Goose Saloon, as Bill Cowher’s 0-3 Steelers went down to Jacksonville, having had their starting quarterback injured late in practice on Friday, and pasted the then Super Bowl favorite Jaguars 24-13. The upset over the Jaguars set the tone for an entire decade.

Jerome Bettis, Steelers vs Jaguars

Jerome Bettis leads Steelers to first win in Jacksonville. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Chuck Noll’s ’89 Steelers defied the odds because, after watching his team lose 92-10 in their first two outings, he boldly stood in the locker room and declared “I believe in this team,” and then outlined how they were going to address their short comings by “getting back to basics.”

Bill Cowher’s ’00 Steelers rebounded because new leaders like Aaron Smith, Joey Porter and Deshea Townsend while stalwarts like Jerome Bettis and Kordell Stewart reasserted themselves.

  • How did Mike Tomlin’s ’22 Steelers pull off their upset today?

Time will tell if he delved into his coaching craft to find something unique or if new leaders emerged, but today we can make one definitive observation: The Steelers beat Tampa Bay because they dominated in the Red Zone.

Steelers Dominate the Red Zone

Often times, in today’s Fantasy Football fueled football discussion exaggerates the importance of the Red Zone. But make no mistake about it, there is one undeniable truth about the Red Zone and that is this:

  • Play well in the Red Zone and you give yourself a chance to win.
  • Fail in the Red Zone, and you’ll likely loose.

Much will be made about Kenny Pickett’s difficulty in scoring points, but his scramble in the Red Zone set up a 4th and 1, and Jaylen Warren’s 1 yard run on 4th is what set up Pickett’s pass to Najee Harris – the Steelers first opening drive touchdown since last year’s tie vs Detroit.

  • That set the tone for what was to follow, on both sides of the ball.

Myles Jack and Tre Norwood broke up passes in the Red Zone on the next play, forcing field goals. Larry Ogunjobi and Terrell Edmunds made tackles for losses and Cam Heyward got a sack forcing field goals the next time Tampa Bay reached the Red Zone. On the Buccaneers next trip to the Red Zone, Tom Brady & company had five shots inside the Steelers ten. All of those came up short, despite a Steelers holding penalty. Again, Tampa settled for 3.

The real Red Zone fireworks came in the fourth quarter, as Mitch Trubisky rifled a six yard bullet to Chase Claypool to give Pittsburgh a 20-12 lead.

Tom Brady of course rallied the Buccaneers, as you’d expect him to do with nearly 10 minutes left to play. But while Tampa scored a touchdown, they missed the 2 point conversion thanks to Devin Bush deflecting the pass.

Steelers vs Buccaneers, Terrell Edmunds, Malik Reed, Cameron Heyward, Leonard Fournette

Steelers stop Leonard Fournette. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review.

Defense Delivers, Special Teams Special

Those Red Zone performances were made relevant by the outstanding work done by the defense and special teams with a significant contribution by a workman-like offense.

One should not lose sight of this simple fact: The Steelers were starting practice squad cornerbacks against Tom Brady. And they won. They won in part by forcing 5 punts, as Tampa Bay went 4-14 on third downs.

Myles Jack, Robert Spillane, Alex Highsmith and Malik Reed all batted away passes. Highsmith registered a strip sack that help scuttle a drive. Chris Wormley made a critical tackle for a loss that closed the 3rd quarter by forcing a punt.

Steven Sims saw his first regular season action and responded by ripping off a 24 yard punt return and opening the 2nd half with an 89 yard kickoff return. And if the Steelers inability to turn that long return into a touchdown is frustrating, Chris Boswell delivered when called upon, tacking on 3 points in a game that was ultimately decided by two.

Mitch, Chase Connect to Close the Game

If you’d told me that the Steelers could hold a 2 point lead with 4:38 left in the 4th quarter, I’d have told you it was possible, but improbable. If you told me the Steelers held that lead despite Kenny Pickett leaving with a concussion I’d have rolled my eyes.

But if you’d told me that the Steelers would lose 13 yards on a bad snap after on their second play from scrimmage while defending that lead but still would win, I’d have said you were bat shit crazy.

Yet that is what happened, thanks to exceptional plays by Mitch Tribuisky and Chase Claypool, who teamed up on 3rd and 15 and 3rd and 11 to kill the clock.

Road from Here

After the game, Mike Tomlin, while praising his players was quick to remind everyone, “…where we are is more than one good day, one good plan, one good winning performance in terms of working our way back to respectability.”

Tomlin strikes exactly the right tone. After all, this still is a team that 2-4 so the Steelers locker room would do well to embrace Tomlin’s words.

But man, it does feel good beat Tom Brady.

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