Tag Archives: Yancey Thigpen

Grounded: Steelers Shut Out by Jets 17-0 in Preseason

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The New York Jets came to Acrisure Stadium and blanked the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning 17-0 in the second preseason game of the 2026 season.

  • My what a difference 8 days can make.

After Pittsburgh pulverized the Packers in preseason last week, the talking heads on social media would have had you believe that Mike McCarthy had already not only cured, but expunged every emblematic Tomlin-era error.

  • Against the Jets, it felt like McCarthy was metastasizing those maladies in real time.

And that’s why it is wise to take both the highs and lows of preseason in stride.

The loss to the Jets was as ugly as the score suggests but, given that it is the second preseason game, there are a few legit negatives and positives we can begin to project forward towards the regular season.

Let’s see what those are.

Chase Wilson with one of several sacks of Drew Allar in the 2026 Steelers Jets preseason win at Acrisure.

Chase Wilson sacks Drew Allar. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

1. Worry on the Offensive Line, Encouragement for the Steelers Defensive Line

The two biggest indicators that Steelers fans needed to look for in preseason were the quality of offensive line play and the strength of the spine of the defense.

Two preseason games have seen the coaches test various offensive line configurations and each combination leaves us something to worry about.

Last season several members of the Steel City Insider message board agreed that Broderick Jones had been improving prior to suffering a neck injury in Chicago. I had the same feeling, and it felt good to get confirmation from a few gents who are far more knowledgeable about X’s and O’s than I.

But we’ve seen Broderick Jones give up sacks playing on the left side last week, and against the Jets he gave up two playing on the right.

  • And it isn’t just a question of Jones.

Preseason is often, (although not always), a good gauge of the play of individual units. And the Steelers pass protection has not been good, no matter who has been out there.

The Steelers have given up 7 sacks and 9 QB hits. And all three Steelers quarterbacks have evaded other would be sacks.

Aaron Rodgers safety, Khalil Mack, Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Chargers, Steelers vs Chargers SNF,

Khalil Mack sacks Aaron Rodgers for a safety. Photo Credit: IMAGN Images, via Tribune-Review

This is a problem. A big part of the premise behind bringing Aaron Rodgers back was that, behind a more mature offensive line, he could do some damage with an upgraded receiver corps.

  • Nothing we’ve seen means this still can’t happen, but we’ve seen scant evidence that it is.

On the flip side, the spine of the Steelers defense had a strong night.

Both Yahya Black and Gabriel Rubio made stout plays against the run. As did Patrick Queen and rookie Robert Spears-Jennings. Payton Wilson also logged a solid night. A little more on this group later.

2. Anyone Still Want to Run Rudolph Out of Town?

The play of both Will Howard and Drew Allar against the Packers had more than a few in Steelers Nation ready to send Mason Rudolph packing.

  • Such talk was always going to be nonsense regardless of how the quarterbacks performed against the New York.

But the performance of the quarterbacks against the Jets has-re-grounded talk about the young quarterbacks in reality.

To his credit, Will Howard looked poised in the pocket and at the line of scrimmage. He looked comfortable making decisions and threw the ball with confidence – and that includes the two interceptions he threw.

Many agree that his second interception was the fault of the receiver, but regardless, Will Howard looked to be every bit of the 6th round draft pick playing in his second NFL game.

Drew Allar is a little harder to evaluate, because he delivered several passes that were on target that his receivers could have and should have caught.

With that said, the play of both quarterbacks against the Jets sustained the prevailing narrative, that Howard has the intangibles but lacks some of the athletic skill, while Allar has the athletic pedigree but lacks the intangibles.

  • That doesn’t mean either man’s future with the Steelers or in the NFL is doomed.

Mike McCarthy explained that both men left multiple teachable moments on tape. The key is for both to take advantage of the learning opportunities in front of them.

3. Stat Sheet Deceives? A Word About Running Backs and the Running Game

The stat sheet delivered a surprise this morning on the running backs. None of them have averages which raise an eyebrow. Fair enough. Numbers don’t lie, but sometimes they can mislead.

Jaylen Warren logged several authoritative carries.

Watching Dowdle brought back memories of his last performance at Acrisure, where he did enough to help Dallas move the chains.

Kaleb Johnson heads for the open field in the Steelers August 2026 preseason loss to the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium.

Kaleb Johnson almost breaks one. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Kaleb Johnson’s performance was also interesting. He led the team in rushing, and almost broke a long one. But Johnson showed the kind of scrappiness between the tackles that you like to see in a Pittsburgh Steelers running back.

4. Wonder and Worry on Wetjen

OK. Maybe “Wonder” is a bit to strong of a headline here, but hey I need to keep your attention. Seriously. During training camp we heard about Kaden Wetjen’s burning speed and ability to make seamless cuts as a returner.

  • We didn’t see any of that against the Packers, at least as a returner.

But against the Jets we saw some signs of it, and it was encouraging.

Kaden Wetjen fumbles during the Steelers 2026 preseason loss to the Jets at Acrisure.

Kaden Wetjen coughs up that ball. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

What isn’t encouraging was his ball security – he lost a fumble and bobbled another return. And watching him get tackled made me wonder whether someone of his size can withstand the pounding.

5. Of Carson Bruener and Bloodlines

When it came to picking players, Mike Tomlin loved his bloodlines.

The struggles of Terrell Edmunds and Devin Bush Jr. made it easy to wonder whether Tomlin wasn’t letting sentimentality get the better of him. (Funny, neither Cam Heyward or T.J. Watt ever prompted suggestions of sentimentality.)

Bloodlines were a factor in Tomlin’s final draft pick Carson Bruener. Carson Bruener is of course the son of Steelers scout and former tight end Mark Bruener, who made the team last year on special teams.

  • And this preseason he’s showing he belongs on the defense.

On consecutive plays Bruener deflected a pass and then sacked the quarterback. And overall this kid just looks like he belongs every time he sees the field.

6. Two More Who Belong: Skowronek and Roberts

Two more players who are showing that they belong are Ben Skowronek and Elandon Roberts. Skowronek had 3-catches against the Jets, adding to the two he had against the Packers.

Skowronek may never prove he’s the Yancey Thigpen in hiding as this site suggested in the spring of 2025, but he’s a special teams ace and shows that he can catch the ball when it is thrown to him.

The Steelers re-signed the “Tooth Chipper” Elandon Roberts earlier this week and he led the defense with five tackles, renewing the question: Why did Omar Khan and Tomlin let him walk last spring?

No matter. That’s an academic question now. But it certainly is good to welcome Elandon Roberts back as part of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Wide Receiver – Depth Needed

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Wide receiver was a need for the Steelers in 2024. Omar Khan thought he’d addressed by picking Roman Wilson.

A year later, going into the 2025 NFL Draft, wide receiver was only a Moderate need for the Steelers. That was a fair assessment then because they still had George Pickens. Then they traded Pickens.

That may have been a wise move, Pickens’ outstanding year in Dallas notwithstanding, but the Steelers were counting on Roman Wilson in 2025 and he was a non-factor. Consequently, for a second straight season, the Steelers found themselves playing critical games in December with a JV wide receiving corps.

Omar Khan has already beefed up the Steelers wide receiving corps via trade, but just how much does that impact the Steelers draft plans for the position going into the 2026 NFL Draft?

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

D.K. Metcalf and Ben Skowronek walk off the field following the Steelers road win over the Ravens in December 2025.

D.K. Metcalf and Ben Skowronek leave the field following the Steelers win over the Ravens. Photo Credit: Ed Thompson, SteelersNow

The Steelers Wide Receiver Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Starters

Omar Khan began the 2025 off-season by trading for D.K. Metcalf, hoping to add maturity and firepower to the Steelers wide receiving room.

  • Overall the results were positive, they come with a few qualifications.

At times Metcalf played with the authority of a true, number 1 wide receiver. On other occasions, he failed to make combat catches resulting in turnovers.

D.K. Metcalf, Alohi Gilman, Marlon Humphrey, Steelers vs Ravens

D.K. Metcalf opens the game with a 52 yard catch. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

It should be noted that Metcalf exploded with 7 catches for 148 yards in the upset over the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium, and his elevated play was a big part of the reason why the Steelers earned critical victories against the Dolphins and Lions in December.

On the flip side, against the Lions, he got into an altercation with a fan, and was suspended for the final two games of the season, and the Steelers sorely missed him. He also dropped a pass early in the playoff loss to the Texans, sapping the energy out of the Steelers offense for the rest of the night.

Khan again opened the 2026 off-season by trading for another receiver, Michael Pittman Jr.

With Pittman in the fold, the Steelers now have two varsity NFL starting wide receivers for the first time in several seasons…

The Steelers Wide Receiver Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Backups

…And behind those varsity wide receivers, the Steelers have Cole Burgess, A.T. Perry, John Rhys Plumlee, Brandon Smith, Ben Skowronek, and Roman Wilson under contract.

Only Perry, Wilson and Skowronek have NFL catches to their name. Limited to catches made for the Steelers, that number drops to Wilson and Skowronek.

Ben Skowronek, Kevin Byard III, Steelers vs Bears

Ben Skowronek makes a catch for 21 yards. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Together the duo totals 21 catches wearing Black and Gold.

Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Wide Receiver

With D.K. Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. the Steelers have two solid starters. They’re both 28 and neither has much of an injury history.

And IF Roman Wilson makes good on the potential coaches and scouts saw in him in 2026, and IF Ben Skowronek makes a Yancey Thigpen–like transformation from ace special teamer to playmaking wide receiver, adding to the position really doesn’t need to be a priority for Pittsburgh in the upcoming draft.

The Pittsburgh Steelers draft needs scale

Those are some pretty big IFs.

  • And no one either inside or outside of Pittsburgh is counting on those IFs coming to fruition.

Thanks to the Pittman trade, the Steelers don’t need to find an immediate starter at wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft.

And they don’t necessarily need to find someone who can come in and be WR. No. 3 on opening day, but it is close. Therefore, the Steelers” need at wide receiver entering the 2026 NFL Draft should be considered High.

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5 Quickies on Sloppy Steelers 19-16 Preseason Win Over Panthers

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The Pittsburgh Steelers closed their 2025 preseason by beating the Carolina Panthers 19-16. The scoreboard doesn’t lie and Pittsburgh finished with more points that the Panthers.

  • But the effort hardly felt like a “victory” for the Steelers.

The leaves the question, what can or should we take from the efforts. Let’s take a look.

Yahya Black, Bryce Perkins, Steelers vs Panthers Preseason

Yahya Black sacks Bryce Perkins. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

1. Tomlin Preseason 2.0 Under the Microscope

When preseason consisted of four games, Mike Tomlin’s MO was pretty standard:

  • Starters got a series (or two) in the first preseason game.
  • Starters got about a quarter in the second preseason game.
  • The third preseason game was the “dress rehearsal” with starters getting close to half
  • He reserved the fourth preseason game backups and roster bubble players

Since the preseason went to 3 games, Tomlin has more or less tried to squeeze that same formula into a 3 game cycle.

This year has  been different. Outside of Keeanu Benton, Troy Fautanu and Broderick Jones, most starters sat out the Steelers preseason game against the Jaguars and the Buccaneers.

And it appeared that most of these starters might sit for the duration, but after Buccaneers game, Tomlin announced that most starters would play, with the exception of Aaron Rodgers, D.K. Metcalf, Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt (minus other players who were injured.)

  • The effort left a lot to be desired.

If there’s one word to describe the Steelers effort against the Panthers it is “Sloppy.”

Penalty flags flew early and often. Mason Rudolph threw and ugly interception. The running game, at least in the first half, still could not get going. In the first two games, defenders swarmed at ball carriers. The Panthers seemed to move the ball pretty well, even if they didn’t score.

The glass half full view here is that this is a chance for the starters to shake off a little rust. The glass half empty is that at this point in the summer, you’d hope and expect a crisper performance from your first-line players.

2. Are Worries about Warren’s Ball Security Warranted?

Jaylen Warren offers a perfect example. For 2 if not 3 years, both fans and the professional press have screamed for Warren to get carries instead of Najee Harris.

  • Warren touched the ball four times and fumbled once.

Warren is stand up guy. He’s so focused he doesn’t take his helmet off during games. The fact that he looked a little rusty isn’t cause for concern.

The fact that he fumbled is. Warren’s ball security issues are well known. It’s entirely possible that this is one of the reasons why he was unable to surpass Harris.

If he’s going to be a true RB No. 1 for the Steelers this year, he must take care of the ball.

3. Might It Be “Miller Time?”

Yancey Thigpen, Yancey Thigpen Terrible Towel, Steelers vs Browns

Yancey Thigpen twirls the Terrible Towel.

Last spring, when the Steelers were searching for the true WR No. 2 that never came, yours truly wondered whether Pittsburgh might have the next Yancey Thigpen hiding on their roster.

Yancey Thigpen of course went from being a special teams player who did some quality spot duty for the 1993 Steelers at wide receiver, to a true, legitimate Super Bowl caliber starting wide out for the 1994 Steelers.

Looking purely at his numbers, Scott Miller seemed like he might be that person in the spring of 2024. But, while he did do well in limited action, he was never anything but s spot-player last season.

He’s had an exceptionally strong camp, and led the team with 3 catches for 82 years. Clearly the kid has secured a roster spot. Now let’s see if he can translate that into something concrete when the games count.

4. Black is the New White?

The big news of the Panthers game was Derrick Harmon’s injury. Word is it is neither overly serious nor season-threatening. Still, you don’t want to see your first round pick go down, but every injury in the NFL creates an opportunity.

Steelers lineman and commentator Trai Essex paid homage to Max Starks, but Starks drew further back to Dwight White.

 

OK. Tributes to Dwight White are premature, but Black looked like a true ass kicker against the Panthers. If you have time, watching Chris Halicke’s video breakdown of Black’s performance.

While the DK on Pittsburgh Sports scribe is quick to point out that Black isn’t doing this against the Panther’s number 1s or even number 2s, his raw strength is on display as well as his technique. It’s a positive sign to see.

5. Is the Sky the Limit for Thompson?

If the Steelers have a preseason MVP, it is 4th string quarterback Skylar Thompson. When Omar Khan signed him in the spring the near universal reaction in Steelers Nation was, “Who?”

By all accounts, he’d been outplayed by Will Howard at St. Vincents, but Howard’s injury opened the door for Thompson to get reps. And he’s taken advantage.

In the 2015 preseason, Landry Jones got extensive worked, and parlayed a strong performance into a roster spot when many had expected him to be shown the door when the summer began. Jones went on to appear in 18 games and make 5 starts for the Steelers over the next three seasons.

  • Has Thompson done enough to force Will Howard to IR for the duration of the season?

Probably not. But assuming Thompson gets a visit from The Turk, he won’t stay unemployed for too long.

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Hidden Gem? Do the Steelers Have One in Ben Skowronek?

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NFL commentators use the term “spot duty” to tell you not to trust what you see. In scientific terms “spot duty” would be something like, “taken from a sample that’s far too small and far too unrepresentative to mean anything.”

“Spot duty” is  reserved for NFL roster-bubble players, who, thanks to injury or another extraordinary game circumstances, get a handful of snaps. And “spot duty” signals that we shouldn’t draw any conclusions one way or another based on those snaps.

  • Usually, that’s on target.

But every now and again, a player flashes something in “Spot Duty” that reveals that he’s capable of something far bigger. Could Steelers wide receiver Ben Skowronek be one of those players? As he reaches free agency, Omar Khan needs to figure that out.

Ben Skowronek, Steelers vs Browns

Ben Skowronek celebrates after recovering a fumble. Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Capsule Profile of Ben Skowronek Career with the Steelers

Ben Skowronek certainly brought quite a back story to Pittsburgh. The Titans traded his pick to the Jaguars 8 months before the 2021 NFL Draft. And then on draft day Jacksonville traded his pick to the Rams, who took him in the 7th round with pick 249. Then, after appearing in 45 games and making 12 starts for Los Angeles,  the Rams traded Skowronek to the Texans after the 2024 NFL Draft, who cut him just before the season.

The Steelers signed him to the practice squad, elevated him to the active roster for the first two weeks of the season, and then put him on IR.

The Steelers activated Skowronek for the Washington game. Over the course of the final 9 weeks of the season Skowronek caught 5 of 5 passes thrown his way, participated in 55% of special teams snaps, made 7 tackles on return coverage while recovering two fumbles.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Ben Skowronek

The sight of Ben Skowronek streaking downfield to make a tackle on a return became a regular one during the waning part of the season. Special teams delivered the Steelers a real competitive edge during the run to 10-3 and provided several of the “missed opportunities” that characterized the early portion of the late season collapse.

  • That alone makes Skowronek an intriguing prospect.

So does his work in the passing game. Skowronek went 5 for 5 on targets, averaging 13.8 yards per catch, with an 80% “success rate” as four of those catches went for first downs. He’s not a player whose going to open anyone’s check book very widely, so keeping him in Pittsburgh at a veteran minimum is a no brainer.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Ben Skowronek

If the Steelers resigning Ben Skowronek is such a “no brainer” then answer this question for me: If he’s supposedly some sort of hidden asset in the passing game, then why was he only targeted 5 times with the Steelers screaming for someone to step up when George Pickens was out?

Sure, his special teams skill set is nice, but the Pittsburgh’s receiver room is plagued with place holders and now is the time to replace them with difference makers.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Ben Skowronek

Ben Skowronek‘s special teams resume is probably sufficient to earn him a second contract in Pittsburgh that’s at or near the veteran minimum.

  • But that’s not the real reason to hope he’s back.

As the Steelers reached the true off season in June of 2024 it was clear that the Omar Khan’s plans to replace Diontae Johnson had hit a major bump in the road. And yours truly mused about whether the Steelers had the next Yancey Thigpen hiding on their roster.

  • Today that’s more than laughable.

Clearly the Steelers didn’t have the next Yancey Thigpen on their roster in June of 2024…

…But could they have had him on their roster in September 2024? The parallels between Ben Skowronek and Thigpen are striking. Consider this about both:

  • Are over 6 feet tall and top the 200 pound mark.
  • Got their starts as roster-bubble players for California teams.
  • Found their way to Pittsburgh via the waiver wire.
  • Cut their teeth on special teams.
  • Played in offenses that struggled with serious talent deficiencies at wide out.
  • Raised eyebrows with the production in “spot duty” at wide receiver.

Thigpen only had 9 catches on 12 targets in his first full year with the 1993 Steelers – but 3 of those catches went for touchdowns. Skowronek literally caught everything thrown his way and almost always turned it into a first down.

Yes. They do call it “spot duty” for a reason. Think of John Clay who earned 4.1 yards per carry and scored a touchdown in “spot duty” at the end of the Steelers 2011 season and never played another down.

But this scribe has a hunch that Ben Skowronek is a lot more of a Yancey Thigpen than a he is a John Clay.

 

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Steelers 2024 Hall of Honor Class Celebrates the Cowher Era

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Congratulations to Dick LeBeau, Casey Hampton, Willie Parker and Jason Gildon for their induction into the Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 Hall of Honor Class.

While induction into the Steelers Hall of Honor represents a tremendous individual honor, the class of 2024 is a testament and tribute to the Bill Cowher era, with each man offering his own distinct contribution.

Let’s look how each man fits in.

Steelers 2024 Hall of Honor Class, Dick Lebeau, Casey Hampton, Willie Parker, Jason Gildon

Who was Casey Hampton?

The Steelers drafted Casey Hampton, aka “Big Snack” in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft after trading down with the Dallas Cowboys. Casey Hampton would go on to appear in 174 games and start 164 games for the Steelers over 12 years, winning two Super Bowls along the way.

How Hampton Embodies the Cowher Era

In an on-line chat Ed Bouchette once observed that the nose tackle’s knees are the fulcrum that the success or failure of the zone blitz rises and falls upon. (Or something like that.) A central tenant of the Zone Blitz was to stuff the run, thereby setting third and long situations.

  • While this is less important in today’s game, in the ‘90’s and for the 00’s this was critical.

And with Casey Hampton in the middle, the Steelers effectively shut the middle of the field down, forcing opposing coaches to abandon any hope of “running through the tackles.”

Who was Jason Gildon?

Every era of Steelers defensive football seems to have star that was even unknown in his own era. In the 1980’s it was Keith Willis. In the 1990’s Jason Gildon occupied that role.

The Steelers drafted Gildon in the 4th round of the 1994 NFL Draft and even as a rookie he got reps in the rotation behind Hall of Famer Kevin Greene and legend Greg Lloyd. In his first two years, Gildon only started one game, but amassed 5 sacks. During the Steelers 1995 season Kevin Greene himself said that Gildon was ready to go.

Gildon took over as the starter in 1996 and kept a strangle hold on the position, holding off challengers like Mike Vrabel. By the time he left the Steelers after the 2003 season, he’d amassed 77 sacks, which stood as a team record until James Harrison broke the record in 2016.

How Gildon is Representative of the Cowher Era

In the 1990’s the concept of “Next Man Up,” was a bit different in Pittsburgh. Before Heinz Field opened Steelers struggled compete in free agency. So they’d have to draft with any eye towards replacing starters whom they knew they couldn’t afford. Such was the case with Jason Gildon and Kevin Greene.

Who was Willie Parker?

Dan Rooney Jr. saw Willie Parker in college and urged the Steelers to give him a chance. They did. He finished his rookie year by authoring his first 100 yard game, closing the Steelers 2004 season with a win over the Bills.

A year later Jerome Bettis was almost literally passed him the torch in the season finale. Next Parker was seen galloping for 75 yards in Super Bowl XL, setting a record that stand today. Parker played through the 2009 season, earning another Super Bowl ring along the way.

How Willie Parker Represents the Cowher Era

When you think of Bill Cowher’s Steelers, you think of Jerome Bettis, Rod Woodson, Carnell Lake and Ben Roethlisberger first. But think a little deeper and you remember guys like Darren Perry, Yancey Thigpen, Orpheus Roye. Guys that were either late round picks or undrafted who nonetheless rose to play critical roles on their teams. Willie Parker is one of those players.

Who was Dick LeBeau?

Dick LeBeau joined Bill Cowher’s inaugural staff in 1992 and served for three years as his secondary coach, working in unison with Dom Capers and Marv Lewis to perfect the Zone Blitz scheme.

Dick LeBeau, Troy Polamalu, Hall of Fame, Larry Foote

Dick LeBeau and Troy Polamalu in December 2012. Photo Credit: Jason Bridge, USA Today.

LeBeau rose to defensive coordinator in 1995, helping guide the Rod Woodsonless unit through to Super Bowl XXX. A year later in 1996 he’d again lose his best defensive player, Greg Lloyd, on opening day but the Steelers still fielded a dominant defense.

LeBeau returned to Pittsburgh in 2004, helping the Steelers field the NFL’s number 1 defense. In 2005 he got his first Super Bowl ring in Super Bowl XL as his unit held the Seahawks to 10 points and produced a critical turnover that set up the Antwaan Randle El to Hines Ward game-icing touchdown.

How LeBeau Symbolizes the Cowher Era

Dick LeBeau is emblematic of the Cowher era in a number of ways. First he was a key architect of a defensive scheme that dominated the NFL for two decades. He was also someone who left only to “come home again” a tendncy which began in the Cowher era and has continued.

 

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3 Lessons from My Second Steelers Sabbatical

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As regular readers probably noticed, I recently took my second “Steelers Sabbatical.” Like the first one, this one yielded 3 important lessons which I’ll share

1. Ivan Cole Was Right. Again.

“Ivan was right. Again” That was my first thought after getting re-plugged into the comings and goings of Steelers Nation in early May. I’m talking about the late, great Ivan Cole, former Steelers blogger at Behind the Steel Curtain and then later the now dark Going Deep with the Steelers site.

  • Later in life Ivan got heavily involved in supporting efforts to combat human trafficking.

Those efforts took him away from writing and even following the Steelers in much detail for much of the 2016 off season. This was a drastic change for Ivan, who for years spent off seasons penning the weekly “Weekend Check Down” where he recapped the previous week’s Steelers news.

Acrisure Stadium

Acrisure Stadium, Photo Credit: AP via Post-Gazette

When Ivan got back into the swing of things closer to training camp he said something along the lines of “…And I was surprised to learn that very little had happened that I couldn’t quickly get back up to speed on.”

  • That’s exactly how I felt.

The Steelers started the off season with a bang, as Mitch Trubisky, Mason Cole, Chukwuma Okorafor and Patrick Peterson all got cut. They of course signed Russell Wilson for the league minimum, traded a song for Justin Fields and sent Kenny Pickett down the turnpike for the NFL equivalent of couch cushion change.

  • All of that had happened by the time my sabbatical started.

In the ensuring five weeks or so very little of substance happened. The oft anticipated trade or big ticket free agent signing never occurred. The 2024 NFL Draft came, and while the early reviews are positive, it featured none of the “Khan Artist” wheeling and dealing that so many expected.

2. Unable to Write = Unintended Consequences

Although I wasn’t able to write about the Steelers, I was able to follow.

The “Sabbatical” actually started during February. I had fully intended to do a full Free Agent Focus series that I’d done for several years past.

Mason Rudolph, Steelers vs. Seahawks, Najee Harris

Mason Rudoph and Najee Harris during the Steelers 2023 win over the Seahawks. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.come

I did get articles up on Mason Rudolph and Miles Killebrew, but Kwon Alexander wasn’t so lucky. His got written, but never published. Not only did he not get a whiff of interest form the Steelers, he also never got his final 15 seconds of fame that this website has bestowed upon so many souls (L.T. Walton, this Bud’s for YOU.)

While the proverbial “Work to do and bills to pay” was one reason for why the no other Free Agent Focus pieces got written, the other is that, guys like Blake Martinez, Chandon Sullivan and Elijah Riley didn’t lend themselves to compelling stories.

By the time the Omar Khan and the Steelers got into action on the free agent front the volume of work had risen to the point where writing pieces on the arrives of the likes of Patrick Queen, DeShon Elliott or say Dean Lowry was out of the question.

And that fact has left me far less invested in their success, than I was for, say, Mewelde Moore back in 2008.

3. The NFL is Eroding Itself with Over Exposure

Mewelde Moore’s arrival as a Steelers free agent in 2008 offers a revealing contrast for how the media landscape has changed since then. As he happened to sign on the same day Ben Roethlisberger inked his first 100-million-dollar contract, the press took little note.

Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger at at press conference. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Both the Post-Gazette and the Tribune Review documented his signing with small stubs and then left it at that. None of the other major outlets paid much attention either.

And Steelers Nation basically forgot about him until injuries to Willie Parker and then Rashard Mendenhall led to his first start, where Moore exploded for just under 100 yards in the 2008 Steelers pivotal win at  Jacksonville.

  • It is metaphysically impossible to even imagine that happening today.

The Steelers closed spring practices by cutting Denzel Mims and Trenton Thompson. Google their Steelers Cut Denzel Mims and you’ll can scroll through 3 if not 4 full pages of Google results on his waiver before you find articles about his signing.

And that doesn’t count all of the WhatsApp messages, Facebook posts and Podcasts dissecting how this move either enhances or dooms Mike Tomlin’s ability to win Lombardi Number Seven with Russell Wilson at the helm.

  • If all of this quantity resulted in a true diversity of analysis that would be one thing.

But most it is just “Content Aggregation.” In one sense the NFL’s digital eco system reminds me of commercial radio. As a commentator asked about Classic Rock stations back in the early 00’s, “Why is it that Classic Rock stations with decades worth of music to draw upon, still end up playing the same Pink Floyd songs over and over again.”

Translated into 2024 terms, how many articles, WhatsApp alerts or Tweets do we REALLY need to read about hypothetical scenarios about the Steelers trading for Brandon Aiyuk?

  • It doesn’t take long to lose interest.
  • In fact, it is easy to lose interest. Fast.

To be sure, this phenomena isn’t unique to the NFL or even pro sports. Nor did the NFL owners and their infinite greed create this digital dynamic.

  • But it also seems clear that they either don’t see it, don’t understand it or just don’t care about it.

The NFL just doesn’t seem dead set on going to an 18 game season (oh, but player safety is paramount). The NFL not only wants the season to extend into President’s Day weekend, but it also wants to stretch out free agency and the draft during the off season to make the sport into a true, 12 month a year sport.

Yancey Thigpen, Yancey Thigpen Terrible Towel, Steelers vs Browns

Yancey Thigpen twirls the Terrible Towel.

  • The law of diminishing returns is real. The NFL is not immune.

During my second sabbatical there have been times when I’ve had ideas that I wished I had time to write about. And it did feel good to get back on the saddle while wondering if the Steelers had the next Yancey Thigpen on their roster.

  • But part of the reason is precisely because time to write about the Steelers was scarce.

The first thing I learned about economics on the first day of class at Loyola’s famed Sellinger School was that scarcity creates demand.

It is a principle the NFL would be wise to remember. But I doubt they will.

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Are the Steelers Hiding the Next Yancey Thigpen on their 2024 Roster?

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What is the Steelers plan at wide receiver for 2024?

Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell asked that question late last week. A day later, Tim Benz of the Tribune-Review cautioned readers that the Steelers lack of depth at wide out can’t be “rationalized away.”

  • Both writers make valid points.

The Steelers opened the off season by trading Diontae Johnson to Carolina Donte Jackson. Everyone expected Omar Khan to follow with another splash personnel move. But since then, to paraphrase Bruce Springsteen’s “Badlands” Steelers Nation has spent the off season “waiting for a moment that just don’t come.”

Outside of George Pickens the Steelers cupboard at wide receiver is pretty bare. And with the draft over and free agent options dwindling the answers to Wexell’s question appear to be:

1. Omar Khan still has another “Khan Artist” like move up his sleeve.
2. Arthur Smith and Mike Tomlin are all in on a “Damn the receivers! Pound the rock!” offense.

Those two possibility have been widely bandied about on blogs and social media. But there’s a third one that no one is entertaining:

3. The Steelers are hiding the next Yancey Thigpen on their roster.

The likely response of those who either remember or at least know about Thigpen’s playing days is, “…Yeah, Right. Someone’s been drinking too much Argentine wine.” Well, I do send too much of my money to the Salentein family, but the idea is not alcohol induced. Read on….

None of the Steelers New Veteran WRs Look Like Thigpen

Instead of bringing in a blue chip wide out, Omar Khan has scoured the NFL’s free agent bargain bin. Since saying goodbye to Diontae, the Steelers have Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins and most recently Scott Miller. (They also signed Denzel Mims in late January. Drafted Roman Wilson and still have Calvin Austin.)

Van Jefferson had 20 catches last year with the Falcons and Rams, Watkins logged 15 for the Eagles and Miller grabbed 11 at Atlanta. (Mims was out of football, but had 11 catches for the Jets in 22.)

Even if you agree (and I’m not sure that I do) that you can substitute quantity for quality at wide receiver in the NFL, the trio collectively still falls short of Diontae Johnson’s 51 catches.

So no, none of them projects to be the next Thigpen. Not even close. At first glance the easy response is, “…Pal, keep drinking Salentein, but stick to Portillo. Stay away from the expensive stuff.”

But Thigpen Didn’t Look Like Thigpen. Until He Did.

The Steelers new wide outs have good speed, but outside of that nothing inspires. Yancey Thigpen didn’t inspire anyone either. Until he did.

Yancey Thigpen, Yancey Thigpen Terrible Towel, Steelers vs Browns

Yancey Thigpen twirls the Terrible Towel.

Yancey Thingpen played four games in 1991 for the San Diego Chargers and recorded zero stats as a wideout. During the middle of the Steeler 1992 season Tom Donahoe and Bill Cowher picked him up off of the waiver wire.

Thigpen played special teams in 1992, recording one catch on four targets. In 1993 he had nine grabs on 12 targets. By the end of ‘93 it was clear that the Steelers lacked a Super Bowl caliber wide receiving corps. So they parted ways with their number 1 wide receiver Jeff Graham, and tried to convert other starter, Dwight Stone into a utility back.

Yet going into the 1994 season, the arrow was pointed out at wide receiver in Pittsburgh.

Andre Hastings looked primed to make the proverbial “Second year leap” and the franchise had just picked Charles Johnson with their first pick in the 1994 NFL Draft.

Yet neither man was the Steelers best receiver when the 1994 campaign ended, because Thigpen had earned that distinction. Yes, Johnson had one more catch, but Thigpen was the one who delivered down the stretch and in the playoffs.

A year later Thigpen was breaking John Stallworth’s single-season reception record en route to the 1995 Steelers AFC Championship and Super Bowl XXX. Injures sabotaged his 1996 season, yet a year later, Thigpen became Kordell Stewart’s go-to man in the 1997 season that ended in the AFC Championship.

By the time Thigpen left as a free agent in 1998, he’d earned the right to be considered alongside Louis Lipps as one of the franchise’s best receivers behind Swann and Stallworth. In contrast, Hastings and Johnson were disappointments.

Does that mean that Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins Scott Miller or Denzel Mims will prove himself to be the next Yancey Thigpen in 2024?

I wouldn’t be on it. But then again, no one was betting on Yancey Thipgen in May of 1994….

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Don’t Look Now: Steelers Put Pat Freiermuth on IR, Activate Diontae Johnson, Cut Gunner Olszewski

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It was too good to be true. Coming out of the bye week the Steelers had reached full health with a clean injury to prove it. Then T.J. Watt’s name popped on to with a heel injury. (Breath easy, Watt will play vs. the Rams.)

But Pat Freiermuth wasn’t so lucky. On Thursday he reinjured his hamstring injury. Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell described it this way “…when he re-injured it, he cussed loudly and walked off the field and you knew what happened had to be the hamstring.”

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers vs. Browns,

Focused Pat Freiermuth scores the go ahead touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

The Steelers ruled him out for the Rams game on Friday and on Saturday morning they put him in injured reserve meaning Freriermuth will miss at least the next four games.

  • That’s bad news for the Steelers.

Pat Freiermuth’s been a reliable receiver with a knack for catching with clutch balls. He’s had a slow start to 2023 (but what player not named Jaylen Warren hasn’t for the Steelers offense) but by the end of 2022 he was developing similar rapport with Kenny Pickett to the one he enjoyed with Ben Roethlisberger in 2021.

  • The hope was that he’d continue that starting with the Rams game. His hamstring had other ideas.

Hamstring injures can be tricky. A non-athlete reading, “He pulled his hamstring” sounds mundane. I mean, who hasn’t pulled a muscle and gone about their day as usual? But hamstrings don’t work that way.

In 1995 Yancey Thigpen exploded to break John Stallworth’s single-season reception record with 85 catches (yes, it was different era.) Yet in 1996, a hamstring injury limited him to 6 games and 12 catches. 2 of those catches were for touchdowns, showing just how much the ’96 Steelers missed Thigpen. A few years later, a hamstring injury suffered in the 1999 Pro Bowl limited Dermontti Dawson to 7 games in 1999 and 9 games in 2000, ultimately forcing his retirement.

Hopefully Pat Freiermuth will fare better.

But his re-injury and trip to injured reserve reminds us that hamstrings heal on their own time and on their own terms.

Hot Rod Next Man Up, Gunner, King Gone, Rush Arrives

One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity in the NFL. With Freiermuth on injured reserve rookie Darnell Washington will get an extended look at tight end.

Friermuth’s misfortune is means that Rodney Williams roster spot is safe. Williams is a reserve tight end who transformed and impressive preseason into a practice squad spot. Against the Ravens, in his first game on the active roster he almost recovered Miles Killebrew’s blocked punt. But what came next was more impressive, as Williams willed himself to make a tackle and save a touchdown following Gunner Olszewski’s fumbled punt return.

The punt was ultimately the last straw for the Steelers on Olszewski, whose fumbling problems with the Patriots have followed him to Pittsburgh.

The extra roster spot does clear the way for the Steelers to activate Diontae Johnson, who is believed to have fully recovered from a hamstring he suffered in the opening day loss to the 49ers.

  • The Steelers also made one under the radar move on defense.

While Steelers Nation clamors for Joey Porter Jr. to start over Levi Wallace (or Patrick Peterson or perhaps both!), the Steelers parted ways with Desmond King, the former Houston Texans cornerback whom they signed following cut down day.

King came to Pittsburgh with almost 50 starts and the pickup was hailed as another “Khan Artist Coup.” Yet, he only appeared in 3 games returning 4 kicks in 15 special teams plays and logging a single defensive snap.

  • To replace King the Steelers signed Darius Rush from the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad.

Rush was a highly rated cornerback prospect going into the 2023 NFL Draft. The Indianapolis Colts took him in the 5th round but cut him at the end of summer. The Chiefs picked him up, put him on the active roster for a few games, but then put him back on the practice squad.

Now he’s with the Steelers and must remain on the active roster for at least 3 games.

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A Steelers Fan Looks at 50: If You’ve Watched the Blonde Bomber and Big Ben Play, You’re Old

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I just turned 50 not long ago, and I don’t know if you know anything about math and age, but that’s getting up there in both categories.

Yes, 50 is the new 40, but try telling that to the 38-year-old at the bar who thinks you’re ancient while watching you try to look hip as you bust out a tune on Karaoke Night. (For the record, I don’t blame that 38-year-old one bit, because that’s what I thought about 50-year-olds 12 years ago.)

Ben Roethlisberger, Terry Bradshaw

Image Credit: 274 Sports Pittsburgh

Anyway, as it pertains to the Pittsburgh Steelers, I have been watching this team play football since January of 1980 when I was just seven. That’s a long time to watch any sports franchise do anything. Fortunately for yours truly, the great memories far outweigh the bad ones. My first memory — Super Bowl XIV between the Steelers and Rams –showcased quarterback Terry Bradshaw, the MVP of the Big Game for the second year in a row, and his awesome talents. My most recent Steelers memory, a blowout loss to the Chiefs in a wildcard playoff game this past January, was the last hurrah for legendary quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after 18 glorious seasons.

Needless to say, I’ve seen a lot of great things as a Steelers fan over the years. Even the seasons in between The Blond Bomber and Big Ben weren’t all that bad in terms of success on the football field.

Yes, the 1980s were kind of meh after the incredible success of the previous decade. However, there were still some great moments to cherish, like the upset of the Broncos in the divisional round of the 1984 playoffs, as well as the thrilling overtime wildcard road win over the hated Oilers to close out the decade.

What about the 1990s under new head coach, Bill Cowher, who had the unenviable task of succeeding the legendary Chuck Noll on the sidelines of old Three Rivers Stadium? The Chin sure had TRS rocking again like the Super ’70s, right? And while the Steelers never brought home One For The Thumb in Cowher’s initial postseason run when he took Pittsburgh to the playoffs during his first six seasons, in many ways, it was the most fun I’ve ever had watching my favorite football team.

Obviously, the decade of the 2000s saw Cowher finally bring his hometown team a fifth Lombardi Trophy with a win in Super Bowl XL. Not long after that, Mike Tomlin, who took over for Cowher as head coach in 2007, gave us “Got Six?” following a thrilling victory over the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.

As far as post-Super Bowl decades go, the 2010s weren’t nearly as meh as the 1980s. In fact, the Steelers’ 2000s run bled over into the 10s when they advanced to Super Bowl XLV before losing a heartbreaker to the Packers down in Dallas.

While the second Super Bowl era officially ended in an overtime loss to Tim Tebow and the 8-8 Broncos in a wildcard playoff game following the 2011 regular season, it didn’t take long for Pittsburgh to overhaul its roster and become a bona fide contender again by the mid-10s.

Holy smokes, I just realized we’re only months away from witnessing the Steelers’ third regular-season campaign of the 2020s. That means that the 2000s are like the ’70s to someone in their early-20s. Yikes. Not only have they grown up only knowing Roethlisberger as the Steelers quarterback, they probably have no clue who Bradshaw even is, or if they do, he’s like who Johnny Unitas was to me as a kid — someone who played in the Before Time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

  • What about those little kids out there right now who barely even know about Roethlisberger?

Man, I’m getting up there. I’ve seen both Joe Greene and Cam Heyward. I’ve been around for both Jack Ham and T.J. Watt.

Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis, Three Rivers Stadium,

Jerome Bettis & Franco Harris @ Final Game at Three Rivers Stadium. Photo Credit: Matt Freed, Post-Gazette

Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Louis Lipps, Yancey Thigpen, Hines Ward, Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and George Pickens.

I remember where I was when the Steelers cut Franco Harris. I know exactly where I was standing when I learned that the Steelers had traded for Jerome Bettis. I can still recall the sick feeling that I had in the pit of my stomach when Le’Veon Bell suffered a hyperextended knee on the eve of the 2014 postseason. I still have the text from my brother, who has a source within the Steelers organization, that informed me before just about anyone else that Pittsburgh was going to select Najee Harris in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Again, I’ve seen a lot. I know this because younger people I argue with on Twitter now say things to me like, “I’m not wasting my time trying to reason with some old dude who probably has low testosterone.” Yes, while it’s true that my t-levels are probably lower at the age of 50 than they were at the age of 25, what does that have to do with my opinion on the Steelers’ backup running back situation?

Anyway, even though I’m now officially old (if I already wasn’t in my 40s), I still love the game of football as much now as I ever did. I respect its evolution. I don’t yearn for the days of Yesteryear when Smashmouth football was all the rage and “Defense Wins Championships” was a mantra that everyone actually believed to be true.

I’m a football purist, but only in the sense that I think the game is a pure joy to watch. I still get those butterflies in my stomach when the calendar turns to July and I know that we’re right on the doorstep of another Steelers training camp.

My only concern is what my response will be to the next Steelers title. Will it feel as magical to me as an older fan as the march to

Super Bowl XL
Bill Cowher, Dan Rooney, Art Rooney II, Super Bowl XL, Steelers vs Seahawks, One for the Thumb, Lombardi Trophy

Bill Cowher hands Dan Rooney the Lombardi Trophy. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune-Review

 did when I was 33? I often think back to that two-month period from December of 2005 to February of 2006 when the Steelers went on their historic run and never stopped winning until they finally added a fifth Lombardi to their trophy case.

  • I may have been approaching my mid-30s, but I felt like a little kid during that eight-game winning streak.

Will I ever have that feeling again? How do older sports fans, especially ones who have already witnessed a few championships, respond to a team winning it all? Is it just as fulfilling as it was in your youth?

As the Steelers begin a new era with a new quarterback–it’s either going to be Mitchell Trubisky, Mason Rudolph or Kenny Pickett who gets the first crack at replacing Big Ben–I sure can’t wait to find out.

 

 

 

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Resist the Restructure: Steelers Should Start Post-Roethlisberger Era with Sound Salary Cap Management

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The Pittsburgh Steelers in a new era. With Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers face a time of uncertain, risk and opportunity. Few choices are easy. Make the right decision on a quarterback, and Super Bowls could come soon. Err on the wrong signal caller and you set the franchise back for half a decade.

Art Rooney II, Kevin Colbert,

Art Rooney II and Kevin Colbert. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Fortunately, Art Rooney II, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin do have a tool for mitigating risk, if not for creating opportunity.

  • And that tool is to return to sound salary cap management.

A year ago, the Steelers faced salary cap Armageddon. They’d projected a salary cap increase in 2021 of around $20 million. Instead, thanks to COVID-19, it dropped by about $16 million. Players took pay cuts, the Steelers added voidable years and starters became cap casualties.

  • Things are different this year.

Instead struggling to get into cap compliance, the Steelers are staring at a cap surplus of at least $28 million and perhaps as much as $32 million. That number could grow. The Steelers could shed the salaries of underperforming Joe Schobert and seldom used Derek Watt. Stephon Tuitt could either retire or be cut.

  • Might the Steelers find even more money?

Of course. As The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly reminds us, “…they could get that number to around $64 million with simple restructures of existing contracts, according to Over the Cap’s Nick Korte.” Ah, $64 million for Kevin Colbert to spend as he walks out the door.

  • That’s one hell of a retirement party budget, isn’t it?

No doubt, it is tempting. But restructuring is a temptation the Steelers are right to resist.

Sound Salary Cap Management Should Once Again Be Part of “The Steelers Way”

NFL Salary Cap dynamics are of little interest and/or go over the heads of most NFL fans. But the salary cap is a fundamental part of the NFL’s competitive structure and its “rich get richer” business partnership model.

  • For a long time, the Steelers employed one of the NFL’s most conservative salary cap management strategies.

This started in the 1990’s in part out of necessity. Locked in a bad lease at Three Rivers Stadium, the Steelers simply didn’t have the money to compete with the Jerry Jones and Eddie DeBartlo’s of the NFL.

The Steelers resigned essential stars like Rod Woodson, Dermontti Dawson, Greg Lloyd and Carnell Lake. They brought in under the radar free agents like Kevin Greene, Ray Seals and John Williams.

  • But they never joined the free-for-all bidding wars that so many teams started in hopes of buying a Lombardi.

Yancey Thigpen, Yancey Thigpen Terrible Towel, Steelers vs Browns

Yancey Thigpen twirls the Terrible Towel.

And while the Steelers remained competitive, they also couldn’t afford to keep many good players – think Leon Searcy and Yancey Thigpen. In 2001 that changed when Heinz Field opened. And for the next decade and change, the Steelers kept almost everyone they wanted to keep.

  • The Steelers spent up to the cap, but contract restructures were uncommon.

That changed in 2011 with the new CBA, that ushered in several years of a near flat salary cap. Suddenly, contract restructures became a staple of necessity. Yet, when the cap began to rise again in about 2014, the Steelers continued making restructures.

  • These weren’t necessarily bad moves, and they were all done in the name of “Reloading while we’ve still got Roethlisberger.”

But using contract restructures to create salary cap space is kind of like using one credit card to pay off another – sooner or later the bill comes due.

The Steelers were forced to eat a ton of dead money on LaMarr Woodley and Antonio Brown’s contracts thanks to restructures. And the Steelers sticky salary cap situation of a year ago was made all that more complicated Roethlisberger’s repeated restructures.

  • It is good that the Steelers start the post-Roethlisberger with ample salary cap space.

steelers 2019 season, T.J. Watt, Mason Rudolph, Maurkice Pouncey, Zach Banner

The Pittsburgh Steelers sharpened their focus on team in 2019. Photo Credit: Karl Rosner, Steelers.com

And if the determination is that guys like Scobert and Watt aren’t delivering good bang for their salary cap buck, then the Steelers should move on. The Steelers have holes to fill. There isn’t a slot on the depth chart that they can’t upgrade with the right free agent signing.

  • The Steelers face a time of a lot of unknown and uncontrollable forces.

Do you draft a quarterback at 20 in 2022, or do you let the Mason Rudolph experiment run its course and maybe get a better quarterback lower in the 2023 NFL Draft?

No one knows.

But the Steelers do know and can control how they spend their money in March of 2022, and they should do so by sticking to sound salary cap management practices.

 

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