Joe Rutter stories, Page 36

With the exception of outside linebacker T.J Watt, the Pittsburgh Steelers will go with the same group Sunday against the New England Patriots that took the field in the season opener at Cincinnati. The list of players in the inactives list for the home opener is virtually the same as...

Alex Highsmith is used to being the sidekick to T.J. Watt among the Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker group — the Robin to Watt’s Batman persona. The role suited Highsmith last year, his first as an NFL starter, and he took advantage of the attention paid to the NFL’s reigning Defensive...

Arthur Maulet provided the Pittsburgh Steelers with one last chance to win their season opener at Cincinnati with his strip sack late in overtime Sunday at Paycor Stadium. The sack that caused a fumble and resulted in a 7-yard loss that knocked the Bengals out of field goal range set...

When Najee Harris injured his foot early in training camp, he missed about four weeks of practices and preseason games. Harris left the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opener at Cincinnati late in the fourth quarter because of a foot injury and didn’t return. Neither he nor coach Mike Tomlin expect the injury...

Entering the second week of the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to play without NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt for an extended period of time. The questions are: How long will that extended period cover, and what is the severity of the pectoral injury that sent...

Five things we learned from Steelers 23, Bengals 20: 1. Motion sensors The mobility that Mitch Trubisky was supposed to bring to the Steelers offense — a trait that Ben Roethlisberger lacked in his final seasons — was on display in the opener. So was the constant motion and moving...

CINCINNATI — The Ben Roethlisberger era may be over, but the wild finishes endure for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In their first game since Roethlisberger’s retirement following an 18-year career, the Steelers overcame a tying touchdown pass in the final seconds of regulation to beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, in overtime...

CINCINNATI — It was a game that had more twists and turns than a dime store romance novel and an ending that qualified for Ripley’s Believe It or Not. For more than 57 minutes Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers played with a lead on the road against the defending AFC champions....

Just do what you do. Those five words will appear on Mitch Trubisky’s phone Sunday morning, sometime before he takes the field for his regular-season debut as Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback. Trubisky will receive several text messages before the 1 p.m. game against the Cincinnati Bengals. His two brothers, his sister,...

When the Pittsburgh Steelers last faced the Cincinnati Bengals, their cornerback room was in a state of flux. Veteran Joe Haden was out with a Lisfranc injury. Cameron Sutton was in his first year starting at the other outside spot. Undrafted free agent James Pierre replaced Haden as a starter,...

George Pickens made his mark in his first NFL training camp with the type of body control and spatial awareness that led to a series of artistic catches which he carried over into the preseason. As his NFL debut approaches for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team’s second-round draft pick would...

For the second day in a row, wide receiver Diontae Johnson was a limited participant in practice for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In addition to dealing with a shoulder injury, Johnson was bothered by cramps Thursday. Miles Boykin said he had to take Johnson’s spot with the first-team offense when the...

Diontae Johnson has two more days to return to full practice participation before the Pittsburgh Steelers open the season Sunday at Cincinnati. The Pro Bowl wide receiver might need them as he recovers from a shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions. “It’s tough,” he...

Given the way training camp and the preseason games unfolded, Mason Rudolph realized he wasn’t going to open the season as the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback. But to begin the year third on the depth chart — behind Mitch Trubisky and rookie Kenny Pickett — that had to be a...

The depth chart released by Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin on Monday — and updated Tuesday — didn’t exactly come as a surprise to starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Not just because Trubisky took almost all of the first-team reps in practice in training camp and started all three preseason games....

Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, who didn’t play the entire preseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers because of a rib injury, is expected to be ready for the season opener, coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. Highsmith said last week he was targeting a full return to practice...

The author of the greatest play in NFL history will have another immaculate moment to celebrate this winter. In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception, the Pittsburgh Steelers will retire uniform No. 32 worn by Franco Harris, the team’s Hall of Fame running back. Harris’ number will...

Steelers fans have been looking forward to this week since January. The NFL’s regular season returns this week, and the Pittsburgh Steelers will open against the Bengals at 1 p.m. Sunday at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin held his first regular season press conference previewing the matchup...

Experience, mobility and decision-making were traits that led to the Pittsburgh Steelers signing Mitch Trubisky in free agency in March. They also are the reasons coach Mike Tomlin will go with Trubisky as the team’s starting quarterback when the season kicks off Sunday in Cincinnati. Tomlin confirmed Tuesday what has...

In another sign he will be the starting quarterback when the regular season opens in six days, Mitch Trubisky was selected one of five team captains Monday by his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates. Backups aren’t elected to captain positions. Then again, neither are players new to the organization. Trubisky is the...

After six months of roster construction, offseason workouts, training camp practices and preseason tune-ups, the Pittsburgh Steelers will see whether they are equipped to compete in the AFC North and return to the playoffs for the third year in a row. The first test comes next Sunday at Cincinnati, and...

Not content with upgrading one of the backup outside linebacker positions this week, the Pittsburgh Steelers brought back a former player to fill another spot Thursday. Jamir Jones, who was lost on a waiver claim last season, was brought back the same way, and he is replacing the player who...

Not content with upgrading one of their backup outside linebacker positions this week, the Pittsburgh Steelers brought back a former player to fill another Thursday. Jamir Jones, who was lost on a waivers claim last season, was brought back via the same route, and he is replacing the player who...

Malik Reed was aware a trade was in the works — he just didn’t know the destination — before he was dealt from the Denver Broncos to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday. Jesse Davis wasn’t as cognizant. He was caught off guard when the Steelers swung a second deal before...