Joe Rutter stories, Page 77
Keith Butler believes early picks on offense will lead to rested Steelers defense
Keith Butler couldn’t be blamed for wondering when the Pittsburgh Steelers would draft a player to help his defense. He watched running back Najee Harris go in the first round Thursday. He sat by as the Steelers took a tight end and an interior offensive lineman Friday. The Steelers began...
Steelers check off several boxes in procuring 9 NFL Draft prospects
An NFL Draft that continued its course down the road to fixing the league’s least effective running game took a U-turn for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. After using a fourth consecutive pick on an offensive talent, and second in a row along the line, the Steelers turned their attention...
Steelers use final pick of NFL Draft to take punter Pressley Harvin III
After making four consecutive picks on defense, the Pittsburgh Steelers closed their portion of the NFL Draft on Saturday by switching to special teams. Pressley Harvin III, the strong-legged punter from Georgia Tech, was the Steelers’ second pick of the seventh round, No. 254 overall. Harvin was the only punter...
Steelers NFL Draft bio in brief: Oklahoma CB/S Tre Norwood
TRE NORWOOD Seventh-round pick, No. 245 overall CB/S, Oklahoma 6-foot, 192 pounds Stats: Had five of his six career interceptions as redshirt junior in 2020. Hometown: Fort Smith, Ark. Tidbits: Norwood missed the 2019 season because of a knee injury suffered in fall camp. … He was slow to return...
Steelers add Miami (Fla.) pass rusher Quincy Roche in 6th round
Growing up near Baltimore, Quincy Roche was well aware of the Pittsburgh Steelers from their fierce AFC North rivalry with the Ravens. Now that he’s the Steelers’ newest outside linebacker, Roche is more than ready to change allegiances. He’s just hoping the rest of his family complies, too. “I’m in...
Steelers execute trade, select Wisconsin DE Isaiahh Loudermilk in 5th round
Entering the NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers had 11 players capable of playing somewhere on the defensive line on their offseason roster. And despite that position group being universally regarded as the weakest in this year’s class, the Steelers traded into the fifth round Saturday to grab another big body...
Steelers NFL Draft bio in brief: Texas A&M ILB Buddy Johnson
BUDDY JOHNSON Fourth-round pick, No. 140 overall Linebacker, Texas A&M 6-foot, 229 pounds Stats: Led Texas A&M with 86 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles as a senior. Hometown: Dallas, Texas Tidbits: Given name is Devodrick Johnson. His mother gave her son his nickname because she thought...
Steelers stick to offense, pick Texas A&M tackle Dan Moore Jr. in 4th round of NFL Draft
When Steelers president Art Rooney II said the Pittsburgh Steelers were going to take steps toward improving the NFL’s 32nd-ranked running game, he was serious. One look at the team’s top four picks in the NFL Draft rammed home Rooney’s intentions. The third day of the draft opened Saturday with...
Steelers use 3rd-round draft pick to take Illinois center/guard Kendrick Green
With the No. 87 pick of the NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers got the center they coveted to replace retired Maurkice Pouncey. It just wasn’t the one that most draft experts expected. The Steelers selected Illinois’ Kendrick Green, a 6-foot-2, 305-pound redshirt junior. Green played guard as well as in...
Steelers NFL Draft bio in brief: Penn State TE Pat Freiermuth
PAT FREIERMUTH Second-round pick, No. 55 overall Tight end, Penn State 6-5, 251 Stats: 92 catches, 1,185 yards, 16 TDs in three seasons Hometown: Merrimac, Mass. Tidbits: Declared for the NFL Draft after his junior season. … Steelers GM Kevin Colbert, coach Mike Tomlin and new TE coach Alfredo Roberts...
Franco Harris puts stamp of approval on newest Steelers running back
A certain Hall of Fame running back offered a special greeting Friday afternoon to the newest member of the Pittsburgh Steelers backfield, one who carries an identical surname. “Welcome to Pittsburgh, cuz,” Franco Harris said with a laugh. To say Harris is happy the Steelers took former Alabama star Najee...
Steelers take Alabama RB Najee Harris with No. 24 overall pick in NFL Draft
The Pittsburgh Steelers got the running back they waited all night — and arguably the past three months — to select when they took Alabama’s Najee Harris with the No. 24 overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday. “We were very excited he was there for us,” general manager...
Steelers extend QB Mason Rudolph’s contract for 1 more season
With only one quarterback on the roster signed potentially beyond this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers made Mason Rudolph the second. The Steelers announced Thursday less than hour before the start of the NFL Draft that they had signed Rudolph to a one-year extension. He was scheduled to become an unrestricted...
Restricted access, limited information all part of this year’s draft process for Steelers
Draft preparations for this year’s event began last May for the Pittsburgh Steelers, which means the entirety of the process was conducted during the coronavirus pandemic. Meetings were held virtually. Attendance on college campus was limited to game days. The NFL Combine was canceled. “It’s been a real different, challenging...
Former Steelers WR Antonio Brown rejoins Buccaneers on 1-year contract
A week after settling a civil lawsuit with his former personal trainer who had accused him of sexual assault, former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown has rejoined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a one-year contract. Brown’s deal, which he agreed to Wednesday, is for a guaranteed $3.1 million, includes...
Joe Rutter’s mock draft: Steelers will play it by the book, take RB, center early
Mock drafts can humble a football writer faster than T.J. Watt rushing the edge. One year you’re riding high, patting yourself on the back for predicting four of the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted players correctly (Devin Bush, Benny Snell, Diontae Johnson and Isaiah Buggs). The next year you’re whiffing more frequently...
Steelers exercise 5th-year option for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick for $10.6 million in 2022
With the deadline approaching for NFL teams to tender fifth-year options to 2018 first-round picks, the Steelers got a jump on the process by exercising it for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The move locks in Fitzpatrick’s salary for the 2022 season at a guaranteed $10.612 million. NFL Network first reported the...
Deep cornerback class gives chance for Steelers to buck recent draft history
Hearing the names of cornerbacks taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first four rounds of the NFL Draft over the past decade is enough to send shivers up the spine of any fan. It sounds like a roll call from a George Romero horror movie. There was Artie Burns...
Cowboys’ Sean Lee retires after 11 seasons
A football career defined by hundreds of tackles but also interrupted by several serious injuries came to an end Monday when Upper St. Clair native Sean Lee retired from the NFL after 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Lee announced his decision via a letter posted to the team’s website....
Former Steelers RT Marcus Gilbert retires after 10 NFL seasons
Another long-time member of the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line decided to retire. Marcus Gilbert, who spent his first eight seasons playing right tackle for the Steelers, announced his decision Monday on social media. Thank you for all of the support over the years. I can’t wait to share my next...
Kevin Colbert says NFL Draft is ‘wide open’ for Steelers in 1st round
Factoring in the changes along the offensive line, a left tackle or center could be a priority for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the NFL Draft. Given that the Steelers finished last in rushing in 2020, a workhorse running back could get the nod with the 24th...
Steelers could find depth in safety draft class lacking high-end talent
For the first time since 2011, no safeties were taken in the first round of the NFL Draft last spring. Are you ready for an encore? A position group low on impact players awaits NFL teams when the draft commences Thursday night. Prospects hoping to get taken in the first...
Penn State’s Micah Parsons represents head of inside linebacker draft class
When the NFL Draft kicks off Thursday night, it could evoke memories from two years ago in terms of the inside linebacker class. In 2019, Devin White and Devin Bush were the clear top two players at the position heading into the draft, and the process played out in predictable...
Outside linebacker class carries plenty of question marks heading into NFL Draft
Given that their biggest free agent loss was at outside linebacker, it’s not a matter of if the Pittsburgh Steelers will select a pass rusher in the NFL Draft. It’s how soon and, possibly, how many. As the draft approaches, outside linebacker arguably is the least fortified position on the...
Given depth at defensive line, Steelers have little need to address position in NFL Draft
Thanks to Tyson Alualu changing his mind and re-signing a two-year contract, the Pittsburgh Steelers will have their entire line returning from last year’s third-ranked defense. Good thing for the Steelers they are deep in the defensive trench because this year’s draft class for tackle and interior prospects is considered...
