Joe Rutter stories, Page 78
Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement makes center a priority for Steelers in NFL Draft
Based on numerous factors — age, declining skills and statistics, and a late-season fade among them — changes were expected along the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line in the offseason. Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement put his position front and, well, center. When Pouncey hung up his cleats in February after 11 seasons,...
Steelers career receiving leader Hines Ward joins Florida Atlantic coaching staff
Hines Ward is going back to college. The former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver has left the NFL coaching ranks to join Florida Atlantic in an on-field coaching role. Florida Atlantic second-year coach Willie Taggart is set to hire Ward to work with wide receivers coach Joey Thomas. The story was...
Lawsuit against former Steelers WR Antonio Brown settled
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown has settled a civil suit with his former personal trainer who accused him of sexually assaulting her. ESPN first reported the settlement Wednesday between Brown and Britney Taylor, citing that terms will remain private because of an agreement between the two parties. In...
Deep tackle class plays into Steelers’ hands in NFL Draft
No long ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers boasted a durable and dependable offensive line. Four of the five starters were mainstays — Alejandro Villanueva, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro — with Marcus Gilbert giving way to Matt Feiler at right tackle. How times have changed. When the Steelers open...
Thin tight end class awaits Steelers in NFL Draft
Vance McDonald’s retirement two weeks after the wild-card playoff loss to Cleveland brought some much-needed salary cap relief to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It amounted to a $5.2 million savings for a team that needed to reduce its number drastically before the start of the new league year. McDonald’s retirement also...
Wide receiver draft class could be deeper than 2020 group that included Steelers’ Chase Claypool
Eight rookie wide receivers totaled at least 500 receiving yards in 2020. Seven had at least 50 receptions, and six caught no fewer than five touchdown passes. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Chase Claypool was part of this group — he qualified in all three categories — that included six wide receivers...
Steelers place emphasis on improving running game in NFL Draft
When assessing the value the Pittsburgh Steelers place in obtaining a running back early in the NFL Draft, it’s worth remembering what team president Art Rooney II said on a fan forum last month. “We don’t want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers last in the league in rushing ever again,”...
Quarterbacks will command spotlight early in NFL Draft
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series previewing each position heading into the NFL Draft on April 29. Today’s installment: QBs. The most important position on the football field understandably and justifiably will gain most of the attention at the top of the NFL Draft. For the first...
Steelers join NFL teams in opting out of voluntary in-person workouts
Add the Pittsburgh Steelers to the growing number of NFL teams flexing their rights under the collective bargaining agreement to opt out of voluntary in-person workouts this spring. Citing concerns about protections against covid-19, the Steelers announced their decision Friday via a statement released by the NFL Players’ Association. The...
NFL sets offseason workout schedule amid backlash from several teams
With an increasing number of NFL teams deciding to boycott voluntary workouts because of covid-19, the NFL announced its offseason schedule Wednesday that includes on-field organized team activities. The offseason workout program for the 32 NFL teams is set to begin Monday and is nine weeks in length. It includes...
Steelers reportedly will re-sign LB Vince Williams, bring back QB Joshua Dobbs
Two more familiar faces are returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers — one on each side of the ball. Inside linebacker Vince Williams, who was released March 16 in a salary-cap move, agreed to rejoin the team, according to an ESPN.com report. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who became an unrestricted free agent...
Running back James Conner exits Steelers, signs as free agent with Cardinals
After spending his entire adult life in Western Pennsylvania, James Conner was ready for a change of scenery as he hit NFL free agency for the first time. He’ll get some in the form of the desert, cactus and an endless beam of sunshine. And his new destination is about...
Steelers add another defensive lineman in former Bears, Vikings DE Abdullah Anderson
Continuing to stockpile players along the defensive line, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed defensive end Abdullah Anderson on Monday to a one-year contract. Anderson, 25, is 6-foot-3, 297 pounds. He spent most of the 2020 season on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster for one...
Steelers grab another undrafted free agent, sign former Kentucky defensive end TJ Carter
Adding depth to their defensive line, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed former undrafted free agent TJ Carter on Friday. Carter, a 6-foot-4, 289-pound defensive end, was a member of the 2020 draft class. He was signed by Arizona but was cut after a week with the organization. He spent the regular...
Winning bid for Jack Lambert’s false teeth holder reaches nearly $20,000 at auction
The private collector who sold Tom Brady’s rookie card for $2.25 million wasn’t the only winner at an online auction that concluded over the weekend. Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert had 23 pieces of his memorabilia fetch $193,281 when bidding ended early Saturday at Lelands.com. Lambert’s items...
Steelers sign 2 players, including former Penn State LB Jarvis Miller
As the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to construct their offseason 90-man roster, they added a pair of players who went undrafted in 2020. Signed to contracts were linebacker Jarvis Miller and wide receiver Mathew Sexton. That increases the number of players under contract to 68. Miller spent three years at Penn...
Time running out for bidding on auction of Jack Lambert’s false teeth container
The container that once housed Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert’s false teeth has gotten a fair share of nibbles on the auction block. With the deadline to purchase an unusual piece of football memorabilia approaching, Lambert’s false teeth container has fetched a high bid of $1,514 on Lelands.com as...
With approval of 17th regular-season game, Steelers get home matchup against Seahawks
The implementation of a 17th NFL regular-season game became official Tuesday, which means the Pittsburgh Steelers will play a ninth home contest next season and the opponent will be the Seattle Seahawks. The NFL schedule had enjoyed a 16-game format since 1978. The additional game will be an AFC vs....
Steelers add running back depth, sign Kalen Ballage to 1-year contract
Kalen Ballage is on his fourth team in four years with the Pittsburgh Steelers signing the 25-year-old running back to a one-year contract Tuesday. Ballage, who is listed at 6-foot-2, 231 pounds, spent last season with the New York Jets and Los Angeles Chargers after playing two years with the...
Tyson Alualu changes mind, elects to return to Steelers on 2-year contract
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ new nose tackle is their old nose tackle. After having a change of heart, Tyson Alualu is returning to the organization where he spent the past four seasons. NFL Network reported Saturday night that Alualu, who agreed to terms on a two-year, $6 million contract with the...
Art Rooney II: Steelers will do ‘everything we can’ to sign T.J. Watt to long-term deal
To keep some players from hitting free agency while remaining compliant with the salary cap, the Pittsburgh Steelers have gotten creative with their contract structuring, implementing deals that include voidable years. It’s not the avenue the organization will take when they try to re-sign Pro Bowl outside linebacker T.J. Watt,...
Steelers bring back reserve OLB Cassius Marsh on 1-year contract
Linebacker Cassius Marsh, whose three-team tour of the NFL last season ended with a brief appearance with the Steelers, returned to the organization Wednesday after signing a one-year contract. Marsh previously played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts last season before the Steelers signed him from Indy’s practice squad...
Former Steelers OLB Bud Dupree thanks teammates, coaches, fans in farewell article
Bud Dupree wanted to say goodbye to Pittsburgh and Steelers fans after spending six seasons wearing the black and gold. It was a farewell that didn’t quite fit into 280 Twitter characters. One week after joining the Tennessee Titans in free agency, the 28-year-old outside linebacker penned a lengthy goodbye...
Linebacker Rob Spillane signs contract tender with Steelers
Inside linebacker Robert Spillane, who emerged as a starter last season after Devin Bush’s season-ending ACL injury, signed his exclusive rights tender with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday. Spillane was tendered his one-year contract before the start of the new NFL calendar season March 17, but he was vacationing and...
Steelers reportedly rework contract of tight end Eric Ebron to create cap savings
Tight end Eric Ebron appears to be the latest Pittsburgh Steelers player to have his contract restructured to create salary-cap space for the team. According to an ESPN.com report Wednesday, Ebron agreed to have the final year of his two-year contract with the Steelers reworked, which would clear $3.9 million...
