Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol. 38 - Number 1 i Steelers Digest

Win or lose, it’s the preseason. Winning is always the preference, the goal. But the preseason is also a tool, a part of the process that Coach Mike Tomlin refers to as team development. And really, that’s what the Steelers are doing. They’ve been working since July 23 at the multi-layered task of developing a team capable of contending for a championship in 2025. The training camp portion ended on Aug. 13, and following a 17-14 loss to Tampa Bay on Aug. 16 at Acrisure Stadium, two of the three preseason games were in the books. So, what’s to make of the team the Steelers have been developing? Realistically, the 2025 Steelers at this point are a work in progress, also a fair assessment of each of the other 31…

The first pass Aaron Rodgers threw at Steelers training camp was intercepted by a linebacker. Rodgers smiled and said, “It’s good to get that out of the way.” The first pass Rodgers threw the next day, in the competitive 7-Shots drill, was caught for a score by DK Metcalf. The pass was so perfectly timed and thrown, and the route run with such precision, that cornerback Darius Slay had no chance. Mike Tomlin smiled coolly and said, “That’s what I envisioned all summer.” Tomlin’s smile didn’t fade. It has lingered. Actually, it was more of a glow, a glow that overtook him before the question could be completed. It was similar to the glow on Mason Rudolph’s smiling face after completing his stint in the preseason opener. The guy who…

As the Steelers’ most recent No. 1 pick, Derrick Harmon naturally drew more attention in the preseason opener than other rookies. And while he didn’t take anyone down, there was something satisfying about his performance. “He’s heavy-handed,” said Mike Tomlin with a perfect description. Heavy hands. In other words, Harmon was a handful to block. “He’s competitive,” Tomlin continued. “He’s exactly what we thought he was.” Still, the stat sheet said nothing. With a position-high 32 snaps, Harmon didn’t make any tackles, didn’t hit the QB, didn’t bat a pass. His name isn’t even listed on the statistics page from the preseason opener. Still … “We like what we saw from Derrick,” said assistant general manager Andy Weidl. “We thought he impacted the game with his rushes. We thought he…

Coach Mike Tomlin has been heard to say it hundreds of times as it pertains to injuries. “One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity.” In regard to the preseason opener against the Jaguars in Jacksonville, the misfortune was Will Howard’s because of a broken right pinkie finger, and the opportunity became Skylar Thompson’s. Thompson quarterbacked the offense in 6 of its 9 possession over the course of the game, and in those he completed 20-of-28 (71.4 percent) for 233 yards, with 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a rating of 132.0. In those 6 possessions, the Steelers scored 3 touchdowns and a field goal and converted 6-of-9 on third downs in what ended up being a 31-25 victory. Thompson is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week. Also considered were Mason…

The Steelers could have the best defense in the NFL in 2025. That isn’t written for click bait or to get Steelers fans overly excited about the upcoming season. Pittsburgh’s defense could, and should, be in contention as the best in the entire league. It starts with the NFL’s best group of pass-rushers. Despite finishing the season in middle of the pack for sack total, no defense in the league has a better pass-rush than Pittsburgh. Don’t blame the defensive front for average sack totals. Pittsburgh’s 33 takeaways tied with Minnesota for the league lead. Only the Vikings and Texans had more than the Steelers 17 interceptions. The Steelers and Bills tied for the league in fumble recoveries with 16. Only two defenses created more false start penalties by their…

The Steelers Hall of Honor is the ultimate recognition for those who have made sign ificant contributions to the organization, whether it be on the field, or off the field. The newest additions were revealed when the Hall of Honor Class of 2025 was announced during a ceremony at Saint Vincent College as a part of the Steelers Back Together Weekend celebration. The Hall of Honor Class of 2025 includes three individuals who made a lasting impact on the organization in more recent years. Linebacker Joey Porter Sr., center Maurkice Pouncey and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger highlight a class that brought plenty of glory to the black and gold. “It’s special,” said Steelers President Art Rooney II. “Just to welcome a group of guys that mean so much to Steelers football,…

Steelers football is about history. It’s about tradition. It’s about honoring the past And honoring the past is exactly what the Steelers will do on October 26, when they wear their newly designed 1933 Throwback Uniforms against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football at Acrisure Stadium. The uniform pays tribute not just to the 1933 team and where it all began for the Steelers, but also to the City of Pittsburgh and the rich legacy it holds. “We’re excited to unveil our new throwback uniforms which not only pay tribute to the origins of the Steelers franchise but also to the deep connection we have to our hometown of Pittsburgh,” said Steelers President Art Rooney II. “It’s especially fitting that we’ll debut these uniforms on Sunday night, October…

From the notebook of a sportswriter who, as of Aug. 18, hasn’t lost any of his excitement for the 2025 Steelers season: • It’s always the most difficult period of the season, the start of training camp through the final preseason game. Then we hold our breath and sit quietly for a few weeks, making sure we knock on some wood when we say all so far is OK. And then as the weather begins to cool and the kids go back to school, we live again. • Darkest before the dawn kind of thing. • Speaking of darkness, I can’t help but being intrigued by the new QB. To tell the truth, I’ve always wanted to go on a darkness retreat. I would call it the ultimate spiritual journey,…

The Steelers announced their 2025 Hall of Honor Class – Joey Porter, Maurkice Pouncey, and Ben Roethlisberger – on Saturday, July 26 at the Fred Rogers Center on the campus of Saint Vincent College. There were a lot of things written and said about those deserving individuals, and as a member of the Selection Committee I am taking this opportunity to share my thoughts on each of them. JOEY PORTER Joey Porter came to the Steelers as a No. 3 pick (73rd overall) in the 1999 NFL Draft from Colorado State, and during his time with the Steelers as an outside linebacker he was a 3-time Pro Bowl player who posted 9-or-more sacks 4 times in his 8 seasons with the team. But it was in 2002 that Porter established…

Really, the only bad thing about it was that it didn’t count in the standings. The Steelers opened their preseason in a place that traditionally has been more than a little unkind to them, but on this particular Saturday night it was a lot of fun. Maybe it was a lot of fun because so many of those responsible for the 31-25 victory over the Jaguars on Aug. 9 seemed to come out of nowhere. The quarterback who was poised and played within himself, who executed, wasn’t the one with 4 MVPs on his resume or even the ballyhooed rookie with a National Championship ring on his finger. Skylar Thompson was a 3-star recruit and a seventh-round draft choice and all but invisible walking around the Saint Vincent College campus…