Hey Steelers Fans. Welcome to Wednesday.
The Kickoff
Maybe you tried out for a school musical. Maybe it was to be the lead singer of a rock band. Or maybe it was just simply an effort to make a team. The point is that all of us have likely had to audition for something in our lives. Tomorrow night, there are a number of guys wearing Black and Gold who are auditioning to make the team. Some already know the odds. At best, they may be fighting for a spot on the Practice Squad knowing that literally any poor play could cost them. But then there are other players who are auditioning for something bigger. Can Will Howard do enough to overtake Mason Rudolph who is having a terrific Camp? Can sixth round pick Gabe Rubio continue his great Camp and push for a roster spot? Can Brock Hoffman continue to hold off Gennings Dunker for the first guard off the bench? From rookies to veterans, there are plenty of auditions going on. Who performs and who doesn’t starts Thursday night.
Podcast TONIGHT
With the Steelers and Packers slated to play tomorrow night, we’ll air the SCB Steelers Podcast presented by DEK Roofing Inc at 10pmET this evening. We will preview the game, discuss the risers and fallers in Camp and much more!
Hall of Fame Thoughts
I shared some thoughts on the next cycle of Hall of Fame voting. 2027 brings the eligibility of Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. Let’s just say it’s going to be very interesting.
Trade Talk
I mentioned earlier this week that there is a domino effect that happens this time of year. A player gets hurt and is out for an extended period of time which leads to that team looking for a replacement. I brought up Laremy Tunsil in Washington and the fact that Broderick Jones could be on the Commanders’ radar. Now we have a quarterback decision in Minnesota. Kyler Murray has been named the starter which has led to the question, “what would a team be willing to offer in a trade for JJ McCarthy?” It’s already come up in Pittsburgh.
Minkah
Former Steelers’ safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was on Ryan Clark’s podcast “The Pivot” this week. He echoed what others have hinted at regarding the Teryl Austin/Mike Tomlin defense. He discussed being plugged right in and playing well but he lamented the fact his diverse skills were not utilized. This runs perfectly with what other players have suggested. There was little change to the defense and that made it easier for opposing teams to plan for. Fitzpatrick admitted he could have handled things differently but at the end of the day, his skills were never fully put into use.
Random Reads
How does Buffalo build a $2 billion stadium and have seats with obstructed views? Ridiculous… NBC just did a story on “influencers” and I’m officially old… Are the Seattle Seahawks the quietest defending champions ever? Literally no one seems to be talking about them… Max Iheanachor will not play vs the Packers but his injury is not thought to be serious… Speaking of JJ McCarthy, if the Vikings move on from him that’s a bigger whiff than the Steelers and Kenny Pickett… I’m sure you saw the mess in the Red Sox-Blue Jays game this week. The scoreboard operator had the number of outs wrong and it ultimately led to a 15-minute delay and reversal. My first thought was this; I was always taught it’s the player’s responsibility to know the situation. Don’t rely on the scoreboard… The WNBA is a prime example of why I hate politics mixing with sports.
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