Hey Steelers Fans. Welcome to Wednesday.
The Kickoff
It’s like they never left… Well actually they did. In fact, the last time we saw the Black and Gold on a football field Derrick Henry was plowing through them like a hot knife through butter. That said, it’s good to see the Pittsburgh Steelers – wearing pajamas for the most part – back on the gridiron. Mason Rudolph looks like Wyatt Earp. Let’s just hope he has the same type of accuracy. OTAs will culminate with the mandatory mini-camp during the second week of June. From there, it’s several weeks of rest and prep for Training Camp and the long season ahead. I had some thoughts on what we should be looking for as OTAs get underway.
From The South Side
OTAs are often more about who wasn’t there and that was the case Tuesday. T.J. Watt, who is under contract, was not there. Many are speculating this is his approach to wanting a new contract. Keep in mind this part of OTAs is VOLUNTARY so there’s no fine for not being there. D.K. Metcalf and Darius Slay were also not present either. To be honest, I don’t think Mike Tomlin cares. These are all veterans who know how to handle their business… We really need to stop with the hyperbole and superlatives regarding OTAs. “Jack Sawyer looks the part.” Oh really? What did you think he’d look like? “Mason Rudolph is throwing dimes over the middle.” Why wouldn’t he? There is no defense and his receivers are wearing pajamas for crying out loud… When the Steelers open on September 7th, their two starting tackles will have a combined ONE start at their respective positions. Lots of pressure on Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu.
Keep An Eye on Cleveland
I wrote this yesterday because I really feel like it’s something Steelers’ fans need to prepare themselves for. The Cleveland Browns’ stadium lease is up in 2027. The owners are looking to move into the suburbs while the Mayor wants them to stay in Cleveland but doesn’t want the city to foot the bill. With the Steelers lease for Acrisure Stadium ending in 2030, don’t be surprised if we see something very similar.
Speaking of Rudy
Mason Rudolph said all of the right things yesterday when he met with the assembled media. No, he hasn’t talked to Aaron Rodgers and yes, he’s excited to throw to D.K. Metcalf. While I wasn’t crazy about the drafting of Rudolph in the third round ‘way back when’ I’m also a human being and former competitor. I feel for Rudolph. The guy continues to do all of the right things yet is literally one signature away from being a backup again. Rudolph is what he is as a QB, but I have great respect for how he has handled himself as a professional.
The Blonde Bomber
Terry Bradshaw, my all-time favorite Steeler, has never been afraid to speak his mind. He did just that yesterday while talking to a radio station in Arkansas. He called the Steelers interest in Aaron Rodgers “a joke.” He added, “What are you going to do? Bring him in for one year, are you kidding me? That guy needs to go stay in California. Go somewhere and chew on bark and whisper to the gods out there.” Bradshaw’s comments aren’t unique as many fans feel the same way. Clearly he isn’t a big fan of Rodgers… But he also addressed Kenny Pickett too. He blamed the Steelers for not “having a plan” for Pickett and said, “Now they’re saying Kenny Pickett is a failure. He wasn’t a failure, the Steelers were a failure.” I couldn’t disagree more on Pickett. Could they have handled his time here better? Sure, but we can say that about many players. Pickett just didn’t develop and his skills didn’t translate to the NFL. He was late on throws and struggled with his pocket awareness to mention a few things. Ol’ #12 is always entitled to his opinion but I think he’s batting .500 on these two takes.
Random Reads
Roman Wilson talked with the media yesterday. “I’ve been taking care of my body at an elite level. I’m just locked in. I feel like myself,” Wilson said. Maybe this is being overly critical but why wasn’t Wilson doing this heading into his rookie season? Seems like an obvious question… Derrick Harmon is already impressing his teammates with his approach and his maturity… The Steelers will wear throwback uniforms in the Sunday Night game against Green Bay. All we’ve been told is that a different helmet will be involved. I suspect it will be the ‘black jersey, white pants, gold helmet’ throwback they last wore in 2007… The fact that college football continues to change its playoff format tells you just how poorly this thing has been managed since day one. Go with 16 teams, no bye weeks and get it over with… I don’t know what in the Hell is going on with high school and college baseball but these guys taunting opposing players while they circle the bases is bush league. Celebrate the moment with your teammates.
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