QB · PIT · 39 yrs · exp 18 · Miami (OH)
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Browns defensive end Jared Verse and Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward exchanged heated remarks ahead of their rematch, with other historical comments from Browns and Steelers players adding context
Mike Tomlin has no qualms regarding a decision from Dan Campbell that may have seemed curious on the surface. Facing fourth and one from the Detroit 24 with 4:53 to play, Campbell opted to go for it. The play resulted in a two-yard loss, and a very short field for the Packers. “I thought we would get it, number one,” Campbell said after the game. “I really believed we would get that. Number two, I knew we would get the ball back if it didn’t work out. Those were the two thoughts.” After Sunday night’s Chiefs-Seahawks game, NBC’s Mike Tirico asked Tomlin for his take on Campbell’s decision. “ It centers around elite quarterback play ,” Tomlin said. “When you got elite quarterback play, and particularly when you’re playing elite quarterback play, you want to make sure your guy at least has a chance to have the ball at the end of the game. And that’s what that decision appeared to be about for me. If he punts that ball the way Jordan Love and company has been operating, it’s not possible, it’s probable that they’re gonna matriculate the ball down the field and win the game. And so what he did by going for it, he was either gonna be successful and keep the ball for his quarterback, or he was at least gonna give his quarterback an opportunity to answer. I was always ready to make that decision when I had Big Ben [Roethlisberger], for example, and I was facing another elite quarterback.” The Lions got the ball back because their defense stiffened, forcing a field goal try. And because the Detroit special-teams unit blocked the 35-yard try. But even if the Packers had scored a touchdown, the drive started with 4:50 to play. The Lions would have had a chance to answer. And that’s only if the Lions first failed to gain a yard on fourth down by handing it to Jahmyr Gibbs. It’s another tangible example of the key differences between analytics and feel. The coach, considering all circumstances, knew it was the right call. That said, the age of analytics had made it much easier to do something that would have once been ignored as unconventional, since reliance on the math has torn down the wall between what is and isn’t “normal” for a coach to do. And Tomlin’s past actions give his words even more credence. Via NBC Sports research, Campbell was the first coach to go for it on fourth down inside his own 25 in a tie game since Week 1 of the 2014 season. That day, Tomlin’s Steelers ran a fake punt from their own 20 in a 27-27 game against the Browns. It happened with 9:48 to play in a 27-27 game. The play worked, the drive later stalled at the 50, and the Steelers won with a walk-off field goal, 30-27
Aaron Rodgers becomes the first quarterback to play in an international game in a different country three straight years, and passes Peyton Manning into third place on the NFL's all-time regular season passing touchdown list
Jaylen Warren wins first AFC offensive player of the week award
Sunday was an eventful day for Aaron Rodgers , whose farewell season is off to a 3-2 start for the Steelers following their win over the Colts . Not only did Pittsburgh secure a 34-22 win against Indianapolis, but Rodgers made some improvements in the NFL record books, passing both Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger . Rodgers moved past Manning to No. 3 on the career touchdown pass list when he connected with Jaylen Warren on an 80-yard score in the first quarter. Rodgers and Manning had been tied at 579 touchdown passes prior to Sunday. After the win, Rodgers spoke to what it means to him to move past such a legendary quarterback on an all-time list. "Anytime you're in the same sentence as Peyton [Manning], that definitely does mean a lot to me," Rodgers told CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson, adding with a smile that he thinks he "earned that one" because he took a shot on the pass. "Anytime you're in the same sentence as Peyton [Manning], that definitely does mean a lot to me." @tracywolfson caught up with Aaron Rodgers after he moved up a historic list in a @steelers W pic.twitter.com/ksKWWp5PfE Manning, who played from 1998-15, is the only player who has more league MVPs than Rodgers. Manning won the award a record five times (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, and 2013), while Rodgers has won it four times (2011, 2014, 2020, and 2021). Rodgers now trails only Tom Brady (737) and Drew Brees (608) in career touchdown passes. Jaylen Warren with the 80-yard touchdown! @INDvsPIT on CBS/Paramount+ Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Q49IxXTuCP Rodgers also passed Roethlisberger with his 166th regular-season win as a starting NFL quarterback. He now has sole possession of fifth all-time in that department behind only Tom Brady (251), former teammate Brett Favre (186), Peyton Manning (186) and Drew Brees (172). On Sunday, Rodgers had his best game of the season despite three of his receivers being out due to injury. Rodgers, who threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns on 22-of-31 passing, became the first Steelers quarterback since Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw to throw three touchdowns in three consecutive games. Rodgers received big contributions on Sunday from Warren, tight end Pat Freiermuth , and rookie wideout Germie Bernard . Freiermuth caught two touchdown passes, and Bernard set a season-high with 80 yards on six receptions. WIIIIDE OPEN @pat_fry5 pic.twitter.com/TJHwrFLaXb Warren, who is enjoying his best season to date, ran for 101 yards on 15 carries and had 87 yards on six catches. He is the first player since Herschel Walker back in 1986 to have an 80-yard touchdown catch and a 50-yard touchdown run in the same game. JAYLEN WARREN JUST RAN STRAIGHT THROUGH THE ENTIRE COLTS DEFENSE 😱 @steelers pic.twitter.com/WsM2nCdApZ Rodgers was well-protected by an offensive line that had been under some heat following last week's loss to Cleveland. The unit, which includes a relatively new starter in rookie first-round pick Max Iheanachor , allowed just one sack and helped Pittsburgh amass 112 yards on 16 carries. Defensively, the Steelers forced the Colts to settle for five field goals and came up with two turnovers on downs late in the game, as the Colts were attempting a comeback. It wasn't a dominant performance, but Pittsburgh's defense nonetheless showed signs of growth after its struggles in Cleveland 10 days ago. Linebacker Payton Wilson and defensive back Jalen Ramsey specifically stood out for the Steelers. Wilson had 10 tackles and a key pass breakup on fourth down. Ramsey had nine tackles despite playing with a broken wrist. He also had a perfectly-timed hit that prevented a big play in the first half. What a hit from @jalenramsey 😤 @INDvsPIT on CBS/Paramount+ Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/AHeRaj6MBe With the win, Pittsburgh is now 3-0 at home this season. It'll look to pick up its first road win of the season next Sunday against the Buccaneers , who won th [... truncated ...]
Matthew Stafford led the Rams to a 24-20 win over the Eagles, his 40th fourth-quarter comeback in his career
Experts weigh key matchups and player performances heading into Week 4, highlighting Derrick Henry, Matthew Stafford, J.J. McCarthy and notable quarterbacks in the Steelers‑Browns rivalry
Aaron Rodgers has tied Ben Roethlisberger's career win total, and has a chance to surpass Drew Brees and potentially move up the all-time wins list
Despite a contract impasse, no NFL teams have made serious trade inquiries for Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., indicating a disconnect in perceived value and contract guarantees
As Aaron Rodgers enters his final NFL season, he has a chance to reach several notable milestones. He already holds records for touchdown/interception ratio and passer rating, and is tied for the best career passer rating. Rodgers is also on the verge of joining an elite group of quarterbacks with over 70,000 career passing yards, needing 3,726 yards to do so. Despite an Achilles injury in 2023 that likely ended his chance to pass Brett Favre on the all-time passing list, Rodgers is still poised to achieve significant career statistical achievements in his final year
Last season was a down year for the AFC's superstar quarterbacks I like to call the "big four." None of Patrick Mahomes , Josh Allen , Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow made the AFC title game. Mahomes, Jackson and Burrow all missed the playoffs and combined to miss 16 regular-season games. Now, don't get me wrong, confidence is still understandably high in this group. Our experts ranked them as four of the best five quarterbacks in the league entering this season. But, maybe 2025 was more than a fluke. Maybe, just maybe, they are in the midst of, or entering the sports version of a midlife crisis. Think about it. They are getting up there in age. All four quarterbacks are either approaching age 30 or have already turned 30 years old. Could they be questioning their careers? Allen and Jackson still haven't made the Super Bowl and this is the age when mobile quarterbacks start to decline. Burrow had some midlife crisis-type comments last year. Mahomes is coming off a serious knee injury and the Chiefs fell apart last year. What's next? Mood swings and impulsive decisions? Maybe a little jealousy? The next generation of star quarterbacks could be waiting in the wings ( Justin Herbert , C.J. Stroud , Drake Maye , Fernando Mendoza ??) In all seriousness, each future Hall of Fame quarterback is entering the second half of their career with plenty of promise but also some concerns about their Super Bowl windows. That's why I'm looking at a case for and against a midlife crisis for each one with a verdict included. Mahomes is the most fascinating case. He's only 30 years old and is already one of three players all time with three Super Bowl MVPs (Brady and Joe Montana). As he chases Brady for GOAT status, it's actually Brady who provides the blueprint for what Mahomes' midlife crisis could look like. Like Mahomes, Brady tore his ACL in his ninth season. He also went a decade between his third and fourth rings as he competed with the likes of Peyton Manning , Ben Roethlisberger , Joe Flacco and Philip Rivers in the AFC. Mahomes also has plenty of talent to compete with in the AFC who are champing at the bit after he's been ring blocking for years. You can definitely make a case the Chiefs' dynasty is over (at least version 1.0) as players decline and bills come due. Kansas City needed to trade Tyreek Hill a few years ago. They moved Joe Thuney last year. This offseason we saw most of their secondary get dismantled headlined by Trent McDuffie's trade to the Rams . Kelce lost a step (or two) and Chris Jones is beginning to decline. You can see the toll all of that has taken as the Chiefs sputtered last year. They have also been struggling on offense for three years now. We are looking at a 50+-game sample where the Chiefs are below average in scoring. Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers and Brady never had a 30+-game stretch in their careers where their team was below league average in scoring. There doesn't appear to be a solution in sight as Worthy hasn't lived up to the 4.21 40 hype and Rice can't stay on the field. I was shocked when I found this stat recently. The Chiefs are the only team in the NFL without a 1,000-yard rusher or receiver in a season in the past three years. The lack of playmaking around Mahomes has caught up to them. So has how defenses are playing them. Mahomes has just seven pass touchdowns on deep throws (20+ air yards) since Hill was traded in the 2022 offseason. That's tied for 27th in the league. He had 41 in four seasons prior to that, easily the most in football. We're all waiting for 50-TD Mahomes to walk through that door again. But with all of the above in mind, it's probably going to take some time. Plus, I buried the lede. Mahomes is coming off last year's knee injury. Although he's healthy for the start of the year, we still don't know how this could impact a quarterback who relies on his legs a lot. He leads the NFL in passing first downs (114) and rushing first downs (60) outside the pocket in the pa [... truncated ...]
Conversations have already begun as it relates to the 2027 Pro Football Hall of Fame class and the insane number of notable players who will be eligible for the first time. Among those players is former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger , whose career includes two Super Bowl wins, 60,088 passing yards and 418 touchdowns and the fifth-most wins in NFL history among starting quarterbacks. While Roethlisberger's status as a first-ballot Hall of Famer is up for debate , there is usually no arguing the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers ' former quarterback is undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer. However, LeSean McCoy , a former All-Pro running back, doesn't think that Roethlisberger had a Hall of Fame career based on his lack of individual accolades. "You should never be in the Hall of Fame if you never had no All-Pros ," McCoy said on his podcast. "Think of how that sounds. All-Pro, for the guys that don't play football. All-Pro is the best in the league. You feel me? But I'm being serious, how the hell he not have (an) All-Pro? So, take him off." McCoy didn't change his opinion when it was pointed out to him that Roethlisberger likely would have garnered more individual honors had he played in a different era that didn't include Tom Brady , Peyton Manning , Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. "For me, I can't push your Hall of Fame with the best players of all time if you never had an All-Pro," he said. "Think about that though. That mean you never was the best quarterback or never was the best player in your position ever." Roethlisberger's lack of individual accolades will likely be discussed when his candidacy is debated by the voters. And while McCoy doesn't agree, it almost won't, however, keep Roethlisberger out of the Hall of Fame altogether. Roethlisberger's individual numbers -- that include his impressive wins total -- are just too good for him not to earn induction at some point if he is not inducted in 2027. The third quarterback taken in the 2004 NFL Draft (behind Eli Manning and Philip Rivers ), Roethlisberger enjoyed one of the most successful rookie seasons in NFL history. He won his first 12 starts (an NFL record) en route to winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. The following season, Roethlisberger became the youngest starting quarterback to win the Super Bowl after helping the Steelers become the first sixth seed to win it all. His game-saving tackle in Pittsburgh's divisional round playoff win over the Colts kept the Steelers' championship run alive. Three years later, Roethlisberger engineered one of the most famous game-winning drives in NFL history that culminated in his game-winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes at the end of Super Bowl XLIII. No. 12: 2008 Super Bowl XLIII - Steelers vs. Cardinals (Feb. 1, 2009) #NFL100 @Steelers 📺: NFL 100 Greatest Games on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/LM12I8rwVt Two years later, Roethlisberger again helped led the Steelers to the Super Bowl, where they were defeated by Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers . And while they did not get back to another Super Bowl after that, Steelers continued to be a perennial contender for the majority following decade largely because of Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger also accumulated some big numbers over that span that included becoming the first player to throw six touchdowns in consecutive games (doing so in 2014). He also owns the NFL record for most 500-yard passing performances (four). From 2014-18, Roethlisberger won a pair of passing titles and was named to four Pro Bowls. He also led the NFL in average passing yards per game on three occasions over that span. On this day in 2014, Ben Roethlisberger threw six touchdowns for the second-straight week! 🔥 The Steelers beat the Ravens 42-23! #BovadaSportsHistory pic.twitter.com/KG43dkJ6vh In addition to his numbers, Roethlisberger's reputation as one of the toughest quarterbacks in NFL history to bring down also strengthens his Hall of Fame argument. Ben Roethlisberger had th [... truncated ...]
In addition to 2026 snubs Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft and Eli Manning, a slew of other big names will be eligible for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2027. The list of first-time eligible players for 2027 includes two former league MVPs, a two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, a former All-Pro defensive back and arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history. To get ready for 2027, we analyze first-time eligible stars in addition to some predictions along the way. While former Patriots haven't had much luck in recent years, it's hard to imagine that stopping Gronkowski, who wasn't affiliated with Spygate and remains in seemingly good standing with football media. Injuries may have slowed him down, but it hasn't stopped Gronkowski from being in the conversation among the greatest tight ends in NFL history. Along with being a constant mismatch in the passing game, Gronkowski was a devastating blocker, which strengthens his case as the most complete tight end of all time. His unique talent helped him win four Super Bowls. Peterson is also widely regarded as one of the best ever at his position. The fifth leading rusher in NFL history, Peterson is the last non-quarterback to win league MVP. That season (2012), Peterson ran for 2,097 yards, the second-highest single-season total in league history. He won his third rushing title at age 30 and was still putting up 1,000-yard seasons at age 33. The only thing that could hurt Peterson's chances next year is some recent legal issues , including an arrest in October of 2025. Peterson also ended his career with two forgettable seasons, but that alone would likely not be enough to prevent him from being voted in next year. Roethlisberger is undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer; the question is whether or not enough voters feel that he is first-ballot worthy. Roethlisberger's career milestones suggest that he is. He's seventh all-time in passing yards (64,088), ninth in touchdown passes (418), a two-time Super Bowl champion and is the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He twice led the NFL in passing yards and has the most 500-yard passing games (four) in NFL history. Roehtlisberger is also the only quarterback to throw six touchdowns in back-to-back games, doing so in 2014. He also holds the unofficial title of one of the hardest quarterbacks to take down. Roethlisberger's magnum opus was at the end of Super Bowl XLIII, when he capped off the Steelers ' game-winning drive with a touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes that has gone down as one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history. Sherman should receive a gold jacket at some point. A member of the 2000s All-Decade Team, Sherman was a three-time All-Pro cornerback and the leader of the Seahawks ' "Legion of Boom" defense, which led Seattle to its first Super Bowl title. A fellow 2000s All-Decade Team member, Mack delivered impressive longevity for an offensive lineman. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod at 25 and his last one at age 36. In between, he was named to five additional Pro Bowls and was a model of consistency. Weddle -- another member of the 2000s All-Decade Team -- was a complete safety who excelled in both pass coverage and run support. He led the NFL in interceptions once and had over 100 tackles in a season on four occasions. At age 36, Weddle returned from retirement and helped the Rams win the Super Bowl. Sherman's condensed prime (he made one Pro Bowl after his age-28 season) could prevent him from being a first-ballot inductee. Mack's lack of All-Pros will likely hurt his case, as offensive linemen are underrepresented in the Hall of Fame. Weddle also played a position that is underrepresented in Canton. Taking next year off the table, it'll be interesting to see if these players ever get inducted. McCoy was an excellent defensive tackle who was named to six straight Pro Bowls while manning the Buccaneers ' defensive line. But like Mack and Weddle, McCoy played a position th [... truncated ...]
The Steelers organization has issued a statement supporting quarterback Aaron Rodgers' right to express his personal views, following his recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show where he voiced opinions on various topics, including Dr. Anthony Fauci and ESPN. While the team acknowledges differing perspectives within the locker room, the article speculates on how former coach Mike Tomlin might have managed such distractions in the past
While the end of most playing careers is often sudden and surprising, there have been several instances where the end was either already announced or generally assumed. Aaron Rodgers put himself in the former category when he announced that the 2026 season will indeed be his last . Rodgers has firsthand experience watching legendary quarterbacks end their careers. A 49ers fan growing up, Rodgers saw Joe Montana cap off his career with the Kansas City Chiefs following a legendary run in San Francisco. Five years later, Steve Young, Montana's successor in San Francisco, saw his career end abruptly when he was blindsided by a defender. In 2010, Rodgers then helped send Brett Favre into retirement by leading the Packers to a season sweep of the Vikings , his predecessor's fourth and final team. This season, Rodgers will look to earn a spot on the following list ranking the best farewell seasons of the Super Bowl era. Roethlisberger's 2021 season became an extended goodbye after reports surfaced before Week 13 that the Steelers ' longtime quarterback was entering the final stretch of his career. At that point, it was generally assumed that Big Ben was no longer in Pittsburgh's long-term plans amid the team's recent personnel and roster changes. Roethlisberger's final season was a roller coaster. After a 1-3 start, the Steelers rallied to finish with a 9-7-1 record. Pittsburgh earned the AFC's final playoff spot after Roethlisberger led a game-winning drive against the rival Ravens in Baltimore. The Chiefs quickly ousted the Steelers from the playoffs, though, with Roethlisberger throwing for 215 yards and two touchdowns in his final game. During his final season, Roethlisberger led the Steelers to season sweeps of divisional foes Baltimore and Cleveland. He remains the last starting quarterback to lead Pittsburgh to a win over the Browns in Cleveland. Fittingly, his last home game was a win against the Browns, one of the teams that passed on him in the 2004 NFL Draft . Throughout that game, Roethlisberger received cheers from Steelers fans who expressed their gratitude for his 18 seasons in the black and gold. Brady briefly retired that offseason before deciding to play a 23rd and final season. Brady, 45 at the time, was coming off a brilliant 2021 season that saw him lead the NFL in pass attempts, completions, passing yards and touchdown passes. The general consensus was that the 2022 season would be Brady's last. Simply put, the 2022 season didn't go as planned for Brady and the Bucs, who won the NFC South despite posting a losing record. It was the first and only time a Brady-led team finished below .500. Brady completed just 53% of his passes in his final game, a 31-14 loss to the Cowboys in the NFC wild card round. While the season was largely a disappointment, Brady still put up impressive numbers, throwing for 4,694 yards and 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions while completing 66.8% of his passes. Allen, who had announced during the offseason that the 1997 season would be his last, ran for 11 touchdowns during the final season of his Hall of Fame career. He also threw a pair of touchdown passes, including a game-winner against the Steelers on "Monday Night Football." Allen's play helped the Chiefs win the AFC West for the second time in three years. In the playoffs, however, Allen and the Chiefs were upset by the eventual Super Bowl champion Broncos . Ironically, Allen's counterpart that day, Terrell Davis, had attended the same San Diego-area high school as Allen roughly a decade earlier. Three weeks after Denver's 14-10 upset win at Arrowhead Stadium, Davis led the Broncos to the AFC's first Super Bowl win since Allen's Raiders defeated Washington in the big game 14 years earlier. The first defensive player to win league MVP, Page was released by the Vikings after failing to record a sack during the first games of the 1978 season. The 33-year-old Page was quickly claimed off waivers by the Bears and collec [... truncated ...]
The Los Angeles Rams must feel pretty good about the success of their monumental 2021 trade that swapped Jared Goff and a cache of picks for Matthew Stafford. The move resulted in a Super Bowl championship at the team’s home in SoFi Stadium. Years later Stafford is finding new heights in his career. He just put a bow on his most productive season yet and earned the NFL’s Most Valuable Player honors. Even with things going so well, the Rams understand quarterback is the most important position in football. Stafford’s career continuation is on a year-to-year basis. He could easily decide to call it quits after 2026. LA decided now is the time to prepare for the future. They drafted Ty Simpson with the thirteenth overall pick earlier this spring. There is plenty of time to discern what Simpson brings to the table and whether he’s someone that the Rams can be trusted with the keys as soon as 2027. As training camp approaches, now seems like a good moment to ponder on Simpson’s NFL ceiling. For as good as Stafford is, could Simpson one day surpass him? For most of Stafford’s NFL tenure, he was often the 8th to 12th best quarterback in the league. Many in front of him have hung up their cleats: Peyton Manning , Tom Brady , Drew Brees , Matt Ryan , Philip Rivers , Ben Roethlisberger , Eli Manning , Andrew Luck , and others. The league’s new elite quarterbacks are stylistically very different from those who have come before. There is a significant difference in the way they play the game from what makes Stafford successful. I’m thinking of Patrick Mahomes , Josh Allen , Lamar Jackson , Joe Burrow , Drake Maye , Caleb Williams , Jordan Love , and more. The NFL is in good hands with this emerging crop. But modern professional football almost requires quarterbacks to be able to win with their legs. You can get by with a savvy pocket passer, although in short-yardage and goal line situations you may be leaving meat on the bone if your signal caller can’t pick it up himself. This alone is one of the biggest changes the Rams will see when they one day transition from Stafford to Simpson. And certainly Stafford brings a headiness to his play that is unrivaled by the next generation. His no-look passes and ability to quickly progress through the defense gives Los Angeles a massive inherent advantage. There are tradeoffs for nearly any player teams decide to put under center. At least on the surface the Rams seem to understand where the quarterback position is headed. Simpson fits that bill from a stylistic standpoint. A common draft season knock against both Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson was that they are probably NFL starters but may be not better than mid-tier. Simpson has frequently been compared to Brock Purdy , a former seventh round pick and someone who may never become elite himself. But Simpson has Sean McVay’s seal of approval. That is meaningful for nearly anyone on the offensive side of the ball. While seeing Simpson in such a favorable light does require some hand waving and looking past a small sample size, you can certainly see why the Rams felt he was a fit for their system and that he has the potential to grow into a difference maker. One of the main concerns with Simpson is his frame. He stands 6-1 and weighed 211 lbs. at the NFL scouting combine. That weight is likely significantly heavier than where he played at last season while he was battling gastritis. For example, the below list of quarterbacks have a earned reputation for missing time. Being slight of frame is a real concern. Brock Purdy, 212 lbs JJ McCarthy, 219 lbs Jayden Daniels , 21o lbs Lamar Jackson, 216 lbs Kyler Murray , 207 lbs Joe Burrow, 221 lbs Josh Allen is pushing 240 pounds. Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are in the mid-220’s. Even 10 additional pounds may make a big difference in terms of sustaining hits over the course of a season. With an opportunity to observe one of the most savvy passers in football, time to build out his ph [... truncated ...]
Cam Heyward continues to defy Father Time with his high level of play. He was an All-Pro for the second consecutive season in 2025, marking two All-Pro selections since turning 35 years old. Despite that production, though, Heyward was shockingly left out of the top 10 defensive tackle rankings from NFL personnel across the league, as polled by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler . The full top 10 list is as follows: Leonard Williams , Seattle Seahawks Jeffery Simmons , Tennessee Titans Jalen Carter , Philadelphia Eagles Chris Jones , Kansas City Chiefs Derrick Brown , Carolina Panthers Quinnen Williams , Dallas Cowboys Dexter Lawrence , Cincinnati Bengals Zach Allen , Denver Broncos Milton Williams , New England Patriots Jordan Davis, Philadelphia Eagles This marks the second positional ranking in which a notable Steelers player was snubbed. Joey Porter Jr was left off the top 10 cornerback list, despite several of his numbers being better than Pat Surtain, who took home the No. 1 ranking. T.J. Watt did, however, crack the top 10 edge rushers list, slotting in at the No. 7 spot. “Definitely in decline,” one AFC executive said on Watt. “He’s still very good. But some of the younger players have surpassed him.” Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig also received votes. Heyward signed an extension back in March that will keep him with the team through the 2027 season. Should he get to the end of that extension, it would mark 17 seasons he’s spent with the Steelers, putting him just one behind Ben Roethlisberger for the franchise record. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Former Steelers safety throws shade at Teryl Austin T.J. Watt tumbles in ESPN edge rusher rankings Steelers’ free agent signing labeled as under-the-radar weapon Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr snubbed from top 10 cornerbacks rankings Steelers ranked in bottom half of NFL hierarchy
PFF constructed an all-time Steelers roster from 2006 to the present, featuring prominent offensive and defensive players like Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, T.J. Watt, and Cameron Heyward
Offering up predictions for an upcoming NFL season is always fun. You throw out things that you believe are going to happen, and if you are feeling particularly spicy then you toss out some that you feel a bit less confident in but could still see happening if things broke a certain direction. On Wednesday the worldwide leader in sports did just that by offering several bold predictions for the league at large . These vary in type and some are specific to players as opposed to teams. But the theme of them all was that they were of the bold variety. There is one involving the Dallas Cowboys. This is the kind of thing that requires the right environment. The “right” environment means one conducive to it happening. Players generally only throw for 5K because their teams were in positions for them to do so. This is a nice way of saying that they had bad defenses. Dak Prescott came close to 5K back in 2019 as noted by ESPN. They note that a big factor in that was how quickly the Cowboys offense moved that season and that they shared a similar level of speed last year which is why the prediction is what it is. It has been done 14 times by nine different players: Peyton Manning , Drew Brees , Tom Brady , Patrick Mahomes , Ben Roethlisberger , Dan Marino, Matthew Stafford , Justin Herbert and (I’ll give you a billion guesses for the last name) Jameis Winston . The most recent 5,000-yard passer was Mahomes in 2022. To clear 5,000 passing yards in a 17-game season, a quarterback must average 294.1 passing yards per contest. In Prescott’s best season (2019), he averaged 306.4 yards per contest and fell just 100 yards short of the 5,000-yard mark since there were 16 games. Interestingly, the Cowboys weren’t particularly pass-happy that season, with a 60.7% dropback rate that was below the league average. But they had a high total number of plays because they were moving fast . In their first season under offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, no team snapped the ball with more time on the play clock. Only five offenses had more plays per game; only six ran no-huddle more frequently. Last season, the Cowboys rediscovered their superspeed ways in their first year under coach Brian Schottenheimer and coordinator Klayton Adams. The Cowboys once again led the league in play clock remaining at the snap, and this time, they led the league in offensive plays per game. Prescott had a career-high 600 total pass attempts. The volume will be there for Prescott to not just lead the league in passing in 2026 but to once again challenge for the 5,000-yard milestone. Volume is the first half of the riddle; explosiveness is the other half. To that end, the Cowboys must successfully get wide receiver George Pickens to play on the franchise tag for Prescott to reach the mark. Pickens unlocked a new level to his game in just one season with the Cowboys, as Prescott provided him with stable quarterback play for the first time in his NFL career. It did take Dallas some time to riddle out the chemistry between Pickens and incumbent WR1 CeeDee Lamb , and Lamb missed four games early in the season with a high ankle sprain. When both Pickens and Lamb were on the field, Prescott averaged 8.1 yards per pass attempt. When at least one was not on the field, that fell to 6.7. Lamb had a weird year in general, with a career-worst eight drops and his worst season for YAC since he was a rookie. It’s fair to project an improvement in the Cowboys’ passing game in Year 2 under Schottenheimer and Adams, as they’ve had time to iron out the wrinkles in the Lamb/Pickens pairing. While the Cowboys’ offense should get better in 2026, it’ll likely remain a below-average unit, forcing them into shootouts that give Prescott additional dropbacks. There’s some concern in pass protection at both tackle spots for Dallas, but no environment can be perfect. As Prescott gets older, he’ll scramble less and instead throw more against pressure. Cincinnati ’s Joe Burrow is another good c [... truncated ...]
Raiders redundancy is apt at the quarterback position. No, I’m not referring to having super veteran Kirk Cousins , No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, and another vet Aidan O’Connell as the top trio in the quarterback room. That’s quite important, don’t get me wrong. It’s having Klint Kubiak as the head coach and primary offensive play caller and his trusted “fixer” Andrew Janocko as his offensive coordinator . Both served as as quarterback coaches in their respective careers and the initial thought was the experience shared between them both, a true QB coach wasn’t necessarily required. Enter: Mike Sullivan. The veteran quarterback guru was added to Kubiak’s staff and now, the Las Vegas Raiders have a three-headed monster to help develop, guide, and teach a reformed quarterbacks room. And Sullivan’s presence on top of Kubiak’s and Janocko’s is a boon for the Silver & Black. Case-in-point: Cousins, who enters his 15th season in the NFL at 37 years old, is taking full advantage of the coaching staff resources available to him. “And there’s so many resources in this building, and it’s exciting to go to work every day and have that many people,” Cousins began, “I mean, Mike Sullivan has been Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning . I mean, I can just go on and on asking, ”What did this guy do, what were his habits like, what drills did he like, how did he get ready, how did he handle the playoffs?” And I’ve got so many people who can help me.” Sullivan’s attention to detail and dealing with duress are his calling card as a quarterback’s coach and that’s what the Raiders need to instill in their quarterbacks — particularly Mendoza. Sullivan brings over 20 years of NFL coaching experience, championship pedigree, proven track record with high-profile quarterbacks, alongside play-calling experience and pre-existing chemistry with the staff Kubiak assembled — all of which will be beneficial to his fellow coaches and, more importantly, the signal callers he’s in charge of. Add assistant head coach Mike McCoy to the mix and Las Vegas has a solid group of offensive minds who have experienced the highs and lows of quarterback development. The common thread amongst the group is prior working relationships. It’s common knowledge that’s quite true for Kubiak and Janocko who both come over from last season’s Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks . Kubiak also worked with Sullivan with the Denver Broncos during the 2018 season as the former was a young offensive assistant while the latter served as the quarterbacks coach. Janocko and Sullivan linked up on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching staff (2012-13) where the younger coach was an offensive quality control assistant and the veteran was the offensive coordinator. And McCoy and Kubiak were both on the Broncos staff in 2017 with the former serving as the offensive coordinator and latter being an offensive assistant. Each brings unique skillsets to the table, but so far, this offseason in Silver & Black, the group has a unified message that’s singular in purpose and spearheaded by Kubiak. “Yeah, I think it’s just about having one singular voice, and us being all together on it, whether it’s Klint, myself, Sully (Mike Sullivan), any of the guys that step in that position room, making sure that we have our wires together, that we’re making sure that we give one singular voice, whether it be to Kirk, whether it be to Aidan (O’Connell), or whether it be to Fernando (Mendoza), that when those guys hear that, they understand that there’s a clear message, and if it’s not clear, we get it fixed right away,” Janocko said. Las Vegas has four of them on the roster: Cousins, Mendoza, O’Connell and undrafted rookie Jacob Clark. And it’s a room that Sullivan spoke about in an interview on the team’s official website . “The four of them are all pros. Even though obviously Kirk (Cousins) has the most experience and has been in the most number of games, in terms of their approach, all of them are ju [... truncated ...]
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