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Pittsburgh Steelers News

The waiting game: Hines Ward puts ball is in Steelers' court
February 3
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Hines Ward talked to Mike Tomlin on Monday at the Steelers facility on the South Side and to team president Art Rooney II earlier, letting them know he wants to play in 2012 in Pittsburgh. "I just wanted to let them know I want to be here, I want to play," said Ward, who on Sunday will be part of NBC's five-hour Super Bowl pregame show. "I have two years on my contact. I know I have to restructure, but, under the circumstances, I think I can still play football.""
Ward, Dungy to be featured on mentoring TV show
February 3
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Picked on as a youth by other kids in Georgia because he is biracial, Hines Ward stands tall as someone who was able to overcome prejudice and bullying to find success. Now, he's trying to help others who find themselves in such circumstances as youngsters, and one in particular from Clairton has gotten a lift from Ward that has carried him into the world of music and television."
Goodell: If NFL expands, it'll add two more teams
February 3
CBSSports.com
 
"It's no secret the NFL wants to expand to Los Angeles. And while so much of the attention has been focused on which franchise would relocate to L.A. -- whether it's the Chargers, Vikings, Jaguars or Rams -- we haven't discussed much the possibility of the NFL expanding. Apparently, that's an option. Commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday on Costas Live on the NBC Sports Network that if the league places a team in L.A., the NFL probably would add two more franchises to make it an even 34. Goodell said the league "doesn't want to move any of our teams" and "we probably don't want to go to 33" if the NFL decides expansion is a good choice."
Can't ignore models at Super Bowl
February 2
Indianapolis Star
 columnist Phillip B. Wilson
"Perhaps some of you have heard of my friend, Troy. He runs around like a crazy man, smacks the crap out of people, and gets paid millions to do it. Like me, the dude takes special care of his hair. Take a look at the photo. Cool, huh? As much as I try to keep the blond spikes in order, this Troy guy has me beat with his black locks."
Steelers release statement on condition of burned coach
February 2
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The Steelers have issued a release on behalf of Kirby Wilson's family, updating the condition of the team's running backs coach. "Mr. Wilson remains in serious condition in the Trauma Burn Center at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh. His status is stable, and he has started his physical rehabilitation. The Wilson family would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support.""
Haley meets with Tomlin for Steelers' O.C. position
February 1
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Former Kansas City Chiefs Coach Todd Haley, an Upper St. Clair native, visited the Steelers offices today and interviewed with Coach Mike Tomlin about becoming the Steelers offensive coordinator. The Steelers official website first reported that Haley was interviewed for the job, but the Post-Gazette has also confirmed the visit."
Butler to stay with Steelers
January 31
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The Indianapolis Colts have already filled one coordinator position with a former Steelers assistant coach. But they are not going to fill the other that way. Linebackers coach Keith Butler has decided against interviewing for the defensive coordinator position with the Colts and is going to remain with the Steelers, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has learned. Butler was scheduled to interview with new Colts coach Chuck Pagano today in Indianapolis, but he changed his mind and canceled the trip after meeting Monday with team president Art Rooney II and coach Mike Tomlin."
Keisel is over loss, refuses to split hairs
January 31
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"It's not the type of rush he's accustomed to, yet Brett Keisel moved quickly between and around obstacles as Super Bowl week kicked off. The Steelers defensive end hit all his marks as he bounced from the NFL Network to PFT Live to Yahoo radio to the "Jim Rome Show" and then into a limo to be whisked to the ESPN television set. The good news for those back in Pittsburgh who employ him is this: He did all that with no apparent limp, despite a serious groin injury from that final football game they all would like to forget. That makes him the last veteran defensive lineman standing for the Steelers, who could use a little good news after absorbing nothing but bad since their stunning Jan. 8"
Colts finalize deal with new offensive coordinator, Arians
January 31
Indianapolis Star
 
"Bruce Arians returned to Indianapolis on Monday and finalized a contract to return to the Colts as their offensive coordinator. Kelly Holcomb didn't wait for resolution. "I've already texted him with congratulations," the former NFL quarterback said Monday afternoon from his home in Murfreesboro, Tenn. "Bruce certainly helped my career, man, and I think it's great for him. "Good move for the Colts, too." No sooner had Arians' eight-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers ended -- they declined to offer him a new contract -- than new Colts coach Chuck Pagano approached him to serve as his offensive coordinator. Arians was the Steelers receivers coach from 2004-06 before taking over as"
Steelers could lose another coach to Colts
January 30
ProSportsDaily Staff
 
"Steelers linebacker coach Keith Butler said today he will interview on Tuesday in Indianapolis to become the Colts' defensive coordinator. Butler turned down an offer two years ago to be the Miami Dolphins' defensive coordinator to stay with the Steelers. However, his contract with them expires Feb. 15, and the Steelers gave the Colts permission to talk to him about joining new head coach Chuck Pagano."
Steelers' Butler says he'll interview for Colts defensive coordinator
January 30
Indianapolis Star
 
"The Indianapolis Colts are reshaping themselves and taking a very AFC North-like appearance in the process. That's just fine with Robert Mathis. "The new DC from Pitt and HC from BAL huh.I WANT IN!!!'' the veteran defensive end wrote on his Twitter account. The latest potential addition to the franchise's reconstruction is Keith Butler. The Steelers linebackers coach told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette he will be in Indianapolis on Tuesday to discuss the vacant defensive coordinator's position on coach Chuck Pagano's staff."
Steelers president out of bounds?
January 29
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 columnist Joe Starkey
"Oh, to be a fly pattern on the wall when Ben Roethlisberger sits down with Steelers president Art Rooney II to discuss the future of the team's offense. Will the Steelers adopt the Rooney-n-Shoot? Will they go back to three Arts and a cloud of dust? Not that I expect the conversation to turn ugly. I didn't hear any hostility in Roethlisberger's voice when he spoke at the Pro Bowl the other day. He simply expressed a desire to "go up to Mr. Rooney's office" and talk. That seems reasonable in the wake of offensive coordinator Bruce Arians' "retirement" and Rooney's assessment that Roethlisberger needs to "tweak" his game. It's not like Ben is going up there with a gun. But if I'm him, I'm"
Uneasy lies the head that wears the headset
January 29
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"When Tony Dungy was named head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1996, he reached out to one of the assistants with whom he had worked on Chuck Noll's staff to be his offensive coordinator. But Dick Hoak, who was a running back coach with the Steelers for 35 years, declined the offer. It is a decision Hoak never has regretted. Why? Because, of all the jobs in the National Football League, none should carry a health warning or occupational disclaimer as much as offensive coordinator, the Mr. Yuk of coaching positions. "If you did something wrong in a game, they don't look at the 59 plays you did right," Hoak said. "They looked at the one play that went bad.""
Quarterback Roethlisberger is looking for some answers from Steelers
January 27
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, miffed that Bruce Arians will not return as offensive coordinator, plans to meet with team president Art Rooney II about the matter after playing in the Pro Bowl on Sunday. "When I get back, I'm going to go up to Mr. Rooney's office and ask him what he wants from me, what he wants from this offense, because I think that's a viable question for him," Roethlisberger told the Tribune-Review on Thursday following an AFC practice at Hickam Air Force Base. "He's our owner and our boss, so I really would like to know kind of what he wants and where he sees our offense going because I'd like to tell him where I see us going.""
Steelers' Casey Hampton to have ACL surgery
January 27
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"On the same day the Steelers lost one nose tackle to retirement, it was learned they will lose another to major knee surgery. Nose tackle Casey Hampton said he will have surgery today to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, an injury that happened in the season-ending playoff loss in Denver. The Steelers had indicated that Hampton would not need knee surgery, but the five-time Pro Bowl nose tackle told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette he will have the surgery to repair his ACL."
Steelers nose tackle Hampton to have surgery Friday
January 26
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton said he will have surgery Friday to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, an injury he sustained in the season-ending playoff loss in Denver. The Steelers had indicated that Hampton would not need knee surgery, but the five-time Pro Bowl nose tackle told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today he will have the surgery to repair his ACL. It will be the third time Hampton has had ACL surgery, two of which came during his Steelers career. It is the second time he has had the surgery on his left knee."
Steelers owner Rooney: Arians' instability prompted change
January 26
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Alluding to long-term stability, Steelers president Art Rooney II said, "I think it was time for a change" when talking about the sudden departure of offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. In an interview on the team's website Wednesday, Rooney gave at least one reason why Arians won't be back next year — instability. "Bruce talked about retiring for a number of years now," Rooney said. "We are looking to improve on offense and to have somebody in place for a number of years. We are looking forward to moving on.""
Steelers' Chris Hoke retires after 11 years
January 26
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Chris Hoke never will forget his first start in the NFL, not after pulling on a uniform for just two games in his first three seasons. It was against undefeated New England, the defending Super Bowl champions, in 2004 at Heinz Field. "That was the first game I started and first-ever big moment for me," the veteran Steelers nose tackle said Wednesday. "My mom and dad flew in, and my wife was there. To run out of that tunnel as a starter was a really big moment for me and my family.""
Fichtner boasts pedigree to succeed Arians as offensive coordinator with Steelers
January 25
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Randy Fichtner's former boss said three words best describe the coach that could become the Steelers' next offensive coordinator: energy, enthusiasm and passion. "It's not just a day at the office with Randy, and I think it's contagious," said Tommy West, who was the head coach at Memphis University when Fichtner was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach there. "He has 'it,' and players respond to it." Fichtner, the Steelers' quarterbacks coach, is a candidate to succeed Bruce Arians, who told the York Daily Record earlier this week that the Steelers did not renew his contract."
How to find a new Bruce Arians
January 25
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 columnist Gene Collier
"Oddly enough, the Rooneys have not solicited my suggestions on whom to talk with about replacing offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, likely because I was not in total agreement with his sudden "retirement." This won't be the first time I wasn't consulted on urgent policy matters, nor is it unprecedented for my opinions on a range of football issues to be pointedly ignored. By random example, I've made it clear to various Rooneys throughout the years that I'd prefer the Steelers have cheerleaders, but they apparently feel I'd be better off spending the timeouts asking God's forgiveness for even the thought of objectifying young women, and/or praying to Saint Vincent, the patron saint of"
Steelers have QB issues for offseason
January 25
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"For the first time since he became coach in 2007, Mike Tomlin will have some issues to address at quarterback. And not just on the depth chart. Sure, he has to decide which veteran quarterback he wants to keep most -- Charlie Batch, 37, who compiled a 3-1 record filling in for Ben Roethlisberger the past two seasons and has been the healthiest quarterback on the roster; or Byron Leftwich, who was brought in via a trade to replace Roethlisberger for four games at the start of the 2010 season, but instead has thrown seven meaningful passes in the past 2 1/2 seasons because of injuries. Of greater significance is how Roethlisberger will adjust to a new offensive coordinator, especially if"
Arians says: 'No choice but to leave'
January 25
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Several days after what the Steelers called his retirement, Bruce Arians said they gave him no choice but to leave the team as offensive coordinator because they did not offer him a contract renewal. Arians, speaking to his hometown York (Pa.) Daily Record, confirmed a Saturday story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that his departure from the Steelers was not his choice. Arians said he "retired" because "when I wasn't offered a contract, it was an easy decision for me.""
Harrison, LB corps among the best Steelers
January 24
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The golden age of Steelers linebackers occurred in the 1970s when Andy Russell and Hall of Famers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert roamed in the team's great defenses. But since switching to the 3-4 defensive scheme in 1982, only one other group of linebackers can rival the current crew as the best and/or most dominant to play together. James Harrison made his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl, named Monday to replace Baltimore's Terrell Suggs who pulled out with an injury. That ties him with Greg Lloyd, and they are behind Lambert (nine Pro Bowls), Ham (eight) and Russell (seven) in team history at the position."
Steeler Banaszak will replace RMU's Walton
January 24
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Robert Morris University will announce today that former Steelers defensive lineman John Banaszak is the Colonials football coach-in-waiting. Robert Morris coach Joe Walton announced he will retire after the 2013 season, his 20th as the team's head coach. Banaszak has been on Walton's staff for nine seasons and is the assistant head coach. Before joining Walton, Banaszak was the head coach at Washington & Jefferson College for four years, compiling an impressive 38-9 record."
Steelers linebacker Harrison headed to Pro Bowl
January 23
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Another Steeler is headed to Hawaii. Linebacker James Harrison will replace Baltimore's Terrell Suggs on the AFC roster for the Pro Bowl next Sunday at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. Suggs will not play in the game because of an injury. This marks Harrison's fifth straight berth in the Pro Bowl. He played in just 11 games this season, missing four due to injury and one for a suspension, but still amassed nine sacks and forced two fumbles."
One last debate over Arians
January 22
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 columnist Joe Starkey
"If we're talking lightning-rod local sports figures since 2000 -- and why wouldn't we be? -- then Bruce Arians deserves special mention. He might even be in the Hall of Fame. Kordell Stewart, Bill Cowher, Bob Nutting, Ben Roethlisberger, Marc-Andre Fleury, Mike Mularkey, Tommy Maddox, Matt Cavanaugh, Walt Harris and Dave Wannstedt, among others, spring to mind. The mere mention of any of the above could spark weeks of irrational talk-show debate. Sometimes years. Can you imagine if the Steelers hire ex-Colts coach Jim Caldwell as their new offensive coordinator? Within three games his blank stare would become a reliable source of fan fury. Arians was magical in his ability to inspire rage."
Expect a defensive upheaval Farrior, Hampton candidates to go
January 22
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Warren Sapp's infamous shot across the Steelers' defensive bow -- old, slow and it's over -- might have been a bit premature when he said it after their opening 35-7 loss in Baltimore. Now the Steelers' hierarchy will deliver that message. Look for them to drop the hammer before March 13 on as many as four players who opened the season as starters in that game against the Ravens, and maybe not stop there. The defense that yielded the fewest total yards, total points and total yards passing will take the biggest hits all over the next few months. Injury, age and the salary cap are the culprits."
Search begins for Arians' replacement
January 21
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Let the search for Ben Roethlisberger's next mentor begin. Bruce Arians, 59, the Steelers' offensive coordinator the past five seasons, retired Friday, throwing uncertainty into an offensive unit that is considered to have underachieved much of this past season. Despite having one of the top quarterbacks in the league and a young, up-and-coming receiving corps, the Steelers averaged fewer than three touchdowns per game this season and ranked among the league's bottom third in offensive output. Their struggles were magnified against top defenses and could not carry the team past the wild-card round of the playoffs. "I'm grateful to Bruce for his contributions and wish him nothing but the"
2006 Heisman-winning QB Troy Smith signs with Steelers
January 21
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The Steelers, who had only one quarterback under contract for 2012 -- Ben Roethlisberger -- signed their second of the week when they announced that Troy Smith, the 2006 Heisman Trophy winner at Ohio State, was among six more players added to their roster for next season. Smith, who was drafted and played for the Baltimore Ravens, is among the latest group of players the team has signed to a reserve/futures contract. The list includes former Penn State wide receiver Derrick Williams and cornerback Walter McFadden, the younger brother of Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden and a former Cincinnati Bengal. The Ravens drafted Smith in the fifth round in 2007, and he was a backup in Baltimore"
Lake Tahoe rape case against Big Ben settled quietly
January 21
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Lawyers have reached a settlement to end a civil lawsuit filed against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger by a Nevada woman who accused him of raping her during a celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe. Cal Dunlap, the Reno lawyer representing the woman, told The Associated Press on Friday that the case has been settled. It is not known if the woman received any money in the settlement. The woman, a former VIP concierge at Harrah's Lake Tahoe Hotel and Casino, claimed that Roethlisberger raped her in July 2008 while he was at Lake Tahoe playing in the tournament. She filed the lawsuit in Reno a year later, saying that the two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback lured her to his room"
Steelers' Arians retires from coaching
January 20
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The Steelers announced today that offensive coordinator Bruce Arians will not return in 2012 because he is retiring. "Bruce Arians has informed me that he will retire from coaching," Coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement issued today by the Steelers. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported two days ago that Arians, 59, who was in the final year of his contract, might not return next season. But it was unclear at the time if he was going to retire or if the Steelers were not going to renew his contract. "I appreciate his efforts over the past five years as the team's offensive coordinator and for helping lead our offense to new heights during his time with the Steelers," Tomlin said. "I am"
Under offensive coordinator Arians, Steelers' offense underachieved
January 20
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Questions about Bruce Arians' future as Steelers offensive coordinator ignited after team president Art Rooney II said this week that "senior-type" assistant coaches could be retiring. Arians, 59, has more than 35 years of coaching experience and reportedly contemplated retirement last offseason before quarterback Ben Roethlisberger talked him into returning. With 74-year-old defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau — who guided the NFL's top-rated defense this season — saying he will return in 2012, speculation has shifted to Arians."
Decision on Steelers coordinator Arians expected soon
January 20
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The Steelers have a long and successful history of promoting offensive coordinators from within their coaching ranks -- Tom Moore, Chan Gailey, Mike Mularkey, Ken Whisenhunt, Bruce Arians. Three of them left to become head coaches in the NFL. But, if Arians doesn't return as offensive coordinator in 2012, the Steelers might have to go outside their organization for the first time in 13 years to hire his replacement. And that hasn't been a successful proposition."
Changes likely in veteran D-line
January 20
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Aaron Smith looked emaciated the week before the Steelers season ended in Denver. The 13-year veteran had lost 20 pounds after his neck injury and resulting surgery ended yet another season way too short, this one after four games. It followed a 2010 season that lasted only six games (torn triceps), an '09 season that lasted five (torn rotator cuff) and an '07 season that lasted 11 (torn biceps). He will turn 36 in April, and it has been assumed since he was put on injured reserve that he has seen his last football. Presumed by others, perhaps, but not necessarily by Smith."
Change constant for Steelers offense
January 19
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"History has shown that consistency on the offensive line and solid performances by the unit have little place in the Steelers' most recent playoff existence. In 2008, the Steelers had the worst rushing offense of any playoff team in franchise history and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was sacked more times than all but one NFL quarterback. Yet, they won an unprecedented sixth Super Bowl trophy and started the same five players on the offensive line for the final 14 games, including postseason."
DC Arians might not come back to Steelers
January 19
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Mike Tomlin has not had to worry about hiring an offensive or defensive coordinator since he became head coach in 2007. Now, that might change. Tomlin could be facing his first significant hire since replacing Bill Cowher because offensive coordinator Bruce Arians might not return in 2012, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has learned. Arians, 57, is in the final year of his contract with the Steelers, and it is unclear if he is retiring -- something he considered last year -- or not having his contract renewed."
Auction of mayor's jersey benefits Pittsburgh Promise
January 19
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The Pittsburgh mayor's Denver Broncos jersey is going to a guy in Texas football country. If that's confusing, the bottom line is clear enough: about $1,400 from an eBay auction of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's jersey is going to the Pittsburgh Promise, a scholarship program he co-founded."
Salary cap issues have Steelers in quandary
January 18
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"The Steelers have serious salary cap issues, and their roster won't get any younger during an offseason that started sooner than the team expected following a 29-23 overtime playoff loss in Denver. But sweeping changes aren't planned for an organization long synonymous with stability. "It's not a situation where we're looking to tear things apart and start over," team president Art Rooney II said Tuesday in his first interview since the Steelers were upset in Denver on Jan. 8. "I think there are a lot of pieces in place. Getting younger on defense is a process that's already started. Obviously, we have some decisions to make with certain players and their contracts.""
Rooney gives state of Steelers
January 18
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Over the course of 30 minutes Tuesday afternoon, Art Rooney laid out plenty of information and his own opinions about the Steelers of 2011 and where they are headed in '12. It included his statement that the Steelers find themselves in their stickiest salary-cap situation in the past 20 years, his idea that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger needs to "tweak" his style in order to get sacked less, that his offense needs to score more and that some tough decisions will have to be made on venerable veteran players that might include Hines Ward, James Farrior and Aaron Smith. He also predicted his father, Dan Rooney, will step down as Ambassador to Ireland this year and return in some capacity to"
Ed Tomlin, father of Steelers coach, has died
January 18
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The Steelers confirmed the death of Ed Tomlin, father of coach Mike Tomlin. Ed Tomlin died Monday of a heart attack in Ocala, Fla., according to the Ocala Star-Banner. He was 63."
Rooney: Steelers face 'tough' salary cap decisions
January 18
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The Steelers must make some "tough decisions" in the coming weeks as they tackle what club president Art Rooney said is "probably as big an issue as we've had to face" regarding the salary cap. The Steelers are about $25 million over a salary cap expected to be around $124 million per team next season and must erase that excess by March 13. That obviously could involve some of their older and more recognized players but Rooney would not speculate on whether certain players, such as Hines Ward and James Farrior, would return in 2012. "We're just at the beginning of the process,'' Rooney said."
Mendenhall, Redman help solidify backfield
January 17
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Three running backs finished the 2011 season on injured reserve, two with torn knee ligaments and another with a broken foot. Those left healthy included two players who were undrafted, one a rookie and another who becomes an unrestricted free agent. It sounds as if the Steelers could be in a heap of trouble at the position in 2012. However, they might be better off than they were this season. Start with Isaac Redman. He's healthy and while he was not drafted, well, neither was Willie Parker and it took them a year to realize what they had with him. Parker made the team in 2004 and had 32 carries. He led them in '05 with 255 carries for 1,202 yards."
Goodell: NFL to consider some full-time officials
January 16
Chicago Tribune
 
"Aiming to ensure NFL rules are enforced the same way from game to game, the league will consider making about 10 officials full-time employees next season. As of now, all game officials are part-time employees. Responding to a question about consistency in officiating while speaking to a group of about 75 fans before Sunday's playoff game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the proposal would bring a group of officials to the league offices in New York to help review game films and evaluate the calls. They then would be spread out among the crews at games."
Final grades for 2011
January 16
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"QUARTERBACKS B+ Ben Roethlisberger passed for more than 4,000 yards and made the Pro Bowl, but his season was punctuated by turnovers (18), sacks (40) and, most especially, injuries. Once he sustained a high-ankle sprain Dec. 8, the offense was never really the same. He had his moments such as outdueling Tom Brady and throwing five TDs against the Titans. But, with a chance to mount a last-minute FG drive and end the game in regulation vs. the Broncos, a costly fumble derailed the opportunity. That seemed to be a microcosm of a season in which the Steelers scored 30 or more points just three times. RUNNING BACKS C Rashard Mendenhall waited too long to start being an effective part of the"
Steelers look for offense to take off next season
January 15
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Guard Trai Essex is one of the Steelers' 11 unrestricted free agents, and he hopes to return in 2012. Among his reasons: He doesn't want to miss out on the fun. Essex is among those in the organization who think the offense has a chance to take off next season. "The sky is the limit," said Essex, who was drafted by the Steelers in 2005. "Once we get a consistent o-line and stop getting hurt all of the time, we will be fine." That may be easier said than done, given the Steelers' continuity issues up front. But addressing offensive line questions this offseason, one that will bring more change than usual to one of the NFL's most stable franchises, could be the key to unlocking the offense's"
On the Steelers: Who needs defense anymore?
January 15
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The playoffs resumed this weekend with the possibility of a historic matchup in the Super Bowl pitting the NFL's worst two defenses. Yes, No. 32 Green Bay vs. No. 31 New England. And where is the No. 1 defense? Home, after losing for the first time in the playoffs to a team without a winning record, a team with the No. 23 offense and No. 20 defense. The Steelers had the No. 1 defense in 2011, stingiest in the NFL in allowing both points and yards, although its puny 15 takeaways should call for an asterisk."
Steelers veteran nose tackle Hampton will avoid surgery
January 13
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"An ACL injury that Casey Hampton suffered last Sunday will not require surgery at this time, something that helps in regard to the veteran nose tackle's future with the Steelers. Hampton, who got hurt in the Steelers' 29-23 overtime loss to Denver in an AFC wild-card playoff game, will try to work his way back from the knee injury with a combination of rest and treatment. Hampton just completed his 11th season with the team, and there is no guarantee the five-time Pro Bowler will return in 2012, even if his knee isn't an issue. He is set to make about $5 million this season."
11 Steelers players can go on open market
January 13
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Eleven Steelers will become unrestricted free agents and seven more will become restricted free agents if they do not sign contracts with the team before March 13, when the NFL's new calendar year starts and free agency begins. The unrestricted free agents include: Charlie Batch, Jerricho Cotchery, Dennis Dixon, Trai Essex, William Gay, Chris Hoke, Byron Leftwich, Anthony Madison, Mewelde Moore, Daniel Sepulveda and Max Starks."
Broncos' winning TD play in overtime was drawn up at halftime
January 12
Denver Post
 
"The pass play that became the Broncos' winning, 80-yard touchdown on the first play of overtime last weekend against Pittsburgh was a nice element to the Denver game plan. Only it wasn't part of the game plan, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said Wednesday. "We drew that up at halftime," he said. The Broncos liked their chances with physical wide receiver Demaryius Thomas? going one-on-one against a cornerback, in this case Ike Taylor?, McCoy explained."