The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
SAMUEL HARTMAN FROM KEYSER, WV: Ben Roethlisberger was famous for getting out of sacks to continue the play. And he was elite with his pump fakes. Is there a stat that shows exactly how many sacks he avoided where the defender actually had a chance to take him down? And has any other QB been better at it?
ANSWER: I'm not aware of any statistical measurement of a quarterback escaping sacks in the manner you describe, and even if one existed I would imagine the "escapes" would have to be put in different categories. Did the QB escape the sack ultimately because of speed and/or quickness, or was it because of strength, which is how Ben Roethlisberger often managed it. I have heard defensive players interviewed who described the difficulty in wrestling Roethlisberger to the ground, and his ability to keep fighting to prevent that from happening never was more evident than in a Dec. 5, 2010, game vs. the Ravens in Baltimore.
The Ravens were protecting a 10-6 lead, and on a second-and-5 from the Baltimore 43-yard line with 3:22 remaining in the fourth quarter, Troy Polamalu strip-sacked Joe Flacco, and LaMarr Woodley recovered and ran 19 yards to the 9-yard line. On first-and-goal from the 9-yard line, Roethlisberger threw incomplete on first down. On second down, he dropped back to pass again, and he was wrapped up by Terrell Suggs, who would finish the game with 5 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 5 hits on the quarterback. Roethlisberger refused to go to the ground, and as he kept fighting he managed to free his right arm from Suggs' grasp sufficiently to be able to throw the ball in the direction of Hines Ward for an incomplete pass and avoid the sack. A sack there would've had the Steelers facing a third-and-goal from outside the 15-yard line and needing a touchdown against a Ravens defense that ended up allowing less than 300 yards of total offense that day. On the next play, Roethlisberger threw a touchdown pass to RB Isaac Redman, the Steelers ended up winning the game, 13-10, and the AFC North Division, which meant that the inevitable meeting in the playoffs between these teams would be played in Pittsburgh. The Steelers won that game, then defeated the New York Jets the following week in the AFC Championship Game to advance to Super Bowl XLV.
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OWEN HIGGS FROM KENNEWICK, WA: The last several years I have gotten the impression (on various forums) that Day 3 draft picks have little value. I remember when the draft went for 20 rounds. Back then a seventh-round pick was thought of as valuable because it was still in the upper half of the draft and good players were found in the seventh round. Just because the draft has been shortened to 7 rounds doesn't mean seventh-round picks have lesser value. If a Mr. Irrelevant (Brock Purdy) can become a Pro Bowl QB we should recognize these picks have value. Now that I've written this I realize there's not a question here, but maybe some confirmation or refutation would provide context to all us armchair quarterbacks.
ANSWER: Here is my answer to a similar question that appeared in the April 7 Asked and Answered. I repeat in here because it pertains to your question as well:
The NFL first went to a 3-day format for the draft in 2010, and so what you're referring to are Day 3 picks – rounds 4-7. For the Steelers since that time, notable players selected on Day 3 include – in chronological order: WR Antonio Brown, T Kelvin Beachum, ILB Vince Williams, QB Landry Jones, G Kevin Dotson, WR Calvin Austin III, TE-FB Connor Heyward, OLB Nick Herbig, G-T Spencer Anderson, G Mason McCormick, and QB Will Howard.
Looking at Day 3 of the draft league-wide since the format was adopted in 2010, here are some of the significant players picked in Rounds 4 through 7:
• QB Dak Prescott by Dallas in Round 4, No. 135 overall
• TE George Kittle By San Francisco in Round 5, No. 146 overall
• WR Tyreek Hill by Kansas City in Round 5, No. 165 overall
• QB Brock Purdy by San Francisco in Round 7, No. 262 overall
• WR Puka Nacua by the Los Angeles Rams in Round 5 No. 177 overall
• WR Stefon Diggs by Minnesota in Round 5, No. 146 overall
• Edge Maxx Crosby by the Oakland Raiders in Round 4, No. 106 overall
• G Wyatt Teller by Buffalo in Round 5, No. 166 overall
• CB L'Jarius Sneed by Kansas City in Round 4, No. 138 overall
JOHN LAVENDER FROM WILLIAMSPORT, PA: The Steelers have made significant improvements in their offensive line the last few years both through free agency and in the draft with two first-round picks and a second-round pick. Despite this, the offensive line has failed to consistently run block to establish a running game, and last year Aaron Rodgers had very little time to throw and was releasing the ball after only 2.8 seconds, which was easily the shortest in the NFL. Was it poor offensive line coaching or poor offensive blocking schemes?
ANSWER: There is no question in my mind that the Steelers need to be better on offense in 2026, and that starts with scoring more points and being more efficient in the red zone. But I don't believe all of their issues can be traced to poor offensive line coaching, because that's essentially what you're doing when you refer to "poor offensive line coaching or poor offensive blocking schemes." Regardless, the 2026 Steelers will have a new head coach, a new offensive line coach, and a new play-caller. Using the draft to bolster a group of wide receivers and to continue the process of reinforcing the offensive line are going to be necessary to move the offense into the NFL's upper echelon in terms of points per game.
TERRY HALUPA FROM AIKEN, SC: Do you do any special preparation for the draft? Any mock drafts or are you just going to cover the Steelers and how they handle the draft? I love Asked and Answered.
ANSWER: I never have done a mock draft, primarily because I am not well-versed in what the other 31 teams are going to do once the picking begins. There are many other mock drafts out there to be enjoyed for those who are into that sort of thing, including on Steelers.com, whose "On The Clock" crew dabbles into that kind of predicting the future.
BOB COTTONE FROM PICKERINGTON, OH: Are there going to be any former or present Steelers being used to announce the team's picks? Has any of that been disclosed? I am coming to Pittsburgh, my hometown, for the draft with my son and just thought I'd ask.
ANSWER: Teresa Varley reported the following in a recent story that appeared on Steelers.com: "Hall of Famer John Stallworth will announce the team's second-round selection, while Joey Porter Sr. and Joey Porter Jr. will announce a third-round selection together. In addition to those making the second and third round announcements, Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis will be in attendance at the Draft."
DAVID BOGNAR FROM GERMANTOWN, WI: What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming NFL Draft? Is it that it's in Pittsburgh, or the 12 draft picks the Steelers have, or to watch only the fourth Steelers head coach since 1969 conduct his first draft with the team? Or is it something else?
ANSWER: In my experience covering the NFL Draft, it seems that there always is a storyline that unfolds during the first round, and it typically is a contributing factor in which player the Steelers end up selecting. Since I write a wrap-up after each of the three days summarizing what the Steelers did on Thursday, Friday, and the Saturday, I enjoy tracking how Round 1 unfolds.
JON HOFMANN FROM GRIDLEY, IL: I'm just old enough to have seen some of the great players from the 1970s teams finish their careers in the early 1980s. Donnie Shell is often brought up as being a great player for the Steelers and one of the greatest safeties in all of football. After being able to see Troy Polamalu's entire career, it's hard to believe there are many, if any, out there who played the position better than him. I'm not asking you who was better, but can you compare and contrast their styles of play and how they affected the offenses in their respective eras?
ANSWER: Trying to keep it as simple as possible, Donnie Shell became a dynamic defensive player via the traditional route for an NFL strong safety: He was a physical tackler in what was an NFL that still valued running the football more than any other offensive strategy, and he also developed an understanding of opponents' passing attacks and honed his ball skills into someone who retired with 51 career interceptions and 4 defensive TDs. Troy Polamalu was similarly dynamic with 32 career interceptions and 5 defensive TDs, but his approach seemed to be more about instinct. Not that Polamalu didn't study, but some of the things he did were off-script on the path to his greatness. Here's a way to compare their respective styles:
• A signature snippet from Shell's career was the play in a December 1978 game vs. the Houston Oilers. On Earl Campbell's seventh carry of the game, he got into the secondary only to have Shell come up from his strong safety position and deliver a vicious but clean hit that broke a rib and knocked Campbell out of the game. The Steelers won, 13-3, and ended up winning the AFC Central Division at 14-2.
• With Polamalu, it wasn't so much a single play but something he did a number of times that never ceased to amaze. In short-yardage situations, Polamalu sometimes would charge the line of scrimmage, time the snap perfectly, and vault himself into the backfield where he would tackle the QB just as he took the snap from center.
