The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
JASON PRASTER FROM SAN ANTONIO, TX: How is Dylan Cook looking so far in camp? With his outstanding play last season, do you foresee him as a starter this season? I will be visiting Butte, MT, in a couple of months where Cook is from. I'm hoping to see him on the field instead of in his hometown.
ANSWER: Dylan Cook did an admirable job last season when called upon to step in after Broderick Jones was lost to a neck injury. He started the final four games of the regular season – the Steelers were 3-1 in those, and Cook played all but 3 offensive snaps in those combined games. But Cook's reality is that the Steelers used their No. 1 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft (21st overall) on Max Iheanachor with the plan that he would be their starting right tackle of the future. The way Iheanachor has been improving and developing during training camp, that future might arrive sooner than a lot of people expected. I cannot see a Steelers future for Cook as a full-time starter at OT, but that doesn't mean he cannot be on the 53-man roster, be a valuable depth piece, and end up with a helmet on game days. NFL teams want to have at least 4 OTs who can provide quality play during a regular season, and Dylan Cook certainly is in the thick of the competition for one if those spots. He is going to have to make this team based on what he does at camp and during the preseason, and I think he is up to the challenge.
DAVID LUCE FROM HENDERSON, KY: What are your feelings about the team not doing any tackling during training camp?
ANSWER: Personally, I liked the Steelers having live tackling during training camp because I enjoyed watching it. I cannot prove that it helped the team's tackling over the course of last season, just as I have no evidence that not doing it this summer will have a negative impact on the upcoming season. Craig Wolfley always was of the opinion that to be able to box, you have to spar, and an argument can be made that the same line of thinking has a parallel in football. The Steelers are not going to engage in any live tackling this summer, and so all we can do is wait and see.
STEVE HOUSEHOLDER FROM WESTERNPORT, MD: I was at training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 4, and there were officials on the field during practice. Are these regular NFL officials? Are they there for all of training camp or just certain days?
ANSWER: NFL officials make the rounds of all 32 training camps, and they have yet to make an appearance at Saint Vincent College. The officials you saw on Aug. 4 likely are local college and high school officials, and the Steelers have had some officials at every training camp practice so far.
CHUCK MILLER FROM GREEN ISLAND, NY: Although the Steelers have only retired three jersey numbers (for Ernie Stautner, Joe Greene, and Franco Harris), there are several jersey numbers that are, for lack of a better term, "semi-retired," in that they're not generally issued. In your opinion, if there would be a request from a player to wear one of those jersey numbers, what would it take for the Steelers to make that number available?
ANSWER: The way I see it is those jersey numbers are viewed as the property of the Steelers franchise and not the individual player who wore that number. Because of that, any decision about whether or not to issue a particular jersey number would be made by ownership. As an example, it wouldn't be Terry Bradshaw's decision whether a QB drafted on the first round in 2027 gets to wear No. 12. And for me, that's as it should be.
BETH GOLLMAR FROM DECATUR GA: Has there been any indication one way or the other that the Steelers will have the Friday Night Lights practice during training camp with the ride on the school buses?
ANSWER: The Steelers have a scheduled night practice for 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8 at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. It's too far to walk, and so I'm assuming the team will board school buses for the short trip there and back.
JEFFREY MASON FROM WALDORF, MD: Bill Mazeroski, a Wheeling, WV, native is a Steel City legend and a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer known for hitting the walk-off home run to beat the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series. But another guy born in my hometown on Sept. 11, 1931, is LB John Reger, who played for the Steelers from 1955-63, and was voted to the Pro Bowl three times. How low are the chances that he makes the Steelers Hall of Honor, or even lower that he is voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
ANSWER: Since I am a member of the Hall of Honor Selection Committee, I see it as improper to comment on the candidacy of any individual who would qualify to be elected. As for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, all I can tell you is that L.C. Greenwood cannot get elected, and so I would respectfully list John Reger's chances at zero.
BILL NEVRUZ FROM PARK RIDGE, IL: I love the "last ride" for Aaron Rogers, but like everyone else I am intrigued by the QB situation. You hear a lot about Will Howard's leadership and Drew Allar's arm talent, but between them, who is more the threat with his legs and athleticism?
ANSWER: In terms of their running being a legitimate weapon to threaten NFL defenses, I would say neither.
PETE McGARGEL FROM BOZEMAN, MT: Planning our first trip to Pittsburgh for the Sept. 27 game vs. the Bengals. How much time should we set aside for a visit/tour of the Steelers Hall of Honor?
ANSWER: The 2026 Hall of Honor Induction Dinner will be held on Friday, Sept. 25 at Acrisure Stadium, and the new members will be introduced to the crowd at halftime of the game vs. the Bengals on Sept. 27. There still are a few time slots to schedule tours of the Hall of Honor Museum on Sept. 25 and Sept. 28 – there is no availability on Sept. 26-27. If you are interested in booking a time for a tour – which lasts for 60 minutes – I suggest you visit Steelers.com. On the homepage there is an icon for "Hall of Honor Museum." Click on that, and you will be directed to the page where you can begin the process of securing tickets for one of the available tour times.
TED WILLOUGHBY FROM CASTLE ROCK, CO: I paid attention to the coaching careers of Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin. I believe Art Rooney II and Tomlin decided before the 2025 season that Mike had to win a playoff game to keep his job. When Tomlin's team lost again in the playoffs, he immediately resigned. Do you agree?
ANSWER: I do not. This is what Steelers President Art Rooney II told the media on Jan. 14, which was the day after he met with Coach Mike Tomlin: "I was certainly willing to take another run at it next year with Mike, and that's what I was expecting to talk about yesterday. But obviously, (the conversation) went in a different direction … I think that I'll leave it to him to explain to you someday what all went into his decision. I think that, in my mind and based on the discussion we had, it was probably more of a family-related decision than a football-related decision. But as I said, I don't want to speak for Mike on that."
JIM ANDERSON FROM TOLEDO, OH: Is it a coincidence that the Steelers are playing the Green Bay Packers in the preseason, or is it a result of Mike McCarthy being hired as the head coach?
ANSWER: It's my experience that the NFL doesn't do coincidences. Every decision about scheduling and broadcasting is done deliberately and purposefully.
