Let's get to it:
DENNY CLEARY FROM LOUISVILLE, KY: I was just reading an article about the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade and was wondering if you could give us a "Football for Dummies" explanation of the differences in how he was being used by the Dolphins vs. how he is being used by the Steelers?
ANSWER: I can't say that I'm aware of anything definitive ever coming out about why Minkah Fitzpatrick was disgruntled and asked to be traded by the Dolphins, such as whether that request was truly about how he was being used by the Dolphins, or whether it was rooted in some other issue. I'm just happy the Steelers acquired him in a trade at a very reasonable cost, that he has become a happy and productive member of the team, and that he is sufficiently comfortable with the Steelers to have signed a contract extension that runs through the 2026 season.
- Download and listen to the Ask & Answered Podcast here: Apple Podcast | Spotify
CRAIG MOXON FROM CARBONDALE, CO: When it comes to the team solidifying the cornerback/defensive back position, is it more likely to be done through free agency or the draft? Considering our cap position, where do you recommend the Steelers build, and from where?
ANSWER: I would suggest the first step in the process of "solidifying the cornerback/defensive back position" is going to come from how the Steelers handle their own unrestricted free agents at the position. Cam Sutton, Terrell Edmunds, and Damontae Kazee all are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on March 15, and those three combined to play 2,090 snaps in 2022. There is an economic scenario where all three of those players return, just as there is an economic scenario where all three have to be replaced. If the defensive backs market explodes, the Steelers could end up losing players and then sifting through an inflated market of free agent replacements. There are certain positions that typically are prohibitively expensive to fill via free agency, and in this particular offseason I believe there's a good chance the cornerback/defensive area is going to fall into that category. Which leaves the NFL Draft.
KIM BUCHOLZ FROM HORACE, ND: My one son and I are Steelers fans, and my other son is a Titans fan. We plan on making a trip to Pittsburgh for this year's game between the teams at Acrisure Stadium. Any guess when that game may be, and when are the actual dates announced?
ANSWER: The NFL announced its 2022 regular season schedule on Wednesday, May 11. With the NFL now trending toward spreading out its offseason events calendar, I would look for the announcement for the 2023 regular season to come in a similar window. The NFL Draft will take place on April 27-28-29, and so the first half of May seems to be a decent guess as to when you'll get a chance to learn the date for Steelers-Titans.
CASEY McDONALD FROM MONTGOMERY, AL: This might be a bit of a fantasy, but do you think we have a realistic shot to land Tremaine Edmunds?
ANSWER: I do not. Tremaine Edmunds entered the NFL as the 16th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, and since then he has been versatile and dependable enough to have appeared in 74 games (all starts) and produced well enough in his 4,451 defensive snaps to have been voted to the Pro Bowl twice. He signed a 4-year, $12.7 contract as a rookie, and in 2022 the Buffalo Bills exercised his fifth-year option and paid him an additional $12.7 million for that season. Edmunds will celebrate his 25th birthday a few days after the draft, and that perfect storm of age, experience, and pedigree is going to make him a sought-after individual this offseason. I expect somebody is going to pay Tremaine Edmunds, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if it was the Buffalo Bills team that originally drafted him
LEON COCHRAN FROM DELTONA, FL: I was wondering why the Steelers wait until free agency before they try to sign their own players?
ANSWER: To quote Coach Mike Tomlin, "Free agency is free for them and free for us." What that means is teams have the ability to use free agency to try to upgrade just as players have the ability to use free agency to strike it big on the open market. And figuring all of that out takes time. Understand that players may only get one real chance to take advantage of unrestricted free agency, and their agents often are reluctant to pass up the opportunity to see what the market will bear. On the flip side, teams may choose to allow a player to test the market and maybe show him he's not going to command the sum he believes he's worth. It's only the fans with a sense of urgency.
EARL CLARK FROM CARLISLE, PA: I have fond memories of Mark Bruener displaying exceptional skills in college. I was ecstatic when he was drafted by the Steelers in 1995. Can you shed some light on why he wasn't more involved, aside from blocking, in the passing game? I always thought he had good hands and was good for yards after catch. Where is he now?
ANSWER: As a college player at Washington, Mark Bruener played in 44 games over four seasons and finished with 90 catches for 1,012 Yards (11.2 average) and 4 touchdowns. When the Steelers picked him 25th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft, they were looking for someone to replace Eric Green who had signed with the Miami Dolphins during free agency. While the Steelers had been an offense that featured the tight end during Green's later seasons, the roster had moved more in the direction of running the ball and then utilizing wide receivers Charles Johnson, Yancey Thigpen, Andre Hastings, and Ernie Mills as the primary receivers. Then in 1996 after the Steelers acquired Jerome Bettis in a trade, the running game became even more of a focal point, and having the tight end utilized primarily as a blocker just made more sense. Currently, Bruener is a college scout in the Steelers football operations department.
HOWARD ASHCRAFT FROM LANSING, MI: While I am happy for John Mitchell on his retirement, who if anyone on the staff now is expected to replace him?
ANSWER: In terms of taking over John Mitchell's role as the defensive line coach, that was taken care of back in February 2018 when Karl Dunbar was added to Coach Mike Tomlin's staff. But as far as replacing John Mitchell as a man able to share innumerable valuable life experiences to mentor young players, well, that's just not possible.
VICTOR VORENA FROM AKRON, OH: One of my favorite Steelers players growing up was Frenchy Fuqua. Have there been any other French players who played for the Steelers?
ANSWER: John Fuqua was born and raised in Detroit, which is slightly more than 4,000 miles from France. He nicknamed himself "The French Count," which later was shortened to Frenchy.
NEIL HOFFMAN FROM RIDGWAY, PA: How old was Chuck Noll when he was hired as head coach by the Steelers?
ANSWER: Born on Jan. 5, 1932, Chuck Noll was hired by the Steelers on Jan. 27, 1969. That made him 37 years old.
