The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
MIKE ROBEY FROM TILTONSVILLE, OH: There seems to be a lot of hype surrounding Will Howard. I also want to see him have success, but I also realize he was a sixth-round selection. What made the Steelers select him over several other players they could have picked?
ANSWER: When the Steelers drafted Will Howard with the 185th overall pick, the quarterbacks left who would end up being drafted were Riley Leonard, Graham Mertz, Cam Miller, Kurtis Rourke, and Quinn Ewers. And in my opinion what Howard did in quarterbacking Ohio State to the National Championship made him a better prospect than any of those 5 other quarterbacks. As for what the Steelers in particular saw in Howard, here are a couple of snippets of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's session with the media right after that pick was made:
• "It's the same thing in our league, where guys can start hot and they may go into a lull. You always want to see how people respond to adversity, certainly on the big stage. And in college football, Will played on the biggest stage. You lose a game like they did against Michigan, and for those guys to come back and win the National Championship, it says a lot about them."
• "I just looked back at his resume, the way he's wired. There's so much attention on the draft. Obviously, it's such a premium position. These guys get picked apart, more than anybody in pro sports. But really looking at Will and his maturity level, what he accomplished this year – going from Kansas State and then stepping into that role at Ohio State and winning the National Championship. Those are things you see him do on the actual tape. It takes away some of the guesswork about his mental toughness. We have got to make sure we have the right setup for him and give him every opportunity to succeed."
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DAVID LEWELLEN FROM GLENDALE, WI: In the July 15 Asked and Answered, you said that Dale Dodrill played middle guard for the Steelers in the 1950s. That's not a term we use anymore. Can you explain more or less what the modern equivalent is?
ANSWER: The middle guard back in the 1950s was somewhat similar to today's nose tackle, with the one major difference being the size of the player. Dale Dodrill played at around 215-220 pounds, and that obviously would be too light for the middle of the line of scrimmage in today's NFL. But Dodrill held his own there until the final three seasons of his NFL career, and then the Steelers moved him into more of a middle linebacker position.
ABBIE CUNHA FROM OCALA, FL: Have the Steelers improved their offense, because during the draft I heard a lot of defensive players being selected. Just curious about our offense because they're going to need to protect Aaron Rodgers.
ANSWER: The Steelers did use a couple of premium picks in the 2025 NFL Draft to bolster their defensive line, but they also added RB Kaleb Johnson in the third round (83rd overall), and let's not forget the addition of free agents DK Metcalf and Jonnu Smith. All 3 of those players should have a positive impact on the Steelers offense.
DENNIS SLEEGER FROM YORK, PA: Do you ever see the NFL enacting a salary cap by position? I just see salaries rising, and it's getting harder to keep good players because someone else is willing to pay them more.
ANSWER: I don't really see how a separate salary cap by position would have any more of an impact in controlling costs than an overall team salary cap. As long as every team is subject to the same salary cap, how each team decides to allocate that money should be its own decision. And as long as the salary cap continues to rise, players' salaries are going to continue to rise, and I would suggest that fans get used to the cost of business going up.
RYAN PARKER FROM TRUSSVILLE, AL: With 10 Hall of Fame players on the team, why do you think the 1980 and 1981 Steelers struggled? I know they allowed considerably more points than we were used to from the Steel Curtain, but what were some of the contributing factors for their decline?
ANSWER: This seems like another of those times when I must remind someone that professional football is played by real-life, flesh-and-blood human beings. It's not a video game. All of those 10 Hall of Fame players – Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Mel Blount, Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, Mike Webster, and Donnie Shell – either were close to 30 years old or into their 30s. They had played a lot of regular season football, and a lot of postseason football on top of that. During the decade of the 1970s, the Steelers played in 56 PRESEASON games, and in those days starters didn't play a series or two and then sit on the sidelines. The Steelers played their home games on a hard artificial surface. Their bodies were beat up. They had to deal with injuries. In a word, the 1970s Steelers got old by the time the 1980s arrived. Yes, they had kicked a lot of butt, but by the end of the decade they also were beaten up. The 1970s Steelers undoubtedly were a dynasty, but Father Time is undefeated.
STEFAN PISOCKI FROM WILMINGTON, DE: Bill Belichick was OK with a sixth-round pick (Tom Brady) to back-up Drew Blesoe. Andy Reid had enough confidence in his first-round draft pick, Patrick Mahomes, to trade away Alex Smith. Closer to home, Bill Cowher was good with his rookie, Ben Roethlisberger, taking over for an injured Tommy Maddox. With all the current hype about Will Howard, do the Steelers have adequate evaluators in place to decide whether or not he may be the future of the QB position?
ANSWER: Ben Roethlisberger and Patrick Mahomes were No. 1 picks. Tom Brady was a once-in-a-lifetime lucky pick, and I do mean lucky because if the Patriots had any idea of what Tom Brady could become they never would have waited until the sixth round to pull the trigger on him. Are you actually asking me to compare Will Howard to those three players? Do you believe those three players became multiple Super Bowl winners solely as a result of "development?" Bill Belichick, Andy Reid, and Bill Cowher came to trust those three QBs because of what they showed them on the field. Those three coaches would be the first to admit that they didn't "make" those great QBs.
BRENT BRANCHAUD FROM CORONA, CA: When a player who's under contract holds out into the season, he forfeits his game checks until he returns. If he is to be paid $2 million per game, I would assume that money stays with the team. My question is, does that give relief to the salary cap during the year it is happening or the next year, or no relief because the owners simply didn't spend that money?
ANSWER: During a season, money that a player under contract is not paid either as a result of a holdout or a league suspension is not counted on the team's salary cap for that season.
DOC UMLAUF FROM WELLINGTON, OH: I believe Jack Ham is the greatest OLB of all time, yes, even better than Lawrence Taylor. Jack Ham has a strong case as the greatest outside linebacker of all time due to his unmatched versatility, exceptional stats (32 interceptions, 53 takeaways), eight Pro Bowls, six first-team All-Pro selections, and four Super Bowl rings. His ability to dominate in coverage, run defense, and clutch moments, combined with his role in one of the NFL's greatest dynasties, sets him apart. Lawrence Taylor's revolutionary pass-rushing and individual accolades make him the primary challenger, but Ham's all-around excellence and championship pedigree give him a slight edge in a holistic evaluation. Am I wrong?
ANSWER: In situations such as this, there is no right or wrong, there are only opinions. I respect your opinion, but the opinion that Lawrence Taylor was the best OLB is also a valid one. Both of those players, in their individual ways, changed the way outside linebacker was played in the NFL. Taylor did it with a disruptive and destructive pass rush, and Ham did it with his coverage ability and takeaway skills. When the Pro Football Hall of Fame selected its 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, the 2 outside linebackers selected were Lawrence Taylor and Jack Ham.
WILLIAM PALAICH FROM CLERMONT, FL: I read recently that Chase Claypool is trying to come back to the NFL. Do you know if there's any interest in him by the Steelers or vice versa?
ANSWER: The Steelers were 2-6 when they traded Chase Claypool on Nov. 1, 2022, and then they went 7-2 after the trade. Based on the Steelers' experience with him and without him that season, I would be surprised if there was a reunion.
SHANNON GYDOSH FROM STROUDSBURG, PA: I hope this doesn't come across as unfeeling, so I'll preface it by saying I'm gonna miss hearing Craig Wolfley do the games on the radio, and the In The Locker Room talk show, and that nobody could ever replace him. But I was wondering if the Steelers had decided on who would be taking over the reins on game day, and if In The Locker Room would still be produced?
ANSWER: There has been no official announcement, but I would expect there to be something about that around the start of training camp.
