The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
KEN MAULDIN FROM CLYDE, TX: I know Bill Cowher's history before the Steelers. I know Mike Tomlin's history before the Steelers. I know nothing about Chuck Noll's history before the Steelers, until I heard during the latest coaching search about a Don Shula connection that involved Don recommending him to the Steelers? is this something you have a backstory on, and can you include Noll's experience before the Steelers?
ANSWER: Chuck Noll was a guard for the Cleveland Browns from 1953-59 where he played under Coach Paul Brown and was a part of 2 teams that won NFL Championships. In 1960, Noll got his first coaching job, which was as a defensive line coach for the AFL's Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers, and then 2 years later he was promoted by Chargers Coach Sid Gillman to be the defensive coordinator/defensive backfield coach until 1965. While working for Gillman, Noll got an up-close look at one of pro football's great offensive innovators. Gillman is the man credited with introducing the vertical passing game to professional football, and among his ground-breaking schemes were spread formations, vertical passing routes, and using the tight end as a primary receiver instead of just as a blocker. In 1966, Noll left the AFL and broke into the NFL as an assistant when he was hired by Baltimore Colts Coach Don Shula, where he served as the team's defensive coordinator/defensive backfield coach. Noll's last game with the Colts was the loss to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III on Jan. 12, 1969, and Dan Rooney remembered interviewing him for the Steelers job shortly after that game and how Noll never allowed that historic disappointment to affect him during the interview. Both Dan Rooney and Art Rooney Sr. talked to Shula about Noll, and they ended up hiring him on Jan. 27, 1969.
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GLEN WHITTEN FROM AGUADILLA, PUERTO RICO: On Tuesday, March 10, the day before the start of the new league year, it was announced on Steelers.com that the team signed Cameron Johnston to a one-year contract. How were the Steelers able to sign and announce this contract before the new year? Most "announcements" include a disclaimer that the contract won't be signed until after 4 p.m. on March 11.
ANSWER: The reason is that Cameron Johnston was not an unrestricted free agent. His last NFL team – the New York Giants – had released him on Dec. 22, 2025, which made him a street free agent and able to sign with any team at any time.
DAN PACELLA FROM GLENDALE, AZ: While Will Howard was injured last year, was he able to be at practices or be in meetings or do anything with the team?
ANSWER: Players on the injured reserve list, which Will Howard was for 10 weeks of the regular season, are allowed to attend meetings and be around the team. But you should realize that "being around the team" was under the former coach and the former offensive coordinator/play-caller, so there will be a negligible carryover for Howard going into the 2026 season.
LIAM TROUTMAN FROM DORNSIFE, PA: With hopefully drafting a good wide receiver in the first round and the Michael Pittman trade, what will happen to DK Metcalf?
ANSWER: He will be a starting WR for the Steelers.
NICK MOSES FROM SIMI VALLEY, CA: I like the Rico Dowdle signing quite a bit, but I really hated to see Kenneth Gainwell leave. Do you think Dowdle becomes the primary back with Jaylen Warren playing the kind of role we had Gainwell in last year?
ANSWER: It's March 12, and you expect me to guess how the Steelers are going to distribute carries among their running backs in a regular season that's still 6 months away? C'mon.
KEITH A. WIMER FROM BOARDMAN, OH: All things being equal and barring any serious injuries, do we believe that the backfield in the 2026 season will see playing time and touches split between Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, with the occasional cameo by Kaleb Johnson?
ANSWER: Beyond the fact that the regular season is 6 months away, I don't think it's possible to look at anything as "all things being equal" because this season there is a new head coach, a new coaching staff, and a new offensive system. I'm looking forward to seeing how that competition develops and unfolds, and I cannot understand why fans are not intrigued by that and instead want answers now.
EMMET LOWRY FROM DOWNINGTOWN, PA: An offseason question: What jersey numbers from the 1970s dynasty teams have not been given out since? For example, No. 12 (Terry Bradshaw) is one that has not been re-circulated, and No. 23 (Mike Wagner) has been used.
ANSWER: I'm not going to list all of the 1970s players whose jerseys are back in circulation, but here are the ones from that decade that are not: No. 75 (Joe Greene) and No. 32 (Franco Harris) have been retired. You already mentioned No. 12. The other two are No. 52 (Mike Webster) and No. 58 (Jack Lambert). No. 59 (Jack Ham) was worn by one player for one season (Todd Seabaugh in 1984) and hasn't been worn since.
SHAWN BITTNER FROM JACKSONVILLE, NC: Reading a lot of the free agency churn where every single unrestricted free agent should "be targeted by the Steelers front office," and most mention current Steelers players who have big contracts restructuring their contracts to add cap space for all these predictions. Is it really as simple as that? I assume the player has a say in restructure terms?
ANSWER: The most common way to restructure an existing contract to create cap space is to convert salary into a signing bonus or a roster bonus and then spread that number over the remaining years of the contract. In those instances, the player still receives all of the money he was going to get originally but he gets it in a lump sum in advance. It's actually a better deal for the player to have his contract restructured in that manner.
ALLIE MARSHAL FROM STATE COLLEGE, PA: As a Penn State fan and a Steelers fan, I am a supporter of the idea of QB Drew Allar going to the Steelers. Do you think that there is any chance of us drafting him? Have rookies ever had great success and made something like the Super Bowl?
ANSWER: I see Drew Allar and Will Howard as the same, and by that I mean they're both young developmental type prospects who have been judged so far by NFL scouts as lacking elite raw tools and/or being deficient in some of the subtle qualities required of the position at the NFL level. In my opinion, you only keep one of those kinds of players on the 53-man roster. I would keep 3 QBs on the 53-man roster, with one being the starter, one being a veteran, experienced backup, and the third being the young, developmental prospect. If you are a Steelers fan, you are aware of the 2004 season when rookie Ben Roethlisberger replaced the injured Tommy Maddox and posted a 13-0 regular season record as a starter along the way to the team finishing 15-1. No rookie quarterback ever has won a Super Bowl or even played in a Super Bowl.
KC COOK FROM DALLAS, TX: Here is another QB question I have not seen you answer yet. Is there any chance the Steelers go after Kyler Murray? A proven starter at the league minimum would seem like a no-brainer.
ANSWER: In the above answer, I explained how I see Will Howard and Drew Allar being the same and therefore redundant. I also see Kyler Murray and Aaron Rodgers being the same but in a different way. Rodgers and Murray are starting quarterbacks, both see themselves as starting quarterbacks, and so having them both on the 53-man roster is redundant. I cannot imagine either of them having any interest in being teammates in 2026, regardless of how much of a bargain they might be.
