The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
JENNY SEXTON FROM GREAT FALLS, MT: I've been a Steelers fan since 1974. Since Terry Bradshaw retired after the 1983 season, I've been wondering why he never went on to be a quarterbacks coach.
ANSWER: I certainly am not going to claim I know Terry Bradshaw personally, but from what I have learned about his career with the Steelers is that he never was someone who ever gave any indication that his life's work – as Chuck Noll always referred to life after football – was going to be in coaching at any level. Based on where he is now as a tenured part of the FOX NFL Sunday show, Bradshaw made the right choice for him.
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THOMAS CAMPBELL FROM PORTSMOUTH, VA: With the number of times T.J. Watt gets chipped with at least one other blocker, it seems his ability to occupy more than one blocker opens up other defensive players to make plays. I heard a lot about his "decline" last year, but I think the critics discount the team contribution. How would you rate his contribution last season?
ANSWER: With the wholesale changes that have happened during this offseason so far – new head coach, new defensive coordinator, new system, a new way of doing things – I don't believe last year matters at all. The Steelers are going to need a lot this season from T.J. Watt and all of the other guys who are their "A-players," because there comes a time in every season where a team is going to need its "A-players" to make "A-contributions." And that isn't limited to on-field performance. Practice habits, professionalism, putting the team first. All of those things matter, and I believe Watt is going to be an "A-player" for the Steelers in 2026 in every sense of the term.
RON PROLEIKA FROM CHARLOTTE, NC: Your exchange with Chris Lippart in the May 14 Asked and Answered made me laugh out loud. As an avid fan, I've got plenty of opinions too, but I unequivocally trust the Steelers brass. It took me back to a time when the Steelers only had four Lombardi Trophies, and fans were on MySpace posting things like: "We needed OT Shawn Andrews, not some small-school QB getting crushed every Sunday. What a disaster. This season is already over." Funny how that worked out, isn't it?
ANSWER: I remember the day after that Steelers loss to the Ravens in September 2004 that forced Coach Bill Cowher to turn to the rookie QB from Miami (Ohio) who had been the 11th overall pick in the draft because starter Tommy Maddox had been injured. Alan Faneca was made available in the media room inside the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex that Monday, and he was asked if he was excited to see what Ben Roethlisberger was going to do in his first NFL start the following week in Miami against the Dolphins.
"Exciting?" Faneca said. "No, it's not exciting. Do you want to go work with some little young kid who's just out of college? Everybody's got to do a little more. Everybody's got to help out, got to do a little more, do a little extra, take that extra step, put the extra work in this week and rally around him and help out. It's a learning process for him. He's a No. 1 pick, he's fresh out of college and that's the big thing. He's throwing in a new offense. He's not in that Miami (Ohio) offense that he was in for three years, four years. He has to learn that, too, so there's a lot to soak in. It's like every play you get better, you see things, you start to realize things, how a play works, how defenses react to it. It's just a process."
STEVEN MAGEE FROM DUNCANNON, PA: Because Will Howard suffered a broken finger right before the preseason, he didn't have any opportunity to get in-game reps. When Tommy Maddox went down with an injury during the 2004 season, the next-man-up was Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers never looked back. How much impact can preseason game reps have? Was Ben just that exceptional?
ANSWER: What helped Roethlisberger's development as a rookie was a knee injury to Charlie Batch early in training camp in the summer of 2004 that took him out of the picture. With Batch gone, Roethlisberger became No. 2 and Brian St. Pierre was No. 3 for a hunk of training camp. As a result, Roethlisberger got a lot more reps throughout camp and the preseason, and then when Maddox was injured he had established himself as the clear No. 2 guy. I believe if Batch had not been injured as he had, then it would've been Batch as the starter after Maddox was injured.
WILL POLK FROM WILMINGTON, NC: Wanted to add to your response in the May 14 edition to a question about Chris Boswell highlights. In that stellar game against the Falcons in 2024, correct me if I'm wrong but he also punted at least once in place of our injured punter. Was this the only time Boswell has punted in relief for the Steelers?
ANSWER: Yes, Chris Boswell's only punt of his 12-year NFL career came in that opener against Atlanta in 2024. The Steelers were holding onto a 15-10 lead with 3:29 left in the fourth quarter, and Cam Johnston was unavailable with a serious knee injury. On fourth-and-10 from the 17-yard line, Boswell's punt traveled 43 yards to the Atlanta 40-yard line. Two plays later, a Kirk Cousins pass intended for Ray-Ray McCloud was intercepted by Donte Jackson and returned 49 yards to the Falcons 18-yard line. With 31 seconds left in the game, Boswell kicked his sixth field goal to ice the Steelers 18-10 victory.
TRAVIS MCBRIDE FROM INDEPENDENCE, IA: With the news of the team traveling to Paris this coming season, it brought a deep dive research question to mind. Historically, what is the team's overall record when playing abroad? Future casting this topic, what is Mike McCarthy's head coaching record abroad?
ANSWER: There wasn't a lot of deep diving necessary. The Steelers are 1-1 in International Games, with a loss to Minnesota in London in 2013 and a victory over Minnesota in Dublin in 2025. Mike McCarthy's record in International Games is 0-0, because he was still in Green Bay when the Cowboys played overseas, and he was already in Dallas when the Packers played overseas.
BENSON MILDENHALL FROM KENNESAW, GA: Now that Aaron Rodgers has signed, will some offensive linemen or WRs be signed? I feel like the Steelers need more options and protection for him.
ANSWER: There is no such thing as a bottomless pool of players available to be signed at all times throughout the NFL year. By now, with all teams at 90 players – or very close to that number – I don't know that there are a lot of offensive linemen or WRs to be signed who are better than the players already occupying the Steelers depth chart at those positions.
NICKI OSBORN FROM GRAND RAPIDS, MI: I gladly admit that I'm a bit of a Mason Rudolph fangirl. He seems to have accepted his role as a backup QB over the years and always seems game ready. I love watching preseason games to see him play. It is a bit annoying to see all of the hype about Will and Drew and Aaron. Do you think my fellow Steelers fans will appreciate what we have in him?
ANSWER: I remember it wasn't so long ago that Mason Rudolph was a fan-favorite after coming in for an injured Kenny Pickett and quarterbacking the Steelers to 3 wins in the final 4 games of the 2023 season to help the team qualify for the playoffs. Now, many of the same fans seem to be anxious to hand his job to Will Howard or Drew Allar. As former Houston Oilers Coach Jerry Glanville once said, "This is the N-F-L. That stands for Not-for-long …"
JOHN MARTIN FROM ARENDTSVILLE, PA: Now that OTAs have started, any update on Darnell Washington's injury (broken arm) status?
ANSWER: There is no requirement to provide injury updates until the Steelers report to training camp and a decision has to be made about whether players begin on the physically unable to perform list or on the active roster. And remember that there is a difference between an announcement and idle speculation.
DENNIS NEVINSKY FROM ERIE, PA: It appears that with Aaron Rogers signing, the Steelers are over the cap. Will the Steelers be able to do anything to get far enough under the cap to sign any players with expiring contracts?
ANSWER: According to spotrac.com on May 20, its "real-time look at salary cap totals" per team lists the Steelers as having $10.61 million in cap space. And I'm sure General Manager Omar Khan has a way to create more space if and when it's needed.
JAIDEN TRAVILLION FROM McKEESPORT, PA: Did Mike McCarthy grow up a Steelers fan because he's from Pittsburgh?
ANSWER: At his introductory news conference on Jan. 27, Mike McCarthy said that he and his family "can finally openly wear our Steelers swag."
