The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
AMOS MEYERS FROM ORO VALLEY AZ: It seems as though the Steelers are currently trying to assemble a championship team, Whereas the first four Super Bowl championship teams were basically built as "homegrown." Even if this team does well in the postseason, where does that leave us in a year or two with developing players for the future?
ANSWER: The 1979 Steelers who capped the decade with a win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV were the first and still the only championship team of the Super Bowl era to have a roster completely made of up of players who never had played for another team. But that era of homegrown existed only because there was no free agency, no salary cap, and as a result very little player movement outside of trades and even those were rare. The 2025 Steelers are operating in a very different climate, a time where "one-helmet guys" are the rarity. But the Steelers also have been very careful about protecting their future high draft choices in assembling rosters this year and even in previous years. The acquisition of Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2019 for a No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft was the first time the Steelers had traded away a future No. 1 since 1968, 6 Lombardi Trophies ago. And in my opinion, this aversion to trading away any picks in the early rounds of future drafts is why they didn't close any deals at the trading deadline. I don't see anything inherently wrong in assembling a roster that's a mix of veteran acquisitions, previously drafted veterans, and then drafted rookies and free agents. That's not mortgaging the future. That's operating within the NFL rules in this era.
- Download and listen to the Asked & Answered Podcast here: Apple Podcast | Spotify
DANA FISHER FROM ROCKPORT, ME: How much longer does Will Howard have in the 21-day practice window in terms of coming off IR? And what is the inclination as to what they will do with him if he does?
ANSWER: Will Howard had his 21-day window started on Oct. 21, and so that would expire on Nov. 11. The only inclination I can offer you as to whether Howard is added to the 53-man roster is what Coach Mike Tomlin said about that on the Friday after Howard first returned to practice:
"More than anything I want to see what he has learned while he's been out. Some people are capable of learning through watching others; some people have to absorb the physical reps themselves. As a new guy, I'm interested in how he learns. Was he able to be productive during the time he was out? Was he able to learn by watching Aaron and Mason and others? And if he has been able to do that, then that aids in his return to us. If he's a guy who needs physical reps and effort to perform, then that doesn't help him, because to be quite honest with you, there are not a lot of physical reps during the course of this journey for a No. 3 quarterback type, because it's just the reality of our business. We spend a lot of our time getting Aaron ready to play, first and foremost, and then who is potentially backing him up. So his ability to learn from watching others is what I'm looking at. That's what's being tested. If he checks those boxes, that'll be a major component of the decision."
JD AKERS FROM NIXA, MO: Now that the trade deadline is gone, can you explain how players can be added to the roster? Only free agents? Only in case of injury? Were you surprised a QB-needy team did not trade for Mason Rudolph?
ANSWER: Now that the trading deadline has passed, teams looking to acquire players can sign any free agents, or players off other teams' practice squads, just as the Steelers did on Nov. 8 when they signed DT Brodric Martin-Rhodes to the active roster off the Kansas City practice squad. As for your other question, since there were no starting QB jobs available at the trading deadline – injured starters don't count – any trade for a quarterback would be for a backup spot, and teams don't really want to give up much to acquire a backup, and if a team has a backup it trusts it's not going to want to give him up. It's not like a video game or a fantasy league.
THOMAS WHITE FROM GARDENDALE, AL: If Jalen Ramsey and Kyle Dugger are playing safety due to the injury to DeShon Elliott, what has become of Juan Thornhill? I'm guessing that Thornhill is now playing slot corner where Ramsey was.
ANSWER: In the game vs. the Colts, which was the first pairing of Jalen Ramsey and Kyle Dugger as the starting safeties, Juan Thornill played no defensive snaps and 3 snaps on special teams.
ALAN WARNER FROM EAST SPRINGFIELD, PA: What in your opinion is the larger contributor to a team's success: excellent coaching and game plan, or excellent performance of the players?
ANSWER: To have a chance to be a great team, coaching/strategy has to be working hand-in-hand with excellent player performance. And when both of things are working hand-in-hand, the players still are more important. A game plan or strategy or play-call only is even considered to be "great" if it works, and it only works if the players have the ability to make it work. Game plans and play-calls are basically nothing more than a suggestion, an idea, a theory.
ROBERT HUTZENBILER FROM WILTON, ND: I don't know the layout of the stadium but the players walk out the tunnel at the beginning of the game but go down some stairs behind the sidelines at halftime. I was just wondering if you could explain the layout of Acrisure Stadium and why they enter and exit in different areas?
ANSWER: The Steelers come out of the tunnel for pregame introductions, which is part of the gameday entertainment experience. Running out of the tunnel with the accompanying lights and smoke lends itself visually to the build-up to the game. But in the NFL halftimes are only 12 minutes. And they start that 12-minute clock quickly after the on-field referee signals the end of the first half. With time of the essence there, the quickest way to the Steelers locker room is in through that doorway and then down hallway a short distance. Saves time.
JOE ASHER FROM TAMPA, FL: T.J. Watt's strip-sack and fumble recovery seemed to be a turning point in the game. It certainly got our home crowd going. When I'm lucky enough to see games live, one thing I always love the stadium does to get the crowd going is the playing of the Styx classic, "Renegade." I know this tradition always happens when the Steelers are on defense, and always in the second half, and it always gets the crowd going. Do you have any statistics on how many times the Steelers defense produced a fumble on the series following the playing of Renegade?
ANSWER: As I wrote above, there are things that happen at Acrisure Stadium during games that happen when they do is because it's part of the entertainment experience. Part of the purpose of the presentation is to engage the crowd, but it's just entertainment. It's not part of the on-the-field outcome. That's for the players to determine, and when the Steelers win that sends the crowd home with fond memories of their entire game day experience. That's the goal.
ERNIE VINCENT FROM KENDALLVILLE, IN: Would you explain why we kicked the ball out of bounds on purpose on a kickoff in the fourth quarter?
ANSWER: In that situation, which came with 14 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Steelers had just scored a touchdown. On the touchdown, the Colts were penalized for unnecessary roughness, a 15-yard penalty that could have moved the PAT to the 1-yard line or be added to the kickoff. Coach Mike Tomlin decided to take the penalty on the kickoff, which made it 27-7 (a 3-score game) and so Chris Boswell kicked off from the 50-yard line. According to the newest version of the dynamic kickoff, a kickoff that is a touchback in the receiving team's end zone is placed at the 35-yard line. A kickoff that is illegally out of bounds is awarded to the receiving team 25 yards from where it was kicked. That meant if Boswell kicked the ball into the end zone, the Colts get it on their 35-yard line. If he kicks it illegally out of bounds, the Colts get it 25 yards from where he kicked off (the 50-yard line), which gave the Colts the ball on their 25-yard line. An additional 10 yards in field position for the defense.
