The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
SEAN DELANEY FROM GARDNER, KS: I love Thursday Night Football, but the short week poses an increased injury risk and a drop in the quality of the game. It seems absurd to give the Steelers two weeks off, then make them play twice in five days. Why doesn't the NFL synchronize Thursday night games with bye weeks? Teams coming off the bye week play on Thursday, with perhaps another game on Friday. The NFL gets more primetime games, the players can rest properly between games, coaches can adequately prepare their teams, and viewers get another game on national TV. What am I missing?
ANSWER: Thursday Night Football "started" as an 8-game package in 2006, and it stayed that way through the 2011 season. Then starting in 2012 it expanded to 13 weeks and was broadcast on NFL Network. Starting in 2016, the package expanded to include both CBS and NBC, with NFL Network simulcasting the games produced by those networks. Clearly, the broadcast revenue for these games continued to increase, and then when the league announced its new media deal in 2023 that runs through 2033, the package included nearly $1 billion annually from Amazon Prime for the Thursday Night Football. In 2025, the Thursday Night Football schedule has Miami, Buffalo, Seattle, the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia, and Denver all appearing twice, and so your bye week tie-in idea could not work with teams playing twice. Also, there are limitations on when in the calendar the NFL is allowed to schedule games on Friday nights, and that has something to do with protecting that day of the week for high school football attendance. I'm not discounting the hardships that playing on Thursday nights has in terms of player safety and quality of the game, but to me it seems as though the genie ($$$$$$) is out of the bottle and there won't be any going back. As Aaron Rodgers said on Tuesday about Thursday Night Football, "I think we all just kind of suck it up, and no excuses, and go out there and know there's a reward at the end of this, which is a few days off. Everybody's got at least one of these, so we just suck it up and go on the road and take care of business and then get a little break."
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LARRY LASH FROM TARENTUM, PA: I heard Malik Harrison has returned to practice. That's another solid veteran player who could possibly play this year. My question is whether he's an OLB/edge, or if he's an ILB?
ANSWER: Malik Harrison is an ILB, and I also imagine once he is added to the 53-man roster he also will be utilized a good bit on special teams.
CRAIG DUMNICH FROM AVONDALE, PA: I've been watching football for a long time and maybe I just haven't noticed, but over the last few years I've seen a large increase in penalties for illegal formation. To be truthful, I really don't completely understand the penalty, and I was hoping for some clarification. Maybe more importantly is what's the advantage/disadvantage of being in an illegal formation anyways?
ANSWER: I'm no expert either, but my sense is that offensive coordinators use formations to try to create either mismatches or confusion in the secondary, and the penalties result from the offensive players not lining up correctly in terms of who needs to be on the line of scrimmage. Also, and this is more rare I believe, illegal formation can be called on offensive tackles who line up a little too far off the line of scrimmage in an effort to get a jump on pass protection vs. a flame-throwing rusher.
JOHN HOLDER FROM BATAVIA, NY: A number of fans must see Will Howard as the next Tom Brady, a draft sleeper hero. Did he play in any preseason games and how did he do?
ANSWER: Will Howard injured his throwing hand at training camp before the preseason opener against Jacksonville on Aug. 9, and he has not practiced since. Howard currently is on the injured reserve list, and those players are not permitted to practice.
DOUG PARR FROM GRAYSKAKE, IL: Is it too late to say I am feeling a lot better about that ugly win over New England, or too early?
ANSWER: I'll leave that up to you to decide, but I believe the 4-2 Patriots – currently atop the AFC East after a win in Buffalo – are a lot better than people assumed. I also see the Steelers' loss to Seattle as not being as awful as it has been described, because today the Seahawks also are 4-2, including a 3-0 record on the road.
JON HOFMANN FROM GRIDLEY, IL: I often hear that Darnell Washington is much heavier than his listed 264 pounds, and I'm guessing he's not the only player whose actual weight is significantly different than his listed weight. Is this a strategy used by the coaching staff or is it more that updating the weights for players is not a big concern?
ANSWER: Maybe it's a little bit of both of the things you list, but I guarantee you there isn't a team in the NFL that believes Darnell Washington is 264 pounds.
BRENT CORLEY FROM LOUISVILLE, KY: In your personal opinion, is there a certain wide receiver you would like to see Pittsburgh trade for before the trade deadline on Nov. 4, or sign as a free agent?
ANSWER: Whenever my wife and I are discussing additions to our home furnishings or improvements to our yard or whatever, a big part of the discussion/decision is price. In my view, that's just as much of a consideration when it comes to the Steelers at the trading deadline. Let's not forget, the Steelers already committed $132 million in a contract extension after acquiring DK Metcalf in a trade that also cost them their No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. I believe General Manager Omar Khan will be exploring some options as the trade deadline approaches, but I don't expect any moves made that would fall into the blockbuster category, either from a salary commitment or a draft capital expenditure.
DENNIS THOMPSON FROM RED HOUSE, WV: Why is "illegal hands to the face" not called when someone on the offense stiff-arms a defender in the face?
ANSWER: In that situation, an illegal hands to the face penalty is usually only called if the offensive player grabs and twists the defender's facemask.
DAVE KITLAK FROM UHRICHSVILLE, OH: What is the Steelers all-time record vs. Joe Flacco as a starter?
ANSWER: In games Joe Flacco started, the Steelers are 11-11 in the regular season, and 2-1 in the playoffs. Remember, those numbers would not include Flacco leading the Colts to a 27-24 victory over the Steelers on Sept. 29, 2024, because Anthony Richardson was the starting quarterback in that game.
JEREMY FLYNN FROM HOMER CITY, PA: Isn't Darnell Washington in his third year? You recently stated he is in the second year of his rookie contract.
ANSWER: You are correct. That was my mistake. Apologies.
MICHAEL TORSIELLO FROM SUMMIT, NJ: Any insight into why Pat Freiermuth has fallen down the depth chart – besides the emergence of Darnell Washington? He seemed like the future tight end for years to come, and now I'm not sure of his future with the team.
ANSWER: I perceive any talk of trading Pat Freiermuth in the same category as talk of trading Alex Highsmith — it's just noise that's not coming from inside the Steelers organization. As for the number of targets for Freiermuth lately, I offer this question from Monday's Mike Tomlin news conference, and his answer:
Q. [Pat] Freiermuth. He's not getting a lot of targets right now because of the way the scheme is and the games are unfolding, but he's also not out there complaining about it. He told me yesterday, "Look, my time is going to come." Do you find that mindset, which hasn't necessarily been the way it's been here for a while, is maybe pervasive throughout the offensive unit as a whole, and how much of it is Aaron's [Rodgers] influence in that?
A. I think that is very reflective of the environment here. He's a good teammate. We're winning games. We're gaining cohesion. He's certainly capable. He knows his time is going to come to ante up and kick in. He'd better be ready. I'm sure he will be. That's just how we go about our business.
CHRIS WELBURN FROM GLASTONBURY, CT: From all I hear and think that I understand, we can use the extra draft picks we hold to obtain a "missing piece" this year, or use them as leverage to go get a top QB in next year's draft. Do you expect something different?
ANSWER: I do not. And if I had to choose which of your scenarios it will end up being, my guess would be Door No. 2.
JACK G. FOSTER FROM ROUNDUP, MT: I have recently been watching old clips of the best plays in Steelers history. Antonio Brown is in several of those clips. He was a great receiver, until what I believe was too many concussions affected him. My question is, what is your opinion of him being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, or the Steelers Hall of Honor?
ANSWER: There currently is a backlog of receivers eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and with the emphasis on passing and the explosion of statistics as a result of that emphasis, I believe it's going to be difficult for all of the players with impressive statistics to get elected. As for the Steelers Hall of Honor, as a member of the selection committee I see it as inappropriate for me to comment on anyone's chances of being inducted into the HOH.
