The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
RYAN HOPPER FROM SEATTLE, WA: Do you know if the Steelers are planning to wear their regular throwbacks and color rush uniforms this season?
ANSWER: The Steelers' 2025 throwback uniform will feature a jersey that's an homage to one worn in the franchise's inaugural NFL season of 1933, along with beige pants and a gold matte helmet. Also in 2025, the Steelers are scheduled to wear their color rush uniforms for the Dec. 15 Monday night game vs. Miami at Acrisure Stadium. There is no such thing as "regular throwbacks," because they change every few years.
MIKE BARNA FROM YULEE, FL: I can understand both points of view when it comes to whether or not teams play their probable starters during preseason, but my view is that why not give them at least a little time on the field to jell/mesh as a unit in a "game time" atmosphere? They are just as likely to get a season ending injury during regular practice as they are during a preseason game.
ANSWER: I also can understand both sides to the discussion about whether to play starters during the preseason, or how much to play starters during the preseason, but I have to disagree with your last sentence: "They are just as likely to get a season ending injury during regular practice as they are during a preseason game." There is absolutely no hitting of the quarterback in any Steelers practice, and even during training camp the whistle will blow if players even get too close to the passer during 11-on-11 sessions. And once the Steelers leave Saint Vincent College, there is no tackling during practice either. Just imagine if Aaron Rodgers had sustained some minor, nagging-type injury in a preseason game as a consequence of getting "a little time on the field."
JAY DRAGERT FROM WEST DES MOINES, IA: I saw during the Iowa State-Kansas State game in Dublin last week that ISU brought 2,500 pounds of snacks and 1,800 pounds of Gatorade with them. Is there a favorite "American" food that the Steelers will be bringing? Do the players get to make special requests of the food services team to make sure they have that while in Ireland? And do the players get their own hotel rooms or do they have to double up?
ANSWER: With all due respect to the football program at Iowa State, there is a huge difference between a college setup for an international game an international game that is staged by the NFL. Growing the game globally is a major initiative of the NFL, and so there will be no skimping on hydration or nutrition or comfort for the players on the teams taking part.
MATT WIBORG FROM WADSWORTH, OH: You mentioned that teams have to go in order to claim waived players. How would a team like the Eagles know if the other 31 teams passed on a certain player? It's got to be hard to track all those players from all those teams in the 24-hour window. With that being said, does the 24-hour window really mean anything? If team A wanted a waived player, but that player signed on a practice squad of team B, team A can still swoop in and offer a roster spot or more money to be on their practice squad, right?
ANSWER: I can see that I did a poor job of explaining the waiver process in a previous installment of Asked and Answered, so allow me to take another crack at it and hopefully clear up some of the confusion. And allow me to use your name for the purposes of this example. If Matt Wiborg is put on waivers, all 32 NFL teams have 24 hours from the time Matt was waived to file a claim on him. There is no order to filing a claim; there is only the 24-hour time limit. Once the 24 hours expires, the NFL office checks for any and all claims made on Matt Wiborg. If there is only one claim, that team is awarded the rights to Wiborg; if there is more than one claim, then the team among those making claims with the worst record is awarded the rights to Wiborg. Once a player is placed on waivers, there is no way any team can sign him to its practice squad until the 24-hour waiver period expires. Once a player clears waivers and signs a practice squad contract with one team, another team cannot swoop in and offer him more money to be in its practice squad. Once a player has a signed practice squad contract with one team, if another team is interested in him it would have to add him to its 53-man roster for at least three games. A player cannot go from one practice squad to another practice squad without being cut from the first practice squad.
PERCEVAL SONDAG FROM FLEMINGTON, NJ: If a player is on the waiver wire for 24 hours, is there a time limit for the first team to make a decision before the second team can pick him up and so on?
ANSWER: Please see the answer above.
JIM GLUNT FROM EDGEWOOD, NM: Will Howard was put on IR with a broken finger. Presumably at some point during the season, he'll be ready to come back. When that happens, are there any projections yet as to what will happen with the QB room?
ANSWER: I think you're making a mistake in treating this hypothetical situation in a way suggesting Will Howard is the starting quarterback, or at the very least a quarterback the team is counting on to play regular season snaps in 2025.
ROBERT DeLEO FROM CHRISTIANA, TN: With Will Howard being on the injured reserve list do you think he'll be there for the rest of the season, or will they look at trade value for one of the other quarterbacks we have to clear a spot for him?
ANSWER: I believe you're making the same mistake as the author of the previous submission. Will Howard came to the Steelers as a 6th-round pick (185th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft. He now is on the injured reserve list after not being able to play a snap during the preseason because of a broken bone in his right hand, and because he is on IR he is not able to practice with the team until designated-to-return. It's inconceivable to me that the Steelers would consider trading either Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolph during this regular season to open up a spot on the 53-man roster for a rookie who hasn't been able to participate in anything beyond OTAs and a couple of weeks' worth of training camp practices. Skylar Thompson performed well enough during the camp/preseason process to earn the No. 3 spot on the depth chart, and now the regular season is on the horizon. I don't know what's going to happen come the time when a decision needs to be made on Will Howard this season, of even if a decision on Howard needs to be made this season. As for right now, the Steelers have more urgent matters at hand.
ROY TRACEY FROM LONGVIEW, TX: Before my time the Steelers held training camp at California State College in California, Pa. Who were some of the players on the team at that time and any stories of their hijinks? I graduated there in 1965.
ANSWER: The Steelers held their training camp at California State Teachers College from 1958-1960. Some of the players on the team at that time included QB Bobby Layne, DT Ernie Stautner, CB Jack Butler, and FB John Henry Johnson, all of whom are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As for hijinks, I don't know how old you think I am, but at that time I was barely out of diapers.
DEBBIE LORD FROM COOKEVILLE, TN: What happens to players on the Steelers practice squad at the end of the season since a new practice squad is created after training camp and preseason games.
ANSWER: At the end of a season, players on the practice squad either are signed to futures contracts for the following season or become free agents.
JEFF AKERS FROM NIXA, MO: If a player signed to a contract is then cut and signed to the practice squad, is his contract still valid or does everything get renegotiated as a practice squad player? Why would a veteran agree to be on the practice squad instead of just waiting for a team in need to sign them?
ANSWER: Once a player is cut, his contract is voided. Then if he signs to a team's practice squad a practice squad contract is negotiated and signed. In 2025, practice squad pay is at least $13,000 per week ($234,000 for the whole regular season) and up to a maximum of $22,000 ($396,000) per week. A veteran player who is cut might choose to sign a practice squad contract and continue earning a weekly 5-figure paycheck, or he could turn that down and end up waiting months for a team in need to sign him. And even if he is on a practice squad and a team in need wants to sign him to its active roster, that can happen.
CINDY ANN HAMILTON FROM MARCO ISLAND, FL: Did the Steelers pick up Jon Rhattigan?
ANSWER: The Steelers currently have a 17-player practice squad – 16 plus 1 international pathway player – and that's the maximum allowable. They did not sign Jon Rattigan, and he currently is not on an NFL roster or a practice squad.
