Steelers WR Hines Ward practiced fully on Thursday after resting on Wednesday. Also practicing fully on Thursday after sitting on Wednesday were DT Casey Hampton (Groin), LB James Farrior (Back) and G Chris Kemoeatu (Ankle). QB Ben Roethlisberger (Shoulder) was added to the injury report on Thursday but did practice fully.    CB Deshea Townsend (Heel) and LB Donovan Woods (Hamstring) both sat out of practice again on Thursday. DE Brett Keisel (Calf) as expected remains sidelined with a calf injury and has been ruled out this week.

There’s been a big ruckus the last few days over two things: 1) the NFL owners opted out of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement early, and 2) rookie Matt Ryan is now guaranteed more money per season than Tom Brady. And finally – finally! — the Players’ Association is realizing how bad this is hurting their cause. Well, everyone except the guy running the show, one Gene Upshaw. (more…) Link to the story Read more [...]

Mike Florio of the Sporting News may raise the ire of a number of Steeler fans. Not because he says the Steelers will fail to make the playoffs — everyone is entitled to their opinions, and playoff fortunes ebb and flow as the years pass anyway — but because he claims the “Steelers of the free-agency era have developed a trend of exceeding low expectations and failing to meet high ones.” Yes, I railed recently about the fact that I’m disappointed each year when we fail to win the Super Bowl. But that comes from a long history of success, even in the free-agency Read more [...]

There is generally no love lost between Pete Prisco and the city of Pittsburgh.  Not after he ranked Ben Roethlisberger as the 17th-best QB in the league prior to the 2007 season and included just two Steelers in his list of the top 100 players in the league.  And he was one of the first to jump on the Cleveland bandwagon last year, too. So it floored me today to see him giving the Steelers some props in his mid-offseason power rankings, placing the Steelers seventh overall in the league, first in the AFC North and fifth among all AFC teams.  He points out the uncertainty about the O-line, a Read more [...]

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin seems to have an affinity for his former players. This year’s hot choice was Anthony “Booger” McFarland, who eventually was not signed because of a failed physical (however, he is still under consideration if he can prove he’s healthy later this month at a private workout). Last year, it was the player who turned out to be the team’s biggest bust of the year, center Sean Mahan. (more…) Link to the story Read more [...]

There’s been a ton of talk about a Penguins and Steelers rivalry over the past week in the major Pittsburgh media. In some of that media, there’s been the suggestion that the Penguins have overtaken the Steelers as Pittsburgh’s favorite sons. I’m not here to talk about how utterly ridiculous that is. The fact that it’s even being discussed shows you the major disconnect between some writers and the fans that they write for. You can’t just listen to radio heads, and you all know who I’m talking about, and take it for fact. If I remember correctly, the Read more [...]

Here’s a look at some of the e-mail I’ve received about the Steelers since the 2008 NFL draft. One focuses on Ben Roethlisberger, and how this particular fan can’t believe that Steelers’ fans believe all the hype. Another focuses on why there isn’t as much hype on Willie Parker, and how the Steelers were idiots for drafting Rashard Mendenhall. A third focuses on the Steelers’ difficult schedule, and the last focuses on a piece that was written here a few days ago. I hope you enjoy them twice as much as I did. Read More from wail, MAIL! Link to the story Read more [...]

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Texas wide receiver Limas Sweed in the second round of last month’s 2008 NFL draft. The Sweed selection is believe to be based on Ben Roethlisberger’s request that the Steelers add a tall receiver that can be effective in the red zone, as well as go up and grab passes above opposing corners. Inevitably, the talk has turned towards the two current Steelers’ starting receivers, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes. (more…) Link to the story Read more [...]

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A special thanks to the 1,400 Steel Tradition readers that voted in our last poll, ‘Who is the Steelers’ biggest rival?’ I don’t think it was any surprise that the Ravens and Browns finished in the top two, although I did figure that the Browns would be in first. Of course, the “Real Browns” did, with the Ravens, scoring 31% of the vote. The ‘New Coke’ version of the Brownies showed up in second (go figure) with 28%. Once again, close only counts if you are dealing with hand grenades, or are a Browns’ fan. Today, we are going to focus on Read more [...]

In a strange move on Wednesday morning, Roger Goodell has allegedly allowed the Steelers to take care of Spygate in a very unique way. In an alleged press release from the NFL offices, Commissioner Goodell reportedly stated that the Steelers would be allowed to stone Belichick outside of the Steelers’ South Side facility. The Steelers would be allowed to use any or all of the quarterbacks that have played for the Steelers since Terry Bradshaw retired to take part in the stoning. The rules were simple. Each former quarterback would be allowed to throw one stone at a time until they missed. Read more [...]

On June 4th, Anthony “Booger” McFarland will hold a private workout for NFL scouts. You can count on the Pittsburgh Steelers being more than just a presence. The Pittsburgh Steelers appeared to have two large needs coming into the 2008 NFL draft: the offensive and the defensive lines. The problem with drafting for the offensive line, is that the Steelers have a lot of money wrapped up in a lot of lineman. Marvel Smith, Trai Essex, Chris Kemoeatu, Justin Hartwig, Sean Mahan, Darnell Stapleton, Kendall Simmons, Matt Lentz, Willie Colon, Max Starks and Jason Capizzi are all signed to Read more [...]

Free Agency has come to a close.  The draft is behind us, and team practices have started up once again.  In this series — because Mike loves to write in series — we’ll take a look at players who, in spite of playing important roles in 2007, will be looking over their shoulders as competition for their spots in the lineup heats up. In two of the last three drafts, the Steelers have selected arguably the best wide receiver prospect: Santonio Holmes in 2006, and Limas Sweed just last month.  Coupled with Hines Ward, Holmes has become one of the top downfield threats in the league, leading Read more [...]

Free Agency has come to a close.  The draft is behind us, and team practices have started up once again.  In this series — because Mike loves to write in series — we’ll take a look at players who, in spite of playing important roles in 2007, will be looking over their shoulders as competition for their spots in the lineup heats up. When Najeh Davenport was signed prior to the 2006 season, the intention was to make him change-of-pace back — a guy who could fill the role vacated by the departure of Jerome Bettis, providing the “oompf” to Willie Parker’s Read more [...]

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Mewelde Moore earlier this offseason to a three-year deal. Presumably, Moore was signed to be the Steelers’ primary return man, and their third down back. Moore probably also took note of Willie Parker’s health, and figured he’d be the first option in the Steelers’ backfield should Parker go down. Moore has returned 74 punts for 768 yards with two touchdowns and 26 kickoffs for 503 yards. He also has 116 receptions for 1,093 yards with three touchdowns. These are good numbers for a returner, and a third down back, and obviously were the Read more [...]

Mark Madden certainly does his job well, whether you like him or not. He’s a talking head that sprouted from the world of talk radio, and you and I both know that to make money, you have to make heads turn. Madden has done a good job of that over the years, whether you like him or not. This past week’s headlines certainly will do nothing but help his cause. A year and a half ago, Mark Madden was dismissed from his job on WTAE’s ‘Action Sports Sunday.’ The official word given was that Madden had used the term ‘jackass,’ and it offended the Steelers to Read more [...]

Last season the Pittsburgh Steelers had allowed defensive leader Joey Porter to leave via free agency. The move left a rather large gap in the defense that the Pittsburgh Steelers needed to address. Enter first round pick Lawrence Timmons. Timmons was a pass-rushing, outside linebacker from Florida St., and most had him as the #1 linebacker in a relatively weak crop of outside linebackers. There were several questions about Timmons, starting with the fact that he had only started one season, having backed up all-american Ernie Sims for two seasons. Still, the promise was there. Timmons was Read more [...]

It’s now been confirmed, the New England Patriots videotaped the Steelers’ sidelines during the 2002 AFC Championship game. Now, I could get into a long and substantial diatribe about why the Patriots should be struck off the face of the earth, and all their 2002 earthly glory should be given to the Steelers. But seriously, what’s the point. It’s gone. It’s over and done with, and there’s nothing that the NFL can give the Steelers that will make me feel any better about it. If you remember the game, New England took a 7-0 lead when Troy Edwards was called Read more [...]

“Are you ready to be a Steeler?” Dennis Dixon had just had a game of pool interrupted by Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin with the Pittsburgh Steelers on the clock. Dixon was about to become a Pittsburgh Steeler. The Steelers drafting Dixon was an enigma. It wasn’t a surprise, since Dixon had visited the Steelers South Side complex on April 8th, just a few weeks before the draft. The Steelers’ front office was obviously impressed with Dixon as a person, and impressed with how far he had come after tearing his ACL during his senior season at Oregon. It was a Read more [...]

Special thanks goes out to the 800 fans that voted in the last poll, ‘Which new Steelers draft pick, or free agent will have the biggest impact on the 2008 season?’ There was a clear 56% majority that felt that both Sweed and Mendenhall would make a difference in the 2008 season. 26% felt that Mendenhall would make the bigger impact, while 13% felt that it would be Sweed. There was a late push for Dennis Dixon, but not big enough to talk about. Thanks for all who voted, and make sure to vote for the newest Steelers Poll! The Pittsburgh Steelers have undoubtedly been one of the NFL’s Read more [...]