Troy Polamalu is the 6th most marketable player in the NFL, according to an exclusive survey of sports business execs, analysts and media members conducted by Street and Smith’s Sports Business Daily. Ben Roethlisberger finished tied for 20th on the list. US Ambassador to Ireland and President Emeritus of the Pittsburgh Steelers Dan Rooney has a Youtube video message for the Irish aimed at explaining the sport to the Irish. Gerry Dulac thinks the interview given to Todd Haley was made very public for a reason and thus he thinks the chances of Haley getting the offensive coordinator Read more [...]

With the New York Giants in the Super Bowl this year, there will undoubtedly be some speculation regarding whether or not the Rooney family, majority owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers, will be rooting for them against the New England Patriots or not.  The reason:  The Rooneys and Maras have a connection that is steeped in family connectedness. The relationship between Art Rooney "The Chief" and Tim Mara goes as far back as the late 1920s and early 1930s, and it didn't necessarily relate to football, although both men were creating franchises that would go on to produce World Championship teams. Art Read more [...]

Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II sat down with a few members of the Pittsburgh media on Tuesday for a half hour interview to discuss the Steelers past season and look ahead to 2012. You can read the question and answers here on the Post-Gazette blog. When you read through everything there were not too many surprises if you ask me, but I will go over the main talking points below with my own comments and view points added to a few of the things that Rooney said. Even though we do not usually learn too much from these interviews every offseason, it is just good to hear some of the things Read more [...]

Pittsburgh Steelers president and co-owner Art Rooney II talked to the Pittsburgh media today and beat writers Ed Bouchette, Scott Brown and Mike Bires are all relaying the conversation via Twitter for us and I will recap those Tweets below. Rooney II said today that his father Dan Rooney to step down as the Irish Ambassador and rejoin the team in 2012. He also told the reporters that they will add 3,000 seats to Heinz Field after the 2012 season. As far as potential moves go during the offseason, Rooney II called wide receiver Hines Ward an "all-time" Steelers great and hopefully a future Read more [...]

The NFL might be playing a regular season game in Ireland in the near future in attempt to spread the reach of the game further, but the Pittsburgh Steelers will likely not be playing in that game if it involves losing a home game. It was reported today that the league has moved a step closer to playing a game at Ireland after a NFL delegation inspected Croke Park, a prime location in central Dublin with a tradition that is steeped in history. US Ambassador to Ireland and Steelers president Dan Rooney is a prime player in this game taking place in Ireland and reportedly the delegation is happy Read more [...]

If you are looking for great pregame reading material, make sure to check out the Steelers Seahawks pregame release in PDF format that is available for download on the Steelers website. Teresa Varley of Steelers.com sat down with punter Daniel Sepulveda in this edition of the Steelers Speak and they talk about his rehab and the battle for the punting job in training camp. Former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis and Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau were two of eight people inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Thursday night. [phpbay]Steelers Jerome Bettis, 3, "", Read more [...]

NFL Network reporter Albert Breer is reporting this evening that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin actually called Steelers patriarch Dan Rooney in Ireland last week and implored him to get a new contract extension done with safety Troy Polamalu before the season started. Polamalu, who was entering the final year of his contract, signed a new $36.5 million deal right before the Steelers took off from the Pittsburgh airport to travel to Baltimore last Saturday. Polamalu was actually photographed signing the contract at the airport. Heading into the week 1 game against the Ravens, it was looking Read more [...]

Ed Bouchette joined 93.7 The Fan yesterday morning to talk about Plaxico Burress and whether or not he would be a fit again with the Steelers after being in prison for nearly 2 years and out of football. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk ranked the Steelers worst moments in post-strike history in his Monday PFT Live segment you can view below. Ken Laird had 6th round draft pick Keith Williams on Trib Live Radio for an interview on Monday. You can listen here as the interview is about half way through. Safety Troy Polamalu compares the lockout to people fighting against big business instead Read more [...]

I think the interview that Ike Taylor gave to Jim Rome yesterday on the Jim Rome is Burning show flipped the optimism of several in Steeler Nation of the possibility of Taylor being re-signed by the Steelers when and if free agency opens and it really shouldn't have in my opinion. The interview was a very candid one and the first time we have really seen Ike take even more of a posturing stance in regards to his free agency status. That is not really surprising if you ask me. Taylor's voice of uncertainty in is future is certainly understandable at this point and time as well. His statement Read more [...]

Safety Ryan Clark, the Steelers player rep, was telling teammates yesterday evening that they are free to report to work today. Of course the owners have appealed the ruling of Judge Susan Nelson, so we shall see what this morning brings. Clark will be on 93.7 The Fan this morning for his weekly spot and it should be an interesting interview. The Steelers held their 2011 pre draft press conference on Monday and really did not reveal too much as expected. Ed Bouchette and Gerry Dulac do a good job recapping the nothing presser in the video below. Scott Brown thinks the Steelers will draft Read more [...]

John Harris wrote on Saturday that New York, Philadelphia, Denver, St. Louis, Arizona and Houston are some of the teams targeting Steelers free agent cornerback Ike Taylor. Ed Bouchette has a look back at the Steelers 1971 draft that produced eight Super Bowl starters. I think we all can name them alphabetically by now. Dale Lolley has a look at the defensive line position in the upcoming draft and a few names the Steelers might have their sights on. Steelers.com is having a Draft Day Sweepstakes in which you can win four tickets to a Steelers 2011 regular season home game at Heinz Field. Read more [...]

Linebacker Lawrence Timmons will throw out the ceremonial first pitch tonight at Blair County Ballpark for the Altoona Curve. Ed Bouchette has a couple of quick short stories about Chuck Noll and the drafting of Franco Harris as well as how in 2004 Dan Rooney steered Bill Cowher and Kevin Colbert back to Ben Roethlisberger instead of drafting a guard. Roethlisberger said he's optimistic that he and his teammates will be at training camp this summer, despite the current NFL lockout. Wide receiver Antonio Brown is back at Central Michigan University for the week and will be on hand for tonight's Read more [...]

Mark Kaboly wrote about how Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been making big plays with his legs instead of his arm over the past two games against Oakland and Buffalo. Ed Bouchette joined the Seibel and Starkey show on 93.7 The Fan yesterday to discuss the most recent fine levied against linebacker James Harrison and how Dan Rooney is hot about all this. Fox Sports writer Alex Marvez recaps the interview that he conducted with head coach Mike Tomlin yesterday on Sirius NFL Radio in which Tomlin defends the fact that Harrison is trying his best to play within the rules. [phpbay]Steelers Read more [...]

Gerry Dulac reports that unless Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin today who will back-up Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback, it may very well remain a mystery until game day. My money is on Charlie Batch right now as he has earned it and Byron Leftwich could use the extra time to continue to rehab that knee. THE PPG Plus blog is great and this morning Ed Bouchette offers up a few Chuck Noll lightning stories in honor of the delayed start time last night due to lightning. Back-up nose tackle Chris Hoke returned to practice Monday after injuring his knee against Tampa Bay and missing the last Read more [...]

Steelers linebacker James Harrison and Bears linebacker Lance Briggs were named to the All-Pro second team after the Associated Press called for a re-vote due to suspension of Texans linebacker Brian Cushing. Harrison and Briggs tied for fourth in the AP recount, leaving them to share the spot next to fellow Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley as the second-team outside linebackers. Steelers.com has a new "Hearing from Coach Mike Tomlin" interview up. It is not very revealing, but something to chew on nonetheless. 79 more days until training camp, folks. The Bengals claimed running back Walter Read more [...]