ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine combined to put out list of the 20 current players who a 20-member Pro Football Hall of Fame panel and ESPN's very own John Clayton believe could excel in any era of the NFL. The top 20 was finalized today and four current Pittsburgh Steelers players made the top 10. Finishing 10th was linebacker James Harrison, finishing 8th was wide receiver Hines Ward, finishing 3rd was quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and finishing 2nd was safety Troy Polamalu. Harrison finished 4th as far as linebackers went behind Patrick Willis (7th), Brian Urlacher (5th) and Ray Lewis (1st). Read more [...]

The Pro Football Writers All-NFL Team was announced today and Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey and safety Troy Polamalu both made the team. Pouncey and Polamalu also earned Pro Bowl selections for their play in 2011 as well as first-team All-Pro honors. Below is the PFW/PFWA 2011 All-NFL team OFFENSE QB Aaron Rodgers - Packers RB Maurice Jones-Drew - Jaguars RB LeSean McCoy - Eagles WR Calvin Johnson - Lions WR Wes Welker - Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski - Patriots C Maurkice Pouncey - Steelers OG Jahri Evans - Saints OG Carl Nicks - Saints OT Jason Peters Read more [...]

The Pittsburgh Steelers face the San Francisco 49ers tonight at Candlestick Park as both teams look to move to 11-3 on the season. The Steelers control their own destiny as far as home field advantage goes throughout the playoffs thanks to the loss by the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans on Sunday. The pre-game inactives have been released and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is active tonight. The Steelers are also dressing three quarterbacks tonight so Dennis Dixon is dressed. The Steelers ruled three players out on the Saturday injury report and of course linebacker James Harrison has been Read more [...]

49ers Insider for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Matt Maiocco, is reporting this morning that sources have informed him that San Francisco 49ers left tackle Joe Staley has now received full clearance from the doctors following his concussion suffered last Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, and is expected to start Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Staley was limited in his participation at practice Saturday and was listed by the 49ers as questionable on the Saturday injury report. Tackle Alex Boone had taken the snaps with the first team during the absence of Staley and was ready Read more [...]

The Monday night game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers will be short several key players as the Steelers will be without center Maurkice Pouncey, linebacker James Harrison and possibly even quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the 49ers look to be missing their best linebacker Patrick Willis. Should the Baltimore Ravens lose Sunday night to the San Diego Chargers, the Steelers will have a chance to take back over the lead in the AFC North with a win. The 49ers are still fighting to preserve a first round bye in the playoffs and recover from their loss last week against Read more [...]

The Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up their final practice preparations on Friday in preparation for their week 15 game Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park and the final injury report of the week was released today. Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (foot), linebacker Chris Carter (hamstring) and center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) all were ruled out on Saturday for the game Monday night. Doug Legursky will get the start at center Monday night and that means Trai Essex will start at left guard. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (ankle), wide receiver Arnaz Battle (hamstring) and Read more [...]

The Pittsburgh Steelers were once again on the practice field Friday getting ready for their week 15 game Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park. The Friday injury report is now out and once again center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle), wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (foot), safety Troy Polamalu (hamstring), linebacker Chris Carter (hamstring) all did not participate in practice for a second straight day. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (ankle) was very limited today according to reports as he looks to try to recover from his high left ankle sprain suffered last Thursday night Read more [...]

The Pittsburgh Steelers look certain not to have linebacker James Harrison Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers, because of his one game suspension handed down on Tuesday, but the 49ers are looking like they will once again be without the services of their best linebacker Patrick Willis as well. Willis, who reportedly has a Grade 2 hamstring strain, did not play last week against the Arizona Cardinals, and he might not be ready to practice this week as the 49ers signed linebacker Michael Wilhoite to the practice squad today. That indicates they will need the extra linebacker body at Read more [...]

It is dangerous to look ahead and past the Cleveland Browns this week to see how some recent injury news might affect the Steelers down the road. Who am I kidding, we play the Browns this week. Sure we can look ahead. The San Francisco 49ers took a pretty big hit to their defense this week as middle linebacker Patrick Willis reportedly suffered a Grade II hamstring strain this past Sunday against the St. Louis Rams. Adam Schefter reported on ESPN that Willis "could miss a little time" with the injury. The 49ers play the Arizona Cardinals in week 13 and while his status is unclear right now for Read more [...]

The Steelers 2011 season kicks off this Sunday and I have purposely waited until now to post a game by game quick look ahead at the Steelers 2011 schedule. The free agent moves and final roster cuts have taken place around the league and it provides a much clearer look at where teams are at that the Steelers will face this year. I will not go too much into depth with each game and will try to capsulize each. So many things can change the further you get into the season and you never can predict injuries that may occur along the way. With all of those disclaimers out of the way, here is a quick Read more [...]

Last night it was announced that the Chiefs signed outside linebacker Tamba Hali to a 5-year $60 million dollar contract with $35 million of it guaranteed. It is unknown early on how the contract is structured, but it most certainly will lower the 2011 tag charge of $10 million that Hali has been walking around with. If that scenario sounds familiar, it is because it is. Steelers outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley is walking around with the same tag and the Steelers reportedly have opened up negotiations with him on a long term deal, but it is nowhere close to getting done yet. "We just have Read more [...]

Now that the 2011 NFL Draft is complete, the NFL Network has begun their Top 100 Players of 2011 series. The top list is being billed as the first-ever countdown of the 100 Best NFL players of today, as voted on by fellow NFL players. If you were hoping for several Steelers players to make the top 100 list, you will be surely disappointed. Last night it was revealed by Lindsay Soto, Brian Baldinger and Charles Davis that only four Steelers players made the top 100 list. In the episode last night that featured players ranked 81st to 90th, it was announced that Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley Read more [...]

Another week and another ESPN Power Rankings list and this time it involves the linebacker position. Both of the Steelers outside linebackers, James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley, cracked the top 10 with Harrison finishing 2nd and Woodley finishing 8th according to the ESPN bloggers. 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis came in first as he received 3 first place votes, 3 second place votes and 2 third place votes. Harrison received only 2 first place votes and just 1 second place vote. Steelers inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons finished 15th overall and only garnered 2 10th place votes. As Mike Sando Read more [...]

Reportedly the Twitter accounts of the Pouncey Twins are real and there very well could be a reality show in the works if you are to believe Mike Pouncey. I am always skeptical about these accounts of athletes until they are verified. Hines Ward reportedly knocked it out of the park again on Dancing with the Stars last night with his mother in the crowd waiving a Terrible Towel. On the flip side, Ward has been bounced from the Madden 12 cover contest as he was beat out by 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis. At least we no longer need to worry about the Madden curse. The contest is down to the Read more [...]

Hines Ward beat Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap in the first round of the Madden 12 cover contest and is now in the Sweet 16 squaring off against 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis with the winner moving on to face the winner of the Andre Johnson, Michael Vick match-up. Make sure to vote for Hines. Ward is winning more than Charlie Sheen as of late as he and his dance partner Kym Johnson also advanced to the next round of Dancing with the Stars. Perhaps Hines is on the Tiger Blood. The Steelers brass were present at the University of Texas Pro Day on Tuesday to get a good look at Aaron Williams, Read more [...]