The Pittsburgh Steelers need to make some personnel moves as early as 2020.

Once the 2020 league year opened up, the Pittsburgh Steelers watched as their rivals in the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals vastly improve, while they made small additions due to their scarce amount of cap space.

While the Steelers retained a majority of their players from last season, they need to look towards the future. With plenty of prominent young players to retain, some on Pittsburgh’s depth chart stand no chance of being kept for the long haul. These three athletes are most likely to pack their bags and depart from the Steel City as early as 2020.

3

Vance McDonald

TE Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers were so enticed by the play of Vance McDonald during his time with the San Francisco 49ers, they decided to flip a 2018 fourth-round draft pick back in ’17. His first season in Pittsburgh was far from exciting, but he truly exploded onto the scene in 2018. During that campaign, McDonald recorded 50 receptions for 610 yards and four touchdowns.

In 2019, McDonald failed to make it an encore performance. Through 14 games, McDonald caught 38 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Most of that can be attributed to the  revolving door at quarterback which consisted of Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges. But, his play hasn’t lived up to the lucrative contract that he signed while he was a member of the 49ers.

You can tell the Steelers have already seen enough of McDonald, as they opted to sign former Indianapolis Colts tight end Eric Ebron back in March. McDonald will remain in the Steel City in 2020 as an insurance policy. But once the new league year hits, the Steelers can save $5.2 million in cap space by releasing him. That’s an easy decision for Pittsburgh.

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Steelers running back James Conner awesomely surprised his mom with a new house.

Star Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner has been in the giving mood of late, and his parents have to be smiling from ear to ear. In June, the Pittsburgh speedster surprised his dad with a brand new truck. His dad’s reaction was absolutely priceless.

So, how would Conner top that? Well, he didn’t forget about his mom. Over the weekend, Conner decided to step things up a notch and bought his mama a new house. As you might expect, her reaction was incredible to see.

Welcome HOME Ma! You’ve sacrificed so much and we can’t thank you enough! You’re the reason I go to work day in and day out, to finally give you a place you can call Home. I Love you️🏡💪🏽💯🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/c25KyOphAo

— James Conner (@JamesConner_) July 4, 2020

James Conner’s mom was overcome with emotion after he bought her a new house.

Her expression tells you everything you need to know. Conner’s mom was overcome with emotion as her baby boy showed her around the new home. As soon as she realized what was happening -which to her credit was almost instantly- the tears started flying. Can you blame her? No chance.

Conner has showcased over the years just how close he is with his family. His mom and dad have been by his side through the highs of being drafted by the Steelers and becoming their starter, to the lows from when he was battling cancer.

Conner was able to beat cancer, and now is one of the toughest running backs to bring down in the league. He knows none of that would be possible without his parents.

James Conner wants to inspire those going through adversity. (via @JamesConner_) pic.twitter.com/vHqErcMPC2

— NFL (@NFL) June 29, 2020

Conner continues to inspire and has made his mom and dad more proud of him than he even knows. He’s truly an incredible story.

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Ben Roethlisberger has been rehabbing his elbow since Week 2 of the 2019 NFL season. On Sunday, he received a gift from his dog that would help anyone with their rehab.

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback has been working hard to get back to his team for the upcoming season.

Ben Roethlisberger‘s elbow essentially gave up on him in a Week 2 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks and he was forced to miss the rest of the season.

The Steelers essentially had a revolving door in their quarterback room with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges getting the majority of starts. Not great.

Ben Roethlisberger’s dog had seven puppies, and they’re awesome

The long time No. 7, however, had some brighter news on Sunday morning as his dog went into labor and had seven puppies. Yes, the same as his football number.

As you can see in the photos and tweet itself, Roethlisberger was as surprised as anyone else would be in the situation. The good news is that they’re not only color-coded but beyond adorable to look at and any Steelers fan would probably love to have one.

Even in 2020, some good news can come out . Hopefully, this is only the beginning of good news for Roethlisberger and Steelers fans alike.

Roethlisberger has shown he is almost back to full strength with a number of videos being released of him throwing the football as he did prior to the injury. And a good thing too, as the Steelers rolled in at an 8-8 record, one that probably could have been far better had Roethlisberger been able to play.

This season is a prime chance for them to return to the playoffs if Big Ben is ready to go Week 1.

If we are being honest with ourselves, Roethlisberger could have a mess on his hands with his adorable new puppies. Perhaps playing is at the back of his mind on this fine Sunday afternoon.

Next: Phillip Lindsay is ready to compete with Melvin Gordon

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Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher and his wife tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this year.

As the NFL prepares for a season in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 Hall of Fame inductee Bill Cowher revealed he tested positive for the illness back in March upon returning from Honolulu. In doing so, Cowher has reflected on the likelihood of an NFL season at all, having a better understanding of exactly how tough it is to overcome not just the illness, but the societal fear factor.

Cowher discussed his doubts with Ed Bouchette of The Athletic, and such indecisiveness from a man who’s lived and breathed football for decades only brings more credence to the argument that NFL games during a pandemic might not be a great idea after all.

Bill Cowher has doubts about a 2020 NFL season after testing positive for COVID-19.

Cowher and his wife have since recovered, but the concerns remain.

“I mean, there’s so much anxiety and worry about what’s next, to do the right thing because it varies from state to state,” Cowher said. “…I totally understand the reluctance. Even though they say young people aren’t getting it, you also have people who have asthma, people who have underlying conditions in their families — they’re going back to their homes with parents who may now be elderly. It’s not like you can isolate yourself from everybody, particularly during a season that’s five months long.”

Cowher’s best point is that NFL players would have to remain away from their families, and in relative isolation, for upwards to five months. While other sports have either shortened their seasons or are merely finishing out the campaign, the NFL will be starting from scratch.

Unless there’s a tremendous improvement in the national psyche, or a vaccine (which appears highly unlikely), then NFL players will be asked to do the unthinkable, serving as a distraction while their loved ones take care of themselves.

Next: Rodney Harrison casts doubt on potential 2020 NFL season during COVID-19

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The Patriots signed Cam Newton, and suddenly the dynasty isn’t over just yet.

When the New England Patriots lost Tom Brady this offseason, the rest of the AFC took a much-needed sigh of relief.

Brady and the Patriots had dominated their division and conference for the better part of two decades, and finally gave way to the Chiefs in an unofficial changing of the guard when Kansas City won the Super Bowl last February. Or at least that’s what we wanted to believe.

On Sunday, the Patriots signed former MVP Cam Newton, who will compete for the starting quarterback job. Such a move impacts most of New England’s direct competition on a case-by-case basis, and the Steelers are no exception.

How does the Patriots signing Cam Newton impact the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Pittsburgh is impacted in two direct ways, most importantly as direct competition for a potential Wild Card spot next season.

The new NFL postseason format adds a Wild Card spot, and with Baltimore in their way for an AFC North crown, and a resurgent Browns squad also in their path, it’s tough to see Pittsburgh grabbing one of the top four spots, even with a healthy Ben Roethlisberger.

The Patriots have the ammo to win the AFC East, but Buffalo remain the favorites should they build off a playoff appearance in 2019.

The long-term impact of Newton’s decision is that the Steelers still don’t have a true replacement for Roethlisberger on the roster. Mason Rudolph and Duck Hodges won’t cut it. Big Ben, who is oft-injured and 38 years old, doesn’t have a lot of time left.

Newton, who would’ve spent at least a year behind Roethlisberger, has a similar play-style to Roethlisberger in the constraints of the pocket, but offers more mobility at just 31 years old.

After weeks of deliberation, the Patriots emerged as Cam’s only real suitor. The Steelers may come to regret that decision.

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Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger opened up about his past addictions, which include alcohol and pornography.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger surprised many on Tuesday with his frank admission to past flaws at ManUp conference in Pittsburgh. Big Ben was a guest speaker at the event, which is aimed at improving men’s faith and role as a father and husband in the household.

The 38-year-old’s private life has remained a mystery for years after he was accused of sexual assault twice a decade ago. Since then, Roethlisberger has preached his faith and family life, and he is now married with three children.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger owned up to his past demons, including addiction, on Tuesday.

“I’ve fallen as short as anybody,” Roethlisberger said, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I’ve been addicted to alcohol. I’ve been addicted to pornography, which makes me then not the best husband, not the best father, not the best Christian I can be.”

Roethlisberger’s admissions will ring hollow to those who judged him long ago due to the accusations against the two-time Super Bowl winner. His private life was brought back into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons once again several years ago, when he was mentioned in Stormy Daniels’ book about President Donald Trump, with Daniels claiming she was scared of Big Ben.

Roethlisberger cites his reliance on religion as a turning point for him, personally. His message, should it be believed, does help propel the point of the ManUp conference forward.

“I’m trying to be a better Christian than I am an athlete at football,” Roethlisberger said. “I push myself every day to do that. It starts here. It’s not always easy. People don’t realize all the time that us athletes, we’re human. We sin like everyone else. We make mistakes. We get addicted to things. We sin.”

Roethlisberger admitted he got away from religion in college, which shouldn’t be cited as any sort of excuse for his actions, but perhaps speaks to the person he aims to be today.

The post Ben Roethlisberger opens up about past addiction to alcohol and pornography appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Steelers broadcaster Bill Hillgrove was charged with DUI, and the details are rather frightening. 

As the Pittsburgh Steelers near Training Camp in the age of COVID-19, a member of their broadcast booth faces struggles of his own. Bill Hillgrove, who’s been announcing Steelers games on the radio since 1994, was arrested for DUI on Monday is nearby Murrysville, Pennsylvania.

Hillgrove is also a commentator for Pitt football and basketball, and grew his iconic voice next to the likes of Myron Cope, the inventor of the ‘Terrible Towel’, for years. On Monday, Hillgrove crashed his vehicle into a local grocery store in Murrysville and allegedly broke two windows in the process.

Steelers broadcaster Bill Hillgrove charged with DUI for incident late Monday.

The 80-year-old reportedly got back into his vehicle after filling out a prescription at the store, and drove home. After the police showed up at his residence, Hillgrove admitted to drinking prior to the accident, but only “a couple of beers.” When police gave him a breathalyzer test, Hillgrove registered at a .16 BAC, which is twice the legal limit.

Per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Hillgrove said a store employee told him incidents such as his happen quite frequently, despite the amount of damage his vehicle caused. Hillgrove also failed to leave his insurance information, citing the fact that he was driving a dealer vehicle.

Despite claiming that the vehicle lost control on its own, Hillgrove will face a day in court on August 11. The Steelers and University of Pittsburgh have declined comment, but Hillgrove will have to answer for the allegations against him, and perhaps even face discipline from his employer.

Hillgrove was picked by Art Rooney and the Steelers to succeed Jack Fleming in 1994, and has since won several awards and made his name as one of the most well-known and longest tenured NFL broadcasters.

The post Longtime Steelers broadcaster’s DUI arrest details are scary appeared first on Bet Sunday.

The post 5 reasons the Steelers will win the AFC North appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Who is the better fantasy option: Adam Thielen or JuJu Smith-Schuster?

Once you get past your first pick or two in a fantasy football draft, you will inevitably have some tough decisions to make. Unless you totally bomb your first two picks, which is totally possible, you ultimately win and lose your fantasy season in the middle rounds. Who you pick as your starters go a long way towards how successful of a season you can potentially have.

The Fantasy Footballers did an installment of “Keep, Trade or Cut” on their latest episode. The three players they brought up were a trio of wide receivers in A.J. Brown of the Tennessee Titans, JuJu Smith-Schuster of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Adam Thielen of the Minnesota Vikings. Removing Brown from the equation, who should you draft in 2020: Thielen or Smith-Schuster?

Check out The Fantasy Footballers for all their advice.

The idea from removing Brown from this equation is he offers the most upside in a trade. So you would in theory take him over Smith-Schuster and Thielen in the fourth round of any fantasy football draft. As for Smith-Schuster and Thielen, there are pros and cons to taking either of them off the board first in your league.

Adam Thielen or JuJu Smith-Schuster: Who are you drafting in fantasy?

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Smith-Schuster had a down year with the Steelers for a few reasons. He dealt with injuries, quarterbacking instability and becoming a No. 1 wide receiver option for the first time in his career. Assuming Ben Roethlisberger can play like we know he is capable of, we should expect a bounce-back year out of Smith-Schuster in some capacity with Pittsburgh.

Thielen was more dinged up than Smith-Schuster last year, so that totally cratered his fantasy value entering this season. When healthy, Thielen is viewed as a top-10 wide receiver in the league, even with another capable player as a former teammate in Stefon Diggs. But with Diggs now on the Buffalo Bills, he becomes Kirk Cousins’ undisputed favorite target again in 2020.

So who should you end up taking? Assuming health is comparable, you have to go with Thielen over Smith-Schuster because we can expect a greater level of production out of Cousins than we would with Roethlisberger at this juncture. Cousins has Pro Bowls level in the tank, while Roethlisberger maybe has two years left in the tank period. Choose wisely here, guys.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving their Training Camp from Latrobe to Heinz Field.

As the NFL plans to return to action one viral coach video at a time, the Steelers are already taking precautions to ensure their players stay safe during Training Camp.

The Steelers will be following league-wide protocol heading into the 2020 season.

The Steelers typically hold their Camp in Latrobe, Penn., but will be moving the festivities to Heinz Field this offseason. Keeping players centered in one location ensures they won’t be exposed to an environment they aren’t familiar with and keeps any COVID-19 risk contained to Pittsburgh and the surrounding area.

St. Vincent’s College, which typically plays host to the Steelers with facilities and dorm-style sleeping arrangements, is not open to the public due to the pandemic. In moving their plans prematurely, the Steelers are getting ahead of things in another move displaying the leadership we’ve grown accustomed to from the Rooney family.

Steelers Training Camp will have a different feel in 2020

Such an audible isn’t preferred from the Steelers organization, which frequently flaunts their ability to draw fans out to Central PA.

By deciding now, the Steelers are giving players the ability to mentally prepare for such a change in scenery, as Pittsburgh offers some intriguing offseason storylines this Summer.

As Ben Roethlisberger enters his final seasons, the Steelers sense of urgency to compete right now has increased dramatically, hence trading their first-round pick for Minkah Fitzpatrick in the middle of this past league year.

The Steelers dramatically-improved defense should be able to keep up with Big Ben and the offense for the first time in years. Catching the Ravens, who went 14-2 last season, will be a taller task, but the added playoff spot in both the AFC and NFC this year gives the Steelers a greater opportunity to sneak in with a productive bounce-back campaign from their future Hall-of-Fame QB.

It all starts in Pittsburgh, rather than Latrobe, in 2020.

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