Joe Rutter stories, Page 9

Troy Fautanu was disappointed he didn’t get a chance to get his uniform dirty in his first NFL game. The first-round draft pick dressed Sunday in Atlanta when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Falcons, 18-10, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Fautanu, though, was one of two players on the active roster who...

Among the injuries that weren’t identified in the aftermath of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 18-10 win at Atlanta in the season opener was one to left tackle Dan Moore Jr. Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Moore experienced swelling in one of his ankles Monday, and it may limit the fourth-year...

Steel Curtain member L.C. Greenwood is among six Pittsburgh Steelers players nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s seniors class for 2025. Greenwood is joined by safety Mike Wagner, running back Byron “Whizzer” White, linebacker Andy Russell, defensive lineman Eugene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb and kicker Norm Johnson. They are...

Justin Fields will enter the practice week preparing to start at quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their game Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Whether Fields will start his second game in a row or cede the job will come down to how well starter Russell Wilson progresses in his...

Five things we learned from Steelers 18, Falcons 10: 1. Running hard Behind an offensive line that had two first-time NFL starters at center and left guard, Najee Harris led all rushers with 70 yards on 20 carries. The way the Steelers ran the ball against the Falcons was one...

ATLANTA — Two days after rewarding Pat Freiermuth with a five-year, $49.88 million contract, the Pittsburgh Steelers showed the fourth-year tight end will be a pivotal part of their offense. Freiermuth had four catches for 27 yards Sunday in the Steelers’ 18-10 victory against the Atlanta Falcons in the season...

ATLANTA — No Super Bowl-winning veteran quarterback under center. No legitimate No. 2 wide receiver on the field. No problem for the Pittsburgh Steelers offense. The game plan was simple in the season opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Justin Fields subbing for an injured Russell Wilson against the Atlanta Falcons....

ATLANTA — The first snap that Justin Fields handled Sunday was fumbled. He bobbled another exchange later in the opening series. His first pass attempt was incomplete, and his second was behind running back Najee Harris. Not the kind of start that Fields envisioned when he was summoned to start...

The last time the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared in a Super Bowl, Cameron Heyward was in his final semester at Ohio State. The last time the Steelers appeared in an AFC championship game, T.J. Watt was two weeks removed from foregoing his final season of eligibility at Wisconsin and declaring for...

Pat Freiermuth was beaming after practice Friday. And not just because it was the final practice before the regular season begins. “It was cool seeing him walk off the field,” Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson said of Freiermuth, his No. 1 tight end. “Pat is always smiling — but just...

Revenge won’t be on Arthur Smith’s mind Sunday when he returns to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the first time since he was fired in January as the Atlanta Falcons head coach. Smith will be standing on the visiting sideline focusing on his role as offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. His...

Three days before the Pittsburgh Steelers are scheduled to kick off the regular season in Atlanta, they had an unexpected switch at quarterback. Russell Wilson aggravated the calf injury Thursday that kept him sidelined at the start of training camp and was a limited participant in practice, coach Mike Tomlin...

As any mother is apt to do, Charlotte Heyward reminded her eldest son this week that he is special. Only this time she wasn’t just feeding him words of encouragement. She had statistical evidence to support it. Cameron Heyward was driving to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Tuesday to sign...

If Cameron Heyward fulfills his wish of playing three more NFL seasons, he’ll get a chance to do it with the Pittsburgh Steelers and be a “one-helmet” NFL player. The veteran defensive lineman agreed to a three-year contract Tuesday, the team announced. The deal runs through the 2026 season. We...

After trading Diontae Johnson to Carolina in March, the Pittsburgh Steelers tried in vain to acquire a proven wide receiver to start alongside George Pickens. A deal never materialized, leaving the Steelers with a cast of wideouts that includes Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, Calvin Austin and a healing rookie in...

A call Spencer Anderson received this summer from a Pittsburgh Steelers coach might have changed his career trajectory. Anderson had played all five spots on the offensive line in college at Maryland, and he dabbled with playing the interior and exterior spots after making the Steelers roster as a seventh-round...

When the Pittsburgh Steelers carried five receivers on the initial 53-man roster — one fewer than they had a year ago and two fewer than they kept in 2022 — it led to speculation they were holding a spot in case a trade for Brandon Aiyuk materialized. Aiyuk’s decision Thursday...

Half of the allotted 16 practice squad spots were filled Thursday by the Pittsburgh Steelers when they brought back eight players who were on their roster in training camp and the preseason. Returning to the organization are three defensive backs: Thomas Graham Jr., who competed for the starting slot corner...

In the past two NFL Draft classes, the Pittsburgh Steelers have used five of 14 picks to address the offensive line. When the regular season opens Sept. 8 in Atlanta, all five of those prospects could be starting or playing supporting roles. The Steelers surely didn’t script it that way...

Since he reported to offseason workouts after missing the first two weeks of organized team activities, Cameron Heyward has awaited a contract extension from the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the preseason in the rear-view mirror and the regular season looming in 10 days, the 35-year-old defensive tackle is still waiting. “No...

After the Pittsburgh Steelers reduced their roster to the mandatory 53-player limit Tuesday, they were left thin at some positions and overloaded at others. A course correction, however, could take place in the upcoming days as the Steelers try to balance their roster before they face the Atlanta Falcons on...

Initial 53-man roster projections are a risky proposition as NFL teams prepare to reach that limit by 4 p.m. Tuesday. It is called the “initial” roster for a reason. Much can change between the cutdown deadline and when the regular season begins next week. Like every other NFL team, the...

The process of reducing the roster to the 53-man limit began Monday for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as they cut 11 players. After trimming the roster by eight players before practice, they cut three more in the afternoon: kicker Matthew Wright, offensive lineman Anderson Hardy and defensive back Kyler McMichael. In...