Pittsburgh Steelers Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Keenan Lewis To Visit Steelers

August 23rd, 2016 at 9:21am CST by Zachary Links

Former Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis is going to Pittsburgh tonight for a visit with the Steelers, a source tells Josh Katzenstein of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Lewis has drawn interest from at least six teams, Katzenstein adds. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter) also hears that the Steelers have interest in Lewis, though he says that his hip injury is a concern.

Lewis, 30, was drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2009 draft. He went on to spent the first four seasons of his career in Pittsburgh before signing a five-year, $26.3MM deal with his native New Orleans in March 2013. The ex-Oregon State standout started in all 16 of the Saints’ regular-season games in both 2013 and 2014, something he had also done in his final year with the Steelers, before injuries held him to a mere six contests in 2015.

The Steelers, meanwhile, could use some help at cornerback after learning that Senquez Golson has suffered yet another setback.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFL Sets Dates For PED Interviews

August 22nd, 2016 at 7:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFL will meet with Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers in Green Bay on Wednesday to discuss the league’s ongoing PED investigation, a source tells Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter links). Steelers linebacker James Harrison‘s interview will take place on August 30 in Pittsburgh, while free agent Mike Neal will sit down with the league this Thursday in Chicago.

Last week, the NFL stated that the four players involved in the PED scandal — which was spurred by an Al-Jazeera documentary that aired earlier this year — would be required to submit to interviews by August 25 or face suspension. The NFL received written statements from the four players in question at the end of last month, and the NFLPA is of the opinion that those affadavits qualify as “cooperation.” The league disagrees, and is still requiring the individuals to partake in in-person interviews.

Harrison, for his part, has said he never denied any interview, but claimed he’d like like for the meeting to be televised (and also referred to commissioner Roger Goodell as a “crook”). He, Matthews, and Peppers agreed to sit-downs, but Neal was of a different mind, at least originally. One report indicated that Neal had no intention of meeting with the NFL given that he’s considering retirement, but that notion was quickly disputed, and Neal will interview with the league.

“We’ve spent the last few days advising our players and letting them know in a completely honest and open way exactly what their options are, what they want to do,” NFLPA president Eric Winston said last week. “Each case is different, each guy is different. Each guy might want to do different things so no matter what we’re going fight for them like crazy like we always do, and we’re going go and have our players’ backs. That’s what we’re all about and that’s all we can do and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Le’Veon Bell Speaks About Suspension

August 21st, 2016 at 10:02am CST by Rory Parks

After having his four-game suspension reduced to three games as part of a settlement between the NFL and NFLPA, Steelers star running back Le’Veon Bell spoke briefly about his punishment on Saturday, and he largely took ownership of his mistake (AP article via ESPN.com). Bell said, “I already apologized to my teammates, my coaches and Steeler Nation. I’m sincerely sorry about everything I put everybody through. It’s been frustrating, and I own up to everything. It’s all my fault, and I can’t blame nobody else for that.”

Of course, this marks the second time that Bell has been suspended in his professional career. He sat out the first two games of the 2015 season as punishment for his arrest in August 2014 on DUI and marijuana possession charges following a traffic stop. On that point, Bell said, “It [stinks] to keep having to miss time. I want to play football and be out there with my teammates. I accept the suspension. I just have to learn from this and move on.”

At the same time he appeared to accept full responsibility for the suspension, Bell also attempted to deflect some criticism, as Ray Fittipaldo of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes. Bell indicated that the video he posted on social media on Friday — one he later deleted — included everything he wanted to say about this matter, and in that video he claimed he was not able to come to the Steelers’ facility for testing in December and January and that the drug testers were unable to come to him. He also said he overslept in April when a test was to be administered at 5:37 in the morning.

When pressed Saturday on whether the process was fair, Bell said, “It’s not that hard of a process. I didn’t do everything right. I didn’t do everything wrong either. I just want to move on from it and keep pushing.”

Bell will miss the first three games of the regular season against the Redskins, Bengals and Eagles, but he will be eligible to return on September 26 before the Steelers’ Week 4 home game against the Chiefs. He will be allowed to train at the team’s practice facility, but he won’t be allowed to practice during his suspension.

Veteran back DeAngelo Williams, who thrived in his first season with the Steelers in 2015, will again shoulder the load in Bell’s absence, as Roster Resource indicates.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Steelers Add Bryn Renner

August 20th, 2016 at 7:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Down Bruce Gradkowski to injury, the Steelers signed Bryn Renner, the team announced. The Steelers also added guard Antoine Everett, cut Christian Powell and waived/injured center Valerian Ume-Ezeoke. Renner spent two months with the Chargers earlier this year, but the Bolts’ claim of Zach Mettenberger resulted in the former North Carolina UDFA being jettisoned. The 26-year-old Renner spent much of 2015 with the Ravens, spending the offseason in Baltimore and, after being cut, catching on with the team’s practice squad in December.

Steelers Notes: Bell, Green, Jones, Vaughan

August 20th, 2016 at 7:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Steelers don’t have many reasons to trust Le’Veon Bell at the moment, argues Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, and it’s possible that sentiment infects contract talks with the pending free agent. Earlier this week, Bell saw his suspension reduced from four games to three, but that doesn’t excuse the missed drug tests, DUI, and marijuana busts, as Fowler writes, adding that Pittsburgh “probably won’t know what to expect from him off the field until he proves it over time.” On the flip side, the Steelers laud Bell for his work ethic and his interactions with fans, so he’s clearly not a character problem in the traditional sense of the term. How exactly Pittsburgh views Bell and his off-field questions could affect his future with the club and any negotiations the two sides might have over the next seven months or so.

James Harrison Blasts Roger Goodell

August 19th, 2016 at 6:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Forget the Olympics or the first presidential debate – could the NFL’s interview with Steelers linebacker James Harrison be the must-watch event of the year? If Harrison has his way, his interview with league investigators over PED claims will be live on TV for all to see.

Steelers Reach Injury Settlement With Brian Mihalik

August 19th, 2016 at 5:43pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Steelers have removed offensive tackle Brian Mihalik from IR with an injury settlement, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Mihalik, undrafted from Boston College in 2015, signed a futures deal with the Steelers in January. He previously spent time on the Eagles’ practice squad.

Le’Veon Bell Has Suspension Reduced

August 19th, 2016 at 4:23pm CST by Zachary Links

4:23pm: Bell spoke Friday in response to the suspension reduction, saying that he never intentionally missed or “failed” any drug tests, per Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter links). Rather, Bell claims he was unable to make either his test in November or December, and officials couldn’t come to him. Further, Bell added that he missed an April test that was scheduled for 7 a.m and (via Tom Pelissero of USA Today) hasn’t smoked since December 2014.

1:49pm: Steelers’ RB Le’Veon Bell is having his suspension reduced from four to three games, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Bell was handed the suspension in late July after missing a drug test.

The compromise came as the result of a settlement between the NFL and NFLPA, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. As part of the settlement, Bell remains in his current stage of the substance-abuse program (link). Staying in the same stage of the program means Bell’s next suspension would only be four games, not ten.

For his part, Bell has said all along that he would be victorious in his appeal against the NFL.

“I’m gonna win the appeal,” he said a few weeks ago. “(People) have no idea what happened.”

Bell now will be eligible to play Week 4 versus the Chiefs at home on October 2nd. He will still be sidelined for contests against the Redskins, Bengals, and Eagles.

Between Bell’s suspension and injury last season, the tailback appeared in only six games for the Steelers in 2015. Despite Bell’s 10-game absence, the Steelers had the eighth-best yards-per-carry average in the league last season, when DeAngelo Williams amassed 907 yards and 11 touchdowns on 200 carries in his age-32 campaign.

Bell has now put himself in a bad spot as he enters a contract year. Not only is the 24-year-old returning from a torn MCL and PCL, he also has raised some serious concerns about his off-field behavior. This summer, Bell declared in a rap song that he is seeking $15MM/year on his next contract. That now seems like a longshot.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ladarius Green Not Considering Retirement

August 18th, 2016 at 5:34pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

While a report last week suggested that the Steelers’ Ladarius Green was mulling retirement, the banged-up tight end has no intention of walking away from the sport, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Headaches and an ankle injury have reportedly prevented Green from practicing with the Steelers during training camp, but he expects to regain health sometime this year. In doing so, Green would avoid landing on injured reserve. For their part, the Steelers are exercising patience with Green in the hopes that he’ll come back to serve as an integral piece of their offense, says Cole.

Over the weekend, head coach Mike Tomlin shot down the notion that headaches have kept Green on the physically unable to perform list.

“He’s on PUP because of his ankle. We stated that,” said Tomlin. “He’s rehabbing nice. He’s gotten better in that area, but he’s not ready to go. I’m not going to respond to reports from unnamed sources.”

Not to suggest that Tomlin is covering up concussion-related issues, but head injuries have been a problem for Green in recent years. The former Charger suffered two apparent concussions in as many weeks last September and then complained of headaches, but he told Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review in March that those were merely misdiagnosed sinus issues. Green also missed a game in 2014 because of a concussion.

Regardless of what’s preventing Green from playing, the Steelers are counting on him to eventually aid their Ben Roethlisberger-led passing attack. Pittsburgh inked Green to a four-year, $20MM deal in free agency after the 6-foot-6, 240-pounder showed promise behind Antonio Gates in San Diego. Although the 26-year-old has a difficult act to follow in the retired Heath Miller, an all-time great Steelers tight end, he’s clearly Pittsburgh’s best option at the position.

As Roster Resource shows, the Steelers’ non-Green tight end choices are 2015 fifth-round pick Jesse James (eight career receptions), 2014 undrafted free agent Xavier Grimble (zero appearances) and another former Charger, David Johnson (24 catches in 82 games). Green is easily more accomplished than each of them, having hauled in career highs in catches (37) and touchdowns (four) last season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Harrison, Matthews, Peppers To Meet With NFL

August 18th, 2016 at 2:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Steelers linebacker James Harrison and Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers have agreed to meet with NFL investigators, sources tell ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. However, Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter) hears that free-agent linebacker Mike Neal has not yet agreed to an interview. The league threatened suspensions for all four players if they did not cooperate. The NFL has been pushing to meet with the quartet of notables after steroid allegations were made in an Al-Jazeera report.

Harrison has agreed to meet on August 29th at the team facility, though he says he will only answer questions concerning the segment of the documentary in which he was identified. It is not yet clear if the league will accept those conditions. It’s also not clear exactly when Matthews and Peppers will meet with investigators. The NFLPA will serve in an advisory capacity, even if they are not thrilled about the precedent the interviews may set.

On Tuesday, Harrison explained to reporters that he had serious reservations about the potential interview.

“Somebody could come out and say James Harrison is a pedophile. They are going to suspend me, put me under investigation for being a pedophile just because somebody said it? I’m not going to answer questions for every little thing some Tom, Dick and Harry comes up with,” Harrison said.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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