Pittsburgh Steelers. Feature Stories

Transcription

1 Pittsburgh Steelers Feature Stories

2 Steelers' Roethlisberger shows flashes of Elway Page 1 of 2 10/13/2009 Ron Cook Steelers' Roethlisberger shows flashes of Elway Tuesday, October 13, 2009 By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana/Post-Gazette Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger directs wide receiver Hines Ward during Sunday's game in Detroit. View all related images I've said it before and I'll say it again: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is the John Elway of this generation. There are a number of ways to support that supposition, starting with Roethlisberger's two Super Bowls in his first five NFL seasons. All quarterbacks are judged by their won-loss record. Roethlisberger's is a staggering in the regular season, including 22-5 against AFC North Division opponents. He has 30 career 100-plus passer rating games, including a in the victory Sunday in Detroit when he threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Those are hard, fast numbers. Indisputable numbers. But just as clear is Roethlisberger's winning mindset. He is aware of everything on the field at all times. Nothing frightens him, not even 285-pound defensive ends with evil intentions. Nothing throws him off his game, not even the occasional interception that is returned for a touchdown. "Ben doesn't blink," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. Roethlisberger's reaction after throwing the second-quarter interception that Detroit cornerback William James returned 38 yards for a touchdown to cut the Steelers' lead to was the most fascinating part of the game. He walked slowly to the sideline, a wry smile on his face all the way, seemingly in disbelief that James -- or anyone, for that matter -- could make a play to get the better of him. Then, he immediately went to offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and asked if he could run the no-huddle offense on the next possession. "It was like, 'This next series is on me. I want it,' " said backup quarterback Charlie Batch, who was privy to the Roethlisberger-Arians conversation. "Usually, B.A. or coach Tomlin suggests we go no-huddle. Not this time. Ben said, 'I want it right now.' " Roethlisberger loves the no-huddle offense because he's more in charge of the game, calling the plays himself based on what he sees from the defense. Here's the sequence he came up with on that next possession: a 4-yard run by back Rashard Mendenhall, a 10-yard pass to tight end Heath Miller, a 1-yard run by Mendenhall, an 11-yard pass to Miller, a 9-yard pass to Miller, a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Hines Ward. Four passes. Four completions for 47 yards and a touchdown. A lead for the Steelers. "You can't answer the call better than that," Batch said.

3 Steelers' Roethlisberger shows flashes of Elway Page 2 of 2 10/13/2009 No one can appreciate what Roethlisberger did on that series quite like another quarterback. "You know he felt bad about the interception," Batch said. "You throw one like that and you're thinking, 'I owe the team. I just gave up seven points.' Well, he did something about it, didn't he?" Roethlisberger admitted he was "a little ticked off at myself" after James stepped in front of rookie wide receiver Mike Wallace, who was running a sideline pattern, to make the interception. "I read the coverage right. I threw a ball that was a pretty good ball. Mike ran a good route??? I put it in the right spot, I just didn't put enough on it." And Roethlisberger's take on his conversation with Arians? " 'Give me the ball. Let me go with it.' " That's Elway-like. Roethlisberger threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to Wallace in the third quarter, not just bumping the Steelers' lead to but making Wallace's day. Only two plays before the James' interception, Wallace dropped what should have been a 71-yard touchdown pass. "I've told any receiver that's come through here after a drop: 'I'm not going to get mad at you. I'm coming right back to you so be ready,' " Roethlisberger said. Do you think maybe that comes from knowing what it feels like to make a big mistake and wanting to atone for it? Wallace felt like garbage after the drop but went home happy after his touchdown turned out to be the decisive points in the win. It was just a part of another good day's work for Roethlisberger. Not that No. 7 was satisfied. "I don't feel like I'm playing well," he said. "I'm disappointed in my performance today. Even offensively, I'm disappointed in the way we played." The Steelers went three-and-out on their final two possessions, giving the Lions a chance to come back. "The standard is higher for us on offense," Roethlisberger said. "We need to really put the nail in the coffin at the end." The Steelers will try to do better Sunday when they play the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field. The Browns have scored an offensive touchdown in just two of their past 11 games, going back to last season. Somehow, they beat the Buffalo Bills, 6-3, Sunday despite quarterback Derek Anderson completing 2 of 17 passes for 23 yards. Do you think the Browns would love to have the Steelers' offensive troubles? A better question: Do you think the Browns would love to have Roethlisberger? Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com. More articles by this author First published on October 12, 2009 at 11:31 pm

4 Hines Ward leads the NFL in receiving at the age of 33 Page 1 of 2 10/22/2009 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Hines Ward leads the NFL in receiving at the age of 33 Thursday, October 22, 2009 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana/Post-Gazette Who would have imagined after six weeks of the season that Hines Ward would lead the NFL in receiving yards and be tied in receptions? On a gorgeous fall afternoon, Hines Ward left his workplace yesterday with a good three hours of sunlight remaining. Enough to get in a little golf? "No," Ward, 33, said. "I'm going to go sleep in my hyperbaric chamber. It's my fountain of youth." Who could argue? Ward not only is off to the fastest start of his 12-year career with the Steelers, but he also is atop the NFL receiving statistics this week. No Steelers receiver has ever led the league, but more than a third of the way through this season no one has more than Ward's 599 yards. He and Steve Smith of the New York Giants are tied for the league lead with 41 receptions. At that rate, he'll catch 109 passes for nearly 1,600 yards. "I would hope people would be proud of me," Ward said. "There's a guy 33 years old leading the league." Ward earlier exposed the myth that a Steelers receiver could not break into the top echelon in the league when he caught 112 passes for 1,329 yards in 2002, both team records. But that occurred when he was 26. Who saw this coming? Part of it has to do with coordinator Bruce Arians' open-air attack, part to the no-huddle offense, part to Ben Roethlisberger and also to Ward's ability to, well, stay young and healthy. "I'm having the best time of my life," he said. "I'm having fun. This is definitely fun. I look forward to Sundays." Ward kept the hyperbaric oxygen chamber that he credits with helping him return from a sprained MCL in his knee to play in the Super Bowl two weeks after it was injured in the AFC championship game. He said he gets into the thing four times a week, for preventive medicine, a.k.a. his fountain of youth. He also had rotator cuff surgery on a shoulder after the 2008 season, but he's playing like new today. "This is great. I'm having the most fun I had in 12 years because when I was younger, it was all about the stats and trying to make the money. Got the money, made the Pro Bowls. When I got closer to 10,000 yards that was like a milestone. I said if I get 10,000 I'm going to retire." Of course, that did not happen after he hit 10,000 career yards this season. He's signed through 2012 and believes he could make it to the end of that contract. "I'm still here," said Ward, who credits coach Mike Tomlin for giving him Wednesdays off at practice as another tonic. "When I retire is the day when I watch on film and say the Hines I know can beat this guy and then I can't get open on this guy. Then I'm done, because I don't want to end on that note. I want to go out on top." He's on top of the NFL now. It looked as if the only Steelers receiver to have four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons would

5 Hines Ward leads the NFL in receiving at the age of 33 Page 2 of 2 10/22/2009 experience no more when he dipped below 1,000 between , to a low of 732. But he rebounded with 1,043 yards last season and is blowing that away today. His yards per reception also has increased, by nearly 2 yards over last season to 14.6, which would be the highest of his career as a starter. "Not bad for a guy without speed, right?" Ward said. He always has been somewhat of a possession receiver, playing next to deep threats such as Plaxico Burress and then Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington and now rookie Mike Wallace. But with the no-huddle has come some deeper routes for Ward, who has the team's longest reception of the season, a 52-yard touchdown against Cleveland, and another of 41 yards. "People ask how long I will play, I don't know how long. It's just a great feeling to go out there and help contribute. All the guys -- Heath [Miller] is catching TDs and his stats are right up there, Santonio is on pace for 1,000 yards. Mike Wallace is coming in and giving us great splash plays. Ben is having a Pro Bowl year. "It's great to be part of that mix because I wasn't supposed to be in the mix being I was 33." Parker OK with No. 2, for now Willie Parker won't argue with Tomlin's decision to give Rashard Mendenhall the brunt of the carries Sunday. "He's the coach, he has to make a decision and live with it. He thinks that's the best for our offense right now and pretty much I have to prove him wrong. I'm cool with it." Parker carried only seven times last Sunday after missing the previous two games with turf toe. Mendenhall has started the past three games and rushed for 304 yards and four touchdowns. "I'm not all the way back," said Parker. "I'm not Willie Parker, I'm not myself right now." Spaeth's splash play Tight end Matt Spaeth apologized yesterday for getting into trouble with the law that helped spark teammate Jeff Reed's arrest Sunday night outside of McFadden's near Heinz Field. Spaeth was cited for public urination. "I apologized for the distraction that it caused both to the organization and to my teammates," he said. For more on the Steelers, read the new blog, Ed Bouchette on the Steelers at Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com. Ed Bouchette's blog on the Steelers and Gerry Dulac's Steelers chats are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details. First published on October 22, 2009 at 12:00 am

6 Was Super moment Holmes' springboard to superstardom? - USATODAY.com Page 1 of 2 9/10/2009 Powered by Was Super moment Holmes' springboard to superstardom? By Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY Less than a three-hour drive from his difficult childhood in a depressed rural Florida town, Santonio Holmes' life changed forever on a memorable evening in Tampa seven months ago. Holmes' last-minute winning touchdown catch in Super Bowl XLIII earned the Pittsburgh Steelers a sixth Super Bowl victory and the MVP trophy for the third-year wide receiver. His twinkle-toes snag deep in the corner of the end zone, stunning three Arizona Cardinals defenders, dipped Holmes' hands and feet in bronze. "You could play for 100 years and never make a better play than that," says Cris Carter, an ESPN analyst and former NFL star wideout. "This should be the year he launches into the stratosphere." WEEK 1 PICKS: Our analysts project the winners, losers NFL'S STANDARD BEARER? Steelers stand out among league's best For an encore, beginning this evening in the season opener against the Tennessee Titans, the split end from Belle Glade, Fla., hopes to soar a little less spectacularly, preferring to add consistency. Holmes, 25, has yet to be named to the Pro Bowl or catch more than 55 passes in a season. His primary goal this season is to play every game. His ultimate ambition is far loftier. "The only career goal I have is to be a Hall of Famer," he says. "However I get there, whatever it takes, that's what I'm doing." Holmes' marvelous grab prompted teammate Hines Ward, Super Bowl XL's MVP, to tell Holmes to stay humble if the player wants to fulfill expectations of greatness. Ward, 33, nudged by Holmes for the No. 1 pass-catching role, is on his way to joining Lynn Swann and John Stallworth as the franchise's Hall of Fame wide receivers. Ward, who mentors the young receiver, says he felt "like a proud papa" after the remarkable catch. "The upside is there; Santonio can be as great as he wants to be," says Ward, a four-time Pro Bowl receiver. "It's great to be a Super Bowl MVP, but the legacy you want to leave is consistency." The 25th overall selection in the 2006 draft left Ohio State after his junior season. He has flashed brilliance in the NFL but has yet to attain elite status. His career output is limited somewhat by the Steelers' propensity to run the football and Ward's reliable production. THE HUDDLE: Did Holmes really catch a ball on a high wire? Holmes possesses many qualities of a primo wideout: quickness, elusiveness and a knack for making catches and explosive dashes. He is an adept blocker. And he's working hard at improving his ability to decipher coverages, refining technique and getting stronger. Improved strength will help the 5-11, 197-pounder take a pounding on inside routes as he also learns to play the slot, a Ward staple. In the meantime, he plans to offer no excuses only results. "The most telling moment wasn't just 'The Catch,' " says Tunch Ilkin, a team broadcaster and former Steelers Pro Bowl tackle. "What made it all the more remarkable, in my mind, is that he dropped the one before it (on first down). "He came back to the huddle and said, 'My bad.' Then he makes a fantastic catch to win it. That spoke volumes about the player Santonio Holmes can be." Growing up fast Off the field, he is taking strides at making a better name for himself, too, after immaturity led to indiscretions, including an embarrassing incident in October. "I think there's a question that (Steelers coach) Mike Tomlin and the rest of the organization are asking themselves: Is he finally going to grow up?" says Carter, who has helped Holmes as a friend and fellow Buckeye. The freshly minted Super Bowl luminary found the offseason littered with time-consuming and distracting rewards parties, special appearances, the ESPY awards something about which Ward warned. The dizzying experience was a long toss from humble beginnings in his fertile and isolated hometown, nicknamed "Muck City" because of vast expanses of muddy soil. "Santonio had to grow up faster than he should have," says his mother, Patricia Brown, 42, a single parent whose family helped raise four boys. "Most days, he didn't see me until nighttime; often he already was asleep." As a boy, Holmes hunted rabbits Sunday after church for $8 a kill, pretended he was Jerry Rice as he played football on concrete, and helped his mom, who toiled in the cornfields. "They always played football in the streets," she recalls. "I would tell them to play in the grass, but they wouldn't. They had to learn to catch the ball, stay on their feet; otherwise they'd get scraped. They said it made them tougher. That was the theory, anyway."

7 Was Super moment Holmes' springboard to superstardom? - USATODAY.com Page 2 of 2 9/10/2009 During his whirlwind post-super Bowl spring, Holmes unexpectedly discovered something: While he cherishes the football limelight, the spotlight off the field does not suit his style. "It was fun, but at the same time it was kind of stressful," Holmes says. "At one point, the traveling really got to me. I couldn't get my training done. I definitely was glad to get back into the football (routine). I figured out it wasn't the lifestyle I wanted to live, though I'm definitely grateful and appreciative." He also learned something else: the joy, and sometimes exasperation, of being an involved parent. His experience with fatherhood was not new because he had his first child, Santonio III, 7, while still in high school. The player also has a son, Nicori, 5, and a daughter, Saniya, 3. Holmes' sons spent a couple of months with him in his Mr. Mom role this summer. Acting as daddy and mommy getting the boys up, feeding them, entertaining them throughout the day, getting them dinner and ready for bed was an eye-opener. "He called me every day and would say, 'Mom, what do you do when?' " Patricia says. "But he learned how to cope." An absentee father "made me a stronger person," he says. "I learned from it. I knew, if I had kids, I'd never leave them out of my life and not be involved with their lives. That was very important to me because I did not have a father growing up." Lesson learned In the days leading to the Super Bowl, Holmes acknowledged that, as a teen, he sold drugs in his hometown. Belle Glade's per capita income is less than half the average for the state. "Opportunities are scarce where I'm from," he says. "Growing up, there was nothing but cane fields and dirt canals. Many kids are either involved in gangs or selling drugs on the corner." Holmes surprised some with his admission particularly in light of his SUV being pulled over by police in Pittsburgh four months earlier. Police said they detected the odor of marijuana. Holmes pointed out that he had three marijuana-filled cigars in the vehicle. He was charged with misdemeanor possession; the charge was dismissed. Holmes apologized. It wasn't the first time he ran afoul of the law since he was drafted. Charges of disorderly conduct and domestic violence were dropped. Terrible Towels went limp. Tomlin deactivated him for the New York Giants game Oct. 26. Holmes disagreed but says Tomlin "has tried to be a father figure." Although Holmes was not having a sensational 2008 season (22 catches, 360 yards, one touchdown through six games), his absence was profound. Without his ability to lure double coverage, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger struggled, throwing four interceptions. The Steelers lost Holmes sat dejectedly at home and watched the meltdown. "I think he was very remorseful. I think he felt he let everyone down," Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians says. Says Ward: "From that point on, I think he felt, 'I'm not bigger than the game.' He kind of straightened up." During Super Bowl week, Holmes said, "I knew what my path was like before, and I didn't want to go down it again." "Honestly," he says now, "things happen for a reason. (Tomlin) made a decision and stuck by it. I had to deal with it. It could have been worse for me." The day after the Super Bowl, Tomlin said, "When you work the way we work with these players, you're a life coach." New England Patriots running back Fred Taylor is Holmes' second cousin. He says, "Tone is pretty savvy for his age, but (last October) was a wake-up call. I think it has changed him. I think he realizes he has to change some of the things he saw growing up." Holmes' mother plans to move soon to a new home in Florida, one the player bought for her and his three siblings, Kenneth, 22, De'Vontae, 18, and Jay, 11. "People I know think he's making all the right steps and that he's making a conscious effort," Carter says. "He's really a good kid. As far as growing up in Belle Glade, that's real. We are not trying to give kids excuses that they don't have to be mature (because of their environment). Sometimes, (age) 24 is really 19. "I'm hoping Santonio is a late developer like me and that all of his great years are ahead of him, all of his skeletons behind." Find this article at: Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article. Copyright 2009 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

8 Miller's value with Steelers beyond stats - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 8/11/2009 Miller's value with Steelers beyond stats By Pat Mitsch TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, August 11, 2009 Ask Steelers tight end Heath Miller what his on-the-field strengths are, and the soft but well-spoken 26-year old won't single out anything specific. Leave it to his quarterback to brag about him, then. "He is one of the best, if not the best, all-around tight ends in the game," said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers organization must feel the same way about Miller, their first-round draft pick out of Virginia in On July 29, two days before players reported to training camp, the Steelers signed Miller to a six-year contract worth $35.3 million. Consider that Miller's new contract makes him the third-highest paid tight end in the NFL, just behind Tampa Bay's Kellen Winslow Jr. and Indianapolis' Dallas Clark, and Roethlisberger might not be bragging about Miller's elite status, even if nobody else is. "To me, Heath does not get even close to the credit he deserves," Roethlisberger said. "He doesn't get that credit because he doesn't put up the big numbers." Not that you'd hear Miller complaining. Though he set a career high with 48 receptions in 2008, his 514 yards ranked 15th among all NFL tight ends, and his three touchdowns, down considerably from seven in 2007, were tied for 13th. Even so, the 6-foot-5, 256-pound Miller seems to enjoy having a versatile role in the Steelers' offense under coordinator Bruce Arians. "It's fun," he said. "I think it's fun to be a tight end in this offense. Coach Arians asks us to do a lot of different things, and it's fun to do those things, whether it's being able to be a big part of the passing game, be in motion a lot, be in the backfield some. It's fun to do all those things." That includes blocking, and Miller is becoming especially good with his technique. Roethlisberger said anybody who goes against Miller would say just how good he is, and Steelers linebacker James Harrison lauded Miller for his hand placement.

9 Miller's value with Steelers beyond stats - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 2 8/11/2009 Miller's numbers could just be a product of the Steelers' abundance of passinggame playmakers. After all, no other offense in the NFL features two Super Bowl MVPs Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes at wide receiver. "As an offense, we have a lot of threats," Miller said. "It's tough to defend everybody. That's what makes our group special, that all we care about is winning. We don't really care who scores, as long as we put enough points on the board and we have enough points to win. That's all we care about." Still, Miller faced some uncertainty in the offseason. He had minor surgery in June to repair a sports hernia he had the same surgery done in 2005 while still at Virginia and was heading into the final year of the rookie contract he signed with the Steelers after being drafted. Miller says he tries not to look too far into the future, but admitted that if you would have asked him several years ago that he "would have hoped to be in this position," with a chance to become arguably the best tight end in Steelers history and with an established relationship with Roethlisberger. "This will be our fifth year together, and it looks like we're going to have a few more years together," Miller said. "So I feel real lucky to have a quarterback like him for the majority of my career. "I realize how blessed I am to be here," Miller said. "To be drafted by the Steelers, then to be given the opportunity to play a few more years here, I couldn't have drawn it up any better." Pat Mitsch can be reached at pmitsch@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

10 Steelers' James Harrison... do not disturb Page 1 of 2 9/9/2009 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Steelers' James Harrison... do not disturb Star linebacker fended off a lot of financially rewarding offers Wednesday, September 09, 2009 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana / Post-Gazette Steelers defensive MVP James Harrison They came at linebacker James Harrison in waves, and he flicked them aside as one might expect the NFL defensive player of the year to do. One after the other, Harrison rejected them as if they were scatbacks trying to block his path to the quarterback. Only these did not occur on a football field, they were part of his swag for what he did on football fields last season. They were offers of money in trade for his appearance or his autograph or his endorsement. It is the reward for the remarkable season Harrison had in Yet, the two-time Steelers MVP was a hard sell, turning down "about 25, 30" such offers, according to agent Bill Parise. His reasoning: "James is James," Parise said. "James is not comfortable in a lot of those settings, and there's not a need to put him in them anymore." The lack of need to grovel for outside income came in April when he signed a six-year contract worth $51.2 million, about $20 million of that in bonus money. "I turned down a whole bunch of stuff," Harrison said. "Go here, do this and do that. I don't want to do nothing. I'm not interested, especially now, I don't really need it. "I'm happy with the contract I have. And the kind of money I would get from that versus what I'd have to do, I'd probably have to sit there and talk to people." Oh, no, not talk to people! Think skipping the White House visit and a chance to meet the president was a show of disrespect? Those who know Harrison claim it's just not so. He's private and admittedly shy. This overnight sensation at age 31 often does not react well to his newfound celebrity. Two years ago, he was just another backup outside linebacker with the Steelers. Today, he owns their season sack record with 16, was league defensive player of the year and author of the longest play in Super Bowl history, a breathtaking 100-yard interception return for a touchdown to end the first half and very likely stem Arizona's upset bid. There's also an impending book. Yes, this shy, private linebacker collaborated on a biography, perhaps because he had to talk only to its author, Bill Moushey (with Bill Parise). Titled "Never Give Up," a snarling Harrison is shown on its cover. It was Moushey, a former Post-Gazette writer, who suggested Harrison's shyness. PG graphic: The Sack Master PG photos: Anatomy of history "I think he puts a somewhat impenetrable shield up to keep people away from him, borne out of an intense shyness," Moushey said. "He won't go in front of crowds, doesn't like to do that kind of stuff, unless it's involving kids. His fear of flying combined with his shyness has caused him pretty much to turn down anything people throw his way. He's been offered all kinds of headline appearances and he just doesn't do it."

11 Steelers' James Harrison... do not disturb Page 2 of 2 9/9/2009 Harrison, who is so intense he nearly knocked his quarterback out for the season by pushing 345-pound tackle Max Starks into Ben Roethlisberger's leg on the last day of training camp, also has a soft side. Of the field, of course. "Absolutely," says end Brett Keisel, who plays next to Harrison on the right side of the NFL's No. 1 defense. "Watch him around his little boy and my son. My son was out here a couple of weeks ago; James came over and kissed him on the head. "He's a great guy off the field, but on the field he's a complete animal. That's what we want. He's a big reason why we were great last year. His return in the Super Bowl speaks for itself. He has the heart to go that far -- that's a long way to run, but that's what he's built on, all heart." Speaking from the heart, then, here are Harrison's thoughts, recounted for us, as he intercepted Kurt Warner's pass and ran with it. He already has acknowledged he was supposed to blitz on that play but saw something and hung back. "After I picked it off, I didn't see anybody in front of me, I thought I had a clean touchdown. I'm like, 'I'm about to go.' All of a sudden there's a sea of white jerseys and then I saw a bunch of red jerseys and I said, 'Oh my goodness.' " He needed some help and got it with blocks by quick-reacting teammates Deshea Townsend, Ike Taylor and LaMarr Woodley, among others. "After Deshea blocked Kurt Warner I said, 'OK, I'm good.' He blocks him, then I got a bump from behind, I guess that was Ike hitting someone, I don't know who it was. Then somebody came from the side, a lineman or something. Then there was a running back [Woodley] knocked down, then another lineman after [Woodley] knocked him down, then a receiver. Like I said, I never saw Larry Fitzgerald until he actually hit me." That occurred as he approached the end zone and wound up rolling onto Fitzgerald for the touchdown. Had he been short, the half would have ended without a chance at kicking a field goal. As with Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception, he might have had time to run out of bounds and given his team a shot at three points rather than gamble it all on the end zone or nothing. "I'm not even thinking about running out of bounds," Harrison said. "I figured there was not enough time left, that was my whole reason for dropping back because they had to either throw a quick in or out into the end zone because they could not afford to get caught in bounds; they had no timeouts left." Had it not been for Fitzgerald's late scores and Santonio Holmes' winning touchdown catch, Harrison might have added Super Bowl MVP to his late-blooming resume. No matter. He's happy with what he has, but in no way content. He's as determined to show he's not a fluke as much as he was determined to make it in the first place. "He's more motivated to prove his critics wrong, that he might be a one-year wonder," said friend and safety Tyrone Carter. "He's always been motivated, but this will give him an extra edge as well because you know he's going to have naysayers: 'He had one good year, what's he going to do once he got money?' " Harrison, who was back working out at the Steelers' facility days after they won Super Bowl XLIII, will tell you what he's going to do, or at least plans to do. "I believe anything can be topped. That's why they make records. How do I do that? I come in and train and get better in every area, learning defense, what my position is as far as where I'm supposed to be on certain defenses to better help myself and my teammates. It may not be me getting better numbers, it may be me being in better position to help other people." Just as long as those people are his teammates, or the kids he serves through the Beaver County YMCA without fanfare. The rest? Please leave him alone, even if you come carrying gifts. Harrison does not want gifts and he certainly does not want to have to talk to anyone to get them. Anatomy of history Steelers linebacker James Harrison completes the longest play in Super Bowl history after intercepting Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner in the Steelers end zone and returning the ball 100 yards for the touchdown at the end of the first half Feb. 1 in Tampa, Fla. "I'm not even thinking about running out of bounds," Harrison said. For more on the Steelers, read the new blog, Ed Bouchette on the Steelers at post-gazette.com/plus. Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com. First published on September 9, 2009 at 12:00 am

12 Steelers Locker Room: Farrior still shows that 'he's a beast' Page 1 of 2 8/30/2009 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Steelers Locker Room: Farrior still shows that 'he's a beast' Sunday, August 30, 2009 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette In an attempt to explain what he was looking for from his starters against the Buffalo Bills, coach Mike Tomlin said he wanted to see 30 minutes of Steelers football. After that, depending on his level of satisfaction, he would determine if he wanted to see more from his first-team units. Well, after his defense, which ranked No. 1 overall in the National Football League last season, held the Bills to 50 total yards and scored on an interception return in the first half, Tomlin must have been more than satisfied that his first-team unit was ready for the regular season. But, a funny thing happened when the second half began last night at Heinz Field: The first-team defense was still on the field, even though the Steelers were leading, "He wanted to see us come out strong in the second half," defensive end Brett Keisel said. "And we were able to do that." Not even inside linebacker James Farrior, the old man of the unit, got a rest. And, after the way he performed, he should have received a vacation. "That was the plan all along," Farrior said. "He never said how many plays we would have. We had a feeling we would go back to start the second half and still go out and play intense." It was just another three-and-out series for the Bills, one of four they had against the first-team defense. And the reason the defensive starters have not allowed a touchdown in three preseason games. Farrior looked like his Pro Bowl self against the Bills, registering four tackles, a sack, forcing a fumble and returning an interception 22 yards for a touchdown that gave the Steelers a 10-0 lead. And, when he came back on the field for the first and only series of the second, Farrior nearly had a second sack when he hit quarterback Trent Edwards' throwing arm as he was attempting a pass, causing the ball to flutter and float harmlessly to the turf. "He's a beast," Keisel said. "He doesn't slow down. The guy is a constant workaholic. That's why he's our captain." Understand, of course, the Bills have not exactly been impersonating the New England Patriots in the preseason. Their firstteam offense had not scored a touchdown in three previous games, and the only points the unit managed was a measly field goal against the Chicago Bears. It didn't get any better against the Steelers. The Bills were held to 28 yards rushing, 22 yards passing, and that with a 16-yard run by running back Marshawn Lynch on their fifth play from scrimmage. They also had a 16-yard catch-and-run by running back Dominic Rhodes in the second quarter. Those two plays accounted for 32 of their 50 first-half yards, meaning the Bills managed all of 18 yards on their other 17 plays in the first half. And still Tomlin put the defense out for the start of the second half. "I think we did pretty good," Farrior said. "There are some things that we can improve on. We can improve on our blitz timing and a couple other things." At age 34, Farrior is coming off his second Pro Bowl season and shows no signs of slowing down. As he showed against the Bills, he is more than just the leader of a unit that was voted the best in the league in a poll of NFL scouts, personnel men and coaches by The Sporting News magazine. He remains a playmaker, a linebacker who can blitz, force turnovers and, on occasion, return interceptions for touchdowns. That's what he did when he stepped in front of pass for wide receiver Josh Reed and returned the pick 22 yards for a touchdown. "I have to show these guys I'm not getting old," Farrior said.

13 Steelers Locker Room: Farrior still shows that 'he's a beast' Page 2 of 2 8/30/2009 Last season, for the first time since joining the Steelers in 2002, he did not have an interception, forced fumble or fumble recovery, according to the team's 2008 statistics. Still, he was selected to the AFC Pro Bowl team, along with outside linebacker James Harrison. And, based on last night, it might not be his last. "Hopefully, this goes on for the rest of the season for him," Keisel said. Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com. First published on August 30, 2009 at 12:00 am

14 Steelers' Woodley hopes for another 'hit the wall' season Page 1 of 2 8/28/2009 Steelers' Woodley hopes for another 'hit the wall' season By Alan Robinson Associated Press PITTSBURGH - Flash back to the Super Bowl, and it may have seemed that the Steelers secured their sixth NFL championship when Santonio Holmes tiptoed along the sideline to catch Ben Roethlisberger's last-minute touchdown pass, a dramatic ending to a score-or-lose Pittsburgh drive. They hadn't. Not then. There was one more pivotal play to go - LaMarr Woodley's sack of Arizona's Kurt Warner that resulted in a fumble the Steelers recovered, allowing them to run out the clock. The Woodley sack hasn't replayed nearly as many times over the last seven months as Holmes' catch, not that Woodley minds. All season, it seemed, he was repeatedly upstaged by someone on his own team. Woodley had six sacks in three playoff games, yet it was James Harrison's record 100-yard interception return touchdown that likely will be remembered as long as the Super Bowl is played. Woodley also would have led most teams with his 111/2 sacks, yet it was Harrison who won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award by making 16. "Sometimes when it's you that's not getting it, it's somebody else out there who's getting sacks," Woodley said. While Woodley hasn't reached the national recognition level of Harrison or safety Troy Polamalu, he has needed just two NFL seasons - only one as a starter - to become one of the league's best outside linebackers. Woodley was a part-timer in 2007, yet only three other current-day NFL linebackers (Shawne Merriman, Terrell Suggs and DeMarcus Ware) had more sacks in their first two seasons than Woodley's 151/2. The Bears' Brian Urlacher, for example, probably is a better-known player than Woodley, yet he had fewer sacks (14) in more games (32, to Woodley's 28). Again, not that Woodley cares that much. The former Michigan star already has a Super Bowl ring and is convinced that unless injuries or other unexpected difficulties intercede, there is enough talent on this Steelers defense to win multiple titles. The Steelers, for example, lost former starting inside linebacker Larry Foote to free agency, yet they have former first-round draft pick Lawrence Timmons ready to replace him. Timmons had five sacks as a part-time player - sound familiar? - last season. Coach Mike Tomlin referred to that depth Thursday as having "starters, and starters in waiting."

15 Steelers' Woodley hopes for another 'hit the wall' season Page 2 of 2 8/28/2009 There was little waiting around for the 6-2, 265-pound Woodley, who had two sacks in the Steelers' only playoff game during the 2007 season. He started last season by getting 91/2 sacks in his first eight games. Woodley slowed during the second half, when he missed a game to injury and had two sacks in seven games, and he began hearing that he was hitting the proverbial end-of-season wall. Because the NFL season is about 25 percent longer than any college season they played, many younger starters tend to slow up near the end of the four-month regular season grind. "That hitting the wall stuff? That's kind of funny to me," Woodley said. "I didn't hit a wall." As opposing offenses began to realize that he was a player "you might have to worry about a bit," as Woodley said, he didn't see as many open pass rushing lanes to the quarterback. But while his statistics declined, the Steelers still went 6-1 in their last seven games. Woodley's production picked up again in the playoffs, when he became the first player to have multiple sacks in each of his first four postseason games. Counting the playoffs, he finished with 171/2 sacks in 18 games. "People said you hit a wall when you're not out there continuing to get sacks," Woodley said. "We were still putting pressure on the quarterback, your team's still going out there winning, how can you say that you hit a wall? I was able to put pressure on and a few quarterbacks threw interceptions and we capitalized on that on defense." If Timmons plays as a starter the same way he did as a backup, and 33-year-old inside linebacker James Farrior keeps performing at his usual level, the Steelers might again have the NFL's best defense. Woodley will be disappointed if they don't. "That's one reason our defense is good, there are so many big-time players who can make big plays in big games," Woodley said. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.

16 Steelers' Timmons poised to excel in role - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 3 8/8/2009 Steelers' Timmons poised to excel in role By John Grupp TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, August 8, 2009 The Steelers are replacing a Foote with a freak. Lawrence Timmons, the former first-round draft pick, is embracing a new role as a starting inside linebacker for the NFL's top-ranked defense. Timmons, in his third year, is taking over for departed veteran Larry Foote. "It's just playing football, that's all," Timmons said after practice this week. "I want to get better and work on all facets of my game and try to learn as much as possible." The 6-foot-1, 245-pound Timmons played in all 16 games last season, starting two, and he filled the stats sheet. The former Florida State star was one of only two players LaMarr Woodley was the other to record at least one sack, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Now, Timmons, 23, has added 10 pounds of muscle, while keeping if not enhancing his eye-blink quickness. "It's going well," Timmons said. "Everything is going well." Foote had started five seasons at inside linebacker before the Steelers released him. Foote, due to be paid about $2.9 million this season, returned to his hometown Detroit and signed with the Lions. Along the way, he groomed Timmons. "(Foote) helped me out," Timmons said. "I love and respect that guy." Timmons will become an every-down player after seeing action mainly in passing situations last season. Whereas Foote was a force against the run, the explosive Timmons excelled on the pass rush and in coverage. Steelers linebacker coach Keith Butler is confident Timmons will be an effective run-stuffer, as he joins what is arguably the NFL's best group of linebackers. "(Foote) was a great player, and everybody's comparing them, but they're two different guys," Butler said. "(Timmons) was playing in the nickel sub-package

17 Steelers' Timmons poised to excel in role - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 3 8/8/2009 when people were passing. When people ran, he did what he was supposed to do." Timmons was such a hard-hitter at Florida State he was awarded the "Hit stick" for notable physical play typically reserved for big games after a spring practice. Timmons, whose 6-8 father, Lindsey, played basketball at Duquesne in the mid- 1970s, was an all-state tight end at Wilson High School in Florence, S.C. He is quick enough to cover any tight end in the league and a lot of running backs. Pro Bowl inside linebacker James Farrior all but laughed when someone questioned Timmons' run-stopping ability. "He's probably one of the hardest hitters we've got," Farrior said. "As long as he knows where he's going and what gap he has, he's going to be a force. He's one of the best athletes we have on the team, so I'm sure stopping the run won't be a problem for him." Timmons has never started an NFL game at inside linebacker. He filled in for Woodley in Week 10 against the Colts and for James Harrison in Week 17 against the Browns, both at outside linebacker. Despite coming off the bench, Timmons made his share of big plays, helping the Steelers sweep the Baltimore Ravens. His overtime takedown of Joe Flacco his first career sack set up the game-winning field goal in the Steelers' victory Sept. 29. In the rematch in Baltimore, Timmons' third-down sack of Flacco with less than five minutes to play led to the game-winning touchdown in a 13-9 win. Timmons, the first player drafted by Mike Tomlin (No. 15 overall in 2007), knows what it's like to move into the starting lineup as a third-year player. He came off the bench his first two seasons at Florida State, before replacing firstround pick Ernie Sims at strong-side linebacker. Timmons was brought along slowly because the Steelers' defense is so complex. "We felt the best thing for him to do was specialize in the sub-package, and he could learn the position as he got older," Butler said. "He's starting to do that." THE TIMMONS FILE Position: Inside linebacker Ht./Wt.: 6-foot-1/245 Tackles: 57

18 Steelers' Timmons poised to excel in role - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 3 of 3 8/8/2009 Sacks: 5 Passes deflected: 3 Forced fumbles: 1 Fumble recoveries: 1 John Grupp can be reached at jgrupp@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

19 Steelers Keyaron Fox a pleasant surprise - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 9/19/2009 Steelers Keyaron Fox a pleasant surprise By John Harris TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, September 19, 2009 It didn't seem like a big deal when the Steelers signed a little-known linebacker named Keyaron Fox prior to last season. Now, the move is looking like a stroke of genius. Fox became a special teams stalwart in his first year with the Steelers, where his 21 tackles were second on the team. This year, an ankle injury to Lawrence Timmons elevated Fox into the starting lineup in the opener against Tennessee, and he recorded a team-high nine tackles. Timmons has practiced all week and is expected to play against the Chicago Bears Sunday. If he starts, Fox would return to his special teams duties. However, even if Timmons does play, there's a chance Fox could make his second consecutive start at "buck'' linebacker. Either way, Fox has surfaced as a valuable team member and one of the best acquisitions in the Mike Tomlin era. "We've always liked him,'' defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said this week. "He's got good speed. He's an aggressive player. He's got real good playing strength. He's a smart guy and he competes. He gives you his best performance when the chips are on the table and that's what you're looking for.'' When Fox joined the Steelers in 2008, there was no fanfare trumpeting his arrival. He played four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and failed to win a starting job on one of the NFL's weakest teams. It was uncertain how much of an impact Fox would have upon joining a team two years removed from winning Super Bowl XL. But Fox's play was a revelation. He became a star on special teams, providing big hits in kickoff coverage. He was so effective that his special teams contributions led the coaching staff to consider how he would look at inside linebacker. "I think the biggest thing about my time in Kansas City is I was playing behind some guys (including first-round draft pick Derrick Johnson). I only had a few opportunities in four years to show what I could do,'' Fox said. "I felt like a lot of my talent was hidden, which is the reason why people didn't really know about me.''

20 Steelers Keyaron Fox a pleasant surprise - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 2 9/19/2009 When Fox visited the Steelers, he didn't know what to expect. But upon meeting with LeBeau, linebackers coach Keith Butler and coach Mike Tomlin, his spirits soared. The Steelers not only liked Fox, but they also envisioned a clearly defined role at linebacker they believed he could fill. "They told me I was going to get a fair shot to show what I've got,'' Fox said. "And from everything that was said, I can see that came out to be true.'' "He's been one of our top special teams players since he's been here,'' LeBeau said. "Usually those kind of players translate over to excellent scrimmage players, and that's what we're seeing.'' Said Fox: "At Kansas City, special teams wasn't really my focus. It didn't spark my interest. Once I got here, the work ethic that was already in place helped me to become a better special teams player. When you've got a defense that's playing as hard as they do, you want to carry that over to special teams.'' Despite his contributions at linebacker against Tennessee, Fox said he has only scratched the surface of his talent. Last season, he made the transition from Kansas City's 4-3 defense to the Steelers' 3-4 alignment. This year, he made the move from "buck'' inside linebacker to "mack'' inside linebacker when Timmons was injured. "Last week was my first time playing 'mack' linebacker as a starter and being put in that situation in less than a week (prior to the opener),'' Fox said. "I had to make some adjustments. That's just the tip (of the iceberg) for me.'' John Harris can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

21 Polamalu carving his name among greats - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 8/5/2009 Polamalu carving his name among greats By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Wednesday, August 5, 2009 It can be difficult to reconcile the relentless, hard-hitting player with the person whose soft-spoken manner betrays a gentle soul as well as an aversion to adulation. Maybe, then, it should come as no surprise that Troy Polamalu, who turns into the Tasmanian Devil on Red Bull when he dons a football uniform, sees himself as anything but a win-at-all-costs player. "Honestly, I don't like to compete," said Polamalu, whose actions strongly suggest otherwise. "Competition is a good thing as a lot of coaches say, but sometimes it brings out the worst in people. It brings a lot of ego and pride out of people. It brings undermining of friendships. That's not fun." Polamalu is not nearly as philosophical when the subject is football. And the game, he said, is simply fun to him even at the stage of his career where the aches and pains are more pronounced. Polamalu's passion for football is one reason why if the Steelers' defense unexpectedly springs a leak this season, it likely won't come on the back end. Polamalu, who has made five consecutive Pro Bowls, and Ryan Clark form one of the top safety tandems in the NFL. And Polamalu thrust himself back into the discussion of best safety in the NFL with the season he had in He intercepted a career-high seven passes during the regular season and had nearly 90 tackles. Polamalu, then, clinched the Steelers' berth in the Super Bowl when he intercepted a Joe Flacco pass and returned it 40 yards for the touchdown that put the AFC title game out of reach. As offensive coordinators around the league ponder ways to solve a defense that nearly led the NFL in all three majors categories last season, Polamalu is one player for which they will always have trouble accounting. That is because the strong safety moves around frequently before the snap and has been given enough latitude to do a certain amount of free-lancing. "I think Troy probably has as much innate football feel as anybody," Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said. "That's probably where Troy's a little different than most people I've coached."

22 Polamalu carving his name among greats - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 2 8/5/2009 LeBeau said Polamalu compares favorably with former Steelers star Carnell Lake. "They're two of the best players I've ever had at any position," LeBeau said. "The common points there are their size and their unbelievable acceleration. You just can't believe how fast they are for people that big. Carnell's probably a little stronger, and Troy's probably a little more instinctive." Polamalu showed good instincts in 2008 when he opted to spend most of the offseason training in California following two-injury plagued seasons. Rejuvenated last season, the 5-foot-10, 207-pounder played in all 16 games and collected numerous honors, including a place on the All-Pro team. Polamalu, again, spent this offseason working out in California, and leaving for camp may have been harder than in past years. Polamalu had to say goodbye to his wife and son, Paisios, who was born this past October, though they have been in Latrobe for the start of camp. As much as he could do without the drudgery of training camp and having to leave his family, Polamalu, who has many interests outside of football, said he is not even close to thinking about the end of his career. "Honestly, when you talk about going into the seventh, eighth, ninth year of the NFL, it's more the prime of your career than the end of it," said Polamalu, who is going into his seventh season. The Steelers seem intent on doing everything they can to preserve Polamalu. He has practiced on a limited basis since camp began. And Polamalu figures to get his share of days off over the next couple of weeks given his status and familiarity with the Steelers' defense. "I would imagine he could role out of bed and play strong safety in the NFL," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "That's what makes him Troy." Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

23 Here's the secret to Polamalu's success Page 1 of 2 8/11/2009 Here's the secret to Polamalu's success Associated Press LATROBE - Now we know why Troy Polamalu often makes plays that would be difficult for another safety. Why he always seems to be in the right spot for the interception or the tackle, his trademark long hair flowing behind him. He cheats. Sort of. According to his teammates, Polamalu is so instinctive, he's the one member of the Pittsburgh Steelers' secondary allowed to ignore the defense that is called and gamble when he's certain he knows what the offense will do. It's called cheating on a play and, the Steelers say, Polamalu does it better than anyone. Hence the nickname given him by cornerback Ike Taylor, who regularly covers for Polamalu when the five-time Pro Bowl strong safety takes off on his own: "1,000 percent." As in, Polamalu guesses right 1,000 percent of the time. "We let Troy be Troy," Taylor said. "You can only coach a guy like that so much. You've got to eventually let him go out and play. When he's just playing, there's no other safety like him. He's got good instincts. If he tells me to do something, and I've got to cover for him, I do it because I know he's going to be right." To Taylor, there's a major difference between freelancing - which defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau allows no Steelers player to do - and deciphering an opponent's code. "If he sees something on tape, or he sees it on the field, and he's got a feeling it's coming, and he lets one of us know, Troy's got the green light," Taylor said. "Ain't nobody going to freelance, not in coach LeBeau's defense. But at the same time, the coaches can only do so much until we get out there on the field. If guys have a certain idea or feeling, especially when you have a guy like Troy, we let him play. Troy's instincts are so far up there." Polamalu's ability to alter games was evident during the Steelers' Super Bowl run. His 40-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, the Steelers' first in a playoff game, sealed Pittsburgh's victory over Baltimore in the AFC championship game. "It's all the confusion," said Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, whose team lost to Pittsburgh the week before in the AFC playoffs. "Polamalu makes them unique. He's all over the place. They give you so many messy looks, so many blitzes." So much to watch out for, too. Polamalu is a master of disguise, lining up in one position before the snap only to fly to another once the play begins, or jumping into a blitzing lane when it appears he will be in coverage. His seven interceptions last season were more than the other Steelers' defensive backs combined and were only two behind NFL leader Ed Reed of Baltimore. Polamalu is also known for his recklessness, his willingness to liberally throw his body around in a sport where each player, on average, sustains at least one injury per season. While he sometimes isn't the most talked-about safety in his own division - that's Reed, the 2004 NFL Defensive Player of the Year - Polamalu is a primary reason Pittsburgh's defense was the league's best statistically the last two seasons.

24 Here's the secret to Polamalu's success Page 2 of 2 8/11/2009 "He comes out of nowhere," Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said, referring to plays such as Polamalu's improbable, one-handed scoop interception against the Chargers last season. "When Troy starts running with the ball, you never know what's going to happen." A year ago, the Steelers weren't certain what would happen with Polamalu when the season began. He missed all of training camp with a hamstring injury that limited him to two plays in the exhibition season, yet was nearly at peak efficiency once the games started counting. Polamalu, 28, is getting plenty of time off in this camp, too, if only because coach Mike Tomlin wants to make sure he saves his body for the season. "I'm very happy with the way things are progressing," Polamalu said. "I think coach Tomlin is happy with the way our team's been progressing. I feel I'm light years ahead of last year, when I didn't practice at all during camp." When a player is as physical as Polamalu, especially at a skill position, it can be difficult to sustain a long career. Polamalu has had at least seven concussions during his career, a worrisome number for any player, but not enough yet to convince him he should be winding down his career. "I think everybody comes in with an idea of how many years they want to play. But I'm kind of just rolling along," Polamalu said. "It's not like a teaching job, where you can say I'm going to be there for 30 years. If you're lucky to make it that far, who knows if you want to go even farther. You have to have a certain respect for the game that you don't want to sell yourself short." Copyright Observer Publishing Co.

25 CB Taylor looking to catch on with Steelers - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 8/25/2009 CB Taylor looking to catch on with Steelers By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, August 25, 2009 Talk about irony. Ike Taylor holds a receiving record at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. Yet, he concedes that his hands and specifically their lack of reliability have probably prevented him from earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. "My personal goal is to catch the ball (this season) and make the Pro Bowl," Taylor said. The two are inextricably linked when it comes to the Steelers cornerback. Going into his seventh NFL season, Taylor has just eight interceptions, or one more than Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu had in 2008 alone. The total would be appreciably higher had Taylor not been plagued by drops throughout his career, and he is at a loss to explain why he hasn't better taken advantage of his opportunities when he has been in position to make an interception. That may be the only knock against Taylor, who often lines up across from the opposition's best wide receiver and helped the Steelers finish first in passing defense last season. "I always thought that Ike was one of the elite corners (in the NFL) as far as his skill set," said new Steelers cornerback Keiwan Ratliff, who previously played for the Bengals and Colts. "As big as he is and as fast as he is and as physical as he is, you really don't find that much." Indeed, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Taylor is one of the fastest players on the Steelers, and he also has the size to match up with taller wide receivers. Last season, Taylor was credited with 14 passes defended for a defense that yielded just under 157 yards per game. The number would have been higher had opposing quarterbacks tested him more. The fact that teams more often try to work on the cornerback opposite Taylor makes it all the more important that he finishes plays when he has a chance to make an interception. "All it is with me is just concentrating, just looking the ball all the way in," said Taylor, who had just one interception in "All you've got to do is take your eyes off the ball for a split second and that will throw anything off."

26 CB Taylor looking to catch on with Steelers - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 2 8/25/2009 It's not that Taylor has concrete hands. In college, he once caught nine passes in a game, which is still a record number of receptions for a Louisiana-Lafayette running back. "I can play receiver and catch some balls. Your mindset (as a defensive back) just changes for some reason," Taylor said. "I can't tell you why." Some of his teammates feel the same way about why the top cornerback on the best defense in football has yet to make the Pro Bowl. Starting free safety Ryan Clark has stumped for Taylor to go to Hawaii for the annual all-star game. "I would like to go to the Pro Bowl one time," Taylor said. "But as long as we keep winning I ain't got nothing to say about it. It's been working for us." Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

27 Steelers DB Clark has nothing left to prove - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 4 8/16/2009 Steelers DB Clark has nothing left to prove By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, August 16, 2009 As he walked toward a group of reporters outside the cafeteria at St. Vincent College recently, Ryan Clark casually remarked that he had nothing interesting to say. Yeah, and Steelers fans are more quiet than a book club during games. Clark, the irrepressible Steelers free safety, is rarely at a loss for words, and he has a distinct way with them, too. Consider what he had to say about Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor, who has never made the Pro Bowl. "He follows the best receivers around every week," Clark said. "He shuts them down and doesn't go to the Pro Bowl, and he's on the best defense in the universe, not just America or the NFL. I'm talking like Canadian football, junior high, rugby, little league, Baldwin, Whitehall, North Hills, all of that." Clark can rattle teeth see the knockout blow he delivered to Ravens running back Willis McGahee in the AFC title game last January just as easily as he can rattle off riffs such as the aforementioned one. Clark's willingness to throw his body around and his enthusiasm for hyping others instead of himself make him an ideal fit on a defense where bloated egos are about as welcome as running backs. "He's a perfect guy for us," defensive backs coach Ray Horton said. Unfortunately for Clark, 29, there will be a time this season when he will have to answer the question of how far he is willing to go for the game he loves. AT WHAT COST? The Steelers visit the Broncos on Nov. 9, and their last trip to Denver triggered a harrowing ordeal for Clark one that almost ended his career and led to his getting his gallbladder and spleen removed in separate operations. The high altitude in Denver and Clark's sickle-cell trait caused his blood to sickle during a 2007 game. He missed the rest of the season, lost more than 30 pounds and was so weak at times that he didn't have the strength to play with his kids. Clark authored one of the top comeback stories of the year in 2008, as he reclaimed the starting job at free safety and finished second on the Steelers in

28 Steelers DB Clark has nothing left to prove - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 4 8/16/2009 tackles (113) while winning his first Super Bowl ring. Clark's toughness has never been an issue. However, the eighth-year veteran realizes he may have to pull himself out of a game this season because of what happened the last time he played in Denver. "It's a weird situation because you want to play, but you don't want to die," Clark said. "I've already met with some specialists. I have some more tests to take, and we'll just go from there. I'm hoping we'll be 7-0, and I won't have to play." Doctors, Clark said, have told him he wouldn't incur the same risk he has in past games in Denver because he no longer has the major organs that would be affected if his blood sickles. "My question to that is what if it picks new organs?" Clark said. "There's only so many they can take away from you before I can't function. I want to play, but I'm not going to risk my life or my career to play one game." If it is understandable why Clark won't risk his career, it is because of what he has done just to get to this point. He went undrafted out of LSU in 2002 and has seemingly been overlooked at every step of his career as neither the Giants nor Redskins believed in Clark enough to make him a part of their long-range plans. That is why he ended up in Pittsburgh following the 2005 season. "I think it's a classic 'nobody appreciates him until he's not there,' " Horton said. "Case in point: We had him miss some games (in 2007), and we didn't play very well. We have him back, and, all of the sudden, we're markedly different. He's brilliant on the field as far as knowing what's going on." PERPETUALLY OVERSHADOWED Clark could be moving on again after this season. He is in the final year of his contract, and if the Steelers don't extend the deal before the start of the regular season, Clark will become an unrestricted free agent after the season. Clark said he doesn't even ask his agent what is going on in regard to a contract extension so he won't develop any hard feelings toward the organization. He has been his usual self on and off the field with his mouth nearly keeping pace with his legs. "The thing that I appreciate about Ryan Clark is that he doesn't have a bad day," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "He's always up." He is also perpetually overshadowed.

29 Steelers DB Clark has nothing left to prove - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 3 of 4 8/16/2009 Prior to joining Troy Polamalu in the Steelers secondary, Clark played with the late Sean Taylor in Washington, and he honors his friend by donning Taylor's No. 21 for practices (Clark's wears No. 25 for games). Even in high school, Clark lived about 20 miles away from Ravens All-Pro safety Ed Reed outside of New Orleans and toiled in his shadow. "Being overshadowed is good," Clark said, "because it means that not as many people are paying attention to me when I do something wrong." That doesn't happen too often, which is why Ike Taylor recently took time to trumpet Clark's Pro Bowl credentials. "He's one of the hardest-hitting safeties in the league," Taylor said. "Every time they try to fine him, they come back and say that was a clean hit. And, so on that note, get him to the Pro Bowl." Clark's take on that? "I personally don't care about making it," he said. Clark then added with a playful smile: "I fly over with Troy every year anyway." MEET RYAN CLARK Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 205 School: LSU Teams: New York Giants ( ), Washington Redskins ( ), Steelers (2006 -) Favorite movie: "Training Day" Favorite book: "A Divine Revelation of Hell" by Mary K. Baxter Most prized possession: Family (wife Yonka and children Jordan, Jaden and Loghan) Favorite meal: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn Three people at his dinner table: Grandfather, who died before Clark was born, his wife and Kobe Bryant. Favorite NFL player growing up: Randall Cunningham Something not a lot of people know about him: "I don't really like dogs, but I

30 Steelers DB Clark has nothing left to prove - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 4 of 4 8/16/2009 bought one about a month ago, and I love her." Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau on Clark: "He's a very good player, and he takes pride in getting himself ready to play." Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

31 A starter at cornerback, overcoming pressure nothing new to Gay Page 1 of 2 6/11/2009 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL A starter at cornerback, overcoming pressure nothing new to Gay Thursday, June 11, 2009 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette William Gay takes over at corner for Bryant McFadden William Gay already knows the pressure of playing cornerback in a Super Bowl against receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, so what's the big deal about a little regular-season home opener? Actually, where Gay has been, the pressure of playing in a Super Bowl was nothing. Just as being one of only two new starters on the NFL's top defense carries little stress for him. Gay knows real pressure, the kind that comes when your mother is murdered by your stepfather at age 8, and when your biological father dies four years later. You want to talk about pressure? He wrote a how-to book on overcoming it. You want to point a finger at Gay next season if he gets beat on a long pass from his left cornerback spot, a job left vacant when Bryant McFadden joined the Arizona Cardinals? Go ahead, he has faced worse -- much, much worse. "I've had a lot of pressure in my life, always," Gay said after yet another spring football practice with the Steelers. "Someone pointing the finger and saying something is not going to worry me." Try having your world shattered at age 8. "I had to grow up and be a man when I was 8," said Gay, who credits his grandmother, Corine Hall, 78, to raising him the right way in Tallahassee, Fla. "That's a lot of pressure on a kid. Just knowing, going through high school, I had to get a scholarship, that's a lot of pressure right there. Either I get a scholarship, or I'm back home. "So pressure, like, 'Oh, it might be your fault because you're the new guy,' I'm not worried about that." Also, it's not as if Gay will step into a new job at left cornerback this season. He shared the position with McFadden last season, so he has done it already at the highest levels. Gay and McFadden alternated playing time last season, each took consecutive defensive series and then yielded to the other for the next two. Gay also started four games while McFadden had a broken forearm late in the season. No one associated with the Steelers is fretting Gay's insertion into the starting lineup on a defense that ranked among the best this century in the NFL. The only other new starter will be inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons, although he, too, experienced plenty of playing time in 2008 as the nickel linebacker. Gay, a fifth-round draft choice in 2007 from Louisville, played all 16 games as a rookie, mostly on special teams. He let everyone know he came to play in his first game when, playing some cornerback, he recovered a fumble and knocked down a pass at Cleveland. He picked up more action on defense as the season moved along, and his continued strong play last summer convinced his coaches to use him more often in "It helped me build my confidence within NFL games," Gay said of his experience during the Super Bowl season. "And it just prepared me and let me know that I'm able to get out there and play among the best."

32 A starter at cornerback, overcoming pressure nothing new to Gay Page 2 of 2 6/11/2009 With all the experience Gay has had thrust onto him in and out of football over his 24 years, there's one more he eagerly awaits. That will occur when he's introduced at Heinz Field for the NFL opener Sept. 10 against Tennessee. "To hear my name called and to run out of the tunnel will be a dream come true." Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com. First published on June 11, 2009 at 12:00 am Blood Pressure Above 160? If BP Meds Not Working, Explore New Investigational Device in Trial Credant Endpoint Security US Gov Has Banned all USB devices Protect Your Company s with Credant

33 Wife shows Steeler true meaning of being strong Page 1 of 3 10/25/2009 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Wife shows Steeler true meaning of being strong Sunday, October 25, 2009 By Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Chuck Finder/Post-Gazette April Carter with niece Zipporia, 13, top left, and children, clockwise, T.J., 16, Tyron, 12, Tyra, 3, and Tyree, 6 weeks. WELLINGTON, Fla. -- He dropped the phone. Through his sister's sobs, he made out the gist of her message: His wife had an accident, and she couldn't move her legs. Tyrone Carter first lost the handle on the receiver, then on his emotions. Frantic, he asked his mother to drive him from her Pompano Beach, Fla., house to the nearby park where April Carter and his sister had gone four-wheeling. He had sent off his outdoors-loving wife earlier that day -- just hours after her 27th birthday -- with an admonition: Be careful. During her second ATV jaunt of the afternoon, without warning, she said, the brakes failed. She careened into hedges and blacked out. She was sitting upright in the grass when her husband reached her, but she could feel nothing from her waist down. The man she met at the University of Minnesota, the mate she supported through his NFL sojourn from her hometown Vikings to the New York Jets to the Steelers, hoped against hope it was the same type of injury a hard-charging safety often got on football fields. "I remember plenty of times I hit someone and get numb a little bit and, all of a sudden, my feelings come back," he recalled. "So I just thought maybe eventually that [numbness] will go away." She can still hear him in the ambulance en route to the hospital: It shouldn't be you. I wish it were me. You don't deserve this. "But I know all things happen for a reason," April Carter, now 31, said in a soft voice from her wheelchair the other day, four and a half years after the April 2005 accident that paralyzed her. "I don't know why it did. Our life was already written." The plot thickens a tad today when Tyrone's old team visits his new team, Vikings vs. Steelers, at Heinz Field. His daughter, Tyra, 3, will attend along with one of April Carter's sisters from Minneapolis. Mrs. Carter stayed behind in Florida with 6- week-old Tyree, the latest chapter in their life. Start with Tyrone Carter's personal narrative. His parents abused drugs. His father lost his job and left his wife, along with children Veronica, Tony and Tyrone, then 7. Their paternal grandmother, Mamie Carter, at the time tended to five kids in a three-bedroom Pompano Beach house that ultimately saw her raise 13 children and grandchildren. Then she adopted her son's sons, Tony and Tyrone. Tyrone was a high school junior when he had a son of his own, T.J. He had another son, Tristan, with a woman while they attended the University of Minnesota. Then he met April Eubanks. Together, they have endured more than most. Ten years, three children of their own, three NFL teams, two Super Bowls and one accident later, it's a story arc that cannot help but fall gently following all the rising action of After the Steelers signed Tyrone Oct. 20, 2004, the family late that year moved into the house they had designed and built in Wellington. In the next 10 months, the Carters experienced a litany of once-in-a-lifetime events. Or, as April put it, "A lot went on that year. That's when I got injured...." In order, they withstood: her crash; a seven-hour surgery by doctors from the famed Miami Project to Cure Paralysis; word that she had no chance of walking again; three months of hospitalization; rehabilitation; pregnancy with Tyra; a stellar Steelers season and a trip to a Super Bowl XL championship.

34 Wife shows Steeler true meaning of being strong Page 2 of 3 10/25/2009 "I think if I was to write a book, it would let people know: It ain't over for you, no matter what people may think, what the obstacles or situation may look like," said Tyrone Carter, 33. "Watching my wife go through what she goes through, there's nothing in this world that I could go through that's going to affect me, by any stretch of the imagination. From my childhood days to my teenage days to now... You're living out your dream [in the NFL], and here comes another obstacle. What are you going to do now?" Roadblocks and detours Carters adapt. It's what they've done since they were children. When their home life deteriorated, they moved into their grandmother's house -- she enclosed her porch for children Nos. 6 and 7. "Seeing how dysfunctional my family was, I was acting out then. Always angry, ready to fight," Tyrone Carter remembered. "[She] kept me in a lot of after-school church activities and kept me off the street." Tony Carter, two years older, helped, too: "I kept that life away from my brother." When Tyrone was a senior at Ely High, their mother, Sarah, got sober and got her own place. Their father, also Tony, reformed and returned to their lives as well. Tyrone Carter added: "Ever since they've been off drugs, they've been great parents." When it came time for a college scholarship, his grandmother preferred far-off Minnesota. "Florida, there was nothing but negativity there. You either sold drugs, ran the streets or partied," he said. "Going to Minnesota, it was a different part of life. People pushed you, wanted to see you be successful." His grandmother died his freshman year. The Carters still own her vacant house. When he was no longer with the mothers of two of his sons, he was embraced by a mature Minneapolis native. "She was a strong woman who knew what she wanted," he said of April. "We grew a bond then. Shoot, we've been together ever since. She's very caring. Caring for my kids like they were her own." When Mr. Carter, a consensus All-American, left the university and then the Vikings after three seasons, he paused before joining the New York Jets in free agency in 2003 to propose to April. After one year, he returned to the Vikings, only to be cut two days before the 2004 season opener. The Steelers called barely five weeks later, adding him as a special-teamer and backup. When April was paralyzed six months into his Steelers career, then-coach Bill Cowher afforded him the time he needed to be with her. When Tyrone felt weak, he returned to Steelers practices. "I was getting too emotional and too hurt for her," he said, "and she wasn't even breaking." They would be married a few months later in their new Florida home in a private wedding officiated by his pastor uncle. The size of the ceremony remains one of April's only regrets. "We said we want to renew our vows, have a big wedding," she said. "That's one thing that's missing in our house, a big wedding picture." When the Steelers reached Super Bowl XL 10 months after the accident, April Carter stayed home because she was expecting Tyra, ("When she's pregnant, we're going to the Super Bowl," joked her husband) but sent their children -- T.J., Tyron and Tristan -- to Detroit. Also along for the ride was Tyrone's big brother, Tony, even though he had already missed his Jan. 6, 2006, date to report to jail to start his six-month sentence for driving with a revoked license. After the Steelers' victory over Seattle, he turned himself in to Florida authorities. Broward County Circuit Judge Stanton S. Kaplan increased the sentence to five years. At the time, Tony Carter said he would do it all again. But then, in February, his little brother and the Steelers beat Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII, not far from where Tony was starting his fourth year in prison. "Tell me about it," Tony, now on a work release program, said "And they were right there in Tampa. Hardee Correction was, like, a 30-minute drive from the stadium. I talked to my brother before the game, after the game, then my family -- I was like, 'Oh my God. I never thought they'd go again.'

35 Wife shows Steeler true meaning of being strong Page 3 of 3 10/25/2009 "The most important thing was: I was there for him, for his wife, his family, my mom... Then who knew? [Three] years later, they were there again... If I only had humbled myself [and reported the first time]. It taught me something. It taught me to have patience. That's one thing you can't take back, time. "Well, I can't complain. I thank God I made it. I got seven months to go, and it's a wrap." With the kids in school, April can only occasionally travel north during Steelers season. The person who comes to Pittsburgh to stay and cook and tend to the backup safety is his once-missing mother, Sarah Carter. "Even though I didn't have those times with my mom when I was younger," Tyrone said, "I thank God I have that time now" Moving forward The wife and mother picks up the spirits of the husband and father nowadays. "I'd be lying if I told you I don't have bad days. I have bad days," Tyrone Carter said. "But when you have somebody that's encouraging you, lifting you up, in the utmost situation, looking at her situation... That entitles me to hold on for her. Don't quit for my kids as well." At their home inside a gated subdivision just west of Palm Beach, the Carters turned his downstairs office into a wheelchairaccessible bedroom. They fish for largemouth bass in nearby Lake Okeechobee. They jet ski. "Everything's the same," said April Carter, although she admitted, "some things are different. I love to do things outdoors. My husband keeps things normal as far as that goes." True, he was away at work when contractions started two days before a scheduled Cesarean section, which Mr. Carter had planned to attend. His oldest sister, Veronica, drove April Carter to the hospital. Tyree was born the Tuesday before the Chicago game. Tyrone "didn't make it on time, but he was still here to see him," April recalled with a smile. While her husband is in Pittsburgh, she oversees a household of five children: T.J., 16; Tyron, 12; Tyra, 3; and newborn Tyree. (Tristan, 10, lives in Minnesota.) The Carters this school year also took in a niece, Zipporia, 13, the daughter of one of Tyrone's three sisters. "I love having a big family," April Carter said. "I think she is stronger than me," Tyrone Carter said. "Words can't explain. I can't feel what she goes through each day, being able to walk all your life and then all of a sudden.... To stay strong [through] that? "She's an angel, man," Tony Carter said. "I was up in Minnesota when he first met her. She's a great person, got a good heart. He had two [sons] when he met her, and she accepted them as if they were hers. Being from Minnesota, coming all the way down here, marrying my brother, then having an accident like that...? I'm sorry to have her like that, 'cause she truly is an angel." Tyrone Carter continued: "I thank God for what we do have. We made the best out of it, man... She does everything with my kids. It just shows me that, no matter what the circumstances are in your life, if you're willing to sacrifice and keep your mind set on what you want in life, nothing can stop you. For her, she looked at it and faced it and looked forward, and she has been positive ever since. We had two kids after this. Who would have imagined we'd have two kids after she was paralyzed? "I tell you, man, life is a true testament of living and learning, man." Chuck Finder can be reached at cfinder@post-gazette.com. Ed Bouchette's blog on the Steelers and Gerry Dulac's Steelers chats are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details. First published on October 25, 2009 at 12:00 am

36 Steelers defensive line coach finding few dents in Hood Page 1 of 2 8/16/2009 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Steelers defensive line coach finding few dents in Hood Sunday, August 16, 2009 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana/Post-Gazette Defensive line coach John Mitchell instructs No. 1 pick Ziggy Hood during yesterday's afternoon practice at Saint Vincent College. Hood had a sack and a pressure in his first game action Thursday night vs. Arizona. While the rest of his defensive linemates were being carted to the cafeteria for lunch, Ziggy Hood and the other rookies, Sonny Harris and Steve McLendon, were still in the meeting room, getting their moves, technique and perhaps their dignity stripped to the core by defensive line coach John Mitchell. It is Mitchell's job, some say his passion, to take all rookie linemen, throw away everything they have learned from any previous regime, and teach them the way he wants Steelers linemen to perform. Stand low. Stay square. Maintain pad level. Use your hands. "If you don't stop your old habits, he'll keep breaking you down," said backup nose tackle Chris Hoke. "He does a good job of making you do it the Steelers' way, the way we play here. It's hard sometimes because you've been doing those old habits for a long time. But he'll break down their old habits." Mitchell is the ultimate restoration mechanic: He takes apart the engine, strips away all the grime and builds it back to his desired performance. He did it with Hoke and Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel -- all mid- to low-round draft picks -- and he is doing it with Hood, even though the 6-foot-4, 305-pound rookie is a No. 1 draft choice. "That's what I try to do," said Mitchell, who begins his 16th season as defensive line coach, the longest-tenured member of the Steelers' coaching staff. "I try to make them understand what they did where they came from was great, but it's a different concept here, and you got to buy into that. I work real hard to get guys to do that." Apparently, he does not have to do it too hard with Hood. Not only has he been a standout through two weeks of training camp, he stood out in the preseason opener Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals, registering a sack and beating a double-team block to hurry Cardinals quarterback Brian St. Pierre into a throw that was intercepted and returned 42 yards by rookie cornerback Joe Burnett. Hood has been doing that almost since the first of camp, and it has not surprised Mitchell, who is a tough critic. "I thought Ziggy played really well," Mitchell said. "There are a lot of things he has to do on this level to become the type of player he wants to be. This was his first professional game, and I think he reverted back to some of the things he did in college, but that's to be expected. I told [defensive coordinator] Dick [LeBeau] and [coach] Mike [Tomlin], for the group I have, they're farther along than any group I've had." He was referring to Harris, a sixth-round draft choice from Oregon; and McLendon, a 6-foot-4, 280-pound free agent from Troy. And, of course, Hood. The Steelers have been unable to re-stock their defensive line with young players, despite drafting players such as Ryan McBean (2007) and Orien Harris (2006) in the fourth round and Shaun Nua (2005) and Eric Taylor (2004) in the seventh round. That's part of the reason why the youngest player on the line is backup Nick Eason (29), who joined the team in free agency in 2007.

37 Steelers defensive line coach finding few dents in Hood Page 2 of 2 8/16/2009 Hood is the first defensive lineman taken in the first round since nose tackle Casey Hampton in 2001 and the first defensive end since Aaron Jones in "The thing I like about all three of them is, combined, they played about 80 plays [against Arizona] and only had two mental errors," Mitchell said. "You get three guys playing that many plays as first-time guys in the NFL, I was really pleased. All three are so further along than any group I've ever had here, and this is my 16th year here." Hood in particular. Not only is he developing faster than expected, he showed he can use his hands inside to get off blocks and run to the ball -- something Mitchell stresses. That is what he did when he beat the double-team and pressured St. Pierre into the errant throw. "I saw some good things, I saw some good pressure," Hood said. "I need to stop thinking so much and start going out and playing ball." None of his teammates thought he looked tentative in his first outing. "He's ahead of anybody I've seen coming in," said Smith, who begins his 11th season. "He's a talented kid. He's a smart kid. He understands it more than the rest of us did as a rookie. I would have cut me my rookie year." Then Smith added, "There's a reason he's a first-rounder. Usually, a first-rounder is the complete package. He's a big, strong kid who works hard. He is the complete package." Or will be, once Mitchell is done with him. Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com. First published on August 16, 2009 at 12:00 am

38 Logan has earned roster spot with Steelers Page 1 of 2 9/4/2009 Ron Cook Logan has earned roster spot with Steelers Friday, September 04, 2009 By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana/Post-Gazette Steelers punt returner Stefan Logan hurdles past Panthers punter Jason Baker on his way to a touchdown in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium Charlotte last night. View all related images CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- What was Steelers coach Mike Tomlin thinking last night? Putting Stefan Logan back into the game after his 80-yard punt return for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers? To run an end-around play in the second quarter, return a kickoff to start the third quarter and play some at wide receiver in the second half? You've got to be kidding. Did Tomlin send Ben Roethlisberger back in on a night when the only real objective was to get the stars out of this truly meaningless, final exhibition game healthy? Troy Polamalu? Of course not. Tomlin is awfully lucky Logan didn't break a leg or pull a hamstring. So are the Steelers, who beat the Panthers, Who ever would have guessed that any of us would be worried about Logan's health at this late stage of the NFL preseason? OK, the comparisons to Big Ben and Polamalu are a wild exaggeration. Please, hold the s. No one is suggesting Logan will be as valuable to the Steelers this season. But that doesn't change the fact that he earned -- absolutely earned -- the right to play a key role for the defending Super Bowl champions as the kickoff and punt returner. You'll see plenty of him when the curtain goes up on the regular season Thursday night and the Steelers say hello to the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field. If there were any lingering doubts about that before last night -- and there shouldn't have been -- they were eliminated when he lugged the pig all the way to the house for that touchdown. Logan is, simply, the greatest story of this exhibition season. "That's the beauty of the National Football League," Tomlin said. "There are a lot of stories of guys seizing the moment, an opportunity. It's a beautiful thing. I'm happy for him." It's amazing, really. When Logan signed as a long-shot free agent from the Canadian Football League in mid-february, hardly anyone in Pittsburgh noticed. We still were basking in the Super Bowl win against the Arizona Cardinals (no one wanted that party to end), were worried about Penguins coach Michel Therrien keeping his job (he didn't) and were wondering if Pitt could make a deep run in the NCAA tournament (the Panthers did). Stefan Who? Now we know. It's Stefan Logan, thank you very much. Perhaps we should call him Mr. Logan after the way he took his opportunity and ran with it. "I don't make those decisions," Tomlin said of which players make his team and which ones don't. "They make the decisions for me. He was determined to make the decision for me. I appreciate it."

39 Logan has earned roster spot with Steelers Page 2 of 2 9/4/2009 What's really cool about that is Logan appears -- I use that word because he still hasn't returned a kick in an NFL game that counts -- to have strengthened one of two Steelers weaknesses from their magical Super Bowl season. (The return of healthy punter Daniel Sepulveda takes care of the other.) They really didn't have much of a kickoff return man -- Gary Russell, Najeh Davenport, etc. -- and weren't at all interested in having rising-star wide receiver Santonio Holmes running back punts again. The sad truth? They really haven't had any kind of a return game since Antwaan Randle El left after the 2005 Super Bowl season. Rookie draft choices Mike Wallace and Joe Burnett got first cracks at the jobs. Wallace did OK as a kickoff return man, Burnett not so well as the punt returner because of fumbles in each of the first two exhibition games. Logan, meanwhile, merely was lights out. It didn't start that way. Logan had trouble catching the ball early in training camp, which is why he didn't get to return any kicks in the exhibition opener against the Cardinals. It didn't help him that he's a man without a position -- not a running back or a wide receiver, exactly -- although he looked pretty good when he ran 14 yards on that end-around and 13 yards on a reverse in the third quarter. When Tomlin finally gave Logan his shot as the return man in the second exhibition game against the Washington Redskins, this much seemed certain: It would be his only shot if he failed. You know what happened next. "I wanted to make a point," Logan said. "I wanted to stand out. When your number is called, you've got to make a play. When I heard 41 called, I got so excited." I'm not sure the Redskins still have tackled Logan. That night, he had kickoff returns of 60 and 45 yards and punt returns of 18 and 15 yards. You bet that opened Tomlin's eyes. But he still wanted to see more. Logan showed it to him in the third exhibition game against the Buffalo Bills with punt returns of 17, 13 and 27 yards. Welcome to Pittsburgh, Mr. Logan! That 80-yard return last night was a nice bonus, wasn't it? I'm just glad the man got out of the game in one piece along with Roethlisberger, Polamalu and the other stars. You want to know a little secret? So is Tomlin. Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com. More articles by this author First published on September 4, 2009 at 12:00 am

40 Steelers' Sepulveda returns to form - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 8/15/2009 Steelers' Sepulveda returns to form By Joe Starkey TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, August 15, 2009 One of the biggest cheers at the Steelers' preseason opener Thursday was reserved for punter Daniel Sepulveda, who missed last season because of a knee injury. Sepulveda was surprised when a loud roar accompanied his trot onto the field at 11:08 of the first quarter. It was his first live action since the playoff game against Jacksonville two seasons ago. "I was sitting there thinking, 'Wow, there's enough pressure as it is,'" Sepulveda said. "I'm just glad I hit a good one for 'em." He hit several good ones, booting six punts for a robust 49.5-yard average and a 43.8 net average. As Sepulveda came off the field after his first kick - a moon shot that sailed 46 yards - defensive starters James Harrison, Ike Taylor and Casey Hampton slapped hands with him. Coach Mike Tomlin then came over and tapped him on the shoulder pads. "It was a welcome-back kind of thing," Sepulveda said. Those defensive players weren't just happy for Sepulveda. They were happy for themselves because an improved punting game might make them even better. "Oh, man, he definitely can help our defense," linebacker James Farrior said. "We were looking for him last year to be a big weapon. We know what he's capable of. This is going to be a big year for him. I know he's going to help us out with field position." Without Sepulveda last season, the Steelers' punting game suffered. Paul Ernster and Mitch Berger combined for a net average of 35.6, more than two yards lower than Sepulveda's rookie-year figure of 37.9, which was the Steelers' best in nine years. Last season's net of 35.6 placed the Steelers 12th in the AFC, as compared to fourth in On Thursday night, Sepulveda placed two punts inside the Arizona 20 and ripped a majestic, 49-yarder out of his own end zone with 46 seconds left in the first half.

41 Steelers' Sepulveda returns to form - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 2 8/15/2009 "He can change the field, change the game, and that's a help for the defense," Taylor said. "He's a special guy. I see why we got him so high in the draft." Games like Thursday's make it easy to understand why the Steelers selected Sepulveda, a left-footed punter, in the fourth round of the 2007 draft. They took him with the 112th pick, ahead of several players who've become NFL regulars, including Baltimore running back Le'Ron McClain, Steelers cornerback William Gay and Cardinals receiver Steve Breaston. This time last year, the Steelers had to wonder if they'd gotten damaged goods. On the first day of 2008 training camp, Sepulveda tore the ACL in his right knee for the second time in three years. The first injury occurred the spring before his senior year at Baylor, during a pick-up basketball game. Sepulveda acknowledged he probably came back too early from his first surgery, though he went on to have a banner senior year and a fine rookie season in the NFL. All that time, he felt looseness in his right knee. Now, he says, the knee is fine, though he wore a brace Thursday as a "precautionary measure." With 2:24 left and the Steelers' leading, 17-10, Sepulveda lined up on his 18 and unleashed a 49-yard rocket that was returned only four yards. All in all, it was a pretty special night, even if it was just an exhibition game. "I obviously had a long time to think about it," Sepulveda said. "It was important for me to come out there and show I'm still going to be the guy for years to come." Joe Starkey can be reached at jstarkey@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

42 Steelers' LeBeau gets Hall of Fame bid Page 1 of 2 8/26/2009 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Steelers' LeBeau gets Hall of Fame bid Defensive coordinator is nominated for seniors' spot in Class of 2010 Wednesday, August 26, 2009 By Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana/Post-Gazette Dick LeBeau celebrates with Lawrence Timmons after beating the Ravens for the AFC championship in January at Heinz Field. The last time Dick LeBeau was in Canton, Ohio, a handful of his defensive players put on his No. 44 Detroit Lions throwback jerseys and posed with him on the Fawcett Stadium field before the 2007 Pro Football Hall of Fame game. Nothing is definite yet, but the next time LeBeau is in Canton, a roster full of present and past Steelers -- let alone the usual horde of fans -- might line that same field next summer to watch him, after a 37-year wait, humbly enter that Hall as a member of the Class of "It's my favorite picture of all time," LeBeau said yesterday about the 2-year-old freeze frame of James Farrior, James Harrison, Deshea Townsend, Ike Taylor, Casey Hampton and others gathering around their defensive coordinator, father figure and group conscience. "I got them hanging on a couple of walls." LeBeau's bust being erected inside the Hall's walls seems a strong possibility, what with him and longtime Denver halfback Floyd Little being nominated yesterday as the two senior candidates for consideration -- along with 15 undetermined modern-day finalists -- for voting at Super Bowl XLIV near Miami. Each finalist must receive an 80-percent minimum of the selection committee's votes for enshrinement. Often, one senior nominee makes it, and, by late yesterday afternoon several nationalcorrespondent voters already were offering rousing support for LeBeau. His reaction when coach Mike Tomlin huddled the team on the South Side fields before practice yesterday and broke the news? The usual modesty. And emotion. "Old Faithful Dick LeBeau," Farrior teased of the 71-year-old defensive coordinator, who counsels players about life and family, recites "The Night Before Christmas" regularly every holiday and holds deep feelings for what he calls his men. "I didn't even see his face, but I'm sure he was pretty moved. I think [a nomination] has been a long time overdue." "Deep down, it'll be even more moving when he makes it," Townsend said. "He's deserving." "Well, 'senior' is certainly the category I belong in," said LeBeau, honored by the Steelers last season for his half-century of NFL service as a player and a coach -- each areas where his resume merited Hall consideration previously. "It's very humbling. I'm not sure it's hit me completely. Coach Mike just announced it on the field. I must confess, it was the last thing I expected to hear. It's a great honor to get this far, no matter what the outcome will be. It's a great day. It really is. I'm not going to turn it back in." The LeBeau file 50 years in the NFL, 36 as a coach and 14 as a player. 171 consecutive games played for a cornerback, still an NFL record. 62 career interceptions is currently tied for seventh all time in the NFL. 3 Pro Bowl appearances as a player. 10 coaching jobs with four NFL teams, including three seasons ( ) as the Cincinnati Bengals head coach. 6 times the Steelers' defense has finished the season ranked in the top five in the NFL in LeBeau's seven years as coordinator. 2 Super Bowl championships as Steelers defensive coordinator. LeBeau's senior candidacy has been an open secret around the NFL for a couple of years, and one of his former pupils brought it to the forefront last month: Rod Woodson stumped for LeBeau in his induction speech 17 days ago. "Seriously, I hope the voters get it right," Woodson said from the Fawcett Stadium stage. "First of all, he belongs in as a player. Secondly, if you don't want to put him as a player, you put him in as a contributor, because he did so much for the National Football League...."