Let's get to it:
JASON GODFREY ENOREE, SC: I have always wondered why people didn't give the original T-12, Terry Bradshaw, more credit for calling his own plays to win four Super Bowls. My question is what year/years did the head coach or offensive coordinator take over calling plays in the NFL as we see today?
ANSWER: When Chuck Noll was hired in 1969, NFL teams didn't have offensive coordinators. The position didn't exist. The head coach handled the putting together of what qualified as a "game plan" because an offense might not even run 10 different plays during a game, and the defense would present essentially the same alignment on every snap. Back then, Noll worked with the quarterbacks himself, and he believed in the quarterback calling his own plays. Who knows, maybe Noll didn't particularly care for being one of Paul Brown's "messenger guards" during his playing career in Cleveland. The way it worked was during the week's practices – always in full pads and physical – Noll would drill the team for the upcoming game. The work with the quarterback involved coming to an understanding of what plays to run – again, there might not even be 10 different ones for that week – and the quarterback was tasked with calling the plays and being the field general. In 1973, Noll hired Babe Parelli to be the quarterback coach, but that lasted only 1 season before Parelli was gone and Noll was back to being the only voice in the quarterback's ear. The first man to hold the title of offensive coordinator for the Steelers was Tom Moore in 1983, but Noll still had the quarterback calling the plays in the huddle. Bradshaw retired after the 1983 season, and from then until Noll's coaching career ended after the 1991 season the Steelers evolved into a team that sent plays in from the sideline, first via a messenger system (usually a receiver or tight end) and then by hand signals.
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BRIAN ALEXANDER FROM ROCHESTER, NY: Being a lifelong fan of my beloved Steelers, I often read as many articles as I can pertaining to the team. Sitting here thinking, I do not recall the Steelers having ever released one of their draft boards following a draft. Actually, I don't recall having seen any team do it. Have you ever seen the Steelers draft boards? Are you ever allowed in the Draft Room during the draft? And why do you think the Steelers never release their draft board, even after a draft?
ANSWER: An NFL team spends over $1 million dollars during the run-up to a draft when it comes the information-gathering process that goes into developing its draft board, and I always viewed that draft board as proprietary work product. A long time ago in a casual conversation with Dan Rooney, I mentioned that I had never seen the Steelers draft board. He immediately offered to take me into the Draft Room personally to see it, but I respectfully declined. Part of my decision came down to simply believing that wasn't my place, and another part of me didn't want to know what was on the draft board because I didn't want to be suspected as the culprit had there ever been a leak of information.
SAM MIKHAIL FROM BETHESDA, MD: In a recent installment of Asked and Answered, you said the following regarding the upcoming draft: "Regardless of position, the player chosen 21st overall should be the guy they see as the best value at a position of need." Would you agree that the greatest area of need is defensive line?
ANSWER: That's all so subjective. Maybe defensive line would be your choice of the team's "greatest area of need," but could you really argue that finding a long-term replacement for Ben Roethlisberger is the "greatest area of need?" Fans and media and me all can have opinions, but none of those really matter. Then there's balancing the issue itself of the "guy as the best value at a position of need." That's when it's an issue of whether "defensive lineman Sam Mikhail" is a better prospect than "quarterback Bob Labriola" has to be figured out. There are just so many variables. Trying to forecast the draft, or rooting for the draft to turn out a certain way for your favorite team can be fun, and the NFL doesn't hate the fact that all this draft speculation keeps football at the forefront of the public's sports psyche. But it's not arithmetic, where there is just 1 correct answer to the question.
RUSS PALLONE FROM TRINIDAD, CO: I know that over the years the Steelers have added up a lot of great players with their second-round draft picks. Given the way things stand right now, which way do you see the Steelers going with the first-round pick? I know a lot depends on who is available, but the way I see it the pick is either a defensive lineman or a quarterback.
ANSWER: To use your own words, "a lot depends on who is available." By the time the 21st overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft rolls around, the Steelers will have completed their information gathering and will have ranked the players on their board. Because of free agency, teams are only guaranteed rights to their first-round picks for 4 years, with the possibility of one more year if the team decides to exercise the fifth-year option on the player's contract. This reality has turned the art of drafting into picking the best player at a position of need. In my opinion, I believe it's necessary for the Steelers to reinforce their defensive line in much the same way they rebuilt their offensive line over the previous few offseasons. But that's only my opinion, and as you wrote, "a lot depends on who is available."
OWEN O'CEALLAIGH FROM KILKENNY, IRELAND: Do you think T.J. Watt will be traded?
ANSWER: No. It long has been a philosophy of the franchise to draft good people, develop them into great players, and then keep them through their careers. T.J. Watt is one of those people who developed into a great player, and I believe the Steelers have every intention of keeping him throughout his NFL career.
LEE COLLINS FROM BURLINGTON, ONTARIO, CANADA: My plan: Trading back this year to get more draft capital and then use it to and get key cornerstone pieces at DL, CB, WB, RB, S, OT or OG. Then next year, with compensatory draft capital you add a higher-profile quarterback. Would you agree with that plan to trade down and fill more needs with young talent?
ANSWER: Trading down always sounds good, but making it happen isn't as easy as typing "trade down to fill more needs with young talent." A successful trade-down requires a corresponding team to trade-up, and there just aren't a lot of teams willing to give up multiple picks/players in return for 1 pick/player.
BILL CHIARAMONTE FROM ERIE, PA: Will the Steelers have a meet-and-greet the draft picks this year?
ANSWER: The team announced plans for a Draft Party at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 24 at Stage AE. Fans in attendance will have access to TVs to watch the first round of the NFL Draft, prizes and giveaways, and live entertainment. Admission is free, but fans have to register to attend. You can do that by going to your browser and typing: Steelers.com/schedule/event-calendar/draft-party.
DALE GELLER FROM CAPE CORAL, FL: With all the talk about signing Aaron Rodgers, it got me thinking. I know it's a small sample size, considering he played most of his career in the NFC, but what is his record against the other teams in our division?
ANSWER: At the conclusion of the 2024 NFL season, Aaron Rodgers was 3-1 vs Baltimore; 1-3 vs. Cincinnati, and 3-0 vs. Cleveland.
ALONSO GOMEZ FROM PUEBLA, MEXICO: If we were living in a Steelers fairyland, and you were able to get any player for a 7th-round pick in the 2030 NFL Draft plus a couple of magic beans, which current NFL quarterback do you think would be best for the Steelers? For me, it would be Josh Allen. And I realize I am submitting this question on April 1.
ANSWER: Your pick is an excellent choice, but for me it would be Joe Burrow. Beyond liking him as a player, I also respect the impact he has had on his teams. Burrow attended high school in Athens, Ohio, and after a stint at Ohio State he transferred to LSU, where it's not necessarily easy for a northerner to win over that fan base. But Burrow did just that during a season where he completed 76 percent of his passes for 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions while leading the Tigers to a National Championship. He would be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and in 2021 in my opinion he was the driving force in the Bengals representing the AFC in the Super Bowl for a franchise that was 21-42-1 in the 4 seasons before his arrival. I understand I may have the minority opinion on this, but I believe Burrow is the best quarterback in the AFC North.
ALLAN COX FROM LOS ANGELES CA: I've been constantly watching the goings on of the Steelers franchise since I could remember, and I'm gonna continue to be a Steelers fan until I expire, no matter what. Seeing that we're going all out so to speak for this upcoming season and we seem to have done so poorly on our quarterback decisions, is there a possibility the front office can decide to just go out on a limb and sign Colin Kaepernick to a one-year contract because Mason Rudolph alone is just not gonna cut it.
ANSWER: Full disclosure: I have read many hundreds of submissions/ideas of what the Steelers should be doing to address the quarterback position – and I've deleted the majority for various reasons – but this is the first time someone suggested Colin Kaepernick as the solution. Let me just point this out: As of today, Kaepernick has been out of the league longer (8 years) than his entire NFL career lasted (6 years).
BRETT ENSLEY FROM FAYETTEVILLE, NC: First I would like to say that I am an avid reader of Asked and Answered. I and my identical twin brother became Steelers fans in 1972, and I remember well the Immaculate Reception. We watched Super Bowl IX on Jan. 12, 1975, and just a couple of weeks later our father passed away. And then 10 years ago I lost my twin. God had a plan though, because this past December I had the great joy of being at Acrisure Stadium to watch the Steelers defeat the Browns, 27-14, with my identical twin sons. To share that experience with them is what I've been searching for to ease the pain of the loss of my brother. Thank you for the chance to share my story and for being so great at what you do.
ANSWER: Thank you for sharing.
