Let's get to it:
DAVE KITLAK FROM UHRICHSVILLE, OH: I believe the Steelers are now 1-10 during the regular season without T.J. Watt. I know in his time, Troy Polamalu missed some games and he had as much of an impact on games during his career as Watt does now. What was the Steelers' record in games played without Troy Polamalu?
ANSWER: During his 12-year career, Troy Polamalu missed 34 regular season games. In those games the Steelers were 20-14.
DAVID MAURO FROM LOVELLS, MI: Was the Wild Card Round game in Buffalo game the coldest game in Steelers history?
ANSWER: As strange as this might sound, it was not even close to being the coldest game in franchise history. According to the Official NFL Game Summary, the temperature at Highmark Stadium for Steelers-Bills on Jan. 15 was 17-degrees. The wind chill was recorded at 5-degrees, but in terms of records, it's the temperature that is the deciding factor. That 17-degree temperature would be tied-for-eighth in franchise history on the list of coldest games. Just for comparison's sake, the coldest game in Steelers history came on Dec. 10, 1977, when it was 2-degrees in Riverfront Stadium for a 17-10 loss to the Bengals.
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TIMOTHY SAMONI FROM NORTHLAKE, TX: Can you give us a list of Steelers free agents, both restricted and unrestricted, for the upcoming offseason? Love this format and enjoy the podcast version as well.
ANSWER: The Steelers have 18 free agents in the three different categories – exclusive rights, restricted, and unrestricted. In a separate category than the players listed below, safety Eric Rowe, inside linebacker Myles Jack, and punter Brad Wing all had their practice squad contracts expire and can be signed by any NFL team. The breakdown of the 18 free agents is:
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS (1)
OT Dylan Cook
RESTRICTED (4)
RB Godwin Igwebuike
LS Christian Kuntz
LB Chapelle Russell
DT Renell Wren
UNRESTRICTED (13)
NT Montravius Adams
ILB Kwon Alexander
WR Miles Boykin
OLB Markus Golden
SS Miles Killebrew
ILB Blake Martinez
CB James Pierre
DB Elijah Riley
QB Mason Rudolph
DB Chandon Sullivan
ILB Mykal Walker
CB Levi Wallace
DL Armon Watts
SEAN FREDERICK FROM SOUTH BEND, IN: First off, I want to thank the team for making it to the playoffs. Considering the record we had in mid-December, our chances were wishful. It was a treat to watch them play. My question is, what do you think is the biggest area(s) of improvement needed to get back to dominance? I am not referring to a coaching change. I'm asking about team dynamics.
ANSWER: The offense needs to get fixed. That will start with the hiring of a coordinator and then trickle down from there into things such as philosophy, play-calling, and development of personnel, but the bottom line should be a simple one: Score more points.
GRANT SPELLERBERG FROM CUTLER BAY, FL: When reading the stats for defensive players, quarterback hits is one of them. What criteria is considered to determine what a quarterback hit is?
ANSWER: This is another of those statistics that is determined/awarded by the on-site stats crew at every NFL game. Sometimes a player is awarded both a sack and a quarterback hit for the same play, and sometimes those things are scored separately from one another. Like tackles, quarterback hits are a "statistic" that can be deceiving and arbitrarily awarded.
DAVID LUPREK FROM JOHNSTOWN, PA: The likeliness of it happening aside, are there any rules preventing a team that missed the playoffs from releasing an impending free agent now, allowing them to start free agency sooner and potentially sign on with a team in the playoffs?
ANSWER: At this stage of the NFL calendar, all players released are subject to the waiver system, which would allow any team to submit a claim, with the priority order having the teams with the worst records having a higher priority. And since your scenario describes the cut player as one set to become an unrestricted free agent in March, a team outside the playoffs could claim him at no financial obligation if for no other reason than to have a period of exclusive negotiating time to re-sign him before the official start of free agency on March 13.
JAMIE EWEN FROM BOURNE, ENGLAND: I've loved watching the running back tandem of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren and feel as though they complement each other well. How likely is it that we will exercise Najee's fifth-year option? How long is Jaylen Warren under contract?
ANSWER: If it were my decision, I would exercise the fifth-year option on Najee Harris' contract because it makes sense to do so based on the caliber of player he is, plus his availability and production during his three seasons with the team, and from a financial standpoint. Matt Williamson of Steelers Nation Radio wrote that because Harris falls into the second category of the fifth-year option rules he would cost the Steelers $6.6 million in salary – and this number also would be his salary cap hit – in 2025. In 2024, Harris is contracted to earn $2.44 million in salary and cost $4.2 million on the salary cap. Those are all very reasonable numbers in my opinion. As for Jaylen Warren, 2024 is the final year of the rookie contract he signed in 2022, and he is due to earn $989,000 in salary and cost that same amount on the salary cap. After the 2024 season, Warren could become a restricted free agent in March 2025.
RICH McEACHIN FROM ANTIOCH, CA: May 2 is the deadline for teams to announce they are picking up fifth-year options on first round picks from 2021. Do you anticipate the Steelers picking up Najee Harris' option?
ANSWER: See above.
JERRY GILL FROM REDLANDS, CA: Thank you for the viewpoint from Rick Gosselin on Andy Russell's plight with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. What if anything can fans do to get the Seniors Committee to consider/recommend Andy for consideration?
ANSWER: My impression of the selection process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame is it's not impacted by fans' preferences/opinions.
DANIEL MAZENKO FROM LITITZ, PA: Obviously, the 1970s is the best decade as far as the Steelers won/loss record in the playoffs. What is their playoff record in each of the decades since then?
ANSWER: From 1980-89, the Steelers' record in the playoffs was 2-4; in 1990-99, it was 5-6; in 2000-09, it was 10-4; in 2010-19, it was 5-6; and so far in the 2020s, it is 0-3.
STEVE SAMICK FROM ST MARYS, PA: Can a team sell or give their game films to another team?
ANSWER: All NFL game films are available from the league to all teams in the league simply via request. There is no need for giving/selling among individual teams.
FERNANDO CASTANEDA FROM EL PASO, TX: In regard to the tampering rules, when does the season end for a player whose contract is over so he can be approached by parties interested in his services? It is when his team is eliminated, or on a different date?
ANSWER: Players who are to become unrestricted free agents are under contract to their current team until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13. Starting at noon on Monday, March 11, "clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents upon the expiration of their 2023 player contracts at 4 p.m. on March 13." Any contact by teams to players set to become unrestricted free agents or to the agents of those players before noon on Monday, March 11 would be considered tampering.
JIM SWANSON FROM POTTSTOWN, PA: Was the voting for the Defensive Player of the Year Award before or after the Wild Card Round of the playoffs? I am asking because Cleveland's Myles Garrett didn't really have an impact and wanted to see if that would be factored into the voting.
ANSWER: The Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year Award is for performance in the regular season. It does not include performances in the postseason because there might be candidates whose teams did not qualify for the playoffs.
CHRIS GALLOWAY DALLAS, TX: Since T.J. Watt has the official franchise sack record, how many unofficial sacks does L.C. Greenwood have? And who would be the unofficial sack leader?
ANSWER: The Steelers researched and tabulated sacks starting with the 1972 season, and the NFL began recognizing sack statistics in 1982. In the "2023 Steelers Media Guide" there is a top-10 list of the franchise's career sack leaders, and the totals below have been adjusted to reflect sacks from the 2023 regular season:
96.5 sacks: T.J. Watt
80.5 sacks: James Harrison
80.5 sacks: Cam Heyward
77.0 sacks: Jason Gildon
73.5 sacks: L.C. Greenwood
66.0 sacks: Joe Greene
60.0 sacks: Joey Porter
59.0 sacks: Keith Willis
57.0 sacks: LaMarr Woodley
53.5 sacks: Greg Lloyd
The Steelers recognize T.J. Watt as the franchise's all-time sack leader. There is no such thing as an "unofficial sack leader."
