Let's get to it:
JOE LaMOLINARE FROM DALLAS, GA: Reviewing the list of Steelers MVPs, I noticed that Lynn Swann's name was not listed. How could that be possible?
ANSWER: I always have found the announcement of the winner of the Steelers MVP Award to be interesting, primarily because it's an award voted on by the winner's teammates. And the men who vote on the award spend a lot of up-close-and-personal time together. You are correct in that Lynn Swann was never voted Steelers MVP by his teammates, and an equally surprising factoid to me is that neither was Jack Ham, a first-ballot Hall of Fame outside linebacker, who was selected as one of two players at the position to be on the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 50th Anniversary Team along with Lawrence Taylor. In addition to who didn't win the award, what's also attention grabbing to me is that Joe Greene only won the award once, as did Franco Harris, Ben Roethlisberger, and Troy Polamalu. Joe Greene won the award once, and Le'Veon Bell won it twice. Think about that.
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TOM HENSON FROM MARTINSVILLE, IN: After the Steelers lost their first game of the season here in Indiana and went to 3-1, I predicted they would be 6-2 at the bye. I also conjectured they would go 3-3 in the division and beat one of the other three teams on their post-bye schedule, giving them a 10-7 record that would probably get them into the playoffs. At the time that was probably "wishful thinking," but now that it's a reality, the perception by many is that the wheels have come off. When the fortunes of so many teams turn on a dime, and given the week-to-week nature of things, can you give me one good reason to just write them off in the playoffs?
ANSWER: The NFL has crafted its product based on the concept of "on any given Sunday," which means any team can beat any other team in a specific game. That's why the ratings are so high. Which is why Commissioner Roger Goodell once referred to the weekly drama of an NFL season and all those accompanying subplots as the greatest reality show on television. I cannot give you one good reason to write off any team that has qualified for the playoffs, but in the particular case of these Steelers I also cannot give you a concrete reason why I believe they will win Saturday night's Wild Card Round Game vs. the Ravens in Baltimore. They have a chance to win, and it's not an impossibility for them to win. Which is exactly the way the NFL likes it.
BOB ANDERSON FROM SIMPSONVILLE, SC: I've been a Steelers fan since the early 1950s. We didn't have much to cheer about in those days, but we had a punter named Pat Brady who was outstanding. Did he ever lead the league in punting or make a Pro Bowl?
ANSWER: Pat Brady entered the NFL with the New York Giants when the team selected him in the 13th round (155th overall) of the 1952 NFL Draft from the University of Nevada. Brady played only 3 seasons (1952-54), but all of them for the Steelers, and he finished his career with 223 punts for a 44.5-yard average. In 1953, Brady led the NFL in punts with 80, in yards with 3,752, and in average yards per kick with 46.9. In 1954, Brady again led the NFL with a 43.2-yard average. Brady never was voted to the Pro Bowl, but he was the punter on the Steelers 50th Season All-Time Team when that was announced in 1982.
DAVID WAYNE FROM JOHNS CREEK, GA: Teams including the Steelers seem to defer to receive the kickoff in the second half. I really don't see any advantage in that. I do see the advantage in getting the ball first, and then if you score the other team is in catch-up mode. Also, the Steelers started the season on kickoffs kicking it into the end zone, but during the last few games it seems they are kicking it into the return area, and I don't see that working out very well for them. The Bengals started twice beyond the 40-yard line. I'd appreciate your comment on both these subjects.
ANSWER: Teams often decide to defer after winning the opening coin toss because the way the first halves of games sometimes unfold is that the team that kicks off to start the game finds itself with possession of the ball late in the first half. The thinking then is if that team can take advantage of that possession to score late in the first half and then take the second half kickoff and then again, it can take control of the game. That's the reason behind the decision to defer. As for the length of kickoffs, it was expected all along that the length of kickoffs would lessen as the season wore on and the weather turned cold and footballs got even harder than they are normally. It's not a decision for kickoffs to be shorter, but winter began to have an effect on games played in outdoor venues.
DENNIS SLEEGER FROM YORK, PA: In the Ravens game against Cleveland on the final regular season weekend, one of their defensive linemen intercepted the ball and took a knee. That was still a live ball wasn't it?
ANSWER: No. When DT Michael Pierce intercepted that pass and then took a knee without being touched, that was considered a player giving himself up. In that situation officials will blow the whistle and the play is dead.
JOYCE LOZANO FROM KERRVILLE, TX: I know that J.J. Watt's first name is Justin. But what is T.J. Watt's first name? I have a bet with my husband.
ANSWER: According to Pro Football Reference, T.J. stands for Trent Jordan.
BRIAN SCHROYER FROM BLOOMSBURG, PA: The initial timeline for Troy Fautanu's injury was that he would be out for the rest of the regular season with the possibility of returning for the playoffs. Is there any update to provide regarding his availability for our postseason run? And if he is available for return, will we have any "designated for return" options remaining?
ANSWER: To be clear, what you refer to as the "initial timeline" for Troy Fautanu's knee injury actually was a media report, which should not be confused with information provided by the team or any medical professionals. In a recent Asked and Answered, I wrote about the Steelers activating the 21-day practice windows for ILB Cole Holcomb, WR Roman Wilson and DL Logan Lee. Because the Steelers didn't even add Fautanu to that list indicates he is not physically ready to return to football activities. Then when you add in the fact he's a rookie with no NFL playing experience whatsoever, I cannot imagine we will see him on a field until the 2025 offseason program gets underway.
JOE ASHER FROM TAMPA, FL: Congratulations to T.J. Watt who was voted the Steelers MVP for a record fifth time. Which Steelers have been voted this honor four times?
ANSWER: Only one player ever has been voted Steelers MVP four times. Antonio Brown.
