Let's get to it:
THAD SPREG FROM MAKAKILO, HI: After Johnny Unitas, which player, in your opinion, had the best career after leaving the Steelers?
ANSWER: Without doing a comprehensive search/analysis, there are two players besides Johnny Unitas who come to mind who distinguished themselves from the rest by ending up enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Those two would be quarterback Len Dawson (first round, fifth overall, in the 1957 NFL Draft) and cornerback Rod Woodson (first round, 10th overall, in the 1987 NFL Draft). Coach Buddy Parker traded Dawson to Cleveland after acquiring Bobby Layne in a trade from Detroit in 1958, and then after that Dawson's greatest successes came once he went to the AFL and played for the Dallas Texans, a franchise that later moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs. Woodson left the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent after the 1996 season and signed with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played one season, then four seasons with Baltimore, and then two with the Raiders. Dawson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 1987, Woodson was inducted as part of the Class of 2009, and Unitas was inducted as part of the Class of 1979.
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JAMES PARKER FROM SPRINGVILLE, AL: Although you have never been one to cry over spilled milk here on Asked and Answered, is there any trade/not re-signed move the Steelers have made that upset you?
ANSWER: I would use the word "disappointed" more than "upset" to describe the fact Rod Woodson didn't finish his career with the Steelers. More than Len Dawson and Johnny Unitas, Woodson had established himself as one of the premier players in the NFL while he was employed by the Steelers, and so his departure for me stung more than someone who never really got a chance or someone who never established himself then went on to achieve greatness in another uniform. In 1993, Woodson was voted NFL Defensive Player of the Year when he finished with 8 interceptions, 28 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and two sacks. Woodson also was voted team MVP three times by his teammates, and in 1994 when the NFL announced its 75th Anniversary All-time Team he was one of only five active players selected, along with Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Reggie White, and Ronnie Lott.
DONNIE BROWN FROM VAN BUREN, ME: It seems like the Steelers always start on the road. What's their record in recent home openers? This feels like a fantastic matchup with young quarterbacks – Kenny Pickett and Brock Purdy – facing good defenses.
ANSWER: Since every team has a "home opener" regardless of whether it opens the season on the road or at home, I'm a bit confused about how to answer your question. But I'll give it a try. Since Mike Tomlin was hired in 2007, when the Steelers have opened the season on the road, they have a 7-4 record in their first home game of the season; when their first game of the season has been at home, they have a 4-1 record.
CHRIS MILLER FROM INDIANAPOLIS, IN: I'm excited for the regular season to start. I'm never near a television on those really nice days at the beginning of the season, so I choose to listen to the Steelers radio broadcast. I haven't found a reliable method since both the app and Steelers Nation Radio say my region doesn't let me listen to it. How can I listen to Bill & Co?
ANSWER: The feature below appears on Steelers.com in advance of every regular season game, and it could contain the answer to your question, or possibly provide you with an alternative you find acceptable. This being the day of the regular season opener, I am offering it in its entirety for you and other Steelers fans:
WATCH/STREAM
The game broadcast is carried nationally on FOX (WPGH-TV locally in Pittsburgh). Game coverage begins Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The BetMGM Steelers Kickoff pregame show begins at 11:30 a.m. ET and will air locally on KDKA-TV; The Neighborhood Ford Store Steelers Xtra Point Postgame Show starts immediately following the game on KDKA+. The Postgame Show will also be archived on the Steelers YouTube channel.
Joe Davis (play-by-play), Daryl Johnston (color) and Pam Oliver (sideline) are on the game call. The NFL also offers fans a number of ways to watch games on their digital devices:
• NFL+ Premium gives you the freedom to watch LIVE local & primetime Regular Season and Postseason games on your phone or tablet, full & condensed replays of every game, and MORE! Whether you are at the stadium or on-the-go, you will never miss a moment with NFL+. NOTE: NFL+ is only available to users within the United States. For a full description of features, requirements, limitations, and other information, visit NFL+ Support
• Don't forget all Steelers postgame press conferences are streamed live on Steelers.com, the Steelers Official Mobile App and the team's Official YouTube Channel.
LISTEN
Steelers Radio Network - Game coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET; Pregame programming begins at 9 a.m. ET; Postgame coverage starts immediately following the game.
Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play), Craig Wolfley (color analyst), Max Starks (sideline reporter) and Missi Matthews (sideline reporter) are on the call. Fans in the Pittsburgh area can listen locally on WDVE 102.5 FM & WBGG 970 AM.
The game broadcast is also carried on Steelers Nation Radio (SNR). SNR is streamed on Steelers.com and the Official Steelers Mobile App. Fans can listen to pregame and postgame programming from anywhere in the world on these platforms. NFL geographical restrictions apply to the game broadcast stream for desktop, mobile web and mobile app users.
SiriusXM subscribers can listen to the Steelers game live. Please visit SiriusXM's Steelers broadcast page for channel details.
LISTEN LIVE: Steelers Gameday Broadcast EN ESPAÑOL
Puedes escuchar la transmisión del partido en español en cualquier parte del mundo en steelers.com/espanol desde tu computadora.
Si estás en México y en el área de Pittsburgh puedes escuchar desde tu dispositivo móvil y desde el App Oficial de Steelers. Simplemente haz Clic en la esquina superior derecha de la página principal del App donde dice "Live Audio" y selecciona español.
Si estás en México puedes ver los juegos de pretemporada en español en el App Oficial de Steelers. Todos los juegos de los Steelers de la temporada 2023 serán transmitidos por Imagen Radio en México. Haz clic aquí para ver la lista de esas estaciones.
Alvaro Martín y Arturo Carlos serán nuestro equipo del Steelers en español. Álvaro Martín está en su tercera década de crónica de la NFL y en su sexta temporada como comentarista de Steelers en español. Arturo Carlos está en su vigésima temporada cubriendo la NFL y quinta temporada como narrador de Steelers en español.
Inicia tu prueba GRATIS ahora para ver todos los juegos de los Steelers en vivo en y más con NFL Game Pass International. Para iniciar tu prueba y regístrarte haz clic aquí.
• Activa las notificaciones en español del App Oficial de Steelers
• Abre la aplicación, haz clic en la esquina inferior derecha en "More," haz clic en "Settings," haz click en la tercera opción "Notifications" y activa el icono en "Español."
CONNECT
Check out Game Day Central on Steelers.com for up to the minute stats and more. On the go? Download the Steelers Official Mobile App and follow along with our Game Center that features stats and drive charts. Play the YinzChat presented by UniBet the Steelers Official Mobile App prior to each week's game to win prizes.
Follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram and Snapchat. Don't forget to use #HereWeGo. Don't miss live pre and postgame programming on Facebook. Watch Coach Mike Tomlin's press conference, LIVE immediately following the game, on Steelers.com, the Steelers Official Mobile App, Facebook and X.
JIM GRAVES FROM WATERTOWN, NY: What exactly does it mean when someone says that a player has "heavy hands?" I have seen this phrase used in reference to Steelers rookie Keeanu Benton, and wondered what was meant by it.
ANSWER: I'm going to let Coach Mike Tomlin handle this one. "It means he's capable of moving people when he places his hands on him. That he can manipulate space, that he can hold ground. It usually centers somewhere around physical confrontation."
RONNIE CAP FROM YANKTON, SD: How many tackling practices are allowed during the season? Is there any specialized times they have to be used or is it all up to team discretion?
ANSWER: Teams are permitted up to 16 padded practices over the course of an 18-week NFL regular season. And even when a team might have a padded practice during a regular season, there would be no tackling to the ground during those sessions.
MICHAEL VELLUCCI FROM ATCO, NJ: Do you think the Steelers offered Zach Gentry a spot on the practice squad, or do you believe he chose to leave? I recently saw he was signed to the Bengals practice squad.
ANSWER: My sense of the situation is that if the Steelers wanted to sign Zach Gentry to the practice squad, that would have happened.
TIMOTHY PREGANA FROM KAPOLEI, HI: Our backfield is stout with Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren and Anthony McFarland. How likely do you think that our Steelers will line up in a wildcat formation and run the ball to the wide side of the field with one of our beast tight ends leading the blocking?
ANSWER: I would label that as being unlikely almost to the point of having no chance to happen.
