Let's get to it:
KURT BREITINGER FROM AUGUSTA, GA: In the short season so far it appears that the new kickoff rules have made kickoffs very boring. The Steelers in Atlanta kicked into the "target zone" a couple times with the ball being returned to about the 29-yard line. After that, it looked like we might as well just kick it out of the end zone to place the ball at the 30-yard line for a touchback. Do you think the new rules will survive past the current season?
ANSWER: Too early to predict at this point, because in September the weather conditions are favorable to kickers, and most teams' placekickers are well-rested and healthy because teams do not overuse them during training camp and the preseason. A better test of the new kickoff rules will come once the weather gets colder and placekickers' legs aren't as fresh. Let's see what happens through November and December. And my knee-jerk reaction at this point is that I believe ownership is more interested in safety than excitement when it comes to kickoffs.
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CHAD BILLEC FROM TAYLORS, SC: Is it still "illegal" to remove your helmet on the field of play? It happened during both games this season by our opponents. Week 2 after the unnecessary roughness hit, late in the game. Week 1 it happened after the Steelers were stopped on fourth down in the red zone. Is this something that went away when the league embraced team celebration?
ANSWER: It is still a penalty for a player to remove his helmet on the field for a celebration/demonstration, or during a discussion/confrontation with an official over a call on the field.
TOM BRUZDA FROM WILDOMAR, CA: Since you determine the Steelers Digest Player of the Week, then I believe you're the best person to ask. Does it go anywhere after the naming? Is there a trophy, plaque, certificate, what? Does the player get something?
ANSWER: It's just another piece of content that's short, easily digestible (get it?) and can be posted rather quickly on Steelers.com following the game.
JOE ASHER FROM TAMPA, FL: Big game this Sunday against Coach Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers. What is Coach Mike Tomlin's record against the Harbaugh brothers?
ANSWER: Coach Mike Tomlin's record against the Ravens during John Harbaugh's tenure there – 2008-present – is 20-15, which includes the playoffs. His record against Jim Harbaugh, whose previous NFL coaching job was with the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-14 is 0-1.
ERIK SELESKY FROM CLEVELAND, OH: My father and I were discussing the "tush push" and other plays where the ball carrier was being assisted by other members of the offense. At one point, wasn't it illegal to do so?
ANSWER: Yes. Assisting the runner by pushing, pulling, or carrying an offensive player who was in possession of the football once was a penalty. About 20 years ago, the NFL changed the rule where pushing the runner no longer was a penalty but pulling or carrying the runner was.
ELLEN CAUDLE FROM CHATTANOOGA, TN: What does Mark Schlereth have against the Pittsburgh Steelers? He told Steelers fans not to pat themselves on the back for beating the Broncos, but if the Broncos had beaten the Steelers by the same score he would be patting the Broncos fans on the back.
ANSWER: To use a line made famous by Chuck Noll: Mark, who?
MATTHIAS ELFGEN FROM OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA: As always, a pleasure reading your thoughts and insights. Since Justin Fields is seeing more playing time than maybe expected, how is his snap percentage counter monitored during the season? If I understand correctly, if he plays 65 percent of all snaps we are due a fourth-round pick? Thanks for shedding some light on this.
ANSWER: Playing time in each game is tabulated after every game by the NFL, and each player's percentage comes from the number of snaps he is on the field compared to the total number of snaps in the game for his team's offense, defense, and special teams. To use the first two games of the season as examples, the total number of the Steelers' offensive snaps was 68 in Atlanta and it was 66 in Denver. Come the end of the season, you would take the number of offensive snaps Fields played and divide it by the total number of offensive snaps during the season to get his play-time percentage.
And your understanding of the terms of the trade with the Bears for Fields is incorrect. In exchange for Fields, the Steelers will send the Bears a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but if Fields plays 51 percent of the snaps in 2024 that pick to the Bears becomes a fourth-round pick.
TOM HENSON FROM MARTINSVILLE, IN: As I understand it, Chicago will receive a seventh-round pick or a fourth-round pick for Justin Fields depending on whether he plays 51 percent of the offensive snaps. Do you think this will be considered at all in the starting quarterback decision, and if so would General Manager Omar Kahn have any input?
ANSWER: As I explained in the previous answer, the terms of the Justin Fields trade is a sixth-round pick that becomes a fourth-round pick if he plays in 51 percent of the offensive snaps. Coach Mike Tomlin chooses the guys who start and/or see playing time in games, and his motivation is to win as many games as possible. I can guarantee you there would be no thought given to the difference between a fourth-round pick and a sixth-round pick if it's decided that the Steelers' best chance of winning would come with Fields as the starting quarterback. And that would include General Manager Omar Khan and President Art Rooney II.
PAUL PEACHEY FROM PARADISE, PA: The Steelers defense has only allowed 16 points across the first two weeks. As an average football fan, it's hard to tell whether the Atlanta and Denver offenses just had bad weeks, or is our defense playing at an elite level?
ANSWER: In the case of the Broncos, I believe that's a bad team and the situation is made somewhat worse by starting a rookie QB (Bo Nix) who was a first-round pick but was the sixth quarterback to come off the board, which indicates to me that Coach Sean Payton was reaching with both hands there. Atlanta though is a different story. Last Monday night in Philadelphia, Kirk Cousins had a better game statistically than Jalen Hurts; he drove the Falcons 70 yards in 6 plays in 65 seconds for the game-winning touchdown that came on his 7-yard pass to WR Drake London. In that game the Falcons rushed for 152 yards, averaged 5.4 per attempt, and finished with 385 total yards to the Eagles' 365 total yards. It wouldn't surprise me to see the Falcons compete for the AFC South Division title and a/or a playoff spot in the NFC when it's all said and done. In conclusion, allow me to quote the late-great Tunch Ilkin, who always said, "If you can't beat the stiffs, then you are one."
GLENN McCULLOUGH FROM PITTSBURGH, PA: Watching 6-foot-7 Darnell Washington tower over the average 5-11 defensive backs and making an excellent catch, I'm wondering if he might be utilized more as a receiver than a blocker?
ANSWER: In my opinion, what Darnell Washington showed in making a nifty back-shoulder catch for a touchdown in Denver is that he can be a contributor to the passing game. But as a blocker, Washington can have an impact. That's not an insignificant difference.
SCOTT SHILEY FROM BRICK, NJ: Would you please explain the injured reserve list rules for 2024? It's my understanding that a player placed on IR before the regular season must be out for the season. What is the difference between the regular IR list and the IR/designated for return list? Does this mean that any player on the regular IR cannot return after 4 games? What is the season limit on players who can return from IR for 2024?
ANSWER: I found this July 23 story by the Associated Press as being one that offers a pretty clear and complete explanation of the rules for the injured reserve list in 2024:
"Players are put on the reserve/injured list — more commonly referred to as IR — when they have a football-related injury and need to miss at least a few weeks. Players on IR don't count against the active roster, but their salaries count against the cap.
"If a player is placed on this list before the regular season begins, he could miss the entire season unless — per a rules adjustment this year — they are designated to return during the roster cutdown to 53 players after training camp. Teams can designate up to two such players to return.
"Players on IR need to miss a minimum of four games. NFL teams can designate up to eight players to return from IR during the regular season (and up to 10 if they make the postseason) and an individual player can be so designated twice.
"Players designated for return from IR before the season count against a team's eight- or 10-player limit.
"When a player is cleared to practice, a 21-day window begins and the player must be activated to the 53-man roster or be placed on season-ending injured reserve at the conclusion of that three-week period. They could also be released or traded."
MIKE SMITH FROM ALTOONA, PA: In Denver, Cam Heyward had a little wrestler or something as a patch on his uniform. What was that, and what was it for?
ANSWER: That patch was a replica of the trophy awarded to the Walter Payton Man of the Year, which Cam Heyward won in 2023. And yes, Russell Wilson had the same patch on his jersey because he won the award in 2020.
