Pregame Blog: Steelers vs. Lions

Aug 21, 2021 at 05:03 PM

Teresa Varley

Steelers.com

A look at all of the activities happening before tonight's Steelers preseason game against the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field.

A special rookie season: The Steelers didn't have a pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, after trading it to acquire Minkah Fitzpatrick. But they still found first-round talent in dynamic wide receiver Chase Claypool, the team's second round pick out of Notre Dame.

Claypool made a splash this season while being a major contributor to the offense. He was the recipient of the Joe Greene Great Performance Award, given to the team's Rookie of the Year by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America and was selected to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team.

And on Saturday night, he will receive the award, honored at halftime of the game.

He finished the regular season with 62 receptions for 873 yards, a 14.1-yard average, and nine receiving touchdowns, adding 10 carries for 16 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Claypool had a day very few in Steelers history have had In Week 4 when he scored four touchdowns in the Steelers 38-29 win over the Philadelphia Eagles at Heinz Field and was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Claypool had seven receptions for 110 yards, three of those seven catches were touchdowns, and also rushed for a two-yard score.

Claypool became the first rookie in team history to score four touchdowns in a game, and only the third player in team history to do so, the last one when Roy Jefferson caught four touchdown passes against Atlanta on Nov. 3, 1968, while also becoming only the third player in team history to score 24 points in a game.

Claypool also became the first Steelers rookie with a receiving and rushing touchdown in the same game since Franco Harris did it at Buffalo in 1972.

Claypool had multiple receptions in all but two games this season, including a career high against Dallas when he had eight receptions, going for 68 yards. He has earned praise from all around the NFL and has been a nightmare for opposing coaches and defensive coordinators.

2020 Highlights
• Led all rookies with 9 TD receptions in 2020.
• Tied with Antonio Gibson for the second-most total TDs by a rookie in 2020 (11).
• His 11 TDs rank tied for sixth by a rookie wideout in a season since 1970.
• His 9 TD receptions rank tied for 10th by a rookie in a season since 1970.
• Moved past Louis Lipps (860 in 1984) for third on the Steelers rookie single-season receiving yards list.
• His 62 receptions are the most by a Steelers' rookie in a single season.
• His 9 TD receptions are tied with Louis Lipps (1984) for the most TD catches by a Steelers' rookie in a single season.
• Joined Jerry Butler (1979) and Harlon Hill (1954) as the only rookie wide receivers in NFL history to score 4 TDs in a single game (10/11/20 vs Philadelphia).
• Became the first Steelers rookie in franchise history to score 4 TDs in a single game (Eric Green, Franco Harris and Jimmy Orr each had 3 as rookies).
• Became the first Steeler to score 4 TDs in a single game since 11/3/68 (Roy Jefferson).
• First Steelers rookie with a rushing TD and receiving TD in the same game since Franco Harris at Buffalo (10/29/72).

At halftime, @ChaseClaypool was presented with the PNC Bank Joe Greene Great Performance Award, given annually to the team's rookie of the year as voted on by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America. pic.twitter.com/dAaBDuC9T7
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 22, 2021

The winners are: The recipients of the 2021 Art Rooney Scholarship were announced prior to the game, with Pat Rooney-Gerrero, granddaughter of Art Rooney Sr. and daughter of Dan Rooney Sr., presenting the scholarships to the winners.

The three winners are Shealin O'Shea from North Catholic High School, who will attend the University of Pittsburgh where she will major in business analytics and information technology, and Rooney Scholars of the Pittsburgh Promise, Gamar Muya from Perry High School, who will attend the University of Pittsburgh and major in biology and Jacquay Jackson, also from Perry High School, who will attend Indiana University of Pa. and major in culinary arts.

Our leader pic.twitter.com/RE0TdhKALv
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 21, 2021

Coach Tomlin talks about who will play tonight, what he wants to see from @_BigBen7, the QB rotation, @TheSchoGoesOn53 and more. pic.twitter.com/I05yp6gzAY
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 21, 2021

Happiness is seeing Steelers fans back in @heinzfield. pic.twitter.com/F08YBUYz6n
— Teresa Varley (@Teresa_Varley) August 21, 2021

Just for kicks: The annual United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania Kick Off event will take place at halftime of tonight's game against the Lions at Heinz Field, and it will be field goals that will be the primary goal for the fundraising endeavor.

Three kickers from area companies will compete to earn the honor of presenting a check to the United Way to begin their campaign.

To get the contest going on game day, the Terrible Towel Twirl will be led by Adam Baron, Director of Workplace Campaigns for the United Way, and the three kickers.

Clockin' in 💪 pic.twitter.com/4PyI94bxl4
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 21, 2021

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during a preseason game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)