Mahomes helps Chiefs rally past Titans 20-17 in overtime
Patrick Mahomes ran for the tying touchdown and 2-point conversion late in the fourth quarter, Harrison Butker atoned for two earlier misses by kicking the go-ahead field goal in overtime, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Tennessee Titans 20-17.
Young, Watt leave with injuries, Mayfield limps off field
Reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young suffered a potentially serious right knee injury, putting a damper on Washingtonโs big win against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Nobody comes for free in NFL free agency that begins Monday
Regardless, on Monday, two days before the NFL's 2021 business year begins, the 32 teams and agents for the players will be making deals. โLegal tampering, and tampering is illegal? AdOf course, free agency always is a buyer-beware situation. AdVoila: Lavonte David, a key linebacker, was re-signed, and several other key guys in the title run could be back. โWe do have some money from a cap standpoint that we can spend; but again, itโs an interesting year.
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Steelers, Roethlisberger agree to new deal for 2021 season
FILE - Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger celebrates a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the first half of an NFL football game in Nashville, in this Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, file photo. Ben Roethlisberger is returning for an 18th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is taking a pay cut to do it. The team and the two-time Super Bowl winner announced on Thursday, March 4, 2021, they have agreed on a new contract that assures the 39-year-old will be back in 2021. (AP Photo/Brett Carlsen, File)PITTSBURGH โ Ben Roethlisberger is returning for an 18th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is taking a pay cut to do it. NFL Network, citing anonymous sources, said Roethlisberger's new deal will essentially pay him $14 million this season and adds four voidable years to spread out the dead money.
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Steelers planning on Roethlisberger's return in 2021
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh, late Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Don Wright)PITTSBURGH โ The Pittsburgh Steelers plan on having quarterback Ben Roethlisberger back for an 18th season. Team president Art Rooney II released a statement Wednesday saying he and Roethlisberger have met to figure out a way to ease the financial pressure caused by Roethlisberger's contract. The Steelers are facing a serious cap crunch and have already started to overhaul the coaching staff and the roster. AdStill, Rooney expressed optimism the door for the Steelers to remain competitive during Roethlisberger's long tenure remains open.
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Same old Browns? Hardly. Cleveland drills Steelers 48-37
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates as he walks off the field following a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. The Cleveland Browns overcame all of it. The Browns dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers 48-37 in the wild-card round Sunday night, picking up the franchiseโs first postseason victory in more than a quarter-century and earning a trip to Kansas City next Sunday to face the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. The kick bounced into the end zone for a touchback and Mayfield calmly took Cleveland 80 yards in six plays. So much for the Browns being the Browns, a winking assessment Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster made about Cleveland in the middle of the week.
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Mahomes leads champion Chiefs to 14-2 mark in stacked AFC
While the Chiefs get another weekโs rest, the six other AFC playoff teams get going this weekend. For just the second time since the 1970 league merger, every team in the AFC playoffs has at least 11 wins. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 54, 31-20 over the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 2, 2020, at Miami. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 43, 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Feb. 1, 2009, at Tampa, Florida. Their pass rush is nearly nonexistent with 19 sacks, the fewest by a playoff team since Denver had 19 in 1979.
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Unbeaten Steelers focusing on Washington, not perfection
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (19) tries to fend off Baltimore Ravens cornerback Tramon Williams after making a catch during the second half of an NFL football game Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020, in Pittsburgh. So forgive the Pittsburgh Steelers if they're not exactly caught up in the hype โ or maybe lack of hype โ surrounding their perfect start. Yes, the Steelers are unbeaten. โEvery week is a test,โ Rivera said. โIt really is about feel and opportunity as far as those things are concerned," Rivera said.
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Steelers overcome rust, short-handed Ravens to move to 11-0
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Benny Snell (24) runs away from Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker L.J. So while the Steelers stayed perfect with a disjointed 19-14 win over the undermanned Ravens in the first NFL game on a Wednesday in eight years, their play was anything but. โTo be bluntly honest, Iโm really disappointed in our performance tonight,โ he said after Pittsburgh improved to 11-0. But the Steelers were able to drain the clock behind a third-down grab by James Washington, eliminating the Ravens from repeating as AFC North champions. โThe way the game went, obviously we wanted to win,โ Griffin said.
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Moving on up: LB Williamson goes from Jets to Steelers
New York Jets linebacker Avery Williamson (54) attempts to stop Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) from gaining yardage after a catch in the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
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Moving way up: Avery Williamson goes from Jets to Steelers
New York Jets linebacker Avery Williamson (54) attempts to stop Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) from gaining yardage after a catch in the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)NEW YORK โ Avery Williamson is going from winless to undefeated. The New York Jets agreed Sunday night to trade the veteran linebacker to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets also are sending a 2022 seventh-round draft pick to the Steelers for Pittsburgh's 2022 fifth-rounder. Bell signed a few days later with Kansas City and ran for 7 yards on six carries against his former team Sunday.
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Steelers stay unbeaten with 28-24 comeback win over Ravens
Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) applies pressure on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Steelers stay unbeaten with 28-24 comeback win over Ravens
Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) applies pressure on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Baltimore. Ben Roethlisberger threw two second-half touchdowns, and the Steelers beat error-prone Lamar Jackson and the Ravens 28-24 Sunday to match the best start in franchise history. โI put that on me.โBeyond losing ground in the division, Baltimore lost All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley for the season with a severe ankle injury. The Steelers led 28-24 when the Ravens (5-2) faced a fourth-and-3 at the Pittsburgh 8 with 2 minutes left. That left Pittsburgh thin up front after DE Chris Wormley went on IR Saturday.
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Steelers knock out Lock, hold off Driskel, Broncos 26-21
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool (11) crosses the goal line for a touchdown on an 84-yard play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
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Steelers knock out Lock, hold off Driskel, Broncos 26-21
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)PITTSBURGH โ A game seemingly in hand suddenly on the cusp of slipping away, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin didn't overthink things. Needing a stop to turn back the surprisingly resilient Denver Broncos, the Steelers dialed up one final blitz in an afternoon filled with them. So the Broncos (0-2) hung around despite losing starting quarterback Drew Lock (right shoulder) in the first quarter. The Steelers recovered and went downfield for a touchdown while Lock was in the blue medical tent getting evaluated. Still, he wasn't exactly thrilled on a day the Steelers never trailed but struggled to put the Broncos away.
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Defense, Snell, Big Ben carry Pittsburgh over Giants 26-16
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (19) comes down with a touchdown pass against New York Giants cornerback James Bradberry (24) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
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Defense, Snell, Big Ben carry Pittsburgh over Giants 26-16
Roethlisberger, who missed the final 14 games last season after elbow surgery, threw for three scores and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the New York Giants 26-16 at an empty and eerie MetLife Stadium on Monday night. He also got all the help he could ask for from his defense and backup running back Bennie Snell. โI am excited we won the game,โ Roethlisberger said. Even though the Pittsburgh defense broke down as the Giants marched 87 yards on 19 plays in the third quarter, it still came up with a huge stop. PREGAME SCENENineteen of the Giants' 48 active players knelt during the national anthem, mostly defensive players.
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Prescott set for franchise tag without long-term Dallas deal
Dak Prescott will play whatever becomes of the 2020 season under the one-year franchise tag after the Dallas Cowboys and their star quarterback couldn't agree on a long-term contract. Clubs had until Wednesday afternoon to reach multiyear deals with players given the franchise tag. Green and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue of Jacksonville haven't signed the one-year contract that goes with the tag. If so, his fate will be different than the other two QBs who have played under the franchise tag. Anthony Harris of Minnesota and Denver's Justin Simmons are set to play under the $11.4 million tag for a safety.
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Throwback Thursday: Steelers rare first-round spectators
The Pittsburgh Steelers coach is certain his team hit a home run in 2020 regardless of what happens over the next three day. While teams scrambled to figure out the first โvirtualโ NFL draft, the Steelers had expected to spend Thursday night monitoring it from afar. No need to get worked up over logistics โ at least not yet โ with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick already in the fold. โTo be honest with you, Iโm not fretting at all about not having a first pick,โ Tomlin said. Colbert stressed the Steelers are confident in Roethlisberger returning to form this fall but believes there is solid depth at the position.
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Duckโs Dynasty? Backup Hodges leads Steelers by Browns 20-13
Cleveland Browns defensive end Chad Thomas (92) celebrates with defensive end Olivier Vernon (54) and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (98) after sacking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Devlin Hodges in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, in Pittsburgh. And one very loud statement from the banged-up Pittsburgh Steelers written not on a T-shirt but all over the Heinz Field turf: The faces may change when Cleveland visits Pittsburgh. โNo one is coming to save us,โ Cleveland defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson said. Mayfield declined to blame the injury, which the Browns described as a bruise, as a reason behind his so-so second half. โI think it was very straightforward,โ Pittsburgh defensive end Cam Heyward said.