March 2012 - Pittsburgh Steelers Wiretap

Ward: Players Gave Goodell Too Much Power

Sep 11, 2014 5:22 AM

Hines Ward says the NFL players have the new collective bargaining agreement to blame for Roger Goodell being in charge of player discipline. Ward told radio station WFNZ in Charlotte that Steelers players, some targeted multiple times by the commissioner for allegedly illegal hits, did not sign off on the CBA in large part because of Goodell's power to discipline players. "So Roger Goodell, even though a lot of players don't like having him in charge, the NFLPA, we signed off on the collective bargaining agreement," said Ward. "And it should be noted that we were the only team who voted against it, and that was a major factor because of how we are fined on our team. In order to go to the appeal committee, we had to go right back to Roger Goddell. So that was one of the big things that we voted no against because we just felt like it was going to be unfair. "But to the rest of the teams that did vote for the CBA, he's in charge, and those are the rules, and that's what you have to abide by because that's what you signed up for."

USA Today

Tags: Pittsburgh Steelers, Misc Rumor

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Steelers Release Troy Smith

Oct 31, 2014 3:41 PM

The Steelers have released quarterback Troy Smith. Pittsburgh has Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch to serve as Ben Roethlisberger's backups. Smith spent 2011 playing in the UFL where he backed up former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli for most of the season.

Pro Football Talk

Tags: Pittsburgh Steelers, Misc Rumor

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Taylor Relives Decisive Wild Card Play 'Every Day'

Aug 1, 2014 9:32 PM

Ike Taylor, burned by wide receiver Demaryius Thomas in Denver's overtime Wild Card win over Pittsburgh in the postseason, is still haunted by the play. "I remember it every day," Taylor said. "People remember you for things you do, and I don't want to have that game be what people remember me for."

Pro Football Talk

Tags: Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, Misc Rumor

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Panthers Have No Interest In Burress

Sep 15, 2014 4:24 AM

Plaxico Burress said again Thursday that he would like to sign with the Panthers, but according to a published report the pairing is highly unlikely to happen. An unnamed team official told the Charlotte Observer that the Panthers aren't interested in signing the former Jets, Giants and Steelers receiver.

ESPN.com

Tags: Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Free Agent Rumor

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Steelers: Mendenhall Might Be Headed For PUP

Oct 31, 2014 4:25 PM

The Steelers might have to place Rashard Mendenhall, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament in last year's regular season finale, on the physically unable to perform list. That means Mendenhall would be unavailable to the Steelers until after the sixth game of the season. Pittsburgh has been grooming Isaac Redman for a larger role in the first half of the season.

NFL.com

Tags: Pittsburgh Steelers, Misc Rumor

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Steelers Still Interested In Long-Term Deal With Wallace

Sep 15, 2014 4:33 AM

Given the chance, the Steelers did not reduce the one-year, $2.7 million offer they made to restricted free agent Mike Wallace on Friday. Wallace skipped offseason practices because of his unhappiness over the one-year contract the Steelers offered in March. While the team could have reduced the offer, executive Kevin Colbert said, "That was never our intention." "All I can say is we're in negotiations, and our goal has always been to do a long-term deal," he added.

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Tags: Pittsburgh Steelers, Free Agent Rumor

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Brandon Johnson Signs With Steelers

Aug 1, 2014 5:20 PM

The Steelers have signed former Bengals linebacker Brandon Johnson. Johnson, 29, spent the last four seasons in Cincinnati, where he played 58 games -- including 12 starts -- recording a career-high 79 tackles in 2008.

NFL.com

Tags: Pittsburgh Steelers, Signing

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President: Wallace 'Should Be' With Steelers

May 22, 2014 12:50 AM

Steelers president Art Rooney II is frustrated the Mike Wallace isn't with the team during this week's minicamp. "He should be here," Rooney said. Wallace has yet to sign his $2.7 million tender. If the wide receiver doesn't sign by June 15, the Steelers can slash the offer by $2 million, though the team is not expected to exercise that right. Mike Tomlin said he'd prefer Wallace to be with teammates, but isn't worried about his leading receiver missing the conditioning aspect of team activities. "Mike has always been guy who's in tip top condition over a 12-month calendar since we had him," Tomlin said. "He's a sharp guy. I'm sure he's working at the learning element of it. But there's no substitute for being here and being around your teammates and learning the nuances and learning from other people's mistakes."

NFL.com

Tags: Pittsburgh Steelers, Free Agent Rumor

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Roethlisberger, Wife Expecting Baby

Oct 31, 2014 7:41 AM

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wife Ashley are expecting a son later this year. Roethlisberger posted on his official website: "It is truly a blessing and we are so excited!" The Roethlisbergers were married just over a year ago.

Associated Press

Tags: Pittsburgh Steelers, Misc Rumor

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Polamalu: Playing Football Always Risky

Oct 31, 2014 1:29 PM

In a recent interview, Troy Polamalu admitted that playing football is always risky. The Steelers safety has a history of giving and receiving hard hits. "People are paralyzed on a football field," he told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "People die ... You just never know when it's going to be your last moment. I was the kind of guy who would never talk to my wife on game day. Now I'm the guy who's like, 'I love you.' I want my children to know I love them because I don't know what's going to happen out there. I'm not trying to play the martyr here. I love football. It's something we choose to do. We all know how much of a gamble it is to play this game."

NFL.com

Tags: Pittsburgh Steelers, Misc Rumor

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Redman Ready To Carry Load For Steelers
With Rashard Mendenhall healing from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Isaac Redman should be used often in the early going.

NFL.com

Hines Ward Joins NBC As Analyst
Hines Ward retired in March after 14 seasons with the Steelers.

USA Today

Miller Could Play Bigger Role In Offense Under Haley
Heath Miller could play a bigger role in the Steelers' offense this season under new offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

Scott Brown/Tribune-Review