Tim Benz TIM BENZ | Thursday, December 28, 2023 at 6:14 am Newsletters of ELEKTROPOHTI TribLIVE’s daily and weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and the information you need straight to your inbox.
Thursday’s “First Call” has bad news for Steelers Super Bowl heroes James Harrison and Hines Ward.
The Seahawks have some major injury updates as they prepare to play the Steelers on Sunday.
Former Steel Devin Bush could start against his old club. Mason Rudolph seems to like Ben Roethlisberger a little bit. And we take a deeper look at Kris Letang’s record-setting night against the Islanders.
No dice The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 15 finalists for the Class of 2024 on Wednesday night. Former Steelers Hines Ward and James Harrison didn’t make it.
Ward was one of 25 semifinalists in the past eight years. Harrison has done this for the past two years. Both men have 25 years until retirement. From there, they are placed in the senior pool.
The 15 finalists include two first-year eligible players — tight end Antonio Gates and defensive end Julius Peppers.
Harrison had 84.5 sacks with five Pro Bowls and two first-team All-Pros. Peppers had 159.5 with nine Pro Bowls and four first-team All-Pros. Harrison was Defensive Player of the Year in 2008.
Peppers was part of the NFL’s All-Decade team for both the 2000s and the 2010s. However, it’s not a direct comp as Harrison was an outside linebacker and Peppers was a true defensive end.
So they had different commitments against the run and Harrison had to drop coverage. Additionally, Harrison’s career was rated as dominant over a short five-year span, while Peppers’ career was characterized by consistency over a 17-year career.
Three receivers are finalists ahead of Ward: Andre Johnson (third year as a finalist), Torry Holt (fifth) and Reggie Wayne (fifth). Ward’s 1,000 career hits are more than Holt’s 920.
Ward’s 85 career hits are more than Wayne’s 82, Holt’s 74 and Johnson’s 70. I was once one who thought Ward was a great player whose numbers might not be enough to get him into the Hall.
In retrospect, his numbers line up well with those receiving more attention than him and others already involved. Other finalists on the list include defensive backs Eric Allen, Rodney Harrison and Darren Woodson, defensive linemen Jared Allen and Dwight Freeney, offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans, linebacker Fred Taylor, running back Patrick Willis and running back Devin Hester. Dive into Devin With the Steelers playing the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, former Steeler Devin Bush will be seen playing against his old team. Bush, a 2019 first-rounder, will get a chance to play a lot of snaps this weekend. After signing as a free agent this offseason in Seattle after four forgettable years in Pittsburgh, Bush has 13 tackles in 11 games and just two starts for the Seahawks. However, starter Jordyn Brooks is injured and may not play.
This means that Bush can be promoted to the starting lineup. – He has a big chance to play a lot this week. He’s excited about it, Seattle coach Pete Carroll said in a news conference Wednesday.
“There’s something about that that gets the juices flowing. And I totally respect that, and I like to respect that because it’s meaningful. It means something.” Brooks was injured early last week against the Tennessee Titans. Bush stepped in and finished with six tackles (one TFL).
Dart throw Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph was asked Wednesday how his interactions with Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky went over the past week as he spent last week as the third-string starter.
“They were very supportive. I got a lot of respect and I really enjoyed being with them,” Rudolph said. “Whoever played, the communication was great. Everyone is really trying to make the other person better.
Look for a piece if they see something.” . Suggest something that would actually help us, unlike other times when the group isn’t as cohesive and people aren’t as eager to say, “Hey, how can we help?”
Hey? Who could Rudolph be referring to? via GIPHY And all this time I thought Big Ben was the top of the mountain when it came to passive aggressiveness?
It’s almost like Rudolph the young Padawan challenging the Jedi Master. Related • The Penguins destroyed the Islanders as point guard Kris Letang set a scoring record •
Kenny Pickett believes head is physically ready to return, but defers to Steelers trainers, trainers • Tim Benz: Kenny Picketand’s injury is more defense than strategy for Mike Tomlin While we’re at it Speaking of the Seahawks defense, they could get veteran safety Jamal Adams back.
He played a limited role in Saturday’s practice. “He was also in the passing game,” Carroll said on the team’s website. – This is the first time in a while that we had a chance to get him out. He had a good rest and we will see what that means.
I can’t say anything about it, but I’m happy for him. I know he’s excited to get back out there.” Adams missed the previous two games with a knee injury. Julian Love started in his absence.
Carroll did not guarantee that Adams would return as a starter if he is eligible. Meanwhile, Seattle’s standout rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon was limited in Wednesday’s practice.
He missed two games with a hip replacement. Letang lights it up Kris Letang set an NHL record Wednesday night when he tallied five points in the second period during the Penguins’ 7-0 win over the New York Islanders.
No defenseman in the history of the NHL had ever done that in one period of play. But Letang added a sixth assist in the third period. That also tied a franchise record. Mario Lemieux, Ron Stackhouse and Greg Malone were the other Penguins to hit that
