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Christopher Carter's Steelers chat: 06.05.25
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Christopher Carter
9:08
Hello everyone! Sorry for the delayed start! Check-in took a bit longer this morning at the Steelers facility. Let's get into it!
Josh
9:09
Hello Chris! Things seemed to be pretty mum on the Gabe Davis visit that happened yesterday.  Do you think he is offered a contract? Or was yesterday more of a formal check in and possibly a physical to see where he is medically?
Christopher Carter
9:10
That won't happen until today! Remember, he got to Pittsburgh yesterday but he's meeting with everyone today. I expect he had to do a physical yesterday where he had to clear that after he was cut with a failed physical from the Jaguars. Still a chance they wait and see, but considering he's making $11.5M already this year, does seem like an offer wouldn't take that much!
Pat from Ellwood city
9:10
Hi! Cris just wondering everyone keeps saying there going to draft a quarterback in the first round next year. So let's quit worrying about Rodgers and start with Mason or go with Will Howard
Christopher Carter
9:11
Hey Pat!

While I do believe that is completely the plan, I think they want the offense this year to get as much of a chance to have a running start headed into the rookie's arrival as possible. If said rookie comes into an offense that ranked in the upper half of the league and Aaron Rodgers can help the chemistry of that this season, you'd go with him. That's of course, IF he actually does that. The 5-win season with the Jets doesn't inspire much confidence.
JH
9:11
The very hard deadline for Rodgers has to be the beginning of training camp right?  There has to be some sort of cohesiveness formed between him and these offensive players prior to the season beginning
Christopher Carter
9:12
I fully expect training camp, but I wouldn't be shocked if he shows up next week for mandatory minicamp. He took the time to throw with DK Metcalf earlier in the offseason. I think he'll show up for that part. But yes, bare minimum is definitely training camp.
Josh
9:12
I feel like it's not a big deal and all in good fun with college rivalries, but does Narduzzi say something to Tomlin about the Beanie Bishop cleat thing on the Pitt logo?
Christopher Carter
9:19
From what I've heard, communications have happened between the two organizations about that video. Probably not Narduzzi-Tomlin but other parties that would handle that.

As a person who covered that rivalry and the very game where Beanie Bishop intercepted Phil Jurkovec on the way to WVU's win, I thought the comments he gave were fine. The video isn't a crime or anything, but it is something that won't be appreciated by neighbors.

Bottom line, I think this stuff is cool because I love rivalries. I talked to Pitt players/captains who were watching Steelers practice looking for Bishop. Nothing bad was going to happen, but a few of them said things along the lines of, "he's writing a check his boys won't cash." If it's something that comes up on 9/13 (heh) when the game is played, more stuff added to the rivalry.
Andrew Ross
9:19
Can I be real for a minute ?  I dit not love seeing Rocky, Mason, and Harmen Killabrew making the black and gold political. Steelers and black and gold nation belongs to all of us, black, white, and oriental …. Democrat and republican —- whether you imigarated here last year on a LEGAL visa or you came over on the mayflower. Can’t sports just be ….SPORTS !!!!! I mean, i get enough policies on MSNBC every day.
Christopher Carter
9:22
No problem being real!

I didn't think there was a problem with the trio of those guys appearing at the rally. I do think when Rocky Bleier handed President Trump the jersey and said he's an "honorary Steelers" it implied the organization approved of it, when they didn't.

But if an athlete wants to support a political entity, that's up to them! As I told Jason Mackey when he was writing his column, plenty of athletes have attached themselves to political causes, campaigns and even become politicians themselves. Nothing wrong with that, so long as you're ready for whichever OTHER side of the aisle will not like you for it.
Easley
9:23
Any recent updates on Cameron Johnston's recovery? Seems like we might have a great punters' duel in training camp, right?
Christopher Carter
9:24
Johnston appears to be good to go. He and Waitman should be a fun camp battle. Probably will exchange punts throughout the preseason and the Steelers will go with whoever's better. Johnston looked great before his injury, but Waitman impressed when he filled in. I'm not a big special teams guy, but that's a good situation the Steelers are in there.
Andrew Ross
9:24
hey what’s up CC? Do you think HCMT will let AR run with the ones from the get go ?  I do, I mean be is a 4 time MVP and he needs to start jelling with the offensive line and skill positions.  I mean and it’s not like Rudolph is Big Ben. He hasn’t done much for franchise.
Christopher Carter
9:26
I think Aaron Rodgers will be QB1 as soon as he walks in the door. He's a first ballot hall of fame QB with the credentials you listed and knows how to beat pretty much every NFL defense schematically. There won't even be a competition.
Ben Saluri
9:26
Living in Iowa I've been a Hawkeye fan as long as I can remember.  The last few years I have jokingly said the Steelers were turning into the Hawks in play style.  Unfortunately now it's no joke. This is not a compliment. Iowa fans have been forced to watch avg football for years because of tge power Kirk Ferentz has at the helm. Tomlin rules in the same manor. Steelers and the Hawks are mirrors of each other which is a Cplus, at best...Thoughts?
Christopher Carter
9:29
I think it's important to remember the Steelers have become this simply because they haven't had good QB play and needed to rely on protecting the ball. But there are several other years where the Steelers have been much more aggressive offensively because they had the personnel that allowed them to play that way. You lean to your strengths.

Remember the 2009 Packers game when Aaron Rodgers was shredding the Polamalu-less Steelers defense and Ben Roethlisberger was answering back all game? Tomlin kicked the onside kick knowing if the Packers scored faster, it would give the Steelers a chance at the end to score, and it was a last second TD to Mike Wallace that won the day. Back then, the Steelers had the dogs to place those bets on.

Today, those dogs are on the defense. But that's why they're trying to get the OL right now, and they'll hope to get the right QB next year. They hit on those and you could see that aggressive offense return in the coming years.
Shenandoah
9:29
So, the Browns were heavily criticized for signing Garrett  to an outrageous contract far and away more than a linebacker was ever paid, basically QB money, and you think the Steelers should at least match or more likely go above that insanity in a new Watt contract? Twenty million is too much for Fields, but you want to pay Watt twice as much. It's time for a someone be the adult in the room and say enough.
Christopher Carter
9:36
So, just to be clear, Myles Garrett's contract currently takes up less of the Browns' salary cap on an average per-year rate than TJ Watt's 2021 extension did of the Steelers. The only reason Garrett's deal caught everyone off guard was because he demanded a trade.

But Watt's rate would be right along the lines of where you pay a top edge rusher when it comes to the rate of the current salary cap. For example, the salary cap in 2021 when Watt signed a deal that gave him an average of $28M/year was 15.3% of the salary cap that was $182.5M in 2021.

Garrett's $40M/year average is 14.3% of the salary cap right now that's at $279.2M--almost $100M more than 4 years ago. If Watt were to receive $41M/year, it would be around the same percentage, and also take up less percentage of the Steelers' cap space than his previous deal.
9:38
Paying Watt $40M-ish a year is not this absurd thing that people seem to believe. I'd even go as far to say that after Micah Parsons' next deal, it would look like a steal.

Also, yes, paying a 4x 1st team all-pro edge rusher twice as much as a journeyman quarterback that's on his third team in three years does make sense. That's having an adult in the room.
Pittfan
9:39
Hi Christopher. What would be a successful season for the Steelers, 7-10 with a top 15 pick in the 2026 draft (this is assuming the QB class will be as good as advertised) or 11-6 with a playoff win and a retiring Rodgers?
Christopher Carter
9:43
Hello!

7-10 would not be a successful season. The Steelers could turn it into something that works out for them after the fact, but that doesn't change the fact that it would be a losing season. Sometimes you do have to ask yourself, are wins that don't lead to a Super Bowl worth it?

In 2006, Cowher won his last game with an overtime victory in Cincinnati that knocked the Bengals out of the playoffs and preserved an 8-8 record for the Steelers. Didn't win them much, but it was a nice way to send Cowher out.

However, the Steelers were in the ILB market that offseason, and a loss to the Bengals would've placed them at 7-9. And with their tiebreakers, they would've been picking just ahead of the 49ers. And instead of taking Lawrence Timmons, they would've had Patrick Willis. Imagine the 2000s defense with THAT guy.

But I digress, trading up for a linebacker that year wasn't their plan. If they win a playoff game and end up being in the mid-20s, they could still trade up and get that QB of the future.
Remember, the Chiefs traded up from 27 to 10 to get Mahomes when they were coming off being the 2 seed in the playoffs. Not all that crazy to see 24 to 8 or something like that.
Guest
9:44
ChrisI have changed my mind about the Rudolph- Garrett situation of a few years ago. Since he has revealed his association with a Facist leaning dictator I have no doubt Rudolph used the N word on Miles Garrett. Thanks to your great work! Glenn Sent from my iPhone
Christopher Carter
9:46
Woah! This took a turn.

I don't think we should let Mason Rudolph's political associations change the facts of that situation. As a Black person, I was willing to hear out Myles Garrett's claim about a racial slur, as I've been called one numerous times in my life.

But even as a person who's sympathetic to those who make such a claim, I found it disingenuous that Garrett didn't make it known to his teammates right away that the slur was what set him off. His own teammates said they never heard Rudolph say that, nor did they hear Garrett make that claim the night of the game on the field or in the locker room afterwards. I felt like there wasn't sufficient enough evidence for me to prove Rudolph did what Garrett had alleged.
9:49
If I had snapped because someone called me the N-word, I would be making it known IMMEDIATELY what had happened. Heck, I have when it's happened. The way that played out with Garrett never sat right with me.

As a law school grad, my brain works on based off facts and hard information when it comes to figuring out accusations. And there's just not enough on Garrett's side. However anyone feels about Rudolph's political leanings doesn't change that for me. If it does for you, that's your decision.
Henry Hill
9:49
Greetings Chris; were you surprised to see the backlash against Mason and Miles following their appearance at Trump's event last week? I didn't realize how many so-called Steeler fans could be triggered like that.
Christopher Carter
9:52
Hello!

I don't think fans were as upset about Rudolph-Killebrew as they were about President Trump being named an "honorary Steeler." It gave off the impression that the whole organization approved of the designation and came out of nowhere.

Had that not happened, I actually don't think people would've raised as much of a stink as they did.

But to answer your question; was I surprised? No. The current political climate does not lend itself to being too friendly in either direction.
Lisa
9:53
Hey Chris, glad you’re doing chats. I’m learning a lot.  I think the Steeler players who spoke at the US Steel plant would have been better served if they announced they were speaking as private citizens as opposed to portray that the team was supporting the president with their words and a presentation of a Steelers jersey.  Your thoughts please?
Christopher Carter
9:57
My summa cum laude degree in political science is really coming in handy today!

As I've said above, I think it's fine for players to advocate for whichever politician, cause or campaign they choose--so long as they're ready for backlash in whatever direction. They have the right to voice their opinion--just as people have their right to let them know how much they love or hate it.

I did think presenting a jersey and calling President Trump an "honorary Steeler" when the organization had not approved such a statement did create implications that led people awry. Even the jersey itself wouldn't probably have been seen as big an issue, but the honorary status carries more weight.
Jenkins
9:57
Good morning.  What is your opinion of Gabe Davis?  Would he be a good fit in the Steelers offense?  If he does sign, will the Steelers still pursue other receivers like Cooper?  Thanks.
Christopher Carter
10:00
Good morning!

Gabe Davis is a solid outside threat they could add for very cheap. He's making $11.5M in dead money from his Jaguars contract and could sign for a veteran minimum deal kind of like Russell Wilson did last year.

But Davis also comes with a lot of question marks. He got cut with a failed physical from Jacksonville, and he didn't look that great when he didn't have an MVP-level QB in Josh Allen throwing to him. So yes, I do think the team would still pursue another WR2 even if they sign him.

But I'll add this caveat: should he be signed, I think the Steelers will take all three of Davis/Austin/Wilson to camp in hopes to find their WR2. If one doesn't emerge, that's when they'll make a move. Camps everywhere will be letting people go or looking to make trades. That could be the time to get the best value.
Jessica L.
10:00
Good morning sir.  Rogers has said he hasn’t notified the Steelers of his decision due to health concerns in his “inner circle.”  Yet, he has time to attend the Kentucky Derby and make numerous tv appearances.  Has he said how he justifies this?  Thank you.
Christopher Carter
10:03
Good morning!

Aaron Rodgers has not given any justifications publicly for this. But I wouldn't be surprised if there was some agreement between him and the Steelers behind the scenes for him to just show up to minicamp or training camp and that be it. He's 41, and the older you get, the more the offseason work wears on you.

Whether or not any of that factors into the health concerns, I couldn't say. But I do believe he and the Steelers are tacitly on the same page.
RAM
10:03
Hey Chris! Being a life-long Steeler fan I’ve lived through the 70’s Super Bowl era, the 20+ years between Bradshaw and Ben, and now the current playoff  drought. My conclusion is that most Steeler fans are like spoiled kids. The Steelers have been an above average to very good team for years. Yet when an inevitable slump occurs fans are calling for the Rooney’s to sell the franchise, fire Tomlin and now trade TJ Watt. I’d like to give advice that one future HOF QB once gave: Relax!  I mean be thankful you don’t have to root for the Browns, Bears or the Jets! Just support the team and try to enjoy the ride even with the pot holes!
Christopher Carter
10:07
Hello!

I think this is a wise perspective to provide. Chuck Noll is the greatest coach in the history of this city's sports. But he also had a rough stretch at one time. Still, the Rooneys letting him work through it allowed him to set up the core that Bill Cowher inherited and worked with for his early success and a Super Bowl appearance/loss.

Stuff takes time. It's also important to note that within a spance of just 3 years, the team lost Bell/Brown/Shazier/Pouncey/DeCastro/Tuitt and Roethlisberger became a shell of himself after the elbow injury.

Any other franchise that deals with that kind of loss falls into the dumpster. Look at the Patriots after Brady. It takes time to build new cores. I think the Steelers are currently closer to the dawn of a new window than the dusk of their last one.

Also, another example is the rut the Dolphins fell into after Don Shula's crew of the early 70s aged out. Took time before he got another core to be competitive and he also went 8 straight years w/out a playoff win
Theo
10:07
Hey Chris.  Thanks for doing the chats.  Did Rocky get permission from the Rooneys to give the president  the Steelers jersey or did he do that on his own?  Is there a team or league policy for something like this?
Christopher Carter
10:09
Hey Theo!

No problem! Thanks for being here!

As far as I've seen with the e-mail being sent out and other things I've heard, Rocky Bleier did not have any permission from the team. He presented the jersey on his own. There's no such league policy for that. I could probably go make a custom jersey right now and do such a thing for my father if I wanted.
10:10
Again on this, I just think the biggest issue came from Bleier's statement that President Trump was an "honorary Steeler." That carries a connotation with it that the team approved of it, when they didn't.
Scott via Kentucky
10:10
New subscriber! It took 10 years for PG to make their firewall strong enough that  I couldn’t just clear my browser and read for free.
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