By Jeremy Hritz
Another week in the books, another step forward to training camp. As of today, July 11th, there are only 10 more days until the Pittsburgh Steelers report to training camp, and began their preparations for the season opener against Buffalo in September. And while news has been somewhat slow regarding the team as of late, that is all about to change. As we get ready for the last week before training camp, here is a look ahead and a wrap-up of the past week of all things Steelers.
HOF Game vs. Dallas Cowboys Only 25 Days Away
Are you ready for some Steelers football? Well, your agony is dwindling, and a respite is in sight. As I mentioned above, there are only 10 days until the team reports for training camp, and 25 before they take on the Cowboys in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, August 5th. Even though none of the starters will see any time in this game, it is exciting because it is a major opportunity for the many rookies and unproven players on the team to get the attention of the coaching staff and to begin making a push for a roster spot. This is an opportunity for guys like UDRFAs Isaiah McKoy, Rico Bussey, Lamont Wade, Calvin Bundage to showcase their abilities. More than likely, it will also be a showcase for Dwayne Haskins‘ talents, as he will take the majority of the snaps. In terms of player evaluation, especially the young guys, this is your game.
The game begins at 8:00 PM Eastern Time and will be broadcast on Fox. The other item to keep in mind here is since the Steelers have so many players being inducted into the Hall of Fame, you can expect a multitude of interviews of the inductees during the game. If nothing other than to celebrate the official start of Steelers preseason games, turn this one on to reminisce of legends of the Black and Gold. And if you are interested in attending, you can get more information HERE.
Training Camp Schedule
12 training camp practices will be open to the public at Heinz Field, beginning Wednesday, July 28th at 1:30 PM. You can get more information of tickets to practices HERE. There is no cost for the tickets, and attendance is free; however, you must register in advance for tickets, as there are a limited number. I will be attending a camp practice on one of these dates and will be sure to have coverage of it on The Steel Study–stay tuned!
Devin Bush’s Tweets: Last Time, I Promise
This past week marked the mini-saga of Devin Bush‘s Tweets, when he posted a disturbing video of a cat being tossed to its apparent demise. This was followed by some other bizarre statements. Afterwards, Bush indicated he had been spoken to by the organization and that he’d be fined, but there is no confirmation that actually occurred. While the Tweeting has not ceased, the content is not as ghastly/questionable as what he was putting out earlier. Let’s hope this is a dead story, and that it does not point to something more significant transpiring with Bush. He is needed inside, and the Steelers cannot afford any disruptions.
Kendrick Green Still Unsigned
Worth mentioning. Hopeful this gets wrapped up by the start of camp, but time is ticking. Nothing of concern here, as he is only trying to maximize his rookie deal, but it is notable that he is the last draft pick to sign.
Ben Continues to Get Blasted
Earlier in the week, Mike Tannenbaum made the assertion that Roethlisberger would be benched by the middle of the season for poor play. Quote Tannenbaum, “He’s had a great career. It’s over.” The mental rolodex for Big Ben continues to be filled, as the media questions his ability to play at a high-level in 2021. While this take really means nothing, it is overwhelming there has been this much criticism of Roethlisberger this offseason with the lazy storyline that he is doomed for failure this upcoming season.
Previewing This Week on The Steel Study
Get ready for 5 consecutive days of The Study Session starting on Monday, with a full-length podcast coming at the end of the week with another special guest. Lots of other cool content planned for everyone, so please stay tuned! Thank you for reading, listening, and sharing–it is appreciated! Drop me a line at thesteelstudy@gmail.com and follow on Twitter @SteelStudy. Peace!