Coming off a monster third NFL season, one that saw him finish with 7.5 sacks and 48 pressures in a rotational role, outside linebacker Nick Herbig is poised for a big fourth season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet despite the high expectations and the opportunity to land a life-changing contract extension this offseason from the […]

Welcome to Steelers Morning Rush, our new daily short-form podcast with Alan Saunders, giving a longer perspective on a single news topic surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers or the National Football League.

Today, it’s the news that the NFL has not only increased the number of international games for the 2027 season, but also eliminated teams’ availability to protect certain games, meaning that divisions could potentially be decided by unbalanced schedules.

Alan breaks it down:

This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Is the NFL Taking International Schedule Too Far? | Steelers Morning Rush

By taking Drew Allar in last month’s 2026 NFL Draft, Mike McCarthy and the Pittsburgh Steelers took on a developmental project behind center.

Chris Simms, who played signal-caller for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos during his NFL career, paid attention earlier this month as McCarthy began fine-tuning Allar’s approach.

“You’re hearing all of the reports about Drew Allar,” Simms said Monday on “Pro Football Talk.” “Penn State, there’s a reason nobody can come out of there and play quarterback. Literally, when I watch college football, I go, ‘Drew Allar’s offense was the worst freakin’ offense I’ve ever seen.’...

PITTSBURGH — While Broderick Jones working his way back from neck surgery was a major piece of news on Monday as the Pittsburgh Steelers came together on the field for the first time in the 2026 season, for the first practice of OTAs, another injured Steelers player also made his return to action.

Cornerback Donte Kent, who missed his entire rookie season thanks to a pair of injuries in 2025, was back on the field with his teammates on Monday. Unlike Jones, Kent was not wearing a helmet while participating in warmups with his squamates, but considering that Kent is...

It varies player to player but some offensive linemen prefer to play at one position. Spencer Anderson is one of those guys. Despite versatility being a calling card, playing everything from center to guard to tight end and fullback with the Pittsburgh Steelers, his home is on the right side. So how the team opened […]

Former Pittsburgh Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith is already making a name for himself with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers said goodbye to special teams coordinator Danny Smith this offseason after 13 seasons with the team. Smith has been regarded as one of the best special teams coaches in the NFL and maybe the best personality of the group.

That’s why it should come as no shock that he made a hilarious introduction to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers media, keeping things as informal as possible and even comparing the press conference to going to the dentist.

“I...

Once upon a time, Kendrick Green was a focal point in the Steelers’ efforts to completely rebuild their offensive line. A third-round draft pick in 2021, he didn’t last long in Pittsburgh as a starter. By the middle of his rookie contract, he found himself facing dire circumstances before the team traded him. That same […]

The Aaron Rodgers watch finally ended on Monday. Well, in one sense, as the four-time Associated Press NFL MVP quarterback returned for his second season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, right in time for the team’s first OTA practice under new head coach Mike McCarthy.

Rodgers isn’t moving the needle anymore for one analyst in particular, however.

“I’m not talking about his career, no. Aaron Rodgers is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, a great quarterback for years,” ESPN’s Michael Wilbon said Tuesday on “First Take.” “He’s irrelevant now. What makes him irrelevant now? This network talking about him every day —...

Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. could have his best season yet with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded for Michael Pittman Jr. this offseason to finally fill their void at No. 2 wide receiver. However, it turns out they may have much bigger plans for the veteran.

Pittman recently revealed that the Steelers are planning to take full advantage of his versatility on offense.

“I’ve played every single spot so far,” Pittman said. “Just being able to move around, because you never know what happens during the course of the NFL season. So, just being available at any position,...

Shortly after re-signing with the Steelers, QB Aaron Rodgers was already out on the practice field—like he never left. That is not my observation, but rather one coming from the field level during Pittsburgh’s OTAs this week. It’s only been two days, but working with the future Hall of Famer is like riding a bike. […]

NFL owners approved a plan to significantly expand the league’s international schedule, even before any potential expansion of the regular season schedule.

At the spring league meeting in Orlando, Florida this week, the NFL owners approved a measure that will expand the permitted number of international games to be scheduled up to 10 games per season, up from the current eight.

That doesn’t include games played at Wembley Stadium in London that are voluntarily given up by the Jacksonville Jaguars. This year, the league is playing a record nine international games, including one contest scheduled by the Jaguars.

Jacksonville could...

Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens can’t catch a break.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens is coming off the best season of his career with the Dallas Cowboys. However, NFL insider James Palmer believes the Cowboys still aren’t sold on Pickens.

Some think the Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Pickens as a placeholder for a new deal, but Palmer doesn’t think that contract extension is coming anytime soon.

“I think it’s close to zero, I really do. I haven’t heard anything from that building during this entire time that they were planning on giving him a...