The other day I was thinking about my time writing about the Pittsburgh Steelers. Throughout my career doing so, I’ve essentially done it all.

Commentary, news, breaking stories, features and even took a stab at simple film room breakdowns.

The one thing I’ve never done is work on just a random thought type format.

I can’t speak for you, the reader, but I am always thinking about writing and the Steelers. Thinking about different aspects of the team and game. Thanks to reading Myron Cope’s biography I decided to put a unique spin on this type of feature.

Now, for the name of the article, anyone who is familiar with the Styx song “Renegade” should know where it came from. If not, this is where it came from…

The jig is up, the news is out
They finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Nevermore to go astray
This’ll be the end today of the wanted man

The jig is up…time for some randomness.

Back-Up Quarterback Talk

Earlier this week I was listening to the Steel City Insider where Jim Wexell and Jeremy Hritz had Mike Prisuta from the WDVE Morning Show on the podcast to talk Steelers. When they talked about quarterbacks Prisuta talked how the team has won two road games with their back-up quarterback.

Wait, what?

I might be alone here, but I don’t consider Fields a back-up. Of course he is the QB2 on the official depth chart, but the man took the vast majority of reps in training camp and the preseason, and has played every snap of the regular season. On top of all that, he’s started a ridiculous number of games early in his young career.

As Mike Tomlin says, “We don’t seek comfort.” In that same way, I don’t use Fields as the “back-up” as a crutch for the offense struggling in the first two weeks of the regular season.

Does Culture Matter?

I always find it interesting to hear new players to the Steelers talk about their time in other organizations and compare it to Pittsburgh. It’s easy to say things are great when you’re winning, but so far players who have come for other cities have been glowing of the culture in Pittsburgh.

For me, I think it’s all hot air. Players will say whatever it takes for fans to get happy and be on their side, but what do you get when they leave? Sometimes you get Nick Vannett. Remember when Vannett left the Steelers and spoke to the media about his time in Pittsburgh? Let me refresh your memory…

“I don’t know. I can’t say I have too many great things to say about that organization just from my time being there because it wasn’t the most pleasant experience I’ve ever had. So I can’t really speak too much on them to be honest.”

Fans explodes with anger and vitriol, especially after he compared the organization to a soap opera/drama TV show. But I have a feeling this happens a lot in the NFL. You sign under certain pretenses and for whatever reason those don’t come to fruition. It’s a business, and sometimes business doesn’t work out in your favor. You can have the best culture in the world, but if a player feels like he was wronged it won’t matter a lick.

Steelers at Acrisure Stadium

Sunday will be the Steelers first home game of the 2024 regular season, and I’m curious if they’ll be able to recapture some home magic that Heinz Field used to hold. In the two seasons since the field name was changed to Acrisure Stadium the Steelers’ home record has been mediocre at best. Before the name change it was much better.

Some will point to better quarterback play, rightfully so, but I’m curious how the team will finish their home slate of games in 2024. Let’s take a look at the last few seasons for the Steelers home record:

2023: 5-4
2022: 4-4
___
2021: 6-2
2020: 7-1
2019: 5-3
2018: 5-3

How will they finish in 2024? Let’s look at their home opponents this season, in no particular order:

• Baltimore Ravens
• Cincinnati Bengals
• Cleveland Browns
• Dallas Cowboys
• Kansas City Chiefs
• Los Angeles Chargers
• New York Giants
• New York Jets

What say you?

Guardian Caps

In case you haven’t noticed, James Daniels is the lone Steelers player who is donning a guardian cap on game days this season. Will more players start to follow suit? I think more studies will have to come out with the players who wear them showing a significant decrease in head injuries before most players wear them.

I’m sure once that happens the NFL will mandate them across the league, but here is the reason why most don’t wear them: They look really weird.

It sounds silly considering it can help protect a vital organ in the body, but it’s the honest truth. I see this as Mark Kelso double helmet from the 90s. Some will wear it, but most won’t.

Here’s a look at what Daniels looks like on game days:

Officials Set

It’s always fun when the officials are given their assignments for the upcoming week. This week the Steelers have Alex Kemp’s Crew vs. the Chargers. When some people think of an answer to the poor officiating in the league they say officials should be full-time employees. What stunned me were the day jobs for these individuals. Look at what their jobs are…

Maybe being full-time would help, who knows? Otherwise, I’m sure Robert Richeson would appreciate not having to write sub plans for his High School tech class, and take a personal day, every Monday after working NFL games.

Renegade

Renegade is awesome by itself, but when you add the Steelers into the mix it is even better. However, I do often ask myself when is the best time for Renegade to be played at the stadium? There are the rare “Double Renegade” games, but I really can’t stand it when I hear Renegade was played during a timeout before a special teams play, especially a kickoff. In my opinion, you want the crowd hyped before T.J. Watt and company get a chance to blow up a play, not right before a touchback.

When is the right time? Sometimes you can just feel it, but other times it feels forced. I’m glad I’m not tasked with that decision every home game for the Steelers.

Nick Herbig’s usage

There wasn’t a better defensive player for the Steelers this preseason than Nick Herbig. Every time he was on the field he made an impact play. We all thought there was going to be an increased role for Herbig this season, but that doesn’t seem to be the case through two games. Maybe there is a plan in place, or maybe the plan is we don’t use you unless we absolutely have to on defense.

Either way, I’d had Herbig to be nothing more than a preseason phenomenon, and I don’t think he’s going down that path. I foresee the Steelers starting to throw three linebackers on the field and having Herbig patrol the middle, something Watt used to do, on very special occasions. Other than that, Herbig does still have a lot of work to do in run support before he can become an every snap defender along the edge.

PFF Grades

Ahhh yes. Pro Football Focus (PFF), the organization everyone loves to hate. Every week you hear more and more people talking about how they hate PFF and their grading system. They bemoan the grades and call them made up. I always chuckle to myself when I hear so many outlandish comments and online remarks about PFF and their system. My question for those who hate PFF is this: If so many people hate them, why do they constantly use them to justify their own narratives?

I really don’t care about PFF and their grades, I don’t use them for anything that has to do with my job. But I also don’t use them to either pump up or tear down a player. I simply read Dave Schofield’s thoughts on this week’s grades and move on with my life. Something I wish more people did, because what they don’t realize is even bad press is good press in the eyes of companies like PFF.

That does it…the jig is up, they’ve finally found me. This renegade is outta here…be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the Chargers Sunday at 1pm EST.