For the final time this year, some Pittsburgh Steelers’ training camp stats to begin putting a bow on things. We’ll recap the last three days and update with totals below. Looking at this thing from every angle. QB stats, seven shots results, RB carries, wide receiver numbers, interceptions, and even punting results.
These are numbers from the 13 public practices we attended. There were a couple closed door practices we don’t have numbers from so this data does feel a little incomplete. But it’s what we have.
If there’s anything we’re missing, feel free to ask below.
TRAINING CAMP STATS – LAST THREE PRACTICES
Quarterbacks
Ben Roethlisberger: 34/47 (72.3%) 373 yards (7.9 YPA) 2 TDs 3 INTs – 11.0 YPC
Mason Rudolph: 26/43 (60.5%) 255 yards (5.9 YPA) 1 TD 1 INT – 9.8 YPC
Dwayne Haskins: 13/19 (68.4%) 141 yards (7.4 YPA) 1 TD 1 INT – 10.9 YPC
Josh Dobbs: 7/11 (63.6%) 59 yards (5.4 YPA) 0 TDs 1 INT – 8.4 YPC
QB Reps
– Totals with the daily count sidecar.
Ben Roethlisberger: 71 (19-26-26)
Mason Rudolph: 59 (20-23-16)
Dwayne Haskins: 31 (10-11-10)
Josh Dobbs: 21 (0-9-12)
Running Backs
Tony Brooks-James: 14 carries, 21 yards (1.5 YPC)
Najee Harris: 12 carries, 43 yards (3.6 YPC)
Pete Guerriero: 12 carries, 11 yards (0.9 YPC)
Kalen Ballage: 6 carries, 65 yards 1 TD (10.8 YPC)
Anthony McFarland: 6 carries, 17 yards (2.8 YPC)
Benny Snell: 5 carries, 33 yards 1 TD (6.6 YPC)
Diontae Johnson: 2 carries, 9 yards (4.5 YPC)
Trey Edmunds: 1 carry, 10 yards (10 YPC)
CATCHES/TARGETS/YARDS/TOUCHDOWNS – CATCH %
Diontae Johnson: 11/14 112 yards 1 TD – 78.6%
JuJu Smith-Schuster: 7/9 113 yards 0 TDs – 77.8%
Anthony Johnson: 4/9 83 yards 0 TDs – 44.4%
Rico Bussey Jr.: 3/8 4 yards 1 TD – 37.5%
Pat Freiermuth: 6/7 73 yards 1 TD – 85.7%
Mathew Sexton: 2/7 12 yards 0 TDs – 28.6%
Cody White: 6/6 61 yards 0 TDs – 100%
Tyler Simmons: 4/6 32 yards 0 TDs – 66.7%
Chase Claypool: 3/6 28 yards 0 TDs – 50%
Marcus Baugh: 2/6 17 yards 0 TDs – 33.3%
Eric Ebron: 5/5 88 yards 0 TDs – 100%
Isaiah McKoy: 5/5 39 yards 0 TDs – 100%
Kevin Rader: 3/5 24 yards 0 TDs – 60%
Najee Harris: 2/4 18 yards 0 TDs – 50%
James Washington: 3/3 22 yards 1 TD – 100%
Kalen Ballage: 3/3 17 yards 0 TDs – 100%
Tony Brooks-James: 3/3 9 yards 0 TDs – 100%
Pete Guerriero: 1/3 16 yards 0 TD – 33.3%
Anthony McFarland: 2/2 12 yards 0 TDs – 100%
Derek Watt: 2/2 11 yards 0 TDs – 100%
Ray-Ray McCloud: 1/2 14 yards 0 TDs – 50%
Jaylen Samuels: 1/2 8 yards 0 TDs – 50%
Trey Edmunds: 1/1 8 yards 0 TDs – 100%
Zach Gentry: 0/1 0 yards 0 TDs – 0%
Drops
Rico Bussey: 1
Chase Claypool: 1
Pete Guerriero: 1
Kevin Rader: 1
Jaylen Samuels: 1
Interceptions
Arthur Maulet: 2
Minkah Fitzpatrick: 1
Mark Gilbert: 1
Miles Killebrew: 1
Justin Layne: 1
TRAINING CAMP STATS – ALL 13 PUBLIC PRACTICES
– If you’re wondering how seven shots broke down, the winner was the defense. By the score of 39-38, a triumphant comeback after trailing 34-29 entering the last two days. They won 5-2 each of the last two practices to emerge victorious.
Quarterback
Dwayne Haskins: 86/137 (62.8%) 973 yards (7.1 YPA) 14 TDs 5 INTs – 11.3 YPC
Mason Rudolph: 103/156 (66.0%) 818 yards (5.2 YPA) 13 TDs 4 INTs – 7.9 YPC
Ben Roethlisberger: 77/111 (69.4%) 752 yards (6.8 YPA) 15 TDs 6 INTs – 9.8 YPC
Josh Dobbs: 43/58 (74.1%) 410 yards (7.1 YPA) 9 TDs 3 INTs – 9.5 YPC
QB Reps
– Totals with the daily count sidecar.
Mason Rudolph: 215 (18-20-19-15-14-13-21-14-20-2-20-23-16)
Dwayne Haskins: 200 (17-19-19-21-13-21-14-24-19-2-10-11-10)
Ben Roethlisberger: 166 (22-7-0-17-15-7-17-7-0-3-19-26-26)
Josh Dobbs: 88 (0-8-18-2-0-9-0-16-14-0-0-9-12)
COMPLETIONS OF 20+ YARDS
Haskins: 16
Roethlisberger: 11
Rudolph: 7
Dobbs: 5
– Some final thoughts here. Everyone’s numbers sorta waned here a bit at the end. Haskins’ numbers still show he pushed the ball downfield though. Rudolph’s YPA and YPC were very similar to 2019. 4.8 YPA, 7.8 YPC in 2019 compared to 5.2 YPA and 7.9 YPC in 2021. Worst of the group.
– He didn’t get many reps but Josh Dobbs’ accuracy made a massive jump this year. Here’s the year-by-year numbers.
2017: 57%
2018: 55%
2019: 53%
2020: N/A
2021: 74.1%
In fact, though the sample size is small, it’s the highest completion percentage we’ve ever tracked for a Steelers’ QB. Wild stuff. Here’s your top five since 2015 (excluding 2020, obviously). Roethlisberger’s 2021 number also cracks the list.
1. Josh Dobbs (2021): 74.1%
2. Devlin Hodges (2019): 71.8%
3. Ben Roethlisberger (2015): 69.7%
4. Ben Roethlisberger (2021): 69.4%
5. Landry Jones (2016): 68.6%
Unfortunately, Dobbs’ attempts and reps diminished. By comparison, he had 134 attempts across 14 practices in 2019. That number cut by more than half in 2021 (58).
– For what it’s worth, during the two practices this week, the Steelers’ mock game week, Rudolph dominated the reps over Haskins. 39 to 21. He’s at least acting like the clear #2 QB.
– Steelers’ QBs threw 20 INTs in fourteen practices in 2019. They threw 18 in thirteen practices this year. And several more if you count the closed practices.
Running Back
Najee Harris: 46 carries, 142 yards 2 TDs (3.1 YPC)
Kalen Ballage: 28 carries, 128 yards 2 TDs (4.6 YPC)
Anthony McFarland: 25 carries, 136 yards (5.4 YPC)
Tony Brooks-James: 23 carries, 62 yards (2.7 YPC)
Pete Guerriero: 17 carries, 25 yards (1.5 YPC)
Benny Snell: 13 carries, 52 yards 1 TD (4.0 YPC)
Jaylen Samuels: 9 carries, 21 yards (2.3 YPC)
Trey Edmunds: 7 carries, 26 yards (3.7 YPC)
Tyler Simmons: 3 carries, 2 yards (1.5 YPC)
Diontae Johnson: 2 carries, 9 yards (4.5 YPC)
Chase Claypool: 1 carry, 40 yards (40.0 YPC)
Mathew Sexton: 1 carry, 10 yards (10.0 YPC)
Ray-Ray McCloud: 1 carry, 7 yards (7.0 YPC)
Isaiah McKoy: 1 carry, 4 yards (4.0 YPC
James Washington: 1 carry, -2 yards (-2.0 YPC)
– It’s difficult to glean too much from RB stats, to be honest with you. Steelers weren’t afraid to give Harris a ton of carries. Far and away above second place, though Harris stayed healthy and didn’t miss a practice. Kalen Ballage and Benny Snell missed a good chunk of time.
– Steelers’ jet runs didn’t completely go away but they did more of it at the start of camp than they did at the end.
– Despite Pony being used plenty this camp, haven’t seen it in a game. Are they trying to hide it for Week 1? Seems pointless to do it so much in camp just to not/barely use it in the season. We’ll see.
– Though healthy for the final three practices, Jaylen Samuels didn’t receive a carry. Do have 2-3 plays where I don’t have noted which RB had the carry but I don’t think any of them were Samuels.
CATCHES/TARGETS/YARDS/TOUCHDOWNS – CATCH %
Diontae Johnson: 30/42 238 yards 5 TDs – 71.4%
JuJu Smith-Schuster: 29/37 323 yards 5 TDs – 78.4%
Anthony Johnson: 25/33 322 yards 3 TDs – 75.8%
Rico Bussey: 17/31 201 yards 3 TDs – 54.8%
Chase Claypool: 13/24 92 yards 3 TDs – 54.2%
Pat Freiermuth: 21/24 211 yards 3 TDs – 87.5%
Isaiah McKoy: 15/22 161 yards 4 TDs – 68.2%
Mathew Sexton: 12/22 95 yards 1 TD – 54.5%
Tyler Simmons: 13/21 142 yards 1 TD – 61.9%
Najee Harris: 9/19 87 yards 1 TD – 47.4%
Kevin Rader: 14/18 106 yards 2 TDs – 77.8%
Ray-Ray McCloud: 14/17 151 yards 1 TD – 82.4%
Anthony McFarland: 15/17 81 yards 3 TDs – 88.2%
Jaylen Samuels: 9/15 26 yards 2 TDs – 60%
Derek Watt: 12/14 148 yards 1 TD – 85.7%
Marcus Baugh: 6/13 71 yards 1 TD – 46.1%
James Washington: 8/13 65 yards 2 TDs – 61.5%
Kalen Ballage: 12/12 58 yards 3 TDs – 100%
Eric Ebron: 6/12 114 yards 1 TD – 50%
Zach Gentry: 8/9 66 yards 2 TDs – 88.9%
Cody White: 7/9 76 yards 0 TDs – 77.8%
Tony Brooks-James: 7/8 25 yards 1 TD – 87.5%
Trey Edmunds: 6/6 80 yards 1 TD – 100%
Benny Snell: 2/3 27 yards 0 TDs – 66.7%
Dax Raymond: 2/3 21 yards 0 TDs – 66.7%
– Targets a little low this year. Johnson’s 42 would’ve ranked just third in 2019 behind Smith-Schuster (61) and James Washington (46). Washington with just 13 targets this camp. Granted, he missed some time but he’s really taken a step back with his involvement in the offense following Chase Claypool’s arrival. No surprise he asked for a trade.
– JuJu Smith-Schuster your yards leader, edging out Anthony Johnson by just three feet. 323 yards versus 322.
– I’ve been raving about Pat Freiermuth’s catch rate all summer. Let’s put it in context. Of Steelers with 20+ targets in camp, Freiermuth’s 87.5% catch rate (21/24) is the best one we’ve ever tracked. Here’s your top ten.
1. Pat Freiermuth (2021): 87.5%
2. Le’Veon Bell (2015): 84.8%
3. Markus Wheaton (2015): 80%
4. Ryan Switzer (2019): 78.6%
5. Heath Miller (2015): 76.7%
T-6. Trey Griffey (2018): 75%
T-6. JuJu Smith-Schuster (2017): 75%
T-6. Shakim Phillips (2015): 75%
9. Antonio Brown (2016): 74.6%
10. Eli Rogers (2016): 74.3%
Impressive. Throw it near 88 and he grabs it.
CATCHES OF 15+ YARDS
A. Johnson: 9
Smith-Schuster: 7
Bussey: 5
Ebron: 5
Freiermuth: 4
McKoy: 4
D. Johnson: 3
McCloud: 3
Simmons: 3
Watt: 3
Baugh: 2
Claypool: 2
Edmunds: 2
McFarland: 2
Rader: 2
Sexton: 2
Ballage: 1
Gentry: 1
Harris: 1
Snell: 1
White: 1
White: 1
Drops
Chase Claypool: 3
Najee Harris: 3
Jaylen Samuels: 3
Eric Ebron: 2
Diontae Johnson: 2
Anthony McFarland: 2
Kevin Rader: 2
JuJu Smith-Schuster: 2
Tony Brooks-James: 1
Rico Bussey: 1
Zach Gentry: 1
Pete Guerriero: 1
Isaiah McKoy: 1
Mathew Sexton: 1
Tyler Simmons: 1
James Washington: 1
– Claypool needs to clean things up a bit, Harris had one bad day (two of his drops came in one practice) while Samuels’ hands continue to be shaky. Rader’s hands waned down the stretch too.
– Players with 10+ targets and zero drops.
Anthony Johnson
Pat Freiermuth
Ray-Ray McCloud
Derek Watt
Kalen Ballage
Marcus Baugh
Interceptions
Minkah Fitzpatrick: 3
Mark Gilbert: 2
Arthur Maulet: 2
James Pierre: 2
Shakur Brown: 1
Stephen Denmark: 1
Alex Highsmith: 1
Tre Norwood: 1
Donovan Stiner: 1
Cam Sutton: 1
Lamont Wade: 1
Miles Killebrew: 1
Justin Layne: 1
– Fitzpatrick your leader. Maulet had two over the last couple of practices. Young players getting after it. First or second year players were responsible for half (9 of 18) of these INTs.
Punting Numbers
– Finally, average hangtime and distances across all the punts tracked for Jordan Berry and Pressley Harvin. Some punts are situational but they both were asked to do the same thing so no player has an unfair advantage in these numbers. One guy wasn’t asked to open field punt more than the other.
Each punter had 28 attempts during four practices (Days 2, 6, 8, and 12).
Jordan Berry: 4.37 seconds, 48.3 yards
Pressley Harvin III: 4.50 seconds, 48.6 yards
Pretty close battle. Especially the yards. In total, Harvin had just six more yards than Berry (1360 vs 1352). Numbers say Harvin has the edge. I’ll give it to him too though Berry was better on two days, Days 2 and 12, while Harvin was better on two days, Days 6 and 8.
Here are the five best hangtimes and distances from the two men combined .
Top Hangtimes
1. Pressley Harvin: 5.23 (Steelers Depot camp record)
2. Pressley Harvin: 5.09
3. Jordan Berry: 5.05
4. Pressley Harvin: 5.02
5. Pressley Harvin: 5.01
Top Distances
1. Pressley Harvin: 64
2. Pressley Harvin: 63
3. Pressley Harvin: 60
4. Pressley Harvin: 60
5. Pressley Harvin: 60
Worth pointing out Jordan Berry had a 59-yard punt five times, including once doing so three times in a row. So he doesn’t crack top five. But the fact the distances were so close with Harvin grabbing all five top spots shows some of the inconsistency he had.
Let’s look at the opposite. Worst hangtimes and distances.
Worst Hangtimes
1. Pressley Harvin: 3.21
2. Pressley Harvin: 3.40
3. Jordan Berry: 3.65
T-4. Pressley Harvin: 3.66
T-4. Jordan Berry: 3.66
Worst Distances
1. Pressley Harvin: 29
T-2. Pressley Harvin: 35
T-2: Jordan Berry: 35
4. Jordan Berry: 36
5. Jordan Berry: 38
Harvin at the top of both categories. To me, good outweighed the bad but there was more high-low with him than Berry.
