A Steelers Depot daily segment. A quick hit of some Pittsburgh Steelers-related stories that may not require a complete and dedicated article but nuggets worth mentioning and passing on to you guys.
Your Depot After Dark for Dec. 19.
Josh Cribbs Nearly Became A Steeler
In an interview with Cleveland sports fan SirYacht, former Browns receiver and returner Josh Cribbs revealed the Pittsburgh Steelers offered him a contract after the Browns released him following the 2013 season. But he turned down the offer.
“First team to offer me was the Steelers…I just could not see myself coming back into Browns stadium,” Cribbs said. “To me, you couldn’t do that. At least, that’s what I thought. You couldn’t do that. I was just too diehard to the fanbase.”
Instead, Cribbs signed with the Oakland Raiders. He failed to make the team out of camp and ended up playing for the New York Jets before injuring his shoulder. His last NFL stop was with the Indianapolis Colts in 2014.
In his prime, Cribbs was an electric return man with three career kick return scores against the Steelers throughout his career.
Vince Williams Weighs In
Retired Pittsburgh Steelers LB took to Twitter to give his take on the struggling Steelers. In a series of tweets, he outlined the pros and cons of the team’s culture. Essentially, he says the Steelers’ style is to put the onus on the players to come in and work. To put in the time and effort to get better instead of having it structured so neatly like other NFL teams and most college programs.
When players are hard-working and can buy in, they flourish. Someone like RB Jaylen Warren ran with the opportunity to make the team and become the best version of himself. Others, like perhaps WR George Pickens, won’t realize his full potential.
You can check out the thread below with some interesting thoughts from someone who spent years inside the building.
Bobby Layne’s Birthday
On this day in 1926, Hall of Fame QB Bobby Layne was born. Largely remembered for his stellar career with the Detroit Lions, he finished his NFL career in Pittsburgh, being traded to the Steelers in 1958. Layne posted a strong record for the lovable loser Steelers, going 27-19 as a starter with the team. At 36 years old, Layne helped lead Pittsburgh to a 9-5 record, the franchise’s first nine-win season in history.
An old-school player who reportedly would go out drinking the night before a game and still excel on gameday, Layne was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1967, a first-ballot member of the fifth-ever HOF class. He’s also remembered for the “Bobby Layne Curse” he put on Detroit, saying they wouldn’t win for 50 years after trading him to Pittsburgh. He was right.
