A Steelers Depot daily segment. A quick hit of some Pittsburgh Steelers-related stories that may not require a complete article but nuggets worth mentioning and passing on to you guys.
Your Depot After Dark for April 9.
New Helmets
The NFL and NFLPA announced the league will introduce 12 new helmets and five new models for the 2024 season in an effort to make players and the game safer than before. According to the league, there will be eight position-specific models tailored for offensive and defensive linemen and quarterbacks.
“The growing availability of position-specific helmets is a central part of our effort to provide players with the best possible protection for their position,” said NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Miller in a press release. “Quarterbacks and linemen will have a range of tailored helmets available to them with more positions to come in the next couple of years.”
The league has focused on equipment and rule changes to reduce the number of head injuries. Among the most radical decisions was the overhaul of kickoff coverage, adopting the XFL model to reduce the full-speed collisions that triggered a high number of head and neck injuries.
The NFL also added six helmets to its banned list for not being safe enough.
Remembering Dwayne Haskins
Tuesday marks two years since Pittsburgh Steelers QB Dwayne Haskins was killed while crossing a Florida highway. Shocking and tragic news that impacted the team and the NFL.
Haskins played for the Steelers during the 2021 season, serving as a backup quarterback who never appeared in a regular season game. He was 24 when he was struck by a vehicle on a Florida highway and killed. But his memory and the impact he made on those who knew him live on.
Kwon Alexander Update
Free agent LB Kwon Alexander continues to progress in his rehab. Last week, we shared clips of Alexander working out after tearing his Achilles last fall. Now, Alexander has graduated to running and rehabbing in cleats, a big step forward roughly seven months from his second torn Achilles of his career.
It remains to be seen if Pittsburgh revisits bringing Alexander back but it’s clear he’s done not with football.
Bill Hillgrove Interview
Another interview with now-retired Pittsburgh Steelers play-by-play announcer Bill Hillgrove. Nate Skinner chats with Hillgrove about his career while also weighing in on Steelers like T.J. Watt and Mike Tomlin.
Please listen to the whole interview below. Pittsburgh has yet to announce Hillgrove’s replacement and is currently searching for his successor.
