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 Feb. 22.
RUSSELL WILSON BACK TO WORK
Things didn’t end in a positive fashion for the Steelers and Russell Wilson in the 2024 season as Pittsburgh dropped five straight games, the offense failed to score more than 17 points in a game in that stretch, and turnovers plagued the Steelers’ offense. That close to the season has Pittsburgh dealing with more uncertainty at quarterback once again this offseason, and that could result in Wilson leaving after one season.
For now though, he’s focused on getting back to work, as he posted an offseason workout video from his home in California, going through individual drills. Take a look.
Wilson has stated multiple times this offseason that he’s had talks with the Steelers, and according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who spoke to Wilson, the veteran quarterback and future Hall of Famer believes he has a realistic chance to return to Pittsburgh for the 2025 season and beyond.
Time will tell as he’s slated to hit free agency on March 12 at the start of the new league year and should have some other suitors, too. But right now, he’s focused on the work.
STEELERS BEST PLUG-AND-PLAY FIT FOR MATTHEW STAFFORD?
With the news reported by NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero that the Los Angeles Rams gave star quarterback Matthew Stafford permission to contact other teams, the trade market and rumors regarding the former No. 1 overall pick and Super Bowl champion are starting to heat up.
One such landing spot that is the most plug-and-play-ready fit for both Stafford and the team, according to the 33rd Team’s Steve Palazzolo. In a tweet Saturday on X, Palazzolo made the case for the Steelers being the best spot for Stafford.
Stafford is coming off a 2024 season in which he threw for 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns to just eight interceptions in 16 games, sitting out the regular-season finale. In the playoffs, Stafford led the Rams to a 27-9 win over the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round and then lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 28-22 in the Divisional Round. Across two playoff games, Stafford completed 63.4% of his passes for 533 yards and four touchdowns.
The Steelers have a major need at quarterback after going through the 2024 season with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, going 10-7 and losing in the Wild Card round again, this time to the AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens. Stafford is the popular name currently, but it might cost a first-round pick.
RICHARD SEYMOUR’S HATE MAIL
In the midst of a blowout 35-3 win for the Pittsburgh Steelers over the then-Oakland Raiders at Heinz Field in the 2010 season, Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger was on the receiving end of an open-handed punch from Raiders’ defensive lineman Richard Seymour, a former adversary from the New England Patriots.
That open-handed punch from Seymour caused an ejection and a $25,000 fine the long-time defensive lineman that was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the Class of 2022. Shortly after that punch and ejection, Seymour — who appeared on a recent episode of “The Pivot Podcast” stated he received hate mail from fans.
“I’d get a lot of fan mail about [Ben] Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh when I was with Oakland. Yeah, I’d get a lot of fan mail with the hit,” Seymour said, according to video via the podcast on YouTube.
It’s not surprising that Seymour received hate mail, considering how disliked he was as a member of the Patriots during their dynastic run, and then the punch on Roethlisberger that led to a scuffle. Hopefully the hate mail wasn’t anything serious, because it’s just sports after all.
But that moment definitely struck a cord with Steelers fans.
