Veteran NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers has announced that the upcoming 2026 season will be his last. Rodgers will turn up for the Pittsburgh Steelers in NFL 2026 - the 22nd season for the 42-year-old. Rodgers, who had played for the Steelers in NFL 2025 and had said that it could be his last season in the league, changed is decision post hiring of Mike McCarthy as head coach to replace Mike Tomlin, who resigned this offseason. Notably, Rodgers and McCarthy were together 13 years at the Green Bay Packers and the duo had won the Super Bowl 2010 by defeating Tomlin's Steelers. Rodgers had won two of his four MVP trophies under McCarthy only.<h2>Why Rodgers is staying on another season in NFL?</h2>Speaking to reporters on Wednesday (May 20) in Pittsburgh, Rodgers said that he was contemplating quitting NFL after last season where he guided the Steelers to AFC North Division title. Tomlin's resignation also pushed his thoughts towards quitting but the WB revealed that hiring of McCarthy changed his mind.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dr-congo-cancels-fifa-world-cup-2026-preparation-camp-because-of-ebola-will-it-affect-there-plans-to-enter-us-1779342639728">DR Congo cancels FIFA World Cup 2026 preparation camp because of Ebola. Will it affect their plans to enter US?</a>"When [Tomlin] said he was stepping away, that was an emotional moment just because we all love him so much and care about him, and I thought that was probably it for me in Pittsburgh," Rodgers said. "But when the decision was made to hire [McCarthy], I started opening my mind back up to coming back."<h2>Rodgers bowing out with full cricle</h2>The QB had spent first 18 years of his career at the Packers before moving to the New York Jets for 2023 and 2024 season. In 2025, he joined the Steelers on a one-year deal and managed throwing for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Rejoining with McCarthy in his last season is a full circle moment Rodgers and he acknowledged the same, saying: "There was some doubt for sure, but I had good conversations with Mike going back to when he was hired. It’s nice to come back. It felt different than last year, cause I knew some of the guys and the people that work here. So it felt good coming in."

Rodgers, 42, will be retiring after the upcoming NFL season 2026 which he'll play for the Pittsburgh Steelers under his long-time Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who replaced Mike Tomlin earlier this off season.

Veteran NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers has announced that the upcoming 2026 season will be his last. Rodgers will turn up for the Pittsburgh Steelers in NFL 2026 - the 22nd season for the 42-year-old. Rodgers, who had played for the Steelers in NFL 2025 and had said that it could be his last season in the league, changed is decision post hiring of Mike McCarthy as head coach to replace Mike Tomlin, who resigned this offseason. Notably, Rodgers and McCarthy were together 13 years at the Green Bay Packers and the duo had won the Super Bowl 2010 by defeating Tomlin's Steelers. Rodgers had won two of his four MVP trophies under McCarthy only. Why Rodgers is staying on another season in NFL? Speaking to reporters on Wednesday (May 20) in Pittsburgh, Rodgers said that he was contemplating quitting NFL after last season where he guided the Steelers to AFC North Division title. Tomlin's resignation also pushed his thoughts towards quitting but the WB revealed that hiring of McCarthy changed his mind. Also Read - DR Congo cancels FIFA World Cup 2026 preparation camp because of Ebola. Will it affect their plans to enter US? "When [Tomlin] said he was stepping away, that was an emotional moment just because we all love him so much and care about him, and I thought that was probably it for me in Pittsburgh," Rodgers said. "But when the decision was made to hire [McCarthy], I started opening my mind back up to coming back." Rodgers bowing out with full cricle The QB had spent first 18 years of his career at the Packers before moving to the New York Jets for 2023 and 2024 season. In 2025, he joined the Steelers on a one-year deal and managed throwing for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Rejoining with McCarthy in his last season is a full circle moment Rodgers and he acknowledged the same, saying: "There was some doubt for sure, but I had good conversations with Mike going back to when he was hired. It’s nice to come back. It felt different than last year, cause I knew some of the guys and the people that work here. So it felt good coming in."

Rodgers, 42, will be retiring after the upcoming NFL season 2026 which he'll play for the Pittsburgh Steelers under his long-time Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who replaced Mike Tomlin earlier this off season.

Aaron Rodgers, 42, to retire after 'full circle' last NFL season with Steelers under McCarthy

The Pittsburgh Steelers punished an error-strewn New York Giants display to clinch a 26-18 victory and extend their strong start to the NFL season on Monday.

The Steelers moved to 6-2 for the season to take top spot in the AFC North ahead of the Baltimore Ravens thanks to two touchdowns from wide receiver Calvin Austin at Acrisure Stadium.

An attritional first quarter saw defenses on top, with Steelers kicker Chris Boswell and Giants counterpart Greg Joseph bagging three field goals apiece to make it 9-9 at half-time.

But the Steelers scored the first touchdown of the night in the third quarter with a moment of magic from receiver Calvin Austin.

The 25-year-old looked to be well covered after gathering Matt Haack's 54-yard punt deep in Steelers territory.

But Austin showed superb acceleration to surge into space down the left-hand side of the field, sprinting into the end zone for a 73-yard punt return to make it 16-9.

The Steelers looked to have taken a stranglehold on the game early in the fourth quarter when Austin then bagged his second touchdown of the night, coolly collecting a 29-yard pass from quarterback Russell Wilson to make it 23-9 after Boswell's extra point.

New York though breathed life into the contest on the next possession, with running back Tyrone Tracy exploding through the Steelers defense and sprinting 45 yards to the end zone for a touchdown.&nbsp;

Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed the two-point conversion with Malik Nabers to close the gap to eight points at 23-15.

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Boswell and Joseph then swapped field goals again to make it an eight-point game.

The Giants appeared to have grabbed a lifeline after forcing a Pittsburgh fumble on the next possession deep in Steelers territory.

But five plays later the New York drive fizzled when Jones was sacked for the fourth time to hand the ball back to Pittsburgh.

The Steelers punted, but New York's final drive ended when Jones was picked off by cornerback Beanie Bishop to ice the game.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Pittsburgh Steelers punished an error-strewn New York Giants display to clinch a 26-18 victory and extend their strong start to the NFL season on Monday. The Steelers moved to 6-2 for the season to take top spot in the AFC North ahead of the Baltimore Ravens thanks to two touchdowns from wide receiver Calvin Austin at Acrisure Stadium.

The Pittsburgh Steelers punished an error-strewn New York Giants display to clinch a 26-18 victory and extend their strong start to the NFL season on Monday. The Steelers moved to 6-2 for the season to take top spot in the AFC North ahead of the Baltimore Ravens thanks to two touchdowns from wide receiver Calvin Austin at Acrisure Stadium. An attritional first quarter saw defenses on top, with Steelers kicker Chris Boswell and Giants counterpart Greg Joseph bagging three field goals apiece to make it 9-9 at half-time. But the Steelers scored the first touchdown of the night in the third quarter with a moment of magic from receiver Calvin Austin. The 25-year-old looked to be well covered after gathering Matt Haack's 54-yard punt deep in Steelers territory. But Austin showed superb acceleration to surge into space down the left-hand side of the field, sprinting into the end zone for a 73-yard punt return to make it 16-9. The Steelers looked to have taken a stranglehold on the game early in the fourth quarter when Austin then bagged his second touchdown of the night, coolly collecting a 29-yard pass from quarterback Russell Wilson to make it 23-9 after Boswell's extra point. New York though breathed life into the contest on the next possession, with running back Tyrone Tracy exploding through the Steelers defense and sprinting 45 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed the two-point conversion with Malik Nabers to close the gap to eight points at 23-15. ALSO READ | Manchester City's Rodri wins men's 2024 Ballon d'Or as Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr settles for second spot Boswell and Joseph then swapped field goals again to make it an eight-point game. The Giants appeared to have grabbed a lifeline after forcing a Pittsburgh fumble on the next possession deep in Steelers territory. But five plays later the New York drive fizzled when Jones was sacked for the fourth time to hand the ball back to Pittsburgh. The Steelers punted, but New York's final drive ended when Jones was picked off by cornerback Beanie Bishop to ice the game. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Pittsburgh Steelers punish error-strewn New York Giants in 26-18 victory

The National Football League (NFL) has suspended Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton for eight weeks on Monday (Jul 8). The suspension comes after Sutton was accused of domestic violence in March earlier this year.

Sutton was with the Detroit Lions at the time of the accusation against him. He played just one game with the Lions in the 2023 season.

Sutton was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 21 after the case was registered against him.

A warrant was issued against him on March 7 but the police were unable to track him down. He eventually surrendered in Tampa, Florida on March 31. After facing a felony charge initially, it was converted to a misdemeanour.

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As per the police affidavit reported by the Tampa Bay Times, Sutton&nbsp;assaulted the mother of his three children on March 7 at 4:45 am (local time). The CB&nbsp;allegedly picked the woman up and slammed her into the wall before further causing bodily harm.

“After reviewing the evidence, it was appropriate for our office to move forward on misdemeanor domestic battery charges,” Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office spokesperson Erin Maloney wrote in an email to the Times.

When he joined the Steelers back in June, Sutton declined to comment on the legal proceedings of his case.

"My job is to be the best version of myself and how do I give that off to the mass or how do I give that off to everyone around me?" Sutton told reporters on June 5 as reported by ESPN. "I'm in full control of that."

"So, I'm never worried about a narrative. I'm never worried about what necessarily people say, because obviously, more than likely, they don't know me more than anybody else...Everybody goes through adversity. Everybody goes through things in their life that can change in both directions. So, it's all about how you stand on that and what you do from that," he added.

The CB will be available for league reinstatement on October 29 ahead of the Steelers' Week 10 game against the Washington Commanders.

The National Football League (NFL) has suspended Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton for eight weeks on Monday (Jul 8). The suspension comes after Sutton was accused of domestic violence in March earlier this year.

The National Football League (NFL) has suspended Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton for eight weeks on Monday (Jul 8). The suspension comes after Sutton was accused of domestic violence in March earlier this year. Sutton was with the Detroit Lions at the time of the accusation against him. He played just one game with the Lions in the 2023 season. Sutton was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 21 after the case was registered against him. A warrant was issued against him on March 7 but the police were unable to track him down. He eventually surrendered in Tampa, Florida on March 31. After facing a felony charge initially, it was converted to a misdemeanour. Also Read: Enrico Cardile joins Aston Martin F1 team from Ferrari As per the police affidavit reported by the Tampa Bay Times, Sutton assaulted the mother of his three children on March 7 at 4:45 am (local time). The CB allegedly picked the woman up and slammed her into the wall before further causing bodily harm. “After reviewing the evidence, it was appropriate for our office to move forward on misdemeanor domestic battery charges,” Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office spokesperson Erin Maloney wrote in an email to the Times. When he joined the Steelers back in June, Sutton declined to comment on the legal proceedings of his case. "My job is to be the best version of myself and how do I give that off to the mass or how do I give that off to everyone around me?" Sutton told reporters on June 5 as reported by ESPN. "I'm in full control of that." "So, I'm never worried about a narrative. I'm never worried about what necessarily people say, because obviously, more than likely, they don't know me more than anybody else...Everybody goes through adversity. Everybody goes through things in their life that can change in both directions. So, it's all about how you stand on that and what you do from that," he added. The CB will be available for league reinstatement on October 29 ahead of the Steelers' Week 10 game against the Washington Commanders.

Pittsburgh Steelers CB Cameron Sutton suspended for 8 weeks. Here's why

The Pittsburgh Steelers kept their playoff hopes alive and severely damaged the Cincinnati Bengals' chances of making the NFL post-season with a 34-11 win over their AFC North rivals on Saturday.

Quarterback Mason Rudolph, making his first start of the season for Pittsburgh, threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns as he repaid head coach Mike Tomlin for his decision to promote him over Mitch Trubisky.

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The Steelers snapped a three-game losing streak with a form-busting victory against a Bengals team that had won their last three.

With two games of the regular season remaining, both teams are now on 8-7 as they attempt to clinch a wildcard spot. The Baltimore Ravens have already secured a place in the playoffs as AFC North winners.

Steelers receiver George Pickens, who had come in for some intense scrutiny after some poor blocking in last week's loss against Indianapolis, scored both touchdowns as he put up 195 yards on four receptions.

Pickens got the Steelers off to a hot start when on the second play of their first possession he grabbed a pass short left from Rudolph, jinked to evade the Bengals defense and then powered away for an 86-yard score.

Bengals quarterback Jake Browning, who has coped well deputising for injured starter Joe Burrow, had a tough time, throwing two interceptions in the first half, but the Steelers offense was firing on all cylinders.

Calvin Austin extended the lead at the start of the second quarter with a seven-yard run and Najee Harris made it 21-0 with a three-yard rush.

A 50-yard field goal from Chris Boswell sent Pittsburgh in with a 24-0 lead at the half.

The Bengals needed to come out strong after the interval and they did just that with Browning finding Tee Higgins who accelerated away after the catch for an 80-yard touchdown.

A successful two point conversion, with Browning's shovel pass collected by Joe Mixon reduced the deficit to 16.

But the Steelers responded immediately and it was Pickens who delivered again -- Rudolph found him wide left and the speedy receiver powered home for a 66 yard score to make 31-8.

The Bengals could only manage a field goal at the close of the third and the Steelers managed out the game well with a Boswell 30-yard field goal rounding off an impressive display.

"We did a great job across the board," said Rudolph, the Steelers' third quarterback of the season after starter Kenny Pickett suffered injury.

"The defense was on fire creating turnovers, giving us short fields, so we are going to carry this momentum into next week," he said.

The Steelers travel to Seattle on New Year's Eve before ending their season against the Ravens. The Bengals face Super Bowl champions Kansas City next and then close out the regular season at home to the AFC North's other wildcard contender, the 9-5 Cleveland Browns.

Later on Saturday, the Buffalo Bills (8-6) look to continue their late season push for the playoffs at the 5-9 Los Angeles Chargers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers kept their playoff hopes alive and severely damaged the Cincinnati Bengals' chances of making the NFL post-season with a 34-11 win over their AFC North rivals on Saturday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers kept their playoff hopes alive and severely damaged the Cincinnati Bengals' chances of making the NFL post-season with a 34-11 win over their AFC North rivals on Saturday. Quarterback Mason Rudolph, making his first start of the season for Pittsburgh, threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns as he repaid head coach Mike Tomlin for his decision to promote him over Mitch Trubisky. Also Read: Mohammad Nawaz roped in for injured Noman Ali for remainder of series The Steelers snapped a three-game losing streak with a form-busting victory against a Bengals team that had won their last three. With two games of the regular season remaining, both teams are now on 8-7 as they attempt to clinch a wildcard spot. The Baltimore Ravens have already secured a place in the playoffs as AFC North winners. Steelers receiver George Pickens, who had come in for some intense scrutiny after some poor blocking in last week's loss against Indianapolis, scored both touchdowns as he put up 195 yards on four receptions. Pickens got the Steelers off to a hot start when on the second play of their first possession he grabbed a pass short left from Rudolph, jinked to evade the Bengals defense and then powered away for an 86-yard score. Bengals quarterback Jake Browning, who has coped well deputising for injured starter Joe Burrow, had a tough time, throwing two interceptions in the first half, but the Steelers offense was firing on all cylinders. Calvin Austin extended the lead at the start of the second quarter with a seven-yard run and Najee Harris made it 21-0 with a three-yard rush. A 50-yard field goal from Chris Boswell sent Pittsburgh in with a 24-0 lead at the half. The Bengals needed to come out strong after the interval and they did just that with Browning finding Tee Higgins who accelerated away after the catch for an 80-yard touchdown. A successful two point conversion, with Browning's shovel pass collected by Joe Mixon reduced the deficit to 16. But the Steelers responded immediately and it was Pickens who delivered again -- Rudolph found him wide left and the speedy receiver powered home for a 66 yard score to make 31-8. The Bengals could only manage a field goal at the close of the third and the Steelers managed out the game well with a Boswell 30-yard field goal rounding off an impressive display. "We did a great job across the board," said Rudolph, the Steelers' third quarterback of the season after starter Kenny Pickett suffered injury. "The defense was on fire creating turnovers, giving us short fields, so we are going to carry this momentum into next week," he said. The Steelers travel to Seattle on New Year's Eve before ending their season against the Ravens. The Bengals face Super Bowl champions Kansas City next and then close out the regular season at home to the AFC North's other wildcard contender, the 9-5 Cleveland Browns. Later on Saturday, the Buffalo Bills (8-6) look to continue their late season push for the playoffs at the 5-9 Los Angeles Chargers.

Pittsburgh Steelers damage Cincinnati Bengals' post-season hopes with dominating win

All Pro-safety Minkah Fitzpatrick didn't mince his words after his side Pittsburgh Steelers went down to New England Patriots, 21-18, on Thursday. Reflecting on the team's loss, Fitzpatrick termed his side's problems were rooted in entitlement and a lack of effort when asked to respond on their mindset after such a defeat. It is to be noted that Steelers have looked a pale shadow of themselves in the recent past and with two successive defeats, their playoffs chances have suffered a massive dent.

<h2>'This is the NFL. Nothing's handed to you. You got to earn everything'</h2>

Responding to the reporters after the defeat, Fitzpatrick said, "In order to see the fruit, you've gotta toil for it. I think too many people don't want to toil for it. They just want to walk out here and think that they're going to make plays and think that they're going to perform at a high level. I think we need to have more people who want to work for it, not expect it to be handed to them."

"This is the NFL. Nothing's handed to you. You got to earn everything. I think that dudes just think that because they're wearing the black and gold, that they're going to win games, and I think we need to check that mentality and make people realize that they got to earn that mentality, and they got to earn every single blade of grass, every single splash play and every single rep that they get out there. They got to earn it," he added.

For a second week in the running, the Steelers (7-6) lost to a team that entered the contest with just two victories under their belt before turning it around versus them. This defeat dents Steelers' progress. At present, they are at the third spot in AFC North with time running against them to make it to the playoffs.&nbsp;

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According to the&nbsp;ESPN Analytics, Steelers' playoffs chances have dropped by 38 per cent. It was 74 per cent by the end of Week 12 -- following their win over&nbsp;the Cincinnati Bengals --&nbsp;before falling to 36 per cent.&nbsp;

Asked if the mentality could change, Fitzpatrick said he "wasn't sure," and added, "The only thing that people could do is evaluate their work week. Look in the mirror, evaluate their work week, evaluate their character, evaluate their love for the game, evaluate why they play the game, and if you're doing it for the wrong reasons or if you're doing it just because you like it and you don't love it and you don't love the ugly part of it, then you need to evaluate what you're doing."

All Pro-safety Minkah Fitzpatrick didn't mince his words after his side Pittsburgh Steelers went down to New England Patriots, 21-18, on Thursday. Reflecting on the team's loss, Fitzpatrick termed his side's problems were rooted in entitlement and a lack of effort when asked to respond on their mindset after such a defeat.

All Pro-safety Minkah Fitzpatrick didn't mince his words after his side Pittsburgh Steelers went down to New England Patriots, 21-18, on Thursday. Reflecting on the team's loss, Fitzpatrick termed his side's problems were rooted in entitlement and a lack of effort when asked to respond on their mindset after such a defeat. It is to be noted that Steelers have looked a pale shadow of themselves in the recent past and with two successive defeats, their playoffs chances have suffered a massive dent. 'This is the NFL. Nothing's handed to you. You got to earn everything' Responding to the reporters after the defeat, Fitzpatrick said, "In order to see the fruit, you've gotta toil for it. I think too many people don't want to toil for it. They just want to walk out here and think that they're going to make plays and think that they're going to perform at a high level. I think we need to have more people who want to work for it, not expect it to be handed to them." "This is the NFL. Nothing's handed to you. You got to earn everything. I think that dudes just think that because they're wearing the black and gold, that they're going to win games, and I think we need to check that mentality and make people realize that they got to earn that mentality, and they got to earn every single blade of grass, every single splash play and every single rep that they get out there. They got to earn it," he added. For a second week in the running, the Steelers (7-6) lost to a team that entered the contest with just two victories under their belt before turning it around versus them. This defeat dents Steelers' progress. At present, they are at the third spot in AFC North with time running against them to make it to the playoffs. Also read: Upstart Indiana Pacers topple Milwaukee Bucks to storm into NBA Cup final According to the ESPN Analytics, Steelers' playoffs chances have dropped by 38 per cent. It was 74 per cent by the end of Week 12 -- following their win over the Cincinnati Bengals -- before falling to 36 per cent. Asked if the mentality could change, Fitzpatrick said he "wasn't sure," and added, "The only thing that people could do is evaluate their work week. Look in the mirror, evaluate their work week, evaluate their character, evaluate their love for the game, evaluate why they play the game, and if you're doing it for the wrong reasons or if you're doing it just because you like it and you don't love it and you don't love the ugly part of it, then you need to evaluate what you're doing."

Minkah Fitzpatrick answers query on Pittsburgh Steelers' mindset after loss to New England Patriots

Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett found Diontae Johnson with a three-yard touchdown pass with 4:02 remaining Thursday to give the Steelers a 20-16 NFL victory over the Tennessee Titans. Johnson's first TD catch since the 2021 season capped a 92-yard drive kept going by two third-down conversions and gave the Steelers the lead for good in a back-and-forth battle in Pittsburgh.

"It was 655 days since I'd scored," Johnson said. "I'm looking forward to getting into the end zone next week." Pickett said it was "amazing" to see Johnson end his drought.

"To see that smile on his face after that was great," Pickett said. "I'm sure it felt like the world was off his back now." Tennessee had a chance to answer -- helped by a Pittsburgh defensive penalty on fourth down that extended their final drive. But with 11 seconds left rookie quarterback Will Levis's pass to the end zone was intercepted.

Levis, making his second start, connected on 22 of 39 passes for 262 yards and one touchdown. Pickett, nursing a rib injury, shook off an erratic start to finish with 160 passing yards, connecting on 19 of 30 attempts.

That included a 32-yard pass to Johnson on the drive that put the Steelers up for good. That drive also featured a 22-yard run from running back Jaylen Ward, who had 112 yards of total offense.

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For the first time this season, Pittsburgh scored a touchdown on their opening drive. "It was big," Pickett said of finding the end zone on their first opportunity. "We did what we were searching to do all year."

But Pickett's struggles saw the Titans take a 13-10 halftime lead on two field goals by Nick Folk and a two-yard touchdown by running back Derrick Henry. Both teams scored field goals in the third quarter, Folk's third of the night putting Tennessee up 16-13 going into the final period. "We all have faith in each other," Pickett -- who has six fourth-quarter comeback wins in his career -- said of the Steelers' ability to come back late.

"We've got trust and we all care for one another. There's no one in there that has any doubt when it comes down to those fourth quarters that we're going to be able to put a drive together and go down there and score. "Right now we're just searching for that consistency all game," added Pickett after the Steelers improved to 5-3, second in the AFC North division behind the Baltimore Ravens.&nbsp;"We've just got to continue to work on that."

Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett found Diontae Johnson with a three-yard touchdown pass with 4:02 remaining Thursday to give the Steelers a 20-16 NFL victory over the Tennessee Titans.

Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett found Diontae Johnson with a three-yard touchdown pass with 4:02 remaining Thursday to give the Steelers a 20-16 NFL victory over the Tennessee Titans. Johnson's first TD catch since the 2021 season capped a 92-yard drive kept going by two third-down conversions and gave the Steelers the lead for good in a back-and-forth battle in Pittsburgh. "It was 655 days since I'd scored," Johnson said. "I'm looking forward to getting into the end zone next week." Pickett said it was "amazing" to see Johnson end his drought. "To see that smile on his face after that was great," Pickett said. "I'm sure it felt like the world was off his back now." Tennessee had a chance to answer -- helped by a Pittsburgh defensive penalty on fourth down that extended their final drive. But with 11 seconds left rookie quarterback Will Levis's pass to the end zone was intercepted. Levis, making his second start, connected on 22 of 39 passes for 262 yards and one touchdown. Pickett, nursing a rib injury, shook off an erratic start to finish with 160 passing yards, connecting on 19 of 30 attempts. That included a 32-yard pass to Johnson on the drive that put the Steelers up for good. That drive also featured a 22-yard run from running back Jaylen Ward, who had 112 yards of total offense. Also Read: Explained: How Manchester United, Newcastle could qualify for Champions League R16 For the first time this season, Pittsburgh scored a touchdown on their opening drive. "It was big," Pickett said of finding the end zone on their first opportunity. "We did what we were searching to do all year." But Pickett's struggles saw the Titans take a 13-10 halftime lead on two field goals by Nick Folk and a two-yard touchdown by running back Derrick Henry. Both teams scored field goals in the third quarter, Folk's third of the night putting Tennessee up 16-13 going into the final period. "We all have faith in each other," Pickett -- who has six fourth-quarter comeback wins in his career -- said of the Steelers' ability to come back late. "We've got trust and we all care for one another. There's no one in there that has any doubt when it comes down to those fourth quarters that we're going to be able to put a drive together and go down there and score. "Right now we're just searching for that consistency all game," added Pickett after the Steelers improved to 5-3, second in the AFC North division behind the Baltimore Ravens. "We've just got to continue to work on that."

NFL: Diontae Johnson's touchdown helps Pittsburgh Steelers win over Tennessee Titans

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb was dealt a massive blow as he was carted off with what coach Mike Tomlin termed a "serious" knee injury&nbsp;during&nbsp;the first quarter of his side's game versus the Tennessee Titans. The Steelers eventually won a close encounter&nbsp;20-16 but are now sweating hard over Holcomb's injury.

It so happened that the&nbsp;27-year-old Holcomb was matched up with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. He&nbsp;was trailing on the play after quarterback Will Levis connected with Hopkins in a bid for a big gain. Steelers safety Keanu Neal made his way into the middle to make the tackle on Hopkins where he ran&nbsp;into Holcomb's knee after bringing Hopkins down.

As a result, the youngster immediately clutched his left knee on the field. He was soon attended to by&nbsp;Steelers' trainers and carted off the field.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/steelers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#steelers</a> Neal takes out Cole holcomb. Only play Neal has made all year and it’s on his own teammate. Clowns shouldn’t play football. <a href="https://t.co/hqRi335hgE">pic.twitter.com/hqRi335hgE</a>
— Thor (@ThorMindedx) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThorMindedx/status/1720246099556889085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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After the massive injury, Tomlin said his "thoughts and prayers" were with Holcomb. He revealed that they will have&nbsp;an update on the specifics of his injury "next time we come together."

Holcomb, who was roped in by&nbsp;the Steelers in free agency following a four-year stint with the Washington Commanders, is an integral part of the Steelers. He is&nbsp;part of a three-man inside linebacker rotation with Kwon Alexander and Elandon Roberts. Thus, a serious knee injury is set to keep him out of action for quite some time. In his absence, the team management will have to rethink their strategy and combination going forward.

Holcomb has 52 tackles on the season, including four for a loss. In addition, the young star has forced two fumbles and recovered another. Moreover, he has played 85 per cent&nbsp;of the defensive snaps for the Steelers in the ongoing NFL season.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb was dealt a massive blow as he was carted off with what coach Mike Tomlin termed a "serious" knee injury during the first quarter of his side's game versus the Tennessee Titans.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb was dealt a massive blow as he was carted off with what coach Mike Tomlin termed a "serious" knee injury during the first quarter of his side's game versus the Tennessee Titans. The Steelers eventually won a close encounter 20-16 but are now sweating hard over Holcomb's injury. It so happened that the 27-year-old Holcomb was matched up with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. He was trailing on the play after quarterback Will Levis connected with Hopkins in a bid for a big gain. Steelers safety Keanu Neal made his way into the middle to make the tackle on Hopkins where he ran into Holcomb's knee after bringing Hopkins down. As a result, the youngster immediately clutched his left knee on the field. He was soon attended to by Steelers' trainers and carted off the field. #steelers Neal takes out Cole holcomb. Only play Neal has made all year and it’s on his own teammate. Clowns shouldn’t play football. pic.twitter.com/hqRi335hgE — Thor (@ThorMindedx) November 3, 2023 × Also read: NFL: Diontae Johnson's touchdown helps Pittsburgh Steelers win over Tennessee Titans After the massive injury, Tomlin said his "thoughts and prayers" were with Holcomb. He revealed that they will have an update on the specifics of his injury "next time we come together." Holcomb, who was roped in by the Steelers in free agency following a four-year stint with the Washington Commanders, is an integral part of the Steelers. He is part of a three-man inside linebacker rotation with Kwon Alexander and Elandon Roberts. Thus, a serious knee injury is set to keep him out of action for quite some time. In his absence, the team management will have to rethink their strategy and combination going forward. Holcomb has 52 tackles on the season, including four for a loss. In addition, the young star has forced two fumbles and recovered another. Moreover, he has played 85 per cent of the defensive snaps for the Steelers in the ongoing NFL season.

Pittsburgh Steelers' linebacker Cole Holcomb suffers SERIOUS knee injury vs Tennessee Titans - Watch

Pittsburgh produced a superb defensive display to defeat Cleveland 26-22 on Monday in a game overshadowed by a gruesome season-ending injury to Browns running back Nick Chubb.

The Steelers defense snaffled two touchdowns from turnovers, with Alex Highsmith grabbing an interception for a pick six on the first Cleveland play of the game after a misplaced pass from quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nfl/news-kansas-city-chiefs-qb-patrick-mahomes-to-earn-210-million-in-restructured-deal-claim-reports-637340">Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes to earn $210 million in restructured deal, claim reports</a>

Highsmith then forced a fumble from Watson midway through the fourth quarter, allowing Steelers star T.J. Watt to scoop up the loose ball and run in the first touchdown of his NFL career for what turned out to be the winning score.

Pittsburgh's defense -- which sacked Watson six times throughout -- then came up with two more big stops in the closing stages to thwart Cleveland's hopes of snatching victory at the Steelers' Acrisure Stadium.

"We feed off the crowd, obviously there's a lot of things we need to correct, but we'll take tonight and celebrate," Watt said.

George Pickens scored Pittsburgh's other touchdown of the night, a 71-yard score from a pass by quarterback Kenny Pickett.

The Browns meanwhile were left ruing the loss and a sickening injury to running back Chubb early in the second quarter.

The 27-year-old four-time Pro Bowler clutched his left knee in agony after being tackled by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and linebacker Cole Holcomb.

Chubb -- who also suffered a serious injury to his left knee in 2015 during his college career -- was carted off the field following the hit, which prompted an outpouring of support from sports stars on social media.

"DAMN MAN! Nick Chubb. Praying for the absolute best," NBA superstar and Cleveland fan LeBron James wrote.

"Prayers for Nick Chubb, never want to see that," Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray added.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Chubb had suffered a "significant knee injury" that was likely to rule him out for the remainder of the season.

In Monday's other NFL game, the New Orleans Saints continued their unbeaten start to the season after downing the Carolina Panthers 20-17 in a defensive arm-wrestle between the two NFC South divisional rivals.

An attritional battle was locked at 6-6 early in the third quarter, with Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro and his Saints counterpart Blake Grupe slotting two field goals apiece.

But the game was blown open by a moment of magic from Saints receiver Chris Olave, who made an astonishing one-handed catch on third down from a pass by quarterback Derek Carr to keep the drive alive.

The Saints duly capped the 10-play, 75-yard drive with a close-range touchdown from Tony Jones Jr. to take a 13-6 lead.&nbsp;

Although Pineiro cut the deficit with a third field goal to make it 13-9, another Jones touchdown from two yards put New Orleans 20-9 up with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Although the Panthers rallied with a late Adam Thielen touchdown, the Saints recovered the subsequent on-side kick and ran down the clock for the win.

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Pittsburgh produced a superb defensive display to defeat Cleveland 26-22 on Monday in a game overshadowed by a gruesome season-ending injury to Browns running back Nick Chubb.

Pittsburgh produced a superb defensive display to defeat Cleveland 26-22 on Monday in a game overshadowed by a gruesome season-ending injury to Browns running back Nick Chubb. The Steelers defense snaffled two touchdowns from turnovers, with Alex Highsmith grabbing an interception for a pick six on the first Cleveland play of the game after a misplaced pass from quarterback Deshaun Watson. Also Read: Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes to earn $210 million in restructured deal, claim reports Highsmith then forced a fumble from Watson midway through the fourth quarter, allowing Steelers star T.J. Watt to scoop up the loose ball and run in the first touchdown of his NFL career for what turned out to be the winning score. Pittsburgh's defense -- which sacked Watson six times throughout -- then came up with two more big stops in the closing stages to thwart Cleveland's hopes of snatching victory at the Steelers' Acrisure Stadium. "We feed off the crowd, obviously there's a lot of things we need to correct, but we'll take tonight and celebrate," Watt said. George Pickens scored Pittsburgh's other touchdown of the night, a 71-yard score from a pass by quarterback Kenny Pickett. The Browns meanwhile were left ruing the loss and a sickening injury to running back Chubb early in the second quarter. The 27-year-old four-time Pro Bowler clutched his left knee in agony after being tackled by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and linebacker Cole Holcomb. Chubb -- who also suffered a serious injury to his left knee in 2015 during his college career -- was carted off the field following the hit, which prompted an outpouring of support from sports stars on social media. "DAMN MAN! Nick Chubb. Praying for the absolute best," NBA superstar and Cleveland fan LeBron James wrote. "Prayers for Nick Chubb, never want to see that," Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray added. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Chubb had suffered a "significant knee injury" that was likely to rule him out for the remainder of the season. In Monday's other NFL game, the New Orleans Saints continued their unbeaten start to the season after downing the Carolina Panthers 20-17 in a defensive arm-wrestle between the two NFC South divisional rivals. An attritional battle was locked at 6-6 early in the third quarter, with Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro and his Saints counterpart Blake Grupe slotting two field goals apiece. But the game was blown open by a moment of magic from Saints receiver Chris Olave, who made an astonishing one-handed catch on third down from a pass by quarterback Derek Carr to keep the drive alive. The Saints duly capped the 10-play, 75-yard drive with a close-range touchdown from Tony Jones Jr. to take a 13-6 lead. Although Pineiro cut the deficit with a third field goal to make it 13-9, another Jones touchdown from two yards put New Orleans 20-9 up with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Although the Panthers rallied with a late Adam Thielen touchdown, the Saints recovered the subsequent on-side kick and ran down the clock for the win. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers hold of Cleveland Browns; Saints beat Panthers

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick&nbsp;returned&nbsp;to the training camp, on Saturday (August 05),&nbsp;after excused absences due to personal matter. Following his return, Fitzpatrick stated that he is grateful to return&nbsp;and feels 'good to get back' to the game he has been in love with for a while and anticipates being with the Steelers for the remainder of the camp.

As quoted by ESPN, Fitzpatrick said, "Honestly, when you're away from the game that you love for a while, it's always good to get back to it, even if it's just a few days. You definitely kind of realize how much you love the game, how much you care about the game, but obviously you want to be there for family and for your people, but it's good to be back."

Not much is still known about Fitzpatrick's excused absences due to personal reasons. However, he acknowledged his coach&nbsp;Mike Tomlin for granting him&nbsp;a leave to be with his family.&nbsp;

"I said two words to him, and he knew what it was when I had to leave. And he told me go, you know what I'm saying? He said, 'Go be there for your family. Go do what you got to do.' And it wasn't an issue at all. They were making sure I was good every day. You definitely appreciate a coach and a program that takes care of family," he stated.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nfl-philadelphia-eagles-sign-linebackers-myles-jack-and-zach-cunningham-to-strengthen-depth-chart-623055">NFL: Philadelphia Eagles sign linebackers Myles Jack and Zach Cunningham to strengthen depth chart</a>

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Tomlin said, "He's back, and in a short period of time, you'll see him up and running in full capacity, I'm sure."

During Fitzpatrick's absence, Damontae Kazee sustained an ankle injury, which has put Steelers in a spot of bother. They are now without their top safeties, also including Keanu Neal, recently, suffered an undisclosed injury.

With the likes of Kazee, Fitzpatrick and Neal&nbsp;out of action, Kenny Robinson, Tre Norwood and Miles Killebrew gained in their absence with more reps. In this regard, the 26-year-old Fitzpatrick opined,&nbsp;"They got a lot of reps in this week. I feel kind of bad how many reps they got. I'll try and help 'em out next week as best as I can, but I think it's great for them. They don't really get to work together a lot. ... They got good looks with the ones (first team)."

"It's football. Guys go down; guys get hurt. As you see, three safeties going down in the first week of camp. But I think it was good for them. It was good for the coaches to see who could do what and they all stepped up big and did a good job," he added.

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Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick returned to the training camp, on Saturday (August 05), after excused absences due to personal matter. Following his return, Fitzpatrick stated that he is grateful to return and feels 'good to get back' to the game he has been in love with for a while and anticipates being with the Steelers for the remainder of the camp.

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick returned to the training camp, on Saturday (August 05), after excused absences due to personal matter. Following his return, Fitzpatrick stated that he is grateful to return and feels 'good to get back' to the game he has been in love with for a while and anticipates being with the Steelers for the remainder of the camp. As quoted by ESPN, Fitzpatrick said, "Honestly, when you're away from the game that you love for a while, it's always good to get back to it, even if it's just a few days. You definitely kind of realize how much you love the game, how much you care about the game, but obviously you want to be there for family and for your people, but it's good to be back." Not much is still known about Fitzpatrick's excused absences due to personal reasons. However, he acknowledged his coach Mike Tomlin for granting him a leave to be with his family. "I said two words to him, and he knew what it was when I had to leave. And he told me go, you know what I'm saying? He said, 'Go be there for your family. Go do what you got to do.' And it wasn't an issue at all. They were making sure I was good every day. You definitely appreciate a coach and a program that takes care of family," he stated. Also read: NFL: Philadelphia Eagles sign linebackers Myles Jack and Zach Cunningham to strengthen depth chart Meanwhile, Tomlin said, "He's back, and in a short period of time, you'll see him up and running in full capacity, I'm sure." During Fitzpatrick's absence, Damontae Kazee sustained an ankle injury, which has put Steelers in a spot of bother. They are now without their top safeties, also including Keanu Neal, recently, suffered an undisclosed injury. With the likes of Kazee, Fitzpatrick and Neal out of action, Kenny Robinson, Tre Norwood and Miles Killebrew gained in their absence with more reps. In this regard, the 26-year-old Fitzpatrick opined, "They got a lot of reps in this week. I feel kind of bad how many reps they got. I'll try and help 'em out next week as best as I can, but I think it's great for them. They don't really get to work together a lot. ... They got good looks with the ones (first team)." "It's football. Guys go down; guys get hurt. As you see, three safeties going down in the first week of camp. But I think it was good for them. It was good for the coaches to see who could do what and they all stepped up big and did a good job," he added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers' Minkah Fitzpatrick returns to training after excused absences for personal reason

Former Pitt Panthers wide receiver Jordan Addison, at the NFL Combine, on Friday, made it clear that it'd&nbsp;be 'real cool' if the Steelers pick him in the draft, reuniting him with his college teammate and quarterback Kenny Pickett.

"Hey man, if we reunite, that'd be good," Addison said on Friday. "That'd be real cool. Real easy transition. Come get me."

Addison and Pickett played together for two years, 2020 and 2021, at the Panther before the WR decided to join USC for his final season in college while Pickett joined the league.&nbsp;

"That'll help the transition a lot," Addison added. "Just having your former quarterback, you already got a relationship, No. 1, and then that trust factor. So with him, once you're running your routes, he's trusting you to be at a certain spot at the right time."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nfl-wide-receiver-tee-higgins-not-up-for-trade-say-cincinnati-bengals-567227">Wide Receiver Tee Higgins not up for trade, say Cincinnati Bengals</a>

While there have&nbsp;been many equations in the NFL currently where the teams have paired up college teammates, Steelers general manager Omar Khan is not hyped up too much about it,

"I think you're always looking at things like that, but given the offseason that you have and the time guys spend together, I think the transition of new receivers trying to get acclimated to quarterbacks is not a hard process," said Khan. "... But Jordan Addison, he's a really good football player," he added on Tuesday.

As far as Pickett is concerned, the QB has already done the advocating for this former college mate.

"We talked about playing in the NFL together while we were at Pitt," Pickett had said in January on Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward "Not Just Football" podcast. "That's like the college teammates' dream, especially for a quarterback and receiver, that kind of dynamic, especially given how well we played together," the QB added.

Among the famous duos in NFL who played together in College are Jacksonville Jaguars QB &amp; WR Joe Burrow &amp; Ja'Marr Chase from LSU and Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts and WR DeVonta Smith who were together at Alabama.&nbsp;

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Former Pitt Panthers wide receiver Jordan Addison, at the NFL Combine, on Friday, made it clear that it'd be 'real cool' if the Steelers pick him in the draft, reuniting him with his college teammate and quarterback Kenny Pickett.

Former Pitt Panthers wide receiver Jordan Addison, at the NFL Combine, on Friday, made it clear that it'd be 'real cool' if the Steelers pick him in the draft, reuniting him with his college teammate and quarterback Kenny Pickett. "Hey man, if we reunite, that'd be good," Addison said on Friday. "That'd be real cool. Real easy transition. Come get me." Addison and Pickett played together for two years, 2020 and 2021, at the Panther before the WR decided to join USC for his final season in college while Pickett joined the league. "That'll help the transition a lot," Addison added. "Just having your former quarterback, you already got a relationship, No. 1, and then that trust factor. So with him, once you're running your routes, he's trusting you to be at a certain spot at the right time." Also Read: Wide Receiver Tee Higgins not up for trade, say Cincinnati Bengals While there have been many equations in the NFL currently where the teams have paired up college teammates, Steelers general manager Omar Khan is not hyped up too much about it, "I think you're always looking at things like that, but given the offseason that you have and the time guys spend together, I think the transition of new receivers trying to get acclimated to quarterbacks is not a hard process," said Khan. "... But Jordan Addison, he's a really good football player," he added on Tuesday. As far as Pickett is concerned, the QB has already done the advocating for this former college mate. "We talked about playing in the NFL together while we were at Pitt," Pickett had said in January on Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward "Not Just Football" podcast. "That's like the college teammates' dream, especially for a quarterback and receiver, that kind of dynamic, especially given how well we played together," the QB added. Among the famous duos in NFL who played together in College are Jacksonville Jaguars QB & WR Joe Burrow & Ja'Marr Chase from LSU and Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts and WR DeVonta Smith who were together at Alabama. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NFL: WR Jordan Addison 'asks' Steelers, QB Pickett to pick him up at the draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers hope to have quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at the helm Sunday after a Covid-19 scare as they put their unbeaten NFL record on the line against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Roethlisberger was among four Steelers players placed on the team's Covid-19 reserve list after close contact with an individual who tested positive, but could return from a five-day isolation period if he continues to test negative as the Steelers seek to maintain their one-game lead over the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs atop the AFC.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he wasn't worried that the 38-year-old Roethlisberger could be stepping into a key AFC North division contest without benefit of any mid-week practice.

"I'm not overly concerned about it," said Tomlin, whose team rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and reach 8-0 for the first time in club history.

"This guy has been doing this job for 17 years. He's got snap experience that he can call upon. We're still going to work extremely hard virtually to prepare.

"A lot of his work is above the neck anyway in terms of his preparation. I have very little concern about it to be quite honest with you."

A greater concern might be a Steelers pass defense that has struggled in recent weeks.

They have a chance to silence doubters as they take on a Bengals team whose rookie quarterback Joe Burrow leads the division in passing yards but counts three defeats against division opponents among five losses this year.

Veteran defensive end Cam Heyward says he and the rest of the Steelers are unimpressed by those who remain unimpressed by Pittsburgh's 8-0 record.

"They hate us because they ain't us," Heyward said. "We don't really care what's going on outside of here. If it doesn't look pretty, who cares? We’re 8-0.

"For all the guys looking, and saying 'It's got to look like this,' one thing I can say is the Super Bowl winner hasn't been determined."

The team touted by many as the top Super Bowl contender from the AFC, the reigning champion Chiefs, have a bye this week, but the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills, who pushed their record to 7-2 with a 44-34 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks last week, try to maintain momentum when they take on the Cardinals in Arizona in a game that promises plenty of offensive fireworks.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen passed for 415 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing TD in Buffalo's win over Seattle.

<h2>- Brady seeks bounce-back -</h2>

The Cardinals, meanwhile rank first in the NFL with 422.0 yards per game and Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray passed for 283 yards and three touchdowns and added 106 rushing yards with one rushing TD last week in his team's narrow loss to the Miami Dolphins.

While the Cardinals will be seeking to bounce back, the Dolphins will try to notch a fifth straight victory when they host the Los Angeles Chargers in a battle of young quarterbacks.

Tua Tagovailoa, selected fifth overall in the 2020 draft, piloted two fourth-quarter scoring drives as the Dolphins rallied to beat the Cardinals last week.

Seeking to add to his two wins in two career starts, Tagovailoa will face a Chargers team led by number-six draft pick Justin Herbert, who has passed for 2,146 yards and 17 touchdowns in his first seven NFL games.

Sunday's meeting is only the seventh NFL game involving rookie starting quarterbacks both taken in the top six in the NFL draft.

Elsewhere, superstar Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seek to bounce back from a 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints when they travel to North Carolina to take on the Panthers.

The Bucs beat the Panthers in week two and are under pressure to produce another win against their NFC South rival as the race for playoff berths heats up.

The Pittsburgh Steelers hope to have quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at the helm Sunday after a Covid-19 scare as they put their unbeaten NFL record on the line against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Pittsburgh Steelers hope to have quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at the helm Sunday after a Covid-19 scare as they put their unbeaten NFL record on the line against the Cincinnati Bengals. Roethlisberger was among four Steelers players placed on the team's Covid-19 reserve list after close contact with an individual who tested positive, but could return from a five-day isolation period if he continues to test negative as the Steelers seek to maintain their one-game lead over the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs atop the AFC. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he wasn't worried that the 38-year-old Roethlisberger could be stepping into a key AFC North division contest without benefit of any mid-week practice. "I'm not overly concerned about it," said Tomlin, whose team rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and reach 8-0 for the first time in club history. "This guy has been doing this job for 17 years. He's got snap experience that he can call upon. We're still going to work extremely hard virtually to prepare. "A lot of his work is above the neck anyway in terms of his preparation. I have very little concern about it to be quite honest with you." A greater concern might be a Steelers pass defense that has struggled in recent weeks. They have a chance to silence doubters as they take on a Bengals team whose rookie quarterback Joe Burrow leads the division in passing yards but counts three defeats against division opponents among five losses this year. Veteran defensive end Cam Heyward says he and the rest of the Steelers are unimpressed by those who remain unimpressed by Pittsburgh's 8-0 record. "They hate us because they ain't us," Heyward said. "We don't really care what's going on outside of here. If it doesn't look pretty, who cares? We’re 8-0. "For all the guys looking, and saying 'It's got to look like this,' one thing I can say is the Super Bowl winner hasn't been determined." The team touted by many as the top Super Bowl contender from the AFC, the reigning champion Chiefs, have a bye this week, but the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills, who pushed their record to 7-2 with a 44-34 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks last week, try to maintain momentum when they take on the Cardinals in Arizona in a game that promises plenty of offensive fireworks. Bills quarterback Josh Allen passed for 415 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing TD in Buffalo's win over Seattle. - Brady seeks bounce-back - The Cardinals, meanwhile rank first in the NFL with 422.0 yards per game and Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray passed for 283 yards and three touchdowns and added 106 rushing yards with one rushing TD last week in his team's narrow loss to the Miami Dolphins. While the Cardinals will be seeking to bounce back, the Dolphins will try to notch a fifth straight victory when they host the Los Angeles Chargers in a battle of young quarterbacks. Tua Tagovailoa, selected fifth overall in the 2020 draft, piloted two fourth-quarter scoring drives as the Dolphins rallied to beat the Cardinals last week. Seeking to add to his two wins in two career starts, Tagovailoa will face a Chargers team led by number-six draft pick Justin Herbert, who has passed for 2,146 yards and 17 touchdowns in his first seven NFL games. Sunday's meeting is only the seventh NFL game involving rookie starting quarterbacks both taken in the top six in the NFL draft. Elsewhere, superstar Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seek to bounce back from a 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints when they travel to North Carolina to take on the Panthers. The Bucs beat the Panthers in week two and are under pressure to produce another win against their NFC South rival as the race for playoff berths heats up.

Amid virus uncertainties, Steelers expect Big Ben to play against Bengals

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