Teresa Varley

Wednesday, November 26

The Steelers are 6-5 with six games remaining.

Plenty of time to get the job done.

But also, it's time to make a statement.

"You've got six games to really punch our ticket," said Heyward. "The way I look at it for our group, we've got to plant a flag.

"It comes down to we lost our last game. And we move on. And I'm more concerned on what we do in the future.

"We've got six games to really right the ship and get going and looking forward to that.

"I'm excited. We're facing a really good offensive team. If you can't get excited for these games, if you can't get excited for any NFL games, shame on you. I'm very fortunate to be a part of this game and be a part of this team. And there's a lot of football in front of us that we got to take advantage of.

"We just got to keep going. We're not talking about being a perfect product at the beginning of the season. But at the end we got to hit our stride. That's got to be the plan."

And the plan starts this week when the Steelers host the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills come into Acrisure Stadium on Sunday with a 7-4 record, in second place in the AFC East.

But they also come in with quarterback Josh Allen, one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the game today.

"Josh doesn't want to play superhero ball, but he's the closest thing to a superhero in our game," said Heyward. "He can make a lot of things happen. That's athletic ability. That's arm talent. You name it, he's got it. And when he usually extends plays, he's finding (receiver Khalil) Shakir and others open.

"We have to use that against him. It's usually a lot of guys running to the ball because he will make two to three guys miss per play.

"It all goes hand-in-hand, but it's really going to stress our defense."

With Allen being the superhero, does that mean the Steelers defense has to play the role of the villain this week?

"Yes, yes we do," said Heyward with a smile.

And it won't just be Allen they have to key in on. Running back James Cook III has 199 carries for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns through just 11 games, helping the Bills lead the NFL in rushing.

"The fact that he can jump out of any block, he's able to bounce anything and get upfield," said Heyward. "And when he gets his feet going and he sees a lane, he's able to go 0 to 100 pretty fast.

"So, guys have to be in their gaps. You have to get off blocks And, we can't give those creases.

"I think Cook is, just every year you seen him build. They just really started relying on Cook. And you just saw the explosion from the run game. There was one game, I feel like they were playing New England, and all they did was run the ball. It was nothing but runs. That's a testament to them feeling confident in him and not trying to put everything on Josh's shoulders."

A legendary player:Former Steelers receiver Hines Ward is one step closer to football immortality as he was named a Modern-Era Semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Ward is one of 26 semifinalists for this year's class.

Ward, who is a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist for the 10th straight year (2017-26), played 14 seasons for the Steelers, after being selected in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft.

Ward had 1,000 career receptions for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns. His versatility was always on display with his blocking ability a shining example of that.

Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about Ward and why he should be in the Hall of Fame.

"His numbers do not tell his story, although his numbers are special. They are," said Tomlin. "I think that's a guy with a 1,000 or so career catches.

"But, if you were around him, if you were in stadiums with him, if you were a member of his team or an opposing player, you understood what playing with and against Hines Ward was about.

"He was a football player first, a wide receiver second. To be quite honest with you, he was an offensive perimeter bully, and I say that in a complimentary way.

"To me, he's a legendary player in his generation because of the way that he played, the amount of respect that he carried when he didn't have the ball in his hands, when it wasn't even a pass, is stuff of legend."

Putting their best foot forward:Steelers players can often be seen wearing custom cleats during pregame warmups, but this week against the Buffalo Bills custom cleats will be the norm during the game.

For the 10th straight year the NFL is allowing players to represent a charity that touches them deeply in a unique manner with the league's player cause initiative, My Cause My Cleats.

The initiative was created for NFL players to showcase a charitable cause in order to bring attention to it, and the players take part in helping with the design of their cleats.

After the players wear the cleats, they have the option to auction them off to raise money for their cause on NFL Auction, with 100% of the funds raised given to the charity. Fans may bid on player cleats at NFL.com/Auction.

Learn more about what causes are special to Steelers' playersHERE, as well as player we will feature here each day this week. Today is tight end Pat Freiermuth.

Tight end Pat Freiermuth - Freiermuth Fund

Tight end Pat Freiermuth grew up in a family filled with educators, including his parents Dianne and John Freiermuth, so when he was thinking about a way to give back to the community, the decision was easy.

He launched the Freiermuth Fund, with education front and center. And he is using his cleats to highlight the foundation and the work it does.

"It's awesome to be able to do this," said Freiermuth. "In the past, I was always repping a hometown foundation and that meant a lot to me, but being able to start my own now and wear the cleats for my own purpose and my own cause, it means a lot. It's going to be cool to be able to do a lot for fundraising with those cleats and being able to put the brand out there on national television."

Freiermuth jumped right into getting the foundation rolling this year, inspired by those closest to him.

"My parents are both educators, my brother is an educator, my sister-in-law is an educator," said Freiermuth. "Basically, everyone in my family are teachers. So, I wanted to give back to schools, specifically the teachers. I wanted to base this off giving to teachers in low-income areas the supplies and stuff needed to have a successful classroom for all the kids.

"Sometimes the low-income areas are forgotten and it's harder for kids to have the necessary tools to go on and be successful later in life. So just being able to help provide support for that, it's been big."

The mission of the Freiermuth Fund is to 'connect with students and teachers at every level who have big goals but may lack the resources to achieve themfrom classroom supplies and technology to financial support.'

The Fund's goal is to provide students and educators with the tools necessary to succeed in the classroom and beyond. The plan is to provide classroom essentials and materials, including laptops, books and supplies.

"Growing up in the family I did, especially with my parents as educators, they played a major role in the importance of school," said Freiermuth. "Being successful in football in high school and college, they never allowed me to forget how important school is.

"If I can do my part to allow teachers to express that to the kids, how important school is, and help them succeed to be successful, then I'm doing something bigger than my impact on the field."

The Fund will also honor a Teacher of the Month in the Western Pennsylvania area, with winners selected from online nominations. The Fund will recognize outstanding educators who embody compassion, resilience, and leadership in the classroom. The winning teacher will receive $1,000 toward classroom supplies, a Steelers game day experience and Steelers merchandise. There will also be a season-ending winner who will receive a visit from Freiermuth to their classroom.

Freiermuth kicked things off earlier in the fall when he visited Clairton Elementary School, helping an area that has been through a lot this year.

Freiermuth worked in conjunction with the Education Partnership, who provide supplies to students and teachers in under-resourced schools across Southwestern Pennsylvania, to provide necessities for the Clairton students at an Adopt-A-School assembly.

Freiermuth distributed backpacks and school supplies to the students, bringing not just much needed items, but also plenty of laughter and joy.

"It's very special just seeing all the kids smile," said Freiermuth. "It's an exciting part of their day, and it's also an exciting part of my day. It's always fun to see their reaction, see the smiles when they get a new backpack and the school supplies. It means a lot because they are excited to see me there as well.

"I enjoy the opportunity to be able to give back.

"I want to be able to help people as much as I can. It's important to do our part."

Freiermuth himself showed the importance of education when he went back to school the last two years to earn his degree from Penn State, completing his mission this summer.

"It was great to get it done," said Freiermuth. "I had a lot of help with my academic advisor at Penn State, Todd Kulka. He did a great job getting me on track to graduate and it's just an awesome feeling."

Freiermuth left school early for the NFL Draft, but wanted to complete his education for multiple reasons, including making his mother proud.

He took 15 online courses during the spring and summer the last two years, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Labor and Human Resources from Penn State's College of Liberal Arts.

Going back to school wasn't easy, but he welcomed the challenge.

"It was definitely pretty tough, but I got through it," said Freiermuth. "I was happy to see the smile on my mom's face that I did it."

Learn more here.

Little things mean a lot:The defense isn't where it wants or needs to be coming off a 31-28 loss in Chicago, but rookie outside linebacker Jack Sawyer remains confident the unit can and will get there.

"We're so close to executing at a level that is our standard," Sawyer maintained. "The little things we're still cleaning up and looking to put together a complete performance. We've seen what we're capable of. Just sustaining that for a whole game, for four quarters, is gonna be key, especially when you're going against an offense like this.

"We're moving in the right direction in a lot of areas."

The "offense like this" Sawyer referenced belongs to the Buffalo Bills, who will visit Acrisure Stadium on Sunday.

The "little things" he cited could potentially prove significant against the NFL's No. 3 total offense (No. 1 rushing, No. 9 passing) if not adequately addressed.

"It starts with practice," Sawyer continued. "It starts with identifying them, which we have, then correcting them and shoring them up in practice and doing it in practice first, because what you do in practice you're going to do in the games. That's the key to that."

Buffalo's offense struggled in its most recent outing, a 23-19 loss on Nov. 20 at Houston. The Bills managed just 14 first downs and one offensive touchdown against the Texans, and quarterback Josh Allen was sacked a career-high eight times.

"They're a really good offense," Sawyer assessed. "It's the NFL, sometimes teams are going to make more plays than others and obviously the Texans did that last game against them. Obviously, as a defensive front you always want to get to the quarterback. We're going to have to get to him and affect him because he's one of the best players in the league. We got a big challenge ahead of us in that area."

Allen has been sacked 28 times in 11 games. He's also thrown for 2,709 yards, rushed for 371 and accounted for 28 touchdowns (10 rushing, 18 passing), including six in a 44-32 win over Tampa Bay on Nov. 16. Allen ran for three TDs and threw for three against the Bucs, the second time in his career he's managed three of each in the same game. That had happened just once previously in NFL history (Otto Graham in 1954).

"He does a lot of things well," Sawyer said of Allen. "That's why he's the reigning MVP of the league. He's having another really good year. He's big, he's physical, we were talking today about how competitive he is. He plays with that spirit and really drives his group. When you're playing a guy like that it's key to get stops early and get stops often, keep him off the field.

"When you're going Up against a guy like josh, he's one of the best in the league for a reason. He challenges you in a lot of areas."

Sawyer is ready to stick his hand in the defensive pile as needed against Allen and the Bills.

"I'm feeling good with the comfortability right now," he said. "We're more than halfway through the season. It's time for me to step up a little bit more, too, in my role. I feel confident that I'm still learning a lot, gaining the experience as I'm playing.

"I'm excited about the direction we're going."

Making moves:The Steelers made multiple roster moves today, signing defensive lineman Anthony Goodlow and receiver Cornell Powell to the practice squad.

Goodlow was originally signed by the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL Draft.

Goodlow spent time on the Arizona Cardinals practice squad the last two seasons, and was elevated to the Active/Inactive roster for three games in 2025.

Goodlow played college football at Oklahoma State where he played in 14 games. He recorded 42 tackles, 18 of them solo stops, seven tackles for a loss and three sacks. He began his college career at Tulsa, appearing in a total of 48 games in his college career, with 22 starts.

Powell was originally drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Powell spent three seasons on the Chiefs practice squad, appearing in three games in 2022.

Powell also spent time on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad in 2024 and with the Houston Texans in the 2025 offseason.

Powell played for the DC Defenders in the United Football League, where he led the UFL with seven receiving touchdowns in 2025. He had 29 receptions for 418 yards, eighth in the league, in nine games.

Powell played college football at Clemson where he had 93 receptions for 1,211 yards and 10 touchdowns while appearing in 54 games.

The team also released defensive back Daequan Hardy and linebacker Mark Robinson from the practice squad.

Bringing you the action:For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on mobile, plus NFL RedZone, NFL Network, live audio and more - all in one place.

**Sign up today**.

Monday, November 24

Embracing it:When running back Kenneth Gainwell broke around right end for a 55-yard gain on what appeared to everyone as a tush push, he thought for sure he had one more yard and scored.

But, 'after further review,' he realized he just missed the goal line.

"I did think I got in the end zone," said Gainwell. "But I looked back at it, and my hand was out. But I thought I got it.

"It's within the moment. You think you scored, but the playback assistant thing that's going on is showing everything nowadays. Every little opportunity you get you try to score, get as much as you can.

"But we set it up for a touchdown the next play. Jaylen (Warren) got in, and I am happy for him."

Gainwell, who finished the day with 10 carries for 92 yards, a 9.2-yard average, and six receptions for 30 yards, said the play is something they worked on in practice, and it was just about using it at the right time.

"We worked a little bit and it was called, right place, right time," said Gainwell. "And we executed."

Gainwell has been executing a lot for the offense as of late as his role continues to increase, whether it be in the passing game, where he had 81 yards against the Bengals in Week 11, or to his performance this week.

"It's growing," said Gainwell. "I'm taking on that opportunity. I always talk about opportunities, and I'm taking full advantage of that.

"I'm just embracing it."

On the run:While the Steelers 31-28 loss to the Chicago Bears was disappointing on Sunday, there were some positives to take from the game.

One such, was the ground game.

The Steelers put up 186 yards rushing on the day.

Running back Kenneth Gainwell had 10 carries for 92 yards, a 9.2-yard average.

Fellow running back Jaylen Warren had 18 carries for 68 yards, a 3.8-yard average, and one touchdown.

"We've two really good backs and our O-line is just coming together, getting better every week," said guard Mason McCormick. "We've been saying it all year. We just want to keep climbing, keep getting better every week."

McCormick has seen the growth in the line from last year, and from the beginning of this season, and it's paying dividends now.

"We just really want to attack every day," said McCormick. "Go out there and really it starts on the practice field. It starts on Wednesday.

"Fine tune the details and continue and just get better.

"I feel like we've got a lot of guys that can move well in space. So, we don't have to be pinned down to any certain scheme. I feel like we can do a good job, run on all sorts of different schemes, and I think our O-line coaches do a really good job of putting us in good positions."

Tackle Broderick Jones had to leave the Bears game with what Coach Mike Tomlin referred to as 'stingers.'

Veteran swingman Calvin Anderson stepped in and held down the fort, and McCormick said there is plenty of confidence in him.

"Calvin has always done a really good job," said McCormick. "So, we were confident with Calvin coming in, and so he came in and did a good job.

"We know it's the next man up mentality."

Going about their business:Over the last four weeks, the Steelers have had their ups and downs, with a win, followed by a loss, followed by a win, and then a loss.

It's something that could play with the psyche if you let it, but inside the Steelers locker room, that isn't the case.

Cornerback Brandin Echols said the key is not riding the emotional roller coaster.

"I mean, we're pros," said Echols. "We go through that every week, regardless of what team, what person.

"That's the way we go about our business."

Echols learned in his career you can't get too high with the highs, or too low with the lows. He spent his first four seasons with the New York Jets, where they didn't have a winning season and seven wins were the most he saw.

To still be in the heat of things in the division heading into Thanksgiving weekend is something new for him.

"I was just talking to Donte (Kent) earlier," said Echols. "I told him this is the most I won up to this point. No disrespect to the Jets, but that is just what it was.

"This is what I've been looking for coming into my career and I'm glad to get a taste of it now.

"We've just got to keep the main thing the main thing. You can't take any game for granted. We have to work day in and day out.

"We have to continue to get better every week."

This week will be another tough test with the 7-4 Buffalo Bills coming to Acrisure Stadium on Sunday, led by quarterback Josh Allen.

Allen can be a threat with his arm or his legs, so it's something the defense has to be ready for.

"Details," said Echols of how to face the challenge. "Basically, that's all it comes down to. Details.

"From all three, special teams, offense and defense."

Bringing you the action:For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on mobile, plus NFL RedZone, NFL Network, live audio and more - all in one place.

**Sign up today**.