NFC Team Interested in Holding Joint Practice with Steelers
TJ Watt sacks Sam Darnold as the Steelers played against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. (Mitchell Northam / Steelers Now)
The Carolina Panthers are reportedly interested in having a joint practice with the Pittsburgh Steelers this summer.
The Carolina Panthers are interested in holding a joint practice with the Pittsburgh Steelers this summer, according to Joe Person of The Athletic.
Advertisement
Panthers head coach Dave Canales told reporters Thursday that he has reached out to the Steelers to gauge their interest in having a joint practice ahead of their preseason matchup on Aug. 21.
It remains to be seen how interested Pittsburgh would be in a potential joint practice, especially after going several years without one. But the team ended its joint practice drought last summer when it held one with the Buffalo Bills.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills joint practice on Aug. 15, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Before 2024, the last time the Steelers had a joint practice was against the Detroit Lions in 2016. It's safe to assume they would prefer to not go that long once again, but general manager Omar Khan has said it's all about the logistics.
Advertisement
'We always entertain a couple of them,' he said on 'The Pat McAfee Show.' 'It's just, logistically, several reasons don't work out. Who it is, maybe, it just doesn't work out.'
So while Pittsburgh may be interested in having one with Carolina, it might be out of question due to a quick turnaround.
The Steelers second preseason matchup is against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 16, which would give very little time for them to prepare for and practice against the Panthers.
Pittsburgh kicks off its preseason schedule with a road game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 9.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: NFC Team Interested in Holding Joint Practice with Steelers
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
29 minutes ago
- USA Today
Ryan Clark says Aaron Rodgers signing is 'worst case scenario' for Steelers
Ryan Clark says Aaron Rodgers signing is 'worst case scenario' for Steelers Show Caption Hide Caption Aaron Rodgers plans to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers Aaron Rodgers is expected to sign a 1-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of next week's minicamp. Sports Pulse Ryan Clark has made it clear that he is no fan of Aaron Rodgers. In December, the former Pittsburgh Steelers safety called the team's new quarterback a "fraud" for Rodgers' criticism about the way the NFL is covered now. In April, Clark said the free agent situation with Rodgers made him sick, adding the entire situation was mishandled. Now Rodgers has agreed to a contract with the Steelers, meaning he'll suit up for Clark's former team this season. As expected, the safety-turned-analyst has some thoughts on the 41-year-old's new NFL venture. "This is the worst-case scenario for Pittsburgh Steelers fans," Clark said in an appearance on "SportsCenter" following the news. "It continues to keep you mired in mediocrity. Will this team be better? Have they gotten better in the quarterback room? Absolutely. Will they contend for that championship that Pittsburgh Steelers' people, fans, and the organization thinks is the standard? No, they won't." While Clark did acknowledge that Rodgers will eventually be in the Hall of Fame one day, he pointed out that it's too little, too late for a guy that is potentially past his prime. "Five years from when both of these men retire, one of them will give the most motivational Hall of Fame speech we've ever heard," Clark said. "Another will probably give the most interesting – and it won't mean anything." He went on to add that they'll fight for a spot in the wild card round and then probably be going home during that week, all to look for a franchise quarterback again next offseason. After being given the night to let the news settle in, Clark was back at it when he appeared on ESPN's "Get Up" Friday morning. "I'm not here to bash Aaron Rodgers," Clark said. "I believe that Aaron Rodgers is an upgrade to Mason Rudolph. I even believe that Aaron Rodgers is a slight upgrade to what Russell Wilson was last year. Aaron Rodgers is no longer elite. Aaron Rodgers doesn't walk into the building with the cache that says to the rest of the organization, 'this is our guy that's gonna allow us to win a championship.'" Clark continued, saying this is what the Steelers had to do to compete this season, but that won't be enough to compete with teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills or Baltimore Ravens. "You can get Aaron Rodgers so you can not stink," Clark said. "That's it. Other than that, all of us are gonna watch the divisional round, the championship round and the Super Bowl together." All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Former Steeler Antonio Brown says Aaron Rodgers tried to recruit him
Former Steeler Antonio Brown says Aaron Rodgers tried to recruit him One of the running jokes with new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is that he tries to bring in his former teammates at wide receiver wherever he lands. But this time around, it sounds like Rodgers might not be recruiting a former teammate but a former Steeler instead. According to a report by MLFootball, former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown was contacted by Rodgers. Brown claims that Rodgers wanted to know if Brown might be willing to come out of retirement and play with Rodgers back in Pittsburgh. The Steelers officially announced on Thursday that Rodgers is signing a one-year contract with the Steelers to start for them in 2025. Brown is 36 years old and hasn't played in the league since 2021. Brown's career fell apart completely after he left the Steelers in 2019 but he had the greatest six-season stretch in NFL history when Ben Roethlisberger was throwing him the football. Having said all that, the last thing a Steelers team that just invited all the drama of Rodgers is to add in the drama of Brown as well.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Why The Pittsburgh Steelers Will Regret Signing Aaron Rodgers
'This is a good day for the Packers.' Never forget those words that came from Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst the day he traded quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets. Mind you, Rodgers was just 14 months removed from winning his fourth MVP award when Gutekunst made that statement. The Packers weren't sure if Jordan Love was the answer at quarterback. Yet minutes after trading Rodgers for what in essence became a 2023 second round draft pick (Luke Musgrave), Gutekunst wasn't sweating bullets. He was calling it a 'good day' for his organization. The Pittsburgh Steelers — who announced their signing of Rodgers on Thursday night — should have remembered Gutekunst's words before becoming the latest team to fall victim to the powerful drug called nostalgia. That's because the Rodgers that played for Green Bay in 2022, and the Rodgers that spent the last two years with the New York Jets, is nothing like the Rodgers that led the Packers to a Super Bowl win over Pittsburgh way, way, way back in 2010. Make no mistake, there was a time when Rodgers ranked among the best signal callers in football. He won MVP's in 2011, 2014, and both 2021 and 2022. His performance against the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV was also one of the best in NFL history. And because Rodgers could sling the ball better than almost anyone who's ever played, the Packers put up with more drama than Jason Bateman encountered in 'Ozark.' The passive-aggressive Rodgers took several shots at former head coach Mike McCarthy throughout the years. And while McCarthy lost his fastball during his final days in Green Bay, he also lost the support of Rodgers. McCarthy was fired on Dec. 2, 2018 — the day Rodgers turned 35. Many believed this was the birthday gift Rodgers wanted most, and he was labeled a 'Coach Killer.' Things seemed peachy when Rodgers won his third MVP in 2020 and led the Packers to the NFC Championship Game. Just five hours before the 2021 NFL Draft, though, word leaked that Rodgers didn't want to ever play for Green Bay again. Over the next three months, Pro Football Talk reported, '(Rodgers) doesn't like anyone in the front office for a variety of reasons.' The Athletic reported that Rodgers referred to general manager Brian Gutekunst as 'Jerry Krause' — the man who built and tore down the Chicago Bulls dynasty in the 1990s — in group chats with teammates. And NFL Media reported that Rodgers was telling Green Bay's prospective free agents 'before you make any decisions, I'm probably not gonna be there.' Rodgers eventually reported to training camp, but only after the Packers agreed to give him a say in personnel decisions, which included trading for over-the-hill wideout Randall Cobb that summer. By 2022, the bloom was off the rose, Rodgers had arguably the worst season of his 18-year career and the Packers went just 8-9. Rodgers skipped the offseason program that year, a time he could have developed some chemistry with a revamped wide receiver group. He was critical of Matt LaFleur throughout the season, at one point saying his head coach needed to 'simplify the offense.' And he took shots at his teammates, telling his pal Pat McAfee: 'Guys who are making too many mistakes shouldn't be playing, you know. Gotta start cutting some reps, and maybe guys who aren't playing, give them a chance.' During his final days in Green Bay, Rodgers went on a darkness retreat, took an ayahuasca journey and lied about being vaccinated. In addition, the majority of Rodgers' playoff performances since Super Bowl 45 were dreadful, and the Packers believed they'd never win another Lombardi Trophy with him under center, which made trading him an easy call. 'We were 8-9 last year,' Gutekunst said the day he traded Rodgers. 'As we move forward, it was more about what we were going to do to get better and have a chance to win this thing. As you're going through some of those things you're talking about and you're 13-3 or 13-4 and No. 1 seed, that whole locker room, coaching staff, scouting staff, this whole organization, we're trying to win a Super Bowl, right? You'll put up with a lot to try to chase that.' The Jets were willing to put up with a lot, too — and paid a steep price. They brought in wideouts Davante Adams, Allen Lazard and Cobb — all former Packers who Rodgers wanted to play with. They hired — and eventually fired — overmatched offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who was another Rodgers pal. Head coach Robert Saleh was fired after just five games last season. And the organization is back in rebuild mode today after going 12-22 the last two years. And for what? Rodgers played just four snaps in 2023 before tearing his left Achilles tendon. Last season, Rodgers ranked 25th in the NFL in QBR and had his lowest passer rating (90.5) since becoming a starter in 2008 despite having standouts Garrett Wilson and Adams to throw to. Rodgers, who will turn 42 later this season, has lost the mobility that once helped him extend plays and make big throws. And amazingly, the Jets were better with Zach Wilson in 2023 (7-10) than they were with Rodgers in 2024 (5-12). So on March 12, the Jets cut their losses and released Rodgers. Pittsburgh, one of the NFL's most stable and successful franchises, seemed like one of the last organizations that would have climbed into bed with Rodgers. The Rooney family, which owns the team, is no-nonsense. Head coach Mike Tomlin is as old school as it gets. And the passionate fans of Pittsburgh has little time for drama. Pittsburgh Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw summed up the feelings of many by saying: 'Are you kidding me? That guy needs to stay in California. Go somewhere and chew on bark and whisper to the gods out there.' Desperate times — and teams — call for desperate measures, though. And the Steelers — who lost Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in free agency — are taking the Rodgers plunge, despite the fact he hasn't played high-level football since 2021. It's an odd marriage. And the chances of it lasting more than a year seem slim. Instead, the better bet is Pittsburgh's front office will be saying 'This is a good day for the Steelers' when they become the latest team to dump Rodgers.
