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USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Steelers countdown to kickoff — No. 40: a history of the number and who wore it best
The Steelers countdown to kickoff is here — and we're at 40 days until Pittsburgh faces off against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. In the spirit of the countdown, we're taking a look at the history of No. 40 and the players who wore it best. Current Steelers No. 40 wearer: LB Devin Harper Signing with Pittsburgh's practice squad in August 2024, Harper is the current No. 40 wearer on the Steelers roster. He signed a reserve/future contract with Pittsburgh this past January and aims to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster as depth on defense and a potential special teams contributor. Last five Steelers to wear No. 40: Best No. 40 in Steelers history: TE Preston Carpenter Preston Carpenter is the best Steeler to ever wear No. 40. Drafted with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 1956 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, Carpenter signed with Pittsburgh in 1960 — where he spent the next four seasons of his career. He earned Pro Bowl recognition in 1962 and put together a solid four-year stat line of 1,680 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in Pittsburgh. Carpenter was a true athlete on the football field — serving as a halfback, defensive end, tight end, and kick returner during the entirety of his 12-year NFL career. Honorable mention: S Myron Bell, who played in 112 games for Pittsburgh — 39 of them starts, including the Steelers' Super Bowl XXX matchup against the Cowboys. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys legend Deion Sanders reveals cancer diagnosis, removal of bladder over offseason
One of the brightest stars of the Cowboys dynasty has made a stunning announcement concerning a personal health battle. But true to form, he also took the opportunity to turn his own setback into a motivational message for others. At an often-emotional Monday press conference in Boulder, Hall of Fame cornerback and current Colorado head coach Deion Sanders revealed that he was diagnosed with bladder cancer, had the organ surgically removed and replaced, and has now been pronounced "cured from the cancer" by his doctors. The nine-time Pro Bowler, whose acquisition and play was a major factor in helping the Cowboys win Super Bowl XXX following the 1995 season, was flanked by his doctor from the University of Colorado Cancer Center as well as UC's assistant athletic trainer as he spoke on the ordeal. "It has been a tremendous journey," Sanders told reporters. "I'm truly thankful that God is so good. God is so good, you have no idea." Dr. Janet Kukreja explained that the type of cancer- discovered after a malignant tumor was found during routine tests- had "a high recurrence rate." That led Sanders to make the decision to move forward with the "curative" option of having his bladder removed in a procedure that took place shortly after the NFL draft in April. Sanders admitted that his surgery preparation contributed to the perceived drama that surrounded him and his family on draft weekend, as son Shedeur unexpectedly fell all the way to the fifth round. "There was some scenes you saw, all the bull junk that transpired on draft day," Sanders said. "It wasn't just that. It was just, I knew as well I had a surgery coming up. My sons, to this day, don't know what transpired. I just told them it was something with my foot, because I wanted to give them the focus on making the team and not focused on dad." As a result of the procedure and the subsequent rehab, the coach was away from his Buffaloes team during spring practices. He made an appearance at Big 12 media days earlier in July but declined to speak on his health. Sanders previously dealt with a serious blood clotting issue and as a result had two toes amputated in 2021. More recently, though, he had been battling another health concern that had- until Monday- been left unspecified. In a video just released over the weekend, Sanders acknowledged that he wrote his will in May, thinking then that he "may not be here" much longer. The outlook he described Monday, however, was considerably more optimistic. Sanders spoke unflinchingly about what his life looks like post-surgery, from his dependence on absorbent undergarments to the likely presence of a portable toilet on the sidelines of Colorado games this fall. Sanders was forthcoming in speaking about every aspect of his own cancer diagnosis, and he encouraged others to be just as open and honest in examining their own health. He urged everyone to get checked. "I know there's a lot of people out there going through what I am going through and dealing with what I am dealing with and let's stop being ashamed of it and let's deal with it. And let's deal with it head-on.' Doctors used pieces of Sanders's own intestines to construct a new bladder for the 57-year-old. That is to prevent the body from rejecting the replacement organ. Even though Sanders's rehab isn't over and he will continue to be monitored by his medical team, he now has his sights set on Colorado's upcoming season, when he looks to build on last year's 9-4 turnaround campaign. "I'm built for this," Sanders said. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Steelers countdown to kickoff — No. 41: a history of the number and who wore it best
The Steelers countdown to kickoff is here — and we're at 41 days until Pittsburgh faces off against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. In the spirit of the countdown, we're taking a look at the history of No. 41 and the players who wore it best. Current Steelers No. 41 wearer: LB Payton Wilson Drafted with the 98th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Wilson is the current No. 41 wearer on the Steelers roster. One of the best linebackers of his draft class, the second-year Steeler dropped into the third round due to concerns regarding a rumored missing ACL. He proved himself in a major way his rookie year — and figures to remain the future of the Steelers' linebacker room. Last five Steelers to wear No. 41: Best No. 41 in Steelers history: S Lee Flowers Lee Flowers is the best Steeler to ever wear No. 41. Drafted with the 151st overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft, Flowers earned the starting safety role in 1998 and went on to record 403 combined tackles and four interceptions during his career. A physical safety who wasn't afraid to lay the boom on opposing offenses, he played in 112 games from 1995 to 2002. Flowers also started in Super Bowl XXX as a Steeler — and remained an underrated contributor to the secondary throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
USA Today
04-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Steelers countdown to kickoff — No. 65: a history of the number and who wore it best
The Steelers countdown to kickoff is here — and we're at 65 days until Pittsburgh faces off against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. In the spirit of the countdown, we're taking a look at the history of No. 65 and the players who wore it best. Current Steelers No. 65 wearer: N/A There is no player currently wearing No. 65 on the Steelers roster, but it was last worn by Dan Moore Jr., who signed with the Titans this offseason. Last five Steelers to wear No. 65: Best No. 65 in Steelers history: OT John Jackson Jackson stands out as the best Steeler to ever wear No. 65. Drafted by Pittsburgh with the 252nd overall pick in the 10th round of the 1988 NFL Draft, Jackson served as the Steelers' starting left tackle for nearly a decade, from 1988 to 1997. He played in 153 games for Pittsburgh, 130 of those coming as starts. He was tasked with protecting Steelers quarterbacks like Mark Malone, Bubby Brister, Neil O'Donnell, Mike Tomczak, and Kordell Stewart. Jackson's steady play and durability even led to a Super Bowl XXX appearance, where the Cowboys unfortunately defeated the Steelers 27-17. Jackson's impact in the '90s cannot be overlooked and he is arguably the greatest Steeler to ever don No. 65. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Troy Aikman Clarifies Cowboys Super Bowl Prediction
FRISCO - Now that the Dallas Cowboys schedule is officially out, everybody it seems has an opinion on it. Legendary quarterback Troy Aikman made an appearance on ESPN Wednesday night to break down the network's slate of Monday Night Football games. He was also asked about the Cowboys as their schedule flashed on the screen. Advertisement But before analyzing their lineup of games, Aikman took time to clear up his shocking prediction earlier this week that his former team would win Super Bowl LX in February. "Well, that was ... ya know ... people tend to get excited and overreact to everything these days," Aikman said. "I was half-joking because Michael Strahan was in the studio." But while he did backpedal on the Cowboys winning the championship for the first time since he led them to Super Bowl XXX in 1996, Aikman doubled-down on them having a surprisingly successful season. "I understand the Eagles are the cream of the crop and Washington will be better," he said. "But I do think Dallas has been flying under the radar this offseason and rightfully so. They don't deserve a lot of talk at this point. But I do believe that they're going to be ... not just because they were injured last year ... I think they're going to be a better football team this year and they may surprise some people. I know in Dallas there's always talk about a Super Bowl and, who knows, it's been a while as we know. But I do think they're going to contend and be stronger than they've probably gotten credit for at this point." Advertisement "Contend and be stronger" may not equate to winning a Super Bowl, or even the NFC East. But Aikman obviously expects more than seven wins from his former team. And we also know this: Good or bad, the TV networks still love America's Team. Counting Thanksgiving against the Kansas City Chiefs and Christmas Day against the Washington Commanders, the Cowboys will play eight times when they are the only game on TV. Related: Cowboys Legend Troy Aikman Makes Shockingly Homer Super Bowl Pick Related: Cowboys Thanksgiving Against Chiefs Will Be Stuffed With Silly Stereotype
