The Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets have received attention in recent league discussions. Former National Football League linebacker Manti Te’o said he does not believe the Steelers are competitive with the top teams in the AFC. “How much do you trust the Steelers against the rest of the AFC? Here’s where Manti Te’o stands,” Te’o stated in comments posted by NFL Network on Aug. 20.
In roster news, the Jets made two separate trades to add defensive tackles to their lineup. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “ESPN sources: Vikings are trading DT Harrison Phillips and a 2027 7th-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for a 2026 6th-round pick and a 2027 6th-round pick, pending Phillips’ physical. Phillips now joins Jowon Briggs as the second DT that the Jets traded for Wednesday.” The team gave two sixth-round draft picks for Harrison Phillips from the Minnesota Vikings and also acquired Jowon Briggs from the Cleveland Browns.
Colin Cowherd spoke about Aaron Rodgers and the importance of a strong start for both him and the Steelers this season. Cowherd said, “If Aaron’s not playing well, he’s trailing late… he kinda bails.”
Wednesday marked 41 years since Franco Harris was released by the Steelers. Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinee Terry Bradshaw reflected on Harris’ departure, stating, “A man who was without a doubt the most unselfish football player I’ve ever known. … It’s a shame the Steelers turned their backs on Franco because it took some of his heart away and it was an improper way to treat a true here.”
Cowherd also commented on Russell Wilson’s recent performance with John Middlekauff: “I don’t think there’s ever been a player that has eroded as quickly as Russell Wilson.”
Aaron Rodgers responded to offseason remarks from Cam Heyward and DeShon Elliott on Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast. Rodgers said, “Well, I think there’s a great quote in a TV show that I enjoyed called Ted Lasso. Ted talks about one of his favorite quotes: be curious, not judgmental. And I think that’s kind of how I wanted to approach this season and anybody that said anything, I try and put myself in their shoes as much as possible (…). And I respect the hell outta you and what you’ve accomplished in the game and your leadership from afar, it seems like you’re the type of leader that I’d wanna play with. So when you said that I didn’t take offense to that at all.”
CBS Sports issued an early prediction regarding Pittsburgh’s performance this season: “CBS Sports predicts the Steelers first loss of 2025 would be Week 7 against the Bengals.”
Former Steelers strong safety Ryan Clark discussed Joe Flacco starting at quarterback for Cleveland on ESPN’s Get Up program: “I think you should have looked at one of these rookies to see if you had your franchise quarterback in the building,” Clark said.
Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger gave his outlook on Aaron Rodgers teaming up with DK Metcalf: “When they get going I’m telling you it’s going to be something special,” Roethlisberger said on his Footbahlin podcast.
Additional league updates include roster projections for Pittsburgh ahead of their preseason finale versus Carolina, comments from Arthur Smith regarding preseason strategy, moves by other teams involving wide receivers, Arch Manning addressing NFL draft rumors, Broderick Jones’ role development at left tackle for Pittsburgh, predictions from media about upcoming matchups, and off-season activity analysis across various sports.
Several sources cited above provided insight into National Football League activities impacting multiple organizations heading into regular season play.
