Ben Roethlisberger feeling healthier following Steelers bye week
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took full advantage of the early bye week, rehabbing from the bumps and bruises he suffered in the opening weeks. He now looks to build on the Steelers; two-game win streak with a divisional matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
“It was very nice to have some time to rest, relax and get it back,” Roethlisberger said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.
The Steelers offense got ravaged by injuries early this season. Star wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is out for the season and several offensive linemen continue dealing with injury management throughout the week.
Pittsburgh started the season 1-3 but turned things around in Week Five with a win over the Denver Broncos. An overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football brought the team back to .500 on the season. With 11 games remaining after the bye, Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers have plenty opportunities to break into the playoff picture, including five division games.
Steelers coach addresses rumors
Mike Tomlin emerged as one of the many high-profile names linked to the USC football head coaching vacancy since Clay Helton’s firing earlier this season. In his Tuesday press conference, the current Pittsburgh Steelers head coach also addressed the rumors and speculation that he could possibly leave his NFL career to take the USC job.
“I don’t have time for that speculation,” Tomlin said emphatically. “That’s a joke to me. I’ve got of one of the best jobs in all of professional sports. Why would I have any interest in coaching college football?”
Mike Tomlin also has no background or experience in coaching at the collegiate ranks and remains widely regarded as one of the top NFL coaches year after year. For now, it appears as if Mike Tomlin has absolutely no interest in the USC Trojans vacancy.
“Never say never, but never,” Tomlin added. “There’s not a booster with a big enough blank check.”
Former USC wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson is intently watching the Trojans, as their coaching search unfolds with shocking names dropping left and right. The possibility of Tomlin leaving the Steelers for USC was bonkers to begin with, and Johnson recognized that on an episode of Keyshawn, JWill and Max.
“I mean, he doesn’t want the job, I don’t think we were going to offer him the job, I don’t think we were pursuing him,” said Johnson. “I get what Mike Tomlin is saying when you look at it on the surface. He’s a professional coach, this is what he’s been doing — he hasn’t coach in college since I think he was at Cincinnati back in like ‘97 or something like that. If he became available, it would be like — who’s sending the jet? They couldn’t book the runways fast enough.”