ERIC SCHENK FROM HENDERSON, NV: With Aaron Rodgers officially signing and it being unlikely the Steelers will keep 4 quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, can they stash one on their practice squad and protect him each week so another team can’t poach him?
ANSWER: To get a player from the training camp roster to the practice squad, he must first clear waivers, which would expose him to every team in the league for 24 hours. If that player clears waivers and then is signed to the practice squad, any team can offer to sign him to its 53-man roster with no compensation due to the original team. The other issue with a 4th quarterback on the practice squad is that there is nothing for him to do during the week, while taking up a spot that could be used on a position player who might shorten the lines at practice.
BRIAN JENKINS FROM WEIRTON, WV: I understand everyone needs time off, but with Aaron Rodgers signing, you or this page didn’t say anything yet. So is it true or just an internet hoax, which happens often?
ANSWER: Aaron Rodgers’ signing of the contract actually happened – not reported by sources or via social media speculation – on Monday, Sept. 18. A story stating that Rodgers had signed was posted on Steelers.com at 11:15 a.m. the same day. Nobody was taking time off.
GREGORY HAFEN FROM PITTSBURGH, PA: Being as we are hearing in the media stories of Nick Herbig being unhappy as the third OLB and has supposedly voiced his wish to be traded, I wanted to get your opinion if you are aware of any truth to this issue?
ANSWER: I am confident Nick Herbig will not be traded going into what will be his fourth NFL season. There is a lot of speculation out there in the ether that I choose not to dignify by mentioning it here.
NICHOLAS PELCHAR FROM PURCELLVILLE, VA: Kelvin Beachum was a seventh-round pick by the Steelers in 2012, and 14 years later he’s still playing. Did he start out at guard and then move to tackle? Why did the Steelers let him go? He has had a good career.
ANSWER: Kelvin Beachum was a seventh-round pick (248th overall) in 2012 from SMU. In 2013-14, helped by the coaching of Mike Munchak, Beachum started 28 of 32 games at LT. In 2015, he lost the starting job to Alejandro Villanueva, and in 2016 he signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent. After a year there, he spent 3 with the Jets, and the next 6 with Arizona. So far in 2026 he is an unrestricted free agent who will be 37 in June. Kelvin Beachum is a guy who made the most of his abilities and made a lot of money in the process. Easy to root for him.
CHRIS GUFFEY FROM MARBLE , NC: In the May 14 edition of Asked and Answered, you answered a question about the payroll of the coaching staff. Since the teams determine their budget for the staff, is the total amount spent made public?
ANSWER: It is not.
GREG SMITH FROM GAINESVILLE, FL: My question is about Cam’s Closet. I will be retiring in the next year or so after 32 years as a U.S. Marine and 11 years working for the Air Force. I have a bunch of suits and would like to donate them to a great cause, and Cam’s Closet was top of my list as a lifelong Steelers fan and a great admirer of Cam Heyward. Can you provide the info for making donations?
ANSWER: It’s actually called Craig’s Closet, and it’s the part of the Cameron Heyward Foundation that “provides high school boys in the Pittsburgh area with free dress clothes for interviews, internships, banquets, and more. Young men can “shop” for clothes that will help them achieve their goals – we don’t want a lack of access to a suit or a dress shirt to stop someone from pursuing their dreams.” Craig’s Closet is not accepting donations at this time. You can check the website: https://thecameronheywardfoundation.org/craigs-closet/ for the time when donations again will be accepted.
JEFF WELLER FROM COLUMBUS, OH: You’ve been pretty good with predicting when the Salute to Service game will be, so what are your thoughts about this year? It is the one game of the year that I try my hardest to attend.
ANSWER: Based on the fact Salute to Service Month is November for the NFL, and that the Steelers have a 1 p.m. home game, 2 road games, and the bye that month, I’m going to guess it will be on Nov. 1 vs. Cleveland at 1 p.m. at Acrisure Stadium.
JASON STURDEVANT FROM ROANOKE, VA: In looking at the Steelers schedule, why is the Week 16 game vs. the Panthers listed as TBD? Is it going to be a Christmas Day game?
ANSWER: Week 16 of the regular season covers Dec. 24-28, and the NFL will play games on all 5 of those dates. The Thursday, Dec. 24 date is set with Houston at Philadelphia. The 3 games on Friday, Dec. 25 have Green Bay at Chicago; Buffalo at Denver; and L.A. Rams at Seattle. On Saturday, Dec. 26, there are two NFL windows with no games currently slotted. On Sunday, Dec. 27, there currently are 7 games scheduled: Cleveland at Baltimore; L.A. Chargers at Miami; Arizona at New Orleans; New England at New York Jets; Tennessee at Las Vegas; San Francisco at Kansas City; and Jacksonville at Dallas. The New York Giants at Detroit is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 28. Besides all that, there are 4 other games currently unscheduled that would be available to be added or flexed into the days of Dec. 26-28: Tampa Bay at Atlanta; Cincinnati at Indianapolis; Washington at Minnesota; and Carolina at Pittsburgh. President Art Rooney said, “The League has been holding back the days and times of the games around Christmas weekend the last few years. They sort of all become a flex game, and so we won’t know our day and time until probably sometime in December for that one.”
BRYCE KYBURZ FROM AUSTIN, TX: I’m excited for the 2026 season. Do you know if individual game tickets will be going on sale? I have purchased tickets through these sales in the past, and my fingers are crossed there will be tickets available again this season.
ANSWER: Go to Steelers.com, and scroll down the home page just a bit until you see a graphic titled, “2026 Game Tickets on Sale.” Click on the “Secure Your Seats” link, and it will take you into the portal to buy tickets. Good luck on getting the game(s) you want.
