Steelers Daily News & Links: LVIII Most-Watched Super Bowl; Mahomes Passes Bradshaw

Alan Saunders |

Updated: Feb 13, 2024

Pittsburgh Steelers Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Patrick Mahomes

Steelers Daily News & Links: Your daily stop for all of the news and links from the Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL and around the Sports Now Group.

? Super Bowl LVIII was the most-watched telecast ever, with 123.4 million viewers on average across all platforms: CBS, Paramount+, Nickelodeon, Univision, and CBS Sports and NFL digital properties, including NFL+. It’s a seven-percent increase over last year’s record of 115.1 million. More than 200 million watched at least some of the game.

? The Kansas City Chiefs can match or even surpass the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dynasty of the 1970s. Kansas City has won three Super Bowls in the last five years and could become the first team ever to three-peat. If they do, it will mean that they’ve won four Super Bowls in six years like the “Super Steelers” of the 1970s. They would have a more superior run with a three-peat and five Super Bowl appearances in six years. Kansas City lost the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.

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? Former Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau endorsed Pittsburgh’s hiring of new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

“I can see him in Black and Gold pretty easy with the philosophical approach Pittsburgh has always taken in football,” LeBeau told Steelers Depot Sunday. “I think Arthur will fit perfect for them… You can give Coach Smith my [highest] endorsement. I know that he will do everything in his power to get things rolling on that side of the ball.”

LeBeau and Smith overlapped on the Tennessee Titans staff from 2015–17. LeBeau was the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. Smith was a tight ends coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator.

? With winning Super Bowl LVIII, Patrick Mahomes surpassed Terry Bradshaw, Peyton Manning, John Elway and Steve Young on the all-time quarterback playoff win list with 15 wins. At just 28 years old, he’s behind just Joe Montana (16) and Tom Brady (35).

? The Steelers were officially awarded linebacker Jeremiah Moon on Monday off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens, a deferred assignment after the Super Bowl, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston.

Moon joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of Florida in 2022. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound linebacker is a native of Hoover, Alabama — the same hometown of Steelers wide receiver George Pickens.

Moon played with the Ravens in the preseason in 2022, but was released and added to practice squad, where he spent his entire rookie season without being elevated for a game. He was signed to a future contract for 2023, and again played in the preseason, was released and added to the practice squad.

This year, Moon was promoted back to the active roster on Sept. 23. He was active for four games, starting one and playing on both defense and special teams. Moon was waived on Oct. 26 and returned to the practice squad, but was brought back to the active roster on Jan. 6.

In total, he played in eight games and recorded 12 tackles, one for a loss and forced two fumbles while serving as depth behind starters Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen and 2023 third-round pick Trenton Simpson.

? Former Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu revealed how he felt after winning his first Super Bowl. His answer might shock some, but it’s a classic Polamalu reflection.

“Oh man, Super Bowl 40. Here’s one thing where I’ll be very frank with you on Super Bowl 40. It may be too deep of an answer. Super Bowl 40, I remember walking off the field thinking, ‘this is it?’” Polamalu told former teammate Bryant McFadden during an interview on radio row at the Super Bowl.

“I remember thinking to myself, ‘Man, I thought the whole world was supposed to stop.’ I thought everybody in China was supposed to stop their markets and celebrate our victories. But the world kept going on. So I was like, dang, are you telling me in order to feel that momentary-like satisfaction, I gotta go through all of that to do it again? So to me, it was kind of like, dang, it was such a short moment of celebration. So when Super Bowl 43 came around, I really enjoyed that celebration.”

? Troy Polamalu also agreed with Bryant McFadden during the interview that his interception off Peyton Manning in the 2005 AFC Divisional Round game was stolen from him. The Steelers still beat the Indianapolis Colts, but the error could have cost the Steelers the game.

“They stole one from you, but one was. You got him one time, and they stole one from you. We all know about that playoff game,” McFadden said.

Polamalu responded, “[The referees] stole one from me, yep.”

? Chad Reuter of NFL.com released his three-round mock draft on Monday. He has the Steelers selecting Kentucky linebacker Trevin Wallace at 20th overall, Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims in the second round and Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa in the third round.

“Wallace’s speed and tenaciousness will be appreciated by Steelers coaches and fans after seeing the linebacker corps decimated by injuries last season,” Reuter wrote.

? Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce sang “Sha-Na-Na Goodbye” to the 49ers in Vegas at the Super Bowl postgame victory party.

Travis Kelce singing “Sha-Na-Na Goodbye” to the 49ers in Vegas 👀

Classy.

(h/t ig/graciehunt)pic.twitter.com/vsxjJw6Ajb https://t.co/5r87yFZzWp

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 12, 2024

? Chiefs All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie put on a clinic in the playoffs. He especially shined in the Super Bowl with elite coverage and clutch pass breakups.