Steelers Daily Links: Claypool Blasted, Tomlin Coach of the Year

Brooke Pryor of ESPN said former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool brought massive divide internally.

“He had such a great rookie season and then it just didn’t continue. I think that he felt like it should and things were not clicking for him on the field. He got frustrated and he was frustrated in the offense. One of the biggest reasons the Steelers were better in the second half of the year and went from 2-6 to 7-2 after the bye was the Chase Claypool trade, that was addition by subtraction,” Pryor said during an appearance on NFL on ESPN, This is Football.

“For the Steelers, they had a lot of internal discord, a lot of that was from the frustration of Claypool. I think that one trade, when you look at the totality of the Steelers season, and where they are right now, that was kind of the point at which Omar Khan said, ‘I’m the GM of this team.’ That one trade set in motion for this team to be in a really good position.”

Claypool has struggled with the Bears so far and a lot of the issues that he had in Pittsburgh are appearing in Chicago, as well.

Jarrett Payton, the son of Bears legend Walter Payton, said it’s odd for a wide receiver with such a big frame, 6’4″ and about 238 pounds, to struggle to win the jump ball contest and come down on his feet.

Pryor responded, “Yeah it’s the T-Rex arms.” Claypool should be extending his arms above shorter defenders to get the ball and “Mossing” people.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 16-4-3 against the spread as home underdogs in the Mike Tomlin era per, Bet Lab Sports. Seventy-seven percent of the money is on the Steelers (+2.5) vs. the San Francisco 49ers at BetMGM.

? Former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher has Mike Tomlin winning Coach of the Year. Cowher, Boomer Esiason and J.J. Watt have T.J. Watt winning Defensive Player of the Year.

? Tyler Dunne of Go Long spoke with Kenny Pickett about his development into Year 2 and competition in a loaded AFC. Many expect Pickett to have a breakout year this season, but he made it clear to Dunne that he has a lot to prove.

“I don’t believe in that,” Pickett sniped about being asked about his ceiling. “You’re at your ceiling when you hang your cleats up. I’m nowhere near my ceiling.”

? Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase pulled a JuJu Smith-Schuster and said is “Cleveland Cleveland” prior to the Bengals game against the Browns on Sunday.

“It feels like a regular game to me, it don’t feel no different. It’s just the hooping and hollering about the Cleveland Browns. I was about to call them the elves,” Chase said.

All-Pro Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett didn’t appreciate the disrespect from Chase.

“See now that was disrespectful,” Garrett said.

Garrett called it ‘Bulletin board material’, adding “He didn’t have to go there. The elves was probably … he knew better. We might have to have a discussion before or after the game, maybe during if I see him. But yeah the elves is a little bit too far.”

? NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger broke down All-Pro pass rushers and the last two Defensive Player of the Year award winners T.J. Watt and Nick Bosa. Both will be on the field on Sunday when the Steelers take on the San Francisco 49ers in the opener at Acrisure Stadium.

? Happy Birthday to former Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, born on September 9, 1937 in London, Ohio. LeBeau was a legendary defensive coordinator for the Steelers, but he was also a great cornerback during his playing days with the Detroit Lions in the 1960s. LeBeau, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, picked off 62 passes in his career (10th all time). LeBeau is credited with being the inventor of the zone blitz in the 1980s when he was the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals.

? Warren Sharp of Sharp Football thinks the Steelers need to attack deep against the 49ers’ defense on Sunday.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Kyle Dubas is winning over a skeptic.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: Breaking: The Braves are better than the Pirates.

Pittsburgh Sports Now: Pat Narduzzi gave credit to the Pitt student section.

West Virginia Sports Now: Geno Smith reflects on his selection as Seahawks captain.

Nittany Sports Now: Central Valley DT Brendan Alexander reacts to his Penn State offer.

Pittsburgh Soccer Now: Riverhounds are looking to Loudon.