Some of those involved in the intense 2000s rivalry between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots reacted to the news on Thursday that Tom Brady has — at least for now — retired from the NFL for a second time.
Bill Cowher gave a shoutout to Tom Brady on his retirement after a 23-year Hall of Fame career. “Thank you @TomBrady. I know how hard it is to walk away. You inspired everyone you worked with. You did it with conviction, work ethic & an unbridled competitive spirit that was second to none. It was an honor to compete against you. and THANK YOU for all you did for the game,” Cowher tweeted along with a GOAT emoji.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Vince Williams also reflected on what it was like playing against the seven-time Super Bowl champion. “The hardest games I’ve ever played were always against Tom Brady, the Goat. Gonna miss those 2 minute drills,” Williams tweeted.
Vince Williams believes Ben Roethlisberger was a better quarterback than both Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers.
Brady moving his retirement a year back means he and Roethlisberger will no longer share a Hall of Fame class.
? Pat Freiermuth said on Ben Roethlisberger’s “Footbahlin” podcast that Kenny Pickett’s presence in the huddle in the two-minute offense from the beginning of the year to the end was like “two completely different people.”
? Pro Football Focus: Brad Spielberger ranked Cam Sutton as the third-best cornerback that’s heading into free agency in 2023. “Sutton signed a two-year, $9 million deal in 2021 that he outplayed in 2022, earning a 71.0 coverage grade and allowing just 411 receiving yards — the ninth fewest among cornerbacks with at least 400 coverage snaps on the season,” Spielberger wrote. “Sutton’s versatility as a defensive back who can still line up in the slot when called upon provides added value for interested teams, as well.”
? Pro Football Focus: Sam Monson thinks cornerback is the biggest need for the Steelers this offseason. “Pittsburgh doesn’t have a bad cornerback group, but they are missing someone who can go toe-to-toe with some of the elite playmakers the NFL has at receiver,” Monson wrote. “Cameron Sutton earned the best coverage grade of the group in 2022, allowing 50.0% of targets into his coverage to be caught. Levi Wallace has a great underdog story but gave up 15.8 yards per catch and over 600 yards over the season. The Steelers can still impact quarterbacks with their pass rush, but they need a cornerback group capable of enhancing that threat with better coverage.”
? Wednesday marked the 51st anniversary of the Steelers selecting future Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris in the 1972 NFL Draft.
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STEELERS/NFL SCHEDULE
? 12:30 p.m: Senior Bowl practice No. 3 in Mobile. Alan Saunders, Nick Farabaugh
? 7 p.m: Pro Bowl Skills Competition in Las Vegas.
? 8:30 p.m: East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas.
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