Steelers Slot CB Beanie Bishop Receives League Honor
Pittsburgh Steelers slot cornerback Beanie Bishop has been named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month, the league announced on Thursday.
Bishop, an undrafted free agent out of West Virginia, had two key interceptions in the Steelers’ win over the New York Jets in Week 7. He then followed with a game-sealing interception in Monday night’s win over the New York Giants. Bishop called his shot that he was going to seal the win.
Bishop revealed last week that the equipment staff is sending both of his interception balls to the Jets facility to get them signed by Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers said on the Pat McAfee Show that he would sign both balls for Bishop.
“I took them to the equipment (staff) and they’re going to send them to their equipment team in New York. Hopefully we get them signed in the next few days,” Bishop said.
Bishop said in his postgame interview that he was looking for Rodgers to sign the two balls but he couldn’t find him.
“I really want to get them signed and frame, for real… We’ll see how that goes, though,” Bishop told NBC’s Melissa Stark.
Bishop was considered a weakness heading into the game. Many thought Rodgers would pick the rookie apart, but it was the opposite. Bishop became the first undrafted rookie in NFL history to have a multi-INT game against a multi-time former MVP QB, per OptaSTATs.
Bishop was nominated for Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week for his standout performance. In addition to the two interceptions, Bishop had six tackles and one tackle for loss in the Steelers’ 37-15 win over the Jets.
Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. It was a surreal moment for Bishop to pick him off twice in primetime.
“For sure, being a big football guy. He’s been in the league since I was a kid. Obviously, have a lot of respect for him,” Bishop said of Rodgers. “He’s going to be in the Hall of Fame one day. Just to get my first interception off him, and he’s being a good sport about it.”
Bishop credited film study on his first pick on Rodgers.
“I felt like I was going to pick it. I felt it,” Bishop said. “Film study, seeing that he was going to attack the middle of the field when he sees split safety. Middle runner, we were working on it throughout the week and made a play on it.”
Read This Next
