Jim Nantz Gets Honest About Steelers
Those of us at home on Sundays have the privilege of changing the channel or tuning into the Red Zone Channel to avoid a bleak game or unfavorable slate. A brave few might find a nice fall activity to fill the afternoon, like going to the pumpkin patch.
Advertisement
The poor souls in the broadcast booth don't have that opportunity, giving them a vested interest in the schedule release.
Among them is Jim Nantz, CBS's top play-by-play commentator. With CBS getting the bulk of AFC games, he's bound to get a handful of Pittsburgh Steelers games on his docket.
Subsequently, Nantz had a request for the Steelers after the schedule release.
"We have a heavy Pittsburgh influence on our schedule," Nantz said on NFL Network Wednesday (h/t CBS Sports). "There's a lot there to like about the Steelers, especially if they're good. ... [So] I don't know if you're watching, Aaron Rodgers. I hope you are. But I want you to know ... [that] just a few of my colleagues and some friends, we wanna see you in the Steel City this season.'
Advertisement
Some have taken issue with Nantz's quip, but the announcer was having fun with a situation almost everyone agrees on.
There's a real chance veteran Mason Rudolph starts for Pittsburgh in 2025, and with that comes the possibility of him finding real success. But nobody wants to go down that path, and for good reason. The Steelers are a better team with Rodgers on the roster. They're a more entertaining team with Rodgers under center, too.
The 41-year-old passer might continue Pittsburgh's trudge through quarterback purgatory. Still, there is upside in the unknown. If there's an option that has even a slim chance of helping the Steelers look like an AFC contender, it's Rodgers.
"We need the Steelers to be good," Nantz said. "They need you. I saw you play last year. ... I know you can still play. You get doubled-up with Mike Tomlin and T.J. Watt on that defense. I think it'd be a great thing. Let's get this thing done. I'm just making a personal appeal: We want you, we need you, and we look forward to seeing you."
Advertisement
Nantz joked that his CBS colleagues would be willing to pay Rodgers seven figures to finalize the deal.
In a conference with five titans at quarterback and several budding stars, Pittsburgh is inherently one of the lesser options to watch in the AFC. Rodgers, if nothing else, gives the Steelers some storylines to speculate about.
Related: 3 Reasons Why Steelers Should Start Will Howard
Related: ESPN Power Rankings Perpetuates Steelers' Status Quo
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
41 minutes ago
- CBS News
Tanya Simon named as executive producer of "60 Minutes"
Award-winning journalist Tanya Simon has been named executive producer of "60 Minutes," America's #1 news program. Her new role was announced Thursday by Tom Cibrowski, president and executive editor of CBS News. Simon has been with "60 Minutes" for 25 years, most recently serving as interim executive producer since the departure of the show's previous leader, Bill Owens, in April. She is just the fourth executive producer in the broadcast's 57-year history, and the first woman in the role. "Tanya Simon understands what makes '60 Minutes' tick. She is an innovative leader, an exceptional producer, and someone who knows how to inspire people," Cibrowski said in a statement. "Tanya knows that the success of today's '60 Minutes' depends on delivering a weekly mix of the most informative, impactful and entertaining stories and investigative journalism from around the world. This is the true essence and foundation of '60 Minutes.'" "It is a privilege to lead '60 Minutes' and its formidable team of journalists," Simon said. "'60' is in a class of its own, upholding a legacy of extraordinary and thought-provoking journalism for more than half a century. I'm deeply committed to this level of excellence and I look forward to delivering an exciting season of signature '60' stories that cover a wide range of subjects for a broad audience and engage viewers with their world." Simon was named interim executive producer in April, steering the program through the end of its 57th season. She previously served as the executive editor of "60 Minutes" for six seasons, helping to oversee the program's editorial process. Prior to that, she was a senior producer whose responsibilities included overseeing digital content for and supervising production of "60 Minutes Sports," a monthly program that ran on Showtime. Simon has been contributing to "60 Minutes" for most of her career, playing key roles in some of the broadcast's highest-profile investigations, features and profiles. She joined the staff in 2000, working with correspondent Ed Bradley on a wide range of stories, including reports on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Duke University lacrosse rape case, and a rare interview with Bob Dylan. Simon went on to produce for nearly all of the "60 Minutes" correspondents over the next decade, including Steve Kroft, Lesley Stahl, Scott Pelley, Anderson Cooper, and Bob Simon, her father. During that time, she produced news-making interviews with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and hero pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, as well as profiles of rapper Eminem and Olympic snowboarding gold medalist Shaun White. She reported extensively on Boston Irish mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger, including his capture after 16 years on the run, and on Lance Armstrong's use of performance-enhancing drugs to win bicycle races. Simon began her career at CBS News in 1996 as a researcher for "48 Hours," where she rose to become an associate producer and producer before moving to "60 Minutes." Her work has earned virtually every major broadcast honor, including multiple Emmy Awards, the Peabody and the DuPont-Columbia Award.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Steelers' TJ Watt Doesn't Hold Back About 2025 NFL Season
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The 2025 NFL season is underway with training camp and the Pittsburgh Steelers are once again looking like a top-tier contender. With an offseason full of big-time moves and aggressiveness, including the recent long-term extension for superstar pass rusher T.J. Watt, the Steelers have gone all-in. Outside of the Watt move, Pittsburgh made plenty of other key additions. Of course, the signing of future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a one-year deal was a big move. Making the early offseason trade for star wide receiver DK Metcalf was another. More recently, the Steelers traded for both Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the game against the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium on October 20, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the game against the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium on October 20, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Photo byEntering the upcoming campaign, it's clear that Pittsburgh only has one goal. The organization wants to win a championship. Read more: Cleveland Browns' QB Plan Is Bad News for Shedeur Sanders In recent years, the Steelers have come up short in the playoffs. Omar Khan did not hold back from making aggressive moves as he looks to break that trend and win big. With that in mind, Watt spoke out about Pittsburgh. He did not hold back his thoughts after signing his new lucrative three-year, $123 million contract. As shared by The Athletic, Watt is clearly motivated to pursue a championship. "You see the aggressiveness that we're taking organizationally," Watt said. "I'm doing everything I can personally, whether that's moving around (the defensive front), mentoring younger guys as much as I possibly can, asking guys who have won Super Bowls before, whether here in this building or not, what we can do. And I think that's really all that we can do. And just keep putting our heads down and working." He continued on, talking more about the team's championship aspirations. "We can sit here and talk and talk and talk about not winning a playoff game (and) how much I want to do it. But at the end of the day, that's just lip service. It's all about what we do. That's why I'm excited to be back here. That's why I'm excited to get to know each and every guy on this new team that we have and get to work." Read more: Jets' Justin Fields Sends Clear Message About 2025 Season Watt is going to be a huge part of the Steelers' push to win it all. Keeping him in town was a major priority, although the contract talks took longer than fans would have liked. Now that training camp is underway, Pittsburgh has started the process of coming together as a team and learning each other. There are a lot of new faces, but the Steelers feel very confident that they'll be able to compete at the highest level. For more Pittsburgh Steelers and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
New Steelers RB Kaleb Johnson to train with Le'Veon Bell
Oh, what could have been. In the pantheon of great Pittsburgh Steelers running backs, Le'Veon Bell had the chance to be the GOAT. He really did. His rushing style was unique but his production was undeniable. However, Bell let a contract get in the way of greatness and cut a truly elite career short. In recent years, Bell has mended fences with the team and the fans and you can see he still wants to be connected to the organization. One way he's going to do it is by working with rookie running back Kaleb Johnson. Johnson spoke to NFL reporter Kay Adams talked to Johnson and he said that he's going to work out with Bell to improve some areas of his game. The main area Johnson wants to improve is pass protection. This is something Johnson wasn't asked to do a ton at Iowa and despite behing more of a receiver than blocker was something Bell became very good at. Johnson also praised Bell for his "kinda weird" running style and appreciated his patience and how he runs at his own pace. Johnson joins the Steelers as a former third-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft and will battle it out with veteran Jaylen Warren for the starting job during training camp. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: New Steelers RB Kaleb Johnson to train with Le'Veon Bell
