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A weekly Steelers (and AFC North) links roundup.
It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for a weekly Steelers links roundup at BTSC. But first, let’s take a look around the AFC North:
- Ravens sign RB Derrick Henry to two-year extension (Baltimore Beatdown)
- Shemar Stewart still sitting out; Further details emerge over contract dispute (Cincy Jungle)
- Browns 2025 season: What’s the point? (Dawgs By Nature)
Now, onto some Steelers news and discussion:
Bengals work out former Steelers DT Montravius Adams May 19
(From Penn Live’s Nick Farabaugh): The Cincinnati Bengals are hosting former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Montravius Adams for a visit on Monday. This is Adams’ first visit since his release from the Steelers following the NFL Draft.
Adams spent four seasons in Pittsburgh from 2021-24. Over that span, he started 21 games and recorded 72 total tackles, one sack, and six tackles for loss. Released on April 28, the eight-year veteran is now looking for his fourth NFL team.
The Steelers cut Adams presumably to give him a better shot at making a roster elsewhere after drafting two defensive linemen in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Bengals defense was bottom-10 in the league in both points and yards last season.
Steelers OLB Jack Sawyer: “I just love football”
(From Steelers.com’s Teresa Varley): “My dad is a football junkie,” said Sawyer. “Ever since I was little, I would be watching games with my dad. I’d be throwing the football when I was one, two years old, watching games with him on the couch. He said he could tell from an early age that I had a love for the game. I think it started with watching football together on television every Saturday and Sunday and always dreaming about having a chance to do what I’m able to do now. It’s just hard to explain.”
In the feature, Sawyer talks about his belief that games are decided by a handful of plays. That philosophy, combined with Sawyer’s film study and nonstop motor, explain his knack for creating clutch plays during his time with Ohio State. It’s also a big reason why the Steelers drafted him.
Steelers rookie RB Kaleb Johnson on versatility: “I could be a Derrick Henry back or I could be a Dalvin Cook back”
(From NFL.com’s Kevin Patra): “I feel like I’m a versatile back. I could be a Derrick Henry back, or I could be a Dalvin Cook back,” Johnson recently told the team’s official website. “And I feel like that’s what separates me from a lot of backs in the league and in this class that I came into because I just feel like, you know, overall. I feel like I’m a fast back, and I could be a strong back, also catch the ball in the backfield and be reliable.”
Kaleb Johnson has high expectations for himself — at rookie minicamp he was talking about wanting to win Rookie of the Year, Super Bowls, and gain All-Pro nods. Wanting to be a mix of Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook — both talented zone runners — is also a lofty goal, but it’s not a bad ceiling for the rookie running back. Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice even called Johnson “honey I shrunk Derrick Henry” in the pre-draft process.
NFL owners vote to permit players to participate in 2028 Summer Olympics flag football
(From NFL.com’s Grant Gordon): NFL owners passed a resolution, 32-0, on Tuesday at the Spring League Meeting that will allow league players to try out to participate in flag football during the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. A maximum of one player from each team will be allowed to participate and each club’s designated international player is also permitted to take part for his country.
The next Summer Olympics will be July 14-30, 2028. That will certainly overlap with portions of training camp, and the NFL is working on details regarding injury possibilities, playing conditions, and salary implications. There are a lot of hurdles left to clear, but allowing NFL participation in Olympic flag football is a massive marketing opportunity for the league that will not impact most of its players.
Of course, there’s the question of how well NFL players will transition to flag football. Yes, they are the best football players in the world, but flag football is an entirely different sport. There’s far less physicality and it’s a game built almost entirely on speed and agility; instead of breaking tackles, you have to make sure your flag doesn’t get pulled.
That means the NFL players on the team won’t necessarily be a 1:1 replica of the All-Pro roster.
As for how the game looks, I’d recommend checking out some highlights from past international flag football matchups. It doesn’t look like the NFL. The field is 70 yards long and 25 yards wide, including 10-yard end zones. The offense is composed of one quarterback, three receivers, and one running back, while the defense has one designated rusher and four defensive backs in coverage.
Scoring and downs are a bit different, too. You can check out the Olympic rulebook here for all the details.
Which Steeler would make the Olympic flag football team?
Right now, the Steelers don’t seem like a team that would have a frontrunner for Team USA’s Olympic flag football squad, but in three years that might be different. On the Pittsburgh roster right now, Calvin Austin III and his blazing 4.32 speed is an obvious choice.
However, my top pick would probably be safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is a great athlete himself, and he’s played plenty of single-high safety in the NFL on a field that’s 53 yards wide — 25 would be even easier. Plus, with 20 interceptions and four touchdowns over his career, he’s a proven playmaker.
If you have some time to kill, I’d also love to hear your thoughts on what a 10-man flag football team of NFL players would look like this season. What about a team of all-time Steelers?
What are your thoughts on NFL players in Olympic flag football? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments below!