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Behind the Steel Curtain

A level-headed news-discussion site with a sense of history and community

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Steelers, Jaguars discussing Brian Thomas Jr trade, per report

Another offseason with a major need at wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It seems like this time around, the Steelers are dedicated to adding depth to their receiver room that they have desperately needed for years now. During his Tuesday press conference at the 2026 NFL Combine, Steelers general manager Omar Khan took ownership […]

Caleb Downs gives shoutout to Steelers legend Troy Polamalu

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Cornerbacks and safeties took to the podium on Thursday to speak with the media at the NFL Combine, and no one drew a bigger crowd than Ohio State’s Caleb Downs. The consensus top safety in this draft class is coming off a strong season with the Buckeyes, picking off two passes and […]

Tracker: Steelers begin NFL Combine interviews

Days into the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, the first reports of the Steelers meeting with prospects are being announced. Especially this early in the process — interviews with offensive players have barely started — Combine interviews aren’t the greatest indicators of team interest. Teams will meet with around 50 players formally at the event and […]

Tracker: Steelers begin NFL Combine interviews

Days into the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, the first reports of the Steelers meeting with prospects are being announced. Especially this early in the process — interviews with offensive players have barely started — Combine interviews aren’t the greatest indicators of team interest. Teams will meet with around 50 players formally at the event and […]

Steelers begin NFL Combine interviews

Four days into the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, the first reports of the Steelers meeting with prospects are being announced. So far, the reported list of formal and informal visits includes one safety, one cornerback, two edge rushers, four defensive linemen, and four linebackers: Especially this early in the process — interviews with offensive players […]

Steelers hold formal meeting with star safety Caleb Downs

The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2026 offseason with just two safeties on their roster – DeShon Elliott and Sebastian Castro. Pittsburgh signed Jabrill Peppers early in the 2025 season and traded for Kyle Dugger ahead of the trade deadline, but both are set to become free agents, as is Chuck Clark, making safety an obvious […]

49ers GM John Lynch: Mike Tomlin ‘challenged me to be better’

Mike Tomlin shocked many when he stepped down as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach on Jan. 13 after 19 seasons with the team. The Steelers moved quickly by hiring Mike McCarthy, but the impact that Tomlin had on the league will last for years to come. At the 2026 NFL Combine, Behind the Steel Curtain […]

Steelers get price tag for QB Malik Willis

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of several teams that will be in the quarterback market once the new league year begins on March 11th. With Aaron Rodgers’ future still up in the air, Pittsburgh will have to look elsewhere for a signal-caller in 2026 should Rodgers decide to retire or explore other options. The consensus […]

Steelers now know when to expect Aaron Rodgers’ decision

The Pittsburgh Steelers are on Aaron Rodgers’ time for the second consecutive offseason, but 2026 appears to be different than 2025, when Rodgers didn’t make his decision official until mandatory minicamp. General manager Omar Khan reiterated during his press conference at the NFL Combine that he didn’t foresee this year dragging on like 2025, and […]

Steelers Read & React: Parish’s 2026 Offseason Blueprint

After a short break following the end of the Steelers’ season, Read & React is back. We’re also starting off the new batch of columns by returning to what was one of our favorite series to write last year: offseason blueprints. If you don’t remember, it’s a fairly simple premise. Before the actual roster building […]

Wednesday links: What are your expectations for DeShon Elliott in 2026?

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: Now, onto some Steelers news and discussion: Lamar Jackson, Kyle Van Noy sound off on NFL’s admission of errors in Steelers-Ravens game (From Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio): The Week 14 Ravens-Steelers game featured multiple […]

Mel Kiper predicts Steelers to take polarizing QB in latest mock draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in desperate need of finding their next franchise quarterback.  Five years after Ben Roethlisberger walked off the field for the final time, the Steelers have played a game of musical chairs looking for the answer. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. thinks he’s found it. In his latest mock draft released […]

John Harbaugh gives shoutout to former Steelers HC Mike Tomlin

Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh sparked arguably the NFL’s best rivalry over the past two decades. For 18 years, Tomlin and Harbaugh’s teams were the class of the AFC North, and each won a Super Bowl during that span. It all came to a poetic finish as the Steelers won the 2025 AFC North title […]

Omar Khan comments on ‘disappointing’ season from Kaleb Johnson

When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Kaleb Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, many expected him to play a vital role in the offense behind Jaylen Warren. Instead, veteran Kenneth Gainwell became a focal point, earning team MVP after a tremendous season, while Johnson’s season was defined by a Week 2 special […]

Omar Khan non-committal on Broderick Jones camp availability

When the Pittsburgh Steelers traded up in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft to select Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones 14th overall, they thought they were getting a key piece to their offensive line for the foreseeable future. While Jones may still be just that, the future seems murky, especially after the neck […]

NFL draft profile 2026: Emmanuel Pregnon (Guard, Oregon)

The 2026 NFL Draft is in Pittsburgh! This draft season, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital, and their fit with the Steelers. The Steelers have recently hit on several picks along […]

Omar Khan, Steelers want RB Kenneth Gainwell back in 2026

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell signed a one-year, $1.79 million contract with the Steelers last March. It seemed like Gainwell would be a distant third in a running back room that included newly-extended Jaylen Warren and rookie third-round pick Kaleb Johnson. That could not have been further from what happened, as […]

Omar Khan provides clarity on Patrick Queen’s roster status

The Pittsburgh Steelers enter 2026 with the eighth-most cap space in the NFL, sitting with approximately $44.7 million. That number can jump up to roughly $57.2 million if they were to part ways with Patrick Queen, who has been labeled as a cut candidate ahead of the new league year. General manager Omar Khan spoke […]

5 Takeaways from Omar Khan’s press conference

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan was the first general manager to speak to the media in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine ahead of what will be a very crucial offseason for the franchise in the first year of the post-Mike Tomlin era. The Steelers’ general manager addressed several lingering question marks […]

Steelers GM Omar Khan takes ownership for poor receiving corps

For the third offseason in a row, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a major need for a wide receiver. After trading for and investing in DK Metcalf long-term, the Steelers still found themselves with depth issues in the room that limited them offensively, especially during the receiver’s suspension at the end of last season. When asked […]

Latest trade prediction sends T.J. Watt to AFC foe

We are in the midst of speculation season, as the new NFL league year is still weeks away. With that in mind, there is plenty of chatter about the Pittsburgh Steelers and the potential moves they could make, both in free agency and on the trade market. One name that has been discussed more and […]

NFL

Let’s talk Steelers: What position should PIT target in the first round?

Happy draft season! It’s the time of year to obsess over a bunch of buzz words and phrases: best player available, positional value — you get the idea. And of course: debating who is really worth Pittsburgh’s first round pick in 2026. What position should PIT target in the first round? Most would agree a […]

Steelers named as perfect fit for fifth-year NFC wideout

As key dates approach in the NFL offseason, one clear goal for the Pittsburgh Steelers is to acquire several wide receivers. NFL free agency opens March 11th, with the 2026 NFL Draft shortly following in Pittsburgh on April 23rd. In 2025, the black and gold struggled mightily in the pass-catching department, as just one wideout […]

Steelers QB target named top 2026 free agent

As the Pittsburgh Steelers await a decision from quarterback Aaron Rodgers on his future, one free-agent gunslinger continues to draw attention. When the black and gold hired head coach Mike McCarthy, many believed the four-time NFL MVP was likely to return. However, a decision has yet to be made, and with NFL free agency around […]

Monday mock draft: Steelers take pair of wide receivers

Every year, the same familiar refrain echoes throughout NFL cities: “This is the most important draft in franchise history.” While that sentiment is often exaggerated, the upcoming draft truly carries a different level of intrigue for the Steelers. For the first time, the organization will draft under head coach Mike McCarthy, marking the beginning of […]