It’s been an interesting season for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who’ve managed to go 8-6 with numerous new faces this year, including Aaron Rodgers, D.K. Metcalf, Kenneth Gainwell and others.
Many unheralded players on the Steelers’ roster have stepped up and exceeded expectations, propelling the team to the top of the AFC North with three weeks to go.
That was especially true during Monday night’s 28-15 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Pittsburgh’s four touchdowns came from Metcalf, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Jonnu Smith and Connor Heyward. Coming into the game, the latter three players had just one touchdown combined this season.
Afterwards, Rodgers praised the Steelers’ “castoffs” for their contributions to the victory.
“There are some castoffs if you look at our roster, which makes it really special,” Rodgers told reporters during a press conference, citing Gainwell, Heyward, Valdes-Scantling, Adam Thielen and Asante Samuel Jr. “Says a lot about the character of the guys we brought in.”
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When asked if he considered himself a castoff, too, the 42-year-old quarterback said, “No, I’m not a castoff,” despite being released by the lowly New York Jets in March.
Regardless, Pittsburgh has made some good pickups recently, helping the team overachieve in spite of its age and limited talent. The Steelers will need their role players to keep playing well if they want to clinch a playoff spot over the next few weeks.
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Featured image via Barry Reeger-Imagn Images