Contrary to Jay Glazer’s opinion, Big Ben appears to be back, and in pretty good shape. The Steelers yesterday released a video showing the quarterback throwing passes to teammates James Conner, Ryan Switzer, and JuJu Smith-Schuster at Quaker Valley High School, and he was letting it loose with his surgically-repaired right elbow. The video ends with Smith-Schuster pointing at the camera saying, “He’s back. Stay tuned.”
Roethlisberger had surgery eight months ago after a season-ending injury suffered in Week Two. At the time, he said he would not shave or cut his hair until he could throw “a legit NFL pass” to a teammate.
His haircut and beard-trim was done at Norman’s Cut N Edge Barbership in Sewickley, and violates the governor’s ban on hair-styling salons being open. The salon’s website says it is open for online appointments only.
The caption on yesterday’s video was “Feels good to be back out there with my guys.”
NFL
If the NFL season is played without fans, it could mean a loss of big bucks across the league. Forbes.com estimates the league would lose more than $5.5 billion in revenue without spectators, and that does not take into account the businesses that rely on big game-day crowds. Using numbers from the 2018 season, the team that would lose the most would be the Dallas Cowboys, at more than 600-million dollars. Next would be the New England Patriots, then the New York Giants, the Houston Texans, and the New York Jets.
The Steelers would lose an estimated $156 million, which would place them 15th among the league’s 32 teams.
The NFL owners’ meeting will be held today electronically, and one of the items on the agenda is amending the Rooney Rule, which is designed to encourage the hiring of minority candidates for head coaching jobs. The new rules would require at least two interviews of minority candidates for head coach and at least one for a coordinator’s position from outside of a team’s organization. Other changes to be voted upon are a rule that would allow assistant coaches to be interviewed at any time for an open coordinator’s position, and moving a team up in the third round of the draft if it hires minority coaches or general managers.
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