The More You Know, Random facts about your Steelers: St. Pattys, Free Agency and March Madness

Mar 19, 2023 - 6:30 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6HHKGVHRbowIk5oi67gMz4MKmU0=/0x398:3000x2086/1920x1080/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72092159/1446660501.0.jpg" />

It’s the offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers and there are so many topics to talk and write about. Free agents, the coordinator conundrum, the next quarterback, the NFL Draft, signings, retirements and breaking news will all be covered here at BTSC. But who’s going to give you little-known-facts out of the 500 Level?

Luckily, your one-stop, and non-stop, shop for everything Steelers employs a Steelers fan that was allegedly dropped on his head as a one-year-old during the Immaculate Reception. Useless and somewhat fascinating facts are his forte. So, here we are with off-the-wall thoughts from the dark side of a black-and-gold brain that nobody asked for. But the joke’s on you as you’ll be telling your peeps something you read here later.

---

412 Forever

Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

Unrestricted Free Agency that we know so well turns 30 this year. In that time, the first hometown pickup for the Men of Steel was in safety Mike Logan, who signed in 2001. Mike played his high school football for the McKeesport Tigers and had a stellar career as a West Virginia Mountaineer. A second-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1997, Logan was a valuable Steeler and a member of the Super Bowl XL championship team. After 6 seasons in Pittsburgh, McKeesport Mike retired from a solid 10-year NFL career in 2007.

---

BTSC Steelers Jeopardy

(Answer at bottom of article)

---

Steel Facts

With the NCAA Tournament in full swing, it’s interesting to note that the Steelers had one notable player participate in March Madness in their history. Playing for the legendary Bobby Knight at the University of Indiana, Steelers’ receiver Antwaan Randle-El spent his redshirt freshman year as a Hoosiers Hoopster, appearing in 11 games, including two in the NCAA Tournament. Randle El also played baseball, but his main focus was football and the Indiana QB was drafted by the Steelers 62nd overall in the second round of the 2002 Draft.

---

Middle Name Madness - Patrick De’mon Peterson Jr.

We love citing the second name of members of the Men of Steel here at Behind the Steel Curtain. We always cite Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger, Christopher Lynn Boswell and Trent Jordan Watt, but who else? Hence, the “More You Know Middle Name of the Week”. This week we honor a superstar that just joined the Steelers this week.

---

This Week’s Birthdays of Steel

This Week’s Birthdays of Steel

3/19 - Diontae Spencer - 1992

3/20 - Nick Bolkavec - 1928

3/21 - Weegie Thompson - 1961, Ahkello Witherspoon - 1995. Josh Malone - 1996

3/22 - Joey Porter - 1977. John Rienstra - 1963, Sutton Smith - 1996, Stefan Wisniewski - 1989

3/23 - James Saxon - 1965

3/24 - Greg Blankenship - 1954, Jerme Tuman - 1965, Calvin Austin III - 1999a

3/25 - Mike Adams - 1974, Al Woods - 1987

3/26 - Fernando Bryant - 1977, Elton Veals - 1961

---

Disturbing Sights - Eric Green

Not every NFL player retires with their original team, having played with no other franchise. We may try to forget the image of our Steel Heroes wearing another uniform, but it’s a part of fandom and legends sometimes change team colors. Eric Green was a top pick of Chuck Noll’s Steelers in 1990 and pulled in 198 catches with 24 touchdowns in five black-and-gold seasons. But a big money deal came from Miami and Green jetted for a year in South Beach before three years in Baltimore and a final season as a Jet in 1999. It’s a small consolation that Green was never as great elsewhere as he was in the Burgh. However, the sight of No. 86 wearing the aqua & orange, purple and green was disconcerting.

---

Steelers Jeopardy Answer in the Form of a Question: Who is Will Wolford

Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images

The Steelers were looking for a guard in 1996 and Will Wolford wanted to move inside from the left tackle position he had played to that point in his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills and the Indianapolis Colts. The Steelers signed Wolford to indeed play guard, but Dan Rooney also agreed that if the veteran was asked to play left tackle, he would receive a bonus payment for making the move. However, a clerical error saw that bonus being omitted. Due to injuries at the left tackle position in 1998, Rooney kept his word and paid the bonus to stay true, but because the bonus wasn’t in the original contract, the Steelers were forced to surrender a No. 3 pick in the 2001 draft.

---

So, there you have it. Anybody can spout out stat after stat, but not everybody can embrace the colorful and personal side of the Pittsburgh Steelers. So, the more you know, the more you can stupefy your friends, family and neighbors with your big, black-and-gold brain.

---

We’ll see you right here next week. Until then keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the hypocycloids.