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Steelers MMQB: NFL Offseason News

Kim Myers
Kim Myers

Still Curtain

Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Lt. Colonel Scot Morgan of the 911th Airlift Wing waves a Terrible Towel as part of a veterans salute before the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Baltimore Ravens in the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Heinz Field. The Ravens won 30-17. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

What We Learned This Week in the NFL Offseason:

  • The Steelers and NFL celebrate Memorial Day
  • Goodell won’t recuse himself in Brady appeal
  • New England must be boring this time of year
  • Madden thinks Super Bowl decision will haunt Pete Carroll
  • Peterson to skip OTAs
  • Steelers Ramon Foster has plans after NFL

Today the Steelers as well as the rest of the NFL community will take time out of their days to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and give thanks to those who gave their lives in defense of our country.

I’ve always been a proud Navy daughter. My parents met each other while both serving in the Navy so I can honestly say that without the military, I would not be here. It’s important on a day like today to remember that Memorial Day is a day for remembering those who sacrificed it all for our freedom.

My father served 23 years in the U.S. Navy and always instilled the importance of celebrating this day and honoring the men and women who never got to come home from deployment like we enjoyed so much whenever he came home.

Here is a Memorial Day tribute from your Pittsburgh Steelers.

Next: Nanny Nanny Doo Doo

He can kind of do whatever he wants

Feb 2, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (left) and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell pose with the Pete Rozelle trophy during the Super Bowl XLIX-Winning Head Coach and MVP Press Conference at Media Center-Press Conference Room B. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

So Tom Brady gets suspended by Roger Goodell from the findings of the Ted Well’s Report. In turn, Brady and the NFLPA file an appeal of the punishment to Roger Goodell. The NFLPA and Brady sent a formal request to Goodell to have him recused from hearing the appeal. In response, Goodell says, “nah.”

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith can pout and stomp his feet as much as he wants about this and all Goodell will do is yawn. The NFLPA can still explore the option of filing a lawsuit against the league and Goodell if they really want to drag this out any further.

Until then, Goodell said that he’s anxious to hear directly from Tom Brady to see if he’s got any “new info” he wants to bring to light that can “get this right.” The funny thing is that you know Goodell is dying to find some kind of justification to reduce Brady’s suspension as part of the deal he most likely brokered with Robert Kraft for the team to withdraw their opposition to the punishments Goodell handed out but he’s got to make it at least look legit so the appeal must go through.

On the other side is DeMaurice Smith who will be determined to make it look like he’s putting up an honest fight against Goodell for the players’ rights to have someone other than the guy handing down the suspensions appealing the length. It’s all just posturing and PR.

Next: Don't you have anything better to do this weekend?

Don’t you have anything better to do?

May 2, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in attendance at the world welterweight championship bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking of posturing, Foxborough, MA is apparently a boring place to be this time of year as about 150 New England Patriots fans had nothing better to do with their Sunday afternoon than to arrange and show up to a “Free Tom Brady” rally at Gillette Stadium.

The rally was organized through social media, according to Conor Orr of Around the NFL. You know who’s not organizing or showing up at a rally for you if you lose your job, even for a little bit, because of some kind of cheating or rule breaking scandal? Tom Brady, that’s who. People need football this badly they’re tailgating in summer for no apparent reason at all. Don’t they know anyone with a pool?

Next: You should have ran it, dummy

This will haunt him forever

Feb 20, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll speaks to the media at the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The whole #Deflategate scandal makes you wonder if this had been made the same kind of big deal had Pete Carroll called a friggin run play from the 3-yard line in the Super Bowl like everyone else with a pulse would have. The Seahawks would have most definitely won Super Bowl XLIX and perhaps the deflating of balls would have been looked at differently had it not come from the Super Bowl Champions.

Hall of Fame coach John Madden thinks that coaching decision is one that will stay with Carroll for the rest of his career.

"“That will torment him forever. Winning one game is hard. Getting to the Super Bowl is hard. Then getting that close and losing has to be tough, because we only remember the winners of the Super Bowl. One of the biggest gaps in sports is the difference between the winning and losing teams of the Super Bowl. They don’t invite the losing team to the White House. They don’t have parades for them. They don’t throw confetti on them. Does it haunt you? Hell yes, it haunts you. I’m still haunted by some championship games.” – John Madden"

I wonder if perhaps there is one particular play that haunts Madden the most? Maybe it happened in a divisional game and not a championship game perhaps? Maybe it wasn’t due to a bad coaching decision but by a twist of fate and, almost “immaculate” luck that it went the other way for him?

Next: Peterson still staying away

Peterson will be a no-show

Sep 21, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; A fan holds up a sign in reference to Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (not pictured) during the first quarter of a game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

NFL media weasel Ian Rapoport is reporting that Vikings RB Adrian Peterson will be in Texas on Tuesday when Minnesota begins their Phase III of the voluntary organized team activities. Rapoport said that Peterson’s plans could change (probably because Rapoport is making it up as he usually does) but that he is expected to skip more OTAs in the hopes he can get either a trade or some of his $44.25 million left on his contract guaranteed.

The workouts are still voluntary at this point so it’s still not a situation where he can be officially deemed a “hold out” or even fined by the franchise for his absences. Peterson is slated to receive a $250K bonus if he’s at 90 percent of OTAs and minicamp so he could be forfeiting that bonus by missing the upcoming week.

Next: Foster on Fantasy Land

Fantasy Land

Aug 10, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers guard Ramon Foster (73) at the line of scrimmage against the New York Giants during the second quarter at Heinz Field. The New York Giants won 18-13. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers guard Ramon Foster attended the NFL Sports Journalism & Communication Boot Camp and will be contributing to Steelers.com for the remainder of the offseason and during the 2015 season. For his first piece Foster describes playing in the NFL as “Fantasy Land” and warns young players about how to sustain themselves once their dream of getting an NFL paycheck has come true.

Foster explains how it’s more important to appreciate what can easily be taken for granted and how difficult it is to adjust to a life where you’re getting 17 giant paychecks for a part of the year and then nothing for the rest of the offseason. This opportunity is afforded to around 1.6 percent of college athletes.

Basically, Foster warns against treating the NFL like it’s a late 90s Puffy and B.I.G. video. Looks like we’ll be getting some more insight from Foster on the life of an NFL player, and particularly a Steeler throughout the season.

Next: Steelers Going International

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Kim Myers

Kim Myers

Editor for Still Curtain, Fansided's Pittsburgh Steelers-themed site. I write for my Dad. I like sports biographies and french fries on my salad.