The best of Asked and Answered: June 23

November 8, 2021
DAVID BOGNAR FROM GERMANTOWN, WI: If you had to put together an all-time Steelers front four, who would you put next to Joe Greene at tackle? Would it be Ernie Stautner, Casey Hampton, or Cam Heyward?
ANSWER: I never saw Ernie Stautner play, but I do believe his accomplishments – Hall of Fame inductee, and the first player in franchise history to have his jersey retired – speak to the excellence of his career, and those qualifications would make him a solid selection as a tackle on the Steelers all-time front four. Maybe it’s just my personal preference, but I have a lot of respect for the way Cam Heyward plays and what he brings to the team as a leader and in terms of his playing demeanor. In addition to my personal preference, there is one significant historical fact in Heyward’s favor: In the history of the Steelers franchise, only two interior defensive linemen have been voted first-team All-Pro more than once: Joe Greene and Cam Heyward. So, I would go with Heyward next to Joe Greene because I don’t believe there would be too many offensive lines willing to get down and dirty, if necessary, with those two.

April 5, 2022
LUIS FELIPE FROM CHIHUAHUA, MÉXICO: Would you tell us two of the major upsets or tragic defeats you think the Steelers ever faced, in your opinion?
ANSWER: One of the things it’s important for you to understand is that the inaugural season in the NFL for the franchise was in 1933. That means the Steelers will be participating in their 90th NFL season in 2022, so when you ask questions about the “worst ever” or the “best ever” that’s including A LOT of history. Limiting myself to the post-Noll era, I would point to the 1994 AFC Championship Game loss to San Diego at Three Rivers Stadium, because the Steelers were double-digit favorites over the Chargers and got stung by playing the game not to lose instead of playing to win; and the loss to Green Bay in Super Bowl XLV, because that was sabotaged by turnovers – the pick-six…