A Steelers Depot daily segment. A quick hit of some Pittsburgh Steelers-related stories that may not require a complete article but nuggets worth mentioning and passing on to you guys.
Your Depot After Dark for June 5.
NFL Draft Concern
There is plenty of excitement around the Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the 2026 NFL Draft, and rightfully so. It’ll be a major event for the league and the city. But there are plenty of issues and considerations surrounding the draft, some of which you might not think about.
As outlined by Green Bay’s WTAQ, host of the 2025 NFL Draft, the draft brings hundreds of thousands of people. This also brings the risk of human trafficking, something the city is thinking about how to combat next year.
“Our organization did research when Detroit had the draft last and talked with other local non-profits there, and they saw an increase in emergency hotlines being called and emergency services being needed and placement services as well,” said Hannah Burkle, who runs the Awaken program to combat sex trafficking.
Her company brought the issue to a safety committee meeting on Monday. Possible solutions include creating special ordinances for the draft and more restrictions on businesses often associated with the trafficking business. These are considerations for Pittsburgh that go beyond direct draft logistics.
Ben At Pirates Game
Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is at the ballpark Wednesday night, on hand to watch Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Los Angeles Dodgers. A game that got off to a great start for the home team, going up 7-0.
As of this writing, the Pirates lead 8-5 in the seventh inning. Skenes was filthy early, striking out Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani as the first two batters he faced. He went five innings, striking out eight and giving up three earned runs.
Good Morning Football Update
For those keeping tabs on the state of NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, which has been on hiatus since March, there are a couple of updates. One host is returning while another is leaving. Kyle Brandt, famous for his “angry runs” segment and off-the-wall enthusiasm, confirmed he will return to the show when it goes live again on the West Coast later this summer.
But the entire group won’t stay intact. The Athletic confirmed Jason McCourty won’t be back as one of the show’s hosts. They report former players Manti Te’o and Akbar Gbajabiamila are being considered as potential replacements. The article also explains why the show is moving from New York to Los Angeles. Apparently, the NFL Network didn’t want to pay the New York rent. I guess it’s somehow cheaper in LA.
Peter Schrager’s inclusion in the show has not been determined.
Tomlin And Heyward
Mike Tomlin was as happy as anyone for Cam Heyward’s return to practice Tuesday. He took this photo with Heyward and shared it to his Instagram account with the caption “my man.”
Heyward and Tomlin have worked together since the Steelers drafted Heyward in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Their tradition of walking out of away stadiums together will continue at least another year, though Heyward hopes it’s more.
