Articles & Features

What would Hunter S. Thompson, the notorious godfather of gonzo journalism and revered contributor to Rolling Stone, ESPN, and The New York Times, make of the modern NFL? It's a question murmured in smoky corners of dive bars, fiercely debated in the comments sections of nostalgic sports blogs, and contemplated by those who recall an era when the NFL was a spectacle of power and prowess, not a meticulously orchestrated corporate circus. A time when the gladiators of the gridiron were titans, not disposable commodities.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ draft strategy is a tale as old as time itself: pick the best player on the board regardless of position. This was a staple of former general manager Kevin Colbert and seemingly has been passed down to first-year general manager Omar Khan, but with a twist.

In the arena of football, the quarterback stands as the towering figure, the linchpin that can make or break the game. He's not just a player; he's the pulse of the team, the ringleader in the huddle, the one who calls the shots. The question, then, is how we evaluate this pivotal role. The debate is age-old and often contentious: Is "wins" a fitting metric for a quarterback's performance?

Every February, the eyes of the football world converge on Indianapolis for the annual NFL Scouting Combine. This week-long event brings together over three hundred of the most talented college football players who hope to make a strong impression and boost their stock for the upcoming NFL Draft.

In the high-stakes theatre of the NFL, arm strength is a prized attribute that separates the good quarterbacks from the greats. The ability to throw a football with velocity and precision down the field doesn't just measure physical prowess—it speaks to a quarterback's ability to shape the course of a game, to redefine the boundaries of what's possible on the field. In this two-part series, we explore the careers of the ten quarterbacks whose legendary arm strength has etched their names into the annals of NFL history.

The sounds of an NFL pre-season training camp—the crack of helmets, coaches' calls, and players' exertions—mark the intense start of the football season. It's a crucial period when rookies taste the rigors of professional football, veterans steel themselves for another challenging season, and coaches begin molding their teams.

Every NFL Draft Day, fans are captivated by the high-stakes decisions and suspenseful revelations that unfold. But beyond the anticipated player selections, another thrilling element often steals the show: the art of the trade. These strategic maneuvers, involving draft picks or established players, can dramatically shape the future of an NFL franchise.

Imagine a high-stakes poker game, where the prize isn't just a pile of chips but the future of an NFL franchise. This is the NFL Draft, a strategic dance of decision-making, risk-taking, and hopefully, franchise-making. The burning question at the heart of it all: Should teams address their most pressing needs or go for the best player on the board?

Imagine the nerve-racking tension as the clock ticked down, the deafening applause under the lights, and the hopes and dreams hanging heavy in the air – the 2023 NFL Draft, where dreams are made and shattered, was an exciting day for players and fans alike. For college gridiron stars, this was the moment they'd worked towards, the culmination of sweat, grit, and determination.

In Omar Khan’s first season as general manager for the Black and Gold Brigade, he knocked the draft out of the park. Finding value in every round by picking a combination of high-floor potential players as well as high-upside picks the Steelers draft was unmatched.

The College Combine holds a significant place in bridging the gap between high school and college competition. Unlike the NFL Combine, which targets college athletes primed for the professional landscape, the College Combine caters specifically to high school players.

At the combine, the forty-yard dash times typically make all the headlines. However, for quarterbacks, there is a lesser-known measurement that often goes unnoticed by NFL fans: ball velocity. This metric is potentially more important for success at the pro level, but the measurements seem to be mostly hidden from public view.