Kevin Colbert

Originally, when Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin got his new three two-year contract finalized, it was reported that director of football operations Kevin Colbert was next up to receive one. Fifteen days later, it happened.

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Steelers signed Colbert to a five-year contract extension. Colbert, who was entering the last year of his previous contract, has been with the team for eleven seasons and is the main man behind personnel decisions.

“I am very thankful to Art and Mr. (Dan) Rooney for the opportunity to continue my career with the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Colbert said in a statement. “Our organization will be faced with many challenges in the coming season and beyond. I look forward to working with the Rooneys and Coach Tomlin as we pursue our only acceptable goal — a Super Bowl title.”

“Kevin is without question one of the best in the NFL at his job and we are fortunate that he will continue to lead our football operations into the future,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement.

Under Colbert, Pittsburgh has shined in the draft; particularly with possible Hall of Fame selections, such as safety Troy Polamalu in 2003 and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in 2005. The team has also won two Superbowls during his tenure.

LaMarr Woodley

Though unhappy with his contract, Steelers Pro Bowl linebacker LaMarr Woodley will show up to training camp on time, according to ESPN. Camp opens this Friday for the Steelers’ players.

Woodley, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, is set to make only $550,000 in 2010 and the team has stated they will not renegotiate his contract before the start of the season. Talks are expected to continue in 2011, when Woodley’s a free-agent.

Woodley is probably seeking something close to what Broncos linebacker Elvis Dumervil recently got; a six-year, $61.5 million extension with roughly $43 million in guaranteed money. If the 25-year old Woodley continues producing at a high level — 25 sacks in his last two seasons — Pittsburgh will have no ch0ice but to pay him comparably.

The article points out that using the franchise tag, if stays under the new collective bargaining agreement, is also an option for next season.

Mike Tomlin

Just wanted to update a story from last week when the Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed head coach Mike Tomlin to a three-year contract extension.

Ten days later, the team officially announced the deal: Tomlin is signed through 2012 on a two-year deal, with the third simply becoming an option. The terms of the deal haven’t been released yet, but he’s said to make more than his current $2.5 million annual salary.

“I have been blessed to have the opportunity to be the head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Tomlin said in the news release. “I am excited to have the opportunity to live and work in this great city, and to focus on the true matter at hand, which is winning football games and bringing another Super Bowl title to Pittsburgh.”

Though his team missed the playoffs last season, president Art Rooney II decided to keep Tomlin on board, despite rumors he was on the coaching hot seat.

“Mike Tomlin has proven to be one of the top head coaches in the National Football League in a relatively short time,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in the statement. “His unique ability to lead the team and motivate individuals have been key factors in our success over recent years.”

Mike Tomlin

Any speculation that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was on the hot seat can be squashed as of today.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting Tomlin has agreed to a three-year contract extension through 2014. The terms of the deal aren’t out yet, but is expected to pay him much better than his previous five-year contract he signed in 2007, which had one year remaining.

With the awful offseason the team has had, anyone can argue part of it falls on the coach, so this move will not come without criticism. Though it’s hard to say Tomlin didn’t deserve this; in three seasons, the Steelers are 31-17 with a Super Bowl victory.

Director of football operations, Kevin Colbert, also in the final year of his contract, is expected to receive a new deal as well.

Casey Hampton

This is not a day that the Steelers want to remember. Just hours after the team lost starting right tackle Willie Colon for the season, we now know that Casey Hampton’s home was broken into last week.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the defensive tackle’s house was burglarized by one intruder, who disabled the security system and then stole three flat-screen televisions and jewelery from Hampton.

The house was being watched by one of Hampton’s assistants, who reported the crime to police last Thursday after noticing the items were missing.

Police have yet to capture the intruder.

Willie Colon

Steelers right tackle Willie Colon might have suffered a potentially serious injury this morning doing something very routine.

According to Adam Caplan of Scout.com, Colon injured the Achilles tendon in his right foot during a workout and will have an MRI taken to figure out how bad it is and how much time, if any, he’s expected to miss.

It doesn’t look good, however, as the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is reporting Colon left the Steelers facility on crutches and some in the organization fear he tore the tendon. If so, he’ll have surgery and will miss the entire 2010 season.

The team’s Director of Football Operations, Kevin Colbert, issued this statement on the Steelers official website:

“It is confirmed that offensive tackle Willie Colon has suffered an Achilles injury while working out today. He is still undergoing further evaluations by Steelers’ medical personnel and we will not have anything more to release at this time.”

Colon started every game at right tackle since 2007 and became one of the best run blockers in the NFL. Should he be lost for the season, Pittsburgh might turn to free-agent options such as Flozell Adams to fill the void.

UPDATE: Well, the worst case scenario has come true: Colon tore his Achilles tendon and will have season-ending surgery on Wednesday. Huge blow to the Steelers offensive line and an offense that will already be without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for the first four-to-six games. Guard Trai Essex will likely shift to right tackle, and a free-agent insurance signing shouldn’t be ruled out.

Ben Roethlisberger

In what’s the first step toward getting his football career back on track, suspended Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger re-joined his teammates for offseason practices today.

Roethlisberger wasn’t allowed to participate in OTAs until commissioner Roger Goodell looked over, and signed off on, his behavioral reports.

The next step for Big Ben will be to keep his name out of the headlines, and keep working hard as the season approaches, as his suspension could get knocked down from six games to four, depending on good behavior.

Should he keep his image clean, Roethlisberger will be allowed to take part in all of training camp and play in the exhibition games. Once the season starts, however, and the suspension kicks in, he’ll be barred from all team activities.

Ben Roethlisberger

It’s looking like the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t expected to have a certain quarterback participate at OTAs this week.

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the suspended Ben Roethlisberger most likely won’t return to Steelers offseason practices until next week; which is considered the earliest he will make his return to team functions.

The team is still waiting on the word from commissioner Roger Goodell and, with the owners meetings going on, his decision isn’t expected until the end of the week. Roethlisberger has already completed his behavioral evaluations, his first step in making amends for the disappointment he brought his team, his city, his fans, and frankly, himself.

In the meantime, Dennis Dixon is slated to get more first-team reps in practice, taking over for perceived week-one starter Byron Leftwich.

Byron Leftwich

When Big Ben’s situation first arose, Pittsburgh had no choice but to protect itself at the position, first by retaining long-time backup Charlie Batch, then acquiring Byron Leftwich from the Bucs.

Many thought Batch or the athletic Dennis Dixon would get to fill Roethlisberger’s shoes once his suspension was announced, but as of now it looks like Leftwich will be leading the team out come week one.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter called Leftwich the favorite to command the offense for the first four-to-six weeks, and, as Schefter puts it, it’s “his job to lose”.

Leftwich was running with the first-team offense at the Steelers recent mini-camps and practices, so Schefter’s not going out on a limb too much, but I personally thought Batch would get the nod.

Figure the Steelers to run, run, run the ball until Roethlisberger returns to action.

Whether or not Ben Roethlisberger can join his team for offseason workouts depends on the results of the mandated evaluations that commissioner Roger Goodell handed out as part of Big Ben’s discipline.

According to NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora, the league is still waiting to hear something back after Roethlisberger finished the clinical treatment last week. La Canfora writes that Goodell will act in a “reasoned and measured pace” in making a decision, though one is not imminent.

The Steelers are still expecting him back for their Organized Team Activities early next month, but everybody’s hands are tied until Goodell gets word and makes the final call.