PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers have tendered an offer to restricted free agent wide receiver Mike Wallace.

The Steelers did not release what the players were tendered, though general manager Kevin Colbert said recently the team would do what it could to keep Wallace. The Steelers have the right to match any offer made to Wallace or would receive compensation if he signs with another team, likely a first-round draft pick.

Wallace made the Pro Bowl this season after leading the Steelers with 72 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011. He’s one of the NFL’s top deep threats with an average of 18.7 yards per reception.

The Steelers also tendered offers to CB Keenan Lewis, S Ryan Mundy, TE David Johnson and offensive linemen Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster.

PITTSBURGH (AP)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have tendered an offer to restricted free agent wide receiver Mike Wallace.

The Steelers did not release what the players were tendered, though general manager Kevin Colbert said recently the team would do what it could to keep Wallace. The Steelers have the right to match any offer made to Wallace or would receive compensation if he signs with another team, likely a first-round draft pick.

Wallace made the Pro Bowl after leading the Steelers with 72 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011. He’s one of the NFL’s top deep threats with an average of 18.7 yards per reception during his three-year career.

The Steelers also tendered offers to CB Keenan Lewis, S Ryan Mundy, TE David Johnson and offensive linemen Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster.

Colbert was adamant during last month’s NFL combine that re-signing Wallace was a priority. The Steelers are thin at wide receiver following the release of veterans Hines Ward and Arnaz Battle and Jerricho Cotchery’s free agency.

Wallace said repeatedly throughout the season and in recent weeks through his Twitter account that he wants to remain in Pittsburgh, where he has developed a solid rapport with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and is the leader of a talented young group that includes Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders.

If Wallace returns he’ll be playing for a revamped coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley replaces Bruce Arians and assistant Amos Jones will coach the running backs while Kirby Wilson recovers from a late-December fire in his home that left him with third-degree burns.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Monday that Wilson’s recovery is going well and he expects Wilson to return at some point next season.

”He has surprised the doctors with the rate of recovery,” Tomlin said of Wilson. ”Obviously, we still have a long way to go, but it has been just awesome to watch him go through this process and see the improvement in him.”

Tomlin is also eager to get to work with Haley, calling it a ”ridiculous bonus” that the former Kansas City Chiefs head coach was available. Tomlin isn’t sure what the offense will look like when Haley is done with it but is eager to watch the process.

”Obviously, I think we need to have a defined personality, but that’s centered around playing to our strengths,” Tomlin said. ”That changes, of course, depending on what our strengths are. Obviously, we have a solid, franchise-type quarterback. We have some emerging outside talent at wide receiver … Our personality, obviously, is going to be one that is built and geared toward our strengths.”

PITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh Steelers have tendered an offer to restricted free agent wide receiver Mike Wallace.

The Steelers did not release what the players were tendered, though general manager Kevin Colbert said recently the team would do what it could to keep Wallace. The Steelers have the right to match any offer made to Wallace or would receive compensation if he signs with another team, likely a first-round draft pick.

Wallace made the Pro Bowl after leading the Steelers with 72 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011. He’s one of the NFL’s top deep threats with an average of 18.7 yards per reception during his three-year career.

The Steelers also tendered offers to CB Keenan Lewis, S Ryan Mundy, TE David Johnson and offensive linemen Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster.

Colbert was adamant during last month’s NFL combine that re-signing Wallace was a priority. The Steelers are thin at wide receiver following the release of veterans Hines Ward and Arnaz Battle and Jerricho Cotchery’s free agency.

Wallace said repeatedly throughout the season and in recent weeks through his Twitter account that he wants to remain in Pittsburgh, where he has developed a solid rapport with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and is the leader of a talented young group that includes Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders.

If Wallace returns he’ll be playing for a revamped coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley replaces Bruce Arians and assistant Amos Jones will coach the running backs while Kirby Wilson recovers from a late-December fire in his home that left him with third-degree burns.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Monday that Wilson’s recovery is going well and he expects Wilson to return at some point next season.

”He has surprised the doctors with the rate of recovery,” Tomlin said of Wilson. ”Obviously, we still have a long way to go, but it has been just awesome to watch him go through this process and see the improvement in him.”

Tomlin is also eager to get to work with Haley, calling it a ”ridiculous bonus” that the former Kansas City Chiefs head coach was available. Tomlin isn’t sure what the offense will look like when Haley is done with it but is eager to watch the process.

”Obviously, I think we need to have a defined personality, but that’s centered around playing to our strengths,” Tomlin said. ”That changes, of course, depending on what our strengths are. Obviously, we have a solid, franchise-type quarterback. We have some emerging outside talent at wide receiver … Our personality, obviously, is going to be one that is built and geared toward our strengths.”

Read More: Mike Wallace (WR – PIT), Pittsburgh Steelers

The deadline to apply the franchise tag came and went on Monday afternoon and the Pittsburgh Steelers stood flat. This means that receiver Mike Wallace did not receive the franchise tag. Instead, the Steelers are expected to place a first- round tender on him.

The first-round tender means that any team can offer him a contract and, if the Steelers choose not to match. they can give the Steelers a first round pick in exchange for Wallace. The previous CBA set the highest tender level at first and third round picks but the new CBA drops that to just a first round pick so there’s some concern out there that a team will offer Wallace a big deal that the Steelers can’t match.

Pittsburgh has been restructuring multiple contracts in the past few weeks to create cap space so they’re in better shape than they were even a week ago. They’re confident they’ll be able to keep Wallace in Pittsburgh.

For more on the Steelers, visit SB Nation’s Steelers blog, Behind The Steel Curtain. And for more on Pittsburgh sports, check out SB Nation Pittsburgh.

Mike Wallace won’t be receiving a franchise tag from the Pittsburgh Steelers after all, inside sources for the team say the Steelers’ front office will not, not franchise their sought after free agent.

Because the team won’t franchise tag Wallace the Steelers in turn will be able to match any offers from other potential suitors or receive a first-round pick in return for his services.

According to ESPN:

“The highest qualifying offer for Wallace is about $2.75 million, nearly matching the amount that Pittsburgh is now under the salary cap. To franchise Wallace would cost Pittsburgh $9.5 million, which it currently does not have the salary-cap space to absorb.”

GM Kevin Colbert told reporters at last weeks combine that he was determined to keep the wide receiver. Colbert said it was his belief that Wallace wants to stay in Pittsburgh and they will work together to make sure that goal is realized.

While both sides would like to see a deal get done Wallace last week told SiriusXM NFL Radio:

“[Pittsburgh is] where I would like to be, but we all know that it is a business and you have certain things you have to handle. So if I have to go elsewhere, you know Pittsburgh will always be in my heart, but I have to do what I have to do.”

Letting Wallace go would deal a blow to the Steelers organization after he received for 1,193 yards last season with eight touchdowns, good enough to get the wide receiver selected to his first Pro Bowl appearance.

Wallace has led the Pittsburgh Steelers in receiving touchdowns the past two seasons while tying for the team’s best during his rookie year.

Do you think letting Mike Wallace go would be a big mistake on behalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers front office?

PITTSBURGH – Former Central Michigan University star Antonio Brown made the Pro Bowl in only his second season in the NFL, earning the spot as a kick returner.

The Pro Bowl may have  been one of the last times Brown will return kicks, according to reports coming out of Pittsburgh.

Brown was the first player in NFL history to have more than 1,000 receiving yards and 1,000 return yards in the same season.

The Steelers, however, have made it known that they would like receiver Emmanuel Sanders to take over return duties to spare Brown the rigors of receiving and returning kicks.

Brown played three years for CMU, leaving to enter the draft after the 2009 season. During his final season, Brown caught 110 passes for 1,198 yards and nine touchdowns.

He was a sixth-round pick by the Steelers in 2010.

post-gazette.com: Do not think Brown won’t get a chance to return any punts. Like Coach Mike Tomlin did several years ago with Santonio Holmes, Brown could go back on punt returns in special situations when the Steelers need a big play.

But his opportunity to make a lot of plays, for now, might be limited.

The Steelers had already clinched a playoff slot, so Sunday’s regular-season finale against Cleveland may have seemed meaningless.

Despite the 13-9 final score, it was anything but. Not only was there the chance to win the AFC North title and a first-round bye, but several players also had the opportunity to set milestones during the game.

Antonio Brown, the Steelers MVP, had 90 yards receiving and reached 1,100 yards to join Mike Wallace, making them the third Steeler tandem to accomplish the feat. Hines Ward and Plaxico Burress did it in 2002, while Ward did it again in 2009 with Santonio Holmes.

Then there was quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who topped 4,000 yards passing. It was the second time in his career he had done so, and the win was the 80th of his career in just his 113th start. He joined elite company, including Tom Brady, Ken Stabler and Roger Staubach.

Tight end Heath Miller also reached a pinnacle, tying Hall of Famer Lynn Swann in career receptions for fourth place in Steeler history.

But if you ask any player on the team, including those three, their achievements paled in comparison to the one they wanted for Ward.

Ward already has played in four Pro Bowls and three Super Bowls, and has an MVP award from Super Bowl XL to his name. He owns 13 team receiving records. But with five catches, giving him 1,000 for his career, Ward would pretty much claim his ticket to Canton.

“All week I was just trying to say, ‘Man, I just want to win.’ Because we still have a chance (to win) the AFC North and get that bye week,” Ward said. “I think winning meant more to me than anything, but in the back of my mind I thought, ‘Man, it would be great to get 1,000 catches.’ “

Ward admitted he was nervous as that thought and the game drew closer.

On the first offensive play of the fourth quarter, Ward took a shovel pass from Roethlisberger. Although it went for negative yardage, it was the 1,000th of his career.

“My 1,000th catch, my whole career here, this is amazing,” Ward said. “Coming to the NFL, I was just proud to be in the NFL. My goal wasn’t to catch a thousand balls or anything. But through hard work and perseverance and being able to stay healthy … here I am. It’s an elite club to be in.”

Hall of Famer Jerry Rice is the only other player to have both 1,000 receptions and multiple Super Bowl rings, and just eight other players have reached 1,000 catches.

“We’ve been counting down since week one for him to do it, and it took till Week 17 in the fourth quarter,” safety Troy Polamalu said. “But he got it and deserves it. He’s been in a run-first offense for so long. I don’t know who else is on that list, but it would be interesting to see because being in Pittsburgh and putting up the numbers he did in a run-first offense for maybe 10 of his first 14 years, he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.”

The words throughout the locker room echoed Polamalu.

“Man, he is one of the greatest ever in my book,” defensive lineman Brett Keisel said. “He has the same kind of story that I do and that is why I respect him so much. He played special teams, worked his way into the receiver role, and now 1,000 receptions, that is amazing. He is one of the all-time greats. There is no doubt he’ll be in the Hall of Fame. It’s been a honor to play with him.”

“I can’t say enough about Hines,” tackle Max Starks said. “I’ve been his teammate for eight years now, and he’s amazing, the things he can do. I’m very glad he hit that milestone and he is very deserving of it.”

“He’s a great player, a Hall of Famer, a role model,” Wallace said. “He’s like a big brother to me. He doesn’t say much, he just comes ready to play. It was on the top of our list to get Hines his catches and I’m glad we did.”

The question now: is this the curtain call for an athlete who has played the game with the tenacity of a throwback player? Although his contract runs through 2012, Ward wasn’t ready to talk about that. Instead he was focused on the playoffs and helping Pittsburgh to another Super Bowl appearance.

“I just want to thank all the guys. I think they were my biggest fans,” Ward said. “To catch a 1,000 balls is big, considering playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers you have to worry about the weather conditions. I’m just focused on doing what I can do to help this team and the younger guys make the playoffs.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Denver Broncos in the wildcard round on Sunday, January 8. Unfortunately for them, they will be down one of their biggest offensive weapons. No, I’m not talking about Ben Roethlisberger. The quarterback is expected to be fine for the game. Instead, Pittsburgh will have to win without their top running back. The Steelers have placed Rashard Mendenhall on the injured reserve list as a result of a torn ACL. Without him, the Steelers will need other backs to step up and run the football if they want to advance past the Broncos.

Mendenhall suffered the torn ACL in the regular season finale against the Cleveland Browns. Mendenhall had just eight carries at the time he suffered the injury. The diagnosis was later confirmed by the Steelers and the move to place him on the IR list was done swiftly. Mendenhall will have surgery later in January and need at least several months to recover from the ACL injury. However, there is still reason to believe he will make a full recovery. ACL injuries can vary in how long they take to heal but the hope is that Mendenhall will be able to play in the 2012 season opener. With the time of the injury, that will be a question mark. But he will see the field in 2012.

Without Mendenhall, the Steelers are down their top rusher. He leads the team with 928 yards on the ground and nine touchdowns. His 228 carries are more than twice the total of any other running back on the team. Isaac Redman figures to take the bulk of the carries against Denver. He ran the ball 19 times against the Browns in the regular season finale and has 479 rushing yards on the season. The performance of Redman will be key for the Steelers, especially given the sore ankle for Roethlisberger. But he has proven himself to be a capable backup and should perform well in this game. But even if that happens, the Steelers will still miss the big play potential of their top back. More than ever, the Steelers will have to rely on their stellar defense.

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