Wednesday links: Is the draft worth attending in person?

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for a weekly Steelers links roundup at BTSC. But first, let’s take a look around the AFC North:

Now, onto some Steelers news and discussion:

(From Steelers.com’s Teresa Varley): The Steelers named Jason Simmons defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs, Scott McCurley inside linebackers coach and Steve Scarnecchia chief of staff on Monday.

It’s the season of reports, so it’s worth updating the list of who has officially signed to the Pittsburgh coaching staff. Per Steelers.com:

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• Mike McCarthy: head coach

• Tom Arth: quarterbacks coach

• James Campen: offensive line coach

• Ramon Chingyoung Sr.: running backs coach

• Adam Henry: wide receivers coach

• Jahri Evans: assistant offensive line coach

• Patrick Graham: defensive coordinator

• Jason Simmons: defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach

• Scott McCurley: inside linebackers coach

• Steve Scarnecchia: chief of staff

(From Stripe Hype’s Glenn Adams): Unfortunately for the Bengals, the rival Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens lead all NFL teams with four projected compensatory picks.

The AFC North Champion Steelers may receive picks thanks to losing Dan Moore Jr (3rd round), Justin Fields (4th), Russell Wilson (6th), and Donte Jackson (6th). … It appears the Ravens are in line for their multiple compensatory picks thanks to Brandon Stephens (5th), Patrick Mekari (5th), Tre’Davious White (7th), and Josh Jones (7th).

While the official compensatory picks for the 2026 NFL Draft haven’t been announced yet, the Steelers and Ravens are expected to profit off the formula the most. The Browns and Bengals, on the other hand, aren’t projected to have any extra picks in Over the Cap’s latest estimations.

(From Awful Announcing’s Ben Axelrod): When asked about Vahe Gregorian’s explanation for not voting Belichick, King said that he understands the rationale, even though he believes it to be flawed. In fact, it was the same logic that the former Monday Morning Quarterback author used when he didn’t vote for former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu in his first year of eligibility, a snub he now regrets in retrospect.

“I used similar rationale, which I came to regret, the year that Troy Polamalu got in,” he said. “If you are on the Hall of Fame committee, you have to abide by the bylaws of the Hall of Fame. And the bylaws say that you have to vote for who you think is most deserving.

Polamalu ended up as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, so King’s choice didn’t matter much in the long run. But he does provide an interesting insight into the mindsets of the sometimes-controversial Hall of Fame voters.

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(From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Christopher Kuhagen): McCarthy, hired last month to replace Mike Tomlin as the Steelers’ head coach, appears to be running through all his Green Bay contacts from early in his tenure to the final years, calling up trusted old friends to run his offense, defense and beyond. … Here’s a full list of McCarthy’s new staff that had a Packers connection with him when he was coaching in Green Bay from 2006-18:

On its own, it’s hardly a talking point for or against McCarthy, but there’s no denying that the vast majority of Pittsburgh’s hires have previous ties to the Steelers’ new head coach. Kuhagen’s article provides a nice breakdown of every such connection.

(From Still Curtain’s Tommy Jaggi): The 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh will feature a two-site draft campus. The first site will be held just outside of Acrisure Stadium on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. This will be the official site of the draft itself, which includes the Draft Theater and Main Stage, where each selection will be announced.

The second site for the 2026 NFL Draft will be held on the other side of the three-river connection, just across Fort Pitt Bridge, at Point State Park. This will be the location for the Draft Experience, featuring interactive activities, youth programming, food and beverage offerings, and immersive NFL exhibits designed for fans of all ages.