Archives

October 27, 2011

Twitter contest-Keisel style

Halloween is around the corner as is a big game for the Steelers! Keisel wants to celebrate both by holding a contest to give a fan two tickets to the game against New England this Sunday!

From Brett's Twitter page tonight:

"Enter for 2 tix to Sunday's game tweet me a pic of you in your best Keisel costume for Halloween. Winner will be chosen at random. Good luck!"

Brett's Twitter handle is @bkeisel99. The link is also at the top right of this page. If you are not on Twitter, you can sign up here. It's quick and easy-and free!

The contest ends at 9:00 a.m. EST on October 28, 2011.

Can't wait to see the winner...good luck to all of you!

Nice article from Jim Wexell, SteelCityInsider.net on Heath Miller...with several witty comments by Mr. Keisel throughout it. Thanks to Mr. Wexell for sharing his article with us!

If you don't already subscribe to his site, it's well worth looking into doing so.

Keisel spoke with 93.7 The Fan today about the upcoming Patriots game and his salsa. Click here to listen.

Information on Pro Bowl voting is below, along with a link to the ballot.

October 25, 2011

Pro Bowl 2012

This is a busy, busy post tonight! Lots going on so be sure to read the entire post.

Voting is underway for the 2012 Pro Bowl! The NFL returns to Hawaii for the 2012 Pro Bowl. The annual contest of the AFC and NFC’s best will take place Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012 at Aloha Stadium.

Steelers on the ballot from the offense include Ben Roethlisberger, Rashard Mendenhall, Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Hines Ward, David Johnson, Heath Miller, Marcus Gilbert, Max Starks, Ramon Foster, Chris Kemoeatu, and Maurkice Pouncey.

Defensive players include Brett Keisel, Ziggy Hood, Casey Hampton, James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons, William Gay, Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu, and Ryan Clark.

Balloting is open until Monday, Dec. 19 at the conclusion of Monday Night Football (Pittsburgh Steelers at San Francisco 49ers, 8:30 p.m.).

The Pro Bowl teams will be announced at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27 on a special NFL Total Access 2012 Pro Bowl Selection Show on NFL Network.

Voting is easy, free and unlimited! No registration necessary and you can sort the ballot by position or team. You will locate Keisel under the defensive ends. We thank you for voting for #99 and all of his teammates. Let's send all the black and gold we can to Hawaii!

Just imagine watching Keisel's signature bow and arrow sack celebration Aloha-style!

Click here to vote.

I will post the link also on the right side of this page under Pro Bowl.

Pro Bowl slogan contest finalists:

We thank you for ALL the amazing entries received for the slogan contest. Steeler Nation came through big time for #99! Since we're asking you to do the voting, Mr. Keisel wants to give fans the chance to choose his slogan for the 2012 campaign. He narrowed it down to three, and YOU get to make the final decision.

Before sending your vote, please carefully read the instructions:

The finalists slogans, complete with graphics, can be found here.

To vote for your favorite, please email me through the site email: trish@brett-keisel.com.

Please do not message votes through any social media pages. And, when emailing your choice, please just send the number you are choosing. They will be labeled 1, 2 or 3. Please DO NOT send the photo--just the number of the photo.

One vote per email address please.

Voting will close at 12:00 p.m.(EST) on October 30. The winner will be announced after the Steelers game. We will then post their slogan on the site and social media pages for all to see. They also will win an autographed photo of #99.

We all thank you for your help in choosing a winner and for taking the time to vote for all the Steelers to head to Hawaii!

A special thanks to artist, Rebecca Miller for her help with the contest. As usual, we asked for her help at the last minute and she came through!

Congrats to all the finalists and again...thank you to ALL who entered. Keisel has a great group of fans!

Da Beard Halloween contest:

Yes, you read correctly...another contest...another chance to win an autographed Keisel photo!

Keisel and the Da Beard gear crew were so appreciative of all your hard work with the slogan contest, with building up the social media pages and for being the best fans in the league..so they want to give Steeler Nation and Beard Nation a chance to win a photo of Da Beard!

Send us your Brett "Da Beard" Keisel Halloween costume photos. The best costume depicting Keisel and Da Beard wins! Easy enough?

Email your entries to trish@brett-keisel.com.

Again, no entries will be accepted through any social media pages.

The contest will run until 12:00 p.m. (EST) on November 1.

October 24, 2011-evening update

Da Beard Jr.

Matthew Sarkis, age 6, planned his own Halloween costume this year. Who did he choose to dress up like?

Well, Da Beard of course.

Great job Matthew!

Matthew could have started a new trend in Halloween costumes!

Thank you to Matthew and his mother, Melissa for sending the photo to share with us.

Pro Bowl slogan contest:

Thanks to all who entered. Steeler Nation really came through for #99! Brett narrowed it down to 3 choices, which will be posted here soon. He wants fans to select the winner, so check back to see the finalists and to send us your vote for the winner!

Keisel plays air guitar with musician Nick Marzock:

This photo is from the Bid for Hope event last week. Thank you to Nick for the photo.

Click here to see larger views of both photos.

Post game press conference:

You can listen to Brett and other members of the defense talk about the win over the Cardinals here.

Be sure to check out the news below to learn about a chance to participate in a live virtual web cam Q & A with Keisel!

October 24, 2011

Keisel to host town hall meeting

Keisel will be hosting a one-hour virtual town hall meeting where he will take fan questions through an audio line from people who will use a virtual hand-raising tool. He will appear live via web cam.

The event will take place on November 3 at 5:30 p.m. EST.

The virtual meeting will take place through Concert-oh.com and fans can register now to get signed up for the virtual event!

Click here to get registered. It's free to sign up and you will have a chance to see #99 live via web cam and ask him questions! We get so many questions from fans through the website and Ask the Diesel segment, so this is YOUR chance to ask Keisel LIVE!

Let's make this a fun and successful event Steeler Nation! Be sure to spread the word to your family, friends and throughout your social media pages.

Concert-oh.com integrates video, audio, desk top sharing and more! Read more about them here.

Thank you to Ben Schmitt for sending the information to share.

October 23, 2011

Steelers defeat Cardinals 32-20

It’s great to put together a winning performance on the road. It’s something we hadn’t done definitively to this point. I like our efforts on all three phases. We made the necessary plays. We had some signature splash plays on defense. We made critical third down conversions on offense in the second half, things we didn’t do a week ago. All positive signs. Largely we are pleased to come into a venue like this and get a “W” and move on.--From Coach Tomlin's post-game press conference.

The Steelers defense were without several key starters today, but still found a way to harass Cardinals QB Kevin Kolb, causing an interception, a safety and Kolb was sacked twice by LaMarr Woodley.

Ben Roethlisberger threw three touchdown passes, including the longest in team history of 95 yards to Mike Wallace.

Great team win by the Steelers!

#99 had two tackles and disrupted Kolb and the Cardinals line throughout the game.

You can read more on the game here.

Game photos:

Click here to view photos.

Also, check out the news below from last week to learn about the "Best of Da Beard Salsa" contest (links are also on the right side of this page) and check back tomorrow for information on Pro Bowl voting. We will also be announcing the winner of the Pro Bowl slogan contest.

A message from Brett to Steeler Nation:

Stacking wins like hotcakes! I love it! Onward and upward. Steeler Nation, you were amazing today! Thanks for the support in AZ!

Be sure to check out his new official Twitter and Facebook pages. Links are at the top right of this page.

We would also like to wish Aaron Smith a speedy and healthy recovery!

Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, posted a few tweets regarding Aaron Smith:

"We love him. We respect him. The least we can do is go out and win games for him.” -Brett Keisel

"Steelers players talked about dedicating 2011 season to Aaron Smith. Sounds like an inspired move to me."--Dejan Kovacevic

October 22, 2011

Previewing the Arizona game

Some team defensive fun facts from Steelers.com:

The Steelers defense looks to allow less than 150 passing yards for the fifth time in the last six games.

Pittsburgh’s defense will look to hold their sixth straight opponent to 20 points or less (0, 20, 17, 17, 13).

Some Keisel fun facts, also from Steelers.com:

Tied career-high with two sacks (in Jaguars game), his first multi-sack game since 11/9/09 vs. Denver (2.0) and the fourth of his career during the regular season.

Now has 19.5 career sacks.

Game preview

From Michael Rushton, The Sports Network:

After losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals were viewed as a team on the rise. A team in distress may now be a more accurate description. As for Pittsburgh, the franchise continues to set its sights on a third NFL championship game appearance in four seasons.

Steelers Defense:

Kolb figures to be in for another long day on Sunday, as he goes against the league's top-ranked defense. Pittsburgh is allowing only 270.5 yards per game, including an NFL-best 157.7 yards through the air. The Steelers are also fourth overall with an average of 17 points allowed per game.

Pittsburgh held the Jaguars to 76 net passing yards, marking the fourth time in the past five games it has held its opponent under 150 passing yards. That 76-yard total was also the team's fourth-lowest output under Tomlin.

Pittsburgh brought the pressure in a big way as well, notching five sacks versus the Jaguars, including four in the first half for the first time since Nov. 3, 2008. Linebacker LaMarr Woodley (27 tackles, 5 sacks) and defensive end Brett Keisel (15 tackles, 2 sacks) both had two sacks, with Keisel matching a career high. Woodley, meanwhile, has multiple sacks in two straight games, and inside linebacker James Farrior (42 tackles, 2 sacks) also had a quarterback takedown in addition to a club-leading 11 tackles. Safety Ryan Clark (38 tackles) ended with 10 stops, while Woodley had eight and Polamalu (40 tackles, 1 sack) five before exiting. Woodley has grabbed Pittsburgh's only interception this year.

Read the entire game preview here.

October 21, 2011

"The best salsa in town"

Brett was a guest of the morning crew on WDVE this morning. He discussed his new salsa line, declaring it "The best salsa in TOWN!"

He went on to say: "You gotta have it for tailgating...that's what it's for."

Keisel’s play gaining notice for Steelers

He’s probably as good an athlete as I’ve ever seen at defensive end in terms of running, jumping, hand-eye coordination,” LeBeau said. “We’ve talked for years that he could be a linebacker, but (defensive line coach John Mitchell) won’t let us touch him.”--From an article on Yahoo Sports.

More from the article:

If things had worked out a little differently a decade ago, Brett Keisel never would have needed “Da Beard” to get noticed. Taken in the seventh round of the 2002 draft out of BYU, Keisel at the time wondered if the Pittsburgh Steelers would groom him to play outside linebacker. The franchise has built a consistently dominant defense over the years partially based upon converting pass-rushing college defensive ends into All Pro-caliber outside linebackers. Pittsburgh elected to keep the 6-foot-5, 285-pound Keisel on the line—a position that, in Dick LeBeau’s 3-4 scheme, isn’t as glamorous.

While linebackers such as James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley rack up sacks, the job description for ends Keisel and Aaron Smith is more anonymous. Keisel’s teammates recognize and appreciate his work, even if few others do.

He’s one of the best out there,” Pittsburgh defensive end Ziggy Hood said. “He’s a very under-the-radar guy who makes a lot of big splash plays. It’s not even the big plays that make you go, ‘Wow,’ it’s the other things that he does that catch your attention if you’re watching the tape. That’s something I idolize in him.”

“It’s tough to be a scheme like this,” Keisel said. “You have to be unselfish. That’s the first thing they preach when you come in here as a young guy: ‘We don’t expect you to make a lot of plays. We expect you to go your job, to hold the point of attack, to keep a couple guys on you and free up our linebackers.’ “That’s how it’s always been here. We kind of relish that. We’ll take LaMarr and James being the great players they are … and winning Super Bowls. That’s what matters to us, is winning.”

But winning two Super Bowl rings didn’t get Keisel the endorsement deals. “Da Beard,” however, has. Keisel—and some exaggerated facial hair—appear in a shampoo commercial along with Polamalu and his celebrated hair.

“You know, the beard’s done a lot for me, it really has,” Keisel said. “It’s been fun, I’ve had great responses from my teammates, from Steeler Nation, so that part of it’s been a lot of fun. I can’t say that the beard is the reason my game is what it is, because it’s not. But it does help me. It makes me unique and I like that.”

Click here to read the article in its entirety.

Pro Bowl contest:

The Pro Bowl slogan contest is closed. We will announce the winning slogan once it is selected. Thank you again to all who entered. Steeler Nation is very creative!

Please be sure to check out the BRETT "THE DIESEL" KEISEL SALSA post in the October 19 news and read about the new contest to go with it!

October 19, 2011-evening update

Steelers' Keisel improves 'D' by more than a hair

Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post Gazette may not be a huge fan of Da Beard:

The beard is taking over center stage again. I get that. But this is ridiculous: "The beard is back and it's helping our team win," Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel insisted.

Nonsense.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it until I see Keisel's beard make its first tackle or bat down its first pass or get its first sack.

But, he is a huge fan of the guy with Da Beard:

The story here this morning is not about Keisel's beard or its new T-shirt -- "Da-Beard" -- which can be purchased at brettkeisel.com. It's about Keisel's ability, which too often gets lost in all of his hair and doesn't get nearly the recognition it deserves. He was the best defensive player on the Heinz Field lawn Sunday in the Steelers' 17-13 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, apologies to linebacker LaMarr Woodley, who had two sacks.

What a difference Keisel has made since returning to the lineup after missing two games with a knee problem. The same defense that was gashed for 86 yards and a touchdown by Indianapolis running back Joseph Addai and 155 yards and a touchdown by Houston's Arian Foster in his absence stiffened almost immediately. Tennessee's Chris Johnson managed 51 yards on 14 carries in the Steelers' 38-17 win Oct. 9 and, although Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 96, he needed 22 carries and took a solid beating.

There was so much more to his performance than his work against the run. He tackled Jones-Drew for a 3-yard loss on a screen pass. He batted away another pass at the line of scrimmage, something he seems to do just about every week. And, I almost forgot, he had two sacks.

The second one was huge, coming on the first play after the Jaguars took possession at their 23 with no timeouts and 1:01 left.

It's not much of a reach to suggest Keisel, 33 and in his 10th NFL season, is the Steelers' best defensive lineman. Aaron Smith and Casey Hampton have been out with injuries after slow starts. Chris Hoke was injured Sunday. Ziggy Hood, in his third season, still is learning. Rookie Cameron Heyward is a mere baby in Dick LeBeau's defense.

"I'm just trying to be a mentor and a leader for these young guys," Keisel said. "I'm trying to be someone who is accountable. To do that, I have to go out in practice and work hard, then carry it into the games and help this team win."

In the Tennessee game, Keisel leaped to deflect a pass that was intercepted by Woodley. Sunday, he got way up again to swat another pass away. That makes at least one such breakup in eight of his past 12 games going back to last season when he made his first Pro Bowl.

"That's something I've tried really hard to incorporate into my game," Keisel said. "I know I'm not going to get to the quarterback every time. But I'm long. I try to get my hands up on every play."

The man's athleticism is impressive, as good as any defensive end's in the league, if you believe the Steelers coaches. That goes back to his high school days when he was a basketball player of some renown in Wyoming. "I was decent, but I always fouled out. I guess I liked to get physical."

To read Mr. Cook's whole article on Keisel, click here.

AFC Hardware:

Keisel was nominated for AFC Defensive Player of the week by the NFL. Other nominees were Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, Jets linebacker Calvin Pace and NY Jets Cornerback Darrelle Revis. Revis was announced as the winner today. Congratulations to the winner and all the nominees!

FEAR “DA BEARD”, LOVE THE SALSA:

Be sure to read the post below to check out the launch of BRETT "THE DIESEL" KEISEL SALSA! There is also a contest to go with it. I will also post the information on the right side of this page soon. Get your Da Beard on with BRETT "THE DIESEL" KEISEL SALSA!

October 19, 2011

FEAR “DA BEARD”, LOVE THE SALSA

We are excited to announce the launch of BRETT "THE DIESEL" KEISEL SALSA!

From the PLB Sports website:

Brett Keisel of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Geronimo Salsa are proud to present the BRETT “THE DIESEL” KEISEL line of salsas, which are available in 3 flavors: Mild, Medium, and Hot. Get your jar today! It is a must have for any Black & Gold tailgate party.

FEAR “DA BEARD”, LOVE THE SALSA!

It will be available at Western PA Giant Eagle stores later this week. Don't worry if you are not able to get to Western PA, PLB Sports has you covered! You can order the salsa directly from the from the PLB Sports website!

Geronimo Salsa Presents: Brett Keisel’s “Best of Da Bear Contest”

What launch party would be complete without a great contest?

Visit PLB Sports website to view details of the contest and to enter. You have many chances to win great prizes, and of course you can order your BRETT "THE DIESEL" KEISEL SALSA!

No purchase necessary to enter the contest.

Please be sure to read the information on the contest as entries are to be sent through PLB Sports, not this site. The contest runs until November 30 and includes weekly and monthly prizes!

While on their site, be sure to check out the long list of other products they offer. PLB Sports is located in Pittsburgh, PA, and is the # 1 Website for Sports & Celebrity Endorsed Products.

Come on Steeler Nation, this is your chance to include Keisel at your next tailgate party or get together-Keisel salsa that is! This is a one-of-a-kind item, which with Brett's face on the label, makes for a great collectors item. Visit their site to check out the contest details and get going on sending your photos in for a chance to win amazing prizes! Brett says the salsa is GREAT, and we know you will love it too.

Show your love for Da Beard and make this contest and Brett's new salsa a great success!

Get your Da Beard on with BRETT "THE DIESEL" KEISEL SALSA!

Click here to see a closer view of the salsa jar label.

October 18, 2011

News and Notes

Neal Coolong, from Behind the Steel Curtain breaks down the "Play of the Game" from the win over the Jaguars:

The Steelers defensive scheme is based on disguising the intentions of each defender. There is a lot of movement from the front seven as well as the secondary, and a quarterback - rookies in particular - can get confused easily.

The plan is to create pressure through misdirection, but in some cases, the intention of the play fails. When that happens, it comes down to 1-on-1 match-ups.

In those cases, the Steelers couldn't be more happy to have DE Brett Keisel on their side. His return after a knee injury sidelined him earlier this year has definitely ratcheted up the amount of pressure they're bringing, and when a CB blitz fails, they can count on Steeler Moses to whip his assignment.

Click here for the breakdown of Keisel's sack, complete with photos.

Cooling: "Keisel dominated this game, and there are four or five plays worthy of this space from him alone. This one highlights Keisel's value, and how the Steelers defense is good enough to win the play despite it not being exactly what they had planned.

From Coach Tomlin's Press Conference today:

Is Brett Keisel doing anything different with guys being out?

"No, he IS Brett Keisel. He is doing his usual things."

A very Da Beard Halloween:

Melanie Gordon, from Pleasant Gap, PA carved this Da Beard pumpkin and sent it to share with us.

From her email: "This weekend we celebrated another Steeler's win and did some early Halloween decorating with pumpkin carving. I made one especially in tribute to my favorite player, I hope you enjoy the photos."

We sure do enjoy them, but not sure you'll have many trick-or-treaters with Da Beard there staring them down!

Thanks for sharing your amazing talent. Click here to see a larger version of the pumpkin and to see her Steelers one!

Da Beard Gear World Tour Album:

Click here to see the latest spotting of Da Beard. Alex and Jessie, from Utah, sent us a great photo from Heinz Field this past weekend.

October 17, 2011-evening update

Looking for Da Beard gear vendors

Busy, busy day for updates!

Da Beard Gear has received many requests from fans wishing to purchase their merchandise locally. As of now, you can buy online or in person in Brett's hometown of Greybull, Wy. We would like to see Da Beard Gear offered at other locations to make it more accessible to fans.

Any businesses wishing to carry Brett Keisel's official merchandise line can email us: trish@brett-keisel.com for more information.

This would be a great opportunity for you to market to Steeler Nation, one of the largest fan bases!

Da Beard in a Head and Shoulders for Men commercial:

Visit Brett's Facebook or Twitter page to see it. You won't want to miss it!

For more game news, check out the last two posts. And, be sure to read about Brett and Da Beard Gear's challenge to fans regarding Twitter in the post below.

October 17, 2011

"We got the win. Now it's onward and upward."

From Ralph N. Paulk, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Keisel was easily the most energetic player on the field in the fourth quarter. He had two of his three tackles for a loss during the Jaguars' last three possessions.

"Defensively, we had a couple of big three-and-outs in the fourth quarter," Keisel said. "We got the win. Now it's onward and upward."

You can read the entire article here.

And, from Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

DEFENSIVE LINE B-

Brett Keisel had one of the more dominating performances in recent years, registering two sacks and three tackles for losses and also deflecting a pass at the line of scrimmage. It was a big lift for a line that was playing without two starters and also lost NT Chris Hoke early in the second quarter.

Also, from Gerry Dulac:

FEAR THE BEARD: The Steelers sacked rookie QB Blaine Gabbert 5 times, none bigger than when DE Brett Keisel dropped him for a 10-yard loss on the Jaguars final possession. "Any time they're out of timeouts and you get a sack, it's pretty devastating for the offense," Keisel said.

Click here to read the whole article.

Game photos:

Click here to view photos.

Thank you for the numerous emails and messages complimenting Brett on his big game and the Steelers win yesterday. And, thank you for all the nice comments on both Twitter and Facebook. If you are not on Brett's new social media pages yet, be sure to click the links for them above (on the banner) to join in the fun!

Speaking of social media...

Brett's official Twitter page and Da Beard Gear have a great promotion going on currently. Their goal is to reach 10,000 followers by Wednesday. They are close, but need our help. If the page reaches 10K by Wednesday, Brett and the Da Beard gear crew will be giving away Hunt for Seven t-shirts, and Da Beard koozies and stickers!

Check out the gear by clicking the STORE link above, and follow their page by clicking the Twitter link in the banner-at the top right of this page.

Also, be sure to click the Facebook link in the banner to "like" Keisel's official page. There may be giveaways there in the near future so jump on board!

Be sure to enter the Pro Bowl contest mentioned in the October 14 news. And...check in with us tomorrow for another fun contest!

Also, check out the news from yesterday (below) to read more about the game.

There is a lot going on in Keisel-land!

October 16, 2011

Double sack game for Da Beard

I’m trying. I’m trying to be a good leader for these guys. I’m trying to be someone who’s accountable and someone who helps this team win.” --From Keisel's post game interview courtesy of Jim Wexell, SteelCityInsider.net.

The Steelers defeated the Jaguars 17-13 and Keisel had a huge game with two sacks, six tackles, including two for loss, and a pass defensed. Brett was awarded with the Steelers Digest Player of the Week award.

Congratulations to Brett and the Steelers on the win.

More from Mr. Wexell's article:

The great Deacon Jones once said that sacking a quarterback was like taking down an entire city. Well, Brett Keisel, how did it feel to take down the entire city of Jacksonville on Sunday?

“Just trying to make a play to help us win,” said Keisel.

And James Farrior agreed with Da beard.

“That pretty much sealed the deal, that sack,” said Farrior.

The Jaguars – who’d rallied from a 17-0 deficit – had the ball at their own 23 with 1:01 remaining and no timeouts.

On the first play of the series, Keisel and outside linebacker Lawrence Timmons ran the same twist that earlier in the game – from the Jacksonville 22 with 1:01 remaining in the first half – resulted in Keisel tackling Maurice Jones-Drew for a three-yard loss on a screen pass.

So it was déjà vu all over again when Keisel beat his man for a 10-yard sack. By the time Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert could get up and scramble out of bounds, the clock was down to 26 seconds.

Two completions and a spike set up Gabbert for a 48-yard Hail Mary attempt that was broken up in the end zone by Ike Taylor and Ryan Clark.

Any thoughts while the ball was in the air?

“Don’t let him catch it,” Keisel said. “Please, please just knock it down and let us get out of here with a win.”

Keisel’s plea was answered, just as he’d answered Farrior’s plea at the start of the series.

He dominated,” said linebacker Larry Foote. “One series he made all the tackles. That’s why he’s a Pro Bowler.”

Be sure to read the entire article here. You'll be glad you did!

Thank you to Jim Wexell for allowing me to post the article. If you are not a member of SteelCityInsider.net, you should check it out. Well worth the membership.

Read more on today's game.

Funny Dan Fouts (CBS sports commentator) comments from today's game:

When asked if was intimidated by Keisel's beard-he admitted, "Yes".

When Keisel tackled Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, Fouts commented, "He wrapped his beard around Maurice Jones-Drew's ankles."

Thanks to Anne for sending me those comments!

Don't forget to check out the Pro Bowl contest going on-information is listed in the October 14 news.

I will post more news and photos from today's game as they become available.

October 14, 2011

Pro Bowl contest

Steeler Nation, it's time to put your creative hats on to help #99! Pro Bowl voting is just around the corner, and we want to use a one-of-a-kind unique slogan for him. Who better to do this than a fan!

The photo you see was created for the campaign slogan last year, by artist and fan Rebecca Miller.

You do not have to design the photo, we just need a slogan. Becky has graciously offered her services again to design a photo to go with the winning slogan.

Brett will select the winner, and the slogan will be used on this site and on his official social media pages (links above in the banner) to encourage fans to vote for #99.

The winner will receive an autographed photo of Brett "Da Beard" Keisel.

So get your creative hats on and send us some great ideas to choose from.

Please note:

Entries will only be accepted through the site email: trish@brett-keisel.com --none will be accepted through any social media pages.

One entry per email address will be accepted (subsequent emails from the same address will be discounted).

And, please refrain from profanity, unsportsmanlike or negative sayings and any crude language. This is a slogan that will be seen by children and adults, so have fun with it, but keep it clean.

The slogan needs to contain Brett's name or an easily recognizable nickname, such as "Da Beard." So go ahead -- get creative, Steeler Nation!!!

Entries will be accepted until 12:00 p.m. EST on October 20, 2011.

Also, when Pro Bowl voting starts we will be encouraging fans to vote for all of Brett's teammates. The Steelers are a team and we want to send as many of the black and gold as we can to Hawaii!

Game talk:

Keisel talks about the task of stopping Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew:

“A big, big, big portion of their offense goes through him. He is tough to stop, low to the ground, has great feet, great balance, and an incredible ball carrier. That is going to be our goal this week, get after him and hopefully we can contain him. Not only can he run the ball great but he can catch out of the backfield, screen plays. That is one thing that makes him such a threat. He is one of those guys everybody needs to be keyed on and we will be.”

“That is the game we expect to play. It’s something we can build off of. It’s just one game and we can still have a lot of improvement. Every team is trying to pack a good running back. That is the NFL. Everyone knows the importance of a good running game. We expect to see that week in and week out. We have been good around here about stopping the run. Hopefully we can build off of last week and continue that this week.” - From Teresa Varley's article at Steelers.com.

October 11, 2011

Project Bundle-Up

“The best part is meeting the kids, talking to them, seeing how they are doing and helping them pick some warm attire for these cold Pittsburgh winters. I had a great time. Any time you get to be around a kid like Don, he is awesome. He lifts your spirits, he is happy, he loves life. “It makes me proud to come and be a part of this.” --Brett talks about his participation with Project Bundle-Up.

From Steelers.com:

On a beautiful fall evening with temperatures hovering around 70 degrees, the last thing on the mind of most people was shopping for a winter coat.

But for 45 kids from the Pittsburgh Westside Salvation Army there was nothing else they would have rather been doing. Steelers players took the kids shopping at Macy’s at Ross Park Mall as a part of Project Bundle-Up, a Salvation Army program that provides winter outerwear for needy children in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

The children that take part in the shopping night are selected based on their need, with Project Bundle-Up possibly being the only way the kids will be able to get new winter outerwear.

One child who certainly won’t forget the night is Don, a well-mannered, well-spoken 12-year old who was there with his younger brother and having the time of his life shopping with Brett and Sarah Keisel.

“I am honored to be here. I am stunned,” he said. “I never thought I would get this chance. I am so honored to be in Brett’s presence. I really enjoy being in his company. He is awesome. He has the perfect spirit. I never thought in a million years I would be doing this with a Steelers player.

“It’s a night I will never, ever forget. I will tell my kids this story. I got to meet this famous football player. He is number 99, almost 100. He is almost perfect, but nobody is perfect but he is close to it.”

As Keisel stood listening to Don, he was playfully putting hats on his head, smiling and laughing. But you could also see how touched he was, understanding the impact that all of the players who took part had on the kids.

Click here to read the whole article, and here for a few photos from the wonderful event.

October 10, 2011

News and notes

Are you following Keisel on Twitter? I hope so, because this doesn't look like the face of a guy you want to say no to, does it?

Be sure to give #99 a follow and spread the word to Steeler Nation.

I will get the link posted on the banner soon, but here is his page: @bkeisel99.

He's having a great time on Twitter so go ahead and join him!

Da Beard, Brett's official merchandise line also has a twitter page and we would love Steeler Nation to follow it: @dabeardgear.

From Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post- Gazette:

A quick look at the top performances from Sunday's game:

FIRST PICK: The Titans momentarily threatened to get back in the game when RB Chris Johnson scored on a 1-yard run to make it 28-10 and CB Alterraun Verner recovered an onside kick. But, on the next play, DE Brett Keisel tipped a Matt Hasselbeck pass, and OLB LaMarr Woodley came up with the team's first interception of the season, resulting in a field goal. "That was a great play by Brett Keisel," Woodley said. "That play doesn't happen without Brett Keisel getting his hands up."

Da Beard contest update:

The "Hunt for Seven" contest is over. There were 2 winners from PA, 2 from WY, and one each from MN, MO and OK. Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all who participated. Even though the contest is over, you can still GET YOUR BEARD ON...click the Store link above to check out Keisel's official merchandise.

Game photos:

Click here to view photos.

October 9, 2011

#99 is back and team gets big "W"

"Feels great to come back in front of our fans and get a "W". Nice to get a win, nice to get back out here and play. I'm happy! - Brett from his post game interview.

I'd say we're all happy to have Keisel back and happy to see the team get a big win (38-17) over the Titans.

The defense would be without starters, Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton and James Harrison due to injuries, but they wouldn't let that deter them back as they held the Titan's Chris Johnson to just 51 rushing yards on the day and the Titans, as a team, had only 66 yards.

Those guys are great players but we have good depth here. This is the National Football League. Guys are going to go down; that’s part of the game.“You have to have guys step in and play.” - Keisel (Source: Mike Prisuta, WDVE).

Roethlisberger, with an injured foot, led the offense to five touchdowns, with punter Danny Sepulveda helping out by faking a punt to throw a 33-yard completion.

All in all, this was a great team effort.

Keisel stats:

Brett returned to the field in great form with 4 tackles and on Seattle’s first offensive play following the recovery of Rob Bironas’ onside kick in the third quarter, he batted Matt Hassebeck’s pass into the air, and LaMarr Woodley came down with the ball for the Steelers’ first interception of the season. (Source-Bob Labriola, Steelers Digest).

To read Mr. Prisuta's article, D-line plays its game, click here.

To listen to Brett's post game interview, click here.

Guess who entered the wonderful world of Twitter...

It's official folks, Brett Keisel has an official twitter account! It is in the process of being verified, so I wanted to let all of you know it is his official account! Be sure to give him a follow and spread the word to Steeler Nation.

I will get the link posted on the banner soon, but here is his page: @bkeisel99.

Da Beard, Brett's official merchandise line also has a twitter page and we would love Steeler Nation to follow it: @dabeardgear.

We want to thank all of Keisel's fans for the tremendous support shown to him by all of Steeler Nation. Proud to be part of the best group of fans anywhere!

More game news and photos to come tomorrow!

October 6, 2011

The Diesel looks to return

"It felt really good," Keisel said of the knee, which he injured against Seattle. "It's just a matter of going out and doing football movements and trying to do it at full speed. There wasn't anything that indicated that I wouldn't (play Sunday)." - From Scott Brown's article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review today.

Keisel sound bites

"I know people want to bury us, but we'll be OK."- On the team's 2-2 record. (Source: Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post Gazette.)

“He is an amazing player, one of the best backs in the league, no question about that,” said defensive end Brett Keisel, who will return to the lineup after missing the last two games with a knee injury. “He is so explosive and has such good feet. He is a patient runner. A lot of runners these days will run up and hit the hole if it’s not there. He will wait for the hole to open up and no one can catch him. He is definitely a handful. We all have to be gap-sound and play team ball.” - On the Titans Chris Johnson.

“We have a lot of pride with our run defense and it hasn’t been up to par to this point,” said Keisel. “We definitely need to get that turned around if we want to win games. “There is tradition here. We still have a lot of the same guys who have been here year in and year out. We need to put it together and do it for 60 minutes.”

“The biggest thing is going out and preparing each week, working on your techniques out here in practice. We don’t tackle but you can break down and get in a tackling position where you know you will be able to make that play. You have to carry that into the game, carry your practice work into the game and we will be ready to go.”-(Source: Steelers.com.)

Light the Night:

The annual Light the Night walk was held last night for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Keisel and teammates attended wearing their "Team Elijah" shirts to honor Aaron Smith's son, Elijah who is bravely battling leukemia.

“It’s a great night. We all love Aaron and the Smith family. I am proud of the way they handled this whole situation with Elijah. We are one big family. We support and help each other out as much as we can. To do this for Elijah and all of those who suffer from leukemia is something we enjoy and has become a tradition here. Elijah has done amazing. He is getting close to kicking this thing in the butt. We love him and support him, and doing this is our way of showing that."

Read more about Elijah and his courageous journey here.

Da Beard Gear Hunt for Seven Contest winding down:

The Da Beard Gear crew reports there is one more autographed Keisel photo to give away. What better way to celebrate #99 returning to the field than by purchasing your official Keisel gear. The Hunt for Seven t-shirt is perfect for any fan. Each order has the chance of being randomly drawn (for a short time longer) to receive an autographed photo of the Diesel! So, click the STORE link above and get your beard on!

Click here for a closer view of the shirt.

October 2, 2011

"We've got some work to do"

From Coach Tomlin's Post Game Press Conference:

"We've got some work to do. It's not anything mystical. We will remain together. We will stay singularly focused on our work. We understand our issues are fundamental and they really are. We've got to do the basic football things a little better than what we are doing right now in order to be successful against some of the people we are playing. We have to tackle better, we have to block better. We will start that process tomorrow."

The Steelers lost to the Texans 17-10, in a game where many players suffered injuries. Tomlin will update Tuesday, during his weekly press conference, the extent of the injuries to Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison, Rashard Mendenhall and Aaron Smith.

Tomlin will probably give the status on #99 also Tuesday and I will update when news is available.

September 29, 2011

Round two of "Ask the Diesel"

Thanks to all who have sent great questions for the Diesel to answer. I posted five new ones for you to read. They are on the right side of this page, under the "Ask the Diesel" section. The newest are posted first. This is a great way for fans to get to know Brett a little better off the field. They also make for great contest questions, so keep up on your Diesel trivia!

Quick updates:

Located on the right side of this page, under Quick Updates, you will find any injury updates or quick news items.

Upcoming game:

The Steelers will travel to Houston, TX to take on the 2-1 Texans Sunday. Kickoff is at 1:00 pm. (ET), and will be shown on CBS (regional coverage) and locally on KDKA.

Check out some game notes from Steelers.com here.

Official Keisel merchandise:

Need your beard fix? Click on over to Da Beard Gear to view #99's official Da Beard merchandise line. The link is above under STORE.

September 26, 2011

AFC road win

The Steelers survived a game that came down to the last four seconds as they beat the Colts 23-20 on a Shaun Suisham 38-yard field goal.

The game went back and forth and kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final Steelers drive in which Ben Roethlisberger took the offense on a 60-yard drive that Shaun Suisham capped with a 38-yard field goal to win the game.

Coach Tomlin summed up the win:

“We don’t care how it looks. We just want to get out of stadiums with wins, particularly road stadiums and AFC ones.”

Keisel was not active in the game due to a PCL injury. I will update on his status as the week progresses.

For more game news, click here.

Da Beard Gear World Tour:

Tito Medina, a big Keisel fan from Arizona sent us this picture wearing his new Da Beard Gear t-shirt. Click here for a larger view, and to see all the other locations Da Beard has been.

Great Keisel moment:

Today is the anniversary of Brett's pick 6! Relive his interception and 79-yard touchdown by watching the video posted under the Keisel Kam photo to the right. Also, be sure to check out all the comments about his great play.

September 22, 2011

Greybull location to offer Da Beard Gear

Brett's hometown of Greybull, Wyoming will be selling Da Beard gear at The Greybull Building Center. It is located at 617 1st Avenue South in Greybull.

This gives Keisel's hometown the opportunity to purchase their official Brett Keisel Da Beard Gear merchandise in person!

For those not local to Greybull, don't worry...you can still purchase the merchandise online by clicking the STORE link above. Be sure to check the merchandise site often to see the new items being added. Thanks to all who purchased Da Beard Gear!

Reminder:

Look under Quick Updates on the right side of this page for any injury or quick news updates.

September 21, 2011

Steeler Nation is everywhere...

Steeler Nation spotlight: Bret Champlin

Bret Champlin celebrated his birthday, in his #99 jersey, along with his lovely wife Maria, and their adorable daughter Sierra at a Steelers fan club in El Paso, TX.

He sent a couple photos along with this email:

This is a couple pics of me and my daughter and wife and the Brett Keisel jersey they got me, celebrating at the fan club in EL PASO TX! My b-day was on sept 11th. I was wishing for a win, but being with my family and friends and watching the STEELERS on my b-day was the best! I'm originally from NY, south of Buffalo and like 10 mins from Penn.-- 4 hrs from PITT. But, ended up residing here in El Paso, TX after the Army. Glad I found a huge fan base here! I love how Brett seems down to earth and loves fishing and hunting from what I've read! I do as well! He's not this flashy guy trying to be all Hollywood and I love his style! You guys should come up with a mossy oak da beard t-shirt.. or fish camo Da Beard shirt and hats since he loves to fish as well! Just a suggestion." - Big fan, Bret Champlin.

Click here to view larger copies of the photos. Thank you to the Champlin family!

Keisel news:

Coach Tomlin confirmed yesterday that Brett has a Grade 1 PCL strain. He is listed as questionable in the game against the Colts this week, and it was reported that Brett did not practice today. I will post any further updates on the right side of this page under "Quick Updates".

Thank you for all the nice emails wishing Keisel a speedy recovery and thank you again for all the birthday messages. He truly has the best fans!

September 19, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRETT-See update below-winner announced

Today Brett celebrates his 33rd birthday, and one lucky fan will win a present!

To have a chance to win an autographed Brett Keisel game glove, be the first to email me with the answer to the following question:

What did Keisel recently say was his favorite pizza topping?

The answer was posted recently on the site, so if you've been keeping up with a new segment we introduced, this will be easy! The answer is still here, so if you are not sure, then you can find it on the site.

The correct answer will be the one listed on the site only.

E-mail: trish@brett-keisel.com

Please only email the address of this site, which is listed above. You can also access the email by clicking on Contact at the top of this page. No entries will be accepted through any of the social media pages.

Please, one email per email address only (subsequent emails from the same address will be discounted).

Thank you to Mrs. Keisel for the photo of Brett used in today's news!

More game news:

From Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

DEFENSIVE LINE A

After allowing 170 yards rushing in Baltimore, the unit responded by holding Seattle to 31 yards on 13 carries, with no run longer than 8 yards. DE Brett Keisel had a quarterback hit and batted a pass and DE Aaron Smith got good pressure and forced plays inside. Even backup Steve McClendon got in on the action with a half-sack.

And, from Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Tribune Review:

Nothing could have made a neater narrative for the Steelers than to see their defense bounce back, schematically and spiritually, from that abomination in Baltimore last week. And man, that script sure erupted to life Sunday with the 24-0 shutout of Seattle at Heinz Field.

Did you see Troy Polamalu soaring Superman-style into Tarvaris Jackson for a sack? Or James Harrison one-arming Jackson like a flapjack?

Or Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel swarming side to side to quash the run? Or Ike Taylor spooking Seattle's coaches to the degree that Jackson threw his way twice all day?

On the inside, though, the reaction was about as subdued as I was hoping it would be. Time and again, defensive players were asked whether they had just expunged that Baltimore game, and each reply came with a bristle.

Keisel: "I don't think it goes away. We did need to respond to what happened, but this was really just one game."

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, in the surprise of the day, pretty much abandoned the blitz for the first three quarters. The Steelers still moved the outside linebackers back and forth and — finally — moved Polamalu back closer to the line of scrimmage, but most of the heat had to come from the defensive line. That's exactly what veterans Keisel, Smith and Casey Hampton brought, thus freeing up the linebackers.

"It was about as simple as you get, and I don't think Seattle saw that coming," Keisel said, grinning through the beard. "Coach LeBeau's got a pretty good poker face."

To read the entire article, click here.

Update:

The winner of the Keisel autographed glove is Austin Pierce from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Congratulations to Austin and thank you to all who entered. We had over 500 entries and everyone had the correct answer which came straight from the "Ask The Diesel" section. Send in your questions for The Diesel to answer! The site and Da Beard gear will do more contests in the future so check back often. We appreciate your support!

Great deal from Da Beard Gear:

In honor of Da Beard's birthday today, those who place an order today or tomorrow (Monday and Tuesday) will receive a free drink koozie and sticker with their order! Great incentives to place your orders today or tomorrow! The STORE link is at the top of this page (under the banner), so click on over to check out Keisel's official merchandise line.

September 18, 2011

SHUTOUT

The Steelers won their home opener in true Steelers style-with a SHUTOUT win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Fans were waving their Terrible Towels and cheering their team on as the Steelers won 24-0 to become 1-1 on the season.

Steelers Defense:

The Steelers did not allow the Seahawks to cross midfield until 10 minutes left in the game and limited them to 164 total yards.- From an article by Mark Kaboly- Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

From Keisel's post-game press conference:

On responding to the loss last week:

"We needed to respond... we did. Anytime you're in a fight and you get beat up like we did, you wannna come back and respond. And, it's really just one game...we just won one game. We gotta build on this and continue to move forward if we wanna be a good team."

On what made the difference in this week's response to the game:

"I think it was just watching our performance last week and watchng how bad we played individually and collectively... and we're better than that. I think it was just everyone looking at themselves in the mirror and understanding what you can do to help this team be better and going out and putting it on tape on Sunday."

To watch other parts of his interview, click here.

Brett's injury during the game:

Coach Tomlin discussed it during his post game interview saying: "Keisel has a potential grade-one PCL injury. We are going to get him evaluated and go from there. He potentially could have gone back in the game but it was so late in the contest. We have capable young guys and we played them."

Game photos:

Click here to view game photos.

September 15, 2011

LeBeau’s “Hawaii guys"

From Clare Farnsworth, Seahawks.com:

The Seahawks venture into Blitzburgh on Sunday for the Steelers' home opener. But it could just as easily be called LeBeauburgh, because of the impact coordinator Dick LeBeau has had on the team – and the game.

It goes by Blitzburgh, proudly and appropriately.

But the Steelers’ rabid, towel-waving fans in Pittsburgh just as easily could claim to be residents of LeBeauburgh when they pack Heinz Field on Sunday for the team’s home opener against the Seahawks. It is, after all, defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau who put the Blitz in Blitzburgh – and a Steelers defense that has ranked first or second in the NFL in sacks the past four season, including a league-high 48 last season and 53 in 2007.

“He’s an amazing coach. He’s had an amazing career and impact,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said of LeBeau, a Hall of Fame cornerback for the Detroit Lions before he devised the zone blitz that has changed the way defense is played in the NFL and, of course, the way offenses play because of it.

LeBeau’s scheme features overloading the defense to one side. Then it becomes a guessing game for the offense as it who’s rushing and who’s dropping into coverage – as opposed to the send-an-entire-side-of-the-field style of blitzing the late Jim Johnson used while defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles.

LeBeau, 74, is in his second stint with the Steelers. He was their defensive coordinator in 1995-96, when Blitzburgh was populated by linebackers Kevin Greene, Greg Lloyd and Chad Brown, cornerback Rod Woodson and safety Carnell Lake – all Pro Bowl selections; or “Hawaii guys,” as LeBeau refers to them. His second stint began in 2004. The names of the players have changed, but the results have been the same thanks to defensive tackle Casey Hampton, safety Troy Polamalu, linebackers James Harrison, James Farrior, Joey Porter and LaMarr Woodley and defensive ends Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel – this generation of LeBeau’s “Hawaii guys.”

LeBeau hasn’t influenced only his players; it’s the other coaches he has worked with – as well as those who have copied what he’s done. “When he speaks, I listen, because when something comes out of his mouth, it’s like the gospel truth,” is the way Steelers D-line coach John Mitchell once put it.

Click here to read the entire article.

Quest for Lombardi #7 kickoff contest...

The contest is still going on, so fans still have a chance to win an autographed Keisel photo! Place an order with Da Beard Gear and you could be a lucky winner!

The store link is above, or click this Da Beard link!

Da Beard Gear have added some new designs and items so click the link above and GET YOUR BEARD ON!

September 11, 2011

"We'll respond accordingly..."

From Coach Tomlin's press conference after the loss today:

"We don't like it, but we accept it. We'll respond accordingly."

The good news is, according to Coach Tomlin, there were no significant injuries to mention. James Harrison suffered a knee injury, but so far Tomlin said it is not serious.

The 35-7 loss to Baltimore was tough, but we know the team will bounce back and prepare for next week, and as Coach Tomlin said, "We'll respond accordingly."

Keisel had four tackles during the game.

I will add game photos as I see them. Click here for photos.

Steeler Nation:

Sent several emails and Facebook messages after the game. I have posted a few of them below.

"STEELERS R STILL NUMBER ONE IN MY HEART." - Virgie Mattis

"Regroup for sure, and get those Ravens next time. It's just one game. We got a long season to go." - Anne Cooper

"Saw #99 in on a few Ravens today. We will regroup and be back next week. STEELER NATION FOREVER." - Frank Wisor

"What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.... We love our Steelers and Da Beard! The Medina's our looking forward to next week!" - Tito Medina

"It was a tough loss but I know #99 and Steelers will move forward and put this one loss behind them. No worries." - Jeremy Kapp

Go Diesel! You're a beast. This was one loss and we're looking forward to many W's and many sack dances from you!" - Tim Hatfield

Thanks everyone for all the positive messages and emails. The season is just beginning and we have many more games to look forward to this season!

Looking ahead:

The Steelers home opener is against Seattle at 1:00 p.m. next Sunday.

September 10, 2011

Da Beard goes SAVAGE

From the Da Beard Gear website:

We know DA BEARD looks good in Black and Gold, but DA BEARD looks SAVAGE in Camo! The front of this camo t-shirt has DA BEARD logo with KEISEL 99 on the back. The logo and wording is black with a gold outline. Brand of the shirt is Anvil and is 100% (pre-shrunk) cotton.

You can get a closer look at both sides of the t-shirt here.

It comes in adult sizes small-3X and don't forget to pair it with the Da Beard camo hat!

News from around the web:

From Ed Bouchette's article, 2011 NFL Preview: 3-4 ... Shut The Door A Legacy of Excellence , in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

The Steelers welcome another member of the 30 Club to their maturing defense. This time it is the defense itself; the "34" turns 30 this season in Pittsburgh. • Installed in 1982 by Chuck Noll and Woody Widenhofer, his defensive coordinator, this will be the 30th consecutive season in which the Steelers use the 3-4 as their base defense, far longer than any team in the NFL.

"That's amazing, how time flies by," said Widenhofer, now retired and living in Florida. "Pittsburgh has made a tremendous commitment to that defense. They believe in it, and they go out and draft people who can play."

Steelers defensive coaches have massaged it through the years, and one -- Tony Dungy -- took some of its "cover two" philosophy with him to Tampa Bay. Another, Dick LeBeau, helped revolutionize the way defense is played in the NFL by introducing the zone blitz to the Steelers as part of their 3-4 in the early 1990s when he served first as their secondary coach before becoming defensive coordinator.

LeBeau has coached the 3-4 and 4-3 and has run his zone blitz in each, but he says the 3-4 allows for more versatility and puts a premium on speed. The jobs of the three linemen are, in simple terms, to take on the blockers and not let them get out on the linebackers, who swoop in to make plays. Good linemen also will push offensive linemen back, crowding the pocket for the quarterback and not letting him step into his throws -- or chasing him out of the pocket.

The current trio of Smith, Casey Hampton and Keisel likely is the best in the 30-season history of the 3-4 defense for the Steelers. Each has made the Pro Bowl.

"Every year, you look at Aaron and Casey, they don't have a lot of tackles, but they're the best at what they do along with Brett," said backup nose tackle Chris Hoke, who joined the Steelers as a rookie in 2001. "They take up their blockers, make you play. They do a good job making the play that comes to their gap. That's why James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison make so many plays. They have three good guys in front of them who take up their blockers."

Read the entire article, here.

Avoiding a trap season:

What path might the Steelers follow and can they break the streak and become the first Super Bowl loser to return to play in the championship game?

"I hope so. I hope we're not a .500 team or subpar team,'' defensive end Brett Keisel said. "I hope we can get right back into things. We definitely have the athletes. I think we have more starters coming back than anybody. It's on our shoulders. We all just need to play together at the right time and, hopefully, we can. "We have a good team. There's no reason why we shouldn't win games this year." -- From Ed Bouchette's article, 2011 NFL Preview: The goal? Avoid trap season Super Bowl: After the Loss.

Congratulations to Troy Polamalu on his new contract!

September 8, 2011

Steeler Nation is ready for some football...

...And they sent some messages for Brett and his teammates to get the 2011 season rolling:

"Hello, I just wanted to share the attached picture (to the left) of my son's classroom door (Mrs. Demko's Kindergarten class at Center Elementary School in Plum) from last year that won 1st place in the school's Steelers door decorating contest! The students traced their hands and cut them out to make Brett's beard! Fear the Beard! Go Steelers! Best of Luck for a successful 2011-2012 season...we'll be watching to see how long the beard grows this year!! I hope the beard will have a little super bowl winning charm in it this year too!" - Darcy Kane and Dylan Kane

"Diesel and the Steelers ferocious D rock the house on Sunday!" - Tito Medina

"GOOD LUCK WE GONNA BE .. SEVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SALUDOS! PLEASE GO FOR OUR SEVEN VICTORY.... GO STEELERS AND GOOD SEASON BRETT GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!" - JORGE CORTES AND MY NICKNAME IS EL PODEROSO IN ENGLISH THE POWERFUL, GUADALAJARA MEXICO

"Best of luck Brett and the team this season... Go Steelers!" - Love, Billie Jo and Greg, Pittsburgh, PA

"Best of luck to you and your teammates. May God keep you all healthy. Bring home no 7!!!! GO STEELERS!!!!" - Haydee, NM

"Keisel, you are such fun to watch on the field and the work you do off the field to help others is inspiring. Wishing you and your teammates a great season filled with fun and lots of wins!" - Mandy, Alaska

"Have a great season Brett! I know you will make Steeler Nation proud!" - Denny Karchner. Denny is shown here with the portrait (.09 Seconds Remaining) he created for Brett.

"Brett, best wishes for a great start to this new season. Denny and I are looking forward to some awesome STEELERS football. We'll be cheering you on. Be careful! Now, go kick some NFL butt! GO STEELERS and CHEERS FOR DA' BEARD!" - Leigh Karchner

"Good Luck Steelers. Let's show them purple birds some good old fashion Sloberknockin' Steeler Style Football. Here We Go Steelers Here We Go!!!!!" - Frank Wisor

"We are behind the Steelers 100% and are looking forward to many TD's for the offense and sacks for the defense!" - Alysa H., NY

"Here we go Steelers, Here We go! Will be cheering you on from Coach's Bar and Grill-big time Steelers bar here in Columbus, OH. Excited to see my Steelers back in action! Good luck this season guys!" - Cory Henson, Columbus, Oh

Diesel, wishing you a sack filled season mixed with many interceptions! Go #99!" - Erica S., Cambridge, Ma

"Number 7 coming up... good luck Steelers!" - Russell Keisel (Uncle Bull)

"We love the STEELERS!!! Let's go, fight, win....!" - Carma J White

"Let the Diesel roll!!!" - Bryan Merritt, SC

This Terrible Towel was decorated by clients at Passavant Memorial Homes in Harmarville, PA. They decorate their facility each season and dress in their Steelers gear each Friday according to Tanja Porter who works there. You can read more about them in the August 26 news below.

"Good luck sunday Brett!" - Erin Lynn, Chicago. IL

"#99 and Steelers...ROCK THE HOUSE this season! I'd love to see Keisel with another pick 6."Tom Snyder, Charlotte, NC

"I have always been a fan of Keisel but after reading on his new site all he does for charity, I respect him even more. What a great person and someone fans can look up to. Same goes for all the Steelers. Our team does so much to help others it makes me so proud to be a fan!" - Heather Brubaker, Gibsonia, PA

"Keisel, I love your new site and Da Beard gear. Thanks for letting fans have a chance to show their Da Beard pride and for letting fans get to know you better through your site. Best of luck for a great season for you and the team. Prayers for you and team to stay healthy! Thanks for always being such a great example to all!" - Mary, Swanton, Oh

"I wish the best of luck to Brett and the entire Steeler team, but most of all I wish them all a healthy season! Healthy players is the key to a successful year." - Anne and Emily Cooper, Saint Albans, WV

"LET'S GO DA BEARD AND STEELERS!!!" - Brad Lee Jones (Brad took the picture to the left of Keisel and Aaron Smith)

"Brett and the team-so glad you're all together again this year. Hunt for 7 is ON!" - Shelby King, Nashville, TN

"Go Steelers! My family and I are so excited to see the season finally here. Thanks to Brett and the team for staying classy during all the lockout mess and a special thanks to Mr. Keisel for all he does with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. My nephew has CF and seeing Brett take such an active interest is heartwarming. I am not sure how Brett and the guys find so much time to help others, but I am glad they do it. I hope Mr. Keisel is able to read these messages and know how much we appreciate all he and the team does both as players on the field and as gentlemen off it." - Missy McDaniel

"Take care of business this season like you always do Diesel!" - Rocko, Nevada

Brett, thanks for making your home state proud with all you do on and off the field and thank you for keeping us up to date with your website. We don't get enough Steelers or Keisel news in Wyoming." - Shelley, Wyoming

"You all are the BEST! You represent the best there is about football. Hard hitting, no nonsense football. Our guys beat your guys....only we beat you more than you beat us! Kick some serious Raven butt, they deserve your best so give it to them. Lets get #7 this year, you deserve it." - Stickchaser

"I want to wish #99 and all of the Steelers good luck this season. I hope all stay healthy too. I will be watching the game with my fellow Steelers fans at my house. We rotate houses each week and thank all of you Steelers for giving us a reason to gather, to cheer and to celebrate each season. Also to the Da Beard people-you are the best. I love all my gear and hope to be able to get some more soon." - Bill, Pittsburgh, PA

"I am super excited to see what sack dance #99 breaks out this year and hope to see tons of sacks and another interception for TD sure would be cool!Take it to da house, da beard!" - Terry Collins, Wytheville, VA

"I wish you huge success in all you do Mr. Keisel. You are such fun to watch every week and I pray for you to stay healthy and to have a wonderful season. Thank you for always being so interactive and outgoing with us fans!" - Amy Riley, Shreveport, LA.

"Bring on the sack dance! Look forward to the dance every game and #99's dances never disappoint. Keisel seems like such a down to earth genuine kind of guy and I really enjoy keeping up with his career." - Melissa Porter, Charleston, WV

"Any chance Keisel will be breaking out a sack dance on Dancing with the Stars? No matter, as long as we can see him break it out during the season then I am happy. Best of luck to all of you this season. Time for #7!" - Sherry

"Good luck to all the Steelers in 2011. Steeler Nation loves ya!" - Ryan Godown, Nebraska

"Brett, bring your sack dance to Hawaii! Pro Bowl for sure this year. Best of luck to you and I'll be voting like crazy when it's time to get you into the Pro Bowl." Nathan, Honolulu, HI

"I've been waiting so long for the first Steelers game of the season, and it's almost here. Best of luck to Keisel and teammates for a great season and beyond." - Russell King

"Da Beard, best of luck this season. Hope you found a way to keep moustache from irritating you during game. Beard Power is back and going to lead us to the postseason! I live in the Cleveland Browns territory but proudly wave my Terrible Towel and now my Da Beard shirt proudly!" - Tommy, Shaker Heights, Oh

"Da Beard and Da Brett are looking primed and ready to go this season. Same with Troy's hair and Big Ben! So excited to see all the team take the field and I'll be wearing my new Da Beard hat every week." - Rick

"Brett, thanks for the beard man! I think it's great how much fun you had with it and how you shaved it for charity. You are so gracious in letting us fans get to know you through your site and now through your gear line. In case you don't realize it, we appreciate all you do for us as fans. The Ask the Diesel questions are fun and the way you respond and interact with fans is so appreciated. Thank you and have top notch season." - Susan Farrell

"Really like the new gear shirts and hats. So hard to find Keisel attire where I live so thanks for making it available to all! Best of luck for a great season!" - Katie Pierce

"Hunt for Seven"-what a great theme for this year. Best of luck attaining your goals and best of luck in your career which I hope is nowhere near ending!" - Allen G., Atlanta, GA.

"Best wishes to a class act-Brett Keisel. You are great example of someone who just gets it. You are always gracious to the media and to fans and in the way you respect your family. Tell your mom and dad they raised you right! I wish nothing but the best for you and all your teammates." - Alexandra Murphy, Saratoga, Fl

"Excited to see you have a great season #99. We have followed you ever since you were drafted and we've been to every game you played in Denver. Good luck to all of you in your quest for the next ring." - Darron, Denver, Co.

"Keisel and the team: I know you'll get it done this year. Your teamwork is the best and you never give up. I may live in Colorado-but I call it Keisel country. We see #99 jerseys everywhere we go. " - Wayne

"I want to wish Brett and his teammates best of luck as they start this season. I will be watching in Ohio, where there are truly more Steelers fans than Bengals or Browns fans. My group of friends will all be wearing either a #99 jersey or Da Beard shirt. We also all have your Respect the Beard shirts from last season. Can't wait for Sunday to see you back on the field." Sharon, Grove City, Oh

"Good luck Brett. I am so thankful for your website. I live in Boston and we only get Patriots news. You're my favorite player (I am from Utah) so being able to keep up with you through your site is great. I wear my Keisel jersey every Friday to work and will be purchasing a Da Beard shirt to wear on Mondays after all your wins." - Megan K., Foxboro, MA

"Going to be a great season-I know it already. We will be there cheering you on at Heinz Field for every home game #99. We sit in a section filled with Keisel fans and love it when you run out onto the field. Good luck to all the team this year!" - Matt M., Pittsburgh, PA

I found this to be a fitting way to end the messages:

"We prayed and prayed, hoped and hoped that this day would arrive! As the lockout drug on, there were moments of doubt that were made so much more tolerable because an incredible number of our Steelers interact so freely with us, the citizens of Steeler Nation.

From James Harrison's antics with wild boars and snakes in AZ, to the Pouncey Planking posts... to Woodley just shakin' and bakin' all over the Ravens... to our very own Mountain Man Keisel keeping up with us... the road through the lockout to a short but sweet training camp was made so much better!! THANK YOU for that!!

Sunday, September 11 I'll be where I usually am: with 50 - 75 of my Terrible Towel twirling fellow fans at a local bar in Nashville, TN. We rock the house and are just SURE the Steelers know we're out in force!

It will be bitter sweet, however. Our thoughts, prayers and reflections will certainly be present for the victims of 9/11/01 and our Nation as we continue to heal. It's difficult to believe that was 10 years ago....

So, this Sunday..... we'll be cheering for our Steelers and for the USA! Neither can ever truly be defeated!

HERE WE GO STEELERS!! - Annette Filippone, Nashville, TN

Thank you to all who took the time to email such wonderful messages! Keisel and the Steelers are lucky to have the best fans in the league!

Reminder:

Be sure to order your Da Beard Gear (click STORE link under banner) for a chance to win an autographed Keisel photo! There will be seven random winners drawn from orders received so make sure you're that next LUCKY winner! The new "Hunt for Seven" shirts can be pre-ordered and will look great at any tailgate parties, office parties or anywhere you want to show your Steelers pride!

September 6, 2011

Da Beard...Heath Miller..and some giant elephants

From the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium website:

Two big Steelers met up with the world’s biggest land mammals at the Zoo on Saturday.

Defensive end Brett Keisel and tight end Heath Miller stopped by the Zoo for a pep rally featuring our elephants. Both the players and the pachyderms wore black and gold as the crowd waved Terrible Towels. Tall Cathy from KISS 96.1 hosted the rally, which saw 20 fans win autographed towels, footballs, and photos with the players.

To see several photos of Brett and Heath from the pep rally, click here.

Looked like the pachyderms liked Keisel's Da Beard t-shirt!

September 2, 2011

Hunt for Seven

Da Beard Gear unveiled a new t-shirt design yesterday. It features our favorite Steeler Super Hero on the front, and the location of each "hunting ground" on the back. You can view the front of the t-shirt below in September 1 news, and the back of the t-shirt is shown in today's news.

Click here for a closer look at the design, which also shows how it looks on the actual t-shirt.

You can pre-order the shirt now through Da Beard gear (click STORE link above) and orders should ship around September 10. It comes in adult and youth sizes.

Thank you to Denny Karchner, Western Art, and Elliot Fernandez for the amazing new t-shirt design!

From Elliot Harrison of NFL.com:

Dominating Steelers defense won't fall off in 2011:

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, soon to be 74, told all who would listen that "age is just a number" during his Pro Football Hall of Fame acceptance speech last summer. Considering the antiquity of his current defense, he'd better be right.

For the purposes of 2011, he is.

First, the facts. Nine significant contributors on Pittsburgh's defense are either over 30 or will turn the not-so-magical age this season. And many Steelers players, James Harrison most notably, believe their aggressive defense has been singled out by the NFL as not playing within the rules.

This has allowed some to conclude the Steelers' defense is an old, neutered dog. But all that noise will translate to a hill of beans once the real bullets start flying. After the league's 2010 midseason crackdown on helmet-to-helmet hits, there has been nothing in the play of Harrison, LaMarr Woodley or Ryan Clark that suggests a real lack of aggression. On 99 percent of NFL plays, the game is too fast for players to think about holding up on leveling a ball carrier.

And the age thing as the "it" factor in professional football is a bit overstated, particularly in Sixburgh's case. Players take care of their bodies far better than those of yesteryear, so while crossing 30 might be huge for a running back, it doesn't necessarily affect a defensive lineman as adversely.

Pittsburgh left end Aaron Smith is 35 and coming off injury. He's also one of the smartest players to play the position. As in, ever. His backup, Ziggy Hood, could start for 75 percent of the teams in the league. At the other end, Brett Keisel had one of his best seasons in 2010. Casey Hampton is a plugger in the middle, which contributed to Pittsburgh being the best run defense in the league. Throw in that the organization took highly touted defensive end Cam Heyward (who looks pretty good) with its first-round pick, and the line should be more than OK.

So tap the brakes with the comparisons to Golden Girls. They ain't that old, and they sure as heck aren't going soft.

Read the entire article here.

Cake anyone?

Robin Vogel created this fierce, yet delicious looking, masterpiece based on the Da Beard logo.

From her email:

"I'm not saying that making the cake today helped the Steelers win... but it certainly didn't hurt!"

You can click here for a better view of the cake. Thanks to Robin for sending the photo..and for making all of us hungry!

Reminders:

Brett and Heath Miller will be appearing at the Pittsburgh Zoo September 3. Information is below in the August 29 news or you can click on the link (Pittsburgh Zoo)above.

"The Quest for Lombardi #7" kickoff contest...

From the next 100 orders the "Da Beard" crew receives through their website, they will randomly select SEVEN orders and add autographed Brett Keisel photos to them. Seven lucky winners in all!

Can't think of a better way to kickoff the Quest for Lombardi #7!

The store link is above, or click this Da Beard link!

September 1, 2011- game update below

New Da Beard t-shirts

Da Beard Gear added an exciting new t-shirt design today!

Keisel and the Da Beard crew are ready to start the 2011 season, and now fans can join in on the fun by purchasing this new t-shirt, complete with our favorite Steeler Super Hero on the front, and the schedule of stops for the tour on the back.

And, by pre-ordering the shirt now, you have the chance of winning a signed photo of Keisel, courtesy of the "Quest for Lombardi #7 contest" Keisel & the "Da Beard" crew announced last night. Details are in the news from August 31 below.

The shirt comes in adult and children's sizes. You can pre-order it now and they should ship out on or near September 10. Order yours before they sell out!

Closer look at the t-shirt:

You can get a closer look at the new t-shirts here.

Also, Da Beard Gear has several other t-shirts and merchandise to choose from, and will be adding women's gear soon!

Thank you once again to artist Denny Karchner for the amazing design for the new t-shirts. You can view more of Denny's work (including his work with Keisel) on his site.

Thank you to all who are ordering the Da Beard Gear items and we hope you love the new design as much as we do!

We appreciate all your feedback and suggestions. Many requests have come in for women's gear and the Da Beard Crew are busily working to make it available soon.

Final preseason game:

The Steelers defeated the Panthers 33-17 in their final preseason game. They end the preseason at 3-1.

From Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

The Steelers accomplished their goal by making it through their final preseason game without serious injury.

No injuries tonight, but the trauma will happen for many over the next two days; coach Mike Tomlin must pare his roster to 53 players by 4 p.m. Saturday. Many of those cuts will come Friday, only hours after the Steelers wrapped up their 3-1 preseason with a 33-17 victory against the Carolina Panthers. The game was typical for a preseason finale, in which the only outcome any coach cares much about is his team's health.

Because of that, Tomlin rested more than a few starters -- 12 of the 22 regulars did not play, some because of injuries. Those starters who did not play included Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Rashard Mendenhall, James Harrison, James Farrior, Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, and the injured -- Bryant McFadden, Maurkice Pouncey and Ike Taylor. All but possibly McFadden should be ready to go for the regular season opener Sept. 11 in Baltimore.

Keisel had 3 tackles during the game. Since it was the final preseason game, he played just a short time.

Click here to read the whole article.

Click here for preseason game photos of #99.

August 31, 2011-second edition

Quest for Lombardi #7 kickoff contest

You asked for a Q & A with Mr. Keisel and he agreed. As mentioned before, "Ask the Diesel" is located on the right side of this page under the 2011 schedule. You also asked for more contests, and once again Mr. Keisel and the Da Beard crew agreed, so contest #2 is here!

Quest for Lombardi #7 kickoff contest...

The Steelers held their annual kickoff luncheon today (news below), and now #99 and the Da Beard crew are holding a kickoff contest of their own.

How does it work? Glad you asked!

From the next 100 orders the "Da Beard" crew receives through their website, they will randomly select SEVEN orders and add autographed Brett Keisel photos to them. Seven lucky winners in all!

Can't think of a better way to kickoff the Quest for Lombardi #7!

The store link is above, or click this Da Beard link!

Keep visiting the "Da Beard" store as they will be adding a new t-shirt design very soon!

August 31, 2011

2011 Kickoff Luncheon

The Steelers held their annual kickoff luncheon today at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown. It is called the "unofficial" kickoff of the season for the team.

From Steelers.com:

Football fever was in full swing on Wednesday at the annual Steelers Kickoff Luncheon, held at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown. The luncheon, which is hosted by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, is the unofficial kickoff of the 2011 season.

Emcees Bill Hillgrove and Craig Wolfley introduced the players and coaches, with Dick LeBeau getting the loudest and longest ovation for the second straight year. Several played up their ovations, having fun with the crowd, including Troy Polamalu who did his best “pageant wave” to the crowd, while James Harrison egged the crowd on to be louder putting his hand behind his ear, and Brett Keisel showed off his new beard with pride.

To watch a short video from the luncheon, click here and to view some photos from the event, click here.

The opening game against the Ravens is September 11. We all know it will be a physical game so fans need to get tough and "GET THEIR BEARDS ON" for gameday. Click the STORE link above to order your Da Beard Gear so you will have it by September 11th! Thanks for your continued support of Keisel's official merchandise line!

Steelers Style Fashion Show:

The Steelers players and their families will rock the runway at the Heinz Field East Club on October 6.

For more information, click here.

Rookie Cameron Heyward:

Talks about working with his defensive line teammates in a Q & A with Mike Bires, Beaver County Times:

Q: What’s it like to play on a defensive line that includes guys like Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel and even Ziggy Hood?

A: “It’s the best D-line in the NFL. These guys are solid pros. It’s an honor to play with them.”

Preseason coming to an end:

The last preseason game will be tomorrow night against the Carolina Panthers. Gametime is 8:00 p.m.

Thanks to all who have sent questions in for the next segment of "Ask the Diesel"...keep them coming!

August 29, 2011

Ask the Diesel

We have added a new feature to the site called "Ask the Diesel". In order for it to be successful, we need your participation. This is your chance to "Ask the Diesel" questions you've always wondered or wanted to know about him!

Brett has already answered a few questions which you can find on the right side of this page under the schedule. You can also read about how to send your questions. Please include your name and we would like to know where you are from, but it is not a requirement.

Please use the site email which is located at the top of the site: CONTACT and read the information in the section regarding the types of questions that will be accepted.

Everyone loves a Mountain Man:

Artist Denny Karchner has once again teamed up with Keisel to create a masterpiece. This time Denny portrayed Keisel as a Mountain Man. He had Brett pose where he hunts, and for those from Brett's hometown of Greybull, Wyoming, be sure to check out a Greybull tribute added to the portrait!

Visit Denny's Western Art collection to view a better copy of the portrait and to read Denny's blog about the detail put into it. Very interesting!

You can purchase a print and view more of Mr. Karchner's Western Art here.

View Denny's full collection of Steeler and Western Art which includes the :09 Seconds Remaining portrait he did of Brett this summer.

Brett and Heath Miller to attend pep rally:

Both Brett and Heath will be at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium on September 3 for a pep rally hosted by Tall Kathy of Kiss 96.1. There will be chances to win great prizes. The pep rally starts at 11:00 a.m. and you must arrive between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. to be eligible to win the prizes.

Here is a link for more information regarding Brett and Heath's appearance at the Pittsburgh Zoo .

Thanks to Rob Gratson(from Twitter) and Erin from Big Ben 7 for the heads up!

August 28, 2011

Steelers take down Falcons 34-16

The Steelers defeated the Falcons in front of thousands of screaming fans at Heinz Field last night. Antonio Brown got the crowd going within seconds of kickoff when he returned the opening kickoff 51-yards to set up a quick touchdown for the Steelers. Brown also caught 2 touchdown passes from Ben Roethlisberger. Big night for him!

The defense harassed both Falcons quarterbacks all evening sacking them twice.

In the last two games, the Steelers defense has recorded eight takeaways that have included six interceptions, one of which was returned 95 yards for a touchdown.

Keisel stats:

#99 had three tackles and he deflected a Matt Ryan pass into the hands of Lawrence Timmons who got the interception.

For more game news, click here.

You can watch game highlights here.

Unfortunately, the game was not without injuries. Back up quarterback, Byron Leftwich left the game with what was later reported as a broken arm. Center Maurkice Pouncey left the game with an ankle injury and Keenan Lewis left the game with an injured knee. NT Casey Hampton also left the game with an injured elbow.

Check out this article on the Steelers defense from Bucky Brooks , NFL.com.

For any new photos, click on the Photo link at the top of this page and then click on Last Uploads.

August 26, 2011

News and Notes

Renee Stredney, from Ohio, was one of the winners in the Da Beard Training Camp contest. She is shown wearing her Da Beard hat, with the photo she won from the contest. You can click here to see a larger version of her photo, and to see her handsome son Hayden in his Da Beard hat.

Steelers vs. Falcons:

The Steelers will take on the Atlanta Falcons Saturday at Heinz Field. Coach Tomlin said the starters will probably play at least until halftime for this game.

To read more on what Tomlin had to say you can click here.

Also, for those not in Pittsburgh, you can listen to the game on WDVE or you can purchase a special preseason package from NFL.com.

Passavant Memorial Homes loves the Steelers:

Tanja Pater works for Passavant Memorial Homes in Harmerville, PA and sent some photos of decorations her clients made to show their black and gold pride.

From her email:

I work at a facility that works with mentally challenged individuals. Every year at football season we decorate for the Steelers, and every Friday we all dress in our Steeler gear. We wanted to send you a picture of our terrible towel that our group made. Some of our clients come to Steeler camp and games also, and they enjoy it very much. We hope you all like our terrible towel. We work with mentally challenged helping them with their daily activities and work programs. We just wanted to let the steelers see how much some of these guys really enjoy them and support them. We have one in particular who is pretty much everyday dressed in Steelers.

Click here to view their awesome decorations. Thanks to Tanja and the clients at Passavant Memorial Homes for their support of the Steelers and for sending us their photos.

For all who are in the path, or will be affected by Hurricane Irene, please be safe.

August 24, 2011

Family Guy

WHIRL magazine spoke with Keisel recently about his family:

Pittsburgh Steeler Brett Keisel revels in his family — which not only includes his wife and kids, but his teammates whom he thinks of as brothers.

“The best thing about training camp, honestly, especially this year, is being able to be around your brothers again.“Seriously, this team is so close.”--Brett Keisel.

Brett's teammates feel the same way about him:

Brett is my wingman. I can't say enough about him. He's a great guy, but a great competitor, too. As good of a football player he is, he is an even better person."--Aaron Smith

"Brett is a cool cat. He is a country guy with a little swagger--And you rarely ever find that."--Casey Hampton

A few Keisel quotes from the article:

On the effect the lockout may have on players:

“We are lucky, because we are a veteran team, so a lot of us can run the defense in our sleep. These young guys have a tough hill to climb, because we usually have OTAs, and they have a chance to learn the defense, so that when they come to training camp, we can run it full speed. But, the strong ones will push through, and the weak ones will perish.”

One positive note about the lockout:

“I had a lot of chances to spend time with my family — usually I wouldn’t have had that time, if we were in OTAs and other things."

On possible new items for Da Beard Gear:

A couple of friends and I got together and created a logo for the new gear (Da Beard Gear). We have gotten some emails about getting some items for the ladies, so we are working on that. I’m just trying to give beard love to the fans."

On getting back to work:

I think that everyone is excited — including us and the fans....there’s no better time than now to get back into the big dance — and we will do that.”

You'll want to read the entire interview, which discusses his generous charity work, more on his beard and some of his thoughts on life after football (which we all hope is a long time down the road). There are also some great photos of #99 in the article!

You can read it all here.

Da Beard Gear:

More items have been added to the site. You can now order drink koozies featuring the Da Beard logo-no tailgate party is complete without them! And, you can order Da Beard stickers. Perfect to advertise your support of #99..stick 'em on your windows, bumpers, books..anywhere you want to show off your Da Beard love! Click on the store link above to check out the expanding list of items Da Beard Gear has to offer.

August 22, 2011

Thank you to Da Beard crew

Sarah Swenson, from Minnesota, was one of the winners of the Da Beard Training Camp Contest. She received her autographed Keisel photo from the Da Beard crew and sent a photo with it along with a nice email:

"Thank you very much for the autographed photo. I really like the throwback uniforms, so it was cool receiving a photo featuring one. It looks good in the frame and I'm happy to add it to my collection. Da Beard Rules!"

You can see the photo of the winners in the August 15 news. And, you can see a larger version of Sarah's photo with her "prize" here.

Thanks to Sarah and Renee for entering the contest, and thanks to Sarah for sending such a nice email!

2011 Kickoff Luncheon:

The annual kickoff luncheon will be on August 31 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. It will be held at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown (600 Commonwealth Place Pittsburgh, PA).

The 2011 Steelers Kickoff Luncheon will feeature the 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers, Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Steelers Alumni, plus a viewing of the 2010 Highlight Film and a 2011 season preview. There will also be a silent raffle and auction and alumni autographs.

For ticket prices, and more information please click here.

Steelers crush TV ratings:

Read all about it.

Da Beard Gear:

Added some exciting new items. Last week they added larger sizes in t-shirts for adults and children's t-shirts. This week...the additions are drink koozies and stickers. Click on the Store link above and check out all the Da Beard gear. There are many ways to "Get your beard on"!

August 19, 2011

Post game talk

The Steelers domination of the Eagles has been the primary topic of discussion by fans and the media.

Here are some nice articles to read:

James Walker, AFC North blogger shares his observations here.

Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, gives his thoughts here.

And, Steel City Insider discusses the game here.

You may want to give some thought into subscribing to SteelCityInsider.net as Jim Wexell and his colleagues provide great insight into the games and players.

August 18, 2011-Evening update below

Preseason home opener

Everyone ready for some football? It's the preseason home opener tonight, so Heinz Field will be rockin' the Terrible Towels (and we hope to see some Da Beard gear in the stands too). For those who are not able to attend the game, you're in luck as the game will be nationally televised on FOX network at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Brett was on 105.9 The X today and spoke about the game tonight against the Eagles and about the depth of the defensive line. You can listen here.

Evening update:

Tweet from Scott Brown, of the Tribune Review:

"We want to take care of our home grass in front of our fans. That was our main objective today."--Brett Keisel

Well, the team certainly took care of that objective!

The Steelers looked good on both offense and defense in their 24-14 defeat of the Philadelphia Eagles. By half time, the defense had intercepted Eagles quarterback Michael Vick three times. Eagles back up quarterback Vince Young also was intercepted later in the game to bring the total to four picks (and one fumble recovery) for the mighty Steelers defense.

Beard Talk

Keisel did an interview with Channel 11 Sports reporter Bill Phillips, urging him to regrow his "hockey beard" for the entire football season.

Brett also talked about the great things he has been able to do for charity with his beard, like raising over $40,000 for Children's Hospital with his "Shear the Beard" event a few months ago.

Click here to watch the interview.

Nice to see Willie Colon gettin' his beard on at camp yesterday! You can click here to see photos of fans (and Brett's teammates) wearing Da Beard gear.

Thanks again to all who have supported Da Beard Gear.

View training camp photos here.

Also, check out the links in the last couple news stories for fan photos sent to us from camp!

We are receiving many emails from fans who are starting their playoff beards now...sounds like Steeler Nation is ready for a great football season!

Evening update:

"THE BEARD IS COMING BACK...Brett talked with Tunch and Wolf on 970 ESPN about the return of his famous beard, a contest with his dad and brothers, and he tells a very funny story about Chris Hoke's training camp roommate. Listen to the entertaining interview here. Keisel's interview is from August 10-Hour 1.

Thanks to Jackie for the heads up on the interview!

Also:

Da Beard gear has added some larger sizes in t-shirts for adults and youth gear is here! For all of you kiddos out there who dream of growing a beard as beautiful as The Great Bearded One, Mr. Keisel...you can start by ordering an official youth Da Beard t-shirt!

The store link is under the banner above and on the right side of this page under "Da Beard Online Store."

August 16, 2011

Training camp winding down

Training camp 2011 is coming to an end as of tomorrow. The last public practice was today and the players will hold private practice Wednesday before breaking camp.

Photos:

Click here to see some photos Renee Stredney took at camp on August 6.

And, click here to see photos of fans (and Brett's teammates) wearing Da Beard gear.

Thank you to all who have sent photos from camp!

Game day:

The game against the Eagles will be nationally televised on FOX Thursday so be sure to have your Terrible Towels and Da Beard Gear ready to cheer on #99 and the Steelers!

Coach Tomlin held a press conference today and indicated the starters will probably get 20-25 reps in the game Thursday.

You can click here to read more about what Tomlin had to say today.

August 15, 2011

Playing catch-up-Evening update below

Sorry for the delay in updates! We have a lot to catch up on.

First, we had a winner in the Da Beard Gear Training Camp Contest. Sarah Swenson and Renee Stredney attended camp August 6 and proudly displayed their Da Beard Gear t-shirt. Renee also ordered a hat which I will post in the gallery. Thank you to both ladies for supporting Da Beard gear! Each won an autographed photo of #99.

Da Beard Gear...

Will be adding new items to their store soon. Some new items will be ladies apparel, new t-shirts, drink koozies and stickers. Be sure to check their site in the next few weeks to take a look at the new gear. Remember, Da Beard Gear is Brett Keisel's official merchandise line.

First preseason game...

The Steelers used their starters sparingly in the loss to the Redskins. Keisel had three tackles while he was in the game.

Photo extravaganza...

I received many fan photos this past week and really appreciate all who took the time to send them.

Sarah Swenson attended camp August 6 and sent some great photos to share. You can click on her name to check out her latest photos, and to see the ones she took last year.

Billie Jo Yakubik attended camp again on August 14 and sent more photos. Click on her name to see them. She captured some good ones of Brett sporting his Da Beard Gear hat.

Thank you ladies for sharing your pictures with us.

You can also click here to view more training camp photos.

Movie star...

Ben Roethlisberger, Heath Miller and Brett pose in the Steelers locker room August 6 just before they suited up for their roles as the Gotham Rogues in the movie, “The Dark Knight Rises”. The home team Rogues, coached by Bill Cowher, will take on the Rapid City Monuments at Heinz Field, which has also been transformed for it’s role in the movie!

Thank you to Erin, Big Ben 7 for sharing the photo from the set.

Injury update...

Keisel sat out of practice Sunday with what was reported as a slight ankle injury.

Evening update...

Thanks to Big Ben and Brett's teammates for their support of Da Beard gear. Click here to see a couple photos of Big Ben in his gear and to see where else Da Beard has been.

August 5, 2011

Talking night practice

Keisel (wearing his Da Beard hat) and Smith talked about why they like night practice, while Hamp...we're not sure what he likes. Click here to find out.

Also, Lexi Fanty attended camp yesterday and sent a few photos of #99 to share.

She was very excited to also get to meet Big Ben. You can see a photo she took with Ben and read her story here.

August 4, 2011

Practice is on...for everyone!

From Greg Aiello's (NFL PR) twitter account today:

"Our office was notified at 4:54 pm ET that the players have ratified the new 10-year CBA."

This means all players, including signed free agent players are now able to join their teams on the practice field.

You can check out the list of free agents for the Steelers, and keep up with camp updates here.

Camp photos:

Click here.

You can also see some behind-the-scenes photos of camp and catch some player interviews through the Steelers Training Camp Diary.

From the diary today:

A lot of young players have gotten reps, trying to make up for some lost time without an offseason program.

“It’s been beneficial for those guys,” said defensive end Brett Keisel. “(The playbook) has been toned back. We probably have one-eighth of the playbook in now. It’s going slow. There is a lot to this defense. I don’t see them picking up all of it up for at least half the year.”

The advantage the Steelers do have is experience, with veteran players able to pick things right up without much work.

“We have a lot of guys who can miss the entire offseason and run the whole defense the next day,” said Keisel. “That is one of the perks about very here so long.”

Da Beard Gear training camp contest:

Training camp is underway and Da Beard Gear wants to say thanks to the fans who are supporting Keisel's new merchandise line and website. It's also a great way to celebrate the end of the lockout and thank fans for their support throughout it.

Fans have been emailing asking when we will be holding a new contest...the answer is NOW!

Be the FIRST to email the site with a photo showing you sporting your Da Beard Gear at training camp and you win an autographed photo of Brett 'The Diesel' Keisel and we will also post your photo here on the website.

The photo will need to show you are at the 2011 Steelers training camp.

If you have not ordered your Da Beard gear yet, it's time to get busy. They have added a new camo hat which is a must have for all you hunters, or also anyone who loves camo gear! Da Beard gear offers one-of-a-kind items and is the only place to purchase official Brett Keisel gear just like Keisel himself had on when he arrived at camp.

Click here to purchase your official gear.

Entries will ONLY be accepted by emailing the website: trish@brett-keisel.com. They will not be accepted through the Facebook or Twitter pages.

Show Keisel your support and "GET YOUR BEARD ON" with Da Beard gear!

Site maintenance:

The site may not be updated from August 6-August 14 due to updates and maintenance. I will be able to add photos, so you can keep up by clicking on the PHOTO tab above and then clicking LAST UPLOADS. Also, you can keep up through the FB and Twitter links at the top left hand banner.

August 1, 2011

Camp photos

The players have today off, so I thought I would take time to update the photo gallery.

Thank you to those who have sent photos. Anyone who attends and has some photos of #99 they would like to share can send them to me. The email address is under Contact above.

You can check out the latest fan photos from Billie Jo Yakubik here and more photos here.

You can keep up with training camp news here.

Da Beard Gear training camp contest:

Fans have been emailing asking when we will be holding a new contest...the answer is NOW!

The photo will need to show you are at the 2011 Steelers training camp.

Click here to purchase your official gear.

Entries will ONLY be accepted by emailing the website: trish@brett-keisel.com. They will not be accepted through the Facebook or Twitter pages.

Show Keisel your support and "GET YOUR BEARD ON" with Da Beard gear!

July 29, 2011

Training camp underway

The first open practice of training camp 2011 was today and Steeler Nation was there to cheer on their team, and they of course congratulated Ben Roethlisberger on his recent marriage.

Various media reports said Keisel and Hampton had great practices. The afternoon practice was shortened due to the weather.

You can keep up with training camp news here.

Training camp photos:

Click here to see photos of Keisel at camp.

The Diesel arrives:

Watch video of Brett arriving at camp here.

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette liked Keisel's arrival enough to put him on the front page of the paper today! You can view it here.

Even the Post Gazette wants readers to get their beards on!

Da Beard Gear training camp contest:

Fans have been emailing asking when we will be holding a new contest...the answer is NOW!

The photo will need to show you are at the 2011 Steelers training camp.

Click here to purchase your official gear.

Entries will ONLY be accepted by emailing the website: trish@brett-keisel.com. They will not be accepted through the Facebook or Twitter pages.

Show Keisel your support and "GET YOUR BEARD ON" with Da Beard gear!

July 28, 2011

Keisel arrives at camp

Brett turned heads when he arrived at camp in a Kubota truck earlier today.

Players reported to training camp today at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.

The media took notice of Brett's choice of cars and his apparel, which of course was Da Beard Gear-Brett's new merchandise line.

The players had their conditioning test today and will have practice tomorrow. You can check out the training camp schedule on the right side of this page.

Click here to listen to Keisel's quick press conference from camp.

Tweets:

Some funny tweets from media today:

"Steelers DE Brett Keisel shows up in a tiny work truck and a "baby beard." He says the big beard is coming back if the team makes a deep run."

Brett Keisel, on who the best dancer was at Roethlisberger's wedding: "Me, of course."

Best car: Keisel's agriculture 50mph truck.

To see a few photos of Brett's arrival at camp, click here.

Training camp contest:

Be sure to read the July 26 news for information on the Da Beard training camp contest!

July 27, 2011

U2 & Da Beard rock Heinz Field

For the last United States stop in their 360 Tour, U2 chose Heinz Field to perform. They played last night in front of an estimated 64,000 people.

And, of course Brett and Da Beard were there to see it all!

Click here to see a couple photos Brett sent of Da Beard enjoying the show. You can also view the other photos in the gallery to see where else Da Beard has been.

Another Da Beard sighting:

Keisel (wearing his Da Beard hat) was one of the first to arrive at the Steelers facility yesterday which was the first day the players could return after the lockout.

From Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

The re-opening of NFL facilities to players brought a trickle and later a steady stream of Steelers to team headquarters Tuesday.

Players didn't do much beyond getting physicals, but for Brett Keisel, the day represented an end to his summer of boating, fishing and spending time with family and friends. And the veteran defensive end was OK with that.

"This time of year, subconsciously, your body's telling you it's time to get back to work," Keisel said.

Plenty of work lies ahead for Keisel and the Steelers with the team prepared to report to training camp Thursday at St. Vincent. But relative to other teams that have or will experience significant turnover, the Steelers are in good shape. Their coaching staff returns largely intact as do most of their starters on offense and defense from the team that made it to the Super Bowl last season.

The lockout, which ended Monday after wiping out all offseason practices, will adversely affect the Steelers less than most teams.

"I think we're one of those teams that can go to camp and be on the practice field the next day and be able to run our whole defense, really," said Keisel, who made the Pro Bowl as an alternate last season. "A lot of us have been here for a long time, so hopefully, that's going to be a benefit for us."

To read the whole article, click here.

Aaron Smith:

Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, spoke with Brett about Smith recently:

I talked to him a little bit the other day. It will be great to get him back out there. i dont know what all is going on with him, but I know he's excited and has been working hard to get back out on the field and do what he does best, which is compete. He's heathy. He is, I think, ready to rock.''

Training camp contest:

Be sure to read the July 26 news for information on the Da Beard training camp contest! Also, training camp news is listed in the July 25 news and on the right side of this page.

July 26, 2011

Da Beard Gear training camp contest

Training camp begins in two days and Da Beard Gear wants to say thanks to the fans who are supporting Keisel's new merchandise line and website. It's also a great way to celebrate the end of the lockout and thank fans for their support throughout it.

Fans have been emailing asking when we will be holding a new contest...the answer is NOW!

The photo will need to show you are at the 2011 Steelers training camp.

Click here to purchase your official gear.

Entries will ONLY be accepted by emailing the website: trish@brett-keisel.com. They will not be accepted through the Facebook or Twitter pages.

Da Beard Revenge Tour:

Keisel phoned into the WDVE crew for a quick interview today. He talked about what he has done this offseason to keep in shape, his amazing dancing abilities, his trips to the dentist and of course he talked about "Da Beard". He has officially named this season: DA BEARD REVENGE TOUR. Listen to his interview to hear what #99 has been up to, and to hear about the contest his brothers and father challenged him to recently!

Click here to listen. As usual, it's a very entertaining interview.

July 25, 2011

Are you ready for some football

“It is a great day for everyone in the NFL and our fans everywhere. We are excited that we will be back to football this week. We were able to negotiate an agreement that is fair to both the owners and the players and it happened through a combination of hard work and determination from both sides. We are looking forward to getting to Saint Vincent College for training camp and preparing for the 2011 season.”--Art Rooney II

The long offseason is officially over! The Steelers will report to training camp at St. Vincent College on July 28.

The first official practice will take place Friday, July 29. The first practice open to the public is scheduled for that afternoon at 2:55 p.m. Only the afternoon practices are open to the public.

Click here for information on training camp, including a schedule and directions.

If you attend camp, and have some photos of Keisel you would like to share, feel free to send them to me to post here on the site. Also, be sure to purchase your Da Beard t-shirts and hats so you can wear them to camp. The link to Da Beard Gear is above under "Store" and on the right side of this page. Da Beard gear is the official merchandise line of Brett Keisel.

You can see a larger version of the schedule above (created by Rebecca Miller) by clicking here.

July 21, 2011

We're official! - See new updates below

Welcome to the official website of Super Bowl Champion and winner of NFL's Best Beard, Brett Keisel!

We hope you enjoy browsing through the photos and articles. Some areas are still "under construction" so be sure to check back often.

Click on the tab above entitled "Brett in the Community" to get a glimpse of the various causes, events and activities the Keisel's support and you can read letters of appreciation some various foundations sent talking about the work Brett and Sarah do for their causes.

Also, be sure to visit Da Beard Gear, Brett's official merchandise line, to GET YOUR BEARD ON!

Keisel has been wearing the official Da Beard Gear t-shirt and hat at various events and around town, and now fans have a chance to do the same!

The link is at the top under "Store" and on the right side of this page. Once you purchase your gear, send us a photo of you with it and we'll post it in the Da Beard Gear World Tour album. Be sure to tell us your name and where you are from so we can track where Da Beard gear has been!

Brett and the Da Beard Gear crew appreciate all your support and we hope you enjoy the new site!

July 22, 2011

News and notes

Training camp news:

From Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

National Football League owners will have to wait a little longer to see if the 10-year collective bargaining agreement they overwhelmingly voted to ratify will receive similar approval from the players. But, if it does, the Steelers will open training camp Wednesday at St. Vincent College in Latrobe -- at least three days earlier than they would have normally reported.

If the agreement gets the approval of the players, who still have to re-certify as a union, team president Art Rooney Ii said the Steelers will re-open their South Side training facility to their players on Saturday and start training camp July 27 -- the day every NFL team is allowed to report to training camp.

"If the deal goes according to plan, we'll have the guys report on Wednesday and we'll have practice on Thursday," team president Art Rooney II told the Post-Gazette Thursday night. "Opening on the same day for every team was the fairest way to do it, given that we didn't have an off-season."

As usual, I will post training camp news and photos here, so be sure to check in!

Da Beard Gear World Tour:

Bill Stinchcomb sent in a photo of him wearing his new Da Beard Gear hat. Click here to see it and to read his message.

Thanks Bill! Also, thanks to Doug Sarkis, Bill Wolfe and Diana Napper for their nice messages for Brett and Sarah. The messages are posted on the "Brett in the Community" page above.

Penguin Bookshop Festival:

As mentioned last week, Brett attended the festival and read a few of his favorite children's books to the crowd. You can see what books he chose and a few photos here.

Thank you to Peggy Neal, from HCEF for the mention on their website!

July 14, 2011

Event reminder

Brett will be making an appearance at the Penguin Bookshop Children's Festival on Saturday June 16. The Penguin Bookshop is in Sewickley, PA.

This event will be an effort to accumulate donated books geared towards teens for the Homeless Children's Education Fund. Monetary donations will also be accepted.

Click here for more information on the festival and for suggested teen reading donation items.

Keisel is scheduled to appear at 11:00 a.m. and will be reading some of his favorite children's books to the crowd. More information, including times is in the July 5 news and on the right side of this page.

Please be aware, this is NOT an autograph signing event. It will be a fun-filled day so be sure to bring your family to the festival and drop off some books to help children in the area. Thank you for your support!

July 13, 2011

:09 Seconds Remaining

Brett headed to Cody, Wyoming to pick up the portrait he commissioned from Denny Karcher. Like all of us, Brett loved the portrait.

Mr. Karchner needed to name the portrait and suggested to Brett: ":09 Seconds Remaining" since in the portrait Keisel is looking at the scoreboard, which Brett agreed was a great idea so the portait was officially named.

Denny sent some photos to share. One of them shows how much Brett loved the portrait.

Click here to see the photos, and also to see the portrait.

View Denny's full collection of Steeler and Western Art.

Denny said he and his wife, Leigh (who took the photos Denny shared) had a wonderful time with Brett at their ranch. Brett signed some items for friends of Denny's. One such item was the glove Brett was wearing when he scored his touchdown last season. He had given it to a fan in the stands, and it turns out, Denny knew her and was able to get the glove from her to have Brett sign it.

"Brett even signed a few things for the neighbor kids! Leigh and I can't begin to say what a gracious and kind guy he is! What a great afternoon! "GO STEELERS!!"-Denny Karchner

Keisel was also at the ranch to pose for a "Mountain Man" photo shoot with Denny and Leigh, so Denny's next masterpiece will be coming soon!

Happy Birthday Denny!

July 12, 2011

Da Beard launch a hit in Wyoming

Da Beard Gear launched in Sheridan, Wyoming last Friday at the Pony Grill and Bar. Fans got one of the first up close looks at Keisel's new official merchandise line, and they were able to have items signed by #99 himself.

Keisel and the Da Beard crew wanted to give Wyoming the first glimpse and from the looks of the photos and from the emails I have received...Wyoming loved the gesture. Fans expressed their thanks to Keisel for choosing Wyoming as many of them are not able to get to Pittsburgh to get an autograph or to meet Brett. Keisel has always been generous and thankful to Wyoming as he also hosted an autograph signing last summer in his hometown of Greybull, Wyoming to raise funds to save the town swimming pool.

Michael McGuire, one of Brett's partners in Da Beard Gear, sent several photos from the Sheridan event. The photo above is of Keisel with McGuire and some members of the Sheridan Broncs football team. It was great to have them attend. Also, two winners of the Milward Simpson award, Kayla Woodward and Austin Woodward were on hand to join Brett (the 1997 winner of the award) for a photo.

Click here to see Michael's photos and some other fan photos. If you have pictures you would like to add to the gallery, feel free to send them!

You can also view the Da Beard Gear World Tour album. Click here to see where Da Beard has been.

Purchase your Da Beard Gear so we can add you to the gallery!

Thanks to the city of Sheridan and the Pony Grill and Bar for a great time at the Brett Keisel signing! Thanks for the support and remember to Get Your Beard On!-From Keisel and the Da Beard Crew

July 8, 2011

#99 and Da Beard arrive in Sheridan

Brett and the Da Beard Gear crew were at the Pony Grill and Bar tonight for an autograph session and to unveil Da Beard gear to Wyoming.

Fans are emailing to say what a great time it was and how excited and grateful they were that Mr. Keisel chose Sheridan for the event.

The Da Beard crew and Brett are also grateful:

Thanks to the city of Sheridan and the Pony Grill and Bar for a great time today at the Brett Keisel signing! Thanks for the support and remember to Get Your Beard On!

For those who could not make it tonight, visit the Da Beard Gear store to check out the official merchandise line of Brett Keisel.

If you attended and purchased some gear, send a photo with it and we will post it in the Da Beard Gear World Tour album. Click here to view the photos we have so far.

We will continue to add to the album, so be sure to check back.

July 7, 2011

Sheridan, Wyo! Are you ready for some...

Fun.. with #99 and Da Beard gear? We hope so because Keisel and Da Beard Gear will be arriving in Sheridan tomorrow. Brett will be signing autographs at the Pony Grill and Bar in Sheridan, Wyoming on July 8 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Brett and his Da Beard gear partners want to give Wyoming one of the first close-up looks at the new beard merchandise line. Don't miss out on your chance to "GET YOUR BEARD ON" with #99 and the Da Beard crew!

Feel free to send us a photo of you wearing Da Beard gear to add to the Da Beard Gear World Tour galley!

July 5, 2011

Story time with Keisel

What does #99 do when he's not busy on the field crushing offenses? One thing he likes to do is read, so he wants to make sure all children have books available to them.

On July 16 he will be reading two of his most memorable children's books at the Penguin Bookshop Children's Festival.

This event will be an effort to accumulate donated books geared towards teens for the Homeless Children's Education Fund.. Monetary donations will also be accepted.

The event will be held at Penguin Bookshop at 420 Beaver St. in Sewickley, PA. The festival begins at 10:00 a.m. and lasts until 4:00 p.m. Keisel is slated to appear between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

If you are in the area, be sure to stop by for some fun family time which will include face painting, ice cream, a visit from Elvis the Penguin and of course story time with Brett!

Click here for more information on the festival and for suggested teen reading donation items.

July 1, 2011

News, notes and photos

Upcoming autograph signing:

Check the June 27 news below for Keisel's upcoming autograph signing news. This is the first chance many will get to see his new merchandise line, Da Beard Gear in person.

If you attend the event and take photos, feel free to send them so we can post here on the site. And, if you purchased your Da Beard gear, send us photos of you wearing it and we will add them to the Da Beard Gear World Tour gallery.

There has been a lot of positive response to the merchandise and we appreciate the support fans have shown.

Site update:

The new official Brett Keisel website is under construction and will be ready to unveil soon. As previously mentioned, the content will remain the same although the site will be have a totally new design. We will add Da Beard gear information so fans can have a one-stop place for news on #99 and to purchase their offical beard gear!

Photos:

I added some more photos of Keisel taken at Big Ben's Football Camp. Click here to see photos of Diane Reynards kids who attended the camp.

Get your beard on...in Bermuda:

Renee Minnemeyer-Climo surprised her husband Chad with a Da Beard t-shirt for Father's Day. They were on a cruise in Bermuda and sent a couple photos of him sporting the shirt from their balcony on the cruise ship.

What a great Father's Day gift and Bermuda sounds like a great place to "get your beard on!"

Click here to see the photos.

Thanks to Diane and Renee for sharing their photos.

June 27, 2011

Autograph signing

Brett will be at the Pony Grill and Bar in Sheridan, Wyoming on July 8 to sign autographs from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Da Beard Gear will be available to purchase so stop by and "GET YOUR BEARD ON" with #99!

This will be a great way to add to your Steelers autograph collection, or to start one, and you can check out Da Beard Gear-the official beard gear of Brett Keisel.

June 23, 2011

Da Beard goes to camp

As mentioned earlier, Keisel was there to lend a hand to Big Ben at his Ben Roethlisberger Football Camp at Seneca Valley High School in Harmony, PA this week.

And, thanks to some fans who just happened to have their cameras with them, we have some photos of #99!

Anita Doddroe took her grandchildren to camp again this year and said it was a great time again.

Anita:

"We had a great time at camp again this year. And, actually, one of the campers demonstrated Brett's "down the river" post-sack dance and did a pretty good job. Brett then did the dance himself, much to the delight of all the campers! He threw in a bit of the "bow hunter", too.

You can view Anita's photos here.

You can see a video of the boy Anita mentioned doing Brett's sack dance, and of Brett performing it also through the link in yesterdays news.

Cindy Dupray's children also attended camp and she shared some great photos of Keisel which can be seen here.

Thank you to both ladies!

Fan emails:

I wanted to thank Mr. Keisel for taking the time to help out at Mr. Roethlisberger's camp. Ben and Brett were so great with the kids and really showed the kids the importance of being good teammates. My kids (and myself) are huge Big Ben fans so this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us that was made even better by Brett being there and being so great with the kids. I also need to get a tee shirt like Brett's. We all liked it so thanks for the info you put on the website. - John R.

The look on my son's face when Brett Keisel walked onto the field was priceless. Ben and Brett are his favorite Steelers and this made his year. Brett was amazing with the kids & I think he had as much fun as they did. He was patient and signed so many autographs after a long day so I wanted to thank him. In these times of seeing so many negative stories about how athletes interact with fans or kids, it was heartwearming to see how well Ben and Brett (and the other teammates also) treated the kids. They weren't bothered or impatient and it was easy to see they love the game of football and they love kids. I would bet Brett is an amazing father! - Sharon

Thank you for taking the time to share your stories!

June 22, 2011

Football camp and Posti's Pizza

What a great combination...football camp and pizza!

Ben Roethlisberger held his annual youth football camp this week and of course Keisel stopped by to help-and to enjoy some great pizza!

It was good to see #99 sporting one of his Da Beard Gear t-shirts and we appreciate all the emails from fans saying how much they like the shirt. For those who asked-you can click the Da Beard Gear link above to purchase a shirt just like it!

Ron and Cher Post of Posti's Pizza supplied all of the pizza for the campers and for Ben and his teammates who attended the camp. I can't imagine how many pizzas they had to make to feed that large crew!

You can click the Posti's Pizza link above to view the two locations for the pizza shop voted #1 pizza shop in Mars and Evans City.

Also, #99 fans, they will be featuring a "Fear the Beard" 2-topping pizza. Check with them for details on when it will be available.

You can see some photos Potsi's Pizza took of Brett at camp here and here.

And...

You have to watch this video Lizabeth Gray took at camp yesterday. It shows a camper who, in Brett's words, perfects his "row the boat" (or "Down Rivers") sack dance. Of course, Keisel shows the campers his version too.

Be sure to watch the video (it's short) to the end to see a cute little girl rush over to give Ben a hug after catching a pass from him. It's adorable and shows how appreciate the campers were of Ben and how much fun they all (Ben and teammates included) had at his camp. It is mentioned in the video that Roethlisberger threw 500 passes so that each camper had the opportunity to catch a pass from him. It is obvious how involved Ben is with his camp. Instead of just lending his name to it, he lends his time and seems to have as much fun as the kids.

Be sure to visit Posti's Pizza to sample their delicious pizza and to tell us all about the "Fear the Beard" pizza (when it's available). Thanks to them for sharing their photos and for supplying Ben's camp with lunch each day.

June 20, 2011

Ranking the Defensive Starters

Chris G. a Steelers featured columnist with Bleacher Report, ranked the Steelers defensive starters.

While I may not agree with where Chris ranked Keisel, he did provide some good information from last season.

From the article:

In only 11 starts, Keisel had 33 tackles and three sacks. He also has shown to be excellent at getting his arms into a quarterback's passing lanes.

Keisel had seven pass defenses last season, nearly four times more than the rest of the defensive line combined. On top of that, he had a highlight reel 79-yard interception return for a touchdown and two forced fumbles.

It is Keisel’s athleticism that separates him from the rest of his defensive line teammates. None can match his speed and leaping ability.

Click here to read more and view the other rankings.

Also...

Denny, the artist mentioned in the news below, has posted more of his work leading up to the finished portrait on his website. Click here to check it out. You will also be able to see better versions of the portrait on his site.

I have received numerous compliments on his work which are well deserved. If you like what you see, feel free to also contact Denny and let him know. His contact information is on his site. He's a great guy and obviously a big Steelers and #99 fan. He would love to hear from you!

June 17, 2011

The Keisel Masterpiece

This amazing portrait was created by artist Denny Karchner. He completed it for Brett and will be doing some other work with him also. Denny was kind enough to share the completed version with us.

Denny has worked with several Steelers players and personnel in the past, and said he was "honored" and "humbled" to be working with Mr. Keisel.

It sure is easy to see why Brett wanted Denny to paint his portrait. The details Denny captured are incredible.

Please visit his site to learn more about Denny and his work. The Steelers section is here.. You can read about his work with them and see his other Steelers commissions.

Denny will be adding the Keisel portrait soon, including the various versions as he worked until completion. It is very interesting to see the portrait as it is built.

Thank you to Denny for sharing his work!

You can see a larger version of the completed portrait here.

Da Beard Gear

Have you purchased your Da Beard Gear yet? As you can see, even kids can get their beard on! Josh and Kortney Fackrell are showing their ferocious (yet adorable) Keisel stares.

If you have photos showing with the Da Beard gear on, send 'em my way. My contact information is above. Please be sure to include your name.

To view a larger version of this photo, and to see some De Beard Gear, click here.

June 10, 2011

Help dad GET HIS BEARD ON

Father's Day is just around the corner. Why not treat dad or that special guy in your life to a unique one-of-a-kind gift this year? Help them "GET THEIR BEARD ON" by gifting them with a hat or t-shirt from Da Beard Gear.

This is the one and only place to purchase official Brett Keisel beard merchandise.

Don't let dad get left out of the beard craze...click this link to GET YOUR BEARD ON!

Thanks to all who have purchased and supported Da Beard Gear...keep spreading the word! You can also read a message to fans from Brett on the Da Beard Gear site.

Also, I've received several nice messages from people who have received their hats or t-shirts and they are thrilled with the design and quality. Thank you for taking the time to email and if you would like to send a photo of you in the gear, please do so. We would love to post some photos. My contact information is at the top of this page under "Contact".

May 24, 2011

Ward wins Mirror Ball Trophy

Hines Ward and his dancing partner, Kym Johnson did what they set out to do...win the Mirror Ball Trophy on Dancing with the Stars!

Ward impressed the judges week after week, earning high marks consistently. He was supported by his teammates who attended the show, teammates who urged fans to vote, and of course by Steeler Nation who made sure he had the fan votes to add to his high judges scores.

Keisel joined teammates Chris Hoke, Ziggy Hood and Willie Colon Monday night to watch Dancing with the Stars and they spoke with KDKA about Ward's chances of winning.

Brett predicted correctly on who the winner would be:

“There’s zero question that Hines is the best dancer on the show."

Keisel on Dancing with the Stars...?

Brett was asked if he would ever follow in Ward's footsteps and join the show:

"I don't know...ya know...I think I got some moves. You know... I can shake it a little bit. I think with some practice I could maybe make it happen."

To read the article and watch the short video with the players, click here.

Congratulations to Hines and Kym!

May 19, 2011

Looking back...

Steelers Digest did a "Year in Review-Looking back at key dates of 2010" in their latest issue.

From the article:

September 26, 2010:

In two games so far, the Steelers offense has one touchdown-on a 50-yard run in overtime of the opener-to its credit, but that changes in Tampa. Batch passes for three touchdowns, two to Mike Wallace, and the defense puts together another smothering performance in a 38-13 win over the Buccaneers. Brett Keisel's 79-yard touchdown return with an interception is the defense's 10th takeaway of the season.

Special Mention:

Brett and Sarah received a special mention in Whirl Magazine for their work with the Homeless Children's Education Fund (HCEF).

As mentioned previously on this site, the Keisel's were honored with the Champions for Children Award at HCEF's annual Champion for Children's Event this year.

“Sarah and Brett have supported HCEF for seven years by giving their time, talents, and treasurers. They truly are champions in our community for children and youth experiencing homelessness throughout Allegheny County.” -Bill Wolfe, Executive Director of the Homeless Children’s Education Fund.

To read the story in Whirl Magazine and to view some photos, click here.

Get your beard on:

Be sure to read the news below (May 15) for information on the new "Da Beard" gear website!

May 15, 2011

Ready to Get your beard on...!

Fans have emailed me for months asking where they can find "Da Beard" gear. I am happy to announce the launch of the Official "Da Beard" gear website!

This is the place to purchase genuine OFFICIAL Brett "The Diesel" Keisel beard merchandise. The site currently offers hats and t-shirts and will have more items later.

Visit the site and be among the first to support the beard that was voted "Best Beard" of all time by NFL Network.

Don't find yourself left out of the beard craze...click this link to GET YOUR BEARD ON!

I will post a permanent link to the "Da Beard" gear site soon. Be sure to spread the word all over Steeler Nation!

There will also be another exciting announcement regarding this website coming soon...stay tuned!

May 13, 2011

America's Game: Featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers

Tired of the offseason? Ready for Sunday football...

Thanks to NFL Network, Steeler Nation will have Sunday football on May 15, 2011!

They are airing five episodes of "America's Game" featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers. So, clear your schedule this Sunday or set your recorders, and prepare to spend the day reliving memorable Steelers moments through the eyes of some of the men who made the Steelers great.

Schedule:

2:00 p.m. – 1974 Steelers: Re-live the story of the 1974 Steelers through the eyes of Joe Greene, Andy Russell and Franco Harris. Narrated by Ed Harris.

3:00 p.m. – 1975 Steelers: Re-live the story of the 1975 Steelers through the eyes of Lynn Swann, Mike Wagner and Dwight White. The 1975 Steelers were voted as the 7th greatest Super Bowl-winning team of all-time by a panel of football experts. Narrated by Bruce Willis.

4:00 p.m. – 1979 Steelers: Re-live the story of the 1979 Steelers through the eyes of John Stallworth, LC Greenwood and John Banaszak. Narrated by Ed Harris.

5:00 p.m. – 2005 Steelers: Re-live the story of the 2005 Steelers through the eyes of Bill Cowher, Jerome Bettis and Joey Porter. Narrated by Tom Selleck.

6:00 p.m. – 2008 Steelers: Re-live the story of the 2008 Steelers through the eyes of Mike Tomlin, Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu. Narrated by Jon Hamm.

Thanks to Erin for the heads up!

May 12, 2011

Pitch for Hope Women’s Baseball Clinic

A Glimmer of Hope is hosting a fun event to raise money for breast cancer research!

Pitch for Hope will be held on Sunday, June 5, 2011 at PNC Park. It is a women's baseball clinic featuring Pirate players, brunch, and a ticket for the Pirates afternoon game vs. the Phillies. The cost for the amazing event is $50.00. All participants will also receive a commemorative t-shirt.

Don't miss out on a great opportunity to learn hitting, pitching, fielding and more from Pirates coaches and players on the PNC Park playing field, and at the same time you'll be helping to raise funds for breast cancer research!

To view the schedule for the day and to register to attend, click here.

Participants must be at least 14 years old.

If you are unable to attend, but would like to donate to A Glimmer of Hope in their cause to combat breast cancer, click here.

More information on A Glimmer of Hope is here.

April 21, 2011

Hundreds Attend Spaghetti Dinner For Injured Officer

"I've always respected what these guys have to go through, and you know, to see this type of situation...to see Pittsburgh come out and do what they do ...it doesn't surprise me one bit. It's an awesome night and that's why I love being from here."--Brett Keisel, who attended the event.

From VNO7.com-courtesy of KDKA:

Hundreds turned out Saturday for a benefit dinner held to honor a Cranberry Township police officer, Cpl. Dan Hahn, who was critically injured while chasing a suspect in February.

To watch a short video from the dinner, which includes an interview with Cpl. Dan Hahn and Brett, click here.

Also,

I added a few photos of Brett from the Hampton High School basketball game he participated in last week. You can click here to see them.

The article from the game is here.

To see a slideshow of Keisel, Roethlisberger and teammates, click here.

April 19, 2011

NFL releases 2011 schedule

The Steelers kick off the regular season against their AFC North rival, Baltimore on September 11.

From Steelers.com:

The Steelers will play five nationally televised primetime games, it was announced today when the NFL released its 2011 regular season schedule.

Pittsburgh’s nationally televised primetime games at Heinz Field include one against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 8:20 p.m., and another on Thursday night, Dec. 8 at 8:20 p.m. against the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh’s other national primetime games include road contests Sunday, Sept. 25 at Indianapolis (8:20 p.m.), Sunday, Nov. 27 at Kansas City (8:20 p.m.) and Monday, Dec. 19 at San Francisco (8:30 p.m.).

To read the entire article, and to view the full 2011 schedule, please click here.

I will also have the schedule posted on the right side of this page.

You can read what James Walker, AFC North Blogger had to say about the Steelers schedule here.

April 15, 2011

Pittsburgh All-Star Footballers

The name of the team may have changed, but the fun they bring to fans at local schools has not. Each offseason many of the Steelers play basketball as a team throughout the area to help raise money for various charities. The team had been known as the “Pittsburgh Steelers Footballers" for many years, but are now called the “Pittsburgh All-Star Footballers Basketball Team" due to the NFL lockout.

Last night Keisel, Roethlisberger and teammates played basketball at Hampton High School in a game to benefit the Hampton High School senior class.

You can watch a short video from the game here.

April 12, 2011

2011 Preseason Schedule Announced

There are many unknowns in regards to the NFL this year. As fans, we all hope a deal is worked out soon so we can follow the Steelers on their quest for another Superbowl championship.

What we do at least know is who the team will face in preseason play. The schedule was announced this afternoon.

The dates and times are not set yet for three of the games, but the Steelers do have one nationally televised game on the FOX Network. It will be against the Philadelphia Eagles.

2011 Preseason schedule:

Week 1: Washington Redskins

Week 2: Philadelphia Eagles (August 18 @ 8:00 p.m.)

Week 3: Atlanta Falcons

Week 4: Carolina Panthers

For more news on the schedule, click here.

March 25, 2011

Keisel the Diesel promotes the Kubota Diesel

It's the offseason, but Brett is keeping busy with a new gig. He filmed a commercial for Murphy Family, Inc. featuring several Kubota tractors.

You can watch the commercial here.

Brett mentions his favorite Kubota tractor is...you guessed it...The Kubota Diesel!

From the Murphy Family, Inc. website:

Murphy Family Inc. has been the local leader in Outdoor Power Equipment since 1960. We have been growing ever since, recently expanding our showroom and service area. As we surpass 50 years of serving your power equipment needs, we look forward to helping you in every way possible in the future. They are located at 585 East National Pike in Washington, PA

March 21, 2011

Ward needs Steeler Nation

Dancing with the Stars begins tonight! Hines Ward joined the season 12 cast, and he will need the help of Steeler Nation to win his quest for the mirrorball trophy.

Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) allows fans to cast votes to keep their favorite dancers in the game, so be sure to support #86 by voting all season!

You can read more about DWTS and voting procedures here.

This will be good practice to get us ready for Pro Bowl voting later in the year!

Pittsburgh All-Star Footballers Basketball:

I will post any games I find for the Steelers basketball team on the right side of this page under Steelers Basketball. Please keep in mind, I do not have a list of which players will be playing in each game.

March 10, 2011

Splash plays

Adam, from the Steelers Lounge recently wrote a piece called, Steelers Defense: Who Makes the Splash Plays?

From the article: Mike Tomlin and the Steelers are always talking about splash plays. Otherwise known as big plays. Plays that not only change games, but also win games. On defense that can be anything from interceptions, to forced fumbles, to tackles in the backfield, to sacks and so on and so forth.

I went back over the 2010 stat sheet and tallied up all of the splash plays (interceptions, sacks, tackles for loss, pass defenses, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries) to figure out the leaders on a position-by-position basis, and to also ask the question: should we care who makes them?

These numbers also include plays made on kick and punt coverages. And away we go…

Defensive line:

Brett Keisel (13), Ziggy Hood (5), Nick Eason (3), Casey Hampton (2), Chris Hoke (2), Aaron Smith (1), Steve McClendon (1).

This is the third time in the past four years — and second year in a row — that Brett Keisel has topped the list for defensive linemen.

Click here to read Adam's entire article.

Champions for Children event update:

From the Homeless Children's Education Fund: "THANK YOU to everyone who came and supported our 2011 Champions for Children event on Monday. We had over 300 people in attendance and we raised more than $130,000! Without your support HCEF could never accomplish the work that it does each day."

Brett and Sarah were honored at the event with the Champions for Children Award.

March 8, 2011

Additional photos and memorabilia available

Keisel and photographer Carol Maurin have another great offer for fans. As mentioned in the February 18 news here, Brett's photo gallery was made public for fans to order pictures, mugs, photo buttons and more to commemorate his beard, with ALL proceeds going to benefit the Homeless Children's Education Fund and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Fans can still purchase the "beard" photos, and now they can also purchase photos (and memorabilia) of the cleanly shaven Keisel!

Click here to view all the available items.

March 1, 2011

Fan photos and event news

I received some great fan photos recently. Amanda Raffensperger sent several nice photos she had taken with Brett over several years. You can click here to see them.

Stephen Bowers attended the "Shear the Beard" event and sent some great photos which you can click here to see.

Thank you to both Amanda and Stephen for sharing their photos!

21st ANNUAL YMCA CELEBRITY GOLF TOURNAMENT:

Keisel will be hosting the celebrity golf tournament to be held on May 6, 2011. Team Entry Fee is $800, which includes: lunch, dinner, tournament gift, on course snacks, and drinks & golf with a celebrity.

All proceeds from the event benefit the YMCA of Laurel Highlands youth programs and facilities.

For more details or to enter the tournament, call Steve or Bea at 724.547.9662.

Event reminder:

Brett and Sarah Keisel will be honored with the Champions for Children Award on March 7, 2011 at the The Twelfth Annual Champions for Children Benefit.

News on the event is in the February 16 news and on the right side of this page, under Events and Appearances.

Thank you to all the fans who sent such lovely emails thanking Brett for all he did to raise money for Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, The Homeless Children's Education Fund and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

February 24, 2011

The day after-updated with videos

The big event is over...the beard is history...yet its legend will live on forever. Proceeds from the "shearing" will benefit Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.

Chris Gessner, president of Children's Hospital, said some of the money raised can help right away, while some will fund research projects seeking future cures and treatment programs.

So, thanks to "Da Beard" and Steeler Nation, the beard will live on as it helps numerous children.

Fans can own a piece of the beard, in a framed "before" and "after" photo of Keisel (which can also be purchased without a piece of the beard). Click here for information.

Also:

Don't forget about the Carol Maurin photo and memorabilia sale, which you can read about in the February 18 news. Proceeds from those sales benefit two great organizations.

More from "Shear the Beard":

From Bill Brink, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel climbed the stairs to the stage, arms outstretched, as machine-generated smoke poured around him from the ceiling. Rock music serenaded his audience and vibrant lights flashed his silhouette against the backdrop, rapid-fire.

Then he got a haircut.

Sitting in a barber's chair on the stage Thursday night at Diesel Club Lounge on East Carson Street, Keisel watched helplessly as celebrity barbers, including Steelers president Art Rooney II, defensive end Aaron Smith and wide receiver Hines Ward, snipped bits and pieces of his luscious beard away. The proceeds of the event went to the cancer programs at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.

Before the celebrity shavers disposed of the beard -- bits and pieces of it will be sold with before and after photos of Keisel -- the crowd watched a tribute to the beard, from the respectable-yet-tame look against the Miami Dolphins in Week 7 to full-fledged mayhem before the Super Bowl. Then Rooney dug in.

"I hope this is the only time he cuts me," Keisel said while introducing Rooney.

With his beard in an angled, uneven state, Keisel left the stage for part two and finished the job himself. When he reappeared, in a suit and tie, he had retained a much shorter version of the beard.

"I'm always going to try to keep just a little piece of it with me," he said. "It gets scared when it's all alone."

You can read the entire article here.

And:

From Karen Price, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Keisel emerged (after shaving) to the sounds of "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top, no longer looking like he could have been a member of that hairy band. The mass of facial hair he started growing in June to help change the Steelers' luck was reduced to little more than a one-day growth.

Keisel made a promise: The beard will be back. "The beard will decide when the time is right to come back," he said, "and it will all of a sudden appear."

You can read Ms. Price's entire article here.

Also:

Click here to read a great article from Steelers.com about the event.

Photos:

You can click here to see photos from the event.

Videos:

"Shear the Beard" Renegade tribute video.

Video highlighting the shaving of the beard on stage and backstage.

More information on the event is to the right-under the Keisel Kam photo.

Those still wishing to donate can so so through the link to the right, under the Keisel Kam photo. Thank you again to Steeler Nation for making the event such a big success! And, thank you to Mr. Keisel and all who made "Shear the Beard" possible.

February 24, 2011-post shearing update

The beard is officially history

"The beard that has been feared must now be sheared."-WDVE Morning Show.

"Da Beard" is officially gone. Celebrity barbers who helped to shear it were, Hines Ward, Aaron Smith, Doug Legursky, Art Rooney II and Coach John Mitchell.

You can see a couple photos, one of the shearing and one of the finished product.

You may have to scroll through the timelines of the Twitter pages I linked to locate the photos. I will add photos to the gallery here when they are available.

From Bill Brink, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Steelers president Art Rooney, defensive end Aaron Smith and receiver Hines Ward took up the barbers' scissors and helped defensive end Brett Keisel shave his long, thick beard Thursday at Diesel Club Lounge on the South Side. More than 400 fans paid $25 each to watch the event.

You can read the entire article here.

Photos and video:

You can click here to see photos from the event.

For more event photos, including pictures of the entertainers, event hosts, Brett's teammates and much more, click here.

And...

For those who could not attend the event, click here to watch a video.

Thank you to all who attended the event, and to all who could not attend but donated to help Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC!

February 24, 2011

"Shear the Beard" time is here

Although some in the Twitter world are trying for a last minute stay of execution, Keisel confirmed with the WDVE Morning Show that the beard will officially be history tonight.

"I woke up this morning and I have to admit, I was a little sad...it's really been special." He went on to say that it was time though for the historical beard to be shaved.

For those who are already in mourning over the "shearing of the beard", Keisel did say: "The beard will be back eventually, when the time is right."

He also told WDVE they would probably need beard buckets to clean up the shavings tonight.

Walker's Fab 40:

James Walker, AFC North Blogger, ranked the top 40 players in the division.

Where did Keisel land on the list? He was ranked #24. Brett was not on the list last year, so it was great to see him acknowledged this year.

Read what Mr. Walker had to say about #99 here.

Keisel on 105.9 The X:

Brett also was on the 105.9 The X Morning Show with Tim and Bob today. He would not reveal the identity of the celebrity barbers scheduled for tonight, but he did say they would include Pro Bowlers and future Hall of Famers.

Brett said there would be great entertainment, food, drinks and a highlight video. Attendees will be entered into raffles and will have the opportunity to buy great memorabilia to mark the historical event.

Brett also spoke about this past season and playing for Dick LeBeau.

On the season:

"It was a great year. Looking back, having time to reflect on it now, it really was a great year. We really did overcome a lot and we did come up a little bit short there at the end, but you have to be proud of where we went. I don't think too many people thought we could get back to the big dance and it was great to get back there...my daughter was born... and I scored my first touchdown. It was just a great year."

On Coach LeBeau:

"It's been one of the best things in my career..I definitely wouldn't be the player I am without his input in my life, so to be able to play for him has been one of the ultimate things in my life and I'm proud of that."

I will post the links to the interviews if they become available.

Visit the February 17 & 18 news for information on how you can attend his event tonight, donate towards it, and how you can order memorabilia to benefit great organizations.

Also, check back next week for another announcement regarding a golf event Keisel is hosting in a few months.

February 23, 2011

Updates and reminders

Brett is scheduled to appear on the 105.9 The X Morning Show with Tim and Bob. He should be on around 9:35 a.m. (EST).

You can click the link above to listen live.

Also, Steve O’Reilly, from Skinnypost.com wrote a really nice article on Keisel and the work he does off the field to help others.

Please click here to read it.

Reminders:

"Da Beard" will be history in less than 24 hours. "Shear the Beard" is tomorrow, and if you haven't purchased your tickets, you need to do so quickly! Seating for the historical event is limited. Check out the February 17 news for information on the extravaganza and how to order tickets. There is also information on how to donate to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC! in honor of the beard, for those who cannot attend the event.

Also, please check out the February 18 news for information on how to own a photo of Keisel with "Da Beard"-all proceeds of this sale go to two great organizations! You can order photos, mousepads, mugs, photo buttons and more. They make great gifts for yourself or others, and you will feel great about helping out the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Homeless Children's Education Fund!

February 18, 2011

Own a piece of history and help two great organizations

The frenzy over "Da Beard" has been incredible. Steeler Nation watched in awe over the growth of the magnificent beard-from June when it was just a bit of stubble- all the way to February when it reached epic proportions. The national media attached to it during the Super Bowl XLV frenzy. Everyone wanted a piece of the famous beard that launched numerous Twitter accounts, Facebook pages and even a website where fans could make their own Keisel beards. The beard is historical, being ranked as the #1 beard of all time by NFL Network.

Thanks to the generosity of Brett and Sarah Keisel and photographer Carol Maurin, fans can own a piece of history. They are opening up the "Keisel Gallery" to fans who wish to purchase a photo of #99 featuring "Da Beard". Photographer Carol Maurin took some fantastic photos of Brett, all capturing his great personality! This offer is great in itself, but there is more. ALL proceeds raised through this sale will benefit two organizations Brett and Sarah support. They are the Homeless Children's Education Fund and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Fans not only have the opportunity to purchase a keepsake photo of Keisel, but they can also help two worthy organizations.

The Keisel gallery:

Please click here to enter the gallery and view the amazing work by Carol Maurin of Mr. Keisel.

The prices are listed, and they are very reasonable. You can order prints of various sizes and you can also order mugs, mouse pads and photo buttons (which will be perfect to wear to games). Each item gives fans a chance to own a keepsake piece of Steelers history.

For those interested in learning more about Carol Maurin's work, please click here.

Also, please remember the photographs are copyrighted and owned by Carol Maurin. Please do not copy and post them elsewhere without her permission. If you wish to post on your website or social media site regarding the sale of the photos, please refer people to Carol Maurin's website (listed above) or to this website. I appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Carol Maurin also generously donated two matted and framed 11x14 images (signed by Carol Maurin and Brett Keisel) to be auctioned at the "Shear the Beard" event next Thursday. So, if you attend the event, be sure to check them out.

"Shear the Beard"

Information on the event is posted below. It has been updated with donation information for those who cannot attend the event.

February 17, 2011

Shear the beard

D-Day for the beard is almost here! Brett spoke with members of the WDVE Morning Show today and announced "it was time for The Diesel to transform back into Brett Keisel."

In typical Keisel-style, he is making sure a worthy cause benefits from the beard shaving extravaganza. All proceeds benefit cancer programs at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC!

Brett and WDVE (along with many sponsors) also made sure fans could take part in the fun. "Shear the Beard" will take place on February 24, 2011 at the Diesel Club Lounge (1601 EAST CARSON STREET-Pittsburgh PA). The doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the "shearing" will commence around 7:00 p.m.

The celebrity barbers are top secret and there will be live entertainment provided by Donnie Iris and The Chris Higbee Project.

You won't want to miss the "Ultimate Mountain Man Makeover" where you will have opportunites to purchase limited edition items, such as a before and after photo of Keisel-which may include a lock of his infamous beard!

The cost to attend this one-of-a-kind event is $25.00. You will be a part of history as you witness the "shearing" and you will be helping a great cause! It's a win-win situation for everyone...well for everyone except "Da Beard".

From the ticket website:

Join us for this Ultimate Mountain Man Make-over as the Steelers Brett Keisel shaves his infamous beard, by Surprise Celebrity Barbers! Join the Steelers and WDVE at Diesel to raise money for the Kids! All proceeds benefit cancer programs at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Your first drink and appetizers are included in your $25 ticket price, and there will be Limited Edition items for purchase--- you can own a priceless lock of Brett's beard!! AND...Live performances with Donnie Iris and The Chris Higbee Project!! All for $25---and for a GREAT CAUSE! No outside items to be brought in for autographing please. Plus Door Prizes!! For more info- call Dana 412.431.8800

Ready to order your tickets?

Click here to sign up to help Keisel raise money to benefit cancer programs at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, and to witness the "Shearing of the Beard."

Tickets sales are limited, so be sure to order soon!

If you have any questions, you can contact the phone number given above, or email me and I will try to assist you. My email address can be found under "Contact" at the top of this page.

From Mr. Keisel:

“This is something I thought would be a great way to give back to the City of Pittsburgh and show what Pittsburgh means to me. Children’s Hospital has not only helped a lot of people on our team, but it helps Pittsburghers and people from everywhere, every day. It’s a great place that can use some money and I am happy we can help.”-From Steelers.com

You can read the entire Steelers.com article, which talks about whether "Da Beard" will ever return, here.

Donation information:

For those fans who are unable to attend the event, but wish to support Brett and Children's Hospital by making a donation (in honor of the beard), please click here.

The site allows you to also order the photo of the "before and after" beard look-with or without a piece of the actual beard. If you wish to donate less than what is listed under the selections, just look to the left of the page and you will find other options. Thanks to all who are able to attend the great event and also to those who donate in honor of it.

February 16, 2011

The Twelfth Annual Champions for Children Benefit

As many of you know, Brett and Sarah Keisel work closely with the Homeless Children's Education Fund (HCEF). Because of their hard work to help children, Brett and Sarah will be honored with the Champions for Children Award on March 7, 2011 at the The Twelfth Annual Champions for Children Benefit.

Click here to read a message from the Mr. and Mrs. Keisel and to read about the work they have done with HCEF, along with other award recipients being honored at the event.

From the HCEF website:

Once again guests will be savoring the fine wines, spirits, and food pairings of the Rivers Club's Chef Jim Gelzheiser and sampling the exquisite sweet treats provided by local chocolatiers.

And as always, we will be offering a silent and live auction, all proceeds of which, as well as a share of proceeds from the sale of Brett Keisel's Respect the Beard T-Shirt – Fear the Diesel, will directly support the educational programming that provides "hope through learning" for the children who will be homeless in Allegheny County at some time during 2011.

The auction contains many great items, including some "Keisel specials" you can bid on. You can view the items to be auctioned here. You do have to be present at the event to bid on the items.

The event information, along with how to register to attend, will be on the right side of this page under, Events. I will also include information on how to donate to HCEF, even if you cannot attend the event.

Congratulations to Brett and Sarah on their award. Thanks to HCEF for all they do to help children!

Thank you also to Zachary Marsh for providing the information regarding the event!

To view a couple photos from a January social hour held in honor of Brett and Sarah, click here.

Once you click the link, then click on Celebration of Hope Through Learning, which is beneath the photo on the left side of the page, and you can see the two photos from the social hour.

Beard shaving update:

In answer to the numerous emails I am receiving asking regarding whether "Da Beard" still exists, the answer is...for now it does. There are plans to shave it, and I will keep you posted on any details when they are available.

February 14, 2011

Even big guys get report cards

Gerry Dulac, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, played the role of "teacher" as he handed out his final grades for the 2010 Steelers season.

What grade did #99 and the D-Line earn?

Defensive line - A

They lost DE Aaron Smith for the final 13 games, including postseason, and DE Brett Keisel for six in the middle of the season and still were the unsung reason the Steelers set a franchise record for fewest yards rushing (1,004). It was also the third lowest total in a 16-game season in NFL history. Attention and acclaim isn't easy to achieve in a three-man line, but Keisel finally earned an invitation to the Pro Bowl. Smith's injury has a silver lining because it allowed for the rapid development of DE Ziggy Hood.

New photo:

Josh Krysak met up with Brett before SB XLV and was nice enough to share a photo. Many of you may remember Josh from the "Support the beard" contest on this site a few weeks ago, as he was one of the many who entered. He did not win the contest, but Brett did tell Josh his beard was "awesome". Click here to see the photo.

February 9, 2011

Looking in the rearview mirror

Coming into the 2010 season, many felt the Steelers had too much to overcome. They would be without their star quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger for the first four games of the season and their defense was aging. The team was left out of playoff and Super Bowl discussions by much of the media. What people tend to forget is this Steelers team thrives on being the underdog and they excel at proving their critics wrong. They do not care about what the critics say... what they care about is each other. They want to win for their teammates, coaches and owners..and for their fans. The players are not concerned with their individual statistics as much as they are concerned about doing what it takes to win.

It’s all about team – offense, defense and special teams. It’s about how close this locker room is. Maybe a better word, team is a sub-word, family is better. You start with the coaches, owners, and the Rooney family. We are family. That is the better word.” – Ben Roethlisberger, on the success of this year’s team.

Brett Keisel is just one of the players who exemplifies this each and every season. His play on the defensive line does not always attract attention from the media, but it sure does attract attention from opposing offenses and from Steelers linebackers. His play helps to either stop offenses before they even get started, or it allows his Steelers teammates to get in position to make big plays.

Keisel works hard each and every offseason and during training camp to prepare himself for the season. His hard work paid off this season as he harassed opposing offenses with sacks, pass deflections, tackles and even a pick-six.

Brett's teammates and coaches have always been aware of what a great player he is, but this season it was clearly evident to everyone else, as #99 was selected to his first Pro Bowl. This had been a goal of his, and is a big accomplishment for a defensive end who never gets near the recognition he deserves (except from his teammates and coaches, of course).

Keisel and his fellow D-Line teammates are always content with their fellow defensive teammates getting credit for the big splashy plays, which are set up by the D-Line, but it is still awesome to see #99 get recognition for his work by earning a Pro Bowl selection.

A few Keisel highlights from the 2010 season:

Atlanta game-Steelers 15, Atlanta 9 (OT)

The team got Steeler Nation's hearts racing in game one, but they calmed us down with a win in overtime.

"The chips were against us there at the end. Troy made a great play, and you think you just kick the field goal, and you win. Sometimes that doesn't happen, and you have to go back out there and make a stop. That was big." "I'm very happy with the way we finished the game, stopping them down there and having the big run at the end. It's a great start for us. We like starting [the overtime] in those types of situations. We have a lot of veteran guys on defense that have been in situations like that before. We understand if we keep points off the board we'll give our team a chance to win."-From Brett's postgame interview.

Tennessee game-Steelers Steelers 19, Titans 11

What a game for the birthday boy!

Steelers fan Anne Cooper sent this message to Brett's fan page two days prior to his birthday:

"Happy early birthday Brett! Hope lots of sacks, tackles and maybe even an interception are on your gift list." Two of her wishes were definitely on #99's gift list yesterday: Keisel had two tackles, one sack and a forced fumble. He also was extremely close to having a fumble recovery!

“It was incredible, said Keisel. “The guys all sang happy birthday to me in the locker room after the game.

Keisel, of course, played a prominent role in the Steelers’ 19-11 manhandling of the Tennessee Titans. He helped hold 2,000-yard runner Chris Johnson to 34 yards rushing, and also sacked Kerry Collins in the fourth quarter and forced a fumble on the play.

The team plane returned to Pittsburgh from the one o’clock game in plenty of time for Keisel to get home and open presents with his wife Sarah and two-year-old son Jacob. “Having my son help me blow out the candles, there’s not much that can top that,” Keisel said. “The whole day was just perfect.”-From an interview with Jim Wexell-Steelcityinsider.net.

Tampa Bay game-Steelers 38, Buccaneers 13.

What BIG game for #99! His first interception for a touchdown!

From Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Defensive end Brett Keisel scored the Steelers' first defensive touchdown of the season when he made his first career interception in the third quarter and rumbled 79 yards to the same end zone where James Harrison scored his unforgettable touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII.

“I had great blocking. It was a fun play. I haven’t scored since I was like 18 years old, so it felt great. Last time I scored was when I was back in high school, so it feels great. I had a great convoy with great blocking. They might need to use me as a tight end a little bit.”

“I thought, you got to score, you got to score, you got to score, because I knew if I didn’t score I would never hear the end of it. Everyone would say he is getting old, he can’t run like he used to, so it was a great feeling. Coach [Dick] LeBeau tells us all to run to the ball and I was just running to the ball and it popped up into the air and I took it to the house.”

Brett earned the honor of being named the AFC-North High Energy Player of the Week and was named to ESPN's Top 10 best plays of week 3."

Brett suffered a hamstring injury during the season and would miss a few games, but he came back as strong as ever in a big divisional game against the Ravens.

From Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Report card vs. Ravens-Defensive Line- A:

Another strong performance by a unit that plays unselfish and disciplined. The return of DE Brett Keisel solidified the league's No. 1 rush defense, holding the Ravens to 43 yards rushing through three quarters, including just 11 yards on 11 carries in the first half. DE Ziggy Hood had one of the two sacks on QB Joe Flacco in the first half and did a good job at the point of attack in run defense.

The Steelers defeated the Ravens 13-10 and Brett had four tackles and a pass deflection during the game.

In another big division game against Cincinnati, Brett was considered for player of the week honors from Steelers Digest due to his six tackles and batted pass at the line of scrimmage.

The Steelers defeated the Bengals 23-7 and two of the touchdowns came from the mighty Steelers defense!

“I’m proud of the guys and the way we played today. We scored two touchdowns. Most of the time when that happens, you’re going to win the game.”- Brett, during his post game interview.

Carolina game:

Pittsburgh still has a wealth of stout stoppers in place even if the difference-making safety is again held out. The inside linebacker duo of Lawrence Timmons (121 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INT) and James Farrior (100 tackles, 5 sacks) may be the best in football, while nose tackle Casey Hampton (18 tackles, 1 sack) and end Brett Keisel (26 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) are outstanding space eaters who enable the playmakers behind them to roam free.

The above information is from The Sacramento Bee.

This was a nationally televised Thursday night game and #99 shined: Brett had six tackles, a sack and another pass deflection. He also received many kudos from the announcers on his great play AND on his awesome beard-which was featured at the end of the game.

The Steelers faced the Browns for the last game of the season, and needed a win to become AFC-North Division champs.

The Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns 41-9 to seal the AFC North Division Championship title and a second round seed and first round bye in the playoffs.

The game started off with Troy Polamalu displaying why he is the teams MVP this season. He intercepted Browns QB Colt McCoy on the Browns first series. Ben Roethlisberger capitalized on the turnover with a 56-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace on the Steelers first play.

From Keisel's post game interview

"The biggest turning point of the game was that pick. We never looked back after that.”

Brett had a great sack with a forced fumble, and a pass deflection during the game.

The playoffs:

The Steelers entered into postseason play, defeating first the Ravens and then the Jets. Brett had big games versus both teams.

From Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Defensive Line: A The Ravens had just 21 yards rushing on nine carries in the first half and finished with only 35 yards on 18 carries, but one play hurt the NFL's No. 1 rush defense -- a 14-yard touchdown run by Ray Rice that gave them a 7-7 lead. Big plays by DE Ziggy Hood and a fumble recovery by DE Brett Keisel were big factors in the second-half comeback. Hood had a sack on third down on the final series.

During the Jets game he had seven tackles and put pressure on Jets QB Mark Sanchez throughout the whole game.

More from Mr. Dulac:

A big goal-line stand on four plays from the Steelers' 2 was the deciding moment in the second half, even though the Jets were starting to gouge them with the run. They held the Jets to just 1 yard rushing on five carries in the first half, but the Jets had 69 yards rushing after halftime. DE Brett Keisel and NT Casey Hampton batted passes at the line of scrimmage to further disrupt the Jets passing game.

Super Bowl XLV:

Yes, Keisel-the late round draft pick-was heading to his THIRD Super Bowl!

"It was a dogfight-we knew it would be. We jumped to a good lead early on...you know you gotta give the Jets credit-they didn't lie down and we knew they wouldn't. We didn't come out and play well in the second half, but we did enough to win. WE'RE GOIN' TO DALLAS!"-Brett during a post game interview with ESPN.

The Steelers lost to the Packers 31-25. The loss was tough, but #99 and his teammates have every reason to be proud of all they accomplished! I know Steeler Nation is proud.

February 9, 2011

Oh...what a season!

What a season for #99 and the Steelers! It may not have ended the way the team and fans hoped it would, but we certainly had many reasons to cheer this season. The Steelers were written off by many analysts and so-called experts. Once again, we heard the defense was "too old" and since Ben Roethlisberger was out for the first four games, we heard the offense would get off to a slow start. The Steelers paid no attention to the critics as they went 3-1 with back up quarterbacks, and only got stronger when Ben Roethlisberger returned.

The "old" defense harassed offenses each week, finishing the regular season with the best rush defense in the National Football League and coming close to finishing with one of the best in league history.

From Gerry Dulac and Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

After allowing the Cleveland Browns to rush for 43 yards on 17 carries in a 41-9 victory, the Steelers set a franchise record for allowing the fewest yards rushing in a season (1,004) and fewest yards per game (62.8). That eclipsed the old record of 1,125 yards allowed in a 12-game season in 1953. The former yards per-game record was 74.7, set in 2001.

The Steelers came within 34 yards of tying the NFL's record for rushing yards allowed in a 16-game season (970), set by the 2000 Baltimore Ravens.

Some other defensive highlights this season:

• The Steelers were the only NFL team to allow just one run longer than 20 yards in 2010.

• They allowed just two teams -- the New York Jets (106) and New England Patriots (102) -- to rush for more than 100 yards against them. No other team rushed for more than 75 yards.

• They did not allow a 100-yard rusher all season and just one in the past 50 games.

These stats were compiled from the regular season.

#99:

Keisel had a phenomenal season, filled with a couple exciting firsts. Brett scored his first pick-six versus Tampa Bay, and he capped off his season with his first selection to the Pro Bowl. Hard to top those amazing accomplishments, but he did with his third trip to the Super Bowl! All of this made for a great season for #99.

Check back for a longer recap of Keisel's awesome season!

You can click here to watch the Steelers season in images-courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

I am receiving numerous emails about "the shaving of the beard" and at this time I do not have any information. Brett mentioned during interviews that he wants to do something involving raising money for two charities he works closely with, so I will keep you posted if I hear anything else.

I want to say thank you to #99 and the Steelers for a great season. The team thrilled us, while also causing a few heart palpitations, and they brought us another AFC Championship and Super Bowl appearance. This was done with the same class and resiliency the Steelers players and organization always display. I am proud of the team and all they accomplished this season!

Also, I'd like to thank fellow Keisel fans for visiting this site. Brett definitely has a great fan base! All your votes (along with Brett's great play on the field) helped get #99 selected to the Pro Bowl. I appreciate all of you for the great responses to contests on the site, for purchasing the "Respect the Beard" shirts which benefit two great charities Brett supports, and for all your wonderfully positive support of Keisel and the Steelers. Steeler Nation truly has the best fans in the league!

February 6, 2011-post game update

Tough loss...

It was a tough loss to the Packers (31-25), but in typical Steeler style, the team never gave up. They fought 'til the end just as they have done all season. The team gave fans reasons to be proud from game one to the end of regular season play, through the postseason and all the way through Super Bowl XLV.

"We're not into moral victories. We came here to win the football game, of course, and we didn't do that, Green Bay did and we congratulate them."--Coach Tomlin.

"We'll go into next year feeling like we'll take another shot at it. It takes a few days to recover from this game, so we'll lick our wounds for a couple of days and then get back to work for next year"--Art Rooney.

From Keisel's postgame press conference:

“It was real tough. It was a great game. We just came up short.”

"I have a lot of respect for him. He is the reason they won. He is a phenomenal guy.”--on Aaron Rodgers play during the game.

“We’re not dead, keep playing. We fought back but we came up short.”--on what was said at halftime.

“Yeah, we felt like, ‘here we go.’ We had been down before at halftime during the playoffs. It felt like things were working our way but you can’t have three turnovers to zero and expect to win, especially when their defense scores a touchdown. Usually when that happens they are going to win.”--on the momentum in the second half.

You can read game news

SB XLV photos:

You can view photos here.

February 6, 2011

Greybull proud of hometown guy

From Jack Nowlin, Star-Tribune staff writer:

There were no Pittsburgh Steelers banners welcoming us into town. No houses painted black and gold or, sadly, no outlandish beards in honor of this town's favorite NFL player -- Brett Keisel.

But make no mistake about it, the majority of this Greybull's 1,800 residents will be cheering for the Steelers when they play the Green Bay Packers today in Super Bowl XLV.

Seth Hoblit, a senior at Greybull High School who admits to being a Denver Broncos fan, summed it up perfectly: "I'm more of a Keisel fan."

In Greybull, it's hard not to be.

Keisel, the 6-foot-5, 285-pound defensive end for the Steelers, graduated from Greybull in 1997, but the town located in the heart of the Big Horn Basin is never far from Keisel's mind.

Oftentimes, during the televised player introductions, while most players say their name followed by the university they attended, Keisel will give a shout-out to Greybull followed by "Go Buffs."

His parents have since moved to Utah, but Keisel and his wife, Sarah, also a GHS graduate, own property in Greybull and return to town every summer.

"It's neat because when Brett comes home it's never like he has the position that he has," said Sherri Winkler, a lifelong resident of Greybull who owns The Sugar Shack downtown. "He's a real down-to-earth kid."

The odds of a player from a small town in Wyoming making it to the NFL are highly unlikely. After all, there are roughly 1,600 players in the League.

The fact that Keisel has developed into one of the NFL's best defenders -- he was named an alternate to the AFC Pro Bowl team last month -- is even more unlikely.

Keisel, however, always knew he would play in the NFL. And he made sure to let those around him know of his intentions to do so.

"It's been a dream he's had since he was in eighth grade," said Ed Johnson, who was Keisel's defensive coordinator at Greybull.

"We started him out at defensive end," Johnson said. "But the problem with that is that teams just ran away from him. Brett was just big, fast, strong and intimidating."

In recent years, Keisel has sent football cleats to all the players on the middle school team and helped raise more than $20,000 toward the high school's new swimming pool.

And, perhaps most importantly, he makes a point of not only coming back to Greybull when he can, but also takes the time to actually talk with and help the town's youth when he's here.

"Normally, you'd think we'd have to go up to him and start a conversation," said GHS senior Shane Clucas, "but he came up and started talking to us. He never made it seem like he was better than us."

So even though the signs might not be visible, make no mistake, today this is a Steelers town.

Click here to read the entire article.

SB XLV photos:

You can view photos here.

Thank you:

For all the "good luck" emails everyone sent the last couple weeks-and throughout the season for Brett and the Steelers. I've also received numerous emails from fans thanking Mr. Keisel for donating funds (through his t-shirt sales) to his two charities. The sales have been huge, so thank you to all the fans who purchased the shirts to help the great causes.

Congratulations to #99 and the Steelers as they prepare to finish their climb on the "Stairway to Seven."

February 4, 2011

The countdown is on

The Steelers will have a final walk through at practice tomorrow. Their families will have the chance to attend the practice to watch and then the players will be whisked away for the last night before the big game.

Coach Tomlin announced that Maurkice Pouncey and Aaron Smith have been ruled out for the game.

Respect the Beard shirts:

It's great seeing so many people wearing the shirts! Remember, part of the proceeds benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Homeless Children's Education Fund, so be sure to order one...or two. They are one-of-a-kind collectors items. Ordering information can be located on the right side of this page, under the Keisel Kam photo. I received my shirts this week and love them!

Keisel's Mane to Fame:

This is a "must see" video!

Interviews:

You can click here to read Keisel's interview transcript.

SB XLV photos:

You can view photos here.

February 2, 2011

Keisel's favorite all-time favorite Steeler

Brett sat down with Michael Irvin to talk about his all-time favorite Steeler. You can listen to the interview here.

Fear the Beard tribute:

Brodee Scott created the music and lyrics in his video tribute to Keisel. You can watch it here.

Thanks to Brodee for sending the video!

Also,

I received a message from a Steelers fan who wanted to thank the team for getting us to another Super Bowl. He went on to talk about an encounter he had with Brett (or the Bearded King as Mr. Allen calls him).

"I would also like to extend a personal thank you to THE DIESEL. My family and I saw him in the parking garage at the Consol Saturday night and, in the midst of us hollering, he took the time to acknowledge us by pointing at me and my modest beard and stroking his infamous and(# 1 ranked) beard. I felt as though I'd been dubbed a bearded knight by the bearded king.That is a memory that neither my family or I will ever forget. My seven year old son said it was the best night of his life and I'd have to agree it was mine too. I'm glad to see Ben is growing his beard out. Now if he and Brett can only talk Heath into growing a beard, 'cause I think he has a great beard face. Born and raised to bleed black and gold."--Brian Allen, Wampum, Pa.

SB XLV photos:

You can view photos here.

February 1, 2011

Fun with Media Day

Today was Super Bowl XLV Media Day, and Brett and several of his teammates decided to have some fun with it by transforming their hair "Polamalu-style".

Keisel had his own podium, and he fielded questions about the upcoming game, Ben Roethlisberger's style of play, and of course about his beard, which is now nicknamed (with help from Deion Sanders)..."Da Beard".

Click here to watch his press conference.

Jim Rome (ESPN) is thoroughly enamored with "Da Beard", calling it "a monumental accomplishment." He also said: "The most awesome thing in the entire state of Texas right now is the Steelers DE's beard."

SB XLV photos:

You can view photos here.

And, for more tidbits from Media Day, click here.

FYI:

As you all know, many states are experiencing adverse winter weather. If, at some point, in the next day or so the site is not updated as regularly, it will be due to power outages from the storms. Hopefully that won't happen, but I wanted to give advance warning.

January 31, 2011-evening update

Media galore

The Steelers arrived in Dallas to a sea of fans and, of course, reporters. Click here to read an interview Brett did with Sporting News.

Beard talk with Brett's parents-

From Lee Benson, Deseret News:

The key to the Pittsburgh Steelers making it to the Super Bowl is sitting right here in Lane Keisel's ranch house.

Well, half of the key.

Last June, eight long months ago, Lane and his son Brett, who plays defensive end for the Steelers, were hunting in Wyoming. They hadn't shaved on the trip. Both of them had a pretty good start on a beard.

"Brett said, 'I'm not going to cut mine until we make the playoffs,'" remembers Lane. "I said I'd grow mine too.

"It was a good luck kind of thing."

One person who is not a bit surprised that no male in the family has shaved since last June — not Brett nor Lane nor Brett's brother Chad nor his brother-in-law Paul nor any number of other relatives, or that it was Brett who got it started — is Connie Keisel.

"Brett's always had this ability to have fun, to remember that it's still a game," says his mother.

To read the whole article, click here.

And...continuing with the beard theme:

From Michael David Smith, PFT:

Super Bowl week is when legends are made: Joe Namath’s guarantee. Lynn Swann’s catch. John Elway’s helicopter.

And now we can add one more: Brett Keisel’s beard.

“The beard — the beard is why we’re here,” Keisel said today. “It’s unleashed Super Bowl powers on our whole team and hopefully it can win us one more.”

They have arrived

The Steelers arrived safely at DFW airport today. Fans could see Terrible Towels waving in the cockpit window as the plane taxied on the runway.

You can watch their arrival here.

Keisel was fourth off the plane, preceeded by Mr. Rooney, Coach Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger. The analysts on NFL Network thought Brett was either a member of the Blues Brothers or Brad Pitt.

It’s impossible to over-hype the beard:

From Adam Rankin, NFL.com:

We all have those Christmas presents that we don’t use. A tie rack, an automated coin sorter and any CD bought at Wal-Mart that edits out all the profanity. For the Steelers’ Brett Keisel, it is a razor his wife gave to him. From a side view, it is obvious that razor won’t be used.

“I am thinning on top, so I had to do something,” Keisel quipped.

“I don’t even remember what my face looks like.”

Should have given him more conditioner (which he was adamant to point out he did use).

The beard did dominate the conversation when Keisel and a select group of Pittsburgh Steelers met the media Monday shortly after arriving in town, but Keisel did answer some football questions. When discussing the team of the decade, he said the Steelers aren’t there yet.

“We are just a good team trying to get better.”

As for beard of the decade, that competition is over.

SB XLV photos:

You can view photos here.

January 30, 2011

Keisel sings for the media

From WPXI :

Brett Keisel tells reporters what song pumps the 6 time Super Bowl champs up before games and he sings it for Channel 11 News cameras!

Click here to listen.

Reminder:

Be sure to order your "Respect the Beard" shirts before they run out! A portion of the proceeds from this collector's edition t-shirt will benefit The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and The Homeless Children's Education Fund. Please support these great causes.

I received this message from Douglas Sarkis:

As a member of the Board of Directors of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Western PA and Chair of the 65 Roses Sport Auction, of which Brett is the Steeler's Spokesman, we wish to thank him for choosing the CF Foundation as one of his causes to receive some of the proceeds from this great shirt!!!!!!

For more information on the 65 Roses Sports Auction, visit the Articles page on this site or the Photo Gallery.

You can also click here to watch a PSA Keisel did for the CF Foundation.

Information on ordering the shirt is on the right side of this page under the Keisel Kam photo.

SB XLV photos:

I started a new gallery for the upcoming game and the activities leading up to it. Click here to see a few photos.

Click here to see the Steelers schedule for the upcoming week.

January 28, 2011-evening update

Steelers crowd gives players a great send off

"We're gonna bring back #7, baby! Get ready!--Brett at the Super Bowl pep rally.

The Steelers held a pep rally for the team tonight which was aired live on Steelers.com. Fans were treated to a replay of the AFC Championship game and were entertained by bands, the Pittsburgh Poison Dance Team and House of Soul. Then the players took the stage and were quite entertaining themselves.

Brett was introduced to the excited crowd as a first time Pro Bowler-and the KDKA announcers all said it was "about time" he was selected.

Brett got the crowd screaming even more when he sang "Pittsburgh's goin' to the Super Bowl" for them. He had his "Respect the Beard" shirt on as did some of his teammates.

Steelers.com may have the video replay up later.

Blue Chip Players:

ESPN ranked all 106 Super Bowl players. Keisel was listed at #16.

To see the rankings, click here.

If you want to order a "Respect the Beard" shirt, the information is on the right side of this page under Keisel Kam.

January 28, 2011

Shirt sales to benefit good causes

Based on the number of positive emails I am receiving, fans are loving the new "Respect the Beard" shirts being sold. Fans love the photo and they also like that Brett took the picture himself.

What fans may like even more is that part of the proceeds raised from the shirt sales will benefit two charities Brett works closely with: The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Homeless Children's Education Fund. Information on both charites can be found on the right side of this page under Keisel Causes.

From an interview with KDKA :

Steeler Nation has grown to “Respect the Beard.”

Steeler and Pro Bowl defensive end Brett Keisel is the latest player to get his own shirt from All Pro Embroidery. The motto? “Fear the Diesel.”

“It’s been fun and it’s taken off and I just wanted to share a little piece of me with everyone that wants it,” Keisel said.

Brett actually gave All Pro the picture. So the motivation behind that wild look in his eyes?

“I took the picture one morning just as I woke up,” he said. “And I wanted to do something that people would remember. I think I captured it.”

The “Fear the Deisel” shirt is not authorized by the Steelers or licensed by the NFL, but it is endorsed by Brett Keisel. Part of the proceeds from the shirt will benefit two of Brett Keisel’s charities – Cystic Fibrosis and The Homeless Children’s Education Fund.

Thank you to KDKA for listing this website in the article.

You can click the KDKA link above to watch Brett's interview and to see him sporting the new t-shirt.

Information on ordering the shirt is in the January 27 news and also on the right side of this page, underneath the Keisel Kam picture.

Let's all support Keisel in his effort to raise money for his charities by purchasing the awesome shirt! Who knows, it could be a collectors item someday.

Kudos for the beard keep coming:

NFL Total Access listed the "Top 10 Beards" of all time last night.

Who was the winner?

Click here to find out.

From t-shirt company website:

This was posted today, January 28:

SHIPPING: Orders placed today will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail (usually takes 2-3 days to deliver) on Monday, and should be received before next weekend. Here we go!

Also, as far as I know the shirts can only be ordered online, but I will update if I find information of them being sold in stores.

January 27, 2011

Late round draft "gem"

Keisel chatter:

From Devon Moore's article, Steelers Steals: List Of Colbert's Top 10 Mid To Late Round Draft Gems :

Brett Keisel is one of the best late round steals in recent memory. He cut his chops for four years as a backup before getting his opportunity to start in 2006, and has certainly made the most of it. As a prototypical 3-4 defensive end, Keisel is powerful enough to take up blockers, yet also nimble enough to drop back into coverage in some of Dick Lebeau's zone blitz schemes. The Steelers showed their appreciation to him by signing him to a 5 year contract in 2009, a long term deal that the organization is not known to normally give to linemen on the other side of 30 years old. He rewarded them with a Pro Bowl caliber year in 2010, his first.

And, from Green Bay Packers interviews discussing the Steelers D Line:

"They have three big guys, three really big experienced guys up front. DE Brett Keisel. He's got the best beard in the NFL. Hood might have been drafted to replace Keisel, but Keisel kept his starting job and he kept Hood on the bench (to start the 2010 season). Keisel has missed some time this season due to a hamstring injury, but he's started their last seven games. He also has seven pass defenses over those past seven games, and he's probably the defensive lineman most likely to deflect a pass."

Respect the Beard t-shirt:

From WPXI :

Pittsburgh Steelers fans now have a chance to wear Brett Keisel's famous beard… well, sort of. Keisel is the latest Steeler to have a t-shirt made in his honor.

"Fear the Diesel" T-shirts began printing Thursday morning. It features a photograph of Keisel with a full beard. The makers of the shirt said the picture used was not professionally taken, instead it was a photo taken by Keisel himself.

The managers at All Pro Embroidery said Keisel took the picture at arm's length and sent a high resolution download to their store so the shirt could be designed as fast as possible.

James Harrison and Woodley also have shirts on the market. Keisel's shirt sells for $18.99.

To order the shirt, click here.

January 25, 2011

News and notes

Hairy situation:

From Shalise Manza Young, The Boston Globe:

Playoff beards are nothing new. Players, coaches, and others grow them, vowing not to shave until the season is over. But Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel began growing his beard after Pittsburgh’s minicamp in late spring, and now, months later, it is a bushy sight to behold.

While Keisel talked with reporters about his beard, Ben Roethlisberger walked by and quipped, “The worst thing about winning is you have to keep that beard.’’

Keisel’s wife feels the same way — he joked that she was in the stands cheering that the Steelers were winning, but at the same time cursing since it meant she had to live with the beard for two more weeks.

The worst part of having a face covered in hair?

“I feel like a cat coughing up hairballs, but it’s all worth it,’’ Keisel said, smiling.

Speaking of beards:

I have received numerous emails asking about the "Beard Me" website. Initially I had no idea what people were talking about. Then I received an email from Nick Cobler, one of the three creators (or "Men behind the beards") of KeiselBeardMe.com.

From their site:

Here we go Steelers, here we go! Get out yer terrible towel... and put on a terrible beard. A Brett Keisel beard, that is. Now is yinz chance to show yinz support for the Black and Gold on their quest for another Super Bowl Championship 'n'at.

And what better way than with a fierce playoff beard like #99! Just upload your picture, put on your Keisel beard, and email, post, or tweet to your friends and family. Lets show 'em Steeler Nation!

Take time to visit their site, you will have fun "bearding" yourself, and looking through their galley of photos!

Fan photos:

I received a couple new fan photos, which you can see here.

One photo is actually a drawing of Brett, which is amazing!

January 24, 2011

Keisel: "We're goin' to Dallas"

From Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

"Support the Beard" contest winner:

The winner was selected by myself, and BigBen7.com administrators: Erin, Anne, Haydee, Misty, Heather, Jan and Billie Jo. The decision was not easy by any means, and I appreciate all who entered.

The winner is...Jeremy Abbott!

If you haven't already, please take time to look through all the entries here.

There were so many awesome beards to choose from, and even a Keisel look-a-like (Josh Krysak). We had some creative fans who had some fun with the contest, even if they didn't have a beard which made for a fun contest. For those of you with beards...NO SHAVING until after the Super Bowl!

From Jim Wexell, SteelCityInsider.net:

The Beard had a good game, didn't it?

Keisel: "That’s right. It wasn’t me, it was the beard making those plays today.

Keep up with all of Mr. Wexell's articles here.

Steelers Digest...

Selected Rashard Mendenhall as player of the game. Also considered were LaMarr Woodley, who had four tackles, two for loss, plus a sack, two pressures and a pass defensed; Lawrence Timmons, who led the team with 10 tackles and added a pass defensed; Brett Keisel, who had seven tackles, including one for loss, and a pass defensed; and Arnaz Battle, who had three tackles on special teams.

January 23, 2011

Climbing the stairway to seven

Every time you go to the Super Bowl, it's a wonderful thing. It's just so terrific with what all we went through this year. I'm very happy for everyone in the organization." -Dan Rooney -- Steelers chairman emeritus, on the team's third Super Bowl trip in the past six years.

Steelers players donned their AFC Championship hats and t-shirts as Steeler Nation went wild celebrating their teams AFC Championship win over the Jets 24-19.

From Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Dallas may fancy itself as America’s Team, but that city is where the Steelers will try to put more distance between themselves and the Cowboys. And every other NFL franchise, for that matter.

Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown, and the Steelers survived a furious second-half rally to beat the New York Jets, 24-19, Sunday night in the AFC Championship Game.

The Steelers (14-4) have a chance to win a seventh Super Bowl in Dallas, and a victory would give them two more Lombardi Trophies than the Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers – their closest pursuers in the NFL’s benchmark for excellence.

Read Mr. Brown's entire article here.

Steelers.com also has game news.

#99:

Brett had seven tackles during the game.

To see photos from the game, click here.

I will add more news and photos as it becomes available. I will also announce the "Support the Beard" contest winner Monday.

January 20, 2011

"Support the Beard" contest entries

I want to say thank you to all who entered the contest, and to those who emailed to say they did not have a playoff beard, but they have been following Brett's all season.

I uploaded all the photos, and you can view them here.

You can click on any image to enlarge it.

I will announce the winner on Monday.

The photo used for today's news is of Brett's father, Lane (left) and his brother, Chad. As you can see, they also joined in on the playoff beard movement! Thank you to Connie Keisel for sending the photo.

Practice photos:

You can check out a few photos of #99 at practice this week here.

January 20, 2011

Brett's press conference

Keisel spoke with the media today. He talked about Ziggy Hood's big contributions to the team, the importance of having Troy Polamalu on the field, and of course he fielded questions about his now famous beard.

You can listen to the interview here.

Keisel fun facts:

Individual postseason information...

DE Brett Keisel:

• Has 30 career tackles (17 solo), three sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in 13 postseason games.

• Finished with five tackles and recovered the fumble at the end of the game that sealed the Steelers’ victory in Super Bowl XLIII.

• Has three career postseason sacks, including two in the 2005 AFC Championship Game against Denver and one in the 2008 AFC Divisional Playoff Game versus San Diego.

• Team is 2-0 when he posts a sack in the postseason.

Steelers Speak:

Teresa Varley, of Steelers.com spoke with Brett for the latest edition of Steelers Speak. You can watch the entertaining interview here.

Support the beard contest:

The contest ends tomorrow so if you are planning on entering, be sure to email your entry to me soon. The contest info is the January 17 news. I appreciate all the people who have entered so far. Be sure to check back tomorrow evening to see photos of all the beards!

Also, thank you to all who have emailed or messaged me to congratulate Brett on his first Pro Bowl selection. He has a great fan base!

January 18, 2011

Keisel the Diesel

The same company who brought us the Fear the Beard t-shirts, now has new "Keisel the Diesel" shirts!

You can check them out here.

The shirts also come in black, and they have other great Steeler themed shirts here.

The t-shirt and the manufacturer/designer are not affiliated in any way with Brett Keisel or his management team.

Also today,

USA Today's Arin Karimian examines the key parts to the Steelers’ march to their AFC championship game matchup with the New York Jets on Sunday.

From the article...Defense — DE Brett Keisel

Background: A seventh-round draft pick (No. 242) in 2002, Keisel has spent his entire nine-season career with the Steelers. This season, he set a career high with two forced fumbles and tied a career best with seven pass deflections, despite missing five games with a hamstring injury. Keisel also made the first — and only — interception of his career during a Week 3 rout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown.

Impact: Keisel and second-year pro Ziggy Hood were left to pick up the slack after defensive end Aaron Smith tore his left triceps in Week 7 and missed the rest of the regular season. Keisel responded and made his first Pro Bowl when he was named as an injury replacement last week. Against the Ravens, Keisel hurried quarterback Joe Flacco several times while registering four tackles and recovering a fumble.

What they’re saying: ”We’re very excited to be going back to the AFC championship game but it’s all for naught if we can’t take care of it. … Hopefully we learn from the mistakes we made that got us beat (in a Week 15 loss to Jets), to correct them and not make them again.” —Keisel to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Thank you to Erin, of BigBen7.com for sending me the article link. Visit Ben Roethlisberger's official site to keep up with the latest news and photos of #7. Erin is also posting "good luck" wishes to Ben and the Steelers from fans, so if you have something to send, visit the site to see how to do so.

Contest reminder...

Be sure to check out the news from January 17 to read about the "Support the Beard" contest!

January 17, 2011

Support THE Beard Contest

We have all watched Keisel grow his playoff beard since summer. It has taken him and the Steelers all the way to the AFC Championship game, and some teammates have joined Brett in growing playoff beards of their own.

Now, it is time for Steeler Nation to show off their own playoff beards to support #99 & the Steelers! Email a photo of your playoff beard to me, and the "Best Beard" will win an autographed photo of the man with the #1 playoff beard-Brett Keisel!

E-mail entries to: trish@brett-keisel.com

Please only send one photo to post on the website. And, for the ladies, I don't want to leave you out so feel free to get creative. Design your own "pretend" playoff beard and snap a photo of yourself to send me. The same goes for guys too!

Entries will be accepted until Friday (January 21, 2011) at 2:00 p.m.(EST).

Be sure to include your name with the photo as each will be posted on the website.

More on the bearded one:

From Elizabeth Merrill's article at ESPN.com, "Brett Keisel's beard 'lives on'":

Brett Keisel emerged from the showers Saturday night, and there were hundreds of things to say. There was the Pro Bowl invitation he'd received earlier in the day, the first ever in a nine-year career. There was the fumble he pounced on that helped the Pittsburgh Steelers gut out a blood-and-mud 31-24 divisional playoff victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

"The beard lives on," he said.

Keisel is known as "The Diesel." He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 285 pounds. He didn't just grow a beard, he unleashed something so out of control that it looks as if two small animals were laid to rest on his face. Yet, it's clear he's part of the soul of this team. In a 10-minute span Saturday night, two players -- one current, one former -- walked up to Keisel to say they loved him.

Keisel has been growing the beard out since June, and he can't get rid of it now. Not with the AFC Championship looming. Not when the defense is playing so well.

"I don't mind the beard," Keisel said. "But I'm sick of the mustache getting into my food. I can't put my mouthpiece in without biting on it. "I'm sick of it, but I'm a team guy, and I'm going to ride this 'til the very end."

To read the entire article, click here.

From Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Mike Tomlin commented about how so many Steelers deserved to get credit for that game and after watching it again last night on DVR, it was hard to find someone who did not contribute to that victory. Among those who played a key role but will not be found in many stories this morning pointing it out were Ike Taylor, Emmanuel Sanders, Brett Keisel, Heath Miller, Rashard Mendenhall, William Gay, James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons – you might just go down the list of players on defense.

Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams a Steelers fan:

STEELER PRIDE: Surely one of the happiest people in Utah about the Pittsburgh Steelers' 31-24 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC playoffs on Saturday was Jazz guard Deron Williams. Despite growing up in the Dallas area and being surrounded by Cowboys fans, Williams is a diehard Steelers fan.

Not too many Steeler fans in my household," Williams said. "(They're) all Cowboy fans. All my friends are Cowboy fans. Half of this team is Cowboy fans."

That left Williams on the receiving end of some ribbing when the Steelers lost to the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX when he was in middle school. That was the game where quarterback Neil O'Donnell infamously threw two costly interceptions in the second half, at times when Pittsburgh had the heavily favored Cowboys on the ropes.- From Andrew Aragon, Deseret News

January 16, 2011

That glorious beard

May Keisel NEVER trim that glorious beard. He is playing like a hero of ages tonight.- Fan quote from the Game Day thread at steelernation.com.

The Steelers will face the New York Jets next week at Heinz Field in the AFC Championship game. The game is at 6:30 p.m.

More news from the win over Baltimore:

From Fox Sports:

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he told his team at halftime that “we had kicked our own butts enough.” “Even in the midst of some adversity that we created for ourselves, and really Baltimore created, we didn’t blink,” Tomlin said. “We turned the ball over in the first half, and that’s why it was 21-7.”

Flacco was next seen on his back under a pile of black jerseys, and he spent much of the third quarter there. James Harrison sacked Flacco on the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage, the first of three sacks he had in the second half. In a game that was bully on bully from the start, the Steelers started gang-tackling and swarming the way the visitors had early, and the Heinz Field crowd responded.

From John Harris, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

The Baltimore Ravens are always a threat to go all the way to the Super Bowl. Now if they can only do something about having to go through the Steelers to get there.

No matter how dominant Baltimore has played before facing the Steelers, the Ravens' rival brings out the worst in them.

How else to explain Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco fumbling the snap from center near the end of the third quarter and the ball tumbling directly to Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel at the Ravens' 23? It was the last of three consecutive Baltimore turnovers the Steelers converted into 17 points and a 24-21 lead.

"That snap popped right into my lap,'' the bearded Keisel said with a twinkle in his eye. "I just dove to the ground, and the ball was right there. It's nice to get a good lucky bounce like that.

From Bob Cohn, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

"To be down 14 against a great defense like that, the odds are against you, really," Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said. "Fortunately, we didn't quit."

Mainly, the defense brought them back. The Steelers hounded the Ravens into three turnovers and five sacks — three by James Harrison — in the final 30 minutes to transform the game, and themselves, in their 31-24 win over Baltimore.

"I just know when we came out in the second half, we made enough plays to have an impact," Keisel said. "And that's what great teams do."

From Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Keisel on the Pro Bowl:

From Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

One goal that Brett Keisel set for himself prior to the season was making his first Pro Bowl.

Now that Keisel has accomplished that -- the Steelers defensive end was added to the AFC team Saturday as an injury replacement -- he would love nothing better than to pass on an all-expenses paid trip to Honolulu later this month.

“I do not want to go,” Keisel said after the Steelers exhilarating 31-24 win against the Ravens Saturday in an AFC Divisional playoff game. “I want to go all the way. I want to get that ring.”

That does not mean Keisel takes his selection to the NFL's all-star game, which will be played the week before the Super Bowl, lightly.

Keisel: "It is an honor and I’m proud of it.”

You can read Mr. Brown's entire article here.

You can read any of the above articles by clicking on their respective links. I can only fit pieces of them in to my post, but the articles are well worth reading in their entirety.

January 15, 2011

Steelers advance to AFC Championship game

Steelers 31, Ravens 24

The Steelers advanced to the AFC Championship game after their defeat of the Baltimore Ravens today. They will face the winner of the Patriots-Jets game.

From ESPN:

The Steelers (13-4) were trailing 21-7 at halftime after turnovers created two Ravens touchdowns. But they came back with the help of three Baltimore turnovers in the third quarter. It was so bad, the Ravens' minus-4 yards in offense wasn't the worst of it. Baltimore was outgained 263-126 as Joe Flacco was 16 of 30 for 125 yards as the Ravens became the eighth team in NFL playoff history to fail to gain at least 100 yards in the first three quarters. All eight teams lost.

From Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

The Steelers overcame a bumbling, fumbling first half by scoring three times off three third-quarter turnovers to roar from behind to a pulsating 31-24 playoff victory at raucous Heinz Field tonight.

With the game tied and the Steelers facing a third-and-19 at their 38 with just over two minutes left, Ben Roethlisberger uncorked a deep pass that rookie Antonio Brown caught and then held control by holding it against his helmet before his momentum took him out of bounds at the Baltimore four with 1:58 to go.

It took four plays plus a Ravens penalty but on third down Rashard Mendenhall ran up the middle for a touchdown to put the Steelers on top by seven with 1:33 left.

The Steelers will play the winner of Sunday's New York Jets-New England Patriots playoff game for the AFC championship Jan. 23. If the Jets win, the game will be in Heinz Field. If the Patriots win, it will be in New England.

Great weekend for #99:

Not only did #99 have a great game against the Ravens and advance to the AFC Championship game, but he was also selected to his first Pro Bowl! Read more here.

Congratulations to Keisel and the Steelers! I will add more news Sunday.

To see a couple of photos from the game, click here.

January 14, 2011

Keisel added to Pro Bowl roster

Brett has earned his first Pro Bowl invitation. As mentioned here a couple weeks ago, Keisel was selected as an alternate for the 2011 Pro Bowl. Well, he was notified Friday that he was officially added to the Pro Bowl roster! The Pro Bowl is on January 30, 2011, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.

If the Steelers make it to the Super Bowl, then Brett will not be eligible for the Pro Bowl. So, #99 will either be heading to Texas Stadium in February for the Super Bowl, or to Aloha Stadium in January for the Pro Bowl. What a great way to start off 2011!

Congratulations to Brett and thank you to all who voted to send him to the Pro Bowl!

January 13, 2011

Cowher visits Steelers practice

Bill Cowher, former Steelers coach, visited practice today in Pittsburgh. Cowher was doing some work to prepare for Saturday's broadcast of the Steelers-Ravens game at Heinz Field.

From WTAE:

"He gave me a big hug and gave me a hard time about my beard," Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said. "He said he's growing his out, so we'll see if he sticks to it."

It was great to see him," Keisel said. "Have a lot of great memories with that guy. He gave me my first start in this business, so I love the guy. I really do."

Also today:

Brett was interviewed by Tunch and Wolf for their radio show today. You can listen to the interview here.

You can also click here to listen to an interview with Brett, Heath Miller and Troy Polamalu.

To see a larger version of the photo with Cowher and another one of Keisel "relaxing", click here.

January 12, 2011

Fan photos

Mark Bailey sent some photos of Keisel from the first Ravens match-up this season. He runs the website for the Indian Creek High School band. Their band went to Heinz Field to play for the crowd during pre-game festivities and at half time. What a great time for the band and a treat for the fans in attendance!

For those of us who weren't at the game to watch #99 in person, Mark shared some photos with us. Click here to see them. Thank you to Mark for sharing!

From the numerous emails I have received, it sounds like Steeler Nation likes the "Fear the Beard" t-shirts! If you missed the posting about the shirts, check out the January 7 news below. The same maker of those shirts also sent a link for another t-shirt Steeler Nation may like. Click here to see it.

January 10, 2011

It's the Ravens...again

The Steelers will face off against the Baltimore Ravens Saturday at Heinz Field. This is the third match-up of the season for the two division rivals, with the record being 1-1. The game will be at 4:30 p.m. on CBS.

From Sports Xchange, SteelCityInsider.net:

Fittingly, Pittsburgh and Baltimore will meet for a third time this season Saturday at Heinz Field to determine who advances to the AFC Championship Game. The two teams have been trading bruises, insults and division championships for years as they dominated the AFC North (nee: Central) Division over the past decade. For the third time in the decade and second time in three seasons they will meet in the playoffs. One or the other has won the division crown eight of the past 10 seasons.

"We believe that's the No. 1 rivalry in football," Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. "It's a humbling thing to be a part of ... We have big-time respect for that football team, they've earned it. Hopefully, we've earned their respect."

Pittsburgh has won both post-season games played against Baltimore, each at Heinz Field - a 2001 playoff and the 2008 AFC Championship Game. The Steelers won six of the past 10 division titles and made the playoffs seven of the past 10 years. Baltimore has made the playoffs six of the past 10 years, including two division championships.

From Jim Wexell, SteelCityInsider.Net:

The Steelers have won two rings in the last five years, so naturally they’re considered a savvy group of hardened veterans. But on Saturday, in their playoff opener against the winner of today’s game in Kansas City, the Steelers will start only eight starters from both Super Bowls, and 14 starters from the last Super Bowl. That’s out of 24 starters.

“There are definitely a bunch of guys in here that haven’t been to the top of the mountain,” said defensive end Brett Keisel. “I’m not sensing nervousness. I think everybody’s excited to be in this position. But we hope to put these guys under our wing and show them how to prepare and get ready for this run.”

They did that last week. Before what amounted to a first-round playoff game Before what amounted to a first-round playoff game in Cleveland, the Steelers enjoyed “the best week of practice we had all year,” said Keisel. “The sense of urgency was there.”

And:

Gene Collier, from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote a great article on the Steelers defense.

From Mr. Collier's article:

Throughout the regal history of professional football in Pittsburgh, a wealth of gifted people have taken the mere opportunity to play defense as an invitation to turn themselves into monuments.

Mean Joe Greene is probably the greatest Steeler ever, but for all his exhaustively documented accomplishments, for all his fully deserved gigantism in the comparative literature of the region, Joe Greene never did what Ziggy Hood has done. Just as Jack Lambert never did what Nick Eason has done, just as Ernie Holmes nor Big Daddy Lipscomb nor Ernie Stautner ever did what Chris Hoke and Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel and Casey Hampton have done.

This is the new history, and it's a little startling in its import.

The defenders who'll go back to work in earnest this week at 3400 South Water Street are not just the best run stoppers in the NFL as we know it this morning, but the best run stoppers in the history of this franchise.

"I feel good about it as a coach, but this all goes to the players," said assistant head coach John Mitchell, who's coached defensive linemen around here for 17 years with both an entrenched excellence and an impenetrable humility. "What we've got here is continuity. I got Aaron Smith when he was a kid, Casey Hampton when he was a kid, Brett Keisel, Chris Hoke, we all grew up together and we've reached an understanding."

"They understand the defense. They understand what I want. I understand what they can and can't do."

I think the neatest stat is that we only allowed one 20-yard run all year, because that's a credit to all 11 guys," Keisel said. "This hasn't been just about the defensive front. The secondary has tackled really well when backs have tried to bounce it to the perimeter."

To read the entire article, click here.

January 7, 2011

Fear the Beard

Are you a fan of "THE BEARD"? If so, this t-shirt is for you! It can be ordered on EBay here.

FYI...

The t-shirt and the manufacturer/designer are not affiliated in any way with Brett Keisel or his management team.

Reminder...

The Steelers are off this weekend due to a bye. They will begin post season play on Saturday, January 15 at 4:30 p.m. The game will be at Heinz Field against either the Colts, Ravens or Chiefs. It will be televised on CBS.

Also...

Be sure to read the news under this weeks Keisel Kam photo. The Keisel's will honored for their work with the Homeless Children's Education Fund.

Check out...

This video the Chartiers Valley High School Class of 2011 made to show their support of the Steelers. You can click here to watch.

January 6, 2011

Contest winner announced

The lucky winner of the signed Brett Keisel photograph is Michael Furey, from West Peoria, IL. Congratulations to Michael who correctly listed BYU as one of the colleges Keisel attended. Snow College would have been a correct answer also.

I appreciate all the fans who entered the contest, which included well over 2,000 people.

January 5, 2011

Time to celebrate-CONTEST WINNER UPDATE-see below

The Steelers are preparing for the playoffs and #99 is a Pro Bowl alternate (see the December 29 news for more information). Seems like cause for celebration!

To celebrate the Steelers great season and to thank everyone who voted to send Keisel to the Pro Bowl, I am holding a contest to win an autographed photo of Brett! To enter, send me an email naming one of the colleges Brett attended. The answer is, of course, on this site if you need help.

E-mail: trish@brett-keisel.com

Please only 1 entry per email address.

The 99th person to email me wins. I will post the winner once I have one. Good luck!

Please only email the address of this site, which is listed above. You can also access the email by clicking on Contact at the top of this page. No entries will be accepted through the Twitter or Facebook pages.

Locker room interview:

Brett spoke with the media today about the return of teammate Aaron Smith and about the tremendous job the back up defensive ends did while both he and Smith were out this season. You can click here to watch it.

Contest update:

I have a winner for the contest. I will announce their name once I hear back from them. Thank you to all who took the time to enter the contest. I will do more in the future.

January 4, 2011

The Playoff beard

Keisel's playoff beard has become a national phenomenon. It has been highlighted in Steelers Digest, during the last few nationally televised games and on many social media network sites.

Brett spoke with Teresa Varley of Steelers.com about it.

From the article:

Most of you have probably noticed that Brett Keisel is sporting a now “legendary” beard and mustache. He started to grow it before the start of the season and as things went well during the year, he vowed not to shave it until the season came to an end.

Just because the playoff beard is good luck, it doesn’t mean Keisel is enjoying it as he shared with me outside of the training room after practice.

“I was telling Troy (Polamalu) at the game my mustache was down and I kept biting hair in my mouth piece. It’s getting to the point where it’s a little aggravating. But I am a team guy and I have been doing this for the team so I will carry it on through.

“I am hoping to keep it all the way to the end, go back home to Wyoming and show my family there how beautiful this thing is.”

Keisel said that the beard isn’t a hit with his newborn daughter Grace.

“She already gets mad when I put her on my shoulder and the beard gets in her face and drives her crazy,” he said. “One of these days I will get to hold her and it won’t be up in her.”

His son Jacob has gotten used to the beard and he is wondering if he will even recognize him when he finally does shave. “I think he will wonder who I am but it will be fun,” Keisel joked.

To read more from the article, which is a playoff diary Ms. Varley is doing with the team, click here.

January 3, 2011

More news and notes

"This team has been to the postseason, this team understands what it takes when we get in situations like this," defensive end Brett Keisel said of the need for a victory to make for a smoother playoff ride.

"We have a lot of good veteran leadership that I think has kept this team humbled and focused on the next game and the next task at hand. We're happy to be where we're at, this is where you strive to get to, to get a bye, to get some rest, sit back and watch what happens in the first round of the playoffs."-From Ed Bouchette's article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

From Mike Bires article, "Steelers in good position to make a playoff run":

What a wild and euphoric scene it was in their locker room as the Steelers donned their newest apparel.

"Mission accomplished," coach Mike Tomlin proclaimed as he wore an AFC North Division championship cap.

"This is great. This is what you strive for," beamed defensive end Brett Keisel as he proudly displayed his AFC North Division championship t-shirt. "We're excited to be in the situation we're in.

The Steelers should feel optimistic about their situation. By no means are they perfect. They're not invincible. But now that the regular season is over and the playoff picture is clear, they have as good a chance as any of the 12 teams that have qualified for the Super Bowl tournament.

You can read the entire article, here.

Run defense establishes two franchise records:

From Gerry Dulac and Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

The Steelers easily finished the regular season with the best rush defense in the National Football League and came close to finishing with one of the best in league history.

After allowing the Cleveland Browns to rush for 43 yards on 17 carries in Sunday's 41-9 victory, the Steelers set a franchise record for allowing the fewest yards rushing in a season (1,004) and fewest yards per game (62.8). That eclipsed the old record of 1,125 yards allowed in a 12-game season in 1953. The former yards per-game record was 74.7, set in 2001.

The Steelers came within 34 yards of tying the NFL's record for rushing yards allowed in a 16-game season (970), set by the 2000 Baltimore Ravens.

Some other defensive highlights this season:

• The Steelers were the only NFL team to allow just one run longer than 20 yards in 2010.

• They allowed just two teams -- the New York Jets (106) and New England Patriots (102) -- to rush for more than 100 yards against them. No other team rushed for more than 75 yards.

• They did not allow a 100-yard rusher all season and just one in the past 50 games.

Also, from the same article:

Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel credited his beard with the team's 12-4 record and AFC North Division championship. He was kidding. Maybe ...

Keisel started growing the beard before the season and promised not to shave it until the season ends. "The goal hasn't changed. I'm hoping to have it until February," he said.

Keisel said he has received a ton of positive feedback about his beard but acknowledged, "Man, this thing is dirty ... My wife put a razor in my stocking for Christmas so I know what she thinks about it."

Photos:

You can view a few game photos here.

January 2, 2011-evening update

AFC North Division Champions

The Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns 41-9 to seal the AFC North Division Championship title and a second round seed and first round bye in the playoffs.

From Keisel's post game interview

"The biggest turning point of the game was that pick. We never looked back after that.”

The scoring continued as the Steelers scored on each of their first six offensive possessions – five touchdowns and a field goal – to build a 38-3 lead to the midway point of the third quarter.

Dominating defense:

The Steelers defense continues to dominate their opponents.

From AFC North blogger James Walker:

The NFL's best defense resides in Pittsburgh, and any time a team can dominate that side of the football, it has a great chance to win in the playoffs. The Steelers finished No. 2 in total defense, which includes one of the top run defenses in NFL history.

Pittsburgh has the ability to quickly make opponents one-dimensional, which feeds into its stout pass rush. It's a very tough combination, and Cleveland found out the hard way as it rushed for just 43 yards and rookie quarterback Colt McCoy was sacked four times.

"Physically, it was a tough game, they're a tough defense," McCoy said. "I got hit probably more than I've been hit all year."

Mr. Walker also talked about how important today's win was in terms of the Steelers getting a bye. They can now rest some players and injured players, such as Aaron Smith have a chance to return.

Keisel:

"I talk to Aaron all the time. I don't know if he'll be ready. But obviously having the bye helps him, and it helps a lot of guys who are nicked up. But he's working hard. He's working his tail off like Aaron does all the time, and we hope to get him back."

Tomlin said he will know more about Smith's status for the playoffs next week.

Keisel stats:

Brett had a great sack with a forced fumble, and a pass deflection during the game.

AFC North Division Champs:

From Steelers.com:

Brett Keisel already has two Super Bowl rings, but that didn’t stop the Steelers’ defensive end from modeling his just-earned “AFC North Division Champions” T-shirt and baseball cap late Sunday afternoon at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

"We want to get two more shirts and two more hats,” Keisel announced. “That would be the icing on the cake.”

To read the entire article, click here.

Playoff news:

The Steelers will begin post season play on Saturday, January 15 at 4:30 p.m. The game will be at Heinz Field against either the Colts, Ravens or Chiefs. It will be televised on CBS.

January 2, 2011

Keisel pays homage to Smith for Pro Bowl honor

From Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Defensive end Brett Keisel is hoping he doesn't play in his first Pro Bowl on Jan. 30, because that means the Steelers will be preparing for Super Bowl XLV back in Pittsburgh.

But if Keisel does play in the annual all-star game — he is the first alternate at defensive end — it wouldn't just validate his importance to the Steelers' defense.

It also would be a tribute to Aaron Smith, who has long been a mentor to Keisel.

"I've got to give him a lot of credit," Keisel said. "From the time I've got here I've tried to be like Aaron Smith. I've tried to work like him — I've tried to approach the game like him — so he gets a lot of credit for my success."

Followers of this site may remember a few years ago when Mr. Keisel requested that visitors to this site vote for Aaron Smith for the Pro Bowl instead of himself. If you missed it, click on the Archives link at the top of this page, and scroll down to the November 26, 2008 news.

December 31, 2010

Keisel: Excited and honored

I'm excited about it."-Brett Keisel, on his first selection to the Pro Bowl.

Ed Bouchette listed other Steelers selected as alternates for the Pro Bowl:

Other alternates include Mike Wallace, Casey Hampton, Ryan Clark, LaMarr Woodley, Heath Miller and Ben Roethlisberger.

What does Keisel think about his first selection to the Pro Bowl?

From Jim Wexell, SteelCityInsider.net:

I feel like it’s been my best year, when I’ve been out there,” said Keisel. “It’s been frustrating missing (five) games. That’s why I was a little surprised I made it. But it’s something you strive to be in this profession. It’s tough to make it, especially when you’re a 3-4 end in the scheme we play. It’s an honor.”

More from the article:

The Steelers have allowed the fewest points in the NFL this season, the second fewest yards, and will go down as one of the greatest run-stopping defenses of all time. Yet, only two defenders – Troy Polamalu and James Harrison – were named to the Pro Bowl.

“We’ve got a couple alternates,” said defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. “I think we’ve got a lot of guys who are Pro Bowl players. Every year some go and some don’t, but over the years we’ve had good representation with our guys and we’re proud of that.” Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel are the defense’s first alternates. Hampton has been to five Pro Bowls, but this would be Keisel’s first.

The three AFC defensive ends named to the Pro Bowl were Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis of the Indianapolis Colts, and Jason Babin of the Tennessee Titans. The Pro Bowl is played the week before the Super Bowl, so players from Super Bowl teams won’t play in the Pro Bowl.

“I’d much rather make it all the way to Dallas than play in my first Pro Bowl, but it’s nice to be recognized,” Keisel said.

Special thanks to Jim Wexell for allowing me to post parts of his article. His site is full of great Steelers articles and analyses. It includes some free articles and some pay ones, which are well worth the membership cost. If you are not already a member, click here for more information on becoming a member.

Again, congratulations to #99 and to all the Steelers who are selected for the Pro Bowl. We would rather the Steelers head to Dallas for the Super Bowl, but if not, we hope Brett heads to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl...and that is a possibility thanks to his hard work, and all the fans, friends and family who voted for him!

December 29, 2010-evening update

#99 is first alternate for Pro Bowl

Brett was informed today he is a first alternate for the 2011 Pro Bowl to be played on January 30, 2011, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Since the Pro Bowl is prior to the Super Bowl, any players who are Super Bowl bound are not eligible to play, and then alternates are utilized. Same case goes for any injured players or ones who pass on playing. Of course, if the Steelers are in the Super Bowl, then Keisel and his teammates are ineligible too.

Other Steelers alternates are Ryan Clark, LaMarr Woodley and Casey Hampton.

Congratulations to all the Steelers selected for the Pro Bowl and thanks to all the fans, friends and family of the players who voted. Brett & his teammates worked hard for this honor and are well deserving of it.

More good news today:

Ben Roethlisberger was the recipient of The Chief Award, an honor that is given annually to the Steelers player that is most helpful and cooperative with the media. The award is voted on annually by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pro Football Writers Association. The award is named after Steelers founder, Art Rooney. It is the first time in 23 years that a quarterback has won the award.

And, rookie center Maurkice Pouncey was the recipient of the Joe Greene Award, which is given to the team’s outstanding rookie.

Steelers and Penguins have special bond-Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

When defensive end Brett Keisel went to his first Pittsburgh Penguins game he admittedly didn’t know much about hockey. But he had a pretty good teacher, and instantly fell in love with the game.

“David Morehouse got me tickets and my wife and I sat with him in his box,” said Keisel, referring to the Penguins CEO/President. “He taught me the game that night. It was at Mellon Arena about six years ago. It was a special time. You could feel the energy from the crowd. “The game is so fast. That is what is amazing to me how fast and agile they play on ice. We complain when the field is hard from the cold, but they are playing on ice and it’s a fun game to watch. I have grown into a huge hockey fan.”

Playoff beard:

In hockey playoff beards are commonplace, with post-season facial hair as much a part of the uniform as skates and pads. But in football, you don’t see the same thing except for Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel, who was inspired by watching the Penguins grow their beards to do the same.

“I think mine is something for them to shoot for,” said Keisel, who started growing his beard at the beginning of the season. “A little piece of why I did it is because of the playoff beard tradition in hockey. I wanted to get us back to the playoffs and look, it worked.”

To read Ms. Varley's article, please click here.

December 29, 2010

Fan Photos

Carolina Quintero attended the Steelers vs. Jets game at Heinz Field on December 19, and she was nice enough to share some of her great photos of #99 with us. Click here to see her photos.

Congratulations are in order:

Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison, safety Troy Polamalu and rookie center Maurkice Pouncey have been selected to the 2011 AFC Pro Bowl team. Harrison and Polamalu were named starters in the NFL’s annual All-Star game to be played on January 30, 2011, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Pro Bowl Notes:

The Steelers will send a linebacker to the Pro Bowl for the ninth time in the past 11 seasons and for the 17th time in the past 21 years…The Steelers are sending multiple players to the Pro Bowl for the 10th straight season and the 19th time in the last 22 seasons…At least three Steelers have made the Pro Bowl every season dating back to 2001…Pouncey becomes the fourth different Steelers center to make the Pro Bowl, dating back to 1988.

Pro Bowl Notes information courtesy of Steelers.com

Thank you to all the fans, friends and family of #99 who voted for Brett and his teammates.

December 28, 2010

The importance of the Browns game

From Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

The Steelers already have clinched a playoff berth, but for them, the road to the Super Bowl goes through ... Cleveland?

The game Sunday in Cleveland means everything. To put it in simple terms, here is the difference for the Steelers between beating the Browns and earning the No. 2 seed in the conference and losing and having to go on the road as a wild-card playoff team:

A win -- The Steelers have off Jan. 8/9 and open play at home Jan. 15/16 for the right to advance to the AFC championship game, which also could be at home if New England loses. A loss -- The Steelers would make plans for a road trip Jan. 8/9 probably at Kansas City, for the right to play on the road again Jan. 15/16 at New England, for the right to advance to the AFC championship game on the road.

It's not just the extra week's rest they would earn with the bye, but the free pass into the next round and a guaranteed home game.

"It's big, it's big," Keisel said. "Some time off, that's what we're fighting for, to get that bye. We have one more game to do it and the ball's in our hands."

Keisel chatter:

As much as we talk about all the skill players who come back from injuries, and the significance of their presence, no player would be more vital to their club than Brett Keisel. The defensive end is one of the true stars of Pittsburgh’s 3-4 scheme, and his lingering hamstring issue has been massive. With Aaron Smith lost until at least the playoffs at the opposite end, the Steelers have been vulnerable (never evidenced more than against the Patriots). There is a very good chance Keisel is back for the huge clash with the Ravens on Sunday night, and his return would be a boon for Pittsburgh.

“We don’t talk about it, and it’s next-man up, but losing those guys (Smith and Keisel) has been huge,” one Steelers defender told me privately a few weeks back. “We say (to the media) that it’s not that big of a deal and every team has injuries, but those are huge injuries. We’re not the same team without them. You can’t just replace them. Those are two guys who make this whole thing go.”

The above, written prior to Keisel's return from injury is from, Jason La Canfora

From Jim Wexell, SteelCityInsider.net:

Brett Keisel stopped before entering the locker room after his Steelers had easily snuffed out the Carolina Panthers 27-3. Keisel looked around at the assemblage of media, fans, and team support staff, and he bowed.

"Merry Christmas!" bellowed the big man with the Claus-ian beard.

December 25, 2010-Happy Holidays

Keisel shares a Christmas memory

Bo Marchionte, NFL Draft Bible: spoke with some of the players about a few of their Christmas memories.

Brett Keisel, with his bushy beard making him resemble a young Santa Claus, said, “I wanted a bicycle because all my buddies had bicycles and I had this tricycle. When I got my first two-wheel bike I thought I was big time.” On the flip side, there were certain things Keisel couldn’t have on Christmas, “A dirt bike or trampoline…my dad was a fire fighter so he saw too many people go to the hospital on both of those. I was never allowed to get either of those.”

To read about other players Christmas memories, click here.

Keisel videos:

To watch Brett's post-game interview from Thursday night, click here and to watch a video about his "epic beard" click here.

The Brett Keisel Fan Site wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday season!

December 23, 2010

Big game for #99 & Steelers

Steelers 27, Panthers 3

“Merry, merry Christmas, Steeler Nation. It’s a great weekend for us.”-Brett Keisel during his post game interview.

What a game for Keisel and his teammates! Brett had six tackles, a sack and another pass deflection. He also received many kudos from the announcers on his great play AND on his awesome beard-which was featured at the end of the game.

Brett Keisel VS Santa Claus

From NFL Rush:

Old Saint Nick. Père Noël. The man from the North Pole that makes rapid fire deliveries. Could anything stop him? Brett Keisel - a Steeler so tough that he doesn't need to fly, not even if loaned a sleigh and reindeer.

Santa's sack carries toys for all the good boys and girls. Keisel's sack takes down opponents, with a vengeance. Think the odds are even? It all comes down to the beard!

Who brings it harder, the jolly man in red, or the DE in black and gold?

Think the odds are even? It all comes down to the beard!

To voice your opinion on Brett Keisel vs. Santa Claus, click here.

Keisel wishes Happy Holidays to the troops:

Click here to view the video message.

Thanks to Becky for sending the link to the video!

Also today...

From Ed Bouchette's article, Roethlisberger healing in many ways:

The physical beating quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has taken on football fields is nothing compared to the pounding his reputation took before the season began. Through it all, he has guided the Steelers to a surprising 10-4 record and a playoff berth with a steady hand, a sturdy disposition and play that has typified his seven-year career with the Steelers.

He also has made strides in reclaiming a reputation that was left in tatters last spring.

"I've definitely seen the change in him for the positive. I saw it a long time ago," said defensive end Brett Keisel, one of the quarterback's closer friends on the team. "I think he just changed his overall outlook on who he wants to be, what he wants to be, where he wants to go and how he wants to do it."

Obviously, there's been a lot of scrutiny against him this year," Keisel said. "The best way you can counteract that is to go out and be a better man, be a better teammate, be a better guy in the community and I think he's done all that."

He's as tough as there is," Keisel said. "He's obviously taken some lumps this year -- he's out there playing with a broken foot, a broken nose. A lot of guys would say 'I'm going to sit this one out.' He shows you how tough he is by playing."

To read the entire article, click here.

December 21, 2010

Taking on the Panthers

Keisel and the Steelers will take on the Carolina Panthers Thursday night at 8:20 p.m. The game will air on the NFL Network.

A little history...

Pittsburgh holds a 3-1 edge in its all-time series with Carolina, and has won each of its last three head-to-head meetings with the Panthers. The Steelers took a 37-3 road decision in the most recent matchup, in 2006, and were 30-14 winners when the clubs last met in the Steel City, in 2002. The Panthers' only win in the series was an 18-14 victory in 1996. Carolina head coach John Fox is 0-1 against the Steelers as a head coach, while Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin will be meeting both Fox and the Panthers for the first time as a head man.

On to present times...

The Panthers are 2-12 and the Steelers are 10-4. The Panthers rank at the bottom of the NFL in scoring and both total and passing offense and will be going up against a fearsome Pittsburgh defense that's tied for the league lead in fewest points allowed and rates third overall in least yards surrendered.

Carolina's recent rushing success will be put to the test by the swarming Steelers, who hadn't permitted more than 103 yards on the ground in a game until the Jets ran for 106 last Sunday.

Not having Polamalu (62 tackles, 1 sack, 6 INT) available may help explain that drop-off from the defense's usual high standards, but Pittsburgh still has a wealth of stout stoppers in place even if the difference-making safety is again held out. The inside linebacker duo of Lawrence Timmons (121 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INT) and James Farrior (100 tackles, 5 sacks) may be the best in football, while nose tackle Casey Hampton (18 tackles, 1 sack) and end Brett Keisel (26 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) are outstanding space eaters who enable the playmakers behind them to roam free. Look for crafty coordinator Dick LeBeau to dial up plenty of blitz packages designed to both rattle and confuse the still-developing Clausen, with outside linebackers James Harrison (89 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 INT) and LaMarr Woodley (46 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 2 INT) heavily a part of those plans. The exceptional pairing has accounted for nearly half of the Steelers' total of 40 sacks, tied for third-most in the league.

The above information is from The Sacramento Bee.

Also...

From Bleed Black and Gold:

Brett Keisel- Man does this guy make a difference. Keisel knocked down two more passes that would have led to first downs and got the Steelers the ball back to help give the Steelers a chance to score. He had 4 tackles and played stout in the run game. The Jets went away from him most of the game.

Brett (and teammates, including Aaron Smith) talk about the game here.

Thank you...

For voting to send #99 & his teammates to the 2011 Pro Bowl! Fan voting is over, and the results will be announced on December 28th.

December 20, 2010

#99 plays dual role

The Steelers may have lost to the Jets (22-17) yesterday, but the silver lining is they did clinch a playoff spot. And, they can still obtain a first round playoff bye with wins over the Panthers and Browns. The bye, of course, is very important so the team can get a bit of rest and so injured players can heal.

Keisel gets some time as a tight end:

Did anyone catch a certain #99 on the field during Mendenhall's touchdown run? Tomlin alluded to Brett playing tight end (see the December 7 news), if needed. Brett played tight end in high school and was recently selected to the "Super 25" 20th Anniversary Team (see the November 19 news). Sure would have been nice to see a pass from #7 to #99 in the end zone, but Brett did help Mendenhall get the score with his blocking skills.

Brett talks about the loss:

"Today was frustrating. We let them move the ball too much. They had the ball too much in their hands. But sometimes these things need to happen. Hopefully this was just what we needed. Sometimes you gotta get hit in the mouth a little bit. Sometimes you might get a little too overconfident or something like that. So sometimes you need to get popped on the mouth, get knocked off your high horse to regain your focus and press forward.”

Quote courtesy of Mike Prisuta, SteelCityInsider.net.

The Steelers had a chance to come back and win at the end of the game with an impressive drive led by Ben Roethlisberger, but the team failed to score and the Jets got the win.

To read more on the game, click here.

More questionable calls?

From the Altoona Mirror:

The Steelers were once again the victim of questionable officiating. First, a bogus helmet-to-helmet roughing call on Ryan Clark set up one of the Jets touchdowns. Then, a blatant pass interference committed against Emmanuel Sanders that should have set Pittsburgh up with a 1st-and-goal from the 8 with about 0:24 left, went uncalled.

You can read the entire article here.

Keisel stats:

Brett had four tackles and two pass deflections during the game. As mentioned earlier, he also was used on offense in the game. Way to go #99!

Reminders:

The Steelers have a short week. They will play Thursday night against the Panthers. The game airs on NFL Network. And, today is the LAST DAY for Pro Bowl voting so please get your votes in. The link is still on the right side of this page, under Pro Bowl 2011.

December 14, 2010

Post game interview and "beard talk"

"I hunt deer, I don't ride behind 'em."-Keisel, when asked if he will play Santa anytime soon.

Brett provided a very entertaining post-game interview after the Bengals game. Click here to watch it.

"Beard talk:"Posted below are some funny tweets I received via Twitter.

g4barry: In the holiday spirit, after the game, perhaps Brett Keisel could volunteer to teach Carson Palmer how to grow a proper beard.

BigA0101: Real men have a beard u can hide wild game in!! 99 makin real men proud!

thePOTA: I think my life would be complete if I could grow a beard like brett keisel.

ShawnFace: Brett Keisel looks like he spends the off seasons in the mountains and only eats what he can hunt.

Read more tweets here.

And...

From James Walker, AFC North Blog:

Three Steelers defenders have scored TDs this season, and the team is 2-0 in those games. In addition to Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley and safety Troy Polamalu, defensive end Brett Keisel scored a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this year. That prompted Keisel to take a jab Sunday at his other eight defensive starters without touchdowns. "What's taking them so long [to score]?" Keisel said, laughing.

As for #99 playing Santa Claus, I don't know if that will happen, but to get a glimpse of what a "Keisel Klaus" may look like, check back here on Friday.

December 12, 2010

And...it's a sweep!

Steelers 23, Bengals 7

“I’m proud of the guys and the way we played today. We scored two touchdowns. Most of the time when that happens, you’re going to win the game.”- Brett, during his post game interview.

The Steelers are now 10-3 after completing their sweep of the Bengals today. The Steelers defense forced three interceptions, two of them resulting in defensive touchdowns.

From Ben Roethlisberger's post game interview:

"Our defense is just something else. Troy and I always talk before the last couple of games. I tell him to do something magical and he tells me to do something magical. Troy always does it. It’s something special, that whole unit."

From Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

Two pick-six touchdowns by their defense vaulted the Steelers past the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-7, today at Heinz Field. Troy Polamalu and LaMarr Woodley each intercepted passes and returned them for touchdowns to give the Steelers their fourth straight victory and a 10-3 record.

Woodley returned his interception 14 yards in the fourth quarter and Polamalu 45 yards in the second quarter with the Steelers trailing 7-0. Polamalu intercepted a second pass at the goalline to stifle the Bengals' last gasp with 1:52 left.

Keisel talks about Polamalu's pick six:

"Once again we're not surprised by an immaculate play by Mr. Polamalu. It was a big play, a big touchdown that we needed. It put us on top."

Pro Bowl Voting reminder

Fan voting for the 2011 Pro Bowl is winding down and will end on December 20. Please keep voting for #99 and his teammates as much as possible so we can send the black and gold to Hawaii!

Click here to vote. Once on the ballot, click on AFC Defense and then on Def. Ends to locate Brett Keisel. And remember, voting is UNLIMITED!

The link is also on the right side of this page under Pro Bowl.

Thanks to everyone for voting and for spreading the word for others to vote.

December 7, 2010

Brett at the Tight End position?

Probably not, but Tomlin did suggest it during his weekly press conference today. Tomlin was discussing injuries to players, and talking about guys replacing them. Heath Miller was knocked out of the Ravens game with a concussion, and so far is doubtful for this weeks game. Matt Spaeth has been out due to a previous concussion, but Tomlin believes he will be able to play this week.

If not, is #99 next on the list?

From Coach Tomlin (he was asked by the media how Brett fared in the game):

"There’s another guy that I’m sure is willing to volunteer to play tight end, and he’d probably be the first place I go. He’s an awesome athlete. I liked his contributions. It’s great to have him back, not only his play but his leadership and demeanor. He provided a nice interior rush for us. He disrupted some passing lanes with his length. I think he batted a pass or two, just a rock-solid Brett Keisel-type contribution."

Check out the November 19 news below to read about Brett's success as a Tight End in high school!

December 6, 2010

#99 returns as Steelers take control of AFC North

Steelers 13, Ravens 10

The division rivalry game lived up to all the hype regarding what a physical and smash mouth game it would be. The two teams were battling for first place in the AFC North, and neither team wanted to relinquesh control.

Brett returned for the biggest game of the year and helped the Steelers take control of their division, but not before giving a shout-out to his hometown of Greybull, Wyoming during the defensive introductions:

"Brett Keisel: Greybull High School-Go Buffs!"

Judging by the over 100 emails I received during the game last night from Greybull residents, they are as proud of Keisel as he is of them.

From Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Report card vs. Ravens-Defensive Line- A:

From Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Big games call for big plays from big players, and none came bigger for the Steelers Sunday night than the one delivered by Troy Polamalu.

With their chances of victory and a division title slipping through the Steelers' hands, Polamalu blitzed and sacked Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco and forced a fumble that led to the winning touchdown.

The offense made it count when Ben Roethlisberger completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Redman with 2:59 that delivered a 13-10 victory.

The victory lifted the Steelers to 9-3 and a one-game lead over the Ravens in the AFC North Division. The Steelers also cling to a tiebreaker with the best record within the division.

"Does it surprise you?" Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said of Polamalu's game-turner. "It doesn't surprise us, either. We see that all the time."

To read Mr. Bouchette's entire article, with more game details, click here.

To listen to Keisel's post-game interview, click here.

Game photos are here.

Brett had four tackles and a pass deflection during the game.

Best wishes go out to Ben Roethlisberger who is reported to be having surgery due to a broken nose he suffered during the game. You can read more on Ben on his Official Site.

Also, best wishes to Heath Miller who suffered a concussion during the game. It was a scary time while he was down, but we were able to breathe a sigh of relief as he was able to walk off the field on his own.

An aside from the game:

From Steelers.com:

A contingent of 16 current and former Steelers players, plus Dan Rooney and Art Rooney II visited the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda on the day before the team's game in Baltimore vs. the Ravens.

Bethesda is an acute care facility for Navy and Marines personnel wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of the patients are being treated for brain trauma and/or loss of limbs. A spokesman for the facility said the Steelers were the first team ever to visit while on an in-season road trip, and the only team to bring so many star players.

Nick Eason, James Farrior, Larry Foote, Casey Hampton, James Harrison, Brett Keisel, Heath Miller, Troy Polamalu, Daniel Sepulveda, Matt Spaeth, Ike Taylor, Lawrence Timmons, Hines Ward, Greg Warren, Max Starks, with Tunch Ilkin and Craig Wolfley were in the Steelers party.

December 4, 2010

A Hairy Situation

From Teresa Varley, Steelers Digest :

His teammates have teased him about getting it insured. His son, Jacob, pulls on it. As for his wife Sarah-well, she hasn't made him shave it.

And, come January if the Steelers are in the playoffs, Brett Keisel's teammates might be growing one, too.

"Around here playoff beards are the norm as far as the hockey team goes," said Keisel. "So, I thought I would try something new to try and get us back to the playoffs. We just have to finish strong."

Keisel has almost always had a beard, but he's taking it to the next level this year by not shaving at all during the season. The growth of the beard started in June and now come November, the beard has taken on a life of its own.

"It's kind of gotten out of hand," said Keisel. "It's like an amimal on my face anymore. But I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from it."

He has taken some good-natured teasing from his teammates as well.

"Part of me kind of likes it. Part of me thinks it's ridiculous," said Ben Roethlisberger with a smile. "Every day I come in I wonder if there are any birds in there. Sometimes when I want to go bird hunting I think of taking him out there and using him as a decoy to get the birds to land in there."

Troy Polamalu, whose hair is insured by Lloyd's of London for $1 million as a part of an advertising deal with Head & Shoulders, joked that the world-famous agency won't be insuring Keisel's beard anytime soon.

"Hey, it's insured for $5 by Nationwide," Keisel cracked.

And while nobody wants Polamalu to get rid of his signature style, they don't want Keisel to get rid of his either.

"I think he should keep it going," said Roethlisberger. "That part of me thinks it's great. Of course, I'm not the one who has to see him at home. I don't know how his wife and kid feel. But I think he should let it go because it looks great. "

His family actually doesn't mind or at least there has been no mutiny within the Keisel household.

"Sarah likes it," said Kesiel. "I don't think she's a huge fan but she hasn't told me to shave it. Jacob is used to it. He tugs on it. When I see the kids around here, other players kids, they tug on it. It's all fun."

And other family members are joining the fun.

"My dad and brother back home are both growing their beards out, so it's kind of become a family deal," Keisel said. "My family is a bunch of hunters, so they usually grow their beards. But I think they're really letting it extend in the hopes that we get back to the playoffs."

While Keisel says the look fits him because he is a "wild man," he also admits that it can be a bit annoying.

"Basically every day it annoys me," said Keisel. "Sometimes I forget it's on there and I look in the mirror and it's, 'Who is that guy?' For the most part it's all right."

"I don't have any plans to shave it, but we have to keep winning games for this thing to get to its full potential."

The article also contained a Q & A with Keisel. You can read part of it on the right side of this page under, "At Home with Brett".

Reminder:

Keisel status updates will be posted on the right side of this page, under Quick Updates.

December 1, 2010

New fan story

I received an email from Jeannie Offenberger regarding a fan encounter her grandson, Alex had with Keisel.

From her email:

I am an awesome fan of Brett. In one of his preseason games this year he threw his playing gloves to a 7- year- old boy at halftime. That little boy was my grandson, Alex. He is so proud to have the gloves. Brett must be a very fine young man.

Jeannie went on to describe what a brave, young boy Alex is:

At the age of 6 months, he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Then, when he was two and a half, he was diagnosed with Leukemia and went through over 3 years of chemotherapy. He does not let any of this slow him down. Alex truly touches the hearts of anyone he meets. He is a very special young boy. He is blessed with the best mom and dad in the world, a 5- year- old brother, Owen and a 22- year- old brother, Tyson. Alex is a cancer survivor who loves life, God, his family and his friends with all his heart. He is kind and gentle, always putting others first. Alex plays soccer, baseball, football, takes horseback riding lessons and is training in karate. He loves the Pittsburgh Steelers! This was his very first NFL game to attend. Thanks to Brett for making Alex happy.

Thank you to Jeannie for sharing Alex's story with us. His strength and courage is inspirational. Best wishes to Alex and his family!

The photo for today's news is of Alex sharing Brett's glove with his cousin, Taylor. You can see a larger version of the photo here.

Reminder:

Keisel status updates will be posted on the right side of this page, under Quick Updates.

November 30, 2010

A reason to smile

From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

As Brett Keisel, all six-foot-five of him, scooped up eight-year old Emma Chichilla into his arms, a smile instantly enveloped both of their faces.

For Chichilla it’s a time she anticipates each year.

“He is a nice guy,” said the soft-spoken Chichilla. “It’s cool and nice to be friends with him.”

And for Keisel, it’s something he cherishes as well. Keisel serves as the honorary chairman for the Cystic Fibrosis 65 Roses Sports Auction, and it touches his heart when he meets some of the CF Ambassadors, young kids like Chichilla and two-year old Anthony Sarkis.

“The biggest thing that has grabbed my wife and I was the first event when we met Emma and saw the impact it had on her and her family,” said Keisel. “We had the opportunity to meet Anthony too as I did a PSA with him for Cystic Fibrosis. Just seeing the challenges these kids are born with and there is no cure for it, that is what we are fighting for, a cure.”

Keisel hosted the charity event at McFadden’s on the North Side, mingling with guests, signing autographs but most importantly, sharing his heart with the ones who are touched by the disease that impacts innocent children.

It’s amazing,” said Pat Joseph, the executive director of the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of Cystic Fibrosis. “He had such a great grasp of that from the beginning. He seems to have an eye for the innocence and sees a lot of the children are victims of a disease they have no responsibility for. He looks out for that. For that big tough guy on the field, he is a softie off the field. His heart is so big. I think it speaks to the strength of Brett that he keeps his focus where it needs to be, right with the kids.”

To read the entire article, click here.

To see a few photos from the event, click here.

To view all the photos from the event, click here.

November 26, 2010

News and notes

From Shawn Rine, The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register:

With the type of money professional athletes make, it's not uncommon for them to pick a charity or foundation and write a check to the particular cause each year. But Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel has taken that a step farther.

Rather than sign his name, he has become a face for the fight against Cystic Fibrosis, a still incurable disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide).

On Monday, Nov. 29 at McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon on Pittsburgh's North Shore, Keisel will play host to the 65 Roses Sports Auction for the fifth year. For $150, everyone will get a commemorative football that you have the option of having signed by any or all of the sports figures - Steve Blass and Greg Brown from the Pirates, Randy Bauman from WDVE and the Pirate parrot, as well as several Steelers are likely to appear - in attendance, as well as access to a complimentary buffet, silent auction, live auction and lots of surprises and great fun are included.

To read the entire article, which includes information on how the event benefits CF research, click here.

Also, Jim Wexell, Scout.com, spoke to Keisel about the birth of his daughter last weekend:

“She’s beautiful. Mom and her are both healthy, so I’m a happy guy. Her birthday present was a big trouncing of the Oakland Raiders. It was just an incredible all-around day.”

Brett also talked about how his hamstring feels:

“I felt good out there. I still haven’t kicked it into that last gear. We’re waiting to do that. But it felt really good today and I plan on just moving forward. No more steps backward, only forward.”

To read more from Scout.com, click the link. There are some free articles, like the one on Keisel, and others are pay articles. The great content is worth the cost though!

And, from Bill Brink, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Defensive end Brett Keisel said his hamstring is healed, and he is ready for the game Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

"I feel good. I got two zeros, man, and a one," he said, referring to his 100 percent health. "I'm chomping at the bit to get back out there."

Keisel's return, LeBeau said, adds height and speed to the defensive line. Keisel can block passes at the line of scrimmage and chase down ball-carriers that other defensive linemen can't catch.

"He's a tremendous athlete," LeBeau said. "He's probably, athletically speaking for a defensive end, as good as anybody in the league."

To read the entire article, click here.

November 23, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving

"Happy Thanksgiving Steeler Nation. We love ya!"-Brett Keisel

I know it is early, but for those who travel on Thanksgiving or who will be busy cooking, the Brett Keisel fan site wishes you a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Good news for #99:

From Coach Tomlin's press conference today-“He (Brett) is going to be a full participant at the early portion of the week and be available to play for us and that is a good thing."

Remember to check "Quick Updates" on the right side of this page for news on Brett's game status.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Steelers:

Steelers players share what they are thankful for and pass on their Thanksgiving greetings. Click here to see what #99 and his teammates are thankful for.

November 21, 2010

Steelers rebound in big way

Steelers 35, Raiders 3

This was a game in which many said the Steelers would be tested on both offense and defense. If that is the case, they passed the test with flying colors! Even though the Steelers racked up a record number of penalty yards (many of which were undeserved in my opinion), the defense held the Raiders to a field goal and the offense moved the ball well scoring 35 points.

From Ed Bouchette, Post Gazette:

The Steelers crushed the Oakland Raiders today in a rough-and-tumble throwback game that looked more like their heated rivalry from the 1970s.

The Steelers rang up a 35-3 victory that was not as close as the score indicated, and they set a new team record with 163 yards in penalties in a game marked by a handful of fights and one player ejected. The Raiders' defensive tackle Richard Seymour was tossed from the game for shoving Ben Roethlisberger to the ground long after the play was over, a touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders late in the half.

To read the entire article, click here.

Congratulations are in order...

Brett did not play today against the Raiders, but he still had a great day! Along with his team getting a big win, the Keisel's welcomed a new member to their family. Congratulations to Brett and Sarah on the birth of their daughter! Best wishes to the Keisel family!

November 19, 2010

"Super 25" 20th Anniversary Team

Brett was selected to the "Super 25" 20th Anniversary Team, by the Casper Star-Tribune (Wyoming News).

From the article:

Brett Keisel, Greybull, 1996

6-foot-5/222 pounds Tight end/Linebacker

Keisel is one of a handful of Wyoming players in the last decade to have more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Brett, who was also a Simpson Award finalist, caught 53 passes for 1,092 yards and 18 TDs, and led the Buffs with 113 total tackles his senior year. After his college career at Brigham Young University, Keisel, now a defensive end, was a seventh-round draft pick in 2002 by the Pittsburgh Steelers and has played on two Super Bowl champion teams.

To view the entire list, click here.

To see a larger version of today's news photo, click here.

Thanks to Michael McGuire for sending me the link! Michael is also shown in the above photo (#5).

In 2007, Keisel was selected as an inductee into the 2007 class of the Wyoming Sports Hall of Fame, as athlete of the year for football.

Congratulations to Brett for his newest achievement!

November 18, 2010

Keisel working his way back

From Scott Brown, Tribune-Review:

There probably isn’t a more frustrating injury in sports than a hamstring one as Brett Keisel can attest. The starting defensive end thought he had gotten past the pulled hamstring he sustained early in an Oct. 17 game against the Browns, and he was all set to play in a recent Monday night game at Cincinnati.

“I felt good in warm-ups. I felt good during my (pre-game) routine and then I went out there and it was just (hurt) right away,” Keisel said. “It’s just one of those things that you don’t understand sometimes, but you just have to continue to work and rest and work your way back.”

Keisel took a positive step in working his way back Wednesday. The ninth-year veteran participated in individual drills during practice and later did some running while the Steelers conducted team drills.

Keisel said it is “too early to tell” whether he will he healthy enough to play Sunday against the Raiders.

But he knows as well as anyone that you can’t rush back from a bad hamstring given how easy it is to aggravate the injury with the quick bursts that are required in football.

Keisel, who dealt with a hamstring injury earlier in his career, said, “I kind of know how to work myself back into it and should have listened to myself more (during the recovery process).

“We’ve been emphasizing this time getting the strength back, trying to do all of the motions you would do out on the field before you actually have to do it. Hopefully I’ll be back soon.”

Bid for Hope photos:

I added some photos of the Keisel's from Bid for Hope. The event was hosted by Heath and Katie Miller, and sponsored through A Glimmer of Hope.

Proceeds from the event, which raised over $100,000, benefit breast cancer research.

To view the photos, click here.

You can view more photos from the event, and order any pictures you want, here.

The photos were taken by photographer Gary Yon. A very special thanks to A Glimmer of Hope founder, Diana Napper for allowing me to use the photos.

Please take some time to read about A Glimmer of Hope and the wonderful contributions they are making to battle breast cancer. You can also donate to their cause, if you wish.

November 16, 2010

65 Roses Sports Auction

Brett will host the 65 Roses Sports Auction on November 29 at McFadden's Pittsburgh. Specific time and ticket information is on the right side of this page under, Events and Appearances.

I will also provide information there for those who wish to donate to the cause, even if they cannot attend the event.

From the Western Pennsylvania Chapter CF website:

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is honored to have Brett Keisel return for his fifth year as Honorary Chair of the 65 Roses Sports Auction. Brett will join many of his teammates and other Pittsburgh celebrities as they help to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis research through this incredible evening of events.

Attendees have the opportunity to meet and get autographs from 10-15 SuperBowl winning Pittsburgh Steelers and participate in auctions with unique sports memorabilia.

The main event consists of an autograph session with some of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a complimentary stationed buffet, a silent auction, a live auction, a raffle, lots of surprises and great fun.

Come join the fun, walk away with one-of-a-kind sports memorabilia and meet some of Pittsburgh's greats while contributing to a wonderful cause. Commemorative footballs for the autograph session will be in the package you receive upon arrival. No outside items permitted.

Last year Brett was joined by teammates, Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Hines Ward, Heath Miller and many other Super Bowl winning teammates.

To see photos from previous CF events, click here.

Brett Keisel Cystic Fibrosis PSA:

Click here to watch a PSA Keisel filmed for the Western Pennsylvania chapter of the CF Foundation.

November 11, 2010-Veterans Day

Most underrated players

The "Playbook" crew (NFL Films) discusses a few guys who are underrated and deserving of recognition.

Who was selected first?

Brett, The Diesel, Keisel!

You can watch the video discussion of why they chose #99 here.

Remember to check Quick Updates, under the Keisel Kam pic for status updates on Keisel.

Thank you to all the veterans who sacrifice their lives so that we may enjoy our personal freedoms.

November 10, 2010

Catching up

The Steelers are 6-2 after defeating the Bengals 27-21 Monday night. The game came down to the wire, but the Steelers defense held strong and made sure the team got the "W". To read more on the game, click here.

Keisel update:

Brett left the game Monday night with a hamstring injury. Coach Tomlin said they would evaluate him as the week goes on, so his status is unknown at this time. On the right side of this page, under Quick Updates, I will post any status or injury updates after practice (when news is available).

Thanks to all who have emailed to wish Brett a speedy recovery!

Max Starks was placed on injured reserve today. Best wishes to him for a healthy recovery!

Event reminders:

Look under Events and Appearance on the right side of this page for some events Brett will be attending this month!

And...

Please continue voting to send Keisel and his teammates to the 2011 Pro Bowl!

October 28, 2010

The Steelers go hunting...

Normally Brett and his teammates hunt their opponents on the football field...but this week the Steelers were hunting on a different kind of field. They joined up with WDVE, 84 Lumber and Northwest Savings Bank for a fun day of hunting.

Brett, Ben Roethlisberger, Max Starks and Chris Hoke were just a few of the players who traded in their uniforms for hunting gear.

To view a few photos of Brett, click here.

You can click here to view all the photos from the event, including many more of Keisel hunting.

Event news:

Charlie Batch's annual In the Pocket event is on November 15, 2010 at J. Verno Studios. Brett is listed as one of the guests, as are many other teammates. To enter for a chance to win two high roller tickets (valued at $500.00 each), click here.

I will post more information on the event and ticket information on the right side of this page under Events and Appearances.

Injury update:

Brett did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. He talked to John Harris, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, this week regarding his injury:

"I feel good. I feel like the healing process is coming along. Hopefully, I'll be out there Sunday." Keisel, however, cautioned against rushing back to action. "Just have to be smart," he said. "Understand, we're going into our seventh game and there's a lot of football left. We've still got the bulk of the season, and I don't want to sit out more games than I need to."

October 27, 2010

Steelers help kids stay warm

From Liz Hayes, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

The children's coat department in the Ross Park Mall Macy's was hot, crowded and noisy Tuesday evening, but there were no complaints from almost 50 Alle-Kiski Valley kids choosing their winter gear. Having the Pittsburgh Steelers serve as their personal shoppers likely had a lot to do with their good cheer.

About half the team, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, teamed up with the New Kensington Salvation Army and Project Bundle-Up to provide coats, hats, gloves and shoes to needy children from Arnold, Lower Burrell and New Kensington.

"This is the best day of my life!" Javon Wade, 9, of Arnold, said as he waited for defensive end Brett Keisel to sign one of the promotional Steelers programs distributed to all the kids.

To read the entire article, click here.

To read another article regarding the event, click here.

Project Bundle-Up is sponsored through the Salvation Army, and each year they provide a $75 gift card to chikdren to buy a hats, coats and gloves. Players have paid for additional items, too.

Keisel has participated in the event for the last several years. To see photos of him from the events, click here.

The photo above is of Sean Klingensmith, 11, at Macy's Ross Park Mall store in Ross Township on Tuesday at the 2010 Project Bundle-Up event.

To read more about Project Bundle-Up, click here.

October 26, 2010

New fan photos and injury updates

I received some photos from Jennifer Gralak and Carolina Quintero. Jennifer has sent photos before, you can view her new and earlier photos here.

Also, click here to see Carolina's photo of Brett and Ben performing their pre-game ritual.

Injury updates:

From Steelers.com:

Tackle Flozell Adams, who suffered an ankle injury against the Dolphins, will be limited in practice in the early part of the week. Defensive end Brett Keisel and linebacker LaMarr Woodley will also be limited in practice early in the week.

“We are hopeful those guys can play,” said Tomlin. “We’ll see where the week takes us.

Aaron Smith underwent surgery on Monday after suffering partially torn triceps in his left arm in the Steelers 23-22 win over the Miami Dolphins, leaving the game in the third quarter. “It was partially torn and was fixed,” said Coach Mike Tomlin. “He is going to be out an extended period of time and at this juncture we intend to wait that out. Aaron is a quality player, a veteran leader for us. If there is hope for his return then of course we are going to be hopeful for as long as we possibly can.

Pro Bowl voting:

The link is in yesterdays post, and will also remain on the right side of this page. For those of you who had trouble voting for Brett early Monday, I contacted the NFL site and they have fixed the problem. Please keep voting as much as possible!

October 25, 2010

Steelers 5-1 and Pro Bowl voting begins

Steelers 23, Dolphins 22

The good news is obviously the fact that the Steelers won. It came down to a nail biter at the end, which included what some say was a controversial call:

From Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Roethlisberger lost the ball while diving into the end zone late in fourth quarter with the Steelers trailing by two points. After officials overturned the call of touchdown on the field, they also ruled that it wasn't clear who had recovered the loose ball. That gave the Steelers the ball on their 1-yard line.

Faced with a fourth down, Tomlin opted for an 18-yard Reed field goal with 2 minutes, 28 seconds left in the game. His defense vindicated the decision to take the sure points as the Steelers didn't allow the Dolphins as much as a first down before getting the ball back, taking a knee and getting the heck out of town.

For the NFL's explanation of the call, please click here.

To read more about the win, click here.

Hines Ward talks about the Steelers defense:

"Our defense is the reason we why we are where we're at. There's a lot of prideful guys over there, and they're doing a great job of staying together."

The bad news...Aaron Smith left the game with what is reported to be a torn triceps. No word yet on the time he could miss, but we all know how valuable he is to the team. LaMarr Woodley also left the game with a hamstring injury, which is a big loss for the team.

Brett did not play due to a hamstring injury from the Browns game. I will post an update once one is available on his status for this week.

Pro Bowl 2011:

Voting has started for the 2011 Pro Bowl. Once again, voting is unlimited, easy and free! So, please vote often! We vote...#99 plays!

Brett has many accomplishments in his NFL career. He has numerous tackles, sacks, an interception, a touchdown and TWO Super Bowl rings. What is missing? A Pro Bowl appearance! Let's send Keisel to Hawaii to represent the Steelers in the Pro Bowl. Just imagine the sack dance he would come up with for the game!

Click here to vote. Once on the ballot, click on Defense and then on Def. Ends to locate Brett Keisel. And remember, voting is UNLIMITED!

Please be sure to also vote for Keisel's teammates so we can send as many of the black and gold as possible to Hawaii!

I will also post the link on the right side of this page under Pro Bowl.

October 17, 2010

Steelers sit atop AFC North at 4-1

Steelers 28, Browns 10

Ben Roethlisberger is back...and threw three touchdown passes to prove it!

The Steelers defense harassed rookie quarterback, Colt McCoy all afternoon, causing two interceptions and five sacks.

For a detailed account of the game, click here.

Keisel injured:

Brett injured his hamstring during the game. Coach Tomlin said the extent of the injury was not yet known, but he will try to provide status information on Tuesday.

Brett had two tackles before leaving the game.

Steelers Fashion Show:

From Kate Guerriero,Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

If you were wondering where all the gals were on Friday night, you needn't look any further than the East Club Lounge of Heinz Field, where a gaggle of them (750 plus) were in the red zone for Steelers Style 2010: Beyond the Field, ready to tackle their fave footballer the moment he stepped onto the catwalk.

"I told Maurkice Pouncey to pick the intro music.... not too bad ... better than I expected!" laughed coach Mike Tomlin, who co-chaired the soiree with his wife, Kiya, and Greta and Art Rooney II.

Every man, woman and child for themselves to catch Hines Ward supermodeling, Will Allen and Crezdon Butler swaggering, and Brett Keisel and his beard rescuing his son, Jacob, from all the swooning.

But, the best was when Troy Polamalu, son Paisios in his arms, snuck behind a group of gigglers mid-show to check out the on-stage sights. By the time they realized who was standing behind them; he was gone before you could say "Facebook Photo Op. " More than $700K benefited the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute at UPMC and the Cancer Caring Center.

To see a photo of Brett with his adorable son, click here.

October 14, 2010

2010 Ladies Night Out

From Steelers.com:

Excitement was at a fever pitch when over 400 female fans descended upon Heinz Field for the annual Steelers Ladies Night Out. The ladies sported jerseys from rookie Maurkice Pouncey, to veterans Hines Ward and Brett Keisel, to former Steelers Terry Bradshaw and Jack Lambert.

The highlight of the night was hearing from both Keisel and Pouncey, who shared some insight into what football season is like for them.

“It was fun,” said Keisel. “It’s no secret we have the best fans in the world, and the best lady fans. I just wanted to show them that we appreciate them. The fans are interested in knowing what your life is like, the daily routine of what it is like being a National Football League player. To give them a little piece of that is something I think they enjoyed.”

One fan, Rebecca Rollett, definitely enjoyed the evening.

She wrote an in depth portayal of the evening, for Behind the Steel Curtain (BTSC), and Rebecca (and the site owner, Michael Bean) were generous enough to let me post the story here also!

Rebecca's story:

The event was limited to 400 people, and it was full. Everyone that I talked to was at a Ladies Night Out for the first time, and some of them had come quite a way to be there. (One lady from Ohio said that when people ask her why she is a Steelers fan, she says that it is because there are no professional teams in Ohio. Burn...) During the registration period, those of us who had already registered had the opportunity to try on the Marketing Director's Super Bowl ring. They then fed us a really nice dinner. I'm always impressed when someone does a good job cooking for 400 people.

After dinner we had two speakers, Brett Keisel and Maurkice Pouncey. Brett spoke first, and they played the video footage of his interception to bring him in, which got everyone pumped up. He was pretty pumped up over it as well - I suppose when you play a position that is largely anonymous unless you are screwing up, it is pretty exciting to be the center of attention in a good way.

You will all be happy to hear that he still has the beard - his plan is to wear it all the way to the Super Bowl. He said that he thinks that this year's team is special, and that he thinks that winning the Super Bowl in Dallas was just meant to be.

Brett grew up in Wyoming, on a cattle ranch near Greybull. This presumably sounds pretty romantic to those who have never lived in Wyoming (where summer comes on July 13th or so, if you're lucky, and is gone by August) or been part of the backbreaking work of ranching. Someone once wrote an article about him that indicated that he rode a grizzly bear to school, and that he had to cross the Grand Tetons to get there. Brett says it wasn't quite like that.

He got an enthusiastic response when he told us that he's known his wife since fourth grade. They have a 2 1/2 year old, and are expecting their second child in November. He indicates that his wife is very supportive of him and is always the first to tell him when he missed a play or otherwise screwed up.

He loves basketball, and played both football and basketball in high school. He even considered a couple of schools that would let him play both, but obviously eventually opted to concentrate on football at BYU. He began his college career as a tight end, but was quickly moved to defense. He seems to feel that the coaches are missing a good bet by not giving him the ball more often. He's hoping for another touchdown on Sunday.

Brett went on to describe life with the Steelers and his feelings about the club. He let us in on a few secrets. The best one is that on Saturdays the rookies have to bring them breakfast. I loved hearing him talk about Dick LeBeau. Brett says that every morning LeBeau bounds into the room and says "Good morning, men - it's a great day to be alive." He says that Coach LeBeau never yells or puts you down. But if he thinks you aren't giving your best effort, he has a look that makes you wish you hadn't disappointed him. He feels that Coach LeBeau has been one of the biggest influences in his life. He also commented how much the team likes each other and likes to be around each other, and he claims that this stems from the Rooneys.

Finally, he said that he loves Pittsburgh, the fans, Renegade, and playing for this team.

Rebecca also added:

It was interesting to note that although most of the player slots are in numerical order, Hines Ward and Brett Keisel are together. That is by request, and according to the guide, they are the biggest practical jokers on the team, and are always cooking up some scheme or other.

To read more about Rebecca's evening, and to view her awesome photos, click here.

For those of us who were unable to attend Ladies Night Out, we can now feel as if we were there thanks to Rebecca!

BTSC is a Pittsburgh Steelers blog, which is part of the largest network of sports blogs in the world. It has been around since 2006, and the site's contents are syndicated and/or featured on Yahoo Sports, SI.com, CBS.Sports, and the National Football Post.

Be sure to check out the site if you haven't already!

Also, want to read more from Rebecca? You can visit her website, here.

Photos...

Click here to see a few photos from Ladies Night Out.

Beard Power remains:

If you read Rebecca's post and saw the photos from the event, it is clear Beard Power is still going strong! I have received numerous emails from fans saying they are growing beards too!

Also...

Keisel joined Seibel and Starkey to discuss a number of topics ranging from Ben’s return this week to his hunting experiences. Click here to listen to the interview.

October 6, 2010

Hundred Acres Manor...

The site for fright!

Now in its 5th year of operation in South Park, Pennsylvania, Hundred Acres Manor has over 60 rooms and uncountable corridors, and when you exit the house you'll find yourself in an unbelievably challenging maze. This years event contains five terrifying haunts which are sure to thrill (and scare) visitors.

To read more about Hundred Acres Manor, click here.

The annual Steelers Night at Hundred Acres Manor is Monday, October 25, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. Will you be able to identify the players through their ghoulishly painted faces and bodies?

Funds from Hundred Acres Manor benefit The Homeless Children's Education Fund.

Listen to a message from Brett and Sarah Keisel about the haunted house and how your visit there benefits HCEF!

Should it stay or should it go?

Now, of course it will be up to #99, but what do you think? Beard or no beard? You can click here to vote.

October 4, 2010

Steelers head into bye week 3-1 and #7 returns

Steelers 14, Ravens 17

The Steelers lost their first game of the season yesterday to the Baltimore Ravens. It was a tight game all the way through, with the Steelers leading toward the end of the fourth quarter. With about one minute left to play in the fourth quarter, the Ravens took over after a punt on the Steelers' 40-yard line. Joe Flacco found a wide open T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the back of the endzone for the eventual game-winning touchdown with 32 seconds left on the clock.

To read more about the game, click here.

Brett left the game due to leg cramps, but is reported to be doing fine. From Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Defensive end Brett Keisel, who had to be helped off the field in the fourth quarter of the Steelers' 17-14 loss Sunday, is fine. He was experiencing cramp problems. The same was said by Coach Tomlin.

#99 had five tackles before he left the game. Also, from Steelers sportswriter Jim Wexell's Twitter page: Harrison credited with FF (forced fumble), but was Keis (who actually forced the fumble).

What about the beard?

Except for questions asking about Keisel's injury, "What about the beard" was the #1 question I received by email today. Here is what Keisel had to say to Scott Brown:

Keisel, who had five tackles yesterday, may soon have a new look. The ninth-year veteran has been growing a beard since June and had said he wouldn't shave until the Steelers lost. "It might mean the beard is gone," Keisel said of the Steelers' losing their first game of the season. "I don't think (my wife) was rooting to get rid of it, but it might be time for it to go."

You can click here to watch Brett's post-game interview.

And, you can click here to see recent game photos.

7 returns...

Today marks the return of Ben Roethlisberger. He will attend game films and practice with the team this week. Charlie Batch, Dennis Dixon and Byron Leftwich did an amazing job, as did the entire team during Ben's absence, but it is great to have #7 back on the field!

Read what Keisel had to say about his friend and teammate returning. It is on the right side of this page under, Keisel Kam.

October 1, 2010

Keisel:"It happened so quickly..."

Brett talked with the media Thursday, and was asked why he did not perform a celebration dance after his touchdown. To listen to his answer, click here.

Keisel and Heath Miller also spoke with Steelers.com Thursday. To listen to their thoughts on the Steelers first division game, click here.

Steelers Think Pink:

October is breast cancer awareness month. On Sunday players will wear pink cleats, wristbands, gloves, sideline hats, helmet stickers and chin straps against the Ravens at Heinz Field. Sideline Gatorade towels will be pink as well as goal post pads, kickoff coin and footballs will have a pink ribbon. The items will be autographed and the NFL will auction them online with funds benefitting breast cancer charities. During pregame the Steelers will pay tribute to local survivors and ZTA will distribute pink ribbons that will be handed out at GameDay Live before the game.

Also...

Heath and Katie Miller will once again host Bid for Hope to benefit breast cancer research. For more information on the event, and to purchase tickets or make a donation, click here.

Heath will be there with many of his teammates. Previous attendees have included, Brett Keisel, Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu. Also, Alan Faneca, who previously hosted the event, normally returns to Pittsburgh to join the cause.

September 28, 2010

AFC North High Energy Player of The Week

Brett was selected as the AFC North High Energy Player of the Week!

From James Walker, AFC North Blog:

The play seemingly took 20 minutes. But in the end, Pittsburgh Steelers 285-pound defensive end Brett Keisel rumbled his way into the end zone for a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It was a dream come true for Keisel. The 32-year-old has spent his entire career playing defensive end in Pittsburgh's 3-4 scheme. Therefore, Keisel mostly takes on blockers while stud defenders James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley and Troy Polamalu get all the glory.

But when a rare big play was there to be made, Keisel knew what to do with the football. Tampa Bay receiver Sammie Stroughter dropped a pass as he was hit by Harrison, causing a deflection, and the ball bounced right into Keisel's hands. With help from a convoy of teammates and a few nifty moves on Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman, Keisel made the first interception of his career a memorable one. It was also the ninth turnover forced by the Steelers (3-0) in the past two games.

"That was great," Polamalu said of Keisel's interception. "We've been making plays like that on defense, and hopefully we continue to do that and make it easy for the offense."

And, the praise keeps coming...

...ESPN ranked Keisel's pick 6 as #4 on their "Top 10 best plays of week 3."

September 27, 2010

Steelers' Keisel notches first career interception

From Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Brett Keisel has another football to add to the one that the Steelers defensive end scooped up after the final play of Super Bowl XLIII and took home with him.

Keisel made his first career interception Sunday and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown.

The Steelers' first defensive touchdown of the season came on the initial play of the fourth quarter. It was emblematic of the struggles the Buccaneers' offense had at Raymond James Stadium.

"I've been wanting to do that for a long time," Keisel said. "To be able to do that on a big stage was awesome."

Keisel returned the interception to the same end zone where James Harrison completed one of the most memorable plays in Super Bowl history when he returned an interception 100 yards for a score.

"I heard the roar," Harrison said of Keisel's pick, "and everybody started running the other way so I just hit somebody in a white jersey."

No one hit Keisel after the ninth-year veteran intercepted the pass that bounced off wide receiver Sammie Stroughter's hands.

"The only reason he made that play was because he was hustling to the ball to try to help tackle somebody," defensive end Aaron Smith said. "That just sums up our defense."

Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post- Gazette: "Top Plays" from TB game:

DEISEL KEISEL: Running toward the same corner of the end zone as James Harrison in Super Bowl XLIII, DE Brett Keisel caught a deflected pass off the hands of WR Sammie Stroughter and followed his blocks for a 79-yard interception return. "I had a good convoy," Keisel said.

From Dale Lolley, on Steelcityinsider.net:

While Batch’s performance will be the one that everyone remembers from the game against Tampa Bay, Brett Keisel’s run after picking off a deflected pass may have been the most memorable play. The big man looked good running with the ball in his hands. He was patient, waited for his blocks to set up and even cut back to the middle of the field to make sure he got into the end zone.

Beard Power:

More from Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

The beard defensive end Brett Keisel has been growing since June is more than just an affront to razors everywhere. It is also a barometer of success, as Keisel has vowed not to shave until the Steelers lose, apparently with, if not the blessing, at least permission from his wife, Sarah.

"She doesn't say she dislikes it, so it's good," Keisel said with a smile. "I've had a lot of good responses to it and it's something fun. Hopefully, this can get us into the playoffs again and the Super Bowl."

To read the entire article, click here.

And, from Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Steelers' Keisel lives dream with interception return:

Long ago in a far off place, little Brett Keisel scored a touchdown. OK, so maybe Keisel never was little. But we are talking 14 years and 60 pounds ago. It was the 1996 football season, and Keisel was a senior at Greybull High School.

That's Greybull, Wyo., a really far off place I think you will agree.

"I wore No. 4," Keisel recalled Sunday. "We lost a playoff game to Lusk High that year, but I caught a touchdown pass."

Keisel was a 225-pound tight end/middle linebacker back then. Today, he's a 285-pound defensive end for the Steelers with the same number of touchdowns this season as future Hall of Famer Hines Ward and one more than Pro Bowl tight end Heath Miller.

Yes, all these years later, Keisel will tell you there's still no place like the end zone.

This time, Keisel's hands didn't fail him. Nine seasons in the NFL and this was his first interception. Only a week earlier in Tennessee, after Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley rattled Titans quarterback Kerry Collins and forced a fumble, Keisel had a chance to catch the ball out of the air but dropped it.

"Ah, I did that for [nose tackle Chris Hoke]," Keisel said. "He's been in the league 10 years and never had a fumble recovery. I wanted him to get one."

That's Keisel's story, and he's sticking to it.

You can click here to read the rest of the story.

September 26, 2010

Pick six for Keisel

Steelers 38, Buccaneers 13

It was another big game for #99 today! Brett had his first interception for a touchdown as the Steelers beat Tampa Bay 38-13.

From Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

James Harrison on Keisel's big play:

“I didn’t know what happened till I heard the roar, and everybody starting running the other way, so I just hit somebody in a white jersey and looked up and Keisel was rumbling.”

Keisel talks about the play:

Game news:

You can read about the Steelers latest victory here.

Video:

If you missed the great play, or if you want to watch it over and over again, click here.

Game photos:

You can click here for game photos.

September 24, 2010

Sublime birthday for Steelers DE Keisel & afternoon update

Courtesy of sportswriter, Jim Wexell-Steelciyinsider.net:

Brett Keisel has lost games on his birthday before, and that’s one of the reasons the win last Sunday, on his 32nd birthday, was so special.

“It was incredible, said Keisel. “The guys all sang happy birthday to me in the locker room after the game. Everyone sang but Aaron.”

“I refuse to sing Happy Birthday for him,” joked Aaron Smith as he walked past Keisel and his interviewer.

“But, no, it was a birthday I’ll never forget,” Keisel said.

The team plane returned to Pittsburgh from the one o’clock game in plenty of time for Keisel to get home and open presents with his wife Sarah and two-year-old son Jacob.

“Having my son help me blow out the candles, there’s not much that can top that,” Keisel said. “The whole day was just perfect.”

Brett went on to discuss the defenses mindset going into games and the influence Coach Dick LeBeau has on his players.

To read the entire article, click here.

Also, you should consider subscribing to Steelcityinsider. Mr Wexell's site has numerous articles and tidbits that will interest any Steelers fan! Spread the word.

Afternoon update:

2010 Ladies Night Out is October 13. The evening will include a Prime Rib dinner in the spectacular West Club Lounge with rookie center Maurkice Pouncey and defensive end Brett Keisel on hand as special guests, providing insight into what life is like for them during the football season.

Participants will also receive a gift bag featuring a ladies cut long sleeve Steelers t-shirt, 2010 Steelers Yearbook and a 2010 Team Photo signed by Pouncey and Keisel.

The event sells out quickly, so be sure to register soon! For more information and to register, click here.

From the Steelers:The Steelers are grateful to have the number one female fan base in the NFL and we hope to see you on October 13.

Keisel on the cover:

Brett was on the cover of Steelers Digest this week. You can see the cover on the right side of this page, under Keisel Covers.

September 22, 2010

65 Roses Sports Auction

Brett will once again be hosting the 65 Roses Sports Auction. It will be held on November 29, 2010 at McFadden's Pittsburgh. Specific time and ticket information is on the right side of this page under, Events and Appearances.

I will also provide information there for those who wish to donate to the cause, even if they cannot attend the event.

This annual event raises money for Cystic Fibrosis research.

From the Western Pennsylvania Chapter CF website:

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is honored to have Brett Keisel return for his fifth year as Honorary Chair of the 65 Roses Sports Auction. Brett will join many of his teammates and other Pittsburgh celebrities as they help to raise funds for cystic fibrosis research through this incredible evening of events.

The opportunity to meet and get autographs from 10-15 SuperBowl winning Pittsburgh Steelers and participate in auctions with unique sports memorabilia makes the 2010 65 Roses Sports Auction an event that you can't miss.

The main event consists of an autograph session with some of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a complimentary stationed buffet, a silent auction, a live auction, a raffle, lots of surprises and great fun. Come join us, walk away with one-of-a-kind sports memorabilia and meet some of Pittsburgh's greats while contributing to a wonderful cause. Commemorative footballs for the autograph session will be in the package you receive upon arrival. No outside items permitted.

Keisel will host the event, and is usually joined by CF Ambassador Emma, who is shown with Brett in today's news photo. Brett is also joined by many of his teammates. Last year some attendees were: Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Hines Ward and Heath Miller.

It's a great opportunity to meet Brett Keisel and some of his Super Bowl winning teammates, while supporting a wonderful cause.

To see photos from previous event, click here.

The link on the right side of this page provides more information, and also provides a contact name and email address if you need further assistance regarding the event. Or, if you wish, you can contact me (contact information is at the top of this page) and I will try to answer any questions for you. Please remember, the contact information provided is for the 65 Roses Sports Auction only. They will not be able to answer questions regarding other events or questions regarding how to contact Mr. Keisel.

September 20, 2010

Defensive domination & contest winner announcement-Evening update below

Steelers 19, Titans 11

What a game for the birthday boy!

Steelers fan Anne Cooper sent this message to Brett's fan page two days prior to his birthday:

The talk leading up to Sundays game was of how Pittsburgh rarely wins in Tennessee and how Chris Johnson could not be stopped by the Steelers aging defense. As is said many times, talk is just talk and actions speak louder. The Steelers actions, especially that of their defense, certainly spoke volumes. They not only won IN Tennessee, but they also put a thundering stop to Chris Johnson's 100-yard rushing games, limiting him to only 34 yards yesterday.

Chatter on Steelers defense:

From Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

The great Chris Johnson, who ran for a ridiculous 2,006 yards last season? "Gave up," Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said. The elusive Vince Young, who was 9-2 as a starting quarterback going back to last season? "Rattled," Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said. The formidable Tennessee Titans, who routinely used to beat the Steelers like a drum here? "I thought that we were a little bit better than that," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said.

From Mike Bires, Beaver County Times:

"Report of Steelers' demise is premature...They (Steelers defense) roughed up Johnson to the point where he looked liked he didn’t want to carry the ball in the second half. They frustrated starting quarterback Young so much that he was yanked in favor of Kerry Collins. That didn't matter. The Steelers intercepted both of them. The Steelers forced Johnson, Young and Collins to each fumble the ball away. “Definite respect to Pittsburgh,” Young said.

And, from Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

The Steelers went into Tennessee with the talk being about stopping Titans running back Chris Johnson. Not only did they stop him, but he never got going as the defense dominated in a 19-11 win. Johnson was looking for his 13 straight 100-yard game, but managed a mere 34 yards on 16 carries thanks to a swarming defense that was working on all cylinders. The Titans had a last minute run at trying to tie the game, but the defense that forced seven turnovers wouldn’t allow it as time ran out on Tennessee.

You can read all of the above articles in their entirety by clicking on their respective links.

Videos:

To watch Keisel and some of his teammates post-game interviews, click here.

To watch a replay of Young being sacked. click here.

And, for those of you who missed the game, or for those who want to see the highlights, click here.

Summing up the defensive victory:

Coach LeBeau said it best during his Hall of Fame induction speech: "Life is for living, folks. Don't let a number be anything other than a number. Don't let somebody tell you that you're too old to do this or too old to do that. Stay in life. Life is a gift. It's a joy. Don't drop out of it. Don't let somebody else tell you and don't let your mind tell you."

And, last but not least:

The birthday contest winner is: Ashley B. from Cincinnati, Ohio. Congratulations to Ashley! Thank you to all who entered. I received well over 1,000 responses in a very short time last night, and they continue to come in today. Due to the overwhelming response, I will hold more contests this year.

Evening update:

Game photos are here.

September 19, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRETT

To celebrate Keisel's birthday...

If you are my 32nd emailer, you will receive a Brett Keisel autographed item!

No questions to answer or hoops to jump through...just be the 32nd person to email me and you win!

Please, one email per email address only (subsequent emails from the same address will be discounted).

E-mail: trish@brett-keisel.com

I will announce the winner on Monday.

Thank you to Mrs. Keisel for the adorable photo of Brett used in today's news!

September 17, 2010

Update on Gear for Grades

As mentioned in the July 28 news here, Brett and Sarah Keisel worked with the Homeless Children's Education Fund (HCEF) to host a drive providing backpacks filled with school supplies for every child living in supportive housing.

According to HCEF, the drive was a huge success!

From their website:

Monday, August 16, was backpack delivery day for HCEF. Over 2500 backpacks were delivered to homeless residential housing agencies on this day, with 1000 more having been picked up or delivered the preceding week.

Sarah Keisel and her toddler son were there to cheer on the volunteers as they loaded the buses with large-sized bag after bag of fully stocked backpacks. A sufficient number of filled backpacks would be provided to each facility so that children moving to an agency at any time during the school year will have new backpacks of their own. Steeler defensive end Brett, Honorary Chair of the event with Sarah, was fully engaged at the Steelers St. Vincent training camp.

To read more about the event, click here.

To see photos, click here and here.

Game news:

The Steelers travel to Tennessee to take on the Titans Sunday. The game is at 1:00 p.m. and will be shown (in some areas) on CBS.

Wolfley's formula for derailing the Chris Johnson Experience:

Steelers insider, Craig Wolfley provides his insight into derailing Chris Johnson: here.

Also:

Keisel is scheduled to appear on The Steelers Huddle on KDKA-TV Saturday at 11:35 p.m. I will provide a link to it if one becomes available.

September 15, 2010

One on one with Brett Keisel

Teresa Varley, of Steelers.com spoke with Keisel today regarding the upcoming game against the Titans.

Keisel:"We're going into a hostile environment in Tennessee."

Brett goes on to talk about the keys to containing Chris Johnson, the preparation for the game and Chris Hoke stepping in for Casey Hampton.

You can listen to the interview here.

Also:

Alan Robinson, AP Sports, wrote a nice article on the Steelers defense. Click here to read it.

September 13, 2010

Keisel: "That was big"

Steelers 15, Atlanta 9 (OT)

From Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

...when the game was on the line the defense created two opportunities for the offense to win the game.

The first came with 1:45 remaining in regulation when Troy Polamalu made a tremendous individual effort to intercept Matt Ryan at the Falcons' 30-yard line. But that opportunity went by the wayside when Jeff Reed missed a 40-yard field-goal attempt. The second opportunity came when the defense forced Atlanta to punt from deep in its territory on its first possession of overtime. The Steelers took over at the 50, and scored on their first play when Rashard Mendenhall ran for the winning touchdown.

Keisel:

"I'm very happy with the way we finished the game, stopping them down there and having the big run at the end. It's a great start for us. We like starting [the overtime] in those types of situations. We have a lot of veteran guys on defense that have been in situations like that before. We understand if we keep points off the board we'll give our team a chance to win."

More post game quotes from Keisel:

On the OT win:

"We'll take a win any way we can get it, anyhow we can get it."

On the Steelers defense holding the Falcons to 58 yards rushing on 25 attempts, including holding RB Michael Turner to 42 yards on 19 carries and not allowing him a run longer than 7 yards (the defense also held TE Tony Gonzalez to two receptions):

"I think for the most part we shut them down."

Keisel stats:

Brett had two tackles against the Falcons.

Steelers defense:

You can click here and here to read a couple articles on the defense.

Game photos

You can click here for game photos. I will add more if I see any.

Team injury news:

The Steelers lost two starters for part of the game. Nose tackle Casey Hampton left the game in the first half with a hamstring injury and did not return. Offensive tackle Max Starks left the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.

September 10, 2010

The Boys of Fall

It's that time of year again! Whether you root for high school, college, or pro football (or all three), fall is an exciting time for football fans, players and coaches. All the offseason workouts, mini camps, training camps and preseason play lead to the start of the 2010 football season!

The Steelers kick off the season at Heinz Field against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at 1:00 pm. You can scroll down on the right side of this page to view the entire Steelers schedule.

Speaking of The Boys of Fall...

If you haven't already watched Kenny Chesney's "The Boys of Fall" video, you can listen here. It's a great video to get you ready for football season!

Congratulations to the team captains:

Heath Miller, Hines Ward, James Farrior and Keyaron Fox were named captains for the team.

Keisel has a request for fans who attend Sundays game:

Brett was on 93.7 The Fan today and had this to say to Steelers fans:"It's great to start off year at home at Heinz Field in front of our great fans. Like I said before, we've got the best fans in the league and we hope they come out yellin' on Sunday."

To listen the the whole interview, click here.

Good luck to #99 and the Steelers this season!

Friendly reminders:

This is a fan site for Brett Keisel, which only deals with his work with the Steelers and various events. No private information will be published or answered at any time.

Fan photos of Mr. Keisel are always welcome and appreciated. But, please only if they are in a public setting where he is willing to be photographed. I will not post any pictures where it is obvious his privacy (and that of his family and friends) was intruded upon. I appreciate your understanding. Fan photos can be emailed to me-the email address is under the CONTACT heading at the top of this page.

September 3, 2010

Steelers end preseason 3-1

The Steelers defeated the Carolina Panthers 19-3 to close out preseason play. The starters did not play long, but the Steelers' first-team defense allowed only 40 yards during two possessions of Thursday's preseason finale against Carolina at Heinz Field.

QB Byron Leftwich injured his knee during the game, and may be out 2-4 weeks.

The team will open the regular season on September 12 versus the Atlanta Falcons.

Also,

Sportswriter Peter King predicted that the Steelers will not only go to Super Bowl XLV, but they will beat the Green Bay Packers, 33-27 for their 7th Lombardi.

What did Keisel have to say about King's prediction?

"Sounds good to me. We're excited to get another one. I think we have the makeup for a great team in here. If we can just stay healthy and play hard, then I think we have the guys to do it."-(From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.)

To see game photos, click here.

August 30, 2010

Preseason winding down

I apologize for the delay in updates. I had some maintenance done on the site and it took a bit longer than expected.

The Steelers are 2-1 in preseason play, and will wrap up the preseason against Carolina on September 2.

For the Panthers game, Coach Tomlin said the starters will play, but they will not play for as long as they did in the game against Denver.

For some notes for the upcoming game, click here.

You can click here to see some recent photos of Brett.

August 18, 2010

Annual Softball Game

The Steelers held their annual softball game on the St. Vincent College baseball field.

From the Beaver County Times:

This year, the offense won 2-0 behind the no-hit pitching of running back Isaac Redman.

The line-up for the offense included quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at shortstop, wide receiver Hines Ward at third base, tight end Heath Miller at first base and wide receivers Mike Wallace and Antwaan Randle El in the outfield. The line-up for the defense included linebacker Larry Foote at shortstop, defensive end Brett Keisel at first base and cornerback Ike Taylor pitching. Coach Mike Tomlin umpired.

Camp and game news:

The last public practice of the training camp season is today. The team will be preparing for their second preseason game, which is Saturday against the New York Giants. The game is at 7:00pm at the New Meadowlands Stadium. You can watch the game on KDKA (for locals), and on NFL Network. You can listen to the game on the radio: 102.5 FM/970 AM and on Sirius: 153.

Site news:

The website will be down for approximately one week for upgrades and maintenance in preparation for the start of the 2010 season. I apologize for the inconvenience.

August 17, 2010

Keisel and Smith on 93.7 The Fan

Keisel and Aaron Smith talked with the crew from 93.7 The Fan today. As is usually the case with Keisel interviews, it's entertaining. The two discuss Aaron's career, which Brett adds some years to for him, and they discuss of course the Steelers defense. Aaron also gives an update on his son, Elijah.

To listen to the interview, click here.

Also, Brett talked to Steelers.com from LeBeau's Hall of Fame Induction. You can click here to watch it.

The photo of Brett and Aaron used for today's news story is courtesy of Brad Jones.

August 13, 2010

It's time for some football!

The long wait is almost over! The Steelers will take the field tomorrow night for their first preseason game of the season. The game starts at 7:30pm.

Coach Tomlin said the defensive and offensive starters will probably play about 8-12 snaps.

I posted some photos sent by Sarah earlier in the week. Her friend Renee attended training camp with her, and Renee sent some photos of Keisel also.

You can view both their photos here.

Good luck to #99 and to the Steelers tomorrow night!

August 11, 2010

Fan Photos

Steelers fans Sarah and Renee attended training camp last Sunday and both said they had a great time. Sarah snapped some great photos of #99 for us.

You can click here to see them.

Thank you to Sarah for sharing her photos!

To read a few notes from training camp, click here.

Reminder:

After the afternoon practice Thursday, there will be no more open practices until Monday afternoon. The team will be preparing for their preseason gave against Detroit. The game is at Heinz Field-7:30 p.m. and will be televised in Pittsburgh on KDKA. Also, WDVE usually has a radio broadcast of the games.

August 10, 2010

Family Day and Fan Photos

From KDKA:

It was back to work for the Steelers after spending Saturday in Canton, Ohio, to watch their beloved defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau get inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Sunday's practice had been a much anticipated one because it was Family Day and the team closed out the session with the very popular goal line drill.

"It's fun; you know, all the families are here watching so you don't want to get put on your back," said Brett Keisel. "You know they're fired up, we try and match their intensity or have our own intensity and, you know, may the best side win."

To read who won the goal line drill, click here.

You can watch the quick interview with Brett, here.

Fan Photos:

Billie Jo Yakubik attended training camp on August 4. She snapped some photos of Keisel, and was nice enough to share them with us.

Click here to see them.

You can also click here to see other photos of Brett at camp.

August 9, 2010

The NFL is better because of Dick LeBeau

And, now the Hall of Fame is better because of Dick LeBeau.

From an article at NFL Draft Bible's website:

The heart of today’s Steel Curtain shared their thoughts moments after their dear coach, Dick Lebeau was enshrined into the Hall of Fame.

Here is what Brett had to say:

“To be able to have his influence in my life the last nine years has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. We all love the guy to death and we are just blessed to be part of this. It’s been a special night I mean Coach not only was he a great player, he’s also a great coach. On top of that he’s a great man.”

The NFL is better because of Dick LeBeau, the players he coached are better men because of Dick Lebeau.

To read the entire article, click here.

The team cheers LeBeau

From Mike Bires column in the Beaver County Times:

Almost all of the Steelers were decked out in white and Honolulu blue jerseys, like the one LeBeau wore when he played for the Lions from 1959-72. Many of the Steelers waved black and gold Terrible Towels when master of ceremonies Chris Berman bellowed, “At long last, Dick LeBeau!”

Most of the Steelers stood while LeBeau kicked off the evening with the first speech of the night.

“Ah, man. It’s such a blessing to be a part of something like this,” defensive end Brett Keisel said. “Coach LeBeau means so much to all of us. For the Rooneys to allow us to come here tonight, it’s just incredible.”

As Mr. Bires mentioned, many of the players wore Dick LeBeau's #44 jersey to the ceremony, including Keisel. To see a photo of Brett in the #44 jersey, and other photos from the ceremony, click here.

Thank you to Erin, site manager of Big Ben News for helping to gather all the news and quotes today!

I will update later with news from training camp, including family day.

August 7, 2010

The perfect 3-4

Coach LeBeau, in his Hall of Fame induction speech, said he has been asked the question: "What's the Perfect 3-4? Who would be the very ideal people at each position?"

LeBeau's answer: "You start with Casey Hampton, Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel on the defensive line. Seriously, not only are they great players - they're unselfish."

The respect the Steelers organization and players have for Coach LeBeau was clearly evident in Canton tonight. The Steelers shut down training camp and traveled by bus to Canton to watch their coach and friend inducted in to the NFL Hall of Fame. Many defensive players, including Brett, wore LeBeau's jersey to honor him.

If you missed Coach LeBeau's speech, you can click here to watch it. Trust me, it was a genuine from-the-heart speech. He found a way to encompass his whole career, mentioning so many of his teammates, players and coaches. It is easy to understand why his players are so unselfish..they learned it from their coach. A truly classy man.

Congratulations to Dick LeBeau on his induction into the NFL Hall of Fame!

August 6, 2010

Keisel & Woodley:"The one-two punch...

...that knocked Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals out of the Superbowl"-introduction of Keisel and LaMarr Woodley by Jim Krenn and Randy Bauman of the WDVE morning show.

Keisel and Woodley talked about who deserves "possession" of the fumbled ball from Superbowl XLIII. Woodley thinks he should have the ball, but who had last possession of it? Click here to find out.

The two talked about other things also in their entertaining interview. If you missed the interview yesterday, don't worry! You can click here to listen to it.

Friday Night Lights:

The Steelers will host their annual practice at Latrobe Memorial Stadium tonight.

Practice begins at 7 p.m. A 15-minute autograph session begins at 6:45 p.m.

Admission for the practice is $5 for adults, and $2 for children under 18 and senior citizens. Children under 12 will be admitted free if accompanied by a parent.

Tickets will be sold at the gates, which open at 5 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Greater Latrobe School District athletic program. The Westmoreland County Food Bank will collect nonperishable food and household items. Giant Eagle will match the donation on a per-pound basis.

Coach LeBeau headed to the Hall of Fame:

As mentioned in the August 3 news, the team will head to Canton, Ohio tomorrow to watch Dick LeBeau be inducted into the Hall of Fame. There will be no public practices on August 7.

More from Brett about Coach LeBeau:

He’s my favorite guy ever. I love the guy to death. I brought my Dick LeBeau jersey to camp so I can wear it at his induction. Not only is he a great coach, but he’s a greater person. It’s his character."

You can read more about what Keisel had to say about Coach LeBeau in the August 3 news.

Photos

I will post any photos I locate of Brett at camp, so check back for updates. Click here to see a few.

August 4, 2010

Camp news and notes

The team held one practice today, and many of the injured players returned to the field and were able to participate.

Camp updates:

I will update news on Keisel as much as possible. For those who want updates on the whole team and how practice is going, I will include some links below.

For comprehensive daily camp coverage:

Steelers Depot- they update one to two times daily, so be sure to refresh or update the link when you visit.

CBS Sports.com also provides daily running updates.

Twitter is also a great way to keep up with the team. You can follow Jim Wexell's tweets here and The AFC North Twitter page here. You do not need a Twitter account to read their tweets.

Also, Jim Wexell runs a site: www.steelcityinsider.net where you can read many articles and interviews with players and analysts. It is a pay site, but he also includes free articles at times.

Keisel talks about Polamalu's return:

"It's tremendous having him back."

"You can ask anyone in league, he's one of the greater players in our game. There isn't anyone that I've seen in the league who can do what he does and cover ground like he can cover in a short amount of time. To have a guy of that caliber out there doing what he does, it only makes us all better."

Photos

I will post any photos I locate of Brett at camp, so check back for updates. Click here to see a few.

August 3, 2010

Keisel: "We all think it's very much deserved"

Training camp is in full swing. The players have two practices a day. The morning one is closed to the public and the afternoon sessions are generally open to the public. Click on the link under Keisel Kam to view a detailed camp schedule.

Brett looks to be fully healed from his injury at the end of last season. Aaron Smith and Troy Polamalu are back from injuries also. The defense is in good shape and ready to start a new season.

Speaking of defense...

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will be inducted into the Hall of Fame August 7th. Coach Tomlin stated the team will be attending the ceremony in Canton, OH to honor their coach and friend.

More on Coach LeBeau:

From Alan Robinson's article in the L.A. Times:

As the decades passed and Dick LeBeau was repeatedly left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, one of the best defensive players of his era began to believe he wouldn't join the three other members of the Detroit Lions secondary who were already enshrined. At least until a very persuasive group of lobbyists took up his cause. How's this for a blue-ribbon panel to sway opinion: Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, James Farrior, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel and Aaron Smith?

LeBeau's 38-season career as an NFL head and assistant coach wasn't supposed to factor into his candidacy — only his 14 playing seasons — but the key members of the LeBeau-coached defense that helped the Steelers win the Super Bowl twice in the last five seasons didn't care. To them, a football hall of fame that excluded LeBeau wasn't a true hall of fame.

So the players began wearing replica LeBeau No. 44 Lions jerseys to functions such as the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, and to road games where they felt their influence might be felt. Perhaps their best argument came when, relying heavily on the innovative zone blitzes LeBeau developed during his days as a Bengals assistant, the Steelers defense put together one of the most dominating seasons in NFL history as Pittsburgh won the 2009 Super Bowl.

In the article, Brett talks about LeBeau:

I think he's extremely excited and we all think it's very much deserved. It's finally happening for him. I can never remember, even after a loss, coming into work and not walking by him and him not smiling at me, being happy where he's at and happy doing what he's doing," Keisel said. "To have a guy like that up in front of you every day makes you want to play hard. I don't think too many coaches in this league are appreciated as a man the way we appreciate him."

To read the whole article, click the L.A. Times link above.

And:

Doug Farrar, with Yahoo Sports, wrote a two-part article about Coach LeBeau. To read it, click here and here.

Also,

Dick LeBeau spoke with AFC North writer, James Walker about inventing the zone-blitz defense. To read the article, click here.

Keisel on 93.7 The Fan:

Brett tells Paul what to expect on the defensive line this year, and whether age is becoming a factor up front…and James Harrison jumps in with a special guest cameo!

To listen to the interview, click here.

Photos

I will post any photos I locate of Brett at camp, so check back for updates. Click here to see a few.

FYI:

The Steelers announced that there will be NO open practice to the public on August 7.

August 2, 2010

Training Camp 2010

Training Camp is finally here! The players arrived last Friday and have been busy ever since.

Going Green:

Jim Wexell asked Keisel about his new beard and Keisel replied...

“Yeah, well you know it’s a big thing today to go green. So I’m trying to be a little Kevin Greene, a little Mean Joe Greene.”

Also:

Brett and some teammates spoke briefly to KDKA about the Baltimore Ravens new autograph policy. To read the interview, click here.

To watch the video of it, click here.

Photos

I will post any photos I locate of Brett at camp, so check back for updates. Click here to see a few.

If you attend camp, and have any photos of Keisel, feel free to send them to me! My email is listed above under Contact.

July 28, 2010

And, the tour continues...

Part two of Brett's tour of the practice facility can be viewed here.

For those of you who missed the first part, the link for it is in the July 20 news below.

Gear for Grades Drive:

Brett and his wife, Sarah are board members with The Homeless Children's Education Fund (and will be honored with an award for their work there soon).

Brett is spreading the word about the latest fundraiser, and you can learn about it here.

For more information on the fundraiser, and to see a nice photo of the Keisel's, click here.

Also,

Jim Wexell, from Steelcityinsider.com spoke with Steelers rookie, Doug Worthington:

“Coming in as a rookie,” Worthington said, “you have the thought that great players such as Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel are going to be jerks, are going to be mean to rookies. But those guys were the total opposite.”

On the first day, Worthington was approached by Keisel, who acted like a common journalist by asking the common question: How do you feel about being a seventh-round draft pick? “I was like, ‘I’m happy and blessed just to have been drafted,’” Worthington told the Steelers’ starting right defensive end.

“It was the God’s honest truth. I told him anybody would like to have been drafted a little sooner, but at the end of the day I’m still going to bust my tail. He stopped me and said, ‘Well I went at the same pick, No. 242 to Pittsburgh, and you see where I’m at now.’”

Keisel, the 242nd pick of the 2002 draft, has one unofficial AFC Championship game MVP honor, two Super Bowl rings, two big contract extensions, and a network of relationships in Pittsburgh that’ll provide for his future once he retires.

Keisel likely wants to leave a legacy on the field, too, so he gave Worthington some tips about making the roster and playing in the league.

“He said it’s nothing but hard work and doing well on special teams, and that when my chance comes I have to make sure I get up there and take advantage of it,” Worthington said. “It was a very meaningful talk, and it sticks with me today. It’s something that I definitely want to keep in mind and continue to work very hard.”

July 20, 2010

Keisel hosts a tour of the Practice Facility

Have you ever wondered what the inside of the Steelers locker room looks like? Or have you wondered how much food the team chefs prepare for the players?

If so, Keisel is here to answer your questions! Fans can see the locker room, weight room, cafeteria and equipment room. In each area, Brett and members of the Steelers organization provide an interesting glimpse of the preparation that occurs to make sure the players are ready to take the field each week.

Click here to see part one of Keisel's tour. I will post part two when it becomes available.

July 2, 2010

Fan photos

Anita Doddroe was at Coach Tomlin's football camp the day Brett was a guest coach. She snapped some photos, and was nice enough to share with us!

To view her album, click here.

Anita said, "Heath & Brett, along with Chris Hoke visited with the campers at the Mike Tomlin Football Camp, and they were wonderful with the kids. My grandson thoroughly enjoyed getting to see and listen to them, and play some football with them."

Anita also sent some photos of Ben Roethlisberger to Erin at Big Ben News. Click on the link to view them.

Thank you Anita for sending the photos!

You can also view a short video of Brett from camp. The link is below, in the June 22 news.

June 30, 2010

Hometown Heros

As mentioned in the June 18 news here, Brett and Sarah Keisel hosted an autograph signing in their hometown to benefit the Greybull Swimming pool. The money raised almost doubled what their goal was! Click here to watch a short interview with Keisel, and to hear about the money raised.

Update to the video: the actual amount raised was reported to be $20,000! The Keisel's and the community really came together to support their hometown!

Thank you to Barbara for the video link, and Myrna for the photo! To see a larger version of the photo, click here.

June 22, 2010

"Sack Celebration Demonstration"

As previously mentioned, Brett was a guest coach at Camp Tomlin today. Of course, he demonstrated one of his famous sack celebrations for the kids.

To watch the video, click here.

It is the video entitled, Coach Tomlin Takes Field for Football Camp.

June 20, 2010

Steelers' assistant lauds defensive line

From John Harris, Tribune Review:

Asked about the state of his defensive line, Steelers assistant head coach John Mitchell said he has never felt better about starters Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel.

"You tell me three better guys," Mitchell said. "You ask me any three guys I can pick, those three guys I want."

Since Keisel joined Smith and Hampton as starters in 2006, the Steelers have never been ranked lower than No. 3 in rushing defense. They've led the NFL in total defense twice and were ranked No. 1 in passing defense once during that span.

Since 2000, the Steelers have led the league in total defense four times, rushing defense three times and passing defense once. The 2000 and '03 seasons were the only years when the Steelers didn't feature a top-five finish in total defense, rushing defense or passing defense.

"There's never been a better defensive front in the National Football League," said Mitchell, the Steelers' defensive line coach since 1994. "If you go back and look at the stats where the Steelers defense has finished, people would be shocked how well we've played.

To read the entire article, click here.

June 18, 2010

The Keisel's help out hometown & other news

Brett and his wife, Sarah returned home to Greybull, Wyoming to attend a class reunion, and to help out their hometown swimming pool. Mrs. Keisel was a former member of the Greybull-Riverside swim team. The Greybull swimming pool was in need of a new roof, so Brett signed memorabilia to help raise funds for the roof. Visitors were also asked to bring food for the Community Outreach thrift store.

The Keisel's also pledged to match all money taken in during the signing.

I will update if I get a total of the money raised.

To view a few photos of Brett during the signing, click here.

Thanks to Wade (and his sons, Caden and Carsten) and Todd (who runs a great Steelers page) for sending photos!

The photo above is of Caden (in the yellow hat) and his brother Carsten (Wade's sons) who attended the signing.

Also, thank you to Wade for taking care of all our #99 jersey orders! You are appreciated!

Camp Tomlin

Brett, Heath Miller and James Harrison will be helping Coach Tomlin with his football camp for kids. The camp runs June 21-24.

For information on the camp, or to register, click here.

Training camp 2010:

Players will report to training camp on July 30th. For information about camp, click here.

The calendar is in a Word/PDF document in the link above.

If you attend camp (or if you attended the autograph signing), and would like to share photos of Keisel, feel free to send them to me. My email is in the Contact link at the top of this page.

June 10, 2010

Keisel visits Pittsburgh Stevens K-8

From the school website:

Pittsburgh Steeler Brett Keisel visited Pittsburgh Stevens K-8 on Friday, June 4 to help celebrate the accomplishments of the school’s students in the Pittsburgh Steelers Play 60 Challenge.

The Play 60 Challenge is designed to educate students about staying fit by creating an engaging and fun environment at school that compels students to be physically active for at least 60 minutes every day.

To view a few photos of Brett's visit to the school, click here.

To learn more about the Pittsburgh Steelers Play 60 Challenge, click here.

June 8, 2010

The one (or two) that got away...

Brett and a few teammates competed in the 11th annual Muransky Companies Pro-Am Bass Classic on Saturday (see news from June 3 regarding the event). Danny Sepulveda put his team over the top reeling in a 4.84 pound bass. He and his teammate’s five fish limit weighed in at 17.77 pounds.

Brett's team wasn't far behind...his team's five fish limit produced a total weight of 13.78 pounds.

Congratulations to "Team Danny"...and to the United Way for the money they raised.

Other news...

Coach Tomlin took the team bowling today. To watch a video from the event, click here.

And...

The Third Annual Hines Ward Pittsburgh Celebrity Softball game will take place on June 9 at 6PM at the Duquesne Baseball Field in Green Tree.

Steelers scheduled to appear (list may change): Brett Keisel, Ben Roethlisberger, Antwaan Randle El, Charlie Batch, Mike Wallace, Heath Miller, Max Starks, Willie Colon, James Farrior, LaMarr Woodley, Casey Hampton, Bryant McFadden, Larry Foote, William Gay, Joe Burnett and of course the host...Hines Ward.

The event is free, but donations will be accepted to benefit the Helping Hands Foundation. Bleacher seating is limited. Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets.

Food and beverages will be available for donations, along with a raffle for autographed items. For more information contact the HWCSG at 412-244-4563.

The team finishes up with OTA's on Thursday, and then will break until training camp.

June 3, 2010

Trading in his helmet for a good cause

Keisel will be trading in his helmet for a fishing pole this weekend. He will be joining teammates Danny Sepulveda and Jared Retkofsky in the 11th annual Muransky Companies Pro-Am Bass Classic on Saturday.

The Bass Classic pits top pro bass anglers paired with amateur anglers who make a donation to the United Way.

The event is free to the public, and there will be many activities for adults and children, along with the Bass Classic.

For more information, click here.

The Steelers finished up another round of OTA's today, and will return to the practice field next Tuesday for the last week of OTA's.

June 1, 2010

Tuesday OTA: Notes and Quotes

OTA's resumed today in Pittsburgh. Today's OTA was a bit different though-it marked the return of Ben Roethlisberger to the field!

Brett talked a little to the media about Ben's return:

Keisel said it was not just another workout for Roethlisberger.

"He said he had butterflies this morning," the defensive end said. "He was excited to get back to work and get back around the guys and start working towards another championship."

"I think it's good for him to be around us and be working and come and do what everyone else is doing. So I'm happy that he's back."

Also today...

Two #99's were spotted on the field:

Two men wore No. 99 jerseys on the Pittsburgh Steelers practice field Tuesday: Defensive end Brett Keisel and 72-year-old defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. LeBeau has been sporting the jerseys of his 30-something defensive players during off-season drills as a tribute to them.

"This is just a way of saying thanks to those veterans who have really been a good nucleus for us and will continue to be," said Coach LeBeau.

What did Brett think of LeBeau's gesture:

"He found an old 99 somewhere, and it's quite an honor to have him wear it."

The black Keisel jersey that LeBeau wore Tuesday was tight with very short sleeves. LeBeau displayed his arm muscles. "I told him, 'You've got the pipes out today'. But the jerseys are tight. You can't wear too much underneath them."

To see a larger photo of Coach LeBeau in Keisel's jersey, click here.

To read the rest of the article, written by Gary Mihoces-USA Today, click on the USA Today link.

To watch a video interview with Brett and some of his teammates, click here.

Warning-the video starts out "choppy" in quality, but gets better.

To read more about Ben being back on the field, and to see photos of him, visit Big Ben News

May 11, 2010

Mitchell's job getting easier with age

From Scott Brown's column, View From The Press Box:

It is fitting that Steelers assistant head coach/defensive line coach John Mitchell is a connoisseur of fine wine. That is because the players he coaches have aged like one of the bottles of wine Mitchell is fond of collecting when he isn’t busy working with one of the best lines in the NFL.

It is also why Mitchell laughs when he hears concerns about the Steelers getting too old up front even though the average age of their three starters is 32.3 years. Defensive end Aaron Smith may be 34 but the elder statesman of the group isn’t thinking about retirement. Brett Keisel, who starts opposite Smith, is 31 but he is only going into his fifth season as a starter.

Mitchell said Keisel and nose tackle Casey Hampton, 32, are coming off their best seasons with the Steelers.

While Coach Mitchell knows how hard his current starters work during the season (and off season) to make themselves better, he also realizes what they contribute to making their younger teammates better:

Their (Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel) influence on younger players such as Hood, second-year defensive end Sunny Harris and rookie defensive end Doug Worthington is one reason why Mitchell thinks the line will be just fine even though age has to become a factor at some point.

Smith, Keisel, Hampton and reserve nose tackle Chris Hoke, Mitchell said, have helped establish a foundation that will allow their contributions to the Steelers to continue even when they are no longer playing.

“It’s a delight for me to sit in my (meeting) room with the young guys when I can put my laser on Brett Keisel and say ‘Hey Ziggy Hood if you want to be a Brett Keisel watch this guy run 20 yards down the field and tag the runner.’ That’s the way you practice,” Mitchell said. “You don’t wait for Sunday, you do it every day. And it makes my job easier because these young guys they see that. Sunny Harris sees Brett Keisel run 15 yards in practice. Not one time, every time.

To read the entire article, click here.

Keisel talks about Smith's contribution to his career with the Steelers:

"There's no question I wouldn't be where I'm at without (Smith's) help. He's one of the all-time Steelers greats in my opinion."

To read about Smith's recovery from last years season-ending surgery, click here.

April 8, 2010

Lights...Camera...Action...

Have you seen the latest commercial for Pittsburgh Budget Cars.com?

If not, be sure to click the link above to see a familiar face promoting them...yep...that's #99 himself!

Thanks to Erin for making the screen capture from Brett's commercial for me!

Erin runs a site on Ben Roethlisberger, and (for all you baseball fans), a site on Red Sox Catcher, Jason Varitek. Click on the links to visit her sites.

April 7, 2010

News and Notes

Offseason workouts:

The voluntary workouts began a few weeks ago. To see some photos of Brett at the offseason workouts, click here.

I will add more as they become available.

Organized team activities (OTA):

Tomlin scheduled the first two of the 14 OTAs permitted each team for April 19-20; they include practices without pads.

Preseason Schedule:

The preseason schedule is updated on the right side of this page. The August 29 game against Denver will be a nationally televised game.

Draft 2010:

The draft begins on April 22.

Steelers Basketball:

The Steelers basketball season is in full swing. They have appeared at various schools throughout the area. To view photos of Keisel playing, click here.

Assistance needed:

Please help out Brett's hometown...check out the information under the Keisel Kam photo (on the right side of the page) to see how you can help. Voting is quick and easy and will really help the residents of his hometown.

March 22 , 2010

Steelers support Children's Miracle Network

From Gant Daily:

Members of the Pittsburgh Steelers visited Clearfield on Sunday to take on the Queen’s for Kids All-Stars in a basketball game to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network.

Hundreds of spectators filled the high school gymnasium to rally support for the local team who lost against the Steelers by 10 points. The event raised over $6,000 for the Queen’s for Kid’s program which is the largest single contributor to the Children’s Miracle Network in Pennsylvania.

Playing for the Steelers were Charlie Batch, James Harrison, Brett Keisel, Anthony Madison, Deshea Townsend, Justin Vincent and Dennis Dixon. Townsend's young son thrilled the crowd with his two shots that went in the basket.

To read more about the game, click here.

To see a few photos from the game, click here.

March 11 , 2010

Steelers Basketball 2010

I apologize for being late in posting...but Steelers basketball is back!

I will post a list of some of the games on the right side of this page, under Steelers Basketball.

Please be aware, there is no guarantee of which players will appear at each game. I appreciate all the emails asking which games Mr. Keisel will participate in, but that information is not available. I will add to the list as I find more games, but I will probably not have the entire schedule.

Also, I will also post any photos I locate of Brett playing. If you attend a game, and have photos you would like to share, please feel free to send them my way. Contact information is located at the top of this page.

Brett did play in a game last night at Freedom High School.

February 16 , 2010

One year later: Keisel reflects on life, his career and the big game

From Nathan Oster of the Greybull Standard:

As Sunday dawned in snowy Pittsburgh, Brett Keisel couldn’t have been much further from the big stage of the Super Bowl. The Greybull native, whose fumble recovery a year ago sealed the Steelers’ record-setting sixth world championship, watched the game at home with his wife Sarah and son, Jacob —and that was good enough for him.

More than 2 ½ feet of snow blanketed Pittsburgh last week, and in the aftermath the Keisel family was snowed in and went more than two days without electricity. It wasn’t until about 6 a.m Sunday — the day of the game in Miami — that power was restored to their home.

“I had a shovel, firewood, and we had lots of candles and lots of food,” laughed Brett. “We were prepared for it.”

Like the rest of America, Keisel said he couldn’t take his eyes off the television Sunday. “I’m proud of the Saints for what they did,” he said, admitting that he was hoping they’d knock off the Colts. “It was just their story and what they did for their city, and Drew Brees, coming from the situation he came from. I was really happy for those guys.”

To read the rest of the article, click here.

You can read more articles on Brett- click the Articles link at the top of this page.

February 3 , 2010

Fantastic fumble recovery

It's Super Bowl week, and even though the Steelers are not in it this year, we still have all the great memories from last years great win-the Steelers SIXTH Super Bowl victory.

From James Harrison's 100-yard touchdown, to Ben Roethlisberger's amazing pass and Santonio Holmes' spectacular catch, to Brett Keisel's fantastic fumble recovery that ended the game, the Steelers gave us so much to remember!

NFL Films recently had a special on Super Bowl XLIII and Erin, from Big Ben News, was nice enough to send me some screen captures of Keisel's fumble recovery and of him after the game during the celebration.

To view the photos, click here.

Thanks again to Erin for taking the time to make the screen captures!

To view more Super Bowl photos, click on the link under Keisel Kam (right side of this page).

January 20, 2010

Steelers help earthquake victims

From Teresa Varley, of Steelers.com:

The Pittsburgh Steelers have joined the worldwide effort to assist the victims of the Haitian earthquake. The team is donating to the American Red Cross and to the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, a health care facility in Haiti that provides care for the impoverished residents.

The National Football League and the NFL Players Association have pledged $2.5 million to the cause. The NFL and NFLPA are contributing $1 million as a part of their Disaster Relief Fund to the American Red Cross and Partners In Health ($500,000 each). During the NFL divisional playoff games last weekend public service announcements aired to promote donations, with the donated airtime valued at $1.5 million.

Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes is encouraging fans to make donations to the American Red Cross, and offering a chance to win a signed jersey as an incentive.

To donate to the Red Cross, and have a chance of winning the jersey, click here.

For the Red Cross website, click here.

For the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer website, click here.

January 10, 2010

"Seizing the Moment"

Thanks to Terrie for sending me a great article on Brett! It was written by Mike Ciarochi, of the Uniontown Herald-Standard, and it appeared in the December 6, 2009 edition of Steelers Gameday magazine.

Excerpts from the article:

To call Steelers' defensive end Brett Keisel an overachiever would damn him with faint praise.

Don't misunderstand, though. Keisel has achieved quite a bit in his first seven seasons of professonal football and, midway through his eighth-all with the Pittsburgh Steelers-there are no indications he will be slowing down any time soon.

The problem with calling Keisel an overachiever is that it suggests he achieved more than was rightfully his, more than he had worked his tail off in order to achieve. Make no mistake, Keisel has put in the time and effort required to achieve the pair of Super Bowl rings that are a part of his jewelry collection.

"It is amazing really," Keisel said about a career that began as a seventh-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2002. "It's been awesome because I had to work my way up to this point. I had an opportunity on special teams my rookie year. I didn't even dress for half the season, until someone went down with an injury. That's what this league is all about: getting an opportunity and seizing it."

My daddy taught me since I was young that things are never going to be easy, but you can go out and get what you want when you work for it. That's just how I always approached things."

Brett also discusses how motivating it is to have his family at games, why he loves to play for the Steelers and how wonderful it is being a father:

"It's been great to have a son and have someone who is really half of you. To be able to watch him progress and grow has been the greatest blessing of my life. I thank God every day for that little fella and for my wife, too."

To read the entire article, click here.

January 8, 2010

Keisel helps raise money for a great cause

As mentioned in the January 5 news, Brett participated in a live chat and auction with Tellman Knudson and Chef Michael Symon. The money raised went toward helping to fight youth homelessness.

Brett was auctioning off a signed football that he recovered on a fumble during the Browns game this season, and Michael was auctioning off a signed cookbook. But, it didn't end there. Both men added to the auction as the chat progressed.

From Tellman's blog:

Iron Chef Michael Symon’s cookbook entered in the lead with a high bid of about $200, and as Michael and Brett Keisel told stories about how they came to be a professional cook and an NFL star, the bids slowly crept up. At the half-hour mark of the hour-long call, Brett Keisel’s autographed football overtook Symon’s cookbook as the bid passed $300. That’s when things really started to get interesting.

Out of nowhere, Symon announced that he was adding a Lebron James Cleveland Cavaliers jersey to his auction item, signed by King James himself! Anyone who follows basketball, and certainly everyone in Cleveland realizes the value of such an item autographed by one of the best players, if not THE BEST, in the NBA. The Cleveland/Pittsburgh sports rivalry was heating up.

Not to be outdone, Keisel started pacing around his house looking for something to add to his auction. He found a poster-sized photo of himself tackling Josh Cribbs, the Cleveland Browns’ best player... signed it... and added it to the auction. But that wasn’t it. He dropped a bomb, adding an authentic Ben Roethlisberger jersey to the mix, signed by Big Ben himself. Even Michael Symon had to admit that was one heck of an item.

Keisel and Symon’s items were trading places for highest bidder on EBay. It was a neck and neck race, and then Symon surprised us all again.

He added a brand new set of Teflon pans, an $800 value, to his auction. The man was on fire. I couldn’t believe it. Before i could even finish saying, “whaaaat? This is crazy!” he announced that he was also throwing in two tickets to a live taping of Iron Chef.

What do you think Brett did in response?

The only thing he could do: he threw in two 50-yard line tickets to next year’s Steelers' vs. Browns game!

So...who won?

With only a few minutes left in the live call-in auction on Wednesday, the bids for Pittsburgh Steeler Brett Keisel and Iron Chef Michael Symon’s auction items were neck and neck...

But, during the last seconds, Michael Symon edged out Brett Keisel by just $13.71!

Combined, the two men raised $1,113.71 for RunTellmanRun to help homeless youth in America. At the end of the call, they agreed to have dinner together at one of Michael’s restaurants in Cleveland, showing everyone that Cleveland and Pittsburgh can be friends when it comes down to something important like youth homelessness.

To read more about the auction, and about Run Tellman Run, click here.

I added a new "Keisel Cover" to the magazine covers on the right side of this page. It is the first one listed, and it's from Steelers Gameday magazine. It has a great article on Brett in it, which I will add to the site over the weekend.

Thanks to Terrie for sending the copies of Steelers Gameday to me!

January 5, 2010

Celebrity Death Match

From Run Tellman Run:

In this corner, weighing in at 285 pounds and sporting Super Bowl rings… Brett “The Diesel” Keisellllllllll.

And in this corner, weighing much less and sporting a spatula and his new cookbook… Michael “Iron Chef” Symonnnnnnn.

Don’t miss your chance to win a Brett Keisel-autographed football (the very one he recovered after a fumble by the Cleveland Browns in their October, 2009 match) or a signed copy of celebrity chef Michael Symon’s new book, Live to Cook.

There’s only one way to be a part of this historic live auction, by registering here.

All I can tell you is that it takes place this Wednesday, January 6 – for the rest of the details you’ll have to register. By registering, you'll get on the phone LIVE with Brett and Michael and myself (Tellman Knudson) on this hour long adrenaline-pumping call where the highest bidders will walk away with a signed football and book...and only ONE celebrity will walk away the champion of the Death Match!

YOU decide who wins as Brett "The Diesel" Keisel & Iron Chef Michael Symon go head-to-head in a LIVE knock-down celebrity auction like no other!

Come on Keisel fans-are you really going to let Iron Chef Michael Symon take down the Diesel? Get registered!

It also looks like you can also bid on the football by going directly to EBay-you probably will not be included in the live call though without registering though. Click here to bid on the autographed football. If the link changes for some reason (or does not work for you), you can go to EBay and search under Brett Keisel to locate the football and make a bid. Even if you are not bidding on the ball, visit the EBay site to read the story of Brett donating it. Nice read!

Proceeds will go towards helping fight youth homelessness. Tellman Knudson is running barefoot from New York to Los Angeles, clear across the great USA, to raise $100,000,000 for homeless youth. To read more about his cause and his journey, click here. You can also click on the link on the right side of this page, under Keisel Causes, to keep up with Tellman's personal travel blog, or to donate to his great cause.

To view pictures from when Tellman visited Pittsburgh and met with Brett, click here and here.

January 4, 2010

Steelers finish season with a "W"

Steelers 30, Dolphins 24

The Steelers finished the regular season off with a win over the Miami Dolphins, bringing their season record to 9-7. They needed the win to keep themselves in the hunt for an AFC wildcard, and they needed help from other teams. But, they received news as they walked off the field that Houston had beaten New England, and they got the final news they were eliminated later when their chartered flight landed back home, after Baltimore defeated Oakland. So, the Steelers season ended in Miami.

From Coach Tomlin:

"I said quite a few times over the last several weeks, this is our bed and we have to lay in it. But, it was also us who made the best of a bad situation, too. I mean, let's be real, there are a lot of teams capable of going 6-10 or whatever faced with the circumstances this group of men was faced with. They knuckled down, they hung together, they did the best to their ability to fix it. We won our last three ballgames and gave ourselves a chance."

From Ben Roethlisberger:

"If this was the last one, I'd rather we go out with a win than a loss. There's not much that we can do, but I'm proud of the way we fought today and we played hard."

The black and gold got off to an early lead and never trailed in the game, winning their third straight game to finish out the regular season 9-7. Ben Roethlisberger, who was injured his right arm late in the game but stayed in, completed 18 of 27 passes for 220 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a quarterback rating of 128.6. The running game came to life with Rashard Mendenhall carrying the ball 20 times for 94 yards and Willie Parker added 12 carries for 91 yards. The defense came up big with three interceptions, coming at key times to hold off the Dolphins.

Miami QB Chad Henne left the game with an eye injury, and was replaced by Pat White. Later in the game, White was also injured on a hit by Ike Taylor. White did move his arms and legs before leaving the field after an eight-minute delay, and was taken to a hospital for examination. White landed flat on his stomach and was lying still following the collision near the Steelers sideline prompting Coach Tomlin and several Steelers players to immediately begin waving for help. He was transported by ground to Broward General Hospital and initial reports are that he suffered a concussion. A group of Steelers players knelt together in prayer as trainers and paramedics readied White for transport off the field.

Miami then brought in QB Tyler Thigpen, and he got Miami back in the game, but the Steelers defense held strong. Ike Taylor sealed the win with an interception of Thigpen to end the game.

For more detailed game news, click here.

Brett was held out of the game due to a neck and shoulder stinger. Thank you for all the emails and messages of concern. I will update with any news that becomes available. Brett had a great season, and the offseason will give him a chance to get healthy and ready for next season!

2010 opponents:

Ok, I know our season just ended less than 24 hours ago. But, I also know some of you are already anticipating the 2010 season. So, to find out who we will play in 2010, click here.

December 28, 2009

"Not dead yet"

Steelers 23, Ravens 20

From Coach Tomlin's post-game press conference:

"You know, like I just told the football team, this is our bed, but I like how they’re laying in it. Not dead yet. Still got a pulse in this thing and we’ll continue to control the things we can control, playing winning football, preparing, doing the best we can. They did today and made enough plays to win, so we move on to next week and we’re hopeful that we’ll get the necessary help, but again, we make no excuses or have no explanations. We put ourselves into this position, but I like the way they’re dealing with it."

The Steelers have won their last two games, and are still in the hunt for an AFC wildcard. They will need to beat the Miami Dolphins next week, and also will need some help from other teams to get into the playoffs. For playoff scenario information, click, here.

Big play defense:

Sacks? Big hits? Open-field tackles? The Steelers used all of those in a 23-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

To read more about the defense, click here.

Keisel:

Brett had four tackles in the game. He was injured late in the game and did not return. Coach Tomlin said Keisel suffered a stinger. As of now, it sounds like he will be able to play next week, but we will probably know more later in the week.

Keisel talks about the Steelers playoff chances:

“All I know, we don’t have a chance unless we win. We can’t think about what can happen or who needs to win, all we need to think about is winning ourselves, because if we don’t do that none of it is possible.”

Thanks to Erin, from Big Ben News for locating the quote for me!

Game notes:

For the first time in team history the Steelers have a 4,000-yard passer (Ben Roethlisberger), a 1,000-yard rusher (Rashard Mendenhall) and two 1,000-yard receivers (Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes).

Game photos are here.

December 20, 2009

"It tastes good"

Steelers 37, Packers 36

Brett talks about the win:

"It tastes good. We're excited to go into the Christmas holiday with a win."

To watch the rest of his post-game interview, click here.

Ben Roethlisberger led a Super Bowl-like 86-yard drive in the final two minutes that ended with no time left when Mike Wallace caught a 19-yard touchdown pass as the Steelers beat Green Bay 37-36.

Roethlisberger passed for a team-record 503 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Big Ben talks about the win:

"To win it like that, I think it shows a lot of heart. It opens up something inside of all of us to say 'You know what, this team never quits, it never backs down and fights to the end.'"

For detailed game news, click here.

The pulsating victory allowed the Steelers to improve to 7-7, and they are one of 10 AFC teams competing for four remaining playoff berths. Several AFC wildcard contenders lost today, which improves the Steelers chances of nabbing a playoff spot.

"Not dead yet," Tomlin said. "We're on life support here in terms of staying in the hunt for the playoffs, so we can't save anything."

The Steelers face another must-win situation Sunday when the Baltimore Ravens visit Heinz Field for a 1 p.m. game.

Keep voting...

Time is running out to get your Pro Bowl votes in for Keisel! Fan voting ends later today, so please keep voting. There is no limit, so you can vote as many times as you want. The link is on the right side of this page under 2010 Pro Bowl

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to cast your vote for #99!

December 17, 2009

Steelers Speak: Brett Keisel

Brett is interviewed by Bob Labriola in the latest edition of Steelers Speak. Keisel discusses making the team as a late pick, the defensive schemes and what motivates him.

Click here to watch the interview. Then click on Steelers Speak-Brett Keisel.

It was reported that Brett was limited in practice Wednesday due to an injury from the Browns game. Coach Tomlin said Keisel suffered a stinger during the game, but he was able to return and finish the game.

December 16, 2009

Pro Bowl update and auction news

Fan voting for the 2010 Pro Bowl is coming to an end on December 21. Please keep voting to send Brett to his 1st Pro Bowl!

Currently, Keisel is 5th in voting for defensive ends with approximately 99,994 votes. Thank you to all who voted and continue to vote.

Remember...you vote...#99 plays!

The link is on the right side of this page, under the heading of Pro Bowl.

Also...

Would you like to win some autographed items from Superbowl XLIII?

Well, if you are the highest bidder, you could win a four-pack of items signed by Brett. They include a hat, DVD, t-shirt and a Terrible Towel.

From kulr8.com:

Homeless cats and dogs in Northwest Wyoming owe a lot to a Pittsburgh Steelers' player. Defensive End Brett Keisel is donating his autographed Super Bowl memorabilia to an animal shelter there.

Barbara Greene started the shelter in her home. She’s asking people to adopt the animals, and help pay to have them neutered. She got a big helping hand from a big man in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive End Brett Keisel offered autographed items from Super Bowl 43 for an internet auction benefiting Greene's shelter called Felines and Friends. But why would a Superbowl star help a tiny animal shelter in the tiny town of Basin? Keisel is Greene’s nephew.

Keisel's best friend, Michael McGuire explained why the big man on the field has a soft heart for animals, “They’ve got two dogs and he treats them like they were his kids. He really loves animals.”

To read the entire article, click here.

Time is running out...

The auction ends on December 17, so you need to get your bid in soon! Click here to bid or view the items on EBay.

December 11, 2009

Steelers stunned by Browns

Steelers 6, Browns 13

In frigid conditions, the Browns found a way to do something they had not done in Cleveland since 2000. They beat the Steelers.

Pittsburgh's record is now 6-7 on the season.

The Steelers defense stopped the Browns from scoring any points in the second half, but the Browns defense held strong too, allowing no touchdowns by the Steelers all night.

For game news, click here.

Keisel stats:

Brett had five tackles during the game.

Since the team played on Thursday night, they have a bit longer to prepare to beat the Packers. The Steelers are made up of veteran players, and they will find a way to pull together and turn things around next week!

For game photos, click here.

Game time change:

The December 20th game versus the Packers will now be at 4:15 p.m. due to NFL Flex Scheduling.

December 7, 2009

"It's been amazing watching her grow up"

Excerpts from an article by Teresa Varley (Steelers.com):

When Brett Keisel first hosted the Cystic Fibrosis 65 Roses Sports Auction a few years ago it was a way for him to get involved in the community. Now it’s a passion, something that has deep meaning for him.

And there is a good reason. The first year he hosted Keisel met Emma Chichilla, who serves as one of the CF Ambassadors. Her innocence and strength, battling a tough disease, got to Keisel.

“It’s gotten personal for me and my family because we met Emma when I first hosted it,” said Keisel. “She stole our hearts. We are happy with the way things are going. I think Cystic Fibrosis is close to coming up with a cure. People are living 20 years longer than usual. Anything we can do to help we love to do.”

Keisel remains in touch with Chichilla and was happy to see her again at the event this year, as the now seven-year old and him have become good friends.

“It’s crazy,” said Keisel. “She tells me when I missed a tackle or if I did something. It’s been amazing watching her grow up. She has a lot of knowledge now versus when I first met her.”

“These kids pull at my heart,” said Keisel. “I look forward to coming and seeing them and see how much they have grown and changed."

And what Keisel might not realize is that relationship, along with others he has formed with kids with cystic fibrosis, has gone a long way.

“He can piece together and see he is making a difference in their lives by being here,” said Pat Joseph, the executive director of the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of Cystic Fibrosis. “He has come to embrace the children that are fighting for life. He has grown with us. He knows what he is talking about. Sometimes I feel he knows the science and research better than I do.

To read the entire article, click here.

For photos from the event, there is a link in the Keisel Kam section-on right side of this page. There is also a link and news in the December 4th news.

Game photos:

I also added a few game photos from yesterday. Click here to see them.

December 6, 2009

Tough ending

Steelers 24, Raiders 27

From KDKA:

Louis Murphy caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Bruce Gradkowski with nine seconds remaining, his second score in the final 5½ minutes, and the Oakland Raiders scored three late touchdowns to stun Pittsburgh 27-24 on Sunday.

The Steelers went ahead 24-20 on Ben Roethlisberger's 11-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward with 1:56 remaining, only to have the Raiders rally and win the game.

After three quarters in which there was little scoring – the Steelers led 10-6 at the end of three - and long stretches of inactivity, the fourth quarter suddenly become a back-and-forth duel between revived offenses in which the lead changed five times in the final 8½ minutes.

Brett had eight tackles during the game. He and the defense got a lot of pressure on Gradkowski throughout the game.

To read more game news, click here.

To see Brett's post-game interview, click here.

I will add game photos Monday, so check back!

December 4, 2009

65 Roses Sports Auction

Brett hosted the 65 Roses Sports Auction again this year, which benefits Cystic Fibrosis.

He is shown with Emma, a Cystic Fibrosis ambassador who attends the event each year also.

Attendees were able to enjoy dinner, a sports auction and an autograph signing with Brett and his teammates. Some of the players who attended were Ben Roethlisberger, Charlie Batch, Heath Miller and Hines Ward.

To see photos of Brett, click here.

To see all photos from the event, click here. Then click on 65 Roses Sports Auction.

December 2, 2009

You vote...#99 plays

Time is running out for Pro Bowl voting.

If you want to see Keisel in Miami for the 2010 Pro Bowl, you need to VOTE! Fan voting ends on December 21.

The NFL released the top "vote getters" at each postion as of November 30, and so far Dwight Freeney of the Colts leads at the DE position. So, it is important to vote now...and vote often. It's free, easy and there are no restrictions on the amount of times you vote.

Remember...

YOU VOTE...#99 PLAYS!

The link to voting is on the right side of this page, under Pro Bowl.

New article:

Steelers Digest had a great article on Brett in their last issue. Click here to read it.

November 30, 2009

"We've got to win out"

Steelers 17, Ravens 20

Brett's comment after the overtime loss to the Ravens:

"We made some big plays, but not enough of them. We've got to win out. There's no other ifs, ands or buts. We've got to win out in order for us to be playing in January."

The Steelers were without Ben Roethlisberger, their starting quarterback, and his backup, Charlie Batch. They headed into the game with their third string quarterback-Dennis Dixon. Up until the Baltimore game, he had thrown one pass in the NFL. The team was also without Troy Polamalu. But, if the Ravens thought they had an easy win coming their way, they were wrong.

From Steelcityinsider:

Nobody counted on the play of second-year quarterback Dennis Dixon making things interesting.

Dixon, making his first career start, ran for one touchdown and threw for another. It was his first mistake, however, that did the Steelers in.

Dixon was intercepted by rookie Paul Kruger on third-and-five from midfield in overtime and Kruger returned the ball to the Pittsburgh 28 to set up a 29-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff that lifted Baltimore to a 20-17 victory.

For four quarters, Dixon looked like a player who had been playing in the NFL for years. Dixon completed threw for 145 yards and a touchdown and also ran for a score with 6:32 left in the game to give the Steelers (6-5) their first lead of the game.

The touchdown was the culmination of a drive that began when the Ravens committed a costly turnover after quarterback Joe Flacco was strip-sacked by Lawrence Timmons, with the ball recovered by Brett Keisel.

The defense harassed Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco all night, sacking him five times.

To read more about the game, click here.

Game photos:

Click here to check out game pictures.

Event reminder:

Brett will be hosting the 65 Roses Sports Auction on December 3. Details are in the Events and Appearancessection on the right side of this page.

November 25-26, 2009

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

All turkeys beware...

...Keisel's theory on birds:

'If it flies, it dies.' " Brett was talking about pheasants when he said that, but just in case... any wild turkeys in his vicinity may want to go into hiding!

Brett's friend and teammate, Ben Roethlisberger is featured on the cover of USA Today Sports Weekly, and he talks about being the hunter versus the hunted.

"I like being the hunter - not the hunted," Roethlisberger says. "I realize that if you are the hunted, it means you're on top. To me, I want to hunt you - then beat you at the end. To go undefeated would be a great feat. But all the crap that goes with it - everybody chasing you - well, I want to be the guy who sneaks up from behind. That's just my mentality."

"Ducks, geese, pheasant, quail, grouse - anything with wings," the quarterback says of his fondness for hunting. "In the words of my teammate Brett Keisel: 'If it flies, it dies.'"

Thanks to Erin, from Big Ben News for sending the quote to me. Visit her site to see Ben's cover and to read more of the article.

Thanksgiving greetings from the Steelers:

Click here to watch a video featuring Steelers players sharing their Thanksgiving greetings with Steelers Nation and the military.

New photos:

Brett and his family attended teammate Deshea Townsend's Black and Gold Art Show this week. Click here to view photos from the event.

Information about Townsend's event was posted in the November 18th news.

Fan encounter:

I received the following email from Rita Bennett:

Hi Trish! I just wanted to share with you a little fan story. It was one of the pre season games this season, and my son who happens to be a youth football coach and President for Thomas Jefferson (TJ), and my grandson Andrew "Stinger" were representing their football league during pre game festivities. They were standing in line and Brett and his teammates were warming up. Andrew stood there watching in amazement in his black & gold team jersey (by the way, his football number is #99). My son said he saw Brett look over their way but never thought anything of it. Well, Brett walked over and shook my grandson's hand and took his (Brett's) hat off and gave it him. Well need I say anymore...Andrew wears that hat everywhere. I just want to say thank you to Brett for being so kind and for being a genuine # 1 player. I wear a Brett jersey and have been since last season. I just think he is one of the best players in the NFL.Thanks for letting me share this little story with you.

Rita's son, David Beatty sent a picture of his son (Andrew "Stinger" Murdy) wearing the hat Brett gave him.

Click here to see the photo.

Thank you to Rita, David and Andrew for sharing their fan encounter!

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE THANKSGIVING!

November 22, 2009

Steelers lose in overtime

Steelers 24, Chiefs 27

From Scott Brown, Tribune Review:

Following perhaps the most unexpected loss of the Mike Tomlin era, a come-from-ahead defeat against a team that had not won at home this season until Sunday, Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton said what had to be going through every mind in a hushed and cramped visiting locker room.

"There was no doubt in my mind we were going to win," Hampton said.

The Steelers didn't just drop a 27-24 overtime stunner to the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday. They also lost Ben Roethlisberger on the first possession of overtime when the franchise quarterback took a knee to the head.

Click here to read the whole article.

The Steelers are 6-4 and will play Baltimore next week.

Brett had two tackles during the game.

Coach Tomlin did not have much news on Ben's injury after the game. He said it was "concussion-oriented" in nature. Also, Chris Kemoeatu suffered an MCL sprain in the game.

I have only located one game photo of Brett so far. Click here to see it.

Keisel talks about Steeler Nation:

"One of the reasons we're so lucky to be playing for the Steelers is that no matter where we are on the road, we feel the love from Steeler Nation. I can't tell you how many road games we played when our fans are more into the game than [home team] fans."

November 20, 2009

Keisel: Unsung hero of Steelers

From Scott Brown, Tribune Review:

LaMarr Woodley called Brett Keisel the "most underrated defensive end in the NFL."

James Farrior probably wouldn't argue with something else Woodley said earlier this week: that Keisel merits consideration for the Pro Bowl. "Best year since I've been here," Farrior said when asked how Keisel has been playing.

By applying the transitive property to Farrior's claim, Keisel is having the best year of his career since both players joined the Steelers in 2002.

Keisel leads the Steelers in quarterback pressures (16) and is tied for second in sacks (three). He has also proved to be a stabilizing force up front since the Steelers lost Aaron Smith to a season-ending shoulder injury.

"Losing a great player like that we have no time to hold our heads down and (say): 'Man, what are we going to do without (No.) 91?' " Keisel said of Smith, his close friend and former mentor. "I know it was an opportunity for me to step up and show my teammates what I was capable of and that we can still keep this bus moving."

It wouldn't be entirely accurate to say Keisel has elevated his play since Smith got hurt. That is because his coaches and teammates say the eighth-year veteran has been playing at a high level since early September, when the Steelers officially began the defense of their Super Bowl title.

"When you grade the tape, you see a guy that makes a lot of plays," Steelers defensive line coach John Mitchell said. "He plays under the radar."

Added defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau: "He had two tremendous years the past two years, but he's playing better than that right now."

LaMarr Woodley: "I thought he should have went to the Pro Bowl last year. Playing in this 3-4 scheme, you do different things, so your sacks aren't going to be as high. But the things (Keisel) does, as far as putting pressure on the quarterback, allowing guys like me and James (Harrison) coming off the edge to get sacks, have to count for something."

To read the entire article (it is a great read), click here..

Also, click here to watch an interview with Steelers sports writers talking about Brett's great season, and a quick interview with Keisel.

Pro Bowl voting...

...ends on December 21st. Keisel's teammates strongly believe he deserves to go, and he's having an amazing season. So, please take the time to vote for #99! The link is on the right side of this page.

New photos:

I added a photo of Brett and his wife, Sarah from Charlie Batch's event, In the Pocket. Click here to see it.

I also received some photos from Dave and Keri Bassili. They were in Pittsburgh to see the Steelers defeat the Browns, and also were able to meet Brett at an autograph signing at Hometown Sports. Dave was getting ready to deploy to Iraq-his fourth time. And, Keri has been there twice.

The couple are huge Steelers fans and Keri said Dave took his Terrible Towel and Steelers jersey to Iraq!

Both the Bassili's were kind enough to share their photos from the visit to Pittsburgh. Click here to see some of them.

The photo above is of Dave Bassili with Brett. There is also a picture of Keri with Brett in the photo gallery.

Thanks so much to the Bassili's for sharing their photos, and for all they have done (and continue to do) for our country.

November 18, 2009

News and Notes

From WTAE:

The Steelers are accustomed to using their helmets to help paint opposing teams black and blue, but some players are using them to express their artistic sides. Members of the Steelers teamed up with local artists to create their own signature designs as part of cornerback Deshea Townsend's Pay It Forward Foundation.

Artist Duane Rieder worked with the players to create their helmet designs.

Defensive end Brett Keisel, an avid outdoorsman, designed a helmet with a buck and its pointy antlers.

Brett's design can be seen above.

Want to own the helmet he designed...and help out a great cause?

Well, the helmets will be auctioned off on November 23rd at an event hosted by Deshea Townsend. The sale of all the helmets will help fund free health screenings in Townsend's native Mississippi and Pittsburgh.

For more information on the event, and to buy tickets, click here.

To see photos of some other helmets designed by Brett's teammates, click here.

Tomlin (during his weekly press conference) talks about Keisel:

"He’s been playing well all year. Brett is a solid, solid professional. He does a lot of dirty work. He’s really underappreciated. I think it’s the nature of the position he plays in our scheme, similar to Aaron Smith. There are a lot of people that ride the wave of destruction that he provides. I think on both of those sacks he was disruptive, but that’s nothing new for Brett Keisel. He’s appreciated on our team and in the locker room. That’s all that’s important to him.

Notes on Brett's season so far (from steelcityinsider):

He leads the team in quarterback pressures/hurries, and he has three sacks and three pass knockdowns.

Pro Bowl voting reminder:

Please keep voting to send #99 to the Pro Bowl. Fan voting ends on December 21, so we need to ROCK THE PRO BOWL VOTE FOR #99! The voting link is to the right, on this page.

November 17, 2009

Additional roles for Keisel?

From John Harris, Tribune Review:

As a concession to potential injury and their status on the team, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin relieved Pro Bowl outside linebacker James Harrison and starting defensive end Brett Keisel of important special teams responsibilities.

It was 2007 all over again for the Steelers during Sunday's special teams meltdown in a critical 18-12 loss to Cincinnati at Heinz Field. Only this time it wasn't Cleveland's Joshua Cribbs returning kickoffs for 100 and 90 yards in the same game, or Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew's backbreaking kickoff return in the AFC Wild Card playoff game. Pin this loss on the special teams for allowing another kickoff return for a touchdown, the third kickoff returned for a score against the Steelers in four games.

If Tomlin truly believes special teams are just as important as his offense and defense, he'll shake up the lineup before Sunday's game at Kansas City.

"It's something we've worked on, something that obviously we're aware of and it just seems to keep happening,'' Keisel said. "I'm sure coach Tomlin is going to address it and I'm sure some moves are going to be made. Who knows? I might be at (my old position) again.''

The kickoff team needs bigger and faster athletes like Harrison and Keisel, who were longtime special teams mainstays. Starting inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons should also return to special teams, joining starting cornerbacks Ike Taylor and William Gay, who are already on the kickoff team. It's no coincidence that the performance of the special teams has slacked off since the departure of Harrison, Keisel and Timmons.

Sure, it's a gamble to play starters on special teams because of the injury risk. Football is a violent enough sport as it is. Allowing key starters to also play special teams is the NFL's version of Russian roulette. However, the Steelers can't afford to lose any more games because of poor special teams play.

To read the entire article, click here.

Brett demonstrated what an asset he was to the Steelers early on in his career by his special teams standout play. He worked hard on special teams and later earned his position as a starter at defensive end for the team. So, seeing others not make the most of their opportunities probably surprises him.

Keisel talks about special teams :

It's definitely something that has to be addressed. We can't expect that to happen week in and week out and have a chance to win. Special teams is all about desire, desire and want-to -- you want to get down there and make the play. Hopefully we can get things figured out there."

There has been no official word, as of yet, on whether the Steelers are even considering making changes to their special teams. I will update if any news becomes available after Coach Tomlin's press conference today.

Kudos to Keisel

From Scott Brown's View From The Press Box:

Player of the game:

Defensive end Brett Keisel.

Keisel continued to play at a high level as he had four tackles against the Bengals and helped the Steelers limit Cincinnati to 61 rushing yards on 29 carries. He also got credited with a quarterback hurry, and he nearly intercepted a Carson Palmer pass deep in Steelers’ territory in the third quarter. A leaping Keisel got both hands on the Palmer pass near the line of scrimmage, and while he couldn’t hang onto it he forced the Bengals to settle for a 32-yard Shayne Graham field goal.

To read Brown's entire article. click the link after his name.

Moving on after loss to the Bengals:

"There's still a lot of football left,'' Keisel said. "There's still seven weeks left, which is almost half of the schedule. Sometimes things don't work out for you, but we're going to correct them and it's onward and upward.''

October 31, 2009

Steelers support Project Bundle Up

From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

Winter is just around the corner and thanks to the efforts of the Steelers and Salvation Army, some young kids will be keeping warm on bitter cold days. Steelers’ players took kids from the North Side Salvation Army shopping at Macy’s at Ross Park Mall as a part of Project Bundle-Up, a Salvation Army program that provides winter outerwear for needy children in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

“This year the waiting list is much longer because a lot of people who have been affected by the economy are coming to us,” said Major Robert Reel, the Salvation Army Division Commander. “The need is there. They have been laid off of work and are trying to hold down part time jobs.

“The players don’t have to do this. This is a night off for them. They take the time out of their schedule and come here and give time to the children. It is so valuable. The kids will never, ever forget it. I have been doing this for awhile and it warms my heart every time to see the players relate to the children and the children relate to them. They work so well together to get the items they need. The Steelers are fantastic at it. They really are great.”

Each player is paired with one of the kids and they set off on a shopping adventure to find a winter coat, hat, gloves and scarf, the perfect combination to fight off the winter chill.

To read the whole article, click here.

To see some photos of Brett at the event from this year and last, click here.

Reminders:

Please keep voting to send Brett to the Pro Bowl. The link to voting is on the right side of this page. Also, any upcoming events are listed to the right also under Events and Appearances.

The Steelers have a bye Sunday, and will take the field again on November 9 to play Denver. To get us through until the next game, click here to view highlights and interviews from previous games-including Keisel's forced fumble from last week.

October 28, 2009

Upcoming event

Brett will once again be hosting the 65 Roses Sports Auction to benefit Cystic Fibrosis. The event will be held at McFaddens on December 3rd.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, click here.

For prices to attend, click here.

For photos from previous years, click here. There are five pages of photos.

Also...

I added the Pro Bowl voting link to the right side of this page. And, I added some (not all) of the various causes Mr. Keisel supports. You can read more about each cause, listed on the right side of page under Keisel Causes, through the links provided.

"Our Brett is better than your Brett":

Thanks to Brett's sister, Peggy I heard from the person who made the sign that was flashed on FOX last Sunday. Her name is Terrie, and she is obviously a huge Steelers and Keisel fan.

Peggy met Terrie at a Steelers vs. Jets game a couple years ago and describes her as "Brett's number one fan."

Terrie said she has not missed a Steelers home game in thirteen years. This may not seem extraordinary to local Pittsburgh fans, but Terrie is definitely not local. She and her husband (who dresses as Jesus to get fans going), drive to Pittsburgh from Connecticut for every home game! Terrie said they are both self described "crazy Steelers fans."

From Peggy (Brett's sister):

"It's fans like these guys that our family truly appreciates. And, I just wanted to give a shout out to her (Terrie) and thank her for the sign. And I truly do love her and all of the great fans. Way to go Brett and all of the defensive line. You guys deserve a place in history along the likes of the Steel Curtain."

Way to go Terrie for the great sign! If you missed seeing it on television, there is a picture in the October 25 news, and here.

I've received numerous emails asking about the sign, so thanks to Peggy for helping me get in touch with Terrie!

Honorable mention:

Steelers Digest gave Player of the Week honors to James Farrior for his great defensive play vs. the Vikings. Others considered for the weekly award were: Brett Keisel, Max Starks, Keyaron Fox and LaMarr Woodley.

November 15, 2009

Bengals edge Steelers

Steelers 12, Bengals 18

The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Steelers 18-12 today to sweep their two-game series and take the lead in the AFC North Division. Neither team scored a touchdown on offense. Jeff Reed kicked four field goals for the Steelers and Graham kicked three. The only touchdown came on a 96-yard kickoff return in the first quarter by Cincinnati rookie Bernard Scott.

From Jim Wexell:

It was a brilliant effort by a Steelers defense that came into the game hoping to hold one of the NFL’s most efficient red-zone teams to field goals instead of touchdowns. For the most part, the defense achieved its objective. “Well,” said coordinator Dick LeBeau, “our main objective is to win, and we didn’t get that done.”

The Steelers’ defense was good – despite losing strong safety Troy Polamalu to a knee injury in the first quarter – limiting Cincinnati to four third down conversions on 14 attempts.

Keisel on the loss:

“They made more plays today. But hopefully this is exactly what we needed. Hopefully we needed to get knocked down a little bit. You know, we’ve lost games before and responded. We’ve got to do that this time.”

Stats:

Brett had four tackles, and although James Harrison was credited with a sack, it definitely was a shared sack with #99. He also had a great pass deflection.

Click here for game photos.

November 11, 2009-Thanks to all veterans

Post-game interview with Keisel

Semi-transcript of Brett's post-game interview:

"It was a great win against a great team. We had some starters down and a lot of players stepped up big. That is what we need going into this last stretch."

Keisel is asked about the defense trying to shut down the Broncos offense :

"That's what we try and do every game. We feel like if we can do that we can unleash our blitzes, and teams have a hard time picking up what we can do. We got big play out of Troy Polamalu there in the back, and that pretty much sealed the game."

To view Brett's post-game interview, click here. Then just scroll down the list of interviews to get to Keisel's.

From Scott Brown's column in the Tribune-Review:

Telling statistic: The Broncos had just 59 yards of total offense and two first downs in the second half. A defense that struggled to close out games earlier this season completely owned the fourth quarter at Invesco Field. Troy Polamalu’s interception set up the Roethlisberger-to-Wallace touchdown pass that gave the Steelers an 11-point lead.

Meanwhile, the only first down the Broncos got in the fourth quarter came with less than a minute left in it when the Steelers were sitting on a 28-10 lead.

“I think we’re starting to trust each other, and everyone knows what we’re running and I think when everyone does that we’re a tough defense to move the ball on,” defensive end Brett Keisel said of the Steelers’ dominance in the fourth quarter.

From Broncos defensive end Kenny Peterson:

“They just outplayed us. There is a reason why they are the defending Super Bowl champions.”

Tomlin's message to veterans and active military personnel-which aired on ESPN during Monday Night Football

"We appreciate the blanket protection that you guys provide. The sacrifice you make is not under appreciated. We really respect and admire what it is that you're doing."

Rock the Pro Bowl vote:

Please keep voting to send #99 to the Pro Bowl. The link is on the right side of this page.

For photos and news from the Denver game, check out the links in the November 10 news.

November 10, 2009

Keisel SACKS it to Denver

Steelers 28, Broncos 10

ESPN sports commentator Jon Gruden mentioned Monday night that he didn't think anyone outside of Pittsburgh knew who Brett Keisel was? Well, that could not be further from the truth, but just in case Denver was not aware of who Keisel was prior to the game last night, they sure know who he is now!

Keisel made sure to personally introduce himself to Denver QB Kyle Orton--twice. Certainly not the kind of introduction Orton welcomed, but I am sure the veterans on hand for the game (and watching from home and overseas) appreciated Keisel's salute (and sack dance).

From sports writer Jim Wexell:

"The salute to the veterans after Keisel’s first sack was first class. In fact, let that salute stand in behalf of all football fans. "

From Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

The Steel Hurtin' defense, playing without three starters, rose up in the mile-high altitude to deliver a crushing victory last night, the team's fifth consecutive win. The Steelers dominated the Broncos and won, 28-10, despite losing two big turnovers of their own, one for a touchdown and another that prevented one. The victory lifted the Steelers' record to 6-2 and a tie with Cincinnati atop the AFC North Division. The teams meet at 1 p.m. Sunday in Heinz Field. Denver lost its second in a row to drop to 6-2.

From Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

None of the pregame warnings regarding the ominous atmospherics of the Rocky Mountains foretold of the likelihood that two of the best teams in the AFC would be looking at each other upside down for most of the night, but five minutes deep in the third quarter, the defenses were scoring the touchdowns, the offenses were giving them up, and the respective special teams appeared to be conspiring toward some similarly unconventional climax.

Ty Carter's 48-yard interception return to the Denver end zone in the second quarter meant that the Steelers' defense had scored three touchdowns since the last time the offense had managed one.

When the offense suddenly sat bolt upright in the second half, going 80 yards on four plays to a 14-10 lead, the capacity crowd at Invesco Field was compelled to remember that despite the depletions in LeBeau's defense, it was still thick with superstars. Polamalu was still flying, James Harrison still mauling, Brett Keisel still attacking everything that flashed in front of him. These are the people who make it possible for Mike Tomlin to insist that regardless of circumstances, the standard of expectation does not change. It's no coincidence that the standard of excellence players like these have long since established and so consistently achieve turns into victories in difficult environments.

"We did what we try to do every game," Keisel said when apprised of Denver's second-half rushing total -- 1 yard. "If we can make them one dimensional we can unleash our blitzes, people have a hard time picking up what we're doing."

The Steelers offense started out slow during the first half, but exploded through the second half. The Steelers defense, missing three (four counting Aaron Smith) players, held strong throughout the entire game. Orton and the Broncos were harassed the whole night by the Steelers defense. Orton had three passes intercepted (two picks by Carter and one by Polamalu), and he was sacked twice (thanks to #99). Keisel also jumped in to deflect an Orton pass, preventing the Broncos from setting up any chance of a come-back.

With the victory, Pittsburgh’s fifth straight, the Steelers set up a showdown with Cincinnati for first place in the AFC North. The Steelers will host the Bengals on November 15.

To read more about the big win over Denver, click on the respective links for the excerpts from Mr. Bouchette and Mr. Collier.

Game photos:

Click here.

Voting:

Please keep voting to send #99 to the Pro Bowl. The link is on the right side of this page.

Also...

...Ben Roethlisberger is nominated for Fed Ex Air player of the week after his performance Monday night. Click here to vote.

And, Mike Wallace is nominated for Rookie of the week. Click here to vote.

Great game by Keisel and the Steelers! Way to go #99!

October 26, 2009

"We answered the call"

Keisel talks about the defense:

"We feel like we have a really good defense. Today was a great test for us to go against a good offensive line, a great quarterback, a great running back. It was a big test for us and we answered the call."

Buzz on Keisel's play:

From View from the Press Box::

Play of the game: Brett Keisel’s strip and Woodley’s 77-yard fumble return.

How badly did the Steelers and their defense need Woodley’s first NFL touchdown? They had allowed the Vikings to drive from their own 3-yard line to the Steelers’ 8-yard line in the fourth quarter of a three-point game. They had also allowed Minnesota to convert three times on third down, including once when the Vikings needed 18 yards to move the chains.

With Favre poised to get the Vikings into the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown, Keisel knocked the ball out of the veteran quarterback’s right hand. That set the stage for Woodley, who followed his blocks as if he were a seasoned running back and weaved his way for the Steelers’ first defensive touchdown of the season.

From Ed Bouchette, Post Gazette::

You expect this kind of scoring burst when the NFL's leading passer and the league's resident Hall of Fame quarterback-in-waiting get together.

Fans jammed Heinz Field like never before to see it and they were treated to a blitzkrieg when the Steelers and Minnesota Vikings fired off three long touchdowns in the final 61/2 minutes yesterday. Only it was not Ben Roethlisberger nor Brett Favre who provided the rockets; those came from a Steelers defense too often on the other side in the fourth quarter this season, and another kickoff return by their opponent.

Another Brett -- Keisel -- joined Lamarr Woodley and Keyaron Fox to hijack the Roethlisberger and Favre Show as the Steelers' defense held off the Vikings in a fourth-quarter flurry of big plays, 27-17.

Keisel talks about the big play:

"We practice that play every day as a team, we play as a team, and today we won as a team. I saw the ball there, I swiped at it, and it worked out for us."

More buzz:

From Todd Fleming, analyst with Bleacher Reports:

Steelers Biggest "Offensive" Weapon Against Vikings? Brett Keisel

Against the Vikings, he was the Steelers' most important "offensive" player. By my count, Keisel set up two touchdowns. It was Keisel who beat one of the highest regarded offensive linemen in football, Steve Hutchinson, to strip the football away from Brett Favre and set up the first defensive touchdown in the fourth quarter.

We'll all remember watching Lamarr Woodley weave and dodge his way to paydirt. But, it was Keisel who set the play up and Woodley who was the beneficiary.

Fast forward to the second defensive touchdown. Minnesota was moving the ball seemingly at ease and looked poised to not just kick a tying field goal, but to put the ball in the end zone for the win.

The Vikings call a screen pass to Chester Taylor. Keisel smells it out, showing superb instincts. He slides down the line, creating a traffic jam around the intended target. Favre throws it anyway.

Just as the ball arrives, Keisel hits Taylor who lets the ball sail through his fingers into the waiting arms of Keyaron Fox. Again, we'll remember watching Fox zigging and zagging his way to the end zone But, without Keisel correctly diagnosing the play, the interception doesn't happen.

From a post-game interview with Brett:

Talking about the defense:

"Well, it was just... you know...we didn't want to do anything over the top. We just wanted to be basic ...everyone stay in our gaps, run to the ball...do the things we've always done around here. Rely on each other to make plays...and today I'm just proud of our defense. We stood up big. We scored two touchdowns..we had that big stop..you know when they had it down there on the couple inch line. Just a team effort...proud of our guys."

Asked about his strip of Favre:

"I just tried to get on the edge..and I came around the corner and Brett (Favre) was just coming back into his throwing motion you know & I was just able to get a hand on the ball."

Keisel talks about Brett Favre:

"What he brings to the table is still amazing to me -- how he's still one of the best in the league. "He's a winner. He's always been a winner. And it was a lot of fun to compete against him."

Pro Bowl 2010

Time to send Brett to his 1st Pro Bowl! The voting has started. I will post a link to keep on the right side of this page sometime this week. For now, click here.

Once on the ballot page, click on AFC Defense, and then on Def. Ends. You can filter by team if you want. Voting is unlimited-so please vote often. Fans count for one third of the total votes so let's show Keisel what great fans he has. He does his part on the field week after week...so we can do our part by voting for #99!

October 25, 2009

"Our Brett is better than your Brett"...

Steelers 27, Vikings 17

... from a sign held up by a Steelers fan during the game that was caught by FOX cameras. Great sign...and so true!

Today the Steelers, especially the defense, were definitely better than the "Vikings Brett".

Keisel stats:

What a game for #99! He had a sack and forced fumble, which led to a LaMarr Woodley touchdown. Keisel also had four tackles.

Ben Roethlisberger on the Steelers defense:

"Our defense showed up in big way & it was fun to watch 'em," Ben said during his post game interview. "I enjoyed watching them play, today they showed up when we needed them to. They did it."

From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:

It was a defensive battle from the onset and it was only fitting that two defensive touchdowns sealed the Steelers 27-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings. The win improves the Steelers record to 5-2 heading into their bye week, while the 6-1 Vikings suffered their first loss of the season.

“They pounded a couple in on us but we stayed in the fight, guys didn’t blink and to their credit, we were able to win the game,” said Coach Mike Tomlin. “When you put a couple of splash plays defensively; you put 14 points on the board defensively you can overcome a lot of errors.

Brett Favre opened it up for the Vikings with an eight-yard completion to Sidney Rice, but the defense brought pressure fast. James Harrison knocked Adrian Peterson for a one-yard loss and Ryan Clark pressured Favre, forcing an incompletion to Percy Harvin and a punt.

The defense continued to bring it on the next series when James Farrior sacked Favre for an eight-yard loss back to the Vikings 10-yard line. Chester Taylor managed a four-yard carry, but on third down the defense shut them down again.

The defensive battle continued on the next drive. After allowing the Vikings their first first down of the game, Troy Polamalu busted through to knock Peterson for a three-yard loss. Woodley followed that up by sacking Favre for a six-yard loss. On third down a swarming defense wasn’t letting Taylor go anywhere, stuffing the middle for no gain.

Chris Kluwe’s19-yard punt gave the Steelers the ball with excellent field position at the Vikings 39-yard line to start their next drive. Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward for three yards and Mike Wallace was able to pull in a 10-yard reception. Wallace went around left end on the reverse for 13 yards and tight end David Johnson caught his first NFL pass for four-yards. Roethlisberger found Santonio Holmes near the goal line for what appeared to be a seven-yard touchdown, but a pass interference call negated the score. The Steelers had to settle for a 39-yard Jeff Reed field goal for a 3-0 lead.

The defense came back strong, though, knocking Peterson for a two-yard loss and pressuring Favre on third down, forcing an incompletion.

The momentum continued in the Steelers favor to start the second half. Mendenhall took it for 16 yards and Wallace for six, with a 15-yard face mask against Pat Williams tacked on. Mendenhall went off right tackle for nine yards and on third-and-one Roethlisberger took it for two yards, and was hit out of bounds by Benny Sapp who was flagged for a personal foul, giving the Steelers the ball at the eight-yard line. The Vikings tightened their grip near the goal line, holding the black and gold to a 27-yard field goal by Jeff Reed, extending the lead to 13-7. The Vikings looked primed to take the lead when Favre drove them down to the one-yard line, with the key play a 34-yard completion to Rice. With their backs against the wall the defense came up big once again, stopping them three straight times in their effort to gain a yard. Instead of seven, the Vikings had to settle for an 18-yard Ryan Longwell field goal, pulling them within a field goal at 13-10.

The Steelers failed to score, and Minnesota got the ball back. On third down, Brett Keisel sacked Favre for a 15-yard loss, forcing a fumble. Woodley recovered the ball at the 23-yard line and rambled down the field for a 77-yard touchdown, putting the Steelers up 20-10. The Vikings fired right back. Harvin was able to avoid the coverage on the kickoff and took it back 88 yards for a touchdown, bringing them back within a field goal at 20-17.

The Vikings defense was able to hold the Steelers on their next drive.With a record crowd at Heinz Field on the edge of their seats the Vikings came fighting back. But once again, the defense stepped up big. With second-and-three from the 19-yard line and 1:15 on the clock, Fox intercepted Favre and returned it 82-yards to seal a 27-17 win.

For Brett's post-game interview: Click