Bengals

Bengals QB Joe Burrow is entering the seventh year of his career in 2026. Burrow said he wants to become a more vocal leader and “evolve” as a player. 

“I’ve always kind of expressed myself with my clothes or my hair, less with my words. Trying to get better at using my words and feelings a little more,” Burrow said, via Geoff Hobson of the team’s site. “Trying to evolve as a person, a player, a leader. Just trying to bring to the table whatever the team needs.”

Burrow admitted that he’s never been an overly vocal player, but understands that it is needed as he’s matured as a professional. 

“I’ve been pushed to do that in the past. Not necessarily here, but just in my football life,” Burrow said. “I’ve tried it before, and it’s not really for me. But as I’ve grown and matured, I just think you have to be able to do it at some points, and you can’t be so bad at it when you have to do it.”

Burrow is pleased with how many veteran leaders they have in the locker room with players like DT Dexter Lawrence, DL Jonathan Allen, S Bryan Cook and DE Boye Mafe. 

“I think the amount of veterans that we brought in this offseason certainly upped the cultural dynamic in the locker room. I think the vibes are great right now,” Burrow said. “Dexter. Jonathan Allen, Bryan Cook, Boye. Some team cohesion was lacking over the last several years, and bringing veterans in like that, that have been there and done that and created those cultures and know what it takes has really helped us.”

Steelers

Steelers WR D.K. Metcalf enters the eighth year of his career, but has yet to be named a team captain. Metcalf said his teammates’ respect matters most. 

“Just being respected by my teammates more than anything is what I look at the most. Just because I got a C on my chest or don’t, doesn’t mean that my teammates won’t listen to me or won’t respect me at the end of the day,” Metcalf said, via Jonathan Jones of The Athletic.

Metcalf hasn’t recorded a 1,000-yard season since 2023 and finished with a career-low of 850 receiving yards last year. Metcalf said his focus isn’t on eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark and wants to help Pittsburgh win a Super Bowl. 

“I mean, I’ve done it, so me doing it again is proving what to anybody?” Metcalf said. “I want to win the Super Bowl and I’ll let the rest speak for itself.”

As for departing from the Seahawks right before they won a Super Bowl, Metcalf said he congratulated his former teammates and isn’t sour about the move. 

“I live with my decisions every day… they’re very well thought-out decisions to where I know the consequences, know my benefits from every decision that I make,” Metcalf said. “I got brothers on (the Seahawks), still friends on the team. So I congratulated them, but nobody’s sour over an ex unless you really miss them. So no, I wasn’t sour.”

• Gerry Dulac reports that the Steelers and CB Joey Porter Jr. are no longer having contract extension talks as the regular season has begun and the two sides were unable to come to terms.

Steelers 

Steelers WR D.K. Metcalf enters the eighth year of his career and his second in Pittsburgh. Metcalf said he is trying to be more conscious of his body in 2026 so that he can be healthy toward the end of the season. 

“We’re not trying to win a game in August. We’ve got to be durable for the season to where, when December, January hits, we’re in full peak, feeling healthy,” Metcalf said, via Jonathan Jones of The Athletic. “The biggest thing is just saying no to myself and just realizing that it’s good to take a rep here and there and save your body for later on down the road.”

Metcalf thinks there’s a misconception about the energy he brings on the field and understands that football is a game of will. 

“With me, people think I’m an a–hole or I’m just mean on the field,” Metcalf said. “I feel like I can block my ass off and take another man’s will every chance that I get. It’s a man’s sport, so I’m not about to hold back anything on the field. I’m going to try to whoop your ass every time you line up in front of me. I think just people need to just accept people for who they are and not try to put titles on them.”