TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS ADVENTHEALTH TRAINING CENTER ONE BUCCANEER PLACE, TAMPA FLORIDA 2019 WEEKLY PRESS RELEASE TEL (813) 554-1311 COMMUNICATIONS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (0-0) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (0-0) FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 7:30 P.M. ET HEINZ FIELD (68,400) LOCAL TELEVISION: WFLA (NBC 8) PLAY-BY-PLAY: CHRIS MYERS ANALYST: RONDE BARBER SIDELINE: DAN LUCAS BUCS RADIO: 98ROCK, FLAGSHIP STATION (WXTB-97.9 FM) PLAY-BY-PLAY: GENE DECKERHOFF ANALYST: DAVE MOORE SIDELINE: T.J. RIVES ALL-TIME SERIES 2019 Schedule and Results (0-0) PRESEASON The Buccaneers travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers in the preseason for the fifth time. The Buccaneers DATE OPPONENT (TV) TIME/RESULT and Steelers have an even 2-2 record in all-time preseason matchups, with the most recent meeting coming in 8/9 at Pittsburgh Steelers (WFLA) 7:30 p.m. the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 1, 1998, in which Tampa Bay captured a 30-6 win over 8/16 MIAMI DOLPHINS (WFLA) 7:30 p.m. Pittsburgh. Prior to that, the two teams split back-to-back matchups in the 1995 and 1996 preseasons. The first 8/23 CLEVELAND BROWNS (WFLA) 7:30 p.m. ever preseason meeting came in 1985 in Tampa, in which the Steelers pulled out a 42-27 victory on the road at 8/29 at Dallas Cowboys (WFLA) 8:00 p.m. Tampa Stadium. DATE OPPONENT (TV) TIME/RESULT Pittsburgh leads the all-time regular season series 9-2, but the teams have split the last two contests, with the 9/8 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (FOX) 4:25 p.m. Buccaneers winning, 27-24, in 2014 and the Steelers winning, 30-27, in 2018. Prior to that, Pittsburgh had won 9/12 at Carolina Panthers (NFLN) 8:20 p.m. the previous four matchups against Tampa Bay (2001, 2002, 2006, 2010). Tampa Bay’s 16-3 victory in 1998 9/22 NEW YORK GIANTS (FOX) 4:05 p.m. was the first Buccaneers victory in the series between the two teams. The Bucs took a loss at the hands of the 9/29 at Los Angeles Rams (FOX) 4:05 p.m. Steelers in Tampa Bay’s 1976 inaugural season and also fell short against Pittsburgh in the next three match-ups 10/6 at New Orleans Saints (FOX)^ 1:00 p.m. between 1980-89. 10/13 CAROLINA PANTHERS (NFLN)* 9:30 a.m. Bye Week BUCCANEERS PR TWITTER AND MEDIA SITE 10/27 at Tennessee Titans (FOX)^ 1:00 p.m. 11/3 at Seattle Seahawks (FOX)^ 4:05 p.m. 11/10 ARIZONA CARDINALS (FOX)^ 1:00 p.m. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Communications staff is on Twitter: @BuccaneersComms, the department’s official 11/17 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (FOX)^ 1:00 p.m. Twitter account, which provides media members with the latest updates on schedules and transactions, as well as 11/24 at Atlanta Falcons (FOX)^ 1:00 p.m. notes and facts about the team and its activities. 12/1 at Jacksonville Jaguars (FOX)^ 1:00 p.m. 12/8 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (CBS)^ 1:00 p.m. For all of the team’s publicity material, visit buccaneers.com/media. There, users will find updated statistics, game 12/15 at Detroit Lions (FOX)^ 1:00 p.m. notes, bios, rosters, the 2019 Buccaneers Media Guide and more, plus the latest releases from the team. 12/22 HOUSTON TEXANS (TBD)^ 1:00 p.m. 12/29 ATLANTA FALCONS (FOX)^ 1:00 p.m. HOME GAMES IN ALL CAPS - All Times Eastern ^ Subject to Flexible Scheduling * Game to be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London Nelson Luis Michael Pehanich Chris King Brooke Skelley Andrew Holman Vice President of Communications Director of Communications Senior Communications Manager Communications Coordinator Communications Coordinator [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] STATISTICAL COMPARISON A look at how the teams matched up in the final 2018 season rankings: Category Tampa Bay Pittsburgh Total Offense 3rd (415.5 ypg) 4th (403.3 ypg) Rushing Offense 29th (95.2 ypg) 31st (90.3 ypg) Passing Offense 1st (320.3 ypg) 2nd (313.0 ypg) Total Defense 27th (383.4 ypg) 6th (327.2 ypg) Rushing Defense 24th (123.9 ypg) 6th (96.1 ypg) Passing Defense 26th (259.4 ypg) 10th (231.1 ypg) Points Scored 12th (24.8 ppg) 7th (26.8 ppg) Points Allowed 31st (29.0 ppg) 16th (22.5 ppg) Sacks t19th (38.0) t1st (52.0) Sacks Allowed t17th (41.0) 4th (24.0) Turnover Margin 31st (-18) 28th (-11) Team Leaders (2018 Reg. Season) Tampa Bay Pittsburgh Rushing Yards Peyton Barber (871) James Conner (973) Rushing Touchdowns P. Barber (5) James Conner (12) Passer Rating Ryan Fitzpatrick (100.4) Ben Roethlisberger (96.5) Passing Yards Jameis Winston (2,992) Ben Roethlisberger (5,129) Passing Touchdowns Jameis Winston (19) Ben Roethlisberger (34) Receptions Mike Evans (86) JuJu Smith-Schuster (111) Receiving Yards Mike Evans (1,524) JuJu Smith-Schuster (1,426) Receiving Touchdowns Mike Evans (8) Antonio Brown (15) Tackles Lavonte David (120) Sean Davis (79) Sacks Jason Pierre-Paul (12.5) T.J. Watt (13.0) Interceptions Andrew Adams (4) Joe Haden (2) PLANNED WEEKLY MEDIA SCHEDULE MONDAY, AUGUST 5 TUESDSAY, AUGUST 6 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7 THURSDAY, AUGUST 8 8:00 a.m. - Practice (Military Day) ~ 11:15 a.m. - QB Jameis Winston ~ 11:15 a.m. - Select Player Media No Media Availability ~10:50 a.m. - HC Bruce Arians & (Studio) Availability (Studio) Player Media Availability (On Field) 4:00 p.m. - Practice (Open) 4:00 p.m. - Practice (Open) FRIDAY, AUGUST 9 ~ 6:30 p.m. - HC Bruce Arians ~ 6:30 p.m. - HC Bruce Arians 7:30 p.m. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Media Availability (On Field) Media Availability (On Field) at Pittsburgh Steelers from Heinz Field. - ALL TIMES EASTERN - 2 TAMPA BAY AT PITTSBURGH CONNECTIONS FORMER BUCCANEERS PLAYER/COACH CONNECTIONS • Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin spent five seasons as the • Steelers Senior Defensive Assistant/Secondary Coach Teryl Austin was Defensive Backs Coach for the Buccaneers (2001-05). In 2002, Tampa the Defensive Coordinator for the Detroit Lions in 2014, when Buccaneers Bay’s secondary led the league with 31 interceptions, culminating with DL Ndamukong Suh led the team with 8.5 sacks. a four-interception performance in the team’s Super Bowl XXXVII win. • Steelers Defensive Line Coach Karl Dunbar was on the Alabama • Steelers Conditioning Coordinator Garrett Giemont worked in the coaching staff in 2016, when Buccaneers TE O.J. Howard played for same role for three seasons with the Buccaneers (2003-05). the team. • Steelers LB Mark Barron was drafted by Tampa Bay in the first round • Steelers Running Backs Coach Eddie Faulker was on the Wisconsin of the 2012 NFL Draft and played for the Buccaneers from 2012-14. coaching staff in 2012, when Beau Allen was playing there. FORMER STEELERS BAY AREA TIES • Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians spent eight seasons with • Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey is a native of Lakeland and played the Steelers, with three as the wide receivers coach (2004-06) and collegiately at Florida. five as the offensive coordinator (2007-11). During his tenure, • Steelers LB Vince Williams is a native of Davenport and played Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII. collegiately at Florida State. • Buccaneers Assistant Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator Harold • Steelers LB Anthony Chickillo is a Tampa native and played Goodwin spent five seasons as an offensive assistant for the collegiately at Miami. Steelers (2007-11). • Steelers Coaching Assistant Matt Symmes worked as an offensive • Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Byron Leftwich played for the • graduate assistant at Florida in 2014. Steelers in 2008 and from 2010-12. • Steelers CB Artie Burns is a native of Miami and played collegiately • Buccaneers Offensive Assistant Antwaan Randle El played for the • at Miami. Steelers from 2002-05 and again in 2010. • Steelers S Jordan Dangerfield is a native of Royal Palm Beach. • Buccaneers Outside Linebackers Coach Larry Foote played 11 • Steelers CB Joe Haden played collegiately at Florida. seasons for the Steelers (2002-08, 2010-13). • Steelers DE Stephon Tuitt is a Miami native. • Buccaneers Assistant Special Teams Coach Amos Jones spent five seasons in the same role with the Steelers (2007-11) before serving FORMER NFL TEAMMATES as the Special Teams Coach in 2012. • Buccaneers DL Ndamukong Suh played alongside Steelers LB Mark Barron for the L.A. Rams in 2018. COACHING CONNECTIONS • Buccaneers QB Blaine Gabbert and Steelers DE Tyson Alualu were • Steelers Defensive Coordinator Keith Butler coached alongside teammates in Jacksonville (2011-13). Arians with two teams – first with the Cleveland Browns (2001- • Buccaneers OLB Carl Nassib and Steelers CB Joe Haden played 02) and again in Pittsburgh (2004-11). Butler also worked with together in Cleveland in 2016. Buccaneers Defensive Coordinator Todd Bowles and Running • Buccaneers DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches and K Cairo Santos were Backs Coach Todd McNair in Cleveland (2001-02). teammates with Steelers CB Steven Nelson in Kansas City (2015- • Buccaneers Quarterbacks Coach Clyde Christensen coached 17). alongside Tomlin in Tampa Bay in 2001. • Steelers Wide Receivers Coach Darryl Drake worked in the same FORMER COLLEGE TEAMMATES role under Arians in Arizona (2013-17). • Buccaneers TE O.J. Howard (2013-16) played alongside Steelers C • Drake also coached alongside Buccaneers Assistant Head Coach/ J.C. Hassenauer (2014-17) at Alabama. Run Game Coordinator Harold Goodwin for three seasons on the • Buccaneers CB Vernon Hargreaves III (2013-15) and Steelers G Chicago Bears staff (2004-06).