**JOHN MARTIN FROM ARENDTSVILLE, PA: I know the saying is, "Never say never," but since the Steelers never negotiate contracts during the regular season — and here we are. I'm assuming Joey Porter Jr. will not be getting a new contract before the end of the year. I have read that Porter said he had not received a contract offer from the Steelers. I just can't imagine the team not extending an offer of some sort. I don't know what to believe anymore when I read things.**
ANSWER: I personally am skeptical about a lot of the things reported about contracts that are being negotiated, because there can be a lot of targeted leaking going on by anonymous sources often looking to advance one side's position or another. All I am confident in at this point is that there will be no more negotiating on a contract extension for Joey Porter Jr. until the end of this season.
**PAUL BUREK FROM GAINESVILLE, GA: Do NFL officials get fined or reprimanded for blown calls during a game? (I'm thinking about the offensive pass interference calls on DK Metcalf during the Falcons game.)**
ANSWER: Officials are graded over the course of an entire season, and then those grades are used in determining things such as which officials receive postseason assignments. And I'm sure those evaluations are used in other ways as well. But there never will be the kind of public scolding and punishing of officials by the NFL for calls made or missed during a game. That's just not the way it works.
**BOB WALLACE FROM RAEFORD, NC: The Steelers had a Men's Fantasy Camp at Saint Vincent College every summer before Covid. It was hosted by Tunch Ilkin and Craig Wolfley and both of them have passed. Any chance someone else steps up, and it gets restarted?**
ANSWER: Sorry to report that there are no plans for Men's Fantasy Camp in the future.
**KIM OWENS FROM FREDERICK, MD: On game day, do all 53 players get a full paycheck whether they are active or not?**
ANSWER: Yes. All players on the 53-man roster, the injured reserve list, and the physically unable to perform list receive a game check for each week of the regular season they are on one of those lists. Players on the practice squad are under different contracts, but those players also are paid each week of the regular season.
**ERIC CHRISTOPHER FROM PHOENIX, AZ: It has slowly evolved over the last few years that most college football players are now, for all intents and purposes, wearing shorts on the field and their knees are fully exposed with no protection. Does the NFL have a uniform rule regarding knee and leg protection?**
ANSWER: Yes, there are uniform regulations regarding the use of padding in the knee and thigh areas, but manufacturers have been able to make those pads as small and light as possible so that the players don't feel restricted in their movements.
**DENNIS SLEEGER FROM YORK, PA: Concerning Joey Porter Jr., it saddens me that we didn't get him signed to a contract extension. I'm confused as to what can happen now. I thought I read that he becomes a free agent after this season. But I don't understand then how we can franchise tag him. Can you educate me please?**
ANSWER: Specifically in 2027, teams will be able to place the franchise or transition tags on players from Feb. 17 until March 3. Free agency doesn't begin until March 11, which will be the official start of the new league year.
**TODD TRUFFIN FROM FUQUAY VARINA, NC: Yes, T.J. Watt had another spectacular game. But when T.J. scores as many touchdowns as the entire offense, I get a little worried. Despite the new offensively-minded coach, and the new OC, I didn't see much on Sunday that looked all that different from the last several years. How do I convince myself that we aren't looking at another 9-8 type year?**
ANSWER: All I can tell you is that if you don't have expectations then you won't be disappointed. There's that, and also the reality it was only one game and they won. Would you feel better about the future of the season if the Steelers had scored 35 points and lost? Or would you just be worried about something different?