Following training camp, the Pittsburgh Steelers were back at Acrisure Stadium to hold a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ahead of their head-to-head preseason matchup in Pittsburgh on Saturday night. While the Steelers' defense has been talked up all summer, Todd Bowles apparently doesn't view them as menacing.
The Buccaneers' head coach quietly disrespected Pittsburgh's defense when he complimented quarterback Baker Mayfield. One beat reporter spoke with Bowles after practice, when the head coach informed him that Mayfield doesn't need to play in Saturday's game.
"After reviewing the tape of today’s practice," beat reporter Rick Stroud posted on X, "Todd Bowles just told me he believes Baker Mayfield played so well today in the joint workout with the Steelers he will not play in Saturday night’s game.