Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (12.31.25)
Opening Statement:
“Looking forward to the work week here. Got a good practice today and then throughout this week, and obviously a great challenge going on the road versus a division opponent. Saw them back in week one, which seems like a very long time ago, but they’ve changed, we’ve changed. But looking forward to the challenge of going up against a Cincinnati Bengals attack – we know what that entails. Obviously, good players, good coaches, good scheme, that type of thing. They know us and we know them, so we got a chance to try to even the series and finish strong. So that’s where our mindset is, and I’ll take any questions you guys got.”
Kevin, do you expect Zak (Zinter) to start at right guard or somebody else?
“Certainly, could be Zak. We have options there. We’re working through all of that.”
How do you think he played Sunday in his first extended chance this year?
“Yeah, obviously Zak played last season for us, has not played as much this year, but has been working extremely hard and I’m seeing a lot of that hard work show up in these games. So, I’m bullish on Zak.”
Aside from the injured players, do you expect everyone that’s healthy to play Sunday?
“Yes.”
Is David (Njoku) a candidate to potentially end up on IR before the end of the week?
“He’s still rehabbing that injury. Expect him back tomorrow, but he can update you guys when appropriate.”
With Wyatt (Teller), having to put him on IR, just how tough a finish is it for him? He has to end his season end like that, and it’s his last year under contract too.
“Yeah, disappointed obviously for it to end with an injury for Wyatt. He fought, rehabbed very hard to get back to playing in that one, then reaggravated that injury early in that game. So that was disappointing for him and for us. Obviously, he’s played through a lot of injuries before in the past as well. He’s played really good football for us, so disappointed that it ended a week early.”
How is Harold (Fannin Jr.) coming along?
“Yeah, I’d say he’s rehabbing very hard. We’ll see. Not going to practice today, but definitely not ruling him out.”
With Tyson Campbell, how have you seen him fit in and settle in? You know, the first Pittsburgh game was his first game. Then even the improvement he made to Sunday’s game?
“Yeah, I’m a big fan of Tyson. The way he carries himself, the way he is in the building, the way he plays, the physicality with which he plays, how he plays the ball in the air – he fits in. I’ve told you guys, he fits in really well culturally, he fits in schematically, he’s been awesome to be around. So, you think back to that first game that you throw him in there on short rest and just getting to know people’s names and that type of thing. But he battled, and that was kind of a picture of a young man who’s going to just give it everything he has, and that’s what I think you have in Tyson.”
Kevin (Stefanski), do you have to address the team at all with things swirling around about your job security and all that kind of stuff, or is it just business as usual?
“No. The most important thing is what’s in front of us, and that’s our game Sunday down in Cincinnati. That’s all we care about.”
Kevin, with Harold, all the stuff you guys have asked him to do this year, and I know he did a lot of that in college, but at what point do you start to feel comfortable putting more and more on his plate as you’re going through the offseason and into the new year?
“Yeah, there’s no shortage to the schemes that you want to run with him and the roles that you want him to be in. I’ve told you guys over the years that those roles like that are earned, and he’s earned it with how we trust him, how he learns – the things that he can do as a runner, as a blocker, as a receiver. There’s been times where you want to throw him the ball, but you also want him to be the blocker, so you’re kind of, ‘All right, well we can’t do both in this play,’ so you’re just trying to mix and match where you put him. But that speaks to his versatility, which I think speaks to his intelligence.”
Was there any time in August that you thought he’s really ready for this? Or was it before that?
“Probably before that, Zac (Jackson). He was one of those guys when you’re watching on tape, you could start to see it right away, the things that he could do for you. Then doing our homework on him, talking to his coaches and spending time with him, realizing this is a very mature 20-year-old that has the propensity to learn all these positions. And then, you know, throughout rookie minicamp, throughout the spring, just the physical ability showed up – getting in and out of cuts, making every catch. I mean, it was pretty apparent to us.”
Kevin, with Shedeur (Sanders) going into this last week, what’s most important for him in his development, you know, ending the year with momentum?
“I think, continue to build, continue to build on the things that he’s doing really well. Like I’ve told you guys, there’s things that you ask him to improve upon each week and he’s diligent about those things. So it’s just improving and then winning. We talked about that last week. We want to win as a football team, obviously, as quarterbacks, we get judged oftentimes on wins and losses, and it’s important, you know, to finish strong. So that’s what he’s going to try and put this team in a position to go win.”
Do you feel that seven games – the seven games that you will have had by the time all of this is said and done within the seven starts – is that going to be enough for you guys to really take a good, strong look at this and say, “Hey, we think we’ve got something moving forward here?”
“Yeah, I understand the question, Mary Kay (Cabot), but for me, really, I have the blinders on to the final game here versus Cincinnati, and that’s where his focus is as well.”
But what have you, I mean, what do you like about what you’ve seen so far to this point?
“The exciting part, like I’ve told you guys with Shedeur and with a lot of the young players, is improvement and asking them to improve on this technique or on this thing that has to do with the game and these guys being conscientious enough to put the work in. So that’s the exciting part of young players, just seeing constant improvement.”
Question about Zak Zinter, pretty high draft pick. What has kept him off the field physically? From that broken leg?
“No, he’s had players in front of him, a young player that has worked very hard, is ready to go in a moment’s notice. Sometimes you need, you know – the opportunity comes for a variety of reasons, and obviously there’s opportunities coming here now potentially at the end of the season, but doesn’t mean that we’re not working very hard throughout the week with him. And all the work that he’s put in with Coach (Mike) Bloom(gren), with Coach (Ben) Wilkerson on the field, I think it’s been a really positive season. While it hasn’t necessarily been represented in a lot of reps in the games, I do think it’s been a positive season.”
How impressive has (Joe) Burrow been since he’s come back from the toe?
“Yeah, I mean, their offense when he’s in there and the things that he’s doing, we know having gone up against him, how difficult he is to defend and he can make plays on time, off schedule, can make every throw. He’s somebody that we have a ton of respect for.”
You guys have had success against them defensively. What is it about the way you, the players and the scheme you guys have on defense that allows you to match up as well against that offense?
“It’s a huge challenge every week in this league, but certainly when you’re going up against Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, multiple tight ends, Chase Brown is a great running back. They had a good rush attack. Each week presents its own challenges, but this is a unit that’s playing, if not the highest, at one of the highest levels on the offensive side of the ball. So, we’ll obviously always try to put our guys in position to go make plays. But it comes down to their players versus our players.”
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