Josh Dobbs Reveals Frustrations With Steelers’ Lack of Developmental Support

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Josh Dobbs did not know what he was being asked to do with the team, and says it hurt his development early in his career.

Dobbs, who was Ben Roethlisberger’s backup, says he often felt left astray with the team and was questioning what he was supposed to do on some plays.

“So, I’ve seen it both ways. I’ve shown up for work and I had no clue what I was being asked to do. And I’ve been in a place where you’ve had to come in as a quarterback and it’s like ‘Here’s the game plan, here’s a script.’ You’re figuring out your reads and your footwork and it’s trial by error. There’s no framework of what you’re trying to get done as an offense. I’ve been there. I’ve done it. It’s not enjoyable,” Dobbs said to Ty Dunne of Go Long. “I want to know the why. I want to know why and how we’re attacking them. You just want reasoning. As I said, I’ve seen the exact opposite of the coin.”

Pittsburgh was his first team after they drafted him in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons with the team before they traded him to the Jacksonville Jaguars. After a short stint in Jacksonville, he returned to Pittsburgh for two more seasons. Since that time, Dobbs has been on the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and now, the Patriots.

Matt Roy and Dylan McIlrath miss Capitals practice after suffering injuries in preseason finale against Blue Jackets

The Washington Capitals took to the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex for their last practice ahead of the NHL’s Opening Night roster deadline without

Matt Roy and Dylan McIlrath.

The two veteran defensemen suffered injuries — Roy an upper-body injury and McIlrath a lower-body injury — against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the Capitals’ preseason finale on Saturday night. Neither player was able to finish the game, leaving the Caps with just four defenders for the final 10 minutes and 36 seconds of the third period.

Head coach Spencer commented postgame that the Capitals would evaluate the two blueliners on Sunday, which was a day off for the team after wrapping up their preseason schedule.

“It doesn’t look like it’s super significant or a long-term thing,” Carbery said. “Maybe a week, two weeks. I don’t want to throw anything out there.”

For Matt Roy, the early-season injury will likely lead to a bout of deja vu, as the 30-year-old rearguard was injured in last year’s first game of the 2024-25 regular season. He played just 8:39 of that October 12 game against the New Jersey Devils and didn’t return to the club’s lineup until November 6.

Roy eventually played in 69 total games for the Capitals in his first season with the team, skating on average 19:53 of ice time per game and recording 24 points (3g, 21a). The 2025-26 campaign will be the second year of the six-year, $34.5 million ($5.75M AAV) contract he signed with the Caps as an unrestricted free agent during the 2024 offseason.

McIlrath, 33, spent most of last year as the team’s seventh defenseman, getting into 17 games, which was the most NHL games he has played in a single season since he got a sweater 34 times with the New York Rangers during the 2015-16 campaign.

The two injuries mean that the Capitals are left with 23 healthy players at training camp, which could encompass the final roster that the Capitals announce later on Monday. Vincent Iorio, who makes the team likely due to one or both of Roy and McIlrath probably going on injured reserve, skated on the team’s extra defense pairing with winger Ivan Miroshnichenko at practice.

Unlike Roy and McIlrath, goaltender Charlie Lindgren skated after missing Saturday’s game for maintenance.

The Capitals must submit their Opening Night roster by 5 pm, and they’ll also find out the fates of the waived Clay Stevenson and Ethen Frank three hours before then.

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