Steelers owner Art Rooney II calls on the NFL to discipline the young Bears defender after a deliberate hit targeting OT Broderick Jones — and the viral video has sent Steelers Nation into outrage
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t just walk away from a 31–28 loss to the Bears — they walked straight into a firestorm after a slow-motion clip of DE Dominique Robinson launching himself into Broderick Jones
The hit, described as “intentional and unrelated to the play,” snapped Jones’ neck sharply to the side, leaving him numb in the neck and without feeling in his arm for several seconds. Anyone who witnessed the moment immediately stood up in shock — Broderick Jones, with more than 3,000 career snaps, rarely stays down that long.
Although Jones courageously returned to the field, the Steelers confirmed he suffered a severe stinger, a nerve injury in the neck that is particularly dangerous for offensive linemen. But for the organization, the concern was no longer the injury itself — it was the
Sources within the team say owner Art Rooney II watched the clip multiple times before sending an official request to the NFL early the next morning, urging the league to issue significant discipline against Robinson.
In a rare moment of public firmness, Rooney II stated:
“We always respect physical, hard-nosed football, but what happened out there wasn’t part of this game anymore. That was a deliberate act aimed at a person, not a play. And if the NFL wants to protect its own reputation, moments like that cannot be allowed to happen again — the league owes this entire community an answer.”
The viral video shows Robinson not slowing down — in fact accelerating — as he slammed into Jones after the play had essentially ended. Steelers fans erupted in anger, calling the hit “dangerous, reckless, and disrespectful.”
The Chicago Bears declined to comment, saying only that they “will wait for the NFL’s review.”
Meanwhile, Broderick Jones remains questionable for the Week 13 matchup against the Ravens. Losing him now would be a massive blow to a Pittsburgh offensive unit already searching for stability.
The loss to Chicago brought plenty of frustration, but the aftermath of the hit on Broderick Jones has grown into a much larger story. When a normally reserved owner like Rooney II steps forward to demand NFL intervention, it’s clear the situation has moved far beyond a single game — and the entire league is now watching how the NFL chooses to respond.
A new mock draft has the Commanders taking a 'skeleton key' defender
If the 2025 NFL Season were to close out today, the Washington Commanders would have a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
It’s been a steep decline and fall from where the Commanders were last year, but after injuries helped to expose depth issues and schematic flaws, the team is at least in a position where it might be able to add even more blue-chip talent to quarterback Jayden Daniels and others.
With the bye week coming to a close, we wanted to take one more look into the future before getting back to more pressing business, with a mock draft view of who might be available to help Washington get back on track in 2026.
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A Top-10 Pick on the Horizon
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is the kind of player who could inspire a team like the Commanders to toss aside common practice to get a ‘skeleton key’ type of defender on their roster.
The rise in analytics will tell you that safety isn’t a position worth spending such high draft capital on, but if Washington targets help in the front seven and even in other secondary spots in free agency, Downs could be the perfect addition in the first round, especially if the top edge rushers are off the board already.
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Addressing the Trenches and Beyond
Without a second-round pick thanks to the trade that brought left tackle Laremy Tunsil into the fold, we fast forward to the third round, where we project the Commanders to target interior offensive line help.
Specifically, Auburn center Connor Lew could be someone high on the draft board next April as he can immediately contend for interior snaps. Chris Paul has served well as the left guard this season, and center Tyler Biadasz is a favorite for a reason, but the overall line efficiency this season is middle of the pack when it comes to pass blocking, leaving room for competition.
As long as Tunsil is on the roster and with Josh Conerly Jr. only entering his second season since being a first-round pick in 2025, we can’t imagine they target another offensive tackle early, so interior offensive line is the move here.
Some Day 3 names to watch at this stage include Miami (FL) receiver Eugene Wilson III, who could not only add to the room but contribute as a kick returner, freeing Deebo Samuel to focus on offense if the team can bring him back for 2026. Colorado cornerback D.J. McKinney is another prospect who has the requisite size and raw tools to be a developmental project behind Trey Amos and another veteran the team might bring in as a free agent, especially if the Commanders move on from Marshon Lattimore, as many expect this offseason.
