Tim Benz stories, Page 101

Wednesday’s “First Call” has some alarming news for Pittsburgh Steelers fans regarding what Rob Gronkowski is thinking. T.J. Watt should have smooth sailing toward NFL Defensive Player of the Year. An ex-Steeler gets an NFL head coaching contract extension. And the Penguins got a little help from their upcoming opponent....

As the All-Star break ends and the Pittsburgh Penguins get back on the ice, Sidney Crosby continues his quest for his 500th career goal. He’s currently sitting on 498. During the All-Star break, I gathered some quotes and spoke with a few people that have played with Crosby or covered...

Television ratings for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing are off to a hideous start. According to Variety, “NBC Sports says 16 million viewers tuned in to watch the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony across multiple platforms on Friday, a new record low for the event since NBCUniversal began...

Tuesday’s “First Call” endorses the idea of the Pittsburgh Steelers pursuing Russell Wilson. Steelers center Kendrick Green appears to be seeking the right advice this offseason. The Steelers are heavily mentioned in Sports Illustrated’s all-time Super Bowl moments list. And we look at the first opponent for the Penguins out...

On his 105.9 The X radio show, TribLIVE columnist Mark Madden has made his stance on the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback debate very clear. He thinks the conversation about the organization potentially acquiring a big-name veteran quarterback or landing a top-flight first-round rookie in the draft is pure fantasy. “I just...

The Pittsburgh Steelers are listed as a leading landing spot for a high-profile quarterback that could be on the move. Chase Claypool is floated as a potential NFL trade chip. A pair of former Penguins are hearing similar chatter about their names in the NHL. And some strange scoring connections...

ESPN.com’s NFL quarterback predictions won’t get Steelers nation very excited. One former Pittsburgh Steeler is in the mix for a coaching promotion, while another is pulling out of one contest. And Steelers assistant coach Teryl Austin has been thrown into the Brian Flores conversation regarding the topic of valid coaching...

With Tom Brady’s retirement from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, that assures one thing for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Well, two things. First of all, there’s another team that is now thrust into the offseason quarterback carousel (unless head coach Bruce Arians really believes his own Blaine Gabbert hype). Secondly,...

For the recently reinstated Robert Morris University ice hockey programs, maybe these were the last of the first steps toward a return to the ice. With two head coaches now entrenched, the big strides toward rebuilding can truly begin. Both programs were cut by the university in May 2021. But...

After a torrid stretch winning 17 of 19 games between Dec. 4 and Jan. 25, the Pittsburgh Penguins limped into the All-Star break by losing four in a row. All of the games were at home. All of the defeats were against clubs with fewer points than them in the...

Based on what I’ve seen the past few weeks, I was getting concerned that “U mad, bro?” would essentially just boil down to a weekly rant session about the Steelers quarterback situation. And I have no doubt that it will get mentioned every week between now and when a starter...

The Pittsburgh Steelers are spending plenty of time and attention getting to know quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl. JuJu Smith-Schuster has a parting shot for the Steelers before free agency. Cameron Heyward’s brother may be on the Steelers’ draft radar. And Terry Bradshaw discusses a regret in his new HBO...

Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones says he doesn’t want Pittsburgh Steelers fans glomming on to the Super Bowl success of his former franchise. “We don’t want none of the Pittsburgh fans jumping on the bandwagon,” Jones told 93.7 The Fan this week. I’m pretty sure he has...

Questions over the size of Kenny Pickett’s hands have long been part of his pre-draft conversation. According to the ProFootballNetwork, the former Pitt Panthers quarterback is reported to have hands that measure only 8¼ inches. The standard by which most quarterbacks are measured is 9 inches. The concern is ball...

Tuesday’s “First Call” checks in on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive coordinator search. A massive sports bet pays off on the AFC and NFC title games. Derek Carr’s future may still be in Las Vegas. The first “Armory Game” between Pitt and Duquesne is in the books. And now you can...

One word to best describe the Kansas City Chiefs’ loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game is “arrogance.” To blow off a sure field goal in hopes of scoring a touchdown with just five seconds to go at the end of the first half was pure arrogance....

During his annual season-ending media session, Art Rooney II made one thing clear. His franchise doesn’t have thoughts of rebuilding. The goal is to have a Super Bowl-winning mentality heading into 2022. “I would never sit here and say that we’re going to change our goal of trying to win...

Terry Bradshaw praises Ben Roethlisberger, shares his thoughts on the idea of Aaron Rodgers going to the Pittsburgh Steelers and has opinions on Mason Rudolph. Could the Steelers reunite with former offensive line coach Mike Munchak? An ex-Penguin is making his presence felt in Seattle. Two former Pitt stars are...

After the Penguins’ 2-1 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken Thursday night, head coach Mike Sullivan said everything that needed to be said about the third-period sequence that led to the game-tying goal. Well, almost everything. There were roughly four minutes left when Evgeni Malkin tried a drop pass to...

Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement announcement dovetailed with an ironic anniversary in Steelers history. Antonio Brown reaches out to Big Ben on the day his career officially comes to an end. The Steelers work out a defensive back with an interesting background. And the Duquesne Dukes look to get themselves right on...

With Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger officially announcing his retirement Thursday, attention can focus even more squarely on who his replacement will be. The voices of general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin will weigh most heavily on the discussions. Perhaps those of Colbert’s potential replacements (Brandon Hunt and...

Picture Marc-Andre Fleury back in net for yet another Penguins-Capitals playoff series this spring. No, not as an injury replacement for Tristan Jarry. Not as the starter with Jarry benched either. I’m saying picture Fleury in the other crease. Wearing Capitals red, white and blue. I know. I can’t do...

Thursday’s “First Call” features a story about a 12-year-old vetoed trade that apparently involved Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Las Vegas Raiders may raid the Steelers front office. Antonio Brown is lobbying to play in Baltimore. Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is done with social media. And another ex-Robert Morris...

One thing became clear to me this week given my interactions with Pittsburgh Steelers fans. They don’t want Aaron Rodgers to be the quarterback of their team. Well, let me rephrase that. Steelers fans claim they don’t want Rodgers to be their quarterback. I mean, would you prefer Mason Rudolph...

There are a significant number of issues facing the Pittsburgh Steelers beyond just replacing Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback. Building an offensive line. Addressing the run defense. Figuring out how to plug holes at wide receiver and in the secondary. That’s just the on-field stuff general manager Kevin Colbert and head...