Tim Benz stories, Page 209
First call: Why the Antonio Brown-James Harrison ‘exclusive’ won’t happen
In Monday`s "First Call," we find out what happened to the James Harrison interview with Antonio Brown. Arizona and Denver may both fill their head coaching vacancies with guys with Steelers connections. And Chris Kunitz may have been welcomed back to Pittsburgh too fondly. So, about that `exclusive` ... According...
A horse named Tomlin starts strong, blows lead, fades late
Another loss for Tomlin. No, not Mike. There`s a race horse named "Tomlin." And unlike her namesake, she was in action on Wild Card weekend. The 3-year-old filly participated in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita. You guessed it. She was wearing Black and Gold! It didn`t...
Tim Benz: Don’t kid yourself. Steelers were more than ‘a few plays away.’
It was maddening, wasn`t it? Viewing the NFL playoffs this weekend with no Pittsburgh Steelers game on the ledger. Watching the Houston Texans get whitewashed at home. Seeing the Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore Ravens trade special teams gaffes and squandered offensive opportunities. Witnessing the Colts get shut out in...
Tim Benz: Don’t let Roethlisberger off the hook amid Steelers turmoil
Let`s follow up on what James Jones had to say about Ben Roethlisberger`s role in the drama surrounding Antonio Brown. "I have talked to a couple of people in the Pittsburgh Steelers organization, and they told me this has been lingering," Jones said on NFL...
First call: Antonio Brown reportedly felt Steelers’ standard was ‘slipping’
In "First Call" Friday, a different twist on the Antonio Brown situation. Alan Faneca will take another run at Canton. And some top-ranked hockey teams are in town this weekend. The standard isn`t the standard? Check out this quote from Albert Breer of "Sports Illustrated" as it relates to Antonio...
What would be fantasy impact of Steelers trading Antonio Brown?
When it comes to all this Antonio Brown controversy, as JuJu Smith-Schuster might say, let`s get to the real important stuff: Fantasy Football. If Brown gets traded, there will be some major waves in the fantasy sports world. So, during our weekly fantasy sports podcast with Jeff Erickson of Rotowire,...
Tim Benz: Steelers should be better than Mike Tomlin has made them
Arguing about whether the Pittsburgh Steelers should keep Mike Tomlin is more volatile than any political discussion I can fathom. Give me a nice, quiet conversation about border walls, health care, gun control, government shutdowns or Hillary`s emails any day. Those are far less contentious topics. Sides have been drawn....
Podcast: Wrapping up Mike Tomlin’s final Steelers news conference of the season
Fellow Trib writers Kevin Gorman and Chris Adamski join me to "wallow" in "the Steelers`" darkest hour" following Mike Tomlin`s last news conference of 2018. It`s our final Steelers roundtable podcast of the season. We talk about Antonio Brown going AWOL, the looming offseason and Tomlin`s future. Also, the ripple...
U mad, bro? Readers weigh in on Antonio Brown-Steelers saga
No surprise here! For "U mad, bro?" this week, it`s all Steelers, Mike Tomlin and Antonio Brown all the time. But there is maybe more support for them and rage at me than what you may expect. Well, I expect it all the time. But you judge for yourself. Eli...
Tim Benz: Antonio Brown quit on Steelers. Mike Tomlin would’ve played him this week, anyway.
Let`s live in a fantasy world for a minute. Baker Mayfield`s fourth-down pass late in the fourth quarter last Sunday wasn`t intercepted by Baltimore`s C.J. Mosely. Instead, it was complete, and the Browns picked up a first down. They moved a few more yards downfield and kicked a game-winning field...
First call: Mike Munchak to Broncos?; Antonio Brown ‘Masked Singer’ flubs
In Thursday`s "First Call," we check out Mike Munchak`s interview date in Denver, mistaken identities for Antonio Brown in the hippo mask and a sadly tame reaction from Henrik Lundqvist after the Penguins chased him. Rocky Mountain Munchak? Mike Munchak has his interview date in Denver. The Broncos reportedly will...
Podcast: A look at the Penguins turnaround, hot division race
Well, it`s hockey season full time now. The Steelers are done. So it`s up to the Penguins to raise our sagging sports enthusiasm. I`m joined by Brian Metzer of the Pens Radio Network for our weekly hockey podcast. Metz and I look at Matt Murray`s improvement since his return to...
First call: Is an NFC Pro Bowler trying to woo Antonio Brown to 49ers?
In our first "First Call" of 2019, we have the first flirtation with Antonio Brown from a player on another NFL team. Penn State`s Trace McSorley goes down fighting. And a quarterback gets clobbered. Also, humiliation for the Notre Dame mascot. And, no, it has nothing to do with what...
Tim Benz: Even former Steelers are fighting with each other
Not only are current Pittsburgh Steelers fighting among themselves. So are their alumni. First, it was Antonio Brown allegedly blowing up at Ben Roethlisberger during the last practice week of the season. Now former running back DeAngelo Williams is sniping at another one-time Steeler, Ryan Clark. As you may have...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ Art Rooney II won’t make necessary changes
New year. Same old Pittsburgh Steelers. Some of us hadn`t even finished lunch on Day 1 of 2019 before the first Steelers off-field controversy of the new year. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported that Antonio Brown had requested a trade. Ian Rapoport of the...
