Tim Benz stories, Page 29
First Call: Who Big Ben likes more than Mike Tomlin for Coach of the Year; Eagles DB says he was almost a SteelerVideo
The Philadelphia Eagles head coach is attempting to quell concerns about locker room discord heading into Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. A Philadelphia defensive back discloses he almost wound up in Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger has some interesting NFL Coach of the Year thoughts. And the Duquesne men’s basketball team...
Tim Benz: Forget ‘Golden At-Bats.’ Let’s talk ‘Golden Contracts’
I feel as if I should be having some sort of emotional reaction to the New York Mets giving Juan Soto more than three-quarters of a billion dollars over 15 years. I’m not. The baseball fan inside me ought to be screaming about what this means for the state of...
First Call: Wyatt Teller tamps down complaints about Steelers fans; plans for Bryan Reynolds at 1BVideo
Tuesday’s “First Call” follows up on those complaints about Steelers fans from one of the Cleveland Browns’ wives. We know the full broadcast plans for the Christmas Day game on Netflix between the Steelers and Chiefs. Pirates manager Derek Shelton has an update on Bryan Reynolds’ future position. Also, the...
Steelers visit Philly amid Eagles tension following A.J. Brown’s complaints about passing game
As the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to visit Philadelphia this weekend, they are hardly walking into the “City of Brotherly Love.” The 11-2 Eagles will welcome the Steelers on Sunday during a nine-game win streak. However, all is not harmonious at the other end of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. After Sunday’s 22-16...
First Call: Myles Garrett, Browns family member snipe back at Steelers’ crowd; Steelers underdogs vs. EaglesVideo
Monday’s “First Call” has some complaints from Cleveland after the Browns lost to the Steelers on Sunday. The Steelers are underdogs in Philadelphia this week. The Chiefs pulled another rabbit out of the hat on “Sunday Night Football.” This time, an ex-Steeler was involved. We also recap the weekend that...
Madden Monday: Steelers’ victory over Browns ‘was a necessary evil of a game’
The Steelers’ victory over the Cleveland Browns Sunday certainly felt good from an emotional standpoint. The Browns are a hated division rival. They won the first matchup of the year. They got pretty mouthy about it. And they haven’t swept the Steelers since 1988. So why let that happen now?...
Feats of Strength: Steelers use 2nd-half adjustments, crucial turnovers in revenge-game win over Cleveland
No snow. No Myles Garrett WWE-style trash-talking interviews. No George Pickens dust-ups at the end of the game. No Pickens at all, actually. He was out with a hamstring injury. In other words, Game 2 between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns couldn’t have been more different from Game 1...
First Call: Bill Belichick to the ACC?; Russell Wilson contract theories; Jets’ rumored interest in Arthur Smith
Friday’s “First Call” has some predictions about how the Pittsburgh Steelers may handle their quarterback situation next year. There are rumors about Bill Belichick coaching at the college level and Arthur Smith drawing interest from another NFL team for a head coaching spot. We also examine some quirks in the...
Football Footnotes: 5 key points where Steelers can improve against BrownsVideo
Plenty of things went wrong when the Pittsburgh Steelers visited Cleveland and lost 24-19 on Nov. 21. It’s the team’s only defeat in the past seven outings. After the game, most folks were blaming the coaching staff. Rightfully so. It was a lousy performance. Every 50-50 decision Mike Tomlin and...
First Call: T.J. Watt accused of dirty play and J.J. Watt responds; Pirates could ‘surprise us by landing a solid free-agent bat’Video
There are some on the internet calling Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt a dirty player. His Hall Of Fame-bound big brother isn’t standing for that. The Steelers worked out a former Cleveland Browns defensive lineman in advance of their matchup this weekend. The Pirates may be in the market to...
U mad, bro?: MLB Golden At-Bat idea and Mike Tomlin’s clock management top this week’s long list of complaints
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 9-3 and just put up 44 points en route to beating a hated division rival in their own building. But, along the way, Joey Porter Jr. was flagged for six penalties, Mike Tomlin barely avoided another clock management fiasco, and Major League Baseball is apparently considering...
1st episode of AFC North ‘Hard Knocks’ was heavy on good football, light on conflict and intrigueVideo
The first episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks: In Season With the AFC North” gave me exactly what I expected. It was a typical NFL Films all-access, behind-the-curtain look at the Pittsburgh Steelers and their three AFC North foes in Cleveland, Baltimore and Cincinnati. It’s shot brilliantly. It’s well-directed and well-produced....
Tim Benz: At 9-3, Mike Tomlin can avoid ‘feeding the beast’ — at least in front of the cameras
There are plenty of good vibes coming out of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 44-38 win in Cincinnati last week, and surrounding their 9-3 record overall. That doesn’t mean there aren’t points of concern heading into this Sunday’s game against the 3-9 Cleveland Browns, though. How is George Pickens going to regulate...
First Call: Diontae Johnson may already be done in Baltimore; Chad Johnson wants to advise George Pickens
Tuesday’s “First Call” has an early preview of Sunday’s Steelers-Browns game. Diontae Johnson may be done in Baltimore before he ever gets going. Chad Johnson wants to mentor George Pickens. And the Penguins have quite a challenge Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena. Diontae done? Is Diontae Johnson already done...
Tim Benz: MLB ‘Golden At-Bat’ idea takes gold medal for stupidity
I’m not one who immediately flushes the idea of change when it comes to the sport of Major League Baseball. By nature, I’m not automatically a stodgy, old-school baseball traditionalist. I embraced the pitch clock and applauded limited checks of runners on base. I initially balked at the wild card....
Like winning 2 games in 1: Steelers’ victory over Bengals may mean even more than you think
On the surface, it’s easy to dilute enthusiasm after the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 44-38 win in Cincinnati on Sunday. After all, it came against the meager four-win Bengals and their historically bad defense. But that victory in “The Jungle” was much more than just one checkmark in the win column against...
First Call: Steelers’ optimistic odds of winning the AFC North; why George Pickens wasn’t ejected
Monday’s “First Call” has updated odds on the future of the Pittsburgh Steelers after things went their way over Thanksgiving weekend. We also provide a referee explanation about why George Pickens wasn’t ejected in Cincinnati. Joe Burrow got hurt during the game. The AFC playoff picture is taking shape. And...
Madden Monday: Steelers’ win in Cincinnati doesn’t outweigh remaining hurdles
The Pittsburgh Steelers dispatched the Cincinnati Bengals 44-38 Sunday. So that means they’ve managed to win two of their first three AFC North games at the halfway point of their back-loaded divisional schedule. One game each remains against the Bengals, Browns and Ravens — along with contests in Philadelphia and...
Feats of Strength: Russell Wilson’s huge day, key defensive splash plays secure Steelers shootout over Bengals
During the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris had to leave the contest briefly because he didn’t feel well after a run. He blamed himself for eating too much of a dessert made by tight end Pat Freiermuth’s girlfriend during Thanksgiving...
Tim Benz: Whoever points at Arthur Smith for Cleveland loss should point at Mike Tomlin too
CBS NFL insider Jason La Canfora appeared on 93.7 The Fan on Tuesday morning. He made the following statement about Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith based on what unnamed people within the team’s headquarters are telling him. “There’s people in that building looking at Arthur Smith, like, ‘Come on...
First Call: Arthur Smith connected to UNC head coaching job; Ben Roethlisberger has thoughts on George Pickens, Justin Fields
Multiple outlets are tying Arthur Smith’s name to the head coaching job at North Carolina. Ben Roethlisberger shares opinions on George Pickens and Justin Fields after the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to Cleveland. Plus, we preview the Penguins’ next opponent. All that in Wednesday’s “First Call.” Is there a check big...
U mad, bro?: A cornucopia of Pittsburgh sports complaints for the Pirates, Steelers, Penguins
As we approach Thanksgiving, there hasn’t been very much to be thankful for in the Pittsburgh sports world lately. The Steelers just lost in Cleveland … again. Pitt’s football team has lost four in a row, and the Penguins are one of the worst teams in the NHL. I suppose...
Baltimore’s ‘MNF’ win concludes a ‘suboptimal’ NFL Week 12 for the Steelers
Week 12 of the NFL season was… how can I put this… less than ideal for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Suboptimal, maybe? How about that? However you want to phrase it, things could’ve gone better. For instance, the Steelers could’ve finally — for a change — beaten the typically rudderless Browns...
First Call: Steelers assistant linked to college job; could we see 3rd edition of Maulers?
A Pittsburgh Steelers assistant coach is hearing his name linked to a college opening. Pitt’s Kade Bell is being tied to Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator job. There might be movement toward another reincarnation of the Pittsburgh Maulers. And Duquesne’s women’s basketball team scores a win in a renewed rivalry while the...
Tim Benz: Doomsday predictions for Steelers far-fetched, but worthy of concern
When I first read the statement from CBS’ Adam Schein about the Pittsburgh Steelers, I thought it was a bit hyperbolic. “If everything breaks right, they win two more,” Schein said of the Steelers’ remaining schedule. “I honestly have bad vibes right now when it comes to these Pittsburgh Steelers.”...
