Tim Benz stories, Page 45
First Call: Najee Harris trade talk dismissed; Duquesne WR gets Steelers’ look; Antonio Brown jab makes Tom Brady roast
Tuesday’s “First Call” finds a dismissal of some Najee Harris trade talk. A Duquesne wide receiver is getting a shot with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Joey Porter Jr.’s cousin won’t be joining him in the Steelers’ defensive backfield after all. And we give you the Antonio Brown joke that made it...
Tim Benz: Blaming assistant coaches won’t fix Pittsburgh’s plodding sports teams
During a recent episode of “The Carton Show” on FS1, retired Pittsburgh Steeler Willie Colon said his former coach Mike Tomlin is in hot water. “I love Mike Tomlin. But I have to officially say he is on the hot seat,” Colon said. “When you talk about his overall record,...
First Call: Ex-Penguin Jordan Staal finalist for Selke Trophy; 2 former Pirates pitchers lighting up the NL
Monday’s “First Call” has an honor for a former Pittsburgh Penguin. Chase Claypool gets a familiar number with his new team. Paul Skenes isn’t the only Pirates pitching prospect worth tracking in the minors. And a pair of ex-Buccos pitchers are tearing it up in the National League. Selke for...
Madden Monday: ‘Sully has got to go. I’m tired of saying, ‘He’s a great coach, but …”
Last week, Todd Reirden was fired as one of Mike Sullivan’s assistant coaches with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Given that one of his duties was overseeing the Penguins’ shockingly disappointing 30th-ranked power-play unit (15.3%), that shouldn’t come as a surprise. During this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of 105.9 The...
First Call: Veteran WR market gets thin for Steelers; was Danny Smith teasing about Justin Fields returning kicks?
In Friday’s “First Call,” are the Pittsburgh Steelers really planning to have Justin Fields return kicks? The pickings are getting slim at wide receiver if general manager Omar Khan is planning to make a move. A former Pitt Panther is getting a look from the Steelers. And No. 66 is...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ call on Najee Harris’ option says more about the past than it does the future
There’s no glaring criticism of the future to be made about Thursday’s decision by the Pittsburgh Steelers to decline Najee Harris’ fifth-year option. In either direction. By rejecting the option, if Harris gets hurt or underperforms in 2024, his contract will expire, and they can let him walk and get...
A look at Pirates’ offensive numbers finds little reason for immediate hope
I’m not sure the phrase “swept by the Oakland A’s” really needs much contextualizing, but let’s do that from a Pittsburgh Pirates’ perspective as they return home from a brutal California swing. Not only did the Pirates lose three in a row against the vagabond franchise from Oakland, but they...
Tim Benz: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton job opening could lead to intrigue at NHL level for Penguins as well
On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they would not renew the contract of AHL head coach J.D. Forrest in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. It didn’t take long for people to start doing some simple calculations as to who may fill that job. A name that was immediately advanced was Sheldon Keefe. Discussion...
U mad, bro?: Some fans didn’t like the Steelers’ draft (or my opinions on it); ‘ruff’ debut for Pirates’ pup
Despite a draft that has gotten positive reviews, not all Pittsburgh Steelers fans are happy about the organization’s efforts last weekend. Others just didn’t like my coverage of it. We also have some angst over the Steelers’ QB situation, baseball pitch counts and general disdain over how the Pirates “have...
First Call: Reported ‘power struggle’ between Kyle Dubas, Mike Sullivan; theory on why Troy Fautanu fell to Steelers
Thursday’s “First Call” finds a reported sticking point between Kyle Dubas and Mike Sullivan regarding the Pittsburgh Penguins’ coaching staff. Troy Fautanu’s agent has a theory on his client’s alleged knee red flags. The Steelers have their options when it comes to Najee Harris’ fifth-year option. Pressley Harvin III has...
First Call: Jets may have nabbed Steelers’ draft pick; another veteran WR hits free agency; 18-game NFL season looming
In Wednesday’s “First Call,” another wide receiver is available for the Pittsburgh Steelers to sign if they want him. The NFL may get an 18-game season sooner than you think. It turns out that the Steelers are very fortunate Roman Wilson was still on the board when they selected him...
Tim Benz: Assume huge gap between what Steelers are saying about WR search and what’s really going onVideo
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan appeared on Tuesday’s “Pat McAfee Show” with an update on his team’s hunt for a veteran starting wide receiver. The update is that there is no update. That conversation has been in high gear since Diontae Johnson was traded to Carolina in early March,...
Tim Benz: Forget memes and nicknames, Omar Khan showed guts in a different way in 2024 Steelers’ draft
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan has developed a reputation for being more aggressive than his longtime predecessor and mentor Kevin Colbert. Fans of the team sure do love yelling “Khan Artist” and sharing social media clips of Omar from “The Wire” with Khan’s face edited onto them. For all...
5 on Fautanu: Steelers ‘got a steal’ in their 1st-round pick
Everyone in Pittsburgh seems to love the first-round NFL Draft selection of Troy Fautanu. But let’s get the opinion of someone who covered Fautanu during his entire career at the University of Washington. Dick Fain hosts the afternoon show at 93.3 KJR in Seattle with Dave “Softy” Mahler. He is...
First Call: Ex-Steeler says team is ‘close to landing a significant playmaker’; Bill Cowher staying with CBS as changes swirl
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” a former Steeler has everyone playing a guessing game about who the club may be trying to acquire via trade or free agency. Bill Cowher is staying on CBS’ NFL pregame show as other significant changes are happening. The Steelers are bringing a former Baltimore Raven...
First Call: Steelers reportedly reached out about a Courtland Sutton trade; Joey Porter Jr.’s cousin getting Steelers camp invite
At least one report says the Pittsburgh Steelers did make a trade inquiry about Denver receiver Courtland Sutton. Another supposed Steelers draft target says he was expecting to wind up in Pittsburgh when his phone rang in the second round. A cousin of Joey Porter Jr. is getting a camp...
Tim Benz: Subtle nuggets for each Steelers draft choice that could help them make an impact
We’ve spent a lot of time getting to know the Steelers’ new draft class based on how they performed at the college football level. But what will make them good fits in Pittsburgh, specifically with the current roster constructed as it is? Let’s go pick-by-pick with some subtleties and nuggets...
Madden Monday: Steelers’ solid draft won’t yield a spike in win total
According to Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLIVE, the Pittsburgh Steelers checked some important boxes when it comes to the NFL Draft. Specifically, adding a lot of talent up front on offense by drafting Washington tackle Troy Fautanu and West Virginia center Zach Frazier. “I think they did...
Tim Benz: Our annual ‘What the Steelers didn’t get in the draft’ recap
Pittsburgh Steelers fans are basking in the sunset of a draft that is largely deserving of applause — and here I come with your yearly rain cloud of discontent. It’s my annual I don’t want to write it, you don’t want to hear it, but someone has to say it,...
Tim Benz: Our annual ‘What the Steelers didn’t get in the draft’ recap
Pittsburgh Steelers fans are basking in the sunset of a draft that is largely deserving of applause — and here I come with your yearly rain cloud of discontent. It’s my annual I don’t want to write it, you don’t want to hear it, but someone has to say it,...
Tim Benz: Playing young linemen well worth the risk for Steelers
Steelers fans are getting exactly what they wanted so far in the 2024 NFL Draft. In the ramp-up to this selection weekend, I posted a social media poll asking what position the Steelers should address in the first round on Thursday. After 1,000 votes, 47.4% of respondents wanted a center...
First Call: Troy Fautanu has harsh words for those who think he’s really a guard; Cam Heyward’s health update
Friday’s “First Call” has a firm retort from new Pittsburgh Steelers draft choice Troy Fautanu about some doubts surrounding his game. We have a health update on Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward. Another Bengal is unhappy in Cincinnati. The Pirates are heading west. And an ex-Pirate is getting ready for...
Tim Benz: Plenty to like about Steelers’ 1st pick, but there’s 1 way they can make us love it
There is a lot to like about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 first-round draft pick, Washington offensive tackle Troy Fautanu. “He has unusually long arms. He’s one of the best athletes I’ve ever seen play the position,” former pro and college scout Matt Williamson told us during our draft preview series....
First Call: Ben Roethlisberger’s draft tip for Steelers; ESPN says Steelers ‘team to watch’ for a Courtland Sutton trade
Thursday’s “First Call” features Ben Roethlisberger’s suggestion for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Day 1 of the NFL Draft. We try to connect some dots between Alex Highsmith’s contract restructure and what that means for the Steelers on the wide receiver trade front. A potential second-round draftee talks about why one...
U mad, bro?: Pens fans fed up with Mike Sullivan; Pirates fans peeved over pitch counts; loud Kenny Pickett loyalists
At the time of this post, the Steelers haven’t made their first-round pick in the NFL Draft. So no one in Pittsburgh can be angry about that. Yet. Check back here next week. However, we do have Pitt fans prickly about Kenny Pickett, Penguins fans piping up about missing the...
