Tim Benz Columns category, Page 89
Tim Benz: A Pirates-worthy set list for ‘The Stadium Tour’ at PNC Park
I’ve been sitting on tickets for the Stadium Tour concert at PNC Park since it was announced in December 2019. Motley Crue, Poison, Def Leppard and Joan Jett? C’mon! It’s the 1980s and ‘90s soundtrack of my youth. Of course, I’m going. But it’s been delayed twice because of coronavirus....
Tim Benz: Kordell Stewart discusses his time in Pittsburgh as ‘Slash,’ his outlook for ‘rebuilding’ Steelers in 2022
When former Pittsburgh Steeler Kordell Stewart thinks back to training camp at Saint Vincent College, one word comes to mind. “Hot,” exclaimed Stewart during a phone call Wednesday. “Slash” joined me for Thursday’s Bella Construction “Letters from Camp” podcast to discuss a broadcast venture of his own. Stewart is launching...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans simmer over stadium name, safety helmets, ESPN ‘GOAT’ list; Pirates fans fume about Hall of Fame
You might think that by this point, Pittsburgh Steelers fans would get over their angst surrounding the Heinz Field name change, the Guardian Caps on NFL helmets and Diontae Johnson’s contract. You might think that. You’d be wrong. Way wrong. That’s to say nothing of their opinions surrounding the NFL...
Considering recent precedent, was Diontae Johnson’s Steelers contract struck with long-term future in mind?
Diontae Johnson’s time with the Pittsburgh Steelers doesn’t have to end when his new contract extension expires following the 2024 season. At least that appears to be the sentiment of the team’s general manager Omar Khan. Last week, Johnson signed a two-year, $36.7 million extension, which gave him a $17...
Tim Benz: Reasons for optimism about Steelers offensive line — beyond the belief that 2021 was as bad as it could get
If there is a reason to predict optimism about the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line in 2022, it can be boiled down to the simple explanation of, “Well, it can’t be any worse than last year. So I guess it has to be better.” Based on some of the stats from...
Tim Benz: Larry Ogunjobi shows Steelers — and himself — that his injured foot is ready to go
Post-practice media interviews at Steelers training camp certainly aren’t Mike Tomlin’s favorite part of the day. But after Monday’s workout at Latrobe Memorial Stadium, an ear-to-ear grin slowly crept across Tomlin’s face when he realized one of the questions was about Larry Ogunjobi’s debut. “It didn’t take long for his...
Tim Benz: 1st Pirates Hall of Fame class has an important inclusion, a glaring omission and a contentious debate
Looking at the list of inaugural Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame inductees, my immediate thought was that the decision makers involved got one important name right, one omission glaringly wrong, and there is one debate that could get harder to reconcile the longer the player in question stays out. In...
Friday Football Footnotes: Ben Roethlisberger’s name dragged into Deshaun Watson mess; J.K. Dobbins, Saquon Barkley making comebacks
“Friday Football Footnotes” this week looks at how Ben Roethlisberger’s name is getting dragged into the suspension wrangling of Deshaun Watson. J.K. Dobbins and Saquon Barkley are looking to make big comebacks in 2022. And there are legal problems in Arizona. Watson’s ‘whataboutism’ Apparently, Deshaun Watson’s legal camp is going...
First Call: Najee Harris called top-10 in NFL; Jose Quintana shines in Cardinals debut; Joe Musgrove’s struggles mount
A former NFL star at running back has a favorable view of Steelers’ 2021 first-round pick Najee Harris. Jose Quintana was great in his first start after leaving the Pirates. Another ex-Pirate, Joe Musgrove, is going through tougher times. And a former Penguin is getting a coaching job. All that...
Tim Benz: Steelers, Diontae Johnson had to give up a lot to settle on contract
The Steelers’ new contract with wide receiver Diontae Johnson sums up that old adage from business negotiations. A fair deal for both sides probably means that neither side is completely happy with the contract that has been signed. I don’t think that always has to be true. Look at Sidney...
Tim Benz: If Ben Cherington is feeling ‘urgent’ about the Pirates, let’s see proof beyond keeping guys he already has
Maybe Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has a different definition of “urgent” than I do. Or the Oxford dictionary does. “Urgent: showing that you think that something needs to be dealt with immediately.” On Tuesday, after the MLB trade deadline passed, Cherington described the Pirates’ action of keeping outfielder Bryan...
U mad, bro?: Readers have helmet-cap hysteria, Steelers ‘hold-in’ sanctimony, Pirates trade deadline depression
The Steelers have a wide receiver staging a “hold-in.” The Pirates just traded their best pitcher and recently endured a seven-game losing streak. And the NFL is making their players wear weird safety cushions on their helmets. Oh, also, you may not have heard about this one. It may have...
Plenty of reasons for Steelers to embrace multiple-tight end ‘mode’ even more in 2022
During the first week of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp, I asked head coach Mike Tomlin about tight end Zach Gentry and the prospect of his development leading to the usage of more two-tight end packages. “We’ve been in that mode,” Tomlin replied. Looking at the numbers, that appears to be...
Tim Benz: It’s what Steelers GM Omar Khan did not say about Diontae Johnson’s contract that matters most
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan made his feelings about Diontae Johnson abundantly clear Tuesday. He wants him on the team. This year and moving forward. One thing Khan didn’t make quite as obvious is that he wants Johnson to stay at the franchise’s preferred salary. Not the vastly expanding...
Tim Benz: Good luck to what remains of Pirates roster after trade deadline passes
The trade deadline for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the rest of Major League Baseball is Tuesday evening. Whatever the Pirates do, it’ll no doubt make their Major League roster even less competi— Uh, I mean … it’ll no doubt stock their farm system with even more pieces for the inevitable...
Steelers linebacker speaks cautiously, but he’s clearly not a fan of NFL’s protective Guardian Caps
When it comes to the NFL’s new “Guardian Caps,” Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Myles Jack is at least trying to be more diplomatic than, say, for instance, Green Bay’s De’Vondre Campbell. “I just think it’s stupid, to be honest,” Campbell said via Packers Wire. “You say you’re doing it to protect...
Tim Benz: Pirates may not know how to win, but they sure have figured out when to lose
I’ll give the 2022 Pittsburgh Pirates credit for one thing. They sure do know how to bury a losing streak. The current slide for the Buccos started July 24, just before Steelers training camp opened. So no one in Pittsburgh noticed. Now it’s up to seven games, in advance of...
Madden Monday on Kenny Pickett’s 3rd-team status with Steelers: ‘It’s just how life is for rookie quarterbacks’
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett is being relegated to third-team duties to begin his first NFL training camp. Because of that, he hasn’t been working with a lot of veterans or top-of-the-depth-chart talents. As a result, a lot of the team drills have been a struggle for Pickett. The...
Friday Football Footnotes: Another big-money receiver contract; Baker Mayfield doesn’t want to see his old Browns jersey
The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering their third day of training camp. The rest of the National Football League’s teams are wading into preparations as well. So, let’s find out what’s happening across the rest of the NFL in our first “Friday Football Footnotes” of 2022. Eyes on the prize Every...
Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin may not be re-evaluating Steelers QB battle ‘after every throw,’ but it feels like everyone else is
Mike Tomlin has said that the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff won’t be reshuffling the quarterback depth chart on a daily basis. “We’re not going to micromanage, or overmanage, this quarterback competition,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “The depth chart is not going to rest on every throw.” He didn’t say anything about...
Tim Benz: No comparison between Diontae Johnson’s ‘hold-in’ and T.J. Watt’s — beyond the action itself
While discussing the state of his contract negotiations with the Pittsburgh Steelers during a training camp media scrum Wednesday, wide receiver Diontae Johnson admitted that he was frustrated by some of the public reaction to his financial requests. Specifically, those in fan and media circles who don’t believe he is...
Steelers don’t have a designated slot receiver in mind — and they think it’s a good thing
On the first day of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp, quarterback Mason Rudolph jumped up to snag a high snap. The timing of the screen play was thrown off as a result. But Rudolph was still able to push a short completion to rookie Calvin Austin III. Austin did the rest....
Tim Benz: Larry Ogunjobi willing to play multiple roles to buffer retirement of ‘Mustang’ Stephon Tuitt
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed free-agent defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi to help along the defensive line. Now they just have to figure out the best way to use him. In the base defense, anyway. One thing is clear. In the sub package, they want him to push the pocket. Get after...
U mad, bro?: Quarterback concerns; stadium name-change anger; RB depth; Pirates draft discord
We’ve had a week off from “U mad, bro?” because I was on vacation. As a result, we’ve got a ton of angst built up. So I thought it would be best to release a bit of the building pressure on my inbox and my Twitter mentions before they pop....
Tim Benz: Najee Harris on board with Steelers using 2nd back to lighten his load. But there are other ways, too
Najee Harris isn’t being territorial about how many times he gets the ball in 2022. After 381 touches in his rookie season, the Steelers running back sees value in reducing that number. “There are some plays, if you watch my film, I’ll get somewhat tired. And those aren’t my best...
