Breakfast With Benz category, Page 110
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans voice opinions on Super Bowl aspirations, Kenny Pickett, JuJu and the Pats, even T.J. Watt’s allergy
The Pittsburgh Steelers offseason doesn’t mean that the team is off the radar. At least not with Steelers fans who read “Breakfast With Benz.” As usual, this week my inbox and Twitter interactions are flooded with Steelers fans giving their opinions on all sorts of topics. You know, like JuJu...
First Call: New job for ex-Steelers assistant; Brian Flores absolves, praises Bill Belichick; a Steeler who may be better elsewhere
A current Pittsburgh Steeler may be destined for a new address. Brian Flores doesn’t want to call out Bill Belichick. A former Steelers assistant coach has a new gig in college. And the Penguins have a great chance to gobble up two points Thursday night at PPG Paints Arena. All...
Time to channel a little extra motivation if Duquesne is going to upset Davidson
Since Tuesday marked the 42nd anniversary of the 1980 Team USA hockey win over the Russians, maybe Duquesne basketball coach Keith Dambrot caught a rerun of the movie “Miracle” on television. Perhaps he can gin up a Herb Brooks-esque pregame speech. I mean the Dukes do wear red, white and...
First Call: Predicted landing spot for JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency; Antonio Brown flips on Tom Brady again
Wednesday’s “First Call” features a possible free agent landing spot for JuJu Smith-Schuster. Ray-Ray McCloud is angling for a new contract to stay in Pittsburgh. Antonio Brown is back to sniping at Tom Brady. Jarvis Landry is getting itchy in Cleveland. And a local college hockey team is preparing for...
Tim Benz: Plenty for Steelers to learn from outside candidates in general manager search
When Kevin Colbert leaves his post as Steelers general manager after this spring’s NFL Draft, he’ll leave behind a 22-year legacy of constructing teams that went to three Super Bowls, won two Vince Lombardi trophies and qualified for the playoffs 14 times. He’ll also leave behind a legacy of essentially...
Penguins-Hurricanes game a sign of things to come for regular season Metro Division rematches — maybe beyond
Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal apologized for the hit on his former Pittsburgh Penguins teammate Evgeni Malkin. “That was my bad,” Staal said. “I saw him late. He was kind of coming the other way. I was going the other way. He’s a big, heavy boy. I’m glad that he...
Tim Benz: Of all the things Kevin Colbert discussed Monday, Stephon Tuitt’s status may be the most pressing
Outgoing Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert held his annual offseason get-together with selected Steelers media members Tuesday. Many issues were discussed. The plans to replace him after he retires following the draft. The offseason gameplan about what will be done at quarterback to replace the retired Ben Roethlisberger. What...
First Call: NFL Scouting Combine ‘bubble boycott’ avoided; former Steelers QB cut in CFL; Penguins get no help from Flyers
Tuesday’s “First Call” has an update on that planned boycott of the NFL Scouting Combine. A former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback couldn’t cut it in the CFL. Troy Polamalu’s uncle gets a new gig coaching in the NFL. The Flyers can’t give the Penguins an assist. And one of Duquesne’s women’s...
Madden Monday: Hurricanes ‘the more fundamentally sound team’ in first Metro Division showdown with Penguins
Sunday’s matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes was the first of three between now and March 13. Who knows, maybe those three contests will be a precursor for a best-of-seven playoff series this spring. The teams entered Sunday’s affair tied for first place in the Metropolitan Division with...
First Call: Ex-Steeler on Mason Rudolph, ‘He’s a backup’; college hoops coaches ignite skirmish; NFL Combine boycott?
Monday’s “First Call” features another former Pittsburgh Steeler doubting quarterback Mason Rudolph. There may be a boycott of the NFL scouting combine. A local NHL product hits a milestone. There was a fight between coaches in the Big Ten basketball ranks. And maybe Tampa Bay wasn’t all paradise for Tom...
Tim Benz: 3 goals the Steelers can meet by hiring Brian Flores
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to hire former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores as a senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach attempts to address three things. Two of them appear to be about battles of perception. The other is about the battle to get the opposing team off the field without racking...
Tim Benz: Pittsburgh’s Janice Masters aims to elevate Women’s National Football Conference as new commissioner
For Pittsburgh’s Janice Masters, the workload can sometimes be like a second full-time job. Except she’s not getting paid for this one. Roger Goodell gets between $50 million to $60 million per year to be commissioner of the National Football League. What Masters gets to be commissioner of the Women’s...
Steelers’ T.J. Watt confirms NFL fine, discloses allergy that resulted in emergency hospital escort from James Harrison
On a recent episode of Barstool’s “Pardon My Take” podcast, the newly crowned Defensive Player of the Year disclosed that he has a wicked tree nut allergy. Tree nuts include the likes of almonds, pecans, pistachios, walnuts and Brazil nuts. Among the incidents that the Steelers linebacker has encountered is...
First Call: Ryan Clark doubts Mason Rudolph; ex-Steelers assistant hired in Green Bay; Aaron Donald to keep playing?
Friday’s “First Call” has a less-than-optimistic opinion on the Steelers offense from one of the team’s former players. We have updates on the post-Super Bowl retirement talk surrounding Sean McVay and Penn Hills alum Aaron Donald. A former Steelers assistant may factor into the Aaron Rodgers situation in Green Bay....
After Sidney Crosby’s 50th goal vs. the Flyers, a former linemate recalls how that rivalry began
As the Penguins look to extend their winning streak to five games Thursday night in Canada against the Toronto Maple Leafs, many fans are still basking in the afterglow of Tuesday’s victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Not only was it an enjoyable 5-4 comeback win for the Metropolitan Division-leading Penguins...
U mad, bro?: No Valentines this week, but lots of agitation about Steelers offensive line, quarterbacks, Kenny Pickett’s hands
My inbox this week was stuffed with plenty of emails about the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback conundrum. Offensive line concerns. Journalism lectures. Penguins negativity. And hamburger commercials. I didn’t get any Valentine’s Day e-cards though. That was sad. But in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, “U mad, bro?” is like a...
Tim Benz: Sidney Crosby wrote the perfect script, Kris Letang authored the perfect ending
It felt like a perfect night of Penguins hockey at PPG Paints Arena. Sidney Crosby scored his 500th goal in front of a raucous crowd of 18,385. A Sid-sational moment for a sensational player.Congratulations, Sidney! ???? pic.twitter.com/WrPh5R4qDx— NHL (@NHL) February 16, 2022 He did so against the hated Philadelphia...
With the 2021 NFL season complete, Steelers have underwhelming public perception, expectations for 2022
When you think of the Pittsburgh Steelers compared to other NFL franchises, do these names pop into your head immediately? The Atlanta Falcons. The Washington Commanders. The Carolina Panthers. How about some other long-standing organizations with a history of winning Super Bowls that have fallen on hard times recently? Teams...
First Call: Huge local Super Bowl TV ratings; ESPN picks cities for 2 Steelers free agents, puts QB and CB in Pittsburgh
We’ve talked plenty about what the Steelers may or may not do on the trade market and at the draft. But what about free agency? ESPN has some guesses. They also have some suggestions for new homes for two current Steelers free agents. Pittsburgh was one of the best cities...
Tim Benz: Sidney Crosby getting No. 500 against the Flyers would be perfect in so many ways
We can only assume that Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has done this on purpose, right? During the first game back from the All-Star break on Feb. 8, Crosby scored career goal No. 499 of his career as part of a 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Crosby then picked...
Tim Benz: Super Bowl weekend of quarterback news may refocus offseason Steelers speculation
If the Pittsburgh Steelers are to take part in the 2022 offseason quarterback carousel, there needs to be a few ponies on the ride when it starts spinning. And some big-name horses may have been removed before the calliope music even begins to play. Based on reports over the weekend,...
First Call: Ryan Shazier’s endorsement for next Steelers quarterback; tough play for Pitt’s Tyler Boyd in Super Bowl
Monday’s “First Call” looks at Ryan Shazier’s idea for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ next quarterback. A bad break for a Pitt alum in the Super Bowl. Antonio Brown’s temper-tantrum glove sold at auction. And Sidney Crosby is staring at the prospect of goal No. 500 against the hated Philadelphia Flyers. Bad...
Following Rams Super Bowl win, retirement talk for both Pitt star Aaron Donald and coach Sean McVay?
During the Super Bowl pregame show, NBC aired an interview that Rodney Harrison did with Los Angeles Rams star and former Pitt Panther Aaron Donald. Harrison told the audience that Donald informed him he might retire if the Rams won the Super Bowl. “He’s big on legacy,” Harrison said. “He...
Reliving Ben Roethlisberger’s Super Bowl XLIII game-winning drive, the most memorable in team history
The Steelers’ last Super Bowl win was 13 years ago in Tampa Bay, Fla. They beat the Arizona Cardinals, 27-23, in Super Bowl XLIII for the franchise’s sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy. It couldn’t have happened without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who retired from the NFL after the Steelers finished their 2021...
Bengals DB Mike Hilton discusses emotions toward Steelers in advance of Super Bowl
When former Pittsburgh Steeler Mike Hilton came back to Heinz Field with the Cincinnati Bengals in September, he definitely relished his new team’s 24-10 victory over his former franchise. Bengals teammate Tyler Boyd said Hilton spoke to the team twice in the days leading up to that game, claiming he...
