First Call: 2 Steelers lash out at 18-game schedule idea; new RB contract may set bar for Najee Harris; no Maulers return in '25

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris will definitely take note of a new contract signed by one of his peers in the AFC.

Two Steelers defensive backs are lashing out at the idea of an 18-game season. The Pittsburgh Maulers are not coming back into existence just yet.

The Pirates are getting ready to welcome the Tampa Bay Rays, and we look at the cluttered National League Central Division heading into a busy weekend of play.

All that as we wrap up the week in Friday’s “First Call.”

Not on board

A pair of Steelers defensive backs are sounding off against the idea of an 18-game season. It’s a notion that has been long discussed and was recently advanced by commissioner Roger Goodell at the draft in Detroit in April.

“They’re not paying us enough money already,” Steelers safety DeShon Elliott said via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor. “They’re stingy with their money, so they want to make us play 18 games. As a player union, we should get way more money than what we’re getting — and not just the top guys. And the thing is, they’re not out here playing football. They’re not here running around putting their bodies on the line. They don’t care. All they care about is making money, but if you’re going to make money on the top end, the bottom end has to make money too.”

As it’s currently arranged via the collective bargaining agreement, for a 17-game season, the players get just under 49% of the league’s revenue. If the owners try to add an 18th game before the CBA expires in 2030, the union would likely look to increase that share.

According to Pryor, an ESPN survey reflected that 19% of players were firmly against schedule expansion. Like Elliott, fellow Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is one of those in that camp.

That’s even if the NFL drops a week of preseason games to even things out a bit.

“Why do we keep adding games?” Fitzpatrick asked. “I think 17 is more than enough, plus a playoff. … The dudes that play 100% of the snaps in the regular season are probably barely playing in the (removed) preseason game, so it doesn’t really do too much.”

As for the rest of the poll, 46% of players were in favor of an 18-game schedule with stipulations and 8% voted yes without stipulations. Meanwhile, 27% didn’t reply with an opinion.

News for Najee?

Najee Harris was the first player at his position selected in the 2021 draft. The Steelers picked the running back No. 24 overall out of Alabama.

Oklahoma running back Rhamondre Stevenson went in the fourth round to the New England Patriots. But Stevenson just got something Harris surely wants: contract security.

According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, the Pats just gave Stevenson a four-year extension for $36 million, including $17 million fully guaranteed.

Patriots and RB Rhamondre Stevenson reached agreement on a four-year extension for $36 million, including $17M fully guaranteed, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 20, 2024

Meanwhile, the Steelers didn’t even give Harris a fifth-year option on his first-round entry-level deal, which would have paid him $6.7 million next year. The good news for Harris is that he gets to free agency next spring. And if Stevenson set the bar, Harris should be smiling. He just needs to perform well this year and stay healthy. The bad news is he has no security beyond the next 17 regular-season games.

Plus, Harris has put up better numbers over his career, rushing for 3,269 yards and totaling 22 rushing touchdowns. He also has 144 receptions for 866 yards and six more scores.

Stevenson has rushed for 2,265 yards and 14 TDs while catching 121 passes for 782 yards and one score. Not to mention that Harris has suited up for all 51 regular-season games of his Steelers career, 10 more than Stevenson.

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No more Maulers

The UFL is coming back for a second season. But the Pittsburgh Maulers will not be returning for it.

The Maulers were squeezed out of the USFL/XFL consolidation league that debuted this year. And, as FoxSports.com outlined, while expansion for 2025 was considered, the decision was made to keep the league at eight teams for the second year.

“We are going to be able to dial into the details,” said Daryl Johnston, head of league football operations. “We’re going to have a traditional offseason calendar where we can be ahead of the curve instead of being in a position where we have to chase it a little bit. … I think that’s something that everyone’s excited about.”

The Maulers were part of the rebooted USFL for the 2022 and ’23 seasons. But, unlike their predecessors from 1984, who played in the original iteration of the USFL, the new Maulers never played in Pittsburgh.

In an effort to reduce costs, the new USFL played all its games in Birmingham in 2022. Then, in 2023, each team received a home venue, but the Maulers played in Canton, Ohio.

Then, the USFL and XFL merged for this past season, with the Birmingham Stallions winning the championship on Sunday.

Reading up on the Rays

The Pirates (36-38) open up a three-game series at PNC Park with the Tampa Bay Rays (36-39) on Friday. It’s been a very choppy season for the Rays, especially lately.

From May 31 to June 10, the Rays lost six of seven to the Baltimore Orioles and beat the lowly Miami Marlins twice in between. From there, manager Kevin Cash’s club took two of three from the Chicago Cubs, dropped two of three to the Atlanta Braves, and took two of three from the Minnesota Twins, including a 7-6 victory Thursday in 10 innings.

Johnny DeLuca had the game-winning hit.

Jonny DeLiner up the middle!!!! pic.twitter.com/zGsNFPS2hH

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 20, 2024

The Rays are currently 14 games behind the New York Yankees, in fourth place of the American League East. They have a run differential of minus-70, the worst in the division and fourth worst in the AL.

Tampa has allowed 365 runs, the sixth most in Major League Baseball. Their 295 runs scored are good for just 24th.

One area where Tampa has actually been decent, though, is playing on the road. They are 17-16, while their 23 home losses are the third-highest total in the AL (the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels have 25 apiece).

Also, their pitching staff strikes out batters at a high rate. With 652 on the season, only the Twins (667) and Boston Red Sox (656) have more in the American League.

Meanwhile, the Pirates’ batters’ 707 strikeouts are the most in the National League.

Central situation

As the Pirates begin their series against the Rays, they do so in third place of the National League Central Division, 7.5 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers.

On Thursday night, the Brewers played a late game in San Diego and lost 7-6. Jake Cronenworth hit a walk-off home run for the Padres.

VOTE FOR THIS MAN RN

????: https://t.co/gyd80CEbUT pic.twitter.com/TwnJk7ZLLb

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 21, 2024

It was the Padres’ third straight walk-off homer at home.

The Brewers’ loss means they now have a 6.5 lead over the second place St. Louis Cardinals who topped the San Francisco Giants, 6-5. Brendan Donovan homered along the way for St. Louis.

Donnie delivers a 2-run dinger in the first inning!#ForTheLou pic.twitter.com/TaiQ7rXcYJ

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 20, 2024

That game was played at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., in the Negro Leagues tribute game. The 114-year-old stadium is the oldest professional ballpark in the U.S. and former home to the Birmingham Black Barons, who once featured recently departed Hall of Famer Willie Mays.

The Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds were also idle, like the Pirates. Chicago is a half-game behind the Pirates in fourth place. They are getting set to host the New York Mets at Wrigley Field for three games this weekend.

The last-place Reds are a game behind the Pirates and 8.5 games in the cellar after dropping two of three at PNC Park. They try to get back on track during a weekend home series against the Red Sox.

As of now, the Pirates are half a game out of the final wild-card spot in the National League.