First Call: Aaron Rodgers biographer on QB's waiting game; free-agent DL wants to join Steelers

Monday’s “First Call” features a weekend recap of some Steelers notes, including an interesting take on Aaron Rodgers. A veteran defensive lineman wants to join the Steelers. We add some Pitt recruiting news, and we look at Terry Francona’s return to Pittsburgh with the Cincinnati Reds.

Rodgers revelations

In August of 2024, sports writer Ian O’Connor released a book about Aaron Rodgers entitled “Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers.”

The biggest mystery right now surrounding Rodgers is when he might finally sign a contract to officially become a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, as so many are presuming will happen.

Appearing on 93.7 The Fan Friday, O’Connor said he is expecting Rodgers to show up in Black and Gold soon.

“I just think verbally, behind the scenes, not that he guaranteed it, but he has told (the Steelers), ‘Listen, I’m gonna play for you. I just don’t want to go there and then miss part of mandatory minicamp because of my personal issues. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna be solved by the end of May, at least in my satisfaction where I can give you my all,’” O’Connor said. “That’s where I think he is.”

O’Connor added that Rodgers has reconnected with his estranged family to an extent. So perhaps the “personal issues” that are detaining him from reporting to Pittsburgh are a family matter.

Regardless, O’Connor — without revealing the specific nature of those problems Rodgers mentioned on “The Pat McAfee Show” last month — might have those issues under control shortly.

“Talking to a couple other people close to Aaron, I think I have a sense of what it might be,” O’Connor said. “I’m not comfortable repeating it right now, but I don’t think it would prevent him from playing football with the Steelers.”

The Steelers have Organized Team Activities May 27-June 5. The mandatory minicamp (if Rodgers signs by then) is June 10-12.

Making a pitch

Free agent defensive lineman Lawrence Guy wants to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. He made his pitch to make that happen on the NFL Network Friday.

“I’m a defensive guy, I need to go on defensive teams,” Guy said on “Good Morning Football.” “I would go to Pittsburgh. I love the organization. I played for the Ravens. I get the rivalry. I love the black and blue game.”

Guy said he likes the idea of teaming up with Cameron Heyward along the defensive front.

“You name it, they’ve played it. Right now, with me on there? I know we’re two old people, me and Cam,” Guy said. “When you’ve got a defensive state of mind, you need to go to a defensive team. And this is what they’ve always been known for: defense and dominance.”

Like Heyward, Guy is 35. He has played for six NFL teams, including the three-year run he mentioned with Baltimore in 2014-16. The Arizona State product then spent six years in New England before signing with the Cincinnati Bengals in September. He was released in November and hasn’t latched on anywhere else since.

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Still in the mix

The Pitt football team is on the short list for a standout running back in the 2026 recruiting class.

Via “On3Recruits,” the Panthers are one of six schools that have made the final cut for four-star prospect Kory Amachree. He is also considering Harvard, Duke, Kansas, Michigan State and Indiana.

That service has Amachree rated as the sixth best prospect in the state of Michigan and the 26th best running back in the country. Via Pittsburgh Sports Now, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound prospect had 38 D-1 offers.

The outlet claims that Amachree has already taken an official visit to Kansas and will be at Michigan State on May 30. He was supposed to be on Pitt’s campus for a visit this weekend but had to cancel. They are looking to reschedule in June.

Seeing red

After dropping five of six during their three-game road trip through New York and Philadelphia, the Pirates come home to face the Cincinnati Reds.

Unlike the Pirates, the Reds are hot right now under New Brighton’s Terry Francona. They have won four in a row and just swept the Cleveland Guardians— Francona’s former team — over the weekend. The Reds took Sunday’s game 3-1, featuring two homers from Will Benson.

WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON WILL BENSON pic.twitter.com/jR1geua23U

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) May 18, 2025

Those victories pushed Cincy’s record up to .500. Francona’s club is now 24-24. This is his first year managing the Reds after 11 years in Cleveland and 12 years between Philadelphia and Boston. The Beaver County product has won the Manager of the Year award three times and has been to the World Series three times, winning twice in 2004 and ‘07 with the Red Sox.

The Pirates are going to need more from Oneil Cruz. He came back from injury in their series against the Phillies and went 0 for 9 with eight strikeouts. As a team, the Pirates struck out 14 times against Philadelphia on Sunday. Nine of them came against Mick Abel in his MLB debut.

Keep your eye on Mick Abel ????

He has already struck out 8 batters in his Major League debut ???? pic.twitter.com/of8S2cVTzC

— MLB (@MLB) May 18, 2025

The Reds swept the Pirates at Great American Ball Park by a combined score of 14-5 over a three-game series last month.