First Call: Antonio Brown works out with Steelers WR; Jameis Winston to Pittsburgh?; Sidney Crosby's future as a coach

In Friday’s “First Call,” we look at which Steelers player is a workout pal with Antonio Brown. Mike Sullivan adresses the the idea of Sidney Crosby eventually coaching.

Should Jameis Winston go to the Steelers?

Also, more bad news in Boston. And “March Madness” replacement brackets.

A.B.’s buddy

If anyone stands out as the world’s perfect football mentor, let’s be honest.

It’s Antonio Brown.

No one screams sage, stabilizing, mature veteran influence more than him.

Because, apparently, he has become a workout partner for Steelers rookie wide receiver Diontae Johnson. This week, Brown posted Instagram footage of a group of people, including Johnson and himself, working out with each other.

In Johnson’s first season, he had 59 catches, 680 yards and five touchdowns. Big things are expected of him this year.

In a best-case scenario, Johnson was hoped to be the “next A.B.” Roughly the same size. Undervalued. High upside. Good return skills. From a MAC school.

In a worst-case scenario, maybe he turns into …

… well, the “next A.B.”

Steelers fans better hope for the first thing.

On the plus side, no one has ever questioned Brown’s workout routine or practice habits. Maybe Johnson can soak up some of that stuff without absorbing Brown’s personality in the process.

Want Winston?

Now that Tom Brady is going to Tampa Bay, Jameis Winston needs a place to play.

Will it be at Heinz Field, where his college career began with Florida State against Pitt?

Winston was 25 of 27 for 356 yards and four touchdowns in his 2013 FSU freshman debut. He also had eight carries for 25 yards and a touchdown. The Seminoles shredded the Panthers, 41-13, in what is still the best quarterbacking performance I have seen in that building.

But he threw 30 interceptions with the Buccaneers last year. Which is why the franchise was ready to replace the former No. 1 overall draft choice.

NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero listed three potential landing spots for Winston, mentioning the Steelers first.

His suggestion was that Winston could be a backup at first but also be “developed” for the future.

Don’t count on it. He’ll be too expensive, and he takes too many risks.

Then again, the current starting quarterback of the Steelers may fall into both of those categ …

Never mind.

By the way, the other two teams mentioned were the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, both division rivals of the Bucs in the NFC South.

Coach Crosby?

Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan isn’t exactly looking for his successor yet.

But, he seems to think Sidney Crosby should give it a thought.

Maybe not soon. But eventually.

On Wednesday, Sullivan told “Hockey Central at Noon:” ”If (Crosby) wanted to be a coach, I think he would be a terrific coach because he is such a student of the game.

“That’s something that I think would be a personal decision from his standpoint, but if he does choose to go down that path, I think he would be terrific at it. … I could see him staying involved in the game in some capacity because he loves it so much, he has such a passion for it.”

Maybe it’s because of all the Mario Lemieux comparisons, up to and including Crosby living in Lemieux’s house when he came to Pittsburgh. But I always saw Crosby as more of a potential owner than I did a coach. I think Crosby is such a perfectionist, he’d drive himself and his players crazy if he tried to coach.

If Crosby became a coach after retiring, would he immediately make Dominik Simon, Chis Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis his assistants?

I mean, he’d have to, right?

The hits just keep on comin’

Wow. Tough times in Boston.

The bad news didn’t stop with Brady’s departure for Tampa Bay.

Word from NBC Boston is that Red Sox All-Star pitcher Chris Sale is going to have Tommy John surgery. That procedure will sideline the left-hander through 2020 and maybe into 2021.

It was reported that Sale had a flexor strain in his left elbow earlier this month.

Sale’s issues flared up in August last year, when he experienced inflammation in his left elbow. He ended the season with a career-worst 4.40 ERA. His last start was Aug. 13.

What’s next? Is Rob Gronkowski going to turn heel at WrestleMania and join the New York Jets?

Better than nuthin’

Thanks to covid-19, there are no March Madness games or brackets.

So the official March Madness Twitter feed sent out this bracket instead. It’s a field of 64 consisting of great all-time NCAA college basketball tournament moments.

To celebrate our past tournaments, we're launching a bracket that pits some of the greatest #MarchMadnessMoments against each other.

The bracket was selected & seeded by @TheAndyKatz. Voting begins at Noon ET on our social platforms w/the left side of the bracket. Let's do this! pic.twitter.com/J18IlsDuuo

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 19, 2020

I’d go with Christian Laettner’s shot over the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird game on the left side of the Final Four. Then I’d go with Tyus Edney’s buzzer beater over Bo Kimble’s left-handed free throw on the other side.

With the Laettner shot winning it all.

Ick. It pains me to say that, given that I’m giving Duke yet another title here. But at least that means Kentucky kind of loses again.

By the way, the setup of this whole thing is dumb. Of course, the “Final Four Region” bracket is going to be the most stacked. That’s when the most memorable games are played!

I mean, the 1985 Villanova Wildcats as a 16th seed? Are you kidding? Michael Jordan’s shot a 5th seed? Keith Smart a 10th seed?

I‘d take that whole bracket before I‘d take most of the rest of the field.

Oh, and this Sweet 16 moment from Syracuse’s John Wallace was horribly overlooked.

Not that I’m biased or anything.