First Call: Betting on Ben Roethlisberger's post-NFL job; legal issue for Bud Dupree; debating records for T.J. Watt, Cooper Kupp

Tuesday’s “First Call” looks at Ben Roethlisberger’s life after the NFL. We get some bad news on Bud Dupree, an interesting opinion on NFL records in a 17-game season and a look at what may go down as the goal of the year in the NHL.

Guess who was in the net when it happened?

What’s on tap?

A sports website is posting action on Ben Roethlisberger’s post-retirement job.

The Steelers quarterback is set to play what is presumed to be his final game on Sunday in Baltimore after 18 NFL seasons. And after that? Who knows?

But Sportsbetting.ag is letting you gamble on what Big Ben may be doing for big bucks in 2022.

• Football Analyst -150

• Podcast Host +300

• Reality TV Contestant +400

• Un-retires to Play in NFL +750

• NFL Coach +1200

• College Coach +1600

First of all, a reality show contestant? Ben? Please. He’s made more than $253 million. He doesn’t need to go on a reality show.

In terms of coaching, frankly, I’d bet on Roethlisberger being a high school or pee wee football coach for his kids before going down the college or pro paths just yet.

And Roethlisberger won’t come out of retirement. As beat up as his body is, he won’t ever want to snap back into NFL training shape.

In terms of going down the media rabbit hole, maybe. Roethlisberger can be glib and entertaining when he wants to be. But he’s had an often-tense relationship with the media and with the lingering impact of his words, I don’t think Roethlisberger would like the opinion business.

Is club pro at a golf course anywhere on that list? Or celebrity tour golfer? Those may be wiser bets.

Trouble for Bud

Tennessee Titans linebacker Bud Dupree is facing a legal issue.

Via ProFootballTalk.com, the Metro Nashville Police Department announced Tuesday that they have issued a citation charging the former Steeler with misdemeanor assault.

Dupree was allegedly part of an incident that became physical at a Nashville Walgreens on Sunday.

A police report describes a scuffle after a group left the store in the aftermath of an argument with an employee. The group then allegedly returned with Dupree, who is accused of “grabbing the victim and his phone.” That resulted in Dupree being charged with “assault-fear of bodily injury.”

Dupree is scheduled to report for booking on the citation in three weeks.

All hail, Cale!

Former Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was beaten in overtime to lose a game 4-3 to the Colorado Avalanche.

That said, I don’t know if Fleury can be blamed for this one. Avs defenseman Cale Makar sent Flower and his Chicago Blackhawks home with one of the best goals of the year.

GO OFF, CALE MAKAR.

Just a beautifuuuuul @trulyseltzer OT winner right here. pic.twitter.com/PKMYScavXE

— NHL (@NHL) January 5, 2022

First, Makar beat Chicago’s Kirby Dach with his feet. Then he beat Fleury with his hands.

The victory boosts Colorado to 40 points, good for third in the NHL’s Central Division. They have now won eight of 10. The Hawks have now lost five in a row, three of those results were in overtime.

The scoop from Coop

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp has a league-high 1,829 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on 138 catches. Kupp has the chance to set the single-season receptions and receiving yardage marks this Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas owns the single-season receptions record with 149. That mark was set in 2019. Kupp is 11 catches shy. He’s reached that total in three games this season.

Former Detroit Lions star Calvin Johnson holds the single-season receiving yards record with 1,964 (2012). Kupp enters Sunday needing 135 receiving yards to tie the record. He has broken the 100-yard plateau in 10 games this season and has four games with 130 or more receiving yards.

However, Kupp downplayed the potential of breaking those marks in a 17th game because those numbers were earned over 16-game seasons.

“It wouldn’t hold the same weight to me as it does for guys that have done that in a 16-game season and the accomplishments those guys had and the seasons they put together. Those are incredible things, incredible accomplishments. You kind of have to separate the two,” Kupp said via ESPN.com.

Hmm. I wonder if we should feel the same way about T.J. Watt (21.5 sacks) potentially breaking Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record (22.5 in 2001) in a 17th game Sunday in Baltimore? Then again, that debate might be diluted since Watt missed two games this season due to injury.

I don’t. The record is the record based on how long the NFL deems its season to be. To me, on debates like this, asterisks always exist in our minds anyway. I don’t need a piece of paper with an ink dot on it to agree with me when I choose to apply them.

Or not.

By the way, Kupp is not going to break Randy Moss’ single season (2007) touchdown reception mark. At least not this year. It stands at 23, eight more than Kupp.