Tuesday’s “First Call” has some revealing quotes from one of Pittsburgh’s top wide receivers. We look at a challenge facing Marcell Ozuna now that he is a Pittsburgh Pirate.
Pitt gets good news about a Panthers basketball alum in advance of the club’s big game against Duke on Tuesday night.
And Robert Morris caps a successful week on the hardwood with some appropriate recognition.
Bracing for what’s to come
Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin sounds like he is preparing for an uncertain offseason. The fourth-year wide receiver was on a radio station in Memphis on Monday. He appears unclear about his future with the Steelers.
“Pittsburgh, just being real, they might not want me, or they have a different vision. And that’s why I say at the end of the day, it’s just a straight business decision,” Austin said on 92.9FM ESPN. “I love Pittsburgh. The fans. The people. The city. I truly love it. So I would definitely want to continue to make that home.”
Austin is set to become a free agent in March. He missed three games this year with injuries. His yardage total dropped from 548 to 372. He posted 31 catches (three touchdowns) as opposed to 36 (4 TDs) in 2024. His yards per catch and punt return average were down as well.
Even if Austin does stay, there isn’t a great deal of clarity in Pittsburgh.
“Coach T did step down. Whether I stay or leave, it’s gonna be a new situation regardless,” Austin said via SteelersNow.com. “Even if I stay, we have a whole new staff, so it’s definitely something I’m excited about and (have) been praying over.”
Austin was drafted out of Memphis in the fourth round of 2022’s draft. He has 84 catches, 1,110 yards and eight touchdowns in his Steelers career.
Regardless of Austin staying or leaving in free agency, the Steelers are likely to address their wide receiver depth in free agency, potential trades and the draft.
More sports
• Tim Benz: Even with Marcell Ozuna, Pirates’ offseason moves are tough to evaluate• Mark Madden: Super Bowl showed value of franchise quarterback, and other observations
• Tim Benz: Are Steelers fans playing the wrong ‘what-if game’ after Seattle’s Super Bowl win?
Something to note
There is a statistical concern about the Pirates’ acquisition of Marcell Ozuna.
Well, based on his significant drop off last year (in part due to a hip injury), there is more than one.
But one thing that jumps out about his career numbers is that Ozuna hasn’t had much luck at PNC Park. The power-hitting right-hander only has one home run in 156 plate appearances there.
The 35-year-old has played 36 games on the North Shore with Miami, St. Louis and Atlanta. He has nine doubles in 142 at-bats. That’s it for extra base hits. Ozuna’s OPS in his new home stadium is .605, and he is hitting only .225 there.
PNC Park can be difficult for right-handed hitters in part because of the 410-foot Northside Notch in left-center field.
A break for Blake
Blake Hinson has been playing well in the G League. Now it looks like he’s getting a shot in the NBA.
The former Pitt basketball standout is getting a two-way deal with the Utah Jazz. That’s according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Utah Jazz are signing forward Blake Hinson to a two-way NBA deal out of the G League's Rip City Remix, agent Paolo Zamorano of Gersh Sports tells ESPN. Hinson has averaged 21.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in the G League.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2026
Hinson had been putting up 21.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in Portland with the Rip City Remix.
HOW?!?!? ????????
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) February 7, 2026
Add this to the top of the list of the WILDEST 3PT Blake Hinson has made this season! @ripcityremix pic.twitter.com/FkeHCJLoGI
The 26-year-old fills an open two-way roster spot with the Jazz after the franchise sent rookie John Tonje to the Boston Celtics on Thursday.
After leaving Pitt, the forward was undrafted in 2024 but signed a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was waived before the regular season began.
As a result, Hinson signed with the Golden State Warriors, appearing in 34 games for their G League affiliate, before joining Rip City in advance of this season.
As for Hinson’s alma mater, the Panthers have a huge game Tuesday night. Fourth-ranked Duke is in town. The Blue Devils enter the Petersen Events Center at 21-2 (10-1 ACC). They are tied with Clemson for the league lead.
Pitt is 9-15, 2-9 in the conference. Jeff Capel’s club is a 15.5-point home underdog. ESPN analytics gives Duke a 93.4 chance of winning.
RMU rewards
The Robert Morris basketball team had a really good week.
On Wednesday, the Colonials upended Horizon League-leading Wright State, 72-66. Then, on Saturday, they topped Youngstown State by a matching 72-66 result.
15-2 run heading into the U4, we're up 64-59! #GRIT #BobbyMo #HLMBB pic.twitter.com/yUom8t30Ib
— RMU Basketball (@RMUMBasketball) February 7, 2026
For those efforts, RMU earned multiple Horizon League honors. DeSean Goode was named Player of the Week, and Darius Livingston earned Freshman of the Week.
???? We swept the @HorizonLeague awards this week. @goode_desean is the Player of the Week and @DariusLjr is the Freshman of the Week!
— RMU Basketball (@RMUMBasketball) February 9, 2026
????: https://t.co/OV75DKhfRZ pic.twitter.com/4SW88r1r1U
Goode had 16 points and seven rebounds against Wright State. He followed that up with 24 and 7 against YSU. Livingston had 16 against Wright State (his career high is 17) and 12 against YSU.
The Colonials are at Cleveland State on Thursday. Andy Toole’s team is currently in fifth place in the Horizon League at 8-7, 16-10 overall. RMU has won three of its past four games.
