First Call: Cam Heyward upset Steelers’ dust-up is public; Myles Garrett update; Josh Dobbs struggles on ‘MNF’

Pittsburgh Steelers veteran Cameron Heyward is upset that word of the team’s locker room disagreement in Cleveland became public.

We have an update on Myles Garrett’s injury. Josh Dobbs had a rough go of it on “Monday Night Football.” A former Steeler is out of a coaching job.

And we look ahead to Tuesday night’s Penguins game.

All that in Tuesday’s “First Call.”

What happens in Cleveland, stays in Cleveland

Cameron Heyward isn’t happy that last week’s locker room dust-up between Minkah Fitzpatrick and Diontae Johnson became public information.

The Steelers defensive captain said it’s “kind of ridiculous that it even became a topic after a game” during his latest “Not Just Football” podcast.

“You would think everybody in the locker room would have some sense about that because that’s what stays in the locker room,” Heyward said. “I’m pretty sure everybody’s been in an altercation before in the locker room, where tempers are high after a game you think you should’ve won.”

The report stated that Heyward and T.J. Watt had to separate Johnson and Fitzpatrick after the two became engaged in the wake of the team’s 13-10 loss to the Browns.

“What’s in the locker room should stay in the locker room,” he said. “It’s not for everybody. If you’re in a business job, and you have a conversation with HR, does it get reported to everybody? Or does it stay in-house?”

True. But in this case, it’s not HR that is leaking the information to ESPN. It was likely someone within that room who leaked it directly — or through someone else — in the first place.

Ins and outs

A number of ex-Steelers are in the headlines.

• Ex-Steelers quarterback Josh Dobbs had a bad night for the Minnesota Vikings. His team lost 12-10 to the Chicago Bears, and Dobbs fired four interceptions along the way.

And Edwards follows it up with the Bears 3rd INT of the game ‼️

????: #CHIvsMIN on ESPN/ABC
????: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/J5tLNJHyh1 pic.twitter.com/2d4C1s2O09

— NFL (@NFL) November 28, 2023

Dobbs was also 22 of 32 for 185 yards and a touchdown.

• Cody White signed on with the Seattle Seahawks practice squad. He hasn’t been with another team since the Steelers released him from their injured reserve list following an injury in the preseason. The wide receiver signed with the team in 2020 and appeared in 16 games in the past two seasons. His father, Sheldon White, is the Steelers Director of Professional Scouting.

• Retired Steelers running back Duce Staley is out as the Carolina Panthers assistant head coach and running backs coach. Interim head coach Chris Tabor and offensive assistant Jim Caldwell made that decision in the wake of being promoted following the franchise’s dismissal of head coach Frank Reich. Quarterbacks coach Josh McCown was also shown the door. That’s according to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero.

• And the Denver Broncos worked out ex-Steelers punter Brad Wing. He was with the Steelers for two games this season while Pressley Harvin was injured. That’s via Aaron Wilson of KPRC television.

More sports

• Overshadowed by offense, Steelers defense rises to occasion against Burrow-less Bengals
• 5 things we learned: Steelers offense finally avoids 3-and-outs, drove often into enemy territory
• Mark Madden: Steelers lacked scoring but showed plenty of good, so what's their ceiling?

Good news for Garrett

Apparently, whatever “pop” Myles Garrett heard in his shoulder on Sunday wasn’t too significant.

The All-Pro Browns defensive end said he heard that noise in his shoulder Sunday during a 29-12 loss to the Denver Broncos. But now, Kevin Stefanski is simply calling Garrett’s injury status “day-to-day.” The Cleveland head coach added that Garrett is “sore” but “feels good about where he will be.”

#Browns Kevin Stefanski feels good about where Myles Garrett is with his shoulder injury. He should be good for Sunday vs #Rams pic.twitter.com/9ipYeJcxfc

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 27, 2023

That’s a lot better for Browns fans than what many of them expected to hear after Garrett was seen leaving the locker room with a sling.

The Browns are set to face the Rams (5-6) in Los Angeles on Sunday. At 7-4, Cleveland is tied with the Steelers for second place in the AFC North, behind the first-place Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers currently hold the tiebreaker based on a 3-1 divisional record. Cleveland is 3-2.

As for starting quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, his status for Sunday is “up in the air,” according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, after suffering a concussion. He says don’t be stunned if Joe Flacco ends up playing for the Browns on Sunday in L.A. The former Ravens QB is currently on the club’s practice squad.

Looks familiar

The Pittsburgh Penguins visit Nashville on Tuesday night to play a Predators team that is their Western Conference mirror image.

Both teams have 20 points. Both teams are 10-10-0. Both teams are within three points of being in one of the two wild card spots in their conference.

It’s like the Spider-Man meme on skates.

via GIPHY

One thing worth pointing out, though. Nashville has won five games in a row. They haven’t lost since a Nov. 14 home date against the Anaheim Ducks.

They also have seven home wins. Vegas is the only team in the Western Conference with more. The Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights have eight. The Pens are 5-4-0 on the road.

Filip Forsberg leads the team with 11 goals and 28 points.