First Call: Ex-Browns star misses mark with shot at Steelers; Joe Haden, JuJu Smith-Schuster pondering future

Monday’s “First Call” features an ex-Cleveland Browns star kicking the Pittsburgh Steelers while they are down.

Ben Roethlisberger bids farewell to Patrick Mahomes. Other Steelers with expiring contracts brace for departure. And the Penguins get set for a test in Las Vegas.

Read the room

Ex-Cleveland Browns star Joe Thomas took an ill-advised shot at the Steelers during Sunday night’s blowout loss to the Chiefs. The former All-Pro offensive tackle sent out this tweet mocking the Steelers’ 42-21 loss in the first round of the playoffs.

.@Steelers, congratulations on your playoff participation trophy

— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) January 17, 2022

That seems like an odd jab for Thomas to send out, seeing as how two victories over Thomas’ former franchise helped the Steelers make the postseason in the first place.

Not to mention that Thomas played 11 seasons in Cleveland and 167 games without making the playoffs. Former Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel wanted to make sure that Thomas should be aware of the irony of his comment.

Did you ever get one of those? No https://t.co/9WqA8I8QgO

— Brett Keisel (@bkeisel99) January 17, 2022

I suppose self-awareness has never been a strong suit of the Browns players or their fans.

From one generation to the next

Who knows if Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will play 18 years like Ben Roethlisberger did.

If so, that’s bad news for the rest of the NFL. Because his first five have been lethal.

The loss by Roethlisberger’s Steelers to Mahomes and the Chiefs will likely end Roethlisberger’s NFL career. And Mahomes wanted to pay tribute to his peer on the way out the door.

As Roethlisberger and Mahomes were shaking hands the two shared a nice moment, as picked up by on field NFL cameras.

"I'm gonna get one of these at some point."

"I need one too!"

Jersey exchange coming between Roethlisberger and @PatrickMahomes. #NFLPlayoffs #SuperWildCard pic.twitter.com/L9YKohj9aN

— NFL (@NFL) January 17, 2022

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes on what he said to Ben Roethlisberger postgame: "I just told him I have so much respect for him, I've watched him growing, and the way he plays the game, he competes to the very end. And he did that this whole entire season."

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 17, 2022

Roethlisberger had 101 touchdowns through his first five seasons. Mahomes has 151, and he played in just one game his rookie season.

Beyond Ben

Roethlisberger isn’t the only Steeler that may be heading out the door. Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster might be doing so as well.

The former Pro Bowl wide receiver is a free agent after this year (as he was last year). But a shallow market for wide receivers encouraged Smith-Schuster to stay in Pittsburgh and play one more year for the Steelers.

It didn’t work out great for Smith-Schuster, though, as he appeared in just five games before being sidelined by a shoulder injury. The injury was believed to be serious enough that he wasn’t going to play again this year. But Smith-Schuster did suit up against the Chiefs in Sunday’s playoff game, managing just five catches for 26 yards.

That said, Smith-Schuster appeared happy to play in Black and Gold one more time.

Grateful to have been able to take the field tonight ️ pic.twitter.com/M2jQD2FzRl

— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) January 17, 2022

Juju @TeamJuJu stopping to sign autographs on his way into the locker room after the game @KDKA pic.twitter.com/eDZ3xVeJ30

— Rich Walsh KDKA (@RichieWalsh) January 17, 2022

And it looks like Smith-Schuster wants to stay with the Steelers if the team will keep him.

JuJu Smith-Schuster on staying in Pittsburgh (he's a FA this year) says it would "be nice to stay here for another four years."

— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) January 17, 2022

If Smith-Schuster is done in Pittsburgh, he leaves with 323 catches under his belt, 3,855 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Cornerback Joe Haden is going to be a free agent as well. His future is also unknown. He took the time to post this image after the game.

Steelers Nation….. I love u Guys! The Love I have felt from day One here has been unbelievable and I can’t thank you guys enough! We will see what the future holds! #GoldsPlan #ImNotDoneBalling! pic.twitter.com/oOpqSSPoBQ

— Joe Haden (@joehaden23) January 17, 2022

Haden has had 10 interceptions as a Steeler. None this year.

Cooling off?

The Penguins may be getting the Vegas Golden Knights at the right time. The Pens visit Vegas for a 10 p.m. faceoff Monday.

The Knights tore through December, winning 10 of 13 games, vaulting atop the Pacific Division with 48 points. However, they have lost four of five in January. And the team’s most recent scheduled games — in Edmonton on Friday and Calgary on Saturday — were postponed because of coronavirus concerns.

The Penguins hit Vegas with 49 points, good for fourth place in the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference’s top wild-card spot.

The Golden Knights average 3.46 goals per game, the fourth-best mark in the NHL. The Penguins are allowing just 2.51 goals against per game, also the fourth-best mark in the NHL.