First Call: Ex-Steelers LB trying to make comeback; Deshaun Watson touts Steelers-Browns rivalry
A former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker is trying to come back from a serious 2023 injury. Meanwhile, a former Steelers wide receiver is starring in the UFL.
Deshaun Watson is touting the Steelers-Browns rivalry. Pitching will certainly be on display in the Pirates-Tigers series. Plus, in the NBA, T.J. McConnell and the Indiana Pacers were swept by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
All that in Monday’s “First Call.”
Kwon comeback?
While playing for the Steelers last year, Kwon Alexander suffered a torn Achilles tendon. Now a free agent, Alexander is trying to work his way back and get signed somewhere.
Alexander posted a video Friday about his progress. Alexander had signed just a one-year deal with the Steelers in 2023. So he had to hit the free-agent market after suffering that season-ending injury in Week 11.
Last year, both Alexander and Cole Holcomb went down with significant injuries that derailed what was looking like a good inside linebacker depth chart. Holcomb still isn’t back from his knee injury that he suffered in Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans.
Elandon Roberts and Mark Robinson are both back from that group last year. Plus, the Steelers added free agent Patrick Queen and third-round draft choice Payton Wilson.
In nine games last year, Alexander had 41 tackles — including five for a loss, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble.
More sports
• Madden Monday: Penguins won't take Team USA job into equation when evaluating Mike Sullivan
• Linked to Steelers at ‘18 draft and ‘22 free agency, CB Donte Jackson excited to finally join team
• Rookie right-handers Jared Jones, Paul Skenes shine in spotlight, drawing attention to Pirates
Picking it up quickly
Even though Deshaun Watson has only played 12 games as a Cleveland Brown, the quarterback has quickly absorbed the depth of the Cleveland-Pittsburgh rivalry.
On his podcast, “QB
“Cleveland-Pittsburgh, for sure,” Watson said. “It’s even bigger than Cincinnati. It’s not Baltimore. Baltimore is up there, but it ain’t as real as Pittsburgh.”
Pittsburgh leads the all-time series 81-63-1. Watson lost both of the games he started with the Browns in Pittsburgh. He didn’t play in either of the games the Steelers played in Cleveland since he joined the team.
Jacoby Brissett won the 2022 contest in Cleveland, 29-17. Dorian Thompson-Robinson won last year’s game there 13-10.
The Butler is doing it
Former Steeler Hakeem Butler is tearing up the UFL. With one regular-season week to go, Butler is putting up better receiving numbers than anyone else in the league.
The St. Louis Battlehawks pass catcher leads the league with 614 yards and 68.7 yards per game. He’s also carrying a 14.4 average per catch. His five touchdowns are second best in the UFL. Butler’s 43 catches are fourth, and his 62 targets are fifth.
The Iowa State product also has an 80-yard score on his resume from former Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron.
BUTLER FOR 80-YARDS TO THE HOUSE‼️@10AJMcCarron ➡️ @410Keem pic.twitter.com/RKxdeKJ15X
— United Football League (@TheUFL) April 28, 2024
The Battlehawks are 6-3, good for second place of the XFL Conference. The Steelers signed Butler in May of last year but ended up releasing him Aug. 25.
Tiger time
After getting Memorial Day off, the Pirates visit the Detroit Tigers for a quick two-game set.
The Pirates are 25-29, fourth place in the National League Central. They are 6½ games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers. The Tigers are 26-27, fourth place in the American League Central and 9½ games back of the division-leading Cleveland Guardians.
Detroit is coming off a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays. They had lost five in a row prior to that series.
Both teams have gotten good starting pitching. The Pirates have 27 quality starts, fourth most in Major League Baseball. The Tigers are fifth with 26.
To that point, Tuesday’s matchup is Jared Jones of the Pirates vs. Tarik Skubal of the Tigers. Jones’ 68 strikeouts are 10th best in the National League, and his 0.97 WHIP is sixth. Skubal is 6-1 with an ERA of 2.25. Those six wins are second in the AL, his ERA is seventh, his strikeout total of 72 is fifth and his 0.85 WHIP is first.
On Wednesday afternoon, Pirates phenom Paul Skenes takes the mound against Jack Flaherty for the Tigers. Skenes has 21 strikeouts through three starts. Flaherty has 81 strikeouts, which is the fourth most in MLB. That’s as opposed to yielding just nine walks in 10 starts. With eight quality starts, only five pitchers have more than him in all of Major League Baseball.
The two teams split a pair of games at PNC Park in April.
Celtics sweep
The playoff run for T.J. McConnell and the Indianapolis Pacers is over. They were swept in four games by the Boston Celtics in the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals.
Boston put away the Pacers in Indiana during Game 4 by a final score of 105-102. McConnell, a Chartiers Valley graduate and one-time Duquesne Duke, had 15 points on 7-of-16 shooting along with five rebounds, four assists, one steal and just one turnover in 25 minutes.
That included a buzzer-beater at the end of the first quarter.
T.J. McConnell to beat the buzzer ????
????: ESPN/ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/9h28FL9y7n
— ESPN (@espn) May 28, 2024
Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown led the way for Boston with 29 points. The Celtics are 12-2 in the playoffs so far.
They’ll play either the Dallas Mavericks or Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Finals. Game 4 of that series is Tuesday night with the Mavs up 3-0.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.