Monday’s “First Call” has John Harbaugh’s reaction to those officiating controversies in the Steelers-Ravens game Sunday. We look at the Steelers’ next opponent on “Monday Night Football,” and we have odds on the Penn State and Pitt bowl games.

Plus, we examine that alleged contractual offer to Kyle Schwarber from the Pirates, and we celebrate a coaching milestone for Robert Morris hockey’s Derek Schooley.

Harbaugh not happy

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh was not happy with some of the calls that went against his team during Sunday’s 27-22 loss to the Steelers.

There was an overturned Isaiah Likely touchdown, an overturned interception of Aaron Rodgers on a batted ball and a costly penalty for a personal foul on Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz.

All of the penalties were controversial. All of them were costly to Baltimore’s comeback effort. But the one that bothered Harbaugh the most appeared to be the Rodgers interception.

On that play in the fourth quarter, Rodgers caught his own batted pass and was eventually deemed to have possession instead of Teddye Buchanan, who was initially ruled to have an interception.

Rodgers catches his own pass!‼️ pic.twitter.com/1JJ6nuSl0i

— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) December 7, 2025

“When you’re making a catch, you have to survive the ground. He didn’t survive the ground,” Harbaugh said. “He’s not down by contact. He was catching the ball on the way down with another person, so you have to make a catch there and survive the ground. I don’t know why it was ruled the way it was on that one.”

Had the Ravens been allowed to maintain possession on that play, they would’ve had the ball at Pittsburgh’s 41-yard line.

Instead, the Steelers punted two snaps later, and Baltimore had to start a drive at their own 22, down 27-22. They marched back into the Steelers’ red zone but lost the ball on downs after Likely’s overturned TD after more than three minutes came off the clock.

Still swimming

Up next for the Steelers (7-6) is a “Monday Night Football” game against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 15 at Acrisure Stadium. The Dolphins are now 6-7 and have won four in a row.

Granted, their past three wins have come against Washington, New Orleans and the New York Jets. Those three teams have combined for just nine wins.

Against the Jets on Sunday, Miami won 34-10. The offense totaled 239 rushing yards. Jaylen Wright posted 107 yards on 24 rushes.

Dolphins go up three touchdowns ????

MIAvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/7ihCAqlPca

— NFL (@NFL) December 7, 2025

De’Von Achane had 92 yards on seven rushes and a score. Achane suffered a rib injury during the game. He was never ruled out, but did not return to the game after getting hurt.

His 1,126 yards are third in the NFL so far this season.

Selling Schwarber

There have been frequent rumblings about the Pirates’ desire to spend some money this offseason.

Well, if a recent post by Ken Rosenthal is right, they have a significant offer on the table to at least one notable free agent.

At The Athletic, Rosenthal writes that the normally penny-pinching Pirates have a $100 million offer out to Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber. He hit 56 home runs last year.

However, Rosenthal says the Pirates are still unlikely to land the power-hitting 33-year-old.

“The Pirates remain a long shot to sign Schwarber, whose most likely landing spot remains his previous team, the Philadelphia Phillies,” Rosenthal added. “The Boston Red Sox are among the other big-market clubs with known interest in him. The Cincinnati Reds, Schwarber’s hometown team, are also making a push. Schwarber is from Middletown, Ohio, about 35 miles north of Cincinnati.”

At this point, a cynic might say that perhaps that’s why the Pirates would make such an offer to Schwarber — because they know he’ll turn it down.

However, the franchise wants to get it out to the public that they are “trying” to spend some money and put a team around Paul Skenes with the revenue-sharing dollars they are receiving.

Yes. Indeed. That’s what a cynic about the Pirates may say. But, then again, what have the Pirates ever done over the past three decades to be cynical about anything?

Right?

As Rosenthal notes, the Pirates have only inked one $100 million contract. That was Bryan Reynolds’ $106.75 million contract extension. In true free agency, their record deal was $39 million for pitcher Francisco Liriano in December 2014.

More sports

• Feats of Strength: Rodgers-Metcalf connection, late defensive plays save Steelers in Baltimore • Madden Monday: 'The Ravens were worse, more than the Steelers were better' • Kevin Gorman's Take 5: Pirates taking big swing on slugger with offer to Kyle Schwarber • He didn’t kiss criticism goodbye, but Steelers' Mike Tomlin moves into top 10 in all-time coaching wins

Favored status

Both the Pitt and Penn State football teams are favored in their upcoming bowl games.

The Nittany Lions (6-6) are 1.5-point favorites over Clemson (7-5) in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. That’s according to Bet MGM. The over-under in that one is 48.5. The only other meeting between the schools was a 35-10 Clemson win in the 1987-88 Citrus Bowl. 

Meanwhile, ESPNBet has the Panthers as 6-point favorites over the East Carolina Pirates in the Military Bowl at Annapolis, Md. Both clubs are 8-4. That over-under is set at 59.5. 

The two schools have met four times before, with the Panthers winning in 1984 and 1989. The Pirates won the two most recent matchups in 1991 and 92.

Those bowl announcements were revealed Sunday.

Happy holiday history

The Robert Morris hockey team went into the holiday break on a high note. They beat Air Force, 6-3, on Saturday to salvage a split of that Atlantic Hockey series after dropping the opener 4-1 on Friday.

The Colonials (4-10-2, 4-3-1 AHA) don’t play again until Dec. 30 vs. the Sacred Heart Pioneers.

The victory Saturday was the 300th for head coach Derek Schooley.

300 wins and counting‼️

Congratulations to Head Coach @derekschooley on reaching an incredible career milestone!???????? pic.twitter.com/EHAHzOWfNg

— RMU Men’s Hockey (@RMUMHockey) December 7, 2025

Schooley took over the fledgling program at RMU in 2004-05 and is the only coach the team has ever had.

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---