First Call: Najee Harris praises meetings with Steelers; Mike Hilton fires back at trolls after signing with Bengals

Former Pittsburgh Steeler Mike Hilton is a little salty about how he has been treated by fans since signing with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Alabama running back Najee Harris has some good things to say about his pre-draft interaction with the Steelers. Antonio Brown is openly pleading to stay in Tampa Bay.

An NHL East Division battle for the last playoff position. And some national recognition for the Duquesne football team.

All that in Tuesday’s “First Call.”

Hilton is hot

Former Steeler Mike Hilton seems pretty ticked off at fans who are sniping at him for leaving Pittsburgh in free agency.

Or — more specifically — because he signed with the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals.

Calling me a snake and traitor but still following me pic.twitter.com/Wv1PGMPE5Y

— Mike Hilton (@MikeHilton_28) April 5, 2021

Fans will be fans on Twitter, I guess. But it’s pretty stupid to yap at Hilton for leaving to get the best deal he could.

I mean, he’s 27 years old and this was his first shot at unrestricted free agency since becoming an NFL commodity. He was an exclusive rights free agent twice before that. Then the Bengals offered him $24 million over four years. The Steelers weren’t going to touch that figure. He’ll make almost twice as much this year as he did for five years in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers could’ve paid him more on a longer-term contract if they wanted to do so. But they settled for giving him $3.25 million last year.

What was Hilton supposed to do? Say, “No, I want to make less somewhere else so I can leave the Steelers but not hurt the fans’ feelings.”

Yeah, I’m sure you’d do the same thing.

Hilton was a good Steeler and, in my experience, a really likable guy here. He was a personal favorite of mine to watch and to interview. He got the most out of his time in Pittsburgh, just like the Steelers got the most out of him. They made a business decision by letting him walk, just like Hilton made a business decision about where to go.

He shouldn’t be faulted for where he decided to play next.

Then again, Hilton should understand — as undeserved as the hate may be — it’s going to come when you leave Pittsburgh for another division rival. That’s just how social media works. So don’t bother reading the mentions.

Good first impression

In advance of the NFL Draft later this month, Alabama running back Najee Harris was on Adam Schefter’s ESPN podcast.

He talked up his first interview experiences with the Steelers. He and Schefter bemoaned the tedious nature of the Zoom interview process. But he called the conversations he had with Mike Tomlin and the Steelers — as well as his in-person interaction — a “cool” experience. He said the Steelers’ whole staff was on hand, including general manager Kevin Colbert and the defensive staff. He called the Steelers “chill” in their approach.

Harris said the interaction he had with Tomlin was nothing out of the ordinary. Just “basic get-to-know-you stuff.” Schefter tried to sell Harris on a potential fit with the Steelers, but Harris said he’s got no control and he is just ready “to set up shop” with his new team wherever it is.

Harris also said that he enjoyed his experience with the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.

A.B. says sign A.B.

In Friday’s “First Call,” we told you about how former Steeler Antonio Brown and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were still far apart on contract negotiations.

Mr. Big Chest would prefer to see that gap close. And fast.

The Bucs posted an image on Instagram, lauding themselves for being the first Super Bowl-winning team since 1977 to return all 22 of its starters.

Now Brown wants the record to extend to the bench. He went into the replies and flat-out pleaded for the franchise to “Sign @ab.”

Antonio Brown wants to re-sign with the Bucs pic.twitter.com/XzG8KdkdGX

— Jordan Moore (@iJordanMoore) April 5, 2021

Maybe Brown is asking too much. Maybe former Steelers assistant and Bucs head coach Bruce Arians felt a few months of a reunion with the mercurial wide receiver was enough and the shelf life has been hit.

Or maybe the team is worried about Brown’s looming legal entanglements. Whatever the case, the Bucs could use a receiver. Brown doesn’t appear to have anywhere to go. And yet the two sides haven’t come to an agreement.

There’s got to be a reason.

Fight for fourth

After beating the Penguins on Saturday, the Boston Bruins entered play Monday night all alone in the East Division’s fourth and final playoff slot.

That’s still the case. But the breathing room got a little tighter. That’s because they lost at home to the fifth-place Philadelphia Flyers Monday.

But they only yielded one point because the Bruins took the game to overtime before falling 3-2. Travis Sanheim got the game winner.

GAME. OVER. #AnytimeAnywhere | #PHIvsBOS pic.twitter.com/oiZnjUGpTB

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 6, 2021

So the Bruins now have 44 points in fourth place. The Flyers are three back with 41. The New York Rangers have 39 points in sixth place. They host the third-place Penguins (50 points) on Tuesday.

Taking notice

The Duquesne football team will host the NEC spring championship game at Arthur J. Rooney Field Sunday at 2 p.m. on ESPN3. Sacred Heart is the opponent.

The Dukes won the first matchup earlier this season, 30-27.

For the second time in program history, the Duquesne Dukes football team has earned a spot in the FCS Top 25. Duquesne is tied for 25th in the latest national poll released by “Stats Perform” on Monday afternoon. Jerry Schmitt’s team also appeared in the top 25 back in 2018.

The Dukes are tied for 25th in the rankings with Austin Peay (4-5, 4-2 Ohio Valley). James Madison (4-0, 2-0 CAA) owns the top spot.