First Call: New job for ex-Steelers assistant; Brian Flores absolves, praises Bill Belichick; a Steeler who may be better elsewhere

A current Pittsburgh Steeler may be destined for a new address. Brian Flores doesn’t want to call out Bill Belichick. A former Steelers assistant coach has a new gig in college. And the Penguins have a great chance to gobble up two points Thursday night at PPG Paints Arena.

All that in this edition of “First Call.”

Off the hook?

While Bill Belichick’s apparent text message faux pas may have been the catalyst to start the Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL and three of its member teams, the newly hired Steelers assistant coach doesn’t appear to have any animus toward Belichick himself.

Flores, a former Belichick assistant in New England, appeared on the “I Am Athlete” podcast, featuring former NFL players Chad Johnson and Brandon Marshall a well as writer Omar Kelly. It was Belichick’s text to Brian Daboll congratulating him on getting the New York Giants job — accidentally sent to Flores who was set to interview for the same vacancy after it was apparently already filled — that raised red flags about NFL teams’ willingness to follow the Rooney rule with any sort of sincerity.

However, Flores believes Belichick just made a mistake and wasn’t part of anything untoward.

“I’m not mad. Bill did what a lot of us do, sent a text message to the wrong person,” Flores said. “It confirmed a lot of things that I thought were going on, that I think a lot of black minority coaches think are going on.”

Flores didn’t stop there, echoing Marshall’s praise that Belichick is the “GOAT” (greatest of all time).

“I think the one thing people don’t know about Bill is, he listens. … If you have an idea, if you have a thought, if you have a person, a matchup that you think we can win, he’ll listen,” Flores said. “He may add something to it. He may throw it out, but he listens. That’s one of his greatest strengths and something that I try to take from him.”

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The grass is always greener

ESPN.com assembled a list of players — one from each team — who “needs a change of scenery.”

Believe it or not, they managed to find just one from the Steelers. I would’ve thought the list would be longer.

Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor picked tight end Eric Ebron.

“Rookie Pat Freiermuth built a strong connection with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and supplanted Ebron as the top tight end target by midseason,” Pryor said. “Ebron, set to be a free agent, had a career-low 18 targets in 2021, down significantly from 91 in his first year with the Steelers. After a season-ending knee injury on a touchdown against the L.A. Chargers in Week 11, Ebron spent the majority of his rehab with his family away from Pittsburgh. Ebron has the talent and athletic ability to be a receiving threat, but to return to his 2018 Pro Bowl form, he needs a fresh start.”

Not gonna argue there. I’d also add that Zach Gentry and Kevin Rader seemed to establish themselves as at least capable second and third options, particularly as blockers.

I can think of a few more nominees. How about wide receiver James Washington? I know he never lived up to his second-round draft choice billing. But I also have no idea what he did to get buried so far down the depth chart. And that was apparent before he even asked for a trade last August during the preseason.

Then there’s safety Terrell Edmunds. Similar to Washington, as he hits free agency, maybe he’ll be viewed as a solid contributor to whatever team adds him, as opposed to being a first-round pick who never really emerged as a steady playmaker in Pittsburgh.

Honestly, if the Steelers end up acquiring a veteran quarterback to take Mason Rudolph’s job or draft a first-round pick at the position that they want to start immediately, throw his name on this list, too.

There are a few rookies from last year’s draft class that aren’t ready to be on this list yet. But after the way their first seasons ended, don’t be surprised if we are talking about Kendrick Green and/or Pressley Harvin in these terms a few years from now.

Auburn bound

Former Steelers receivers coach Ike Hilliard has a new job.

He’s heading back to the SEC as the receivers coach at Auburn.

Welcome to The Plains!

️ Ike Hilliard#WarEagle | #AuburnMade

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) February 23, 2022

Hilliard was a college player at the University of Florida before playing for 12 years in the NFL with the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Before coming to the Steelers, Hillard’s coaching career took him through Miami, Buffalo and Washington twice. In each case, he was instructing the receivers.

Hilliard’s contract was not renewed by the Steelers after the 2022 season. That allegedly surprised some on the roster, and it didn’t sit well once they found out.

Ike Hilliard’s contract wasn’t renewed, per source. Still, it comes as a surprise. Hilliard was well-liked among the WRs and his departure was a surprise and upsetting to some in the locker room.

— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) February 8, 2022

Hilliard was replaced by former Carolina Panthers receivers coach Frisman Jackson.

No time like the present

For the Pittsburgh Penguins, Thursday night would be a good time to get back on track.

The Pens dropped their past two games to the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes. Both clubs are currently in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket.

The New Jersey Devils are not. They visit PPG Paints Arena on Thursday night, currently in last place of the Metropolitan Division with just 39 points. The Penguins are in second place with 70 points, four behind the first-place Hurricanes.

Only the Seattle Kraken (36 points), Montreal Canadiens (31 points) and Arizona Coyotes (30 points) are behind them in the standings.

As far as goals against per game, the Devils are 28th in the league at 3.56. They are 28th in faceoffs, too, at 47.6%. Their power play is 24th at 17.2%.

But their penalty kill is good at 83.5%, the seventh-best in the NHL.

The Pens recently beat the Devils 4-2 in New Jersey on Feb. 13. New Jersey has managed to win just three times in their last 15 games.