First Call: Omar Khan admits 'concern' over Kenny Pickett's concussions; Mike Brey goes to campus bar to celebrate win over Pitt

Thursday’s “First Call” has an admission from Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan about Kenny Pickett’s concussions. Notre Dame coach Mike Brey celebrates beating Pitt. Duquesne gets some help. Late-night Metropolitan Division results.

And Connor McDavid is just unstoppable.

Khan on Kenny’s concussions

Appearing on ProFootballTalk’s “PFT Live” at the NFL Combine on Tuesday, Steelers general manager Omar Khan admitted to some nagging worry about Kenny Pickett’s concussions.

The rookie quarterback left two games with concussion symptom’s last year and missed a third.

“It’s obviously a concern,” Khan told PFT. “You take every precaution, every step to try to prevent or minimize them. … Kenny switched his helmet during the season at a recommendation from our medical staff. I’m sure there’s some things that’ll be discussed with the coaching staff in terms of what he could do maybe to take less hits, let’s say. But, yeah, it is concerning.”

I’m not sure what Pickett can do to avoid those concussions. Run less? Don’t throw on the move as often? Those are strengths of Pickett’s, though. Are we going to see an even more quick release, dink-and-dunk approach just to keep Pickett healthy? Even at the expense of designing more big plays?

As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk points out, Tua Tagovailoa is learning judo so he can fall better.

In the NFL? With 300-pound defensive linemen deciding how they want you to fall? Good luck with that.

A man of his word

Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey said he was going to go out and hit the college bars after his final home game Wednesday.

After the Fighting Irish (11-19, 3-16) upset No. 25 Pitt 88-81 (21-9, 14-5), the 23-year ND bench boss didn’t disappoint.

Brey went to the famous Linebacker Lounge in South Bend. And the Jameson whiskey was flowing.

A shot of Jameson for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey.

As on-brand as ever. pic.twitter.com/wQ99gw87RE

— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) March 2, 2023

“We’re closing that sucker down,” Brey said in advance of the game via WNDU. “There ain’t no curfew Wednesday.”

He insists he has never been in the bar during his tenure. Brey announced he was stepping down as Notre Dame’s coach in January.

Late night in the Metro

As the Penguins were idle Wednesday, much of the rest of the Metropolitan Division was playing out west. The Devils, Capitals and Hurricanes were all on the road against Western Conference foes.

The division-leading Carolina Hurricanes lost to the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2. Meanwhile, the Devils won a wild 7-5 game in Colorado, and the Caps grabbed a 3-2 overtime win in Anahaeim. Amidst trade rumors, Tom Wilson had two goals, including the game-winnner for Washington.

Willy happy we stayed up for this one pic.twitter.com/doqoWyz7cS

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 2, 2023

Meanwhile, back here in Pennsylvania, the New York Rangers went to Philladelphia and won 3-2 in overtime thanks to a Vladimir Tarasenko goal. So that means the division standings look like this for the top three clubs:

1. Carolina (86)

2. New Jersey (85)

3. New York Rangers (79)

The New York Islanders have 70 points. They are the top wild card-team in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins are still the other wild-card team with 69. Washington, the Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers are next line at 66.

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He just won’t stop

The Connor McDavid scoring barrage continues. He had two goals and an assist Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs during a 5-2 Edmonton Oilers victory.

Connor strikes first pic.twitter.com/suZ6mnPplj

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 2, 2023

MCDAVID ON A MISSION pic.twitter.com/LsrMHt7UsO

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 2, 2023

That’s McDavid’s fifth straight game with at least two goals. Via ESPN Stats and info, since 1922, the only other players who have done that were Penguins legend Mario Lemieux (1988) and former Buffalo Sabres star Alexander Mogilny (1993). Joe Malone of the Hamilton Tigers (1921) and Punch Broadbent of the Ottawa Senators (1922) had six-game streaks.

McDavid, a four-time NHL scoring champion, has 16 points in those five games. In the seven games before that, he had just one goal. He now has 52 on the season.

Edmonton has 74 points, good for third in the Pacific. The loss keeps Toronto stuck at 82, second in the Atlantic.

That’ll help

Not only did the Duquesne basketball team have a good result on their own home court Wednesday night, they got help elsewhere as well.

The Dukes (20-10, 10-7) defeated UMass 88-79 (14-5, 5-12) for the club’s 20th win on the season. That’s after going 6-24 a year ago. It’s just the third 20-win season on the Bluff since 1980-81.

Dukes +14 pic.twitter.com/9wjMT18l1f

— Duquesne Basketball (@DuqMBB) March 2, 2023

But Duquesne also got some good news from Fairfax, Va., because George Mason (18-12, 10-7) upended Fordham (23-7, 11-6) 64-58 in overtime. That loss by the Rams means Duquesne is still alive for a double bye in the Atlantic 10 tournament. That would mean Duquesne wouldn’t have to play until Thursday’s quarterfinal round and would only need three wins to claim the conference championship.

The top four seeds all get double byes. Virginia Commonwealth and Dayton have already locked up two of them. Duquesne, Fordham, George Mason and St. Louis (19-11, 11-6) are all in contention for the other two.

Via the Duquesne sports information office, if Duquesne winds up in a three-way tie with Fordham and George Mason, Duquesne would get one of the two double byes. They would also qualify for one of those slots if St. Louis ends up in a four-way tie with those other three schools.

Duquesne plays Fordham at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Bronx. The Rams won the first meeting in Pittsburgh 65-58.