First Call: Patrick Queen's jab at former Ravens teammate; ex-Steelers WR wants NFL comeback; Metro goalie trades
Patrick Queen’s arrival in Pittsburgh is already adding spice to the Steelers-Ravens rivalry. The Pittsburgh Steelers are advancing plans for a game in Ireland. A former Steelers wide receiver is attempting a comeback. Gerrit Cole made his first Major League start of the year.
And teams in the Metropolitan Division are starting to make offseason moves.
All that in Thursday’s First Call.
A word of warning
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey wants to give a heads up to his former teammate Patrick Queen: The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Even if the grass is painted Black and Gold.
Speaking on his “Punch Line” podcast, the three-time Pro Bowl defensive back said Queen might be overselling his new place of employment with the Steelers.
“I’m not hating on Pittsburgh or hating on P.Q.,” Humphrey said on Wednesday’s post. “But I’ve been with the Ravens for a while. I’ve seen this same story go down with a lot of guys. ‘It’s the best place on Earth, this new place, it’s not like the Ravens.’ Reality sets in eventually. I hope it’s great over there. But you know, sometimes, I’m just saying, I’ve seen it once or twice. … But he seems to be happy over there.”
Queen recently said everything from the atmosphere to the food is better in Pittsburgh than in Baltimore. That didn’t seem to sit well with Humphrey.
“I don’t even understand why he had to go in on Baltimore like that,” Humphrey said. “‘The city’s better, the food’s better, the color’s better.’ I don’t know what PQ has got going on.”
Queen responded by posting a video of himself watering his “green grass” and enjoying an afternoon beverage.
https://t.co/M3EbubXbiS pic.twitter.com/nCOIjJdsJd
— ???? (@Patrickqueen_) June 19, 2024
Queen and the Steelers don’t face the Ravens this season until Nov. 17 in Pittsburgh. The return game is Dec. 21 in Baltimore.
Slainté!
The Steelers are continuing to move toward playing a regular-season game in Ireland. That’s according to the organization’s director of business development and strategy Dan Rooney.
“It’s been a goal from the start, being able to pursue an opportunity to play a live game in front of the Irish fans,” Rooney said to BBC Sport NI.
Rooney, who is the son of current team president Art Rooney II, was speaking during a Steelers camp in Belfast.
“We are working with the NFL on that, and we’re looking forward to seeing what’s coming,” he added.
The NFL has globalized during the regular season in recent years, placing games in England, Germany, Mexico and Brazil. Now, a feasibility study for further expansion in Europe, including Dublin, is underway.
“We’re awaiting some of their findings, and we have told them we would love to get to the island to play a game someday,” Rooney told the BBC. “It’s an exciting future ahead. It would be special no matter where we played it.”
The Steelers played the Chicago Bears in a preseason game at Croke Park in 1997. But there hasn’t been a regular-season game in Ireland. Aviva Stadium in Dublin is a candidate to host the game. It hosted a Notre Dame-Navy game last year.
Rooney’s grandfather, former team owner Daniel Milton Rooney, was the ambassador to Ireland from 2009-12.
More sports
• Actor Ed O'Neill shares story of getting cut by Steelers, memories of Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood
• Upper St. Clair grad Josh Matheny earns berth to Paris Olympics
• Ke'Bryan Hayes chasing the confidence Bryan Reynolds displaying at the plate for Pirates
Comeback kid?
Former Steelers receiver James Washington is hoping to get back to the NFL.
Via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, Washington wants another shot at the pros after missing most of the past two seasons because of a Jones fracture in one of his feet. That break occurs on the fifth metatarsal of the foot and is often slow to heal.
According to Fowler, “Washington has received multiple inquiries from teams and could be trying out for them soon.”
The 28-year-old pass catcher posted this workout video to illustrate his progress.
After leaving the Steelers following the 2021 season, Washington suffered his injury in training camp with the Dallas Cowboys. He was only able to suit up with Dallas for two games but didn’t catch any passes.
Since then, Washington has latched on with the Giants, Saints and Colts but has never been active for a game.
During his four years in Pittsburgh, the former Oklahoma State Cowboy caught 114 passes for 1,629 yards and 11 touchdowns after being picked in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Gerrit gets going
Former Pirate Gerrit Cole is back on a Major League mound. After making three impressive minor league rehab appearances, the New York Yankees decided to give Cole his first MLB start of 2024 in the Bronx on Wednesday night against the Baltimore Orioles.
Cole hasn’t pitched all season because of an elbow issue.
The 2023 Cy Young Award winner threw four innings, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk. He struck out five batters, including the entire side in the third inning.
Gerrit Cole picks up his first three Ks of the season in the 3rd inning. ???? pic.twitter.com/7TvHSMWW9n
— MLB (@MLB) June 20, 2024
The Orioles went on to win 7-6 with a no decision for Cole.
Metro moves
There were some NHL moves of note involving some of the Penguins’ Metropolitan Division foes.
• The New Jersey Devils got a veteran goalie. It’s Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom.
At 34 years old, Markstrom put up a .905 save percentage behind a mediocre Flames club that went 23-23-2. He was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2021-22.
New Jersey gave up defenseman Kevin Bahl and next year’s 2025 first-round pick.
• The Washington Capitals traded goalie Darcy Kuemper to Los Angeles in exchange for center Pierre-Luc Dubois.
This is largely a mutual salary-dump kind of move. At 34, Kuemper lost the starting goalie job in Washington to Charlie Lindgren last year. Kuemper still has three years remaining on his contract, which has an average annual value of $5.25 million.
Meanwhile, L.A. is giving up on Dubois and his $8.5 million ticket after scoring just 16 goals with 40 points in 82 games.
• The San Jose Sharks claimed New York Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow off waivers. Soaking up Goodrow’s $3.64 million cap hit over the next three years will help San Jose get to the salary-cap floor.
San Jose finished with the worst record in the NHL last year. The Sharks are considered to be a team that may throw a lot of money at former Penguin Jake Guentzel in free agency too. The 31-year-old Goodrow earned two Stanley Cup rings with the Tampa Bay Lightning but scored just four goals in 80 games this year.
The Toronto native began his career with San Jose in 2014-15.
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.
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