First Call: Report on Zach Frazier's ankle; Aaron Rodgers rips roughing the passer calls

Tuesday’s “First Call” has an update on Zach Frazier’s injury. Aaron Rodgers obliterates NFL officiating. T.J. Watt is now the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year.

And Ben Roethlisberger is dropping the puck at Robert Morris’ hockey opener.

Finding out about Frazier

If a report from Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz is accurate, then the Steelers may have averted a big problem with Zach Frazier’s ankle injury.

The Steelers rookie center was injured during the second half of the team’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders. A Raiders player fell on the back of his left leg, attempting to make a tackle. Frazier was engaged in a block at the time and was folded up violently.

But Schultz reports that Frazier doesn’t have structural damage and is week-to-week.

Source: #Steelers rookie starting center Zach Frazier suffered an ankle injury on Sunday against the Raiders and is considered week-to-week. There's no structural damage.

Frazier has started all six games this season and has posted an impressive 82.2 PFF grade. pic.twitter.com/srXy4vd5lS

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 14, 2024

Frazier has been excellent as a first-year starter out of West Virginia. His backup, Ryan McCollum, finished the game in Vegas and is likely to start Sunday night against the New York Jets.

The Steelers have already lost the likes of James Daniels, Nate Herbig and Troy Fautanu to season-long injuries along the offensive line. Tackle Dylan Cook has been on injured reserve since August.

Rodgers on refs

The Steelers get Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Sunday night. They lost to the Buffalo Bills (4-2) on “Monday Night Football” 23-20 to fall to 2-4.

The game featured 22 penalties for 204 yards. Rodgers was critical of the penalty count after the game.

“That seemed a little ridiculous,” Rodgers said. “Some of them seemed really bad, including the roughing the passer on me. That’s not roughing the passer. We might as well play ‘Sarcastaball’ if we are going to call those things. And I thought the roughing the passer call on (Jets defensive lineman Javon) Kinlaw was not roughing the passer either.”

"It seemed a little ridiculous. Some of them seemed really bad, including the roughing the passer on me, that's not roughing the passer. We might as well play Sarcastaball if we're going to call those things."

Aaron Rodgers on the penalties tonight: pic.twitter.com/FeJ7zfeaVE

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) October 15, 2024

“Sarcastaball” is a 2012 episode from Comedy Central’s “South Park.” It is largely centered around hyperbolically mocking the overly officious state of NFL rule-making in the name of concussion safety.

Credit to Rodgers for calling out the insanity that is roughing the passer. How this play was flagged is a mystery to me.

This is it. The worst roughing the passer call in NFL history. pic.twitter.com/UyFsnYkLYX

— Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeeg_) October 15, 2024

He also referenced a “phantom holding call” that took a touchdown off the board.

Pay for T.J.

Aidan Hutchinson was the betting favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year heading into this weekend’s NFL action. But the Detroit defensive lineman suffered a gruesome broken leg, ending his season.

Steelers’ outside linebacker T.J. Watt is now the favorite according to Fanduel at plus-140. Houston pass rusher Will Anderson is second at plus-800.

Kansas City defensive lineman Chris Jones is third at plus-1,000. San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner and New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence are tied for fourth and fifth at plus-1,500.

Watt won the award in 2021. He finished second last year and in 2020. So far this year, Watt has 4.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits. He has also forced three fumbles, recovered one, broken up a pass and registered 25 tackles.

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Big Ben, da’ Beard, and Bobby Mo

The Robert Morris men’s hockey team will open its 2024-25 season Thursday on the road at Miami (Ohio). The return game for the Colonials’ home opener is at 7 p.m. Saturday at Clearview Arena on Neville Island.

Pittsburgh’s favorite Miami alum will be on hand. Super Bowl champion quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will drop the opening puck along with his former Steelers teammate Brett Keisel.

HOME OPENER IS GOING TO BE SPECIAL‼️

Steelers legends @_BigBen7 and @bkeisel99 will be dropping the puck Saturday night at @Clearview_FCU Arena????

Get your tickets to the game now⬇️
????️: https://t.co/Mp3rw3eMQV#BobbyMo pic.twitter.com/dLoUKrAZG8

— RMU Men’s Hockey (@RMUMHockey) October 14, 2024

Keisel is a supporter of RMU hockey, and was part of efforts geared toward getting the program back on the ice last year after it had been scuttled following the 2020-21 season.

The retired defensive lineman has skated in a number of charity games to benefit the Colonials. Keisel’s 15-year old son Jacob now plays for the Quaker Valley varsity ice hockey team. His dad helps coach the team, and Pittsburgh Vengeance U16.

Keisel’s other children, Grace (13) and William (11), participated in Sidney Crosby’s learn-to-play hockey initiative.