Thursday’s “First Call” has some harsh words about the Pittsburgh Steelers from someone within the Rooney family. Dave Parker is honored by one of his former teams. We’ve also got Pirates’ draft speculation and roster building from the Duquesne football team.

Family matters

If someone named Rooney is unloading their negative opinions about the Steelers, that’s going to get attention.

Even if that Rooney isn’t part of the ownership group.

Such was the case this week when comments from Patrick Rooney Jr. started to make the rounds on the internet.

Rooney Jr. is the President of the Palm Beach Kennel Club. His grandfather, Art Rooney Sr., owned it up until 1970, and was the founding owner of the Steelers. The track had been owned and operated by Patrick Rooney Sr. from 1984-2009. That’s when he handed it over to Patrick Jr., who is a first cousin to current Steelers owner Art Rooney II.

On a now deleted PBKC Picks podcast this week, Patrick Rooney Jr. (who has no official affiliation with the team) sounded highly critical of the Steelers’ place in the AFC North.

“There’s been this narrative around the Steelers like, ‘We’re gonna go all in this year.’ What does that mean? Do you think even if you had Aaron Rodgers from 10 years ago that you’re going to be able to compete with Joe Burrow and you’re gonna be able to compete with Lamar Jackson,” Rooney asked the show hosts. “What in God’s name (makes) you think that you’re going to be able to compete with Baltimore and Cincinnati? Cincinnati’s defense is terrible, but their offense is light years ahead of us. And Baltimore is just a better team, and I think they finally realized it by kicking the crap out of us in the playoff game last year. They are going to steamroll us this year.”

Rooney Jr. also trashed the idea of giving T.J. Watt more money than Myles Garrett’s $160 million contract.

“T.J. is a great player, a great Steeler. Insane to pay him anything right now. Absolutely insane. He’s 31 years old,” Rooney said. “But again, if you’re going all-in this year, then you’re going to have to re-sign him. You’re making moves right now that you’re trying to do something for this year. That, to me, based on anything you’ve seen in the last several years, just doesn’t make sense.”

Rooney Jr. wasn’t done. He also called new receiver DK Metcalf a head case and likened him to his predecessor, George Pickens.

“You’re bringing (in)a DK Metcalf, who’s a little bit like George Pickens in terms of being a head case,” he said. “So you got another one in there.”

Rooney used that phrase once more to describe newly acquired defensive back Jalen Ramsey, while making additional critical comments about the secondary.

“You’re getting Jalen Ramsey, who’s 30. You’re getting rid of Minkah Fitzpatrick, who’s 28. Ramsey’s just as much of a head case as some of the other guys that we brought in,” he said as transcribed at SteelersDepot.com. “We already got Darius Slay, who’s 31 or 32. We tried it with Patrick Peterson and some other guys. When you get these guys that are older and especially trying to play corner, it generally just doesn’t work.”

Geez, aside from all that, it sounds like Art Rooney II’s cousin is totally on board with the decisions being made in Pittsburgh.

Patrick’s comments come on the heels of some other eyebrow-raising quotes from Jim Rooney, Art II’s brother, back in January. Those quotes were more supportive of the team, but not exactly in line with some previously stated team talking points.

For Art Rooney II’s sake, it might be best if some of the family members on the periphery of the franchise didn’t talk about the inner workings of the team for a while.

More sports

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Pirates plans?

ESPN is pumping up some speculation about the upcoming Major League Baseball draft. It’s July 13 and 14 in Atlanta as part of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game festivities.

Earlier this week, ESPN MLB Draft expert Kiley McDaniel came up with one pressing question for each MLB team entering the draft. For the Pirates, he wondered if the team would lean toward college prospects with their early picks to try to help the MLB roster quickly.

“The Pirates have taken an above-average rate of high school players — their first three picks last year and four of their top five — and have found some big success with Konnor Griffin and Bubba Chandler,” McDonald wrote. “That said, they’ve been tied mostly to college players for their top pick this year, and some rivals theorize this is being influenced by trying to help the big league team. Any of the three college lefties or Aiva Arquette are rumored here most.”

The three college left-handed pitchers McDonald referenced are Kade Anderson (LSU), Jamie Arnold (Florida State), and Liam Doyle (Tennessee).

But McDonald has those three southpaws jumping off the board in the first three picks in his latest mock draft.

At No. 6, McDonald has the Pirates taking Arquette, who is a shortstop from Oregon State. He also floated out the names of right-handed California high school pitcher Shane Hernandez and his shortstop teammate (Corona High School), Bill Carlson.

Hometown honor

The Cincinnati Reds honored former Pirate Dave Parker in the wake of his recent death by adding his number to their outfield wall on Wednesday.

New addition to the outfield wall at GABP

❤️3️⃣9️⃣❤️ pic.twitter.com/PtRwYYIhAf

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 9, 2025

Parker is slated to be posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 27. He passed away at the age of 74 on June 28.

After winning a World Series, two batting titles and an MVP in Pittsburgh between 1973-83, Parker went back to his hometown and joined the Reds organization for four years, slashing .281/.334/.469 with 236 extra-base hits. He was elected to the Reds Hall of Fame in 2014. He was part of the Pirates’ inaugural class in its Hall of Fame in 2022.

After hitting. 312 in 1985, Parker finished second in MVP balloting after leading the National League in doubles (42), RBIs (125) and total bases (350). He was an All-Star that year and again in 1986, winning the Silver Slugger both seasons.

Following his stint in Cincy, Parker won a World Series in Oakland, made another All-Star Game as a 39-year-old in Milwaukee in 1990, then wrapped up his career in California and Toronto.

Dukes doing business

The Duquesne football team is adding a few intriguing players, via PittsburghSportsNow. One of them is Jalen Harrell. He’s a hybrid DB/linebacker who originally played at Miami (Fla.) and then UMass.

6’3 210 S/LB Hybrid Grad transfer with 1 year of eligibility! 24 Season Tape pic.twitter.com/eYuiqEaEgZ

— Jalen Harrell (@jayworld07) April 24, 2025

This week, the Dukes also picked up 230-pound linebacker Avery Morris after playing at UT-San Antonio, and transfer punter Michael Hartshorn from Lackawanna College.

PSN is also reporting that Gateway defensive back Carlos Diggs is committing to the Maine Black Bears.

Listen: Chris Adamski and Tim Benz discuss the Steelers roster and T.J. Watt’s contract status in this week’s offseason podcast

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