First Call: Shannon Sharpe wants to slap Ben Roethlisberger; significant Patriots loss

Tuesday’s “First Call” features Shannon Sharpe claiming he would’ve slapped Ben Roethlisberger. A big loss for the Patriots. Good news for the Browns.

And popcorn with a fork.

Yeah. It’s true. Popcorn with a fork. Guess where that happened.

Wanna clarify that?

It looks like Antonio Brown is about to wake up to more of those Google alerts about himself that he claims to hate.

Here’s what the Oakland Raiders wide receiver tweeted about Andrew Luck.

Luck The Pre Game #NoMask

— AB (@AB84) August 27, 2019

Any idea what that means? No? You either, huh?

He can’t go five minutes without trying to make some headlines about himself.

What’s Brown saying there? At first I thought he was hinting that he’s going to retire next.

Then I thought that maybe he is trying to say lots of other players are going to do what Luck did.

Or is he inferring there will be more news about Luck specifically that we haven’t heard yet?

Who knows. It’s Brown after all. #NoMask may mean his new helmet may not have a facemask on it for all I know.

One thing to keep in mind, a player just retired and got $24.8 million to do it. If Brown can pull that trick he will. But then again, do you think the Raiders will let him keep $30 million without ever having played for them?

No way. Luck at least played his entire career for the Indianapolis Colts. But don’t put it past Brown to try.

Maybe he’ll straighten it out on Tuesday’s “Hard Knocks.” Or he’ll just confuse us more.

Dying on the hill

Speaking of Mr. Big Chest, since we always are, it appears Shannon Sharpe won’t give up the ghost when it comes to using the former Steeler as a way to rip Ben Roethlisberger.

On FS1’s “Undisputed” show, Sharpe said Big Ben’s apology during a halftime piece that aired during this week’s “Sunday Night Football” wasn’t good enough.

Roethlisberger said to NBC’s Michele Tafoya that he wished he hadn’t criticized Brown for running a route poorly in Denver. But then he couched that by saying national criticism of his comments was out of line because James Washington actually thanked him for doing the same thing to him after that game.

That explanation went over poorly with Sharpe.

"There wasn't a quarterback that's ever played in the NFL that could've talked to me [the way] Ben Roethlisberger called Antonio Brown out. Never." — @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/r2pi12uT54

— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) August 26, 2019

“Slap the taste” out of Ben’s mouth? I wish someone had done that to Sharpe while he was playing. Heck, if anyone wants to do it now, that’d be fine, too.

Significant loss

The Steelers play the New England Patriots in Week 1 of the regular season.

The Pats got some bad news Monday. Starting center David Andrews is facing a significant health problem. He has blood clots in his lungs, according to The Athletic.

Andrews has been hospitalized. He’s a team captain who played all 19 games last year, and his 2019 season is now in doubt.

Reporter Jeff Howe writes that Andrews “allowed one sack, four quarterback hits and four pressures, all of which were the fewest among the Patriots’ starters.”

Ted Karras is the presumptive replacement. He has been New England’s backup interior lineman for three years. Howe writes that Karras has appeared in 45 regular-season games with five starts.

Beckham back

Odell Beckham Jr. is practicing for the Cleveland Browns. The newly acquired wide receiver was on the field Monday.

Beckham has been struggling with an injured hip. He worked out in individual drills, but stayed away from 11-on-11 activity.

A bunch of familiar faces -- including @obj -- returned to the practice field healthy Monday

? » https://t.co/7gZYN4TOj7 pic.twitter.com/9A6YrrEdmv

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 26, 2019

“He looked good,” Browns coach Freddie Kitchens said via Browns.com. “It is good to have him back out. We have been working with him on the side with other things. It is just natural progression so it was good to have him back out.”

Beckham has not been an active participant in team drills in practices since before the preseason started.

That’s not right

I think this game was in San Francisco. It appears that way. The fans in question are wearing Giants gear after all.

And do you want to know why San Francisco has the shi-shi reputation that it does? This is why!

This is why!

These? people? are? eating? popcorn? with? a? fork????? pic.twitter.com/xlbq2OIZ6L

— Subscribe to Cut4 on YouTube!!!! (@Cut4) August 27, 2019

Popcorn with a fork? Really? That’s a felony isn’t it?

Look, I know that it was caramel corn. And your fingers will get sticky. But, c’mon. That goes with the territory. It’s a ballpark. Bust out a wet nap or something.

What’s next San Fran? A sommelier for your ballpark draft beer? Hot dogs cut up and served with toothpicks? Individually served nachos with one dollop of cheese and one jalapeno each?