First Call: Steelers defensive coordinator update; a unique Antonio Brown auction item; Vegas' thoughts on Derek Carr

Tuesday’s “First Call” checks in on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive coordinator search. A massive sports bet pays off on the AFC and NFC title games. Derek Carr’s future may still be in Las Vegas. The first “Armory Game” between Pitt and Duquesne is in the books.

And now you can own a very special piece of Antonio Brown memorabilia.

Staying put

One of the candidates to replace Keith Butler appears to be off the table.

When the Steelers defensive coordinator decided to retire, it was assumed the team would simply promote defensive backs coach Teryl Austin. That has yet to happen, and the franchise is investigating other candidates for now.

One of them was reportedly New York Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. He has the ability to leave for the same post with another team because his head coach, Joe Judge, was fired.

According to the NFL Network, though, Graham is going to stay in New York under new head coach Brian Daboll. That’s unless he gets the head coaching position with the Minnesota Vikings.

The #Giants are planning to retain respected defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for Brian Daboll’s new staff, sources say, if Graham does not secure a head coaching job. He interviewed for the #Vikings HC job and is still in the mix. If not MIN, NYG keeps a high-quality coach.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2022

Other reported candidates that have the Steelers attention are New Orleans Saints defensive backs coach Kris Richard and Dallas Cowboys secondary coach Joe Whitt.

What’s glove, but a secondhand emotion?

Now you — yes, you — can be the proud owner of a great piece of football memorabilia.

Remember when former Steelers, Raiders, Patriots and Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown had his shirtless temper tantrum exit from MetLife Stadium during Week 17 of this season?

Video of Antonio Brown leaving the field after taking off his jersey and shirt and throw it into the stands. pic.twitter.com/1hwNYei5Fq

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 2, 2022

Right. How could you forget?

Well, did you see that right glove go into the stands? Whoever caught it is now auctioning it off via Lelands Sports Memorabilia and Card Auctions.

The opening bid was $81, in honor of what had been Brown’s jersey number with Tampa Bay. As of the time of this post, the top bid was $1,718. There are 12 days left in the bidding process.

According to the Lelands post, the Nike glove actually has a Las Vegas Raiders logo on it that has been blacked out from when Brown was briefly on the Raiders. He was released by the team in September 2019, the team’s final season in Oakland.

The owner of the glove is currently anonymous.

Related:

• Tim Benz: Steelers quarterback situation makes it hard to buy what Art Rooney II is selling about Super Bowl goals
• Tre Norwood builds off one of best rookie seasons ever for a Steelers’ 7th-round pick

That’s a haul

A sports bet on FanDuel had quite the payout over the weekend.

Someone made a $20 bet to nail the exact final scores of both NFC and AFC championship games. They hit both — the Cincinnati Bengals beating the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 and the Los Angeles Rams holding off the San Francisco 49ers 20-17.

HERE IT IS. IN ALL ITS GLORY.

THE GREATEST BET OF ALL TIME.

(via @FDSportsbook) pic.twitter.com/SeaYiURtx9

— br_betting (@br_betting) January 31, 2022

The payout was $579,020.

Imagine how much the holder of that ticket was sweating out that last interception of Jimmy Garoppolo.

THE PRESSURE! THE PICK!

@NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/dqUUexZEIn

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 31, 2022

He was probably equal parts elated when the ball was intercepted and horrified when, for an instant, it looked like it could’ve been a pick-6 to ruin the perfect score. Luckily for the gambler, though, Rams defensive back Jordan Fuller was quickly tackled, and he became a big winner.

Maybe even bigger than the Rams and Bengals players themselves depending on your perspective.

Duo on Derek

The new general manager and head coach duo with the Las Vegas Raiders was introduced Monday. And both halves seem interested in retaining quarterback Derek Carr.

Head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler both spoke about the prospects of keeping Carr in Vegas.

“Step one, is building the relationship, understanding what Derek does well, Derek understanding what Josh and the offensive staff is trying to build,” Ziegler said via NFL.com. “And I think as that collaboration goes, then you kind of see how everything fits together. You got to see how everything fits together and kind of work from that point. We’re really excited to have Derek here and get to know him and get to know his strengths and get to work with him in our system.”

Carr has one year remaining on his existing contract and is coming off a season in which he finished fifth in passing yards (4,804), leading the Raiders to the playoffs.

“I spoke with him yesterday, we had a great conversation,” McDaniels said. “I’m looking forward to actually getting to meet him and get to know him as a person, as a human being and then get to work in terms of developing our offense this year into what it’s going to be. But there’s no question we have the capacity and capability of winning with Derek here. We all know that.”

With the quarterback carousel ready to turn this offseason, many have ticketed Carr as potentially coming to Pittsburgh as a replacement for Ben Roethlisberger. But the Steelers would have to trade for him first.

And at least publicly, the Raiders appear to prefer holding onto him.

City game on ice

The first ever “Armory Game” between the Pitt and Duquesne men’s hockey teams took place Monday night. The Panthers won 4-3 in the College Hockey Mid America match up.

It was the first game between the teams at the newly renovated hockey venue at the Hunt Armory in Shadyside.

Pitt improved to 11-0-1 in conference play. The Dukes fell to 2-8-1.

Meanwhile, Duquesne’s men’s basketball team is trying to get back on the winning track against Richmond on Tuesday night. The Dukes have lost five in a row to fall to 6-12. Richmond is at 13-8, having won three of its last four contests.

Tipoff is at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse at 7 p.m.