First Call: Steelers' Zach Banner burns Browns, Jack Nicklaus beats covid-19, NFL loophole in virus opt-out

Monday’s “First Call” features a Twitter blast against the Cleveland Browns from Steelers offensive lineman Zach Banner. There’s a strange loophole in the NFL’s coronavirus opt-out plan. A golf legend beat covid-19. And a familiar baseball name with local ties is now a free agent.

Zach’s zinger

Steelers offensive tackle Zach Banner was interacting on Twitter quite a bit over the weekend.

A Browns fan took the opportunity to slap Banner and the Steelers.

Are you ready to go 0-2 against Cleveland this year??

— Hershel CK (@hershel_ck) July 19, 2020

But Banner had a pretty good response.

I went 0-16 when I was playing there so... https://t.co/IX0Ew77AKw

— Zach Banner (@ZBNFL) July 19, 2020

Touché! Well played, Zach.

That was back in 2017 when the Browns were winless. The Browns haven’t swept the Steelers in the season series since 1988.

League loophole

ProFootballTalk.com pointed out an interesting loophole in the NFL’s potential return-to-play plans.

It would aid players who are unhappy with their current contracts and looking for extensions.

If a player wants to opt out of playing in 2020, he can, so long as he does so by Aug. 1. That player would only receive a $150,000 stipend as essentially an advance on his 2021 salary. But players can hold out if they fear covid-19 infection.

A catch is, no team can renegotiate with a player who opts out.

So, essentially, a player such as Dalvin Cook or Jamal Adams has leverage between now and Aug. 1. Adams can say, “Look. I want to play. But the safety protocols — or lack thereof — make me nervous. So I’m going to opt out unless you give me a new contract. Because a big new signing bonus would make the risk worth it to me and my family.”

Get it?

I’m sure some agents do. And I bet some will try that tactic.

Jack Nicklaus beat coronavirus

I thought winning The Masters at 46 years old was impressive.

How about beating coronavirus at 80?

That’s what legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus did. He and his wife, Barbara, contracted the disease. And despite their advanced ages, they survived.

In fact, Nicklaus was at his tournament, The Memorial, on Sunday in Dublin, Ohio, and he told the CBS audience about his experience.

Jack Nicklaus discusses he and his wife Barbara testing positive for COVID-19 in March and their full recovery. pic.twitter.com/XuyDIGOAvb

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 19, 2020

“It didn’t last very long, and we were very, very fortunate, very lucky,” Nicklaus said via ESPN.com. “Barbara and I are both of the age, both of us 80 years old, that is an at-risk age. Our hearts go out to the people who did lose their lives and their families. We were just a couple of the lucky ones.”

Nicklaus said they were home in Florida for 33 days “until we were done with it” about April 20.

Did you know he was from Slippery Rock?

Baseball player Matt Adams — better known by his full name, “Slippery Rock’s Matt Adams” — is a free agent.

Matt Adams has exercised his release clause and became a free agent.

— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) July 18, 2020

Hey, the Pirates could use a left-handed bat with Gregory Polanco sidelined because of coronavirus.

Frankly, they could use one. Period. Adams had 20 homers with Washington last year. Adams is Major League Baseball’s active leader with 11 pinch-hit home runs.

And have I mentioned he is from Slippery Rock?

That said, Adams has had very little success at PNC Park in his career. He’s a .165 hitter in 124 plate appearances and has just three home runs.