Tim Benz stories, Page 77

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett is being relegated to third-team duties to begin his first NFL training camp. Because of that, he hasn’t been working with a lot of veterans or top-of-the-depth-chart talents. As a result, a lot of the team drills have been a struggle for Pickett. The...

In Monday’s “First Call,” reports are that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is getting suspended for six games. Details have emerged about failed negotiations to settle the matter in advance of that decision. It sounds like Bryan Reynolds is staying with the Pirates, but a Pittsburgh native may be on...

The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering their third day of training camp. The rest of the National Football League’s teams are wading into preparations as well. So, let’s find out what’s happening across the rest of the NFL in our first “Friday Football Footnotes” of 2022. Eyes on the prize Every...

An ex-Pittsburgh Penguin is getting a special night. A bunch of ex-Pirates stepped up on the mound Thursday. And Jose Quintana may be an ex-Pirate soon. All of that in Friday’s “First Call.” Marleau’s moment An ex-Penguin is getting quite an honor. Patrick Marleau’s No. 12 will be retired by...

Mike Tomlin has said that the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff won’t be reshuffling the quarterback depth chart on a daily basis. “We’re not going to micromanage, or overmanage, this quarterback competition,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “The depth chart is not going to rest on every throw.” He didn’t say anything about...

Mitch Trubisky gets his first public razzing from Pittsburgh Steelers fans. Nose tackle Tyson Alualu is on board with his new teammate’s hope for a restructured defensive line. The Pirates and Phillies match up for a long weekend at PNC Park. And the Penguins are going to be part of...

While discussing the state of his contract negotiations with the Pittsburgh Steelers during a training camp media scrum Wednesday, wide receiver Diontae Johnson admitted that he was frustrated by some of the public reaction to his financial requests. Specifically, those in fan and media circles who don’t believe he is...

On the first day of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp, quarterback Mason Rudolph jumped up to snag a high snap. The timing of the screen play was thrown off as a result. But Rudolph was still able to push a short completion to rookie Calvin Austin III. Austin did the rest....

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed free-agent defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi to help along the defensive line. Now they just have to figure out the best way to use him. In the base defense, anyway. One thing is clear. In the sub package, they want him to push the pocket. Get after...

We’ve had a week off from “U mad, bro?” because I was on vacation. As a result, we’ve got a ton of angst built up. So I thought it would be best to release a bit of the building pressure on my inbox and my Twitter mentions before they pop....

Wednesday’s “First Call” features two new jobs for a Pittsburgh Steelers legend. A Cincinnati Bengals star has hit a health snag. A big-name college football coach with Pittsburgh ties is less than happy with his sport. And Jack Suwinski had a highlight in Indianapolis. Broadcasting the Birds In Pittsburgh, we...

Najee Harris isn’t being territorial about how many times he gets the ball in 2022. After 381 touches in his rookie season, the Steelers running back sees value in reducing that number. “There are some plays, if you watch my film, I’ll get somewhat tired. And those aren’t my best...

As the Pittsburgh Steelers report to Saint Vincent College for training camp Tuesday, the Penguins — and other NHL teams — get to enjoy what their NFL counterparts don’t. An actual offseason. Oh, sure, players in both sports get their downtime for physical rest and recovery at various points on...

Tuesday’s “First Call” looks at some former Pittsburgh Steelers in new places. An AFC North division rival is dealing with a franchise-tag problem. A top-notch Pirates prospect is in a groove. And the Pirates have a tough challenge in Chicago. Ex-Steelers on the move Some former Steelers are trying to...

The latest in an endless torrent of NFL offseason polls, rankings and lists on national websites actually revealed an interesting truth about the Pittsburgh Steelers. Most of these posts are just filler for the league’s downtime in July before training camp. They are simply conversation starters to drive traffic and...

The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have a lot of position battles heading into training camp. That really shouldn’t be the case for a team that hasn’t won a playoff game in five years and barely made the postseason at 9-7-1 a year ago. But in this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark...

Monday’s “First Call” relays some unfortunate news about Le’Veon Bell’s boxing match. Two former Pittsburgh Steelers are getting jobs in the coaching world. The Pirates are getting the Chicago Cubs while they are hot. And Daniel Vogelbach makes his first start as a New York Met against another former Pirate....

As the Pittsburgh Steelers head to training camp at Saint Vincent College, this is the time of year when many Pittsburgh media types (and fans) make a lot predictions about the upcoming season. Except the predictions usually aren’t too bold. They usually are couched with a bunch of “ifs” and...

You can understand why Penguins general manager Ron Hextall responded to the question the way he did Wednesday afternoon. A wry half-smile, a quick toss of the hand and a slight shake of the head. As of Wednesday, NHL teams were allowed to start signing players to contract extensions if...

Friday’s “First Call” has a hot take from Steelers captain Cameron Heyward on the new name for Heinz Field. A former Penn State star is running out of time to avoid the franchise tag. The Pirates will miss facing a former teammate at Coors Field. And Jaromir Jagr wants NHL...

A day after saying he’d be staying away from football this year to concentrate on boxing, former Steeler Le’Veon Bell now sounds like a player who is on the cusp of retirement. He also sounds like a man with a lot of regrets. In a long Instagram post Wednesday, Bell...

Thursday’s “First Call” takes a look at how some other teams in the Penguins’ division were impacted by NHL free agency. Local star Vince Trocheck has a new home. Some Penguins-killers are on the move. Pat Freiermuth may be on the verge of making some money for Steelers fans. And...

The Steelers announced that they are giving the naming rights for Heinz Field to some company you’ve never heard of, from a city that isn’t Pittsburgh. The Penguins are bringing back a team that won’t change at all from the team that has failed to win its last five playoff...

Speaking at what used to be known as Heinz Field, Greg Williams didn’t seem like he deserved to be the most hated man in Pittsburgh. The truth is, that’s because he probably isn’t. I’m not sure if anyone in Pittsburgh really dislikes Williams. Or could recognize him on the street....

Wednesday’s “First Call” has a career update for former Pittsburgh Steeler Le’Veon Bell. Najee Harris is turning NFL heads already. Penguins draft choice Owen Pickering discloses his musical talent. And a rare Clay Holmes blowup hurts the Yankees and Gerrit Cole. Boxing for Bell Former Steeler Le’Veon Bell is taking...