After big numbers vs. Pitt, Duquesne WR Joey Isabella hopes to follow brother’s path to NFL career
It’s not like Duquesne wide receiver Joey Isabella took the Pitt Panthers by surprise. They were preparing for him on Saturday in advance of the 2025 season opener for both clubs. “They’ve got a great receiver in a guy named Joey Isabella,” Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi said during his opening...
U mad, bro?: Steelers uncertainty, Cam Heyward’s contract lead to prickly reader interactions
Cam Heyward’s contractual situation is still sticky. The Pittsburgh Steelers did very little in the preseason to assure fans that 2025 is going to be much different than recent years past, and hope for the future with the upcoming crop of draft-eligible quarterbacks took a dent in Week 1. This...
First Call: Tracking 2 significant Jets injuries; Will Howard discusses broken bone; Jakobi Meyers update
In Thursday’s “First Call,” we examine two injury notes concerning the New York Jets as they get ready to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday for a Week 1 showdown. We also get a health update from rookie QB Will Howard, and some more info on a one-time trade target...
First Call: Jets coach calls Aaron Rodgers questions ‘not relevant’; scary moment for Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin
New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn wants to downplay any storylines about Aaron Rodgers’ return with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. There was a scary moment for the Pirates’ top prospect Tuesday night. A wide receiver signing in Buffalo should get the attention of Steelers fans. And we look at...
Tim Benz: We are well beyond ‘We’ll see’ with Cam Heyward’s contract debate
With the Aaron Rodgers-Justin Fields storyline, DK Metcalf’s debut, the reconfigured secondary, and just the fact that it’s the 2025 season opener, the Pittsburgh Steelers really didn’t need another subplot to make the Week 1 contest in New York interesting. Enter Cameron Heyward’s Rubik’s Cube of a contract dispute. It’s...
Justin Fields discusses ‘most appealing’ reason he left Steelers for Jets
As he did when he was a Pittsburgh Steeler, New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields spent Tuesday handling a lot of media questions about a high-profile QB situation with a sense of calm and class. That’s how he did it for nearly two months to start 2024 in Pittsburgh. That’s...
First Call: Jets sign ex-Steelers LB; update on Najee Harris; Duquesne president wants hoops City Game back
Tuesday’s “First Call” brings us back from the Labor Day weekend with news about three linebackers who used to be Pittsburgh Steelers. There is an update on Najee Harris. The Pirates face two tough opponents back-to-back at PNC Park. And Duquesne’s president wants the Pitt basketball rivalry back after Saturday’s...
Tim Benz: ‘Banana ball’ success is real. Angry comps to ‘Bucco Ball’ are not
I didn’t attend either of the Savannah Bananas events at PNC Park over Labor Day weekend. However, I know quite a few folks who did, and the reviews were all positive. If you are coming here looking for the old, fuddy-duddy, baseball purist “That’s not real baseball, so I’m not...
Madden Monday: ‘The Jets will use Justin Fields better than the Steelers ever did’
Sunday’s Steelers-Jets regular-season opener will undoubtedly feature one of the most unique Week 1 quarterback matchups of all time. Aaron Rodgers is going to make his debut with the Steelers one year removed from playing for the Jets. Justin Fields is going to make his debut for the Jets one...
For Duquesne football, goals extend beyond highly anticipated opener vs. Pitt
If you’ve ever done the drive from New England to Pittsburgh, you know time has an uncanny way of slowing down. The minutes seem like hours. The hours feel like centuries. Regardless of which state you are departing, there really is no perfect route to take, and you are invariably...
Tim Benz: For Mike Tomlin, the ‘process’ must finally lead to progress
The next time the Pittsburgh Steelers convene at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, it’ll be for a game-week practice. Sunday’s season opener against the New York Jets is officially next on the agenda. The phrases “offseason” and “preseason” will be shelved until next year. All that work from those months...
Report: Marquez Valdes-Scantling chose 49ers over Steelers despite Aaron Rodgers’ recruitment
It looks like a recruiting effort from Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has come up short. Former free-agent receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling ended up signing with the San Francisco 49ers after being released by Seattle earlier this week. However, Valdes-Scantling insists Rodgers was trying to coax him into signing in Pittsburgh. “He...
First Call: Where Steelers rank on Forbes NFL franchise value list; ILB Mark Robinson signs with future AFC foeVideo
Friday’s “First Call” has the latest Forbes.com rankings of NFL team value. We’ll find out where the Steelers sit. Mark Robinson signs in the AFC East. Some notes and video from Kyle Schwarber’s four-homer night for the Phillies. The Pirates will be part of a very interesting night at Fenway...
Tim Benz: Sharpening Joey Porter Jr.’s skills every bit as important as new additions to secondary
Most of the attention on the Steelers’ secondary has been centered on new guys coming in and some key contributors heading out. Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, Brandin Echols and Juan Thornhill are chief among the new additions. The likes of Minkah Fitzpatrick, Donte Jackson and Damontae Kazee are playing elsewhere....
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans find preseason useless, stick up for Mike Tomlin in the face of criticism
Steelers fans are still hammering Cam Heyward. They are torching my takes on Mike Tomlin. And they are pounding the NFL preseason. Then we punctuate by punishing the Pirates. All that and more in this week’s “U mad, bro?” Mark is complaining about sloppy regular-season football over the first few...
First Call: Miami GM ‘shocked’ to get Minkah Fitzpatrick; 2 rumored Steelers targets go elsewhere in AFC North
Thursday’s “First Call” has the Miami perspective on the Dolphins’ big offseason trade with the Steelers. A pair of potential Steelers are heading to Cleveland and Cincinnati. Ex-Pirate Ke’Bryan Hayes had a rough night against Shohei Ohtani. And T.J. McConnell’s popularity in Indianapolis knows no limits. Swimming with the Dolphins...
Tim Benz: Barring any late WR additions, concept must meet reality with Steelers’ tight ends
In concept, the Steelers have spoken it into making sense. Sure, there was no outside addition to replace George Pickens at the wide receiver position. But the collection of tight ends on the roster — Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward — can make up for that....
Pitt players, coaches see added benefits of opening against Duquesne
The countdown clock in the Pitt practice facility hit exactly four days, zero minutes, zero seconds, just a few moments before linebacker Kyle Louis walked in for his interview session with local reporters on Tuesday. That’s all that remained before the Panthers’ long offseason ended and they would face Duquesne...
First Call: Steelers reportedly had trade interest in a punter; Aaron Rodgers curious about Packers WR
Wednesday’s “First Call” includes an interesting subplot to the Steelers’ punter decision. One of Aaron Rodgers’ former receivers just became available, while another did not. And an ex-Pirates pitcher is heading north of the border once more, while a recent Bucs’ farmhand had a huge night. Who wanted Waitman? Many...
First Call: Aaron Rodgers will ‘reassess’ retirement talk after season; another WR trade option to watch
Tuesday’s “First Call” has more evidence of Aaron Rodgers’ indecision on the notion of retirement following the 2025 campaign. There’s another wide receiver to monitor when it comes to trade rumors that may eventually get linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers. An ex-Steelers defensive back is looking for a new place...
Tim Benz: Ready or not, Steelers’ revamped secondary will get its true reveal in Week 1
Ready or not, here it comes. The starters in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ secondary didn’t have much of a chance to play together in August. Just a few snaps against Carolina early in the preseason finale last week, and that was it. Their time as a collective in training camp was...
Tim Benz: A layer of irony to the latest Kenny Pickett trade
Viva Las Vegas! Viva Kenny Pickett trades! The former Steelers quarterback is on the move again. This time he has been dealt to the Las Vegas Raiders from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round draft pick. Vegas was in need of a QB after Aidan O’Connell injured...
Tim Benz: No reason to alter your views on ‘September Steelers’ based on August previews
On the outside, this looks like a bit of a lull in the schedule for NFL teams. The preseason ended over the weekend. The regular season doesn’t get going until the Sept. 4 opener in Philadelphia. Within the walls of NFL clubs, though, a lot is getting done. The Steelers...
First Call: Potential trade partner if Steelers want to deal Skylar Thompson; Najee Harris could play Week 1 for L.A.
In Monday’s “First Call,” we consider a quarterback trade for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It looks like Najee Harris could play Week 1 for the Los Angeles Chargers after all. The Pirates prepare for a series against a familiar rival. And two local schools square off in early-season NCAA soccer. Possible...
Madden Monday: If the Hoffmann family buys the Penguins, it won’t immediately impact on-ice product
A theory I had about the Hoffmann Family of Companies potentially buying the Pittsburgh Penguins is that the story may have been leaked by Fenway Sports Group with the hope of prying a substantial offer out of Mario Lemieux, Ron Burkle and David Morehouse. That triumvirate ran the team during...
