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Tim Benz Columns category, Page 34

Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
Tim Benz: Duquesne’s Keith Dambrot redefining ‘garbage time’ in college basketball
In any sport, the phrase “garbage time” usually refers to the last few minutes of a blowout game. It’s a chance for an empty-net goal, a few extra baskets, or some inconsequential passing yards en route to a two-touchdown loss. However, Duquesne basketball coach Keith Dambrot is starting to have...
Football Footnotes: Why Arthur Smith’s offense worked in Tennessee and how it may work again with the Steelers
It’s been three days since word broke that the Pittsburgh Steelers plan to hire Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator. By now, you’ve probably read a lot about what went wrong for him as Atlanta’s head coach from 2021-23. Those teams never made the playoffs, going 7-10 every year. The last...
First Call: 2 NFL coaching moves have Steelers ties; bar set for Jake Guentzel’s trade return?
Friday’s “First Call” spotlights a pair of NFL coaching moves that tie into the Pittsburgh Steelers. We reflect on a very important Steelers Super Bowl anniversary. The market for a Jake Guentzel trade may have just been set for the Penguins. Also, both Robert Morris hockey teams have important conference...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans mad about the hiring of Arthur Smith and media coverage of it
Mr. Smith isn’t going to Washington. Or Tampa Bay for that matter. He’s coming to Pittsburgh. And I wonder if he’s going to regret that. After all, the criticism of Mike Tomlin’s decision to hire Arthur Smith as Steelers offensive coordinator is getting awfully thick awfully fast. Believe it or...
First Call: Steelers meeting with standout center at Senior Bowl; a team that also may have wanted Arthur Smith
Thursday’s “First Call” has some background on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ hiring of Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator. The Steelers are meeting with a topflight center at the Senior Bowl. Ravens coaches are leaving Baltimore in a hurry. A former Penguins front office executive just got a contract extension in Vancouver....
David Dixon makes something happen whenever he is in the game for Duquesne
A go-to hockey trope when discussing a young, playmaking, high-risk defenseman is: “When that guy is on the ice, a puck is going in one of the nets. We just don’t know which one.” You may have heard Kris Letang described that way once or twice early in his career....
First Call: Ex-Steelers O-lineman lukewarm on Arthur Smith hire; decisions are made by Steelers’ others candidates
Not everyone is thrilled with the hire of Arthur Smith as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator. We get word on what happened with the other Steelers candidates. An NFL coordinator target with local ties is starting to get some interest. And the Duquesne Dukes are welcoming one of college basketball’s...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ reported hiring of Arthur Smith is as logical as it is uninspired
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ reported decision to hire Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator makes total sense. That’s not entirely a compliment, mind you. But it does make total sense. Credit the Steelers for being extremely pragmatic. Somehow, in one hire, the organization has managed to be thoroughly logical in its thought...
Past and current Steelers weigh in on offensive coordinator prospects
Pittsburgh Steelers past and present are throwing their two cents into the mix of opinions on the offensive coordinator search. During his “Not Just Football” podcast, defensive captain Cameron Heyward suggested we should have an open mind about the idea of Arthur Smith becoming the offensive coordinator. Smith, fired as...
Tim Benz: Art Rooney II feels urgency about ending Steelers’ playoff win drought. Great, show us
During a season-ending media availability Monday, Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II was asked if there was a sense of urgency within the franchise to finally win a playoff game again. After all, it’s been seven years since that has happened, and Rooney’s franchise has accomplished that task in just...
First Call: Art Rooney II says O-line must get better, wants to keep Cam Heyward, discusses Najee Harris’ contact
During his various media stops Tuesday, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II talked about Cam Heyward’s future, Najee Harris’ fifth-year option and the state of the offensive line. We have all of those quotes for you in Tuesday’s “First Call.” Plus, there’s news about a former Steeler who is in...
Madden Monday: Arthur Smith seems like a good fit for the Steelers, and that may be the problem
It sure seems like recently interviewed candidate Arthur Smith fits the perfect profile for what Mike Tomlin may want in an offensive coordinator. Smith, who interviewed for Matt Canada’s old job on Sunday, was an offensive line coach, tight ends coach and eventual offensive coordinator (2019-20) with the Tennessee Titans....
First Call: Arthur Smith interviews for Steelers’ OC job; another potential candidate is off the board
Monday’s “First Call” gives us another candidate for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ vacant offensive coordinator position. A former target is no longer available. A wide receiver draft prospect is getting some attention from the Steelers. The Duquesne women’s basketball team had an eventful win Sunday. And the Robert Morris hockey team...
Tim Benz: Sidney Crosby doesn’t have to follow in anyone’s footsteps — not even Tom Brady’s
On TSN last week, Bryan Hayes made an impassioned plea to get Sidney Crosby out of Pittsburgh so he’d have a better chance to win more championships. He asked Crosby to do it himself by “following in the footsteps” of former NFL quarterback Tom Brady. In other words, leave the...
Football Footnotes: The ideas of ‘Chiefs fatigue’ and Steelers fans adopting the Lions
For “Football Footnotes” this week, we explore the concept of “Chiefs fatigue” and why it’s time for Steelers fans to become a part of #OnePride from Detroit the rest of the way in the NFL playoffs. “Chiefs fatigue” is something that has been talked about in the NFL ether since...
First Call: Falcons’ coaching hire could impact Steelers’ OC plans; ex-Steeler wants to join Mike Tomlin’s staff
Friday’s “First Call” sees how some things falling elsewhere in NFL coaching circles may impact the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator hire. A former Steeler may want to rejoin the team on the coaching staff. We examine the local college basketball scene this weekend, and the Penguins’ contest against Florida Friday...
Bill Cowher on AFC Championship Game losses: ‘It hurts more than losing the Super Bowl’
As Conference Championship Weekend approaches in the National Football League, now feels like a good time to point out that the Pittsburgh Steelers have been in the AFC Championship game more times (16) than any other team. I feel the need to do that because when they last qualified for...
First Call: Steelers interview 1st OC candidate; Mike Sullivan talks to Raiders; Teryl Austin likely staying
Thursday’s “First Call” has tons of news about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ coordinators. Their defensive coordinator appears to be staying. One of the former offensive coordinators might be leaving, and a candidate to replace him has been interviewed. Meanwhile, the franchise will get an extra round against a Harbaugh brother in...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans argue about Mike Tomlin, rip media coverage of QBs, quote ‘Macbeth’
In this week’s “U mad, bro?” readers lash out at media coverage of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation. They blast the Steelers’ secondary. They defend Mike Tomlin. They rip Mike Tomlin. And they quote Shakespeare. Of course they do. My readership is like, you know, totally well-read n’at. Sean wasn’t...
First Call: Kliff Kingsbury to ‘talk to’ Steelers about OC job; Mike Munchak perhaps interested in coaching again
A well-known NFL media member has quarterback and coordinator ideas for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A former Steelers coach may want to get back in the game. And we get an update on Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb. All that in Wednesday’s “First Call.” King on Kingsbury According to longtime...
Tim Benz: Steelers fans likely to be disappointed with team’s QB situation next season
Most Pittsburgh Steelers fans want to see a significant shakeup at quarterback. And most of them are going to wind up upset. That’s my read after an informal web poll I conducted on social media. These are basically the four choices the Steelers have when it comes to what they...
First Call: A free-agent CB may remain in Pittsburgh; other NFL hires may impact Steelers’ OC search
Tuesday’s “First Call” features some speculation about the future of Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Levi Wallace. We have some NFL coaching and front-office news with Steelers connections. And in local college hoops news, both Pitt and Duquesne are in action. Still liking Levi? According to at least one national post,...
Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin says Steelers are closer to NFL’s elite than they were last year. Is he right?
During his season-ending press conference Thursday, head coach Mike Tomlin was asked if he thought that the gap between his Pittsburgh Steelers and the teams playing in this weekend’s divisional round of the NFL playoffs was smaller than it was a year ago. “Certainly. But we’re watching and not playing,”...
Madden Monday: Steelers will try to protect Kenny Pickett by letting Mason Rudolph walk
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden from 105.9 The X joined us from Las Vegas. And if he is in a gambling mood, Madden says he’ll be betting against significant changes coming from the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. Particularly at offensive coordinator, even though the Steelers insist that...
Tim Benz: Another offseason for the Steelers, more of the same old debates
As the Pittsburgh Steelers hit the 2024 offseason, it occurs like so many others in the recent past. • The 2020 offseason followed an 8-8, non-playoff year with questions about how a surgically repaired elbow would impact Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback. • The 2021 offseason followed a 12-4 year that...


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