This week’s “Friday Football Footnotes” features a new Pittsburgh Steeler talking about his old team. We find out about how the betting odds were impacted by Deshaun Watson walking away with an 11-game suspension in Cleveland.

We even get into Gaelic football, and an ex-Duquesne player has officially signed with the WWE.

Quick turnaround

It won’t get the hype of, say, Baker Mayfield taking on the Cleveland Browns in Charlotte in Week 1 or Deshaun Watson going to Houston in Week 13.

But the return of Myles Jack to Jacksonville is this Saturday night. The Steelers signed the inside linebacker away from the Jaguars in free agency this spring. Jack spent six seasons with the franchise. He said he is looking forward to seeing his old club again.

Except for one problem.

“It’s going to be weird because I don’t even know what the visiting locker room looks like in Jacksonville,” Jack admitted Thursday. “But it’s going to be cool to see those guys. It’s all love.”

His former teammates are apparently sending good reports about the coaching change Jacksonville went through since the end of last season. The franchise fired Urban Meyer after just 13 games in 2021. He was replaced by former Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson in February.

“I’ve heard it’s a new regime around there. Guys like it better. It’s definitely a change from when coach Meyer was there the year before. And they feel confident in what they are doing,” Jack said.

As far as what the Steelers should expect in terms of playing time from Jacksonville’s young offensive prospects such as quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne, Jack is hoping they will get a significant amount.

“I would imagine Trevor will play,” Jack said. “Etienne will get some run. I’m hoping their starters play. That would be cool to get some burn against the starting offense and continue to get better and get ready for the season.”

Lawrence was 6 of 12 for 95 yards against the Browns last week during a 24-13 loss. Etienne had nine carries for 23 yards. Neither player was involved in the Hall of Fame game loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, 27-11 on Aug. 4.

Moving the money

The news of Watson’s suspension going up from six games to 11 certainly impacted the gambling odds surrounding the Browns. Via CBS Sports, here’s how the numbers changed from just before Watson’s suspension was announced to what happened after the odds were put back on the books.

• Projected wins: 9.5 (before), 8.5 (after)

• Super Bowl odds: 25-1 (before), 35-1 (after)

• AFC title odds: 13-1 (before), 18-1 (after)

• AFC North title odds: 3-1 (before), 4-1 (after)

I actually thought those odds would shift more severely.

According to SportsLine projections, the Browns’ average win percentage from Weeks 1-11 is at 46%, compared to 59% in the final six games. They also project the Browns will average 21 points per game without Watson and 24.5 points per game with him.

More sports

• Steelers inside the ropes: Connor Heyward keeps showing good hands, racking up catches • Daily camp report: ‘I’ll be good,’ Cam Heyward says after exiting with ankle injury • Kenny Pickett to back up Mitch Trubisky in Steelers’ preseason game at Jacksonville

New bird’s nest

During the offseason, the Arizona Cardinals got receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown away from the Baltimore Ravens in a draft-day trade.

“I want to feel like I am a part of something to win,” Brown said via the Cardinals’ website. “At the Ravens, I just felt like sometimes they really didn’t need me. Regardless if I was there or not, they were going to win games.

“I love the game too much. I want to be involved.”

Brown got the most targets in Baltimore last year (146) — good for 10th-most in the NFL. But with as much running as Baltimore does, Brown wanted a more of an aerial attack.

Similar to Jack’s situation with the Steelers, the Cardinals host Baltimore on Saturday night.

Macek makes his move

The WWE has made it official. Roman Macek is now a part of the wrestling organization.

The former Duquesne offensive lineman is part of the new 17-member recruiting class for the sports entertainment platform.

.@realRomanMacek is a 2017 Bronze Medalist at PIAA State Wrestling Championship. He’s also the Team College Bench Press record holder (450 lbs). His strength and wrestling background make him an outstanding @WWE recruit. pic.twitter.com/kNGGBKksil

— WWE Recruit (@WWERecruit) August 16, 2022

Macek confirmed the news on social media announcing his signing.

pic.twitter.com/Vkciip4BoD

— Mace (@realRomanMacek) August 16, 2022

The Montour High graduate had one more year of eligibility left but made the decision to join pro wrestling after he was spotted at a tryout camp in Texas in March.

Macek said he doesn’t have an in-ring name yet. According to Macek, the turnaround time for training before a debut is usually three to four months.

Puca power

And since we are talking football, Pittsburgh’s Gaelic football clubs are in the Gaelic Athletic Association finals in Chicago this weekend.

Pittsburgh’s Celtics intermediate (higher level) squad opens against a team from Philadelphia on Friday afternoon at (1:15 p.m.), and the Celtics Junior D team (4:05 p.m., lower level) faces a group representing the Cayman Islands.

The women’s Gaelic football team, the Banshees, takes on a team from Charlotte at 9 a.m.

After winning a fifth straight Midwest Regional championship this year, the Pittsburgh Hurling Club is competing in Chicago, too. The men’s team is taking on the club from Portland, ME at 10:25 a.m. Friday. After qualifying last year, the Pucas lost to Denver in the first round.

Pittsburgh’s camogie (women’s hurling) team, Na Loachra Camogie, is in action Saturday at 9:50 a.m. against a team out of Charlotte.

The tournament is taking place through Sunday at Gaelic Park in Chicago. We profiled the teams at “Breakfast With Benz” last summer.

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