Tim Benz Columns category, Page 26
First Call: Steelers LB was hampered during playoff loss; team already looking at RBs in draftVideo
Tuesday’s “First Call” has some background on a Pittsburgh Steeler who was compromised heading into Saturday night’s playoff game at Baltimore. The Steelers are already looking at running backs in advance of the NFL draft. A former Steeler turned in a highlight on defense during the “Monday Night Football” playoff...
Should the Steelers want to keep Russell Wilson? Should T.J. Watt want to stay in Pittsburgh?
Before linebacker T.J. Watt and quarterback Russell Wilson went into meetings at Steelers headquarters Monday, both players told media members they want to stay in Pittsburgh for years to come. For Wilson, that would mean signing here — presumably on a multi-year deal — instead of leaving in free agency...
First Call: Steelers not expected to move on from Mike Tomlin; loss to Ravens panned by Terry Bradshaw, Bill Cowher
In Monday’s “First Call,” don’t expect the Pittsburgh Steelers to make any move at the head coaching position. A pair of Steelers legends are disappointed in their former team’s effort during Saturday night’s playoff loss in Baltimore. A familiar face will be coaching the Patriots when the Steelers visit New...
Madden Monday: Steelers shouldn’t bring Russell Wilson back ‘at any price’
The 2024-25 Pittsburgh Steelers season is over. Now they have to start figuring out what to do for 2025-26. Good luck. Whatever they try to do won’t be dictated until they figure out an action plan at quarterback. They currently do not have a QB under contract for 2025. It’s...
Airing of Grievances: Another hideous start, rotten run defense result in 6th straight playoff loss for Steelers
A Steelers season that had a lot of promise at 10-3 is now over thanks to an all-too-familiar collapse. It was another slide that started in December and ended with a thud in early January. It’s been that way in Pittsburgh pretty much since the end of the 2017 regular...
First Call: John Harbaugh brings up ‘next week’ while discussing Zay Flowers; ex-Steeler up for 49ers’ defensive job
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh said something that caught the attention of many Pittsburgh Steelers fans. A former Steeler is making a name for himself on the interview circuit for defensive coordinators. The Penguins have a chance to make some noise in the wild-card race this weekend. And Evgeni Malkin...
Tim Benz: Penguins flip the script to avoid another late-game collapse against Oilers
It’s fitting that the Pittsburgh Penguins’ “Star Wars Night” promotion Thursday evening followed Tuesday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. That defeat created a great disturbance in the force at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins blew a 3-1 advantage in the third period, then lost the shootout 2-0,...
Football Footnotes: If the Steelers are to upset the Ravens, here are 3 specific fixes they’ll need
When you lose 34-17, as the Pittsburgh Steelers did in Baltimore in Week 16, that means there are plenty of things to correct. That’s particularly true if you face the same opponent in the playoffs three weeks later, as the Steelers are doing Saturday when they visit Baltimore again to...
First Call: Zay Flowers update; Ravens preparing for Justin Fields to get snaps
Thursday’s “First Call” has an update on injured Baltimore receiver Zay Flowers as the Ravens get ready to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. Baltimore is getting ready for both Steelers quarterbacks in the game. The national media spin about Mike Tomlin is in its usual January mode. And we...
U mad, bro?: Fans are either mad at the Steelers or mad at people critical of the Steelers. Pick a side
The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost five of six and are living off of loser points like the raccoons who dig through my garbage can on trash night. Actually, let’s be honest. This year, for the Penguins, every night is trash night. As a result, I’ve gotten quite a few angry...
Tim Benz: Try as he might, Mike Tomlin can’t ‘tote those bags’ of playoff frustration for all of his players
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin doesn’t want his players carrying the burden of the franchise’s seven-year playoff-win drought. “What you mentioned is my story, it’s not this collective’s story,” Tomlin said Monday. “Many of these guys involved do not tote those bags. I happily tote those bags. It’s not something...
Tim Benz: Pens play ‘points game’ poorly to open crucial 5-game homestand
Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust doesn’t care that 40 of 82 games remain on the schedule. The extra point they gave away to a division rival Tuesday night is worthy of some angst. “It’s never too early to play the points game,” Rust said with some agitation. “There’s (nine) points...
First Call: Justin Fields on his chances for snaps vs. Baltimore; Broderick Jones wanted Ravens rematch
Wednesday’s “First Call” has Justin Fields’ assessment of his chances of getting on the field in some form this week against the Baltimore Ravens. A Steelers offensive lineman says this is the playoff rematch that he wanted going into Week 18. A former Steeler is under consideration for the New...
First Call: The roadblock facing teams trading for Mike Tomlin; Steelers-Ravens officials revealed
Tuesday’s “First Call” has a wrinkle in the conversation about the idea of teams trading for Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. We get to know the officials for Saturday’s Steelers-Ravens game. An ex-Steeler and Raven has joined a different AFC playoff club. And we examine the opponents of the Penguins...
KHL player pulls a Rodolfo Castro and loses cellphone on ice mid-shift
I’m sure Pittsburgh baseball fans fondly remember that Pirates game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2022 when former infielder Rodolfo Castro’s cellphone popped out of his back pocket while he was sliding into third base. Well, a Russian hockey player just said, “Rodolfo, hold my beer.” Or, perhaps better said,...
Tim Benz: Steelers haven’t earned the privilege of a clean slate heading into playoffs
Last week, we couldn’t even get “on the same page” about whether or not George Pickens and Russell Wilson were “on the same page” about being “on the same page.” Last question to George Pickens was about the his role in the end zone interception vs. the Chiefs.His response (or...
First Call: A Bengals DB trashes George Pickens; ESPN reboots the Mike Tomlin trade speculation
Monday’s “First Call” features a Cincinnati Bengal talking trash on Pittsburgh Steelers receiver George Pickens. There’s Mike Tomlin trade speculation … again. We have playoff gambling odds for the Steelers and Penn State. Mason Rudolph got more playing time for the Tennessee Titans. Diontae Johnson made his debut for the...
Airing of Grievances: ‘Anemic’ offense; late-arriving defense result in Steelers’ 4th straight lossVideo
The Steelers’ recent losses to the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs were one thing. Those defeats could be explained by simply saying the club played a trio of the best teams in the NFL — three division winners with a combined 40-9 record. Saturday night’s defeat to...
First Call: Livvy Dunne posts photos with Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler in New Orleans in advance of vehicle attackVideo
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes was in New Orleans at the time of the New Year’s Eve vehicle attack. His girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, posted pictures in the hours before the tragedy. Also, the Penguins are on the road to face the reigning Stanley Cup champions. A former Penguin had a...
Football Footnotes: Minkah Fitzpatrick’s specific reasons for Steelers’ coverage woes; Chargers sign ex-Steeler DB
The Pittsburgh Steelers are having lots of problems covering and pass-blocking. Veterans on both sides of the ball have some explanations for those issues. We also have injury news from Cincinnati as they prepare to visit Acrisure Stadium on Saturday. Plus, a former Steelers’ first-round pick is joining a different...
Tim Benz: It’s time for George Pickens to ‘get on the same page,’ or the Steelers need to turn the pageVideo
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin tried to downplay the notion that receiver George Pickens either ran the wrong route or didn’t give effort on a route that became an interception in the end zone against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas. #Chiefs safety Justin Reid`s interception in the endzone on...
Tim Benz: Applying the ‘snow globe’ theory to the 2024-25 Steelers
Maybe it’s because I watched too many Christmas movies over the past week, but I find myself scrutinizing the 2024-25 Steelers season and wondering what it would look like if I put it in a snow globe and shook it up. How much nicer would it look if those wins...
U mad, bro?: Readers welcome ’25 with familiar angst over Steelers, media coverage, College Football Playoff
The first “U mad, bro?” of 2025 appears to be very similar to what we saw a lot of in 2024: Pittsburgh Steelers fans complaining about the state of the team. Or, Steelers fans complaining about me complaining about the state of the team — with just a pinch of...
First Call: Updates on Kenny Pickett, Josh Dobbs, Chase Brown; former All-Pro critical of Steelers RBs
A former All-Pro running back is critical of players at that position for the Pittsburgh Steelers. We also have a health update on Cincinnati’s top running back and news about two former Steelers quarterbacks. All that in Thursday’s “First Call.” What can Brown do for the Bengals? The Steelers saw...
Tim Benz: Don’t fret over a potential Steelers-Ravens Round 3, embrace it
When the dust settles on the AFC playoff bracket, one of three things is going to happen to the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) after their regular season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) on Saturday night. • They could win the AFC North and host a home playoff game next week....
