Tim Benz stories, Page 4

For much of the offseason, my belief about the Pittsburgh Steelers was that they’d be 10-7. Again. That they’d be the last team in the AFC playoff bracket. Again. And that they’d finish the season without a playoff win. Again. For an eighth consecutive year. I’m modifying that. Now I...

Tuesday’s “First Call” begins with a Pittsburgh Steelers workout of interest. The team’s opponent for the regular season opener got some good news. Paul Skenes is getting ready to see the Chicago Cubs yet again. And Duquesne got a good look at its next football opponent during a nationally televised...

It’s finally a regular season game week for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 2024 opener is Sunday in Atlanta. During this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLive says there are plenty of reasons for concern. “You have every right to be worried. I think that’s...

From a Pirates perspective, the best thing you can say about the month of August is that it’s almost over. At least it is at PNC Park. The beleaguered Buccos don’t return home until Sept. 5 against the Washington Nationals. Between now and then, though, there is one event worth...

Two Pittsburgh topics dominated my social media interactions and my inbox this week: • Concern over the Steelers 0-3 preseason. • Oneil Cruz’s move to center field. I assume Penguins fans will start fretting about Sidney Crosby’s lack of a contract extension soon enough. But today is not that day....

I recently saw a headline that said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has created an “unnecessary distraction” by not naming a starting quarterback to open the 2024 season as of yet. Near as I can tell, the players on offense don’t seem distracted. “It’s not my decision to make. We’ll find...

Wednesday’s “First Call” features a potential addition to the Steelers’ offensive backfield. The wide receiver headlines continue to catch attention. We look at Paul Skenes’ next start for the Pirates. And his former LSU teammate, Dylan Crews, gets hit No. 1 of his career off a former Pirates All-Star. Boston...

The Steelers are reportedly in contact with teams about two wide receivers who are not named Brandon Aiyuk. Mason Rudolph has won the backup job with the Tennessee Titans. Mike Tomlin’s impact on quarterbacks is being overrated again. A West Virginia quarterback has been cut in Philadelphia while a former...

The only things more inconsistent than Oneil Cruz’s throwing arm are the darts the Pittsburgh Pirates are blindly tossing at his future position. Regarding Cruz and his 23 fielding errors at shortstop, on Sunday, Aug. 18, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said on 93.7 The Fan, “All I can tell...

One of the prevailing sentiments from those in attendance at Barry Bonds’ induction into the Pirates Hall of Fame this weekend was, “Wow! Did he really leave 32 years ago? Has it really been that long?” Another was, “Wow! Was he really only here for seven years?” Fast forward to...

Mark Madden is on his way back from England. So, my Steelers Audio Network pregame show partner, Matt Williamson, is filling in for the “Madden Monday” podcast this week. A former NFL and college scout, Williamson hosts “The Drive” with Dale Lolley on Steelers Nation Radio. You’ve also heard him...

If Pittsburgh Steelers fans know anything about me, I am nothing but a beacon of optimism. My glass is always half-full. My black-and-gold glasses are always on. I always can find a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. As a result, even though the Steelers dropped a 24-17 decision...

As layered and complex as Barry Bonds’ legacy is in Pittsburgh — and throughout all of baseball — he summed up Saturday’s induction to the Pirates Hall of Fame in the most simple words possible. “It’s nice,” Bonds said with a smile. “It’s just very nice. The word … very...

Friday’s “First Call” advances a Lions wide receiver to watch when the Pittsburgh Steelers take on Detroit on Saturday afternoon. The Washington Commanders may be getting back in the Brandon Aiyuk sweepstakes. The Steelers’ offensive line coach is speaking about Broderick Jones’ problems. And we have a Deshaun Watson update...

On Thursday, a Pittsburgh team pulled off a trade-and-sign deal with a former first-round pick out west who was balking at a contract with his former club. But it wasn’t for Brandon Aiyuk. It wasn’t even the Steelers who made the trade. It was the Penguins who acquired Winnipeg Jets...

When the Pittsburgh Pirates announced their franchise Hall of Fame class for 2024 back in May, Jim Leyland and Manny Sanguillen were universally applauded at PNC Park. They’ll both hear a similar ovation Saturday when the induction ceremony takes place. That’s no surprise given that Leyland managed the Bucs to...

In Thursday’s “First Call,” San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan struggles to provide an update on Brandon Aiyuk as the Pittsburgh Steelers trade offer continues to sit on the table. Former Steeler Markus Golden addresses his retirement. It appears that “Hard Knocks” is a bit toned down as the...

After both of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ preseason losses so far in 2024, head coach Mike Tomlin has appropriately bemoaned his offense’s inability to convert on possession downs. Over the first eight quarters of the preseason, the Steelers’ offense has only converted six times on 26 third-and-fourth-down opportunities. That stat is...

On July 22, Pittsburgh was pumped up about Steelers training camp starting in two days, and the fact that the Pirates were a half-game out of a wild-card slot. Exactly one month later Pittsburghers are doubting the Steelers offense, longing for Kenny Pickett and ready to turn off Pirates games...

Many are wondering if Broderick Jones’ poor performance against the Buffalo Bills during Saturday’s 9-3 preseason loss is the result of an elbow injury he sustained in training camp. Or, at the very least, if it was a byproduct of the brace he is wearing on his arm to deal...

Wednesday’s “First Call” has some news about Pittsburgh Steelers ownership. We learn about the latest from San Francisco concerning Brandon Aiyuk. And we get a prediction on a first-time Steelers Pro Bowler. Plus, a former Steelers assistant coach responds to some stinging criticism. Getting close to the end? At this...

A lot of Pittsburgh Steelers fans are swaddling themselves in intellectual inconsistency right now. The Steelers’ offense has looked terrible during the first two preseason games. Therefore, the fan base is falling back on the old adage that NFL preseason results mean nothing. Meanwhile, a year ago, when Kenny Pickett...

Bill Cowher and Bill Belichick are both weighing in on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive woes in the preseason. We have a new angle to the Brandon Aiyuk contract negotiations. And the Pirates and Rangers are at a mutual breaking point in Texas. All that to come in Tuesday’s “First Call.”...