Tim Benz stories, Page 90
First Call: Huge TV ratings for Steelers game; Pittsburgh names to bet on for Dallas QB spot; Marian Hossa’s honor vs. Pens
Thursday’s “First Call” has some gaudy television ratings numbers for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2022 season opener. Bill Belichick gives some thoughts on the Steelers without T.J. Watt. A few Pittsburgh names are being tied to the Dallas Cowboys’ QB vacancy. And the Penguins are going to be sucked into some...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans are wound up about T.J. Watt’s injury, Mitch Trubisky’s 1st game, Pittsburgh sports media
The Pittsburgh Steelers lost T.J. Watt on Sunday. The offense doesn’t look great. And the media is working against them. Now, to be clear, the Steelers did win their first game against the Bengals, 23-20. But, c’mon! Who am I kidding? You didn’t come here for pesky details like that....
‘I have a feeling what he was feeling’: Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz on watching Bengals backup
The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t going to feel sorry for the Cincinnati Bengals just because of how their game turned out Sunday. “Lost your long snapper mid-game, huh? Yeah. That stinks. Tough luck. Been there. Done that. Too bad.” Remember when James Harrison had to replace an injured Greg Warren in...
First Call: Joey Porter’s new coaching job; a former Steelers linebacker questions 6-week return for T.J. Watt
Wednesday’s “First Call” brings word of a new coaching job for a popular former Steeler. Arthur Moats is less than optimistic about an effective return for T.J. Watt in six weeks or less. A Pittsburgh Mauler wants in on the Dallas Cowboys QB vacancy. Plus, we zip around the baseball...
Tim Benz: Malik Reed’s immediate promotion from ‘welcomed addition’ to ‘scrutinized replacement’ for T.J. Watt
If you are looking to blame someone for the pectoral muscle injury suffered by T.J. Watt, blame me. I jinxed it. I accidentally thought it into existence. I saw former Steeler Tyrone Carter at practice last week. He came back for a visit before the club’s opener in Cincinnati. Carter...
CBS rules analyst says 2 crucial plays from Steelers-Bengals carry important NFL officiating lessons
According to one former NFL referee, two important officiating lessons could be learned from key moments during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 23-20 overtime win Sunday in Cincinnati. During his weekly WDVE radio hit Tuesday morning, retired NFL referee turned CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore (Washington, Pa.) said one controversial call may...
First Call: Patriots QB updates status for Steelers game; Pitt alum looks to solve Cincy’s long-snapper issue
Tuesday’s “First Call” has an update on the Patriots quarterback as he gets ready to face the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. A Pitt product may be the answer to Cincinnati’s long-snapper problem. The Baltimore Ravens are already dealing with injury issues. And three former Penguins have new places to skate. Jones-ing...
Tim Benz: Amid confusing reports on T.J. Watt injury, 1 thing should be clear to Steelers fans
It seems like every time Pittsburgh Steelers fans log on to Twitter there’s a new, nebulous report about the status of T.J. Watt’s pectoral injury. On Monday afternoon, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport said Watt isn’t expecting firm word on his status until Tuesday and that his prognosis could be anywhere between...
First Call: Patriots QB gets X-rays in advance of Steelers game; JuJu vs. James Conner; ex-Steeler linebacker scores
Monday’s “First Call” updates the health of Mac Jones as he and the Patriots prepare to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 of the NFL season. A pair of former Steelers lock horns in Arizona. Another scores against the Patriots in Miami. A big fire starts outside an NFL...
Madden Monday: ‘The season is over’ if T.J. Watt is out long-term
Many Steelers fans are trying to separate the bad news about T.J. Watt’s injury Sunday from the thrilling overtime win in Cincinnati. Mark Madden of TribLIVE and 105.9 The X isn’t buying that. “If Watt is out, the season is over,” Madden said in this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. The...
Tim Benz: First ‘Feats of Strength,’ ‘Airing of Grievances’ after emotionally conflicting Steelers victory in CincinnatiVideo
Our “Breakfast With Benz” tradition of logging the “Feats of Strength” following Pittsburgh Steelers wins and listing the “Airing of Grievances” after they lose continues in 2022. However, in a game like the one we saw Sunday, we have to include both. I was ready to do so anyway because...
3 things Steelers defense must do to prevent a 4th straight loss to Bengals
The Pittsburgh Steelers should have two goals heading into their season opener Sunday in Cincinnati. • Make this opener look as much like the one last year in Buffalo as possible. • Make this game as unrecognizable as possible when comparing it to the two games against the Bengals last...
Friday Football Footnotes: Steelers history in openers vs. division foes; Aaron Donald’s ‘retirement’ note; NFL revenge games
This week’s “Friday Football Footnotes” examines the Steelers’ history in AFC North season-opening games — and why this one in Cincinnati is so unique. There are some other quirks to the NFL’s schedule to begin 2022. We get the story behind Aaron Donald’s alleged retirement letter. An old Tennessee team...
Tim Benz: How the Steelers can replicate the 2021 season-opening upset in Buffalo this year in Cincinnati
The Pittsburgh Steelers began 2021 on the road in Buffalo as a 6 ½ point underdog against a Bills team that was coming off a division championship and was among the AFC Super Bowl favorites. Yet Mike Tomlin’s team won 23-16. This year they are opening on the road in...
Tim Benz: How Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt thinks he can improve upon an award-winning season in 2022
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt and his brothers (J.J. and Derek) weren’t just youth football players growing up in Wisconsin. En route to their NFL careers, they played a lot of hockey, too. So Watt can appreciate an NHL analogy when there is one to make. That’s good because Watt...
First Call: NFL.com’s low rating for Mitch Trubisky; ex-Steelers WR retires; Heinz Field name-change gets bad poll results
Thursday’s “First Call” features an unfavorable view of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Meanwhile, a former Steelers wide receiver is walking away from the game. New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson may make his season debut in Pittsburgh. Gerrit Cole had a huge night for the Yankees. And Heinz Field’s...
U mad, bro?: Fans rally around Mike Tomlin and Kedon Slovis, lash out about Pirates and … craft beer?
The No. 1 tip I give to young sports journalists entering the workplace these days is to diversify. Get experience in front of the camera, on the radio and in print. Do some play-by-play. Try anchoring. Host a talk show or podcast. Join the student newspaper. Apparently, my readers are...
First Call: Steelers legends to be featured in ‘A Football Life’; Bengals’ Tyler Boyd on facing Steelers without Big Ben
There is some major media news surrounding a Pittsburgh personality. Tyler Boyd talks about facing his hometown team without Big Ben. Joey Porter’s son is opening eyes at Penn State. And NFL Films is featuring two Steelers legends. All that in Wednesday’s “First Call.” New gig Plum’s Pat McAfee has...
Should the Steelers stop after retiring Franco Harris’ No. 32 or add more numbers to the list?
Pittsburgh Steelers legend Franco Harris summed up what it meant to learn that his number was going to be retired by the franchise this September. “It’s like giving you flowers while you’re still around to smell them,” Harris said. I get that. In fact, I just recently wrote about that...
Tim Benz: ‘Clerical error’ or change of mind, Kenny Pickett as 2nd QB streamlines depth chart
I can empathize with Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. In my line of work, I’ve certainly flubbed occasional cut-and-paste commands in documents, too. A misidentified name. A stat line in the wrong place of the column. A quote in a story gets moved and doubled up. Hey, it happens. But...
Tim Benz: 50 years after retirement, Bill Mazeroski uses his Pirates Hall of Fame induction to campaign for teammates
As Saturday’s master of ceremonies for the inaugural Pirates Hall of Fame inductions, team play-by-play announcer Greg Brown delivered his best line as legendary second baseman Bill Mazeroski was receiving his commemorative gold jacket. “Maz asked me to read his speech. He didn’t want to get up here to do...
Madden Monday: Steelers season prediction ‘leaning toward 7-10’ because offensive line will be the NFL’s worst
If you asked a lot of Pittsburgh Steelers fans in February for their opinion of how the team would fare in 2022, they likely would have said, “I don’t know. That depends on who ends up being the quarterback.” Once it was known that Mason Rudolph would be joined by...
Tim Benz: YAC drives comeback as Pitt passes first post-Pickett test
The image of Kenny Pickett was hovering over Pitt’s season opener Thursday night. Literally. During the first timeout against West Virginia, the former Heisman Trophy candidate was in one of Acrisure Stadium’s open-end rotundas, unfurling the team’s 2021 ACC title banner as a crowd of 70,622 wildly applauded. All new...
First Call: Steelers tried to get a different lineman before Jesse Davis; ex-Steelers QB has a new home
Thursday’s “First Call” has a backstory to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ latest offensive line acquisition. An ex-Steelers quarterback has a new home. Baker Mayfield is doing damage control about an alleged quote involving the Cleveland Browns. Plus, we look at this weekend’s Pirates-Blue Jays series at PNC Park. Plan B? As...
U mad, bro?: Fans say stop being so hard on Mike Tomlin, Oneil Cruz — but get tougher on Pirates, Steelers
I’m not hard enough on the Pittsburgh Pirates. But I’m too mean to Oneil Cruz. The Steelers didn’t get better during the preseason. But I should stop giving Mike Tomlin a hard time. Dang it! I can’t get anything right. That’s why I post “U mad, bro?” every week, just...
