First Call: Health updates for Evgeni Malkin, Lamar Jackson; Antonio Brown's statement on why he bailed on the Bucs

Thursday’s “First Call” has a health update on Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson as we prepare for the latest chapter of Steelers-Ravens.

A loss in the football world is felt by a former Steeler. Evgeni Malkin is on the doorstep of a return for the Penguins.

And Antonio Brown is telling his side of the story about why he ran off the field Sunday.

Looking for Lamar

Lamar Jackson still isn’t practicing in Baltimore. The Ravens quarterback was knocked out of a loss against the Cleveland Browns four weeks ago with an ankle injury. Tyler Huntley started the next three games, and the Ravens lost them all. They’ve dropped five in a row in advance of the Steelers’ visit to Baltimore this Sunday.

Jackson was one of five starters who missed practice in Baltimore Wednesday due to injury. He was joined on the sidelines by cornerback Anthony Averett (ribs/chest), right tackle Patrick Mekari (hand), outside linebacker Odafe Oweh (foot) and fullback Patrick Ricard (knee).

Ravens coach John Harbaugh wasn’t very forthcoming in terms of providing an update.

“I really don’t see the value of even talking about it at this point in time. It’s really not something I want to put a lot of information out there about anyway,” Harbaugh said via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

Huntley has started three of the four games that Jackson has missed. On the season, Huntley is 106 of 157 for a completion percentage of 67.5 and 940 yards (6.0 yards/attempt). He has three touchdowns and two interceptions and has been sacked 15 times. Huntley is averaging 193.7 yards per game through the air. Jackson was at 304.

A.B. breaks his silence

Disgruntled Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Antonio Brown released a lengthy statement Wednesday, stating his position as to what happened before he stormed off the field Sunday against the New York Jets.

Via ESPN.com, the former Steeler is insisting he could no longer play through a bothersome ankle injury and that his coach — Bruce Arians — tried to coerce him back on the field.

From there, it is Brown’s contention that Arians cut him on the sideline and that’s why Brown took off his pads and uniform and ran off the field.

Here’s a portion of A.B.’s statement:

“I played until it was clear that I could not use my ankle to safely perform my playing responsibilities. On top of that, the pain was extreme. I took a seat on the sideline and my coach came up to me, very upset, and shouted, ‘What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with you?’ I told him, ‘It’s my ankle.’ But he knew that. It was well-documented and we had discussed it. He then ordered me to get on the field. I said, ‘Coach, I can’t.’ He didn’t call for medical attention. Instead, he shouted at me, ‘YOU’RE DONE!’ while he ran his finger across his throat. Coach was telling me that if I didn’t play hurt, then I was done with the Bucs.

“I didn’t quit. I was cut. I didn’t walk away from my brothers. I was thrown out. Being fired on the sideline for having a painful injury was bad enough. Then came their ‘spin.’ Coach denied on national television that he knew about my ankle. That’s 100% inaccurate. Not only did he know I missed several games with the injury, he and I exchanged texts days before the game where he clearly acknowledged my injury.”

Brown added, “I was cut first and then I went home. They threw me out like an animal and I refused to wear their brand on my body, so I took my jersey off.”

Brown claims he had an MRI Monday that revealed “broken bone fragments stuck in (his) ankle, the ligament torn from the bone, and cartilage loss.”

The Bucs did not comment back to ESPN.com.

Thoughts for a former Steeler

Former Steeler Max Starks announced the death of his father, Ross Browner, Wednesday.

Browner was an Outland Trophy winner and college football Hall of Famer at Notre Dame. In the NFL and USFL, the defensive lineman played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Gamblers and Green Bay Packers.

A first-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1978, Browner was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player his rookie year. He played nine seasons for the Bengals. He set the Super Bowl record for tackles by a defensive lineman in Super Bowl XVI.

Browner died from complications of covid-19. He was 67. Browner had three brothers who played in the NFL as well — Jimmie Browner, Keith Browner and Joey Browner. His nephew, Keith Browner, Jr., played for the Houston Texans.

Let’s see about 71

A three-goal third period allowed the Penguins to storm back from a two-goal deficit to beat the St. Louis Blues 5-3 Wednesday night. That’s nine wins in a row for the Penguins.

The extended win streak has allowed the organization to allow Evgeni Malkin plenty of time to heal from offseason knee surgery. But now he may be ready to return.

Appearing on 105.9 The X before the victory over St. Louis, Penguins general manager Ron Hextall provided a health update on Malkin.

“We’re talkin’ days now. I’m not exactly sure when. We’ll see what the doctor says. We’ll see how Geno feels,” Hextall said. “It’s more of a day-to-day thing. Certainly not a week-to-week thing. So (we) certainly expect to see him here — assuming if everything keeps going like it is — in the very near future”

Hextall insists Malkin is rounding into game-ready form.

“He’s looked really good,” Hextall told host Josh Getzoff. “He’s been skating for a while. And he is skating really strong. We are very optimistic about Geno right now.”

The Penguins visit the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday and are in Dallas to play the Stars on Saturday.