First Call: Speculation about Aaron Donald's plans; former Steelers WR Martavis Bryant staying with Cowboys

There are quite a few NFL items in Thursday’s “First Call.” Many of them have Pittsburgh ties.

Greenfield’s Mike McCarthy is getting another crack with the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are also keeping a former Steelers wide receiver. Penn Hills and Pitt legend Aaron Donald has to make a decision about his playing status soon.

And Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews refuses to jump on the train to ban the hip drop tackle despite his injury.

What’s to be done with Donald?

Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay is allowing for Aaron Donald to have a little space before making his decision on his playing future.

Following the 2021 season, the former Defensive Player of the Year restructured the three years left on his existing contract into a three-year deal that replaced what was on paper. It was set up to let the former Pitt Panther standout walk away after the second year, with no financial impact.

On Wednesday, coach Sean McVay was asked about Donald’s plans now that the second year of that contract has ended.

“I think those conversations occur at the appropriate time,” McVay said. “There’s so much emotion that takes place right after a game and after a season… . I think you give guys the chance to really just digest the season, coaches and players alike, and then we’ll address all those things at the right time.”

The Penn Hills graduate is due to make $35 million in 2024. Via ProFootballTalk.com, $5 million is already fully guaranteed. The remaining $30 million becomes fully guaranteed on March 17.

Continuing with the Cowboys

Greenfield’s Mike McCarthy is staying on as Dallas Cowboys head coach for a fifth year. Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones made that proclamation in a statement issued on Wednesday night.

“I believe this team is very close and capable of achieving our ultimate goals and the best step forward for us will be with Mike McCarthy as our head coach,” Jones said. “There is great benefit to continuing the team’s progress under Mike’s leadership as our head coach.”

Many thought McCarthy might get fired after the Cowboys lost at home as the second seed in the NFC playoffs to Green Bay 48-32 over the weekend. That dropped his playoff record to 1-3.

“Specifically, there are many layers of success that have occurred this season as a result of Mike’s approach to leading the team, both with individual players and with our team collectively. Mike has the highest regular-season winning percentage of any head coach in Cowboys history and we will dedicate ourselves, in partnership with him, to translating that into reaching our postseason goals,” Jones continued.

In his most recent “Footbahlin’” podcast, former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger suggested that the Steelers consider McCarthy as an offensive coordinator candidate if he was fired by Dallas as many assumed he would be following the early playoff exit.

Related

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• Steelers add 17 players to reserve/futures contracts, including former Saints WR Marquez Callaway

More from Martavis?

Former Pittsburgh Steeler Martavis Bryant is re-signing with the Dallas Cowboys. According to a report by Aaron Wilson of KRPC-TV in Houston, Dallas is giving him a reserve/future contract for the 2024 season.

That means he’ll stay with the Cowboys throughout the offseason and have an opportunity to make Dallas’ 53-man roster next August.

The 31-year-old wide receiver signed with the Cowboys practice squad on Nov. 7. He never appeared in a game and was released on Jan. 4. He spent the four previous years waiting for reinstatement after an indefinite suspension by commissioner Roger Goodell. That was the result of several failed drug tests for marijuana.

Bryant could’ve signed with any other NFL team, but he made no visits since getting his release.

It’s been since 2018 that we have seen Bryant in an NFL uniform. Bryant spent his first three seasons in Pittsburgh, totaling 126 receptions for 1,917 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Steelers traded Bryant to Oakland prior to the 2018 season, but he played in just eight games before getting suspended.

Since he was kicked out of the league, Bryant has been all over the map. He was in the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Elks. He played this spring with the Vegas Vipers of the XFL. The Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League gave him a shot in 2021. He even played with the FCF Beasts of the Fan Controlled Football League.

Not bitter

Mark Andrews is hoping to get back on the field for his team’s playoff game Saturday against the Houston Texans. The Baltimore Ravens’ star tight end suffered an ankle injury against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11. It required surgery, which put him on the reserve/injured list.

He missed the rest of the regular season. Now though, after the team’s bye week, he is trying to get back to action for the playoffs.

Andrews was hurt on a so-called “hip drop tackle” from Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson. It’s a defensive move the NFL is trying to get out of the game. But Andrews isn’t harboring any ill will toward his opponent.

“It was kind of just an unfortunate event. I’m going to let everybody else do their thing. If they want to ban the tackle, fine, but I’m going to go out there and play hard no matter what. I don’t blame the guy. He’s just playing ball,” Andrews said via the team’s website.

Andrews had 544 receiving yards and six touchdowns this year before his injury.