Tim Benz Columns category, Page 3
First Call: Royals’ mound opponent for Mitch Keller under similar trade watch; 2 young Steelers getting national notice
A pair of young Pittsburgh Steelers are getting interesting recognition. Mitch Keller’s mound opponent in Kansas City has something in common with him. An ex-Duquesne Duke is receiving a look from an NBA club, and the Doak Walker Award odds feature some local running backs. All that in Tuesday’s “First...
Tim Benz: The Pirates keep trying to tell us who they are. We should just listen
If you ever forget who the Pittsburgh Pirates really are, give them five minutes. They’ll remind you right away. Just three days after completing a sweep of St. Louis in which the Bucs shut out the Cards in all three contests (7-0, 1-0, 5-0), manager Don Kelly’s team countered that...
First Call: Skepticism over T.J. Watt yielding a 1st-round pick in a trade; Larry Fitzgerald’s son chooses college
We wrap up an extended holiday weekend with Monday’s “First Call.” It features a schism between T.J. Watt’s trade value and his contract demands. A former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver is trying to find a way back into the NFL. A renowned Pitt alum has a son who will be attending...
Madden Monday: Timing of Omar Khan’s extension an example of Art Rooney II’s ‘lazy’ approach to Steelers’ ownership
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan is getting a three-year contract extension, even though the team has yet to win a playoff game under the first three years of his stewardship. Mark Madden of TribLive and 105.9 The X thinks that’s a bit curious. “I don’t understand why now,” Madden...
First Call: Jonnu Smith’s thoughts on trade to Steelers; Aaron Rodgers’ photo of workouts with pass catchers
“First Call” for Thursday gets us into the holiday weekend by giving you a look at Jonnu Smith’s perspective after being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Aaron Rodgers is working out with his new teammates during the offseason. The Pirates are hoping to stay hot against Seattle. And we examine...
Tim Benz: Why I’m ‘out’ on the ‘all in’ cliché for the 2025 Steelers
Ever since the Steelers-Dolphins trade was consummated Monday morning, I’ve heard this refrain a million times: “The Steelers are all in for 2025!” "The Steelers are going ALL IN..This is AWESOME and this is just what we needed"@ToneDigz #PMSLive #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/VLSRCcqlEV— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 30, 2025 "The Steelers...
U mad, bro?: Pittsburgh fans launch opinions on Steelers’ trade, Sidney Crosby’s legacy, Oneil Cruz’s focus
When the Pittsburgh Steelers are involved in one of the NFL’s biggest player-for-player trades in 20 years, you know people are going to have opinions. When Sidney Crosby is rumored as a trade chip on draft night, you know Penguins fans are going to react. And you know that whenever...
Tim Benz: Kyle Dubas puts emphasis on individual development for Penguins’ 1st round ‘triplets’
The last time the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted three players in the first round, it was 1984. Two of those players were Doug Bodger and Roger Belanger. The third guy? I don’t remember. Did he ever amount to much? Oh … right. No. None of the three players Pens general manager...
First Call: Jalen Ramsey hints at Steelers jersey number; Cam Heyward ‘shook’ by trade; Rod Woodson on Ramsey at safety
Wednesday’s “First Call” reveals how Jalen Ramsey is leaking the jersey number he wants with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cameron Heyward is sorting out emotions after the departure of Minkah Fitzpatrick. Rod Woodson has thoughts about Ramsey perhaps moving to safety. And a former Penguins goalie — besides Alex Nedeljkovic — has...
Paul Skenes was overdue for a few good breaks against the Cardinals
Paul Skenes had to know this was coming, right? The notoriously piddly Pittsburgh Pirates’ bats have been the biggest reason why last year’s National League Rookie of the Year is only 4-7 this season. In four of Skenes’ five starts last month, the Pirates plated two runs or fewer. But...
Tim Benz: Kyle Dubas doesn’t question the strategy of Penguins’ draft pick stockpile
As Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas started to amass draft picks throughout last season in an effort to help rebuild the franchise, few felt all the selections he had for the 2025 entry process would be used as actual picks. After all, as of Friday morning, he had 11...
First Call: How Steelers’ trade may impact T.J. Watt’s contract; Bill Cowher and George Pickens weigh in on deal
Tuesday’s “First Call” examines the ripple effect of the Pittsburgh Steelers trading Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Jonnu Smith and Jalen Ramsey. Specifically, we gauge the potential impact on T.J. Watt’s contract negotiations. We get trade reaction from George Pickens and Bill Cowher. Plus, a former...
Tim Benz: Details of Steelers-Dolphins trade are easier to figure out than the big picture
If you are trying to wrap your brain around the pros and cons of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ trade with the Miami Dolphins on Monday morning, I don’t blame you. I’ll let you know when I finish doing that myself. Here’s what I do know. I know that Jonnu Smith and...
First Call: Football camp walks back criticism of George Pickens; Tyler Boyd discusses prospect of joining Steelers
There is an odd twist in the story about former Steeler George Pickens bailing on that youth football camp. Pitt product Tyler Boyd discusses the prospect of playing with the Steelers. The Mets are getting ripped for how they played this weekend in Pittsburgh. And there are some local connections...
‘Ohhhh, David Gene’: A picture of Dave Parker tells a thousand words
Like a lot of young Pittsburgh Pirates fans who were introduced to baseball in the 1970s, I had a Dave Parker poster on my wall. A shot of him with his massive chest opened toward the camera after a swing — one hand on the bat about to drop it...
Madden Monday: Expect Sidney Crosby to retire a Penguin, but ‘this year will test him’
My anticipation heading into the NHL draft was that the Pittsburgh Penguins would use one of their two first-round draft picks while parlaying the other for a player who could bolster the 2025-26 roster. Instead, they ended up acquiring a third pick in the first round and using all three...
Tim Benz: Daniel Mantenuto becomes 1st RMU men’s hockey Olympian with Team Italy selection
Daniel Mantenuto’s senior year of college hockey at Robert Morris University didn’t conclude in a conventional way. It didn’t culminate with him holding a championship trophy above his head or in a solemn handshake line after a bitter playoff defeat. No, his NCAA career ended at a pregame meal in...
First Call: James Harrison’s revealing quotes about Mike Tomlin; a T.J. Watt contract update; potential NHL CBA details
Friday’s “First Call” has an interesting assessment of Mike Tomlin’s coaching style from former Pittsburgh Steeler James Harrison. There’s a new slant on T.J. Watt’s contract situation. We have a preview of the upcoming Pirates-Mets series. And some details are leaking out about what could be in the next NHL...
A 6-pack of questions about the Penguins’ draft approach with NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman
The 2025 NHL Draft begins Friday night. NHL.com draft expert Adam Kimelman joined the “Breakfast With Benz” podcast this week to talk about what the Pittsburgh Penguins might do with their back-to-back picks at No. 11 and No. 12 (via the New York Rangers). 1. There’s some belief that the...
First Call: Pat Freiermuth replaces George Pickens after youth camp mess; Penguins reportedly want to move up in draft
Thursday’s “First Call” looks at how Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth is stepping in to fill a void created by George Pickens. A former Steelers’ rival is spinning a positive picture about Aaron Rodgers’ final season in Pittsburgh. The Penguins are reportedly sniffing to move up the draft board....
Tim Benz: Rounding out our All-Quarter-Century teams with the Pirates
Over the past two days, our All-Quarter-Century teams almost wrote themselves for the Steelers and Penguins. It’s not quite as clear with the Pittsburgh Pirates. What else is new? It’s not easy to construct a team that appeals to every fan and their specific preferences — especially when 21 of...
U mad, bro?: Pirates fans are fed up with Oneil Cruz, Steelers fans miffed at coverage of T.J. Watt and Aaron Rodgers
It’s one thing to stink. It’s something else to stink and be lazy in the process. Pittsburgh Pirates fans are fed up with Oneil Cruz, as he reinforced that notion this week. Meanwhile, I seemed to agitate Steelers fans with my All-Quarter-Century team, my thoughts on Aaron Rodgers and my...
First Call: Steelers reportedly ‘checked in’ on Jalen Ramsey; Diontae Johnson thinks Kenny Pickett will start for Browns
Wednesday’s “First Call” has Adam Schefter’s update on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ level of interest in Jalen Ramsey. An ex-Steeler thinks Kenny Pickett is going to win the Browns starting QB job. We examine some struggling Pirates. We also advance a highlight moment for the Penn State women’s hockey program. Ramsey...
1 big debate on our All-Quarter-Century Steelers team
We’ve already given you our All-Quarter-Century Penguins team. Now, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers’ turn. With the way this century started for the franchise, who would’ve thought that playoff wins would become so scarce? And who would’ve thought that the replacement for a Hall of Famer at quarterback would’ve been so...
Tim Benz: Aaron Rodgers’ public acknowledgment about his future is exactly what the Steelers needed to hear
During Tuesday’s “Pat McAfee Show,” new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers announced that his first season in Pittsburgh is likely to be his last in the NFL. “I’m pretty sure this is it,” Rodgers said. “That’s why we did a one-year deal. The Steelers didn’t need to put any extra years...
