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For Wednesday’s “First Call”, we take a look at Doug Whaley’s comments on Ben Roethlisberger’s future with the Steelers.
There are plenty of Steelers on an all-time list of historically black colleges and universities. Bruce Boudreau may wish to return to training. An ancient penguin starts walking again.
And Tiger Woods was apparently on his way to meet a pair of top NFL quarterbacks before his car crash.
Whaley’s words
If you believe Ben Roethlisberger’s agent Ryan Tollner – and it looks like the NFL network does – Ben Roethlisberger is returning as the Steelers quarterback next year.
Ben Roethlisberger will indeed be back as #Steelists from QB this fall. I just connected with the two-time Super Bowl winner’s agent Ryan Tollner who said this: pic.twitter.com/YnWRWwkbeM
– Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) February 23, 2021
As I wrote recently, I’ve always thought that Kevin Colbert’s quote “As we sit here today, Ben is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers” read more ominously than on tape.
I said on WDVE at the time of these comments, I was 60% in favor of the belief that Roethlisberger would return to the team in 2021. Now I feel even better with that prediction.
Notice I said I “felt better with the prediction.” Not so comfortable with the news.
I think the best thing for the Steelers to do is cut Roethlisberger and move forward with their rebuilding efforts. Also, you would now have a full year of watching Mason Rudolph to prove yourself right or wrong about that choice. Or you can draft a first-round quarterback if the one you like becomes available.
But that’s just me.
In fact, no, it is not. Doug Whaley said the same thing this week on 93.7 The Fan.
The former Buffalo Bills general manager and former Steelers pro staff coordinator also placed Roethlisberger’s odds of a return at “60% he stays, 40% he leaves.”
And he shares my take on the prospect of reworking Roethlisberger’s contract to keep it for another year.
“Yes. The Steelers could cut Roethlisberger. The Steelers were there before him. And they’ll be there when he’s gone,” Whaley told PM Team on Monday.
“Personally I would say, ‘Thank you Ben, you’re the best, we wouldn’t have two Super Bowl trophies without you, you’ll be a Hall of Fame member on the first ballot, we’ll play in the Hall of Fame game. when you are inducted we will ask you to put yourself on the wall, but thank you for your service, we are going to have to go in a different direction for both of us.
I couldn’t agree more.
Whether Big Ben returns next year or not, I don’t see the Steelers as a playoff team. And I certainly don’t see them as a Super Bowl contender. So another return season with Roethlisberger just feels like it is delaying the inevitable quarterback change and allowing Roethlisberger’s desire for a smooth retirement to replace what is best in the long-term interests of franchise.
Elsewhere in “First call” …
The Steelers stand out
In honor of Black History Month, Touchdown Wire has compiled a list of the best HBCU – or historically black college and university – players in professional football history.
As anyone familiar with the history of the Steel Curtain will tell you, Hall of Fame Scout Bill Nunn harnessed the unannounced talent of these schools to build the Super Steelers of this decade. So it’s no surprise to see a lot of these players included on the roster.
As well as a superstar of the 1990s.
Will Bruce be back?
“Buffalo Bruce” Boudreau was always a favorite butt of laughter with Penguins fans when he was head coach of the Washington Capitals.
Eventually, he was fired after five years. He was also hired and fired within five years in Anaheim. Then after four years with the Minnesota Wild.
Now the Athletic says he might be interested in making a return to the league with the Seattle Kraken expansion.
Get started
Former penguin Alex Galchenyuk is on another team, his third since leaving the Penguins in February. He is now with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has not practiced since his acquisition in a trade with Ottawa on February 15. But now seems ready to skate.
More details
We find out more details about this car crash that injured Tiger Woods. ESPN’s Shelly Smith reports that Woods was on his way to meet NFL quarterbacks Drew Brees and Justin Herbert for a scheduled photoshoot when the crash happened.
Tim Benz is a writer for Tribune-Review. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication, unless otherwise specified.
Categories:
Sports | Steelers / NFL | Breakfast with Benz
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