Tuesday’s “First Call” looks at video of Aaron Rodgers’ throwing session with Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf. Aaron Glenn discusses the Jets’ plans for former Steelers quarterback Justin Fields.
Alex Ovechkin’s goal-record chase continues. A pair of former Penguins stand out in Dallas’ latest victory.
And the Pirates square off against a name from the franchise’s past.
Getting together
Potential Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a throwing session with new Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf. The video from a practice field at UCLA was originally posted by photographer Alex Amen.
Aaron Rodgers running Steelers offensive concepts with DK Metcalf ???? pic.twitter.com/pvWDQdZSf7
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) March 31, 2025
Aaron Rodgers with DK Metcalf at UCLA #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/keiGbdx9PV
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) March 31, 2025
“I wasn’t there, but that’s good if that did happen. I’d say that,” Steelers general manager Omar Khan said Monday of the interaction.
“This was a planned throwing session,” the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “It sounds like it went very well. From my understanding, it was lengthy… It probably is (Rodgers’) last stop. He needs to make sure it’s right. If that includes throwing with the newly acquired star receiver for the team, OK.”
The Steelers have yet to sign Rodgers, but he took a visit to Pittsburgh on March 21 and is now throwing to current receivers. So, obviously, there continues to be interest, even though he doesn’t have a contract.
Getting a feel for Fields
New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn says that the team wants Justin Fields to be in complete control of its offense.
“Obviously, we want to utilize his legs, but we also want him to play quarterback,” Glenn said at the NFL meetings as posted by the Jets’ YouTube channel. “We are going to allow him — during OTAs — to go out there and run an offense. We are going to make sure we surround him with the right type of people that (are) going to make him successful. … I want him to be a part of what we’re doing. I think he’s a dynamic player. I think there’s more that we can get out of that player, and I’m looking forward to that.”
Maybe that full-fledged endorsement is what Fields needed to hear as opposed to the “Just don’t go out there and turn the ball over” mentality the Steelers seemed to employ with him.
In terms of the “there’s more that we can get out of that player” part of that quote from Glenn, good luck.
The Bears seemed to get more of the “boom” aspect of Fields when he was in Chicago. The Steelers seemed to avoid most of the “bust” element of his game that the Bears couldn’t.
Now it’ll be on Glenn’s shoulders to finally bring the two together for a full season. That’s something NFL fans have been waiting to see out of Fields for four years.
More sports
• Admitting it or not, 1 specific pre-draft goal should exist for Steelers GM Omar Khan
• Tim Benz: Pirates already show anything less than elite from starters will get them burned
• Steelers’ Mike Tomlin wary of eliminating Tush Push from NFL game
Boston bound
Alex Ovechkin looks to take another step toward Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record Tuesday night. The Washington Capitals are in Boston.
The Bruins are a mess, having lost eight in a row and 11 of 13. Ovechkin comes in with 890 career goals. Gretzky’s NHL career-high mark is 894.
Ovechkin posted seven goals in 14 games during the month of March. He has scored exactly one goal in every other game since March 15. Ovi hasn’t had a multi-goal game since Feb. 23 in Edmonton when he posted a hat trick.
After Tuesday night’s game, the Caps have eight more contests remaining this season. Their finale is April 17 in Pittsburgh.
The Bruins have allowed 38 goals during their eight-game skid.
Stars shine
Casey DeSmith had a standout performance for the Dallas Stars on Monday night. The ex-Penguins goaltender stopped 35 shots en route to a 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken.
Another former Penguin, Mikael Granlund, potted an empty-net goal to ice the win for Dallas. It the club’s sixth consecutive victory.
Mikael Granlund’s empty netter puts the Stars up by 2 late in the third!#TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/T2YgA13PSk
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) April 1, 2025
Wyatt Johnson and Matt Duchene also scored for the Stars. That was Granlund’s fifth goal since being traded to Dallas from San Jose at the end of January.
Dallas has 102 points, four behind Winnipeg in the race for the Central Division crown. Both teams have eight games left to play.
Familiar face
Ex-Pirates prospect Shane Baz will face his former team today for the Tampa Bay Rays. The 25-year-old right-hander went to Tampa as part of the ill-fated Chris Archer trade back in 2018.
The former first-round pick was 4-3 with a 3.06 ERA last year in 14 starts. He has yet to start against the Pirates.
The native Texan underwent Tommy John surgery, ending his 2022 season. Baz was forced to miss the entire 2023 season as well.
On Tuesday morning, sources confirmed that the Pirates are promoting one of their top pitching prospects, right-hander Thomas Harrington, to make his MLB debut against the Rays and Baz.
Categories: Sports | Steelers/NFL | Breakfast With Benz | Tim Benz Columns
