First Call: Familiar landing spot for Mitch Trubisky? Ex-Steelers coach takes ACC job; more Penguins trade speculation
Wednesday’s “First Call” has a potential destination for ex-Steeler Mitch Trubisky. There is more talk of Mason Rudolph jumping ship. A former Steelers player is staying in Kansas City. A former Steelers coach is heading to the ACC.
And add a current Penguin to the trade speculation engulfing Jake Guentzel.
Back to Buffalo?
Recently released Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky may consider a return to familiar territory. That’s the belief of Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Based on what Breer wrote in his Tuesday notebook, he thinks Trubisky may return to the Buffalo Bills.
“Mitch Trubisky going back to Buffalo would make all the sense in the world,” Breer said. “He had a really nice year there in 2021, to the point where Brian Daboll seriously considered taking the quarterback to the New York Giants with him. And while the Bills were happy to have Josh Allen’s buddy Kyle Allen there last year, Trubisky would help to upgrade the room.”
That “really good year” in 2021 consisted of exactly six completions on eight attempts. So whatever Daboll liked as an offensive coordinator about Trubisky probably occurred in practice or the preseason.
With Daboll now coaching the Giants, perhaps New York is an option for Trubisky, too. Joe Brady is now the OC with the Bills.
Mason’s money
Appearing on KOA radio in
“I think we know that they’re going to remake that quarterback room. I expect Kenny Pickett to be back, [but] that might be it,” Rapoport said at the 7:35 mark here. “Mason Rudolph played well enough to make some money. I do think he’ll make some money. I just don’t know that it’s going to be in Pittsburgh.”
I don’t think it will be either. Nor, for Rudolph’s own sake, do I think it should be.
Rapoport suggested the Steelers may feel obligated to create the appearance of competition at the quarterback position and shake up the depth chart.
“The fans are a little restless that they haven’t won in the playoffs,” Rapoport continued via SteelersDepot.com. “If you’re going to finally make that statement of, ‘I’m going to win in the playoffs,’ are you okay going into it with Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett? Is that enough, or is it going to take Ryan Tannehill or Justin Fields or Jimmy Garoppolo or whatever door number B is?”
Hmm. Is there a “door number C,” by any chance?
Related:
• Tim Benz: When it came to Mitch Trubisky's thud, Steelers (and many fans) refused to see it coming
• For Mike Sullivan and the Penguins, necessity is the mother of reinvention
• Mark Madden: Pirates, Steelers would be smart to sign Trevor Bauer, Matt Araiza
Buggs stays with the best
A former Steeler is extending his stay with the Super Bowl Champions.
Defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs has signed a reserve/futures contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. When he was released by the Detroit Lions late in the season, Buggs jumped on the K.C. practice squad for their playoff run. Now, he will remain with the franchise into the offseason.
Buggs, now 27 years old, was a 2019 Steelers draft choice. He stayed in Pittsburgh for three years. Between Pittsburgh and Detroit, he also spent time with the Raiders.
Buggs has 89 career tackles; 58 came during his two years with the Lions. He started 13 games in 2022.
Back to school
Former Steelers defensive coordinator Tim Lewis is heading back to the college ranks. The Pitt Panthers alum is taking the DC job at Boston College.
That news was reported by Pete Thamel of ESPN.com.
Sources: Boston College is working toward hiring Tim Lewis as the school's new defensive coordinator. He's a longtime NFL assistant coach who has worked for six different franchises, including defensive coordinator for the Steelers (2000-03) and Giants (2004-06).
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 13, 2024
Lewis hasn’t had a college job since he was the defensive backs coach at SMU from 1989–92. Lewis took numerous jobs as a defensive coordinator and/or secondary coach in the NFL between 1993-2015.
Since then, he has bounced around the AAF, XFL and USFL.
Lewis will be joining the staff of former Penn State coach Bill O’Brien in Chestnut Hill. Former head coach Jeff Hafley left B.C. to take the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator job.
Not just Jake
Jake Guentzel isn’t the only Penguin in the NHL trade rumor mill. The Athletic’s Chris Johnston also lists Reilly Smith on his big board of 44 players who could move before the trade deadline.
Smith was just recently acquired by the Penguins this offseason. Here is Johnston’s rationale about why the Penguins may want to move Smith — aside from registering just one point in his last nine games, of course.
“The fit hasn’t been quite right in Pittsburgh since Smith arrived in a trade shortly after celebrating a Stanley Cup win with the Golden Knights last summer. He’s well off the pace of last season’s 26-goal, 56-point campaign,” Johnston said. “Still, Smith is an intriguing player because of a strong two-way game. He can contribute on both special-teams units and be trusted with a role on a line that handles tough matchups at even strength. The 32-year-old is signed through the 2024-25 season at a $5 million cap hit, which may bring added appeal since he could be added for multiple playoff runs.”
Other players with Pittsburgh ties mentioned by Johnston include former Penguin Marc-Andre Fleury and Whitehall’s John Gibson.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.