First Call: Steelers work out former Pitt wide receiver; Bills praise Kenny Pickett; Logan Cooley update
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Wednesday’s “First Call” features a Pitt Panther who got a tryout with the Steelers. Kenny Pickett got the attention of some Buffalo Bills stars. We have a Logan Cooley update from Minnesota.
And the NHL season is underway.
Pickett draws praise
In advance of their 38-3 victory over the Steelers Sunday, Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller appeared to be a bit put-off by rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett. He frowned on Pickett talking about the point spread when they went to Buffalo as 14-point underdogs.
But during the game, Pickett seemed to earn the respect of Miller and Buffalo receiver Stefon Diggs. The two Pro Bowlers taped up a podcast Tuesday. Both men were impressed with the fire Pickett showed when he shoved back on Shaq Lawson after the Bills defender took him out at the knees late in the game.
“I liked it,” Diggs said. “As I saw him do it, I thought, ‘That took a lot of guts to do that from the quarterback position to push a D-lineman like that.’ Shaq ain’t no sucker.”
Miller said he just liked the message Pickett was sending about continuing to fight, even if the Steelers were getting smoked.
“I don’t think it was so much the hit that Shaq had on him. I think it was, ‘Our score, our situation that we are in, it’s not acceptable. This ain’t going to be us. This may be my first start. But I’m not accepting this. This ain’t good with me.’”
The Steelers will hope to avoid a similar result against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday. They are eight-point underdogs at home against Tom Brady and company.
Depth check
The Steelers used the off day to work out some potential depth players. That’s a good idea because the club’s injury list was extensive on Tuesday.
Via Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson, the Steelers worked out wide receivers Taysir Mack, Ja’Marcus Bradley and Josh Malone. Also, the team looked at cornerbacks Duke Dawson and Lavert Hill.
Steelers worked out Ja'Marcus Bradley. Duke Dawson, Lavert Hill, Taysir Mack and Josh Malone
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 11, 2022
Mack is the most familiar name of that bunch. He’s a former Pitt Panther who played with Pickett. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Mack caught 139 passes for 2,059 yards and nine touchdowns as a Panther.
The native of Brooklyn was an undrafted player who hooked on with the San Francisco 49ers but was released.
More Steelers coverage:
• Tim Benz: Time for national media to stop pretending that the Steelers’ lousy start is a surprise
• Mike Tomlin not ‘reading too much into’ Steelers frustrations after lopsided loss to Bills
• Tim Benz: Steelers guard James Daniels says NFL office prevented his ejection in Buffalo
• NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore on flags for QB hits: ‘Refs are screwing up’
Looks familiar
It appears that Mika Zibanejad picked up where he left off.
The New York Rangers forward scored two goals in their NHL season opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
THAT is how you do the first goal of the year. pic.twitter.com/qAuOKD8zJA
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 12, 2022
LIKE WE SAID.
MIKA OCTOBER. pic.twitter.com/4xLDwWAXQC
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 12, 2022
He had 10 goals and 24 points during the playoffs last year, 11 of those points came as New York was eliminating the Penguins in the first round.
Zibanejad and the Rangers went on to beat Tampa 3-1. Their season ended with four straight losses to the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final last year. Zibanejad was held without a goal in the last three of those games.
Not this time
As the Penguins open their season Thursday night against Arizona, Logan Cooley won’t be on the Coyotes bench. The West Mifflin native is playing this year at the University of Minnesota.
He was selected by Arizona as the overall third pick in the NHL Draft this summer.
Cooley is off to a strong start with the Golden Gophers. He has five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in the first four games. The Gophers are 3-1.
The kid's alright pic.twitter.com/RLzGtgDIAC
— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) October 2, 2022
Cooley was named the Big Ten’s first star after the first weekend of the season.