Friday’s “First Call” has some significant injury news for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent next week. An ex-Steeler was involved in a strange play Thursday night. At least one coach isn’t burying Ben Roethlisberger just yet.
Plus, we’ve got an update on fundraising efforts for Robert Morris hockey.
Hurting Hawk
The Steelers play the Seattle Seahawks next week at Heinz Field. And star quarterback Russell Wilson may enter that game with an injury.
Wilson injured the middle finger on his throwing hand Thursday night during a 26-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The defeat sunk the Seahawks to 2-3. Wilson was replaced by West Virginia University product Geno Smith.
After the game, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said Wilson suffered a “badly sprained finger” and there is no recovery timetable.
Initially, Wilson was designated questionable to return, but never came back. He remained on the sideline, gripping a football and watching the remainder of the game.
During a deep pass attempt, Wilson’s hand clipped the wrist of Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald. That’s when the injury appeared to have occurred.
Wilson has started every game during his career. That’s a span of 164 games, including playoffs. It is the longest active consecutive starts streak among NFL quarterbacks.
Block party
Jamir Jones was on the field in that game for the Rams. And he was involved in one of the strangest plays you’ll ever see.
The recently released ex-Steelers linebacker blocked a punt. But the loose ball was regathered by Seattle punter Michael Dickson, and he managed to punt it again.
wut?
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/x6cLFCTfLs
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 8, 2021
Via ProFootballTalk, “A second punt after a blocked punt does not violate the rules, as long as both kicks happen behind the line of scrimmage and the ball has not crossed the line of scrimmage. … However, the second punt must be behind the line of scrimmage. The available video evidence shows that the punter had crossed the line when the ball was kicked a second time.
It should have been a foul. Because plays involving the line of scrimmage are reviewable, the Rams could have thrown the challenge flag. They did not.”
The second punt ended up going 68 yards.
Not buying Big Ben bust
Many across the country are piling on struggling Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
The coach of his upcoming foe isn’t one of them.
Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio doesn’t think Roethlisberger’s skills have slipped as much as many people do.
“There’s a narrative out there that he’s gone down. I don’t see that,” Fangio said this week when speaking about Roethlisberger. “I’ve been watching this guy a long time. He’s still capable of doing everything he’s always done. [He] throws a great deep ball. Has good pocket feel. I don’t buy into that narrative at all.”
Roethlisberger’s passer rating of 78.9 is 27th in the league among qualified players at the quarterback position.
Colonial cause
The Robert Morris Department of Athletics and the Pittsburgh College Hockey Foundation will host the first-ever RMU Celebrity Hockey Faceoff on Sunday, Nov. 7 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.
Gifts and pledges will benefit the RMU “Hockey Is The Goal” campaign to reboot the recently canceled RMU hockey teams.
Former Pittsburgh Penguins slated to participate include Colby Armstrong, Phil Bourque, Tyler Kennedy, Ryan Malone and Eric Tangradi. RMU alum and two-time Olympic hockey goalie Brianne McLaughlin-Bittle will participate as well.
Other former professional athletes to take part or guest coach include former Steelers Brett Keisel and Shaun Suisham.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
