First Call: David Tepper’s drink toss was a fine decision, but officiating the Steelers-Ravens game was unpopular.
Some regrettable information regarding the officiating crew for Sunday’s Steelers-Ravens game was revealed on Wednesday’s “First Call.” While one former Pittsburgh Steeler is on a new roster, another is out of job. Cameron Heyward is getting assistance from the Penguins. Patrick Roy is still evading Marc-Andre Fleury’s advances.
Additionally, the NFL slaps the wrist of a former minority owner of the Steelers for his actions on Sunday.
This will go over big
Steelers fans will hate this piece of news.
Ravens fans may not be wild about it, either.
The referee for the Week 18 game between the AFC North rivals will be Brad Allen. That’s according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It’s Allen and his crew who seemed to botch the end of the Detroit Lions-Dallas Cowboys game Saturday night. Allen apparently failed to recognize that Lions offensive lineman Taylor Decker reported as eligible on a two-point conversion pass that would’ve given the Lions the lead in the final 30 seconds.
As a result of that moment and others from the game, Schefter says Allen and his crew are expected to be
Yet Schefter says they are going to be working a significant, stand-alone game Saturday between Baltimore and Pittsburgh that has playoff implications for multiple AFC teams.
That seems … unwise.
Mike Tomlin may want to think twice before sending Chuks Okorafor in as an eligible player on Sunday. Come to think of it, he may want to think twice about that anyway. But especially now.
Buggin’ out
Former Steeler Isaiah Buggs is looking for a new team. The defensive lineman was waived by the playoff-bound Lions on Tuesday.
Buggs posted a farewell to the Motor City on social media.
Buggs was a 2019 sixth-round pick by the Steelers out of Alabama. They released him midway through the 2021 season. Buggs went to the Lions in 2022 and played there through this week.
The 27-year-old from Louisiana played in 29 games with the Steelers, totaling 31 tackles. He had 58 in Detroit over 27 games, including 16 starts.
Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers have signed former Steelers kicker Matthew Wright.
Supporting Heyward
The Pittsburgh Penguins are attempting to assist Cameron Heyward, the defensive captain of the Steelers, in winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year trophy in the NFL.
In an effort to get fans excited before the puck drops on Tuesday at home against the Washington Capitals, the team featured Heyward on the big screen. In an additional attempt to secure Heyward the NFL recognition and a $35,000 donation to the charity of his choosing, they also tweeted out the video and urged fans to repost it.
Cam’s Kindness Week is a week of community service that occurs during the season when Heyward regularly reaches out to various groups within the community.
The Steelers have previously nominated Heyward six times for Man of the Year. In addition to a player’s performance on the field, the award honors his community work off the field.
In pause
It will have to wait until another game for Marc-Andre Fleury to attempt to tie Patrick Roy for second place among NHL goalies on the all-time victories list.
On Tuesday night, Fleury’s Minnesota Wild team lost 3-1 against the Calgary Flames. The goal scorers were Blake Coleman, Andrew Mangiapane, and Jonathan Huberdeau.