In “First Call” for Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers are adding a running back. A third team may be in the mix for Aaron Rodgers. Some former Steelers are part of moves in the AFC North.
We will also look at what lies ahead for Robert Morris in the NCAA Basketball Tournament after clinching the Horizon League crown on Tuesday night.
Gains with Gainwell
It looks like the Steelers are stealing an Eagle from the nest in Philadelphia.
According to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the Steelers are signing Kenneth Gainwell. Last year with the Eagles, Gainwell backed up Saquon Barkley. The 25-year-old from Memphis ran for 290 yards on 75 attempts. At 5-foot-9, 200 pounds, Gainwell added 16 catches for 116 yards. He had one total touchdown on the season.
One of Gainwell’s best games of 2025 was against the Steelers. During Philly’s 27-13 cakewalk over Pittsburgh, he touched the ball 10 times for 60 yards and showed some good running ability in space.
Kenneth Gainwell got some moves! pic.twitter.com/uDXp46nMB1
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) December 16, 2024
No terms of the deal were disclosed. The Steelers lost running back Najee Harris to the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency this week and have tendered restricted free agent Jaylen Warren.
Is Minnesota in the mix?
Most reports have free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers deciding between the Steelers and New York Giants. But The Athletic’s Michael Silver says that the Minnesota Vikings could still be in play.
Upon hearing that news, Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre encouraged that choice for Rodgers.
“By all means, sign with them. They’ve got a really good football team. They’re loaded at pretty much every position,” Favre told Fox News. “They made it to the playoffs last year. They got a tremendous fan base, much like the Packers. If you get the opportunity, that’s a good place to win. Of course, you gotta play the Packers then.”
Rodgers used to back up Favre in Green Bay. Once Rodgers took over as the starter in 2008, Favre went to the Jets and eventually retired after a two-year stint with the Vikings.
Similarly, Rodgers went to the Jets after leaving the Packers in 2023. Now, he may be considering Minnesota, just like Favre.
“Love-hate relationship at its best,” Favre said of the Packers-Vikings NFC North history. “That’s what makes it such a great rivalry. I got to see it from both sides. It made me appreciate both sides even more. If he gets an opportunity, why not?”
The Vikings lost both Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones on Day 1 of the NFL’s legal tampering period. Darnold went to Seattle, and Jones is going to Indianapolis.
The franchise still has last year’s first-round draft choice, J.J. McCarthy, at quarterback. But the Michigan product tore a meniscus in the preseason last year and never played an official down.
More sports
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• Tim Benz: 2 reasons Steelers fans should want Aaron Rodgers — and you’re going to hate both
• Steelers stay quiet as free agent QB options dwindle
Names we know in the North
Here are a pair of moves from AFC North foes involving names that Steelers fans will recognize.
Ex-Steeler Devin Bush is staying with the Cleveland Browns. That’s according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Bush never even got his fifth-year option as a Steeler after being a first-round draft choice. But the Browns like him enough to give him a $3.25 million contract for one more year, apparently.
Free-agent linebacker Devin Bush reached agreement on a one-year $3.25 million deal to return to the Cleveland Browns. Deal negotiated by Drew Rosenhaus.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2025
Then there’s Arthur Maulet. The former Steelers defensive back is being let go by the Baltimore Ravens after an injury-plagued 2024. That’s via the NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.
Ravens plan to release CB Arthur Maulet, per source.
Maulet had a very strong 2023 season in Baltimore as slot CB but was limited to just 3 games in 2024 due to injury.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) March 11, 2025
Maulet was a Steeler from 2021-22 before joining the Ravens in 2023.
RMU’s road
The Robert Morris men’s basketball team won the Horizon League Tournament on Tuesday night by virtue of an 89-78 win over the Youngstown State Penguins. RMU got out to an 11-0 and never trailed.
CHAMPIONS!!! ???????? #LetsGoBobbyMo pic.twitter.com/9AAE9mBp3r
— Robert Morris University (@RMU) March 12, 2025
Heading into the game, ESPN bracketology expert Joe Lunardi had the Colonials (26-8, 15-5 Horizon) as a No. 15 seed in the East Region playing No. 2 Tennessee (25-6, 12-6 SEC) in Cleveland for the first round. That would be a Thursday game on March 20.
As for St. Francis, the Red Flash won the NEC on Tuesday night as well. Lunardi has them playing in the First Four out in Dayton. That’s not surprising, given that the school from Loretto is only 16-17 on the season.
Currently, Lunardi projects the Red Flash as having to play American University (21-12) if they win the Patriot League on Wednesday vs. Navy. Then he has the winner of that game in Dayton, advancing to play the East’s top seed, Duke, at 28-3.
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.