The Pittsburgh Steelers are being “linked” to Miami quarterback Carson Beck. New Steelers running back Rico Dowdle apparently wasn’t thrilled with his usage by the Carolina Panthers late in 2025. And reports are strong about Sidney Crosby’s rehab with the Penguins.

Meanwhile, there was a lot going on in the NHL’s Eastern Conference aside from the Pens’ crazy game in Denver.

All that in Tuesday’s “First Call.”

Beck in the Burgh?

During his podcast on March 13, The Ringer draft analyst Todd McShay claimed that the Steelers have been “linked” to Miami quarterback Carson Beck as a potential pick.

“Who is their quarterback?” McShay wondered about the Steelers roster. “It’s not (going to be) Ty Simpson (Alabama) at No. 21. I can tell you that for a fact. I have heard them linked with Carson Beck. That’s just something to keep an eye on.”

As mined at SteelersDepot.com, McShay said that probably wouldn’t happen until the third round. Beck is ESPN’s third-rated QB in the draft behind Fernando Mendoza and Simpson.

McShay didn’t clarify what “linked” meant. Beck did reveal at the NFL Scouting Combine that he had a meeting with the Steelers, if that’s what McShay means.

Over parts of five seasons at Georgia and Miami, Beck totaled 11,725 yards, 88 touchdowns, 32 interceptions and a 69.5% completion percentage.

Reading Rico

Carolina Panthers play-by-play announcer Anish Shroff was a guest of mine on 105.9 The X on Monday. He joined me to assess what kind of running back the Steelers got when they signed Rico Dowdle away from Carolina in free agency.

“The Panthers don’t get to the playoffs last year without Rico Dowdle,” Shroff said. “He can run. He can catch. He can run after the catch. He’s a very good receiver. For a (27-year-old) running back, he didn’t have a ton of tread off of his tires.”

Shroff pointed to a five-game stretch where Dowdle averaged 130.4 yards per game between Oct. 5 and Nov. 2 when he carried the offense, despite being viewed as simply another option to Chuba Hubbard at the start of the year.

But the one-time Dallas Cowboy also had some rough times in 2025.

“After that, he was pedestrian at best. I don’t think he cracked 60 yards after the Green Bay game over the last (eight) weeks,” Shroff said. “He kind of just went back to being who they thought he would be at the beginning of the season. And then late in the year, there was a little bit of Rico being a malcontent, a little upset with his carries.”

Dowdle averaged just 13.1 carries per game over the last eight contests. He was at 20.6 during that five-game stretch.

The Steelers ended up signing the South Carolina product for two years and $12.25 million.

“He probably felt midseason he would have had a longer-term deal and probably more dollars. I’m surprised it was only a two-year deal with Pittsburgh,” Shroff added.

Dowdle finished 2025-26 with 1,076 yards and six touchdowns.

 

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Sizing up Sid

Penguins color analyst Phil Bourque has been on the club’s entire four-game road trip — with Game 5 coming up Wednesday at Carolina.

So he’s seen Sidney Crosby’s quest to get back on the ice following a lower leg injury at the Olympics. Bourque joined me on 105.9 The X on Monday to describe Crosby’s rehab.

“I’m biting the inside of my cheek so I can choose my words carefully,” Bourque cautioned. “But he’s flying. He looks unbelievable. Every day at the morning skate, I sit there with (play-by-play partner Josh Getzoff), and we’re like, ‘Do you think tonight is the night we’re going to get Sid back?’ He’s flying around. He looks unbelievable. They go to do line rushes, … and Sid just stands at center ice.”

Bourque explained why he thinks Crosby might be putting a restrictor plate on his return.

“Nobody knows Sidney Crosby’s body better than Sidney Crosby. He is a Ferrari, and he’s also the mechanic of the Ferrari. So we have to trust Sid that he’s doing the right thing,” Bourque said.

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Bourque advanced a theory of what Crosby may be debating.

“When he comes back, I think he wants to be 100% no doubt — not a sliver of doubt in his mind that when he’s back, he’s all in and he can go 100% to help the Penguins get into the playoffs,” Bourque added. “I get that feeling that he’s a little worried, ‘I’m not 100%, and I don’t want to go out there and have something happen. Then I say, why didn’t I listen to that voice and just wait one more game until I was 100%? Now I’m out another week, and I’ve hurt my hockey team.’”

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas corroborated a lot of that speculation by Bourque on the NHL Network on Monday afternoon.

Crosby was injured Feb. 18 during a Team Canada game against Czechia in the quarterfinals. He hasn’t played for the Pens since Feb. 5.

Looking elsewhere

With their 7-2 win over Colorado on Monday night, the Penguins improved to 83 points on the season. That puts them alone in second place of the Metropolitan Division, seven points back of first-place Carolina (90) and two points ahead of the New York Islanders (81). Dan Muse’s club is also four points in front of fourth-place Columbus (79).

The Blue Jackets host the Hurricanes on Tuesday night. The Islanders are in Toronto. Both games start at 7 p.m. The top three teams from all four NHL divisions automatically make the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference’s two wild cards both played Monday. Detroit improved to 82 points with a 5-2 victory over Calgary. Patrick Kane had two goals.

The Boston Bruins also got a point in a 4-3 overtime loss to New Jersey. That boosts their point total to 81. Columbus is chasing those two Atlantic Division teams too, as the Blue Jackets are the next team in the East’s wild card race.

Listen: Tim Benz speaks with Anish Shroff about Rico Dowdle and Phil Bourque about Sidney Crosby’s rehab