Wednesday’s “First Call” advances the conversation about whether the Arizona Cardinals are interested in Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. There’s more talk about the NFL going to an 18-game schedule. It’s a Paul Skenes Day in Arizona.

And Robert Morris University hosts an opening round game in the men’s NCAA lacrosse tournament.

Recruiting Rodgers

If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t sign with the Steelers, there is mounting speculation that he may wind up with the Arizona Cardinals. The buzz has circulated to the point that at least one Cardinals receiver has taken notice.

New Cardinal Kendrick Bourne posted on social media Tuesday, tagging Rodgers with the message, “Come on we waiting on you.”

Bourne, Michael Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride make for an interesting batch of pass catchers that Rodgers could target. He’d also be able to work with James Conner, rookie Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier in the offensive backfield — not to mention former Steelers teammate Isaac Seumalo at guard.

The Cardinals currently have Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew II atop the QB depth chart. They also just drafted Carson Beck and have ex-Pitt Panther Kedon Slovis on the roster.

This is where that UFA tender comes into play for Rodgers and the Steelers. Now that Rodgers has been tagged, if Arizona were to sign the 42-year-old quarterback, he would count toward the compensatory pick formula.

However, ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss claims there is nothing to the speculation.

Arizona also has Nathaniel Hackett as the team’s offensive coordinator. He was the OC for two of Rodgers’ MVP seasons in Green Bay (2020, ‘21). He was also the OC with the Jets in 2023-24 when Rodgers was in New York.

The Cardinals’ new head coach is Mike LaFleur. Durig an interview with Jim Rome Tuesday, he claimed that his “focus” was only on the QBs currently under contract.

LaFleur’s brother, Matt, was Rodgers’ head coach in Green Bay from 2019-22.

‘18 … I just don’t know what to say’

The NFL’s quest to get to an 18-game regular-season has been discussed for so long that it feels inevitable we’ll get there someday.

If you listen to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the goal is to make it happen during the next labor agreement.

“In our new labor agreement, I hope we go to 18 games and two preseason games,” Kraft told Vanity Fair. “If we do that, it would allow us to hopefully go to 16 international games, so we would have every team, every year play an international game, which would be built mainly through a streaming audience.”

That would likely mean a second bye week and a 20-week season. The current collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association expires in 2031.

More games and more weeks would mean more NFL broadcast windows. That would also mean more revenue for the NFLPA.

2nd time around

After a 9-0 drubbing in Arizona on Tuesday night, the Pirates hope to bounce back against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

Paul Skenes will be pitching for the Pirates. This will be Skenes’ second career start at Chase Field. His only other MLB appearance there was May 28 last season.

During that outing, the Cy Young winner tossed 6⅔ innings of shutout ball. He got a win as the Pirates posted a 10-1 victory. Skenes notched seven strikeouts, didn’t allow a walk and yielded just four hits.

Skenes will be opposed by Michael Soroka, who is 4-1 with an ERA of 4.70. He has had three appearances against the Pirates with one start. They have touched him up for five earned runs in 7⅓ innings for a 6.14 ERA.

Lax action

Robert Morris hosts Jacksonville on Wednesday night in an opening round NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament game. It starts at 7 p.m. at Joe Walton Stadium.

The winner will visit second-ranked Notre Dame on Sunday.

The Colonials (14-3) won their second consecutive NEC title last weekend on their home field. RMU is on a 13-game winning streak. Jacksonville (10-5) secured its first tournament bid this past weekend by claiming the Atlantic Sun crown.

Robert Morris holds a 6-5 lead in the all-time series against Jacksonville. That includes a 1-1 split in postseason play during the ASUN First Round in 2023 and 2024. In their most recent meeting, the Dolphins defeated the Colonials, 17-12, in the first round of the 2024 ASUN tournament at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs.

Last year, the Colonials lost 14-9 to Air Force at Joe Walton Stadium in the NCAA opening round.