Daily Links: All-Time QB List; Steelers Take Pro Bowl Lead

Pittsburgh Steelers Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick helped stake the AFC to a lead in the first Pro Bowl Games, while the offseason has officially entered silly list seasons as many argued on Thursday where Ben Roethlisberger fits all time.

The AFC got out to a 9-3 lead over the NFC on the first day of the Pro Bowl Skills competition in Las Vegas. The NFC won the dodgeball competition, while the AFC won the lighting round, longest drive and precision passing contests. Each win garnered three points. Fitzpatrick participated in the dodgeball competition, while Heyward was in the lighting round event. Steelers Pro Bowl schedule.

Too smooth @minkfitz_21 😮‍💨

📺: 2023 #ProBowlGames  on ESPN pic.twitter.com/m7TlCTp6kG

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) February 3, 2023

NFL.com: Greg Rosenthal ranked 14 Super Bowl era quarterbacks ahead of Ben Roethlisberger. Terry Bradshaw, who won four Super Bowls, somehow came in at No. 17.

93.7 The Fan: Andrew Fillipponi ponders if Patrick Mahomes is already ahead of Ben Roethlisberger on the all-time quarterbacks list. At only 27, Mahomes would tie Roethlisberger in Super Bowl titles (2) if he leads the Kansas City Chiefs to a win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. It’s also very likely that Mahomes will win League MVP this year, which would be his second MVP honor. Roethlisberger never won League MVP.

ESPN: When discussing rivalries on ESPN’s Get Up, former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Bart Scott joked that “it took him five years of therapy not to punch Hines Ward in the face when he saw him on sight.” Ward, who was known for his crushing blocks, got under the skin of several Ravens defensive players over the years — most notably Scott, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs.

Pro Football Focus: George Pickens’ 19 contested catches this season were the most among all rookies.

Mike Tomlin was with Warren Sapp at the Senior Bowl. Tomlin was the Buccaneers defensive backs coach at the same time Sapp was an All-Pro defensive tackle in Tampa Bay.

Pitt head men’s basketball coach Jeff Capel spoke about the time he went to watch Najee Harris and the Steelers practice. Capel left blown away by Harris’ work ethic and how he practically lives at the facility. 

Eleven out of the last 16 Super Bowl MVP’s have been won by a quarterback (68.8%). These are the five non-quarterback winners: Wide receiver Santonio Holmes (2009), linebacker Malcolm Smith (2014) outside linebacker Von Miller (2016), wide receiver Julian Edelman (2019) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (2022).

Bill Cowher had an in-depth conversation with Nick Saban on leadership, coaching and “doing the right thing.”

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STEELERS/NFL SCHEDULE

🏉 5 p.m: Pro Bowl media availability in Las Vegas.

AROUND THE NETWORK

Pittsburgh Sports Now: Why the NET and other metrics don’t like Pitt’s resume.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: What can be done about the NHL’s catering TV ratings?

West Virginia Sports Now: Former WVU OL Josh Sills has been placed on the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List after he was indicted for rape and kidnapping.

Nittany Sports Now: Trash talk Penn State wrestling star Carter Starocci at your own risk.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: The Pirates invited 17 non-roster players to spring training.