First Call: Antonio Brown mocks Bucs' defeat; possible candidate for Steelers defensive coordinator; AFC/NFC title game odds

Monday’s “First Call” checks in on Aaron Rodgers’ state of mind as Pittsburgh Steelers fans join the rest of the NFL in wondering what will become of his career after this season.

We also give you Antonio Brown’s latest social media hilarity. Some interesting gambling odds for the NFL’s conference championship games. Bruce Arians discusses his future.

And a name from outside the Steelers organization has emerged as a candidate to replace Keith Butler as defensive coordinator.

A name in the ring

Once Keith Butler’s retirement as Steelers defensive coordinator became official Saturday, the presumption seemed to be that the team’s secondary coach, Teryl Austin, would be elevated into the coordinator’s job.

That still may happen. But not yet. The Steelers are apparently seeking permission from the New York Giants to interview their defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham.

The #Steelers put in a request to interview #Giants DC Patrick Graham for the same position in Pittsburgh, per source.

They're seeking a replacement for Keith Butler, who retired Saturday, and Graham is well-regarded.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 24, 2022

Even though the Giants fired head coach Joe Judge, the rest of the staff has stayed on for now. Graham could remain as defensive coordinator for the new boss, or he could get the head coaching job.

The Giants were 23rd in points per game allowed at 24.5. The Steelers were 20th at 23.4

Related:

• Free agents, draft prospects abound as Steelers weigh best way to land quarterback
• Tim Benz: For Mike Tomlin, the Steelers are about to become his team even more than they have been in the past

A.B. being A.B.

This is as classic Antonio Brown as you can possibly get.

Before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC playoffs Sunday, ex-Bucs receiver Antonio Brown reached out to quarterback Tom Brady via Instagram to wish him luck.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Antonio Brown (@ab)

That wouldn’t seem so strange, if Brown hadn’t ripped Brady after being cut by the franchise following his shirtless meltdown in Week 17 against the New York Jets.

Brown did the same thing in advance of Ben Roethlisberger’s final games this year, too, even though he panned Big Ben upon his release from Pittsburgh after the 2018 season.

However, in typical Antonio Brown fashion, once the Bucs lost to the Rams, Brown mocked their defeat on Twitter.

Antonio Brown tweet about the #Bucs 30-27 loss to the #Rams in which Brady was down to only 2 WRs after injuries. pic.twitter.com/pvDzSS05go

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 24, 2022

That’s Brown for you. He’s a really nice bunch of guys.

What did B.A. say?

After the game, Brady wouldn’t commit to playing in 2022.

“I haven’t put a lot of thought into it,” Brady told reporters. “So, we’ll take it day by day and see where we’re at.”

While that non-answer is getting most of the attention in Tampa, Brady’s head coach said he’ll be back on the sidelines next year regardless of who is playing quarterback.

Via the NFL Network, Arians said “Oh yeah” when asked if he would coach again next season.

In terms of Brady returning, the former Steelers offensive coordinator said, “That’s up to Tom.”

Rodgers report

With Green Bay’s elimination from the playoffs Saturday, many are wondering if that will be Aaron Rodgers’ last game with the Packers.

If it is, some have long suggested that Pittsburgh could be a viable option as a new destination if Rodgers desires to play elsewhere in 2022 by forcing a trade or a release from his current contract.

After the game, Rodgers stated that he doesn’t want to be part of a rebuild in Green Bay if that’s the direction the franchise takes.

“I’m going to take some time and have conversations with folks around here, and then take some time away and make a decision, obviously before free agency or before anything gets going on that front,” Rodgers said via PackersWire. “There are a lot of players whose futures are up in the air. It definitely will be interesting to see which way some of those decisions go. But I’ll have conversations with (general manager) Brian (Gutekunst) in the next week or so, and get a little more clarity, and think about my own future and how much longer I want to keep doing this.”

Rodgers is slated to make $46 million if he is retained by Green Bay next season. If he is traded, he’ll count $27 million against a new team’s cap.

Getting in early?

Odds are already posted for the AFC and NFC championship games.

According to BetRivers.com, the Rams are 3.5-point favorites at home against the San Francisco 49ers on the NFC side. Both of those teams pulled off road upsets in the divisional round over the weekend.

The over/under in that game is 46.5. The 49ers beat the Rams twice during the regular season. They won in San Francisco 31-10 in Week 10 and 27-24 in Week 18.

As for the AFC title game, the Cincinnati Bengals are 7-point underdogs in Kansas City. The over-under there is 53.5. The Bengals beat K.C. 34-31 in Cincy on Jan. 2.

When it comes to odds on winning the Super Bowl, the Bengals are the biggest underdog on the board at +750. The Chiefs are +125 favorites. The Rams are +220, and the 49ers are +450.