Sports category, Page 115
First Call: Aaron Rodgers will ‘reassess’ retirement talk after season; another WR trade option to watch
Tuesday’s “First Call” has more evidence of Aaron Rodgers’ indecision on the notion of retirement following the 2025 campaign. There’s another wide receiver to monitor when it comes to trade rumors that may eventually get linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers. An ex-Steelers defensive back is looking for a new place...
Tim Benz: Ready or not, Steelers’ revamped secondary will get its true reveal in Week 1
Ready or not, here it comes. The starters in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ secondary didn’t have much of a chance to play together in August. Just a few snaps against Carolina early in the preseason finale last week, and that was it. Their time as a collective in training camp was...
Tim Benz: A layer of irony to the latest Kenny Pickett trade
Viva Las Vegas! Viva Kenny Pickett trades! The former Steelers quarterback is on the move again. This time he has been dealt to the Las Vegas Raiders from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round draft pick. Vegas was in need of a QB after Aidan O’Connell injured...
Pirates blow lead, lose on walk-off homer in St. Louis
No lead was safe Monday night at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Pirates and Cardinals each gave up multi-run leads in the series opener of their four-game set, but the Cardinals got the last laugh as first baseman Alec Burleson connected on a 1-1 slider from Pittsburgh reliever Dennis...
Raiders bring back Amari Cooper; Jakobi Meyers reportedly requests trade
HENDERSON, Nev. — Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders after failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension, a person with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press on Monday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they...
Browns trade QB Kenny Pickett to the Raiders, where he’ll back up Geno Smith
Kenny Pickett is on the move again. The Browns traded Pickett to Las Vegas on Monday night for a fifth-round draft pick in 2026, giving the Raiders a proven backup quarterback and clearing the way for two rookies to back up Joe Flacco in Cleveland. It’s the third time in...
Caitlin Clark becomes Nike signature athlete with shoe coming out next year
NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark is Nike’s newest signature athlete, expanding the athletic wear company’s partnership with the WNBA star. Nike on Monday revealed a new logo of interlocking Cs to represent the Indiana Fever player. Clark’s first signature shoe and apparel collection will debut next year. Her logo collection...
Westmoreland Campus Clippings: Saint Vincent welcomes latest hall of fame class
The 2025 Saint Vincent Athletics Hall of Fame class covers six sports and stretches from the 1970s deep into the 2000s. The inductees will be recognized Sept. 27 at halftime of the Hiram-Saint Vincent football game at Chuck Noll Field. They include: • Joey Butler (2009), basketball — Helped SVC...
Trey Hendrickson, Bengals reach agreement on 1-year deal worth $30 million, AP sources say
All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals have agreed on a new one-year contract, ending his hold-in, three people with knowledge of the deal told the Associated Press on Monday. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t announced the contract. Hendrickson...
Australian Open champion Madison Keys loses in the US Open’s first round to Renata Zarazua of Mexico
NEW YORK — Pretty much from the get-go Monday at the U.S. Open, Madison Keys could tell she wasn’t hitting the ball well or feeling very much at all like the self-confident player who won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January. After 89 unforced errors,...
Why 3 Big Ten foes shape up as ‘trap’ games for Penn State in 2025
Penn State’s quest to the 2025 College Football Playoffs, and, potentially, a national championship, runs through an intriguing regular-season schedule. On one hand, the Nittany Lions will face all three Big Ten teams that made the CFP last season: Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana. But the Ducks and Hoosiers must...
Burrell grad Ruggeri makes successful transition from gymnastics to powerlifting
Sophia Ruggeri showed strength and power while winning awards as an accomplished gymnast, reaching the highest levels of club performances while also starring as a member of her high school team at Burrell. Now, she is making her mark in a different arena. Ruggeri has immersed herself in the world...
Steelers sever ties with punter Cameron Johnston, cut linebacker Mark Robinson
An edge in experience and a multi-year contract weren’t enough for Cameron Johnston to keep his job as Pittsburgh Steelers’ punter. The Steelers terminated the contract of Johnston on Monday as they made another round of roster reductions to get closer to the 53-man limit. In addition to shedding Johnston’s...
Texans’ Joe Mixon to miss at least 4 games because of foot injury
HOUSTON — Running back Joe Mixon will miss at least the first four games of the regular season after the Houston Texans announced Monday that they will place him on the reserve/non-football injury list this week. Mixon has been on the active/non-football injury list since the start of camp after...
Video shows pro wrestler violently assaulted by Raja Jackson, son of ex-UFC champ Rampage
LOS ANGELES — A professional wrestler has been assaulted in the ring by the son of former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Raja Jackson climbed into the ring and body-slammed Stuart Smith, known professionally as Syko Stu, before beating the apparently unconscious wrestler at the KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy. The...
Analysis: Key takeaways as Pitt reveals opening depth chart
For Pitt, Monday morning brought the formal transition from fall camp to regular weekly practices, as the Panthers prepare to face Duquesne Aug. 30 in both schools’ 2025 opener. Monday also brought some clarity regarding various position battles and general team developments, with the Panthers releasing their Week 1 depth...
Former NFL players helped educate current players about league’s sports betting policies
Former players helped the NFL educate current players about the league’s sports betting policies during the annual training camp visits. Each head coach was also asked to kick off the educational sessions to emphasize the importance of the topic. At least 15 players have been suspended by the league for...
Pat Narduzzi offers respect for Duquesne’s coaches, players ahead of Pitt’s opener vs. Dukes
The lead-up to Saturday’s impending City Game showdown at Acrisure Stadium between Pitt and Duquesne has not been without fanfare or hype. That excitement soon will reach a crescendo as the Dukes and Panthers wrapped fall camp and are turning to preparation for one another at noon Saturday. But, ultimately,...
Steelers close to getting OLB Alex Highsmith back, remain in wait-and-see mode with Nick Herbig
The top three outside linebackers on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster played a combined three snaps during the preseason, and coach Mike Tomlin doesn’t yet know how many of his veterans at those two positions he will have available when the regular season opens Sept. 7. Tomlin will have former NFL...
Unfiltered: Madden and Benz on Steelers’ preseason, possible Penguins sale, Pirates’ futilityVideo
Mark Madden and Tim Benz are always “Unfiltered” when it comes to talking about Pittsburgh sports. This week, they look at the possible sale of the Penguins. They also reflect on the annual dead week for NFL teams before the regular season begins, the state of the Steelers after the...
Commanders agree with Terry McLaurin on a 3-year extension worth $96 million, AP source says
The Washington Commanders and top wide receiver Terry McLaurin have agreed on a three-year contract extension worth $96 million, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Monday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced. McLaurin...
Mark Madden: Cutting Shedeur Sanders is best decision for the Browns, which is why they won’t
The Cleveland Browns should cut Shedeur Sanders. It’s stupid to have a backup quarterback who is a constant topic of heated debate nationally and locally. It’s distracting and counterproductive. Cutting Sanders means absorbing heat for a few weeks, perhaps a bit longer. Then it goes away. Sanders certainly wouldn’t be...
Tim Benz: No reason to alter your views on ‘September Steelers’ based on August previews
On the outside, this looks like a bit of a lull in the schedule for NFL teams. The preseason ended over the weekend. The regular season doesn’t get going until the Sept. 4 opener in Philadelphia. Within the walls of NFL clubs, though, a lot is getting done. The Steelers...
First Call: Potential trade partner if Steelers want to deal Skylar Thompson; Najee Harris could play Week 1 for L.A.
In Monday’s “First Call,” we consider a quarterback trade for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It looks like Najee Harris could play Week 1 for the Los Angeles Chargers after all. The Pirates prepare for a series against a familiar rival. And two local schools square off in early-season NCAA soccer. Possible...
Madden Monday: If the Hoffmann family buys the Penguins, it won’t immediately impact on-ice product
A theory I had about the Hoffmann Family of Companies potentially buying the Pittsburgh Penguins is that the story may have been leaked by Fenway Sports Group with the hope of prying a substantial offer out of Mario Lemieux, Ron Burkle and David Morehouse. That triumvirate ran the team during...
