First Call: Historic result looms for season’s final AFC North battle; ex-Steeler critical of Aaron Rodgers’ decision-making
Our last “First Call” of 2025 features some inflammatory quotes from a former Steeler about Aaron Rodgers’ decision-making. We’ll see a first in AFC North history at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday between Pittsburgh and Baltimore. The Penguins wrapped up 2026 on a strong note. And the Robert Morris men’s hockey...
U mad, bro?: DK Metcalf’s suspension, Steelers debacle vs. Browns, media coverage of loss blasted by readers
I think we all know what the New Year’s resolutions should be for Pittsburgh’s sports teams in 2026. For the Steelers?: Win a playoff game. Find a long-term answer at quarterback. For the Pirates?: Get a few hits. Finish above .500. For the Penguins?: Stop blowing leads, or figure out...
Minor league report: Penguins pounded by CheckersVideo
Forward Joona Koppanen had a goal and an assist for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 6-2 loss to the Charlotte Checkers at Mohegan Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (22-8-1-2) also got a goal from forward Aaron Huglen. Goaltender Sergei Murashov’s record fell to 11-3-0 after he made 19 saves...
Dukes open A-10 play with double-OT win at Davidson
It was a 3-pointfest in front of the 3-point king. With NBA superstar and Davidson alum Stephen Curry seated courtside at John M. Belk Arena, the Duquesne Dukes spoiled a night of gala celebration for Curry and the Wildcats. Tarence Guinyard scored 24 points and reigning Atlantic 10 Player of...
Goaltender Stuart Skinner beats Hurricanes for 1st win with Penguins
Acquired in a Dec. 12 trade, goaltender Stuart Skinner had yet to enjoy a victory in his first three games as an employee of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not coincidentally, he had yet to work with a lead at any point in those three contests. Each of those trends came to...
Pitt men let lead slip away, lose at Miami in ACC opener
The Pitt men’s basketball team appeared ready Tuesday night to emerge from the other side of the enormous hole they had dug themselves with surprising losses during their nonconference schedule. The Watsco Center isn’t a place, however, where the Panthers have ever been able to get themselves right. Pitt led...
Illinois beats Tennessee in the Music City Bowl to keep Big Ten undefeated this bowl season
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — David Olano kicked a 29-yard field goal as time expired, and Illinois beat Tennessee, 30-28, on Tuesday night in the Music City Bowl. Illinois (9-4) posted the first back-to-back nine-win seasons in program history along with winning the first game between these programs. Olano’s winning kick was...
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic hyperextends left knee, will be evaluated in 4 weeks
MIAMI — Nikola Jokic is only going to miss a few weeks, which is surely cause for the Denver Nuggets to take a giant sigh of relief. The Nuggets’ superstar center has been diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee, the team said Tuesday, adding that the three-time MVP will be...
No. 3 Georgia eager to make better Sugar Bowl memories; No. 6 Ole Miss eyes payback
NEW ORLEANS — For the Georgia Bulldogs and coach Kirby Smart, last year’s Sugar Bowl brought a heavy dose of sadness that had more to do with life — and the loss of it — than football. As fate would have it, the third-ranked Bulldogs (12-1, No. 3 seed CFP)...
Role reversals: Alabama returns to the Rose Bowl as a CFP underdog to face powerhouse Indiana
LOS ANGELES — Nick Saban coached his final game for Alabama just two years ago in the Rose Bowl. Although the sport didn’t know it at the time, an era ended for the 21st century’s most dominant program to date when Jalen Milroe got stopped on fourth down in overtime...
Louisiana Tech rallies to beat Coastal Carolina 23-14 in Independence Bowl
SHREVEPORT, La. — Trey Kukuk followed his fourth-quarter touchdown pass with a big run to set up Andrew Burnette’s go-ahead plunge in a 17-point fourth quarter, and Louisiana Tech rallied to beat Coastal Carolina, 23-14, on Tuesday to win the Independence Bowl. Louisiana Tech (8-5) trailed 14-6 heading to the...
Mike Tomlin not ready to think about Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers playing final NFL game
If he keeps his word and retires after the season, Aaron Rodgers will play in the final regular-season game of his 21-year career Sunday night when the Pittsburgh Steelers face the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers must defeat the Ravens to win the AFC North and continue Rodgers’...
Mirror images Texas Tech, Oregon set to face off in Orange Bowl in CFP quarterfinals
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The formula for getting to this season’s Orange Bowl apparently went like this: Score a ton of points, allow very few points, have a big play on basically every possession, excel on third downs offensively, be stingy on third downs defensively. That was Texas Tech’s path....
Cowboys waive cornerback Trevon Diggs to end tumultuous finish to his Dallas career
FRISCO, Texas — The Cowboys waived cornerback Trevon Diggs on Tuesday, ending a tumultuous final season a game early in a Dallas career that never lived up to the promise of a 2021 All-Pro performance that included 11 interceptions. The move came five days before Dallas’ season finale Sunday at...
Patriots star receiver Stefon Diggs faces strangulation charges, denies allegations
BOSTON — New England Patriots star wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with an incident that happened earlier this month, police said. News of the charges emerged after a court hearing Tuesday in Dedham, Massachusetts. It is unclear what led to the charges,...
Penguins coaches, teammates excited by new forward Yegor Chinakhov
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson admitted to having a limited scouting report on his new teammate, forward Yegor Chinakhov, acquired in a trade Monday afternoon. By Tuesday morning, Karlsson was asked what he knew about the 24-year-old winger. “Not too much,” Karlsson said. “Obviously, read a little bit about it....
Riverhounds 2025 in review: Team made history with USL Championship title
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC added to the City of Champions legacy in 2025. For the first time in the club’s 26-year history, the Riverhounds were crowned league champions. Their shootout victory over Tulsa in front of 10,000 fans and a national television audience Nov. 22 sealed the USL Championship title. The...
Mike Tomlin optimistic about T.J. Watt’s return for Steelers against RavensVideo
With their season on the line, the Pittsburgh Steelers could get their former NFL Defensive Player of the Year back Sunday night for a winner-take-all game against the Baltimore Ravens. Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that outside linebacker T.J. Watt could return from a three-game absence because of a partially...
New Penguins forward Yegor Chinakhov to be scratched against Hurricanes
Forward Yegor Chinakhov will not make his debut for the Pittsburgh Penguins in Tuesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG Paints Arena. Coach Dan Muse announced Chinakhov’s status following an optional morning skate in Cranberry. The Penguins acquired Chinakhov in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday...
2025 in Pittsburgh college sports: Penn State football tries to recover from implosion
The 2025 year in local college sports featured a blend of results on the scoreboard on top of major administrative maneuvering, as athletic directors adjusted to a new revenue-sharing ecosystem. Pitt football, behind a surprise change at quarterback, looks like a team potentially ready to be a legitimate contender in...
Father of NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin dies after house fire, mother critically injured
RALEIGH, N.C. — The father of NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin died and his mother was critically injured after a weekend fire heavily damaged the North Carolina home where they lived, officials said Monday. Firefighters arrived Sunday night at a two-story home near Stanley that was mostly engulfed in fire, with...
Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald lead Pro Football Hall of Fame modern era finalists; former Steelers WR Hines Ward falls short
Quarterback Drew Brees and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald headlined a group of four modern era finalists in their first year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tight end Jason Witten and running back Frank Gore were the two other first-year eligible players who were also announced Tuesday...
Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton refused to opt out of the Pinstripe Bowl and delivered a master class
NEW YORK — Dani Dennis-Sutton walked into the Yankee Stadium media room holding the Pinstripe Bowl trophy. Penn State’s star defensive end placed the hardware on the table in front of Terry Smith, patted his interim head coach on the back and sat down next to him. A few weeks...
Rested or rusty? Top 4 playoff seeds eager to show they are ready as CFP quarterfinals arrive
No. 1 Indiana spent several December weeks reveling in the luster of the best season in school history. They sung the school’s fight song in the confetti celebration following their first Big Ten championship since 1967 and first outright title since 1945. They were featured on “60 Minutes.” They signed...
First Call: Steelers refute Myles Garrett’s postgame claim; John Harbaugh says ‘If Lamar’s ready to go, he’s playing’Video
As the Baltimore Ravens prepare for their game in Pittsburgh on Sunday, head coach John Harbaugh expresses different levels of confidence in quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Pittsburgh Steelers are refuting Myles Garrett’s assessment of their game plan in Cleveland over the weekend. One Browns player says Aaron Rodgers was hot...
