Sam Darnold’s season as a backup with the 49ers helped him reach the Super Bowl
SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Darnold’s NFL career had hit rock bottom when he arrived in San Francisco in 2023 after failing at two spots to live up to his high draft billing. Less than three years later, he’s ready to step on football’s biggest stage as the starting quarterback...
Todd Monken gives passionate outline of his vision as he’s introduced as the Browns’ coach
BEREA, Ohio — Todd Monken was a surprise choice to become the Cleveland Browns’ head coach. In his introductory news conference Tuesday, Monken tried to reassure those unfamiliar with his background by delivering an emotionally charged outline of his vision and philosophy. “There’s something that I’ve kind of always lived...
‘Couldn’t be paired with a better guy’: Steelers’ Mike McCarthy, Omar Khan go way back
Omar Khan certainly feels the frustration from Pittsburgh Steelers fans over the organization’s lack of a playoff win for nine years. He understands that fan perspective because he’s lived it as a fan. Actually, to a much higher degree. Now the Steelers’ general manager, Khan was born in New Orleans...
Penguins waive goaltender Filip Larsson for contract terminationVideo
The Pittsburgh Penguins placed goaltender Filip Larsson on unconditional waivers for the purposes of a contract termination on Tuesday. Should no other team claim him by 2 p.m. Wednesday, he will be free to sign elsewhere. Currently assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL), Larsson is in the...
Monroeville native, WWE announcer Corey Graves grapples with new role as Point Park professor
The term “kayfabe” has been used for decades in the professional wrestling business, its origins dating to the early 20th century as carnies and wrestlers worked to keep the illusion of what they did hidden from fans. The last safeguards to the term died as the internet came to life...
Unheralded players who could make a big impact in the Super Bowl
SAN FRANCISCO — Much of the attention during Super Bowl week is usually on the star players like Drake Maye and Jaxon Smith-Njigba for good reason. But if history is any indication, some lesser-known players could have a big impact on the Super Bowl on Sunday between the New England...
NASCAR preview: Denny Hamlin’s rollercoaster offseason included lawsuit win, father’s death
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — There’s no telling what version of Denny Hamlin will race this upcoming NASCAR season, which unofficially begins Wednesday night with The Clash, an exhibition race held at grassroots Bowman Gray Stadium in North Carolina. Like most of the NASCAR community, Hamlin has had a rollercoaster of...
Pirates add 6 non-roster invitees to big league camp
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced an additional six players will attend big league camp as non-roster invitees. Catcher Derek Berg, first baseman Nick Cimillo, right-handed pitcher Michael Darrell-Hicks, left-handed pitcher Nick Dombkowski, outfielder/infielder Mitch Jebb and infielder Alika Williams were invited to camp, which opens Feb. 16 at Pirate City in...
Renderings show how NFL Draft will take over Downtown Pittsburgh and North Shore
The NFL, VisitPittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday offered the first glimpse of the official 2026 NFL Draft site renderings. The images offer a preview of how the city’s largest tourism event will unfold, revealing a two-site draft campus stretching across Pittsburgh’s North Shore and Downtown for the April...
Vonn ‘confident’ she will race at Olympics despite ‘completely ruptured’ ACL in left knee
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn is “confident” she can compete at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics beginning this week despite the left knee injury she sustained in a crash four days ago. Vonn said on Tuesday she “completed ruptured” her ACL, has bone bruising “plus meniscal damage.” But after...
Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: Should Kordell Stewart be in the Steelers Hall of Honor?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for a weekly Q&A mailbag that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. We had a banner first two weeks. Let’s go for a three-peat. Most of the questions come via “X,” but you can also hit me up jraystarkey@gmail.com. Let’s go … David Reese, @davidreese36: Good...
Penn State hockey star chasing gold with Team USA in Winter Olympics: ‘This was always my dream’
In her fourth season at Penn State, Tessa Janecke has all but cemented herself as the greatest player in Nittany Lions women’s hockey history. She holds the program record with 82 career goals and counting. She was the national rookie of the year in 2023. She’s been the conference player...
Speedskater Erin Jackson, bobsledder Frank Del Duca picked as U.S. flagbearers for Winter Olympics
Speedskater Erin Jackson already has made history, as the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Olympics. Bobsledder Frank Del Duca is a sergeant in the Army, hailing from a family with deep Italian roots. They might be the perfect pair to lead the U.S....
Tim Benz: The Penguins aren’t good enough to need a wake-up call. But they got it Monday night
After a lousy performance in a 3-2 loss to Ottawa on Monday night, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson was asked about attempting to bounce back Tuesday in a key intradivisional game against the New York Islanders. “It can’t get any worse, can it?” No, Erik. No, it can’t. From Karlsson...
Pirates by position: Bullpen boosted by addition of a pair of flamethrowing lefties
The Pittsburgh Pirates knew the Tampa Bay Rays had a left-handed reliever with a reputation for his impressive velocity but didn’t know much more about him. After throwing 15 of his 16 pitches for strikes — touching triple digits on a handful, including a 102.2 four-seamer against Joey Bart —...
First Call: Retired AFC North rival may join Mike McCarthy’s staff; ex-Steelers coaching candidate goes to Ravens
One former AFC North rival could be joining the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff. Another is heading back to Baltimore. The Steelers are considering the prospect of bringing the son of a former black-and-gold coach on board for Mike McCarthy’s staff. And George Pickens discusses his future in Dallas. All that...
Special teams ace Ben Skowronek represents Steelers at 2026 Pro Bowl Games
Special teams standout Ben Skowronek will represent the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Pro Bowl Games on Tuesday night. A fifth-year pro, Skowronek was the AFC’s top vote-getter among special teams players, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. Steelers teammates Jalen Ramsey and T.J. Watt also were selected but won’t take...
Patriots and Seahawks kick off Super Bowl festivities with a quieter, calmer, tamer Opening Night
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Maybe the game itself will live up to the hype — because Super Bowl Opening Night was calmer than usual. Drake Maye and the New England Patriots (17-3) take on Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks (16-3) on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, home of the San...
NFL commish Roger Goodell: 18-game season is ‘not a given’
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Not so fast on an 18-game NFL season. A week after Patriots owner Robert Kraft made it seem inevitable, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said expanding the regular season to 18 games is “not a given.” “We have not had any formal discussions about it and, frankly,...
Penguins dispute goal call in bumbling loss to Senators
Just like every Cypriot alpine skier, Hungarian speed skater and Romanian luger representing their respective countries, Rickard Rakell is excited about going to Italy next week for the Olympics as a member of Sweden’s entry into the men’s hockey tournament. But he still needs to attend to some professional concerns...
Westmoreland Campus Clippings: Norwin grad Bilinsky sets career high for UPJ hoops
They call Adam Bilinsky “Bomber.” The former Norwin basketball standout was on full blast for Pitt-Johnstown against Seton Hill. The junior guard erupted for a career-high 35 points in a 97-88 victory over the visiting Griffins. The top number is impressive. But so is how he got to it. Bilinsky...
3 seasons in, PWHL set to enjoy international coming-out party during Milan Cortina Games
The Professional Women’s Hockey League was but a pipe dream in February 2022 when Kendall Coyne Schofield emphatically declared the urgency needed to address a fractured sport with unrealized potential. “We need to push for visibility,” Coyne Schofield said then, choking back tears after the United States’ 3-2 gold-medal loss...
Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves activated from injured reserve
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves was activated from injured reserve Monday afternoon. He has missed the past four games due to an undisclosed malady. During a morning skate in Cranberry earlier in the day, Graves operated in a full capacity with no restrictions on contact. Graves has split the 2025-26...
Pittsburgh Marathon announces partnership with Reykjavík Marathon in Iceland
The Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon has announced a partnership with Iceland’s Íslandsbanki Reykjavík Marathon as “sister marathons” In an collaborative Instagram post last week, the marathons said the new partnership is “connecting two iconic cities through the shared passion of running.” View this post on Instagram A post shared...
McKeesport’s Kemon Spell commits to GeorgiaVideo
McKeesport junior running back Kemon Spell is headed to one of the powers of the SEC. Spell committed to Georgia on Monday, according to reports by Rivals and ESPN. The five-star recruit is the top-ranked running back in the 2027 class. He is a marquee addition to coach Kirby Smart...
