Sports category, Page 408
Dan Campbell, Lions no longer satisfied with making playoffs
DETROIT — For most of a century, the Detroit Lions making the playoffs was a banner day. Suddenly, it has become old hat. After winning their last NFL championship in 1957, the Lions only played 13 playoff games in the next 75 seasons. They only won one of them —...
NFL ends sex assault investigation of Browns’ Deshaun Watson
CLEVELAND — The NFL closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is ending the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row. The league has been reviewing the case for months, trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. “The...
Penn State’s James Franklin looks to fill empty trophy case in Happy ValleyVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — The empty trophy case that stares back at the players in the Penn State team meeting room says as much about the program as it does about its coach. James Franklin was in on the decision to place it there. With one exception in 2016, there hasn’t been...
ESPN’s Randy Moss taking extended leave to focus on ‘personal health challenge’
LOS ANGELES — Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss is taking an extended leave from his role as an analyst on “NFL Sunday Countdown” as he deals with “a personal health challenge,” ESPN said in a statement Friday. In a video recorded and posted on Instagram before he appeared on...
Jets CB Sauce Gardner, RB Breece Hall doubtful vs. Dolphins; LB C.J. Mosley headed to IRVideo
New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and running back Breece Hall are doubtful to play against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday because of injuries. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Friday both players appear likely to sit out “barring something magical happening the next couple of days.” Neither Gardner nor Hall...
Ducks acquire Rangers captain Jacob Trouba in trade for Urho Vaakanainen, draft pickVideo
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jacob Trouba is finally out of New York after months of public trade rumors and private threats from the Rangers, who were determined to get rid of their captain and his massive contract. Trouba was not pleased with the way he was run out of town, but...
Steelers WR Calvin Austin clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Browns
Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Calvin Austin III was a full practice participant Friday and has been given the official green light to play Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. Austin entered concussion protocol after absorbing two hard hits during this past Sunday’s Steelers win at the Cincinnati Bengals. Austin did not play...
From ‘I don’t even know who that is,’ to ‘I don’t care about the dude at all,’ Steelers’ Pickens spawns war of words with Browns
During his brief weekly media availability last week, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver George Pickens answered questions related to the previous week’s game against the Cleveland Browns by invoking that infamous Marshawn Lynch line, “I’m just here so I don’t get fined.” With the Browns again on the schedule this week, Pickens...
QB Nate Yarnell reveals transfer plans after up-and-down Pitt career
In four seasons at Pitt, Nate Yarnell has served four distinct roles at the game’s most important position. He has been a quarterback-in-waiting, hope for the future, an afterthought and, finally, an insurance policy. But all of that will end for Pitt’s bowl game and in 2025 after he revealed...
Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt ready to reduce snap count with Alex Highsmith’s return
One Pittsburgh Steeler is ready for the return of Alex Highsmith after he missed three games with an ankle injury. It should come as no surprise it’s the guy who plays outside linebacker on the opposite side. Steelers All-Pro T.J. Watt called Highsmith being healthy a “huge” development for the...
Mark Madden: ‘Hard Knocks’ exposes that image — not results — matters most when evaluating Mike Tomlin
The inside look at the AFC North conducted by HBO’s “Hard Knocks” is another enabler when it comes to results being obscured and secondary in the evaluation of Mike Tomlin’s performance. Ex-Steeler Ryan Clark spoke on ESPN about how Tomlin appears on HBO: “Pittsburgh fans that want Mike Tomlin fired...
Steel City FC soccer teams to join pre-professional leagues
Pre-professional soccer continues its growth spurt in the Pittsburgh region. Steel City FC will join the USL W League (women) and USL League Two (men) in 2025, the United Soccer League announced Friday morning. Steel City FC trains more than 1,500 players in and around Pittsburgh, with primary training sites...
No. 3 Penn State, No. 1 Oregon meet for Big Ten title with both eyeing CFPVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel came to Indianapolis in July with a purpose. He wanted a sense of what Lucas Oil Stadium was like before making what he hoped would be a return trip in December. On Saturday, he’ll be back on the same turf when the No. 1...
Pitt has something to prove, and process begins at Virginia Tech
Pitt fans have seen this act before, or at least something similar. What’s worse, it’s back after first revealing itself less than a week ago. Two of the fans’ favorite teams won seven games to start the season, with the help of late dramatics that only served to heighten the...
First Call: Bill Belichick to the ACC?; Russell Wilson contract theories; Jets’ rumored interest in Arthur Smith
Friday’s “First Call” has some predictions about how the Pittsburgh Steelers may handle their quarterback situation next year. There are rumors about Bill Belichick coaching at the college level and Arthur Smith drawing interest from another NFL team for a head coaching spot. We also examine some quirks in the...
Football Footnotes: 5 key points where Steelers can improve against BrownsVideo
Plenty of things went wrong when the Pittsburgh Steelers visited Cleveland and lost 24-19 on Nov. 21. It’s the team’s only defeat in the past seven outings. After the game, most folks were blaming the coaching staff. Rightfully so. It was a lousy performance. Every 50-50 decision Mike Tomlin and...
Lions beat Packers on last-second field goal to clinch playoff spot
DETROIT — Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes, Jake Bates made a 35-yard field goal as time expired and the Detroit Lions clinched a playoff spot with a 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. The NFC-best Lions (12-1) broke a franchise record with their 11th straight...
Struggling Bengals visit banged-up Cowboys
With star quarterback Dak Prescott already sidelined for the season by a torn hamstring, the Dallas Cowboys now have to go the rest of the way without right guard Zack Martin because of the seven-time All-Pro’s bad ankle. The latest injury downer for Dallas comes with the Cowboys (5-7) on...
Penn State beats No. 8 Purdue in Big Ten opener
STATE COLLEGE — Ace Baldwin Jr. scored 17 points, Freddie Dilione V added 14 and Penn State pulled away from No. 8 Purdue for an 81-70 victory in the Big Ten opener for both teams Thursday night. Puff Johnson had 13 and four steals, and Nick Kern Jr. had 12...
Ravens can reset before December stretch run they handled so impressively in 2023Video
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — December was when the Baltimore Ravens really hit their stride a season ago. Lamar Jackson took control of the MVP race, and the team finished with the best record in the NFL thanks to emphatic wins over San Francisco and Miami. A year later, Baltimore has...
Heisman hopeful RB Ashton Jeanty confirms he’s leaving Boise State after this seasonVideo
BOISE, Idaho — Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty confirmed Thursday that this will be his last season at the university. The nation’s leading rusher with 2,288 yards on 312 carries along with 28 total touchdowns, has long been expected to enter the NFL Draft after...
Pitt wide receiver Daejon Reynolds reveals plans to transfer
Wide receiver Daejon Reynolds, whose role in Pitt’s passing game diminished this season, decided to place his name in the NCAA transfer portal. Reynolds, 21, will have one season of eligibility. Reynolds spent the past two seasons with the Panthers after transferring from Florida where he caught a total of...
Scottie Scheffler has new putting grip, trails Cameron Young by 3Video
NASSAU, Bahamas — Scottie Scheffler brought a new putting grip to the Hero World Challenge and felt enough improvement to be satisfied with the result, a 5-under-par 67 that left him three shots behind Cameron Young on Thursday. Young was playing for the first time since the BMW Championship more...
Bill Belichick interviews for UNC job, AP sources say
North Carolina interviewed former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick for its head coaching position, two people with knowledge of the situation said Thursday. Both people spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the school isn’t commenting publicly on its search. Belichick’s...
No. 8 SMU looks to complete unbeaten run through ACC in conference title game vs. No. 18 ClemsonVideo
SMU had no problems handling the jump to the ACC. Now the No. 8 Mustangs (11-1, 8-0, No. 8 CFP) look to complete an unbeaten run through the ACC in their inaugural season when they face perennial conference power Clemson on Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte....
