Penn State LB Tony Rojas ‘on track’ in return from injury
Penn State sorely missed Tony Rojas after he went down with a season-ending injury. His absence exposed a glaring lack of depth in the linebackers room, but it was also impossible to replace his elite athleticism and playmaking on defense. The good news for Penn State in 2026? Rojas is...
Beyond the Bylines: Bad Steelers NFLPA grades, Malik Willis’ price tag, Jack Hughes wins the crowd at PPG Paints Arena
In this week’s “Beyond the Bylines,” Joe Starkey and Tim Benz discuss the Pittsburgh Steelers’ poor showing in the NFLPA grades. What does this say about the players’ perception of the franchise in the post-Mike Tomlin era? We also investigate Malik Willis’ price tag and the importance of toilets in...
U.S. hockey player Brady Tkachuk slams White House TikTok as ‘clearly fake’ after anti-Canada slur
OTTAWA, Ontario — American hockey player Brady Tkachuk said Thursday that he did not appreciate a doctored TikTok video shared by the White House that made it look like he was disparaging Canadians after winning Olympic gold, calling it fake and something he would never say. The video includes fabricated...
USA Olympic star Jack Hughes: ‘Every time I come back to Pittsburgh, I’ll really appreciate what they did for me’Video
The last guy with a similar smile to get an ovation that big in Pittsburgh might have been Jack Lambert after Super Bowl XIV. Some of Jack Hughes’ teeth are still chipped from a stick to the mouth he endured during Team USA’s gold medal win over Canada last weekend....
Pitt visits Cal for 1st time to complete West Coast swing
Increased cross-country travel is a reality for collegiate programs across sports these days owing to conference realignment. As a result, coaches frequently lean into narratives surrounding the challenges of being ready to play far from home. Pitt is undertaking such a journey. After the Panthers lost at Stanford on Wednesday,...
After just 1 practice, defenseman Sam Girard effective in Penguins debut
A quick peek at the stat sheet would suggest a routine or uneventful first game in a Pittsburgh Penguins sweater Thursday for new defenseman Sam Girard. Girard, skating for 17 minutes, 53 seconds against the New Jersey Devils, recorded no points or shots with an even plus-minus rating. “Not too...
With a superstar as his shadow, Nick Gonzales embracing challenge at shortstop for Pirates
BRADENTON, Fla. — The phone call from Ben Cherington was meant to reassure Nick Gonzales of his importance to the Pittsburgh Pirates, even after the acquisition of two-time All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe. To Gonzales, it was unnecessary. The 2020 No. 7 overall selection — Cherington’s first draft pick as...
First Call: There’s ‘momentum’ for Steelers using an early pick at safety; Malik Willis’ reported asking price
Friday’s “First Call” suggests that the secondary could be a primary point of interest in the draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite a high asking price, a former Pitt legend loves what Malik Willis could bring at QB to the Steelers — or anyone else. Duquesne takes on the best...
Penguins beat Devils in 1st game after Olympic break without Sidney Crosby
The challenge of replacing the irreplaceable Sidney Crosby is a lot of things for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Immense? Certainly. Daunting? Absolutely. Impossible? Perhaps. But not complicated, at least in the eyes of his healthy teammates, who suggest all they have to do is offer a little bit more on an...
Caleb Downs, Kenyon Sadiq may provide strong draft value for NFL teams at often undervalued spots
INDIANAPOLIS — Caleb Downs and Kenyon Sadiq played it cool Thursday at the NFL’s annual scouting combine. Rather than brag about sitting atop their respective positional rankings — safety and tight end — for April’s NFL Draft, the two All-Americans spoke confidently about simply what they could add next fall....
Reports: 3-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, Blue Jays agree to 1-year, $3M deal
NEW YORK — Max Scherzer is returning to the Toronto Blue Jays. Two weeks into spring training, the three-time Cy Young Award winner has agreed with the reigning American League champions on a $3 million, one-year contract, according to multiple reports Thursday. The 41-year-old Scherzer can earn another $10 million...
Hornets’ Kon Knueppel breaks NBA rookie record for 3-pointers in a season in just 59 games
INDIANAPOLIS — Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel reached yet another milestone in a remarkable rookie season for the No. 4 overall pick from Duke. The Hornets swingman broke Keegan Murray’s NBA rookie record for 3-pointers, making his 207th Thursday night against the Indiana Pacers. Knueppel connected on five 3s in the first...
Reports: Colts give injury-plagued QB Anthony Richardson permission to seek trade
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts have given quarterback Anthony Richardson permission to find a trade partner, according to multiple reports Thursday. Indy believed Richardson could become its longtime franchise quarterback when it drafted him with the No. 4 overall selection in 2023, but nothing has gone according to plan for...
Bruce Froemming, record-setting major-league umpire, dies at age 86
Bruce Froemming, a major-league umpire for 37 consecutive years who worked the third-most games in big-league history and a record 11 no-hitters, died Wednesday, his son said. He was 86. Froemming fell just after midnight Tuesday and hit his head on the hardwood floor at his home in Mequon, Wisc.,...
Austin Smotherman leads the Cognizant Classic, making 6 straight birdies in a first-round 62
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Austin Smotherman’s one previous PGA Tour appearance at the tournament now known as the Cognizant Classic was in 2022, and it was forgettable. He shot 70 in the first round, 76 in the second and missed the cut by four shots. Given that, he didn’t...
Former teammate of Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr. at PSU, Zakee Wheatley a versatile safety prospect
INDIANAPOLIS — It’s not uncommon for a player to transition, at some point in his football career, from cornerback to safety, and there are plenty of cases of deep safeties moving to in-the-box linebacker. But how about a player who has made the move among the three and back again?...
Tim Benz: Offensive tackle has entered the Steelers’ draft chat … againVideo
After Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan addressed media members at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, most of the headlines were centered on what he said about the team’s plans at quarterback. Naturally. Why should this year be any different than the previous four in the wake of Ben...
Jose Urquidy focuses on fastball velocity in spring training debut as Pirates top Twins
BRADENTON, Fla. — When Jose Urquidy made his spring training debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates, his primary concern was attacking what he views as a shrinking strike zone. The 30-year-old right-hander missed all of 2024 and much of last season while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, so he’s...
IndyCar roars into season opener as Ganassi driver Alex Palou chases 4th straight title
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — IndyCar opens its season with a roaring four races in March, a return to Phoenix Raceway, three new venues and the son of a motorsports icon making his debut in a North American-based series. Oh, and Alex Palou will be racing for his fifth championship in...
NCAA rules panel proposes letting player ejected for targeting in 2nd half to play entire next game
INDIANAPOLIS — Division I football rules makers have proposed a one-year trial rule allowing a player disqualified for targeting for the first time to play in his team’s next game regardless of which half the penalty was assessed, the NCAA announced Thursday. Currently, players disqualified for targeting must miss the...
‘I wish we could have done better’: Now with Twins, Derek Shelton reflects on Pirates tenureVideo
BRADENTON, Fla. — Derek Shelton returned to LECOM Park as a manager, this time in the visiting dugout. The former Pittsburgh Pirates skipper was wearing new colors that were old colors to him. The former Minnesota Twins bench coach is now their manager, only months after being fired by the...
Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs scheduled to start against Devils
Pittsburgh Penguins rookie goaltender Arturs Silovs is scheduled to start Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena. Coach Dan Muse announced Silovs’ status following an optional morning skate in Cranberry. In 26 games this season, Silovs has an 11-7-8 record, a 2.93 goals-against average, an .894...
Penn State’s Rocco Becht ready to resume throwing after recovery from shoulder surgery
STATE COLLEGE — Drew Allar isn’t the only Penn State quarterback who is expected to throw on Saturday. Veteran Rocco Becht, the Iowa State transfer who will lead Matt Campbell’s Penn State offense in the fall, said Wednesday his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery is progressing nicely. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound...
Joel Quenneville wins his 1,000th game, joining Scotty Bowman in an elite club for NHL coaches
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Joel Quenneville became the second coach in NHL history to win 1,000 games when his Anaheim Ducks rallied to beat the Edmonton Oilers, 6-5, on Wednesday night. Quenneville joined Scotty Bowman in this exclusive hockey club with a milestone win in the Ducks’ first game back from...
Joe Starkey’s Cup of Joe: What is an ‘AFC North’ quarterback?
Cup of Joe: Starkey on sports in 350 words or less Steelers GM Omar Khan made sure to talk up last season’s third-string quarterback — the sixth-round pick who has never appeared in a live NFL game — in addressing reporters at the NFL Combine. Of course he did. Khan...
