AFC playoff breakdown: Conference looks wide open with no Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
These are the first AFC playoffs without Patrick Mahomes, Peyton Manning or Tom Brady since 1998, another reason it’s seen as a wide-open field without a prohibitive favorite to raise the Lamar Hunt Trophy on Jan. 25. All four division winners were new this year with Denver, New England, Jacksonville...
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud living up to high expectations
Holding the second pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans were set on taking a quarterback. They just had to wait to see what the Carolina Panthers would do first at the position. When the Panthers selected Alabama’s Bryce Young with the top pick, the Texans picked Ohio...
A harrowing look back at each defeat of Steelers’ active 6-game playoff losing streak
Grab a six pack, Pittsburgh Steelers fans. You’ll need it to get through the memories conjured up in looking back at this sextet of poor postseason performances that comprise the Steelers’ current six-game playoff losing streak: 2016 AFC championship at New England The Steelers’ skid began modestly enough...
Packers QB Jordan Love believes he’s learned from previous playoff disappointments
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has done a great job of avoiding interceptions throughout this season. However, he hasn’t been nearly as effective in that regard during his playoff career. The Packers’ chances of extending their season beyond this weekend depend in part on how...
No. 1 Indiana adds to CFP dominance with crushing 56-22 Peach Bowl semifinal win over No. 5 Oregon
ATLANTA — Undefeated Indiana’s already impressive march through the College Football Playoff gained momentum as its dominant defense created three first-half touchdowns with turnovers, Fernando Mendoza threw five scoring passes and the Hoosiers overwhelmed No. 5 Oregon, 56-22, in the Peach Bowl semifinal Friday night. No. 1 Indiana (15-0, No....
Minor league report: Penguins, Tristan Broz beat CheckersVideo
A goal and three assists by forward Tristan Broz led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 5-1 win against the Charlotte Checkers at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C. on Friday. The result snapped a three-game losing streak (0-2-1). Linemate Atley Calvert and Valtteri Puustinen each had a goal and an assist...
The transfer portal era and pursuit of NIL money are messy. Are there solutions?Video
A quarterback reportedly reneging on a lucrative deal to hit the transfer portal, only to return to his original school. Another starting QB, this one in the College Football Playoff, awaiting approval from the NCAA to play next season, an expensive NIL deal apparently hanging in the balance. A defensive...
Bills CB Tre’Davious White says he’s found new perspective on life in return to Buffalo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Tre’Davious White arrived in Buffalo in 2017 driven to be the best and began entertaining visions of one day wearing a Hall of Fame gold jacket before two debilitating injuries stopped the cornerback’s rising trajectory. It took time, bouts with depression and spending a year away...
Miami’s rise under Cristobal takes the Hurricanes home to play for a national title
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Mario Cristobal returned to South Florida and found his alma mater in disarray. A national powerhouse during Cristobal’s playing days, Miami had slipped out of prominence for the better part of 20 years, a handful of losing seasons sprinkled with mid-level bowl appearances. Cristobal’s goal when he...
Pitt acquires transfer portal help at tight end, special teams
Friday marks the halfway point of the transfer portal window (Jan. 2-16), which began a week ago and remains open for seven more days. So far for Pitt, it’s been a revolving door of new players joining the program and others opting to leave. Heading into the weekend, the Panthers...
In what could be final NFL game, WR Adam Thielen brings veteran savvy to Steelers
From saying goodbye to his home state and a franchise he’s long been associated with, to navigating the waiver wire to a quick unforeseen promotion up the depth chart to a wild, highly meaningful, do-or-die game, it’s been quite a 5 ½-week span for Adam Thielen. “It definitely has been...
Parents, wrestlers show support for recently fired Knoch girls wrestling head coach
A sizable contingent is expected to attend the Knoch school board meeting Wednesday to show support for Logan Downes, the school’s girls wrestling coach who was fired this week. Downes was dismissed after a complaint was filed with school officials over his on-mat behavior with members of the team during...
Jonnu Smith added to Steelers’ injury report; Jaylen Warren returns to full participation
Jonnu Smith was an addition to the Pittsburgh Steelers injury report, but Jaylen Warren got over his illness and is well back on track to play in the team’s playoff opener. Smith, a veteran tight end, was listed as limited at Friday’s practice on the injury report. Smith has a...
NCAA denies Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss’ eligibility waiver, but Rebels plan to appeal
The NCAA denied Mississippi’s request to extend the eligibility of Trinidad Chambliss on Friday. The Rebels star quarterback just finished his fifth year of college football in a 31-27 loss to Miami in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Thursday night. He had planned to return to Ole Miss for...
Baltimore Ravens interview Kevin Stefanski and Klint Kubiak for head-coach vacancy
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens interviewed former Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski and Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak for their head-coaching vacancy Friday. The Ravens fired John Harbaugh earlier in the week after 18 seasons at the helm. They interviewed two Denver assistants — Vance Joseph and Davis Webb...
Pirates to start season on national TV, as opener at Mets to be broadcast by NBC
The Pittsburgh Pirates will start the season on national television, as their Opening Day matinee at the New York Mets will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock. The 1 p.m. game is expected to involve a showdown between 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes of the Pirates...
Injured Penguins defenseman Caleb Jones hopeful to be healthy by ‘next weekend’
Caleb Jones was home for the holidays. A lot. The Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman hasn’t been at the office too often for the past two-and-a-half months. A suspected left foot injury he suffered during a 5-3 road win against the Florida Panthers has sidelined him for the bulk of the season,...
‘I’m going to shine when my time comes’: Steelers’ Kaleb Johnson deals with benching
Kaleb Johnson stopped to ponder the question. A star running back in college who was a relatively early draft pick for which great things were foreseen in his rookie season, Johnson dealt with the indignity of being designated a healthy inactive for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ final three regular-season games. Has...
‘There’s more we want to do’: Pirates GM Ben Cherington ‘not satisfied,’ expects more moves
After the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Ryan O’Hearn to their first multi-year free agent contract in almost a decade, Ben Cherington said it was a “different feeling” to be a spender this offseason. The Pirates general manager has signed left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to a one-year, $7.75 million deal, acquired a...
Former Riverhounds standout Albert Dikwa returns to club for 2026 season
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds begin preseason training Jan. 26, and a familiar face will be in place for those workouts. Former team member Albert Dikwa has returned to the Riverhounds in a transfer agreement with Rhode Island FC. The forward was the 2023 USL Championship Player of the Year and Golden...
Former Pitt RB Randy McMillan, anchor on 1979-80 squads, dies at age 67
Randy McMillan, an anchor and running back on the 1979 and 1980 Pitt football teams, died Wednesday at the age of 67. The Indianapolis Colts announced his passing Friday. McMillan was drafted 12th overall in 1981 by the Baltimore Colts and spent his entire NFL career with the team. McMillan,...
DT Isaiahh Loudermilk returns to practice for Steelers, remains on IR
This season has been one unlike any other for Isaiahh Loudermilk in his football career. A high-ankle sprain suffered in Week 2 has had him on injured reserve for almost four months. “Five years here (with the Pittsburgh Steelers), five years (in college) at Wisconsin, never had a year end...
Home, sweet home for Canes: Miami to play for the CFP national championship at Hard Rock Stadium
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami flew home on Friday from the Fiesta Bowl. It’ll be the last flight for the Hurricanes this season. They’ll get to the next game — the last game — by bus. For the fifth time, Miami will be playing for a national championship on its...
Amid some recent misses, Steelers kicker Chris Boswell embraces adversity
As a crestfallen Tyler Loop walked off the Acrisure Stadium grass Sunday night, the Baltimore Ravens rookie kicker was approached by Pittsburgh Steelers counterpart Chris Boswell. The interaction only lasted a few seconds. To Boswell, though, the brief talk was important, if only to provide a small measure of support...
Following 2 narrow losses to open league play, Pitt aims for 1st ACC win vs. Syracuse
It does not take rose-colored glasses to see Pitt wasn’t too far off from starting ACC play 2-0. Instead, behind a 76-69 loss to Miami and a 73-68 defeat to Clemson, Pitt (7-8, 0-2) is winless as Syracuse (9-5, 0-1) visits Petersen Events Center on Saturday. Two close losses following...
