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...
Mark Madden: If the Steelers can survive the 1st quarter, expect another winnable rock fightVideo
Mike Tomlin’s teams are always prepared. Except when they’re not. Like they weren’t in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ last five playoff games, all losses. Last season, the Steelers were down by 21 to Baltimore at halftime. The season before, they trailed Buffalo by 21 midway through the second quarter. In the...
Tim Benz: Suddenly for Dan Muse and the Penguins, the only struggle is to find complaintsVideo
After his first win as a Pittsburgh Steeler in Week 1 of this NFL season, quarterback Aaron Rodgers spun this quote about the nature of his team’s 34-32 victory over the New York Jets. “It’s like a coach’s dream journal,” Rodgers said. “To win but also have some correctable moments.”...
Football Footnotes: Refuting recent Chris Boswell concerns; noteworthy Steelers-Texans stats; Mike Tomlin mind games
We were going to post our weekly Friday “Football Footnotes” whether the Pittsburgh Steelers were in the playoffs or not. But since they are, it sure makes things a lot more fun. Here’s a look at a few interesting leftovers from Mike Tomlin’s Tuesday press conference, some potentially misplaced concerns...
First Call: Injury updates on key Houston CBs; assistant coach from Super ’70s Steelers retires at age 87Video
There is a significant injury update coming from Houston as the Texans prepare to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs Monday night. A member of the Super ’70s Steelers coaching staff is finally retiring. We preview Pitt’s next basketball game against a longtime foe. Plus, we preview the upcoming...
Miami heading home for shot at national title after beating Ole Miss in Fiesta Bowl
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Carson Beck scrambled for a 3-yard touchdown with 18 seconds left, and Miami will head back home for a shot at its first national championship since 2001 after beating Mississippi 31-27 in an exhilarating College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night. The 10th-ranked...
Penguins beat Devils for 6th consecutive win as Evgeni Malkin returnsVideo
The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the breach of the second half of their 2025-26 season Thursday, facing the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena in their 42nd contest of the campaign. And they did so with a marvelous reinforcement in the form of the spectacular Evgeni Malkin. The superstar forward...
Jack McGregor, state senator who founded Penguins, dies at 91Video
Jack McGregor, a former Pennsylvania state senator who founded the Pittsburgh Penguins, died on Tuesday. He was 91. The Penguins announced his death Thursday before a game against the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena. No further details were provided. A native of Kittanning, McGregor, a Republican, served the...
Tough, motivated defenses headline Peach Bowl between Indiana, Oregon
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana linebacker Isaiah Jones insists there’s no real secret to the Hoosiers’ defensive success. They prepare hard, follow coaches’ instructions, stick to the fundamentals and trust one another to do their jobs. It’s as old-school as it gets, hardly a surprise in coach Curt Cignetti’s program. But No....
Eagles host 49ers in wild-card round as they seek a repeat Super Bowl title
PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles declared from the first day of training camp and throughout another season that included an NFC East title that the word “repeat” is not part of the locker-room vernacular for the 2024 Super Bowl champions. “We’re not defending nothing,” offensive lineman Jordan Mailata said. However the...
RB Jaylen Warren misses Steelers practice because of illness
During his weekly news conference Tuesday, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin termed his team as “relatively healthy” headed into the playoffs. Aside from an illness afflicting one player, that was true during the first practice of the week leading into the team’s playoff opener. Starting running back Jaylen Warren did...
Another former WPIAL cornerback, Auburn’s Raion Strader, joins Pitt from transfer portal
As Pitt’s 2025 campaign came to an end with a defeat in the Military Bowl, acquiring additional help at cornerback quickly became a priority. That was due to the team’s two primary corners, Rashad Battle and Tamon Lynum, declaring for the NFL Draft. As the transfer portal window (Jan. 2-16)...
Steelers DC Terryl Austin not surprised by T.J. Watt’s heavy workload in return from lung injury
Only weeks removed from lung surgery, linebacker T.J. Watt maybe surprised some by taking on a heavy workload in his first game back, but defensive coordinator Terryl Austin was not among them. “I’m not surprised with anything I get from T.J. just because I know the way the guy’s always...
Known for viral interception, former Robert Morris CB Rob Carter Jr. signs with ColtsVideo
Rob Carter Jr., a former Robert Morris cornerback who made national headlines with a highlight-reel interception, signed a reserve/future contract with the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday. Carter Jr. played two seasons at Robert Morris and became a cult figure on campus after a clip of his interception went viral on...
Aaron Rodgers relishes playoff return, says Steelers silenced Mike Tomlin’s critics
Returning to the playoffs after four years away is enjoyable for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but so, too, was silencing coach Mike Tomlin’s loudest critics along the way. The one-time Super Bowl MVP hasn’t played in a postseason game since the 2021 season, but the longest playoff drought of...
Robert Morris assistant coach recognized by Silver Waves Media
Robert Morris’ Kim Lewis was included among the selections for the seventh annual Silver Waves Most Impactful Mid Major Assistants men’s coaches list. Established in 2020, Silver Waves Media focuses on aiding professionals and athletes advance their careers to the next stage. More than 40 previous Silver Waves Media honorees...
Former Central Catholic linebackers Anthony Speca, Cole Sullivan transfer to new Power 4 programs
A couple of former star linebackers from Central Catholic are moving on to new Power 4 college programs. Anthony Speca, who entered the transfer portal after Penn State’s coaching change — James Franklin out, Matt Campbell in — is staying in the the Big Ten with Purdue. He has three...
Tim Benz: With spotlight on Texans’ defense, Steelers need improved effort with 2nd look at C.J. Stroud
In advance of the Steelers-Texans playoff game Monday night, a significant percentage of the attention has been paid to Houston’s defense. Rightfully so. It’s No. 1 in terms of fewest yards allowed (277.2 yards per game) and second when it comes to points allowed (17.4). The other side of the...
‘We’ve got to believe’: Pirates sign All-Star slugger Ryan O’Hearn, who touts playoff talk
Ryan O’Hearn couldn’t contain his excitement to join the Pittsburgh Pirates, believing that with a pitching staff led by a generational talent such as National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, they were only one or two pieces away from being a legitimate postseason contender. And O’Hearn is big on...
Pirates avoid arbitration with 4 players, as Oneil Cruz, Dennis Santana earn big raises
The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided arbitration with four players Thursday, signing catcher Joey Bart, center fielder Oneil Cruz and right-handed relievers Justin Lawrence and Dennis Santana to one-year contracts. Cruz received the biggest raise. After making $785,000 last season, he signed for $3.4 million in 2026. That’s $200,000 less than MLBTradeRumors.com’s...
Penn State is following Indiana’s rebuild blueprint. Will it work?
Penn State played for a spot in the national championship this time last year — 364 days ago to be exact. Now, the Nittany Lions have a new head coach with a new staff who, hour by hour, are building a new roster via the transfer portal. That’s how quickly...
Glenn Hall, whose NHL goalie starts streak may never be broken, dies at age 94
Glenn Hall, a Hockey Hall of Famer whose ironman streak of 502 starts as a goaltender remains an NHL record, has died. He was 94. Nicknamed “Mr. Goalie,” Hall worked to stop pucks at a time when players at his position were bare-faced, before masks of any kind became commonplace....
Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin expected to play against Devils
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin is expected to rejoin his team’s lineup for a game against the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday. After Malkin participated in an optional morning skate in Cranberry, coach Dan Muse indicated Malkin will likely be in the lineup, pending clearance from...
Dolphins fire Mike McDaniel, the quirky, inventive coach who they once viewed as their future
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins fired coach Mike McDaniel on Thursday following a 7-10 season in which Miami missed the playoffs for the second straight year. The decision ends McDaniel’s four-year tenure in Miami, a period defined by soaring expectations that ultimately went unfulfilled. “After careful evaluation and...
Retool at receiver commences as Pitt lands Western Carolina transfer Malik Knight
The Western Carolina to Pitt pipeline is not a new phenomenon. When Kade Bell, who spent 2021-23 calling plays for the Catamounts of the Football Championship Subdivision, joined Pat Narduzzi’s staff as coordinator at Pitt in 2024, he immediately brought some WCU standouts with him. Now, following in the footsteps...
