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 hockey calendar for the Penguins and Robert Morris.
All that in Friday’s “First Call.”
______________________________
Kamari is OK
Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter says he will play in Monday night’s playoff game against the Steelers.
The standout DB has been dealing with knee and ankle ailments. He sat out last week’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
The second-year Georgia product told Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston that he could’ve played that game if necessary and that he’ll be in uniform at Acrisure Stadium.
“Yes, sir,” Lassiter said to Wilson when asked if he would be available Monday night. “It’s kind of give and take. In my head, if I can walk, if I can talk, I can play. It’s kind of that gray line between protecting yourself from yourself. And that’s all it was.”
Lassiter didn’t practice Thursday, which has been the norm of late for him because of the injuries. Lassiter accounted for 91 tackles (seven for a loss), four interceptions and 17 passes defensed during the regular season.
His running mate at corner, All-Pro Derek Stingley, was limited with an oblique injury. He played in all 17 games this season and had four interceptions.
______________________________
Long time comin’
Congratulations to former Steelers assistant Tom Moore. According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Moore has decided to retire after 62 years of coaching football.
Forty-six of those were in the NFL.
Bucs senior offensive consultant Tom Moore has decided to retire after 62 years of coaching and more than 46 seasons in the NFL. He’s 87.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 8, 2026
Moore is 87 years old. He has been an offensive consultant with the Buccaneers since 2019.
The former Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback (class of 1960) was on Chuck Noll’s staff from 1977-89. He was a wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator with the Steelers during that time. He was part of two Super Bowl winners here (XIII, XIV) and claimed two more rings with the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI and Tampa Bay in Super Bowl LV.
Moore was also part of a national championship team at Iowa in 1958.
______________________________
More sports
• Aaron Rodgers relishes playoff return, says Steelers silenced Mike Tomlin’s critics• Jack McGregor, state senator who founded Penguins, dies at 91
• Pirates sign All-Star slugger Ryan O’Hearn, who touts playoff talk
______________________________
Feeling a ‘little ‘Melo’
Pitt and Syracuse are ready to renew their ACC basketball rivalry that dates to the Big East days. The Orange are at the Petersen Events Center at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Speaking of the Big East flashbacks, the Orange have Kiyan Anthony on the roster. He’s the son of former Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony.
The freshman guard is averaging 10.7 points per game and is shooting 44% from the floor.
Kiyan Anthony off the bench in a Syracuse win:
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) December 20, 2025
18 PTS | 5-6 FG | 20 MINS pic.twitter.com/91UzDS0m8T
Anthony posted 11 points against Georgia Tech on Tuesday as the Orange got their first ACC win of the year, 82-72. Syracuse is 10-5 overall.
Pitt (7-8) has dropped its first two conference games against Miami and Clemson. The Panthers have beaten Syracuse in five of the last seven matchups, including twice last year.
______________________________
Fanning the Flames
After winning a sixth straight game Thursday night over New Jersey, 4-1, the Penguins are heading into their next game red-hot.
Fittingly, they face the Calgary Flames. Faceoff is at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at PPG Paints Arena.
Calgary is not hot. Not at all. The Flames are losers of four in a row. They just dropped a 4-1 decision in Boston on Thursday night. Mason Lohrei scored on this sweet drag move.
What a move from Mase. pic.twitter.com/j9aFu9AHD6
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 9, 2026
Calgary has only 40 points. The only teams with fewer are Vancouver (37) and Winnipeg (35).
After the game against the Flames, the Penguins visit Boston at 5 p.m. Sunday. The Bruins also play Saturday afternoon at home against Mike Sullivan and the New York Rangers.
______________________________
Eye on the Tigers
The Robert Morris men’s hockey team (4-12-2) is on the road this weekend at RIT (11-9-0). The teams face off at 7 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday. Both games can be seen on SportsNet Pittsburgh.
The Tigers enter the series as the third-place team in Atlantic Hockey America (22 points). The Colonials are in seventh place (14 points). RMU dropped a pair to RIT (2-1, 3-2) at home earlier this season.
The women’s team, meanwhile, is unbeaten in its last four outings (3-0-1). The most recent victory was a 9-0 blowout of Long Island University.
Power play goal for MacKinnon! pic.twitter.com/0Iud6FQncj
— RMU Women's Hockey (@RMUWHockey) December 13, 2025
The Colonials host Syracuse at 7 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Sunday. Those games are also on SportsNet Pittsburgh.
______________________________
Listen: Tim Benz and Brian Metzer discuss the Penguins in this week’s hockey podcast
