First Call: Jerome Bettis' Hall of Fame campaign for 3 former Steelers; Joe Alt injured for Chargers

Monday’s “First Call” features Jerome Bettis’ Hall of Fame endorsements for some retired Pittsburgh Steelers. The Los Angeles Chargers have to navigate around a crucial injury against the Steelers on Sunday night.

Local college basketball teams are getting underway Monday and Tuesday. The Penguins are in Toronto to conclude their road trip. And it was a good weekend on the ice for the Robert Morris men and Penn State.

Lending a voice

Jerome Bettis went on the campaign trail for some fellow former Steelers who he wants to have alongside him in the Hall of Fame.

The retired running back was at Acrisure Stadium with the Super Bowl XL team for their 20th anniversary reunion on Sunday, prior to the Steelers’ win over the Colts. Bettis was asked about Hines Ward’s candidacy for the Hall of Fame.

“He was one of the best ever in terms of being a receiver. He was physical. He blocked and did everything. He was a deep threat. He could do it all,” Bettis said. “But the one thing people look at now is the numbers — the amount of catches and yards. But Hines Ward was much more than that. And he’s not getting a fair look because of what the numbers have gone to in this era.”

Bettis also stumped for linebacker James Harrison, who was just getting his start in the NFL as “The Bus” was on the road to retirement.

“James was special. He was a phenomenon. He took the entire league by storm. He’s got the credentials. It is just a matter of time before he gets in as well,” Bettis predicted. “But the clock needs to speed up. Because these guys need to be in.”

Bettis never played with center Maurkice Pouncey, but he also thinks Pouncey should get in on the first ballot this year.

“When you look at centers in his era, he is one of the best to have ever played. I would hope that he would get that consideration for the first ballot. In his era, he was the best to ever do it,” Bettis said.

While Pouncey is up for consideration for this first time, Harrison has made the semifinal list three times. Ward has gotten that far nine times. 

Fifty-two players are still up for consideration. The list will be trimmed down to 25 semifinalists in late November or early December. 

Significant loss

The Los Angeles Chargers may not have one of their most important players on the field against the Steelers on Sunday night.

Joe Alt suffered a high ankle sprain during the team’s 27-20 win over Tennessee on Sunday. It’s the same type of injury to the same leg that sidelined the offensive tackle for three weeks earlier this season.

L.A. is now 5-1 when Alt suits up, 1-2 without him.

Chargers LT Joe Alt is believed to have suffered another high ankle sprain, only this time it could require a procedure to repair, per sources. Alt will undergo an MRI on Monday to confirm the diagnosis on the same right ankle he injured earlier this season at the Giants. pic.twitter.com/pyt12XwncQ

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 2, 2025

After Alt left the game, the Chargers managed just 10 points. But the defense only allowed a field goal, and they got out of Nashville with a win to improve to 6-3.

The Chargers currently own the AFC’s second wild card slot and are also second in the AFC West behind 7-2 Denver.

Down in the dumps?

Based on reactions after the World Series ended, it feels like the entire city of Toronto is in mourning after the Blue Jays lost in Game 7 to the Los Angeles Dodgers. We’ll see if that applies to the local hockey club as the Penguins pay a visit to the Maple Leafs on Monday.

This is the last game of the Pens’ four-game road trip. It started with a 3-2 shootout loss in Philadelphia last week. Then Dan Muse’s group won in Minnesota (4-1) and lost in Winnipeg (5-2).

Now they get a Toronto team that has won three of its last four. That includes a 5-2 win over Philadelphia on Saturday night.

In that game, Chris Tanev had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher after a third-period collision with Philadelphia forward Matvei Michkov.

Chris Tanev is receiving medical attention on the ice after this play pic.twitter.com/nNiMM4BHzm

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 2, 2025

Tanev was eventually discharged from a Philadelphia hospital. After staying overnight, he returned to Toronto on Sunday. 

The Leafs don’t make their first appearance of the year in Pittsburgh until Nov. 29. John Tavares currently leads Toronto with 16 points. Toronto is 6-5-1, good for 13 points. That’s tied for sixth in the bundled-up Atlantic Division.

Montreal and Detroit sit atop the standings with 18 points. Everyone else in the division has either 14 or 13. The Pens are tied with New Jersey atop the Metropolitan Division with 18 points each.

Hoops are happening

Pitt and Duquesne open their basketball seasons Monday.

The Panthers host Youngstown State at 7 p.m. Pitt finished last year 17-15. The Penguins lost to Robert Morris in the NEC championship game. The Panthers are favored by 14½ points.

At Duquesne, the women’s team opens action with a 2 p.m. tip against Saint Francis. The men follow up at the UPMC Cooper Field House vs. Niagara at 7 p.m.

It’s the second year for the Dukes under head coach Dru Joyce III. They start by facing a Purple Eagles squad coached by former Duke guard and Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus. He’s in year seven at Niagara, looking to improve on an 11-20 campaign.

Robert Morris’ women’s team also begins Monday at the University of Illinois Chicago. The RMU men start at Iowa on Tuesday after winning the NEC a year ago.

Pitt’s women’s team plays Game 1 of the 2025-26 season at Drexel on Tuesday.

More sports

• Madden Monday: Steelers' upset of Colts 'goes a long way to them convincing themselves'
• Feats of Strength: T.J. Watt's huge play, timely touchdowns fuel Steelers upset of Colts
• 3 days after joining Steelers, Kyle Dugger plays virtually every snap as defense shines

Hot start

The Robert Morris men’s hockey team seemed to get a lot out of its tough early season schedule. The Colonials began the campaign 0-3-1, facing stiff competition with a pair of games at No. 2 Michigan and Notre Dame.

Over the weekend, they opened conference play with a home-and-home series against Niagara and swept the Purple Eagles.

In Game 1 at home, RMU won 4-2 behind two goals from Tanner Klimpke.

KLIMPKE SCORES HIS FIRST????

Colonials back on top, 3-2! pic.twitter.com/9qAZgyebEr

— RMU Men’s Hockey (@RMUMHockey) November 1, 2025

Klimpke added another on Saturday as the Colonials won 4-3 on the road.

Klimpke scores his third of the series! ???? pic.twitter.com/oxvZMqIJi3

— RMU Men’s Hockey (@RMUMHockey) November 1, 2025

RMU welcomes Long Island this weekend. The women host Mercyhurst as well after dropping two games to 12-0 Penn State by scores of 4-0 in both contests.

The Penn State men opened Big Ten conference play by sweeping two games at Ohio State, 3-2 and 4-3. The Nittany Lions are now 9-1.