Steelers’ Alex Highsmith earns AFC defensive player of the week honors
On the heels of shutting down the NFL’s No. 1-ranked offense and scoring an upset victory, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense earned a league individual honor. Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith on Wednesday was named AFC defensive player of the week for Week 9. Highsmith had two of the Steelers’ six sacks...
Pirates announce spring training schedule, featuring Spring Breakout game against Tigers
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced their spring training schedule, which includes 16 of their 31 Grapefruit League games and the Spring Breakout prospect showcase at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla. The Pirates will open their spring schedule Feb. 21 against the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota before playing the Tampa Bay Rays...
Former Penn Hills, Penn State player Daequan Hardy embracing chance to join Steelers practice squad
Daequan Hardy walked into the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room Wednesday and saw some familiar faces. At Penn State, he played with Joey Porter Jr. and Pat Freiermuth. This summer with the Buffalo Bills, one of his teammates was safety Daryl Porter Jr. The person that Hardy had the longest history...
Pitt coaches challenge Mason Heintschel to further elevate game, learn from mistakesVideo
Late in the third quarter of Pitt’s eventual 35-20 win over Stanford, the Panthers were at the goal line looking to pile it on even more against the Cardinal. In the shotgun, after faking a handoff up the middle to Ja’Kyrian Turner, quarterback Mason Heintschel rolled to his right, with...
Western Pa. natives Schottenheimer, Knox, former Steelers coach reach Hall of Fame semifinal round
Two Western Pennsylvania natives and a former Pittsburgh Steelers coach remain under consideration for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Marty Schottenheimer, Chuck Knox and Buddy Parker are among nine semifinalists announced Wednesday by the Hall of Fame. A coaching blue-ribbon committee will meet virtually...
Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry sidelined at least 3 weeks
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry will be sidelined a minimum of three weeks due to an undisclosed injury. The team announced the status of Jarry as well as injured forwards Noel Acciari (minimum three weeks) and Justin Brazeau (minimum four weeks) via a social media posting Wednesday morning. All three...
Pirates legend Steve Blass stirs colorful comps to Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s World Series heroics
Former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Steve Blass vividly recalls the efficiency with which he commanded his nine-pitch bottom of the ninth inning in Game 7 of the 1971 World Series in Baltimore. “It’s not hard to throw strikes when you’re (urinating) your pants,” Blass said. “I’m glad we had the gray...
No. 2 Indiana looks to validate CFP rank at reeling Penn State
One team in Saturday’s matchup between Indiana and Penn State is ranked No. 2 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, but it isn’t the team most experts would have predicted two months ago. The undefeated Hoosiers find themselves behind only Ohio State in the initial CFP rankings and will...
Mark Madden: Steelers’ actions at trade deadline show they’re hardly ‘all in’
The Pittsburgh Steelers work in mysterious ways. This season, allegedly “all in” with a roster full of senior citizens, they did nothing at Tuesday’s trade deadline. AFC competitors like Baltimore, Indianapolis, Jacksonville and the Los Angeles Chargers all got better. The Steelers didn’t. If you want to lump in the...
First Call: Steelers reportedly outbid for Jakobi Meyers; Chargers get offensive line help
We’re getting details on what it would’ve cost the Steelers to land a pair of wide receivers before Tuesday’s trade deadline. The Los Angeles Chargers helped themselves in advance of Sunday’s game against the Steelers, and a pair of local college hockey players are getting some well-deserved recognition. All that...
Tim Benz: Reasons the ‘all-in’ Steelers stayed out of NFL trades — none of which I like
The allegedly “all-in” Pittsburgh Steelers stayed out of NFL trade deadline moves. Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline came and went. The Steelers did nothing. How come? Well, there are a few explanations — none of which I really like. • It’s possible the Steelers feel that their 27-20 upset of the...
Robert Morris takes lumps in opener at Iowa
The sequel to an unbelievable men’s basketball season at Robert Morris finally got underway Tuesday night for the Colonials with a tough Midwest assignment. As expected, the new-look Colonials, a year removed from their first Horizon League championship, failed Iowa’s challenging test, falling behind quickly and losing 101-69 at Carver-Hawkeye...
Jasper Floyd’s 25 points help West Virginia to season-opening win
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Jasper Floyd scored 25 points shooting 9 of 13, and West Virginia pulled away from Mount St. Mary’s for a 70-54 win to usher in the Ross Hodge era in a season-opener for both teams Tuesday night. Honor Huff scored 16 points, and Brenen Lorient scored 11...
WPIAL champion Freeport gets back to work, advances to PIAA quarterfinals
There was no PIAA hangover for the WPIAL champion Freeport girls soccer team. The Yellowjackets fought off an expected strong challenge from District 10 runner-up Fort LeBoeuf on Tuesday evening at Freeport Area Athletic Stadium. Freeport scored twice in the first half and once in the second to complete a...
Game 7 of World Series watched by 27.3M in U.S., most since 2017
Feverish interest in Game 7 of the World Series produced giant ratings for Fox Sports, which revealed Tuesday that 27.3 million viewers across the United States tuned into the championship decider. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ 5-4 comeback win over the Toronto Blue Jays was the most-watched World Series clash since...
Derek Shelton used his time off after the Pirates fired him to present the Twins a better candidate
MINNEAPOLIS — Derek Shelton spent the first couple of weeks after his firing by the Pittsburgh Pirates in his feelings, bitter about the dismissal just 38 games into his sixth season as manager and defiant about his ability to do the job well. That sudden free time turned out to...
Ohio State gets top billing in opening College Football Playoff rankings; Indiana, Texas A&M next
Ohio State received top billing in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season Tuesday, followed by Indiana, Texas A&M and Alabama. The top three head into the final four weeks of the regular season undefeated. Another team with no losses, BYU of the Big 12, was ranked seventh....
Cowboys make major move, trade for Jets’ Quinnen Williams
FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys traded for star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets on Tuesday in a major move to try to improve one of the NFL’s worst defenses. The deal for Williams came about two hours before the trading deadline, following a lower-profile addition...
Pitt checks in at No. 24 in 1st College Football Playoff rankings
A five-game win streak proved insufficient to get Pitt into the most recent AP Top 25 or coaches poll, but the College Football Playoff selection committee viewed the Panthers in a more positive light. In the first CFP rankings of the season Tuesday evening, Pitt came in at No. 24....
Penguins place Tristan Jarry on injured reserve, recall Sergei Murashov
The Pittsburgh Penguins made a series of transactions Monday evening, two of which involve their goaltending position. Goaltender Tristan Jarry was placed on injured reserve along with forwards Noel Acciari and Justin Brazeau. To replace them on the active roster, the club recalled goaltender Sergei Murashov as well as defenseman...
Penn State plans to throw downfield more against No. 2 Indiana
Penn State’s offense has struggled to stretch the field vertically this season, and the downfield passing game only became more futile after Drew Allar’s season-ending injury. In the last two games against Iowa and Ohio State, the Nittany Lions only completed one pass longer than 20 yards. Backup quarterback Ethan...
Jalen Ramsey to get 2nd consecutive start at free safety when Steelers face Chargers
Jalen Ramsey did so well in his debut as a starting free safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers that he’ll continue to work exclusively at that position in the secondary. And Kyle Dugger provided such a steady presence at the other safety spot mere days after being acquired from the New...
Steelers bring back LB Mark Robinson to practice squad, add former Penn Hills DB Daequan Hardy
Cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers in late August, linebacker Mark Robinson has made his way back to the team after making a few stops in the AFC East. Robinson, a special teams contributor in his first three seasons, was one of two players signed to the practice squad Tuesday. The...
WPSCA announces all-state boys soccer players
Thirteen boys received all-state accolades from the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association. The list was announced Tuesday, and players include: • Mark Bence, Shady Side Academy • Thomas Bridges, Franklin Regional • Rocco DiDomenico, Fox Chapel • Owen Eastgate, Seneca Valley • Colin Froelich, Peters Township • Xavier Jackson, Bethel...
Jets trade star cornerback Sauce Gardner to Colts in stunning deadline deal
The New York Jets have agreed to trade star cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday for two first-round draft picks, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The Jets will receive the Colts’ first-round selection in 2026 and in 2027, the person told The Associated...
