Post-Gazette Sports Network: Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and more

On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Edgar Snyder & Associates, Post-Gazette Steelers insiders Christopher Carter and Brian Batko ponder some Steelers questions. Will the Steelers be better this season than they were in 2024, with new additions like Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf and Darius Slay Jr.? Or is another 10-7 season with a first-round exit on the horizon, a...

Post-Gazette Pitt insiders Stephen Thompson and Abby Schnable react to the Panthers' 61-9 season-opening win over crosstown rival Duquesne. What can we learn about Pat Narduzzi's team after a blowout win over an inferior opponent? Is Eli Holstein back to his best after starting last season hot and petering off at the end because of injuries? Is Desmond Reid already staking his claim to another All...

Host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey to preview the season for coach James Franklin's Penn State Nittany Lions football team. Will we learn anything about Drew Allar, Kaytron Allen, Nick Singleton and others during an easy early-season schedule? Or will we need to wait until White Out night against the Oregon Ducks in late September? How much can the new Jim Knowle...

In this clip from the Friday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey to ponder the Steelers' worst-case scenarios in 2025 and what could lead to them. Is the quarterback room good enough as a whole? From Aaron Rodgers with question marks as a 41-year-old to Mason Rudolph as a backup...

In this clip from the Friday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey to ponder best-case scenarios for the Steelers in 2025 and what needs to go right to attain them. Do T.J. Watt, Alex Smith, Nick Herbig and the pass rush need to be better than they were in 2024? And how much will a...

Host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette/Daily Collegian Nittany Lions insider Isaiah Maldonado to preview Penn State's season opener against Nevada at Beaver Stadium. Will coach James Franklin and OC Andy Kotelnicki get dominance out of their veteran offensive line? How many big plays will we see from Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton at running back? Will QB Drew Allar find early chemistry with re...

Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey joins host Adam Bittner to give season predictions for the Pitt Panthers football team at the start of the 2025 season. How cool is it to see coach Pat Narduzzi's team facing crosstown rival Duquesne in the season opener? Is Eli Holstein capable of a season like Kenny Pickett had in 2021 en route to an ACC conference championship? Is Desmond Reid's health...

Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey joins host Adam Bittner analyze the Pirates' decision to wait until late August to promote top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler to MLB. Should GM Ben Cherington have had him here months ago, when he could have helped salvage the season for stalwarts like Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller in the rotation? Or was this team always doomed to fail because of its de...

In the debut episode of Serving Up Pitt, Post-Gazette Pitt insider Abby Schnable and co-host and former Panther Cat Flood dive into Pitt volleyball's 2025 season. They take a deep dive into the roster. How will coach Dan Fisher replace the team's key departures, like Rachel Fairbanks, Emmy Klika and Valeria Vazquez Gomez? How will the team fill in around reigning AVCA Player of the Year Olivia Bab...

In this clip from the Thursday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette insider Christopher Carter to analyze the Steelers' depth at safety after roster cut down day. Do GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin have enough depth at the position, with only DeShon Elliott, Juan Thornhill and Chuck Clark manning it moving...

In his weekly Pirates mailbag podcast, Post-Gazette insider Noah Hiles answers reader questions. Among them: What are the chances Konnor Griffin makes the team out of spring training in 2026? Does general manager Ben Cherington have a legitimate chance to keep his job? After his hot stretch at the plate lately, could Jared Triolo solidify his spot as the starting shortstop or third baseman for nex...

Host Adam Bittner and Post-Gazette/Daily Collegian Nittany Lions insider Isaiah Maldonado preview a pressure-packed season for Penn State QB Drew Allar. Can he prove his many critics wrong after a crushing interception at the end of the College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Notre Dame at the Orange Bowl set him up for an offseason full of doubt nationally? Did coach James Franklin and OC Andy...

Post-Gazette high school sports insider Matt Press interviews Montour girls soccer standout Irelynn Hobbs, the Post-Gazette's WPIAL athlete of the week, about an array of topics. How does Irelynn prepare for a big game? What does she remember about scoring a playoff winner against Franklin Regional last season? What's it like playing for her father, Alex Hobbs? What has she learned from her older...

Post-Gazette high school sports insider Keith Barnes interviews Bethel Park football standout David Dennison, who was named the PG's WPIAL and City League athlete of the week after piling up 238 yards and four touchdowns in a major Week 0 victory against Steel Valley. David explains how his big night unfolded and his expectations this season as his team competes with the likes of Peters Township f...

In this clip from the Thursday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette insider Christopher Carter to react to the team's roster decisions at the wide receiver position. Have GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin closed the door on a move for an outside WR2? With names like Amari Cooper and Marquez Valdes-Scantling o...

Live around 5:45 p.m., Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise gives his thoughts on the Steelers practice squad, announced Wednesday, as well as moves to put QB Will Howard and Donte Kent on injured reserve. Did coach Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan make the right moves in keeping names like Beanie Bishop, Sebastian Castro, James Pierre, DeMarvin Leal and Max Hurleman? Or should they have looked at...

In the debut episode of their Penn State football podcast, host Adam Bittner and Post-Gazette/Daily Collegian Nittany Lions insider Isaiah Maldonado preview the season for the pivotal wide receiver group. Can transfers Trebor Pena, Devonte Ross and Kyron Hudson make the impact this team sorely lacked from the position last season, in falling short against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff...

On his weekly Chipped Ham & Football podcast, Post-Gazette insider Brian Batko welcomes KDKA-TV sports reporter Rich Walsh to react to the Steelers' final roster cuts down to their 53-man roster for NFL Week 1. Is it bad news for Mason Rudolph that Skylar Thompson earned the No. 3 job over Will Howard? Could he challenge Rudolph for the No. 2 role behind Aaron Rodgers? Was the release of RB Tr...

Live around 5 p.m. Eastern, Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise reacts to a couple of former Steelers getting moved by the Cleveland Browns. What's next for QB Kenny Pickett after he was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders? Are his dreams of starting in the NFL again doomed after losing the competition with Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders with the Cleveland Browns? Or can he find h...

In this clip from the Tuesday edition of the North Shore Drive podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey welcomes insider Ray Fittipaldo to analyze the Steelers' situation at offensive tackle with Troy Fautanu and Broderick Jones. Did either or both show enough in training camp and the preseason to prove that they can be building blocks for the young offensive line, which also includes n...

On the Tuesday edition of the North Shore Drive podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey is joined by insider Ray Fittipaldo to react to the team's Monday round of roster cuts. What should we make of Corliss Waitman winning the punting job over Cameron Johnston? And will Mark Robinson be miss in the inside linebacker group behind names like Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson and Cole Holcomb?...

On their weekly Vastity Xtra podcast, Post-Gazette high school sports insiders Keith Barnes and Mike White discuss the hottest topics around the WPIAL and City League. -Have Pittsburgh-area teams fallen behind their Eastern Pa. peers following Central Catholic's blowout loss this weekend against La Salle College? -Why were McKeesport's Kemon Spell and Peters Township's Nolan DiLucia among our duo'...

Post-Gazette Pitt insiders Stephen Thompson and Abby Schnable react to the team's Week 1 depth chart, revealed by coach Pat Narduzzi on Monday. How should fans feel about the starting offensive line of tackles Jeff Persi and Ryan Baer; guards Keith Gouveia and B.J. Williams; and center Lyndon Cooper? Are Kenny Johnson, Blue Hicks and Poppi Williams Jr. prepared to fill the void left by CJ Lee? Doe...

Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise weighs in on the hottest topics in Pittsburgh sports. Specifically, he gives his thoughts on a suggestion by ESPN's Bill Barnwell that the Steelers could trade for Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson after he lost a competition with Daniel Jones to start. Should GM Omar Khan really consider dealing for the 23-year-old, who's had mixed results so far, a...

Post-Gazette Pirates insider Noah Hiles gives his insight on which prospects may be promoted next after top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler made his MLB debut over the weekend. Offensively, could we see Nick Yorke and Cam Devanney make their way to Pittsburgh soon? Especially with injuries to players like Oneil Cruz limiting manager Don Kelly and GM Ben Cherington's offense with the lineup? And o...