December 17, 2025 4:32 am
Curt Cignetti has been named The Associated Press coach of the year in college football for the second consecutive season. He is the first coach to win the award back-to-back since it was first presented in 1998. Cignetti has led Indiana to unprecedented success, with a 24-2 record over two seasons. The Hoosiers are 13-0 this year, Big Ten champions for the first time since 1967, and the top seed in the College Football Playoff. Cignetti received 47 first-place votes. Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea received two each, and Virginia’s Tony Elliott got one.
December 17, 2025 4:31 am
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is considering a quarterback change after Tua Tagovailoa’s continued struggles this season. Those were magnified in Monday night’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that eliminated Miami from playoff contention for the second straight season. Tagovailoa threw for just 65 yards through three quarters, and the areas in which he has appeared to regress were evident again, from questionable decision-making to a lack of mobility that has hampered him throughout the season. McDaniel said he would give “more clarity” on his quarterback decision on Wednesday.
December 16, 2025 4:22 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers have taken care of the Miami Dolphins to stay atop the AFC North. Aaron Rodgers passed for 224 yards and two touchdowns in Pittsburgh’s 28-15 win on Monday night. The Steelers won their second straight. They have won 23 straight home games on Monday nights. Rodgers connected on 23 of 27 passes at frigid Acrisure Stadium. The 42-year-old looked right at home with the lights on and temperatures in the teens during a night that felt like a callback to his prime in Green Bay. Miami saw its slim playoff hopes vanish in the chill.
December 16, 2025 4:24 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger believes Mike Tomlin should coach the Pittsburgh Steelers as long as he wants. The former quarterback had previously suggested on his podcast that it might be time for the Steelers to consider a new coach in the offseason following a lopsided loss to Buffalo. Tomlin, in his 19th season, is the NFL’s longest-tenured coach. While the Steelers have been regular playoff contenders, they haven’t won a postseason game since 2016. Roethlisberger clarified his comments on Monday, saying Tomlin has earned the right to go out on his own terms.
December 16, 2025 4:26 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs face the rest of the season without Patrick Mahomes, who had surgery Monday night to repair a torn ACL. The injury happened in a loss to the Chargers, ending the Chiefs’ playoff hopes. The team now faces uncertainty about the future. Key questions include Mahomes’ recovery, Travis Kelce’s potential retirement and coach Andy Reid’s plans. The Chiefs also need to address roster gaps, especially at wide receiver, running back and defensive end. Their rush defense has been strong, but the offense needs improvement. The Chiefs will play the Titans next, with draft positioning in mind.
December 15, 2025 4:32 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Dylan Guenther scored 42 seconds into overtime, leading the Utah Mammoth to a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. Utah rallied after trailing 3-0, with Michael Carcone scoring twice and Nate Schmidt and Sean Durzi adding goals. Karel Vejmelka made 12 saves. Pittsburgh’s Justin Brazeau scored twice, while Bryan Rust and Ben Kindel also scored. Pittsburgh earned a point for the ninth time in 11 games but lost its fifth straight.
December 15, 2025 4:34 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Steelers will have to try to protect their AFC North lead without T.J. Watt. The perennial All-Pro outside linebacker is recovering from a partially collapsed lung and will miss a Monday night visit by Miami. Nick Herbig and rookie Jack Sawyer will see increased playing time alongside Alex Highsmith with Watt sidelined. Herbig has shown flashes of brilliance this season. His 6 1/2 sacks rank second on the team behind Watt’s 7. Herbig says replacing Watt is impossible but added that he and Sawyer will do what they can to honor him with their play.
December 15, 2025 4:36 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers eliminate the Kansas City Chiefs from playoff contention with a 16-13 victory on Sunday, with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tearing the ACL in his left knee. Derwin James intercepts Gardner Minshew’s pass in the closing seconds to secure the 16-13 win. Justin Herbert, playing with a broken hand, throws for 210 yards and a touchdown. The Chargers complete a regular-season sweep of Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes was injured after being tackled by Da’Shawn Hand. Minshew steps in but throws a crucial interception in the fourth quarter. The Chargers, now 10-4, edge closer to a playoff berth, while the Chiefs’ playoff hopes ended with the loss.
December 15, 2025 4:38 am
DENVER (AP) — Micah Parsons is believed to have suffered a torn ACL in his left knee. That’s according to a person with knowledge of the All-Pro pass rusher’s injury who spoke to The Associated Press on Sunday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the severity of the injury hasn’t been confirmed by test. Parsons tells the AP in a text that he’s “sickened.” Parsons’ injury is a devastating blow to the Green Bay Packers, who lost 34-26 to Denver on Sunday. The Packers fell to second place behind the Chicago Bears in the NFC North.
December 14, 2025 6:20 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — John Klingberg capped off a frantic late rally by scoring his second goal of the game 2:57 into overtime to lift the San Jose Sharks to an improbable 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Klingberg’s seventh of the season off a feed from Macklin Celebrini gave the Sharks their first victory in the franchise’s 34-year history when trailing by four goals in the third. San Jose trailed 5-1 with less than 14 minutes to go. Klingberg, William Eklund, Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli scored to tie it. Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves. Sidney Crosby scored a goal and added an assist for Pittsburgh. Arturs Silovs stopped 26 shots.
