Pittsburg, PA

Trump, Harris both in Pittsburgh day before Election Day

Published

2 months ago

November 4, 2024

Trump, Harris both in Pittsburgh day before Election Day

Pittsburgh and Allegheny County prepared Monday for the election-eve convergence of presidential candidates in the most unusual election in more than half a century.

Republican nominee Donald Trump is expected to speak at PPG Paints Arena, in Uptown, at around 6 p.m.

Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is expected to be at the Carrie Blast Furnace National Historic Landmark, in Swissvale, at some point in the evening.

Christopher Ragland, acting chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, prepares to brief the media on election-related plans, on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, at Pittsburgh Police Headquarters. (Photo by Rich Lord/PublicSource)

“At this time, there are no election-related threats registered by our intel unit, which continues to monitor the situation,” said Chris Ragland, acting chief of police for Pittsburgh. He said he was unaware of any recent election-related threats, and that the bureau is prepared to respond to “First Amendment activity,” but doesn’t have reason to believe it needs to deploy extra officers to any specific parts of the city.

Pittsburgh police will be in charge of escorting Harris to Swissvale, but will not have meaningful involvement in security at that event. Harris was initially expected to speak at Point State Park, but plans shifted over the weekend. Ragland denied any involvement in the change of venue, or knowledge of the reasons behind it, but said it would “probably” make things easier for his bureau.

Pittsburgh police will respond to any reports of crimes at polling places within the city, Ragland said, but incidents that are election-related but are not crimes will be handled by the Allegheny County sheriffs.

Police will work their usual 10-hour shifts, but all days off in the coming days have been canceled. Campaigns won’t be billed for overtime paid to officers related to today’s events, but the Trump campaign will be billed for extra medic staffing this evening.

If any post-election protest emerges, the bureau is ready to coordinate with county, state and campus police forces, Ragland said. “We will not tolerate violence, and we will intervene when we see such.”

Spending the last evening here

Coming so late in an election in which more than 200,000 Allegheny County residents have already voted by mail and most minds appear to have been made up, the dueling rallies reflect desperation on both sides to get as many people to turn out tomorrow as possible.

“If you can get 100, 200, 500 people to turn out who would not have voted in a state like Pennsylvania, that’s a good use of your time,” said Christopher Beem, managing director of Penn State’s McCourtney Institute for Democracy. “Given that Pittsburgh and its surrounding areas have this tradition of going both ways, Democratic and Republican, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if both campaigns have a similar read on that situation.”

Though Allegheny County’s 526,000 registered Democrats nearly double the Republican ranks, the GOP last year came within 10,000 votes of winning the election for county executive.

In 2020, Democrat Joe Biden won Pennsylvania, besting Trump by around 80,000 votes. This year, the seven swing states are polling as neck-and-neck contests, and Pennsylvania is the largest.

“It’s conceivable for both of them to come up with a winning ticket that excludes Pennsylvania, but it’s much, much harder,” said Beem. “You basically have to get all the other big states. You have to get Michigan and Georgia and North Carolina.”

The polls in Pennsylvania, Beem said, are “so close that this kind of event, they’re not expecting to make a huge impact, but it’s worth it.”

Anticipating “large crowds and road closures,” the Pittsburgh Public Schools announced Friday that students would have a half day.

The county and city announced they’d dismiss non-essential employees at noon. (The County Office Building was to remain open until 4:30 p.m. for ballot returns.)

Check back with PublicSource this evening for coverage of the candidates’ events.

Charlie Wolfson is PublicSource’s local government reporter and a Report for America corps member. He can be reached at charlie@publicsource.org or at @chwolfson on Twitter.

Rich Lord is PublicSource’s managing editor. He can be reached at rich@publicsource.org.

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Pittsburg, PA

Cincinnati heads to Pittsburgh in a regular-season finale that has plenty at stake

Published

16 minutes ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

Cincinnati heads to Pittsburgh in a regular-season finale that has plenty at stake

Cincinnati (8-8) at Pittsburgh (10-6)

Saturday, 8 p.m., EST, ESPN/ABC.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Bengals by 1 1/2.

Against the spread: Bengals 10-6; Steelers 10-6

Series record: Steelers lead 71-39.

Last meeting: Steelers beat Bengals 44-38 on Dec. 1, 2024 in Cincinnati.

Last week: Bengals beat Broncos 30-24 in overtime; Steelers lost to Chiefs 29-10

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) celebrates with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (81) after making a touchdown catch during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Cincinnati. Credit: AP/Jeff Dean

Bengals offense: overall (6), rush (29), pass (1), scoring (8).

Bengals defense: overall (27), rush (21), pass (24), scoring (29).

Steelers offense: overall (16), rush (10), pass (25), scoring (15).

Steelers defense: overall (11), rush (7), pass (23), scoring (7).

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) runs into the end... — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) runs into the end zone for a touchdown against Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal (54) during the first half of an NFL football game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. Credit: AP/Matt Freed

Turnover differential: Bengals plus-4; Steelers plus-15.

Bengals player to watch

QB Joe Burrow is having the best year of his career. The fifth-year pro leads the NFL in completions, yards, and touchdowns and has thrown for 250 yards and three touchdowns in eight straight games, an NFL record.

Steelers player to watch

LB T.J. Watt. The perennial All-Pro has been quiet lately, failing to get a sack in three of Pittsburgh’s past four games. Watt was his usual disruptive self in the first meeting with the Bengals, dropping Burrow twice and forcing a fumble that was scooped up by teammate Payton Wilson.

Key matchup

Pittsburgh’s secondary against Bengals WRs JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins. Chase and Higgins, one the best wide receiver duos in the league, combined for 11 receptions, 155 yards and two touchdowns in the first meeting with the Steelers. Pittsburgh’s pass defense was lit up last week by Patrick Mahomes, who threw for 320 yards. Several Steelers veterans — namely safety DeShon Elliott — complained afterward about communication issues that shouldn’t be happening in late December. With Cincinnati’s offense rolling, expect Burrow to test the Steelers down the field repeatedly.

Key injuries

Bengals: DE Sam Hubbard (knee) is out. WR Tee Higgins (ankle/knee), WR Charlie Jones (groin), OT Amarius Mims (ankle/hand), TE Drew Sample (groin) and CB Cam Taylor-Britt (ankle) are questionable.

Steelers: CB Joey Porter (knee) is expected to play after sitting out the loss to the Chiefs. CB Donte Jackson (back) is questionable.

Series notes

Pittsburgh has won four of the past five meetings, including the 44-38 thriller in Cincinnati on Dec. 1 in which Russell Wilson threw for 414 yards. … The Steelers are 36-18 at home against Cincinnati, though the Bengals have won in two of their past three visits to Acrisure Stadium. This is the first regular-season meeting between the two clubs in January. They’ve met twice in January in the playoffs, with the Steelers winning both times (2005 and 2015). … Pittsburgh’s 71 wins over the Bengals are its second most against any opponent (Cleveland, 82).

Stats and stuff

The Bengals have won four straight since they were 4-8 in their first meeting with the Steelers Dec. 1. … Cincinnati can clinch the last AFC wild-card spot with a win over Pittsburgh coupled with losses by Denver and Miami on Sunday. … The Steelers locked up a playoff berth weeks ago, but have dropped three straight to lose their grip on the AFC North. Pittsburgh would need a victory over the Bengals and a loss by Baltimore earlier Saturday to Cleveland to clinch its first division title since 2020. … Otherwise, the Steelers would lock up the fifth seed in the AFC with a victory or a loss by the Los Angeles Chargers to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. … If neither of those things happens, Pittsburgh would drop to the sixth seed, forcing it to travel to Baltimore in the opening round. … Seven of the Bengals’ eight losses have been by one score. … In the win over Denver last week, Burrow was 39 for 49 for 412 yards and three TDs, along with a rushing score. … Chase, who had nine catches for 102 yards against Denver, has had career highs this season in receptions (a team record 117), receiving yards (a team record 1,612; team record) and 16 TDs, one shy of the team record. … Chase also leads the NFL in each of those categories, and has a chance to become the fifth player since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger to complete the receiving triple crown. … A win against Pittsburgh would complete the Bengals’ fourth consecutive regular season with a record better than .500. … Cincinnati CB Mike Hilton played for the Steelers from 2017-20. … Burrow has 26 career games with 300 or more passing yards, the second most in team history behind Andy Dalton’s 28. … With 14 sacks, Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson is tied with the Browns’ Myles Garrett for the NFL lead. … Cincinnati has scored 453 points this season, seven shy of a team-record 460 in the 2021 season. … The Bengals have scored 56 total TDs, three shy of a team record 59 set by the 1988 team that reached the Super Bowl behind QB Boomer Esiason and RB Ickey Woods. … The Steelers are 38-30 on Saturday, including a 26-8 mark at home. … Pittsburgh’s defense took a significant step back in December and is giving up more than 400 yards a game during its three-game skid. … Steelers RB Najee Harris reached the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the fourth straight season last week against Kansas City, but it’s backfield mate Jaylen Warren that seems to be surging late in the season. Warren has 33 touches for 202 yards over the past two games, compared to 24 touches for 123 yards for Harris. … Russell Wilson has fumbled in three straight games and has turned it over three times in the past two weeks. Wilson had three turnovers in his first seven starts with the Steelers. … Pittsburgh WR George Pickens’ 16 receptions of at least 25 yards rank third in the NFL this season behind Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson (17) and Chase (16). Pickens had three receptions for 50 yards last week against Kansas City after missing three games with a hamstring injury. … Watt has 11 1/2 sacks heading into Week 18. His lowest total in a non-injury interrupted season is 7, set during his rookie year in 2017. Watt’s dip in sack production mirrors that of his team. Pittsburgh has just 36 sacks this season, on pace for its lowest total since 2014 (32). … Steelers K Chris Boswell’s 40 field goals are tied for the second most in a season in league history, trailing only the 44 David Akers made in 2011 while kicking for San Francisco.

Fantasy tip

Considering the current state of Pittsburgh’s defense, the roll he’s been on and the stakes for the Bengals, starting Burrow is a no-brainer. Still need convincing? He’s averaging 334 yards passing in his past three starts against the Steelers.

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Pittsburg, PA

Steelers Could Make Huge Splash With Rookie RB

Published

8 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

Steelers Could Make Huge Splash With Rookie RB

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers have a decision to make at running back this offseason, choosing who they’ll offer contracts to and how they will go about replacing anyone in their backfield who leaves.

One name that’ll bring plenty of excitement just put on a show during the College Football Playoff. Coming into the Peach Bowl, Arizona State were heavy underdogs to Texas. But behind their superstar running back, the Sun Devils created an electrifying matchup, and took the Longhorns into overtime to decide the winner.

Leaving the tournament, the Sun Devils say goodbye to Cam Skattebo, who will head to the NFL Draft after a Heisman finalist season. With an NCAA-leading 1,711 yards and 21 rushing touchdowns, the 5-foot-11, 215-pound senior will head to the pros, and the Steelers may be a team to watch for him.

2025 Steelers backfield:
RB1 Jaylen Warren
RB2 Cam Skattebo
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I’d sign up for that. pic.twitter.com/NISOPYJVxl
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) January 1, 2025

The Steelers have an easy decision when it comes to Jaylen Warren. As an undrafted free agent just three seasons ago, Warren will head into the offseason as a restricted free agent. He’ll see a nice pay raise compared to his $985,000 salary in 2024, but will still be inexpensive for the Steelers.

If they choose to bring him back, they likely move on from Najee Harris, letting the former first-round pick walk in free agency and head elsewhere for what will likely be a nice payday. From there, their best bet to replace him is the NFL Draft, where Skattebo would be sitting pretty in the second round.

Allowing Warren to be the explosive runner and pass-catcher, while Skattebo comes in as a bigger back who can pound his way for consistent yardage, while also have big play ability, is exactly what the Steelers have wanted. In a draft class that is loaded with talent at the running back position, it makes plenty of sense to try and find a rookie runner, and the NFL world will be waiting to see what the Sun Devils superstar can do at the next level.

Without wasting a first-round pick on a running back, or having to go out and sign someone in free agency, the Steelers can make a splash with an exciting name who just proved he can shine on the bigger stages.

His final college performance included 30 rushes for 143 yards, two touchdowns, and eight receptions for 99 yards. Next, he’ll be looking to make an impact in the NFL. And the Steelers will be looking for a runner to revamp their backfield.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI to get all your daily Pittsburgh Steelers news, interviews, breakdowns and more!

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