PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It was a year of massive change at the most important position in sports. It was a year of a hope and promise over a Pirates rookie. A pair of captains sign contract extensions and a program first since just after America’s bicentennial. It’s the Top 7, well we cheated to include a Pens all-timer, so Top 8 of the Top 14 Pittsburgh sports stories of the 2024.
7. Pitt hoops left out of NCAA, Carrington 1st round pick
Pitt basketball finished fourth in the ACC in the regular season, 22-11 overall with seven road wins, including one at Duke, but did not make a second consecutive NCAA men’s basketball tournament. The Panthers were part of four teams listed as the ‘First Four Out’ as only five ACC teams made the field.
Freshman Bub Carrington dropped a triple-double in his first college game, and after one season declared for the NBA Draft. Drafted by Portland 14th overall and traded to Washington (closest NBA team to his Baltimore home) Carrington said he was chasing a dream as head coach Jeff Capel called it ‘exciting and bittersweet’. Senior Blake Hinson, who holds the team record for three-pointers made, signed a free agent contract with the Lakers.
6. Steelers clinch playoff berth
With new quarterbacks and a new offensive coordinator, the Steelers would start the season 10-3 and clinch a playoff berth during a loss in Philadelphia, which would mark three straight losses to end the 2024 calendar year. It’s the 11th playoff season under Mike Tomlin and seeking a first playoff win since January 15, 2017. Tomlin is 8-10 in his playoff career, that includes a 2024 calendar playoff loss in Buffalo.
5. Paul Skenes starts All-Star Game
The first player selected to the MLB All-Star Game in the season after he was drafted. Paul Skenes was also just the fifth rookie starting pitcher in the history of the game. His manager, Arizona’s Torey Lovullo, said he represents so many great things that this game craves. Skenes got a pop-up, ground out, walk and got Aaron Judge to ground out to third in his only inning of work.
4. Sidney Crosby signs contract extension
Saying there is still a hunger and commitment from the organization and ownership to win, Sidney Crosby signed a two-year extension after this current season at the same salary of $8.7 million which was 44th in the NHL. Crosby said taking the same money gave the team ‘the best possible chance to be successful.’ Before the end of 2024, he would surpass the 600-goal mark along with Mario Lemieux’s 1,033 career assists becoming the team’s all-time assist leader.
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3. Jaromir Jagr number retired
Kennywood would be challenged to build a ride with so many twists and turns and ups and downs as the Penguins relationship with Jaromir Jagr. He took boos when he returned to Pittsburgh playing for division rivals personally. Jagr said he didn’t understand why he was treated that way, but said he does now. In February his number 68 went into the rafters with the Penguins greats where it belongs.
“It’s a happy day, exciting day,” Jagr said on that Sunday. “To see the fans, celebrating together. To see my teammates, the boys from the ‘90s. We won the Cup together.”
Finally, a reunion with one of the franchise’s all-time greats.
3. Duquesne to NCAA Tournament
It had been so long that not only weren’t the current players not alive when Duquesne last went to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, some of their parents weren’t either. The Dukes returned to March Madness for the first time since 1977 after winning the Atlantic 10. Head coach Keith Dambrot fulfilled a promise to see his father’s alma mater back in the tournament.
The day after Selection Sunday, Dambrot retired saying in large part to be with his wife after her breast cancer diagnosis.
2. Paul Skenes makes debut
10 months after he was the first overall pick in the MLB Draft, Paul Skenes made his MLB debut with the Pirates. Skenes threw five fastballs 100 miles-an-hour to the first Cubs batter, striking out Mike Tauchman. He would throw 17 pitches at 100 mph or higher striking out seven, allowing six hits, three runs, two walks in four innings. Skenes wouldn’t get a decision in a 10-9 Pirates win over the Cubs. Skenes would go on to be named the National League Rookie of the Year.
1.Steelers clean out QB room
Finishing third in the Heisman voting his final season at Pitt, the Steelers picked Kenny Pickett in the first round five months later. Two years, 24 games, 14 touchdowns and 14 interceptions later, Pickett was gone, as were Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky. Pickett traded to Philadelphia after the Steelers acquired two other quarterbacks.
Russell Wilson signed for the veteran’s minimum of $1.21 million while Denver picked up $39 million to end his contract there. Injured the first day of trading camp while pushing a sled, Wilson wouldn’t be ready to start until Week 7. He brought a passing dimension to the team they hadn’t had since Ben Roethlisberger, overall 6-4 with a 65% completion, 2,334 yards, 15 TD, 5 INT.
A conditional sixth-round pick to Chicago brought the Steelers former first-round pick Justin Fields. Still just 25-years-old, Fields would go 4-2, 66% completion, 1,106 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT with 289 yards rushing and five touchdowns.