Month: October 2022

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin confirmed Tuesday the rookie first-round pick Kenny Pickett will be the starting quarterback in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills, in place of Mitchell Trubisky.nPickett replaced Trubisky in the second half of Week 4’s loss to the New York Jets, rushing for two touchdowns to give the Steelers a fourth-quarter lead, though they eventually lost the game.

Tomlin told reporters: “Kenny will start this week. We made the change, obviously. Mitch’s performance was a component of the decision, but not the only component of the decision. I just want to be really clear there. Oftentimes the quarterback position gets too much credit, too much blame. We haven’t moved the ball fluently enough to our liking. We hadn’t put enough points on the board. The quarterback is a component of that, but not the only component. We’ve all got to absorb the responsibility that comes with what we haven’t done, particularly in that phase. Including myself and starting with myself.”

Tomlin said the decision to go to the rookie wasn’t based solely on Trubisky’s performance, adding: “When you make a quarterback change, you’re really sensitive to that component of it because I don’t want to dump the responsibility of what transpired at Mitch’s feet. That’s not fair to him — he’s played better than that description — but we haven’t. So, in an effort to be better, in an effort to score more points, in an effort to move the ball more fluently, we decided to go to Kenny in the hopes that he will provide a spark for us. We felt that not only in terms of our ability to move the ball but just in terms of energy. Hopefully, that’s a catalyst for us as we try to move forward and change the outcome of some of these games. Our business is winning, and we’re about our business. We’ve lost three games in a row and we’ve got a formidable opponent this week. A lot of things to be excited about, a lot of things to have urgency regarding, and that’s just a component of it. So I thought that was deserving of extended time and discussion there.”

The Bills are tied for first in the NFL, allowing 234.5 yards per game, second in yards per play (4.2), and fifth in sacks with 13.

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White Sox manager Tony La Russa announced he is officially stepping down due to multiple health issues. Since August, La Russa has not managed the team; initially his health issue was described as updating a pacemaker that he had installed in February. However. La Russa said that while he was sidelined, the doctors discovered a different health issue that he did not disclose. La Russa, who turns 78 today, said the health concerns haven’t impacted his ability to manage, but hinder his ability to return.

The veteran manager wrote in a statement: “It has become obvious that the length of the treatment and recovery process for this second health issue makes it impossible for me to be the White Sox manager in 2023 .. I was hired to provide positive, difference-making leadership and support,” he said. “Our record is proof. I didn’t do my job.”

Chicago went 172–149 under La Russa, winning the AL Central in 2021 but missing the playoffs this season. La Russa spent much of the 2022 season with fans chanting “Fire Tony” during games after they were unhappy with his decision-making. Said La Russa: “At no time have I been disappointed or upset with White Sox fans, including those who at times chanted ‘Fire Tony’. They come to games with passion for our team and a strong desire to win.” The White Sox made the playoffs in 2021 under La Russa, which included hosting two playoff games against the Astros.

As for the future of the White Sox, La Russa said he believes the “future for this team remains bright … I still appreciate the chance to come back home to the White Sox and leave today with many more good memories than disappointments. As I have said many times during my career, no manager has ever had more good fortune than I have.”

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Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets as he continues to progress through concussion protocol. McDaniel said there is no “definite timeline” for Tagovailoa’s return. Teddy Bridgewater will start Sunday in his place.

Tagovailoa was taken to a local hospital after his head hit the turf late in the second half of Thursday’s game in Cincinnati, which ended with the Dolphins’ 27-15 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4. Tagovailoa was diagnosed with a concussion but was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and allowed to fly home with the team early Friday morning. McDaniel said Tagovailoa’s scans, including the MRI he underwent in Miami, came back “clean” – but added that “right now he is in the building. He’s had a couple good days, but he’s just trying to go through with the proper procedure and protocol so that he’s feeling 100 percent. I know he’s gonna be diligent with it. And if there’s obviously any things that are giving him issues in terms of light and those things, then we will shut that down.”

Tagovailoa was evaluated for a concussion during the Dolphins’ game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3, when he hit the back of his head on the ground and stumbled while trying to return to the huddle after the play. However, he passed the locker room evaluation after the incident, and returned to finish the game after halftime. Both Tagovailoa and the Dolphins said that his stumble was caused by a back injury he suffered earlier in the game. In addition, the NFL’s chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, said Tagovailoa was tested daily leading up to Thursday’s game, and McDaniel said his quarterback was cleared of any head injury by an independent neurologist.

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