Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: Why can’t the Pirates win 85 games?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for a weekly Q&A mailbag that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. Most of the questions come via “X,” but you can also hit me up jraystarkey@gmail.com. Let’s gooooo … Frank from Cranberry, via email: Joe — hope the colonoscopy went well. The prep sucks. Anyway,...
Joe Starkey’s Cup of Joe: Steelers should steer clear of Tyreek Hill
CUP OF JOE: Starkey on Sports in 350 words or less Omar Khan’s never-ending search for a legit No. 2 receiver resumes this offseason. Strike that. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a No. 2 receiver. His name is DK Metcalf. He’s a decent player when he’s not taking pot shots at...
Joe Starkey’s Cup of Joe: Elroy Face and old baseball stories that never get old
CUP OF JOE: Starkey on Sports in 350 words or less I had only a few conversations with Elroy Face, but he was always ready with a story. His passing Thursday at age 97 reminded me of that. And of a few other things: • How quickly time flies and...
Joe Starkey: Projecting Pirates lineups is suddenly enjoyable, especially with Konnor Griffin in them
I keep reading about how the Pirates defense could be compromised by their offseason acquisitions, and I keep not caring. I’ll take the offense. Consider the case of all-field, no-hit Ke’Bryan Hayes, now in Cincinnati. Hayes is an elite defender, but how many times per game is he afforded the...
‘Beyond the Bylines’ with Tim Benz and Joe Starkey — Feb. 13, 2026Video
Go “Beyond the Bylines” with Tim Benz and Joe Starkey as they cover the latest sports talk in Pittsburgh — digging deeper on the subjects — from Steelers to Penguins to Pirates, and beyond. Watch the Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, show:...
Joe Starkey: Ben Roethlisberger led where his team needed him most — on the field
What did Ben Roethlisberger actually say about Mike Tomlin that has Joey Porter and so many other ex-Steelers all hot and bothered? Not much, as it turns out. Back in December, Roethlisberger stated on his podcast what all but the most delusional Tomlin apologists were saying: “Maybe it’s a clean-house...
Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: Would Mac Jones be a good option for Steelers?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for a weekly Q&A mailbag that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. We had a banner first three weeks. This is no time for a trap game. Apologies for the delay this week. Most of the questions come via “X,” but you can also hit me...
Joe Starkey’s Cup of Joe: Great defense still wins championships. If only the Steelers had one
Cup of Joe: Starkey on sports in 350 words or less This part of Dan Graziano’s Super Bowl piece on ESPN.com stood out, in the context of Art Rooney II wanting to bring Mike Tomlin back after nine years of not coming close to a playoff win (before Tomlin fired...
Joe Starkey: Malik Willis is the kind of quarterback the Steelers should be courting
It’s not like we didn’t know already, but Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike McCarthy finally made it plain. Asked by KDKA’s Bob Pompeani last week if he’d like to try to recreate his Green Bay magic with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, McCarthy replied in no uncertain terms. “That’s the plan,” he said....
Joe Starkey: Ravens went risky. Steelers stayed safe. Who’ll be proven right?
You knew as soon as the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens became unexpected members of this year’s coaching cycle that one of them would hire a young, untested riser of a defensive coordinator as its new head coach. You just didn’t think it would be the Ravens. Neither did I. That...
Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: Should Kordell Stewart be in the Steelers Hall of Honor?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for a weekly Q&A mailbag that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. We had a banner first two weeks. Let’s go for a three-peat. Most of the questions come via “X,” but you can also hit me up jraystarkey@gmail.com. Let’s go … David Reese, @davidreese36: Good...
Joe Starkey’s Cup of Joe: It doesn’t sound like Tristan Jarry is making friends in Edmonton
Cup of Joe: Starkey on sports in 350 words or less Oh boy. Things seem to be deteriorating for Tristan Jarry in Edmonton. Did you see his comments after getting pulled from a 7-3 loss to Minnesota on Saturday? Whether you’re a goalie, a quarterback or a pitcher — in...
Joe Starkey’s Cup of Joe: The Pirates whiffed on Eugenio Suarez
Cup of Joe: Starkey on sports in 350 words or less The Pirates had the second-most strikeouts in the National League last season. They whiffed 1,422 times. Add one more. Bob Nutting and Ben Cherington watched a fastball go right down the middle. The Pirates desperately need a third baseman....
Joe Starkey: Mike McCarthy mentioned ‘1137 Greenfield Ave.’ Quite a woman lives behind that door
“My heart is full. My focus is singular. It’s time to bring another championship back to this great city. And with that, I just want to make sure when we do get that trophy, the seventh trophy in the case, we’ll start that victory parade at 1137 Greenfield Ave.” —...
Tim Benz and Joe Starkey go ‘Beyond the Bylines’ with new showVideo
Have you ever wanted a little more from your sports coverage? With their new video series “Beyond the Bylines,” TribLive sports writers Tim Benz and Joe Starkey dare to go there. Airing Fridays at 8 a.m., they’ll take on the week’s biggest story — this week, the focus is obviously...
Joe Starkey: Which Hall of Fame is a bigger joke — baseball or football?
STARK RAVING Just when it didn’t seem possible any Hall of Fame could be a bigger farce than baseball’s, the Pro Football Hall of Fame stepped up and said, “Hold my Belichick.” Bill Belichick reportedly won’t be a first-ballot Hall of Famer? Hahahahahahahahahahahaha. Oh well, at least Shedeur Sanders made...
Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: Will Howard isn’t really the Steelers’ plan at quarterback … is he?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for a weekly Q&A mailbag that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. We had a banner Week 1 that’ll be tough to top. But that’s why we lift all them weights. Most of the questions come via “X,” but you can also hit me up jraystarkey@gmail.com....
Joe Starkey’s Cup of Joe: Patriots went from great to bad to great again while Steelers stayed the same
CUP OF JOE: Starkey on sports in 350 words or less. I wonder if New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft looks at 2023 as a wasted year. I’m guessing not. It got him back to the Super Bowl. There are many reasons the Patriots are in position to win their...
Joe Starkey’s Cup of Joe: The Pirates owe Andrew McCutchen this much: Tell him they’re moving on
CUP OF JOE: Starkey on sports in 350 words or less. Breakups are hurtful, in life and pro sports. Feelings are injured. Resentments are formed. It wasn’t pretty when the Pittsburgh Steelers moved on from Troy Polamalu, Hines Ward and Ben Roethlisberger, who wanted to keep playing. Feelings were injured....
Joe Starkey’s Cup of Joe: Mike McCarthy has some interesting pieces — is Will Howard one?
I’ll say this: Mike McCarthy as de facto offensive coordinator is an upgrade on Arthur Smith. Artie’s off to Ohio State. Maybe Jonnu Smith has eligibility and could help invigorate the Buckeyes’ tight-end run game. Mike Tomlin never got the offense right in his later years. He went from his...
Joe Starkey: With Mike McCarthy, the Steelers are basically rehiring Mike Tomlin. Thanks, Art
STARK RAVING Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II said he was willing to run it back another year with Mike Tomlin, and so he shall. Mike McCarthy is Tomlin. Tomlin is McCarthy. Finkle is Einhorn. Einhorn is Finkle. I can see it now: The Steelers go 9-8 next season with...
Joe Starkey: Evgeni Malkin wants 1 more year with Penguins? He’s earned it
STARK RAVING The Penguins have a player who is plus-15, averages more points per game than Jake Guentzel, Mitch Marner, Sebastian Aho, Tage Thompson and Jack Hughes and wants to play next season on a discounted deal. That might sound ridiculous, and in one way it is: Evgeni Malkin will...
Joe Starkey: Kyle Dubas is the star as Penguins return to EdmontonVideo
Yes, it was Sidney Crosby versus Connor McDavid again as the Pittsburgh Penguins made their once-a-year visit to Edmonton on Thursday. But the real star at the moment is Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas. After striking out more than Jack Suwinski early in his Penguins tenure, Dubas has suddenly become...
Joe Starkey’s Stick Route: Jeff Capel’s Pitt tenure running on empty
Commentary on day’s news in 300 words or less It’s not Kevin Stallings 2.0, but when you lose to Louisville at home by a million points, Stallings certainly springs to mind. Stallings lost to Louisville, 106-51, on Jan. 24, 2017. Jeff Capel lost to Louisville, 100-59, on Saturday, nearly the...
Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: Is it time to trade T.J. Watt?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for “Mailing It In,” a weekly Q&A that will appear Tuesdays at TribLive.com. I had a record amount of submissions in Week 1, so we’re off to the best start since Starling Marte homered in his first big-league at-bat. Most of the questions come...
