2017 Pittsburgh Sports Year In Review
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – It seems like just yesterday that we were ringing in 2017, but another year has come and gone.
This was certainly a memorable year in Pittsburgh sports for a number of reasons.
Here's a look back at some of the biggest sports stories in Pittsburgh over the past year:
JANUARY:
The Pittsburgh Steelers' hopes of winning a seventh Super Bowl title came to an end on a dreary day in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
The Steelers and Patriots renewed their rivalry in the AFC Championship game, but New England came away with a 36-17 win.
The Steelers suffered a big blow early on as Le'Veon Bell exited the game in the first quarter with a groin injury.
Making matters worse, New England would go on to win their fifth title after completing the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.
Full Story: Patriots Stun Steelers 36-17 In AFC Title Game
In other news this month:
FEBRUARY:
Sidney Crosby has reached a lot of career milestones, but joining the NHL's 1,000 point club has to rank pretty high on his list.
Crosby reached the milestone when he set up Chris Kunitz's goal in the first period of a game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Evgeni Malkin took a humorous approach to congratulate Crosby on reaching the 1,000 point milestone.
"Hey Sid, I want to say congrats on your 1,000 points. It is a huge number. We both know that 999 [of those] points is because of my help. I have enjoyed playing with you. Every game, every night is so fun. Everyone knows that you are the best player," Malkin said.
Crosby became the 86th player in NHL history to record 1,000 points.
Full Story: Sidney Crosby Joins NHL's 1,000-Point Club
In other news this month:
MARCH:
Jung Ho Kang was sentenced to 8 months in prison in connection with a DUI crash. The incident happened in December of 2016 in Seoul.
The sentence was suspended for two years, which made it look like Kang would be able to play for the Pirates.
However, Kang was not able to secure a work visa and would not take the field for the Pirates at all in 2017. His future with the Pirates still remains in question.
Full Story: Korean Court Hands Down 'Suspended Sentence' In Kang DUI Case
In other news this month:
APRIL:
The City of Pittsburgh and Steelers Nation lost a legend in April. Dan Rooney passed away at the age of 84.
Dignitaries, current and former Steelers players, NFL owners and countless more friends and family attended the funeral Mass at Saint Paul Cathedral in Oakland.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl was the officiant for the Mass. He said Rooney was a reflection of Pittsburgh and that one of things that was endearing about him was how he was always down to earth.
Ike Taylor served as one of the pallbearers along with members of the Rooney family.
Full Story: Pittsburgh Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney Dies At Age 84
RELATED: Hundreds Attend Funeral For Dan Rooney
In other news this month:
MAY:
May was a big month for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they made their march to the Stanley Cup.
The most exciting moment came at the conclusion of the Eastern Conference Final.
The Penguins and Senators met at PPG Paints Arena for a winner-take-all Game 7. But, the game couldn't be settled in regulation or even the first period of overtime.
But, 5:09 into the second overtime, Chris Kunitz cemented his place in Pittsburgh sports lore. Kunitz's knuckling one-timer through traffic beat goaltender Craig Anderson and sent the Penguins back to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year.
It's definitely one of those moments that Penguins fans will be talking about forever.
Full Story: Kunitz's Double-OT Goal Sends Penguins Back To Stanley Cup Final
In other news this month:
JUNE:
It took six games against a worthy adversary, but the Pittsburgh Penguins claimed their second straight Stanley Cup.
Patric Hornqvist broke a 0-0 tie with just 1:35 left in the third period, while Carl Hagelin sealed the win with an empty net goal.
The Penguins became the first team in nearly 20 years to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. But, they are the first team to do so in the salary cap era.
The celebration back in Pittsburgh was something else, too. An estimated 650,000 people packed downtown Pittsburgh for the Stanley Cup parade, making it the largest sports parade in the city's history.
Full Story: Back To Back Champs: Penguins Beat Preds 2-0 For Stanley Cup
Parade Coverage:
- Penguins Celebrate Stanley Cup Victory With Fans
- Estimated 650,000 Flock Downtown For Stanley Cup Parade, Largest Sports Parade In History
- Stanley Cup Tracker
In other news this month:
JULY:
The Pittsburgh Steelers could not reach a long-term deal with Le'Veon Bell, which led to him sitting out training camp.
In February, the team placed the franchise tag on Bell. The star running back eventually singed the one-year, $12.1 million tender in September.
Full Story: No Long-Term Deal Between Le'Veon Bell, Steelers
In other news this month:
AUGUST:
One highlight of the Pittsburgh Pirates' season was a late August matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Rich Hill took a no-hitter into the 10th inning, but Josh Harrison changed everything with one swing of the bat.
With the score still 0-0 and facing a 2-1 count, Harrison got a pitch he liked and sent it into the left field bleachers at PNC Park.
Hill's no-hitter was gone, his shutout was gone and he took the loss. Not to mention, he lost the perfect game in the ninth inning due to a fielding error.
Full Story: Hill Loses No-Hit Try On HR In 10th, Pirates Top Dodgers 1-0
In other news this month:
SEPTEMBER:
The Pittsburgh Steelers made headlines prior to a game against the Chicago Bears.
Every member of the Steelers, except for one, remained in the tunnel as the national anthem played before the game.
Former Army Ranger and current left tackle Alejandro Villanueva stood near the tunnel with his hand over his heart for the national anthem, the rest of the team remained in the locker room.
Many NFL teams have been issuing statements voicing their displeasure after President Donald Trump called for NFL owners to suspend or fire players who protested the national anthem.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said the Steelers made this choice "not to be disrespectful to the anthem but to remove ourselves from this circumstance. People shouldn't have to choose."
In other news this month:
OCTOBER:
Rookie wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster has quickly become a fan-favorite in Pittsburgh. So, when someone stole his bike, the entire city went out to look for it.
It all started when Juju posted a video posted on Twitter of him walking to practice saying, "Man somebody stole my bike, I ain't got a bike no more, I'm walking to practice, this is crazy."
The hashtag, #TeamFindJuJusBike quickly spread.
Soon after the news broke, a man contacted KDKA-TV saying had purchased Smith-Schuster's bike for $200. It wasn't until he was watching the news that he realized, it was the bike that belonged to the Steelers' player.
Full Story: Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster's Stolen Bike Located In Mt. Oliver
In other news this month:
NOVEMBER:
There have been many great players to wear the black and gold for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But, 27 of those great players made up the inaugural class for the Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor.
The Hall of Honor display features 27 steel footballs and plaques with photos.
Four more honorees will be added each year on Alumni Weekend.
Full Story: 'They Created A Legacy Here': Steelers Team Legends Inducted Into Hall Of Honor
In other news this month:
DECEMBER:
On Dec. 4, Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a spinal injury during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Shazier was taken off the field on a cart during the first quarter. On Dec. 6, he underwent spinal stabilization surgery in Pittsburgh.
However, Shazier returned to Heinz Field for the big matchup with the New England Patriots.
The crowd went wild when the jumbotron showed a shot of Shazier in a luxury box, waving a Terrible Towel, early in the game.
He started physical therapy on Dec. 14.
Full Story: Ryan Shazier Out Of Hospital To Attend Patriots-Steelers Game
In other news this month:
