Aaron Rodgers signing with Steelers: Grading QB's contract, fit in PittsburghNew Foto - Aaron Rodgers signing with Steelers: Grading QB's contract, fit in Pittsburgh

The NFL world waited nearly three months forAaron Rodgersto make a decision about where he would play during the 2025 season. They finally got their answer on June 5. Rodgers is set to sign with thePittsburgh Steelers, perGerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The 41-year-old will join Mike Tomlin's team in the hopes of leading it to its first postseason win since 2016. Rodgers' deal is expected to be a one-year pact, according toNFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed, butNFL Network's Tom Pelisseroreports Rodgers "told teams that he'll play for $20 million" during the upcoming season. How does Rodgers fit with theSteelers? Below is a breakdown of his fit with the team and a grade for Pittsburgh's decision to sign the four-time NFL MVP. The Steelers have been looking for a franchise quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger's retirement following the 2021 NFL season. Rodgers should be able to fill that void, even if its only on a short-term basis. At 41 years old, Rodgers probably has just a couple of years left in his career at most. Even so, he is playing at a high enough level for the Steelers to justify him as an upgrade over the duo ofRussell WilsonandJustin Fieldsthat got them to the playoffs last season. Rodgers posted just a 5-12 record in 17 starts for theNew York Jetslast season, but he tallied solid numbers across those games. He completed 63% of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and looked particularly strong during the second half of the season. He posted a passer rating of 97 over his final 10 starts and looked more comfortable as he got further removed from the torn Achilles he suffered at the beginning of the 2023 NFL season. If Rodgers can continue to get healthier and show the form he had in the second half of the 2024 campaign, that could provide the Steelers with a boost. Either way, the combination of arm talent and downfield accuracy he has demonstrated throughout his career should allow the Steelers to take advantage ofDK Metcalf's downfield playmaking abilities. Rodgers' presence should go a long way toward improving Pittsburgh's offense, which ranked just 21st inexpected points added (EPA)last season. The Steelers' 10th-ranked defense helped carry them to a second consecutive playoff berth, but their offense will need to improve to win the team its first playoff game since 2016. Helping Rodgers' fit in Pittsburgh is the presence of Mike Tomlin. He has experience managing mercurial stars like Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, so the NFL's longest-tenured coach should be able to create a strong enough working relationship with Rodgers to make this work. Perhaps Rodgers won't ever return to his four-time NFL MVP form, but the Steelers had to try something to get over the hump. As such, it's hard to blame them for taking a shot on the future Hall of Famer. All the NFL news on and off the field.Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Aaron Rodgers signing with Steelers: Grading contract, fit with team

byMario Satorik
in
June 05, 2025

Aaron Rodgers signing with Steelers: Grading QB's contract, fit in Pittsburgh

Aaron Rodgers signing with Steelers: Grading QB's contract, fit in Pittsburgh The NFL world waited nearly three months forAaron Rodgerst...
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`Mr. 57' Cristobal Del Solar flirts with 59, settles for 61 and share of Canadian Open leadNew Foto - `Mr. 57' Cristobal Del Solar flirts with 59, settles for 61 and share of Canadian Open lead

CALEDON, Ontario (AP) — Cristobal Del Solar came off the Korn Ferry Tour with the nickname "Mr. 57." He flirted with a 59 late Thursday afternoon in the RBC Canadian Open. Ten under with two holes left on the par-70 layout, Del Solar bogeyed the par-4 17th and parred the par-5 18th for a 9-under 61 and a share of the first-round lead with Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark. "I was just trying to hit good shots." Del Solar said. "I was just trying to stay in the present and have fun. That's what I was trying to do." Del Solar, the 31-year-old PGA Tour rookie from Chile, and Olsen took advantage of soft greens on the North Course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley after rain Wednesday night that continued into the morning. Del Solar earned the "Mr. 57" moniker in February 2024 when he shot a 13-under 57 in the first round of the Astara Golf Championship in Colombia for the lowest score in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event. On Thursday, Del Solar had seven birdies in an eight-hole stretch in the middle of the round. The former Florida State player made a 6 1/2-foot birdie putt on the par-3 14th, and ran in a 15 1/2-footer on the par-4 16th to get to 10 under. On the 17th, he hit into a right greenside bunker, blasted 10 feet past and missed the par putt to the right. Needing an eagle on 18 for a 59, he drove into the left rough, then hit his second about 80 yards short of the green. "I just want to go and execute each shot," Del Solar said. "I think everyone kind of sometimes gets ahead themselves and thinking of the result or whatever. You just want to go out and just hit the golf shots." Olesen eagled the 18th — his ninth hole of the day — and had eight birdies and a bogey on the course hosting the national championship for the first time. "Obviously, I played great, but my putting was exceptional today," Olesen said. "Don't think I missed any putts really out there. I definitely holed some long ones as well. It was nice to see everything go in." Olesen qualified for the U.S. Open next week at Oakmont on Monday, holing a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole at Lambton in Toronto. "I took a lot from that last putt," Olesen said. Afternoon starters held the top eight spots and 15 of the first 18, with Masters champion Rory McIlroy bogeying the final two holes in the morning in a 71. "Missed a couple of greens and didn't get them up-and-down, especially those last couple holes," said McIlroy, the tournament winner in 2019 at Hamilton and 2022 at St. George's. Del Solar and Olesen were a stroke off the tournament record of 60 set by Carl Pettersson in 2010 in the third round at St. George's, and matched by Justin Rose in the fourth round in 2022, also at St. George's. Cameron Champ shot a 62, Jake Knapp had a 63, and Rasmus Hojgaard, Shane Lowry, Trey Mullinax and Ricky Castillo were at 64. Knapp shot 59 in March in the first round of the Cognizant Classic. Canadian Taylor Pendrith was at 65 with defending champion Robert MacIntyre. Alex Smalley, Paul Peterson, Danny Willett, Rafael Campos, Kevin Yu, Alejandro Tosti and Paul Waring. MacIntyre won last year at Hamilton. Canadian Nick Taylor, the 2023 winner at Oakdale, opened with a 66. ___ AP golf:https://apnews.com/hub/golf

byMario Satorik
in
June 05, 2025

`Mr. 57' Cristobal Del Solar flirts with 59, settles for 61 and share of Canadian Open lead

`Mr. 57' Cristobal Del Solar flirts with 59, settles for 61 and share of Canadian Open lead CALEDON, Ontario (AP) — Cristobal Del Solar ...
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Trump suggests Biden aides acted without then-president's knowledge -- but says he has no evidenceNew Foto - Trump suggests Biden aides acted without then-president's knowledge -- but says he has no evidence

WASHINGTON (AP) — PresidentDonald Trumpalleged Thursday that officials inJoe Biden's administration might have in effect forged their boss's signature and taken broad actions he wasn't aware of — while acknowledging he had no evidence that actually happened. Meeting in the Oval Office withGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump repeated his long-standing allegations that the Biden White House relied on an autopen to sign presidential pardons, executive orders and other key documents, and said that cast doubt on their validity. "Essentially, whoever used the autopen was the president," Trump said. "And that is wrong. It's illegal, it's so bad and it's so disrespectful to our country." Trump went on to suggest that rogue elements within Biden's administration were faking his signature and governing without his knowledge, pushing the administration farther to the left than the president himself would have gone. "He didn't have much of an idea what was going on," Trump said. But pressed by reporters on whether he had evidence of specific items that were signed without Biden's knowledge, or by others in the administration acting illegally, Trump responded, "No. But I've uncovered, you know, the human mind." He referenced the disastrous debate performance that forced Biden to abandon his reelection bid last summer and said, "I was in a debate with the human mind and I didn't think he knew what the hell he was doing." Biden, in a statement Wednesday night, rejected any suggestion actions were taken without his knowledge, saying, "Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false." That came after Trump directed his administration to investigate Biden's actions as president, alleging aides masked his predecessor's "cognitive decline" and suggesting that theuse of the autopenundermines scores of his actions. The president directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington to handle the investigation, a significant escalation inTrump's targeting of political adversariesthat could lay the groundwork for arguments by Republicans that a range of Biden's actions as president were invalid. The Justice Department under Democratic and Republican administrations has recognized the use of an autopen to sign legislation and issue pardons for decades. Also, the president's absolute pardon power is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Trump's intensifying allegations against Biden reflect his fixation with his predecessor, whodefeated him in 2020. Trump never conceded the 2020 election and continues tofalsely claim it was riggedagainst him. Even on Thursday, Trump invoked his allegations about the 2020 election. Trump frequently suggests that Biden was wrong to use an autopen, a mechanical device that replicates a person's authentic signature. Trump said Thursday that he himself had used it, including as a way to save time when signing large numbers of letters from young people. Still, he argued that Biden's use of it constituted "the biggest scandal, maybe in the last hundred years in this country." Biden issued pardons for his two brothers and his sister shortly before leaving office in January, hoping to shield them from potential prosecution under Trump, who had promised retribution during last year's campaign. Other pardon recipients included members of a congressional committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Trump often suggests that his political opponents should be investigated, and he has directed the Justice Department to look into people who have angered him over the years. They include Chris Krebs, a former cybersecurity official who disputed Trump's claims of a stolen election in 2020, and Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official who wrote an anonymous op-ed sharply critical of the president in 2018. Meanwhile, House Oversight ChairmanJames Comerof Kentucky, a Republican, requested transcribed interviews with five Biden aides, alleging they had participated in a "cover-up" that amounted to "one of the greatest scandals in our nation's history." "These five former senior advisors were eyewitnesses to President Biden's condition and operations within the Biden White House," Comer said in a statement. "They must appear before the House Oversight Committee and provide truthful answers about President Biden's cognitive state and who was calling the shots." Comer also reiterated his call for Biden's physician, Kevin O'Connor, and other former senior White House aides to appear before the committee. He warned subpoenas would be issued this week if they refuse to schedule voluntary interviews. Rep. Brandon Gill, a freshman Republican from Texas, said "the American people didn't elect a bureaucracy to run the country." He added, "I think that the American people deserve to know the truth and they want to know the truth of what happened."

byMario Satorik
in
June 05, 2025

Trump suggests Biden aides acted without then-president's knowledge -- but says he has no evidence

Trump suggests Biden aides acted without then-president's knowledge -- but says he has no evidence WASHINGTON (AP) — PresidentDonald Tru...
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Thune plows ahead to pass Trump's megabill as Musk continues to bash itNew Foto - Thune plows ahead to pass Trump's megabill as Musk continues to bash it

Senate Republican Leader John Thune reiterated that "failure is not an option" as he works to get GOP holdouts on the megabill advancing President Donald Trump's legislative agenda in line -- especiallyamid Elon Musk's efforts to tank the bill. "This is a team effort, and everybody is going to be rowing in the same direction to get this across the finish line. Failure is not an option, and we intend to deliver, along with the president for the American people on the things that he committed to do and that we committed to do in terms of the agenda," Thune told reporters after he left a meeting with Trump at the White House on Thursday. As things currently stand, Thune can afford to lose only three of his GOP members to pass the package, and right now, he has more members than that expressing serious doubts about the bill. MORE: Trump tries to shore up support for megabill among Senate GOP at White House meeting The House-passed legislation extends the Trump 2017 tax cuts, boosts spending for the military and border security -- while making some cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and other assistance programs. It could also add $3 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, according to an analysis out Wednesday from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. As the Senate weighs possible changes to the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap as part of the tax portion of the bill, House Republicans from blue states are already threatening to derail the bill's prospects. "Let's be clear — no SALT, no deal," New York Republican Mike Lawler said Wednesday in a post on X. New York Rep. Nick LaLota is on the same page, posting on X: "No SALT. No Deal. For Real." The House-passed bill raises the deduction limit of state and local taxes from federal income tax filing from $10,000 to $40,000 for joint filers making less than $500,000 per year. The cap increases then by 1% every year thereafter. MORE: What will Trump's megabill do to programs like Medicare and SNAP? Thune signaled changes could be coming to the SALT deal that was struck in the House, but the details are still unclear. "It would be very, very hard to get the Senate to vote for what the House did," Thune told reporters. "We've just got some people that feel really strongly on this." Speaker Mike Johnson said he spoke to the SALT caucus on the floor during House votes Wednesday and plans to "communicate" their red line with Senate leaders. The SALT deal is "a very delicate thing and we have to maintain the equilibrium point that we reached in the House, and it took us almost a year… so I don't think we can toss that," Johnson said. Not helping Thune's endeavor to sway the defectors are frequent posts from Musk targeting the bill -- and on Thursday targeting the president. Muskon Thursday quoted a 2013 postfrom Trump criticizing Republicans for extending the debt ceiling, with Musk writing, "Wise words."The two feuded on Thursday, with Trump threatening to "terminate Elon's governmental subsidies and contracts." Earlier, Musk slammed the bill,calling it a "disgusting abomination"and later urged all members of Congress to "kill the bill." Trump touted the bill from the White House on Thursday -- brushing off the scathing criticism from Musk. "I'm very disappointed because Elon knew the inner-workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here better than you people. He knew everything about it. He had no problem with it. All of a sudden he had a problem," Trump said. MORE: 'KILL the BILL': Elon Musk continues to blast Trump's bill in barrage of social media posts Johnson said he planned to speak directly to Musk on Thursday, a day after the speaker said the billionaire was "flat wrong" in his criticism of the bill. Multiple administration officials have attempted to reach out to Musk and his representatives personally, but their calls and texts have not been returned, several sources tell ABC News. Before speaking out publicly against the bill, Musk personally pushed some lawmakers, including Johnson, to keep the tax credits for electric vehicles in the bill, according to two people familiar with conversations. Musk criticized Johnsonin a post on X on Thursday, pointing to a 2023 post where Johnson attacked the federal debt. "Where is the Mike Johnson of 2023!?" Musk asked. Johnson defended himself and emphasized the importance of passing the "big, beautiful bill,"postingthat the "Mike Johnson of 2023 is the SAME Mike Johnson who has always been a lifelong fiscal hawk - who now serves as Speaker and is implementing a multi-stage plan to get our country back to fiscal responsibility and extraordinary economic growth." Thune said Wednesday that although he can't speak to Musk's motivations for his opposition, he will continue to push for the bill's success in the Senate. Musk's public bashing of the bill came up in senators' meeting with Trump on Thursday, said Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, describing it as a "laughing conversation for 30 seconds." "It was very much in jest and laughing, and I think he said something positive about Elon appreciating what he did for the country," Marshall said. ABC News' Will Steakin, Rachel Scott Mary Bruce, Molly Nagle and Kelsey Walsh contributed to this report.

byMario Satorik
in
June 05, 2025

Thune plows ahead to pass Trump's megabill as Musk continues to bash it

Thune plows ahead to pass Trump's megabill as Musk continues to bash it Senate Republican Leader John Thune reiterated that "failur...
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MLB reinstates 4 players after yearlong bans for betting on baseballNew Foto - MLB reinstates 4 players after yearlong bans for betting on baseball

Major League Baseball'sone-year suspensionsfor betting on the sport ended for four players Thursday — San Diego starter Jay Groome, Athletics relief pitcher Michael Kelly, Philadelphia infielder José Rodríguez and Arizona reliever Andrew Saalfrank. The A's announced they reinstated Kelly along with left-hander T.J. McFarland, who was on the injured list. They optioned right-handers Elvis Alvarado and Justin Sterner to Triple-A Las Vegas to make room on their big league roster. Saalfrank was optioned to the Diamondbacks' rookie-level Arizona Complex League. The Padres have not announced their plans for Groome, but the Athletic reported he was not offered a contract, making him a free agent. The Phillies have not announced their intentions regarding Rodríguez. Kelly was suspended for betting on baseball while in the minor leagues, and the other three minor leaguers were penalized for betting on big league games. Each player wagered less than $1,000. Saalfrank and Rodríguez played previously in the majors. The players violated Major League Rule 21, which is posted in every clubhouse. They were handed mandatory one-year suspensions for betting on games in which they did not participate. If they had bet on any games they attended in person — even if they didn't play — they would have been banned for life. ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

byMario Satorik
in
June 05, 2025

MLB reinstates 4 players after yearlong bans for betting on baseball

MLB reinstates 4 players after yearlong bans for betting on baseball Major League Baseball'sone-year suspensionsfor betting on the sport...
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Caitlin Clark says she's made progress, but won't commit to return date after injury: 'I'm not going to rush my way back'New Foto - Caitlin Clark says she's made progress, but won't commit to return date after injury: 'I'm not going to rush my way back'

The Indiana Fever got some positive news Thursday. Star guard Caitlin Clark has made strong progress aftersustaining a left quad injury in May. While Clark wouldn't commit to a return date, it appears she's inching closer to a return. Clark made her first public comments Thursday since sustaining that injury. The 23-year-old said she would be reevaluated over the weekend, meaning she'll miss the team's game against the Chicago Sky on Saturday. Clark left the door open for a return ahead of the team's game against the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, though. She is going to be reevaulated this weekend and will for sure miss Chicago.She didn't rule out returning at Atlanta on Tuesday, but also didn't promise anything."I've made a lot of progress and I feel good, but I'm not going to rush my way back if it's not worth it."https://t.co/04eZKuXBfA — Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67)June 5, 2025 Clark has already missed three games due to the injury, which she sustained during theteam's 90-88 lossto the New York Liberty on May 24. Clark said Thursday that she didn't know when she sustained the injury, saying adrenaline covered up her pain during the contest. Two days after that loss, theFever announced Clark's injury. In its initial injury report, the team said it expected Clark to miss two weeks due to the issue. This injury was unrelated to the one that caused Clark to miss the team's first preseason game. Clark sat out of that contest due to a left quad injury, but was able to return ahead of the team's second preseason game. The Fever have gone 1-2 in Clark's absence. After dropping the first two games without Clark, the team defeated the Washington Mystics on Tuesday, picking up its first win since Clark's injury. Clark was off to a strong start prior to the injury. In four games, she averaged 19 points, 9.3 assists and 6 rebounds. Those figures were extremely close to what Clark averaged as a rookie, when she finished fourth in the MVP voting. Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston have stepped it up on offense in Clark's absence. Both players have scored double-digit points in every game since Clark's injury. They'll look to make it four in a row when the Fever take on the Sky on Saturday.

byMario Satorik
in
June 05, 2025

Caitlin Clark says she's made progress, but won't commit to return date after injury: 'I’m not going to rush my way back'

Caitlin Clark says she's made progress, but won't commit to return date after injury: 'I'm not going to rush my way back...
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Pentagon to make change to military oversight of Greenland: reportNew Foto - Pentagon to make change to military oversight of Greenland: report

ILULISSAT, Greenland − The Pentagon is planning to put its military oversight of Greenland under U.S. Northern Command, according to a report, a largely symbolic gesture that comes as PresidentDonald Trumpcontinues to press for the world's largest island to break from Denmark. Greenlandis currently the purview of U.S. European Command, which is headquartered in Germany. U.S. Northern Command is in charge of defending the U.S. homeland and the shift more closely aligns with Trump's pledge to take control of the Danish territory. Politico first reportedthe planned redrawing of the Pentagon's command map. Trump talked about acquiring Greenland during his first term. But since winning reelection he has repeatedly riffed on the strategic importance of Greenland for U.S. national security including, missile defense programs and keeping tabs on Russian and Chinese naval activity in the Arctic. Greenland is also rich in natural resources such as oil, gold and rare earths minerals. 'One way or the other':Five ways Trump's Greenland saga could play out Denmark and the semi-autonomous Faroe Islands will remain under U.S. European Command, according to Politico, effectively creating a symbolic and operational split between those territories. The Pentagon's move is sure to anger Denmark, which has repeatedly stressed that Greenland is not for sale and Trump's stated position does not amount to serious discussion. The Danish Embassy in Washington, D.C. did not return a request for comment. Nor did the Joint Arctic Command, Denmark's Greenland-based Arctic security mission that consists of units such as inspection ships, patrol vessels, aircraft, helicopters and the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol. 'Buy us!':Greenlanders shocked, intrigued, bewildered by Trump zeal for Arctic territory A U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson said there were no announcements to make and deferred all questions about the move to the White House, which declined comment. The Pentagon has 11combatant commands– four functional, such as U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Cyber Command, and seven based on geography. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Pentagon to change military oversight of Greenland: report

byMario Satorik
in
June 05, 2025

Pentagon to make change to military oversight of Greenland: report

Pentagon to make change to military oversight of Greenland: report ILULISSAT, Greenland − The Pentagon is planning to put its military overs...
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