In our final “First Call” before Memorial Day weekend, Taylor Swift figures out what made Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis a legend. Former Pirate Gerrit Cole makes his long-awaited return to Major League Baseball.
A former Steeler is heading to a new team. And there was controversy during Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s AHL playoff game Thursday night.
Welcome to the party
Steelers Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis has a late-arriving member to his fan club.
It’s Grammy Award-winning singer Taylor Swift.
According to the pop icon’s fiancé Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce, he recently showed her a video of Bettis running the ball, and her response was, “Why does he look like an offensive lineman running with the football?”
“Because he was ‘The Bus,’” Kelce replied.
“An offensive lineman who runs the football” is the perfect way to describe Jerome Bettis ????@reesespic.twitter.com/WZG1McTF0T
— New Heights (@newheightshow) May 20, 2026
It kinda makes you wonder which highlight tape Kelce showed Swift … and how the conversation came up in the first place, right?
Jerome Bettis was a running back who 100% looked like a Offensive Lineman pic.twitter.com/Yi7QpgiGp3
— Dominic Cuomo (@cuomodominic117) May 20, 2026
Kelce told the story on his latest “NewHeights” podcast with his brother, Jason. The two Super Bowl champs were reminiscing about how much they enjoyed watching Bettis play for the Steelers when they were kids.
The‘MilkMan’inMinnesota
Isaiahh Loudermilk has a new place to play football.
The former Steelers defensive lineman is joining the Minnesota Vikings. The franchise made the announcement Thursday morning.
The #Vikings have signed DL Isaiahh Loudermilk (@iloudermilk111). pic.twitter.com/PP9Z4RPxvp
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) May 21, 2026
Loudermilk spent his first five seasons in Pittsburgh. He played in 60 games, posting 63 tackles and a sack. The 28-year-old only played in two games last year before being lost to a high ankle sprain.
On March 31, Loudermilk met with the Detroit Lions. Now he is signing with a division rival in the NFC North.
The Steelers selected the 28-year-old in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft (No. 156 overall). General Manager Kevin Colbert traded up to nab Loudermilk.
Afterthe2024season,the Wisconsin productre-signedwiththeSteelersonaone-yeardealwhenhisentry-levelcontractexpired.
Seenthelightsgo‘up’onBroadway
GerritColeissettomakehis2026debutfortheNewYorkYankeesonFriday.TheformerPiratewillfacetheTampaBayRaysinabattleforfirstplaceintheAmericanLeagueEast.
Tampacomesin33-15.That’sthebestrecordinMajorLeagueBaseball.TheYankees(30-21)areinsecondplaceinthedivision,4½gamesback.TheRayshavewonfourinarowandeightof10games.
And that's that on that pic.twitter.com/Pq5qprlnaT
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 20, 2026
ColewillfaceNickMartinez.Heis4-1witha1.51ERA.
The 2023 Cy Young award winner will be on a big-league mound for the first time in almost 19 months.
Asix-timeAll-Star,Colehasn’tpitchedinthemajorssinceOctober2024afterundergoingTommyJohnsurgery.ThatwasGame5oftheWorldSeriesversustheLosAngelesDodgers.
More sports
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• Steelers brush off concerns about Aaron Rodgers’ age: ‘He can throw it with anybody’
Could’vebeendifferent
TherewascontroversyinThursdaynight’sCalderCupplayofflossfortheWilkes-Barre/ScrantonPenguins.
Sixminutesintothegame,PenguinsdefensemanHarrisonBrunickehadagoaloverturnedbecauseitwasruledthatGabeKlasseninterferedwithSpringfieldgoalieGeorgiiRomanov.
Complete & utter nonsense from AHL officiating yet again in these 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Thunderbirds goalie Georgii Romanov sweeps the leg of Gabe Klassen atop the crease & they call off the goal due to goaltender interference.
Maybe @DarrenDreger can ask the AHL about it. pic.twitter.com/zQ7fdN5aPM
— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) May 21, 2026
“Theguysarefrustratedbasedonhowitwasn’tallowed.Therefscametotheirdecision,andwemovedforward,”Penguins coach KirkMacDonaldtoldInsideAHLHockey.“Afterthat,weneverreallyrecovered.Itwasprobablytheworstgamewe’veplayedsinceJanuary.Wewerebad.There’snootherwaytoputit.”
Thegameremainedscorelesswellintothesecondperiod.Eventually,theThunderbirdsscoredtwice,andRomanovwouldn’tallowanotherpuckintothenight.Springfieldwentontowinthegame2-0andtiethebest-of-fiveseriesattwogamesapiece.
Springfield scores on the power play, and for the first time this series the Thunderbirds have a lead.
Dillon Dube able to keep a puck inside the zone, and he scores his 5th of the postseason.@InsideAHLHockeypic.twitter.com/74sHy2FNNk
— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) May 22, 2026
Rebound pops up & over Sergei Murashov and goes into the back of the net. 2-0 Springfield with 13:12 left in 3rd.
At this point, Springfield is becoming a team of destiny. Seems they can do no wrong. @InsideAHLHockeypic.twitter.com/DzhNzwO0vO
— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) May 22, 2026
PensgoalieSergeiMurashovmade30savesintheloss.ThedecisiveGame5isscheduledforSaturday,6:05p.m.atWilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Listen:Wilkes-Barre/ScrantonPxPmanNickHartjoinedTimBenzon105.9TheXtotalkabouttheAHLplayoffs