Year in Review: Pandemic-altered 2020 Pittsburgh sports seasons won't soon be forgotten

When historians proclaim 2020 as a sports year unlike any other, no hyperbole will be attached to such sentiment.

The coronavirus pandemic that affected so many lives across the world also drastically altered the sports landscape, causing major events to be canceled or postponed and impacting athletes from the professional stars to college amateurs to high school hopefuls.

The Olympics were pushed back until 2021. The Masters was held in November. March Madness was canceled altogether.

The annual NCAA basketball tournament was the first big event shut down by the sudden outbreak of covid-19 in the United States.

With major colleges conducting their conference tournaments and two days after Robert Morris won the Northeast Conference title, earning a chance to join the field of 68 teams, the NCAA canceled the men’s and women’s tournaments.

The NBA was the first of the big four sports leagues to pause its season. On March 11, when Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for covid-19, the NBA suspended play. The NHL followed suit, with neither league returning to play until the summer. The NBA returned July 30 with 22 teams competing for 16 playoff spots while inside a “bubble” in Orlando, Fla. Two days later, the NHL opened its expanded 24-team playoff format inside bubbles at Edmonton and Toronto.

The Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup title Sept. 30, and the Los Angeles Lakers were crowned NBA champions Oct. 20.

The pandemic hit Major League Baseball in the middle of its spring training. The league initially delayed the start of the regular season by two weeks, but play didn’t begin until much later and after tense negotiations between MLB and its players association over the number of games in the revamped schedule.

Commissioner Rob Manfred imposed a 60-game season for each team that began July 23. The Toronto Blue Jays, denied permission by the Canadian government to play at Rogers Center, played their home games in Buffalo.

MLB expanded its playoff format to a 16-team tournament that began Sept. 29. The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays four weeks later for their first World Series title since 1988.

The NFL was the lone top pro sports league to start its season on time, although it had its challenges getting to the starting line. The NFL Draft and spring workouts were conducted virtually. The preseason was eliminated, and teams opened training camp in closed quarters at team facilities. For the Steelers, that meant holding training camp at Heinz Field and not Saint Vincent, the first time since 1966 the franchise didn’t head to the Unity Township campus for summer workouts.

Although the NFL was beset by outbreaks in Tennessee and Baltimore and the schedule was altered multiple times, no regular-season games were canceled because of the pandemic, and the playoffs are scheduled to begin in January.

Here’s a look at the top stories of 2020 for the pro and college teams in the Pittsburgh region:

Steelers back to winning form

After a two-year absence from the playoffs, the Steelers entered the season counting on 38-year-old Ben Roethlisberger and his surgically repaired right elbow to get them back on track.

Roethlisberger, who missed all but two games in 2019, held up his end of the bargain for much of the season as the Steelers got off a franchise-best 11-0 start. Roethlisberger merited MVP consideration until December when the offense became predictable, and he seemed unable to complete medium or long passes.

The Steelers lost three in a row and were heading toward a fourth when they rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat the Indianapolis Colts and capture their first AFC North title since 2017. The division championship ensured the Steelers of a least one home playoff game in January.

Along the journey, the Steelers navigated changes to the schedule because of covid-19 outbreaks in Tennessee and Baltimore. Their bye week was moved up to Week 4 to accommodate the Tennessee outbreak, and their game against the Ravens was postponed three times.

The season also included several notable injuries and contributions from members of the rookie draft class. Linebackers Devin Bush and Bud Dupree and tackle Zach Banner were among the starters lost to season-ending knee injuries. A handful of others joined them on injured reserve. Second-round pick Chase Claypool became one of the team’s top receivers, and the Steelers had third-rounder Alex Highsmith and fourth-rounder Kevin Dotson assume starting roles by the end of the year.

The defense, which again led the NFL in turnovers and surpassed 50 sacks for the fourth year in a row, was led by T.J. Watt, who mounted a serious candidacy to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Bubble hockey goes bad

The Penguins appeared to right their ship in 2020.

Having loaded up on players who could help them at the trade deadline, the Penguins seemed poised to claim one of the top spots in the Eastern Conference heading into the playoffs.

Then, in mid-March, the NHL’s season was put on pause because of the coronavirus pandemic and brought the Penguins’ aspirations to an immediate halt.

When the league resumed on-ice play with a postseason tournament in August, the Penguins drew a supposedly easy matchup against a Montreal Canadiens team that was all but eliminated from playoff contention in the pre-covid world.

But nothing was easy in 2020. And the Canadiens proved that by eliminating the Penguins in four games.

In the aftermath of that embarrassing defeat, general manager Jim Rutherford promised change. And he made good on that vow.

During the ensuing weeks and months, players, coaches and an assistant general manager who had helped the franchise win the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017 were jettisoned.

The Penguins that will open training camp on the first Sunday of 2021 will have a different look than the squad that stumbled in 2020.

Bucs slide into last place amidst rebuild

The Pirates started 2020 by trading Starling Marte to Arizona in January and ended it by dealing Josh Bell to Washington on Christmas Eve, beginning the rebuild by tearing down the worst team in baseball.

In between bookend trades of their only All-Stars, the Pirates compiled the worst record (19-41) in MLB and fifth-worst winning percentage in franchise history (.317), were no-hit by Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox, went 3-17 in interleague play and lost 15 games by one run.

It was an ignominious inaugural campaign for new general manager Ben Cherington and manager Derek Shelton, tasked with turning around a franchise that has had only seven winning seasons since 1990. Their Pirates debuts came in a season shortened by the coronavirus pandemic, one where games were played in an otherwise empty PNC Park.

Covid also impacted outfielder Gregory Polanco, who tested positive during the team’s summer camp and missed the opening weekend of the season. He slashed .153/.214/.325 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs in 50 games, leading the team with 65 strikeouts. He also fractured his right wrist last week while playing winter ball for Leones del Escogido in his native Dominican Republic.

But the season had its moments, from a 5-1 victory at St. Louis on July 26 for Shelton’s first MLB managerial win to the major league debut of top prospect Ke’Bryan Hayes in September to lefty Steven Brault’s complete game victory over the Cardinals on Sept. 17 to catcher Jacob Stallings hitting a walk-off homer to beat the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 22.

Stallings, voted the team MVP, joined second baseman Adam Frazier as Gold Glove finalists. But Hayes was the highlight, as the third baseman slashed .376/.442/.682 with seven doubles, two triples, five home runs and 11 RBIs in 24 games to win NL rookie of the month honors.

If there is a silver lining to the dreadful season, it’s that the Pirates earned the No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft in July.

Pitt misses top-tier talent

The story of Pitt’s football season might have been written before any games were played.

On the second day of training camp, preseason All-American defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman decided not to play, saving himself for the NFL by avoiding the risk of injury and covid-19.

No one blamed Twyman for making a personal choice aimed at protecting his draft status, his first contract and, ultimately, helping his family.

But Twyman’s opt-out, All-ACC safety Paris Ford leaving the team for the same reason after the seventh game and the team’s decision to reject bowl invitations were atop the list of this disappointing season’s most significant developments.

Of the 21 seasons this century, Pitt lost five or more games in 17 of them, including 2020’s unremarkable 6-5.

Panthers basketball struggles

Pitt ended its 2019-20 basketball season on a sour note, with coach Jeff Capel questioning his team’s effort and energy level after the last home game, a 72-49 loss to Syracuse on Feb. 26.

From that point, the Panthers’ second season under Capel continued to unravel with losses in three of the final four games and an overall 16-17 record. It was Pitt’s fourth consecutive losing season since former coach Jamie Dixon left in 2016.

The new season started late because of covid-19 but with real hope when Pitt won five of its first six after an embarrassing 80-70 loss to St. Francis (Pa.) on opening night.

Sophomore Justin Champagnie recorded back-to-back 20/20 scoring and rebounding efforts in victories against Northwestern and Gardner-Webb and looked like the next new star in the ACC.

Then, misfortune struck.

Champagnie injured a knee in practice Dec. 20 and was told to prepare to miss the next six to eight weeks.

The year ended with a loss to Louisville, the postponement of the Duke game Dec. 29 because of covid complications and hope that Pitt’s luck will change in 2021.

Slow start dooms Penn State

Big Ten officials decided in August to cancel the 2020 football season, then changed their mind in September.

When play began, Penn State struggled. Without star junior linebacker Micah Parsons, who opted out of the season to prepare for the NFL Draft, the Nittany Lions started 0-5 for the first time in program history. In addition, running back Journey Brown was forced to retire from football after being diagnosed with a heart condition.

Penn State rebounded to win its final four games to finish 4-5 but decided against playing in a bowl game.

Nittany Lions change coaches

Days before the start of college basketball season, Penn State announced men’s basketball coach Pat Chambers resigned Oct. 21 after an internal investigation into allegations he made racist comments to a former player. Former Duquesne coach Jim Ferry was named the team’s interim head coach.

RMU claims conference title

Robert Morris’ euphoria over earning its ninth NCAA Tournament berth in men’s basketball didn’t last long.

Two days after the Colonials won the Northeast Conference Tournament with a 77-67 victory against St. Francis (Pa.), the NCAA canceled the tournament in the face of the spreading coronavirus. It would have been the Colonials’ first NCAA appearance since 2015.

Still, it was an exciting night at Robert Morris’ sold-out UPMC Events Center. Sophomore Dante Treacy scored 18 points and handed out five assists in the victory that was never in doubt.

It was Robert Morris’ last game in the NEC. The Colonials joined the Horizon League in June.

Duquesne always on the road

The year 2020 has not been kind to Duquesne basketball, even though the Dukes finished the 2019-20 season with a 21-9 record and the most victories in 11 years — without a gym to call its own.

Three times this year, Duquesne was at a venue or getting ready to travel when the game was canceled or postponed.

It happened in Brooklyn in March when the Atlantic 10 Tournament was canceled in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Covid-19 continued to be an irritant for the Dukes at the outset of the 2020-21 season when several players and staff contracted the virus in December.

Two scheduled games in Indianapolis were canceled while the team was on the bus, waiting to hit the road. Then, on the penultimate day of the year (Dec. 30), Duquesne’s Atlantic 10 opener at Saint Louis was postponed nine hours before game time after the Dukes already had arrived in town.

Yet, there is hope for the Dukes in their fourth season under coach Keith Dambrot. Sometime in 2021, school officials plan to open the Dukes’ new home, the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

Hounds again find success

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds reached the USL Championship playoffs this season, but for the second straight year fell to Louisville City FC in the first round. The Hounds finished the pandemic-delayed season 11-5-1.

Staff writers Jerry DiPaola, Kevin Gorman and Seth Rorabaugh contributed to this report.