Former Steeler Wolfley, 66, dies

PITTSBURGH — Craig Wolfley, a former NFL offensive lineman who spent most of his 12-year career playing for Chuck Noll in Pittsburgh and later became a fixture on the Steelers radio broadcast team, has died. He was 66.

WDVE-FM in Pittsburgh, where Wolfley worked in various roles during Steeler broadcasts, including most recently as a color commentator, confirmed Wolfley’s death. Wolfley had recently been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.

The Steelers selected Wolfley in the fifth round of the 1980 draft following a standout career at Syracuse. He was a fixture at left guard and then left tackle during his decade in Pittsburgh, making 104 starts across 10 seasons. Wolfley played two more years in Minnesota in 1990 and 1991 before retiring.

Steelers president Art Rooney II praised Wolfley’s “work ethic and commitment to excellence” during his career and praised him for his commentary on the team’s radio network.

“His passionate voice and deep understanding of the game made him a trusted figure for Steelers fans,” Rooney said in a statement. “And his humor, warmth, and enthusiasm left a lasting impact on our community.”

Wolfley and good friend and former teammate Tunch Ilkin paired up for the popular “In the Locker Room with Tunch and Wolf” show and the easy rapport between the two was a fixture of most Steeler game broadcasts during their time together. Ilkin died of ALS in 2021.

Known almost universally as “Wolf,” Wolfley moved from the sideline to the booth full-time when he replaced Ilkin as the color analyst on the Steelers Radio Network.

Wolfley’s deep laugh and kind demeanor — he’d often respond “better than I deserve” whenever he was asked how he was doing by a listener — belied his physical playing style and his uncommon strength. He placed fifth in the World’s Strongest Man competition in 1981 and later owned a boxing club in the Pittsburgh suburbs.

Wolfley is survived by his wife Faith, his brother Ron, a former NFL running back, and six children.

Yankees’ Cole to have Tommy John

TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will have season-ending Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on Tuesday.

The Yankees said the 34-year-old right-hander was examined Monday by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. ElAttrache, the Dodgers’ head team physician, will operate.

Cole experienced discomfort following his second spring training outing Thursday.

New York also is missing another starting pitcher, AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, who will be sidelined for at least three months because of a strained lat muscle. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is sidelined indefinitely because of tendon pain in both elbows, and infielder DJ LeMahieu is out with a calf strain.

A six-time All-Star, Cole threw a perfect first inning Thursday and reached 97.6 mph in the second, when he allowed Matt Wallner’s three-run homer on a fastball in the middle of the strike zone. He also surrendered Brooks Lee’s solo homer in the third on a 94 mph fastball with a 3-0 count.

Cole signed a $324 million, nine-year contract before the 2020 season.

After winning the 2023 AL Cy Young Award, the six-time All-Star didn’t make his first start last year until June 19 because of nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow. He went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts, and then was 1-0 with a 2.17 ERA in five postseason starts.

Cole is 153-80 with a 3.18 ERA in 12 seasons for Pittsburgh (2013-17), Houston (2018-19) and the Yankees (2020-24).

NHL suspends Ekblad for 20 games

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad was suspended 20 games without pay Monday for violating the NHL and NHL Players’ Association’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, taking him off the ice for the defending Stanley Cup champions’ stretch run and start of the playoffs.

Ekblad in a statement through the NHLPA said the news that he had failed a random drug test shocked him, and he apologized for the error.

Ekblad, 29, missed eight of nine games during a stretch in January because of an undisclosed upper-body injury. The Panthers have 18 games left in the regular season, so Ekblad would then miss the first two games of the first round before being eligible to return.

The No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, Ekblad has played his entire career with Florida, including a prominent role in the first Cup run in franchise history. He had 33 points in 56 games this season before getting suspended.

Prior to the trade deadline, the Panthers acquired another right-shooting defenseman, Seth Jones, though it was unclear when the team learned of Ekblad’s positive test result and ensuing punishment.

Ekblad is the first NHL player to be suspended for violating the league’s PED policy since Nate Schmidt in 2018, when he was unable to play in exhibition games and then missed the first 20 of the regular season. Schmidt was with Vegas at the time, coming off helping the Golden Knights reach the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season, and is now teammates with Ekblad on the Panthers.

Ekblad’s suspension comes with a mandatory referral for evaluation and possible treatment under a league and players union program for substance abuse and behavioral health.

LeBron’s groin injury still being evaluated

NEW YORK — LeBron James is still being evaluated to determine the severity of his groin injury, Lakers coach JJ Redick said Monday.

James strained his left groin in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 111-101 loss at Boston on Saturday. The Lakers have not said how long they expect him to be sidelined.

James said afterward he was not too concerned it would be a long absence, believing it is not as serious as the groin injury he sustained during a Christmas game in 2018 that forced him to miss the next 17 games.

Luka Doncic started against the Nets despite back soreness, but the Lakers, who had won eight straight before Saturday, were also without center Jaxson Hayes (right knee contusion) and forwards Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle soreness) and Rui Hachimura (left patellar tendinopathy).

Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, Alex Len and Dalton Knecht were the other starters in Brooklyn. It was the first time this season the Lakers used that lineup.

Redick said Doncic shouldn’t feel pressure to do more in James’ absence.