Our Moment – World Cup documentary on our Austria U17 heroes
The Qatar Dream made in Salzburg
Whether it's the incredible free-kick against Italy, the big 4-0 win against football powerhouse England, or the thrilling final in a setting worthy of the fairytale run of our Austria U17 team – no matter which World Cup moment sticks in your memory the most, this documentary, filmed by the Sky Sport Austria TV team at the Red Bull Football Academy, brings them all back! Check out the lowdown on our young heroes' historic achievement, narrated in just under 30 minutes by Johannes Moser – one of nine Salzburg talents who played a leading role in the team's run to the final – and his team-mates, by clicking the link below.
Everything that could have gone right on Sunday for Chicago did, in fact, go right for Chicago. Throughout a 31-3 drumming of the Cleveland, their offense looked like a well-oiled machine, and their defense put a rookie QB in a "rookie's place".
The game was riddled with highlight-level plays for the Bears. D'Andre Swift busted out one of his best runs of the year, breaking multiple tackles on his way to his second score of the day.
Of all these highlights, the play of the day was without question one of Caleb Williams' signature acrobatic throws. If you take a closer look at it, it actually looks identical to one of the most famous and electric plays in the history of the NFL.
Caleb Williams and DJ Moore pulled off 'The Catch' 2.0
In the 3rd quarter of the game with 8:39 left, Caleb Williams decided to put the nail in the coffin of this game.
Williams rolled out to his right, further and further, until it seemed as if he had no more than inches between him and the sideline. That's when he makes magic happen.
He throws the ball high to the back of the endzone with Browns defenders barrelling down on him, and out of nowhere comes DJ Moore to jump up and snag his ball out of the crowd. It was just as impressive a catch as it was a throw.
It might be the best highlight of Caleb's career to this point. Once a secondary camera angle came out, fans realized something. They had seen this before somewhere. It was the famous 49ers play from 1982 labeled 'The Catch'.
It was the NFC Championship game in 1982, and to win the game, Joe Montana similarly rolled out to his right, threw it just before hitting the sideline, and found his WR, Dwight Clark, in the back of the endzone. Watch the tweet above for yourself to see the similarity.
When asked about the throw after the game and how it could've possibly been reckless, Caleb Williams confidently said, "I can make any throw."
After watching this play and countless others, I sure believe him.
Louisville Cardinals (9-1) at Tennessee Volunteers (7-3)
Game Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center: Knoxville, Tenn.
Television: ESPN
Announcers: Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analysis)
Favorite: Tennessee by 2.5
Series: Louisville leads, 12-9
Last Meeting: Tennessee won 77-55 on Nov. 9, 2024 in Louisville
Series History:
Projected Starting Lineups:
Louisville
G Mikel Brown Jr. (6-5, 190, Fr.)
G Isaac McKneely (6-4, 195, Sr.)
G Ryan Conwell (6-4, 215, Sr.)
F J’Vonne Hadley (6-7, 210, Sr.)
C Sananda Fru (6-11, 245, Jr.)
Tennessee
G Ja’Kobi Gillespie (6-1, 188, Sr.)
G Bishop Boswell (6-4, 204, So.)
F DeWayne Brown (6-8, 251, Fr.)
F Nate Ament (6-10, 207, Fr.)
F Felix Okpara (6-11, 243, Sr.)
Statistics:
Relevant Videos:
#Louisville Head Coach Pat Kelsey speaks about the 77-55 home loss to #Tennessee earlier this season and how it helped him grow as a coach. I really enjoyed this answer pic.twitter.com/9nMBCNqewl
While still existing as one of the front-runners for the title of “best college basketball program to have never appeared in a Final Four,” Tennessee has established itself as one of the most consistently stellar programs in the country under head coach Rick Barnes. The Volunteers have been at least a 5-seed in every NCAA tournament since 2018, and have advanced to the tournament’s second weekend four times over that span.
While a reputation for March struggles has followed him as much as the program he now guides, only three active coaches in Division-I have more career wins attached to their name than Barnes. The former Clemson and Texas head coach resurrected a Tennessee program that had won just one SEC tournament since 1979 and just one regular-season title since 2008 when he arrived in 2015.
The not-so-secret success to Tennessee’s success under Barnes has been a prowess on the defensive end that has been unmatched in college hoops. Since 2021, the Volunteers have ranked fifth, third, first, third and third in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency. Three seasons ago, UT limited opponents to just 87.5 points per 100 possessions, the second-best mark of any team since the turn of the century.
Louisville felt firsthand the power of the Volunteers’ connected physicality 13 months ago. In the first spotlight game of the Pat Kelsey era, UT suffocated U of L on its way to a 77-55 blowout victory that Kelsey has repeatedly referred to as his first “eye opening moment” on the job.
Revenge will be difficult to come by for the Cardinals against a Tennessee team that has had 10 days to prepare for them, will be playing its first home game since Nov. 20, and is desperate to snap a three-game losing streak that has dropped it to No. 20 in the national rankings.
Gone from last season’s Elite Eight team is the bulk of the squad’s scoring. Star point guard Zakai Ziegler has finally graduated, super scorer Chaz Lanier is now a Detroit Piston, and third and fourth leading scorers Jordan Gainey and Igor Milicic have aged out of college hoops as well.
Barnes’ primary offseason goal was to find a lead guard to steer the ship in 2025-26. He got his man in Ja’Kobi Gillespie (17.3 ppg), a star at Belmont before transferring to Maryland where he led the Terps in scoring last season.
When Tennessee has been at its best this season, Gillespie has also been at his. He dropped 32 points in a Players Era Festival win over Rutgers, and then the next day led the team to an upset win over Houston by scoring 22 points and committing zero turnovers against the vaunted Cougar pressure defense.
Since then, however, Gillespie has had some struggles. He went just 5-of-19 from the field and 1-for-10 from three in the team’s loss to Kansas, scored just 10 points the next week against Syracuse, and then shot an atrocious 6-for-20 in UT’s lopsided loss to Illinois. Barnes said earlier this week that he and Gillespie had a heart-to-heart during the break about the need for the 6’1 Tennessee native to play more “like a true point guard” (a tough ask for the best pure scorer on the team). We’ll see if he displays a different mindset Tuesday night.
The team’s second-leading scorer is freshman star Nate Ament (16.3 ppg), a name Louisville fans should be extremely familiar with given how involved the program was during the 6’10 forward’s recruitment. When you think Tennessee basketball, you think big, bruising, defensive-minded forwards. That’s not at all who Ament is, which is what makes this fit so interesting.
Ament is a slender 207-pounds, and is definitely more comfortable playing “pretty” basketball than he is partaking in a classic Tennessee rock fight. His talent is undeniable, but he has had a bit of an uneven start to his freshman campaign, and there’s a pretty clear dividing line when it comes to his production.
In six games against teams ranked outside KenPom’s top 100, Ament is averaging 19 points, nearly eight rebounds and shooting 45% from the field. In four games vs. top-100 competition, however, Ament is shooting just 26% from the field and averaging 12 points per contest. Tennessee is just 1–3 in those games. Ament is a better three-point shooter than his 28.9 shooting percent would indicate, but the more concerning thing for Barnes has to be that Ament has converted on just 22 of 46 attempts at the rim so far this season.
Like I said, the kid is an undeniable talent who will be a top 10 pick in next summer’s NBA Draft. He’ll really get it going against quality competition at some point this season. Louisville just can’t let that point be Tuesday night.
UT’s only other double figure scorer is reserve 6’11 sophomore J.P. Estrella (11.0 ppg), who is coming off of a foot injury that ended his 2024-25 season immediately after the Louisville game. Estrella is the backup to starting center Felix Okpara (7.7 ppg/5.7 rpg). Both are extremely large, physical presences, but Okpara is the much better defender (1.7 blocks per game), while Estrella is slightly more skilled on offense. Both are exactly what you think of when you think “Tennessee bigs.”
With veteran forward Cade Phillips now done for the season because of a shoulder injury, Barnes has said he will give freshman Dewayne Brown II his first career start. Brown is 6’8, 251-pounds and also plays with the level of physicality you’re used to seeing from the Tennessee frontcourt. He isn’t extremely skilled, but he is all energy all the time and will force Louisville’s forwards to match that.
Jaylen Carey is an exceptionally skilled transfer from Vanderbilt who Barnes seems to be trusting more as the season goes along. He almost single-handedly kept the Vols from being upset by Syracuse, but struggled against Illinois four days later. Both he and sophomore guard Bishop Boswell are kind of x-factors for this team. Boswell is a capable outside shooter that Louisville can’t afford to lose on the perimeter.
Of primary concern for U of L in this game is the fact that Tennessee is the No. 1 offensive rebounding team in the country. The Volunteers are coming down with a whopping 45.3 percent of their own missed shots. For all the things Louisville did well against Memphis State, the Cards still surrendered too many second chance opportunities, something that also killed them in their loss to Arkansas.
Defensively, you know what Tennessee is going to do. Effectively attacking it is easier said than done. While the Vols haven’t quite as suffocating as usual so far this season, they still rank 13th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency and they still, without doubt, will be at least the second or third best defensive team the Cards will play this season.
In last year’s game, Tennessee was extremely successful at forcing Louisville to play at the face the Vols wanted. We’ll see how much Pat Kelsey implores Mikel Brown Jr. to keep that from being the case this g0-round. It’ll be a lot easier to do if the Cards are playing from ahead for most of the evening.
Notable:
—Louisville has won 12 of its last 15 games against Tennessee. The Volunteers won the first six meetings between the two programs, which were all played between 1913 and 1922.
—Tuesday night will be the first regular season game between these two programs where both teams will be nationally ranked.
—Louisville (third) and Tennessee (fifth) play in two of the five largest college basketball arenas in the country.
—Tennessee has won 41 consecutive non-conference home games, the second-longest streak in program history.
—Tennessee’s last home loss to a non-conference opponent was a 68-48 defeat at the hands of Wisconsin on Dec. 28, 2019.
—Louisville has a 267-85 record against non-conference opponents over the last 24 seasons (includes postseason).
—Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey is 0-1 in games against Tennessee.
—Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes is 2-0 in games against Louisville.
—Tennessee is looking to avoid its first four-game losing streak since the final four games of the 2015-16 regular season. That was Rick Barnes’ first year as the Volunteers’ head coach.
—Over its 86-week streak in the AP Poll, since the start of the 2021- 22 season, UT has played just 19 games as a lower-ranked team. It is 11-8 in those matchups.
—Tennessee is 126-102 all-time versus the ACC current membership, beating all but one of them (Notre Dame, 0-1) at least once.
—Rick Barnes is 85-78 against current ACC members. He is 15-6 at UT, including 8-2 over the past five seasons (2021-26).
—Louisville has hit the 100-point mark four times in a season for the first time since 1989-90.
—Louisville is 0-1 in true road games so far this season.
—The Cards are 1-1 in games against teams from the SEC.
—Louisville is 99-90 all-time against current members of the SEC.
—Louisville is 36-0 under head coach Pat Kelsey when leading with five minutes to play.
—Rick Barnes is 102-26 in his career and 42-9 at Tennessee when coaching a home game immediately following a loss.
—Louisville is 14-0 over the past 10 seasons when limiting opponents to no more than one three-point field goal.
—Louisville is 120-0 all-time when scoring 100 or more points in non-overtime games.
—Louisville has won 167 consecutive games when holding an opponent under 50 points.
Ken Pomeroy Prediction: Tennessee 80, Louisville 79
PITTSBURGH — What the Miami Dolphins face now that they’re eliminated from playoff contention isn’t, in their eyes, much different from what they faced when they were in contention.
“My expectation is that our locker room fights for this team,” coach Mike McDaniel said following the 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on “Monday Night Football,” dropping Miami to 6-8 and taking it out of the hunt. “That’s what they have been doing. I think it’s important that we weren’t chasing anything but putting forth football that we’re proud of. … We’re going to have to do that, as challenging as it may be. We have three opportunities with this team. I think really the character of the locker room has been tested all year. My expectation is that we’re going to bounce back regardless of how much it hurts.”
What awaits is a home game against another team out of contention (Cincinnati), followed by two games against teams still alive (home vs. Tampa Bay, at New England). Then, if recent form holds true, approximately half the men who call themselves Miami Dolphins today won’t be able to say that the next time this team suits up for a game that counts.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got to come around,” running back De’Von Achane said. “I mean, you put it in the battle tape. That can affect you in the future.”
Achane, a virtual lock to be named team MVP, has nothing to worry about with job security. But it should be one of many factors inspiring others to put forth an honest effort. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said he appealed to teammates’ most basic desires when addressing them postgame.
“You’ve got to take yourself back to whenever it was, that 12-year-old kid, take yourself back to that and tell yourself, ‘Dude, what if you were playing in the NFL?’ You'd be excited. That would have been your dream. You get to live it. With that being said, you’ve also got to come out with a sense of urgency. Do you take pride in what you do when things are going good and when things are going bad? It falls into every facet of what you do in your life.”
Linebacker Bradley Chubb looked at it from the standpoint of what he needs to do these next three weeks and beyond.
“As a leader, you’ve got to stand at the forefront, be the light in the dark time,” he said. “But as an NFL player, we don’t do this for nothing. We’ve got families, we’ve got people we support, people that rely on us. And just finish strong for your last name, for the guys next to you. That’s what it’s all about.”
Several players said the way the team responded after 1-6 and 2-7 starts — getting within one game of reaching .500 — should help them these final three weeks.
“I love the fact that we stick together no matter what,” safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said. “We started this season 1-6 and people wrote us off then. We fought back.”
Although Fitzpatrick didn’t want to talk about it much entering the game, this game held special meaning for him as a former member of the Steelers.
“I played there for six seasons,” he said. “Spilled a lot of blood, sweat and tears into the organization. So obviously there’s emotions going through the mind.”
Center Aaron Brewer described the season as a “roller coaster” but said he’d be surprised if a deep drop awaits around the corner.
“We’ve got three games left and I expect everybody on the team to still show their heart and their pride that we presented the last four weeks,” he said. “And so we can still finish strong and just show what we can do for the season ahead.”
Defensive tackle Zach Sieler warned against players taking the approach they’re now “independent contractors,” saying they should continue playing for one another. He called this a learning year for many including draftees Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips, who played alongside him.
“Every snap, every whistle, they’ve been playing their hearts out,” Sieler said. “So it’s been really a cool experience from that sense. Obviously, there’s been some blows that we wish didn’t happen we need to clean up, but that’s part of it.”
Tom Brady has been through this. In his ninth NFL season, he tore his ACL while playing for the New England Patriots.
Patrick Mahomes is there now. He just tore his ACL on Sunday while playing in his ninth NFL season for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The GOAT joined the Let's Go podcast on Monday and shared some advice for Mahomes.
"You've just got to put as much diligence into the rehab process," Brady said. "I always feel like the faster you rehab, the faster you can get back to practicing the sport that you know you love. I think sometimes people will pace themselves. Instead of training mode, they're in rehab mode. I think you got to get through rehab mode as fast as possible, and then you get back to training mode.”
Brady is 48 now and can look back knowing that he won four Super Bowl rings after his knee injury.
Mahomes, like Brady, has three rings at the time of the injury.
Brady wants Mahomes to remember "other people have gone through it."
And it's something that requires the same commitment as playing, Brady added.
"It's the same commitment that the great professional athletes make to be great at their profession,” Brady said. “When you go through the rehab process, you need that same level of focus and determination. It's a tough rehab. It's one of the toughest rehabs."
City of Vancouver, Whitecaps enter exclusive talks on new stadium at Hastings Park
The City of Vancouver and Vancouver Whitecaps FC have signed a memorandum of understanding that opens an exclusive negotiation period through the end of 2026 to explore the development of a new stadium and entertainment district at Hastings Park.
The agreement marks a major step toward the potential creation of a world-class sports and cultural destination in Vancouver, following a historic season in which the Whitecaps reached the MLS Cup final for the first time in club history.
Under the MOU, the city and the club will work together until Dec. 31, 2026, to negotiate the terms of a possible ground lease, including stadium design, financial structure and community benefits tied to the proposed development.
Economic and community impact
Mayor Ken Sim said the agreement reflects a shared commitment to advancing a long-term vision for professional soccer in Vancouver.
“After an incredible year for the Whitecaps, it’s clear how much this team means to our city,” Sim said. “This MOU shows a firm commitment by both the city and the club to move forward. The partnership has the potential to create jobs, boost the local economy and transform Hastings Park into a vibrant hub for sports, concerts and community events.”
Long-term stability for Whitecaps
Whitecaps FC CEO Axel Schuster said the negotiations represent a critical step toward securing a permanent home for the club in Major League Soccer.
“We’re grateful for the city’s partnership and look forward to determining whether Hastings Park can become the future home of our club,” Schuster said. “There is still a lot of work ahead, but this is a positive step toward long-term stability in MLS.”
Site details and approvals
The proposed lease area is located within the current Hastings Racecourse footprint, including space previously used for racecourse and casino operations. The City of Vancouver will retain ownership of the land.
Both parties also acknowledged the Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s agreement to purchase the casino business currently operating on the site.
Any future development will be subject to regulatory approvals, including zoning and development applications, as well as public consultation processes. The city and the Whitecaps said they are committed to transparency and community engagement throughout the planning stages.
What comes next
Next steps include preliminary planning and design work for the site, along with intensified negotiations on a potential ground lease. The outcome of those talks will determine whether Hastings Park becomes the next home of the Vancouver Whitecaps and a cornerstone of Vancouver’s sports and entertainment landscape.
The Cincinnati Bengals have been eliminated from the playoffs for the third consecutive year. That is inexcusable for a team that has Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the same roster, and any other franchise under the same condition, would clean house from top to bottom and rebuild.
The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t any other franchise, though.
The Bengals, who are 4-10 heading into Week 16, are coming off two back-to-back seasons that might go down as the most disappointing in franchise history, based on expectations versus outcome. Despite that, according to The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr., they won’t move on from anyone, especially de facto GM Duke Tobin.
“Internally, however, it’s just not happened,” he wrote on Tobin’s possible firing. “Tobin is viewed as family in nearly the same regard as the actual Browns and Blackburns. There is zero thought that his job is in jeopardy. He will have to lead the Bengals out of this drought, and ownership trusts him to do so.”
Tobin, the son of long-time NFL executive Bill Tobin, has been with the Bengals since 1999. His title is Director of Player Personnel, but the reality is he’s the only person who seems to speak for ownership that isn’t a blood family member. So think of him as a made man.
USC Trojans wide receiver, Makai Lemon (6) gets up and celebrates after making a down field catch during an NCAAF football game against the Oregon Ducks on November 22, 2025 in Eugene, OR.
LOS ANGELES -- USC wide receiver Makai Lemon has been named the 2025 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year. This award is presented annually to the most outstanding Polynesian college football player who epitomizes great ability and integrity.
In 2022, former Trojan defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu was named the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, and former USC safety Talanoa Hufanga earned this honor in 2020. Along with Lemon receiving this great achievement, Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano also received the recognition during the 2025 season.
Lemon, a First Team All-American and the winner of the 2025 Biletnikoff Award, has had a stellar 2025 campaign. Per PFF, Lemon is the highest graded wide receiver in college football, holding an overall grade of 90.4 and the nation's top receiving grade of 91.3.
He finished the regular season leading the Power Four in receiving yards (1,156) and receiving yards per game (96.3). He also led the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.6), yards after catch (502), and is tied for the most receiving touchdowns (11). Lemon finished the regular season third in the Power Four with 19 receptions of 20+ yards, and he was tied for first nationally with 50 catches for first downs.
He recorded five 100-yard receiving games this season and seven in his career. He has been in double digits in receptions 3 times in 2025. In his career, he's recorded 137 receptions for 2,008 yards (14.7 avg.) with 14 touchdowns, and he currently ranks 22nd on USC's career receptions list.
The Polynesian College Football Player of the Year was voted on by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee, comprised of Jack "The Throwin' Samoan" Thompson (Chairman, former NFL player and Inaugural Inductee), Coaches Ron McBride and Dick Vermeil, former NFL player and Inaugural Inductee Olin Kreutz, Inaugural Inductee and past NFLPA president Kevin Mawae, former NFL player and Class of 2015 Inductee Ray Schoenke, sportscaster Neil Everett, NFL Network Chief National Reporter Steve Wyche and former NFL Player and Class of 2023 Inductee Manti Te'o.
The formal presentation of the award will be held at the 2026 Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Celebration Dinner (Jan. 17, 2026), along with being recognized during the 2026 Polynesian Bowl (Jan. 16, 2026).
Wide receiver Allen Lazard is officially a former member of the Jets.
PFT reported on Tuesday that Lazard asked for his release and the Jets announced the move a couple of hours later. Lazard will be subject to waivers and will become a free agent if he is unclaimed.
The Jets signed Lazard to a four-year, $44 million contract before the 2023 season and hoped that he'd join former Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers in providing a spark to their offense. That did not work out as the team hoped. Rodgers tore his Achilles a few plays into the season and moved on after a losing season in 2024 while Lazard had 70 catches for 911 yards and eight touchdowns in 36 games for the team.
It remains to be seen if the Steelers will have interest in another reunion with Rodgers or if Lazard's next stop will see him catching passes from another quarterback.
The Jets also announced that they have signed linebacker Ochaun Mathis to the practice squad and released quarterback Adrian Martinez from that roster. Martinez backed up Brady Cook in Sunday's loss to the Jaguars and his departure could signal that Tyrod Taylor and/or Justin Fields will be healthy enough to suit up this week.
Former Nebraska football coach Scott Frost filed a lawsuit last week alleging the university breached his contract and improperly handled buyout payments tied to his 2022 firing, according to CBS Sports.
The complaint, filed in Lancaster County (Neb.) District Court, names the University of Nebraska and its Board of Regents and centers on Frost’s buyout, which totaled roughly $15 million and covered the remainder of his contract through 2026.
Frost is seeking a declaratory judgment clarifying the contract terms and at least $5 million in damages.
Nebraska fired Frost three games into the 2022 season. He finished 16-31 in four-plus seasons at his alma mater. His contract was set to run through Dec. 31, 2026, and included liquidated damages following termination.
According to the lawsuit, Nebraska informed Frost in December 2022 that it intended to include the present value of his 2025 and 2026 buyout payments on his 2022 W-2, creating about $1.7 million in income tax liability for money he had not yet received. Frost alleges the university later said those payments could be adjusted without explanation, a position he describes as inconsistent.
The filing also claims Frost did not receive the disputed W-2 until September 2023, leading to late tax filing penalties, legal costs and an IRS audit. Frost argues the contract did not require him to mitigate damages and that any offset provision expired at the end of 2024.
Frost later joined the Los Angeles Rams as a senior analyst and returned to UCF as head coach in 2025. A court date has not been set.
African football giants Egypt and Nigeria will undertake their final AFCON preparations with a friendly meeting in Cairo on Tuesday.
Egypt are the most successful team in Africa Cup of Nations history, with seven successes. However, the last of these triumphs was back in 2010, and Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah would dearly love to add a major international trophy to his glittering career haul.
Nigeria are still smarting from World Cup qualifying elimination and head coach Eric Chelle will need a strong showing in Morocco, if not victory outright, to hold onto his job.
The Sporting News will provide live score updates from Egypt vs. Nigeria and a match report at full-time.
Location: Cairo International Stadium (Cairo, Egypt) Referee: Mahmoud Nagi (EGY)
Confirmed lineups:
Egypt (4-1-3-2, right to left): El-Shenawy (GK) — Hany, Abdelmaguid, Ibrahim, Aboul-Fetouh— Attia — Ashour, Fathy, Saber — Mostafa, Zizo
Nigeria (4-3-3, right to left): Nwabali (GK) — Osayi-Samuel, Awaziem, Ogbu, Sanusi — Onyeka, Akinsanmiro, Onyedika —Dele-Bashiru, Onuachu, Ejuke
Egypt vs. Nigeria highlights from pre-AFCON friendly
The Sporting News will provide updates of goals and other major incidents once Egypt vs. Nigeria kicks off in Cairo.
Egypt vs. Nigeria kick off time
This international friendly match kicks off at Cairo International Stadium on December 16 at 8 p.m. local time in Cairo, Egypt. Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:
Date
Kickoff time
USA/Canada
Tue, Dec. 16
1 p.m. ET
USA/Canada
Tue, Dec. 16
10 a.m. PT
UK
Tue, Dec. 16
6 p.m. GMT
Australia
Wed, Dec. 17
5 a.m. AEDT
India
Tue, Dec. 16
11:30 p.m. IST
Egypt vs. Nigeria lineups, team news
Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush are unlikely to feature after the Liverpool and Manchester City forwards arrived from club duty as planned.
Trezeguet missed training on Monday after undergoing dental work, while Ibrahim Adel is still nursing an ankle sprain. Both are expected to be fine for the Pharaohs' tournament opener against Zimbabwe.
First-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was a doubt for Nigeria due to wrist and ankle soreness but was passed fit to start.
Frank Onyeka gets a start in midfield after struggling for game time at Brentford. Paul Onuachu starts up front, with Victor Osimhen one of the late arrivals in camp.
Tennessee (7-2) will next play Saturday against Louisville (10-3) in the Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Tipoff between the Lady Vols and Cardinals is scheduled for 11 a.m. EST and will be televised by Fox. Louisville leads the all-time women's basketball series versus Tennessee, 3-2, dating to Dec. 16, 2009.
Tennessee has recorded wins against East Tennessee State, UT Martin, Belmont, Middle Tennessee State, Coppin State, Stanford, and Winthrop, while losing to North Carolina State and UCLA during the regular season.
Oklahoma State 37; Texas Tech 23; West Virginia 16; Princeton 14; Duke 13; Oregon 5; South Dakota State 3
List of voters
The USA TODAY Sports Board of Coaches is made up of 31 head coaches at Division I institutions. All are members of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. The board for the 2025-26 season: Octavia Blue, Kennesaw State; Ashleen Bracey, Illinois-Chicago; Jen Brown, Queens; Dan Burt, Duquesne; Jeff Cammon, Saint Mary’s; Fred Chmiel, Bowling Green; Janell Crayton, Bethune-Cookman; Denise Dillon, Villanova; Carrie Eighmey, South Dakota; Dalila Eshe, Yale; Heather Ezell, Wyoming; Bill Fennelly, Iowa State; Aqua Franklin, Lamar; Ty Grace, Howard; Hana Haden, Georgia Southern; Corry Irvin, Chicago State; Renee Jimenez, UC-Santa Barbara; Chris Kielsmeier, Cleveland State; Mike Lane, NJIT; Amy Mallon, Drexel; Kristen Mattio, Northern Colorado; Mike McGuire, Radford; Kim McNeill, East Carolina; Dan Nielson, Utah Valley; Shawn Poppie, Clemson; Terry Primm, Siena; Samantha Quigley Smith, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville; Shea Ralph, Vanderbilt; Jonathan Tsipis, Western Carolina; Coquese Washington, Rutgers; Trevor Woodruff, Bucknell.
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The disruptive edge rusher originally signed with head coach Matt Campbell and Iowa State. Once Campbell left Ames for Happy Valley, that put the process in motion for the 6-foot-6, 210-pound Reeder to stay closer to home and follow.
Tabbed by the Rivals Industry as the nation’s No. 53 edge and No. 9 overall prospect in New Jersey, Reeder had a terrific senior season registering 50 tackles including 19 stops for loss and eight sacks. He also forced a fumble.
Reeder also had six rushing touchdowns and has the traits to ultimately become one of the Big Ten’s top pass rushers.
This past Friday, Dan Rafael reported that cruiserweight contender Robin Safar’s planned January 16th bout against Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez was off, with Ramirez potentially skipping the date entirely in favor of going right into his blockbuster showdown with David Benavidez on May 2nd.
“After my last fight, I came out with an injury on my knuckle in my right hand,” said Safar. “We’ve been talking about pushing the date to February on the undercard of the Ryan Garcia fight. It would be amazing if that can be. If I don’t get that fight, there are obviously a lot more opportunities that I could get. I want to fight for a title eliminator. I want to become a world champion. There are a lot of names out there that I want to fight so I’m taking it day by day.”
If Ryan Garcia’s title shot against Mario Barrios does indeed go down on February 21st, that would give Ramirez (48-1, 30 KO) just over two months to recuperate and prepare for “El Bandera Roja.” Doesn’t strike me as the wisest move; Safar (19-0, 13 KO) is competent enough to at least make Ramirez work for it and every minute in the ring is another minute where some freak injury could happen.
As the season progresses, it seems more and more likely that head coach Pete Carroll will be one-and-done with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Hired during the offseason, Carroll was expected to change the culture in Las Vegas and bring a winning mentality to the franchise, much like he did with the Seattle Seahawks.
Instead, the Raiders look even worse than they were last season and there is no end in sight to the ineptitude this franchise has experienced.
Despite trading for what was supposed to be an upgrade at quarterback in Geno Smith, the offense has been awful, and that has not changed since offensive coordinator Chip Kelly was fired.
The Raiders haven't been much better on defense, although at least that side of the ball has shown some semblance of a pulse.
As Carroll's seat continues to get hotter, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio is hearing from league sources that the team might already have an exit strategy with the embattled head coach.
Florio says the Raiders might be trying to set up a scenario where they don't have to fire Carroll and can get out of paying him the remainder of his contract.
"Current speculation, per a league source, centers on some sort of a negotiated resolution, pursuant to which Carroll ‘retires’ and gets a portion of what he’s owed," Florio wrote.
No matter what the Raiders say officially, if Carroll isn't back in 2026, we'll all know why. That would be a firing, plain and simple, as Carroll obviously never planned on only spending one season in Las Vegas.
Carroll was always the wrong man for this job, and that falls on the shoulders of minority owner Tom Brady and general manager John Spytek.
The issue is the Raiders should have blown it up and went into a full rebuild instead of hiring a 74-year-old head coach who would have no interest in doing that.
But once Carroll was hired, he did zero to elevate this team, which is where Brady's and Spytek's blame stops and Carroll's begins.
In fact, Carroll has actually set the team back because of his reluctance to give the Raiders' younger players more opportunities.
As a result of everything we've seen this season, there is zero justification for keeping Carroll as the head coach in 2026.
With a difficult remaining strength of schedule, Carolina also faces an intriguing subplot down the stretch, squaring off against two quarterbacks the franchise previously moved on from, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold.
A couple of familiar faces stand between the Panthers and their first playoff appearance since 2017 😳 pic.twitter.com/otWVUFCYoO
With personal vendettas at play, the Panthers need to shore up the inconsistencies on their team if they look to make their first postseason since 2017.
Carolina’s Playoff Path Complicated by Ex-Quarterbacks
The Carolina Panthers may be the most confusing team in the NFL.
After upsetting the NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams in Week 14, Carolina’s offensive inconsistencies resurfaced a week later. Quarterback Bryce Young threw for just 163 yards and one touchdown, underscoring the uneven play that has defined the Panthers’ season.
Now in his third year, Young has been a mixed bag. While flashes of growth are evident, questions remain about whether he can consistently lead Carolina back into playoff contention.
Bryce Young has a 95.5 passing grade on 20+ yard throws this season — 5th best in the NFL.
The growth he has shown since his rookie year is a sight to behold. He has been tossing dimes.pic.twitter.com/Y37UD2eE5A
The Panthers selected Young first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft in response to years of instability at quarterback, cycling through Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker during the 2022 season. What Carolina could not have anticipated was the late-career resurgence both Mayfield and Darnold would experience after leaving the organization.
After being waived by the Panthers, Mayfield signed with the Los Angeles Rams, filling in for an injured Matthew Stafford. In five games, he threw for four touchdowns and two interceptions, doing enough to earn a free-agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ahead of the 2023 season.
Mayfield seized that opportunity, leading Tampa Bay to two consecutive NFC South titles and a Wild Card playoff victory in 2023.
Sam Darnold also capitalized on his next chance as a starter, signing with the Minnesota Vikings ahead of the 2024 offseason. He led Minnesota to a 14-3 record, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The Vikings’ decision to hand the reins to second-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy instead of offering Darnold a long-term deal proved costly. Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks, demonstrating that his 2024 success was no one-year fluke.
This season, Darnold has firmly entered the MVP conversation, guiding Seattle to an 11-3 record so far while throwing for 3,433 yards and 22 touchdowns.
With both teams still in the playoff hunt and vying for NFC seeding, the Panthers will need to find a way to neutralize these high-powered offenses while improving complementary play on their own offensive side.
Jason Kelce is sharing his two cents when it comes to Travis Kelce’s future in professional football.
Jason — who announced his retirement from the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2024 — was asked during the December 15 broadcast of Monday Night Countdown if he had any “sense” of how the Kansas City Chiefs tight end will approach a decision about his career.
“In my opinion, to nail that decision, you gotta step away from the game for a little bit,” Jason, 38, said, adding that he’s just as “curious” as everyone else when it comes to what his brother will decide to do.
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Travis, 36, and his team were knocked out of the playoffs after the Chiefs lost to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, December 14. It marks the first time the former Super Bowl champs will not advance to the playoffs in 10 years.
However, the team still has three games left of the season: they play the Tennessee Titans on December 21, the Denver Broncos on Christmas Day and the Las Vegas Raiders on January 4.
“Play these last three games, enjoy them with your teammates, enjoy them with your coaches,” Jason advised. “The team is going to be different no matter [if you] come back or not next year, so enjoy these last three games, and then let it sink in.”
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA (2)
“It’ll come to you with time,” Jason added. “There are so many emotions with this game right after a season, especially with the way this one’s been.”
During the Chiefs’ most recent game, quarterback Patrick Mahomes sustained a season-ending ACL and LCL tear in his left knee.
“Right now, it’s just too fresh,” Jason pointed out. “You’ve gotta step away from it, you’ve gotta think about it, and then it’ll come to you.”
Travis has played for the Chiefs since 2013. Regardless of his career decision, the New Heights podcaster will soon enter into a new era: he and Taylor Swiftwere engaged earlier this year.
The Cincinnati Reds announced their 2026 Hall of Fame class on Tuesday, and it’s a doozy. Headlining it will be former manager Lou Piniella – he of the 1990 World Series Reds – as well as the likes of Brandon Phillips, Aaron Harang, and the perenially overlooked Reggie Sanders (who should have been in years ago).
Harang and BP were the players selected off the modern ballot, while both Lou and Reggie will go in via the veterans committee.
Harang emerged in the mid-aughts for a Reds franchise that had been the bane of pitching existence for a baseball generation at that point. Acquired from Oakland in the deal that sent Jose Guillen the other way, Harang put the pedal down in 2005 and kept it there for a three-year run that saw him post a trio of 200+ IP seasons and 15.7 total bWAR. In 2006 he became the first pitcher in National League history to lead the league in both wins and strikeouts and not win the Cy Young Award – and he didn’t even get a single vote! The next year he was arguably better (and more regarded) and finished 4th in NL CYA voting.
Phillips, of course, was plucked from Cleveland after flaming out as a top prospect and immediately became one of the most electric two-way players in the sport. Across 11 years with the Reds, he was valued at 28.6 bWAR and won four Gold Glove Awards, a Silver Slugger, made three All-Star teams, posted a 30/30 season, and even caught Jonathan Villar stealing with his buttcheeks.
Sweet Lou needs no introduction. The 1969 American League Rookie of the Year played 18 years in the game before embarking upon a managerial career that deserves recognition in Cooperstown. He ranks 17th overall with 1835 career victories, and the 1990 World Series he won with the Nasty Boys remains the highlight of his career overall.
Sanders was emblematic of the power/speed combo the Reds put together in their post-1990 run, and had the strike not sapped the 1994 season of its playoffs he may well have a World Series title to celebrate on his plaque, too. His 1995 season was positively epic (even though Barry Larkin actually winning the MVP that year has always overshadowed it), as he hit .306/.397/.579 (155 OPS+) with 28 homers, 36 steals, his lone All-Star appearance, and a 6th place finish in MVP voting. He posted 21.5 bWAR across his 8 seasons in Cincinnati before plying his trade across the NL for years later, and he remains one of just eight (8!) players ever in the 300 homers, 300 steals club.
Congrats to the newest members of the Reds Hall of Fame!
As of last week, and without even being on the Colts' 53-man roster, quarterback Philip Rivers had 15-1 odds to win the NFL's comeback player of the year award. After his first 2025 game, Rivers has made another move.
He's currently 5-1, behind only 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, who's the clear favorite at -210.
The Rivers "comeback" (which literally is a comeback) doesn't fit within the clarification the Associated Press published to voters last year: “The spirit of the AP Comeback Player of the Year Award is to honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury or other circumstances that led him to miss playing time the previous season."
Rivers missed playing time in 2024 (and 2023, 2022, and 2021 by choice). Still, the AP won't be rejecting ballots that contain Rivers's name.
With five names on the list for each of the 50 voters, Rivers will surely get votes. Unless the Colts manage to turn their current 1-5 slide into a playoff berth, Rivers likely won't get enough votes to secure the trophy.
The other realistic candidates ae Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, both of whom are 7-1.
Ousmane Dembele has been named men’s player of the year at the FIFA Best Awards 2025, while Aitana Bonmati has won the women’s award for the third year running.
Dembele, 28, won the award for the first time in his career after playing a significant role as Paris Saint-Germain lifted their maiden Champions League title during the 2024-25 campaign, in addition to defending the Ligue 1 title and Coupe de France.
The France international provided a career-high 35 goals and 16 assists across 53 appearances in all competitions. This included eight goals in 15 Champions League appearances, with a goal and an assist across the two-legged semi-final victory over Arsenal, before he set up two goals in the 5-0 win against Inter in the final.
The FIFA Best Award win for Dembele comes after he also won the Ballon d’Or in September, again claiming the prize for the first time in his career, ahead of Lamine Yamal and Vitinha.
Bonmati has won the women’s award for a third successive year after her important contributions to Barcelona’s domestic treble during the 2024-25 campaign, which included a sixth consecutive Liga F title. The midfielder provided 15 goals and 12 assists in 44 appearances in all competitions, with Barca also reaching the Champions League final, where they were beaten by Arsenal.
Bonmati was also a significant part of the Spain side that reached the European Championship final for the first time, where they were beaten by England on penalties. Bonmati scored the winning goal in extra time of the semi-final victory over Germany and was named player of the tournament, despite having her preparation disrupted by a viral meningitis diagnosis.
Bonmati’s FIFA Best Award success comes after she was also named the Ballon d’Or winner for a third year in a row in September.
Dembele was one of six members of PSG’s quadruple-winning squad to be named in the men’s XI of the year, alongside Gianluigi Donnarumma (who has since joined Manchester City), Achraf Hakimi, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes, and Vitinha.
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk completed the back five, while Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid and Barcelona and Spain pair Pedri and Lamine Yamal made up the side.
PSG’s Luis Enrique was named men’s coach of the year after leading the side to an historic quadruple, including the Champions League title. PSG also won the Trophee des Champions, Ligue 1 and Coupe de France — but they missed out on a fifth trophy after losing to Chelsea in the final of the Club World Cup over the summer.
Sarina Wiegman was named women’s coach of the year for the fifth time, having guided England to a second consecutive European Championship. Wiegman, 56, also won the award in 2017, 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Donnarumma collected the best men’s goalkeeper award after helping PSG to a domestic treble and their first Champions League title. The Italy international, who joined City in the summer, kept a clean sheet in the Champions League final victory over Inter and made a number of important saves in the semi-final win against Arsenal.
Hannah Hampton was named the best women’s goalkeeper following her role in Chelsea’s 2024-25 WSL title and England’s Euro 2025 triumph. The 25-year-old won the WSL golden glove and made a number of important penalty saves in the Lionesses quarter-final and final shootout victories. Both Hampton and Donnarumm also won the Yashin Trophy at the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony in September.
Independiente’s Santiago Montiel won the Puskas Award, the prize for the best men’s goal of the season, for his overhead kick from outside the penalty area during the Argentine Liga Professional match against Independiente Rivadavia.
We'll never tire of this goal. 🤸♂️
Santiago Montiel with a Puskás award winner to remember. 💫
The prize for the best goal in women’s football — the Marta Award — went to Orlando Pride’s Lizbeth Ovalle following her improvised scorpion kick for former side Tigres against Guadalajara in March’s Liga MX Femenil fixture.
The shortlists for each award are drawn up by a panel of experts and, and the awards are judged based on players’ performances between August 11, 2024 and August 2, 2025. The coaches and captains of all 211 FIFA member associations national teams select three candidates for the player, coach and goalkeeper awards, and media representatives and fans also vote in each of the categories.
Vinicius Junior won the FIFA Best men’s award in 2024, ahead of Rodri and Bellingham, while Lionel Messi had won the previous two editions in 2023 and 2022. Bonmati won the FIFA Best women’s award in 2024 and 2023, while compatriot Alexia Putellas won successive awards in 2022 and 2021.
The winners were named at a ceremony in Doha, Qatar, held ahead of the Intercontinental Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Flamengo at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Wednesday.
No one who has paid attention is surprised. The signs that Teddye Buchanan would be special were evident very early. Taken by the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, flashes came almost daily during spring and summer workouts.
It felt as if it seemed apparent that he'd never leave the starting lineup if he were inserted. It felt like the Ravens would never remove him from the field if they ever put him on one. Playing Buchanan was the apparent decision, and the 2024 First-Team All-ACC nod started 13 of the first 14 games.
"Trent' [Trenton] Simpson will take that role. Trent had a really good game. He played well and has been practicing great. Every time he's been playing, he's been playing well, too. So, I expect Trent to come in there and just build on what Teddye's been doing so far, and also what Trent's been doing."
That's what we expected. Coach Harbaugh continued, explaining what he has seen from Simpson and how Buchanan's absence may affect Kyle Hamilton's usage.
"It doesn't really affect Kyle [Hamilton]. 'Trent' [Trenton Simpson] plays at the WILL linebacker spot in certain personnel groups, and I think he's done really well. Like I said, he's played great. He played good against the run and played good against the pass in the reps he's had. I am really not worried about it at all."
Through 14 games, Buchanan registered 93 tackles, one half-sack, and two quarterback hits. He has also broken up a pass and forced a fumble. His production will be missed, but the Ravens have the horses to fill the void in his absence. First things first, though. Here's to a speedy recovery for Teddye Buchanan.
An unexploded artillery shell was found at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, which hosted the 2023 Open Championship in Great Britain. Crews at the site found the shell while digging beneath the course.
Video shows a controlled explosion taking place to take care of the ordnance, and the site was deemed safe following the blast.
This week, an unexploded artillery shell was found on the course.
Following a successful controlled explosion carried out by specialists, the site was made safe.
Brian Harman won the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool, which has hosted the Open 13 times. Six of those instances have been since World War II, when the site was used for war efforts. From the Royal Liverpool website:
"The first signs of war on the Royal Liverpool links were the arrival of a strange looking instrument, a predictor, said to be able to foretell the line of approach of hostile aircraft; certain elderly gentlemen beginning the task of digging trenches on various parts of the links, their leisurely and inexpert methods causing great amusement to the Royal Liverpool greenkeeper; a local contractor building a series of comic opera forts among the sand-hills; the dazzling beam of a searchlight, operated from a site near the Royal (17th) green, sweeping the night sky; the first German plane overhead; and the feeling that the long drawn suspense was over at last."
During the week of the Open Championship, 261,180 fans coursed the grounds at Royal Liverpool, but as photographs show, the artillery was buried beneath layers of sand and grass and was only found when digging multiple feet underground. But it was a stark reminder of what purpose the links served 80 years ago.
"Guarded by unoccupied and unusable forts, protected by live mines, wrapped in miles of rusting barbed wire, trampled on by the feet of many sheep, used as a training ground by regular troops and Home Guard, the Royal Liverpool links remained neglected and uncared for until the summer of 1944, when all fear of invasion having vanished, the Royal Engineers began to clear the mine fields," the Royal Liverpool website continues.
Scrolling through social media, it doesn't take long to discover everybody's favorite NBA conspiracy. The Oklahoma City Thunder have dominated the league for the last two seasons. The reigning NBA champions look primed to go back-to-back.
We're witnessing basketball history, no doubt. For most folks, though, their brand of basketball rubs them the wrong way. On one end, they believe the Thunder get away with physical contact more than most. That explains why they're the league's best defense. On the other end, they believe Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets more ticky-tack calls than most NBA superstars.
Now, how true are those hypotheticals? Eh. They're pretty unprovable.
The fact of the matter is, every great team like OKC has folks who believe the referees help them. It's a universal rule across all sports. Remember when everybody thought the Golden State Warriors got away with illegal screens all the time? Or how the Kansas City Chiefs get soft calls to extend scoring drives?
It just comes with the territory of all-time dominance. And as the entire NBA world celebrated OKC's NBA Cup semifinals loss to the San Antonio Spurs, slow-motion clips made the rounds on social media. One in particular gained more traction than most.
Hoping to squeeze one last possession out in the final second, Alex Caruso flew to the basket as Jalen Williams intentionally missed a free throw. He grabbed the offensive rebound and flung up a desperate shot attempt. Of course, it didn't go in as the buzzer sounded.
Afterward, Caruso walked back to the locker room in a bad mood. Isaiah Hartenstein yelled out that the Spurs got away with a foul at the end. The L2M Report said otherwise — they made legal contact as both teams attempted to grab the missed free-throw.
That ticked a lot of people off. For what? Who knows. If you follow the NBA long enough, you should know players complain about calls and non-calls all the time. And considering they were seconds removed from the final buzzer, emotions were at an all-time high.
Likely seeing his name trend on social media for the wrong reasons, Caruso responded to one account that suggested he got away with several fouls on Victor Wembanyama.
"Can’t talk hoops with non-ball knowers," Caruso wrote with a 'shrugging' emoji.
Honestly, I'm kinda sick of the whole foul discourse that revolves around the Thunder. It happens after every game at this point. Whatever you want to say, it boils down to you thinking the referees are conspiring to give OKC a beneficial whistle throughout the entire season.
If you truly believe that, why bother wasting your time on something that's fixed? Being an NBA fan is supposed to be a hobby. Something to get your mind off the day-to-day life. Nothing is going to change with how the Thunder play basketball. So all this complaining is wasted energy that goes into the void.
"Remember when I fought Ilia, he won, and then afterwards he got a pair of overalls and was making fun of me because I run a farm and I run around in overalls, and he thought that was hilarious? Well, I got something for you, b*tch," Mitchell said. "This is called the wife beater special. That's right. I got my wife beater on for Ilia Topuria. That b*tch puts his hands on a woman. You know, I grew up without a dad, never seen my dad, never will see my dad. And you know what? I'd rather not see my dad than have my dad there beating on my mom. Let me tell you something: That will get you killed around these parts, son. That sh*t ain't no joke. There ain't nothing funny about it. I just had to let you know you're a straight-up b*tch for that, and your brother's a b*tch too. I'll fight him. I'll beat his ass. You got lucky I was sick, or I would have beat your ass.
"And look, you don't deserve to get to see your kid, son, because you put your hands on their mother. You're a coward. That sh*t is sickening. But anyways, bro, who am I to judge? I fall short of the glory of God, too. Ilia, you need to repent, return to Jesus Christ, and if you repent, you won't rot in hell, bro. But you better really mean it, and you better really repent and probably stop drinking, too. You probably got a drinking problem, man. But return to Jesus Christ, you will be forgiven. And if not, you're going to rot in hell, bro, because that's where women beaters go. One more thing for you: Wives ain't like belts, OK? It ain't the more the merrier. You're supposed to have one man, one woman, to become one, OK? You're out running around, working on your third wife now. Hell, you think they're championship belts, and you're trying to get three or four. You're an idiot, dude. You need to take notes from a guy like me."
With Topuria needing time away, Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will battle for the interim lightweight belt in the UFC 324 headliner on Jan. 24 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).
Matias Moroni was part of the Argentina side that beat the British and Irish Lions in Dublin in July [Getty Images]
Bristol Bears have re-signed Argentina back Matias Moroni on a deal until the end of the 2026-27 season.
The 34-year-old, who has won 95 caps for the Pumas, initially joined the Bears on a short-term arrangement in October to provide cover for Bristol's injury-hit squad.
Moroni played twice - in the win against Gloucester and West Country derby defeat by Bath - and will arrive in time for the return to Prem action against Harlequins at Twickenham on Saturday.
"We were hugely impressed - though not surprised - by the impact 'Tute' made during his short stint with us in October," Bears director of rugby Pat Lam said.
"In a limited window, he demonstrated his class, not only through the quality of his performances, but through the experience, professionalism, and leadership he brought to the group every single day.
"We're delighted to welcome him back and are confident he'll play a significant role in driving this team forward."
Moroni, who was part of the Leicester Tigers squad that won the Premiership in 2022, rejoins the Bears with the club fifth in the rebranded Prem, having won four of their six matches so far.
They hammered Northampton 46-12 in their last Prem match, on 29 November, and will return to league rugby after pool wins over Scarlets and Pau in the Champions Cup.
Another week. Another loss. Let’s take a look at how this impacted the Jets projected draft result.
As a reminder, we will be using the same two metrics as we have been: DAVE (FTN’s predictive metric) and ESPN’s FPI. Both are forward-looking, all-encompassing team metrics we can use to simulate the remainder of the season.
Starting with DAVE, the Jets have been getting worse. Just a few weeks ago the Jets were ranked in the bottom 10, but there was still a decent margin between them and the bottom feeders. After quite a few weeks of embarrassing play, the Jets now rank 30th. The only two teams above them are the Browns and the Raiders, two teams projected to finish with worse records. With two tough games remaining and a game this week where the Jets play the four-win Saints, DAVE simulations (25,000 runs) give the Jets an average of 0.7 wins over their final three games. If the Jets don’t beat the Saints this week, it would require a major upset in one of their next two games to beat two of the better teams in the league in the Patriots and Bills. As a result, DAVE puts them at a 3.3% chance of landing the top pick (largely unchanged from last week), but now a 70.7% chance of earning a top five pick. Both figures are well below the Titans, Raiders, and Browns, and now are roughly in-line with the Giants.
ESPN’s FPI ranks the Jets 30th. FPI simulations project them to finish with 0.8 wins on average. According to ESPN’s Seth Walder, FPI gives the Jets a 5.3% chance at the top pick and a 70.3 chance at a top-five pick:
Like I mentioned last week. it’s worth noting from a tiebreaker standpoint that the Jets will almost certainly pick behind Cleveland in the event of identical records. However, they would likely pick ahead of Tennessee in the event of a tied record. The Giants and Raiders Strength-of-Schedules are roughly in-line with the Jets so it’s too early to make any declarative statements on that.
From a tank perspective, the Jets will have a ton riding on their game this week against the New Orleans Saints. A loss against the Saints would make it highly unlikely they are picking outside the top-5 and would keep them mathematically alive in the race to pick #1. If they beat the Saints, they almost certainly will not be picking in the top 2 and will likely end up with a pick somewhere in the 4-7 range.
Another year, another December of watching draft boards.
1) I don’t care how tired people were of the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty or the Green Bay Packers being a thorn in the Chicago Bears’ side. No one wants to see Patrick Mahomes and Micah Parsons, two of the best players in the game, tear their ACLs on the same day. It’s terrible for the league, and it raises further questions about how teams and players prepare for the season.
2) How weird is it to see a Chicago Bears quarterback be run on every highlight reel because of a touchdown pass? Then again, a throw like the one Caleb Williams dropped in the bucket to DJ Moore deserves every bit of praise it’s getting. Because there’s no way that pass should’ve been completed. But it was.
3) There’s just no way 44-year-old Philip Rivers played that well after sitting on his couch collecting mold for four years. The fact that the only thing stopping Rivers from stealing an improbable win in his first game back was the Seahawks immediately stealing the lead back with a game-winning field goal of their own. No doubt about it: Rivers is going to tell his grandkids about that game someday. In fact… he probably already did.
4) What in the hell happened to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Going from undefeated early in the year and Baker Mayfield looking like an MVP candidate to Todd Bowles ripping his players a new one after an embarrassing choke-job against the Atlanta Falcons and not being able to put the Carolina Panthers away in the NFC South? Failures like this get coaches fired, and I’m sure Bowles is feeling the pressure. He’d better hope this team pulls it together, or I could see him being a surprise ouster this offseason.
5) Trevor Lawrence is on one. Sure, he did it against the Jets, but it’s nothing to sneeze at when you become the first player in NFL history with at least 300 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, five touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown in a single game, according to NFL Communications. We haven’t talked enough about the Jaguars as potential players in an AFC that no longer makes any sense. And if you think there’s no way they could win a playoff game…remember when they knocked Justin Herbert’s Chargers out of the playoffs after a first half where Lawrence threw four INTs? Anything can happen.
6) Josh Allen just re-inserted himself into the MVP chat with that comeback win against the AFC East-leading New England Patriots. Which is crazy, because his first half was completely miserable. But that’s the thing about great players: they don’t let the bad get them down. That might be the difference between Allen and Drake Maye, the man coming for his AFC East crown, right now. Allen has been through so many more ups and downs than Maye has, and it shows. Once the Bills adjusted in the second half, Maye got flustered and forgot how to take the easy stuff. But the young gun won’t forget this lesson. Their duels for the next half-decade or so will be fun.
7) I’ve talked a lot of smack about Bo Nix, and there were some annoying plays earlier in that Packers-Broncos game. But he had about as good a game as you can have, given the opponent and the stakes, throwing for 302 yards and four touchdowns to help Denver knock off those pesky Packers. The Broncos’ defense has largely carried the offense this year, but Nix proved he can hold his own when the defense needs support. Maybe that Broncos team is truly for real after all.
8) Watching Kyle Van Noy pick off that pass from Joe Burrow and hand it off to safety Alohi Gilman to run it back the rest of the way for a touchdown probably had Ed Reed crying tears of joy. He was the king of trying to score by any means necessary, whether it meant ripping the ball out of his teammates’ hands or lateraling it to someone else so they could keep the return going themselves. He would’ve been great at analytics; no matter the situation, he was always trying to score if he got the ball in his hands.
9) I really hate to say it because I love to see underdogs succeed. But Shedeur Sanders is bad. Sure, it’s probably mostly the Browns’ organization’s fault, because their overall dysfunction is truly remarkable. But there’s nothing about Sanders’ game that makes you think, “Man, that guy can be one of the best players in the game.” For all intents and purposes, he’s like an immobile Justin Fields. And we’ve already seen where that playing style lands you.
10) All I’m going to say is: Jim Harbaugh made the right move getting as far away from Michigan as he could before the house of cards completely collapsed, though his own actions likely precipitated the first cards falling. Plus, you can’t help but ask yourself what Harbaugh knew or didn’t know about Sherrone Moore from his hiring in 2018 to the time Harbaugh left in 2023. Because I have a hard time believing Harbaugh was completely in the dark. And if he wasn’t, why didn’t he do something about it? Don’t let Pablo Torre find out…
Exclusive: Burkina Faso, Georgi Minougou's heartfelt choice
Exclusive
Exclusive: Burkina Faso, Georgi Minougou's heartfelt choice
Born in Ivory Coast to a Burkinabe father and an Ivorian mother, Georgi Minougou will play his first Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with Burkina Faso. The Seattle Sounders winger opened up to Foot Africa about his decision regarding his sporting nationality.
Georgi Minougou is one of the biggest attractions of the Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off on December 21 in Morocco. In fact, it could be the first time in the tournament's history that a player takes to the pitch with only one functioning eye.
Beyond this moving story tied to the loss of vision in his left eye, Georgi Minougou has also faced tough choices in his young professional football career. Born in Ivory Coast to a Burkinabe father and an Ivorian mother, the winger currently playing in Major League Soccer (MLS) was eligible to represent either country.
A Burkina Faso international since September 2025, Foot Africa asked the 23-year-old why he chose to join the Stallions over the Elephants.
"I am very happy and proud to play for Burkina Faso," he responded emotionally.
Georgi Minougou celebrated his first cap with Burkina Faso in September 2025 against Djibouti. In 6 appearances, he has scored 2 goals (a brace against Benin in November).
Donnarumma in FIFA Best Men’s XI 2025 with overall winner Dembele
Italy international Gianluigi Donnarumma was named in the FIFA Best Men’s XI 2025, with his former PSG teammate Ousmane Dembele getting the overall prize.
Inevitably, Paris Saint-Germain dominated this evening’s awards in Doha, as they won the Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France and French Supercup last season.
WROCLAW, POLAND – SEPTEMBER 5: Ousmane Dembele of France looks on during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Ukraine and France at Tarczynski Arena on September 5, 2025 in Wroclaw, Poland. (Photo by Mateusz Slodkowski/Getty Images)
His former teammate Dembele was as expected given the FIFA Best Men’s Player award for 2025, following on from his Ballon d’Or success.
PSG coach Luis Enrique was also crowned the Best Men’s Coach for 2025, although Italian Enzo Maresca of Chelsea was in the list of seven nominees.
Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the Best Women’s Player award for the third year in a row.
BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy warms up prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Estonia at Stadio di Bergamo on September 05, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)
Two teams have officially clinched playoff berths for the 2025 playoffs. The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams both clinched on Sunday evening further guaranteeing themselves another week of competition. 12 teams have already been eliminated; leaving nine teams from each conference fighting for the remaining six spots.
Thursday Night Football of the Week 16 NFL season might feature the Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Rams (11-3) traveling to the Seattle Seahawks (11-3) with the NFC West division hanging in the balance. Matthew Stafford is 6-0 as the Rams starting quarterback when facing the Seahawks. But this will be the toughest matchup yet. Who wins? Here are my Week 16 NFL picks.
(Thursday) Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks, 8:15 PM EST
Quick turnaround. After dropping 41 points on the Detroit Lions, the Rams will travel to Seattle with the NFC West crown at stake. Davante Adams will be unlikely to play because of a hamstring injury. It’s a significant loss to their redzone offense. However, Matthew Stafford has not lost to the Seahawks when he has started as the Rams quarterback. And Stafford in the months of December, January, and February as a Ram is: 21-4. Those losses were 2021 to 49ers (OT), 2023 to Ravens (OT), 2023 playoffs to Lions, and 2024 playoffs to Eagles.
(Saturday) Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Commanders, 5:00 PM EST
I thought that the Eagles would lose the division to the Cowboys but the Cowboys don’t seem interested in taking advantage of the slipping Eagles. So, Philadelphia should get into the playoffs without much turbulence the rest of the way, especially considering they play Washington twice to end the year.
Pick: Eagles win 28-16
(Saturday) Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears, 8:20 PM EST
The mood in Green Bay is probably a lot like the weather there. Micah Parsons tore his ACL and Christian Watson broke his collarbone. The Packers should get into the playoffs but they will be limping in. The Bears meanwhile should be able to take advantage.
KEISEAN NIXON WITH THE DAGGER! Caleb Williams throws the game losing interception 🧀🏈pic.twitter.com/WzYTYXmRAh
— Packerfan Total Access- Clayton (@packers_access) December 8, 2025
Pick: Bears 27-20
New York Jets @ New Orleans Saints, 3:00 PM EST
The Saints have beaten the Panthers and Buccaneers in the past two weeks, suggesting they could be more competitive in 2026.
If the Saints can manage a few more wins and the Falcons lose the rest of the way, the Falcons could finish 4th in the NFC South.
Pick: Saints win 21-20
Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns, 1:00 PM EST
Something tells me that this game could be a trap game for Buffalo after pulling off an exciting win in Foxborough. At the same time, the Bills could see that the AFC East crown is within sight.
Pick: Bills win 34-24
Kansas City Chiefs @ Tennessee Titans, 1:00 PM EST
Props to the Chiefs for their success over the last decade. It may be a few years before Mahomes and Co. bring the Lombardi trophy back to Kansas City as they have a number of needs to upgrade their roster. They need a running back, wide receiver(s), tight end, offensive line, and defensive line in order to regain the top spot in the competitive AFC West.
"The dynasty is over, but the window is open."
Marcus Spears believes Patrick Mahomes' torn ACL will make the Chiefs rethink how they build their team. pic.twitter.com/0bpgVuLNaJ
With the air being let out of the balloon, this game seems like ripe for the Titans to pull off an upset.
Pick: Titans 20-17
Los Angeles Chargers @ Dallas Cowboys, 1:00 PM EST
The Chargers have shown they can win close games when their offense hasn’t put up points. The Cowboys are too inconsistent in their performance week-to-week.
Pick: Chargers win 34-30
Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants, 1:00 PM EST
The Giants continue to lose games that they should win. Story of 2025 for them. Meanwhile, the Vikings are getting better play from JJ McCarthy over the last two weeks.
Pick: Vikings win 25-18
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers, 1:00 PM EST
The NFC South crown won’t be decided by this game as these two teams will face each other again in Week 18. But the Panthers will have to play Seattle in Week 17 so this game is monumental.
Pick: Panthers win 26-20 (OT)
Cincinnati Bengals @ Miami Dolphins, 1:00 PM EST
Joe Burrow making questionable comments last week came at a really bad time. And the quarterback should take a lot of heat for that because he responded by scoring 0 points in a must-win game at home… Not to mention that it was the second straight week in which he threw a pick 6.
Pick: Dolphins win 34-27
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos, 4:05 PM EST
I think this game should get flexed. The AFC South leader versus the AFC West leader. Trevor Lawrence had a huge performance in Week 15 but Denver’s defense will be a tough solve.
Pick: Broncos win 27-16
Atlanta Falcons @ Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 PM EST
Battle of the birds. Bijan Robinson should have a field day against a porous Cardinals run defense. This result won’t bode well for Rams fans…
Pick: Falcons win 27-21
Las Vegas Raiders @ Houston Texans, 4:25 PM EST
I really don’t see why Houston couldn’t emerge as the AFC Super Bowl representative. Their defense is that good. And Tank Dell has returned from injury. I think its feasible that Las Vegas gets shut out for a second straight week.
Pick: Texans win 27-0
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Detroit Lions, 4:25 PM EST
The Lions playoff hopes took a significant hit with their loss to the Rams. But they aren’t dead in the water. I foresee them staying alive for at least two more weeks.
Pick: Lions win 41-31
(Sunday Night Football) New England Patriots @ Baltimore Ravens, 8:20 PM EST
This used to be a common matchup in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Vrabel’s got the better roster and will try to set the run early to ease the pressure on Drake Maye.
The last time the Ravens played the Patriots in Baltimore on Sunday Night Football pic.twitter.com/NSm0p58rQY
(Monday Night Football) San Francisco 49ers @ Indianapolis Colts, 8:15 PM EST
Phillip Rivers took the Seahawks to the wire. Now we get Rivers on prime time. The San Francisco defense is not like Seattle’s. I’ll bet on Uncle Phil this time.
Isaac Dulgarian remains suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission after suspicious betting activity surrounded his recent fight in November where the former UFC fighter was heavily favored to win but ultimately suffered a first-round submission loss.
The entire ordeal spiraled out of control in the hours leading up to UFC Vegas 110 in November when the odds on Dulgarian’s fight against Yadier del Valle started to shift dramatically. UFC CEO Dana White claims the promotion questioned Dulgarian about any potential injuries or other factors that could have led to the odds changing so swiftly just before the event started.
White added that Dulgarian denied any wrongdoing and the fight moved ahead as scheduled with the featherweight suffering a first-round submission loss. On Tuesday, the Nevada Athletic Commission extended a temporary suspension first handed down on Nov. 5 while also revealing the accusations against Dulgarian.
“The respondent is believed to have engaged in conduct which is deemed by the commission to reflect a discredit to unarmed combat,” Nevada deputy attorney general Matthew Feeley said during the hearing. “An investigation into this matter is ongoing.”
After revealing the accusations, Feeley then read a portion of a letter submitted to the commission by Dulgarian’s attorney James Hobb that addressed the situation and his ongoing suspension.
“As you know, it has been alleged in correspondence from the state of Nevada Athletic Commission that there are grounds deemed by the commission supporting the temporary suspension of our client Isaac Dulgarian,” Hobbs wrote in the letter.
“While Mr. Dulgarian denies any claims of conduct reflecting discredit in the field of unarmed combat, he consents to another extension of the temporary suspension.”
After the betting lines in the fight changed, the UFC was notified of the situation but Dulgarian was still allowed to compete. After he suffered a lopsided submission loss in a fight where he was heavily favored to win, White revealed that the UFC immediately reached out to the FBI to begin an investigation into the matter.
“We called the fighter and his lawyer and said, ‘What’s going on?’” White said back in November. “There’s some weird betting action going on in your fight. Are you injured? Do you owe anybody money? Has anybody approached you?’ And the kid said, ‘No, absolutely not. I’m going to kill this guy.’
“So we said OK. The fight plays out, first-round finish by rear-naked choke. Literally the first thing we did was call the FBI.”
Of course the situation involving Dulgarian comes after a separate betting scandal rocked the UFC back in 2022 involving Darrick Minner after the odds in his fight also shifted leading up to his bout. Minner lost the fight and he was later released from the UFC before eventually being handed a 29-month suspension for failing to disclose an injury prior to his contest.
His coach James Krause was also involved in the allegations, and he was suspended by the commission before being effectively banned from the UFC. The promotion issued a statement and declared that any fighter still associating with Krause would not be allowed to compete in the UFC.
An investigation into that situation is still ongoing.
As for Dulgarian, he’ll remain suspended by the commission until the investigation is completed and a potential adjudication agreement is reached.
With the Atlanta Braves draft position being settled in as of last week, it is now time to start taking a look at some of the potential targets for the team in the 2026 MLB Draft. This series will take a look at 10 players who will have some chance to be available for the team with the ninth pick. We will be skipping over the four guys who as of right now have no shot at falling that far, the top three shortstops (Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Justin Lebron) and the top pitcher (Liam Peterson).
We will continue our series with a third shortstop in Eric Becker, following Jacob Lombard and Tyler Spangler at the position. This group of players is based on how things look ahead of the spring, as players could see their stock or even game change significantly over the next eight months.
Eric Becker is the starting shortstop for the University of Virginia, and he is also known as the older brother of 2025 Mariners second round shortstop selection Nick Becker. He’s a 6’3’, 190-pound prospect who hits lefty and throws right. As a freshman in 2023 he hit .362/.468/.669 with eight homers among his 20 extra base hits and 17 walks to 30 strikeouts over 159 plate appearances. As a sophomore in 2025 he also posted an OPS over 1.000, slashing .368/.453/.617 with nine homers among his 31 extra base hits, and 21 walks to 41 strikeouts over 236 plate appearances. Combined he has stolen nine bases in 14 attempts between the two years, going four for five as a freshman before going five for nine this past year.
Eric is seen as the better prospect than his younger brother with a little more pop in his bat, and potentially more to come in the future – though his excellent feel for hitting and swing mechanics lead to a potential plus hit tool grade for him, making that his carrying tool. Becker is more of a fringy power guy with plenty of extra base power in there due to the amount of hard contact he makes, though there are some scouts who can see him getting a little more power in the future with some changes to his swing as he continues to get stronger.
The rest of his toolset is all average, which is the run, field, and arm tools. That leads to some believing that he could potentially have to move to second or third base in the future as he doesn’t quite have the elite range or elite arm for short, as much as he is just a steady, solid performer there.
Becker will get drafted as a shortstop, but whether he ends up there or not he is a guy with an advanced hit tool that has a chance to develop average power as well, and should end up playing somewhere in the infield. If the power doesn’t develop he has a chance to be an excellent offensive second baseman if that is where he needs to move, but if the power does slightly increase he has a chance to be a strong performer as a third baseman as well.
Welcome back, everyone, to the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! We had our first bowl game of the year go down, with Boise State getting knocked around by Washington in the LA Bowl. We’ll talk about what went wrong for the Broncos, and what this showing tells us about their 2026 prospects, and then we’ll shift to the hardwood for another Mountain West basketball update! We’ll go over the seven teams that have set themselves apart from the rest of the pack as contenders to watch as conference play begins, complete with their best players and wins so far. After that, we’ll talk about the most notable stories surrounding the transfer portal, and then we’ll end the show with a preview and prediction for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, with Bryson Barnes and Utah State taking on Washington State on the blue turf in Boise. Lots of show to get through this week, let’s dive right in!
Quick plug before we get started, last week I released my transfer portal team of the year! It featured 78 players across all three teams, each of them getting a write-up on their journey to the Mountain West, along with an honorable mention section and overall trends that I found during the process. In total, it spans four parts and over 20,000 words, so don’t feel like you have to read all of it, but maybe scroll through and look at the stories of some of your favorite players from 2025! Did you know that New Mexico star edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby was originally more focused on his engineering degree than his football career? Or that Fresno State linebacker Jadon Pearson played for five different schools and 25% of the Mountain West? There’s a million fun facts like that throughout the series, so please check that out!
Boise State no match for Washington in LA Bowl: What went wrong, & what’s the QB plan for 2026?
MW Basketball: Top 7 Contenders, complete w/ top players and wins
Top 3 Portal Stories of the week: Wide receivers, Rams exodus, and UNLV locking in
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Washington State vs. Utah State) Preview/Prediction
If you enjoy the episode, consider rating it 5 stars, leaving a review on Apple Podcast/Spotify, or sharing the podcast with one friend who you think would enjoy it! It would help us immensely if you took the time out of your day to help the show! Our CFB transfer portal tracker is now LIVE, find that here and keep an eye out for daily updates. Make sure to check out the depth chart tracker for football and basketball, available to all for free and updated as soon as news breaks! Thank you for coming back to the mountain, and we hope you’ll make the trek back up here for the entire 2025 football season!
The Dallas Cowboys hopes of making the playoffs faded dramatically this week after the loss at home against Minnesota. In a game where trench warfare became all too easy for the Vikings, the final result was forged along the lines. How did the rookie class for Dallas perform during the Week 15 clash? Let’s dive in and find out.
Booker’s night against the Vikings came in the middle of a rough outing for the Cowboys’ offense as a whole, but he again looked like one of the steadier pieces up front. Dallas gave up 19 total pressures and two sacks as a unit. Within that, Booker put up a 65.7 offensive grade for the game, one of the better marks on the Cowboys’ offense and looking more in control than the issues both offensive tackles had during the game.
In pass protection, the story was less about Booker repeatedly losing one-on-one and more about the Vikings’ pressure looks overwhelming Dallas collectively. None of the sacks allowed came from Bookers assignment and individually he allowed only two pressures during the game. With Prescott hurried 14 times on the night, there were inevitably a few snaps where the right side was part of crowded pockets, even if Booker wasn’t the primary culprit on the worst breakdowns.
In the run game, the Cowboys did most of their early damage downhill, and the interior trio of Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe and Booker helped get Javonte Williams and Malik Davis into the end zone from tight red-zone situations before the offense bogged down into field-goal mode. There were no high-profile penalties tied to Booker, which fits his general profile as a relatively clean rookie technician rather than a grabby, boom-or-bust mauler. Taken in total, this was a solid in a bad night performance. The Cowboys’ line was overwhelmed by a defense that generated pressure consistently, but Booker held up reasonably well, continuing to look like a long-term answer at right guard even as the rest of the offense faltered around him, most notably the guy to the right of him.
Ezeiruaku’s night against Minnesota was more about steady work than splash, and it played out against the backdrop of a defense that never really got McCarthy uncomfortable. He logged 39 defensive snaps, one of the heavier workloads on the Dallas front, but finished with just two tackles, one tackle for loss, and no sacks. That tackle for loss came late, when he knifed in to stone Jordan Mason for no gain on a third-quarter run, one of the few snaps where the edge really dented Minnesota’s ground game.
The problem was what happened on all the other downs. As a unit, Dallas produced zero sacks and only ten total pressures on J.J. McCarthy, while allowing him to average 10.4 yards per attempt and post a 108.0 passer rating on a clean jersey, giving the young quarterback a career day. With no direct hits or sacks credited to Ezeiruaku, his impact as a pass rusher was non existent. When Dallas’ team pressure numbers are that low to end a game, it’s hard for any edge to come out of it looking dominant, and the Cowboys’ performance failed to affect the quarterback at all.
In the bigger picture, this game was a big dip in production. Against Detroit and Philadelphia he’d flashed more disruption, but here he was more of a role-player being somewhat sound on edges, one nice stop in the run game, yet swallowed up by a collective pass-rush no-show. The fairest verdict is that Ezeiruaku was competent but largely quiet in a game where Dallas desperately needed their best defensive rookie to effect the field, but Eberflus never really gave him the platform to do it.
Revel played what was probably his most grown-up game so far against Minnesota, even if the night will be remembered more for the defense’s collapse than for anything he did individually. He featured on defense for 54 snaps, matching DaRon Bland for the most on defense for Dallas and effectively making him a full-time outside starter with Trevon Diggs still out. On the stat sheet he finished with five total tackles, plus one recorded run stop, but no interceptions or pass breakups. That came in a game where J.J. McCarthy threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns with a 108.0 rating. With Dallas failing to record a single sack and managed just one quarterback hit, the corners were asked to hold up in coverage for a long time with very little help from the rush.
Revel’s work one the night was steady, but not without issues. With Bland on one side and the rookie on the other, the Cowboys played more man than usual, and the plan against Jefferson largely worked. The Vikings’ star was held to just two catches on eight targets for 22 yards, well under his usual production. Revel had a key third-down moment where he drove on a route, wrapped up short of the sticks and forced a punt, the kind of routine, technically sound play that coaches love from an outside corner.
It wasn’t completely clean from Revel. Revel, along with other corners, got flagged for big penalties during the game, a reflection of how frustrated the entire secondary became once Minnesota started attacking downfield. For a rookie coming off an ACL tear and playing every down in a high-leverage game, the fair verdict is that he played generally well in his primary matchup, even while his penalty and the defense’s overall collapse keep the night from reading as a clean breakout.
LB Shemar James
(Game stats- Snaps: 22, Total Tackles: 2)
*Snap count are all special team snaps*
James didn’t play a single snap on defense against Minnesota, so there isn’t a real defensive sample to evaluate from this game. All of his work came on special teams, where he logged a full workload and produced two stops in coverage. It was exactly the kind of quietly efficient third-phase outing you want from a depth linebacker with no penalties, no glaring mistakes, and a couple of solid finishes in space to help control field position.
DB Alijah Clark
(Game stats- Snaps: 17, Total Tackles: 1)
*Snap count are all special team snaps*
Clark’s night against Minnesota was another pure special-teams shift. He didn’t log any snaps on defense, but he did what he’s on the game-day roster to do by running downfield quickly, making the tackle and staying clean in the third phase. On his full special-teams workload he was credited with one tackle in coverage, a solid open-field finish that helped prevent a longer return.
CB Trikweze Bridges
(Game stats- Snaps: 8, Total Tackles: 0)
*Snap count are all special team snaps*
Bridges’ role against Minnesota was also entirely in the third phase, working as a core special teamer rather than part of the cornerback rotation. On kicks and punts he did the dirty jobs by sprinting as a gunner, squeezing lanes, and helping set the edge on long fields. On a night where Dallas’ issues were mostly about red-zone offense and a defense that couldn’t get off the field, Bridges’ contribution was that of a quiet, assignment-sound special teamer keeping his spot in the game by doing the unglamorous work.
The 2012 Cubs were, by design, a bad team. New President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein had torn down the previous structure to rebuild, and what was left was not very good.
After an unexpectedly good 15-10 July, the Cubs began August winning just six of their first 24 games, never winning more than one in a “row.” One of those one-game “winning streaks” was a 5-0 win over the Rockies Aug. 26 in a game shortened to eight innings by rain.
The next day, the Brewers came to Wrigley Field to open a three-game series. The Cubs trailed just 6-4 going to the ninth inning of the series opener, a possible win!
And then… Cubs relievers put the game way, way out of reach. Remember Alex Hinshaw? You probably don’t, because the left-handed Hinshaw pitched in only two games for the Cubs. This was the second of those games. He allowed a walk and single to begin the inning and then three straight Brewers hit home runs off him: Ryan Braun, Aramis Ramirez and Corey Hart.
That was it for Hinshaw — in fact, that was his last MLB game, he was outrighted to the Triple-A Iowa roster four days later, but never pitched for them.
Lendy Castillo, a Cubs Rule 5 pick that year, relieved Hinshaw, but wasn’t much better. His first four batters: Walk, single, wild pitch, two-run single. Then he recorded the first out of the inning, if you’re counting, seven runs have scored. Another walk was followed by a strikeout, then another single made it 14-4.
Even manager Dale Sveum had seen enough at this point and brought Joe Mather into the game to pitch. Mather had played all three outfield positions and third and first base for the 2012 Cubs.
The first hitter Mather faced, Jeff Bianchi, singled in Milwaukee’s 15th run. Mather managed to get Martin Maldonado — a future Cub! — to ground out to end the inning. The Brewers won the game 15-4. Sadly, no video appears to have survived of Mather’s pitching appearance. Mather batted .209/.256/.324 with five home runs in 103 games for the 2012 Cubs and left the team as a free agent at the end of the season. He never played in the majors again.
It had been 13 years since a Cubs position player had pitched. These events were about to get more common, as you can see here (Bluesky link):
The card is the first high-end product featuring Cooper Flagg in his Dallas Mavericks jersey. (Credit: Getty/Fanatics)
The lights on John Brodersen’s Christmas tree didn’t work, but a belief in last-pack magic did.
Brodersen doesn’t consider himself a super collector, but he did want to rip a few boxes of the new 2025-26 Topps Basketball product while setting up Christmas decorations with his children last month.
When the lights on the tree didn’t work correctly, Brodersen and his future son-in-law, Jonathan, turned to those boxes to settle the mood.
Revealing each card one-by-one, the family could see the gold finish, but excitement began to crescendo when the 1/1 stamp on the top left corner came into focus.
“We’re not by any means professionals — we had no clue it was a superfractor and at that point, we didn’t know what a superfractor looked like. … So this is definitely a Willy Wonka story for us,” Brodersen told cllct.
“Then my stepdaughter said, ‘How many cards are left, because there’s a Cooper Flagg on the back?’
A native of Denmark now living in Chicago, Brodersen says his biggest pull — prior to the Flagg, of course — was worth just a few hundred bucks at most. He mostly has built his collection around Vince Carter, but it’s the Flagg card that will likely change his life forever.
As of Tuesday morning, the card had reached $48,000, including a 20% buyer’s premium, on 31 bids.
Among the first high-end cards featuring Flagg in his Dallas Mavericks jersey to land at public auction, Brodersen’s 1/1 arrived as part of Topps’ first flagship licensed NBA set in more than 15 years.
Paired with a design from the 1980-81 Topps Basketball set, the Flagg 1/1 has many of the key elements that can drive significant interest on the secondary market. The timing is also good, with Flagg becoming the youngest player in NBA history to ever top the 40-point mark Monday night.
“It’s got the retro look, so it’s got a lot of those emotional triggers,” Fanatics Collect vice president Kevin Lenane told cllct. “I think, at least for a lot of people that were collecting in the '90s, some of those Topps sets were just iconic. So this is the first taste that’s coming back. And I think that’s really important to the hobby.”
The current record, according to Card Ladder, for any Flagg card at public auction is the $97,600 paid for his 2024-25 Bowman Chrome U Superfractor Autograph 1/1 at Goldin in June. Though Fanatics Collect doesn’t place pre-sale estimates on items, Brodersen’s Flagg card is expected to challenge that record, with cards featuring professional jerseys traditionally carrying a premium over collegiate or amateur examples.
“We obviously hope it hits the record ...” Lenane said. “Given the fact it’s his pro debut, it would be fitting to think that it could break a record or two here.”
Whatever price the Flagg card lands at will be life-changing for Brodersen and his family. He celebrated the pull by purchasing his first Carter 1/1 card for his collection.
Much of the profit for Brodersen, however, will go toward paying down medical debt. The first 10 to 15 years of his life in the United States were tough with his son requiring three open heart surgeries between ages 3 and 4.
“For me personally, the first priority is paying off some debt,” Brodersen said. “For Jonathan and my stepdaughter, they run a vintage business on the side, which is kind of unique, and we were actually thinking about maybe even opening some sort of business within this realm — whether it’s a hobby store or something like that — if it goes crazy.
“But [debt] is the first priority for me because that gives me peace of mind so I can smile every day.”
Charlotte FC targets Brazil League standout Jemmes as MLS interest grows
Mirassol has rejected an initial offer from Charlotte FC for center back Jemmes, as reported exclusively by Território MLS. The MLS club’s proposal was initially valued at around $2.5 million, though final figures came in slightly lower.
Despite the refusal, talks between the clubs remain ongoing, with expectations that Charlotte could return with an improved offer. In addition to the MLS side, several Brazilian Série A clubs are monitoring the defender. São Paulo have also made recent inquiries regarding his situation.
Jemmes’ Path: From Interior Football to a Breakout Season in Série A
Jemmes Bruno Ribeiro da Silva, born on April 9, 2000, in Rosário Oeste, Mato Grosso, has quietly built one of the most compelling defensive stories in Brazilian football this season. A left-footed central defender, standing at 1.87 meters, Jemmes combines physical presence with positional discipline and strong reading of the game.
His development began in the youth ranks of Taquaritinga between 2017 and 2019, before a move to Capivariano, initially on loan and later permanently. Those early years in São Paulo’s interior leagues provided competitive minutes and laid the foundation for his professional career.
Jemmes made his senior debut with Taquaritinga in 2019 and, from 2020 onward, followed a path familiar to many emerging Brazilian defenders: frequent moves, steady minutes, and gradual progression. He gained experience with União Suzano, where he scored his first professional goals, Rio Branco-SP, and later Athletic-MG in 2023. These spells helped sharpen his defensive instincts and adaptability.
Breakthrough at Vila Nova and Rise With Mirassol
The turning point came in 2024, when Jemmes joined Vila Nova and delivered a standout campaign in Série B. He made 35 appearances and scored three goals, impressive numbers for a center back and a clear signal of his growing influence at both ends of the pitch.
That season drew attention from top-flight clubs, and in early 2025, Mirassol secured his signing ahead of the club’s historic first participation in Série A. He quickly became an undisputed starter, anchoring the defense throughout the campaign.
During the 2025 season, Jemmes featured in virtually every available minute, logging over 99 percent of possible playing time for long stretches — a rare level of consistency for an outfield player. He also contributed key goals, underlining his reliability, physical durability, and tactical intelligence.
Midway through the season, Mirassol exercised their purchase option, acquiring 70 percent of the player’s economic rights and tying him to a long-term contract — a clear statement of confidence from the club’s leadership.
Growing Market Interest
Beyond Mirassol’s historic run — which saw the club competing near the top of the table and pushing for a Copa Libertadores place — Jemmes’ performances have elevated his profile nationally. Interest from clubs such as São Paulo, alongside Charlotte FC’s pursuit, reflects his emergence as one of Brazil’s most promising central defenders in 2025.
From modest beginnings in interior football to starring on the national stage, Jemmes’ trajectory embodies progress through resilience and opportunity—and his next move could soon take him beyond Brazil.
Mirassol have rejected an initial offer from Charlotte FC for center back Jemmes, as reported exclusively by Território MLS. The MLS club’s proposal was initially valued at around $2.5 million, though final figures came in slightly lower.
Despite the refusal, talks between the clubs remain ongoing, with expectations that Charlotte could return with an improved offer. In addition to the MLS side, several Brazilian Série A clubs are monitoring the defender. São Paulo have also made recent inquiries regarding his situation.
Jemmes’ Path: From small beginnings to a breakout season in Série A
Jemmes da Silva is 25 years old from the State of Mato Grosso, and has quietly built one of the most compelling defensive stories in Brazilian football this season. A left-footed central defender, standing at 6'1'', Jemmes combines physical presence with positional discipline and strong reading of the game.
His development began in the youth ranks of Clube Atlético Taquaritinga between 2017 and 2019, before a move to Capivariano, initially on loan and later permanently. Those early years in São Paulo state's lower leagues provided competitive minutes and laid the foundation for his professional success at Mirassol.
Jemmes made his senior debut with Taquaritinga in 2019 and, from 2020 onward, followed a path common to many emerging Brazilian defenders: frequent moves, steady minutes, and gradual progression. He gained experience with União Suzano, where he scored his first professional goals, Rio Branco-SP, and later Athletic-MG in 2023. These spells helped sharpen his defensive instincts and adaptability.
Breakthrough at Vila Nova and Rise With Mirassol
The turning point came in 2024, when Jemmes joined Vila Nova and delivered a standout campaign in Série B. He made 35 appearances and scored three goals, impressive numbers for a center back and a clear signal of his growing influence at both ends of the pitch.
That season drew attention from top-flight clubs, and in early 2025, Mirassol secured his signing ahead of the club’s historic first participation in Série A. He quickly became an undisputed starter, anchoring the defense throughout the campaign.
During the 2025 season, Jemmes featured in virtually every available minute, logging over 99 percent of possible playing time for long stretches — a rare level of consistency for an outfield player. He also contributed key goals, underlining his reliability, physical durability, and tactical intelligence.
Midway through the season, Mirassol exercised their purchase option, acquiring 70 percent of the player’s economic rights and tying him to a long-term contract — a clear statement of confidence from the club’s leadership.
Growing Market Interest
Beyond Mirassol’s historic run — which saw the club competing near the top of the table and pushing for a Copa Libertadores place — Jemmes’ performances have elevated his profile nationally. Interest from clubs such as São Paulo, alongside Charlotte FC’s pursuit, reflects his emergence as one of Brazil’s most promising central defenders in 2025.
A trio of new New York Yankees rumors offers some major updates on their pursuits of free agent pitchers Michael King and Tatsuya Imai, and a potential trade for Ketel Marte.
For almost all of MLB, winning 94 games and a series in the MLB playoffs is a very positive season. Not when it comes to the Yankees. Especially after reaching the World Series a year ago. It’s why, despite back-to-back seasons with over 90 wins, the club has been very active to upgrade the roster for 2026.
One of the major targets for the Yanks this offseason is starting pitching. Not at the front of the rotation, but a strong number three option, who can be a temporary No. 2 while ace Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon get late starts to the season as they finish up rehabilitation from major elbow surgeries in 2025.
Michael King’s Free Agency Decision Could Come Soon
Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Unsurprisingly, Yankees alum Michael King has been linked to a reunion with the New York. The move makes sense, since the Rochester native proved he can handle the Gotham spotlight, but also because the 30-year-old has grown into a very good starter over the last few seasons.
While the Yankees are in hot pursuit of Michael King, he is not the only major pitcher on the free agent market they are in conversations with. From the beginning, the organization was viewed as a likely suitor for Japanese standout Tatsuya Imai.
According to Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal, the Yankees, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies are rumored to be the three teams making the hardest push for the 27-year-old pitcher. While a few years older, the Yankees might lean more toward King over Imai since the San Diego Padres pitcher is reportedly open to a four-year deal and is proven in MLB, while Imai is seeking a five-year pact.
Ketel Marte Does Not Want To Go To The Yankees
Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
There have been a lot of rumors swirling around Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star Ketel Marte. Despite rumored issues with teammates this past season, he is an elite hitter at second base and has a lot of interest around the league. A trade is very possible this winter. However, it probably won’t be to the Yankees.
NY Yankees and Luke Weaver closing in on a new contract?
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
After bouncing around the league for the first seven years of his career, Luke Weaver has grown into being one of the Yankees’ most reliable pitchers out of the bullpen since 2023. It makes sense for them to make sure he stays in New York for the next few years. According to The Athletic’s Chris Kirshner, the two sides are very much interested in getting a new deal done.
“The Yankees have expressed ‘genuine’ interest in re-signing Weaver, according to a league source, and the 32-year-old reliever would be interested in rejoining New York. Talks between the Yankees and Weaver are not far along,” Kirschner writes.
The Yanks insider added that 10 teams have logged interest with the pitchers’ reps this offseason.
The New Orleans Saints may not be the worst team in the NFL after all. The Week 16 power rankings are doing some course-correction after the Saints knocked out two of their NFC South rivals in back-to-back weeks, and rookie quarterback Tyler Shough's performance is buoying first-year coach Kellen Moore past the danger zone of one-and-done coaches. But defensive coordinator Brandon Staley has earned some recognition, too.
Here's what the experts had to say about the Saints going into Week 16:
(Chris) Olave will play out 2026 on his fifth-year option if the Saints do not reach an extension with him. He said in October that there have been talks with the front office about a potential extension, although nothing has happened yet. The Saints releasedBrandin Cooks and tradedRashid Shaheed, leaving Olave as the primary target. Because the Saints don't have a lot of receiving options, it would make sense for them to close a deal with Olave this offseason. -- Katherine Terrell
This is something of a lifetime achievement award, but (Demario) Davis has been good this season. He leads the Saints with 123 tackles, which is pretty remarkable for a 36-year-old who has played more than 1,000 defensive snaps since joining the league in 2012. The Saints have three NFC South wins in their last five games, including two over Carolina.
Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough had 272 yards in a comeback win over the Panthers on Sunday, and his 110.4 passer rating was the second-best of his career (his best mark came in the first meeting vs. Carolina). The Saints might knock themselves out of the top-five draft pick but if Shough continues to show growth, New Orleans won’t feel the need to draft a quarterback anyway. There are positive late signs in what had been a miserable season.
Lesson learned for the entire NFL: Don’t take these Saints lightly! They’ve won two straight after beating the Panthers, three of five, and next up are the Jets and Titans? Tyler Shough is cooking.
The Saints keep marching toward more positive vibes with Tyler Shough as Kellen Moore is finding an offensive spark through his young stars. The defense also is fighting harder to make plays with its veteran core.
I was wrong about what Brandon Staley could accomplish as the defensive coordinator in New Orleans; he’s managed to get league-average production out of his unit. It was particularly impressive that his group managed to frustrate the Bucs and Panthers in back-to-back weeks.
I owe similar credit to rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. He’s been a functional starter lately, and he was impressive in the final minutes of Sunday’s upset win over Carolina. Shough and this team have more fight in them than I expected, and they may have a decent future ahead.
Kellen Moore’s team is finding traction toward the end of a long season. The call to QB draw Tyler Shough at the end of the game—and Shough’s wherewithal to time the slide in a way that could generate a hit—were brilliant. This team may have found its answers at two of the most critical positions.
The Saints are starting to build some positive momentum, with two straight victories over the two teams currently atop the NFC South standings. Granted, neither the Panthers nor the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing particularly well as of late, with both teams owning .500 records.
The Saints may be eliminated from the postseason, but they're easily better today than when the team began the season with eight losses in its first nine games. New Orleans is better because it may have found a legitimate long-term starting quarterback Tyler Shough. -- Sobleski
Since 2016, international football governing body FIFA has hosted its own annual award gala to recognize some of the world's most illustrious stars from around the globe.
Formerly partnering with the Ballon d'Or ceremony, FIFA has since split off to put on its own ceremony known as The Best awards, held annually either at the end of the calendar year or in January. The 2025 edition takes place in Doha, Qatar on December 17.
The Best FIFA Football Awards have been handed out since 2017 as part of FIFA's plan to create an award solely within its organisation.
Briefly, FIFA partnered with France Football for the Ballon d'Or award, but that ended in 2016. Football's governing body then embarked on its own set of awards for the top players and coaches in the sport.
The Ballon d'Or has been in circulation since 1956, and despite FIFA's global standing as a football entity, The Best awards still have some catching up to do to be considered of the same prestige as the Ballon d'Or.
The San Francisco 49ers have been one of the more successful teams in the NFL over the last decade or so, and one of the main reasons for that success has been thanks to a potent offense led by Kyle Shanahan.
But, there seems to be always one phase of the game that has eluded the 49ers in recent years: the kicking game. Jake Moody struggled, and a few of their other kickers in the last half-decade haven't panned out.
That is, until now. Eddy Pineiro has been revolutionary for the 49ers and has been key to the 49ers' success this season. Nick Wagoner of ESPN is urging the 49ers, amid this breakout season for Pineiro, to lock up their franchise kicker to a long-term deal.
49ers urged to extend Eddy Pineiro to long-term deal
"Coach Kyle Shanahan doesn't like having to worry about his kicker,' Wagoner writes, "and getting Pineiro signed beyond 2025 would likely allow the franchise to rest easy at the position."
Locking up Pineiro is a no-brainer for the 49ers at this point. They brought him in early this season, and while he missed his first kick - an extra-point - Pineiro has been perfect on all 25 of his field goals this season.
What's made Pineiro even more impressive, and imperative for the 49ers to lock up long-term, is that he's a perfect 6-for-6 on field goal tries beyond 50 yards.
Instead of worrying about whether the 49ers have a kicker or not every season, locking up Pineiro to a long-term deal makes the most sense.
The 30-year-old journeyman kicker might've finally found a home in San Francisco, and the 49ers would do well to ensure he doesn't leave anytime soon.
Retaining Pineiro should be a priority for the 49ers this offseason, and Wagoner is urging Shanahan and John Lynch to sign the sixth-year kicker to a long-term deal.
Leandro Bernardes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty; Aaron J. Thornton/Getty
Andy Reid; Patrick Mahomes
NEED TO KNOW
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Patrick Mahomes "feels like he let people down" after the quarterback tore his ACL on Sunday, Dec. 14
Reid said Mahomes is "in a good place" and will be "ready for the challenge ahead" after he rehabs the injury
Mahomes underwent surgery on Dec. 15
Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid shared some insight into Patrick Mahomes' mindset after the quarterback tore his ACL.
In a video interview with KC Sports Network on Monday, Dec. 15, Reid shared what he and Mahomes, 30, spoke about after the injury, which came in the fourth quarter of their loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I’ve had a good visit with him a couple different times," said Reid, 67.
Mahomes' longtime head coach said the quarterback is "in a good place" following the injury and added, "He always feels like he let people down, but then he comes back and he’s ready for the challenge ahead, which is what's real right now, he's just got to get through surgery or whatever it might be and move on from there."
David Eulitt/Getty
Patrick Mahomes on Dec. 14, 2025
Hours after Reid's comments, ESPN's NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Mahomes underwent surgery in Dallas on Monday evening. "Mahomes will immediately begin his rehab process," Schefter said. The Chiefs later confirmed that Mahomes' had a "successful" surgery in a post on X.
"Typical recovery for an injury like this is about nine months, which would be about Sept. 15th, putting Patrick Mahomes up against the start of the 2026 season," Schefter added in a second post on X.
Hours after the game, Mahomes took to X to address fans about his injury and the loss, which knocked the Chiefs out of the NFL playoffs for the first time in 10 years. "Don’t know why this had to happen," Mahomes wrote. "And not going to lie it’s hurts. But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again."
The quarterback thanked Chiefs Kingdom "for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers."
"I Will be back stronger than ever," Mahomes concluded the post.
Wide receiver Allen Lazard (L) totaled 10 catches for 70 yards and a score over 10 appearances this season for the New York Jets. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI
Dec. 16 (UPI) -- The New York Jets and wide receiver Allen Lazard mutually agreed to part ways, a league source told UPI on Tuesday.
Lazard signed a four-year, $44 million contract with the Jets in 2024, reuniting with former Green Bay Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers. He totaled 70 catches for 911 yards and eight scores over 36 appearances for the Jets.
The 6-foot-5 wide receiver, who restructured his contract in April after the Jets released Rodgers, caught 10 passes for 70 yards and one score over 10 appearances this season. Lazard caught 169 passes for 2,236 yards and 20 scores over his first five seasons, which he spent with the Packers.
The undrafted free agent signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2018 signed with the Packers that December. He totaled a career-high 60 catches and 788 receiving yards in 2022, his final season with the Packers. Lazard caught a career-high eight touchdown passes in 2021.
He was a healthy scratch for four games during his final season with the Jets.
Veteran wide receiver Allen Lazard teamed up with quarterback Aaron Rodgers (R) during his first two seasons with the New York Jets. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Adonai Mitchell, John Metchie III and Isaiah Williams are expected to line up as the Jets' top wide receivers in Week 16 when they face the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans.
The Jets (3-11) and Saints (4-10) will kick off at 1 p.m. EST Sunday at Caesars Superdome.
Wide receiver Allen Lazard totaled eight touchdowns over the last three seasons with the New York Jets. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI
Tite replaces Leonardo Jardim, who decided not to stay for 2026.
He hadn’t managed a team since September 2024, when he was dismissed from Flamengo.
He used the end of 2024 and the year 2025 to take care of his health and recently stated that he was ready to return to work next year.
Internacional had also reportedly approached Tite, but Cruzeiro acted quickly and confirmed the former Brazil national team coach to replace Jardim.
Tite’s debut for Cruzeiro is expected to be on January 10, when the team faces Pouso Alegre in the Campeonato Mineiro.
This will be Tite’s second experience in Minas Gerais football. He previously had a stint with Atlético in 2005, being dismissed during the Brasileirão in which Galo would be relegated.
For everyone reading this, I commend you. It can be difficult to muster up a care to sift through the wreckage of another Raiders debacle. It's hard to fathom sometimes just how bad this team in. But just when you think it can't get worse, it does.
Technically, though, it has been this bad before this season. The Raiders lost 31-0 in Philadelphia. Which is the exact score they had in Kansas City in Week seven. As it happens, that loss to the Chiefs began their eight-game losing streak.
In this one, the Raiders offense put up just 75 yards while the defense could stop just about nothing. The game was over by the third quarter when they went down 24-0. And the Eagles put their foot on the Raiders' necks on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Ok, let's do this again.
Ballers
None
Seriously, this is really something. No Ballers every week like this is getting cray-zee. It's not supposed to be a common occurrence and yet this season it's become the norm. There aren't even any Honorable Mention this week.
Busters
DC Patrick Graham
What has happened to this defense? Every week we watch opposing teams just march down the field all day, taking what they want, eating up clock, and scoring seemingly at will. The defensive line is getting pushed around and it always looks like someone is out of position. But if it happens all the time, you gotta start wondering if maybe it's play calls that are the problem?
There's always these plays where very good players are getting wide open with room to catch the ball and/or room to run. Dallas Goedert was the big recipient in this one. He has never had it so easy. And the only score the Eagles had that wasn't a touchdown was not because the Raiders made a big stop. It's simply because Goedert dropped a wide open pass in the end zone. He still managed to score two other touchdowns, including one where he could have literally walked in, but opted to high-step in instead.
I mean, Greg Olson has an excuse. Many, actually. But what's Graham's excuse?
LB Elandon Roberts
This was tough, because Roberts had good stats, including three tackles for loss. But games aren't played in the stat column. And they often aren't won or lost there either. For instance, one of his tackles for loss came on the Eagles' opening drive. But he also was out of position on a six-yard catch, and gave up the touchdown on a shovel pass up the middle to Goedert.
Roberts was among those who gave up the second TD on a two-yard run. And the third TD drive began with Roberts give up a wide open 32-yard catch to Goedert. Their final touchdown drive began with Roberts missing a tackle on a 17-yard run.
CB Darien Porter, S Jeremy Chinn
The Eagles second scoring drive began with Porter giving up a 44-yard catch. A few plays later, in third and six, he was flagged for pass interference that put them in first and goal at the five. The only thing that kept them from scoring a touchdown was Goedert dropping a TD pass.
You could say the game was over in the third quarter. The Eagles went on a long drive with them converting on third and eight by Porter giving up a 14-yard catch. Then on third and 12, Chinn was late to come up and Porter missed the tackle on a 13-yard scramble. And on first and goal from the four, Porter was among those who were caught up in the wash as Goedert sashayed into the end zone.
The final scoring drive saw Porter miss a tackle on an 11-yard run and Chinn give up a 27-yard touchdown in which it looked like Porter might be able to come help out, but ended up just getting a front row seat for AJ Brown's TD catch.
G Caleb Rogers, RT DJ Glaze
The entire line took turns being terrible in this game. But these two had especially bad days. The only drive the Raiders had in the game that looked for a moment like it might go somewhere was their first one. But ultimately they would go for it on fourth and six and DJ Glaze got pushed into the backfield to give up pressure and a batted pass for the turnover on downs.
The next couple drive were three-and-outs. The second of those ended with Rogers getting eaten up to give up the sack.
Late in the second quarter, with the Eagles already up 17-0, the Raiders took over with two minutes to try and get on the board before the half. On the third play, Glaze gave up a QB hit leading to an incompletion. Two plays later, Rogers gave up a QB hit for a short completion. And the drive ended two plays later.
The Raiders would have two more drives before the game was 31-0. The first ended in an interception. The second ended with Glaze giving up the sack.
QB Kenny Pickett
He just seemed to ineffective. No real flashes of anything you could build upon to win a game, let alone sustain a long scoring drive. He completed just 15 passes for 64 yards in the game with one interception and he was sacked four times. One of those I would put on him for trying to run laterally when he still had a pocket. He didn't have a single pass completion over ten yards. Not even his interception.
Fred Hoiberg has his Nebraska team off to its best start in program history, owning the nation’s longest winning streak and armed with its best AP Top 25 ranking in more than three decades.
He wants it to merely be a start rather than a high point for the 15th-ranked Cornhuskers, along with a springboard into making more gains before diving into the meat of the Big Ten schedule. That starts with a home game against North Dakota before taking the Christmas break.
“We’ve got to get tougher, there’s no doubt about it,” Hoiberg told The Associated Press. “We’ve got to find a way to finish possessions. That toughness, you have to have it in this league if you want to be consistent and you want to have any chance to win.”
Still, there’s plenty for Hoiberg to feel good about, too.
Nebraska (11-0, 2-0) Big Ten is coming off a week that saw the Cornhuskers beat Creighton by 21, beat Wisconsin by 30, then win at then-No. 13 Illinois on Jamarques Lawrence’s last-second 3-pointer. Throw in winning last year’s College Basketball Crown tournament, and the Cornhuskers have now won a program-record 15 straight games.
And that helped them to jump eight spots in the AP Top 25 poll, the program’s highest ranking since sitting at No. 11 in March 1991 in the final poll of that season.
Hoiberg, now in his seventh season in Lincoln, can point to a number of factors in Nebraska’s rise. Big man Rienk Mast — who led the Huskers in rebounding and assists for a team that reached the 2024 NCAA Tournament — is back for a sixth season of competition after missing last year with a knee injury.
They’ve gotten a boost from adding Pryce Sandfort (Iowa transfer averaging 17.1 points) and Braden Frager (averaging 10.8 points after redshirting last year), while Lawrence returned to Nebraska after playing a year at Rhode Island.
Hoiberg said an offseason priority was to improve the team’s 3-point shooting, after going from making 9.4 per game in 2023-24 to just 7.5 last year. They enter this week ranked 19th nationally by making 11.2 per game.
The test this week, beyond the game, is having players stay focused instead of listening to family members and friends pat them on the back through the Christmas break for Nebraska’s strong start.
When the Huskers return, they host New Hampshire on Dec. 30 then return to Big Ten play against No. 9 Michigan State on Jan. 2.
“We talk to them all the time about keeping your walls up,” Hoiberg said, adding: “Listen, we’ve won two Big Ten games. ... If we get satisfied, we’re done. And we remind our guys every day of that.”
Cards & Vols
The AP Top 25 national schedule features only four ranked-versus-ranked games on the men’s side. Of those, only one is being played in a team’s home venue: No. 11 Louisville’s trip to No. 20 Tennessee.
The Volunteers (7-3) enter the week having lost three straight, falling to Kansas in the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas, at Syracuse in the ACC/SEC Challenge and Illinois despite having a home-state crowd in Nashville.
The Cardinals (9-1) suffered their only loss in another trip to a Southeastern Conference venue, falling to now-No. 14 Arkansas in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Dec. 3.
Neutral-court throwdowns
Three top-10 teams — No. 3 Duke, No. 6 Purdue and No. 8 Houston — face ranked opponents in neutral-court matchups.
The Cougars (10-1) face Arkansas in Newark, New Jersey, in the first of those matchups. An hour later, the Boilermakers (10-1) tip off against No. 21 Auburn with a home-state crowd in Indianapolis.
The third is the Blue Devils (10-0) meeting No. 16 Texas Tech in New York’s Madison Square Garden. It’s the latest demanding nonconference matchup for Jon Scheyer’s squad after already logging wins against Kansas, Arkansas, Florida and Michigan State.
Watch list
USC (10-1) is the top vote-getter among unranked teams. The Trojans — who spent a week at No. 24 — have home games against UTSA and Brown this week before the Christmas break, then return to visit No. 2 Michigan on Jan. 2.
Iowa (9-2) and Seton Hall (10-1) are hovering behind the Trojans. The Hawkeyes play Bucknell, while the Pirates visit Providence in Big East play.
Iowa hasn’t been ranked in the AP Top 25 since November 2022; Seton Hall hasn’t been ranked since January 2022.
Worcester Warriors are currently second in the Champ table after winning eight of their 10 games this season [Getty Images]
The majority of Worcester Warriors fans are "happy where we are" says supporters trust chairman Marcus Mulcahy after reports the former Premiership club had not submitted an application for promotion to the top flight for next season.
Warriors are back playing professionally this term in the revamped Champ Rugby following the club's financial collapse and administration in September 2022.
They are currently second in the division, six points behind leaders Ealing - one of only two clubs, with Doncaster - who are understood to have applied for a chance to reach the Prem in 2026-27.
Ahead of the start of the season, Warriors chief executive, Stephen Vaughan, said the club "needs to be in the top flight at some point" but added a note of caution saying it would be "crazy of us to start putting ridiculous targets in place" given the journey back from administration and near extinction.
Last week, the club reiterated their position saying the first season back was "a stabilising introduction to professional sport" but that they wanted to return to the Prem "in the near future".
Speaking to BBC Hereford and Worcester, Mulcahy said fans have no issue with the club taking that view.
"The club have said many times they were going to try to get promotion back to the Premiership at some point when the time is right," he said.
"There are plenty of supporters - particularly the long-term, hardened ones - who are very happy with Champ rugby and don't have any particular ambition to be back in the Prem straight away."
As it stands, the top six in the new-look 14-team Champ at the end of the regular season will be involved in a play-off system where the eventual winners will play the bottom team in the Prem - currently Newcastle Red Bulls - over two legs to see who goes up or stays up.
"I know they've [Worcester] been discussing with the RFU, PRL [Prem Rugby], the Champ and the tier-two board about promotion," Mulcahy said.
"It hasn't been sorted yet and none of the clubs really know what's going to happen."
Although the RFU's Minimum Standards Criteria (MSC) for promotion to the top flight has been softened, with sides having four years to get their ground capacity up to at least 10,000, in reality, few second-tier clubs can meet the financial requirements.
"There's been talk of expanding both the Champ and the Prem and we don't know what's going to happen next year," Mulcahy said.
"We're just happy to have the club back. I think promotion is a bit of a side issue. The time's got to be right to do it both from a business and playing perspective.
"We're just happy where we are - most fans think that."
Wilfried Nancy has been speaking to the media before Celtic's midweek trip to face Dundee United.
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Asked about the criticism that has followed three defeats in a row since he took charge, the Frenchman said: "Don't forget, I come from Europe, so I know the way it works and, to be fair, in the MLS it is the same - not with same intensity obviously. I don't have a problem with that. This is part of the job. The fans, the media, you don't have results, this is normal."
Asked if he wanted to prove his doubters wrong, Nancy replied: "I don't have to prove anything to anybody, simple as that. I just have to be coherent with my team and to do my job as best as I can and, after that, it will be more positive. The only thing I have to prove is to be good with my players on the pitch and to help them have good performances and to win games."
The Celtic manager said he knew before he joined the club "it could be difficult" taking charge of a side mid-season and "there could be a lot of adversity".
Asked if he regrets changing the side's formation immediately on his arrival, Nancy said: "It is not rocket science what I'm saying. I am the coach, I have ideas and they did it before. I am just asking them to play with a few nuances, but I don't try to invent football."
However, he pointed out he has only been in charge for 10 days and realises his players were faced with "a new coach, a new way of doing things, new staff, not a lot of time".
Nancy remains confident of changing their fortunes because "every day I see there is an improvement".
He says it is "nothing about the system" but "about the desire to compete every time".
Nancy has "had messages from my family asking me if I am okay" amid the criticism but says he is "focusing on what I can control".
Asked if he retains the confidence of Celtic's hierarchy, Nancy replied: "I am very grateful to the people I work with. They know why I am here, they protect me. They know where we are at this moment and we knew this moment could come but, most important, they know where we want to go."
Right-back Anthony Ralston is "okay" despite coming off injured in Sunday's Premier Sports Cup defeat by St Mirren, but striker Kelechi Iheanacho misses out with the hamstring injury he picked up at Hampden and it is not known yet how long he will be sidelined.
There are just three weeks left in the 2025 NFL season and only 19 teams remain in the playoff hunt. In Week 15, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals were officially eliminated. The Chiefs' 10-year playoff streak came to an end following their loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
The Miami Dolphins were also knocked out of postseason contention after losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night. In total, 13 teams have now been eliminated from playoff contention, including the 5-9 Atlanta Falcons.
So, which teams are officially out of the postseason race entering Week 16? Check out the updated list below.
NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention: Week 16
The Falcons will face off against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16. The Cardinals have lost six straight games, while the Falcons have lost seven of their last nine. Sunday's game kicks off at 4:05 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium.
The Jets are moving on from one of their biggest mistakes in recent memory. Wide receiver Allen Lazard is being released at his request per Jordan Schultz.
The Jets signed Lazard as a free agent in 2023 from the Packers in an attempt to build up a collection of Aaron Rodgers’ favorite targets as the team was trading for the Hall of Fame quarterback. Lazard received a 4 year, $44 million contract.
To say the contract did not work out would be an understatement. Lazard produced little with the team other than drops. It was a surprise when the Jets kept him for 2025 on a reworked deal that included a massive paycut. Lazard ended up being an afterthought in the offense this year, playing sparingly and only recording 10 receptions.
The release might have come at Lazard’s request, but it is a positive for the Jets who now have a free roster spot to fill with a player who has more upside.
This was not a backcourt violation and has never been a backcourt violation.
For those calling the game, there is a responsibility to know the NBA rules and explain them correctly in order to properly educate the fans @alaatweets
The national high school girls basketball season is in full swing as teams across the country are playing on a nightly basis. For high school girls basketball rankings, there’s plenty of great teams from all around the country to look at as we begin our weekly Top 25 rankings nationally.
The 2025-26 season has started off looking to be not too much different to a year ago as the national powerhouses are quickly shaping into form as several games have already been played.
Topping the Top 25 girls basketball teams in the land the Long Island Lutheran Crusaders out of the Empire State as they are off to an impressive 4-0 start. Who else joins the Crusaders in these latest set of high school girls basketball rankings?
Here’s a look at the latest set of top 25 high school girls basketball teams in the country according to the Massey Ratings, which ranks teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory, as of Dec. 16.
1. Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) (4-0)
There’s some really good high school girls basketball out of the Northeast and it begins with New York’s Long Island Lutheran as they have been the perennial powerhouse out of the region. The Crusaders had a handful of losses on the court a year ago against some of the country’s best programs, including against Archbishop Wood, IMG Academy, Montverde Academy and Sidwell Friends. Long Island Lutheran is led by junior four-star point guard Taylor Brown, who returns as one of the best floor generals in girls basketball. The Crusaders are off to an impressive start to the season already, defeating Maryland’s No. 2 ranked Bishop McNamara recently, 63-56.
2. Ontario Christian (Calif.) (11-0)
The Knights are among one of the California’s top girls basketball programs right now as they’ve rolled to an undefeated start, reeling off 11 straight victories to begin the 2025-26 campaign. Ontario Christian is scoring points at a rapid pace as the Knights are averaging a staggering 95 points per game. The Knights feature a trio of scorers, led by junior point guard Kaleena Smith, who is currently leading the team with 34.8 points, 8.3 assists and 3.5 rebounds per contest. We’re looking forward to this upcoming weekend’s game between Ontario Christian and Incarnate Word Academy, the No. 1 ranked team out of the state of Missouri.
3. Johnston (IA) (7-0)
The Johnston Dragons are coming off winning last year’s Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) Class 5A state championship and finished with a 26-0 record in 2024-25. The Dragons enter the 2025-26 season on a 52-game winning streak dating back to 2023, which has seen the program notch back-to-back state titles. Senior point guard Jenica Lewis, who scored 12 points in last year’s state title game, is back in the fold after a strong junior campaign. Lewis has offers from Iowa, UNC, Notre Dame, Oregon and TCU. Dragons have extended the winning streak now to 59 straight and have shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
4. Hopkins (Minn.) (6-1)
Coming in at the fourth spot in the latest set of girls basketball rankings is last year’s Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) AAAA state champion Royals, which finished 27-5 and defeated Maple Grove at the end for the title. Hopkins wasn’t a team full of star power last season en route to winning another state title, but brings back plenty of talent to begin the fall campaign on everyone’s radar. Junior point-forward Erma Walker was crucial for the Royals in beating Maple Grove a year ago, with 28 points and eight rebounds. Lone loss for Hopkins so far is a 46-43 decision to Iowa’s Dowling Catholic, the No. 6 team in our rankings.
5. Minnetonka (Minn.) (7-0)
Rounding out the Top 5 teams in the country on the girls basketball circuit is the Minnetonka Skippers, whom have rolled through the early slate of their regular season schedule. The Skippers feature multiple Division I prospects in Grand Canyon signee Lanelle Wright at point guard and sophomore four-star small forward Ari Peterson. The next big game on the slate for Minnetonka should be a Jan. 9 meeting with Maple Grove of Illinois.
Massey Ratings National High School Girls Basketball Rankings Nos. 11-25
How to Follow National High School Girls Basketball
For high school girls basketball fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the high school girls basketball action throughout the season. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the girls basketball excitement across the country.
Renato Paiva On The Pressure Faced By Managers In Brazil
It has been a rollercoaster 2025 for Renato Paiva.
Born on March 22, 1970, in Pedrógão Pequeno, Portugal, Paiva was football-obsessed from the very beginning, be that playing for his city’s youth teams, reading magazines like Onze Mondial, and playing at the amateur level. Similar to others like Brian Dunseth and Leonardo Bertozzi, Paiva knew from the very start that he wanted to become involved in the football industry. He finally got his breakthrough in 2004 by joining Benfica’s academy, where he helped develop a number of future stars like Bernardo Silva, João Félix, Renato Sanches, Gonçalo Ramos, Ederson, João Cancelo, and Rúben Dias, and coached all of the different age groups, all the way up to the Benfica B team.
Paiva spent two years coaching in Portugal’s second tier before deciding to make the move to Ecuador in December 2020, where he led Independiente del Valle to their first-ever national title. This would attract the attention of LAFC, who brought him to California for preliminary discussions. But just when Paiva looked set to sign on the dotted line, his players caught wind and started blowing up his phone, begging him to stay. Paiva caved and remained at Independiente, but rather than building for a strong 2022, the team sold various key figures and failed to reinforce. It’s why, midway through the campaign, Paiva decided to depart the club and take charge of Mexican side León on May 30, 2022.
“I was upset at that moment when Grupo Pachuca (which owns Pachuca and León) appeared. President Jesús Martínez Patiño called me to take charge at Pachuca, and I said I’m staying at Independiente, and six months later, he called me again to take charge at León. I was a little upset with the process at Independiente. I also looked at the terms of the contract, and I realized I couldn’t say no,” stated Paiva in an exclusive World Football Index interview. “I ended up accepting going to Mexico, especially because it was a very high-profile championship with very good players and a lot of money. Besides that, it’s a style of football that attracts me, that I really like, which is a very attacking style of football where you try to score a lot of goals. It wasn’t just the league or player quality, but I really identified with their style of play and ended up accepting the move to León.”
After an impressive spell in Mexico that saw him earn the acclaim of leading North American pundits like Herculez Gomez, Kevin Egan, and Taylor Twellman, Paiva took charge of Brazilian side Bahia on December 6, 2022, guiding the team to the 2023 Campeonato Baiano before resigning after nine months at the helm. Paiva then returned to Mexico and took charge of Toluca, where he helped plant the seeds for their sensational 2025 season, before heading back to Brazil. He took charge of Botafogo, who were coming off their maiden Copa Libertadores title as well as their first league title in three decades. After a shaky start to proceedings, Botafogo found their footing under Paiva and won six of eight before heading to North America for the FIFA Club World Cup.
Botafogo beat Seattle Sounders 2-1 in their own backyard before heading to California, where they pulled off a shock 1-0 win against newly crowned European champions Paris Saint-Germain. And after holding Atlético Madrid to a 1-0 defeat, Botafogo went to Philadelphia to face off against fellow Brazilian side Palmeiras in the Round of 16. In an even-keeled match-up, Palmeiras narrowly escaped with the victory in the City of Brotherly Love. There was no brotherly love for Paiva; 10 days after American businessman and Botafogo owner John Textor kissed him in the midst of a post-match interview following their PSG win, Paiva learned that he had been sacked for the first time ever. He was out of work for just two weeks before taking a job at Fortaleza, where he remained for a month before being given his marching orders.
“There’s too much external pressure in Brazil; everyone wants to win. No one accepts losing, and everyone always wants to win. That doesn’t exist in football; even the best teams like Barcelona, Manchester City, and Real Madrid don’t always win, and here, the fans have no patience for defeats. I’ll give you the example of Flamengo with Filipe Luís, who, as soon as he doesn’t win two games in his burgeoning coaching career, is under a lot of pressure. And the outside world has a big influence on player development and peace of mind. There’s no time to work and develop, nobody has the patience to wait; either the results come, or you’re done. Of course, football is about results – I accept that. But you have to give it time for the results to appear, and you don’t have time here.”
“Brazil is the country in the world that has the most constant coaching dismissals; it’s a cultural phenomenon because no one has the patience to work with young players. No one has the patience to wait for a player to develop. For example, today, one of the best players in the Brazilian championship is Vasco da Gama’s 19-year-old player, Rayan. A lot of people in Europe are already looking at Rayah, and Vasco has managed to keep hold of the player, and he is gradually becoming one of the most important players in the championship. That’s what should also happen in training: let him play, but also improve the schedule even further, so the player can train more. Here, players can’t train because they’re playing every three days. You play a great game on Saturday, and you’re Maradona, and on Wednesday, you play a bad game, and you’re the worst player in the world. This doesn’t develop either players or coaches or Brazilian football.”
Paiva has spent the past four months living in Rio de Janeiro, reflecting on a stressful 2025 and carefully planning out his next step. Having rejected offers from Portugal, Colombia, Paraguay and Egypt, Paiva is well aware that he will have to return to the coaching game sooner rather than later. He might even decide to return to the Brasileirão – but if he does, he’ll be well aware of the league’s unique demands and the need for an instant adaptation.
“There are so many games, and people don’t have patience…if things are bad, the process is flawed. This also makes you lose your passion and your love for the game, and it makes it become mechanical. You’re going from playing on Wednesday to Saturday, and you don’t appreciate the wait because you’re playing almost every day. When I was little, my club would play on Sunday and only play again the following Sunday, and I would have to wait a week for the game. That enthusiasm on Friday to see my team on Sunday, that passion disappears because everything is immediate. It’s like a factory with game after game, and this is a very serious problem for me in Brazilian football.”
“I don’t have the solution; I have an opinion – Brazil doesn’t train players. I developed young players at Benfica, training five times a week, five team training sessions, and four individual training sessions. A young Benfica player would do nine training sessions per week, and then he played on the weekend. In Brazil, you don’t train. You go to the Under-20 Championships, as well as the Youth or Under-19 Championships. You have the same busy schedule, but you don’t train. How do you develop a young player without training? You don’t have the training environment where you repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, and correct the player when he makes a mistake. You can’t stop to correct it during the game, where a player’s mistake doesn’t impact the result, the fans, or the crowd, and many players have to train physically because they have physical problems. But with Brazil, they only think about heavy calendars and not training, only playing, which stops the player’s development. Player development in Brazil needs a revolution, not an evolution.”
As the Philadelphia 76ers continue to navigate through the 2025-26 season, there will be decisions that President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey will have to make in an effort to improve the team and take steps forward in the East. He has never been afraid to pull the trigger on a move whether it be in free agency or on the trade market.
Morey has put together a terrific roster on paper. The trio of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George should be enough to make the Sixers a serious contender in the East--barring health, of course. With those three leading the way, Morey will then look to put the right pieces around them in order to get over the mountain in the East.
For Morey, he now has four new trade chips after the Dec. 15 deadline, plus one more coming in January. Here are the four eligible to be traded now and the fifth who will become eligible in the future, but with a catch:
Kyle Lowry - trade eligible now
Trendon Watford - trade eligible now
Eric Gordon - trade eligible now
Justin Edwards - trade eligible now
Quentin Grimes - trade eligible Jan. 15, but has a no-trade clause
Here is a look at how the Las Vegas Raiders’ rookie class fared in a 31-0 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday and ahead to Week 16’s road game at the Houston Texans.
Ashton Jeanty:
The No. 6 overall draft pick played 71 percent of the snaps, his second straight relatively low-snap count game Jeanty continued to have a low-impact on the game. He had 35 yards on nine carries and four catches for seven yards. He is averaging 34.5 yards a game for the past eight games.
Jack Bech:
The second-round pick played 81 percent of the snaps a week after playing a season-high 82 percent of the snaps in a game and he caught all six of his targets for 50 yards. At the Eagles, though, he was targeted just three times and had two catches for 17 yards.
Darien Porter:
The third-round pick played every snap with Kyu Blu Kelly out for the season. A week after having a strong game against the Denver Broncos, Porter struggled at Philadelphia. It was a rough late first quarter and early second quarter for Porter, though. Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith got past Porter on a 44-yard pass from Jalen Hurts to to the Raiders’ 22-yard line. Later, on the same drive, Porter then committed pass interference on third down near the goal line to give Philadelphia a first down. It happens and Porter will learn from the rough outing. Expect him to play a lot in the final three games. It won’t get easier this week as Houston has a strong passing game.
Caleb Rogers:
The third-round pick played the entire game at guard for the second straight game. He played well against the Broncos. That wasn’t the case against the Eagles. He struggled. But like Porter, Rogers will learn from the experience.
Charles Grant:
The offensive lineman, taken in the third round, has been active for nine games because Kolton Miller is out for with a high-ankle sprain. He played five snaps after playing just one snap earlier in the season. He played in a Jumbo offensive line package. While he is a project, he did show some promise in his brief appearance Sunday.
The wide receiver, taken in the fourth round, returned after missing the Denver game because of a concussion. But he didn’t do much and played just eight snaps. He wasn’t targeted. He started the season as a big part of the offense, but that has not been the case lately. He needs more looks down the stretch.
Tonka Hemingway:
The fourth-round pick played for the sixth time this season, but his play time decreased. He played just 13 snaps Sunday after playing a combined 62 snaps the past two weeks.
JJ Pegues:
The defensive tackle, taken in the sixth round, played for the sixth time, playing a season high 16 snaps. He didn’t have any tackles.
Cody Lindenberg:
The seventh-round pick played every special team snap for the first time.
Carter Runyan:
The undrafted free agent tight end didn’t play on offense, but played 13 snaps on special teams.
Greedy Vance:
The undrafted free agent was a healthy scratch at the Eagles.
The New York Jets are releasing veteran wide receiver Allen Lazard, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.
The person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team didn’t announce the move, said the decision was mutual.
Lazard’s role with the Jets had diminished significantly this season, even as the offense struggled to produce. With three games left in the regular season, the 30-year-old wide receiver will be able to sign elsewhere.
Pro Football Talk first reported that Lazard would be released at his request.
Lazard had only 10 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown this season while playing in just 10 games after he was buried on the depth chart.
Lazard came to the Jets as one of the team’s biggest offseason moves in 2023, signing a four-year, $44 million contract — a month before he was reunited with Aaron Rodgers, his former quarterback in Green Bay who was acquired in a trade by New York.
Motorsport Ireland Academy duo Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong will drive for M-Sport in the World Rally Championship in 2026.
McErlean, 26, will get behind a wheel for a Ford Puma Rally1 in the top tier of the sport, and will be co-driven by Eoin Treacy after his debut campaign last year.
Two-time Junior WRC runner-up Armstrong will join McErlean in an all-Northern Ireland line-up for M-Sport as he makes his debut in the top tier of rallying.
The 31-year-old challenged for the European Rally Championship title last year and will be joined by co-driver Shane Byrne.
After ripping off 10 straight wins, the Patriots second half collapse against Buffalo was troubling to say the least.
So where does Mike Vrabel go from here after his team blew a chance to clinch a playoff berth by winning the division?
Can the Patriots coach pull off another turnaround, after molding a four-win team into a contender? Or has he used up all of his motivational tricks and coaching magic?
While it’s only one game, rebounding from what happened against the Bills won’t be easy. It’s Vrabel’s next important mission.
As one part coach, one part motivator, one part overseer of the operation, and one part fixer of all that’s broke, Vrabel will need to use all of his leadership skills to right the ship over the final three regular season games, starting Sunday in Baltimore.
We’ve already gotten a hint of Vrabel’s approach from his post-game comments, as well as what he told the media Monday after watching the film, and digesting the 34-31 loss once again.
BETTING: Patriots moneyline is +130 on FanDuel for Sunday’s game versus the Ravens. Our FanDuel Sportsbook review provides a complete guide on how to navigate through their site.
He hasn’t gone the route of ripping players publicly - although he did cite Rhamondre Stevenson for making a “bad decision” by engaging with Matt Milano on the sideline and getting flagged in the third quarter for unnecessary roughness.
He told the players the same thing he would after a win.
They did some good, as well as some bad. They need to take ownership of the mistakes, and make the necessary corrections.
“I’m hoping we don’t walk around with our heads down,” Vrabel said during his Monday appearance on WEEI. “We have to get back to work, and it sucks to lose. It sucks to lose with an opportunity to win the division, and it didn’t happen.
“That’s what you have to learn from. You can work really hard for stuff, and you can want stuff really bad, and sometimes you don’t get it. And you have to be able to come back, compete, pick up the pieces and put them back together.”
Several players echoed his message on Monday, which is always a good sign. So Operation Pick up the Pieces is well underway.
“I think Coach summed it up well entering the locker room. I heard him say, ‘Welcome to the NFL, boys,’' center Garrett Bradbury said. ”This is the NFL. It’s December football. It was two good football teams going at it. They made more plays than we did."
The most important point delivered by the head coach?
“The sky’s not falling,” Bradbury said. “We didn’t win this week. We have another opportunity next week. So we’ll put it to bed today, and focus on next week.”
Vrabel could harp on all of the breakdowns, penalties, missed tackles, etc. He could show a level of disappointment with the players that he hasn’t previously with the media.
But he knows what makes all of them tick. He’s as good of a button pusher as there is in the coaching ranks. He knows what drove the Patriots to 10 straight wins. So there’s no need to deliver any crazy sermons or go all Jack Nicholson (You can’t handle the truth!“) on them at this stage.
“I’ve tried to stay consistent in my messaging and what we’ll do,” Vrabel said. “And we’ll take a look at all the good stuff, and we’ll have to fix the stuff that gets us beat, and we’ll have to talk to these guys about making great in-game decisions and all the details and the techniques and the things that cost us, and try to get back and get healthy and get back on the road and win a game.”
Vrabel made mention that it had being 83 days since the team last lost. That was a reminder for everyone - not just the players - to avoid getting bent out of shape over one loss.
And while there was a bit of mixed messaging about the officiating in the game, with Vrabel calling out the refs on the radio in the morning, he self-corrected before the day was over.
“Yeah, there’s nothing that we can do. They see what they see. They call it the best that they can. I’m confident in that,” Vrabel said of the officials. We have to know what it is that they’re looking for to call penalties. They have mechanics that they’re looking for, we have to understand that and we have to play to that. No more, no less. Officiating or the penalties weren’t the reason that we lost the game."
Vrabel knows excuse-making and whining aren’t going to fix the problems. It’s hard work, and showing them the way.
There’s also a fine line trying to have the players recognize and repair their short-comings, while maintaining their confidence to go out and win games.
“Coach Vrabel said after the game, if we don’t learn anything from it, then it is a loss,” Bradbury said. “But I think there are some things we can learn from it. If we can be a little bit better in practice, a little bit better next Sunday, then I think we will have learned from it.”
The Ravens, who are a bubble team with respect to the playoffs, won’t make it easy on Sunday. The Patriots have to be ready to meet that challenge, and, unlike the Bills game, maintain their intensity for the full 60 minutes.
“We’re 11-3,” Vrabel said, “and we’re going to work our asses off to be 12-3.”
Twelve months ago, Blake Treinen was a folk hero, as the lanky and taciturn, salt-of-the-earth reliever who bent but never broke getting critical outs as the Dodgers vanquished the New York Yankees with aplomb, earning himself both a bobblehead night on August 17, 2025, and a new two-year contract.
With new addition-Tanner Scott to man the ninth, the plan for Treinen, new addition-Kirby Yates, and Alex Vesia to tackle the leverage innings, the 2025 Dodgers were supposed to have a lethal bullpen.
It did not work.
While it was likely extremely unrealistic to expect Treinen to pick up where he left off in 2025, no one could have reasonably predicted what happened in 2025. Treinen had a career-best of 12.15 K/9 innings; however, he also had a career worst of 6.41 BB/9 innings.
Or put another way:
The Dodgers had a bad bullpen in 2025, which is a bit of an overbroad claim. What the Dodgers really had in 2025 was a bad bullpen in terms of leverage.
Where new arrivals Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott kept serving up fresh meatballs with almost frightening regularity, Treinen had the opposite problem. Treinen has generally been a four-pitch reliever, using a sweeper, sinker, four-seam fastball, and cutter. In 2024, where Treinen had a dominant sweeper, sinker, and four-seamer, in 2025, his sinker was teed off on. Also, Treinen was BABIP’d to death on several outings (.382 during the regular year), including the postseason (.476).
In 2024, batters had a slash line of .194/.250/.335 (about on par with 2024-Christopher Morel). In 2025, batters had a slash line of .280/.395/.439 (about on par with 2025-Alejandro Kirk). There were times during the year when one could credibly question whether Treinen’s command would allow him to hit water from a boat sitting in the middle of Lake Superior in the gales of November.
To examine the wreckage, which was worthy of song, we must return to the beginning, because Treinen’s season started innocuously enough. He was not as sharp as he was during the 2024 Postseason run to start the campaign, but it would have been unreasonable to expect that level of success from him.
In his first eight games, ranging from Tokyo to the first road trip, he pitched eight innings and earned a 0-2 record with two saves in three tries. He struck out 10 and walked three. He had a 3.38 ERA and 3.76 FIP — above his career averages for sure, but nothing to be alarmed about at the time.
“I think given where we’re at, I don’t know that he’ll be dedicated to the closer role because there might be some time where I feel we need the highest-leverage guy for a particular spot and I’ll use him there,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters at Fenway Park on Saturday of Treinen, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.
At the time, there was cause for optimism as in seven rehab appearances between Oklahoma City and the Arizona Complex League, Treinen had allowed only two runs (one earned) in seven innings, with 10 strikeouts and one walk. In his last four appearances at Triple-A Oklahoma City, Treinen retired all 12 batters faced, with six strikeouts.
In twelve appearances in July and August, Treinen went 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA and 4.21 FIP, with a blown save over 9 1/3 innings of work. He struck out 17, while only walking six. When the calendar turned to September, things got so much worse.
Correlation not causation
Blake Treinen had a nightmarish September that, even when seen live, still beggars belief. Treinen’s command abandoned him, which was catastrophic as his game relies on missing bats.
When most remember Treinen’s truly awful month, they will either remember the numerous, staggering meltdowns that ruined games of Dodger baseball, or they will remember the time he took a page out of Clayton Kershaw’s playbook to mark up his cap on September 12th in San Francisco after the death of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk.
There will be some who attempt to say that one act of arts and crafts caused the downturn in September. But correlation does not equal causation. Treinen was truly awful in September, which was well underway before any controversy.
On September 6, it took Treinen 22 pitches to erase what was originally thought to be a historic night by Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Baltimore.
To his credit, Treinen did own up to being terrible that night. And had that humid night in Baltimore been a singular occurrence, it likely would have been forgotten by now, except by those unlucky enough to be in attendance. Instead, the meltdowns kept happening on a literal weekly basis in September.
The theme carried for the rest of the month: pitches either begging to hit very hard and very far or pitches that even free-swinging Teoscar Hernandez would not swing at during the World Series.
At one point, Treinen took the loss in five straight Dodger defeats, eclipsing the most recent streak of four consecutive defeats for a team, last done by old friend Tim Belcher in 1994 for the Detroit Tigers. Considering the torrid streak the team was generally on at the time, Treinen’s dubious mark stands out.
In September, Treinen appeared in 12 games, pitching 9 1/3 innings. He had a 1-5 record and a blown save, with a 9.64 ERA and a 5.17 FIP. He gave up 12 runs (10 earned), while walking 10 and striking out four.
Bent but not broken
If there was one thing that never wavered about Treinen during the year and the postseason run, it was his own confidence in the bullpen (and himself) to rally come the postseason tournament.
Despite the terrible September, Treinen made the postseason roster for each round. Moreover, Dave Roberts never lost complete confidence in Treinen, which quickly became a meme as the postseason wore on.
In the Wild Card round, it looked like Treinen had turned a corner and was proving Roberts’ instincts correct with two scoreless outings against the Reds. That goodwill evaporated in a hurry in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia.
On the cusp of taking a commanding two games to none lead, when tasked to protect a three-run lead, Treinen quickly reverted to his September ways. He failed to record an out and required both a baserunner blunder by the Phillies and the defensive brilliance of Mookie Betts and Max Muncy, and the combined heroics of Alex Vesia and Roki Sasaki to keep the Dodgers from snatching defeat from the confused jaws of victory.
I think using Treinen [in NLDS Game 2] was exactly the right move. A four-run [sic] lead is close enough to feel pressure-packed, but big enough to be protected by an untrustworthy pitcher. If Treinen retired the side, it would build confidence after a brutal end to the regular season, even if he allowed a runner or two. If he couldn’t do that, Roberts needed to know as soon as possible.
Treinen made seven more appearances after that incident, but only twice more did he enter a game in high leverage (gmLI greater than 1.50): Game 1 of the NLCS, when he needed to rescue Sasaki from a mid-inning meltdown, and Game 3 of the NLCS.
[emphasis added.]
After Game 2 of the NLDS, Treinen was still used, just generally not in high-leverage situations. However, Roberts continued to summon Treinen when Sasaki faltered, such as in NLCS Game 1 against the Milwaukee Brewers, and in other low-leverage spots of the NLCS.
Treinen did not repeat the heroics in the World Series that served him so well in 2024. It is worth remembering that Treinen allowed the final run that the Toronto Blue Jays scored in World Series Game 3 in a tie that would require another nine innings to resolve.
Treinen would make two additional appearances in Games 4 and 5 after the outcome was largely settled. When it mattered most during the conclusion of the World Series, Roberts largely embraced an “Oops, All Starters” approach.
Despite his struggles, to this day, Treinen has still somehow never blown a postseason lead for the Dodgers.
Even though Treinen nearly blew the save in NLCS Game 1 against the Brewers by almost hitting Brice Turang with the bases loaded, he still technically succeeded in the save by getting Turang to swing at a pitch at his eyes to close out Game 1. Considering the stakes and the narrative that would have arisen had the Dodgers bungled Game 1, Treinen’s only postseason glory on October 13 is his game of the year.
The Power Rankings set up a 1-2 match, and NFL fans won't have to wait until the weekend for the game. On Thursday, the NFC West lead will be at stake when the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks meet. Both teams are 11-3. That doesn't give either a ton of breathing room because the San Francisco 49ers are 10-4 and quietly building a great season. The bottom-feeder in the NFC West is the Arizona Cardinals, a team that plays awful football in a brutal division.
AFC East
4. New York Jets (3-11)
The Jets were broiled by the Jaguars. Forty-eight points by Jax against a coach who is supposed to be a defensive expert. Another sorry season. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 29
The Dolphins can't win the cold. That isn't exactly news but it happens over and over and over again.Overall NFL Power Ranking: 18
2. New England Patriots (11-3)
There was great excitement at Gillette when the Patriots went up 21-0. Then the crowd was thrilled when Treveyon Henderson had a second long TD run against the Bills to regain the lead. In the end, though, New England was unable to bury Buffalo. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 5
The Bills showed all sorts of mettle coming back from a huge deficit to take the lead, falling behind again 14 seconds later only to score against against New England and win a thriller. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 4
There was no surprise that the Browns faltered. Yes, they are a cold-weather team but they were playing a team that shows what rebuilding on the fly can do. Another awful performance. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 28
The Bengals are eliminated from a possible playoff spot. That actually happened when Joe Burrow was injured earlier in the year. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 26
Baltimore got its act together and smothered the Bengals. Back to .500 for a team that is thought to be so much better. The next three games will tell all.Overall NFL Power Ranking: 15
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)
Strong effort against Miami puts Pittsburgh in great shape to at worse playing the Ravens in Week 18 for the NFC North title. And, time for people to retire the Mike Tomlin needs to go refrain for good. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 14
Don't get excited abut 24 points. Most came after the decision was no longer in doubt. At least, Tony Pollard has found his legs. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 27
3. Indianapolis Colts (8-5)
Philip Rivers made for good content. In the end, another loss. This one was a rough one. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 19
The Jaguars put 48 points on the Jets and won their 10th game of the year. That's a great season accomplishment but they have eyes on the division title. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 10
1. Houston Texans (9-5)
Houston started fast and had the decision over the Cardinals before the first quarter was done. Sets up an interesting stretch for the AFC South crown over the final three games. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 9
This is the definition of awful: The Raiders allowed the Eagles backups a 17-play, 79-yard drive in the fourth quarter. The Eagles' backups. Kenny Pickett threw for all of 64 yards in his return to the Delaware Valley. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 32
3. Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)
The Chiefs lost their third in a row, looks like they lost Patrick Mahomes to a knee injury and are out of the playoffs. Dynasty done. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 17
2. Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
The Chargers went into Arrowhead and topped the Chiefs, completing the sweep of KC. It also knocked the Chiefs from playoff contention and has the Bolts in great shape as the final weeks of the season approach. Overall NFL Power Ranking:8
1. Denver Broncos (11-2)
Denver rallied past the Packers as Bo Nix had a huge game. Eleven wins in a row for Sean Payton & Co. The real deal. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 3
The Giants had a home game against a Commanders team that has been battered by injury and Big Blue managed to allow 29 points and lose again. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 30
The Commanders found a team they could handle in divisional foe the New York Giants. Nothing to get overly excited about but a win is a win. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 25
2. Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
The Cowboys' playoff hopes were basically dashed in a poor performance against the Minnesota Vikings. Folks were thrilled about this team two games ago. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 16
The Raiders were the perfect opponent for a struggling Eagles team. Philly came out and dominated big time, shutting out LV and Jalen Hurts had a much-needed solid performance. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 11
NFC North
4. Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
Minnesota has come to life but too late in the season. It has taken down the Commanders and Cowboys in back-to-back games. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 20
3. Detroit Lions (8-6)
Another game against a strong team and another Lions loss. This team needs to play strong football over the last three weeks to find a wild-card postseason home. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 13
2. Chicago Bears (10-4)
The Bears prepped for a Week 16 game against the Packers by crushing the Browns. This is what a contending team does. Not looking ahead but taking care of business while knowing a huge rematch was on the horizon. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 7
Green Bay had a lead against Denver, saw Christian Watson suffer a chest injury and it derailed the team in the loss to the Broncos. One week the tie plays to the Packers' favor in the standings. This week it has them behind the Bears. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 12
Someone named Charlie Smyth kicked a 47-yard field goal for the Saints, who are now big-time spoilers having beaten the Bucs and Panthers back-to-back. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 24
3. Atlanta Falcons (5-9)
The Falcons showed up and spoiled things in Tampa. Hard to understand the way this team plays from week to week. Power Ranking: 23
2. Carolina Panthers (7-7)
The Panthers had a chance to take the NFL South lead but in the most mediocre of divisions failed to beat the Saints. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 22
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
The Bucs are lucky the Saints beat the Panthers or else they would not be in a tie for first with three games left after their debackle against the Falcons. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 21
NFC West
4. Arizona Cardinals (3-11)
Just an awful team. Time for another complete overhaul. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 29
3. San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
Imagine being 10-4 and in third place in a division. That is where the 49ers sit after 15 weeks of the NFL season. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 6
2. Seattle Seahawks (11-3)
The Seahawks will need more than field goals on Thursday when they play the Rams. This is a huge game and there has to be concern about Sam Darnold against LA. Overall NFL Power Ranking: 2
2. Los Angeles Rams (11-3)
The Rams continue to be unstoppable on offense and do enough stopping of opponents on defense to be fierce. No one can control Puka Nacua. No one. The matchup with the Seahawks and Jaxon Smith-Njigba will be thrilling. Overall NFL Power Rank: 1
Whether you are into the gambling world or not, the betting market is fascinating. Last week, the San Francisco 49ers were initially 14.5-point favorites over the Tennessee Titans.
By the time the game kicked off, the number got down to 12.5. A late touchdown by the Titans got them within ten points, but a final drive by the offense and an Eddy Pineiro field goal meant the 49ers covered.
The Indianapolis Colts were also 14.5-point underdogs in Week 15. They faced the Seattle Seahawks. It was Philip Rivers’ first game in four years, and everyone figured Seattle would destroy the Colts. That was not the case. The Seahawks needed a game-winning field goal as time expired to win.
They outgained Indy by 99 yards, but the fact that it was a competitive game, the Seahawks went 2-for-13 on third down, and they averaged 2.3 yards per carry against a defense that has not been good against the run, should be concerning for Seattle.
The Colts are now at home against the 49ers on primetime next Monday Night. The Niners are 5.5-point favorites over the Colts on FanDuel Sportsbook, with a total of 46.5. I don’t think this game will be 18-16, as it was for Indy last week. This was a line that was 3.5 before Daniel Jones was lost for the season.
The 49ers offense has faced an easy schedule of defenses since Week 10, but during that stretch, they are fifth in the NFL in EPA per play and second in success rate. On the flipside, the Colts go from playing a defense that’s the nastiest in the league. Since Week 10, Seattle has had an EPA per play of -0.22. The second-place team is -0.16. The Seahawks allow a 32.9 percent rushing success rate, which is also first in the NFL.
Johnathan Taylor and company go from that to a Niners unit that’s been 18th in the league in EPA per play during the past month against offenses that won’t sniff the playoffs. More concerning is the down-to-down success teams have had against them. The 49ers are 29th in success rate allowed and dead last in rushing success rate since Week 10. Gulp.
Needless to say, the Colts will score.
So will the 49ers. They may not score 37 as they did against the Titans, but the Colts gave up 36 the week before against the Jaguars, gave up 27 to the Cardinals earlier in the year, 25 to the Falcons in Week 10, 27 to the Steelers the week prior, and 28 to the Broncos way back in Week 2. If those offenses are putting up points, it’s difficult to imagine Kyle Shanahan having trouble scoring.
It’ll be an entertaining game, and if the 49ers can play keep away while putting pressure on the new-look Colts offense, they have an opportunity to pull away. Christian McCaffrey looked spry against the Titans. He has an opportunity to have a big day.
Basketball standouts are leading the way as the first semester of the 2025-26 school year reaches its end, and several sharpshooters are among the nominees for the Apple Dental Center Caller-Times High School Athlete of the Week.
The Caller-Times is taking weekly nominations and will release a list of finalists for the High School Athlete of the Week each Tuesday.
Students in all varsity sports are eligible and can only be named Athlete of the Week one time per season, per sport, and athletes from one school cannot win more than three consecutive weeks.
Aransas Pass' Aubree Leal kept her hot streak going with several huge games for the Panthers last week.
Skidmore-Tynan's Mazzy Calderon scored 30 points in two wins for her team this week and Beeville's Brayden Martorell earned All-Tournament honors, averaging more than 20 points a game in the Whataburger Hub City Classic.
The poll will close Thursday and the winners will be announced Friday each week.
Nominations are due by 5 p.m. Saturday and can be submitted through email at ctsports@caller.com or on Twitter @CallerSports.
Take a moment to look at some of the top performances in the last week and vote on caller.com.
This Week's Finalists
• Audryna Almaraz, Calallen girls basketball — Almaraz scored 15 points in a win against Santa Gertrudis Academy.
• Mazzy Calderon, Skidmore-Tynan girls basketball — Calderon scored 30 total points in wins against Premont and Odem.
• Kate Croft, Flour Bluff girls basketball — Croft scored 14 points to help Flour Bluff earn a key win against rival Veterans Memorial
• Bella Garcia, Tuloso-Midway girls basketball — Garcia scored 19 points to help the Cherokees top Beeville.
• Leah Gutierrez, Bishop girls basketball — Gutierrez scored 29 total points in wins against Orange Grove and Sinton.
• Aubree Leal, Aransas Pass girls basketball — Leal continued to light up the scoreboard with games of 24, 27, 25 and 16 points last week.
• Brayden Martorell, Beeville boys basketball — Martorell averaged over 20 points a game, including three double-doubles at the Whataburger Hub City Classic to earn All-Tournament honors.
• Matt McNorton, London boys basketball — McNorton scored 14 points in a win against San Diego and 15 points in a win against King.
European Rally Championship title runner-up Jon Armstrong will join Josh McErlean as part of a new-look M-Sport Ford World Rally Championship driver line-up for 2026.
The British squad’s decision to retain McErlean after an impressive maiden Rally1 season and add two-time ERC rally winner Armstrong to the line-up comes as part of an expanded collaboration with the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, which has long supported both drivers.
Armstrong's graduation will see the Northern Irishman effectively take over the full-time seat that had been held by Gregoire Munster for the previous two seasons.
The 31-year-old is a true representative of the effectiveness of the rally pyramid. Starting out as a British Rally Championship contender since as early as 2013 in a Ford Fiesta R2, Armstrong competed on national events before making his ERC and WRC debuts in 2015 in the ERC3 and RC4 classes
Armstrong, who lifted the 2018 WRC eSports world title in 2018, finished twice as runner-up in the Junior WRC in 2021 and 2022, before making a move to the ERC. Last year proved a breakthrough season as Armstrong and co-driver Shane Byrne challenged for the title, winning rallies in Wales and Croatia.
Jon Armstrong
“I’m obviously very grateful for the opportunity to drive a Rally1 car. It’s something I’ve worked towards from a very young age, so to actually be able to compete in the top tier of rallying is definitely a dream come true,” said Armstrong.
"Of course, there have been years where things didn’t go our way and we weren’t sure if it would ever happen, but we’ve had a very strong season in ERC, showed our potential, and naturally you then want to see what you can do in the World Rally Championship.
“I’m very happy and extremely grateful to M-Sport, who I’ve been driving with for most of my rally career, and also to the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy - without them we definitely wouldn’t be here.
“We’re really looking forward to the year ahead. There are going to be a lot of good times and definitely some challenges, but I think we’ve shown that we can rise to those challenges, so we just need to stay strong, enjoy it, and keep pushing forward.”
News of a contract extension for McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy has arrived after the pair made the leap from Rally2 to Rally1 this year with M-Sport, finishing 11th in the championship.
Making such a jump proved to be a baptism of fire for the 26-year-old, but McErlean showed plenty of potential throughout the campaign, delivering career best results of seventh at Monte Carlo, Finland and Central Europe. McErlean was able to match and in some cases post faster times than his more experienced team-mate Munster.
Joshua McErlean, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1
Joshua McErlean, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1
The performances impressed M-Sport resulting in the squad offering up a new deal for 2026 in the hope that McErlean can build on a strong start to his Rally1 career.
“We made real progress throughout 2025, and I’m excited to build on everything we learned and put it into action next year,” said McErlean.
“To have another season at this level means a lot. I’m in a completely different place mentally compared to this time last year, stronger, clearer, and ready to enjoy the challenge ahead. My focus now is on myself, performing to the best of my ability, and making the most of this fantastic opportunity with Eoin alongside me.”
M-Sport Ford team principal Richard Millener, added: “I’m very happy to announce that we will be welcoming Josh and Eoin back to the team for the 2026 season. They had a brilliant debut season and their progression with such limited Rally1 experience was very clear to see, so it’s great to be able to give them the opportunity to continue this upward trajectory.
“It’s also very exciting to see Jon and Shane get the opportunity to make the step-up to Rally1 machinery with us. I’m genuinely eager to see how they progress throughout 2026. Jon’s been working towards this opportunity for a long time now, and his strong ERC performances at the end of last season made it impossible to ignore him."
M-Sport has left the door open to more additions, stating “further announcements on M-Sport’s remaining line-up will be made soon".
The squad ran a seven-round programme for rising star Martins Sesks this year, culminating in the Latvian challenging for victory in Saudi Arabia. Sesks’ particularly impressed the M-Sport team in last month’s finale, although his plans for next year are yet to be revealed.
Anuj Rawat, Glenn Phillips*, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Jos Buttler*, Kagiso Rabada*, Kumar Kushagra, Manav Suthar, Mohammad Siraj, Mohd. Arshad Khan, Nishant Sindhu, Prasidh Krishna, R. Sai Kishore, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan*, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder*, Tom Banton*, Ashok Sharma, Luke Wood*, Prithviraj Yarra.
Two teams have clinched spots in the playoffs and that number could start going up on Thursday night.
If the Seahawks beat the Rams at home, they will join the Rams in the NFC bracket. They would also take over first place in the NFC West and the top spot in the conference with two games left to play.
The Seahawks will also get into the dance if the Lions lose to the Steelers on Sunday. A Lions loss would also punch the ticket for the winner of Saturday's game between the Packers and Bears in Chicago and it would give the 49ers a spot regardless of how they fare against the Colts on Monday night. Both the Packers and Bears will get in if they tie and the Lions lose.
The 49ers won't need any help from the Lions if they beat the Colts.
The Eagles will clinch the NFC East with a win over the Commanders on Saturday or a Cowboys loss to the Chargers on Sunday.
The Broncos are the only other team with the ability to wrap up a division title this weekend. They've already clinched a playoff spot and will take the AFC West if they beat the Jaguars while the Chargers lose. Getting those results as well as a Bills loss and a Patriots loss will make the Broncos the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
The Patriots will clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Ravens. They also get in with a Colts loss to the 49ers or a Texans loss to the Raiders.
The Bills, Chargers, and Jaguars can all book their spots in the postseason by winning and getting a loss by either of those AFC South teams. The Bills will be in Cleveland on Sunday.
Former Tennessee offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Alex Golesh was introduced as Auburn's head coach on Dec. 1.
He hired former Tennessee assistant Tim Banks as the Tigers' co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Banks served as the Vols' defensive coordinator from 2021-25.
"Tim Banks is going to be a huge asset to our staff at Auburn," Golesh said. “Tim and I have worked together twice before and competed against each other for years, so I know that he's one of the most respected defensive minds in college football.
"He's an elite teacher who develops players at the highest level, and beyond the football part, he's a man of tremendous character who cares deeply about young people. Our program is going to benefit from having Tim working alongside the rest of our staff."
Golesh was on Tennessee's coaching staff, along with Banks, from 2021-22.
PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies and outfielder Adolis García have agreed on a one-year contract for the 2026 season.
The Phillies and two-time All-Star with the Texas Rangers agreed on a reported $10 million deal. The 32-year-old Garcia is expected to start in right field for the Phillies, with veteran Nick Castellanos expected to part ways with the organization.
Garcia posted career bests in home runs (39), RBIs (107), OPS (.836), OPS+ (127), runs scored (108) and walks (65) in 2023 when he helped lead the Rangers to their first World Series title.
He was named the ALCS MVP after posting a 1.293 OPS with five home runs and 15 RBIs, which included two home runs and five RBIs in Texas’ Game 7 win over the Astros in Houston.
García this year batted .227 with 19 homers and 75 RBIs. He had a .675 OPS over the past two seasons to rank 117th among 123 qualified hitters.
It came with an interesting nugget. The Seahawks released Saubert earlier this season and quickly re-signed him. It was a technicality. The type of deal Saubert was on couldn't be extended, so the Seahawks worked to get him under contract via a different agreement that could be extended, per ESPN's Brady Henderson.
Saubert expressed gratitude.
"It means the world," Saubert told reporters about the extension. "These guys handled that whole situation with class, [me] being out with the injury. For us to come to a deal like that, get another year here, I’m beyond blessed.”
TE Eric Saubert on his extension with the Seahawks, his eighth team in nine NFL seasons: "It means the world. These guys handled that whole situation with class, [me] being out with the injury. For us to come to a deal like that, get another year here, I’m beyond blessed.” https://t.co/fjVj2Ff3Kv
A veteran journeyman, the Seahawks are Saubert's eighth team in nine NFL seasons. The 31-year-old former fifth-round pick out of Drake is thankful to have found a long-term home in Seattle. Saubert, who missed six games with a calf injury, returned from IR and played 22 snaps versus the Colts on Sunday.
The Seahawks appreciate Saubert, and the feeling is mutual.
Check out the latest episode of "Overreaction Time" at noon ET/9 a.m. PT as host Simon Samano and MMA Junkie Radio host "Gorgeous" George debate these "overreactions" on the following topics in mixed martial arts:
(1:09) - Manel Kape should get the first UFC flyweight title shot against Joshua Van.
(7:00) - Francis Ngannou vs. Vadim Nemkov is a layup fight booking the PFL needs to make ASAP.
(14:33) - Cris Cyborg vs. Dakota Ditcheva is another layup fight booking the PFL needs to make ASAP.
(20:38) - People will be talking about Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua post-fight for all the wrong reasons.
(27:17) - Joe Rogan is right: It WOULD be a travesty for Jon Jones not to fight at the White House.
Call it silly season if you must, but the PNC Championship stands out on the professional golf calendar as a unique and festive way to close the year. It brings together fathers, mothers and grandparents teaming up with their sons, daughters or even grandchildren for a memorable family competition.
Once again, the event returns to The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando this week, hosting 20 teams. Each pairing features a past major champion alongside a family member, creating a blend of elite golf and family camaraderie.The 36-hole, two-day tournament uses a scramble format, and that's allowed for some truly memorable moments through the years.
Here's a look at a half-dozen moments (or eras) that define the PNC Championship:
1. Raymond Floyd is the early GOAT (1995–2001)
The event debuted in 1995 as the PNC Father-Son Challenge, and Raymond Floyd and his son Raymond Jr. won the first three editions (1995–1997), and he then added another two titles with son Robert in 2000 and 2001.
Floyd’s five wins set the original benchmark for greatness in this family-focused event.
2. Bernhard Langer takes the reins
After Floyd's early dominance, Bernhard Langer became the king of the PNC Championship, winning six titles, surpassing Floyd’s record.
His victories spanned multiple decades as he won in 2005 and 2006 with son Stefan, and then in 2014, 2019, 2023 and 2024 with son Jason.
The 2024 win was particularly historic, as Langer broke the all-time record and cemented his dynasty.
3. Vijay Singh’s historic sub-60 rounds (2022)
Vijay Singh and son Qass Singh made history by becoming the first team to shoot two sub-60 rounds in the same tournament.
They fired consecutive 13-under 59s and finished at 26 under.
This marked the 16th time the Singhs have competed together in the PNC. Vijay, a three-time major winner, drained a 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to hold off a foursome of former champions.
“This is a highlight of my career,” said Vijay, “winning with him.”
4. John Daly vs. Tiger Woods drama (2021)
John Daly and John Daly II won in 2021 with a total of 27 under, holding back a challenge from Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods, who thrilled fans with 11 straight birdies in the final round.
“To be here and win a big tournament like this with my son, nothing can beat it,” said John Daly after he and his son shot 57 and a 36-hole total of 27-under 117.
This showdown marked Tiger’s emotional return to competitive golf after his car accident, making it one of the most talked-about editions.
5. Justin Thomas and Mike Thomas’ fireworks (2020)
This performance showcased the event’s competitive spirit despite its family-friendly vibe.
“I put it to the side in case if it was the one that got it done,” Justin said of the winning ball. “I’ll be giving it to him whenever I get my hands on my bag.”
6. Tiger and Charlie Woods’ impact
While they haven’t won yet, Tiger and Charlie Woods have become the event’s biggest draw since their debut in 2020. Their runner-up finish in 2021 and consistent contention have elevated the PNC Championship’s profile globally.
That year, the duo teamed to reel off a tournament record 11 birdies in a row and shoot 15-under 57, even though it wasn’t enough to catch John Daly and son John II at the PNC Championship.
Only 1,000 tickets were sold to the public, and it seemed as if every one of them was watching Tiger and Charlie, including baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., and countless grown men dressed in Tiger’s traditional Sunday red and black. Former Tour pro John Cook went out to walk the back nine with Tiger, his old practice-round pal, and marveled at what he was seeing.
“Who knew a U.S. Open was going to break out,” he said, adding, “but you know Tiger, he’s not a just-show-up type of guy.”
“The competitive juices, they are never going to go away,” Tiger said. “This is my environment. This is what I've done my entire life. I'm just so thankful to be able to have this opportunity to do it again.”
The pressure is beginning to mount on Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll. The latest setback would have represented a season-low if the exact result hadn't happened earlier this campaign. The Raiders were embarrassed 31-0 by the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15. They were defeated by the identical shutout score to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7.
The 2025 season has been a full-blown disaster for the Raiders. Coach Carroll misjudged his ability to develop the Raiders into instant contenders. You don't acquire a 34-year-old quarterback and draft a running back with a top-6 selection if you envision a 2-12 campaign on the horizon.
"I don't feel like that at all," Carroll responded to a question about coaching for his job. "I'm well beyond that. It's looking like that's what's necessary," Carroll responded to a question about the inevitable rebuild on the horizon.
#Raiders Pete Carroll on if he feels like he's coaching for his job in the final three weeks: "I don't feel like that at all. I'm well beyond that."
On whether he would be willing to oversee a rebuild: "It's looking like that's what's necessary."
There's a good chance Carroll goes one-and-done with the Raiders. Everything about the 2025 campaign has been forgettable and downright pathetic. John Spytek and Carroll misjudged their team's current standing. A fresh start is desperately needed in 2026.
Bournemouth were back with a bang on Monday in a dramatic showing against Manchester United at Old Trafford which was "absolute cinema". Many a neutral would have enjoyed such an incredible ding dong between two teams who forgot the art of defending for an evening, with the sole aim of out-scoring each other.
Fans have been treated to this brand of chaos ever since Andoni Iraola set foot through the door at Dean Court. It was nothing overly new for those watching of a Cherry persuasion but once again it underlines how lucky we are to have a gaffer that produces footballing entertainment like this.
Over the last few weeks, there was concern that this identity had been forgotten somewhat. A couple of losses against Manchester City and Aston Villa seemed to affect the team's morale. Conceding two at home to West Ham, shipping three against Sunderland and then losing to Everton were uncharacteristic responses that Iraola would not have wanted.
The subsequent home point against Chelsea though, amid the backdrop of multiple injury woes and player uncertainty, might perhaps have helped to galvanise the side and keep things on lockdown somewhat. So with that little bit of confidence seeping through the veins of the players again, it was always going to be interesting how we'd perform at United, a team over whom we've had some great recent results.
We didn't quite expect an immediate return to kamikaze chaos though! It was insane! Perhaps this suggests Bournemouth are very much all or nothing under Iraola.
Conceding four perhaps shows that there needs to be a bit more balance stylistically, but maybe the services of Tyler Adams (who was taken off injured), Ryan Christie (still out) and Lewis Cook (suspended) might have provided that.
New York Giants rookie Abdul Carter has endured a turbulent few weeks amid a season that has spiraled into despair. Despite the absence of fellow edge defender Kayvon Thibodeaux, Carter did not start in Week 11 against the Green Bay Packers, which was relevant because it was interim head coach Mike Kafka’s first game after Brian Daboll was fired. Kafka sought to set a new standard of accountability.
Carter was held out of the opening defensive series after missing a walk-through, and two weeks later in New England, he was benched for the first quarter after missing a special teams meeting. These benchings sparked intense scrutiny from the Giants’ media and fan base, placing Carter at the center of frustration from a disappointed following.
New York entered their BYE week with just two wins (2-11). Interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen stated that Carter responded well with a good week of practice, and Bullen said the rookie had a “new commitment to the process.” Carter substantiated Bullen’s glowing comments with this performance in Week 15:
Carter made critical plays late in the fourth quarter that gave the Giants a real opportunity to win — including a key strip-sack and a late fumble recovery that set up a final chance to tie the game in what had otherwise been a disappointing loss.
Carter now has 2.5 sacks on the season with a team-leading 48 pressures, and he ranks 16th in the NFL in total pressures. His ability to win quickly off the snap has been one of his most impactful traits all season — a skill that hasn’t just boosted his pass-rush production, but has also helped him defeat blocks and make plays in the run game.
Carter recorded five STOPs against the run against Washington, bringing his season total to 17 run-defense STOPs, and he had never logged more than two in a single game before Week 15. Here are some of those positive run-defense plays:
Carter does an elite job against Laremy Tunsil. From the PISTOL formation with Noah Brown (85) lead blocking, Washington attempted to run at Carter, and the young rookie maintained a low center of gravity outside the star tackle and flowed laterally to set the edge. A pursuing defender, Roy Robertson-Harris (95), rewarded Carter’s efforts with help from the backside, but it was Carter who disengaged from Tunsil and made the play. This is team defense — not the most common sight from the Giants. What an excellent way to start the game for Carter, especially after the aforementioned issues.
Later in the first quarter, on first-and-10, Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury called a fake end-around with Jacory Croskey-Merritt (22) receiving the snap and running toward Carter and a safety blitz by Jevon Holland (8). Carter got drawn inside and quickly pivoted outward to track down Croskey-Merrit, who was successfully contained by a pursuing Dexter Lawrence (97) and Bobby Okereke (58). Again, good team defense — unfortunately, this is not consistent.
On second-and-18, Bullen aligned Carter over the center, and Washington attempted a quick HB-Draw that resulted in a loss of four, due to Carter’s quickness off the snap and domination of Tyler Biadasz (63). Carter is tough to block in a phone booth, and he’s done well in these situations against interior offensive linemen.
Here’s where Carter gave the Giants the necessary spark to try to complete the unlikely comeback. Bullen blitzed the safeties often all game, especially against 12, 22, and 21 personnel with an extra player in the backfield. Here, he drops Tyler Nubin (27) down into the box, and the second-year safety did an elite job attacking behind Ben Sinnott (82) and forcing Jeremy McNichols (26) to bounce outside and away from his blockers, where Abdul Carter was waiting. The rookie attacked the football and ripped it out of McNichols’ hands to give the Giants the football, down eight, with 2:42 left in the game.
Carter’s first impactful play against the pass came against rookie tackle Josh Conerly (72). On second-and-20 in the second quarter, Carter quickly turned a double-swipe into a rip move to get his hips oriented into the pocket, turning Conerly around 180 degrees. In desparation, Conerly held Carter to prevent the potential sack, and Marcus Mariota (8) hit Deebo Samuel (1), who dropped the ball. The holding penalty was declined by the Giants. Washington would punt two plays later.
Carter earned a full sack in his second consecutive game — this one a bit more conventional than his one against Drake Maye in Week 13. Carter had a wide angle against Conerly with no chip help from the tight end. The rookie pass rusher used his quickness to get up the arc with a slight ghost move, that reduced the surface area of his chest with an explosive rip from an advantagous angle. Carter easily got into the pocket and ripped the football out of Mariota’s hand, but Conerly would fall on top of it.
Dane Belton forced the fumble, Brian Burns recovered 🔥#ProBowlVote
Bullen devised this excellent six-man pass rush where Okereke dropped off into zone coverage with pressure from the right side of the line of scrimmage. Brian Burns (0) and Carter twist with Dane Belton (24) as the edge blitzer and Nubin following Carter on his loop inward. Belton got home against Mariota, who attempted to avoid the pressure from the onset. As Mariota spun out of the pocket and into Belton, Carter assisted on the takedown and the ball came out. Burns picked up the football and the Giants’ offense would score to give the team a chance at their third victory.
Final thoughts
This performance is exactly what Abdul Carter needed. He recorded his highest Pro Football Focus grade of his career (91.2) and his second-highest pass rushing grade of the season (90.6). He was a problem for Washington’s offense in the run and the pass, but it wasn’t perfect. There were several plays where Carter was eliminated by Tunsil and Conerly; he’s still subject to get overpowered at the point of attack if he doesn’t adhere to the correct technique or if he takes a risk when trying to shed blocks. He’s a rookie — development is a process. Still, his performance inspired positivity, which, for the Giants, is more elusive than Barry Sanders in his prime.
It was an auspicious start to the bowl season for the Mountain West. A depleted Boise State squad was faced with the tough task of matching up with one of the top teams in the Big Ten in the Washington Huskies. Boise State battled for the first quarter, but the Huskies’ size, athleticism, and depth were too much for the Broncos to overcome. In this edition of “The Good, the Bad. the Ugly,” we are going to revisit the most important moments of the game.
The Good
Washington’s Roster
Washington’s roster was filled with more NFL talent than Boise State’s and every single Husky with an NFL future decided to play in the bowl game. The most notable of those players were star wide receiver Denzel Boston and running back Jonah Coleman. Both players had a huge impact on the game with Boston having six catches for 126 yards and Coleman rushing for 85 yards on 12 carries. This game might have had a different outcome if those two didn’t play. Meanwhile, Boise State’s star left tackle Kage Casey decided not to play and didn’t even travel with the team to Los Angeles.
The Bad
Comments Made After the Game
There were a number of notable comments made by Boise State players and coaches after the game. Let’s start with senior tight end Matt Lauter, who was asked about the status of left tackle Kage Casey and how it impacted the team. Lauter noted that not having Casey put a heavier burden on the tight ends who were tasked with chipping Washington’s talented defensive ends. See his comments here:
Very interesting comments from Matt Lauter and Spencer Danielson postgame on team captain Kage Casey not even being in LA tonight: pic.twitter.com/UsyM24aPo2
On top of that, Danielson noted that he was confident in Boise State’s quarterback situation moving forward and did not expect to add someone in the portal this off-season. Poor quarterback play has been a killer for the Broncos this season. This is a team with one of the most talented Group of Five rosters; yet poor quarterback play kept them from contending for a spot in the playoff. Maybe Danielson has confidence in Madsen, maybe he believes in the highly-rated true freshmen that are coming in, or maybe he was just trying to deflect. Only time will tell.
The Ugly
Turnovers and Undisciplined Play
It is nearly impossible to win football games when you lose the turnover battle 5-1. It is especially deflating when all of those turnovers come on interceptions that were poor decisions or bad reads. The final score may not indicate it, but this was a winnable game for the Broncos. All the team needed was a quarterback that could keep his composure and take care of the ball. Poor quarterback play put the defense in a tough position, as they were constantly put in situations where they were forced to defend a short field or did not get much time to rest on the sideline. The quarterback play was very troublesome, and Boise State fans are right to be concerned about the future of the quarterback position for the Broncos.
Will this performance impact Boise State’s off-season? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
I didn’t think I would be doing a Philip Rivers breakdown this season, but here we are!
Let’s go play by play and review how he did in his return to the NFL after being retired for 5 years. Below are all his pass attempts from the game, which can be watched directly on Youtube.
Play 1– Deep Pass Incomplete to Jonathan Taylor
This was one of his weaker throws of the game. A happy feet panicky throw in the pocket and he throws up a prayer one on one. It actually could’ve been caught by Taylor, but 50/50 wobbler to a running back 25 yards down the field isn’t ideal.
Play 2 – Quick Hitter Completion to Pittman
It might’ve looked ugly, but Rivers got the ball out super quickly and that’s all that matters. It’s also worth noting that screen passes are surprisingly tricky to operate as a quarterback needs to receive the snap and get the ball out within a second so oftentimes the quarterback is misaligned when making the throw which could impact the ball placement. In this case, Rivers does a nice job of getting it out quickly and accurately.
Play 3 – Incomplete Intermediate Pass to Warren
This was a nice throw under pressure. It was thrown to a spot where only Warren could get it and it does hit his hands, although it’s a tough one to bring in. No one was open, especially to that side of the field, so the throw to Warren was the correct read.
Play 4 – Incomplete Pass Over the middle to Warren
This was a poor decision. Pittman was crossing underneath and was wide open and would’ve easily gotten the first down. Instead he forces a tight throw to Warren in between a few different defenders and despite it being accurate, Warren gets lit up. This was a poor choice on his end.
Play 5 – Throw Away to Abdullah
This was a designed bubble that was completely taken away by the Seahawks and Rivers smartly throws it away.
Play 6 – Short completion to Abdullah
This was a nifty little throw to Abdullah that was thrown in stride to him and he picks up the first down because of it.
Play 7 – Short completion to Pittman in flats
While you can see the arm being weak on this throw, he makes the right read and Pittman makes a nice catch on the play to get the first down.
Play 8 – Incomplete intermediate throw to Pittman
Everyone was covered on this play with Pierce jammed up and Taylor covered underneath so Rivers threw a back shoulder ball to Pittman but the ball was off the mark and Pittman didn’t get his head around early enough to adjust to the ball.
Play 9 – Completion to Warren on the out
This was one of Rivers’ best throws of the game. Warren was covered pretty well on the out but Rivers threw a perfect ball in stride to a spot where only Warren can get it and he made a nice secured catch on the ball, shielding it from the defender as well.
Play 10 – Short completion outside to Downs
Not sure I get the decision to go to Downs who was bracketed well by two DBs, but the throw was decent and it gets a few yards. Doesn’t help the offense much though. Warren might’ve been open over the middle and Pittman was open on a short check down as well; both those options probably gets the Colts more yards to make 3rd down easier.
Play 11 – Quick hitter to Pittman
This was a great throw, thrown perfectly on time to Pittman who fights for the extra yards and nearly gets the first down. The placement on the throw was also very good.
Play 12 – Quick hitter bubble to Abdullah
I love the play call here and Rivers doesn’t hesitate to hit Abdullah right away. That’s what I love about Rivers: he doesn’t delay for an extra second, he hits the open guy right away.
Play 13 – Screen pass to Warren
I hate the screen pass calls against a defense that was barely blitzing. Nothing Rivers can do here.
Play 14 – Intermediate completion to Warren
Philip Rivers finds Tyler Warren for the longest play of the day, and QB1 is visibly fired up 😤 pic.twitter.com/zgcKByiYrh
This was Rivers’ best throw of the game. Thrown perfectly on time and in stride to Warren in between defenders on a long 2nd down is an amazing play from any quarterback.
Play 15 – Screen pass to Taylor
Nothing to analyze here.
Play 16 – Touchdown pass on crosser to Downs
This was a great read and great throw to Downs on the crosser who walks in for the easy touchdown.
Play 17 – Checkdown to Taylor
This is where Rivers shows his experience, patiently waiting and hitting the wide open checkdown to Jonathan Taylor, who gets several yards to make it 3rd and manageable for the Colts.
Play 18 – Incompletion to Downs on the stop and go
The biggest “what if” of the game is this throw. Rivers throws the ball a tad inside, but Downs was so wide open had he seen the ball in the air he could’ve adjusted to it and made a big play on the ball. Unfortunately, he doesn’t see the ball and can’t adjust to it in the air, leading to a big incompletion on 3rd down. In hindsight, a big completion here could’ve been the difference between getting a win and losing. In my opinion, Rivers throws the ball perfectly on time and while a little off the mark, it wasn’t so inaccurate Downs couldn’t have made a play on it (assuming he saw it).
Play 19 – Checkdown to Downs
It appeared that most of the receivers down the field were covered so the checkdown was a fine decision.
Play 20 – Checkdown to Abdullah
Although under pressure from almost the snap of the ball, I do wish Rivers hit Pittman on this one, who ran a smash/swirl/pivot route and was pretty open. Instead, he checks it down to Abdullah, who for some reason decides to completely stop and try and make two defenders miss, getting himself tackled well short on 3rd down.
Play 21 – Screen pass to Taylor
Again, I’m not a fan of screen passes against a team that did not blitz often.
Play 22 – Short throw on angle route to Abdullah
Nice throw and timing on this little pass to Abdullah who gets a lot of yards back.
Play 23 – Screen pass to Abdullah
For third time in the game, the Colts decide to run a screen pass against a non blitzing defense. In previous weeks, teams blitzed and brought pressure on 3rd downs but that was against Daniel Jones. Rivers is a completely different quarterback, with a limited arm and no mobility, so the Seahawks brought 4 or 5 and dropped 6 or 7 into coverage, baiting Rivers into having to make perfect throws to move the chains.
Play 24 – Throw away to Pierce
Under pressure and with no one open, Rivers smartly throws the ball away, scrambling at about 2mph in the process.
Play 25 – Back-shoulder fade to Alec Pierce
This was an incredible throw to Alec Pierce in the biggest moment in the game. Pierce, who was getting interfered with, smartly adjusted to a perfectly thrown ball and made a big catch. This was about a 25 yard throw for Rivers and he threw it right on the money.
Play 26 – Completion on crosser to Warren
While the completion got the Colts a few yards, it was the running back Taylor leaking out of the backfield that was wide open for a potential big gain. Both the crosser by Warren and the other crosser by Pittman were completely covered.
Play 27 – Interception over the middle
Rivers throws an interception here on a completely covered Pittman over the middle. With very little time left, he had to take a risk, so no blame to be given here.
It was an admirable effort and performance by Philip Rivers. He made a ton of good plays and right reads that allowed the Colts to move the ball effectively and finish three drives with points. He went into a hostile environment against one of the best defenses in the league and played his ass off, nearly pulling out a win.
Rivers showed what it means to be a true quarterback. Even with a limited arm and no mobility, he consistently moved the ball and made some excellent throws because of his timing and accuracy. If you told me I had to build a quarterback and could only give him two attributes, I’d choose ball placement and timing over anything else. Rivers proved that no matter the era, no matter how much time you’ve taken off, and no matter how diminished your arm may be, if you still have timing and accuracy, you can play in the NFL.
Nebraska has now won 11 straight this season. Something like 30 straight dating back to last season—don’t bother looking that up. The Netherlands-Turkiye axis turns out to be stronger than the combined firepower of the Balkans and Baltics. WHO KNEW.
A fantastic performance and all three points secured for AC Milan Primavera, who hosted Parma, the team that were second in the standings. The match was dominated by Coach Renna's side for the first 70 minutes, during which they scored one goal in each half thanks to Zukić's strong header and Scotti's flawlessly-placed finish, marking his fifth goal of the season. Parma's late push was just too late: the visitors picked up some momentum towards the end of the game but didn't manage to get past Longoni before the final whistle.
A well-deserved and closely-contested win, one that the Rossoneri had been on the hunt for now for several weeks. This win can now give AC Milan the momentum they need ahead of their final match of 2025, away to Napoli on 21 December, and the start of 2026. January features a total of six Primavera 1 league matches for Coach Renna's team, who are hoping to climb back towards the top of the table and into the playoff places. It's an ambitious goal, but certainly not an impossible one, especially if they can take on the upcoming fixtures with the same attitude that left one of the league's most competitive sides with no way through today.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v PARMA
MATCH REPORTA fast and dynamic start to the match for Coach Renna's Rossoneri, who dominated in possession and controlled the pace of the game for the majority of the first half. Just before the 15th minute, Parma's goalkeeper had a rollercoaster moment. After losing control of the ball with his feet, he was bailed out by the defence, but then he redeemed himself by denying the Rossoneri a few clear chances. However, in the 23rd minute, there was nothing he could do when Zukić headed home Pandolfi's well-timed cross from a corner to make it 1-0. Parma's attempt to respond came in the 37th minute with Konate's shot flying over the bar, while at the other end there were plenty of chances for AC Milan through Plazzotta, Tartaglia, and Scotti, and above all a beautiful bicycle kick from Zukić just before the break, with Casentini coming through with an incredible save to deny the Slovenian defender a brace.
The second half began with Perera creating an opportunity from distance in the 50th minute, and a minute later, he sent in a ball into the box after Parma's defender failed to clear it. Captain Scotti made the most of the opportunity and slotted it into the corner with the top of his right foot to make it 2-0. After this, Parma seemed to grow dangerous as they spent more time in the attacking third. After another attempt from Plazzotta, whose right-footed attempt went wide, Parma put Longoni to the test with shots from Cardinali and Drobnic, followed by Avramescu's left-footed strike that flew just past the left post of the Rossoneri goal. It was just too late: Parma simply could not make a comeback, and AC Milan impressively returned to winning ways. And they will be tested this Sunday away to Napoli to demonstrate their quality as they did today.
In a matchup of Big East unbeatens in women's basketball on Peacock, top-ranked UConn will play host Wednesday night to Marquette in Hartford, Connecticut.
The Huskies (2-0 Big East, 10-0 overall), who will be aiming to win their 50th consecutive game in the Big East, are heavily favored after winning by at least 28 points in eight of 10 victories. Their only win by less than double digits was a 72-69 victory over No. 6 Michigan.
The Golden Eagles (2-0, 7-3) have struggled on the road this season, losing by 43 points at Minnesota and also suffering defeats to Iowa State and Gonzaga at the Coconut Hoops tournament in Florida.
UConn is 22-1 all time against Marquette, whose lone victory came in Feburary 2023. The Huskies won 92-57 in their most recent meeting to close the 2024-25 regular season.
More information below on Marquette and UConn and how to watch the game.
As the only team in the nation to return its entire roster from last season, the Golden Eagles have employed the same starting lineup for 26 consecutive games.
The experience has been a plus for Marquette, which is coming off an 89-42 home victory over Le Moyne and beat Wisconsin in an overtime win at home last month. The Golden Eagles, who are in their second season under Cara Consuegra, have opened their Big East schedule with convincing victories over DePaul (by a 31-point margin) and Butler (by 25 points).
Junior forward Skylar Forbes leads the team at 15.8 points per game, and junior guard Halle Vice (13.2 ppg) had a game-high 23 points against Le Moyne. Lee Volker also averages in double figures for Marquette, which was picked to finish second in the Big East preseason poll.
No. 1 UConn:
The Huskies return to Connecticut after a 79-51 victory last Saturday over USC that snapped the Trojans' 20-game home winning streak. Marquette will be the tune-up for another nonconference test Saturday for UConn against No. 11 Iowa in Brooklyn, New York.
The defending national champion Huskies are in their 41st season under coach Geno Auriemma, whose record 1,260 victories include six perfect seasons (most recently in 2016), 12 national titles and 24 Final Four appearances.
Sophomore forward Sarah Strong (17.5 points per game, 8.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 3.4 steals, 2.0 blocks) is an offensive and defensive catalyst for UConn, which is led in scoring by Azzi Fudd (18.1 ppg). Ashlynn Shade (15 points) and Blanca Quinonez (12 points) also scored in double figures against USC.
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Predicted XI: Enzo Maresca has to risk it all with this changed up team selection
All the news around Chelsea right now is about Enzo Maresca, who had an astonishing outburst on Saturday after beating Everton.
But there’s a game to be played tonight against Cardiff in the EFL Cup quarter final, where Maresca will face off against one of his old colleagues, Brian Barry-Murphy.
Here’s who we think the Chelsea boss will pick.
Chelsea forced to rotate key players as fixture pressures bite
Filip Jorgensen in action for Chelsea. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Robert Sanchez has been playing every week, and we expect him to play every game pretty much from now on. This could be one of Filip Jorgensen’s last starts of the season.
At the back, Josh Acheampong is a sure starter, with Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo the likely second string pair in the middle of defence. Jorrel Hato clearly isn’t really trusted, but Marc Cucurella is suspended, so he gets a much needed break, probably just at the right moment.
In midfield, Moises Caicedo may start because of his recent suspension limiting his minutes. That adds some experience to an otherwise heavily rotated side. Andrey Santos will play alongside him. In attack it will be Jamie Gittens on the left and Tyrique George may play on the right in his final appearance before a likely January departure.
Marc Guiu surely gets the nod up top.
Maresca has been criticised for rotating too much, but he simply doesn’t have much choice at the moment. He’s got to keep his team fit for the weekend.
In other news…
David Ornstein has been speaking to NBC Sport about what the background to Enzo Maresca’s outburst over the weekend was.
Chelsea won over Everton on Saturday, and one of their star players was Trevoh Chalobah, who is growing into more and more of a leader.
It wasn’t necessarily a splash move, but the Mets made their first foray into the offensive side of free agency over the weekend, signing Jorge Polanco to a two-year, $40M deal.
Originally signed as in IFA by the Twins in 2009 (bet you feel old now huh?), Polanco debuted with Minnesota very briefly in 2014 as a 20-year-old. He didn’t get extended run at the major league level until 2016, but he quickly settled in as a roughly average hitter who spent most of time at shortstop (where he was admittedly a disaster). Polanco managed to evolve and squeeze more oomph out of his bat after a couple years of regular playing time, gradually adding more power and posting a wRC+ of at least 110 in every season from 2018 to 2023, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020.
Polanco went from Minnesota to Seattle in an offseason trade prior to the 2024 season and promptly had the worst year of his career. His strikeout rate ballooned to nearly 30% (previous career high was 25.7%) and his power pulled back to meager early-career levels. It was revealed after the season that he’d been playing through consistent knee pain, and he underwent surgery on his patellar tendon in October of 2024. Unsurprisingly, the Mariners declined their $12.5M option, sending Polanco back to free agency.
For many, this made him a popular sleeper target last offseason, but Polanco ultimately didn’t go anywhere; the mariners re-signed him to a one-year deal worth $7.75M. He rewarded Seattle’s faith in him thoroughly with the best offensive season of his career. Despite striking out less than 16% of the time, Polanco posted a .229 ISO and 26 HR in the always-pitcher-friendly SafeCo, including both a 9-homer barrage in April and a strong second half.
Under the hood, there are clear changes supporting the offensive jump. Polanco increased his bat speed by more then a full mile per hour and nearly doubled his fast swing rate without lengthening his swing at all. He also flattened his attack angle, a change that did result in more ground balls but which also improved the quality of his pulled air contact. All of this drove significant improvements to Polanco’s Z-contact and exit velocity metrics without harming his approach significantly or batted ball distribution in a meaningful way..
To be clear, Polanco is not a physical freak, nor is he someone who is going to post insane exit velocities. He does, however, appear to have found a set of changes that allow him to make a ton of contact and hit balls hard enough to the right places to maximize damage when he does. Put more simply with a couple of old school metrics, Polanco had a 92nd percentile ISO and a 13th percentile strikeout rate. Here’s a scatter plot showing those figures and highlighting the only players with similar 2025 numbers:
Yes, you’re reading that right. Among players with 100 PA last year, Ketel Marte is the only batter better than Polanco in both of these metrics. Jose Ramirez is the only other player somewhat close. That’s impressive company no matter how you slice it.
So the offensive side makes a lot of sense, but what about the defense? Polanco hasn’t been a shortstop for years and is at this point a poor fielder at both second and third. Fittingly, he seems likely to primarily function as a 1B / DH for the Mets. One problem with that; Polanco has all of one game of experience at the cold corner. Infielders like Polanco typically transition well to the cold corner (tell him Wash) and it’d be tough to be worse than Pete Alonso has been recently, but this does seem to run counter to the Mets’ new emphasis on run prevention.
We also should note that while the term on this deal (only two years) protects the Mets from a lot of downside risk, Polanco’s contract is by no means a bargain. A career-best season at age 32 is always something to be skeptical of, no matter what analysis we do to support it. Both normal regression and plain-old age-related decline are in play here. Couple that with the defensive questions and it’s a good amount of money for an imperfect fit.
The logic becomes more clear when you view this signing through the lens of preserving flexibility. Ideally, the Mets sign another player to be the primary 1B (e.g., Kazuma Okamoto, Munetaka Murakami, Ryan O’Hearn, etc.) and Polanco is the primary DH who functions as an occasional backup around the infield. If the Mets don’t add a clearly better option at 1B, Polanco can play there, and he might even be good; not perfect, but totally viable. If the team decides to trade Baty, Polanco can play there; it’s not ideal, but it’s viable. If a prospect like Ryan Clifford forces the issue and earns 1B/DH at bats, Polanco can split that time while getting additional at bats at 2B or 3B; once again, not ideal, but viable.
So no, this isn’t the perfect deal, but there rarely is such a thing in modern free agency. What Polanco brings is a potentially excellent bat on limited term while preserving the Mets’ flexibility at this relatively early stage of the offseason. It’s a solid B+ move.
If the New Orleans Saints cannot go to the playoffs this season, then why should anyone else? After defeating the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14, Kellen Moore’s group followed that up with a 20-17 come-from-behind win over the Panthers in Week 15’s game that would have resulted in Carolina taking the top spot in the division had the result been reversed. Next up, the Saints will jockey for a true winning streak as they host the New York Jets at the Caesars Superdome.
-2 OL stay at the LOS so that Shough gets hit -Shough slides diagonally *into* Ransom's path -7+ Saints immediately throw their hands up to the refs -At least 2 of those didn't even see the hit -Zero Saints rush on/off for a kick
Joshua Zirkzee transfer latest: Leeds join West Ham in enquiring about Man United star
Leeds United have reportedly joined West Ham in launching an enquiry about a potential January transfer for Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee.
Zirkzee could leave in January
Zirkzee has struggled for minutes this season following the summer acquisitions of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko.
A number of weeks ago, it emerged that Zirkzee is open to the idea of a January loan exit as he eyes a place in Ronald Koeman’s World Cup squad for the 2026 World Cup. He was afforded more playing time last month while Cunha and Sesko were sidelined with injuries.
However, in the past two games, Zirkzee has been named on the bench by Ruben Amorim. He was on the pitch for just one minute plus added time as the Red Devils were held to a 4-4 draw by Bournemouth on Monday evening.
It remains clear that at the moment, Zirkzee is primarily serving a back-up role. AS Roma have emerged as the strongest candidates to land the 24-year-old but they’re not the only club chasing him.
West Ham also continue to be linked to Zirkzee, with Nuno Espirito Santo keen on attacking reinforcements to boost the Hammers’ bid to beat the drop.
Now, Italian news outlet Il Messaggero claim that West Ham have made an enquiry for striker Joshua Zirkzee, but face competition from newly-promoted Leeds United, who have also registered their interest.
Zirkzee transfer update
According to Il Messaggero, Roma hope to persuade United to approve a loan move that includes a permanent option, triggered should the Serie A outfit qualify for the Champions League.
Roma are currently in fourth place in the table, three points adrift of table leaders Inter Milan.
It’s understood that Roma are aware of competition from West Ham and Leeds to snap up Zirkzee. The two Premier League teams have already asked about the conditions of getting a deal for the forward over the line.
A positive thing for the Giallorossi is that Zirkzee is not enthused by the idea of joining either West Ham or Leeds and being involved in a relegation scrap.
AC Milan are another party keeping close tabs on the situation and could pounce, despite not having the best relationship with Zirkzee’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, after negotiations with the Rossoneri fell through at the last minute in 2024.
Chelsea Starting XI vs Cardiff City: Confirmed Team News and Predicted Lineup
Chelsea FC XI vs Cardiff City: Predicted Line-up and Latest Team News
Chelsea travel to South Wales on Tuesday evening to face Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup, with Enzo Maresca expected to rotate his squad while carefully managing fitness ahead of a busy festive schedule. The fixture offers an opportunity for fringe players to stake a claim, while the predicted line up reflects a blend of youth, recovery management and tactical caution.
With Newcastle United looming in the Premier League at the weekend, Chelsea’s approach to selection against Cardiff is shaped as much by medical advice as by opposition analysis. The Blues remain competitive across competitions, but squad management is now central to Maresca’s planning.
Photo: IMAGO
Squad management shaping Chelsea selection
Chelsea’s medical team continue to monitor several key players, most notably Cole Palmer. While the attacking midfielder is progressing well following a persistent groin issue, the decision has been taken not to risk him playing twice in three days. As a result, Palmer will not be involved in Cardiff, with his focus firmly on being available for the upcoming league fixture.
That absence opens the door for rotation across the attacking line. Maresca has been keen to stress the importance of minutes for squad players, particularly those who have featured sparingly in recent weeks. The Carabao Cup provides an ideal platform to maintain competitiveness without overloading core starters.
Moises Caicedo is another player likely to be managed carefully. With Chelsea’s final pre-Christmas league game approaching, there is an expectation that the Ecuadorian could be rested, allowing others to shoulder responsibility in midfield.
Defensive rotation and goalkeeping options
At the back, changes are anticipated. Josh Acheampong, Benoit Badiashile and Jorrel Hato have all been short of consistent minutes and are firmly in contention to start. Tosin Adarabioyo is expected to provide experience at centre-back, while Tyrique George remains an option across the defensive line.
Goalkeeper rotation is also under consideration. Filip Jorgensen could deputise between the posts should Robert Sanchez be preserved for Premier League duties. Maresca has previously shown a willingness to rotate his goalkeepers in cup competitions, and this fixture fits that pattern.
In midfield, Andrey Santos is expected to play a significant role, potentially alongside Malo Gusto, who may be deployed centrally to add balance and control. That pairing would allow Chelsea to manage workloads while maintaining tactical structure.
Attacking options and predicted Chelsea line up
Further forward, the emphasis is on opportunity. Facundo Buonanotte, who impressed earlier in the competition, is likely to feature prominently again. The Argentine offers creativity and energy, traits Chelsea will rely on against a motivated Cardiff side at home.
Estevao and Jamie Gittens are also in line to start, providing pace and width in support of Marc Guiu. The young striker is a strong candidate to lead the line, particularly with Liam Delap sidelined through injury.
Chelsea predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Acheampong, Tosin, Badiashile, Hato; Santos, Gusto; Estevao, Buonanotte, Gittens; Guiu
The match takes place at Cardiff City Stadium with kick-off scheduled for 8pm GMT on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. Cardiff are expected to approach the tie with intensity, viewing the visit of Chelsea as a major opportunity, particularly under the lights in front of a home crowd.
For Chelsea, progression is important, but not at the expense of long-term fitness. The predicted line up reflects a careful balance between competitiveness and caution, offering valuable minutes to developing players while protecting those central to Maresca’s league plans.
How this rotated side responds could shape selection thinking well beyond this cup tie, especially as Chelsea navigate a demanding winter schedule.
With the Thanksgiving week MTEs and stuff like the ACC/SEC Challenge now in the books, we’re entering a slightly quiet period on the college basketball calendar. Right around this time of year, a lot of school wrap up their semesters and don’t play as many high profile games. Also, there’s the matter of some holidays coming up over the next couple weeks.
However, the season doesn’t full stop, and there was games last week and there will be more this week. With seven more days now in the books, let’s check at where things stand in the AP Top 25 after last week.
Men’s Basketball
AP Top 25
Arizona (42 first place votes)
Michigan (15)
Duke (3)
Iowa State (1)
UConn
Purdue
Gonzaga
Houston
Michigan State
BYU
Louisville
North Carolina
Vanderbilt
Arkansas
Nebraska
Alabama
Kansas
Illinois
Texas Tech
Tennessee
Auburn
St. John’s
Virginia (tied with Florida)
Florida (tied with Virginia)
Georgia
Where is UNC?
The Tar Heels have played just once since the last rankings release, and they won in a fairly straight-forward fashion over USC Upstate. That plus some other results allowed Carolina to climb once again, as they now sit at #12 in the country.
Biggest Winners
The biggest leap of anyone this week was the team that ended up three spots below the Tar Heels: Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are a perfect 11-0, and knocked off previously #13 Illinois with a buzzer-beater on Saturday. That saw them shoot up eight spots in the poll this week, coming in at #15.
Biggest Losers
Illinois fell five places on the flipside of that game, which tied with Florida for the largest drop of the week. The Gators did so after losing for the fourth time on the year, albeit three have come to current top ten teams.
Conference Breakdown
SEC: 7
Big 12: 6
Big Ten: 5
ACC: 4
Big East: 2
WCC: 1
Marquee Matchups This Week
#11 Louisville (9-1) at #20 Tennessee (7-3) – Tonight at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN
#8 Houston (10-1) vs. #14 Arkansas (8-2) in Newark, NJ – Saturday at 5:30 PM ET on CBS
#3 Duke (10-0) vs. #19 Texas Tech (7-3) in NYC – Saturday at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN
Women’s Basketball
UConn (24 first place votes)
Texas (8)
South Carolina
UCLA
LSU
Michigan
Maryland
Oklahoma
TCU
Iowa State
Iowa
Kentucky
Vanderbilt
Ole Miss
Baylor
Louisville
Tennessee
North Carolina
USC
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Washington
Nebraska
Michigan State
Princeton
Where is UNC?
None of the losses have come to bad teams, but the fact of the matter is that the Tar Heels now have three losses on the season. The most recent one to Louisville has caused UNC to fall six places this week, down to #18.
Biggest Winners
Louisville did take advantage of that victory over the Heels, as it gave them the biggest boost of the week, moving them up six places to #16.
Biggest Losers
Unfortunately, six places was also the biggest drop of the week, meaning Carolina is the winner of this week’s dishonor.
Conference Breakdown
Big Ten: 9
SEC: 8
ACC: 3
Big 12: 3
Big East: 1
Ivy League: 1
Marquee Matchups This Week
#16 Louisville (10-3) vs. #17 Tennessee (7-2) in Brooklyn – Saturday at 11:00 AM ET on FOX
#11 Iowa (10-1) vs. #1 UConn (10-0) in Brooklyn – Saturday at 1:30 PM ET on FOX
#19 USC (7-3) vs. Cal (8-4) in San Francisco – Sunday at 8:30 PM ET on ESPN
The 2034 World Cup Will Be The First Of A Kind But Serious Issues Persist
The 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia will be the first to be hosted by a single nation since FIFA introduced the new 48-team format.
The next two tournaments will also feature 48 teams, but both will be held across multiple nations – the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year; and Morocco, Portugal, and Spain in 2030.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was the first time the tournament was held in the Middle East – a groundbreaking move that broke plenty of records and set many new ones.
Around 5.4 billion people tuned in to watch the World Cup from the comfort of their homes, while 3.4 million attended the matches in person. Saudi Arabia will be eager to shatter those records and prove that ambitious change is possible.
As with many FIFA maneuvers and recent World Cups, it is not without its controversy, but if they stage a successful tournament, it will strengthen the country’s infrastructure and diversify the economy.
A Global Spotlight Like No Other
The World Cup is the most-watched sporting event on the planet, so hosting the 2034 edition will be the ultimate litmus test for Saudi Arabia.
The country’s investment in sports has already started at club level, with the Saudi Pro League luring some of Europe’s biggest stars to the Middle East through the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The increase in investment in football has been termed sportswashing, and the 2034 World Cup is seen as part of this and will take things up a notch, marking the start of one of the most ambitious chapters in the country’s modern history.
Almost 90 percent of the entire Qatari population watched the 2022 World Cup, while over two-thirds attended live matches. Saudi Arabia will fancy its chances of surpassing those numbers.
The 2034 tournament will have a huge impact on the nation’s economy, image, and even the growing betting landscape. With more matches set to be played in Saudi Arabia, the Arabic betting sector will benefit massively.
The early announcement has given Saudi Arabia plenty of time to prepare for the event. While the stadiums have yet to be built, the government’s track record in delivering major projects on time bodes well for the World Cup.
Economic Growth & the Cost of Hosting the Tournament
Whenever a country hosts a major sporting event, the impact is felt off the pitch.
It brings in plenty of economic benefits, and with the World Cup being the mother of all sporting events, Saudi Arabia will be looking to take advantage.
The potential is even bigger in this region, as the World Cup fits into plans the country has already set under its ambitious projects.
Saudi Arabia will be investing in projects already on its to-do list, such as upgrading its transportation system and building state-of-the-art stadiums and hotels.
The World Cup will act as a clear deadline for these projects and provide extra motivation to get the job done faster.
These projects will create jobs and boost industries such as construction, engineering, transport, and real estate, which will keep adding to the nation’s economy long after the World Cup ends, but as with the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, there are concerns around worker welfare.
Saudi Arabia plans to host World Cup matches across several cities, including Riyadh. While the new stadiums are expected to meet FIFA standards, the Riyadh Metro has already been launched, although upgrades will be made before the World Cup.
Further expansions of transportation routes will make it easier for both residents and visitors to move around the city with ease.
Tourism and a New Workforce
Tourism is one of the most important parts of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, alongside sport, and hosting the 2034 World Cup will provide a further boost to Saudi Arabia, with the tournament set to accelerate the nation’s tourism plans.
Qatar welcomed around 1.4 million visitors in 2022 and generated billions in tourism revenue. Saudi Arabia will be keen to surpass that figure by capturing the attention of visitors with its wider range of tourist attractions.
Visitors travelling in to watch the World Cup will also visit Dirriyah, Al-Ula, the Red Sea coast, and the well-documented futuristic NEOM city.
To make sure visitors are well taken care of, Saudi Arabia plans to add tens of thousands of hotel rooms across cities hosting the World Cup. This will open up a wide range of employment opportunities across many different sectors, but, again, working conditions, especially in such a climate, are issues that need to be addressed, with few having confidence they will be.
People will be needed to build stadiums and transport systems, work in hotels and restaurants, provide security, manage events, and run shops during the tournament.
December means the NFL Playoffs are fast approaching so let’s look at how the former Orange on NFL rosters fared this week.
Arizona Cardinals: Garrett Williams
Williams made 8 tackles in the loss to the Texans.
Atlanta Falcons: Matthew Bergeron
Bergeron played 71 snaps and helped the Falcons to a road win over Tampa Bay.
Buffalo Bills: Kingsley Jonathan
Jonathan remains on the practice squad in Buffalo.
Cleveland Browns: Andre Szmyt
Szmyt made a 50-yard field goal in the loss to the Bears. He’s now 18-21 on the season in field goal attempts.
Dallas Cowboys: Justin Barron and Alijah Clark
Clark had 1 tackle on special teams in Dallas’ loss to Minnesota. Barron remains on the practice squad.
Detroit Lions: Jackson Meeks
Meeks remained on the practice squad this week.
Houston Texans- Jawhar Jordan
Jordan was activated this week and had 15 carries for 101 yards and 2 receptions for 17 yards in his NFL debut.
Indianapolis Colts: Zaire Franklinand Max Mang
Franklin had 10 tackles in the loss to Seattle. Mang remains on the practice squad.
Jacksonville Jaguars: LeQuint Allen
Allen had 4 carries for 11 yards and 1 reception for 5 yards, plus a 50 yard kickoff return in the win over the Jets. He should get more opportunities with Brayshul Tuten out for a few weeks with an injury.
LA Chargers: Oronde Gadsden, Marlowe Wax and Savion Washington
Gadsden had 4 receptions for 61 yards while Wax played 20 snaps on special teams in the win over the Chiefs. Washington is on the Chargers practice squad.
Oronde Gadsden II now holds the records for most receptions (43) and yards (602) by a Chargers rookie tight end in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/cr4GvJEo67
Melifonwu had 3 tackles Apparently previous reports were wrong and Johnson was back on the active roster and he had 2 tackles in the loss to Pittsburgh.
Diggs stayed on the practice squad for New Orleans.
New York Jets: Andre Cisco
Cisco has been confirmed to be out the rest of the season.
Philadelphia Eagles: Kyle McCord
McCord remains on the practice squad in Philly.
Seattle Seahawks: Courtney Jackson
Jackson was on Seattle’s practice squad again this week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Riley Dixon and Sean Tucker
Tucker had only four rushing attempts for 7 yards, but once again he found the end zone. Dixon had four punts for an average of 41.3 yards with two punts inside the 20. Do any of you own a Dixon or Tucker creamsicle jersey?
The Comets offense came up too short to earn more than one win this week, despite the continued efforts of winger Lenni Hameenaho.
Hameenaho Remains Hot
The Comets have been playing some of their best hockey of the season these past few weeks, which, if I’m being honest, isn’t really saying much. But still. On Wednesday night, Utica’s defense led the offense with two goals by Dmitry Osiprov and Seamus Casey’s first tally of the season for a 3-2 win over the Syracuse Crunch. On Friday, despite a 22 save effort by Jakub Malek, the Comets would fall 2-1 to the Hartford Wolf Pack. The bright spot on offense, Lenni Hameenaho. (Get used to reading that).
Hameenaho would stay hot on Saturday with this blast off the rush.
It would not be enough; however, as the Comets fell to the Springfield Thunderbirds 3-2. Nico Daws earned the loss in this one, stopping 18 of 21. Despite the improved play, Utica remains dead last in the North Division with a 5-14-3-1 record, a full 10 points back from the 6th place Cleveland Monsters. Only the Iowa Wild have scored less goals (47) than the Comets 49 goals on the season. At least, Hameenaho is starting to find some twine.
A Quick Rundown
Other than Hameenaho, it was a rather boring week for Devils prospects. Chase Cheslock continues to steadily gather points, now 15 in 19 games on the blueline for the University of St. Thomas. Center Samu Salminen has been holding steady at 14 points in 19 games for the University of Denver. Center Dylan Wendt has been stellar for Adirondack of the ECHL with 13 points in 16 games. Center Matyas Melovsky picked up a couple assists on Hameenaho’s goals. Seamus Casey picked up some more points as well, in addition to his goal, and now has 10 points in 16 games on the season.
Lastly, a stick tap for Mikhail Yegorov, who has been holding down the fort in a really bad season for Boston University.
BU finishes with a 348-177-19 record at Boston (Matthews) Arena
Mikhail Yegorov is the final goalie to record a win in the Arena
The Minnesota Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention this past Sunday before even taking the field, but by how they played, you wouldn't believe it. The Vikings went into Dallas and beat the Cowboys 34-26. The offense has put together back-to-back solid games, and it seems they are finding a rhythm.
But how did the individual players pan out from a fantasy perspective?
J.J. McCarthy: 24.5 fantasy points (QB7)
Aaron Jones Sr.: 9.5 fantasy points (RB30)
Jordan Mason: 2.9 fantasy points (RB55)
Justin Jefferson: 4.2 fantasy points (WR73)
Jordan Addison: 8.6 fantasy points (WR42)
Jalen Nailor: 19.5 fantasy points (WR10)
T.J. Hockenson: 10.6 fantasy points (TE11)
J.J. McCarthy has put together very strong games from a fantasy perspective the last two weeks. He is turning into a well-worth waiver wire addition if he is available. The Justin Jefferson fantasy point total is not great, as this is his third week in a row under 5 points, but eight targets, including a touchdown called back for a penalty, is encouraging.
You can likely leave Jalen Nailor off fantasy radars for now. It might also be time to leave both running backs out of your lineups for the time being.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — A scorpion kick by Lizbeth Ovalle, the most expensive player ever in women’s soccer, and Santiago Montiel’s long-distance overhead shot won the FIFA awards on Tuesday for best goals last season.
Both had their backs to the net when scoring the winners. Fans voted for Ovalle and Montiel to receive the Marta Award and Puskas Award, respectively.
Ovalle flicked the ball with her heels in a midair leap facing away from goal playing in the Mexican league for Tigres against Guadalajara.
The women’s award is named for Brazil great Marta who is now Ovalle’s teammate at Orlando Pride. Marta won the award last year and also had a goal nominated by FIFA for this year’s edition.
Ovalle, who is also known as Jacquie, moved for a women’s world record transfer fee of $1.5 million to join the Pride from Tigres in August.
Montiel scored for Independiente in a game in Argentina’s Primera Division against Independiente Rivadavia. He leaped in the air about 22 meters (yards) out rising to meet a bouncing ball after a defender’s clearing header from a corner.
FIFA is staging its annual Best Awards at a private dinner in Doha on the sidelines of Paris Saint-Germain playing Flamengo in the Intercontinental Cup game on Wednesday.
The awards for best player and best coach in men’s and women’s soccer were due later Tuesday.
We can dispense with the bells and whistles now: the inflated point differentials and arcane tiebreakers, the only-on-special-occasions scheduling and intermittently unsafe or unavailable alternate playing surfaces, etc. What’s left at the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup is all that’s ever left when the game matters most: two teams, with only one game and one another standing between them and a big ol’ trophy.
What began as a league-wide effort to inject some flavor into the period between opening night and Christmas Day concludes with two teams vying for 35 pounds of sterling silver topped with 24-karat gold. Out of the West: the San Antonio Spurs, who shook off an early double-digit deficit to the Oklahoma City Thunder — the defending NBA champions and a mid-coronation juggernaut that was riding a 16-game winning streak and a 24-1 start to the season — with the kind of confidence that can only come from knowing that you have a Hulk:
Victor Wembanyama played 21 minutes in his first NBA action in nearly a month; San Antonio outscored Oklahoma City by 22 points in those 21 minutes. (Welcome back, big fella.) With the transformational center joining De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell in a quartet of 20-plus-point scorers, the Spurs came back from 16 down to hand the Thunder just their second loss of the season, pulling off the upset — although not a gigantic one, considering they’re 18-7 and all — to punch their ticket to the championship game.
Joining them in the Cup final: the New York Knicks, who advanced out of the East by knocking off the Orlando Magic for the second time in a week behind a masterful performance from their captain:
Jalen Brunson’s 19th 40-point game as a Knick — third-most in franchise history, behind only Patrick Ewing and Bernard King — paced yet another high-octane outing for the NBA’s No. 2 offense. With Brunson dealing, Karl-Anthony Towns torching Orlando’s bigs to the tune of 29 points on 11 shots, and the wing trio of OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart continuing their sterling starts to the season, the Knicks shot 60.7% from the field against an elite Magic defense in a 132-120 victory — their fifth straight and ninth in the last 10 games — to reach the winner-take-all finale.
Let’s set the table for what’s sure to be a thrilling conclusion by considering three big questions ahead of Tuesday’s NBA Cup championship (8:30 p.m. ET, Prime Video):
1. How will New York deal with Wemby?
The last time the Knicks saw Wembanyama — in the Christmas Day matinee nearly one year ago — things didn’t really go so hot.
Wembanyama set foot on the floor at the World’s Most Famous Arena and announced his presence with jaw-dropping authority: 42 points on 31 shots, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks and 1 steal. He and then-Spurs point guard Chris Paul repeatedly attacked Towns in the pick-and-roll, with Wembanyama either popping free for open 3-point looks or working his way behind Towns’ drop coverage for point-blank opportunities against the Knicks’ rotating low-man defenders — who were often a foot or more shorter than the French phenom.
New York still came away with the win, thanks partly to a season-high 41 points from Mikal Bridges — and, partly, to seizing the opportunity to make hay while the sun was out, which is to say, when it was not being blotted out by a devastatingly coordinated skyscraping Slenderman. The Spurs outscored the Knicks by seven points in Wembanyama’s 40 minutes of floor time last Christmas; in the eight minutes the big fella took a seat, New York outscored San Antonio 21-11.
You’d imagine Wembanyama won’t approach 40 minutes in his second game back from a prolonged absence due to a calf strain. (You’d also imagine a Spurs team now featuring Fox, an improved version of second-year guard Castle, impressive freshman Dylan Harper and a bona fide backup center in ex-Knick Luke Kornet might not be quite as susceptible in the non-Wemby minutes … although it’s worth noting the Thunder blitzed San Antonio by 19 points in the 27 minutes that Wemby was on the pine.) But it’ll be interesting to see how he’s deployed in whatever minutes he does get — particularly on the defensive end.
Wembanyama primarily guarded Towns and then-Knicks backup center Precious Achiuwa in that Christmas matchup. As the season wore on, more and more teams started cross-matching against New York, putting a wing on Towns to better switch the KAT-Brunson pick-and-roll while stationing their centers on Hart, allowing their bigs to sag off a player known to be an inconsistent shooter to better protect the basket and muck things up on the interior.
(Jonathan Castro/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
That gambit was very successful last season, and the starting lineup of Brunson, Towns, Hart, Bridges and Anunoby waned in effectiveness as a result. This season, though, with Hart shooting 38.1% from 3-point range, that quintet has been dynamite, outscoring opponents by 37 points in 77 minutes, with a net rating of +21.5 — the sixth-best mark of any lineup to log at least 50 minutes this season, according to NBA Advanced Stats.
Will Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson test-drive a cross-match — say, Harrison Barnes (and/or Justin Champagnie, Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson) on Towns and Wembanyama (and/or Kornet) helping off Hart — and make the Knicks prove they can problem-solve their way around a defense with elite rim protectors hanging around the rim? Or might San Antonio just decide to play things straight up and challenge New York to generate consistent buckets against a defense that has prevented points at a top-two level with Wemby on the floor?
The matchup’s pretty spicy on the other end, too. On one hand, the notion of Towns taking on the bulk of the Wembanyama assignment seems like a five-alarm fire for the Knicks, considering Wemby has averaged nearly 32 points per 75 possessions when guarded by Towns since his rookie season, according to Databallr’s matchup data. On the other, Wemby went 7-for-16 in the Christmas contest when matched up with Towns, who has quietly been playing perhaps the best defense of his career this season. Will Mike Brown trust KAT to hold up, perhaps with Anunoby shading over as a helper to provide some extra muscle, disruption and secondary rim protection? Or might Brown — who, lest we forget, was not the Knicks’ head coach when these two teams last squared off — try to throw a curveball to keep the Spurs’ ascendant superstar from wrecking the game?
2. Can San Antonio’s guards collapse New York’s defense?
Before the Spurs’ quarterfinal matchup with the Lakers, while the smart money seemed to be on Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Co. to advance, some extremely attractive and incredibly humble local hero suggested that L.A.’s point-of-attack defense might be ripe for the plucking by San Antonio’s perimeter talent:
Sure enough: San Antonio finished that game with 53 drives to the basket — 37 of which came from the trio of Castle (who exploded for 30 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists), Fox and Harper — and went 23 for 39 in the paint, earning 36 trips to the free-throw line and generating 13 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers in an impressive, dominant road win.
The overall volume of marches to the cup was bound to decrease against the league-leading Thunder defense. Even still: Castle, Fox and Harper combined for 35 drives to the basket against Oklahoma City, and while the Spurs struggled to cash out on them, those forays into the teeth of the OKC coverage did generate a bunch of good looks:
While Wembanyama was healing up, the Spurs shifted into an offense-first attack — 119.7 points per 100 non-garbage-time possessions since Nov. 15, according to Cleaning the Glass, ninth-best in the NBA in that span — with the dribble penetration, rim pressure and facilitation of Fox, Castle and Harper at the forefront of that acceleration. All three of those ball-handlers are big, quick, physical and adept at both slithering through cracks in coverage to get all the way to the rim and creating (and often finishing through) contact in the process. And when they’re able to collapse the defense and spray the ball out to waiting shooters like Barnes, Champagnie, Johnson, Vassell and one another, the offense can hit the sort of high notes that would allow San Antonio to trade haymakers with a Brunson-and-KAT-led attack that’s been the NBA’s most potent outside of Denver this season.
The premise behind the Knicks’ roster construction over the past couple of years is that adding Anunoby, Bridges and Hart — big, physical, versatile and excellent perimeter defenders — would insulate the more vulnerable Brunson and Towns, and allow New York to play high-level defense against high-level perimeter playmakers in games of consequence. The theory bore fruit against the heavily favored Celtics in the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals; it wobbled, however, in the subsequent round against the Pacers, contributing to New York failing to break through to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years. Through this season’s first 25 games, the Knicks have defended at an elite level with that five-man unit on the floor. Those numbers have been propped up, however, by opponents shooting just 30.6% from 3-point land against it, a league-worst-caliber — and all but certainly unsustainable — rate of long-range inaccuracy.
If Anunoby, Bridges, Hart and Co. are able to stand tall at the point of attack, corralling the Spurs’ ball-handlers off the bounce and keeping Castle, Fox and Harper from collapsing the coverage, San Antonio could struggle to consistently create good enough scoring chances to keep pace with a Knicks attack that’s been humming all season. If they can’t, and if the Spurs’ perimeter quickness, strength and athleticism once again shines through — the absences of Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet, New York’s two best perimeter defenders off the bench, could loom large, especially when Brown has to turn to the, um, huntable Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson — New York could be in for a long, tough night in Sin City.
One more note:
Under Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks barely ever played zone defense. Under Brown, they’re dialing it up 2.3 times per game, according to Synergy, or about 2.5% of their defensive possessions. They haven’t been particularly good at it, giving up 1.12 points per zone possession this season, a bottom-10 mark, but they’ve been willing to give it a shot.
You know what team has had the least success against zone this season? You guessed it: The Spurs, who’ve faced more zone than all but four teams in the league this season, and who’ve scored just 0.73 points per possession against it. Which is to say: If San Antonio’s offense gets humming, don’t be surprised if Brown calls for an off-speed pitch to try to get the Spurs out of their rhythm.
3. Who controls the possession game?
One reason why New York’s offense has been so efficient and overwhelming this season: No team in the NBA does a better job of making sure it gets more bites at the apple than you do.
The Knicks pull in about four more offensive rebounds per game than they concede, and turn the ball over about 1.5 fewer times per night than their opposition. That combination of second-chance generation — led by reserve center Mitchell Robinson, who has pulled in three or more offensive boards in his last seven games (despite playing more than 20 minutes just once in that stretch) and is coming down with the ball on a historically obscene 28% of New York’s missed shots during his time on the floor — and Brunson-helmed turnover avoidance has the Knicks atop the nightly possession battle leaderboard, according to analysis by Jared Dubin of Last Night in Basketball.
That’s the formula for New York. Stay away from live-ball turnovers that give your opponent the chance to sprint out in the open floor — only Boston commits fewer such cough-ups per game, according to PBP Stats — and generate some of your own, if possible (the Knicks are 10th in the NBA in opponent turnover rate and 11th in points off turnovers per 100 possessions). Get more shots on goal than the other guys, and have those shots taken by dudes who can make them (all of the Knicks’ starters are shooting at least 53% on 2s and 36% on 3s).
Do all that, and chances are, you’re going to wind up putting up the kind of point total that will either leave the other team in the dust or have you in a tight game late … and when you’ve got Jalen Brunson, and the other team doesn’t, that’s not too bad a place to be.
While the Knicks want to play methodically, the younger, more athletic Spurs prefer to inject some more pace into the proceedings, with a faster average time to shot (11.5 seconds, 13th in the NBA, according to Inpredictable) than New York (12.1, 25th), and a significantly higher share of its offensive possessions coming in transition (16.2%, ninth in the NBA, according to Cleaning the Glass) than the Knicks (15.4%, 20th). Fox, Castle, Harper, Vassell and Co. want to hit the gas and play uptempo … which can, at times, lead to some miscues, with San Antonio ranking just above league-average in turnover rate and 10th in live-ball giveaways per game.
The presence of Wembanyama could serve as the great equalizer — helping keep Robinson and Co. off the offensive boards, ratcheting up the defensive intensity enough to disrupt New York’s previously smooth-running offensive machinery, and giving what might’ve been otherwise unsteady San Antonio possessions a safe place to put the ball. Even an 8-foot wingspan might not be able to cover every potential pressure point, though — and if New York’s able to tilt the possession math in its favor on Tuesday like it’s been doing all season, the Spurs might have a tough time finding a pathway to the Cup.
About the NBA Cup final
The Emirates NBA Cup championship game is the only contest in the entire tournament that won’t also count toward participants’ regular-season records and statistics. For the Spurs and Knicks, it will count as Game 83.
Just making the knockout round guaranteed every player on the participating teams a payout. To the winners, though, go greater spoils, with the tournament champion taking home the biggest bank.
For the inaugural in-season tournament, the prize pool operated in nice round numbers: $50,000 for each player on teams that lose in the quarterfinals; $100,000 for players on teams that lose in the semifinals; $200,000 for players on the team that loses in the final game; and a crisp $500,000 for everyone on the team that hoists the NBA Cup. The math has changed a bit year-over-year, thanks to a passage in the collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and its players union stipulating that those prize payouts rise by a “growth factor” tied to any increase in the basketball-related income (BRI) that the league generates.
BRI has gone up from over the past two seasons; thus, so have the payouts:
The NBA Cup is set to return for its third year, featuring increased prize money for all winners.
• Champion: $530,933 (up from $514,971) • Runner-up: $212,373 (up from $205,988) • Semifinalist: $106,187 ((up from $102,994) • Quarterfinalist: $53,093 (up from $51,497)
Win on Tuesday, and you take home the whole showcase: the NBA Cup and whatever bragging rights go with it, plus that $530,933 winner’s purse for each player. Which, as holiday bonuses go? Pretty decent.
Last tournament: Europe won the Skechers World Champions Cup.
Charles Schwab Cup champion: Stewart Cink.
Notes: The 36-hole scramble is for players who have won majors, senior majors or LPGA majors, along with The Players Championship. What started as the “Father-Son” now includes champion and family member. ... Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland makes his tournament debut with his father, Dan. ... Tiger Woods is recovering from back surgery and is not playing with his son, Charlie, for the first time since 2019. ... The field includes two women. Annika Sorenstam again plays with her son, Will, while Nelly Korda plays with her father, Petr. ... Bernhard Langer goes for his seventh title in the PNC Championship. ... Davis Love III returns, playing with son Dru. They won in 2018. Dru Love previously had an Asian Tour card. ... Lee Trevino is playing again. He has not missed the PNC Championship since it began in 1995. ... Steve Stricker is playing with daughter Izzi, who plays at the University of Wisconsin.
Next tournament: Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai on Jan. 22-24.
Last week: Jayden Schaper won the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
Notes: This is the final tournament of the year that earns official world ranking points. Ryan Gerard (No. 57) is playing with hopes of moving into the top 50 to earn a spot in the Masters. ... Daniel Brown, who earned a PGA Tour card when Laurie Canter joined LIV Golf, can move into the top 50 from (No. 72) with a victory. ... Jayden Schaper was a runner-up at the Nedbank Challenge and won the following week at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. That has moved the South African into the top 100 in the world ranking. ... Fred Biondi of Brazil is in the field after the former NCAA champion at Florida failed to earn a PGA Tour card or full Korn Ferry Tour status at Q-school in Florida last week. ... John Parry won last year after winning three times on the Challenge Tour. ... This is the 10th playing of the Mauritius Open since it became part of the European tour schedule in 2015. This is the fourth consecutive year it has been the last official tournament of the year.
Next tournament: Dubai Invitational on Jan. 15-18.
J.J. McCarthy has finally looked the part over the last two weeks of the season against the Washington Commanders, and it has fans and the team alike feeling much better about their quarterback situation. The Vikings are expected to compete for a Super Bowl in 2025, and while that isn't happening, they are being set up nicely for 2026 and beyond.
The play of McCarthy was reviewed in recently published quarterback grades from Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski. The second-year player out of Michigan earned an impressive B+ compared to what he had earned in recent weeks.
Sobleski writes, "The rumors of J.J. McCarthy's demise were greatly exaggerated. The Minnesota Vikings have won two games in a row, and McCarthy is starting to put it all together. . .Keep in mind, last year's 10th overall draft pick was only 21 years old during a lost rookie season where he couldn't play because of injury. McCarthy, O'Connell and the Vikings as a whole needed time to establish the young signal-caller. It's starting to come to fruition, even if it's a little late in the process."
McCarthy will have a chance to keep building momentum when he faces a bad New York Giants' defense. They have already gone through one defensive coordinator in 2025, and it didn't help their unit any more than if he had stayed. So it would allow the Vikings to win one more game while also giving McCarthy some final confidence in the closing weeks of 2026.
Evans, 63, has been out of work since March when he was sacked by Rotherham.
Since then, the Scot has spoken extensively about the fitness drive he has been on, shedding seven stone (44.4kg) in weight as a result.
The first match for the former Leeds United, Mansfield Town, Peterborough United, Gillingham and Stevenage boss will be away to Crewe Alexandra on Friday (19:45 GMT).
Evans, who has signed a deal until the end of the season, has managed more than 1,000 games, including more than 700 in the EFL, over a 30-year career.
"It's fantastic to be here at Bristol Rovers," he said.
"Bristol Rovers is a club that is very traditional. Every time I have brought teams here, I have always said it's a really difficult place to come.
"I'm really looking forward to it here. It's a huge club, but I'm very mindful of the immediate challenge and I'm looking forward to getting down to work."
Director of football, Ricky Martin, said Evans would provide "clear leadership and direction".
"Steve brings a wealth of experience at this level, a deep understanding of the demands of EFL football, and a proven ability to get the best out of his players.
"His teams are known for their work ethic, organisation, and commitment, all qualities which are central to what we are building here," added Martin.
Evans' assistant will be Paul Raynor, who had a loan spell with the Gas as a player in 1984.
LSU women's basketball stayed put at No. 5 in the Week 7 editions of the AP poll and USA TODAY Coaches Poll, released Monday. The Tigers started there in the preseason and continued to hold their top-five spot.
No. 2 Texas and No. 3 South Carolina also remained in their spots from the previous two weeks. They are the only SEC teams ranked higher than LSU. A total of eight teams from the conference are in the latest edition of the AP poll while nine are in the coaches poll.
Over the last week, LSU defeated Louisiana Tech 87-61 in New Orleans' Smooth King Center. The Lady Techsters gave the Tigers all they could handle, even holding a slim lead after the first quarter. LSU pulled ahead for good in the second quarter and built a comfortable 20-point lead by the third.
LSU has two non conference games this week then one more before starting conference play against Kentucky on January 1. The game against the No. 12-15 Wildcats is the first of four games against ranked opponents in January.
Complete USA TODAY Women's Basketball Coaches Poll
After last season ended well short of a Super Bowl, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst spoke of the franchise operating with more urgency.
"I think it's time that we start competing for championships, right?" Gutekunst said, via NFL.com.
That's why the Packers traded for Micah Parsons. It was a push to going from good to great. And Parsons transformed the Packers defense with his 12.5 sacks.
And now, with Parsons done for the season with a torn ACL, the worry has to be that the Packers go from a potentially great season and revert to being good.
The Packers aren't going to go away without Parsons. There's still a lot of talent. But Super Bowl dreams are much less realistic without their best player, and one of the best players in the entire NFL. Even beating the Chicago Bears for the NFC North championship becomes harder.
Parsons made that type of impact. He is third in the NFL with 79 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. His 12.5 sacks are tied for third in the NFL. No other Packer has more than 47 pressures or 7.5 sacks. No offense to Rashan Gary or anyone else on the defense, but there's no other difference maker that's on Parsons' level, or anywhere close.
Micah Parsons suffered a torn ACL in the Packers' loss to the Broncos. (Photo by John McGloughlin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
And if the Parsons injury was the only one, it would be easier. The Packers have also lost tight end Tucker Kraft, who was the Packers' best weapon in the passing game this season, as well as defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt and offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins. Include Parsons and the Packers are going forward without four key players. That's a lot to overcome.
The Packers knew they had to upgrade to chase a championship. Parsons was everything they could have asked for. Without him, it seems like a Super Bowl might be out of reach.
Panic meter: It's looking like a "what if" type of season for Green Bay
Patriots have a rough loss
The Patriots could have clinched the AFC East with a win on Sunday. They led 21-0 over the Bills. And they allowed Buffalo to score a touchdown on five straight drives. The Bills' 35-31 win left them with a 37.7% chance to win the division, according to DVOA.
The Patriots are still clear favorites, but 37.7% isn't insignificant. And the Bills might feel even closer after they blew that 21-point lead with an AFC East title on the line.
It was a bad turn of events, but the Patriots shouldn't panic. They had won 10 in a row before Sunday. They still lead the division by a game over a Bills team that has a great quarterback but has plenty of flaws around him. The Patriots shot at the No. 1 seed took a hit when they lost and the Broncos won, but the first priority is winning the division. And that should still happen.
Panic meter: Every team is allowed a loss every 11 games, even if it's a big blown lead to a division rival
Buccaneers' slide continues
When Todd Bowles went on an expletive-laden rant after Tampa Bay blew a 14-point lead to the Atlanta Falcons and lost, it was out of character. It was so out of character, it seemed like a coach who needed something extreme to get his team going, since nothing else was working.
The Buccaneers should be running away with the NFC South. Instead they lost back-to-back games to the Saints and Falcons, who are a combined 9-19. Tampa Bay is fortunate they play in a bad division. The Panthers lost to the Saints on Sunday to make sure the Buccaneers didn't feel too much pressure.
In terms of the division race, the Buccaneers are fine. They're tied for first place and if they win two more games they'll take the division title. That might not be the point. Due to the ongoing struggles of the offense and the defense's inability to even slow down Kirk Cousins and the Falcons, the Buccaneers look like a team that will be immediately dismissed from the postseason, if they get there. It's a team that is playing under its talent level.
Panic meter: The Bucs' slump has exposed some major issues
Big change for Dallas D?
The Cowboys hired Matt Eberflus to be their defensive coordinator, then traded Micah Parsons right before the season started. That didn't help him out, but the results have still been poor. Dallas ranks 31st in points allowed and 29th in yards allowed. After seeing the Cowboys defense get shredded by Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who had struggled mightily for much of the season, Jerry Jones was asked if he thought Eberflus was the right coach to run the defense.
“The adjustments that we should be making (defensively) should be with these next three games in mind,” Jones said, via The Athletic. “With three games left in the short time that we’ve got to play them in, then that will impact any adjustments that you make regarding coaching with the time frame we’re dealing with. That’s a legit question.”
That's also not much confidence in Eberflus. Unless there's a big improvement with just a few games left, Eberflus might be in trouble.
Panic meter: It seems like Eberflus has three games left to save his job
The Tyler Skaggs wrongful death civil lawsuit thundered toward a conclusion Monday, Dec. 15, with lawyers for the deceased pitcher and the Los Angeles Angels' legal team presenting their closing arguments.
Sometime Tuesday, Dec. 16, arguments and rebuttals will conclude and the jury will begin deliberations, tasked with determining whether the Angels knew or should have known their former communications director was providing opioids to Skaggs and other players, including the fentanyl-laced oxycodone pill that resulted in the pitcher's death on July 1, 2019.
"It's trying to convince you of something that isn't true," he said.
At issue is whether Kay's distribution of opioids to Angels players fell within the scope of his regular duties as Angels communications director, with Skaggs attorneys arguing that Kay performed myriad tasks for the players, arranging tickets to sporting events, purchasing Viagra for one player and arranging massages and other appointments.
Lead attorney Todd Theodora contended Skaggs made other Angels players aware that Kay could provide pills, that the Angels handled Kay properly by facilitating his treatment for opioid addiction earlier in 2019, his recovery threatened by Skaggs continuing to ask him for pills.
"What you see here is a classic double standard," Thedora argued.
The final weeks of the trial, now stretching toward its second month, was marked by squabbles over Skaggs' potential future earnings. The Angels deployed former major league general manager Dan Duquette to contend that Skaggs' earnings potential was between zero and $50 million.
Skaggs was exactly halfway to his finest season as a pitcher, on track to make 30 starts and pitch a career-high 160 innings at the time of his death. As a left-handed starter, he would have always been a rare commodity on the free agent market.
The virtually impossible task of determining such value – and the risk for both sides of a massive jury award or nothing – creates the possibility of a settlement before the jury returns a verdict. A civil trial requires just eight of 12 jurors to agree on a verdict, and unlike a criminal trial, not needing to meet the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Kenneth Gainwell signing in the offseason was pretty much an afterthought.
The expectation was that the Pittsburgh Steelers would rely on incumbent Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson in the backfield. Gainwell had just won a Super Bowl with the Eagles, yes, but as a backup to the workhorse Saquon Barkley.
Turns out, Gainwell can do well with a bigger role, too.
He's split work a lot more evenly with Warren than anticipated, pushing the rookie Johnson into a total afterthought role.
The consistently excellent performances from Gainwell have also raised a key point: He's only on a one-year deal in Pittsburgh. And as a free agent, he's set up to exceed what he has earned before.
"Gainwell signed a one-year, $1.79 million deal to join the Steelers in free agency last year, and he should earn a fair bit more this time," ESPN's Brooke Pryor wrote on Tuesday. "Elusive and explosive, Gainwell has been a Swiss Army knife for offensive coordinator Arthur Smith throughout the season, and he led the Steelers with 80 rushing yards against the Dolphins. He also had 7 receptions on 7 targets for 46 yards."
The Steelers have gotten an up-close look at Gainwell, so it wouldn't be surprising for them to try and bring him back. There's also only so much money a team will want to devote to the RB position, though, so if Gainwell's asking price rises too high, maybe he ends up elsewhere.
Regardless of final destination, Gainwell has certainly done well for himself. The Steelers gave him a chance, and he has run with it, all the way to a solid next contract.
😍🎥 Puskás Award 2025: This is the goal of the year
Bicycle kick goals have been astonishing football fans for decades. Such was the case with Santiago Montiel's goal on 11.05.2025 for Independiente.
It made such waves that today it won the vote for the most beautiful goal of the year and was awarded the Puskás Award by FIFA. But just enjoy the goal yourself.
🚨🎬 – Santiago Montiel’s goal against Independiente Rivadavia, nominated for the Puskás Award. pic.twitter.com/9JIdu8xfTa
It was another disappointing result in Glasgow for Hibs on Monday night.
Despite a first half where Hibs more than matched their hosts, the second half was for the most part completely unacceptable.
Hibs registered a meagre three efforts on target – a header cleared off the line and two shots that Jack Butland might have been worried about being penalised for handling under the passback laws.
Hibs' lack of creativity is a huge problem. Kieron Bowie was praised last week for finding himself in scoring positions, but he was everywhere other than in front of goal at Ibrox.
Josh Mulligan, lauded for his performance against Falkirk, struggled to make any impression on the game and Grant Hanley will lose sleep over his part in Rangers' winning goal.
David Gray has come under criticism for only playing one way and that accusation is not entirely without foundation.
His side is most effective with three or five at the back, depending on how he plays the wing-backs, but the squad is limited when moving to other systems so unless he gets backed in the January window, there's not a lot he can change.
Before that, he has three massive games - Dundee United, Hearts and Aberdeen - and with Hibs heading down rather than up the table, pressure will surely mount on the boss.
Hopefully the club's owners can recall the turnaround Gray performed last season and don't rush to make a change at the first sign of trouble since then.
Gray, more than anyone, deserves the time to get out of this rut.
LAS VEGAS — The NBA Cup is not the NBA Finals. It is, however, something more than just a regular season game — putting half a million dollars per player on the line will have that effect.
Yes, Knicks or Spurs players want to grab that bag. However, they also see the Cup as a stepping stone to where they want to be next May and June.
"I think history is kind of showing that if you can make it to this Cup, then you can win a championship," San Antonio's De'Aaron Fox said.
Last season, Oklahoma City lost in the NBA Cup championship game but went on to win the NBA title in June. The Lakers, who won the inaugural tournament in 2023, did so with essentially the same core that won the NBA title three years before. Los Angeles beat an Indiana team that advanced to the NBA Finals last season.
The stepping-stone analogy particularly resonated with a young Spurs team looking to grow into a contender.
"It's a high-stakes game that both teams are going to be very invested in winning," San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama said. "It just shows that we are preparing and we will pass the next step for more significant games in the playoffs. This is a complicated explanation, but it's as simple as that: As competitors, we want to win every game, and this one brings something new on the table, so we want to win it even more."
"Being able to have this, obviously it's not going to be the exact same, but you get a little glimpse of what it could be like playing in the Playoffs and the different officiating," Fox said. "No matter how much they say they don't officiate the games differently in the playoffs, we all have eyes, and we can see it. But being able to play in as many of those games, it definitely helps you come playoff time."
These Knicks have more playoff experience — they were in the Eastern Conference Finals last season — but also see the Cup as a path forward.
"I think the Cup is big for us just for the energy it brings to our team…" Karl-Anthony Towns said, adding that the energy and winning foster belief this team will need in the postseason. "I think it brings great energy to the team, great mojo to the team. It also brings that feeling of winning. No matter if it's the Cup, NBA Finals, winning any game, when you get that feeling of winning, it's addictive. Obviously, I want us to have that mindset where we're addicted to the next championship if we can win this one."
Can Knicks stop Wemby? Can the Spurs stop Brunson?
As for the game itself, Wembanyama's return against the Thunder in the semifinals changed the dynamics. While the Spurs' speedy guards — De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper — can all get downhill and touch the paint, Wemby adds another dynamic.
"You're not going to be able to guard a guy like that one-on-one," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "You try to put length, size, physicality at the point of attack when it comes to him, but it's got to be five guys guarding the basketball at all times… But we have some pretty good defenders with length, and hopefully they can, at the point of attack, try to make it as difficult as possible with him, knowing that they have help behind them."
The Spurs have their own defensive challenge in slowing Jalen Brunson. San Antonio is loaded with long defensive wings who are strong at the point of attack, but so did Orlando in the semifinals, and Brunson dropped 40. In the quarterfinals, it was Toronto with their long, rangy defenders, and Brunson dropped 35 on them.
What might be the story in this game is the Knicks' 3-point shooting. Under Brown, the Knicks get 37.4% of their points from beyond the arc, ranking in the top 10 in the league. With Wemby patrolling the paint, New York may need those threes coming over the top of the defense to win this one.
Towns said the key for the Knicks is to keep doing what got them to this point—and to the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
"Everything for us is about execution," Towns said. "I think that's what's made us really good recently playing basketball is our execution. So we've just got to go out there and find a way to do that for 48 minutes."
If they do, if they win the NBA Cup, it's something to build on.
Alan Soutar manages to win the game in a sudden-death leg after missing 15 match darts and surviving a handful of match darts against Teemu Harju.
Day 6 of the 2026 PDC Darts World Championship has arrived!
The first round is still in progress, with eight players set to punch their tickets into the second round today.
Teemu Harju, Justin Hood and Jurjen van der Velde will all be making their PDC WC debuts today.
2021 PDC WC Gerwyn Price will be playing in the evening session.
A couple of former semifinalists at the PDC WC will also be taking the stage on Tuesday, as Scott Williams and Chris Dobey will play in the afternoon session.
Niko Springer will be playing in his second straight PDC WC, after debuting last year, with hopes of having a big run at this year's event.
2025 PDC Darts World Championship schedule & scores
Here are the scores and schedule of play for the first round on Day 6.
The no. 5 UConn men’s basketball team came out of its historical non-conference gauntlet with an impressive 9-1 record. Now, a new challenge awaits; avoid landmines in the graveyard that is the Big East. First up on the conference slate is 8-2 (1-0) Butler, one of the few Big East teams that has exceeded expectations so far.
The Bulldogs rank No. 51 in KenPom, with the No. 39 offense in the country, and 42nd in NET. Pedestrian at first glance, maybe, but Thad Matta has Butler legging out KenPom efficiency metrics by +4, and boasts a potential conference player of the year in Michael Ajayi. They boast an impressive non-conference win against Virginia and took down Providence in double OT on Sunday.
As far as UConn, the Huskies sit No. 7 in KenPom and eighth in the NET. They’re one of only six teams with a Top 20 KenPom adjusted offense and defense, and their one blemish on the year (Arizona) was without Tarris Reed Jr. and Braylon Mullins.
They’ll look to avoid a conference opener slipup and demonstrate complementary hoops that has been elusive at times, despite their overall elite standing in the national landscape.
The Huskies and Bulldogs have played 11 times in their history with ten of those times coming in Big East play. UConn has won all 11 matchups including the 2011 National Championship game. They last faced off on January 21, 2025 when the Huskies beat Butler, 80-78, in overtime at the former XL Center (now PeoplesBank Arena). Solo Ball and Alex Karaban led the way with 23 points and 19 points respectively.
Inactives report
As of this writing, all 15 Huskies are active for the Big East home opener.
What to Watch For
Fire and Ice
The Bulldogs (had) one of the most intriguing starting fives in the conference. It starts and ends though, with Michael Ajayi and Finley Bizjack.
Ajayi, has quietly become ball-knowers’ pick to win Big East Player of the Year. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound grad transfer from Gonzaga does it all, averaging 17.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game (leading the country), to go with 3.2 assists and 1.1 blocks. He has eight double-doubles already this season, third-most in the nation.
He’s a bruiser with an improved jumper that puts relentless rim pressure on the rim. Think Kadary Richmond with less handle but more size and athleticism, all in the hands of Thad Matta, who loves to run teams through skilled forwards
Fresh off his second Big East Player of the Week honors after dropping 28 and 15 in a double-OT thriller against Providence, Ajayi played every minute of that tilt and shot 16 free throws. Given UConn’s propensity for fouling, keeping him off the charity stripe and limiting second-chances — he averages over three offensive rebounds per game — should be circled twice on Hurley’s whiteboard.
With Tarris Reed Jr. likely starting on Drayton Jones — more on him later — Alex Karaban and Jaylin Stewart will likely draw most of the reps on Ajayi. Stewey has excelled against bruisers like Eric Dixon in the past, while The Captain has the craftiness to negate the athleticism advantage.
The Huskies will want to avoid slighter defenders getting switched onto him, or at least get ready to dial in those weakside help rotations.
Finley Bizjack is your classic— ‘I’d hate him if he wasn’t on my team’ guy. The 6’4 junior is Butler’s leading scorer at 18.8 ppg, an ‘all gas no brakes’ bucket with logo range and no conscious. Jalen Jackson’s injury has meant the ball’s in Bizjack’s hands more, one of the main reasons why Butler is 28th in the country in adjusted pace.
Him and Ajayi two account for 40% of Butler’s offense. The pick-and-roll combo with Jones creates the space for Bizjack to exploit, and is analytically Butler’s best source of two-man offense. UConn will need to not bite on the foul baiting, run him off the three point line, and make him a driver first where hopefully their size can disrupt his creative shotmaking. This could be a Jayden Ross game if Bizjack is doing his best Xaivian Lee impression.
Together, Bizjack and Ajayi have those types of inside-out, complementary skillsets that take teams far in March. Luckily, the Huskies are well-rounded and deeper, and the hope is Dan Hurley can throw enough different looks at the two studs to slow them down.
The Puzzle Pieces Fit
What makes Butler intriguing is that Thad Matta has found the right pieces to put around his two two-way studs in Ajayi and Bizjack. Bizjack isn’t really a distributor and Ajayi is not a plus shooter, but there’s help from the rest of the roster in those areas.
Unfortunately, the Bulldogs were dealt a blow over the weekend after point guard Jalen Jackson was announced out for the season due to ankle surgery. The 6-foot-2 senior hadn’t played since a win against Virginia but was a steady floor general who found guys in right spots. Freshman Stink Robinson is part of the point guard by committee also featuring Bizjack and Yame Butler. Stink started the last four games and put up 11 points against the Friars.
You never want to be the game where a precocious freshman ‘figures it out.’ Relentless ball pressure from Demary Jr and Malachi Smith will be required to make Stink stink.
Six-foot-6 Maryland transfer Jamie Kaiser is a heck of a Swiss army knife, a do-it-all role player that fills in where needed. He won’t take a ton of shots, but everything he does is underrated and is one of Butler’s best perimeter defenders. Evan Haywood provides elite floor spacing and Yohan Traore is a capable backup.
Jones was a player I noted in our Big East cellar roundup as one of the reasons why the Bulldogs would punch above their weight. The 6-foot-11 South Carolina State product is already flashing all-conference level rim protection, and is mobile enough in drop coverage that he won’t get hunted in high ball screens. He averages only two fouls per game and just dropped eight assists vs. the Friars.
If Reed can establish some low-post presence early against Jones, it would go a long way in unlocking the rest of UConn’s actions.
Between Ajayi, Jones, and Kaiser, Butler has three of the conference’s top five rebounders, and the ‘Dogs are 10th nationally in rebounding percentage. Reed will get his, but its really on the guards to gang rebound and limit second chances.
Stink-Bizjack-Kaiser-Ajayi-Jones. There’s defense, shooting, rebounding, playmaking, and size in that starting five. Factor in microwave Haywood off the bench, and that’s a formidable top six for an allegedly middle-of-the-pack Big East team. The returns are still coming in, but there also seems to be more of an ‘edge’ to this Butler teams, a departure from the last few years.
What Are You?!
I’ve spent all this time on Butler and not UConn because, quite frankly, I’m not quite sure what UConn ‘is’ at this point. They are very good, yes. a Final Four favorite and a team that has righted the wrongs of last year, from a personnel standpoint? Also, unequivocally, yes.
But you can also say — mostly due to injuries — that we haven’t seen the full UConn juggernaut. Is Reed the go-to option? Can Solo Ball shoot out of his three-point slump? Will Silas Demary Jr continue to follow the Tristen Newton path of development, where some early-season inconsistencies get ironed out? What does a healthy Braylon Mullins do to the team’s shot diet?
Beyond the individual questions, as I said on the Fast Break Podcast a few weeks ago, Donovan Clingan ain’t walkin through that door. That may mean, until the team truly clicks, that even if the Huskies are rattling off Evan Miya 10-0 killshots, it may be harder to put teams away. Look at the Texas game; UConn was in full control but didn’t string together enough plays to really finish off a flawed yet dangerous team.
The Big East is littered with Texas’; flawed but dangerous teams you don’t want to catch on an off night. Last year’s results be damned, the Huskies are the hunted once more. If they’re not careful, they could drop more than a few games to teams gunning for them and dent their otherwise gaudy resume. But conversely, if the Huskies do develop that closer mentality and put teams down early, well, get ready to learn Indianapolis.
That’s what I’ll be watching most from UConn’s perspective; can this team stop playing with its food and learn to take lesser-talented teams out behind the woodshed.
That will be a tough task. The Huskies have won just one conference opener in Dan Hurley’s tenure. Butler does some things that UConn struggles with, namely drawing fouls and crashing the glass at an elite level. Factor in not one but two game-breakers in Ajayi and Bizjack, and it wouldn’t shock me to see the Bulldogs sneak into the NCAA tournament.
Three of those losses (two against the Phoenix Suns, one against the Oklahoma City Thunder) came against teams Paul had recently played for, and at one point, sources said, he asked a member of the coaching staff why he hadn't been consulted on how those teams, and particularly their star players, Devin Booker and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, operate. The question, or perhaps its delivery, was not thought to be constructive, sources said.
To prove his point, Paul stood up and walked down the aisle of the plane to Leonard and Kris Dunn and asked them if he'd suggested a change or actually changed the coverage, multiple sources who witnessed the interaction said. Both players affirmed that he'd suggested it, sources said. The interaction was brought up again to other players on the team during the flight, and sources said that subsequently got back to the coaching staff and front office. That night, the team decided they'd finally had enough. "He was a pain in the ass when he was a great player," another executive with a different team said. "And now he's not a great player."
Frank chose Atlanta, but the meeting got pushed back because the team's flight was delayed out of Miami by six hours, after another loss. Around 11 p.m., inside Frank's hotel room at the Four Seasons, he told Paul of the team's plans to send Paul home, adding that he hoped to work with Paul on how the statement would be announced and that he hoped the team could still retire Paul's jersey one day, sources said. Paul was stunned, sources said, and tried to plead his case. At one point, he brought teammate Brook Lopez into the room as something of a character witness. Lopez and Leonard were Paul's most ardent supporters on the team, sources said. Paul reminded Frank that he'd asked him to facilitate another meeting with Lue and that hadn't happened. Frank acknowledged that, but held firm. The decision had been made.
Barcelona president hits back at Real Madrid after Florentino Perez comments – ‘Still dragging out…’
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has once again stirred the pot in Spanish football by going all out against Barcelona and the referees in his latest comment.
While the referees’ association in Spain has already issued a strong response against Perez today, Barcelona were relatively silent until now.
In a recent interaction, Joan Laporta has hit back at Real Madrid in the wake of Perez’s comments, where he highlighted the Negreira scandal and directly blamed Barcelona.
Joan Laporta’s response to Real Madrid
Laporta was approached by reporters at a recent event, where he was asked about Perez’s comments.
In response, the Barcelona president once again mentioned the word ‘Barcelonitis’ – a word he had used earlier in a direct response to Perez’s comments against the club last month.
“The acute case of ‘Barcelonitis’ that’s going on in Madrid is good for us because they’re not worrying about what they should be worrying about,” he told reporters (h/t Jijantes).
Florentino Perez’s latest statement has rattled Spanish football. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“They’re still dragging out the Negreira issue with something that isn’t working out for them,” Laporta further noted.
“If the narrative has changed, it’s because earlier there were overlaps in the projects,” he added.
Laporta’s statement is a clear indicator that the gloves are truly between Barcelona and Real Madrid, especially after the two clubs decided to follow their path with regard to the future of the European Super League project.
Barcelona, in particular, opted to once again side with the authorities that include La Liga and UEFA, which is perhaps why La Liga president Javier Tebas was quick to hit back at Real Madrid following Perez’s comments.
As for Real Madrid, it will be interesting to see whether or not Perez or even the club decide to issue a response to Laporta’s statement, although it is unlikely they will do so.
Watch: One Man Utd star was absolutely livid after second-half Amorim decision, he made the coaching staff aware
Casemiro was livid after being withdrawn in the 61st minute of Manchester United’s clash with Bournemouth last night.
The Brazilian was hooked from the action and replaced by Kobbie Mainoo for the closing stages of the whirlwind encounter, with his exit coming 11 minutes after he had been brandished a yellow card by Simon Hooper – his fifth of the term.
His booking confirmed that he would be unavailable for Sunday’s trip to Villa Park to face Unai Emery’s in-form Aston Villa side, meaning Casemiro will have to wait until Boxing Day to feature again, when the Reds host Newcastle United.
Why Casemiro was infuriated when he was withdrawn
(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
At the time the Brazilian left the field, United were trailing 3-2, despite entering the interval leading 2-1.
Two quickfire goals from the visitors made for an end-to-end second half of action, and Casemiro’s foul on Marcus Tavernier at the edge of the area paved the way for Bournemouth to take the lead, as the Cherries star converted the free-kick that he won.
Alas, the veteran’s reaction was likely due to a multitude of reasons, but he didn’t hide his frustrations from those on the bench.
When taking his spot alongside the substitutes and coaching staff, Casemiro was heard voicing his grievances before he slammed his water bottle on the floor and angrily grabbed his coat.
Casemiro adds to goal tally in eight-goal thriller
(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Although his shift ended on a sour note, the 33-year-old did directly influence the game in United’s favour by scoring in first-half stoppage time. Remarkably, it’s his fourth goal of the campaign in the 15 appearances he’s made.
*Casemiro’s complete record at United in all competitions (Transfermarkt)
Fans are now crossing their fingers that Casemiro’s suspension will lead to Kobbie Mainoo being granted his first start of the season on Sunday afternoon, unless Amorim opts for Manuel Ugarte instead.
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers made six field goals, including the 56-yard game-winner with 18 seconds remaining, in Sunday's 18-16 win over the Colts. And he's now on pace to kick more field goals in a season than any kicker, ever.
The all-time record for field goals in a season is 44, set by David Akers of the 49ers in 2011. Myers had made 37 field goals so far this season, putting him on pace to finish the season with 45.
Overall, Myers is 37-for-42 on field goals this season, a success rate of 88.1 percent, with a long field goal of 57 yards. He's also 42-for-42 on extra points.
If there's a concern in Seattle, it's that Myers is kicking too many field goals and not enough extra points. The Seahawks are a good team but they've been below-average in the red zone, ranking 18th in the NFL by scoring touchdowns on only 57.4 percent of their red zone appearances. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald has also been quick to settle for field goals: The Seahawks have only gone for it on fourth down 10 times this season, the fewest in the NFL.
But while settling for field goals isn't always a good thing, it is a good thing to have a kicker you're confident can make them. And the Seahawks have that in Myers.
The redshirt freshman from Charlotte, North Carolina is a former four-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. He only saw action in one game as a true freshman that season, and played in three games in 2025 as the backup to Bryce Underwood. He attempted two passes as a Wolverine, with one of them being intercepted earlier this year at USC. He also has -6 rushing yards to his name.
As with all players that enter the portal, we wish Davis nothing but the best at his next destination.
Tennessee is recruiting toward its 2026 basketball signing class.
Five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. will announce his college commitment between Tennessee, Duke, Texas, Miami and North Carolina State on Dec. 30, according to Joe Tipton of On3.
The 6-foot-2, 175-pound prospect is from Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 1 point guard in the class and No. 1 player in New Jersey.
Tennessee offered Rippey Jr. a scholarship on May 22. He officially visited Tennessee on Oct. 25.
St. John's was the first school to offer him a scholarship on Jan. 27, 2023. Other Power Five schools to offer the 2026 prospect a scholarship include Oklahoma State, TCU, Washington, Texas A&M, Syracuse, Illinois, Villanova, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Louisville, LSU, Providence, West Virginia, Seton Hall, Purdue, SMU, Stanford, Kansas, Alabama, North Carolina, Michigan, Creighton, Virginia, Georgia, Texas Tech, Auburn, Kentucky and Indiana.
Tennessee has three commitments in its 2026 basketball recruiting class: small forward Ralph Scott, power forward Manny Green and point guard Marquis Clark.
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Things have not gone the way the Arizona Cardinals hoped for wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. this season.
Harrison struggled with drops earlier in the year, and now he has been dealing with multiple injuries in recent weeks that have forced him to miss four games over the previous five weeks.
As we turn the page to Week 16, here's what we know about Harrison's status for the game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Will Marvin Harrison Jr. return in Week 16?
Harrison's status remain up in the air as we enter Week 16, but given the fact that he has missed two games already, we would say he has a slightly better than 50/50 chance to suit up.
Last week, head coach Jonathan Gannon said he anticipates Harrison playing again this season, although he did not say when the wide receiver would return.
He did say, however, that Harrison is "doing a lot better."
Harrison didn't practice at all last week, so that pushes the needle more toward him not being ready to go.
While the Cardinals being out of playoff contention really gives them no reason to bring Harrison back at all, Gannon might also be fighting for his job, which means he'll want all hands on deck over the final three games.
We'll get our next update on Harrison on Wednesday, when the Cardinals drop their first injury report of the week. Getting in a limited practice would be a step in the right direction for the second-year wideout.
Quarterback and pass rusher are the two most well compensated positions in the NFL, too, so the Texans might have to open their checkbooks wide.
"This season, Anderson has had the fifth-most tackles for loss (16) and ninth-most sacks (10.5) in the league," ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime wrote on Tuesday. "The No. 3 pick in 2023 is expected to get an extension, one year after Derek Stingley Jr. became the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history on a three-year, $90 million deal. Quarterback C.J. Stroud -- the No. 2 pick in 2023 -- is also eligible for an extension this offseason."
Anderson's case is probably more straightforward than Stroud's. He's become more and more dominant each season, and this year, he's leading a defense than is as scary as any in football.
Stroud, on the other hand, shone brightly as a rookie but hasn't always looked to be quite the same player in these two seasons that have followed. It's hard for a team to even consider getting rid of a quality QB, but it could also be hard to reach agreement on an extension value for Stroud right out of the gate.
Just hours after Kylian Mbappé’s victory over PSG in their months-long dispute, the player’s close circle has broken their silence.
On Tuesday, the labor court delivered its verdict in the case between Kylian Mbappé and the Parisian club. PSG has been ordered to pay €55 million plus paid leave. In total, Mbappé’s lawyers have revealed that the full amount is around €61 million. Kylian Mbappé’s camp expressed great satisfaction with the outcome. “This is a victory we’ve been waiting for a long time. This is the third time this ruling has been confirmed,” the lawyers said after the hearing.
🚨 Official: Kylian Mbappe has won the lawsuit against PSG, with judge ruling in the player’s favor. 🇫🇷
As a result, the Court of Paris have sided with the footballer and order PSG to pay around €61 million, reports RMC. pic.twitter.com/9tPnsJiEBN
“For 18 months, Kylian Mbappé has asked for the same thing: payment of his salary and his bonus for the work he performed. The first two times, the club refused to pay, waiting for a decision from the labor court—now it’s here (…). The court has ordered immediate execution, which means the club must pay without delay. Football is not a lawless zone. We hope PSG will comply voluntarily, without us having to involve a bailiff. That would be the classy thing to do,” they added in an interview with RMC Sport.
The Baltimore Ravens did Cincinnati Bengals fans a favor Sunday by officially ending any hope the team had of reaching the postseason after the Bengals were shut out 24-0. It was highly unlikely the Bengals would make the postseason at 8-9, but now the team and its fans can turn the page to the offseason, including the 2026 NFL draft in April.
The Bengals are almost certainly going to land a top-10 pick. They sit at 4-10 and hold the No. 9 pick, according to Tankathon. They have the strongest schedule among the three 4-10 teams, which also includes the New Orleans Saints and the Washington Commanders, who both won on Sunday.
The Kansas City Chiefs (yes, those Chiefs) sit at the No. 11 spot with a 6-8 record. The Minnesota Vikings are also 6-8 and are at No. 12. That means Cincinnati is two games clear for a top-ten pick with three weeks left. The Chiefs, as is very well-known by now, have lost star quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the season with a torn ACL.
The Bengals close the season with games against the Dolphins, Cardinals and Browns. The latter two both have 3-11 records and are among the top six in the current draft order -- Cleveland is at No. 4, Arizona is at No. 6.
Miami, at No. 11, was also eliminated from playoff contention after their 28-15 loss Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. If you're rooting for the Bengals to tank, losses in those last two games would certainly help the Bengals move up the board.
Week 15 is in the books. We have a clear top-seed in the AFC. We had key injuries decimate the current AFC champions, plus a crucial NFC challenger. Sucks. It sucks. Anyway – Week 15. Yay?
Tight Ends
We’ll start here. Since missing time early in the year with a hamstring injury, George Kittle has been among the hottest players in the league. Since returning in Week 7, Kittle has 41 receptions for 459 yards and 5 touchdowns. That hot form continued as Kittle caught 8 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown, his sixth of the season as the Niners beat the hapless Titans, 37-24, to move to 10-4 on the season (real quick – Amani Hooker logged 7 tackles for the 2-12 Titans.)
George Kittle had his BEST game of the season yesterday: – 8 catches for 88 yards (season-high) – 1 touchdown – 10 yards per reception – 70.3 PFF run blocking grade pic.twitter.com/l38XLQECTe
T.J. Hockenson capped the Sunday night schedule in Dallas and had a nice game, finishing with 4 receptions for 66 yards as the Vikings won in Dallas, 34-26. This Vikings team makes no sense at all.
Notable in this position group is Noah Fant, who suffered an ankle injury in Cincinnati’s 24-0 loss to Baltimore. He did not return and had no stats. Bummer. That Bengals team is possibly even more confusing than the Vikings.
Riley Moss and Luka Van Ness
Ok we have to do this. Riley Moss gets the worst whistle in the league. Legitimately the worst whistle in the league, and I think NFL officials are racists (I don’t believe that.) Come on – this is a PI?
Tony Romo: "Oh, man… I don't think that was pass interference."
Broncos CB Riley Moss is called for DPI, resulting in a 25-yard penalty. And that was followed by a 40-yard TD run from Packers RB Josh Jacobs. 🏈🦓🎙️ #NFLpic.twitter.com/QxSBlUT5ym
This play may or may not have led to a string of profanities in my living room – Green Bay scored on the next play – which then drew curious looks from family. Maybe, maybe not.
BUT – Moss made amends later with a “Ball Don’t Lie” pick late in the fourth quarter as the Broncos slowly choked Green Bay out, 34-26. The pick was Moss’s first of the year and the second of his career.
The win, coupled with a New England loss earlier in the day, placed the Broncos as the clear front-runner for the bye in the AFC. Remember – Denver also has the tie-breaker with the Patriots after Denver swept Las Vegas last week, with the Raiders beating New England all the way back in Week 1. The road to the Super Bowl in the AFC now runs through Denver, which is one of the best sports cities in the country right now (Broncos atop the AFC, Avalanche are a freaking unit, and the Nuggets have the second-best record in the West despite major injuries. This conversation conveniently ignores the Rockies!)
This was not just the Moss show, as Lukas Van Ness made his full return for the Packers after a long absence (he attempted to play against Minnesota in Week 12 but only played a handful of snaps before shutting it down again.) Van Ness finished with two tackles and nearly had a weird pinball pick of his own that bounced off his helmet in the fourth quarter. The Packers will need Hercules desperately down the stretch, as Micah Parsons suffered a season-ending knee injury on a non-contact play in the third quarter. Bad day for the Packers, who went from first in the NFC North and in the running for the top seed in the NFC to 7th.
Tory Taylor
It was another nice day at the office for Taylor – 4 punts, 172 yards – as the Bears smoked Cleveland, 31-3. Next week is massive in the NFC North, as the Packers head to Soldier Field. With the results on Sunday it is now the Bears sitting in first in the NFC North. Bad time for this game for the Packers – they lost Parsons, Christian Watson was also banged up, and despite losing to the Packers in Lambeau two weeks ago, the Bears are among the hottest teams in the league and showed no let down from that 7-point loss at Green Bay. Huge game, and an awesome game.
Desmond King
Quick shoutout to Desmond King, who announced his retirement last week. King played 8 seasons, suiting up for the Chargers, Titans, Texans, Steelers, and Ravens. King was a fifth-round pick of the Chargers in 2017. In 2018, he earned first-team all-Pro honors as a return man, a season that saw him finish with 23 punt returns for 318 yards and one touchdown, plus 22 kick returns for 522 yards (he also returned an interception for a touchdown that season.) Cheers to an excellent career!
Number nine ranked TCU Women’s Basketball moved to 11-0 with a 89-49 win over Jacksonville last Sunday in Fort Worth. Jacksonville played a strong first half but the Frog offense caught fire in the final two quarters to pull away and secure the 11th straight double digit win for TCU. The Dolphins were 7-1 coming into this game with their only loss coming against Florida as the Frogs picked up a good win over a solid Jacksonville team.
Basham’s block party 🚫
Following her four-block performance vs. Jacksonville, Kennedy Bashman now ranks fourth among all D1 players in career blocks per game average (1.99)#GoFrogspic.twitter.com/K11VxBtatb
Olivia Miles set conference history as the first Big 12 player to record triple-doubles in consecutive games with 15 points, 11 boards, and ten assists. Miles has fit seamlessly into the TCU offense and has done a great job finding opportunities to score while also keeping her teammates involved with well timed passes. The projected first round pick was very impactful on the defensive end with three steals, one block, and just one personal foul against the Dolphins. Clara Silva had her best game as a Horned Frog with 21 points on 10-10 shooting from the field. Silva also collected ten rebounds to complete her second double-double as a Frog. The Kentucky transfer has been excellent as a rim protector all season and the ability she showed on the offensive end this game is a very promising sign for the Frogs. Marta Suarez finished in double figures for the ninth consecutive game with 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Suarez had yet another hot shooting game from beyond the arc, knocking down three of six attempts from deep. Maddie Scherr was impactful in multiple ways for the Frogs with six points, eight rebounds, five assists, and one steal. Scherr’s ability as a ball handler and play maker have added another dimension to the TCU offense. Kennedy Basham continued to provide great defensive effort off the bench as she finished with four blocks along with nine points, seven rebounds, and one assist against Jacksonville.
TCU played an excellent defensive game against Jacksonville, holding the Dolphins to 21% shooting from the field and 11% shooting from three point range. The Frogs also forced 17 turnovers and did a great job of the defensive glass, holding Jacksonville to just eight offensive rebounds as a team. One area for improvement for the Frogs is to defend without fouling as the Dolphins attempted 28 free throws as a team, allowing Jacksonville to keep the game relatively close in the first half. The Frogs shot well from the field at 48% as a team, but TCU needs to limit turnovers moving forward as they turned it over 18 times against the Dolphins.
TCU is 11-0 while allowing opponents to have a 28.7 field-goal percentage and 23.2 three-point percentage this season.
The only other DI teams this century to start 11-0 while holding their opponents to such shooting marks or lower are South Carolina (2022-23) and UConn… https://t.co/HEG6hKdRRP
The first quarter was mostly a back and forth affair but eight points from Silva helped the Frogs create a 16-12 lead after ten minutes of play. The second quarter was more of the same as Silva scored the first five points of the quarter for TCU, but Jacksonville did a good job of getting to the free throw line to hang in the game as the Frogs led 33-26 heading into the break. The Frogs found their form after halftime, however, as the Dolphins managed just nine points and the Frogs tallied 27 points in the third quarter. TCU kept their foot on the gas in the fourth as they outscored Jacksonville 29-14 in the final ten minutes of the game.
21 pts, 10 rbs and a slice of history 👏
Just an unbelievable game from Clara Silva, who is now one of only two players this season to shoot 100 percent from the field on 10-plus attempts #GoFrogspic.twitter.com/c5n9qbjoXm
The Frogs will be back in action this Tuesday at 6:30 pm in Fort Worth against Arkansas Pine-Bluff for the last game of their non-conference slate before Big 12 conference play begins.
It’s truly hard to imagine how Santiago Montiel managed to score a goal with such characteristics. He controls the ball outside the box and invents an overhead kick from the edge of the area that ends up in the top corner—impressive.
Montiel prevails and wins the Puskas award for best goal of the year at the FIFA The Best awards. Without a doubt, one of the best goals seen in the recent history of the prize.
The Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins meet for the first time since swapping goalies last week, and the two teams are also trending in opposite directions ahead of this showdown at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday, December 16.
My top Oilers vs. Penguins predictions and NHL picks are calling for Edmonton and superstar Connor McDavid to take over this matchup tonight.
Oilers vs Penguins prediction
Oilers vs Penguins best bet: Oilers moneyline (-140)
The Edmonton Oilers have begun flipping the script with a 6-3-1 run, ranking sixth in goals percentage and seventh in expected goals percentage at 5-on-5, and owning the third-highest power-play percentage during the stretch.
Edmonton is also in a ripe rebound spot after losing 4-1 on the second leg of a back-to-back road game to the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.
Superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have played a leading role in the turnaround with a combined 12 goals and 36 points during the 10-game stretch, and McDavid’s 20 points pace the NHL during the stretch.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have also dropped five straight, and after a solid start to the season, the recent slump aligns with the injury to star center Evgeni Malkin (upper body).
Depth isn’t the Pens' calling card, and I expect the McDavid-Draisaitl combo will give Pittsburgh matchup nightmares throughout tonight's bout.
I also have more confidence in the Edmonton lineup capitalizing on the familiarity of facing former goalie Stuart Skinner than I do in Pittsburgh bullying Tristan Jarry in the blue paint. Plus, Jarry backstopped the Oilers to a convincing 6-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in his Edmonton debut.
McDavid’s heater actually dates back further than the highlighted 10-game surge, with the superstar posting multiple points in 13 of his past 21 games. His 38 points during the run are tied for the NHL lead, and the Penguins have also allowed a healthy 4.0 goals per game and the seventh-most expected goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five since Malkin went down.
It’s been a similar story with McDavid’s shot volume throughout the season. He’s recorded three or more shots in 21 of 33 games to rank in the 97th percentile of NHL forwards in shots on goal.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have only won 35 of their last 81 games (-7.00 Units / -8% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Oilers vs. Penguins.
How to watch Oilers vs Penguins
Location
PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
Date
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Puck drop
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
TNT
Oilers vs Penguins latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Well, the Miami Dolphins did that thing again. You know… the thing where they go on primetime television and embarrass themselves for the whole world to see. Or maybe that thing where they play in cold weather and look completely inept on the offensive side of the football. There is also that thing where they play against an above .500 squad and prove why they don’t belong in the conversation of best football teams in the National Football League.
Pick your poison.
After a deflating 28-15 loss on Monday Night Football to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dolphins are officially eliminated from playoff contention — which means no more “in the hunt” graphics for us. Sad face.
Oh well. There’s always next year, right? And in this writer’s opinion, next year better look a lot different than this year… in more ways than just the quality of the product displayed on the field.
GOOD
Dolphins defense sets tone early
Up until the final Steelers drive of the first half, the Dolphins defense was pitching a shutout while engaging in a tackling clinic against Pittsburgh. Defenders were flying around the ball, laying solid hits on their opponents, and showing that they didn’t come to the frigid north to be frozen out of the playoffs.
Cornerbacks Rasul Douglas and Jack Jones were even getting in on the action on running plays where Steelers’ backs were trying to bounce the ball to the outside. Of course, linebacker Jordyn Brooks continued to show why he is Miami’s best defensive player — totaling 13 tackles, including two tackles for loss, a sack and a pass defensed for the contest.
Unfortunately, with no help from Miami’s offense, the Dolphins defense began to unravel at the end of the first half, and their poor performance snowballed in the blistering cold of a Pittsburgh night during the final two quarters of play.
BAD
Two former Dolphins help to dismantle Miami in primetime
The Dolphins’ slim chances of a playoff berth were dashed on Monday night, but to add insult to injury, two former Miami players contributed to their former team’s demise while the football world was watching.
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey’s time in Miami ended unceremoniously this past offseason when rumors of his poor attitude surfaced following his trade to Pittsburgh. Tight end Jonnu Smith also fell out of favor with Miami’s front office when he demanded big money after his quality first season with the Dolphins. Both players were sent to Pittsburgh ahead of the regular season, along with a seventh round draft pick, with Miami acquiring safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and fifth round draft selection in return.
On Monday Night Football, Ramsey had a sack of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, plus a semi-viral moment when he laughed at tight end Greg Dulcich dropping a pass during a failed two-point conversion attempt late. The boisterous defensive back then proceeded to call Dulcich “f**king weak” while looking directly into the camera.
Jonnu Smith would contribute to Miami’s embarrassment by taking an Aaron Rodgers pitch to the house, scoring a rushing touchdown against his former squad early in the fourth quarter of an already out-of-hand game.
UGLY
McDaniel’s clock management draws bewilderment from commentary team
The Dolphins were down big to the Steelers in the fourth quarter of Monday’s game, yet they still had a puncher’s chance of pulling off some type of miracle comeback if the stars aligned properly for the team in the final fifteen minutes of play.
Yet, the team seemingly waved the white flag much earlier than expected, with clock management so baffling that the commentary team of Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman and Ford C. Frick Award winner Joe Buck sounded absolutely befuddled while discussing Miami’s lack of urgency while on offense during the final period of play.
The Dolphins were content with scoring style points in an effort to make the score look not so one-sided for folks who didn’t actually watch the game and witness the team curl up into a ball and admit defeat long before the clocks officially hit zero on the night — and ultimately the season.
However, the only thing head coach Mike McDaniel actually did was make himself look even more incompetent with his job hanging in the balance.
___
The Dolphins once again proved the doubters right by playing poorly in primetime, getting blown out by a quality opponent, while looking like they’ve never experienced cold weather before. The team showed that their win over the Buffalo Bills earlier this season was nothing more than a fluke, and the subsequent victories over poor teams didn’t mean anything at all. What do you think the Dolphins need to do this offseason to get the team on the right trajectory moving foward? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter at @MBrave13. Fins up.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior has a shot saved by Manchester City's Matheus Nunes (L) and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Bernabeu Stadium. Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma won the FIFA Best male goalkeeper award for 2025 on Tuesday having helped previous club Paris Saint-Germain to a treble in May.
The stopper was instrumental in PSG winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and their first Champions League title in May. He soon fell out with bosses of the French club, however, and moved on to Manchester City.
"It's a real honour to receive this award. I'm very, very happy," he said in a video message.
He is the first Italian to take the prize since Gianluigi Buffon in 2017.
His former PSG team-mate Ousmane Dembélé is a favourite to win the Best men's player later having won the rival Ballon D'Or award in September.
England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was earlier named Best female keeper after the Lionesses retained their European Championship title in July. Her Chelsea side also won a domestic treble.
FIFA said 16 million votes had been cast overall for the annual awards, with fans, national team captains and coaches, media representatives and a panel of ex-players being involved in choosing the various winners.
"Thank you very much to everyone who voted, it's greatly appreciated and it really means a lot," Hampton, 25, said.
Mexican player Lizbeth Ovalle won the Marta award for the best women's goal after her spectacular "reverse scorpion kick" for Tigres against Chivas Guadalajara. She has since moved to Orlando Pride.
Regensburg doctor, Zakho SC also feted
The Puskás award for best men's goal went to Santiago Montiel for his overhead kick from outside the box for Club Atlético Independiente in Argentina.
Jahn Regensburg team doctor Andreas Harlass-Neuking won the FIFA Fair Play Award for saving the life of a fan at a German second-division game in April.
During Regensburg's match at Magdeburg, he was made aware that a home fan had collapsed.
He jumped over a barrier and resuscitated the supporter, who was then transferred to a local hospital and survived.
"Your sportsmanship, altruism and selflessness are reflective of the very best aspects of our beautiful game. All of us at FIFA and the global football community thank you wholeheartedly for making a difference that day," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on social media.
FIFA's Best awards ceremony for players and coaches takes place later on Tuesday in Doha, but football's world governing body was releasing some winners throughout the day.
This is the 10th edition of the FIFA Best awards in their current incarnation.
The fan award went to supporters of Iraqi side Zakho SC, who have been rewarded "for their efforts in helping children who suffer with illnesses."
In May, fans threw thousands of stuffed toys onto the pitch from the stands, which were then gathered and donated to sick youngsters.
The Los Angeles Rams remain a clear top-5 team in the NFL after their Week 15 win over the Detroit Lions. The victory clinched a playoff berth for the team and gave them a late edge in both the NFC West and for the NFC's No. 1 seed.
But a lot hinges on a Week 16 showdown with the Seattle Seahawks. A loss could lose the division and the top seed, while a win would almost assuredly help secure home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
When it comes to the rest of the NFL, though, the Rams' time at the top remains in flux. Some pundits put the Rams as the clear No. 1 team in the league after 15 weeks, while other still aren't sure about how close they are to that spot heading into the final stretch of the season.
Here is a roundup of the top expert power rankings for Week 16.
The best team in football? We'll find out Thursday night in Seattle. But hard to bet against this team given the way its offense can simply takes games over − LA scoring at least 34 points in six of its past eight outings.
[Puka] Nacua is eligible for an extension this offseason, and getting that done will be a priority for the Rams. The 2023 fifth-round pick had nine catches for 181 yards against the Lions. It was his second straight game with at least 150 receiving yards, and he became the first Rams player to meet that mark since 2004, according to ESPN Research. It will likely be a record-setting contract for Nacua; Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase leads all receivers with $40.25 million per year.
The Salt-and-Pepper Slinger topped 350 passing yards for the third time this season, going 24-of-38 for 368 yards. He’s second in the league in passing yards (3,722) and first with 37 touchdown passes. That’s four short of tying his single-season best (set in 2011 in Detroit and matched in 2021 in Los Angeles), and it’s a staggering number considering he has only five interceptions. Losing Davante Adams (hamstring) would hurt, though.
The Rams’ win on Sunday was impressive. It would have been easy to look past a capable Lions team and start thinking about Thursday night’s game in Seattle. But the Rams kept focus, put up 41 points and won. The Rams are already a significant Super Bowl favorite, and that’s despite them being just 55.6% to win the NFC West (via DVOA). If the Rams win Thursday, they’d be a near lock to win the division, get the No. 1 seed and they’d be an overwhelming favorite to win it all. Lose on Thursday and the Rams might end up as a wild-card team playing a cold weather game in Green Bay, Chicago or Philadelphia. The stakes are enormous.
That was a heavyweight fight they won against the Lions. Losing WR Davante Adams is a concern, though, especially on a short week and with a rematch against the Seahawks looming.
The Rams stumbled early against the Lions before leaping past Detroit with an explosive offense, this time fueled by the running game. The defense showed a few more holes, but has more margin for error given the success of the Rams' offense.
There’s a chance that both quarterback Matthew Stafford and head coach Sean McVay will become Hall of Famers when their careers are over—and this season might be the top line on both of their résumés. The Rams are in an offensive groove that no team in the NFL can match right now, and they effectively snatched Sunday’s game away from the Lions on four scoring drives in the second half. Stafford has been supported by a consistent run game and two excellent (albeit currently banged-up) receivers, and there’s nothing that defenses can do to bother him anymore.
They have nothing to prove against Seattle this week. They should just get healthy over the next three weeks and go win Super Bowl LX.
In a week where serious injuries claimed two of the game’s brightest stars, Davante Adams sustaining what is considered a week-to-week issue is a sigh of relief. While I welcome a chaotic playoffs with few monolith teams, Los Angeles’s ceiling with this roster is too high—and too enjoyable to watch.
After weeks in the No. 1 spot, the Los Angeles Rams dropped a couple of rungs following their Week 13 loss to the Carolina Panthers, but they didn't fall out of the top three. With the New England Patriots' loss to the Buffalo Bills, one can argue that it's between the Denver Broncos and Rams for No. 1 in the power rankings.
Unlike the Broncos, the Rams have shown they can blow out teams in decisive wins. They needed to rebound from a mistake-filled first half against the Detroit Lions and still scored 41. Los Angeles is one of the league's best, competing for home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs, though Davante Adams' injury could deal a blow to its high-powered offense. Still, you trust head coach Sean McVay and this team more than any of the other Super Bowl contenders.
On Sunday night in Portland, Steph Curry rewrote the NBA's history books with a fiery 48-point performance.
The Golden State Warriors' star point guard caught fire on Sunday night, scoring a game-high 48 points against the Portland Trail Blazers. Curry finished the game with 49 points on 16-of-29 shooting from the field and a season-high 12 made 3-pointers to go along with three boards and two assists in 35 minutes.
Despite Golden State's loss to Portland, Curry's performance on Sunday will be etched in history. Curry passed NBA legend Michael Jordan with the most 40-point games for a player after turning 30 years old. Sunday marked Curry's 45th game with 40 or more points since turning 30 years old. Curry has now scored 40 or more points 75 times in his illustrious career.
Steph Curry dazzled as only Steph Curry can, despite the Warriors loss.
🍳 48 PTS 🍳 3 STL 🍳 12 3PM
He passes Michael Jordan for the most 40-PT games after turning 30 (45) in NBA HISTORY 🤯 pic.twitter.com/rbD8KISfWi
Curry passed Jordan, who had 44 games with 40 or more points after 30. Damian Lillard is third on the list with 31, with both Kobe Bryant and James Harden tied at fourth with 30 each.
The 37-year-old guard has now tallied 40 or more points four times this season, with 49 points being his season high. Over his last six games, Curry has notched 30 or more points in five games. Over that span, he is averaging 34 points per game on 52.6% from the field and 45.7% from deep.
Curry will have the chance to build on his red-hot streak on Thursday when the Warriors meet the Suns in the desert.
Rob Zerjav has been named the Minor League Baseball High-A executive of the year for the 2025 season.
Zerjav, president of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, received the award during MLB's winter meetings in Orlando, Florida, recently.
He has been a member of Wisconsin’s front office since 1997 and became president and general manager of the Rattlers after the 2002 season.
“Rob’s creativity, drive for success and commitment to making every fan’s experience the absolute best has created a top-notch culture within our organization and been the key to the team’s growth and success,” Timber Rattlers vice president of business operations Ryan Moede said in a news release.
In 2025, the Timber Rattlers had an attendance of over 236,000, the highest attendance for a season since 2016.
All revenue sectors from merchandise sales in the Snake Pit Team Store to corporate sales to special events also followed the upward trend set by ticket sales.
“This recognition is very nice, personally, but a real testament to the complete Timber Rattlers organization,” Zerjav said. “We have so many talented, creative and dedicated individuals that truly believe in our mission and I feel so fortunate to work with all of them on a daily basis.”
Baseball America named Zerjav its Minor League Baseball executive of the year after the 2023 season. He also won the Midwest League’s executive of the year in 2007, 2012 and 2018.
The Timber Rattlers have won numerous awards as an organization over the years, including the National Larry MacPhail Award for promotional excellence in 2012. The Rattlers were also the league nominee for the MacPhail award in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and received the Midwest League’s President’s Award in 2005, 2018 and 2019.
Baseball America also recognized the Timber Rattlers as the High-A Minor League organization of the year in 2022.
The Timber Rattlers, who have been a Milwaukee Brewers affiliate since 2009, open the 2026 season April 2 at home against the Beloit Sky Carp.
Monday Night Football odds for Week 16 feature the San Francisco 49ers against the Indianapolis Colts, with Indy possibly going back to 44-year-old grandpa Philip Rivers under center.
The opening NFL odds put the Niners as 6-point road favorites. Follow along for the latest MNF odds, MNF player props, and the remaining NFL Monday schedule for 2025.
Monday Night Football odds
49ers vs Colts opening odds
Point spread: 49ers -6 | Colts +6
Moneyline: 49ers -260 | Colts +210
Total: Over 45.5 | Under 45.5
Monday Night Football 2025 schedule & how to watch
The polar opposite of one of my TNF betting tips, Monday games leave players with more time to nurse any wounds. Injured players have an extra day for recovery and often will wait until the 11th hour to make a decision.
2
What happens next?
Monday games present a shorter schedule for the teams involved, falling one day behind the usual cadence in preparing for the upcoming week. While not as drastic as navigating a Thursday game, teams may have to forfeit either an early-week walkthrough or a rest day in order to stay on schedule. Look at the teams’ upcoming schedule and see if this later finish week leads to more problems ahead — especially for the road team, which also needs to factor in travel.
3
Home-field frenzy
The veracity of the home can get ramped up on prime-time games. Instead of the usual tailgating duration for a 1 p.m. or 4 p.m. game, the home crowd instead gets to party all day long. That juiced-up crowd is then released into the stadium — and unleashed onto the visitors — giving the home hospitality a little extra bite.
4
Cold concerns
Monday nighters can also be an advantage for cold weather teams come December and January. Temperatures plummet when the sun goes down and places like Buffalo, Foxborough, and East Rutherford can turn into frozen wastelands. While both sides feel the chill of the low temps, visitors from warmer cities or indoor stadiums may struggle to adapt when the mercury drops.
Portimão Returns to Formula 1 in Two-Year DealLars Baron - Getty Images
Portugal’s Portimão Circuit has secured a surprise return to Formula 1’s calendar on a two-year deal in 2027.
Portimão previously featured in 2020-21, as a stand-in circuit during the pandemic-hit years, with Lewis Hamilton victorious on both occasions.
It was dropped from 2022 as Formula 1 returned to a more conventional schedule, but on Tuesday officials announced that it will return on a two-year deal for 2027 and 2028.
Portugal will effectively replace the Dutch Grand Prix on the schedule, which will be discontinued after 2026, following a six-year stretch.
“I’m delighted to see Portimão return to the Formula 1 calendar and for the sport to continue to ignite the passion of our incredible Portuguese fanbase,” said Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“The circuit delivers on-track excitement from the first corner to the chequered flag, and its energy lifts fans out of their seats.”
The permanent 15-turn circuit, which features substantial elevation change across its flowing 2.9-mile layout, was well-received among drivers during its prior two-year appearance.
Lewis Hamilton celebrates his 2021 win at Portimão.GABRIEL BOUYS - Getty Images
“We are thrilled to welcome Formula 1 back to Portugal,” said Portimão CEO Jaime Costa. “Portimão’s unique ‘rollercoaster’ layout will challenge the best drivers in the world and create a spectacle that fans will love. We look forward to creating unforgettable moments and setting new standards of excellence on and off the track.”
What of other events?
Portugal’s short-term deal is effectively a like-for-like replacement for the Dutch Grand Prix.
Organizers at Zandvoort opted to call time on the event after a highly successful return, with the 2026 running—which will feature a Sprint race—to be the sixth and final grand prix of its existing iteration.
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Formula 1 will move the Spanish Grand Prix to the new semi-permanent Madring circuit from 2026, with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya remaining under the clumsy Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix name for one year.
Barcelona is out of contract after 2026, meaning there is ostensibly one remaining vacancy on any 24-event 2027 calendar, and officials in the Catalan capital have been keen to stay in the mix.
Belgium’s quirky four events in six years deal means that there is also a free calendar slot in 2028 and 2030.
2025 Belgian Grand Prix.Clive Rose - Formula 1 - Getty Images
Formula 1 has been involved in discussions with authorities in Thailand for a few years over bringing the championship to the streets of capital Bangkok. Proposals have been at an advanced stage but no deal has yet been signed, with 2028 understood to be the earliest year in which a prospective grand prix would debut.
The championship still remains keen to return to Africa, for the first time since 1993, but these remain long-term plans.
The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which was held five times in six years at Imola, was discontinued after 2025.
Documents filed to the bankruptcy court in Delaware on Monday included a list of the 20 creditors with the largest unsecured claims, with Kerr and six other athletics stars collectively owed millions by GST.
American sprint star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is owed $356,250, with compatriots Gabby Thomas – the Olympic 200m champion – and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden – who won gold in the 100m and 200m at this year’s World Championships – still owed $249,375 and $190,625 respectively. Each athlete won individual events as well as one or more of the Slams, with Kerr having won the Miami Slam and the 1500m race in Miami, with a total prize of $150,000 across those two meets alone.
One broadcast company is owed over $3m, with the total amount owed to the top 20 creditors nearing $10m. The documents show that there are between 200 and 999 creditors, with the total amount owed between $10m and $50m.
GST, which was founded and launched by multiple Olympic champion Michael Johnson in 2024, filed for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a US court last week following months of financial issues.
The league’s first event had taken place in Kingston, Jamaica in April of this year, though a major financial backer withdrew its support after the event, with attendance having been poor.
Subsequent meets took place in Miami and Philadelphia, with the latter cut from three days to two, but the final event of the season, which was scheduled for Los Angeles in June, was cancelled.
The Chapter 11 filing gives GST the chance to reorganise and “stabilise its finances” rather than go through liquidation, with a statement from GST explaining that the league also wants to use the process to “ implement a more efficient cost and operating model, and position GST for long-term success”.
Gianluigi Donnarumma crowned The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper for 2025
Manchester City and Italy international goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has been crowned as The Best Men’s Goalkeeper for 2025 by FIFA.
The prestigious individual honour caps a remarkable 12-month period for the 26-year-old, who has firmly established himself as one of world football’s dominant figures. Donnarumma’s consistency, coupled with his ability to deliver in decisive moments, saw him rise above a field of elite competitors in a fiercely contested category.
The award is determined following a global voting process involving national team coaches, captains, journalists, and supporters, underlining the scale of recognition behind Donnarumma’s achievement. It also reflects how highly his performances have been regarded across different leagues and competitions during a qualifying period which ran from August 2024 through to early August 2025.
During that timeframe, Donnarumma enjoyed an extraordinary run of success prior to his move to Manchester City having been a central figure in Paris Saint-Germain’s domestic dominance, playing a decisive role as the French giants secured another Ligue 1 title alongside Coupe de France and Trophée des Champions triumphs.
His campaign reached its pinnacle on the European stage, where his performances were instrumental in PSG’s historic UEFA Champions League success, including a commanding clean sheet in the final.
Speaking to ManCity.com after receiving the award this week, Gianluigi Donnarumma reacted, “It is a great honour to win this prestigious award and I would like to thank everybody that voted for me.”
The Italian continued, “I feel extremely proud to have been named as the best in the world and ahead of such wonderful goalkeepers too who I have great respect and admiration for.
“It was an incredible year, one that will live long in my memory, and it’s touching to be recognised for my role in the success achieved over that period.
“I will truly appreciate this acknowledgement and look ahead now to achieving more success with my new club Manchester City.”
Gianluigi Donnarumma’s transition to the Etihad Stadium has done little to slow his momentum. Since arriving, the Italian has quickly adapted to Pep Guardiola’s demands and intensity of the Premier League, producing a series of assured performances that have helped City climb into the upper reaches of the domestic table while maintaining a strong presence in European competition.
This latest accolade adds to an already glittering year on the individual stage with Donnarumma named in the 2025 FIFPRO Men’s World 11 and claiming the Yashin Trophy earlier in the season.
For Manchester City supporters, the recognition provides added validation that the club have secured not just a proven winner, but arguably the finest goalkeeper of his generation. Looking ahead, Donnarumma’s focus will quickly return to collective success rather than personal honours.
With major domestic and European objectives still to be pursued, Manchester City’s No.25 will be expected to continue delivering at the very highest level. If his current trajectory is maintained, this FIFA award may prove to be just one chapter in what could become a defining era of dominance for both player and club.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is recovering from surgery after tearing his ACL on his left knee
The injury happened during the Chiefs' game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 14
The Dallas Cowboys' head team physician, Dr. Dan Cooper, performed the surgery, per ESPN, with a league source telling the outlet that Dr. Cooper also repaired the torn LCL in the quarterback’s left knee
Patrick Mahomes is recovering from surgery following his latest injury.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, 30, has had surgery after tearing his ACL on his left knee during his team's Dec. 14 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Chiefs shared in an update on X on Monday, Dec. 15.
“Patrick Mahomes successfully underwent surgery in Dallas this evening with Dr. Dan Cooper to repair the tear in his left ACL,” the team wrote, adding that Mahomes “will begin his rehab process immediately.”
Dr. Dan Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys' head team physician, performed the surgery, ESPN reported. Dr. Cooper also repaired the torn LCL in the quarterback’s left knee, a league source told the outlet.
PEOPLE has reached out to Mahomes for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Mahomes was injured during the Dec. 14 Kansas City Chiefs match against the Los Angeles Chargers
Mahomes was injured in a tackle as he attempted to secure a touchdown for his team in the final two minutes of Sunday's game, pulling him out of the ninth season. He was helped off the field and replaced by Gardner Minshew.
The Chiefs subsequently confirmed in a post on X on Monday, Dec. 15, that an MRI revealed that Mahomes had a torn ACL in his left knee. "Patrick and the club are currently exploring surgical options," the team wrote at the time.
Mahomes’ injury comes after he had been experiencing issues with the same knee throughout the season.
He later addressed his injury on X, writing, “Don’t know why this had to happen. And not going to lie, it hurts. But all we can do now is trust in God and attack every single day over and over again.”
“Thank you, Chiefs kingdom, for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I will be back stronger than ever ⏰,” added Mahomes.
Kevin Sabitus/Getty
Mahomes on the field during the Dec. 14 Chiefs game in Kansas city, Miss.
The expected period of recovery for this type of injury is around nine months, leaving Mahomes’ appearance in the next NFL season from September 2026 up in the air.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid told ESPN that he thinks Mahomes could be fully recovered by next season if he commits to rehab.
"You've just got to put as much diligence into the rehab process," said Reid. "I always feel like the faster you rehab, the faster you can get back to practicing the sport that you know you love. But that requires an all-out commitment.”
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Reid said that Mahomes is "in a good place" following his injury, but "feels like he let people down,” he continued, adding that the quarterback “is ready for the challenge ahead.”
"He'll attack it, just like he does everything else … He'll get after it, and he's got good people here to rehab him. He'll be right on top of all of that,” said Reid.
The forthcoming weeks were always going to be a test for us with both Idrissa Gana Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye at Afcon, but that test may have just become a whole lot more difficult after Saturday's defeat to Chelsea.
Seeing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – our most in form player – gingerly leave the pitch with an apparent hamstring injury, was a sight Evertonians feared and maybe even more so, David Moyes.
With the aforementioned Gana Gueye and Merlin Rohl both unavailable, losing Dewsbury-Hall leaves options in midfield seriously thin on the ground.
Not only are we navigating the precarious situation above, James Garner is one yellow card away form serving a one match suspension.
Post match whispers also highlighted a potential issue for Jack Grealish.
It's the stuff of nightmares for the manager.
Even with a full squad to pick from, numbers would still be relatively small compared to most Premier League sides.
With the squad rebuild only one transfer window deep, we were always going to have moments in the season when we were stretched.
The same players are being pushed every single week, with little room for a reshuffle to help with player recovery.
The next couple of weeks will be a real test for both the manager and players.
With Arsenal visiting Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, it will be a tough ask for us to come away with anything more than a point, but games beyond then offer a real opportunity to pick up points.
The void left by others represents an opportunity for the likes of Tyler Dibling, Dwight McNeil and Tim Iroegbunam to really cement a place in the starting XI.
Martin Zubimendi was not in Arsenal open training this morning, doing work elsewhere
Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi was not with his Gunners teammates at their open training this morning, according to Sky Sports journalist Sam Blitz. However, there are no suggestions that the Spaniard is injured as he was doing work elsewhere, with his training load being managed. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be praying none of his players get injured going forward but Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes remain unavailable and did not train today.
Martin Zubimendi was not in Arsenal open training this morning, but it's said he was doing work elsewhere. Not the first time his training load has been managed this season.
Still no Havertz or Gabriel. Today is Arsenal's first day back training post-Wolves after two days off. pic.twitter.com/YTgyxUEEqY
Arsenal secured a 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on Saturday and the players returned to training this morning after two days off. Cristhian Mosquera also remains out of action, but Havertz is pushing hard to return before the end of the year. Gabriel could also be available in the coming weeks, but Zubimendi is expected to feature against Everton on Saturday. The Gunners travel to Hill Dickinson Stadium to take on the Toffees and will be desperate to leave with all three points.
They host Crystal Palace in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup afterwards before Premier League home games against Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa.
Four matches into an eight-game December, and Crystal Palace can claim four victories, three actual ones and one "Graham Potter" xG win over Manchester City, which naturally doesn't count.
Despite the brutality of a 3-0 home defeat, the team can take plenty of positives, even if they didn't take their respective chances. It can be deemed as a bit of turbulence on their journey, rather than the literal plane that didn't take off last Thursday evening in Dublin.
However, the casualties of such a congested schedule are mounting. Daniel Munoz has joined the knee-injury-surgery support group, while the team will hope the hamstring injury suffered by Daichi Kamada sees a quick recovery. Ismaila Sarr did make a sharp return, though mainly to Senegal's benefit, as he joins them for Afcon.
Thursday's game against the newly crowned Finnish champions KuPS, followed by Leeds United 48 hours later, is the most difficult pair of fixtures for Oliver Glasner to manage logistically. Twice publicly, he has stated that he plans to make 11 changes between matches. Whether that is possible, given the squad's constraints, remains to be seen.
The KuPS game itself is a must-win fixture to achieve a top-eight finish in the Conference League, and Glasner has been reluctant to grant academy players minutes as a form of charity. Players have had to earn that opportunity.
The Shelbourne match gave a debut to 17-year-old forward Benji Casey, who leapfrogged players in older age brackets, to travel with the senior squad. Casey, by reputation, even at a young age, fits the Justin Devenny or Rio Cardines prototype – exhibiting professionalism and maturity in his football. That is likely to ingratiate any player, junior or senior, with this manager and staff.
With great fixture congestion certainly comes opportunity. It is up to the players on the fringes to grasp it on Thursday evening.
Welcome back to the 2025-26 edition of Smash or Pass, in which we examine potential free agent and trade targets to determine whether the Red Sox should pursue them and what it would take to land them. Next up, a left-handed pitcher to pair with Garrett Crochet who has been mentioned in Red Sox-Royals trade rumors.
Who is he and where does he come from?
Cole Ragans is a left-handed pitcher from Gainesville, Florida. He threw 64 innings with the Texas Rangers between 2022 and 2023 before being shipped to Kansas City in exchange for fellow massive southpaw Aroldis Chapman. He’s started 57 games for the Royals in the 2.5 seasons since.
Is he any good?
If I were a GM, I would need to have someone on staff to say, “Jake, the pitching staff can’t be entirely gigantic lefties.” You could say I have a type. Cole Ragans is that type. Now, not all big lefties are created equally. Some, such as Payton Tolle, haven’t quite figured out the arsenal past the heater. Others, such as Garrett Crochet, have secondary pitches to complement the big fastball. The final evolution of the big lefty is the one who has a good fastball, a breaking pitch, and a devastating changeup. That’s Tarik Skubal.
Ragan’s fastball isn’t as overpowering as Skubal’s, but his changeup is nearly as good. He uses the pitch 24% of the time against righties, getting swinging strikes on almost 30% of his offerings. He does it with a 44% zone rate on the pitch, so even when it’s in hittable locations, opponents can’t touch it. It wasn’t just a small sample size fluke, either. Righties whiffed at a similar rate in 2024 when the pitch accounted for even more of his arsenal.
It’s not just the changeup, though. His fastball averages about 95 mph, reaching 99 mph at times. The shape isn’t an outlier, but it exhibits two-plane movement and misses bats thanks to velocity and command. He throws the pitch about 50% of the time for a strike rate in the high 60s to righties. Last season, the swinging strike rate was 18% against them, though his 2024 mark of 14% is probably a more realistic expectation. For reference, Skubal’s 2025 mark was the next best among qualifiers at 16.2%; Garrett Crochet came in third at 14.5%. It’s a dominant fastball.
But wait, there’s more. Ragans features a curveball and slider against righties as well. The curveball was used mostly in early counts, but he occasionally spiked one in two-strike counts as well. The strike rate was abysmal at about 50%, but nobody made hard contact against it either. It faded from his repertoire as the season progressed; I wouldn’t be surprised to see it disappear entirely in 2026. The slider, however, was great. It was almost exclusively a putaway pitch, and it did exactly that. The swinging strike rate was massive at 23% against righties. That number will also come down, like the fastball, but it’s a great offering nonetheless.
What about lefties, though? Opponents tend to stack their lineups with righties against Ragans, despite him having reverse platoon splits. His fastball doesn’t miss bats at nearly the same rate, and he doesn’t use the changeup that’s such a weapon against righties. His slider is good, but there isn’t enough in the arsenal for him to throw strikes with. Is there a world in which he can throw the changeup in the zone to same-handed hitters? The Red Sox don’t throw same-handed changeups, but it could be an option. He could add a sinker; it worked for Crochet. It also might not matter that much. There’s probably some selection bias at play here. He doesn’t see many lefties, so the ones who do remain in the lineup are probably the best of the best. The group of lefties that hit against Ragans posted a cumulative .760 OPS on the season, higher than the league mark of .719. That’s probably not sound statistical analysis, but you get the point.
So, why was his ERA so high? It’s pretty simple, actually. He was hurt. In May, he had two starts where he allowed four runs over five innings. Each start featured decreased velocity. He hit the IL after the second of the two poor outings, and when he returned, he gave up five runs in three innings, with his velocity still lacking. He again hit the IL, but pitched well in his final three starts when he returned in September. Chalk it up to a lost season in which he never got a chance to get his legs under him. Health is a concern, but he’s a pitcher, and health is a concern for every pitcher. He’s good.
Ragans is under control for the next three seasons. He’s making about $5 million this season and about $8 million next season before his final year of arbitration. Like it or not (don’t like it, why would you like it?), the Red Sox are operating with salary constraints. The lineup still has holes, so if you want Alex Bregman back, you’ll have to live with an inexpensive starting pitcher. The Twins don’t seem motivated to move Joe Ryan, so Cole Ragans is at the top of that list.
Also, he’s awesome? He struck out 100 hitters in 60 innings. What team would that not be a good fit for?
Why wouldn’t he be a good fit on the Red Sox?
Is he too similar to Garrett Crochet? I know that sounds crazy because Crochet is a top-five pitcher in the world, but does having two lefties with similar arm slots pitching on back-to-back days help an opposing offense? My gut says probably not, but maybe there’s something to it. I’m not sure I know how to code well enough to research that, but I might try. Let me get back to you. Or don’t. As I said, he’s a good fit for every team, but the template provides this section, and I’m paid by the word, so that’s what I came up with.
What would it take to get him?
There are rumors that the Royals are interested in Jarren Duran. Pitching is expensive, and I think there would probably be some prospects changing hands as well, but I’m terrible at estimating these things. Go on Twitter and find one of the 100,000 mock trades that have been posted that will also probably be wrong.
Show me a cool highlight.
Here he is striking out 12 batters in 2024, a career high. In 2025, he struck out double-digit batters in five of his 13 starts.
Smash or Pass?
Last year, I sat here and compared myself to a cartoon wolf with its eyes bursting out of its head at the thought of trading for Garrett Crochet. The comment section — that’s right, you guys are getting held accountable — mostly pooh-poohed the idea. If it weren’t for the other lefty with an out-of-this-world changeup in Tarik Skubal, he would have won the American League Cy Young. This year, Cole Ragans trade rumors have me levitating off the ground and drifting toward the metaphorical irresistible pie on the windowsill. Roster construction aside, this is a guy you want on your team. SMASH.
With all three teams in front of them in the 2026 NFL draft order, Cleveland remained with the fourth overall position heading into Week 16. With the Jacksonville Jaguars continuing their winning ways, running their record to 10-4, the Browns second first-round pick is likely to be decided by how the NFL playoffs play out.
With the completion of Monday Night Football, here is the current 2026 NFL draft order:
Updated NFL Draft order
New York Giants: 2-12
Las Vegas Raiders
Tennessee Titans
Cleveland Browns: 3-11
New York Jets
Arizona Cardinals
New Orleans Saints: 4-10
Washington Commanders
Cincinnati Bengals
Atlanta Falcons (goes to the Los Angeles Rams): 5-9
It's now Tuesday, but the big story at Chelsea remains the comments Enzo Maresca made on Saturday evening.
In his press conference after a fairly routine win over Everton, the coach unexpectedly turned an anodyne question about Malo Gusto's performance into a launch-pad for a stark statement about how the last 48 hours had been his "worst," at Chelsea, due to a lack of "support".
It wasn't quite clear what he meant - pressed for more details, he clarified he wasn't talking about support from the fans. But that was all he would say, and Monday's presser previewing Tuesday's EFL Cup game against Cardiff saw him resist all opportunities to elaborate.
The best explanation, based on the whispers coming from journalists with contacts at Chelsea, is that the coach feels he's been hung out to dry by the club's transfer policy - he's the one criticised when rotation costs the team results, when actually it's the squad he's been given which is too callow to have the depth needed to win in midweek Champions League games as well as the Premier League matches at the weekend.
Evidently he wants "support" in the form of the club making it clear (perhaps publicly, perhaps privately) that he's working within those restraints. A highly competitive man still trying to prove his ability as a manager wants it made obvious that he's operating with a handicap compared to some of his rivals. There's also some talk of the well known division within the ownership pulling the project in two different directions, with Maresca left in the middle to take the flak.
It's amazing to see a coach who was appointed as a company man, who has yet to step out of line, suddenly shine a light on those above him. It will all be smoothed over and the media will move on if there are a couple of good results this week. But whatever happens now, that first shot has been fired and can't be taken back.
Being a long-term, match going supporter of a Premier League club in 2025 – or 'legacy fan' to coin a popular phrase - often feels like you are taken for granted.
Matches are rescheduled to suit broadcasters without a thought for away fans. Teams chase new supporters from emerging markets and want a greater number of tourists inside stadiums, knowing they will pay more for tickets and in megastores.
Which is why it was refreshing that Brighton not only reversed their decision to replace Heritage Tiles at the Amex with a digital screen, but Paul Barber also apologised for the debacle.
Albion supporters have been able to buy Heritage Tiles since the stadium opened. Many of these tiles feature names of grandparents, parents and even children who have passed away.
Each of the 2,500 Tiles was more than just a brick on a wall. People treated them like graves - visiting them before home matches to say hello to lost friends and relatives and touching them for good luck.
Many of these Heritage Tiles are now damaged. The club announced on Friday that all would be removed and a digital wall installed in their place.
Their solution shocked fans for its callousness and lack of foresight. Especially when a much more obvious solution existed.
Create a replacement memorial somewhere at the Amex, featuring as many of the names inscribed as possible. A physical place fans can go and remember those no longer with us. Not pictures flashing up on a screen.
An unanimously critical thread on fan forum North Stand Chat ran to 36 pages. Season ticket holders said they would not renew. Fans emailed Barber and a petition quickly reached over 3000 signatures.
By Monday evening, the club announced every Heritage Tile will instead be transferred to a new installation. They acknowledged they had made a mess of it and even said sorry for the hurt caused.
The U-turn and apology show the club do care and will listen to what 'legacy fans' think; a connection which is rare in the Premier League and a credit to both the club and fan power.
The Chicago Bears saved their best football for the start of their most crucial stretch of the season. Caleb Williams put together his best performance of the season and showed more than just flashes in the Bears' victory over the Browns. The Bears, for the first time this season, were in full sync, with both the offense and defense dominating. Now the Bears control their destiny once more in the NFC North.
Here are my takeaways from the Bears' bounce-back win versus Cleveland Browns:
The passing game looked as good as it has all season
The Bears usually struggle moving the ball down the field and have to lean on their ground game to help get some type of success going until they find success through the air. Against the Browns, the run game was more of a compliment to Caleb's arm. Caleb had his best game in the pocket, and he was playing with all the confidence in the world. It is a dangerous sight that his best performance came in terribly cold temperatures at Soldier Field. That is a nightmare for teams come playoff time. The Bears' passing game might have taken a while to show some real confidence, but boy, Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson picked the perfect time to get things right. If this is the Caleb Williams that will show up these next three games, and for the playoffs, the Bears should feel confident against anybody.
Extension time for D'Andre Swift?
Many others and I expected their Bears running back room to be a weakness and not a strength. This season, D'Andre Swift has been spectacular, and he and Kyle Monangai have won their Bears football games on their backs. Swift has had 3 100 rushing yards performances and 6 games with at least 80 yards rushing this season. With three games left, Swift is just 65 yards away from another 1000-yard season for his career. Swift has been one of the Bears' brightest stars this season. He has one year left on his deal, but with him being just 26, I would be 100 percent be okay with him getting a team-friendly extension. Ben Johnson has gotten the most out of Swift, and looking at the duo of Swift and Monangai that has been unstoppable this season, why not keep that asset for another 2-3 years?
Luther Burden will be the Bears' best receiver very soon
Rome Odunze has been dealing with a foot injury, and his production has been plummeting after his hot start. D.J. Moore has too many games where his presence is not felt. So far this season, there have not been too many games where you do not say Luther Burden is a special talent. He makes at least one big play every game. He is the Bears' most explosive player, and each week Ben Johnson gets him more and more involved. He has all the makings of a spectacular receiver; many would even say he could be the Bears' best receiver down the road. With the little flashes that have been shown over the last two weeks, I think he could be the Bears' best receiver as early as next year. With Rome banged up, I think he will start becoming that go-to guy for Caleb. He is the one young player that I am most excited for on this team because the sky really is the limit for how good he can be.
Defense smothered rookie Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders was already entering this game versus the Bears with maybe the worst supporting cast out of any starting quarterback in the NFL. The Bears seize this opportunity to dominate defensively. Shedeur threw 3 interceptions and was sacked 5 times in this game. Shedeur had two really nice long passes to Isaiah Bond, but other than that, he could not get anything else going against the Bears' defense. This was the exact performance this defense needed to head into the rigorous stretch of games the Bears have to finish the season strong.
The Bears control their destiny again
The Bears now sit in first place in the NFC North, and if they win versus Green Bay, they more than likely will clinch a playoff spot at the very least. If this team wants to put good use of one of the best assets in their stadium, Soldier Field. All they have to do is just take care of business. The Packers are as injured as any team in the NFL. No, Micah Parsons for the rest of this season, and Christian Watson is hurt again. That is now a favorable game; the 49ers have a defense that is unrecognizable due to all of their injuries as well. Detroit is just as banged up, and they are not a team that plays well at Soldier Field in the cold. Things are really falling into place for the Bears to have a very successful season; it is just up to them to see it all the way through.
Week 15 in the NFL had its share of heavyweight matchups and playoff knockouts. The playoff field is shrinking and of all teams, the Chiefs won't be in it. The Bengals also are out and the Ravens and Lions may soon follow suit.
While the Patriots and Packers stubbed their toes in tough matchups, other teams at the top flexed more in tricky marquee matchups. Following a critical Week 15 that changed the end-of-season paths for many teams in 2025, here's how they all stack up against each other now going into Week 16:
The Rams stumbled early against the Lions before leaping past Detroit with an explosive offense, this time fueled by the running game. The defense showed a few more holes, but has more margin for error given the success of the Rams' offense.
2. Denver Broncos 12-2 (4)
The Broncos keep showing their doubters why they should believe in them, with a dominant defense making huge plays at right times and a confident QB in Bo Nix. Denver is making a case to be trusted in the playoffs under Sean Payton.
3. New England Patriots 11-3 (1)
The Patriots have cooled off a bit with Drake Maye's passing and revved up their running game. Blowing a 21-0 lead at home to the Bills with the division on the line is a little bit worrisome.
4. Buffalo Bills 10-4 (6)
The Bills were relentless coming back with Josh Allen in New England. That win was a statement of why they look like the team to beat right now. But Buffalo's run defense can come back to bite them big time with more on the line.
The Seahawks were contained on the ground and didn't get a lot going on offensively against the Colts with their red zone woes. However, Jason Myers' field-goal dominance and Seattle's defensive stinginess can make up for plenty.
The 49ers got Brock Purdy at home against the Titans and after a bye, and he looks more comfortable with all of his weapons at better overall health. San Francisco isn't going away as a Super Bowl contender.
7. Green Bay Packers 9-4-1 (3)
The Packers' defense lost Micah Parsons in Denver after it had a bad day against the Broncos' limited offense. That will make it hard for them to sweep the Bears in Week 16 in Chicago to regain first place.
The Bears are getting it done with varied receivers helping Caleb Williams from week-to-week and an improved rushing punch with D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. Watch out if the defense continues to play like it did to freeze out the Browns.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars 10-4 (9)
The Jaguars keep pressuring QBs on lesser teams and getting takeaways to spark big wins, including over the Jets. Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne Jr. have never looked this good together in the offense and now they have a ton of fun help.
The Chargers struck hard with no mercy against the Chiefs knowing they could be responsible for ousting the AFC champions and swing the door wide open. There's no more "charger-ing' here with Jim Harbaugh before the playoffs.
The Eagles needed a complete get-well game and they got it with a 31-0 shutout of the Raiders in which no one complained about the offense or defense for a change. They can keep that up against the Commanders next week.
12. Houston Texans 9-5 (13)
The Texans are seeing C.J. Stroud start to play at an expected level with injury issues behind him and Nico Collins right in front of him. The recent offensive explosion is good for their hopes of winning in the playoffs.
13. Detroit Lions 8-6 (12)
The Lions were game with Jared Goff dueling Stafford well in the classic double-revenge game, but their beat-up defense had to submit and go into the tank in the second half. Dan Campbell's team is headed to have a year off to set up a strong comeback.
The Steelers got more of the vintage Aaron Rodgers in an Monday night get-well tuneup against the Dolphins and ensured they're right on track for winning the AFC North over the Ravens.
15. Indianapolis Colts 8-6 (14)
The Colts tried to play enough viable offense with Philip Rivers dinking and dunking playing off the run, but it wasn't either, wasting a good effort by the defense with a dream season turning into a nightmare fast.
16. Baltimore Ravens 7-7 (20)
The Ravens are seeing the real Lamar Jackson again with his hamstring injury not bothering him. It also helps when Derrick Henry is rolling for chunk runs. They will hope they can still make amends for the Steelers loss in Week 14.
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-7 (17)
The Buccaneers got a little sloppy with their defensive coverage minus real pressure and put the Falcons in too many comfortable situations on Thursday night. Baker Mayfield is fortunate he can still lead a first-place team down the stretch with a huge Panthers revenge game next.
18. Carolina Panthers 7-7 (18)
The Panthers somehow have beaten the Rams and Packers but now have been swept by the Saints. Dave Canales' team keeps tantalizing its fans who expect to get a reality check against the Buccaneers.
The Cowboys have been going in the wrong direction right when they need to rally with their offense but their defensive shortcomings have been much too hard to overcome.
20. Minnesota Vikings 6-8 (22)
The Vikings were playing for pride and trying to see more positive flashes for J.J. McCarthy in Dallas and he came through with a strong offensive night. The Vikings need every good vibe to close the season.
21. Kansas City Chiefs 6-8 (19)
The Chiefs are seeing all their issues from the past two seasons all come together to trip them up at the wrong time. Now the only concern is getting Patrick Mahomes back on the field to start next season.
The Dolphins have been splashing around to save Mike McDaniel and it might have just have worked with them rallying from a 1-6 start, but then come the tough playoff-eliminating setback on Monday night.
23. Atlanta Falcons 5-9 (24)
The Falcons are rallying in trying to save Raheem Morris and getting a spoiler road win at Tampa Bay helps. Their defense, however, remains a major letdown.
24. New Orleans Saints 4-10 (25)
The Saints keep marching toward more positive vibes with Tyler Shough as Kellen Moore is finding an offensive spark through his young stars. The defense also is fighting harder to make plays with its veteran core.
25. Cincinnati Bengals 4-10 (23)
The Bengals should not be shut out with the level of offensive skill they have around Joe Burrow. The lack of pop against the Ravens when the defense was trying its best was rather disconcerting.
The Commanders should be thrilled on what Marcus Mariota is doing with the Kliff Kingsburgy offense minus Jayden Daniels. It should also make them regret not shutting down Daniels earlier in the season.
27. Arizona Cardinals 3-11 (26)
The Cardinals are not playing enough good defense to save Jonathan Gannon. The offense at least is saving some face with Trey McBride dominating.
28. New York Jets 3-11 (28)
The Jets showed a little life with Brady Cook at quarterback before he got overwhelmed because the defense couldn't stop anything or making any big plays per usual. Aaron Glenn got a tough deal and needs a lot of personnel help.
The Browns crashed back to earth with Shedeur Sanders in the chill of Chicago. Their offensive line and shaky running game aren't helping and they need to add a lot more weaponry last season. Without Myles Garrett, they wouldn't be relevant.
The Giants are showing plenty more flash with Jaxson Dart and their defense is playing hard, too, for Mike Kafka They are setting up to be much better with an overhaul soon.
Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images
31. Tennessee Titans 2-12 (31)
The Titans stayed competitive as long as they could against the 49ers but the defense has grown into being a bigger problem than their offense for next season.
32. Las Vegas Raiders 2-12 (32)
The Raiders seem to be getting worse for Pete Carroll with their offense tanking even more without Chip Kelly. At least they're trending toward having their choice of franchise QB in the 2026 draft.
🚨 FIFA The Best: the world’s top goalkeeper revealed!
While waiting for the "The Best" ceremony this Tuesday evening in Doha, FIFA is gradually announcing the winners in the less publicized excellence categories.
In the early afternoon, The Best award for the world's best goalkeeper was given to Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Having achieved a treble of Ligue 1 – Champions League – Coupe de France with Paris Saint-Germain, the new Manchester City goalkeeper also won the Yachine Trophy last September.
His outstanding performances at City already make the Italian a candidate for his own succession in 2026.
Gianluigi Donnarumma is crowned #TheBest FIFA Men's Goalkeeper 2025! 🧤
This is the fan piece I never wanted to write! The one where we played at Sunderland and lost.
It is not even that we lost to our most loathed rivals (it is) but rather the manner of the defeat. It is that neither team was particularly good. It is that almost all the Newcastle United players did not, somehow, look up for what is one of the most anticipated games of the season. Do they not know about rivalry? Do they not know about our fans?
And so to the manager our attentions have been turned. It is one (terrible) thing to lose at Sunderland, but in reality this just typifies the season so far. Inconsistency, a baffling lack of intensity, and no plan B. Sometimes, it seems, no plan A.
I am not climbing aboard any sort of 'Howe out' train just yet, but I can't ignore my own eyes. I can't ignore what I have seen home and away this season.
Take the past week of games: one ground out win against 10-man Burnley, a lead thrown away in the Champions League in Germany and a loss at Sunderland. Not a great week at the office!
It is important, in the age of social media, to retain critical-thinking skills. Questioning Eddie Howe does not mean demanding he resign or be sacked. Liking pancakes does not mean you hate waffles.
Questions should be asked. Here are mine:
Where is the drive this season?
And where are our players' heads?
Something isn't clicking and it is all well and good to say that is on the players, but the head coach is there to coach not just bodies but minds too.
The defeat this weekend was an embarrassment. If it doesn't represent a turning point both tactically and psychologically at Newcastle United, and soon, then the questions are just going to get louder.
Mings is still out with a hamstring injury but could return early in the New Year.
The defender has been sidelined since the start of November after coming off against Liverpool and has not played since the Europa League defeat at Go Ahead Eagles in October.
Before that, he started Villa's opening six Premier League games but an ankle injury in September kept him out for almost a month.
In his absence Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres have become Unai Emery's first choice defensive pairing, although Victor Lindelof deputised for the injured Torres in Sunday's win at West Ham.
Mings - who has become an England international during his six years at Villa - only signed a new contract in June, which ties him to Villa until 2027 but that does not necessarily guarantee he will still be at the club until then.
He is 33 in March, certainly not too old, but Villa have relied on the core old guard for a long time and - within their financial restrictions - have been slowly refreshing the squad.
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Potential is usually the word people associate with Harry Wilson.
But as the Wales winger orchestrated another significant moment - our first win at Turf Moor in nearly 75 years - it is time we start to accept that he is fulfilling it.
His 20 assists and 10 goals as we romped to the Championship title. His wizardry against Brentford – twice - to secure huge derby wins. His goal that sent us on our way to our first win at Stamford Bridge in 45 years.
Wilson is fast becoming indispensable for the Whites – but it has been a difficult journey. Injuries have not necessarily blighted his time in SW6, but they have caused it to be stop-start. However, every time he gets a sustained run in the first XI he makes an impact.
Harry has started as many games already this season than he did in each of his previous three since our return to the Premier League, showing how important he is when he is fully fit and firing.
And firing he is. Five goals and three assists so far this season means he leads the way in terms of our attacking output. He is grabbing our campaign by the scruff of the neck and dragging us up the table.
Moreover, he is set to become even more important as we look to progress to the EFL Cup semi-finals this week. With fellow midfielders Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze off to Afcon, Fulham will be looking to their Welsh wizard to pull the strings in what is widely acknowledged as our most crucial period of the season, with Nottingham Forest and West Ham up next in the league.
Get results against that pair, and we could find ourselves back in the top half of the table going into the second half of the season.
Then, like Harry, we would be on our way to fulfilling our potential.
There is a theory in football that squad depth breeds competition. The presence of multiple potential starters all vying for a spot should push the starting XI into better performance, knowing that a dip in form will result in potentially being dropped. For a squad like Arsenal's, perhaps the deepest and strongest in the Premier League, this dynamic should be in full flow by now.
However, for this theory to become reality there needs to be a genuine threat of being dropped, and a willingness for the manager to rotate based on the game ahead. Following Arsenal's narrow 2-1 win over Wolves at the weekend, the spotlight is on whether Mikel Arteta is capable of the latter.
Noni Madueke delivered an exceptional performance midweek in the Champions League against Brugge, scoring one of Arsenal's best goals of the season so far. There was a fair expectation that he might be rewarded with a start this weekend. Similarly, Eberechi Eze was preferred to Martin Odegaard. In fairness to Arteta, he has become accustomed to making changes early. Eze was substituted for Odegaard just 12 minutes after half time.
While this might be just a one-off case of the manager getting the game plan wrong, it speaks to a lack of trust in certain players, and therefore an overreliance on others to get the job done.
Frequent and sometimes long-term injuries have absolutely disrupted Arsenal's ability to rotate, but if players don't feel that excellent performances will be rewarded, the entire premise of competition no longer exists.
With the re-integration of Gabriel Jesus underway, and Kai Havertz hopefully returning soon, Arsenal have the depth. The question for Arteta is whether he will have the courage to trust some of the new guard to get Arsenal over the line.
Before the Chiefs' reign of terror in the AFC began, it was generally a three-team race in the conference.
The Patriots, Ravens and Broncos combined to win eight straight AFC championships from 2011-18. With Kansas City eliminated from the postseason, those three teams are among the favorites in the AFC heading down the stretch run.
The Patriots and Ravens meet on Sunday Night Football. First-year coach Mike Vrabel is very familiar with the rivalry with Baltimore, which is still looking to win a tight AFC North race with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Broncos, meanwhile, are on an 11-game win streak entering a matchup with Jacksonville in Week 16.
Of course, Buffalo and Pittsburgh are in the mix, too, and Houston is heating up at the right time in the AFC South.
Those are the go-to matchups in a loaded Week 16 that also features Rams-Seahawks on Thursday Night Football and Eagles-Commanders and Bears-Packers opposite the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday.
Straight up: 146-77-1 (11-5 in Week 15)
Against the spread: 108-113-3 (6-10 in Week 15)
Here are our straight-up picks for Week 16. Odds according to Caesars.
The Rams are averaging 30 points per game and have scored 40-plus points each of the last two weeks but might be without Davante Adams (hamstring) on a short week. This game could determine home-field advantage in the NFC. Seattle had four turnovers in the first meeting – a 21-19 loss. The Rams have won the last two meetings at Seattle.
The Eagles had their get-well game in a 31-0 shutout against the Raiders in Week 15. Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby combined for 135 rushing yards. Washington broke an eight-game losing streak in Week 15 – but turnovers remain a problem. It's these teams' first meeting this season.
Pick: Eagles 27, Commanders 17
Green Bay Packers (-1.5) at Chicago Bears
Saturday, 8:20 p.m., Fox
What a difference a week makes. The Bears are back in first place, and the Packers lost Micah Parsons (ACL) in a Week 15 loss to Denver. Bo Nix had 302 passing yards and four TDs against Green Bay in Week 15. Caleb Williams should have success behind the running game – and Chicago takes control of the NFC North.
The Browns have averaged 13.3 points through a three-game losing streak, and despite Myles Garrett (21.5 sacks) being on the chase for the single-season record the defense is bad, too. Cleveland is 0-2 ATS as an underdog of 10 points or more, and the Bills' offense is hot with Josh Allen.
This line might drop to a pick 'em before kickoff. The Cowboys are on the brink of playoff elimination. The Chargers are finding ways to win games. Justin Herbert has taken 14 sacks the last three games – all Los Angeles wins. The Chargers are 3-1 ATS as a road underdog under Jim Harbaugh the last two seasons.
Pick: Chargers 28, Cowboys 25
Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5) at Tennessee Titans
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
Patrick Mahomes (ACL) is out, so Gardner Minshew will get the start for the Chiefs. Titans quarterback Cam Ward averages 144 passing yards the last two weeks, but he's taken just one sack with one interception. Where will the Chiefs' focus be after being eliminated from the playoffs?
The Bengals' disappointing season continues, and Joe Burrow has thrown four interceptions in Cincinnati's last two games. What does this mean for the future of Zac Taylor? The Dolphins have taken the opposite trajectory with Mike McDaniel, and they can take advantage of the worst rushing defense in the NFL.
Pick: Dolphins 27, Bengals 24
New York Jets at New Orleans Saints (-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The Saints have a chance to build a three-game winning streak. Jets quarterback Brady Cook has five interceptions and has taken nine sacks in two games. New Orleans rookie quarterback Tyler Shough takes a lot of sacks, too, but he's managed to limit turnovers.
The Vikings are improving around JJ McCarthy, who has five TDs, one interception and a 66% completion percentage in his last two starts. The Giants are on a seven-game losing streak and they are 0-2 ATS as an underdog of three points or less.
Pick: Vikings 24, Giants 17
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5) at Carolina Panthers
Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox
Who wants to win the NFC South? The Bucs and Panthers are both stuck at .500, and Tampa Bay has lost five of its last six games. Carolina also has been hit or miss and is coming off a loss against the Saints. The Panthers are 6-2 S/U in games decided by seven points or less. The Buccaneers are 6-3 S/U in the same situation.
Pick: Buccaneers 31, Panthers 26
Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos (-3)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m., Fox
The Broncos continue to roll under coach Sean Payton, but the Jaguars will be an interesting test. The Jaguars have won five in a row, and Trevor Lawrence has nine TDs and no interceptions in his last three games. Jacksonville is 0-3 S/U when Lawrence takes more three sacks. Will the protection hold up against Denver?
The Cardinals have allowed 42.5 points per game in their last two losses. The Falcons are a road favorite. Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is coming off a 373-yard, three-TD performance. A last-minute run at a NFC South title is probably a reach, but we like the Falcons in this spot.
Pick: Falcons 31, Cardinals 23
Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions (-7)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., CBS
The Lions are still in the NFC playoff hunt, but they'll have to knock off an old foe in Aaron Rodgers, who has kept the Steelers in the AFC North mix. The Lions have not beat the Steelers since a 19-16 victory on Nov. 26, 1998 – the “Coin Flip” game with Jerome Bettis. Detroit changes that with a strong running game led by Jahmyr Gibbs.
Pick: Lions 34, Steelers 29
Las Vegas Raiders at Houston Texans (-14)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., CBS
The Texans lead the NFL in scoring defense (16.3 ppg.). The Raiders are last in points per game (14.0). That alone is enough to pick the Texans, who have the second-longest win streak in the NFL at six games. The Raiders are 0-3 ATS as an underdog of 10 points or more, and they have been shut out 31-0 twice in that situation.
A great Sunday Night Football stage for two AFC playoff contenders. The Patriots have allowed 134.8 rushing yards per game the last four weeks, and that is a major concern against the Ravens. Lamar Jackson has seven carries or less in his last five games. Will that change in this matchup?
Pick: Ravens 28, Patriots 21
San Francisco 49ers (-5.5) at Indianapolis Colts
Monday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
Who knew we would get Philip Rivers on Monday Night Football? That's sure to be a talking point, and the Colts are trying to hang on in the AFC playoff race. The Colts are 3-2 ATS as an underdog this season – and they are 2-0 S/U as a home underdog.
Dec 15, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) reacts in the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
It’s been nearly 10 years since Jokić was named the full-time starter in Denver. Every December 15th, since 2016, the particularly online corners of Nuggets fandom celebrate the day things changed in the Mile High City. We call it Jokmas, and Jokić himself cares deeply for the unofficial holiday. Just ask him about it.
The holiday means nothing to Jokić, which you can file under predictable. It was just another day, including just another game, which featured just another triple-double. He is a working man, and to him, his latest masterpiece was just another day at the office.
On Monday night, with the Houston Rockets in town, the Denver Nuggets played on December 15th for the fifth time since 2016. Jokić dropped his best performance yet on that calendar date, putting up a 39-point triple-double in an overtime win.
It was an electric showdown between two hopeful contenders, and fans in Ball Arena and their living rooms enjoyed a tremendous showcase of NBA talent. Jamal Murray and Kevin Durant put on a shotmaking clinic. Meanwhile, Jokić and Alperen Sengun were locked in a big man duel that, if shown to someone 30 years ago, might induce delirium.
“The NBA, it’s in such a good place right now,” David Adelman said at the podium. “The skillset in some of these guys is outrageous. The way they can shoot it, pass it, handle it.”
Jokić can shoot, pass, and handle it with the best of them. He dominates almost every aspect of basketball, and his monster second half played a crucial role in snapping a 4-game losing streak in Ball Arena.
Jokić scored 25 of his 39 points in the second half and overtime period. He scored seven of his eight field goals from the middle of the floor — from straight-away threes, to floaters, putbacks, and headstrong drives through the teeth of the defense.
Houston didn’t have an answer for him. Even when they had him jammed up, he found a way. Jokić hit his second Sombor Shuffle in as many games, this one coming in a tightly contested fourth quarter.
The Rockets can put various combinations of height, strength, athleticism, and defensive prowess on the floor. Jokić worked in the paint when he could, but you can’t live there against the Rockets. He needed to mix in his three-point shot, which he’s currently shooting with confidence.
Long considered a theoretical shooter from outside, Jokić actualized that reputation last season when he shot nearly 42% on career-high volume. And he’s taking it even further in the new campaign.
Jokić is attempting 5.1 threes per game right now, and he’s shooting 43% on those looks. With that shot in his arsenal, and a more serious supporting cast, he’s become veritably unguardable.
Against the Rockets, Jokić shot nine threes, making five of them. Three of those makes came in the second half, including two clutch buckets in the fourth quarter. He eventually fouled out in the overtime period, but the remaining Nuggets, led by Murray, who scored 35, crossed the finish line without him.
Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Nuggets, 19-6, are off to the best start in their NBA history. They’re proud owners of the league’s best offense, and they currently hold sole possession of second place in the Western Conference. They’ve so far not just survived, but kept up an impressive pace without Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun.
We can list all the factors in their success, but two stand out as the most obvious explanations. The first is that Murray’s never played better in the regular season, and the Nuggets look like they have two stars on the floor. The second is that the best player alive looks better than ever, and through Jokić, all things seem possible.
We’re nearly halfway through a new decade in the NBA, and in the last five years, no one has scored more, assisted more, rebounded more, stolen the ball more, and, most importantly, won more games than Jokić.
Nikola Jokić, who leads this decade in total points, total rebounds, total assists, and total steals, now also leads in total wins (regular season + playoffs). pic.twitter.com/YnimnpK5Ns
The Nuggets turned to the towering Serbian nine years ago in search of a new direction. They’ve been on the greatest ride in team history since. When Adelman heard the explanation for Jokmas, he found no need for the holiday. He’s had a front row seat to Jokić’s ascension to an all-time great. He practices gratitude daily.
“I feel like every day is that,” Adelman said of the unofficial holiday. “We’re lucky to have him on this day, and tomorrow, and however many days he decides to stay here in Denver, Colorado.”
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace: Carabao Cup quarter-final postponed due to safety measures!
Safety comes first for everyone!
Getty Images
The relentless rhythm of modern football faced a humanizing intervention this week. With player welfare taking center stage, a decisive move was made to ease the punishing physical demands placed on athletes.
The immediate consequence was the official postponement of a high-profile Carabao Cup fixture. The eagerly anticipated quarter-final clash between Arsenal and Crystal Palace, originally set for this week, has been formally rescheduled.
The catalyst was a schedule conflict that threatened to push players to their limits. While Arsenal had advocated for the match to proceed this Tuesday, doing so would have plunged Crystal Palace into an unsustainable stretch of three crucial matches within a mere five days. This grueling sequence would have seen the Eagles follow a demanding Premier League encounter with Manchester City on Sunday, immediately face Arsenal on Tuesday, and then travel to face KuPS in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.
Acknowledging the untenable physical burden this would impose, the English Football League (EFL) stepped in. In a move prioritizing recovery and fairness, they have shifted the fixture to a new date: December 23rd, offering both sides a more balanced and manageable path forward.
£40m Milos Kerkez struggled early in Liverpool career
Not everyone has had the fortune of hitting the ground running like £69m Ekitike. Indeed another recent signing in the shape of Milos Kerkez foundered in the early part of his Liverpool career.
Signed for £40m from Richard Hughes’ former club Bournemouth, the 22-year-old Hungary international has been under considerable pressure right from the off.
Replacing a club legend like Andy Robertson was never going to be easy and Kerkez really struggled with that transition. The left-back’s game was littered with individual errors - and Slot has even seen fit to pull him out of the firing line on occasions.
But Liverpool’s patience with Kerkez is finally beginning to pay off - with the former AC Milan youngster reaching new heights in the weekend win against Brighton.
Kerkez hits new heights versus Brighton
It was arguably Kerkez’s best performance in a red shirt thus far and should give him great confidence going forward.
Kerkez looks to be benefitting from Arne Slot’s recent change to a four-man midfield - finding it easier to get high and wide in order to contribute on the ball.
Richard Hughes has staked a lot on getting this Kerkez transfer right. It’s the second time he’s signed the defender in his career having overseen his move to Bournemouth too.
Days like Sunday don't come along very often, but when they do, you are reminded of why you love your team and you love football.
Sunderland were absolutely outstanding against Newcastle in the first Premier League meeting in a decade, and while it wasn't a startling game of football, there can be no doubt that the lads in red and white were deserved winners and looked more than good enough value for the three points.
It was one of the most determined and spirited defensive displays I have seen from any Sunderland side, and every person watching could see this is a special team determined to fight every second for the supporters and the badge.
It feels poetic to me that in the past decade Sunderland have been relegated twice, spent four seasons in League One, have almost gone bust, had to completely rebuild ourselves - and still we are superior to our neighbours up the road who sold out to a Saudi-led consortium. And for what? Nobody likes them. No neutral watching that game wanted to see Newcastle United emerge victorious.
Instead, Sunderland have gone about their business in a fashion that has rightly earned us praise and acclaim. You watch players like Robin Roefs, Noah Sadiki, Omar Alderete, Dan Ballard, Reinildo Mandava, and Granit Xhaka and you can't help but love them. Every fan of every team wants players who 'get it', and Sunderland's players certainly do. It is just such an amazing time to support this unbelievable football club.
Sunday was my favourite derby victory. There is no sweeter feeling, after taking stick for the last goodness knows how long from fans of "the Visitors", than to be able to sit here knowing we are better than they are, that we beat them and that we are above them in the table. I am going to be smiling ear to ear for the rest of this week!
By the way... does anyone know if the phone networks have gone down over Newcastle? I can't seem to get in touch with any of my black-and-white-supporting mates. I hope they're OK.
The Troy Trojans and Jacksonville State Gamecocks will battle in the Salute to Veterans Bowl on Tuesday night.
Both programs enter this matchup sitting at 8-5 and are looking to end their 2025 season with another victory. The last time these two football teams faced off was 2001, when Troy beat the Gamecocks 21-3.
Trojans quarterback Tucker Kilcrease and and the Gamecocks' Caden Creel have very similar passing numbers. However, Creel is only a freshman, whereas Kilcrease is in his junior year.
Junior running back Cam Cook will be the key to the Gamecocks' win. Cook has been a monster this season, leading the NCAA with 1,659 rushing yards along with 16 rushing touchdowns.
The Sporting News has you covered with everything that you need to know to watch Jacksonville State vs. Troy.
Where to watch Jacksonville State vs. Troy: TV channel, live stream
Jacksonville State vs. Troy will air on ESPN, with Matt Barrie, Tom Luginbill and Harry Lyles Jr. on the call. College football fans can stream the game on the ESPN app and Fubo, the latter offering a free trial.
Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, plus SportsCenter, First Take, and all your favorite ESPN shows—anytime, anywhere—only in the new ESPN app.
Salute to Veterans Bowl start time
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 16
Time: 9 p.m. ET | 8 p.m. CT
The Salute to Veterans Bowl will begin at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
You can listen to Washington vs. Boise State live on SiriusXM. Coverage will be available on channel 203
New subscribers can listen to SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.
Salute to Veterans Bowl location, stadium
City: Montgomery, Alabama
Stadium: Cramton Bowl
The 2025 Salute to Veterans Bowl location will be held at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. The 21,000-seat stadium has hosted the game (previously known as the Camellia Bowl) since 2014.
West Ham are definitely improving under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Before the visit of third-placed Aston Villa, who had won eight consecutive games and were fresh off the back of beating title favourites Arsenal last weekend, there was genuine fear that it was an almost guaranteed defeat at London Stadium.
Indeed, Sunday's clash in Stratford did end in a 3-2 loss, but the overall performance from West Ham was good and encouraging. We led twice, we had Unai Emery's Villa on the ropes several times and would have been well worth at least a point had Morgan Rogers' impressive winner not hit the back of the net in the 79th minute.
But despite the positive performance against one of the most in-form teams in Europe, there is an element of frustration surrounding the manner of the defeat.
At 2-2, West Ham had a period of dominance in which Jarrod Bowen had a goal ruled out for offside and Villa looked a little panicked defensively. It was clear Nuno needed to make a change by bringing on an actual striker, ideally for someone like Lucas Paqueta, who was struggling to lead the line himself. A change like that may have helped us unlock a makeshift Villa backline.
Instead, Nuno sat on his hands and waited. Emery, in the opposing dugout, made his move by replacing defensive midfielder Amadou Onana with striker Donyell Malen. Ten minutes later he introduced Emiliano Buendia and Villa were back in the game. Rogers scored the winner shortly afterwards.
It was only then that Nuno responded by bringing on Callum Wilson. But it was too late. Villa were comfortable sitting on their lead and saw the game out without much to worry about.
Emery's in-game management won Villa the game - Nuno's cost West Ham at least a point, perhaps all three. The Spaniard did exactly what Nuno needed to do at 2-2 and it paid off.
Hopefully that is a lesson learned because if West Ham play like that for the rest the season, we should be fairly confident of Premier League survival.
Only Wolves could score three goals and still lose. When you are bottom of the table, nothing seems to go in your favour. Every deflection drops the wrong way, every tight call goes against you and every mistake is punished. Two own goals at the Emirates felt like the perfect storm of bad luck.
Being proud of a Wolves performance is a strange feeling this season. Against league leaders Arsenal, Wolves played like relegation was more than just a 'technical term'. They showed desire and fight. They were organised and accountable - something we have not always seen so far.
Two things might explain the step up.
First, the arrival of Rob Edwards' assistant, Rui Silva. It looks a smart appointment and there are already signs he is making an impact. It is no coincidence we suddenly look more organised. After just a week, everyone seemed to know their job. Wolves were less wasteful on the ball, had more structure and showed better positional sense defensively.
Secondly, Wolves often look freer away from home, without the weight of expectation that comes with Molineux. That extra freedom showed at the Emirates.
Yes, recent performances have deserved criticism. But any sports psychologist will tell you that constant negativity does not create positive results. During the game, the job is simple: get behind the team. The analysis and accountability can come after the final whistle.
One of the brightest sparks at the Emirates was Matheus Mane. At just 18, he embraced the current Wolves motto: fear nothing. He came on and played like he was in the playground, just having fun. He ran at Arsenal's defence, demanded the ball and was buzzing to grab an assist. His energy and confidence could be infectious. He does need careful managing, as he is still growing physically, but he is definitely one to watch.
This performance was a world away from the horror show against Manchester United. A different kind of pain, yes, but a far more promising one.
If Wolves can replicate that hard-working, disciplined display, the fans will back them. Rob now has something real to work with; the next step is turning it into points.
🏆FIFA The Best: Donnarumma named world’s best goalkeeper
The Italian takes the prize after completing an incredible season with PSG, now with Manchester City.
The awardees at FIFA The Best keep coming, and now it's the turn for the goalkeeper. After a spectacular season with PSG, Gianluigi Donnarumma is chosen as the best goalkeeper in the world.
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been named The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper for 2025! 🏆
Following in the footsteps of others like Emiliano Martínez or Thibaut Courtois, the Italian has been a key player for a PSG that won everything, and now under the City goal, he wants to continue making a difference.
📸 adidas and Juve celebrate Alex Del Piero with a special shirt for him 😍
Juventus and adidas pay tribute to Alessandro Del Piero with the launch of the ADP Collection, a project that celebrates one of the absolute legends in the history of the Bianconeri.
An absolute icon of the Bianconeri with nineteen seasons in Turin, 290 goals, 705 appearances, and a legacy that goes beyond numbers: Del Piero is still today a symbol of Juve's identity, capable of uniting style, talent, and belonging.
Galleria Del Piero, aperta da oggi ✨ Pura perfezione.
Una collezione pre-partita e di pezzi originali ispirata a una carriera leggendaria.
The heart of the collection is a pre-match jersey that the team will wear during the warm-up before the match against Roma. A tribute rich in iconic references: the legendary number 10, the dates marking the beginning and end of his adventure with the Bianconeri, the celebrations that have entered collective memory. The design, inspired by Renaissance art, blends Italian cultural heritage with a modern aesthetic, reflecting the technical elegance and timeless style of “Pinturicchio.”
Alongside the jersey, the ADP Collection also includes a lifestyle line embellished with Del Piero's signature and personal logo, designed to strengthen the bond between fans and one of the most beloved icons of Italian football.
Hello and welcome to the Week 16 waiver wire watch for tight ends!
The first week of the fantasy playoffs is in the books and some of you are a step closer to winning your league and claiming bragging rights over your friends. Meanwhile, some of you are fighting for your life in the loser’s bracket and trying to avoid finishing last. Either way, it’s time to start lookiing for ways to fortify your rosters for the next round of the postseason.
We’ll go over some TE performers that you should consider scooping off the waiver wire ahead of Week 16 and as always, we’ll classify a waiver add as someone who is rostered in 60% of leagues at the max. As a reminder, bye weeks a no longer a thing at this juncture of the year, so every team will be in action for the rest of the way.
Colby Parkinson, TE, Los Angeles Rams (5.2%)
There hasn’t been a bigger tight end touchdown machine in the second half of the season than Parkinson and he continued his tear in the Rams’ 41-34 victory over the Lions on Sunday. The veteran posted his best numbers of the season in this showdown of NFC playoff contenders, catching five of seven targets for 75 receiving yards and two second half touchdowns that were critical for L.A.
That’s now six touchdowns in the last six games for Parkinson and he proved on Sunday that he can be more than just a red-zone target. He’s yet another dangerous weapon in the arsenal for Matthew Stafford and most of you should be able to find him on the waiver wire this week.
The Titans are playing out the string of this wretched season but if you squint, you can find something positive to take away from each game. One positive from Sunday’s 37-24 loss to the 49ers was the performance of Helm, who led the team in receiving by catching all four of his targets for 49 yards and a second-quarter touchdown that brought them back to within a score.
The rookie out of Texas has combined for 17 receptions over their last four outings and is starting to become a go-to option for Cam Ward. The Titans have long been in a mode of evaluating their young offensive skill players, so we may see even more of Helm as they close out the campaign.
Week 16 matchup: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET
Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears (44.3%)
The Bears spanked the Browns 31-3 on Sunday in a game where they were never in an any danger. Loveland proved to be a danger in his own right as he hauled in four receptions for 63 receiving yards in a victory that kept them square in the NFC North hunt. That marked the third time in the last four weeks where the first-rounder out of Michigan has finished as a top-15 fantasy tight end, so he is putting together worthwhile efforts for managers who have already scooped him up. It’s not too late for you!
Week 16 matchup: vs. Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET (Saturday night)
Dawson Knox, TE, Buffalo Bills (2.3%)
Knox came up huge for the Bills in Foxborough on Sunday as they kept their AFC East title hopes alive in a 35-31 victory. The veteran tight had had three receptions for 37 receiving yards with two of them being second-half touchdowns that helped fuel Buffalo’s second-half comeback. This performance was a direct follow-up to his 93-yard effort against the Bengals the week prior, so he’s establishing a rhythm with Josh Allen late in the year. You may want to try to capitalize.
Easy Arsenal win sets up Man City FA Youth Cup tie
The Arsenal u18s won comfortably away to Mansfield Town in the third round of the FA Youth Cup on Monday night, setting up a tie against Manchester City.
Photo via Arsenal.com
Arsenal travelled away to Mansfield Town on Monday for their FA Youth Cup third-round tie with a depleted squad, missing key players like Max Dowman (injured), Andre Harriman-Annous (injured), Marli Salmon (suspended), and Josiah King (suspended).
Yet the game couldn’t have started better for the young Gunners, with team captain Callan Hamill finishing off a corner routine with a flick at the near post for 1-0 in the 12th minute.
Mansfield were rattled, and Arsenal capitalised as Louis Zecevic-John was brought down for a penalty a few minutes later. Maalik Hashi converted for 2-0 after just 16 minutes.
Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter
Arsenal had to wait a little while for a third, with Zecevic-John again involved to turn home a deflected clearance just after the hour mark.
But just when it looked like the game was done, Mansfield sparked hope of a comeback in the 67th minute as Mace Oldershaw made it 3-1.
Thankfully, Arsenal regained their three-goal lead directly from kick-off, with Brando Bailey-Joseph finishing off a nice move for 4-1. That’s how it remained until the full-time whistle, sending the away side through to the next round.
Arsenal already know their fourth-round opponents, with the young Gunners to face Manchester City away from home. The match will take place in January, but the exact details are yet to be confirmed.
It could hardly get more difficult than an away match against the runaway u18 Premier League North leaders, but a win would certainly inspire a lot of belief that this could be Arsenal’s year to win the competition.
Hello and welcome to the Week 16 waiver wire watch for wide receivers!
The first week of the fantasy playoffs is in the books and some of you are a step closer to winning your league and claiming bragging rights over your friends. Meanwhile, some of you are fighting for your life in the loser’s bracket and trying to avoid finishing last. Either way, it’s time to start lookiing for ways to fortify your rosters for the next round of the postseason.
We’ll go over some WR performers that you should consider scooping off the waiver wire ahead of Week 16 and as always, we’ll classify a waiver add as someone who is rostered in 60% of leagues at the max. As a reminder, bye weeks a no longer a thing at this juncture of the year, so every team will be in action for the rest of the way.
Troy Franklin, WR, Denver Broncos (53.4%)
The Broncos joined the Rams as the only teams to clinch a playoff spot so far, punching their ticket to the postseason with a 34-26 victory over the Packers. Franklin ended up coming through big in this possible Super Bowl preview, catching all six of his receiving targets for 86 yards and a late third-quarter touchdown reception that put Denver on top.
That’s now six touchdowns on the year for the second-year wideout from Oregon as he remains a reliable option for Bo Nix like their days in Eugene. With a rostership of roughly 50%, this may be your last chance to see him on the waiver wire, so you might as well submit a bid.
Week 16 matchup: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 4:05 p.m. ET
Adonai Mitchell, WR, New York Jets (27.5%)
The Jets are doing exactly what you’d expect them to be doing at this point in the season: losing games to ensure their top-five positioning in next year’s draft while still squeezing production out of their younger players. That’s exactly what happened in Sunday’s 48-20 loss to the Jaguars as wide receiver Adonai Mitchell grabbed six passes for 58 receiving yards and a touchdown.
That’s now two touchdowns in the last three weeks for the second-year wideout and he’s proving to be more than just a throwaway piece in the Sauce Gardner trade. Whoever’s throwing for the Jets in the Superdome next Sunday, they’re going to want to look for Mitchell early and often.
Week 16 matchup: @ New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. ET
Jalen Coker, WR, Carolina Panthers (5.9%)
The Panthers held the lead in the NFC South for 72 hours before giving it right back to the Bucs with a 20-17 loss to the Saints on Sunday. But hey, they at least got another productive afternoon out of Coker, who led the team in receiving by catching all four of his targets for 60 yards and a third-quarter touchdown that gave them a 10-point lead.
This marked the second straight game with a touchdown for the second-year wideout from Holy Cross and he’s really coming on as a reliable weapon for Bryce Young in the last month. Given how the Bucs defense has been shredded through the air in recent weeks, I like the young receiver’s chances of finding the end zone again in Sunday’s crucial NFC South showdown.
Week 16 matchup: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET
Luther Burden III, WR, Chicago Bears (21.9%)
Burden played a big role in the Bears’ 31-3 trashing of the Browns on Sunday, helping them bounce back from their loss to the Packers the week prior. The rookie stepped up and led the team in receiving in the big win, catching six of seven targets for 81 yards in the home victory.
That’s now three straight weeks with at least six targets for the second-round pick out of Mizzou and he’s proving to be a reliable hand for Caleb Williams with a 76.6% catch rate. Burden went for 67 receiving yards against the Packers a few weeks back and he’ll have a chance to top that when the two teams meet again at Soldier Field this Saturday night.
Week 16 matchup: vs. Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET (Saturday night)
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been named The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper for 2025.
City’s No.25 beat off competition from Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois, Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa, Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich, Arsenal’s David Raya, Inter’s Yann Sommer and Barcelona’s Wojciech Szczesny to win the prestigious award.
The nominees were chosen by a panel of experts, with Donnarumma selected as winner by an international jury comprising: men’s national team coaches, men’s national team captains, football journalists and fans who voted on FIFA’s official website.
This year’s qualifying period fell between 11 August 2024 to 2 August 2025.
Donnarumma enjoyed a brilliant campaign across that timeframe with former club Paris Saint-Germain, helping the French side to their 13th Ligue One title as part of a domestic treble alongside Coupe de France and the Trophee des Champions success.
He then played a starring role as they went on to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time, the Italian international impressing throughout PSG’s journey to the final where he kept a clean sheet against Internazionale in their 5–0 triumph.
Prior to joining City, he also helped Luis Enrique’s side reach the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final.
Having made the move to City this summer, Donnarumma has continued that wonderful form and played a major part in helping Pep Guardiola’s side rise into second place in the Premier League table and fly high in the UCL standings.
“It is a great honour to win this prestigious award and I would like to thank everybody that voted for me,” he said.
“I feel extremely proud to have been named as the best in the world and ahead of such wonderful goalkeepers too who I have great respect and admiration for.
“It was an incredible year, one that will live long in my memory, and it’s touching to be recognised for my role in the success achieved over that period.
“I will truly appreciate this acknowledgement and look ahead now to achieving more success with my new club Manchester City.”
Donnarumma’s latest special recognition comes hot on the heels of the shot-stopper being named in the 2025 FIFPRO Men’s World 11 in November and winning the 2025 Yashin Trophy – awarded to the best goalkeeper over the past 12 months – at September’s Ballon d’Or awards ceremony.
City v West Ham tickets
Get into the festive cheer for the nearest home fixture to Christmas as we welcome West Ham!
We face Nuno Espirito Santo’s men on Saturday 20 December with a 15:00 (UK) kick-off at the Etihad.
Tickets are on sale to Cityzens Matchday and Junior Members - it’s three tickets per Member.
All adult Cityzens Matchday general admission tickets are priced between £30 - £60 while Under-18 tickets are between £15- £30.
The Blues have won every home fixture with the Hammers since Pep Guardiola’s arrival into the City hotseat with this game always an exciting one.
Two matches of late have been especially noteworthy with Erling Haaland breaking the single-season Premier League scoring record in the May 2023 clash as he received a Guard of Honour from teammates after the game.
And then, a double from Phil Foden and a superb strike from Rodri ensured a 3-1 triumph over the Londoners in May 2024 on the final day of the season as we collected Four-in-a-Row Premier League titles.
1. Los Angeles Rams (1): The best team in baseball? We'll find out Thursday night in Seattle. But hard to bet against this team given the way its offense can simply takes games over -- LA scoring at least 34 points in six of its past eight outings.
2. Seattle Seahawks (3): The best team in baseball? We'll find out Thursday night in Seattle. But hard to bet against this team given the way its defense can simply takes games over -- Seattle allowing surrendering one touchdown over the past 12 quarters.
3. Denver Broncos (5): Will the real Bo Nix please stand up? But if that was you Sunday against Green Bay, then the Broncos are truly a legitimate Super Bowl threat.
4. Houston Texans (6): Will the real C.J. Stround please stand up? But if that was you Sunday against Arizona, then the Texans are truly a legitimate Super Bowl threat.
5. Buffalo Bills (7): What was more important Sunday -- their defeat of New England (keeping their AFC East title hopes alive), or Kansas City's loss (removing a massive impediment on their past to Super Bowl 69)?
6. New England Patriots (2): The loss to Buffalo with a division crown on the line was a reminder that this is a young team, and one that's only beaten one team this season that has a winning record … though it was the Bills.
7. Green Bay Packers (4): Will the loss of DE Micah Parsons to an ACL tear having a bigger impact on the Pack's defense or its collective psyche?
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (9): Everyone expected Trevor Lawrence to be a generational performer … it just took until Sunday for him to remind us.
9. San Francisco 49ers (10): For all the (belated) focus on the Rams and Seahawks, it's easy to forget that the lurking Niners could yet slip past both and wind up as the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed.
10. Chicago Bears (11): G Joe Thuney received Offensive Player of the Year votes in 2024 with Kansas City. This year in the Windy City? He's allowed one hit on QB Caleb Williams … in nearly 900 snaps.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (12): Jim Harbaugh took the 49ers to the Super Bowl in his second year coaching them. But no way he replicates that trick with Bolts. Right?
12. Philadelphia Eagles (13): WR A.J. Brown's three-game streak of 100-yard receiving games was snapped Sunday. Philly's three-game losing streak was snapped Sunday. Hmmm.
13. Detroit Lions (8): A team this good and fun to watch? Notre Dame is definitely going to cry foul if the committee leaves the Lions out of the playoff field.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (17): You can bet their hoping to host the Monday night wild-card round game if they wind up winning the AFC North.
The Steelers have won 22 consecutive home games on Monday Night Football.
15. Baltimore Ravens (19): They won a football game 24-0 and didn't have possession for even 21 minutes? No wonder we thought this team could win the Super Bowl.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (20): They've just gotten a lot of (expletive) players like WR Mike Evans back in the (expletive) lineup. We still feel fairly confident (expletive) Baker and Mayfield and Co. can win the (expletive) NFC South a fifth straight time.
17. Carolina Panthers (14): Getting swept by the Saints could quite literally ruin their season.
18. Indianapolis Colts (22): You're telling us they're about to host a Monday night game in their "Indiana Nights" uniforms with 44-year-old Philip Rivers at the controls, but there's no NFL script? The jig's up.
19. Minnesota Vikings (24): QB J.J. McCarthy has a 120.3 passer rating against the NFC East … and 57.9 against everyone else.
20. Dallas Cowboys (15): They're 4-1-1 when WR George Pickens has at least 80 receiving yards and 2-6 when he doesn't. That franchise tag is coming, buddy.
21. Kansas City Chiefs (16): They're shockingly in their Gardner Minshew Era … which may determine whether they want to go back to their Carson Wentz Era in 2026.
22. Miami Dolphins (21): When did "Tank for Tua" become "Tank with Tua during a nationally televised game"?
23. Atlanta Falcons (30): TE Kyle Pitts has been their best player not named Bijan Robinson since Thanksgiving. But does it matter if it requires QB Kirk Cousins to unlock the pending free agent?
24. New Orleans Saints (26): Even though he might get just nine starts, QB Tyler Shough has enough runway to wind up as the Offensive Rookie of the Year.
25. Arizona Cardinals (23): TE Trey McBride and WR Michael Wilson are the only NFL players with at least 40 receptions since Week 11 (both have 44 during that span). Despite all their efforts, the Cards are 0-5 during that stretch.
26. Washington Commanders (25): It's inspiring watching players like QB Marcus Mariota, WR Terry McLaurin and LB Bobby Wagner continue playing (and leading) as if this team is returning to the NFC title game.
27. Cincinnati Bengals (18): Since this organization tends to listen to QB Joe Burrow, what will it do if he tries to talk his way out of Cincinnati?
28. New York Giants (29): On top of all the talent already on the extended roster, the G-Men are in line to get the No. 1 pick in 2026. However losing to the Raiders in Week 17 will present a massive challenge.
29. New York Jets (27): The defense has zero interceptions this season. And one fired coordinator. Coincidence?
30. Tennessee Titans (32): DT Jeffery Simmons is just the fifth player since 1982, when sacks were first tracked, to have a TD reception, forced fumble and sack in the same game. He might (currently) be the best two-way player in the AFC South …
31. Cleveland Browns (28): This week, let's give Shedeur the wristband with three TD pass plays in it, not three picks.
32. Las Vegas Raiders (31): They lost 31-0 and had fewer than 100 yards of total offense. Remarkably, that's happened twice this season.
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Week 15 was the backdrop to stellar quarterbacking performances and affirming wins for AFC contenders. It was also devastating for a handful of star players.
Patrick Mahomes and Micah Parsons both suffered what are expected to be torn ACLs, ending their seasons. Wide receivers Davante Adams and Christian Watson each left their games with injury. Bam Knight and Devin Neal's rise up the fantasy ranks were curtailed by leg injuries that ended their days early. Rome Odunze's day never officially began after aggravating a foot injury during pregame warmups.
Those all amounted to brutal losses for NFL teams and devastating departures at the start of the 2025 fantasy football playoffs. Week 15 marked the typical beginning to the postseason across 12-team leagues. Week 16 means you're just two wins away from a year of bragging rights and whatever cash considerations may be attached to your trophy. If you were counting on a Mahomes-Adams pairing to carry you to glory, welp, time to pivot.
That's what we're here for. Throughout our first year slinging together FTW's Fantasy Ladders tier we've been able to dig emeralds off the waiver wire. Players like Troy Franklin, Devin Neal and Jayden Higgins have all emerged from the ether for big weeks after we took a good look at their untapped value. Hitting on another one could be the difference between victory and the shameful embrace of watching football all Sunday without personal cogitation.
Thus, I've enlisted Rhode Island Scumbag Mike "Yaj" Boyajian to venture, once more, into the breach with me.
Since we're looking for waiver wire replacements -- and since it's late enough in the season that there won't be a ton of competition from the also-rans in your league -- we're limiting our picks to players owned in less than 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Let's run down each of Week 15's significant fantasy injuries and fire up some fixes.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes suffered the worst case scenario in Week 15, exiting a loss that eliminated Kansas City from the postseason after suffering a torn ACL late in a futile comeback effort. The two-time regular season and three-time Super Bowl MVP will turn his offense over to Gardner Minshew, who should not be on your fantasy playoff roster. But who could fill Mahomes' place?
Christian: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Yep, I hear it too. And I know how frustrating each Justin Jefferson overthrow will be. But McCarthy is a volume passer with useful legs who has sprung for 20-plus points each of the last two weeks. He finishes with the league's 25th (Giants) and 18th (Lions) ranked passing defenses. He's gonna frustrate the hell out of you. He might also spring for 300 total yards and four touchdowns.
He’s put up at least 20 points in his last three matchups and finishes the year facing off against the Jets and Titans. Now, he’s not going to put up a week-winning point total in either week (his high in points was 23), but if someone like Trevor Lawrence or Jacoby Brissett is unavailable, Shough will provide a stable floor, which is very important at this stage of the game.
Adams is questionable for Week 16 thanks to the hamstring injury that ended his Sunday early. A quick turnaround to a Thursday Night Football game suggests he could miss a vital showdown against the Seattle Seahawks even if that injury isn't severe. In the midst of win-or-go-home season, even a limited performance could be the difference between fantasy glory and the blissful ignorance of not sweating out lineup changes Sunday morning.
Christian: Adonai Mitchell, New York Jets
I can't quit our big, athletic, stone-handed wideout. Mitchell's inconsistency makes him liable for a stinker; he's had fewer than seven points in three of his five games as a Jet. He also has two games with more than 17 points, including last week's nine-target, six-catch, one touchdown day. Even Brady Cook knows to get him the ball in large part because, c'mon, it's the Jets, who else are they gonna throw to?
Yaj: Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears.
What more do I have to say about Luther Burden for people to believe in him? He’s currently on 17 percent of Yahoo! rosters, which seems negligible at this point. Yeah, he did leave Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, so definitely keep an eye on that. However, he was once again a top option in the Chicago offense before his injury, and since it was a blowout, may have been held out in a precautionary manner. I say grab him and have a pivot in mind if necessary.
3. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
Watson and Parsons were injured within the same quarter as a nine-point Packer lead became an eight-point Denver Broncos win at Mile High Stadium. Watson was first, writhing on the turf after suffering an upper body injury trying to wrestle a deep throw away from Patrick Surtain II. X-rays were negative and, after a brief hospital visit, he was able to rejoin the team.
Like Adams, he could wind up missing a week or two at a critical juncture in the fantasy season. Even if you aren't dropping him, you'll need to replace him in your lineup if you believe he'll slip down Jordan Love's wish list while playing through the pain. Who would make sense among guys we didn't previously call out for Adams?
Christian: Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers
That's right, we're rolling with the handcuff. Reed has nine catches on 10 targets in two games since returning from injury. That includes six targets last week in the game Watson was injured. He's a proven piece of the Green Bay offense who's inside Jordan Love's circle of trust -- and, importantly, a guy who shows up for NFC North rivalry games. Four of his five career games with more than 85 receiving yards came against divisional foes.
I was originally going to suggest ANOTHER Green Bay receiver in Matthew Golden, who seemingly took Watson's role when he left. However, let’s pivot to another team and player.
This may sound gross, but is Bond starting to play the Watson role in the Browns’ offense? Seems that way. His role increased this week with four long targets (at least 27 air yards per target over the last three weeks), resulting in two catches and 89 yards. He has the Bills and Steelers left. Both have susceptible secondaries that can be beaten.
4. Devin Neal, New Orleans Saints
Neal left Sunday's game after an early rushing touchdown due to a hamstring injury. His status is uncertain for Week 16, but he could also be facing another concern -- a potentially returning Alvin Kamara. Kamara hasn't played since Week 12 due to knee and ankle injuries. He didn't practice in Week 15, but could return to the field to wrap up the season even with New Orleans only playing for pride at this point. With $8 million in cap space to be saved by designating Kamara a post-June 1 cut this offseason, head coach Kellen Moore may want to see how his 30-year-old RB1 responds before setting up his dominoes for 2026.
Christian: Stick with Neal.
Neal isn't great. Kamara has been, somehow, less efficient (-0.5 rush yards over expected per carry vs. -0.7, respectively). Neither is going to give you a high floor. But friend, it is *rough* out there for running back help. Bill Croskey-Merritt's playing time is gonna dip back down when Chris Rodriguez returns. Blake Corum might be available but offers no PPR value. Bhayshul Tuten is tempting but had two touches in Week 15. Maybe -- maybe! -- pick up Corum if he's there.
Yaj: I’m with Christian here.
If you can stick with Neal, and he’s going to play, there simply isn’t anything better on the wire. If he’s out? Maybe pivot to (eesh) Michael Carter? Bam Knight was injured and ruled out early in week 15, leaving Carter to assume most of the duties in a beatdown at the hands of the Texans. His running mate, Emari Demercado is another coin flip, last gasp option as well.
Neale Ormston had no previous commentary background [BBC Sport]
"I got to the stage where I was going to give up my season ticket."
When Neale Ormston developed diabetic retinopathy, an eye condition, he thought his days of attending Crystal Palace games were over.
The 53-year-old was "not getting enjoyment" out of football because of the struggles of getting to matches and not being able to see and keep up with play as he once did.
But now he has "that passion again" and has made history as the first visually impaired fan to commentate on a Premier League game using a GiveVision headset.
BBC Sport went to meet Ormston at Selhurst Park and watch him in action.
'I'm at more of an advantage now than everyone else'
Ormston hopes to meet Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish one day to thank him for installing the network at Selhurst Park [BBC Sport]
Football commentary is challenging enough - finding the correct words to describe the action, keeping up with the play and identifying the right player at the right moment is more difficult than the professionals make it look.
For Ormston, who said he was "nervous" to go live, it was made even harder by his inability to have notes or a teamsheet.
For Sunday's match against Manchester City, he was providing audio to other visually impaired fans in the stadium alongside colleagues Roger Dickson, Andy Bull and Chris Winter.
Palace have provided this service for their fans for many years, but since last season GiveVision headsets have also been made available for those that are eligible.
The headset, which looks like a virtual reality mask, transmits to the retina to allow the person using it to see what is there.
During the game, the user can control what they see via network camera feeds and they can zoom in and out and change the contrast. It also also allows users to switch to regular vision to join in with the real-time celebrations with those around them.
"I'm actually at more of an advantage now than everyone else," smiled Ormston. "My friends round me ask when there is VAR because I get replays so I can tell them when to cheer and not to cheer."
Ormston took the headset to Dublin last Thursday for Palace's Conference League victory over Shelbourne but is unable to take it to any Premier League away game because other grounds do not have the requisite 5G infrastructure.
"The atmosphere is what I want to experience," he added. "But it's about inclusivity.
"There are so many clubs that don't even have the audio commentary option, so how many visually impaired people are there out there who don't go but want to go?"
One in 30 people in the UK are affected by some degree of sight loss, but at present, Palace are the only club to offer the vision enhancement system.
A total of 73% of sports fans with visual impairments do not attend matches due to the lack of accessibility, according to Unadev, the France-based organisation that raises awareness of visual impairment issues.
That is something Ormston and other people connected to the club want to change.
'I want to go to every match now!'
Susan Venon uses the headset for every home game [BBC Sport]
For Sunday's game, eight people had the headsets, which are also available to travelling fans if they register in advance.
One fan who relies on the technology is Susan Venon, 80, who has had gradual deterioration in her sight since 2004.
She called the service "a revelation" because without it she too "would not be coming now, and wouldn't have renewed [her season ticket] for this season" despite following the club for 56 years.
"I have always had to have someone here with me to tell me what is going on but with the headset I can see everything," she said. "It is so wonderful. I want to go to every match now!"
'You can't put a price on sight'
Charlotte Woodward, Chair of Crystal Palace's Disabled Supporters' Association, says the headsets "should be a standard across the Premier League and beyond".
"You can't put a price on sight," she said. "It doesn't discriminate against age, gender, race or background. You can have a sight condition from birth or later on in life.
"At Palace we invest in fans and by doing this it shows the club's dedication to them being the 12th man."
Stan Karpenko, the founder of GiveVision, told BBC Sport it has "spoken to almost every club in the UK".
He added that the biggest barrier is not the installation cost but "it's the awareness of their fans who could benefit from it".
Karpenko said: "If there are no facilities to make their experience adequate enough to attend, then they don't think they have any visually impaired fans.
"Our job is to raise awareness so that football clubs know about the fans who are still excluded from the game."
New York Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka addressed two scrutinized decisions from Sunday's game during his postgame and Monday press conferences, emphasizing the importance of trust, effective roster management, and strategic flexibility.
On using safety Jevon Holland as the punt returner, despite the primary returner, Gunner Olszewski, being in concussion protocol, Kafka explained that the choice stemmed from late-week roster constraints.
"Yeah, we definitely had those conversations just late in the week where we had some other groups, other position groups that we were talking about, the D-line where we had some sicknesses and things like that," Kafka said Sunday night. "So, we got a lot of trust in Holland to go back there and fair catch it. He actually had a couple nice returns for us. But it was certainly one of the discussion points that we had in the week."
Kafka reiterated Monday that the staff had "a lot of confidence in Holland to go back there and just really catch the punts, even if it was just a fair catch," prioritizing depth elsewhere while noting Holland "did a nice job."
Regarding the late-game extra point kick after scoring to make it 29-20 with 3:43 left—instead of going for two—Kafka detailed the calculated approach.
"There was definitely a discussion to whether or not to kick it or go for two. We just decided to kick it and then go get another touchdown and go for two at that point," he said. "That's kind of just -- and sometimes you're in the heat of it, you're going, it's a 50-50, there's really not a sway either way. So, we just decided to take it right there and make sure when we go score the next touchdown, now we know we’ve got to go for two, and it wasn’t going to be a two-score game.
"So, we were just really banking, make it a one-score game, let's go score one more time, then go for two to tie it. Versus, alright, you roll the dice, if you go for two there and you don't get it, now you’ve still got to get another touchdown and then a field goal. So, we were just trying to keep it a one-score game."
It's not the same aggression Kafka showed over his first two games, and the result wasn't what he was hoping for. While none of those decisions necessarily doomed him in Week 15, the Giants are still 0-4 under Kafka's interim leadership.
The ink has barely dried off the 2025 Heisman Trophy, but it’s never too early to predict what we’ll all see next year, and many will have Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr on their lists.
That won’t include Pro Football Focus’ Max Chadwick, who released his way-too-early 2026 Heisman Trophy finalists. He had two Ohio State players in quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who finished No. 4 and No. 6 in this year’s voting. Chadwick also had Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, who finished No. 7 this season, but unlike the Buckeyes, could turn pro after this season is over.
The final player he had on his list was Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who also saw plenty of preseason hype heading into this season, only to fall well short of expectations. If there is one player on his top-four that Carr should be over, it’s Manning, as the Notre Dame quarterback threw for just 201 less yards passing, but had the same amount of touchdowns, 24, less interceptions, 6 to 7, and had a higher QBR.
To me the hype being Manning is all in his last name, which Carr should have plenty of as well, being the grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd. Lists like these will just fuel Carr’s fire as he should have a huge second season as Notre Dame’s starter.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.
After a six-year run in Pittsburgh during which he helped the Pirates quietly turn into one of baseball’s better pitching development organizations, Jeremy Bleich is tasked with trying to do the same for the Diamondbacks.
Bleich, 38, was hired last week to be the Diamondbacks’ third assistant general manager. He will oversee the club’s pitching development infrastructure. He had held the title of director of pitching with the Pirates in a role in which he helped streamline their processes from the major leagues down to the lowest levels of the minors while also aiding in player acquisitions.
For Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen, the hiring is part of a strategy to get the club’s pitching in line with its position player development.
“We just haven’t been happy with the way the overall pitching infrastructure has gone,” Hazen said. “The results, certainly, at the major league level speak to that. I want to be realistic about the things we’ve done and haven’t done as well and that’s one of those areas where I feel like we haven’t done as good of a job in.
"Devoting somebody that’s going to oversee all of our pitching processes — acquisition and development — we felt like was a huge priority.”
Bleich comes with a good reputation, Hazen said, and stood out from other candidates during the interview process as the best fit for the job. A source with the Pirates gushed about him, saying Bleich was “great at simplifying ways forward” and managed to get the organization’s pitching group “all pulling rope in the same direction.”
Bleich spoke highly of the people the Diamondbacks already have in the organization and said one of his first goals will be to establish an “organizational-wide pitching identity” that he wants to look something like “a relentless pursuit of the strike zone with our best stuff.”
“It can be simple; it can be direct,” Bleich said. “We want to try to lean into, when you face the Diamondbacks, through gameplay, people know what we stand for and what we’re striving for daily. What are the non-negotiables?”
Bleich went through ups and downs during his playing career. He was selected 44th overall by the New York Yankees in 2008 and was that organization’s ninth-ranked prospect, per Baseball America in 2010. But it wasn’t until 2018, at which time he was on his fifth organization and had made two stops in independent ball, that he finally made his major league debut.
He made just two appearances for the Oakland Athletics, then retired after the 2019 season.
Thinking back, Bleich recalled times when he was considered a prospect that coaches mostly left him alone. Other times, he felt like he didn’t matter. He wants to do what he can to give every player what he needs to achieve his dream of pitching in the majors.
“How are we giving each guy the most resources, the most chances to do that?” Bleich said. “There are times it was rough and lonely. I felt like wanted direction and I wanted clarity. I wanted to be challenged. I want to give that back.
"Maybe it’s giving a player something he doesn’t feel (he is receiving) at the time that can help them chase their ultimate goal.”
Hazen said Bleich would oversee pitching at all levels from the major leagues down. Bleich will also aid in acquisitions, both on the professional (trades, free agents, waivers) and amateur sides.
As far as the draft goes, he praised the Pirates’ ability to draft and develop high school arms into big-league starters — right-handers Jared Jones, Bubba Chandler and Braxton Ashcraft are recent examples — and said he would like to see the Diamondbacks be more active in that demographic.
“We don’t have a lot of wins in that area,” Hazen said. “It is a very fertile area to get upper-level talent starting pitchers and we should be shopping in that area a little bit more. This is going to help with that. They (the Pirates) do that consistently and have consistently landed those guys.
"I think he’s going to add a lot of process and programmatic experience to how the entire operation (unfolds).”
The Diamondbacks have done well developing everything from star-caliber to useful position players during Hazen’s tenure. The results on the pitching side have been more hit and miss — and those misses have contributed heavily to the club missing the postseason the past two seasons.
“I think we have a lot of smart people, hard-working people who are very knowledgeable,” Hazen said. “I feel like with the transitions we’ve had with all the different major league pitching coaches and regimes and philosophies, we have not done as good of a job systematically, philosophically, on the pitching side as we’ve done on the hitting side.
“I feel like if we can match up what we do on the hitting side with the pitching side, we’ll be in a good spot. That’s what (Bleich) is going to be charged with doing.”
Though the Diamondbacks’ agreement this week with free-agent right-hander Merrill Kelly gives them five established starting pitchers, it does not change the likelihood the club deals second baseman Ketel Marte, according to a club source.
Marte could still bring back high-end starting pitching, something the organization does not have in bunches in its minor-league system.
Once his deal is official, Kelly will join a rotation that also includes the recently signed Michael Soroka, right-handers Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt and left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez.
Of those five, only Kelly and Nelson are seen as safe bets to be both durable and effective. Pfaadt and Rodriguez are both coming off years in which they posted ERAs north of 5.00. Soroka wasn’t much better with a 4.52 ERA — and he has a checkered history when it comes to injuries.
The Diamondbacks’ front office likes its collection of young starters in the upper minors, but many of those arms either have yet to debut or have limited big-league experience. The club would prefer not to have to rush those pitchers to the majors early in the season.
The Athletic reported this week the teams on Marte’s five-team no-trade list: the Athletics, Giants, Pirates, Yankees and Cardinals.
Another thing that remains to be seen following the Kelly signing is how much financial flexibility the Diamondbacks have remaining — and whether it will keep them from being active in the relief market.
Following the signings of Kelly and Soroka, the Diamondbacks’ payroll sits at an estimated $171 million, per FanGraphs’ Roster Resource.
Kelly’s contract includes vesting option
Kelly’s two-year, $40 million deal includes a vesting option for 2028, a source said.
If Kelly reaches 170 innings pitched in 2027, it will trigger a $12 million guarantee for 2028. If he hits 185 innings, the guarantee grows to $14 million.
According to The Athletic, Kelly turned down a three-year offer in excess of $50 million to take the Diamondbacks’ offer.
Quarterback Philip Rivers is back on the field and off the list of modern-era players under consideration to be part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.
Hall of Fame spokesman Rich Desrosiers confirmed Rivers' status on Monday, Dec. 15:
Desrosiers said "the clock resets from whenever he last plays," which means Rivers could regain eligibility, if he doesn't play next season, for the Class of 2031.
He was signed because of an injury to starter Anthony Richardson. Richardson is cleared to play their next game, but Colts head coach Shane Steichen said Rivers will start it against the 49ers on "Monday Night Football" on Dec. 22.
Rivers recently was named one of 26 modern-era finalists for the Class of 2026. He made that cut along with a group of first-year-eligible players including Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore and Jason Witten. Each last played in the 2020 season.
The semifinalist list will be cut to 15 finalists later this month.
The Canton Repository sports department can be contacted via email at sports@cantonrep.com.
Another week of college basketball action saw significant movement in the Big 12 Conference. Iowa State and Arizona appear to be the top two teams in the conference, taking over the reins from Houston and BYU. Kansas is back where it belongs in the Big 12's upper tier.
With four teams ranked in the top 10 and two more in the top 20, the Big 12 continues its dominance as the best basketball conference in the country. That top group will likely remain consistent over the next few weeks before conference play heats up in the new year.
As we enter the final stretch of nonconference action, here is an updated look at the full conference power rankings.
Updated Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings (Dec. 16)
Races have been held at the site since the 1950s [Getty Images]
The West's home of motorsport is celebrating its 75-year anniversary this year.
More than 150,000 people visit Castle Combe Circuit, based next to the Cotswolds village of the same name, every year.
The Wiltshire-based site changed from a World War Two airfield to a circuit in 1950 and has hosted racing stars including Stirling Moss and Nigel Mansell, as well as the Top Gear team.
Max Symonds, the site's commercial manager, said: "There's something that's unique and special about the traditional nature of Castle Combe circuit -but at the same time [we] keep up with what people want."
It is now used by clubs from across the West of England, but stopped hosting Formula Three championships in 2005 due to noise complaints.
The site was originally a World War Two airfield [Castle Combe Circuit]
Formula Ford still features at the circuit and it hosts race days for classic cars and motorcycles, as well as having saloon car championships.
Many of these are linked to the Castle Combe Racing Club.
Castle Combe commentator Chris Dawes said he was five years old when he first attended a race with his dad.
"The sights, the sounds, smells, everything - I was intoxicated.
"The history screams at you when you're here. It's enabled a lot of people to taste racing," he said.
Castle Combe commentator Chris Dawes said he was hooked on motorsport from a young age [BBC]
The track staged its first meeting on 8 July 1950, both for bikes and cars.
It was run by Bristol Car Club and held behind closed doors to check if more could be held in future.
Those who took part at the first meeting were given a commemorative cigarette lighter - but the venue's name was spelt incorrectly.
When the site first opened, drivers did not wear crash helmets and they sat in front of the engines.
The last of the major Formula Three events at Castle Combe was in 2005 [Getty Images]The site hosts saloon championships as well - such as this one in 2004 [Getty Images]
It wasn't that long ago that Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham was the newbie in college coaching circles. Just last year, there were nine schools in the Big 12 with coaches who had longer tenures at their respective schools than Dillingham.
That won't be the case come next season.
Veteran Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has stepped down, with defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley named to succeed him, and Mike Gundy was fired halfway into a second straight disastrous season at Oklahoma State. Those two were in their 21st seasons at their schools, tied for the second-longest tenure in college football, behind Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, who is in his 27th year.
Chris Klieman retired at Kansas State and Iowa State's Matt Campbell moved over to Penn State.
Those moves leave Brigham Young's Kalani Sitake as the elder statesman of the group, now rounding out his 10th season.
Dillingham has always praised what Whittingham has built at Utah, which has been a perennial conference contender, whether it was in the Pac-12 or Big 12. He has always said he appreciated what the veteran coach built from a stability, consistency standpoint with a team that played physically on both sides of the ball.
Dillingham also praises Whittingham's tenure at the same school, a rarity nowadays in college football.
"Unbelievable run. That's a guy who doesn't get enough credit," Dillingham said of Whittingham. "Could be the best coach in this generation. Definitely top five in my mind, probably top three. ...
"I can say that with a lot of confidence that from inside the industry and people around, he was one of the best coaches of this era."
Sitake is followed in tenure by Baylor's Dave Aranda (sixth year), Lance Leipold of Kansas (fifth year), with TCU's Sonny Dykes and Texas Tech's Joey McGuire (fourth year) next. Then come Dillingham, Colorado's Deion Sanders, and Cincinnati's Scott Satterfield, who are finishing their third year.
Dillingham has spoken often about trying to model his program after that of the Utah legend, but he conceded that it is not something that can be done, just because of the changes in the game over the past several years, namely the transfer portal and NIL.
"You can't anymore because it's completely different, right?" Dillingham said. "The changing landscape of college football. What was three years ago is dead. I shouldn't say it's dead, it's completely different. What it takes to win. How to navigate winning. What he accomplished is amazing. To be able to do that in this era would be amazing and that's a great challenge."
The Hoops are making the trip to Tannadice Park this Wednesday evening (Dec 17) to take on Dundee United in the William Hill Premiership, so get ready with the official Celtic FC quiz.
Ahead of kick-off, put your Celtic knowledge to the test with our quiz which focuses on previous matches.
You've got the familiar 90-second challenge – can you get all 10 questions right?
🚨Official: Hannah Hampton wins The Best award for top goalkeeper
The Chelsea and England national team goalkeeper wins the award for the best goalkeeper of the year.
At 25 years old, Hannah Hampton has just been declared the winner of the FIFA The Best award for the best goalkeeper in the world. She has been crucial for both Chelsea and England.
¡Hannah Hampton es condecorada con el Premio #TheBest a la Guardameta de la FIFA 2025! 🧤
She follows in the footsteps of Mary Earps, who won it in 2022 and 2023, as the second English player to be honored as the best in the world between the posts.
Hello and welcome to the Week 16 waiver wire watch for running backs!
The first week of the fantasy playoffs is in the books and some of you are a step closer to winning your league and claiming bragging rights over your friends. Meanwhile, some of you are fighting for your life in the loser’s bracket and trying to avoid finishing last. Either way, it’s time to start lookiing for ways to fortify your rosters for the next round of the postseason.
We’ll go over some RB performers that you should consider scooping off the waiver wire ahead of Week 16 and as always, we’ll classify a waiver add as someone who is rostered in 60% of leagues at the max. As a reminder, bye weeks a no longer a thing at this juncture of the year, so every team will be in action for the rest of the way.
Blake Corum, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (42.7%)
The Rams became the first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff spot with Sunday’s 41-34 victory over the Lions and look like a legitimate Super Bowl contender. One of the things that makes them a danger right now is the emergence of Corum in recent weeks and he broke off 11 carries for 71 rushing yards and a touchdown in their home victory over Detroit on Sunday.
That is now three straight games with a touchdown for the second-year back out of Michigan and the second straight week where he’s recorded 10+ carries while backing up Kyren Williams. He’s going to remain an important part of the Rams offense for their playoff push, so why not make him part of yours?
Bill Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders (46.0%)
We haven’t heard Croskey-Merritt’s name as of late as the Commanders’ season has fizzled out, but he did play a big role in their 29-21 victory over the Giants on Sunday. The rookie ended up posting 18 carries for 96 rushing yards, and a touchdown in the win, marking his first trip to the end zone since two-score outing against the Chargers way back in Week 5.
BCM’s production dropped off significantly in the second half of the season as prior to Sunday, he hadn’t gone above 60 yards on the ground since their Week 6 loss to the Bears on Monday Night Football. Perhaps his performance against the New York is an indicator that he’ll get to tote the rock more as Washington closes out the season. He’ll be someone to keep in mind when scoring the wire this week.
Week 16 matchup: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 5 p.m. ET (Saturday night)
Keaton Mitchell, RB, Baltimore Ravens (5.7%)
The Ravens ended a two-game losing skid by shutting out the Bengals 24-0 on Sunday and Mitchell played his part in the win. Eight carries for 66 rushing yards is what the third-year back was able to produce and he was notably on the field for more snaps than Derrick Henry in the contest. Granted, Henry was able to cram in 100 rushing yards into his light work load, but having a backup that could handle business like Mitchell certainly helped.
Mitchell now has over 140 rushing yards in his last two games combined and he’s carving out a sustained role in the offense as Baltimore fights for the AFC North crown. He’s someone worth keeping an eye on over the next few weeks.
Week 16 matchup: vs. New England Patriots, 8:20 p.m. ET
Michael Carter, RB, Arizona Cardinals (7.8%)
The Cardinals are just counting down the minutes until the season ends and took another ugly loss in a 40-20 setback against the Texans on Sunday. BUT, a bunch of their offensive weapons are at least getting a chance to rack up some numbers in the final weeks and that was the case with Carter on Sunday. The fifth-year vet was on the field for 80% of the offensive snaps and got plenty of touches, taking 14 carries for 56 rushing yards on the ground while also grabbing all four of his passing targets for 38 receiving yards in the loss.
This spike in production came as a result of Bam Knight being carted off the field with ankle injury, leaving Carter as effectively the only running back that Arizona was willing to deploy throughout the afternoon. Knight is unlikely to play against the Falcons this Sunday, meaning the green light is on for Carter to get more touches.
Week 16 matchup: vs. Atlanta Falcons, 4:05 p.m. ET
While the Denver Broncos focus on securing a top seed for the NFL playoffs, fans and pundits for struggling teams have started shifting focus to the 2026 NFL draft, and mock draft season has begun. While it's obviously not a priority in Broncos Country right now, it is fun to begin looking ahead to who Denver might target in April's draft.
Over at Draft Wire, Curt Popejoy's latest 2026 NFL mock draft has the Broncos selecting Georgia linebacker CJ Allen at pick No. 32 overall at the bottom of the first round.
Our friends over at Bucs Wire recently published a three-round mock draft. Denver selects Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell, Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and Indiana edge defender Mikail Kamara in that mock.
"The Broncos have a fun receiving corps, but they need that physically gifted, explosive piece," Andrew Harbaugh wrote. "They have one of each separately in Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin, but Chris Bell is the best of both worlds and would give Bo Nix another fun piece to work with."
ESPN's Field Yates, meanwhile, also sent Louisville receiver Chris Bell to Denver at pick No. 32 in his latest mock draft. It should be noted, though, that Bell recently underwent ACL surgery, which could knock him out of the first round. While he might not be a candidate for the Broncos' first pick in 2026, Bell will still be a name to watch in the spring as he works his way back from the injury.
Every other season, I really hate football. And this is one of those seasons.
We spent so much of the earlier parts of this season bemoaning our early fixtures and confidentiality saying we would be in a much stronger position once we had our run of mid-table fixtures. That confidence has been extinguished at an alarming rate, with the Clarets picking up not a single point against Fulham, Crystal Palace, Brentford and West Ham United. We sit in 19th, with just 10 points from 16 games and 6 points adrift of safety.
I thought the Kompany era was bad. This might be worse.
It's the manner of the defeats that are worrying me the most. We are atrocious in defence, our midfield is invisible, and we have no attacking threat. And, despite what Scott Parker claims to the contrary, very little fight in the squad. As much as I hate to single out one player, the vision of Quilindschy Hartman casually strolling back to track his man when his team was 2-1 down in a crucial home match epitomised everything that is painful about this team right now.
It is for that reason that I wouldn't object to a change of manager. Parker is an incredible human being, and I really wanted this to work for him. But he is far too safe and unambitious to succeed in the Premier League. The cracks were there last season - if it had not been for a spectacularly timed Sheffield United capitulation, Burnley would have had to settle for the playoffs and likely lose to Sunderland - but the joy of automatic promotion muted some warning bells.
The board hasn't spent well. The recruitment hasn't been good enough. And Parker doesn't have the dogged fight in him to get the best out of an underperforming side.
Harsh? Probably. But the joy and optimism have been drained out of me this season. And, as has been the case in so many other Premier League seasons, I can't wait for it to be over.
KEM Hospital in Parel, Mumbai, has launched a sports injury rehabilitation centre, becoming the first public hospital in western India to offer a facility for athletes seeking advanced treatment.
The sports injury rehab centre, built with CSR [corporate social responsibility] funding from Balkrishna Industries, aims to provide advanced care and rehabilitation to sportspersons at municipal rates.
The facility features a range of the latest equipment for athlete training and rehabilitation. It is equipped with 25 beds, including 20 general, two special, and three ICU beds.
Plans are underway to offer a postgraduate degree in sports medicine, enhancing the centre’s academic and clinical capabilities.
During the inauguration, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner Bhushan Gagrani highlighted the importance of the centre, stating: "It is important to have such a centre available for athletes in a metropolis like Mumbai."
He noted that the facility aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to prepare for Olympic-level competitions, providing essential support to the city’s sporting talent.
KEM Hospital dean Dr Sangeeta Ravat provided further insights into the multidisciplinary approach of the centre: "Arthroscopic surgeons, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, biophysicists, psychiatrists, and dieticians will all be available under one roof."
Dr Ravat added that the primary goal is to ensure that injured athletes can recover fully and return to their sporting careers.
KEM medical superintendent Dr Mohan Desai addressed the challenges faced by young athletes following injuries, commenting: "Many youngsters give up sporting dreams after injuries. But with such a facility available in the public sector, they have a second chance."
Sports medicine in India has traditionally been limited to a few private hospitals, where treatment and surgery costs can reach several million rupees, reported Times of India (ToI).
The centre was constructed with a budget of Rs200m ($2.4m), funded through corporate social responsibility initiatives.
It is equipped with devices such as walker view machines, de wall (a machine that helps movement analysis and training), and an underwater treadmill.
"Sports injury rehabilitation centre opens at KEM Hospital in Mumbai, India" was originally created and published by Hospital Management, a GlobalData owned brand.
The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Manchester United star’s brother wears ‘Free Kobbie’ shirt at Old Trafford
Kobbie Mainoo’s brother wore a t-shirt displaying the message ‘Free Kobbie Mainoo’ at Old Trafford during Manchester United’s 4-4 draw with Bournemouth, per BBC Sport.
The midfielder’s brother and TV personality Jordan Mainoo-Hames unveiled the t-shirt during Monday’s game and posted the picture on Instagram afterwards.
Manager Ruben Amorim was not asked about the t-shirt after the Bournemouth game, but the incident is likely to annoy the Portuguese boss.
Mainoo is one of the best players to come out of United’s academy. The 20-year-old has already made 84 senior appearances, bagging seven goals and three assists in the process.
But he has been struggling for game time under Amorim, who hasn’t started him once in the Premier League this campaign.
The England international has been limited to just 212 league minutes, spread across 11 appearances.
Amorim views him as a number eight, a position currently monopolised by Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese boss has also suggested the United academy graduate lacks the positional discipline to excel as a holding midfielder.
Mainoo wants to leave on loan in the winter transfer window in search of more game time.
Several clubs have been credited with an interest in the youngster, including Napoli and Chelsea.
But the midfielder is highly rated by the club’s hierarchy and they are not open to offers for him.
With the 2026 World Cup scheduled to start in June, Mainoo will be desperate for more first-team action to become a part of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.
However, he is unlikely to displace Fernandes at United and the club are also unlikely to sanction an exit this winter.
All Bundesliga players at the Africa Cup of Nations
With the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations set to take place from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, a total of 17 Bundesliga players from 10 clubs have been called up to represent their national teams.
Exactly how long each player will be unavailable to their club depends on how far their team progresses in the tournament.
If a player reaches the final with his national team, he would miss up to four Bundesliga matches for his club.
Here is an overview of Bundesliga players called up for the Africa Cup of Nations:
Bundesliga players at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
TSG Hoffenheim: Bazoumana Touré (Côte d'Ivoire)
VfB Stuttgart: Bilal El Khannouss (Morocco)
Borussia Dortmund: Ramy Bensebaini (Algeria)
FC Bayern: Nicolas Jackson (Senegal)
VfL Wolfsburg: Mohamed Amoura (Algeria)
SC Freiburg: Cyriaque Irié (Burkina Faso)
RB Leipzig: Yan Diomande (Côte d'Ivoire), Amadou Haidara (Mali)
So Notre Dame gets shut out of the CFP and how do they respond? They refuse to play in any bowl – which tells you two things. One, the Irish are angry and want to make a statement and two, their program prints so much money a $4 million payday is just a drop in the bucket in their revenue streams.
Supposedly the Irish were offered to play BYU, but again declined. While nine other schools also declined, some lost their coach while others had 5-7 records and all would’ve played in much lesser bowls where the payout was less than $1 million. A little known memorandum of understanding was executed by Notre Dame and the CFP last year which stated if the Irish finished in the top 12 (which they did), they would automatically qualify as an at-large team, meaning they would have jumped Miami even though the Hurricanes were ranked ahead of them.
How completely nonsensical would that have been and what Notre Dame alum drafted that MOU?
Moore's family are victims
The Sherrone Moore saga continues as new information emerges. Charged with three counts including stalking and a home invasion, Moore was released on $25,000 bail while his case is pending. Moore, who is married with three daughters, apparently was having an affair with a staff member and after being fired with cause, proceeded to that staff member’s home and reportedly threatened to kill himself after breaking in. While his future as Michigan’s head coach is finished, it is clear Moore needs help.
Then there are the innocent victims of this affair, his wife and three children and the enormous stress and pressure they will be exposed to because of the embarrassing and humiliating allegations released to the public. We can only pray for their health and strength to endure and persevere through this crisis. All you hear about is the Michigan coaching job and rumored coaching candidates including Alabama’s Kalen Debour, who has stated he is not interested in the vacancy. I’m sure the Moore household has much more important challenges ahead of them than who the next Michigan coach might be and we wish them well.
Not going bowling
Without ESPN and its money, many bowls would just fold, which is why only only a few of them are mentioned here. In fact, with Washington defeating Boise State 38-10 in the LA Bowl (which I cannot find anyone who watched), that bowl officially was terminated after a less-than-inspiring five-year-run.
Kudos to Whittingham
There have been many other coaches fired or who have resigned recently, but nobody carried themself better on and off the field than Kyle Whittingham at Utah. He led the Utes to the top of the Mountain West and when they moved to the Pac 12, Utah became a physical, always well-prepared team which won two PAC 12 Championships and went 177-88 overall. He retired after spending 31 years at Utah, 21 as their head coach, and is forever the face of the university’s football program. Toughness, classy and humble, Whittingham put Utah football on the map without compromising its integrity.
Well-deserved honor for Mendoza
As predicted here, Fernando Mendoza was announced as the first Heisman Trophy in Indiana Hoosier history. If you haven’t seen the acceptance speech yet, it’s a made-for-television movie, a Cuban American kid whose parents just wanted to instill character, discipline and commitment in their kids and never wavered even in the face of adversity. If you can keep the tears inside you when he thanks his beautiful mom, who inspired him and is sitting in a wheelchair because of a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, you’re a tougher person than I am. Humble, thankful and appreciate, he’s the the kind of person who not only gives us hope for the next generation but if you have a daughter, instantly becomes the person you want her to marry. Just my sentiments, maybe not yours.
Bologna Vs Inter Milan – Turkey Megastar To Sit Out Supercoppa Italiana Semi-Final
Inter Milan will reportedly face Bologna in a high-stakes Supercoppa Italiana semi-final tie without Hakan Calhanoglu.
According to Corriere dello Sport via FCInterNews, the Turkish midfielder is likely to sit out Friday’s clash in Riyadh.
Hakan Calhanoglu sustained a muscle injury during Inter’s controversial 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool last weekend.
Therefore, Cristian Chivu couldn’t call upon his talismanic playmaker for Sunday’s away match against Genoa.
However, the Nerazzurri boss has included the 31-year-old in his squad for the upcoming Supercoppa.
Inter Milan to Take on Bologna Without Hakan Calhanoglu
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 21: Hakan Calhanoglu of Internazionale warms up prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and US Sassuolo Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Despite traveling to Saudi Arabia with the team, Calhanoglu may only be available for the final should Inter overcome Bologna.
Though the former AC Milan star has escaped a serious injury, his absence against Vincenzo Italiano’s side looks certain.
Indeed, Chivu would likely leave his starting playmaker on the bench as a precaution.
As such, Piotr Zielinski could make another start after impressing at the Marassi last weekend.
CAN 2025: Cesc Fabregas insulted by Senegalese fans
CAN 2025: controversy surrounding Cesc Fabregas and Senegal
CAN 2025: Cesc Fabregas insulted by Senegalese fans
The injury to Assane Diao, which occurred just days before the kickoff of the Africa Cup of Nations, has sparked intense controversy between Senegal and Cesc Fàbregas. After a powerful counter-attack with Como, the Senegalese forward was forced off the pitch in tears in the 38th minute, casting serious doubt over his participation in the continental tournament.
Cesc Fàbregas fait face à une vague de harcèlement sur Instagram de la part de milliers d’internautes sénégalais. 🇸🇳😳
L’entraîneur de Côme est jugé responsable par une large partie de la population sénégalaise à la suite de la blessure d’Assane Diao face à l’AS Rome ce soir.… pic.twitter.com/CLqCBJOG58
This twist of fate has provoked massive outrage among Senegalese supporters, especially as the player was in the starting lineup while he was expected to join the national team. Tensions were further fueled by previous comments from Fàbregas, who had voiced his disagreement with the player’s call-up. The Spanish manager soon became the target of online harassment, sometimes accompanied by racist messages.
Addressing the media, Fàbregas felt compelled to explain himself.
before mentioning "unpleasant" exchanges with the Senegal coach. Amid this tense atmosphere, Assane Diao remains the main casualty, now highly doubtful for what would have been his first-ever Africa Cup of Nations.
N’Golo Kanté targeted by English and French clubs for January transfer
N’Golo Kanté (34) almost left Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad over the summer, however, Paris FC could not get a move over the line.
“There wasn’t a lot in it. It is a shame and sad that he didn’t come. I think he also wanted to come, but his clubdidn’t let him leave,” PFC owner Antoine Arnault revealed in an interview with L’Équipe.
However, a move away from the Gulf State could be on the cards this January, as per a report from L’Équipe. The France international’s contract at Al-Ittihad is up at the end of the current campaign, and Al-Ittihad are currently in the process of attempting to extend that deal by a further year.
However, given the bureaucracy involved in extending the contract, an extension is not close at this moment in time. There are some Saudi clubs that are looking to exploit the situation, but a return to Europe is also on the cards.
As per L’Équipe, French and English clubs are interested in signing Kanté next month. The publication adds, however, that the chances of doing a deal are low due to Al-Ittihad’s reticence to sanction a departure, as was also the case last summer.
Barcelona captain could consider January exit if Premier League club come calling
Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen has returned to the spotlight after recovering from his back injury and receiving medical clearance.
The goalkeeper has now been included in the squad for three games in a row, including tonight’s Copa del Rey match against Guadalajara, where he could get minutes if Hansi Flick and the club deem it appropriate.
However, Ter Stegen’s future at Barça is far from clear, with the German now becoming the third-choice goalkeeper behind Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny. His chances of playing regularly are minimal.
But, according to SPORT, things could change with Ter Stegen if Tottenham Hotspur step in, as the Premier League club are seriously considering making a move for a goalkeeper.
For now, Ter Stegen is not considering a January move, as he is convinced that many things can change in the future and that his opportunity may yet come.
What does the future hold for Ter Stegen? (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Another key factor is that the options presented to him so far do not fully convince him. Barça have received enquiries from clubs like Beşiktaş, Bologna and Ajax, but none of them could afford his wages and, from a sporting perspective, do not meet his ambitions.
Manchester United made an approach through intermediaries but have not taken any serious steps. Everything suggests that his situation would only truly change if Tottenham enter the race.
The London club are seriously considering strengthening their goalkeeping position in January, given that Guglielmo Vicario has come under fire of late.
The Lilywhites value the Barcelona first captain, although no final decision has been made yet.
Tottenham could offer a loan with a purchase option and take on his full salary. It would also represent an attractive sporting project for the goalkeeper.
For the moment, Ter Stegen’s stance is quite firm. But if the right offer arrives, things could change. Barça are watching closely, although they will not force any move.
Garbiñe Muguruza’s life was always going to get pretty busy in 2026. Her first child is due at the end of January. But Muguruza, who formally retired from tennis in 2024, and later that year became both a television commentator and the tournament director for the WTA Tour Finals, does not appear inclined toward the easy life.
Last week, the two-time Grand Slam champion who spent four weeks as world No. 1 was named the co-tournament director of the Madrid Open. The clay-court tournament in the Spanish capital is one of six flagship mixed events at the 1,000 level, just below the Grand Slams.
The assignment to oversee the tournament alongside her compatriot Feliciano López carries a good bit of responsibility for a former women’s world No. 1. For years, the Madrid Open had a well-earned reputation for treating women as second-class tennis players.
Its former owner, the Romanian billionaire and former player Ion Țiriac, long argued to revoke paying equal prize money. WTA Tour players complained that they received worse court assignments and scheduling compared with their male counterparts.
Sports conglomerate IMG purchased the tournament from Țiriac in 2022, but ugly moments continued. That year, organizers scheduled the women’s singles final between the men’s semifinals; in 2023, they prohibited the women’s doubles finalists from speaking during the trophy ceremony.
The players, Victoria Azarenka, Beatriz Haddad-Maia, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, all called the decision unacceptable. The disparity in the size of birthday cakes given to Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka also came under fire.
Gerard Tsobanian, the chief executive of the Madrid Open, said Muguruza’s appointment was not a symbolic gesture.
“We strongly believe that leadership in tennis should be built from diverse, complimentary perspectives with equal voice and influence,” he said in a statement announcing Muguruza’s appointment. “We don’t just talk about equality, we design it, we implement it and we make it visible.”
In a message Monday, Muguruza did not offer qualms about the tournament’s past.
“The Madrid Open has always been eager to be ahead, to make a step forward, to be a bit of a pioneer,” she said. “I think it’s a great idea to share the workload and provide the best service to both ATP and WTA players.
She said she recognizes it will be a significant step up from the WTA Tour Finals, with far more players to care for, but the role is especially close to her heart because it is the most significant women’s tournament in Spain. She has warm memories of that rare feeling in tennis: the entire stadium being behind her.
“It was stressful but beautiful,” she said.
The role marks the 32-year-old’s latest move in her pivot from on-court to off-court figurehead. That pivot came far earlier than it has for a lot of players of her renown, as more and more play into and through their 30s, or return to the top level of the sport after having children.
Muguruza didn’t figure it would happen this soon. Just a couple of years ago, she was at the top of the sport, seemingly with many years of competition ahead of her. Having beaten Serena Williams to win the 2016 French Open, she beat Venus Williams to win Wimbledon a year later. Her quality dipped for two seasons, but she started 2020 strong, reaching the final of the Australian Open against Sofia Kenin.
Then the Covid-19 pandemic arrived, and Muguruza, like everyone else, spent six months off the grind of the tennis tour. She took a bit to hit her stride again when tennis resumed, but 2021 brought another solid season. She made four finals, won two of them and then walked off with the WTA Tour Finals title in Guadalajara, Mexico.
For Muguruza, who grew up mainly in Spain but was born in Venezuela, playing in Mexico in front of screaming crowds was pure joy. But almost instantly, everything changed. She had experienced drop-offs following her biggest triumphs before, but this one was a little different. “An empty feeling a little bit,” she said during an interview in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ahead of this year’s Tour Finals.
“It was massive for me to have that opportunity,” she said. “I felt before the tournament, ‘This is mine, it has to be for me.’ But after that event, I definitely felt a drop in energy and a tiny bit of motivation.”
She started to wonder if it was a blip or a red flag. She started to wonder if her mind was telling her to think about what would come after tennis. As losses and early-round exits piled up in 2022, the answer made itself clear. She started to long for what tennis felt like it was keeping from her, especially the budding relationship that would blossom from a chance meeting with a fan during a walk through midtown Manhattan into a marriage.
“That year I was mentally a little bit more exhausted, and not only that, but I started to look forward to being more at home and being more with my family and with my husband,” she said.
“I started to prioritize more my personal than professional life.”
She played four matches at the start of 2023. She lost all of them, and never played again, before formally announcing her retirement in 2024.
In retrospect, she can see how the sport had changed and how that change had gone against her. There was more power, more speed and more movement than when she broke through, with the time to construct points growing shorter.
“You need to be ready for those quick rallies, for those big serves and two, three shots,” she said. “Before, maybe points were a little longer. But again, it depends. Coco Gauff has a different style than Elena Rybakina.”
Who is the next star from Spain, one of the proudest tennis nations and among the most successful of the new century? She said she is keeping a close eye on Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro, the 23-year-old who Muguruza said might be on the verge of a breakout.
“I think something amazing is going to happen soon because she has the level. She’s gotten deep into tournaments but not yet got a trophy. I feel like we can see something exciting next year.”
She has also become friendly with Alcaraz, the men’s world No. 1 and the biggest Spanish tennis hero now. She sought him out when he first arrived on the tour. She said he hasn’t changed at all.
“As a player you don’t really know what happens behind or outside the tennis court,” Muguruza said. “I’m much more aware now. So many things, but it’s great. I’m really loving this new chapter and this whole new career now.”
In a statement, Al Qadsiah Chief Executive Officer James Bisgrove, said: “Following a rigorous global recruitment process, we’re delighted to welcome Brendan to Al Khobar as our new Head Coach.
“This is a landmark moment for the club. The calibre of his experience and track record of winning reflects our ambition and long-term vision to establish Al Qadsiah as one of Asia’s leading clubs.”
Born in Northern Ireland, Rodgers arrives in the RSL with a wealth of experience at some of world football’s most popular clubs.
His time with Celtic remains his most successful, with Rodgers guiding the Glasgow giants to 11 major trophies across two stints in Scotland. The haul included four Scottish top-flight titles.
Rodgers, 52, also led Leicester City to a historic first FA Cup, in 2021, and two superb fifth-placed finishes in the English Premier League. Prior to that, he was in charge of Liverpool for three years from 2012, overseeing the team’s runner-up finish in the 2013-14 English Premier League.
Rodgers first match at Al Qadsiah will be the Matchweek 11 clash at home to Damac on December 27.
Carlos Anton, Al Qadsiah’s Sporting Director, said of the appointment: “We’re thrilled to welcome Brendan to Al Qadsiah Club and believe his elite coaching credentials and playing philosophy are an excellent fit with our football strategy.
“Brendan inherits a highly talented and committed squad that is hungry for success, and I’m confident he will drive the next stage of the club’s development.
“He will work in close alignment with our performance, medical, recruitment and analysis departments to help elevate the club to the next level.”
Report – Dutch Wingback Set To Undergo Ankle Surgery: Inter Milan Scouring Market For Replacements
Inter Milan star Denzel Dumfries is reportedly on the verge of undergoing ankle surgery amid a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport via FCInterNews, surgery has become the most realistic solution for Dumfries’ problem.
Indeed, Mattia Zaccagni awkwardly fell on the Dutchman’s ankle under the challenge of Petar Sucic.
Though the injury seemed innocuous at first, Dumfries has failed to recover as expected.
Inter Milan Scouring Market to Replace Denzel Dumfries
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 02: Denzel Dumfries of FC Internazionale gestures during the Serie A match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 02, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
It’s hard to predict when the 29-year-old could return to the pitch.
With Luis Henrique continuing to struggle in Serie A, Inter will likely try to sign a new wingback in January.
Indeed, the San Siro giants cannot rely on the Brazilian to fill Dumfries’ shoes after an underwhelming first half of the season.
As for Dumfries, Inter will make a final decision regarding surgery today.
However, it’s now all but certain that the former PSV Eindhoven ace will go under the knife.
“Monster block! Monster block! Monster, monster, monster block!” booms from the PA system as fans and UK’s bench chant the same and pump their arms to the music.
This tradition along with dancing during challenges and player-personalized cheers are just a few of the sideline antics Kentucky is known for around the sport.
“A big part of volleyball is the momentum,” redshirt sophomore Ava Sarafa told The Courier Journal. “We have 14 people on the roster, and it takes every single person on the roster to give in to the full effort of winning in our season.”
These Wildcats possess a fire, a closeness and a joy most say is unlike anything they’ve ever experienced. They call it “flow state.” Full immersion in the game plan, the baseline high jinks and the ultimate goal: to bring a second national championship back to Lexington. Top-seeded UK will try to take another step toward that goal when it faces third-seeded Wisconsin in the second national semifinal of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night in Kansas City, Missouri.
When Eva Hudson records a kill, which she does often as the Wildcats’ second-leading scorer, she lets out a passionate scream. “Come on!” “Let’s go!” “Get f****ed!”
“We have played Eva Hudson the last two years at a former school so we are very familiar with how fiery she can get,” Creighton coach Brian Rosen said ahead of the Elite Eight. “She will stare you down through the net, and she will turn and bring so much energy to her team. If she gets going, they get going.”
The force with which she plays is contagious. UK’s bench stokes the flames. A Hudson kill prompts a basketball-themed celebration. “We're all, like, dunking,” Sarafa said. “Basically saying she's dunking on the other team.”
Since arriving on campus together in January, the Wildcats have put in a lot of time on the court but also off it to enhance their overall chemistry. And their cheer game, of course.
“It's mostly like inside jokes,” Sarafa said. Like Asia Thigpen’s signature celebration.
During her freshman season, the 5-foot-11 outside hitter would throw her fists in the air after every kill or point she scored. The team called it “happy fists” and naturally co-opted the move as her cheer.
Other items are passed from class to class and squad to squad. Like the “A-train” cheer for aces. “We all just go ‘choo choo!’" Sarafa said. "It’s a silly moment for us, and I think that it brings so much energy to the bench and the team. It’s a cool thing to be a part of.”
“The Wildcats on the bench, known for their choreography. You were part of that,” Dick Gabriel said on the broadcast to former UK setter and color commentator Cam Scheitzach.
“Yes,” Scheitzach said. “It was the best part. Creating dances, almost having dance-offs with the other team.”
It’s all about playing with joy. Staying composed when the pressure is on. And celebrating each other for overcoming.
“Even in film sessions, sometimes there will be a crazy play, and we'll just zoom in on the bench, and everyone's going crazy,” Sarafa said. “Like, there's people on the ground, there's people running in circles, people jumping up and down, and I think it's just a big part of our team's culture.”
UK head coach Craig Skinner has been privy to a lot of elite volleyball. Between 21 seasons in Lexington (one in which the program won its first national championship) and his coaching roots in Nebraska and Wisconsin, he knows what special looks like. And this Wildcats team certainly has it.
With two matches — at most — remaining, they're embracing every moment.
"You do not get this chance very often in life. So we're not going to go in and (go) 'Ah, we gotta play great on Thursday' from here until then," Skinner said after UK's Elite Eight win. "We're going to enjoy the experience, enjoy this victory, and enjoy the time we have together.
"I told the team in the locker room, 'It's very rare you get to experience a group of people like this that is so bought into each other and the program, so we have to enjoy that for as long as we can and as long as this season will take us.'"
Reach college sports enterprise reporter Payton Titus at ptitus@gannett.com and follow her on X @petitus25. Subscribe to her "Full-court Press" newsletter here for a behind-the-scenes look at how college sports' biggest stories are impacting Louisville and Kentucky athletics.
A decision by a Paris labor court in the financial dispute between Kylian Mbappé and his former club Paris Saint-Germain is expected on Tuesday — the latest chapter in a judicial saga involving colossal sums.
Lawyers argued last month before the Conseil de prud’hommes de Paris, with each side demanding hundreds of millions of euros from the other regarding the end of the player’s contract before his move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024.
Amid accusations of betrayal and harassment surrounding the breakdown of their relationship, Mbappé's lawyers claimed PSG owes him more than 260 million euros ($305 million). They argue his fixed-term contract should be reclassified as a permanent one, triggering compensation for unfair dismissal and unpaid wages. They have also alleged moral harassment and undeclared work.
PSG, meanwhile, is seeking 440 million euros from Mbappé, citing damages and a “loss of opportunity” after he left on a free transfer.
Tuesday's decision can be appealed and is unlikely to end the dispute. The panel may also decide to decline jurisdiction or to adjourn the case to a later hearing, sitting in parity with a tie-breaking judge if no majority emerges.
The ruling may have broader consequences for player contracts and labor law in French soccer, even as PSG maintains that Mbappé’s request to reclassify his contract as a permanent one is without legal basis.
The club argues that professional players’ contracts are a special form of fixed-term agreements regulated by the sports code and validated by the French professional league, in accordance with both French and European Union law. Mbappé’s legal team disagrees, saying the reclassification of a fixed-term contract into a permanent contract is a standard procedure when legal conditions for a fixed-term deal are not fulfilled.
The origins of the dispute
The relationship between the 2018 World Cup winner and the reigning European champion turned bitter when Mbappé decided in 2023 not to extend his contract, which was set to expire in summer 2024.
This deprived the club of a juicy transfer fee despite having offered him the most lucrative contract in club history when he signed a new deal in 2022. He was sidelined from a preseason tour and forced to train with fringe players. He missed the opening league game but returned to the lineup for a final season after discussions with the club — talks that are central to the dispute.
PSG feels betrayed
The club accuses Mbappé of backing out of an August 2023 agreement that allegedly included a pay reduction should he leave on a free transfer, an arrangement PSG says was meant to protect its financial stability. PSG claims Mbappé hid his decision not to extend his contract for nearly 11 months, from July 2022 to June 2023, preventing the club from arranging a transfer and causing major financial harm. It accuses him of violating contractual obligations and the principles of good faith and loyalty.
Mbappé feels cheated
Mbappé’s camp insists PSG has never produced evidence that the striker agreed to forego any payment. His lawyers claim the club failed to pay wages and bonuses for April, May, and June 2024. They are also seeking reclassification of his fixed-term contract into a permanent one, which would trigger compensation. Mbappé also accuses PSG of moral harassment, citing his treatment when sidelined. His total claim exceeds 260 million euros, combining unpaid salary, contractual bonuses, severance, indemnities, and damages for workplace misconduct.
PSG rejects all accusations of harassment, highlighting that Mbappé took part in over 94% of matches in 2023–24 and always worked under conditions compliant with the Professional Football Charter.
PSG is seeking a total of 440 million euros in damages, including 180 million euros for the lost opportunity to transfer Mbappé because he left as a free agent after declining a 300 million euros offer from Saudi club Al-Hilal in July 2023.
Mbappé joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 on a free transfer after scoring a club-record 256 goals in seven years at PSG, which won the Champions League this year without him.
So are the shoves, bumps, hip checks and every other measure, within the rules of course, that Tennessee can use to slow down Louisville basketball on offense. The Volunteers will do everything they can to impede the freedom of movement that allowed the Cardinals to shoot 51% from 3-point range in their 99-73 win over Memphis on Saturday.
Here is where UofL can send a message that resonates the rest of the season. If the Cards don’t allow themselves to be bullied by Tennessee, they can stomp out the idea that the way to beat them is to play physical.
No team is better at playing physically than a Rick Barnes-coached team.
It’s been his modus operandi going back to when he developed that playing style during his days coaching at Providence. He perfected it while at Clemson. And has implemented it for so many years at Texas and now Tennessee, to the extent that the style is simply his brand.
Barnes wants to take possessions away, slow the tempo and keep UofL at a pace where it has to set up and play in half-court situations. He wants to force the Cards to execute and be sharp every time they’re on offense.
Because how can there not be some slippage when Tennessee is trying to make every possession as grueling as an Ironman Triathlon.
The Vols want to play a game in which the final tally is in the 70s. If they can keep it in the 60s, that’s even better. UofL has scored more than 50 points in the first half in six of its 10 games. Cincinnati is the only team to keep them from reaching 80 points in the Cards' 74-64 win.
Perhaps the worst thing that happened for Louisville entering Tuesday night’s game was making 18 3s against Memphis on Saturday. The Cards can’t settle for just hunting shots behind the arc.
They won’t get as many open looks, for starters, against a Tennessee defense that is holding its opponents to 29.7% shooting from 3-point range this season.
The way UofL can fight back against a bully is to stay aggressive.
The Cards had only three players get to the free-throw line against Arkansas for a combined 18 attempts. That number doubled to six players against IU as they totaled 28 free-throw attempts.
It will take that kind of effort in only their second trip of the season to come back with a win. That’s how the Cards did it in their win at Cincinnati.
The Bearcats played like Tennessee-lite, trying to slow down the pace and out-tough UofL. The difference is the Vols have far more talent than Cincinnati.
Forward Nate Ament, who is second for the Vols in scoring at 16.3 points and first with 7.1 rebounds per game, is among the stellar freshman class nationally and projects as an NBA lottery pick.
Tennessee won’t make the game against UofL a battle of toughness because it’s the only play to victory. The Vols will do it because they like to muddy up games and make their opponents uncomfortable.
The only way for Louisville to come out clean is to take the fight back at them.
LEXINGTON — Entering his junior season of college, and second year playing for Kentucky basketball and coach Mark Pope, Brandon Garrison was expected to be the team's starting 5-man this season.
Or so the thinking went.
That held true. For the Wildcats' first five games, at least.
Freshman Malachi Moreno, hailing from nearby Georgetown, forced himself into the lineup after a string of good-to-great performances off the bench.
Now, the pair have switched roles: Moreno starts. Garrison is a backup.
Where does this leave the position going forward? And what happens if prized transfer portal addition Jayden Quaintance finally is cleared to play?
Here's a breakdown of where the spot stands as of Dec. 15:
2025-26 stats: 10.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals in 22.4 minutes per game (10 appearances; five starts)
What to know:Malachi Moreno was a McDonald's All-American selection during his senior season at Great Crossing High in Georgetown. In just his second college game, he posted a double-double, leading UK in points (18) and rebounds (10) in a win over Valparaiso. He recorded another double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds) in the team's win over Tennessee Tech. Yet, as to be expected with a freshman, Moreno has struggled at times. Especially against high-level competition. In the team's blowout loss to Gonzaga on Dec. 5, Moreno had more fouls (three) than rebounds (two). And in UK's 12-point win over Indiana on Dec. 13, he had just three points and two rebounds. While he has shown plenty of promise, it must be the hope of the coaching staff that Garrison's benching lights a fire under him so Moreno isn't tasked with doing so much in his first year as a collegian.
2025-26 stats: 5.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.5 steals in 17.3 minutes per game (10 appearances; five starts)
What to know:Brandon Garrison is averaging the same minutes per game as last season. But he's averaging fewer points, assists, steals and blocks per game. There have been two areas of slight improvement, however. He's grabbing more rebounds, and his shooting percentages — overall, at the free-throw line and beyond the 3-point arc as well as effective field-goal percentage (a stat that accounts for 3s being worth more than 2s) — are up as well. His inconsistency, however, combined with Moreno's better-than-expected play from the jump, have relegated Garrison to a reserve role for the second time in as many seasons. The inarguable low point: Garrison declined to hustle back on defense after giving the ball away in the first half against North Carolina Central, which led to a fast-break dunk for the visitors. Pope immediately called a timeout, then proceeded to light into Garrison; the 6-foot-10, 245-pound forward remained glued to the bench the remainder of the night. Pope praised Garrison's response at the next practice: The big man won every sprinting drill that day. Then, in the Wildcats' next game (the 72-60 win over the Hoosiers on Dec. 13), Garrison had one of his best performances in his two-season stint with the program. Poring over the numbers on paper, his individual statistics don't exactly glow like neon lights: six points, five rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. But he made numerous hustle plays that changed the tenor of the game. His energy off the bench was striking. It was the type of outing that, should he be able to replicate those regularly, should land Garrison back in the starting five sooner rather than later. Of course, that's always been the million-dollar question with Garrison: Can he finally develop consistency? How well Garrison answers that question will dictate his playing time the rest of the 2025-26 campaign.
2025-26 stats: N/A; Quaintance has yet to appear in a game this season
What to know:Jayden Quaintance was one of the top-ranked players to hit the transfer portal after last season ended. That the Wildcats landed him was considered a coup, as Quaintance is viewed as a likely lottery pick in next year's NBA draft. But what he'll be able to do for Kentucky — if anything — still is up in the air. He tore his ACL in February in the middle of his freshman campaign at Arizona State. While Pope continues to tout how Quaintance is getting closer and closer to being cleared, until he actually takes the floor in a live game, UK fans will have flashbacks to the Shaedon Sharpe saga, when the highly touted guard enrolled in January 2022 and teased the possibility of playing that semester ... only to enter that year's draft without making an appearance in a Kentucky uniform.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
Brendan Rodgers has made a swift return to football management, taking the helm at Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah just six weeks after his contentious departure from Scottish champions Celtic.
This move marks Rodgers’ first managerial role outside of Britain, following spells at Liverpool, Leicester, and Swansea.
Al-Qadsiah, currently sitting fifth in the Saudi Pro League in their inaugural top-flight season, has described Rodgers as a "world-renowned coach."
The club, which boasts Italian striker Mateo Retegui and former Real Madrid defender Fernandez Nacho, stated his arrival "reflects the club’s ambitious vision and its rapidly growing sporting project."
Rodgers’ second tenure at Celtic concluded on 27 October amid significant controversy, with major shareholder Dermot Desmond publicly criticising his conduct as "divisive, misleading, and self-serving," and alleging he "contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club."
Brendan Rodgers was slammed by Dermot Desmond when he left Celtic in October (Andrew Milligan/PA) (PA Wire)
The club’s chief executive, James Bisgrove, hailed the appointment as a "landmark moment for the club."
He added, "The caliber of his experience and track record of winning reflects our ambition and long-term vision to establish Al-Qadsiah as one of Asia’s leading clubs."
Al-Qadsiah’s status has been significantly transformed since its acquisition by state-owned Saudi oil giant Aramco in 2023.
Rodgers arrives with a strong track record, having secured back-to-back Scottish league titles with Celtic, contributing to his 11 major trophies across two spells, alongside an FA Cup win with Leicester.
He also came close to winning the Premier League with Liverpool back in 2014, but the Reds missed out on the title by two points to Manchester City.
Liverpool failed to build on that campaign as they finished sixth the following season under Rodgers, 25 points behind champions, Chelsea.
Rodgers was sacked in the early stages of the 2015-16 season and replaced by Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, but he bounced back to enjoy further success at Celtic and Leicester.
The Alabama Crimson Tide are back in the College Football Playoff and will take on the Oklahoma Sooners Friday in the first round of the CFP at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman.
Alabama (10-3) is the No. 9 seed in the playoffs and is ranked No. 11 in the US LBM Coaches Poll; Oklahoma (10-2) is the No. 8 seed and ranked No. 8 in the polls. The winner will advance to the CFP semifinals at the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day to face the No. 1 overall seed Indiana Hoosiers.
The Crimson Tide are coming off a punchless performance in a 28-7 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. Alabama rushed for negative net yardage and finished with just 209 total yards. Ty Simpson threw for 212 yards and the Tide's only touchdown off a 23-yard run by Germie Bernard.
Oklahoma came from behind to defeat LSU, 17-13, in the Sooners' last game on Nov. 29. John Mateer hit Isaiah Sategna III for a 58-yard go-ahead touchdown with 4:16 to play.
ESPN reveals TV broadcasters for Alabama vs Oklahoma football in CFP first round
Ahead of Alabama-Oklahoma, ESPN announced who will have the call of Friday's game in Norman. Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will call the action from the broadcast booth at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge will report from the sidelines.
For Fowler and Herbstreit, it's their fourth Alabama game this season, and the duo's third straight broadcast calling a Crimson Tide game. The pair called the Tide's loss to Georgia in the SEC title game, as well as their 27-20 win over Auburn. Fowler and Herbstreit called Alabama's 24-21 win over Georgia in the regular season on Sept. 27.
Fowler and Herbstreit have been ESPN and ABC's No. 1 college football broadcast crew since 2014.
What channel will Alabama football CFP game vs. Oklahoma be on?
Alabama-Oklahoma will be shown nationally on ABC and ESPN and will stream on ESPN+.
Additionally, both SEC Network and ESPN2 will offer alternate presentations of the game. Per a press release from ESPN:
"ESPN2 and SEC Network will each feature a Skycast of the battle of the conference foes. ESPN2’s Skycast audio will highlight Oklahoma’s hometown radio crew, while SEC Network’s will showcase Alabama’s hometown radio."
Alabama vs. Oklahoma start time for CFP game
Kickoff for Alabama-Oklahoma is 7 p.m. CT Friday.
Alabama football series history vs Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma leads the all-time series vs. Alabama, 5-2-1. The Sooners defeated the Crimson Tide, 23-21, in Week 12 of the regular season and won 24-3 on Nov. 23, 2024, in Norman.
Alabama's only win over Oklahoma in recent history was in the 2018 CFP semifinals at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Tua Tagovailoa out-dueled Kyler Murray in a 45-34 Alabama victory that sent the Crimson Tide to the national championship game against the Clemson Tigers.
Here are the game-by-game results for Alabama vs. Oklahoma football through the years.
2025: Oklahoma 23, Alabama 21 (Tuscaloosa)
2024: Oklahoma 24, Alabama 3 (Norman)
2018: Alabama 45, Oklahoma 34 (Orange Bowl)
2013: Oklahoma 45, Alabama 31 (Sugar Bowl)
2003: Oklahoma 20, Alabama 13 (Tuscaloosa)
2002: Oklahoma 37, Alabama 27 (Norman)
1970: Alabama 24, Oklahoma 24 (Bluebonnet Bowl)
1963: Alabama 17, Oklahoma 0 (Orange Bowl)
Alabama football schedule 2025
Here's a game-by-game look at Alabama football's 2025 schedule.
Yes, the New York Giants hold the overall top pick in next April's draft, so they were not the opposition the Seahawks, Lions, and Broncos faced in recent games. Yet, as bad as the Giants are, the people putting up the money for the game had the line at kickoff reveal the Giants were actually a 2.5-point favorite Sunday over the Commanders.
However, the Commanders exhibited something they haven't shown much this 2025 season — the big play. Sunday at MetLife Stadium, the Commanders produced several big plays, leading to their 29-21 win. Here is a quick look at plays that resulted in 15 yards or more.
First Quarter
Marcus Mariota to Noah Brown for 28 yards
Jaylin Lane 20-yard punt return
Second Quarter
Jacory Croskey-Merritt 16-yard touchdown run
Mariota to John Bates for 19 yards
Mariota to Jeremy McNichols for 16 yards
Jaylin Lane 63-yard punt return touchdown
Mike Sainristil's interception return for 55 yards
It was good to see the Commanders displaying some explosiveness with all of these big plays, going for at least 15 yards. Next Saturday, the Philadelphia Eagles visit the Washington Commanders for a Saturday contest, scheduled for a 5 p.m. ET broadcast. This means it will be a nationally broadcast game, followed by the Green Bay Packers going to Chicago to face the Bears, with the second game scheduled to kick off at 8:20 PM.
Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams on the radar of Man United ahead of winter
The name of Bournemouth star Tyler Adams has cropped up in conversations over Manchester United’s potential midfield targets in the winter transfer window or next summer, according to the Daily Mail. Man United want to strengthen in the middle of the park at the Old Trafford club as they prepare for the potential departure of Casemiro. The Red Devils have been linked with the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.
However, Adams is a more attractive and cheaper target as he could be available for around £40 million. The 26-year-old United States international has played less than 50 Premier League games but has done enough to catch the attention of Man United. Adams was looking forward to playing against the Red Devils at Old Trafford last night, but an injury ruled him out five minutes into the game. He missed practically the entirety of the 4-4 thriller but would remain on their radar heading into the winter transfer window. Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo is the only Premier League midfielder to have made more interceptions than Adams this season besides, and he ranks seventh in the total number of tackles made by any player including defenders.
He has proven himself in recent seasons and could be the perfect long-term successor to Casemiro. While yesterday would have been the perfect audition for him, he has other games to prove himself going forward if Man United are not yet convinced.
Juventus open to Manuel Locatelli swap in bid to sign Marseille’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Juventus are not expected to spend big during the upcoming January transfer window, but Olympique de Marseille’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (30) has emerged as a key target for the Serie A side, according to a report from La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Denmark international is a key part of Marseille’s midfield and has regularly worn the armband under Roberto De Zerbi’s management. Unsurprisingly, therefore, neither OM nor De Zerbi are keen to part ways with Hojbjerg this January.
He is, however, Juventus’ prime target as they have made strengthening their midfield a priority for next month. The Italian side believe that they may have a joker to play, given that De Zerbi is a strong admirer of Manuel Locatelli (27).
Sending Locatelli in the opposite direction, to the Vélodrome, could sweeten the deal, given that the midfielder has already previously been strongly linked with a move to the Ligue 1 giants.
Juventus eye RB Leipzig midfielder on a free transfer
With just over six months left on his contract at RB Leipzig, Xaver Schlager could potentially leave the club on a free transfer next summer.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are interested in picking up the Austrian international as a free agent once his contract expires.
Die Roten Bullen, however, would likely prefer to avoid losing Schlager on a free transfer and may look to negotiate a contract extension.
In what has generally been an injury-plagued spell at Red Bull Arena, the 28-year-old central midfielder has made 91 appearances since joining from Wolfsburg in 2022.
He is an Austrian international and has represented his country 49 times at senior level.
Joshua is the latter, to avoid any confusion, with the Briton entering Friday’s fight in Miami as a huge favourite. “AJ” holds standout victories over the likes of Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, Kubrat Pulev, Dillian Whyte and Alexander Povetkin. However, the 36-year-old is entering this bout, which streams live on Netflix, on the back of a brutal stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
Meanwhile, Paul comes into this contest – a professional bout, with knockouts allowed and standard 10oz gloves in use – with a 12-1 pro record. The American, 28, last fought in June and outpointed former world middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, following a decision win over heavyweight legend Mike Tyson last November.
Tyson was 58 at the time, with the fight proving controversial to fans and pundits but lucrative to the boxers; Paul reportedly took home $40m and Tyson $20m.
Now, Paul and Joshua will seemingly clear even Paul’s payday from that bout – and by some distance.
Last November, Jake Paul (right) beat heavyweight legend Mike Tyson (Getty)
In the days leading up to the confirmation of this bout in November, the Daily Mailreported, “Sources tell us that a gargantuan prize pot of around £140m [$184m] has been mooted,” seemingly to be split evenly between Joshua and Paul. However, Paul later took to X (formerly Twitter) with a different figure, seemingly referencing the fight purse.
Several days after the Mail’s report was published, Paul tweeted: “Stop asking me. $267 Million.” That works out at approximately £200m.
Sports and entertainment accountant Oriana Morrison told The Independent on Tuesday: “Even if the lower figure – the rumoured $184m purse – is true, AJ could bring home $92m [£70m]. We haven’t seen a boxing match with a purse at this level since Mayweather vs Pacquiao in 2015 or even Mayweather vs McGregor in 2017. It’s higher than any Saudi purse to date.”
Anthony Joshua has been in the lead-up to his fight with Paul (Getty)
Morrison, who was referencing Floyd Mayweather’s bouts with Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor, continued: “The US never really got the chance to savour Anthony Joshua’s talent and charisma. This is the perfect setting for this fight and definitely a turning point for boxing in the US.
“MVP [Most Valuable Promotions, Paul’s company] and Jake Paul are dragging new audiences into boxing. They’re forcing boxing to modernise its promotion and pay fighters better than established promoters.”
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA — Tom Izzo took umbrage to the question, even though it wasn’t the question the Michigan State basketball coach thought.
Divine Ugochukwu had just gone off for a career-high 23 points and 5-for-5 3-point shooting in the No. 9 Spartans' narrow 76-72 win at Penn State. Izzo brought in the Miami (Florida) transfer as a backup point guard but gave Ugochukwu his first start as a Spartan at shooting guard next to Jeremy Fears Jr.
“The quarterback controversy – you guys know me … I’m into making you guys so mad at me,” Izzo said Saturday, Dec. 13. “I ain’t worried about that at all.”
Of course he isn’t. The “quarterback controversy” term he used deep inside Bryce Jordan Center was the same one he himself brought up a week earlier to describe his inconsistent shooting guard position after MSU (9-1, 2-0 Big Ten) lost its first game this season, 66-60 to No. 3 Duke. Izzo was struggling to figure out how to best use Ugochukwu, previous starters Kur Teng and Trey Fort, as well as freshman Jordan Scott.
“There will be some juggling,” Izzo said Dec. 6 at Breslin Center. “We’ll have a quarterback controversy. Because what you do is you give people an opportunity and a chance. And yet, sooner or later, you gotta step up.”
Which brings us to Tuesday’s game against Toledo (5-5). But more specifically, the Spartans’ next three games before resuming Big Ten play at Nebraska on Jan. 2.
Izzo was cognizant ahead of the Penn State game that the rest of the month would give him a chance to explore. Altering his lineups and moving players into uncomfortable positions has always been some of the best teaching devices in his coaching toolbox over 30 seasons, and Year 31 is no different.
It’s a calculated time of the season for Izzo and something he typically attempts to do at this point for several reasons. To find out about the Spartans’ mental ability to handle adverse situations, be it through real or manufactured strain. To find out about his players’ positional strengths and limitations, so he can whittle and finesse his rotation when Big Ten play heats up after the new year.
Even going back more than a quarter century to his national championship team losing at Wright State on the next-to-last day of 1999, Izzo has never been afraid to sacrifice a December game if it means winning four (or more) come March, based on what he discovers and how his players respond. But it’s always better for him and his program when those experiments come with wins.
And it helps to keep Izzo from using another term he loves to throw around when success becomes too consuming – the dreaded “fat and sassy.”
“We did find a way in the end,” Izzo said Saturday after MSU blew two 10-point leads and still hung on against the Nittany Lions. “And good teams have to find a way to win.”
Whether that means Ugochukwu continues to start and Izzo massages his point guard rotation with him, Fears and potentially more of Denham Wojcik will remain to be seen. The same goes for the question of whether Scott will continue to get more minutes, as Izzo said Saturday, or if Fort and Teng respond to the challenge Izzo has laid out to provide more on both ends of the floor.
“They’re human beings. And human beings are meant to be pushed,” Izzo said Nov. 16, two days before beating Kentucky in the Champions Classic. “And if they aren’t meant to be pushed, I wouldn’t have a job. I mean, that’s why you have a job, to try and push people and make them into what they want to be.”
But there remains no question that Izzo is searching for the combinations he likes best with his roster. Just like he does most every December. And he’s not afraid to mix things up until he finds the right formula for the season’s final three months.
“We’re not gonna have a steady diet of anything,” Izzo said Thursday before the PSU trip. “We’re gonna try to find out who’s better off the bench, who’s better in (the lineup), how do we get our rotation down. I told you it would take until the middle of December, and now we’re getting to the middle of December. And that’s what we’ll start doing.”
Chris Solari's prediction
Expect Izzo to continue to tinker with his five-man lineups to find the ones that give the Spartans the most consistency on both ends of the court. A strong start will be key here, and MSU’s talent will eventually overwhelm the Rockets by the early stages of the second half and allow plenty of minutes for Izzo’s 11-man playing group to state their case. The pick: MSU 88, Toledo 68.
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Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola is entering the transfer portal. Raiola will have two years of eligibility remaining.
The quarterback threw for 4,819 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions during his time in Lincoln. He had a 140.8 career passer rating.
Raiola broke out as a freshman in 2024, recording 2,819 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He started in 22 total games for the program.
The sophomore had a stellar second season, which was cut short by injury. He threw for 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions with a 72.4% completion percentage.
Raiola was injured during Nebraska’s game against USC, getting sacked in the third quarter. The injury forced him out of the rest of the game, and it was confirmed that he suffered a season-ending broken right fibula injury.
This move undoubtedly reshapes the Huskers' quarterback room going forward. It will be interesting to see which direction the program takes and how active they are on the transfer portal for a signal-caller.
- 2021: Plays for Burleson H.S. (TX) - 2022: Transfers to Chandler H.S. (AZ) - May 2022: Commits to Ohio State - 2023: Transfers to Buford H.S. (GA) - May 2023: Commits to Georgia - December 2023: Commits to Nebraska - December 2025: Enters transfer portal… pic.twitter.com/qVKWI77HrS
With DJ Lagway and Dylan Raiola intending to enter the portal, the top-five 2024 QB recruits (per the 247Sports Composite) will have all transferred within two years of signing with their initial schools pic.twitter.com/CsJEotVPEG
We appreciate what Dylan Raiola did and the effort he put forth. It's time to move on to the next chapter. It's going to be exciting to see who the next starting quarterback is. #GBR
Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.
After years of hosting middling mid-major competition, the Texas Tech women's basketball team's home schedule underwent a glow-up this season.
That included a stretch of Power 4 opponents at United Supermarkets Arena in which the Lady Raiders answered with three wins — two over SEC foes.
Yet more people watched Tech face Houston Christian last season than any of those matchups.
The Lady Raiders, who are 12-0 entering their final non-conference game Wednesday, boast their most impressive early résumé of the Krista Gerlich era. The team is not only winning, but winning big. All but three victories have been by 20-plus points. That's caught the attention of national-poll voters and placed them in the top 25 of NET rankings.
So, why hasn't attendance matched the on-court product?
Tech posted its worst-attended season opener under Gerlich with 2,978 watching the team play North Carolina A&T. In fact, it was the smallest home crowd since Gerlich took over, pandemic season of 2020-21 notwithstanding.
Pointing to the opponent? OK. The smallest crowd from 2024-25 — 3,584 in the opener against UIW — was still more than five of seven home games this year. The exceptions were the Arkansas game in which the 1992-93 national-champion team was inducted into the Ring of Honor and the Mississippi State contest, which drew 68 more than the UIW showing.
Four of the six worst turnouts in non-pandemic campaigns under Gerlich have been this year, despite the success.
The coach feels part of the reason may be tied to fans' perception of the team.
"I think more than anything, people probably are doubting us and what we can do," Gerlich said.
And if you haven't been paying attention recently, that's fair. The Lady Raiders have finished above .500 three seasons in a row — the past two by one game — but haven't reached the NCAA Tournament since 2013. Big 12 play has not been kind, either.
Doubt is understandable. It's also reasonable to suspect Tech's other successes have played a role. In a football-crazed state, it's hard to dismiss the impact the Red Raiders' run to their first Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff berth have had on attention to November basketball.
"I think there's been a lot of Red Raider sports going on," Gerlich said, "so I think there's probably a little bit of fan fatigue, if you will. But I've been pleased with our crowds. … I think it's more so that we've just had so many things going on here, that it's just a lot. I'm expecting our crowd to really rev up during conference play."
History says that should be the case. As the sports calendar opens up and the stakes rise, attendance does increase. Since the pandemic, the Lady Raiders have averaged at least 4,488 at home in Big 12 games. That was last year, and the two seasons before averaged more than 5,000.
Entering Wednesday’s Education Day matinee, an annual boost to attendance (and high-pitched noise), Tech home crowds averaged 3,484. The non-conference slate outside Education Day last year averaged 4,088.
It's perhaps a marginal decline, but given the Tech team taking the floor, it seems more stark. The offense is smoother than in recent memory and averaging 77.3 points per game. Gerlich also pointed to a defense-first approach she said West Texans appreciate.
The Lady Raiders are coming off a neutral-site game against ACU in Odessa. Gerlich said the decision was part being without United Supermarkets Arena because of graduation ceremonies and part giving Tech fans in that region a chance to watch the team. Gerlich said a neutral-site contest against UNLV at West Texas A&M in 2021 increased season-ticket interest from the Panhandle, too.
The Lady Raiders open conference play at Baylor this Sunday before hosting UCF on New Year's Eve. It could be tough to draw a big crowd on a holiday, but the team deserves one. Tech should be a significant favorite, but the game's importance is part of the big picture. The Lady Raiders have the best shot in years to end their NCAA Tournament drought. Conference play is going to determine their fate. Taking care of underdogs at home should be the minimum standard.
Those who have watched this team from the jump know it's a different group. Those who haven't shouldn't wait much longer. Gerlich promises you won't be disappointed.
"I think if they come and watch one game, we'll hook them,” Gerlich said, "because our kids play so hard. We're obviously playing really good defense, and I know that Lady Raider nation respects and appreciates hard-nosed defense. We're playing an exciting brand of basketball; we're sharing the ball; we've got a lot of offensive weapons, so we're scoring the basketball a lot better. …
“We have been so appreciative of the ones that have been there, but we certainly can lead this conference in attendance if Lady Raider nation will come just take a peek."
Avalanche-Journal reporter Nathan Giese contributed to this story.
Eddie Howe's team news update: Burn injury, Botman latest
Burn was injured in a first half challenge with Nordi Mukiele and was subsequently withdrawn and taken to hospital for treatment.
And ahead of Wednesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final against the England international's former club Fulham at St. James' Park (kick-off 8:15pm GMT), head coach Howe confirmed his side will be without the 33-year-old until the New Year.
Howe provided further team news updates in his pre-match media briefing on Tuesday morning as he previewed the last-eight clash with the Cottagers, with a third semi-final appearance in four years in the offing should the Magpies see off Marco Silva's men.
Here are some of the main talking points:
Howe on Burn's injury...
"It was a big blow for us because I think he's been excellent in recent weeks. It's a rib problem and an issue with his lungs so we wish him well and it will be around four to six weeks out."
Howe on team news ahead of the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Fulham...
"The back line is an issue for us. We don't have many injuries but we have a concentrated group of players that all play in the same position.
"With Sven (Botman), we're not entirely sure when he'll return. He's made good progress but he's not ready to play yet.
"Emil Krafth and Kieran Trippier are still out and their target date will be around the new year we think.
"Jamaal Lascelles is returning from a muscle problem. He's fit and training with the group."
Howe on whether Yoane Wissa is ready to make his first start for United...
"I'll make a decision on that (whether he's able to start) in consultation with everybody else. We'll have to see whether he can execute what we need him to."
Howe on Wednesday's visit of the Cottagers providing a "positive focus" for his side...
"The beauty of football is you get another opportunity to focus on. That's a good thing for us after Sunday.
"It's a difficult game, but it's a great opportunity for us to get to another semi-final of this competition. It's something positive to focus on."
Howe on reacting to the Wear-Tyne derby defeat at Sunderland...
"Part of my job is to remain very level. If you don't and you join the emotional rollercoaster that football brings, you can damage relationships which are hugely important.
"I have to be constructive in my feedback and criticism which I will endeavour to do because we have to be very honest with the players and they have to be honest back with us. Then we have to find a way forward and we have to find a way to get consistent results which is what we're still searching for this season."
Howe on responding after Sunday...
"I can't do that myself - it's going to be us together as a group. I understand it. All I urge the supporters to do is what they've always done since I've been here and that's support the team when they're playing.
"We have a huge group of games to come and we have the opportunity to still make this an amazing season, so while we're in that position while everything can still be positive we have to attack it with all of our efforts combined."
PARIS (AP) — Portugal will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2027 and 2028, replacing the Dutch Grand Prix.
The Algarve International Circuit near Portimão previously hosted F1 in 2020 and 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic.
The two-year deal brings the series back to Portugal after a six-year absence.
“The circuit delivers on-track excitement from the first corner to the checkered flag, and its energy lifts fans out of their seats," F1 president Stefano Domenicali said on Tuesday. "I look forward to working together again to ensure that Portimão returns to the calendar in emphatic style.”
Portugal's first F1 race was in Porto in 1958 but was discontinued shortly after. Estoril hosted grands prix from 1984-96, and was where Ayrton Senna claimed his first victory.
When Georgia beat Tennessee 44-41 in overtime in September, you probably thought you were watching two playoff teams at Neyland Stadium.
The Vols could have won the game in regulation play if not for a missed field goal. But even in an agonizingly close defeat, UT fans could be encouraged by the outcome.
If Josh Heupel's Vols could come that close to winning – and gain 498 yards against a Kirby Smart defense along the way – why shouldn’t their fan base be optimistic about how the season would unfold?
There was just a sliver of difference between the Vols and Bulldogs on that day. But the gap would widen drastically as the season went along.
The Tennessee defense never got any better. It gave up 44 points against Georgia in its first SEC game and 45 to Vanderbilt in its last SEC game.
The Bulldogs kept getting better defensively until by the end of the season, they had a typically tough Georgia defense. Despite giving up 41 points to the Vols, they will enter the playoffs ranked 11th nationally in points allowed per game. Tennessee ranks 91st in the same category.
A porous defense cost the Vols dearly in their four losses. As a result, they were eliminated from the playoff chase and are headed for the Music City Bowl against Illinois.
Thanks to a much-improved defense, Georgia is 12-1, the SEC champion, and the conference’s best bet in the College Football Playoff.
While the Bulldogs earned a first-round bye, four other SEC teams will dive into the playoffs in the first round (Dec. 19-20). Here’s what I expect:
Oklahoma 23, Alabama 20: Much has been made of the Tide amassing significantly more yardage against the Sooners in their regular-season matchup, which Oklahoma won by two points.
Tennessee also outgained Oklahoma but lost 33-27.
You can’t measure the Sooners by yardage. They went 10-2 against a difficult schedule because of their defense, which so often made game-turning plays. Quarterback John Mateer, who can be maddeningly inconsistent, also came through in the clutch. And nobody is more clutch than kicker Tate Sandelle, who has made 23 of 24 field-goal attempts.
That should be enough to go back-to-back against Alabama, whose passing game is headed in the wrong direction. The Crimson Tide's running game, which averages only 116 yards per outing, will be hard-pressed to dent the Oklahoma defense.
Ole Miss 38, Tulane 20: The Rebels were abandoned by their coach but embraced by the CFP selection committee, which seeded them sixth for the playoffs. Coach Lane Kiffin’s much-publicized departure for LSU means former Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding will make his head-coaching debut.
Unlike Kiffin, coach Jon Sumrall is sticking around for Tulane’s playoff run, even though he already has accepted the Florida job.
Never mind who’s coaching. Ole Miss has the better players, as evidenced by its 45-10 victory over Tulane during the regular season.
Texas A&M 28, Miami 23: Don’t blame the selection committee for keeping Notre Dame out of the playoffs. Blame the Aggies and Hurricanes, both of whom won close early-season games against the Irish.
Former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck will need to be at his best to beat the Aggies. But do you really think a hostile venue and an aggressive opposing defense will bring out the best in Beck?
His track record suggests otherwise.
Record: 110-19 (.853), 76-41 (.649) against the spread.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com.
Today in Boston Celtics history, Antoine Walker put up a triple-double in a 99-87 defeat at the hands of the Charlotte Hornets in 2000. The University of Kentucky alum put up 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists with 1 foul and 6 turnovers in just under 45 minutes of floor time in the losing contest from the Celtics.
He hit a mere 7 of his 20 attempts from the floor overall that night, and only 1 of his 7 attempts from beyond the arc, a likely key cause in the defeat -- although Walker did hit a total of 5 of his 6 trips to the free throw line that evening.
Teammate Paul Pierce added 19 points and 5 rebounds and Bryant Stith chipped in another 14, but it wasn't enough to secure the win for Boston.
Historic milestones
It is also on this day in 1979 that the Celtics saw (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets guard Mike Newlin hang 52 points on the Celtics, tied for the sixth-most points a player has scored against Boston. The performance came in a loss for the Nets though, the Celtics coming away with a 115-112 overtime win, the game played at the Nets' arena for their fourth season in the NBA, Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway, New Jersey. Newlin's full stat line was 52 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal in 49 minutes of play with 3 fouls and 4 turnovers.
He shot 19-of-28 overall and hit one of his three attempts from beyond the arc while going 13-of-15 from the charity stripe, yet again not enough for Boston's opponent to come away with a victory.
Birthdays
Finally, it is also the birthday of former Celtics forward Bennie Swain, who came into this world in 1933 in Talladega, Alabama. Swain would play collegiately at Texas Southern University and led the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in scoring in the 1957-58 season, earning him NAIA All-American honors.
That got him on the radar of the Celtics, who picked him up with the seventh overall selection of the 1958 NBA Draft. He only played a single season for the franchise in 1958-59, but won a title with them in it, averaging 4.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
The Ohio State football team, led by Ryan Day is in the midst of nearly a month break. The last time the Buckeyes stepped on the field, they fell to Indiana 13-10 in the Big Ten Championship.
With the loss, Ohio State’s road to back-to-back championship seasons gets that much harder and Ryan Day is hoping the loss helps this year’s Buckeyes find the necessary edge to win it all that the team found last season following the loss to Michigan.
Ohio State’s next game will be New Year’s Eve and it will play the winner of Miami and Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. Ohio State will be using the extra time off preparing for a championship run, but the coaching staff will also be taking advantage of the extra time to recruit as well.
Following the early signing period, Ohio State’s 2026 class is all but wrapped up, minus a few last-second additions. Because of this, the coaching staff is able to place the majority of its focus recruiting next year’s class of recruits.
The Buckeyes already hold seven verbal commitments in next year’s class, good for the No. 4 team currently in the cycle, according to 247Sports. The coaching staff is certainly looking to add to this already impressive haul, and they may be doing so this week.
Over the weekend 2027 four-star linebacker Quinton Cypher (Raleigh, NC / Millbrook) announced his top four schools and Ohio State made the cut. He also announced that he will be announcing his commitment this week.
NEWS: Four-Star LB Quinton Cypher is down to 4 schools, he tells me for @rivals⁰⁰The 6’3 215 LB from Raleigh, NC will announce his commitment this week
Cypher is the No. 11 LB in the 247Sports Composite and he is thew No. 192 national prospect. He is also the No. 8 recruit out of North Carolina. As was noted, the Buckeyes are not alone in his recruitment as Alabama, Georgia and Miami also made the cut for the blue-chip linebacker.
Shortly following Cypher’s top schools and commitment announcement, predictions started to be cast in favor of Ohio State by multiple experts at On3 and the Buckeyes certainly look to be the favorites going into his commitment. Cypher quickly became one of Ohio State’s top targets at his position in the 2027 class and he visited Columbus and the Buckeyes just last month.
Georgia is looked at as Ohio State’s biggest competition for Cypher and while this is all looking great for Ohio State, the blue-chip prospect has kept his recruitment rather close to the vest for the majority of his recruitment. Because of this, even if the tea leaves are looking scarlet and gray, there is far from any guarantee he will choose the Buckeyes. We also are uncertain as to which date this week he will be committing, only that he is planning for it to take place this week.
Make sure to follow Land-Grant Holy Land for updates on how Cypher’s recruitment plays out and all things Ohio State.
Quick Hits
Sticking with the 2027 recruiting class, Ohio State has identified a running back that they think would make for an excellent addition to the team. This past weekend three-star RB SaRod Baker (DeSoto, TX / DeSoto) announced he had received an official scholarship offer from the Buckeyes.
While only being a three-star prospect, Baker has racked up almost two dozen scholarship offers from the likes of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Pitt, SMU, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF and others – and now Ohio State. Baker is the No. 68 RB in the 247Sports Composite and is the No. 806 national prospect.
Obviously, this season did go the way we thought that it would, myself included. Notre Dame started off the regular season 0-2 after dropping games to the two best opponents they played, Miami on the road and Texas A&M at home. They then proceeded to rattle off 10 straight wins by double digits and accomplished something they hadn't done since the 1966 season. After the final week of the regular season, they were in prime position to make the playoffs but were left out after, arguably, the biggest snub in the playoff era.
So what did the Fighting Irish learn in the process? As there head coach Marcus Freeman says 'there's lessons to be learned in every scenario.' So what were the lessons learned here? Everything has to be under evaluation heading into the offseason to better prepare this program to go on a run in 2026. For me, it's relatively simple: start faster and finish dominant.
Start Faster
The month of September hasn't been too kind to Notre Dame under Freeman. They have suffered devastating losses in each of the four seasons in his tenure in the month of September or the first quarter of the regular season. In 2022, they lost their season opener to Ohio State on the road 21-10 only to follow up that loss with a loss in their home opener to Marshall 26-21 a week later. In 2023, they rattled off four straight victories to kick off the season but lost in a heartbreaker to Ohio State in South Bend 17-14. Last season, a week after picking up their biggest win in September under Freeman, they lost their home opener to Northern Illinois 16-14.
Home openers in the Freeman Era haven't gone the way we had expected either. Notre Dame is 1-3 since 2022 in home openers with losses to Marshall, Northern Illinois and Texas A&M. Their lone home-opener win came against Tennessee State in 2023, the only FCS team the Irish have played in program history. Something has to get adjusted in the preseason to get this team going out of the gate quicker; a faster start is imperative to their season's success.
One thing that would help is potentially altering the early season schedule. Notre Dame was the only team ranked in the College Football Playoff Top 25 that started their season playing two playoff teams. With future schedules featuring Alabama, Texas, Auburn and Michigan likely in the early window, the month of September will continue to carry a heavy weight for the Irish and their playoff outlook. Starting fast has to become a top priority for Freeman and this program moving forward so they aren't working from behind the eight ball in future seasons.
Finish Dominant
As much as I disagree with how the committee evaluated Miami's end of the season performances, the reality is, the box score watchers were amongst the playoff committee. Notre Dame can't afford to let late game touchdowns happen like we saw this season against Pitt and Stanford. No, that doesn't mean keep the first team offense and defense in and run with the same gameplan they started the game with. I'm not even saying run up the score, after all, they beat Syracuse this season 70-7 and still missed the playoffs.
With that being said, Notre Dame will have to operate with the same aggressiveness with the back ups and rotational players in. One of the debates that kept Notre Dame and Miami close together towards the end of the regular season was the fashion in how those teams won. The Irish jumped out to big leads and took their foot off the gas against teams like Pitt and Stanford while the Hurricanes limped through the first half of some of those games and piled on points. A dominant end to the season has to be a priority in years to come regardless of the start of the season for Notre Dame's playoff chances.
Yes, there are other factors at play as to why Notre Dame didn't make the playoffs, but there are valuable lessons to be learned in any season and to me, this season's lessons were abundantly clear. How do you become more successful in September and the early window of the season? How do you start off your home campaign on a strong note? How do you put teams away late but don't run up the score with your starters in? Those are all things the staff will have to evaluate during this long offseason. If they come away with a great plan for 2026, next season will be one to remember.
Chelsea are aiming for more silverware under Enzo Maresca when they travel to Cardiff City in the quarterfinals of the EFL Cup.
The Blues lifted the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup last season, although a morale boost might be in order following their recent form.
Saturday's 2-0 win at home to Everton ended a four-game winless run across all competitions that has seen Chelsea fall away from pacesetters in the Premier League
Cardiff were finalists in the competition in 2012, losing to Liverpool on penalties. The League One leaders are the only club outside of the Premier League remaining in the draw.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the quarterfinal schedule.
EFL Cup matches throughout the season are available on Paramount+.
Paramount+ gives subscribers the ability to watch basketball, football, golf and soccer, and they won't have to break the bank in order to follow along with the latest sporting events. Paramount+ does have a FREE trial, so new subscribers can enjoy it for one week before making a payment.
What time does Cardiff vs. Chelsea kick off?
This clash takes place at the Cardiff City Stadium and kicks off on Tuesday, December 16 at 8 p.m. local time.
The quarterfinals of the EFL Cup are underway. Who will stand tall when Newcastle United faces Fulham?
Last year's champions Newcastle head into the match as the favorites, but manager Eddie Howe is under big pressure following their 1-0 defeat to rivals Sunderland at the weekend.
Fulham are in higher spirits following a 3-2 win over Burnley last time out and are bidding for a second EFL Cup semifinal appearance in three seasons.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the weekly schedule.
EFL Cup matches throughout the season are available on Paramount+.
Paramount+ gives subscribers the ability to watch basketball, football, golf and soccer, and they won't have to break the bank in order to follow along with the latest sporting events. Paramount+ does have a FREE trial, so new subscribers can enjoy it for one week before making a payment.
What time does Newcastle vs. Fulham kick off?
This clash takes place at St. James' Park and kicks off on Wednesday, December 17 at 8:15 p.m. local time.
But it snowed Sunday and practice was canceled. So his whole team finally practiced together Monday afternoon. Sheehan plays its first game Tuesday at home against Darien.
The Titans, and other teams like Windsor and Northwest Catholic, had to wait for some of their players because the football finals took place Saturday.
“There’s pros and cons,” said Wodatch, whose team was the Division IV runner-up to unbeaten Ellington last year. “The con is you’re missing out on some of your guys that need valuable preseason time to get their bodies and their minds ready to play. But the positive is that it gives other guys experience they wouldn’t otherwise have if they were here. It better prepares those guys.
“As a team it’s a little bit of a setback before we get our full team together. The snow messed with our plans (Sunday), unfortunately, so it was another setback. But all the football guys are there today in the gym.”
Sheehan, the 23rd of 27 seeds in the Div. IV tournament last year, made an improbable run to the finals last year.
“We’re lost a good senior group that had a lot of leadership and team connectivity, but they are leaving that with us and we’re in a better starting spot because of that mentality,” Wodatch said. “That (run) gave them a lot of confidence in terms of what it takes to play winning basketball.”
Most of the football players were in the gym Sunday for Windsor, after winning their second state title in program history in Class MM. Missoni Brown, the MVP of the Warriors’ state basketball championship team as a freshman, and Jayden Compton, two juniors, are key players returning for the Warriors. Senior Theo Perkins, who transferred from East Catholic and played on the football team, is also expected to play a key role on the basketball team. Quarterback AJ Robinson played basketball as a sophomore and didn’t play last year, but Windsor coach Ken Smith expected him to be back, too.
“I’m trying to work with the kids,” Smith said. “I know some of them (are) going to be banged up and they can’t go but they want to go. But they’re not going to have the stamina they need and it’s going to be hard.”
Windsor lost in the Div. I quarterfinals last year to eventual champion Notre Dame-West Haven.
At Northwest Catholic, John Mirabello was dealing with the same issue; two of his main players – Vincent Burbank and Kayden Davis – were on the football team that lost to Sheehan in the Class S final Saturday.
“It’s a good thing, it’s great for the school, the run was terrific, even though it didn’t end the way they wanted it to,” Mirabello said Sunday. “Today was the first day and they came in and I said guys, ‘You’re not running, you’re not bumping into anybody, let’s just start slowly.’”
Northwest lost in the Div. I quarterfinals to East Catholic, 59-41 last year.
Around the CCC
East Catholic coach Luke Reilly is catching up to his father and uncle as far as victories go. Reilly is three wins short of 500; his uncle Gene is 11th on the all-time wins list in the state with 548 wins and his father Joe is 15th with 512.
East, which lost in the Div. I semifinals last year to St. Bernard, lost four players to transfers – two to prep school, one to Windsor and one to Bloomfield.
“Those guys have a lot of experience,” Reilly said. “I think the challenge is going to be that we lost some size but we’re going to try to make that up in style of play and some other ways. We’re kind of reinventing ourselves, which is exciting.”
“I’m a big crossword guy and I was thinking, ‘It’s a good thing I like crosswords because this is a big puzzle,’” Manchester coach John Reiser said. “It’s putting all these pieces together, finding out combinations, who’s ready – all those things. We just need time. We have our moments when things come together but it’s not consistent.”
Manchester, which beat New London 77-74 in the state championship game, opens with Cheney Tech Tuesday, then has to play Windsor on Thursday and East Catholic Monday.
The Red Hawks have also moved up to Div. I this year.
“The good thing is the energy’s good, the vibe’s good,” Reiser said. “We got that going for us.”
Bloomfield has a new coach in Corey McKeithan, who was coach Brooks Sales’ assistant the last three years. The Warhawks graduated seven seniors from last year’s team, which lost in the second round of the Div. II tournament to East Hartford but gained four transfers, including senior Kahil Bell from East Catholic, junior Rob Hall from the Masters School and senior Ken Hardy from SMSA.
“We have a pretty decent squad, I’m pretty excited,” McKeithan said.
Bloomfield will open against East Hartford Saturday at the GHPA Spirit of Doc Classic at Trinity College.
Ellington ready to defend its title
Ellington, which went undefeated and won the Div. IV state title last year, has most of its team back but has moved up to Div. III.
“It’s a fresh new year, the past is the past,” Ellington coach Bob Freitas said. “They’re bigger, they’re stronger and they’ve played so much together.”
Junior Jack Curtis had 19 points and four steals for top-seeded Ellington (27-0) in the state final and sophomore Reese Nicol had eight rebounds and nine points, while junior Ty Fieldhouse and senior Dylan Killoran both had eight rebounds.
Andrew Flickenschild was the only senior on last year’s team and 6-4 Jack Weigand is expected to step into the center role.
Cromwell’s new coach
Cromwell’s long-time coach John Pinone resigned after last season and Steve Ciarcia, who was an assistant at East Catholic and Newington, has taken over in his first head coaching job.
Cromwell, which won the Div. IV title in 2023, returns two starters from last year. The Panthers will open with Innovation, the 2024 Div. IV champion, Tuesday.
“It’s a good challenge,” Ciarcia said. “It’ll show us where we’re at.”
Gary Neville praises Ruben Amorim for one thing he got right in chaotic Bournemouth draw
Manchester United legend Gary Neville has hailed Ruben Amorim for one thing he got absolutely right, despite the club repeatedly throwing away leads to settle for a 4-4 draw with Bournemouth.
United held by Bournemouth
United enjoyed a bright start to the contest at Old Trafford, creating multiple chances and pinning the visitors inside their own half.
After a period of sustained pressure, United took the lead courtesy of Amad, who nodded home at the line, but Antoine Semenyo drew the sides level when he capitalised on an error between England duo Luke Shaw and Mason Mount.
United snatched back the lead right before the interval, with Casemiro steering a header from the back post. However, the Cherries came out firing after the restart and scored two goals in the space of six minutes. Evanilson broke into the box and made it 2-2 before Marcus Tavernier converted a free-kick past Senne Lammens, whose positioning was suspect.
The teams were drawn level again by a moment of brilliance from Bruno Fernandes, who bent a perfect free-kick into the top corner. The comeback appeared complete when Matheus Cunha then slammed in a fourth goal, putting United on the brink of a remarkable win.
After the final whistle, Amorim lamented United’s woeful defending. He has often been accused of being too pragmatic but the attacking nature of the team’s performance earned him some praise from Neville, who credited him for doing “the right thing.”
Neville gives Amorim verdict
Speaking on The Gary Neville podcast, the ex-United captain remarked, “It was a stunning watch – more for a neutral maybe, but even for me. I was really critical after the Everton and West Ham games because of just the nature of the performance – I thought it was really bland, the Everton one where obviously he kept three at the back and against one – they were down to 10 men; there was no urgency, they weren’t throwing the kitchen sink at it. Same against West Ham, they let large parts of the game drift.”
“It was the complete and utter opposite tonight, I can live with that all day long in terms of the performance and the standard because they played with real intent. Played the ball forwards, always played at full pace.”
“We’ll come onto the mistakes shortly, but I just feel that the way in which, also when United went 3-2 down, and Ruben Amorim then went to 4-4-2 and did the right thing. Forget the system, he did the right thing and he got the right players on the pitch and looked a massive threat.”
Neville continued, “But credit to Bournemouth. In the first half, I thought they were overrun by United, I thought they were going to be out of the game, that it would probably be two or 3-0. But if you don’t kill teams off – I think you said in the first half United had more shots than any other team this season recorded in the Premier League, which demonstrated their dominance.”
“But still, Bournemouth had one or two good moments, as well, get their goal and are still in it at half-time. Jamie Carragher’s words just coming out before the second half that Ruben Amorim will be thinking ‘we should be further ahead in this game’ – that’s true.”
“The second half was absolute mayhem. Absolute mayhem. But just generally in terms of sort of the fans would feel the same thing. There were boos after the Everton and West Ham game, there weren’t boos after this game.”
“There was disappointment, but there were a lot of fans we’ve just seen stay in the stadium to clap the team because they can live with that. If you’re a kid coming to United – my two girls have come tonight – and they’ll be thrilled walking back across that forecourt. They won’t be happy United haven’t won, but they’ll have seen a great game of football, and that’s what you come to Old Trafford for.”
“You come for entertainment, of course you come to see your team win – I get it, you’ve got to win games, you’ve got to win trophies and titles, we can turn to this is sort of not good enough in respect to what happened. They’ve got the entertainment bit right, their performance right, the style right. It’s absolutely critical at this football club and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen tonight from those red shirts.”
On United’s poor defending, Neville noted that the frailties witnessed were expected, especially considering the likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire are unavailable, while Lisandro Martinez is still working himself to full fitness.
Neville said that the only United would have probably sunk Andoni Iraola’s men is by outscoring them and they tried, although it wasn’t enough on the day.
Last session before Copa del Rey debut – FC Barcelona It’s Copa del Rey time. Barça are set to make their debut in the knockout competition after a great win in LaLiga against Osasuna. With qualification for the last 16 the aim, every available first team player was in for a final training session before travelling to play Guadalajara.
When and where to watch CD Guadalajara v FC Barcelona – FC Barcelona After beating Osasuna in the league, attention now switches to the defence of the Copa del Rey trophy, in which the first and hopefully not last challenge is for Barça to get past lower league outfit Deportivo Guadalajara, a side they have never met before.
Hansi Flick: ‘We are favourites, but I want to see it on the pitch’ – FC Barcelona The road to retaining the Copa del Rey begins for FC Barcelona with the last 32 match against Guadalajara, an opponent from the Primera Federación who will face the Blaugranes for the first time at the Pedro Escartín Stadium. Despite the difference in divisions, Hansi Flick doesn’t want any complacency and has warned that the tie will require the highest level of focus.
Claudia Pina extends with Barça until 2029 – FC Barcelona The striker Claudia Pina is set to stay at FC Barcelona until 2029 after signing a new contract with the blaugranes on Monday. The player from the town of Montcada i Reixac from just outside Barcelona put pen to paper in the presence of president Joan Laporta, the director responsible for Women’s Football, Xavier Puig and the sporting director of Barça Women, Marc Vivés.
Paula Holguin wins LSE Premier Player of the Month for November
Brentford Women striker Paula Holguin has been named London and South East Premier Player of the Month for November.
Holguin scored three goals and picked up an assist in the month, with the Bees winning twice, losing twice and drawing once across all competitions in that time.
The Brentford no.19 said the award came as a shock, but she was happy to be recognised for her form.
“It was honestly a massive surprise and very, very unexpected… but I’m very glad and very happy to be recognised," she said.
"I’ve been working hard, I’ve been putting in the hours, and to be recognised is very cool.
“I’m very blessed and grateful, that’s how I feel to be recognised for putting in the work - it’s all coming together.”
Holguin starred in the Bees’ 7-1 win over Sevenoaks Town in the League Cup in early November, scoring a hat-trick and providing an assist.
This took her season tally to four goals, while an assist in a 6-0 win over Millwall earlier this month made it two assists for the campaign to date.
“That hat-trick was one of my favourite games so far, so to be recognised for that is a great feeling,” said Holguin.
While November brought mixed results in the league for Carly Williams’ side, Holguin said the group was as tight as ever and looking forward to pushing on following the victory over Millwall.
“Our last game against Millwall, I feel like that was the cherry on top for the first half of the season. I think that was our best game, the way we played and our team cohesion,” she added.
“Even with the losses that we took and the draw… I feel like our reactions to every result have been great, and Carly has made it a focus to, regardless of the result, go back to the drawing board and we focus on us.
“Our chemistry is building every week and, even though on paper it’s been a tough month, we have no cracks in the team right now - we are very strong, very motivated, and we’re ready to take on the new year.”
Well the win streak was fun while it lasted, but that came to an end last night when the Miami Dolphins lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Dolphins didn’t rely on their stellar running game in the first half and it came back to bite them as they couldn’t sustain drives. It’s become pretty clear that the team cannot rely on QB Tua Tagovailoa as he makes questionable decisions and just doesn’t have the arm. Though not all the blame should be on Tua as the defense was unable to make plenty of tackles that resulted in big gains. With the loss, the Dolphins are out of the playoff race and we can officially begin to look toward the offseason.
You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is more than a meme The news conference room at the Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid is bigger than the makeshift room at Hard Rock Stadium where Miami Dolphins players and coaches typically speak after a game.
Barcelona: Flick has targeted a profile in Dortmund
Barcelona: Hansi Flick is a fan of a BVB defender
FC Barcelona continues to scour the market in search of cost-effective solutions to bolster their defense. According to journalist Patrick Berger from Sky Sports, the Catalan club is closely monitoring Julian Ryerson, Borussia Dortmund’s versatile full-back, who has been identified as a credible option to strengthen the defensive unit.
The Blaugrana management is looking for a player who can provide depth behind Jules Koundé without upsetting a wage bill that remains under scrutiny. In this regard, Ryerson ticks several boxes. Valued for his reliability and consistent performances, the Norwegian defender represents an economically viable solution.
🔵🔴 FC Barcelona is looking for a (cost-effective) backup for Jules Koundé and have #BVB full back Julian Ryerson (28/🇳🇴) on their list; first talks have taken place between Ryerson camp and Barça. But nothing advanced or concrete at this stage.
Under contract with Dortmund until 2028, Ryerson is reportedly open to a move in the upcoming summer transfer window. Barcelona has also considered a move for Nico Schlotterbeck, but BVB’s financial demands, estimated at €50 million, have seriously dampened that prospect.
Juventus eyeing free transfer for RB Leipzig midfielder in June
The January transfer window is fast approaching, but reports in Italy claim that Juventus are already looking ahead to the summer, when they could make a move for RB Leipzig midfielder Xaver Schlager.
Reports Juventus interested in Schlager on free transfer
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Schlager is of interest to the Bianconeri given that his contract is set to expire in June and could be tempted away from the Bundesliga.
The 28-year-old has 134 Bundesliga appearances to his name, but is not currently a guaranteed starter under Ole Werner at RedBull Arena.
LEIPZIG, GERMANY – DECEMBER 06: Xaver Schlager of RB Leipzig runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Robin Koch of Eintracht Frankfurt during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt at Red Bull Arena on December 06, 2025 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
A central midfielder, also capable of playing in a more advanced role, Schlager would be comfortable covering in both a three-man or two-man midfield at Juventus.
The Austria international suffered a cruciate ligament injury in May of 2024, which kept him sidelined for most of the 2024-25 campaign. Before then, he was a guaranteed starter for Die Roten Bullen, making 29 Bundesliga appearances and eight in the Champions League in 2023-24.
The 49ers are back in action in Week 16 against the Colts on Monday night in Indianapolis.
Shanahan said he is not sure if Pearsall will be able to practice this week or play on Monday due to knee and ankle injuries. The 49ers return to practice on Wednesday.“
Kyle Shanahan shares 49ers updates day after Week 15 win vs. Titans “”Jordan [Watkins] needs to show out on the practice field that he is better than the guys in front of him. And it’s really tough with these guys when they’ve missed so much time, but he has been out here for a little bit getting back in shape and doing a good job in practice. But I mean, we’re going to play the top guys and he’s still working to show that he’s one of those. What was the other question? The one before that.”
Is the window going to be opened on Jacob Cowing?
“No, they didn’t tell me this week. So, I think our goal is next week versus Chicago.”
Thompson: How are the hobbled 49ers still in this? They found a different way to be great(paywall) “Shanahan has coached squads flush with enough stars to feel inevitable, including just last year. Twice, the 49ers came close enough to the Lombardi Trophy to see their breath on the silver, only to see it snatched away by the greatness of Patrick Mahomes. Those squads won by overwhelming opponents with their talent. This one wins by never letting up.
The edge of Shanahan is showing up in the personality of this team. He coaxed a 5-3 record out of backup quarterback Mac Jones’ starts. San Francisco’s 24.6 points per game have often come with running back Christian McCaffrey and receiver Kendrick Bourne leading in receiving yards. Shanahan, who has some bouts with conservatism, rides his workhorses with desperation. McCaffrey leads the league with 345 touches. Kittle is third among tight ends in receptions and second in touchdowns since returning from his injury.
This may end up being Shanahan’s finest coaching job. Not because of what he’s drawn up, but because of what he’s demanded.
What’s saving this season is the part of these 49ers that’s learned from loss, scar tissue and heartbreak. The part that understands championships aren’t built with perfection. It’s an endurance test. A challenge of the will. And as long as it comes down to the fight in the dog, they’re still in it.
The last three games feature something they haven’t seen in a while — playoff-caliber teams. At Indianapolis (8-6) before closing the season against Chicago (10-4) and Seattle.
They’ve got a chance. Something that seemed to die two months ago. But they’ve clawed it back to life.“
Barrows: 49ers’ Ricky Pearsall performs like the heir to Brandon Aiyuk in win over Titans(paywall) “Still, the rarely used reserve/left team designation is reserved for players who have done exactly that — quit the team. And as last year’s episode with linebacker De’Vondre Campbell underscored, teams don’t look kindly on players who quit in the middle of a game, or in Aiyuk’s case, stop showing up to work.
“I’m gonna punt on that question,” said George Kittle, the 49ers’ de facto spokesman, when asked about Aiyuk’s situation. “It is what it is. Nothing I can do about it, so I’m just going to play ball with the guys that are here.”
Pearsall is Aiyuk’s natural successor. After Sunday’s win, McCaffrey called him a “special player” for precisely the reasons Aiyuk has excelled in San Francisco — he creates separation and gets open.
“I think it’s his ability to beat man coverage and his hands, especially,” he said. “He’s a hell of a ball catcher and an elite route runner. And I think when you have someone as dynamic as that, the ball is gonna find him.”
Pearsall, it seems, is one of the few people inside the 49ers’ facility who have recently communicated with Aiyuk. He credits Aiyuk for guiding him when he first arrived at Arizona State. The two have been close ever since, and he said he texts Aiyuk every so often.
“Whether he answers it or not, I know that he sees it,” Pearsall said. “I’m just praying for the dude. … I have all the love and respect in the world for that man, and I send him a text every so often to check on him. It’s bigger than the game.”
Gaining more than a touchdown in value (7.1 points) per game on these plays is sensational for the 49ers, whose 37-24 victory over Tennessee on Sunday featured, appropriately, the NFL’s third-best special teams output in Week 15 (+5.9).“
49ers vs. Titans PFF grades: Best and worst from the game, plus snap counts “In addition to earning the game’s top overall grade, Trent Williams was also the highest-graded run blocker (95.1) and pass blocker (87.5). He surrendered just one pressure across 41 pass-blocking snaps…Cornerback Upton Stout was the 49ers’ highest-graded tackler (81.2), followed by safety Jason Pinnock (77.8). Neither missed a tackle in the game.
For the second consecutive week, rookie defensive tackle Alfred Collins earned the lowest tackling grade (22.9). Kalia Davis wasn’t far behind with a 26.4 tackling grade.“
Marseille and OGC Nice interested in Tottenham’s Yves Bissouma
Yves Bissouma (29) could leave Tottenham Hotspur during the upcoming January transfer window, and France has emerged as a possible destination, according to a report from The Times.
The former Lille OSC midfielder has not played for Spurs yet this season, and he may have already played his final game for the club. The midfielder was seen inhaling nitrous oxide and was suspended by his club at the start of the campaign. A second video of the player inhaling nitrous oxide has since emerged.
The Mali international could now return to France, having left L’Héxagone to join Brighton and Hove Albion back in 2018. Tottenham Hotspur are keen to earn a fee for Bissouma and so a departure next month is envisaged.
As per The Times, Olympique de Marseille and OGC Nice are both interested in signing Bissouma. The former are currently on the podium in Ligue 1, whilst the latter are in crisis and are currently 13th.
Midfielder Sarah Zadrazil has agreed a new contract with FC Bayern Women until 30 June 2027. The 32-year-old Austria international has been with the Munich Frauen for five years and has won four Bundesliga titles, a DFB Cup and two Supercups.
Rech: “Irreplaceable part of our team on and off the pitch”
Bianca Rech, FC Bayern Women director: “We’d already spoken prior to Sarah’s injury about a potential new contract. And there was also no question afterwards that we wanted to continue together. Sarah isn’t just a central figure and a quiet leader on the pitch but also has an incredibly important role for the team off the pitch. Her commitment, support and hard work – especially in holding midfield – make her an irreplaceable part of our team. We firmly believe that she will still give us a lot after her injury and are really excited to see her on the pitch again. We’re in close contact during her recovery, because it’s especially important during a long layoff to maintain contact and plan things together.”
Zadrazil: “Great appreciation and huge support”
Sarah Zadrazil: “This new contract means a great deal of appreciation and huge support for me. It allows me to focus fully on my recovery, and I’ll do all I can to be back on the pitch as soon as possible. Bayern has become a second home for me. Especially now after my injury, I’ve got lots of goals with the club that I still want to achieve. I really appreciate that Bayern have put their trust in me. I’m really looking forward to being back on the pitch again with the team and hope I can do my role just as well as before. This team is special and what I miss the most right now. It means I’m even more looking forward to being part of this team on the pitch again soon.”
Munich midfield motor
Zadrazil joined Bayern from Turbine Potsdam in 2020 and quickly established herself as a vital cog in the team’s midfield. Born in Bad Ischl, Austria, she has since been a consistent performer and has made 160 appearances (six goals) for Germany’s reigning double winners. The 32-year-old suffered a torn cruciate ligament in September’s Bundesliga game against Freiburg and has since been working hard on her comeback. The midfielder has also been an integral part of the Austria national team since 2010, earning 128 caps.
We’ve spoken to Zadrazil about her new contract and more:
Official: Barcelona squad list to face CD Guadalajara | Copa del Rey
FC Barcelona will lock horns with CD Guadalajara in their Copa del Rey opener of the 2025/26 season later tonight away from home.
Having strung together a five-game winning run in all competitions, the Catalans will be aiming to make it six and progress into the Round of 16 of the cup tournament.
Ahead of their trip to Guadalajara, manager Hansi Flick has announced the squad list of players at his disposal for his selection.
The big news is that Robert Lewandowski features in the squad despite not training with the rest of the players on Monday, which led to doubts over his availability.
Meanwhile, Joan Garcia travels with the squad even though he will not be starting in goal tonight, as confirmed by manager Flick already.
Youngsters Jofre Torrents, Dro, Tommy Marques, and Roony Bardghji all feature in the squad and could feature tonight in the starting XI for Barcelona.
Marc Bernal and Marc Casado, who have barely played of late, could also be in contention to start for the current Copa del Rey holders.
Dani Olmo, Gavi, and Ronald Araujo, meanwhile, remain unavailable for Barça.
DESTROYER is coming for Liverpool's midfield after major Arne Slot call
Wataru Endo has his place back
Slot’s decision to switch Liverpool from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1 had an effect on just about everyone. Few felt it more than Wataru Endo, though, who had his position completely taken out of the team.
Endo was used under Jurgen Klopp as a defensive midfielder and usually the only one in the team. He sat behind the other midfielders, shielding the defence and allowing everyone else to focus on attacking while he stopped transitions through the middle.
Slot didn’t want such a player. He essentially removed the defensive midfielder role and swapped it for an attacking midfielder role. Instead of stopping transitions with a sitting player, he wanted someone further forward in the press.
Now he’s moving, once again, to something new. Liverpool’s current midfield setup has both, with a deeper midfielder covering for a series of players in front of him that move all the way across the pitch.
That player has been Ryan Gravenberch in recent weeks but we do wonder if Slot will give Endo a go there. Maybe not as a first-choice option but with his role having returned to the side, surely the veteran gets games?
He’s an expert at shielding on his own and that’s something that is now absolutely required when the three other centre-midfielders have such licence to advance.
In a lot of ways, bringing Endo into the team is a more attacking option, allowing those midfielders even more freedom with an out-and-out defender behind them. It’s absolutely an option for Slot going forward - and a very exciting one.
He’s barely used Endo, starting him just once in the Premier League over the last 18 months. We expect that to change in the near-future.
The Best Awards are organised and presented by Fifa to celebrate the best individual men's and women's player, as well as goalkeeper and coach.
The award is based on achievements between 11 August 2024 to 2 August 2025.
Fifa, football's world governing body, said that the awards are based on the "on-pitch performance and general conduct on and off the pitch" for players and the "on-pitch performance and general behaviour of their teams on and off the pitch" for coaches.
Nominations are compiled by Fifa and football stakeholders, which are then reviewed by Fifa football experts. The shortlist is then published on the Fifa website.
Vinicius Jr and Aitana Bonmati were the 2024 men's and women's player winners.
Who decides on the winners?
The winners are selected by an international jury consisting of:
Current coaches of all men's national teams (one coach per team)
Current captains of all men's national teams (one captain per team)
A specialist journalist from each territory represented by a national team
Fans from all over the world registered on Fifa's website
Each of the four group of voters will have the same electoral weight, making up a quarter of votes.
Each voting group will have to select their top three players, goalkeepers and coaches.
The three players, three coaches and three goalkeepers nominated will receive five points, three or one point respectively, depending on whether they were selected first, second or third.
Individual votes from coaches, captains and journalists will be published on Fifa's website.
The individual with the most points will win the award.
What are the voting rules?
Captains of national teams may vote for coaches from the national team they represent
Captains and coaches of national teams may vote for players from the national team they represent
Nominated captains and coaches are not permitted to vote for themselves
Specialist journalists may vote for players, coaches and goalkeepers who are from their own country or who represent clubs affiliated to their own country
Fans registered on the Fifa website may vote for any men's and women's football players, coaches and goalkeepers, provided that any such vote is cast fairly and in accordance with these Rules of Allocation
Who are the nominees?
Men's players: Ousmane Dembele (France and PSG), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco and PSG), Harry Kane (England and Bayern Munich), Kylian Mbappe (France and Real Madrid), Nuno Mendes (Portugal and PSG), Cole Palmer (England and Chelsea), Pedri (Spain and Barcelona), Raphinha (Brazil and Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool), Vitinha (Portugal and PSG), Lamine Yamal (Spain and Barcelona)
Men's goalkeepers: Alisson Becker (Brazil and Liverpool), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium and Real Madrid), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy and PSG/Manchester City), Emiliano Martinez (Argentina and Aston Villa). Manuel Neuer (Germany and Bayern Munich), David Raya (Spain and Arsenal), Yann Sommer (Switzerland and Inter Milan), Wojciech Szczesny (Poland and Barcelona)
Men's coaches: Javier Aguirre (Mexico), Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Luis Enrique (PSG), Hansi Flick (Barcelona), Enzo Maresca (Chelsea), Roberto Martinez (Portugal), Arne Slot (Liverpool)
Women's players: Sandy Baltimore (France and Chelsea), Nathalie Bjorn (Sweden and Chelsea), Aitana Bonmati (Spain and Barcelona), Lucy Bronze (England and Chelsea), Mariona Caldentey (Spain and Arsenal), Temwa Chawinga (Malawi and Kansas City Current), Diani Kadidiatou (France and Lyon), Melchie Dumornay (Haiti and Lyon), Patri Guijarro (Spain and Barcelona), Lindsey Heaps (USA and Lyon), Lauren James (England and Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (England and Manchester City/Arsenal), Ewa Pajor (Poland and Barcelona), Claudia Pina (Spain and Barcelona), Alexia Putellas (Spain and Barcelona), Alessia Russo (England and Arsenal), Leah Williamson (England and Arsenal)
Women's goalkeepers: Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany and Gotham FC), Cata Coll (Spain and Barcelona), Christiane Endler (Chile and Lyon), Hannah Hampton (England and Chelsea), Anna Moorhouse (England and Orlando Pride), Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria and Paris FC/Brighton), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (USA and Manchester United)
Who has been nominated for Puskas and Marta awards?
Puskas nominees: Alerrandro (Vitoria), Alessandro Deiola (Cagliari), Pedro de la Vega (Seattle Sounders), Santiago Montiel (Independiente), Amr Nasser (Pharco), Carlos Orrantia (Atlas), Lucas Ribeiro (Mamelodi Sundowns), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Rizky Ridho (Persija Jakarta), Kevin Rodrigues (Kasimpasa), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
Marta nominees: Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal), Ashley Cheatley (Brentford), Kyra Cooney-Cross (Australia), Jon Ryong-jong (Korea DPR), Marta (Orlando Pride), Vivianne Miedema (Manchester City/Netherlands), Kishi Nunez (Argentina), Lizbeth Ovalle (Tigres), Ally Sentnor (USA), Khadija Shaw (Manchester City)
When is the ceremony?
The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 16 December at 17:00 GMT, in Doha, Qatar.
The voting for the awards concluded on 28 November 2025 at 22:59 GMT.
This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.
What is Ask Me Anything?
Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions.
We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do.
The team will find out everything you need to know and be able to call upon a network of contacts including our experts and pundits.
We will be answering your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting events.
Our coverage will span the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio.
The Observer's football correspondent Rory Smith has observed a pattern in Burnley's attempts to establish a foothold in the Premier League.
After winning the 2022-23 Championship by a 10-point margin, Vincent Kompany's Burnley failed to find their feet in the top tier - and now, we're seeing history repeat itself, Smith says.
"[Appointing] Parker was a deliberate response to that [naive style under Kompany], to say 'that will not keep us up'," Smith told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.
"The risk they were taking is: 'We've tried the fun way, and we went down. So let's try the non-fun way.'
"Parker has done the exactly the same job as Vincent Kompany - he got Burnley promoted, and now they're not quite good enough to stay up."
The Dolphins were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with Monday night's loss in Pittsburgh, which means the questions about head coach Mike McDaniel's future in Miami will only get louder. McDaniel acknowledged after the game that his team wasn't good enough.
"I'm supremely disappointed at the outcome," McDaniel said. "Flat out, their team was better than our team."
Although the two focal points with the disappointing season in Miami are McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, McDaniel said there's plenty of blame to go around.
“Everybody has to do better," McDaniel said. "You have to coach better. Passing, a lot of times, people squarely put all the focus on the quarterback. Several times tonight, he was about to make the right read, and we had our [receiver] fall over. It's been a multitude of things. It has to be better for us to be able to win games when you’re not owning time of possession or controlling the game on the ground. That limits you a ton. So it’s not up to standard."
It's been a disappointing season for the Dolphins, and one that raised real questions about whether McDaniel and Tagovailoa are the future of the franchise.
🗞️Today's front pages: Florentino on the attack again
The Negreira case and a new attack from Florentino on Barcelona are the most repeated topics in the sports press this Tuesday.
When Florentino speaks, the press listens. Following Laporta's comments on the Negreira case, Florentino's meeting with journalists for the holidays once again produced headlines that today are front-page news and the subject of debate. Besides all this, today Barça plays in the Copa del Rey.
The 2025-26 high school basketball is underway and the area's teams are ready for big things this winter.
This season features a large group of returning stars and some key newcomers. Who is your choice for the top player to watch for the upcoming campaign?
Florent Ghisolfi, Sunderland's director of football, had high praise for Dan Ballard after Sunday's derby day win over Newcastle.
"I can go to the market for all of them but I cannot find a Ballard," Ghisolfi said. "He is Sunderland - hard work, resilience, talent.
"I can look in Argentina and other markets, but I cannot find a Ballard."
Ballard was one of the Black Cats' key players in their promotion-winning campaign and scored in the final seconds of extra time against Coventry City to seal Sunderland's place in the Championship play-off final.
Despite Regis le Bris assembling a practically new squad for their top-flight return, the 26-year-old has featured in 14 of the opening 16 games, scoring two goals and assisting one.
"He is aggressive, he is decent on the ball and he is certainly one of the big characters on the pitch," said former Manchester United defender Phil Jones on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.
Ex-Premier League striker Chris Sutton added: "I can't say I saw too much of him in the Championship, but maybe because of the players they brought in to play alongside him, Le Bris saw him as a good squad player - but he has had his opportunity and he has taken it."
Amorim will be forced into hasty decision after 4/10 stinker from Man Utd star who ignored Mount’s advice
While Manchester United and Bournemouth descended into chaos, the young Ayden Heaven struggled to keep up with the action.
The Red Devils took a one-goal lead on three occasions, but lost it thrice, as the contest ended in a 4-4 draw.
While this was an instant classic that certainly delighted the neutrals on Monday evening, the Man Utd supporters at Old Trafford couldn’t help but feel that their team wasted another golden opportunity to break into the Top Five.
Ayden Heaven struggled against Bournemouth
Sadly for Heaven, he has been identified as one of the main culprits at the back, as he was directly responsible for the Cherries’ first two strikes.
Interestingly, the 19-year-old was urged by his teammate Mason Mount, to engage with Antoine Semenyo on Bournemouth’s first equaliser, as revealed by The Sun journalist Samuel Luckhurst. However, the young defender allowed the pacey winger to enter the box before losing the duel.
(Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
The Arsenal youth product was also too slow to react to Evanilson’s run on the second Bournemouth goal. Hence, The Sun’s Katherin Walsh handed him an abysmal rating of 4/10.
The journalist also suggested that Ruben Amorim will be looking to put a swift end to Ayden’s experience at the heart of the backline, even if it means rushing Lisandro Martinez back to the lineup.
Lisandro Martinez back in the lineup vs Aston Villa?
The Argentine has recently returned to action after a 10-month layoff due to an ACL tear he suffered in February. However, Amorim has yet to start him, preferring to slowly reintegrate the 2022 World Cup winner back into the action to avoid a relapse.
Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire are considered Man Utd’s main choices for the central defender role, but the manager admitted he’s not sure whether either of the two will be available for the next contest against Aston Villa.
Galatasaray considering surprise move for out-of-favour Real Madrid star
David Alaba’s time at Real Madrid appears to be drawing to a quiet but decisive close.
It is known that the club has taken a firm stance on the Austrian defender’s future, choosing not to renew his contract and effectively placing him on the open market.
As a result, one of the most experienced players in Madrid’s dressing room is now preparing for the next chapter of his career.
Alaba’s situation has not gone unnoticed across Europe and beyond. With his contract running down and no extension forthcoming, he is set to become a free agent.
Notably, offers have arrived from Saudi Arabia and Turkey, two destinations increasingly active in the transfer market and willing to provide both sporting opportunities and financial incentives.
Galatasaray want Alaba
According to Defensa Central, among the clubs pushing hardest is Galatasaray.
Galatasaray are interested in Alaba. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
The Turkish giants are reportedly very serious about securing Alaba’s signature for next season and see him as a player who can immediately elevate their defensive.
Crucially, the move is not being dismissed by the player. Alaba is understood to be genuinely open to the idea of joining Galatasaray and is carefully considering the proposal.
As a free agent, Alaba knows he holds the upper hand and finding a new club will not be a problem.
The real challenge lies in choosing the right destination. Saudi Arabia remain a powerful alternative, with clubs prepared to offer him a lucrative contract that would far exceed most European proposals.
Financially, the Middle East option is difficult to ignore. However, Galatasaray offer something different.
The opportunity to continue competing in elite European tournaments, including the Champions League this season, presents a compelling sporting argument, something that is hard to refuse.
Barcelona teenage talent set for much-awaited debut against Guadalajara – report
Tommy Marques has quietly become a familiar figure around Barcelona’s first-team environment under Hansi Flick.
The 19-year-old midfielder has been a constant presence in training sessions in recent weeks, regularly working alongside established senior players.
Yet despite that growing exposure, his official first-team debut has so far remained out of reach.
That could be about to change. As Barcelona prepare to begin their Copa del Rey campaign against CD Guadalajara, there is a growing sense that the competition may once again serve as the perfect platform for youth integration.
According to journalist Jordi Cardero in Mundo Deportivo, the young midfielder, who has been called up by Flick for the last four league fixtures, is a genuine candidate to make his senior debut tonight.
Historically, the Copa del Rey has offered Barcelona’s academy talents their first real taste of senior football.
Tommy Marques could make his debut tonight. (Picture credit: Instagram/@tommy.marques)
While the shift to a single-match format in the early rounds has increased the risk of surprise eliminations, it has not stopped managers from trusting young players.
Last season, in Barbastro, Toni Fernandez made his debut under Flick. Two years earlier, Pau Cubarsi made his first appearance against Unionistas.
Now, the spotlight may fall on Marques. The midfielder has been included in the first-team squad for the last four league matches, but has continued to gain his minutes with Barça Atletic.
Within the club, Marques is valued for his presence, positional discipline, and tactical intelligence.
Flick appreciates his reliability and his ability to follow instructions, qualities that are often decisive when a coach considers handing a debut to a teenager.
Whether or not the debut arrives in Guadalajara, the message is clear that Marques remains on Flick’s radar, and his progress suggests that his first-team moment is approaching sooner rather than later.
Barcelona XI vs Guadalajara – Predicted lineup and team news
Barcelona make the trip to Estadio Pedro Escartín to take on third-tier outfit CD Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey Round of 32 on Tuesday, as the holders begin the defence of the trophy they lifted last season.
Barcelona come into this clash in outstanding shape, having put together a run of five straight wins in all competitions.
Their league form has been particularly impressive, with victories over Alavés (3-1), Atlético Madrid (3-1), Real Betis (5-3) and Osasuna (2-0) in La Liga. They also edged Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 in the Champions League. This sequence of results has them sitting at the top of La Liga, four points clear of their nearest challengers.
Barcelona team news
Head coach Hansi Flick has already indicated that he plans to rotate his side for this tie. First-choice goalkeeper Joan García is set to be given a rest ahead of upcoming key fixtures, with either Marc-André ter Stegen or Wojciech Szczesny expected to start between the posts.
Barcelona’s biggest fitness issue is Dani Olmo. The Spanish midfielder suffered a dislocated shoulder while scoring in a 3-1 win over Atlético Madrid on 2 December and is predicted to be sidelined for around a month, ruling him out for the rest of their 2025 fixtures.
At the back, Ronald Araújo is unavailable after being granted indefinite leave from the club to focus on his personal recovery, a decision confirmed by sporting director Deco.
Barcelona predicted lineup
Possible Barcelona starting XI: Szczesny; E Garcia, Cubarsi, Christensen, Jofre; Casado, Bernal; Bardghji, Fermin, Dro; Lewandowski.
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 8pm BST on Tuesday, 16th December.
How to watch Guadalajara vs Barcelona?
For viewers in the UK, the Guadalajara vs Barcelona clash in the Copa del Rey will be broadcast live on Premier Sports 1.
Guadalajara vs Barcelona – Match preview and team news
Barcelona travel to the Estadio Pedro Escartín to face third-tier side CD Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey Round of 32 on Tuesday. The Catalan giants are defending their Copa del Rey title after winning the trophy last season.
Guadalajara vs Barcelona – Match preview and team news
Date: Tuesday, 15th December.
Kick-off: 8pm BST.
Venue: Estadio Pedro Escartin, Guadalajara.
Guadalajara team news
There is no new injury news, nor do they have any suspensions. The Primera Federacion team will look for a strong performance against the current defending champions, in the first-ever meeting between the teams.
Pablo Munoz will lead the attack and has already scored three times and registered two assists during the current season. Alejandro Canizo is set to feature in an attacking area, and Pablo Rojo is also expected to start in the midfield.
Barcelona team news
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has confirmed rotations in the squad for the Guadalajara clash. Joan García, the starting goalkeeper, will be rested ahead of important fixtures, with either Marc-André ter Stegen or Wojciech Szczesny set to feature in goal.
The main injury concern for Barcelona is Dani Olmo, the Spanish midfielder who dislocated his shoulder while scoring in Barcelona’s 3-1 victory against Atlético Madrid on December 2. Olmo is expected to miss approximately one month and will not be available for Barcelona’s remaining games in 2025.
Defender Ronald Araújo has been granted indefinite leave after requesting time away from the club for personal recovery, according to Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco.
Form
Guadalajara
CD Guadalajara, competing in Spain’s third tier, earned their place in the Round of 32 by securing victories over Cacereno (2-1) and Ceuta (1-0) in earlier rounds of the Copa del Rey. The club is in 17th in the Primera Federación standings with 17 points from 16 matches. Guadalajara’s recent form has been inconsistent. While they defeated Osasuna B 1-0 on December 7, they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid Castilla on the weekend.
Barcelona
Barcelona are in exceptional form, winning their last five matches across all competitions. In La Liga, the Catalan club defeated Alavés (3-1), Atlético Madrid (3-1), Real Betis (5-3), and Osasuna (2-0). In the Champions League, Barcelona claimed a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. Barcelona currently sit top of La Liga with a four-point lead.
Abtaha Maqsood read a bedtime story on CBeebies TV in 2023 [Shutterstock]
Scotland leg-spinner Abtaha Maqsood has signed a new two-year contract with Essex Women.
The 26-year-old took 22 wickets in all competitions for the county in 2025, their first as a fully professional team.
She made her Scotland debut in 2018 and has played 80 white-ball internationals so far.
"Abtaha's value to our team was underlined last season, taking wickets at crucial times and further growing into her role as a leader in our bowling unit," said Essex Women's performance director Danni Warren.
Maqsood has also played for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred.
City Football Group executive Carlos Raphael Moersen in advanced talks to become Tottenham Hotspur’s director of football operations
City Football Group executive Carlos Raphael Moersen is in advanced talks to join Tottenham Hotspur as their director of football operations, according to The Athletic. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium club have been undergoing recent major changes at board level, and Moersen is set to switch Manchester City for Spurs. One of his major roles at the Etihad Stadium club is negotiating contracts with current and prospective Man City players.
Moersen has spent the last ten years working for CFG clubs and is currently their director of football transactions. He will be bringing the wealth of experience to Tottenham, and while the deal is not yet complete, it is expected to be finalised soon. Spurs are also set to appoint Alex Scotcher as their new commercial director in January. They believe his arrival will help speed up their process of getting a naming rights partner since moving into their new stadium in April 2019.
Major changes have been happening at the North London club in recent months, with former chairman Daniel Levy leaving the club in September after 24 years. Former Arsenal executive Vinai Venkatesham became Spurs CEO in April 2024, and executive director Donna-Maria Cullen stepped down two months later.
Fabio Paratici also returned to Tottenham as a joint-sporting director alongside Johan Lange in October, and more changes could be on the cards.
Arne Slot set to finally hand wonderkid his Premier League debut
Without Szoboszlai it will be interesting to see how he intends to use the diamond formation that has been so effective over the course of the last few games.
Apart from the Hungarian, he doesn't really have any other senior midfield options. Which means Slot may be forced to hand a Premier League debut to Trey Nyoni.
The Reds' wonderkid has played plenty of first-team games for the club. In total Nyoni has played eight matches and registered one assist. But none of these games have come in the Premier League.
He's played most of his minutes in the domestic cups and a handful of games in Europe.
Over the course of pre-season, Nyoni was a stand-out performer. Whether Slot asked him to play in midfield or even as a centre-back, he always delivered.
Liverpool: Van Dijk casts uncertainty over Mohamed Salah's future
Virjil Van Dijk et Mohamed Salah
At Liverpool, Mohamed Salah's future remains shrouded in doubt following recent events. Virgil van Dijk has publicly raised questions about the situation.
Last Saturday, Mohamed Salah was brought back into the squad for the Premier League clash against Brighton (2-0). However, the Egyptian is far from certain to stay at Liverpool this winter. Reds captain Virgil van Dijk hasn't hidden his concerns after speaking with his teammate.
"I talk to him about everything. I told him I want him to stay. I’d really like him to stay because he’s one of our leaders, but he’s heading off to AFCON. We’ll keep in touch over the coming days and weeks, as we always do, and we’ll see what happens. I wish him all the best and hope he comes back. I hope so. I have no influence over it. We hope he’ll win there, return, and play a key role for the rest of the season. But on the other hand, we all know how football works, and we have no idea what will happen. He’s still hugely important to the club, but there are other parties involved.", admitted the Reds captain.
As a reminder, frustrated by his lack of playing time, Mohamed Salah had previously vented his frustrations, which led to his exclusion during last Tuesday’s Champions League showdown against Inter Milan (1-0).
Real Madrid: this exchange between Vinicius Jr and Xabi Alonso at Alavés
Vinicius Jr et Xabi Alonso
On Sunday night in Alavés, Vinicius Jr and Xabi Alonso exchanged words after a controversial moment, particularly following the penalty that was not awarded to Madrid after a foul on the Brazilian.
Last Sunday, Real Madrid clinched a 2-1 victory away at Alavés in a match highlighted by a widely discussed incident involving a potential penalty on Vinicius. After being substituted for Franco Mastantuono in the 89th minute, the Brazilian forward and his coach Xabi Alonso shared a brief exchange about the moment. Vinicius felt he was being treated differently: "He didn't call it because it's me," to which Xabi Alonso replied, "It was clear, it was obvious," according to Movistar.
🚨 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Vinicius’ reaction after the penalty was not given:
• Xabi Alonso to Vini: "It was clear. It was clear!"
• Vini’s response to Xabi: "Referee didn’t give the penalty because it’s me!"
Both managers also weighed in on the referee's decision after the match. Xabi pointed out that there was indeed a foul on his player, while his Argentine counterpart criticized the lack of a second yellow card for Vinicius, especially considering the penalty was not awarded.
Last season, the Atlanta Braves brought in Ha-Seong Kim off waivers after Nick Allen’s production at shortstop began to decline. The move was initially intended to see if Kim could perform well enough over a month-long trial to justify a longer-term role. However, Kim’s performance was so strong that testing free agency became the better option, putting the Braves in a familiar tough situation.
“Because of this thin market, that would incentivise Kim to test the market. For that same reason, it’s even more important that the Braves find a way to retain his services,” wrote SI’s Harrison Smajovits. “If he opts out and signs elsewhere, they could be back to square one with this dilemma. The offense has had its struggles as is, and they have, at least for now, figured out one of the issues.”
On Monday, the Braves successfully brought Kim back to Atlanta on a one-year contract.
“Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is returning to the Atlanta Braves, agreeing Monday to a one-year, $20 million contract that addressed a major offseason priority for the team. Kim gets a $4 million raise. He had declined a $16 million player option that was in the two-year, $29 million contract he signed in February with Tampa Bay, a deal that paid him $13 million. The Braves announced the new deal with Kim on Monday night,” ESPN reported.
The Braves’ $2 million gamble has now turned into their everyday shortstop for the 2026 season.
“Atlanta took a $2 million gamble by trading for him at the trade deadline and it pays off as they re-acquire their starting shortstop,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote.
Kim provides exactly what the Braves have been lacking at the shortstop position over the past few years: a strong bat. He is also a Gold Glove winner, which adds defensive value.
He is an ideal fit for Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos. Kim is aiming for a fully healthy season and hopes to prove himself for next winter as well. While this is only a one-year investment, it wouldn’t be surprising if Atlanta extended him should he have a productive year.
🥐Cups, Florentino, The Best... the top 5️⃣ stories this Tuesday
New exchange of statements between Madrid and Barça regarding the Negreira case, in addition to the Copa football where the big teams make their debut.
The Copa del Rey returns, the Negreira case is on everyone's lips, and today the FIFA The Best will also be announced. Certainly, this Tuesday will not go unnoticed.
The Best is decided today
Los ganadores de los premios The Best FIFA Football Awards™ 2025 se conocerán en un evento especial que se celebrará en Doha (Qatar) el martes 16 de diciembre de 2025.
Starting at 18:00 CET in Doha, the last individual award of the year in football will be decided. The FIFA The Best includes players like Dembélé or Lamine Yamal as candidates to win it.
Laporta explains the Negreira case...
🚨📂 @La_SER accede a la declaración de Joan Laporta ante la jueza del 'caso Negreira'
"La información que tengo es que los hacía el hijo del señor Negreira y que el señor Negreira era un exárbitro. Esto es lo que había llegado a mi conocimiento"
The president of Barça appeared as a witness in the Negreira case and made several noteworthy statements. He denied knowing the former vice president and reiterated that reports were the only thing they contracted.
... and Florentino goes on the attack
‼️ ATENCIÓN a la RAJADA de Florentino:
🚨 "El caso Negreira es el problema más grave que tiene el fútbol"
😤 "Estamos seguros de que no somos el único club perjudicado por este caso"
❌ "Es posible que algún club haya descendido por culpa de este caso"
The president of Real Madrid once again attacked Barcelona regarding the Negreira case during the Christmas meeting with journalists covering Real Madrid news.
Barça debuts in Copa
The current champion makes its appearance against Guadalajara in an always tricky match where Flick will have to decide his choice between Ter Stegen or Szczesny in goal. It's time for several La Masia youth players.
Finalissima, date and location confirmed
LA FINALISSIMA SE JUGARÁ EL 27 DE MARZO EN QATAR 🏆🇶🇦
Don't make plans for March 27 because Spain and Argentina will finally play the much-anticipated Finalissima. It will be in Qatar, where the Albiceleste lifted the last World Cup. Who will take it?
With a trophy finally to our name, the appointment of Thomas Frank was the sensible decision. A manager capable of mixing the good, the bad and the ugly - skills that you need to be successful in the Premier League.
With the summer and Bilbao a distant memory, what we have seen so far this season has been a lot of ugly and bad football, and very little good. Once again, we are being forced into two camps: are you Frank in or out? Supporting Tottenham is a constant cycle of picking a side.
So here I am, waiting in line to hit the button: in or out. My position on Frank is difficult to categorise.
Sacking him before we have even had our turkey lunch is very bah-humbug, but in an age when your fate is assessed at every full-time whistle, you have to deliver something to keep the wolves at bay.
You cannot expect to sit comfortably in the dugout when you have only beaten one top-half team all season.
Frank's biggest failing as Tottenham manager is there is nothing tangible that suggests that more time is the remedy. There are no patterns of play, our defence is as porous as it has always been and even our set-pieces, the lighthouse in the distance, has blown its bulb.
We have no maverick to pin our hopes on, no heroes ready to burst through the wall and scoop us up - just a collection of lost boys wandering around a pitch for 90 minutes.
You cannot back a manager who offers you no hope for the future. You cannot back a manager who questions us, the paying public. And you cannot back a manager who empowers his players to take pot-shots at us.
Frank has to give us some hope, as right now there is none.
No one’s ever gone this far: Bundesliga record against Bayern broken
Mainz didn't just take a point from Munich over the weekend. A 05er was even able to celebrate a new Bundesliga record after the 2:2 draw against Bayern.
Leon Maloney covered more kilometers than any Bundesliga player before him. 'Sportschau' reports 14.68 kilometers, while the DFL even states 14.8 kilometers. Either way, it stands: An incredible performance that sets new standards.
Until then, Vladimir Duda was considered the most relentless long-distance runner of all time. The former Hertha player clocked an impressive 14.65 kilometers in a match against BVB in the 2019/20 season.
This distance was surpassed by Maloney over the weekend. He has thus demonstrated the greatest endurance performance since the beginning of modern data collection in the German top league.
The FSV midfielder has definitely proven an unyielding will to perform. Yet some football prophets might still quip: Those who run a lot are in the wrong place!
Audios from Negreira case linked to Laporta Luis Enrique and Valverde come to light
Fresh developments have emerged in the ongoing Negreira case following the release of audio recordings containing statements from Joan Laporta, Luis Enrique, and Ernesto Valverde.
The audios correspond to testimonies given by the three figures as witnesses and provide clearer insight into their positions after days of speculation.
Even before the existence of audio confirmation, both former Barcelona coaches were aligned on a central point.
Neither Enrique nor Valverde had any awareness of referee-related reports during their respective spells at the club, nor did they know Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira or his role within the CTA.
Who said what?
Enrique was particularly direct when addressing the issue. The current PSG coach stressed that referee reports were never part of his professional framework and were never placed at his disposal.
“No one offered me reports or anyone else on my staff.”
He went even further, underlining the total absence of any connection to the Negreira family. “I know nothing about either Negreira senior or his son.”
Valverde echoed those sentiments in a similarly firm manner. He made it clear that this was never the case during his time at Barcelona.
“I have never used these reports, nor have I requested them or taken an interest in them, not even now at Athletic.
Laporta testified in the Negreira case. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
“I know that my assistant receives them. In fact, I asked my assistant (at Barça), and he said no,” he noted.
What about Laporta?
Laporta, meanwhile, focused his testimony on the institutional side of the matter.
The Barcelona president explained that the payments linked to companies associated with Negreira were not initiated under his leadership but carried over from previous administrations.
“The sports department was the recipient of these analyses. I don’t remember when it started, before our presidency, because it was inherited.
“I was informed that there was advice, and it was decided to continue with these payments.“
Laporta added that he always believed the reports were produced by Negreira’s son, a claim that contradicts statements made by Enriquez Negreira Jr. himself.
Finally, Laporta strongly rejected any suggestion that Barcelona sought to influence competition outcomes, arguing instead that the case has been used to undermine the club’s achievements.
“FC Barcelona has never taken any action with the aim of altering the competition.
“This is crystal clear, a reality, and I prefer not to comment on it now, but it is evident that this is an orchestrated campaign to try to damage Barça’s reputation, especially at a glorious time in the club’s history,” he added.
Real Madrid defender responds after fresh wave of insults during Alaves clash
Real Madrid’s trip to Vitoria to face Alaves was meant to be a routine league fixture, but once again it was overshadowed by troubling scenes from the stands.
Defender Raul Asencio found himself at the centre of unwanted attention, as sections of the home crowd directed personal and offensive insults towards him during the match.
Footage shared by El Día Después captured the moment during a Real Madrid corner kick when chants were clearly aimed at the centre-back.
Asencio became the target of abuse as the crowd shouted, “Asencio, scum, get out of Vitoria!”
Rather than reacting with anger, the defender turned towards the stands and, in an ironic gesture, briefly joined in with the chant himself, a response that underlined both frustration and resignation.
Asencio’s calm response
The situation did not go unnoticed by his teammates. Aurelien Tchouameéni immediately stepped in, moving towards Asencio in an attempt to calm him and prevent the abuse from affecting his focus during a crucial phase of the game.
Following the match, El Día Después published a post condemning the insults and calling for such behaviour to be eradicated from football stadiums.
Asencio chose to respond directly, making his position clear without inflaming the situation further.
The defender replied, “I agree,” accompanied by an emoji of a face with a zipper over its mouth, a restrained yet telling reaction that spoke volumes about his state of mind.
Unfortunately, this incident was not an isolated one. Asencio has been subjected to similar insults on several occasions, with certain sections of fans continuing to reference legal proceedings he faced in the past.
While the matter generated significant attention at the time, it is important to note that the two victims involved in the case later forgave the Real Madrid player.
Previously reported targets again linked with Celtic as Kilmarnock eye Aberdeen coach with Rugby Park past...
Polish midfielder Mateusz Bogusz, at Mexican side Cruz Azul, and CFR Cluj's Romania striker Louis Munteanu top the Celtic shortlist for the January window. (TeamTalk)
Aberdeen coach Peter Leven is under consideration for the vacant Kilmarnock job following Stuart Kettlewell's dismissal. (Daily Record)
Pierre Ekwah, the 23-year-old midfielder, who has attempted to terminate his contract at Saint Etienne, is once again linked with Rangers, along with Serie A side Udinese. (Footmercato - in French)
Celtic remain interested in Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier, who will be out of contract at the end of the season, while Inter Milan are considering the 25-year-old Frenchman as a back-up option. (TeamTalk)
Sheffield United are confident of securing a January deal for Rangers midfielder Joe Rothwell, with their Championship rivals Middlesbrough, Stoke City and Derby County also showing interest in the 30-year-old. (TeamTalk)
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke plans to reach out to Harvey Barnes' advisers early in the New Year to discuss a possible change of allegiance for the Newcastle United winger who has one senior England cap. (Scottish Sun)
Steve Clarke has spoken with several Scotland squad members about investigating loan moves to address the issue of playing time, including Angus Gunn, but not fellow goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who is yet to feature for Hearts this season. (The Scotsman)
Steve Clarke says he hasn't had much time to consider his future as Scotland head coach but will sit down SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell early in 2026 once the details of World Cup preparations have been rubber-stamped. (Daily Record)
Former Celtic assistant John Kennedy has agreed to follow Brendan Rodgers to Saudi club Al-Qadsiah. (Scottish Sun)
“He’s a star” – Chelsea player compared to Mbappe and Dembele by teammate who knows them well
Chelsea looked good on Saturday because of two things – the partnership of Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah in defence keeping them solid, plus the return of Cole Palmer in attack.
Fofana took the chance after the game to speak about Palmer’s influence in particular. The attacking midfielder got a nice goal in the first half, and Fofana was then a major part of defending that lead for the rest of the game.
Fofana on “star” Palmer
Cole Palmer celebrates his first goal since September. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
“He’s a star – he’s the best player in the team when he’s on the pitch,” Fofana said in quotes picked up by the club’s official website.
“He’s a different player. Everyone says that. In just 60 minutes against Everton he showed that. We’re happy he is back, and we hope he stays fit. Cole is close to the level of the guys like Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele – he’s a very good player. I’ve had the opportunity to play with and against some very good players, and he’s at the top.”
Fofana would know – he’s played with both of those guys with France. We hope that our star man can stay fit this season and get back to his best level. The defender also praised Malo Gusto’s showing:
“I’m very happy for Malo. He’s my friend, and we’re very close. A goal and an assist – I’m very proud of him because he works very hard every day.”
In other news…
Chelsea are looking to make more moves in January, as ever, and their latest interest is in Cassiano Kiala of Bayern Munich, whose father has been in London for talks with the Blues and another Premier League club.
Enzo Maresca’s comments from yesterday still are ringing in the air – Simon Jordan had an interesting theory on what was going on with the coach after his amazing outburst.
The K League United Awards are back after a four-year absence! We've witnessed a K League 2 season that saw Incheon United win the title at a canter, Suwon Bluewings miss out on promotion for the second year running, and Bucheon FC 1995 go up for the very first time in the club's history. Needless to say, the K League 2 party has been one to remember this year.
We've also seen the official K League Awards handed out, some more controversial than others. So, with that in mind, we'd love to hear your opinion on who were the best of a very good bunch in the second division.
This is your opportunity as K League fans to honour the top performers. Fill out your ballot below and hit submit, it's a simple as that.
And in case you need a reminder of who won the official awards...
For the last few months, student-athletes braved the late summer heat, then the autumn chill, and finally the winter freeze, to separate the good from great.
This year's Fall 2025 All-Greater Rochester teams celebrate that achievement, from excellence on the gridiron to the pitch to the mud trails.
Most teams are recognized in a first- and second-team format, with the exception of football and volleyball, which distinguish between the large school athletes (AAA, AA and A) and the small school (B, C, D).
Congratulations to all those who donned their school colors and represented their community with prowess this fall.
Hugo Broos to assess fringe players in Bafana AFCON send-off match
Interview
Broos open to giving fringe players a chance in AFCON warm-up
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos says the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) send-off match against Ghana is a perfect opportunity to asses fringe players in the squad.
South Africa will host a Ghana side comprised of locally-based players at Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday (16h00), as the Black Stars failed to qualify for the continental showpiece.
With several Europe-based players not in camp yet and set to meet the squad in Morocco, Broos sees a silver lining as he can be able to evaluate the performances of fringe players.
“I think there should be a difference if everyone is here [in camp], we would play maybe with the [regular] team, and we could even make corrections if needed. But now because they are not there I think I can give opportunities to players who didn't play so much with Bafana Bafana,” he said.
"I think for example a player like [Thabang] Matuludi. I think we can give him a chance tomorrow [Tuesday] to play with the team and to adapt a little bit at the way of playing.
Though the Belgian mentor is keen to give players with less game time a chance in the team, he insists Bafana are not taking Ghana B lightly, stating the mandate is to emerge victorious.
“So, I said it's a training game, not a selection game but on the other hand I want to win it. So, don't think that we take the game for laugh tomorrow and that my players should take the game for laugh,” Broos added.
"We will play like we always play and try to win it. But again, sometimes you have to take the bad things for good and the good thing now is that because those players are not here we can give some play time to other players.
Bafana are in Group B with neighbors Zimbabwe, record seven-time African champions Egypt, and Angola, whom they kickstart their AFCON campaign against next Monday in Marrakech, Morocco.
Tunsil later admitted that yes, he wants to be paid, but he hopes it's in Washington after the Commanders traded for him last offseason. With two years remaining on his contract, Tunsil is due a nice raise after his outstanding debut season in Washington.
Tunsil has started every game for the Commanders this season, but that could be in jeopardy on Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Tunsil left Sunday's Week 15 win over the New York Giants in the first half with what was reported as a shoulder injury. Trainers worked with Tunsil on the sideline, but he went into the locker room.
Tunsil did return to the game, only to leave again, when Washington reported his injury as an oblique. Overall, Tunsil played 29 of the Commanders' 61 offensive snaps.
On Monday, head coach Dan Quinn offered an update on Tunsil.
"He has an oblique injury, and we'll have to see what the strength looks like for him, the movement, the strength over the next couple days," Quinn said. "And if he's able to, then he will play."
Remember, Washington plays on Saturday — not Sunday. That one day could make a big difference in Tunsil's availability this week. The Commanders have nothing to play for with three games remaining, and ended quarterback Jayden Daniels' season on Monday.
If Tunsil can't go, Washington has Brandon Coleman. As a rookie last season, Coleman started 15 total games at left tackle, including the playoffs. He started all three games against the Eagles.
Backyard Bo Nix is DOMINATING as the Denver Broncos clinch a playoff spot and extend their insane win streak to 11, and Bennie Fowler & Dave Logan are breaking down every snap from the Week 16 win over the Packers on Broncos X & O’s. We dive into Bo Nix’s “backyard football” magic, his perfect blend of off-script creation and in-structure processing, plus how Sean Payton is tailoring the offense around his rookie QB. Dave Logan and Bennie Fowler break down the maturity of this Broncos team, elite red-zone defense, huge games from Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin, and why this receiver room makes Denver a nightmare matchup in the AFC playoffs.
We also look ahead to possible playoff opponents like the Bills and Jaguars, what it will take to lock up the No. 1 seed, and why Broncos Country should believe this team can make a legit Super Bowl run—smash that like button and subscribe for more Denver Broncos film breakdowns, Bo Nix highlights, and weekly Broncos X’s & O’s podcastanalysis.
Father of Bayern Munich wonder-kid holds transfer talks with Manchester City
Manchester City are ‘strongly interested’ in securing the services of highly-rated Bayern Munich centre-back talent Cassiano Kiala, according to new reports.
The Etihad Stadium hierarchy have regularly shown a willingness to engage early with representatives of youth talents, even when immediate transfers are not possible, ensuring pathways are discussed well in advance.
Over the last two years, City have increasingly positioned themselves as a long-term destination for the game’s most promising stars, combining elite coaching with a structured development pathway that often includes gradual integration via the academy or loan system.
That approach has been evident in recent youth recruitment activity, particularly in Germany and Spain, where Manchester City scouts reportedly remain active. And Cassiano Kiala’s rapid rise within Bayern Munich has not gone unnoticed. With City also maintaining strong links to top intermediaries across Europe, early relationship-building has become a strategic priority.
Now, according to the information of The Mirror’s Ryan Taylor, the father of the highly-rated aforementioned Bayern Munich centre-back Kiala flew to London on Friday for private discussions with both Chelsea and City – with the latter ‘strongly interested’
Kiala – who is close to making his first-team breakthrough at the Allianz Arena – is said to be internally widely regarded as one of club’s most-promising young talents alongside breakthrough attacking wonder-kid, Lennart Karl.
Interestingly, it is reported that super-agent Jorge Mendes was in Munich last week to meet both the player and his family, while the reigning Bundesliga champions understandably want to keep the former Hertha Berlin youth starlet ‘at all costs’.
From the side of Bayern Munich, it is explained that the club have huge confidence Kiala will become a first-team regular under manager Vincent Kompany, with a notable recent push within the club to integrate more homegrown talent.
On the subject of Bayern Munich and their intentions, follow-up reporting from market expert Fabrizio Romano revealed that the club are in ‘advanced talks’ with Kiala over new long-term contract, and are confident of avoiding any hijacks from Premier League clubs.
From Manchester City’s perspective, any discussions at this stage are likely to be exploratory. With Kiala not turning 18 until January 2027, Premier League regulations prevent an immediate move, meaning talks would instead centre on long-term planning.
Should Bayern Munich succeed in finalising a new deal, as some expect, City may be forced to shelve their interest temporarily. However, maintaining dialogue with the player’s camp could prove valuable should circumstances change closer to the expiry of his current contract.
For now, the situation underlines Manchester City’s continued presence at the very top of Europe’s youth recruitment landscape.
The Russian champion himself has expressed a preference for Kamaru Usman, the former divisional great who upset Joaquin Buckley earlier this year at UFC Atlanta. Prior to that unanimous decision win, Usman had lost three straight and sat on the sidelines for quite some time.
Muhammad may be pals with Makhachev, but that doesn’t mean he agrees Usman should be next. According to “The Bully,” there’s a scheme in play to book Makhachev an “easier” title fight, while his manager Ali Abdelaziz benefits from booking both of his athletes in a UFC title fight and double-dipping on percentages.
Belal Muhammad believes Islam Makhachev and his manager are 'planting the seed' for an easier matchup against Kamaru Usman 😬
"Michael Morales for sure has earned it. We see Islam planting the seeds of Usman being the next guy. Obviously they have the same manager.
“When I look at the Welterweight division — Islam being the champion — who do I think deserves it?” Muhammad explained. “Michael Morales for sure has earned it. But we see the seeds planted. We see Islam planting the seeds of Usman should be the next guy. Obviously they have the same manager. Obviously, the manager planted the seeds in his head.
“Do I think Usman is an easier matchup for him? Of course. The guy fought one time in three years, and he’s 1-3. I’m still ahead of you. Even though I lost my last two fights, I’m still 2-2. You can talk, say whatever you want — you turned down the fight. You didn’t want to fight, and I don’t think that should earn you a title fight when you say no to fights.“
Muhammad finished with another call to face “The Nigerian Nightmare.” The two have beefed for ages now ever since a podcast appearance allegedly ended with a physical altercation, but so far, nothing has been booked. Hopefully, some new Welterweight matchups start getting announced for 2026 sooner than later, because a lot of uncertainty remains.
La Liga president accuses Real Madrid of theatre amid Negreira controversy – ‘Don’t let them spin the story’
The long-running Negreira case has once again ignited tensions at the very top of Spanish football, with a public and unusually sharp exchange between La Liga president Javier Tebas and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
After Perez voiced strong criticism regarding what he described as “passivity” in the judicial handling of the case, Tebas took his time before responding.
When he finally did, his reply was anything but restrained.
Using his personal X account, the La Liga president directly addressed Perez and dismissed his claims with a tone that left little room for interpretation.
Opening his response, Tebas urged caution against what he views as a distorted version of events.
“Don’t let them spin the story for you, president,” Tebas begins in his post.
A rant from the chief
From there, Tebas moved into a detailed explanation of how judicial procedures actually function, pushing back against the idea that La Liga had failed to act decisively.
“In a legal proceeding, intervention is not at the discretion of the interested party, but in accordance with the legal order of appearance in the proceedings.
“The order was clear and categorical: the prosecutor, Estrada Fernández’s lawyer, LaLiga (although we acted earlier in the prosecutor’s office), and finally, Real Madrid, which was the last to appear.”
Que no te construyan el relato, presidente. En un proceso judicial, la intervención no es a gusto del interesado, sino conforme al orden legal de personación en el procedimiento. El orden fue claro y rotundo: El fiscal, El abogado de Estrada Fernández, LaLiga (aunque actuamos… pic.twitter.com/FAL7f0ZDwP
Tebas then turned the focus squarely back on Real Madrid, questioning the club’s timing and suggesting that responsibility for any perceived delay lies closer to home.
Addressing Perez directly, he posed a pointed rhetorical question.
“Don’t you remember why you were the last? Passivity, then. By the way, the prosecutor asked 19 questions, Estrada’s lawyer asked two before the question asked by La Liga’s lawyer,” said the La Liga president.
As his statement progressed, Tebas’ language became increasingly forceful.
He underlined that the questions Real Madrid later sought to introduce had already been covered during the testimony of Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde, rendering further intervention redundant.
“And it should be emphasised that the questions that Real Madrid tried to raise afterwards had already been answered by Luis Enrique and Valverde.
“To speak of ‘passivity’ in this context not only disregards the legal proceedings but also disrespects the intelligence of anyone who knows how a court works.
“That is not indignation: it is theatre. La Liga respects the processes, acts when it must, and does not construct narratives. Others, unfortunately, do,” he concluded.t
Barcelona continue to keep a close eye on Nico Schlotterbeck’s situation as the club assesses options to reinforce a defense with limited depth. Despite the strong emergence of Gerard Martín alongside Pau Cubarsí, the Blaugrana remain active in the market, both to add competition and to prepare alternatives should Ronald Araújo’s long-term future change.
Schlotterbeck, 25, has become one of the standout defenders in the Bundesliga since joining Borussia Dortmund in 2022. His contract runs until 2027, but several reports indicate he is not currently inclined to renew, a stance that has alerted clubs such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich.
From a sporting perspective, the German international fits the profile Barcelona’s coaching staff value. He is left-footed, comfortable defending high up the pitch, quick across the ground, and strong in the air. Over his Dortmund career he has scored seven goals, a notable return for a center back, and he brings significant experience with nearly 150 appearances for the club and 23 senior caps for Germany.
Financially, however, any deal would be far from straightforward. According to BILD, Dortmund already offer Schlotterbeck a package worth around €14 million gross per season including bonuses. Bayern Munich could reportedly go as high as €15 million annually, while Dortmund would demand a transfer fee of at least €50 million to consider a sale. Factoring in wages and bonuses over a five-year deal, the total cost could rise to figures that would severely test Barcelona’s Fair Play limits.
The competition is fierce. Real Madrid remain attentive to the situation, and sources in Germany suggest the player would be open to a move to the Spanish capital. His name has also been loosely linked to Bayern’s internal planning, especially with uncertainty surrounding Dayot Upamecano’s contract talks, which according to Bild include demands of €20 million per year plus a €20 million signing bonus.
Inside Dortmund, opinions differ on how to manage the situation. While sporting director Lars Ricken has publicly ruled out setting a deadline for a decision, club advisor Matthias Sammer has argued for a firmer stance. “With Nico Schlotterbeck, you have to develop a sense of how far along the talks are,” Sammer told Sky. He added, “I have always looked at it from a sporting perspective… Sometimes I would set deadlines.”
James Garner says he will embrace the challenge of adding more leadership to Everton’s midfield in the absence of teammate Idrissa Gana Gueye:
“I think [playing as a senior midfielder] comes quite naturally, to be fair. I’m quite a quiet leader. I’ve been captain pretty much every single place I’ve been at, coming through the youth teams, so it comes quite naturally to me.” [Everton FC]
Date and kick-off time confirmed for our @EmiratesFACup third round tie at home to Sunderland. 📆
Everton Under-21s produced a thrilling comeback to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory over PSV Eindhoven Under-21s in the Premier League International Cup at Goodison Park on Monday evening. [Everton FC]
Former Everton defender Michael Ball reflects on the club’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea – including the pre-match conversations that showed him how perceptions about the Blues are changing. [Liverpool Echo]
Dominic Calvert-Lewin says he experienced something at Leeds United that he never experienced at Everton. [Leeds Press]
Arsenal will be without one of their key players for the visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium after a fresh setback for Ben White. [London World]
The weekly update as Everton’s loanees were in action over the weekend, gaining experience through minutes with their temporary clubs. [Everton FC]
As we mark and recognise Hanukkah, our thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by the horrific act of terror at Bondi Beach.
Everton want to sign KRC Genk attacker Zakaria El Ouahdi, [Sky Switzerland]
A look at how the Africa Cup of Nations could impact Everton as they say farewell to Idrissa Gana Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye. [Liverpool Echo]
With AFCON beginning next week, two key players for Everton will be away for a while. David Moyes must use all available players, including his big summer signing Tyler Dibling. [Prince Ruperts Tower]
Forget Thierno Barry: David Moyes Has 3 Major Issues at Everton After Chelsea Defeat. [Give Me Sport]
What to Watch
Cardiff host Chelsea in the Carabao Cup along with a number of Copa del Rey matches.
Barcelona legend admits surprise at summer signing now winning over Flick – ‘The truth is that…’
Roony Bardghji’s arrival at Barcelona was met with curiosity rather than fanfare, both inside and outside Spain.
Unlike many high-profile signings, his move to the Catalan club did not dominate headlines or feature prominently in transfer predictions.
Now, however, his growing influence has prompted reflection from one of Barcelona’s most respected former players.
Michael Laudrup, the former Barcelona midfielder who made more than 200 appearances for the club, has taken a close look at Bardghji’s situation and admitted that even he did not see the transfer coming.
Laudrup openly confessed how unexpected Bardghji’s move felt from his perspective.
The Dane explained the process that often separates fleeting prospects from those who stay.
“This is the case of a young player who arrives and trains with players of enormous talent, supposedly much more talented than him.
“Suddenly, one day, he wins half a game, then a whole game, and in the end even more. And there he stays,” he said, as quoted by SPORT.
Impressed with his performances
Laudrup is surprised by Roony Bardghji’s impact. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Initially viewed as a developmental signing, the young winger has steadily earned opportunities while competing alongside some of the most gifted players in the squad.
Laudrup then addressed Bardghji’s recent performances and the impression they have left on him.
He made it clear that while the progress has been surprising, it has also been deeply satisfying to witness.
“The truth is that I’m surprised, but at the same time, I’m happy for him. I saw the game against Betis, where Bardghji scored. It was a good game.”
Notably, back in Denmark, there was a widespread belief that Bardghji’s transfer would eventually be followed by another move, with Barcelona potentially positioning him as an asset for future financial gain.
That assumption has proven wide of the mark. In fact, Hansi Flick took a calculated risk on the Swedish international and has remained consistent in his support.
Rather than being moved on, Bardghji is being carefully integrated, accumulating minutes and experience at the highest level.
BBC Sports Personality of the Year is back for 2025, celebrating a phenomenal 12 months of sporting drama and triumph.
It has been a year to remember in sport, including England winning the Women's Euros and Women's Rugby World Cup, Team Europe winning the Ryder Cup, Liverpool's Premier League title, Arsenal's Women's Champions League success, and the Lions' series win in Australia.
There were also record-breaking moments in cricket, athletics, golf, tennis, rugby league and many more.
When is Sports Personality of the Year 2025?
Gabby Logan, Clare Balding and Alex Scott will host the event [BBC]
The star-studded show will be broadcast live from the home of BBC Sport at MediaCity, Salford, on Thursday 18 December from 19:00 GMT.
How can I watch the awards ceremony?
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025 will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app (UK only).
Who are the nominees for Sports Personality of the Year?
A shortlist of six contenders has been announced for the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award [BBC Sport]
Hannah Hampton (football)
Chloe Kelly (football)
Ellie Kildunne (rugby union)
Luke Littler (darts)
Rory McIlroy (golf)
Lando Norris (Formula 1)
Full information on the nominees can be found here.
How can I vote for Sports Personality of the Year?
Voting will take place during the show on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer on Thursday, 18 December.
The public can vote online on the night for the main award, with full details announced during the show.
Who decides the nominees?
An expert independent panel consisting of 12 representatives from the world of sport - chaired by BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski - selects a shortlist.
They are selected on the basis of the following criteria:
Reflected UK sporting achievements on the national and/or international stage;
Represented the breadth and depth of UK sports; and
Took into account 'impact' of the person's sporting achievement beyond the sport in question.
Non-playing coaches or management are not eligible.
The panel produces a shortlist based on reaching a consensus view. If a consensus cannot be reached on all or some of the candidates, the panel will be asked to vote for the remaining candidates. In the event of a tied vote, the decision of the chair is binding.
The panel has the right to amend elements of this or other awards such as the criteria or numbers shortlisted, should a consensus view be reached - provided such changes remain within the spirit of the award.
What are the other award categories?
Seven awards will be presented on the night:
Sports Personality of the Year
World Sport Star of the Year
Helen Rollason award
Young Sports Personality of the Year
Coach of the Year
Team of the Year
Lifetime Achievement award
Who are the nominees for BBC World Sport Star of the Year?
Voting has now closed for the BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year 2025 award [BBC Sport]
Mariona Caldentey (football)
Terence Crawford (boxing)
Armand Duplantis (athletics)
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (athletics)
Shohei Ohtani (baseball)
Mohamed Salah (football)
Full information on the nominees can be found here.
Voting for this award closed at 12:00 GMT on 14 December.
The award will be presented during the live show on BBC One on Thursday, 18 December.
What is the Helen Rollason award?
This is a special BBC award recognising outstanding achievement in the face of adversity. It will be decided by senior management in BBC Sport.
The award will be presented during the live show.
Who are the nominees for Young Sports Personality of the Year?
Agyemang, Littler and Perrin are contenders for this year's award [BBC Sport]
Michelle Agyemang (football)
Luke Littler (darts)
Davina Perrin (cricket)
More information on the nominees can be found here.
This award goes to the outstanding young sportsperson aged 18 or under on 1 January 2025, with the winner decided by the panel.
Who are the nominees for Team of the Year?
England's Euro 2025-winning women's football team, the country's Women's Rugby World Cup champions, and the triumphant European Ryder Cup team have been shortlisted for the prize [BBC Sport]
England women's football team (Lionesses)
England women's rugby union team (Red Roses)
European Ryder Cup team
Voting is now open for the Team of the Year award that will be presented at Sports Personality of the Year 2025.
Voting will close and the winner will be announced during the live show on Thursday, 18 December.
What is the Lifetime Achievement award?
This award honours someone who has made a major impact on the world of sport during their lifetime. It will be decided by senior management in BBC Sport.
The winner will be announced during the live show.
This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.
What is Ask Me Anything?
Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions.
We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do.
The team will find out everything you need to know and be able to call upon a network of contacts including our experts and pundits.
We will be answering your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting events.
Our coverage will span the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio.
Double Acts: Richard Dunne on Sylvain Distin partnership
To mark former City defender Sylvain Distin's 48th birthday, we revisit our Double Acts feature, as Richard Dunne recalls their impressive defensive partnership.
He was a very, very good centre half. He was a very good defender of the ball but he could play too.
He was quick, a good passer of the ball and he scored an outrageous goal against Aston Villa at Villa Park that I remember vividly. He dribbled half way down the pitch and then scored – we won that game 3-1.
He was brilliant. He was a real good leader too and hard-working professional.
I think the two of us worked well together as partnership. We had slightly different attributes.
I just thought it a shame actually that he didn’t get more caps for France because I think the level of football that he was playing when he was at City was as high as anyone could have wanted.
But yes he was a top player.
Why did the partnership with Sylvain work…
I think we were both quite laidback and at a good age in terms of experience in that we knew like clockwork what was expected of each other as a central defensive partner.
Every time I went up for a ball I would go with full confidence that ‘if I miss this, I have confidence that he will behind me covering me’.
It was the same for him. If he wanted to go and dribble up the pitch, he knew he’d be fine because I’d have his back.
We just had a great understanding. We were both brave I think too – we’d win tackles, win headers, put our bodies on the line.
Just for those few years, it seemed to work really well.
Tell us about Sylvain the person…
He was the captain before me.
He was a very popular guy and a great character.
We actually lived in the same apartment block – he was one floor up I think.
He was a really good fella. Obviously he spoke perfect English and he was one of those players who was just really, really dedicated to his profession.
He was always in at the training ground trying to get stronger, trying to get quicker, trying to do this and that to improve – a good example to those around him.
It was just good to be around him and I enjoyed being his partner for those few years together.
Dallas Mavericks are 12th in the Western Conference following the defeat [Getty Images]
Cooper Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 40 points in a game as the Dallas Mavericks lost 140-133 after overtime to the Utah Jazz.
The number one pick at this year's Draft, the 18-year-old forward finished with 42 points, seven rebounds and six assists at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
Only Cliff Robinson (45), GG Jackson (44) and LeBron James (43) have scored more points in a game as a teenager, while Flagg equalled Mark Aguirre's record for a Mavericks rookie.
Flagg, who turns 19 on Sunday, is the third teenager in the league's 79-year history - after James and Kevin Durant - to claim 40 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
The Mavericks led 75-71 at half-time - by which time Flagg had 24 points - and 124-116 late in the fourth quarter.
However, after blowing their eight-point lead to trail 129-127, they required two free throws from Max Christie with less than five seconds remaining to level the game.
The Jazz dominated overtime to register their 10th win of the season as Keyonte George finished with 37 points and Lauri Markkanen 33.
The Jazz are 10th in the Western Conference and the Mavericks 12th.
Who is Cooper Flagg?
The 6ft 8in Flagg became the first freshman to be named Maine Player of the Year after leading high school Nokomis Regional to the state title in 2021.
He transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida, winning the 2022 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year and 2024 National High School Player of the Year awards.
He was part of the USA side that won the 2022 Under-17s World Cup and was named in the all-tournament team.
In 2024-25 Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in a 37-game debut season for Duke University.
They reached the Final Four and he was named National College Player of the Year.
Flagg, who made his debut for the Mavericks against the San Antonio Spurs in October, averages 17.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists after 25 matches.
How Chelsea could line up in EFL Cup clash vs Cardiff City (4-2-3-1)
Chelsea take on Cardiff City on Tuesday night with a spot in the EFL Cup last four up for grabs.
The Blues travel to the Welsh capital on the back of a comfortable 2-0 win against Everton over the weekend, courtesy of goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
That win saw Chelsea snap a four-game winless run across all competitions, but their path to the EFL Cup quarter-final has been far from smooth despite facing lesser-calibre opponents.
Enzo Maresca’s side scraped past League One Lincoln City in the third round and needed a long-range belter to edge Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-3 in the previous round.
Chelsea are now set to face another League One team, but they’d be silly to underestimate the threat posed by the third-tier league leaders.
However, when you play knockout football, the brand of football typically goes out the window.
Finding a way to win often matters more than how it looks, so Chelsea will take another scrappy win against Cardiff if it guarantees them a spot in the semi-final.
Fortunately for the Blues, they’ve won their last five EFL Cup quarter finals and are looking to punch their ticket to the semi-final for the fifth time in nine seasons.
How Chelsea could line up
With another tricky fixture against Newcastle United on the horizon, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Maresca name an entirely different XI to face Cardiff.
Filip Jorgensen is poised to return to the XI for the first time since the fourth round against Wolves, with Robert Sanchez handed a much-deserved breather.
Jorrel Hato has struggled to adapt to English football, but he should get a chance to impress at left back.
Josh Acheampong should line up at right back while Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo anchor the defence.
Moises Caicedo is back in contention after serving a three-match suspension, while Andrey Santos should come in for Enzo Fernandez.
FIFA Arab Cup: Top scorers ranking ahead of the Morocco – Jordan final
Top scorers ranking before the Morocco – Jordan final in the FIFA Arab Cup
Karim El Berkaoui/@SNRT
The final of the FIFA Arab Cup between Morocco and Jordan promises to be decisive in the battle for the prestigious top scorer title.
With 4 goals to his name, Ali Olwan, Jordan's attacking spearhead, leads the race at the top of the standings.
He sits just one goal ahead of Morocco's dynamic winger Karim El Berkaoui, who once again proved decisive in the semi-final against the UAE.
Another player who could join the race is Saudi midfielder Mohamed Kanno, who has already scored 3 goals and could add to his tally in the third-place playoff against the United Arab Emirates.
Below is the top scorers ranking ahead of the Morocco – Jordan final:
Chelsea target Bayern Munich teenager as club look to continue their controversial policy
Chelsea are not expected to make any major moves in the January transfer window, but we’re sure we will see more talented young players brought in.
That’s the club’s model now, and a report from the Daily Mirror yesterday made it very clear that there’s a new target in our sights as the window draws closer.
Chelsea keen on 16 year old rising star
Cassiano Kiala in Bayern training. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
Cassiano Kiala is not a name we know much about, but it feels like we’re about to know a lot more. The 16 year old Bayern Munich defender is wanted by all the top teams, and according to the Mirror he’s been in London this week for discussions with Chelsea and Man City.
“Kiala is close to making his first-team breakthrough in Bavaria and internally, is widely regarded as one of club’s most-promising young talents alongside attacking superstar Lennart Karl,” they put it.
A German U17 international, Kiala regularly features on Bayern’s bench and has been training with their first team since the end of last season. His future could yet be in midfield, but for now has been playing at the back.
We’re a long way from securing him as a signing – it still seems likely he stays at Bayern, and even if he doesn’t we’ve got to compete with Man City to sign him. But we’re at least making sure we’re in the race.
In other news…
Enzo Maresca’s comments from yesterday still are ringing in the air – Simon Jordan had an interesting theory on what was going on with the coach after his amazing outburst.
Chelsea’s performances of late haven’t been amazing – but they’re trending in the right direction according to the stats, which show their defence tightening up and some improvements in terms of xG too.
Ruben Amorim deviated from his trusted 3-4-3 for the first time as Manchester United manager as he experimented with a new-look system for the Premier League match against Bournemouth.
At first glance, a chaotic 4-4 draw against Andoni Iraola’s side does not suggest that the tweak brought much improvement. But Amorim’s side were far sharper in attack and were a constant danger throughout the game.
Amorim said before kick-off that United will need to “adapt” when Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui depart for the Africa Cup of Nations and notably said that his team “need to learn from some mistakes we did in the past”.
Critics of the Portuguese head coach have said he has stayed too attached to his 3-4-3 system since replacing Erik ten Hag last November. It was the system he used to great success at his previous club Sporting Lisbon but it has been ineffective so far at Old Trafford.
Amorim joked in September that not even the Pope could persuade him to change his formation. "This is my job. This is my responsibility. This is my life. So, I will not change that,” he said.
What was different against Bournemouth?
At first and on paper, not much. When the team sheets dropped it looked as if Amorim had named a back three of Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Luke Shaw, with Amad Diallo and Diogo Dalot as the usual wing-backs.
Manchester United XI: Lammens; Yoro, Heaven, Shaw; Amad, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot; Mbeumo, Mount, Cunha
But when the match kicked off, United’s style appeared to be different on the ball. Yoro played as a more traditional right back, with Shaw tucking in to join Heaven and Dalot positioned on the left.
Amad was allowed to push further forward and join Mason Mount, Matheus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes in supporting Bryan Mbeumo. Casemiro was notably the sitting midfielder, as Fernandes pushed forward.
It created something of a 4-1-3-2 formation with Mbeumo and Cunha as the strikers, Amad on the right, Mount on the left and Fernandes at No 10. It became a bit more like 4-4-2 when Bournemouth had the ball.
Manchester United XI: Lammens; Yoro, Heaven, Shaw, Dalot; Casemiro, Fernandes; Amad, Mount; Mbeumo, Cunha
Manchester United's Amad Diallo celebrates the opening goal against Bournemouth (Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
How did it look?
First half, good. Second half, not so good.
Manchester United had 17 shots in the first half, the most of any side in the Premier League so far this season, as well as an xG of 2.62.
United led 2-1 at the break but the second half will be remembered as one of the most chaotic in Premier League history, with the points shared in a 4-4 draw.
Overall, though, there appeared to be far more danger and threat to United’s play. And although Bournemouth enjoyed themselves at spells, there was a better balance in Amorim’s team too.
The hosts were able to sustain attacks and looked rampant at times. In the new-look attack, Amad, Mbeumo, Cunha, Fernandes and Mount dovetailed and linked up wonderfully.
Ruben Amorim seemingly finally switched away from his beloved 3-4-3 formation (Getty Images)
"I think it's the best I've seen Manchester United, certainly in the first half, under Amorim,” former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports. Maybe going back to the first game of the season with Arsenal.
"United were fantastic in those first 25 to 30 minutes. It was almost a throwback to Sir Alex Ferguson - fast, attacking football, people being energetic, making runs forward, being positive being on the front foot, winning the ball back early.”
Amad scored the opener and his advanced position allowed him to get on the end of Dalot’s cross after Cunha missed the first contact. The second goal came from a set-piece, with Casemiro’s header, but you can’t say United didn’t deserve to be ahead.
The second half was chaos and Bournemouth exploited United’s defensive vulnerabilities. Amorim’s side have only kept one clean sheet this season and were missing senior centre-backs Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire.
What did Amorim say after full-time?
"A lot of good things, but a lot of things to work. We are not winning games sometimes in the details because it's a back four, back three, back five,” explained the United boss.
“It's the details that we need to work, understand the momentum of the game. You need to be more clinical, because today against a very good team we create so many chances to win the game.
“We need to focus on the performance today was different from the last two at home. That is also a point that we pay attention to. It's completely different. The result is the same.
“At one point, it's frustrating, but the performance is different.That is the fun part of being a manager - you will try to find solutions with the players that we have.
“After the last season, I think we are ready to cope with whatever they present in front of us. Let's move on. We already knew. We had some injuries. All the teams in England had injuries. We will try to find a way to score goals in a different way.”
Key reason Barcelona are increasingly certain to miss out on key defensive target
Barcelona’s intention to strengthen their defence with a natural left-footed centre-back is no longer a secret, and the club’s sporting department continues to scan the European market for profiles.
That uncertainty has placed him on the radar of several top clubs, including Barcelona.
From a sporting perspective, Schlotterbeck fits many of the criteria the Catalan club are prioritising.
However, while the profile is appealing, the operation itself is far from straightforward.
Another financial hurdle
Salary expectations represent a significant hurdle for Barcelona, particularly given the club’s ongoing struggle to operate freely under Financial Fair Play restrictions.
Nico Schlotterbeck’s salary situation would be a problem for Barcelona. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Schlotterbeck’s financial demands, when placed in the current economic context at the Spotify Camp Nou, could make any serious move extremely complicated.
According to BILD, as relayed by SPORT, Dortmund currently offer Schlotterbeck a gross annual salary including bonuses of around €14 million, while Bayern Munich, one of the interested clubs, could push that figure to €15 million per season.
On top of that, Dortmund are in no rush to sell and would demand at least €50 million to consider a transfer.
For Barcelona, that would mean committing to a total package of approximately €125 million over a five-year contract.
Whether such an investment is realistic in the near future remains uncertain, especially as the club continues to balance sporting ambition with strict financial limitations.
As things stand, Schlotterbeck represents an ideal solution on paper, but one that may ultimately prove too costly in practice.
Real Madrid leadership to back ‘in-house’ solution if Alonso is sacked
The tension in the Spanish capital has seemingly taken a slight back seat after Real Madrid’s win over Deportivo Alaves at the weekend.
Given the adversities through which the team fought to get the job done on the night, the administration was given enough to retain their faith in Xabi Alonso for the time being.
Yet, it is too early to say that Alonso’s job is secure and it is critical that the team keep up the same level and get positive results in the coming days.
The replacement in mind
As relayed by El Chiringuito TV in a recent report, Real Madrid continue to be prepared to deal with the worst in the coming weeks, and efforts have been made to identify potential replacements for a situation where Alonso’s sacking becomes inevitable.
According to the outlet, the priority now is to hire an ‘in-house’ solution as the next first-team manager should Alonso leave, and the idea of bringing in a big name is ruled out.
Xabi Alonso’s job is on the line. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
The administration is reportedly backing Alvaro Arbeloa, the subsidiary team coach, to take a step up and perform for the first team if such a situation arises, and they seemingly have solid confidence in his abilities. Their choice, thus, is clear.
Contrary to reports earlier this month, the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Jurgen Klopp do not appear to be viable options at the moment.
Should Alonso be sacked and an ‘in-house’ solution be appointed, they could well make way for a bigger name in the summer.
All eyes, for now, are on the team’s two final games of the calendar year before the team disperses for the Christmas break.
Kobbie Mainoo’s brother wore a t-shirt displaying the message ‘Free Kobbie Mainoo’ to Old Trafford during Manchester United’s 4-4 draw with Bournemouth in a clear message to head coach Ruben Amorim amid the uncertainty over the player’s future.
The 20-year-old academy product, who scored the winning goal for United in the 2024 FA Cup final and started for England in the Euro 2024 final, was loudly cheered onto the pitch when he was brought on by Amorim as a second-half substitute on Monday night.
And United’s fans were not alone in believing that Mainoo has been underused by Amorim this season. Mainoo’s older brother and TV personality Jordan Mainoo-Hames, who appeared as a contestant on Love Island in 2019, unveiled the t-shirt during the match and posted the picture to his Instagram story afterwards.
Amorim was not asked about the incident following the 4-4 draw but the nature of the pre-planned stunt is likely to irk the Portuguese, who has accepted criticism from United great Paul Scholes over not playing the academy product more but on Friday said “frustration doesn’t help anybody”.
Mainoo could ask to leave his boyhood club in January in search of game time, which would be crucial if he is to force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s England plans ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
Mainoo was introduced as a second-half substitute but has only started once all season in all competitions (AFP via Getty Images)
“First of all, I say the same thing: the team comes first,” Amorim replied on Friday when he was asked if he would sanction a January loan move if Mainoo ncame to see him.
“If Kobbie comes to me and talks to me, I will talk to him. I’m not going to say what I’m going to say to Kobbie, but I will be really pleased if Kobbie is coming to talk to me about that.
“I just want my players happy, and I understand that every individual has their goals. The frustration doesn’t help anybody but, again, the focus is in this game and we will see if that happens.”
The Mainoo t-shirt was not the only United-related social media post of note on Monday after a pair of teenagers seemingly reacted to Amorim’s pre-match press conference.
The Portuguese said in one answer that “(Harry) Amass is now struggling in Championship” and “Chido (Obi) is not always a starter in under 21”.
Amass is on loan at embattled Championship outfit Sheffield Wednesday and posted a photo of himself holding the club’s player of the month award for November with a grinning emoji.
Obi also posted an Instagram story, which showed him with arms out celebrating a goal for the under-21s against Manchester City in August. The 18-year-olds both subsequently deleted the posts.
Cheat code midfielder will be Liverpool's next signing
The injury to Szoboszlai highlights a weakness in Liverpool's squad. They need more depth and they need more players able to maintain a pressing intensity that aligns with the way Slot wants his system to work.
Liverpool have become less heavy metal under the Dutchman but they were successful last season because they still pressed with intensity.
Looking around the midfield market in Europe, there aren't many players capable of pressing and covering as much ground as Szoboszlai.
But there's someone who has been playing with a similar intensity and who has guided his team to the top of their respective league in the process.
Meet Mamadou Sangare. He's a Malian midfielder for RC Lens, who arrived from Rapid Vienna in the summer. Unsurprisingly, just like Szoboszlai he came through the Red Bull Salzburg system.
Sangare is best described as an absolute cheat-code. Under his guidance, Lens are currently above Paris Saint Germain at the top of the Ligue 1 table.
He's been instrumental in that charge to the top. Sangare has made the most tackles and interceptions combined (66) in the entire league.
For the most passes blocked, Sangare ranks in the top five among players in Ligue 1 (18).
He's also made the most recoveries (107). In fact, in Europe's top five leagues, only Elliot Anderson has made more recoveries (132) than Sangare.
Impressively, the Malian is also the player with the most tackles in the opposition's final third (12) in Europe's top five leagues.
This describes just how efficient he is at regaining the ball for his team and making crucial defensive actions.
Sangare's energy and speed in the middle of the park make him as we said a complete cheat-code and he's exactly the type of player Liverpool need right now.
They need a midfielder who can win those second balls and who can provide the pressing intensity in the middle.
In our opinion, if he continues in the same form, it's inevitable that he will become Liverpool's next midfield signing. The data gurus at Anfield simply cannot ignore this type of performance week in and week out.
BOTTOM LINE: Chicago aims to break its four-game home slide with a win over Cleveland.
The Bulls have gone 7-10 against Eastern Conference teams. Chicago is seventh in the Eastern Conference scoring 117.2 points while shooting 46.8% from the field.
The Cavaliers have gone 12-9 against Eastern Conference opponents. Cleveland is fifth in the league averaging 15.0 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 33.9% from deep. Donovan Mitchell leads the team averaging 4.0 makes while shooting 38.1% from 3-point range.
The Bulls' 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.7 more made shots on average than the 13.1 per game the Cavaliers give up. The Cavaliers average 15.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.4 more made shots on average than the 13.6 per game the Bulls allow.
The teams square off for the second time this season. In the last matchup on Nov. 9 the Cavaliers won 128-122 led by 29 points from De'Andre Hunter, while Isaac Okoro scored 19 points for the Bulls.
TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Giddey is averaging 20.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists for the Bulls. Coby White is averaging 20.0 points over the last 10 games.
Mitchell is averaging 30.7 points and 5.5 assists for the Cavaliers. Darius Garland is averaging 26 points and nine assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 2-8, averaging 112.0 points, 43.2 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 7.7 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.0 points per game.
Cavaliers: 4-6, averaging 116.7 points, 46.5 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 9.1 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.4 points.
INJURIES: Bulls: Ayo Dosunmu: day to day (thumb), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder).
Cavaliers: Sam Merrill: day to day (hand), Max Strus: out (foot), Evan Mobley: out (calf), Larry Nance Jr.: out (calf).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
As of now, the MLS season is over. All the teams now get a winter break before the season resumes in February. Included in that group are the Vancouver Whitecaps and their new star signing Thomas Müller. For the first time since he left Bayern Munich, Müller has time off. And he immediately used that time to visit his old club in the Allianz Arena.
Cameras captured the World Cup winner sitting in the stands next to Bayern’s supervisory board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and board member for sport, Max Eberl, during Bayern’s 2-2 draw with Mainz 05, with the duo laughing about something. Asked after the Bundesliga match about Müller’s visit, Eberl had this to say:
“We joked around a lot. Thomas is someone who talks a lot. During a game, I’m more of a quiet person, so I had to adapt a bit to the situation,” Eberl admitted, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “But it was a lot of fun and very pleasant.”
Müller’s departure from Bayern was tinged with some controversy after Eberl publicly announced that the Bayern legend could decide if he wanted to stay at the club, only for the club to refuse Müller a new contract and show him the door. It seems, fortunately, as if there are no lasting grudges from the whole drama.
Brian Sorensen told his Everton Women side that they must lift their heads and realise that they are playing against quality opposition as the Toffees ended the year with defeat at home to Arsenal.
A goal-laden 240 seconds started when Katie McCabe fired the Gunners in front on 11 minutes only for the hosts to respond almost immediately through Honoka Hayashi.
But the Blues were not level for long as Alessia Russo restored her team’s advantage from close range before second half substitute Olivia Smith made the game safe for Renée Slegers’ side who move up to second place in the WSL with victory.
And a dignified Sorensen took a pragmatic approach to the game in his praise for the opposition.
“I don’t think the girls tried everything they could, but the way Arsenal started the game – that’s an extremely good team,” he said.
“They started so fast, we tried to do a bit of what we did against Chelsea and ride the storm but they got into some really good positions.
“But we also knew that if we could stay in the game, which we did with Hono’s equaliser then we are still in the game.
“Second half we tried to push on and in some moments, could we could have done a bit better? Yes. But as I have said to the girls, some days you just have to lift your heads as you are playing against a very good team.”
An unchanged starting XI from the side that upset champions Chelsea found themselves under the cosh early at Goodison, but Ruby Mace continued to defy her detractors with a display far beyond her years, first blocking Mariona Caldentey’s whipped cross before closing down Caitlin Foord as the Gunners piled on the pressure.
The former Leicester star could do little for Arsenal’s opener, though, as her clearance from a Russo delivery fell to McCabe, who broke the deadlock with a thunderous long-range effort just after ten minutes.
Everton reused to let their heads drop and were level almost immediately through Hayashi. Vignola found the Japan star and the edge of the area and the 27-year-old scored her second goal in as many games with a precise strike to beat Anneke Borbe at her far post.
And with the game level, the Blues’ vulnerability was punished in somewhat fortuitous fashion as Russo’s unwitting finish crossed the line despite Courtney Brosnan’s best efforts, as the visitors restored their lead.
The Toffees battled to the last, but had their keeper to thank for keeping them in the game with a string of strong saves, one in particular denying Russo from close range as frenetic first half ended with Arsenal just one goal in front.
Into the second 45 and, with the Gunners on top, Sorensen rang the changes just before the hour mark with Karen Holmgaard, Katja Snoeijs and Rosa van Gool replacing Kelly Gago, Clare Wheeler and Yuka Momiki.
But it did little to alter the game’s flow and Smith ensured that there would be no fightback on 87 minutes when she unleashed a clinical 25-yard volley to settle matters.
Toni Payne looked a threat in periods but this was not Everton’s day and while Sorensen was both fair and magnanimous in his praise of Slegers’ team, the fact his side have failed to take a single point at home in the league this season is both a cause for concern and an issue that needs addressing ASAP.
The Blues can enjoy a Christmas break now but 2026 won’t start easy for them with a trip to WSL leaders Manchester City on Sunday, 11 January.
Amorim claimed that Harry Amass was “struggling” in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday.
He also stated that young striker Chido Obi was not always starting for the youth team and that Toby Collyer isn’t playing for West Bromwich Albion.
Recent reports also suggest the club is growing “uneasy” with Amorim’s lack of faith in the academy and his treatment of certain players.
Far from reality
Whilst it is true that Amass’ loan side Sheffield Wednesday are struggling at the bottom of the Championship, the left wing-back certainly isn’t.
Amass has been in electric form for the Owls in both attack and defence this season.
He has been in such good form that Manchester United are actually in talks with the player to secure a new deal for the exciting 18-year-old.
What’s more, Amass has impressed fans so much that he won the club’s Player of the Month award in November.
Amass reaction
The Daily Star reports that Amass responded to Amorim’s criticism with a story on his Instagram that has since been removed.
The outlet reports that, “the full-back shared a simple photo holding Wednesday’s Player of the Month award – before swiftly deleting the picture.”
Chido Obi also responded with an image of himself celebrating a goal for the academy before also taking down the photo from social media.
Perhaps Amorim’s criticism affected Amass last night, as he put in a poor performance by his standards in Sheffield Wednesday’s 0-3 home loss to Derby County.
He failed to win any tackles and also won only 33% of his ground duels. Amass also struggled in attack, failing to have any shots or complete any crosses.
Real Madrid midfielder expected to return against Sevilla – report
When Eduardo Camavinga left the field injured against Athletic Club earlier this month, there was optimism that the setback was not anything serious and the player would face just a few days out.
Indeed, Camavinga seemingly returned to training in a matter of days and even made it to the squad to take on Celta Vigo in Real Madrid’s first game back at the Santiago Bernabeu in over a month.
However, he did not make any appearance off the bench and was soon dropped from the squad for the team’s following games.
The signs pointed to a residual niggle that he had not yet completely recovered from.
Back in the mix
As relayed by COPE in a recent update, Camavinga is expected to return to Real Madrid’s squad for the team’s game against Sevilla and could even see some involvement on the night.
He will likely not travel with the team to face off against Talavera in the Copa del Rey game midweek, and understandably so, given how it is against a lower-division opponent.
Eduardo Camavinga is likely to return against Sevilla. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The idea, needless to say, is to have the midfielder fit and raring back in time for the Sevilla clash. Xabi Alonso, after all, sees him as a handy defensive midfielder-cum-interior midfielder in his arsenal.
So far this season, the Frenchman has largely struggled with injuries and has just four starts and eleven appearances for Real Madrid in La Liga.
He has one goal in La Liga this season, which ironically came in the same game that he last got injured in.
Camavinga is expected to serve as Aurelien Tchouameni’s backup when he returns to the squad, but there is also a good chance he features in central midfield where the team need more solidity.
The full-back position is an outside option as well, especially given the team’s struggles in the department in recent weeks.
Roma inquire about Genoa’s Ekhator and Everton’s Beto
Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma returned to winning ways after two consecutive Serie A defeats.
Against Como, a 1-0 win, courtesy of Wesley, was once again enough.
This excellent performance by the Giallorossi revived the league standings and the club’s spirits ahead of their next league match against Juventus.
Despite the win, the management is not changing its strategies ahead of the January transfer window.
At Trigoria, the search for a center forward remains a priority, given that the current squad’s strikers have so far failed to deliver the necessary performance and consistency.
In addition to Joshua Zirkzee, the main target, Tel, Fabio Silva, and Raspadori, sporting director Frederic Massara has added two new players to his roster.
According to Gianluca di Marzio of Sky Sport, the new names are Genoa’s youngster Ekhator and Portuguese forward Beto, currently playing for Everton, a name previously explored by the Giallorossi.
Roma is therefore intensifying its evaluations to find the ideal reinforcement to give Gasperini in attack.
Boxer Troy Williamson's family bar in Jamaica needs a full rebuild after Hurricane Melissa [Troy Williamson/Gerald Atkinson]
Troy Williamson still remembers the hollow feeling in his stomach as he refreshed his phone again and again, trying to reach his father in Jamaica.
Hurricane Melissa had torn across the island where the British boxer's father, brothers and sisters lived.
"When nobody could get in touch we had no idea what had happened," recalls Williamson. "The worst case [was] that they weren't here any more."
For four days, the Darlington fighter - who faces Callum Simpson live on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer on Saturday - heard nothing.
He trained and waited, but feared the worst while images of the storm's destruction spread across social media.
"It felt like a very long time, especially when you saw how bad it was," the 34-year-old tells BBC Sport.
Eventually, a message flashed up on Facebook Messenger from his father, Gerald Atkinson, who somehow reached a wi-fi signal after the phone lines had failed.
There was a sigh of relief, before reality set in.
The hurricane had wiped out the house and family-run sports bar.
G's Cool Spot was well known among locals and British holidaymakers visiting the costal town of Black River in St Elizabeth. Now it's a ruin.
"It demolished their home and business. As it stands they have nowhere to live. They're trying to repair and rebuild," adds Williamson.
"The sports bar is gone, basically. It's washed away. It needs a full rebuild."
The hurricane struck Jamaica on 28 October as a category five storm, resulting in 28 confirmed deaths.
Approximately 1.5 million people - more than half of the nation's population - have been impacted.
Lenders have together put forward up to $6.7bn (£5bn) over three years to support Jamaica's recovery from Hurricane Melissa, alongside wider international aid efforts.
Williamson himself has launched a fundraising campaign and already received donations - including £1,000 from the auction of a signed glove - to help cover basics like food, clothing and temporary accommodation.
His brother will fly out in December, and Williamson hopes to follow.
Before he can board that plane, Williamson must face Barnsley's unbeaten Simpson - a tough assignment at a testing moment in his own career.
Williamson (right) will challenge British, European and Commonwealth champion Simpson at the First Direct Arena in Leeds [Getty Images]
A Mike Tyson-obsessed kid who did not lace the gloves properly until 17, Williamson racked up 68 amateur bouts, boxed for Team GB and won medals on the international circuit.
As a professional he claimed the prestigious British title at light-middleweight, but says his career has "stalled" after four defeats in his past six bouts.
Williamson puts his recent bad run down to the way his career has been managed.
"I don't believe I've been promoted properly. I've never had a solid promoter, even when I won the British title," he says.
"I put it all down to being in the North East, in a small town called Darlington. I just don't think they recognise the North East when we have some tremendous boxers."
He refers to Pat and Luke McCormack, Savannah Marshall and Josh Kelly - all top talents but spread across different promotional outfits - as evidence of why the region has struggled to build a unified platform.
"You could sell out a stadium in the North East with the talent we've got, but we're with different promoters which isn't ideal," he adds.
A victory over Simpson, 29, would revitalise his career but, more importantly, the purse from his fight will go a long way in helping rebuild a family home 4,600 miles aways.
"The full village and island is basically ruined, so it will take a while to rebuild," says Williamson.
Denmark's Holger Rune during the Shanghai Masters tennis in October (Hector RETAMAL)
The ATP men's tennis tour will introduce an extreme heat policy from 2026 after criticism from players who sweltered through some tournaments this year.
The move brings the ATP into line with the women's WTA tour, which has a long-standing policy, and sports such as Formula One which has its own measures to protect drivers.
In October, Danish tennis star Holger Rune called temperatures of more than 30C and humidity soaring past 80 percent at the Shanghai Masters "brutal".
"Do you want a player to die on court?" Rune was heard to ask as he wilted in the fierce conditions.
The ATP has now acted, saying on Monday it was "strengthening protections for players competing in extreme conditions".
The new rules are based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which measures air temperature, humidity, wind speed and other factors to estimate heat stress.
Under the measures, a player can request a 10-minute cooling break in best-of-three singles matches if the WBGT reaches 30.1 degrees or higher during the first two sets.
Play will be suspended when the WBGT exceeds 32.2 degrees.
"The new heat rule provides a structured, medically supported approach to managing extreme heat, with the objective of safeguarding player health," the ATP said.
It added it will "also improve conditions for spectators, officials, ball persons and tournament staff".
The rules do not apply to the four Grand Slams, which have their own policies.
Previously, decisions over weather conditions, including heat, were down to the on-site ATP supervisor in coordination with medical teams and local organisers.
The planet is on track to log its second hottest year on record in 2025, Europe's global warming monitor said last week.
Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins (20) finishes the fast break dunk during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA -- The Los Angeles Clippers lose to the Memphis Grizzlies, 121-103, at Intuit Dome on Monday December 15th, 2025. The Sporting Tribune's Nico Alba was there to capture the following TST images.
Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins (20) finishes the fast break dunk during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins (20) finishes the fast break dunk during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Kobe Sanders (4) makes a fade away jumper during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Clippers guard Kobe Sanders (4) makes a fade away jumper during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) hits a hook shot an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) hits a hook shot an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) scores the floater during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) scores the floater during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Jordan Miller (22) drives past the defense during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Clippers guard Jordan Miller (22) drives past the defense during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) takes a three during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) takes a three during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) with a behind the back pass during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) with a behind the back pass during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Kobe Sanders (4) makes a three during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Clippers guard Kobe Sanders (4) makes a three during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) delivers a no-look pass during an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) delivers a no-look pass during an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) makes a jumpshot during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) makes a jumpshot during an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Cedric Coward (23) finishes a monster dunk during an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Memphis Grizzlies guard Cedric Coward (23) finishes a monster dunk during an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Cam Spencer (24) celebrates his three point basket during an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Memphis Grizzlies guard Cam Spencer (24) celebrates his three point basket during an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Monday December 15th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
The game ended with a 4-4 scoreline after several twists and turns. A match that will remain in the memories... and in the history books, too!
The reason? Bournemouth has become the first team in the history of English football to score three goals or more in three consecutive league matches at Old Trafford. It’s kind of their turf now...
Bournemouth making Old Trafford their stage 💥
They become the only side to hit 3+ goals in three straight top-flight games there 🏟️⚽ pic.twitter.com/CTJHlGzrZy
L'Interista, of the TuttoMercatoWeb network, have doubled down on that claim, reporting that Inter are eager to push forward on this one. They're inspired by the success of Manuel Akanji, who joined on loan from Manchester City this season.
The idea of finding a new player in his prime who can slot into the team and succeed immediately is now their gameplan on the back of the Akanji deal. Now, those signings don't come cheap - unless their contract is expiring.
Late in the third quarter of their Sunday matchup against the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers started to play the type of winning defense that their fans have been practically begging for. During a stretch of roughly 10 minutes that extended into the fourth quarter, they scored 24 unanswered points and forced seven turnovers, allowing them to take a 95-77 lead.
However, after that outstanding spurt, the Lakers fell back into their old bad habits on both ends of the floor. They started to walk the ball upcourt and milk the shot clock, as if they were merely looking to conservatively protect their lead rather than build on it and hold off Phoenix. That behavior played right into Phoenix's hands, and they ended up having to pull out a 116-114 victory by the skin of their teeth after the Suns made a couple of big mistakes in the final seconds.
It was another reminder that the Lakers still have a lot of work to do in order to seriously contend for the NBA championship.
Hall of Famer Paul Pierce went off on them during a recent episode of the "No Fouls Given" podcast for the way they gave up their lead in the last several minutes of Sunday's game. He said the Lakers — and the Suns — had very poor basketball IQ in the final minutes of that contest, and that neither team will be able to win a playoff series this spring as a result.
"This was one of the lowest IQ, last four minutes I've seen from both teams this season. And based on what I saw, neither one of these teams can win a playoff series."
Of course, the Lakers are likely not as reckless and undisciplined as they looked in the final minutes of Sunday's game, nor are they as good a defensive team as they looked during that 10-minute stretch late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter. They do have an 18-7 record, which gives them an elite winning percentage, and are in third place in the Western Conference.
But Los Angeles hasn't played the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets or New York Knicks yet, and when it faced the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder a month ago, it lost 121-92, albeit with LeBron James still out due to sciatica. Continuing to put forth the same ineptitude they displayed late in Sunday's game will almost certainly result in decisive losses against the Nuggets, Rockets, Knicks and especially the Thunder.
Most definitely, Lota Onwuameze is a force in the middle for Illinois Math & Science Academy.
The bespectacled Onwuameze, a solidly built 6-foot-4 junior forward, made all-conference in the Little Ten last season as a sophomore for the Titans. It was his first year at the Aurora school.
He’s once again proving to be double trouble for opponents and has been a major reason why this edition for IMSA could leave a legacy as one of the program’s best-ever teams.
“I’ve been playing basketball since I was a little boy,” Onwuameze said. “In my mind, I think I bring our team together in a way. I move the ball and everybody has their time.
“I have my own time and we all have fun together.”
IMSA made sure to have some fun Monday night during a nonconference game at St. Edward in Elgin, bolting to a 21-1 lead after one quarter before cruising to a 51-32 victory.
Onwuameze led the way with a game-high 17 points and 11 rebounds for IMSA (6-4), topping it off with a pair of blocked shots and two steals.
Omar Njikam, a 6-foot-5 senior forward, added his own double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Neil Sitapara, a 6-0 senior guard, chipped in with 12 points, all coming on 3-pointers.
Owen Searcy, a 6-6 junior forward, and Anit Puri, a 6-2 senior guard, scored eight points apiece for St. Edward (4-5).
Onwuameze, who’s from Springfield, is glad to be a part of what the Titans are building.
“I had a friend I’d known from preschool who actually got me started playing basketball,” Onwuameze said. “He’s the one who invited me to play with his AAU team, and I played in elementary and middle school.
“It’s when I started taking basketball seriously, but I stopped when I started high school. I’ve had to give up a lot of old friends I’ve made playing basketball, which was hard. But here I am now.”
After the school year, IMSA’s players go home and scatter around the state, meaning the Titans can’t run things like other programs in the summer.
Last season, Onwuameze averaged a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds in his first year with the Titans. Accordiing to IMSA coach Brad Snead, Onwuameze is averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds this winter.
“Lota is solid,” Snead said. “He uses his body very well. He’s very skilled at his post work.”
Sitapara opened Saturday’s game in Westmont by making four 3-pointers in the first quarter.
“It really helps us when he starts like that,” Snead said of Sitapara. “It opens up our inside and then Lota can go to work. When that happens, teams collapse on Lota and we can kick it out.”
Njikam can also be a force for the Titans. He began Monday’s game with three steals in the first quarter and scored 10 of his 12 points, with three baskets on fast-break layups.
“He’s an athlete,” Snead said of Nijkam. “At 6-5, he’s long and that’s why we stick him on the point because he gets deflections. He’s our leader there and we don’t preach steals. We preach deflections because they can turn into steals and easy baskets.
“And he’s a rebounder — a beast on the offensive glass. In our last game against Serena, he had 19 rebounds. With his size, I can stick him on the wing or inside. He’s versatile on offense.”
Njikam, a native of Chicago’s South Side, pointed out that he grew up playing in his neighborhood. He followed an older sister to IMSA, just like Onwuameze followed his older brother.
Muna Onwuameze is the Titans’ career scoring leader. His 1,100-plus points are almost certain to be topped by Lota.
“It’s within reach,” Lota said. “Muna comes to our games once in a while to make sure we’re doing good. I think this team has a ton of potential. We just need to bring it out.”
Jon Attenborough has been following Dundee United for almost two decades, but due to a visual impairment had never actually seen the team with his own eyes.
Now a special headset has made it happen - an "incredible experience" according to the 36-year-old from Perth.
Jon got his first-ever view of the stadium and players at Saturday's home match against Motherwell thanks to the vision-boosting technology.
He said watching the game at Tannadice Park had been "a wee bit emotional".
Jon has been going to matches at Tannadice for 17 years and usually tunes into the commentary for visually-impaired supporters.
"The one thing that really stands out to me is just being able to see my own team walk out of the tunnel for the first time and line up at the start of the game.
"I've seen it on television, but it's not the same as being in the ground and amongst the atmosphere, beside your friends you've been going to the games with for so long.
"Just that moment when the music hits and the teams walk out the tunnel, I'll never forget that."
The headset has allowed Jon to see Tannadice Park with his own eyes for the first time [BBC]
Jon has no sight in his right eye and limited sight in his left.
He said: "I've got a tiny little bit of central vision in my left eye.
"The way I describe it is I can't really see anything further than maybe an arm's length in front of me."
Jon can zoom in or out, thanks to a handheld controller, as well as changing the brightness or colour contrast.
He said: "I was sitting in the George Fox Stand in the back row of the lower tier and I could zoom right in and read the players' names on the back of the shirts for the first time.
"I could see what the manager was doing on the touchline at the other side of the pitch, which I've never ever experienced before, it was unbelievable."
Jon attends football matches with his guide dog Harry [BBC]
After a trial run using the device at last week's match between Motherwell and Livingston at Fir Park, Jon was ready to see his team's stadium for the first time.
He said: "I've seen pictures and video clips when I've been able to hold the screen up close, so I had a sort of rough idea what Tannadice looked like.
"But I think anybody who's been to any football stadium would tell you that nothing actually compares to seeing it in person with your your own eyes.
"And it was just the most incredible experience."
Jon usually tunes in to Dundee United's audio-descriptive commentary when attending home matches.
He said: "It's an amazing service which lots of clubs provide, and I always assumed that within my lifetime, that was going to be the extent of my football experience.
"But having experienced that at Tannadice on Saturday and at Fir Park the week before, it's just made my mind race and wonder where could this technology go?
Bruno Fernandes: Man United talisman wins tight poll versus Bournemouth
Manchester United were involved in an emotional rollercoaster of a game last night against AFC Bournemouth.
In an incredibly rare game, United had the lead three times but managed to only net a 4-4 draw with the Cherries.
It was a jaw-dropping attacking display, but they also demonstrated defensive frailties that would make a school team blush.
Naturally, when The Peoples Person asked its readers to vote for player of the match, attackers dominated.
Bruno Fernandes
37% of fans felt that Bruno Fernandes was the best player on the pitch, and his statistics once again backed this up.
The Portuguese midfielder has been in outstanding form this season, and he scored a world-class free kick to bring the scores to 3-3.
Fernandes also has the most assists in the league at seven and was on the money again yesterday as Casemiro headed in his corner.
Matheus Cunha
The Brazilian has only recently come back from injury, but was incredibly lively versus Wolverhampton Wanderers last week and now Bournemouth.
He led the line as a false nine and almost spectacularly set up Bryan Mbeumo for what would have been a goal of the season contender, but the Cameroonian fired over.
Cunha drove his side forward in the second half in search of goals and grabbed United’s fourth, and just his second in a red shirt.
With Amad and Bryan Mbeumo going to the Africa Cup of Nations, Cunha will become even more important for the Red Devils over the Christmas period.
Amad
In a close third, Amad scored 28% of the vote.
The Ivorian was a live wire all evening and gave the Cherries’ full-back nightmares.
He scored the opening goal and showed everyone at Old Trafford what a miss he will be over the Christmas break as he goes on international duty.
Mason Mount
Since Halloween, the Englishman has been one of the club’s most consistent performers, and he led the charge brilliantly last night in the front press.
He has also found his scoring boots recently, with excellent strikes versus both Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Three percent of fans voted for another player in the United side.
Iraola: Bournemouth and Man Utd eight-goal thriller ‘had everything’
Andoni Iraola wasn’t sure if he wanted Bournemouth’s exhilarating encounter with Man Utd to end after coming away with a point at Old Trafford on Monday night.
The two sides traded the lead on five occasions in one of the entertaining contests of the season thus far, but the game ended four apiece to leave them with a share of the spoils.
The results means the Red Devils have jumped ahead of Liverpool into sixth place in the Premier League table, while the Cherries have moved up to 13th.
Iraola: Bournemouth and Man Utd eight-goal thriller ‘had everything’
“It had everything,” Iraola told Sky Sports after the full-time whistle. “Moments where you think it’s a loss. Moments where you think we have this one, we are comfortable.
“Even at the end, at the last minute two clear chances, and I was thinking maybe win this one. It’s just a point, it’s not a lot in the standings, but I think we can take good and bad things from today.
“We are two teams that play quite aggressively, quite open and probably today we attacked much better than we defended. I think the second goal is a cheap goal, it’s a cheap one for us to concede. The corner is not even a great header.
“I think we finished really well the first half. When we scored the 1-1, and we were feeling comfortable and we were finishing the half much better. That’s why the goal we conceded just from the corner has hurt me because we were in a good moment.
“You didn’t even know if we were happy finishing the game or give us one minute more.”
Entering the 2026 MLB season, the Texas Rangers knew that they needed some help at the catcher's position. The club non-tendered Jonah Heim after the season ended, so Texas needed to do something.
Therefore, the Rangers have picked up Danny Jansen, who played last season for the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers. The ballclub also added left-handed pitcher Tyler Alexander to their pitching staff. Besides Alexander, there's been some reporting from MLB.com that Texas might be close to a deal with Alexis Díaz.
Jansen agreed to a two-year contract for a reported $14.5 million with an option for 2027. Alexander is joining Texas on a one-year deal.
Jansen's defense is something that the Rangers really must have liked a lot. Last season, Jansen had 14 blocks above average. Jansen, though, has spent time during his MLB career on the injured list. In 2025, though, he managed to appear in 98 games, hitting .215 with a .720 OPS.
He avoided going on the injured list last season, too. When hitting, Jansen is known for pulling the ball and putting it in the air. The Rangers hope that Jansen continues that trend next season, too.
We’ve signed C Danny Jansen to a two-year contract with a mutual option for 2028 and LHP Tyler Alexander to a one-year contract. pic.twitter.com/CjvnRpvioo
Alexander will be a strong addition to the Rangers' bullpen. In seven MLB seasons, Alexander has a 4.63 ERA while playing for four MLB clubs. This also is a coming home of sorts for Alexander, who played high school ball at Southlake Carroll in Southlake, Texas, which is just miles away from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Alexander played his college ball at TCU in Fort Worth, so that put him in close proximity to go and see Rangers games while he was in college.
As for Díaz, he played for three teams last season and put together a not-so-impressive 8.15 ERA. That happened on the heels of a pretty outstanding 2023, when Díaz was an All-Star, and posted a 3.99 ERA in 2024.
Texas set a foundation for its bullpen last season. With Alexander and, hopefully, Díaz coming on board, that just adds some additional arms that Rangers manager Skip Schumaker can look at to bring in as needed.
While at the Winter Meetings last week in Orlando, Fla., Rangers general manager Ross Fenstermaker talked about what type of pitching philosophy the team is taking at this time.
"Last year, we wanted to get back to dominating the strike zone, so we targeted pitchers with a historical track record of throwing strikes and attacking the strike zone," Fenstermaker said. "I think it's going to be much of the same going forward. But that is kind of a fundamental truth and a through point for us in terms of our pitching philosophy."
Look for these additions to the Rangers' roster to come through for Schumaker, Fenstermaker, and Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young in 2026.
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Australia captain Pat Cummins (left) will play for the first time in this Ashes series [Getty Images]
Australia have opted against recalling batter Usman Khawaja for the vital third Ashes Test – a match Ben Stokes has called the most important game in his time as England captain.
England, 2-0 down after defeats in the first two Tests, must win in Adelaide to keep their hopes of regaining the urn alive.
Defeat would mean a fourth successive series loss in Australia, extend England's run without winning the Ashes to at least 12 years and heap significant pressure on the tourists' management.
The positions of Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key would all come under significant scrutiny.
"Throughout my career I've been involved in quite a few big moments. This is another one and I'm really, really looking forward to it," Stokes told BBC Sport.
"I've enjoyed the build-up, I've enjoyed the pressure of what this game means. As it's come closer and closer, it's become a lot easier. That's how I deal with big things and big moments – look at it front on, take it on and deal with all the emotions that come with it.
"What else are you supposed to do? Don't let the moment overcome me or feel like it's going to control me. I'll go out, put all that stuff to one side and do what I need to do in every situation I get put in, and try my absolute best."
Pat Cummins will return to lead Australia after missing the first two Tests as he recovered from a back problem.
Pace bowler Cummins and off-spinner Nathan Lyon are added to the Australia team that won the second Test in Brisbane, replacing Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett.
It means no return for opener Khawaja, who missed the Test at the Gabba because of back spasms. Khawaja turns 39 on Thursday and may have played the last match of an 85-Test career.
Travis Head and Jake Weatherald will continue as the opening partnership
Australia were 2-0 ahead in the last Ashes in the UK in 2023, only for England to fight back to draw 2-2.
Cummins said his team have learned a "few lessons" from that experience and was also adamant he is fit enough to bowl without restrictions in Adelaide.
The 32-year-old has not played since the tour of West Indies in July after scans detected the back issue.
Match fitness could be crucial in the high temperatures that are forecast for when the match starts on Wednesday (23:30 GMT Tuesday).
"I had 16 weeks completely off bowling, made sure the bone heals well and from there it's ramping up," said Cummins.
"Normally you ramp up over maybe three or four months, but that would have meant missing the Ashes.
"We set on a pretty aggressive plan to get up in six or seven weeks. I haven't had any hiccups. I'm feeling great, probably better than I would have thought. The back has healed well, so, here we are."
Australia XI for third Ashes Test: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.
In the aftermath of the defeat in the second Test in Brisbane, Stokes said his dressing room is "no place for weak men".
England have spent part of the time since that loss on holiday in Noosa, then had three days of training in Adelaide.
The tourists have made one change to their side, with Josh Tongue coming in for fellow pace bowler Gus Atkinson. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir has again been overlooked in favour of all-rounder Will Jacks.
All-rounder Stokes took over as captain in 2022 and his partnership with McCullum yielded 10 wins in their first 11 matches in charge.
After those first 11 games, England have won 16 and lost 15 of their next 33. They have not won any of their five-Test series against Australia or India.
Since pace bowler Mark Wood was ruled out of the series with a knee problem, Stokes remains as one of only four members of the England squad to have been part of a previous Ashes tour.
The 34-year-old has suggested that some of the newcomers to Australia had struggled with the atmosphere of the series.
"I've got an understanding that quite a few guys in the dressing room won't have that to fall back on," said Stokes. "What I feel like I've had to do is fall back on my own experiences, and voice that to the group."
Defeats in Ashes tours often bring sweeping changes to England teams. A loss in Adelaide would not only heap pressure onto Stokes, McCullum and Key, but also raise questions about the international futures of a number of players.
"I've probably used my voice more than I have at any time in the past three and a half years," said Stokes.
"We are in a situation where we know we need to win three games. There are a few things I felt the group needed to hear, but also a few things I felt like I needed to say to be able to go out there with a very clear head about this week.
"I've definitely left no stone unturned in terms of the mental side of the game, and what we're going into.
"Expectations around what we want to see this week – I've spoken a lot about fight, determination and grit over the last couple of days. I hope we're going to see a completely different thing, purely because of the situation we find ourselves in here."
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Cooper Flagg scored the most points by an 18-year-old in NBA history, but he couldn't enjoy the accomplishment because it came in a loss.
Flagg had 42 points — topping the previous mark of 37 set by LeBron James on Dec. 13, 2003 — in a 140-133 loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday night.
“Obviously we didn’t win. So it's tough for me to want to be happy, or any of that, but obviously it’s a success,” said Flagg, who had a bag of ice on his ankle after rolling it at the end of regulation.
Flagg also became just the fifth rookie to record 40 points, five rebounds and five assists in the last 15 years as he finished with seven board and six assists.
“The more time he spends on the floor, the more he sees, the better he gets. He displayed it all tonight,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said.
Flagg has been playing his best basketball the past few weeks as the No. 1 overall draft pick has averaged 25.7 points in the last seven games. He's also playing aggressive enough to get to the line and went 15 for 20 against Utah.
“It’s come a long way from the start of the season, so I’m proud of that fourth quarter,” Flagg said. “It’s a new game ... but I am getting more and more comfortable ... and just settling in, honestly, just being myself and letting the game come to me.”
He scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and made a savvy play to get the game into overtime when he missed a free throw on purpose with such a big carom that teammate Max Christie got the rebound with 3.9 seconds remaining and was fouled.
With Anthony Davis out and Dallas missing several other teammates to injuries, this game may be a harbinger of things to come as Flagg becomes a centerpiece of the Mavericks' offense.
"We were going to Coop. He was killing them the whole game, so they finally tried to double him." P.J. Washington said. “It doesn’t surprise me at all. I know exactly what he’s capable of. He’s a special player so there will be a lot more to come.”
Flagg also tied Mark Aguirre for the most points by a rookie in Mavs history as he begins to make his mark on the franchise. But he couldn't stop thinking of what he could have done to get the win despite the throbbing ankle. The Jazz made a late 11-0 run and then dominated in overtime as Flagg didn't score a basket in the extra period.
“I gotta be better. I had a couple of dumb turnovers, missed a couple easy ones, but I gotta be better, executing down the stretch like that,” Flagg said.
Setting records might be nice but Flagg feels it just means he's consistently improving and that's been his goal all season.
“I’m not really focused on a lot of that stuff (the records). I’m more just focused on being present, day to day, and trying to get better and and getting our team as many wins as we can,” Flagg said.
ST.
LOUIS – Sometimes,
there are greater things in life that a game.
Yes,
the St. Louis Blues lost yet again, and they lost for the second time
in five days to the Nashville Predators, 5-2, at Enterprise Center on
Monday (and we’ll get into it in observations, of course), but on a
night when the Blues honored Hockey Fights Cancer Night and if you
missed Kelly Chase’s speech in the first period, you need to take a
moment to see it, as
it happened right after Blued captain Brayden Schenn and Nashville’s
Nic Hague fought for that purpose alone:
As
for the game itself, the Blues (12-15-7) got goals from Dalibor
Dvorsky, his first multi-goal and multi-point game in the NHL, but it
was a tough night for Joel Hofer, who allowed four goals on 25 shots.
The
Blues lost to the Predators (13-15-4) for the second time in five
days and have been outscored 12-4.
Let’s
look at Monday’s game observations:
*
Kelly Chase is an inspiration– For those that want, or need, to be
versed on what the former Blues enforcer has been dealing with, it’s
acute
myeloid leukemia,
a
form of blood and bone marrow cancer
first diagnosed in 2023, and
the amount of chemotherapy, stints in cancer treatment centers,
hospitals, the whole gamut this man has had to go through, I can’t
even imagine.
So
when he spoke with his doctor, Dr. Ramzi Abboud, former Blues
captains in Garth Butcher and Hall of Famer Bernie Federko, it was
inspiring on this night:
Kelly Chase is an inspiration man. Guy just keeps fighting and fighting. With Bernie Federko and Garth Butcher. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/zKzwJ0O6zD
Blues
coach Jim Montgomery was a teammate of Chase’s with the Blues in
1993-94, and he had two positives from this game. One was Dvorsky,
and the other?
“And
then the other real positive was seeing my old teammate Kelly Chase,”
Montgomery
said.
‘When you think about Blues players and why this city and the fans
love Blues players, is because of the fight inside of players like
Kelly Chase. I was incredibly lucky to be and I’m very thankful for
the season I had to play with him where I could learn from someone
that competes like him night in, night out for his teammates and to
see him up there and the message he delivered, I got a little
emotional listening to him, and how can you not because you’ve got
to love the man.”
Schenn,
a fellow Saskatoon native like Chase, would obviously run through a
brick wall if Chase asked him to.
“Kelly’s
been amazing to me, to my family, to my brother, to guys around this
room, to the organization,” Schenn
said. “I really mean it when I say
it: he’s a guy that will literally do anything for anyone, and I
think we all see that. He’s a guy that’s going through a battle
of his own and he’s still trying to raise money and help people
out. He has a mentality and a personality that he would do absolutely
anything for anyone. I’ve learned so much from him, even before
when I was with the Flyers, I knew him way back being a Saskatchewan
guy, he’s taken care of me tremendously from a young age. I owe a
lot to what I’ve learned on and off the ice to Kelly Chase.
I’ve
been to the Gozzer Ranch in the summertime in Idaho where he hangs
out. He knows my parents well, he knows (Schenn’s brother) Luke
well, he’s done fantasy hockey camps and different charity events
in Saskatoon that we’ve attended. This guy, he’ll do absolutely
anything for anyone. He raises a ton of money to help out people and
I’ve heard him say it, it’s true when it comes to hockey players.
He said, ‘Guys are an inch deep and a mile wide,’ with how they
help out, which is true. You do anything you possibly can to help out
everyone, but I think he’s a guy that really digs in and tries to
help people as much as he can and he’s doing it nonstop.”
*
Dvorsky’s glimpse of youth shining – It was another first for
Dvorsky, whose multi-goal and multi-point game was his first.
But
the great sign of maturity is instead of gloating of his
accomplishments on this night in a loss, the No. 10 pick in the 2023
NHL Draft only offered, “Obviously
it feels good to score, but first of all, I’m disappointed that we
lost. That’s the most important is the team win and it’s always
nice, but a win would be better.”
But
Dvorsky’s goals, each was set up well.
The
first tied the game 1-1 at 10:06 of the first period on a setup by
Hugh McGing, who stripped Nashville defenseman Nick Blankenburg of
the puck after a Justin Faulk flip-in, then fed Dvorsky for a high
slot wrister that beat Juuse Saros:
“The
positive is Dalibor Dvorsky, it was nice seeing him moving his feet,
beat a goalie clean with his first goal,” Montgomery
said.
And
on the second, with the game out of hand at the time, Dvorsky
finished off a Jake Neighbours pass at the left post to cut the
Blues’ deficit to 4-2 at 8:29 of the first period:
Dvorsky,
who finished with 17:07 of ice time and three shots on goal, said
it’s the kind of game that can fuel his confidence after coming in
without a point in 11 straight.
“It’s
a step forward for sure,” Dvorsky said. “It boosts my confidence.
I feel like I always try and play with confidence, but the two goals
are good.
“First
of all we need to focus on winning the next game, but it’s always
nice to score. I would never do it without the help of teammates.
Great pass from ‘Ginger’ on the first one, then the whole PP unit
did a great job on the second one, so it’s always about the
teammates.”
*
First shift set the tone – The Blues had their top players on the
ice, the Predators had their top players on.
It’s
essential to begin the game the proper way, and the Blues did not
after Nashville won the opening draw with former Blue Ryan O’Reilly,
getting the puck in deep and the Blues were scrambling.
O’Reilly
collected a puck behind the net and fed Filip Forsberg in a tight
area, and it was the first of three goals for Forsberg when he beat
Hofer high on the short side from a sharp angle 27 seconds in for a
1-0 lead:
“It’s
a great example of not being prepared to start on time,” Montgomery
said.
*
Another poor second period – The Blues came in, no secret to anyone,
porous in the middle 20 minutes, and it didn’t get any better.
They
were outscored 3-0 and fell to a league-worst minus-20 (48-28).
From
chasing pucks to turnovers to getting hemmed in, it was another case
of generating little to nothing on one end to being bombarded at the
other.
“Too
many turnovers, especially at the offensive blue line,” Montgomery
said.
“The old saying, and it’s a Ken Hitchcock saying, ‘play to the
goal line and work and go to work together as a five-man unit, stay
connected.’ If you had that mentality, if you look at our Friday
night’s win against the Hawks (3-2),
our first shift in the second, we won the draw, D-to-D, we gain the
red line and we put it in, and that Schenn line went to work and we
gained momentum off it, and our second period last game was really
good. And it’s starts. You’ve
got to be ready to start that period on time, you’ve got to be
ready to start games on time.”
The
Blues weren’t for a second straight period when once again,
Nashville got a puck in deep, behind the net, and Michael Bunting
wrapped around a puck through Hofer, a shot he should stop at 1:23
to make it 2-1 and give the Predators the lead for good:
Dvorsky’s
ill-advised flip of a puck into the crowd from his own zone was the
result of playing the puck too slowly, and three Predators converged
on him, causing a delay of game minor and one that Forsberg scored
his second of the game on at 5:31 to make it 3-1, a wrister from the
high slot:
And
to cap things off, Hofer gave up a really bad one to Reid Schaefer at
18:45 to make it 4-1, a shot from near the blue line where the
forward just spun and whirled the puck to the net that Hofer just
missed:
“Obviously
it’s something we’ve got to focus on and make sure we dive into,”
Blues
defenseman Colton Parayko said of second periods.
‘We’ve got to be better and I’m confident we will. We’ve got
a strong group in here. It’s something we can obviously learn from
and moving forward try to get better in the second.”
*
Getting beat to pucks, looking slow – The Predators were hungrier,
faster to pucks throughout, and the result was much the same as other
losses this season.
When
Forsberg added an empty-netter at 16:09 of the third period to make
it 5-2, it marked the 12th time this season already – it only
happened nine times all of last season – the Blues were beat by
three goals or more.
Their
goal differential is minus-37, which is far and beyond the worst in
the NHL (Vancouver Canucks next at minus-23) and the 123 goals
allowed is nine more than the next worst team, the Edmonton Oilers at
114.
“Yeah,
they were the better team,” Montgomery
said of the Predators.
“They were more connected, they supported each other. We always
talk about puck support and winning goal lines and net fronts and
second quicks is a term we use as well. Unfortunately we didn’t
meet the tasks tonight in those areas.”
*
Injuries no excuse – The Blues won’t use the injury bug as an
excuse. They are missing Dylan Holloway (high ankle sprain), Jordan
Kyrou (lower-body injury), Jimmy Snuggerud (wrist), Nathan Walker
(upper body) and Nick Bjugstad (upper body).
They’ve
had to call up McGing, who has two points in three games, Matt Luff,
who scored against the Chicago Blackhawks, and now they’re bringing
up Otto Stenberg, the 25th pick in 2023.
“Obviously
a lot of injuries and that’s the nature of the game,” Parayko
said.
“There’s probably every team with almost some injuries. For us,
it’s a mindset. We’ve got to come together and whoever’s
playing that night is ready. That’s the biggest thing. You’ve got
to be prepared. It’s next-man-up. We have great players in our
locker room. Every night no matter who’s injured, guys are stepping
up and a lot of guys are playing extremely well. As a group
collectively, we’ve just got to support each other, just get the
job done.”
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The 2025 Associated Press All-American team was revealed Monday.
The AP is among the most prestigious All-American selectors. It is one of five selectors recognized by the NCAA to determine “consensus” and “unanimous” All-Americans. It is also the second oldest of the five major All-American selectors — first nominating a team in 1925.
Three players from the Mid-American Conference earned AP All-American honors for the 2025 season, marking the third time in the College Football Playoff era (2014-present) that the league warranted three selections. Buffalo inside linebacker Red Murdock qualified as a Second Team All-American, while Western Michigan defensive end Nadame Tucker and Toledo free safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren were Third Team All-American picks. All three selections were defensive players, with one from the defensive line, one from the linebacking corps, and one from the secondary.
Buffalo ILB Red Murdock etched himself into the record books this season as college football’s all-time forced fumble leader. With 17 career forced fumbles, he passed former Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack as the record holder for the category. Murdock ranks second in the FBS with six forced fumbles on the season, only trailing Texas Tech outside linebacker Jacob Rodriguez. As of the time of the All-American selections, he also ranks second nationally in tackles at 142 — and he finished second in the FBS in tackles in 2024 as well. Murdock generated 13.5 tackles for loss and a career-best 5.0 sacks as an omnipresent force on the defense, and the senior also added two fumble recoveries to a loaded résumé. Murdock is the first Buffalo AP All-American since his former linebacker teammate Shaun Dolac earned First Team honors in 2024.
Western Michigan DE Nadame Tucker transferred from Houston to Western Michigan over the offseason, immediately evolving from a seldom used defensive end to a nationally recognized force. Tucker won the Vern Smith Leadership Award (in other words, the MAC MVP) as well as MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, leading Western Michigan to its first MAC championship since 2016. Tucker is the current FBS leader in sacks at 14.5 and in tackles for loss at 21.0, regularly dominating offensive lines all season. He forced four fumbles and produced 55 tackles in a breakout season. Tucker saved his best for the biggest stage, racking up 2.5 sacks in Western Michigan’s MAC title game win over Miami (OH) one week ago. Tucker is the first Western Michigan AP All-American since wide receiver Corey Davis earned First Team honors in 2016.
Toledo FS Emmanuel McNeil-Warren was one of many standouts on a Rocket defense which ranks third in fewest yards allowed per game and fourth in fewest points surrendered on a national basis. McNeil-Warren earned First Team All-MAC honors in a career season which featured 73 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one defensive touchdown. With McNeil-Warren leading the charge, Toledo’s pass defense ranked atop the FBS in opponent completion percentage, only allowing 48.9 percent of attempts through. McNeil-Warren’s unit let up just 158.4 yards per game to garner yet another top 10 FBS ranking. McNeil-Warren is the first Toledo AP All-American since his former defensive back teammate Quinyon Mitchell (a two-time selection) earned Second Team honors in 2023.
In Monday’s back-and-forth thriller at Denver, Alperen Sengun’s tough bucket put the Houston Rockets in front by a point with only 2.3 seconds left to play in the fourth quarter.
The Nuggets then tied it when Amen Thompson was called for an away-from-the-play foul on Tim Hardaway Jr. on the ensuing inbounds attempt, even though Hardaway appeared to trip over his own feet.
The cointroversial foul led to a Jamal Murray free throw, which sent the game to overtime.
From there, the Nuggets (19-6) eventually held on in a 128-125 victory (box score) at Ball Arena. In a potentially impactful result in the Western Conference standings, the Rockets (16-7) are now 0-2 against Denver this season.
Understandably, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was displeased with the officiating. In postgame remarks, he elaborated on his frustrations, starting with the controversial call:
Ticky tack. Went along with the game tonight. Not surprised by the crew we had out there.
Just in general, I think it was as poorly officiated a game as I’ve seen in a long time. Two have no business being out there, and the crew chief (Zach Zarba) was acting starstruck. We were seeing all kinds of inconsistent calls.
Keep being who we are. We’re not going to adjust to poor officials. We’re going to do what we do, and hopefully they can adjust and call it the right way. It’s two physical teams and a high-level game.
Ime Udoka on officiating after Rockets loss in Denver.
“I thought he probably should’ve had seven or eight, but they called fouls on them,” an exasperated Udoka said of Durant’s block total. “Murray had 15 free throws.”
For the Rockets, Monday’s game opened up a six-game road trip, all versus West opponents. They will travel to New Orleans (5-22) for a game on Thursday before returning to Denver for a rematch against the Nuggets on Saturday afternoon.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 21 of his 31 points in the first half and Cam Spencer added a career-high 27 points as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Clippers 121-103 on Monday night.
Jaylen Wells scored 16 points and rookie Cedric Coward had 12 as the Grizzlies earned a victory over the Clippers for the third time in less than three weeks. Ja Morant also scored 12 points for Memphis in his second game since returning from a calf injury.
While Morant has returned, Grizzlies center Zach Edey missed his second game of an extended absence because of a left ankle injury. Santi Aldama started at center for the second consecutive game and was held to just three points with two rebounds.
Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points and Kris Dunn added 17 for the Clippers, who have lost 12 of their last 14 games.
James Harden was held to 13 points, while John Collins and Jordan Miller each had 10 for Los Angeles in its eighth straight home loss. The Clippers last won in their own building on Oct. 31.
The Clippers led 64-63 on Leonard's 3-pointer just before the midpoint of the third quarter. The Grizzlies took charge from there, going on a 9-0 run for a 72-64 lead, while taking a 90-76 advantage into the fourth quarter. Wells had four points in the run.
Spencer made four 3-pointers in less than six minutes of the fourth quarter and made a career high seven shots from long range on 10 attempts.
Jackson scored 20 points for the first time in six games, after he averaged 10.2 points over the previous five contests while shooting 42.6%. He was 13 of 18 (72.2%) from the floor.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger clarified comments he made earlier this month regarding Mike Tomlin’s future with the Steelers. On his podcast, Roethlisberger seemed to suggest that it might be time for the Steelers to move on from Tomlin at the end of the current campaign.
However, Roethlisberger claimed that he was simply saying that Tomlin has the right to move on if he wans to, not that the Steelers should move on from him.
"Just because I said there's a time for some new things, that's just saying that I think Coach Tomlin -- if he wants to move on, he has every right to move on, it's not they should," Roethlisberger said, via ESPN. "It's up to him, and he's earned that right. If he wants to do something else, he can and he should and we should honor him whenever that time comes. Maybe he wants to coach here for another 10 years, that's fine too."
Roethlisbereger’s initial comments came amid a wave of calls for the Steelers to part ways with Tomlin, who has been the head coach in Pittsburgh since 2007.
“It’s being talked about around here a lot. Maybe it’s time,” Roethlisberger said at the time. “Maybe it’s ‘clean house’ time. Maybe it is. … And I like Coach Tomlin. I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin, but maybe it’s best for him, too. Maybe a fresh start for him is what’s best, whether that’s in the pros (or not).”
The Steelers have won two straight games since those original remarks, so perhaps that contributed to Roethlisberger’s decision to couch his comments. The Steelers currently hold pole position in the AFC North, and they have a 61 percent of qualifying for postseason play for a third consecutive season.
But, the criticism when it comes to Tomlin is based around his lack of postseason success as of late. The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016 when they lost in the AFC Championship to the New England Patriots. So, simply securing a playoff spot likely won’t silence Tomlin’s detractors. Only a postseason win, or two, will do that.
Filip Forsberg scored his 12th career hat trick as the Nashville Predators routed the St. Louis Blues for the second time in less than a week, 5-2, on Monday in St. Louis.
The Predators and Forsberg got the scoring going early as he'd find the back of the net 27 seconds into the game off a feed from Ryan O'Reilly to the front of the net. Forsberg, from the low right side of the net, picked the corner on goalie Joel Hofer.
Dalibor Dvorsk responded halfway through the first period to tie the game at one a piece. Nashville continued its hot streak in the opening minutes of the period as Michael Bunting netted his ninth of the year to give the Predators the lead back, 2-1.
On a Dvorsky delay of game call, Forsberg took a wrist shot from the point and beat Hofer for his second goal of the night, on the power play, and to bump the lead to 3-1. Reid Schaefer scored his third career goal on a turnaround shot from the blue line to open up the game, 4-1.
In the third period, Dvorsky responded with his second goal of the game. An empty net goal in the final four minutes of the game sealed the hat trick for Forsberg, his first since April 12, 2024, in a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
O'Reilly had two assists and now has seven points in six games. He leads the Predators in scoring with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in 32 games.
Roman Josi recorded two assists and now has four points in three games. In addition, he passed Borje Salming for the fifth-most multipoint games by a defenseman born outside North America in NHL history with 177.
After a slow start, Brady Skjei has four points in five games, recording a secondary assist in the victory.
Juuse Saros picked up his 11th win of the season and is now a game above .500. He made 20 saves on 22 shots in the victory. Saros' goals-against average is now below three at 2.99 and his save percentage is nearing .900, now at .897.
Up next: Carolina Hurricanes (21-9-2, 1st in Metropolitan) at Nashville Predators (13-15-4, 8th in Central) on Wed. Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. CST at Bridgestone Arena
DP World Tour boss Guy Kinnings (right) knows the importance of enticing Rory McIlroy to play in as many of his events as possible [Getty Images]
While this golfing year will be remembered for historic and thrilling action, manoeuvres off the course in 2025 also provide a highly significant legacy.
A group of new bosses are laying groundwork for rapid evolution, if not revolution, in the professional game.
We know that the world's best players create captivating sport, as Rory McIlroy's dramatic Grand Slam completing Masters victory, Scottie Scheffler's ruthless domination that has led to him being named PGA Tour player of the year, and Europe's sensational Ryder Cup victory all proved in 2025.
Now it is up to the people who have stepped into the most significant administrative roles to make the most of a growing perception that golf is suddenly cool again.
Brian Rolapp presented Tommy Fleetwood with the FedEx Trophy after the Englishman won the Tour Championship in August [Getty Images]
There has been unprecedented churn with new bosses installed at the PGA Tour, PGA of America and LPGA while Mark Darbon has just completed his first full year as head of the R&A.
Guy Kinnings has been in charge of the European Tour group for less than two years and on the breakaway LIV Golf League Scott O'Neil is only months into his role as Greg Norman's successor leading the Saudi-funded disruptors.
And the presence of Darbon, O'Neil and the PGA Tour's new chief executive Brian Rolapp at golf's top table is most fascinating. All three have come from outwith the traditional confines of the sport they now run.
Rarely, if ever, has golf had such an influx of fresh perspectives and they have hit the ground running. It means 2026 is a transitional year and by 2027 the pro game could be significantly altered.
By taking charge of the game's premier tour, Rolapp has become a key figure. He moved from the NFL, one of American sports' greatest success stories.
He insists that sport requires three crucial components; competitive parity, simplicity and scarcity. He feels golf currently only has one of those ingredients.
Competitive parity is a real strength, the number of potential winners at any tournament is greater than in most sports. But golf's structure is hard to follow and it is ubiquitous, with multiple tournaments across the globe every week.
"How do you make a competitive model simple to understand?" Rolapp said at a recent CEO Forum event in Florida. "And how do you make scarce events that actually fans want to follow?"
Already it is speculated that future PGA Tour seasons will start after the February date for the Super Bowl and finish before then NFL restarts in August. "Yeah, I could see that," Rolapp said.
"Competing with football (NFL) in this country for media dollars and attention is a very hard thing to do do," the American said.
He has an outsider's view of how professional golf is structured. "It has grown up as a series of events that happen to be on television," he told the forum.
"So how do you take those events, make them meaningful in their own right, but cobble them together in a competitive model?"
Fines and ban can running out of road
Scott O'Neil has worked at the New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Knicks, New York Rangers, Philadelphia 76ers, and the New Jersey Devils [Getty Images]
Rolapp has assembled a Future Competitions committee chaired by 15 times major winner Tiger Woods. Given "more questions than answers" they are expected to report back with a blueprint for 2027 onwards in a matter of months.
There appears little prospect of unification with O'Neil's LIV tour or a coming together with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.
But the existence of a breakaway tour that is still populated by some of the most recognisable figures, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm included, does not help Rolapp's desire for a calendar that is simple to understand for general sports fans.
It also adversely affects the quest for scarcity of product to stimulate anticipation among fans.
O'Neil, though, has made a fast start to his LIV tenure. New backers such as HSBC, previously staunch supporters of establishment events, are eye-catching additions to their sponsorship portfolio.
His next priority is the same one that sits at the top of Kinnings' in-tray at the DP World Tour's Wentworth headquarters.
Between them they have to solve the so far intractable issue of punishing DPWT players for playing LIV events. Ryder Cup stars Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are at the centre of this.
They are appealing against fines and bans. The hearing has not been scheduled, which enabled both players to represent Europe at last September's Ryder Cup.
But the can is running out of road, it cannot be kicked much further. Locker room talk is that this could be be settled by April.
But how is anyone's guess. And LIV players being able to compete in DPWT events as members without sanction would have huge implications for the global game.
How would Rolapp react if his strategic partners in Europe move closer to golfers from the rival LIV league?
O'Neil has already made a significant move to increase their shotgun start tournaments from 54 to 72 holes. This might help LIV's desire for official world ranking points.
Certainly the OWGR's Trevor Immelman, another new boss, seems more amenable than his predecessor Peter Dawson. But duration of tournaments is not the biggest sticking point.
O'Neil has to convince the official rankings body that there is sufficient promotion and relegation into and out of LIV to ensure it is not a closed shop exclusive to those who have been recruited on lucrative contracts.
The move to 72 holes was more about providing a format that more effectively prepares their players for the four major championships.
These events will remain the game's "tentpoles", to use the latest corporate vernacular. The competitions that matter most, but The Open, US Open, Masters and US PGA Championship cannot afford to stand still.
Open qualifying tweaked
Mark Darbon was a senior member of the team leading the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012 [Getty Images]
At the R&A, Darbon has injected a new dimension to The Open by introducing a last chance qualifying competition for a dozen players to be staged on the Monday of championship week.
There will be one last berth available. The field will include the two highest ranked non exempt players, golfers who lost in final qualifying play-offs and the runner-up at the Amateur Championship.
Darbon came to the R&A from rugby union's Northampton Saints and this development for the 154th championship at Royal Birkdale next July is a sign that some old conventions are being kicked to touch.
More pressing now is announcing a venue for the 2028 championship. Time is pressing for what will be the 156th staging of golf's oldest major and one that will have an unfamiliar later date because of a clash with the LA Olympics.
It means Open week will start on 30 July. Diminishing daylight a fortnight later than usual suggests a Scottish venue would be best - Muirfield, Carnoustie or even Turnberry? Or a return to England's most northerly Open outpost at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
Turnberry would be the most interesting and controversial selection. There are conflicting pressures given its ownership (US President Donald Trump) and infrastructure issues (lack of transport and accommodation) remain, so the Ayrshire course is the outsider in every respect.
But as the newcomers running the sport now are showing, there is plenty of appetite for innovative thinking. For golf, looking outside the box is not as unusual as it used to be.
The Tampa Bay Lightning took a step back in ClutchPoints’ most recent power rankings. But the Atlantic Division leaders are still in the thick of the playoff race. That made Monday night’s game against the Florida Panthers a rather important one before the calendar flips to 2026. Unfortunately, Jon Cooper could not coach his team to a victory.
Sam Reinhart scored twice on Monday night, while goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves. These performances helped propel the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers to a 5-2 victory over their intrastate rival on Monday night. This loss marked Tampa’s sixth defeat over its last eight games.
After the game, Cooper had a rather interesting view on this contest. He pointed out how both teams had played a lot of hockey heading into this matchup. Fatigue was evident on both sides, but only one was able to battle through it.
“You’ve got one team in Florida on their fourth game of a road trip in a couple of different time zones, so they’re tired,” Cooper said, via NHL.com. “You’ve got us, basically … this is our fifth game in five different cities. I thought they looked like two tired hockey teams. They got the lead and hung on to it. With tired hockey teams mistakes are made. They capitalized on theirs and we didn’t.”
Tampa dropped to 18-12-3 with this defeat to the Panthers. They remain first in the Atlantic Division. However, their lead is not secure in any way, shape, or form. In fact, they are only ahead of the second-place Detroit Red Wings by virtue of a tiebreaker. Furthermore, they are only three points clear of Florida, which is fifth in the Atlantic.
The Lightning need to get their act together, and quickly. If they don’t, they could lose their slim grip on the division lead. Tampa hits the ice once again on Thursday night when they take on the Los Angeles Kings.
Sitting at 9-5, the Philadelphia Eagles are a virtual lock to make the playoffs.
After waxing the Las Vegas Raiders to a degree not seen since the 1960s, with the Birds putting up 31 points on Kenny Pickett and company while holding them to 75 total offensive yards, the Eagles have over a 99 percent chance of winning the NFC East, according to NFL.com. If they win in Week 16, they get in. If they win in Week 17, they get in. If they win in Week 18, they get in.
And if they lose out down the stretch? Well, the Eagles can still make the playoffs if the Cowboys don’t win out, as any loss or even another tie would result in Philadelphia becoming the first team since 2004 to win the division back-to-back.
On paper, that’s a pretty darn good place for a team that has been up-and-down in 2025 to be in, but even if the Eagles answered a number of questions against arguably the worst team in football in Week 15, that doesn’t mean they will hold up against the scrutiny of a more impressive foe. No, with three weeks left to play in the 2025 NFL season, there’s a chance things break really unfavorably for Philadelphia, especially if they start to skid down the stretch.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Eagles lose to the Commanders in Week 16
After facing off in the NFC Championship game last season, the Eagles and Commanders find themselves in very different spots heading into Week 16 of the 2025 NFL season.
While the Eagles have struggled for drives, quarters, games, and even months so far this season, they are still sitting pretty at 9-5, whereas the Commanders have largely been without Jayden Daniels in his second professional season, going 4-10 with Marcus Mariota splitting time under center with the former No. 2 overall pick.
The Commanders rank 24th in points scored, 26th in points allowed, and have struggled pretty much across the board, with their passing offense, passing defense, and rushing defense all ranking 24th or worse league-wide.
Heading into Week 16, the Eagles are heavy favorites to win their first matchup of the season against the Commanders, but that doesn’t necessarily guarantee a win, as fans learned all too well in Week 6 against the New York Giants. Even if they are largely a bad team, one that just placed Daniels on season-ending IR no less, the Commanders are a very good rushing team, ranking fourth league-wide with 1,919 yards on the ground.
What happened on Black Friday when the Eagles faced off against another top-5 rushing offense? They got smoked on the ground to a degree very rarely seen during the Vic Fangio era, with Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, and company getting dominated for 281 yards on the ground.
Should the Eagles take down the Commanders? Yes, and if they play like they did against the Raiders, they likely will, but if the Commanders can control the clock and chains on the ground, they might just secure the win, which, if coupled with a Cowboys win, ratchets up the pressure for Week 17 against the Buffalo Bills.
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
The Eagles get waxed by the Bills in Week 17
Of the three games left in the regular season, the Eagles’ biggest challenge comes in Week 17 with a road trip to Buffalo to face off against the Bills.
Sitting at 10-4 with the second seed in the AFC East, the Bills are locked in a heated playoff positioning race with the division-leading New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers, and Houston Texans, with every single win or loss having serious playoff seeding implications heading into January. They’ve won their last three games, including shootouts against the Cincinnati Bengals and Patriots, and have a point differential of 87, which is among the best marks in the NFL.
Like the Denver Broncos in Week 5, the Bills are a team built around a diverse offense and an elite passing defense, with Josh Allen able to attack defenses with his arm and legs. They rank 13th in passing offense, second in passing defense, and first overall in rushing attempts, yards, and touchdowns through Week 15.
Are the Bills unflappable? No, they’ve lost four games to teams ranging from great to meh and have allowed the third-most rushing yards of any team in the NFL. And yet, after having one of the best rushing offenses in NFL history last season, the Eagles’ offense has struggled to consistently move the ball on the ground, 19th in rushing yards on the 10th most attempts, ranking 25th league-wide with a rushing yards per attempt of 4.1
In Week 15, the Eagles had their second-best rushing game of the season, with Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby teaming up with Jalen Hurts for 183 total yards on the ground, but on the season, the Birds are averaging just 115.6 rushing yards per game, with seven contests falling below the 100-yard mark in 2025.
If the Eagles can commandingly defeat the Bills in Week 17, it might finally silence the doubters and prove that Philadelphia’s offense is finally fixed. But if they look like the Raiders in Week 15, it could spell disaster for the team’s Super Bowl chances.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Eagles draw the Seahawks in the Wildcard Round
As things presently stand, if the Eagles make the playoffs, they will almost certainly be either the three or four seed, depending on how things shake out with the other divisions. If the season ended today, they would be facing off against the San Francisco 49ers in a 3-6 matchup, but theoretically they could face off against the 11-3 Seattle Seahawks, the 10-4 49ers, the 9-4-1 Green Bay Packers, or even the Detroit Lions, who are technically out of the picture right now as the eighth seed.
Of those four teams, the Eagles have wins over two of them, the Packers and Lions, and would most certainly be fine facing off against either team if they land them in the draw. The 49ers, too, are a team that shouldn’t leave fans with too much heartburn before a mid-January showdown, as they are among the most injured squads in the NFL and have struggled with consistency against teams with a pulse.
And as for the Seahawks? Well, they are a true Wildcard, and one the Eagles haven’t drawn in years.
The last time the Eagles played the Seahawks was in December of 2023. While that doesn’t seem like a long time ago, at the time, Seattle had Geno Smith under center, Shane Waldron calling the offense, and Pete Carroll overseeing the offense as a whole.
In 2025, the Seahawks are a very different team, with Sam Darnold picking up where he left off in 2024 as a Viking, Klint Kubiak calling the show, and Mike Macdonald bringing his highly respected Ravens defense over from Baltimore to the Emerald City. They rank eighth in passing offense on the 31st most attempts, 22nd in rushing yards on the fifth-most attempts, and have a top-7 defense in terms of passing and rushing through Week 15.
Could the Eagles beat the Seahawks? Sure, in the NFL, any team can beat any other in any given game. But because the Birds have never played the Seahawks as presently constructed, there’s a level of uncertainty that isn’t present with the 49ers, Lions, or Packers that could create trouble for a Philadelphia team that is anything but a juggernaut at this stage of the game.
Coming into Monday evening’s game in McKale Center, Chicago State had gone 44-360 since its last winning season. That came in 2010-11 when the Cougars went 24-10. They had won one or fewer games in five of the 14 full seasons since. This year, they have averaged 57.5 points per game while being outscored by 23.3 over 10 contests.
That didn’t mean the Cougars were going to just lie down.
Arizona got out to a fast start, but the visitors didn’t give up. They just couldn’t maintain momentum when they needed to, eventually falling to the Wildcats by the score of 89-70. In the end, 30 turnovers (including six offensive fouls) did them in.
“I’m grateful for the win and thankful for how we closed out the fourth quarter,” said Arizona head coach Becky Burke. “I think we took [the lead] from two to 20 in a hurry, which was good. I’m just not excited by the fact that it was two at one point.”
Even with 30 turnovers by its opponents, Arizona needed some heroic efforts. Mickayla Perdue had 34 points on 10-for-18 shooting. She went 4 for 10 from 3-point distance and 10 for 12 from the line. She also had two rebounds, one assist, and drew three of the Cougars’ six offensive fouls.
“I just knew that they were a driving team,” Perdue said. “[Burke’s] always preaching midline, midline, midline, especially to me, because sometimes I’m not on the midline. And I really want to focus on my defensive game. And I knew they were getting downhill, like I said, so I kind of just stepped over at the right time.”
It’s one of the things Burke has harped on with Perdue, both in practice and games. The coach saw it pay dividends on Monday.
“Defensively, she had a much, much better presence and competitiveness and was making plays that had nothing to do with her scoring today, which I was proud of her for,” Burke said.
Tanyuel Welch continued the strong play she has displayed of late with a double-double. She had 18 points on 70 percent shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds. She added one assist and two steals.
The development of Welch has been one of the brightest spots in recent games. She has played over 30 minutes in the last three contests, including twice off the bench. In those two games when she was a reserve, she worked her way into starting the second half. This time, she got to start the first half, as well.
“It’s been really solid,” Burke said about Welch’s development. “I mean, obviously it started with her coming off the bench the last couple games and giving us really solid, good, meaningful minutes where she’s building my trust, and that’s what it’s all about. You know, coming in and doing your job and being steady and just making smart plays and being patient and poised. And she’s done that. So when she’s solid, doing what we asked her to do, just builds trust, game by game, practice by practice. And she had a great week of practice. Was excited to see what she did at the start today, and was really happy with her.”
Perdue’s 34 points eclipsed her career high of 33 set last season when she was a member of the Cleveland State Vikings. Welch’s 18 points were her most as a Wildcat. Her career high of 21 was set last year as a member of the Memphis Tigers.
Lani Cornfield was the third Wildcat in double figures. She had 15 points on 6-for-13 shooting. She added seven rebounds, seven assists, and five steals. Her lone weak spot came in the turnover column, where she had six.
While Arizona didn’t have as many problems with turnovers as Chicago State did, it was still an area of concern. The Wildcats turned the ball over 20 times. Three of those came on offensive fouls, making a total of nine offensive fouls between both teams.
Achol Magot picked up two of the three offensive fouls for UA. They were half of her fouls. The four whistles came in less than five minutes on the court.
The game was one of frustration for Chicago State. The Cougars would go on a run to cut the lead to single digits, then have a rash of turnovers or give up a critical offensive rebound to allow Arizona to push it back out to double figures. Sometimes they would do both in a series.
The Wildcats started the game on a 7-0 run, but Chicago State responded. The Cougars cut the lead to two about halfway through the first quarter, then promptly turned the ball over on back-to-back possessions. Arizona’s lead was back out to 10 after 10 minutes.
The pattern would repeat itself throughout the game. Chicago State once again cut it to two points with 7:09 left in the game. From that point, Arizona went on an 11-0 run to take control again.
Part of that run included a blocking foul called on Brianna Hill. The play was a legitimate foul with Hill reaching in. However, the officials went to the monitor and upgraded it to a flagrant foul when that did not appear warranted. It turned into five straight points for Arizona when Perdue hit both free throws and followed it with a 3-point basket on the ensuing possession. Those five points made up almost half of Arizona’s 11-0 run.
That was Chicago State’s last gasp. Arizona pushed the lead to a game-high 19 with 31 seconds left.
“I just am looking forward to this team just being a little bit more consistent, and coming in and just beating somebody from start to finish, and not making it as interesting as we love to make it,” Burke said. “And I feel like those days are ahead of us, but…we’re just not there quite yet.”
The Cougars tried to make the score more respectable. Natalia Williams was fouled on an offensive rebound and hit one of two from the line. Then Aiyana Culver hit a 3 with 16 seconds left.
Arizona responded each time. Williams’ first foul shot cut the lead to 18, but Welch grabbed the rebound on the second one and drove the length of the court. She was fouled and hit both free throws, then was subbed out.
Culver’s 3 cut Arizona’s lead to 16. Arizona just had to dribble it out to take the comfortable win, but Nora Francois passed to Molly Ladwig. The freshman opted to shoot the 3 with two seconds on the clock. The made shot accounted for the final margin.
Arizona improved to 8-2 on the season while Chicago State fell to 1-10. The Wildcats will finish nonconference play on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. MST when Bellarmine comes to town. Big 12 play starts next Monday at noon against Utah.
Fabrizio Romano CONFIRMS Liverpool's 'genuine interest' to agree £65m deal
Fabrizio Romano confirms that Liverpool have a 'genuine interest' in pushing for a £65m deal. The Reds are putting plans in motion.
Liverpool's January plans are in motion with just a few weeks before the transfer window opens. It's one that they have to get right after struggling to put together a functional team over the summer.
The Reds spent an awful lot of money - record-breaking amounts - in an attempt to overhaul and improve a title-winning squad. However, they haven't really achieved that.
More work needs to happen, it seems, and they'll give that a go in the winter window. A centre-back almost certainly needs to arrive, for instance, after Giovanni Leoni's injury.
But that's not all. Liverpool also need to deal with the fact they never replaced Luis Diaz on the wing, while Mo Salah also doesn't have proper backup - a problem given he's off to the Africa Cup of Nations.
It sounds as though the club may have chosen the answer to that problem, however.
Liverpool want Antoine Semenyo
Fabrizio Romano confirms that Liverpool do have ‘genuine interest’ in signing Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth. The Ghanian is expected to leave the Cherries in 2026 thanks to a release clause in his contract.
That clause is worth £65m, per the BBC, but drops down a bit next summer. Semenyo is very much available, then - but Liverpool are far from the only team keeping an eye on that.
“[There’s] genuine interest but there are more clubs also keen,” says Romano to Give Me Sport. "It’s going to be a race also with more sides, depending on what the player wants to do.”
Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers improved their chances of earning a ticket to the playoffs after they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-15, at Acrisure Stadium on Monday.
Rodgers was clinical against Miami, going 23-of-27 for 224 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. The Steelers erected an early lead in the first half, which they did not relinquish for the rest of the game.
While Rodgers was being interviewed on the field after the contest, he was approached and hugged by Dolphins cornerback Rasul Douglas. They played together for three seasons on the Green Bay Packers, and Rodgers celebrated his former teammate.
“He’s one of my favorite teammates. He was huge for us going back to 2021. A great story of a guy who never gave up after he was counted out and cut and put on practice squads,” gushed Rodgers.
Rasul Douglas showing his former teammate love and Aaron Rodgers shares it right back ❤️ pic.twitter.com/wi5fPji3pW
Douglas was picked up by the Packers in 2021 after spending time with the practice teams of the Las Vegas Raiders, the Houston Texans, and the Arizona Cardinals that year.
After his stints with the Packers and the Buffalo Bills, he signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in the offseason.
The 42-year-old Rodgers added that some players of the Steelers also mirror Douglas’ journey.
“We got a lot of guys like that too. We have some guys who are castoffs, some guys who people don’t really want anymore, we have some hired guns as well,” noted the four-time MVP.
“Hopefully, the belief is starting to pick up.”
The Steelers will battle the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The Miami Dolphins faced a crushing setback in Week 15 of the NFL season, falling 28-15 to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road, watching their playoff hopes officially vanish. In the aftermath, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made it clear who he believed let the team down — himself. The comments from Tagovailoa not only reflected accountability, but also revealed deep frustration with how the team’s offense prepared during the week.
The 27-year-old signal-caller’s performance looked efficient on paper, as he completed 22-of-28 of his passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns, but much of that production came after the outcome was largely decided. The Dolphins fell behind early in the freezing Pittsburgh conditions and struggled to establish rhythm or generate explosive plays until the fourth quarter.
ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the Dolphins quarterback admitted he wasn’t satisfied with his preparation or leadership during the week, saying he took full responsibility for the team’s showing. Louis-Jacques shared this quote from Tagovailoa after the loss.
“I feel like I let my guys down.”
Rather than deflecting blame toward receivers or coaching, Tagovailoa focused on his own role in the offense’s miscommunication issues. He noted that operational details — from timing routes to pre-snap adjustments — were off, particularly during early drives when the Dolphins struggled to sustain momentum.
The defeat not only dropped Miami to 6-8 but also mathematically eliminated the team from playoff contention. For the second straight season, the Dolphins are left watching from the sidelines in January. With three games left, the focus now shifts to the quarterback’s response and whether he can help stabilize a Miami offense that has regressed late in the year.
Despite the loss, Tagovailoa’s willingness to shoulder blame may serve as a turning point, provided the lessons translate into tangible improvements on the field. With the season winding down and postseason hopes gone, how the quarterback responds over the final weeks could shape the Dolphins’ direction moving forward.
Alperen Şengün vs. Nikola Jokic was exactly what it was supposed to be — and somehow still more than that. Two centers running offenses, bending defenses, and turning a regular-season game in December into something that felt personal by the fourth quarter.
Şengün set the tone early. Ten points and two assists halfway through the first quarter, controlling pace against a Nuggets team that’s one of the best first-quarter groups in the league. Denver came in hot, winners of four straight on the road, but Houston punched first. And a big reason they could was Şengün’s comfort operating as a hub, not just a scorer. That’s the shared DNA here— both Jokic and Şengün are part of a rare class of centers averaging seven-plus assists, and the game flowed through them every possession.
Jokic answered the way Jokic always does. Scoring, rebounding, passing— all of it effortless and relentless. By the end of the night, he had his twelfth triple-double of the season with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and ten assists, shooting efficiently from everywhere on the floor. Şengün matched him punch for punch, finishing with a 33-point triple-double of his own on just under 52-percent shooting.
And then it got physical. Fouls piled up. Trips to the line became inevitable. Things got personal under the rim. Both players picked up five fouls. Every possession mattered. Every touch felt loaded.
This wasn’t about flash. It was about control. About two centers dictating tempo, forcing decisions, and dragging entire defenses into uncomfortable places. The Nuggets survived it. The Rockets didn’t.
But if this matchup told us anything, it’s that Şengün belongs in these conversations
Some believe Arsenal have signed a player not suited to their system - Getty Images/Kurt Desplenter
It is a sight that is becoming uncomfortably familiar for Arsenal’s supporters: Viktor Gyokeres sliding in vain towards a ball that has already skidded beyond him. In each of Arsenal’s last two Premier League matches, a low cross has been fizzed across the penalty area for Gyokeres to attack. On both occasions he was on his heels, only reacting when it was too late.
For a fanbase that craved a traditional centre-forward who would feast on such deliveries, it has been hugely frustrating. The expectation among Arsenal fans was that Gyokeres would be the player to convert these chances – their long-awaited predator in the penalty box. The reality is that such opportunities are consistently passing him by.
In 14 matches for Arsenal in the Premier League, Gyokeres has scored four goals. Three of those, though, were notched in his first four appearances in the competition. In 10 league appearances since mid-September, he has scored only once, away to Burnley in November. Rather than adapting to Arsenal’s methods over time, Gyokeres is instead appearing increasingly removed from the action around him.
Against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, he struggled to make any meaningful impact. A home game against the worst team in the league was, in theory, the perfect opportunity for Arsenal’s striker to plunder some goals, but he took only 15 touches and one shot in 81 minutes. Of all the Arsenal players who featured in the game, including substitutes, only Gabriel Jesus took fewer touches (eight, in nine minutes).
It was a similar story against Club Brugge in the Champions League last week. Gyokeres had only 12 touches in 62 minutes, compared to the 20 touches that Jesus had in 28 minutes off the bench. The Swede’s lack of goals is not because he is missing chances, but because he is so uninvolved in games that he is not getting many chances at all.
The worry for Arsenal is that Gyokeres is now becoming less effective with each passing week. If his performances in the league are broken down by month, then December has been his worst period. He is currently averaging fewer touches and shots in December than in any of his previous four months of Premier League action.
Is this a Gyokeres problem, or an issue created by the team not playing to his strengths? Mikel Arteta has diplomatically suggested in recent days that it is both. “The two things have to merge,” the Arsenal manager said when asked how much the club need to adapt to Gyokeres, and how much Gyokeres needs to adapt to them.
It remains too early to draw any definitive conclusions but supporters will worry that Arsenal have signed a player who is simply not suited to their system.
There were suggestions in the summer that Arteta was ready to implement a more direct, transitional style of play this season, in order to get the best out of Gyokeres (who scored many of his goals in Portugal by running into space on the counter-attack). Such plans have not materialised, however. On a per-game basis, Arsenal are producing the same number of “fast breaks” as they were last year (0.9). Last season, by contrast, Sporting averaged 1.6 “fast breaks” per game.
There is an element of misfortune to the situation, too. Gyokeres produced his best performance by far in an Arsenal shirt in the first half against Burnley last month, but then suffered an injury that forced him off at half-time. Just as he was beginning to build some momentum, he was ruled out of action for a few weeks.
Gyokeres performed well against Burnley before injury struck - PA/Martin Rickett
His standing was not helped by the excellent performances of Mikel Merino in his absence. Merino, a midfielder by trade, led the line for Arsenal in their thrilling victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich.
The return to fitness of Jesus has also put more pressure on Gyokeres. Jesus sparkled on his comeback appearance against Club Brugge, drifting all over the final third and combining with his team-mates, and was then heavily involved in the late winning goal against Wolves.
If Jesus continues at this rate, and if Arteta continues to consider Merino a genuine option at centre-forward, then Gyokeres could quickly find himself as the third-choice striker. And that is before one even considers the eventual return of Kai Havertz, an Arteta favourite.
Arteta admitted earlier this month that he was worried about signing a centre-forward in the summer, because in Jesus and Havertz he already had two strikers he loves. The time could soon come when Arteta has to rank Gyokeres, Havertz and Jesus in order of preference. That may not be good news for Gyokeres.
“The whole summer I was thinking, if we bring in a nine, what is going to happen with Gabi and Kai?” Arteta said. “I have a lot of nines. I like them so much. What are we going to do? How are we going to handle it? So far, we haven’t had a problem because they’ve been injured. So live the present, live the moment and deal with the situation when it comes.”
Behind the scenes, Gyokeres is described as a player with a positive mindset who quickly fit into the group, and Arsenal remain hopeful that it will eventually click into gear on the pitch. “The goals will come,” Arteta insisted last week.
There is, though, another important question: how much does it matter if Gyokeres thrives or not on an individual level? An inescapable fact is that Arsenal are top of the Premier League and Champions League tables, and that Gyokeres has played most of their games. He could argue that he is helping the team to perform well, even if he is not scoring the goals that were expected of him.
The ultimate test of such an argument will be whether Arteta agrees with it, and the answers to that will be found in his team selection. Is Gyokeres still the main man in Arsenal’s attack? Will he be the main man ahead of Jesus and Havertz in the coming weeks and months? It seems more in doubt than ever.
ST. LOUIS – On December 15 it was Hockey Fights Cancer night at Enterprise Center as the Blues played the Nashville Predators.
The arena filled with lavender colored Hockey Fights Cancer themed jerseys including one on the shoulders of Brody Sedlacek, an 11-year-old Edwardsville hockey player and more importantly cancer survivor.
Fox Two’s Jordan Williams spoke with Brody before Monday’s game to hear about his journey and his connection with the Edwardsville hockey team.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Following its split from the Ballon d'Or in 2016, FIFA has held its own annual show known as The Best FIFA Football Awards.
Looking to recognise the most impactful superstars around the globe, The Best awards always create a buzz around the football world as stars gather for the ceremony.
Held this year on Tuesday, December 16 at 8 p.m. local time in Doha, Qatar, The Best awards will identify what players, coaches, and goals are most deserving of recognition in the eyes of the football governing body.
The Sporting News brings you a roundup of all the individuals nominated for the 2025 awards, with the list to be updated with the winners once the ceremony commences and the trophies are handed out.
The second annual Best FIFA Men's and Women's 11 lineups will be announced at the ceremony. These are decided purely via a fan vote.
MEN'S BEST XI: TBD
WOMEN'S BEST XI: TBD
FIFA Fan Award
The FIFA Fan Award is meant for a football "story, a moment or a gesture by a fan or group of fans, irrespective of league, gender or nationality," according to the governing body.
WINNER: TBD
FIFA Fair Play Award
WINNER: TBD
List of Best FIFA Men's Player Award winners
The first Best FIFA Men's Player Award was given in 2016 to Cristiano Ronaldo.
He and Robert Lewandowski have each won the prize twice. The record for the most wins is held by Lionel Messi, with three.
Year
Player
Club
2016
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
2017
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
2018
Luka Modric
Real Madrid
2019
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
2020
Robert Lewandowski
Bayern Munich
2021
Robert Lewandowski
Bayern Munich
2022
Lionel Messi
PSG
2023
Lionel Messi
PSG/Inter Miami
2024
Vinicius Junior
Real Madrid
List of Best FIFA Women's Player Award winners
Also beginning in 2016, the Best FIFA Women's Player prize has only been won more than once by a single player: Alexia Putellas.
Paris Saint-Germain winger Dembele and Barcelona Femeni midfielder Bonmati are each in contention for the main awards, while FIFA will also recognised the leading goalkeeper and coach in men's and women's football.
The Puskas Award for the best goal of the year will also be presented at the gala dinner. The complete list of prizes up for grabs is below.
The Best FIFA Football Awards have been handed out since 2017 as part of FIFA's plan to create an award solely within its organisation.
Briefly, FIFA partnered with France Football for the Ballon d'Or award, but that arrangement ended in 2016. Football's world governing body then embarked on its own set of awards for the top players and coaches in the sport.
The Ballon d'Or has been in circulation since 1956, and despite FIFA's global standing as a football entity, The Best awards still have some catching up to do to be considered of the same prestige as the Ballon d'Or.
The Best FIFA Football Awards 2025 nominees, final shortlists, prizes
Best FIFA Men's Player
Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele is in contention to do the double on the 11-man shortlist. The France winger is one of four PSG nominees following the French giants' treble season, while Lamine Yamal is among a Barcelona trio.
Ousmane Dembele (PSG / France)
Achraf Hakimi (PSG / Morocco)
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich / England)
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid / France)
Nuno Mendes (PSG / Portugal)
Cole Palmer (Chelsea / England)
Pedri (Barcelona / Spain)
Raphina (Barcelona / Brazil)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool / Egypt)
Vitinha (PSG / Portugal)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best FIFA Women's Player
Spain star Aitana Bonmati claimed her third successive Ballon d'Or Feminin in 2025 and is looking to make it a double-treble by retaining the FIFA prize.
Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea / France)
Nathalie Bjorn (Chelsea / Sweden)
Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona / Spain)
Lucy Bronze (Chelsea / England)
Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal / Spain)
Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current / Malawi)
Kadidatou Diani (Lyon / France)
Melchie Dumornay (Lyon / Haiti)
Patri Guijarro (Barcelona / Spain)
Lindsey Heaps (Lyon / USA)
Lauren James (Chelsea / England)
Chloe Kelly (Arsenal / England)
Ewa Pajor (Barcelona / Poland)
Claudia Pina (Barcelona / Spain)
Alexia Putellas (Barcelona / Spain)
Alessi Russo (Arsenal / England)
Leah Williamson (Arsenal / England)
Best FIFA Men's Coach
Arne Slot has had a tough time at Liverpool so far this term, but the Dutchman's Premier League title win in his maiden season at Anfield has got him in the mix for the men's coach award.
Javier Aguirre (Mexico)
Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
Luis Enrique (PSG)
Hansi Flick (Bayern Munich)
Enzo Maresca (Chelsea)
Roberto Martinez (Portugal)
Arne Slot (Liverpool)
Best FIFA Women's coach
Sarina Wiegman, winner in 2022 and 2023, is back in the mix after leading England to a successful defence of their Euros title.
Sonia Bompastor (Chelsea)
Jonatan Giraldez (Barcelona)
Seb Hines (Orlando Pride)
Renee Slegers (Arsenal)
Sarina Wiegman (England)
Best FIFA Men's goalkeeper
Two-time winner Emiliano Martinez has the chance to retain his prize. Gianluigi Donnarumma, 2023 winner Ederson's replacement at Manchester City, is in contention having won the Ballon d'Or's Yashin Trophy for his exploits at PSG last season.
Alisson (Liverpool / Brazil)
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid / Belgium)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG / Man City / Italy)
Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
David Raya (Arsenal / Spain)
Yann Sommer (Inter Milan / Switzerland)
Wojciech Szczesny (Barcelona)
Best FIFA Women's goalkeeper
England's Euro 2025 hero Hannah Hampton is among the nominees, having also enjoyed a superb season as Chelsea swept to a domestic treble in England.
Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham / Germany)
Cata Coll (Barcelona / Spain)
Christiane Endler (Lyon / Chile)
Hannah Hampton (Chelsea / England)
Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride / England)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC / Nigeria)
Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Man United / USA)
FIFA Puskas Award
The FIFA Puskas Award is always highly sought-after as it honours the best goal scored that year. In 2024, this became a men-only award, as a separate women's category was launched.
Alerrandro (Vitoria vs. Cruzeiro)
Alessandro Deiola (Cagliari vs. Venezia)
Pedro de la Vega (Cruz Azul vs. Seattle Sounders)
Santiago Montiel (Independiente vs. Independiente Rivadavia)
Amr Nasser (Costa Rica vs. Honduras)
Carlos Orrantia (Queretaro vs. Atlas)
Lucas Ribeiro (Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund)
Declan Rice (Arsenal vs. Real Madrid)
Rizky Ridho (Persija Jakarta vs. Arema)
Kevin Rodrigues (Kasimpasa vs. Rizespor)
Lamine Yamal (Espanyol vs. Barcelona)
FIFA Marta Award
The Marta Award is given to the most aesthetically pleasing goal in the women's game this year.
Jordyn Bugg (North Carolina Courage vs. Seattle Reign)
Mariona Caldentey (Lyon vs. Arsenal)
Ashley Cheatley (Brentford vs. Ascot United)
Kyra Cooney-Cross (Germany vs. Australia)
Jon Ryong-jong (North Korea U-20 vs. Argentina U-20)
Marta (Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current)
Vivianne Miedema (Wales vs. Netherlands)
Kishi Nunez (Argentina U-20 vs. Costa Rica U-20)
Lizbeth Ovalle (Tigres vs. Guadalajara)
Ally Sentnor (USA vs. Colombia
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw (Hammarby vs. Man City)
FIFA Men's and Women's 11
The Best FIFA Men's and Women's 11 lineups will be announced at the ceremony. These are decided purely via a fan vote.
FIFA Fan Award
The FIFA Fan Award is given to a fan or group of supporters who "help make the beautiful game exactly that".
Alejandro Ciganotto (Racing Club de Avellaneda)
Manuel Caceres (Spain)
Zakho SC fans
FIFA The Best former winners
Below are full tables of former winners in the main awards since 2016.
The Best FIFA Men's Player Award
Year
Player
Club
Nation
2024
Vinicius Junior
Real Madrid
Brazil
2023
Lionel Messi
PSG/Inter Miami
Argentina
2022
Lionel Messi
PSG
Argentina
2021
Robert Lewandowski
Bayern Munich
Poland
2020
Robert Lewandowski
Bayern Munich
Poland
2019
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentina
2018
Luka Modric
Real Madrid
Croatia
2017
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Portugal
2016
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Portugal
The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper Award
Year
Player
Club
Nation
2024
Emiliano Martinez
Aston Villa
Argentina
2023
Ederson
Manchester City
Brazil
2022
Emiliano Martinez
Aston Villa
Argentina
2021
Edouard Mendy
Chelsea
Senegal
2020
Manuel Neuer
Bayern Munich
Germany
2019
Alisson
Liverpool
Brazil
2018
Thibaut Courtois
Chelsea/Real Madrid
Belgium
2017
Gianluigi Buffon
Juventus
Italy
The Best FIFA Men's Coach Award
Year
Player
Team
Nationality
2024
Carlo Ancelotti
Real Madrid
Italy
2023
Pep Guardiola
Manchester City
Spain
2022
Lionel Scaloni
Argentina
Argentina
2021
Thomas Tuchel
Chelsea
Germany
2020
Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool
Germany
2019
Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool
Germany
2018
Didier Deschamps
France
France
2017
Zinedine Zidane
Real Madrid
France
2016
Claudio Ranieri
Leicester City
Italy
The Best FIFA Women's Player Award
Year
Player
Club
Nation
2024
Aitana Bonmati
Barcelona
Spain
2023
Aitana Bonmati
Barcelona
Spain
2022
Alexia Putellas
Barcelona
Spain
2021
Alexia Putellas
Barcelona
Spain
2020
Lucy Bronze
Lyon/Man City
England
2019
Megan Rapinoe
Reign FC
USA
2018
Marta
Orlando Pride
Brazil
2017
Lieke Martens
Rosengard/Barcelona
Netherlands
2016
Carli Lloyd
Houston Dash
USA
The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper Award
Year
Player
Club
Nation
2024
Alyssa Naeher
Chicago Stars
USA
2023
Mary Earps
Manchester United
England
2022
Mary Earps
Manchester United
England
2021
Christiane Endler
PSG
Chile
2020
Sarah Bouhaddi
Lyon
France
2019
Sari van Veenendaal
Arsenal/Atletico Madrid
Netherlands
The Best FIFA Women's Coach Award
Year
Player
Team
Nationality
2024
Emma Hayes
USA
England
2023
Sarina Wiegman
England
Netherlands
2022
Sarina Wiegman
England
Netherlands
2021
Emma Hayes
Chelsea
England
2020
Sarina Weigman
Netherlands
Netherlands
2019
Jill Ellis
England
USA
2018
Reynald Pedros
Lyon
France
2017
Sarina Wiegman
Netherlands
Netherlands
2016
Silvia Neid
Germany
Germany
FIFA Puskas Award — the prize for the best men's goal
Year
Player
Team
Match / Goal
2024
Alejandro Garnacho
Man United
vs. Everton (3-0)
2023
Guilherme Madruga
Botafogo
vs. Novorizontino (1-0)
2022
Marcin Oleksy
Warta Poznan
vs. Stal Rzeszow
2021
Erik Lamela
Tottenham
vs. Arsenal (1-0)
2020
Son Heung-Min
Tottenham
vs. Burnley (3-0)
2019
Daniel Zsori
Debrecen
vs. Ferencvaros (2-1)
2018
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool
vs. Everton (1-0)
2017
Oliver Giroud
Arsenal
vs. Crystal Palace (1-0)
2016
Mohd Faiz Subri
Penang
vs. Pahang (4-1)
2015
Wendell Lira
Goianesia
vs. Atletico Goianiense (1-0)
2014
James Rodriguez
Colombia
vs. Uruguay (1-0)
2013
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Sweden
vs. England (4-2)
2012
Miroslav Stoch
Fenerbahce
vs. Genclerbirligi (6-1)
2011
Neymar
Santos
vs. Flamengo (4-5)
2010
Hamit Altintop
Turkey
vs. Kazakhstan (2-0)
2009
Cristiano Ronaldo
Man United
vs. Porto (1-0)
FIFA Marta Award — the prize for the best women's goal
Manchester City have a real point of difference that could be crucial this season
Manchester City were clinical in the final third in their 3-nil win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday. Erling Haaland’s brace and Phil Foden’s second-half strike saw Pep Guardiola’s side break open a tough fixture against a quality team. Crystal Palace had their chances at Selhurst Park but they failed to put any of them away. While at the other end of the pitch, City took their chances and left London with a valuable three points. Looking at Manchester City’s attack, they seemingly have a real point of difference to their rivals which could be crucial as this season unfolds.
Manchester City have weapons that no one else has up front.
It has emerged as this season has progressed which players form Manchester City’s best attack. Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku have been Pep Guardiola’s preferred front three. Phil Foden can also be added to this equation given the fact that he has scored 10 goals this season and his best attributes are often on display in the final third. What City have that their rivals do not is a blend of pace, power, guile and trickery. Each of Manchester City’s attacking players complements the other. It gives them a consistent weapon that their rivals seemingly do not.
Manchester City’s attack is even more dangerous when you factor in the runs made by Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly from the full-back positions. Pep Guardiola’s side is also now scoring from set-pieces which completes the picture. What we saw in Manchester City’s win over Crystal Palace is that City’s attack can decide games ruthlessly.
Crystal Palace had their chances at Selhurst Park. But they didn’t take them. Erling Haaland took his first chance against Crystal Palace. He headed home a superb Matheus Nunes cross to give City a first-half lead. Rayan Cherki drove at the Palace defence to set up Phil Foden’s second-half strike. Erling Haaland put away a penalty with ease in the 89th minute to wrap up three points for City. Although City didn’t create a host of chances at Selhurst Park, they ruthlessly put away those that came their way. It helped them pick up a crucial three points and showed that City have a quality that their rivals do not at this point of the season.
Manchester City’s attack could be a factor that tilts this season their way.
As of right now it does appear that Manchester City and Arsenal could be battling it out for the Premier League title. Aston Villa cannot be discounted at this stage. Whether or not they can sustain their impressive form remains to be seen.
Arsenal’s strengths are their defence and their prowess at set-pieces. Mikel Arteta’s side has them as the foundation of their play. They do have quality throughout their squad but it seems that those are their strongest attributes. Whether or not Arsenal’s set-piece prowess is sustainable across a full season remains to be seen. In contrast to the strength of Mikel Arteta’s side, you do sense that Manchester City’s attack can sustain their impressive form and efficiency. Erling Haaland’s goal-scoring prowess won’t fade. Jeremy Doku, as long as he isn’t injured, looks to have gone up a level. Phil Foden is an elite player and has returned to form this season. Rayan Cherki has adjusted to life at Manchester City quicker than expected. There is no reason why Manchester City’s attack cannot prove to be the difference across this season.
The Manchester City attack looks to be their point of difference this season. Pep Guardiola has a variety of weapons to unleash and it does seem that City’s attack could be key to them picking up extra points across this Premier League season. They did that against Crystal Palace and you do sense that it won’t be the last time that Manchester City’s attack helps them pick up points in tough matches this season.
Manchester United played out a hugely entertaining 4-4 draw against Bournemouth in their Premier League game at Old Trafford on Monday.
The hosts should have won, considering they had taken the lead on three separate occasions, but Ruben Amorim’s confusing tweak at the back did not help the team, nor his young defenders.
The draw means the Red Devils are currently sixth in the league standings, two points off the top four. However, things will get trickier from here on in.
The head coach will be without his key attacking duo, Amad and Bryan Mbeumo, as both will depart for the Africa Cup of Nations. Noussair Mazraoui has already left, and both Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire remain sidelined.
Casemiro suspended
And in further bad news, Casemiro has also been ruled out of the match against Aston Villa next Sunday as he saw his fifth individual yellow against the Cherries.
He saw yellow for a foul on Marcus Tavernier in the second-half, who subsequently scored from the resultant free-kick to hand the visitors a 3-2 lead.
Five yellow cards mean an automatic one-game suspension, and the Brazilian missing out against an in-form Villa means Amorim will have a mountain to climb at Villa Park.
The former Real Madrid superstar scored against the Cherries, and has generally looked much better as compared to last season, partly due to the team playing only once a week.
How will Amorim cope?
It will be interesting to see who the Portuguese tactician turns to in Casemiro’s absence. He does not seem to rate Kobbie Mainoo in a deeper role, and he has openly criticised Manuel Ugarte this season.
The Uruguayan has started three times in the league this season, and in all three occasions, the 20-time English league champions have come out on the losing side. He also has been linked with a January exit.
With Unai Emery’s side winning each of their last six games, Amorim will be hoping for an inspired showing from his available players.
After his encouraging cameo, fans will be hoping Mainoo gets the nod in place of Casemiro.
England head into the third Ashes Test 2-0 down - PA/Robbie Stephenson
At 2-0 down in an Ashes series in Australia it is customary for England teams to fracture and players play for themselves. If England are to have any chance of fighting their way back in this series, Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum must guard against that kind of backside-covering at all costs.
Stokes has admitted it himself. “If people are trying to protect themselves over the greater good, which is the team, and look after their own back and start saying or doing things because it’s perceived to be the right thing to say at that time to come across... I don’t know, whatever it is... I’m certainly never going to do that.”
The 2013-14 team is the most spectacular example of a side falling apart. On that tour, Graeme Swann abruptly retired, Kevin Pietersen was sacked and Andy Flower left as coach at the end of an acrimonious trip. The casualties from Joe Root’s side in 2017-18 were opener Mark Stoneman and No 3 James Vince. The 4-0 Covid tour four years ago cost Chris Silverwood and Ashley Giles their management jobs whilst Dawid Malan and Haseeb Hameed have not played for England again.
Of the 50 players to have represented England in an Ashes Test in Australia this century, 26 have had their international careers ended there. On all those trips, selfishness crept in as players tried to save themselves and management made decisions that went against their natural instincts but were a good look as they tried to keep public opinion on their side.
Stokes and McCullum have resisted that so far. They were right to back the top seven to go again and dig the team out of the hole they created, because panicked changes rarely work halfway through a series and the squad they selected is thin on batting options.
Ben Stokes (right) and Brendon McCullum are under pressure early in the tour - PA
But for a few in the England side, Adelaide is surely judgment time; once the series is no longer “live” then casualties are unavoidable. Can Ollie Pope survive another couple of wild drives to the cordon? Or Jamie Smith drop a clanger and then fail to contribute with the bat? Zak Crawley bought himself more chances by playing nicely in the first innings in Brisbane in making 76, but his career has been one of backward steps just when you think he has cracked the code. Ben Duckett is averaging 16 and had his technique exposed by the bouncy Australian pitches. His half-prod in the opening over of the second Test was timid for a player who has been full of life since he seized his second chance at a Test career. Adelaide should suit him with its shorter square boundaries than the first two venues, but he needs to rediscover that spark.
For all of Stokes’s grinding on day four at the Gabba, he is averaging 19 in this series and it is some time since he had the touch with the bat that made him one of the great all-rounders. Harry Brook admitted to some “shocking” shots in this series, a flick of self-doubt we have not seen before.
England do not have the techniques to stand and defend. Stokes and Will Jacks did not set the template for winning a Test in Australia when they blocked on day four at the Gabba. If we see that in the first innings at Adelaide, England will be easy pickings for an Australia side boosted by the returns of Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon.
Shot selection has not always been the problem on this tour. Execution has, though, along with pitiful planning that forced Stokes to admit some of the players have been shocked by the aggressiveness of cricket in Australia. But with the pressure unbearable at 2-0 down and the Ashes potentially lost with one collapse, can the Bazballers play their natural game? If they don’t, it will be all over.
Ben Duckett has had a poor tour with just 64 runs in four innings - Getty Images/Santanu Banik
This England set-up is different. Stokes and McCullum are men financially set for life and both with playing records that will stand the test of time, regardless of the result in this series. That should insulate them from some of the mistakes made by predecessors and ensure the “raw” chats they had in Noosa and before training in Adelaide on Monday were about getting the players to focus on what has made them successful in the past.
Stokes and McCullum have been so sure in their decision-making for three years but the pressure of being 2-0 down in the Ashes has made them wobble. For two years they built up Shoaib Bashir for this moment in Adelaide, ignoring the criticism of his selection by insisting his bounce and over-spin would be perfect for Australian pitches. Not playing in Perth and Brisbane was understandable given pace and seam bowling conditions. But a day game in Adelaide? Perfect for him you would think but at 2-0 down, Stokes and McCullum have blinked.
It may well be the right call, considering his performances on this tour in the excuse for a warm-up game at Lilac Hill and the more worrying nought for 115 for the Lions against Australia A. Bashir’s is a curious career, unique really. He cannot get a game in county cricket and yet was anointed England’s No 1 spinner on little evidence. He repaid that with some decent performances at times but must be so low on morale now that he is in the “unselectable” category we have seen in Australia before.
Shoaib Bashir has been left out from the first three Tests, despite being labelled as England’s No 1 spinner before the series - PA
England have been limp in the field and lost the hunger for the fight they showed last summer against India, and in the 2023 Ashes when they belatedly found their edge. Then, at 2-0 down, Stokes had Mark Wood to put the fear of life into the Australian top order and Chris Woakes’s skills to interrogate their front pads.
But he also had chippy characters like James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Jonny Bairstow and Ollie Robinson. The evolution of the Bazball team has cost England the “bit of dog” that Stokes wants to see in Adelaide. But there is no point forcing it from players who are just not built that way. We also see the pressure of an Ashes series taking its toll. Duckett, Crawley and Brook all got stuck into India last summer, but it is harder to do that in Australia when you have not scored any runs and their former players are mocking you on every podcast and TV show.
Stokes has stuck by his friend Brydon Carse, who is very fortunate to keep his place after bowling so poorly in Brisbane. Gus Atkinson is dropped for Josh Tongue despite out-bowling Carse in both Tests without taking the wickets he should have done. Carse has a big heart and is more combative than Atkinson, which might have helped his cause, but England have picked a seam attack without a bowler who can guarantee control. Jofra Archer is probably the most capable of doing it, but England want him as the shock tactic, a continuation of the final session fire in Brisbane when he bowled quicker than any stage of the series because Stokes urged him to leave some marks with Adelaide in mind.
Stokes made his Test debut at Adelaide in 2013 and immediately stood up to Brad Haddin when he tried to sledge the new boy. England need something like that this time. Adelaide is when Stokes will learn who has the stomach for the fight and who is looking after themselves.
The 25 players whose careers ended Down Under
By Huzaifa Yousafzai
2002–03: Australia win 4-1
Alex Tudor Fast bowler Tudor was called in as injury cover for the third Test at the Waca. A nasty bouncer from Brett Lee cut his left eyelid and he retired hurt, never to play for England again.
Alex Tudor’s England career ended with an injury - Getty Images/Tom Shaw
Chris Silverwood In similar circumstances to Tudor, Silverwood was called in as injury cover for the Perth Test. He went wicketless in the first innings and also suffered an ankle injury.
James Foster Foster was reserve wicketkeeper and took the gloves on Boxing Day as Alec Stewart was injured. Foster took three catches and scored 25 runs before Stewart returned for the final Test.
Craig White The all-rounder – brother-in-law of former Australian coach Darren Lehmann – ended the series as England’s second-highest wicket-taker, but a torn side muscle at the MCG finished his Test career at the age of 33.
Andy Caddick Caddick was England’s top wicket-taker in the series with 20. His final act was 10 wickets in a consolation win at Sydney, as a recurring back injury meant he never played another Test.
Andy Caddick took 10 wickets in his final Test as England beat Australia in Sydney - Getty Images/Nick Wilson
Richard Dawson England’s back-up spinner was called into the side at Adelaide after an injury to Ashley Giles. Dawson took just five wickets in the four Tests he played, and was best known for being hit for four as Steve Waugh reached a century off the final ball of the day in Sydney.
John Crawley In and out of the side and, although he managed to score a half-century, he was the final victim of a dreadful tour.
2006–07: Australia win 5-0
Ashley Giles Took only three wickets in the first two Tests then flew home to be with his sick wife. A persistent hip injury ended his career and he never played a professional game again.
Geraint Jones Another Ashes hero in 2005, but the series Down Under yielded just 63 runs in six innings. That meant Chris Read took the gloves off Jones to end his England career.
Geraint Jones finished his international career with two ducks in Perth - Getty Images/Tom Shaw
Chris Read Took Geraint Jones’s spot behind the stumps at the MCG in 2006 but only managed one more match at Sydney, as Matt Prior became the new wicketkeeper in 2007.
Sajid Mahmood Drafted into the series in the third Test in Perth, he took just five wickets in five innings, went for plenty of runs and never played for England again.
2010-11: England win 3-1
Paul Collingwood England’s only away Ashes victory since 1986-87 had just one retirement, although on Collingwood’s own terms. The all-rounder hit just 83 runs and took only two wickets in his final series.
2013-14: Australia win 5-0
Graeme Swann After fighting his way back from an elbow injury, his form fell off a cliff. Seven wickets in three Tests at an average of 80 led to Swann announcing his retirement before Boxing Day.
Tim Bresnan The burly all-rounder made his Ashes debut in the unforgettable win in 2010 at the MCG, the same ground where he played his final Test as an elbow injury killed his pace.
Monty Panesar Only lasted one game more than his spin twin Swann. Three wickets in two games at an average of 85 meant Scott Borthwick replaced him for the final test in Sydney.
Monty Panesar, like bowling partner Graeme Swann, played his last England match in the 2013–14 series Down Under - Getty Images/Ezra Shaw
Scott Borthwick With two spinners already eliminated, Borthwick was thrown in at the end and took four for 82 in the match, but still got swept up in the post-series clean-up and was never picked again.
Michael Carberry A solid left-handed opener, Carberry did relatively well and was England’s second-highest run-scorer in the series. However, at the age of 33, England chose to start a new era without him.
Kevin Pietersen Top scorer for England in the series, albeit in a dreadful whitewash, this was the last act of a controversial yet incredibly successful Test career for Pietersen. With personality clashes in the dressing room, this was the final straw for one of the most talented England batsmen in a generation.
Chris Tremlett Another winner from 2010–11, Tremlett only played a single match in the 2013–14 series, at the Gabba. He had respectable figures of four for 120 but England lost heavily. A back injury meant he played no further part in the series and retired from cricket in 2015.
2017-18: Australia win 4-0
Jake Ball Thrust into the Ashes opener at Brisbane where he took one for 115 in 26 overs. Craig Overton replaced him for the second Test in Adelaide to end Ball’s brief and unsuccessful Test career.
Tom Curran The first of three Curran brothers to play Test cricket, Tom played on Boxing Day, with Steve Smith being his first wicket. Played his final Test in the next game at Sydney.
Mason Crane Just like Borthwick in 2014, Crane made his debut in the final Test at Sydney as a leg-spinner. But 193 overs and 649 Australian runs later, Crane had returned figures of one for 193 from 48 overs.
2021–22: Australia win 4-0
Jos Buttler One of England’s greatest white-ball players, he managed only two hundreds from 57 Tests. Failed to pass 26 in six innings at the end of this tour and was dropped for Sam Billings at Hobart.
Jos Buttler scored a duck in his final Test at the SCG in Sydney - PA/Jason O'Brien
Haseeb Hameed Averaged just 10 in the first four games and was replaced before the last game in Hobart. Has since moved to Nottinghamshire, captained a Championship-winning side and been a prolific run-scorer; so there may yet be a way back.
Rory Burns Famously bowled round his legs by Mitchell Starc in the first ball of the series, got another duck in the series-ender at Hobart. Has not played for England since.
Dawid Malan The third top-order batter to be dropped at the end of this series, Malan scored two 80s in the first two games but did not pass 25 in the next three as England decided to move on.
Shrine Bowl practice is underway in Spartanburg as the North Carolina and South Carolina all-star squads got out on the practice field Monday afternoon after being confined to indoor work in the morning due to low temperatures.
Among the roughly dozen area players on the squad is Gaffney quarterback Banks Bouton, who’s signed with Furman and was added to the squad Friday due to injury and attrition.
The annual contest takes place Saturday at 1pm at Spartanburg High School’s Viking Stadium.
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Enzo Maresca gives blunt response to how his relationship is with Chelsea board
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has given a blunt response to how his relationship is with the Chelsea board.
It all came out over the last few days and it has become the big story around Chelsea right now.
EXCL: The full inside story of what is going on between Enzo Maresca and the Chelsea hierarchy as tensions reach boiling point!
After the Everton win on Saturday, Maresca went on a rant in his post match presser where he said he had just had the “worst 48 hours” since joining Chelsea.
He said he had had a lack of support, but didn’t reveal any more when pressed. So of course everyone wanted to know more.
The Blues boss doubled down on his comments yesterday in the press conference ahead of the League Cup game tonight. Or at least that is what we thought.
It seems he was pressed more about his relationship with the sporting directors and the owners in the embargoed section of the interview that was released late last night, and he decided to actually answer that question.
Maresca on owners
Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart with Behdad Eghbali.
As cited by The Evening Standard, when sked how strong his relationship with the Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali and co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart is, he replied: “It’s ok, it’s good.”
Pushed on whether it is as good as it has always been, he added: “I think so, yes.”
Most important figure
Maresca was also asked whether he feels the head coach is the most important figure at Chelsea, or indeed at any football club.
“I think the ones that put the money in are, not the manager,” he said. “It is the owner. I think they are the most important people in a football club.
“The manager is an important part but is not the most important one.”
As Clemson continued its bowl practice Monday, quarterback Cade Klubnik literally went through the motion of throwing (without a ball in his hand at times) as wide receiver Tyler Brown later revealed that Klubnik is nursing a thumb injury but he’s ‘expected to play in the bowl game.’
Dabo Swinney, who did not acknowledge Klubnik’s issue prior to practice when speaking to the media, indicates 26 scholarship players will be unavailable for the game due to injury or attrition.
In Clinton, Presbyterian College celebrated head football coach Steve Englehart earning FCS National Coach Of The Year by the American Football Coaches Association.
Englehart led the non-scholarship program to a 10-2 record in his fourth season at the helm, which included upsets at eventual SoCon champ Mercer and Furman.
He becomes the first Pioneer Football League coach to earn the honor.
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The Houston Rockets opened their road trip in Denver on Friday night with a loss, but if this was meant to be a tone-setter for the next stretch, it did exactly that. This was the first of six straight road games, and it came against a Nuggets team sitting at 18-6 and second in the Western Conference, desperate to snap a four-game home losing streak. Houston entered at 16–6, third in the West, 8-4 on the road, and still leading the league in second-chance shots. Both teams had three days of rest. The building was packed. The energy was loud. And the game felt like it mattered from the jump.
Denver may be a top-tier first-quarter team, but it was Houston that set the early tone. Alperen Şengün came out dominant, putting up 10 points and two assists by the halfway mark of the first quarter. The Rockets controlled pace, moved bodies, and forced Denver to work for everything. Despite Nikola Jokic and Şengün both being part of the rare group of centers averaging seven or more assists, it was Houston that finished the first quarter up six.
The second quarter is where momentum began to wobble. Denver rattled off an 8-0 run as Houston struggled to finish clean looks. Reed Sheppard started the night ice cold, going 0-for-6 before finally knocking down his first bucket- a three. The Rockets still controlled much of the half, but the final three minutes slipped away. At the break, Denver led 58-51, with both Kevin Durant and Şengün sitting at 14 points apiece. Ime Udoka picked up a technical arguing with officials, and the tone of the game was officially set: physical, emotional, and unforgiving.
Houston responded the right way in the third. The Rockets came out hot, reclaiming the lead and marking the tenth lead change of the night. At that point, Durant had missed just two shots all game, sitting at 5-for-7, while Josh Okogie was a perfect 5-for-5. Bruce Brown’s reckless finish resulted in a flagrant foul on Durant, sending him to the line. Durant continued doing what he does best- drawing contact, living at the stripe, and knocking down that familiar midrange fadeaway. Okogie added an insane dunk and nine points in the quarter, and an 8-0 Houston run capped by a steal and Sheppard dunk swung momentum back again.
The fourth quarter turned into a grind. Bodies flying under the rim. Jokic living at the free-throw line. Things got personal between Jokic and Şengün. Leads changed hands possession by possession. With 1:30 left, it was tied at 109. Then 112. Then 115 with 20 seconds remaining. Shot-making reached absurd levels. Every seat in the building was standing.
Şengün gave Houston a one-point lead with two seconds left after the Rockets went a perfect 5-for-5 on their final possessions. A controversial trip was called on Amen Thompson, Houston challenged, and lost. One free throw sent the game to overtime.
In OT, Jokic picked up his fifth foul on Şengün- both now at five- and Denver opened with a 3-0 run. Durant sent Jokic to the line again before Jokic fouled Reed Sheppard and was ejected after an unsuccessful Denver challenge. Houston called timeout down three with 6.8 seconds left. That was as close as it would get.
Denver closed it out.
Jokic finished with his twelfth triple-double of the season: 39 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, shooting 48-percent from the field and 55.6-percent from deep. Jamal Murray added 35 points and five assists. For Houston, Şengün posted a monster triple-double of his own with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, shooting just under 52-percent. Durant added 25 points, seven assists, and five blocks. Jabari Smith Jr. provided balance, knocking down four of six from three.
Houston didn’t leave Denver with a win, but they left with proof. This road trip just started, and if this game was the bar, the Rockets aren’t backing down from anyone.
In a barnburner of a matchup between two of the best and most physically-imposing teams in the NBA in the Denver Nuggets and the Houston Rockets, it was the former that came out on top, 128-125, in overtime. It was a back-and-forth affair that saw incredible shot-making come from both teams, especially towards the end of regulation. But come overtime, the Rockets lost steam and the Nuggets did just enough to come away with the win.
Nikola Jokic was imposing his will all night long, finishing with yet another insane stat line (which is now getting pedestrian by his standards) of 39 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Nuggets star fouled out in the end, but even foul trouble wasn’t enough to slow down the three-time MVP in his domination of the Rockets.
Jokic and Alperen Sengun were locked in a battle that seemed very personal. The Rockets star was looking to snatch Jokic’s crown, but the Nuggets star had every answer in the bag, as expected of a player as great as he is.
Sengun recorded a triple double of his own, putting up 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, and he’s closer to the caliber of player Jokic is than some would think. Nonetheless, the Nuggets star is arguably the best player in the league at the moment, and everyone saw why.
Nuggets need Nikola Jokic to carry the load amid team’s injury woes
Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
The good news is that Jokic and Jamal Murray are both healthy, so Denver has the foundational pieces of the two-man game that has been the cornerstone of their offense for nearly a decade. But with Peyton Watson having to exit early with a right trunk contusion, the Nuggets now have three key cogs in Watson, Christian Braun, and Aaron Gordon currently on the mend.
The Nuggets will now look to improve their 19-6 record when they return to action on Thursday night in a tussle against the Orlando Magic.
Morant was driving to the basket when he stepped on the foot of a Clippers player and appeared to twist his ankle. The Grizzlies star hobbled off the court in pain and did not return.
The Grizzlies defeated the Clippers 121-103 on Dec. 15 at Intuit Dome. Memphis led 116-93 with 3:44 left when Morant injured his ankle.
Morant finished with 12 points and four assists in 21 minutes. He was in his second game back after missing 10 matchups due to a left calf injury.
Morant missed the entire preseason slate of games while dealing with a left ankle sprain. When he returned, he noticeably started wearing ankle braces.
Morant entered the Clippers matchup averaging 18.2 points and 7.8 assists.
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 39 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his NBA-leading 12th triple-double of the season as the Denver Nuggets outlasted the Houston Rockets 128-125 in overtime on Monday night in a matchup of two of the top three teams in the Western Conference standings.
Jamal Murray added 35 points for Denver, including six of his team’s 11 points in overtime. Murray made 14 of his 15 free-throw attempts.
The win was the Nuggets’ fifth in a row and was their first home victory since Nov. 8.
The final 1:40 of regulation had four ties and four lead changes, a stretch capped off by a free throw by Murray that tied the game with 2.3 seconds remaining after an away-from-play foul on Houston’s Amen Thompson. Denver retained possession after the free throw, but a 3-point attempt by Jokic from the top of the key was long.
The Nuggets took a 124-117 lead after a Spencer Jones 3 with 2:59 remaining in overtime, but the Rockets clawed back, getting within three with the ball and 13 seconds remaining. Alperen Sengun missed a contested 24-foot 3 with 4.9 seconds remaining, allowing Denver to hold on for the victory.
Sengun paced the Rockets with 33 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for his first triple-double of the season. Kevin Durant added 25 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five blocks for Houston, which lost its third consecutive road game.
A Nuggets team that was already down two starters in Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) played much of the game without starting guard Peyton Watson, who left six minutes into the first quarter after suffering a right trunk contusion.
While the Pittsburgh Steelers had a number of heroes in their Monday Night Football win over the Miami Dolphins, from Aaron Rodgers, to Jonnu Smith, DK Metcalf, and their defensive line, one player who stepped up in a major way was one of the more unlikely members of Arthur Smith’s offense: Kenneth Gainwell.
Asked about Gainwell’s huge game against a team teetering on the edge of playoff elimination, Tomlin celebrated the 2025 free agent addition for seemingly always bringing something to the table when his team needs it most.
“When things are less than ideal, that’s what we’ve come to expect from him. Jalen missed Dublin, for example, and he played big out there,” Tomlin explained. “He brings that energy, man. He’s a football player, and we’re thankful to have him on our team.”
Originally drafted in the fifth round out of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Memphis, Gainwell was an instrumental part of multiple Philadelphia Eagles teams with Super Bowl aspirations, including the team that actually got it done earlier this year against the Kansas City Chiefs. Landing in Pittsburgh in free agency after the season, Gainwell has rapidly become a favorite of Rodgers, where his pass-catching abilities have allowed him to become a reliable outlet pass when his early reads are locked up.
Should opposing teams put a little more respect on Gainwell’s name after his huge showing? Probably, as with a playoff push rapidly approaching, it’s clear Gainwell will only become a bigger part of the Steelers’ offense down the stretch.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Keyonte George scored 37 points and Lauri Markkanen added 33 to lift the Utah Jazz to a 140-133 overtime win against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, despite a career-high 42 points from Cooper Flagg.
George, who had 39 points on Friday in Memphis, scored the first five points of overtime. Kyle Filipowski scored 16 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Jazz won consecutive games for just the second time this season.
Flagg has been playing his best basketball the past few weeks as the No. 1 overall draft pick has averaged 25.7 points in the last seven games and became the first 18-year-old in league history to score 40 points. Flagg also tied Mark Aguirre for the most points by a rookie in Mavs history.
P.J. Washington scored 25 and Naji Marshall had 15 for the Mavericks, who had won five of six games.
The Mavericks led 124-116 before the Jazz reeled off 11 straight points, capped by Isaiah Collier's driving basket with 53.6 seconds remaining.
Flagg scored and was fouled on the next possession but missed the free throw that could have tied it.
Markkanen made a contested baseline jumper on the other end before Flagg made one of two free throws to make it 129-127 with 4.5 seconds to play. He missed the second free throw on purpose and Max Christie got the rebound while being fouled. Christie made both foul shots to send the game into overtime.
But the overtime belonged to the Jazz as the Mavericks shot 1 for 9.
Both teams were missing their starting centers as the Jazz rested Jusuf Nurkic and the Mavericks’ Anthony Davis sat out with a left calf bruise.
Rotation regulars Kevin Love and Svi Mykhailiuk were healthy scratches as the Jazz decided to play their youngsters.
Sunderland returned to the Stadium of Light for the small matter of a Wear-Tyne Derby on Sunday — our first league meeting since Sunderland’s 1-1 draw at St James Park back in 2016.
In a game devoid of many moments of quality, how did Régis Le Bris revert to type in order to nullify Newcastle and grab the bragging rights heading into 2026?
Sunderland Lineup
Following defeat to Manchester City, Le Bris was left with decisions to make but during his Friday press conference, he confirmed that with the exception of Habib Diarra — who remains a week away from action — he had a fully fit squad available for selection.
Despite having sustained success utilising a “five at the back” system this season, Le Bris made another bold move and opted to switch back to his traditional 4-3-3/4-4-2 system, which served us so well during the 2024/2025 campaign.
Having watched Newcastle struggle against a Bayer Leverkusen team who played with a back five during the week, as the teams were announced it took me by surprise — and showed Le Bris was willing to match Newcastle’s midfield man for man.
A change in shape saw two changes made as Trai Hume dropped out for the returning Reinildo. Up front, Brian Brobbey was given another chance to start after his impressive performance at Anfield one week prior.
Given the absence of Joelinton paired with the physicality of the Newcastle defenders, Brobbey was likely to come out on top in the duels and therefore Wilson Isidor was favoured against tiring legs.
Visitors’ Lineup
Following a midweek slog against Xhaka’s former employers, Eddie Howe was expected to at least make one change due to an injury sustained by Joelinton and therefore Lewis Miley came in to replace him.
Out wide, Anthony Elanga was named as a replacement for Harvey Barnes after his midweek struggles, with Aaron Ramsdale retaining his place in goal due to Nick Pope’s injury issues.
Eddie Howe set Newcastle up in very much the same way he’s been accustomed to for several years now, operating in a 4-3-3 both in and out of possession.
Howe relies on high pressing and overloading the wings to create high turnovers and chances in transition. Utilising his midfield trio, he aims to push his full backs into the final third, overload the wide areas and flash crosses along the face of goal for their central striker.
As Newcastle are a team that primarily look to exploit transitions — as do Sunderland — it remains important to the success of both teams that they trigger the opponent’s press to exploit their high lines and compact shape. Therefore, seeing Sunderland match up shape-wise must’ve made Howe rub his hands together prior to kick off.
A cagey affair early doors
As game got underway, Sunderland were handed possession and it was made fairly clear that the visitors were happy to invite pressure with the intention of hitting us in transition.
Clocking up a whopping 59% possession in the first half — over 15% higher than their average at 42.3% — it became a slow tempo game of cat and mouse, with both sides laying traps for the other to fall into.
For Newcastle, both wingers were ready to jump into the half space at the moment either Dan Ballard or Omar Alderete stepped into midfield — with the latter’s early nerves resulting in quick turnovers and half chances for Newcastle that thankfully didn’t lead to a shot.
From a Sunderland perspective, Noah Sadiki went man-for-man on Bruno Guimarães with Granit Xhaka laterally pressing onto Sandro Tonali whilst the ball was on the floor, before doubling up on second contacts with Nick Woltemade whenever the ball was airborne.
For context, in the first half, both sides combined for forty nine duels won — Sunderland winning twenty four at 49% success whilst Newcastle won twenty five at 51%, showing just how many individual battles were taking place in order to establish control.
Whilst Sunderland retained the ball, both sides defended overly cautiously to prevent the other from exploiting transitional spaces, and so chance creation from open-play build up was sparse.
With only four shots taken in the whole first half, both teams combined for a total of 0.26 xG, with Sunderland producing the only chance of note via a Ballard header.
Woltemade’s moment of goalscoring madness!
In a game where both sides looked set on not giving anything away through their defensive shape, the only way we were going to see a goal was through a set piece or moment of individual genius.
Given Sunderland’s dominance from attacking set pieces, Newcastle were looking to moments of individual quality to see them through this one and less than one hundred seconds into the second half, they got it.
Following a long throw from Nordi Mukiele, the ball was recycled by Xhaka and despite a reluctance to cross in the first half, Mukiele didn’t hesitate and whipped a teasing ball onto the head of Nick Woltemade — with towering German inadvertently powering a bullet header off the crossbar and sending the stadium into raptures.
Although unlucky for Newcastle, we’d been hesitant to cross during the first half despite being given numerous opportunities due to the positioning of the German forward in relation to the attacking runners.
The second half saw Sunderland take the initiative and gamble by applying concerted pressure on the Newcastle players which caused the moment of madness, it was nonetheless a moment of sweet release to savour.
Newcastle fashioned a similar moment when a deflected Reinildo cross just evaded the boot of Yoanne Wissa, but in a game of fine margins, sometimes one moment tips the balance.
Sunderland harness the energy of the occasion
One reservation of many neutrals running into this game was whether Sunderland’s effectively new team of non-locals could channel the passion and understanding required to rise to the occasion, but it must be said that on the day, only one side looked up for the fight.
In defence, Reinildo was again outstanding, winning 6/8 duels, Ballard winning 4/7 aerial duels and Robin Roefs making some fantastic high claims — including a 17.9 yard claim in such nonchalant fashion.
In midfield, Enzo Le Fée had arguably his most industrious game, covering every blade of grass laterally in his press including a delicious Cruyff turn and nutmeg on Lewis Hall.
Xhaka and Sadiki combined for 9/10 duel wins — including a 100% success rate aerially against their midfield counterparts, with Brian Brobbey also causing havoc for the Newcastle backline.
Special note goes to Le Bris for his selection of Brobbey in this one, as without Joelinton there to protect his defenders, Brobbey was able to drop deeper and hold up the play magnificently against the weaker Newcastle players, displaying some great link up play and close control with balls being drilled into him from all angles whilst also drawing four fouls, the most of any player in the match.
Midfield matchups
By lining up in identical shapes, Sunderland were looking to fight fire with fire in their attempt to stifle Newcastle’s strongest assets in the centre of the pitch.
Both teams operate with a single pivot that looks to act as a deeper, orchestrating playmaker, while the other two act more industriously and combatively, fighting fires wherever they appear.
Sadiki was able to go man-for-man on Bruno Guimarães and jockey him at every possible turn, preventing the Newcastle captain from gaining a moment to breathe when in our final third. Likewise, Le Fée was able to track Lewis Miley wherever he roamed and utilised his smaller size to drop into pockets and link up the play with Brobbey and the two wingers.
Xhaka played a hybrid role and whilst he was zonally operating from a defensive standpoint, he would often press up high onto Tonali to make life uncomfortable for the midfielder, often finding himself as the midfielder furthest forward, leading the press when Newcastle retained possession during the second half.
Sunderland remain compact and connected
In all honesty, both teams could’ve played for another hour during that second half and neither would’ve scored again. Although Sunderland enjoyed a five-minute spell following the goal in which they flashed balls into the box, it wasn’t until the seventieth minute that Wilson Isidor managed to test Ramsdale again.
Le Bris instructed his side to drop into that compact 4-4-2 shape off the ball, encouraging Newcastle to launch crosses into the box with the safety of his central defenders and for Roefs to take the sting out of all danger.
Whilst they were happy to surrender possession, Newcastle rarely threatened and aside from the aforementioned deflected cross from Reinildo, they didn’t force Roefs into making any meaningful saves.
In true Le Bris fashion, Sunderland showed that once we establish a lead, we’re very industrious and difficult to break down. We also love defending and a perfectly executed reducer from Trai Hume in the closing stages showcased that beautifully — and it also helped that I got a fantastic view of it.
Looking ahead…
Although not the sexiest game in the world from a football purist’s point of view, it was gritty, scrappy and perfect throwback to what a derby game should be.
Sunderland’s AFCON-selected players will now head to Morocco with a weight off their shoulders and doubtless itching to rejoin the rest of the group in January, having left their teammates in a fantastic place to continue over the festive period.
With four points already taken from our “nightmarish” December, we turn to Brighton and Leeds as we look to end 2025 on a high.
Sunderland’s top scorer for the 1911/1912 season was George Holley, even though the local boy and fan favourite had endured an unfortunate drought in the build up to Christmas.
After five goals in the first four games quickly became ten in nine by October, the Seaham-born inside forward then went six weeks without scoring again — albeit injury worries meant he wasn’t at 100% during the run and so was having to come in and out of the side during that period.
Nevertheless, having made such a blistering start, Holley was pleased to then get back into the groove when he scored Sunderland’s first goal in a 3-2 win against West Bromwich Albion in early December, and with Preston North End next up on Wearside, he was keen to continue his recovery. It wasn’t the only reason he wanted to impress either, for in the absence of Charlie Thomson, he’d been named captain for the afternoon and sought to lead by example.
Thomson had taken a knee to the back against the Baggies and with an egg-sized lump forming where he’d been hit, he required treatment at both half time and full time. A cab was then arranged to take him home, and whilst the inflammation had settled down since then, it was still too early for him to make a return to action.
Winning the toss on a heavy pitch, the temporary skipper was happy for the visitors to take the kick-off at 14:11 and whilst Preston were bright in the first few minutes, it wasn’t long before Holley and his teammates began making inroads — only for their progress to be halted for a short while when a small dog found its way onto the pitch and play had to be suspended for a period.
Building momentum back up after the incident didn’t take long however, with John Young — a debutant seven days prior and whom often went by the name of “Jack” — soon feeding Holley for the opener.
A slip by goalkeeper Herbert Taylor as he rushed out to try and narrow the angle helped matters, yet Holley still needed to show composure to finish the chance whilst Taylor soon redeemed himself by hanging onto a vicious shot from Arthur Bridgett before blocking an equally powerful Franis Cuggy drive.
Next came an almighty goalmouth scramble as Preston eventually hacked clear, and with the pressure being steadily maintained, it took them over half an hour before they were able to break out and give Walter Scott anything to do in the home goal.
Even then though his workload was minimal, and at half time the Lilywhites were grateful to still just about be in the game given how hard they’d been pushed up to that point.
The pattern also continued once ends had been switched, with Preston unable to do much more than frustrate the Lads, and on the rare occasion they were able to get any meaningful possession higher up the pitch, Sunderland mirrored their firm defensive work.
John Thompson — a former Lads player who’d left Roker the year before — was one of the few attacking players able to test home full back Billy Troughear, whereas the hosts had a number of different threats and could sustain longer periods on the front foot.
There was little surprise, therefore, when Holley looked to have clinched things with his second goal twenty five minutes from time. Receiving the ball from Charlie Buchan this time, he placed a low shot beyond Taylor to make it 2-0, and with the game now well and truly up Preston began to show their frustration, with David Anderson having to be pulled away by the referee having found himself at loggerheads with Cuggy.
There was then further displeasure shown when from a rare corner against, Sunderland upfield with Young, with the ball being tucked away by Jackie Mordue from a tight angle.
Having forged a chance for himself, a rare misfire meant Holley missed out on a hat trick, but it mattered little; he’d by now rediscovered his knack and whilst his remaining strikes were to come in more fitful spells, he finished his Division One season with twenty five goals in just thirty two appearances.
The goal of All aTwitter is to give readers a detailed or quirky look, through the unique lens of Twitter, at the Commanders, the NFL, and sports in general, along with a smattering of other things.
Tip: If a tweet isn’t fully visible on your screen, clicking on the date at the bottom of the tweet will open it up individually in either the X app or your browser.
Von Miller played his 200th career game Sunday, recorded his 7th sack of the season and moved into 12th all-time. Possible (if not probable) Miller finishes this year in Top 10 all time sacks. pic.twitter.com/dZOnFvOEQF
Nice route. Clearly a primary option (rare occasion). He puts his right foot in the ground to sell a shorter route and the DB squats. And then he beats him inside. Nice read and throw by Mariota, too. pic.twitter.com/a06h4Ezka5
In his first game without Zach Ertz, Ben Sinnott played on 57% of Commanders' snaps. He was on the field for 35 of Washington's 61 plays.
John Bates was the top guy in single TE sets (42 snaps). Sinnott saw just 1 target and made 1 catch in the game; same as Bates. pic.twitter.com/trVuniNVwc
I'm as annoyed by the 1 target for Ben Sinnott as anybody, but I will say that there are a few plays like this when you watch game back.
He's open a couple times and ball doesn't come his way. He was on the field for 11 passes, ran 10 routes, ball came near him twice. pic.twitter.com/Fdi9HC2hGL
Sinnott has been on a good streak of games as a blocker, with this Giants game up there among his best. He’s certainly earned more playing time and pass catching opportunities, but what John says is right here. Blocking really well from a variety of spots https://t.co/vDhDRwLtOS
Do not underrate this skill. Yes Bates is a blocker but Sinnott adds quite a bit here too. Having more than one good blocker can open up the run game. Avoiding blowouts helps too.
Grant believes the decision to shut down Jayden Daniels wasn't Dan Quinn's call. He thinks it came from Commanders GM Adam Peters or owner Josh Harris, and he explains that here. pic.twitter.com/2OWDrptyO8
"He did not want any part of IR. He wanted to be here and support and practice and be with the guys"#Commanders head coach Dan Quinn discusses the difficult decision to sit Jayden Daniels the rest of the season @wusa9pic.twitter.com/NMfJUyBC9V
Patrick Mahomes successfully underwent surgery in Dallas this evening with Dr. Dan Cooper to repair the tear in his left ACL. Mahomes will begin his rehab process immediately.
I really dislike Twitter or X, or whatever you want to call it, most of the time. Mostly due to the dodgy algorithms that fill my timeline. Every now and again though, it’s a glorious place. Sunday night was one of those moments. It was rich with endorphin-laden content for any Sunderland fan. You could watch Woltemade over and over again if you wanted. You could witness the Mags melting down and calling for Eddie Howe to be sacked and chucking [insert name here] under the bus for their performances this season. You could even watch the Mags chucking tables and chairs at each other.
My favourite bit though was fans of other clubs who sat as interested spectators and heralded Sunderland fans as being the saviours of the modern game. Comments like “Football is back” and “Proper fans” coming from people with Liverpool and Man City in their bios. It’s true of course; the vast majority of that crowd were also in the crowd against Fleetwood Town, I would imagine, but it’s a consistent theme. When we played Palace away there were Palace fans on Twitter commenting on how loud our fans were, same at Chelsea. Now you could say Chelsea is hardly surprising because they never make much noise anyway, but they were comparing us to what they are used to, and that means every other club in the Premier League. The atmosphere at the derby was something else though.
There seems to be this symbiosis between pitch and terrace at the moment. A hive mind if you like. The players put their battle armour on before every game and we respond appropriately on the terraces. It’s a glorious connection and fans actually feel part of the experience rather than paying to be entertained. We need to be guarded though because it may not be like this forever. As time goes by we may, as a fanbase, be sucked into the vortex of complacency. A Forest fan commented that they too were fervent and passionate but as time has worn on that has been replaced with a bit of complacency and they aren’t as vocal as they used to be.
Premier League fanbases have become complacent and matches have become more like entertainment events. There’s a big problem with that. If you’re paying to be entertained you can complain; if you’re going to a football match as a supporter you’re rolling the dice. The match wasn’t pretty by any stretch. I would argue that with a bit of urgency around the box we could have been celebrating a much bigger win, but it wasn’t pretty by any means. Neutrals probably found it all a bit dull but we didn’t. We relished in it because of what it meant.
We watched that clock move into slow motion as it clicked and clicked and clicked for what seemed an eternity. The South Stand never paused for breath as song after song after song left many needing Strepsils today. My son stood alongside me at 15 years old and he witnessed his first-ever derby victory.
He won’t have been the only one, and I am so pleased that all of those who attended for their derby debut got to experience the fanbase at its most fervent. They get it now.
Which brings me on to the visitors. When we lost in the FA Cup there was something very odd and unfamiliar about them. It didn’t feel like a derby. No noise from the Saudi boys. For all their arrogance and posturing on Twitter they were like a mob out for a nice day at the park.
At 3-0 they should have been absolutely humiliating us from the terraces, but they weren’t.
They did on social media afterwards of course, but out there… the most they did was wave some scarves around. “That was different; this time you’ll see them properly,” I told my son. Except you didn’t. Now I get it – I’m South Stand-based and that was just a torrent of noise so it’s difficult to judge just how quiet they were, but I have asked people who were sitting in the Premier concourse and the North Stand and they concur.
Forgive me for giving any praise to them, but they really used to be better than that. I suspect the result has dislodged some of the arrogance and come the return leg the atmosphere will be very different because again there are many of them who have never felt this.
The main thrust of all of this is that there are passionate fanbases who have withered into complacency on the terraces. Possibly through an influx of football tourists.
Our unique attribute is that we are proper fans. We should never lose that.
This is Wearside – help to build the atmosphere and credit should be given to them for the part they have played in elevating our fanbase and presenting them to the world, but we as a fanbase need to keep roaring from the terraces. We need to be the saviours of modern football. Keep up the good work.
Well, that was the sweetest – by far the best – of what we can still call a series of wins that Sunderland AFC has had over the other lot in the last 15 years or so.
For the last nine of those years they have tried – fuelled by a compliant local media – to belittle, to mock, to look down on us. Today was karma for those times, those times when it was so hard to keep the faith.
Through all of those years we can always say that we didn’t crave a corrupt deal to secure state ownership. What will be left of this country if our football clubs are hawked to other countries? It is easy to forget that whilst we tumbled down the leagues 12 miles away there was shouting at shop fronts demonstrating against Premier League mid-table mediocrity. A few years on and £600m later it would seem that progress is slow.
Progress for our club over the last couple of years started slowly and make no mistake it has been a hard road not without its frustrations, but the progress in the last six months has been beyond our wildest dreams. Now that we have “played someone” and beaten them we enter Christmas as North-East top dogs on the day that we mourn a hero, the legend of Lord Gary Rowell, a footballer so cool he was way ahead of his time.
What a team this is; how we managed to sign some of these lads it is hard to fathom. But they have bought into the dream that was sold to them. They were persuaded to leave Leverkusen, PSG, Getafe, and Atlético Madrid to come and join us, Sunderland, a newly promoted team. We had a story to tell, a history to celebrate, and a dream of what might be. These lads have bought into that and are at one with us fans. This is a proper team, a team who manage to find a way – that’s what Sunderland do, that’s what we are. A lesson for others to learn from, maybe.
Granit Xhaka and Enzo Le Fée were head and shoulders above their opponents today. They dominated mind, body, and soul. Sadiki never stopped running – a constant ball of energy who couldn’t be coped with. The back four, this amazingly tough four but with great footballing ability, were never in trouble against a triumvirate costing north of £160m. Our front three plus the subs didn’t let Newcastle’s back line breathe and played with plenty of skill, plenty of ability to do enough hurt.
Every aspect of the club is working so well. Has there ever been a quicker turnaround in a football club? Who knows where we will finish this season, but the energy doesn’t look like it is leaving these lads’ legs, and the tactical supremacy that Le Bris has so far demonstrated over Emery, Maresca, Arteta, Slot, and now Howe has been masterful. All delivered without a hint of arrogance or entitlement which is so refreshing in this Premier League environment.
Every team in this league is full of good players; quality is everywhere you look, but we are now sixteen games deep into this season and that quality courses through our team too.
This is a day that will never be forgotten, the day when the ghosts of the last nine years were put to bed, the day when we stood up and went toe-to-toe and came out well-deserved winners against those who pretend they have new rivals to care about.
All on a day when we remembered Gary Rowell, a derby-day hat-trick hero from 1979, a hero, a legend, a man of supreme talent but whose humility stood so strong – a hero we are rightly immensely proud to remember.
Arch Manning just finished his first season as a starter with the Longhorns, and will now run it back in 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Alex Slitz via Getty Images
The Longhorns will have Arch Manning for another season.
Manning’s father, Cooper Manning, texted ESPN’s Dave Wilson on Monday night to confirm that he would be “playing football at Texas next year.” That had been the expectation for the Longhorns, though Manning could have declared for the NFL Draft or hit the transfer portal if he wanted to.
Manning led the Longhorns on a 6-1 run to end the season, which nearly got them into the College Football Playoff after a disappointing start to the year. Instead, they’ll now take on Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl later this month.
Manning finished this season, his first as a starter, with 2,942 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions, all but two of which came in the first five games of the year. He had eight rushing touchdowns, and completed better than 61% of his passes, too.
"He's a young man who's gotten better as the season's gone on, and not only physically, but mentally, maturity-wise," Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said on Monday, via ESPN. "I would think he's going to want another year of that growth to put himself in position for hopefully a long career in the NFL. And he's got some unfinished business of what he came here to do and what he came here to accomplish.
"We had a really good football season. We left some meat on the bone with an opportunity to be SEC champs, national champs, and so ultimately for him, I think the competitor in him is going to say, 'Man, I sure would like another crack at trying to do those things.'"
This post will be updated with more information shortly.
Sssshhhhhh. Can you hear it? Something almost imperceptible? If you go outside your house and listen, there’s a noise quietly whispering to us through the breeze. It’s Sam Fender’s management asking Gateshead FC if he can have a free shirt as he wants to claim to support a team that he can actually be proud of.
He would be advised to head over Wearside for that, but I don’t think he’d be welcome here.
Anyway, this is part two of my piece from Saturday, but this time we have answers.
So what are we left with after a frenetic, febrile, and exhausting day of loosely choreographed chaos against an insipid, clueless Newcastle side? (Who will forever now be known henceforth as “the Visitors”.) Well, we have the three points which we craved, we have the bragging rights and – most importantly – we can say with ironclad certainty that Sunderland AFC have earned the right to spend the next 22 games asking what might be achieved as opposed to looking over their shoulders.
How that has come to pass should be a surprise to nobody. Consistently Régis Le Bris and his team have found different ways to win. Not only that, they have fought off negative narratives that have been thrown at them on a regular basis.
It started with the assumption the three promoted sides would come straight down based on an incomparable set of prior clubs and circumstances which had dropped before them. Then, once they had shown they had far more about them than simply being competition winners, it was asserted they were defying the underlying statistics. The conclusion was, therefore, that things would eventually even themselves out and Sunderland would finish lower-mid table at best.
Why was this? Well, for some in the media it was probably because they were unable to adopt anything but a 2D look at Sunderland. For others, such as friends, family, and acquaintances of a Visitors persuasion, it was because it made them feel a tiny bit better about the fact that this season there would be no “thanks for an easy six points”. Or, as it turns out, three points.
Does it come as a surprise to any of you, though? It certainly doesn’t to me, as this side has consistently passed the eye test throughout the season. And that is the most important metric of all.
The truth is, it was never in doubt against a Visitors side that didn’t just fail to land a glove on Sunderland but failed to even complete the ringwalk. Rumour has it they didn’t even want to be in the building. Or sign the deal.
I am a big believer in karma, and the Visitors had that coming in the post. All those years of peacocking, telling Sunderland that they would forever be in their shadow. Well, it turns out they were less peacocks and more bus-station pigeons.
I’m not, however, one to believe in omens, but on Friday I realised that I had lost one of my “’Til the End” socks recently purchased from the Sock Council. It is no exaggeration to say I spent a good six hours searching for the elusive garment before being forced to admit defeat shortly before leaving for the match on Sunday morning. It wasn’t for the lack of effort. Kids’ bath times were delayed, they could make their own tea, and if my wife expected the vacuuming to be done, she could think again. This sock had to be found. Could this mean a certain defeat, I wondered?
I shouldn’t have worried – because you just cannot help but trust these boys; something we should all bear in mind as the season unfolds. And as far as I’m concerned, that sock will forever be known as the lucky lost sock.
The Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers were locked in a tight game in the waning moments of the third quarter. On a first down play, quarterback Bo Nix began to move the pocket, towards the near side of the field, before finding himself face-to-face with All-Pro Micah Parsons. Nix immediately stopped on a dime, causing Parsons to quickly change direction and land awkwardly. It was later revealed Parsons tore his ACL on the play, ending his season early.
Leading up to Monday Night Football, ESPN talked about the injury to Parsons and the great game Nix had against a high-level Packers defense. Former Super Bowl champion and current analyst Ryan Clark said Nix's elusiveness was the cause of Parsons' injury.
"Micah Parsons is hurt because of Bo Nix," Clark said. "And I'm not saying that it's one of those things that's Bo Nix's fault, but the violence in which Micah Parsons had to chase Bo Nix the entire second half was extremely evident. Whether it was the touchdown to [Michael] Bandy, the throw to Troy Franklin. Getting outside the pocket and finding Lil'Jordan Humphrey. You could see that Micah Parsons was the one person in pursuit of Bo Nix the entire day.
"And on the injury and on the play he [Parsons] was hurt, Bo Nix attempted to get outside, he found [Marvin] Mims, and you could see Micah redirect in order to keep him in the pocket. That was part of what he'd seen the entire night, and the way Bo Nix was able to attack that defense -- Bo Nix was amazing last night. And it's sad you lose a great player like Micah Parsons, but it was because of the effort that he to give in order to get to Denver's quarterback."
You can view Clark's full comments on Nix and his elusiveness below.
"Micah Parsons is hurt because of Bo Nix. ... The violence in which Micah Parsons had to chase Bo Nix the entire second half was extremely evident."
Nix finished the night 23-of-34 for 302 yards and four passing touchdowns against the Packers, tying a career-high for passing scores. The Broncos are now set to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16.
Flagg's 42-point total is the most in a single NBA game for an 18-year-old player. On Nov. 29, Flagg joined LeBron James as the only 18-year-olds in NBA history to post 30-plus point totals. Against the Jazz, Flagg surpassed the 37 points James scored for the Cleveland Cavaliers in a game on Dec. 13, 2003 against the Boston Celtics.
Alex Greenwood is leaning forward, the England and Manchester City defender scrolling excitedly through Spotify. “It’s this one, isn’t it?” she asks The Athletic as Mariah Carey tells the world in no uncertain terms precisely what she wants for Christmas.
“That’s a good one,” Greenwood declares. “My favourite’s Mistletoe, by Justin Bieber.”
“Driving home for Christmas,” team-mate Lily Murphy offers beside her, igniting an impromptu sing-along on the couch between the pair.
Greenwood and Murphy are taking a break from Jenga and spontaneous hallway kickabouts with families and patients from the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, part of the club’s City Onside programme and Christmas Together campaign, to speak to The Athletic.
“I’m injured, which is frustrating, but I come here, and I say this with the greatest respect, I feel like I’m really lucky,” says Greenwood, who sustained a minor knock during England’s November international break.
“Coming here reminds me that my injury is so small compared to what these kids are going through,” adds Murphy, who injured her shoulder in September. “It makes us really grateful that every day we get to enjoy the sport that we play.”
We should be talking about the football — specifically, the fact City are top of the Women’s Super League (WSL), six points clear of their nearest rivals and perennial champions Chelsea heading into the winter break courtesy of their 6-1 thrashing of Aston Villa on Sunday.
Yet, harping on about the football hasn’t really been the reason City are top.
“I’m going to be honest — and you’re going to hate me for this — but nothing has changed for us,” Greenwood says with an apologetic smile. “We’re aware of the table, but we’re in a really good place, playing really well, our conversations within the group, within the team are as normal as they were on matchday one.”
Greenwood’s calm is arresting. “Even on the weekend (against Leicester City), I’m sat at home watching the game, and it’s 0-0 at half-time, and I’m so relaxed,” she says of City’s eventual 3-0 win. “I’m so confident that we will find a way to win and score, and we did.”
The mentality shift has been the greatest distinction. City now play with a cool, fiery conviction, grinding out results even when performances are lacking. It is an attribute more readily associated with eight-time WSL winners Chelsea. City’s appointment of former Denmark national team manager Andree Jeglertz in the summer has marked a tangible shift.
How Jeglertz would fare in his first season in England’s top flight was a matter of debate, particularly after Denmark’s disappointing group-stage exit from Euro 2025. After City finished fourth in the WSL last season, failing to reach the heights expected of them, how much would their new manager change?
But the 53-year-old has taken a subtle approach, rather than a sledgehammer.
More responsibility has been handed to 22-year-old Laura Blindkilde Brown in midfield, who has started 10 of City’s 11 league matches this season. During international breaks when squad numbers are low, Jeglertz has incorporated training sessions with some of City’s academy boys’ sides to maintain high levels of physicality. Tactically, City are less rigid and orthodox, open to adapting styles to opponents.
Striker Khadija “Bunny” Shaw remains City’s top scorer — she scored her 100th goal from 120 City appearances against Villa, then proceeded to score three more — but the attacking threat is more varied. Twelve players have scored for City this season, the most of any WSL side.
“It’s no surprise,” Greenwood says. “As much as last season was really disappointing and hard to take, the talent in the squad speaks for itself.
“At the end of the season, we looked at each other in the eye and we knew it wasn’t good enough. So we started fresh this season, loads of new faces — staff and a few players — but the core was already there. The mindset was there. It was about how we’re going to get the most out of each other.
“Andree has brought in a sense of calmness and allowed players to express themselves in their own way. His door’s always open. He’s a very open guy, but on a human level as well. He wants to get to know you as a person. That’s been a massive reason for success. And you can see now that, slowly but surely, we are improving. We’ve never not believed we can achieve something with this club.”
The 3-2 victory against Arsenal in October provides a point of reflection for the mentality shift. City twice lost their lead, and previously, they would have been expected to eventually succumb to Arsenal’s momentum. Instead, summer signing Iman Beney scored an 88th-minute winner.
“That was the moment,” Murphy says. “Arsenal are title contenders, a massive rival.
“But each game we’ve always looked like we’re going to come out the better side, even if it’s not going our way. We’ve stuck together, we’ve competed really well. We’re always looking to get that result each game, and that’s showing up throughout the team.”
It is still a long way to go until May, and City have been here before, weeks away from the finish line in the 2023-24 season, firmly in front, only to suffer defeat at the hands of Chelsea on goal difference on the final day.
But this feels different, and City will be different in the new year. Brazil winger Kerolin’s recent recovery from a “lower body injury” is a huge boost, as will be the return of Greenwood. More signings are expected in January.
For now, Greenwood and Murphy are feeling calm, relishing the present, as they have for most of the season.
The early-season concerns over Cooper Flagg's play appear to be ancient history.
While it hasn't been a pretty season for the 10-16 Dallas Mavericks, their star rookie has turned a corner to his expected stardom in recent weeks, and that led to a new career-best performance on Monday night.
Taking on the Utah Jazz, Flagg topped 40 points for the Mavericks, although Dallas fell 140-133. Still, Flagg's outing was historic; he set a new NBA record for points by an 18-year-old.
Here's a look at Flagg's breakout night against the Jazz.
Coming into Monday, Flagg's season-high in scoring was a 35-point effort against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 29. He topped that mark with ease against Utah.
The Mavericks fell to the Jazz, but Flagg was scoring from all around the floor, displaying the all-around talents that made him the No. 1 overall pick last summer. Particularly, he got to the free-throw line with ease, making 15 of his 20 attempts.
Flagg had 24 points at halftime against the Jazz, with his top highlight being a left-handed scoop that softly fell into the basket as he was fouled.
Later on, Flagg helped the Mavericks force overtime, floating one high off the glass with some light touch while trailing by three -- and he got the foul this time as well.
Highest-scoring games by 18 years old in NBA history
Flagg had already been threatening to break the NBA record for most points in a game by an 18 year old, as his 35 points earlier this season were the third-most ever. On Monday, he officially took claim of the record, which was held by another phenom: LeBron James.
James' 37 points on Dec. 13, 2003, were the most by an 18-year-old in a game in league history, until Flagg's performance against the Jazz. With 42 points, Flagg rewrote the record books, also becoming the first 18-year-old to drop 40-plus points in a game.
Already, the leaderboard for single-game points by an 18-year-old is dominated by Flagg and James. According to StatMuse, those two players take up the top 14 spots on the all-time list, followed by Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant, who each dropped 24 points as an 18-year-old.
Here's are the 10 highest-scoring games by an 18-year-old in NBA history, per StatMuse.
Arch Manning's first season as a college starter was not the quite Heisman-level performance that many expected to see from the jump. But, by the end of the season, the Texas Longhorns' quarterback emerged as one of the best players in college football.
Now, right before the College Football Playoff, Manning's father Cooper announced that Arch will be returning to the Longhorns next season.
"Arch is playing football at Texas next year," Cooper told ESPN on Monday.
Manning, the preseason Heisman favorite, had a season of ups-and-downs but gradually improved. He led Texas to a 9-3 record as starter, capped off by three wins over AP Top-10 teams in Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and No. 3 Texas A&M in the season finale. Though Texas missed out on the College Football Playoff, Manning's improvement makes the Longhorns an immediate contender in 2026.
The generational hype that preceded his arrival in Austin created a massive shadow, and in the opening weeks of the season, the young quarterback struggled to find his footing. Performances were often characterized by errant throws, slow processing speed, and the anxiety of operating behind an inconsistent offensive line. Critics were loud, pointing to low completion percentages and the costly turnovers in early losses that saw the preseason No. 1 Longhorns fall out of the AP Top 25, prompting a national conversation about whether the pressure was simply too much for the celebrated recruit.
BREAKING: QB Arch Manning is returning to Texas for the 2026 season, his father Cooper told ESPN.
Though, by the time the calendar flipped to November, Manning’s individual production had climbed into the air of the nation's elite quarterbacks. In the final month of the regular season, including critical games against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas, he was consistently setting new career highs and rewriting the Texas record books. In a three-game span, Manning averaged a blistering 354 passing yards, throwing 10 touchdowns to just one interception while demonstrating a mastery of the deep ball that had been missing earlier in the year. He finished the season with a stat line -- nearly 3,000 yards and 24 touchdowns -- that rivaled the freshman years of former Heisman winners.
Now, as the Longhorns look ahead to the Citrus Bowl against Michigan, the narrative surrounding Manning has completely flipped. His decision to return for the next season is the ultimate declaration of faith in the program's championship trajectory, solidifying the idea that the Longhorns have not just a star, but a proven, rapidly improving signal-caller who is ready to become one of the best quarterbacks in college football.
Get ready for Year 2 of Arch Manning starting in Austin.
While Manning was projected by many analysts to be the top quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft and a potential No. 1 overall pick, the ultimate reason for his return to Texas is that he and his family do not believe he is yet a "pro-ready" quarterback after just one season as a full-time starter.
His year was characterized by an erratic start, leading to questions about his consistency and polish, even though he finished the season exceptionally strong. By returning for his redshirt junior season, Manning is prioritizing maximizing his development under coach Steve Sarkisian to ensure he is fully prepared for the next level.
The Manning family history heavily influences this measured approach to the NFL. Both his uncle Peyton and uncle Eli played four full years of college football, with Peyton famously returning for his final year of eligibility despite being widely projected as the No. 1 pick in the 1997 draft. This long-standing family precedent emphasizes that patience and collegiate development are more valuable than an immediate jump to a professional paycheck.
Given that Manning is already one of the highest-compensated athletes in college sports through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, the financial pressure to leave early is significantly reduced, allowing him to focus purely on the best route for his long-term success in the NFL.
Last, probably, is the "unfinished business" aspect. Texas started the season as the No. 1 team in America and missing the College Football Playoff is a disappointment. With Manning returning in 2026, Texas will once again start as one of the top teams in the nation with a legitimate championship window.
Manning finished the 2025 season with strong numbers.
Statistic
Total
Games Played
12
Passing Yards
2,942
Passing Touchdowns
24
Interceptions
7
Completion Percentage
61.4\%
Quarterback Rating
145.8
Rushing Yards
244
Rushing Touchdowns
8
Total Touchdowns Accounted For
33 (24 Passing, 8 Rushing, 1 Receiving)
Manning's season was marked by significant growth. While he struggled with consistency in the early part of the year, his performance in the latter half of the season was outstanding.
Half of his 24 passing touchdowns were thrown in the final five games of the season, along with three games with over 300 passing yards in his final five contests. Texas capped off the regular season with a victory over a highly-ranked Texas A&M team.
Manning also became the first quarterback in Texas history — and first SEC quarterback since 2014 — to have a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game. He did it when he had a career-high six touchdowns against Arkansas.
On a frustrating Monday evening for the Kings at the American Airlines Center, the squad was outdone 4-1 by the Dallas Stars, losing goaltender Darcy Kuemper to injury in the process. Los Angeles took its third consecutive loss, falling to 14-9-9 on the season.
Andrei Kuzmenko had the only score of the game for the Kings over halfway into the second period, managing to strip Stars' goaltender Casey DeSmith of the puck and fire it into the net. It was his fifth score of the season and fourth coming via the power play.
Earning points for his 11th consecutive game, DeSmith tied a Dallas franchise record. He improved to 8-0-3, making 27 saves on the night.
Power plays have been an area of struggle for Los Angeles this season, with the squad's 14 power play goals ranking second-to-last in the NHL. Their 14.3% power play conversion rate is better than that of only the Calgary Flames.
Kuzmenko, playing in his second career stint for the Kings, has now found the net twice in his last three games. His four power play scores are the most on the team thus far.
That was the lone bright spot in an otherwise frustrating performance for Los Angeles. Before the conclusion of the second period, Matt Duchene's second score of the year helped Dallas equalize.
In the third, the Stars rattled off three unanswered goals to claim a commanding victory. Oskar Back and Mikko Rantanen both made highlight reel plays to get the puck past Anton Forsberg, while Wyatt Johnston delivered the empty-net dagger in the final seconds of the contest.
Forsberg, who entered the game with four minutes remaining in the opening period as Kuemper's replacement, saved 17 of 20 shots. He was credited with the loss, his second straight.
Kuemper was ultimately removed from the ice after a hard collision with Stars' forward Mikko Rantanen. He was later ruled out for the remainder of the contest with an upper-body injury, taking a lot of contact to the head on the hit.
Hoping it’s not too bad for Darcy Kuemper, but the impact from Rantanen’s forearm to his mask didn’t look great from the overhead angle. pic.twitter.com/IKtRs037ra
Wyatt Johnston had scored just seconds later, but the goal was wiped off the board due to goalie interference.
Los Angeles will return to action on Wednesday, taking on the Florida Panthers in the first of back-to-back road games. Florida, the back-to-back defending champions, has been stymied by injuries so far and is just fifth in the Atlantic Division at 17-13-2.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is officially on the road to recovery after undergoing successful knee surgery on Monday night.
Mahomes' surgery was performed by Dr. Dan Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys' team physician. According to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Dr. Cooper repaired the torn ACL and LCL in Mahomes' left knee.
"Patrick Mahomes also tore his LCL, along with his ACL, sources say," posted Rapoport on social media, "While that can complicate recovery, it doesn't necessarily extend his rehab longer than 9 months or so."
More context: Patrick Mahomes also tore his LCL, along with his ACL, sources say. While that can complicate recovery, it doesn’t necessary extend his rehab longer than 9 months or so. https://t.co/aap0zeHK5d
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke to reporters via Zoom on Monday, addressing the team's plans heading into the offseason, which could change after Mahomes' injury.
"We'll cross that as we go. (General Manager) Brett (Veach) thinks of everything. He (Brett Veach) jumps in on it, and he's well ahead of all of it, so I'm not worried about that part of it," said Reid, "And then Pat (Mahomes), you never know on these rehabs how they go. I just know he's got good people that he'll be working with, and I know how aggressive he is on things. As long as the surgery goes well and as expected, then I would expect a fairly quick recovery for him just because of those factors."
Veteran backup quarterback Gardner Minshew will be the starter to finish the 2025 regular season as Mahomes looks to rehab and recover with hopes of playing next year.
LAFC introduced their newest head coach on Monday.
Marc Dos Santos is the third head coach in the club's history and has served as an assistant for the past four seasons, helping lead the club to three major trophies: 2022 MLS Cup, 2022 Supporters' Shield and 2024 U.S. Open Cup.
"I'm honored to step into the role of head coach at LAFC," said Dos Santos. "This is a special club - you feel it the moment you step into the training facility or stadium, when you meet the people who work here, and when you see the passion of everyone involved. The ambition here is clear in the way we approach each day and in the standards we set for ourselves. My focus now is to build on the strong foundation and culture that's already in place. I'm excited to take on the challenges ahead together with our players, staff, and supporters."
Dos Santos, a native of Canada, has two decades of coaching experience in Brazil, Canada and the U.S.
"We are thrilled to announce Marc as the third head coach in LAFC history," said LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington. "Marc understands as well as anyone what the best version of LAFC looks like - an entertaining, front-foot style of play grounded in ambition, intensity, and a collaborative culture that reflects who we are as a club. He has earned the trust and belief of all of our players. From our emerging young talents to our most experienced stars, the support for Marc's appointment has been unanimous. His relationships, clarity of ideas, and passion for LAFC make him uniquely positioned to elevate what we already do well and push us toward our full potential. We are excited for this next chapter under Marc's leadership as we continue our pursuit of excellence."
Dos Santos' debut match will be at the LA Memorial Coliseum in February when LAFC hosts Leo Messi and Inter Miami CF.
The Washington Men’s Soccer team took home the program’s first national championship on Tuesday night with a 3-2 OT win over #15 North Carolina State. It marked the culmination of a remarkable run for the Huskies who had to win 6 straight games away from home in order to take home the title. That included a near true road win tonight with the College Cup host site of Cary, North Carolina less than 20 miles away from the NC State campus.
Washington managed to get on the board just before halftime when the NC State keeper got caught a bit in no man’s land. A Washington player managed to just get to the ball before the keeper could corral it just outside the box and the resulting deflection went straight to Zach Ramsey who put it straight through on the first touch. That goal put the Huskies up with less than 90 seconds before halftime.
Washington added to their lead in the second half as Richie Aman looked at first like he had been driven to far to the side while trying to probe for an opening. But Aman managed to cross it in front of the goal just before being directed out of bounds and Joe Dale made a perfect cut it front of the net to get a foot on the ball in between two NC State defenders.
That goal put Washington out in front 2-0 with less than 30 minutes remaining in the match. It wasn’t a guarantee for the Huskies but things certainly appeared to be fairly well in hand. That feeling only lasted a matter of minutes before NC State got on the board to make it 2-1. The Wolfpack played aggressively searching for the equalizer and dominated possession down the stretch. That culminated in a well executed strike with just 3 minutes remaining to tie the game and send the hometown crowd into a frenzy.
The teams headed to overtime in a golden goal situation and it didn’t take long for Washington to take advantage. Harrison Bertos managed to just sneak one through on an assist from Egor Akulov to clinch the title for the Huskies less than 2 minutes into the extra period. The celebration had to be put on hold for a few minutes as the refs took a stressful look to see if there was any indication of offsides during the possession but finally the win was confirmed.
The victory for Washington marks the first official NCAA men’s title in school history. Men’s rowing is not an NCAA sanctioned sport and the football titles are recognized by the NCAA but were not during the playoff era and so the NCAA did not name an official champion in those years. The win also represents redemption for coach Jamie Clark who helped lead the Dawgs to the title game in 2021 where Washington ultimately fell to Clemson.
Washington started off the tournament with a 3-2 2OT win over Oregon State in Corvallis which avenged an earlier in the season loss to the Beavers. Then the Huskies pulled their first major upset by winning 1-0 at #5 SMU (that’s #5 overall seed, not a #5 seed like in the basketball tournament). Washington once again prevailed 1-0 in the Sweet 16 at #12 Stanford before besting #4 Maryland 3-1 in the Elite 8. That win also avenged an earlier loss at Maryland which decided the regular season Big Ten title. Finally, Washington clinched their spot in the title game with a 3-1 win over #16 Furman. That means the Huskies won 5 consecutive matches against top 16 teams with none of the wins coming down to penalty kicks.
Those who wish to greet the team upon their arrival back home tomorrow can meet at 3:30p PT at Husky Stadium.
Per @UWAthletics: the @UW_MSoccer team will receive a welcome-home reception similar to the one @UW_WSoccer received for winning the Big Ten tournament
Scheduled for 3:30 p.m. in front of Husky Stadium at the Dawg Pack entrance for fans who want to show up
During an appearance with the San Diego Padres Holiday Tour at Ronald McDonald House in San Diego, Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish gave an update on his recovery from the flexor tendon and UCL repair that threatens his illustrious career.
Speaking to the media during his time visiting kids and families at RMH, Darvish expressed his desire to get healthy and get his arm back to baseline. He is not worried about pitching at this point in his recovery and will wait until he is fully recovered to decide the future of his career.
“I’m not necessarily thinking about really pitching as I go through this rehab process right now,” Darvish said through interpreter Shingo Horie. “I don’t have that in my mind. I’m just trying to rehab my arm right now.
“And if I get the urge to come back, if I feel that I can stand on the mound and come back, then I will go for that. But I’ll just leave it there for now.”
Darvish revealed that he was told in March, during Spring Training, that the injury to his pitching elbow was serious enough to need surgery but he opted to try and rehab it and pitch through it. His goal was to give whatever he could to the team with the thought that this could be the end to his career.
After changing his arm angle and working on mechanics to put less strain on his elbow, Darvish came back in July but had the worst season of his career. His 5.38 ERA over 15 starts during the regular season highlighted the struggles he had with his pitches and the ability for hitters to have success against him.
He stated that it was the flexor tendon (muscle) that was the biggest issue but the surgeon also performed a UCL brace surgery to reinforce his formerly repaired Tommy John site. The previous two surgeries on Darvish’s elbow occurred in 2015 (Tommy John) and arthroscopic surgery done in 2018. This is the third straight season as a Padre that Darvish has had an elbow injury or issues.
At 39, Darvish still has three years and $46 million left on the contract he signed in 2023. Should he decide he no longer can or wants to pitch, then he and the organization can negotiate a settlement to end his contract.
For the 2026 season, Darvish can still be valuable as a leader and a mentor to the other pitchers on the staff. It has been noted by manager Craig Stammen that he has a particularly close bond with Randy Vasquez and has been part of his improvement as a starter.
Looking at the previous history with players that president of baseball operations A.J. Preller admires, it would not be a surprise to see Darvish adopt a role in the front office or as a special consultant if he is no longer able to pitch for the Padres.
Based on his previous willingness to forego his salary when unable to be with the team due to personal issues, it can be that a similar honorable approach could be expected during this process. That seemed evident with his willingness to admit to his current state of mind regarding his career and capabilities.
In the wake of speculation about the future of Texas Longhorns junior wide receiver Deandre Moore Jr., Inside Texas reported on Monday that the California product is not expected to return in 2026, setting up a departure through the NCAA transfer portal or a declaration for the 2026 NFL Draft.
A member of the 2023 recruiting class, Moore was a late addition to the class for Texas after decommitting from Louisville during the early signing period and inking with the Longhorns. Previously committed to Oklahoma, Moore also took an official visit to Georgi and held offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Ole Miss, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and USC, among others. Out of Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco, Moore was a two-way standout who finished the cycle as a consensus four-star prospect ranked as the No. 105 player nationally and the No. 20 wide receiver, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
During the 2023 season, Moore played in nine games, primarily appearing on the punt return unit and returning a kickoff for 15 yards while failing to record a catch on two targets in 58 snaps over six games on offense.
As a sophomore, Moore had a breakout season for Texas, playing 95 snaps on special teams with regular roles on the kickoff return, punt return, and punt coverage units and a larger role on offense, catching 39 passes for 456 yards and seven touchdowns, including setting career highs with nine receptions and 114 yards while scoring a touchdown against Georgia in the SEC Championship game.
The anticipation was for Moore to continue building on that success as a junior. After spending a season learning from Jordan Whittington, Moore was well regarded as a hard worker and team leader, but wasn’t always able to translate those qualities into success on the field.
With 38 receptions for 532 yards and four touchdowns, the 6’0, 192-pounder wasn’t able to match his success from the 2024 season, disappointing as a blocker, struggling to create explosive plays, and making several critical mental mistakes like running out of bounds when Texas was trying to kill the clock late in the Kentucky game and fielding a bouncing punt near the goal line against Arkansas.
Given Moore’s lack of steady improvement and high-profile lapses in situational awareness in 2025, there’s a sense that things just didn’t work out as anticipated for Moore with the Longhorns, along with a concurrent belief that his unfulfilled potential doesn’t necessarily represent an indictment of either party even though he would become one of the biggest departures for Texas in the Steve Sarkisian era if he doesn’t return to the Forty Acres in 2026.
Enzo Maresca may have lost the plot a bit in his dealings with the media in the last couple press conferences, talking about how it was the worst 48 hours of his Chelsea life last week due to lack of “support”, then refusing to elaborate on any part of that cryptic messaging when asked about it again. Support from the board? The fans? The media? He only specifically denied speculation about the fans, even if that’s where most of the criticism has actually come for him.
But, all that is a bit of a sideshow anyway. What matters is what happens on the pitch, and there we need to start improving our results. Saturday’s win over Everton was a good start, ending the four-match winless slide. Now we have a great chance to make two in two, taking on League One-leaders Cardiff City in the quarterfinals of the League Cup. The Bluebirds are the only lower-league team left in the competition, so we should have no excuses not to advance.
Date / Time: Tuesday, December 16, 2025, 20.00 GMT; 3pm EST; 1:30am IST (next day) Venue: Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales Referee: Tony Harrington; no VAR Forecast: Cold and calm
On TV: Sky Sports Main Event (UK); none (USA); none (India); SuperSport MaXimo 2 (NGA); elsewhere Streaming: Sky Go (UK); Paramount+ (USA); FanCode (India); DStv Now (NGA)
Cardiff City team news: Cardiff finished rock bottom of the Championship last season, dropping back down to the third division for the first time in over two decades. But it looks like they won’t be staying down there for too long, currently holding a four-point lead at the top of the table, having won five in a row.
Among the players making an impact has been Chelsea loanee Omari Kellyman, a key player in their league-best attack now that he’s healthy. We have apparently rejected the request to let the 20-year-old play against us tonight (unlike in the Premier League, where that is not allowed by rule, in the Cups it’s up to the parent club).
An even bigger miss will be midfielder Rubin Colwill, who picked up a serious ankle injury recently. Defender Gabriel Osho is also out, while goalkeeper Jak Alnwick has been dealing with a long-term hamstring problem.
Head coach Brian Barry-Murphy, who succeeded Enzo Maresca as Manchester City U21 boss back in 2021, will face his former colleague for the first time.
Chelsea team news: Barry-Murphy had worked with Roméo Lavia and Liam Delap at City, and took Robert Sánchez on loan at Rochdale, but ironically, none of the three are likely to be involved in this one, with the first two injured and Sánchez likely making way for a rare Filip Jörgensen appearance in goal. Cole Palmer, another ex-City youth prospect, will likely be rested as well, having just come back from his own injury. (And no, we don’t even talk about Raheem Sterling.)
A Colwill of our own, Levi (no relation) is also out, as is Dário Essugo still, after suffering a setback in his rehab a couple weeks ago. Perhaps the new year will bring better luck for him.
Chelsea’s fixture list looks quite daunting over the extended holiday period, with massive games in both the Premier League and the Champions League. This game is certainly not on that level, but it is just as important to practice the winning habit, and get into the final four of the League Cup.
Previously: We’ve played Cardiff City only rarely in the last half century — five times, to be exact since 1961 — doing the double over them both times that they were in the Premier League, in 2013-14 and 2018-19, and beating them in the fifth round of the FA Cup in 2010 (before going on to win that trophy). Our last visit to this stadium featured orange socks, an angry Neil Warnock, and a last-minute winner from Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Welcome to our second edition of the 'Fantasy Playoffs Trust Meter' with Justin Boone and Scott Pianwoski. The dynamic duo asks the question for some of the most important players we've been relying on all season: Can we trust them in the fantasy playoffs? The two put them through the meter ahead of Week 16.
(2:00) - Fantasy fallout: Jayden Daniels out for season, Bhayshul Tuten out for fantasy postseason, Davante Adams week-to-week
(12:30) - Fantasy Playoffs Trust Meter intro
(13:00) - Trust meter: Kyle Pitts, JJ McCarthy + Justin Jefferson, Tyler Shough, DJ Moore, Terry McLaurin
(31:20) - Trust meter: Chiefs offense, Chargers offense, Colts offense, Trevor Lawrence + Brian Thomas Jr., Dalton Kincaid
(52:05)- Trust meter: Quinshon Judkins, Bucs RBs, Seahawks RBs, Jawhar Jordan, Michael Carter
(1:09:55) - Top Waiver Wire adds for Week 16
Welcome to our second edition of the 'Fantasy Playoffs Trust Meter' with Justin Boone and Scott Pianwoski. The dynamic duo asks the question for some of the most important players we've been relying on all season: Can we trust them in the fantasy playoffs? The two put them through the meter ahead of Week 16.
Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks continued his stellar 2025 campaign with another impressive game in a losing effort against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brooks led the way for the Dolphins defense with 13 tackles, two tackles for loss, a pass defended, and a sack on Steelers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The sack on Rodgers came on a key third down play which took the Steelers out of field goal range.
Unfortunately for the Dolphins, Brooks' efforts were not enough to keep the Steelers offense at bay for long. With a 28-15 loss, the 6-8 Dolphins were officially eliminated from playoff contention.
In his second season in Miami, Brooks has eight games with 10 or more tackles. He extended his league leading tackle total to 155 on the season, recapturing the title from the Raiders linebacker Devin White, who climbed to 149 tackles on the year Sunday.
With three games left in 2025, Brooks isn't far from his single-season career-high in tackles of 184, which he recorded with the Seattle Seahawks in 2021. Brooks' season total of 3.5 sacks is also just one shy of his single-season best of 4.5.
Brooks, 28, has established himself as a cornerstone of this Miami defense in year six of his NFL career. He has been consistent and reliable, starting in 31 of his games with the Dolphins. With the focus now shifting to the offseason after being eliminated from the playoff contention, the Dolphins have to view Brooks as a key contributor to the future of this franchise.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees are the only team in the AL East who hasn’t completed a big deal this offseason, and now it’s suggested that their first major piece of offseason business could be a departure rather than an arrival. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has attracted interest from several rival teams, and while Brian Cashman stopped short of saying that they were actively shopping their starting second baseman, they were nonetheless remaining “open-minded” toward opportunities to improve the pitching staff. Chisholm is coming off his second All-Star appearance having become just the third player to post a 30-30 season in Yankees franchise history. However, he is entering his final year of team control, and given that the Yankees generally do not sign walk year players to extensions, they may look to recoup some value in a trade rather than risk losing him in free agency for nothing but qualifying offer compensation.
SNY | Alex Smith: If the Yankees are indeed looking to cash Jazz in on the trade market, they’ll be dismayed to learn that one of the few players in the league who represents an upgrade over their incumbent could be unavailable. That’s because Ketel Marte included the Yankees as one of five teams on the no-trade list bargained into the six-year, $116.5 million extension he signed prior to last season. The Yankees are joined by the Athletics, Pirates, Giants, and Cardinals as teams Marte can veto a trade to. The 32-year-old second baseman has been the very best player at the keystone over the last three seasons and is coming off a stellar campaign where he slashed .283/.376/.517 with 28 home runs, 72 RBI, a 145 wRC+ and 4.6 fWAR.
MLB Trade Rumors | Mark Polishuk: The Yankees claim that they are focused on winning in 2026, but they are going to face competition to just roll it back with the same squad as last year. Cody Bellinger remains one of the top unsigned free agents, and another team has jumped into the sweepstakes with the Giants looking to make a splash in what has also been a quiet offseason to this point. Both the Yankees and Giants need another impact bat in their outfield and Bellinger is the market’s second-best option after Kyle Tucker after slugging 29 home runs and amassing a 125 wRC+ and 4.9 fWAR in 2025. As much as the Yankees would love a reunion with one of their best players from last season, they have set a firm valuation on Bellinger and are reportedly not going to get into a bidding war with other clubs should the terms exceed what they are comfortable paying.
Thigs went radio silent for a bit, but now — out of nowhere — we are starting to see Michael Olise rumors again. This time, it is Real Madrid, who could pull in the Frenchman:
TEAMtalk can reveal how a much-hyped Liverpool replacement for Mohamed Salah may not make an immediate return to the Premier League, with the attacker also having his eyes firmly set on Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise is the player in question, with sources revealing to us that the Frenchman is keeping his long-term options open, and that a move to Spain is not out of the question.
We understand that Arsenal have always kept tabs on him and if he shows a real willingness to move back to England then they could also yet be involved.
However, Olise’s camp think he has the potential to be the first English-born Ballon d’Or winner since Michael Owen in 2001.
And we understand one side that can’t be discounted is Real Madrid, and they could very well have room for him sooner than many expected.
We’ll say it again — there is no shot Bayern Munich is going to sell Olise. Would it change anything if Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain came calling with a 150 million-200 million offer? Maybe, but it still feels like a total longshot.
If Marc-André ter Stegen wants to play for the German national team this summer, the goalkeeper likely has to think about a move in January.
FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has made it clear — Ter Stegen is not the starter in Catalonia.
“Marc is an amazing goalkeeper, and we have 3 of them. My words were clear: Joan García is the number 1 goalkeeper, so then we’ll see what happens,” said Ter Stegen. “Don’t forget that Szczesny is a key player for us, on and off the pitch.”
Author’s Note: Do you get the idea that a lot of German footballers and coaches cannot stand Ter Stegen? It seems like Julian Nagelsmann is a fan, but quotes and stories over the years seem to paint a picture that not many Germans hold him in high regard. Food for thought…
Bayern Munich was reportedly kicking the tires on Hamburger SV’s 18-year-old Croatian center-back Luka Vušković, but was shot down by his parent club, Tottenham Hotspur:
Bayern Munich are reportedly interested in signing 18-year-old Croatian defender Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham Hotspur. Vuskovic is currently on loan at Hamburger SV, and he has done quite well for the Bundesliga club. He is already a key player for them and one of the first names on the team sheet. His performances have been very impressive, and Bayern Munich want to secure his signature.
They have made an enquiry for the young Croat, but a report from TEAMtalk has claimed that Tottenham have already turned down the approach. They do not plan to sell the 18-year-old defender anytime soon.
With more uncertainty growing around the Dayot Upamecano’s future with Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Manchester City could be lining up to make a blockbuster move for the Frenchman:
Chelsea and Manchester City have both joined the hunt for Dayot Upamecano and have had conversations about his possible arrival on a free transfer from Bayern Munich, although sources can reveal that a transfer twist awaits if that interest turns concrete.
Chelsea have also engaged with former defender Guehi, but we can confirm that they have now shown an interest in Upamecano. Likewise, City are looking at options and Upamecano is someone of potential interest to their new sporting chief Hugo Viana.
Upamecano also has interest from the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona, but whilst confirming interest sources with knowledge of the situation have told us that a new deal at Bayern is by far the most likely scenario at this point.
Right now, Bayern Munich is publicly stating (and re-stating) its confidence with Upamecano, but it is hard to discern just where this situation stands. Upamecano and Bayern Munich seems to have some issues with a signing bonus and a release clause continuing to be an obstacle and it is very unclear on whether or not the two sides can work it out before others clubs start submitting real offers in January.
With Xabi Alonso rumored to be on thin ice at Real Madrid, some reports indicated that Jürgen Klopp could become a target for Los Blancos. However, Diario AS says that is not the case:
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has no interest in returning to management despite reports linking him to Real Madrid.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
The Chargers defeated the Chiefs by the score of 16-13. En route to victory, there were a handful of players who contributed to the win.
Here are seven standouts from Sunday afternoon.
LB Daiyan Henley
Henley intercepted quarterback Patrick Mahomes at the Chargers' 1-yard line early in the fourth quarter, preventing a potential Chiefs score. The former wide receiver ran stride for stride with running back Kareem Hunt and played the ball perfectly in the air to nab the pick.
S Derwin James
James, the team's leader in tackles, sealed the deal with a game-ending interception of QB Gardner Minshew in the final seconds of the game.
EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu
Tuipulotu was a mainstay of the Chiefs' backfield. He registered a 19.4% pass-rush win rate, nine quarterback pressures, five hurries and two sacks on the day. Tuipulotu is now ranked third in the NFL in tackles for loss (19) and tied for fifth in sacks (12).
EDGE Odafe Oweh
Oweh was also a key contributor to the Chargers' pass rush, also finishing with two sacks on Mahomes. He now has seven sacks in nine games with Los Angeles.
WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith
The Chargers only scored one touchdown and it was Lambert-Smith who found the end zone. It was a 16-yard reception for the former Auburn product's first NFL score just before halftime.
TE Oronde Gadsden II
The offense wasn't much of a factor in this game, but Gadsden capitalized on his opportunities. He led the team in receiving with 61 yards, including a 27-yard reception that set up a game-tying field goal in the third quarter.
K Cameron Dicker
Once again, Dicker was on point. He accounted for more than half of the Chargers' points. Dicker made all three of his field goals from 49, 23 and 49 yards out and an extra point.
The last week for the Pittsburgh Penguins has been one of the most brutal stretches for an NHL team in recent memory.
Against the Dallas Stars on Dec. 7, the Penguins surrendered a late 2-1 lead and ended up losing, 3-2, in the shootout. Against the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 9, the Penguins had a 2-1 lead on the power play with 10 seconds left - and the puck in their offensive zone at the time - and gave up a goal with 0.1 second left en route to another shootout loss.
Typically, when the Penguins have had a tough loss this season, they've found a way to respond and bounce back. When the Penguins lost to Anaheim the first time on Oct. 14 - courtesy of a late gaffe by Parker Wotherspoon on a delay of game penalty - they came back two days later and put together a nice 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. After an awful loss and 3-0 blown third-period lead against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 3, they defeated the Washington Capitals, 5-3. Even the Global Series split with the Nasvhille Predators went the same way.
Even GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has lauded his team's ability to bounce back from bad losses this season. So, after that rough, literal last-second loss against the Ducks, the same kind of response should have been expected to some extent.
But that's not what happened. Not even close. In fact, things got about as bad as they can possibly get.
On Saturday, the Penguins held a 5-1 lead over the San Jose Sharks approaching the midway point of the third period, and the score was all of a sudden at 5-5 with a minute and a half still to play in regulation. They dropped the contest in overtime on a John Klingberg goal.
Well, they took a 3-0 into the third period, and within seven minutes and six seconds, they were trailing, 4-3. They did manage to tie the game with a Justin Brazeau goal, but they ultimately dropped the contest in overtime for the second straight game.
Instead of responding like they normally would following that heartbreaker against the Ducks, the Penguins went on to surrender 15 goals in their next three games, including nine of those in the third period and two in overtime. This also means that they only surrendered four goals in the first 40 minutes across those three contests.
The Penguins' inability to hold, apparently, any lead in the third period right now is certainly concerning, to say the least. And it's not something that was an issue in the first month of the season, when they were routinely shutting down the opposition when they were ahead in a hockey game. Now, the polar opposite is happening.
So, where do they begin? How is it possible to address something like this, especially since it's happening so dramatically and drastically that it hardly seems real? Who is to blame? How can they change it? Can they change it?
There is certainly a lot of blame to go around right now, and no one is blameless. First-year head coach Dan Muse has made a few questionable deployment choices, but none of those have much to do with the team giving up three or four goals in a span of 7-11 minutes twice in consecutive games. GM and POHO Kyle Dubas and the rest of the staff in charge of personnel decisions could be giving a few more young guys - such as Tristan Broz and Avery Hayes - some NHL runway instead of players like Danton Heinen and Kevin Hayes, especially given the team's injuries to centers Evgeni Malkin and Blake Lizotte.
Every coach, every player, and every person involved with whatever happened the last week is accountable to some extent. And, let's remember that the Penguins are still just one point out of a playoff spot despite this disastrous five-game losing streak, so reacting to extremes is probably a bit much.
But it is a serious problem, and the Penguins need to address it now. Before the bleeding spreads out of control. It's worth noting that the Penguins are playing very well for large stretches of these games, and they have shown capability this season of being able to close out games.
At the end of the day, sure, the coach is partially responsible, as is the GM. But it all comes down to the players and execution. And - specifically - it comes down to their veterans.
It feels like the elephant in the room that no one wants to address, but the Penguins' longest-tenured and most respected veterans have not been doing much to help matters during this stretch. In fact, they've hurt the team on several occasions.
Sidney Crosby's and Bryan Rust's defensive play is a glaring problem at the moment that is becoming hard to ignore. Crosby was on the ice for five goals against in the Sharks game, including the overtime game-winner that saw John Klingberg just walk right around him. A similar thing happened on Beckett Sennecke's tying goal for Anaheim at the end of regulation, as he walked right past Crosby and Kris Letang en route to the net front. Crosby was also on the ice for Utah's overtime goal.
Then, there's Rust, who - according to HockeyStatCards - owns a team-worst defensive rating of minus-2.4. He has looked lost in his own zone at several points this season, and as good as he is on the penalty kill, he isn't offering much in the way defensively five-on-five.
Letang's defensive play has been a nightmare all season long, and it's becoming a big problem for the Penguins. Erik Karlsson has been outstanding for most of the season but has turned the puck over with more frequency in recent games.
These are four veteran players who make up a good portion of the leadership group in the locker room. And they've been four of the worst offenders for the Penguins in this stretch of games, looking disjointed in pressure situations, disinterested in the defensive zone, and outright slow on fundamental things like line changes and coverage.
If there is a central place to point the finger, this is it. The Penguins' core and veteran leadership group has simply not been good enough in these last five games. Yes, they're helping the Penguins on the scoresheet, and yes, they're contributing to the team's ability to have leads in the first place.
But none of that matters if these players can't come through in the biggest, most high-stakes moments, which aren't always on the offensive side of the puck. Some of the defensive efforts on these goals against have been questionable at best and unacceptable at worst. And when a team's leadership group is doing this, it trickles down to the rest of the team.
Maybe that's harsh, but it's the truth. And the thing is that these guys know this. They'll be the first to tell you that they need to be better. That they need to set that example. These players have enough talent and winning pedigree to know what it takes to win hockey games, and for whatever reason, there is a disconnect on the execution right now.
And, maybe, that's some cause for optimism. Muse said in his presser on Sunday that the Penguins can't play cautious and need to remain aggressive with leads. Karlsson spoke after the game as well and explained that the blown third-periods aren't because of a lack of talent or ability or that it comes down to systems and schemes.
Instead, he said it's all a mindset - and, because of that, it's fixable.
“With the history that we've had here in the past couple weeks, you start overthinking stuff and you start worrying about the 'what ifs' instead of just playing the situation," Karlsson said. "If they beat you, they beat you. It's going to happen. We're playing against the best players in the world, and we've got to remember that we're part of that group and we're more than capable to play with anyone.
"It’s more a mindset right now. The good thing about that is it’s controllable. I don’t think it has anything to do with systems or X’s and O’s. It’s within ourselves. We’ve got to find a way to regain that trust individually and as a team.”
And finding those ways comes down to Karlsson. And Crosby. And Letang. And Rust. And all the other leaders in the locker room who set the example and the tone for everyone else in the room. If the Penguins want things to change, it starts with those guys. They need to be the ones to raise the bar and set the example.
The Penguins have five more games before the holiday break, and they're certainly not out of things. This next week and a half will show everyone exactly what this team truly is - and what their veterans and best players are willing to do to change the narrative.
Negotiations between Dana White, Alex Pereira, and possibly Jon Jones must be at an absolute standstill to garner this post. I wonder if “Poatan” will claim hacked again …
The biggest UFC upsets of 2025! Speaking for myself, my highest correct pick here was No. 10 Joseph Morales over Alibi Idris, but I had the benefit of bias.
Using @tapology I went back and looked at the Top 25 biggest betting upsets by the numbers this year in the UFC
Morgan Charriere reacts with class to the first knockout loss of his career:
I lost sorry, hard pill to swallow. First time getting knocked out in 10years in the game. I was ready and did an amazing camp for this fight, frustrating that I was not being able to show my skills. Congratulations to Costa for his performance he should have gotten a bonus.… pic.twitter.com/QanRTCXggU
125 years ago, Terry McGovern defeated Joe Gans by KO in round 2 of 6. The state of Illinois made boxing illegal for the next 26 years for Gans' suspected dive. pic.twitter.com/u4xaRF12Bo
For what almost felt inevitable for weeks, the Washington Commanders finally ended quarterback Jayden Daniels' 2025 season on Monday. Daniels, the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, has suffered three separate injuries this season, costing him seven starts. Daniels' struggles mirror Washington's troubles, as the Commanders, who were 12-5 last season, sit at 4-10 with four games remaining this season.
Daniels first sprained his knee in a Week 2 loss at Green Bay, which cost him two games. After returning, Daniels started the next three games before straining his hamstring in a Week 7 loss at Dallas. That cost him one start. He returned in Week 9, and in the fourth quarter of a blowout loss to Seattle, Daniels was scrambling to his right when he was tackled, landing on his left elbow. Daniels dislocated his non-throwing elbow, missing the next three games.
He returned in Week 14, only to land on the left arm while chasing down an opposing player after an interception. Daniels didn't play in Week 15.
"We're going to sit him for the final three games," head coach Dan Quinn said on Monday. "And I know your first question likely is, ‘well, DQ what went into that?’ and the answer is it was a lot. And part medical and part team. As of today, he still wasn't all the way clear to play. So, like last week, wouldn't have all the results until the end of the week, and then a short week next week with the Christmas game. So, we believe this decision allows him to take advantage of the next few weeks in a different way. He wants to practice, and he will practice."
As you can imagine, there were plenty of reactions regarding Washington's decision. Opinions were split after his elbow injury on whether he should just shut it down for the season or return to play when healthy. Daniels wants to play, but the team is playing it safe over the last three games in what is a lost season.
Here are some of the reactions to Washington's decision.
Grant Paulsen
With the Commanders shutting down Jayden Daniels for the final three games, they should shut down other vital starters too.
Terry McLaurin is paramount to the cause next year (as we just saw in 2025). He shouldn't play again in the final three. Same with Javon Kinlaw and Daron…
Danny is under the belief that someone higher than Dan Quin made this decision to shut down Jayden Daniels for the rest of 2025. Who do you think made this moves? #NFL#Commanderspic.twitter.com/JNg4EjVZpV
Jayden Daniels is a super tough player and I know he wants to play, but shutting him down makes sense for Washington. The season is lost and if he's not cleared for Wk 16 not worth the risk in Wks 17 & 18.
Although I thought he should play if healthy, sitting Jayden for the rest of the season is the right call. Give him a chance to enter the offseason healthy and ready for all offseason activities.
My concern is with what happens moving forward. I'm afraid every play call,…
Jayden Daniels no doubt in my mind will be back to his rookie of the year self next season! This whole year was off for everyone and I believe Adam Peters will give him way more help with better WRs and some speed at TE/RB. Don’t doubt JD5 he will put in the work believe that!
Flagg drove left, floated the ball in and absorbed contact for an and-one. He stared at his left hand as he walked to the free-throw line.
Flagg made so many left-handed finishes that Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy may have wondered if the scouting report was wrong.
Later, with a chance to bring Dallas within one, Flagg attacked the rim again and drew a foul. He missed the shot, but Max Christie made two free throws to tie the game.
Flagg had a career-high 42 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Jazz beat the Mavericks 140-133 in overtime on Monday.
He had 24 points, four rebounds and four assists before halftime, becoming the fifth Mavericks player to achieve that feat in a single half. Also, he became the first 18-year-old in NBA history to score over 40 points.
Cooper Flagg is the only 18-year-old in NBA history to record a 40-point game. (Rob Gray-Imagn Images)
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters
Cooper Flagg broke a decades-old LeBron James record on Monday night, just days before his 19th birthday.
It still wasn’t enough to lead the Dallas Mavericks past the Utah Jazz.
Flagg dropped a career-high 42 points in the teams’ 140-133 overtime loss to the Jazz on Monday at the Delta Center. That broke James’ record for the most points scored in a single game by an 18-year-old in NBA history.
James, who was the No. 1 overall pick back in 2003 right out of high school, set the record against the Boston Celtics in December during his rookie season when he put up 37 points as an 18-year-old. James and Flagg are actually the only two players in NBA history to both put up more than 24 points in a single game at that age, which they’ve done now a combined 14 times. Both Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant put up 24 points in a single game at that age early in their respective careers, too.
Though Flagg has come close, he put up 35 points against the Los Angeles Clippers last month, he finally recorded the first 40-point night of his career on Monday in Salt Lake City.
Flagg went 13-of-27 from the field and made 15 free throws for the Mavericks. He had 14 points in the first quarter after shooting 5-of-7 from the field, which helped Dallas to an early six point lead. He had 12 points in the fourth quarter alone, and he missed a free throw with less than five seconds to go on purpose to help set up a wild comeback that eventually forced overtime — thanks to a clutch rebound from Max Christie.
Cooper Flagg makes one, misses the second but Max Christie gets the rebound and gets fouled. Ties the game with 3 seconds remaining pic.twitter.com/Sc98xSfmbG
But despite Flagg’s outing, the Jazz pulled away and opened overtime on an 11-4 run to pick up the win. Keyonte George led the Jazz with 37 points, and Lauri Markkanen added 33 points and 16 rebounds. The win, Utah’s second straight, pushed it to 10-15 on the year.
P.J. Washington had 25 points and 13 rebounds to go with Flagg’s 42-point night. Naji Marshall had 15 points, and Ryan Nembhard finished with 14 points and 11 assists. The Mavericks fell to 10-17 with the loss.
Flagg also matched Mark Aguirre for the most points scored by a rookie in Mavericks history. He now trails only James and Bryant for the most points scored in the NBA before turning 19, though Flagg’s birthday is on Saturday.
While the Mavericks have not gotten out to the best start this season, Flagg has more than lived up to the hype that came with being the No. 1 overall draft pick in June. Monday’s historic outing was just another example of that.
The Denver Broncos are on a roll. Sean Payton's team has won 11 games in a row and holds a two-game lead in the AFC West. News out of that division is the Kansas City Chiefs' playoff run is done. Patrick Mahomes is out for the year, too, having torn an ACL. The Broncos are tracked by AFC East teams, the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots. They played a fascinating, thrilling game in Week 15.
This is the definition of awful: The Raiders allowed the Eagles backups a 17-play, 79-yard drive in the fourth quarter. The Eagles' backups. Kenny Pickett threw for 64 yards in his return to the Delaware Valley.
15. New York Jets (3-11)
The Jets were broiled by the Jaguars. Forty-eight points by Jax against a coach who is supposed to be a defensive expert. Another sorry season.
There was no surprise that the Browns faltered. Yes, they are a cold-weather team but they were playing a team that shows what rebuilding on the fly can do. Another awful performance.
The Philip Rivers story was a nice one. However, this is the NFL and nice doesn't get the job done. Tough way to lose the game against Seattle, which only managed field goals.
10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)
The Chiefs lost their third in a row, lost Patrick Mahomes to a knee injury and are out of the playoffs. Dynasty done.
Miami's late-season surge had a big chill put on it against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. The Dolphins have come to life and losing in the cold is no disgrace for a warm-weather team. However, if Miami is at some point going to grow into a deep playoff threat it has to learn how to win any many conditions.
Baltimore got its act together and smothered the Bengals. Back to .500 for a team that is thought to be so much better. The next three games will tell all.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)
Pittsburgh continues to stay atop a diminished AFC North after taking out the Miami Dolphins in Week 15. While questions loom about this Steelers team, it's another year where Mike Tomlin has the them making a playoff push late in the year.
6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
The Chargers went into Arrowhead and topped the Chiefs, completing the sweep of KC. It also knocked the Chiefs from playoff contention and has the Bolts in great shape as the final weeks of the season approach.
The Jaguars put 48 points on the Jets and won their 10th game of the year. That's a great season accomplishment but they have eyes on the division title.
Houston started fast and had the decision over the Cardinals before the first quarter was done. Sets up an interesting stretch for the AFC South crown over the final three games.
3. New England Patriots (11-3)
There was great excitement at Gillette when the Patriots went up 21-0. Then the crowd was thrilled when Treveyon Henderson had a second long TD run against the Bills to regain the lead. In the end, though, New England was unable to bury Buffalo.
2. Buffalo Bills (10-4)
The Bills showed all sorts of mettle coming back from a huge deficit to take the lead, falling behind again 14 seconds later only to score against against New England and win a thriller.
1. Denver Broncos (11-2)
Denver rallied past the Packers as Bo Nix had a huge game. Eleven wins in a row for Sean Payton & Co. The real deal.
The Dolphins scored the game’s first points on a field goal in what was a defensive battle for most of the first half. The Steelers put together a 12-play, 60-yard touchdown drive at the end of the second period, which was part of 28 unanswered points between three quarters.
The Steelers defense was stout even without their best player, T.J. Watt, who underwent lung surgery last week. Watt suffered a partially collapsed lung during a dry needling treatment at the team facility on Dec. 10. The Steelers defense played well without the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Pittsburgh held Miami to just three points and had a takeaway in the first half.
The Steelers defense erased Miami’s offense in the third quarter; the Dolphins had minus-20 yards in the period.
The Steeles defense sacked Tua Tagovailoa four times and intercepted him once. They did give up two touchdowns during garbage time in the fourth quarter, which made the game appear more competitive than it was.
Dolphins running back De'Von Achane was held to 60 rushing yards.
Steelers offense
The Steelers were ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in total offense (284.5), pass offense (195.2) and run offense (89.2) entering Week 15. In the first half it showed. However, Pittsburgh turned it up in the second half.
The Steelers scored 21 points after halftime and gained 220 total yards.
Kenneth Gainwell tallied 126 yards from scrimmage.
DK Metcalf had a strong touchdown catch. He finished with three catches for 55 yards and a touchdown.
The Steelers gained 336 yards of total offense, passing for 201 and rushing for 135 yards. Those numbers represent improvements from their averages.
Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers was efficient in the win. He completed 23-of-27 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns. He now has multiple touchdown passes in 166 career games.
Most games with multiple passing TD in NFL history:
Tomlin’s closing in on a 19th consecutive season with a .500-or-better record, the longest such streak to begin a head coaching tenure in NFL history.
LOSERS
Dolphins’ playoff hopes
The loss eliminated Miami from the AFC playoff race. The Dolphins had entered Week 15 riding a four-game winning streak.
Tua Tagovailoa in cold weather
Tagovailoa is 0-6 when the temperature is 40 degrees or colder.
Tagovailoa threw his league-leading 15th interception. The interception happened on an underthrown deep pass to Jaylen Waddle in the first quarter. The underthrown pass won’t quiet critics about his arm strength.
The Dolphins quarterback finished with 254 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Most of his positive plays happened when the game was out of reach. He had a few passes that could've been intercepted.
Miami’s third quarter
The Dolphins didn’t show up after halftime.
The Dolphins defense gave up 14 points and 163 total yards in the third quarter. The offense was worse.
Miami’s offense had an abysmal minus-20 yards of total offense in the third quarter. The Dolphins ran six total plays in the period and nothing worked.
First half offense
Both defenses won the first half. The first two quarters resembled a Pirates vs. Marlins baseball game. The Steelers entered halftime with a 7-3 lead, but it was a struggle offensively for both squads.
The Dolphins went 1-4 on third downs and Tua Tagovailoa underthrew Jaylen Waddle on a deep pass that was picked off by Steelers CB Asante Samuel Jr.
Pittsburgh punted on its first three possessions. The Steelers put together a 60-yard touchdown drive on their final offensive series in the first half.
BOSTON (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 32 points and 10 rebounds to help the Detroit Pistons beat the Boston Celtics 112-105 on Monday night.
Caris LeVert and Tobias Harris each added 13 points for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, who won their fourth straight. Detroit also got even for a frustrating loss in Boston late last month.
Jaylen Brown had 34 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead the Celtics. Derrick White scored 31 points as Boston lost its second straight after a five-game winning streak.
When the teams met three weeks ago, Boston ended Detroit’s franchise record-tying 13-game winning streak despite 42 points from Cunningham, who missed a tying free throw in the closing seconds.
Detroit opened the final quarter with a four-point edge and pushed it to 103-93 on Javonte Green’s steal and breakaway dunk with just under six minutes left.
Boston had cut it to 96-93 on White’s three-point play that sent Cunningham to the bench with his fifth foul, but Green had a corner 3 and followed that with his jam that pushed the Pistons up by 10.
The Celtics made one more charge, closing to 104-102 on White’s baseline jumper with 2:47 left, but Cunningham had a couple of key jumpers in the final two minutes.
RAPTORS 106, HEAT 96
MIAMI (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 28 points and Toronto snapped a four-game skid with a victory over Miami, extending its losing streak to five.
Miami lost forward Nikola Jovic to an elbow injury in the first quarter. Jovic took a hard foul from Collin Murray-Boyles while driving to the basket and fell to the floor 12 seconds after he entered the game.
Scottie Barnes added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Immanuel Quickley finished with 15 points for the Raptors, who made 16 3-pointers. Ingram shot 5 of 7 from behind the arc.
Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 11 points and Gradey Dick added 10 for Toronto.
Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo scored 20 points each and Davion Mitchell added 12 points for the Heat, who played without Tyler Herro. He sat out because of a right toe contusion.
Old Dominion and USF are set to face off Wednesday in the Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium in downtown Orlando.
Since the game’s inception in 2015, the Cure Bowl has raised over $6 million for cancer research.
Coaching in the Cure Bowl hits home for Old Dominion head coach Ricky Rahne. His mother Deb battled and beat breast cancer. She will be at the game on Wednesday cheering on her son and his Monarchs.
“The fact that this amount of money can be served to just get one more person, like me, to have 10 to 15 more years with their mom is a pretty special thing,” said Rahne during Monday’s Cure Bowl press conference. “I think that’s something that, when you think about a bowl, has a lot of impact, to say that we get to go play one more game, and we get to spend three more weeks with each other, and maybe somebody else gets to spend three more years with their mom or aunt or whoever, It’s pretty impactful.”
Tickets to the game start at $25 and can purchased by visiting CureBowl.com/tickets.
Wednesday’s Cure Bowl kickoff is set for 5:00 on ESPN.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Barcelona initiate talks to sign Dortmund right-back Julian Ryerson
Barcelona are considering signing Borussia Dortmund right-back Julian Ryerson in January (h/t Sky Sport Germany).
The Catalan giants have added the Norwegian to the list of targets as a potential back-up for Jules Kounde.
They have also held talks with Ryerson’s representative to discuss a potential deal.
The 28-year-old is open to leaving the Signal Iduna Park, having lost his starter status under Niko Kovac this season. Yan Couto and Daniel Svensson have firmly established themselves as primary right-wing-back options.
Ryerson has started only 11 games in 18 appearances this season, racking up three assists.
The Norwegian international moved from Union Berlin to Dortmund in 2023 and has featured in 121 games, scoring seven goals and providing 11 assists.
Dortmund consider him expendable due to the stacked options in the right-back position. Even if he stays beyond January, an exit in the summer looks more feasible.
Barca are exploring the winter transfer market to bolster their backline.
Manager Hansi Flick believes a new right-back will reduce Kounde’s workload and add more quality to the position.
Given their financial woes, Barca are looking for cost-effective signings, and Ryerson fits the bill.
The Norwegian has proven his quality even when he is on the pitch. He is an effective player who can excel in both attacking and defensive phases, with more experience under his belt.
Kounde has experienced a significant drop-off this season, compared to the influential 2024/25 season when he played a crucial role in Barcelona’s treble achievement.
Eric Garcia has stepped up in the right-back position, showing his versatility, but Flick has been utilising him in the midfield in recent games.
Meanwhile, Kounde is also starting to gain momentum after a stellar double in the win against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League last week.
VERMILLION, S.D. (KELO) — USD reached the FCS quarterfinals for the third straight season this year, but the 11th-seeded Coyotes’ run came to an end with a 52-22 loss at No. 3 Montana Saturday.
South Dakota opened the season ranked No. 4 following the program’s first trip to the semifinals last season. The Coyotes dropped the first two games of the campaign, and then suffered a 51-13 loss at NDSU to open Missouri Valley play and drop to 2-3. The Yotes proceeded to win eight of their next nine games to reach the quarters once again.
“Nobody thought we’d get here the way we started the year out,” USD redshirt senior quarterback Aidan Bouman said. “That didn’t matter to us. We didn’t listen to the noise. I feel pretty confident that we did a good job. Us seniors have changed the culture that we have there in Vermilion. I feel really proud of that.”
The Coyotes were led by first-year head coach Travis Johansen, who was elevated from defensive coordinator in January. The career of three-year starting quarterback Aidan Bauman comes to a close as he leaves with the program record in passing yards and completions.
“I’m indebted to Aidan Bauman,” USD head coach Travis Johansen said. “As a first-year head coach, you think you’re going to end up maybe with the program that’s beat up a little bit. To have a kid like that step up in today’s day and age and decide to come back, I owe a lot to Aidan Bauman.”
USD finished this season with a 10-5 record, which marked a third straight 10-win campaign.
“Couldn’t be more proud to coach that group of guys,” Johansen said. “They’ve left this place right where it needs to be: with the opportunity to continue to build, to continue to chase national championships.”
The Coyotes compiled a cumulative 31-11 record over the last three years.
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The Los Angeles Kings unraveled with a plethora of problems coming into this game, first with Quinton Byfield and Phillip Danault missing tonight's game, and then their best player, Darcy Kuemper, going down with a hard-hit injury, turning the momentum in the Stars' favor into a lopsided score.
Dallas scored three goals in the final six minutes of the third period to break the tie and pull away with a 4-1 win, handing Los Angeles another frustrating loss against a Western Conference contender.
The turning point may have come before the scoreboard.
Midway through the first period, when the game was still 0-0, both teams were playing very good defense, and the Kings were playing with fight. Kuemper went down in the crease after contact near the head and neck area from Mikko Rantanen during a traffic scramble around the net.
Despite the hard contact, no penalty was called on Dallas, which was hard to understand given the amount of contact on the play, and the refs' inability to take their time and make the right call.
The explanation was that Kuemper was outside the crease, but the replay clearly shows he's in the blue paint, head contact, and still no penalty was called.
Kuemper remained down on the ice for a while and ultimately was helped off the floor and left the game, not returning for the remainder of the night. Anton Forsberg was Kuemper's replacement and did a solid job at the start, but the injury changed the tone for the Kings.
Before Kuemper went down, he stopped all five shots that came at him, including multiple shots from Rantanen and Nils Lundkvist.
Despite losing their goaltender, the Kings scored the first goal early in the second period. Andrei Kuzmenko capitalized on the Dallas giveaway to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead.
The Kings maintained a steady pace and outshot Dallas at times, but failed to capitalize. The inability to extend the lead and make it competitive at least came back to haunt them.
Dallas got back in the game when Matt Duchene scored the first goal for the Stars in the second period to tie it 1-1 heading into the third.
Late Collapse Seals It
For much of the third period, Forsberg was doing a good job of preventing Dallas’ offense from breaking through, but the Stars' depth eventually made it tough for Forsberg to stop.
Oskar Back gave the Stars their first lead, converting off the nice cycle play by Radek Faksa and Colin Blackwell. From then on, the floodgates opened.
In the final three minutes, Dallas scored two straight goals to seal the deal with a 4-1 win.
Big Picture
The Kings showed fight when Kuemper was on the ice before his injury, but the late injury led to the breakdown for Los Angeles. Right now, that’s the most concerning part for the Kings, not just their performance, but the uncertainty surrounding Kuemper’s health.
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PITTSBURGH — Playoff hopes were on the line Monday night when the Dolphins faced the Pittsburgh Steelers. A Dolphins loss, and their playoff hopes were dashed for the second consecutive season.
The Dolphins’ playoff hopes are over after Monday’s 28-15 loss at Pittsburgh ended their winning streak at four games and dropped their season record to 6-8.
The Steelers entered Monday’s game riding an amazing 22-game Monday night winning streak — they hadn’t lost a Monday night home game since 1991.
There was another cool thing on the line Monday. The Dolphins, who started the season 2-7, were trying to become the fifth team in NFL history to reach .500 after starting 2-7, joining the 2021 Dolphins, among others.
And, of course, there were personal and business stakes in this one considering the Dolphins and Steelers engaged in a blockbuster offseason trade.
Here’s what we learned Monday night:
Dolphins in ‘cold weather’
When I talk about the Dolphins in “cold weather” the line of delineation is 45 degrees. It was 17 degrees at kickoff Monday but cold weather didn’t cause this loss. For what it’s worth, in the coach Mike McDaniel era, the Dolphins are now 1-6 in “cold weather” games.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is now 1-4 in “cold weather” games under McDaniel because he didn’t play in the Buffalo playoff game or last season’s finale at the New York Jets.
Under McDaniel, the Dolphins lost to Pittsburgh in cold weather (28-9), defeated the New York Jets in cold weather earlier this year (34-10), lost to the Jets in last season’s finale (32-20), lost to Green Bay on Thanksgiving 2024 (30-17), lost to Kansas City in the 2023 playoffs (26-7), lost to Buffalo in the 2022 playoffs (34-31), and lost to Buffalo in the 2022 regular season (32-29). — Chris Perkins
Mike McDaniel road record, and December road record
McDaniel is now 12-21 (.364) on the road, and 12-22 (.353) including playoffs on the road. Both are poor marks. Typically, teams want to go at least .500 on the road.
McDaniel is now 3-6 (.333) on the road in December. He was 0-3 in 2022, losing at San Francisco, the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo; he was 1-1 in 2023, winning at Washington and losing at Baltimore; he was 1-1 in 2024, losing at Houston and winning at Cleveland; he’s 1-1 this year winning at the New York Jets and losing at Pittsburgh.
McDaniel is 34-32 (.523) overall, 34-33 (.508) including playoffs.
Tagovailoa is now 1-4 in cold weather games in the McDaniel era. Tagovailoa entered Sunday’s game with a 1-3 record in “cold weather” games in the McDaniel era. He was 87 of 136 for 891 yards, six touchdowns and one interception and a 94.3 passer rating.
In his cold weather games under McDaniel, Tagovailoa lost to Pittsburgh on Monday, defeated the Jets earlier this season and lost to Kansas City in the 2023 playoffs, lost to Green Bay on Thanksgiving last season and lost to Buffalo in the 2022 regular season.
Dolphins score first in seventh consecutive game
The Dolphins scored first Monday, taking a 3-0 lead on a 54-yard field goal by kicker Riley Patterson in the second quarter, and have now scored first in their last seven games. This was the first time in the stretch the Dolphins didn’t score in the first quarter. It should be noted this was yet another occassion in which the Dolphins won the pregame coin toss and opted to receive the ball instead of deferring until the third quarter.
De’Von Achane held in check
Running back De’Von Achane ended with 61 yards rushing on 12 carries, his worst showing since 10 carries for 16 yards in a 27-24 loss against Carolina on Oct. 5. Achane had six receptions for 68 yards Monday, marking the third time this season he’s had more receiving yards than rushing yards. He had seven receptions for 30 yards against Carolina, and in a 33-27 loss against New England on Sept. 14, Achane had 10 receptions for 92 yards and 11 carries for 30 yards.
Tua’s INTs reach career worst
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (22 of 28, 254 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) threw his career-worst 15th interception Monday, and it came in his 14th game. In 2023, Tagovailoa threw 14 interceptions in 17 games.
Tagovailoa’s interception on Monday came in the first quarter when he was targeting wide receiver Jaylen Waddle on a deep route. Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., who attended St. Thomas Aquinas, drifted over to record the interception on a pass that was slightly underthrown.
Tagovailoa had a potential interception that was dropped by outside linebacker Alex Highsmith.
Scoring defense takes a hit
The Dolphins’ defense entered Monday’s game having allowed just 10 touchdowns in the last six games. But Pittsburgh solved that mystery by scoring four unanswered touchdowns from the second to fourth quarters.
The Dolphins ranked 15th in scoring defense (22.8 points per game) before Monday’s game and had only allowed one team in the last six games to score more than 17 points (Baltimore, which scored 28 points).
Sieler coming alive
Defensive tackle Zach Sieler, who sacked Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the second quarter, now has 4.5 sacks on the season, all of them coming in the last five games. Sieler is coming off back-to-back 10-sack seasons and signed a three-year, $64 million extension during the offseason. Sieler was shaken up briefly early in the fourth quarter when he was slammed to the ground on an extra point attempt but he returned to the game.
Special teams woes
Kicker Riley Patterson had a short kickoff, giving Pittsburgh the ball at the 4-yard line right after he made a 54-yard field goal. Special teams also had a delay of game on a punt as their woes continue to mount. So far this season special teams have run into the punter, roughed the punter, allowed kickoff and punt return touchdowns, failed to recover an onside kick and allowed a fake punt.
The Steelers scored a go-ahead touchdown to take a 7-3 lead after getting the short-field on the kickoff. They then scored another touchdown on their first possession of the second half and never looked back.
Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith and Minkah Fitzpatrick
Pittsburgh free safety Jalen Ramsey (he’s no longer a cornerback) had a third-down sack on Tagovailoa in the third quarter, making it the first play among the principals in the June 30 blockbuster trade between these teams. The deal’s parts were Miami sending Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Ramsey ended the game with six tackles, Smith ended with two receptions for 12 yards and one carry for 14 yards, and Fitzpatrick ended with six tackles.
Sadly, it is now guaranteed . . .
That the Dolphins will pass the 25-year anniversary of their most recent playoff win (Dec. 30, 2000). And, who knows how long this embarrassing run will extend. — Steve Svekis
Another personal record for De’Von Achane
Again, De’Von Achane was the Dolphins’ lone bright spot among the skilled positions, with his 127 total yards. He also registered five first downs, giving him 72 in 2025 and setting a career high, which had been 67 last year.
Again . . . what is Mike McDaniel doing?
In what seems like a weekly installment, what on earth was McDaniel’s game-management thought in the fourth quarter? The Dolphins casually went through their huddles and line calls in a fourth quarter with their playoff lives on the line, when it should have been 15 minutes of nu-huddle. The apathy drew deserved sharp criticism from Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman. Then, in the waning seconds, Tua Tagovailos took a delay of game penalty by calling a timeout he didn’t have.
Jordyn Brooks sets a personal record, with a lot of football left
In the first quarter, Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks hauled down Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell for a loss of a yard and then, two snaps later, sacked Aaron Rodgers for a minus-9 yards. With that, Brooks sat at 12 tackles for loss in this season’s 14 games. It breaks a personal best he established last year. Additionally in the first half, Brooks also had two tackles for no gain. So, in 31 career games in Miami, Brooks has 23 TFLs. At his previous stop in Seattle, in 64 games, Brooks that same number of TFLs in 23.
Dolphins’ defensive backs were on a run-stop heater
In the first half, the Miami defense kept the Dolphins in the game. Spearheading that effort were the defensive backs, five of whom had at least one tackle each for a 1 yard gain or less. Ashtyn Davis made two such tackles, with Ifeatu Melifonwu, Jack Jones, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Rasul Douglas getting one each. The performance suffered, relatively, in the second half, but the first-half output could have been a difference-maker if the offense had shown up. Fitzpatrick also had a tackle for minus-2, Douglas a stop for no gain and Melifonwu a tackle for a 1-yard gain in the second half.
Some plaudits for Aaron Brewer
Former Philadelphia Eagles star center Jason Kelce showered credit upon Dolphins center Aaron Brewer in the pregame, though he also mentioned that Brewer has had to overcome to become an NFL stalwart. Kelce called Brewer “the shortest man in the NFL.” Not sure if he was referencing only centers, or being hyperbolic. But, the meat of his commentary was about how well Brewer has played throughout the season. Kelce said: “He’s been consistent all year. … If you are going to be undersized, you gotta dominate in the second level” while showing clips of Brewer doing that.
The bizarre Monday Night Football scheduling history between the Dolphins and Steelers
Monday Night Football began in 1970, and the Dolphins and Steelers had their first such matchup in the Orange Bowl in 1974. Then came three matchups at Hard Rock Stadium, the most recent one in 1996. The first Monday night Dolphins game in Pittsburgh came in 2007 in the infamous Mud Bowl game the Steelers won 3-0. In that game, a punt plugged into the grass without bouncing. And, since then, the Dolphins haven’t played that prime-time game to end an NFL week in South Florida. So, that means there were no Dolphins-Steelers games in Pennsylvania in the first 37 years of the MNF series, and heaven’t been any in Miami Gardens in the past 29 seasons entering 2027. Next year, the Dolphins won’t play the Steelers.
On deck: Cincinnati Bengals, Hard Rock Stadium, Sunday, 1 p.m.
Joe Burrow makes his first visit to South Florida with the Bengals in free fall at 4-10. … the previous matchup between the Bengals and Dolphins came in 2022 in Cincinnati, when Tua Tagovailoa sustained his first official concussion.
Laila Jones scored 17 points to lead Wilson to a 54-35 win over Gov. Mifflin in a matchup of teams atop the BCIAA Division 1 standings on Monday night.
Both teams entered 2-0 in the BCIAA, but the Bulldogs (6-1 overall) took a 15-7 lead after the first quarter as Jones scored 7 points and Violet Houck had 4 of her 8 total points.
In the second quarter, Ryan Leaman scored 8 of her 14 points as Wilson stretched the lead to 30-16 at halftime.
Jones scored 7 points and Kailani Hardy 4 of her 11 points as the Bulldogs upped the lead to a 43-24 with eight minutes left to play.
Hardy scored 5 points and Leaman 4 in the final quarter as the Bulldogs (3-0 Division 1) kept the Mustangs (4-23, 2-1 Division 1) at bay.
For Gov. Mifflin, Bella Super scored 11 points, and Bridget Martir and Saray Renninger each had 9 points.
Oley Valley 29, Kutztown 26
In another matchup of division unbeatens, Lily Hare scored 12 points to lead Oley Valley to a 29-26 Division 4 win over Kutztown.
Oley is 4-1 overall, 3-0 Division 4, and Kutztown drops to 3-1, 2-1.
Oley led by two points entering the fourth quarter, but outscored the Cougars 9-8 in the final eight minutes, as Hare hit a three-pointer and Julia Wanger scored 4 points.
Conrad Weiser 42, Daniel Boone 26
Geniva Paul scored 16 points to lead Conrad Weiser to a 42-26 BCIAA win over Daniel Boone.
Macy Snyder had 9 points for the Scouts.
Conrad Weiser is 4-3, 1-1 in Division 2; the Blazers are 0-5, 2-0 Division 2. Jessica Parrott scored a game-high 17 points for Daniel Boone.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (SDSU) – Wyoming made nine of its first 10 shot attempts and never looked back in an 87-72 victory over South Dakota State on Monday, Dec. 15, inside the Sanford Pentagon.
The Cowboys got out to a hot start from the field to jump out to a 20-8 advantage. The Jackrabbits used a seven-point scoring run to cut the deficit to 20-15 with 10 minutes, 37 seconds remaining in the opening half.
Wyoming responded and had the lead back to double digits, 29-17, at the 6:28 mark. A 3-pointer by SDSU’s Kalen Garry briefly made it a nine-point margin with just over a minute left on the clock, however a layup by Wyoming’s Leland Walker at the buzzer made it 40-29 at the break.
The Cowboys extended the lead to 19 within the opening four minutes of the second half and led by as many as 23. A 14-3 run by the Jackrabbits trimmed the Wyoming lead to 64-52 with 9:06 to play, but the Pokes responded with six straight points to keep the Jacks at bay.
Wyoming finished the matchup with a 38-21 rebounding edge. The Cowboys also outshot the Jackrabbits by a 54-40% margin.
The Pokes improved to 9-2 overall in the victory, while the Jackrabbits fell to 7-6.
NOTES
Wyoming is now 6-1 all-time against SDSU. The Cowboys have won the last four meetings between the two squads.
The Pokes had four players finish scoring in double digits paced by 25 points by Nasir Meyer. Khaden Bennett had a game-high nine rebounds and Walker dished five assists.
Four Jackrabbits scored double digits in Garry (15), Jaden Jackson (13), Joe Sayler (12) and Damon Wilkinson (12). Sayler also had team highs in rebounds (5) and assists (4). Bubz Alvarez scored a season-high eight points for South Dakota State.
UP NEXT South Dakota State travels to Milwaukee for the Milwaukee Hoops Showdown on Friday. The Jackrabbits will take on the Milwaukee Panthers in the Fiserv Forum with tipoff set for 4 p.m.
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Dec 15, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Anaheim Ducks left wing Chris Kreider (20) acknowledges the crowd after being honored during the first period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
NEW YORK – There was a sea of blue No. 20 Rangers jerseys populating the visiting side during warmups at Madison Square Garden on Monday night – with good reason.
They wanted to see their favorite (now former) Ranger to take his first return laps wearing Anaheim Ducks orange and white.
They cheered loudly when Chris Kreider finally burst out of the tunnel and went through the usual pre-game paces with teammates including former Rangers Jacob Trouba, Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano – all of whom were then at center ice for the opening face-off.
“That was a cool move by Coach Q,’’ Kreider said, referring to Ducks coach Joel Quenneville.
When it came time for a nearly two-minute video tribute during the first period, Rangers faithful had their chance to applaud No. 20. Kreider soaked in the adulation, then took a short spin to center ice and back from the Anaheim bench, patting his chest several times in gratitude as players from both teams tapped their sticks on the ice in collective appreciation.
“It was pretty cool. I don’t know how to put it into words,” Kreider said after the first period during an interview on the Ducks' Victory+ broadcast. “Certainly I had goosebumps. It was hard not to get emotional in the moment. I’m incredibly grateful for the warm welcome.”
The Ducks snapped a scoreless tie with a shorthanded rebound goal by defenseman Jackson LaCombe 7:18 into the second period, assisted on a flip out of the zone Trouba and a down-ice charge by Ryan Poehling.
New York’s power play continued to struggle without defenseman Adam Fox and Monday night’s scratched top scorer Mika Zibanejad, but the Rangers managed to finally score late in the second when defenseman Matthew Robertson’s long shot counted as officials ruled that Ducks goaltender Lukáš Dostál knocked the puck out of the air and into his net.
Cutter Gauthier then put the visitors ahead to stay with a power-play goal 5:51 into the third period, rifling a shot past Igor Shesterkin off a feed by 19-year-old rookie Beckett Sennecke. The lead held, and the Ducks added two late goals for a 4-1 victory, their first win at the Garden since Nov. 4, 2013.
“It was a little weird. It took me a couple of shifts to realize the guys in blue weren’t my teammates,’’ Kreider said of his initial moments not wearing the home colors to which he was so accustomed.
The Ducks played hard, and again, their youth brigade came through – as the 21-year-old Gauthier took the team lead with his 18th goal into an empty net in the closing seconds and 22-year-old defenseman Pavel Mintyukov scored against Shesterkin with three seconds left.
Ducks back on top. Beckett Sennecke with the vision, and Cutter Gauthier lets it rip with an absolute rifle to the top corner. What a shot.
Ducks captain Radko Gudas said his team’s staunch effort against the Rangers was the least they could put forth to support Trouba and Kreider amid the emotional swirl of being the opposition for the first time in New York.
“Guys were talking during the break. That was one of our best effort games this season,’’ the 35-year-old defenseman said. “We have some very talented young guys who are eager to make plays, get better and learn.”
Kreider said he too is enjoying his elder statesman status with the earnest Ducks, who improved to 20-12-1 this season – tied with Vegas for the Pacific Division lead at 41 points.
“It’s been fun, a fun style of hockey. We get better by the day, by the week as a group as we continue to get more comfortable with systems.”
Kreider – as per his usual tendencies through hundreds of games at the Garden – was last off the ice after the win but this time at the visiting end of the ice where the Zamboni rolls out.
He waited to congratulate Dostál who made 26 saves for his 12th win this season, then waved to a handful of fans above the tunnel heading to the Anaheim room.
After the game, Kreider noticed his buddy Zibanejad waiting a few steps beyond the Ducks room and the two embraced – a scene repeated countless times coming off the ice after Ranger wins. Nine seasons together doesn't evaporate the bonds of friendship.
Chris Kreider taking the long (and probably strange) walk down the visitor’s ramp to following a 4-1 win in return to MSG.
Kreider got to hug best friend (and healthy scratch tonight) Mika Zibanejad by the Ducks’ room postgame.
Since his Rangers debut in the 2012 playoffs, Kreider played 883 regular-season games for the Rangers over the next 13 seasons, sixth-most in Rangers history.
He is tied at 116 power play goals with Camille Henry – two ahead of Zibanejad – for most in Rangers history and Kreider’s 326 goals are third-best behind Rod Gilbert (406) and Jean Rattelle (336) in franchise lore.
Asked if there is one thing about being a New York mainstay that resonated on his momentous return night, Kreider kept it simple and focused on what is next.
“Columbus in 24 hours,’’ he said, adding a laugh. “Get the two, and get out of here.”
After changing and visiting with family and friends who attended what had to be one of the most unusual nights of his career, Kreider was on his way down the long ramp visiting players use to reach their team bus.
On this night at the Garden, his job as the opposition was complete.
As always, we can't touch on absolutely everything — sorry, Usos vs. New Day — but you can always check out our "Raw" results page if you just need to know about all the things that happened. If you want to know what the WINC crew thinks about the things that happened (or at least the things we cared about) here are three things we hated and three things we loved about the 12/15/25 episode of "WWE Raw!"
Loved: GUNTHER has perfect response to crowd's vitriol
GUNTHER speaks into a microphone on "WWE Raw" -
Following John Cena tapping out in his final match, there was a visceral reaction in the arena and online. Some fans can not wrap their minds around the fact that Cena essentially gave up in his retirement match. They were so angry that they booed Paul Levesque and also chanted "A-E-W" at him. There's also video of GUNTHER needing extra security while leaving the arena on Saturday night as fans shouted at him.
Everyone has spent the last 48 hours wondering what the Austrian would say on "Raw" and he did not disappoint. Before he came out, footage of Saturday's match played. As soon as the first notes of "Prepare to Fight" played, the boos filled the arena. GUNTHER ate every single bit of the reaction up. A few fans tried to start a "You tapped out!" chant, but boos drowned it out. He grabbed a mic and told the crowd, "I did what I said I was going to do. I made John Cena give up! And when he gave up, he tapped out like a little b****!" before dropping the mic.
He began to leave, came back to stand on the announce desk, basked in the boos and told the crowd again that he made Cena tap before declaring, "it's my time now!" Backstage Adam Pearce asked him if he was proud of what he did tonight. When GUNTHER said he was, Pearce sent him home. As he walked to the car, AJ Styles was waiting. Perhaps this is a tease for Styles' own retirement match. Before he drove away, he did the "You Can't See Me" gesture at Styles.
This was the perfect response from GUNTHER. He has accepted the fans' vitriol and is using it to fuel him. He stated matter-of-factly what he did and soaked up their hatred. WWE really have to follow this up with something big for GUNTHER so his momentum doesn't stop, especially after retiring Goldberg and Cena in the same year. They have to follow through with GUNTHER's time being now.
Written by Samantha Schipman
Loved: An ambush done well
Asuka spits mist at Rhea Ripley on "WWE Raw" - WWE/X
It's rare that I actually like the way that ambush attacks in WWE are done these days just because of how overdone they feel, but there was one exception to that on this edition of "Raw".
The Kabuki Warriors leaving IYO SKY laid out and Asuka spraying the green mist into the eyes of Rhea Ripley prove that the length of time that a segment like this doesn't matter as much of the quality of it and the storytelling it's working to do, especially when you compare an ambush like this to many of the ones that generally tend to close out "Raw" (such as The Vision's attack on LA Knight last week or the one between CM Punk and The Vision in the closing moments of this show). The idea that Asuka and Kairi Sane are trying to do everything in their power to weaken Ripley and taunt SKY ahead of their Women's Tag Team Match on January 5 still clearly got across here without feeling like things were dragged out too much or repetitive storybeats that we often see in the main event ambushes that typically close out "Raw".
SKY throwing herself on top of Ripley to take the In-Sane Elbow from Sane additionally showcased the growing trust between her and Ripley really well, and spotlighted their dynamic in a manner that was engaging to watch without needing any words. Everything about this segment was simple, but still well done and created hype for the January 5 match in a way that was different from the usual verbal confrontations and match combinations of different members of tag teams we've become accustomed to seeing in WWE.
Written by Olivia Quinlan
Loved: Love and fury, energy and passion
Maxxine Dupri grins widely as she wears the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship and poses on the ropes on "WWE Raw" - WWE
So, Maxxine Dupri is far from a Lita...in terms of in-ring work, anyway. If we're talking about passion for the business, I'd say Dupri is on her way.
Dupri defended her Women's Intercontinental Championship against Ivy Nile on Monday's episode of "WWE Raw," and I'll be the first to tell you that it was far from a clean match. Dupri's strikes are still really slow, Nile isn't the greatest in-ring, and the two wrestled a very rookie match. Nile's performance wasn't much to write home about. On paper, neither was Dupri's.
Dupri, on paper, isn't anything special. Dupri in life, however? That is a different story.
You can always tell when someone is passionate about what they do — like, really, genuinely passionate. Passion lends an unspoken quality to their work. And to be clear, I'm not saying Nile isn't passionate. If she didn't love this business, she wouldn't be here. What I am saying, however, is that Dupri's passion — her inner fire and love for wrestling — is her biggest strength. You can feel Dupri's love for the business and determination to succeed ooze from every slow kick, every clumsy misstep, and every shout of determination.
I think Dupri has really sharpened up since feuding and winning the Women's Intercontinental Championship. She's no Shawn Michaels, but the difference between her before and after the Women's Intercontinental Championship is night and day. That was on full display during tonight's match. Nile, one of the many women who berated Dupri for her less-than-skillful in-ring performance, tried to overwhelm the rookie Dupri, and Dupri managed to find her footing as the match went on, ultimately to win her inaugural title defense by way of an Ankle Lock transition into a traditional, supine leg joint lock (think armbar, but on the leg). Her match tonight was a reflection of her in-ring journey. Her victory over Nile by way of submission — technical mat work, similar to the tactics that technicians like Bret Hart are revered for — is a breathing testament to her in-ring journey, and a preview of what is to come.
She's no Hall of Famer, but her passion is what makes these improvements, however marginal, noticeable and commendable. You can see just how much Dupri has improved in the ring, just because of how passionate she is. Every scream, shout, willingness to look "stupid" as her body is forced to move in these very unnatural ways just makes her improved in-ring ability — no matter how small the improvements are — augments her whole performance. She's fun to watch because she's having fun.
Dupri has a long way to go. If she keeps this fire stoked within her, though, she'll have no problem fueling the journey.
Written by Angeline Phu
Hated: More yelling about Steiner math
CM Punk on "WWE Raw" - WWE
I went on an entire journey with CM Punk's "WWE Raw" promo on Bron Breakker this week. I started out not loving it, kinda came around by the end, then watched it again and decided I didn't actually like it after all. I'm as susceptible as anyone else to a Steiner Math reference — not to mention a reference to the late Rob Reiner, who once had a character say he would "rip your eyes out of your head and p*** in your dead skull" — but I think what bothered me about the promo was that when you strip away all the Inside Baseball stuff, it was pretty bog-standard. "You can't beat me, you always get help from people, don't talk about my wife." That was basically all he said. I didn't really get much of a continued storyline out of that, especially considering Punk spent half of it bashing Rick and Scott Steiner, who I'm pretty sure won't be there on January 5.
I think wrestlers like Punk often find it pretty easy to pop an audience by referencing things like Steiner Math to dress up an otherwise blasé bit of promo work; it probably would have gone over like gangbusters in AEW, where the crowd lives and dies on Tony Khan acknowledging their smarkdom. Punk should probably stop trying this in front of WWE crowds who rarely get the joke, but he should also stop doing it because it's just kinda lazy and doesn't really inform the potential story of the match. Now, I could be wrong about that — maybe Punk pulls out a bunch of Steiner moves next week, or (in the darkest timeline) Scott and Rick actually do show up. But I thought the real meat of this promo should have been the stuff about how Breakker isn't ready for the bright lights, and about how Paul Heyman consistently gets behind people and pushes them before they're prepared. That was a little Inside Baseball, but it was stuff that could play into the action in the ring next Monday. Calling Bron a nepo-baby, not so much.
Also, if you're going to keep acknowledging that he's a Steiner, just change his name to Steiner already, what are we doing?
Written by Miles Schneiderman
Hated: Nikki Bella once again demands a title shot
Nikki Bella stands above a fallen Stephanie Vaquer in the ring on "WWE Raw" - WWE
I am not a Nikki Bella hater by any means, but why does this woman think she deserves yet another title shot? I really thought that the WWE Hall of Famer would take a little time off following her Survivor Series loss, as it is the holiday season after all, to Women's World Champion Stephanie Vaquer. Bella didn't exactly earn that first shot as it is. She didn't stack up any wins to challenge Vaquer, she just turned heel on her former friend and got the opportunity at the premium live event. I didn't even mind that too much, she is a Hall of Famer after all, and the match itself wasn't too bad, but now, it's just getting to be a little too much.
There are plenty of other deserving women on the "Raw" roster, but they all might be too tied up in the tag team division, leading to yet another Vaquer vs. Bella bout. Sure, I think Bella is a better heel than a babyface, and outside of challenging Vaquer and making her life hell like she did tonight when she interfered in Vaquer's match against Raquel Rodriguez, I'm not exactly sure what else is left for her on the main roster as a villain. Maybe we're headed toward a triple threat match between Vaquer, Rodriguez, and Bella, but I can't say I'm too excited about that. I'm not sure how all three women's styles would mesh in a match-up, especially one that doesn't have many rules, like a triple threat.
I'm, like many people I'm sure at this point, really tired of DQ finishes in WWE. Rodriguez and Vaquer weren't having a bad match whatsoever, even if Rodriguez was getting quite a bit of offense in on the champion and not selling too much at certain points. I guess Rodriguez did come out of this looking pretty strong without actually technically losing her title opportunity, which is really why I'm thinking we might be headed toward that triple threat.
However this ends, I'm not a fan of it, at least not at this moment, and I really hope Brie Bella makes a return alongside her twin sister, so they can go to the tag division, where they can win some tag team gold that they deserve to reign with for just a bit as Hall of Famers, and some other women step up to challenge Vaquer.
Written by Daisy Ruth
Hated: Theory of a boring man
Austin Theory is revealed as the masked man - WWE
At Survivor Series: WarGames, Bron Breakker pinned CM Punk to win the match for Team Vision in the eponymous match, with a little help of a run-climb-run-in from a masked man making use of Seth Rollins' move-set. Was it actually Rollins? Only if one was going to credibly believe WWE would try to work the same injury angle with the same guy within a couple of months – which, on second thought, might have been understandable. But the fact of the matter is that it was always Austin Theory beneath the mask, despite some internet detectives getting their magnifying glasses out and declaring anything from "It might actually be Rollins" to "Hey look, it's Chris Jericho." So, when time came this week to finally reveal the man beneath the mask, it was ... Austin Theory.
It is hilariously accurate to say there was more interest in him when he was under the mask than when he finally had taken it off. No one in the crowd really cared; there was the initial pop with the mask being taken off, but even that was a "Oh, it's him" rather than an "Oh my god, it's him." Theory is a great wrestler between the bells, though admittedly it's hard to feel excited for a guy that was accused of talking to an underage girl and has the personality of a frat boy's cardboard cut-out. Somehow putting all that aside, there have been numerous efforts to position him as someone to watch – ironic all things considered – that have never really come off.
It doesn't really feel like this latest role is going to be the one that convinces the world to suddenly care about him. If anything, now no one really cares about the dude who was wearing the mask. Bearing in mind I am talking about a faction that has Logan Paul, but there is quite literally nothing Theory – buzzcut or not – can bring to the group. His presence dilutes the star-power that the group undoubtedly has. It's like taking a bowl of dessert and mixing it with a bowl of excrement. The dessert is still there, but once you dish that up, rest assured the customer is going to complain you've handed them a bowl of s***.
Aside from Theory, the actual execution of the main event was just the latest example of copy and paste, 'Wrestling 101' booking that we have come to expect from WWE TV in recent weeks. Seemingly endless interference, no sense of catharsis, and just an all-round kick below the belt for anyone expecting a true main event.
BALTIC, S.D. (KELO) — The second week of the high school basketball season began with a rivalry game in Baltic as the Bulldogs topped Dell Rapids 76-63 in a matchup of two teams receiving votes in the latest media poll.
Baltic hit a three on the first play of the game and held the lead from there. The Bulldogs extended the lead to multiple possessions in the first quarter.
The 2-0 Bulldogs are set to visit Parker/Marion Tuesday. The 0-3 Quarriers will look to make the trip north to the Aberdeen Classic and a showdown with Aberdeen Christian Saturday.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Steelers snapped the Miami Dolphins’ four-game winning streak with a 28-15 victory in Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football to close out Week 15. However, two of the Steelers’ top players suffered injuries in the win.
Speaking to the media after the game, head coach Mike Tomlin said starting guard Isaac Seumalo has a tricep injury and outside linebacker Nick Herbig has a hamstring injury, and both are “being evaluated.” Tomlin chalked up any other injuries as “bumps and bruises associated with play.”
Seumalo left the game and did not return in the second half after being ruled out. Jack Sawyer also started to see snaps in relief of Herbig late.
As always, more information on the timelines and severity of the Steelers’ injuries will be made available during in-week practice reports. After playing on Monday, Pittsburgh has one less day of preparation and recovery ahead of a Sunday matchup against the Detroit Lions on Dec. 21.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – Former Illinois football coach Mike White died on Sunday at the age of 89.
WCIA 3 Sports Director Glenn Kinley spoke with Mike’s son Chris White, who was a stellar kicker for the Illini. David Williams, an All-American wide receiver under Coach White in Champaign also weighed in and shared stories. Plus, longtime Illini sports reporter Loren Tate helped look back on the impact White left on the Illinois football program and surrounding communities.
Watch the video of White’s tribute from Monday’s WCIA 3 News at 10 above, and click here for more info.
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Chris Kreider left the Madison Square Garden ice high-fiving his teammates after a win Monday night. There was nothing unusual about that — except for the fact that he wasn’t wearing a New York Rangers uniform as he did it.
Kreider and his Anaheim Ducks teammates — including former Rangers Jacob Trouba, Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome — left the Garden with a solid 4-1 victory. Kreider didn’t hit the score sheet, but Trouba, who was traded to the Ducks last December, started the play that led to the game’s first goal, a shorthanded tally by Jackson Lacombe at 7:18 of the second period.
That came after Kreider was honored for his 13 seasons on Broadway with a video tribute during the first media timeout in the opening period, as well as a standing ovation not only from the sellout crowd of 18,006 but also from his former teammates.
Kreider said playing against the Rangers was “a little weird. It took me a couple of shifts to remember the guys in blue weren’t my teammates.”
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Though Kreider said he didn’t see most of the video tribute because coach Joel Quenneville was talking strategy, he caught the end before taking a lap in front of the Ducks’ bench, waving his stick and patting his heart to the crowd while trying to control his emotions.
“What I did see was awesome,” he said. “Just really grateful for the experience. It was certainly a warm welcome back. That was incredible. Really, really, really cool moment.
“It’s hard to put into words what the experience was like for 13 years, what that experience was like tonight. I don’t know. It kind of leaves you speechless.”
A few minutes later, it was Trouba’s turn.
Unlike Kreider, the Rangers’ former captain had faced his former teammates on March 28 in Anaheim after being dealt to the Ducks just over a year ago. He received his own video tribute and a warm ovation.
“Means a lot to me,” he said of The Garden and the fans who cheered him there, “and this place will always be special.”
The two shared the “Bombay Jacket,” given to the player of the game by his teammates, in the Ducks’ locker room after the win.
Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba get huge welcome in return to Garden
Those teammates were very aware that this was no ordinary game – something that was apparent when all four ex-Rangers took the ice for the opening face-off.
“That was a cool move by coach,” Kreider said. “It’s a fun building to play in, even as an opponent.”
The Ducks were very conscious of wanting to win one for Kreider and Trouba.
“We said before the game that we’ve got to play for these guys,” said Anaheim goalie Lukas Dostal, who made 26 saves and was sharp all night.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Kreider and the Ducks left MSG with the win after Cutter Gauthier broke a 1-1 tie with a power-play goal 5:51 into the third period, then hit the empty net with 22 seconds left to ice the win. He slapped gloves with his teammates and received the game puck as a souvenir of his first MSG victory as a visiting player after 13 seasons with the Rangers.
“It’s hard to put into words what the experience was like,” he said after the game. “Kind of leaves you speechless, I guess.
“Maybe next time it’ll feel a little more normal. I had a little adrenaline dump in the first period, a little bit of tunnel vision and nerves like my first game here in New York.”
One ex-teammate Kreider didn’t face on the ice was one of his best buddies, center Mika Zibanejad, who was scratched for the game after missing a meeting. Zibanejad was on hand for the game and was seen catching up with his old teammate in the hallway after the game.
The fans in New York welcome back Chris Kreider, who played 13 seasons with the @NYRangers, in his return to the world's most famous arena. 👏 pic.twitter.com/hWHVHi4AnK
Kreider’s 326 goals are third in Rangers history; his 48 playoff goals are first and he’s tied for the franchise record with 116 power-play goals. But the Rangers let him go after he dropped to 22 goals and 30 goals last season while battling injuries and illness.
However, Kreider is healthy this year, and his scoring touch has returned. The 34-year-old has 13 goals and 20 points in 29 games for Anaheim, which is second in the Pacific Division and trying to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017-18.
Chris Kreider gets his tribute video and takes a lap to salute the MSG faithful 👏 pic.twitter.com/tDR0ukGFIA
Rangers forward Matt Rempe, who returned to the lineup after missing 24 games with a broken thumb, was happy that his comeback coincided with the return of two former teammates.
“It was real cool,” he said. “Both of those guys were really good mentors to me and awesome teammates. It was great seeing them.”
Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks to pass in the Steelers' win over the Miami Dolphins (Justin K. Aller)
Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdowns as the Pittsburgh Steelers took another stride towards the playoffs with a 28-15 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Monday.
Steelers quarterback Rodgers produced an exhibition of accurate passing, making 23 of 27 completion attempts to finish with 224 yards and no interceptions in freezing conditions at Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium.
The victory formally eliminated Miami from playoff contention but leaves Pittsburgh firmly on top of the AFC North and heading for the postseason.
The Steelers improved to 8-6 at the top of the division with three regular season games remaining. The Baltimore Ravens are second in the division on 7-7.
"This is why I wanted to come back -- to be a part of something special," said Rodgers, 42, who joined Pittsburgh this year after two miserable injury-plagued seasons with the New York Jets.
"This is a great organization. We're playing meaningful football games, we're up by a game in the division -- there's a lot left to play for," Rodgers told NBC.
After leading 7-3 at half-time thanks to Connor Heyward's one-yard rushing touchdown, the Steelers finally pulled clear after half-time, scoring 21 unanswered points after touchdowns from Marquez Valdes-Scantling, DK Metcalf and Jonnu Smith to take a 28-3 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa connected with Darren Waller for a brace of late touchdowns, but it was too little too late as Miami dropped to 6-8 to seal their elimination from the postseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ dormant offense suddenly awoke.
After three fruitless drives to begin the game, the Steelers
scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions on their way to a 28-15
victory over the Miami Dolphins on Monday night at Acrisure Stadium in
Pittsburgh. The Steelers (8-6) maintained their one-game lead in the AFC North
over the Baltimore Ravens (7-7) with three games remaining.
The Steelers trailed 3-0 when they drove 60 plays in 12 times,
the march ending when fullback Connor Heyward scored on a 1-yard run on a
direct snap with 17 seconds to go in the first half.
The Steelers went on to score TDs in each of their next
possessions to move in front 28-3 with 13:01 remaining. Aaron Rodgers threw
touchdown passes of 19 yards to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and 28 yards to DK
Metcalf, and tight end Jonnu Smith scored on a 14-yard run.
The Dolphins closed to 28-15 on a pair of touchdown passes
from Tua Tagovailoa to Darren Waller, covering 6 and 13 yards. The second score
came with 2:32 left, but it was not enough to keep the Dolphins (6-8) from
being eliminated from playoff contention and having their four-game winning
streak snapped.
The Steelers have won back-to-back games for the first time
since a three-game winning streak from Sept. 21-Oct. 12, that was part of a 4-1
start to the season. They had lost five of their previous seven games before
beating the Ravens last week in Baltimore.
Rodgers completed 23 of 27 passes for 224 yards. Kenneth
Gainwell had 126 total yards as he rushed for 80 yards on 13 carries and caught
seven passes for 46 yards. The Steelers held a 336-285 edge in total yardage.
The Steelers held De’Von Achane, the third-leading rusher in
the NFL, to 60 yards on 12 carries. Tagovailoa was 22-of-28 passing for 254
yards.
Patrick Queen had a team-high 10 tackles, including two for
loss, for the Steelers. Asante Samuel intercepted a pass, and Jalen Ramsey,
Cameron Heyward, Payton Wilson, and Esezi Otomewo each had one sack.
The Steelers visit the Lions (8-6) on Sunday at Ford Field in
Detroit, then host the Cleveland Browns (3-11) and Ravens to conclude the
season.
Port Orchard's Gabe Fernandez and the University of Washington men's soccer team made history Monday by winning the NCAA national championship 3-2 against North Carolina State in Cary, N.C.
Fernandez, who graduated from South Kitsap High School in 2023 and briefly played for Port Orchard FC before beginning his career with the Huskies, started on defense for UW, which took a 2-0 lead following a first-half goal by Zach Ramsey and second-half goal by Joe Dale.
The Wolfpack tied the game with a pair of goals, the latter coming with three minutes remaining. UW's Harrison Bertos scored the game-winner early in the first overtime period. The victory secured Washington's 10th overall NCAA championship as a school, but its first for a men's program.
Washington, which finished second in the NCAA tournament in 2021, knocked out five of this tournament's top 16 national seeds during its run to the title.
The Huskies started its championship run with a 3-2 double-overtime win against Oregon State, followed by a 1-0 win over No. 5 SMU and a 1-0 win over No. 12 Stanford. UW then upended No. 4 Maryland 3-1 in the quarterfinals and No. 14 Furman 3-1 in the semifinals before outlasting No. 15 N.C. State in the title match.
Fernandez, a sophomore, started a majority of the Huskies' games this fall at left back. He played 80 minutes on Monday before being substituted. Fernandez played one season of high school soccer at South Kitsap and played for the Sounders Academy for a time.
The Pittsburgh Steelers entered Monday night in need of a win. What they did was make a statement.
After a slow first half that featured Asante Samuel’s first interception as a Steeler on the Dolphins’ second drive, the Steelers closed out the second quarter with a Connor Heyward touchdown, which would end up being the first of four consecutive touchdown drives for Pittsburgh. On the first drive of the second half, the Steelers drove 71 yards in six plays, capping off the first series of the third quarter with an Aaron Rodgers touchdown pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling like it was 2019 in Green Bay.
After a three-and-out from Miami, the Steelers put together a 10-play drive that was punctuated with a 28-yard touchdown from Rodgers to DK Metcalf, who did his best impression of Darnell Washington by shotputting Minkah Fitzpatrick aside, breaking a tackle, and rumbling into the end zone on one of the toughest runs you’ll see from a receiver. The Steelers’ defense forced yet another three-and-out on Miami’s ensuing drive, and once again put together a long drive of their own – a nine-play, 81-yard drive that was finished off with a pitch to Jonnu Smith, who ran it in to put the Steelers up 28-3 with just over 13 minutes to play. That marked the first time in NFL history that two tight ends ran for a touchdown in the same game. And while the Dolphins scored two late touchdowns, the result was never in doubt after the Steelers took the lead.
This was yet another very efficient game from Aaron Rodgers. He went 23-of-27 for 224 yards and two touchdowns. His 85 percent completion percentage was his highest in a game since 2014. Kenneth Gainwell added 80 yards on the ground and 46 yards receiving in what was yet another big performance from the former Philadelphia Eagle who has become a guy the Steelers may have at the top of their priority list this offseason.
The aggression from the Steelers on offense was a pleasant surprise. Mike Tomlin, the coach who goes for it as little as any coach in the NFL, kept his offense on the field on fourth down twice on the Steelers’ second drive, and three times overall – the Steelers moved the sticks on all three fourth-down tries. The Steelers didn’t score on that second drive, but they set the tone and kept the Dolphins’ offense cold on the sideline.
Defensively, the biggest worry entering the game was the ground attack for Miami, especially with Derrick Harmon and T.J. Watt out. The Steelers answered those concerns by holding the Dolphins to just 63 yards on 3.9 yards per carry. The Dolphins finished with just 295 yards of total offense, and the Steelers held Miami to just 2-of-8 on third down.
In totality, this was one of the most dominant wins in recent memory for the Steelers. It never felt like the game was in danger of getting away from them, and it was as well-rounded a performance from a melting pot of different performers who weren’t even on the team in Week 1. Samuel, Valdes-Scantling – heck, Adam Thielen threw a key block on the Jonnu Smith touchdown run. Every hand in the pile did their job to contribute, and that’s what you need this time of year.
This team may not be the most talented, and they may not have an abundance of high-end star power, but they fight. And in a wide-open AFC with a four-time MVP under center, the Steelers feel like they can make a little bit of noise in January – and they showed what that could look like.
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After knocking off the Detroit Lions on Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams will quickly turn around and prepare for the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night in a game that could decide the NFC West. Both teams released their initial injury reports on Monday despite not practicing as usual, providing an estimation of each player's participation level.
Predictably, Davante Adams was listed as a non-participant due to his hamstring injury, as was Braden Fiske. Jaylen McCollough, who was added to the injury report on Saturday with an illness, was estimated as a non-participant on Monday.
Jordan Whittington, Alaric Jackson and Nick Vannett were all listed as limited.
Charles Cross was the only player who was estimated as a non-participant for the Seahawks, who only held a walkthrough on Monday. Demarcus Lawrence and Cody White were limited and everyone else would’ve been a full participant.
MIAMI (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 28 points and the Toronto Raptors snapped a four-game skid with a 106-96 victory Monday night over Miami, extending the Heat’s losing streak to five.
Miami lost forward Nikola Jovic to an elbow injury in the first quarter. Jovic took a hard foul from Collin Murray-Boyles while driving to the basket and fell to the floor 12 seconds after he entered the game.
Scottie Barnes added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Immanuel Quickley finished with 15 points for the Raptors, who made 16 3-pointers. Ingram shot 5 of 7 from behind the arc.
Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 11 points and Gradey Dick added 10 for Toronto.
Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo scored 20 points each and Davion Mitchell added 12 points for the Heat, who played without Tyler Herro. He sat out because of a right toe contusion.
It was the first time this season the Heat were held under 100 points.
Down by five early in the fourth quarter, Toronto took the lead for good with a 17-2 run. Jamal Shead’s 3-pointer with 7:31 remaining put the Raptors ahead 91-81.
The Heat narrowed the deficit to four points when Powell made three free throws with 1:28 left. But Shead hit a floating jumper and Barnes followed with a putback layup.
The Raptors are 4-6 since RJ Barrett, the team’s third-leading scorer, sprained his right knee against Brooklyn on Nov. 23. Barrett, who averages 19.4 points per game, began on-court workouts Monday, coach Darko Rajakovic said.
BOSTON — On Monday night, the Boston Celtics had a golden opportunity to earn their second win of the season against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons. Instead, the C's faltered in the second half and fell victim to preventable mistakes, losing 112-105 and dropping to 15-11 overall.
Boston shot an abysmal 26% from deep and failed to convert on 8 their 27 free throw attempts. Detroit was also sloppy, but its made a habit out of winning these kinds of ugly games.
Celtics guard Derrick White exploded in the fourth quarter, tallying 17 of his 31 points in the final frame. Celtics star Jaylen Brown also had 34 points on the night, but no other Celtic scored over 12 points.
As for the Pistons, star point guard Cade Cunningham dazzled with 32 points and a game-high 10 assists in 36 minutes. His consistent makes kept the Celtics at bay all game long.
Monday marked the Pistons first win at TD Garden since 2022. They remain in first place in the East while the Celtics fall to fourth and have dropped back-to-back games for the first time since November 3rd. The Green Team will get a chance to bounce back on Friday night versus the 14-12 Miami Heat.
Dec. 15—Kiera Mapes and Ella Cron combined for 25 points to lift Great Falls CMR past the Glacier girls 70-40 on Friday evening in AA girls basketball at the Wolf Den.
Glacier's Karley Allen finished with 18 points, sinking three 3-pointers, but an early deficit proved to be too much.
CMR wasted no time setting the tone. They forced early turnovers and that led to multiple transition points and a 20-5 first quarter lead.
Glacier responded in the second quarter, settling more into the offense and improving their ball movement. Behind Allen and Olivia Warriner the Wolfpack closed the half on a 8-0 run, trailing 35-20 into the break.
The Rustlers opened the third quarter on a 7-0 run to remove any doubt. Nine different CMR players scored.
Glacier coach Amanda Cram emphasized growth over the final score. With injuries and several players stepping into varsity roles for the first time, she viewed the night as part of the process.
"We knew that this was going to be, in some respect, a rebuilding year," Cram said. "We brought a lot of kids up who weren't even on JV, and I'm proud of their effort."
Cram pointed to the team's willingness to adjust and learn throughout the game, particularly against a physical and seasoned opponent.
"I thought they made the adjustments that I wanted them to make, and we tried different things. It certainly was a night that we learned."
Dec. 15—Austin senior William Mullenbach has been wrestling since he was three years old and he hasn't lost his passion for the sport.
If anything, Mullenbach's love for the sport has grown over the years. Mullenbach is off to a 5-1 overall start this season at 160-pounds for the Packers and he's grown into a big leadership role in his final year on the mat.
"Nothing really changed too much, but the offseason work helps and it's more about believing in the work that I put in," Mullenbach said. "I don't put pressure on myself to win. I love this sport, I don't love winning. Winning is nice, but I love wrestling itself and my goal is just to go out there and have some fun. I've come a long way since I started and no matter what, that's something to be proud of."
Mullenbach started wrestling for the Packers in middle school and he'll be the first to say that he took his lumps when he was wrestling at 114-pounds as a youngster.
Mullenbach is now around 60 wins for his career, and he's hoping his senior year is his best yet.
"Wrestling has always been a constant and it's always on my mind," Mullenbach said. "There is some soreness that comes with it, but the team camaraderie is like a family and I grew up with my wrestling team being my family."
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Austin head coach Jacob Nelson said that Mullenbach's presence will be missed next season. In his six years with Nelson in the Packer program, Nelson has seen Mullenbach grow in confidence and ability.
"Will has been ready to be a leader and even last year, he took on that role," Nelson said. "He's doing a phenomenal job. He's been to all of our preseason open mats and he's taken other kids under his wing. He's helped those new kids learn. He's an invaluable part of our team. He practices what he preaches. He works his tail off in the room and everyone sees that. He never takes a rep off and he's never not focused. He's always doing the right thing and other kids are starting to see that."
Mullenbach points to Austin grads Tony Garcia and Brennan Winkels as his biggest role models. He now credits his wrestling partner Lukas Jorgenson for pushing him every day in practice, and his younger brother and teammate Jaxon Learn, a freshman, for keeping him motivated.
Mullenbach wants the next generation of Packers to focus on working hard, and having fun.
"I try to inspire the younger guys as much as I can. One of my goals this year is to leave an impact on the program so the younger guys love this sport as much as I do," Mullenbach said. "I want to trust in the stuff I have, do my moves, and the outcome will come. Obviously I'd love to see the state meet, but I can only control the controllables, and that's putting in the work and having fun."
Austin's next home meet is a triangular on Jan. 15 at 5 pm..
But the first quarter of their primetime clash with the Miami Dolphins started the same way games have been starting for years for Mike Tomlin's squad.
On this particular night, the Steelers didn't score in the first quarter.
It extended a streak of games that Pittsburgh hasn't scored more than seven points in a first quarter to an astonishing mark.
It's been 64 such games in a row.
ESPN shared that stat:
The 1st quarter ends with the Dolphins and Steelers scoreless.
The Steelers extend their streak of scoring 7 or fewer 1st quarter points to 64 straight games, all under Mike Tomlin.
That is the longest active streak in the NFL and longest streak by a Head Coach in NFL history.…
Sure, the Steelers of recent vintage are often a little more deliberate, putting together slower and longer drives. And they haven't been the most explosive offense ever.
But 64 games in a row of 7 or less in the first quarter? That seems pretty much impossible.
Tomlin's crew has done it, though. What a wild streak.
The Steelers punted on their first three drives. They have scored touchdowns on their last three drives.
The Steelers lead the Dolphins 21-3.
DK Metcalf caught a 28-yard touchdown pass with 4:58 remaining in the third quarter to increase the Steelers' lead. Dolphins safety Ashtyn Davis nearly got a hand on the ball as he dove in front of it.
The touchdown came on third-and-12.
The Steelers began the night 0-for-6 on third down but have converted their past four.
Rodgers is 19-of-22 for 180 yards and two touchdowns, with Metcalf catching three for 55 and a score.
Cade Cunningham put on a show in Boston, knocking down the deciding baskets late in the fourth quarter to help the Detroit Pistons avenge last month's loss to the Celtics.
Cunningham finished with 32 points, 10 assists and knocked down a season-high six 3-pointers to lead the Pistons (21-5) to a 112-105 win at TD Garden. He scored nine points in the final period and iced the win with back-to-back scores over Derrick White in the final two minutes — a pull-up midrange jumper, followed by a spinning turnaround jumper that pushed the Pistons' lead to five with 1:13 to play.
The Pistons have now won six of eight games since the Celtics snapped their 13-game winning streak in Boston on Nov. 26.
Tobias Harris (13 points, seven rebounds), Caris LeVert (13 points) and Jaden Ivey (10 points) also scored in double figures. Boston was led by Jaylen Brown (34 points, eight rebounds and seven assists) and White (31 points), who carried a Celtics squad that shot just 10-for-39 (25.6%) from 3. The Celtics missed all eight of their 3-point tries in the second quarter and made just one of 10 in the third.
The Pistons outscored the Celtics by 11 points in the second half to take control of a game that had 15 lead changes and seven ties. They also held Boston to 40% shooting in the second half.
It has been a strong start to the season for Cunningham in every area except one. After shooting about 36% from 3 his past two seasons, he had only made 30.7% of his attempts entering Monday — his lowest percentage in a full season. Against the Celtics, he finally found his outside touch.
Cunningham got going immediately, knocking down a pull-up 3 and then a stepback 3-pointer within the first five minutes of the game. His next 3 — a stepback with 7:30 to play in the second quarter — came amid a 16-2 Pistons run he largely was responsible for. Cunningham sparked the run with a hook in the paint before finding Javonte Green in the corner for a 3 and assisting an Ivey layup.
After entering halftime with 13 points and seven assists, Cunningham got going in the second half with 19 points. His final 3-pointer extended the Pistons' lead to six with less than eight minutes left. After picking up his fifth foul, he sat on the bench with 7:12 on the clock and returned to close the game out with 4:21 remaining.
Bench steps up in second half
The Pistons’ bench outscored the Celtics’ second unit 27-5 in the second half, helping the Pistons stay afloat when Cunningham sat at the end of the third and midway through the fourth.
LeVert scored all 13 of his points in the second half on 5-for-8 shooting. His best stretch came at the end of the third quarter, when he finished a three-point play, knocked down a 3-pointer and stole the ball from Hugo Gonzalez for a fastbreak dunk in the final three minutes.
Ivey kept the offense moving late in the third with a three-point play, a driving layup and an assist to Ron Holland. And Green was responsible for two of the biggest plays of the fourth period. His steal and thunderous fastbreak dunk with about six minutes to play extended the Pistons' lead to nine, 103-94. He also hit a 3-pointer after Cunningham subbed out to push the lead to eight.
[ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]
Cade Cunningham put on a show in Boston, knocking down the deciding baskets late in the fourth quarter to help the Detroit Pistons avenge last month's loss to the Celtics.
Cunningham finished with 32 points, 10 assists and knocked down a season-high six 3-pointers to lead the Pistons (21-5) to a 112-105 win at TD Garden. He scored nine points in the final period and iced the win with back-to-back scores over Derrick White in the final two minutes — a pull-up midrange jumper, followed by a spinning turnaround jumper that pushed the Pistons' lead to five with 1:13 to play.
The Pistons have now won six of eight games since the Celtics snapped their 13-game winning streak in Boston on Nov. 26.
Tobias Harris (13 points, seven rebounds), Caris LeVert (13 points) and Jaden Ivey (10 points) also scored in double figures. Boston was led by Jaylen Brown (34 points, eight rebounds and seven assists) and White (31 points), who carried a Celtics squad that shot just 10-for-39 (25.6%) from 3. The Celtics missed all eight of their 3-point tries in the second quarter and made just one of 10 in the third.
The Pistons outscored the Celtics by 11 points in the second half to take control of a game that had 15 lead changes and seven ties. They also held Boston to 40% shooting in the second half.
It has been a strong start to the season for Cunningham in every area except one. After shooting about 36% from 3 his past two seasons, he had only made 30.7% of his attempts entering Monday — his lowest percentage in a full season. Against the Celtics, he finally found his outside touch.
Cunningham got going immediately, knocking down a pull-up 3 and then a stepback 3-pointer within the first five minutes of the game. His next 3 — a stepback with 7:30 to play in the second quarter — came amid a 16-2 Pistons run he largely was responsible for. Cunningham sparked the run with a hook in the paint before finding Javonte Green in the corner for a 3 and assisting an Ivey layup.
After entering halftime with 13 points and seven assists, Cunningham got going in the second half with 19 points. His final 3-pointer extended the Pistons' lead to six with less than eight minutes left. After picking up his fifth foul, he sat on the bench with 7:12 on the clock and returned to close the game out with 4:21 remaining.
Bench steps up in second half
The Pistons’ bench outscored the Celtics’ second unit 27-5 in the second half, helping the Pistons stay afloat when Cunningham sat at the end of the third and midway through the fourth.
LeVert scored all 13 of his points in the second half on 5-for-8 shooting. His best stretch came at the end of the third quarter, when he finished a three-point play, knocked down a 3-pointer and stole the ball from Hugo Gonzalez for a fastbreak dunk in the final three minutes.
Ivey kept the offense moving late in the third with a three-point play, a driving layup and an assist to Ron Holland. And Green was responsible for two of the biggest plays of the fourth period. His steal and thunderous fastbreak dunk with about six minutes to play extended the Pistons' lead to nine, 103-94. He also hit a 3-pointer after Cunningham subbed out to push the lead to eight.
[ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]
Cade Cunningham put on a show in Boston, knocking down the deciding baskets late in the fourth quarter to help the Detroit Pistons avenge last month's loss to the Celtics.
Cunningham finished with 32 points, 10 assists and knocked down a season-high six 3-pointers to lead the Pistons (21-5) to a 112-105 win at TD Garden. He scored nine points in the final period and iced the win with back-to-back scores over Derrick White in the final two minutes — a pull-up midrange jumper, followed by a spinning turnaround jumper that pushed the Pistons' lead to five with 1:13 to play.
The Pistons have now won six of eight games since the Celtics snapped their 13-game winning streak in Boston on Nov. 26.
Tobias Harris (13 points, seven rebounds), Caris LeVert (13 points) and Jaden Ivey (10 points) also scored in double figures. Boston was led by Jaylen Brown (34 points, eight rebounds and seven assists) and White (31 points), who carried a Celtics squad that shot just 10-for-39 (25.6%) from 3. The Celtics missed all eight of their 3-point tries in the second quarter and made just one of 10 in the third.
The Pistons outscored the Celtics by 11 points in the second half to take control of a game that had 15 lead changes and seven ties. They also held Boston to 40% shooting in the second half.
With the NBA Cup final between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks on Tuesday, the Pistons will get an extra day of rest for their next game, against the Mavericks in Dallas on Thursday (8:30, FanDuel Sports Network Detroit).
It has been a strong start to the season for Cunningham in every area except one. After shooting about 36% from 3 his past two seasons, he had only made 30.7% of his attempts entering Monday — his lowest percentage in a full season. Against the Celtics, he finally found his outside touch.
Cunningham got going immediately, knocking down a pull-up 3 and then a stepback 3-pointer within the first five minutes of the game. His next 3 — a stepback with 7:30 to play in the second quarter — came amid a 16-2 Pistons run he largely was responsible for. Cunningham sparked the run with a hook in the paint before finding Javonte Green in the corner for a 3 and assisting an Ivey layup.
After entering halftime with 13 points and seven assists, Cunningham got going in the second half with 19 points. His final 3-pointer extended the Pistons' lead to six with less than eight minutes left. After picking up his fifth foul, he sat on the bench with 7:12 on the clock and returned to close the game out with 4:21 remaining.
Bench steps up in second half
The Pistons’ bench outscored the Celtics’ second unit 27-5 in the second half, helping the Pistons stay afloat when Cunningham sat at the end of the third and midway through the fourth.
LeVert scored all 13 of his points in the second half on 5-for-8 shooting. His best stretch came at the end of the third quarter, when he finished a three-point play, knocked down a 3-pointer and stole the ball from Hugo Gonzalez for a fastbreak dunk in the final three minutes.
Ivey kept the offense moving late in the third with a three-point play, a driving layup and an assist to Ron Holland. And Green was responsible for two of the biggest plays of the fourth period. His steal and thunderous fastbreak dunk with about six minutes to play extended the Pistons' lead to nine, 103-94. He also hit a 3-pointer after Cunningham subbed out to push the lead to eight.
[ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]
USC (9-3), ranked No. 16 in the AP poll, is preparing to play Texas Christian (9-4) on Dec. 30 in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. USC finished 7-2 in its second season in the Big Ten and won four of its last five games, the only setback during that stretch being a 42-27 loss to Oregon, which is the No. 5 seed in the College Football Playoff.
Asked about signing the No. 1 recruiting class for 2026, Riley said: “It was a great day. We tried to keep the focus on building next year’s team. The amount of guys that we signed is a big portion of it and as we start to look ahead ... half of our day and maybe even more is pointing towards next year and coming years. Meanwhile, obviously getting ready for this bowl game. It was a lot of hard work to add talent and people who care about this place and starting to put next year’s team together has been exciting here these last few weeks.”
Riley has a 35-27 record in his four seasons at USC and is hoping to improve his bowl record to 3-1. He guided the Trojans to wins in the 2023 Holiday Bowl and 2024 Las Vegas Bowl.
Riley watched the CIF state Open Division bowl game between Santa Margarita (coached by former Trojans quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer) and De La Salle on Saturday and was impressed by the performance of USC commit Trent Mosley, who had 11 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in the Eagles’ 47-13 win.
“He was someone we targeted very early on,” Riley said. “I thought he was super impressive and it was important. He’s one of the best receivers in the country. He’s proven that and he just played out of his mind. It’s a great family and he’s a really smart kid.”
Asked what advice he gives to players who are deciding what to do next in their careers, Riley said: “Yes, it’s an important decision. The guys that make the right decision no matter what it is get a leg up on the rest of their lives. Consequently, a wrong decision can be catastrophic. That’s the world we all live in. I just try to educate them on their options. I don’t like telling guys you should do this or you shouldn’t do that. It’s more about, here’s this option, this is what it would look like, here’s what you need to consider. Sometimes the decision’s pretty clear one way or another, other times it’s not. I try to give them as much guidance as I possibly can.”
Given that USC will be missing quite a few players who were key contributors throughout the season, Riley is not ruling out the possibility of younger players seeing action against TCU.
“There’s gonna be guys all over the place who are going to have opportunities,” Riley said. “All sides of the ball, all position groups, maybe it’s some of the guys you saw a little bit during the season and in some instances you’ll see guys get some burn in this game that haven’t played at all or very little. Bowl games are great, but days like this are the most valuable part of it because we’re just pouring reps into all of these guys, it’s super competitive and the energy level is just different. All these guys feel it’s their time.”
Riley admitted he and his staff had to make hard decisions based on the incoming freshmen, a majority of whom are spring enrollees.
“It’s huge, it’s a high, high number that are going to be here and it’s important,” he said. “We’ve had to make a bunch of roster decisions in the last couple of weeks. We have a large number of players who have already signed and some of the decisions we had to make were based on knowing what we have coming in, and when you sign as many as we did, you’re going to have tough decisions to make.”
Going to Las Vegas for a second straight December, the Oklahoma City Thunder had a shorter trip compared to last year. They couldn't cross off that item from their bucket list in their 111-109 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2025 NBA Cup semifinals.
The Thunder had hoped to bring home the NBA Cup. They finished just shy of that last year when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024 NBA Cup finals. But Victor Wembanyama's return from a calf strain ruined those plans as he was a plus-21 in 21 minutes off the bench.
Most NBA fans know the NBA Cup winner gets a grand prize. The in-season tournament has given players some extra bulletin board material to go all out in early regular-season games. Most NBA fans don't know that the semifinal losers also get some money.
The Thunder traveled back to OKC with some money in their pockets. They received $107K per player. For context, the NBA Cup winner sees each player get $531K. The runner-up will see $212K per player. And the quarterfinals losers get $54K per player.
The NBA Cup has been Adam Silver's boldest idea yet. He continues to tweak the tournament. One future change will be that the semifinal games will be hosted by the higher seed. In that hypothetical, OKC would've hosted the Spurs and Houston Rockets the last two years.
A little bit of a Green Bay Packers reunion took place on Monday Night Football.
Aaron Rodgers found Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins.
Rodgers and MVS had been teammates with the Packers. The Steelers signed Valdes-Scantling to the active roster before Monday's game, and Rodgers put him to quick use.
In the process, Valdes-Scantling made a wild bit of NFL history.
As the Ohio State football team prepares for either Texas A&M or Miami in the Cotton Bowl Classic, the recruiting train keeps rolling. Currently, the Buckeyes have seven committed players in the 2027 class, but that number could jump to eight very soon. Four-star linebacker Quinton Cypher is down to four schools, and OSU has made the cut.
Cypher hails from Raleigh, North Carolina, and is rated as the No. 11 linebacker in the class according to 247Sports composite rankings. Watching this young man on film, he is explosive, quick to the ball, and can catch players from behind. Recently, Cypher narrowed his choices down to four schools, which include Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, and Miami.
However, it seems that OSU may have the inside track. According to insiders, the Buckeyes and Bulldogs are in a battle for this one, but On3's Steve Wiltfong logged a crystal ball prediction for Cypher to choose the Scarlet and Gray shortly after the list was trimmed to four.
NEWS: Four-Star LB Quinton Cypher is down to 4 schools, he tells me for @rivals⁰⁰The 6’3 215 LB from Raleigh, NC will announce his commitment this week
It sounds as if we'll have an answer sooner rather than later, as the 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker will make his announcement sometime this week. Hopefully, James Laurianitis can work his magic and make it happen.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion.
Dr. Dan Cooper, an orthopedic surgeon based in Dallas, performed the surgery. Cooper specializes in knee and shoulder injuries for the Carrell Clinic, based in Texas.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said earlier Dec. 15 that Mahomes was seeking a second opinion in the Dallas area. The Chiefs said Mahomes will begin his rehab immediately. The three-time Super Bowl winner will have roughly nine months to prepare for Week 1 of the 2026 season.
Patrick Mahomes successfully underwent surgery in Dallas this evening with Dr. Dan Cooper to repair the tear in his left ACL. Mahomes will begin his rehab process immediately.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Sam Reinhart scored a shorthanded goal and a power play goal to lead the Florida Panthers to a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night.
Reinhart recorded his fourth career game with a shorthanded and power play goal in the same game, most in franchise history. Anton Lundell, Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe also scored for Florida, which improved to 5-1-1 in the past seven games.
Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 26 saves.
J.J. Moser and Max Crozier scored for Tampa Bay. Brayden Point finished with a pair of assists. Jonas Johansson, making his seventh consecutive start in place of Andrei Vasilevskiy, made 19 saves.
Reinhart scored shorthanded 2:16 into the first period for Florida’s fourth shorthanded goal of the season. Reinhart passed Scott Mellanby on the play for sixth most points in franchise history.
The Panthers made it 2-0 at 3:48 moments after Yanni Gourde hit the crossbar on an open chance above the crease before Lundell finished off a 3-on-1 rush.
Marchand made it 3-0 at 11:48 of the second period before Reinhart notched a power play goal with 1:52 remaining.
Crozier scored his first career goal with 33 seconds left in the second. Moser cut it to 4-2 deficit 2:11 into the third period. But Verhaeghe scored his eighth goal in his past 10 games at 6:37 to regain a three-goal lead.
The Panthers played most of the third period without defenseman Gustav Forsling, who blocked a shot from Nikita Kucherov off his arm at 3:03 of the third. Forsling went down the tunnel to the locker room and did not return.
Lightning leading goal scorer Brandon Hagel did not play the final 15-plus minutes of the third period after a hit by Florida defenseman Seth Jones.
Now that the 2025 college football regular season is over, we are going to continue to hear about postseason awards and various All-American teams. One of the biggest of those is the Associated Press All-American team, and we saw that announced on Monday, with a lot of Ohio State players involved.
In total, eight Buckeyes were named across the three teams, with four of those keeping their hope alive in becoming consensus first-team All-Americans. Safety Caleb Downs, defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, linebacker Arvell Reese, and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith were all named to the first team, with all four already being named to the Walter Camp First-Team as well.
But that wasn't all, because four more Ohio State players appeared on other teams, with linebacker Sonny Styles and wide receiver Carnell Tate being named second-team All-Americans by the Associated Press, while defensive end Caden Curry and quarterback Julian Sayin appeared on the third team.
Smith, widely known as the best receiver in the game, was snubbed for the Biletnikoff Award on Friday. He's caught 80 passes for 1,086 yards and 11 touchdowns. You can bet that he'll make more All-American lists going forward. Smith has had back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons and still has his junior year to go.McDonald has flashed on the scene this year in the middle of the defensive line and is a potential first-round NFL draft pick come April. He clogs up the middle and has tallied 57 tackles with eight tackles for loss and three sacks.
Reese has also come out of nowhere to be considered one of the best linebackers in the country and also a potential first-round NFL draft pick. He has been used all over the field because of his ability to run and react to plays at several levels. He's had 62 tackles with ten tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.Need a news break? Downs has already taken home the Jim Thorpe Award and is considered by many as the best defensive player in the game, though he did not win the Bednarik Award. Like Reese, he is one of the linchpins of the defense, often lining up at all three levels. He has registered 60 total tackles with five tackles for loss, two interceptions, and a sack so far this year.
The announcement of All-American teams will continue on Tuesday when the AFCA team will be announced. If any of the four first-teamers appear, they will officially garner consensus All-American honors. I like their chances, and even if any of the four don't appear Tuesday, there's still the Sporting News All-American Team on Wednesday, and the Football Writers' Association of America on Thursday.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
Mark Pope isn’t panicking about Kentucky basketball’s offense, even if the results haven’t fully shown up yet. Instead, Pope remains confident that patience and adjustments will pay off as the season moves along.
Pope acknowledged this week that Kentucky has tweaked its style of play to better suit its current personnel, focusing on creating space where players feel most comfortable. While the offense has at times looked “mocked up” and physical, Pope views that as part of the growth process rather than a long-term identity.
“I actually think our team really, listen, by the end of the year, I think we will be really dangerous shooting the ball,” Pope said. “I’ve never been on a team where the NOAH numbers don’t actually eventually transport their way into games. I just have never seen that. So with that history, our expectation is this team will be really dangerous.”
Kentucky’s shooting metrics in practice suggest better days ahead, even if the game results haven’t matched yet, although we have seen some great performances against cupcake teams. Pope emphasized that the biggest hurdle right now is continuity, learning how hard the Wildcats must play to win, and building confidence through small successes.
As that confidence grows, Pope believes the game will begin to open up offensively. At the same time, he likes that his team is learning how to survive and compete in rugged, defensive-minded games, something he believes will matter most in March.
“If we do this right,” Pope said, “it’s going to bode well for us when we get to the latter part of the season and the post-season.”
For Pope, the vision is clear: a Kentucky team capable of winning ugly and exploding offensively when it matters most.
BOSTON (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 32 points and 10 rebounds to help the Detroit Pistons beat the Boston Celtics 112-105 on Monday night.
Caris LeVert and Tobias Harris each added 13 points for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, who won their fourth straight. Detroit also got even for a frustrating loss in Boston late last month.
Jaylen Brown had 34 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead the Celtics. Derrick White scored 31 points as Boston lost its second straight after a five-game winning streak.
When the teams met three weeks ago, Boston ended Detroit’s franchise record-tying 13-game winning streak despite 42 points from Cunningham, who missed a tying free throw in the closing seconds.
Detroit opened the final quarter with a four-point edge and pushed it to 103-93 on Javonte Green’s steal and breakaway dunk with just under six minutes left.
Boston had cut it to 96-93 on White’s three-point play that sent Cunningham to the bench with his fifth foul, but Green had a corner 3 and followed that with his jam that pushed the Pistons up by 10.
The Celtics made one more charge, closing to 104-102 on White’s baseline jumper with 2:47 left, but Cunningham had a couple of key jumpers in the final two minutes.
From the end of the first quarter until early in the fourth, Boston missed 20 of 21 3-point attempts. The Celtics finished just 10 for 39 on 3s; while Detroit was 13 for 36.
CARY, N.C. (AP) — Harrison Bertos scored 1:54 into overtime after Washington blew a two-goal lead in the second half, and the Huskies beat North Carolina State 3-2 to win the Men's College Cup at First Horizon Stadium on Monday night.
It was the first national championship for unseeded Washington (16-6-2), who became the first team to win six road matches in the tournament — beating six seeded teams along the way under the guidance of coach Jamie Clark. The Huskies won in their second trip to the final after losing 2-0 to Clemson in 2021.
No. 15 seed N.C. State (16-3-4) made the final for the first time behind coach Marc Hubbard. The Wolfpack were aiming for the school's first national championship since Jim Valvano led the men's basketball team to the title in 1983.
Zach Ramsey scored unassisted with 1:12 remaining in the first half and Washington took a 1-0 lead into the break. It was only the second time this season that N.C. State trailed at halftime.
Ramsey scored into an empty net after Wolfpack goalkeeper Logan Erb couldn't corral the ball at the top of the box. It was Ramsey's second goal of the tournament.
Richie Aman sent a cross to the center of the goal and Joe Dale knocked it in for a 2-0 lead in the 62nd minute.
Donavan Phillip answered in the 66th, scoring with an assist from Nikola Markovic to cut it to 2-1 with his fourth goal of the tournament. The Wolfpack entered 11-0-1 when Phillip scores.
Taig Healy scored the equalizer with 3:28 remaining with assists from Justin Mclean and Calem Tommy.
Egor Akulov had an assist on Bertos' winner.
Huskies keeper Jadon Bowton, the only remaining player from the 2021 squad, had five saves.
Erb saved six shots for N.C. State, which was the last school to concede a goal this season.
The temperature was 28 degrees when the match between two teams that had never faced each other began.
Dec. 15—During a time of year when downtown Spokane is busy with shoppers, moviegoers and others enjoying the holiday season, two of the region's basketball programs are hoping folks will carve out time for a new tradition.
That is at least part of the impetus behind the 509 Classic, the men's basketball game between Eastern Washington and Washington State set to tip off at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Spokane Arena.
"We're looking at it as more than just a basketball game between Eastern Washington and Washington State," 509 Classic coordinator Jerid Keefer said. "This is a great opportunity to engage more of the community, and it's a celebration of all those things in downtown Spokane in the holiday season."
EWU and WSU played each other at Spokane Arena in 2022 and 2024, but those matchups were both held before Thanksgiving and weren't part of any particular ongoing relationship.
This year's matchup, though, is the first in a three-year series under the "509 Classic" name.
So far, ticket sales are "plugging along," Keefer said.
The 2024 matchup drew an announced crowd of 3,854, while the 2022 contest had an attendance of 5,224.
One focus of the matchup is to raise money for each team's name, image and likeness programs, an aspect of the sport that has become more and more important for recruitment and retention, said Brad Corbin, WSU deputy director of athletics.
Corbin said he also sees this as a chance for Washington State alumni who live in Spokane to more easily see the men's basketball team play.
"A ton of Cougs live in Spokane, and we would love to have that arena as packed as we can get it," he said.
This will be one of three games Washington State will play in Spokane this season. It is scheduled to play Oregon State at the Arena on Jan. 4, and then the Cougars will play at Gonzaga on Feb. 10. Those two are part of their West Coast Conference schedule.
For the Eagles, the matchup provides similar opportunities from the perspectives of finances and exposure. It is also a chance for its alumni base to show just how significant it is in Spokane, EWU athletics director Tim Collins said.
"Between our two schools, we have a little bit of a land -grab fight," Collins said. "Between the two of us, we have the largest alumni bases in Spokane County. You see a lot of both of our logos on flags and license plates, so the idea of bringing the community together for something like that is significant."
The conception of this three-year matchup was an easier sell largely because of the investment and familiarity the two head coaches have with the region, Collins said.
Dan Monson was born in the area and has spent nearly 15 years in the region as a head coach, first at Gonzaga, now at Eastern. David Riley played at Whitworth and was on staff at Eastern from 2011 to 2024, the last three years as head coach, before becoming WSU's head coach before last season.
"Having two head coaches who believe in what basketball means to our region, that's a ton of fun," Collins said. "... That's what I am excited for. It'll be a great night for Spokane."
Keefer said he has hopes to grow the event into a larger celebration of basketball. Part of that includes two youth games that will be held at the Arena before the doors open to the general public on Wednesday night.
And if people who live in the area aren't fans of EWU or WSU, this is still an opportunity for them to see some good Division I basketball locally, Keefer said.
"The crux of it all is, at the end of the day, these two institutions mean a ton to the 509, and basketball is big in the 509," Keefer said.
"This is a celebration of hoops and all things 509."
In the Arizona Cardinals' 40-20 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, 20 players participated in at least one of the 66 offensive snaps.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett, center Hjalte Froholdt, right guard Isaiah Adams and right tackle Kelvin Beachum played every snap. Left guard Jon Gaines II missed one snap, while tight end Trey McBride played all but five. Wide receiver Michael Wilson missed 10 and running back Michael Carter played all but 13 after Bam Knight was injured on the first Cardinals offensive snap of the game.
Rookie center/guard Hayden Conner played his first NFL offensive snaps with three.
How was the playing time divided up? Below are individual snap counts for every player who got in the game offensively, grouped by position.
The first number after each name is snaps and the second is the percentage. Players in bold were starters.
Reserve/injured (eligible for return, but won’t): Kyler Murray
Brissett had another 40-attempt game, completing 27 for 249 yards, three touchdowns, an interception and a 98.9 passer rating. He was sacked twice and ran three times for six yards.
Running backs
Michael Carter (53/80), Bam Knight (1/2), Emari Demercado (7/11), Corey Kiner (5/8)
Reserve/injured: Trey Benson, James Conner (eligible to return, but won’t)
Knight was dropped for a loss of minus-2 yards on the Cardinals first offensive play of the game and was carted off after suffering an ankle injury. There was no further information on the severity of the injury.
Carter had a productive game with 56 yards on 14 attempts, while adding 38 yards on three receptions. Active after missing the previous three games because of an ankle injury, Demarcado played only seven snaps and did little with one yard on one rush and no yards on two receptions because of one 5-yard loss. Kiner had two rushes for 11 yards on his five snaps.
Benson’s 21-day practice window expired Thursday, so he will remain on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
Wide receivers
Michael Wilson (56/85), Jalen Brooks (47/71), Trent Sherfield Sr. (14/21), Andre Baccellia (10/15)
Inactive: WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (injured), Xavier Weaver (injured)
Reserve/injured: Greg Dortch (eligible to return), Simi Fehoko (eligible to return), Zay Jones (eligible to return, but won’t)
Wilson had a quiet first half with one reception for six yards on four targets. However, he finished with five catches on 11 targets and an 11-yard touchdown. The only other wideout with targets was Brooks, who caught one of three for 19 yards.
Baccellia played only 10 offensive snaps after suffering a neck injury returning a kickoff.
Reserve/injured: Tip Reiman, Travis Vokolek (both eligible to return, but won’t)
No matter what defenses do to try and stop him, McBride continues to put up numbers. Targeted 13 times, he caught 12 for 134 yards and two touchdowns. It was his 16th consecutive game with at least five receptions, breaking Travis Kelce’s league record for tight ends.
He also has 105 receptions this season to become the first tight end in NFL history to register two consecutive 100-reception seasons. Kelce has hit the 100-catch barrier three times in his career, but never in consecutive seasons. The Cardinals overall record for receptions in one season in the 115 by DeAndre Hopkins in 2020. McBride also has 1,071 yards this season after having 1,146 last season. McBride needs 135 yards to pass Jackie Smith (1,205 in 1967) for the Cardinals record for most yards by a tight end in a season.
When asked about the consecutive streak, McBride said, "Sixteen games, for what? We've got to get more wins."
Higgins had one catch for three yards Sunday and Brown had two for one yard.
Offensive linemen
C Hjalte Froholdt (66/100), RG Isaiah Adams (66/100),RT Kelvin Beachum (66/100),LG Jon Gaines II (65/98), LT Josh Fryar (38/58), LT Demontrey Jacobs (37/56), G Hayden Conner (3/5)
Inactive: G Evan Brown (personal), LT Paris Johnson Jr. (injured)
Active/did not play: T Christian Jones
Reserve/injured: RG Will Hernandez (eligible to return), RT Jonah Williams (eligible to return, but won’t)
Reserve/injured: Valentin Senn
Brown was inactive handling a family matter for the second consecutive game. Head coach Jonathan Gannon said coaches wanted to see Fryar and Jacobs play and they shared snaps at left tackle while also being an extra blocker on run situations.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Women's World Champion Stephanie Vaquer poses in the ring before her match against Nikki Bella at Survivor Series. - WWE
Stephanie Vaquer is still Women's World Champion, but she won her "WWE Raw" match against Judgment Day's Raquel Rodriguez by interference when WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella came through the crowd and caused a disqualification. Rodriguez had established herself as number one contender to Vaquer's title last week, when she took out Bella as she was attempting to demand her rematch after her loss to Vaquer at Survivor Series.
Rodriguez tried to overpower Vaquer to start off their match, and she got a lot of offense in throughout the bout. Vaquer went to the top rope to hit a flying cross body, but her challenger caught her and slammed her to the canvas. The champion tried to get Rodriguez in an armbar around the ropes, but before the referee could even begin a five count, Rodriguez had Vaquer up and hit a power bomb.
Vaquer hit the Devil's Kiss in the middle of the ring, causing Rodriguez to retreat to the corner where Vaquer hit her with a meteora. She tried to get Rodriguez up for the SVB, but couldn't. On the outside of the ring, Rodriguez caught a second Vaquer cross body and looked to throw her into the ring post, but Vaquer countered and sent Rodriguez face-first into the post.
It was then that Bella came out of the crowd to attack Vaquer. She connected with the Rack Attack 2.0 in the ring and later in a backstage segment, Bella said she demanded respect as a legend in the business from the other women.
Dec. 15—PULLMAN — At Washington State and across the college football ecosystem, it's transfer portal season.
For the second straight year, the Cougars are in the same position, getting ready for a bowl game without a head coach in place. Former coach Jimmy Rogers left for Iowa State on Dec. 5, and defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit is taking over as interim coach, though he is joining Rogers' staff in Ames as defensive coordinator, Bobbit confirmed on Monday afternoon.
On Monday, Bobbit said players who intend to enter the portal remain eligible to play in the Idaho Potato Bowl against Utah State, set for Dec. 22 in Boise. But not all players will.
The Cougars' new head coach is former Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore, who was hired on Friday.
As the Cougs' coaching staff changes, so too does their roster. The transfer portal doesn't open until Jan. 2 — even for teams waiting to hire a new coach, like WSU — but several players have already announced they're planning to enter.
Below is a live tracker of Cougs in the portal. First is a list of the names, and further down are capsules on each player and their backgrounds. It will be updated with each player who enters the portal and, after WSU hires its next coach, with each player who commits to the Cougs.
It's important to keep this in mind: Players can choose to withdraw their names from the portal. It may be likely that the players listed below have played their final snaps at WSU, but it's no guarantee.
Outgoing (10)
Tony Freeman, WR, jr.
Mike Sandjo, DT, rs-sr.
Jaxon Potter, QB, rs-so.
Carter Pabst, WR, fr.
Anthony Palano, LB, rs-fr.
Kenny Worthy, CB, rs-fr.
Devin Ellison, WR, rs-jr.
Jovan Clark, LB, fr.
Dalton Anderson, QB, fr.
Cameron Weir, WR, fr. (walk-on)
Incoming (0)
Dec. 15
Tony Freeman, WR
New school: TBD
Freeman led the Cougars in total receptions this season, hauling in 51 catches for 557 yards and three touchdowns. He is expected to play in the bowl game, a source told The Spokesman-Review, giving quarterback Zevi Eckhaus and the team's offense a lift in the passing game.
A Bay Area native, Freeman started his career at nearby College of San Mateo in 2023 before transferring to WSU ahead of the 2024 season. That year, he found a niche as a punt returner. This fall, the undersized Freeman kept those duties and became one of the Cougs' go-to receivers. His best game came in WSU's close loss to Ole Miss, when he reeled in nine catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.
Mike Sandjo, DT
New school: TBD
A former transfer from SMU, where he spent the 2022-24 seasons, Sandjo was limited by injuries for much of his one season with the Cougars. All told, he started two of four games, logging four total tackles.
His only appearances came in four games: against San Diego State, North Texas, Colorado State and Washington.
Dec. 11
Carter Pabst, WR
New school: TBD
Pabst is expected to enter the portal, according to a source familiar with the situation, ending his one-year stay with the Cougars. As a true freshman, Pabst played in nine games, totaling nine receptions for 168 yards and one touchdown, which came in a win over Toledo.
All told, Pabst played 203 snaps of offense, earning playing time with his reliable hands and solid blocking skills. A Kansas native, Pabst was once committed to North Dakota before flipping to South Dakota State, where former WSU coach Jimmy Rogers was coaching at the time. Pabst then flipped to the Cougars, following Rogers.
Cameron Weir, WR, walk-on
New school: TBD
As a true freshman walk-on, Weir never saw the field as a Cougar. He played his high school ball at Skyline High School, under former WSU linebacker Peyton Pelluer.
Dec. 10
Dalton Anderson, QB
New school: TBD
Anderson announced he's transferring in an Instagram post, leaving WSU after his first season in Pullman. A three-star prospect from Roosevelt High in Seattle, Anderson was once committed to Utah State before flipping to WSU. He also held offers from Montana and Boise State, the latter of which got him on a visit.
Anderson never saw the field as a Cougar.
Dec. 8
Anthony Palano, LB
New school: TBD
A native of the Chicago area, Palano started each of his first seven games at middle linebacker, earning coaches' trust even as a redshirt freshman. On the season, he totaled 63 tackles (25) tolo, 0.5 sacks and broke up two passes. By the end of the season, he was losing snaps to true freshman Sullivan Schlimgen, who looked like the sharper tackler, especially in space.
At South Dakota State, Palano was recruited by Bobbit, who grew up just down the road from Palano's hometown. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds, Palano followed Rogers from WSU to SDSU in large part because of the connection he shares with Bobbit.
Palano is expected to play in the Idaho Potato Bowl, Bobbit said on Monday.
Palano's tackling issues may have cost him his starting spot — he missed 17 tackles in 11 games, per Pro Football Focus — but for WSU, his departure amounts to one of the bigger ones thus far.
Jovan Clark, LB
New school: TBD
A class of 2025 signee from the Chicago area, Clark never saw the field at WSU. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, Clark will look for a fresh start another institution.
Dec. 4
Jaxon Potter, QB
New school: TBD
In his third season at WSU, Potter won the starting QB job out of fall camp, emerging victorious from a competition with veteran Zevi Eckhaus and transfer Julian Dugger. But after Potter threw three interceptions in the first half of WSU's blowout loss to North Texas on Sept. 13, he was benched for Eckhaus, who took over the QB reins for the rest of the regular season.
A third-year sophomore from Huntington Beach, Califorina, Potter went 2-1 as a starter. All told, he completed 67 of 95 passes (71%) for 604 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. In his debut, Potter helped WSU sneak by nearby Idaho in a 13-10 victory. A week later, in the Cougars' blowout win over San Diego State, he connected on 28 of 42 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns, torching an Aztec defense that went on to blossom as one of the best in the nation.
Potter has lots of great qualities as a quarterback, but mobility is not one of them. WSU's coaching staff under Rogers valued that trait in a big way, which was another reason they pivoted away from Potter after Week 3. Potter is a true pocket-passer, which he showed to good effect, but the Cougars' offense wasn't the same with a QB who didn't feel comfortable running the ball.
Kenny Worthy, CB
New school: TBD
Worthy played backup cornerback this season, his first playing meaningful snaps at WSU, and he acquitted himself well. A redshirt freshman from the Phoenix area, Worthy totaled 23 tackles (13 solo) and one pass breakup in all 12 games, logging 348 total snaps on defense. He allowed 15 receptions on 28 targets, which is a respectable rate.
Worthy looked to be carving out an even more prominent role in the years ahead, but he may be spending those at another school.
Devin Ellison, WR
New school: TBD
After playing only 19 snaps in two games at WSU, Ellison departed the team in mid-November, rendering this less newsworthy. He totaled three catches for 52 yards and a touchdown, all of which came in WSU's loss to rival Washington in the Apple Cup on Sept. 20.
The Ellison saga will go down as one of the more fascinating in recent memory at WSU. Last winter, the former junior college star turned down recruiting finalists UCF and Boise State to commit to WSU, which was seen as a splash get for Rogers and the Cougs. He looked poised to thrive in Pullman.
Instead, he played in only two games, missing some because of injury and others because he was simply out of the rotation.
Dec. 15—PULLMAN — Jesse Bobbit may be staying at Washington State as interim coach for the Cougars' upcoming bowl game, but then, he will make his way to Ames, Iowa.
Bobbit is set to follow former coach Jimmy Rogers to Iowa State, where he'll be joining the staff as defensive coordinator, he said after Monday's practice.
"Excited for that opportunity," said Bobbit, who worked as Rogers' DC at WSU this fall. "It's what's best for myself, my wife, our family and just the career moving forward. I had a lot of great conversations with people here, but I'm excited for that journey. This ain't done yet, and that's why I'm here. I'm here to finish it off for these seniors and this team that I care about."
Bobbit will be joining the Cyclones' staff as the full-time defensive coordinator, he said, not co-defensive coordinator, which some reports had suggested. He has long been tied to Rogers, dating back to their days at FCS South Dakota State, where he was Rogers' defensive coordinator for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
But Bobbit and the Cougars' current coaches are set to coach WSU in the Idaho Potato Bowl against Utah State, which is set for Dec. 22 in Boise. The team is scheduled to travel there on Thursday.
Many of WSU's current coaches followed Rogers from South Dakota State to WSU, including Bobbit, wide receivers coach Jake Menage, safeties coach Pete Menage, offensive line coach Taylor Lucas, defensive line coach Jalon Bibbs, special teams coordinator Pat Cashmore, tight ends coach Chris Meyers and others. Chief of staff Jon Shaeffer and general manager Ricky Ciccone have already followed Rogers to ISU.
The Cougars' new head coach Kirby Moore accepted the job on Friday and arrived in Pullman on Sunday. His introductory news conference is set for 1 p.m. Tuesday.
As of Monday, 10 known Cougars have made plans to enter the transfer portal, which opens Jan. 2. Those players are eligible to play in the Idaho Potato Bowl, Bobbit said, but not all will. Redshirt freshman linebacker Anthony Palano, who started seven games this season, is planning to play in the bowl game, Bobbit said. Wide receiver Tony Freeman is also expected to play in Boise, a source told The Spokesman-Review.
Freshman wide receiver Carter Pabst, who is planning to enter the portal, is not expected to play in the bowl game, a source told The Spokesman-Review. Third-year sophomore QB Jaxon Potter and redshirt freshman cornerback Kenny Worthy are also not expected to play, the source added.
"I told everyone on the team in one of my first meetings, 'hold off,' " Bobbit said. "The portal doesn't open up till Jan. 2, or whatever it is. There's no reason to try drawing attention to yourself or whatever that may be. So the message has been, stick with your team. I did say, if that's what you believe is best for you to put out your intent to enter the portal, then you can do that and you're allowed to play. But don't make this a selfish thing. Make this about this group finishing in the right direction."
When Rogers accepted the Iowa State job on Dec. 5, he asked Bobbit what he wanted to do, Bobbit said. That's when he shared his thoughts and chatted with WSU interim AD Jon Haarlow, who named Bobbit the team's interim head coach. "It made sense for me," Bobbit said, "after some thought and a lot of conversations, to take that next step and go with coach Rogers."
"There's responsibilities in both roles," Bobbit added. "Obviously, there's a lot of phone calls back and forth between myself and coach Rogers, and trying to build relationships there. But the most important relationships until I do officially get there in a couple weeks, is this team here, and continuing to build on those relationships, letting these guys know that I'm here for them, that we are here for them as a staff. We're going to get this win together, and I'll always be there for them, hopefully lifelong friendships is what we've talked about all the time. So it's been fun."
MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 106-96 loss to the Toronto Raptors:
– Tyler Herro was away.
– Or at least out of view.
– But the debate doesn’t go anywhere.
– On one hand, with Herro unavailable because of a return of his toe issue, Norman Powell again got to somewhat play as leading man.
– On the other, the offense in this one sure looked like it could have used some of Herro’s help.
– The bottom line: The Heat need to see more Herro.
– Because the Heat need to see more of how/if this works.
– The Heat waited nearly two months for Herro to get back from his September ankle surgery.
– Now, again, more waiting.
– Yes, still relatively early based on the length of the season.
– But who are the whole Heat?
– As before Monday night, who knows?
– But this was bad.
– Very bad.
– Perhaps enough to slant the direction of the offense black in the direction of Herro.
– When he returns.
– Which all now realize can’t come soon enough.
– There was a bit of a pregame thunderbolt, with Herro late scratch due to the toe issue that had him out for two games before returning in last week’s NBA Cup loss in Orlando.
– With Pelle Larsson also out, that had Simone Fontecchio starting in place of Herro, along with Powell, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell.
– All of which still had Kel’el Ware coming off the bench.
– This time, though, there was at least some Adebayo and Ware together.
– The Raptors opened with a lineup of Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Ochai Agbaji and Immanuel Quickley.
– Jaime Jaquez Jr. was first off the Heat’s depleted bench.
– Nikola Jovic, Dru Smith and Ware then followed together.
– With Jovic then almost immediately sidelined by an elbow injury, replaced by Keshad Johnson.
– The left first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis as the lone available Heat player not to see action.
– Both teams were coming off five-day breaks, having last played a week ago Tuesday in NBA Cup quarterfinals.
– “Well, the whole league, basically, had some practice time. I think it was good for us,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We took advantage of it. By this point, we’re ready to play a game.”
– Among the reasons the Heat were able to land Mitchell at last season’s trading deadline was the Raptors’ decision to move forward with second-round pick Jamal Shead.
– “It was probably why we were able to get D-Mitch,” Spoelstra said. “They made a choice and we’re just grateful that we were able to acquire him. But they both have defensive tenacity commitment on that side of the floor and upside offensively.”
– Spoelstra again was asked pregame about Jovic having been removed from the rotation in two of the three previous games.
– “He’s been good the last three weeks,” Spoelstra said. “He’s made some progress in focusing on what he can control – and that’s his work, that’s his approach, the consistency, everyday. Every player gets their opportunity at some point, and then you have to make the most of it, ideally, where you’ve improved, ideally, where you’re impacting the scoreboard.”
– Spoelstra added, “And I want you guys to have to make me make decisions. And that’s what I hope for Niko, that his play makes me have to play him more.”
– Mitchell’s fourth basket was the 1,000th of his career.
Dec. 15—Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has spent this season stringing together a streak of dazzling catches and record-setting statistics, making a case he's the best receiver in the National Football League.
It goes beyond that, though, since so many times he has committed acts of outrageous athleticism that Seahawk fans may have never seen — creating memories while making history.
When a young athlete emerges in the early stages of what appears likely to turn into a historic career, analysts search for comparables among former greats to help define the youth's potential.
Sources who can provide big-picture perspective and long-term possibilities are needed.
Steve Raible is perfect, having either played alongside every Seahawks receiver in history, or covered them — and every other elite receiver in the NFL — from the broadcast booth.
So, Steve, does Smith-Njigba remind you of anyone?
"Jerry Rice."
Holy catfish, Raible, Jerry Rice?
Rice, of course, is recognized as the greatest receiver in the history of the National Football League. When sports historians rank the finest NFL players of all time, Rice is generally placed second behind only Browns running back Jim Brown.
"He's as good as I've ever seen," Raible said of Smith-Njigba. "I think he's as good at the top of his route, getting in and out of the break, whether to the sidelines, to the post, to the corner, as anybody in the league. And he just doesn't drop passes."
Raible is a certified Football-Knower. A second-round pick in the Seahawks' first draft (1976), he played six seasons for the Hawks and went immediately into the booth to add commentary to the play-by-play of the legendary Pete Gross. In 2004, he took over the play-by-play call, while also serving as an Emmy-winning television news anchor in Seattle.
And yes, he is well aware that his former teammate, Steve Largent, is and always will be considered the gold standard for Seahawk receivers.
Largent played 14 seasons, with seven Pro Bowls and a golden jacket from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"The first name that came to mind, in the franchise, was Steve," Raible said, citing Largent's great hands and discipline and route running, etc. "But the overarching first name was Jerry Rice. Rice was smooth in a different way, and he had those magnificent hands and knew how to set up defensive backs to get open. Jax does that as well as anybody."
Real artistry is subjective. Like the rare ones, with his great functional quickness and magnetic hands, JSN makes the hard things look easy, and so often observers use the word "smooth" to describe his route-running.
So many times, Smith-Njigba sprints into openings against zones to become an easy target for quarterback Sam Darnold, making it look as simple as a game of backyard catch. And then he sometimes makes catches with the fingertips of a single hand while tip-toeing the sideline at full speed.
Raible said he and broadcast partner Dave Wyman both have noticed how JSN varies his speed to gain separation from defenders, sometimes slowing as the ball descends, and then surging and extending when the ball is about to arrive. Defenders are helpless to close that gap without interfering.
He also has the strength and an uncanny ability to almost always win that final yard of intense hand-parrying with a defensive back to keep his hands free for the catch.
None of us should be surprised by this. Do an internet search for Smith-Njigba highlights, and archives of spectacular JSN catches dating back to his high-school days in Texas will appear. Usually, they're accompanied by comments like "he's not human," along with almost impossible statistics for catches and yardages.
Check out the recap of the January 2023 Rose Bowl when he led Ohio State to a win with 15 catches for 347 yards and three touchdowns — all Rose Bowl records.
Think of how many great receivers have played in the Rose Bowl. None could match that output.
A hamstring injury his junior season at OSU probably helped the Seahawks get him with the 20th pick of the 2023 draft, the first wide receiver taken that year.
With 100 catches for 1,130 yards last season, JSN earned his first Pro Bowl honor.
The Seahawks' trade of veteran DK Metcalf, along with the release of longtime Hawk Tyler Lockett, opened the way for the offense to focus on JSN, supplemented by the addition of vet Cooper Kupp and newly acquired Rashid Shaheed.
Now, with 96 catches for a Seahawks record of 1,541 yards, Smith-Njigba is within 423 yards of Calvin Johnson's NFL season-record of 1,964 yards, with three games remaining.
JSN would have to average 141 yards a game the rest of the way, above his current average of 110.1 yards per game. Still, he stands a good chance to be the only first-team All-Pro receiver for the Seahawks since Largent earned his lone such honor in 1985.
Another remarkable point: Smith-Njigba is in his third season and still just 23 years old — the age Rice was as a rookie.
The Seahawks have had a series of excellent receivers, so many that have been somewhat overlooked. Darrell Jackson, Metcalf and Lockett, Joey Galloway and Bobby Engram. There's been Brian Blades, pound-for-pound, as tough as a champion middleweight. And Doug Baldwin, the king of the get-off, who dodged media coverage with that blinding blend of jitterbug and Riverdance at the line of scrimmage.
And at the top always has been the Incomparable Steve Largent.
Finally, somebody else is showing the potential to enter that lofty discussion. Health and longevity will be determinants over time.
The final convincing assessment of Raible on Smith-Njigba: "I just think he's the combination of every great receiver we've seen. He's got a little bit of everything, and, in some cases, a lot of everything."
One of the UFC's biggest stars has declared he won't be fighting on the upcoming White House card.
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira posted a brief statement Monday on Instagram, that said just that.
"Looks like White House is a NO GO!!!!" Pereira wrote.
It's unclear if Pereira (13-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) recused himself from consideration or if the promotion has declined his participation for the June 14 card planned for the nation's capital, nor is it known if this is a negotiation issue or otherwise.
Prior to his most recent fight vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Pereira and the UFC butted heads semi-publicly. Pereira tweeted that he was retiring but later said he was hacked. A few months later, he revealed that he was not hacked after all and that he had intentionally tweeted the message.
With the UFC's Paramount era set to begin Jan. 24, the disappearance of pay-per-view could be playing a part. Champions are renegotiating their contracts to account for the extinction of pay-per-view points, so it's possible that's playing a part in this.
Speaking to the media after the 2-2 draw to Mainz, Bayern Munich vice-captain Joshua Kimmich doubled down on his assertion that Lennart Karl is ready to be called up to the national team. Pressure is now mounting on Julian Nagelsmann to give the 17-year-old a callup and take him to the World Cup in 2026.
“It’s simply the truth,” Kimmich said when asked about Karl (via Sport1, translation by @iMiaSanMia). “If someone plays regularly for Bayern and consistently delivers good performances and is German, he belongs in the German national team in the long run — if he can confirm that over weeks and months.”
Karl once again scored alongside Harry Kane to earn Bayern Munich a difficult (and unexpected) 2-2 draw against bottom placed Mainz. He has scored 6 goals and registered 2 assists already this season, at a rate of 0.81 G+A per 90 minutes.
Joshua Kimmich believes that simply putting up these numbers at Bayern Munich is enough to earn a callup. To be honest, it’s hard to argue otherwise. Yes, Karl is surrounded by some of the best players in the world — but he does not look like the odd man out when he sees game time. In fact, he often outshines his peers, which says a lot by itself.
“If you perform consistently at Bayern, then you belong in the national team,” Joshua Kimmich concluded. As captain of Germany, his words carry weight. Julian Nagelsmann can often be stubborn when it comes to callups — will he listen?
If there was any lingering doubt about the direction of the Detroit Lions’ offense, Sunday’s shootout loss to the Los Angeles Rams should have erased it. The final score will show heartbreak, but the film, and the numbers tell a different story. Detroit’s offense did more than enough to win, continuing a trend that has defined the Lions since Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties.
Since Campbell assumed control of the offense, Detroit ranks first in total yards and yards per play, third in points scored and fourth in touchdowns. Just as telling, the Lions rank 24th in punts and dead last — 32nd — in turnovers. This is an offense built to stay on the gas, and against the Rams it did exactly that.
Jared Goff delivered one of his most complete performances of the season, carving up the Los Angeles secondary for 338 passing yards and three touchdowns. Goff finished with a passer rating of 111.8 and consistently answered every Rams score with precision and calm. Against his former team, the quarterback looked fully in command, spreading the ball and attacking all levels of the field.
At the center of it all was Amon-Ra St. Brown, who put together a dominant performance that felt inevitable. St. Brown hauled in 13 receptions, his most in a game this season for a season-high 164 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first Detroit player to record 125 or more receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in either half of a game since Calvin Johnson did it in 2014. Even more remarkably, St. Brown continues to make NFL history, becoming the first player ever to record 90 or more receptions in each of his first five seasons.
When the Rams focused their coverage on St. Brown, Jameson Williams made them pay. Williams’ speed stretched the field repeatedly, changing coverage schemes and opening space underneath. He now has six touchdown receptions of 20 or more yards this season, tied for the sixth-most in single-season franchise history. For his career, Williams has 15 touchdowns of 20-plus yards, tying him with Marvin Jones for ninth-most in team history.
Williams also joined elite company on Sunday, becoming just the third Lions player, alongside Calvin Johnson in 2008 and 2011 to record at least 65 receiving yards and a touchdown in four consecutive road games. His development has transformed Detroit’s offense from efficient to explosive, and against the Rams, that explosiveness was on full display.
What stood out most was the balance and confidence of the offense. Detroit didn’t rely on gimmicks or short fields. The Lions moved the ball consistently, finishing drives and refusing to settle. This is an offense that expects to score, not hope to.
The frustrating reality is that performances like this deserve better outcomes. Scoring at this level, with this efficiency, should win most Sundays in the NFL. Instead, the Lions were forced into a shootout they could not outlast.
Still, the message is clear: the Lions’ offense is championship-caliber. With Goff in rhythm, St. Brown playing at an All-Pro level and Williams providing game-breaking speed, Detroit has one of the most dangerous units in football.
Detroit will now return home to host the Pittsburgh Steelers in its final home game of the season, knowing the margin for error is gone. If the Lions are going to win out and keep their postseason hopes alive, the offense will once again be asked to lead the way, and based on Sunday, it’s more than capable of doing so.
Jordan Chatman was nearly automatic from beyond the arc.
The Florida A&M men’s basketball senior guard drained seven out of 12 three-point attempts during the Rattlers’ (2-5) 93-77 rout of the Albany State Golden Rams (2-5) before a crowd of 602 at the Al Lawson Center on Monday, Dec. 15.
Chatman scored 25 points in total, knocking down eight of 13 field goal attempts.
Including Chatman, four Rattlers reached double-figure point totals with Antonio Baker Jr. adding 19, Anquan Boldin Jr. having 14, and Miles Ndalama’s 10.
Albany State shot pretty well from the field, going 49 percent from the floor and 41 percent (9-for-22) from three. Meanwhile, FAMU made 58 percent of its shots and went 11-for-25 from the three-point line.
Never trailing, FAMU built a 47-35 first-half lead over Albany State and continued to stay ahead for the remainder of the game.
The Rattlers forced 18 Golden Rams turnovers, sparked by Baker’s five steals. FAMU had 25 points off turnovers.
Another glaring difference was the Rattlers’ dominance down low, as they pushed around the Golden Rams in the paint, outscoring them 42-24.
Next up for the Rattlers for the second game of their four-game slate this week is a visit from the Jacksonville Dolphins. FAMU lost to Jacksonville in Duval County 85-82 earlier this month, on Dec. 2.
Afterwards, Ward, Chatman, and the Rattlers head to Texas for games versus Tarleton State (Dec. 19) and TCU (Dec. 21).
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
I am a big believer that quality is much more important than quantity when it comes down to what we share with you here about the latest St. Louis Cardinals news and rumors. I try to make sure that I’m sharing real substance and not just the mystical whims of another sports writer. That being said, the Brendan Donovan trade scenarios and rumors have been among the most challenging in discerning what’s real and what’s imagined I’ve seen in years.
I wish I had a nickel for the number of times just in the past few days that I’ve been tempted to share what I’m hearing about teams that are “in” on Brendan Donovan. The latest and the one I think is likely based in the most fact comes from Katie Woo who named the Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants as the front-runners for Brendan Donovan.
The Mariners and Giants have emerged as frontrunners in a potential trade for Brendan Donovan, according to multiple league sources, with the Cardinals looking to land multiple prospects in a return.
In Katie’s report, there are specific prospects that have been discussed including Jurrangelo Cijntje and Lazaro Montes from the Mariners and Gavin Kilen and Carson Whisenhunt from the Giants. Seattle Sports says the Mariners are targeting either Donovan or Marte and I’ve heard the same speculation about the Giants. It’s worth mentioning that we don’t know if these players were offered or if these were players the Cardinals were interested in. Some are even thinking a Brendan Donovan trade could go down this week. We’ll see.
I am not exaggerating when I say that you can Google “Brendan Donovan traded to” and you’ll see nearly every MLB team come up in the results including the Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and I could go on and on. Nearly every team makes sense at some level because there are very few teams that would NOT love to have a Brendan Donovan and most of those teams have prospects which line up with what St. Louis Cardinals President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom has mentioned he favors. These reports are a dime a dozen and probably worth a lot less than that.
Let’s get back to the facts and what I believe is the wild card in all of the Brendan Donovan speculation. We don’t know what the Arizona Diamondbacks are asking for Ketel Marte. There’s also a report that the San Francisco Giants are on Marte’s no-trade list. I think that may end up playing a role in where Brendan Donovan ends up also.
I’m gonna go ahead and toss out a prediction and I’ll even go so far as to predict that it will happen this week. I think that the San Francisco Giants will be the team that ends up giving the St. Louis Cardinals the prospects they want because I believe they really do NEED either Ketel Marte or Brendan Donovan and I don’t think the Arizona Diamondbacks want to trade within their division even if Marte is willing to go there. That leaves Chaim Bloom and his high ask for multiple prospects as the likely winner.
I like what I’ve seen so far from Chaim Bloom and the moves he’s made. The Dustin May free agent signing was a very low-risk, possibly high reward move and the Sonny Gray for prospects trade was needed. How he handles this Brendan Donovan trade will tell us a lot about the future of the St. Louis Cardinals. I am cautiously optimistic.
For most of the season, the general thought was that Travis Kelce would retire whenever the Kansas City Chiefs' 2025 campaign came to an end.
But then this season actually happened, and it's been a nightmare for the Chiefs, who are 6-8, officially eliminated from the playoffs and now reeling from Patrick Mahomes' torn ACL suffered Sunday.
The struggles might actually change Kelce's plans, according to The Daily Mail.
"Travis Kelce does not want to go out on the back of the Kansas City Chiefs failing to make the playoffs and intends to return for another year, an insider has told Daily Mail," wrote Russ Weakland in a new article.
Here's more from Weakland, attributed to a source:
"For the Chiefs, Travis and Patrick [Mahomes], it is Super Bowlor bust, and they are now living in their bust era. With Patrick getting injured, the team not going to the playoffs this year and the struggles Travis has had this season, what was once something Travis was thinking about is starting to change. [Kelce] was heavily considering retirement, and that was when he had other expectations for this season. But how it has all turned out, he doesn't want to go out this way. The next few weeks are going to be what they are going to be, but Travis is now heavily considering going through the offseason with the same mindset in training and to do at least one more season. Give it one last run. He wants to have one more ride with Patrick, wants to end it on his terms and not the nightmare that this season has turned out to be."
It's certainly going to be a confusing time with lots of dueling speculation.
Earlier on Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter said he wouldn't be surprised if Kelce does retire.
His brother, Jason, said during ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcast that "you gotta step away from the game a little bit" to "nail" the decision, because otherwise "it's too fresh."
Basically: No one really knows. Travis probably doesn't even know yet.
All he knows for sure is that the season will be done when the regular season ends with Week 18, and he's getting married on June 13. Other than that, the future has plenty to be determined.
MIAMI — The payoff for five days off? A fifth straight loss.
Whether playing games in bunches or otherwise, it is not going well for the Miami Heat, this time falling 106-96 Monday night to the Toronto Raptors at Kaseya Center.
Still without a victory since Dec. 1, the Heat this time could not overcome another injury absence from guard Tyler Herro.
As has been the case in recent games, the offense again sputtered, much of the early-season energy missing.
So while the Raptors snapped their four-game losing streak, the Heat’s moved to five.
Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 20 points and 10 rebounds, with Norman Powell also scoring 20. Otherwise, not nearly enough amid Herro’s absence.
Brandon Ingram led the Raptors with 28 points.
Five Degrees of Heat from Monday night’s game:
1. Game flow: The Raptors led 23-22 after the first period, with the Heat then moving to a 52-46 halftime lead. From there, the Heat went into the fourth quarter up 77-74.
The Raptors swiftly moved to a 91-81 lead with 7:31 to play, putting the Heat in catch-up mode from that stage, as the offense stalled.
From there, the Heat closed within 100-96 with 1:28 to play on a pair of Powell free throws, but the inability to get a defensive stop on the other and then the Heat’s 19th turnover effectively ended it.
2. No Herro: Having returned from a two-game absence in last Tuesday night’s NBA Cup loss in Orlando, Herro again was listed as out with a toe contusion, his third game missed with the ailment since Dec. 5. That is in addition to the 17 games he missed at the start of the season after September ankle surgery.
With guard Pelle Larsson out due to an ankle sprain, it resulted in the first Heat start for Simone Fontecchio, in an opening lineup rounded out by Adebayo, Powell, Andrew Wiggins and Davin Mitchell.
That gave the Heat their 11th lineup in their 26 games.
3. Jovic lost: Forward Nikola Jovic left in the first period with his right arm in a protective brace after a hard fall.
The Heat listed it as an elbow injury, ruling him out for the night.
Jovic, who had been held out of the rotation in two of the previous three games, got the opportunity for the playing time with Herro and Larsson sidelined.
Jovic entered Monday night’s game with 3:50 to play in the opening period and was forced out 12 seconds later.
Because Jovic was unable to shoot the free throws from the foul on Toronto’s Collin Murray-Boyles, the Raptors were allowed to select the replacement shooter. They selected seldom-used forward Keshad Johnson, who entered 7 of 11 from the line, making both replacement free throws.
Johnson then remained in the game, taking the minutes that would have gone to Jovic.
A stretcher initially was brought to the court, with Jovic instead able to walk off the court while assisted.
4. Still struggling: For the first time in a week, Fontecchio hit a shot, after going 0 for 5 in last week’s loss in Orlando.
But the struggles remain ongoing, with Fontecchio closing 1 of 5 from the field Monday night, including 1 of 4 from beyond the arc.
5. Up next: It’s now out on the road for a three-game trip for the Heat after a two-day break, opening with a back-to-back set on Thursday and Friday nights against the Brooklyn Nets and then the Boston Celtics, with the trip concluding Sunday against the New York Knicks.
The Heat’s next home game also will be against the Raptors, on Dec. 23.
The Steelers scored at the end of the first half and then scored again at the beginning of the second half. They have a 14-3 lead on the Dolphins.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught his first touchdown pass as a Steeler, with his 19-yard score coming with 11:20 remaining in the third quarter.
The Steelers, who closed the first half with Connor Heyward scoring his first career rushing touchdown with 17 seconds left in the second quarter, took the opening kickoff in the third quarter. They marched 71 yards in only six plays.
Kenneth Gainwell had the big play in the possession with a 38-yard run to the Miami 22 before Minkah Fitzpatrick pushed him out of bounds.
Aaron Rodgers has completed 10 passes in a row and now is 14-of-15 for 124 yards and a touchdown. Gainwell has six catches for 41 yards and five rushes for 44 yards.
As they look to take the next steps toward winning their 18th NBA championship, the Los Angeles Lakers could use some added athleticism, perimeter defense and 3-point shooting. Some fans have been calling for them to give more playing time to rookie forward Adou Thiero and second-year wing Dalton Knecht as a result.
But minutes for both men have been few and far between so far this season. They have both mostly only gotten onto the court during garbage time, but at the same time, both need a substantial number of reps during games in order to develop into whatever they're capable of becoming.
Both Knecht and Thiero have reportedly been assigned to the Lakers' G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned guard Dalton Knecht and forward Adou Thiero to the South Bay Lakers.
In the G League, both players will be able to get significant playing time while competing against lesser talent, which will allow them to develop and build confidence. If both remain in the G League long enough, it should give the Lakers organization a good picture of where they are right now in terms of their development and ability.
South Bay's next game will be on Tuesday versus the San Diego Clippers.
NEW YORK (AP) — Cutter Gauthier scored the go-ahead goal six minutes into the third period and got his second on an empty-netter, Lukas Dostal stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the New York Rangers 4-1 on Monday night to end a two-game losing streak.
Gauthier’s first goal with one second left on a power play came off a perfectly placed pass from rookie Beckett Sennecke. Igor Shesterkin barely had a chance to react.
Defenseman Jackson LaCombe scored Anaheim’s first goal shorthanded in the second period, putting home a rebound after Jacob Trouba sprung Ryan Poehling up the ice late in the Rangers’ 5-on-3 power play. Dostal was brilliant at the other end of the rink, at one point making a toe save on J.T. Miller and sliding over to deny Vladislav Gavrikov immediately after.
The Ducks got a goal in the final seconds from Pavel Mintyukov and celebrated with Trouba and veteran forward Chris Kreider, who returned to play at Madison Square Garden for the first time since the Rangers sent them to southern California in separate trades. Kreider and Trouba each waved to the crowd after tribute videos during timeouts in the first while fans applauded.
Matthew Robertson scored the only goal for the Rangers, who have lost 12 of 16 games at home. The shot from Robinson deflected off Frank Vatrano’s stick and popped into the air before going in off Dostal’s.
New York was without center Mika Zibanejad, whom coach Mike Sullivan scratched for breaking a team rule by missing a meeting. Big winger Matt Rempe took Zibanejad’s spot in the lineup, back after he missed 24 games since getting injured in a fight Oct. 23.
Up next
Ducks: Wrap up their five-game Eastern Conference road trip Tuesday night at the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Rangers: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.
Having been claimed from the Jacksonville Jaguars from final 53-man roster cuts, Muma appeared in 5 games for the Colts this season, recording 5 tackles (3 solo). The 26-year-old linebacker was waived by the Colts on November 1st before later being re-signed to the team’s practice squad prior to New England poaching him.
As for Walker Jr., the 30-year-old, former 5th round pick of the Colts had yet to appear in a game for Indianapolis so far this season. After being released by Tampa Bay in late August, he was re-signed to the Colts practice squad on September 1st before the Bucs now claimed him and brought him back.
The veteran linebacker made 48 starts for Indianapolis from 2017-20, recording 343 tackles (229 solo), 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 11 passes defensed, a forced fumble, and 2 fumble recoveries during that same span.
With Jaylon Carlies surprisingly a healthy scratch last weekend, the Colts don’t necessarily have the same dire need at linebacker as the defense did to start the season, largely because of injuries and a lack of suitable replacements back then. The signing of veteran linebacker Germaine Pratt has helped a lot in that regard.
That being said, we wish both of these linebackers well at their next NFL stop, just not against the Colts.
The Tar Heels (9-1) rode much-improved perimeter shooting to victory, headlined by 10 makes on 23 attempts. West Virginia transfer Jonathan Powell, who tied his career high with 17 points, nailed three trifectas.
The Tar Heels find themselves one spot behind Louisville, which won by 26 on Saturday and one spot ahead of Vanderbilt, which remains undefeated with a 11-point win over Central Arkansas.
UNC will be tested in its next game, traveling to Atlanta for a CBS Sports Classic matchup with Ohio State. The Buckeyes (8-2) escaped West Virginia in overtime Saturday, winning 89-88 for their third, one-point decision through 10 games.
After going 1-0 last week with a win over USC Upstate, #UNC (9-1) moves up two spots to No. 12 in this week’s AP Top 25.
The Tar Heels are the third-highest ranked ACC team, with only Duke (3) and Louisville (11) ranked ahead of them.
Saturday will be a homecoming for Caleb Wilson, who played his high school ball at Holy Innocents Episcopal in Atlanta. Wilson won a state championship earlier in 2025, while also earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors.
North Carolina's schedule eases up a bit after facing OSU, with home matchups against East Carolina (December 22) and Florida State (Dec. 30) to close out the year. The Tar Heels' first ACC road game come January 3, when it travels to Dallas for a battle with 9-2 SMU.
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The Florida Panthers were looking to build off their shutout win in Dallas as they wrapped up their road trip in Tampa on Monday night.
They certainly did so, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning by a final of 5-2 to wrap up their four-game road trip through three different time zones.
Florida’s penalty kill came into Monday killing 21 of their last 22 penalties, and after creating multiple chances in their last game, they were able to convert minutes into the hockey game, thanks to Sam Reinhart.
On a quick odd man rush, the Bolts were drawing more towards Anton Lundell, Reinhart saw a clear shooting lane and converted.
His 16th of the season and third short handed.
Reinhart scored his 13th short handed goal as a Panthers, tying Aleksander Barkov for second most in franchise history.
Radek Dvorak holds the franchise short handed goal record at 16.
It didn’t take long for the Cats to add to their lead.
Tampa Bay had a quality scoring chance to tie the game, where Yanni Gourde hit the post, and on the same shift, Florida came up off the rush the break, and just like Reinhart earlier, Lundell came up the right wing and shot the puck before Tampa was able to close in and they beat Jonas Johansson once again.
Lundell with his 10th of the season and the former first round pick has reach double digit goals in each of his five seasons in a Panthers sweater.
Lighting owned three-fourths of the shot attempt share in all situations in the first period, but were unable to find the back of the net. The chances were highlighted by two saves from Sergei Bobrovsky in the same sequence on Nikita Kucherov and Anthony Cirelli.
Florida completely tilted the ice in the second period, with a good amount of their shots coming on an early power play in the second period.
Despite not scoring on the man advantage, they converted just over midway through the period.
Off a give-n-go on a zone entry, Carter Verhaeghe center the puck to a cutting Brad Marchand and connected beautifully on the tape, and redirected it in to make it a three-goal lead.
Marchand now at 19 goals on the season, where he had 23 all of last season, and on pace for 49 goals.
The dominance continued late into the frame as the Panthers won a board battle in the corner, with Mackie Samoskevich coming on the ice with the first power play unit, and wasted no time getting the puck off his stick and set up Reinhart all alone in the left circle, and his wrist shot beat Johansson to make it a 4-0 lead.
There was not going to be a second consecutive shutout for Florida, as the Bolts responded just over a minute later and before the second intermission, where Max Crozier’s shot from the point got through loads and traffic and got through Bobrovsky past the far side blocker.
That was Crozier's first career NHL goal.
Tampa Bay's momentum carried over into the third period as they got a goal on the board off a counter attack, Brayden Point hit JJ Moser as the trailer, his fake slap shot froze the Panthers defense and with Jake Guentzel parked in the blue paint, it was now a two-goal game.
Paul Maurice challenge for goaltender interference, but was unsuccessful with Guentzel's skates outside of the blue paint.
Florida went to the box for delay of game on the challenge, but did not allow them to climb back even closer continuing their run killing 25 of their last 26 penalties.
Shortly after another successful kill, it's another score as Uvis Balinskis kept the puck in the Lightning end, and fed Carter Verhaeghe down low.
Verhaeghe recognized Johansson committing down, and shot it top shelf to make it 5-2 for his 10th goal of the season, and his sixth since returning to the lineup after becoming a father, and is halfway towards his goal total from last season.
Balinskis with two primary assist's on the evening.
Guess what? The Panthers kill another penalty after Rodrigues went to the box for delay of game, not allowing the Bolts to even get close to making it a hockey game.
Florida allowed six shots on five Tampa power plays.
Florida ended the road trip earning six out of a possible eight points and are in striking distance of the final playoff spot with 50 games left.
Panthers return home as they will play eight of their next nine games in Sunrise. First on the schedule will be the Los Angeles Kings in Anze Kopitar’s final visit to South Florida as they will look to sweep the season series.
It will be one of the games within the big game on Thursday night. The Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks will duel for the NFC West lead. Two of their wide receivers, Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are up top in the receiving yardage race. Smith-Njigba has 1,541 yards while Nacua has 1,367. Both are capable of having huge games and testing secondaries. There are now seven receivers who have reached four figures in yardage, including a tight end. That would be Arizona's Trey McBride who leads the NFL with 105 receptions for 1,071 yards.
To no surprise whatsoever, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will aggressively embrace the challenge of getting healthy again.
The Chiefs announced on Monday night that Mahomes "successfully underwent surgery in Dallas this evening with Dr. Dan Cooper to repair the tear in his left ACL."
Added the Chiefs: "Mahomes will begin his rehab process immediately."
Indeed he will. And he'll do everything in his power to get himself ready to go, as quickly as possible. Starting with surgery barely 24 hours after the injury happened.
It's consistent with the advice Tom Brady gave to Mahomes on the Let's Go! podcast. Attack the rehab process so that he can return to training mode as soon as possible.
The Cleveland Guardians entered MLB’s Winter Meetings with plenty of unknowns. Now, a week after the annual event, the organization has just as many, if not more, questions to answer before spring training and the 2026 season begins.
Here are three of Cleveland’s biggest questions that they must find resolutions to before the offseason progresses.
Is Cleveland’s Outfield Set?
Right now, the outfielders who will likely be on Cleveland’s Opening Day roster are Chase DeLauter, George Valera, Nolan Jones, Steven Kwan, and either Jhonkensy Noel or Johnathan Rodriguez. The players with a chance
There’s a lot to like about that group’s potential; there’s also a lot to be concerned about. The Guardians clearly don’t want to take away opportunities from the young core, but the group is unproven, heavy on left-handed hitting, and is generally injury-prone.
Will these concerns spark the Guardians to make another move this winter, or is this the group they’re hoping will take a massive step forward in 2026?
Are The Guardians Comfortable With Their Bullpen Depth?
At multiple points throughout the offseason, both Stephen Vogt and Chris Antonetti have stressed the need for more bullpen depth.
Unlike the position player side of things, Cleveland has added to their reliever core. Over the last few weeks, the Guardians have added RHP Connor Brogdon, RHP Peyton Pelltte, and RHP Colin Holderman to their reliever core.
Vogt said during MLB’s Winter Meetings that the Guardians need eight guys in their bullpen. Will these three round out the reliever depth, or will Cleveland still add another pitcher before Opening Day?
What Should Cleveland Do With Its Extra Starter?
One area where the Guardians have some depth is their starting rotation. Cleveland ended the 2025 season with a six-man rotation, but that’s not a viable option throughout a 162-game season.
So, what happens with the extra starter, or in this case, one of Logan Allen, Joey Cantillo, and Parker Messick?
Will the rookie start the season in the minors? Does Allen get traded to add another bat to the lineup? Will Cantillo go back to being a reliever, a role he had at the beginning of the 2025 season?
The Guardians still have a lot to determine with this position group.
Maybe more importantly, quarterback Patrick Mahomes had to leave the game before it ended. Mahomes went down late in the fourth quarter, as his left knee was twisted while trying to throw the ball away near the sidelines.
Mahomes was officially diagnosed with a torn ACL on Sunday night.
"An MRI has confirmed that Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes sustained a torn ACL in his left knee in today’s game," the Chiefs said in a statement. "Patrick and the club are currently exploring surgical options."
On Monday, the Chiefs said that Mahomes had already undergone his ACL surgery, although they did not offer a timetable for the quarterback. Adam Schefter noted that Mahomes will be "up against the start of the 2026 season" with a potential nine-month recovery.
"Patrick Mahomes successfully underwent surgery in Dallas this evening with Dr. Dan Cooper to repair the tear in his left ACL," the team said in a statement. "Mahomes will begin his rehab process immediately."
Mahomes has undoubtedly played his final snap of the 2025 season, and he also now carries the potential to miss a portion of the 2026 season. Torn ACLs can result in a recovery period from 9-to-12 months, so it will depend on his progress in rehab.
Mahomes needed assistance making his way into the locker room, an early that the injury would keep him out for a bit. After the game, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid acknowledged the gravity of the situation, but initially didn't have much more information.
"It didn't look good, I mean, you guys saw it," Reid said.
Reid added that Mahomes would have an MRI on his knee to get a diagnosis on the injury, which resulted in the torn ACL diagnosis.
Mahomes also made his first public comments since the injury, saying he will "be back stronger than ever."
Don’t know why this had to happen. And not going to lie it’s hurts. But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again. Thank you Chiefs kingdom for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I Will be back…
Since the the MRI concluded that Mahomes tore his ACL, the quarterback will be out for the rest of the season and in danger of missing the start of next year. A torn ACL typically requires a recovery time of 9-12 months, depending on the severity of the injury,
While Mahomes has dealt with some injuries in his career, a torn ACL is by far his most serious since joining the NFL.
For years, many things broke the team's way — after landing a superstar quarterback in Patrick Mahomes and building around him effectively, they won multiple Super Bowls while becoming an annual playoff threat. The Chiefs have been considered a dynasty for a few years now, but with how things have gone the last few weeks, their current run may be over.
Not only was Kansas City eliminated from AFC playoff contention in Week 15 for the first time in Mahomes' career, but the quarterback also went down with a torn ACL against the Los Angeles Chargers. Mahomes' injury and the Chiefs struggles are set to have drastic consequences on their future outlook, as they now question what's next for the team in 2026.
How will Mahomes' injury and the Chiefs' failed 2025 season impact the future of Travis Kelce, Andy Reid and more? Here's a look at what's next for Kansas City.
Mahomes has been diagnosed with a torn ACL, the Chiefs announced Sunday. While an official timetable has yet to be announced, typical torn ACL injuries result in an 8-to-12 month recovery period.
"An MRI has confirmed that Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes sustained a torn ACL in his left knee in today’s game," a team statement read. "Patrick and the club are currently exploring surgical options."
The Chiefs then said on Monday that Mahomes had undergone his surgery already.
"Patrick Mahomes successfully underwent surgery in Dallas this evening with Dr. Dan Cooper to repair the tear in his left ACL," the Chiefs said in a statement. "Mahomes will begin his rehab process immediately."
The quarterback was injured during the Chiefs' final drive of their Week 15 loss to the Chargers; as he was tackled from behind, his left leg appeared to get stuck in the field, and it bent awkwardly. He immediately started grabbing at his left knee.
Mahomes did not return, seen limping to the locker room with trainers. Head coach Andy Reid said after the game that Mahomes hurt his left knee and he would be getting an MRI, which confirmed the torn ACL.
After the game, Mahomes shared a message to X to Chiefs fans.
"Don’t know why this had to happen. And not going to lie [it] hurts. But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again," Mahomes wrote. "Thank you Chiefs kingdom for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I Will be back stronger than ever."
Don’t know why this had to happen. And not going to lie it’s hurts. But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again. Thank you Chiefs kingdom for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I Will be back…
The expectation, given typical ACL recovery timelines, is that Mahomes will miss the beginning of the 2026 season, on top of the rest of 2025. Eight months, an optimistic outlook for the injury, would mean a July or August return, before the 2026 season, but 11 or 12 months, a tougher outlook, would slot him in to return in November or December of 2026.
Chris Jones, the Chiefs' longtime defensive leader, also left in Week 15 with an apparent injury. Jones exited in the third quarter against the Chargers, seen limping off the field then getting his left leg worked on at the medical table.
Postgame, Jones indicated that he'd be willing to play through whatever injury he was dealing with, lessening the concern for the star defensive tackle.
"It's December... Everyone is battling something... Injury, whether it's big, small... For me, if I can play, I can play," Jones said, per Charles Goldman.
For now, Jones appeared to be healthy enough to consider playing again this season, but the Chiefs may be cautious with their playoff hopes gone.
Will Travis Kelce retire in 2026?
Travis Kelce came into the 2025 offseason with his football future completely up in the air. He heavily mulled retirement, saying after losing Super Bowl LIX he wanted to "take some time" to decide if he'd continue playing. Ultimately, he announced a few weeks later that he would fulfill the final year of his contract with the Chiefs in 2025.
Kelce has not officially said whether the 2025 season would be his last, but given the circumstances, he's expected to once again heavily consider retirement. The tight end is on the final year of his current contract, meaning he'd have to sign a new one to return in 2026.
On top of that, Kelce's numbers have been declining for multiple years now. He has 727 yards through 14 games this season, still one of the most effective receiving tight ends in the league, but by no means is he the athletic star he was in his prime.
For now, Kelce's future is up in the air, but expect to hear more retirement buzz in the coming weeks as the 2025 season ends.
The other constant figure in the Chiefs' organization is Andy Reid, head coach of the team since 2013. At 67 years old, he is one of the oldest head coaches in the NFL, but Reid also hasn't indicated any plans to leave Kansas City.
Reid signed a contract extension in 2024, which lasts through 2029. For that reason, he shouldn't be considered likely to retire very soon — or else he likely would've signed a shorter-term extension.
Despite a rough 2025 season, expect to see Reid on the sidelines with the Chiefs again next season.
Chiefs draft picks 2026
1st-round pick (own)
2nd-round pick (own)
3rd-round pick (own)
4th-round pick (own)
5th-round pick (own)
5th-round pick (comp)
Per Spotrac, the Chiefs are projected to have all of their own picks from rounds 1-5 in the 2026 NFL Draft, along with a projected comp pick from the NFL.
Kansas City is set to owe the Patriots its sixth-rounder and the Cowboys its seventh-rounder.
Because the Chiefs will not be in the playoffs this season, they may be able to grab a pick in the top 10-15 range for the 2026 draft.
Chiefs cap space 2026
The Chiefs are set to have a lot of decisions to make in the offseason — Spotrac estimates that, as things stand, the team will be around $34.2 million over the salary cap in the 2026 season, and that's only accounting for the 36 projected rostered players. In 2025, the Chiefs currently have an estimated cap space of $2.69 million, per Spotrac.
Mahomes' projected cap hit in 2026 of $78.2 million leads the team. Restructuring his contract could help Kansas City get more cap wiggle room, but they'll also have key decisions to make on players like Travis Kelce, Jaylen Watson and Isiah Pacheco in free agency, along with the cap room that players like Jawaan Taylor, Chris Jones and Trey Smith are taking up.
One way or another, the Chiefs will have a busy offseason this spring.
NEW YORK (AP) — Cutter Gauthier scored the go-ahead goal six minutes into the third period and got his second on an empty-netter, Lukas Dostal stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the New York Rangers 4-1 on Monday night to end a two-game losing streak.
Gauthier's first goal with one second left on a power play came off a perfectly placed pass from rookie Beckett Sennecke. Igor Shesterkin barely had a chance to react.
Defenseman Jackson LaCombe scored Anaheim's first goal shorthanded in the second period, putting home a rebound after Jacob Trouba sprung Ryan Poehling up the ice late in the Rangers' 5-on-3 power play. Dostal was brilliant at the other end of the rink, at one point making a toe save on J.T. Miller and sliding over to deny Vladislav Gavrikov immediately after.
The Ducks got a goal in the final seconds from Pavel Mintyukov and celebrated with Trouba and veteran forward Chris Kreider, who returned to play at Madison Square Garden for the first time since the Rangers sent them to southern California in separate trades. Kreider and Trouba each waved to the crowd after tribute videos during timeouts in the first while fans applauded.
Matthew Robertson scored the only goal for the Rangers, who have lost 12 of 16 games at home. The shot from Robinson deflected off Frank Vatrano's stick and popped into the air before going in off Dostal's.
New York was without center Mika Zibanejad, whom coach Mike Sullivan scratched for breaking a team rule by missing a meeting. Big winger Matt Rempe took Zibanejad's spot in the lineup, back after he missed 24 games since getting injured in a fight Oct. 23.
Up next
Ducks: Wrap up their five-game Eastern Conference road trip Tuesday night at the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Rangers: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.
Following the NBA Cup semifinals games on Saturday night, former Miami Heat legend Dwayne Wade joined the broadcast to talk about the Miami Heat among other NBA topics.
During the postgame show, Wade linked up with his longtime teammate, Udonis Haslem as the two reminisced about their days playing with one another. More specifically, Haslem asked Wade about a rumored trade that nearly came to fruition back in the day.
Wade elaborated on the possible deal saying: "I had a one-on-one with Riles (Pat Riley) about it," said Wade. "It went a little like this: Riles wanted to talk to me about the possibility of of trading for Allen Iverson. That's one of my favorite players and I love him. I was like, 'Bet! Let's do it.' He said, 'You in?' I said, 'I'm in.' He said, 'We have to trade UD.' I said, 'I'm out.' That was it. I was out,"
Just the thought of a backcourt with Dwayne Wade and Allen Iverson together would terrorize opponents, as the two were averaging a combined 50+ points at the time. That said, Wade opened up on his reasons behind wanting to keep Haslem on the team. "Listen, I love AI, but he wasn't gonna stick up for me, he wasn't gonna fight for me, he wasn't gonna take no fines for me or nothing. Nah, I'm gonna stick with my homie and keep my guy here," Wade said.
Haslem, also known by the nickname "Mayor of Miami" went on to spend 20 seasons with the Heat, playing in 879 games and winning three titles in South Beach.
Although the duo of Wade and Iverson would have been electric to watch, it's safe to say things worked out for Miami.
STILLWATER — While Eric Morris has targeted younger individuals during the early stages of putting his Oklahoma State football staff together, his latest addition has been in the business since the late 1900s.
Reggie Johnson will make the trek from North Texas to OSU with Morris and serve as the Cowboys’ linebackers coach, the school announced Monday.
Johnson’s first coaching job came as a graduate assistant at Louisville in 1997. He has primarily coached linebackers or defensive ends throughout his career with stops at a variety of schools, including UTEP, Arkansas, Purdue, Western Kentucky and others.
Johnson also served as defensive coordinator in stops at Alabama A&M and UAB.
He first crossed paths with Cassity at Missouri State in 2020, where Johnson later served as co-defensive coordinator.
Former Raiders head coach Mike White died Sunday in Newport Beach, California, the team announced on Monday. He was 89.
White was the Raiders' quarterbacks and offensive line coach from 1990-94 before becoming the head coach in 1995. He lasted only two seasons, going 8-8 and 7-9.
White finished his career with three seasons as an offensive assistant with the Rams.
"The Raiders Family is saddened by the passing of Mike White, former head coach of the Silver and Black and a long-time NFL and college coach and mentor," the Raiders said in a statement. "The prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with Mike's family at this time."
White, a Bay Area native, starred at Cal and coached at his alma mater, Stanford and Illinois. In 1978-79, he served on the 49ers' staff as the offensive line coach.
He coached under Bill Walsh and Dick Vermeil before getting his first head coaching job.
White was head coach at Cal from 1972-77 and at Illinois from 1980-87.
ATLANTA, Georgia, Dec. 15 — The No. 32/SN No. 23 Creekside [Fairburn, GA] Seminoles and the Benedictine [Savannah, GA] Cadets in Georgia's GHSA Class 4A state championship game.
Creekside, in a word, has been dominant, and they enter the game as heavy favorites to win. The Cadets own a 70-28 win over the No. 31 DeSoto [TX] Eagles, a team that will play for the Texas UIL Class 6A Division II championship next weekend. And their 48-28 win over Rome [GA] was even more one-sided than the No. 3/SN No. 5 Carrollton [GA] Trojans' win over the Wolves that finished 28-21.
Carrollton will play the No. 1/SN No. 1 Buford [GA] Wolves Tuesday night in a game that could decide the national championship, indicating that this Creekside team can probably line up against anybody in Georgia – even the top teams from the Class 5A and 6A ranks.
On the punt, Creekside runs a fake with a direct snap to the upback. Benedictine wasn't in a punt fake defense, and the Creekside back runs through a gaping hole just left of the middle of the line, and now the Seminoles can bleed the clock even further. Just over four minutes to play.
__________
Benedictine forces the fourth down, and then calls a timeout. They've only got one left, so they'll have to score quickly on this next drive to have a chance.
__________
About 7 minutes to play. Creekside just forced a punt, and they have got 310 rushing yards tonight. That's a good stat to have when you're trying to run the clock down. Benedictine needs at least two possessions, so they've got to shut down this high-powered rushing attack.
__________
CREEKSIDE 42, BENEDICTINE 31
Is this the beginning of another Benedictine rally from 18 points down? Buckle up, because this outcome is still very much hanging in the balance.
__________
End of the third quarter: Creekside 42, Benedictine 24
Well, here we are. After making four deep runs in the playoffs the past four years but failing to win a state title, the Seminoles of Creekside High School are 12 minutes away from winning that elusive championship.
__________
CREEKSIDE 42, BENEDICTINE 24
Well, if Benedictine is going to win this, they're going to have to rally from a second 18-point deficit.
It's been back and forth. But after trailing by 18 in the second quarter and then rallying to take the lead at the half, Benedictine finds itself facing a two-score deficit again.
Creekside with a quick statement to retake the lead.
__________
They're just under way in the second half, less than 24 minutes away from crowning a new Class 4A champion.
__________
End of the second quarter: Benedictine 24, Creekside 21
I won't lie, folks. I watched this Creekside team a couple of times this year, including their 70-28 win over DeSoto early in the season. When they went up 21-3, it felt like it was on its way to being over. Credit this Benedictine program and its championship pedigree for not only stopping Creekside's momentum, but actually stealing it back with three straight touchdowns to take the lead before the half. That didn't seem possible just a half hour ago.
__________
BENEDICTINE 24, CREEKSIDE 21
Benedictine again! After falling into a 21-3 hole early in the second quarter, the Cadets have gone on a tear, and they actually LEAD this game now with 40 seconds until halftime. Creekside isn't used to being challenged like this so it will be interesting to see how they respond.
Got a ballgame brewing in the Benz
Benedictine scores 21 unanswered points to take a 24-21 lead in the @OfficialGHSA 4A state championship game.
It’s only the third time all season that a team has scored 20+ on Creekside.
A former Michigan State quarterback could be returning to the Big Ten via the transfer portal, per the latest reports from a notable college football insider.
One of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal market is a former Spartan -- Sam Leavitt. Leavitt is back in the portal after a solid two years at Arizona State, one of which where he led the Sun Devils to the Big 12 championship and berth in the College Football Playoff. So where will Leavitt end up is a big talking point right now, and it could be a team that the Spartans could play next year.
According to Pete Nakos of On3, there are four teams in particular to watch in the sweepstakes for Leavitt: Oregon, Indiana, Miami (FL) and LSU. The Spartans will play Oregon next year so should he choose to join the Ducks, there's a chance he'll get to play against Michigan State next fall.
Leavitt played one season at Michigan State in 2023, showing signs of being a quarterback the Spartans could build around should he stay. But with the hiring of Jonathan Smith and Aidan Chiles following Smith from Oregon State, Leavitt was quick to enter the transfer portal and find his new home at Arizona State. Ironically, Chiles also didn't work out with the Spartans and is also reportedly entering the transfer portal just like Leavitt again in this cycle.
It'll be interesting to see where Leavitt ends up, especially if it's at a Big Ten school. Leavitt is originally from the Oregon so it would make a lot of sense if he ended up with the Ducks. That, of course, would be contingent on current Oregon star quarterback Dante Moore leaving for the NFL after the season.
Click on the post below to read more on Nakos' reporting on Leavitt's situation and where he may end up:
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page onFacebookto follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — From state football championships to Division I women's basketball, St. Joseph is solidifying its reputation this December as a hub for high-profile sporting events, a boost for the local economy.
Within the last two months alone, St. Joseph has played host to the MSHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championships, MSHSAA Football State Championships, MIAA Volleyball Championship Tournament and an SEC vs Big 12 basketball showdown Dec. 7 between Ole Miss and Kansas State, to name a few.
With St. Joseph's Civic Arena and Missouri Western's Spratt Stadium seeing strong crowds with multi-day tournaments drawing dozens of teams, coaches, alumni and families here from across the state — some schools with upwards of six buses worth of fans — St. Joseph was the center of postseason sports.
A huge crowd of fans and parents with Blair Oaks High school out of Wardsville, Missouri, smile as their team wins the Class 2 State Championship on Dec. 6 at Missouri Western in St. Joseph.
We knew these championship events would draw great crowds and bring lots of new visitors to St. Joseph and Buchanan County. Which in looking at the data, that certainly proved to be the case," said Brett Esely, executive director for the St. Joseph, MO Sports Commission. "Whereas the sports commission is proud to play our part in securing, developing and executing the championship experience, the true winners are our city and county especially at a time of year where tourism tends to slow down a bit from summertime traffic."
According to data from the St. Joseph Sports Commission, the MSHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championships saw 300 athletes (20 teams consisting of 15 players each) along with 40 MSHSAA staff and officials. Over the course of the tournament, 8,418 spectators were in attendance, with roughly 50% of the participants staying at least one night in St. Joseph.
Total business sales over the course of the volleyball tournament (including sales leading up to and after the event) came out to $4,765,048 over the span of four days.
The Sports Commission also gathered data from the MSHSAA Football State Championships, which saw 963 athletes (14 teams) and 60 MSHSAA staff and officials. The estimated number of spectators was 19,500 across all seven state championship games.
Roughly 30% of fans stayed at least one night in St. Joseph. Over the course of the three-day championship event, total business sales amounted to $7,707,350.
One hotel that saw a wave of visitors booking rooms for all of the events was the Stoney Creek Hotel.
"When you have events like the high school football championships, not only do the teams come to town, but also family members and anybody else supporting the team," Eaton said. "It increases revenue at the hotel because of the quick turnaround. People will make last minute reservations online and usually when teams win.
The economic boost of sporting events for St. Joseph is set to continue as the MSHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championships will be held in St. Joseph for the next two years (2026-2027) as well as the MSHSAA Football State Championships from 2026 to 2028.
In the realm of college basketball, St. Joseph is also set to welcome a multi-day postseason tournament for the first time beginning in 2027.
The St. Joseph Sports Commission and officials with the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced in October the GLVC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Tournaments will be moving to St. Joseph, Missouri, from 2027 to 2029, an event that will draw dozens of teams and thousands of spectators over a multi-day period.
Gasperini: ‘Roma won’t settle for fourth, but we’d be happy with it’
Gian Piero Gasperini feels the 1-0 victory over Como was Roma’s ‘best home performance of the season’ and assures he wouldn’t ‘settle for fourth place, but I’d be very happy with it.’
The Giallorossi were feeling the pressure after back-to-back 1-0 defeats in Serie A to Napoli and Cagliari, even though they got back on track in the Europa League with Thursday’s 3-0 win over Celtic.
It was a tough test against Cesc Fabregas’ Como and the only goal of the game was scored by Wesley Franca, firing through Alex Valle’s legs on the Matias Soulé lay-off.
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma, hugs Cesc Fabregas, Head Coach of Como 1907, prior to the Serie A match between AS Roma and Como 1907 at Stadio Olimpico on December 15, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
“Undoubtedly, Soulé had a great performance, but this evening I’d struggle to find someone who didn’t,” Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia.
“It was a good performance from both teams, otherwise you don’t get this kind of intensity, this battle with each trying to win using their characteristics. If you leave Como space on the counter, they can hurt you with their pace.
“I think it was the best game we’ve had at home so far this season, so I’m glad the fans were able to enjoy this match.”
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Wesley of AS Roma celebrates with teammate Lorenzo Pellegrini after scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Como 1907 at Stadio Olimpico on December 15, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Roma have now taken the lead on nine occasions in Serie A this season and gone on to win all of them, whereas all their defeats have been by 1-0 scorelines.
They have the strongest defensive record in the league, conceding only eight times in 15 rounds.
“We’ve been solid since the start and even when we lose, they tend to be very tight matches. This is our characteristic and our strength,” noted Gasperini.
“Having said that, in recent weeks we’ve started to create a lot more opportunities too, and tonight we had significantly more than Como. We were much more dangerous and the win could’ve been by a bigger scoreline.
“We’re still lacking something in the finish and the final ball, but the team created a lot and played with quality.”
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Matias Soule of AS Roma gestures during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Como 1907 at Stadio Olimpico on December 15, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
This result means that Roma consolidated fourth place, but closed to within a point of Napoli, two of AC Milan and three of new leaders Inter.
Would Gasperini be happy now to take fourth place come the end of the season?
“I never settle early,” he laughed, “but I would be very happy with that! More than the final position, I want to focus on us putting in this kind of performance. We have incredible fans, we can sense something extra when we get a deserved victory. There is an extra enthusiasm and it is contagious, so we needed that on home turf.
“This has to be the main objective, then the results come after that.”
Can Roma challenge for the Scudetto this season or are there other teams far better equipped to go for the title?
“It’s an understandable viewpoint, but these lads give their heart and soul. In theory there are stronger players in other teams, but do they have the same spirit, the same work ethic and participation?” responded Gasperini.
“At this moment, we are a good team. We’re working to get better, I saw in the head-to-head clashes, including tonight, that it’s never easy for anyone against us. We hope to continue with this spirit.”
Serie A | Roma 1-0 Como: Wesley Franca revives Giallorossi
Wesley Franca got the only goal to set Roma back on track in Serie A and inflict the second consecutive defeat on Como, who lost Assane Diao to a new injury.
The Giallorossi were coming off back-to-back Serie A defeats that saw them slide down the standings, but won on Thursday in the Europa League away to Celtic, with Evan Ferguson scoring twice. With Paulo Dybala not fully fit, Artem Dovbyk injured, Zeki Celik suspended, and Neil El Aynaoui on AFCON duty, Ferguson was again upfront. Como made changes after their 4-0 loss to Inter, as Alvaro Morata, Sergi Roberto, Alberto Dossena and Edoardo Goldaniga were injured, with Maxi Perrone suspended. Assane Diao and Evan Ndicka had permission to delay their AFCON departure, but Nico Paz was surprisingly moved into a False 9 role.
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma, hugs Cesc Fabregas, Head Coach of Como 1907, prior to the Serie A match between AS Roma and Como 1907 at Stadio Olimpico on December 15, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Lorenzo Pellegrini’s free kick was knocked down by Mario Hermoso for a mad scramble, then Wesley wasted from a promising position by ballooning over the bar.
Matias Soulé saw his strike charged down by Marc-Oliver Kempf, but there were chances at both ends in one move. Pellegrini’s acrobatic attempt on a corner found Ndicka for an effort charged down by Jacobo Ramon, so Diao sprinted away on the counter-attack, shrugged off two, until Devyne Rensch got back in time for the decisive block.
Diao pulled up just as he was finishing that run and limped off a few minutes later with a muscular injury, putting him in doubt for the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.
Martin Baturina made a crucial block to deflect Ferguson’s finish over the bar at the end of a well-worked team move, then moments later Ferguson prodded a Wesley assist straight at Jean Butez.
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Devyne Rensch of AS Roma is challenged by Martin Baturina of Como 1907 during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Como 1907 at Stadio Olimpico on December 15, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Como threatened in first half stoppages when a free kick was flicked on by Kempf for Tasos Douvikas, forcing Mile Svilar to rush off his line and palm it away from close range.
Straight after the restart, Soulé nodded onto the upright and Bryan Cristante fired in the rebound, but none of it mattered because Pellegrini was offside on the initial cross.
Como threatened too, as Svilar had to scramble across to claw the deflected Douvikas shot away from Baturina at the back post. On the resulting corner, Nico Paz saw his volley charged down, and the Lucas Da Cunha follow-up was deflected wide.
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Nico Paz of Como 1907 reacts during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Como 1907 at Stadio Olimpico on December 15, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Roma broke the deadlock when Como had Addai down hurt near the corner flag after diving into a tackle, as the move continued with a cross that Soulé laid off for Wesley, his daisy-cutter going through Alex Valle’s legs into the far bottom corner.
Ferguson’s angled drive flashed wide, while Jesus Rodriguez swung a dangerous ball across the face of goal that no Como teammates could connect with.
Ndicka made a decisive sliding block from six yards on Stefan Posch, while Posch also hit the side-netting after an Ignace van der Brempt strong run. Leon Bailey forced a fingertip save from Butez at the near post in added time.
There was tension at the final whistle with a row between Gianluca Mancini, who shoulder barged Jacobo Ramon off the field, and the Como players. It continues with an intense conversation between Mancini and Cesc Fabregas.
The Brazilian later explained the situation on Instagram.
“Hey guys, just stopping by to let you know that my fight was canceled. On Thursday, a little bump appeared on my mouth and I don’t know what it was,” Lemos said. “The athletic commission decided to cancel the fight because they don’t know what it was. So now the fight has been rescheduled. Obviously, I’m sad, I was super prepared, super confident, but I don’t have control over it. Thank you for the support, I’ll be back, God willing.”
Fans immediately noticed the bump on her lip and automatically speculated that it was a cold sore, a form of herpes.
If the NSAC did pull her fight four hours before her walk out for a pimple, I would like to hear from them to confirm this because that pimple was there all week & TJ once fought in that state with a completely dislocated shoulder…
Shout out to NSAC for pulling this fight. I’m sure her opponent is heartbroken to lose the payday and would have taken it if offered but now they won’t have to explain for the rest of their life that they got herpes because they didn’t want to pass up 10k. https://t.co/cmcGLrdAL4
While unconfirmed, cold sores have previously led to fight cancellations. Fighters on the last two seasons of The Ultimate Fighter were pulled for similar issues, and earlier this year, Light Heavyweight Rodolfo Viera withdrew 30 minutes before his fight due to a herpes-related cold sore.
Lemos will now have time to address the issue. She is rebooked against Robertson for UFC Vegas 114 on March 14, 2026, though she previously indicated she was fighting on Feb. 7.
For complete UFC Vegas 112 results and play-by-play, click here.
Mancini explains Roma-Como tension: ‘I had more respect at his age’
Gianluca Mancini explains what happened with Jacobo Ramon and Cesc Fabregas in that tense ending to Roma’s win over Como. ‘I had a lot more respect for older players.’
The Giallorossi were in need of a boost after back-to-back Serie A defeats to Napoli and Cagliari, both by 1-0 scorelines.
They managed to win this time by the same result, as Wesley Franca fired his angled drive between the legs of Alex Valle to secure the victory.
Mancini in thick of Roma-Como action
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Wesley of AS Roma celebrates with teammate Lorenzo Pellegrini after scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Como 1907 at Stadio Olimpico on December 15, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
“I think we were first to every ball, we absolutely dominated the first half, and it’s really rare to see Como with so little possession,” Mancini told Sky Sport Italia.
“We weren’t able to make that domination count, but in the second half we kept up the tempo, scored with Wesley and had a few risks, but over the course of the full 90 minutes, it was absolutely a deserved win.”
There was tension in the final moments of the match, as Mancini seemed to shoulder barge Jacobo Ramon in an off the ball incident, then the two started arguing.
ROME, ITALY – OCTOBER 23: Gianluca Mancini of AS Roma looks dejected after the team’s defeat in the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD3 match between AS Roma and FC Viktoria Plzen at Stadio Olimpico on October 23, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
After the final whistle, the problems continued, and the Italian was in an intense conversation with Como coach Fabregas as they tried to explain their respective positions.
“There was a collision with Ramon, it was normal, but he got back up and grabbed me by the neck,” explained Mancini.
“When I was 20 years old like him, I had a lot more respect for older players, otherwise I would’ve got a slap in the tunnel. I told Ramon to calm down, but he kept going. Adrenaline can fuel this sort of thing, but it’s all in the past now.
“With the coach, we cleared the air, and that’s all.”
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Wesley of AS Roma (R) celebrates with teammate Devyne Rensch after scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Como 1907 at Stadio Olimpico on December 15, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
This result means that Roma consolidate fourth place, but above all they close to within three points of new Serie A leaders Inter.
They are just one behind Napoli and two adrift of AC Milan, making for a very tight Scudetto race.
“This is what the coach asks for, this kind of intensity, I’m very happy with the goal, but above all for the performance and victory,” Wesley told Sky Sport Italia.
It is already the third Serie A goal of the season for the right-back, who was not exactly prolific throughout his career.
“I am really pleased with the goals. Director Massara asked me how many goals I scored for Flamengo, I said four, he joked I needed to double that with Roma. I hope to manage it. I came here to help the team, hopefully with goals too.”
“I saw a really physical side, the kind of characteristics we are lacking, so either you get the ball on the ground and play, or you struggle,” Fabregas told Sky Sport Italia.
“I am proud that the team was competitive to the end, maybe we deserved a goal, but Roma deserve congratulations for playing with physicality. They have an excellent player in Matias Soulé, who I believe will be a huge player in future, so we should enjoy seeing him in Italy. I think he’s a player of a very high level, and he made the difference today.”
Without injured Alvaro Morata, Sergi Roberto, Alberto Dossena and Edoardo Goldaniga, plus suspended Maxi Perrone, Fabregas initially opted to use Nico Paz as a False 9.
“Nico Paz had fever for three days and didn’t train, so we rather forced him to play, as we didn’t have many options today,” revealed the Como coach.
Fabregas will not complain about referee
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma, hugs Cesc Fabregas, Head Coach of Como 1907, prior to the Serie A match between AS Roma and Como 1907 at Stadio Olimpico on December 15, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
They struggled to create chances, and were then forced to bring on Tasos Douvikas after 37 minutes when Assane Diao went off injured.
“These are matches where either you run straight at them, as we did with Assane in the first half, then Posch in the second, or they block you off. It’s about who wins the most individual duels, and today Roma won more, especially in midfield.
“Serie A has the least amount of time with the ball rolling, but that’s because it is so physical, with so many individual duels all over the pitch. The referee wanted to let play run a bit more today, quite rightly, so this is something we can improve on.”
COMO, ITALY – AUGUST 24: Como 1907 coach Cesc Fabregas looks on during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and SS Lazio at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on August 24, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
With regards to the referee letting play run, he did not stop when Jayden Addai was down injured in the build-up to the Roma goal.
Usually this would lead to furious arguing, but Como accepted the decision and did not protest. Did he expect Roma to put it out of play?
“He hurt himself, it’s difficult for a player. You have to be extremely honest to put the ball out in that situation, I think 99 per cent of players wouldn’t put it out, so it’s only fair to carry on. The football world has changed with VAR, so we have to keep going and then wait and see, we can’t hang around,” noted Fabregas.
“It was just bad luck, nothing malicious.”
COMO, ITALY – AUGUST 16: Assane Diao of Como 1907 in action during the Coppa Italia match between Como 1907 and FC Sudtirol at Stadio G. Sinigaglia on August 16, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Diao pulled up clutching his thigh after a sprint on goal and limped off after 37 minutes, which puts him at huge risk of missing the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.
“Diao hurt his flexor during that strong run on goal. It’s really difficult to be honest in these post-match comments, because we get attacked either way, but I will try,” noted Fabregas.
“I am a huge fan of international teams, I am really glad when my players are called for international duty, it’s a big thing for a player. I just asked for a little common sense for them not to call him, because this is a player who barely featured for eight months as he keeps getting hurt and can find no consistency.
“He probably shouldn’t have played today either, but I picked him because he’s leaving tomorrow and I won’t have him for five weeks, so we pay his wages, at least let him play for us a bit.”
What made it an unpleasant conversation with the coach of Senegal?
“It’s that he said if Diao doesn’t come with us, he won’t go to the World Cup. That’s not fair, it plays on the fears of the player, he is 20 years old and has a whole career ahead of him. I don’t agree with this, it was not fair and not right,” concluded Fabregas.
Serie A Table after Week 15: Scudetto race as tight as ever, but Fiorentina in trouble
Inter are the new Serie A leaders, but the top four are crammed within a three-point radius in the tight Scudetto race, while Fiorentina are increasingly isolated at rock bottom.
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Lorenzo Pellegrini of AS Roma attempts an overhead kick whilst under pressure from Nico Paz of Como 1907 during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Como 1907 at Stadio Olimpico on December 15, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
This is the last time for a while that we’ll have an accurate view of the Serie A standings, because the Week 16 fixtures are staggered so that Napoli, Inter, AC Milan and Bologna can participate in the Supercoppa Italiana in Riyadh.
It’s an opportunity for the likes of Roma, Juventus, Como and Lazio to put some pressure on the leading pack.
At the foot of the Serie A table, it’s a very different scenario, as Fiorentina have slipped four points behind everyone else, and are the only team left without a single victory.
FLORENCE, ITALY – DECEMBER 14: Moise Kean of ACF Fiorentina reacts during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Hellas Verona FC at Artemio Franchi on December 14, 2025 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Verona’s 2-1 win in Florence saw them leapfrog Pisa, but they remain in the drop zone, so Fiorentina are now a massive eight points adrift of safety represented by Parma, Genoa and Cagliari all on 14.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the struggles of Shedeur Sanders and Cleveland's offensive line on Monday, the day after a 31-3 loss to the Chicago Bears.
One thing he wasn't going to discuss was what might happen when the season ends in three weeks.
“I’m not going to get in those type of things. Not my focus,” Stefanski said when asked if he has been given any assurances by ownership about his job security.
Stefanski is the first Browns coach since Sam Rutigliano to be at the helm for six seasons. He is a two-time NFL Coach of the Year but is 6-25 since Cleveland made the playoffs in 2023.
Stefanski gave offensive play-calling duties to coordinator Tommy Rees after the Nov. 2 bye week. While it has allowed Stefanski to focus on other matters, the offense continues to struggle.
Cleveland was backed up on its 1 on its first series, only to get flagged for a false start before the first play and too many men on the field before the next play.
Those are missteps that would be expected in the first couple of games, but not in Week 15.
“Yeah, obviously we know what our record is. We understand that. We don’t hide from that. You own it. But we also know how important this game is to us and the work that has to go into it each week and what we pour into it each week,” Stefanski said.
Sanders, the Browns' seventh starting quarterback since the start of last season, struggled in his fourth start and in his first of three straight games facing playoff-caliber defenses. The rookie completed 18 of 35 passes for 177 yards with three interceptions. He had a passer rating of 30.3 after being above 85 in each of his first three starts.
While Sanders had success when the Bears blitzed — going 5 of 6 for 118 yards — he struggled against zone coverage and when defensive coordinator Dennis Allen took away the deep game. Sanders was 1 of 8 for 9 yards and an interception when the Bears played a cover-4 scheme to prevent deep routes.
Stefanski is hoping Sanders can use the game a learning opportunity. The schedule doesn't get any easier, with Buffalo and Pittsburgh up next.
“Sky’s not falling. I think with young players, there’s growing and there’s learning that happens,” Stefanski said. “I don’t care what the position is, but look at history in terms of young players, and sometimes there’s moments that aren’t going to go your way, and you learn from those. So that’s no different for any position, no different for Shedeur versus any other player.”
What’s working
The sideline heaters. The Browns got out of Chicago, where the kickoff temperature was 8 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of minus-2, without any cases of frostbite.
What needs help
Defending play-action passes. The Browns have allowed 10 touchdowns off play-action, second-most in the league. Chicago's Caleb Williams was 10 of 13 for 141 yards and two touchdowns on play-action. According to Next Gen Stats, his 151.0 passer rating on such throws was his highest this season.
Stock up
Kicker Andre Szmyt accounted for all of Cleveland's points for the second game this season. He has four field goals of at least 50 yards this season, including a 50-yarder in windy conditions.
Stock down
WR Jerry Jeudy. Sanders delivered a perfect pass to Jeudy near the goal line in the third quarter, only to have the ball go through his hands, off his chest and into the arms of Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson for an interception and a touchback. It was Jeudy's 11th dropped pass of the season and his league-leading 24th since being acquired by the Browns last year.
Injuries
OG Teven Jenkins (shoulder) was injured on Sunday. OG Wyatt Teller (calf), OT Jack Conklin (concussion), DL Aidan Huntington (quad), TE David Njoku (knee), RB Dylan Sampson (calf, hand) and CB Denzel Ward (calf) were inactive.
Key numbers
21 1/2: Sacks for Myles Garrett on the season. He had 1 1/2 on Sunday.
1: Sacks needed by Garrett to tie Michael Strahan and TJ Watt for the NFL single-season record.
What’s next
The Browns host the Buffalo Bills (10-4), who kept alive their hopes of overtaking New England for the AFC East title after beating the Patriots on Sunday. Buffalo has won three of its past four meetings with Cleveland.
No quarterback came into the 2025 season with as wide a range of outcomes as LaNorris Sellers. There's no doubt about the physical talent. He's college football's closest match to Cam Newton, and the flashes of athleticism are similarly dynamic. But it's been a rocky two seasons for the South Carolina Gamecocks, and Sellers' potential is as polarizing as it is exciting.
There is undoubtedly a subset of evaluators that will have Sellers as a first-round prospect, perhaps as high as QB1. Yet, his NFL future is uncertain, and now, it will wait another season to come to fruition.
LaNorris Sellers' NFL Draft decision
It became clear on Saturday that Sellers planned on returning to South Carolina. It'll come with the requisite NIL compensation, but the Gamecocks have work to do, too.
"Sources: South Carolina star quarterback LaNorris Sellers is nearing a deal to return to the school for his redshirt junior year in 2026," Pete Thamel posted. "He’s indicated to the staff he’ll be returning. The sides are expected to finalize a deal soon."
The two most popular options for Sellers were playing on Sundays or playing elsewhere on Saturdays. South Carolina surrounded him with one of the SEC's least effective offensive lines and two draftable talents alongside him in Nyck Harbor and Rashul Faison.
That's not enough to compete in the SEC, culminating in a 4-8 season with one conference victory and no ranked wins. Sellers would have been one of the elite portal passers, but has spoken before about a preference to stay at home with the Gamecocks.
In response, South Carolina has also hired Kendal Briles to be the offensive coordinator. It's an improvement over a 2025 offense that didn't do Sellers any favors -- or hone his skills for the NFL -- but comes with uncertainty of its own.
Now, Briles is staring down a potential platform season with a new offense, lackluster surrounding talent, and more distance from the peak of his hype. Subsequently, the range of outcomes is as wide as ever.
Sellers still needs to make progress within structure to fulfill his first-round potential. There were steps in the right direction in 2025, including his rate of big-time throws and turnover-worthy plays heading in the right direction (via PFF). An inflated pressure-to-sack ratio and an absurd time to throw can be seen as counterarguments.
Sellers can win with athleticism, and it could lend itself to an early impact, but he will not find sustained success at the next level without doing so on the stuff that doesn't show up on SportsCenter.
I remain optimistic about Briles and the effect of another season of experience on Sellers' development. Still, there is a real opportunity cost in not transferring to Miami or Oregon (or another championship contender). These coaching staffs and surrounding casts are immeasurably more impressive than South Carolina, setting him up for success and offering another off-ramp to an early-round selection.
In staying home, Sellers is taking a bigger gamble than transferring. He's banking on his own development in an environment that has not proven to be conducive to growth. In the immediate future, he's making the 2026 NFL Draft thinner at the sport's most important positions. For next season, he's on a long list of potential 2027 passers that could be closer to falling off the map than we'd like to admit.
I'm keeping the door open for Sellers to hear his name called first overall in 16 months. This decision probably doesn't improve those odds, though, and in a fast-moving college football environment, he cannot be penciled into Round 1 with much certainty.
As the Minnesota Vikings prepare for the final three games of their 2025 season, they will do so without one of their top players on the defensive side of the ball.
At his Monday press conference, head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that edge defender Jonathan Greenard would undergo season-ending surgery on his shoulder, meaning that he will miss the last three games for Brian Flores’ defense.
Greenard, who was already dealing with a shoulder issue that caused him to miss a game earlier this season, re-aggravated the injury last night while attempting to bring down Dak Prescott late in the Vikings’ 34-26 victory over the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. He left the game and headed straight to the locker room.
After a 2024 season that saw him make the Pro Bowl and even collect some Defensive Player of the Year votes, Greenard had a bit of a down year this past season, collecting three quarterback sacks and a dozen quarterback hits. By my unofficial numbers, he had approximately 47 almost-sacks, which isn’t an actual statistical category but maybe it should be.
With Greenard going on the shelf for the final three games, it will give Dallas Turner an opportunity to step into a full-time starting spot on the defense across from Andrew Van Ginkel. It will also likely give some more opportunities to some younger players like Bo Richter and Tyler Batty, who will be looking to potentially carve out bigger roles on the team for 2026.
Here’s hoping that Jonathan Greenard’s recovery from surgery goes smoothly and that he’s ready to go for the offseason program so that he can be full speed for the purple next season.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia didn’t win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday, but he enters the final two weeks of 2025 as the leading contender for sports apology of the year.
Congrats, Diego. Your journey from inspiring college football legend to nationally known jerk will be talked about for years.
This was another banner year for sports figures apologizing for stupid things they said or did, or tweeted or Instagrammed.
Oblivious sports figures come in all genders, and all shapes, forms and sizes. Pro golfers, WNBA stars, tennis players, football players and many others were forced to atone for their misdeeds, whether they felt remorse or were advised by someone with public relations expertise. Even ESPN’s Pat McAfee apologized for spreading a false rumor about a college student that she said “ruined” her life. Do you believe in miracles?
Yet Pavia managed to swoop in over the weekend to leave his apologist peers in the dust. After losing out to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza for the prestigious award, he posted an Instagram story photo of himself and his offensive linemates with the caption “F− all the voters,” adding a thumbs-down emoji.
He was also featured in a video at a post-Heisman celebration, giving the finger to a sign that read “F−−− Indiana” while partying. The obvious target was Mendoza, a humble and talented young man who gave credit to Pavia and the other Heisman contenders during his acceptance speech.
But if that wasn’t enough to seal the deal, Pavia retweeted former sports talk troll Skip Bayless, a Vanderbilt alum, who wrote that Pavia deserved the Heisman but didn’t get it, suggesting “his swagger and edge rubbed some voters the wrong way.”
Naturally, by the time Pavia woke up Sunday and checked his phone, he quickly became aware his reputation as a gritty, likeable underdog who made Vanderbilt into a football power had evaporated into thin air. He was suddenly viewed as the arrogant, condescending and inconsiderate punk who tried to tarnish Mendoza’s Heisman by declaring himself the rightful winner.
It was reminiscent of Kanye West dissing Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards by getting up on stage to tell Swift that Beyoncé deserved it, except without interrupting Mendoza’s acceptance speech and saying “Imma let you finish.”
Pavia was already suspect when it came to his NFL draft prospects due to genetics — he’s a 5-foot-10 quarterback who was listed at 6-0 by his school. But the debate over whether he’d be picked on the second or third day of the draft was suddenly muted by the realization that no NFL general manager in his right mind would select such a classless and clueless player for such an important position.
Pavia, or someone he knows with an actual working brain, immediately tried to rectify the situation with a belated apology posted on his X account about his “disrespectful” behavior. He called Mendoza a “deserving” winner and blamed his reaction on his fiery competitiveness.
“As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win,” the post read. “To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to. I have much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”
Nice try, but too late. Pavia, who has previously apologized for actions such as urinating on an opponent’s practice field in 2023, was toasted on social media and all over the internet. He has one more game — on Dec. 31 against Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl — to rescue his reputation from the dumpster fire he lit Saturday night. Good luck with that.
Pavia has some strong competition for the 2025 Sports Apology of the Year, and we’re still waiting on apologies from former Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, the ball-stealing fan known as “Phillies Karen” and a few other knuckleheads.
This seems to be the Golden Age of Stupidity, fueled by the ability to advertise your own misdeeds with a few clicks on your phone.
A close second to Pavia might be serial apologist and PGA star Wyndham Clark, who first apologized this year for launching his driver with both hands into a sponsor wall following a bad tee shot during the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in North Carolina. “My actions were uncalled for and completely inappropriate, making it clear that I have things I need to work on,” Clark posted on social media.
He then “worked” on it by destroying some lockers at historic Oakmont after missing the cut at the U.S. Open. Clark later said he was “very sorry” for making “a mistake that I deeply regret.” He now wanted to just “move on, not only for myself but for Oakmont, for the USGA.”
Moving on is always the best course of action for those who lack self-awareness.
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese wanted to move on after telling Chicago Tribune reporter Julia Poe that she was not “settling for the same s−−−” next year, adding “we have to get great players,” including someone younger than teammate Courtney Vandersloot. “We can’t rely on Courtney to come back at the age that she’s at,” Reese said.
After throwing Vandersloot and her teammates under the bus, Reese apologized to them and said her comments were “misconstrued.” Reese sounded thrilled last week when announcing she’d be back in ’26. “I’m under contract so, yes, I plan on returning to the Sky,” she said.
Finding blame elsewhere is a thematic motif for those in the apology business.
Latvian tennis star Jelena Ostapenko told American Taylor Townsend she had “no class” and “no education” after a dispute over a net cord at the U.S. Open. She later apologized by writing on Instagram that English was not her native language, and that she actually was referring to “what I believe as tennis etiquette” when telling Townsend, a Black player, she had “no education.”
“But I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court,” Ostapenko added.
PGA of America president Don Rea Jr. apologized in a letter for American fans chanting “F−−− you, Rory” to Irish golfer Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup, but only after creating an outcry by telling the BBC, “Heck you could go to a youth soccer game and get some people who say the wrong things.”
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson apologized for telling analyst Richard Sherman the Falcons were playing a game that resembled one from his youth, referred to with a name containing a homophobic slur. When he became aware the language was inappropriate, Robinson posted that the “insensitive” term was from “a football game we used to play as a kid but that’s not an excuse.”
If there were a separate category for 2025 Spitting Apology of the Year, we’d have numerous candidates from the sport of football, including the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Carter, Florida’s Brendan Bett, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase and two Colorado State players who spat on opponents in the same game.
Chase even denied he had spit on Pittsburgh’s Jalen Ramsey despite video evidence proving the loogie was in fact his. After being handed a one-game suspension, Chase apologized on Instagram for both the spitting and the lying, writing “as someone who strives to lead with character and authenticity, I should’ve taken immediate accountability for what happened.”
Inter Miami soccer player Luis Suárez apologized for spitting on someone from the Seattle Sounders’ staff after a loss in the Leagues Cup final. He posted on social media that there was “still a lot of season left ahead and we will work together to try and get the triumphs that this club and its fans deserve.”
Then he finished by writing: “A hug to all.”
Every sports figure’s apology should end with a big hug to all, from the bottom of their publicist’s heart.
Michigan will have a third head coach in four seasons by the time 2026 rolls around – and that coach will face the unenviable task of restoring the program's reputation.
The hits have not stopped coming since 2023. NCAA investigations and sudden coach firings have been among the scandals the program has encountered. The Wolverines are 31-8 on the field – including a 15-0 season that led to a national championship in 2023. That success has been overshadowed by multiple off-field scandals involving Jim Harbaugh, Connor Stalions, and Sherrone Moore.
Moore was fired on Wednesday after the university found "credible evidence" of an inappropriate relationship. Moore was subsequently arrested Wednesday after allegedly breaking into a Michigan staffer's home. He was arraigned Friday on charges of felony home invasion, misdemeanor stalking and breaking and entering.
This is the latest legal and public relations disaster for the University of Michigan. Here is a look at a timeline of trouble beginning in 2023.
Jan. 5, 2023: Michigan received an NCAA notice of allegations against Jim Harbaugh for impermissible contact with recruits during COVID-19. Harbaugh reportedly met with recruits at the Brown Jug, a restaurant in Ann Arbor, Mich., and paid for their hamburgers. The incident became known as "Burger Gate." Michigan self-imposed a three-game suspension for Harbaugh to start the 2023 season. He was suspended for games against East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green as a result of the school-imposed suspension. Moore also served a one-game suspension for his role in the incident and missed the season-opener against East Carolina. The NCAA defended the decision.
"The Michigan infractions case is related to impermissible on and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and impermissible coaching activities -- not a cheeseburger," NCAA vice president of hearing operations Derrick Crawford said in the statement via ESPN.com.
Matt Weiss fired, charged with computer crimes
Jan. 17, 2023: Michigan fired offensive coordinator Matt Weiss. Weiss reportedly had gained unauthorized access to computer accounts at Schembechler Hall. On March 20, 2025, Weiss was indicted by the FBI on 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft.
Schemy Schembechler – son of Bo Schembechler – resigns
May 20, 2023: Schemy Schembechler resigned from his position as assistant recruiting director just three days after he was hired. According to the Detroit News, Schembechler – the son of former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler – had "liked" several insensitive posts on Twitter.
Oct. 18, 2023: Four days after No. 2 Michigan beat Indiana, 52-7, the NCAA notified the Big Ten and Michigan it received allegations of in–person scouting and sign stealing that were in violation of Bylaw 11.6.1. The investigation centered around staffer Connor Stalions, an off-field analyst. Stalions faced allegations of purchasing tickets to several Big Ten schools in his name to obtain film and signals, a practice prohibited by the NCAA. This led to multiple penalties in the following weeks.
The scandal became the dominant storyline in college football for the remainder of the 2023 season and resulted in additional suspensions and firings at Michigan.
On Nov. 3, Stalions resigned following mounting pressure after footage surfaced showing him on the Central Michigan sideline during a game against Michigan State on Sept. 21, 2023.
Nov. 10, 2023: Harbaugh was given a three-game suspension by the Big Ten. He missed the final three regular-season games against No. 2 Penn State, Maryland, and No. 10 Penn State. The Wolverines dropped their appeal of the suspension. In a Big Ten statement: "The Conference has confirmed that it is not aware of any information suggesting Coach Harbaugh's involvement in the allegations." Harbaugh served the three-game suspension before the Big Ten Championship Game.
Moore served as interim coach for those three games, leading the Wolverines to three straight victories. After a 24-15 win over Penn State, Moore gave a tearful, profanity-laced interview.
"I want to thank the Lord and I want to thank Coach Harbaugh," Moore said in a live TV interview. "I f––– love you, man. I love the s–– out of you, man. Did this for you, for this university, the president, our AD. We got the best players, best university, best alumni in the country. Love you guys. These f––– guys right here, these guys right here, man. These guys did it."
April 15, 2024: Denard Robinson, a former Michigan quarterback on the recruiting staff, was arrested after being involved in a car crash while intoxicated. Robinson is later sentenced to probation for the incident. He is suspended and later relieved of his duties on the staff.
Sherrone Moore accused of deleting texts from Connor Stalions
Aug. 5, 2024: The NCAA's notice of allegations against Michigan for the in-person sign-stealing scandal revealed that Moore allegedly deleted 52 text messages with Stalions.
Aug. 7, 2024: Harbaugh is given a four-year show cause penalty for his role in the first NCAA investigation involving impermissible contact with recruits during the dead period during COVID-19.
Two more Michigan coaches given show-cause penalties
April 25, 2025: Former Michigan assistant coaches Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale were given one-year show-cause penalties for their roles in the in-person scouting scandal.
Moore is suspended for one game in 2026. Stallions is given a 10-year show-cause penalty. Harbaugh is given an eight-year show-cause penalty, which would start after his four-year show-cause penalty from the first NCAA investigation. Robinson is given a three-year show-cause penalty.
The punishment is meant with criticism because Michigan did not have to forfeit games or miss the postseason.
Sherrone Moore fired for 'inappropriate relationship' with staff member
Dec. 10, 2025: Moore was fired by Michigan after the university found "credible evidence" that he had an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Additionally, multiple reports have surfaced that he was investigated for "at least" two additional incidents during his time as head coach.
Sherrone Moore arrested, charged with felony and two misdemeanors
Just hours after being fired by athletic director Warde Manuel, Moore was detained by police and later booked into the Washtenaw County jail. Friday, the 39-year-old father of three was charged with felony home invasion, along with misdemeanor breaking and entering and misdemeanor stalking. Moore could face more than 6 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
Interim head coach Biff Poggi said afterward that "it has been a tumultuous time" for the program, and there was a "lot of anger."
"At first disbelief, then anger, then really, what we're in right now is the kids, quite frankly, feel very betrayed, and we're trying to work through that," Poggi said of the Moore situation at Michigan.
With Najee Harris gone, the Pittsburgh Steelers have turned to Jaylen Warren as their No. 1 running back this season.
While his usage has been frustrating at times this season, Warren has been a solid back for the Steelers and leads the team in rushing yards this season.
However, Warren is off to a slow start in the Week 15 game against the Miami Dolphins. Here's why.
Is Jaylen Warren playing tonight?
Yes, Warren is active on Monday night, despite being a late addition to the injury report on Monday with an illness.
Warren did get a snap on the team's opening drive, but he did not get a touch and instead Kenneth Gainwell got two before the Steelers went three-and-out.
Don't be surprised if we see more of Gainwell on Monday night, as Warren might not be 100% due to his illness.
Broncos safety Brandon Jones (pectoral) landed on injured reserve on Monday, ruling him out for at least the next four weeks. It's worse than the pec injury that cornerback Pat Surtain suffered earlier this season and Jones is seeking a second opinion, according to KUSA-TV's Mike Klis.
If the second opinion leads to Jones undergoing surgery, his season will be over. Denver is also concerned that linebacker Justin Strnad may have a "serious right ankle injury," according to Klis. If it is a serious injury, the Broncos would be left with Dre Greenlaw, Alex Singleton and Jordan Turner (plus Levelle Bailey on the practice squad).
Now, some good news: RJ Harvey's rib injury does not seem to be serious, based on the Klis story. The 9News insider indicated that Strnad is the "other injury the Broncos are concerned about" after Jones. That presumably means the team is not concerned about Harvey, at least not to the extent of Strnad or Jones.
Entering Week 15, Metcalf leads all Steelers pass-catchers with 753 receiving yards and five touchdowns through the air, although his production has been mostly disappointing overall.
And he's off to a rough start in the Week 15 game against the Miami Dolphins. Here's why that's the case.
Is DK Metcalf playing tonight?
Yes, Metcalf is active and healthy, he just hasn't gotten involved in the offense yet.
He also didn't have much of a chance to on his first drive, as the Steelers went three-and-out.
The Steelers desperately need Metcalf to produce on Monday night with the team not having many great options at wide receiver, so he should get going soon.
One year after losing General Manager Max Stienecker to the USC Trojans, the Wisconsin Badgers are losing another top staffer in their recruiting department.
Director of Player Personnel Ethan Russo, who was hired from the North Texas Mean Green last offseason, is heading to the Oklahoma State Cowboys as their new Executive Director of Player Personnel.
With the move, Russo is reuniting with new Cowboys head coach Eric Morris, who was hired from North Texas earlier this offseason. He had been North Texas’s Director of Player Personnel in 2024 after joining the staff as the Assistant Director of Player Personnel in 2023.
Prior to his time at North Texas, Russo had been at UNLV, where he was the Director of Player Personnel in 2022. He also worked at Utah between 2019-22, starting as a Player Personnel & Recruiting Assistant before later being elevated to Assistant Director of Player Personnel. He started off his college football career at Rice in 2018 as a Player Personnel & Recruiting Analyst.
Russo also has NFL experience with the Indianapolis Colts and the Cleveland Browns.
The Badgers have seen some big shakeups with their personnel department, as Assistant Director of Player Personnel Zach Zilm also left last year for a role with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Now, they’ll need to find another top staffer to complement Director of Recruiting Pat Lambert, and it’ll be another important hire for head coach Luke Fickell.
Graduate forward Graham Ike wins his second West Coast Conference Player of the Week award of the 2025-26 season as his team improves to 10-1. He scored 25 total points on 9-for-15 field goals to go along with five rebounds and five assists in the 82-72 victory over the UCLA Bruins in Seattle, Washington, on Saturday night.
Gonzaga has now come away with the conference player of the week award a total of three times this season, with redshirt junior forward Braden Huff being given the award last week.
Next for the big man on campus is a matchup with the struggling Oregon Ducks team (5-5) on Sunday, Dec. 21, at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Tip-off is set for 3:00 p.m. PT on Peacock.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
Of course, that's easier said than done, and their opponent in the championship game, the New York Knicks, are no push-over. The Spurs know they can't take it easy against the Knicks; they'll have to pull out all the stops once again in order to emerge victorious. But could that actually mean keeping their best player out of the starting lineup?
Spurs center Victor Wembanyama played limited minutes during the semifinal victory over the Thunder. Now, head coach Mitch Johnson has expressed that the team is considering employing a similar strategy in the NBA Cup final.
"It'll be something that Victor and I will continue to talk through," Johnson said Monday, Dec. 15, according to ESPN. "It's hard. He wants to play. He wants to start. He wants to finish. ... We still have to think about what's best for the team, unfortunately. That decision can't be made in a vacuum, even though it's a very impactful and influential decision."
Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence on Saturday to participate in the semifinal against Oklahoma City. Wembanyama came off the bench for the first time in his career. Still, the third-year pro played 21 minutes and racked up 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. The rest of the Spurs compiled just 18 points combined in the fourth.
"I trust in Mitch 100 percent. They had the perfect plan," Spurs guard Devin Vassell told ESPN. "I know they talked about it over and over, and we executed it. As soon as Vic came in, he had the impact that we needed."
Despite the success, the Spurs might limit Wembanyama again, promoting his long-term health above winning the NBA Cup.
"It's going to be a mix of different opinions," Wembanyama said Monday, according to ESPN. "But I'm ready. Even I will have my own opinion [about what to do]. It will also be based on my thoughts and the thoughts of the staff. But basically, we're going to discuss it."
Will Wembanyama be limited to 21 minutes again?
Head coach Mitch Johnson says that the team cannot afford to be "uninentional" with Wembanyama's minutes right now. Having learned from Wembanyama's past injury struggles, the team has already worked on finding a path for Wemby to play as many minutes as possible with as little stress on his body as possible as well.
Although Johnson never offered a plan for Wemby Monday, it stands to reason that his minutes will be dictated by the flow of the game. On Saturday, Wembanyama did not check-in until the start of the second quarter. He only played seven minutes in the first half, before tallying nearly 13.5 minutes in the second half. The Spurs were trailing by 11 before Wembanyama came in and were still trailing at the start of the third quarter. Should the Spurs struggle to keep pace with New York, it's likely that Wembanyama's minutes could increase as the game wears on.
Wembanyama's on/off court splits
Wembanyama's presence can be felt on the floor. This year, when Wembanyama is on the court, opponents are averaging 105.4 points per 100 possessions, compared to 120.6 when Wembanyama is on the bench.
The Spurs have managed a stellar 9-3 record without Wembanyama this year, but it's obvious that the team would rather have the DPOY frontrunner manning the glass tomorrow.
After a cold start to the 2025 NFL season, the Miami Dolphins were on a hot streak entering their game Monday night in frigid Pittsburgh against the Steelers. It isn't easy keeping the fans at Hard Rock Stadium pleased when the Fish weren't close to treading toward .500. Still, that never keeps the Miami Dolphins cheerleading crew down. They bring their best moves and routines to the sidelines for every game. At least, the Fish fans at home when the team is struggling have something they can enjoy.
BOSTON (AP) — Right-hander Luis Perales was acquired by Washington from Boston on Monday for left-hander Jake Bennett in an exchange of prospects recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Perales, 22, was ranked as Boston’s No. 5 prospect by Baseball America.
He had Tommy John surgery in June 2024 and returned to the mound this past Sept. 13, pitching 2 1/3 innings during three late-season minor league appearances for Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worchester.
He averaged 14.97 strikeouts per nine innings in 2024 before getting hurt.
Bennett, 25, was ranked Washington's No. 6 prospect by Baseball America.
A second-round pick in the 2022 amateur draft, he had Tommy John surgery in September 2023. Bennett returned this past May 1 and went 2-5 with a 2.27 ERA in 18 starts and one relief appearance for Class A Fredericksburg, High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg.
Following the season-ending injury to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, fellow wideout Jaylen Waddle has served as the Miami Dolphins' No. 1 option in the passing game.
Going into Week 15, Waddle is sitting with 812 receiving yards and six touchdowns through the air, both tops on the team.
However, he's off to a lackluster start in the Week 15 game against the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. Here's why.
Is Jaylen Waddle playing tonight?
Yes, Waddle is active and healthy, he just hasn't been targeted in the passing game yet after one drive.
Miami's offense got off to a slow start and only tallied one first down on the first drive before punting it away, so Waddle didn't really get a chance to get going.
While Waddle has posted some lackluster performances this season, he has not yet been blanked in any game, so he should get on the stat sheet soon.
MADISON – There will be at least one more change to the Wisconsin football staff this offseason.
Ethan Russo, the Badgers' director of player personnel, is leaving to become the executive director of player personnel at Oklahoma State. The news was first reported by Footballscoop and CBS sports. His departure was confirmed by a source to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Russo came to Wisconsin in March after a two-year run at North Texas, where he worked for Eric Morris, who was hired as head coach at Oklahoma State in early December. Russo spent 2023 as North Texas’ assistant director of player personnel and 2024 as its director of player personnel.
Russo spent the 2022 season as the director of player personnel at UNLV. From 2019-22, he served in the personnel department at Utah.
There has been one other change to the Badgers' staff this offseason. AJ Blazek was not retained as offensive line coach and replaced by Eric Mateos.
Darren Waller unexpectedly came out of retirement before the start of the 2025 season and was traded to the Miami Dolphins in a deal with the New York Giants.
Waller has missed several games due to injury this season, but in the six games he has played in, the veteran tight end has tallied 177 yards and four touchdowns.
Waller is off to a slow start in the do-or-die Week 15 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here's the details behind his lackluster start.
Is Darren Waller playing tonight?
Yes, Waller is active and healthy, and he was targeted on the first drive but couldn't bring in the low pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Waller didn't have much of a chance to get going, though, as the Dolphins only moved the chains once on the opening drive.
Waller is a key member in the Dolphins' passing attack, so it's just a matter of time before the football finds him on Monday night.
At quarterback, Trevor Lawrence posted a new career-high in fantasy points, besting his previous record by 11 points. J.J. McCarthy continued to smack the piñata that is the Cowboys defense, posting a career-best fantasy outing. Jacoby Brissett became the first passer to reach 20 fantasy points against the Texans. And Philip Rivers became just the second grandfather since Brett Favre to play in the NFL.
It wasn't just quarterbacks that had all the fun. Texans running back Jawhar Jordan made his NFL debut and dropped 12.8 half-PPR points after Woody Marks left with an injury for (roughly) the 23rd time this season. Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown tied his career high with 34.9 half-PPR points. And at tight end, Kyle Pitts' 40.1 points were nearly double his previous career best, and Trey McBride dominated the league's best defense to the tune of a career-high 31.4 half-PPR points.
Here's a look at Week 16 fantasy football rankings. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception) and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format. Scroll to the bottom to view the complete rankings.
Our team at USA TODAY Sports has you covered with plenty of content to help with your Week 14 waiver wire and roster decisions. Looking for up-to-date player news? We’ve got it. Don't forget to check out the rest of our content:
Please note: These rankings will change significantly as the week goes on. Check back on Sunday morning for final updates.
(The risers and sleepers sections will focus on players available in at least 60% of Yahoo leagues. All snap and target data from PFF.)
Week 16 fantasy football quarterback rankings: Risers and sleepers
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy (35%) - McCarthy has now started eight games, and he's totaled at least 16.7 fantasy points in five of them. The 22-year-old has racked up 20.4 and 24.5 fantasy points in his last two contests, respectively, and he gets another mouthwatering matchup in Week 16. The Vikings will be taking on the Giants, who have ceded more than 18 fantasy points to the position in seven of their last nine. New York has allowed every passer they've faced to exceed 13 points.
Saints QB Tyler Shough (9%) - Shough has quietly topped 18 fantasy points in four of his last five games, and now he faced a Jets defense that was just eaten alive by Trevor Lawrence. Since Week 5, the Jets have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.
Panthers QB Bryce Young (18%) - Young has surpassed 15 fantasy points in three of his last four contests, including performances of 31.8 against the Falcons and 22.5 versus the Rams. The 24-year-old will be in a prime spot this week against a Bucs defense that's given up the most fantasy points to opposing signal-callers since their Week 10 bye.
Other QB streaming options - Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers (27%), Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (18%)
Week 16 fantasy football running back rankings: Risers and sleepers
Rams RB Blake Corum (40%) - Corum's excellent play has resulted in him getting a larger part of the pie in the Los Angeles backfield. In Week 15, Corum saw a 46% snap share and 37% route share, finishing just six snaps and two routes behind Kyren Williams. The result was 71 yards and a touchdown against a Lions team that came in allowing the fewest fantasy points to the position. Corum has now shouldered at least 11 touches in five of his last eight games and is an intriguing streaming option against Seattle.
Cardinals RB Michael Carter (5%) - Bam Knight left Arizona's Week 15 contest with an injury after just his first carry, which led to Carter dominating the backfield for the remainder of the game. The 26-year-old had an 82% snap share, 72% route share, and he led the team with 18 touches. Carter could very well be the lead back against a Falcons defense that's allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs since Week 7.
Saints RB Audric Estime (0%) - Rookie Devin Neal left Sunday's game with a hamstring injury and didn't return, which resulted in Estime and Evan Hull splitting the backfield touches. Estime was far more effective, turning his six touches into 50 yards. Hull, meanwhile, has just 37 yards on 11 touches in 2025. Estime was also the team's primary passing-down back. The 22-year-old is in line to be a solid streamer against a Jets front that's allowing the second-most fantasy points to runners this season.
Other RB streaming options - Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell (3%), Texans RB Jawhar Jordan (1% - only if Woody Marks is out), Cowboys RB Malik Davis (1% - only if Javonte Williams is out)
Week 16 fantasy football wide receiver rankings: Risers and sleepers
Jets WR Adonai Mitchell (16%) - Mitchell has emerged as New York's clear-cut WR1. In Week 15, the 23-year-old led the team in snaps, routes, targets, receptions, and receiving yards. Mitchell has now recorded 20.2 and 14.4 half-PPR points in two of his last three games, and he'll look to post another solid fantasy line against a Saints team that has surrendered 14+ fantasy points to 11 different receivers this season.
Panthers WR Jalen Coker (5%) - Coker has now led the Panthers in receiving in three of his last four games after racking up 60 yards and a tuddy against the Saints on Sunday. He'll be in a great position to remain hot against a Bucs secondary that's allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to receivers since Week 5.
Packers WR Matthew Golden (32%) - After Christian Watson went down with a chest injury against the Broncos, it was Golden and Jayden Reed who were Jordan Love's favorite targets. The rookie garnered four targets and also drew a PI on another deep shot. He would be a top-40 play against a Bears team that's allowing the third-most fantasy points to receivers.
Week 16 fantasy football tight end rankings: Risers and sleepers
Dolphins TE Darren Waller (36%) - Despite Baltimore's tight ends dropping a dud in Week 15, the Bengals are still allowing 6.3 more half-PPR points to the position than the next closest team. Next up is Waller and the Dolphins. The veteran recorded 16.2 and 16.3 points in his first two games this season and will be in the TE1 conversation for this smash spot.
Rams TE Colby Parkinson (4%) - Since Week 10, Parkinson's 15 red zone targets are four more than the next closest player at the position. The 26-year-old has hit paydirt in five of his last six games, including twice on Sunday. He's on the streaming radar against a Seahawks defense that's surrendered the sixth-most points to the tight end position in 2025.
Other TE streaming options - Bears TE Colston Loveland (40%), Bengals TE Mike Gesicki (5%), Titans TE Gunnar Helm (0%)
Week 16 fantasy football rankings: PPR, half-PPR and standard
NEW YORK — Edwin Díaz won't receive all of his $69 million from the Dodgers until 2047, with the closer's deal raising deferred payment obligations for the two-time World Series champions to more than $1.06 billion due to nine players.
As part of the three-year contract announced Friday, Díaz gets a $9 million signing bonus payable on Feb. 1, according to terms obtained by The Associated Press.
He receives a $14 million salary next year and $23 million in each of the following two seasons. The Dodgers will defer $4.5 million annually.
Díaz's deferred money is payable in 10 equal installments each July 1. The 2026 money is due from 2036-45, the 2027 money from 2037-46 and the 2028 money from 2038-47.
Los Angeles has a $6.5 million conditional team option for 2029 with no buyout. The option could be exercised if he has a specified injury through the end of the 2028 season and he does not end the season or postseason healthy, or if he has a specified surgery.
If the conditional option is exercised, he could earn $2.5 million in performance bonuses for 2029 based on games finished: $750,000 each for 45 and 50 games and $1 million for 55.
Díaz gets a hotel suite on road trips and will make a charitable contribution of 1% of his income.
His deferred payments raise the Dodgers' total to $1,064,500. Their high point due in a year is $102.3 million in both 2038 and 2039.
Los Angeles also owes deferred payments to two-way star Shohei Ohtani ($680 million from 2034-43), outfielder/infielder Mookie Betts ($115 million in salaries from 2033-44 and the final $5 million of his signing bonus payable from 2033-35), left-hander Blake Snell ($66 million from 2035-46), first baseman Freddie Freeman ($57 million from 2028-40), catcher Will Smith ($50 million from 2034-43) and utilityman Tommy Edman ($25 million from 2037-44), reliever Tanner Scott ($21 million 2035-46) and outfielder Teoscar Hernández ($32 million from 2030-39).
A three-time All-Star who turns 32 on March 22, Díaz had 28 saves in 31 chances last season with a 6-3 record and 1.63 ERA for a disappointing Mets team that failed to reach the playoffs despite spending the second most behind the Dodgers. He struck out 98 in 66 1/3 innings.
Díaz has 253 saves in 294 chances over nine seasons with Seattle (2016-18) and New York. Díaz agreed to a $102 million, five-year contract with the Mets after the 2022 season, a deal that included deferred money payable through 2042. He gave up $38 million he would have been owed in the final two years with the Mets.
How will the Kansas City Chiefs approach the offseason after missing the playoffs and losing Patrick Mahomes to an ACL injury? Yahoo Sports' Andrew Siciliano, Charles Robinson, and Frank Schwab examine the future of KC's dynasty as well as the impact of Micah Parsons' season-ending ACL injury. Later on, the guys analyze the Denver Broncos' impressive 11-game win streak and their position on top of the AFC. The guys also look at Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals' situation to see if they can create positive momentum for next season. They close things out with a fun discussion about Philip Rivers performance in a heartbreaking loss vs. the Seattle Seahawks.
(6:16) - Where do the Chiefs go from here?
(18:44) - Micah Parsons out for the season
(25:33) - Are the Broncos the scariest team in the AFC?
(34:15) - Can the Bengals and Joe Burrow find a way forward?
(49:01) - Philip Rivers to start Week 16
(55:56) - One More Thing
Where do the Chiefs go without Patrick Mahomes after his season-ending ACL injury? (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Sunday, in the best-case scenario for the Denver Broncos, gained a hard-fought win over Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers to clinch a playoff berth. The New England Patriots lost to the Buffalo Bills, giving them a full-game lead over the number-one seed in the AFC.
Bo Nix had his best game as a pro so far in his career with 304 passing yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions against a Packers team that was winners of four straight coming into the game, to extend Denver's winning streak to 11 games.
The Broncos have beaten many good teams this season, including the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles, the Houston Texans, and now the Green Bay Packers. However, it won't get easier from here, as they will host the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday as part of Week 16.
Jacksonville holds a slim lead in the AFC South at 10-4 and had a dominant win over the New York Jets, scoring 48 points. With the defense Denver has, that likely won't happen this week, but another element of this matchup could be impactful.
On Monday, the Broncos claimed ex-Jaguars running back Cody Schrader off waivers, who actually got released by the Texans. Although Shrader is currently listed fourth on the depth chart, this could be a strategic move to gather intel on their upcoming opponent, the Jaguars.
Since entering the league in 2024, Shrader has not had many chances to showcase his talent. Still, he had a solid collegiate career at Missouri, with 1,627 rushing yards (the program's season record) and 14 touchdowns.
Fans in Memorial Gym Friday expected a good EIAC contest with Rushville hosting Franklin County and that is exactly what they witnessed. Both defenses made it difficult for the opposing offense and the outcome was not decided until the buzzer sounded.
A half-court heave by Franklin County as time expired was not good giving relief and the win to the Lions 54-51.
Rushville improves to 2-2 overall and 2-0 in the EIAC. Franklin County falls 0-4 overall and 0-3 in the EIAC.
Franklin County opened the scoring with a 3-pointer by Jordan Stringer. The Lions scored the next seven points – a rebound bucket by Liam Gurley, left-wing 3-pointer from Malaki Knight and jumper from Zy Adams.
After Rushville pushed the lead to four points on a left-corner 3-pointer by Emmett Knecht, Franklin County’s Carson Allen hit a 3-pointer to close the first quarter with the Lions leading 12-11.
Rushville’s Knecht scored the first five points of the second quarter, including a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Lions a 17-11 advantage. The Wildcats fought back to tie the game at 17-17 with 3:45 to play on a left-corner 3-pointer by Stringer.
Another bomb by Franklin County’s Allen put the Wildcats on top 22-21, but Owen Zachery’s rebound bucket gave Rushville a 23-22 halftime lead.
Back-to-back buckets by Rushville’s Adams opened the third quarter and extended the lead to five points. Later in the quarter the lead grew to as much as seven on a drive by Zachery and turnaround bucket in the lane by Adams.
A traditional three-point play by Franklin County’s Allen cut the Rushville lead to three, but Knight’s drive to the bucket closed the third quarter with Rushville on top 37-32.
Rushville opened the fourth quarter on a 6-1 run, all scored by Knecht for the Lions. Near the mid-point of the quarter, Franklin County hit a pair of 3-pointers to start cutting into the Rushville lead. Allen’s triple cut the deficit to 45-38 and Ezra Kolb’s cut it to 47-41.
Free throws became key in the final minute. The Lions hit just enough (4-of-8). A Zachery free throw had Rushville up 54-47, but two free throws by Franklin County’s Jerod Rauch and bucket by Allen had the Wildcats within three with :03.4 on the clock and Rushville at the free throw line.
The Lions were unable to convert at the charity stripe, but the desperation shot was no good and the Lions held on for the win.
For the Lions, Knight led the way with 17 points. Knecht added 14 points followed by Adams with 11 points, Zachery with 10 points and Gurley with two points. Zachery had a team-high six rebounds. Clayton Chase added four rebounds. Knecht and Adams both grabbed three rebounds. Ryder Flannery and Knecht both dished out two assists.
North 51 Edinburgh 37
The Chargers hit the road for a third straight game, heading to MHC foe Edinburgh Friday. North Decatur opened the game on a 16-2 run, held off a Lancers run and then pulled away for the 14-point win 51-37.
The Chargers improve to 1-3 on the season and 1-0 in the MHC. Edinburgh drops to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the MHC.
North led 16-2 to open the game. The Lancers closed the first quarter with the final four points to get the deficit down to 18-8 heading to the second quarter.
Edinburgh outscored North 11-6 in the second quarter to cut the halftime deficit to 24-19.
ln the third quarter, an Edinburgh 3-pointer had the Lancers within one point at 29-28. North countered with a traditional three-point play from Charlie Parmer to push the lead to four points. Later in the quarter, Owen Rennekamp hit a right-corner 3-pointer to extend North’s lead to 37-28 before North closed the quarter with a 39-28 lead.
For North, Rennekamp led the way in scoring with 26 points. Parmer was next for North with 16 points. Logan O’Dell finished with five points. Garrett Schwering and Wyatt Reisman both had two points. O’Dell and Parmer shared team-high honors with nine rebounds each. Schwering pulled down four rebounds and dished out a team-high three assists.
Columbus North 70 Greensburg 59
Greensburg traveled to Columbus North Friday to face the Bull Dogs. An 18-9 run in the third quarter by the host squad propelled Columbus North to the 70-59 victory.
The Bull Dogs improve to 4-1 on the season. The Pirates drop to 2-2.
Columbus North held a slim 14-13 lead after the first quarter. The lead was 33-29 at the half for the Bull Dogs.
Columbus North’s big third quarter gave the Bull Dogs a 51-38 lead heading to the final eight minutes of action.
Andrew Bowman led the Pirates in scoring with 24 points. Jacoby Miller finished with 11 points. Jonah Hellmich scored nine points followed by Logan Simpson eight points, Hayden Ramsey three points, Ethan Smith two points and Zayden Miller two points.
Bowman grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Hellmich pulled down five rebounds and Simpson had three rebounds. Smith dished out a team-leading six assists.
Batesville 61 Lawrenceburg 40
Batesville remained undefeated on the young season and picked up its first win in the EIAC with a 61-40 victory at Lawrenceburg. The Bulldogs move to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the EIAC. The Tigers drop to 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the EIAC.
Batesville led 12-7 after one quarter, 29-13 at the half and 42-21 heading to the fourth quarter.
James Hughes led the Bulldogs in scoring with 16 points. Brayden Maple was next for Batesville with 14 points followed by Ethan Schneider 11, Levi Hunt five, Kamryn Holcomb five, Trenten Luers three, Winston Garrett three, Preston Blessing two and Braydin Hughes two.
Holcomb had a team-high 10 rebounds. Maple grabbed eight boards. Luers dished out a team-high seven assists. Maple added five assists.
The Cumberland County Jets are on a hot streak. CCHS won its fifth consecutive game last week with a decisive 51-40 victory over Bledsoe County in Pikeville.
“I think Bledsoe County is definitely a team that could win their district,” said Cumberland County Coach Christian Goodwin. “They’re very long and athletic.
“We were down one of our starters this week, and our leading scorer, and that takes some adjusting to. We started slow offensively and then went on a nice run in the second quarter and built the lead up to eight points. We had a couple of big shots that would have pushed the lead to double digits. We just couldn’t hit it.”
The win pushes Cumberland County to 8-2 on the year. Bledsoe County, with the loss, falls to 5-1.
The Jets got behind early in the game. Buckets from Sol Sitton, Shaeffer Sitton and Jake Christopher put Cumberland County within striking distance at 14-10 after the first period.
But then CCHS went on a roll and outscored Bledsoe County 14-5 in the second quarter. Asher Mifflin scored inside. Sol Sitton scored on a jumper outside and Tristan Futrell nailed a 3-pointer to put the Jets up 24-19 as the teams left the floor at intermission.
“We started the third quarter on a 6-0 run and had two or three looks to get that lead out to 13, 14, 15, but didn’t hit,” Goodwin said. “And then, they pushed it right back with a 5-0 run. We controlled the game, but we were never able to separate like we wanted to and go on that what we call a blitz, which is like an eight-point run in a couple minutes.
“We were never really able to do that in the second half. And so the game kind of lingered away. It got down to two in the fourth quarter, and then we went on a 9-0 run, and that was the end of it.”
Christopher came up big for Cumberland County in the second half, as did Sol Sitton, Futrell and Shaeffer Sitton. The Jets led 40-35 after the third period before securing the 51-40 win.
“I think our kids are learning how to win when it’s not pretty, win when you’re not shooting it well, or when the other team is providing a lot of resistance,” Goodwin said. “You kind of have to learn how to win a rock fight. Our kids are learning just to figure out whatever it takes to get it done.
“Defense has been good. Over the last three games, we’ve held the opposition to single digits in the fourth quarter.”
Futrell led Cumberland County with 14 points, hitting four of seven shots from long range. Mifflin scored 10 and Christopher scored seven.
“Figuring out ways to close games on the road is always good,” Goodwin said. “I would always like to separate earlier.”
Coaches of any sport often say good teams find a way to win, even when they aren’t playing well. It may be through a tighter defense, better shot selection? They believe there is always a way.
Coach Mike Buck and the Stone Memorial Lady Panthers found out how true that adage is. Heading into their game last week against Jackson County in Gainesboro with a 9-0 record, Stone needed all 32 minutes to come away with a 45-44 victory.
“We know that we’re a good team,” Buck said. “The girls know that and they have a lot of confidence in not only their own ability, but also the people around them.
“So that’s easy to fall back on, right? But, this one was a battle.”
The victory improves Stone Memorial to 10-0 on the season, while Jackson County falls to 4-6.
The Stone Memorial girls got off to a slow start in their battle with Jackson County. Claire Williams and Hannah Parks helped the Lady Blue Devils rush out to a 14-10 lead after the first period.
They widened that lead to 10 points, 29-19, at halftime.
“They were doing a lot of simple stuff, but they were really good at what they did,” said Buck.
“Tonight was simple, but I just told the girls to trust their reads. What they were seeing, it was right. So, go ahead and trust that and be able to get to that next rotation quicker.
“Jackson is a good team. They caused us some problems with their physicality all night long on the glass. Whenever they were guarding us, it made it tough for us. So they mixed up their defenses a lot there in the second half.”
Stone Memorial began to chip away at the Jackson County lead. Baskets by Lauren Clark and Ella Jane May helped the Lady Panthers move to within four, 36-32, after three periods of play.
SMHS finally caught the Lady Blue Devils early in the fourth period before making a run to produce the final 45-44 margin.
“They’re just leaning on each other and their abilities and they’ve got history together,” Buck said about his team. “And they just compete. That is the key word. They’ve got an abundance of it. It is, in everything. They have a competitive spirit that’s really, really solid.”
Lauren Clark led Stone Memorial with 13 points and Lexi Clark contributed 11. May scored six, while Brooklyn Lane, Ashley Whittenburg and Bella Wyatt scored five each.
Parks scored Jackson County with 14 points and Williams contributed 12 points.
“Whenever you’re skilled, it just takes a little bit of time to adjust,” Buck said. “Whatever the team’s goal, whatever their scheme, it just takes a little time to adjust. And it is really cool to see our kids adjusting on the floor, talking to each other, reading stuff.”
Late charge leads Stone girls over York
The Stone Memorial girls used a second half charge to take down the York Institute 50-43 last week in Crossville.
The game went back and forth early and a basket by Taylor Amos helped Stone take a narrow 15-14 lead after the first period. The SMHS defense picked up in the second quarter, holding York to only six points.
On the other end of the floor, Stone got buckets from Brooklyn Lane and Emma Smith and held a 29-20 advantage at the intermission.
Ashley Whittenburg and Lexi Clark pushed the pace for Stone in the second half. SMHS led 38-31 after three quarters before posting the final 50-43 margin.
Lexi Clark led Stone with 13 points and Whittenburg had 12. May tallied nine, while Lane scored five and Smith scored four. Wyatt scored three and Amos tallied three. Lauren Clark scored one point.
Cali Franklin set the pace for York with 13 points.
South Decatur traveled to Milan Friday in search of a third win in four outings to start the season. South led by 18 points at the half, but the Indians fought to cut the deficit to six heading to the fourth quarter.
That comeback by Milan took all the gas out of the tank as South outscored the Indians 25-13 in the fourth quarter to win 83-65.
South improves to 3-1 on the season. Milan is 0-2.
The Cougars got off to a hot start, leading 24-12 after the first eight minutes of action. South took a 47-29 lead to the half.
In the third, Milan outscored South 23-11 to cut the deficit to 58-52 heading to the final eight minutes where the Cougars pulled away for the victory.
South had three players score better than 20 points. Drake Scaggs had 24 points followed by Cayden Drake with 23 points and Karson Templeton with 22 points. Tayedin Traylor added six points followed by Brayden Gerrian with five points, Grady Scudder two points, Paul Schoettmer two points and Garrett Huckelberry one point.
Drake completed the double-double by pulling down a team-high 12 rebounds. Scaggs and Templeton both had seven rebounds. Aidan Bryant grabbed five rebounds.
Scaggs dished out a team-leading 12 assists. Templeton added three assists.
Milan’s Micah Norman led all scorers with 35 points. Ethan Clark added 13 points for the Indians.
Milan came out on top in the junior varsity game 35-32.
South was led in scoring by Carter Tull with 21 points. Ryker Martin with nine and Bolton with two.
For the Stone Memorial Panthers to be successful on the basketball court, the Panthers need to have offensive production from some of their most reliable scorers.
For sure, the Panthers need to play strong defense, they need to rebound well, but they also need to score. Stone Memorial got just that last week when Kadyn Page, Jack Cordell and Briggs Lowe combined for 54 points to lead them to an 84-55 victory over York.
“I think York always plays hard. They’re a young team, but they have a lot of pride,” said Stone Coach Jess Raby. “You have to respect them because they always compete.”
The win improves Stone Memorial’s overall record to 4-4, while York Institute drops to 5-6.
The Stone Panthers came out firing strikes to open the game. Baskets by Cordell, Evin Moseley and Tanner Bowman helped SMHS take a 19-9 advantage after the first period.
Coren Gibson tried to spark York with back to back jumpers. The Dragons got within single digits, but Stone got jumpers from Lowe and Page and the Panthers led 42-28 at halftime.
“I’ve said it before, great teams can win even when the shots are not falling. But, boy, shots falling do cover up a lot of mistakes,” said Raby.
“There’s a lot of things that we’ve worked on and that we have to keep getting a lot better at. We’ve gotten looks and we’ve missed them. When you make them, like we did yesterday in the first half, it can do a lot of good for you.”
Stone kept the pedal to the mettle in the second half. Baskets by Bowman, Evan Stone and Hunter Haney allowed the Panthers to widen their lead to 64-46 heading into the fourth quarter.
Lowe led Stone Memorial in scoring with 23 points, while Cordell had 17 and Page had 14.
Moseley scored nine points, Haney had seven. Bowman chipped in five, Stone added four and Charlie Vanwinkle added three.
Gibson led York with a game high of 26 points. Jude Beaty chipped in with 11.
“We held them to nine points in the first period, but then we gave up 19 points in the second. That’s disappointing,” Raby said. “You’ve got to give them credit on that. But some of that is a lack of focus on defense on our part and a lack of urgency.”
Panthers fall to Jackson County, 68-60
The Stone Memorial Panthers got off to a slow start last week in a tough basketball battle at Jackson County in Gainesboro.
They trailed by eight points in the first period, but Stone fought back to within two points at the intermission. But Jackson widened its lead in the second half and eventually claimed a 68-60 victory over the Panthers.
Cordell led the way in scoring for Stone. He had 12 points, Evin Mosely got 11 and Tanner Bowman scored 10. Briggs Lowe added nine points, while Hunter Haney added seven. Kadyn Page chipped in five points, Charlie Vanwinkle tallied four points and Noah Potter kicked in two.
Will McCreary led Jackson County with 38 points. Parker Patterson scored 15 in the win.
The Dallas Cowboys' 2025 season is effectively over after the 34-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and one big problem again reared its head on Sunday night.
The defense was horrific.
Granted, this is nothing new, but against a Vikings offense that, aside from their win over the Washington Commanders last week, hasn't looked good, it looked like a top-5 unit against Matt Eberflus' defense.
But also, the other issue for Dallas is that because the defense is so bad, Dak Prescott and the offense have to be nearly perfect for them to win games, and when they aren't, we see what happens.
And for NFL.com's Grant Gordon, he encapsulated Dallas' season in one sentence when doing his takeaways for the game.
"Prescott was fine, going 21 for 34 for 294 yards and an 84.4 rating, but he needed to be great to win this one, and just wasn’t," Gordon wrote.
Given that we had a three-game spike in performance, some thought the defense had turned a corner, but the last two weeks, the unit has reverted to its early-season form.
And to have seven games where the defense has allowed 30+ points in seven games this season, that isn't a way to live in the NFL.
Will Eberflus be back in 2026? Color me extremely skeptical on that, and while we are on the subject, Brian Flores is a name I'd consider after seeing what he's done with the Vikings defense.
Dallas needs change, and while it is still up in the air that it will happen, one can only imagine the blowback if Eberflus returns next year.
With their statement victory over the Green Bay Packers, the Denver Broncos have now won eleven straight games. Touting a 12-2 record, they have defied the odds and found a way to grind out hard-fought battles throughout their 2025 campaign.
As the season chugs along, so do the Broncos who now boast a multi-game lead in AFC West. Better yet, they are poised to earn the conference’s top playoff seed if they can take care of business in the final three games. Even so, the national media and analysts are still sleeping in the Broncos. Though not many would go so far to call them frauds.
For several seasons, the Broncos have embraced the underdog mentality. But yesterday’s win over the Packers proves they are overdogs—and a formidable squad capable of competing for the Lombardi Trophy. The offense looked tremendous, and the defense rallied in the second half and forced two turnovers that helped swing the game’s momentum.
Teamwork makes the dream work. Denver’s dazzling performance against the Packers should have fans across Broncos Country excited about the team’s title-contending potential in ‘25. Yeah, I said it. This year’s Broncos are true Super Bowl contenders. Don’t forget that this year’s squad is excelling despite significant salary cap restraints. What the coaching staff and players have accomplished this season is impressive.
And what was more impressive than second-year signal caller Bo Nix’s performance against Green Bay?
Though in his last four games, Nix has turned the corner and has been playing some of the best football of his young career. Not too shabby for the sixth quarterback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. But Sunday’s outing versus the Packers demonstrated the second-year signal caller has the ability and moxie to lead the Broncos on a deep playoff run.
“The thing about him is he loves playing, and so it’s contagious, and that’s a really good trait for a player in his position and his teammates feel that,” stated Head Coach Sean Payton in glowing praise of what’s helping guide Nix’s performance as of late and the hopes of chasing the franchise’s fourth championship.
There are those who feel Nix’s best game to date was against the Packers. Count me in as one of them. He finished yesterday’s gridiron battle going 23-of-34 for 302 yards and 4 touchdowns. When the stakes were highest, Nix once again rose to the occasion, leading the Broncos to 20 second half points and yet another comeback victory. Another clutch effort.
It wasn’t just the offense who came up big in key moments. While the Broncos defense struggled in the first half, reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II’s interception in the third quarter prove to be the catalyst that reignited the defense’s second half performance and gave a much-needed momentum swing for the entire team.
All it takes is one big play to change a game. That’s precisely what happened with Surtain’s incredible pick. After shredding the Broncos’ secondary in the first half, Jordan Love was held in check the remainder of the game. A tip of the hat is in order to Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph for dialing up the right halftime adjustments, as well as to the players who executed well when it mattered most.
“Man, he went after that football, got it and that’s when I felt like it kind of started falling back on our side, the momentum did. It got the crowd back into it. When our crowd is going, it’s a really hostile environment. It’s tough to play in for an opponent,” stated quarterback Bo Nix.
Next up for Denver? Hosting a roaring 10-4 Jacksonville Jaguars squad who currently lead the AFC South. If the Broncos can find a way to replicate yesterday’s formula for success—bank on them being 13-2 by the end of next Sunday. Maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to convince some of the doubters to hop on board with the idea Denver sports a championship caliber squad.
After recovering from wrist surgery in the offseason, Jalen Williams missed the first 19 games due to injury rehab. As a result, last year's No. 2 scoring option for Oklahoma City, missed out on a significant pay day.
Had Williams been able to suit up in 65 games or more, he would've been eligible been eligible to make an All-NBA team. That comes with a significant distinction, as Williams would've been eligible for an extra $50 million in contract extension negotiations between him and the Thunder.
Williams was asked about that fact earlier this week, however he doesn't have any regrets for how things panned out. "I'll make it back somewhere else. So, I'm not too worried about it. (...) That's more of like a God's plan thing and I'm just kind of rolling with it. I'll never be salty over the money. we obviously will be able to use that elsewhere, which will be even nicer to keep our team together," said Williams.
He went on to say: "Coming from like a small school, I never thought I would make the amount of money that I'm making now anyway. So, I'm I'm not too concerned over it. The goal for me is about winning before it is about money."
This commitment to winning is encouraging for OKC fans to hear from one of their stars. Furthermore, Williams is right. That money would be extra money that Oklahoma City would have to spend elsewhere, perhaps to keep some of their current role players with the team.
Williams and the Thunder will return to action on Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
University of Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi answers a question during a press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of his team’s New Year’s Eve appearance against the University of Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Poggi is filling in following the sudden firing of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) University of Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi pauses in a quiet moment following a press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of his team’s New Year’s Eve appearance in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Poggi is filling in following the sudden firing of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) University of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian answers a question during a Cheez-It Citrus Bowl press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of his team’s New Year’s Eve appearance against the University of Michigan in the bowl in Orlando. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) University of Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi answers a question during a press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of his team’s New Year’s Eve appearance against the University of Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Poggi is filling in following the sudden firing of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) University of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian answers a question during a Cheez-It Citrus Bowl press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of his team’s New Year’s Eve appearance against the University of Michigan in the bowl in Orlando. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) University of Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi answers a question during a press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of his team’s New Year’s Eve appearance against the University of Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Poggi is filling in following the sudden firing of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) University of Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi shares a laugh during a press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of his team’s New Year’s Eve appearance against the University of Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Poggi is filling in following the sudden firing of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) University of Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi answers a question during a press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of his team’s New Year’s Eve appearance against the University of Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Poggi is filling in following the sudden firing of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) University of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian listens to a question during a Cheez-It Citrus Bowl press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of his team’s New Year’s Eve appearance against the University of Michigan in the bowl in Orlando. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) University of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian answers a question during a Cheez-It Citrus Bowl press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of his team’s New Year’s Eve appearance against the University of Michigan in the bowl in Orlando. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) University of Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi and University of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian pose with the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl trophy during a press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of their teams’ New Year’s Eve appearance in the bowl in Orlando. Poggi is filling in following the sudden firing of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) Show Caption1 of 12University of Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi and University of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian before the start of the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl press conference in Winter Park, Fla., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of their teams’ New Year’s Eve appearance in the bowl in Orlando. Poggi is filling in following the sudden firing of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)Expand
University of Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi and University of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian meet the press for a news conference in Winter Park, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, ahead of their teams’ New Year’s Eve appearance in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Poggi is filling in to coach the bowl game following the sudden firing of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Babcock, who took home the award in 2024, joins Wisconsin’s Mimi Colyer, Kentucky’s Eva Hudson and Nebraska’s Bergan Reilly as finalists. The announcement of the Player of the Year recipient takes place Friday, Dec. 19, in Kansas City at the AVCA Awards Banquet.
The Green Bay Packers suffered a major loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, losing by a final score of 34-26.
The Packers, who entered the Broncos game in first place in the NFC North, dropped to second place after losing since the Chicago Bears beat the Cleveland Browns.
QB Jordan Love didn't play well against Denver. He went 24 of 40 through the air for 276 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
"According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Denver pressured Love on 52.2 percent of his dropbacks, which was a career-high," Sobleski wrote. "Despite the issue, Green Bay led 16-14 at halftime. Still, three quarterback sacks and 15 more hits were too much. Love threw a pair of second-half interceptions and couldn't keep pace as the Broncos offense took off in the third quarter."
Love was sacked three times against the Broncos for 29 yards. The Packers, after scoring 16 points in the first half, put up only 10 in the second half.
"The second half we had the two turnovers, which are drive-killers," Love said. "Give them credit, they got their pass rush going, tightened up some coverages."
Love and the Packers are 9-4-1 on the season. They travel to Chicago next to face the Bears on Saturday, which will be one of the biggest games of the season.
"There's still so much more out in front of us," Love said. "Just that mindset we have to stay together, go into this next week, a big game against the Bears in Chicago, get everybody ready for that. We've been there before in these tough games, and we have to stay together and keep going."
Love enters the Bears game with 3,304 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns and six interceptions. He's completing 66.4% of his passes.
Apologies for the timing on today’s Bee, I was rather busy yesterday evening and didn’t have a chance to get my writing done. Shame on me.
Dortmund’s tie draw in Freiburg is definitely hanging heavily in the air, with some sour commentary coming out of the dressing room and the club hierarchy. The matches against Bodø/Glimt and Freiburg were ones that Dortmund would have expected to win, and handily. It’s been a sour seven days for BVB.
BVB News
Gregor Kobel took responsibility for his error that led to Jobe Bellingham’s red card. It was a calamitous pass from Kobel that marred what was otherwise a good performance from Dortmund’s shot stopper. Bellingham will reportedly be suspended two matches for his transgression.
Dortmund once again missed an opportunity to make up ground in the table. I already got heated about this the last time it happened, so I’m just not going to do so again. Whatever.
Some news on Timo Werner and his dwindling time at RB Leipzig. The decline of Werner’s career is truly a disappointment to see for a player who had such promise and made such a mark on the league.
Apparently Wolfsburg will lose out on German superstar Niklas Füllkrug to…AC MILAN? Really didn’t see this coming. If you had Pulisic, Leao, Füllkrug, Nkunku, Modric, and Rabiot on your bingo card as players together on any team ever in history, my hat is OFF to you.
Should Dortmund have moved to bring Füllkrug back? Should Dortmund bring anyone in? Should Dortmund just close up shop after this season and finally be done with all this mess?
In fact, Pittsburgh controls its own destiny to get to the postseason, with the Steelers sitting in first place in the AFC North and in the No. 4 spot in the conference standings entering Monday night.
Here's a closer look at the Steelers' position in the conference playoff picture and what will happen if Pittsburgh loses or wins against the Dolphins.
AFC North standings
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
2. Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)
4. Cleveland Browns (3-11)
This is a two-team race with the Bengals and Browns both eliminated.
If the Steelers win on Monday, they will increase their lead to two games when you factor in the head-to-head tie-breaker the Steelers currently own over the Ravens.
However, both teams still have another meeting in Week 18, so that tie-breaker isn't settled yet.
The second tie-breaker, division record, belongs to Pittsburgh for now, with the team sporting a 3-1 record as opposed to Baltimore's 3-2 mark.
That said, that tie-breaker is not yet decided, either, as the Steelers have two more divisional games and the Ravens have one more.
If the Steelers lose on Monday night, they will remain in first place in the AFC North because of the aforementioned head-to-head tie-breaker.
AFC playoff picture
Rank
Team
Record
1
Denver Broncos
12-2
2
New England Patriots
11-3
3
Jacksonville Jaguars
10-4
4
Pittsburgh Steelers
7-6
5
Los Angeles Chargers
10-4
6
Buffalo Bills
10-4
7
Houston Texans
9-5
8
Indianapolis Colts
8-6
9
Baltimore Ravens
7-7
10
Miami Dolphins
6-7
Because the Steelers will remain in first place in the AFC North no matter what, they will remain in the No. 4 spot in the conference regardless of the outcome against the Dolphins.
As you can see, the Steelers have a lot of work to do to catch the Jaguars in front of them, so moving up is not possible this week.
As the Wisconsin volleyball team competes in the NCAA Final Four, the Badgers' star outside hitter is one of the final four players in consideration for the top individual award in the sport.
Mimi Colyer is a finalist for national player of the year, the AVCA announced Dec. 14, joining Nebraska setter Bergen Reilly, Pittsburgh opposite hitter Olivia Babcock and Kentucky outside hitter Eva Hudson.
Colyer has been dominant in her lone season with the Badgers. The Oregon transfer has averaged 5.39 kills per set, which is third among all Division I players and first among players whose teams reached the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. Her high output has been while hitting .340 – seventh-best among all outside hitters.
The 6-foot-3 senior has recorded at least 10 kills in all but one match this season, and she has elevated her game in the postseason. She has recorded 20-plus kills in each of Wisconsin’s last three matches, including a 27-kill performance against Stanford in the regional semifinals.
The winner will be announced on Friday, Dec. 19 at the AVCA’s awards banquet. Babcock, Colyer and Hudson are all competing in the national semifinals on Dec. 18, with Colyer’s Badgers facing Hudson’s Wildcats in the latter match of the evening.
As the Wisconsin volleyball team competes in the NCAA Final Four, the Badgers' star outside hitter is one of the final four players in consideration for the top individual award in the sport.
Mimi Colyer is a finalist for national player of the year, the AVCA announced Dec. 14, joining Nebraska setter Bergen Reilly, Pittsburgh opposite hitter Olivia Babcock and Kentucky outside hitter Eva Hudson.
Colyer has been dominant in her lone season with the Badgers. The Oregon transfer has averaged 5.39 kills per set, which is third among all Division I players and first among players whose teams reached the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. Her high output has been while hitting .340 – seventh-best among all outside hitters.
The 6-foot-3 senior has recorded at least 10 kills in all but one match this season, and she has elevated her game in the postseason. She has recorded 20-plus kills in each of Wisconsin’s last three matches, including a 27-kill performance against Stanford in the regional semifinals.
The winner will be announced on Friday, Dec. 19 at the AVCA’s awards banquet. Babcock, Colyer and Hudson are all competing in the national semifinals on Dec. 18, with Colyer’s Badgers facing Hudson’s Wildcats in the latter match of the evening.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Just when receiver Ricky Pearsall finally got back to his early season form for the San Francisco 49ers he's now dealing with another injury that could impact his availability for the stretch run.
Pearsall had six catches for 96 yards Sunday to help San Francisco beat the Tennessee Titans 37-24 to move within one win of clinching a playoff berth.
But Pearsall came out of the game with ankle and knee injuries. He hurt his ankle on the first play from scrimmage but was able to return. He left late in the fourth quarter after aggravating a knee injury that had sidelined him for six games already this season. Coach Kyle Shanahan said there's a “concern” that Pearsall might miss time but the team won't know until later in the week.
“He landed on his knee and that’s a painful thing when you have that," Shanahan said Monday. "So hopefully, it’s not at all like it was when he first did it, but it does take time for that pain to go away and hopefully that’ll be sooner than later over these next eight days.”
Pearsall struggled to produce in his first three games back with five catches for 20 yards but looked like his old self on Sunday when he got loose downfield for some big plays.
Shanahan said he was starting to get bothered by the questions about Pearsall's lack of production before Sunday, saying Pearsall had been playing well despite not getting the ball.
“I was getting annoyed too,” Pearsall said after the game.
The 2024 first-round pick had gotten off to a fast start this season with 20 catches for 327 yards before getting hurt early in the second half in Week 4.
“It’s something I had to learn the last few weeks,” Pearsall said. “It’s not about stats. It’s about the flow of the game and the impact I can make without the ball in my hands.”
The Niners are hoping he will be healthy enough for the ball to come his way plenty down the stretch.
“He can run any route in the route tree and I think it’s his ability to beat man coverage and his hands too,” running back Christian McCaffrey said. “He’s an elite route-runner and can get open. In this offense, when you have someone who’s as dynamic as that, the ball is going to find him.”
What’s working
Opening drive. The 49ers drove 70 yards on 12 plays for a touchdown on their first possession in what is becoming a regular occurrence. In six games with Purdy at quarterback, San Francisco has scored four TDs and one field goal on its opening drive. Purdy was sharp once again, going 5 for 6 for 50 yards and throwing a TD pass to Jauan Jennings on the drive.
What needs help
Pass rush. Cam Ward came into the game having been sacked 49 times, tied for the most in the NFL. The Niners didn't bring him down once on 29 pass attempts as they remain last in the NFL with 16 sacks on the season. San Francisco has sacks on 3.2% of pass plays by its opponents, which would be the ninth worst mark of the Super Bowl era.
Stock up
Jennings. The opening-drive TD was one of two on the day for Jennings, who is back to his 2024 form after struggling with injuries earlier in the season. Jennings has a TD catch in three straight games with six in his last six contests as he has been Purdy's top red zone target.
Stock down
WR Brandon Aiyuk. The former No. 1 receiver's San Francisco tenure might be over. Aiyuk was placed on the reserve/left squad list on Saturday, making him ineligible to play the rest of the season. Aiyuk has been out since tearing his ACL last October. The team had initially expressed hope he would return midway through the season.
Injuries
The Niners got good news on OL Spencer Burford (knee, ankle) and DT Jordan Elliott (knee), with both expected to be able to practice this week. ... LB Tatum Bethune (ankle), DE Sam Okuayinonu (ankle), LB Eric Kendricks (calf) and DL Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) all should practice this week and could return after missing time. ... LB Nick Martin remains in the concussion protocol.
Key stat
7: San Francisco converted its first seven third-down tries for the first time since Oct. 2, 2016, against Dallas. The last time the Niners had more consecutive third-down conversions to start a game came when Joe Montana led them to a 24-17 win over Tampa Bay on Nov. 18, 1984, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Next steps
The 49ers visit Indianapolis and its 44-year-old, recently un-retired quarterback, Philip Rivers, next Monday night.
So you like current trends, you say? Things such as six seven, perhaps? Well, have we got a Monday Night Football surprise for you! The 6-7 Miami Dolphins are in the Steel City to take on the 7-6 Pittsburgh Steelers in primetime. The internet might explode. Maybe… could also be mid. Yet, could it get any better?!
Okay getting down to brass tax, what about Buffalo Bills playoff-related rooting interests? We outlined all of those in detail here ahead of Week 15, but the move tonight is to root on the Steelers to victory over the Dolphins. So… why is that true? As Rachel Auberger pointed out…
“First, the Bills hold the tiebreaker over the Steelers. Second, Miami is trying to sneak back into the playoffs, and, well, I just don’t want to see that happen. Third (and maybe most importantly) a Pittsburgh win makes a January trip to Baltimore less and less likely regardless of what Lamar Jackson and the Ravens do.”
So there you have it. With that, here’s your open thread for Week 15 of Monday Night Football. Are you ready for some football? As always, be kind to one another — and in all things… Go Bills!
The Pittsburgh Steelers won't have the services of superstar edge rusher T.J. Watt for the Week 15 game against the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night.
Watt suffered a lung injury at the team facility on Wednesday and needed to have surgery on Thursday to correct the issue.
Following the surgery, Watt obviously did not practice and was ruled out for Monday night's contest and his status remains up in the air moving forward.
Here's what we know about Watt's injury and his return timeline.
T.J. Watt injury update
Watt was diagnosed with a collapsed lung that required surgery, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor and Stephania Bell.
The injury occurred at the team facility on Wednesday after a dry needling session.
The specific details about why Watt needed the treatment and how he ended up with a collapsed lung as a result remain unclear.
What is dry needling?
ESPN goes into further detail about what dry needling is:
Dry needling is a skilled intervention where the provider uses a thin needle to penetrate the skin with the goal of alleviating pain and improving movement. Unlike "wet" needling, which utilizes a hollow bore needle (which has a central channel to allow liquid to pass through it) to inject a medication, dry needling utilizes a solid needle and no substance is injected.
Common applications for dry needling include, but aren't limited to, muscle pain/strains (e.g., hamstring, quad), tendinitis/tendinopathy (e.g., patellofemoral, biceps, rotator cuff), plantar fasciitis and headaches. Utilization has expanded within the past decade, in particular, and it is not uncommon to see dry needling in most athletic rehabilitation settings or training rooms.
It remains unclear what prompted Watt to get the dry needling done.
When is T.J. Watt coming back?
There is no concrete answer to this question yet, and making things more difficult is the fact that there have been conflicting reports about how long Watt might be out.
ESPN's Adam Schefter has cast doubt on Watt's ability to return in Week 16.
"He's not gonna play Monday night against the Dolphins. We'll see if he's able to come back in the next week. That's gonna be challenging too," Schefter said.
However, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero is leaving the door open for Watt to return as soon as next week.
"The turnaround was just too quick for Watt to play this week. He needed to rest but the Steelers are hopeful that Watt potentially could miss only one game. He could be back next Sunday against the Lions," Pelissero said.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac reports that Watt is expected to return this season, and he could be back sooner rather than later.
"The injury to outside linebacker T.J. Watt isn’t as serious as it sounds and he is expected to return before the end of the season, maybe even sooner than anticipated, multiple sources have told the Post-Gazette," Dulac wrote.
Putting it all together, we would say Watt's chances of playing next week are 50/50, at best, but it's just good to see he's on the road to recovery after a scary situation.
The NBA trade deadline isn’t until Feb. 5, but trade season intensifies on Dec. 15 when a large group of players become eligible to be moved. The Phoenix Suns have been a pleasant surprise early on, but how active should they be in the pursuit of a roster upgrade?
PHoenix Suns trade rumors
Jun 10, 2025; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns general manager Brian Gregory during an introductory press conference at the Verizon 5g Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Suns have been linked to Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis, but there’s also a long list of complementary players that could be more realistic targets for Phoenix.
Among that list of players is a group of big men that Gil McGregor and Stephen PridGeon-Garner discussed through the lens of the Suns’ trade needs.
The PHNX Suns team discusses the approach the team should take as the deadline nears. Follow the show @PHNX_Suns, @ErikRuby, @GilMcGregor_, @StephenPG3 & @Espo
The Eagles were able to break their losing stream on Sunday against the Raiders, the offense put up 31 points and the defense forced the first shut-out in Philly since 2018. It was a well-round performance by the team, but the defense was still the highlight — they held Las Vegas to under 75 yards of offense, were able to rotate guys and keep them fresh, and Brandon Graham set a franchise record for being the oldest player to record a sack (and he got two).
After the game, quarterback Jalen Hurts kept his answers about the Eagles offense short and to the point, answering many by just highlighting that they found a way to win. And while the QB didn’t care to elaborate much about his impressive performance, he did make sure to give the Eagles defense — and Brandon Graham — their flowers.
“A great defensive performance. I don’t think that’s something that you can dismiss or undervalue, [to] not look forward, to give up 75 total yards of offense and lead the game with a goose egg on the board. You couldn’t ask for anything more. So, glad we were able to compliment them on the other side of the ball today.”
Over the years, Jalen Hurts formed quite a bond with Brandon Graham, and had some thoughtful words to describe the 15-year veteran who recently came out of retirement and notched two sacks in Sunday’s game.
“Awesome. Awesome, awesome. Two of them at his age and being able to come back. I think someone like Brandon, he serves more value than just his presence and his leadership. He’s still a hell of a player, and I’m glad he’s able to feel that personally for himself and set the tone in a way for our team.”
Hurts and the Eagles offense have relied on the defense a lot this season to get to 9-5, but it was nice to see that the pressure wasn’t on that side of the ball much on Sunday.
🚨 BREAKING: LA Galaxy complete move for Jakob Glesnes
LA Galaxy have officially completed a blockbuster move for one of the league's top defenders, as the Western Conference side welcome Philadelphia Union center-back Jakob Glesnes to SoCal.
The former MLS Defender of the Year is the latest big name to depart the 2025 Supporters' Shield winners, joining Tai Baribo, who will reportedly travel down I-95 to join up with D.C. United.
Glesnes, 31, has been a key presence for the Union since arriving from Norwegian Eliteserien outfit Strømsgodset in 2020, helping the club to two Supporters' Shield honors, an appearance in the MLS Cup finals in 2022, banking MLS All-Star selections on three occasions (2022, 2023, 2025) along the way.
"We are thrilled to welcome Jakob and his family to Los Angeles," said Galaxy GM Will Kuntz.
"In his six years in MLS, Jakob has established himself as one of the best center-backs in the league and a back-line leader on multiple Supporter's Shield winning teams. We look forward to having Jakob join the group in January as we prepare for the 2026 campaign."
The deal will set the Galaxy back north of $1m GAM + performance-based add-ons.
Glesnes' addition to the Galaxy ranks could be a catalyst for the club to bounce back from a dismal 2025 campaign that saw the six-time MLS Cup winners finish 14th in the West.
As of today — Monday, Dec. 15 — 79 players who signed or extended their contracts last summer became eligible to be traded. That means the options have greatly expanded for front offices trying to match salaries and develop trade packages that work for both sides.
It's no secret that the Mavericks are willing to listen to offers for Davis, something league sources have confirmed to NBC Sports and multiple other outlets have reported.
The more interesting question: How strong is the market for Davis?
This season is the perfect example of why some teams are hesitant to go all in on the 10-time All-Star and NBA champion. When he is on the court this season, Davis has looked like an All-NBA player, averaging 20 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while playing strong defense. The problem is that the 32-year-old has played in just 11 games due to injury. Add to that the fact that Davis, with agent Rich Paul leading the way, are expecting a massive contract extension from any team that trades for him, and a lot of teams are thinking twice about a deal.
How many teams are willing to take that risk? In an NBA shifting towards deeper rosters of good players around one or two stars, a mid-30s Davis making 30% of the salary cap is a hard sell. Only a few teams might go all in. Keep an eye on Atlanta. If Kristaps Porzingis' illness keeps him out for an extended time, the Hawks might be willing to bet on Davis as the defensive force in the paint and pick-and-roll partner with Trae Young they hoped KP would be.
Detroit and Toronto are also rumored to be interested. However, the Chicago Bulls reportedly do not want to bring Davis home, seeing him as not a fit with the timeline of their younger stars.
Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors)
It's no secret that Kuminga is available in a trade: The Warriors played hardball this summer and pushed Kuminga into a contract designed to dealt (two years, $46.8 million, with a team option on the second year).
The Pelicans and Nets are teams rumored to be willing to take a flier on Kuminga, although Steve Kerr pulling him in and out of the lineup this season has not exactly increased his market.
Considering there is also a lot of buzz about the Warriors' interest in Trey Murphy III — a fantastic two-way wing fit next to Stephen Curry — it's possible to see the foundation of a trade, but Golden State will have to give up picks and more than just Kuminga. Another potential target for the Warriors: Brooklyn center Nic Claxton, which leads to another set of rumors.
Lauri Markkanen (Jazz)
By all accounts, Markkanen has not been made available for a trade. Remember that Utah locked up Markkanen with a four-year, $195.9 million extension, and he is in just the first year of that massive contract. Also, Markkanen has done nothing but praise Salt Lake City and how much he wants to be there.
That said, two things keep other teams around the league thinking the Jazz could trade Markkanen after all. One is simply that the 28-year-old Markkanen is not on the same timeline as Utah's other young stars, such as Keyonte George (22), Walker Kessler (24) and Ace Bailey (19). If Utah can trade Markkanen to get young players or picks, it makes sense.
The other reason is that Markkanen is playing at an All-Star level and helping Utah win games, and the Jazz have a top-eight protected pick otherwise owed to the Thunder. The expectation around the league is that the Jazz will want to actively tank to increase the odds of keeping that pick (currently, the Jazz have the eighth-worst record in the league, and if the NBA draft lottery were held today, they would have a 60.7% chance of keeping that pick).
Utah is a team to keep an eye on.
Keon Ellis (Kings)
While the big names in Sacramento — Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan — have drawn the trade headlines, the player on the roster most likely to be traded is defensive-minded guard Keon Ellis. Sam Amick summed this up well at The Athletic.
Beyond Sacramento's core, fourth-year guard Keon Ellis remains the most talked-about trade target among rival teams. Never mind that his league-wide value doesn't reconcile with the way he's used by Kings coach Doug Christie (he has played 20-plus minutes just once in the past 11 games and had a DNP-Coaches' Decision in that span).
The real question, however, is whether the Kings' price point for moving him will be so steep that it makes a deal hard to reach. It remains possible that Ellis and the Kings find a win-win proposition on the extension front (he's eligible as of Feb. 9).
One team to watch in the chase for Ellis: The Lakers (more on that below).
It's worth noting that among the stars in Sacramento, Sabonis is the most likely to be traded, with the Wizards, Bulls, and Suns all expressing some level of interest. While the Bucks reportedly have shown interest in Zach LaVine, she makes $47.4 million this season —with a player option for $48.9 million next season — and that makes finding any trade nearly impossible. Plus, to get off LaVine's salary, the Kings would likely have to throw in a first-round pick and Sacramento GM Scott Perry is not looking to give up picks.
Gabe Vincent (Lakers)
The Lakers are a quality team, and with the trio of Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, they are a team nobody wants to see in the playoffs.
Yet, their point-of-attack defense is holding them back. It's not a secret, coach J.J. Redick has talked about it. Which is why the Lakers are in the market for Ellis, a 3&D wing in the mold that they are seeking.
Whatever trade the Lakers might make at the deadline, Gabe Vincent — a solid, veteran guard — is likely the guy headed out the door (or, at least part of the package). The Lakers need to do something, which is why Vincent might want to have a go-bag ready by the door.
Honorable mention names to watch: Daniel Gafford (Mavericks), Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III (Pelicans), Nic Claxton (Nets), Anfernee Simons (Celtics), Robert Williams III (Trail Blazers), and CJ McCollum (Wizards).
Other trade notes
Knicks looking to add ball handler
While the Knicks are most often linked with Giannis Antetokounmpo in trade rumors, that is not the only guy on their board. Then there is this note from the tied-in James Edwards of The Athletic.
They're targeting a ballhandler from what I've been hearing. Not every name thrown out there has been accurate, though. https://t.co/ALxV9yC1uO
The Houston Rockets are a team committed to their young core as the future (except maybe for Antetokounmpo). While they made one big win-now addition in acquiring Kevin Durant, they are not expected to make another short-term move.
Which is why Houston has no interest in trading for Ja Morant, The Athletic reports. The speculation was that Houston was looking for a replacement for the injured Fred VanVleet, but the Rockets are 16–6 with a top-five offense and defense so far this season. Why would they break that up?
Chicago and Green Bay will meet for the second time in three weeks when the Packers visit Soldier Field on Saturday night. And Williams is ready for the rematch.
“I’m definitely excited,” he said after beating Cleveland. "I’m excited for the moment. They’re coming here, and it’s another game for us. But I’m excited.”
The NFC North-leading Bears (10-4) won five straight games and nine of 10 before losing 28-21 at Lambeau Field two weeks ago, when Williams underthrew Cole Kmet on an interception in the end zone in the closing minute. Chicago fell behind the Packers in the division and dropped from first to seventh in the conference.
The Bears bounced back in a big way against the struggling Browns, winning 31-3 in one of the coldest games ever at Soldier Field. With the Packers (9-4-1) losing at Denver, Chicago regained the division lead.
The schedule is about to take another tough turn, with Green Bay visiting and a trip to San Francisco before Chicago hosts Detroit in the finale. The Bears at least won't have to deal with Micah Parsons after the Packers' superstar pass rusher tore his left ACL in the third quarter at Denver.
Even so, a win over Green Bay is hardly a sure thing for Chicago. The Packers have dominated the NFL's longest-running rivalry the past few decades. And if Williams wants some payback for the most recent meeting, that's fine with coach Ben Johnson.
“I’m glad Caleb didn’t like how the last one ended,” he said Monday. "None of us should. No one likes to lose. And so the only way you can shake that feeling is to look to stack more victories. And so that’s our intent.”
What’s working
The defense. Chicago held Cleveland to 192 yards and sacked Shedeur Sanders five times in his fourth start. The Bears also had three interceptions, leading to two touchdowns and a field goal, and extended their league-leading totals in INTs (21), takeaways (30) and turnover differential (plus-20).
What needs help
The way the Bears dominated, it was hard to find fault with their performance.
Stock up
WR DJ Moore. If Moore seemed like a forgotten man the previous week, well, consider this quite a reintroduction.
He went from being targeted just three times and catching one pass for a 4-yard loss to contributing 69 yards and two touchdowns with leading receiver Rome Odunze missing his second straight game because of a lingering foot injury. That included a highlight-reel grab on a 22-yarder in the third quarter. Williams rolled toward the right sideline and Moore went up in a crowd in the back of the end zone to haul in the pass.
Moore, who is second on the team with 43 receptions and 567 yards, is on pace to finish with 689 yards. His career low is 788 yards in 2018 as a rookie with Carolina.
Stock down
K Cairo Santos. In seven seasons with the Bears, Santos had never missed a field goal of 39 yards or less. He was 84 for 84 before a 35-yarder nicked the right upright in the second quarter, a bad miss even with the Browns' Myles Garrett coming in off the edge. Santos is 21 of 26 on field goals this season.
Injuries
Johnson said “all options are on the table” with Odunze after he aggravated his foot injury in warmups and was a late scratch. It's been bothering him since October, and the team had been managing the situation by having him sit out some practices. “There may be a case where we have to protect him from himself a little bit and just make sure we get him right and he’ll be able to help us down the road," Johnson said. ... The Bears opened a 21-day practice window on LB Tremaine Edmunds (groin), who has missed the past four games. He was hurt in Chicago's Week 11 win at Minnesota. ... WR Luther Burden (ankle) is day to day after he was hurt on Sunday.
Key number
3 — The three points were the fewest allowed by Chicago since a 29-3 victory over the New York Giants in Week 17 of the 2021 season. The previous low this year was 14 in wins over Dallas in Week 3 and New Orleans in Week 7.
Next steps
The Bears will try to beat the Packers for the second time in three meetings and get some payback for the loss in Week 14. Chicago won at Lambeau Field in last year's finale, ending an 11-game losing streak against Green Bay.
The win over New England splits the season series and keeps the division crown and playoff seeding possibilities alive for Buffalo, and QB Josh Allen's play keeps the reigning Most Valuable Player conversation for this year's MVP honors.
"We don't blink," he said to a CBS sideline reporter after the game. TE Dawson Knox said the same about the team, "No one in here blinks."
Allen elaborated further on the topic during his postgame press conference.
"We stayed the course," the QB said. "Stayed together, didn't ride the highs, didn't ride the lows. Just told ourselves at halftime, you know, we really felt like we were hurting ourselves in the first half. Going out there and just trying to execute each and every given play."
The Drake Maye-led Pats team came out swinging offensively, putting up a 21-point three-touchdown lead early and racking up 31 total points to try and get an AFC East-clinching win against the longtime kings of the division.
While the two offenses traded blows with three lead changes in the fourth quarter, Allen and the Bills stormed back with five straight touchdown drives to take a 35-31 lead.
With minutes left to play, the Buffalo defense came out and said 'Maye-be-not', getting the stop on the New England QB and their offense to give Buffalo the Ball with under two minutes on the clock. On the ensuing possession, Ty Johson got the game-sealing first down on a running play to run out the clock and close things out.
"A resilient, tough football team," is how head coach Sean McDermott described them to the press. "When you're down like we were at halftime, I thought the staff did a great job making adjustments and the players executed."
When asked about Allen's comeback after the game, longtime AFC opponent and new Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel found himself at a loss for words.
“That’s why they pay him $60 million. I don’t know what to tell you.”
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