It was reported at the time that Schwartz said his goodbyes, packed up his office, and stormed out of the building. Schwartz apparently met with new head coach Monken ahead of submitting his letter of resignation, but it did not smooth things over.
As a result, the Browns are potentially turning over their defensive staff as well. So, how is the search going? We've got you covered here at Browns Wire.
Browns interview two internal candidates to replace their former boss
As the Browns look to replace Schwartz, they turn first to two candidates who worked under him. Linebackers coach Jason Tarver and safeties coach Ephraim Banda are the first two names to land an interview with the Browns as they search for a new defensive coordinator.
Tarver was a defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders from 2012-2014, while Banda has received interest in back-to-back years from teams looking for a new defensive coordinator. He interviewed for the Dallas Cowboys' opening this past season.
The Browns interviewed safeties coach Ephraim Banda and linebackers coach Jason Tarver for their defensive coordinator job, per sources.
Banda coordinated defenses at Miami and Utah State and was a finalist for multiple DC jobs this year. Tarver was the Raiders DC from 2012-14. pic.twitter.com/6M2c2z80Le
Former New York Giants assistant and interim defensive coordinator this past season, Charlie Bullen, has landed an interview request from the Browns. Despite a change in regime, Bullen is still under contract in the Big Apple, and has spent the last 15 years in the NFL. He has held posts as assistant defensive line coach, assistant linebackers coach, pass rush specialist, outside linebackers coach, and more.
Another interview request for #Giants assistant coach Charlie Bullen. The #Browns have asked to interview him for their defensive coordinator job, source says. Bullen is also in the mix for the #AZCardinals’ DC gig. pic.twitter.com/8rE5tBXWPR
Jeff Ulbrich understudy earns interview in Cleveland
Mike Rutenberg, who has spent the last decade coaching under names like Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich, has been requested for an interview in Cleveland. He most recently has held the post of passing game coordinator under Ulbrich and former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris. Former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski retained Ulbrich and his staff, so he is currently still under contract with the Falcons.
Browns have requested to interview Falcons defensive pass-game coordinator Mike Rutenberg for their defensive coordinator job, per source.
Rutenberg was the No. 2 for the Tennessee DC job that went to Gus Bradley. https://t.co/YFE8cvKKUP
Rams defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator lands interview with Browns
Aubrey Pleasant, the current defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams, is the new name to add to the list of candidates to replace Jim Schwartz. Pleasant has a world of experience as a passing game coordinator and has spent the last three seasons with the Rams.
Rams assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant will speak to the Browns today about their open defensive coordinator job, per source.
Panthers assistant under well-regarded Ejiro Evero get added to the list
Jonathan Cooley, a defensive assistant under Ejiro Evero with the Carolina Panthers, is the latest name the Browns have requested to interview. He finished third season with the team as their passing game specialist. He also has experience coaching defensive backs and has been coaching in the NFL since 2020.
Browns have requested to interview Panthers defensive pass-game coordinator Jonathan Cooley for their defensive coordinator job, per source.
Senior Vice President and General Manager Matt Arnold speaks during an an end of season press conference at American Family Field in Milwaukee, October 10, 2023. | Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Matt Arnold has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt.
In his time as the Brewers’ general manager, he’s swung a few trades that have worked out swimmingly for the Brewers. One of those happens to be last offseason’s trade for Caleb Durbin, who became an integral part of a team that led the league in wins and made it to the NLCS. Last month, it seemed like he might even be the third baseman of the future. Instead, he’ll be in a Red Sox uniform on opening day.
Maybe Arnold and the Brewers front office wanted to sell high on a player who wasn’t widely seen as a long-term starter before the 2025 season. Maybe they identified red flags in his profile. Maybe they’re looking at their loaded farm system and thinking they can survive without him.
The return for Durbin, Monasterio, and Seigler — Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, and Shane Drohan — could look really good in a couple of years. It doesn’t really look great right now. Harrison, a left-handed pitcher, is a former top-25 prospect and clearly the main piece in the deal. Hamilton, an infielder, had a great 2024, but he probably won’t be anything Durbin — or even Monasterio — wasn’t. He hit under .200 last year. Drohan, also a lefty, does have an intriguing profile. He’s also 27, has a career 4.29 ERA in the minors, and had a rough season last year after returning from shoulder surgery.
There has to be something coming.
Who’s going to play third base? Would the Brewers move Joey Ortiz back to third? That would mean, one way or another, that they’re confident in Jett Williams’ (who has yet to make his major league debut) ability to become an everyday contributor next year. Maybe they think Andrew Fischer and Jesus Made are closer to ready than it currently seems. Maybe Sal Frelick has secretly been taking (more) reps at third base. Maybe Ryan Braun has spent the last 20 years practicing third base and is about to pull a Philip Rivers in hopes of seeking redemption. Or maybe, just maybe, there’s another move coming.
Maybe it’s a trade for Isaac Paredes. Or a trade for Alec Bohm. Maybe it’s some AAAA guy most fans haven’t heard of, and maybe that guy will end up hitting .270 and leading the league in hit by pitches.
Heat, tweaks and focus: Brazil U20 women prep for Copa Sul-Americana
The Brazilian Women's Under-20 National Team continues strong in its preparation for the continuation of the South American Championship in the category. This Monday, the team trained at the Women's Football High Performance Center in Ypané, Paraguay, with activities specifically aimed at improving the team's strategy.
Coach Camilla Orlando prioritized the athletes who had little or no playing time in the last match. The session was a positional training focusing on tactical adjustments, already considering the upcoming challenges against Peru and Argentina. The idea was to keep the group competitive to meet the demands of the competition.
The rest of the squad underwent physical load management. Additionally, the players were protected from sun exposure, an important measure given the high temperatures recorded in Ypané, ranging from 34º to 39º, with a heat index that can reach 43º.
After having a break in the previous round of the tournament, Brazil returns to the field on Wednesday (12th), when they face Peru in the continuation of the championship. The match is scheduled for 6 PM (Brasília time) at the Luis Alfonso Giagni Stadium and could secure Brazil's qualification for the next phase.
“After the game, what happened was I came back in the locker room and I see he's got a bloody lip and he's disheveled and he didn't know what happened, he got trampled on the floor,” Scheyer said during the Atlantic Coast Conference's coaches media call. “That was my main concern after the game.
The fourth-ranked Blue Devils lost 71-68 to the now-No. 11 Tar Heels on Seth Trimble's 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left Saturday night. Fans rushed the Smith Center court thinking time had expired before an official review determined time needed to be added.
Security staffers cleared the court for a final play, then fans stormed again when time expired.
Afterward, Scheyer said staff members were “punched in the face” amid the chaotic moments, which included video of at least one fan throwing what appeared to be a bottle at the Blue Devils. A Duke spokesman later said one person was injured, but didn't release additional details, citing privacy concerns.
Scheyer clarified Monday that only one person was struck.
“One of our guys, he got hit in the face, got trampled,” Scheyer said. “Looked like he had been in a complete brawl after the game. He's doing better now, but that should never happen.”
Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis said Monday he has spoken with Scheyer but didn't elaborate further. Athletic director Bubba Cunningham spoke to reporters Saturday night, apologizing to Scheyer and referencing one injury.
“We accept the ACC’s fine for having unauthorized people on the court before Duke and the officials could completely clear the floor on Saturday,” UNC said in a statement. "The video we have reviewed confirms we followed our protocols to get Duke’s players and bench personnel and the game officials off the floor safely.
"We will continue to review our protocols to provide the highest measures of safety in the event fans rush the court. We consider this matter closed and look forward to the rest of the season.”
A new era is beginning for the Baltimore Ravens as Jesse Minter takes over from John Harbaugh as head coach, with the AFC North franchise now moving in a different direction.
But despite that, the Ravens, as they have done the previous few years, will go as far as Lamar Jackson can take them.
In 2026, the Ravens need a fully healthy Lamar and one who can play all 17 regular-season games, giving the franchise the best chance at playoff football.
But before any of that can take place, Jackson is the central figure in the Ravens' offseason plans, and for ESPN's Jamison Hensley, there's a lot to figure out.
"Baltimore's priority is reaching a new contract with Lamar Jackson and getting the two-time NFL MVP back on track on the field," Hensley wrote. "The first issue is reducing Jackson's $74.5 million salary cap number, and owner Steve Bisciotti spoke to Jackson about the urgency to create more cap room before the start of free agency in March.
"Then, Baltimore's new coaching staff will look to build a scheme around Jackson, who is coming off 2,549 passing yards and 21 touchdowns -- both of which are his lowest since 2022."
The Ravens' failure to make the playoffs is likely why the franchise moved on from Harbaugh, and for Minter, he's entering his first NFL head-coaching job with significant pressure to deliver from Day 1.
And to help him do that, he needs MVP Lamar to show up, and often in 2026.
Just a year removed from his 41 TD, four interception effort in 2024, so Jackson needs to rediscover that and quickly.
Baltimore can't afford another wasted season like 2025, as Lamar is in his prime, and the Ravens have to take advantage of it.
(Video) Behind the scenes: What really happened between Mbappé and the fourth official at Mestalla?
Offside call and tunnel incident spark debate
Behind the scenes: What really happened between Mbappé and the fourth official at Mestalla?
Kylian Mbappé showed frustration with referees during Real Madrid’s 2-0 La Liga win over Valencia at Mestalla.
Tension during a winning night
Despite shining on the pitch, Kylian Mbappé left the field visibly angry during Real Madrid’s league match against Valencia on Sunday.
The French forward scored Real Madrid’s second goal in stoppage time sealing 2-0 victory that kept pressure on league leaders Barcelona.
Earlier Valencia resisted until the 65 minute when Alvaro Carreras opened the scoring.
Offside call sparks anger
Mbappé’s frustration began at the end of first half after offside decision went against him.
As he walked toward the tunnel, he asked the fourth official to explain the call.
Broadcast footage showed Mbappé requesting clarification, only to feel ignored.
The official suggested the situation looked worse on camera and said the discussion could continue inside.
Mbappé agreed saying he did not understand the decision and wanted explanation.
However once inside the tunnel, the conversation did not continue.
Mbappé repeated his request but the official walked away leaving the player clearly upset.
Words caught on camera
After being ignored, Mbappé turned to his teammate Eduardo Camavinga and used strong words in French calling the referees “clowns”.
The moment was picked up by television microphones and later circulated widely.
Another factor behind Mbappé’s anger was the hostile atmosphere at Mestalla where Valencia supporters directed abusive chants toward him including insults aimed at his mother.
Result holds, Debate remains
Despite the controversy, Real Madrid kept their focus and secured the three point.
The win helped the team stay close in the title race even as emotions ran high during the match.
Veteran reliever Hunter Strickland will return to the Los Angeles Angels on a minor league contract, the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Monday on X. The 18th round draft pick in 2007 threw 22 innings for Los Angeles in 2025 but missed the rest of the season following a shoulder injury in July.
Strickland, 37, spent parts of the previous two seasons with the AL West club in what's been an up-and-down career. The right-hander made his debut with the 2014 World Series champion San Francisco Giants and became a key member of their bullpen the next four seasons.
He won a second championship with the Washington Nationals in 2019, as a midseason acquisition from the Seattle Mariners. Strickland has made appearances for five different clubs since then, mainly the Angels.
Angels add Strickland as depth
Although he will enter camp with an outside chance to make the Opening Day roster, Strickland's recent history with the Angels could indicate they'll give him plenty of opportunities during spring training.
Just two seasons ago in Anaheim, Strickland posted a respectable 3.31 ERA in a career high 73.1 innings. The Angels hope for similar results, including the .172 batting average against his fastball last year.
In 2017, Strickland, while pitching for the Giants, nailed ex-Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper with a 98 mph fastball. Harper charged the mound in an unforgettable benches-clearing brawl.
KINGSTON UPON THAMES, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Paul Green, Head of Women's Football arrives at the stadium prior to the Barclays Women's Super League match between Chelsea FC and West Ham United at Kingsmeadow on January 11, 2026 in Kingston upon Thames, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images) | Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Paul Green, a key figure in Chelsea’s rise to the very top of women’s football in England, has left the club, today, with an official statement confirming his departure after thirteen (13!) years of dedicated service to the organization. It’s a fairly brief and rather formulaic statement that doesn’t exactly befit his accomplishments and legacy, which doesn’t seem quite right and has certainly not been received well by the fanbase.
While we don’t know the exact details or reasons behind this departure, the nature of the statement is also being taken as a sign that Green may have been, in effect, pushed out by the other powers that be at the club. According to The Guardian, “Green’s influence and role in decision-making has been increasingly impeded at Chelsea, with co-sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, taking more of an active decision-making role around the women’s team”.
Green, after all, was one of the last vestiges of the old regime at Chelsea, on either the women’s or the men’s side. Long-time club secretary and director David Barnard is retiring at the end of the season (and stepped down from the Board last week as he begins to wind down his activities), while recent coaching changes in the Academy are also signaling the start of a new era.
Green joined Chelsea in 2013 as assistant manager to Emma Hayes, eventually moving into a more administrative role as General Manager of the women’s team and, more recently, Head of Women’s Football. Never in the limelight but always at the top of the game, he was instrumental in making Chelsea the dominant force in women’s football in England and around the world.
TNA World Champion Mike Santana gestures with the belt over the ropes while looking an his opponent during an episode of "TNA Impact." - TNA
Despite recent shows being taped rather than put on live, "TNA iMPACT" appears to be gaining a bit of steam since its debut on AMC on January 15. According to a new report, the show saw an increase in viewership ahead of its No Surrender special set for Friday.
The February 5 episode was up in metrics across the board. "iMPACT" was up 33 percent over the trailing four weeks average viewership of 182,000, and 25 percent in the average rating of 0.04. The debut episode of the show averaged just 173,000 viewers, even with an advertised appearance by TNA legend AJ Styles.
The recent episode of the show saw Trey Miguel get a victory over Adam Brooks, and The Righteous defeat TW3 and Tommy Two Scoops. Steve Maclin, who received a pink slip during the Feast or Fired match a few weeks prior, possibly revealed he is not leaving TNA despite what he earned in the briefcase in the unique stipulation match, as he blindsided TNA World Champion Mike Santana after saying "goodbye." The main event of the show ended in a brawl after Santana was attacked by The System, then saved by The Hardys and Moose.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois has officially made its big move of the offseason, as it was announced Monday that former Montana University head coach Bobby Hauck was hired to be the team’s defensive coordinator.
Hauck brings 38 years of collegiate coaching experience to Champaign, with 19 seasons as the head coach at both Montana (2003-09, 2018-25) and UNLV (2010-14).
Just last week, head coach Bret Bielema teased the DC hire and a potential new scheme for the defense in 2026, stating that he couldn’t make any announcements until post-Super Bowl.
Over his years as a coach, Hauck has become known for running an aggressive 3-3-5 defensive scheme, something that it appears he’ll be bringing to Illinois.
After this past season, Hauck stepped down as Montana’s head coach, and did so as the eighth-winningest head coach in all of Division I football with 166 career wins.
Coming off an MVP performance in Super Bowl 60, Kenneth Walker III's stock has never been higher. For fantasy managers looking ahead to the 2026 season, there are two critical questions: what will be his RB ADP this summer, and will he be primed to exceed or fall short of expectations?
Much hinges on Walker's contract status. He's expressed a desire to remain in Seattle, and his stellar late-season play (including 5.2 yards per carry in his final six games) should make him a slam-dunk re-signing. It also helps (or hurts, depending on perspective) that teammate Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL late in the year and might not return until the middle of next season. If the Seahawks are going to run it back, Walker is one of the most important signings.
But the 25-year-old's upcoming ADP isn't as clear. He was only the RB29 this past season in fantasy points per game -- one spot behind Charbonnet. He's finished in the top 16 only once in four years, and that was during his injury-plagued 2024 campaign when he managed only 11 games.
His post-Super-Bowl hype should carry into the summer, giving him an ADP somewhere between RB8 and RB12. But that might be too bullish. He wrapped up this season with 326 touches (including in the playoffs), which easily surpassed his college and pro highs. Charbonnet's eventual return will take some pressure off of Walker: great news for a franchise eyeing another postseason run, but bad news for fantasy managers seeking weekly top-12 production.
If you plan to draft Walker, you'll probably need to hope that his ADP falls below RB16. But given what he's just shown us, it's inconceivable that he'd end up at a bargain price.
Former Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal Christian Horner has held talks with MSP Sports Capital regarding an investment in the Alpine Formula 1 team, according to a report by Sky News.
MSP Sports Capital sold its stake in McLaren Racing in September 2025 and is now reportedly keen to return to the championship.
Horner was replaced in his role at Red Bull in July 2025 by former Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies. Since his exit, Horner has been at the centre of various rumours linking him to a return to the series, the most recent being an investment in Alpine.
"Well, look, so far I've been going to pretty much every team on the grid," Horner told TODAY when asked about the recent rumours. "I've spoken very little publicly since I left Red Bull. It's flattering that there's often this speculation that I'm going to this team or that team, but that's rife in Formula 1.
"I'd only come back for the right opportunity, working with the right people that are like-minded and want to win. I've got no interest in just taking part."
Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing
Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing
He added: "Look, I've done my shift, I think. If I were to come back, it would be in a slightly different role to the one that I performed for the last 21 years or so. So we'll see.
"The interest in the sport is sky-high. There's some fantastic people that want to invest in Formula 1. But I'm in no rush. If my career stops at the end of my time at Red Bull, I've had an incredible run, and as I say, I'd only come back for something that was genuinely exciting and something that could ultimately win."
Now, the report from Sky News has brought the rumours to the forefront again. It states: "Sources said that MSP was among a large group - including high net worth individuals, family offices and institutional investors - which had held talks with Mr Horner about backing his next deal in the sport."
One of the first major headlines of the offseason was the trade between the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Angels. Baltimore sent SP Grayson Rodriguez for OF Taylor Ward.
Baltimore was not able to get much going with Rodriguez, as he was often injured and needed some outfield depth. and power. Ward also brings a big right-handed bat to a lineup that has a ton of lefties in it.
Across 157 regular-season games last year, he hit .228/.317/.475 with a career-high 36 home runs and a career-high 103 runs batted in.
Orioles' Taylor Ward enters pivotal season with troubling expectations
36 home runs had Taylor Ward tied for 10th across MLB. There is no doubting that he had tons of power last season, but is that something that is sustainable?
"With limited on-base skills and a high strikeout rate, Ward is far from a complete player, and the bulk of his value is tied to his power production. The O's have moved the left-field wall in at Camden Yards, but it's still unclear exactly how the park will play after generally being a pitcher-friendly venue in years past."
It is no coincidence that Baltimore traded for Ward after moving in left field a few feet. However, Reuter explains that it is still unclear how the park will play out as it has been known to be a pitcher-friendly field in the past.
Ward will have to rely on the long balls, especially given he is expected be a free agent when the 2026 season comes to an end. Not only will the pressure of playing up to potential with his new team be on his mind, but he needs to play well to put himself in the best position on the open market next winter.
MILAN — Tradition holds that when you win an Olympic medal, you get that medal draped over your neck fairly quickly — usually a few minutes, maybe a half-hour at most. Most Olympians generally don’t have to wait two and a half years, and circle half the globe, to finally receive their medals.
But then again, most Olympians aren’t medal-winning figure skaters competing against the Russians. You combine the inherent drama of figure skating with the corner-cutting, line-blurring and outright cheating of Russian delegations, and you get what happened with Madison Chock, Evan Bates and the rest of the 2022 Olympic figure skating team: a Winter Olympics medal ceremony in the height of the summer.
Chock and Bates, who began their quest for an individual gold on Monday night, are the only repeat Olympians from a remarkable moment in Team USA figure skating history: a medal celebration at the height of the 2024 Paris Olympics to present medals to winners of the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
The story revolves, as so much else has over the last few Olympic Games, around Russian doping. Chock, Bates and the rest of the 2022 American team won silver at the Beijing Games, placing second behind Russians skating under the acronym ROC (“Russian Olympic Committee”) due to past doping violations.
However, tests had determined that Russian team member Kamila Valieva had taken a banned substance prior to the 2022 Games. With Valieva’s status — and, thus, that of the entire Russian team — in doubt, the IOC held off on awarding any of the medals, either to the Russian athletes or to the silver medalists of the United States and the bronze medalists of Japan.
The U.S. team left Beijing without a medal of any color, and for nearly two long years afterward, their trophy cabinets remained empty. Finally, in 2024, the International Skating Union rendered its decision: Valieva’s numbers would be stricken from Russia’s total, moving the United States into the gold medal position and Japan into silver. (Russia, not Canada, received the bronze on a technicality, which was a north-of-the-border scandal all its own.)
So the United States had won gold after all. But the gold medals were now locked up in a vault in Lausanne, Switzerland, where all unclaimed and unallocated medals reside. How would America’s skaters get their rightful medals with the appropriate level of ceremony and respect?
The solution was elegant, if not simple: the IOC awarded the medals at a special ceremony during the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024. “We got on the airplane knowing we were already going to get a gold medal, which was great,” Bates said recently. “We didn’t have to perform or compete.”
“No stress!” Chock joked.
In a sharp contrast with the austere, zero-audience COVID-era Beijing Olympics, the Paris Games were a celebration of all things Olympics, open to all. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee used that fundamental difference to ensure that the figure skating team got what their 2022 medal-winning colleagues didn’t: a full-on family celebration.
“The USOPC really did a phenomenal job treating all the athletes really well,” Bates said. “They brought out friends, family, coaches. Everybody was ecstatic.” The ceremony came just a few weeks after Chock and Bates were married. It’s safe to say they had a very good summer.
Under a brilliant blue Paris sky, the team walked into Champions Park, hands held high, smiles on every face as the national anthem played.
The Star-Spangled Banner plays for the United States’ 2022 Winter Olympic figure skating gold medalists. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/9jQoG5jY28
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024
“It was hard to describe how wonderful it was,” Bates said. “It really was magical.”
“It was also a reunion with our teammates, most of which we hadn't seen in two years since Beijing,” Chock added. “So it was really fun to be reunited with them and share that Olympic spirit again.”
The photos from the ceremony radiate joy as the American and Japanese teams stand before the Eiffel Tower with their medals won in Beijing. The Russian skaters did not show up to receive their bronze medals.
“After a two-and-a-half year wait, it was as good as it could have possibly been,” Bates said. “And it was just a wonderful way to close off that chapter.”
Now, the duo are on to their next chapter in Milan. They’ve already won another team gold to accompany their Beijing one — and this one didn’t require any waiting.
For all their team hardware, though, Chock and Bates have not yet won an individual medal. This is their fourth consecutive Olympics together — Bates also competed in Vancouver as part of another pair — but to date, they haven’t ascended the podium as individuals. That streak could well end later this week. They ended the free skate portion of the ice dance event in second place, their score of 89.72 just behind the French team of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron’s 90.18.
“We felt really strong, we felt like it was even better than a team event,” Chock said afterward. “It's the feeling of accomplishment when you did your best on ice, and the rest isn't necessarily all up to us, so we're really proud of how we skated, and proud of how we controlled what we could.”
Chock and Bates will return to the ice on Wednesday night with hopes of adding a third gold medal to their collection … and with hopes that it won’t take very long to hold in their hands.
"We just had a lot of quit in us tonight," Caldwell said after a 93-50 loss to South Carolina on Sunday; the 43-point margin a record for the largest defeat in Tennessee women's basketball history.
"And that's been something that's been consistent with our team is ― we're not comfortable, and things don't go our way, and I have a team that'll just quit on you. And you can't do that in big games, can't do that anytime in the SEC, but you certainly can't do that at a program like this."
Caldwell had no answers for why, when things are going badly, the Lady Vols struggle to stay composed. They seemingly unravel to the point of no return. (This season, the team has five ranked losses of 15 points or more, including a 30-point loss to UConn and 43-point loss to the Gamecocks. Three of those losses to top teams also included 20 turnovers.) Caldwell appeared to shift the blame to her team.
"That's a question for them, about why they can't stick together," the Tennessee coach said.
When asked if she had advice for Caldwell as a young head coach, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley offered up some reassuring words after Caldwell's head-turning admissions.
"For a young coach like Kim [Caldwell], coaching for the traditional powerhouse of Tennessee ― for me, I probably wouldn't say it publicly. That's one," Staley said.
"For two, you gotta get your team to buy in, and sometimes, it's tricking them because it's a game. It's a game that you really have to balance playing with the players because they know they played like ish, right? They know they did. Sometimes you need to bring what good happened. If you can find some good in it ... some of that might just kind of relax them a little bit."
Staley also shared what she thinks Caldwell and Tennessee can do to get back on track after losing three of their last four games.
"Competitors know when they don't play well. Competitors know when they need to change their mindsets," the Gamecocks coach said.
"You need the majority of your team thinking the same way, and it has to be positive. If it's negative, you're going to get negative results. So, I would start from there."
"He told Tom Brady he will never play for the Raiders again. That's a fact. He told them he'll retire before he ever plays for them again. But, I'm not sure they're actually going to trade him. Myles Garrett said the same thing last year, and we know how that ended up," an anonymous NFL general manager told Canfora.
Maxx Crosby reportedly has told Tom Brady that Crosby will never play for the Raiders again. https://t.co/aSIVP8fNo3
Crosby, 28, has been frustrated with the Raiders since Las Vegas decided to shut the star down for the final two games of last season. The Eastern Michigan product promptly underwent left knee surgery last month, but Crosby felt he was healthy enough to play in the Raiders' final two regular season games.
An initial report from Fox's Jay Glazer indicated that Crosby wasn't interested in going through another rebuild with the Raiders. This latest news from La Canfora is the latest piece in a story that may very well end with Crosby donning different uniform than the silver and black in 2026.
ESPN linked the Lions as a "natural would-be" trade contender for Crosby, but the asking price is going to be steep. Glazer felt that Crosby could net a larger package than the Dallas Cowboys scored with the Micah Parsons trade to Green Bay ahead of last season. The Cowboys dealt Parsons in exchange for two first-round picks and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
If the Lions dealt for Crosby, the five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All Pro would carry a 2026 cap hit just north of $30 million. Crosby's $29 million base salary in 2027 would also become fully guaranteed on March 13.
That might be tricky for Detroit to navigate. The Lions have young stars such as running back Jahmyr Gibbs, tight end Sam LaPorta and linebacker Jack Campbell that the organization will want to work to keep long-term. Those extensions will be pricey.
But, Crosby would arrive to his next destination with four seasons of team control after inking a three-year, $106.5 million extension with the Raiders last March.
Crosby has totaled 439 tackles (278 solo), 164 quarterback hits, 133 tackles for loss, 69.5 sacks, 29 passes defended, 11 forced fumbles and one interception in 110 games and 104 starts throughout his seven-year NFL career.
It still feels like a long shot for Detroit to make a move for Crosby, but maybe Lions general manager Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell will feel the urgency to make a splash as they try to navigate back toward Super Bowl contention in 2026.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 06: Stephen A. Smith at SiriusXM on Radio Row at Super Bowl LX on February 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM) | Getty Images for SiriusXM
A couple of weeks ago, following the Seattle Seahawks winning the NFC Championship Game and advancing to the Super Bowl, I wrote a piece about the revisionist history that had been taking place about the situation surrounding quarterback Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings that unfolded after the Vikings’ season ended with a Wild Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams. With Darnold and the Seahawks having won the big game last night, I’ve now gotten an example of this from perhaps the most prominent talking head in the industry today that illustrates this better than I could ever possibly illustrate it on my own.
On ESPN’s First Take this morning, Stephen A. Smith did a full-on excoriation of the Vikings for allowing Darnold to leave in free agency last season and turning the offense over to the young, unproven J.J. McCarthy.
This morning, @stephenasmith undressed the Vikings and put KOC on the hot seat for choosing McCarthy over Darnold last offseason, accusing MN of throwing away their 2025 season and "jeopardizing the career of Justin Jefferson" in the process… 👀
The real answer to this question (“Which team should have the biggest regret this season?”) is the Minnesota Vikings. You didn’t even make the postseason. You have an all-world receiver in Justin Jefferson. You got a brother that ain’t a scrub in Jordan Addison. You got a tight end in T.J. Hockenson, okay? And you gave away your quarterback to hand the reins to, essentially, a rookie in J.J. McCarthy who you drafted the year before but didn’t play one game because of a meniscus tear, so basically his NFL action was this year. He was unproven, and this was after Sam Darnold took you to a 14-2 record to start before you lost the season finale and a #1 seed and then, ultimately, a playoff game to the Los Angeles Rams. So two bad games, and when you couldn’t protect him you gave up nine sacks against him to the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs. And you threw him to the wolves, you said ‘to hell with him, we want to utilize our money elsewhere. That’s why their GM is gone, he was fired. That’s why Kevin McConnell* should no longer be called the quarterback whisperer, that’s why he’s lucky to have his damn job with that kind of decision, he’s a damn good coach and I know that. But I don’t want to hear no ‘quarterback whisperer’ anymore. Don’t want to hear that. Bottom line is, the Minnesota Vikings threw away a football season and jeopardized the career of Justin Jefferson by making the decision that they made”
Yeah. . .that Kevin McConnell is a damn fine coach. Apparently not a fine enough coach for Stephen A. to use his correct name, but a damn fine coach all the same, am I right?
But Stephen A. Smith is very, very passionate about the fact that the Vikings made a mistake in letting Sam Darnold walk away in free agency. . .now.
HOWEVAH. . .
Let us flash back to a year ago or so, shall we? This is when Stephen A. Smith was asked if the Vikings should bring Darnold back following that loss to the Rams in the playoffs.
Interviewer: “So, Stephen, you’re saying the move is to go with J.J. McCarthy?”
Smith: “I’m saying, sure. I believe that’s the case. But, in the same breath, again, it’s about how much it’s going to cost you. It’s about how much it’s going to cost you. And I’m saying you don’t give him $40 million. You don’t give him $40 million. You go with J.J. McCarthy, because how much of a difference will it be?
Darnold wound up signing a three-year, $100 million deal with the Seahawks. The Vikings offered him a deal. We don’t know what sort of deal they offered him, or what the cap hit would have been for Minnesota this season had he signed it, but he ultimately wound up signing with Seattle. His cap hit for the Seahawks was lower for this season, but is set to increase and, as I talked about in the previous story, the Vikings would have found themselves in the same situation they found themselves in during the Kirk Cousins era that they were trying to get away from.
But this? This right here? This is the sort of garbage I was talking about. Seriously, January 2025 Stephen A. Smith needs to have a serious sit-down with February 2026 Stephen A. Smith so that they can get their stories straight, because one of them is speaking with their mouth while the other appears to be using a completely separate orifice.
I said it in the earlier piece, and I’ll say it again. You don’t get to be retroactively pissed off or annoyed that the Minnesota Vikings did what the Minnesota Vikings were largely expected to do. . .or, in some cases, what you directly advocated that the Minnesota Vikings do. Yes, it didn’t work out the way we would have liked it to for the Vikings, and it worked out really well for the Seahawks. Again, as the youth say, it be like that sometimes.
Look, I don’t know if the Vikings would have won the Super Bowl this year with Sam Darnold at quarterback. I have a sneaking suspicion that they wouldn’t have. I’m not even sure if they would have gotten any further than they did in 2024. And if they hadn’t, the headline and talking point from the Stephen A. Smiths of the world and all the other talking heads would be all about how the Vikings made a mistake by running it back with Sam Darnold and not trying to take advantage of having a quarterback on a rookie deal and trying to build around him. It never ceases to amaze just how flexible these sorts of things are.
I suppose that hoping for at least a little bit of intellectual honesty and consistency in situations like this is setting the bar entirely too high, but man. . .it sure would be nice to be surprised by the Really Smart Football People™ at least once in a while.
Newly acquired Pacers' center Ivica Zubac is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain for Tuesday's game against the Knicks in New York according to the NBA's official injury report, raising the possibility that he could make his first appearance with the team.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said before Friday's game against the Bucks in Milwaukee that Zubac's ankle injury -- a grade 2 sprain initially suffered in December that he missed time with but eventually played through with the Clippers -- could delay his debut with the team. After the Pacers' game against the Knicks on Tuesday, they play the Nets in Brooklyn on Wednesday then begin the All-Star break. Their first game after the break is Feb. 19 against the Wizards in Washington, D.C.
The Pacers acquired Zubac just before the trade deadline with forward Kobe Brown for guard Bennedict Mathurin, center Isaiah Jackson and three draft picks. Zubac and Brown flew to Indianapolis on Sunday to tour the Pacers' facility and meet with executives and staff members, so it would appear they have been effectively onboarded. Brown does not have an injury designation, so he should be available Tuesday.
The Pacers added three other players to the injury report. Forward Johnny Furphy was diagnosed with an ACL tear on Monday so he is likely out for the rest of the season. Forward Aaron Nesmith (left hand strain), point guard T.J. McConnell (right hamstring soreness) and center Micah Potter (left hip contusion) are listed as questionable. For reasons related to their two-way contracts, guards Quenton Jackson, Ethan Thompson and Taelon Peter are all listed as questionable. All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton is out all season with an Achilles tendon tear and forward Obi Toppin is still out for a stress fracture in his right foot.
Knicks wing and former Indiana University star O.G. Anunoby is questionable with right toe soreness. Guard Miles McBride is out after core muscle surgery and center Mitchell Robinson is out with left ankle injury management.
1) This wasn’t a home run swing for Craig Breslow; it was more like a double to the gap.
Durbin is a quality addition, but he’s not the game-changer that, say, Ketel Marte might have been, Durbin enjoyed a decent rookie season with Milwaukee, but he’s more of a complementary player who brings versatility and lengthens the lineup.
Think of him as an Isaac Paredes-type, with better defense, but ultimately, less sock to his game. Several scouts noted his understanding of the strike zone.
An underrated aspect of his game: his speed (18 steals) and reputation as a smart, quick baserunner.
On the surface, the deal might feel underwhelming. But in context, the Red Sox didn’t give up a whole lot. True, Harrison has upside and might develop into a back-end major league starter. But David Hamilton is little more than a depth piece and Drohan, in part because of injuries and part because of performance, has yet to make his big league debut at 27.
2) The Red Sox explored some bigger names in their hunt to upgrade the infield.
With Marte off the market, the Red Sox, according to an industry source, took several tries at obtaining Zach Neto from the Los Angeles Angels.
Neto, 25, is a plus defender with more pop — a combined 49 homers the last two years — and would have been a significant addition. A natural shortstop, Neto could have moved to either second or third for the time being until Trevor Story’s deal was up.
But predictably, the Angels set a very high bar when it came to the return and the two teams were unable to match up.
3) Get ready for a spring training with a lot of evaluating.
Both Alex Cora and Craig Breslow sidestepped questions about where Durbin would play – second base or third. He played mostly third in his rookie season with the Brewers and played it well, but he has plenty of experience playing second in the minors, too.
Meanwhile, the Sox think Marcelo Mayer can play either second or third. But first, they want to see how things fit.
One advantage to getting the deal done even before the official start to spring training is getting a full camp to evaluate both. A deal later in February (or March) would have left less time to evaluate, while also potentially be disruptive.
Cora will get an opportunity to see who pairs better at second with shortstop Trevor Story. The first evaluations will happen on the back fields early in camp, but that will bleed over into the Grapefruit League season so the players can be properly evaluated under game conditions.
Look for a decision to be made no later than mid-March, so the new double play partner for Story will get a couple of weeks of game reps together.
4) If nothing else, the Red Sox got plenty of control on their end of the deal.
Many of the players they had discussed — including Paredes and Niko Hoerner — had either a year or two of control remaining. Durbin, however, is under their control through the 2031 season, so the Sox have him for six more seasons.
If Durbin is the kind of player the Red Sox think he is — or grows into that — that’s a huge plus for the team.
Mayer, too, has six more years of control, meaning that, in a best-case scenario, the Sox have half their infield under control through 2031.
For much of that time, those players will not even be arbitration-eligible, giving the Sox a chance to manage their payroll and CBT concerns for the foreseeable future.
5) There’s little (directly) left from the trade that sent Rafael Devers to San Francisco last June.
Kyle Harrison, included in Monday’s deal, was the big piece coming to the Sox. First baseman James Tibbs went to the Dodgers at the deadline in exchange for starting pitcher Dustin May.
It could be argued that the Sox took some of the money saved from the rest of the Devers deal and applied it to the signing of lefty Ranger Suárez. But in terms of the original pieces of the Devers deal, only Bello is still with the Sox.
The Atlanta Falcons believed they were opening a potential Super Bowl window when they signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal during the 2024 NFL offseason.
Cousins will finish his time with the Falcons, having posted a 12-10 record across 22 starts for the team. He completed 65% of his passes for 5,229 yards, 28 touchdowns and 21 interceptions but didn't last a full season as Atlanta's primary starter before being benched in favor of Michael Penix Jr.
Where will Cousins go next? The 37-year-old should have plenty of options should he decide to play a 15th NFL season. Here's a look at some of the veteran's best fits as he prepares to hit free agency for the third time in his career.
Kirk Cousins landing spots
Minnesota Vikings
Cousins spent six seasons with the Vikings from 2018-23 before joining the Falcons. Could a reunion be in store between the two parties in 2026?
Minnesota is widely expected to bring in a veteran quarterback to challenge J.J. McCarthy for the starting job ahead of the 2024 first-round pick's third season. Cousins would be a natural fit given that he thrived in Kevin O'Connell's offense across his final two years with the Vikings.
Cousins started 25 games under O'Connell's tutelage and posted a 17-8 record. He completed 67.1% of his passes for 6,878 yards, 47 touchdowns and 19 interceptions and was playing at an MVP level before a torn Achilles prematurely ended his 2023 season.
Cousins would be an ideal mentor for McCarthy and could serve as a solid stopgap if the 23-year-old's struggles continue into the 2026 season. And ESPN's Adam Schefter reported in a recent appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" the 37-year-old quarterback hasn't ruled out returning to Minnesota.
"I asked Kirk about Minnesota last week, and I didn’t get a no, but I didn’t get a yes," Schefter said. "It’s possible, but there are a lot of things out there that are possible with him."
Pittsburgh Steelers
While the Vikings would offer Cousins familiarity, he might not have a chance to start ahead of McCarthy. That could lead the veteran to look for a fourth team ahead of his age-38 season, and the Steelers could be a reasonable landing spot.
Pittsburgh has been searching for a franchise quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired at the end of the 2021 NFL season. Cousins wouldn't be a long-term option for the team, but he could represent a high-floor stopgap for new coach Mike McCarthy.
Of course, Cousins' candidacy with the Steelers will depend on whether the team brings back Aaron Rodgers for a second season. NFL Media's Tom Pelissero reports "odds are increasing" for Rodgers to return to Pittsburgh in 2026 after helping the Steelers win the AFC North.
Rodgers and McCarthy worked together for 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, so that may make the 42-year-old McCarthy's preferred aging quarterback to trust.
New York Jets
The Jets once again find themselves in a tough position evaluating their options at quarterback. They landed the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which looked good until Dante Moore decided to return to Oregon for another season.
The Jets could still consider a quarterback like Ty Simpson with one of their two first-round picks, but adding a veteran stopgap like Cousins would take pressure off them as they evaluate the draft. That would give them leeway to pass on Simpson if they aren't interested in the Alabama product and use the team's two top-16 picks to address their many other areas of need.
For Cousins, this would be a marriage of convenience more than anything. The Jets represent Cousins' best opportunity to both get paid – they have the fourth-most cap space for the 2026 season, per OverTheCap.com – and have a shot at starting during the 2026 season, so perhaps he can sell himself on pairing with Aaron Glenn and Frank Reich.
Cleveland Browns
It won't necessarily be easy for the Browns to make a play for Cousins. They have a lot of money tied up at quarterback presently, as the final season of Deshaun Watson's five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract carries an astronomical $80.7 million cap hit.
Still, the Browns can't be ruled out of the potential Cousins sweepstakes. They could use a solid, veteran quarterback to compete with Watson and Shedeur Sanders for their starting job, and it's easy to imagine a scenario where Cousins wins the job and emerges as a solid mentor for Sanders.
If Miami does that, the team could look to target Malik Willis as a replacement. After all, the Dolphins' new brain trust of coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan both come from the Green Bay Packers, where Willis thrived as a backup over the last two seasons.
However, if the Dolphins miss out on Willis, Cousins could be a solid Plan B. Miami's new offensive coordinator, Bobby Slowik, comes from the Shanahan coaching tree and overlapped with Cousins for two seasons in Washington back in 2012 and 2013.
Could Kirk Cousins retire?
Yes, Cousins will at least contemplate retirement, as Schefter implied his Feb. 9 appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show."
"I think he’d like to play, but he’s going to consider all his options," Schefter said of Cousins. "That could include TV, that could include retirement, whatever it is that he wants to do, he’ll have the option to do it."
Cousins served as a guest analyst on CBS' "NFL Today" show during the 2025 NFL playoffs. He filled in for Matt Ryan after the former Falcons quarterback was named the team's president of football at the start of the 2026 offseason.
So, if Cousins does decide to call it a career, his most likely landing spot could end up being on television.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior disclosed his expectations for Shohei Ohtani as the two-way star heads into his first full season of pitching for the Dodgers.
After joining the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season, Ohtani spent the entirety of the year strictly as the designated hitter. He returned to the mound in 2025, but only worked his way up to full outings by the end of the season. Prior said he’s excited to see what Ohtani can do with a full year on the bump.
“Last year, it was obviously a very unique year,” Prior said on Dodgers Territory. “He was coming off Tommy John, and then he had the shoulder injury on the non-throwing arm. This year, a full version.”
Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
His outings only got longer and more impressive, working his way up to six innings by the end of the year and cutting his ERA to 3.87.
He made four starts in the postseason for the Dodgers, with the best of the bunch coming against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS. Ohtani struck out 10 batters through six scoreless innings, and earned himself NLCS MVP largely due to his impressive performance in the final game of the series.
Can Ohtani Win His First Cy Young Award in 2026?
The two-way superstar has flirted with the Cy Young award in the past, placing fourth in the American League in 2022.
He had a 2.33 ERA through 28 appearances in his last full season on the mound.
If Ohtani can manage similar numbers to that season in 2026 he has a fighting chance, but his competition in the National League is stiff. Paul Skenes looked unstoppable in 2025, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto has taken a huge step up since his arrival in L.A.
When it comes down to it, though, the superstar is likely more focused on winning his third consecutive World Series ch
Oct 19, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) speaks with head coach Shane Steichen in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Colts are doubling down after their hot start to 2025, retaining coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard while making plans to re-sign quarterback Daniel Jones. Keeping the leadership was unpopular among some Colts fans, but Indianapolis is leaning into the decisions that had it among the top teams in the league before a series of late-season injuries. Still, it’s an imperfect plan. Jones’ long Achilles injury rehab looms over it all. Plus, Indy will need to bolster its defensive front seven and also make a pivotal free agency decision on wide receiver Alec Pierce. — Stephen Holder
With the NFL consisting of 32 teams, it means that in 2026, the Colts are projected to be a little lower than league average, and specifically, worse than two of their two AFC South rivals: the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, both of whom are currently ranked at 9th and 13th respectively. The Colts are significantly ranked better than the Tennessee Titans; however, who are ranked further down the list at 27th overall.
Now, as we’ve seen, a lot can change between now and the start of next season with several months to go.
For instance, the Colts don’t even have a starting quarterback (i.e., Daniel Jones) locked in and face some upcoming decisions and challenges to make re-signing other key pending free agents such as wide receiver Alec Pierce, safety Nick Cross, right tackle Braden Smith, defensive ends Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam, and linebacker Germaine Pratt among others.
That being said, with Jones and Pierce as their projected free agent priorities, with the exception of potentially adding an impact free agent edge rusher, the Colts are projected to largely ‘run it back’—especially without a 2026 first round pick, having dealt it in a trade deadline package for prized cornerback Sauce Gardner.
Further, these projected power rankings are far from an exact science. As we saw last season, when the Colts were consistently projected among the league’s bottom feeders, yet quickly ascended into being one of the NFL’s best teams, once sitting at 8-2 and atop the entire AFC, before critical injuries derailed their promising campaign.
However, they sometimes make for a great early offseason talking point to debate, argue, and converse!
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has concluded a constructive and open dialogue with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), covering issues including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and the broader growth of cricket in South Asia, the governing body said in a media release.
In particular, the discussions acknowledged the disappointment surrounding Bangladesh’s absence from the T20 World Cup, while reaffirming the BCB’s status as a valued Full Member of the ICC. The global governing body emphasised Bangladesh’s rich cricketing heritage and its critical role in growing the sport, highlighting the country’s vibrant fanbase of over 200 million supporters. The ICC also made clear that the national team’s non-participation would not have any long-term impact on cricket in Bangladesh.
Key outcomes from the discussions include:
No penalties for BCB: The ICC confirmed that Bangladesh will face no financial, sporting, or administrative sanctions in relation to its T20 World Cup absence. The BCB also retains the right to approach the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) under ICC regulations if it wishes. The ICC reiterated its commitment to neutrality and fairness, focusing on facilitation rather than punishment.
ICC event hosting 2028–2031: As part of the agreement, Bangladesh has been confirmed to host an ICC event before the 2031 Men’s Cricket World Cup, subject to standard ICC hosting requirements. This decision reflects confidence in Bangladesh’s ability to stage international tournaments and demonstrates the ICC’s commitment to distributing hosting opportunities across its member nations.
ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta said, “Bangladesh’s absence from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is regrettable, but it does not alter our commitment to the country as a core cricketing nation. We remain focused on growing the sport sustainably in Bangladesh, creating opportunities for players and fans, and investing in its long-term competitiveness and global integration.”
The ICC, PCB, and BCB, alongside other member boards, reaffirmed their dedication to dialogue, cooperation, and constructive engagement, underlining the importance of unity and integrity in the global cricket community.
The Cleveland Browns have requested their fourth candidate of the day as they continue to search for their new defensive coordinator following the resignation of Jim Schwartz. Atlanta Falcons passing game coordinator Mike Rutenberg is the latest name to add to the list of candidates.
Rutenberg has spent plenty of time working for the well-respected and current Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. The two have been together since Ulbrich's first stint under head coach Robert Saleh with the New York Jets. Rutenberg was also an assistant under Saleh with the San Francisco 49ers as well.
Browns have requested to interview Falcons defensive pass-game coordinator Mike Rutenberg for their defensive coordinator job, per source.
Rutenberg was the No. 2 for the Tennessee DC job that went to Gus Bradley. https://t.co/YFE8cvKKUP
While Rutenberg has never been a defensive coordinator at any level, he has plenty of passing game coordinator experience. He has been a passing game coordinator under both Saleh in San Francisco and Ulbrich in Atlanta.
This now brings the Browns' list of defensive coordinator candidates to six. They first interviewed internal candidates, linebackers coach Jason Tarver and safeties coach Ephraim Banda, New York Giants assistant Charlie Bullen, Carolina Panthers assistant Jonathan Culley, Los Angeles Rams assistant Aubrey Pleasant, and Rutenberg.
DOBBIACO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn on Monday made her first public comments since her crash in Sunday’s women’s downhill at the Winter Olympics, saying she sustained a “complex tibia fracture” that is stable but will need “multiple surgeries” to fix.
Vonn, the American Alpine skiing legend, hooked a gate and fell to the snow just 13 seconds into her run in the Olympic downhill, in a race that once looked like it might be a remarkable coronation after an unlikely return to the sport two years ago, but instead ended with a painful injury.
“While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets,” she wrote in her statement on Instagram. “Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget.”
In her second season back after a five-year retirement, Vonn had become, at 41, the best speed skier in the world again, leading the World Cup downhill standings and tracking to be a favorite to win Olympic gold. But a week before the Olympics, she crashed in a World Cup race in Switzerland. Last Tuesday, she revealed she had a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after that crash but said she intended to compete at the Olympics anyway.
She did make it to the starting gate in Cortina d’Ampezzo, but seconds later, the dream turned into disaster. Coming around a turn, she veered toward the edge of the course, hooked her arm around a gate, got turned sideways in midair and had no chance to land safely, landing in a cloud of snow and yelling in pain.
“The difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches,” she wrote on Instagram. “I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash.”
In an inherently dangerous sport, with athletes traveling at high speeds down icy slopes, skiers are always riding on the edge to shave precious fractions of seconds off their runs. She was trying to do it with a severe ACL injury that, though not as damaging to an Alpine skier as it is to many other athletes, didn’t make it any easier either.
Vonn, though, insisted it was not a factor in the crash.
“My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever,” she wrote.
Vonn has won 84 World Cup races in her career, third-most in history behind only fellow American star Mikaela Shiffrin (108) and Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark (86). She’s won three Olympic medals — gold in the downhill in Vancouver in 2010 and a pair of bronzes in super-G and downhill in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018. In the Instagram post, she did not address her future plans, but she has previously said this season would be her last.
These Olympics were setting up to be the culmination of Vonn’s comeback, which started in Nov. 2024 when she announced her return to ski racing with an eye on competing at her beloved Olympia delle Tofane slope in Cortina, where she’s won a record 12 World Cup races. At the time, many in the skiing community questioned whether it was wise for a then-40-year-old to return to such a demanding sport, or whether she was even physically capable.
Vonn quickly put those fears to rest, landing in the top-six in two races in St. Anton, Austria, in Jan. 2025, just her second and third World Cup races since returning. Overall, her first season was up-and-down, but it also proved she belonged back on the top circuit.
Then it ended with a flourish — a podium finish in Sun Valley, Idaho. Vonn took second in the super-G at the World Cup finals there in March, then headed into an offseason of training she asserted would make her even better.
That it did. This season, Vonn has two World Cup wins and finished no worse than fourth in the eight World Cup races she completed before the pre-Olympic crash in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Jan. 30. Less than a week later, she was telling the world she intended to try to ski on that torn ACL.
“Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself,” she wrote of her moment in the starting gate. “I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport.”
The legacy, the comeback, the crash in Switzerland, the persistence even in the face of an ACL tear — it all set her up for an incredible Olympic finale, one way or another. That’s how she always wanted it.
For the second-straight week, there's a new No. 1-rated Class B boys team in the South Dakota Prep Media Basketball Poll.
The latest poll was released on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026.
Castlewood moved back into the No. 1 spot after beating De Smet in a matchup of the state's No. 1 and No. 2-rated teams last week. The Warriors held the top spot earlier in the season.
Sioux Falls Lincoln (Class AA boys), West Central (Class A boys), Brandon Valley (Class AA girls), Mahpiya Luta (Class A girls) and Lyman (Class B girls) continue to lead their respective divisions.
Five new teams joined the rankings this week including Tea Area, No. 5 in Class AA boys; Stanley County, No. 10 in Class A boys; Estelline-Hendricks, No. 10 in Class B boys; West Central, No. 12 in Class A girls; and Waubay-Summit, tied for 10th in Class B girls.
High school basketball
The South Dakota Prep Media Basketball Poll for the week of Feb. 9 is listed below, ranking the top-five teams in Class AA, top-10 teams in Class A and Class B, the team’s record, points received and ranking in the previous poll. First-place votes are listed in parentheses.
CLASS AA BOYS
Sioux Falls Lincoln (21) 14-0 110 1
Sioux Falls Roosevelt 13-1 84 2
Harrisburg 10-3 58 4
Huron 11-4 40 5
Tea Area 10-4 12 RV
Receiving votes: Watertown 8, Spearfish 7, Brandon Valley 1.
CLASS A BOYS
West Central (20) 17-0 209 1
Sioux Falls Christian (1) 13-1 190 2
Clark-Willow Lake 14-2 168 3
Hamlin 12-2 142 4
Lennox 10-5 103 6
St. Thomas More 11-4 100 5
Vermillion 12-4 90 7
Mahpiya Luta 14-2 67 8
Groton Area 11-4 47 9
Stanley County 14-2 14 RV
Receiving votes: Pine Ridge 7, Wagner 7, Flandreau 7, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 3, Sioux Valley 1.
CLASS B BOYS
Castlewood (16) 13-2 202 2
Viborg-Hurley (4) 14-2 182 3
De Smet 11-4 168 1
Freeman (1) 13-2 147 4
Wall 13-3 126 5
Aberdeen Christian 12-2 95 6
Parkston 14-3 65 7
Wessington Springs 12-4 58 8
Sully Buttes 11-4 30 10
Estelline-Hendricks 14-2 28 RV
Receiving votes: Deubrook Area 19, Leola-Frederick Area 13, Lyman 12, Sanborn Central-Woonsocket 10.
The Las Vegas Raiders are ready to begin a new era with Klint Kubiak as head coach, but trade rumors involving edge rusher Maxx Crosby have clouded the franchise's offseason thus far.
Crosby's future in Las Vegas has brought into question due to the team's lack of winning and dysfunction. FOX Sports' Jay Glazer even said recently that Crosby has likely played his final snap as a Raider.
Crosby is one of the best pass rushers in football and is also an excellent run defender. Paired with his relentless motor, the Eastern Michigan product doesn't have many flaws in his game.
Buffalo and Chicago desperately need a game-changing pass rusher to elevate them into legitimate Super Bowl contenders in 2026.
Acquiring Crosby would be the ultimate win-now move for both squads, though the Bears are better positioned to strike a deal with the Raiders due to their draft capital and quarterback Caleb Williams being on a rookie contract.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Crosby is happy in Las Vegas and hasn't requested a trade. However, it looks more likely than ever that his days with the Raiders are numbered, so there's still a chance a trade could go down this offseason.
If that happens, the Bills, Bears, and Cowboys make sense as potential suitors for the five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman, as he wants to be part of a winning organization and play meaningful football in January and potentially February.
It took less than two days after his most recent loss for Almeida (22-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) to inform the UFC he's moving to light heavyweight for his next bout.
His manager, Tiago Okamura of On The Road Management, confirmed the move to MMA Junkie following an initial report by Brazilian reporter Laerte Viana.
Almeida, 34, lost a decision to Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Fight Night 266 on Saturday in yet another lackluster affair. The loss came on the heels of a largely dull bout vs. Alexander Volkov, which Almeida lost by controversial decision.
The belief by Almeida's team is that size and strength is contributing not only to his defeats, but also the low action. Almeida often weighs in the 230 to 240-pound range, while many opponents tip the scales at the 265 max.
Almeida won his UFC contract at light heavyweight on Dana White's Contender Series, then debuted in the division. Both were successful missions, but when he dominated a short-notice opportunity vs. Parker Porter at heavyweight, he decided to stick there.
Almeida became a contender in the division with wins over Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Serghei Spivac, and Alexandr Romanov, among others. Now, he'll look to do the same and more at light heavyweight.
The 2026 recruiting cycle wrapped up last week with national signing day taking place on Wednesday,
Colorado and most other Big 12 programs will begin spring practices in a little over a month, with nearly all the 2026 roster on campus aside from a select group of freshmen.
With the transfer portal era in full swing, portal players might take precedent over freshman recruits, specifically at a school like Colorado.
Texas Tech holds the top spot, with the rest of the conference trailing far behind.
Here is a look at the updated Big 12 football recruiting rankings for the class of 2026, with the cycle complete, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
Transfers and high school recruits are included.
Updated Big 12 football class of 2026 team recruiting rankings (Feb. 9)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 07: Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and RCD Mallorca at Spotify Camp Nou on February 07, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Per a brief statement in a release from the club, FC Barcelona has officially pulled out of the Super League project:
FC Barcelona hereby announces that today it has formally notified the European Super League Company and the clubs involved of its withdrawal from the European Super League project
ESPN added more context to the situation and gave a breakdown of how things initially started to unravel and got the point where they are at now:
Barcelona have announced their official withdrawal from the European Super League in the latest blow to a project which has struggled to get off the ground. The Super League originally launched in 2021 with the support of 12 of Europe’s biggest clubs, but a fan backlash in England quickly saw the six Premier League teams — Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur — withdraw.
Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan and, eventually, Juventus followed suit, leaving just Real Madrid and Barça as the faces of the project. However, following the souring of the relationship with Madrid in recent months, coupled with the Barça president, Joan Laporta, re-establishing links with UEFA and the European Football Clubs [EFC], the Catalan side have now also stepped away.
So…is the Super League dead? Not officially, but things do not look great for it.
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…
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 29: Head coach Darian Devries of the Indiana Hoosiers watches during the NCAA basketball game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on November 29, 2025 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Indiana men’s basketball (16-8, 7-6 Big Ten) is set to take on Oregon (8-15, 1-11 Big Ten) on Monday night at home as it looks to strengthen its NCAA Tournament resume.
The Hoosiers’ last outing was a 78-77 overtime win over Wisconsin at home. Indiana has found itself a bit more as the season goes on but has to avoid any missteps. Lamar Wilkerson has been on an offensive tear as of late and was the offensive catalyst for the Hoosiers’ two most recent wins.
The Ducks’ last outing was a 68-64 road loss to Purdue that was competitive into the final minutes. Oregon owns one win in conference play, beating Maryland on the road back in early January. That means the Ducks are bringing a nine game losing streak into Assembly Hall.
There’s an additional wrinkle to this matchup. Oregon coach Dana Altman gave Indiana’s Darian DeVries his break into the coaching ranks during the former’s time at Creighton.
Here’s what to know about the game:
Oregon Ducks at Indiana Hoosiers
Game Time/Date: 8:30 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Monday, February 9
Game Location: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington
WWE is back with this week’s edition of WWE Raw on Netflix. Monday’s episode will take place at the Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, and kick off at 8:00 PM ET. On tonight’s show, The Usos put their Tag Team Titles on the line against Otis and Akira Tozawa.
Below, you can get caught up with all the WWE Raw results and highlights.
Quick WWE Raw Results (Feb. 9, 2026)
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Matches
World Tag Team Championship: Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso (c) vs. Otis & Akira Tozawa
Francesco Acerbi turns 38 today. Signed by Inter in the summer of 2022, Acerbi quickly established himself as one of the pillars of the team, bringing solidity, leadership and an extraordinary work ethic.
He has played a key role for the Nerazzurri and taken the Club from strength to strength, highlighted by the triumph of the Second Star Scudetto, as well as one Coppa Italia and two Supercoppas. He has made 140 official appearances, scoring five goals, including the unforgettable strike in the return derby against AC Milan, decisive in securing the club’s 20th league title.
Best wishes to Inter’s defender from the Club and all Nerazzurri fans!
Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation
Travis Kelce recently attended Super Bowl 2026, but without his bride-to-be, Taylor Swift. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end wasn’t one of the numerous players at the event. However, he drew significant attention as a nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Notably, towards the end of last month, Kelce withdrew his participation from the Pro Bowl 2026, fueling speculations about his possible retirement.
Travis Kelce makes appearance at Super Bowl 2026
Travis Kelce showed up to the Super Bowl 2026, where the Seattle Seahawks secured a huge 29-13 victory against the New England Patriots. The Happy Gilmore 2 actor, unaccompanied by Taylor Swift, dressed smartly for the event. He donned a black blazer, under which he wore a white evening shirt and grey pants. The 36-year-old also accessorized with a pair of black sunglasses.
At the event, he was one of the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which he had earlier been nominated for in 2020. He was previously named the club winner for the Kansas City Chiefs in December 2025. However, Kelce did not win the award, which went to Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner. Wagner received the accolade during the 15th NFL Honors, which took place on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
Established in 1970, the award — named after late Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton and presented by Nationwide — recognizes an NFL player’s on and off-field excellence. Each NFL team nominates one player who has positively impacted their community as a club winner. Out of these club winners, one is selected as the recipient of the Man of the Year Award.
Despite not winning the award, Kelce did win the 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year Nationwide Charity Challenge. Thus, he reportedly made history as the 11-year-old program’s first three-time winner. As a result, $35000 was donated to Kelce’s charity, Operation Breakthrough. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the charity aims to provide children with a safe, loving, and educational environment for children, in addition to empowering families via advocacy, emergency aid, and education.
Originally reported by Abdul Azim Naushad on Mandatory
Michael Kayode: Liverpool threaten Man United’s transfer plan
Manchester United’s pursuit of Michael Kayode is under threat as Liverpool are “plotting a move” for the 21-year-old defender, according to a new report.
Liverpool ready to raid
The Merseyside club have endured a miserable campaign despite spending nearly £450 million last summer after failing to adequately reinforce their backline.
An injury crisis at right-back – Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley are both ruled out – has led Arne Slot to redeploy Dominik Szoboszlai in defence, with the Hungary captain sent off against Manchester City in the last-minute defeat at Anfield on Sunday.
Bradley has suffered a serious knee injury and is not expected to feature again this season. Conversely, while Frimpong will return to full fitness this month, the Netherlands international has struggled at right-back with his breakthrough season with Bayer Leverkusen coming in a more advanced role.
As a result, Slot has requested the “recruitment team to look for more dynamic options at the right side of defence,” according to Sports Boom.
This has led Liverpool to target Kayode, with the Brentford full-back having “impressed” the Dutch manager this season.
“The 21-year-old has been a revelation during Keith Andrews’ first campaign in the dugout at the GTech Community Stadium. His long throws, bustling runs down the flank and incredible work rate have caught the eye of Reds’ boss Arne Slot, our sources have been told.”
However, Kayode’s standout performances in west London have also put him on the radar of the two Manchester clubs, with both the red and blue halves of the city considering a swoop this summer.
Newcastle are also understood to be keeping a close eye on the Italy U-21 international, who joined Brentford from Fiorentina on loan in January last year, before the Bees made the move permanent for £17.5 million six months later.
United on the hunt
One of Kayode’s best attributes is his versatility. A right-back by trade, he is also capable of playing at left-back, or even in a back three as an outside centre-back, having made 30 appearances in all competitions this season.
Furthermore, Patrick Dorgu has been reinvented as a left-winger under caretaker coach Michael Carrick, leaving Luke Shaw as the only other option at left-back should the Dane remain in his new position.
As such, a young, versatile defender with Premier League pedigree would present an astute signing to bolster the squad across a number of positions.
One other interesting part of Kayode’s game are his outstanding long throws, which have been described as a “devastating weapon”. The Premier League has shifted heavily towards the use of set-pieces this season, further incentivising the prospect of recruiting a player with a cannon arm in his arsenal.
In addition to correcting Marseille with a historic score and retaking control of the championship, Paris Saint-Germain also reclaimed the top spot in two symbolic rankings during the 21st matchday of Ligue 1.
Put under pressure by Lens, which had won 3-1 against Rennes on Saturday afternoon, PSG responded perfectly on Sunday night by humiliating Marseille with a historic 5-0 score. A victory that allowed PSG to reclaim its first place, temporarily lost the day before, and to top Ligue 1 this Monday, with a two-point lead over Lens, nine over Lyon, and now 12 over Marseille.
But by crushing Marseille 5-0, PSG also reclaimed two other symbolic rankings during the 21st matchday: the best defense and the best attack. After the 19th matchday, PSG had already reclaimed the top spot in the best defense ranking from Lens, but during the 20th matchday, PSG conceded a goal in Strasbourg while Lens won 1-0 against Le Havre.
PSG and Lens therefore shared first place in the best defense ranking before the 21st matchday, with 16 goals conceded each. But the goal conceded by Lens against Rennes on Saturday, combined with PSG's clean sheet against Marseille, allowed Luis Enrique's team to be alone at the top of this symbolic ranking.
Thanks to its five goals scored against Marseille, PSG can also boast of now having the best attack in Ligue 1 with 48 goals scored since the start of the season, two more than Marseille (46), which remained silent at the Parc des Princes. PSG does not yet have the top scorer in Ligue 1 in its squad (Greenwood remains in front with 13 goals), but now has several players on seven goals (Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele), as well as Joao Neves on five goals and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Goncalo Ramos on four goals. Desire Doue, Nuno Mendes, and Senny Mayulu are each on three goals in Ligue 1.
Another notable takeaway from this 21st Ligue 1 matchday for PSG is its goal difference, which went from +27 to +32 in one weekend, while Marseille's went from +24 to +19. Lens has a goal difference of +20, while Lyon's is only +14. In other words, PSG has a very nice lead over its competitors in the title race in terms of goal difference, which could count at the end of the season in case of a tight overall standings.
Ligue 1 Standings After the 21st Matchday
PSG: 51 points (+32)
Lens: 49 points (+20)
Lyon: 42 points (+14)
Marseille: 39 points (+19)
Lille: 33 points (+4)
Rennes: 31 points (-3)
The 22nd Ligue 1 matchday will offer us an enticing Rennes vs. PSG on Friday. A match in which Habib Beye will not participate, having just been dismissed by the Breton club. Marseille will host Strasbourg (7th) on Saturday at the Velodrome, while Lens will travel to Paris on Saturday night to challenge Paris FC (15th) at Jean Bouin. Lyon will host Nice (14th) in the matchday's closer on Sunday.
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Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles on May 12 during a postseason series against the New York Knicks. Now, approximately nine months later, the former NBA champion and six-time All-Star is making significant progress.
With the Celtics sitting at 34-19 and clearly contending in the Eastern Conference, fans and the city of Boston are eager to see a potential return from their superstar forward. However, Tatum has made it clear that, while he’s beginning to resume certain aspects of basketball activities, he won’t return until he truly “feels like he's Jayson Tatum.”
Fortunately, that moment could be on the horizon. On Monday, the Celtics announced that Tatum will be sent down to the team’s G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, to participate in portions of team practice. He will then immediately return to Boston to continue his rehab process.
ESPN’s Shams Charania also provided an update on Tatum on Monday, further reinforcing that the former Duke star wants to feel like himself before returning to the court.
“My understanding is that these five-on-five scrimmages have been taking place with coaches in the stay-ready group on the Celtics,” Charania said. “He’s still got more boxes to check. Obviously, the next natural progression is for him to feel comfortable enough to practice with the rest of the roster and his teammates.
“What I was told over the weekend, though, is that Jayson Tatum has made it clear to people around him that he wants to come back when he feels like Jayson Tatum — when he’s 100% confident in his leg and his body, and when he’s fully cleared by the Celtics’ medical staff. That’s when he’ll make his return.”
Saquan Stimpson/Special to Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Former Minnesota Vikings offensive coach Chris Kuper failed upward. The Philadelphia Eagles hired Kuper on Monday, giving him the opportunity to thrive with a team that has a notable reputation for stellar offensive lines.
Kuper’s exit won’t settle the blame debate, but the landing spot in Philadelphia puts a bright light back on Minnesota’s OL results.
For their troubles, after the 2026 season, Vikings fans will get a firm verdict on whether Kuper was the problem in Minnesota or if something is systemically wrong with Kevin O’Connell’s offensive line operations.
Chris Kuper Lands in Philadelphia after Vikings Exit
Few saw this relationship coming.
Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach Chris Kuper watches from the sideline during the NFC wild card matchup on Jan. 13, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, as Minnesota faced the Los Angeles Rams in a high-stakes playoff environment. The moment captured Kuper between series, scanning alignments and personnel as the Vikings worked through protection adjustments. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Kuper to PHI
Kuper’s unemployment did not last long. CBS News‘ Tom Dougherty announced Monday, “The Philadelphia Eagles have reportedly found Jeff Stoutland’s replacement. The Eagles will hire Chris Kuper as their next offensive line coach, according to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Kuper spent the past four seasons coaching the Minnesota Vikings’ O-line, where he briefly crossed paths with Sean Mannion, Philadelphia’s new offensive coordinator.”
“The 43-year-old played eight seasons with the Denver Broncos before starting his coaching career in 2015. He spent one season coaching the O-line for Columbine High School in Colorado before making the leap to the NFL. He began his pro coaching career as an offensive quality control coach with the Miami Dolphins in 2016 and was later promoted to assistant O-line coach.”
While the Eagles’ offensive line personnel may undergo some offseason upheaval, the franchise has featured arguably the league’s best OL over the last few years. It’s a sweet arrangement for Kuper, especially this soon.
The Athletic‘s Zach Berman noted on the Kuper hire, “By hiring Kuper, the Eagles found someone with experience coaching in the expected scheme and also playing experience that could bring credibility to a veteran group.”
“Kuper started 80 games (including the playoffs) over eight NFL seasons with the Broncos, beginning his career under Mike Shanahan and finishing his career with Peyton Manning as quarterback. He started coaching in the NFL under Adam Gase in Miami, where he overlapped with new Eagles passing game coordinator Josh Grizzard.”
Minnesota also allowed the second-most sacks in 2025, as interior pressure consistently collapsed pockets at one of the league’s worst rates. That happened despite an offseason built around premium offensive line investment, with Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, and Brian O’Neill forming a unit that looked strong on paper and expensive in practice.
The results were underwhelming.
That disconnect grew deeper when the Vikings moved 2022 second-round pick Ed Ingram to Houston last March after three uneven seasons. In a different environment, Ingram graded out as a Top 15 NFL guard by year’s end. Developments like that fueled the sense that the problem lived higher up the chain, and why fans increasingly questioned whether Kuper’s seat had cooled past the point of recovery.
The Almighty Verdict Awaits
Regarding those theories — “fire Kuper” chants began midseason 2025 — it won’t be difficult to get an answer. Kuper will strut into a foundationally sound system, and if the Eagles’ trenches don’t struggle with him in charge, it will seem like Minnesota got an offseason decision wrong again. Look no further than Sam Darnold winning the Super Bowl on Sunday night as an example.
Denver Broncos guard Chris Kuper lines up in pass protection during the AFC divisional playoff on Jan. 12, 2013, at Sports Authority Field in Denver, as the Broncos hosted the Baltimore Ravens. The image reflects Kuper’s playing career, capturing him engaged at the line of scrimmage during a tense postseason contest. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
On the other hand, if Philadelphia’s offensive line finally takes a step back, Vikings fans will point and laugh at Kuper, feeling vindicated for making the face of the 2025 offensive line problems.
It’s all teed up for Kuper to prove it or succumb to the suspicion.
Avoid Injuries at All Costs
Kuper didn’t exactly get a smooth situation in 2025. Minnesota cycled through 25 offensive line combinations as injuries stacked up and continuity never had a chance to settle.
Darrisaw’s ACL recovery stalled, forcing the Vikings to shut him down in mid-December. Kelly dealt with three concussions. Rookie left guard Donovan Jackson played through a broken wrist. O’Neill missed time as well. That many injuries basically mandate that a fivesome can achieve no momentum or continuity.
The Minnesota Vikings gather in a tight huddle during pregame warmups on Oct. 19, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, ahead of their matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. Players clustered together near midfield as final instructions were shared, setting the tone for kickoff under the indoor lights. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
In Philadelphia, Kuper will be banking on better health. The injury bug buried the 2025 Vikings, and no amount of coaching wizardry could fix that reality, at least not enough to propel the unit to Top 10 numbers.
Meanwhile, Minnesota promoted Kuper’s lieutenant, Keith Carter, to run the offensive line show in 2026. O’Connell also brought former Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith on board last month, who has an extensive offensive line background. Smith is the new assistant head coach.
Nearly five years after the first civil lawsuit against Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was filed, all of them have been resolved.
Via Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today, the last two of 27 lawsuits against Watson have been dismissed. They were due to go to trial in February and March 2026. The cases were dismissed with prejudice on January 6, an indication that the lawsuits were settled.
The plaintiffs accused Watson of misconduct during massage-therapy sessions.
One of the last remaining plaintiffs was one of the first. Lauren Baxley had previously refused to settle her claim.
Baxley's lawyer, Tony Buzbee, confirmed that the case is over.
“Case is settled,” Buzbee said Monday, via Schrotenboer. “That’s all I can say about it. That’s the last case, so that ends my involvement with Deshaun Watson litigation."
Buzbee handled 26 of the 27 lawsuits. The situation began when Watson's lawyers refused to engage in settlement discussions as to the first claim. That led to an avalanche of cases, resulting in a 10-game suspension for Watson in 2022.
Watson has yet to rediscover the form that had made him one of the best quarterbacks in the league. His last solid season came in 2020, when he threw for 4,823 yards with the Texans. He didn't play in 2021 while awaiting a trade, and then he missed the first 10 games of the 2022 season. Along the way, the Browns gave Watson a five-year, $230 million contract, with every penny of it fully guaranteed.
He remains under contract through 2026. The Browns intend to keep him on the roster.
“Yesterday my Olympic dream did not finish the way I dreamt it would. It wasn’t a story book ending or a fairy tail, it was just life.”
That’s how U.S. Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn began an emotional Instagram post on Monday, in which she addressed for the first time what happened to her after she was airlifted to Ca’ Foncello Hospital in Treviso on Sunday after taking a hard spill 15 seconds into her run in the downhill event at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
Vonn lost her balance coming out of her first jump, crashing hard onto the snow, where she lay for several minutes before having to be medevac’d out to receive proper medical attention.
She went on to explain the series of events that caused the crash.
“I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash,” Vonn continued. “My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever.”
Vonn had immediate surgery on Sunday to repair the broken leg she suffered in the spill, and she revealed 24 hours later that the injury was so severe that she’ll need more than one surgery to fully heal properly.
“Unfortunately, I sustained a complex tibia fracture that is currently stable but will require multiple surgeries to fix properly,” Vonn admitted. “While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets.”
Vonn suffered another hard fall just a week prior to Sunday’s downhill event at a World Cup race in Switzerland. She tore her ACL in that crash, though she didn’t let that keep her from competing in her third Olympic Games.
The 41-year-old was attempting a comeback after a six-year hiatus. She won bronze in the downhill in her last Olympics appearance in the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. Before that, she claimed gold in the downhill and bronze in the super-G events in the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Despite losing the College Football Playoff National Championship, Miami had an impressive 2025-26 season, cementing its place back among the best in the sport.
There’s plenty of reasons to believe that the Hurricanes will be able to ride their momentum into next season. A standout high school recruiting class is one of them.
It’s the fifth time in the last six cycles that the Canes have sat above the Gators and Seminoles in the team recruiting rankings. Cristobal joined ‘The Hard Count’ with On3’s J.D. PicKell and discussed the importance of in-state recruiting and how he and his staff deal with other programs negatively recruiting against the Hurricanes.
“In recruiting, you always want to win your state,” Cristobal said. “We provide very tangible proof of the direction of our program and what we’re doing. We don’t get into negative recruiting, but people always negative recruit us and that’s fine, no one should ever take that personally, let’s just let it play out. People have a lot of data, they have a sample size to compare how our program is doing versus the rest of our competitors in the state and the direction of our program as well.”
Miami is now 35-19 in four seasons under Cristobal and is now riding back-to-back double-digit-win campaigns. FSU is now 30-21 in the last four years of the Mike Norvell era, winning just seven games in the last two. Florida is 23-27 in that span and fired Billy Napier in the middle of last season.
Cristobal: ‘We’re not satisfied’
The Miami head coach remained stoic amidst his team’s run to the CFP National Championship. Focused on one win at a time, he nearly took his alma mater to the promised land.
Nearly. It didn’t happen, and that fuels Cristobal moving forward. He knows there’s another step to take and he feels that his mindset is shared by the rest of the program. That resonates with recruits.
“I think players and parents realize that not only is our program — we’re not satisfied. We were a participant in the national championship, we didn’t win it. We look at that dead on and say let’s go get better so we can put ourselves in a situation to win that game as well and win a conference and get better as a program,” Cristobal said.
“I think that hunger is felt, I don’t think over here it’s a sales pitch, it’s a way of life and a vocation. At the end of the day, unless I’m crazy, I think I’m the only head coach in Florida who actually played at the school he coaches at.”
Miami’s 2026 recruiting class is headlined by Five-Star Plus+ offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, the No. 1 overall prospect in the Rivals Industry Ranking. He’s one of 20 blue-chip signees in the class.
Of those 20, half are from Florida. The Hurricanes signed four more in-state four-stars than Florida and five more than FSU.
“At Miami it’s very different. It’s a whole different level of meaning, a whole different level of purpose and intent. Live and die a Hurricane, man,” Cristobal said. “That means I’ll do anything and everything possible to make sure our players and our program continues to have success both on and off the field.”
The Kansas City Chiefs are entering perhaps one of their most defining offseasons in recent memory.
Partly due to missing the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era in 2025.
With several roster issues needing to be sorted, with offensive line, running back, and pass rush the top three for general manager Brett Veach to sort out, the Chiefs have the chance to make last year a simple blip on the radar.
Of course, we know it is never as simple as one, two, three in the offseason, but for ESPN's Nate Taylor, he's detailed how the Chiefs can quickly get back to the top of the mountain.
"While quarterback Patrick Mahomes rehabs his left knee, coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach have to improve the roster to better support their quarterback," Taylor writes. "The Chiefs need to have an offseason similar to 2022, which continued the franchise's dynastic run. With a rare top-10 draft pick, they have the opportunity to acquire a difference-maker.
"With proper youth and the right veterans acquired, the Chiefs can restart their quest for another Super Bowl."
Having a top 10 pick means the Chiefs, as Taylor stated, have a chance to get a true difference-maker.
Whether that be a pass rusher, or a running back like Jeremiyah Love, or even a stud tackle to fortify Mahomes' protection, this is a pick Kansas City can't afford to mess up.
Plus, there is free agency, and Breece Hall is a player whom the Chiefs tried to trade for last season, but missed out on, so he could be a target again.
Either way, the offseason will be crucial in determining how quickly the Chiefs can bounce back from a nightmare 2025 and return to Super Bowl contention.
“Yesterday my Olympic dream did not finish the way I dreamt it would,” Vonn, 41, wrote in a post on Instagram. “It wasn’t a story book ending or a fairy tail [sic], it was just life. I dared to dream and had worked so hard to achieve it.”
Vonn dramatically crashed just 13 seconds into her time competing in the women’s downhill run on the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. She had to be airlifted off the slope where she was taken to the hospital and reportedly underwent surgery.
Kyodo/Newscom/The Mega Agency
Due to her highly decorated skiing career, many were surprised by the crash. Vonn — who was competing just days after tearing her ACL — tried to explain what went wrong in her Instagram statement.
“Because in Downhill ski racing the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches,” she wrote. “I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash. My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever.”
Vonn revealed she “sustained a complex tibia fracture that is currently stable but will require multiple surgeries to fix properly” before explaining she stands by her decision to compete.
Instagram/Lindsey Vonn
“While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets. Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget,” she wrote. “Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself. I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport.”
“Sometimes we don’t achieve the dreams we know we could have,” she continued. “But that is also the beauty of life; we can try. I tried. I dreamt. I jumped.”
The athlete concluded her reflection on what is likely her last Olympic run with a message of hope and inspiration to her followers.
“I hope if you take away anything from my journey it’s that you all have the courage to dare greatly. Life is too short not to take chances on yourself. Because the only failure in life is not trying,” she wrote. “I believe in you, just as you believed in me.”
The quarterback often gets an oversized share of the credit or blame, but a former New England Patriots player wouldn’t fully fault Drake Maye for Sunday’s Super Bowl loss.
Maye didn’t make the most of his marquee moment, yielding three turnovers in a 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The 23-year-old has taken some criticism for the sloppy performance, and Devin McCourty noted on “Up & Adams” that Maye missed some open throws and didn’t exploit all of his running opportunities.
However, the three-time Super Bowl champion also explained why the coaching staff deserves some blame.
“A lot of that, to me, fell on the coaches and game-plan oriented,” McCourty said. “Because they couldn’t do anything. They couldn’t run the football. Drake Maye didn’t have much time when he was dropping back. There weren’t guys open.”
McCourty recalled times during his 13-year playing career in New England when the defense couldn’t make a stop despite the coaching staff calling multiple different looks. On the other hand, he didn’t feel like New England’s offense got creative enough on Sunday.
“It felt like last night, as you watched the game, like they didn’t call everything,” McCourty said. “Now I’m assuming there’s reasons for that … But watching it, it felt like Drake Maye needed a lot more help from the sidelines than what he got that game.”
McCourty thinks Maye has the mental makeup to rebound from the rough Super Bowl outing. But the two-time Pro Bowler wouldn’t let anyone off the hook after Sunday’s showing.
“When you come out and get punched in the mouth the way they did, you get flustered. And that’s what the game looked like through the majority of it,” he said. “When you don’t score a point in three quarters, there’s enough blame to go around for every coach and player, and that’s on the offensive side of the ball.”
At age 47, Andrei Arlovski appears to show no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Cooper Neill via Getty Images
Andrei Arlovski has continued to defy the odds with his latest appearance inside the BKFC ring. At age 47, time appears to be nothing more than a number for "The Pitbull," who added another championship to his Hall of Fame combat résumé this past Saturday with his stoppage victory over Ben Rothwell at BKFC KnuckleMania 6.
Bare-knuckle boxing is still new territory for the former UFC heavyweight champion. A 60-fight MMA veteran, Arlovski made his debut in the gloveless combat spectacle in June, defeating fellow MMA veteran Josh Copeland with a fourth-round TKO stoppage. Arlovski impressed the BKFC brass enough to earn a title shot against an old MMA rival — the now-former BKFC heavyweight champion Rothwell.
An 11-year gap separated their first two MMA bouts in 2008 and 2019, both of which Arlovski won. Despite another lengthy gap and Rothwell's superior BKFC experience, Arlovski revealed Monday on Uncrowned's "The Boys in the Back" that he believed he still had the edge coming into KnuckleMania.
"I knew I was in his head since 2008, our fight in the UFC, and now in BKFC," Arlovski said. "So my team, my boxing coach, did a great job.
"I have respect for him, but no relationship. We have same management team, but nothing more."
Arlovski's continued longevity within combat sports is nothing short of remarkable. The Belarusian has far outlasted any perceived expiration date, competing at a high level since the late 1990s. Even after being written off once again following his UFC departure in 2024, he's since gone undefeated across his past four outings, spanning boxing, bare-knuckle boxing and the mixed rules of Dirty Boxing.
Yet none of his battles inside a cage or ring compare to those Arlovski has faced outside of competition. Ahead of his trilogy bout with Rothwell, the former UFC champ stunned many by revealing on social media that he has overcome cancer three separate times, with his most recent coming just last year.
"I feel I still have a couple more years [of fighting]," Arlovski said Monday. "I'm already a winner because I beat f***ing cancer three times. So back in my fight against Ben Rothwell, it doesn't f***ing matter if I lose a fight or win the fight. It doesn't matter for me. Three times [I] beat the f***ing cancer, it's pretty f***ing legit, you know? I feel f***ing great. Like Nike — just do it."
That revelation makes Arlovski’s enduring success — and ability to rebound from adversity — feel almost impossible. And yet, he now stands as the new BKFC heavyweight champion.
"First cancer I had was back in 2010, June. Second was 2013. And Feb. 24 is going to be exactly one year [from] when a tumor was removed from my kidney," Arlovski revealed.
"I also got removed 28 lymph nodes and I went through some chemotherapy. I wasn't ready to talk about my cancer years ago, but now I feel like it's what people need."
Opening up about such vulnerability wasn’t something Arlovski ever envisioned until his wife encouraged him to share his story. Since doing so, he’s already felt the impact it’s had on others.
"I started Arvlovski Method," Arlovski said. "It's my new project, and actually I was surprised how many people DM'd me messages about how it's powerful for them. Motivating them. How people need this stuff. When I read it, I got tears in my eyes. Hopefully I share my experience with cancer, my battle — I got three Ws against cancer, and I'm ready to share it with the world what's going on.
"The most important thing is never give up, because life is beautiful. Just keep fighting, guys."
It’s been a legendary run for the future UFC Hall of Famer. Even before setting the promotion’s heavyweight record for most fights at 42 — second-most in UFC history across weight divisions — Arlovski already had a compelling Hall of Fame case.
To make his story even sweeter, Saturday's Rothwell title win came just two days shy of the anniversary of Arlovski's first UFC championship victory over Tim Sylvia — and only three days after his birthday.
"I became first time UFC champion on Feb. 5, 2005. Twenty one years later, on Feb. 7, I became a BKFC heavyweight world champion," he said.
"A great present for my birthday at age 47. It was another birthday present. I feel pretty great."
Lindsey Vonn says she suffred a complex leg break when she crashed in the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics (Tiziana FABI)
US ski star Lindsey Vonn said on Monday she had suffered a "complex tibia fracture" when she crashed in the Winter Olympics downhill and would need "multiple surgeries".
"While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets," Vonn said on her social media, from the hospital in Italy where she is being treated.
Vonn, 41, insisted that the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament she suffered in a crash in a World Cup race before the Milan-Cortina Games "had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever".
"I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash," she added.
"I sustained a complex tibia fracture that is currently stable but will require multiple surgeries to fix properly."
In her first statement since the crash, Vonn said: "My Olympic dream did not finish the way I dreamt it would. It wasn't a story book ending or a fairy tale, it was just life. I dared to dream and had worked so hard to achieve it.
"Because in Downhill ski racing the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches."
Vonn crashed heavily just 13 seconds after starting her run. She was winched off the piste by a rescue helicopter and is being treated in a hospital in Treviso.
She had resumed her career in late 2024 after nearly six years in retirement and was considered a strong favourite for the downhill at these Olympics after recording seven World Cup podium finishes, including two wins, before her pre-Olympics crash in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
Present at the Parc des Princes on Sunday night to watch Paris Saint-Germain vs. Marseille (5-0), Pedro Miguel Pauleta was shocked by the second goal from Ousmane Dembele, after an individual piece of great class.
The Portuguese man's reaction was captured by the match broadcaster and delighted the Parisian supporters.
Pedro Miguel Pauleta knows what it's like to score in a Le Classique at the Parc des Princes. His lob over Fabien Barthez on April 25, 2004, is forever etched in the memory of Parisian supporters and the Portuguese man himself.
On Sunday, the Eagle of the Azores was present at the Parc des Princes a few hours before the match to meet supporters who had taken a spot for the stadium tour.
Like everyone, Pauleta was shocked by the Ballon d'Or winner's brilliant move and even turned around to look behind him at a certain Pablo Longoria, which adds even more spice to this spontaneous reaction.
Pauleta qui se retourne vers Pablo Longoria après le deuxième but de Dembélé 😭🦅 pic.twitter.com/iQY8rUfj63
The sequence has obviously made the rounds on social media and gone viral, like the famous reaction of Zinedine Zidane in his day after Cristiano Ronaldo's mythical goal against Juventus. Another mythical reaction to Dembele's goal, that of Luis Enrique, which you can see at the end of the video below. Happiness is contagious.
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Four-star prospect Joe Philon is currently on his official visit to UCLA, a source told Rivals.
The 6-foot-8 power forward out of Montverde Academy (FL) is considering the Bruins among his finalists, along with Ohio State, South Florida, UNLV, and Xavier.
Philon’s trip to see UCLA is his third official visit, as he’s also been to Ohio State and South Florida.
Philon, a native of Tampa, Florida, is the No. 53 overall player in the 2026 class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking — the average of all three recruiting media companies (Rivals, ESPN, 247Sports). He’s also No. 7 ranked power forward and the No. 7 player in Florida.
Philon on UCLA
In a previous interview with Rivals, Joe Philon discussed the Bruins.
UCLA: “UCLA is not just a basketball school, it’s a basketball institution. The history is amazing but that is not the main reason for them making the list. Coach Cronin talked to me about my defensive potential and what they will do to help enhance that part of my game. I love that and the Big 10 is a very tough and competitive league. I think the physicalness of the league will force me to improve that part of my game.”
Scouting Report
Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Jamie Shaw has evaluated Philon on multiple occasions and shared the following thoughts on his game:
JoJo Philon has excellent length with a twitchy and fluid athletic disposition. He is capable of guarding all five positions at this level, sliding his feet, opening his hips, and guarding down a lineup. He is going to have to find how he can become an offensive weapon. In this setting they use him as the primary initiator, and that’s just not his game at this point. Streamlining things is next for him, there is some very intriguing production in there, especially with his ability to affect the game on the defensive end.
A lengthy and fluid player. His highest presence was on the defensive end here, showing an ability to switch and slide. Figuring out his offensive game are the next steps, but he shows flashes of touch and handle.
One of the biggest needs for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season has been, and will continue to be, a big-shot, power-play quarterback for the blueline. The franchise has really lacked a true puck-moving, offensive defenseman for the past several years. Morgan Rielly used to be that, in a way, but he has been on the decline for a few seasons now.
Insider Nick Kypreos is telling everyone who’ll listen that the Buds might have found their man, right inside their own division. Now they just have to go out and get him somehow.
Darren Raddysh has had a surprising breakout season with the Tampa Bay Lightning this year, racking up 17 goals and 52 points in 49 games. He’s averaging five+ minutes of ice time more per night than he did last season. He has a plus/minus rating of +17 and has established himself as a top-pairing defenseman for the first-place Lightning.
He’s also Toronto-born, and he’s a pending UFA.
Kypreos writes in The Toronto Star, “If there is a team that needs him more than Toronto, please let me know. He’s a right-handed shot with a bomb and would be a perfect upgrade for an ongoing issue on their power-play.”
Raddysh’s underlying stats pop off the page this season
Raddysh leads the NHL in shots taken over 90 mph: He has 62, while Evan Bouchard is second, at… 39. The Bolts’ big man also is the runaway leader in ‘one-timer goals’ this season, with 12. In second spot is Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils, at just half that many, with six. Raddysh also has six power-play goals and ranks in the 99th percentile in shot speed.
What will happen is that you move Morgan out, and you go sign Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning. As far as I’m concerned, it’s already done. It’s already done. Oh, come on. Toronto boy, he’s got a bomb of a shot, which you haven’t had in years. It’s done.
There are a few flies in the ointment that would need to be worked out first, of course.
Rielly has a full no-move clause, and up until now, he hasn’t been so keen to waive it. Additionally, the 31-year-old still has four years to run on a $7.5 million cap hit. Leafs GM Brad Treliving won’t exactly be having his door knocked down from teams rushing to take that on.
And as for signing Raddysh, that would be on the presumption that Tampa Bay doesn’t step in first and sign him to a big extension.
How much would Darren Raddysh command in free agency?
The pending unrestricted free agent will be coming off an elite season if he makes it to free agency July 1. What could the soon-to-be 30-year-old command on the open market? He has yet to crack the million-dollar mark in AAV in his five seasons in the league. No doubt he’ll be looking for a massive raise. But Kypreos thinks it should still be a digestible cap hit.
“What’s he gonna cost?” Kypper asked his co-host Justin Bourne. “He’s 29, so that helps you. I don’t know, $5M, $6M a year?” was Bourne’s response. “Ok. No problem. All day long,” said Kypreos.
Even if the Leafs retain a few million on Rielly, that’s definitely affordable.
What isn’t affordable for the Leafs is for them to go into yet another season next year without a power play quarterback and a puck-moving talent. Someone like Raddysh.
Ottolini on Juventus targets, new contracts and failure to secure a striker
New Juventus director Marco Ottolini confirms they ‘had tried’ to sign a striker in January, but are ‘proceeding with meetings’ for Luciano Spalletti and Weston McKennie contracts.
The Bianconeri did surprisingly little in the January transfer window, as although there were advanced negotiations with several forwards, including Randal Kolo Muani at Tottenham Hotspur via Paris Saint-Germain and Youssef En-Nesyri at Besiktas, nobody arrived.
Ottolini outlines Juventus strategy
PARMA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 01: Weston McKennie of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and Juventus FC at Stadio Ennio Tardini on February 01, 2026 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
PISA, ITALY – DECEMBER 27: Kenan Yildiz of Juventus FC reacts during the Serie A match between Pisa SC and Juventus FC at Arena Garibaldi on December 27, 2025 in Pisa, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Now the focus can turn to others who are running down their current deals, including the coach and prolific midfielder McKennie.
“Now that the transfer window is closed, we can look at those issues of contract renewals, and that is what we are doing,” assured Ottolini.
“We are very happy with the Yildiz deal, with regards to McKennie we are proceeding with meetings, while we are very happy with the coach and will sit down with him over the next few weeks.”
BERGAMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 05: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Coppa Italia Quarter-Final match between Atalanta BC and Juventus FC at the New Balance Arena on February 05, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Juventus are up against Inter in the fiery Derby d’Italia on Saturday, trying to take down the runaway Serie A leaders, but Roma caught them in fourth place after a 2-2 draw with Lazio.
“At times results come, at others they don’t, but we are extremely happy with the way the team is performing, and we must keep going with conviction.”
After that, Juventus will also be gearing up for the Champions League play-off against Galatasaray.
“The extremely important objective for us is a top four finish, then we’ll concentrate on Istanbul, and hope to go through to the next round,” concluded Ottolini.
Wing wizard is coming: Liverpool to sign new Luis Diaz
New winger: 'Final piece of the jigsaw'
A report in Football Insider is now claiming that a wide forward - specialising in one v one duels - will be the “final piece” of the Anfield jigsaw.
“Liverpool are laying the groundwork to sign a one vs one forward this summer,” the report reads.
“There is an acceptance that Liverpool do not have a direct forward who can dribble past players in the manner of former attackers Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz.
“The club’s scouts and data analysts are assessing players in that mould aged 24 or below, who have the potential to make a big impact for the Premier League champions.
“A one vs one specialist is believed to be seen by the club’s recruitment team as the final piece in the jigsaw for the newly configured attack.”
Aston Villa vs Brighton: Match preview, predicted line-ups, team news, and prediction
Aston Villa will aim to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they host Brighton & Hove Albion at Villa Park on Wednesday evening.
Villa were held to a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Saturday, leaving them nine points behind leaders Arsenal.
Brighton lost 1-0 at home to Crystal Palace, condemning them to their eighth league defeat in this campaign.
Match preview
Villa’s title aspirations have derailed in recent weeks, with the club picking up just eight points from their last six outings.
Unai Emery’s side have struggled at both ends of the pitch. They have failed to score in three of their last five league games, and have kept two clean sheets within that period.
More worryingly, Villa have lost their last two league home games, after being unbeaten in their previous eight.
The Villans could have dropped to fourth before kick-off, making this a must-win.
Similarly, Brighton are struggling, recording one win since the start of December.
The visitors have also picked up just two wins on the road this term. They also have a poor record against Villa, winning just two of their previous 13 meetings in the competition.
The Seagulls are still still some distance from the relegation battle, but could equal their lowest-ever Premier League finish of 17th if they do not arrest this slide.
Team news
Villa are still without the midfield quartet of Ross Barkley, John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, and Youri Tielemans. Andres Garcia is also on the treatment table.
For the visitors, Diego Gomez, Solly March, Stefanos Tzimas, and Mats Wielder are on the mend, joining long-term absentee Adam Webster. Yasin Ayari is doubtful.
Predicted line-ups
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen, Douglas Luiz, Amadou Onana, Jadon Sancho, Morgan Rogers, Emi Buendia, Tammy Abraham.
Brighton (4-3-3): Bart Verbruggen, Maxim De Cuyper, Lewis Dunk, Jan Paul van Hecke, Ferdi Kadioglu, Pascal Groß, Carlos Baleba, James Milner, Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck, Yankuba Minteh.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 24: Defensive Pass Game Coordinator Jonathan Cooley of the Carolina Panthers looks on in the third quarter of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on November 24, 2025 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There has been a long-held affinity, for reasons not readily apparent, among followers of the Cleveland Browns to draft players or hire coaches who are from Northeast Ohio, played at a school in or near Northeast Ohio, or even just drove through Northeast Ohio at one point in their lives.
The belief is that because they might be familiar with the area, they will “get us” as fans and work extra hard to turn the Browns into a winning franchise.
That is all silly, of course, but new head coach Todd Monken has, either by design or coincidence, leaned into that with the reported hirings of:
Monken is back at it again today with the news that the Browns have requested permission to interview Jonathan Cooley, who has spent the past two seasons as defensive pass game coordinator with the Carolina Panthers, for Cleveland’s vacant defensive coordinator position.
That is according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Browns have requested to interview Panthers defensive pass-game coordinator Jonathan Cooley for their defensive coordinator job, per source.
A four-year letterman in football at John Carroll University
Safeties coach at Bluffton University (2012)
Secondary coach at John Carroll (2013-14)
Secondary coach at Kent State University (2018)
Defensive backs coach at the University of Akron in 2019)
All kidding aside, Cooley is by all accounts a defensive coach that is catching the attention of teams around the league. According to a 2025 article on Carolina’s team website, Cooley possesses a “creative muscle that must be stretched, juxtaposed with a complete commitment to football, the obsession becoming the nucleus of everything he does.”
While the article highlights Cooley’s intelligence, something that scares some Browns fans, his ability to marry his smarts with a passion for the game is what sets him apart as a coach, according to cornerback Chau Smith-Wade:
“Jonathan Cooley is going to coach his ass off. He’s going to coach his ass off like he’s one of those guys that is completely invested in his craft, and you could see it day in and day out. Like you see it on his face when he’s talking about ball; he’s almost like insane with it, to the point he loves it so much you would think that he’s crazy, like for real you’re looking at—I’m dead serious, he’s so invested into his craft and football like his capacity for football is out of this world.
“I’ve never met a coach with a football capacity the same as his, his passion or his understanding. And he makes it so simple. He gives the information to you so simple.”
That certainly sounds like a coach who would appeal to players like defensive end Myles Garrett, linebacker Carson Schwesinger, and cornerback Denzel Ward.
“I’m really excited about it. I’ve obviously seen it in Triple-A for a while,” said Washington's Blake Butera, among eight new managers and at 33 the youngest in 54 years. “You always hear the chatter from the dugout getting on the umpires. It’s like: Hey, challenge it. Let’s see what you got.”
Each player will be measured for his strike zone starting at 10 a.m. to noon on a rolling basis during spring training — the time of day to maintain uniformity — and the data will be verified by the Southwest Research Institute.
Most teams appear reticent about allowing pitchers to challenge, preferring catchers and managers make the decisions.
“The first month will probably be the hardest month,” said Detroit manager A.J. Hinch, a former catcher. “Maybe spring will help a little bit. But in the spring, you can try and fail and it’s not that penal. You do that in San Diego or Arizona or a home opener against St. Louis, and it’s a little more costly. We’ll have a running tab on who’s good at it and who is not. Because there might be some position players who get their optionality taken away from the challenged call.”
Most top free agents had signed ahead of spring training, and the biggest deals included Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz joining the Dodgers, Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs, Pete Alonso the Baltimore Orioles, Dylan Cease the AL champion Toronto Blue Jays and Bo Bichette the New York Mets.
World Baseball Classic returns for first time since 2023
Japan will try for its fourth title and second straight when players leave their clubs for the sixth edition of the tournament, to be played from March 5-17 in Houston; Miami; San Juan; Puerto Rico; and Tokyo.
Rosters on the 20 national teams include 306 players under major league and minor league contracts, including 78 All-Stars.
“It was something I really wanted to be a part of,” U.S. captain Aaron Judge said. “I think this team is going to be on a mission.”
Shohei Ohtani, who struck out Mike Trout to end Japan's 3-2 win in the 2023 final, will be limited to hitting.
Large dugout changeover
There will be eight new managers on opening day, one shy of tying 2003 and 2020 for the most who weren't the team's skipper at the end of the prior season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
All but Schumaker and Shelton are rookie big league managers.
Butera is the youngest since Frank Quilici with the 1972 Twins. A generational change has seen Ron Washington (73) and Bruce Bochy and Brian Snitker (both 70) leave managing jobs.
Vitello, who had been the University of Tennessee's coach, made the rare move directly from college coach to major league manager, following the path of Hall of Famers Hughie Jennings and Casey Stengel.
“I think for that direct jump, I think college baseball had to become closer to what pro baseball is,” Vitello said.
“If you want to call it guinea pig or sacrificial lamb or it goes well or doesn’t go well, who cares? I guess I should," Vitello said. "I wish there was somebody like with a shorter haircut and more reputable up here to say it’s time for college baseball and Major League Baseball to be married a little closer for a lot of different reasons."
Looming lockout
Players and teams are preparing for a confrontation when the five-year collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. EST on Dec. 1.
The next couple of weeks are going to be crucial for Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in deciding his NFL future.
Many thought last offseason would be when Travis would retire, but he came back and was more than serviceable, leading the Chiefs in all major categories.
Now his future is once again the focus. Having accomplished everything there is to in the game, Travis has nothing left to prove or really gain in coming back for a 14th season.
And CBS Sports' Garrett Podell has offered something that Travis might want to think about before making his decision.
"Kelce, who completed his 13th NFL season at the age of 36 in 2025, has a retirement decision to make,” Podell wrote. “He'll certainly have to weigh really having nothing much left to prove other than stuffing the stat sheet ahead to cap what's already a Hall of Fame career with the chance of suffering a major injury.”
One thing we can say about Kelce's career is that he's been healthy for the majority of it.
Since 2015, Travis has played at least 15 regular-season games, along with 25 playoff games mixed into that, so he's avoided a major injury so far in his career.
And we are crossing our fingers that if he does return in 2026, he once again gets a full season under his belt, because it would be the worst thing ever for him to get injured, and that's how his career ends.
So, as Podell points out, Kelce has to decide if it is worth going around again, for not much gain, and for a lot to potentially lose.
Is Angel Reese about to make a sensational midseason return to Unrivaled?
Following the confirmation of an unusual three-team trade on Monday that was of little apparent benefit to Rose BC, Reese's former club, guard Kahleah Copper took to Threads to send a cryptic post that contained only a smirking face emoji.
Copper, a star player for Rose and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, has created plenty of speculation with her post. It could be that the Rose's strange decision to send forward Azura Stevens to Hive BC had an ulterior motive: that Reese has given her word to return to Unrivaled.
Heightening the chatter around what Reese and Rose BC is that Rose's roster on Unrivaled's website has a "coming soon" placard where Stevens' player card used to be.
Reese was voted Unrivaled's first Defensive Player of the Year, and she helped Rose BC win the league's inaugural championship last March. The two-time WNBA All-Star led Unrivaled in rebounding and anchored the 3-on-3 league's best scoring defense in 2025.
Despite the excitement surrounding Reese's potential comeback amid the uncertainty of the 2026 WNBA season, Reese's return to Unrivaled remains in a purely speculative stage.
Reese has yet to make any kind of public statement about her intentions as she continues to expand her profile away from the hardwood. She ended the 2025 WNBA season with a back injury and missed 14 games in all as her Chicago Sky stumbled to a 10-34 record.
MILAN — Canadian star Marie-Philip Poulin left Monday’s group-stage game — one night before a highly anticipated showdown against the arch-rival United States — after taking a hard hit by Czech Republic’s Kristyna Kaltounková during a puck battle along the boards.
Kaltounková — the PWHL’s leading scorer as a 23-year-old rookie for the New York Sirens — drilled her shoulder into Poulin, sending her crashing into the boards. Poulin lay prone on the ice for a moment before getting to her knees, grimacing in obvious pain as the two teams skirmished up the ice. Poulin got up on her own, wincing as she headed to the bench. She took one faceoff on the ensuing power play before going back to the locker room.
Poulin returned to the bench to a big cheer at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena and watched the rest of the first period with her teammates. She did not return for the second.
Poulin is the consensus best player in women’s hockey, a five-time Olympian, and Canada’s captain. She’s one goal away from tying Canadian Hayley Wickenheiser’s record for most goals in the Olympics.
Kaltounková was given a minor penalty for an illegal hit, her first of two in the period. Canada didn’t score on that power-play opportunity, but got two goals in 39 seconds from Sarah Fillier and Laura Stacey shortly afterward.
MILAN (AP) — Canadian women's hockey captain Marie-Philip Poulin limped off hurt in her team's game against Czechia at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Monday, a day before the highly anticipated preliminary round matchup against the U.S.
Poulin briefly stayed down on the ice after a hard hit from Kristyna Kaltounkova in which the Czech player's upper arm seemed to make contact with Poulin’s helmet. Kaltounkova was given a two-minute penalty for an illegal hit at 8:52 of the first period.
Poulin came back out for a shift on the resulting power play but headed back to the bench within seconds and seemed to be keeping weight off her right leg. She headed to the locker room but was briefly back on the Canadian bench, smiling broadly, near the end of the first. She did not emerge for the second period.
After Iowa basketball (18-5, 8-4 Big Ten) secured wins over Washington (84-74) and Northwestern (76-70) in its two games this past week to extend its Big Ten winning streak to six games, the Hawkeyes have reentered the top 25 in the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.
In its two wins, senior guard Bennett Stirtz was once again a dominant force for the Hawkeyes, recording a combined 58 points on 20-of-33 shooting from the floor, 8-of-14 from 3-point territory, and 10-for-12 from the free-throw line. Against the Wildcats on Sunday, Stirtz recorded a new career-high 36 points.
In the latest poll, Iowa's winning streak and sensational play from Stirtz and Co. have allowed the Hawkeyes to rejoin the Top 25 at No. 25.
In addition to Iowa, there are five other Big Ten programs in the Top 25. Michigan leads the group at No. 2, followed by No. 7 Illinois, No. 8 Nebraska, No. 10 Michigan State, and No. 12 Purdue.
Iowa will have two opportunities to climb further in the rankings this week, traveling on the road for a matchup against Maryland (9-14, 2-10 Big Ten) on Wednesday, Feb. 11, before returning home for a sold-out clash versus No. 12 Purdue (19-4, 9-3 Big Ten) on Saturday, Feb. 14. The game against the Terrapins is scheduled for a 5 p.m. CT tipoff on FS1, while the matchup with the Boilermakers is set to start at 4 p.m. CT on Fox.
Here's a look at the full USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll:
Kentucky 30; Alabama 24; Villanova 13; North Carolina State 13; Tennessee 10; Utah State 8; Texas A&M 7; Georgia 3; Santa Clara 1;
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych during the Men's Skeleton Training at the Cortina Sliding Centre.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych wore a helmet decorated with images of people killed in the war in his home country during a training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics
The 27-year-old athlete shared that he had donned the helmet in an effort to speak out about Russia's war on Ukraine
Olympic rules prohibit political demonstrations during events, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had contacted Ukraine's Olympic Committee about the helmet
While taking part in a training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych wore a helmet decorated with images of people killed in the war in his home country.
Speaking to Reuters on Monday, Feb. 9, the 27-year-old athlete shared that he had donned the helmet in an effort to speak out about Russia's war on Ukraine.
"Some of them were my friends," Heraskevych told the outlet.
Some of the people whose photos appeared on his helmet were athletes, including teenage weightlifter Alina Peregudova, boxer Pavlo Ishchenko and ice hockey player Oleksiy Loginov — all of whom were killed after Russia began its large-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
According to Heraskevych — Ukraine's first skeleton athlete to compete at the Olympics — the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had contacted Ukraine's Olympic Committee about the helmet, as the event's rulebook prohibits political demonstrations.
"It's still being processed," said the athlete, who served as flagbearer for Ukraine in the opening ceremony on Friday, Feb. 6.
Vladyslav Heraskevych of Team Ukraine participates during Skeleton Men's Singles training.
Richard Heathcote/Getty
The Olympic Charter states that "no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas," per Reuters.
Heraskevych has previously used his platform to speak out about the conflict in Ukraine. At the 2022 Beijing Olympics — his second-ever games — he held up a sign that read "No War in Ukraine," just days before Russia invaded the country.
At the time, the IOC stated that Heraskevych would not face repercussions for the sign, calling it a "general call for peace," Forbes previously reported.
Heraskevych told Reuters that he intends to respect Olympic rules, while still raising awareness about the war amid the Milan games.
Ukraine's athletes parade during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
WANG Zhao / AFP via Getty
Russia and its ally Belarus have been overwhelmingly banned from international sport following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but the country's athletes have slowly begun to compete again. For the 2026 games, the IOC cleared 13 athletes from Russia to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes.
Heraskevych is not the first athlete to speak out about politics at this year's games.
Team USA freestyle skiers Chris Lillis and Hunter Hess acknowledged that wearing red, white and blue at this point in history comes with mixed emotions during a press conference on Friday, Feb. 6.
Lillis, 27, said that he loves the United States and “would never want to represent” any other country at the Games. Still, he acknowledged that he’s “heartbroken” over what’s happening in the U.S. amid President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown.
“A lot of times, athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things. I feel heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States,” he said, adding, "I think that as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect.”
Hess, meanwhile, said it “brings up mixed emotions” to represent the United States at the 2026 Games.
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Hess noted that “just because I wear the flag, it doesn’t mean I represent everything that is going on in the U.S.”
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.
The Minnesota Vikings probably “won too many games” to be in play for Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love during April’s draft, but the man would love to land in Minneapolis nevertheless.
The comment doesn’t guarantee anything, but it’s the kind of signal that keeps Minnesota’s draft radar humming.
Love wasn’t shy last week about his zeal for the Vikings, and if he slid on draft night, well, the purple team might just pounce.
Best RB Prospect in 2026 Draft … Likes the Vikings
Remember Love’s name because there’s a slight chance he ends up in Minnesota.
This one is pretty damn straightforward — Love loves the Vikings.
He said on The Paul Harrington Show last week when asked about the idea of the Vikings drafting him in Round 1, “I would be blessed to go there. Lot of great guys.”
Love, along with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, was heavily in the mock-draft mix for Minnesota two months ago when the team had a 4-8 record. The Vikings, at least for a couple of weeks, held the 10th overall pick in the draft, prime territory for Love and Downs.
Then, Kevin O’Connell and friends won five straight games to close out 2025, nudging the draft pick from 10 to 18 and pricing themselves out of the Love and Downs sweepstakes.
Still, if there’s a way, Love wouldn’t mind turning purple.
The Scouting Report
Love is 6’0″ and 214 pounds with 4.4 speed. In the last two seasons at Notre Dame, he’s banked 2,497 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns, chipping in 5 receiving scores for good measure.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein named a comp for Love — Jahmyr Gibbs — and outlined his scouting report: “Three-phase running back capable of stressing defenses with big-play speed and untapped pass-catching value. Love shared carries but was the heartbeat of Notre Dame’s offense over the last two years.
“He runs with a fierce tempo and processes the front with adequate eyes to find entry points and burst through them. Urgency works in his favor, but he’ll occasionally miss open lanes when he gets too deep too quickly. Outstanding speed erases pursuit angles to the corner and helps him pull away from tacklers once he opens his gait.”
The Vikings haven’t employed a game-changing running back arguably in five years; the last guy was the 2021 version of Dalvin Cook.
Zierlein added, “He’s live-legged with violent cuts in segmented bursts that can elude tacklers but slow his momentum. He’s not a pile-mover but he runs through contact and squeezes out extra yards as a committed finisher.”
“He’s a talented route runner and pass catcher who can work from the slot and mismatch linebackers. Love is a three-down, scheme-independent player who would benefit from a complementary back to preserve his big-play ability.”
A Game-Changer of Offense
While Love probably isn’t gettable for the Vikings after their five-game win spurt to close out 2025, he will change some team’s offense next autumn. He has the production, speed, size, and versatility to step in as an RB1 immediately.
Not for nothing, that’s what’s missing from the Vikings’ offense. O’Connell got the memo down the stretch of the 2025 campaign that he needed to run the ball more frequently, especially with poor quarterback play from J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. When the shift occurred — not passing the ball more than 60% of the time with struggling quarterbacks — Minnesota ripped off the five-game win streak.
While Love likely isn’t available to Minnesota, aside from a trade, the Vikings will still need a young, dynamic running back, whether that’s Breece Hall from free agency or one of Love’s draft mates, like Jonah Coleman (Washington), Jadarian Price (Notre Dame), or Nick Singleton (Penn State)
Realistic Draft Destinations
Approximately six teams will prevent Love from sliding to the Vikings and fulfilling his de facto request to join the team. The list of teams on the board before Minnesota that could draft Love looks like this:
Baltimore Ravens
Dallas Cowboys
Kansas City Chiefs
New Orleans Saints
New York Jets
Washington Commanders
SI.com‘s Sam Dehring mock-drafted Love to the Chiefs on Saturday and explained, “Some of my picks might be repeats from last week, and this is one of them. It seems likely that the Chiefs could lose Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt in free agency. Jeremiyah Love would be a match made in heaven selection for the Kansas City Chiefs.”
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid stands alongside quarterback Patrick Mahomes during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium, with the scene unfolding on Feb. 11, 2024, as Kansas City faced San Francisco while Reid and Mahomes communicated amid sideline adjustments during the championship clash in Las Vegas. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.
Kansas City finished 6-11 in 2025 after a down season and ACL tear for Patrick Mahomes. Lucking into Love for their troubles would feel downright nasty for the NFL and might indefinitely prolong the now-paused dynasty.
Otherwise, if Love tumbles to Minnesota at No. 18, he won’t be upset about it.
After his excursions in Melbourne, Andrey Rublev has been spending some time on a different type of court.
The Russian star, ranked 15th on the ATP Tour, reached the third round of the Australian Open after defeating Matteo Arnaldi and Jaime Faria.
Rublev [pictured below] was then defeated by Francisco Cerundolo: 3-6, 6-7, 3-6.
Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images
Since losing to the Argentine, Rublev has stepped onto the tennis court to try his hand at padel: a racket sport derived from tennis and squash, which utilises the parameters of a mini tennis court and glass walls not too dissimilar from a squash court.
On Monday, the 28-year-old posted an image of himself playing padel with two very famous mixed martial artists.
Andrey Rublev plays padel with Khabib Nurmagomedov
In a post on Instagram, Andrey Rublev posted a picture of himself and Khabib Nurmagomedov on a padel court.
Khabib, who had a record of 29-0 in the UFC, was the longest-reigning UFC Lightweight Champion ever, having held the title from April 2018 to March 2021.
Khabib [pictured below] unofficially retired from the UFC in 2020 following his final victory against Conor McGregor. His retirement was later officially confirmed by Dana White in March 2021.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
The Russian star was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2022 and is considered to be one of the greatest mixed martial artists in history.
Another photo included in the post saw Rublev standing alongside Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev is the current UFC Welterweight Champion and a former UFC Lightweight Champion.
Andrey Rublev’s next tournament
The Russian’s next event is the Qatar Open, taking place from February 16 to 21. Rublev is the defending champion at the event, having defeated Jack Draper in last year’s final.
Despite being the defending champion, Rublev is far from the favourite to win the title in 2026. Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Felix Auger-Aliassime are all competing at the event.
Other notable names also include Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Bublik.
The event, named the ATP 500 Tournament of the Year for 2025, has a $2,833,335 prize pot.
The Milwaukee Bucks will try to extend their winning streak to four games as they visit the Orlando Magic tonight. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Milwaukee has shown it can compete with much better teams even without its biggest star, which is why my Bucks vs. Magic predictions are siding with the underdog.
Read on for my free NBA picks for Monday, February 9.
Bucks vs Magic prediction
Bucks vs Magic best bet: Bucks +11 (-110)
Nobody thinks the Milwaukee Bucks are about to start thriving without Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Milwaukee’s fans have to be happy to see the team getting a few wins even as the superstar is recovering from his calf injury.
After starting 3-14 without Giannis this season, the Bucks have won three in a row, covering as underdogs in all three contests.
With or without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have shown enough not to be a double-digit underdog to the Orlando Magic, even on the road.
The Magic are dealing with their own injury issues, with leading scorer Franz Wagner sitting out with an ankle injury. They’ve lost six of their last 10 overall.
Milwaukee has a -3.7 point differential, but Orlando is a mediocre -0.4 itself. Both teams are essentially equal in their offensive efficiency, with the Magic being marginally better on the defensive end.
While Orlando has a significantly better record and has more talent to cover them without Wagner — having Paolo Banchero on your roster helps a ton — the gap between these teams simply isn’t that big.
Bucks vs Magic same-game parlay
Along with taking Milwaukee to cover, I’m also throwing in a bet on the Over, as this total looks too low given the high-scoring games both teams have been playing lately.
Each of the last four head-to-heads has gone Over.
I’ll also back Myles Turner to pick up Over 6.5 rebounds, something he’s easily done in his last two games, picking up at least nine boards in each.
Bucks vs Magic SGP
Bucks +11
Over 220
Myles Turner Over 6.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Rollins keeps it rolling
Ryan Rollins has been firing away from deep lately, hitting at least three shots from beyond the arc in each of his last five games.
Bucks vs Magic SGP
Bucks +11
Over 220
Myles Turner Over 6.5 rebounds
Ryan Rollins Over 2.5 made threes
Bucks vs Magic odds
Spread: Bucks +10.5 | Magic -10.5
Moneyline: Bucks +375 | Magic -500
Over/Under: Over 220.5 | Under 220.5
Bucks vs Magic betting trend to know
The Bucks are 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Bucks vs. Magic.
How to watch Bucks vs Magic
Location
Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Date
Monday, February 9, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Bucks vs Magic latest injuries
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“Even Messi made mistakes at 17”: Matthäus responds to criticism of Lennart Karl
Bayern legend backs 17-year-old after viral moment
“Even Messi made mistakes at 17”: Matthäus responds to criticism of Lennart Karl
Lothar Matthäus backed Bayern youngster Lennart Karl after failed dribble went viral during the win over Hoffenheim.
Viral moment during Bayern victory
A brief moment involving Lennart Karl drew wide attention during Bayern Munich’s 5-1 win over Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.
In second half, the 17 year-old winger tried double dribble on the flank but the move ended awkwardly when he accidentally pushed the ball out of play with his heel.
The clip spread quickly on social media and triggered many sarcastic comments.
The incident came at time when Karl has also seen dip in numbers, with only 1 assist in his last six match for Bayern’s first team.
Karl: “I will keep working”
Despite the online reaction, Karl showed calm and maturity when asked about the moment.
Speaking to Sport1, he made it clear that the criticism does not worry him.
The teenager said he simply needs to keep giving his best in training and matches. He stressed that no player can be perfect all the time and added that, at 17, learning and improving are part of the journey.
Karl’s response underlined his focus on long-term progress rather than short-term reactions to viral clips.
Matthäus steps In to defend the teenager
German football legend Lothar Matthäus also came to Karl’s defense. He described the criticism as exaggerated and said moments like this are normal part of modern football.
Matthäus explained that creativity and dribbling are essential to the game and that fans enjoy watching players who try something different even if it does not always work.
He added that some moves may look unnecessary but football needs players who are brave enough to express themselves on the pitch.
“Messi was not perfect at 17”
Matthäus went even further by comparing Karl’s situation to Lionel Messi. He reminded fans that even Messi made mistakes at the same age and did not succeed with every action early in his career.
The former Bayern captain urged supporters to allow young players to enjoy the game and entertain even if opponents sometimes feel frustrated by their style.
MUNICH, GERMANY - 2025/10/18: Serhou Guirassy of Borussia Dortmund (L) and Jonathan Tah of Bayern Munich (R) seen in action during the Bundesliga 2025/2026 match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund at Allianz Arena. Final Score; Bayern Munich 2:1 Borussia Dortmund. (Photo by Grzegorz Wajda/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
A few weeks ago, Bundesliga fans looked at the rest of the league season and wrote off a title challenge. Bayern Munich were 11 points clear of nearest challengers Borussia Dortmund and were showing no signs of slowing down. At the time of writing, however, the gap has shrunk to six points and fans now have hope the gap can be shrunk even further.
Ergo many have focused on Borussia Dortmund’s match against Bayern on February 28th, where Die Schwarzgelben will welcome the current league leaders into their home. Suddenly, it is possible a Bayern loss will make the title race very interesting. All of a sudden, every German football fan is looking at the fixture with interest.
Perhaps it is unsurprising, then, that Jonathan Tah was asked about the match in a recent interview with SkySport. Tah, however, was unconcerned by the pressure.
“I’m very much looking forward to it. Playing away in Dortmund is something special,” Tah said, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “It’s my first time playing there with FC Bayern — so I’m really looking forward to the game. It will be intense, but it will be good.”
The Germany international will need to be in top form as the Bavarians look to hold Dortmund at arms’ length.
The 2025 NFL season is in the books. Congratulations to the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. As of Monday, though, everyone is 0-0 and aside from the partying Seahawks turning their attention to 2026. Where do way-too-early NFL power rankings for next season have the New York Giants?
The Giants have some solid players, beginning with quarterback Jaxson Dart. It’s partly why Harbaugh took the job this offseason. But this roster is about to get reworked to Harbaugh’s liking. He has already made it known that anybody who doesn’t love football will not be part of the team. Adding a fullback, becoming more physical and building the defense from the back end will all be part of this offseason. Also, finding more playmakers for Dart and the offense.
If they’re right about QB Jaxson Dart, then it’s a short leap for them to at least respectability. Because they have talent that has underachieved. And now, with John Harbaugh, they finally have a capable head coach.
The Giants will be a buzzy team to watch for a big turnaround a la the Patriots in 2025 because of Jaxson Dart’s big second-year passing upside and optimism over John Harbaugh bringing superior Tom Coughlin-like coaching.
n spite of injuries to key contributors and a head coaching change midway through the year, the New York Giants showed plenty of promise in 2025. Throw in a full offseason for Jaxson Dart to work with the team and a head-coaching splash hire in John Harbaugh, and you’re working with something intriguing.
The tandem of Harbaugh and new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy should bring stability to a young Giants offense. Their defensive line is extremely talented, though the secondary looks shaky heading into the offseason. If they can boost their defensive backfield and add a new offensive lineman to the mix, they could surprise a lot of people in 2025.
“I slept with mine under my pillow," Kam said. "It’s cushioned, it’s not going to go anywhere, it’s not going to fall off, unless I have a crazy rumble tumble in my sleep. But I don’t think that’s going to happen, so I think we’re safe there."
She wasn't the only one to have issues. Kam and O'Shea's teammate Alysa Liu also had her medal detach from the ribbon, documenting it on social media. Both Kam and O'Shea said the medals are "really hefty" and said they can understand why there have been issues with them so early in the Games.
"They’re very substantial and real metal, and I think that’s why people are having issues with it because it’s maybe a little bit stronger than the ribbon," he said. "But that’s what you want in an Olympic medal, right? Something that’s solid. I’m so happy with it."
The gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics are 506 grams, but includes just six grams of gold. The rest of it consists of silver, according to organizers. The Olympic medals have a diameter of about 80 millimeters and are around 10 millimeters thick.
Team Canada doesn't need Marie-Philip Poulin on Monday against Czechia.
But the all-time great women's hockey player could be crucial in a matchup against the United States, and the gold medal game preview is on Tuesday. Poulin's availability will be uncertain after sustaining an injury on Monday.
Poulin took a hard hit to her head area during the first period from Czechia's Krystina Kaltounkova. Poulin left the ice and headed down the tunnel behind the Canada bench.
The Canadians raced out ahead without their legendary scorer, and by the time she returned to the bench, Canada was up 4-0 with the first period still going.
Pinellas Park (Fla.) has been in the search for a new head football coach this off-season and on Monday announced who that will be.
Former Duke standout offensive lineman Takoby Cofieldannounced on social media that he has been named the new head football coach of the Patriots. Cofield played for the Blue Devils from 2011-14 and started three full seasons while at Duke.
“Patriot nation I’m home! Excited to be the new HC,” Cofield said in his statement on social media.
Cofield steps in for Max Smith, who was the program’s head coach from 2022-25 and won 24 games during that time.
When it comes to being a decorated Duke offensive lineman, Cofield saw action right out of the gates as a freshman and started three full seasons in Durham, North Carolina. From 2011-14, Cofield appeared in 51 games and started in 42 consecutive contests, and was named a third team All-ACC selection his senior campaign.
Now Cofield is tasked with taking on a Pinellas Park program that’s looking to get themselves back in the conversation as one of Pinellas County’s top high school football teams. The last time the Patriots posted double-digit victories was back in 2018 under the watch of then-head coach Kenny Crawford.
For Florida high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Sunshine State, 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 Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Florida high school football excitement across the state.
Lindsey Vonn moments before her crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics
IOC via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
Lindsey Vonn's dad spoke out after her scary crash during the 2026 Winter Olympics
Vonn's dad Alan Kildow said he wants this to be the end of her skiing career
The 41-year-old skier was airlifted to the hospital after her crash and underwent surgery for a fracture
Lindsey Vonn's dad wants her crash on Sunday to be a wake up call.
One day after the alpine skier, 41, suffered a terrifying crash during the women's downhill skiing final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, her father, Alan Kildow, told the Associated Press that he wants her to be done with the sport.
“She’s 41 years old and this is the end of her career,” Alan Kildow told the outlet on Monday, Feb. 9. “There will be no more ski races for Lindsey Vonn, as long as I have anything to say about it.”
Vonn was hoping for an incredible comeback on Sunday when she got to the starting gate. After two knee replacements and a retirement in 2019, the five-time Olympian and decided to compete one last time as the 2026 Games came to Cortina d'Ampezzo, one of her favorite courses. But a week before the competition, Vonn "completely" ruptured her ACL during a World Cup race.
Lindsey Vonn celebrates with her dad Alan Kildow in Dec. 2025
Jeff PACHOUD / AFP via Getty
Still, she decided to compete at the Olympics on Sunday, and 13 seconds into her run Vonn clipped a course marker with her ski pole, pushing her off balance and sending her flying through the air before hitting the mountain. Vonn was airlifted off the course and flown to a hospital in Treviso, where she underwent surgery to stabilize a fracture in the same leg where she tore her ACL.
"Lindsey sustained an injury, but is in stable condition and in good hands with a team of American and Italian physicians," the organization said.
Vonn's sister also shared her thoughts on the skier's crash with NBC, saying Sunday that the family is "hoping for the best" while waiting for further updates. "That definitely was the last thing we wanted to see. It happened quick. So when that happens you’re just immediately hoping she’s okay," Kildow said.
"It was scary because when you start to see the stretchers being put out, that is not a good sign."
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.comto check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.
It wasn't until the second half that Super Bowl 60 got out of hand, but the Seattle Seahawks left no doubt they were the better team on the NFL's biggest stage with their 29-13 win over the New England Patriots.
It was the second consecutive year in which the Super Bowl was decided by more than 15 points and the second consecutive year in which the AFC's representative was shut out in the first half. Nevertheless, viewership was massive.
Between performances from Bad Bunny and Green Day to the intrigue of some new blood in the game after years of Kansas City Chiefs appearances, the NFL brought in a colossal number of viewers once again for Super Bowl 60.
Here's a look at the viewership totals for the Super Bowl and where this year's game ranks all-time.
The exact number of viewers for Super Bowl 60 between the Seahawks and Patriots has not been announced. NBA is expected to reveal that figure in the days after the game.
A year ago, Super Bowl 59 set a new record by averaging 127.7 million viewers despite the game being lopsided in favor of the Eagles. Super Bowl 58 also set a viewership record, bringing in an average of 123.4 million on CBS for an overtime thriller.
While the teams this year didn't necessarily come with the Super Bowl pedigree that the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles did, at least from a roster standpoint, Super Bowl 60 offered something from everyone, from Bad Bunny and Green Day performances to a new slate of commercials.
Ireland's 36-14 Six Nations defeat by France has sparked debate over the team selection for Italy [Getty Images]
When Andy Farrell took charge of Ireland after the 2019 World Cup, Joe Schmidt's erstwhile defensive specialist faced calls to radically overhaul a team that had clearly dropped from a considerable peak.
In 2018, Ireland had won a Six Nations Grand Slam and beaten New Zealand in Dublin as part of an autumn clean sweep.
By the time Farrell took over, England had punctured a Manu Tuilagi-shaped hole in their best laid World Cup plans before they got to the tournament and were shocked by Japan in the pool stages before the All Blacks exacted revenge in the quarter-final.
Then, having been the head coach in waiting for a year, there was a feeling that Farrell's association with the previous ticket got his tenure started on the back foot.
Yet, by the time of his first game in charge in February 2020, Farrell resisted any temptation to enforce a major break from the Schmidt regime, his biggest selection calls revolving around replacing retired veterans Rob Kearney and Rory Best.
While handing an international debut to Caelan Doris was a nod to the future, the naming of the then 34-year-old Johnny Sexton as his captain was a clear indication of a focus on the here and now.
As Ireland muddled through a pair of third-place Six Nations campaigns disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Farrell remained steadfast in his approach of evolution rather than revolution and was rewarded for his faith with a historic series win in New Zealand in 2022 and a Six Nations Grand Slam the next year.
In the wake of Thursday's humbling defeat by France in Paris to start the 2026 Six Nations however, Farrell has faced the strongest calls since those earliest days of his tenure to dramatically overhaul the team.
With Italy in Dublin on Saturday afternoon, will the head coach stick or twist?
While Farrell was accurate when judging his 2020-21 squad as one in transition rather than terminal decline, the mood music around the team feels even more sombre this time around.
It may only be two years ago that Ireland were chasing the history of back-to-back Grand Slams, but Thursday's loss saw them drop to fifth in the world rankings and they have lost seven of their past nine against the teams above them.
With the four most recent of those reverses coming by double-digits, Thursday was no isolated incident. It is undeniable that a gap to the world's best has emerged and now widened.
Farrell has always shown himself not to be one to throw the baby out with the bathwater but, whether it be seeking an injection of fresh blood, the heralding of a new direction or simply to prompt a reaction to their Parisian lack of "intent", it is clear he has some big selection calls to make before Thursday's team announcement to face the Azzurri.
To an extent, Farrell had already shaken up his team coming into this championship even when already without Andrew Porter, Tadhg Furlong, Mack Hansen, Hugo Keenan and Robbie Henshaw through injury, while Bundee Aki was suspended.
Jacob Stockdale was preferred to James Lowe while, with Tadhg Beirne selected in the second row, the selection of Cian Prendergast ostensibly came at the expense of the benched James Ryan.
Leaving two British and Irish Lions out of the side would once have been viewed as a dramatic shift but the events of Thursday night mean that even some once seemingly cemented places in the side are up for fresh debate.
Josh van der Flier v Nick Timoney
Josh van der Flier was World Rugby Player of the Year in 2022 [Getty Images]
Despite only playing half an hour at the Stade de France, back row Nick Timoney was arguably Ireland's most impactful player in Paris.
The Ulster back row's international career is perhaps indicative of how settled Ireland's team has become.
He made his debut against USA in the summer of 2021 but, before his subsequent role off the bench against France, his next five caps were spread across four and a half years and came against Argentina, as a match-day morning inclusion, Fiji, Georgia, Japan and Australia.
All through that period, he was consistently among the best and most consistent performers for his province and on Thursday gave the impression of a man who had been impatiently waiting for his first crack at the Six Nations and top-level international opposition.
While capable of playing across the back row, it will be Josh van der Flier feeling the pressure at number seven.
Already 30, Timoney is only two years younger than the 2022 World Player of the Year, but with Van der Flier struggling for his best form this season, it would certainly be a selection for the here and now.
Joe McCarthy v Edwin Edogbo
Joe McCarthy has started 14 games for Ireland since the 2023 World Cup [Getty Images]
There is little doubt that Joe McCarthy has a long future in the Ireland engine room.
Just 24 years old, he has a profile that is rare in Irish rugby, providing a real combination of physicality and athleticism in the second row. Indeed, having established himself as a starter only after the 2023 World Cup, he is among the most recent additions to Farrell's starting XV.
However, as a penalty concession for coming in at the side straight in front of the posts and right in front of the referee on Thursday shows, his decision-making and discipline remain a major work-on.
It was only last year, after the reverse fixture in the Six Nations, that the Ireland camp were publicly talking about how the Leinster player would learn from his costly yellow card for pulling back Thomas Ramos.
When Ireland were at their best, such transgressions were simply not tolerated.
In Munster's uncapped Edwin Edogbo, Farrell now has an alternative who could bring similar physical presence to the side and the 23-year-old has shown good form for his province since returning for injury too.
Pairing the two together feels like Ireland's future in the position, but Edogbo over McCarthy for Saturday would give the side's most exciting prospect an international bow and offer a reminder of the required standards in a side who have struggled with discipline this season.
Garry Ringrose toured with the British and Irish Lions for the first time last summer [Getty Images]
Like Van der Flier, Garry Ringrose is a player who has not found his best form after returning from the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia without a Test cap.
The Leinster centre was arguably the most unfortunate to miss out on facing the Wallabies, admirably self-reporting symptoms of concussion when he had been selected for the second Test.
So long a key defensive cog for Ireland, despite being at the centre of a debate on the value of missed tackles statistics, the 31-year-old was hardly alone in looking off the pace in Paris but midfield is definitely an area where the side would benefit from experimenting with younger options.
Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, Henshaw, Aki and even the side's most recent debutant Tom Farrell, are all the wrong side of 30 with the next World Cup still one year and eight months away.
Jude Postlethwaite was not even in the senior squad until news broke of Aki's impending suspension but he certainly impressed earlier this season for Ulster.
A run against Italy, alongside his provincial colleague McCloskey in midfield, would be an interesting test of his international credentials.
The New England Patriots will hope their Super Bowl LX appearance was the start of sustained excellence rather than a fleeting missed opportunity.
New England’s road back to relevancy under Mike Vrabel abruptly ended with a 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. One Patriots player believes the season is just the beginning.
Carlton Davis III was one of several offseason acquisitions to make an impact for the Patriots in 2025. The cornerback reflected on their season after Sunday’s loss.
“It’s our first year together,” Davis told reporters. “Nobody thought we would be here. We put the league on notice.”
Davis, who won a Super Bowl alongside Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers five years ago, thinks he’ll get another chance to compete for the Lombardi Trophy.
“Obviously we didn’t get the job done and (expletive) stings,” Davis said. “(Expletive) is never going to not sting. But we’ve got a bright future, man. We’ve got a lot of great young players. Coming in this (expletive) and taking the league by storm. Having a new coaching staff, a lot of new free agents. Something that’s really unheard of. So (expletive) hurts, but I’ve got a feeling we’ll be back.”
The Patriots undertook a massive roster overhaul last offseason, but Davis hopes for less turnover entering the 2026 campaign.
“Every year it’s a new team. Hopefully we can retain a lot of the core guys,” Davis said. “I really feel like we’ve already got a lot of guys under contract. I’m pretty sure the front office and our coaches will make the right decisions moving forward for next year.”
Davis thinks losing on the grand stage will drive them to return to the Super Bowl and seek a better ending.
“I think we’ll use it as motivation and we’ll move forward,” Davis said. “I feel like we’ll be back.”
Palladino: ‘Atalanta showed maturity, we wanted Raspadori at all costs’
Raffaele Palladino saw the kind of ‘maturity’ he was looking for in Atalanta’s 2-1 win over Cremonese, and admits they ‘wanted Giacomo Raspadori at all costs.’
La Dea were feeling confident after last week’s 3-0 Coppa Italia quarter-final victory over Juventus, but knew they had struggled against the newly-promoted clubs in Serie A.
That issue was resolved this evening thanks to goals from Nikola Krstovic and Davide Zappacosta, although it was once again a tense finale despite their overall domination, when Morten Thorsby got one back late on.
Palladino sees Atalanta progress
BERGAMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 09: Nikola Krstovic of Atalanta BC celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and US Cremonese at Gewiss Stadium on February 09, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“It was an important response from the squad, including those who haven’t played as much, like Mario Pasalic, and Lazar Samardzic, who had to step in at the last second,” Palladino told DAZN Italia.
Marten de Roon and Honest Ahanor were also suspended, further limiting the options available.
BERGAMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 09: Lazar Samardzic of Atalanta BC reacts during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and US Cremonese at Gewiss Stadium on February 09, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“Sead Kolasinac hadn’t started for a while either, Krstovic had a great performance, so they all had the right spirit today. I like that whoever plays, they step up and give the best of their abilities.
“They give their all and sweat for the jersey. That must be the spirit of this team, it is what our fans need to see.”
When Palladino took the job from Ivan Juric, Atalanta were in 13th place and just one point ahead of Cremonese, but the situation has been transformed and they qualified for the Coppa Italia semi-final, and the Champions League play-offs too.
“We are happy and proud, but must also remember we’ve done nothing yet, because we’re still lagging behind in the Serie A table,” warned the coach.
“I said this game would be a test of our maturity, and I saw a very mature team.”
BERGAMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 09: Nikola Krstovic of Atalanta BC celebrates with his team after scoring his sides first goal during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and US Cremonese at Gewiss Stadium on February 09, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The arrival of Raspadori from Atletico Madrid in the January transfer window, with Ademola Lookman going the other way, also added a different dimension to the Atalanta attack.
“Jack is a player we wanted at all costs,” explained Palladino.
“The club did really well to make him understand this was the right project for him. He’s young, Italian, and a winner, so he brought the right mentality and settled in straight away. He’s got to play as much as possible to find his best form, as he’s still lacking a bit of sharpness, but I’m very happy with what he’s doing.”
“We have to do better” – Virgil van Dijk reacts to Liverpool’s defeat to Man City
Virgil van Dijk Urges Liverpool Improvement After Late Man City Setback
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk delivered a clear message following a painful 2-1 defeat to Man City at Anfield, calling for sharper game management as the Reds continue their push for European qualification under Arne Slot. The result marked Liverpool’s eighth Premier League loss of the campaign and extended a worrying pattern of conceding late goals.
Stoppage Time Issues Cost Liverpool
Erling Haaland’s 93rd minute penalty secured the points for Man City and underlined a recurring theme for Liverpool this season. It was the sixth time the Merseyside club have conceded in stoppage time, a statistic that has already cost them eight points.
Van Dijk did not hide his frustration as he assessed the moment. “I think you can’t compare all of the goals [conceded in stoppage time],” he said. “I think maybe you can compare the Crystal Palace goal and the Bournemouth goal but this one you can’t compare with the others. But the fact is that we conceded that late on and I keep saying it but we have to do better in this.”
Facing Pep Guardiola’s side always demands precision, especially when protecting narrow margins. Liverpool found phases of control but could not close the door when it mattered most.
Photo: IMAGO
Match Flow Shows Mixed Performance
City had enjoyed the better of the first half, moving the ball with authority and limiting Liverpool’s rhythm. Van Dijk acknowledged the balance of play across the 95 minutes.
“You also have to remember that you’re playing against City, who are obviously very comfortable on the ball, and at times, when you don’t win the ball, because we did many times as well, I think making the right decisions could have been better.”
Liverpool improved after the break, pushing higher and creating chances. “Overall the feeling that I have right now is that in the first half we weren’t good enough, in the second half we were much better but still disappointed we lost,” he added.
A disallowed City goal deep into added time and a red card for Dominik Szoboszlai added late drama, yet the decisive moment remained Haaland’s penalty.
“Listen, it’s always hard to accept the loss, especially at home, but I think if you really analyse the game as a whole, 95 minutes, and especially the first half City was really much better than us in having a ball, obviously they created some opportunities, not massive. Second half we did much better and created good opportunities but the penalty is the deciding factor.”
Focus Turns to Results and Consistency
Liverpool now face a demanding trip to Sunderland, a side with a formidable home record. With rivals also in action, the pressure to respond is immediate.
“At the moment [we don’t take positives] because I’m disappointed that we lost. But I will do everything in my power to recover and then we’ll discuss it and then we have to turn our attention very, very quickly to an opponent that is having a very good season, especially at home, so it will be a big battle.”
Van Dijk stressed the need for consistent performances as the race for the top five intensifies. “When is the deciding time of the year? I think every game, obviously, that’s coming our way we have to make sure that we are getting towards that top four to five.”
For Liverpool, the margins remain fine. Better decisions in key moments, improved control when leading, and sharper concentration in stoppage time will shape how their season unfolds after this bruising night against Man City.
The Philadelphia Phillies are entering the 2026 MLB season with some question marks at the starting pitching spot. While Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Taijuan Walker are all back, the rest of the rotation is a bit more uncertain.
Will Andrew Painter make the Opening Day roster? It's possible, but uncertain. But the more pressing issue for the Phillies is the status of Zack Wheeler.
Coming off venous thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, Wheeler is going to miss some time to begin the 2026 season. But, as Paul Casella of MLB.com shares, Rob Thomson had some good news for Wheeler despite the ace not being ready for Opening Day.
Phillies get bittersweet Zack Wheeler update for 2026 season
"Not a surprise, but Rob Thomson says he doesn't expect Zack Wheeler to be ready by Opening Day, but adds he 'doesn't think he'll be too far behind that,'" Casella shares. "Says all is going well with Wheeler's rehab at this point."
Wheeler won't be ready for Opening Day for the Phillies. That's not a major surprise, based on the scary nature of his injury and the lengthy road to recovery he's been on.
But this update from Thomson, indicating Wheeler might be able to come back not long after Opening Day, is some very good news for the Phillies.
Being able to get as much out of Wheeler as possible is key for the Phillies. Their rotation will be a reason they either make it back to the postseason or come up short.
While Sanchez, Luzardo, and even Painter and Nola are, at worst, solid options, having Wheeler back would be a massive boost to the team.
Not just from the standpoint that Wheeler is the team's best starter when healthy, with a remarkable 2.91 ERA in his Phillies career, but that his presence would mean a complete rotation.
Being fully healthy can be huge for a team, and getting Wheeler back will instill confidence in this team going forward.
He's one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball, and he's put up a 2.57 ERA and 2.71 ERA in the last two seasons.
While he might miss a few starts this season, it seems like it might not be as much as previously thought. Wheeler could be back sooner than later, as his recovery is going well.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are investigating the physical integrity of their medals after multiple athletes have reported their gold, silver and bronze medals breaking shortly after being awarded.
After multiple videos of athletes showing their now-broken medals hit social media, Andrea Francisi, Milan-Cortina 2026 chief Games operations officer, issued a statement explaining that the minds behind the games are investigating the issue.
“We are fully aware of the situation,” Francisi said in a statement to the BBC on Monday, February 9, after multiple videos of seemingly faulty medals hit social media. “We are looking into exactly what the problem is.
Two of the USA’s gold medalists, Breezy Johnson and Alysa Liu, revealed their ribbons had come off their medals. Johnson, who won for women’s downhill alpine skiing, showed her broken medal at a post-event press conference.
“So there’s the medal. And there’s the ribbon. And here’s the little piece that is supposed to go into the ribbon to hold the medal, and yeah, it came apart,” she told reporters, per the Associated Press. “I’m sure somebody will fix it.”
Instagram/alysaxliu
Meanwhile, Liu shared a video on social media after she won in figure skating that showed the ribbon had come off of her medal as well.
In a video of the German biathlon team celebrating their bronze medal, one of the athletes’ ribbons snaps, sending the medal to the ground where it breaks. Swedish cross-country skierEbba Andersson said her silver medal also detached from the ribbon and snapped into two pieces, per Reuters.
“We are going to pay maximum attention to the medals, and obviously this is something we want to be perfect when the medal is handed over because this is one of the most important moments for the athletes,” Francisi’s statement continued.
Kyodo/Newscom/The Mega Agency
A source told Reuters that the issue may stem from the medals’ cord, which is designed to break away as required by law to prevent accidental or purposeful strangulation of the wearer.
The BBC reports that it is not clear if the affected medalists will receive replacements for their broken medals. However, it notes that as of February 2025, some 220 requests for replacement medals won at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games have been made due to general wear and tear.
Super Bowl LX showcased the best and worst of New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
For the first three quarters, he resembled the rookie year version of Maye who went 3-9 as a starter with 15 touchdown passes, 10 interceptions and nine fumbles. Maye was completely stymied by the Seattle Seahawks’ ferocious defense, throwing for just 60 yards and no touchdowns entering the fourth quarter.
With the game out of reach, Maye finally started to look more like himself in the fourth quarter, showing flashes of the player who finished second in the NFL MVP race this season. He led the Patriots on a pair of late scoring drives, throwing a pair of touchdowns and racking up 235 passing yards in the fourth quarter alone.
In fact, the 235 passing yards were a Super Bowl record for most passing yards in a single quarter. It was more than Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had in the entire game (202).
Most passing yards EVER in a Super Bowl quarter: Drake Maye.
Unfortunately, it was too little, too late for New England, which still lost 29-13. The Patriots weren’t able to overcome Maye’s previous miscues, which included three turnovers, six sacks and 10 off-target throws.
Maye was the second-youngest starting quarterback in Super Bowl history, and it showed. Still, at least he managed to end the game on a high note and salvage something from his shaky performance.
Maye was great this season, but he struggled mightily in the playoffs. He still has work to do this offseason if he wants to get back to the Super Bowl and have another shot at a championship someday.
As the world turns on their TVs for the latest from the 2026 Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Kind Alert, our daily series celebrating moments of kindness and humanity at the Games, is spotlighting Olympic stories that remind us sports are more than just medals and records.
These are the moments when compassion, respect, and character rise alongside athletic excellence. Throughout the Winter Games, we will share unforgettable acts of sportsmanship that prove the most powerful victories are often the ones that are shared.
How this mother and son plan to make Olympic history
Most parents cheer from the sidelines at the Olympics—except this mom.
At the Games in Milan-Cortina, Sarah Schlepper and her 18-year-old son, Lasse Gaxiola, will become the first mother and son to compete at the same Winter Olympics.
Schlepper’s Olympic journey began in 1998. Born in Colorado, she later became a Mexican citizen and has represented Team Mexico in the past two Winter Games. This year, she's doing so again.
However, she won’t be racing alone.
Lasse is making his Olympic debut alongside his mom, with the two competing as Mexico’s only alpine skiers. Together, they’ll share a moment that goes beyond medals: a rare blend of family and legacy on the Olympic stage.
For this mother and son, history won’t just be made—it will be shared for generations to come.
As Kind Alert continues to monitor Milan-Cortina 2026, we’ll keep the focus on Olympic moments like this one—reminding us that even on the world’s biggest stage, kindness, empathy, and sportsmanship are worth their weight in gold.
👉 Follow Humankind for more stories of humanity from Milan-Cortina 2026—because the greatest wins aren’t always measured in medals.
Feb 7, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) reacts after a play against the Indiana Hoosiers during overtime at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
The Wisconsin Badgers fell to 16-7 after a tight overtime loss to the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday in a game that felt very similar to their last few. Wisconsin struggled early with a slow start, started to regain momentum, and then found its footing in the second half for a comeback. Only this time, the game went into overtime, and the Badgers lost by one.
Wisconsin’s slow starts this season have come for a multitude of reasons, but the Badgers’ shaky play in the first half extended for much of the period. Despite having the size advantage, Wisconsin couldn’t muster many shots in the paint, with 19 of their first 30 shots coming from behind the arc (and only five being makes). Defensively, Wisconsin struggled with dribble penetration as the guards were getting beaten, leading to better looks for the Hoosiers.
Again, the size disparity felt like an issue, but for the Badgers because they weren’t matching the physicality of the Hoosiers.
“We were more physical for stretches in the second half, specifically the back half of that second half,” head coach Greg Gard said after the game. “I thought we had figured out some things, where we could help from, where we couldn’t. We just played more physical. I think that was the biggest thing.
“And we’re able to get some things going offensively, which obviously helped us defensively early. I thought we missed a lot of really good looks early in the first half, that we had good looks from 3. But I didn’t think we were played with the physicalness that we needed to play with in that middle part of the first half. But, I mean, we were to be able to battle back and take a lead and then have that happen in overtime is, that’s frustrating.”
The Badgers did make the requisite adjustments. While Nolan Winter was playing well, freshman Aleksas Bieliauskas seemed to be struggling with the physicality that Indiana’s frontcourt gave. He played just three minutes in the second half and overtime after seeing 11 in the opening half. That was only one of a couple of changes.
Wisconsin’s propensity to switch everything will lead to some tougher matchups down low, especially when a team like Indiana has a ton of good shooters on the perimeter.
“Sometimes we got caught where we switched to stop the ball, and we ended up with the small on them, and they were putting them in positions,” Gard said. “And they obviously have the floor littered with shooters, right? So you’re cognizant of not giving too much help and being caught in too long of closeouts. And when we did stay big on big, I didn’t think we got to our digs, and we were able to squeeze as much as we should have.
“But again, that’s the double-edged sword part of how far you want to come off [Lamar] Wilkerson, how far do you want to come off [Tucker] DeVries, how far do you want to come off [Nick] Dorn? And I thought we, for the most part, we did a really good job on those guys in negating that. But we needed to be better in the paint, be better one-on-one, and then we needed to be able to squeeze better and send some help.”
Over the past few games, it felt like the Badgers were getting better in the physicality department, but that’s been a question mark for this team for a good chunk of the year. Defensively, it’s got to be a strong effort all-around, with the guards and the bigs both stepping up. Next up will be a really tough challenge for that with the Illinois Fighting Illini on the docket.
We’ll see how Wisconsin responds physically against a tough opponent on the road.
The Detroit Tigers are officially moving their broadcasts MLB Media – but what exactly does that mean?
Ilitch Sports and Entertainment (IS+E) announced on Monday, Feb. 9, that Tigers broadcasts will be transitioning from FanDuel Sports Network to MLB Media for the 2026 season, with the Detroit Red Wings (also owned by IS+E) also moving to MLB Media for the 2026-27 season.
That means no more FanDuel Sports Network for Tigers and Wings fans, but what about the Detroit Pistons? Where will Tigers and Red Wings games be televised? And how much will fans have to pay for the new service?
We answer all those questions and more down below.
Main Street Sports Group, the company that owns the regional FanDuel Sports Networks, has been dealing with major financial issues over the last two seasons and has missed monthly payments to many of its partner teams in recent months. As a result, the nine remaining MLB teams under the FanDuel Sports Network umbrella, including the Tigers, have terminated their contracts with Main Street, with seven moving their broadcasting rights to MLB Media.
The news was first announced that the Tigers were leaving Main Street on Feb. 2, but unlike six other teams that announced moves to MLB Media soon after, the Tigers waited a week to make their announcement. That's because the Tigers needed time to figure out their situation with the Red Wings, as both teams are owned by IS+E and had contracts with Main Street.
Are the Red Wings leaving FanDuel?
Not yet, but they will soon.
IS+E announced that Red Wings games will continue to be televised on FanDuel Sports Network for the remainder of the 2025-26 season and that the new partnership with MLB Media will start for the 2026-27 season. The Red Wings are the first NHL team to give their broadcasting rights to MLB Media in what IS+E calls a "first of its kind partnership."
What channel will the Tigers be on?
That is still yet to be determined.
IS+E says that fans will be able to watch Tigers and Red Wings games on direct-to-consumer streaming subscriptions and through "the same options that have been recently available" on cable and satellite packages, with information about those options coming at a later date. And while the Tigers don't yet have details about pricing, app availability and streaming offerings for their new partnership in 2026, they intend to offer a single subscription for fans to watch the team year-round.
In short – Tigers games will be on a different TV channel starting in the 2026 season, but the team is hoping to offer the same one-channel experience for all of its local games. Stay tuned for updates.
How much will it cost to watch the Tigers?
Details on pricing, app availability and streaming options have yet to be shared, but we can get an idea of what the Tigers may charge based on other teams that operate under MLB Media.
The Cleveland Guardians, for example, offer a direct-to-consumer streaming service (CLEGuardians.tv) and charged fans $100 for a full season of locally-broadcasted games in 2025. The Tigers could potentially offer something similar for fans in Michigan, as well as a channel that could serve as an add-on to a typical cable or satellite package.
But those details, including price, have yet to be ironed out.
Where can I watch Tigers spring training?
That is also still yet to be determined.
Spring training games begin on Feb. 21 for the Tigers. That gives the team just under two weeks to figure out a broadcasting situation for its non-national games, though many other MLB teams are currently in the same quandary.
When is Tigers Opening Day?
Opening Day is scheduled for March 26 at the San Diego Padres; Opening Day in Detroit at Comerica Park is April 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Will Jason Benetti still broadcast Tigers games?
That is the expectation, yes.
Though MLB Media is now taking over Tigers games, many familiar faces and voices from 2025 should remain the same, with IS+E announcing that play-by-play commentators Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson and color commentators Andy Dirks and Dan Petry are expected to return to their positions for the 2026 season.
Are Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond coming back?
Legendary Red Wings broadcasters Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond are expected to continue in their current roles under the new partnership, according to IS+E.
"We have two of the top-rated broadcasts in our respective sports and remain focused on listening to fans about what matters most to them," said IS+E president Ryan Gustafson. "What we’ve heard includes making sure our games are available throughout the market, providing a reliable streaming product, and producing a broadcast that's informative and entertaining in all the right ways.”
Are Pistons games going to be on FanDuel?
Main Street has said it intends to honor its contracts with its NHL and NBA partner franchises, including the Pistons, through the end of the 2025-26 season. But there is no reported plan for the Pistons to transition away from FanDuel after this season.
Sports Business Journal reported on Jan. 5 that Main Street missed its January payments to NBA teams, so it would make sense for the Pistons to search for a new broadcasting partner for the 2026-27 season. But while Pistons games have been on FanDuel like Tigers and Red Wings games, the Pistons are not owned by IS+E like the Tigers and Red Wings − they are owned by Tom Gores − meaning all three teams might not end up together on the same platform.
He's a .247 career hitter with a .756 career OPS (which has been higher than that in each of the past two seasons after a quieter rookie campaign).
If the Red Sox had gotten Neto, either he or Trevor Story would've had to play a different position, but Boston would've figured that out. Getting Neto would've been the win.
In the end, the Angels keep Neto and don't just totally tank their season to come.
Boston instead makes small infield upgrades and will just have to hope that is enough to keep up in the AL East Division.
The New England Patriots‘ 2025 campaign came to an end in brutal fashion on Sunday night when they suffered a 29-13 loss at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. And with that, a very important offseason has begun for the Pats.
After watching the offense dominate throughout the regular season, the script flipped in the playoffs. New England’s defense was the unit leading the way, with the offense getting dragged to victories instead of doing the majority of the work.
Nobody expected the Patriots to win 17 games in the regular season and playoffs combined, which led to them making it all the way to the Super Bowl. That’s because, even when taking into account all of their accomplishments this year, there are still some glaring needs on this roster, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
Let’s start along the offensive line. After an encouraging start to his pro career, Will Campbell struggled after returning from an MCL injury that landed him on injured reserve late in the year. New England doesn’t necessarily need to move him off of left tackle right away, but adding a tackle on Day 2 in the 2026 NFL Draft is probably a good idea.
The lack of protection for quarterback Drake Maye throughout the playoffs (he got sacked an NFL record 21 times in his playoff games) was a big problem, and Campbell isn’t the only guy responsible for the o-line’s struggles. But even when Maye had time to throw the football, he was unable to find guys who were getting open for him.
Part of this is on his supporting cast, and part of this is on Maye, whose wheels were spinning on a weekly basis as a result of playing some of the top defenses in the league during the postseason. In order to help him progress, he needs better targets to work with in the passing game.
Simply put, this team needs a No. 1 wide receiver. Stefon Diggs was great this year, but beyond him, there’s nobody on N.E. who can consistently get open against man coverage. Guys like Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas are solid secondary options, but they are reliant on someone else taking attention away from opposing defenses.
It also couldn’t hurt to look into drafting and developing a tight end to work behind Hunter Henry. While he’s a reliable option who has a good rapport with Maye, he’s getting older, and he had a couple of costly drops in the playoffs.
The third most important area of need behind the o-line and a top-tier wide receiver is on defense, though. While Milton Williams and Christian Barmore are a dominant interior duo on the defensive line, more help is needed on the edges, especially with K’Lavon Chaisson potentially departing in free agency.
Could Maxx Crosby be a trade target for New England? Potentially, and after a breakout campaign, the Pats will have an easier sell when it comes to recruiting guys this offseason, whether it be in free agency or on the trade market. Using a first-round draft pick on an edge rusher also wouldn’t be a bad idea if the price for a guy like Crosby is too high.
The Patriots are in a great spot to add to this team. They have cap space to sign players in free agency, and with 11 picks in the 2026 draft, that gives them even more flexibility to make moves on the trade market. Losing in the Super Bowl is tough, but if New England plays its cards right this offseason, it could be back in the big game before you know it.
With the Seattle Seahawks being crowned the Super Bowl Champions on Sunday, the 2025 NFL season is officially over. So now every team turns its attention to free agency next month and the draft in April. In his first mock draft for NBC Sports, Connor Rogers gave the Cleveland Browns Ohio State star wide receiver Carnell Tate with the sixth pick and Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor with the 24th overall selection.
"The Browns need to use multiple selections on the offensive side of the ball with the state of their offensive line and wide receiver room. Tate’s size, route running and body control gives the Todd Monken era a No. 1 target on the outside."
"After landing a No. 1 wide receiver in Carnell Tate in the top ten, the Browns now shift their focus to getting younger and stronger on the offensive line. I’m a believer Proctor’s long-term home is at guard, but that doesn’t mean he’s not worth this pick. Walking out of the first round with Tate and Proctor would give Todd Monken much more to work with."
I couldn't agree more with Rogers about selecting Carnell Tate with the sixth overall pick; in fact, I just wrote a Browns mock doing the same thing. However, I'm not a fan of the Proctor pick, especially considering that Utah left tackle Caleb Lomu was still on the board in this situation.
Proctor likely doesn't stay at tackle in the NFL, and I'd rather not spend a first-round pick on a player you are going to ask to change positions when a better prospect like Lomu is still on the board. Proctor needs a lot of work; he's very inconsistent and erratic with his technique and pad level, and he really struggles with athletic speed-rushers on the outside. He's not someone I'd use a first-round pick on.
Rookie left tackle Will Campbell absorbed a lot of blame for the offensive line's poor performance. The 22-year-old allowed a whopping 14 pressures – the most by an individual during the 2025 season, per the NFL's Next Gen Stats – against Seattle's elite defensive front.
In total, Campbell surrendered 29 pressures across the Patriots' four-game playoff run and was credited with allowing four of the 21 sacks Maye took during New England's Super Bowl run, per Pro Football Focus.
Campbell's struggles in pass protection have led to much discourse about his future. Many have brought up pre-draft concerns about the LSU product's 32 5/8-inch arm length while wondering whether the 2025 NFL Draft's No. 4 pick would be better served moving inside to guard long-term.
That said, many former NFL offensive tackles have come out in support of Campbell after his Super Bowl showing. They have opined the 22-year-old's issues are more about technique – which can be corrected –than they are about arm length.
Former New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead believes Campbell's issues primarily stem from him not having "a solid foundation."
"His feet are constantly moving backwards before contact on 90% of these reps!" Armstead wrote in a post to X. "Damn near impossible to anchor against power if your feet are not in the ground!!!"
Will Campbell’s issues are fixable!! He’s trying to block the best players in the world without a solid foundation. His feet are constantly moving backwards before contact on 90% of these reps! Damn near impossible to anchor against power if your feet are not in the ground!!!… https://t.co/jOjnuNFWpH
Justin Pugh – who carved out an 11-year NFL career with the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals despite having 32-inch arms – offered a similar take. He wrote that arm length may "slightly" impact Campbell, but the bigger issue was that the rookie is "still learning."
Can we stop with the arm length convo already. It may impact slightly. So many other factors impact performance.
Campbell is a rookie, he's still learning. Learning how to mix up sets and knowing how to set on certain down and distances. No one looks good down 3 scores in the…
Several others – including former Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Willie Anderson, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and noted offensive line scout Duke Manyweather – also identified areas for improvement for Campbell, ranging from "mastering better sets" to improving his "punch timing."
The long arms short arm debate online about this kid #WillCampbell is interesting. All long arms do is allow you to be later with your hands . That’s the advantage us long arms guys have but it doesn’t guarantee success! Lot of awful long arm Left and Right tackles . I see the…
There’s a lot of bad Will Campbell talk/analysis going on right now. I’ll put out a video later but short arms and vertical sets are getting a bad rap when neither is the issue. Said it last night and will say it again: it’s his punch timing (plus one extra technique adjustment)
So you are telling me, Will Campbell, with 32 5/8 inch arms, would be so much better with 33 inch arms? 34 inch arms? Or maybe, just maybe, it is that he’s late with his hands and is setting too vertical 🤷🏾♂️ https://t.co/jszRMHc7bx
Campbell will have an entire offseason to work through the issues that plagued him at the end of his rookie season and to further distance himself from the MCL sprain that affected him beginning in Week 12 of the 2025 NFL campaign.
And while the Patriots could shore up their offensive tackle depth during the offseason, they don't seem likely to give up on Campbell as their full-time blindside blocker after just one season.
The NFL offseason is now in full swing after the Super Bowl, and for the Arizona Cardinals and new head coach Mike Le'Fleur, a huge question needs to be answered.
What does the franchise do with quarterback Kyler Murray?
Having only played one full season out of his last three, coupled with inconsistent and poor form, some think the time has come to move on from Kyler and head into 2026 with a different vision at quarterback.
But can they?
CBS Sports' Garrett Podell details the money the Cardinals will save from moving on from Kyler.
"Murray is a uniqute talent and a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback who led Arizona to their last playoff appearance in the 2021 season, but the Cardinals can also save $37 million in cap space by trading him as he enters his third year of a five-year, $230.5 million contract extension," Podell writes.
Firstly, the Cardinals moving on from Murray likely means the franchise needs to bring in a quarterback who is at least as good as, if not better than, Kyler.
Is there a quarterback out there like that? Who will also be available and not break the bank?
Holding the third overall pick, this isn't the draft to get your next franchise quarterback, so what do the Cardinals do?
Saving $37 million in cap space by moving on from Murray is a good reason to pull that lever, but we doubt Arizona will get another capable quarterback in to replace him.
The Cardinals, it appears, are between a rock and a hard place.
LAS VEGAS – Daniil Donchenko met the media Saturday after his win over Alex Morono at UFC Fight Night 266.
Donchenko (13-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) outworked Morono (24-13 MMA, 13-10 UFC) for a unanimous decision to close out the prelims at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
Afterward, Donchenko said the fight, which left him bloodied and bruised, was just what the doctor ordered – for now. He said he spent too much time in the fight thinking about getting a finish – hoping for bonus money – rather than letting things come naturally.
Dejaron todo el corazón ♥️ hasta el último segundo 💢
"I learned a lot (against Morono)," Donchenko said at his post-fight news conference. "Some people, they learn only after losses. They're only excited about a win. I won this fight, but I'm stupid. I need to learn a lot.
"I can't fight like this anymore. I can do it in a brutal way, but I can do it much smarter. Today was the stupidest version of myself, and I promise in the future you'll see a smart and brutal Daniil inside the octagon."
Check out Donchenko's post-fight interview in the video above.
Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski breakdown everything that happened in Super Bowl LX. The two bring their takeaways to the table and how both teams can learn from the bad and carry over the good into 2026. Lastly, Harmon and Pianowski hit on 5 important fantasy offseason storylines.
(2:00) - Super Bowl LX initial takeaways
(4:00) - Seattle's Super Bowl takeaways and what's next for the defending champs
(26:00) - New England's Super Bowl takeaways and what's next for the Patriots
(40:30) - 5 fantasy offseason storylines to watch
Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski breakdown everything that happened in Super Bowl LX. The two bring their takeaways to the table and how both teams can learn from the bad and carry over the good into 2026. Lastly, Harmon and Pianowski hit on 5 important fantasy offseason storylines.
5 Risks Daniel Farke Is Taking After A Quiet January For Leeds United
The January window closed a few days ago. Elland Road was quiet while the teams around them in the table scrambled to sign anyone they could. Daniel Farke is now looking at a massive run of games to stay in the Premier League.
5 Risks Daniel Farke Is Taking After A Quiet January For Leeds United
It all kicks off tonight in a huge game against Nottingham Forest. Farke clearly trusts the players he already has, but he’s making a few big bets that will decide how this season ends for Leeds.
1. The Striker High-Wire Act
Leeds’ failure to match the money Crystal Palace offered for Jorgen Strand Larsen puts a huge weight on Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s shoulders. He is looking for double-digit goals, but fans are always going to worry about his injury record.
With Lukas Nmecha out until mid-February with a bad thigh, Farke is basically praying Calvert-Lewin stays fit. If the number nine goes down, Leeds won’t have a focal point. They would have to use Brenden Aaronson or a kid from the academy in a role that just doesn’t fit them.
2. Midfield Fragility Without Anton Stach
Anton Stach’s latest hip injury shows just how thin the squad is in defensive midfield. Stach was the glue for the backline. Now that he’s out for two weeks, Farke has to mess with a system that was already delicate.
DERBY, ENGLAND – JANUARY 11: Daniel Farke, Manager of Leeds United, celebrates after the team’s victory in the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Derby County and Leeds United on January 11, 2026 in Derby, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu have to do all the dirty work now. There is basically nobody on the bench to give them a rest. Farke didn’t bring in a specialist backup, so if either of those two gets injured, the defence is going to be wide open against teams like Forest.
3. The Goalkeeping Uncertainty
Karl Darlow took Illan Meslier’s spot earlier this year. But the veteran has looked a bit shaky lately, especially when Arsenal put four past them. Farke is sticking with Darlow anyway, which is a big risk for the team’s chemistry.
You need a keeper who can run the backline with confidence. Right now, the constant changes are making the defenders nervous. Starting a keeper who just let in four goals takes some real nerve. If he makes another mistake tonight, the fans might start to lose patience.
4. The Mood After Missing Targets
Fans got frustrated watching the board refuse to pay over £40m for Strand Larsen. It didn’t help that Palace and Forest were throwing money around. This kind of penny-pinching can bum out a dressing room. It makes it look like the owners care about surviving, not actually winning.
Players get a spark when a big name walks through the door. Without that, they have to find their own motivation after a heavy loss. If results do not improve, the narrative of a cheap January will undoubtedly sour the morale at the stadium.
5. Relying on Facundo Buonanotte
Bringing in Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton is a lot to put on one kid. Expecting him to fix the whole attack isn’t really fair. He has plenty of talent, but asking one creative player to do everything alongside Aaronson is a recipe for burnout.
Other teams will figure out he is the main man and just stick two players on him. Farke needs the youngster to settle in immediately. If he struggles with the physical side of a relegation scrap, Leeds just do not have many other ideas.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 13: Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula of the Los Angeles Rams looks on during the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings during the NFC Wild Card Playoff at State Farm Stadium on January 13, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Compared to their 2021 season, you would think that the 2025 Los Angeles Rams were shoo-ins to win the Super Bowl because they scored more points, allowed fewer points, and probably had even higher regarded assistant coaches than their championship team four years ago. But the Rams lost to a Seahawks team that had a worse offense and a better defense, then Seattle won the Super Bowl over a Patriots team that had the MVP runner-up behind Matthew Stafford.
Once again, the NFL’s best quarterbacks did not win the Super Bowl.
Do the Rams have the means to build a championship-caliber defense in 2026 or are they doomed to fall short of the Super Bowl again unless Sean McVay and Les Snead are willing to address more drastic changes?
Chris Shula I will never forgive you for making Sam fucking Darnold look elite
The Rams won a Super Bowl with Raheem Morris as the defensive coordinator so no it’s not a requirement to have an elite defensive play caller, but if that’s what you want then so far Shula hasn’t proven to fit the bill.
It’s more like Shula is adequate and acceptable. He’s fine. But he may have hit his ceiling already and the best evidence is sometimes circumstantial evidence:
No NFL teams wanted to hire Chris Shula as their head coach.
At a time when Jesse Minter, Jeff Hafley, and Robert Saleh were tabbed to run a defense, Shula seemingly bombed about a half-dozen interviews.
Moreover, the Cardinals felt they’d rather have a coach who didn’t call plays under McVay than one who did.
Is there much trust around the league in Shula’s play calling abilities for a defense?
The 2021 team was more talented
The 2025 defense had better stats. The 2021 team had better elite players:
Aaron Donald
Von Miller
Jalen Ramsey
All due respect to Jared Verse and Byron Young, but those three players are clearly better than any players on the current defense. That’s a high standard … that’s also the point.
You could probably also make the argument that Leonard Floyd is as good as Young or Verse.
Ernest Jones was on that defense and he also just won another Super Bowl with Seattle.
The gaps on the defense are also more apparent in 2025 with players at linebacker and cornerback and sometimes at safety too.
When addressing a general need for the Rams defense in 2026, adding players who are or could be ELITE is the most obvious need. Will that culminate in a Maxx Crosby trade? That’s not exactly the right positional need, but fits the mold of the need to more greats to a defense that doesn’t really have any “greats” right now.
And if you don’t agree with that, tell me that Verse and Young made the plays in the NFC Championship to close out a win like Donald and Miller made in 2021 when the Rams were counting on them to beat the Bengals.
Jared Verse owning the NFC Championship loss:
Verse says a young Rams defense felt entitled entering the game. How much does this loss fuel the future? pic.twitter.com/CCRmEPsdze
Vic Fangio will remain defensive coordinator moving forward, per NFL sources. After contemplating retirement, the 67-year old will return for his third season at the helm of the Eagles defense. pic.twitter.com/BJFK9bf6jd
Giants overhaul defense with John Harbaugh’s experience of building the Ravens
Packers hire Jonathan Gannon
Bucs back again with Todd Bowles
How about Lions with all their defensive talent like Aidan Hutchinson and Brian Branch?
If the Rams are a top-10 NFC defense next year, they’ll have some competition.
Rams can’t “run it back”
A year ago there was a lot of hope for the Rams defense with young pieces in place like Verse, Young, Kobie Turner, and Braden Fiske, and that’s all totally valid. It’s all good.
But they can’t possibly believe after last season that they have one of the best defenses in the NFL if they bring back the same players with a new cornerback and that’s it.
Both linebackers are liabilities.
Nate Landman and Omar Speights are below-average, at best.
All cornerbacks need competition.
The Emmanuel Forbes dreams are over. Washington let him go so soon for a reason.
There isn’t a sure thing “all pro” talent on the depth chart.
You could see a player get an All-Pro nod, but there isn’t a player who enters the season with legitimate Defensive Player of the Year hope. And when the Rams had Aaron Donald, his presence meant so much to the team every offseason and every season.
Shula is limited.
Perhaps the best is yet to come. But if the best has already been seen, then it just means that offensive coordinators know how to attack him already. Based on what we saw in the NFC Championship, the Seahawks do.
The Rams will need to attack this defense on their own first and it probably starts with making difficult decisions that not everybody will agree with, but probably need to be addressed before it’s “Super Bowl caliber” again.
Following the Buffalo Bills’ hiring of head coach Joe Brady on Jan. 27, the team wasted no time filling out a large portion of its coaching staff.
Just four days later, they officially announced that Brady would be filling all three coordinator positions. On Jan. 31, the team hired Pete Carmichael to serve as the Offensive Coordinator, Jeff Rodgers to be the special teams coordinator, and Jim Leonhard to be the new defensive coordinator.
Both Carmichael and Rodgers bring decades of NFL coaching experience to help first-time head coach Joe Brady, while Leonhard will be taking his first-ever coordinator job in the league. So far, the staff has a great mix of veteran NFL coaches and young minds. This will allow the Bills to have a diverse group of voices on the staff, which they’ve lacked in recent years.
Offensive Coordinator, Pete Carmichael
Carmichael comes over from the Denver Broncos, where he served as a senior offensive assistant during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Before his time in Denver, he coached with the New Orleans Saints from 2006 to 2023. From 2006 to 2008, he served as the team’s quarterbacks coach, and later became the OC in 2009.
In his first season as Sean Payton‘s offensive coordinator in 2009, the team won the Super Bowl. He would serve in that same role until 2023, when he was let go at the end of the season.
During his time as Sean Payton’s offensive coordinator, he never called plays. However, Carmichael has limited play-calling experience from the 2022 and 2023 seasons following Payton’s retirement.
His first season was less than stellar, as the Saints finished 7-10 and 22nd in the league in points scored. In year two, however, the team improved to 9-8 and finished 9th in the league in points scored. While it was already reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo that Joe Brady would continue calling plays, it’s still important to get someone with Carmichael’s experience on the staff.
He’s a guy who has a lot of seasons under his belt, and learning from Sean Payton certainly helps, too. It will be helpful for the team that Brady worked under Carmichael and Payton as an offensive assistant in 2017 and 2018.
The scheme likely won’t change much offensively, but having a familiar voice in the headset will be crucial for Brady’s first year as head coach.
Special Teams Coordinator, Jeff Rodgers
Rodgers comes over from the Arizona Cardinals, where he served as the special teams coordinator from 2018 to 2025. He also received a promotion in 2019, adding assistant head coach to his job title.
While the statistics from this past season with the Cardinals’ special teams unit don’t seem flashy, Rodgers still has an overall great track record over the course of his long career.
The highlights of Rodgers’ career so far come from his time with the Denver Broncos from 2011 to 2014 and with the Chicago Bears from 2015 to 2017. During his time in Denver, he helped turn Trindon Holliday into one of the best return specialists in the league. In just two seasons with Rodgers as his special teams coordinator, Holliday had four return touchdowns.
Rodgers also helped coach former Bills kicker Matt Prater for a few seasons during his time in Denver, too. In 2013, with Rodgers at the helm of the special teams unit, Prater made a then-NFL-record 64-yard field goal and even went on to make the Pro Bowl later that season.
Following John Fox’s departure from Denver, Rodgers would join him with the Chicago Bears in the same position. During those three seasons, the return game was a bright spot for them in 2017.
During that season, the Bears returned two kicks for touchdowns. One of those came from future All-Pro punt returner Tarik Cohen. While it took the season after Rodgers left Chicago for Cohen to finally receive recognition, he is largely responsible for Cohen’s first opportunities.
Resume aside, what makes the Rodgers hire so intriguing is that he gets to partner up with this past season’s first-team All-Pro kick returner, Ray Davis.
RAY DAVIS WITH THE 97-YARD TD RETURN ON HIS BIRTHDAY
Most fans often neglect special teams until they need them to make a big play. A football team needs to be good at all three phases of the game, and if given ample time to leave his mark, Jeff Rodgers should have no issues creating a top special teams unit in the league for the Bills.
Defensive Coordinator, Jim Leonhard
Jim Leonhard is joining offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael in making the move from Denver to Buffalo. In 2024, Leonhard joined the Broncos staff as a defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator. Before the 2025 season, he would trade in the defensive backs coaching position for the assistant head coach title.
During his time in Denver, he helped turn the defense around quickly alongside Vance Joseph. In the season before Leonhard got there, the Broncos ranked 27th in points against with 24.3. Following his arrival, though, the Broncos’ defense went on to finish third in scoring in back-to-back seasons, only giving up 18.3 points per game.
While it remains to be seen what exact defensive scheme Leonhard will bring with him, it’s important to note that he’s coming from the Broncos, who ran a 3-4. This would be a brand new philosophy for the Bills, but not necessarily an unwelcome change.
Leonhard also ran a 3-4 defense during his time as the Wisconsin defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2022. Due to Wisconsin’s recent struggles in football, many people forget just how dominant they used to be. In six seasons calling the plays for the Badgers’ defense, they finished top five or 10 in scoring defense four times under Leonhard.
Eagles interviewed Jim Leonhard, 5 year DC for Wisconsin, for DC opening.
– Led Wis to 3rd scoring defense (17.3ppg), 1st in yards (284.8 y/g), and 1st in 3rd down conversion (30.5%) during DC span – Runs 3-4/2-4-5 scheme – Coached TJ Edwards for 2 seasons#Eaglespic.twitter.com/SG1n8LXzbA
Leonhard has made a strong coaching impression in just two seasons. Before being hired by the Bills, there was interest across the league in Leonhard as a defensive coordinator. He even interviewed with the Los Angeles Chargers for their opening.
With a lot of league interest and an impressive resume between both college and professional football, it feels like the Bills were lucky to land someone as talented as Jim Leonhard. A possible driver of his decision was returning to the team where he spent four years of his playing career.
Either way, this was a home run hire for Joe Brady and the Bills. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see Leonhard get head coaching interest after just one season in Buffalo.
The new Buffalo Bills coordinators will bring fresh, exciting elements to the team.
The Chicago Cubs are coming off a postseason appearance where they made it all the way to the NLDS, but did not have enough juice in their series against their division rivals, the Milwaukee Brewers.
So, after the season, the front office got right to work figuring out what areas they needed an upgrade in and replacing free agent players with other names.
They made a ton of moves that should put them in a better position for the 2026 season, but none bigger than signing Alex Bregman and then acquiring Edward Cabrera in a trade with the Miami Marlins.
Cubs fans may want to ignore this Pete Crow-Armstrong prediction
However, despite adding these big names, they did lose Kyle Tucker as he signed a free agent deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. So, this puts bigger pressure on Pete Crow-Armstrong to not only perform offensively, but defensively as well.
Looking at how he finished the season last year, Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter believes he could be up for quite a challenging season.
"There is no denying the fact that he hit .216/.262/.372 with just six home runs and a strikeout rate beyond 25 percent after the All-Star break. Bottom-of-the-league marks in chase rate and walk rate show his approach at the plate still needs significant refinement."
Some could point to his knee injury in July as a cause for his regression, but it is still something to pay attention to as we get closer and closer to Opening Day 2026.
While the team's success does not rely solely on him, he is expected to be a huge contributor this upcoming season. If he comes out struggling to start the year, that could spell disaster for a team with not too many options in the outfield, especially now that Owen Cassie plays for the Marlins.
Before another word is typed, read, mentioned, or uttered, let's make sure everyone is on the same page. We all realize the Baltimore Ravens hired Jesse Minter to win a Super Bowl, right? He isn't here to lead the next era of good football. He isn't here simply to win the AFC North and make postseason appearances. If that was the case, the Ravens could have just sauntered on with John Harbaugh leading them.
After 18 seasons of consistency, Baltimore made a change at head coach because they decided early postseason exits aren't good enough. Missing the playoffs entirely after being labeled a Super Bowl favorite is out of the question, so Harbaugh is out. Minter is in.
We hate to rain on everyone's parade. Yes, the newness of everything feels exciting. It can't be said enough, though. Minter is here to win it all, and after the events of Super Bowl LX, one can argue that the timer has accelerated.
What Mike Macdonald's Super Bowl win means for Jesse Minter's era as Ravens head coach
Moments after Super Bowl LX, Ravens fans and the city of Baltimore likely shared the same mix of emotions. Most went unspoken, but all were understood. You could be happy for Mike Macdonald and, at the very same time, wonder what might have been. If you felt that tug, you weren't alone.
That's the cost of watching one of your own win elsewhere. Pride and jealousy tend to arrive together. Cleveland fans lived that reality for decades after Art Modell left town, took the Browns' identity with him, rebranded his team, and won a Super Bowl in Baltimore.
The Ravens made such a good hire with Jesse Minter dont get me wrong but man ill never forgive them for letting Mike Macdonald out the building
The parallel isn't perfect, but the feeling is familiar. Macdonald was family. He left and lifted the Lombardi Trophy while Baltimore waits for its next one. So yes, we're all proud of Mike Macdonald, but don't mistake it for contentment. If anything, his victory only sharpened Baltimore's appetite for a championship of its own.
Championship windows close quickly in the NFL. Ask the Philadelphia Eagles. That reality defines the standard Jesse Minter now inherits. 'Building toward something' won't sell. There's no long runway to build toward something abstract. He inherits a two-time MVP, a stacked roster, and a city demanding results. Super Bowl LX didn't reset the Ravens' timeline. It shortened it.
Kevin O’Connor is joined by Dane Moore to talk Timberwolves on today’s Kevin O’Connor Show. What’s behind the meltdown in Minnesota?
Next, KOC is joined by Boston Celtics play-by-play announcer Drew Carter to talk all things Celtics—particularly what needs to be done to right the ship after trading for Nikola Vucevic at the trade deadline.
Then, KOC mulls over the question: is this year’s Charlotte Hornets team the new Indiana Pacers? What is the key to their newfound success?
Plus, KOC is joined by Swish Theory’s Matt Powers to chat Draft Class—which draft prospect has improved most in the new year? How does AJ Dybantsa bring BYU out of a 4-game losing streak? That and more on today’s show!
(0:14) Dane Moore talks Timberwolves (30:40) Drew Carter on Celtics (1:07:20) Are the Hornets this year's Pacers? (1:13:21) Matt Powers joins KOC's Draft Class
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 24: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves talks with Julius Randle #30 against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first quarter in Game Three of the Western Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center on May 24, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
With Jim Schwartz sending in his letter of resignation last week, the Cleveland Browns and new head coach Todd Monken are hard at work looking for a new defensive coordinator. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo is reporting that Cleveland has requested permission to interview New York Giants assistant coach Charlie Bullen for the defensive coordinator job.
Bullen has been the Giants' outside linebackers coach since 2024 and also spent time as the team's interim defensive coordinator after New York fired Shane Bowen in November. Bullen spent time as a linebackers coach for Illinois in 2023 and the Arizona Cardinals from 2019 to 2022. He was also an assistant for the Miami Dolphins from 2012 to 2018, coaching the defensive line and linebackers.
The Browns have already met with two internal candidates in Ephraim Banda and Jason Tarver, but they seem to be spreading a wide net in this search, just like they did with the head coach job before hiring Todd Monken.
The sixth-ranked Florida softball program got off to a hot start to the 2026 campaign, winning all five games at the USF-Rawlings Invitational in Tampa to begin the season with a 5-0 record.
The Gators allowed a total of four runs this past weekend while crossing the plate an jaw-dropping 37 times, absolutely crushing the opposition during the three-day tournament. The Illinois State Redbirds (7-0), Michigan Wolverines (5-1), Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (8-0), Kansas Jayhawks (11-2) and USF Bulls (6-1), respectively, all fell victim to the Orange and Blue, with two suffering shutouts and only one plating more than one run.
Stretching over that quintet of triumphs, Florida batted .362 with an astounding 1.028 OPS, slugging 14 doubles and six home runs, while holding its opponents to .115 and .378, respectively, with three doubles, a triple and a dinger surrendered. In the process, the pitching corps produced a microscopic 0.59 ERA, allowing 13 hits, walking seven and striking out 39 over 34 frames
With the glove, the Gators recorded 102 putouts and 23 assists, with a pair of errors for a .984 fielding percentage; they also turned 14 double plays.
Senior infielder Kenleigh Cahalan had the hottest bat this past weekend, earning hits in half of her at-bats, leading the team in total bases with 14 thanks to three doubles and a round-tripper. Add three walks to that tally, and that gives her a team-best 1.454 OPS over the stretch.
Junior Keagan Rothrock started three of the five games in the tournament, opening the season against Illinois State with four innings of no-hit shutout work, allowing a walk while striking out seven. She followed that up by tossing the 39th complete game of her career against Michigan, allowing just one run and three hits with seven strikeouts, before a 6 2/3 inning effort against Kansas, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out eight.
Next up for Florida is a trip to Jacksonville to take on the Dolphins on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Cooley has been the Panthers' defensive pass game coordinator for the past two seasons, after serving as the team's Secondary/Cornerbacks coach in 2023. Prior to that, Cooley was with the Los Angeles Rams from 2020 to 2023, first as a defensive assistant, then as an assistant secondary coach in 2021, and as the defensive backs coach in 2022.
Before making the jump to the NFL, Cooley spent a season as the defensive backs coach for Akron in 2019 and the secondary coach for Kent State in 2018. The Browns want to get this hire right. The defensive roster is full of talent, but Todd Monken and Andrew Berry want to do their due diligence to ensure they find the right guy to lead it.
LOS ANGELES -- Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe has caught the eye of just about everybody in the league. He has been impressive in his maiden season in the NBA as he has found a way to be impactful on the floor in a number of ways.
Edgecombe is currently averaging 15.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 36.3% from deep. He is performing this well all while helping a contending team win in the Eastern Conference. When a player is selected as high as Edgecombe was, that player is expected to be a part of rebuilding team's turnaround, not help a team contend for a title.
The play of the No. 3 pick from Baylor has caught the eye of opposing coaches including Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick.
"Really good rookie," said Redick. "He’s really impressed me all season. I think it starts with just he’s not afraid. He’s hit big shots all year for them. He takes on whatever challenge is in front of him and he’s a really good, highly skilled offensive player who also competes on the defensive end, crashes. There’s a lot in terms of his impact on the game outside of just scoring the basketball."
Edgecombe's impact is obvious. He is one of those players who can find ways to produce even when his shot isn't falling. That is an impressive trait for any player let alone a rookie with 48 games under his belt. The focus is winning, not his stats, and that's what has stood out to Sacramento Kings coach Doug Christie.
"We interviewed him," Christie said before a Jan. 29 matchup. "I really liked VJ in the interview process. Great personality, smile, life, but just watching him, his aggressiveness is high level. I’m seeing things that you see them in college in different stuff and you’re not sure what exactly what they can do, but his ability to handle the basketball as well, make plays. The shooting and the consistency, all that stuff comes, because he seems like a high-level worker, and just even watching him on film, not super big, but bigger than I thought when he’s out there. The athleticism is NBA level, so very impressed with V."
Well, Bucs fans, it's time for another Mock Draft Monday. We just saw the Seattle Seahawks dominate the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, and with that game ending, we are now in full swing of the offseason.
The best way to go over and process changes to the NFL Draft, of course, is to conduct another Mock Draft Monday. The Bucs now have the 15th pick in the draft, which is finalized, so we will now be able to properly gauge what players could be there for him.
So with that, let's go over the latest mock draft of the offseason for the Bucs.
Round 1: T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson
The Bucs' defense has a desperate need for a reliable pass rush presence. They fell off a cliff in terms of sack production from 2024 to 2025, but they also have struggled to stop the run, so getting someone who can do both is a tall task, but it is possible. T.J. Parker entered the season as a rare talent that checks both boxes and would be a nice pairing with Yaya Diaby opposite him. However, he had a rough 2025, so there are some concerns with his potential in the NFL. However, being opposite Diaby could allow for both of them to find success as they avoid double teams.
Round 2: D'Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
There is no one in college football with the fight that Ponds has on each and every route. He showcased that he can handle guys like CJ Daniels, Denzel Boston, and the Ohio State duo of Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith this year. His size will scare some teams away, but the tape doesn't lie; he is a game wrecker at the cornerback position.
Round 3: Taurean York, LB, Texas A&M
Lavonte David has seemingly played his last NFL game based on how he acted on the field post-game and in the locker room as well. That being said, Taurean York is everything this team looks for in not just players, but people. He is a bona fide leader, and his skillset would be a welcome sight to Bucs fans and those on the team. Bring in York to showcase his range and ball skills in the middle of the field, and let the results speak for themselves.
Round 4: Tim Keenan III, DL, Alabama
The team has a dominant physical presence in Vita Vea, but what if they paired him with another? Adding someone for depth purposes, and schemeable situations, isn't the worst idea. Tim Keenan got better as the year went on, as he started the year coming off a tight-rope ankle procedure. Keenan can clog running lanes, make two defenders take account of him, and in the process, it would help those around him on the defensive line.
Round 5: Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston
Cade Otton is a free agent in 2026 and may have played his way into returning in Week 18 against the Panthers. That being said, adding someone to develop and compete behind him with big upside would be Tanner Koziol. He was a dynamic offensive piece for the Cougars in 2025 and helped that offense become more explosive. He has excelled at both Ball State and Houston, so let's see if he can keep the momentum going in the NFL.
Round 6: Roman Hemby, RB, Indiana
Rachaad White is an unrestricted free agent in 2026, and he posted his good-bye to Tampa Bay on Sunday. So with that, the team will need a physical pass protector with some pass-catching potential, like Roman Hemby. Bucky Irving being in a rotation has shown to be the right approach as it keeps him fresh in the process. Irving, Hemby, and Sean Tucker being a three-headed monster in the Bucs' offense would be a great thing for the offense and the team as a whole.
Round 7: Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
Baker Mayfield needs a backup with a live arm. We have been writing this for months, and Cole Payton can be that. He not only has a live arm, but he is a bona fide gamer at the quarterback position with a never-say-die attitude. Could the Bucs bring in another veteran as they did with Teddy Bridgewater? Sure, but they need someone young they believe is as well.
Triple H caught regretting certain decisions - Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
A little more than two months remain until both nights of WrestleMania 42 hit Las Vegas, Nevada for a second straight year, and it seems there will be some changes compared to WrestleMania 41. One such change may involve WrestleMania watch parties in the Las Vegas area being put on the endangered list. Fightful Select reports that the distributor of WrestleMania broadcasts has informed several Vegas area establishments that they will be "unable to broadcast WrestleMania, even if they've paid a licensing fee." This edict, effectively a media blackout, will be in effect for areas within 50 miles of the event.
This is an unprecedented move, as watch parties of WrestleMania have become common events in the cities holding the event, with wrestlers even hosting the events in order to secure additional work. It was noted that several wrestlers had already agreed to host watch parties for WrestleMania 42, which would mean a loss of work. Those critical of this decision felt it went against one of the key reasons to hold WrestleMania in Vegas or any other city, as holding a watch party could attract tourists unable to attend WrestleMania properly.
The reasoning behind this move appears to be related to WrestleMania attendance, with the hope being that a blackout would cause more fans to attend the event. On Monday's "Wrestling Observer Radio," Dave Meltzer revealed that WrestleMania 42 ticket sales were at 36,000 for both Night One and Night Two, around 18% lower than WrestleMania 41 ticket sales this time last year. As a result, WWE has been making overhauls to the WrestleMania card, with plans for the big event said to be "up in the air," aside from the already announced Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk match.
Former Connecticut resident Emily Fischnaller competes in heat 1 of the women's single-seater luge at Cortina Sliding Center during the 2026 Milan Olympics on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (picture alliance/dpa/picture alliance via Getty I)
Emily Fischnaller, a former Suffield resident, competed in the first day of the women's single luge event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics on Monday.
The two-day event began with an athlete's first two runs of four total, with the final two runs taking place on Tuesday at 11 a.m. The total times of all four runs are combined into a final score.
Fischnaller, who is competing in her third Olympic games, completed her first run in 52.892 seconds (0.302 seconds behind the leader). After the first run she was in seventh place.
In her second run she completed the track in 52.980 seconds (0.430 seconds behind the top time in run 2), which was the ninth fastest time in the second run.
Heading into Tuesday's final two runs her total time is 1:45.872, which puts her in eighth place and 0.684 seconds behind German leader Julia Taubitz. Fischnaller currently has the second best time among United States competitors, with Ashley Farquharson sitting in fifth place.
Fischnaller was born in Maine but was raised in Connecticut and Lake Placid, N.Y. She has medaled in multiple world championships, but she's experienced misfortune on the Olympic stage previously.
In 2018 during her Olympic debut, Fischnaller crashed on her fourth run and broke bones in her back and neck. She spent six months recovering before returning to the track. In 2019 she won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships.
During the 2022 Olympics she endured a far less serious crash on her second run, finishing 26th.
She once again returned strong, earning another bronze medal at the World Championships in 2025 to become the second American to claim more than one singles medal in luge at the World Championship level.
Japan's Kokomo Murase competes in the snowboard women's big air final at Livigno Snow Park. (Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP via Getty Images)
KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV via Getty Images
LIVIGNO, Italy — There’s a changing of the guard in the women’s snowboarding big air event.
Anna Gasser, the two-time gold medal winner from Austria, could not complete the three-peat Monday in what is likely her final Olympics. Instead, Japan’s Kokomo Murase won the gold medal by executing the rare triple cork 1440 — a trick that requires three off-axis flips through the air while also rotating four times.
And the 21-year-old did it twice, putting up a mind-blowing score of 179.00 to run away with the title after settling for the bronze medal two years ago.
Zoi Synnott Sadowski of New Zealand won the silver medal (172.25), while a new star arrived on the international stage to claim bronze in 18-year old Seungeun Yu from South Korea (171.0).
Yu matched Murase with both a frontside and a backside triple cork, a trick that wasn’t even attempted four years ago when Gasser won in Beijing.
It led to the most technically advanced big air final in women’s snowboarding history and illustrated how much the sport has progressed from one Olympic cycle to the next.
Anna Gasser was not able to win gold for a third straight Olympics. (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes)
REUTERS / REUTERS
Gasser, 34, won the gold four years ago with a double cork 1260. She did not complete either of her first two tricks this time, eliminating her from medal contention.
It appeared for a moment that Yu, who only made her first World Cup podium last December, might run away with the gold medal. But Sadowski and Murase both stomped their final runs to pull ahead, the former with a switch backside 1260 that impressed the judges.
Yu tried one more triple cork on her final desperate attempt to win gold but landed on her rear end.
Along with Kira Kimura, who won the men’s event Saturday night, Japanese riders swept the snowboarding big air gold medals.
The 2025 NFL season is officially in the books, which means it’s time to shift fully into draft mode. From now until April, the conversation will revolve around evaluations, pro days, and—of course—mock drafts. But one event stands above the rest in shaping draft stock, and a standout performance there can literally change a player’s financial future.
That event is, drumroll… the NFL Combine.
At the end of February, a few hundred of the nation’s top college football players will descend on Indianapolis for a week of interviews, medical evaluations, and on‑field testing designed to help them improve their chances of landing on an NFL roster. Following an 11–2 season, Texas A&M is expected to be well‑represented, with several Aggies carrying draftable grades and a handful projected to hear their names called early.
Both Cashius Howell and KC Concepcion are widely mocked as first‑round selections, and several others—Trey Zuhn, Chase Bisontis, Albert Regis, Le’Veon Moss, and more—are viewed as draftable prospects or priority UDFAs. While official combine invitations have not yet been released, there’s a legitimate chance Texas A&M could set a program record for the number of players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Below is the full schedule for the 2026 NFL Combine.
I talked with several prospects who recently received their 2026 NFL Combine invites.
Here is the position-by-position schedule for players that week in Indianapolis: pic.twitter.com/5YkfLrfhgS
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
Drake Maye is still only at the start of his professional football career in the NFL. Everything he wants to accomplish as a quarterback is in front of him. But it's going to take a long time for him to live down the New England Patriots' offensive futility in Super Bowl 60. Even if Maye eventually captures a Lombardi Trophy for the Patriots down the line, the memory of their nondescript humiliation in front of the entire football-watching United States might linger forever.
Maye certainly knows this to be true. The 23-year-old 2025 NFL MVP finalist wouldn't have been fighting back tears during the length of his sad postgame press conference on Sunday night.
In the end, Maye had an apt but succinct way to describe the feeling of losing a Super Bowl. He already knew this reality very well as a former Carolina Panthers fan, but it's obviously different when you're a player playing in the game. In Maye's paraphrased words, when you're a player, if you don't make enough plays, then you find yourself crying at the end of the night. Aww, man:
This is a straightforward (and mature) assessment delivered by a young man fresh off losing the biggest game in American sports. And he's not wrong in any part of it. Kudos to Maye for facing the music, accepting responsibility, emotions and all, right after experiencing the nadir of his NFL career.
It's the bare minimum, but it's also not an easy thing to do.
New York Yankees fans of a certain age are familiar with the fact that Derek Jeter grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
So did the newest member of the Yankees.
On Monday, the Yanks announced a small trade: They've acquired infielder Max Schuemann from the Athletics in exchange for minor league righty Luis Burgoes.
They actually made a bunch of roster moves at once:
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired infielder Max Schuemann from the Athletics in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Luis Burgos.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees have designated OF Yanquiel Fernández for assignment.…
In that time, Schuemann has batted just .212 with a .603 OPS. He has stolen 21-of-23 bases.
Even with the tough hitting stats, Schuemann has had a positive Wins Above Replacement number in each of the past two seasons, pointing to how good his defense is between shortstop, second base and third base.
The Yankees surely like that versatility, and it doesn't hurt to have just a little bit of overlap with Jeter, either.
LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Japanese snowboarder Kokomo Murase won Olympic gold in women’s big air on Monday, two days after her teammates swept the top two medals in the men’s event.
Murase had already locked up a least a bronze medal when she went for broke on her last jump and nailed it to move to the top of the standings. She added the gold medal to her bronze from the same event at the 2022 Beijing Games.
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand repeated as silver medalist. She had been on the cusp of taking gold until Murase soared in front with the penultimate jump of the competition.
Seung-eun Yu of South Korea claimed bronze.
On Saturday, Japanese teammates Kira Kimura and Ryoma Kimata won gold and silver, respectively, in men’s big air.
Two-time defending champion Anna Gasser finished eighth, falling short in her bid to become the first snowboarder to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals. She fell on her first jump and had a costly bobble while landing her second.
Motherwell have picked up 43 points and currently lie in 4th position. In their last fixture, Jens Berthel Askou's team won 0-2 against Livingston (Scottish Premiership 2025/26).
Rangers currently have 51 points and lie in 2nd position. In their last game, Danny Röhl's team won 8-0 against Queen´s Park (Scottish Cup 2025/26).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with Rangers winning 1-0.
Morocco: Mohamed Ouahbi set to become Walid Regragui's assistant?
Morocco: Mohamed Ouahbi set to become Walid Regragui's assistant?
A change is on the horizon for Walid Regragui's staff on the Atlas Lions' bench.
According to reports circulating in the Moroccan press in recent hours, Mohamed Ouahbi is tipped to join the senior national team's coaching staff as Walid Regragui's assistant. Currently in charge of Morocco's U20 side, the Belgian-Moroccan coach made headlines by leading his squad on a historic run at the most recent U20 World Cup.
As things stand, Walid Regragui remains firmly at the helm. Despite the defeat in the CAN 2025 final in Rabat against Senegal, the Moroccan head coach has been confirmed by the FRMF. The federation recently dismissed all resignation rumors, assuring that the 50-year-old tactician will lead the squad at least until the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with his contract running until July 31.
Liverpool have special agreement in place to sign another centre-back
So, while Jacquet and Leoni is a great start, it should not be the end of Liverpool's recruitment in the position.
The club will need to find a replacement for Van Dijk, and they will probably need to add another centre-back as well on top of that by 2027.
Considering the lack of homegrown players in the squad that player should ideally have been trained in England. That's why Liverpool wanted to sign Marc Guehi and that is also why they have already struck a special agreement for another centre-back who is destined to join the club.
According to the report, the contract and fee to return him to Anfield is already agreed, and this can be activated in 2027.
It's common to include buy-back clauses, but it's less common for a club to already agree a future contract with a player who technically does not belong to them anymore.
Liverpool and Quansah would not have come to such an agreement had they both not seriously thought that a return to Anfield was inevitable.
After all, Quansah is still very young at just 22-years-old and there's plenty more to come from him. He's catching the eye at Bayer Leverkusen, recently earning a nomination for Bundesliga Player of the Month.
He's also become an England international and seems to be getting better and better with regular football.
Given Liverpool's need at centre-back and their lack of homegrown talent, it just feels inevitable that they will bring Quansah back and activate that agreement in 2027.
Quansah, Leoni and Jacquet could be an exciting future centre-back trio.
The Seattle Seahawks are champions again. Super Bowl 60 ended early, and Seattle's defense put a fitting capstone on a dominant season.
In the 12 years since the Seahawks' previous title, just about everything has changed but general manager John Schneider. Winning on the first two days of the draft rebuilt Seattle's roster and opened the door for quarterback Sam Darnold play his best football, staving off the regression so many had seen coming.
The reward is a place in football immortality. But the last time Seattle hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, it found itself heartbroken a year later, falling short on the biggest stage. It'll take another draft-day masterclass for the Seahawks to change that fate next season.
Round 1, Pick 32: Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State
The crux of this exercise will be replacing potential free agents. This is a roster loaded with talent, reinforced with quality depth, and in a position to make a luxury selection. Keith Abney II could end up filling a position of need.
Corners Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen -- both of whom played 72% of snaps for Seattle this season -- are looming free agents. At times, either one may have been considered a weak link in the secondary. If one (or both) walks, Abney could be a plug-and-play starter on the outside.
Abney is undersized but plays bigger than his frame suggests, allowing him to stick on the boundary. He's a willing tackler whose burst and aggressiveness mesh well with an overwhelming Seattle defense.
Round 2, Pick 64: Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska
Walker climbed the mountain with the Seahawks, winning Super Bowl MVP after a turbulent season. Seattle should want him back in the fold, but as a free agent, there's a real chance the greener pastures of a workhorse role pull him from the Pacific Northwest.
If so, the Seahawks will need a starting-caliber back, especially in the first year off of Zach Charbonnet's ACL tear.
Johnson has exceptional agility and a promising blend of vision and footwork that makes him a threat to create explosives within structure. There is work to be done in pass protection, but Johnson's athletic profile demands the rock, and he's steady enough fundamentally to trust as the leading back in a committee.
Round 3, Pick 96: Zane Durant, DT, Penn State
Trying to find real needs on this roster (aside from right guard) is a matter of nitpicking. While the defensive line is deep, Seattle can use a little reinforcement on the interior defensive line, especially one who can add potency to the pass rush.
Durant had a bit of a down year for Penn State, slipping down boards after a season with four sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. However, Durant's burst and bend are as close to edge-rusher quality as one will find on the interior.
As a rotational pass rusher, Durant can win one-on-ones against opposing guards without sacrificing the dynamism necessary to wreak havoc on stunts and other creative paths to pressure.
Round 6, Pick 187: Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma
Trade-deadline acquisition Rashid Shaheed was among the most exciting pieces of Seattle's season. He's lightning in a bottle, an excellent special teams asset, and a big play waiting to happen... he's also a free agent.
Replacing Shaheed might mean bringing in a more established boundary threat. But if the Seahawks are looking for the same kind of speed at a discount, Burks makes sense on Day 3. Burks can take the top off of defenses and will find an immediate role underneath, turning easy completions into explosives. As Seattle looks to repeat in 2026, it cannot afford to lose access to field-flipping plays.
The Denver Broncos have a lot going for them as they enter the offseason.
After coming within minutes of being the AFC representative in Super Bowl LX, the Broncos should be hungry to run it back in 2026. They have the means to do that, too. Bo Nix should be fully recovered from the broken ankle he suffered in the AFC divisional playoffs and the team will have the Russell Wilson contract off their books, making it much easier to lure some key free agents to the Mile High City.
The Broncos have one of the league's best defenses and the ability to go out and add some offensive playmakers. However, very few people outside of Broncos Country felt that the team was as good as its record this season and it looks like that narrative will continue into 2026.
Several teams picked ahead of Broncos to win Super Bowl LXI
Looking at early odds to win Super Bowl LXI according to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Broncos are 18-1 or +900 to win it all next year. There are 11 teams with better odds. Here are those teams:
Seattle Seahawks Los Angeles Rams Buffalo Bills Philadelphia Eagles New England Patriots Baltimore Ravens Green Bay Packers Detroit Lions Los Angeles Chargers Kansas City Chiefs San Francisco 49ers
You can make the argument that some of these teams should be favored over the Broncos, but definitely not all of them. There are many factors to consider when setting these odds and the most important one will be how healthy the team can stay, which is completely unpredictable. These odds only mean so much and last year at this time, the Patriots and Seahawks, two teams that didn't even make the playoffs, would not have had great odds.
With that being said, the Broncos were the No. 1 seed in the AFC and it took them having to insert a backup quarterback in the AFC Championship Game to be defeated. With Nix, they quite likely would have played in the Super Bowl.
Nix has two seasons under his belt now and could have a breakout year three if he gets a clean bill of health and the team adds some more firepower on offense. It's hard to imagine the team not being a top contender next year.
With that said, the parity in the NFL from one season to the next has to be considered. Last year, the Washington Commanders went to the NFC Championship Game and looked like a future powerhouse with Jayden Daniels at quarterback. But Daniels suffered multiple injuries this past season and missed more games than he played in, leaving the team's future in question.
Things change quickly in the NFL, which is why repeating as Super Bowl champions is so difficult to do. That will be the task ahead of the Seahawks in 2026.
But the Broncos are building something special. They have a good head coach and a quarterback who is beginning to put it all together. If the defense stays intact and the team upgrades the running game and the wide receiver position, they should be on a short list of legitimate contenders next season.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Kenneth Walker III #9 of the Seattle Seahawks rushes against the New England Patriots during the third quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ashton Jeanty likely has an ear-to-ear grin on his face.
The Las Vegas Raiders running back is mere days away from officially having Klint Kubiak as his head coach. And from what we saw when the Seattle Seahawks soared over the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX this past Sunday — and the 2025 season as a whole — good things are in store for the Silver & Black. As Kubiak’s impending arrival portends to a gritty ground game revival in the desert.
On the grandest stage of them all, Kubiak — Seattle’s offensive coordinator — called Kenneth Walker III’s number 31 times against a stingy New England defense. The fourth-year tailback produced with 135 yards on 27 carries (long of 30) and hauling in two passes thrown his way for 26 yards (long of 20). The 5-foot-9 and 211-pound Michigan State was asked to put the Seahawks offense on his back and the second-round pick (41st overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft answered with an emphatic: Hell Yeah.
Just like how his offensive coordinator answered when asked about his head coaching future and the words “Las Vegas” came out of Kubiak’s mouth after Seattle’s second franchise Super Bowl win:
Jeanty, the sixth-overall pick in the 2025 draft, has a similar build to Walker at 5-foot-8 and 208 pounds. The 22-year-old rushed for 975 yards and five touchdowns on 266 carries (3.7 yards per carry average) and added 55 receptions for 346 yards and five more touchdowns. While Jeanty may not be as fleet-footed in comparison to Walker (he clocked in a 4.38 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine, Jeanty didn’t run an official timed 40), he has similar vision, power, and contact balance.
Jeanty is also a more ample receiver out of the backfield showcasing the hands and ability to get open. All this makes for an upward trajectory in Year 2 for the young running back when Kubiak installs his scheme and system.
We can talk until we’re blue in the face on the potential production from Jeanty and young elite tight end Brock Bowers. But where the Raiders offense will begin and end — even with an offensive mind like Kubiak captaining the ship — with the offensive line. There’s talent on the roster to be coached up — properly — and reinforcements can be had in free agency in March and the 2026 draft in April. Las Vegas is neither hurting in cap space or draft capital, which is likely a selling point for Kubiak to become the team’s next head coach.
But the operation in the trenches must be on point. After all, Kubiak got to see up close the constant duress the Seahawks defense applied to Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. The second-year quarterback got the yips by being subjected to an array of blitzes and straight-up one-on-one dominance by Seattle’s defense. Maybe was sacked six times and ended up throwing two interceptions alongside his two touchdown throws.
Time To Get Defensive
The offensive side of the ball in Las Vegas is in dire need of attention and that’s what Kubiak’s arrival signals towards. The incoming coach is the timely defibrillator to the a severely flatlined Silver & Black offense. But Sunday’s tilt between the Seahawks and Patriots showcased the importance of domineering defenses.
That’s part of Kubiak’s gargantuan task of turning around a franchise that has difficulty even reaching mediocre status.
Kubiak had a golden opportunity to see exactly how Seattle head coach and defensive play caller Mike Macdonald’s defense operates. It’s a defense that takes what it wants and can dial up the aggressiveness exponentially. As the 2025 campaign wore on, you saw glints. And in the postseason it was blindly bright. And in the Super Bowl, Macdonald unleashed his devious concoctions on the Patriots.
So alongside his choice of offensive line coach, whom Kubiak tabs to run his defense bears watching. And there’s a big piece of the Raiders defense that was recently under the microscope.
A trade before free agency is not impossible. But even a minor meniscus repair takes months of recovery. It might be a while if there is a Maxx Crosby trade. https://t.co/aUpQ6KhluM
Kubiak’s offense wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Seattle visited the red zone (the space between the 20-yard line and end zone) four times against New England and only scored one touchdown. That meant Seahawks kicker Jason Myers getting the nod and the 11-year veteran drilled field goal after field goal going 5-for-5 (a long of 41 yards).
Whom Kubiak hires as his special teams coordinator will have say on the Raiders’ direction at the all-important kicker position. Daniel Carson, Las Vegas’ place kicker the past eight seasons, is an unrestricted free agent and had an off 2025 season going 22-of-27 (81.5 percent conversion rate) on field goals. The 31-year-old kicker has formed a formidable duo with punter AJ Cole III, but we’ll see if that combo continues on in 2026.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates have racked up plenty of accolades over the course of their 15-year ice-dancing partnership. Aside from this being their fourth Winter Olympics as a figure skating team, they've earned more U.S. ice dance titles than any duo in history (seven) and are the first U.S. ice dance team to win three consecutive titles at the World Figure Skating Championships (2023, 2024 and 2025).
Chock and Bates, who married in June 2024 after an eight-year courtship and 13-year professional partnership, have excelled on the ice since they first met as figure skaters in Michigan. Bates auditioned to be Chock's partner in 2011, the couple told the New York Times, and despite their noticeable height difference not often seen among teams in the sport, they quickly hit it off.
Despite their chemistry on the ice, the pair didn't pursue a romantic relationship for five years and waited another before going public with it in 2017. But Bates told the Times his feelings for Chock were clear to him years earlier, noting how easy it was for him to play up the romance during a competition in 2014.
“I realized it wasn’t really that difficult because I really did feel those strong emotions for Maddie,” he told the outlet.
After Bates told Chock how he felt in 2016, she said she wasn't all that surprised and admitted she felt the same way. What held her back was everything they had been working for since 2011, she told the Times. “That was something in my head: I’m never going to date my skating partner."
Their careers didn't slow down as they settled into their new relationship, competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics and moving to Montreal that year to work with coaches Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon. They continued to compete globally and nabbed their first gold medal with the U.S. figure skating team at the 2022 Winter Olympics. That same year, Bates proposed to Chock in Thailand, and the couple finally married in Hawaii two years later.
“Skating was always the main focus, but as we've gotten older, I think the relationship has become the main focus,” Bates said in an interview with People in January. “Skating obviously is still the main focus, but skating is kind of like our means of strengthening ourselves and our relationship and going through all the experiences of life together, and so the appreciation for the partnership has grown.”
As announced by Ilitch Sports and Entertainment (IS+E) on Monday, Feb. 9, Major League Baseball will take control of the production, broadcast and distribution of Tigers television broadcasts for the 2026 season. The deal will also bring Red Wings broadcasts under MLB control starting in the 2026-27 season, in what IS+E (who owns the Tigers and Red Wings) called a "first of its kind partnership."
Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal first reported the Tigers' move to MLB Media on Monday, Feb. 2, as the nine MLB teams remaining under the FanDuel Sports Network broadcasting umbrella all decided to end their contracts with Main Street Sports Group, who operates the FanDuel networks.
IS+E says that fans will be able to watch Tigers and Red Wings games on direct-to-consumer streaming subscriptions and through "the same options that have been recently available" on cable and satellite packages, with information about those options coming at a later date. Red Wings games will continue to air locally on FanDuel Sports Network through the end of the 2025-26 regular season.
“Given recent uncertainty throughout the regional sports broadcasting industry, we recognize the importance of providing fans with a consistent, year-round outlet to watch Tigers baseball and Red Wings hockey,” IS+E president Ryan Gustafson said in the statement.
The move comes as the landscape of local baseball broadcasts continues to shift dramatically, with MLB Media now controlling the broadcasting rights of 14 MLB teams including the Tigers, Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins. Main Street has missed payments to many of its NBA partners, as well, as all MLB teams previously partnered with Main Street have all fled in the past two seasons.
While the Tigers don't yet have details about pricing, app availability and streaming offerings for their new partnership in 2026, they intend to offer a single subscription for fans to watch the team year-round.
Though MLB Media is now taking over Tigers games, many familiar faces and voices from 2025 should remain the same, with IS+E announcing that play-by-play commentators Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson and color commentators Andy Dirks and Dan Petry are expected to return to their positions for the 2026 season.
Additionally, legendary Red Wings broadcasters Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond are expected to continue in their current roles under the new partnership, according to IS+E.
"We have two of the top-rated broadcasts in our respective sports and remain focused on listening to fans about what matters most to them," said Gustafson. "What we’ve heard includes making sure our games are available throughout the market, providing a reliable streaming product, and producing a broadcast that's informative and entertaining in all the right ways.”
As announced by Ilitch Sports and Entertainment (IS+E) on Monday, Feb. 9, Major League Baseball will take control of the production, broadcast and distribution of Tigers television broadcasts for the 2026 season. The deal will also bring Red Wings broadcasts under MLB control starting in the 2026-27 season, in what IS+E (who owns the Tigers and Red Wings) called a "first of its kind partnership."
Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal first reported the Tigers' move to MLB Media on Monday, Feb. 2, as the nine MLB teams remaining under the FanDuel Sports Network broadcasting umbrella all decided to end their contracts with Main Street Sports Group, who operates the FanDuel networks.
IS+E says that fans will be able to watch Tigers and Red Wings games on direct-to-consumer streaming subscriptions and through "the same options that have been recently available" on cable and satellite packages, with information about those options coming at a later date. Red Wings games will continue to air locally on FanDuel Sports Network through the end of the 2025-26 regular season.
“Given recent uncertainty throughout the regional sports broadcasting industry, we recognize the importance of providing fans with a consistent, year-round outlet to watch Tigers baseball and Red Wings hockey,” IS+E president Ryan Gustafson said in the statement.
The move comes as the landscape of local baseball broadcasts continues to shift dramatically, with MLB Media now controlling the broadcasting rights of 14 MLB teams including the Tigers, Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins. Main Street has missed payments to many of its NBA partners, as well, as all MLB teams previously partnered with Main Street have all fled in the past two seasons.
While the Tigers don't yet have details about pricing, app availability and streaming offerings for their new partnership in 2026, they intend to offer a single subscription for fans to watch the team year-round.
Though MLB Media is now taking over Tigers games, many familiar faces and voices from 2025 should remain the same, with IS+E announcing that play-by-play commentators Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson and color commentators Andy Dirks and Dan Petry are expected to return to their positions for the 2026 season.
Additionally, legendary Red Wings broadcasters Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond are expected to continue in their current roles under the new partnership, according to IS+E.
"We have two of the top-rated broadcasts in our respective sports and remain focused on listening to fans about what matters most to them," said Gustafson. "What we’ve heard includes making sure our games are available throughout the market, providing a reliable streaming product, and producing a broadcast that's informative and entertaining in all the right ways.”
Vote now for The News Tribune’s Girls Athlete of the Week for contests played between Feb. 2-7. Voting will remain open until noon Wednesday.
The poll is located below. You can read about all of the candidates and their accomplishments below.
Note: If you are not seeing the poll at the bottom of the story, try opening the story in a different browser, such as Chrome or Safari. Votes emailed will not be counted.
Want to nominate a South Sound high school athlete in the future? Email reporter Jon Manley (jon.manley@thenewstribune.com) or Tyler Wicke (twicke@thenewstribune.com) or send a direct message on Twitter/X (@manley_tnt or @WickeTyler) with the athlete’s first and last name, school, year, position and a stat line from game(s) during the past week. Nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m. Sunday.
Keke Bol, River Ridge basketball — Junior forward posted consecutive double-doubles in Monday’s win over Capital (16 PTS, 14 REB) and Wednesday’s win over North Thurston (10 PTS, 10 REB).
Kawehi Borden, Sumner basketball — The junior guard’s 10 points lifted Borden into the 1,000-point career scoring club in Saturday’s 4A SPSL championship game. Sumner defeated Olympia, 52-30, for the program’s sixth-straight league title.
Natalie Buchanan, Black Hills basketball — Junior guard had 12 points, six assists, and three rebounds in Tuesday’s win over Centralia, adding 14 points and three assists in Thursday’s win over Aberdeen.
Adalynn Busch, Tahoma basketball — Scored four points, had 16 rebounds, three assists and two steals in win over Stadium on Tuesday.
Olivia Collins, Sumner basketball — Senior guard dropped a game-high 11 points in Saturday’s win over Olympia in the 4A SPSL championship, helping the program capture a sixth-straight league title.
Shayla Cordis, North Thurston basketball — Senior guard posted a 28-point, 15-rebound double-double with eight steals and four assists in Wednesday’s loss to River Ridge, adding 20 points and six assists in Monday’s loss to Lakes.
Evy Garcia, Todd Beamer basketball — Sophomore dropped a season-high 29 points and hit nine three-pointers, adding seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals in Friday’s win over Kent-Meridian.
Juliana Gocha, Lakes basketball — Freshman guard had a career-high 17 rebounds with 15 points, six steals, and three assists in Monday’s win over North Thurston.
Emi HansonSmith, Peninsula basketball — Posted a double-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, three blocks and two assists in 53-50 win over Lakes on Wednesday.
Andralynne Harless, Clover Park basketball — Senior forward posted consecutive double-doubles in Tuesday’s win over Orting (21 PTS, 13 REB, 5 BLK) and Friday’s win over Foss (20 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL).
Ehmarii McChristian, Lakes basketball — Junior guard had 24 points, six rebounds, and two blocks in Monday’s win over North Thurston.
Izzy McDonough, Kennedy Catholic basketball — Junior guard dropped a season-high 19 points with three rebounds and a steal in Tuesday’s win over Mount Rainier.
Macey McNicol, Cascade Christian basketball — Freshman scored 18 points, had five rebounds, four assists and four steals in win over Charles Wright on Tuesday.
Kaliyah Miller, Gig Harbor basketball — Senior guard dropped a career-high 31 points with five rebounds, five assists, and five steals in Monday’s win over Central Kitsap, adding 11 points and eight steals in Wednesday’s win over Mount Tahoma.
Nikol Miranda, Todd Beamer basketball — Sophomore dropped 34 points with seven assists and four rebounds in Thursday’s win over Kent-Meridian.
Brooklynn Murray, Bellarmine Prep basketball — Freshman forward posted a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double in Wednesday’s win over Silas.
Bailey Nettleton, Tahoma basketball — Senior guard scored 18 points with two assists and two steals in Tuesday’s win over Stadium.
Mia Nielsen, Capital basketball — Senior guard had 20 points, five steals, and four rebounds in Wednesday’s loss to Timberline, adding 15 points and three steals in Monday’s loss to River Ridge.
Ashlyn Peirce, Gig Harbor basketball — Junior guard had 16 points, five assists, and five steals in Monday’s win over Central Kitsap, adding 12 points and seven steals in Wednesday’s win over Mount Tahoma.
Melina Petramalo, Bellarmine Prep basketball — Senior guard posted an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double with three steals in Wednesday’s win over Silas.
Fa’aluaina Salanoa, Clover Park basketball — Senior guard dropped a season-high 27 points with 12 assists, eight steals, and two rebounds in Friday’s win over Foss, adding 12 points and eight rebounds in Tuesday’s win over Orting.
Abby Shelton, Cascade Christian basketball — Sophomore forward had a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double with four steals and three blocks in Friday’s win over Klahowya.
Brandi Stanford, River Ridge basketball — Senior guard posted a 29-point, 11-rebound double-double with five steals and four assists in Monday’s win over Capital, adding 21 points and six steals in Wednesday’s win over North Thurston.
Taniyah Tatum, Spanaway Lake basketball — Freshman guard dropped a career-high 24 points with four rebounds, four steals, and three assists in Thursday’s win over South Kitsap.
Tyler Venable, Black Hills basketball — Junior guard scored 27 points with seven assists, five rebounds, and a season-high nine steals in Tuesday’s win over Centralia, adding 16 points and four steals in Thursday’s win over Aberdeen.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 3: Sam Okuayinonu #91 of the San Francisco 49ers and teammates help apply pressure to a missed field goal during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on January 03, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Seattle Seahawks did to the New England Patriots what they did to seemingly every non-Matthew Stafford offense. Drake Maye looked lost when he had time to throw, and unsure of himself when he did attempt a pass. As a team, the Patriots had a -0.31 EPA per play and a 41 percent success rate, and couldn’t get anything going all evening.
Drake Maye was pressured on 52.8 percent of his dropbacks and sacked six times, despite only being blitzed 13.2 percent of the time. So, as you’re reading this week about which teams can copy Seattle’s blueprint, keep in mind their defense is stocked full of first-rounders who play with a level of aggression and possess speed that few teams do. The defense known as the “Dark Side” led by a mastermind in Mike MacDonald put their stamp on the biggest game in the sport.
We’ve seen the San Francisco 49ers field some of the very best defenses themselves in recent years. Seattle’s DVOA, which adjusts for strength of schedule, was -24.2 percent in 2025, the best by nearly five percentage points. The 49ers were -20.3 in 2019, -14.8 in 2022, and No. 1 in 2022. So close, but not as dominant as the unit we just watched.
So, that begs the question, how close, or perhaps far off, are the current iteration of the 49ers from the Seahawks defense? Let’s go position by position, starting with the defensive line.
Defensive line
If we go back to the P.E. days in school and are lining up every defensive lineman on each roster, Nick Bosa gets selected first, but the Seahawks probably have the next four or five picks.
The biggest difference between the 49ers’ defensive line and the Seahawks is that one team has players who win against the run and the pass, while the other is full of specialists. Bryce Huff and Yetur Gross-Matos are only playable on passing downs, while the rookie class from 2025’s main contributions come against the run.
The Seahawks had six players with at least 35 pressures and four players with seven sacks. Huff was the only player to notch more than 35 pressures, while Sam Okuayinonu and Keion White were the only two north of 20 pressures. No player had more than five sacks.
The depth and quality are night and day. There is still plenty of time for Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and CJ West to develop during their rookie contracts, but none entered the NFL with a pass-rushing pedigree, which limits their ceiling.
The 49ers swung and missed in free agency on Gross-Matos, who failed to show the ability to stay healthy. Sam O and White will be better alongside Bosa, as will Huff. Still, it goes without saying that the play from this group needs to improve, and expecting everything to change just because Bosa is back feels more like hope than an actual plan.
Linebackers
Playoff teams tried to attack linebacker Ernest Jones in coverage, but Seattle’s scheme was sound enough to hide him, thanks to having a plethora of plus starters around Jones.
Jones allowed 57 yards in coverage and all six of his targets to be completed, including a touchdown, but it was too little too late. The linebacker next to him, Drake Thomas, didn’t even start the season for Seattle. In the Super Bowl, the second linebacker only played 46 percent of the time.
That tells you this is not a position the Super Bowl champs are overly invested in. Why would they be when you look at the defensive line and the secondary?
Fred Warner is the ultimate equalizer. The player who lines up next to him has played at an All-Pro level at times, see Dre Greenlaw and Azeez Al-Shaair. Other times, they’ve been so bad that they walked off the field in the middle of a game.
Whether Dee Winters or Nick Martin, the 49ers are fine at linebacker as long as Warner is on the field. Linebackers have become running backs in the sense that just about anybody, relatively speaking, can get the job done. It’s more about playing a specific style, being athletic, but also being disciplined.
Secondary
Let’s line everybody up in the gym again. How long until the first player from the 49ers gets selected?
Devon Witherspoon was the fifth overall pick. Nick Emmanwori was a second-rounder, but played like a first-rounder. Statistically, Riq Woolen has been fantastic for 2+ seasons. This usually means teams target Josh Jobe. New England did nine times, and completed three passes for 14 yards. This past season, Jobe allowed a 42.6 percent completion percentage on 68 targets for 4.3 yards per target.
There are four players before you get to a Niner. Also, is that first player Upton Stout?
The dichotomy in athleticism between these two units is stark, and the 49ers don’t have a choice but to upgrade this offseason if they are going to embrace Raheem Morris’s identity or simply be more competitive in man-to-man situations on obvious passing downs next season.
We watched what Seattle’s secondary did to San Francisco’s wide receivers. That was a theme for the Seahawks in 2025. There was never a point during the year when it felt like the Niners secondary as a whole shut down their opponent.
So, to answer the article’s question, the 49ers have a ways to go to match the talent of their rivals on this side of the ball. Player development would help, but an infusion of talent and style at the highlighted critical positions is needed.
The @Seahawks defense had more sacks (9) and takeaways (4) in 2 games at Levi's Stadium this season than the 49ers did in their 8 home games combined (7 sacks, 3 takeaways)
Kenneth Walker III also had more runs of 20+ yards (3) than the whole SF team (2) in that stadium
It helps when you hit on seemingly every one of your picks and signings. Getting Demarcus Lawrence for around $5 million was a steal. You could argue that Byron Murphy’s fall was as well. A strong offseason, paired with smart signings and rookies who can contribute right away, will be a step in the right direction and will go a long way in catching Seattle’s defense, but the Niners would still likely be a player or two short in the talent pool.
Jutta Leerdam got the gold medal she’s been chasing for years. The Dutch speedskater won the women’s 1,000 meters at the Milan Cortina Games on Monday, setting an Olympic record in the process.
She finished in 1 minute, 12.31 seconds, then made her way to the stands and blew kisses to her fiancé, Jake Paul.
Leerdam faced off against Japan’s Miho Takagi in the final heat, the same skater who won gold in Beijing. But Leerdam looked calm from the start and never lost her rhythm. Dutch fans packed the venue in orange and lost it as she pulled ahead. Her time crushed Takagi’s 2022 mark by nearly a full second. That stung a bit extra considering Leerdam took silver in that race.
Paul was sitting in the stands and couldn’t hold it together. He was in tears after the win and celebrated with her family before lifting her up while she bit down on her medal. The two shared a kiss right there.
Paul and Leerdam went public with their relationship in April 2023. They’re engaged now. Both had serious followings before they got together, and pairing up only cranked up the attention.
Jake Paul kisses his girlfriend Jutta Leerdam after his fight against Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Their careers don’t exactly help with quality time either. Leerdam trains and competes across Europe while Paul bounces around for fights and business.
But they make it work. Leerdam shows up ringside for his fights. Paul flies out for her big competitions. Monday was one of those moments, and he made sure the world knew how proud he was.
The 2025-26 college basketball regular season is nearing the end, with most Big 12 teams having 7-8 games left before the conference tournament begins. Will the No. 1 team in the country, Arizona, slip up and let the regular season title slip away, or will the Wildcats cruise into March with a perfect record?
As mentioned above, the Arizona Wildcats ranked No. 1 in the latest AP Poll, lead the conference with a 10-0 Big 12 record and an impressive 23-0 mark overall. They're followed by Houston (AP No. 3), Iowa State (AP No. 5), Kansas (AP No. 9) and Texas Tech (AP No. 16).
Some major matchups this week could prove to be deciding factors, beginning with the top-ranked Wildcats taking on the Jayhawks at the Allen Fieldhouse. A win would open the door for another team to make a run at the regular-season title. Other major upcoming matchups include Iowa State hosting Kansas (Feb. 14) and Arizona hosting Texas Tech (Feb. 14).
As we continue to inch toward March, here is an updated look at the Big 12 standings.
Updated Big 12 basketball standings (Feb. 9)
Arizona Wildcats: 10-0 (23-0 overall)
Houston Cougars: 9-1 (21-2), 1 game back
Iowa State Cyclones: 9-1 (21-2), 2 games back
Kansas Jayhawks: 8-2 (18-5), 2 games back
Texas Tech Red Raiders: 7-3 (17-6), 3 games back
UCF Knights: 6-5 (17-6), 4.5 games back
West Virginia Mountaineers: 6-5 (15-9), 4.5 games back
BYU Cougars: 5-5 (17-6) 5 games back
Oklahoma State Cowboys: 4-6 (16-7) 6 games back
TCU Horned Frogs: 4-6 (14-9) 6 games back
Colorado Buffaloes: 4-7 (14-10) 6.5 games back
Cincinnati Bearcats: 4-7 (12-12) 6.5 games back
Baylor Bears: 3-8 (13-10) 7.5 games back
Arizona State Sun Devils: 3-8 (12-12) 7.5 games back
Vote now for The News Tribune’s Boys Athlete of the Week for contests played between Feb. 2-7. Voting will remain open until noon Wednesday.
The poll is located below. You can read about all of the candidates and their accomplishments below.
Note: If you are not seeing the poll at the bottom of the story, try opening the story in a different browser, such as Chrome or Safari. Votes emailed will not be counted.
Want to nominate a South Sound high school athlete in the future? Email reporter Jon Manley (jon.manley@thenewstribune.com) or Tyler Wicke (twicke@thenewstribune.com) or send a direct message on Twitter/X (@manley_tnt or @WickeTyler) with the athlete’s first and last name, school, year, position and a stat line from game(s) during the past week. Nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m. Sunday.
Landon Anchors, Tumwater basketball — Junior forward scored a team-high 11 points and shot 63 percent from the field in win over Aberdeen on Tuesday.
Payton Brown, Muckleshoot Tribal basketball — Junior guard had 25 points, four rebounds, and four assists in Thursday’s win over Evergreen Lutheran.
Hakeen Collins, Franklin Pierce basketball — Senior wing scored 30 points in Monday’s win over Eatonville, adding 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in Wednesday’s win over Annie Wright.
Aiquari Emmanuel Johnson, Franklin Pierce basketball — Senior had 18 points, four steals, two rebounds, and two assists in Wednesday’s win over Annie Wright.
Dominique Harper, River Ridge basketball — Senior forward had a 30-point, 16-rebound double-double with three assists and two steals in Monday’s win over Capital.
Khamari Johnson, Thomas Jefferson basketball — Sophomore guard had 17 points, eight assists, four rebounds, and three steals in Tuesday’s win over Kent-Meridian.
Michael Masini, Gig Harbor basketball — Senior forward set Gig Harbor’s all-time career rebound (810) and free throw (335) records with a career-high 41 points, 17 rebounds, four steals, and three blocks in Monday’s win over Central Kitsap, posting another double-double (31 PTS, 14 REB) in Wednesday’s loss to Mount Tahoma. Masini led all Tides scorers for a 21st-straight game.
Will Nasinec, Puyallup basketball — Senior wing had team-high 16 points in Saturday’s 4A SPSL championship win over Emerald Ridge, helping capture repeat league titles.
Kolven Posey, Auburn Mountainview basketball — Senior guard had 16 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in Thursday’s win over Kentlake.
Marshall Scott, Clover Park basketball — Senior guard posted consecutive double-doubles in Monday’s win over Orting (28 PTS, 11 REB, 5 AST, 5 STL) and Friday’s win over Foss (19 PTS, 14 REB, 7 AST, 6 STL).
Zion Stone, Kennedy Catholic basketball — Junior guard had 21 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals in Tuesday’s win over Mount Rainier.
Jack Vahey, Northwest Christian basketball — Senior posted a 30-point, 14-rebound double-double with two assists in Tuesday’s win over Quilcene, adding 22 points and nine rebounds in Thursday’s loss to Northwest Yeshiva.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Cole Waites #56 of the San Francisco Giants throws a bullpen session during Spring Training at Scottsdale Stadium on February 13, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Tigers will see pitchers and catchers reporting on Wednesday this week, with the first full squad workout set for Sunday, February 15. Currently, the club has 15 pitchers slated to participate who lack a 40-man roster spot and no longer have prospect eligibility. The group is a mix of veteran arms and former prospects, including several Tigers prospects who have just aged out of that status without breaking through at the big league level. The number of reinforcements the club has added in free agency this offseason will make it harder for any of these pitchers to break through and win a spot on the Opening Day roster, but hopefully one or two of them will stick around and contribute along the way in 2026.
Last year’s group included left-handers Dietrich Enns and Matt Gage, who both pitched briefly with the Tigers during the season before getting DFA’d and ultimately going on to decent success elsewhere. Others, like former prospects Wilmer Flores and Brendan White, got injured and left behind, while long-time starting prospect Wilkel Hernandez spent the year at the Triple-A level and never broke through and is no longer in the organization.
You get the drift. Occasionally there’s a real surprise, but most of these guys are former prospects whose expiration date is close, or pitchers who have had some success in the major leagues but are running out of time to get back.
The Tigers pitching staff certainly looks a lot more robust this time around. Instead of Alex Cobb, Tommy Kahnle, whatever Kenta Maeda had left, which proved to be very little, and small deals to RHP John Brebbia and LHP Andrew Chafin, this time around they’ve added Framber Valdez, Kenley Jansen, Kyle Finnegan, and one of the top returning KBO arms in free agent RHP Drew Anderson. Quite a difference.
A starting rotation of Tarik Skubal, Framber Valdez, Reese Olson, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize is one of the best in baseball. In terms of depth, they’ve got Troy Melton, Anderson, Keider Montero, and Sawyer Gipson-Long to lean on as needed. A veteran minor leaguer like Troy Watson might be able to pitch in, and the Tigers can of course flex left-handers Tyler Holton or Brant Hurter into a starting role in a pinch. That’s pretty good depth to start with, although rumors of Olson still dealing with shoulder trouble could thin that out somewhat.
On the other hand, things are a lot thinner in terms of actual prospect help. There really isn’t a guy who looks primed to break in as a bona fide starter with mid-rotation upside in the upper minors.
LHP Jake Miller is the most advanced of the bunch, but his own injury ridden 2025 season resulted in offseason surgery to repair both labrums in his hips. What started as back trouble and rumors of a shoulder strain last summer, was finally sourced to the hip issues. He’s still rehabbing and may not get back on the mound until the end of camp or in April. A really advanced strike thrower with a solid three pitch mix, we’ll have to wait and see how his recovery goes to forecast whether he’ll be much help this year.
Beyond him, it’s basically LHP Andrew Sears and RHP Hamm. Sears didn’t get an invite to camp but will no doubt pitch some on the major league side. He has strong swingman vibes and might help out a bit this season. Hamm isn’t on the 40-man roster yet either, but if he’s healthy and gets his velocity back, he could contribute at some point as well.
None of this is particularly encouraging compared to Jobe, but pitchers, especially young pitchers, tend to have wild swings from year to year particularly when there are injuries involved. Perhaps someone will finally get dialed in and surprise us. Just don’t count on it.
The Tigers really struggled to find bullpen support last year, but the first two seasons of Scott Harris’ tenure were better in that regard. So perhaps they’ll bounce back in this regard. Leading with Will Vest, Kenley Jansen, and Kyle Finnegan, with Troy Melton and Keider Montero potentially in the mix, with Holton and Hurter working as the flexible lefties, gives them a lot more to work with than they had last year.
The group of non-roster invitees is also, by definition, not inspiring either. If any of these guys threw 100 mph and had an incredible breaking ball, they wouldn’t be accepting minor league offers with camp invites. However, they do actually have some quality arms this year who could contribute out of the bullpen along the way in case of injuries. There just isn’t a whole lot of high potential stuff here beyond some former prospects who re-signed on minor league deals this offseason.
If you want my five names to watch, I’ll go with Cole Waites, Dugan Darnell, Tyler Mattison, Tanner Rainey, and Tyler Owens, and maybe you can add Jack Little to that list. Let’s just run through them quickly.
RHP Phil Bickford
This 30-year-old right hander had some success with the Dodgers a few years back but fell on hard times with injuries and shaky control undercutting his performance. He spent 2025 in Triple-A with the Cubs and the Phillies, showing flashes of his old strikeout touch but still hasn’t recaptured his previous mid-90’s velocity. Bickford gets good extension to the plate, and a solid slider, but unless he gets those extra ticks of gas back on the fourseamer and shows he can control it better, this is just a short-lived spring training project.
RHP Dugan Darnell
This 28-year-old out of Northville High School could be the local guy makes good story of spring camp. Darnell has a good splitter to go with a solid fastball-slider combo. He’s been in the Colorado Rockies system for years, so he’s getting a coaching upgrade in Detroit. His strikeout rates were really good in the minors, but his brief major league debut for the Rockies was a bit ugly and he was quickly laid low by a hip injury. You may notice a theme developing when I mention his above average extension. His fastball averaged 94 mph but he gets some ride on it and touched as high as 98.5 mph on one heater early last season. If the Tigers can tune the movement up and Dugan is healthy, there’s a little more in the tank there. Still, the splitter is the key pitch for him. The Tigers have some solid raw material in Darnell to work with.
RHP Scott Effross
32-year-old Scott Effross is this spring’s sidearmer de jeur. His fastball is just 89-90 mph, and he doesn’t have the lethal slider of the best of this type. Effross controls contact against right-handed hitters in particular, and he throws strikes. Still there isn’t a lot here to suggest he’s anymore than a Triple-A caliber reliever. He did pitch for the Yankees briefly in 2025, but only when they were really desperate for some help at the end of their bullpen.
LHP Sean Guenther
You’ll of course remember the 30-year-old Guenther from the bit of help he gave the Tigers bullpen in 2024. He’s still a low velo guy with a solid splitter who can induce weak contact from either side of the plate. There just isn’t anymore meat on the bone. In 2024 he briefly showed the best command of his career and reached the bigs but that precision fastball command didn’t last very long. He had some injury issues last year and never really got it going at all, but it wouldn’t be a shock to see him throw a few innings in a pinch for the Tigers this season.
LHP Enmanuel De Jesus
This 29-year-old lefty pitched in the KBO the past two seasons to decent success. He was originally a starter in the Boston Red Sox system, and had a cup of coffee with the Marlins in 2023 before heading overseas. With a 92-93 mph fourseamer and sinker, and an average slider-changeup combo, he’s a short-arm southpaw with some deception and feel for pitching, but nothing in his repertoire really stands out. His control improved a little in Korea with the KT Wiz, but he still profiles as a Triple-A lefty starter who might get a bit of work as a swingman or to spell a short injury to Hurter or Holton if someone like Andrew Sears or eventually Jake Miller isn’t ready.
RHP Jack Little
Little must have a little something the Tigers like, as they claimed him from the Pirates early in the offseason, then DFA’d him, and then re-signed him to a minor league deal. A minor Dodgers prospect for years, Little sits around 94 mph with a solid slider-splitter combination but has never been much of a strikeout artist. He does have pretty good command of his three pitch mix and manages to suppress home runs despite extreme fly ball rates. Other than some bursts of 96 mph velo last year, there isn’t really anything that stands out to me here other than that he has a splitter and shuts down right-handed hitters well. Unless the Tigers unlock something new with him, he just looks like a solid depth reliever who will make Triple-A Toledo manager Gabe Alvarez’s life a little easier.
RHP Tyler Mattison
Mattison is a former Tigers relief prospect who was returning from Tommy John in 2025 but didn’t get very far. Armed with a good riding overhand fourseamer, a wipeout breaking ball, and a pretty good changeup, Mattison has at times done a decent Trey Yesavage impression as a minor league reliever and collected tons of whiffs. As a result, he was regularly atop the list as the Tigers’ best relief prospect circa 2023-2024. Unfortunately he’s rarely been able to command everything consistently. His 2024 surgery was a success, and his velocity appears intact, but whether he can finally locate everything consistently is a wide open question.
RHP Tyler Owens
Owens is in a similar bucket with Mattison. The Tigers acquired him in the Carson Kelly trade back in July of 2024. The right-hander is another with a pretty high arm slot that produces a riding fourseamer in the 94-95 mph range, and has shown sustained bursts of 96-97 mph heat at his best. He gets whiffs up in the zone, but his slider is fairly average and doesn’t pair quite as well as you’d like with the fastball. Owens has worked on developing a splitter with the Tigers, and it really would suit his arm slot and fastball type really well if he can refine that pitch.
After briefly showing out in spring camp last year, it never came together for Owens during the season for any significant length of time. He then dealt with a hip injury in late July that ended his season, though he did get a brief cup of coffee with the Tigers along the way. If he’s healthy, the stuff is good enough to function as a depth reliever. He’s just never been able to repeat his delivery consistently enough to put the whole package together. Still, he only just turned 25, and he’ll get another crack at commanding everything more effectively this spring.
RHP Tanner Rainey
Rainey is a reasonably hard-throwing right-hander who had some solid seasons in the Washington Nationals in his mid-to-late 20’s, but has been in the wilderness for a few years now. He still sits 96 mph and will hit 98 with his fourseamer, but it’s his power slider that will keep getting him opportunities to revitalize his career a little longer. He’s never been able to limit the walks enough to really be effective for long, but the one silver lining is that he spent most of his career with the Nationals, one of the worst teams in baseball at developing pitchers. If the Tigers can get him on target more often he might be effective, but he’s 32 years old now and the odds are slim.
LHP Bryan Sammons
Here’s another somewhat familiar face. The 30-year-old lefty has been bouncing around the league for years as a decent depth starter you don’t mind having at the Triple-A level. He tossed 27 1/3 very mediocre innings for the Tigers in 2024. He’s just never been able to unlock that one upgrade to get more whiffs and make him viable as a long reliever-swingman type of lefty. He mixes his 91 mph fourseamer and his cutter well enough to get outs, and he throws strikes, but there just isn’t a good enough breaking ball or changeup here to make him a major league option except in a pinch.
RHP Matt Seelinger
Now 30 years old, Seelinger has always racked up a ton of whiffs with his cutter and knuckle curve combination. His 92-93 mph fourseamer is just too fringy to succeed at the major league level without really good command, and he’s always fallen a bit short in that regard. Seelinger gets a ton of fly balls and lots of weak contact in the air, and both secondary pitches will whiff Triple-A hitters are nearly 50 percent rates. So there’s some things to like here, but he’s just a bad fastball guy who hasn’t found a way around that issue to enough of a degree to let the cutter and knuckle curve play in the majors. Still, he’s hell on right-handed hitters, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him have some modest success in the Tigers bullpen by leaning into his two best pitches. As relief depth, he’s not a bad option to keep around.
RHP Burch Smith
This 35-year-old right hander had some success with the Oakland A’s back in 2020-2021, but has never quite been able to recapture it after years of injuries and ineffectiveness. He’s been all over, pitching in the NPB and KBO for a season apiece, and then putting up decent results for the Marlins and the Orioles in 2024. Smith features a riding 95 mph fourseamer that gets a lot of weak contact, but it’s not quite the type of high IVB monster that draws a ton of whiffs. He backs it mainly with a decent cutter-slider combination, but both are fringy pitches that really only work well when he’s commanding the whole package. He usually does keep the walk rates low, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he were called on in a pinch sometime this season if he sticks at Triple-A after spring camp. There just isn’t any upside beyond that.
RHP Ricky Vanasco
The Tigers can’t quite quit on Ricky Vanasco. Now 27 years old, Vanasco has spent parts of the last two seasons with the Toledo Mud Hens. He racks up a good volume of strikeouts, but is persistently wild as well. His fourseam fastball sits around 95 mph with above average extension and pretty good vertical movement. A power curveball at 83-84 mph draws a good amount of whiffs and is his main secondary pitch. If Vanasco could command the fastball consistently, he’s got enough stuff to function as a lower tier setup man, but he continues to be wild from time to time, and rarely is really locked in and locating the fastball that well.
RHP Cole Waites
Waites came up in the Giants system and is no doubt well known to Scott Harris as a result. The right-hander sat 96 mph with plus extension and could touch triple digits with a true double plus fourseamer in those days, backing it with a pretty average slider. He racked up great strikeout numbers moving through the Giants system, but his control started to fail him in 2023 and he eventually needed Tommy John surgery late in the year that cost him all of 2024 and much of 2025. He returned last season but was really just getting his feet wet after almost two full years on the shelf. The excellent IVB numbers say the heater will still draw plenty of whiffs, but we’ll have to see if he’s got the velocity all the way back this spring or not. Waites certainly qualifies as one of the highest ceilings in this group, and possibly Harris’ Giants ties will pay a little dividend here is he’s finally back to full strength.
RHP Troy Watson
The 28-year-old Watson has been in Toledo parts of the last two seasons and done a pretty nice job in a starting role. His cutter, slider, and changeup will all get some whiffs for him, and Watson throws strikes. He’s a classic problem fastball guy, where he has the velocity, sitting 94-95 mph with a little extra in the tank, but the fourseam shape just doesn’t have any particular standout traits. It’s not really bad, just mediocre. When he’s commanding it well, he can look really good, set hitters up consistently, and handle either-handed hitters. When he’s leaving too many over the middle of the plate, it gets whacked. Watson isn’t a bad option as an emergency starter, but unless they can tune up the fastball a little more he’s always going to be too vulnerable for regular MLB starting work. As a relief option, he could throw his secondaries more and be an effective middle reliever, but he has to command everything more consistently.
As we battle and persist through consistent connectivity issues (mostly on my end) the three of us are still committed to bringing you content that you can enjoy and interact with to help you continue to be some of the most knowledgable fans in the game.
This week a majority of the episode is just me (sorry) giving my thoughts on the Brendan Donovan trade, the Bryan Ramos waiver claim, and then I finish up with some of your questions and salvage what I could from our attempted trio of simulatneous recording session. I will be working tirelessly to try and resolve the connectivity issues this week as we have a list of guests we’re very excited about leading up to opening day.
Thank you to Kool Noodles, Zubin, KylMss, silentgeorge, HueyRVA, districtofcardinals, Schmidthead, and LondonBird for their questions that contributed to this episode, without your participation, this episode would not be as impactful as it was, so thank you.
Next week, were (hopeful) to be joined by Jeff Jones of the Belleville News Democrat, as he has already arrived in Jupiter, Florida. Have a great week Cardinals fans Spring Training is HERE!
HAMBURG, GERMANY - JANUARY 31: Lennart Karl of FC Bayern Munich reacts during the Bundesliga match between Hamburger SV and FC Bayern München at Volksparkstadion on January 31, 2026 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bayern Munich youngster Lennart Karl suffered a terrible case of aura debt during his team’s 5-1 win over Hoffenheim. Late in the game, he was 1v1 on the wing and tried to do stepovers like Cristiano Ronaldo. Only, instead of a graceful display of skill, he accidentally sent the ball through his legs and out of play.
In the replay (which we can’t show you because the Bundesliga is allergic to its own growth and takes down every clip of anything remotely interesting) Hoffenheim defender Alexander Prass even gives him a thumbs up after the gaffe. How embarrassing.
Lothar Matthäus, however, wants us to cut the kid some slack. Writing for his column on Sky, the ex-Ballon d’Or winner defended Karl’s unfortunate blunder.
“The boy is 17 years old, he loves playing soccer, and sometimes makes his opponents look bad,” writes Matthäus. “Sometimes it’s one trick too many, but we all want to see stuff like that anyway.”
“We’re happy when someone wants to show off and imitate the tricks of the superstars. Not everything worked for Messi at 17 either. Let the boys entertain us, even if you sometimes feel a little mocked as an opponent.”
Of course, Messi didn’t come onto the scene in the golden age of social media either. (He also didn’t say he wanted to sign for Real Madrid someday, but whatever.) Karl has to deal with the stigma of going viral in an era where people are obsessed with things like aura, slander, glaze, and agendas. Some of you people reading this have no idea what any of that means, but it is relevant.
All Karl can do is pick up and carry on. A goal or two would go a long way to making people forget, and fans will hope he rediscovers his scoring form soon.
Pflugerville’s Briaysha Mays celebrates a 40-19 win over Hendrickson at Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)
The Weiss Wolves had a huge week in District 23-5A as the Wolfpack defeated Georgetown 43-42 on Tuesday and then avenged a 10-point loss from their first district meeting with Pflugerville by winning 51-31 on Friday, moving into a first-place tie in the standings as the Central Texas girls basketball regular season winds down.
The Wolfpack held an early eight-point lead, but ended up holding off the Eagles by one point in a frantic finish. Ryland Reeves led Weiss with 16 points, four rebounds and five steals while Brooklyn Williams added 11 points and three rebounds, Braelynn Gray chipped in seven points and four boards and Krystyna Davis had seven rebounds. In Friday's win over Pflugerville, Reeves led the team with 20 points while Williams added 11.
Hendrickson’s Trinity Jackson is recognized during a timeout after reaching 1,300 career points and her 1,000th rebound during a game against Pflugerville at Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)
Earlier in the week, Pflugerville beat Hendrickson 40-19 behind Kiyah Lee's 14 points. The Panthers led just 18-17 in the second half before staging a dramatic 14-0 run.
Hendrickson’s Trinity Jackson, middle, is recognized during a timeout after reaching 1,300 career points and her 1,000th rebound during a game against Pflugerville at Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)
“We talked at halftime about doing the little things — attention to detail, better passes, closer defense," Panthers coach April Hundl said. "We were barely ahead at the half, and the girls really had a strong third quarter.”
Hendrickson got eight points from Trinity Jackson scored 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds, including her 1,000th career board.
Vipers close in on crown:Vandegrift moved a game closer to the District 25-6A title by beating Manor 77-24. Saania Khawaja notched 21 points with seven assists, five rebounds and five steals while Maddie Broxterman scored 19 points with five steals, five rebounds and four assists. Ella Welton added 10 points and seven rebounds.
Around 25-6A: In other district action, Cedar Ridge scored a huge upset by defeating Vista Ridge 53-45 for the second win over the Rangers in six years. ... Round Rock slipped past crosstown rival Westwood 43-40.
Chaps clinch district:Westlake had two nice wins to clinch the District 26-6A crown. Tamia King scored 26 points with 11 rebounds, five assists and five steals to lead the Chaps past second-place Lake Travis 54-29. Wynn Thorne added eight points, Molly Frazer had six and Geralynn Byers-Veal added six points, three steals and two assists. On Friday, Byers-Veal poured in 18 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Westlake past Del Valle 78-27. King contributed nine points and eight boards while Frazer had 12 points and Townsend Hamilton added 14 points, including four 3-pointers. The Chaps had 18 team assists in the win
Around 26-6A:In other district action, Lake Travis beat Akins 76-14 and Austin High edged Bowie 41-39. The Austin High win tied the Maroons with Lake Travis at 8-3 while Bowie finished fourth at 7-5. The Maroons travel to Lake Travis for the Tuesday night district finale.
Austin-area soccer: Wimberley sends a message to state
A big win over Texans:Wimberley sent a statement as the 2025 Class 4A Division II state finalist Texans (12-1-1) rallied from a 1-0 deficit to defeat current top-ranked Canyon Lake 3-1 on Friday night. It was Canyon Lake's first loss. Abby Durkin, Samantha Santana and Dylan Watson each scored for the Texans while Emma Durkin and Cameron Thames notched assists. ... On the season, two-sport standout Lilli Sandoval leads the Texans with 16 goals and four assists. She was an all-state soccer selection as well as an All-Central Texas volleyball standout.
Around District 25-6A:Vandegrift had a big night as the Vipers edged Westwood 1-0 on a goal by Eva Pensamiento and the fourth straight clean sheet by Kyla Jones. ... Round Rock blanked Stony Point 3-0, McNeil shut out Manor 4-0 and Vista Ridge played to a 1-1 draw with Hutto. Westwood beat Stony Point 2-1 on goals by Natalie Safarik and Henley Patak.
Around Central Texas:Georgetown got two goals from Abigail Vidrine and a thread by Libby Benson to blank Weiss 3-0. Emie Benson and Annalissa Gomez each had assists. ... Ella Siefert scored on a goal off an assist by Kate Horvath and Brittney King notched 11 saves as Leander played to a 1-1 draw with Rouse. ... Westlake blanked Lake Travis on a clean sheet effort by goalie Sophia Martin. Grace Condon had a goal and an assist for the Chaps while Claire Eckman added a goal and Amara Kazzi-Loyde had the other assist.
We stand on the very edge of spring training. Tomorrow sees pitchers and catchers report to Salt River Fields, as the pre-season gets under way. Before you know it, Opening Day will be here. While there is still time for changes to take place to the roster, it does feel like most of the heavy lifting for the Diamondbacks has been done. So how are you feeling? In particular, what concerns you the most?
Which offseason decision makes you nervous?
I guess this could be both an action and an inaction. For example, the decision largely to stand pat on the bullpen, not signing a “proven closer” was certainly a decision, one which resulted in nothing being done. Taylor Clarke is, to date, the only free-agent reliever signed to a major-league contract by the Diamondbacks this winter. The decision not to re-sign Zac Gallen (again: so far!) is another non-action. But there are a number of moves which could be grounds for concern. Merrill Kelly was nowhere near as effective down the stretch. Carlos Santana didn’t hit very well. Nolan Arenado is old. Michael Soroka is… Well, you get the idea!
New Nevada baseball coach Jordan Getzelman with the Wolf Pack players on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025 at Mackay Stadium. | Jim Krajewski/RGJ / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It’s that time of the year! As the spring semester starts kicking into full gear for students, the baseball programs around the Mountain West will be competing on the diamond once again. And now, we here at Mountain West Connection will begin full-season coverage of the spring spectacle, starting with our first official power rankings of the season.
This season is filled with storylines. Will Fresno State and Nevada be able to defend their conference tournament and regular season titles respectively? Can schools like New Mexico and UNLV contend for those titles again and possibly get over the hump? Can San Jose State, who made the tournament championship game with a losing regular season record, get back to how they ended last season? How will the newly-added Grand Canyon University, a program with a history of winning seasons, fare in the mix?
All of this and more will be answered in due time. While we wait, here’s the first iteration of the Mountain West Connection baseball power rankings.
1. Nevada
Coming off a 34-23 and 19-11 MW record, including the regular season conference title, the Wolf Pack comes in as our No. 1 team in the conference. Nevada returns seven starters, including five players who were picked for the all-conference team (LHP Alessandro Castro, 3B Sean Yamaguchi, C Jake Harvey, 1B/RHP Jayce Dobie and 2B/SS Junhyuk Kwon).
The biggest difference for Nevada will be who’s at the helm, as Jordan Getzelman, who’s been the team’s hitting coach for the last four seasons, was promoted to manager for the 2026 season. Former manager Jake McKinley took an MLB job with the Seattle Mariners, letting Nevada go with the in-house option.
Kwon and Yamaguchi should lead the way with offensive production in many different ways. They were able to bring in OF Sam Kane from Seattle to likely play center field for them and provide solid defense and offensive versatility.
Nevada’s biggest potential weakness is the pitching staff. Castro is the only weekend starter returning for the Pack. The Miami Marlins drafted ace Peyton Fosher, who was the main Friday guy for Nevada last year. Transfers Jordan Giacomini and Aidan Brainard are two options to fill those holes, as well as Dobie and Dominic Desch.
2. Fresno State
The Bulldogs are coming off a 2025 Mountain West Tournament Championship run that included a trip to the NCAA Los Angeles Regional. It was a big offensive year, as they hit above .300 as a team and recorded 72 home runs in 2025. The pitching side was equally impressive, as they were ranked 2nd in both ERA and H/9.
With such a successful season, it usually means a lot of players are going to leave. Pitchers Jack Anker and Aidan Cremarosa, 3B Murf Gray and C Justin Stransky were all drafted and signed to MLB organizations at the season’s end.
They return starter Tyler Patrick, who is expected to deliver another solid season on the mound. Patrick logged 38 innings with a 4.26 ERA last year while working primarily as a spot starter, and he’s poised to take on a larger role in 2026 after the rotation took multiple losses in the draft. The Bulldogs also bring back a strong core of everyday bats, including 1B Cayden Munster, 2B Owen Faust, SS Lee Trevino, OF Cam Schneider, OF Sky Collins, and DH Griffen Sotomayor. Ultimately, their ceiling will depend on how well the pitching staff comes together, but the offense should once again be a major strength.
3. New Mexico
New Mexico closed the regular season with the third-best conference record in the Mountain West before entering the league tournament, but their postseason run was cut short by a red-hot San José State squad in the opening round. The Lobos were an offensive juggernaut last season, leading the conference in batting average and home runs while posting a staggering .999 team OPS. Pitching, however, told a very different story, as New Mexico finished with the worst team ERA in the Mountain West.
The biggest departure is DH Jordy Oriach, who transferred to Georgia and could very well emerge as an everyday contributor there. On the mound, the Lobos return Ryan Castillo to the starting rotation. While his numbers in 2025 weren’t what you typically expect from a front-line starter, he did show improvement from his 2024 campaign and provides much-needed continuity for a staff searching for stability in 2026.
Offensively, despite key losses, New Mexico should remain productive. They return catchers Brodey Williams and Caleb Herd, along with 2B Luke Mansy, 3B Akili Carris, SS Karsen Waslefsky, and add power bat Damian Garcia from Texas Southern to help offset some of the departed production. As was the case a year ago, much of New Mexico’s success will hinge on its pitching staff, but the Lobos should once again be able to swing it with the best offenses in the Mountain West in 2026.
4. San Diego State
The 2025 season didn’t unfold the way San Diego State had hoped, as the Aztecs finished 20–39 overall, yet they still secured the fifth seed in the Mountain West Tournament. SDSU showed flashes in the postseason, shutting out UNLV before falling to top-seeded Nevada and then dropping a one-run game to San José State. Offensively, the Aztecs weren’t a major threat, but they landed squarely in the middle of the conference in most pitching metrics.
The offseason brought significant roster turnover, highlighted by the departures of 3B Daniel Arambula, SS Finley Bates, 2B Nevan Noonan, and pitcher Marko Sipila to power conference programs, along with several additional transfers. The pitching staff also lost Xavier Cardenas, who was selected in the 17th round of the MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins. As a result, San Diego State will field a largely new-look roster, particularly on the offensive side.
The Aztecs add a trio of Oregon State transfers in SS Jabin Trosky, OF Levi Jones, and 1B Tyce Peterson, all of whom will compete for immediate playing time, along with OF Adam Magpoc from Boston College, who should factor into the lineup early. On the mound, returning arms Garvey Rumary, Evan Miranda, Aidan Russell and Connor Shaw are expected to battle for spots in the starting rotation.
Another major change comes at the top, with Kevin Vance taking over as head coach. Vance brings Omaha experience from his time as an assistant at Arizona and is widely regarded as one of the premier pitching minds in college baseball. With new leadership and an influx of fresh talent, San Diego State has the opportunity to emerge as a dangerous contender in what appears to be a wide-open Mountain West race.
5. UNLV
UNLV opened the 2025 season on a strong note, notching early wins over Indiana and Cincinnati, both ranked at the time, and later adding an impressive nonconference victory against Arizona State. The Rebels’ momentum, however, stalled in the Mountain West Tournament, where they were shut out by San Diego State to close out their season. Offensively, UNLV was a fairly balanced group, but the pitching staff carried the load, finishing with the lowest team ERA and H/9 in the conference.
The offseason brought notable roster turnover, particularly on the mound, with pitchers Alex Overbay and LJ Mercurius transferring to Arizona State and Oklahoma, respectively. The Rebels also lost key offensive pieces, as DH Cole Koniarsky departed for Georgia and OF Dean Toigo transferred to Arizona State. Despite those losses, UNLV retained Carson Lane, who appears poised for a breakout year after a strong sophomore campaign that saw him log 78 innings with a 4.23 ERA and 85 strikeouts.
UNLV will have several options to round out the rotation, with Reese Lueck and Cody Albright emerging as early contenders for starting roles. Offensively, there are significant gaps to fill, but the additions of OF Reggie Bussey from Ohio State and Drew Barragan from Western Kentucky should help offset some of the lost production. With proven pitching depth and new bats stepping into larger roles, the Rebels look capable of remaining a factor in the Mountain West and will have an opportunity to showcase their resilience in 2026.
6. GCU
The Mountain West welcomes a new member in 2026, as Grand Canyon joins the conference after making the move from the WAC. The Antelopes finished the 2025 season with a 31–27 record before their run ended in the WAC Tournament. Offensively, GCU hit .300 as a team, though the power output wasn’t quite enough to match the top offenses in the league. On the mound, the Antelopes graded out as a middle-of-the-pack staff across most statistical categories.
The offseason brought significant turnover, including the departures of 1B Zach Yorke to LSU, pitcher Walter Quinn to TCU, and pitcher Connor Mattison to Kentucky. Grand Canyon also saw several players selected in the MLB Draft, including pitchers Isaac Lyon and Grant Richardson, shortstop Emilio Barreras and outfielder Josh Wakefield.
To help offset those losses, GCU adds pitching reinforcements Nicholas Rabb from UT Arlington and Jacob Limas from UTRGV, both of whom should compete for spots in the starting rotation. The Antelopes also bring in 3B Vincent Bianchina from Northwestern and OF Griffin Cameron from Kentucky, each expected to push for significant playing time in 2026.
The strength of this team should once again be its pitching, led by Garrett Ahern and Chance Key, who combined for 128 innings last season and are poised to anchor the staff while consistently working deep into games. Offensively, Grand Canyon returns starters C Marcus Galvan, 2B Troy Sanders, OF Carson Ohland and DH Cannon Peery, who will headline the lineup alongside the incoming transfers.
It’s hard to evaluate newcomers into preseason rankings, and although the Mountain West voted GCU pretty high, the Antelopes will have to be a prove-it team for us.
7. San Jose State
San José State turned heads last season, not so much during the regular season, but with an impressive run through the Mountain West Tournament. The Spartans knocked off New Mexico, San Diego State and top-seeded Nevada in an extra-innings thriller before ultimately falling to Fresno State in the conference championship game. Their postseason success was driven largely by pitching, as they finished with the fourth-best team ERA and the third-lowest hits allowed per nine innings in the conference.
There’s reason to believe that strength will carry over into 2026. San José State returns a deep mix of arms and newcomers, headlined by Tyler Albanese. After working primarily out of the bullpen last season, Albanese logged 39 innings with a sub-3.00 ERA and an impressive 32 percent strikeout rate. He’s expected to transition into a starting role and has the potential to emerge as the leader of the rotation.
Offensively, the Spartans will lean heavily on returning contributors, particularly corner outfielders Jake McCoy and Alex Fernandes, who bring back much of the team’s proven production. Additional returners expected to play key roles include 1B Drew Giannini, 3B JC Osocio-Agard, SS Rocco Caballero and DH Neil Jansen.
With the sheer volume of pitching options available, San José State should again be able to control games on the mound. The primary question remains on the offensive side. The Spartans were another team that was tough to rank, as we feel they could’ve been as high as top four-five, but we’ll have to see if the late-season momentum will carry into a new season.
8. Washington State
Washington State will be looking to turn the page quickly after a difficult 2025 campaign that saw the Cougars finish with the worst overall and conference record in the Mountain West. Among the notable departures are outfielder Logan Johnstone, who will suit up for Vanderbilt this season, and starting catcher Will Cresswell, who was selected in the 18th round of the MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Offensively, Washington State was fairly average a year ago, but the pitching staff struggled to find consistency and ultimately held the team back. In an effort to stabilize the rotation, the Cougars return familiar arms in Griffin Smith and Nick Lewis, both of whom should provide experience and continuity on the mound.
The lineup also brings back a solid core of contributors, including 1B Ryan Skjonsby, 2B Ollie Obenour and Luke Thiele, 3B Kyler Northrop, SS Gavin Roy and OF Max Hartman. With a year of experience together and several key pieces returning, Washington State appears positioned to take a step forward in 2026, but may struggle to keep up with the rest of the conference.
9. Air Force
Air Force fell short of expectations in 2025, finishing 20–34 overall with a 12–18 record in Mountain West play. The Falcons ended the season next to last in the conference standings and did not qualify for the Mountain West Tournament. Offensively, they hovered around the middle of the league, but pitching proved to be a major issue, as Air Force posted the second-highest team ERA and tied for the most hits allowed per nine innings.
As a service academy, Air Force was inactive in the transfer portal, emphasizing internal development. That may work in their favor, as the Falcons fielded one of the youngest rosters in the conference last season and return all eligible players. The pitching staff should take a step forward, led by Ethan Dillinger, who logged 37 innings in 2025. While he took his share of contact, he showed an ability to limit damage and avoid free passes. Returning starter Cranz Smelcer also figures into the rotation after a challenging freshman season, and with a year of experience under his belt, he should provide improved consistency this spring.
At the plate, Air Force brings back key contributors in catcher Walker Zapp and second baseman Ben Niednagel, along with 1B Luke Elmore, 2B TJ Oster, OF Christian Taylor and DH Tripp Garrish. With a full year of experience together and a more mature roster, the Falcons should show natural improvement in 2026, even without outside additions.
In the unlikelihood you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve no doubt seen or been exposed to the popular “6-7” trend that captivated our youth around the nation. It’s funny how something that is absolutely meaningless spreads like wildfire, and it continues to hold on through its dying embers. Eventually though, all things must come to an end.
Now, you’re probably asking yourself why were talking about this meaningless and definitely annoying “6-7” trend, and for good reason. In the grander scheme of things it has absolutely nothing to do with the Dallas Cowboys. However, in a roundabout way it kind of does, as the Cowboys probably need to sign “6-7” starting-caliber players in free agency to fill all their holes. We know they probably won’t sign that many high-level players in free agency, but we’re looking at them all anyway.
As the roster stands right now, and assuming George Pickens is retained via a long-term contract or franchise tag, the Cowboys have a lot of holes to fill and the majority of them need immediate starters if the organization truly wants to upgrade things and be a serious contender next season. Some of these roster “needs” could be filled by the draft, but if Dallas wants a known commodity to start immediately, free agency is the way to go.
By signing proven commodities in free agency who can start immediately would not only free the Cowboys up to truly select the best player available (BPA) in the 2026 NFL Draft, but also quickly upgrade certain positions from the get-go instead of depending on rookies to get up to speed as quickly as possible. We all know just about every single rookie regardless of position goes through some growing pains early on.
Below are the positions we’ve identified as the ones who need starting-caliber free agents. Unsurprisingly, they are mostly on the defensive side of the ball.
EDGE (2)
What they have: Donovan Ezeiruaku, James Houston
What they’re losing: Jadeveon Clowney, Dante Fowler, Sam Williams
Jadeveon Clowney is a target to be re-signed by the Cowboys, at least according to them, but he is getting older and could decline in production at any time. That means the Cowboys probably need to sign another free agent pass rusher and probably draft one as well to fill out and hopefully upgrade the position.
Cornerback (1)
What they have: DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel, Caelen Carson, Reedy Stewart, Josh Butler
What they’re losing: Trevon Diggs, C.J. Goodwin
With another foot injury that required surgery, DaRon Bland’s future availability is up in the air and Shavon Revel needs a second-year leap. Right now they are the only two CBs with starting potential on the roster, but they also come with more questions than answers. That’s why we believe Dallas needs to sign a starting-caliber CB.
Safety (2)
What they have: Malik Hooker, Markquese Bell
What they’re losing: Donovan Wilson
With Malik Hooker being a potential salary-cap casualty, it’s quite possible Dallas could be losing both of their starting safeties in 2025. To make matters worse, there’s really no one else on the roster who screams starter. Because of that, Dallas needs to sign a couple free agent safeties who fit Christian Parker’s scheme.
Linebacker (1)
What they have: Logan Wilson, DeMarvion Overshown, Marist Liufau, Shemar James
What they’re losing: Kenneth Murray, Jack Sanborn
Logan Wilson will likely become a salary-cap casualty, joining Kenneth Murray and Jack Sanborn in free agency. This leaves a big void at MLB that will probably best be filled via free agency. There are quite a few free agent LBs available who can step in and immediately to be an upgrade over what Dallas deployed the position last year.
Running back (1)
What they have: Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah
What they’re losing: Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders
The hope is in Dallas re-signs Javonte Williams to eliminate this roster “need”, because Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah are not yet starting-caliber RBs in the NFL. If for whatever reason the Cowboys are not able to bring back Williams, they need to replace him with another veteran RB, maybe two.
Woodland?s Ean Pringle (21) puts up a shot in front of Holy Cross? Al Davis (4) and Brandon Brooks (5) during their game Friday, January 30, 2026 at Woodland Regional High School in Beacon Falls. (Jim Shannon/Hearst Connecticut Media)
Welcome to the top 10, Woodland.
The Hawks have won their first 17 games this season. This is unchartered territory for Woodland as it tries to win its first Naugatuck Valley League championship. They enter the GametimeCT boys basketball top 10 poll for the first time, possibly ever, at No. 10 - the only ranked NVL team this entire season.
Woodland just edged out North Haven, also undefeated through 16 games. Ironically, Woodland plays at North Haven on Wednesday night. New London was ranked 10th, but dropped out after suffering an overtime loss at home to Norwich Free Academy.
The top seven teams remained the same in what was otherwise a quiet week among the ranked teams. Trumbull switched spots with Ellington, moving up to eighth with the unbeaten Knights dropping into ninth.
There should be more movement next week with four games being played this week featuring ranked teams, five of whom are undefeated: No. 8 Trumbull at No. 3 Staples Tuesday, No. 10 Woodland a North Haven; No. 6 West Haven at No. 1 Notre Dame-West Haven Thursday and No. 5 East Catholic at No. 2 Windsor Friday.
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This is part of Slate’s 2026 Olympics coverage. Read more here.
Olympics broadcaster Chad Salmela is celebrating his seventh Winter Games as NBC’s man on the ground for biathlon and cross-country skiing coverage. By “on the ground,” I mean “hunkered down inside NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Connecticut,” where he will spend the next two weeks remotely providing his trademark rousing analysis for two of the more obscure Winter Olympics sports.
Salmela is a former U.S. Biathlon Team member, and his call—“Here comes Diggins! Here comes Diggins! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Gold!”—of Jessie Diggins’ thrilling come-from-behind victory in the team sprint event at the Pyeongchang Games is one of the most iconic American broadcast moments in Winter Olympics history. (Diggins’ gold medal, which she shared with team sprint teammate Kikkan Randall, was America’s first-ever cross-country skiing gold.) For the Milan Cortina Games, Salmela will be sharing the cross-country booth as a co-analyst with the now-retired Randall. They’ll be alongside play-by-play commentator Steve Schlanger, while hoping for more gold-medal magic from Diggins, who has announced that these will be her final Olympic Games.
When not analyzing winter sports races for NBC and other outlets, Salmela is the head men’s and women’s cross-country running coach at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. I called him last week for an expansive chat on Diggins and her legacy, how he developed his style as a color analyst, and whether I made things awkward for him when I wrote that he should be promoted to NBC’s lead Alpine skiing commentator. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
So what’s your routine going to be over the next couple weeks?
I’m covering biathlon and cross-country, which is a big lift, obviously. I mean, I’m not flying around like Mike Tirico, but I think I’ve probably done more time and minutes on the network in the last three Olympics than anybody else they have working, as far as color analysts go.
What I do is just try to be ready for everything, and have the notes I need prepared, and rely on the people I work with to help get me through. It’s easy to try to do too much to start out. When you get into an Olympic Games like this, you just gotta sort of go with the flow and let the rhythm come to you. The goal when you put notes together for events is not to get the notes said on air. You have them there to back you up, and you use very few of them, because you can’t possibly anticipate what’s going to happen.
Do you feel like the enthusiasm you bring has played a role in increasing the visibility for those events on the telecast?
I think that’s [one reason] why they hired me—at least they get the enthusiasm. But I’m not trying to go over the top. When I get excited it’s because I think what’s happening is exciting. I think that turns some people off, people who are maybe more subdued and don’t like the commentary being part of their experience as much. They think that maybe I’m intrusive into their space. I mean, everybody’s gonna have haters, and I have mine.
Really? So there are some cross-country-heads out there who are like, “Chad’s too exciting. He’s making this seem like too much fun.”
I don’t think that what I do is something that Europeans enjoy. I think that Europeans think I’m over the top, I’m too American, they don’t like my accent. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do get worse feedback in Europe than I do in America, we’ll put it that way.
Ifyou break down what has made my career sort of special, it’s that I break into the play-by-play’s space from time to time and get excited—and I’m not supposed to do that. That’s, like, rule No. 1, you don’t take the finishing stretch from the play-by-play. And I’ve done that. I mean, I did that with Al Trautwig without knowing it. And he didn’t bring it up for weeks.
We did the entire [2010] Olympics in Vancouver together, and I was still pretty green at broadcasting commentary. We anchored the Olympic coverage for two weeks in daylight hours. And that was really fun.
But then we went to Sochi [in 2014], and the first event we called was the men’s skiathlon, and it was amazing. Dario Cologna had this amazing finish and I just kind of went with it, and I did what I did with Jessie Diggins, sort of. And I called him down the stretch and came off air, and Al was fine. He goes, Wow, that was a different way of doing it, but I loved it. And I go, What do you mean? He goes, Well, you were kind of all over my call. And then he explained to me that, Well, yeah, I saw this in Vancouver too. You’re not supposed to come in. And so we talked about it more over dinner that night. Al was always just a good mentor. He would take me into these really fancy dinners, and he’d always pay.
That’s a good mentor.
Yeah, he was great. And so in the course of Sochi I really figured out my voice, and he helped me get there. And I think that’s probably why I ended up being comfortable doing what I do. If I’d had a different pathway and a different partner at the time, I might not have ever yelled “Here comes Diggins!”
This is going to be Jessie Diggins’ final Olympics. What should people watch out for from her over the next two weeks?
Jessie is not even close to the same skier she was when “Here comes Diggins!” happened. When [Diggins and Kikkan Randall] won that race, part of the surprise, other than the 40 years’ wait, was the fact that Jessie Diggins, of all people, was going to close the sprint. Maiken Caspersen Falla was the 2014 Olympic champion in the sprint. And in the same stretch of snow, she’s gotta outsprint the Olympic champion from several days before that, in the classic sprint, Stina Nilsson. Jessie Diggins should not have outsprinted both of those people to win that medal. And that’s what was so miraculous about it. The reason she shouldn’t have is because she wasn’t that good of a skier yet.
That particular performance, everybody catches the last 11 seconds of it. If you go back and watch the whole thing, it’s the most sophisticated manipulation of a skiing competitor on a course that I’ve ever seen in an Olympic Games. She went out there and she suddenly took the sprint out of both of them, and she knew what she was doing. She went out and she tired them out so they couldn’t beat her in that stretch.
She’s come such a long way since that race. Between 2022 and now Jessie Diggins has become the best skier in the world, and she has won in classic technique. And even more importantly, she won the first women’s skiathlon of this year, which is the first event of the Olympics. [Note: Diggins finished eighth in the 2026 Olympic skiathlon after getting caught up in an early crash.]
Do you wish you were in Italy for the games rather than Stamford, Connecticut?
Absolutely.
Do you ever try to make the case for them to send you guys out there?
Not really, because, for one, I can’t do biathlon and cross-country if I go—I can do one or the other. In Vancouver and Sochi it worked because the two venues were walking distance from each other. With this one, the biathlon and cross-country are separated by two hours’ drive, so that’s impossible. And they want to get the most out of me as they can. And that’s great. But honestly, I would love to go back to the Olympics. I haven’t been there since Sochi. And I would love to go next time, but I just don’t think it’s gonna happen. That’s my hunch.
Do you interact at all with the other remote broadcasters? Like, do you guys cross paths in the break room or anything?
You mean the ones from other sports?
Yeah, like the short track guy, or the ski jumping guy.
We hang out with them a lot. I mean, [NBC ski jumping analyst] Johnny Spillane and I hang out all the time. We’re good friends. And [NBC Alpine skiing analyst] Steve Porino and I are very good friends.
Did he get pissed when, four years ago, I wrote a piece saying that you should be promoted to do Alpine skiing?
I think he understood. And I appreciate it. I mean, we talked about it, because I think what you were doing is you’re trying to bolster the positive aspects of a smaller, upstart sport, and a commentator who maybe doesn’t get his fair share of—how should I say this?—appreciation for what he does. But I told Porino, like, Tell Dan Hicks I didn’t say that.
Rhyl, Bangor City, Caernarfon and Flint Town all won to reach the JD Welsh Cup semi-finals [FAW]
Rhyl 1879 have been drawn against Cymru Premier side Caernarfon Town as their reward for reaching the JD Welsh Cup semi-finals.
Second-tier phoenix club Rhyl 1879 stunned six-time winners Barry Town 2-1 in the major shock of the quarter-finals and will aim to repeat the heroics when the semi-finals take place on 6-8 March.
Flint Town United, another Welsh top-flight side, will take on third-tier Bangor 1876, who created a shock of their own in the quarter-finals as they beat Cymru South side Caerau Ely 3-1.
Flint Town United beat third-tier Trearddur Bay 3-0 to reach the final four, while in the only all-Cymru Premier tie of the previous round, Caernarfon Town comfortably saw off Colwyn Bay 4-1.
That left four north Wales sides to contest the last four with the aim of reaching the final at Newport County's Rodney Parade home on Sunday, 12 April (15:15 GMT).
The Football Association of Wales rejected calls for the final to be moved closer to north Wales, sticking with Newport for the occasion.
The Seattle Seahawks once again reign triumphant, having reached the NFL's mountain top with a dominant 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. Seattle made plenty of history along the way, such as the fact they became the first team to win the Super Bowl without turning the ball over once in their playoff run. But among those who have etched their names into football lore is none other than the man who built this juggernaut: general manager John Schneider.
With his second championship, John Schneider became the first general manager in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowls with the same team... without any players or coaches from his first Super Bowl victory. In a league where shelf lives are not long for those who aren't producing championships on a regular basis, it truly speaks to how excellent Schneider is at his job that he's been able to consistently field quality football teams year in, year out. It also speaks to the stability of the Seahawks' organization to remain committed to a general manager like Schneider, and allowing him the proper runway and patience to let him craft something special.
When the Seahawks moved on from Pete Carroll, Schneider was promoted to President of Football Operations. Seattle was officially his team to run as the primary decision maker. Two years later, he has delivered another Lombardi.
Schneider was the 2025 Executive of the Year, and for good reason. His decisions to move on from both DK Metcalf and Geno Smith, replacing them with Cooper Kupp and Sam Darnold, proved to be the difference between a 10-7 team barely missing the playoffs and a 17-3 Super Bowl championship team. Not to mention his draft picks have been tremendous, such as left guard Grey Zabel, safety Nick Emmanwori, and defensive tackle Rylie Mills... who had a sack in the Super Bowl that summed up the entire evening for both Seattle and New England.
When the Seahawks drafted Rylie Mills, John Schneider said “if we wouldn’t have drafted him, I’m not sure if (defensive coordinator) Aden Durde would have showed up for work on Monday.” Faith well placed! pic.twitter.com/RtYaciW5Fk
Jun 14, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Virginia Cavaliers starting pitcher Evan Blanco (15) throws against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the seventh inning at Charles Schwab Filed Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
Welcome to the first game week of the season for Tennessee baseball. The Volunteers will open the Josh Elander era this weekend with a three-game series against Nicholls, and we now know who the three starting pitchers will be. Elander named Tegan Kuhns, Landon Mack and Evan Blanco as his top three to begin the season while speaking to the media on Monday.
“We’ll roll with Tegan Kuhns on Friday,” Elander said. “We’ll go Landon Mack on Saturday, and then Evan Blanco on Sunday. Think that puts us in the best position to have success out of the gate. I think you can make the argument where you can mix and match those guys in any capacity, but it was pretty cool. Got to call those guys one by one last night and let them know. But total confidence in all three of those guys and their ability to throw the baseball.”
Kuhns, a former big-time recruit, was in Tennessee’s rotation last season. The right-hander started ten total games for the Vols, going 2-4 with a 5.40 ERA. He finished the season with 40 strikeouts over 36 innings pitched.
Mack comes in from Rutgers, giving Tennessee another prized transfer portal addition. As a true freshman last season, Mack went 6-5 with a 4.03 ERA. He finished the season with 70 strikeouts against only 17 walks.
Blanco transfers in from Virginia to round out the rotation. The only lefty starter for Tennessee, Blanco comes in with 26 career starts under his belt. He had a 4.17 ERA for the Cavaliers, going 12-8 over the past three seasons.
“Landon, I think again, when I think of him there’s some Chase Dollander in there,” Elander said of Mack. “Just even some similarities in the delivery, but the compete factor is about as good as it gets. And the stuff is, it’s just gross to be honest. It’s really good stuff. It’s a real heater. Two breaking balls, a change that he’s made some adjustments with.
“And then Blanco, just maturity. It’s just again, you know what you’re going to get. It’s a very comforting feeling as a coach. He had, arguably, numbers wise, the best fall of any pitcher we had on the staff. But again, can really ride the heater, good separation on the change up. Has thrown in Omaha, has been in a lot of different roles.”
Elander also noted that left-hander Brandon Arvidson was “a little bit behind.” That’s another starter option for Tennessee, perhaps a bit down the road.
Could the NFL expand its limit on how many future years' draft picks teams can trade? The standard has been three years (since we're approaching the 2026 NFL Draft, teams can deal picks in 2027, 2028, and 2029), but other major sports leagues push it further downfield. That's led to more action at their trade deadlines and more aggressive action by front offices thirsty for star talent. It's easy to see the New Orleans Saints getting behind a movement to open up future years' draft picks for sale, and ESPN's Adam Schefter says it's already being discussed.
“But the funny thing is I had a conversation with somebody about that this week. And I'm gonna tell you right now there are going to be people in the NFL this offseason that push to have that limit grown to five years," Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show. "There is going to be a push by at least one team this offseason to extend the NFL trade limits from three years of picks to five years of picks.”
It isn't a bad idea to open up more avenues for teams to make moves. But the famously risk-averse NFL front offices may need some reassurances to throw their support behind this. Introducing NBA-style pick protections could do the trick. In the NBA, teams often protect picks in the top three, five, or ten slots to hold onto them and give up an unprotected first-round pick in the next year's draft instead.
Another suggestion comes from Over The Cap's Nick Korte, who proposed limiting trades in Year 4 or 5 to the final four rounds of the draft, and to require at least three separate trades in the first three drafts before allowing teams to deal their picks in Years 4 and 5. Those could be good rules of thumb for individual teams to follow but it may be too constrictive to get through a vote by all 32 team owners.
We'll see if anything comes of it when league ownership meetings kick off in April. But knowing Mickey Loomis, the Saints general manager has to be eager to push his chips in and gamble with some draft picks.
Former Giants coach Ray Handley died at the age of 81 late last week.
Via Doug Rush of FanSided.com, Handley’s nephew confirmed the news that the former coach had died last Thursday.
Handley succeeded Bill Parcells as Giants head coach in 1991 and held the job through the 1992 season. New York went 8-8 under Handley in 1991 and 6-10 under Handley in 1992.
He had formerly been the Giants’ offensive backfield coach until his promotion.
After he was fired by the Giants, he did not coach again.
Lindsey Vonn’s father said Monday that the American superstar will no longer race if he has any influence over her decision and that she will not return to the Winter Olympics after breaking her leg in the downhill over the weekend.
“She’s 41 years old and this is the end of her career,” Alan Kildow said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “There will be no more ski races for Lindsey Vonn, as long as I have anything to say about it.”
Kildow and the rest of Vonn’s family — a brother and two sisters, too — have been with Vonn while she is being treated at a hospital in Treviso following her fall and helicopter evacuation from the course in Cortina on Sunday.
The hospital late Sunday released a statement saying Vonn had undergone surgery on her left leg and the U.S. Ski Team said she was in stable condition. There have not been other updates since.
Kildow declined to comment on details of Vonn’s injuries, but he did address how she was doing emotionally.
“She’s a very strong individual,” Kildow said. “She knows physical pain and she understands the circumstances that she finds herself in. And she’s able to handle it. Better than I expected. She’s a very, very strong person. And so I think she’s handling it real well.”
Kildow — a former ski racer himself who taught his daughter to race — said he slept in his daughter’s hospital room overnight.
“She has somebody with her — or multiple people with her — at all times,” Kildow said. “We’ll have people here as long as she’s here.”
Kildow and the rest of Vonn’s family watched the crash from the finish area with all of the other spectators.
“First, the shock and the horror of the whole thing, seeing a crash like that,” Kildow said of what he felt watching the scene unfold. “It can be dramatic and traumatic. You’re just horrified at what those kinds of impacts have.
“You can go into a shock an emotional psychological shock,” he added. “Because it’s difficult to just accept what’s happened. But she’s well cared for. … And the USOC and the U.S. Ski team have a very, very top-notch doctor with her and she is being very well cared for here in Italy.”
Vonn raced the downhill despite tearing the ACL in her left knee nine days earlier in another crash.
“What happened to her had nothing to do with the ACL issue on her left leg. Nothing,” Kildow said. “She had demonstrated that she was able to function at a very high level with the two downhill training runs. … And she had been cleared by high level physicians to ski.”
Kildow said the crash was less a result of Vonn’s knee injury than the way she pushed the limits of her racing line to the point where she clipped a gate early in her run and got knocked out of control.
“There are times sometimes in any race, but especially in downhill, where you have to take a little speed off,” he said. “You can give yourself a little bit more leeway on the line so you don’t put yourself in a questionable position.”
Vonn, who holds the record of 12 World Cup victories in Cortina, returned to the circuit last season after nearly six years of retirement and after a partial titanium replacement surgery in her right knee. She won two downhills and finished on the podium in seven of the eight World Cup races that she finished this season — and came fourth in the other one.
“She won 84 World Cup races. And not many people do that,” Kildow said, referring to Vonn’s victory total, which place her second on the all-time women’s list behind teammate Mikaela Shiffrin’s record 108 wins.
“And there’s a hell of a lot of the difference between a speed race, a downhill especially, and a slalom,” Kildow added.
Vonn will not return to the Olympics to cheer on teammates or for anything else, Kildow said.
“No, she’s not that in kind of situation,” he said. “She will be going home at an appropriate point in time.”
Adrian Newey has admitted that Aston Martin ran out of time to paint its AMR26 Formula 1 car as it rushed to take part in the Barcelona shakedown last month.
However, the Silverstone-based team was able to enjoy a better final day as Fernando Alonso completed 61 laps of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in the all-black AMR26 – the squad’s first car overseen by managing technical partner Newey since his move from Red Bull.
At Aston Martin’s livery launch in Saudi Arabia, Newey conceded the team had no time available to paint the car for the Barcelona shakedown, which is why it ran in black rather than a special testing livery.
“It's great to see the car as we will race it. The car we ran briefly at Barcelona for a day-and-a-half, it was all black, partially in truth because we didn't have time to paint it,” Newey said. “And that was fabulous.
“Funny enough, Lawrence [Stroll] and I, when it first pulled out of the garage with Lance driving, we were standing next to each other in the pitlane. I think we were both quite close to having a tear in our eyes, because it's been a long, emotional journey of passion and a lot of hard work to get it to Barcelona.”
Aston Martin AMR26
Aston Martin AMR26
With the new Aston Martin in its familiar British Racing Green, the team is prepared to take part in the first Bahrain test on 11-13 February, where it will be joined by the other 10 F1 teams including Williams, which missed the entire Barcelona shakedown.
Newey, who has also stepped into the team principal role at Aston Martin following Andy Cowell’s job change at the squad, faces mounting expectation as the British team begins its new era as a works outfit through its new engine partnership with Honda.
The AMR26 is also the first F1 car to be fully developed in the Silverstone base's new wind tunnel as the Lawrence Stroll-owned team aims to become a competitive force following a difficult two years fading from regular podium finishers to midfield fighters.
Combined with the major changes to both the chassis and power unit regulations, Newey sees the new era in F1 as a golden opportunity for Aston Martin to profit.
“Whenever there's a big regulation change, there's always huge opportunities,” he said. “It's who spots what and which one ultimately proves to be the correct solution, only time will tell. We saw that in 2022 when the last big regulation change came out.
“Then, [at the] start of 2022, there's lots of different interpretations, solutions. In the end, one turned out to be the correct or the most appropriate one and that's what by the start of 2024, everybody started to converge on it.”
The Milwaukee Brewers made a surprising move Feb. 9, trading third baseman Caleb Durbin, infielder Andruw Monasterio and infielder/catcher Anthony Seigler to the Boston Red Sox for pitchers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan, and infielder David Hamilton.
Harrison, a left-hander who has mostly been a starter, is the centerpiece of the package coming back to the Brewers.
Here's what to know about him:
Where did Kyle Harrison come from?
Harrison is a California native who was drafted out of high school in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants.
He was traded to Boston in June 2025, with minor-leaguers Jose Bellow and James Tibbs and big-league pitcher Jordan Hicks, as the package for slugger Rafael Devers heading to San Francisco.
How old is Kyle Harrison?
He's 24 years old and will turn 25 in August. When he made his big-league debut in August 2023, he had just turned 22 years old, and he was regarded as the No. 1 prospect in the Giants organization by MLB Pipeline, ranked No. 18 in all of baseball.
He remained in that organizational top spot in 2024. He was named Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year in the Giants organization in 2022.
What are Kyle Harrison's stats in the big leagues?
Harrison has appeared in 42 games (37 starts), primarily with the Giants (three appearances for Boston). He has a 4.39 ERA in 195 innings, with 30 homers allowed and 191 strikeouts.
Some of his peripheral numbers such as Fielding Independent Pitching and Deserved Run Average indicate he’s been better than the results show.
Kyle Harrison was high school teammates with another Brewers prospect
Harrison attended De La Salle High School in Concord, California, at the same time as first baseman Blake Burke, Milwaukee's first-round pick in the 2024 draft. Burke went on to play college baseball at Tennessee.
What pitches does Kyle Harrison throw?
Harrison's success in the minors stemmed from his four-seam fastball, and he also throws a slider/curve hybird, but he has struggled to develop a consistent third pitch. He might have something with a sinker, however, that he hasn't used much at the big-league level.
Will Kyle Harrison make the opening-day rotation for the Brewers?
Presumably, he'll be strongly in the mix. The Brewers have several rotation options, including Brandon Woodruff, Quinn Priester, Jacob Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, Logan Henderson, Robert Gasser and newly acquired Brandon Sproat.
Of that mix, only Gasser is a left-hander like Harrison, and Harrison has more big-league appearances than all but Woodruff and Priester.
Woodruff, Henderson and Gasser are all coming off seasons in which they missed large swaths of the year with injury.
The Oklahoma Sooners are set at the quarterback position for the 2026 season. Their QB room currently consists of returning starter John Mateer, returning backups Whitt Newbauer and Jett Niu, and incoming true freshman Bowe Bentley. The only quarterback that OU has lost from last season is Michael Hawkins Jr., who transferred to West Virginia.
However, the Sooners are still looking for their quarterback in the 2027 recruiting class. Fifth-year head coach Brent Venables and second-year offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ben Arbuckle have been showing the love to one prospect in particular lately, as Oklahoma has visited him, and has set him up with a visit to Norman in March.
That player is Saraland (Alabama) High School's Jamison Roberts, a three-star QB prospect in the '27 class. On Monday, Chad Simmons, the director of recruiting for Rivals, reported that Roberts has narrowed his recruitment down to eight schools, and that OU is part of that bunch.
According to Simmons, the final eight programs vying for Roberts' services are Oklahoma, Auburn, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Kentucky, Iowa, Duke, and Northwestern. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound passer is the the No. 52 quarterback in the '27 class, according to On3, and the No. 22 player in the state of Alabama in their rankings.
NEWS: After having a monster junior season, Saraland (Ala.) QB Jamison Roberts is down to 8 schools.
Roberts is one of five quarterbacks that have received an offer from Oklahoma in the 2027 class. Nebraska commit Trae Taylor hasn't received much interest from OU since Arbuckle took the reins of the offense, but Arbuckle pursued LSU commit Peyton Houston hard, before losing out on him to the Tigers.
As far as uncommitted prospects go, both Jonathan Moore and Greydon Howell have also received offers from the Sooners, but OU may have designs of them playing different positions (defensive back and wide receiver, respectively) and the college level. Dane Weber took a visit to OU when the Sooners beat Missouri in November, but he has yet to receive an offer from Oklahoma.
Roberts has emerged as the clear-cut top priority for the Sooners at QB in 2027, and he's been linked to Oklahoma for some time now. He is a fast-rising prospect in his class, not unlike when Arbuckle identified Bentley as "his guy" early on in the '26 cycle, and then saw him turn into a four-star prospect. Arbuckle clearly likes what he sees in Roberts, despite just a three-star ranking at this point, and he'll try to lock down the dual-threat signal-caller as his quarterback in the '27 class.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions.You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
U.S. skier Breezy Johnson first noted the faulty medals after her gold-medal run in Sunday's alpine downhill competition. Johnson showed off her broken medal during her post-race news conference and told reporters that it fell apart from its ribbon as she was celebrating.
"I don't know that the Italians are known for their engineering," she told reporters. "I assume someone will fix it.”
Johnson also added a warning for her fellow medal winners.
"Don't jump in them," she said.
More broken medals
On Monday, U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu posted social video of her detached medal after securing gold alongside her teammates in Sunday's team final. She didn't seem too upset about it.
"My medal don't need the ribbon," Liu captioned while posting video of herself smiling with her medal and detached ribbon in opposite hands.
There's video evidence, meanwhile, of German biathlete Justus Strelow's medal falling apart from its ribbon. Strelow won his medal Sunday with his teammates in the mixed relay competition. As he jumped in celebration with his teammates, the medal fell from around his neck with a clang onto the tile floor below.
The medal mishap didn't appear to hinder the celebration.
It appears that all of the medals are breaking in the same manner. The bar that attaches medals to their ribbons is breaking away, and the medals are then falling to the ground away from the ribbons. Olympic officials have gotten the memo.
Olympic committee is 'working on it'
Andrea Francisi, the chief games operations officer for the Milan Cortina organizing committee, told the Associated Press on Monday that officials were working on a solution.
“We are aware of the situation, we have seen the images," Francisi said. "Obviously we are trying to understand in detail if there is a problem.
“But obviously we are paying maximum attention to this matter, as the medal is the dream of the athletes, so we want that obviously in the moment they are given it that everything is absolutely perfect, because we really consider it to be the most important moment. So we are working on it.”
What "working on it" means isn't exactly clear from Francisi's statement. But there appears to be good news for those athletes with broken medals.
Breezy Johnson says that her broken gold medal has since been replaced.
Andrew Milligan - PA Images via Getty Images
Johnson says she got a new, intact medal
It wasn't initially clear on Sunday if Johnson's medal would be replaced. Johnson confirmed late Sunday night to NBC that, indeed, she was given a new one. She just has to do some extra legwork to get it personalized.
"I was jumping, and the whole ribbon came off of the medal. And then they tried to fix it, but they couldn’t. So they gave me this one instead, and I have to go get it engraved," Johnson said, while showing off her new medal on NBC's late night Olympic show."
Johnson added that her medal broke within 15 minutes of receiving it.
“I don’t know if I have very many Olympic records," Johnson continued. "But I might have the shortest-lived Olympic medal record."
She also had a backup plan just in case the Olympic committee didn't replace her broken hardware:
“I was pretty sure that they would replace or fix it," she said. "Or, like, my dad’s a carpenter, so I was pretty sure we could do something about it."
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel gave credit to the Seattle Seahawks following the Patriots' 29-13 loss in Super Bowl LX. He also believes that some value can be taken from the devastating defeat if the team uses it as a teaching moment.
“It’s only valuable if we understand what it takes and what we’re gonna need to do to improve," Vrabel said after the game. "If we don’t do that, then it wouldn’t have been very valuable. “We had a really, really good year, and one that I’m proud of. But this game, I don’t think, is a reflection of our year. We lost, and we were beat, outcoached and outplayed and give them credit.”
Mike Vrabel was asked how a loss in Super Bowl LX could be valuable:
“It’s only valuable if we understand what it takes and what we’re gonna need to do to improve. If we don’t do that, then it wouldn’t have been very valuable.
The Seahawks' defense had the upper hand throughout the game.
New England's offense didn't score until the fourth quarter. The offensive line was completely overwhelmed by Seattle's defensive front, and quarterback Drake Maye, who was sacked six times, turned the ball over three times, including two interceptions and one strip sack fumble.
With that said, the defense played extraordinarily well against the Seahawks' offense. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez held First-Team All-Pro receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba to only four catches for 27 yards. Outside of a few explosive runs from Kenneth Walker III and one Sam Darnold touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, the defense did everything it could to keep the team in the game.
And it still wasn't enough.
The better team won on Sunday, and the Patriots will have to use the disappointment to make the necessary improvements and come back even stronger next season.
Montella: ‘Kenan Yildiz has some similarities’ with hero Del Piero
Turkiye coach Vincenzo Montella visited the Juventus training camp today and assured Kenan Yildiz ‘has immense potential and some similarities’ to Alessandro Del Piero.
The former Roma boss is taking the Turkish team to the 2026 World Cup this summer, so is visiting his home country to speak with some of the players available for selection.
DORTMUND, GERMANY – JUNE 18: Vincenzo Montella, Head Coach of Turkiye, gestures during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Turkiye and Georgia at Football Stadium Dortmund on June 18, 2024 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Montella was present at the Continassa training camp in Turin today, where he was a guest of Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti.
Of course, he was there to see Kenan Yildiz, who just signed a new contract with the Bianconeri until June 2031.
“He is a player with immense potential and is still developing. Kenan manages to combine natural talent with the right mentality, as he really wants to keep improving himself.
“I predict a future for him at the highest level for many years to come.”
Kenan Yildiz adores Del Piero
TURIN, ITALY – MARCH 29: Kenan Yıldız of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Juventus and Genoa at the Allianz Stadium on March 29, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
There were some references to Del Piero in the announcement of a new contract for Kenan Yildiz, who never disguised that Pinturicchio was his hero.
Wearing the Number 10 jersey, can he follow in Del Piero’s footsteps at Juve?
“There are some similarities, for example the way he shoots, and he has already scored some goals that are very similar to ones netted by Alex, but in terms of general characteristics, they are different,” noted Montella.
PSG: goalkeeper competition, Luis Enrique explains
PSG: goalkeeper competition, Luis Enrique explains
At the end of the Classique, which PSG won convincingly against OM this Sunday night, Luis Enrique spoke about his three goalkeepers.
On Sunday night, for the Ligue 1 clash against OM (5-0), Luis Enrique kept his faith in Matvey Safonov as his starting goalkeeper. Questioned about his hierarchy, the Spanish coach opened up about the current situation.
"I'm lucky to have three incredible goalkeepers. Lucas Chevalier, Renato Marin, and right now Safonov. Three keepers of the highest caliber. And more than talking about what each of them shows individually, what's important is that all three are ready to help the team in any match," the PSG manager stated in his press conference.
The young forward had been in brilliant form for his boyhood club Lorient at the time and was attracting strong interest from top clubs, including Real Madrid.
However, it was Premier League side AFC Bournemouth who captured his signing in February 2025, with the attacker eventually arriving in England during last summer.
Now 19 years old, Kroupi has enjoyed a fairly solid start to life in the Premier League. So much so that elite clubs are once again tracking him.
Real Madrid scout Kroupi
Indeed, according to journalist Rahman Osman, Real Madrid are one among multiple top teams to have sent scouts to watch Eli Junior Kroupi in action.
Real Madrid tracking Eli Junior Kroupi. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Apart from Los Blancos, Premier League giants Chelsea and Liverpool have also watched him in action while PSG, too, are also monitoring the teenage forward.
So far in his debut season in the Premier League, Kroupi, whose contract runs until 2030, has scored eight goals from 20 matches, averaging one every 106 minutes.
Given his strong start, Bournemouth are already working on offering Kroupi a new and improved contract, similar to something that they had handed Antoine Semenyo, who left the club for Manchester City in January.
For now, there is nothing concrete regarding Real Madrid’s interest in Kroupi beyond their regular scouting mission of the young forward.
With Endrick expected to return to the team after his loan spell at Lyon and Gonzalo Garcia also at the club, it seems unlikely Real Madrid will make a move for him unless one of the current forwards leave.
Sevilla FC released the official medical report for Joaquín Martínez, better known as "Oso," this Monday, following the severe blow he received during the last league match. The worst fears were confirmed after the player underwent diagnostic imaging tests at the sports city, setting off alarms in the first team's lineup.
Medical Diagnosis: Calf Injury
According to the Medical Services of the Seville club, the player suffers from a contusive myoaponeurotic injury in the internal calf of his left leg. This ailment is a direct consequence of a hard tackle received during last Sunday's match against Girona FC. As it is an injury affecting both the muscle and the membrane covering it (aponeurosis), the recovery process requires caution to avoid relapses.
Recovery Time and Progress
As is usual in these cases, the club has not specified an exact downtime, stating that the player is "pending evolution." However, this type of injury typically keeps athletes off the field for two to three weeks, depending on the severity of the bruise and the response to physiotherapy treatment. "Oso's" absence is a setback for the Seville coach during a demanding part of the schedule.
Erling Haaland delivers honest assessment of his form
Striker reflects on pressure and expectations
Erling Haaland delivers honest assessment of his form
Erling Haaland said fatigue is no excuse for his lower scoring in 2026 as Manchester City fight on four fronts.
“No Excuses” from City’s main striker
Erling Haaland has made it clear that tiredness will not be used to explain his recent dip in goals.
The Manchester City striker said he must do more to help the team stay in the race for four trophy this season.
Haaland’s comments came after City’s 2-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday, a match decided by his stoppage-time penalty.
The victory kept City six point clear of Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
Goals, Numbers and honest self-criticism
The 25 year-old has scored 28 goal in 36 match in all competitions this season.
However his league form has slowed. He has not scored from open play in Premier League since 20 December and has only three goal in his last 13 game.
Haaland admitted the numbers are not good enough. He said he needs more focus and improvement in every part of his game.
Last month, City manager Pep Guardiola said Haaland looked tired due to heavy schedule.
City remain active in the Premier League, Champions League, League Cup and FA Cup.
Busy schedule, big targets
City will face Arsenal in the League Cup final next month. They have also reached Champions League round of 16 and will play Salford City in the FA Cup fourth round.
Despite the pressure, Haaland refused to look for reasons outside the pitch. He said mental fatigue is real but it does not remove responsibility.
For him staying fit and ready to help the team is what matters most.
Journalist: Liverpool must make decision on Arne Slot’s future
David Lynch: Arne Slot’s Future at Liverpool Now Under Serious Scrutiny
After Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at Anfield, David Lynch delivered his most direct verdict yet on the uncertain future of manager Arne Slot. Speaking on Media Matters for Anfield Index, Lynch said the run of form has reached a point where questions around Slot’s long-term suitability are now unavoidable.
“We’ve seen 20 games now of really, really awful form from Liverpool with no kind of turning point in sight,” Lynch said, citing a league record of just 24 points from the last 20 matches. “This is not a knee-jerk reaction.”
Liverpool now sit sixth in the Premier League, four points behind fifth-placed Chelsea and with momentum working against them.
With Slot having just over one year left on his contract, the club must make a decision. Renew his contract or replace him, whether that be now or in the summer.
Champions League hopes fading, pressure rising
Lynch made it clear that the likelihood of Champions League qualification is almost non-existent. “I just think everybody needs to get their heads around now and completely accept that Liverpool will not be playing Champions League football next season,” he said.
And with that comes scrutiny for Slot. “If they get to the end of the season and this form is continued, the call has got to be to make a change to the manager. It just has to be,” Lynch stated. “There’s no way he can continue if the team plays this poorly till the end of the season.”
“No sufficient reason” for this level of underperformance
Lynch was especially critical of Liverpool’s performances relative to the squad at Slot’s disposal. “I really struggle to find sufficient reasons for Liverpool to be as bad as they are right now,” he said.
Comparisons were even drawn to the club’s past managerial failures. “Roy Hodgson had 25 points in 20 games. Slot’s sitting on 24. He’s got a far better squad,” Lynch said. “How is it this bad?”
Even mitigating circumstances, such as injuries, didn’t hold weight for Lynch. “If you told me Connor Bradley, Frimpong and Gomez being out was going to cause your season to completely collapse, I would’ve laughed at that.”
Patience, but not without limits
While Lynch acknowledged the club’s desire to be seen as patient and process-driven, he believes there’s a limit. “Once he got past the PSV game and survived that, I was on board with giving him the chance to make this right,” he admitted. But he stressed, “Unless Liverpool just lose and lose and lose, I think it will run to the end of the season — but that cannot mean he’s safe no matter what.”
Lynch also pushed back on the idea that Slot would automatically be retained regardless of how the campaign ends. “I don’t agree with anyone who’s saying Slot is safe no matter what. No way. Not with this form.”
Photo: IMAGO
Decision time looms for Liverpool hierarchy
With Slot entering the final year of his contract next season, Lynch believes a clear decision must be made in the summer. “I would be quite surprised if he goes into the final year of his contract without a decision having been made either way,” he said. “That creates pressure to make a call — and with the evidence they’ve got at the moment, that call has got to be to make a change.”
When UCF welcomed quarterback Alonza Barnett III into its 2026 transfer class, the Knights not only gained a starter capable of leading them to the College Football Playoff but also brought much-needed stability to a position that was in dire need of a shakeup.
It was pretty clear midway through last season that UCF (5-7) was in desperate need of an upgrade at quarterback if the Knights wanted to contend in the Big 12.
The departures of quarterbacks Tayven Jackson, Cam Fancher, Jacurri Brown and Davi Belfort left UCF with a clean slate heading into the upcoming season and opened the door for the Knights to begin the process of evaluating their next starting quarterback.
“A lot of the quarterback evaluation has been going on for a long time,” coach Scott Frost said recently.
Barnett had been on UCF’s radar for some time, as noted by Trent Mossbrucker, the program’s general manager of football player personnel.
“You start to identify and believe that people are going to go unto the portal for one reason or another,” Mossbrucker said. “They were having a great year at JMU. Then you start hearing coaching rumors, and if a coach leaves, you start identifying people on their roster. That’s how Alonza came up.”
After leading the Dukes to a victory in the Sun Belt Conference championship on Dec. 7, JMU coach Bob Chesney accepted the UCLA job, but he remained with the team for their first-round College Football Playoff game against Oregon.
“He [Barnett] becomes a guy that’s on your radar. Now you can go back and watch all the games that he played and feel very comfortable about that,” added Mossbrucker. “You have a big list, about 50 guys. Then you whittle that list down to the 12 guys who will be realistic once this thing really opens up.”
Eventually, the Knights circled in on the 22-year-old Barnett, who had led James Madison to an 11-1 regular season that was capped off with a 31-14 win over Troy in the SBC championship and a spot in the Playoff field.
The redshirt junior was named conference Offensive Player of the Year after combining for 3,395 total yards and 38 total touchdowns.
“What I love more than anything about Alonza is that he’s a winner, he’s a proven winner,” said Frost. “When you’re a really good team, you have exceptional leadership from that position. You have somebody who’s tough at that position, that other people want to get behind and play for and believe in.
“So, not even speaking about the talent that he brings, I’m really impressed with his demeanor and excited about the level of toughness and leadership that we should get from him.”
It was important, in the grand scheme of things, that UCF land a quarterback early when the 15-day transfer window opened on Jan. 2. That’s why the Knights wasted little time signing Barnett two days later on Jan. 4.
“There are a lot of skill players that when you talk to their agents about potentially coming to our school, one of the first questions is: who is the quarterback going to be?” Frost explained. “That made it a priority for us for more reasons than the obvious. It was certainly one of the first dominoes that needed to fall in order for us to fill out the team that we were able to bring in.”
Barnett’s signing was a huge piece of UCF’s offseason blueprint, but he wasn’t the only addition to help solidify the quarterback position. The Knights also signed transfers Keyone Jenkins and Kaleb Annett.
Jenkins, a 6-0 dual-threat quarterback from FIU, appeared in 33 games (20 starts) over three seasons with the Panthers. He amassed 6,713 passing yards with 42 touchdowns and 25 interceptions, while also rushing for 312 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Annett signed late in the process, after seeing limited action at Boise State.
Rounding out the room are Rocco Marriott and Dante Carr, a pair of true freshmen who signed as part of the Knights’ 2026 recruiting class.
While UCF enters this upcoming season with a clear-cut starting quarterback, unlike last season, that doesn’t mean there won’t be a competition for Barnett’s backup.
“I’m looking forward to getting him with the rest of the guys and just seeing how all of it comes together,” Frost said of Barnett. “We’re definitely approaching this year with what we have as our No. 1. The battle is really for two, three and beyond.”
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.
Celtic have 48 points to their name this season and occupy 3rd position in the table. In their last game, Martin O´Neill's team won 2-1 against Dundee FC (Scottish Cup 2025/26).
Livingston currently have 11 points and lie in 12th position. In their last game, David Martindale's team lost 1-2 against Falkirk (Scottish Premiership 2025/26).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with Celtic winning 4-2.
Report: Liverpool have joined the race to sign talented Bundesliga star
Liverpool Target Konstantinos Koulierakis as Wolfsburg Brace for Summer Interest
Liverpool are assessing defensive options ahead of the summer window, with Konstantinos Koulierakis emerging once again as a prominent name under consideration. The Merseyside club’s recruitment team continue to monitor the 22-year-old as they plan for potential changes at centre back, particularly with contract situations and long term succession planning in mind.
Arne Slot, who guided Liverpool to the Premier League title in 2024-25, is expected to oversee a refresh of the defensive unit at the end of the current campaign. Results during 2025-26 have fluctuated, underlining the need for added depth and reliability at the back.
Defensive Planning at Anfield
Liverpool’s recent 2-1 defeat to Manchester City highlighted both their ability to compete and the vulnerabilities that have appeared at key moments this season. The club remain confident in the core of their squad, yet there is recognition that further reinforcement in central defence would strengthen competition for places.
Jeremy Jacquet is due to arrive in the summer, which will increase the number of centre back options available to Slot. However, uncertainty around Ibrahima Konate’s future and ongoing fitness concerns elsewhere in the department mean Liverpool are continuing to explore the market.
Konstantinos Koulierakis has been linked with Anfield previously, and interest has now intensified. According to a report from Fussballdaten, the Greece international is viewed as one of the “most promising centre-backs in Europe.” Liverpool are understood to be among the clubs tracking his development closely as part of their long term planning.
Photo: IMAGO
Interest Across Europe in Konstantinos Koulierakis
Competition for the Wolfsburg defender is expected. Tottenham and Inter Milan are also monitoring the situation, creating the prospect of a three way contest should Wolfsburg open the door to negotiations.
Koulierakis has been placed on Liverpool’s shortlist as a potential successor profile in central defence, with his age and trajectory aligning with the club’s strategy of securing players before they reach peak market value. His progression in the Bundesliga has drawn attention from several recruitment departments across Europe.
Wolfsburg Prepare for Potential Exit
Wolfsburg are already assessing contingency plans. The German side are believed to be identifying “potential successors” as it becomes “increasingly difficult” to retain Koulierakis beyond the end of the 2025-26 season.
Contract timelines at Liverpool further shape the context. Deals for Konate and Andy Robertson are due to expire at the conclusion of the campaign, placing added emphasis on proactive recruitment. Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes are expected to evaluate multiple centre back targets, though Koulierakis stands out as one of the most compelling options available.
The Greek defender’s development path has invited comparisons with players who have moved from Wolfsburg to the Premier League at a young age and adapted quickly. Liverpool’s analysis will centre on whether his physical profile, distribution, and defensive awareness can translate to English football demands.
The transfer window remains some distance away, yet groundwork is clearly being laid. Liverpool’s presence among the clubs tracking Konstantinos Koulierakis signals intent to address defensive depth, while Wolfsburg’s preparation suggests movement around the player could gather pace in the months ahead.
Lindsey Vonn during the Downhill Training of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
Lindsey Vonn broke her leg while competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Feb. 8
The three-time Olympic medalist came out of retirement to ski in the games
Vonn is reportedly in "stable condition" after her injury
Lindsey Vonn came out of retirement to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but her triumphant return to the slopes was heartbreakingly brief.
On Feb. 8, the three-time Olympic medalist suffered an injury when she crashed during her run in the women's downhill final at the Milan Cortina games. Vonn's connection to Cortina is a personal one, and the location of this year's Olympic Games inspired her decision to compete again.
“Honestly, I don’t know if I would have done this if it wasn’t at Cortina," she told PEOPLE in January 2026. “It’s where I got my first podium [placing third at the 2004 World Cup]. I also broke the women’s World Cup record there.”
Vonn added that race was "one of the few" that both of her parents attended. “So it’s a very special place for me," she said.
After previously retiring from the sport in 2019, Vonn made history as the oldest woman to compete in Alpine racing at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
“I built an amazing life and was really happy in retirement,” she revealed to PEOPLE. “But I didn’t finish my career the way I wanted to. I was limping away when I wanted to finish strong.”
However, after a brutal crash on the slopes, her Olympic return didn't go as planned.
Here's what happened to Lindsey Vonn at the 2026 Winter Olympics, and if she will be hitting the slopes again at the games.
What happened to Lindsey Vonn at the Olympics?
Lindsey Vonn of Team United States crashes during the Women's Downhill
IOC via Getty
Vonn was injured on Feb. 8, while competing in the women's downhill final at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The incident occurred just seconds in, after she passed a marker during her run. According to CBS News, it appeared she clipped a flag on the side of the course, which sent her flipping and spinning in the air before landing and hitting her head on the ground.
"That definitely was the last thing we wanted to see," Vonn's sister Karin Kildow said on NBC's broadcast shortly after. "It happened quick. So when that happens you’re just immediately hoping she’s okay. It was scary because when you start to see the stretchers being put out, that is not a good sign."
How severe was her injury?
Lindsey Vonn is transported by helicopter after crashing in the women's downhill event
Francois-Xavier MARIT / AFP via Getty
Vonn broke her leg at the 2026 Winter Olympics, according to the Associated Press.
She remained on the slopes for minutes after crashing during the women's downhill final. As the medical team attended to her, Vonn could be heard yelling, "Oh my God," in pain.
She was strapped to a stability board and airlifted by helicopter to the hospital.
Did her previous injury play a role in her crash at the Olympics?
Lindsey Vonn of Team United States inspects the course prior to the Women's Downhill training
Julian Finney/Getty
Vonn's winter sports career includes countless injuries, with the Feb. 8 incident being the latest.
When Vonn came out of retirement to ski at the 2026 Winter Olympics, she was doing so after undergoing a partial titanium knee replacement in 2024, which inspired her to consider racing again.
"My body was so different,” she told PEOPLE. “I didn’t have any pain at all; my knee didn’t swell. I felt like I could do anything. The thought of ski racing again, something I loved to do so much, but without pain, was really exciting.”
On Jan. 30, just nine days before her crash at the Olympics, Vonn "completely ruptured" her ACL in a World Cup race in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, but she still vowed to compete in the Milan Cortina games.
"It was painful initially after the crash," Vonn said during a Feb. 3 press conference. "I had a feeling it was bad, but I held out hope until I saw the MRI in front of me. But I have not cried, I have not deviated from my plan."
As for medaling at the Olympics following her ACL injury, Vonn said, "I think this would be the best comeback I've done so far. The most dramatic, that's for sure."
What is Lindsey Vonn’s condition since her crash?
Lindsey Vonn of Team United States skis during the Women's Downhill training
Mattia Ozbot/Getty
Vonn is in stable condition, per the U.S. Ski Team, according to the AP.
In a statement, the Ca' Foncello hospital announced she “underwent an orthopedic operation to stabilize a fracture reported in her left leg."
Anouk Patty, chief of sport for U.S. Ski and Snowboard, said Vonn will "be OK, but it’s going to be a bit of a process."
"This sport’s brutal and people need to remember when they’re watching (that) these athletes are throwing themselves down a mountain and going really, really fast," Patty continued.
Will she return to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Lindsey Vonn of Team United States of America prepares to ski during the Women's Downhill training
Julian Finney/Getty
Vonn is still recovering from her crash on Feb. 8. She didn't finish her race, but her teammate Breezy Johnson still took home gold for Team USA in the event.
Even as Vonn was being airlifted to a hospital, she was celebrating Johnson.
"Her coach said she was cheering for me in the helicopter, so I hope for the best for her," Johnson told reporters. "I hope that it’s not too bad. My heart aches for her. It’s such a brutal sport sometimes.”
Johnson added that the difficulty of the sport is part of the "beauty and the madness" of skiing. "It can hurt you so badly but you keep coming back for more," said Johnson.
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.
Jutta Leerdam already won a silver at the 2022 Olympics, but now? The Dutch speedskater is an Olympic gold medalist at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. It's an incredible achievement.
And fiancé Jake Paul -- the boxer and YouTuber -- was there to take it in. Video from that moment showed him in tears as he took in the fact that his soon-to-be-wife not only won gold, but she set a new Olympic record with a time of 1:12.31.
Every time the NYU women’s basketball team steps onto the court, it feels unmistakably New York — the confidence, the soundtrack, the sense that the stage belongs to it. Think Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” echoing in the background — the kind of swagger that suggests the Violets see themselves the way Frank Sinatra once sang about New Yorkers: King of the hill/top of the heap.
Now, the numbers back it up. With a 69-58 win over Carnegie Mellon on Sunday, NYU set a Division III women’s basketball record of 82 consecutive victories. The Violets broke the longstanding mark set by Washington University of St. Louis between 1998 and 2001, when the program reeled off 81 straight wins, and improved to 20-0 this season.
“It’s been an interesting journey,” NYU head coach Meg Barber told The Athletic. “You know, on its surface, it really was just about winning a tough conference game on the road and just trying to go 1-0, but from an outside noise perspective, the team was obviously aware of the record and what that singular game would mean for this program, potentially being in the record books.
“We didn’t win a conference championship or national championship yesterday, and the streak was never the goal,” she added, “but I am really proud of the players, our staff, our support staff that have built this from the ground up and could enjoy that moment together.”
How dominant has NYU been during this nearly three-year undefeated streak? Since the team’s last loss in the Elite Eight of the 2023 Division III postseason tournament, only four teams have kept the Violets’ margin of victory to fewer than 10 points: Carnegie Mellon, which lost 58-57 a week before Sunday’s rematch; Case Western, which lost by 8 points Friday; and the University of Chicago and Whittier College, which lost by 6 and 8 points, respectively, during the 2023-24 season.
With the DIII record in the books, the only benchmarks on the horizon for NYU belong to some of the most historic teams in college basketball — the UCLA Bruins, who hold the men’s record with 88 straight wins between 1971 and ’74, and the UConn women, who set the overall NCAA record with 111 consecutive victories between 2014 and ’17 and who previously won 90 straight from 2008 to ’10.
Barber, who played at NYU from 1998 to 2002, returned as coach in 2018 and built it into a juggernaut. “Before I even took the job, I called (associate head coach Nettie Respondek) and said, ‘Listen, I know one thing about this place, and it’s that we can win a national championship,’” Barber said in a January interview with The Athletic. “But I want to do it with people that I want to be around every day. And I want it to be a really fun, but competitive and uplifting experience.”
Every dynasty has an origin story, and for NYU, it started with a statement. During Barber’s first season as head coach, she pulled her players — most of whom she hadn’t recruited — and set the tone immediately. “I want every team in this league to hate us,” she said. “I want that target on our backs.”
That defiant attitude is part of the program’s identity. The Violets know they’re being chased, that their University Athletic Association conference foes circle “NYU” on their schedules and muster their best efforts to dethrone the back-to-back defending national champions.
In Sunday’s record-setting win, the Violets needed every bit of that edge on the road against a Carnegie Mellon team that nearly beat them just a week before. NYU senior guard/forward Caroline Peper poured in 27 points to lead the team, including a 3 that narrowly beat the shot clock with a little more than two minutes remaining, which stretched NYU’s lead to 10 points and snuffed the Tartans’ hopes of mounting a late comeback.
Peper, the only player on NYU’s roster who was in uniform for the program’s last loss in 2023, has leaned into her leadership role this season. “As the only senior on the team, my goal this year has been to bridge the gap from last year to this year and moving forward,” Peper said to NYU Athletics. “I don’t take the NYU Sisterhood lightly, and I want to make sure that the bond is even stronger.”
As the Violets look to extend their streak and pursue a national championship three-peat, Barber continues to emphasize the game-by-game approach that has gotten NYU this far.
“We’re trying to stack together wins to get a conference championship in the UAA,” the coach said. “And down the road, if we’re fortunate enough, to compete for our third consecutive national championship.”
BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 3: Marcelo Mayer #39 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the dugout during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Fenway Park on August 3, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Never say never, but with the Caleb Durbin deal, it looks like the Red Sox are done tinkering in the infield. The timing of the deal is interesting because, just this morning, Alex Speier gave us this report about the Red Sox efforts to acquire All-Star Ketel Marte:
According to multiple league sources, the Sox were open to dealing a package headlined by Franklin Arias and either Payton Tolle or Connelly Early in exchange for Marte. However, when Arizona sought a package led by Marcelo Mayer and one of the pitchers, the Sox declined.
Toll/Early and Mayer is a big haul… but Marte is a hell of a player and he’s locked up until 2031. Should Craig Breslow have pulled the trigger?
Ligue 1 Review | Tensions and poor results sees Rennes call time on Habib Beye
And with a four-sentence communiqué, Habib Beye’s time in charge of Stade Rennais was brought to a close on Monday morning. Rennes message confirming that they would be relieving the head coach of his duties was short and lacking in any of the usual warmth or well-wishes that accompany dismissals, as they moved to clear house, removing Beye and his myriad assistants.
Beye’s tenure had just passed its one-year anniversary on the 30th of January, and yet in that time, he had already once before come narrowly close to losing his job. When a poor run of results back in October saw Beye step onto the hangman’s block, with Rennes unable to secure a victory in six games (five draws and one defeat). One outlet even reported prematurely that he had been sacked.
Instead, he would delay his fate. Results picked up, and he led Rennes to six wins from their remaining seven games to close out 2025. The only game they didn’t pick up a result from was a defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. The feeling around the club as they entered the winter break was that this was a team ready to return to its place in French football as a European challenger.
Rennes- A Stuttering European Challenger
Victories over Lille OSC and amateur side US Chantilly seemed to carry the momentum into the new year, but Rennes’s would soon after flatline. A draw with Le Havre AC would be followed by defeats to FC Lorient, AS Monaco, Olympique de Marseille in the Coupe de France, and finally over the weekend to ten-man RC Lens.
Beye would say in the wake of the defeat on Saturday to Lens, “I’m very aware of what needs to be done, in terms of work and commitment, to get the club out of this slump… I want to show that my passion and desire remain intact despite the difficulties.” Even after losing to Lens, Rennes were still sixth in the table and in contention for the European places, but something had finally snapped.
As L’Équipe reported in the Coupe de France elimination to Marseille, tensions arose between Beye and senior members of his squad, including Musa Al-Tamari and club vice captain Brice Samba. Samba was then not included in the matchday squad for the next game against Lens. Instead, Beye handed 20-year-old Mathys Silistrie his league debut.
Rennes’ Patience with Habib Beye Worn Thin
Beye said of his decision, “When we decided that Mathys is the no. 2, it’s normal that he plays.” Only the situation wasn’t normal. Silistrie was jetisoned into a high-stakes game against one of the league’s best sides, when he had only been trusted in one previous match, the victory in December over amateur club Les Sables Vendée. So no, it wasn’t normal. But it was certainly part of a repeated pattern of behaviour from Beye.
The former Red Star head coach had shown a heavy hand when it came to man-management and dealing with conflict. He was quick to exclude players from the squad when he felt their commitment wasn’t good enough, like in October, when he dropped Ludovic Blas and Seko Fofana. The latter of which was allowed to leave on loan in winter, while Blas has been unable to reearn his starting spot in the team.
And while Beye was allowed to drop Samba in a brazen act of cutting off his nose to spite his face, Rennes’ trust in their head coach had finally run out. Bad results and terrible man-management proved to be too risky a combination for a club that is still within the race for Europe.
This week’s Ligue 1 Sub-Plots
With Beye exiting the building, Franck Haise looks as if he will be next in line for the Rennes hot seat. The former Lens head coach has been out of work since he left OGC Nice in December by mutual consent. Read the full story HERE.
Marseille had dared to dream at the start of the season that they could challenge PSG. However, on Sunday night, they were reminded of the gulf that still separates the two sides. It was utter humiliation for Roberto de Zerbi’s men as they were spanked 5-0 by their eternal rivals. Read all about it HERE.
After a bright start to management in France, Gary O’Neil has faced two setbacks in rapid succession as his RC Strasbourg Alsace have fallen to two consecutive league defeats. A loss to PSG last weekend was followed by a shock 2-1 defeat to Le Havre AC on Sunday, as Ligue 1’s oldest club schooled its youngest squad. Read how it happened HERE.
TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 16: Foster Griffin #29 of the Yomiuri Giants pitches in the top of the first inning during the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Paul Toboni’s first offseason as Nationals President of Baseball Operations has been an intriguing one. He made plenty of moves, but most of them have been with the future in mind. That is a smart strategy, but part of me wonders about the state of this team in 2026. They are not going to be good, but I worry about the possibility of bottoming out.
There are plenty of holes on this roster, and Toboni has not provided solutions, at least for 2026. We wrote about how the Nats need to make a couple more additions before the season starts. Leaving such glaring holes feels risky to me. However, Paul Toboni has been unafraid to accept risk this offseason.
The one free agent signing he has made is a good example of that. Instead of going for a proven MLB innings eater to fill the back of the rotation, Toboni took an interesting flier. He signed Foster Griffin to a one-year $5.5 million deal. Griffin had a dominant three year run in Japan, but he is 30 years old and only has 8 MLB innings under his belt.
In 3 seasons (2023-25) with Yomiuri (@TokyoGiants):
⚾️18–10 with a 2.57 ERA in 54 starts ⚾️9.1 SO/9.0 IP ⚾️2.0 BB/9.0 IP ⚾️Central League All-Star in 2025 (6-1, 1.52 ERA 87 SO in 89.0 IP) https://t.co/UdIeCyELLS
There is some reason to believe that this could be a strong signing though. Griffin added a few new pitches in Japan and became one of the better arms in the NPB. His last few seasons in Japan compare favorably to Shota Imanaga, who has been a front of the rotation arm for the Cubs. The projection systems actually think Griffin will be solid, with Fangraphs projecting a 4.11 ERA season.
If Griffin can give you an ERA of around 4 for 150 innings, that would be a good contract. However, he is an unproven soft-tosser and the Nats are relying on him to be a solid starter in the heart of their rotation. This is a major risk, even for a rebuilding team.
Toboni’s handling of the bullpen this offseason has also been risky. Last season, the Nats had the worst bullpen ERA in all of baseball at 5.59. Despite that, Toboni traded away the Nats best reliever and has not signed a bullpen arm in free agency. He has been active on the waiver wire and is hoping for internal development.
This plan could work, and is something worth trying. A lot of the best bullpens are not the ones that have the biggest names. Relievers are very volatile assets. You can create a solid bullpen out of thin air, and that is exactly what Toboni plans to do. The Nats have some promising arms that Toboni and the coaching staff will look to develop.
Paul Toboni has made the worst bullpen in baseball last year even worse on paper. I took a look at some guys he could be counting on to make big steps and why he has faith https://t.co/aBrOIbnea8
The bullpen battle in Spring Training is something I will be monitoring closely. I am curious to see which pitchers emerge. There are likely to be a couple arms who have added velocity or tweaked their pitch mix. The question is which ones.
Finally, the biggest move Paul Toboni made this offseason was also a risky one. Trading MacKenzie Gore was not a risky move, but the return is high variance. I actually think holding on to Gore would have been the risky option. However, the Nats decided to take a high risk package from the Texas Rangers.
Full trade, per ESPN sources:
Rangers get: LHP MacKenzie Gore
Nationals get: 3B Gavin Fien, SS Devin Fitz-Gerald, RHP Alejandro Rosario, 1B Abimelec Ortiz and and OF Yeremy Cabrera
A big return for the Nationals. Fien was the 12th pick last year. Evaluators love Fitz-Gerald.
Instead of taking a deal with a true headliner, Toboni went for a quantity over quality package. Most of the players in the deal are multiple years away from the big leagues. The three main pieces in the deal are a 19 year old, a 20 year old and a pitcher who will miss two straight seasons due to injury.
If these guys hit, Toboni will look like a genius and the Nats farm will be one of the best in baseball. However, there is also a chance that he will regret not taking a deal with more proven commodities. Even for prospects, these guys are high risk.
Overall, Toboni has made a few moves he might regret. However, he also could look very smart. Either way, these deals are also not shots in the dark. They are part of a real strategy and long term vision. He trusts himself and the coaches to develop these players and get the best out of them.
Plenty of these moves make me nervous, but they also make me excited. Let me know which move makes you the most nervous in the comments. What is one move that you really like and what is a move you think Toboni could regret? It has been an interesting offseason, and I am excited to see it play out.
Brentford have teamed up with Fantasy Football Scout to help bring you hints, tips and advice during the 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season.
Scout will be using their expertise to provide info, advice and Gameweek tips which may prove useful in ensuring you sit on top of your mini-leagues.
Best of the Bees
Gameweek 25 brought a second consecutive away win at one of the league’s toughest grounds.
After scoring the only goal for ten-man Brentford at Villa Park, Dango Ouattara (£5.8m) starred once again versus Newcastle United.
Minutes after Vitaly Janelt (£4.9m) blocked a shot on the line, he successfully headed a deep Ouattara cross past the goalkeeper.
Then, on the verge of half-time, the Burkinabe set up a Mathias Jensen (£4.9m) opportunity that hit a hand, allowing Igor Thiago (£7.0m) to score from the spot and end his three-match goalless run. Expect the centre-forward to be bought by many FPL managers from Gameweek 27 onwards.
Rounding off another superb performance, Ouattara reached a lofted Jensen pass and fired home the winner. This 12-point tally was his fourth double-digit haul of the season.
The Spotlight
Meanwhile, centre-back Kristoffer Ajer (£4.4m) once again secured defensive contribution (DefCon) points. Having been in and out of Brentford’s line-up during this season’s early months, the Norwegian has started eight league matches in a row.
In this period, he’s bagged three clean sheets and five DefCon rewards. James Tarkowski (£5.8m) and Pascal Struijk (£4.3m) are the only defenders to accumulate more of such qualifying actions (clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles) than his 88.
Although Ajer is without any attacking returns so far this season, he’s come close from a couple of headed efforts.
The Bees face three of the bottom five teams over the next six outings, which should encourage many to invest in a backline that’s starting to look solid.
Best of the Rest
Joining Ouattara on 12 points were Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot (£4.5m) and Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres (£8.7m). The former added an assist to his clean sheet, whereas the latter netted twice past Sunderland.
In fact, the only players to outscore these were Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£4.9m) and Chelsea star Cole Palmer (£10.5m).
A lot of FPL managers have cautiously stayed away from Palmer because he’s seemingly having his minutes managed. Missing the recent trip to Crystal Palace didn’t quash such game-time uncertainty.
But his 60 minutes against Wolverhampton Wanderers included a first-half hat-trick and a total of 20 points. Well done to the almost 232,000 who riskily placed their captain’s armband on him.
In Demand
Remember, there’s a quick turnaround before this deadline. All transfers and team decisions need to be made by 6pm GMT on Tuesday 10 February.
Not only that, but it’s this campaign’s first Double Gameweek, as Arsenal and Wolves feature twice. So, it’s no surprise to see the Gunners names dominate the most-bought list.
Gyökeres is starting to look confident, all-rounder Declan Rice (£7.5m) combines Defensive Contributions with set-piece supremacy and the occasional goal, while millions of managers will want to double or triple-up on a defence that has kept four clean sheets in their last five matches.
Other popular purchases are Bruno Fernandes (£9.8m) and João Pedro (£7.6m).
Captaincy
Logically, it makes sense to captain someone who’ll play twice rather than once. More appearance points, more time to score.
That immediately thrusts Arsenal and Wolves individuals into the frame.
Captaining a defender is rare, but many will see Gabriel Magalhães (£7.1m) as the answer. Part of the league’s meanest backline, he’s often the target of their much-publicised set-piece success. That makes him a genuine goal threat, too.
Of the one-time performers, check out Erling Haaland (£14.9m) at home to Fulham andFernandesversus West Ham United.
BYU head coach Kevin Young reacts during the second half of a basketball game against the Eastern Washington Eagles at the Marriott Center in Provo on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Even after four consecutive losses, BYU is sticking around in the AP Top 25.
The Cougars came in at No. 22 in Monday’s latest rankings, having been ranked each week this season after opening at No. 8 in the preseason poll.
BYU is joined by five other Big 12 squads in this week’s poll — No. 1 Arizona, No. 3 Houston, No. 5 Iowa State, No. 9 Kansas and No. 16 Texas Tech.
In KenPom, the Cougars are also ranked No. 22, while sitting at No. 18 in NET.
BYU will look to get back to its winning ways and potentially jump higher in the AP poll this week by facing Baylor on the road Tuesday before returning back to Provo to host Colorado on Saturday.
Editor’s note: Jackson Payne is a voter for the AP Top 25 poll.
MILAN — Jake Oettinger is having a blast rooming with Jeremy Swayman and playing cribbage. Of course, there's a different kind of game both hope to play during their two weeks in Italy.
U.S. men's hockey coach Mike Sullivan won't say who will be in net when the Americans play their first match at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday, Feb. 12 against Group C cohort Latvia. But it was Connor Hellebuyck who spent all of Monday's practice at Santagiulia Hockey Arena in one net while Oettinger and Swayman split the other one.
It's a sign, but not a certainty, and reflects the depth from which Sullivan will choose: Hellebuyck is the NHL's reigning MVP, Oettinger has the most playoff experience and Swayman the best save percentage of the three.
"There's lots of things that weigh into it," Sullivan said. "I'm not going to sit here and share the internal conversations we have and how we make lineup decisions, but what I will tell you is that we feel like regardless of which guy we put in net, we have three elite goaltenders, all of which will give us an opportunity to win.
"That we know. So we'll do our best to make the best decisions for the team, and that's the discussion we have with our goaltenders. That's how we'll go about our business."
Sullivan's Canadian counterpart, Jon Cooper, has kept mum about his starter too, but Jordan Binnington projects to have the edge on Darcy Kuemper and Logan Thompson, having been Canada's starter at last year's 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
Cooper disputed the notion that Canada's depth in net isn't as strong as the Americans.
"Has Canada had a string of goaltenders that have been exceptional, Hall of Famers? They have," he said. "Have they been a part of this tournament and won? They have. To me, Carey Price goes down as one of the greatest goalies of his generation and of all time. He was a winner. We have those guys. Some of these guys may not go down as generational goaltenders, but they're Stanley Cup winners. They have championship pedigree. They've made the big saves at the times they've needed to.
"I watched that in Darcy Kuemper in my own building in Tampa. I watched it in Jordan Binnington. I've watched Logan Thompson the last two years. They're as good as anybody, and what they've done for us not only last year but as teammates - I mean we have all the faith in the world in them."
Hellebuyck started three of the Americans' games at 4 Nations, and Oettinger the other. Swayman comes into these games with a .903 save percentage in 38 games, higher than Hellebuyck (.900 in 36 games) and Oettinger (.897 in 37 games).
Dylan Larkin said he wasn't curious who'll be starting against Latvia, because, "we have three unbelievable goalies there."
Hellebuyck pointed out that, "we'll know soon enough," who is starting. "We all get along great. Like right from day one I think we all connected on the same level. They’re fun to be around.
“I just think this tournament is going to be fun. Everyone is going to give it their all.”
The three have been one another's biggest fans in the two practices, and all stressed the camaraderie aspect of their relationship.
"It's wonderful," Swayman said. "It's an incredible trio that I'm so grateful to be a part of. Just getting to learn from these guys every day and compete with them and bond with them off the ice, it's a real pleasure."
Oettinger said, "It's a great group of guys to be around and fun to learn from them and see what makes them so good. I think all three of us are just, whoever gets their number called has got to be ready to go."
In the meantime, there's life in the Athletes Village to enjoy. Swayman, Oettinger said, "is the best. He's my roommate, so we have a blast. We're already were very close and now we're sleeping 6 inches from each other, so it's really fun."
The two enjoy cribbage, but, "I had a nice lead and then I got skunked," Oettinger said.
That was about as up-and-down a week as you can have in the college basketball world for Michigan State. After losing on the road to one of the worst teams in the conference in Minnesota, the Spartans surged back to take down No. 5 Illinois at home in an overtime thriller.
Thanks to the win, the Spartans were able to hold serve in the polls and keep their No. 10 spot in both the AP and the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Polls. If the Spartans had lost that one to Illinois, that, combined with the loss to Minnesota would've had them tumbling down the polls, but fortunately, the Spartans were able to handle business at home and keep their spot.
Elsewhere in the Big Ten's Coaches Poll rankings, Michigan still sits at No. 2 overall, Illinois fell to No. 7 after the loss to MSU, and Nebraska is at No. 8. Purdue is behind MSU at No. 12, and Iowa is back in the mix at No. 25.
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.
Shorthanded Western Conference heavyweights go head-to-head on Monday as the Los Angeles Lakers host the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With Luka Doncic out, LeBron James should operate as LA’s primary facilitator, and my Thunder vs. Lakers predictions expect him to get teammates involved early and often.
Here are my best free NBA picks for this Western Conference showdown on Monday, February 9.
Thunder vs Lakers prediction
Thunder vs Lakers best bet: LeBron James Over 7.5 assists (-130)
LeBron James is averaging 6.8 dimes per game this season, including 7.4 at home. He's dished 8+ dimes in 13 of 34 appearances overall, including seven of 16 at home.
In four games with Luka Doncic sidelined, James has averaged 8.8 assists and handed out 8+ three times.
James has handed out 10 assists in back-to-back games, and he’ll operate as the Los Angeles Lakers’ primary facilitator tonight in what could be a high-scoring matchup at home. I’ll take the Over on a modest assists line.
Thunder vs Lakers same-game parlay
The Los Angeles Lakers have covered in seven of their last 10 games, including three straight. The Oklahoma City Thunder are just 4-5-1 ATS across their last 10 appearances. Both teams will be without their star point guards, but the Lakers have played too well to be spotted seven points at home.
Both teams have hit the Over in 28 games, and despite the absences of Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they each have enough firepower to hit the Over on this modest line. The Lakers are 5-1 to the Over as the home underdog, and the Thunder are 13-11 as the road favorite.
Thunder vs Lakers SGP
LeBron James Over 7.5 assists
Lakers +7
Over 223
Our "from downtown" SGP: Welcome to La-La land
Chet Holmgren is pulling down 8.7 rebounds per game this season, but he's corralled 9.8 across his last 14 appearances and reached the Over on this line 10 times. Even with Isaiah Hartenstein back in the fold, Holmgren has grabbed 10+ rebounds in two straight with Hartenstein available.
Thunder vs Lakers SGP
LeBron James Over 7.5 assists
Lakers +7
Over 223
Chet Holmgren Over 8.5 rebounds
Thunder vs Lakers odds
Spread: Thunder -7 | Lakers +7
Moneyline: Thunder -260 | Lakers +210
Over/Under: Over 233 | Under 233
Thunder vs Lakers betting trend to know
The Los Angeles Lakers have covered the 4Q Spread in 32 of their last 50 games (+10.60 Units / 18% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Lakers.
How to watch Thunder vs Lakers
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Monday, February 9, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Thunder vs Lakers latest injuries
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MILAN — The U.S. women's hockey team has one game left before its showdown against archrival Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
But Switzerland isn't a team to overlook. It rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat Czechia in a shootout, and its 4-0 loss to Canada was closer than the final score indicated.
Canada outplayed Switzerland and fired 55 shots at goaltender Saskia Maurer. It wasn't able to get a puck past her until the second period and it was a 1-0 game until the third period.
The USA is 2-0 heading into Monday's game (2:40 p.m. ET, USA Network), outscoring Czechia and Finland by a combined 10-1 score. The USA-Canada game is Tuesday.
USA Network will broadcast Monday's U.S. women's hockey Group B matchup against Switzerland at the Milano Cortina Olympics. Streaming options for the game include NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Olympic App (with a TV login).
You can also stream the game on Peacock, NBC's subscription streaming service.
What time is U.S. women's hockey vs Switzerland today?
Date: Monday, Feb. 9
Time: 2:40 p.m. ET
Location: Santagiulia Hockey Arena (Milan)
Puck drop between the U.S. women's hockey team and Switzerland is set for 2:40 p.m. ET on Monday, Feb. 9 from Santagiulia Hockey Arena in Milan.
The Carolina Panthers' defensive staff is still attracting some outside eyes.
According to ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, the Cleveland Browns have requested to interview Panthers defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley for their defensive coordinator position. The highly-regarded assistant coach has spent the last three seasons with Carolina.
Cooley was hired by the Panthers in 2023, as their cornerbacks/secondary coach. He received a promotion to his current post ahead of the 2024 campaign.
Prior to landing in Carolina, Cooley worked his first three NFL seasons for the Los Angeles Rams. He served as a defensive quality control coach, assistant secondary coach and defensive backs coach there from 2020 to 2022.
Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who crossed paths with Cooley back in Los Angeles, also garnered interest this offseason. Evero interviewed for head-coaching jobs with the Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers.
When the 2025-2026 women's college basketball season began, expectations were high for Longhorns freshman Aaliyah Crump. The Minnesota native arrived on campus ranked as one of the best players in her class. Through the first few months of her college career, she has shown why for one of the top teams in the country.
In eight games, the talented guard has averaged 13.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. She has also been a threat from beyond the arc, shooting 34.5 % from three-point range. Regardless of where Crump is on the floor, she has found a way to make an impact every time she is in the game.
Although Crump has missed time due to injuries, she has flashed her upside of late against some of the best teams in the country. On February first, Crump scored 12 points against No.12 Oklahoma. She followed that up by scoring 16 points in 24 minutes of action against No.5 LSU. Those games marked time; she faced ranked opponents as a Longhorn.
With the regular season far from over, Crump has plenty of time to build on her success. The Minnetonka High Alum ranks fourth on the team in points per game and fifth in assists per game. That is not bad for someone who was expected to be an instant star.
Currently, the Longhorns are ranked as the fourth-best team in the country due to their 22-2 start. They still have seven games left to improve their ranking before the start of March Madness. To climb into the top three, Texas will need Crump to build on his success.
While her college career is just getting started, Crump has shown that she can be an important piece for the Longhorns for the foreseeable future.
Arizona remained firmly atop The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for a ninth consecutive week Monday, while Houston jumped back into the top 5 and Kentucky returned to the rankings for the first time since December.
Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats (23-0) claimed all 59 first-place votes in the latest poll, making them the unanimous choice for a fourth consecutive week. That comes after Arizona — one of two unbeaten teams left in Division I — won at rival Arizona State, then returned home to beat Oklahoma State by 37 points.
Michigan remained at No. 2, marking the sixth time in Arizona’s current reign that the Wolverines sat right behind them. Houston (21-2) moved up five spots to No. 3 after wins against UCF and at BYU, returning Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars inside the top 5 after a November stint that included a week at No. 1.
Duke, Iowa State, UConn, Nebraska, Illinois, Kansas and Michigan State rounded out the top 10.
Kentucky was the week’s lone addition at No. 25, returning to the poll for the first time since early December in a season that started with a No. 9 preseason ranking. The Wildcats have won eight of nine, with Saturday’s home win against Tennessee knocking the Volunteers out of the poll.
Scottish Premiership: Heart of Midlothian v Hibernian
Venue: Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh Date: Tuesday, 10 February Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Sport website & app
Heart of Midlothian face "13 cup finals" between now and the end of the season if they are to claim their first Scottish title for 66 years, according to head coach Derek McInnes - and few will come bigger than Tuesday's visit by city rivals Hibernian.
The Premiership leaders slipped up last Tuesday, when a brave hour of battling while down to 10 men came to nothing thanks to St Mirren's 88th-minute winner in Paisley.
The following evening, fifth-placed Hibs were the ones to leave it late, coming from 2-1 down to beat Dundee United in the closing minutes.
Now David Gray's side will be looking to dent Hearts' title challenge again as they aim for a derby double after their 3-2 win at home in December.
It is all set up for a cracker, with the visiting head coach predicting "chaos" in Gorgie.
A city divided, but both team bosses are united on at least one opinion - the maroon half of Edinburgh deserve to be where they are given their performances so far this season.
Slip up on Tuesday, though, and their four-month spell at the top of the table could come to an end 24 hours later should Rangers win their equally tough fixture away to fourth-top Motherwell.
To avoid that fate, McInnes says his side "cannot dwell" on their defeat in Paisley and the loss of key centre-half Craig Halkett through suspension.
"We are top of the league for a reason - because we have been good," he said.
"We have to be honest and say, going down to 10 men the other night, made the whole evening far more challenging than it needed to be.
"When we have lost this season, it's been by the odd goal or penalty kicks. The bar's been raised and everybody expects so much from us in every game."
While Hearts have indeed been "competitive", their cause has not been helped by red cards for goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, midfielder Beni Beningime and then Halkett in recent weeks.
However, McInnes insisted: "It is a concentration thing, not a discipline thing."
He knows they cannot afford any more of that, or the "slow start" he blames for December's derby defeat, and dismisses suggestions that his side might be feeling extra pressure from an improving Old Firm.
Rangers are now only three points adrift, and only three behind on goal difference, while reigning champions Celtic are three further back with a game in hand.
"We've been top of the league for four and a half months, so no extra anxiety," McInnes said.
"Every game is important. We've got 13 cup finals.
"We've got three home games out of the next four. We've had some tough fixtures and we have some good fixtures coming up for us to show our strength."
McInnes thought, with injuries forcing changes against St Mirren, "there was a wee bit lack of energy because some players have maybe not played as much recently".
However, it would not force him into starts for fit-again record signing Eduardo Ague in midfield, or January forward arrivals Rogers Mato and Islam Chesnokov.
"I get the clamour for these players to be involved," McInnes said. "There is nobody more excited when you sign players and a manager wants to bring players who are ready, but they're not ready and we're trying hard to get them ready.
"When you sign players in January when their leagues finish in November then it's difficult to get them up to speed and Scottish football is more intense, but hopefully they can have a positive influence between now and the end of the season."
More than just 'bragging rights'
Given their own injuries and January business, Hibs' starting line-up could have a completely different look to the one that emerged from the Easter Road tunnel last time out against Hearts.
With Scotland striker Kieron Bowie sold to Hellas Verona, Dane Scarlett made an immediate impact on loan from Tottenham Hotspur by setting up the opener against United, while Ante Suto, the forward bought from Slaven Belupo, replaced him to score the stoppage-time winner.
McInnes, though, expects a similar "structure" to Hibs' counter-attacking style and is predicting "no real surprises" from counterpart Gray.
The Hibs boss is also expecting more of the same - the kind of derby that is one of the key selling points for his club - and thinks his new arrivals will be relishing the opportunity.
"League position, division you're in, it doesn't matter, it's the Edinburgh derby and brilliant games to look forward to, brilliant game to be involved in," Gray said.
"At the same time, you don't want to get carried away with it, you need to be calming the chaos."
Despite a 1-0 defeat on their last visit to Tynecastle in October, Hibs have managed to do that in winning three of the most recent four derbies.
Gray, though, dismisses the suggestion that the win is more important to Hearts this time round.
"I understand why you would say that, because of the league situation, but we've got our own objectives and targets," he said, pointing out that a win would lift Hibs to within one point of Motherwell in fourth.
"The derby is the derby. The bragging rights for your supporters."
Gray is well aware of the challenge of facing a side with genuine title aspirations.
"They have put themselves in a fantastic position," he said. "That doesn't happen by accident at all.
"It's not as if we're only five or six games into the league or even one round of fixtures."
Gray expects a typical derby: "It's very fast, it's very ferocious and played in a brilliant atmosphere."
This time, though, the result could go a long way to deciding the destiny of the Scottish title.
Pick of the derby statistics
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Hearts have gone two home games without a win, while Hibs have won once in six away games, losing their latest two.
Hearts ended a four-game home run without beating Hibs with their 1-0 success in October.
Hearts have only lost one of their last eight home games against Hibs in the Premiership, winning three.
Hibs have won three of the last four Edinburgh derbies, as many as their previous 19 top-flight meetings with Hearts beforehand.
Hearts are unbeaten in their last 14 home league games, winning 10, since a 1-0 defeat by Dundee in April - their longest unbeaten home run in the top-flight since 2004, when they went 16 without losing – the 15th of which was a 2-1 win over Hibs.
Since Christmas Day, only Rangers (22) have earned more points in the Premiership than Hibs (14), who have won four and lost just one of seven league games in this time (D2).
Since his debut for the club in July 2022, Hearts have only won six of the 20 league games in which absent striker Lawrence Shankland has not been in their starting XI (30%). This is compared to a 50%-win rate with the striker starting (60/119).
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Disappointed and shell-shocked, it wasn’t easy for all Patriots players to explain what went wrong.
After a remarkable journey, the team’s 2025 NFL season came to a crashing halt in Super Bowl 60 in a bitter defeat to the Seattle Seahawks. The Patriots fought hard to get to that championship stage, but lost brutally against a talented pass rush.
Drake Maye was sacked a season-high six times on Sunday night. He was hit 11 times overall. The Patriots’ offensive line had been an improvement from previous years, but the unit struggled in the biggest game of the season.
While explaining what went wrong, right guard Michael Onwenu spoke the truth about his opponent’s game plan.
“Obviously, it seemed like they were doing more on the left side,” Onwenu said. “Obviously, it’s a rookie side, stuff like that.”
He wasn’t wrong. The Seahawks defense punished the left side of the Patriots’ offensive line, targeting rookie left tackle Will Campbell and rookie left guard Jared Wilson. For the first-and third-round picks, it was a night to forget after an exciting first NFL season.
According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Campbell struggled more than most in Super Bowl 60. The No. 4 overall pick allowed a career-high 14 pressures against the Seahawks. That was the most pressure allowed by an offensive lineman in a playoff game since 2018.
That was a tough end to the left tackle’s season. Campbell stabilized the Patriots’ biggest weakness from a season ago. However, he suffered an MCL injury in Week 12 and returned in Week 17.
The performance won’t stop critics from pointing out Campbell’s shorter arm length. However, veteran right tackle Morgan Moses said he believes the rookie will stay and excel at tackle.
“I told him I’ve never seen a rookie come in and play the way he played at left tackle,” Moses said. “The sky’s the limit for him, man. He has the opportunity to look back and rest a little bit and get himself back into working out and digest everything that’s happened. But for a rookie to go out there and play left tackle all the way to the Super Bowl and do an amazing job and still have room to grow, he’s the guy.”
Campbell was beaten by Derick Hall for Maye’s first sack, but he wasn’t alone in his struggles. Wilson was beaten handily by Seahawks defensive tackle Rylie Mills for the second sack.
The Patriots became the first team to start two rookie offensive linemen in a Super Bowl on Sunday, and it didn’t pan out for them.
Despite the outcome, veterans said they’re excited about the future with Campbell, Wilson and other young players on the Patriots roster. The hope is that there are better days ahead.
“I think for them, right now, it hurts,” Onwenu said about Campbell and Wilson. “Yeah, you know, it hurts for me too. But it’s hard to be crying, hard to be sad. Obviously, we lost the game, but, you know, looking around the locker room, looking at the guys, how we got here, you know, everyone counting us out, obviously everyone wants to see us lose.
“Unfortunately, we lost tonight, but, you know, we’ll be back and I believe that.”
Caleb Yirenkyi: United set stance on move for Ghanaian midfielder
Manchester United have been firing on all cylinders ever since Michael Carrick took charge as caretaker manager for the remainder of the season. The Englishman took over a team that had struggled to impress under Ruben Amorim, who was relieved of his duties at the turn of the year.
After two games under interim manager Darren Fletcher, Carrick was handed the reins of the first team, and he has since masterminded four consecutive victories in his four games in charge.
If the team manage to hold on to their good run, the Red Devils could secure a blockbuster return to the Champions League next season, which is likely to be a boost to their summer plans.
United are looking to add more quality to their midfield this year, and are already considering Premier League-proven names like Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson. Meanwhile, the Red Devils have also altered their transfer strategy to target budding talents with the potential to become world-beaters, and it now appears that they have found their next target in the Danish Superliga.
United eyeing Yirenkyi
According to TEAMtalk, United are among the clubs keeping a close watch on FC Nordsjaelland midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi. The report states: “TEAMtalk can reveal that Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all stepped up their interest in FC Nordsjaelland sensation Caleb Yirenkyi, with representatives from all three clubs in attendance at the weekend to watch the Ghanaian midfielder up close.”
“The midfielder, a product of the renowned Right to Dream Academy in Ghana, is already drawing comparisons to compatriot Michael Essien thanks to his blend of power, ball winning intelligence and progressive passing. Inside Nordsjaelland, he is viewed as the club’s next major export and the rest of Europe agrees.”
The report adds that United director of football Jason Wilcox has instructed scouts to monitor the Ghanaian, although there are several clubs in the race. Most notably, Brighton & Hove Albion have reportedly identified Yirenkyi as a possible replacement for Red Devils target Baleba.
Nordsjaelland eyeing club-record transfer
The report adds that Nordsjaelland have already rejected a €15 million offer for their star man in January. Yirenkyi has registered two goals and five assists in 22 appearances for the Danish club this season, all of which were starts.
Last year, Nordsjaelland tied the 20 year old down to a new deal until 2030, so they are under no pressure to let him go. Interested suitors may have to pay more than €25 million for Yirenkyi, which could be a new record sale for the Danish club.
A central midfielder by trade, the Ghanaian has also featured as a right-back for his country, so his versatility could also be an asset for his suitors.
Final Thoughts
United are likely to pay close attention to their midfield this summer, with Casemiro already announcing that he will leave. Meanwhile, Manuel Ugarte’s future also remains uncertain, while Bruno Fernandes is due to turn 32 in September.
In such a scenario, Yirenkyi represents a market opportunity that the Red Devils could be tempted to take advantage of. The Ghanaian could even be a long-term partner for Kobbie Mainoo at the heart of the Red Devils’ midfield.
Featured image Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
Al Nassr: end of the strike, Cristiano Ronaldo's return date to the pitch
Al Nassr: end of the strike, Cristiano Ronaldo's return date to the pitch
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make his comeback on the pitch with Al Nassr after several days on strike.
Cristiano Ronaldo had been absent for several matches because he was dissatisfied with the end of the transfer window in Saudi Arabia. The Portuguese forward felt his club, Al Nassr, had been unfairly treated by the situation and decided to protest.
Ultimately, according to information from A Bola, things have returned to normal. CR7 is back in training. While it’s too soon for him to face Turkmen club Arkadag in the AFC Champions League this Wednesday, Ronaldo is expected to return on Saturday in the league against Al-Fateh.
Besides his demands involving the PIF, Cristiano Ronaldo also called for the payment of wages owed to several Al Nassr employees and staff, which have now been settled. The Al Nassr management also relented on the reinstatement of José Semedo and Simão Coutinho, who had been sidelined during the last transfer window.
FC Bayern Munich declined two offers in the January transfer market for Noël Aséko Nkili. The German U21 international is enjoying a decent season in the 2. Bundesliga as Hannover 96 push for a long-awaited return to top-flight football.
According to Transfermarkt, the Rekordmeister rejected Galatasaray’s approach to sign the central midfielder. West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion are also linked with the 20-year-old, while three unnamed Bundesliga clubs are also keeping tabs as the player’s market value skyrocketed after a strong first half of the season.
Aséko continued his fine form in 2026 as he registered a goal and an assist in Hannover’s 3-1 win over Holstein Kiel on Sunday. Managing director Jörg Schmadtke confirmed to Bild at the beginning of last week that Hannover hope to keep the player for next season.
The 2. Bundesliga side have an option to buy for a reported fee of around €1 million, but Bayern included a buyback clause for less than €3 million. After the confirmation of Leon Goretzka’s impending departure and Kennet Eichhorn’s injury adding more doubts over his transfer from Hertha BSC, Bayern could look to include Aséko in their next season’s plans.
Aséko joined Bayern’s youth setup from Hertha back in 2022. He played for Hannover’s second team when he first joined the club on loan in the second half of last season, but he is now one of the key players under Christian Titz.
Faso Foot Premier League: Rahimo FC asserts its dominance
Faso Foot Premier League: Rahimo FC asserts its dominance
Rahimo Football Club is marching confidently towards the Faso Foot Premier League title. After a commanding 3-0 victory in matchday 18, the Bobo-Dioulasso side has strengthened its lead, now sitting 40 points ahead of its closest rivals.
This eighteenth round featured a thrilling clash between ASFB and USFA, ending 4-2 in favor of the visitors.Meanwhile, following a 1-1 draw against newly promoted CEFFEB, the storied EFO club remains anchored at the bottom of the table with just 14 points.
All matchday 18 results in the Faso Foot Premier League:
Duke men’s basketball coach Jon Scheyer said that a member of the Blue Devils’ staff who was injured during a court storming at the end of the team’s 71-68 loss to archrival North Carolina is “fine” and “doing better.”
Scheyer said the unnamed staff member had a bloody lip and was “disheveled and didn’t know what happened” when the team reconvened in the locker room last Saturday after the game in the Dean E. Smith Center.
“He got trampled on the floor,” Scheyer said. “That was my main concern after the game. That's why I said what I said. It was not a good situation. But he's doing better, he's fine, ready to move on. I don't have anything more to say other than that was a very unsafe situation for him, our staff, our families, our players.”
The alleged incident occurred during a chaotic final sequence at the end of Duke’s loss to the Tar Heels. North Carolina’s Seth Trimble hit what initially appeared to be a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, prompting students and fans to rush the court. After a review, though, officials added 0.4 seconds back on the clock. Duke was unable to get a shot off and the Tar Heels sealed the come-from-behind victory, leading to another court storm.
Scheyer had initially said in the moments after the game that he had staff members who were punched in the face, rather than a single staffer who was trampled.
North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said he apologized to Scheyer before he went into his post-game news conference and said it’s “just very disappointing” someone was injured.
The Tar Heels were fined $50,000 on Sunday by the ACC for violating the league’s court-storming policy.
“We accept the ACC’s fine for having unauthorized people on the court before Duke and the officials could completely clear the floor on Saturday,” North Carolina said in a statement. “The video we have reviewed confirms we followed our protocols to get Duke’s players and bench personnel and the game officials off the floor safely. We will continue to review our protocols to provide the highest measures of safety in the event fans rush the court. We consider this matter closed and look forward to the rest of the season.”
The loss was only Duke’s second of the season, dropping it two spots to No. 6 in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The Blue Devils led for 37:39 of a possible 40 minutes and were ahead of the Tar Heels by as many as 13 points. Trimble’s shot with 0.4 seconds left gave North Carolina its first and only lead of the game.
“I'm a big boy, can take losing,” Scheyer said on the teleconference Monday. “Great college game. Carolina played great.”
South Africa made an imposing start to the T20 World Cup with a 57-run victory over Canada in Ahmedabad.
Associate nations have caused the more fancied teams problems in the opening three days of this tournament, but the Proteas, the 2024 runners-up and one of the main contenders behind co-hosts India, had no such issue.
They posted the highest score so far by making 213-4, with captain Aiden Markram scoring 59.
There were also contributions of 25 from fellow opener Quinton de Kock and 35 by Ryan Rickelton, while David Miller and Tristan Stubbs finished unbeaten on 39 and 34 respectively.
Lungi Ngidi then had Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa caught behind with the first ball of the chase before taking two more wickets in his second over to reduce Canada to 26-3.
Navneet Dhaliwal offered admirable resistance, sharing a stand of 69 with Harsh Thaker, but Canada finished on 156-8.
Earlier, Zimbabwe opened their campaign with a comfortable eight-wicket win over Oman thanks to an unbeaten 48 from Brian Bennett.
Oman struggled with the pace and bounce of Zimbabwe's attack at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo as they were knocked over for 103.
Blessing Muzarabani blew away the associate nation's top order with 3-16 and at 27-5, Oman were in danger of being bowled out for fewer than their lowest total in World Cups - 47 against England at North Sound in 2024.
But a 44-run stand between Sufyan Mehmood and Vinayak Shukla at least added some respectability to the scorecard for Oman, who are ranked 20th in the world.
Shukla top-scored with 28 off 21 balls while Mehmood ground out 25 off 39 deliveries as they were two of only three Oman players to make it into double figures
The other was Nadeem Khan, who hit their only six of the innings, en route to an 18-ball 20 before he was dismissed by superb diving catch in the deep by Bennett.
Richard Ngarava and Brad Evans finished with 3-17 and 3-18 respectively for the the Chevrons.
Zimbabwe, who failed to qualify for the last World Cup, made relatively light work of the run chase as they knocked off the total in 13.3 overs.
Mehmood winkled out Tadiwanashe Marumani and Dion Myers in the same over - the second on review after a superb catch by wicketkeeper Shukla - to cause Zimbabwe a few nerves at 30-2.
But Oman were unable to make any further inroads as opener Bennett hit seven fours during a fluent knock off 36 balls.
The only sour point for Zimbabwe was when Brendan Taylor pulled up with a hamstring injury and had to retire hurt on 31 leaving skipper Sikandar Raza to hit the winning runs.
ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 21: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is seen on a headset during Game 2 of the 2020 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
NBC’s interest in adding Clayton Kershaw to its television team, which was first reported by The Athletic in January, officially came to fruition on Sunday, with NBC Sports announcing more of its plans for 2026 baseball coverage.
The plan is for Kershaw, Votto, and Rizzo to be pregame analysts for the up to three days of the wild card round. Their schedule of games for the regular season hasn’t been revealed, but in a press release NBC Sports said, “Based upon schedules and availability, the three will appear on select pregame shows leading into regular-season Sunday Night Baseball games on NBC and Peacock, alongside hosts Bob Costas and Ahmed Fareed.”
Questions over who stands as the greatest tennis player in history are likely to go on forever, given how much personal bias is wrapped up in any answer.
Some may gravitate towards the elegance of Roger Federer, while others could be swayed by Rafael Nadal’s relentless drive and determination through injury and fatigue.
Then there is Novak Djokovic, often included in those conversations alongside names like Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova, and Chris Evert.
It was actually Evert who weighed in on the topic back in 2021, giving her view without any hesitation.
Chris Evert picks who she believes is the best male tennis player ever
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Nearly five years ago, during an appearance on FanSided’s Da Windy City podcast, the American tennis legend shared her thoughts on the debate.
Evert felt it was unfair to compare men’s and women’s tennis directly and gave separate answers for each side of the game.
She began by saying: “If you put all the best tennis players of all-time, I would say Serena.”
“If you said the most accomplished career, I would say more Steffi (Graf) and Martina (Navratilova). They have better numbers. They have a better percentage of winning, they won more tournaments, they just won a couple of less Grand Slams, but they are better in all the other categories.”
Evert went on to highlight Djokovic as her pick for the men’s side: “I think Novak (Djokovic), if he has another three or four years especially, I think he is going to have to be considered the greatest of all time. Mentally, physically, oh my gosh, and emotionally, he’s above them all, I think.
Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images
“Shot making, artistry: Roger Federer. Fitness and warrior fighter: Rafa Nadal. But Djokovic will win more tournaments and will win more Grand Slam tournaments and will have a better record.”
It is notable that the Serb is still active today and has even stated his intention to compete at the 2028 LA Olympics.
Novak Djokovic is still chasing the final piece of his legacy
There was a sense that Djokovic’s win at the 2024 Olympic gold medal might be his last big moment, given how much he had already achieved by then.
The 38-year-old completed his trophy collection after beating Carlos Alcaraz on clay at Philippe Chatrier.
But Djokovic is still around, and he has made it clear he is chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title – a number that would make it hard to argue against him being the greatest ever.
It is likely this pursuit keeps him going, even if younger players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have started to get the better of him more often.
Days after finishing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, Atlanta Falcons pass-rusher James Pearce is facing serious legal trouble.
Pearce was arrested on Saturday after an incident involving WNBA standout Rickea Jackson, and he received more charges as a result of an interaction with police.
The Falcons traded up to select Pearce with the No. 26 pick in the 2025 draft, dealing their 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams to make the selection. Pearce recorded 10.5 sacks in his rookie season, but legal issues are now threatening to overshadow that production.
Here's what you need to know about Pearce's arrest and the charges he is facing.
Pearce was arrested on Saturday after allegedly crashing his car into the vehicle of Los Angeles Sparks star and ex-girlfriend Rickea Jackson in Doral, Florida. WPLG Local 10 first reported the details of the incident.
Police claim Pearce deliberately crashed into Jackson's car twice as she tried to drive to a police station, and Pearce is also accused of intentionally hitting an officer with his car as he attempted to flee.
The alleged incident took place Saturday morning, beginning when Jackson noticed Pearce following her in his car. When Jackson stopped at a red light, Pearce got out of his car and tried to open a door, she told police. Jackson then called 911 and drove to a police station, and Pearce is accused of hitting her car with his twice along the way.
Pearce led police on a chase, during which he is accused of hitting an officer with his car, and police said the Falcons pass-rusher "began to resist arrest by tensing his arms and not allowing officers to apprehend him" after he finally exited his car following a crash.
Pearce was released from custody on Sunday after posting bail. Here's a look at the charges Pearce is facing.
James Pearce Jr. charges
Pearce was hit with six charges after Saturday's incident:
Aggravated battery with a deadly weapon (two counts)
Aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer
Aggravated stalking
Fleeing and eluding police
Resisting without violence
Five of the charges against Pearce are felonies.
If convicted in a trial, Pearce would face prison time, according to Florida law. Aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer carries a minimum five-year prison sentence in the state.
While Pearce could certainly look to work out a plea deal to lessen the punishment, he is facing serious legal challenges that go beyond just concerns about an NFL suspension.
Before the 2025 NFL Draft, rumors swirled about character concerns surrounding Pearce. The Tennessee product was once a projected top-10 pick but slipped to the back end of the first round.
According to The Athletic, Pearce's concerns weren't related to a specific incident but rather to "on-field drive and attitude." From the outside looking in, Pearce's on-field drive and attitude weren't much of an issue in 2025, as he recorded 10.5 sacks in his rookie season.
After Saturday's incident, however, Pearce's character concerns go well beyond anything he does or doesn't do on the field or in the team facility.
While Pearce and Jackson largely avoided confirming their relationship, the two dated for an unconfirmed period of time. Jackson allegedly told police after Saturday's incident that she and Pearce had recently broken up.
Pearce and Jackson both attended the University of Tennessee, with Jackson starring for the women's basketball team. Jackson was the No. 4 pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft, landing with the Sparks and quickly emerging as one of the league's top young players.
In 2025, Jackson was spotted alongside Pearce on NFL Draft night:
Ronika Stone Love, wife of Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, was happy to be out of the Midwest cold and enjoying the spotlight the week leading up to Super Bowl 60 in San Francisco.
Ronika is one of the digital cover stars for Sports Illustrated’s February 2026 digital issue, sporting her baby bump after the couple announced on New Year’s Day that they are expecting their first child.
Ronika was alongside Love at the NFL Honors, where Jordan was the Packers’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. She also announced a collaboration with Procter & Gamble to promote products such as Pepto-Bismol and Vicks VapoShower.
During an interview with the Packers Wire, Ronika discussed what these last six years have been like, watching Jordan go from backing up future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers to being handed the keys to one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises.
“It’s been incredible,” Ronika said. “He is resilient in what he does. Those first three years when he was QB2, those were the moments where you could see the strength and resilience. Just who he is as a person, I learned a lot from him in those moments. He was ready when his moment came, and I’m looking forward to what the future holds.”
Since taking over full-time in 2023, Love has amassed over 10,000 passing yards and 80 passing touchdowns, while making history by leading Green Bay to the playoffs in all three seasons.
Unfortunately, those playoff appearances have ended in disappointment for Love and the Packers. It’s especially hurtful when it’s to a division rival like the Chicago Bears in the 2025 NFC Wild Card Round, but Jordan's makeup is why you can expect him not to dwell on the loss, according to Ronika.
“At the end of the day, there’s only going to be one winner,” she said. “It’s unfortunate when you lose any game, but obviously, with the Bears game, that sucks. You never want to lose to a division rival, but again, there can only be one winner. That’s why we push on, and that’s why Jordan is such a calm person, because he has a short-term memory. He could throw a pick on one play and then throw a touchdown the very next play.”
Despite blowing a 21–3 halftime lead and the offense scoring only six points in the second half, the loss certainly didn’t fall on Love’s shoulders on a day where he threw for 323 yards and four touchdowns.
“I thought he played his ass off — we didn’t do enough around him,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said after the loss. “I can't say enough great things about Jordan Love.”
Now that the 2026 season has ended, Ronika said the focus with Jordan has been on being present and what the future holds for the 27-year-old quarterback. After all, even though the Seattle Seahawks were hoisting this year’s Lombardi Trophy, the future remains bright for a Green Bay franchise that has the pieces to be in the conversation for the next couple of seasons.
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - FEBRUARY 07: Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) reacts after connecting on a three pointer late in the second half of play during a men's college basketball game between the Oregon Ducks and the Purdue Boilermakers on February 07, 2026 at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, IN. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Purdue had just one game last week, and it was a game where the Boilermakers barely escaped, at that. The rest of the Big Ten saw some minor shakeups. Minnesota’s midweek upset of Michigan State helped. Michigan State coming back to beat Illinois in overtime helped, too. Right now, the Boilers do not control their path to a Big Ten title, but they will as long as both Illinois and Michigan each take another loss outside of when Purdue plays them. They also still have to play each other.
What did take a hit was Braden Smith’s pursuit of the assists record. He had just four on Saturday, and six of his last seven games have been below his season average. He is currently eighth all time with 958, two behind Syracuse’s Sherman Douglas. The record is still possible, but this recent cold stretch means Purdue probably needs a deep postseason run of at least 5 games between the two tournaments to get there.
Here is the AP Poll for this week, which is a pivotal one for Purdue. Finding a way to sweep two very difficult road games would be a tremendous boost to the B1G title hopes. In the poll itself Purdue’s home struggle with Oregon dropped the Boilers to a season low #13.
Silver medalist China's Eileen Gu talks with friends and family after the women's freestyle skiing slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy on Feb. 9, 2026.
Credit - Oliver Weiken—picture alliance/Getty Images
All that was missing in Eileen Gu’s Olympic mantle was a gold medal in the lone freeskiing event, slopestyle, that she didn’t win four years ago in Beijing. On Feb. 9, the third day of full Olympic competition, the American-born freestyle superstar who represents China very nearly got it in Livigno, Italy.
But she’ll have to settle for another slopestyle silver, as Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud landed an impressive series of jumps at the bottom of the course—and took advantage of Gu’s mishaps at the top—to win her second straight Olympic gold medal in the event. The two most dominant women in slopestyle delivered a thrilling theater for the fans at the Livigno Snow Park, and for a viewing audience around the world; Gremaud, now the only back-to-back slopestyle skiing winner in Olympic history, edged Gu by a mere .38 points in the judging.
Gold medalist Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland, silver medalist Eileen Gu of China, and bronze medalist Megan Oldham of Canada pose on the podium after the women's freeski slopestyle final on Feb. 9, 2026.Ian MacNicol—Getty Images
While Gu won’t one-up her Beijing performance and become the first action-sports athlete to ever win three gold medals at a single Winter Olympics, she still has a strong chance to write Olympic history. Gu won gold in both big air and halfpipe freeskiing in Beijing. If she can repeat just one of those performances in Livigno, in the big air final on Feb. 16 or the halfpipe final on Feb. 21, she’d own three career Olympic golds. Shaun White is the only other winter action athlete with three golds at the Games, and he needed a dozen years to win that haul; Gu would do it in four.
Her day got off to a rather inauspicious start, as Gu crashed twice in warm-ups. But the Stanford international-relations major, who plans on returning to school as a junior after the Games, put those mistakes behind her and executed her plan. “There is this kind of trauma, like lingering sense of, I guess, fear or anxiety that follows crashes,” Gu said at the medalists’ press conference after the event. Gu said she had 20 minutes after the training to get her mind in the proper space. “I think both of the falls that I had were technical errors, not being mentally off,” she said. So Gu, far and away one of the more analytical Olympians, if not overall athletes, around, pinpointed what she did wrong and sought to make corrections. “I like to think that those crashes made me better in the contest, because I knew what to look out for and what to be better about, technically,” said Gu.
On her first run, she kept her skis on the rails and built up speed to allow aerial trickery on the bottom jumps. Gu executed back-to-back double corks—rotating twice off-axis in the air. On her final jump, she hung in the air for 2.44 seconds, which might not sound like much, but you try that on skis while spinning around. Gu spun left, spun right, and grabbed her skis, which the judges love. Her score, 86.58 out of 100, put her in first place by a mile. “That was, hands down, the best slopestyle run I’ve ever done,” said Gu.
Eileen Gu in action during the during the women's freeski slopestyle final. Oliver Weiken—picture alliance/Getty Images
As the top-scoring qualifier, Gremaud was the final competitor to take her first turn, following Gu. Gremaud scored 83.60, good for second place behind Gu. You didn’t have to be a slopestyle judge to figure out that one of these two skiers would almost certainly win the event. They aced the eye test.
In the Olympic slopestyle finals, the dozen skiers each get three runs: only the highest of the three scores counts. This is where Gu’s rail problems began. She slipped off the first rail in her second run, eliminating any chance for her to top her 86.58 score. Sensing an opening, Gremaud delivered a spectacular sequence: jumps of 1080 (three full 360-degree rotations while in the air), 1260 (three full 360-degree rotations, plus a 180), and 1260, back-to-back-to-back. Gremaud’s performance was “the most technical jump run ever done by a freeskiing woman, in competition or outside competition,” NBC freeskiing expert Tom Wallisch told TIME. “The best three-jump competition in terms of degree of difficulty a woman has ever landed. Her full run was amazing.” She could still only eke by Gu, 86.96 to 86.58, in the scoring, setting up a showdown for the third and final run.
With the tension building, Gu again went for it and again couldn’t get past the first rail. Gu said learned her trick for the first rail just last week. “So it’s kind of hit-or-miss still,” she said with a laugh. It’s called “The Disaster.” “Ironically, it was quite a disaster in run two and three.”
Big air qualifying starts on Feb. 14. In Beijing, Gu knew she’d have to try a mind-bending trick to pull out a victory, so against the advice of her mom and confidante, Yan, she tried something she’d never done before, even in practice: a double cork 1620, 4 1/2 spins in the air while rotating twice off axis. She let out a roar when she landed it. But on Monday, she dialed back big air expectations for these Olympics, hinting that she may prioritize her safety for the halfpipe event, in which she’s the clear favorite, near the end of the Games. “My theme for this Olympics is having nothing to prove,” she said. “So I'm not here because I have to be. I'm here because I want to be and I love this sport, and I love progressing, and I love being the best version of myself.”
Eileen Gu with her mother after the women's slopestyle final on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.Ian MacNicol—Getty Images
Gu betrayed no hint of disappointment after slopestyle, even fielding a question that many athletes have been receiving—about their thoughts on U.S. immigration policies, high-profile incidents involving ICE agents, and President Trump criticizing American Olympians who feel conflicted representing their country in this moment—in an upbeat manner. Gu has experience with these sorts of inquiries unrelated to her athletic endeavors: her decision to represent China, instead of the U.S., has been the subject of intense blowback for her.
“I’m sorry that the headline that is eclipsing the Olympics has to be something so unrelated to the spirit of the Games,” says Gu. “This is one of very few remaining safe spaces that I think people can communicate and share culture and be fully themselves. Because even if you and I don't speak the same language, we both know that it hurts when you fall and it feels good when you win, right? And that we all know how terrifying it is when you're about to try a new trick and how ecstatic you are when you land it for the first time. That is a universal language. So it makes me sad to see that that is the headline right now, and as someone who's been caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes. I hope that they can ski to their very best.”
Like most athletes here, Gu would prefer the focus remain on the field of play. “I’ve been through a lot in the last four years, and even beyond that, I've gone through things at 22 that I don't think any person ever should have to deal with, be it from threats, vitriol, online hate. I mean, you name it,” said Gu. “But I get stronger, right? And that's what's so wonderful about being young. You adapt and you learn and you get stronger and better and better and better. As far as getting better in skiing, there was a period of time when I thought that I would never be better than how I was when I was 18. And so overcoming that and showcasing my very best skiing again today, under pressure when it counted at the Olympics is such a special experience. I have always said that if I can just inspire one young girl to start skiing, then that will be my mission accomplished. So hopefully, after seeing the level of women's freeskiing today, that goal is accomplished. That is my gold medal for the day.”
Anderson Diaz, one of the top point guards in the 2027 class, took an unofficial visit to Auburn on Saturday, February 7th to watch the Tigers play Alabama, he told Rivals.
The 6-foot-1 junior out of Overtime Elite (GA) holds offers from both Auburn and Alabama. He’s also received scholarships from St. John’s, Cincinnati, Seton Hall, Villanova, Illinois, UCLA, Louisville, Ole Miss, Providence, Syracuse, Arkansas, Miami, Maryland, Florida State, and others.
Diaz, originally from the Bronx, New York, is ranked as the No. 24 overall player in the 2027 class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.
Playing with the Cold Hearts in the Overtime Elite league, Diaz averaged 17.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game during the regular season.
Diaz on Auburn
In a previous interview with Rivals, Anderson Diaz discussed the Tigers.
“Tahaad (Pettiford) is my guy. I really started watching them once Sharife (Cooper) was around. I just like the way they used Sharife, and Tahaad, as well, and then Sharife and Tahaad are players that I like to watch.”
What he’s looking for in a school
In that same previous interview with Rivals, Diaz discussed what he wants in his future college.
“I want to go to a school that’s going to provide me the right resources to get me to where I got to go. A school that’s gonna keep the success flowing, and that needs me to win. I will choose the school that’s just the perfect fit for me. That’s that I just feel like I’m at home. That’s what I’m looking for.”
More on Diaz
”I’m a gritty guard plays both ends of the ball,” Diaz told Rivals previously. “A point guard who can get wherever I want, and I can shoot the ball well. I would say I’ve developed every aspect of my game over the summer, because I got stronger, my shot got way better, and my handle got tighter. I’m just getting better every day and I work on everything every day.
“I watch a lot of Kyrie Irving. because of the way he gets to the basket. Just his way with the basketball. I watch De’Angelo Russell and Mike Conley, too. How Conley uses both hands, left and right and how smooth Russell is.”
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 07: Mateus Mane of Wolverhampton Wanderers is challenged by Moises Caicedo of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux on February 07, 2026 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As we approach Gameweek 26 of the 2025/26 season, one of the most important strategic factors to consider is the Double Gameweek awarded to Arsenal and Wolves.
Players from both clubs will feature twice in this round of fixtures, creating a prime opportunity for managers to target added minutes and upside.
Investing in well-priced or low-owned assets from these double-gameweek teams – alongside select single-fixture picks – could be the key to making significant gains in the rankings.
With that in mind here are our gameweek 26 differential picks.
Mateus Mané (£4.6m, 2.1% owned) – Wolves (DGW26)
Fixtures: Nottingham Forest (A), Arsenal (H)
One of the standout low-ownership options for Double Gameweek 26 is Mateus Mané.
Despite Wolves’ struggles this season, Mané has delivered solid fantasy returns in recent weeks and offers two chances for attacking contributions at a very affordable price.
With ownership sitting at just 2.1%, he qualifies as a genuine GW26 differential capable of rewarding managers willing to take the risk.
Hugo Bueno (£4.3m, 0.2% owned) – Wolves (DGW26)
Fixtures: Nottingham Forest (A), Arsenal (H)
For managers looking to pair attacking differentials with budget defensive options, Hugo Bueno fits the bill.
Although Wolves have conceded their share of goals this season, Bueno has shown flashes of attacking intent and the ability to deliver defensive returns.
At just 0.2% ownership, he is firmly under the radar. As a low-cost defender in a double gameweek, he provides affordable coverage with upside, while allowing managers to allocate more funds toward premium attacking players.
William Saliba (£6.0m, 13.2% owned) – Arsenal (DGW26)
Fixtures: Brentford (A), Wolves (A)
Arsenal center-back William Saliba sits just below true template ownership despite offering strong clean-sheet potential and a consistent threat from set pieces.
The Gunners have been defensively solid this season, conceding very few goals, and Saliba’s blend of reliability and attacking upside makes him a smart differential among higher-priced defenders.
With ownership slightly lower than other popular Arsenal defenders, he offers strong potential for standout returns in a double gameweek.
David Raya (£5.9m, 33.9% owned) – Arsenal (DGW26)
Fixtures: Brentford (A), Wolves (A)
A different kind of differential, David Raya remains less owned than several Arsenal defenders and goalkeepers despite the team’s recent run of clean sheets.
As a goalkeeper with two fixtures in Gameweek 26, Raya offers clean-sheet and bonus-point potential while helping managers manage their budgets more efficiently.
While he is not a low-ownership punt by definition, he still trails the most popular Arsenal defensive assets – and double gameweeks often prove invaluable for goalkeepers.
Will you roll the dice on any of these players this week, or do you have another under-the-radar differential in mind? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Finally, we’re getting a true shakeup in the top 10.
Here’s everything you missed in the 14th week of the regular season, and the latest Associated Press poll.
Arizona leads again as top 10 finally shakes up
Arizona once again retained the No. 1 spot in this week’s poll after a blowout win over Oklahoma State on Saturday. The Wildcats will travel to Allen Fieldhouse for a top-10 matchup on Monday night, however, and then will have to host Texas Tech on Saturday. No. 22 BYU and No. 3 Houston are up next week for them, too, marking a critical stretch for the last undefeated team outside of Miami (Ohio).
Michigan remained at No. 2 this week, too. The Wolverines beat Penn State and Ohio State by more than 20 points each this past week to get to 22-1 on the year.
Illinois, after getting revenge over Nebraska last week, fell in overtime at Michigan State on Saturday. The Spartans, however, were coming off back-to-back losses — including a bad one at Minnesota — before that win. Oh, and Gonzaga fell at Portland in what was the program’s first win over the Bulldogs since 2014. Portland had lost for of its last five entering that matchup, too. Gonzaga dropped six spots in this week’s poll to No. 12.
It was Houston that moved to No. 3 above Duke, thanks to its road win over AJ Dybantsa and BYU. Iowa State then jumped UConn and moved back into the top five.
North Carolina stunned Duke with a game-winning shot from Seth Trimble on Saturday night. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Grant Halverson via Getty Images
Do we need to look at St. John’s again?
St. John's isn't back ... right?
After multiple bad losses to start the season that dropped them out of the national rankings completely, Rick Pitino’s group in New York is suddenly on a nine-game win streak — which it capped with a nine-point win over UConn on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Zuby Ejiofor dropped a 21-point, 10 rebound double-double in that contest, his fifth of the season. That snapped an 18-game win streak for the Huskies, and sent them falling three spots to No. 6 this week.
St. John’s jumped to No. 17 this week as a result of the win. It brought Pitino to 903 wins in his career, too, which has him tied with Roy Williams for third in Division I history.
While the streak and upset win are both impressive, it’s hard to tell if St. John’s is back where everyone thought it would be just a few months ago. The win over the Huskies was just the first ranked matchup for the Red Storm since late November, and their only win over a ranked opponent all season. There is only one more ranked opponent left on their schedule, too, but it’s a rematch with UConn on the road later this month. This win streak they've been on has been straightforward in a relatively down year for the Big East as a whole.
Despite the loss, UConn is still very much in control of the Big East. But if St. John’s can keep this streak going through the end of the season, and not get blown out in Storrs in a few weeks, a third battle between the two teams in the Big East tournament could get very interesting next month.
De Ketelaere forces Atalanta into last-minute change ahead of Cremonese
Charles De Ketelaere was initially named in the Atalanta starting line-up to take on Cremonese in Serie A on Monday evening, but the Belgium international was forced to drop out at the last minute.
De Ketelaere drops out of Atalanta line-up at the last minute
De Ketelaere felt something in his knee during the warm-up ahead of Monday’s Serie A clash between Atalanta and Cremonese at the New Balance Arena and was unable to take his place in the starting line-up. That made for an opportunity for Lazar Samardzic to play instead.
VERONA, ITALY – DECEMBER 06: Charles De Ketelaere of Atalanta looks on during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and Atalanta BC at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on December 06, 2025 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Raffaele Palladino already had injuries in mind when naming his starting line-up. Gianluca Scamacca started and scored in the 3-0 Coppa Italia victory over Juventus on Thursday, but reported a minor issue in training ahead of the Cremonese match and was also unavailable to start.
Nikola Krstovic started at centre-forward instead and opened the scoring for La Dea within 13 minutes against Cremonese.
Here he FINALLY is! The perfect right-back for Liverpool
The perfect right-back for Liverpool is finally here.
Richard Hughes' toughest challenge at Anfield so far has been trying to find the ideal replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
He had placed his trust in Conor Bradley, which he was completely right to do. Unfortunately, the Northern Irishman has been tormented by injuries ever since.
Jeremie Frimpong has come in and he's been the same, although with him it seems like Arne Slot prefers him as a winger over being a right-back.
So, Alexander-Arnold's heir is yet to be found. But this summer could present Liverpool with the perfect opportunity to finally get someone in.
The chances are Bradley will not be back for pre-season. Joe Gomez could depart on a permanent deal in the summer, which means there will be very little cover at right-back.
So, Liverpool will simply have to enter the market. And the perfect player has arrived for them to sign.
Liverpool's ideal right-back is someone who can carry the ball forward comfortably, is excellent on the ball, capable of playing key forward passes and can also play in perhaps another role - similar to Gomez.
He doesn't necessarily have to be a like-for-like replacement to Alexander-Arnold. He was one of a kind, a simply unique profile that is impossible to replicate.
But he does ideally have to be a competent player who can make a difference in that role and who can be very impactful in the position.
Full-backs play a key role in modern football. Just look at how important Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi are in Paris Saint Germain's success.
Liverpool need similar players.
Right now, Pierre-Ismaëlo Ganiou seems like the perfect right-back for Liverpool.
You may have never heard of the 20-year-old who just burst onto the scene in France for RC Lens but he is a really exciting profile.
Ganiou has always traditionally been a wing-back and a right-back during his youth career but this season at Lens, he's been used in a back three as a right-sided centre-back.
In this role he has a lot of freedom to go forward and make an impact in the opposition's final third.
Ganiou is quick and he's excellent technically. He can find clever passes in the final third and he can also take players on in.
His ability to both be comfortable playing as an overlapping player on the flanks as well as someone who can come into the middle makes him tailor-made for Slot, who likes to rotate the role of his full-back.
Ganiou is simply an excellent defender and someone who can run up and down from one box to the other. His intensity, his forward passing ability makes the perfect player for Liverpool.
In Ligue 1 this season he ranks among the top five defenders for progressive passes (10.85 per 90 minutes) with an impressive 79% pass completion rate.
He also ranks among the top 10 defenders for forward passes per 90 minutes (27 per 90 minutes).
Being only 20-years-old, he's third and second player in Europe's top five leagues among U21 players in the two metrics.
So, we are talking about an elite talent here, who finally seems good enough to replace Alexander-Arnold, and who Liverpool should absolutely be looking to sign in the summer.
Right-hander Chris Paddack and the Miami Marlins agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday.
Paddack can earn an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses, the person said, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.
Paddack, who turned 30 last month, was 5-12 with a 5.35 ERA in 28 starts and five relief appearances last year for Minnesota and Detroit, which acquired him on July 28. Paddack was 3-9 with a 4.95 ERA in 21 starts for the Twins and 2-3 with a 6.32 ERA for the Tigers.
He had a $7.5 million salary in the final season of a $12,525,000, three-year deal and earned $1 million in performance bonuses.
Paddack has a 32-36 record and 4.64 ERA in 110 starts and eight relief appearances over seven seasons with San Diego (2019-21), Minnesota (2022-25) and Detroit.
The Commodores (19-4, 6-4 SEC) were previously ranked No. 15 and have been ranked as high as No. 8 this season. But Vanderbilt plummeted after its lone game last week was a home loss to the last-place team in the SEC.
Still, the Commodores are one of three SEC teams ranked in the top 25, with Florida at No. 14 and Arkansas at No. 21.
Vanderbilt faces Auburn (14-9, 5-5) on the road on Feb. 10 (6 p.m. CT, SEC Network).
LOS ANGELES -- The play of Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has been the talk of the league as of late. After a miserable 2024-25 season in which he played only 19 games, the big fella is looking like himself in 2025-26.
Over his last 30 games, Embiid is averaging 30.0 points and shooting 52.1% from the floor. He is moving well on both ends of the floor, has been able to lead the Sixers on the offensive end, and it's impressive to see his revival when considering the injuries his body has had to battle through.
Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick, a former teammate of Embiid's for two seasons, gave praise to the 2023 MVP winner before a recent matchup between the two teams.
"Not surprised," Redick said of Embiid's play. "Just more so as his friend, you have a great deal of empathy for all that his body’s been through and having to—it seems like every year, if not every other year, having to rehab for something. He’s stuck with it and I think it’s a testament to how much he loves this game and how much he loves competing that he’s back to playing at this level."
Empathy is certainly the right word from Redick. It was not exactly expected that Embiid would return and look dominant again on the floor. Not a lot of people would have expected he would return and look like his MVP form and lead the Sixers to the bounce-back season they're currently having.
As the season moves on, Embiid will need to remain at this level for the Sixers to have a serious shot at contending in the East, but there is no question about it that the big fella is back and playing at a superstar level. His current level of play can lead Philadelphia to a deep run in the playoffs.
The 24-0 Miami University RedHawks are ranked No. 23 in the latest AP Top 25 men's college basketball poll released Feb. 9. The RedHawks also were ranked 23rd last week.
The RedHawks are 11-0 in Mid-American Conference play this season. They are scheduled to play Ohio next at Millett Hall on Feb. 13 at 9 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
MU is one of two undefeated Div. I men's basketball teams in the country, along with No. 1 Arizona. The Wildcats cruised past Oklahoma State, 84-47, to improve to 23-0.
Last week, University of Wisconsin–Green Bay men's basketball head coach Doug Gottlieb took a shot at the RedHawks' schedule, and suggested that he would like his team's chances in a head-to-head meeting with Miami despite the Phoenix's 12-12 record this season.
During the Jan. 30 broadcast of Akron's win against Kent State, CBS Sports college basketball analyst and former Xavier Musketeers head coach Pete Gillen said the RedHawks' NET strength of schedule "is gonna really hurt them."
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Sam Darnold #14 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks are Super Bowl champions again — and this time, there was no controversy.
Seattle defeated the New England Patriots 29–13 in Super Bowl LX on Sunday night, controlling the game from start to finish despite a slow offensive start.
Neither team scored a touchdown until the fourth quarter, but the Seahawks pulled away late behind a dominant rushing attack. Kenneth Walker III was named Super Bowl MVP, finishing with 27 carries for 135 yards.
For many fans, the win carried an added layer of meaning. The Seahawks’ last Super Bowl meeting with New England ended in heartbreak in Super Bowl XLIX, when a goal-line interception sealed a Patriots victory.
This time, there was no debate.
Nike ad nods to Seahawks’ Super Bowl XLIX loss
A Nike ad released after the game featured former Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, playfully referencing the long-discussed final play from Super Bowl XLIX.
"I ain't even gonna hold," Lynch said. "Bitter is an acquired taste. That's how you know it's not for everybody. But the real ones know where that flavor is. When you get to the bottom of that mug, when there ain't nothing left but that grit, that's where you really appreciate that grind. Because nothing tastes as good as getting your lick back."
Will the Seahawks return to the Super Bowl next year?
Early odds suggest it’s possible.
According to DraftKings, the Seahawks are among the early favorites to return to the Super Bowl in 2027.
Where is Super Bowl LXI?
Super Bowl LXI will be played on Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. — marking the first Super Bowl ever played on Valentine’s Day.
What channel is Super Bowl LXI on?
The 2027 Super Bowl will air on ESPN, marking the network’s first-ever Super Bowl broadcast. It will also be ABC’s first Super Bowl since 2006.
Early Super Bowl LXI odds
Could the Seattle Seahawks return to the Super Bowl? According to DraftKings Network, early odds say the Super Bowl champs could repeat. Other advanced odds say the Los Angeles Ram could also get there.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 10: Head Coach Kevin Young of the Brigham Young Cougars watches a play during the first half of their game against the Utah Utes at the Jon M Huntsman Center on January 10, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The AP Poll was released Monday morning and BYU went from 16 to 22 after losses to Oklahoma State and Houston last week. BYU has lost four in a row and and is 17-6 after starting the season 16-1. BYU is one of six Big 12 teams ranked along with Arizona, Iowa State, Houston, Kansas, and Texas Tech.
BYU has two games this week, both against unranked teams. BYU first travels to Waco Tuesday to play a Baylor team that is just 13-10 and towards the bottom of the Big 12 standings but has played better their last three games, beating West Virginia and Colorado and narrowly losing on the road to Iowa State. Baylor desperately needs a Quad 1 win to get back in the NCAA Tournament conversation, and the crowd should be fired up with the return of Rob Wright to Baylor. KenPom currently gives BYU a 55% chance to win and favors the Cougars by 2 points.
Baylor would be a Quad 1 win for BYU and give a much needed road win to break the 4-game slide.
Where do the New Orleans Saints place in the post-Super Bowl NFL power rankings? We're fully shifting gears to the offseason, and the Saints have a lot of work to do. Most outlets still have New Orleans in the NFC South's basement, which isn't as far off from their rivals as you may think. We've collected the results from ESPN, FOX Sports, and Sporting News to find where the Saints rank not just in the NFL but in the NFC South, too.
While a panel of 80 writers, editors, and TV personalities ranked the Saints at No. 26 (and lowest in the division), ESPN's Katherine Terrell sees plenty to build off of:
The Saints had momentum at the end of the season, winning four of their last five games thanks to rookie quarterback Tyler Shough and strong performances from defensive players such as defensive end Chase Young. Now, they need to keep that energy going in coach Kellen Moore's second season. Offense will be a priority, as they look to add more playmakers after losing several players to trades, releases and injuries. In 2025, the Saints were 28th in rushing yards per game (94.3) and tied for 27th in yards per play (5.0).
FOX Sports also put the Saints at No. 26 and last in the division, with Ralph Vacchiano writing:
Kellen Moore and QB Tyler Shough generated a lot of excitement about their future with a four-game winning streak in December. One look at who they played in that stretch, though, shows they’ve still got a long way to go.
As for the Sporting News? Here's the take from SN's Vinnie Iyer, who ranked them at No. 25:
The Saints will hope to have a big second-year breakthrough with Tyler Shough under Kellen Moore and they have a shot at winning the division with key defensive improvements.
And here's how the NFC South shook out, ranked by their averages:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 20 (ESPN: 17; FOX Sports: 20; Sporting News: 23)
Atlanta Falcons: 22 (ESPN: 24; FOX Sports: 18; Sporting News: 24)
New Orleans Saints: 25.7 (ESPN: 26; FOX Sports: 26; Sporting News: 25)
It's awfully messy to see the Saints ranked behind a Panthers team they swept, especially with Carolina having made the playoffs ahead of both the Bucs and Falcons, each of whom had major shakeups to their coaching staffs. There's a lot of unknown quantities in the NFC South as we turn our attention to 2026. As far as the Saints are concerned, it's an opportunity to surprise some people.
An ugly end to Super Bowl LX left the brutal scrutiny that comes with a loss at the feet of 23-year-old New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. And yet, it was one of Maye's biggest critics, ESPN analyst and former NFL MVP Cam Newton, who issued the most sensible take on an overreaction Monday, following the Patriots' 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
"Contrary to what people may believe about my relationship or how I feel about Drake Maye, I'm extremely proud of how he handled himself throughout the whole season. Drake Maye, message to you. I will allow myself, if I'm you, to feel every emotion of this game," Newton said on ESPN's First Take. "Are you disappointed? You should be. But understand this, this game wasn't just on what you did. ...This season was not a failure. You made leaps, strides and bounds to becoming an MVP candidate. ...It is only the beginning, not the end."
"I would allow myself, if I'm you, to feel every emotion of this game. Are you disappointed? You should be. But understand this, this game wasn't just on what you did. ... This season wasn't a failure. You made leaps, strides and bounds to becoming an MVP candidate. ... It's only… pic.twitter.com/YkRKLfiNPQ
Maye struggled in his first Super Bowl appearance, going 27-of-43 passing for 295 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He turned the ball over three times, including a strip sack fumble and a pick-six.
The Patriots' offensive line proved to be no match for the Seahawks' defensive front. Rookie offensive tackle Will Campbell gave up 14 quarterback pressures, according to Next Gen Stats. Maye had an average of 2.56 yards to throw in the first half of the game.
The level of difficulty was impossibly hard for a quarterback only in his second NFL season.
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In what must be a new world record for the “bisexual disaster” event, Olympic skier Breezy Johnson says her brand-new gold medal broke just 15 minutes after she received it.
“This is gold medal number two,” Johnson told NBC Sports on Sunday, holding her (second) prize for finishing first in Alpine skiing at the 2026 Olympic Games. “I was jumping and the whole ribbon came off of the medal. And then they tried to fix it, but they couldn’t, so they gave me this one instead and I have to go get it engraved.”
Johnson, who came out as bi in 2022, said that her medal broke “within the first 15 minutes” after receiving it. “I don’t have many Olympic records, but I might have the shortest-lived Olympic medal record,” she joked. “Personally, I would say that any future Olympians at this Games need to be careful about heading to the club with their medals, because they might break them.”
Johnson and her teammate Keely Cashman agreed that the medal’s weight may have been a contributing factor, causing the ribbon clasp to break when Johnson jumped in celebration. “I wasn't super surprised. I felt the weight of it, so I was like, ‘That better be a hefty string or whatever was holding it,’” Cashman said Monday, per USA Today.
Thankfully, Johnson isn’t the only member of Club Broken Medal 2026. On Instagram, Alysa Liu (one member of the gold medal-winning U.S. figure skating team) posted a video of herself on Sunday holding her medal in her left hand and its detached ribbon in her right. “My medal don’t need the ribbon,” Liu wrote in text over the video.
German TV footage also managed to capture the exact moment biathlete (though not to our knowledge a Bi Athlete) Justus Strelow’s bronze medal broke during his team’s celebrations on Sunday, ABC reported. Chief games operations officer Andrea Francisi said in a statement Monday that the Milan Cortina organizers were “working on it.”
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The Algerian boxer said the 2024 campaign against her caused “psychological trauma, for me, and for my family.”
“We are aware of the situation, we have seen the images. Obviously we are trying to understand in detail if there is a problem,” Francisi said, per ABC. “But obviously we are paying maximum attention to this matter, as the medal is the dream of the athletes, so we want that obviously in the moment they are given it that everything is absolutely perfect, because we really consider it to be the most important moment.”
Johnson’s medal win on Sunday came in the shadow of a devastating crash by fellow U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn, who was hospitalized with a broken leg after hooking one of the gates at the start of her run. Vonn was in stable condition following surgery on Monday, per CNN.
“My heart goes out to her. It’s particularly difficult because we all love this track so much,” Johnson told The TODAY Show on Monday. “We race here at World Cup level every year. We call it a ‘classic track,’ so we come here all the time. It’s like your favorite dog biting you. It really hurts that much worse.”
Clemson (20-4 overall, 10-1 ACC) got 13 points apiece from senior RJ Godfrey and freshman guard Ace Buckner, and 11 points from both Carter Welling and fellow big man Jake Wahlin in the win over Cal.
The Tigers' victory followed a 66-64 win at Stanford on Wednesday night that saw Nick Davidson finish with 16 points and seven rebounds. Davidson made two free throws with 24 seconds left to put the Tigers ahead.
Three nights later in Berkeley, Clemson shot 55 percent from the floor and held the Golden Bears to only 40 percent shooting. The win over California also moved the Tigers into a first-place tie atop the ACC standings with the Duke Blue Devils, who fell 71-68 at rival North Carolina in Chapel Hill Saturday.
Clemson has won 13 of its last 14 games, as well as 14 straight ACC road games dating back to last season. It ties for the second-longest streak in ACC history. It is also the longest active streak among major teams in college basketball's major conferences.
Clemson will host Virginia tech, a bubble team in the latest NCAA Tournament projections, in midweek play Wednesday. The Tigers then head to Durham for a top 25 showdown against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium that will be for first place atop the ACC with only five conference games remaining after Saturday.
In the meantime, here's where Clemson lands in this week's USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
Did Clemson move up in new USA TODAY Sports Basketball Coaches Poll?
Clemson is ranked No. 18 in Monday's new USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, up one spot from last week. The Tigers are ranked one spot below Rick Pitino's St. John's Red Storm and one spot above Saint Louis.
Duke (21-2) is still the ACC's highest-ranked team, but the Blue Devils fell two spots to No. 6. A new team jumped past the Virginia Cavaliers (20-3) to become the ACC's second-highest ranked team: North Carolina (19-4), which rose five spots to No. 13. Virginia climbed two spots to No. 15.
Clemson is one of five ACC teams ranked in this week's poll. The 23rd-ranked Louisville Cardinals (17-6) round out the ACC contingent of teams in the rankings.
USA TODAY Sports men's basketball Coaches Poll: ACC team up five spots after upset win
Here's a look at the full Week 15 rankings in the USA TODAY Sports men's basketball coaches poll.
Clemson basketball schedule 2026: Big week ahead for Brad Brownell's Tigers
Clemson will host Virginia Tech (16-8, 5-6) Wednesday at Littlejohn Coliseum. Tipoff for Clemson-Virginia Tech is 7 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ACC Network.
The Tigers then visit Duke on Saturday at noon ET. Clemson-Duke will be televised on ESPN.
Here's a game by game look at Clemson's 2025-26 men's basketball schedule.
Wearing a scarf on his shoulders with the orange color of the Dutch team, he walked past a reporter without answering questions.
Leerdam collected a silver in the 1,000 four years ago at the Beijing Games and owns a pair of world titles at that distance. She also won three of the four World Cup 1,000-meter races she entered this season. She was scheduled to compete in the last of 15 heats Monday.
Separately, Leerdam and Paul draw big crowds to their social media sites — her Instagram page has about 5 million followers; his has more than 28 million. Together, they draw a lot of eyeballs and interest, and he had been expected to attend her events in Milan.
Leerdam and Paul posted news about their engagement on Instagram in March.
Paul is not shy about offering his opinions on all manner of matters, and he has been critical on social media in recent days about American Olympians expressing their opinions about what is going on back in their country at the moment. He also sent a series of posts to X about Puerto Rico music star Bad Bunny’s appearance at the Super Bowl halftime show, including: “Turn off this halftime. A fake American performing who publicly hates America. I cannot support that.”
That drew a rebuke on social media from his brother, Logan, who wrote: “I love my brother but I don’t agree with this. Puerto Ricans are Americans & I’m happy they were given the opportunity to showcase the talent that comes from the island.”
Later, Jake Paul posted again to say that he lives in Puerto Rico and that he agreed with Bad Bunny’s sentiment that “love is more powerful than hate.” But he added that he thinks voicing criticism of the U.S. is “being a fake citizen.”
Earlier at these Olympics, Paul sat with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at a women’s hockey game that the United States won 5-0 against Finland.
Leerdam is a 27-year-old Dutch athlete who also is scheduled to participate in the 500 meters next Sunday.
Her trophy collection includes 12 world championship medals, with six golds. Two of those titles arrived in the 1,000 — in 2020 and 2023.
Paul is a 29-year-old American influencer who first gained fame for his YouTube videos and then made his way into the world of boxing about five years ago.
Paul has also gone up against a 58-year-old Mike Tyson in November 2024, plus Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., retired UFC fighters Anderson Silva and Nate Díaz and former NBA player Nate Robinson.
The Mets announced their full slate of invitees not on the 40-man roster ahead of this Wednesday’s pitchers and catchers reporting date.
Among the more interesting names are top prospects Carson Benge, Ryan Clifford, A.J. Ewing and Jack Wenninger. Veterans Craig Kimbrel, Austin Barnes, and Carl Edwards Jr. are among the players hoping to extend their careers on the backend.
With the M.J. Melendez signing not yet official, the 40-Man Roster is still in a state of flux, but we can presume that the Mets will have 37 of the 40 on their roster in big league camp, with Reed Garrett, Tylor Megill, and Dedniel Núñez all out for the season after arm surgeries.
That means that the Mets will have 66 (give or take once the Melendez signing becomes official) players in camp. While the 26-man roster is fairly predictable at this point, there area few spots at the fringes that will be interesting stories this spring. Plus, this will be many fans’ first looks at some prospects who may wind up being key players for the club this year and beyond. Spring training, same as it ever was.
All of that is to say…baseball’s (nearly) back, baby.
The full list of both NRIs and members of the 40-Man Roster is below:
[Names in italics are non-roster invitees, underlined expected to miss the full 2026 season]
The new Cadillac team have launched a unique split livery in an advert costing a reputed £7.3m that was broadcast during the Super Bowl.
Cadillac Formula 1 chief executive officer Dan Towriss said the launch, which also included a model of the team's car being unveiled in New York's Times Square, was a "tremendous event for us" and a "momentous day".
The livery is white on black on one side of the car and black on white on the other, a design decision that has raised eyebrows among other teams because F1 rules dictate car colour schemes should look "substantially similar on both sides".
A spokesperson said team principal Graeme Lowdon and team manager Pete Crolla had sought clarification from governing body the FIA and had "indicated this design was within the rules as long as the design and branding was similar from both sides, which we are comfortable and confident it is".
The British American Racing (BAR) team fell foul of this area of the rulebook in their debut season in 1999, when they tried to run their cars in two different cigarette liveries.
After an intervention by then FIA president Max Mosley, a compromise was reached whereby the cars ran in identical split liveries. The current rules language dates from that dispute.
British American Racing introduced a split livery in 1999 [Getty Images]
Cadillac's entry is the first time US car giant General Motors, their parent company, has competed in F1.
Towriss said Cadillac were trying to make a statement as they took their first steps in F1.
"You can say we're competing against the other teams, but really Formula 1 is competing against other sports," he said.
"You're competing against the Super Bowl. You're competing against what's going on in stick and ball sports, Premier League soccer, all the things that are happening at the Olympics. There's the Fifa World Cup this year. So there's a lot going on.
"And so I think as teams we need to continue to find innovative ways to draw that interest, do storytelling and reach out to fans."
Both Towriss and Lowdon have emphasised that Cadillac face an uphill struggle in F1 this year.
Towriss said: "We're a brand new team. So we're going to have have triumphant days and we're going to have some carnage along the way as well. There's just a lot to learn in this first year."
He said the team have not set themselves a specific performance target for the season.
"For me, points would be kind of an arbitrary target," said Towriss. "I think I want to look at beating teams, beating cars on track, and how many cars can we pass in year one in moving up the grid.
"And so I think that's really how we're thinking about it. And then, secondly, it's going to be the rate of development on this car as well. We obviously have a long-term outlook for the team."
Film director Bay suing over advert
Cadillac meanwhile have confirmed the accuracy of a Rolling Stone report that they are being sued by Hollywood film director Michael Bay, who claims the team stole his ideas for the advert having approached him for input and then ended contact with him.
Towriss said Bay's actions were "disappointing", adding "all of the creative [work] was done well in advance of ever speaking with him", and he was "confident it'll be resolved amicably".
Bay directed films The Rock, Pearl Harbor and Armageddon.
A Cadillac F1 spokesperson said: "Michael Bay is a cinematic genius and we talked with him about directing our Super Bowl ad. But after two meetings it became clear he couldn't meet our timeline, and there ultimately wasn't a path forward.
"It's unclear why he's bringing this claim, since the concept and creative were already developed and we were only exploring him as a director.
"It's also unusual to raise this now, given the ad hasn't even been released. We're confident this will be resolved appropriately. Even so, we still admire Michael Bay's creative brilliance and would welcome the opportunity to work together in the future."
The Netherlands put a dominating stamp to close out the women's 1000m race in the 2026 Winter Olympics speedskating event on Monday, Feb. 9. Jutta Leerdam, the fiancée of YouTube star-turned-boxer Jake Paul, claimed the gold medal by re-setting an Olympic record her Dutch teammate Femke Kok had set minutes earlier.
Kok took the silver medal and American Brittany Bowe finished off the podium in fourth place in what's expected to be her final Olympic appearance for the United States. American Erin Jackson briefly held the event lead after her skate until Kok set the first record of the night and eventually finished off the podium in sixth place.
Paul was shown in the crowd in tears as Leerdam celebrated her winning skate, which came in the final pairing of the event. She finished with a time of 1:12.31. Here's video of her record skate, as well as Paul's reaction to Leerdam's gold medal performance:
DUTCH DOMINATION. Jutta Leerdam captures GOLD in the women’s 1000m AND sets an Olympic Record! 👏 pic.twitter.com/gZoUTP2sU2
Notre Dame alum Rylie Mills had an impact in Super Bowl LX. Now with the Seattle Seahawks, Mills had a sack of New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye during the Seahawks 29-13 victory over New England.
After the game, he said his thought process before the sack was simple -- he didn't want to think anymore. He just wanted to "go." Except he added a word we can't repeat here before the word "go."
Mills, a rookie, bull-rushed his blocker, fellow rookie Jared Wilson, backwards into Maye, and then reached past Wilson to grab Maye and bring him down. The sack took place with New England facing 2nd down and 7 from their own 38-yard-line with 10:38 remaining in the second quarter.
Wilson is a Georgia alum, meaning that he and Mills were on opposing sides of the line during the 2025 Allstate Sugar Bowl -- Notre Dame won that College Football Playoff matchup 23-10.
Now Mills got the best of Wilson again during a winning postseason effort -- except this time, it was in the Super Bowl.
“I just ran through his face and then got to the quarterback...I told myself last night, no more thinking -- just f*cking go.” pic.twitter.com/N3pPXZ8QQd
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Seattle Seahawks running back and Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III had a breakout season in 2025 and saved his best performance for last, which happened to be his dad’s first NFL game. Walker set the tone on offense for Seattle’s Super Bowl victory over New England on Sunday, but said it took some convincing to get his father inside Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Ken Walker III says this was his dad’s first NFL game. Dad comes to Seattle a lot but typically doesn’t attend because he doesn’t like crowds. But Ken says his agent talked pops into attending the Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/0xsPmfJErb
After splitting carries all season, Walker became the workhorse in the Seahawks backfield when Zach Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in the divisional round win over the San Francisco 49ers. That injury immediately made Charbonnet the primary back for the two biggest games of Seattle’s season.
Walker came up big in the Seahawks’ three playoff games. In the game where Charbonnet went down with the knee injury, he rushed for 116 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-6 blowout over the Niners. Against the Rams in the NFC championship game, Walker rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown while also adding four catches for 49 yards.
Kenneth Walker II did not attend either of those games due to not being a fan of crowds. Walker’s agent must be a great negotiator because they were able to get pops in the building, and the fourth-year running back had his biggest performance of the entire season in Super Bowl LX. Walker ended Super Bowl LX with 135 rushing yards and added four receptions for 26 yards, leading to Super Bowl MVP honors.
In 2025, Walker became the Seahawks’ full-time starting running back and played in all 17 games for the first time in his career. He rushed for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns, along with 31 receptions for 282 yards. In three postseason games, Walker rushed for 313 yards, with a 4.8-yard average per carry and four touchdowns.
Only two quarterbacks drafted by the Broncos have won a playoff game with the franchise (you can guess which two), and four QBs drafted by the team have received Super Bowl rings with the team (as backups). No quarterbacks drafted by the franchise have won Super Bowls as a starter.
Lock, who was drafted by Denver in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft, was a backup behind Sam Darnold in Seattle this season. The first QB to win a title after being drafted by the Broncos was Brian Griese, who served as John Elway's backup after he was picked in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft. Jeff Lewis, the Broncos' fourth-round pick in 1996, was a reserve QB with the team for both of their Super Bowl wins in the late 1990s.
John Hufnagel, Denver's 14th-round draft pick in 1973, served as a backup with the New England Patriots when they won the 2003 Super Bowl. The Broncos later used a first-round pick to select Tommy Maddox in 1992, and he later won a Super Bowl as a backup with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2005.
Denver used a second-round selection to draft Brock Osweiler in 2012, and he was Manning's backup when the Broncos won Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season. During the regular season, Osweiler went 5-2 as a fill-in starter while Manning was injured. The team's seventh-round pick that season, Trevor Siemian, also received a Super Bowl 50 ring after serving as QB3 in 2015.
Bo Nix, the team's first-round pick in 2024, became Denver's first quarterback since Peyton Manning to reach the playoffs as a rookie, then he helped the team clinch the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed in 2025. Nix's career is off to a great start, and Broncos fans will hope he becomes the first QB drafted by the franchise to win a Super Bowl as a starter.
Serie A: Atalanta vs. Cremonese – Confirmed line-ups
Nikola Krstovic is called back in to lead the line for Atalanta, who face off against Jamie Vardy and Cremonese in Serie A on Monday evening.
Atalanta are coming in off the back of a 3-0 Coppa Italia victory over Juventus on Thursday evening and a 0-0 draw after being reduced to 10 men early on in their away game against Como last time out in Serie A.
Raffaele Palladino’s side sit in seventh place in the league table ahead of kick-off.
COMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 01: Marco Carnesecchi of Atalanta BC is congratulated by teammates after saving a penalty during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and Atalanta BC at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on February 01, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Cremonese had started the 2025-26 season in impressive form, but have only picked up two points from their last seven matches in Serie A, which has them tumbling concerningly towards the relegation zone.
Davide Nicola’s side are in 16th place, five points above the drop zone ahead of kick-off.
Atalanta have stuck with the same core of the team that beat Juventus in the cup for tonight’s game against Cremonese, but have swapped Honest Ahanor for Sead Kolasinac at the back, Mario Pasalic for Marten De Roon, Nicola Zalewski in place of Luca Bernasconi and Nikola Krstovic instead of Gianluca Scammaca at centre-forward.
Cremonese once again turn to Jamie Vardy and Federico Bonazzoli to lead their attacking line. They have made three changes after their recent 2-0 loss against Inter, with Sebastiano Luperto coming in for Francesco Folino, Tommaso Barbieri instead of Filippo Terracciano and Morten Thorsby instead of Alessio Zerbin.
CREMONA, ITALY – JANUARY 19: Jamie Vardy of US Cremonese reacts during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and Hellas Verona FC at Stadio Giovanni Zini on January 19, 2026 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)
Serie A Week 24 Liveblog: Atalanta-Cremonese and Roma-Cagliari
This page will update live with the latest relevant news, no need to refresh the page!
Join us for all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Serie A games, as Atalanta host Jamie Vardy’s Cremonese and Roma face on-form Cagliari.
We begin at 17.30 GMT in Bergamo, with La Dea hoping to ride the wave of enthusiasm from their midweek 3-0 Coppa Italia win over Juventus.
At 19.45 GMT, Roma know a victory can get them back into joint fourth place, but the Sardinians are on a three-game winning streak.
The New England Patriots had massive expectations when they selected offensive lineman Will Campbell with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Campbell was supposed to serve as Drake Maye's blindside protector, keeping the future of the franchise safe from opposing pass rushers.
While Campbell did a decent job of that during the regular season, things completely fell apart against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60. Campbell allowed an astounding 14 quarterback pressures during the contest, per Next Gen Stats. That was the most allowed by any player in a single game the entire 2025 season, including the playoffs.
After that performance, the 22-year-old Campbell declined to speak to the media following the 29-13 loss, per the Boston Globe.
While most Patriots players took questions from reporters, LT Will Campbell declined multiple times and left
Campbell was reportedly asked to speak multiple times, but declined before leaving the locker room.
It's not the best look for the rookie, who had an especially tough time throughout the playoffs. During the postseason, Campbell ranked 29th out of 30 tackles in pass block win rate, per Ed Werder. Campbell definitely played a role in Maye getting sacked 21 times during the team's four postseason games.
But to put all the blame on Campbell would be foolish. The rookie didn't play well, but he was far from the only member of the Patriots' offensive line who faltered down the stretch. Guard Jared Wilson also rated out poorly over the four postseason games, per Werder.
While Campbell's performance stood out Sunday, he wasn't the sole reason the Patriots gave up six sacks and two interceptions. Seattle's defense was ferocious, getting pressure against essentially every member of the Patriots' line the entire evening. All of that combined to speed up Maye and make him uncomfortable, leading to some missed passes and costly errors.
Campbell's struggles also may have been overstated depending on which advanced metric proprietor you trust. Pro Football Focus' metrics list Campbell with three pressures allowed in Super Bowl 60. He still struggled, but maybe not as much as Next Gen Stats initially suggested.
Figuring out exactly what went wrong for Campbell should be a major focus for the Patriots over the offseason. Campbell wasn't miserable in the regular season, ranking as the 32nd left tackle in the NFL according to PFF's metrics. It was a promising enough performance that fans could envision a future where Campbell improved in his second season and ranked within the top half of the league at his position.
But after his immense struggles in the playoffs, the Patriots may need to re-evaluate Campbell's future. When Campbell was coming out of the draft, some questioned whether he would hold up as a tackle in the NFL due to his short wingspan. Is a position change a reality following Campbell's poor postseason, or will the Patriots continue to show faith in him as a tackle?
The development puts an even bigger damper on the Patriots' Super Bowl loss. The entire team got exposed in Super Bowl 60, but no player found themselves under a microscope more than Campbell, the team's first-round pick.
Campbell, of course, is exceptionally young and shouldn't be written off after a poor stretch against some of the best pass rushers in the NFL. If anything, his struggles are a reminder that the Patriots were never supposed to be this good so quickly, and that the team still has work to do to solidify itself as as Super Bowl contender next season.
Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, Philadelphia is hiring Chris Kuper for the role.
Kuper, 43, spent the last four seasons as Minnesota's offensive line coach before the club quietly parted ways with him last month.
A Broncos fifth-round pick in 2006, Kuper appeared in 90 games with 79 starts along the offensive line for the franchise through 2013.
He has since worked for the Dolphins, Broncos, and Vikings as a coach in the league. Kuper crossed paths with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion when Mannion was a backup QB for Minnesota in 2023.
Kuper has a big job, replacing longtime Eagles famed offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.
The pair, who met as teenagers in Michigan's figure skating community, were partners on the ice long before their relationship turned romantic. After publicly revealing their romance in 2017, they got engaged in 2022 and married in 2024.
"That has always been the case, even before we were dating," Bates told PEOPLE in February 2022. "We sort of would look at each other and smile."
Here’s everything to know about Olympic ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates’ relationship.
They met as teenagers
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Tang Xinyu/VCG via Getty
Bates and Chock met as children in Michigan’s ice skating community, when Chock moved to the area at 12 years old, per NBC Sports.
They went on their first date to Bahama Breeze for Chock's 16th birthday, she told Today. However, their romance initially fizzled after a few dates.
Chock and Bates became partners in 2011
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Joosep Martinson - International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty
Bates began his competitive career as a solo skater but transitioned to pair skating with Emily Samuelson from 2000 to 2011. Meanwhile, Chock competed in pairs with Greg Zuerlein from 2006 until he retired in 2011. When Chock needed a new partner, the two decided to pair up.
“We go through everything together; all the highs and all lows,” Chock told PEOPLE in February 2018. “You just really have to be on the same page and have the same goals and the same work ethic, which we are fortunate to have, and it works really well.”
They didn’t start dating until 2016
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Madison Chock/Instagram
While Chock and Bates went on their first date as teenagers, they didn’t start officially dating until 2016 — and they waited a year to make their relationship status public.
"I pretty much told Maddie that I loved her," he recalled to Todayin February 2018. "Last year I told [her] how I really felt, and that changed things a lot."
Years later in January 2026, the now-married couple opened up to PEOPLE about the early days of their relationship and when it turned into romance.
“It took a while, actually,” Bates said. “We had already been skating together for five years, and we had been friends for 10 years already. I think just going through the highs and lows of skating and the pressure of just trying to always be your best, and it really brought us together.”
Bates added that he and Chocks began feeling “the romantic pull” when they were struggling with their performances on the ice. “We really leaned on each other in those times," he recalled.
Their romance has strengthened their partnership on ice
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
PAUL MILLER / AFP via Getty
Chock and Bates’ romance has made their skating even stronger. “It definitely helps,” Bates told PEOPLE in September 2025. “It’s not always easy — we’re pushing ourselves hard to be our very best — but at the same time, the foundation is that we’re best friends.”
He continued, “We’ve known each other for 20 years, we’ve been a couple for 10 years and now husband and wife for just over a year. I think the trust is there, the friendship is there and that’s what is the strongest part of our relationship.”
The inverse is true, too. In February 2022, Bates told PEOPLE that his and Chock’s shared love for the sport has enriched their relationship.
"We are so lucky because we have this thing that we share, this ice dance that's our own little corner of the universe," he said. "And it's something that we together get to pour everything into. We're super passionate about it. We push each other, we inspire each other, we share ideas, we go back and forth. It's our job, but it doesn't feel like our job."
Chock and Bates married in 2024
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Jurij Kodrun - International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty
In June 2022, Bates proposed to Chock during a vacation in Phuket, Thailand. Two years later on June 20, 2024, the couple tied the knot in a romantic seaside wedding in Hawaii, as Chock’s parents were born and raised there. Guests included Olympic figure skaters like Adam Rippon, Meryl Davis and Alexa Knierim.
For their nuptials, the couple went with a “tropical wedding theme,” incorporating several Hawaiian traditions — like a lei exchange and music popular to the state — into their big day.
“The leis represent unity and the coming together of separate elements to make a whole greater than the sum of its parts,” Chock told PEOPLE. “In marriage, you come together as individuals to create a partnership together.”
“Skating was always the main focus, but as we've gotten older, I think the relationship has become the main focus," he said. "Skating obviously is still the main focus, but skating is kind of like our means of strengthening ourselves and our relationship and going through all the experiences of life together, and so the appreciation for the partnership has grown.”
Chock and Bates compete in the Olympics together
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Michael Reaves/Getty
Chock and Bates have competed in numerous elite competitions together, with the Olympic Games being the most prestigious of all. The pair made their Olympic debut in Sochi in 2014, and four years later, they returned for the 2018 Games in PyeongChang.
It wasn’t until the 2022 Olympics in Beijing that Chock and Bates earned a gold medal in a team event. They repeated that success with a gold medal in the team event in the 2026 Games.
Chock and Bates have also won seven gold medals, six silver medals and one bronze medal at the U.S. National Championships, among other awards.
They share two dogs
Evan Bates and their two dogs.
Madison Chock/Instagram
Chock and Bates share two toy poodles, Henry and Stella.
“As the story goes, Henry chose Madison, and Madison chose Henry,” Bates told Nulo. “Madison had always wanted a dog of her own and specifically had the name Henry in mind. Henry's middle name is Tiberius because he just seemed like he deserved a really interesting middle name,” he added.
Chock continued, “Stella has been part of Evan’s family since she was born from his parents' dog, and Evan took her in when Stella was two years old after his brother and sister-in-law grew their family of humans.”
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.
HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 15: Miami Dolphins fans show disappointment on a play during game between the Miami Dolphins and the Houston Texans on December 15, 2024 at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX. (Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The NFL season concluded last night as the Seattle Seahawks dominated the New England Patriots en route to a Super Bowl victory in Santa Clara, California. With one season ending, all eyes now turn to the 2026 season — Miami’s first under new head coach Jeff Hafley.
There are plenty of questions surrounding the Dolphins organization — between a new coach, a new general manager, the looming Tua Tagovailoa decision, five top-100 draft picks and more — but before the final piece of confetti could even hit the field during Seattle’s celebration last night, ESPN had already released their first power rankings list for all 32 teams for the upcoming NFL season.
As you might have expected, this list was not kind to the Miami Dolphins.
Miami checks in at number 29 in the early rankings — aka the fourth worst team in the entire league. They rank ahead of just three teams — the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders.
Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN summed up Miami’s 2026 offseason in just three words: “Time to rebuild.”
Expounding upon that thought, Louis-Jacques had this to say about Miami’s hefty workload yet to come this offseason:
“The Dolphins hired a new general manager and head coach this offseason, as team owner Stephen Ross avoided the half-measures he has taken in years past. Under Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley, Miami wants to establish a new culture — an act that often requires a shuffling of both players and personnel. With a difficult schedule, thin roster and limited starting quarterback options, the Dolphins are likely facing at least a yearlong rebuild in 2026.”
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You could immediately see the frustration, and it was more than just Liverpool struggling to break through. As Slot’s side suddenly had to chase, and were looking to find any kind of opening around the City box, a good interchange of passes put Ryan Gravenberch on the ball just outside the area. The midfielder clearly wanted to move it out to the obvious space on the right… but there was no one there.
Mohamed Salah maybe would have been, but he was already in that morass of players in the box. Szoboszlai maybe should have been, given that he was the notional right-back, but he had already drifted inside to a more natural central position at this crucial moment.
You could see Gravenberch’s irritation as he had to play the ball back to the Hungarian, since it completely ended the energy of the move.
Gravenberch just had no choice, but that itself was a consequence of much bigger choices that Liverpool made long before this game.
Those choices were also far more relevant to the outcome, and what is happening with the Premier League, than the absurd VAR decision that ultimately saw Szoboszlai sent off and Liverpool lose 2-1 rather than 3-1.
Who knows, mind, maybe that spare goal may be decisive in the title race or chase for the Champions League places. But much of that will be dependent on other outcomes from this game, which may be dependent on other choices within it.
I feel I should – and not for the first time in this newsletter – place on record the sense of tedium I feel any time VAR must be discussed.
Talking about it is arguably the only thing worse than waiting for a decision – and yes, I am fully conscious of the deeper effect on how the game is played and experienced. There are genuinely moments when it is all that most people are discussing and this is one of them.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the whole episode was how the common-sense decision so jarred with the “letter of the law”. Yes, you could understand the basic logic of why VAR had to overrule the goal. Szoboszlai had impeded Erling Haaland, denying him a goalscoring opportunity, leading to Haaland himself impeding Szoboszlai in preventing Ryan Cherki’s strike going in, meaning the VAR had to back through the steps and the cause-and-effect of the moment.
It just seems so ridiculous when the supposed denial of a goalscoring opportunity still resulted in a goal being scored.
Dominik Szoboszlai fouls Erling Haaland leading to a red card following a VAR review (Getty Images)
And yet such a contradiction is also a fitting reflection of the fundamental circularity of VAR. (There are times talking about this when you feel like The Architect in the Matrix Reloaded, if that isn’t by now a totally out-of-date reference). An increasingly broadcasted and digitised game could not cope with human error and the necessary subjectivity afforded to referees which leads to a “lack of consistency”, ultimately resulting in VAR. VAR itself is almost the inevitable conclusion of so much being broadcast.
And yet since VAR is designed to erode human error as well as the subjectivity that is actually required to make decisions without technological aid, it leads to a rigour that football also can’t cope with.
Forensic attention to detail, after all, is what is implicitly hardwired into VAR – and that on laws that weren’t written with such scrutiny possible. That’s how you get the “consistency” of a decision like Sunday’s, when everyone is crying out for common sense.
And let’s be blunt here: football is never going to be fully happy with either situation. VAR could go and the next great injustice would bring another storm about referees, which is why we’re here in the first place.
There are bigger discussions that could be had about how Fifa trialled it and implemented it - in what is almost a classic illustration of how the modern Fifa works – but none of it is as relevant to how the game went as the choices Liverpool faced. Or, in the case of that Gravenberch moment, the lack of them.
One of a few reasons why Liverpool had no option on that right side is because all of their main right-sided players are injured. Hence the Szoboszlai solution, although that now poses another problem since the red card means he’s suspended for Sunderland on Wednesday.
And that just exposes the next stage of this issue.
Liverpool ultimately have these issues because their squad is too thin, with not enough depth or tactical variability.
That may sound absurd given their outlay in the summer, but that’s another distinctive choice. I have written in this newsletter before that one of football chief executive Michael Edwards’ policies is for most of a club’s wages to go towards the starting XI, and for most of that to go towards the attacking talent that really make a difference, but it feels like Liverpool went too far with that in the summer. You can see it in some of the sales necessary to fund so many big purchases, and the lopsided squad they’re left with.
And yes, people might point to injuries, but that only proves the point.Elite football now has the busiest calendar it has ever had. No matter how good your physical programme – as Liverpool’s was last year – you just cannot bank on the same core players staying fit. Just as relevantly, you can’t continuously play them in this calendar. Any elite team needs what is almost an entire second XI.
This is exactly why Arsenal – and now City – have sought to build deep squads for this campaign.
Liverpool, at this crucial new moment, went in another direction.
You only have to consider Sunday’s constant discussion of the difference between the benches. And then Gravenberch having no option at that key moment. The Liverpool side wasn’t built for that.
While there are multiple fair criticisms of Slot’s attempted solutions to Liverpool’s various issues this season, too, this is another where he had been dealt a difficult hand.
From that, there was yet another direct effect in play, too. Playing Szoboszlai at right-back means Liverpool do not have their best midfielder – and, now, arguably, their best player – in the centre, and that in a game where the area is repeatedly being exploited.
Those gaps eventually told, despite a much better Liverpool second half.Slot’s side probably should have won the game, to properly turn their season, but that crucial difference in depth may now have turned it for City.
The reality of this performance was that Guardiola’s side played poorly, continuing the pattern of bad second halves that has characterised their season. There are still issues there. The pressing problems that other teams have spotted have not gone away.
And yet the potential of this result can be witnessed in the joy and defiance afterwards. It can have a multiplying effect. The players themselves spoke of how they thought the title race was over with a defeat. Marc Guehi had a supreme display, outside that yellow card decision for pulling back Salah. As has now become almost a mantra in elite Premier League dressing rooms, “momentum is everything”, and City now suddenly have it. Even more crucially, they have it ahead of a forgiving period in this schedule, that will allow them to build confidence and deeper tactical coherence.
There will have been understandable frustration at Arsenal, too. This could have been one of those hinge days, and it came down to a lot more than VAR.
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Klint Kubiak barely had time to celebrate his Super Bowl LX win with the Seattle Seahawks before he was answering questions about his new job with the Las Vegas Raiders, but the former New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator has a plan for what's next. That includes bringing some former Saints coaches with him.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero suggested as much during the Super Bowl pregame show: "One other change potentially coming as well as Kubiak fills out his staff in Las Vegas, Andrew Janocko the Seahawks quarterbacks coach, a top candidate to be the offensive coordinator for the Raiders."
Janocko also coached quarterbacks with the Saints under Kubiak in 2024, and their shared background on the Minnesota Vikings back in the day means they have a long-running relationship. It would make sense for Janocko to follow Kubiak to Las Vegas, too, much like how Saints head coach Kellen Moore brought Doug Nussmeier with him to New Orleans after working together in several different spots.
Penn State offensive lineman Vega Ioane (71) celebrates with running back Quinton Martin after the freshman scored a touchdown during the Blue-White game at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in State College. The White team defeated the Blue team, 27-0.
Super Bowl LX has officially come and gone which means it’s time to full pivot our attention to free agency and the NFL Draft. On this bright and shiny Monday, let’s take a look at the initial names being mocked to the Chargers across the media landscape at this early point in the draft season.
CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson): OG Vega Ioane, Penn State
excelling as an earth mover in the run game and showing the athleticism to be effective in both gap and zone schemes. In pass protection, he plays with a strong base, using a well-timed, powerful punch to neutralize the bull rush.
The Chargers’ offensive line was an Achilles’ heel this past season. They’ll get Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back from injury at the tackle spots, but their interior pass blocking must improve. Ioane was one of the best pass-blocking guards in college football in 2025, notching an 87.0 PFF pass-blocking grade.
The run on edge rushers before this pick leaves the Chargers with some interesting decisions. Do they add to an offensive line that was marred by injury in 2025 or try to fix a D-line that still needs a true anchor to help defend the run? With the talent that’s left on the board, Banks would be very enticing as the nose tackle Los Angeles is missing. The 6-foot-6 339-pounder is an aggressive bull rusher with rare first-step quickness for his size. Think Vita Vea, but with better length. Banks missed all but two games last season due to a foot injury, but his Senior Bowl performance was well-received by scouts, who saw the explosive play in the trenches that excited them entering the 2025 season.
Injuries decimated the Chargers’ offensive line in 2025, highlighting the lack of overall depth and long-term answers on the interior. Pregnon would be a plug-and-play starter at either guard spot.
Fantasy Life (Matthew Freedman): OG Vega Ioane, Penn State
USA Today (Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz): DT Caleb Banks, Florida
“After he missed all but two games last season due to a foot injury, Banks parlayed a strong Senior Bowl showing into significant buzz in the pre-draft process. With nose tackle Teair Tart recently re-signed, the Chargers can continue to focus on setting the tone at the line of scrimmage by bringing on the 6-foot-6, 335-pounder, who might be the most disruptive interior force in the class when he’s putting it all together.”
“The Chargers need to get more stout up front, and a Senior Bowl standout would be a great fit here. Caleb Banks can anchor against the run while still holding his own on passing downs. At 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, he moves surprisingly well for his size, as he showed in Mobile.”
NFL.com (Cynthia Frelund): WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
“The Chargers have some tough decisions to make in free agency … like what to do with offensive lineman Zion Johnson and edge rusher Khalil Mack. If neither return, those would be two clear areas of need for the Bolts. That said, if Tyson were available at this pick, I think they’d scribble down his name at lightning speed. If not for some past injuries, his stock would be higher. His ball-tracking and body-control metrics rate very highly despite the injury history, and even though his speed is not in the top echelon, his contested-catch ability and short-area quickness help make up for it. Remember, the Chargers will presumably get both of their starting tackles back healthy by the start of next season.”
Looking for some bench scoring, the Milwaukee Bucks have signed free agent guard Cam Thomas for the remainder of the season, the team has announced.
The Brooklyn Nets had waived Thomas on Thursday after he was not traded at the deadline. Thomas had wanted to be waived so he could pick his next team, and explained to Marc Spears of ESPN’s Andscape why he chose Milwaukee.
"I picked Milwaukee because they wanted me and they told me they've been interested for years now. So, it's good to have this opportunity come to fruition. And I'm just hoping to meet everybody, get to know everybody and contribute as soon as possible."
He signed a veteran minimum deal for the rest of the season. In 24 games with Brooklyn (he missed time due to a hamstring strain), Thomas averaged 15.6 points and 3.1 assists per game. In that, Thomas had a few high-scoring nights, including three 30-point games and a season-high 41-point performance against San Antonio. Thomas is an old-school volume scorer who puts up points but hasn't been efficient doing that this season, shooting 39.9% overall and 32.5% from 3-point range.
With everyone’s attention turned to 2026, where do the Rams rank among the best teams in football for next season? It’s obviously very early, and things will change dramatically in free agency and the draft, but the Rams are set to contend again next year.
Here’s where analysts have the Rams in their early 2026 power rankings.
ESPN only ranked two teams ahead of the Rams, and they're the same two teams that played in this year's Super Bowl: the Seahawks (1) and Patriots (2). Had the Rams not muffed a punt against Seattle, or had they scored a touchdown in the red zone late in the fourth, we might be talking about them as Super Bowl champions right now.
The Rams' special teams unit played a major part in four losses. In their playoff loss to Seattle, wide receiver Xavier Smith muffed two punts, including one the Seahawks recovered before scoring a touchdown on the next play. Coach Sean McVay tried to fix the issues at midseason when he moved on from kicker Joshua Karty and long-snapper Alex Ward. He later fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn after Los Angeles' Week 16 loss to the Seahawks. The first item will be deciding on a special teams coordinator, whether that means keeping Ben Kotwica or starting fresh at the position. -- Sarah Barshop
Surprisingly, it's not the Seahawks who are the only team ranked ahead of the Rams. It's the Broncos, who lost to the Patriots in the AFC title game when Bo Nix was sidelined by an ankle injury. The Seahawks are third and the Patriots are fourth, with Los Angeles ranking second behind the Broncos.
They are loaded for one final run at a ring with QB Matthew Stafford, if they can convince him to return. They were the NFC’s second-best team this year, but stuck in the wrong division. With two first-round picks and plenty of cap space, they have the ammunition to close any gap.
The Rams are second in Sporting News' early rankings, one spot behind the world-champion Seahawks. Both teams are set up well in 2026 with the majority of their core still intact, so we could be in for another epic NFC West race next season.
The Rams should be right in the mix to win the NFC and push the Seahawks and 49ers for the best record in the West with MVP Matthew Stafford returning to lead Sean McVay's most prolific offense yet and the young defense still growing.
Power rankings may not mean much right now, given all the changes that are still to come across the NFL, but it does show how highly the Rams are viewed heading into what could be Matthew Stafford's last ride.
Hearts' head coach Derek McInnes sought to clarify his comments on James Wilson's loan departure to Tottenham Hotspur, insisting there has been "no falling out" between the pair.
The 18-year-old joined the EPL giants on deadline day in a loan move that could become a permanent deal in the summer.
He will initially link up with Spurs' development squad, with McInnes commenting: "I don't think it's the right move for him. Ultimately, it's academy football and I think he's better than that."
Adding to his earlier remarks, the Hearts head coach said: "There's no falling out. I'm disappointed he took up the option but I really hope it goes well for him. I thought the best option, as I said to him and his agent, would be to stay here.
"He sees it as an opportunity. I had a chat with him a couple weeks ago on the back of Lawrence [Shankland]'s injury. There was a space there, that he had to try and get in for, and we had a chat about him not wanting to go out on loan.
"He came on against Celtic and was a step closer to playing with Lawrence's injury. But the interest from down south seemed to change their point of view."
McInnes was also asked about midfielder Beni Baningime, who seemed to confirm last week that he is in talks with the club about a new contract.
Baningime's contract ends in the summer and he has been a vital part of Hearts' title challenge.
"The talks are between [sporting director] Graeme Jones and Beni's agent," McInnes said.
"Beni knows how I feel about him. He's a player who has over his period of time at Hearts been good and in my time at Hearts, I'm really enjoying working with him. He's got a big part to play.
"I saw his comments the other night and there is conversations that have been had between the club and Beni's representative."
Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3) reacts after a fumble recovery against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
There’s no right way to build a Super Bowl winner, but doing it through the draft is definitely the most cost-effective and probably also the most satisfying. The Seattle Seahawks fulfilled a Cinderella run to become Super Bowl champions on Sunday night by blowing out the New England Patriots in a game that was never as close as the 29-13 final score might indicate. Seattle’s elite defense absolutely brutalized Drake Maye all night, the offensive line opened up lanes for MVP Kenneth Walker III, and Sam Darnold managed the game well enough to win.
Seattle used all three ways to acquire talent — draft picks, trades, and free agent signings — in building their Super Bowl roster. Darnold was of course a free agent signing last offseason after the team moved on from Geno Smith. The Seahawks traded for Ernest Jones in the middle of last season and he turned into an All-Pro this year, while Rashid Shaheed was added via trade midway through this season. The bulk of the Seahawks’ core, however, was built through the draft. This Seattle championship happened because GM John Schneider hit on pick-after-pick to load up his team with cost controlled talent.
John Schneider has been on the job in Seattle since 2010, and had already built two Super Bowl teams (and one champion) before this year. He made a brilliant move two offseasons ago by hiring head coach Mike Macdonald away from Baltimore, where he was a defensive coordinator. His magic touch has really shown during the draft.
Dating back to 2022, Seattle nailed so many draft picks to build a lineup of cost-controlled impact who balled out on their rookie deals to win the team the Super Bowl. Just look at this list of impact players on Seattle’s Super Bowl that were drafted by the club and were playing on their rookie deals:
The parity that’s deeply ingrained in the NFL can be understood through the prism of rookie contracts. First-round picks get a four-year rookie deal with a fifth-year option that are slotted monetarily by draft position. Every other pick gets a four-year deal. These are the most team-friendly contracts in the sport, and really the only way to stack the roster with talent while keeping everyone under the salary cap. These players will all eventually seek a bigger payday, which will mean many of them leave the Seahawks for more money.
It all needs to be lined up perfectly to hit big, and even then you need good luck with health and random bounces of the ball. The Seahawks got it all on this Super Bowl run.
Want to build a great team? All you have to do is hit almost every draft pick, hire the right coaches, augment your core with sharp trades and free agent signings, and then pray no one important gets hurt. It’s so, so, so hard to win the Super Bowl, but the Seahawks just gave us the ultimate blueprint.
The New England Patriots' left side of their offensive line was a liability and was taken to the "Dark Side" all night long and throughout the postseason.
During Super Bowl LX, Patriots QB Drake Maye was under siege on what seemed like every snap. New England had zero answers to the looks that Seattle's defense was giving them. At the end of the night, Maye was sacked six times, fumbled the ball, and had two interceptions with pressure forcing one of them.
The Patriots won in the playoffs despite allowing the most sacks in postseason history (20).
“Sacks, it’s a team number,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said. “Whether we block them every time or the quarterback’s responsible, or whether there’s somewhere to go with the football. Without having a look, I know the sack numbers, we went through this, there were times throughout the season when there were sacks where somebody got beat, there were times where it was on the quarterback and there were times where it was on the guys we were throwing to. I’m sure one of those three things led to the six sacks we had.”
The Patriots' two rookies at left guard and left tackle were exposed, and the Seahawks' secondary was even able to get home and join the sack party.
Although the Patriots give up quite a bit of total yardage to Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, they would bend but not break for most of the game. New England has playmakers on defense like Christian Gonzalez, who made a couple of timely plays, and rookie DB Craig Woodson, who turned out to be a bright spot all season. But the pass protection will need to be addressed to protect Drake Maye's longevity.
As a whole, the Patriots' defense shut down the league's leading wide receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who wasn't a factor at all.
It will remain to be seen which route the Patriots take to shore up the left side of the offensive line, but one would think that they will get better organically with experience, but a hole will need filled in case of any leaks with a veteran in free agency.
Cristian Romero was given a red card for his lunge on Manchester United midfielder Casemiro on Saturday [Getty Images]
Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is a "leader" but must learn to control his aggression after his second sending-off of the season, manager Thomas Frank says.
Romero was shown his latest red card for a tackle on midfielder Casemiro in Saturday's 2-0 loss at Manchester United, meaning he will be suspended for four games.
Speaking at a press conference as Spurs prepare to take on Newcastle United on Tuesday, Frank said he was confident the 27-year-old Argentina centre-back had the right blend of skills to succeed.
"For me, I think he is a leader. He is a young leader. He's learning every day.
"I've said I used the example when I was 30 years old. I thought I was on top of the world, but I was no way near the level I am today in terms of leadership and understanding things.
"And then when you have a player that's playing with so much passion and aggression, things like that can happen.
"That's not to say he shouldn't learn from it, of course he needs learn from it, going forward."
Frank had already defended Romero after Saturday's match, saying he would not consider taking the captain's armband away from him.
He will not feature again domestically until 15 March when Spurs take on Liverpool.
Also missing for the next four to five weeks will be defender Destiny Udogie, with Frank confirming the Italian, 23, has suffered hamstring damage.
His absence adds to Tottenham's injury woes, with only 11 fit senior players available for their game against Manchester City at the start of this month.
Asked whether Dejan Kulusevski, who has been out with a knee injury since May, is likely to play this season, Frank said: "I don't know.
"[He] has got another appointment at the end of this week where we will know more, but of course if he's out of the Champions League squad it's a sign it is not tomorrow [that he will return]."
Following a seven-game winless run in the Premier League, Spurs are 15th in the table, six points above the drop zone.
Asked if he viewed the club as being in a relegation fight, Frank told reporters there was "no doubt we are desperate to win games, desperate".
"Of course, we haven't won enough," he said. "If you are not desperate you do not understand the situation you are in."
With Super Bowl 60 now behind us, it's the offseason for every NFL team, and with that, we have some very early 2026 power rankings. So, where are the Jacksonville Jaguars currently ranked?
Year 1 under Tony Boselli, James Gladstone, and Liam Coen was a massive success. Following a four-win season in 2024, the Jaguars posted 13 wins in 2025 and won the AFC South.
During the Jaguars' eight-game winning streak to end the regular season, both the offense and defense were producing at very high levels.
A strong foundation has been established, creating a jumping-off point heading into Year 2 of this regime. The Jaguars are already much further ahead now than they were a year ago, when the roster was being reshaped, and two new schemes were being implemented.
Here is where the very early power rankings have the Jaguars ranked.
They said it: "The Jaguars did a good job of getting close to the quarterback in 2025 (222 pressures, ranked third), but not so much in getting the quarterback on the ground (32 sacks, ranked 27th). Fixing that will likely come either via trade or free agency because they don't have a first-round pick after trading up for wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter in 2025. Their interior pass rush especially needs a boost (7.5 sacks, including 5.5 by defensive tackle Arik Armstead)."
They said it: "They’ve been a sleeping and underachieving giant for years, and Liam Coen’s rookie year is only the beginning. Even if they don’t get 13 wins again, they’re not going to fade away anytime soon."
They said it: "To repeat that success, it will be crucial that the Jaguars get second-half Lawrence and not the first-half Lawrence, who threw 11 interceptions in his first 11 games. That said, Jacksonville returns a lot of key contributors on both sides of the ball, and they didn’t even have two-way standout Travis Hunter Jr. for most of the season."
They said it: "The Jaguars are feeling with it MVP candidate QB Trevor Lawrence leading Liam Coen's offense in Year 2 and they also avoided defensive coaching brain drain for a dynamic front seven with secondary improvements on deck."
The San Francisco 49ers' home field, Levi's Stadium, got to play host to Super Bowl 60 this season. Unfortunately, their division rival, the Seattle Seahawks, not only played in the Super Bowl but won.
As if that wasn't already brutal enough, to see a division rival win the Super Bowl in their stadium, there were some unfortunate statistics that made things a whole lot worse.
According to Jack Andrade of NFL Network, two statistics from Super Bowl 60 showed not only how dominant the Seahawks were, but how much the 49ers struggled this season in Levi's Stadium.
Seahawks embarrass 49ers with Super Bowl win at Levi's Stadium
"The Seahawks defense had more sacks (9) and takeaways (4) in 2 games at Levi's stadium this season than the 49ers did in their 8 home games combined (7 sacks, 3 takeaways," Andrade notes. "Kenneth Walker III also had more runs of 20+ yards (3) than the whole SF team (2) in that stadium."
That first statistic is hard to comprehend. The Seahawks played just two games in Levi's Stadium this year, one of those being the Super Bowl.
Across those two games, they forced four turnovers (three in the Super Bowl) and got nine total sacks (six in the Super Bowl). Compared to the 49ers defense this season at Levi's Stadium, the Seahawks were better in two games compared to the 49ers eight.
That's a brutal statistic for the 49ers, and highlights how, more than anything else, they desperately need better defense this offseason.
But another brutal statistic is the explosive runs from Kenneth Walker III in the Super Bowl. He had three runs of 20+ yards in Levi's Stadium, with the 49ers having just two all season.
Their run game wasn't the best, with Christian McCaffrey struggling more in the run game than in the receiving game. The run blocking wasn't as good, and CMC wasn't as explosive this season.
There weren't any trick plays to get the 49ers over the hump either, as the Super Bowl MVP has more 20+ yard runs in two games than the 49ers' entire offense did in eight games this season at Levi's Stadium.
Not only were the 49ers forced to watch their division rival win the Super Bowl in their home stadium, but the Seahawks defense and the Super Bowl MVP put together better performances in just two games than the Niners did all season.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald became the third-youngest coach to win a Super Bowl, just two years after he was hired during the NFL coaching carousel. The success of Seattle’s defensive play-caller should serve as a lesson to teams searching for a head coach next year.
NFL teams are so often seeking that wunderkind who made a name for himself as a play-caller, orchestrating one of the best units in the league for multiple seasons before making the jump to head coach. Being a great leader who can build a strong and well-rounded coaching staff still matter, but owners want a perceived genius in the building whose mastery of the Xs-and-Os can almost single-handedly win games.
It is an understandable approach to take. Whether a franchise fires its head coach midseason and starts evaluating NFL coaching candidates in October or waits until days after Black Monday, the same names are always immediately targeted to fill head-coaching vacancies.
Fittingly, in a hiring cycle that had a record-tying 10 vacancies this offseason, it seems that many teams did not learn from the Seahawks’ success during their playoff run. Maybe Macdonald hoisting the Lombardi Trophy will change that.
Reflecting on the 2026 NFL Coaching Carousel
As previously mentioned, there were 10 head-coach openings in the NFL coaching carousel this offseason. Four of those went to recently fired coaches—John Harbaugh (New York Giants), Robert Saleh (Tennessee Titans), Mike McCarthy (Pittsburgh Steelers), and Kevin Stefanski (Atlanta Falcons). The other six were coordinators landing their first head-coaching gig.
Six of the 10 NFL head-coach hirings were from the offensive side of the ball—McCarthy, Stefanski, Mike LaFleur (Arizona Cardinals), Joe Brady (Buffalo Bills), Todd Monken (Cleveland Browns), and Klint Kubiak (Las Vegas Raiders)—and all but Stefanski will serve as the team’s offensive play-caller in 2026.
In the NFL coaching carousel over the last two years, just five coaches with a background as a defensive coordinator were hired to fill the 17 head-coaching vacancies over that span. One of them—Mike Vrabel (New England Patriots)—did not even serve as the defensive play-caller.
The trend is evident. Team owners are heavily favoring offensive-minded gurus to become their next head coach, viewing it as the best way to lock in a quarterback with a great play-caller. This has led to many equally smart defensive architects being passed over for jobs. Maybe that changes thanks to Macdonald.
Mike Macdonald’s Path to a Super Bowl Win
Macdonald, a Super Bowl-winning coach at 38 years old, worked on the Baltimore Ravens coaching staff from 2014 to 2020 under John Harbaugh. He worked his way up from coaching intern to linebackers coach before joining Jim Harbaugh as the Michigan Wolverines defensive coordinator in 2021.
In his lone season as defensive play-caller at Michigan, the Wolverines ranked eighth in scoring defense (17.4 PPG), 12th in first downs allowed per game (17.1), and 13th in yards-per-play allowed (4.9). He was immediately brought back to the NFL, taking over as the Ravens defensive coordinator.
The season prior to his arrival, Baltimore ranked 32nd in yards per play allowed (6.0), 19th in yards per drive allowed (32.4), and 27th in Defensive EPA per play (0.078). By the end of Macdonald’s second season as play-caller, the Ravens defense had improved to third (4.6), fourth (26.2), and second (-0.127) in those same categories.
Recognizing what Macdonald’s defense could do to Kyle Shanahan’s offense—19 points allowed with 5 takeaways—Seattle hired him as its head coach in January 2024. He inherited a defense that in 2023 ranked 30th in EPA per play (0.066), third-down defense (46.3% conversion rate), and Success Rate allowed (45.5%), 29th in points per drive allowed (2.20), and 25th in yards per play allowed (5.5). Furthermore, from 2022 to 2023, the San Francisco 49ers put up 29.6 points per game on Seattle with a 5-0 record.
Since taking over as head coach and defensive play-caller, Macdonald’s team has allowed just 10.75 points per game to Shanahan’s offense, and the Seahawks have a 3-1 record in that span over the last four meetings. Meanwhile, Seattle is coming off a regular season where its defense ranked second in yards per play allowed (4.6) and first in third-down defense (32.1% conversion rate), Defensive EPA per Play (-0.113), and points per drive allowed (1.48).
Macdonald created the best defense in football this season, proving just as he did in Baltimore that his unit reaches an elite level in his second year at the helm. It culminated in a Super Bowl run where Macdonald’s group limited offenses orchestrated by three renowned play-callers in Shanahan, Sean McVay and Josh McDaniels and three of the NFL MVP finalists—Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye and Christian McCaffrey—to 15.3 points per game with a 37% third-down conversion rate, 9 sacks and 7 turnovers, with the Los Angeles Rams (27 points and 479 total yards) doing a majority of that damage.
The Lesson for NFL Teams
One would think that these multi-billion-dollar franchises would be willing to think outside the box when it comes to making head-coaching hires. Instead, they are always going after the same offensive-minded wunderkind with the thought being that is the hire you have to make to elevate a quarterback and win the Super Bowl.
Except, the Seahawks are hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in a game where Sam Darnold had just 194 net passing yards on 34 attempts. Before that? The Philadelphia Eagles blew out the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, in large part because of a defense that sacked Patrick Mahomes six times and didn’t allow a score until backups were in late in the third quarter. Speaking of the Chiefs, they won Super Bowl LVIII in part because their defense limited Kyle Shanahan’s offense to a 25% third-down conversion rate with just 2 red-zone trips on 13 drives.
Those Super Bowl victories, however, were seemingly all chalked up to quarterback play and great offensive play-calling. The reality is, it was a brilliant defensive mind who played an instrumental role in the team hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
Plus, as is being pointed out now, it’s much harder to make year-to-year adjustments to an elite defense than it is an elite offense and the parts are more interchangeable, too. When the next NFL coaching carousel rolls around, teams with head-coaching vacancies need to keep this in mind.
One of the most exciting races at the 2026 Winter Olympics set to take to the track on Monday: It's the women's 1000-meter speed skating competition.
U.S. stars Erin Jackson and Brittany Bowe will be among the competitors, as will Netherlands superstar Jutta Leerdam, the reigning silver medalist in this event who has 5.1 million Instagram followers and is engaged to Jake Paul.
The racing gets underway at 11:30 a.m. ET, which is 5:30 p.m. local time.
The field will include 30 athletes total, with each heat featuring a pair of racers, adding up to 15 mini-races.
The heats are generally ordered by time, so the racers going near the end are more likely to skate fast times than those at the start.
At the end of the 15 mini-races, whoever skated the fastest time on the day gets the gold medal, with silver and bronze for second and third.
Below, we'll keep track of what's happening so you can follow right along with the fastest times and important moments from the action in one of the most highly anticipated events of these Games.
Jutta Leerdam, Erin Jackson live updates from 1000 meters
Refresh for latest updates. All times referenced below in ET.
Race updates
- Given that they have to clean off the ice after every few races, it'll be a while to get to the later stages when Jackson and Leerdam race.
- The Dutch short track star Suzanne Schulting finished in 1:15 to begin the day on the long track. That time could stand up for a while but won't be likely to medal.
- The first of 15 pairings will begin racing at 11:30 a.m. ET. Jackson doesn't race until the 11th pairing, and Leerdam is in the 15th and final pairing. Miho Takagi is the reigning gold medalist from Japan, and she races at the end of the slate, too.
Pre-race
- Jake Paul shared pre-race encouragement for his fiancee:
Today is your day baby. You’ve worked your whole life for this. We all love and support you so much 💫⭐️ go get em champ pic.twitter.com/rQ1qBMdepK
- There are 15 heats. Leerdam races in the 15th and final heat. Jackson is in the 11th, and Bowe is in the 13th. So although the racing starts at 11:30 a.m. ET, it'll be 20-30 minutes before they get onto the ice.
- Jackson is the reigning gold medalist in the 500 meters at the Olympics. She has never medaled in the 1000 meters at an Olympics or World Championships. She was one of two flag-bearers for the United States at the Opening Ceremonies.
- Bowe is the girlfriend of U.S. women's hockey legend Hilary Knight. The United States takes the ice only three hours after the speed skating begins, so Knight will likely have to watch from afar.
Real Madrid veteran has no conflict with Arbeloa despite limited role – report
Even as Real Madrid continue to string together a series of wins in La Liga, the chatter around the club is still dominated by a myriad of issues.
One of them revolves around Dani Carvajal, who has curiously been a mere spectator for Real Madrid even after returning to the first-team setup at the start of the year.
Since the turn of the year, Carvajal has yet to play even a single minute in La Liga, and the player was left disappointed once again as new manager Alvaro Arbeloa left him on the bench against Valencia.
The lack of game-time has led to reports of a potential rift growing between Carvajal and Arbeloa, with speculation suggesting that the two hardly even talk.
No conflict with Arbeloa
However, a recent report from COPE has offered a fresh update on Carvajal’s situation at Real Madrid, clarifying that there is no feud with Arbeloa.
What’s happening with Carvajal at Real Madrid? (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
Although recent reports suggest otherwise, the veteran defender has no rift with the coach and is ready to prove himself to Arbeloa.
Carvajal, for his part, believes he is ready for some action after spending a month trying to recover from his fitness woes.
Arbeloa, on the other hand, wants the Spaniard to have a more conservative outlook and is being cautious about his fitness, knowing another relapse could potentially end his season.
In the background, Carvajal is fighting to save his Real Madrid career, with his contract expiring at the end of the season.
He also wants to be a part of the Spain team for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. Spain manager Luis de la Fuente considers Carvajal a guaranteed starter, but his chances could depend on his game-time at Real Madrid during the second half of the season.
Cardi B and Diggs publicly confirmed their relationship in June 2025, and they welcomed a son together in November of that year.
Following the Pats’ Super Bowl loss, social media users pointed out that both accounts appeared to have severed their online connection.
Fans also cited additional social media activity, including reports that Diggs’ ex-girlfriend was spotted near the team hotel this week.
Neither Diggs nor Cardi B have publicly confirmed a split, and no official statement has been released about their relationship status.
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Stefon Diggs’ Super Bowl LX performance under scrutiny
Stefon Diggs, who enjoyed a strong 2025 regular season with the New England Patriots, was limited in Super Bowl LX.
In the Patriots’ 29–13 loss to the Seahawks, Diggs finished with three receptions for 37 yards on three targets.
The modest stat line stood in contrast to his role throughout the season, where he led the Patriots with 85 receptions for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns.
Seattle’s defense consistently limited opportunities by keeping pressure on Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and covering New England’s top receivers.
Observers noted that Diggs’ lone catch of significant yardage did not come until the closing stages of the game, despite his established chemistry with Maye.
Wayne Rooney dismantles Carrick-Solskjaer myth, highlights stark contrast between duo
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has rubbished suggestions that there are similarities between Michael Carrick’s current interim spell and that of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Carrick in dreamland
Carrick is currently enjoying a dream start to life as United’s caretaker boss, having been temporarily handed the job in December last year to replace the sacked Ruben Amorim.
Inconsistency and upheaval defined Amorim’s ill-fated tenure, but a remarkable turnaround under Carrick has seen United become arguably the Premier League’s best side since his arrival.
Carrick has won all four games he has taken charge of, beating Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur in that incredible run.
He has quickly instilled a proactive, attacking style of play that has reignited the dreams of the supporters.
The United legend’s storybook beginning has drawn immediate parallels with Solskjaer’s interim period, when the Norwegian replaced Jose Mourinho and made a similarly instant impact – one that ultimately secured him the permanent position. United enjoyed a promising period under Solskjær before the project unravelled, leading to his dismissal in 2021.
Some have argued that United would be repeating the same mistake were they to permanently appoint Carrick.
However, Rooney has stressed that Carrick and Solskjaer are different characters and their situations are incomparable.
Rooney sets record straight
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, Rooney remarked, “Yeah, I think it comes from the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer job and I think Ole’s getting disrespected so much with people saying, ‘Oh, but it didn’t work out with Ole, so you can’t go Michael.'”
“Michael is a different character [from] Ole. So, he is a different manager to Ole and Ole, actually, when we look back and look at how everyone’s done since [Sir] Alex Ferguson was manager, Ole was probably one of the better ones at what he done and, you know, we got to the Europa League final.”
Rooney added, “Obviously, lost that [final] on penalties, I think he finished second and played some good stuff at times, so it was just the way it ended with Ole.”
“So, yeah, I think, listen, Michael is, you know, he’s a calming influence on everyone and he’ll just be doing his job and I’m sure he’d love the job at the end of the season if that’s the case.”
“But I think he’ll just go about his business quietly and let the players take all the plaudits when it’s gone well. And if it’s not going well, then I’m sure he’ll step in and try and take that pressure off the players. So, he’s at the minute, the way he started and the job he’s doing is fantastic. So hopefully that can continue.”
Carrick and his players will be looking to make it five wins in five when they visit West Ham on Tuesday night.
Featured image Justin Setterfield via Getty Images
Michigan basketball completed two of three potential series season sweeps in the first week of February.
The Wolverines hammered Penn State, 110-69, to open the week, then went on the road and blitzed rival Ohio State, 82-61, on Sunday. As a result, U-M is back on top in a number of the key advanced metrics − from Net Rankings and KenPom to BartTorvik and EvanMiya.
U-M (22-1, 12-1 Big Ten) is off to its best start through 23 games in program history, in first place in the Big Ten and firmly projected as a 1-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. But will it be the overall 1-seed? Not if Arizona stays unbeaten, however, should the Wildcats lose (they play Monday night at projected top NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson and Kansas), U-M then could have the inside track.
Even if U-M stays put as the second-best 1-seed, it should still be given its desired path through the Midwest Region, with Chicago hosting the regional semifinals and final.
Here's the scoop on U-M's bracketology projections five weeks from Selection Sunday.
Michigan basketball schedule this week
Wednesday: at Northwestern, 8:30 p.m., Big Ten Network
Saturday: vs. UCLA, 12:45 p.m., CBS.
Michigan basketball bracketology for NCAA Tournament
Michigan basketball NET rankings: No. 1 (Last week: No. 1)
Feb 5:Michigan 110, Penn State 69 − The Wolverines needed every second against the Nittany Lions the first time around, surviving a Penn State comeback to win by two on the road. The second time around, it was a laugher the whole way to move U-M to its best start of all time. Nimari Burnett drilled seven 3-pointers and hammered home three dunks as part of a career-best 31-point outburst in U-M's best shooting performance of the season − 15 of 29 on 3-pointers (51.7%).
Feb 8:Michigan 82, Ohio State 61 − Michigan improved to 3-0 in rivalry games this season including 2-0 on the road. Aday Mara scored a season-best 24 points as the Wolverines led by double figures the entire second half and used a dominant effort on the boards to control the game from the opening tip. Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Mara combined for 32 rebounds while OSU had 31.
How NCAA tournament committee selects at-large teams
Record: The team's overall record, conference record and nonconference record.
Strength of schedule: The strength of the opponents the team played against.
Head-to-head results: The results of games between the teams being compared.
Conference championships: Whether a conference championship was won in the regular season or tournament.
Common opponents: The results of games against common opponents.
Adjusted Net Efficiency (NET): The NCAA's preferred metric measuring a team's overall performance during the regular season.
Team Value Index: A results-oriented component of the NET that ranks teams based on who they beat and where they played.
Rating Percentage Index (RPI): A formula that ranks teams using a team's winning percentage, opponents' success and opponents' strength of schedule.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
Michigan basketball completed two of three potential series season sweeps in the first week of February.
The Wolverines hammered Penn State, 110-69, to open the week, then went on the road and blitzed rival Ohio State, 82-61, on Sunday. As a result, U-M is back on top in a number of the key advanced metrics − from Net Rankings and KenPom to BartTorvik and EvanMiya.
U-M (22-1, 12-1 Big Ten) is off to its best start through 23 games in program history, in first place in the Big Ten and firmly projected as a 1-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. But will it be the overall 1-seed? Not if Arizona stays unbeaten, however, should the Wildcats lose (they play Monday night at projected top NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson and Kansas), U-M then could have the inside track.
Even if U-M stays put as the second-best 1-seed, it should still be given its desired path through the Midwest Region, with Chicago hosting the regional semifinals and final.
Here's the scoop on U-M's bracketology projections five weeks from Selection Sunday.
Michigan basketball schedule this week
Wednesday: at Northwestern, 8:30 p.m., Big Ten Network
Feb 5:Michigan 110, Penn State 69 − The Wolverines needed every second against the Nittany Lions the first time around, surviving a Penn State comeback to win by two on the road. The second time around, it was a laugher the whole way to move U-M to its best start of all time. Nimari Burnett drilled seven 3-pointers and hammered home three dunks as part of a career-best 31-point outburst in U-M's best shooting performance of the season − 15 of 29 on 3-pointers (51.7%).
Feb 8:Michigan 82, Ohio State 61 − Michigan improved to 3-0 in rivalry games this season including 2-0 on the road. Aday Mara scored a season-best 24 points as the Wolverines led by double figures the entire second half and used a dominant effort on the boards to control the game from the opening tip. Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Mara combined for 32 rebounds while OSU had 31.
How NCAA tournament committee selects at-large teams
Record: The team's overall record, conference record and nonconference record.
Strength of schedule: The strength of the opponents the team played against.
Head-to-head results: The results of games between the teams being compared.
Conference championships: Whether a conference championship was won in the regular season or tournament.
Common opponents: The results of games against common opponents.
Adjusted Net Efficiency (NET): The NCAA's preferred metric measuring a team's overall performance during the regular season.
Team Value Index: A results-oriented component of the NET that ranks teams based on who they beat and where they played.
Rating Percentage Index (RPI): A formula that ranks teams using a team's winning percentage, opponents' success and opponents' strength of schedule.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
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Seahawks players celebrate with the Vince Lombardi Trophy at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. | Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP / Getty Images
What happened
The Seattle Seahawks Sunday night won their second Super Bowl title by deploying a masterful defensive strategy to defeat the New England Patriots 29-13.
The Seahawks “allowed the Patriots to cross the 50-yard line just three times” and sacked their quarterback six times, said The Athletic. The halftime show by headliner Bad Bunny was also an “all-American triumph,” said William Earl at Variety. The Grammy winner “emphasized unity” and “paid homage to his Puerto Rico roots” in a performance that featured appearances by “music icons” Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, said NBC News.
Who said what
The Seahawks’ win “avenges their agonizing Super Bowl loss” to the Patriots back in 2015, said The New York Times. “We never wavered,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said Sunday. “And now we’re world champions.” Losing “definitely hurts,” said Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who was nursing a shoulder injury ahead of the game, but Seattle “played better than us tonight.”
President Donald Trump congratulated “both teams on earning their place in Super Bowl LX,” but called the primarily Spanish-language halftime performance “an affront to the Greatness of America” on Truth Social.
What next?
The Seahawks are the “favorite to win next year’s Super Bowl,” with odds of 8-1 on BetMGM, “implying a roughly 11% chance of a repeat,” said The Athletic.
McLaren have unveiled their 2026 F1 car livery as they prepare to defend their drivers’ and constructors’ titles in the upcoming season.
The car made its debut in testing two weeks ago in a special pre-season livery but have now confirmed their trademark black and orange design, in line with recent years. The design leans into its sponsorship with Gemini, Google’s AI tool, with its multi-coloured branding on the wheels.
The reveal took place at a launch event in Bahrain, where two three-day pre-season tests will take place - the first later this week - ahead of March’s season opener in Melbourne.
McLaren boss Zak Brown believes a "highly motivated" Lando Norris' confidence is sky high as the British driver bids to defend his world championship.
McLaren have unveiled their 2026 F1 car livery (PA Wire)The reveal was made at a live event in Bahrain (PA Wire)
Brown said: "There are some drivers who say: 'I've won it and I'm done.' And then you have drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Michael Schuamcher, who say: 'I have done it once and I want to win it twice, three, four times.'
"Lando's confidence is very high, even higher than it was before. He is highly motivated.
"It is our job to give him and Oscar the equipment to let them fight it out for the championship and if we can do that, then both Oscar and Lando will be in with a shout."
McLaren have won the past two constructors' championships but could be playing catch-up to Mercedes, who appear to hold an early advantage following a major overhaul of the regulations.
McLaren are powered by Mercedes and there are claims from other teams that the German manufacturer has exploited a loophole which allows them to increase the compression ratio beyond the regulation limit of 16:1 and gain critical lap time.
Amid continued lobbying to change the rules ahead of the curtain-raiser in Australia on 8 March, an animated Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff recently called on their rivals to get their "s*** together" and stop looking for excuses.
And Brown added: "It is typical politics of Formula One. It is the job of other teams that if there is a perceived advantage, they will make some story out of it.
"But the reality is that the engines are completely compliant, within the rules and have passed all of the tests. We will have all the Mercedes-powered teams on the grid in Australia, I am sure."
Bron Breakker screaming like the Ultimate Warrior - Elsa/Getty Images
It's WrestleMania season, and it wouldn't be that without plans for the big show changing. Already, WWE has reportedly shaken up its WrestleMania card by scrapping a proposed Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns match, instead solidifying Reigns as the challenger for CM Punk's World Heavyweight Championship while Rhodes appears on course to face Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre. Now another potential Mania change may be in the works, thanks to an untimely injury for "Raw" star Bron Breakker.
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Breakker is out of action following surgery for what was described as a "serious hernia." PWInsider has since confirmed that Breakker suffered the injury last Monday on "Raw" while flipping over the announcer's table during an angle where Breakker destroyed the ringside area; by Wednesday, it was determined that he would require surgery. Neither report specified how long Breakker would be out of action for, potentially putting Breakker's WrestleMania status in jeopardy.
Many immediately speculated that the mystery attacker was none other than Seth Rollins, who has been out of action recovering from an arm injury since October, and was last seen being betrayed by Breakker and The Vision on "Raw." While Rollins' status for WrestleMania had remained unknown, the Rumble angle and subsequent reporting had suggested that Breakker vs. Rollins was likely to be featured on one of Mania's two nights.
U.S. Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn says she has “never had so many people wish me harm before,” after her comments supporting LGBTQ+ rights touched a nerve with conservatives.
After the U.S. squad won a team gold medal in figure skating, Glenn wrote in a post to her Instagram stories on Sunday that she would be taking a social media break for her mental health after the “outlandish” backlash, the New York Times reported.
“When I chose to utilize one of the amazing things about the United States of America (Freedom of speech) to convey how I feel as an athlete competing for Team USA in a troubling time for many Americans I am now receiving a scary amount of hate/threats for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel,” Glenn wrote on Instagram, per USA Today. “I did anticipate this but I am disappointed by it.”
“It isn't the first time that we've had to come together as a community and try and fight for our human rights,” Glenn responded. “Now especially, it's not just affecting the queer community, but many other communities, and I think that we are able to support each other in a way that we didn't have to before, and because of that, it's made us a lot stronger.”
Glenn went on to say that she wouldn’t “shut up about politics” just because she is an athlete. “It is something that I will not just be quiet about, because it is something that affects us in our everyday lives,” she said. “So, of course, there are things that I disagree with, but as a community, we are strong and we support each other, and brighter days are ahead.”
Those comments were, allegedly, enough to send an avalanche of hate mail Glenn’s way. “I couldn't believe the outlandish backlash I received for just supporting people,” Glenn later wrote on her Instagram story. “Of course, I have people supporting me, and I'm not online right now because of it, but I'm gonna keep speaking my truth. I'm gonna keep representing what I believe in and what I think all Americans believe in, which is freedom and being able to love and do what you want. So, I just I hope we can keep going forward and be positive.”
Glenn placed third in the women’s free skate over the weekend, earning just enough points to keep the U.S. in contention for the team gold, which men’s singles skater Ilia Malinin clinched in a dramatic head-to-head final. She will skate next in the women’s singles competition, scheduled to begin February 17.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) said they would report all “credible” threats against athletes to authorities. “It's a sad reality that over the last several games, we've seen an uptick in abusive and harmful messages directed at the athletes during competition,” a USOPC representative told NPR.
Lundholm says that he has “always been treated well” within the skiing world.
Since taking office last year, Trump has made sports a significant concern of his second presidential term, seeking to bar transgender athletes from organized sports in general — a demand to which the USOPC gave in last summer. Trump responded to comments from other Olympians over the weekend on his personal social media website Truth Social, calling skier Hunter Hess a “loser” after Hess said he did not claim to “represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”
The 2028 Olympics are scheduled to be held in Los Angeles, which Trump has reportedly claimed he will make the “greatest games.”
On Monday, Glenn followed up on her earlier posts with a more comical take on the entire affair. She shared a screenshot of a post by popular menswear writer Derek Guy to her Instagram stories. “kind of funny that an olympian said they are here to represent ‘compassion, respect, love for others’ and some people automatically know that's a statement against them,” Guy wrote.
🚨 BREAKING: 'Strike' over? Cristiano Ronaldo set to make Al-Nassr return
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to end his self-imposed 'strike' and return to action for Al-Nassr this weekend.
The 41-year-old has missed his side's last two games due to apparent dissatisfaction with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund over perceived preferential transfer treatment afforded to other clubs.
Both ESPN and A Bola report that Ronaldo has decided to make himself available for selection again and is in line to feature against Al-Fateh this weekend.
Reports suggest that he will return after seeing his main demands agreed to by the PIF.
Among those are the agreement to pay Al-Nassr's overdue salaries and allow the club's sporting director and CEO to return to work after they had been suspended from duty.
Last Thursday, Ronaldo received a stern public warning from the league that players would not be permitted to influence wider decisions outside of their own clubs.
Henry Croft scored twice for England against the Netherlands [Getty Images]
England men beat the Netherlands in a shootout after earning a dramatic last-minute draw in the FIH Hockey Pro League in Valencia.
With 19 seconds remaining, Henry Croft slammed home to level the match at 2-2 before England won 4-3 for their second shootout victory over the Netherlands inside three days.
England move up to second in the table after seven matches, three points behind the Netherlands who have played one game more.
The Dutch took the lead through Guus Jansen in the second quarter, but were pegged back just before half-time when Croft capitalised on a penalty corner.
Jonas de Geus put the Netherlands into the lead from a penalty corner of their own in the 34th minute, but despite controlling much of the remainder of the game they failed to see out victory as Croft equalised in dramatic fashion.
England women, who were also playing the Netherlands in China, suffered a 3-1 defeat as the Dutch extended their perfect record.
Darcy Bourne's flick from a penalty corner put England into an unlikely lead, but the Netherlands equalised in the second quarter through Joosje Burg's tap-in.
The Dutch took control from there, with Yibbi Jansen scoring from a penalty corner to put her side ahead, before Pien Dicke sealed the win late on.
England lie fifth in the table on five points after seven matches, while the Netherlands are top on 21 points following wins in all seven of their games.
Barnsley striker Tom Bradshaw has labelled his return to the club as "surreal" after joining on loan from Championship side Oxford United on transfer deadline day.
The 33-year-old previously played for the Tykes between 2016 and 2018 and scored 21 goals in 93 appearances in all before moving to Millwall.
Now back for a second spell at Oakwell, Bradshaw says it is good to call South Yorkshire home again.
"It was surreal. I've always looked back fondly on Barnsley and it's been a club that I've followed from afar," Bradshaw told BBC Radio Sheffield.
"I've never been back to a former club so it was a new experience for me but the bones of the club are very much still the same. Things are in different rooms now but it was a surreal day coming back speaking to (head coach) Conor (Hourihane).
"I left Barnsley eight years ago - I had a great relationship with the fans. I'm very grateful and hopefully I can provide some goals for them."
Bradshaw will be hoping to fill the void left by top scorer Davis Keillor-Dunn - who contributed 13 goals for Barnsley in League One this season - before moving on to Wrexham just hours before the winter transfer window closed.
After making his second debut against Bolton on Saturday, Bradshaw is expected to lead the line alongside fellow veteran - 38-year-old David McGoldrick - as Barnsley look to preserve their third-tier status, currently sitting 15th and five points above the relegation zone.
Following Keillor-Dunn's departure, McGoldrick is now the club's leading marksman with seven goals in the league this season, having arrived from Notts County in the summer.
"On the first day, he [McGoldrick] said how are we young man? And I thought no one has called me a young man for a long time," Bradshaw said.
"I've played against Didzy quite a few times over the years – we've got a lot of mutual friends.
"From watching from afar, he's been brilliant since coming to the club so it's a relationship I want to nurture and hopefully the way that we play together will only get better and better."
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JUNE 3: The Northwestern Wildcats celebrate after getting out of the top of the seventh inning against the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women's College World Series at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex on June 3, 2022 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Northwestern opened its 2026 season on Friday at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Arizona, and head coach’s Kate Drohan’s infield is one of the most intriguing storylines to monitor. Drohan opted to move sophomore Kaylie Avvisato to center field for the season opener after earning All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors playing shortstop in 2025. Senior Bridget Donahey slid in from third to fill in at shortstop, and true first-year Tru Medina earned a start at third base in her college softball debut.
Since we had Avvisato penciled in as Northwestern’s starting shortstop before Friday, she was not featured in our outfielder preview released last week. Before getting into the infield group, Avvisato deserves her flowers for an incredible debut campaign in 2025.
As a true first-year, Avvisato was one of just four Wildcats to start in each of Northwestern’s 51 games in 2025. She was second on Northwestern with a .348 AVG and finished fifth in the conference with 22 stolen bases on 25 attempts. Avvisato’s 57 hits in 2025 were the most by a Wildcat first-year since Jordyn Rudd (57) in 2019. Against Kentucky in her NCAA tournament debut, Avvisato went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs in a Northwestern victory.
Discounting Avvisato, Northwestern returns the entirety of its 2025 infield in Kansas Robinson, Grace Nieto, Emma Raye and Bridget Donahey. However, this past weekend in Tempe, Drohan turned to a series of new faces to fill the role of her star sophomore in the infieldf.
Starters
Kansas Robinson, 1B, Senior
2025 Stats: .250 AVG, .855 OPS, 8 HRs, 41 RBIs
By all accounts, Robinson had a down year in 2025 after earning Second-Team All American honors in 2024. She struggled mightily through the first half of the season with her batting average teetering below the Mendoza line until a monster weekend in late March against Minnesota and Notre Dame, capped by a game-tying grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Fighting Irish.
Inside NU’s Adam Beck looked at Robinson’s strikeout rate and BABIP (batting average on balls in play) when analyzing her slump last March. Adam compared Robinson’s slow start to an 18-game slump during Robinson’s monster 2024 campaign. During that stretch, Robinson’s BABIP dropped to .220 but her strikeout rate remained at an impressive 10.8%, suggesting that her low numbers were more a product of bad luck than anything else. During the first two months of 2025, her BABIP remained low (.245), but her strikeout rate increased to 24.7%. Though Robinson’s numbers improved in the second half, her strikeout rate increased to 27.6% by the end of the season.
Northwestern needs its veteran first basemen to return to 2024 form, especially with the questions surrounding its unproven, Lauren Boyd-less pitching staff. Robinson’s strikeout rate will be a key statistic to monitor in 2026.
Grace Nieto, 2B, Graduate Student
2025 Stats: .329 AVG, .801 OPS, 3 HRs, 17 RBIs
Nieto blossomed in 2025 after missing the 2024 season with an injury. Northwestern’s leadoff woman was a consistent presence in an up-and-down season for the Wildcat offense. Her final stat line was nearly identical to her pre-injury highs, with the noted exception of her 15 stolen bases, a career-high by nine. She also was not caught stealing once.
Nieto’s numbers translated against top competition. Against No. 8 UCLA in a late May battle with Northwestern’s postseason hopes on the brink, Nieto paced the Wildcats with a .600 AVG in three games while adding a home run. She also hit a career-high three home runs in 2025 while besting her strikeout rate from her stellar 2022 season. Nieto’s never been much of a power hitter, but that trajectory provides room for optimism that she can improve on her already excellent hitting profile in 2026.
Bridget Donahey, SS, Senior
2025 Stats: .280 AVG, .994 OPS, 8 HRs, 20 RBIs
Donahey was perhaps Northwestern’s best hitter in 2025, leading the ‘Cats in OPS and finishing tied for the lead in home runs. She struck out more and walked less compared to 2024, but those numbers came with double digit increases in both batting average and slugging percentage.
Donahey, who slid over to shortstop from third base in Tempe, was an excellent defensive player as well in 2025, posting a .911 fielding percentage and a series of highlight plays from the hot corner. Donahey played shortstop in high school, and there’s nothing to suggest the transition to shortstop in college shouldn’t be seamless.
Donahey, along with most of the Northwestern lineup, struggled in the NCAA tournament against Kentucky and Clemson, recording just a hit and walk in seven at-bats. A big showing in the postseason is the one box left to check for Donahey her final year of eligibility.
Tru Medina, 3B, First-Year
2025 Stats: N/A
Medina, like Donahey, also played shortstop in high school, and was dubbed the best shortstop in Illinois by the Daily Herald as a prospect. She also was named to the Softball America Freshman Watch List ahead of the 2026 season. Medina is all set in the pedigree department.
Medina, a “true switch-hitter” according to Inside NU’s Brielle Lowery, had no trouble adjusting to the college game in Northwestern’s opening weekend, wracking up five hits, three walks and a home run in 12 at-bats in Tempe. The All-Big Ten freshman team is very much in the realm of possibilities.
Emma Raye, C, Junior
2025 Stats: .246 AVG, .709 OPS, 2 HRs, 22 RBIs
Raye started behind the plate 46 of Northwestern’s 51 games in 2025, and her weekend in Tempe provided hope that the junior could build on those numbers in 2026. She homered twice in the Kajikawa Classic and caught four runners stealing. A member of the 2024 Big-Ten All Defensive Team as a true first-year, the sky is the limit for Raye in year three.
Other Contributors
True first-year Teagan McCue had two hits in three at-bats in Tempe, pinch-hitting for Donahey against Texas State and Nieto against Memphis. The Illinois native played shortstop in high school and showed a penchant for stealing bases, nabbing 22 in her senior year. She’ll for sure see more time in 2026.
Graduate transfer catcher Abby Harvey started against Memphis on Sunday, finishing 0-for-3 with a walk against the Tigers. Northwestern’s only transfer addition in 2026, she finished with a .426 batting average while earning Second-Team All American honors for Indiana Wesleyan in the NFCA/NAIA. Look for Harvey to occasionally rotate in at catcher with Raye. Emma Blea was on the bump against the Tigers, and its possible that Harvey could feature behind the dish the next time the true sophomore gets the start.
Redshirt sophomore Grace Minarovic had one at-bat in Tempe after starting three games and appearing in 24 in 2025. She posted a .188 AVG and a .504 OPS in 16 at bats last season.
Junior Ainsley Muno had one at-bat vs Memphis after playing in eight games and earning one start in 2025.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at bat during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 13, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We are now less than a week away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training, and two weeks away from having actual games to watch on our televisions, or in person.
So before things settle in, let’s think about Dodgers predictions for this season. And not necessarily how many wins they will amass, or how their postseason will go (I’m sure we’ll ask about this later).
I’m thinking here of specific calls you want to make, like Ronan Kopp will make his major league debut on July 6 against the Colorado Rockies, or Andy Pages will have three hits in Anaheim on May 17.
Or maybe you want to get a little more into the weeds, like the Dodgers and Diamondbacks will play 13 innings on August 8 in Phoenix, or Tyler Glasnow will throw exactly 93 pitches on June 17 against the Rays at Dodger Stadium.
Whatever floats your boat, now is the time to call your shot. Today’s question is what is your Dodgers prediction(s) for 2026?
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Third baseman Caleb Durbin was traded to the Boston Red Sox in a six-player deal with the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday after finishing third in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting last year.
Milwaukee acquired left-handers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan and infielder David Hamilton from Boston for Durbin and infielders Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler. The Red Sox also are receiving a competitive balance round B pick in July's amateur draft, about 67th overall.
The 5-foot-7 Durbin, who plays third base and second, batted .256 with a .334 on-base percentage, 11 homers and 18 steals in 136 games while helping the Brewers win a third straight NL Central title and reach the NL Championship Series last season.
Durbin’s exit from Milwaukee leaves the Brewers with an apparent opening at third. Joey Ortiz was the Brewers’ starting third baseman in 2024 but shifted to shortstop last season. Hamilton, among the players coming over from Boston, played one game at third base last year but primarily has worked at second base and shortstop.
Boston also gained some infield depth.
Monasterio, a 28-year-old with experience at every infield position, hit .270 with a .319 on-base percentage, four homers and 16 RBIs in 68 games last season. Seigler, 26, batted .194 with a .292 on-base percentage, no homers and five RBIs in 34 games.
Hamilton, 28, hit .198 with a .257 on-base percentage, six homers, 19 RBIs and 22 steals for Boston last year. That followed a 2024 season in which he batted .248 with a .303 on-base percentage, eight homers, 28 RBIs and 33 steals in 98 games.
Milwaukee selected Hamilton out of Texas in the eighth round of the 2019 draft, then sent him to the Red Sox in a 2021 trade that brought outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to Milwaukee.
Drohan, 27, has never pitched in the majors. He went 5-2 with a 3.17 ERA and 77 strikeouts over 54 innings in 15 combined appearances with Triple-A Worcester and High-A Greenville last season.
Ulster back row Bryn Ward has rejoined the Ireland squad while prop Tadhg Furlong has resumed full training before Saturday's Six Nations game against Italy (14:10 GMT).
Three-time British and Irish Lions tight-head Furlong missed last week's defeat by France in Paris with a calf problem.
In a squad bulletin on Monday, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) said "a decision will be made on his availability ahead of Thursday afternoon's team announcement".
Furlong, 33, only made one appearance off the bench in last year's Six Nations because of injury.
Uncapped Ward was part of Ireland's pre-tournament training camp in Portugal before linking up with the Ireland XV panel for Friday's emphatic 52-14 loss to England A at Thomond Park.
The 21-year-old back row, the son of former Ireland flanker Andy, has impressed since breaking into the Ulster team earlier this season.
Ireland, who trained at Clongowes Wood College in Kildare on Monday, reported no fresh injury concerns after Thursday's demoralising 36-14 loss to France.
Italy, meanwhile, have recalled Toulouse wing Ange Capuozzo to their squad ahead of Saturday's trip to Dublin.
The 26-year-old, who has scored 16 tries in 31 Azzurri caps, has not played since December because of a finger injury.
However, Italy boss Gonzalo Quesada will be without Juan Ignacio Brex because of "family reasons".
The Argentine-born Toulon centre set up Louis Lynagh's try in Saturday's win over Scotland in Rome.
Quesada is also without scrum-half Martin Page-Relo, fly-half Tommaso Allan, back rowers Sebastian Negri and Ross Vintcent, hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi, prop Marco Riccioni and wing Edoardo Todaro.
Simple math shows that having a productive outfield group is essential to a winning fantasy lineup. After all, outfielders comprise 30-50% of the hitter lineup spots in a standard Yahoo leagues, depending on how each manager chooses to use their utility spots.
The number of outfield spots is just part of the equation, as the variety of skill sets available from this group provides an appealing amount of flexibility. Fantasy managers who need to make up for skill deficiencies at other positions — whether power, speed or batting average — can find what they need in the outfield at all points in the draft.
Wise managers will spread out their outfield selections, hitting the position at various points throughout the draft. Getting a couple stars will be hard to resist, especially since there are eight outfielders who have an ADP within the initial 20 picks. But it also makes sense to save a couple outfield spots for the later rounds, especially in head-to-head category and rotisserie leagues, where managers can finish off their active lineup by using the depth at the position to find the exact type of player they need.
The draft market has not yet adjusted to Tucker’s choice to sign with the Dodgers. Sure, he struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness last summer, but Tucker has a long track record of excellence that should override any recent results. The 29-year-old now calls home to a park that maximizes power and will be surrounded by talented hitters. He belongs in the first round and could produce career-best marks in every standard category.
Cody Bellinger, Yankees (Yahoo ADP 66.1)
Staying with the Yankees on a five-year contract was the best possible outcome for Bellinger. The homer-happy nature of Yankee Stadium raises both his power ceiling and floor, as is evidenced by the fact that he produced 18 of his 29 long balls at home in 2025. And beyond the pure power numbers, his membership in a lineup that led MLB in runs scored last year increases his odds of producing a substantial R+RBI total. His sneaky speed (six seasons with a double-digit steals total) makes Bellinger a top 50 asset for 2026 drafts.
Yelich isn’t being given enough credit for his terrific 2025 season. The 34-year-old was a major contributor in homers (29), runs (88) and RBI (103) last year, while also stealing more than 15 bases for the fourth straight season. Working almost exclusively as the DH has reduced his injury risk, and he is well-supported by a strong lineup that ranked third in runs scored last year. Currently being selected in the range of pick 100, Yelich should be drafted at least two rounds earlier.
Possible Fades
Byron Buxton, Twins (Yahoo ADP 95.2)
Can lightning strike twice? That’s what needs to happen for Buxton to be a major fantasy contributor for a second straight year. There is no doubt that the 32-year-old can excel on a per-game basis. But even in a relatively healthy 2025 season, Buxton still managed to play in just 126 games. Most of his games played totals are two-digit numbers, which means that managers who are expecting another healthy season are probably setting themselves up for disappointment.
Ceddanne Rafaela, Red Sox (Yahoo ADP 159.6)
An excellent fielder, Rafaela has tremendous value to the Red Sox. Unfortunately, fantasy managers can’t extract value from his fielding acumen, and his offensive numbers leave something to be desired. Rafaela’s respectable 2025 season was mostly spurred by two good months in June and July, as he logged a sub-.700 OPS in each of the other four months and a lowly .587 OPS in the second half. The Red Sox have a crowded outfield and could reduce the 25-year-old’s playing time if he gets off to a poor start.
Mike Trout, Angels (Yahoo ADP 167.8)
Trout has some similarities to Buxton, as even though he played in 130 games last year, he is likely to miss significant time in any given season. And with Trout, the ceiling is much lower than that of Buxton. After all, Trout has hit .230 across the past two seasons, and he offers minimal steals contributions. Unfortunately, the reward is no longer work the risk in standard-sized leagues.
Sleepers
Konnor Griffin, Pirates (Yahoo ADP 207.1)
The consensus best prospect in baseball, Griffin could debut as soon as Opening Day. After all, while the Pirates are traditionally slow to promote their prospects, they are starting to turn the corner in a long rebuild and have a limited window to maximize the talent that surrounds ace right-hander Paul Skenes. Griffin has a fantasy-friendly skill set (.333 BA, 21 HR, 65 SB in 2025) and could be a top 50 player this season. He’s worth stashing in every league.
Ramón Laureano, Padres (Yahoo ADP 217.3)
Fantasy managers aren’t recognizing Laureano’s terrific 2025 season in which he hit .281 with 24 homers in 132 games. Sure, the memorable campaign mostly came out of nowhere, but this isn’t the 31-year-old’s first strong season, as he hit .288 with 24 long balls and 13 steals way back in 2019. Some regression on a per-game basis will be offset by logging a heavier workload on a Padres team that has some stars but lacks depth.
Daylen Lile, Nationals (Yahoo ADP 216.3)
At the exact moment when most fantasy managers turned their attention to football, Lile decided to break out. He hit .391 with six homers and a 1.212 OPS in September and ranked among the top 10 players in both runs (20) and RBI (19). The memorable finish ensures the 23-year-old a heavy workload and premium lineup spot on the rebuilding Nats, and his Yahoo roster rate should be much higher than its current mark of 54%.
Journalist: ‘Slot missed open goal’ with Liverpool star now expected to leave in summer
David Lynch: Arne Slot “Missed an Open Goal” on Curtis Jones Future
In a revealing moment during Media Matters on Anfield Index, journalist David Lynch strongly criticised Arne Slot’s handling of Curtis Jones, calling the manager’s lack of public backing a clear misstep. With the Liverpool midfielder entering the final year of his contract and uncertainty surrounding his future, Lynch described Slot’s approach as “missing an open goal”.
Slot was asked directly in a press conference whether he wanted Jones to stay at the club. His response offered little reassurance. As Lynch recounted, “He didn’t give anything that even remotely sounded like he was [keen for Jones to stay]. He just said that kind of stuff goes on behind the scenes.”
For Lynch, this was a clear failure to publicly support a player who has come through the club’s academy: “When I asked the question, I thought, this is such an underarm for him. He can so quite easily just go, ‘Yeah, he’s the Scouser in the team, he’s really important to us, we’ve developed him and we want him to stick around,’ and he didn’t.”
“Truly depressing” outlook for academy graduate
Lynch was unequivocal about what this silence implies: “That’s so, so indicative about where this is going. The fact that Curtis was open to that interest and kind of wanted to go… the fact that we’re barely seeing anything of him at the moment.”
The situation is, in Lynch’s view, moving quickly towards a disappointing outcome. “I think the writing’s on the wall here personally… Maybe I’m jumping the gun a little bit, but that’s the sense I get — that Curtis Jones isn’t going to be at Liverpool for much longer.”
A deeper concern for Liverpool’s identity
Beyond just the playing staff, Lynch suggested that losing a homegrown Scouser like Jones would have wider significance for the club. “I think it’s important to have Scousers in your squad,” he said. “You could replace him with an excellent player and sort out your homegrown issue… but I wouldn’t celebrate losing Curtis Jones. I think it would just be depressing.”
Lynch added, “To not be able to sell to a local lad the role that you’ve got for him, playing kind of 40-odd games a season and make it worth his while — I just can’t believe it’s come to this really.”
Photo: IMAGO
Transition or turmoil?
With Liverpool already facing a summer of uncertainty, Lynch pointed out that the situation with Jones could signal another disruptive window ahead: “We’re talking about a transition season. Well, if Curtis Jones has to go as well, how many players are going to go again this summer?”
He continued, “There’s already a list of four or five that are there… and if you add Curtis into that, it’s turned into another one of those summers.”
Slot’s public silence, according to Lynch, has only deepened concerns. “I always say I don’t like to focus too much on what he says in press conferences, but he’s missed an open goal there… quite clearly that’s a choice as well, because he’s not that fussed about whether Curtis Jones stays or not.”
Saudi Pro League: PIF agrees to Cristiano Ronaldo's demands
Saudi Pro League: PIF agrees to Cristiano Ronaldo's demands
Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to rejoin Al Nassr, ending his boycott that kept him out of two Saudi Pro League matches. The 41-year-old Portuguese star had refused to play following tensions with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund (PIF) and its involvement in the club’s transfer dealings.
Ronaldo will return to the pitch on February 14 against Al Fateh, after his demands were met: all overdue salaries have been paid and the club’s management autonomy has been restored, with Simão Coutinho and José Semedo reinstated in their roles.
This season, Ronaldo has already played 22 matches, scoring 18 goals and providing 3 assists. Al Nassr currently sits second in the Saudi Pro League, just one point behind Al Hilal. The league has reiterated that each club retains control over its management, with no player intervention allowed.
His value is estimated at €900,000 by Transfermarkt.
Hamburger SV interested in Maxwell Gyamfi
Hamburger SV is looking to strengthen its central defense and has set its sights on Maxwell Gyamfi, 26, currently playing for 1. FC Kaiserslautern, according to FT.
The German-Ghanaian defender could be brought in to replace Luka Vuskovic (18) if the young Croatian leaves the club this summer. Since arriving last summer from VfL Osnabrück, Gyamfi has established himself as a key player for Kaiserslautern. This season, he has made 18 appearances in the 2. Bundesliga.
By now, Johnson Wagner is a pro at watching golf. His day job is to analyze the best golfers in the world as the newest member of the CBS Sports golf broadcast team. And when he’s not working, he is often watching his 16-year-old son Graham, who is now on his own promising path to college golf.
One important difference: Wagner the broadcaster has been lauded for his personable and creative reactions to tournament golf. As a father watching Graham, his success has been in knowing when not to react at all.
“ I think the worst thing you can do, no matter how old the golfer is, even if they're on tour, is if they hit a bad shot and a parent hangs their head. The kid sees that,” Wagner said as a guest on the Golf IQ podcast. “I think that body language that a parent presents is gonna go straight to the kid, and they're gonna be like, ‘Oh man, mom or dad's disappointed in me because I hit a bad shot. Now this is gonna turn into I'm disappointed in myself.’”
In the second episode of our Golf Dads series, Wagner describes how his approach with Graham was informed by his own experience in junior golf, in which his parents worked hard to mask their emotions watching Johnson play no matter what they were experiencing inside.
“ I remember when I played my mom and dad would always be up at the green,” Wagner said. “They would tell me if a shot was a little long, or if it was good, there would be a nice clap. But they never got their emotions way up or way down during a round of golf. And so I try to do that.”
Maybe this sounds easy enough, but many parents can recognize the trap. You love golf and you love your kid, and so you’d rather your child avoid the disappointment and heartache golf can bring. But Wagner recognizes this is impossible. Golf is hard, and disappointment is inevitable. Wagner’s advice isn’t to be indifferent, but for parents to manage their own emotions well enough so their child can manage theirs.
“You just can't show it on the outside,” he said. “It's gut-wrenching and nerve-wracking when you see them make a mistake. You just want them to play well for themselves and so it's really hard to watch, but it's exhilarating at the same time. You just can't … you just can't show it outwardly.”
The full interview is rich with insight and advice from one of golf broadcasting’s rising stars, with Wagner explaining how his unique position in the game can often help with Graham, and where he prefers to step back so his son can figure parts out for himself.
Looks like high scores are back on the menu! It figures that the minute Nikola Jokić gets back into the Nuggets lineup, we see a shift away from Luka Dončić dominating the perfect lineup week-after-week. But it wasn’t Joker who topped the scoreboard in Week 16 in fantasy basketball — it was the reigning Rookie of the Year.
Let’s take a look at the perfect lineup from this past week, which featured a few players we haven’t seen in here before.
Week 16 High Score Perfect Lineup. (Photo by Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
More on the top performers
Stephon Castle, guard: Castle is your best score of last week, coming (virtually) out of nowhere. We say that because the Spurs PG hadn’t topped 60+ fantasy points in a game all season long. In fact, his highest output since Dec. 10 was 54 points prior to Saturday, when Castle had a 40-point triple-double with 12 apiece in rebounds and assists while adding 4 stocks. Plenty of teams have had their rosters gutted after the trade deadline last week and are in full-tank mode. Look out, because those will be prime teams to target against when it comes to fantasy.
Isaiah Collier, guard: Collier has been in and out of the Jazz lineup thanks to injuries and the deadline. Utah shipped out four players as part of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, plus third-year guard Keyonte George has been dealing with an ankle injury. In a rare win over the bottom-dwelling Pacers, the Jazz ran a seven-man rotation, which helped Collier play the ENTIRE 48 MINUTES last Tuesday. As a result, Collier dished out an astonishing 22 assists to just two turnovers in the victory.
Nikola Jokić, frontcourt: Jokic has been back for five games entering play on Monday as we approach the All-Star break. He had a few tough matchups, so of course, a date with the Bulls, who had a very active deadline, was the perfect High Score remedy. Managers who had seen Joker posting 80+ fantasy points consistently were glad to see him return to that realm in Week 16 with 22-14-17 with 5 stocks in just 33 minutes.
Jalen Johnson, frontcourt: The Hawks now-top player had a very consistent week with three triple-doubles, coming three counting stats away from a fourth on Saturday versus the Hornets. Atlanta acquired Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield in a deal with the Warriors prior to the deadline and both players have yet to make their team debuts. Gabe Vincent was also brought in, so those three should join the rotation and could take some usage and minutes away from Johnson. Though, for High Score, all we need is one ceiling game, not four, in any given week.
Trey Murphy III, frontcourt: The Bucks are a team in purgatory with Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined. That allowed the Pelicans (and Murphy) to take advantage despite losing in OT last Wednesday. In a track meet, Murphy was sublime, going 15-of-28 from the field and 12-of-19 from distance for 44 points in 40 minutes. Murph should get every opportunity to chuck the rest of the season with the Pelicans not bound for the playoffs.
Jalen Brunson, utility: Talk about a player who could use the All-Star break. Brunson hasn’t been at his best the past month-plus. In January, he only averaged 23.3 points per game and is clearly battling through injuries. While he’s been shaky in February, he did pop off in a 2OT win over the Nuggets with 42 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds in 47 minutes. We should see more hero ball from Brunson as the Knicks jockey for seeding in the Eastern Conference down the stretch.
Boston University and Boston College will add another chapter to their storied rivalry when they meet in the championship game of the 2026 Beanpot on Monday, February 9 at TD Garden in Boston.
The two schools, separated by a three-mile stretch of Commonwealth Avenue, are the two most decorated teams in the history of the annual event, which pits four Boston-area college hockey programs — BU, BC, Harvard and Northeastern — against each other in a tournament.
The Terriers have won the Beanpot 32 times, including a 4-1 victory against BC in last year’s Beanpot final, while the Eagles have captured it 20 times.
Coming off three consecutive Frozen Four appearances, including a loss in last year’s NCAA championship game, BU is struggling this season, with a 13-13-2 mark heading into Monday’s game. Last Monday, though, it battled back from a one-goal deficit on two different occasions to beat Northeastern in a shootout to advance to the Beanpot final.
It will take on a BC team that’s 15-9-1, a run that included a 5-1 drubbing of Harvard last Monday in the Beanpot semifinals. The Eagles have won their only previous matchup against the Terriers this season, a 4-1 road victory on January 30. BC has won seven of the past nine meetings against its Green Line rival.
Monday’s game will be the 300th all-time matchup between the two.
Here’s what to know about the 2026 Beanpot final, as well as how to watch it:
What channel is the Beanpot final on?
TV channel: NHL Network, NESN, TSN3
Streaming: ESPN+
The Beanpot final between Boston University and Boston College will air on NHL Network (outside of New England), NESN (in New England) and TSN3 (in Canada).
Streaming options for the game include ESPN+, which requires a valid cable login to access.
The puck is set to drop between the Terriers and Eagles at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, February 9 at TD Garden in Boston, the home arena of the NBA’s Boston Celtics and NHL’s Boston Bruins.
What is the Beanpot?
The Beanpot is an annual tournament men’s and women’s hockey tournament involving the four major college hockey teams from the Boston area: Boston University, Boston College, Harvard and Northeastern.
The men’s tournament began in 1952 while the women’s tournament was first held in 1979.
The games traditionally are held on the first and second Mondays of February, a pair of semifinals held the first week and the winners of those two games meeting in the title game the next week.
The tournament was originally called the New England Hockey Invitational, but in the leadup to the first iteration of the event in 1952, Leonard M. Fowle of The Boston Globe referred to it as the “so-called ‘Bean Pot’ tournament.” The moniker proved to be popular and quickly became the tournament’s name.
BU has the most all-time men’s Beanpot titles, with 32, followed by BC with 20, Harvard with 11 and Northeastern with nine. The Terriers’ success in the tournament has led their fans to refer to the Beanpot as the “BU Invitational.”
Lindsey Vonn had surgery to repair the broken left leg she sustained in her crash during the downhill event at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Feb. 8
Vonn, 41, was airlifted from the slopes and taken to a hospital in Treviso, where she had surgery later that same day
U.S. Ski and Snowboard officials provided an update on the injured Olympic gold medalist, as others described the crash as "tragic" and "heartbreaking"
Lindsey Vonn had surgery on Sunday, Feb. 8, to repair her broken left leg, but will “be okay,” U.S. Ski and Snowboard officials said, updating the media after the inspiring Olympian’s frightening injury during the first weekend of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Vonn, 41, was airlifted from the Cortina slopes and briefly taken to a local clinic before being transferred about two hours south to the Ca' Foncello hospital in Treviso, where she underwent surgery to repair her injured leg on Sunday, according to The Associated Press.
"She'll be okay, but it's going to be a bit of a process," said Anouk Patty, chief of sport for U.S. Ski and Snowboard, according to AP. "This sport's brutal, and people need to remember when they're watching [that] these athletes are throwing themselves down a mountain and going really, really fast."
Vonn’s latest crash happened moments into her first competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Days earlier, the 2010 Olympic gold medalist had ruptured the ACL in her left knee during a training crash on Jan. 30.
Despite the injury to her left knee, on top of returning to the Olympics with a surgically repaired right knee, Vonn vowed to compete at the 2026 Winter Games only to injure herself once again moments into her first race.
Lindsey Vonn crashes during the Women's Downhill on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on Feb. 8, 2026
Screengrab by IOC via Getty
"Tragic, but it's ski racing I'm afraid,” Johan Eliasch, the president of the International Ski Federation told reporters, including PEOPLE, at the post-medal ceremony press conference in Milan on Sunday.
“I can only say thank you for what she has done for our sport, because this race has been the talk of the Games and it's put our sport in the best possible light. I hope she will have a speedy recovery and be back on skis very soon," Eliasch added.
Vonn’s U.S. Ski and Snowboarding teammates expressed both sympathy and gratitude for the skiing legend, whose determination to compete in Milan despite her mounting injuries had inspired her fellow competitors – including Breezy Johnson, who went on to win gold in Sunday’s downhill event.
"I don't claim to know what she's going through but I do know what it's like to be here, to be fighting for the Olympics and to have this course burn you and to watch those dreams die,” Johnson, 30, said, referencing her own injury during a crash in January 2022 that kept her out of that year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing.
“It was one of the most heartbreaking moments of my life," Johnson said. "I can’t imagine the pain that she’s going through, and it’s not the physical pain, we can deal with the physical pain. But the emotional pain is something else. And you know, I wish her the best and I hope this isn’t the end.”
Johnson added: "My heart goes out to her. I hope it is not as bad as it looked.”
Lindsey Vonn inspects the course during the Women's Downhill on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on Feb. 8, 2026
Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty
Other athletes were simply still in awe that Vonn competed to begin with, just one week after rupturing her ACL.
“She’s crazy,” said Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie, who finished seventh and said Vonn has long been her “idol” in skiing. “For her, it’s all or nothing. It’s a huge inspiration, and to see what you can do with your body and with your mind.”
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Team USA’s Jaqueline Wiles, who finished fourth, said “it sucks” that Vonn crashed but that the incident would not mar her historic career.
“We’re such a tight group,” Wiles told reporters, including PEOPLE. “Lindsey has really been a huge mentor for all of us, and seeing her go down like that, it really sucks. It doesn’t change anything about her legacy. She’s a fighter, and that’s the way that she’s going to go out and ski every time.”
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.
BATTLE CREEK — Meet the most recent nominees for Battle Creek Enquirer Athletes of the Week, presented by Bronson Battle Creek Hospital.
Each week during the high school sports season, we will ask our readers to vote for the top performance of the week in all high school sports, taking a look at events from Monday-Saturday.
Make sure to vote early and often for your pick, as the winner will be featured in an Athlete of the Week spotlight story in the Sunday edition of the Enquirer. Fans can vote for their favorite athlete until Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Nominees for Bronson Battle Creek Athlete of the Week
Grayson Damron - Harper Creek Wrestling
Just a freshman in his first league championship meet, Grayson Damron finished first at 106 pounds for Harper Creek as the Beavers won the Interstate 8 Conference meet championship. Damron is 40-2 in his first season of varsity wrestling and won in the finals by beating Braxton Stoyk of Jackson Northwest by technical fall, 17-2.
Jackson Dzwik - St. Philip Boys Basketball
St. Philip's Jackson Dzwik broke the St. Philip school record for career scoring of 1,397 points, held by 2020 graduate Conor Gausselin. Dzwik had 12 points in the loss to Pennfield on Saturday and his short jumper in the lane broke the record, as he needed 11 points coming into the game.
Ally Koenig - Marshall Girls Basketball
Ally Koenig helped Marshall to two wins during the week. Koenig had 23 points in the Redhawks' 48-30 win over St. Johns in non-conference action. Koenig again had a team-high point total for Marshall in a 57-34 win over league-rival Pennfield as she had 19 points.
Jordan Roe - Battle Creek Central Wrestling
Jordan Roe was the lone weight division champion for Battle Creek Central at the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference wrestling championship meet. Roe finished first at 285 pounds to improve to 26-1 on the season. Roe pinned Marquis Moman of Portage Northern in 1:46 in the championship final.
Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @billbroderick
Fayetteville-area high school basketball faced another short week after several postponements, due to weather conditions.
However, in the three days of play, numerous athletic performances stood out, and dominated the stat books.
Now, it's time to vote for your favorite performance.
Here are 11, 910Preps Athlete of the Week nominees, highlighted by game-winning shots and all-around court domination.
Voting is open until Thursday evening, Feb. 12, and is unlimited.
Students-athletes, coaches, and athletic directors: if you or your player has been nominated, please send a clear headshot photo to jfmoore@usatodayco.com when submitting your vote.
910Preps Athlete of the Week nominees, Feb. 2-7
Dahliyanna Baldwin, Westover girls' basketball — Baldwin stood out in a big win against South View Friday night. The senior guard scored 19 points, swiped seven steals, and had five assists.
Pat Barber, E.E. Smith boys' basketball — Barber scored a season high in the Golden Bulls' fourth straight win. The senior wing put up 22 points over St. Pauls.
Ameya Brown, Terry Sanford girls' basketball — Brown, the Fayetteville State commit, stepped up huge for the Bulldogs against Overhills. The senior scored 22 points, hitting three of five 3-pointers, along with seven rebounds, six assists, five steals, and had two blocks.
Jasmine Burns, Westover girls' basketball — Burns had nine points and hit a game-deciding 3-pointer to beat E.E. Smith on Saturday.
Alena Dilione, Westover girls' basketball — The sophomore forward notched a double-double in the Wolverines' win over South View. Dilione scored 14 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, had five steals, and recorded two blocks.
Amya Harrington, Terry Sanford girls' basketball — Harrington, the junior wing, had a dynamic performance against Overhills. She had 18 points and 15 rebounds in the huge win.
Charlie Horne, Terry Sanford boys' basketball — Horne was the Bulldogs' leading scorer in their OT win over Lumberton. The Appalachian State golf commit scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and had four assists.
Aaron Joyner, Kid Stars Rising boys' basketball — Joyner had one of his best performances of the season. The senior forward scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the win over Freedom Christian.
Nashion Singletary, South View boys' basketball — Singletary, a junior forward, had an all-around game for the Tigers against St. Pauls. He scored 15 points, pulled down 11 rebounds, and dished out six assists. He then scored 19 points and recorded seven rebounds in a win over Westover.
Alani-Skye Wilkerson, Terry Sanford girls' basketball — Wilkerson had two standout performances in both of the Bulldogs' big wins last week. In Friday's game versus Lumberton, the junior scored 15 points and secured 19 rebounds. Against Overhills, she scored 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and swatted two shots.
Tre Williams, Kid Stars Rising boys' basketball — Williams, the Stars' point guard, put up 22 points, five assists, and three steals in the win over Freedom Christian.
As we light our torches in preparation for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, it's hard to believe that some sports have never had the honor of participating in the Games. There are also discontinued sports that were once part of the Olympic Games. I don't know about you, but the more sports the merrier!
Hannah Peters / Getty Images
Here are 11 sports that have been part of the Olympics in the past (or present) and 11 sports that, surprisingly, have not!
1. ONCE APPEARED: Polo
Ed Ram / Getty Images
Not too shocking to learn that one of the world's oldest team sports once appeared as a Summer Olympics game.
Argentina and Great Britain won two gold medals in Polo during its short stint in the Summer Olympic Games.
2. NEVER APPEARED: American Football
Justin Edmonds / Getty Images
That's right, America's Game has never appeared in the Olympics.
Despite last year's Super Bowl pulling in 127.7 million viewers across TV, the sport still doesn't have a worldwide pool of players to warrant a spot. Plus, soccer (football) is the current sport with the most players on a team, upwards to two dozen, so it'd be hard to fathom an American football 53-man roster per country for a single Olympic Game.
From 1900 to 1920, the Summer Olympic Games hosted a P.E. classic, Tug of war. With eight-man teams, the sport pitted strength versus strength. While there were many reasons for its removal from the Games, one major factor was a lack of a single governing body for the sports. Think of all the organizations that govern popular sports. Tug of war really never had any official leagues.
Great Britain holds the record in Tug-o-War, with five total medals (two gold, the most of any country).
4. NEVER APPEARED: Mixed Martial Arts
Ian Maule / Getty Images
Defend yourselves at all times.
With so many combat sports in the Olympics, it's shocking that mixed martial arts has never been included. MMA is one of the most popular combat sports today, and with so many talented athletes in UFC and other MMA organizations, what is holding them back?
Short answer: violence. It would be, by far, the most physically damaging Olympic sport ever. Unless someone oversees the sport to make it possible the same way boxing has made the rules safer for the Games, MMA will never be an Olympic sport.
5. ONCE APPEARED: Croquet
Chriscrafter / Getty Images
Call your grandparents. They might be Olympian caliber!
The sport of Croquet was once featured at the 1900 Summer Games in Paris. As part of the World's Fair, the 1900 Games saw the biggest entry of Olympic sports in modern history. Honestly, they were throwing a lot at the wall and seeing what would stick.
Yes, Rugby's15-a-side format was featured in the Olympics in 1900, 1908, 1920, and 1924, but never the more popular 7s format. The high-contact sport is a sight to see, and it's hard to believe a scrum hasn't been fought on the Olympic stage.
Of all the entries on this list, this one feels the most doable, and nothing is really holding it back other than the Olympic committee's votes. Heck, 7s rugby might have a case for a bigger athletic pool than American football globally.
7. ONCE APPEARED: Lifesaving
Whpics / Getty Images
Another demonstration sport at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, lifesaving showcased the ability to rescue people in and out of the water. These competitions were held at a lake, and no medals were awarded.
So what has kept it out of the Olympics for so long? Do we squash this argument right now? It is arguably the court size and access that are holding this sport back. While it might thrive on TV, it will be difficult to attract a large audience.
Like many on this list, the athleticism needed for this sport was obviously in question, which ultimately led to its discontinuation from the Olympic Games.
*This event was used for demonstration. No medals were ever awarded.
10. NEVER APPEARED: Chess
Sarote Pruksachat / Getty Images
Chess has never been part of the Olympics.
What it all comes down to: is chess a sport? Is it not just a board game? Chess is officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a sport, yet it has never been part of the Olympic Games. Comment below: Is chess even a sport?
Due to the shift in views toward gun violence, the sport was scrapped. Shooting is still very present in the Olympics, but thankfully with non-human targets.
For the same reason we don't see car racing or any other vehicle racing, the sport lacked focus on athleticism, so it is highly unlikely we will ever see another vehicle racing sport in the Olympics.
14. NEVER APPEARED: Cheerleading
San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst N / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Competitive cheerleading is exactly that. Give me a C. Give me an O... yeah, you get the picture.
15. ONCE APPEARED: Rope Climbing
Westend61 / Getty Images
Rope climbing was a staple among the many gymnastic sports. It dates back to 1896,
Despite the skill involved, the lack of flair it brought, and the difficulty of showcasing it in tall-ceiling venues, the sport was discontinued after the 1932 Los Angeles Games. Greece and the U.S. finished tied for most gold medals (2).
16. NEVER APPEARED: Bowling
Douglas Sacha / Getty Images
"We're gonna rock, we're gonna bowl!"
No love for bowling in the Olympics. I can't think of an American town without a bowling alley. It's a fun game, and popular leagues like the PBA make one question why it has never appeared in the Olympics.
With the popularity of Olympic sports such as ice hockey, handball, and soccer, it's hard to believe that floor hockey hasn't found its way into the Summer Games. The Special Olympics actually hosts the sport; it is pretty much ice hockey on a floor, with a wiffle ball instead of a puck.
It truly lacks infrastructure and popularity worldwide, so it is hard for it to find its place.
19. ONCE APPEARED: Solo Synchronized Swimming
Microgen / Getty Images
I tried so hard not to laugh while typing the sport name, because it sounds so ridiculous: "solo synchronized." But this oxymoron was indeed a real sport included in the1992 Summer Olympic Games. Swimmers would "swim dance" in the water to earn a high score from judges.
Billiards is a widely popular sport, with many different types of ways to play it. Although there are differences among Pool, Snooker, and Carom Billiards, the spirit of billiards itself runs through the veins of leisure sports. How the heck is it not an Olympic game yet?
Something something lack of athleticism. The arguments all seem to fall flat, and this game easily could be in the games with the right rules set.
21. ONCE APPEARED: Ski Ballet
Bluefootage / Getty Images
In 1988 and 1992, the Winter Olympics featured Ski Ballet. Competitors performed two-minute routines set to music, often featuring tricks performed with flair.
*There is an asterisk that comes with Ski Ballet, since it was a demonstration sport, and medals were never officially handed out.
22. NEVER APPEARED: Lacrosse
Evan Bernstein / Getty Images
Lacrosse just feels like an Olympic sport in the first place. It can be played indoors and outdoors. Popular in North America, it's hard to believe the sport has never been an Olympic sport, but it still has a way to go in terms of international popularity.
It will be father against son again as Richard Pitino takes his Xavier team to New York to face his dad, Rick, for the second time in five days. The older Pitino had the edge in the first game, although his son managed to cover.
My Xavier vs. St. John's predictions and college basketball picks expect the Red Storm to sweep the season series with a solid home cover on February 9.
Xavier vs St. John's prediction
Xavier vs St. John's best bet: St. John's -15.5 (-110)
In his first win over his son this season, the elder Pitino notched career win number 900. He hasn’t lost since and can pass fellow Hall of Famer Roy Williams into third on the career wins list with a win today.
The St. John's Red Storm have hit their stride, winning nine straight games, all in Big East Conference play. St. John’s has increased its pace of play and is now the No. 56 team in the country in tempo, up more than a dozen spots from earlier this season.
The team is scoring more points, averaging 82.9 over the last nine games, up nearly three points a game from the previous nine.
Xavier, meanwhile, is struggling in Big East play. Half of its conference losses have been by 20 points or more. It's also struggled in close games, going 2-4 when the margin of victory is within a half-dozen points.
The first game against St. John’s combined both problems. Xavier was headed for a blowout, falling behind by 16, then rallied to lose by five.
Both teams played UConn in their most recent game, which highlights the differences between the two squads right now.
St. John’s cruised to an 11-point second-half lead over the No. 3 Huskies, then held off a brief rally to win by nine. Xavier wasn’t competitive, losing by 32.
Xavier vs St. John's same-game parlay
This game should move. St. John’s has steadily increased tempo as it’s played better, and Xavier plays even faster, ranking No. 38 in the country in pace.
The points total cutoff is extremely high for a college game, but Xavier has had three games with a cutoff in the 160s in the last seven and gone Over in all of them (including the first St. John’s game).
St. John’s is No. 42 in the country in opponents’ shooting from 2-point range. The Red Storm’s interior defense held Filip Borovicanin to 3-for-13 shooting in the first game.
It triggered a shooting slump for the power forward, who has made just 12 of 38 shots. He’s scored in single digits three times in the last four games.
Xavier vs St. John's SGP
St. John's -15.5
Over 160.5
Filip Borovicanin Under 9.5 points
Our beyond the arc SGP: Running out of freebies
One thing Xavier does well on defense is avoiding sending opponents to the free-throw line. More than 34% of Zuby Ejiofor's points come from the line, meaning points won't come as easily.
Xavier vs St. John's SGP
St. John's -15.5
Over 160.5
Filip Borovicanin Under 9.5 points
Zuby Ejiofor Under 17.5 points
Xavier vs St. John's odds
Spread: Xavier +15.5 | St. John's -15.5
Moneyline: Xavier +850 | St. John's -1400
Over/Under: Over 160.5 | Under 160.5
Xavier vs St. John's betting trend to know
Xavier has hit the Game Total Over in 22 of their last 34 games. Find more college basketball betting trends for Xavier vs. St. John's.
How to watch Xavier vs St. John's
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Monday, February 9, 2026
Tip-off
6:30 p.m. ET
TV
FS1
Xavier vs St. John's key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
KL Rahul produced a commanding century to guide Karnataka to a memorable four-wicket win over 42-time champions Mumbai, sealing a place in the Ranji Trophy semifinals on Monday.
Chasing a challenging target of 325 in their quarterfinal at the Mumbai Cricket Association’s Bandra Kurla Complex, Karnataka leaned on Rahul’s class and composure. The India batter struck his 24th first-class hundred, scoring 130 from 182 deliveries, laced with 14 fours and a six, to anchor the chase.
Rahul found strong support in Ravichandran Smaran, and the pair put together a crucial 147-run partnership for the fourth wicket on the penultimate day of the match. Their stand took Karnataka into a position of control, with the visitors reaching 265 for three by the lunch interval.
Rahul’s innings ended shortly after the break when he was dismissed by Tushar Deshpande, briefly reviving Mumbai’s hopes. Deshpande and Tanush Kotian then picked up two more wickets to reduce Karnataka to 285 for six, still 40 runs short of victory.
However, Smaran held his nerve under pressure. The 22-year-old remained unbeaten on a composed 83 from 123 balls, hitting 11 boundaries, and saw Karnataka through to the finish. Vidyadhar Patil eventually struck the winning run, completing a significant victory for the eight-time champions.
Rahul, 33, celebrated his century with little fuss, raising his bat briefly before resuming his focus. He reached the landmark by guiding Kotian through the off side for four. Since joining Karnataka late in the group stage, Rahul’s presence has proved vital, following a first-innings fifty against Punjab earlier in the tournament.
Karnataka will now face Uttarakhand in the semifinal in Bengaluru next week.
MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé's latest impressive scoring run with Real Madrid has brought up comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo.
After Mbappé scored his 23rd goal in 22 Spanish league games in Madrid's 2-0 win at Valencia on Sunday, coach Álvaro Arbeloa said the France striker could be well on his way to matching the success of Ronaldo at the Spanish powerhouse.
“What Cristiano achieved seemed extraterrestrial, something impossible to match and no one could come close,” Arbeloa said. "Mbappé has a long way to go because Cristiano was here for many years, but he has the conditions to follow in his footsteps, and you never know if he’ll be able to surpass him. But if anyone can, it’s Kylian.”
The 41-year-old Ronaldo, currently playing in Saudi Arabia, played for Madrid from 2009-18, breaking nearly every club record.
The 27-year-old Mbappé joined the Spanish powerhouse last season and quickly matched some of the numbers of the Portugal star. Mbappé scored 59 goals in 2025 to equal's Ronaldo's club-record tally in 2013.
At the time, Mbappé called Ronaldo his “idol, the best player in the history of Real Madrid and a reference point in world soccer. It’s an honor for me.”
Mbappé started this year on a roll and with even better numbers, having scored nine goals in seven matches. He needed 11 games to reach nine goals last year. He has 43 goals in 35 appearances for club and country this season.
“It’s a great fortune, because right now he’s the best player in the world with what he’s proving day in and day out, game after game," Arbeloa said of Mbappé.
Arbeloa, who took over the club's helm this year to replace Xabi Alonso, was a former Madrid defender who was a teammate of Ronaldo at Madrid, playing six seasons with him from 2009-2016.
Mbappé’s France and Madrid teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni also was among those saying Mbappé has what it takes to surpass Ronaldo’s numbers with Madrid, according to Spanish media.
Ronaldo left the Spanish club with 451 goals in 438 competitive appearances.
Mbappé criticizes referee
Television cameras caught Mbappé criticizing the officiating crew in the game against Valencia, with the France striker apparently using the word “clown” to talk about one referee. Mbappé seemed to be looking for an explanation for an offside call but the referee didn't appear to want to talk to the player.
Mbappé's Madrid has won seven in a row in the Spanish league and sits one points behind leader Barcelona after 23 matches. It will face José Mourinho's Benfica in the first knockout phase of the Champions League.
With that being said, sights are fully set on 2027 and the odds for the Houston Texans to make a run next season toward Los Angeles for a shot at Super Bowl LXI.
The Texans are well-equipped to make another run at a championship next season, especially with 10 starters coming back on defense, including Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Will Anderson Jr. On top of that, the Texans return Pro Bowl wideout Nico Collins, defensive backs Kamari Lassiter and Derek Stingley Jr., running back Woody Marks and quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Are national pundits buying into a resurgence for the 2026 season, culminating in a trip to SoFi Stadium? ESPN's D.J. Bien-Aime still needs to see more before giving the Texans a top 10 ranking, placing the 12-win roster at No. 13 overall entering 2026, including ranking second among AFC South teams behind the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 9.
"The Texans aren't operating with a lot of cap space (rank 21st in 2026, per OverTheCap.com), so this year more than ever is about getting past the divisional round," Bien-Aime wrote. "They're 0-8 in those games, but at least they have draft capital to improve the roster with four picks in the top 69 picks. The offensive line and running back positions will be key spots to focus on, along with adding to the safety room. Every move will help a 12-5 roster that can't get over the hump."
Everything should be prioritized for building around Stroud. The offensive line wasn't terrible and showed improvement in Year 1 of the Nick Caley era, allowing just 23 sacks. Having back wide receiver Tank Dell in the passing attack should elevate Stroud's metrics, thus leading to more consistency in the passing game.
Elsewhere around the league, the Seahawks are ranked No. 1 and the Los Angeles Rams are ranked No. 3 as the two leaders toward a Super Bowl run. To view the entire 2026 way-too-early power rankings, click here.
The Texans own eight picks in the upcoming NFL draft, including four picks in the top 70.
IndyStar will be recognizing the top girls basketball players in Indiana with our players of the week poll.
Scroll to the bottom of the article to vote. Voting is open until noon Friday.
IndyStar will have complete coverage of this year's girls basketball state tournament, including live postgame editions of The Scorers Table. Be sure to subscribe to us at YouTube.com/@IndyStarTVPreps, and ring the bell to be notified when we go live.
Congratulations to Borden's AJ Mallad on being voted Player of the Week for Jan. 26-31! Mallad cleared 1,000 career points during Borden’s win over Bedford North Lawrence.
Here are last week's top performers.
Ashlee Baker, Franklin Central
Baker logged seven points, two rebounds, five assists and a steal in an 80-45 win over Decatur Central in the sectional semifinals, then totaled 18 points in the championship game vs. Center Grove. Her finals performance included four 3-pointers in the first half, including a four-point play amidst a key 11-2 run.
Jailen Bowling, Brebeuf Jesuit
Bowling netted double-doubles in the Braves' two biggest games, clocking 12 points and 11 rebounds in a 61-52 overtime win in round one vs. Guerin and 14 points and 13 rebounds in the championship game vs. Danville. She had 17 points against Crawfordsville and totaled four assists, 10 steals and five blocks for the week.
Jillian Chew, Tri
Chew netted 33 points on 13-of-25 shooting in a 60-39 win over Waldron, then tallied 19 points, 11 steals and three blocks in a 44-31 semifinal win over North Decatur. The Titans went on to win their sectional with a 46-27 win over Edinburgh.
Nyomi Hahn, Marion
Hahn converted 13-of-22 shots from the field as part of a 35-point performance in a blowout win over New Haven. She also pulled in 10 rebounds and clocked four assists and eight steals. Marion lost to Bellmont in the sectional semifinals.
Bailey Hape, Evansville Reitz
The senior powered Reitz to a 58-49 win over Gibson Southern, totaling 20 points, three rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block, then helped end a 36-year losing streak vs. Castle and lift Reitz to its first sectional title in decades with a 15-point effort Saturday. She did her damage on 6-of-12 shooting (three 3s) and also dished out three assists.
Adah Hupfer, Pendleton Heights
Hupfer posted three straight double-doubles, but her numbers improved as the sectional progressed. She went for 11 points, 12 rebounds and four assists against Mt. Vernon, 23 points, 15 boards, two assists, three steals and a swat vs. Richmond, and 31 points, 11 rebounds and two assists against Greenfield-Central.
Olivia Jones, Pendleton Heights
Jones was limited to five points against Mt. Vernon, but dished out four assists, blocked a shot and pulled in six rebounds in the 60-39 win. She found her scoring stride in the next two rounds though, posting 21 points, three rebounds, two assists and four steals against Richmond, and 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block vs. Greenfield-Central.
Brynn Owens, Austin
Owens went for 42 points on 15-of-20 shooting against Switzerland County, then led Austin to its first sectional championship in a decade with a 19-point effort vs. Brownstown Central in the final. The senior also logged 12 rebounds, seven assists and five steals for the week.
Robyn Pate, Brebeuf Jesuit
Pate scored 23 points with three triples in an opening-round overtime win vs. rival Guerin, then went for 22 points while also guarding Danville leading scorer Jillian Conrad in the championship game (held her scoreless on 0-of-5 shooting). Pate, who scored 12 points against Crawfordsville in the semifinals, notched eight rebounds, an assist and three steals for the week.
MacKenzie Pierce, Center Grove
Pierce played a critical role in the Trojans' wild 55-50 win over Franklin Central, netting 12 points on four 3-pointers (4-for-4). She also clocked four rebounds and a steal, and played a key role on the defensive end. Pierre logged 12 points against Perry Meridian, and six points and two steals vs. Southport.
Lexi Primus, North Knox
The senior scored 25 points to lead North Knox to victory over South Knox in the sectional semifinals, then helped secure a sectional title with 19 points against Linton on Saturday.
Eliza Rinehart, Carroll (Flora)
Rinehart led the Cougars back to regionals with a tremendous three-game run: 12 points against Clinton Prairie, six vs. Bethesda Christian and 18 in a win over Clinton Central on Saturday night. She also pulled in 14 rebounds in the championship game, five off her season-high.
Vanessa Rosswurm, Norwell
Behind 28 points from @VRosswurm, defending 3A state champ @NHSGirlsHoops stormed back from a 12-point 2nd-half deficit to stun Homestead & win their first 4A sectional title.
Coach Eric Thornton joined The Scorers Table to recap the win.
The senior went led all scorers with 28 points on 10-of-22 shooting in the sectional championship game vs. Homestead. Her efforts helped the defending Class 3A state champions erase a 13-point second-half deficit to stun the Spartans, 47-46. Rosswurm also had three deflections.
Lily Scholl, Northridge
Scholl was unstoppable in Saturday's upset of Warsaw, scoring 42 points on 14-of-20 shooting with only one triple. She also pulled in eight rebounds, dished out three assists and clocked a couple steals. Scholl had 31 points and 13 rebounds in a 71-41 win over Concord in the sectional semifinals.
Kayla Stidham, Hamilton Southeastern
Stidham netted 15 points and, in the process, cleared 1,000 career points in the sectional championship game vs. Carmel. She also had 11 in the semifinals vs. Noblesville. Hamilton Southeastern advances to face McCutcheon in Saturday's regional championship game.
Berkeley Williams, Plainfield
Williams led the Quakers to the sectional championship game with a pair of stellar performances. She netted 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting in a come-from-behind win vs. Ben Davis on opening night, then scored a team-high 17 points, eight of which came amidst a fourth-quarter comeback against Brownsburg.
Laniah Wills, Lapel
It was a historic week for the senior Butler commit, who surpassed the state's all-time rebounding record with 1,371 and counting. Wills logged three straight double-doubles for the sectional favorite Bulldogs, totaling 73 points, 36 rebounds, four assists, eight steals and three blocks in wins over Sheridan, Taylor and Frankton.
Caroline Yenne, North Knox
The freshman tallied 16 points and dished out eight assists to help North Knox to a 72-48 win over rival South Knox in the sectional semifinals Friday night.
👀What’s happened now? Rivero’s tough spell at la U
The bitter experience of Universidad de Chile in Talcahuano, where they fell 2-1 to Huachipato, not only left footballing doubts but also deep concern over the physical condition of one of their star signings. Octavio Rivero, the 34-year-old Uruguayan forward, was notably absent from Francisco Meneghini's squad, adding another chapter to his complex medical history.
Official Diagnosis: Synovitis in Regression
Through a statement, the club revealed that the forward is suffering from synovitis in his right knee. Although the diagnosis indicates that the inflammation is "in regression" —suggesting that the worst of the swelling has passed—, the inflammatory process in the synovial membrane prevents the player from training normally. This condition limits mobility and causes pain upon impact, forcing Rivero to undergo physiotherapy and complete rest for the coming weeks.
A History that Causes Uncertainty
The concern at the Centro Deportivo Azul lies in the Uruguayan's history. It is worth remembering that during his time at Unión Española, Rivero suffered severe ligament tears that led him to consider early retirement. With his knees under constant observation, the management and technical staff must decide whether to wait for his full recovery or if the team should seek alternatives given the physical fragility of their striker.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 17: Caleb Durbin #21 of the Milwaukee Brewers walks back to the dugout after striking out during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB Trade Rumors: The Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers have agreed to a trade that would send third baseman Caleb Durbin from Milwaukee to Boston in exchange for pitchers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan and utility man David Hamilton, per multiple reports.
This is what happens when spring training is looming. Mickey Gilley used to sing that the girls all get prettier at closing time, a paean to how people get less choosy when there’s an imminent deadline. The Red Sox tried to bring last year’s third baseman, Alex Bregman, back, only to see him go to the Chicago Cubs. As mentioned in the Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal piece linked in the Ozuna post from about a half hour ago, Boston was in discussions on a potential Brendan Donovan trade with the Cardinals, either to get Donovan directly or to acquire Isaac Paredes from the Astros in a three-way deal that would see Donovan go to Houston.
Donovan ended up going to Seattle, and the Red Sox apparently haven’t been able to work anything out for Paredes, whose strong pull tendencies would potentially be a fit at Fenway, with the Green Monster, much as it is in Houston with the Crawford Boxes, leaving Boston still in search of a righthanded hitting infielder.
Thus the pivot to Durbin, who came seemingly out of nowhere in 2025 to finish third in the National League Rookie of the Year balloting. Durbin turns 26 in February, and was originally a 14th round pick in 2021 by the Atlanta Braves from Washington University in St. Louis, where my buddy from high school, Vivek, went to college. He was traded to the Yankees after the 2022 season, along with Indigo Diaz, for Lucas Luetge, then shipped to Milwaukee last offseason in the Devin Williams trade.
Durbin had never made BA’s top 30 prospect list for any of his clubs until cracking the list for Milwaukee prior to the 2025 season, when he was 23rd. He’s a Slappy McSlapperson, someone who doesn’t strike out, doesn’t walk much, and doesn’t hit the ball hard. He slashed .256/.334/.387 in 136 games for the Brewers last year, with OBP being boosted by a league-leading 24 HBPs — he was hit almost as many times as he walked (30). He put up a 2.6 fWAR and 2.8 bWAR. He also played second base and shortstop, and his profile seems to be more like a good utility guy, though if he can consistently put up 2-3 WAR (an open question, I admit) he’s a viable starting third baseman.
The package going back to Milwaukee isn’t terribly inspiring. Milwaukee gets Kyle Harrison, who the Red Sox got from the San Francisco Giants as part of the Rafael Devers trade last summer, a move that ultimately has led to Boston scrambling to field a third baseman this winter. They also got Jordan Hicks, who they foisted upon the ChiSox earlier this month, in that deal. Harrison is a 24 year old lefty and former top prospect who had a middling 2024 season, split his time between AAA and the majors with San Francisco before being traded, and then spent most of his time in the Red Sox org in AAA, getting just two starts and a relief appearance in September.
Drohan, 27, was a fifth rounder out of Florida State in 2020 who struggled early in his career, missed time due to injuries in 2024 and 2025, but had success in 2025, putting up a 2.27 ERA in 47 innings over 12 appearances at AAA. He could be useful, or he could get hurt again. Who knows.
Hamilton, 28, is a Texas native and UT product who was originally drafted by the Brewers in the 8th round in 2019, then traded to Boston after the 2021 season in the Hunter Renfroe/Jackie Bradley Jr. trade. He put up a 2.6 bWAR in just 98 games in 2024 while playing shortstop and slashing .248/.303/.395, then cratered to a .198/.257/.333 slash line in 2025, a cautionary tale, perhaps, for the Durbin believers.
When New York Giants rookie Jaxson Dart was at Ole Miss, he knew someday he'd be calling signals in an NFL game as a quarterback.
That is why he practiced every aspect that makes an NFL quarterback great in his development. From the big things to the small, Dart made sure he had the skills NFL evaluators were looking for.
One of those skills -- and one that takes young quarterbacks years to develop sometimes -- is the cadence when barking out those signals at the line of scrimmage. Dart entered the league already having mastered the nuances of cadence, which will keep defenses on their heels as he attempts to carve them up.
Jaxson Dart anecdote:
During the pre-draft process, the Ole Miss facility echoed with Dart’s cadence. He practiced and practiced and practiced it — to show he could do one of the many things evaluators thought he couldn’t. #Giantshttps://t.co/SvWy5TJpbl
Dart's pre-draft preparation included attending the Manning Passing Academy for several years, and he developed a close relationship with the NFL's first family of quarterbacks.
After Dart was selected 25th overall by the Giants in the 2025 NFL draft, he couldn't have landed in a better spot. The Mannings, particularly Eli, who played 16 years for the Giants, were waiting.
Eli and his dad, Archie, also played their college ball at Ole Miss. They took a special interest in Dart's future and will continue to do so.
"(The Mannings) were just such an amazing asset for me when I was at Ole Miss," Dart said. "Obviously going down to the Manning Passing Academy and spending more time with them there, and then Archie just being consistent with texting me, and he made sure to give me a good luck today, and then Eli, I couldn't ask for a better resource than that. ... I'm going to continue to lean on them a little bit, and I couldn't be more blessed to have them in my corner."
The Brooklyn Nets (14-37) are trying to find their way back to playing the way they did in the month of December when they were playing like one of the best teams in the NBA on both ends of the floor. Brooklyn made some moves prior to last week's trade deadline and with the Chicago Bulls (24-29) coming to town, the Nets may get to see two of their trade acquisitions get some playing time. If you're wondering how you can watch all the action live, you've come to the right place!
The Nets come into this game following a 127-113 win over the Washington Wizards on Saturday in which Brooklyn raced out to a 26-point lead to end the first quarter and never looked back. Forward Michael Porter Jr. led the way for the Nets with his 23 points and six rebounds while center Day'Ron Sharpe had one of his best games of the season as he dropped 19 points and nine rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench.
The Bulls enter this matchup after a 136-120 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday in which Chicago stayed within striking distance until the fourth quarter where Denver blew the game open by way of an 39-16 rally in the final period. Forward Matas Buzelis led the team in scoring with 21 points while also chipping in eight rebounds and guard Collin Sexton had 17 points and four assists in 29 minutes off the bench.
Nets: OUT: Egor Demin (rest), Michael Porter Jr. (knee), Tyson Etienne (G League), Chaney Johnson (G League), and EJ Liddell (G League).
Bulls: OUT: Zach Collins (toe), Noa Essengue (shoulder), Yuki Kawamura (G League), and Mac McClung (G League). DOUBTFUL: Josh Giddey (hamstring) and Tre Jones (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: Jalen Smith (calf).
Advice and Prediction
The Nets have been having a tough time finding their rhythm since the calendar turned to January as they are struggling on both ends of the floor. Brooklyn got the chance to feel the sense of victory after beating a Wizards team that was missing most of its rotation, but the Bulls are a more competent team at this point in time and the Nets will have to generate offense without Michael Porter Jr. or Egor Demin in the lineup.
The Bulls look like they have finally embraced the fact that they have to rebuild after trading away Nikola Vucevic and Coby White heading into the trade deadline. While Chicago is waiting for Josh Giddey to get healthy so that he can take the floor with some of his new teammates, the Bulls will be relying on players like Matas Buzelis and Anfernee Simons to get the job done in the meantime.
The Nets and Bulls rank towards the bottom of the league in terms of defensive rating, but there appears to be some separation between the two teams when it comes to offensive rating and pace. On the offensive end of the floor, Brooklyn once again is one of the worst teams in the NBA in the metric while Chicago is more middle of the pack. Finally, the Nets play at one of the slowest paces in the Association while the Bulls play at one of the fastest paces, implying that the winner of this game will be the one that establishes their style of play.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 13: Caleb Durbin #21 of the Milwaukee Brewers hits a single during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game one of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field on October 13, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ladies and gentlemen, the Boston Red Sox have a third baseman!
As first reported by Jeff Passan (who else?) the Red Sox have acquired 25-year-old Caleb Durbin in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Heading the other way are Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, and Shane Drohan.
We’ll have more on Durbin soon, but the quick and dirty is that he plays a position of need, bats from the right side of the plate, and had a strong if unspectacular rookie year for the Brewers in 2025, slashing .256/.338/.387 with 11 homers and 18 steals in 136 games. His OPS+ was right at league average at 101, while his WAR numbers were 2.8 from Baseball Reference and 2.6 from FanGraphs.
As his slash line shows, Durbin has very little power. His offensive value comes from a good batting eye and a near elite ability to make contact and avoid strikeouts. The 9.9% strikeout rate he posted last year would have easily been the best mark on the Red Sox, nearly two full points lower than the next best rate, posted by Masataka Yoshida. He’s a pull hitter so moving to Fenway could give him a boost in the power department, but don’t expect too much there, as Durbin is just 5’7 and has an extremely slow bat. He just doesn’t hit the ball hard at all.
Defensively, he’s still learning to play third after bouncing around the diamond throughout the minors (where he actually spent more time at second). He doesn’t have a particularly strong arm and he had exactly zero Outs Above Average last year, making him (duh) exactly average in the field. Given that he’s still relatively new to the position, there might be some room for growth there.
Coming along to Boston in the deal will be Andruw Monasterio, a 28-year-old infielder who has been a Quad-A type for most of his career, Anthony Siegler, a 26-year-old who has split most of his minor league innings between catcher and second base, and a compensation round draft pick. I wouldn’t get too excited about either Monasterio or Siegler — there’s a good chance the Brewers would have DFA’d both of them in the near future.
So here we go: Spring Training is getting underway and it looks like Craig Breslow is done for now. Durbin fills a need, but he’s not exactly the bat the Red Sox wanted going into the offseason. Carry us now, Roman Anthony.
Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary.
During the Lakers' 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years.
Lou Hudson was one of the more underrated basketball stars of yesteryear. He was a standout at the University of Minnesota in the mid-1960s, where he averaged 20.4 points and 8.9 rebounds a game over three seasons and earned First-team All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore.
The St. Louis Hawks made him the No. 4 pick in the 1966 NBA Draft, and starting in his third pro season, he made the All-Star team six years in a row while averaging over 20 points a game for seven straight seasons.
In 1977, the Hawks traded him to the Lakers. The 6-foot-5 wing spent his final two seasons with Los Angeles and averaged 11.8 points in 24.8 minutes a game with the team. He retired from the NBA following the 1978-79 campaign with career averages of 20.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022.
Four weeks after the quarterback suffered a season-ending ankle injury, Bo Nix's wife shared a video on her Instagram story showing the Denver Broncos QB using his scooter to check the mail.
"Perks of the scooter," Izzy Nix captioned the video with a smiling emoji and a mailbox emoji.
Izzy previously shared a photo of "Get well soon" cards that neighborhood kids placed in their mailbox.
To reiterate: Izzy Nix, the QB's wife, captured and shared this video on social media. We were not hiding in the bushes to film it, as some fans suspected in the comments when we re-posted Izzy's video on Twitter/X:
During his end-of-season press conference last month, Broncos coach Sean Payton said he saw Nix was "getting his scooter laps in" at the team's facility.
“He's doing well," Payton said in January. "He literally was just above us here. I asked him, ‘What were you doing, trying to get your scooter laps in?’ So he's got ‘X’ amount of time on the scooter, then it goes to the crutches, then it goes to the walking boot, then it… So there's a process.
The demolition of Royal Dornoch’s former clubhouse has officially begun, with club captain Gary Bethune taking a symbolic sledgehammer to the 116-year-old Scottish building.
The project is being overseen by Nairn-based Helica, with contractor GF Job carrying out the demolition. The first phase will be internal works with different materials going into separate skips for recycling.
It is expected to take between eight and 10 weeks to level the site, after which it will be landscaped for the start of the golfing season. No decision has yet been made on the long-term use of the land.
Officially opened in July 1909 at a cost of $2,190, the clubhouse replaced an earlier wooden Golf House with three rooms and a corrugated iron roof. It, in turn, has now been replaced by a new $19 million facility.
“In one way, it is sad to see the clubhouse going," Bethune said. "It has served us well for most of the last 116 years, but nothing is forever and it was undoubtedly time to move forward.
"Like many others, I said my fond farewells in early December when I locked the doors one last time. We had raised a glass or two to the old dear and shared fond memories that will be with us forever.
“In a way, I grew up in the clubhouse, where my grannie Bunny Bethune was the caretaker in an era. Now we have embarked on a new chapter in the history of Royal Dornoch with the opening of the fabulous new clubhouse – only the third in our near 150-year history – before Christmas.”
Ewan MacGregor, managing director at Helica, said: “The old clubhouse is an iconic part of Royal Dornoch’s history and holds many special memories for both the local community and golfers from around the world.
"Helica is proud to be overseeing the sensitive demolition of such a significant building alongside GF Job, ensuring the process is carefully planned, well managed and carried out with care.”
ST HELENS, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 08: Ceri Holland of Liverpool acknowledges the fans whilst she holds her Barclays WSL Player of the Match trophy after the Barclays Women's Super League match between Liverpool and Aston Villa at The St Helens Stadium on February 08, 2026 in St Helens, England. (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For as badly as the 2025-26 season has gone for Liverpool’s men’s team, on the women’s side it’s been even worse—with the slight caveat perhaps that less was expected from them this season. Expecting less, though, is an awful long way from expecting relegation, which is where the women have found themselves.
Up until now, perhaps. That’s because on Sunday, Liverpool Women recorded just their second win of the season, beating Aston Villa 4-1 and dragging themselves off the bottom of the Women’s Super League as they leapt past Leicester City into the rarefied air of second last, making them safe by a point, at least for now.
“It’s a massive three points,” midfielder Ceri Holland, who wasn’t amongst the scorers but stood out with a player of the match performance, said following the win. “I think we’ve been building really well. We were a little bit disappointed with our performance last week at United. We didn’t feel like that was us.
“But it was really nice to be back at home and in front of our fans and to get all the goals today was a good feeling. It’s really important. It was a really good performance. I enjoyed the first half in particular. The second half became a bit of a battle, but I think we played really well and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.”
For most, based on how the season has played out a point against Villa likely would have been seen as a good result, and if they can keep up their improved recent form—they recorded their first league victory just two weeks back against Tottenham—they will be looking ahead eagerly to facing Leicester in March.
Before then, though, there’s an exceptionally tough test on the road against perennial title hopefuls Chelsea and a Fifth Round FA Cup tie against local rivals Everton. Suddenly, though, there’s genuine hope around the team for the first time this season—and a chance to perhaps open up a gap if they can beat Leicester.
“We don’t really look at that too much and we focus on the next game,” Holland added of the challenges and opportunities ahead for Liverpool Women. “We’ve got a really good feeling around the place right now. We continue to build and continue to improve because there’s still so much to improve on.”
Kenneth Walker III’s football career almost did not happen. Before he ever touched an NFL field, he nearly lost everything in high school. Walker was heading into his senior year at Arlington High in Tennessee when things went sideways in the summer of 2018.
He woke up one morning and could not breathe. His family rushed him to the emergency room, where doctors found blood clots in both lungs. Walker had no idea if he would suit up again.
Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium looked a whole lot different.
Walker ran all over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60, racking up MVP honors in the Seattle Seahawks’ 29-13 win. But what made the moment bigger than the trophy was who was there to see it.
For the first time in Walker’s NFL career, his father Kenneth Walker Jr. showed up to a game in person.
“I got my mom, my dad, and my little brother. That means a lot, especially my little brother and my dad. My dad, he comes out to Seattle all the time to watch games, but he never goes to the game because he don’t like crowds. So, this is his 1st NFL game and, you know, we won a Super Bowl. So, it means a lot to me and I know he proud of me for real.” Walker said, per ESPN.
Kenneth Walker III had his dad in the stands for the first time in his NFL career tonight.
When asked if getting his dad to come was a tough sell, Walker spoke about who played a major role in convincing him.
“I wasn’t the one that convinced him actually. My agent convinced him to come out here. So, I didn’t think he would come. They ended up micing him up and everything. So, he got out of his comfort zone.”
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald and running back Kenneth Walker III (9) celebrate with the Vince Lombardi trophy after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Walker finished with 135 yards on 27 carries and grabbed two catches for 26 yards. His father watched him become the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis did it for the Denver Broncos against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl 32.
Columbia freshman Amirah Warren drives to the basket in front of Shenendehowa senior Mya Parker on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in East Greenbush, NY. (Jim Franco/Times Union) (Jim Franco/Times Union)
Click on a team for highlights from the past week.
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After all of the festivities and fun of the 2025 NFL Honors were complete, some of those most excited were the five newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Roger Craig, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri, Larry Fitzgerald, and Drew Brees were announced as the class of 2026, with Fitzgerald and Brees being voted in on their first ballot.
Although the players now know their place in history, they will be officially enshrined with their busts at the induction ceremony this fall. This event will cap a multi-day party following the completion of the NFL’s Hall of Fame Game held at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, OH. This year’s game is slated for Thursday, August 6, and will mark the official return of NFL football following the offseason. Historically, the teams chosen to open the season have significant ties to the players in the current class, which should narrow the possibilities.
First played in 1962, the Hall of Fame game will be celebrating its 64th season, though the game itself has been played only 59 times. The game, for a variety of reasons, has been canceled four times in its history: once in 1966 and then three times between 2010 and 2020.
These are the last times that each Hall of Fame member’s team played in the Hall of Fame game:
Roger Craig; San Francisco 49ers (2000), Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders (2006), Minnesota Vikings (2015)
Luke Kuechly; Carolina Panthers (1995)
Adam Vinatieri; New England Patriots (2000), Indianapolis Colts (2008)
Larry Fitzgerald; Arizona Cardinals (2017)
Drew Brees; New Orleans Saints (2012), San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (2025)
The New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals squared off in 2012’s Hall of Fame Game, and with both teams having a first ballot guy in this year’s class, there is a strong possibility for a rematch between the two.
Would you like to see the Saints play in this year’s exhibition in Canton? Are you planning to travel for Brees’ enshrinement? Let us know in the comments!
Sunderland have enjoyed a brilliant return to the top flight, sitting seventh with 36 points, just three points adrift of Liverpool.
The hosts are the only side yet to lose at home, with only Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United collecting more home points.
The Black Cats have struggled lately, gathering seven points from their last six league outings — one more than Liverpool within that period.
However, Sunderland held Liverpool to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture and will be confident of getting another positive result here.
Liverpool are now five points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and that could increase before this fixture if United win at West Ham United.
The Reds have won just once in their last six league games, scoring 10 goals and conceding nine.
Arne Slot’s side have been poor on the road, sitting ninth in the away standings, raising concerns about how they will fare in this fixture.
That said, the Merseyside giants have history on their side, as they are unbeaten in their last 11 league meetings with Sunderland.
Overall, Liverpool have won 18, drawn 12 and lost three of their 33 league meetings with Sunderland.
Team news
Sunderland remain without captain Granit Xhaka, as well as Bertrand Traore and winter signing Jocelin Ta Bi.
Liverpool will be without the suspended Dominic Szoboszlai. Alexander Isak, Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, and Jeremie Frimpong are also sidelined through injury.
Predicted line-ups
Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Robin Roefs, Nordi Mukiele, Daniel Ballard, Omar Alderete, Reinildo Mandava, Noah Sadiki, Habib Diarra, Trai Hume, Enzo Le Fee, Chemsdine Talbi, Brian Brobbey.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson Becker, Curtis Jones, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez, Alexis McAllister, Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike.
The Los Angeles Lakers recently acquired guard Luke Kennard in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the NBA trade deadline last week. Kennard is a sharpshooter that can help the Lakers on the perimeter.
Lakers superstar LeBron James and Kennard are familiar with each other as both played high school basketball in Ohio, and Kennard played for James’ AAU team.
In February 2015, Kennard passed James on the Ohio High School Athletic Association career scoring list. Then then-Franklin High senior guard scored 44 points against Brookville High School to record 2,652 career points and move up to the No. 4 spot on the list.
Kennard eventually reached the No. 2 spot on the list by the end of his high school career but is currently back at the No. 4 spot. Now, ten years later, Kennard is teammates with James on the Lakers.
“Obviously that was a great moment. A big-time accomplishment when I was in high school, and I’m heard about it every now and then and just kind of full-circle now being able to play with him and getting to know him a little bit more. I might mention it, but we’ll see,” Kennard said in an interview with ESPN LA on Friday.
When Kennard initially passed James on the all-time scoring list, he told reporters he was honored to be in the same category as the now-four-time NBA champion.
“I’m not a LeBron or anything,” Kennard said in 2015, per ESPN. “Not even close. But to be in that same category, I’m really blessed to have that opportunity.”
Kennard Made His Lakers Debut on Saturday
Kennard made his debut with the Lakers in a game against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. He scored 10 points and recorded two rebounds and two assists through 26 minutes on the court.
The Lakers ultimately defeated the Warriors by a score of 105-99.
Kennard showed off his shooting abilities on Saturday, going 4-for7 from the field and 2-for-4 from beyond the arc. James highlighted Kennard’s 3-point shooting abilities as one of his greatest strengths.
“Luke Kennard who broke my scoring record in high school — he’s a laser from the 3PT line,” James said.
“Luke Kennard who broke my scoring record in high school — he’s a laser from the 3PT line”
The addition of Kennard should help improve the Lakers’ offense this season. The Lakers are the fifth team Kennard has been part of throughout his nine-season NBA career.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 21: Cristian Pache #20 of the Miami Marlins fields during the game against the Atlanta Braves at loanDepot park on September 21, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this winter, the Mets signed outfielder Cristian Pache to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, a very standard offseason contract for a player looking to revitalize a stalled major league career. Pache, who last appeared in a major league game in 2024, will look to claim a roster spot after failing to break through with the Diamondbacks last season.
If Pache’s name rings a bell but you can’t quite place him, it’s because he has suited up for many of the Mets’ rivals over the years, making the outfielder no stranger to the National League East. A former top prospect who signed for $1.4 million as an international free agent in 2015—MLB.com ranked him as the tenth-best international free agent at the time—he debuted for the Braves in 2020 and played parts of two seasons for Atlanta. He slashed .119/.157/.209 with a -5 wRC+ and a -0.6 fWAR in 24 games before being traded to the Athletics as part of the Matt Olson trade in March 2022.
He got his most playing time for any singular season in then-Oakland (91 games) and hit .166/.218/.241 with a 33 wRC+ and a -1.0 fWAR, and he was eventually traded to the Phillies for Billy Sullivan. He had his best offensive season in 2023, hitting .238/.319/.417 with a 98 wRC+ and a career-best 0.5 fWAR in 48 games. He started 2024 with Philadelphia but was traded along with Seranthony Domínguez to the Orioles for former Mets offseason target Austin Hays. After just three games, he was designated for assignment and latched on with the Marlins, where he spent the rest of 2024 and hit .183/.234/.283 with a 43 wRC+ and a -0.1 fWAR in 35 games. He signed a minor league game with Arizona and spent the whole year in the minors before electing free agency and ending up with the Mets, which catches us up to the present day.
Pache can play any of the three outfield positions, but he has primarily appeared at center field, appeared in 191 of his 241 career games in center. His primary value is his outfield versatility, and it’s easy to see a world where the Mets thought he could be an ideal fourth outfielder. However, he was signed before the team brought in Luis Robert Jr., whose signing pushed Tyrone Taylor to the fourth outfield position. That makes Pache’s path to Citi Field somewhat more difficult. To make matters more complicated for Pache, the team signed MJ Melendez to a major league deal on Sunday, which puts Melendez one step higher on the depth chart. Melendez is much more adept to the corner outfield spots and would almost assuredly see the time there before Pache does. The team is expected to carry one backup outfielder, as well as a utility player who can cover multiple positions, including the outfield.
Pache’s offense, as previously highlighted, is fairly non-existent. He strikes out a ton (30.8% career K%) and doesn’t walk much (7.2% career BB%). He also doesn’t really steal bases, with five career stolen bases to date while also being caught stealing five times. He doesn’t have much power, with seven homers and a .093 ISO. He is a very strong defender, however, with a 4 OAA in 2024, a 4 OAA in 2023, and a 6 OAA in 2022. His arm strength was in the 92nd percentile in 2022, while he was also above average in OAA and arm value.
Beyond an impressive spring training, Pache likely would only find himself playing for the Mets with an injury to Robert or Taylor, or if the left field options don’t cut it and Taylor mans one of the corners. Beyond that, Pache will likely find himself in Triple-A for much of the year, or off of the club’s roster altogether.
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak on the sideline against the New England Patriots in the first half in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
With Super Bowl 60 in the books, the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to make the hire of Klint Kubiak as their next head coach official at some point this week. That means Kubiak’s short tenure as the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator is coming to an end, but he’s leaving Seattle with a parting present: a Lombardi Trophy.
Granted, defenses certainly dominated the big game as neither team scored a touchdown until the fourth quarter. Regardless, Kubiak’s unit did just enough by putting up 22 points in Seattle’s 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots, with a pick-six accounting for Seattle’s other score.
Quarterback Sam Darnold struggled for most of the night, completing just 19 of 38 pass attempts (50%) for 202 yards and just one touchdown. However, the Seahawks did get the ground game going, as running back Kenneth Walker II accounted for 27 carries and 135 yards (5.0 ypc), setting up a well-designed play-action pass to tight end AJ Barner for the offense’s only touchdown of the night.
That was enough for Kubiak to earn a ring, and now, his next big challenge is filling out a coaching staff in Las Vegas. The Raiders will be behind the eight-ball when it comes to hiring assistant coaches, as many other clubs started compiling their staffs over the last week. That’s the one downside of hiring a head coach candidate who is playing in the Super Bowl.
Give Jeff Stoutland whatever: “Under Stoutland, Jason Kelce went from being a sixth-rounder to a seven-time Pro Bowler and six-time First-Team All-Pro, Evan Mathis was a third-rounder who made two Pro Bowls and one First-Team All-Pro, and Landon Dickerson was taken in the second and made three Pro Bowls, to give a few examples,” via Silver and Black Pride.
Why Kubiak will make great head coach: “He’s going to be incredible,” Seahawks’ tight ends coach Mac Brown said, via ESPN’s Brady Henderson. “He’s a relationship person. He’s a motivator. Just like the story we were talking about [of Kubiak using his play], he allows you to grow in your role. He’s going to be a great guy to work for whether you’re on the coaching staff or you’re a player playing for him. He’s a leader.
Chelsea manager finally gives direct answer on “amazing talent” best position – but still won’t play him
Liam Rosenior has impressed in many ways since taking over as Chelsea boss, and has improved on a lot of the things which frustrated fans about Enzo Maresca.
One thing he’s not improved on is his use of Josh Acheampong. Just like Maresca, Rosenior loves to praise the youngster’s talent, then not use him much.
Today, the Chelsea manager was asked about the defender and whether he saw his future as a central defender or a right back. He’s played in both positions so far, but there is still some uncertainty about where he will end up, long term.
Rosenior gives definitive answer on Acheampong’s real position
Josh Acheampong playing for Chelsea. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
“Josh is an amazing talent,” Rosenior said.
“I’ve been able to meet him and his parents. Josh has got immense potential. What I like to do is put them in different positions because it improves their understanding of the game. Long-term, Josh is a centre-back and he has all the attributes to become a great centre-back.”
That is at least a definitive answer to the position question. We’re inclined to think the same way. But what Josh needs now is starts, and he’s still getting precious few of them. The injury to Tosin should have created an opportunity – instead, the Blues just recalled Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg.
Josh has 6 Premier League starts this season, the last one more than a month ago. We hope to see a few more before the campaign is out.
In other news…
There were also updates on Andrey Santos and Romeo Lavia, who are both in training at the moment. One sounds like he’ll be back tomorrow, the other still has some way to go.
Rosenior also joked about the “conspiracy” concerning Reece James, who has missed two games in a row and now could miss another.
That would have been it between MLB and the “Worldwide Leader,” but later in 2025 the league and the channel put together another agreement that will keep baseball on ESPN this year, though in somewhat of a different form (for example, the Sunday Night Baseball franchise is moving to NBC).
As part of the new MLB/ESPN agreement, the league licensed the rights to its out-of-market product, MLB.TV, to ESPN.
Initially, the idea was that fans would not need to use MLB’s app for MLB.tv; they could simply purchase the product through the ESPN app and watch games there. That changed shortly after the deal was announced. For at least the 2026 season, fans will still be able to access MLB.tv directly through MLB’s platforms. But there’s a big catch.
With few exceptions, MLB.tv subscribers will also need to be ESPN Unlimited subscribers to purchase the package. In other words, MLB.tv is now behind a double paywall. You’ll need to purchase MLB.tv, which is priced at $150 per season for new subscribers and $135 for returning subscribers, in addition to the ESPN Unlimited plan, which is $30 per month.
Now, there are some caveats. MLB.tv offers a free month of ESPN Unlimited upon signup. MLB.tv subscribers can cancel the ESPN Unlimited subscription during their free trial and still retain access to MLB.tv throughout the entire season. Likewise, if you already have access to ESPN Unlimited through your cable, satellite, or virtual TV provider, there’s no need to pay the extra $30 per month.
Oh.
Basically, if you are a new subscriber to MLB.TV this year, you’ll have to also sign up for ESPN Unlimited. As noted, at least for 2026 you can cancel ESPN Unlimited within the free trial window (30 days) and still have MLB.TV. It’s unclear whether this will continue for the 2027 season and beyond.
Also:
Additionally, if your MLB.tv subscription is set to be auto-renewed from last season, you will not need an ESPN Unlimited subscription.
So that’s good, at least. According to that, if you are a current MLB.TV subscriber and renewing, this new ESPN subscription requirement won’t apply to you. Again, though, it’s unclear whether this applies to fans who receive MLB.TV as season-ticket holders or get it by being a T-Mobile customer. The T-Mobile deal is still in place, as far as I know, but… who knows for sure, with this new system. It’s also unclear as to what this will do to anyone who buys the single-team version of MLB.TV (for example, if you buy the Cubs-only package).
Drew Lerner concludes:
Regardless, this is insanely confusing for fans. No doubt, several MLB.tv subscribers will be fooled into paying for an ESPN Unlimited subscription they don’t need, either by failing to cancel during the one-month free trial or paying the $30 per month when they already have ESPN Unlimited included in their pay TV bundle.
Absolutely, positively true. This is yet another example of MLB owners and Commissioner Rob Manfred simply pocketing as much money as they can and not caring about the impact on fans, who are, well, their customers. What sort of business does that? (Don’t answer that, it’s a rhetorical question.)
Mainly, I wrote this article as a public service to those of you who subscribe to MLB.TV. Be careful on signup to see what you’re signing up for and if you have to take the “free trial” ESPN Unlimited subscription and don’t want it, make sure you note the date you sign up and cancel within 30 days.
Troy varsity boys head coach Jamil Hood during timeout against Watervliet at Troy High School in Troy, NY on Friday, January 2, 2026. Stephen Weaver/For the Times Union (Stephen Weaver)
Section 2 boys' basketball power rankings are released every Monday during the regular season and sectionals.
Click on a team for highlights from the past week.
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Akron RubberDucks starting pitcher Yorman Gomez delivers to a New Hampshire batter during the first inning of a Minor League Baseball game at Canal Park, Aug. 21, 2025, in Akron, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The people have spoken and left-handed pitcher Josh Hartle is our No. 19 Cleveland Guardians prospect for 2026. Hartle commanded 31.6% of the vote, defeating the likes of the likes of Andrew Walters (21.1%), Austin Peterson (11.6%), Jacob Cozart (8.4%) and Petey Halpin (8.4%).
Hartle was a third round draft pick out of Wake Forest by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024. Supposedly, Cleveland was interested in taking him at the time, but the Pirates got to Hartle first (and the Guardians ended up selecting Joey Oakie later that round, so it was a win-win).
The 6-foot-6 southpaw pitched just 1.2 innings the year he was drafted in one appearance at Single-A. He then was traded to Cleveland in the Spencer Horwitz deal. With Luis Ortiz doing you-know-what, Hartle is now the headliner of that deal.
Cleveland sent Hartle straight to High-A to begin 2025 and he pitched tremendously well there. Over the course of 22 starts, he posted an elite 2.35 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP and a 3.06 FIP. He struck out 24% of batters and walked 8.9%. He also was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Year.
Hartle earned a cup of coffee at Double-A, where he made two starts and pitched reasonably well. He’ll likely begin the 2026 campaign there.
Despite his size, Hartle isn’t a burner with elite velocity. He sits in the low 90s and touches about 94 mph with his fastball. His changeup currently is his best pitch and his cutter and slider aren’t too far behind. While he hasn’t flashed elite strikeout stuff, he has done a good job of mitigating hard contact.
Now, it’s time to determine who is number 20 in the Guardians’ loaded farm system and you now have a whopping 10 players to choose from! Your options are below:
Robert Arias, OF (Age 19) 2025 (ACL) 198 PA, .287/.389/.402, 2 HR, 29 SB, 14.6 BB%, 11.1 K%, 116 wRC+
A top Cleveland international signing out of the Dominican Republic in 2024, Arias has easily walked more than striking out and had a strong stateside debut last year in the Complex League.
Selected as a defense-first catcher with some pop in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Cozart had above-average offensive seasons at both High-A and Double-A in 2025.
One of Cleveland’s top performers in the Arizona Complex League in 2025. Undersized, but makes solid contact and doesn’t strike out often. Earned a small taste of full-season ball at the end of the year.
Another international prospect signed out of Venezuela, Garcia exploded into relevance with a sensational start to the 2025 season before getting derailed by injury.
Acquired from the Mets in a trade for international bonus cash, Gomez lit up Single-A in his age-19 season, then improved his walk and strikeout numbers after being promoted to High-A.
Earned a cup of coffee in Cleveland last season after an average year at Triple-A at age 23. Impressed with five runs scored in just six games played with the Guardians.
Absolutely dominated Double-A to begin 2025 looking well on his way to repeating his tremendous 2024 season, but then struggled after an early-season promotion to Triple-A. Remains on the 40-man roster.
Gabriel Rodriguez, SS (Age 18) 2025 (ACL) 122 PA, .294/.393/.402, 1 HR, 11 SB, 12.3 BB%, 18.9 K%, 116 wRC+
One of Cleveland’s top recent international signings, Rodriguez put up strong offensive numbers in his stateside debut in his age-18 season in 2025. Expected to transition to full-season ball this year.
Walters maintains his rookie status due to limited MLB appearances because of an injury in 2025. If he returns at 100%, he’ll once again be a factor in the back end of Cleveland’s vaunted bullpen.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - OCTOBER 12: Tight end Travis Kelce #87 and wide receiver Marquise Brown #5 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up prior to the game against the Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NFL season concluded on Super Bowl Sunday with the Seattle Seahawks’ victory. 31 other teams are chomping at the bit to prepare for the 2026 season.
In just over a month, this year’s class of unrestricted free agents will be available to negotiate contracts with other teams on the open market. Wednesday, March 11th, is the first day of the new league year, although the “legal tampering” window opens on Monday of that week.
Before that, NFL teams will have to make decisions on which pending free agents to use the Franchise Tag on. The window to designate that player is between February 17th and March 3rd.
The Kansas City Chiefs are already busy shaping up the roster for next season. For fans, the first step is knowing which players ended the season with the team, but are not on the 90-man offseason roster currently, as they prepare for free agency.
Here’s the list:
The Chiefs’ pending 2026 free agents
Tight end Travis Kelce
Linebacker Leo Chenal
Cornerback Jaylen Watson
Safety Bryan Cook
These are the headliners, with the question of retirement being an added layer to the top name on the list. Travis Kelce attended the festivities surrounding Super Bowl LXI, and the conversations from the week have created a report that he and the team will be communicating soon.
The remaining three players — all three starters on the Chiefs’ defense — should be seeking multi-year deals with long-term security. With Kansas City’s cap situation, it’s hard to imagine the Chiefs being the team to offer that to all three of them.
Wide receiver Hollywood Brown
Wide receiver Tyquan Thornton
Running back Kareem Hunt
Running back Isiah Pacheco
Wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster
This group of skill-position players will be interesting to follow. Through two seasons, Brown has not quite tapped into the impact he was projected to make with the Chiefs, whether it’s his health or his quarterback’s. He feels like a candidate for a one-year, prove-it deal again, even if it isn’t a return to Kansas City. It feels like he, Hunt and Smith-Schuster are in a similar boat.
Thornton may earn a payday on the open market, and it will be interesting to see if Pacheco has done enough in his career to secure a contract that suggests he will continue as a starting back in the league.
Defensive end Charles Omenihu
Defensive tackle Mike Pennel
Defensive tackle Jerry Tillery
Defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi
This group of veteran defensive linemen will be fascinating to follow. Multiple names on this list have been re-signed to one-year deals in past offseasons to continue in Kansas City. It’s clear guys like Pennel and Nnadi are trusted by the coaching staff, but younger players with more potential need to replace the roles filled by this group at some point.
Quarterback Gardner Minshew
Linebacker Jack Cochrane
Running back Dameon Pierce
Cornerback Joshua Williams
Cornerback Nazeeh Johnson
Tight end Robert Tonyan
Safety Mike Edwards
Safety Deon Bush
Defensive end Janarius Robinson
Long snapper James Winchester
This is the Chiefs’ unrestricted free agent class of 2026. Who do you think the team should re-sign? Which players feel more likely than others? Let us know in the comments and The Feed as we kick off free agency coverage this week.
Sep 21, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen (22) hits a two run single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Baseball is all about probabilities, and that theorem also applies to prospects trying to become big leaguers. All players in professional ball have talent, of course; it’s just that the competition level is so high and the margin for error so thin that there is a chance of failure for just about everyone.
So what makes for a high-probability position player talent? Being able to consistently hit pitches very hard is deeply important. Plate discipline—both in the ability to draw walks and avoid striking out too much—is also important. So, too, is the ability to play competent defense, especially at a premium position. And while good tools are nice, players who utilize their toolsets to dominate competition in the Minor Leagues are more likely to succeed than those who struggle.
If that previous paragraph sounds like I’m describing Carter Jensen, that’s because it is. The Kansas City Royals selected Jensen with the 78th pick in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Park Hill High School, whose campus is a quick 25-minute drive away from Kauffman Stadium. And while all high schoolers have high risk, Jensen has blossomed into a really promising player and made his MLB debut last September.
Prospect lists aren’t everything, but they give a good sense of how industry professionals who have watched and evaluated more baseball than you or I ever will think of a player—and Jensen is regarded quite well. MLB.com lists Jensen as the 18th best prospect in the game. The Athletic has Jensen at 10th overall. Baseball Prospectus has Jensen at 44th overall. Baseball America lists Jensen as the 11th best prospect.
And yet, man, I think people are still sleeping on Jensen.
That’s because of the third factor, the secret sauce if you will, in the cauldron of traits that contribute to probability that a minor leaguer will make it: age. We see players hit well all the time in Minor League Baseball, and even do so at the upper levels. Most players who do so, however, are old for the league. Remember deep cut Royals prospect Balbino Fuenmayor? He hit an absurd .358/.384/.589 across Double-A and Triple-A in 2015. But he did so while already playing in his age-25 season.
Jensen has been excellent throughout the minor leagues, and has consistently done so at very young ages. And in fact, last year’s campaign put Jensen in extremely rarified air. I went and pulled all players who met this qualifications over the last decade:
In age-21 or younger season
Minimum 400 plate appearances
At least 1 PA in Triple-A
Walk rate above 12%
Strikeout rate below 25%
Isolated slugging percentage above .200
wRC+ of at least 130
Jensen was one such player. But across the thousands of players who have played in the Minors during that time, there are only eight other players who qualify. It’s a good list, featuring three Rookie of the Year winners, a Rookie of the Year top-three finalist, an MVP award winner, a current top prospect, and multiple other productive big leaguers.
#
Name
Team
Level
Age
PA
BB%
K%
AVG
OBP
SLG
wRC+
2025
Jett Williams
NYM
AA,AAA
21
572
13.3%
22.9%
0.261
0.363
0.465
136
2025
Carter Jensen
KCR
AA,AAA
21
492
12.2%
24.8%
0.290
0.377
0.501
136
2024
Roman Anthony
BOS
AA,AAA
20
540
14.6%
23.5%
0.291
0.396
0.498
147
2023
Coby Mayo
BAL
AA,AAA
21
614
15.1%
24.1%
0.290
0.410
0.563
153
2022
Gunnar Henderson
BAL
AA,AAA
21
503
15.7%
23.1%
0.297
0.416
0.531
152
2022
Corbin Carroll
ARI
AA,AAA,CPX
21
442
15.2%
24.2%
0.307
0.425
0.610
144
2022
Francisco Alvarez
NYM
AA,AAA
20
495
14.1%
24.8%
0.260
0.374
0.511
137
2021
Spencer Torkelson
DET
A+,AA,AAA
21
530
14.5%
21.5%
0.267
0.383
0.552
150
2016
Cody Bellinger
LAD
AA,AAA
20
477
12.6%
19.7%
0.271
0.365
0.507
147
But Jensen didn’t stop there: he is one of only four players in the last decade to fit all of those categories and also make his MLB debut the same year. The three players who qualify for that extra category are Gunnar Henderson (2023 AL RoY winner), Corbin Carroll (2023 NL RoY winner), and Francisco Alvarez (career 105 wRC+ and 6.6 fWAR in only 304 career games).
To quote the indomitable Adam Savage, failure is always an option; Coby Mayo’s big league career to date is a testament to that truth. Jensen could always end up on the Mayo path. And yet, probabilities are what they are, and given the skills that Jensen has already shown—elite exit velocity, excellent plate discipline, solid contact ability, and a knack for adjusting to continually more difficult pitching at a young age—it is very likely that Jensen is very good very quickly.
Despite a very strong resume, Jensen is viewed mostly as an afterthought in the American League Rookie of the Year prediction circuit. MLB Pipeline recently interviewed 44 front office officials, and only three of them predicted that he’d win.
Maybe that’s good for Jensen. We all saw what kind of pressure Jac Caglianone was under last year. In any case, Jensen should be getting more buzz. He’s ready. He’s gonna be good. And it’ll be fun to watch.
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - FEBRUARY 07: Dylan Andrews #4 of the Boise State Broncos passes the ball against Uriah Tenette #4 of the New Mexico Lobos during the first half of a game at The Pit on February 07, 2026 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another week of Mountain West basketball, another week of unexpected results. A reeling Boise State squad came up with clutch victories over New Mexico and Nevada. Utah State defeated New Mexico and survived a pesky Wyoming squad. While UNLV pulled off a huge upset over Grand Canyon after suffering a disappointing loss to Fresno State. The crazy week of action also saw some of the most impressive individual performances of the year. Let’s take a look at the top performers from this past week.
Offensive Player of the Week
Dylan Andrews (Boise State)
The senior guard had the best week of college career in wins over Nevada and New Mexico. Andrews had 25 points and six assists against Nevada, and topped that against the Lobos going for 33 points and four assists. This week showed how dangerous Boise State can be when Andrews is playing elite basketball.
Defensive Player of the Week
Nana Owusu-Anana (Grand Canyon)
The senior forward was a force on the defensive side of the ball. On the week, Owusu-Anane averaged 10 rebounds and 3.5 steals in games against UNLV and Air Force. Owusu-Anane has been one of the best rebounders in the Mountain West this season and continues to be a force in the paint for the Lopes.
Newcomer of the Week
Corey Camper Jr. (Nevada)
The senior UTEP transfer had another solid week. Camper Jr. had 35 points in an overtime loss to Boise State and followed it up with 15 points in a win over Fresno State. Camper Jr. averaged 25 points on the week and has arguably been the best player in the Mountain West over the past month. Camper Jr’s emergence has made the Wolf Pack a real contender in the Mountain West.
Freshman of the Week
Jake Hall (New Mexico)
The freshman guard out of Carlsbad, California continued his impressive run averaging 14.5 points on the week in games against Utah State and Boise State. Hall has already cemented himself as one of the most lethal shooters in the conference and has been one of the most reliable scorers on a solid New Mexico squad.
Who were your top performers from this past week? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl 60 halftime show ended up highlighting a brutal on-field reality for the New England Patriots that fans could not ignore.
What was meant to be a light-hearted viral stat quickly turned into an uncomfortable summary of why the Patriots fell well short on the biggest stage.
Bad Bunny’s halftime show reveals a shocking Patriots comparison
Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A statistic shared by Front Office Sports drew attention for all the wrong reasons for New England.
“Bad Bunny traveled 124.4 yards with the football during his halftime show. The Patriots rushed for 79 total yards in the actual game,” they wrote on X.
The comparison spread rapidly online because of how stark it was. In a game defined by physical control and efficiency, the Patriots were outpaced on the ground by a performer during a choreographed halftime routine.
While the stat was framed humorously, it reflected a deeper issue. New England’s inability to establish any consistent rushing threat left the offense predictable and easy to defend against across four quarters.
Bad Bunny’s halftime movement was carefully designed for entertainment, but the numbers unintentionally exposed how little ground the Patriots were able to gain when it mattered most.
Patriots rushing failure key to Super Bowl 60 defeat
The Patriots’ 29-13 loss in Super Bowl 60 was shaped by their struggles in the run game. With just 79 rushing yards, New England failed to control tempo, time of possession, or field position.
That lack of balance allowed Seattle’s defense to focus heavily on the passing game. Without a credible rushing threat, drives stalled quickly, and scoring opportunities dried up.
The inability to run the ball also affected New England’s defense. Short offensive possessions meant more snaps for the unit, which wore down as the game progressed.
By the second half, the outcome felt inevitable. Seattle controlled the clock, protected its lead, and never allowed the Patriots to regain momentum.
The halftime stat became symbolic because it captured the imbalance so clearly. When a Super Bowl contender is outgained on the ground by a halftime performer, the underlying problems are impossible to dismiss.
ANN ARBOR, MI - FEBRUARY 06: Michigan Wolverines forward Nick Moldenhauer (9) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during a men's college hockey game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Michigan Wolverines on February 06, 2026 at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, MI. (Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Michigan Wolverines (23-5) lost in dismal fashion to Michigan State on Saturday night. The team was outshot, out-coached, and thoroughly outplayed in the annual Duel in the D. A similar performance to the 6-1 ass-kicking they took against Wisconsin, but any loss to Michigan State always feels worse.
And the only thing worse than a loss to a rival is the reaction afterward — panic alarms have been sounding throughout the fan base. Sweeping generalizations about the team and its future based on ONE insipid performance have dominated the postgame commentary. Yes, the loss is painful, but let’s not lose sight of the forest for the trees. This isn’t some maize-and-blue-tinted “We’ll get them next time” B.S. Let’s examine some facts.
Firstly, Michigan State was ranked No. 2 in the country for a reason. Under head coach Adam Nightingale, this team is not the Michigan State of the 2010s. Line for line, player for player, Michigan and Michigan State are the two deepest and best teams in college hockey this season. North Dakota, Minnesota-Duluth, Western Michigan, and even Penn State have similar or better top-line skill, but do not possess the depth of either Big Ten Mitten teams. A season split makes sense with teams this evenly matched. This isn’t like the 2021-22 Michigan team with four top-five picks getting swept on the season by Notre Dame.
Secondly, this was Michigan’s first loss since Dec. 6; Sherrone Moore was still the head coach of the football team the last time this team lost a game. Moreover, this is only the team’s second loss since the middle of November, and until this defeat, the Wolverines had won seven games in a row, including five with a backup goaltender. This team was not going to run the table to finish the season, and coming off the emotional high of Friday’s overtime winner, a follow-up letdown performance makes sense.
“Well, if they’re a great team, they should always be locked in and focused. This isn’t a championship team,” the chronically online man yelled at the social media clouds.
The last time Michigan was a national championship team, the Wolverines were swept by the Spartans that season, including 5-1 and 4-1 losses in February. The team even followed up those losses by dropping a third straight game to Ferris State, which went 15-21 that season. Moreover, that championship team lost 11 regular-season games with a CCHA schedule.
Despite an overhauled roster from last season and being the youngest team in the country, Michigan has already matched or exceeded its Big Ten points total from two of the three most recent Frozen Four Michigan teams with six conference games, and is only one point off the regular-season title hunt in the best conference in college hockey. This team is on pace to be the Wolverines’ best team since the year of Obama’s inauguration, and if Brandon Naurato has taught us anything, it’s he gets the most out of his teams in the tournament.
Lastly, if you want to criticize more specifically and accurately, by all means, this team is not exempt. Will Horcoff, who was in the thick of the Hobey Baker race at the midway point of the season, has to break out of this slump. One goal and four total points since World Juniors from the best player on the team is not going to cut it.
Additionally, both special teams units need to return to their early-season potency, especially the power play. The loss of Henry Mews cannot be the death knell for this unit. And, most obviously, this team has to be sharper on Saturdays. I understand the desperation of the Friday loser in these back-to-backs, but Michigan’s early-period effort in these games has to be better. Those are all fair gripes to have, but let’s also not lose sight of the fact Jack Ivankovic is miraculously already back in net and that Nick Moldenhauer, Jayden Perron and the duo of freshmen defensemen have all taken star turns, while the more prominent stars have struggled.
It is Feb. 9, this team has 23 wins, and has yet to play its collective best hockey. Everything from now until March 27 is just a preamble for what actually matters. Even if Michigan loses out from here, the Wolverines are making the NCAA Tournament and will have a chance to string together the four most important program wins of the 21st century. Michigan lost the battle on Saturday and there is no excuse. But the war has only just begun.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Charles Cross #67 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Our Seattle Seahawks are Super Bowl champions!! The 29-13 score belies the fact that the Seahawks utterly dominated the New England Patriots. Some in the media were trying really hard to find ways that the Patriots could hang with the Seahawks. At the end of the day, that was a futile effort with a whole lot of wasted breath.
The Dark Side lived up to its moniker with another example of “Professional Destruction.” Seattle’s offense could’ve played better, but they really didn’t need it. The defense was so damn suffocating, and I bet that they’re pissed off for even allowing 13 points. The 2026 Seattle Seahawks, playing in their 50th season as a franchise, were a historically good team that both righted a lot of wrongs from the past while paving their own way in the annals of Seahawks history.
Seahawks Droppings
Mike Macdonald, you wonderful man! If a coach could win Super Bowl MVP, this would’ve been the right time to do it. Macdonald, in his second season at the helm, became the first defensive playcalling head coach to win a Super Bowl. He was nails all season long including tonight. I don’t think it can be truly understood how difficult Macdonald’s job is to balance all of the other parts of being a head coach with calling the defense. He’s the best coach in the NFL and he’s ours.
Kenneth Walker III put the team on his back. I hope this isn’t the last time we see the impending free agent in a Seahawks uniform, but if it was, the Super Bowl 60 MVP had a hell of a game. K9 had 29 touches for 161 total yards and had a long TD called back in the final two minutes which would’ve made his game even more impressive.
Sam Darnold missed a handful of throws tonight, but he also was a wizard at evading pressure and made the plays that he needed to. Most of all, he didn’t turn the ball over, continuing that run at the end of the season. Guess what? You CAN win a Super Bowl with Sam Darnold!
Playoff Cooper Kupp comes through again. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba missing part of the game, the Yakima Kid came up with 6 catches for 61 yards, including a big first down conversion once again. I’m not sure if he’ll retire or not, but he was such a fantastic complement down the line this season.
How about those special teams? Jason Myers made Super Bowl record 5 FGs and became the single season points leader including playoffs in NFL history. That’s good! You know who else is good? Michael Freakin’ Dickson! He dropped two punts down inside the 5 yard line, putting even more pressure on a Patriots offense that was being suffocated.
Welcome to the Dark Side. Seattle’s defense tied a Super Bowl record with 6 sacks, forced 1 fumble, picked off 2 passes with a defensive TD. They harassed Drake Maye all game long, after shutting down the running game. Maye also had a few plays which could have or should have been picked off. I don’t care that he got through the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos. Those defenses can’t hold a candle to the Dark Side.
Another note on how dominant the Seahawks’ defense was tonight. Per ESPN Research, Drake Maye — who finished second in this year’s MVP voting — posted a 16.3 Total QBR in Super Bowl LX, his worst as a starter in his two NFL seasons.
I could literally call out every player on the Defense. Derick Hall and Byron Murphy each had 2.0 sacks with Hall forcing a fumble that was recovered by Murphy. Rylie Mills showed up with a bull rush sack. Nick Emmanwori was sticky in coverage and had some key tackles in bounds towards the end of the game. Ernest Jones IV led the Seahawks with 11 tackles. Julian Love had 1 INT. Maybe no one player had a bigger impact than Devon Witherspoon. The defensive sparkplug had 1.0 sack, 1 TFL, and 1 QB Hit which led directly to the Uchenna Nwosu INT return for a TD. Had they not given up the quick score and garbage time TD, people would be talking more about this performance. Still, this is one of the best defenses in NFL History, earning a place beside the LOB.
This one feels so damn good. The fact that the Seahawks had to go through the gauntlet of the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and the New England Patriots makes it all the sweeter. Winning in a dominant fashion puts the Super Bowl 49 loss in the grave and opens a new championship window for the Seahawks. For now, I won’t get ahead of myself. The Seattle Seahawks are once again Super Bowl Champions!!
Feb 7, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Jacari White (6) dribbles the ball while Syracuse Orange guard JJ Starling (2) defends during the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images | Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images
The Syracuse Orange dropped another game on Saturday losing 72-59 at Virginia. With their 6th loss in the last 7 games, the Orange are crashing into the final weeks of the season, so let’s look at takeaways from Saturday afternoon:
Not having a gameplan
Virginia entered the matchup as the third-best offensive rebounding team in the country, which made controlling the glass a clear point of emphasis for Syracuse.
In theory, that should have meant strong box-outs, physical interior play, and limiting Virginia’s ability to generate easy second-chance points. Instead, Syracuse struggled to impose itself on the boards from the opening tip.
The Orange allowed 17 offensive rebounds, continuously giving Virginia extra possessions and disrupting any defensive momentum they might have created.
Those breakdowns proved costly, as the Cavaliers consistently turned second-chance opportunities into points and extended key possessions.
Over the course of the game, the rebounding disparity quietly tilted the balance of control toward Virginia and played a major role in Syracuse’s inability to keep the score within reach.
Lack of bench production
Syracuse’s lack of bench scoring was an issue in Saturday’s loss, as the Orange received just seven total points from their reserves. When starter Donnie Freeman struggled to find his rhythm, Syracuse needed an offensive spark from its second unit, and it never came.
The inability to generate scoring outside the starting lineup allowed Virginia to key in defensively and maintain control for long stretches of the game.
At the same time, the bench concerns were magnified by a noteworthy rotation decision, as Kiyan Anthony did not play for the first time this season. Head coach Adrian Autry said postgame that the decision was purely a coaching one, but the move inevitably raised questions given Syracuse’s offensive struggles.
With limited production from role players and a shortened rotation, the Orange lacked flexibility and energy, making it difficult to respond when Virginia went on runs.
Inability to adjust
Virginia controlled the tempo from the opening tip and never really let Syracuse get comfortable. The Cavaliers forced the Orange into a slow, grind-it-out half-court game, which played right into their hands.
Syracuse struggled to push the pace or find easy transition opportunities, giving Virginia’s defense time to get set and take away driving lanes and clean looks from the outside.
As the shot clock wound down on possession after possession, Syracuse was often left settling for tough, late-clock shots.
Adding to the frustration, the Cavaliers used a full-court press throughout the game, and it caused problems all afternoon. Donnie Freeman, in particular, had difficulty inbounding the ball at times, and it frequently felt like Syracuse was reacting instead of dictating.
Even when the Orange managed to put together brief scoring runs, Virginia stayed composed and answered with timely baskets.
What are your takeaways from the Orange’s sixth loss in their last seven games?
The Detroit Lions’ linebacker crew was one of their best units in 2025, but that position could go through some major changes this offseason. And depending on what the Lions do, it could transform the entirety of the defense around them.
Our 2026 Detroit Lions offseason preview continues today with a deep look at the linebacker situation, highlighted by the tough decision for Alex Anzalone.
Jack Campbell stats (17 games, 17 starts): 176 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 4 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, 9 tackles for loss
90.2 PFF grade — 2nd out of 88 qualifying LBs
93.0 run defense grade — 1st out of 93
72.4 pass rush grade — 8th out of 43
71.4 coverage grade — 12th out of 80
Alex Anzalone (16 games, 16 starts): 95 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 9 passes defended, 1 INT, 4 tackles for loss
67.5 PFF grade — 33rd out of 88 qualifying LBs
65.6 run defense grade — 52nd out of 93
65.2 pass rush grade — 20th out of 43
65.3 coverage grade — 19th out of 80
Derrick Barnes stats (17 games, 17 starts): 78 tackles, 4.0 sack, 3 pass defended, 1 INT, 6 tackles for loss
61.5 PFF grade — 46th out of 88 qualifying LBs
69.1 run defense grade — 40th out of 93
54.0 pass rush grade — 38th out of 43
55.1 coverage grade — 44th out of 80
Jack Campbell’s breakout season has arrived. Campbell became the all-around linebacker that the Lions were expecting this year, leading to a First-Team All-Pro season. His run defense was impeccable all season, and he also clearly grew as a pass rushing threat when blitzing. The last step in his growth will be coverage, and while I don’t completely agree with his outstanding PFF grades in that aspect of his game, he is clearly improving there, too.
Anzalone had another strong season. He remains Detroit’s best coverage linebacker, and while he is no longer the “green dot” play-caller of the defense, he still brings incredibly reliable and steady play. You’ll rarely find Anzalone in the wrong gap, and he’s one of the most sound tacklers on the team. Anzalone even posted a career-high nine pass breakups last season.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the kind of season Derrick Barnes was likely hoping for himself. Detroit really seemed to have high hopes for Barnes in the SAM linebacker position, but Barnes’ pass rushing skills in order to thrive in that role were missing most of the year. Per PFF, there were 29 off-ball linebackers who logged at least 75 pass rushing snaps. Of those 29, Barnes ranked 26th in pass rush grade, 24th in pass rush win rate, and 24th in pass rushing productivity. He was more average when it came to his run stop and coverage abilities, but that lack of pass rush was certainly felt.
Detroit also got strong production out of Zach Cunningham as a short-yardage specialist before his injury, and Grant Stuard was solid on special teams. Malcolm Rodriguez’s return from a torn ACL was delayed, and he struggled when he finally took the field.
The Lions have a lot of work to do at linebacker, but there are easy decisions, too. Of their free agents, Detroit could probably bring back Rodriguez, Nowaske, Stuard, and Cunningham for relatively cheap contracts to help build out their depth. Additionally, Jack Campbell’s extension is likely just a formality at this point, although it will likely cost them upwards of $20 million per year to match the top-tier of the linebacker market (Fred Warner, $21 million per year).
The toughest decision—maybe across all positions—is Alex Anzalone. The veteran linebacker is still giving the Lions strong play and he knows the defense better than any other player. However, he’s entering his age-32 season, he clearly believes he should get a raise from his $6.25 million per year contract, and the Lions are in a place where they probably need to get younger and cheaper. Detroit clearly still values Anzalone, but finding a price that makes both sides happy will not be easy, as evidenced by last year’s negotiations that got public and went largely unresolved.
If the Lions re-sign Anzalone, they could simply just run back their linebacking crew, and not think twice about it. For all the defensive struggles Detroit had, the Lions’ linebacking crew was the most reliable unit on that side of the ball.
If the Lion don’t re-sign Anzalone, things become a bit more complicated. Detroit could try to find a replacement in free agency or the draft, but any similarly-skilled linebacker is going to cost just as much as Anzalone, and Detroit would have to spend one of their top two picks to find a starting linebacker in the draft.
The better solution in a post-Anzalone defense may be to shift the defense entirely. The Lions played in three-linebacker sets more than any team in 2025, but that was because it matched their personnel. With only two starting caliber linebackers—and a possible re-signing of Amik Robertson or move of Ennis Rakestraw to slot corner—the Lions could, instead, just opt to play more nickel sets in 2026. Good defensive coordinators adapt to their talent, and without Anzalone, I believe the Lions would be wise to adjust their use of base defense accordingly. That would also have the added benefit of playing Barnes more off-the-ball, seeing as he underwhelmed on the edge as a SAM linebacker.
I know there are some that still believe Rodriguez could simply take over for Anzalone, and I won’t completely discount that possibility. However, I don’t think I’ve seen enough from the Lions’ 2022 sixth-round pick to believe that should be Detroit’s Plan B if they can’t re-sign Anzalone.
Bernardo Silva makes brutally honest admission on Premier League title race after Liverpool win
Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva has admitted that defeat at Anfield could have marked the end of the club’s Premier League title hopes this season.
Pep Guardiola’s side produced one of their most important results of the campaign with a dramatic late turnaround on Merseyside, recovering from a second-half setback to claim all three points.
The victory ensured Manchester City remain within touching distance of league leaders Arsenal at the top of the division, and preserved belief inside the dressing room that the title race is still alive despite the six-point gap to the Gunners.
For long spells, City controlled possession but struggled to convert dominance into clear chances, while Liverpool grew into the match after the interval. A stunning free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai put the hosts ahead, leaving Guardiola’s men needing a response.
That came late with Bernardo Silva dragging City level before Erling Haaland converted a stoppage-time penalty to secure a crucial away win. The result not only reduced the gap at the top of the table, but also provided a significant morale boost ahead of a demanding run.
It follows a period in which Manchester City have combined strong cup form – including a 5–1 aggregate win over Newcastle to reach the Carabao Cup Final – with occasional inconsistency in the league; something Pep Guardiola himself admitted prior to the Anfield clash.
Speaking with television broadcasters beyond the full-time whistle on Merseyside, captain Bernardo Silva admitted, “For the distance that we have to Arsenal, obviously coming here to Anfield is always… For me, it’s the toughest place in the Premier League, by far.
“And usually, for most teams, a draw is not a bad result. But we needed to go for another goal, so when I scored I was quite happy obviously because we were back in the game, but we needed another one.”
Offering more wider thoughts on the title race picture, the Portuguese midfielder said, “I feel the whole team knew before the game that if we lost this game, probably the title race is over.
“They [Arsenal] are still in a much better position than us, but we felt like we needed to win this game. This puts us a bit closer, the hope is there, we’re going to fight until the end – but six points is still six points.”
City’s victory ensures the pressure remains on Arsenal, particularly with more than a dozen matches still to play. Pep Guardiola had already warned in the build-up consistency would be key, and the comeback at Anfield may prove a defining psychological moment.
Attention will now turn to maintaining momentum across all fronts, with the Carabao Cup Final against Arsenal looming in March, but more immediately a home clash against Fulham and a potential reunion with Oscar Bobb.
The former contest could carry significant weight not only in terms of silverware, but also in the broader narrative of the season, particularly if the two sides remain close in the league standings.
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) celebrates with teammates after intercepting the ball against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
BINGHAMTON, NY - JUNE 06: Roc Riggio #1 of the Somerset Patriots stands at bat during the game between the Somerset Patriots and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Mirabito Stadium on Friday, June 6, 2025 in Binghamton, New York. (Photo by Matt Kipp/Minor League Baseball)
Riggio, who was the headline prospect in the Jake Bird trade with the Yankees near last year’s trade deadline, is a decent up-the-middle defender who has both power and patience at the plate, all in a compact 5’9” package. The 23-year-old lefty-hitting, righty-throwing second baseman had a breakout 2025, tearing up High-A and Double-A for the Yankees before joining the Rockies organization (where he didn’t quite keep up that torrid pace).
Mid-season 2025 Rank: 16
High Ballot: 6
Mode Ballot: 13, 14, 26
Future Value: 45, second division regular
Contract Status: 2025 Trade, New York Yankees, Rule 5 Eligible After 2026, three options remaining
MLB ETA: 2026
Riggio was a well-regarded player out of high school, but a commitment to Oklahoma State resulted in a fall to the 11th round in 2021 (though he didn’t sign with the Brewers who had drafted him there). Two strong years with Josh Holliday’s team (including a 1.139 OPS his draft year) led to Riggio getting drafted in the fourth round of 2023 by the Yankees and signing for a $693k bonus that was almost $200k over the slot value.
As a professional, Riggio was solid in his first full year of professional ball in 2024, putting up a walk-heavy 117 wRC+ (.221/.349/.397) with 11 homers and 27 steals in High-A at a league-average age. In 2025, Riggio was delayed a month by a hand injury and went back to High-A. He quickly showed that he had mastered the level, hitting .264/.436/.597 with six homers in 94 plate appearances while walking 21% of the time, which was a 195 wRC+. That earned Riggio a promotion to Double-A, where he was slightly below league average age.
Against upper minors pitching, Riggio kept on hitting well. In 170 plate appearances with New York’s Double-A affiliate, he hit 11 homers and 10 doubles en route to a .261/.335/.542 line (155 wRC+, though he only walked in 8% of PA) before getting traded away to the Rockies at the deadline. Riggio was assigned to Hartford (which is the same league he was beating up on in the Yankees system), where his power surge diminished a bit. Riggio hit .256/.346/.389 with two homers and six doubles in 107 plate appearances (113 wRC+), buoyed by a 13% walk rate. Those Hartford numbers were bolstered by an excellent September in which Riggio put up a .905 OPS in 39 plate appearances. In the field, Riggio committed seven errors in 66 games at second base.
Here’s a look at Riggio’s 2024 offensive and defensive highlights, beginning with a double play that has to be seen to be believed and which shows Riggio’s baseball IQ (as does his straight steal of home later in the video):
There is some divisiveness around Riggio as a prospect. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com has been highest on Riggio, ranking him second in the system and 120th overall in MLB last week (no writeup), while Keith Law of the Athletic didn’t rank Riggio in his top 20 earlier this month. Law wrote that:
Riggio is an undersized second baseman who swings straight up, somehow slugging over .500 in Double-A Somerset in 40 games, then slugging .389 at the same level in Hartford afterward. I don’t think he’s more than an emergency call-up
As an undersized masher who doesn’t get cheated at the plate, Riggio has reminded some of a left-handed-hitting Dustin Pedroia type, albeit without the same pure hit tool. With an open stance and a leg kick, he thrives on getting the ball in the air to his pull side, with the bulk of his 20 homers a year ago leaving the yard that way. He’s not afraid to work counts or draw walks and can punish fastballs, but while his overall approach is solid, he struggles with breaking stuff (40 percent miss rate in 2025) and didn’t handle lefties well.
While he’s a below-average runner, Riggio likes to move on the basepaths, though he was less successful last year when attempting to steal. He’s likely limited to second base, but he has enough skills to perhaps stick at the keystone as a bat-first regular, with perhaps a floor on the long end of a platoon.
Eric Longenhagen at FanGraphs liked Riggio the most of the Rockies’ trade acquisitions (ranking him 10th among players dealt at the deadline and comparing him to Roughned Odor in both skill and demeanor) and grades him as a 45 FV player, seventh in the system with a 60 future grade on fielding to go with 55 grades on power:
Lefty-hitting infielders with this kind of bat speed are uncommon, and the Yankees made changes to Riggio’s swing (he has a much bigger leg kick now) that have made it more athletic and seem to have positively impacted his plate coverage. He’s been more dangerous than vulnerable against pitches out away from him this year, and had a 55% hard-hit rate around the midway point of the summer. Riggio is no slouch as a defender, either, even though he is likely limited to second base. His surface stats are a caricature of his true talent because the hitting environments at Hudson Valley and Somerset are favorable, but this is still an “arrow up” prospect who is starting to look like a potential everyday second baseman.
Riggio has big league-regular potential at second base thanks to his power/patience combo, defensive instincts, and overall baseball IQ. I’m excited about his offensive potential with the Rockies and am inclined to round up his likelihood of reaching that potential, ranking him sixth on my ballot as a 45 FV player. Riggio will be in the upper minors scrum in 2026 but figures to compete for a big-league roster spot with post-prospects Adael Amador and Ryan Ritter before he’ll need to be added to the 40-man roster at the end of the season.
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs past New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97) in the first half in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
For much of the night, Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks was a defensively-dominated affair. There was no touchdown scored until the fourth quarter, and even then it took Seattle recovering a Drake Maye fumble to set it up.
Ultimately, plays like those ended up making a difference in what was ultimately 29-13 loss for the Patriots. And it is why, afterwards, the team’s defenses pointed to itself despite playing an overall solid game.
“We didn’t handle what we needed to,” linebacker Robert Spillane said during his postgame press conference. “At the end of the day, we lost the game and our defense did not play well enough to win the game. I put that on my shoulders more than I put it on anyone else’s. I needed to play better. I needed to get the ball out. We knew that going into the game and we we just fell short.”
While Seattle’s defense finished with three takeaways, the Patriots failed to register even one of them. They did try, going aggressively after the ball particularly on pass plays early in the game, but the end result was still a zero-turnover performance by their defense.
That was only one part of the issue. Running back Kenneth Walker, who eventually was voted the game’s MVP, also proved to be a consistent problem and finished with 161 total yards.
“I said it coming in, he’s a special back. He’s talented. Real patient and he got some speed,” said defensive tackle. Milton Williams, who registered the Patriots’ lone sack of the day.
“We knew coming in he was the head of the snake. Put it on me, put on the D-line. We didn’t do enough to win the game. Credit to Seattle. It isn’t often a running back can win MVP and control a game like he. sort of did there in the first half especially. Give them credit. They made plays when they needed to. We didn’t.”
While the Patriots defense fell on the sword for the team and refrained from blaming the team’s offense for the loss, rookie safety Craig Woodson did point to “complementary football” as one of the Patriots’ big issues. He too, however, acknowledged that an ultimate lack of big plays on defense was a problem in the grand scheme of things.
“Honestly, I feel like we played good defense. We just didn’t make enough plays,” Woodson said. “We didn’t make more plays than them. They took over in that aspect, and they had a few explosive plays as well. With a game like that, you have to play complimentary football and we just didn’t do that today.”
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Nick Kurtz #28 of the Athletics in the field during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium on March 14, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Morning all!
The Super Bowl has come and gone and with that comes the smell of fresh grass and Spring Training! Things are still happening on the free agent and trade markets but soon pitchers and catchers will be reporting and closely followed will be the start of exhibition games. It’s time to play ball!
What do the A’s have in store for us this year? Shortstop Jacob Wilson and first baseman Nick Kurtz are set to be the young cornerstones of the Athletics’ lineup along with veterans Shea Langeliers and DH Brent Rooker, so we have the heart of a playoff-worthy lineup already set. There remain questions regarding a couple positions (mainly third base) but the A’s won’t miss the playoffs because of their hitters.
Where the club will live and die will be on the pitchers. The team has found an interesting arm in Jacob Lopez but he’s just one man and had an injury to end his first full season. The A’s will need more from the guys in-house if we’re going to succeed. Veteran starter Luis Severino looked good at times but also not good at home and he’s not the front-line starter that we need. Lefty Jeffrey Springs was solid throughout the year but like Sevy doesn’t have the front-line upside the A’s need right now. Maybe that player will be Luis Morales but that’s asking a lot of a pitcher who has just 48 innings in the big leagues. But the pitching needs to get better all around, from the starting group to the relief corps. If the A’s sign a veteran starter to hand the ball to every fifth day that helps stabilize things a bit, but does it move the needle in our direction? We need to see improvements from guys like JT Ginn, Mason Barnett, Gunnar Hoglund, and hopefully even Luis Medina, who was once considered the future but lost his 2025 season to Tommy John surgery. Can one of the young guys step up to that challenge? We’ll be finding out soon enough. Who else is ready for baseball?!
NEW YORK - CIRCA 1963: Clete Boyer #6 of the New York Yankees is down and ready to make a play on the ball during an Major League Baseball game circa 1963 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Boyer played for the Yankees from 1957-66. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I met Clete Boyer once.
In his later years, Boyer spent summers in Cooperstown, and my family went to see the Hall of Fame once almost every summer in the mid-2000s. We had a running joke about Boyer because every time we went, there was a sign in the downtown that said “Clete Boyer: SIGNING TODAY!” as if it was an unusual event. In 2006, we decided to actually go see him once and ask him to sign a baseball. I was going through a weird phase where I was wearing a different team’s hat every other day, even though I was a Yankees fan. So for whatever reason, I had an Astros cap on (National League era) when I met Boyer. He tilted his head and said “You’re wearing the wrong hat.”
I didn’t know what to say. And that’s the story of how I basically blew my only opportunity to meet Clete Boyer, probably the best defensive third baseman in Yankees history. So it goes. Boyer was a two-time World Series champion and a valued member of those early-1960s Yankees teams. It’s been quite awhile since they played, but that doesn’t mean memories of them should fade.
Cletis Leroy Boyer Born: February 9, 1937 (Cassville, MO) Died: June 4, 2007 (Lawrenceville, GA) Yankees Tenure: 1959-66
Being one of 14 children born to Mable and Vern Boyer, it was always going to be difficult for Clete to stand out.
The Boyers were raised in the small rural town of Alba, Missouri. Vern Boyer supported his family as a marble cutter. Clete was born during the Great Depression and his family life — like many during that period — was filled with hardship. All but one of Mabel Boyer’s children were delivered at home. As David Halberstam later wrote in October 1964, “the Boyers played hard, worked hard, and accepted life as full of hardship and disappointment.”
Those circumstances did not stop the family from making the most of their opportunities. Remarkably, all seven of the Boyer boys would sign major-league contracts. The oldest, Cloyd Boyer, signed with the Cardinals and broke into the majors as a pitcher in 1949. St. Louis had its eye on the Boyers, as all four of Clete’s older brothers would become Cardinals.
It strangely wasn’t the Cards who ended up signing Clete. It was the Kansas City Athletics, who also employed Cloyd Boyer at the time. The A’s inked Clete to a $35,000 deal on May 30, 1955, and because of his value and due to the “bonus baby” rules at the time, they had to keep the 18-year-old on their big-league roster for two years. Even on a lousy team like the A’s, Boyer wasn’t going to see much time, and he was simply going to struggle against MLB pitching. He hit a dismal .226/.278/.269 with a 47 OPS+ in 114 games during his teenage years bouncing around the infield in K.C.
In the 1950s though, the Kansas City A’s were a Yankees farm club in all but name. Owner Arnold Johnson was well-connected with the Yankees’ ownership group, and he had no qualms about sending his best young players to New York for retreads and cash. There was even a rumor that the Yankees gave Johnson the money to sign Boyer as a future investment since they were over slot in ’55. Sure enough, Boyer ended up in pinstripes in 1957 as a not-so-subtle player to be named later in a preposterous 13-player deal. Following the trade, the Yankees sent Boyer to Class-A Binghamton to find his game, no longer hindered by the “bonus baby” tag.
In Binghamton, Boyer showed power and a knack for the shortstop position. Boyer was promoted to Triple-A in ’58 and continued to show his complete game, batting .284/.353/.494 in 132 games with 22 dingers. Boyer’s big season in Triple-A earned him a spot on the Opening Day roster in ‘59.
Boyer struggled to find playing time behind Tony Kubek at shortstop. And when he did, he simply did not hit. The Yankees smartly sent Boyer back to Triple-A Richmond to find his footing at the hot corner. The work paid off when Boyer was named the starting third baseman. He was a regular in the 1960 lineup, appearing in 124 games and slugging 14 home runs. The Yankees went on to win the AL pennant and Boyer would appear in his first World Series — but not without drama.
What seems to be a common theme among the non-superstar Yankees of the Casey Stengel Era is that his platoon style of managing was overzealous and often rubbed players the wrong way. Game 1 of the 1960 World Series saw much of the same from Stengel. Trailing in the second inning, Stengel pinch-hit for Boyer — in what would have been his first World Series at-bat. Boyer succinctly summed up his feelings on Stengel: “Everybody hated him. When he came out of his mother, the doctor slapped her.”
Boyer had an .833 OPS in his first World Series, but Stengel only used him in four games. The Yankees fell in seven.
Stengel was let go at the end of the 1960 campaign, and replacement Ralph Houk allowed his regulars to play every day. And while Boyer struggled at the plate, his dominant defensive play continued to come into form. His 353 assists at third base led the league in 1961. Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson once stated “When I made the double play, I could just about close my eyes, put my glove up and the ball would be there.”
The Yankees walked through the AL to another pennant in 1961. Game 1 of the ’61 Fall Classic would take on a much different tone than Boyer’s Game 1 of the previous season. Boyer made two diving plays in that game — proceeding to throw both runners out from his knees. His two incredible plays helped secure a two-hit shutout for Whitey Ford. Ford later said, “No third baseman ever played better than Clete did in the 1961 Series.”
Boyer was now a World Series champion, and he sought to add another ring to his hand in 1962. He put forth what was likely his best season as a Yankee, batting .272/.331/.413 with 18 homers, a 101 wRC+, and 5.1 fWAR. He was at his defensive peak, as great a third baseman as even longtime coach and former player Frankie Crosetti had seen in 30 years.It wasn’t the easiest task hitting in front of pitchers either and finding pitches to hit, but Boyer found a way to get the job done.
The 1962 season also saw Boyer’s finest Fall Classic. It was another seven-gamer, and this time, he played every contest, rewarding Houk’s faith with a .318/.333/.500 line and a homer in the World Series opener:
With the series on the line in the ninth inning of Game 7 in a 1-0 game and Willie McCovey up with the bases loaded against Bill Mazeroski 1960 World Series walk-off victim Ralph Terry, Boyer later admitted that his knees were shaking at third. Fortunately, McCovey’s liner went straight to Richardson’s glove at second, and the Yankees were champions again.
The next two seasons were a regression at the plate for Boyer. He posted an 83 wRC+ in ’63 and a 57 wRC+ in ’64. Boyer still impressed in the field with flashy defense and the Yankees continued to win pennants, but Boyer and the Yankees fell in back-to-back World Series to the Dodgers and then the Cardinals.
Despite the loss for Clete, the 1964 World Series was a special one for the Boyer family, as his hot corner counterpart in St. Louis was his brother, Ken. The soon-to-be-named NL MVP was getting his first taste of postseason baseball and did not disappoint. His offensive game was at its peak, including a series-changing grand slam in Game 4. Clete’s series was not as good, but he did manage a ninth-inning homer off the sensational Bob Gibson in Game 7 to keep the series alive, making the duo the first brothers to ever go deep in the same World Series game.
Clete recalled quietly being happy for his brother once the dust had settled, as he was a terrific player and deserving of a championship ring. Baseball was always a family affair, so it was fitting that this scenario played out for the Boyer family.
Although Clete would never make it back to the World Series, he rebounded in ’65, cracking 18 home runs and posting a 104 wRC+. His production at the plate continued into ’66 but the Yankees were in free-fall. After five consecutive pennants, the Yankees missed the playoffs in ’65 and finished last in ’66. With the new CBS ownership in place and the Yankees going nowhere, the organization decided to move on from Boyer, trading him to Atlanta on November 29, 1966.
Boyer used the motivation of replacing Braves legend Eddie Mathews, the hitter-friendly confines of “The Launching Pad” (then Atlanta Stadium), and the protection of Joe Torre and Henry Aaron helped propel him to a career-high 26 bombs during his first season in the South. He could never repeat his offensive production from his first season with the Braves but put up solid numbers again in ’69. That was a special one for Boyer, who after years of playing in the same league as Brooks Robinson was able to secure his first Gold Glove award. Reflecting on Boyer years later, Torre said, “He came up during the Brooks Robinson era and didn’t get as much attention because of Brooksie, but he could play third base … Great arm.”
In that inaugural season of divisional play, Boyer’s Braves won the first NL West crown (yes, NL West; it’s a long story). However, the “Miracle Mets” swept them away and Boyer could only record one hit in the last playoff series of his career. By 1971, a public feud between Atlanta GM Paul Richards and Boyer was brewing regarding a contract dispute. Richards had slashed Boyer’s salary in 1970 and 1971, with Richards calling Boyer a “sorry player.” The disdain ultimately led to the buyout of Boyer’s contract.
A unique new opportunity arose for Boyer when the Taiyō Whales of Japan’s Central League reached out to him to see if he would be interested in joining them for the ’72 season. With no MLB offers waiting, the 35-year-old Boyer decided to give it a try. It turned out to be a brilliant decision, as he made double what he was making in Atlanta and took advantage of Japan’s cozy parks, averaging 17 homers and a .437 slugging percentage per season during his four years with Taiyo. While they never sniffed the playoffs, Boyer enjoyed his time there and became one of the first former major leaguers to truly embrace Japanese baseball and culture.
Boyer wanted to stay involved with baseball, and he immediately entered coaching, first with Taiyō in 1976 before eventually returning stateside. When Billy Martin became the skipper of the now-Oakland A’s in 1980, Boyer was tapped to be his third base coach, returning to his original franchise. He remained in that role under multiple Oakland managers through ’85. The Yankees hired Boyer first as a minor-league infield instructor, and then to join Martin again in the dugout in ’88, only to find himself out of the job after Martin’s fifth and final Yankees firing.
The Yankees briefly had Boyer managing their Fort Lauderdale club in ’89, and then Stump Merrill had Boyer on his Yankees coaching staff in ’91. When a young Buck Showalter ascended to the Yankees managerial reins in ’92, he made the 55-year-old Boyer his third-base coach to add an older voice to the clubhouse. He was bumped up to bench coach in ’94 before finally stepping away from the rigors of a 162-game coaching schedule. Boyer remained involved with the Yankees organization through 2003 as an instructor and Old-Timers’ Day regular, and then passed away at age 70 in June 2007 due to complications from a stroke.
Thanks again for the autograph all those years ago, Clete. Rest easy.
Editor’s note: Portions of this article have been adapted from former Pinstripe Alley writer Casey Peterson’s far-more-detailed Top 100 Yankees story on Clete Boyer from 2023 and an earlier 2017 edition of the Top 100 that I worked on myself.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
PAMPLONA, SPAIN - JANUARY 31: Alex Freeman of Villarreal FC looks on prior to during the LaLiga EA Sports match between CA Osasuna and Villarreal CF at Estadio El Sadar on January 31, 2026 in Pamplona, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Midweek action is here. All kickoff times are in EST. Let’s get into it!
Monday
Atalanta vs Cremonese, 12:30p on Paramount+, DAZN, CBS Sports Golazo: Yunus Musah and Atalanta host Cremonese in Serie A.
Villarreal vs Espanyol, 3p on ESPN Deportes, ESPN Select, Fubo (free trial): Alex Freeman could make his Villarreal debut as they host RCD Espanyol in La Liga. Freeman was an unused sub in Villarreal’s last match, on Saturday Jan 31. Freeman made the reported $7 million move just 9 days ago on Jan 30.
Also in action:
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough, 3:01p on Paramount+: Aidan Morris and Boro visit Sheffield United in the EFL Championship.
Tuesday
Chelsea vs Leeds, 2:30p on Peacock, UNIVERSO, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, TeleXitos: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United visit the Blues in Premier League action.
Oxford United vs Norwich, 2:45p: Stay tuned to see if Josh Sargent remains frozen out at Norwich City.
Also in action:
Venezia vs Modena, 2p: Gianluca Busio and Venezia host Modena in Serie B.
Virtus Entella vs Cesena, 2p: Jonathan Klinsmann and Cesena are on the road in Serie B.
Birmingham vs West Brom, 3p: Daryl Dike and West Brom visit Birmingham City in the EFL Championship. George Campbell is out with a hamstring injury per FotMob, expected back in early March.
Pumas vs San Diego FC, 8p on FS2, TUDN, FuboTV, ViX: San Diego FC and their group of current and former USYNT youngsters hold a 4-1 aggregate lead over Liga MX club Pumas UNAM in this Concacaf Champions Cupmatchup. These young Americans were in San Diego’s matchday squad for the first leg: fullbacks Luca Bombino and Leo Duru, midfielder Pedro Soma, and attackers David Vazquez, Alex Mighten, and Anisse Saidi.
Wednesday
Crystal Palace vs Burnley, 2:30p on Peacock: Chris Richards and Palace host Burnley in Premier League action.
Manchester City vs Fulham, 2:30p on Peacock: Antonee Robinson and Fulham visit City in the Premier League.
América vs Olimpia, 8p on FS2, TUDN, FuboTV: Alex Zendejas and Club América are up 2-1 over CD Olimpia in Concacaf Champions Cup.
Also in action:
Fredrikstad vs Toronto FC, 6a: Djordje Mihailovic, Walker Zimmerman, and Toronto have a friendly with friendly with Norwegian club Fredrikstad FK.
PAOK vs Panathinaikos, 1:30p: Erik Palmer-Brown and Panathinaikos are down 0-1 going into the second leg of Greece’s cup semifinal.
Charlton vs Stoke, 2:45p: Charlie Kelman and Charlton Athletic host Stoke City in the EFL Championship.
Celtic vs Livingston, 2:45p: Auston Trusty and Celtic host Livingston in the Scottish Premiership. Cameron Carter-Vickers is out for the season with an Achilles injury.
Thursday
No notable USA players in action. Johnny Cardoso and/or Diego Kochen could conceivably suit up when Atlético Madrid hosts Barcelona in the first leg of a Copa del Rey semifinal (ESPN Select, Fubo), but Johnny is out with a muscle injury per FotMob, expected back in late February, and Kochen typically watches from the Barça bench.
Friday
Volendam vs PSV, 2p: Sergiño Dest and PSV Eindhoven visit Volendam in the Eredivisie. Ricardo Pepi is out with a broken arm, expected back in mid-March.
Dortmund vs Mainz, 2:30p on ESPN Select, Fubo: Lennard Maloney and Mainz 05 visit 16-year-old Mathis Albert and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Albert popped up on Dortmund’s bench over the weekend.
Pisa vs AC Milan, 2:45p on Paramount+, DAZN: We’ll see if Christian Pulisic can return to the field for Milan after bursitis has kept him sidelined from recent action.
Monaco vs Nantes, 3:05p on beIN Sports, Fubo: Folarin Balogun and AS Monaco host Nantes in Ligue 1.
Also in action:
Tondela vs Alverca, 3:45p: Jordan Pefok and Tondela host Alverca in Liga Portugal.
That’s it! Did I miss anything that matters? Let me know in the comments below. Let’s see who stands out this week!
Kaya Kaynak, Tifo Football: Gyökeres starting to deliver for Arsenal
Arsenal’s ability to grind out results has kept them top of the Premier League, explains Tifo Football’s Kaya Kaynak, with Mikel Arteta’s side finding ways to win even when performances have not always been at their best this term.
Attention now turns to Thursday night’s trip to Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium (8pm kick-off, live on TNT Sports), where Viktor Gyökeres arrives in good form.
Having gone on a run of just two goals in 13 games at the end of last year, the Swede has more goal contributions than any Premier League player in all competitions so far in 2026 (eight), underlining his increasing influence as the Gunners look to keep their momentum going at the top of the division.
It has been just under two months since the previous meeting between Brentford and Arsenal. How would you summarise the way that time has gone for Mikel Arteta’s side?
Since Arsenal's 2-0 win in December, things have been good. They have opened up a sizeable lead at the top of the Premier League table, which has been a big thing for them as they try to end that massive wait for a title win.
The performances themselves have not always been the most scintillating and I would not say Arsenal have been at their attacking best, generally. They seem to be better in the Champions League and the Carabao Cup, which is where they have been finding their best form.
But there have been glimpses in the Premier League: the 4-1 win over Aston Villa was particularly impressive, as was the 4-0 win at Leeds recently.
Some of the games have been a bit of a slog, but Arsenal are a really effective team, a really strong team, and a really physical team, but they are also a team with a lot of quality and they have shown that over the past few months to build up that lead, which is serving them pretty well at the moment.
'The performances themselves have not always been the most scintillating and I would not say Arsenal have been at their attacking best, generally... but there have been glimpses in the Premier League recently'
They ended the run of three without a win in the league with that emphatic victory at Leeds. Was that period of much concern or just something everyone had to accept was likely to happen throughout the course of a season?
It was a concern for Arsenal fans because it awoke some of their fears about the team being a little bit blunt in attack, which has been a problem over the last few seasons.
Many people said Arsenal needed a striker and Viktor Gyökeres has come in and done okay, but not done spectacularly and, during those three games without a win, some were concerned their bluntness going forward was going to cause them trouble.
However, they seem to have rediscovered it. In the Champions League, they are scoring lots of goals; against Leeds, they scored lots of goals and it does seem now that, with a little of distance and perspective, it is being viewed as a blip.
The nature of being a big club in the title race is that you are only ever one result away from crisis, but it does seem as though things are back on track now.
The possibility of a quadruple is very much on. Is that an idea Arteta has been asked about or is entertaining publicly?
He was asked about the possibility of winning a treble and his response was classic Arteta, in a sense, which is that he is taking it one game at a time and they are not getting too far ahead of themselves.
But internally, I think they are starting to believe they can maybe do something special. The thought process from Arteta is that there is no pointing thinking it, you have to go and do it.
That has been Arsenal’s issue. They have always been a team that had the potential to do things - they could have won the league over the past three seasons, but came second each time - but with that squad depth they have got, which gets spoken about so much, they look as though they are a squad that is pretty well equipped to go and challenge on multiple fronts.
They just have to go and do it now.
Which player should Brentford be keeping an eye out for on Thursday night?
I will say Gyökeres, who is finding a little bit of form at the minute. Before the Carabao Cup semi-final win against Chelsea, he had six goal contributions in his previous six games across all competitions.
There have been some difficult periods in his start to life in north London; he did not have a pre-season, he got injured partway through and has not looked at his best. But I would say he is a player to keep an eye on as he seems to be slowly getting back to the kind of form we saw in Portugal, and he is on track for 15-20 goals this season, which is what Arsenal want from him.
The Brentford game - with respect - is the kind of game he was signed to make a difference in. It looks as though Kai Havertz will be fit, too.
He has barely featured this season, but he makes Arsenal so much better as a team. Those two have formed quite a nice little partnership up at the top end of the pitch.
What should Keith Andrews’ side expect in terms of shape and style?
They set up in a classic 4-3-3, as they have done for the past few seasons under Arteta but, this season, there has been a little bit more of a double pivot, so it changes into a 4-2-3-1, with Martín Zubimendi and Declan Rice sitting and being more of a traditional midfield pairing, where one goes forward and one sits back.
The centre-forward is not quite as mobile; Gyökeres is more central and stays there as a fixed point. And we all know about the quality of Arsenal’s wingers, who will look to get balls into the box.
There is a big threat from set-pieces as well, where Arsenal will be hoping to do some damage, but Brentford are pretty good at set-pieces, too, so it should be an interesting game on that front.
What’s your score prediction?
Given Arsenal’s run of form and how good they have been - even though Brentford have been on a fantastic run of form themselves - I will go for a tight 2-1 win.
Detroit Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter celebrates after hitting a go-ahead two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning of ALDS Game 5 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
As we close in on the opening of spring camp with pitchers and catchers due to report on Wednesday, pitching has rightly been the focus in recent weeks. Framber Valdez and Tarik Skubal have kept that group firmly in the spotlight. The position players won’t have to report for a few extra days on February 15, but the attention is going to start turning their way quickly with the pitching staff now in a very good place. There are a few names to key on, but certainly one of them is going to be Kerry Carpenter.
After a down year in which Carpenter’s plate discipline cracked over the course of the season, and now just two years from free agency, the popular slugger could really use a bit of a bounceback season in which he stays healthy for a full year. His team’s ambition to make a deep run in October looks a lot more realistic if he can manage it.
2025 was still a pretty good year at the plate by most players’ standards. Carpenter hit .253 with 26 home runs over 464 plate appearances. He got roughly three-quarters of a season’s worth of at-bats despite a hamstring injury that he tried to play through in June before finally hitting the injured list for much of July. Going a full year without his hamstrings or his back tightening up on him would certainly help his chances of a big season, but he’s never managed a full season without an issue cropping up.
On the downside, Carpenter’s walk rate cratered to just 3.9 percent, producing a pretty miserable .291 on-base percentage that really held down his overall production despite the power. A 115 wRC+ is still well above average, but it was also the worst mark of his pro career. No one expects Carpenter to be an on-base machine, but he’s got to work that back to the .310-.320 OBP range.
His chase rates, which hit career lows in 2024 and looked to have him on track to become a more selective, more dangerous hitter in his late 20’s, spiked 3.5 percent to 34.8 percent, significantly worse than league average. He did make more contact overall, trimming his swinging strike rate a bit, but he also took more called strikes than usual. For a player trying to earn more playing time against left-handed hitters by showing a more mature approach, taking more strikes and swinging at more pitches you can’t drive is decidedly not the path. Carpenter is no longer a young player who might breakout. Instead he just needs to maximize the tools he already has to work with.
Looking through his numbers, there is no smoking gun that really gives cause for concern other than the overall chase rate. His bat speed still looks unchanged, and he was extremely good againt fastballs in 2025 as usual. He posted a strong .385 wOBA against all fastballs in 2025, and a .376 wOBA against fastballs above 94 mph. That is very positive, illustrating that there’s no underlying weakness in his physical ability at the plate. He whiffed a little more against breaking balls in 2025, but he also did more damage against them, which also suggests that a slight down year might just be random variation and possibly the result of playing with a sore hamstring for much of June. He was somewhat streaky in 2025, but his 112 wRC+ in the first half, and his 118 wRC+ in the second half, say he was still reasonably productive throughout the year.
So, plate discipline is one minor area of concern. The other is that fairly lengthy injury history. Going back to 2023, Carpenter dealt with a strained hamstring coming out of camp. He then injured his shoulder in late April and missed six weeks of time on the injured list. In 2024 he missed time from late May to mid-August with a lumbar stress fracture, and then aggravated his left hamstring in the ALDS. Then we had a right hamstring strain in 2025 that plagued him for weeks in late May and throughout June before he finally went on the injured list in July.
On the plus side, Carpenter still has average speed and there’s no sign of him losing a step defensively despite playing through the hamstring issue. He was a negative 3 Outs Above Average in 2025, which is not ideal, but basically par for the course for Carpenter. He was 23rd out of 36 qualifed right fielders, so very far from the bottom of the list. The injuries don’t seem to be cutting into his overall athletic ability. They just keep limiting his total production by putting him on the injured list for a stint every season.
Carpenter is still a valuable, dangerous hitter. He’s still a force in the lineup against right-handed pitching, and his somewhat maligned defense is still just a little below average rather than a problem. For an unheralded ninth round pick back in 2019, he’s already far exceeded expectations. Right-handed pitchers do not want to see Kerry Carpenter up in a big spot late in a game. That much is certain. It’s just getting hard to envision Carpenter getting any better than we’ve already seen from him, or just putting together one big season where everything goes right. He’s tracking more like a player who is at his peak and may start declining over the next year or two. It would be nice to see the trendline flip back the other way.
Season
PA
wRC+
K%
BB%
HR
ISO
fWAR
2023
459
121
25.1
7.0
20
0.194
1.9
2024
295
158
25.3
7.4
18
0.303
2.4
2025
464
115
22.8
3.9
26
0.245
1.5
Projection systems like ZIPS do forecast more walks and a return to a more respectable on-base percentage this season. ZIPS projects a .262/.318/.491 slashline with 24 home runs in 464 plate appearances in 2026. That would do nicely, and is well within Carpenter’s abilities. Combine that with a bit below average defense in right field, and you still have a very good strong side platoon player.
A sticking point for some fans remains Carpenter getting pinch-hit for against left-handers. He holds a miserable 69 wRC+ against lefties in his career, though he’s only had 197 plate appearances against southpaws in his career. His numbers weren’t any better against them in 2025, so you can expect it to continue. A.J. Hinch can’t miss opportunities to put a lefty masher like Jahmai Jones into a prime spot.
This is always the difficulty with having platoons rather than stars who can do it all at several positions. Hinch makes it work and there weren’t many instances during the season in which Carpenter started, was pinch-hit for late in a game, and ultimately missed out on a plate appearance later. Plus, sitting him against left-handed starters means that Hinch can pick a high leverage spot in which to bring Carpenter off the bench, putting opposing managers in a difficult position.
Ultimately, Kerry Carpenter should bounce back a little and otherwise continue to do Kerry Carpenter things. It would just be great to see him get through a full season of good health and really see him max out his production for a season. With two years left to free agency and due to turn 29 in September, it would be very good for him as well. As a fan favorite, and an integral part of the lineup, we’d love to see a huge season from Carpenter, but all he really needs to do is recover a bit of selectivity at the plate this season. If he can manage that, the Tigers will be plenty happy with his production as usual.
57. 1987 Washington (14-4, but really 11-4, 11.9%)
This team had the lowest regular-season DVOA of any Super Bowl champion, in part because I don’t count the three games, all wins, with replacement players during the players strike. Washington ended the season eighth on offense with a below-average defense and special teams for a total DVOA of just 4.2%. They also escaped their first two playoff games with close victories, beating the Bears by just four points and the Vikings by seven. But they destroyed the Broncos 42-10 in Super Bowl XXII, and that’s why they don’t come in on the bottom of this list.
46. 1982 Washington (12-1, 23.7%)
OK, back to teams that won more games than their advanced metrics would suggest, Washington finished the strike-shortened 1982 regular season just seventh in DVOA despite the 8-1 record. That gets a bit of an asterisk, however, as the top six teams in DVOA that season were all AFC teams — leaving Washington as the top team in their own conference!
Things were trending up as Washington entered the playoffs, as it beat its final two opponents by a combined score of 55-10. And Washington didn’t require a single one-score win in the postseason. The four wins in the expanded 1982 tournament came by an average of 15.5 points, including a 27-17 win over the pre-Marino Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII.
1. 1991 Washington (17-2, 53.9%)
Here’s the team that DVOA says is the greatest of all time. Washington led the NFL in points scored and was second in points allowed. It lost by a field goal to the Cowboys after an 11-0 start, then sat its starters in the second half of the final week and lost to the Eagles by two points. That was it for losses.
For the 1991 season, Washington was second in offensive DVOA behind San Francisco, third on defense behind Philadelphia and New Orleans and first on special teams. But what’s more impressive is where Washington ranks in DVOA out of 1,457 teams going all the way back to 1978. Out of those hundreds of teams, only 1991 Washington ranks in the top 60 for all three phases. (Specifically, they are 53rd in offense, 39th in defense and 18th in special teams.)
The top teams by DVOA since 1978, including playoffs.
Washington won games during the regular season by scores like 45-0 (Detroit), 34-0 (Phoenix) and 23-0 (Philadelphia). It beat the Falcons 56-17 and the Rams 27-6. Then came the playoffs. A rematch with the No. 8 Falcons ended with a score of 24-7. The Lions made it to the NFC championship despite ranking only 13th in DVOA, only to be pummeled by Washington, 41-10. Washington had a 37-10 lead over the No. 4 Bills with half of the fourth quarter left in Super Bowl XXVI, eventually winning the Lombardi Trophy 37-24 after two late Bills touchdowns sandwiched around a successful onside kick.
Barry Wilburn, who led the NFL in interceptions in 1987 and won a Super Bowl with Washington that same season, died. He was 62.
The Commanders announced his death Sunday. Action News 5 in Memphis, Tennessee, citing Wilburn’s family, reported that he died in a house fire early Friday.
We're saddened to learn of the passing of former Washington All-Pro and Super Bowl XXII champion Barry Wilburn
When Washington beat Denver 42-10 in that season’s Super Bowl, Wilburn intercepted two passes in that game. After five seasons with Washington, he played for the Cleveland Browns in 1992 and later was with the Philadelphia Eagles for a couple of seasons.
Forbes didn’t even last two seasons in Washington before being cut. He’s currently on the Los Angeles Rams, but the cornerback’s lack of size continues to expose weaknesses. As for Gonzalez? He’s firmly cemented as one of the league’s most accomplished players in coverage.
Gonzalez was nothing short of sensational in the Super Bowl. He came up with some outstanding pass breakups, and nobody got consistent joy when going up against him. All Washington fans can do is look on with regret at what might have been.
Almost everyone thought Gonzalez was the better prospect coming out. One of the few who didn’t was Rivera. And to the Commanders’ detriment, he was the one making the selection.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Podcasts & videos
On video talking about why Laremy Tunsil’s contract extension should be smoother than Terry McLaurin’s. Should be. Will it be? More. @ESPNRichmond https://t.co/iryHJzJsIa
MIKE GARAFOLO: “Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown was in town this week. I spoke to him very briefly the other day and I said ‘Hey, what’s going on?‘ And he said ‘Hey, a lot of this is out of my control at this point.’ Look, there’s been speculation about A.J. Brown being traded. I’ll raise my hand, I’ve speculated it myself. And that speculation may end up being true. But there’s a difference between speculation and founded … rumors, we’ll call them? And right now multiple sources involved tell me a couple of things. One, there’s been no trade talks yet between the Eagles and some other teams. And there’s been only brief talks with Brown’s camp from the team. We do expect that to pick up around the scouting combine, which is only two weeks away. I will say, though, that everyone says A.J. Brown right now is in a good space and, just in my time talking to him briefly, I got the sense that he was much more at peace and much more calm about things. Maybe removing himself from the emotion of the situation [helped]. If they trade him, it’ll be a $43.5 million cap hit, so they’ll want some significant compensation back if it gets to that.”
the Cowboys have not one, but three solid defensive tackles that could reshape how we view the defense in 2026. Looking at the two teams in the Super Bowl, there’s a common theme between them centered around the heart of their defensive front—the ability to generate pressure.
Looking at Pro Football Focus, Osa Odighizuwa had 52 pressures (sixth among all DTs), Quinnen Williams had 51 (seventh), and Kenny Clark had 44 (15th). Dallas was the only team to have three in the Top 15.
Having dominant defensive tackle play won’t automatically punch the Cowboys’ ticket to the big game next season, but it certainly separates the good defenses from the great ones right now. There’s a trend across the NFL: teams are trying to find talented players at that position. The quickest path to pressuring the quarterback is up the middle.
[T]he blueprint has been laid out by the Seahawks and the New England Patriots. Build from the inside out on defense with talented players, and good things tend to happen. The Cowboys already have a few building blocks in place. They just need Parker to be the architect who helps finish the job.
Demarcus Lawrence controversially said he left the Cowboys because he'd never win a Super Bowl in Dallas.
The biggest decisions involve starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, 1,000-yard wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, and breakout cornerback Cor’Dale Flott.
Other free agent decisions to watch include players like guard Greg Van Roten, tight ends Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz, safety Dane Belton, linebacker Micah McFadden, and defensive tackles D.J. Davidson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches.
TWO YEARS AGO, Sam Darnold sat at a small round table in a Hilton ballroom just outside of Las Vegas. Several reporters visited the table he shared with another San Francisco 49ers teammate throughout the week of Super Bowl media availability, but many more maneuvered around it on their way to talk to someone more important. Darnold was just a backup hidden in a maze of dozens of tables. He wasn’t the star anymore, and he had chosen to fade into the background for his own good.
As Darnold sat unbothered at his table, a reporter asked if he had given thought to the best way to develop a quarterback. What had he learned in the six NFL seasons after he left college early and was drafted No. 3 by the New York Jets, saw “ghosts,” got dumped by the Jets and started over twice since? What does a young quarterback need?
“Just consistency in the organization, and trusting, too,” Darnold said in 2024. “If things don’t go well — which, having a rookie quarterback — they’re not all going to be C.J. Stroud. You’re not just going to go out there and ball out. It takes a really special coach and leadership to be able to have trust and keep everything together for at least a couple years. Let the kid grow into his skin, and after a couple years, you kind of know, if everything’s the same and if you have the same people, GM, coaches.”
That combination of consistency and trust was something Darnold, who had four head coaches in his first five seasons, hadn’t known in the NFL up to that point, and wouldn’t have it until he signed a three-year contract to be Seattle’s starting quarterback in March. He was comfortable enough that for the first time, he bought a house.
Quarterbacks who play through physical injuries are typically considered the toughest, Palmer said, but “I actually don’t think that’s hard.”
“Going through what Sam went through for four or five years, not all these tough guys that can take a hit can live through that. Sam’s one of the toughest quarterbacks I’ve ever been around, and it has nothing to do with his physical toughness.”
Walker was named Super Bowl LX MVP in the Seahawks’ 29-13 win over the Patriots on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, rushing for 135 yards on 27 carries and catching two passes for 26 yards to total 161 scrimmage yards.
He’s the first running back to win the award since Terrell Davis for the Broncos in the Super Bowl XXXII upset over the Packers on Jan. 25, 1998.
Walker’s 135 rushing yards were the most in a Super Bowl since Davis’ 157 in that game nearly 30 years ago.
The timing couldn’t have been better for the 25-year-old Walker, who is set to hit free agency this spring. The fourth-year back really stepped up for the Seahawks in the playoffs, rushing for four touchdowns in the two games prior to the Super Bowl and taking on a heavier workload after running mate Zach Charbonnettore his ACL in the Divisional Round win over the 49ers and missed the remainder of the postseason.
Walker didn’t score a touchdown — at least not officially, anyway. He shredded the Patriots for what appeared to be a 49-yard TD cherry on top, but it was called back by a hold on center Jalen Sundell. But by that point, the game was academic.
Uchenna Nwosu’s 45-yard return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal the Seahawks’ victory initially was ruled a strip-sack by cornerback Devon Witherspoon. It was later changed to an interception return by Nwosu rather than a fumble return.
Witherspoon would have had a case for MVP honors had it stood.
It would have given him two sacks and a forced fumble to go along with four tackles and a pass defensed.
As it was, the Seahawks lauded Witherspoon’s contributions to their 29-13 Super Bowl victory.
“He’s a walking Hall of Famer, right now,” Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV said, via Chris Biderman of The News Tribune. “He’s a dog. He’s my favorite player in the NFL. He can do everything.”
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald called more blitzes of Drake Maye than he has most of this season. Witherspoon’s third-down sack of Maye for a 10-yard loss in the first quarter set the tone, and his hit on Maye that led to Nwosu’s touchdown ended any thought of a Patriots’ comeback.
Witherspoon blitzed only 21 times this season, with Week 16 the most recent game he has rushed the quarterback, per Pro Football Focus. He blitzed six times Sunday, per Next Gen Stats, and had four pressures.
Great quarterbacks have ruled the NFL for decades, but increasingly, even they are living in a league driven by the active, opportunistic general manager.
One year ago in New Orleans, it was Howie Roseman’s Philadelphia Eagles celebrating a championship.
Schneider and Roseman epitomize the new breed of GMs who, rather than fearing a player might leave in free agency, relish the opportunity to get better — and are usually one step ahead. Both have won Super Bowls with different coaches and different quarterbacks. Schneider did it with all new players and a quarterback, Sam Darnold, signed in free agency.
Cash spending league-wide has skyrocketed, with owners greenlighting bolder approaches as the salary cap and franchise values boom. More resources mean more opportunity for the sharpest GMs to set themselves apart.
Schneider’s in-season trades over the past three years landed Leonard Williams, one of the NFL’s most disruptive defensive tackles; inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who became an Associated Press second-team All-Pro after the Rams and Titans gave up on him; and receiver Rashid Shaheed, whose punt-return touchdown in Week 16 helped Seattle steal the NFC’s top seed from the Rams.
“It’s not being afraid to move on from certain players when it’s time, but then also going to get guys that, when you plug them in, are as good or better with you,” a former GM said.
Trading Wilson brought a top-five pick in return. Schneider used that choice on cornerback Devon Witherspoon, a perennial Pro Bowl selection and 2025 second-team All-Pro who helped Seattle seal its Super Bowl victory over New England by pressuring Drake Maye into a pick six by Uchenna Nwosu, a free-agent signing from the Chargers in 2022.
Finding seven solid contributors in the 2022 draft, including left tackle Charles Cross, laid a foundation while Carroll was still there. Drafting Witherspoon and 2025 Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba added star power.
In some ways, the Eagles’ GM [Howie Roseman] is where Schneider found himself five years ago: trying to maximize an expensive quarterback, Jalen Hurts, who has delivered at a high level and won a championship but also carries limitations that could become problematic as the roster cycles out of its peak state.
Schneider acted from a position of leverage with Wilson, turning certainty into optionality.
Roseman did that famously when he traded Carson Wentz to Indianapolis, then won a Super Bowl with Hurts.
When staff at Jurgensen’s restaurant informed him former Eagles owner Jerry Wolman had visited, Sonny didn’t miss a beat.
“You didn’t take a check, did you?” Jurgensen replied
Wolman had gone bankrupt and had to divest his interest in the team.
When Jurgensen reported to camp in unusually good shape, his trademark paunch having shrunk, he was asked if the key was diet and exercise.
“Cutty and water,” Jurgensen replied.
After the Eagles traded Jurgensen to Washington, Sonny joked that bartenders in Philly wore black armbands to mourn the lost business.
Jurgensen wasn’t all laughs.
Years before Brodie challenged the NFL’s antitrust status in court, earning a huge raise in the process, Jurgensen, best known for his 1964-74 stint with the Redskins, went toe-to-toe with Vince McNally, then the Eagles’ GM, in a salary negotiation so tense that McNally ripped the arm off his swivel chair and threw it across the room.
That was in 1963. Jurgensen and backup quarterback King Hill (his real name, and the first pick in the 1958 draft) fought for what now would be laughable protections. Teams typically played five or six exhibition games at the time, with starters in the lineup. The problem was, neither Jurgensen nor Hill had contracts for that season. The team expected them to risk it all anyway.
“It’s a tough thing to have over you, playing exhibition games without a contract,” Jurgensen said at the time. “It’s a calculated risk. If we should be injured and be unable to play, we would automatically be subject to a 10 percent cut in our salaries.”
Jurgensen had reportedly earned $26,000 the previous season, or about $280,000 in 2026 dollars.
The control teams exerted over players extended to the field as well.
Underappreciated in Philly from 1957 to ’63, Jurgensen was traded to the Redskins in 1964 and played under coaches Bill McPeak and Otto Graham, the greatest quarterback of his day. But it wasn’t until Washington landed Vince Lombardi, the most progressive, prominent coach of the era, despite his gruff exterior, that Jurgensen truly felt he’d found the right match.
Jurgensen joked that he always thought “Mister” was Lombardi’s first name, but Lombardi didn’t try to change Jurgensen, embracing the quarterback’s unorthodox throwing motion and passing ability. Lombardi even suggested he never would have lost a game with the Packers if Jurgensen had been his quarterback.
The pairing lasted just one season (1969) before cancer claimed Lombardi right before the 1970 season.
Another Hall of Fame coach, George Allen, arrived in 1971 and led the Redskins to a Super Bowl, but he sought to win conservatively, with tight control over the game script. His decision to play Billy Kilmer over the obviously more talented Jurgensen reflected that mission.
Jurgensen, beloved among Redskins fans for his passing and his free spirit, was never again a full-time starter, and he left the game after the 1974 season for a four-decade career in broadcasting.
The late Dick Haley, whose playing career overlapped with Jurgensen’s early years and who was best known for being the Steelers’ scouting director from 1971 to ’90, expanded on Jurgensen during a 2008 interview about all-time great quarterbacks.
“Jurgensen had a quick release, knew where to throw it and he was accurate,” Haley said. “Probably reminds me a little of (Bob) Griese, a little of Graham, but exceptional in quarterback abilities. I’ve never been a big ‘arm’ guy. If you got a good arm, that’s fine, but so many of the great quarterbacks, they were quarterbacks. They could ‘right place, right time,’ and that is what won.”
Episode 1,256 – Guest: @MSR_Journalist. Redskins historian. In-depth discussion of the legacy of Sonny Jurgensen. – most popular player in team history? – Sonny vs. Sammy Baugh – the truth about Sonny & George Allen/Billy Kilmer – two fascinating what-ifshttps://t.co/T4b0EJBhrM
The couple featured in Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime performance was legally married during halftime, league sources confirmed to ESPN.
The duo was spotlighted several times during Bad Bunny’s intricate and energetic show, beginning with a proposal early on. Midway through the set, the pair got married surrounded by backup dancers. The show also featured surprise performances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin and included famous guests such as actors Pedro Pascal and Jessica Alba
The couple had originally invited Bad Bunny to attend their wedding. Instead, he gave them the ultimate wedding gift and invited them to be married during his halftime show.
A sale of the Seahawks would be in line with the wishes of the late Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, who mandated the eventual sale of his sports holdings before he died in 2018. Those assets included the Seahawks, the NBA’s Blazers, and a 25% stake in MLS’s Seattle Sounders.
That Seahawks deal is expected to set a record for the largest change-of-control sale in league history, beating the $6.05 billion deal in 2023 in which a Josh Harris-led group acquired the Commanders. Several minority stakes since then have been at valuations far surpassing that figure, including a transaction last fall valuing the Giants at $10 billion.
While the Super Bowl title will create a halo effect, and some incremental revenue, around the Seahawks, the forthcoming deal will likely center more on the overall business of the NFL. That business is historically strong and only getting stronger, particularly with new domestic media deals on the way in the next few years.
aBit o’Twitter
This is now becoming a recurring theme. #NFL Teams are allowed to have three helmets in their rotation. When it's "their year" for Nike Rivalry jerseys, teams are allotted four.
NFC East will be given their Rivalry jerseys in 2027-28.
Seattle's defense was incredible. Was like it was playing a different sport than Washington's defense played. The need for the Commanders' defense to get better could not be more obvious or urgent.
When I think of what I want the #Commanders new-ish defense to look like…it's blitzing corners and safeties…it's confusing fronts with guys dropping in/out.
Chaos. We've seen very little of that for so long.
#Seahawks kicker Jason Myers has become the first player in NFL history to score 200+ points in a single season, including playoffs https://t.co/es5CwvYrYi
🔻 Pressured 19 times (t-3rd most in career) 🔻 10 off-target passes (career high) 🔻 Sacked 6 times (tied for career high) 🔻 Committed 3 turnovers when pressured (career high) pic.twitter.com/nt7MQIeuqL
RENNES, France (AP) — French club Rennes parted ways with coach Habib Beye on Monday following a poor run of form and amid reports of tensions within the squad.
Rennes said on X that it had “initiated proceedings” against Beye and that the team would be run by assistant coaches until a further decision is made. French media reports have linked Rennes with former Lens and Nice coach Franck Haise.
Although Rennes is in sixth place in Ligue 1, the Brittany club has lost its last four games overall and conceded 12 goals.
After a 2-0 home defeat to Lorient, Rennes lost 4-0 at Monaco in the league, then went out of the French Cup after losing 3-0 at Marseille before losing 3-1 at Lens on Saturday.
Beye had reportedly fallen out with several players, including goalkeeper Brice Samba, who was dropped from the squad for the league game against Lens.
During his playing career the 48-year-old Beye played for Marseille and Newcastle as a tough-tackling right back. ___
The 2026 Winter Games are underway in Italy, and after just a few days, at least three athletes have said that their hard-earned medals have broken, with some coming apart just moments after they were awarded.
American skier Breezy Johnson won gold in the women’s downhill event on Sunday, Feb. 8, and just minutes later, warned second-place finisher Emma Aicher not to jump while wearing her medal at a joint press conference. Johnson later showed her broken medal to reporters including PEOPLE, demonstrating how the medal had become detached from its ribbon.
"So there’s the medal. And there’s the ribbon," she said. "And here’s the little piece that is supposed to go into the ribbon to hold the medal, and yeah, it came apart."
Figure skater Alysa Liu had a similar problem, though she made a joke of it in an Instagram Reels video showing off her broken hardware from her team event win on Feb. 8.
“My medal don’t need the ribbon,” she wrote over a video as she showed off her medal in two pieces. In the caption, she added, “Proud of the team.”
And they weren’t the only ones. In a viral video, the German biathlon team celebrated their bronze medals by jumping up and down together — only for one athlete’s medal to go clattering to the ground.
At a press briefing on Monday, Feb. 9, Andrea Francisi, the Milano Cortina 2026 Chief Games Operations Officer, said officials are “fully aware of the situation,” and looking into what exactly is going wrong with the medals.
“We’re going to pay particular attention to the medals and obviously this is something that [we want] everything [to] be perfect when the medal is handed over, because this is probably one of the most important moments for the athletes,” he told reporters. “So we’re working on it.”
Medals not holding up well is not a new problem. At a press conference on Feb. 8, skater Danny O’Shea said that his teammate Evan Bates — who previously won gold in Beijing — had warned them that the prizes were fragile.
“Evan, before we all got out there, he’s like, 'Guys, be careful, they're real gold and they’re malleable, don’t be jumping around and hit it on things. I dented mine right away, be careful with it,’” O’Shea said.
The Paris Olympics had similar issues. In January 2026, just six or so months after the Games, more than 100 medalists said they’d reached out to Monnaie de Paris, the medal production company, to replace their medals, which had started to “deteriorate.”
A spokesperson for Monnaie de Paris, who produced more than 5,000 medals for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, told PEOPLE in a statement that they would not confirm the number of "damaged medals" that they have received complaints about, but said they're working with the 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee "to assess medal claims and understand the circumstances and cause of damage" to athletes' medals.
The French mint confirmed that the "replacement of damaged medals has been initiated" in some cases and that "all damaged medals will be replaced and identically engraved at the request of athletes during the 1st quarter of 2025."
“They are apparently not as high quality as you would think,” he said. “I mean, look at that thing. It’s looking rough. Even the front is starting to chip off a little.”
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.
Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud in action during the women's Freestyle Skiing Slopestyle final competition during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games Milan-Cortina. Oliver Weiken/dpa
Swiss freestyle skier Mathilde Gremaud again denied Eileen Gu Olympic slopestyle gold on Monday after responding to her rival's strong opening run with a near perfect display.
Grimaud, 26, had stopped China's Gu winning three golds at Beijing 2022 when she pipped her to the slopestyle title and she made it back-to-back Games golds in style in Livigno.
Gu fell on her final run as she tried to wrestle the gold away from her big threat.
Born in California but competing for China, Gu had taken big air and halfpipe gold at Beijing 2022 but is again without slopestyle glory ahead of the big air final in Italy next Monday and halfpipe on February 21.
Gremaud could do a show run carrying the Swiss flag after Gu's fall on the last run, leaving Gu and Canadian Megan Oldham to pick up silver and bronze.
"Eileen tried to come for me all the time, and I had to really focus on myself so that she couldn't get to me," twice world champion Gremaud said.
"It was a crazy ride. It was a really tough battle with Eileen. She pushed me to push myself as well for sure."
Each skier had three runs with the best run decided by the judges counting for medals.
Gu - still only 22 - had also fallen in qualifying on Saturday but recovered to reach the final as one of the top 12. But it was not to be as she was again narrowly edged out 86.96 to 86.58.
"I think it's kind of funny that both Olympics we were within half a point of one another. If anything, I think it's just testament to the growth of women's freeskiing. It's so special to be a part of that," Gu said.
"The hardest part has been staying consistent all these years. I've had a really tough last four years, dealing with injury and time off snow and then some mental stuff."
Gremaud had led qualifying but Gu was in front with the 86.58 after the first run in the final, much to the Swiss skier's apparent surprise.
Oldham placed third after the first run but fell heavily on her second. She got up unaided and held on to bronze thanks to the final leg despite pressure from Briton Kirsty Muir.
A low score from Gu following a slip on the rail second time around allowed Gremaud to pounce with the best run of the final.
Gu's fall on her last attempt then gifted Gremaud glory.
The men's slopestyle final is on Tuesday.
Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu competes during the Women's Freestyle Skiing Slopestyle final at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina. Oliver Weiken/dpa
Everton boss David Moyes has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game against Bournemouth at Hill Dickinson Stadium (kick-off 19:30 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Everybody bar Jack Grealish is fit, with Moyes stating they are still "nursing one or two" players who have recently overcome injury - but the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury Hall, Jarrad Branthwaite and Charly Alcaraz are all available.
The manager added: "When I think how I felt end of December or beginning of January I was trying to work out how it can be so severely bad. It's good we have everybody back and raring to go."
Moyes said his side have to pick up more wins at home having not earned three points in a game at Hill Dickinson Stadium since 6 December. He said: "We have got to try to turn our away form into good home form. We have done a good job, we just need to make sure we can pick up another few wins at our stadium. We are always looking to see what it may well be. We have a great new stadium, the sooner we start getting used to it the better. Everybody enjoys it, we do, but maybe the opposition quite like it as well."
Moyes thinks achieving a European spot will require Everton picking up some unexpected wins during the run-in. He said: "We don't really say too much. I'd rather the talk be about European places and not relegation places. Probably the history of the club recently has been relegation places. I think we would all quite enjoy that talk about European places. At the moment we have a long way to go but if you hang in with the teams above us, you just never know."
On a move away from the relegation talk of recent seasons: "This club should never have been in that position. It is too big, too strong of a club. We should be talking about the other end of the league. I'm now thinking we have to keep growing and getting away from the feeling of being a club at the bottom."
Moyes discussed Tyrique George and warned he's a "young" player the club must be "careful" with and not "expect too much".
Discussing young players he explained: "The biggest thing you have to take into consideration is the level of the Premier League. The number of young players is probably lower than it has ever been. You have to be at a completely special level now to get it. Those young players have a lot to do. They have to work incredibly hard, have the physicality to cope, the speed, football awareness and desire. We've always here tried to bring on young players. It's part of the job. We've not got as many of our own at present but we're hoping that can change. We need the experienced players to help."
Oct 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) reacts with running back Bijan Robinson (7) after scoring a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of a game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
In a year where just about everything went comically wrong for the Falcons, taking them from would-be playoff team to out of the mix in November, the running back position was a bastion of excellence. It’s a virtual certainty it was our final year with Tyler Allgeier in the mix, though blessedly Bijan Robinson will continue to be a Falcon for what we hope is many years to come.
The 2025 season was both a reminder that Robinson is great enough to lift this team and provide us with weekly joy, but cannot single-handedly will this team to wins every week. It also reminded us why this team is likely to build around a strong ground game under Kevin Stefanski no matter what moves they make to augment the offense.
Let’s look back at the year that was and talk outlook.
Bijan Robinson
He was impressive as a rookie, great in 2024, and unbelievable in 2025. All the same sputtering superlatives we used to come up with for Julio Jones apply to Bijan, and maybe then some. He’s playing the game at a higher level than just about any other running back in football, with skills that defy belief at times.
Bijan was fourth in the NFL in rushing yards, 21st in rushing touchdowns, 7th in first downs, and 11th in yards per attempt. All of that is good, but it doesn’t tell the full story. He was also 7th in broken tackles and 5th in yards after contact, which speaks to his lethal jump cuts and power. But even that doesn’t tell the full story, because Robinson wasn’t just a great runner.
Bijan wasn’t 18th in the NFL in receptions—not among receivers, mind you, among all players—and 32nd in receiving yards. Among backs, only Christian McCaffrey ranked higher in both metrics. In all, Bijan finished first in scrimmage yardage by almost 200 yards (again, over McCaffrey) and was 17th in combined touchdowns. It was, in short, a spectacular season.
But to believe Bijan, you really have to see him. Like Julio, numbers do him some sort of justice, but can’t properly capture what happens when he leaves a defender in the dust, evades a tackle through sheer wizardry, or just continually turns what would be a one yard gain for most backs into seven yards.
— Football’s Greatest Moments (@FBGreatMoments) January 31, 2026
Young, durable, and gifted, Bijan is the engine of this Falcons offense and should remain the engine in 2026. We’ll get to that shortly, but even in another frustrating season, we witnessed greatness and will continue to witness it. Please make sure to enjoy it.
Tyler Allgeier
This was a tale of two statistical splits for Allgeier in what might be his final season as a Falcon. On one hand, he had his second-lowest carry total and lowest rushing yardage total of his career, with 514 yards on 143 carries for a career-low 3.6 yards per carry. He chipped in 14 catches for 96 yards.
While his role continued to shrink as Bijan ascends, Allgeier showed of his bullying skills in other ways. Late in games he was lethal against depleted defenses, and Zac Robinson and company finally got him properly involved in the red zone where his bulldozing ways bore fruit. The other split I referenced above was touchdowns, where Allgeier had an (easy) career-high with eight scores on the ground. His physicality and straight line speed were, as always, a problem and made him an excellent complement to Bijan.
Allgeier is 10th in rushing yards and 12th in rushing touchdowns for this franchise despite only enjoying one year as the featured back, and he’s been a stellar teammate, community presence, and player throughout his run in Atlanta. His eight touchdown year was a strong capper if this ends up being it for his career with the Falcons.
Nate Carter
It was a pretty quiet rookie season for Carter after a strong summer. He wound up getting a handful of garbage time carries, putting up 60 yards on nine carries with one fumble, and lost a yard on a punt return. His speed makes him an intriguing player going forward, and he’s likely the favorite for RB3 duties in 2026.
Outlook: Great, but with depth questions
Look, Bijan has a case for being one of the best players in football, and he’s young. As long as he’s healthy, the offense will run through him, and the Falcons are in great shape at running back. The fact that they have Nate Carter and Carlos Washington under contract means they have solid competition for RB3/4, too.
What the Falcons will have to get under control is RB2. I would love it if Allgeier returned, but he deserves and seems to want a chance to start elsewhere, with the Chiefs seemingly like an absurdly great fit. That means the Falcons need a backup to Robinson who has enough talent to carry the load if Bijan is hurt and can be an effective complement for him. It’s deeply unlikely you’re going to land someone as good as Allgeier, but you have to try to make sure RB2 isn’t a plunge off the cliff. Jerome Ford, who Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees worked with in Cleveland and is a capable kick returner, is the most obvious possible signing.
So long as the Falcons handle that critical signing or draft pick well, running back will once again be a tremendous strength for a team that figures to lead with the run. Bijan Robinson will naturally continue his assault on the record books as a direct result.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — TGL is the tech-infused, virtual golf league that keeps golf fans entertained on Monday and Tuesday nights. It's also probably attractive to younger golfers, with the big screen and the crazy holes.
It figures, then, that two young guns are crediting the tech-infused, virtual golf league TGL for getting them ready for PGA Tour competition.
Chris Gotterup, a member of Justin Thomas's Atlanta Drive squad, and Michael Thorbjornsen, a sub on Rory McIlroy's Boston Common, both had strong weeks at the 2026 WM Phoenix Open. Gotterup opened his week at TPC Scottsdale with a 63 and closed with a playoff victory over Hideki Matsuyama, his fourth PGA Tour title.
Thorbjornsen, seeking his first PGA Tour, shot 66-71-65 over the first three days and then climbed into the solo lead with three holes to play during Sunday's action before ending up in a tie for third.
The WMPO is know for huge crowds and lots of stimulus. Maybe TGL really did help this duo perform well all week.
"I feel like TGL has definitely helped me focus when the crowd is loud and you kind of have people hanging over you," Thorbjornsen said on Saturday. "I wish I could putt as well as I did on these greens here as I do on TGL. I feel like it definitely helps giving me some confidence out here on the greens. I know I can make putts on Astroturf or grass. It can be done. Again, yeah, just having people kind of hanging over you and getting booed when you hit a poor shot, you just kind of deal with it now."
Gotterup competed in the most recent match, last Monday ahead of the WM.
"We were flying back from TGL and I was like, 'I need to see Saturday here this week,'" meaning he really wanted to make the cut in Scottsdale. "I think to start the year I really felt like I worked hard in the offseason to get ready for the season. TGL in the offseason also, just getting used to adrenaline rush you get inside there and being able to hit shots under pressure has helped me and my game."
Kirsty Muir is competing at her second Winter Olympics [Getty Images]
Freestyle skier Kirsty Muir missed out on Great Britain's first medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics by the narrowest of margins with a fourth-place finish in the women's slopestyle.
Muir scored 76.05 points with a brilliant third run, finishing only 0.41 behind Canadian bronze medallist Megan Oldham at Livigno Snow Park.
Having fallen on the penultimate jump of her opening run, Muir sat in sixth after her second.
The 21-year-old brought out her best when it mattered, but it was not quite enough.
"I put it out there on every run," an emotional Muir told BBC Sport.
"I was so proud to put one down. I struggled to accept how close it was, but I know I've got more in me."
In a final that demonstrated the strength of women's freestyle skiing, Mathilde Gremaud successfully defended her Olympic title by only 0.38 points.
China's Eileen Gu - arguably a bigger star off the slopes - took silver, but crashed on her final run to allow Gremaud a victory lap, a Switzerland flag tied around her neck, billowing in the wind as she soaked up her moment on the course.
Muir is one of Team GB's best medal hopes at the Milan-Cortina Games, and has another shot at the podium when she competes in the big air starting on Saturday.
Four years ago in Beijing, Scotland's Muir was GB's youngest competitor at 17, but she finished fifth in the big air and eighth in the slopestyle.
After Beijing Muir achieved three World Cup podiums, but in December 2023 an MRI scan showed she had been competing with a fully torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
An operation followed in early 2024, as well as surgery on a shoulder problem that had troubled her for some time.
Eleven months later she was back on snow, and her maiden World Cup gold arrived in Tignes in March 2025.
Two more have followed this season, as well as slopestyle gold and big air silver at the invitation-only X Games on the eve of the Olympics.
"I'm going to look forward to big air, but I just need to take this one in," Muir said.
"I got to see my famly. They were hugging me a bit too tightly - I was getting a bit claustrophobic. They're proud of me no matter what, so I can take that away."
General manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell now enter a critical window that will shape Detroit’s roster and its Super Bowl hopes, heading into the 2026 season. From contract decisions to free agency and the draft, the next two months are packed with key moments.
Here’s a look at what’s coming up for the Lions and the rest of the NFL.
February 17 – March 3: Franchise Tag Window Opens
The first major decision point arrives with the franchise tag window.
Teams have just over two weeks to decide whether to apply a franchise or transition tag to an impending free agent. For Detroit, this window will reveal a lot about how the front office views its own talent and long-term priorities.
Using the tag can buy time for contract negotiations or serve as a short-term solution if talks stall. Either way, it’s often the first signal of how aggressive (or patient) a team plans to be in free agency.
February 23 – March 2: NFL Combine
Next up is the NFL Scouting Combine, where draft season officially kicks into high gear.
While fans focus on 40-yard dashes and bench press numbers, the real work for the Lions happens behind the scenes. Medical checks, formal interviews, and private meetings often matter more than on-field testing — especially for a front office like Detroit’s that values character, toughness, and fit.
By the time the Combine ends, the Lions’ draft board will begin to take clearer shape.
March 9 – 11: Free Agency “Legal Tampering” Window
Two weeks after the Combine, free agency chatter turns real.
The legal tampering period allows teams to negotiate with agents and line up deals before contracts can officially be signed. While nothing becomes official during this window, major agreements are often effectively finalized.
If the Lions are planning to make an early splash or aggressively retain their own free agents, this is when the first dominoes will fall.
March 11 at 4:00 PM ET: Free Agency Officially Begins
At 4:00 PM Eastern on March 11, free agency officially opens.
Contracts can be signed, trades can be finalized, and roster movement accelerates quickly. For Detroit, this phase will test Brad Holmes’ balancing act between retaining core players, managing the salary cap, and selectively upgrading the roster.
Historically, the Lions have avoided reckless spending, but this is also a team firmly in a championship window, making this free agency period especially intriguing.
April 23 – 25: NFL Draft
The offseason crescendo arrives with the NFL Draft.
After months of scouting, interviews, and evaluations, Detroit will have the opportunity to add long-term building blocks to a roster that already features elite young talent. Whether the Lions prioritize depth, future starters, or immediate contributors, the draft remains a cornerstone of Holmes’ roster-building philosophy.
By the end of draft weekend, the foundation for the 2026 Detroit Lions will largely be in place.
Bottom Line
The Super Bowl may be over, but the most important part of the offseason is just beginning for Detroit.
From the franchise tag window to free agency and the draft, the next two months will determine whether the Lions can take the next step, from contender to legitimate Super Bowl favorite.
For a franchise that’s no longer rebuilding, every decision from here on out matters more than ever.
Shortstop is a much deeper position than the rest of the infield positions coming into 2025, with some elite options that should fly off the board in the first round of drafts. If you miss out on studs like Bobby Witt, Francisco Lindor, Gunnar Henderson, or Elly De La Cruz in the first round, fear not; there are a bunch of young and exciting options that we can grab later in our drafts that I feel are primed for a breakout season in 2026. Let’s take a look at the top 15 players at shortstop for this fantasy baseball season.
He’s going as a top 3 pick in most early drafts, but I would still take him one overall, over Judge and Ohtani. He’s a 5-category stud who has yet to have his peak statistical season as of yet. When he does, we could be looking at a triple crown level, MVP season to the tune of .335-35-120-100-50. The triple crown might be tough playing half of his games in Kaufman Stadium, but this guy is more than worth his draft capital at any pick.
2) Gunnar Henderson, Orioles
Sep 28, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) throws out New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (not pictured) at first base after fielding a ground ball during the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
I’ll be happy to take any discount I can get with this guy if the other owners decide to hold last year against him. He was hurt to begin 2025, and he never quite got on track as his power numbers dipped from 2024, despite the Orioles lowering the fence in left field. His K rate and walk rate improved slightly, and the speed was there with a career high of 30 steals. If/when he puts it all together, he could put up a 40/40 season. Entering his age-25 season, I’m buying Henderson anywhere I can.
He has settled in as an elite first-round talent that you can count on for .260-30-90-100-25 year in and year out. At 32 years of age, it won’t last forever, but it will last at least another year. His K rate actually dropped a bit last year, and with a little better luck, he could bat closer to .280. He’s a safe late first-round pick who makes a great anchor for your offense.
4) Elly De La Cruz, Reds
The good news is he managed to cut down on his strikeouts. The bad news is that he still got stuck over 180 times. We can live with that. It was actually 6 fewer K’s than Shohei Ohtani, so as long as he can maintain a batting average north of .260, I’m in. The curious part of his game right now is that he still hasn’t had a 30-home run season while playing in that bandbox in Cincy. The power and speed are there for him to put up a 40/40 or even 50/50 season someday, but for now, we’ll take 25+ homers and 35+ steals as a baseline. He’s worth a shot in the late 1st or early second round based on potential alone.
5) Trea Turner, Phillies
Oct 9, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) throws to first for an out in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Turner is another year older, but he’s still a top performer when he’s on the field. If he can manage 140+ games again like he did last year, we’ll take the .300+ average, 15+ homers, and 30+ steals that will come with it. He’s a solid player across the board and may fall a bit in smarter drafts due to his age and lack of upside potential. We aren’t buying him for his potential; we are buying him here because he’s a steady batting average anchor that contributes to all counting stats.
6) Mookie Betts, Dodgers
Much like Turner, his draft stock is somewhat tarnished amongst the “smart crowd”. Entering his age-33 season, most will think he’s on the downside of a great career, and you may be able to pick him up as late as the 4th round in some drafts. As we get closer to the season, his name still carries weight, so he likely won’t last that long in your home league. We are buying here for the same reasons as Turner. He’s a steady contributor across the board, and I’m willing to bet that last year’s batting average dip was due to bad luck and not a slowing bat. He should return to .280-20-80-90-10 in a full season
7) Geraldo Perdomo, Diamondbacks
There is a lot to like here. Perdomo was always a good prospect for Arizona, but nobody saw last year’s breakout coming. He hit 20 home runs, up from a career high of 6, and stole 27 bases, up from his previous best of 16. Most impressive was the .290 batting average and .389 OBP that was fueled by an impressive 94/83 Walk to K ratio. A guy who walks more than he K’s and hits the ball hard is always a good bet to put up stats. His season was such a revelation that the D-backs will now have to find a new position for top prospect Jordan Lawlar. Perdomo will be a top 3 or 4 option if he does it again, and I’m willing to buy in with his current ADP sitting as late as the 5th round.
8) Zach Neto, Angels
Neto is coming off a great year where we saw him elevate his game to some lofty levels by hitting 26 homers along with 26 steals, despite missing over 30 games of the season due to shoulder surgery last offseason. He just turned 25 this offseason, so there’s good reason to think there are even more gains left in his overall arsenal. The strikeouts lowered slightly, but there is still room to improve from last year’s 23.8% whiff rate. He’s not a great base stealer yet, and if he doesn’t improve his .318 OBP from last year, he won’t bat at the top of the lineup and may not get as many chances to run. He will likely be a bit over drafted for my liking, but if he falls to the late 3rd or 4th round, I’m all in. Downside: .230 BA with only 15 steals.
9) Jeremy Pena, Astros
Jun 17, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña (3) during the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
Pena is coming off a career year where he batted .304 with 17 homers and 20 steals. The power and steals were there in previous seasons, but the average was quite the revelation. The underlying numbers suggest that .304 is probably an outlier, but the contact gains he made should keep him above his career .271 rate. His numbers last year came in just 127 games, so it’s possible he can flirt with a 30/30 season in 2026 if he stays healthy. He’s a great pick-up in the middle rounds if you missed out on the top options.
10) C.J. Abrams, Nationals
He grew up some last year and was able to replicate his stat line from 2024. He still has yet to put together a full season, but at just 25 years old, that year is coming. The batting average will always be a bit of a risk due to his free-swinging approach, but his upside potential is a 30/40 season. There’s another level here, and I will definitely be buying into it to find it.
11) Jacob Wilson, Athletics
There’s a batting crown coming, and it just might be this year. He also showed some pop in his bat last year as he hit 9 of his 13 homers before missing a month of the season due to a broken arm. If he can stay in the 15-home run range and chip in with a handful of steals, he’ll be well worth a mid-round pick. At worst, he’s a batting average anchor that will chip in 80+ runs and RBI. His full potential is .350-15-90-90-1,0, and we will take that all day long.
12) Dansby Swanson, Cubs
Swanson is an amazing real-life player who gives the Cubs a great clubhouse leader and top-notch defender at shortstop. In fantasy, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag over the last 4 years, and he has plateaued at around a .240 batting average with anywhere from 16 to 27 homers and anywhere between 9 and 20 steals. If we get 25 homers and 20 steals, he’s a winning player; if we get 15 and 9, not so much. The runs and RBI totals have been solid, so he has a decent floor to give us a .245-18-80-80-15 type season. He stays healthy, which is more than we can say for some players.
13) Corey Seager, Rangers
Aug 24, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) cannot field a ball hit by Cleveland Guardians second baseman Brayan Rocchio (not pictured) during the second inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Yep, this is who I meant by “some players”. Seager is one of the best-hitting shortstops in the game, and he very well could have had a Hall of Fame career if he could have managed to stay on the field for 150+ games every year. He has accomplished that feat exactly twice in his 9-year career (10 years including 2020). He teases us every year, but all he seems to do is get another year older. He’s this generation’s Larry Walker at shortstop. If he can manage to play 120 games, he’s worth a draft pick in the middle rounds. When he plays, he bats in a prime spot in the Rangers’ lineup, and he produces across 4 categories. If he falls to the 9th round or so, I can’t pass him up.
14) Bo Bichette, Mets
Bichette found a new home in New York and will fill a new position at the hot corner. The multi-position eligibility enhances his value, as third base has become a bit of a wasteland. Bo is a very good real-life player as he makes great contact, but the power has been trending in the wrong direction, and the stolen bases have almost completely evaporated. The move from The Rogers Centre to Citi Field isn’t going to help much either. Bichette is a good bet to anchor your batting average while chipping in 15+ home runs and decent run/RBI numbers. At just 28 years old, there’s a chance for the speed and power to come back, but I can’t count on that right now.
15) Trevor Story, Red Sox
Story might have made a crossroads deal last season to not only stay healthy for the first time since joining the Red Sox in 2022 but also to put up his best statistical season since 2019 while he was still in Colorado. Last year’s numbers merit a higher draft pick, but I just can’t do it before the 8th or 9th round. If he falls that far, I’m all for adding him to the roster, but his age and injury history make chasing last year’s numbers feel like a fool’s errand. I’ve watched enough episodes of “Supernatural” to know how those crossroad deals end. He will be drafted ahead of somebody like Otto Lopez and Masyn Winn, but I’d prefer to wait and take one of the younger players.
Yan Valery, new defensive reinforcement for Young Boys
The 26-year-old defender joins the Swiss side on loan until the end of the season, with no purchase option included.
In a statement released on its official Facebook page, the Bernese club announced: “BSC Young Boys is pleased to announce the signing of Tunisian international Yan Valery. An agreement has been reached with Sheffield Wednesday for a loan until the end of the season, with no option to buy.”
The club also highlighted the player’s experience, as Valery already boasts 20 caps for the Tunisian national team. He took part in recent training camps in December and January and is aiming to feature at the upcoming World Cup set to take place next summer in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
A dual French-Tunisian national, Yan Valery grew up in the Paris region. He was developed at Stade Rennais before continuing his football education at Southampton, where he launched his professional career.
His journey speaks volumes about his top-level experience: 43 appearances in the Premier League, 69 in the Championship, 30 in Ligue 1, and 35 in Ligue 2.
Throughout his career, he has worn the shirts of Southampton, Birmingham City, Angers, and most recently Sheffield Wednesday, who are currently struggling at the bottom of the table after a points deduction for financial irregularities.
Currently sitting sixth in the Swiss Super League, Young Boys are banking on the experience of the “Carthage Eagles” defender to shore up their back line in the second half of the season.
Jan 4, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn looks on during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Super Bowl LX is over, and with that the 2025 NFL season has come to a close.
I don’t think many Jets fans are upset with that fact. This was a brutal season for the team. 2025 saw the Jets stumble to a catastrophic 3-14 season. It also saw a resurgent Patriots team. One of the Jets’ most bitter rivals made the Super Bowl.
At least the Patriots were beaten comfortably in the big game. With that, we turn the page to next season.
We already have Super Bowl odds for 2026 from our partner FanDuel Sportsbook. It likely will not come as a surprise that the Jets’ odds of winning Super Bowl LXI are long. In fact, no team has worse odds. The Jets start out the new year at +25,000.
The Jets aren’t the only AFC East team at the bottom. The Miami Dolphins face the second worst odds.
At the other end, the Buffalo Bills have the fourth best odds, while the New England Patriots have the tenth. The defending champion Seahawks start with the best odds at +750.
Of course hope springs eternal. A year ago the Seahawks and Patriots were at the top of nobody’s list of likely Super Bowl teams. So maybe there’s a small chance for the Jets. We can hope at least.
No. 17 Tennessee (15-6, 7-2 SEC) lost its third basketball contest in its last four games on Sunday. No. 3 South Carolina (24-2, 9-1 SEC) defeated the Lady Vols, 93-50, at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
Second-year head coach Kim Caldwell discussed Tennessee's performance after the game.
“We just had a lot of quit in us tonight, and that's been something that's been consistent with our team, is we're not comfortable and things don't go our way, and I have a team that'll just quit on you, and you can't do that in big games," Caldwell said. "You can't do that any anytime in the SEC, but you certainly can't do that at a program like this.”
South Carolina outscored the Lady Vols, 54-16, in the paint. The Gamecocks also outrebounded Tennessee, 38-24, and totaled 29 fast break points to the Lady Vols' 11 points.
Who: Pakistan vs USA What: ICC T20 World Cup 2026 – Group A When: Tuesday, February 10 at 7pm (13:30 GMT) Where: Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), Colombo, Sri Lanka How to follow: Al Jazeera’s live text and photo commentary stream begins at 10:30 GMT
Pakistan will be eager to improve on their opening-day performance of the T20 World Cup, while the United States will look to cause an upset when both teams meet in their Group A fixture in Colombo on Tuesday.
Salman Ali Agha’s team were heading towards a shock loss against the Netherlands before a lower-order rescue act took them over the line on Saturday.
A few hours later, the USA nearly sprang a surprise against defending champions India when they met in the group’s second fixture, but were unable to register what could have been the biggest shock in the tournament’s history.
Now, both teams meet in a crucial second game that could shape their fate in the tournament.
Pakistan are renowned for throwing form and predictions out of the window, and the USA will look to capitalise on their opponents’ unpredictability to get their first points of the tournament.
What happened in the last Pakistan vs USA game?
The USA pulled off one of the biggest shocks in the T20 World Cup’s history when they beat the 2009 champions in a thrilling match in 2024.
The win, which came in a super over after scores were tied following the regulation 20 overs, sent shockwaves through the cricket world.
Pakistan’s star-studded team posted a meagre total of 159 in their 20 overs, which the USA equalled on the last ball of their innings, taking the game to a super over.
Team USA’s calmness trumped Pakistan’s nerves as they rewrote history books.
The 2024 tournament cohosts had never played Pakistan in any format of the game prior to the match.
Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan, right, plays a shot as Netherlands’ wicketkeeper and captain Scott Edwards reacts during their opening T20 Cricket World Cup group stage match at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on February 7, 2026 [Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP]
Form guide: Pakistan
Pakistan entered the T20 World Cup on the back of an impressive series sweep against Australia and then won their first game against the Netherlands.
Last five games (most recent first): W W W W L
Form guide: USA
Despite the loss against India, the USA [please complete the sentence.]
Last five games (most recent first): L W W L W
Team news: Pakistan
Pakistan are unlikely to change the team that won the first match.
Predicted XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (captain), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed
Team news: USA
The USA are expected to field the same team that shook up the Indian side.
Predicted XI: Andries Gous, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Monank Patel, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Milind Kumar, Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh, Mohammad Mohsin, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan, Saurabh Netravalkar
Mohammad Nawaz, right, and his Pakistan teammates will be hoping to avenge their loss to the USA from the T20 World Cup 2024 [Robert Cianflone/Getty Images]
Sam Darnold made history for USC before even completing a pass, and now he has doubled down on that history by becoming the first USC Trojan quarterback to win a Super Bowl. This special moment for Sam Darnold is not one he will possess alone. He shares this glory with former Trojans, including a teammate who won a championship alongside Darnold in Levi's Stadium nearly nine years ago: Uchenna Nwosu.
In a recent tweet, USC football reporter Chris Treviño analyzed how this Super Bowl is even more special for two former Trojans:
"The only two TDs scored by the Super Bowl LX champion Seahawks were #Trojans: Sam Darnold 16-yard TD pass Uchenna Nwosu 45-yard INT return Played 3 seasons together at #USC and named co-MVPs on the 2017 team. Won a Rose Bowl, Pac-12 title and now a Super Bowl together."
To make a moment even sweeter, two former Trojans got to build on their collegiate success together in the NFL. It has not been easy sledding for either former Trojan in the pros. Uchenna Nwosu, prior to this season, was coming off multiple knee injuries that forced him to play only a combined 12 games in the last two seasons. Uchenna Nwosu, when he was healthy, his first season in Seattle, he had 9.5 sacks, and he played 17 games. This season was similar as he played 17 games and had 7 sacks. Darnold just came to the 5th team of his NFL career after being categorized as a bust after his time in New York with the Jets and now was able to be crowned an NFL champion. Nwosu and Darnold were both able to put a stamp on this great season, each with a big-time play of their own to put a stamp on this Super Bowl victory.
In 2017, Uchenna Nwosu had 75 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks that year, very deserving of his co-MVP with Darnold. Uchenna Nwosu made a big impact this season, and he is under contract with Seattle for at least one more season. Nwosu will be a big part of the Seahawks squad to try to defend the title this upcoming season.
Sam Darnold in 2017 was stellar as he threw for 4,143 yards, 26 touchdowns on 63% completion percentage, and led the Trojans to an 11-3 record. His numbers this season were nearly identical. Darnold was great all season long, and there were definitely moments where the Seahawks did not need his greatness, but in the moments the Seahawks did, he delivered each time. Last week's NFC championship game was a great example of that. Darnold was lights out, and he was the biggest reason Seattle made it past their rival to get to this game.
Darnold, Leonard Williams, and Nwosu will be doing their part to ensure this is not the last championship the Seahawks have, especially in their next couple of seasons left together. These three former Trojans are a huge part of the great winning culture that has been built in Seattle. It is great for the USC football program to see them each help lead a team all the way and come out victorious.
Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud in action during the women's Freestyle Skiing Slopestyle final competition during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games Milan-Cortina. Oliver Weiken/dpa
Swiss freestyle skier Mathilde Gremaud again denied Eileen Gu Olympic slopestyle gold on Monday after responding to her rival's strong opening run with a near perfect display.
Grimaud, 26, had stopped China's Gu winning three golds at Beijing 2022 when she pipped her to the slopestyle title and she made it back-to-back Games golds in style in Livigno. Gu fell on her final run as she tried to wrestle the gold away from her big threat.
Born in California but competing for China, Gu had taken big air and halfpipe gold at Beijing 2022 but is again without slopestyle glory ahead of the other events in Italy later in the Games.
Gremaud could do a show run carrying the Swiss flag after Gu's fall on the last run, leaving Gu and Canadian Megan Oldham to pick up silver and bronze.
Gu - still only 22 - had also fallen in qualifying on Saturday but recovered to reach the final as one of the top 12.
Each skier had three runs with the best run decided by the judges counting for medals.
Gremaud had led qualifying but Gu was in front with 86.58 after the first run in the final, much to the Swiss skier's apparent surprise.
Oldham placed third after the first run but fell heavily on her second. She got up unaided and held on to bronze thanks to the final leg despite pressure from Briton Kirsty Muir.
A low score from Gu following a slip on the rail second time around allowed Gremaud to pounce with the best run of 86.96.
Gu's fall on her last attempt then gifted Gremaud glory.
Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu competes during the Women's Freestyle Skiing Slopestyle final at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina. Oliver Weiken/dpa
Following Saturday’s PFL main event, Islam Makhachev had a concise message for Alfie Davis.
Makhachev was present at the first PFL event of 2026 on February 7 in Dubai, where he was cornering Usman Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov put on another strong performance, dominating Alfie Davis to retain his lightweight title.
After two straight decision wins over Paul Hughes, the undefeated Dagestani secured a third-round finish against Davis with an arm-triangle choke, putting the Englishman to sleep.
Makhachev entered the cage to celebrate with his teammate but also took a moment to address Davis directly.
Islam Makhachev recalls what Alfie Davis did to one of his teammates
Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images
To secure his title shot at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, Davis won the 2025 PFL lightweight tournament.
After picking up wins against Clay Collard and Brent Primus, he completed the upset with a surprising victory over Gadzhi Rabadanov to earn the shot.
Makhachev clearly has not forgotten the upset from Charlotte last August. After Nurmagomedov submitted ‘The Axe Man’, he made sure to remind him of their overall score inside the cage.
Davis posted a video on his Instagram Stories reflecting on the loss.
“I dared to be great but got choked out,” he said. “This is the life of elite competition.”
“The best line came from Islam Makhachev at the end when I shook his hand. He went, ‘Hey brother, 1-1.’”
Davis also gave credit to Nurmagomedov’s performance, adding: “Well done to Usman. (He) is a really tricky guy, man. Hard to hit, really tricky on the floor.”
Could Usman Nurmagomedov be the next to make the move to UFC?
Nurmagomedov is still competing under the PFL banner, but there is growing talk that he could follow a similar path to his cousin Khabib and Makhachev.
Plenty of people are eager to see him make the jump, especially with names like Ilia Topuria, Justin Gaethje, and Max Holloway all active in the division. Most expect him to end up there sooner or later.
Khabib has already said he rates Usman higher than Topuria, and those close to him have long believed he is next in line to take over where Khabib and Makhachev left off.
Saturday’s win leaves just one fight remaining on Usman’s current deal, so if he chooses not to renew with the PFL, the path could soon be clear for a move.
Bruno Fernandes scoops huge honour after masterclass in win vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes has been honoured following his dazzling performance in Saturday’s victory against Tottenham Hotspur.
Fernandes masterclass
In yet another game, Fernandes ran the show as United cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over 10-man Tottenham.
United started the game brightly and were handed an advantage just before the half-hour mark when Cuti Romero was given his marching orders for a dangerous challenge on Casemiro.
Bryan Mbeumo made the visitors pay almost instantly as he finished off an intelligently worked corner-kick routine by guiding the ball into the bottom corner.
The Red Devils were in the ascendancy from then on and created chance after chance, with Fernandes at the heart of it.
United finally sealed the victory in the 81st minute, as the Portuguese playmaker met Diogo Dalot’s sublime cross and guided it home with an improvised shin.
It was another stunning performance from the seemingly unplayable Fernandes. Since Michael Carrick’s arrival, he has found an extra gear – a surge that has lifted United to another level entirely.
Troy Deeney included Fernandes in his BBC Team of the Week, crediting Carrick’s tactical freedom for unlocking the midfielder’s full potential.
Fernandes honoured
Deeney included Fernandes in a midfield quartet that also includes Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Vitaly Janelt (Brentford), Rayan (Bournemouth) and Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool).
On why he picked Fernandes, Deeney wrote, “What a difference a manager makes – being able to be free, get on the ball, go wherever he wants and be creative.”
“I think Michael Carrick takes a lot of credit for that but again, another goal for him against Spurs, another win for United – he has to go in.”
Fernandes is now up to six goals and 12 assists in 22 Premier League appearances this term.
At FC Barcelona, in order to submit his candidacy for the presidency, Joan Laporta has resigned from his position.
Just now, Joan Laporta and the rest of the FC Barcelona board have stepped down. This is the standard procedure before the upcoming presidential election at the Catalan club, scheduled for Sunday, March 15. Laporta had to resign if he wanted to run for a new term as president.
"In accordance with article 42.f of FC Barcelona's statutes, president Joan Laporta has resigned from his position in order to stand in the board elections to be held on March 15. This resignation was formalized during the regular board meeting held on Monday, during which the call for elections was officially published. In addition to Joan Laporta, several members of the current board have also resigned to participate in the electoral process. Specifically, vice president of institutional affairs Elena Fort, vice president of the social department Antonio Escudero, as well as directors Ferran Olivé, Josep Maria Albert, Javier Barbany, Miquel Camps, Aureli Mas, Javier Puig, and Joan Soler y Ferré have all submitted their resignations. Once these resignations were formalized, the board will continue to carry out its duties until the end of the current term, scheduled for June 30, with a new configuration. Until then, the club's supreme collegiate body will be composed of Rafael Yuste as president, Josep Cubells as vice president and secretary, Alfons Castro as treasurer, and directors Josep Ignasi Macià, Àngel Riudalbas, Joan Solé i Sust, and Sisco Pujol. Once official, the new board continued the meeting according to the established agenda.", reads the statement released by Barça.
[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald greets Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Blake/Reuters via Imagn Images | Mike Blake/Reuters via Imagn Images
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - It’s not all that uncommon to see teams that have surprising seasons, and reach the Super Bowl, turn out to be nothing more than one-hit wonders.
They flash for one magical season, and then disappear, rarely, if ever, getting back to the dance. See the Cincinnati Bengals for details.
Will that be the Patriots fate?
They weren’t on the same level as the Seattle Seahawks, who disposed of them rather easily, 29-13, in Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium Sunday night.
But the NFL’s Coach of the Year also said plenty regarding the Patriots future. He said they were “disappointed but not discouraged.”
The discouraging part will come if improvements aren’t made, if they don’t make upgrades, and bring in more talent.
If they stand pat, that’s the recipe for a one-hit wonder.
This season, the Patriots did well in the draft, and in free agency. It can’t stop there.
They need to continue to lure in top free agents, and score in the draft.
This was a great run by a good team that had every ounce squeezed out of it over the course of the past six months.
When they ran into the better teams during the post-season, each victory became incrementally harder.
They just couldn’t get over the final hurdle.
Asked if he felt the Super Bowl experience was valuable even in defeat, Vrabel provided a telling answer.
“It’s only valuable if we understand what it takes and what we’re going to need to do to improve,” Vrabel said. “If we don’t do that, then it won’t have been very valuable.”
Bingo.
Vrabel also pointed out they are ahead of the curve in their rebuild process - 307 days to be exact.
There’s little question about that.
The point now is to keep progressing, keep getting better.
They have decisions to make on productive players who are set to become free agents (K’Lavon Chaisson, Jaylinn Hawkins, Khyiris Tonga), as well as whether to extend stars who have another year. Christian Gonzalez, who was the Patriots’ best player on the field against the Seahawks, is the prime example in that category.
They also have to decide if Will Campbell, who, according to Next Gen stats, allowed 14 pressures, is best suited at tackle or guard.
Those decisions will impact who they target in free agency, the draft and beyond. But pass rush, wide receiver and offensive tackle help would appear the top priorities.
Basically, they’re off to a good start. They have a good nucleus of players, a top-notch head coach, and, they hit the lottery with Drake Maye.
Obviously, after an other-worldly regular season, the second-year quarterback’s postseason was a disappointment.
He didn’t play anywhere near the level he did during the regular season. But he’ll learn from it.
“There’s plays I’ll think about for the next probably seven months until we’re back in September playing our first one,” said Maye, who threw two touchdown passes, but also had two interceptions and a lost fumble in defeat.
“I think you live, you learn, the losses they hurt, and think you learn when you win and you remember this feeling when you lose. I know there’s a lot of things you wish you could have back, but it’s only going to make you stronger in the end.”
With Vrabel and Maye, and a a few other cornerstone pieces (Milton Williams, Gonzalez) in-house, with more to be added, they’ll be a contending team for many years to come.
The players were optimistic about the future. They insist they’ll be back. They will, but this game was proof they need more to win a championship.
“This is our first year here. No one thought we’d be here,” Carlton Davis III said. “We put the league on notice. Obviously, we didn’t get the job done. We have a bright future. We have a lot of great young players coming in and taking the league by storm in the first year ... I have a feeling we’ll be back.”
Vrabel should, and will continue to bring in players who fit the mold. His mold. The braintrust with Eliot Wolf, Ryan Cowden and John Streicher will make a point of bringing in the right people.
“Every year is a new year,” Vrabel said. “We have to continue to try to improve the roster, continue to improve what we do, continue to improve how we do it.
“Continue to believe in people, continue to get the right people in the building. And start over and know how hard it is each and every year.”
The players talked about using the loss as fuel going forward.
Vrabel wants them to use it as fuel. That was the post-game buzzword in defeat. And that’s fine. But that can only take them so far.
“I mean, the world isn’t going to stop spinning because we lost. It sucks right now but it shouldn’t take away from the growth we had as a team this year or the number of guys who stepped up in big moments,” linebacker Harold Landry said. “Now, it’s about going into the offseason eager to learn, eager to improve and continuing to build on the success we had this year.”
Veteran offensive lineman Morgan Moses, who is under contract for two more seasons, agreed.
“We got a foundation. That’s the biggest thing,” he said. “We got a foundation where we can move on and build off of for next year.”
That’s the ticket. Continue to build. Don’t settle for one swing at the Lombardi Trophy.
Fourteen Premier League teams remain alive for the 2025-26 FA Cup after two upsets and four intra-PL ties helped slim the field for the fourth round draw.
The Premier League's 20 teams entered the fold for the third round in early January, with Wrexham AFC registering a mild shock of Nottingham Forest and sixth-tier Macclesfield FC stunning the world with a win over reigning FA Cup champions Crystal Palace.
Everton, Bournemouth, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur all exited the competition through more understandable means, done-in by tough opening draws against fellow Premier League sides.
Macclesfield FC — the reincarnation of Macclesfield Town — are now a National League North side managed by John Rooney, the younger brother of Everton and Manchester United hero Wayne Rooney.
They've already scored what is being hailed as the biggest shock in FA Cup history by holding on to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in the third round. Their reward? They now face another Premier League side, Brentford, for a spot in the last 16. They couldn't cause another shock, could they?
How to watch the 2025-26 FA Cup live, stream link
TV channel: ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes Streaming: ESPN+
2025-26 FA Cup fourth round schedule
Friday, February 13 Hull City vs Chelsea — 2:45pm ET Wrexham vs Ipswich Town — 2:45pm ET
Saturday, February 14 Burton Albion vs West Ham United — 7:15am ET Southampton vs Leicester City — 10am ET Manchester City vs Salford — 10am ET Port Vale vs Bristol City — 10am ET Norwich City vs West Bromwich Albion — 10am ET Burnley vs Mansfield Town — 10am ET Aston Villa vs Newcastle United — 12:45pm ET Liverpool vs Brighton & Hove Albion — 3pm ET
Sunday, February 15 Birmingham City vs Leeds United — 7am ET Grimsby Town vs Wolves — 8:30am ET Stoke City vs Fulham — 9am ET Oxford United vs Sunderland — 9am ET Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic — 11:30am ET
Monday, February 16 Macclesfield vs Brentford — 2:30pm ET
2025-25 FA Cup third round results
All times ET
Friday, January 9
Preston North End 0-1 Wigan Athletic MK Dons 1-1 (3-4 PKs) Oxford United Port Vale 1-0 Fleetwood Town Wrexham AFC 3-3 (4-3 PKs) Nottingham Forest
Saturday, January 10
Macclesfield FC 2-1 Crystal Palace — Recap, video highlights Everton 1-1 (0-3 pens) Sunderland Wolves 6-1 Shrewsbury Town Cheltenham Town 0-2 Leicester City Doncaster Rovers 2-3 Southampton Stoke City 1-0 Coventry City Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Brentford Newcastle United 3-3 (7-6 pens) Bournemouth Fulham 3-1 Middlesbrough Ipswich Town 2-1 Blackpool Manchester City 10-1 Exeter City Burnley 5-1 Millwall Boreham Wood 0-5 Burton Albion Cambridge United 2-3 Birmingham City Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Aston Villa — Recap, video highlights Grimsby Town 3-2 Weston-Super-Mare Bristol City 5-1 Watford Charlton Athletic 1-5 Chelsea
Sunday, January 11
Derby County 1-3 Leeds United Portsmouth 1-4 Arsenal — Recap, video highlights West Ham United 2-1 Queens Park Rangers Norwich City 5-1 Walsall Swansea City 2-2 (5-6 pens) West Bromwich Albion Hull City 0-0 (4-3 pens) Blackburn Rovers Sheffield United 3-4 Mansfield Town Manchester United 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion — Recap, video highlights
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — Take it from an actual Olympic Alpine skier: all these armchair experts claiming Lindsey Vonn's injury caused her crash have no idea what they're talking about.
When you hook a gate at high speed, as Vonn did in the downhill race Sunday, Feb. 8, there is little chance of making a recovery, said Keely Cashman, one of the American speed skiers.
"That twists your body around. That has nothing to do with her ACL, nothing to do with her knee," Cashman said Monday, Feb. 9. "A lot of people are ridiculing that, and a lot of people don't know what's going on.
"I'm not sure why people have so many opinions about it."
Because people are ignorant. And think they understand skiing and skiers' injuries and Olympic selection procedures when they ... do not.
Vonn was skiing with a torn ACL, bone bruising and meniscus damage in her left knee after a Jan. 30 crash in the final downhill before the Milano Cortina Olympics. It's not unheard of for someone to ski with a torn ACL — Vonn herself did it in the fall of 2013 and new Olympic champion Breezy Johnson tried to in 2022 — and Vonn said her knee felt stable and strong. She also wore a brace.
But Vonn was going for broke in the race, as one does when you're trying to win, and taking a very tight line. She hooked the fourth gate, which spun her around and flung her into the hard snow surface. She then tumbled end over end several times before coming to rest.
Vonn suffered a broken leg, and had surgery a few hours later. U.S. Skiing said after the crash that she was stable, but has not yet provided another update.
"Stick your hand out the car window when you're driving down the freeway and then pretend you're not connected to the car. It's going to twist you around," Cashman said. "People just don't understand really what goes on."
Which is troubling to the people who actually do.
"A lot of people have a lot of opinions about what happened yesterday and most of them are incorrect," Cashman said. "I hope that people can keep their opinions to themselves and just support her and understand that it's her life and she'll do whatever she wants and it doesn't affect you."
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Drake Maye sat in a gray chair on an elevated podium and started to cry.
It was around 7:45 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, roughly 20 minutes after the Patriots lost Super Bowl 60. The Seattle Seahawks battered the quarterback and his offense. He was hurting in more ways than one.
Maye admitted he received a pain-killing injection in his right throwing shoulder. The quarterback took enough lumps inside Levi Stadium thanks to six sacks and 11 hits overall. But that’s not why his eyes started to well up postgame.
That happened when he was asked about his head coach, Mike Vrabel.
“Yeah, he was a heartbeat. No doubt about that,” Maye said. “He was the reason why we were here. I look forward to my relationship with him for a long time. He’s a great person and hell of a football coach.”
At this point, grass stains covered his formerly white pants. Maye didn’t have time to shower and change before meeting the media following the end of a promising season.
The second-year quarterback made big strides in 2025. He earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. Last week, he finished second in MVP voting, losing by five points. But in this moment, Maye struggled.
As he continued to talk, his eyes filled up with tears. He spoke about the special bond he had with teammates and struggled to speak. Maye took a big deep breath and lowered his chin to his chest, briefly closing his eyes.
“I’m so proud,” Maye said. “That’s probably the reason I’m choked up the most. This team is something that I’m glad to be a part of.”
The 2025 NFL season didn’t end the way the Patriots or their quarterback wanted. After a remarkable year, Maye and the offense fluttered against a Seahawks team that clearly had a better defense.
As the quarterback struggled to process the Super Bowl loss, his teammates were back inside Levi Stadium singing his praises. Maye didn’t become a champion on Sunday, but the 23-year-old’s abilities give the Patriots a chance to get back to this stage again.
Patriots support their QB
The home-team locker room inside Levi Stadium was quiet.
At this point, the party on the field was raging on. Green confetti already rained down on the turf. The Seahawks were Super Bowl champions. The Patriots were runners-up.
They understand how hard it is to get to this point. The NFL season is long and grueling. There’s no guarantee the Patriots will ever get back to this point, but players on this team believe it’s only a matter of time.
After all, they have the quarterback.
“We have a lot of talented people on the roster, especially Drake,” right guard Michael Onwenu said. “He’s been balling. He’s a good player, so it’ll be fun to watch him in the years coming up, coming next…
“Unfortunately, we lost tonight, but we’ll be back, and I believe that.”
The No. 3 overall pick in 2024, Maye showed special ability this past season.
He finished the season, leading the NFL in completion percentage (72.0) and passer rating (113.5). He also added 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Maye also added 450 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Nearly every game, the quarterback had several eye-opening moments.
Of course, on Sunday night, none of that mattered.
The Seahawks won the battle in the trenches, sacking Maye five times in the first three quarters. All those moments led to the Patriots’ punt except for one, when Maye was strip-sacked with 16 seconds left in the third quarter. That led to Seattle’s first touchdown. The Seahawks’ second touchdown came off a Maye interception, where he was hit hard by Devon Witherspoon.
It was a tough night for the quarterback, who completed 27-of-43 passes for 295 yards with two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a fumble.
After the game, Maye’s teammates stuck up for him.
“Keep going. Steph Curry. Keep shooting,” receiver Stefon Diggs said. “He’s 23 years old. It’s a team effort. From my standpoint, I wish I could’ve done more. It’s hard playing quarterback. It’s not a one-man band. He has a supporting cast. We needed to do a better job supporting him.
“He’s young, he did what he could, fought long, fought hard… I’m just super proud of him.”
Maye gave his teammates a simple message after the loss – remember the feeling.
“That’s what I told those guys in the locker room. This is fuel,” Maye said. “If it’s not, I don’t know what this feeling could do for you. This is tough.”
Maye wasn’t alone
It was 8:27 p.m. when Maye finally entered the locker room on Sunday night. Most of his teammates were gone, having left the stadium for the team bus. Five players remained – Morgan Moses, Jaylinn Hawkins, Marcus Jones, Christian Gonzalez and Jahlani Tavai.
After being the youngest starting quarterback in the NFL as a rookie, Maye started last season as the second youngest starting quarterback behind Minnesota’s J.J. McCourty.
After the loss, the team’s message about their quarterback was simple – they trust, love and support him.
“I love Drake, man,” Moses said. “Drake is an amazing human being outside of just being a great quarterback, man. He’s literally been our MVP the whole season. As a young player, in year two, it’s undeniable what he’s been able to do this season. He put the league on notice that there’s a new quarterback in the AFC that you’ve got to worry about. That’s who he is, man.”
Two minutes after Maye entered the locker room, Vrabel entered.
The coach walked around the locker room, thanking the media for their coverage, and approached the remaining players. He started on the defensive side of the room, saying, “Thank you for a great season,” to Tavai, Gonzalez, Jones, and Hawkins.
As he turned the corner to the offensive side of the room, only Maye remained. The quarterback faced his locker and was moving slowly.
At 8:29 p.m., Vrabel patted him on the right hip and stood to his left. The coach leaned in and whispered words of encouragement. Vrabel was there for a few minutes before patting Maye twice on the back and stepping out of the locker room.
It wasn’t that long ago when the quarterback was teary-eyed, talking about his coach. At the same time, Vrabel spoke highly of Maye.
“I’m sure he’s over there talking about all the things he has to do to improve and what he could’ve done better,” Vrabel said. “I care deeply about him. I’m confident they’ll be back and they’ll do everything they can to help this team. We won a lot of football games with the guys we have. Drake’s a big reason why we’re here. I can’t wait to get back and coach him again.”
It was 8:31 p.m. when the young quarterback was dressed in a white, long-sleeved shirt with black pants and black shoes. Maye picked up a black bag and exited the locker room with his head down.
Most of his teammates had already departed the stadium by this point, but the Patriots quarterback wouldn’t leave alone.
Waiting for him in the hallway was Vrabel. At 8:33 p.m., the Patriots coach and quarterback walked side-by-side. They traveled down the tunnel that led out of Levi Stadium and eventually to the team’s bus.
The Patriots didn’t win the Super Bowl on Sunday night, but after a 4-win season, they accomplished more than anyone thought.
As the coach and quarterback left the stadium, they did so together.
ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 07: Terrance Gore #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout during Game 2 of the NLDS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Globe Life Field on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
I do love a specialized role, as it can highlight the many ways to impact a baseball game. The Dodgers have had a few examples over the years.
Andre Jackson pitched in 14 games over three seasons with Los Angeles, and in four of them recorded a save of three innings or longer. “I didn’t even know a three-inning save was a thing until I got the first one,” he said in 2023, after the third of his saves. “I didn’t know the rules behind that.”
Justin Dean never batted in the 2025 postseason, but played 13 of the Dodgers’ 17 games as the security blanket on defense in center field late in games.
“The game is still the game. So I go through my defense work. That’s always gonna be a part of my game, part of my routine, my defense. I look at pitches and try to see what I can pick up on, as far as base stealing, if I’m going to be running or whatnot,” Dean said last October. “So that might be a little bit more hyper focused, yeah, as far as my routine, but I’m still getting my hitting in and my working in the cage and stuff like that. So it’s still going through a normal day.”
No baseball player in recent memory had a more specialized role than Terrance Gore, the speedy outfielder who died at age 34 this weekend.
Gore between the regular season and postseason played 123 total games over eight major league seasons for five teams — the Royals, Cubs, Dodgers, Braves, and Mets. He reached the playoffs with all five teams, and won championship rings with the Royals, Dodgers, and Braves. In those 123 career games, Gore batted a total of 87 times, but stole 48 bases in 58 tries, a stellar 82.8-percent success rate.
With the Dodgers in the shortened 2020 season, Gore played in two games and totaled on defensive inning in center field in the regular season, but after getting designated for assignment spent two months at the club’s alternate training site getting ready for the postseason. Gore was active for the wild card round and National League Division Series, but did not play in any of those five games. He did not steal a base for Los Angeles.
That’s the thing with players with specific skills. You don’t always know if or when you might need them, but it feels nice to have the luxury of having them around, just in case.
From the day he arrived in professional baseball, Gore understood his utility as a player might be limited. He decided to make the most of it. He embraced his role as a part-time performer, a player called into action for postseason teams solely so he could pinch run. He crackled with life, first as the kid brother of those Royals teams, and later as a journeyman bouncing from contender to contender in search of a base to steal.
Players like Gore are why I enjoy writing season reviews for every single player who spent at least part of the year on the 40-man roster, no matter the scope of their performance. It’s fun to remember that they were around, and in some small way keeps their memory alive.
The Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl LX over the New England Patriots on Sunday night and it was officially the last game for Klint Kubiak as the team's offensive coordinator.
Following the victory over the Pats, Kubiak emphatically confirmed that he is going to take the Las Vegas Raiders' head-coach job, something that was widely reported in the week leading up to the Super Bowl.
"You guys know I'm going to Las Vegas. I'm fired up about it," Kubiak told Stacey Dales of NFL Network. "Hell yeah I'm going. Of course I'm going."
Kubiak also told The Athletic's Dianna Russini that he's going to enjoy the Super Bowl win and will then turn to a new chapter in his career on Monday.
While the Seahawks struggled offensively versus the Patriots on Sunday, that was hardly Kubiak's fault, as quarterback Sam Darnold missed a few big passes that would have made the score even more lopsided.
We will likely see an official announcement on Kubiak from the Raiders this week, and we may even get the introductory presser, although that remains to be seen.
One coach to keep an eye on is Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde, who assisted Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald in running an elite defense in 2025 that absolutely smothered the Patriots in the Super Bowl.
No matter who Kubiak brings with him, he'll be ushering in an exciting new era for the Raiders, who hope the veteran play-caller can finally right the ship in Las Vegas.
Breezy Johnson won Olympic gold in the women's downhill (Marco BERTORELLO)
Mikaela Shiffrin will make her debut at the 2026 Winter Olympics in the women's team combined after being paired with downhill gold winner Breezy Johnson, the USA's ski team announced on Monday.
Shiffrin and Johnson are reigning world champions in the discipline, which is making its Olympic bow at the Milan-Cortina Games, and they will be hot favourites for more gold on Tuesday in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
The duo will take part in their specialist disciplines, with Shiffrin taking the slopes for Tuesday afternoon's slalom after Johnson completes the downhill in the morning.
Lindsey Vonn's horror crash out of Sunday's downhill final, won by Johnson, ended any possibility of her being half of a dream team with Shiffrin, the most successful skier of all-time.
Vonn underwent surgery on Sunday on a fracture in her left leg, which already had no anterior cruciate ligament, suffered during the heavy fall on the Olimpia delle Tofane piste.
Shiffrin arrives in Cortina d'Ampezzo with tough memories of her disastrous last Olympics in Beijing where she failed to claim a single medal.
The 30-year-old has won a record 108 races in the regular season World Cup, including seven of this term's eight slalom races.
The NFL offseason has officially arrived following the conclusion of Super Bowl LX, which saw five former members of the New York Giants, including Leonard Williams and Julian Love, earn a championship ring.
Now it's full steam ahead toward free agency, which will completely render all mock drafts null and void. But until we reach that point, why not conduct another simulation?
We used the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator for this exercise and left all settings on default. There were no trades, we controlled only the New York Giants, and we projected a full seven rounds.
Here's how things played out:
Round 1, Pick 5: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
There were several options here, including linebacker Avrell Reese and wide receiver Carnell Tate. Ultimately, we went with the do-it-all superstar safety, whose impact would be similar to Kyle Hamilton in Baltimore. It just seems to fit John Harbaugh's personnel approach and comes at an area of need for the Giants.
Productive, high-effort safety with three years of starting experience in big games at Alabama and Ohio State. Downs is an alpha who brings immense juice on each snap. He’s at his best when deployed near the line as a box safety or big nickel back. He’ll gamble a little bit as a run defender, but he makes more than enough disruptive plays near the line of scrimmage to make up for it. He’s fluent in man or zone over the first two levels and is rarely fooled by play-action or misdirection. While he’s quick to close and strike underneath, there are hints of caution that prevent him from making more plays on the football. Downs isn’t the biggest, fastest or most versatile player, but he consistently puts his stamp on games.
Round 2, Pick 37: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon
The Giants inevitably address their interior offensive line this offseason, likely landing a new center and at least one new guard. Universally, Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane is viewed as the top guard in the draft but after that, opinions are more mixed. Some believe Pregnon is OG2, while others believe that title belongs to either Chase Bisontis or Keylan Rutledge. We chose Pregnon.
Pregnon's tape screams day-one contributor with the blend of power, hand technique, and consistent performance that franchises covet when constructing their interior offensive line for championship runs. Teams running gap or inside zone schemes will love his ability to generate movement and create running lanes, while his pass protection reliability provides the foundation to step into a starting role without needing the developmental patience most rookies require before seeing significant snaps. The adjustment to NFL speed and the power-finesse combination that league defensive tackles bring every down will test him early, but his anchor handles pure power beautifully and his hand usage provides legitimate counters when defenders try to speed rush his edges.
Round 4, Pick 105: Bryce Boettcher, LB, Oregon
This was probably too high for Boettcher, but wide receivers and linebackers were flying off the board and a value pick wasn't going to happen after another round. Ultimately, we overdrafted Boettcher here with a mind on need and future round likelihood. His draft stock is, however, rising after an impressive Senior Bowl showing.
Bryce Boettcher arrived at Oregon in 2021 as a baseball player, spending his first season patrolling center field while hitting .152 in 38 games. The South Eugene native had starred in three sports during high school, earning recognition as a top-100 dual-threat quarterback and the state's top-ranked shortstop prospect. His freshman baseball campaign showed flashes, with Oregon going 6-2 in his eight starts, though his offensive production remained modest.
Boettcher's trajectory shifted when he joined the football program as a walk-on in 2022, initially contributing on special teams while continuing his baseball career. His transition from defensive back to inside linebacker began in earnest during 2023, when he appeared in all 14 games and recorded 37 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss. Meanwhile, his baseball performance improved significantly, culminating in a breakout 2024 senior season where he hit .276 with 12 home runs and earned ABCA Gold Glove recognition.
Round 5, Pick 143: Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State
It's a deep wide receiver class this year, but most were wiped off the board early in this mock. But value met need here, and we swooped up the player Mel Kiper Jr. believes may be the most under-the-radar talent in the draft. Lance possesses good size and speed, but will need some development at the NFL level. Still, he's got all the tools to become an impactful receiver.
2024 happened, and the football world discovered what NDSU coaches had been watching develop in practice. Lance detonated for 75 receptions and 1,071 receiving yards, both ranking among the best single-season totals in program history, while his 17 touchdown catches not only led the entire FCS but tied the Missouri Valley Football Conference record. The former Marshall High School standout, who once set prep records with 199 receiving yards in a single game and 1,766 career yards, channeled that small-town dominance into college football's biggest moments when it mattered most.
His postseason run validated everything scouts needed to see - 25 catches for 375 yards and seven touchdowns across four playoff games, including a nine-reception masterpiece in the national championship victory over Montana State. The marketing major who graduated in December 2024 while pursuing his MBA earned First-Team All-MVFC honors, made the FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team, and joined the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society, proving he brings the same precision to the classroom that he displays between the lines. After spending three years as an afterthought, Lance transformed himself into the most dangerous red zone weapon in FCS football, finishing his junior campaign as a consensus small-school All-American who helped deliver NDSU's tenth national championship.
Round 6, Pick 185: Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama
A unanimous five-star recruit, Jackson is lightning fast with good length and impressive football IQ. The one knock against him is that his overall statistical production doesn't match his elite athletic testing, resulting in some concern about his leap from college to the NFL.
Jackson's elite speed allows him to recover from coverage mistakes that would doom slower corners, yet his inconsistent route recognition means he's making those mistakes more frequently than his talent suggests he should. His willingness to attack the run game stands out immediately - he triggers downhill with bad intentions and rarely gets pushed around by bigger receivers or tight ends trying to crack block. However, that same aggressive nature sometimes works against him in coverage, where patience and discipline matter more than raw physicality.
The transition to the pro game will test Jackson's ability to process information quickly while maintaining his natural athletic advantages. His frame and speed combination gives him the tools to handle bigger slot receivers and stretch the field vertically, but his ball skills haven't developed at the same pace as his physical maturity. Teams will appreciate his special teams value immediately - that kind of closing speed makes him dangerous on coverage units and potentially explosive as a returner. Yet the same coaching staff will need to invest significant time developing his coverage instincts, particularly in zone concepts where his average performance suggests discomfort with pattern recognition and help responsibilities.
Round 6, Pick 191: Rayshaun Benny, iDL, Michigan
The Giants must find a way to plug the run and will have to address the defensive tackle position again this offseason. Benny represents a pure run-stopping tackle who will need to bulk up a bit at the NFL level to continue that dominance. With a plethora of pass rushers on the roster, the Giants can afford to use a spot on a pure run defender.
Benny's instincts when diagnosing plays make him valuable in the modern NFL where offenses constantly employ misdirection, but his average first-step quickness will prevent him from being a consistent backfield disruptor against elite interior offensive linemen. The medical evaluation of his previously broken fibula remains a significant consideration, though his return to form late last season suggests resilience. Teams will need to determine if his limited statistical production was more a product of Michigan's deep rotation or a reflection of his ultimate ceiling.
What makes Benny intriguing is the untapped potential still lurking beneath the surface. Five years in a championship-caliber program has refined his technique without maxing out his development curve. His blend of power, technical savvy, and experience positions him as a potential day-one contributor with room to grow into something more if he can translate his run-stuffing prowess into more consistent pocket collapse.
Round 6, Pick 192: Adam Randall, RB, Clemson
Running back is not a major area of need for the Giants, but they are likely to part ways with Devin Singletary to clear salary cap space, opening up a job behind Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. Randall is another converted wide receiver who brings a dual-threat ability to the backfield.
Adam Randall is raw as a running back, and only has limited tape at the position. That may depress his draft stock, but it could also serve to make him a hidden gem and a steal for the team that eventually takes him.
Randall has great size, very good vision, and the athleticism to make full use of that vision. Likewise, he has enough speed to break long runs once he’s able to find the open field. Additionally, his background as a wide receiver makes him a very dangerous weapon out of the backfield. Randall is simply too big – and his contact balance is too good – for off-ball linebackers and defensive backs to bring him down easily.
He obviously still needs development, but Randall has real upside for the team that invests in him.
Pro Football Focus grade: C-
With a bias toward their own internal rankings, an incomplete "team needs" list, and an emphasis on positional needs matching pick value, Pro Football Focus graded this mock draft poorly. The "F" given to the Boettcher pick makes since given he was overdrafted, but a "C+" for selecting Caleb Downs tells the whole story.
We know what PFF thinks, but what about you, Giants fans? Is this an acceptable draft or are you throwing your remotes?
Check out this week's "Spinning Back Clique," MMA Junkie's weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.
This week's panel of Brian "Goze" Garcia, Nolan King, Danny Segura, and guest John Nash will join host "Gorgeous" George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:
The first UFC Fight Night of 2026 is in the books. UFC Fight Night 266 at the Meta APEX on Saturday saw Mario Bautista submit Vinicius Oliveira in the main event, and Kyogi Horiguchi dominated Amir Albazi to make it 2-0 since his return to the UFC. We break down these big wins, plus other notable results from the card.
PFL hosted its first event of 2026. PFL Dubai had two championship fights, with Usman Nurmagomedov defending his lightweight title against Alfie Davis, and Ramazan Kuramagomedov upsetting Shamil Musaev to win the inaugural welterweight belt. We react to and discuss the key results from the card.
There was an update on the ongoing antitrust lawsuit against the UFC this past week. UFC CEO Dana White and Hunter Campbell, chief business officer of the UFC, testified under oath, revealing some interesting details on the case and on the current business practices of the promotion. We speak to journalist John Nash about the latest in the case.
A lot populated the headlines this past week, from Jon Jones looking uncertain about fighting again to Nick Diaz assuring he'll make an MMA return in the future. We go over and review the biggest news of the week.
The offseason is underway for every NFL team following Super Bowl LX. The Kansas City Chiefs are making personnel decisions to improve the team and convince their iconic tight end to return for another season.
According to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs have been in touch with Travis Kelce for a return next season.
"The perennial Pro Bowler, who had a resurgent 2025 to reassert his place among the game's best despite being 36 years old, has not made a firm decision on his future. However, he has been in touch with his team about a potential return, and Kansas City wants him back, sources say." wrote Rapoport, "The plan is to reconvene after the Super Bowl to finalize a plan that works for both parties."
The eleven-time Pro Bowler recently appeared on Kylie Kelce's 'Not Gonna Lie' podcast, addressing the offseason.
"It's been nuts, man, it's been nuts," Travis said. "Obviously, when you're in it, it all happens so fast. So being able to take that step back this year, i don't know, I'm still proud of the work that we've done. Who knows if we can keep that thing going?"
The decision remains on Kelce and whether he wants to return for another year, and he views the Chiefs as Super Bowl contenders in 2026.
The offseason is officially underway for the Houston Texans off NRG Drive.
That means free agents are set to potentially test the market.
After posting a 12-win season for the first time since 2012, Houston has an understanding of what it takes to win a Super Bowl. A 28-16 division round loss to the New England Patriots led to the same end as the previous two years under DeMeco Ryans, but this season felt different.
Houston looked like it was built to hoist a Lombardi Trophy on the defensive side, thanks to the breakout play of All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. and cornerback Kamari Lassiter. On offense, the Texans need a breakout campaign from C.J. Stroud in 2026 or they could be starting over at the league's most important spot.
The roster construction will be a do-or-die for general manager Nick Caserio as conference championship weekend approaches. The Texans could be willing to part ways with some key names, but others must be retained before they ever flirt with the idea of leaving NRG Stadium.
Who are the names to know entering the offseason? Here are the 20 free agents from the Texans' active roster that the team must decide on keeping or letting go over the next 60 days now that the Seattle Seahawks are entering the offseason as Super Bowl champions.
We're still waiting on the Oregon Ducks to officially announce the date for this year's annual Spring Game inside Autzen Stadium, but throughout Eugene, you can feel the anticipation starting to build. After a successful 2025 campaign that ended in the College Football Playoff semifinals, Duck fans are ready to see their team get back out on the field and compete for a national championship.
There are still a few weeks offseason left before spring ball can start, but with the addition of new players via the transfer portal and high school ranks, there is an early buzz surrounding the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex. Thanks to the returns of veterans like Dante Moore, Matayo Uiagalelei, and A'Mauri Washington, among others, expectations are high going into 2026.
Before we can focus on that, though, we must dive into preview season.
To start the preview season, we want to examine the Big Ten Conference as a whole. With the Indiana Hoosiers winning the national championship in 2025, and the Big Ten producing the last three straight national champions, it's been quite a year for the conference, once again. That shouldn't change going into 2026, with three of the top six teams in ESPN's 'Way-Too-Early' Top 25.
We start with the quarterbacks in the Big Ten. It will be an interesting year for passers in the conference. At the top, two of the best QBs in the nation — Dante Moore and Julian Sayin — are returning for another year, while other schools — like Michigan and Washington — have incredibly talented players who could take a step forward on the national stage. There are also a number of highly contested QB battles that will take place this spring.
Which Big Ten teams should feel the most confident in their signal-callers going into the spring season? We broke it down and ranked them, projecting the 18 starters for every team in the conference.
Analysis: Taking over for Mark Gronowski isn't going to be easy, but Iowa is likely to turn to Jeremy Hecklinski, who doesn't have much experience at all, but he is a solid athlete who transferred from Wake Forest.
Analysis: We've seen a good amount from Ryan Browne before, and while it wasn't terrible, it also leaves a lot to be desired. We will see what Barry Odom can do with him in Year 2 with the junior QB.
Analysis: With Dylan Raiola now at Oregon, the Conrhuskers will turn to TJ Lateef to take over as the starter. He has looked good in his limited action before, with an impressive TD:INT ratio, but will be asked to do a lot more going forward.
No. 15 — Alessio Milivojevic (Michigan State Spartans)
Career Stats: 1,267 yards, 10 TD, 3 INT
Analysis: With Aidan Chiles off to Northwestern, the Spartans will have a new passer under new head coach Pat Fitzgerald, turning to Alessio Milivojevic to try and lead this new era. He has had some decent production in the past in East Lansing, but needs to step up in a major way if Michigan State is going to have a lot of success in 2026.
Analysis: It's always interesting to see which players from lower-levels of competition can step up and become solid players at the Power 4 level. Colton Joseph will try to do that with Wisconsin this year after having a lot of success at Old Dominion.
Analysis: It's been a long road for Lonergan so far, starting at Alabama and then moving to Boston College before now taking his next opportunity at Rutgers. He's a solid talent with a lot of tools, but just needs to put it all together.
Analysis: Much like Colton Joseph at Wisconsin, we get to see how Katin Houser can step up from the East Carolina level and try to take over at Illinois after the Luke Altmyer era. He will have big shoes to fill, but we've seen some solid production from him in the past.
Analysis: The Aidan Chiles era didn't quite pan out as expected at Michigan State after the start to his career at Oregon State, but with Jonathan Smith now gone, Chiles transferred to Northwestern, where he will play under new OC Chip Kelly, which could be fascinating.
No. 10 — Drake Lindsey (Minnesota Golden Gophers)
Career Stats: 2,432 yards, 19 TD, 6 INT
Analysis: Drake Lindsey flies under the radar as an impressive young player who has had some very solid production before. It will be fun to see what he can do in his third season with the Gophers coming up, as he could very well move up these rankings.
Analysis: These next two rankings between Bryce Underwood and Malik Washington — both very talented freshmen in 2025 — were difficult, but ultimately, I went with Underwood here. The sky is the ceiling for the former 5-star player, and with a new coaching staff, 2026 should be a monumental year for him.
Career Stats: 2,963 yards, 17 TD, 9 INT (303 rush, 4 TD)
Analysis: Washington was the biggest surprise of the season for the Big Ten as far as QBs go. As a freshman, he was very impressive with the Terrapins, putting up some really solid numbers early on, and I expect that to continue this season.
Analysis: Books will eventually be written about Nico Iamaleava's career, starting at Tennessee and now at UCLA. The 2025 season was forgetful for the Bruins, but Iamaleava got comfortable near the end of the season, and now, with a new coaching staff coming in, he has a chance to really take a step forward.
Analysis: One of the veteran-most players in the conference now, Becht comes to Penn State alongside former Iowa State coach Matt Campbell, looking to right the ship in Happy Valley. He is a very good passer with a ton of experience, and should be exactly what the Nittany Lions need.
Analysis: The Demond Williams story has been fascinating this offseason, thanks to his dalliance with the transfer portal. With all of that aside, though, it's clear that Williams is one of the most talented passers in the conference and should have a good season in 2026, so long as he and his team can get along.
Analysis: Jayden Maiava has a chance to be one of the best players in the Big Ten this year, and in the Heisman mix should things go well in Los Angeles. He is a talented passer with a lot of production in the past, and he impressed last year under Lincoln Riley.
No. 3 — Josh Hoover (TCU Horned Frogs)
Career Stats: 9,629 yards, 71 TD, 33 INT (TCU)
Analysis: Indiana has been great at taking transfer portal QBs and turning them into superstars, obviously, with Fernando Mendoza winning the Heisman Trophy being the lasting image in everyone's mind. Can they do the same with Josh Hoover from TCU? He has a ton of experience and production, so it would come as no surprise if he continues to lead them to success.
Analysis: You could argue that these top two spots are 1A and 1B instead of 1 and 2. Starting with Julian Sayin, the Heisman Trophy finalist in 2025, the Buckeyes are in good hands. There's a good chance that Sayin, one of the most accurate passers in Ohio State history, will continue to improve and become a top pick in the 2026 NFL draft. He undoubtedly is one of the top QBs in the nation going into this season.
Analysis: Whether or not you want to put Sayin over Moore, or Moore over Sayin, is up for debate. I don't have a problem either way. I think that Moore's experience gives him the slightest edge, and his production speaks for itself. He chose to come back for one more year, putting off a spot in the top-five of the 2026 NFL draft, and I think that he's going to try and prove that was the right decision with a great season in Eugene.
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The 2026 season is officially underway for the Los Angeles Rams. And while it didn't end with a Super Bowl victory, the 2025 season was a relative success with the majority of the team's core players and coaches returning for another season.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford is back after rumors of his retirement, and defensive coordinator Chris Shula and passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase will both be back after interviewing for head coaching jobs this winter. The only big loss was offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who is now the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
Now that the quarterback and coaching situations have been dealt with the, the Rams have to figure out what they can do this offseason to capitalize on Stafford's return and take the next step to get back to the Super Bowl.
CBS Sports analyst Ran Carthon, who was also the Rams' director of player personnel under general manager Les Snead from 2012–2016, laid out what he thinks L.A. should do this offseason.
Here's the short and sweet of his roadmap:
Bring back Kamren Curl in Roger McCreary rather than let them walk in free agency.
Get an extension done with Puka Nacua before the 2026 season starts.
Target defense in the draft — either a cornerback and/or a linebacker. Jermod McCoy or Mansoor Delane would be Carthon's top picks, or Sonny Styles if the Rams move around the board. He also mentioned receiver Jordyn Tyson as a possibility at No. 13 if he falls.
Keep the quarterback room the same and focus on the defense. Insinuating the team should keep Stetson Bennett and re-sign Jimmy Garoppolo.
This is a pretty easy and simple list for Snead and head coach Sean McVay to pull off. There aren't any blockbuster trades, but it identifies the key areas of concern (mainly defense) while keeping the same offense that led the NFL in scoring in 2025 the same for 2026.
Everything once again hinges on Stafford. His return is huge, but he needs to stay healthy. The other hope is that the defense can stay strong for an entire season after it wavered toward the end of the year.
Usman Nurmagomedov has suggested that the best UFC fighters would fare no better than his opponents in the PFL, where the lightweight champion put Alfie Davis to sleep on Saturday.
Nurmagomedov, with his cousin Khabib in his corner, choked Davis unconscious in Dubai to retain his title, beating the Briton in the third round.
While speaking at his post-fight press conference, Nurmagomedov addressed potential match-ups with UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and No 1-ranked Arman Tsarukyan.
“Firstly, the preparation for them would be completely different,” he said. “They’re fighters of a different level in terms of skill.
“For example, Arman both wrestles and strikes, so the preparation would have been entirely different.
“But the result would have been the same,” Nurmagomedov declared, before adding: “Unlike Arman, I don’t have a loss.”
Nurmagomedov’s victory over Davis, 33, came via an arm triangle choke and enhanced the Russian’s status as one of the best lightweights in MMA.
Usman Nurmagomedov choked Alfie Davis unconscious to retain his PFL title (PFL MMA)Usman Nurmagomedov (right) with cousin Khabib (centre) in his corner (PFL MMA)
It is natural, therefore, that debates have arisen as to whether Nurmagomedov would win gold at 155lb in the UFC, as his cousin Khabib and teammate Islam Makhachev did.
The unbeaten Topuria holds the title at the moment, having won the vacant belt last June after it was relinquished by Makhachev, who moved up to welterweight to win a second strap. Topuria, 29, knocked out former champion Charles Oliveira in the first round to collect the title, having vacated the featherweight belt earlier in the year.
Ilia Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira to win the vacant UFC lightweight belt in June (Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov’s next fight is unclear, as is Davis’s.
The Briton, reflecting on his loss to Nurmagomedov, told Red Corner MMA: “I heard my corner say, ‘30 seconds left,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, I’ll just chill here [on the mat] and wait, he’s not going to get this.
“The next thing I know, I’m waking up. He had a monster squeeze on him. I woke up with Khabib in my face, and I was like... it was weird. If you’ve ever been choked out, it’s like a sort of weird, buzzy feeling. I woke up and I was like, ‘Where am I?’ I was like, ‘Oh, there I am.’
"I woke up with Khabib in my face": Alfie Davis reflects on facing elite competition such as Usman Nurmagomedov and recalls his conversations with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev after the fight.
“[Usman] was very respectful to be fair, all very respectful. I think Islam Makhachev gave the best comment: he like laughed at me and said, ‘Hey, brother, now it’s 1-1.’” Makhachev’s words were an apparent reference to Davis’s KO win over Gadzhi Rabadanov, who is a teammate of Makhachev and Nurmagomedov.
High school girls basketball coaches met on Sunday, Feb. 8 to find out who, when and where they will be playing in this year's Ohio High School Athletic Association tournament as the road to a district championship has been made clear.
Let's take a look at how the tournament draw fell for several area teams.
The Clear Fork Colts earned the No. 1 overall seed in their district pod and will begin their quest for a second straight district championship at 2 p.m. on Feb. 21 at home against No. 8 Galion in a sectional final matchup. The winner moves on to play the winner of No. 2 Willard and No. 7 Huron at 6 p.m. on Feb. 24 at Lakota High School in a district semifinal game. Willard will host Huron at 2 p.m. on Feb. 21. The winner of the group will play the winner of No. 3 Archbold, No. 5 Bluffton, No. 4 Paulding and No. 2 Delta in the district championship game scheduled for 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 at Lakota High School.
Division III Girls Basketball District Tournament
In the Division III district tournament, the Madison Rams earned the No. 4 overall seed and opt for a bye right into the district semifinals. The Rams will take on the winner of No. 3 Tiffin Columbian and No. 5 Ontario at 6 p.m. on Feb. 24 at Buckeye Central High School. Ontario travels to Columbian at 6 p.m. on Feb. 19 for a sectional championship matchup. The winner of the Feb. 24 game will play the winner of No. 1 Toledo Central Catholic, No. 8 Toledo Waite, No. 3 Toledo Rogers or No. 6 Toledo Scott in the district championship game scheduled for 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 at Buckeye Central High School.
The Mansfield Senior Tygers earned the No. 7 seed and will travel to No. 2 Norwalk at 6 p.m. on Feb. 19 for a sectional championship game. The winner will take on the winner of No. 1 Ashland and No. 6 Sandusky at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 24 at Buckeye Central High School in a district semifinal matchup. Ashland hosts Sandusky at 6 p.m. on Feb. 19 in a sectional final. The winner of the district semifinal moves on to take on the winner of No. 4 Elida, No. 7 Lima Senior, No. 6 Wapakoneta and No. 5 Defiance in the district championship scheduled for 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 at Columbus Grove High School.
Division IV Girls Basketball District Tournament
In Division IV, the Shelby Whippets earned the No. 4 seed and will travel to No. 3 Clyde at 2 p.m. on Feb. 21 for a sectional championship matchup. The winner plays the winner of No. 2 Genoa Area and No. 7 Sandusky Perkins in a district semifinal game scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 24 at Fostoria High School. The winner of the group plays the winner of No. 1 Liberty-Benton, No. 8 Rossford, No. 9 Van Wert, No. 2 Napoleon and No. 6 Wauseon in the district championship game scheduled for 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 at Miller City High School.
The Lexington Lady Lex earned the No. 9 seed and will travel to No. 1 Bellevue at 6 p.m. on Feb. 17 for a sectional semifinal game. The winner takes on No. 8 Upper Sandusky at 2 p.m. on Feb. 21 for a sectional championship. If Lexington beats Bellevue, the game will be at Upper Sandusky. If Bellevue beats Lexington, the game will be at Bellevue. The winner of the group moves on to play the winner of No. 5 Vermilion and No. 6 Millbury Lake at 6 p.m. on Feb. 24 at Fostoria High School. The winner of that game moves on to play the winner of No. 4 St. Marys Memorial, No. 5 Bryan, No. 10 Toledo Woodward, No. 3 Lima Bath and No. 7 Kenton at 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 at Fostoria High School for a district championship.
Division VI Girls Basketball District Tournament
In the Division VI district tournament, the Crestview Cougars picked up the No. 3 seed and took a bye right into the district semifinals. They will play the winner of No. 1 Colonel Crawford and No. 7 Bucyrus at 6 p.m. on Feb. 25 at Shelby High School in a district semifinal match. Crawford will host Bucyrus at 6 p.m. on Feb. 19 for a sectional championship. The winner of the group advances to play the winner of No. 1 Columbus Grove, No. 7 Lima Central Catholic, No. 2 Carey and No. 6 Van Buren at 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 in a district championship game at Shelby High School.
The Mansfield Christian Flames picked up the No. 4 seed in their district pod and will host No. 5 Buckeye Central at 6 p.m. on Feb. 19 for a sectional championship. The winner moves on to play the winner of No. 2 Wynford and No. 6 South Central at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 25 at Shelby High School in a district semifinal game. Wynford hosts SC at 6 p.m. on Feb. 19 for a sectional title. The winner of the district semifinal will play the winner of No. 1 Margaretta, No. 7 Monroeville and No. 6 Lakota at 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 at Fremont High School for a district championship.
Division VII Girls Basketball District Tournament
In the Division VII district, the Lucas Cubs earned the No. 6 seed and will travel to No. 5 Hopewell-Loudon at 2 p.m. on Feb. 21 for a sectional championship game. The winner moves on to play the winner of No. 1 Seneca Eats and No. 9 New Riegel at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 25 at Willard High School in a district semifinal matchup. The winner of that game moves on to play the winner of No. 2 Danbury, No. 5 Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic, No. 6 Toledo Maumee Valley Country Day, No. 2 Norwalk St. Paul and No. 4 Old Fort at 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 at Gibsonburg High School in a district championship.
The Plymouth Big Red earned the No. 8 seed and will travel to No. 7 Crestline at 6 p.m. on Feb. 18 for a sectional semifinal. The winner heads to No. 2 Arcadia at 2 p.. on Feb. 21 for a sectional championship game. The winner of he sectional final moves on to play the winner of No. 3 Tiffin Calvert and No. 4 Mohawk at 6 p.m. on Feb. 25 at Willard High School in a district semifinal. The winner of that game plays the winner of the group of No. 1 Hardin Northern, No. 3 Pandora-Gilboa, No. 2 Arlington and No. 7 Ridgemont at 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 at Willard High School for a district championship.
The Denver Broncos were proactive in locking up players with expiring contracts in 2025.
During the regular season, the team signed kicker Wil Lutz, center Luke Wattenberg and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach to multi-year contract extensions. Over the last two years, the Broncos have given new deals to 11 key players.
The team's most notable remaining pending unrestricted free agents in 2026 are defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers, running back J.K. Dobbins, tight end Adam Trautman and linebackers Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton.
The NFL's 2026 free agency negotiating window will open on March 9, followed by the opening of the new league year and official start of free agency on March 11. Any in-house pending free agents who do not get extensions before March 9 will be eligible to negotiate with other clubs.
The Boston Celtics have had players suiting up in a total of 68 different jersey numbers (and have three others not part of any numerical series) since their founding at the dawn of the Basketball Association of America (BAA – the league that would become today's NBA), worn by well over 500 players in the course of Celtics history.
To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Celtics Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team.
With 25 of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Celtics to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover.
And for today's article, we will continue with the first of one person to wear the No. 60, guard alum Jonathan Gibson. After ending his college career at New Mexico State, Gibson went unselected in the 2010 NBA Draft, playing in other leagues until he signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 2016.
The West Covina, California native was cut days later, and left the league until he signed with Boston in 2018 for his final season in the NBA.
During his time suiting up for the Celtics, Gibson wore only jersey No. 60 and put up 8.5 points and 1.0 assists per game.
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
The San Francisco 49ers continue shaping their coaching staff for the upcoming season, and their latest addition carries both professional experience and deep franchise ties.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan is bringing Miami Dolphins assistant Roman Sapolu aboard, adding another young offensive mind while reconnecting the organization with a familiar football family name.
Sapolu is the son of former 49ers offensive lineman Jesse Sapolu, a cornerstone of San Francisco’s dominant teams in the 1980s and 1990s.
Jesse Sapolu spent 15 seasons with the franchise from 1983 to 1997, starting 154 games and helping the 49ers capture four Super Bowl titles.
His legacy still resonates throughout the organization, making his son’s arrival a meaningful full-circle moment.
Roman Sapolu arrives after spending the 2024 season with the Miami Dolphins as an offensive assistant under head coach Mike McDaniel, a former Shanahan protégé.
That connection likely helped facilitate the move, as Shanahan continues to prioritize coaches familiar with his offensive philosophy and coaching tree.
Sapolu’s exposure to Miami’s dynamic offensive system should give him a smooth transition into San Francisco’s scheme.
Before his stint in Miami, Sapolu built his coaching résumé at the college level.
He served two seasons at the University of Hawaii as offensive line coach, earning a promotion to co-offensive coordinator in his second year.
The #49ers have hired Roman Sapolu, son of HOF OL Jesse Sapolu, as their new assistant offensive line coach pic.twitter.com/rhVudPaady
Prior to that, he coached the offensive line at Fresno State from 2019 through 2021, gaining valuable experience developing young linemen and coordinating run-game concepts.
Sapolu’s connection to the 49ers actually began years earlier.
In 2018, he participated in the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship with San Francisco, working closely with the offensive line during training camp.
That early exposure to the organization and Shanahan’s staff likely helped establish familiarity that now comes full circle with his hiring.
As a player, Sapolu spent four seasons at Oregon State before transitioning into coaching.
He began that journey as a graduate assistant at Nebraska from 2015 to 2017, steadily climbing the coaching ladder through persistence and diverse experience at both collegiate and NFL levels.
The hire comes amid several offseason adjustments for the 49ers’ coaching staff.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and assistant Gus Bradley departed for roles with the Tennessee Titans, while defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks accepted a position with the Green Bay Packers.
Adding Roman Sapolu provides Shanahan with another coach steeped in offensive line development and familiar with modern NFL offensive trends.
It also reconnects the 49ers to a proud chapter of franchise history, blending tradition with forward-looking coaching development as the team prepares for another competitive season.
Joe Wyatt, the third-year basketball coach at Sun Valley Poly, said goodbye to his son, JD, at the end of last season. He was one of the leading scorers in the City Section at 28.5 points per game and left for prep school at Academy of Central Florida, where he's averaging close to 20 points.
So how did Poly end up going 12-0 this season in East Valley League play and extend its league winning streak to 28 consecutive wins without JD?
"I can actually coach a little bit," Wyatt said.
Sun Valley Poly basketball coach Joe Wyatt. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
With seniors Kevin Lara and Angel Guerrero leading the way, Poly is seeded No. 6 in the City Section Division I playoffs and will open at home on Wednesday against defending Open Division champion Westchester. Lara had a big three last season when Poly defeated Grant 50-49 to win the City Division I title.
Wyatt had success at El Camino Real, winning a City Section Open Division title in 2014, his first season as head coach. He's provided stability to the Parrots and knows how to adjust to personnel changes.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 4: DJ Reader #98 of the Detroit Lions looks on during the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field on December 04, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back in 2024, the Detroit Lions got one of their biggest fish in the free agency pool. The team was coming off a 2023 campaign that saw them a half-game away from appearing in their first-ever Super Bowl.
They needed help on the defensive line, and with that, they turned to veteran defensive tackle DJ Reader. Reader signed a two-year deal for $27.25 million and was coming off a torn quad, his second time dealing with the injury. Despite that, Reader only missed the opening week due to the quad injury and one other game that season. In 2025, Reader came in healthy, and the team relied on him to mentor rookie defensive tackle Tyliek Williams.
Let’s take a look at Reader and see whether the team can afford to bring him back or find a cheaper replacement.
With defensive tackle Alim McNeill out for a few months recovering from his ACL tear, Reader was expected to lead the interior defensive line alongside Williams and others. While most of the focus was on the EDGE spot on the defensive line, the interior didn’t feel as much pressure, even with a rookie starting. Even without McNeill, they knew Reader could help out on the interior by shutting down the running game and giving others chances to make plays by commanding double teams.
Reader didn’t face much competition for a starting role alongside first-round pick Williams. Roy Lopez was signed in free agency as a depth nose tackle option, while Mekhi Wingo, Tyler Lacy, and Chris Smith were clear depth options. The biggest thing the team wanted was for Reader to play a full season, something he hasn’t done since 2018.
Actual role in 2025
Note: PFF grades reflect a minimum 20% snaps at that position.
Season stats — 17 games (17 starts): 28 tackles 583 defensive snaps, 14 special teams snaps
PFF defensive grade: 68.5 (36th out of 142) PFF run defense grade: 61.7 (35th out of 146) PFF tackling grade: 59.8 (35th out of 142) PFF pass rush grade: 71.8 (23rd out of 122) PFF special teams grade: 60
While Reader was able to play in every game in 2025, his presence on the field didn’t seem as impactful as it had been the year before. In 2024, Reader produced three sacks, four tackles for loss, and a pass deflection, all with fewer tackles than this year.
Which is an odd feeling because when the team signed him, coming off an injury, it was unclear how helpful he would be until he was 100 percent. Then, even when he was healthy, could he benefit from the attention EDGE Aidan Hutchinson was getting alongside McNeill? I figured that when McNeill was out, Reader would get more attention and be shut down, and for the most part, it seemed true. When McNeill returned, though, Reader didn’t seem to turn it up another level. He wasn’t sloppy by missing tackles or getting called for poor penalties; it just felt like he was a body out there just doing what he could and nothing more.
Now, I’m not trying to question his work ethic or accuse him of phoning it in; I just didn’t see any explosiveness from him in 2025. His PFF grades improved in every category listed above except run defense (only down 0.9) and special teams. So to see his grades see a bump up, but his production go down is a bit puzzling. His backup in Lopez impacted the games at times, whether it was a tackle for loss or a sack, unlike Reader.
Outlook for 2026
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent
Pros of re-signing
Having Reader return would give the team some help on the interior and could be shifted from a starter (if the team believes Williams is ready to start alongside McNeill) to a rotational piece and/or a situational nose tackle on short down and distances. He can help Williams more on the practice field, and if the team adds another young player on the interior, he can give them some tips and tricks.
Reader is also a really good dude who helps out in the community, and having Lions players out there taking care of people around them is just good to see. He doesn’t bring any drama or cause any harm, and at 31 going on 32, he could be more open to a step down in a role.
Cons of re-signing
His price tag is the biggest con if the team wants to bring him back. If he still wants to start, he will want starter-level money, even if it’s less than what he signed for back in 2024. Him returning also wouldn’t bode well for Williams development in his second-year. A first-round pick should have an immediate impact on your roster, and if he can’t win a starting job in year 2, you start to question if he can earn it in year 3.
Is there interest from both sides?
The Lions could look to get younger on the defensive line, and moving on from Reader would help them in that regard. If the Lions aren’t interested in keeping Reader, even in a backup/situational role, then he’ll have to move on. The biggest question of them all is, how does Reader see his playing future in the NFL?
Does he believe he is a starter? If so, and the Lions agree, what could be a big factor in his return is the cost. If Reader is ready to downgrade his role and be a rotational piece instead, and the Lions would like him back, I think he re-signs on a one-year deal. Reader has been a good player for the team on and off the field, so I truly believe the only thing that can separate these two is money, age, and playing time.
Cost?
According to Spotrac, Reader is valued at $3.9 million for a one-year deal, with his best deal being a two-year $7.7 million deal. If he is asking for a two-year deal, I think Detroit passes and looks elsewhere. He will be 32 in July and near the end of his career. A one-year deal makes sense for both sides, but I don’t agree that his value would be $3.9 million. While his price will be a big step down from his 2024 contract, I think someone would be willing to pay $5-7 million for a one-year deal, and Detroit should pass on that. The max I would be interested in offering Reader is $3.5 million, but that seems like a low offer for what he’s worth.
Conclusion
Overall, I think it might be best for both sides to move on from each other. Reader probably values himself higher than what Detroit does, and coming off a fully healthy season, I think he’ll still want to be a starter and be paid as such, which is completely understandable. Reader is a solid player, but I think this team wants to get younger, and if Reader returns, what does that mean for Williams? I would hope it means Reader has accepted being a rotational piece instead of a starter.
What do you think the Lions should do with DJ Reader? Vote in the poll below and let us know in the comments.
[Editor’s Note: Working on getting the poll up. Please come back at a later date to cast your vote.]
MEDLEY, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 7: Shakira Austin #0 of the Rose controls the ball against the Vinyl during the first quarter of the Unrivaled 2026 game at Sephora Arena on February 7, 2026 in Medley, Florida. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a day off for Super Bowl Sunday, Unrivaled resumes Week 5 action on Monday night.
And the evening’s second matchup, with Rose meeting Mist, reminds how quickly things can change on the court at Sephora Arena (8:45 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV).
This time last week, Mist, then winners of three-straight games, was entering a first-place showdown with Laces. They fell short before losing to Phantom on Saturday, putting the Misties at risk of three-game skid that sends them sliding into the middle of the standings.
Rose, in contrast, was on the rocks, having just lost two-straight games. They came out with a vengeance on Saturday night, running away from Vinyl for much of the game before hanging on for the victory. Rather than falling below .500, Rose can threaten for third place with a second-straight win.
Rose, however, had to work hard for that win, with head coach Nola Henry almost exclusively relying on the club’s Big 3 of Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper and Shakira Austin.
The three combined for all but two of Rose’s 74 points on Saturday. Down Azurá Stevens due to injury and Sug Sutton because of illness, Henry and the Rosebuds didn’t have much of choice, and it certainly makes sense to trust in brilliance of Gray, shotmaking of Copper and interior dominance of Austin. Still, Rose clearly tired down the stretch, with their defense flagging and shots falling short as they staggered toward the winning score.
Last time Rose played Mist, it was the Gray-Copper-Austin trio that, again, did almost everything in what became an 89-71 loss. The three scored 67 of Rose’s 71 points, led by 29 points and 10 boards from Austin.
Mist, in contrast, continues to believes in their depth, with head coach Zach O’Brien insisting that any of his six players can provide the contributions needed to deliver a victory. Of course, the surest path to a losing streak-snapping win is more Breanna Stewart. Stewie poured in 28 points on Saturday, her Unrivaled high. She just needed more scoring support, as Allisha Gray had an off night and Arike Ogunbowale was quieter than usual.
As Saturday’s loss was their worst 3-point shooting night of the season, Mist has to hope that their 3-point shooting sees positive regression.
With a return to form from Gray or Ogunbowale, Mist should rediscover the high-scoring offense that spurred their three-game winning streak. In their late January win over Rose, both Lish and Arike were on-point, with Gray scoring 28 points and Ogunbowale netting 21 points.
Phantom goes for four in a row against Vinyl
Vinyl also is experiencing the rapid momentum swings of Unrivaled.
Last Monday, they won their second-straight game, following up their victory over league-best Laces by outlasting Hive. On Saturday, the squad found themselves down by as many as 24 points, requiring a fourth-quarter outburst from Dearica Hamby and Erica Wheeler to earn a more respectable final score in their loss to Rose.
Vinyl clings to the final playoff spot—for now. To solidify their position, they could use a Rhyne Howard heater. She’s scored 10 points in Vinyl’s last three games, shooting no better than 36 percent from the field and making just two of her 20 3-point attempts. Vinyl’s first game against Phantom, a 78-69 loss, was her last 20-point game, which included a 3-for-6 effort from 3.
Vinyl needs that, and more, from Howard when they take on the the Ghost Gang (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV).
Winners of three-straight games, Phantom should feel a bit anxious entering Monday night’s game, as the recent histories of the three other teams in action serve as warnings of how hard it is to sustain success and stack wins in Unrivaled. The Ghost Gang has to take the court with the requisite intensity and focus to keep their good thing going.
In their previous win over Vinyl, all members of Phantom scored in double digits, an effort exemplary of the balance of this club. Aliyah Boston led with a 21-point and 11-rebound double-double, with Kelsey Plum adding 18 points.
They also support their egalitarian offense with the second-best scoring defense in the league, holding opponents to under 67 points per game and less than one point per shot attempt.
Yes, things can change fast, but Phantom is fast proving that they might be the best team in Unrivaled.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Anthony Banda #43 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning in game three of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Difficult decisions are the cost of doing business for a high-level contender, and once in a while, you may be forced to move on from a player you don’t necessarily wish to; such is the case with Anthony Banda and the Dodgers. After agreeing to a deal to avoid arbitration with the left-hander, the reigning back-to-back champs found themselves in need of a roster space, to which the solution was designating Banda for assignment, allowing for any of the other 29 MLB clubs to pick him up — the Yankees should contemplate doing so.
Before assessing the merits of Banda’s addition, his availability is, if unexpected, somewhat natural given the other lefty options the Dodgers bullpen has available: particularly Jack Dreyer, who represents a higher-upside alternative and still carries minor league options. Amidst the flurry of injuries, shortcomings, and unique circumstances surrounding the Dodgers’ bullpen last postseason, Banda found himself being one of the more utilized relievers by Los Angeles, acquiring a type of experience in key spots that’s difficult to find. Before imploding in the World Series, Banda secured some important outs for the Dodgers on their path to win the NL pennant.
The concerns for Banda ahead of 2026 are rather obvious, for as much as the Dodgers were able to extract the best out of him after bouncing around in the bigs, it didn’t come without its warning signs. Although the zone rate remained the same, Banda saw batters drastically decrease their chase rate against him, ultimately leading to an unsustainably poor 12.7 percent walk rate.
What allowed Banda to be reasonably effective was the combination of an uncanny ability to strand runners and limit batting average on balls in play, two skills that under regular circumstances are likely to regress in 2026. The flip side of it is that we’re looking at a left-hander who has pitched over 100 innings with a 3.14 ERA since joining the Dodgers, clearly able to produce consistently at a solid enough level.
The Yankees currently have two lefties in the bullpen in Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough, and while Banda’s acquisition wouldn’t fix the lack of a strikeout specialist, his splits make him an outstanding left-on-left option: left-handed hitters had a .255 SLG against Banda in 2025 and a .496 OPS. Noting Ryan Yarbrough is going to serve a long-relief role, to which his handedness isn’t a primary factor, it’d hardly be considered overkill to add one more established southpaw, particularly to a bullpen that has a nice core but could always use a bit more depth.
Arbitration eligible for the second time, this offseason, Banda, a journeyman reliever, will receive a little over one and a half million, far from a prohibitive figure to the Yankees. His availability on waivers is strictly due to a roster crunch, and if not the Yankees, someone most definitely will pick him up.
NFL free agency begins with the negotiating window from March 9-11. The New York Giants have a number of critical decisions to make on which of their unrestricted free agents they will try to keep, and which ones they willingly allow to look for another employer.
The biggest decisions involve starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, 1,000-yard wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, and breakout cornerback Cor’Dale Flott.
Other free agent decisions to watch include players like guard Greg Van Roten, tight ends Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz, safety Dane Belton, linebacker Micah McFadden, and defensive tackles D.J. Davidson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches.
These decisions, of course, will help shape the Giants’ free agent and 2026 NFL Draft priorities as the Giants build the first roster of the John Harbaugh era.
Between now and the beginning of free agency, we will be taking individual looks at many of the Giants’ unrestricted free agents, building the case both for and against keeping them. We will also be looking around the league at potential free agents the Giants might be interested in pursuing.
It is all part of our offseason look at ‘fixing the Giants’ entering the 2026 season.
Giants pending free agents 2026
Here are all of the Giants’ free agents heading into the 2026 offseason.
Unrestricted free agents
QB Russell Wilson RT Jermaine Eluemunor OL Evan Neal DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches G Greg Van Roten WR Wan’Dale Robinson LS Casey Kreiter TE Chris Manhertz C-G Austin Schlottmann OL Josh Ezeudu LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles G Aaron Stinnie CB Cor’Dale Flott LB Neville Hewitt WR Gunner Olszewski TE Daniel Bellinger S Dane Belton WR Isaiah Hodgins LB Micah McFadden DL D.J. Davidson
Restricted free agents
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton Edge Tomon Fox LB Zaire Barnes Edge Caleb Murphy
New San Francisco Giants' manager Tony Vitello smiles as President of Baseball Operations' Buster Posey hands him a Giants' hat during introductory press conference at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Thursday, October 30, 2025. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Good morning, baseball fans!
As we approach Spring Training and the beginning of the season, we’re going to be doing some questions for y’all about your thoughts about the San Francisco Giants and baseball in general!
Today’s question: Which offseason decision makes you nervous?
For me, it has to be the hiring of Tony Vitello. And I don’t say that with any negative connotations about his past experience, or the likelihood of his success with the team. I’m actually quite excited to see how well he does. He’s just….new. Both to the organization and to MLB. And that’s enough to make ya’ nervous.
I will say the organization has done a tremendous job of pre-emptively creating a support system for him. He’s going to have a lot of legends around to provide advice and counsel and that’s invaluable. So I think he’s in good hands on that front.
But any time there’s a new manager, it’s always going to leave me feeling at least a little nervous. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. That kind of nervousness can also tie with anticipation, curiosity, excitement. All of which are similar feelings that I have going into this season because of Vitello’s signing.
Dec 28, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo (85) scores a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of the game at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
The NFL offseason is here. Unfortunately, as Tennessee Titans fans, we have been waiting for this since about week three of the 2025 NFL season. That’s really been the case for us the last two years. The Titans need a really strong offseason to change that for us in 2026.
It starts with NFL free agency. The Titans are going to have somewhere around $100 million to spend this year. They won’t spend all of it in free agency, but they are going to be able to add some pieces to make the roster a lot better than it was last year. They can use help at just about every spot on the field.
The first step in the process is identifying guys they want to retain who are about to hit the market. There is a long list of guys who are going to hit the market.
Titans pending free agents 2026
EDGE Arden Key
TE Chig Okonkwo
G Kevin Zeitler
DL Sebastian Joseph-Day
WR Van Jefferson
P Johnny Hekker
QB Brandon Allen
LS Morgan Cox
EDGE Jihad Ward
T Blake Hance
K Joey Slye
C Corey Levin
DL James Lynch
WR James Proche
T Oli Udoh
LB Joe Bachie
CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
RB Julius Chestnut
CB Kemon Hall
CB Kaiir Elam
CB Darrell Baker Jr.
S Mike Brown
WR Bryce Oliver
LB Anfernee Orji
EDGE C.J. Ravenell
G Garrett Dellinger
Chig Okonkwo is the one guy from that list whom I will be upset if they don’t end up re-signing. They cannot afford to let an offensive playmaker walk when they have so few of them.
Morgan Cox seems to be perennially on a one-year deal here since 2021. He’s one of the best long snappers in the league. They will probably try to bring him back again.
Jihad Ward is another guy I’d like to see back. He showed some flashes last season, and with their lack of depth in the EDGE group, he’s a valuable guy to have.
Which three from this list are the most important for the Titans to try to retain before they hit the market?
There are Hall of Fame debates, and then there are Hall of Fame debacles. The continued exclusion of Ken Anderson falls squarely into the latter category.
At this point, it says far more about the Pro Football Hall of Fame than it does about the quarterback himself.
Anderson played from 1971 to 1986, smack in the middle of what is widely regarded as the golden age of NFL quarterbacks. This was not an era lacking competition or talent. It was overflowing with legends, most of whom now reside in Canton.
Anderson doesn’t.
Anderson’s contemporaries include Terry Bradshaw, Dan Fouts, Joe Montana, Bob Griese, Roger Staubach, Fran Tarkenton, Dan Marino, and Ken Stabler.
Nearly all are Hall of Famers.
Anderson? Still waiting. Since he first became eligible for the hall in 1991, Anderson has been a finalist on just three occasions – 1996, 1998, and 2026. This year is the closest he has gotten, but close isn’t good enough.
Against Bradshaw, who was the face of the Steelers dynasty, Anderson went 8–8 in head-to-head meetings, despite the Steelers boasting one of the greatest defenses in NFL history.
Against Fouts, Anderson routinely battled for league-leading passing stats. In the AFC Championship Game on January 10, 1982, otherwise known as the Freezer Bowl because of a wind chill factor that reached -59 degrees, Anderson completely outmatched Fouts. Anderson finished 15 of 22 for 161 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions, good for a passer rating of 116.4. Fouts, on the other hand, went 14 of 39 for 185 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 40.4.
Long before Montana became the symbol of the West Coast offense, Anderson was already executing its principles with surgical precision in Cincinnati.
And despite Stabler’s postseason mythology, Anderson surpassed him statistically in both passing yards and touchdowns during their overlapping careers.
In 1981, Anderson won the NFL MVP award while leading the league in completion percentage and passer rating. He took the Bengals to the Super Bowl and played at a championship level on the game’s biggest stage. That season, he completed 62.6% of his passes for 3,754 yards and 29 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions, leading the league with a 98.4 passer rating. Anderson also led the NFL in touchdown percentage (6.1), interception percentage (2.1), and adjusted net yards gained per pass attempt (8.1).
Historically, MVP quarterbacks who reach the Super Bowl don’t wait decades for Canton. In fact, there have been only five, and two played for Cincinnati: Anderson, Boomer Esiason, Rich Gannon, Steve McNair, and Joe Theismann.
For years, Hall of Fame voters have leaned on statistical dominance, or “Black Ink,” as proof of greatness. By that standard, Anderson doesn’t just qualify; he excels.
He led the NFL multiple times in:
Completion percentage
Passing yards
Passer rating
Anderson made four Pro Bowls, led the league in completion percentage three times, passer rating four times, and yards per attempt twice. A 2-4 career postseason record hurts, but Anderson was also seventh all-time in passing yards (32,838) and 12th in passing touchdowns when he retired (1987).
Yet quarterbacks like Sonny Jurgensen and Len Dawson were inducted despite fewer league-leading seasons than Anderson.
If Anderson isn’t a Hall of Famer by the Hall’s own benchmarks, then those benchmarks are meaningless.
This snub stopped being about football a long time ago.
Anderson didn’t play in a glamour market. He didn’t have a dynasty defense. He wasn’t loud, flashy, or a myth manufactured by the national media. He was precise, efficient, innovative, and devastatingly consistent.
In short, he was great.
At some point, the question stops being “Why isn’t Ken Anderson in the Hall of Fame?” and becomes “What does the Hall of Fame actually stand for?”
Because when a league MVP, Super Bowl quarterback, statistical leader, and offensive innovator remains excluded while lesser contemporaries are enshrined, the problem isn’t the resume.
It’s the system.
Ken Anderson doesn’t need Canton to validate his legacy.
But Canton’s credibility continues to erode every year he’s left outside the door.
The Super Bowl is over, and you know what this means. It is now officially baseball season! Alright, maybe it’s unofficial until pitchers and catchers report on Wednesday, but we’re close. The weather in ol’ Michigan may even take a turn for the better this week. We could use a break, winter.
Let’s talk about A.J. Hinch for a bit before camp gets underway.
Over the last five seasons, Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch has been a transformative figure within the organization. His influence runs deep from revamping player development and developing a coherent organizational philosophy, to actually becoming the Tiger de facto spokesman once Al Avila was fired, to operating as one of Chris Ilitch’s main advisors in selecting Scott Harris to take over running the ballclub. His impact in the dugout along with his well regarded coaching staff has only been one element of his impact on the Tigers.
It’s hard to believe, but Hinch has now managed the Tigers for as many years as he managed the Astros. After signing an extension of unknown length back in October, he’s sure to exceed his Astros’ tenure by quite a bit. He was there through the second half of the club’s rebuilding effort, and now he and his coaching staff have taken a team that didn’t look too much better than average on paper to the final game of the ALDS in back-to-back seasons.
We can look back at the Tigers collapse in September with some angst, particularly in Hinch’s inability to turn the ship around where a few key players—looking at you, Riley—were concerned. On the other hand, having essentially three functioning starting pitchers and a mess of a bullpen didn’t help. We have to remember too that he’d led that same team to the second best regular season record in the game from August 1, 2024 through July 31, 2025. That he got them to clear their heads, defeat the Guardians in the Wild Card round, and then go toe-to-toe with a red-hot Mariners club that had a deeper, more dangerou lineup and a significant bullpen advantage, all speaks to his ability to get it done when given the tools, and sometimes even without the tools.
His Astros tenure, and the stain of their sign stealing scandal, will never go away, but Hinch is well on his way to rebuilding his legacy in the game. He combines a scouting and player development background to his major league catching experience, and now has a lot of years running a team to draw from as well. Combined with the drive to win in Detroit and put his managerial career in a new light, and the organization is very lucky to have him running the show, my opinion.
How about you? Maybe you don’t love him. Let’s hear about it. Like any manager there must be a few things about him that drive you nuts. I love Jim Leyland, but I’ve got a long list of Leyland moves that made me crazy as well. Overall though, what is your confidence level in A.J. Hinch as he prepares for his sixth season running the Tigers?
SURPRISE, AZ - FEBRUARY 22: Terrance Gore #0 of the Kansas City Royals poses during Photo Day on Thursday, February 22, 2018 at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
“The fans were almost waiting for him and [Jarrod Dyson] whenever someone got on,” Royals president of baseball operations and general manager J.J. Picollo said. “You could just feel the energy in the stadium go up a level because of that. They came into the game, and everybody in the ballpark knew exactly what was about to happen, and nobody could stop them. It was like if the Royals got on base, we were really on second base because of them. It was such a weapon for us. It would energize the team, it would energize the fans. It was pretty cool.”
“There’s stealing a base,” Hosmer added, “and then there’s stealing a base when everyone knows you’re trying to steal the base.”
If he ever got thrown out, he said that day, it wasn’t because somebody bested him.
“I got myself out. You didn’t get me out,” he said, smiling and adding that the only way he could get erased was if he got a bad jump, fell or “might drop my glove, might want to pick it up.”
He’ll always be treasured here for all that helped lead to, of course.
I wrote earlier that he was the ultimate disruptor. I just don’t know if I can adequately describe what that meant. When Gore came into the game as a pinch runner, it was usually in a key situation where his run meant something. His speed and the threat he created meant the opposing pitcher and catcher were immediately knocked off their game. Balks. Wild pitches. Errors. Any mistake was in play just by his presence. It was just kind of hopeless for the opposition because, as Gore would say, if they got him out it was because he made a mistake. Not because they were good enough to catch him. They weren’t. Nobody was.
The Royals haven’t shut the door on adding more players this spring. They are content with their roster at the current moment but will continue to monitor both the free-agent and trade markets.
“You know, just because we are going into spring training doesn’t mean we don’t have the ability to make our team better up until the trade deadline,” Picollo said. “Once the trade deadline comes, that’s when you’re locked in. That’s what you got for the rest of the year. But, between now and then, you know, we might be in a sit-and-read situation. What do we need to do and how can we capitalize?”
Royals: Luinder Avila, RHP The 24-year-old right-hander came up to the Majors for 13 relief appearances last year and thrived in that role with a 1.29 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 14 innings. His primary weapon was an 82-85 mph curveball that generated whiffs on 50 percent of his swings, but his mid-90s fastballs (a four-seamer and a sinker) and the occasional 86-88 mph changeup gave hitters more to consider. The Royals see Avila as a potential starter, but with the rotation a bit too crowded right now, it’ll be interesting to see if they try putting him back in the bullpen to begin the year back in the bigs.
Mystique Ro/Instagram; Jason Brown/Instagram; Amber Glenn/Instagram
Before they suited up in red, white and blue Ralph Lauren to march alongside Team USA at the Milan Cortina Olympics, these superstar athletes were once little kids trying on their skis, skates and snowboard helmets for the first time.
As they begin competing on their sport's biggest stage — an opportunity that only comes once every four years — athletes including Amber Glenn, Mikaela Shiffrin, Red Gerard and more are sharing a look back at that cute kiddo who once had big Olympic dreams but really tiny ski boots.
Take a look at some of the cutest throwback photos of some of Team USA's athletes to watch, below.
The women's hockey legend shared a glimpse back at her childhood team gear.
05 of 19
Erin Jackson
Erin Jackson/Instagram
The speedskater honed her skills as an in-line racer, and shared a look back at her high medal count from a 2004 nationals event.
06 of 19
Red Gerard
Red Gerard/Instagram
By the time this photo was taken, he had already been snowboarding for several years — which led to his Olympic debut and gold medal in PyeongChang at 17. (He competed this year in Slopestyle.)
07 of 19
Jaelin Kauf
Jaelin Kauf/Instagram
Freestyle skiier Jaelin Kauf is returning in pursuit of another medal — and she'll make it look as easy as a childhood day on the slopes with big brother Skyler
"When I cut out the timing, pressure and expectations of sport and can just focus on what I love to do it's the feeling of being a kid again," the luge star wrote ahead of his race. "I feel like that kid again."
Even back in her days competing in "maroon flannel pants," it was clear that she was destined to be a cross-country champ, who nabbed the U.S.'s first-ever individual medal in the sport, a bronze, in 2022. She also has a gold and silver to her name.
14 of 19
Matty Beniers
Matty Beniers/Instagram
Racking up trophies from the time he was little — and proving he was born to wear a hockey jersey (second photo).
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 22: Jack Eichel #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on January 22, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It’s been a long, long time since NHL players had a chance to compete in the Olympic games — and in that time the international hockey landscape has changed. There’s no longer a mammoth gap between Canada and the field, especially when it comes to Team USA.
The strength for the 2026 side that will compete in Milan comes from its deep forechecking lines, and stellar play in goal. Connor Hellebuyck is having a bit of a down season in 2025-26, but that’s more of a product of the Jets taking a step back this season. He remains the best goalie in the NHL, and can be a huge difference maker on a team with solid defense.
These are the projected lines for Team USA in 2026.
LW
C
RW
Brady Tkachuk
Jack Eichel
Matthew Tkachuk
Mat Boldy
Auston Matthews
Jake Guentzel
Dylan Larkin
Jack Hughes
Tage Thompson
Clayton Keller
Vincent Trocheck
J.T. Miller
Reserves:
Brock Nelson
Kyle Conner
LD
RD
Quinn Hughes
Charlie McAvoy
Zach Werenski
Seth Jones
Jaccob Slavin
Brock Faber
Reserves:
Jake Sanderson
Noah Hanifin
Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck
Jake Oettinger
Reserve:
Jeremy Swayman
The line to watch will be the No. 2 unit of Boldy/Matthews/Guentzel. It’s a lot of scoring stacked into one unit, which will be defined by how much Matthews can play at his full potential. The big question is whether there’s enough puck to go around for three natural scorers who like to be puck-dominant players.
Team USA is currently at +200 to win the gold medal, narrowly behinds Team Canada at +140.
MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 08: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of Team Sweden takes part during training on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
Colorado Avalanche own the Winter Olympics with eight proud players set to represent their countries. [Denver Gazette]
Landeskog healthy enough to play at Olympics, named Sweden captain. [NHL]
Crosby named Canadian captain for Olympics with McDavid, Makar tabbed as one of the as alternates. [The Score]
MacKinnon still leading NHL scoring and Hart Trophy voting race for now. [Hockey Buzz]
MacKinnon reaches 700 assists as Avalanche sink Sharks before the break. [TSN]
For Brock Nelson, the Olympics are a family affair. [The Hockey News]
News Around the League
Huberdeau set to have season-ending hip surgery for Flames. [NHL]
Ten important questions about NHL teams and players as we head to the Olympic break. [Sportsnet]
Kings acquire Panarin from Rangers just before NHL’s Olympic trade freeze. [CBC]
Craig Fitzpatrick an Air Force veteran champions blind hockey and authors a new book. [Navy Federal]
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - JUNE 11: General manager James Gladstone talks with offensive coordinator Grant Udinski of the Jacksonville Jaguars during a Jacksonville Jaguars mandatory minicamp at Miller Electric Center on June 11, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Super Bowl LX is in the books, and we are officially on to the 2026-27 NFL season.
Every team’s first task of the offseason is to decide whether or not to re-sign any impending free agents (and the Jacksonville Jaguars face difficult decisionson that front). From there, we’ll transition into pro free agency, then the college draft, then college free agency. Get ready for significant change over the next couple of months.
Here are the most important dates throughout the 2026 offseason for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
February 17: Teams may begin designating franchise/transition players
February 23-March 2: NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis
March 3: Teams must designate franchise/transition players before 4 p.m. ET
March 9-11: Free-agency negotiation period begins on the 9th at noon ET
March 11: New league year begins at 4 p.m. ET (free agent deals and trades become official)
March 29-April 1: Annual League Meeting in Phoenix
April 6: Teams with a new head coach may begin offseason workout programs
April 20: Teams with a returning head coach may begin offseason workout programs
April 23: Last day for teams to bring 30 draft-eligible players to their facility for visits
April 23-25: 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh
May 1: Deadline to exercise fifth-year option for 2022 first-round draft picks
May 1-4 or May 8-11: Rookie minicamp
July 15: Deadline to sign a designated franchise player to a multiyear contract extension
Late July: Training camp begins (exact dates TBD)
What are you looking forward to most this offseason? Let us know in the comments below!
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 04: A New Orleans football helmet during the NFL game between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons on January 4th, 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) scores a touchdown during the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Super Bowl LX is in the books.
And the Seattle Seahawks are your Super Bowl Champions.
Now, the other 31 teams can start the process of getting to Super Bowl LXI next year, and hope to chase down the Seahawks in the process.
Of course, the 2026 NFL Draft is a big part of that process. Here is our latest mock draft, and if you want more on each selection we have you covered with a deeper dive after the mock.
Pick
Team
Player
Position
School
1
Las Vegas Raiders
Fernando Mendoza
QB
Indiana
2
New York Jets
Arvell Reese
LB
Ohio State
3
Arizona Cardinals
Spencer Fano
OT
Utah
4
Tennessee Titans
Rueben Bain
EDGE
Miami
5
New York Giants
Jordyn Tyson
WR
Arizona State
6
Cleveland Browns
Francis Mauigoa
OT
Miami
7
Washington Commanders
David Bailey
EDGE
Texas Tech
8
New Orleans Saints
Carnell Tate
WR
Ohio State
9
Kansas City Chiefs
Jeremiyah Love
RB
Notre Dame
10
Cincinnati Bengals
Caleb Downs
S
Ohio State
11
Miami Dolphins
Jermod McCoy
CB
Tennessee
12
Dallas Cowboys
Keldric Faulk
EDGE
Auburn
13
Los Angeles Rams (via ATL)
Mansoor Delane
CB
LSU
14
Baltimore Ravens
Peter Woods
DL
Clemson
15
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kenyon Sadiq
TE
Oregon
16
New York Jets (via IND)
Avieon Terrell
CB
Clemson
17
Detroit Lions
T.J. Parker
EDGE
Clemson
18
Minnesota Vikings
Caleb Banks
DL
Florida
19
Carolina Panthers
Cashius Howell
EDGE
Texas A&M
20
Dallas Cowboys (via GB)
Sonny Styles
LB
Ohio State
21
Pittsburgh Steelers
Makai Lemon
WR
USC
22
Los Angeles Chargers
Olaivavega Ioane
IOL
Penn State
23
Philadelphia Eagles
Caleb Lomu
OT
Utah
24
Cleveland Browns (via JAX)
Denzel Boston
WR
Washington
25
Chicago Bears
Kayden McDonald
DT
Ohio State
26
Buffalo Bills
Kevin Concepcion
WR
Texas A&M
27
San Francisco 49ers
Kayden Proctor
OT
Alabama
28
Houston Texans
Monroe Freeling
OT
Georgia
29
Los Angeles Rams
Ty Simpson
QB
Alabama
31
Denver Broncos
C.J. Allen
LB
Georgia
30
New England Patriots
Akheem Mesidor
EDGE
Miami
32
Seattle Seahawks
Emmanuel Pregnon
IOL
Oregon
1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
He is by no means a sure thing at quarterback — few prospects are.
But the Las Vegas Raiders have a glaring need at the game’s most important position, and Fernando Mendoza remains the best option. As things stand right now, the biggest question left might be whether Mendoza attends the draft and hugs Roger Goodell on stage, or whether he just announces the pick on LinkedIn.
2. New York Jets: Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State
The New York Jets need a quarterback, but with Mendoza off the board, this still feels too early to reach for one of the other options. And with New York holding a second pick in the first round, they could wait and pick up a quarterback later that Thursday night.
So we turn to the defense.
There is merit in improving the defensive side of the ball, as well as the rest of the roster, to soften the landing spot for a QB during the next cycle. Arvell Reese will certainly help a defense that failed to generate a single interception last season. Between what he can do in coverage, to what he can do as a blitzer, and even the promise he shows when used as an EDGE, he’ll inject some much-needed talent into that side of the football.
Here are some clips highlighting what he can bring to the next level:
3. Arizona Cardinals: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
As the draft process has begun to unfold, I have gone back and forth on Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano in this spot for Arizona.
In this mock, we are going with Fano. He has seen time at both LT and RT while in college, and gives Arizona multiple pathways to getting the best five players in front of their quarterback next year.
Whoever that is.
4. Tennessee Titans: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
The Tennessee Titans need help along the defensive front, and Rueben Bain Jr. just completed an incredible run for Miami in the College Football Playoff. Pair him with Jeffery Simmons and thrive.
For a good look at what he brings to the table, this thread of clips from his game against Ohio State is a good place to start:
5. New York Giants: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Just a few short weeks ago it looked like the New York Giants would be at the top of the draft and hold an auction for the first-overall selection, and the rights to QB1. But with wins in their final two games the Giants slide back to No. 5, and instead add some help for Jaxson Dart with this pick.
Jordyn Tyson has endured some injuries, but can stretch defenses vertically and poses problems at all levels of the field. Pairing him with a healthy Malik Nabers is an instant upgrade for John Harbaugh, and hey, Matt Nagy can certainly dial up some shot plays in the passing game with this duo.
Right?
6. Cleveland Browns: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
A theme with many mock drafts this cycle has been this: Lots of teams need quarterbacks, but there are few answers to be found in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Cleveland is another such team.
Similar to the Jets, and the Cardinals however, the options might not be there at No. 6. So instead, Cleveland builds around the QB position and adds a physical mauler in Francis Mauigoa, who at just 20 years old could be exactly what the Browns need for 2026 … and beyond. And with Todd Monken in place, and the emphasis on the run game we expect to see, he could be the perfect fit.
7. Washington Commanders: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
The Washington Commanders need some help along the defensive front.
Enter David Bailey.
Bailey helped turn the Red Raiders into one of college football’s best defenses this past season, and was one of the players mentioned on Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks” list heading into last year. He might need to round out his toolkit as a pass rusher, but his athleticism and burst is a great starting point.
Here is a good look at those traits:
To be clear – David Bailey (EDGE #31) has that upfield burst that you just can't teach.
He's able to pair it with some nasty inside counters.
8. New Orleans Saints: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
With the emergence of Tyler Shough as an option for the New Orleans Saints at quarterback, the team can look at other positions with this pick at No. 8.
Adding the next talented Ohio State WR prospect is just the kind of help Shough and the Saints need.
9. Kansas City Chiefs: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Yes, we will keep mocking this pick until told otherwise.
Patrick Mahomes might not be ready for Week 1 — as much as he wants to be — and even when he comes return this offense needs some help around him. Adding a running back that can also contribute in the passing game seems like a wise investment.
10. Cincinnati Bengals: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
The Cincinnati Bengals need help almost everywhere on defense.
Why not add a defender who can play almost anywhere? Matt Patricia used Downs all over the field at Ohio State, and he can provide help at every level of Cincinnati’s defense next season.
11. Miami Dolphins: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
The quarterback situation will generate the headlines this offseason in Miami, but with new head coach Jeff Hafley in town, the Dolphins might focus on the defensive side of the football with this first selection. With a need at cornerback they look to Jermod McCoy from Tennessee, whose timing and awareness in zone coverages make him an ideal fit for what Hafley wants to do defensively.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Expect the Dallas Cowboys to lean defense with their two picks in the first round. Auburn pass rusher Keldric Faulk addresses one of their needs, and while his athleticism jumps out on film the upside might be even better.
13. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
The Rams need to add at cornerback as several of their current options are entering free agency. Mansoor Delane is a versatile corner who thrives both playing off coverage with his eyes on the QB and driving on the ball (find his PBU against Arkansas on film when you can) or in man locked on his receiver (find his PBU on a double-move against South Carolina).
14. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
With former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter coming over to coach the Baltimore Ravens, it might not be a surprise to see a defensive pick at this spot. Woods looked like a potential top-ten pick after his 2024 campaign, but while he and the Clemson Tigers endured a bit of a slump in 2025, the potential is certainly there. He’ll provide some help for a defense that has taken a few steps back in recent years.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Tampa Bay could go in a few different directions here, and adding a linebacker — Sonny Styles from Ohio State — is certainly an option. Instead, they upgrade on the offensive side of the ball, adding a potential matchup nightmare in Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. He’ll help draw attention away from Tampa Bay’s talented group of wide receivers, and give Baker Mayfield another option in the passing game.
16. New York Jets (via IND): Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
A physical cornerback with impressive man coverage skills and strong zone awareness, Avieon Terrell would provide an immediate upgrade to the secondary in New York. He can match athletic receivers in man coverage, drive on the ball to disrupt at the catch point (find his PBU against Florida State when playing in off-man coverage) and has incredible awareness in zone coverage. His PBU against Duke when playing in the flat in Cover 2, where he broke on a throw to the slot, was a thing of beauty.
And with Sauce Gardner now in Indianapolis, he fills an immediate need in New York’s secondary.
17. Detroit Lions: T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
Another Clemson defender comes off the board in this spot. While the Detroit Lions could go in a few different directions, including offensive line and wide receiver, they need some help on the edge as well.
T.J. Parker is a stout, physical defensive end who can offer support in the run game and bolster the Lions’ pass rush as well. And he is coming off a massive performance at the Senior Bowl that boosted his draft stock after a tough regular season. “There were several standout performances this week — mostly coming from defensive players — but the overall winner of the 2026 Senior Bowl is Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker,” Matt Miller wrote on ESPN. “He had middle Round 1 grades before the 2025 season began, but his stock took a dip after his sack total fell from 11 in 2024 to 5.5 last season. But he consistently won against every offensive tackle he faced this week while showing a repertoire of moves. Parker is a true 4-3 defensive end who can win with long arms and power at the point of attack, but this week he showed there’s more juice around the edge than formerly expected.”
18. Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Banks, DL, Florida
Anyone who has been to an event like the Senior Bowl knows you do not put too much stock into one-on-ones, particularly along the offensive and defensive lines. While a flashy win for a defensive lineman makes for a great moment on social media, it is rare that a defensive lineman has a true “two-way go” against a blocker.
Still, moments like this are why Caleb Banks is going to find a way into the first round:
Florida DT Caleb Banks got better each day at the 2026 Senior Bowl. Movement skills at 6-6 and 335 pounds are rare. We have still only gotten glimpses into just how good Banks could be. pic.twitter.com/gnVIEWYzBj
The Carolina Panthers could use help along their defensive front, and they get that and more in Cashius Howell from Texas A&M. While the size could be a concern — his arm length is reportedly under 31 inches — plays like this show that sometimes you can get home without arm length:
The arm length for Cashius Howell for scouts this spring was 30 6/8", which won’t meet the threshold for many teams, but that dude gets after the passer. Now up to an SEC leading 11.5 sacks this season.
I’m fascinated to see his pre-draft process play out.
20. Dallas Cowboys (via GB): Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Here we get another Ohio State defender, as the Cowboys look to shore up the second level of their defense with linebacker Sonny Styles. The former Buckeye backer and five-star recruit is the kind of athlete you bet on at the next level, and the kind of linebacker built for the modern game.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Makai Lemon, WR, USC
We don’t know who will be playing quarterback for Mike McCarthy. Will it be Aaron Rodgers? Will it be Will Howard?
But whoever will be throwing the ball, they’d be happy to have Makai Lemon on the other end of his passes:
Makai Lemon does 3 things very well: + Toys with off-coverage DBs. (Also vs press). + Tracks the ball. Can come off his route path. + Physical at catch point. Works deep middle.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Olaivavega Ioane, IOL, Penn State
While protecting Justin Herbert has been an issue this season, getting both starting tackles back for 2026 will be the biggest source of improvement for this offensive line.
But you can never have enough help in front of your quarterback.
Olaivavega Ioane is the top interior prospect in this class, and will be a perfect fit in the Chargers’ offense.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
The time might be drawing near for the Philadelphia Eagles to think about a transition plan at right tackle. Jeff Stoutland’s departure has opened the door to questions about Lane Johnson’s future, beyond the injuries the veteran tackle endured this season. Caleb Lomu has played on the left side, so a transition to RT might be in place, but the Eagles need to get the best five options in front of Jalen Hurts any way they can.
24. Cleveland Browns: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
With their first pick in this mock, Cleveland added an offensive tackle for their quarterback.
Now they add a target in the downfield passing game.
Denzel Boston is an outside vertical threat:
#Washington WR Denzel Boston has very special movement skills at 6’4, 209.
His ability to sell deep routes and convert is big-time. Top-5 WR with a first round grade for me in the draft. pic.twitter.com/1hfartxMfQ
25. Chicago Bears: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
Chicago’s Week 17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers highlighted an area of need: Stopping the run. The Bears gave up an average of 135.5 yards per game on the ground, fifth-most in the NFL.
Kayden McDonald will help put an end to that.
26. Buffalo Bills: K.C. Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
Well, as we learned during the fateful postseason press conference from the Buffalo Bills, perhaps Keon Coleman was not general manager Brandon Beane’s first choice when the Bills drafted him. Or maybe he was, given some of the videos that have surfaced on social media since that presser.
Either way, they still need help at WR, and K.C. Concepcio is a perfect fit for Joe Brady’s offense.
27. San Francisco 49ers: Kayden Proctor, OT, Alabama
San Francisco will look to upgrade their offensive line in this draft class, and this is a great start. Kayden Proctor is a massive, powerful tackle who can be a dominant force in the run game, but will need to clean up his technique in pass protection.
28. Houston Texans: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
As Houston Texans fans have continually pointed out, Nick Caserio is not one to draft early along the offensive line.
But after what we saw from this group, particularly in the Divisional Round — and what we also saw from C.J. Stroud in the playoffs — Houston needs to make sure they can protect the quarterback as well as possible.
Enter Monroe Freeling, the massive offensive tackle from Georgia. He’ll certainly help in that effort.
29. Los Angeles Rams: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
If there is a theme to this mock draft it might be this: “Team X is a team to watch for a quarterback but … “
That remains true with the Rams, who might want to address the Matthew Stafford succession plan this offseason. The MVP said he was coming back after winning the hardware on Thursday night, but that gives Sean McVay a chance to get Ty Simpson into the system and coached up before they turn over the keys to the franchise.
30. Denver Broncos: C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia
It almost seems unfair to add another defender to one of the league’s best units, but if Denver’s defense does have a need it is on the second level. C.J. Allen has the athleticism and skillset to be an every-down linebacker in the NFL, with the ability to match pass catchers in man coverage as well as the power to shed blockers at the point of attack against the run.
31. New England Patriots: Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
I just know you will see mocks today that have a left tackle in this spot, but I digress …
Want to see what it looks like when a player’s stock rises during the draft process?
Here you go, courtesy of NFL Mock Draft Database:
At this rate, Akheem Mesidor might not be there when the Patriots are on the clock. But if he is, this is a “run to the podium” situation.
New England’s defense certainly did everything they could in Super Bowl LX, but adding more pass rushers is always a smart move.
Cornerback and interior offensive line are needs the Seattle Seahawks could address in the first round, but given the depth at those respective positions, it makes sense to address the offensive line with this pick. Emmanuel Pregnon is the ideal guard prospect, as he is a mauler in the run game and a stout pass blocker on the inside.
And now that you have made it this far, feel free to yell at me in the comments about how I just made your team worse.
"There's obviously a lot going on that I'm not the biggest fan of," Hess said at a news conference in Milan ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics. "Wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the U.S.
"I'm representing my friends and family back home, the people that represented it before me, all the things that I believe are good about the U.S. I just think if it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I'm representing it."
Hess' teammates on the dais with him that day also addressed the topic, but only the 27-year-old from Oregon drew the president's ire. Trump called Hess a "loser" and did not properly convey what Hess said in his post.
The four-member women's halfpipe team, led by two-time Olympian Chloe Kim, largely echoed what Hess originally said.
"I think there are a lot of different opinions in the U.S. right now. Obviously, we're very divided," Bea Kim, 17, said. "I personally am very proud to represent the United States. That being said, I think diversity is what makes us a very strong country and what makes us so special."
Nowhere else in the world can an individual express themself with the level of freedom Americans can, Bea Kim said.
"I think the four of us sitting here (Monday) are an example of that. We all came from very different backgrounds."
Chloe Kim's parents, like Bea Kim's grandparents, immigrated to the West Coast from South Korea.
"I think that's also so special about the Olympics. Bringing people together from different countries," while celebrating sport, friendship and respect, Bea Kim said.
Chloe Kim said the recent news has "hit really close to home" because her immigrants made the sacrifice many others have done to build a better life for their descendants in America.
"It is really important for us to unite and kind of stand up for one another with all that's going on," Chloe Kim said. "I'm really proud to represent the United States. It's given my family and I so much opportunity. But I also think that we are allowed to voice our opinions of what's going on. And I think that we should lead with love and compassion. And I'd love to see more of that."
Maddie Mastro agreed that she is proud to represent her country.
"I'm also saddened with what's happening at home. It's really tough and we can't turn a blind eye to that," Mastro said.
At the same time, Mastro said, she represents a country that has not lost what makes it special – kindness and compassion.
By the time Maddy Schaffrick grabbed the mic, she didn't have much to add.
"I feel like the Olympics is the epitome of all countries and cultures coming together in celebration and friendly competition," she said. "I'm proud to represent the U.S. and wear the American flag in such an internationally cohesive event, and do what I love while representing the U.S."
Multiple members of Team USA have received online hate for their comments leading into these Games, from Hess to figure skater Amber Glenn to moguls skier Chris Lillis.
Around a year after Carney Chukwuemeka joined Borussia Dortmund from Chelsea, the 22-year-old is still waiting for his major breakthrough at the Bundesliga club.
Chukwuemeka initially arrived on loan before Dortmund paid €20 million to make the move permanent during the summer.
In his first full season at BVB, he has made 26 appearances but has started only eight times – and has not featured in the starting XI since the turn of the year.
According to Ruhr Nachrichten, doubts are mounting over Chukwuemeka’s fitness, with the local outlet questioning why his physical form hasn't visibly improved over the past year.
The English midfielder is contracted to the Black and Yellows until 2030.
Sassuolo 0-5 Inter Milan – Argentina Goalscoring Machine Equals Important Club Record
Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez equaled an important club record in yesterday’s Serie A win over Sassuolo.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport via FCInterNews, El Toro drew level with the legendary Roberto Boninsegna in the club’s all-time list.
Cristian Chivu’s side ran riot at the Mapei Stadium, demolishing the Neroverdi 5-0 for their fifth consecutive league win.
Meanwhile, Lautaro Martinez found the back of the net in his fourth successive Serie A appearance.
Lautaro Martinez Equals Inter Milan Record in Sassuolo Win
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 23: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Pisa SC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 23, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Yesterday’s strike marked Lautaro’s 14th goal in Serie A this season.
Furthermore, the 28-year-old equaled Boninsegna’s tally of 171 goals in Inter colors.
Therefore, he’s now the club’s third-best goalscorer ever, with only Giuseppe Meazza and Sandro Altobelli ahead of him.
Fresh off equaling another impressive club milestone, Lautaro will be looking to end his drought in big matches next weekend.
Indeed, Inter will take on Juventus in the latest edition of the famous Derby d’Italia at Stadio San Siro.
The Seattle Seahawks may have won Super Bowl LX, but for those who went to bed early Sunday night, the question this morning is: How many watched Turning Point USA's All-American Halftime Show instead of Bad Bunny?
Turning Point USA, the organization founded by slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, said its show would focus on "faith, family, and freedom."
Puerto-Rican born Bad Bunny has been vocal in his criticism of President Trump and activities undertaken by the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including at the Grammys.
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
All is well in Charm City after the Ravenshired their fourth head coach in franchise history, bringing Jesse Minter back to where it all started with a five-year deal. Minter brings a high level of defensive acumen and should help ease Ravens fans' frustrations over the loss of Mike MacDonald two years ago. The Ravens will now begin retooling the roster after hiring an offensive and a defensive coordinator while working out a new contract for quarterback Lamar Jackson.
We previously looked at players the Ravens would target if there were no salary cap. Now we're looking at one player the Ravens could target from each AFC team.
The sixth-year pro out of Wisconsin has logged nearly 5,000 snaps at left guard in his NFL career and finished 2025 logging a 71.4 PFF grade in 1,035 snaps.
Melifonwu played in 15 games, logging 53 tackles, one sack, and a 62.9 PFF grade in 549 snaps.
New England Patriots: OL K'Lavon Chaisson
The New England Patriots signed K'Lavon Chaisson to a one-year, $3 million deal last offseason, and they could be looking to keep him around, but if he departs, he'd be an immediate plug-and-play option. On a team heading to the AFC title game, Chaisson started 10 games in a limited role, which has since expanded, recording 31 tackles, 7.5 sacks (second-most on the team), and a fumble-return touchdown. He set career highs in sacks and tackles for a loss this season.
New York Jets: OL Alijah Vera-Tucker
Before his 2025 injury, Vera-Tucker earned three straight seasons of 70.0-plus PFF overall grades and allowed the fourth-lowest pressure rate (2.8 percent) among guards in 2024.
Hendrickson is getting older, but he's still a closer off the edge. In seven games this season, he had four sacks. Still, Hendrickson's 17.5 sacks and 65 pressures in 2024 were league highs.
The veteran offensive guard logged a 77.7 PFF grade in 324 snaps.
Pittsburgh Steelers: DB Kyle Dugger
After being acquired from New England, Dugger logged 42 tackles (22 solo), including 1.0 sacks, and five pass defenses (including one interception and a pick-six) in nine regular-season games with Pittsburgh.
A vertical deep threat at 6-foot-3 and 211 pounds, Pierce averaged a league-best 21.3 yards per catch in 2025. He also topped the 1,000-yard receiving mark and brought in six touchdowns.
Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Greg Newsome II
A midseason trade acquisition for the Jaguars from the Browns, Newsome has only four career interceptions, but he has 33 pass breakups over five seasons.
Tennessee Titans: DT James Lynch
A 6-foot-4-, 295-pounder, Lynch originally entered the league as a fourth-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. Lynch saw action as a reserve in all 17 games in his first season with the Titans, and he posted 20 tackles, a sack, four quarterback pressures, two stops for loss, and two passes defensed. This year, Lynch appeared in 17 games, logging 25 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
Franklin-Myers can rush from both inside and outside as a versatile defensive tackle who is also well above average against the run.
Kansas City Chiefs: DB Bryan Cook
A rangy safety with elite speed, the 2022 second-round pick is the highest-ranked player at his position in free agency. He had six pass breakups in 2025, playing 82.6% of Kansas City's defensive snaps.
Las Vegas Raiders: OL Dylan Parham
A four-year starter with the Raiders, Parham is a solid offensive guard who is only 26 and offers some upside.
Los Angeles Chargers: OL Zion Johnson
Johnson is a young, durable interior blocker who fits both zone and gap run schemes and earned a 90.7% pass block win rate over his four-year career.
LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Chloe Kim's first truly meaningful ride through a halfpipe in almost 11 months will come at no place other than the Olympics.
That feels daunting, even for one of the best snowboarders in the world, whose leadup to the Games took a detour when she injured her shoulder during a training run in Switzerland the second week of January.
“I have so much anxiety,” Kim said Monday, two days before she begins her quest to win a third straight gold medal. “But thankfully I have matcha (tea) and there's good vibes here and my family's here, so we'll be good.”
The 25-year-old American said she returned to the halfpipe about two weeks ago and is wearing a brace on her left shoulder that, “in a funny way ... made my riding better.”
Her coach, Rick Bower, told The Associated Press that practices have been going well since Kim returned to the snow.
“Clearly, it's not an ideal situation, but all things considered, the work she's put in over the last 15 years, she's in a place where she can deal with it,” he said. “Though it's not what we'd like, the riding is at the point to where she can still compete for gold.”
Kim spoke of the mental reboot she was able to enjoy, in large part by winning a contest in Aspen in January 2025 that put her on the Olympic team more than a year before the Games. She won world championships two months after that, then took time off.
Her plan was to ease into the Olympic season — lots of practice, followed by one competition in Copper Mountain, Colo., in December, then another in Laax, Switzerland, in January.
She made it through the low-pressure qualifying round at Copper Mountain, but fell and injured her shoulder while getting ready for the final. She rebounded from that, but suffered the more serious injury almost exactly a month before she jumps into the halfpipe in Italy.
It leaves the one run in Copper Mountain as the only scored run Kim has made since last March. She said often muscle memory overcomes the nerves once she drops in.
“I feel confident,” Kim said. “I feel really good about how I'm feeling physically and mentally, and that's most important right now.”
When healthy, Kim would be the clear favorite even in a sport that is advancing quickly. Korea's 17-year-old Gaon Choi has been ramping up the difficulty and could pose the greatest threat to Kim's three-peat.
But Kim herself has always led the way on the halfpipe. She said her big run this week is one she's never done. It will be a tougher version of what she won with in Beijing — tricks involving riding backward and forward and spinning in both directions off those approaches.
“If I'm able to pull that off, regardless of where I place, I'll be really content with that,” Kim said.
Sonny Styles began his career at Ohio State as a safety before moving to linebacker in 2024. From there, he emerged as one of college football's most dynamic defensive players.
After a prolific career with the Buckeyes that included All-American honors in 2025, Styles is set to be one of the first defensive players off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft.
That makes him a logical option for the Miami Dolphins, a team in desperate need of defensive players to become cornerstone pieces in new head coach Jeff Hafley's unit.
So should the Dolphins consider Styles with the No. 11 selection?
Position: LB
Height: 6'4
Weight: 243 pounds
Fit for Miami
The Dolphins already have an outstanding linebacker in Jordyn Brooks, who earned First-Team All-Pro honors after leading the league in tackles. Adding Styles at his side could make the middle of the Miami defense a formidable spot.
The No. 11 slot may be a bit early for an off-ball linebacker, but the skill set of Styles could be tailor-made for Hafley and his staff. His athleticism would provide the Dolphins with the versatility to disguise coverages and blitzes, making life difficult for opposing offenses.
Bottom line
The Dolphins have needs at several positions with a reset of the roster and team identity already underway. Styles has the range, versatility, athleticism, and smarts to be a safe pick to kick off new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan's tenure.
Should the Dolphins make him the No. 11 pick, it would be a solid way for Sullivan and Hafley to begin their build of a new look Miami team, as Styles has plenty of potential to be a star in the NFL.
The national Player of the Year race seems fairly open and shut. The nation’s best team is UConn, the Huskies are undefeated, and Sarah Strong leads them in points, rebounds, blocks, steals and assists. A transcendent force powering what could be a dynastic run.
While Strong’s credentials are unimpeachable, it’s hard to overlook the season Mikayla Blakes is having at Vanderbilt. The second-leading scorer (25.6 points per game) in the country behind Iowa State’s Audi Crooks, Blakes shoulders a massive burden for the Commodores, with the nation’s eighth-highest usage rate. Not only does Blakes carry the creation load — adding 4.6 assists per game to her scoring total — but she also fronts Vanderbilt’s pressure defense. Blakes’ 3.1 steals per game are 18th in the country.
UConn’s dominance limits Strong’s overall counting stats. She averages six fewer minutes than Blakes, allowing the Vanderbilt guard to edge her in points and assists, even if Strong still holds the lead in rebounds, blocks and steals — 3.4 steals is a ridiculous number for a big. Strong can also afford to take a backseat to her teammates, with a deep and talented roster surrounding her, not that the sophomore sensation ever has a bad game.
Blakes, on the other hand, is the alpha and omega for the Commodores. They need brilliance from her to hang in the SEC. It’s a different lift than what is required from Strong, and Blakes has met the moment. Vanderbilt reached a top-five ranking this season for the first time since 2002 and is poised to be a first-weekend hosting team for the first time since the NCAA changed its format in 2015.
In the Commodores’ most recent win, over Kentucky, Blakes was unconscious. When the Wildcats defended her in single coverage, she blew by every defender en route to the basket, particularly when going to her right. Her jumper was cooking, and she made all four of her 3-point attempts from the right wing. She played all 40 minutes in the one-point road victory, tallied four steals and four assists. Blakes is the only player this season to post that combination of points, assists and steals against a power conference opponent.
Strong still leads Blakes in every all-in-one statistical indicator. When it comes to impacting winning, no one does it better than Strong, even if she has the perfect surrounding situation. But if Blakes continues to propel Vanderbilt’s success in the country’s best conference, that context has to come into consideration. Blakes is required to be a superstar every time the Commodores take the court. She makes a superhuman task look smooth, and she’s winning at a high clip, if not quite as frequently as Strong and UConn.
Were the season to end today, Strong is still the easy choice. But in a month, if Vanderbilt is the SEC champion? Blakes’ case looks far more compelling.
One of the most impressive elements of Texas’ early-season success was that the Longhorns were succeeding without their full rotation healthy. The team that won the Players’ Era championship over South Carolina and UCLA now has the fifth-ranked freshman of 2025 playing regular minutes, as if another double-digit scorer landed in Texas’ lap.
Aaliyah Crump was off to a sparkling start to her freshman season, scoring double digits in her first four games before suffering a stress fracture in her foot. Almost three months later, Crump is putting up points just as easily, but now in the SEC. She had a team-high seven field goals against LSU, scoring on drives, floaters and jumpers, including two triples. The Longhorns outscored the Tigers by 12 points in her 24 minutes.
Crump completely changes Texas’ spacing because of her ability to shoot from distance. Other than Jordan Lee, Crump is the only Longhorn who regularly takes – and makes – 3-pointers, forcing defenses to think about where they set up. It was evident on a fast break in the first quarter when Crump ran to the corner and a defender had to stay on her, leaving an open lane for Ashton Judd.
Texas even tasked Crump with guarding Flau’jae Johnson, and Crump helped limit the senior to 3-for-14 shooting. The freshman comfortably navigated Johnson’s feints and fakes, earning a spot in the Longhorns’ closing five (she played the entire fourth quarter). How Vic Schaefer navigates his lineup decisions is an open question, but having options is generally a blessing, and Crump is proving to be another viable rotation piece.
Where did Iowa’s defense go?
Two weeks ago, the Hawkeyes had a defensive rating of 85.2 points allowed per 100 possessions, good for 52nd in the country. Considering Iowa had previously posted an above-average defense once in the last decade, it was quite the accomplishment for the young Hawkeyes. Then, Taylor McCabe tore her ACL, and Iowa has become unrecognizable on that end of the floor.
“(McCabe) never blew an assignment,” Iowa coach Jan Jensen said last week after the Hawkeyes played their first full game without her. “She very rarely got beat in transition, she didn’t switch when she wasn’t supposed to switch, she doubled when she was supposed to double, and that’s my biggest concern.”
Jensen surfaced those concerns after Iowa played USC, a middling offensive team at best. The problems only exacerbated against UCLA and Minnesota, two more losses that have removed the Hawkeyes from Big Ten title consideration and could put their NCAA Tournament-hosting status in jeopardy. They’re conceding 120.3 points per 100 possessions during this stretch. They’re not forcing turnovers or rebounding on either end. Opponents are shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 49 percent on 3s. Every facet of Iowa’s defense has crumbled.
The Hawkeyes are a relatively young group, and these minutes will be important learning experiences for the likes of Ava Heiden, Chit-Chat Wright and Addie Deal. For now, the defensive regression is a painful reversal of how Iowa built itself up to start the season. Perhaps the foundation was more fragile than originally anticipated.
Kim Caldwell isn’t sugarcoating anything
After briefly sitting atop the SEC with a 6-0 conference record, the Lady Volunteers have seen things go south. First, Tennessee lost at home by 15 to unranked Mississippi State, trailing for the entire second half. Then, the Lady Vols barely avoided their largest loss in program history against UConn, falling by 30 points. They followed that by being taken into overtime by Georgia, and then they definitively set the record for the worst loss in Tennessee history, getting routed by 43 points at South Carolina.
Coach Kim Caldwell was blunt in her assessment Sunday after Tennessee’s noncompetitive showing against the Gamecocks. “A lot of quit in us tonight,” she said, “and that has been something that is consistent with our team. … Things don’t go our way, and I have a team that’ll just quit on you.”
Setting aside its season-opening defeat to NC State, Tennessee’s five losses have come by an average of 27 points. The quality of the opponent is a factor, as UCLA, UConn and South Carolina were top-five teams when they met. But Texas, LSU and Vanderbilt — each of whom has sat in the top five at some point this season — remain on the Lady Vols’ schedule, so this season has the potential to get even worse.
The loss against South Carolina showed Tennessee’s lack of flexibility. Its only source of offense was drive and kick, and once the Gamecocks went into a zone, the ball movement completely evaporated, and all the Lady Vols could produce were pull-up 3-pointers. They attempted 21 total 2-pointers (16 below their season average) out of their 65 field goals and earned five free-throw attempts. With that kind of shot distribution, Tennessee is far too reliant on 3-point variance, which has resulted in some bleak outcomes.
MILAN (AP) — Figure skater Amber Glenn didn’t even get the chance to try to qualify for the 2022 U.S. Olympic team because she tested positive for COVID-19. Clearly, that sticks with her.
This time around, with the American preparing to contend for an individual medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Games next week, she is relying on “an insane amount of hand sanitizer” — defined by Glenn as “a handbag-full” — to make sure that sort of thing doesn’t sideline her again.
“We have certain B vitamins, vitamin C, that kind of stuff, that’s cleared with the (U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee), that we take. Anything that will keep me from getting sick, I’m like, ‘Give it to me now!’ I’m drinking all these green juices,” said Glenn, a 26-year-old from Plano, Texas, who is the first woman to claim three consecutive U.S. Figure Skating titles since Michelle Kwan two decades ago.
“When you’re in such a high-tense environment, and everybody is sweating, and unfortunately snot is going everywhere, and everyone is so stressed, there’s so much happening,” Glenn said. “And then our bodies come down, and our minds come down, and we’re very vulnerable.”
Speedskater Casey Dawson missed the opening ceremony four years ago and then skipped his first event, the 5,000 meters, because he contracted COVID before he was supposed to fly to China.
“Tested positive for 50 straight tests,” said Dawson, a 25-year-old from Park City, Utah. “Showed up 12 hours before my 1,500 meters.”
Like Glenn, he’s been opting for generous helpings of vitamins and dusting off his masks, which were so ubiquitous at the last Winter Olympics. After finishing eighth in the 5,000 in Milan on Sunday, he's also planning to enter the 10,000 on Friday, the team pursuit and the 1,500.
“Taking the right precautions,” Dawson said. “We’ve learned a lot since the COVID pandemic.”
Seems as though it was long ago, in some regards.
Yet it's also fresh in the minds of Dawson, Glenn and others, even if there aren't the constant reminders that there were back then: the uncomfortable nose and throat swabs, the quarantines or, in the words of Owen Power, a member of Canada's 2022 men’s hockey team, “People walking around in hazmat suits, coming in and cleaning your room.”
The athletes who made it to Beijing and Milan are well aware of the differences.
“This is a lot less stressful," said American ice dancer Evan Bates, who along with Madison Chock is favored for gold in ice dancing. Thinking back to China, Bates said: “There was so much uncertainty.”
In hopes of eliminating some unknowns, U.S. biathlon athletes are working with the University of Utah to track heart rates, fatigue and other data to “really catch the illness before it affects the team,” explained biathlete Chloe Levins, who got COVID at the start of the 2022 Olympic season and was sidelined from November until March.
This new program is not for COVID, specifically; Levins called it “illness mitigation.” She and teammates will get $3 for each survey providing the requested information.
Some, such as speedskating star Jordan Stolz, actually were pleased to deal with ailments like a head cold ahead of the trip to Italy. The 21-year-old Stolz got sick just before last month’s U.S. Olympic trials in his home state of Wisconsin and, he said, it contributed to a surprising fall he took in the 1,000 meters.
“It’s nice,” Stolz said then, “that I can get sick now and hopefully not get sick later.”
Glenn, the figure skater, harbored a similar thought when she came down with the flu in December.
“I was like, ‘OK, we’re good. Antibodies. Great!’” she recalled.
Then there are others, such as American short track speedskater Kristen Santos-Griswold, who went through the 2022 Games and everything they entailed away from the ice. While she's aware of the sorts of things that can help her stay healthy in 2026, she opted to be a tad less strict.
“I'm keeping up with hygiene and all of that, (but) I’m not trying to go too overboard,” said Santos-Griswold, “because I think that’s the kind of thing that can also drive you crazy.”
___
AP National Writer Eddie Pells, AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno and AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta contributed.
The first former Irish player to make an impact was defensive end Rylie Mills, as he got his first-career sack in the second quarter. Next it was safety Julian Love, who was the Seahawks nominee as Walter Payton Man of the Year.
Love has had better full seasons, as he battled a hamstring injury this season, and a should issue ahead of Sunday night’s game. Regardless of the pain, he made a big play on the biggest stage and helped his team win a Super Bowl.
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.
The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) was established not long after statehood in 1911. But now the governor and some state legislators want to get rid of it.
Longtime sports fans will remember that the OSSAA made Oklahoma the last state in the nation to recognize that girls were not "too delicate" to play full court basketball. The requirement was relaxed in 1987, allowing schools to choose the full-court option, and was finally eliminated in 1995.
But the issue today concerns the OSSAA's "Link Rule" (Rule 24), which can make students ineligible for sports for a year if they transfer schools just to follow (or "link" with) a coach who has switched jobs.
“A student can transfer to a new school, but if they want to excel in sports, their opportunity may be blocked by an unelected and unaccountable high school athletic association: the OSSAA,” Stitt said.
The OSSAA responded by saying that its rules were "shaped by" the 482 state schools that are voluntary members of the association.
The Oklahoman wants to know what you think about this issue.
Is it time for the OSSAA to go away?
Should the governor and others mind other business and leave it up to OSSAA to manage high school athletics and other interscholastic activities in what it considers to be a fair way?
Should the OSSAA stay in business but get rid of its Rule 24?
Tell us what you think. Send your opinions to yourvoice@okahoman.com.
Remember to include your name and hometown if you'd like to be included in our story on the response.
Alex Jimenez is set to become a permanent AFC Bournemouth player after his obligation to buy clause was triggered, a development first reported by Fabrizio Romano. The clause activated when the Spaniard started against Aston Villa on Saturday, meeting the agreed threshold of starting, or playing more than 45 minutes, in 50 per cent of league games he has been available for.
That appearance quietly confirmed what Bournemouth had anticipated for weeks. Jimenez’s form and availability had nudged the deal towards inevitability, and the paperwork is now expected to follow swiftly.
Clause details confirm strategy
Bournemouth will sign Jimenez on a five year contract, paying €19 million for the 20 year old, with a further €5 million possible in add ons. The structure of the deal is notable. AC Milan will receive €5 million of the upfront fee, plus 50 per cent of the remaining amount, while the other half will go to Real Madrid.
This arrangement underlines how multiple clubs remain invested in Jimenez’s trajectory, even as Bournemouth secure long term control over a player who has become central to their plans.
Impact across Premier League season
Jimenez has been a standout for the Cherries this term, starting 17 Premier League matches and featuring in all but one league game he has been available for. His versatility has been a key asset. While naturally a right back, he has also been deployed further forward, including from right wing.
That adaptability was highlighted in January when he scored his first goal for the club in a 3-2 victory over Liverpool, a moment that captured both his confidence and Bournemouth’s trust in him.
Announcement expected soon
An official announcement is expected next week, formalising a move that has felt settled for some time. For Bournemouth, this represents continuity and conviction in recruitment.
Our View – EPL Index Analysis
This report feels like a reward for patience and smart planning. Jimenez never looked like a short term fix. The obligation clause was designed to be reached if things went well, and they clearly have. Fans have watched him grow into the side, week by week, without fuss, but with real authority.
The fee feels significant, yet justified. Supporters understand that investing €19 million, with add ons, signals ambition and belief in development rather than a gamble on reputation. Jimenez’s willingness to play wherever needed has resonated with the fanbase. Seeing a right back pop up on the right wing and score against Liverpool sticks in the memory.
There is also reassurance in the length of the deal. A five year contract suggests stability, something Bournemouth supporters value after seasons of churn. Knowing that the club has secured a young, adaptable player entering his prime offers optimism. This feels like a move that strengthens identity as much as the squad, and that matters deeply on the south coast.
The 20-year-old remains at Rennes for the rest of the season and fell awkwardly in the second half of a 3-1 defeat to Lens in Ligue 1 and looked to be in a lot of pain as he went off the pitch.
Beye was asked about the injury to the young Frenchman after the match: “For Jeremy, it’s his shoulder, and for Abdelhamid [Ait Boudlal, the other Rennes player injured] it’s muscular,” he said.
“We’ll have time to see, but it’s definitely quite serious for both of them.”
Liverpool boss Arne Slot was full of praise for the Frenchman when he signed for the club.
“Very pleasing, of course,” Slot said. “He’s a very big talent and maybe even more than talent but we speak about talent because of his age.
“Such a big talent and another example of the model we’re using at this club — young, very talented players sometimes at the start of their careers or sometimes already a little bit a few years into their career but always players that are young and can improve us in the short term but also definitely in the long term.
“We’ve signed a lot of them recently and like I’ve said many times in the mid-long term future of this club, and even the short term, is in a very good place.”
The second base position is pivotal in fantasy as it’s become a bit of a “choose your own adventure” exercise when you are building your team’s roster. There really aren’t many 4-5 category stars anymore (aside from Jazz Chisolm), so you have to decide whether you want to use this spot on your roster to get stolen bases or if you want to take one of the few power-hitting options. Whichever way you choose, the field dries up fairly quickly, so you can’t wait too long to get your guy.
It’s not like the good old days when teams employed the shift and could play somebody like Mike Moustakas at “2B”. Never fear, there happen to be a few young guns in this year’s crop that I’m particularly interested in, so let’s take a look at the 16th-30th ranked players who qualify at the keystone for the 2026 fantasy season.
Signed with the Mets this off-season and is projected to bat in the middle of their order and split 1b/DH duties with Mark Vientos. Polanco is a solid bad that has been able to put up decent numbers everywhere he has played. If he can stay in the lineup for 140+ games, he’s a good bet to put up a .250-25-75 type season
17) Luke Keaschall, Twins
There’s something about Twins prospects who get hurt a lot that has me a little worried about this kid. The skills are there for him to be a fantasy stud, but he is going to need to stay healthy to get there. I’m willing to brave the storm of the Minnesota jinx and chalk last season’s injuries to bad luck.
He has great bat-to-ball skills and has shown a proclivity for stealing bases. The power development is a question, but he has shown double pop in the minors, and that could translate into 10+ home runs.
Sep 23, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero (72) reacts after hitting a walk off single against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
He qualifies at four positions but probably has the most value as a middle to later round 2b. He has led the AL in steals for the past two seasons and doesn’t need a full-time gig to pile up steals. He will begin the season getting a decent run at shortstop while Anthony Volpe rehabs from offseason shoulder surgery. Once the team is fully healthy, he’ll have to settle for a super utility role.
He’s a one-category guy, so you will have to make up for the lost power numbers elsewhere. The Yankees don’t exactly let their players run wild, so he will most likely top out around 30-35 steals. He gives you a ton of roster flexibility on top of those steals, so he’s a nice option at middle infield.
19) Nolan Gorman, Cardinals
Last year was a bit of a lost year for Gorman as it appeared that the Cardinals were going to make room for him in their lineup by moving the other Nolan, Arenado, before last season. A year later, they finally parted ways with the potential future Hall of Famer, opening up the hot corner for Gorman.
The power potential is real, but so is the K rate and the extreme fly ball profile. The batting average is going to be low, but if you need power, he has 30 home run upside potential.
20) Willi Castro, Rockies
Of all the landing spots for Castro, this is the one that put him back on my radar for fantasy. He was putting together a journeyman profile over the first 4 years of his career in Detroit, but then he was given a full-time job with the Twins, and he erupted with 33 steals in 2024.
He has enough pop in his bat that he could hit 15 or so out of Coors Field, and with every day at bats, he could get back over 20 steals. He’s likely a utility player in the long run, but for this year, he’s poised for every day at bats in a really bad lineup.
21) Brendan Donovan, Mariners
Traded to Seattle right before camp starts, Donovan figures to be the Mariner’s every day third baseman. At the end of the day, Donovan might be better in real life than he is in fantasy. He doesn’t have a ton of pop, and he doesn’t run.
He’s a steady bat that will chip in across the board while maintaining a solid batting average. There’s nothing sexy to see here, but if you need a safe option to give you .280-10-60-60-5, go ahead and pull the trigger at the end of your draft.
22) Josh Smith, Rangers
Sep 24, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Josh Smith (8) walks to the on deck circle during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Took a bit of a step backward last year as he wasn’t able to build on his 2024 numbers. The power and speed potential is still there, but at 28 years old, I would have expected to see more of it by now. He will play nearly every day around the diamond for Texas and will bat towards the bottom of that lineup, which should mute his run/RBI numbers. He’s a nice addition as he qualifies for a bunch of positions. Upside is 20 homers with 10+ steals.
23) JJ Wetherholt, Cardinals
He’ll qualify at shortstop on draft day, but he figures to be the Cardinals opening day second basemen after they dealt away Brendan Donovan this offseason. With the Cards in full rebuild mode, he’s going to get a shot at every day at bats, and he makes for an interesting late-round option after totaling 17 homers and 23 steals between AA and AAA last season.
The obvious concerns with taking a rookie over a proven veteran still loom, but his upside makes him a much better dart throw than most of the other options around here. I’d much prefer him to older players with low ceilings like Semien or Edman.
24) Marcus Semien, Mets
Semien is another player trying to outrun Father Time. At 35 years old and moving from the friendlier confines of Arlington to Citi Field, it doesn’t give me a ton of hope for this year. The Mets are committed to playing him every day at 2b, and he should bat right in the middle of that lineup.
If he can stay healthy, he has a great shot at slightly improving upon last year’s numbers. While they pale in comparison to his former glory days, a .260-20-70 line isn’t going to hurt your fantasy season
25) Tommy Edman, Dodgers
At this point, every player we discuss is going to have questions coming into this season. It just comes down to which questions we are more comfortable answering for the short term. Edman was a solid contributor in the steals department before chronic ankle injuries ruined that for him over the last 2 years.
He had surgery to address the ankle, so it’s possible he gets back to the 30-steal level he was playing at for the three years prior to 2024. It’s possible, but it’s not likely. He doesn’t have much pop, so we’re taking a flier here, hoping that the steals come back and he contributes to the runs and RBI categories just by being in that Dodger lineup.
26) Cole Young, Mariners
Young is a top 100 prospect, but he more likely profiles as a better real-life player than a fantasy asset. He had some growing pains after being called up, but his bat-to-ball skills tell us he’s much better than a .211 hitter. He should be able to hold off Ryan Bliss to keep the everyday job at 2b in Seattle.
While Bliss might be the more interesting prospect due to his base-stealing ability, Young is more likely the guy who gets the bulk of playing time. He’s solid, but he’s not going to move the needle much in any one category.
27) Lenyn Sosa, White Sox
Aug 17, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Lenyn Sosa (50) hits a solo home run against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
He qualifies at both 1b and 2b and should play multiple positions again for the White Sox in what should be a fairly fluid daily lineup that could use Sosa’s pop. Sosa is a free swinger who managed 22 home runs last year with a respectable .264 batting average despite a 127-18 walk-to-K ratio.
The bottom might fall out of that average, and his sub-300 OBP will have Chicago looking for better options long term. For now, he makes for a decent option at 2b, while he’s not quite a top 30 1b for me.
28) Romy Gonzalez, Red Sox
Gonzalez is the starter right now in Boston, and based on last year’s numbers, it’s well warranted. He had a bit of a breakout in his age-28 season, fueled by an elite hard-hit rate and his ability to smash left-handed pitching. The batting average is what stands out, as .300 hitters don’t just grow on trees. The power and speed combo is slightly lower than the replacement level for a typical fantasy player, so his upside appears limited.
Just be aware that this Boston team is pretty stacked, and no player is slump-proof. There’s always a chance that the Sox move Marcelo Mayer or Ceddanne Rafaela to 2nd to make room for another bat, so keep an eye on their roster during camp. Downside is he’s on the short side of a platoon.
29) Gabriel Arias, Guardians
He makes for an intriguing option as a late-round pick-up because of his upside potential. He has elite bat speed as well as an athletic profile that suggests he should be able to chip in with some stolen bases. He also swings and misses a ton, and the Guardians have a bunch of other options like Daniel Schneemann, Angel Martinez, and Brian Rocchio that they can plug in for Arias if they grow tired of his .270 on-base average. He’s a late-round flyer with a very low floor.
30) Jonathan India, Royals
He won the rookie of the year award in 2021, and it’s all been downhill since. He will continue to get at-bats for the Royals, and he’s playing for a contract, so there’s a chance that he can have a magical “out of nowhere” season at age 29. If he’s lying around late in your draft, go ahead and grab him and hope for a later career power surge. I’m more likely going to wait for it to happen while he’s on waivers and then pick him up when the younger player that I draft gets hurt or sent to the minors.
Video: Guardiola’s three-word touchline reaction to Donnarumma’s big save vs. Liverpool
Pep Guardiola looked absolutely amazed by a Gigio Donnarumma late save, which allowed Manchester City to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield.
Italy international Donnarumma massively contributed to Manchester City’s away win at Liverpool on Sunday, producing a sensational last-minute save.
Gigio Donnarumma’s fantastic save vs. Liverpool
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 08: Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma saves from Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on February 08, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola instantly reacted to Donnarumma’s save from the touchline at Anfield as the Spaniard put his hands on his head in disbelief and looked at his staff, saying: ‘What a save!’
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 14: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Manchester City celebrates after Erling Haaland (not pictured) scored their sides second goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Italy captain Donnarumma has kept 12 clean sheets in 29 Manchester City appearances this season, conceding 27 goals.
Cam Thomas has spoken publicly after a sudden change in his NBA situation.
The guard found himself searching for a new team following his exit from the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline.
Several options were available as he weighed his next move, but Milwaukee emerged as the destination that made the most sense.
Thomas has now reflected on how the decision came together and what stood out about the opportunity.
Cam Thomas explains why he chose to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks
Thomas said the decision to join Milwaukee was driven by an interest that had been there for some time.
He explained that the Bucks made it clear they wanted him, which played a major role in his choice.
“I picked Milwaukee because they wanted me, and they told me they’ve been interested for years now,” Thomas said. “So, it’s good to have this opportunity come to fruition.”
Thomas added that his focus is on settling in quickly and helping the team.
“I’m just hoping to meet everybody, get to know everybody, and contribute as soon as possible,” he added.
Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
Milwaukee Bucks add more talent around Giannis Antetokounmpo
US' Lindsey Vonn is transported away by helicopter after falling during the Women's Downhill Alpine Skiing competition during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games Milan-Cortina. Michael Kappeler/dpa
US ski star Lindsey Vonn is a regular poster on social media but has so far stayed silent after her crash in the Olympic downhill shocked the sporting world and left her having surgery on a broken leg.
The US team has refused to detail her injuries after the 41-year-old was airlifted to hospital on Sunday from one of her favourite pistes in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
But the Olympics website quoted the Ca’ Foncello Hospital in Treviso as saying in a statement: "Lindsey Vonn underwent orthopaedic surgery to stabilise a fracture in her left leg."
She was making an Olympic comeback having come out of retirement last year, with Sunday's race firmly in her focus.
Winning races on the World Cup circuit aged 41 and after being away from competitive skiing for years wowed fans, and she had legitimate hopes of winning a second Olympic gold 16 years after her first.
But a cruciate knee ligament tear which she said she sustained in Crans-Montana just over a week ago looked to have dashed her hopes. But as is her combative style, Vonn vowed to race anyway on Sunday with a brace on the knee - saying she was largely pain-free.
In the end her Olympic downhill lasted 13 seconds before the crash, a scream of pain and a lengthy stoppage while she was being attended to.
The world's press reacted on Monday with shock. Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport said it was a "nightmare day" for Vonn, with Swiss newspaper Blick stating: "No one wished this end for Lindsey Vonn."
US team-mate Breezy Johnson's gold was overshadowed by the crash and now the Olympic movement is hoping for a positive update following the surgery.
International Olympic Committee sports director Pierre Ducrey told a daily news briefing that he was "very happy" with the quick response of rescue services to Vonn's crash and that the IOC's thoughts were with her.
He added that it had been Vonn's decision to compete despite her original knee injury and she had proved her race worthiness in training.
"She was able to train and made the choice with the excellent team that she has to take part. So I don't think we should say she should or shouldn't have participated," he said.
The PGA Tour has stirred up a bit of controversy with the release of its promotional video for The Players Championship, set to take place in March.
The event is an important one on the calendar, often used by players as a stepping stone as they prepare for the Masters in April.
It always brings together a strong field and has produced some memorable moments, such as Rory McIlroy’s playoff win over J.J. Spaun back in 2025.
But there are those who feel that this year’s build-up has been a bit too much, especially with some of the language used around TPC Sawgrass.
Lee Westwood reacts to PGA Tour Players Championship trailer
Photo by Lauren Sopourn/Getty Images
The PGA Tour recently put out a trailer for The Players Championship, closing with the line: ‘March is going to be major’. The message seemed clear: the PGA Tour wants its flagship event mentioned in the same breath as the sport’s four majors.
This week, Brandel Chamblee went as far as to claim that The Players should be ranked above the majors.
That view has not been widely embraced. Phil Mickelson brushed off Chamblee’s remarks, and Lee Westwood also weighed in on social media, suggesting that there may be more behind the PGA Tour’s efforts than meets the eye.
“I wonder why they’re pushing this narrative hard again Josh. It’s almost like they’re worried. And why would you be worried if you’re doing so well and never been in a better place? 4/5 majors in the US doesn’t sound very good for the growth of golf in the rest of the world does it?” he questioned on X.
PGA Tour draw criticism over how they are handling their latest video campaign
Westwood has been a consistent presence on social media recently and has also been vocal in his support of LIV Golf.
And while he raises some valid points, suggesting that the PGA Tour is acting out of fear seems like a stretch.
The tour is currently undergoing changes under Brian Rolapp and the Future Competitions Committee as they look to reshape its structure for the future.
With that in mind, it makes sense for them to promote The Players Championship as much as possible, especially since they do not have control over the major championships themselves.
Apart from those four majors and perhaps the Ryder Cup, TPC Sawgrass stands out as one of the game’s most respected events. Still, Westwood doesn’t seem ready to acknowledge that just yet.
The team buses will be bringing the players back to Gillette so they can clean out their lockers and enjoy the offseason—but the sting of last night’s loss still hurts not only for them, but for the fans who waited seven years to see their team return to the Super Bowl.
It wasn’t a pretty or exciting game; it was a defensive struggle for most of the night. Well into the third quarter, the score was 12-0 in favor of the Seahawks, with Seattle kicking four field goals. By the time the third quarter finished, the Patriots only had 78 yards of offense.
A Drake Maye fumble and two interceptions helped Seattle’s offense capitalize on his mistakes.
The second-year quarterback was also sacked six times. He did throw for two touchdowns, but it was too little too late. The Seahawks won Super Bowl 60 29-13. Head Coach Mike Vrabel said Seattle was the best team they played all year.
“We couldn’t get any rhythm, field position, we need to get into drives better offensively,” said Vrabel.
“Defensively, we’ve been really good against the run lately, and we weren’t, and again we were just playing catch-up, and we did a great job in the red zone, and we competed, but unfortunately, I think the turnovers ultimately cost us tonight. I appreciate the way that the guys offensively battled and competed, but just not enough consistent execution.”
It was also revealed after the game that Maye did have an injection into his right shoulder that he injured in the AFC championship game against Denver, but he said that that didn’t affect his playing. Following last night’s loss, Maye got a little emotional, saying he didn’t play his best—but this loss will help fuel his future.
“Yeah, that is what motivates you,” said Maye. That is what you talk about in the locker room. That is what fuels you, and I think that is the biggest thing about life," Maye said.
“You’re going to have times like this, and it’s how you bounce back, and I think a lot of those guys in that locker room are going to use that as fuel, and I’ll go to war with those guys anytime, any day, anywhere. It’s motivation to get back here and not have that feeling and have what they’re feeling out there.”
Maye will be able to use that motivation soon. After a quick break, he said he’ll be coming back in April to get focused on the next season.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi, left, and new head coach Robert Saleh field questions by the media at the new head coach’s introductory press conference at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. | DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Mike Vrabel and his New England Patriots were completely overmatched in the Super Bowl. That means that Robert Saleh at 0-0 has a better record in the Super Bowl than Vrabel, 0-1. Take that, all you people who said the Tennessee Titans should have never fired Vrabel. Anyway, it is now officially the offseason.
Odds for the 2027 Super Bowl have been released, and as you might expect, the Titans are pretty far down the list. They are +15000 to be the World Champions next season. That has them tied with the Carolina Panthers for the 27th best odds in the NFL, over at FanDuel Sportsbook. So you’re saying there’s a chance!
Realistically, the Titans need to have two good offseasons before they have a chance to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender, but hey, no one thought the Patriots were going to make the Super Bowl this year after last year’s Super Bowl.
The Seattle Seahawks have the best odds for next year’s Super Bowl at +750.
Are you sprinkling any money on the Titans at +15000?
Official: Joan Laporta resigns as Barcelona president ahead of elections
FC Barcelona have officially announced that Joan Laporta has resigned from his position as club president as he prepares to stand for the new elections coming up next month.
“In accordance with Article 42.f of the FC Barcelona Statutes, President Joan Laporta has resigned from his position in order to be able to stand for election to the Board of Directors, which will be held on March 15,” the club statement read.
“This resignation was formalised at the Board of Directors’ regular meeting held this Monday, at which the election announcement was officially published.”
Along with Laporta, several members of the current board have also resigned to participate in the electoral process.
Specifically, the following have submitted their resignations: Vice President for Institutional Affairs, Elena Fort; Vice President for Social Affairs, Antonio Escudero.
Directors Ferran Olive, Josep Maria Albert, Javier Barbany, Miquel Camps, Aureli Mas, Javier Puig, and Joan Soler have also stepped down.
Once these resignations are formalised, the Board of Directors will continue to perform its duties until the end of its term, scheduled for June 30, with a new composition.
Rafael Yuste will be taking over as interim president, with Josep Cubells as vice president and secretary, and Alfons Castro as treasurer. Josep Ignasi Macia, Angel Riudalbas, Joan Sole i Sust, and Sisco Pujol will take over as directors.
Porto can take big step towards regaining league title tonight
There have been some big games across Europe over the weekend but there is one more still to come this evening in Portugal.
FC Porto currently sit top of the Primeira Liga, four points ahead of second-place defending champions Sporting and are aiming to regain the title that they last won in the 2021/22 campaign under Sérgio Conceição.
Until just last week, Porto had been having a near perfect season remaining undefeated until suffering a shock loss away to Casa Pia.
Francesco Farioli's side can put that right if they win this evening at home and doing so would give them a healthy seven-point lead, giving the Dragons plenty of wiggle room especially in a league that has head-to-head tiebreakers.
Defeat to Sporting though would reduce the deficit to just a point which is particularly dangerous with a trip to take on José Mourinho's Benfica next month.
One thing Porto will be looking to rely on tonight is their rock-solid defence made up of former Premier League players Jan Bednarek, Jakub Kiwior, and 41-year-old Thiago Silva.
Indeed, Porto have conceded just six league goals all season (two of which were scored by Casa Pia last time out) five fewer conceded than Sporting (11) and Benfica (12). That defence has been particularly important when Porto have surprisingly scored fewer goals (41) than sixth-placed Estoril (43) with Braga, Benfica, and Sporting also having netted more.
Sporting are also the league's top scorers with 54 in total meaning that the key tonight will be for that Porto defence to keep the creativity of Pedro Gonçalves and Francisco Trincão at bay and make sure Colombian striker Luis Suárez – the summer replacement for Viktor Gyökeres who has 18 goals in 20 league games – doesn't find the net again.
Kentucky Basketball is coming off quite a week of success, dominating Oklahoma last Wednesday before pulling off another epic comeback to sweep the season series against No. 25 Tennessee on Saturday.
The Wildcats now sit alone in second place in the Southeastern Conference standings at 8-3 with 8-2 Florida the only team ahead of them. Ironically enough, Kentucky’s next matchup is scheduled for this coming Saturday in a showdown with the No. 17 Gators for first place in the standings.
As of now, head coach Mark Pope and his team — according to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index — have just a 21.3% chance of winning in Gainesville. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 PM ET with coverage on ABC.
Kentucky has won eight of nine games after dropping back-to-back outings to begin conference play. They currently sit at No. 28 in each of the DRatings, EvanMiya, and Haslametrics rankings.
For women’s coach Kenny Brooks and his team, they are sitting at No. 16 in the Top-25 but are coming off a tough one-point loss at home to No. 7 Vanderbilt on Thursday. The Wildcats have lost 4 of their last 5 but have a golden opportunity to make a statement tonight with a potential bounce-back win at No. 4 Texas.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET with coverage on the SEC Network.
🚨 Cost €77m in 2025, 22-year-old flop moves to exile league
Jhon Duran once again proves just how incredibly fast-paced the football business is. The 22-year-old moved to Al-Nassr last January for 77 million euros, and now he's heading to his second loan club.
After half a year at Fenerbahce, the loan was terminated, and now the striker is being loaned out to Russia's Zenit St. Petersburg. His club just announced the move.
It's another stop in his rather wild career. After his time in Colombia and America, he made his breakthrough at Aston Villa. Bayern Munich fans, in particular, will remember him painfully. In October 2024, he scored the only goal in Villa's 1-0 win over Bayern in the Champions League. It was Bayern's first defeat of the season.
This winter, VfL Wolfsburg, Juventus Turin, and OSC Lille were reportedly interested in him. But since the transfer window in the European top 5 leagues is now closed, he's moving to Russia.
The striker could now fade even further into obscurity. After all, since the war of aggression against Ukraine, Russian football teams are no longer allowed to participate in UEFA and FIFA competitions.
A real downward spiral—and all at just 22 years old. Will his career pick up again? What do you think? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
American Chloe Kim practices as a photographer watches during a snowboard halfpipe training session at the Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, Sunday. (Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)
Chloe Kim is prepared to defend her Olympic title, even with one healthy shoulder.
When the halfpipe superstar tore her labrum in her left shoulder in training a month ago, her hopes of becoming the first person to win three consecutive Olympic snowboarding gold medals were in jeopardy. But she said during a news conference in Livigno, Italy, on Monday that she got back on her board about two weeks ago and her shoulder is “feeling good.”
In fact, the injury may have made her even better.
“I feel like I'm not moving around as much,” Kim said. “I feel like I'm much more steady because I literally can't move this arm as much as I normally would.”
American Chloe Kim speaks during a news conference at the Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, on Monday. (Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)
The idea that Kim, 25, could be any better than her Olympic dominance paints a scary picture for the halfpipe competition, where she hopes to debut a run she’s never done before despite competing with a restrictve brace.
“I feel confident,” Kim said. “I feel really good about how I'm feeling physically and mentally, and I think that's the most important right now. … I have all the pieces done and dialed so I just need to put everything all together.”
Teammate Maddy Schaffrick is dealing with the same shoulder injury, although on her right side. She dislocated her shoulder at Copper Mountain, Colo., in December. She did not need surgery and didn’t suffer any full tears, but said managing the injury was difficult at first from a mental perspective.
“It was a matter of me riding confidently and kind of faking it till I made it,” Schaffrick said. “My attention, when it was in my shoulder and that instability or pain I was feeling, or awareness of my brace restricting me, that really held me back. When I just dropped into the rest of my body and me on my board, and felt that confidence, it didn't hold me back.”
The 31-year-old Schaffrick is making her Olympic debut after almost a decade away from the sport. She was burnt out from snowboarding after turning pro at 14. She worked as a plumber, then as a snowboard coach, eventually working up to an assistant role on the U.S. national team. Being around the elite athletes, including Kim and fellow U.S. Olympic team veteran Maddie Mastro, inspired Schaffrick to return to competition, and her former proteges are happy to be teammates again.
“Maddy is the vibes on our team,” Kim said. “She always has the biggest smile on her face, such good energy, so positive. And I think that's so special to have. So I'm really grateful that she's here with us, because she always brightens my day.”
Breezy Johnson revealed her broken gold medal after winning the women's downhill [Getty Images]
Milan-Cortina 2026 organisers say they are "looking closely" at why Olympic medals are breaking after several athletes suffered issues with theirs.
Two of the USA's gold medallists, Breezy Johnson and Alysa Liu, revealed the ribbon had come away from the medallion soon after they received their prize.
Johnson, who won gold in the women's downhill alpine skiing, revealed her broken medal at the post-event media conference.
"So there's the medal. And there's the ribbon," she told reporters. "And here's the little piece that is supposed to go into the ribbon to hold the medal, and yeah, it came apart."
Liu revealed a similar issue in a video on social media after she won gold as part of the United States squad in the figure skating team event.
The video shows Liu holding up the medallion and ribbon in separate hands, with the text "My medal don't need the ribbon" over the top.
The issue also befell the German team who won bronze in the biathlon. An Instagram video shows the medallion falling from the ribbon of one of the athletes as they jumped up and down in celebration at the team hotel.
Andrea Francisi, Milano-Cortina 2026 chief games operations officer, said the organisers are investigating the issue when asked by BBC Sport what the problem with the medals is.
"We are fully aware of the situation," Francisi said. "We are looking into exactly what the problem is.
"We are going to pay particular attention to the medals, and obviously this is something we want to be perfect when the medal is handed over because this is one of the most important moments for the athletes."
A United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee spokesperson told BBC Sport that they are waiting for organisers to resolve the issue.
It has not yet been confirmed whether athletes will get replacement medals.
This is not the first time the quality of medals awarded at Olympic Games has been called into question.
As of February 2025, a total of 220 requests have been made to replace medals won at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games because of wear and tear - roughly 4% of those awarded.
Diver Yasmin Harper, who won Team GB's first medal of the 2024 Games, was among the athletes to notice her medal was showing signs of "tarnishing".
Paris 2024 organisers said any damaged medals will be replaced.
BORMIO, Italy (AP) — Italian ski racer Giovanni Franzoni posted the fastest time in the downhill portion of the team combined Monday, an event that's making its Olympic debut at the Milan Cortina Games.
His teammate Alex Vinatzer will take the slalom course later in the day with a slim lead over a trio of Swiss teams. The team combined event involves one racer competing in a downhill run and another in a slalom, with their two times added up to determine the final results.
In second place is Swiss-3, with Alexis Monney racing the downhill and Daniel Yule set to take over for the slalom. They trail by 0.17 seconds. Four-time overall World Cup champion Marco Odermatt has the Swiss-1 team in third place. He is teaming up with technical specialist Loic Meillard. They are 0.28 seconds back.
A third Swiss team — Olympic downhill champion Franjo von Allmen paring with Tanguy Nef — sits in fourth.
Five teams are a second or less out of the lead.
The Swiss swept gold, silver and bronze in the men's team combined at the world championships last February. The nation made some changes, though, with Odermatt uniting with Meillard. At worlds, Meillard paired with von Allmen to win gold.
Franzoni was the silver medalist in the downhill over the weekend. Another Italian team is in fifth after the downhill run by bronze medalist Dominik Paris. He's paired with Tommaso Sala.
In the women's event slated for Tuesday, Mikaela Shiffrin and Breezy Johnson will pair up. They combined to win the event at worlds. Johnson is the reigning Olympic champion after winning Sunday.
🚨Breaking news: Joan Laporta resigns and will stand in the elections
With the upcoming elections on March 15, the current president has submitted his resignation in order to run again.
As expected and as stated in Barça’s statutes, ahead of the upcoming elections to be held on March 15, Joan Laporta has submitted his resignation.
He has done so along with several members of his Board of Directors in order to run as a candidate to be re-elected as president of the Blaugrana club.
Until June 30, the public face at Barcelona will be Rafa Yuste, who will serve as president until a new Board of Directors with a new president is formed.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 8: AJ Barner #88 of the Seattle Seahawks catches the ball for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the NFL Super Bowl LX football game against the New England Patriots, at Levi's Stadium on February 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Super Bowl LX has come and gone, and the Seattle Seahawks — including four former players and three former Michigan coaches — are now Super Bowl Champions.
For the final edition of Pro Blue of the season, let’s kick things off with the player who scored the first touchdown of the Super Bowl.
AJ Barner catches first TD of Super Bowl LX in fourth quarter
The defenses for the Seahawks and New England Patriots stepped up in the first three quarters of this game, with just 12 points getting scored in the first 45 game minutes, all Seattle field goals. But 96 seconds into the fourth quarter, quarterback Sam Darnold found his red zone safety blanket, tight end AJ Barner, for a 16-yard touchdown to give the Seahawks a commanding 19-0 lead.
Barner was a consistent receiving threat for Seattle all night long, catching four passes for 54 yards. It caps off a career season for the second-year tight end, who caught 52 passes for 519 yards and six touchdowns.
Barner is one of four former Wolverines to win the Super Bowl, along with center Olu Oluwatimi — who got on the field late in the fourth quarter — defensive lineman Mike Morris, and running back Zach Charbonnet, who was out with a torn ACL.
Mike Macdonald becomes the third-youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl
The 29-13 win gave Mike Macdonald his first Lombardi Trophy and officially making the 38-year-old the third-youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl, behind only Sean McVay and Mike Tomlin.
The fingerprints of Macdonald and Jay Harbaugh, Michigan’s former special teams coach who now runs that same unit in Seattle, were all over this win. Linebackers coach Chris Partridge, who was fired from Michigan during the Connor Stalions saga and later exonerated for his alleged role, also won and played a big role in Seattle’s defense being as good as it was all season.
It was a dominant win for the Seahawks, as the defense managed to:
Hold New England to 79 yards rushing
Sack Drake Maye six times, breaking through a New England offensive line that included former Michigan guard Mike Owenu
Forced Maye to turn the ball over three times, including a pick-six from Uchenna Nwosu that put out the embers of a New England comeback
SEAHAWKS DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWN FOR UCHENNA NWOSU OMG
Some late garbage-time yards helped Maye reach 295 passing yards, but this was a game where Seattle’s defense took over. New England could not get any offense going until late in the fourth quarter when the game was already decided, as the Seahawks forced the Patriots to punt eight times.
The Seahawks dominated in all three facets of the game, including special teams. Kicker Jason Myers went 5-for-5 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points, punter Michael Dickson averaged 47.9 yards per punt — 3.4 more yards than New England’s Bryce Baringer — and pinned the Patriots inside the five yard line multiple times. Combine that with solid tackling on kick returns, and this was a successful game for Harbaugh’s group.
All these former Wolverines will always be Super Bowl champions and will never forget what they did to earn this Super Bowl title. Props to them on a successful season.
Team USA will play in the medal round of Olympic mixed doubles curling for the first time.
Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin clinched a spot in the semifinals with a pair of victories Sunday, securing a place in the bracket with one round-robin game still to play Monday morning.
The American duo lost that one to Italy, 7-6, but the two teams fill face each other again later Monday in the semifinals, with top seed Great Britain facing Sweden in the other semi.
It's a quick turnaround after a tough loss, but the "Cory and Korey" team knows it will play for either the gold or bronze medal on Tuesday. That in itself is an achievement after the Americans went 3-6 in mixed doubles pool play four years ago in Beijing and 2-5 at Pyeongchang 2018.
Here's everything you need to know to watch Team USA's quest for a medal.
Where to watch USA mixed doubles curling in Olympic semifinals
Team USA's mixed doubles semifinal vs. Italy will air live on USA Network and can be streamed via Peacock, which will carry every event of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics live.
The NBC-owned streaming service's sports programming features live coverage of NFL Sunday Night Football, the NBA, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Premier League soccer, Big Ten football and basketball, Notre Dame football, Big East and Big 12 basketball, PGA Tour golf, and more.
When does USA mixed doubles curling play next?
Date: Monday, Feb. 9
Time: 12:05 p.m. ET
Team USA will face Italy in the semifinals Monday at 12:05 p.m. ET. The game will be played at the Cortina Olympic Curling Stadium.
Olympic organizers are investigating with “maximum attention” after a spate of medals have fallen off their ribbons during celebrations on the opening weekend of the Games.
“Don’t jump in them. I was jumping in excitement, and it broke," women's downhill ski gold medalist Johnson said after her win Sunday. "I’m sure somebody will fix it. It’s not crazy broken, but a little broken.”
TV footage broadcast in Germany captured the moment biathlete Justus Strelow realized the mixed relay bronze he'd won Sunday had fallen off the ribbon around his neck and clattered to the floor as he danced along to a song with teammates.
His German teammates cheered as Strelow tried without success to reattach the medal before realizing a smaller piece, seemingly the clasp, had broken off and was still on the floor.
U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu posted a clip on social media of her team event gold medal, detached from its official ribbon.
“My medal don’t need the ribbon,” Liu wrote early Monday.
Andrea Francisi, the chief games operations officer for the Milan Cortina organizing committee, said it was working on a solution.
“We are aware of the situation, we have seen the images. Obviously we are trying to understand in detail if there is a problem,” Francisi said Monday.
“But obviously we are paying maximum attention to this matter, as the medal is the dream of the athletes, so we want that obviously in the moment they are given it that everything is absolutely perfect, because we really consider it to be the most important moment. So we are working on it.”
It isn't the first time the quality of Olympic medals has come under scrutiny.
Following the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, some medals had to be replaced after athletes complained they were starting to tarnish or corrode, giving them a mottled look likened to crocodile skin.
___
AP Sports Writer Daniella Matar in Milan and Andrew Dampf in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy, contributed to this report.
The football season officially came to an end, as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl and a former Notre Dame star played a big role.
Rylie Mills was taken by the Seahawks in the fifth-round of this past draft, and while he didn’t play much, he made a very impactful play in the Super Bowl. Midway through the second quarter, he looked to be locked up with his opponent, only to power his way to the backfield.
Mills would then get to Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, taking him down with one-hard, and registering the first sack of his NFL career. What a moment it was for the former Irish star, on the biggest stage of football. Congrats to Rylie and the Seahawks on a fantastic season.
Rylie Mills fights through the lineman for another Seahawks sack!
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.
Texas A&M (17-6, 7-3 SEC) has finished its toughest three-game stretch of the season after facing Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, finishing 1-2 after defeating the Bulldogs, followed by back-to-back losses to the Crimson Tide on Wednesday, followed by Saturday's disappointing performance against the Gators, ending with a blowout 86-67 home loss.
First-year head coach Bucky McMillan, along with senior guards Pop Isaacs and Marcus Hill, agree that this performance was both random and won't likely be replicated, given the team's practice habits and success in conference play, while Florida's elite front court, led by the Gators' leading scorer Thomas Haugh, has been playing at an extremely high level.
Florida is playing like one of the best teams in the country after back-to-back blowout wins over Alabama and Texas A&M, and will continue to be a bad matchup for any team that can't match its size. The Gators look like the clear favorite to win the SEC heading into the final stretch of conference play.
With eight games remaining in the regular season, Texas A&M dropped one spot to No. 40 in the NET rankings, and while Saturday's performance was just plain ugly to say the least, the Aggies, according to KenPom, Bucky McMillan's veteran squad is favored to win six of its final eight games, starting with hosting Missouri on Wednesday night. Here are the predicted outcomes from KenPom.
Texas A&M vs. Missouri: 82-75 W
Texas A&M at Vanderbilt: 86-78 L
Texas A&M vs. Ole Miss: 80-71 W
Texas A&M at Oklahoma: 82-81 W
Texas A&M at Arkansas: 88-82 L
Texas A&M vs. Texas: 84-81 W
Texas A&M vs. Kentucky: 80-78 W
Texas A&M at LSU: 80-79 W
Road games against Arkansas and Vanderbilt are by far the toughest remaining games, while a late home tilt vs. Kentucky will also pose a significant challenge, but based on how most of the remaining rosters size up, Texas A&M's speed and usual shooting efficiency match up well for the rest of the season.
Texas A&M will host Missouri on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. and will air on the SEC Network.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
The broadcast coverage of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics continues on Monday, Feb. 9 with NBC airing a number of replays featuring Team USA's athletes and the day's biggest moments. The games are exclusively airing across NBC's suite of networks with many competitions airing live on its streaming service, Peacock, which you can sign up for here .
USA TODAY Sports has a team of more than a dozen journalists on the ground in Italy to bring you behind the scenes with Team USA and keep you up to date with every medal win, big moment and triumphant finish. Get our Chasing Gold newsletter in your inbox every morning and join our WhatsApp channel to get the latest updates right in your texts.
NBC Primetime schedule for Feb. 9
NBC's Primetime coverage kicks off at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday night with a recap of multiple sports from earlier in the day. Here's which sports will be featured, according to NBC's latest schedule:
All times Eastern and accurate as of Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, at 2:02 p.m.
8:00 PM - PRIMETIME IN MILAN (REPLAY) Figure Skating, Freestyle Skiing, Alpine Skiing on NBC, PEACOCK
8:00 PM - LUGE (REPLAY) Women's Singles: Run 1 and 2 on USA NETWORK
8:45 PM - CURLING: (REPLAY) Mixed Doubles Semifinal on USA NETWORK
10:15 PM - SKI JUMPING (REPLAY) (MEDAL EVENT) Men's Normal Hill on USA NETWORK
11:00 PM - ICE HOCKEY: Switzerland vs United States (REPLAY) Women's Preliminary Round on USA NETWORK
11:35 PM - OLYMPIC LATE NIGHT (REPLAY) Snowboarding, Speed Skating, and more on NBC, PEACOCK
Over the past few days in Sepang, one of the main attractions of the opening 2026 tests was beginning to gauge what realistic objectives Toprak Razgatlioglu should aim for in his rookie MotoGP season. And those expectations do not look the same now, after the shakedown and test sessions, as they did beforehand.
That is not so much down to the obvious limitations of a brand-new Yamaha M1, but rather to those of the Turkish rider himself, who received a harsh reality check in Malaysia.
The Pramac rider finished 18th on the combined timesheets, almost two seconds off Alex Marquez, the fastest rider over the three days, and eight tenths slower than Alex Rins, the best of Yamaha’s representatives. His pace over long runs was no better. Beyond the now-famous stoppies, one thing that must be credited to the rider from Alanya is his honesty and lack of excuses.
“I’m angry because the lap times just aren’t there. I’m trying to adapt my riding style,” Razgatlioglu explained on Thursday afternoon. “Under braking, I feel good and comfortable, but I struggle in fast corners. When I open the throttle, the rear tyre starts sliding and doesn’t stop, and that makes it hard to turn.”
In his attempt to bring his riding closer to the standards required by a MotoGP prototype, Toprak has also asked for certain changes to the bike, which, in his view, should make the transition from the WorldSBK-spec Yamaha R1 less traumatic.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Pramac Racing
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Pramac Racing
In addition to fitting a wider handlebar, he also feels more comfortable relying more on the rear of the bike. That, however, has triggered other consequences: the increased distance between the lowest point of the seat and the maximum height any part of the tail unit can reach meant he had to go out on track on several occasions without the rear winglets, with the resulting aerodynamic penalty.
“I ride the same way as before, but the lap times don’t come. In WorldSBK, I used the rear tyre to turn, with the throttle. Now, in MotoGP, you have to ride like in Moto2 and accelerate very smoothly. Jack [Miller, his team-mate] always tells me I need to be gentle, but that’s much easier said than done,” said the #07, who made no attempt to hide his frustration – especially given where he finds himself just three months after celebrating his third world title.
“It’s not easy for me to see myself so far down, especially after Superbikes. The first five races will be tough; I’m going to suffer.”
For all the disappointment caused by his Sepang outing, the start of Razgatlioglu’s MotoGP story is not so different from those of riders who, like him, made the jump from WorldSBK. On the horizon, the benchmark is probably Ben Spies, who joined MotoGP full-time in 2010 with Yamaha, one year after winning the Superbike title, and he went on to claim a grand prix victory (Assen 2011), six podiums and fifth place overall in the championship.
Razgatlioglu’s magnetism is unquestionable, and that is something widely applauded throughout the paddock. It only takes a brief conversation with anyone at Yamaha to realise how much hope has been placed in him.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Pramac Racing
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Pramac Racing
“[Paolo] Pavesio [the managing director] is ‘in love’ with him,” is a line repeatedly heard from those leaving the factory team’s garage. The bond between the Italian executive and the rookie goes back a long way, to their time together in the production-based championship. The bet carries Pavesio’s signature, even if that devotion raises some reservations among certain key figures within the structure.
In fact, with the rider market already simmering, there are those who are beginning to point to the Turk as a potential candidate for a factory Yamaha M1 in 2027, alongside Jorge Martin.
At Pramac, his current team, the commitment to a rider who is a pleasure to work with is equally strong. “Because he’s polite and a great guy,” underlined Gino Borsoi, team manager of Paolo Campinoti’s outfit. But Razgatlioglu’s appeal does not stop with those who work alongside him every day; it extends across the entire MotoGP paddock.
“Toprak is a fast rider, I have no doubt about that. I think he’ll end up being competitive,” said one Ducati executive when asked about Razgatlioglu’s potential ceiling. “The thing is, he needs to go through an adaptation process to MotoGP, and that has to happen at every level, not just riding. He’s come from a championship with a level that is clearly lower than this one. Here you have the very best of the best, and I think over these days he’s realised that.
“As happens with most riders, their environment can either help or hinder that adaptation period. In his case, I get the feeling that people haven’t stopped telling him how good he is — which may well be true. But there are moments when that doesn’t help, and when you need to speak clearly and say things that are probably not pleasant to hear.”
The 2025 NFL season is officially in the books, and the Chicago Bears are in the midst of a crucial 2026 offseason.
Chicago went from worst to first in the NFC North in Ben Johnson's first season as head coach, where they won their first playoff game in 15 years and made it clear they're going to be a contender moving forward. But there are still some concerns for the Bears to address this offseason, specifically on defense, where the defensive line needs to be overhauled and some big salary cap decisions for GM Ryan Poles.
While we won't know the official schedule for a few months, we already know who Chicago will be playing in the 2026 season.
In addition to facing their NFC foes twice, the Bears will play the NFC South and AFC East next season, which includes home games against the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as away games against the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers. With the Bears finishing first in the NFC North, they'll also face the same-place finishers in the NFC East, NFC West and AFC South.
Here’s a look at which teams the Bears will play — both home and away — next season.
At first glance, the Bears have a respectable slate in 2026, especially considering they're playing a first-place schedule after their NFC North title. Not only will Chicago have to play a competitive NFC North -- facing the Lions, Packers and Vikings twice -- but they'll also face seven total playoff teams from this current season. While things can change from year to year, some of the most intriguing matchups include the Bills, Patriots, Jaguars, Eagles and Seahawks. But there are also some favorable matchups on the schedule, where they'll face the NFC South (one of the worst divisions) and NFC East (featuring the Jets and Dolphins). With that said, you never know what these teams are going to look like next season. The Bears have the most difficult slate heading into 2026. But Chicago also had the second-toughest schedule when the 2024 season concluded, and it wound up being on the easier side with some teams experiencing drop offs. But this schedule certainly isn't a major juggernaut.
The beautiful game of football has enchanted fans for generations and is the most bet on UK sport.
But which betting sites do the best job of providing a complete experience for betting on the UK’s favourite sport?
Almost all football betting sites have an extensive range of markets and offer competitive odds across the board.
We’ve looked at the fine details on all the best football betting sites and ranked the top 10 based on the quality of their product, including a review of their standout features.
Best Football Betting Sites UK (February 2026)
Ranking
Football betting site
Standout feature
Rating
Welcome offer
#1
Bet365
In-play betting
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Bet £10 get £30 in free bets
#2
BoyleSports
Accumulators
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Bet £10 on mobile get £40 free bets
#3
Betway
Free bets
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
£30 matched bet if first acca loses
#4
Betfred
Betting app
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Bet £10 get £50 free bets
#5
LiveScore Bet
Free to play games
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Bet £10 get £30 free bets
#6
BetVictor
Specials
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
N/A
#7
NetBet
Bet builders
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Bet £10 get £20 free bets
#8
Virgin Bet
Price boosts
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Bet £10 get £30 in free bets
#9
Unibet
Live streaming
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Bet £10 get £30 free bets
#10
talkSPORT BET
Premier League betting
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Get up to £40 in football free bets
Top 10 Football Betting Sites: Ranked and Reviewed
1
Bet365
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Standout feature: In-play betting
Bet365 are the standout football betting site in the business due to the quality of its all-around package.
No operator can match its extensive football betting markets and value for odds across the board.
As the official betting partner of the Champions League, you’ll find a range of special offers and the best Champions League odds on the market.
There is also an impressive range of promotions, including enhanced odds and acca boosts.
Bet365 has one of the best in-play betting platforms online, including live streaming and a lag-free betting experience. (Bet365)
New customers can claim a flexible welcome offer, accepting £5 deposits to unlock £15 in free bets or £10 deposits to secure £30 in free bets.
Specials features including live streaming, bet builders and impressive free to play games such as Scores 6 that offers a host of prizes.
Bet365 distinguishes itself among live betting sites by giving bettors access to a huge number of unique markets and very competitive odds along with live streams of games from Europe’s biggest leagues.
There’s no noticeable lag on odds being updated or a bets being processed on either the desktop site or app; vital traits when betting in-play.
2
BoyleSports
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Standout feature: Accumulators
Football punters loves an accumulator bet on football, and that’s why BoyleSports is ranked so highly on our list. BoyleSports have become the top pick among accumulator betting sites courtesy of their Acca Rewards and Acca Loyalty promotions.
With Acca Loyalty, customers are awarded a £5 free acca every time they place five £5 accumulators. Meanwhile, Acca Rewards allows you to either boost or insure your acca bet, so long as it has three or more legs.
BoyleSports Acca Rewards is one of the best accumulator promotions on the market (BoyleSports)
There’s plenty more to enjoy using BoyleSports. The BoyleSports sign-up offer provides a solid quantity of free bets, while there several outstanding promotions including price boosts, early payouts and specials.
3
Betway
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Standout feature: Free bets
Betway is impressive as a football betting site and is known to hand out no deposit free bets to regular customers, usually to use as bet builders on big Premier League games or major sporting events.
Their football product is straightforward to use, and there are ample markets and competitive odds for all competitions and leagues, including Europa League odds all the way to the final.
Betway stands out as having one of the best free bet clubs. This loyalty programme gives punters the chance to claim a free football bet each week after staking £25 on trebles, accumulators or bet builders between Saturday and Friday.
Customers then unlock £10 in free bets in two £5 denominations to use on any football market.
4
Betfred
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Standout feature: Betting app
Betfred’s football betting site is impressive, both in terms of odds and range of matches/markets along with a fine array of promotions, including free bets, bet boosts and acca boosts.
New customers can claim £50 in free bets by signing up for Betfred, all of which can be wagered on football after signing up and placing a £10 bet online.
Betfred also has an excellent football betting app, offering speed and a top user interface. You’ll find no discernible lag on the app and an easy-to-navigate layout.
5
LiveScore Bet
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Standout feature: Free to play games
Although one of the new betting sites on the block, LiveScore Bet still matches the best football betting sites around with its complete product.
There are ample football betting markets to choose from and the odds stack up against the best in the business.
You’re never short of a promotion whether its price boosts, acca boosts, loyalty free bets or straightforward bet and get promotions.
One of the best aspects of LiveScore Bet is its free to play game Squads.
Squads is one of the best free to play games offering free bets for LiveScore Bet customers online. (LiveScoreBet)
This promotion allocates customers a five-a-side squad of active Premier League players, who can earn free bets or cash up to £50 if they score on match day.
In our view, it’s one of the most entertaining and innovative features out there.
However, after months of testing, we’ve never received any more than a £1 cash reward, so don’t expect too much from this free promo.
6
BetVictor
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Standout feature: Football Specials
BetVictor are one of the most trusted football betting sites around. It’s name commands respect and bettors know they’re getting a reliable product with extensive betting markets, competitive football odds and a great array of promotions.
We like their outright specials that you’ll struggle to find elsewhere, including extensive manager markets, transfer odds and trophy multiples that’ll appeal to bettors looking for alternatives to betting.
BetVictor always has a host of special odds available for betting on next manager, transfer and team markets. (BetVictor)
Their Lucky Dip feature is fairly new and has caught the eye by offering outlandish odds on popular selections.
There’s also a Loyalty Club with up to £25 in free bets on offer each week. Existing customers can opt in to the Loyalty Club and make five bets of at least £5 throughout the week to qualify for the bonus.
7
NetBet
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Standout feature: Bet builders
NetBet are not one of the major betting brands associated with betting on football, but its overall product is very impressive. Their sportsbook is simple and effective, and has built a niche around its bet builder feature that is one of the best.
Bet builders have become increasingly popular on football betting sites and NetBet have embraced the concept.
Bet builders are available on a variety of sports, with bettors able to combine up to six legs from a single event. Users can also expect regular promotions in conjunction with bet builders to unlock free bets and more.
The NetBet sign-up offer credits new customers with £20 in free bets paid out in four £5 installments on a bet builder, acca, horse racing and UFC free bets.
Punters can also earn free bet builder tokens via NetBet’s Wheel of Fortune promotion.
8
Virgin Bet
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Standout feature: Price boosts
Virgin Bet are one of the rising stars among UK football betting sites, especially when it comes to price boosts.
The bookmaker comes out swinging with a variety of odds boosts across the Premier League, Champions League and Europa League among others, punters are never short of options with offers accessible on the front page of the site.
Virgin Bet routinely offer boosts for acca and bet builders, while users will find football bet boosts with great value prices across single, double, treble and accas across the weekly.
Virgin Bet also have a strong welcome offer for new customers, where users can scored £30 in free bets after signing up and betting £10 on the sportsbook.
9
Unibet
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Standout feature: Live streaming
New Unibet customers who sign up can secure a bet £10 get £30 free bets to use on their football betting site.
Unibet’s football product is uncomplicated and allows users to bet with ease. There are ample markets and competitive odds, with solid features too.
Unibet TV is where the action happens with over 40,000 live streams each year, many of which are football matches.
Unibet streams games from across the globe on their platform, including all the major European leagues such as LaLiga and the Bundesliga featuring Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Most matches come with commentary so it’s just like watching a game on your television, only you have the option to use Unibet’s in-play betting service at the same time.
10
talkSPORT BET
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Standout feature: Premier League markets
Although one of the newer betting sites around, talkSPORT BET still offers a solid betting product.
There are a few bells and whistles, but it mainly focuses on providing a straightforward betting experience on the Premier League.
Premier League betting sites concentrate on English football’s top flight and few do that better than talkSPORT BET.
They regularly run Premier League-specific promotions, while punters can qualify for their Footie Rewards scheme, offering up to £10 in free bets each week, by betting on the EPL.
There’s also a free-to-play game called Footie 4 Play with up to £2,500 up for grabs for correctly predicting four Premier League scorelines.
Best Football Betting Sites UK: How We Rate
Here are some of the key elements we look for when updating our rankings and reviews of football betting sites:
Regulation
All the best football betting sites on our list are regulated and licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).
Gambling responsibly
Safe betting sites which follow responsible gambling practices and offer responsible gambling tools are given preference.
Customer experience
We look into the customer experience on football betting sites across various platforms, judging football betting sites for their layout, usability, loading speed and customer service.
A valuable sign up offer is one thing but we want to see football betting sites that take care of existing customers with free bets, price boost, money back promotions and free to play games.
Live Football Matches On TV (February 9-13)
Date
Game
Time
Competition
Channel
Monday 9th February
Roma vs Cagliari
7.45pm
Serie A
TNT Sports 1
Monday 9th February
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
8.01pm
Championship
Sky Sports Main Event
Tuesday 10th February
Chelsea vs Leeds
7.30pm
Premier League
TNT Sports 4
Tuesday 10th February
Everton vs Bournemouth
7.30pm
Premier League
TNT Sports 5
Tuesday 10th February
Tottenham vs Newcastle
7.30pm
Premier League
TNT Sports 3
Tuesday 10th February
Birmingham City vs West Brom
7.45pm
Championship
Sky Sports Main Event
Tuesday 10th February
West Ham vs Manchester United
8.15pm
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On Sunday, Feb. 8, the wide receiver, 32, helped the Seahawks beat the New England Patriots with a final score of 29-13 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The two teams had previously faced off in 2015, with the Patriots scooping the win.
Cooper’s celebration with his wife Anna Marie Kupp and their three children — Cooper, 7, Cypress, 5, and Solas, 2 — was among the many videos the NFL shared on Instagram following the hard-fought rematch between the teams.
“What it’s all about for @cooperkupp 🥹,” the NFL captioned a video of Cooper embracing his wife on the field as his children also rushed to congratulate him.
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“New core memory unlocked 🥹,” the NFL captioned the post.
Cooper Kupp celebrating the 2026 Super Bowl with his family
NFL/Instagram
The family later posed for a series of professional photos wearing the Seahawks’ team colors and holding the trophy.
Anna appeared to be applying lipstick in one photo taken alongside Cooper that she shared on Instagram from the shoot, while another snap showed them kissing.
“Shade LX 💚,” she wrote in the caption of the post.
The high school sweethearts have been married since 2015, with Anna frequently showing support for Cooper at games.
The NFL star previously revealed that meeting Anna at a high school track meet was love at first sight.
"I knew that she was the one that I wanted to marry when we had first met back in high school," Cooper told ESPN in February 2022. "I told my mom the day I met her, 'I'm going to marry this girl.' "
Cooper and Anna Cupp with their children at the 2026 Super Bowl
Kevin C. Cox/Getty
In a June 2022 conversation with PEOPLE, he gushed about the support Anna provides for their family as he focuses on his football career.
"I go in very early in the season and my wife then is taking the brunt of the mornings," Cooper told PEOPLE. "Every morning, she's got the boys and it's not like I'm just sleeping in, I'm at work, but she's still got to take that stuff on."
"The things she allows me to do to pursue being the best version of me as a football player could not be done without her,” he added,
Bergomi identifies two key Juventus players: ‘Can’t do without’
Former Inter defender Beppe Bergomi argues that Juventus were ‘unlucky’ in a 2-2 home draw against Lazio, but their latest match highlighted that they ‘can’t do without’ two attacking wingers.
Juventus were held to a 2-2 home draw by Lazio on Sunday, but came back from two goals down, securing one point thanks to goals from Weston McKennie and Pierre Kalulu.
Juventus ‘unlucky’ against Lazio
TURIN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 08: Pedro of SS Lazio celebrates a goal with team mates during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and SS Lazio at Allianz Stadium on February 8, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
“Juventus were a bit unlucky. I looked at the stats, and the figures are amazing. In favour of Juventus,” Bergomi told Sky Sport Italia.
“The way it’s been built, I think Juventus can’t do without two wingers who dribble past opponents. They conceded some counterattacks in the second half, but the danger index was high. The goals come from there. Cross, McKennie’s goal, cross Kalulu’s goal.”
Andrea Cambiaso started the match as a right winger, but then dropped to left-back after Edon Zhegrova was introduced in the second half.
Official: Jeremie Boga joins Juventus on loan with an option to buy from OGC Nice.
Cambiaso provided the assist for McKennie, while January signing Jeremie Boga delivered the cross for Kalulu’s late leveller.
McKennie has now scored seven goals in 22 games under Luciano Spalletti.
BERGAMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 05: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Coppa Italia Quarter-Final match between Atalanta BC and Juventus FC at the New Balance Arena on February 05, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The WM Phoenix Open delivered a dramatic final day as the tournament reached its conclusion in Arizona.
A packed leaderboard and lively atmosphere accompanied the players throughout Sunday’s round.
Scottie Scheffler was among those drawing attention as the action unfolded at TPC Scottsdale.
Interest on the course was not limited to the golf itself. Several familiar faces from outside the sport were spotted among the crowds.
Devin Booker and Bijan Robinson spotted following Scottie Scheffler
NBA star Devin Booker and NFL running back Bijan Robinson were seen following Scottie Scheffler during the final round of the WM Phoenix Open.
The two stayed close as Scheffler played through the back nine, making a late push up the leaderboard.
Robinson’s presence carried local significance, with the former Texas standout hailing from Arizona.
Booker also has strong ties to the area, having spent his entire NBA career with the Phoenix Suns.
Their appearance together added a local and crossover element to the final day, drawing attention from fans lining the course.
Booker and Robinson remained with Scheffler’s group as the pressure increased late in the round.
The sight of NBA and NFL stars tracking one of golf’s biggest names added to the buzz around TPC Scottsdale as the tournament reached its decisive moments.
Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images
Scottie Scheffler’s late charge falls short at WM Phoenix Open
Scheffler made a push up the leaderboard late in the round and briefly put pressure on the leaders.
A birdie on the 17th hole moved him within one shot as the tournament reached its closing stages.
Scheffler ultimately finished tied for third at 15-under-par, one stroke behind the leaders.
His challenge was hindered by an opening-round 73, which left him playing catch-up for much of the week.
The tournament was decided in a playoff, with Chris Gotterup beating Hideki Matsuyama after extra holes.
The journey that led a Seattle Seahawks star to Super Bowl glory began with a life-or-death fight long before he ever stepped onto a football field.
What followed is a story of resilience, belief, and circumstance that shaped one of the most remarkable paths to a championship in recent NFL history.
Derick Hall’s survival story shaped the Seattle Seahawks’ success
Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images
The story resurfaced after a post shared by talkSPORT highlighted the extraordinary beginning of Derick Hall’s life and the role it played in his rise to the top of the sport.
“Seattle Seahawks star Derick Hall was born at just 23 weeks with no heartbeat. Doctors gave him a 1% chance to survive, but his mum refused to turn off his life support.
“Now he’s become a Super Bowl champion… an incredible story.”
Hall’s survival came down to a single decision. Against overwhelming medical odds, his mother chose to keep fighting for him, a moment that ultimately allowed his life to continue and his future to unfold.
That early struggle shaped Hall’s outlook as he grew up. The physical and mental resilience required to reach the NFL mirrored the determination that defined his first hours alive, creating a foundation that would later fuel his professional career.
Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory finishes long journey
Hall’s role in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl campaign reflected a mentality forged long before the spotlight. Seattle’s championship run was built on defensive toughness, discipline, and relentless effort, qualities Hall embodied throughout the season.
While Super Bowl victories often focus on star names and highlight plays, stories like Hall’s underline the human side behind team success.
The Seahawks’ triumph was not just a reward for one season’s work. For Hall, it represented the culmination of a lifetime defined by overcoming improbable odds, beginning with survival itself.
Moments like this resonate because they stretch beyond sport. Hall’s journey reframes what perseverance looks like, turning a medical miracle into a championship reality.
Jan 9, 2022; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins mascot "Testudo" dances during a match against the Wisconsin Badgers in the second half at the Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
While plenty of Maryland men’s basketball fans were adamant that head coach Buzz Williams needed to add pieces through the portal, few of them would have expected or wanted Williams to go in the direction he seems to be going.
Maryland will host 25-year-old Kyree Walker for a visit Wednesday, as per the player himself. The 6-foot-6 small forward has four years of eligibility.
Walker originally committed to play college basketball at Arizona State in June 2017. (For reference, in June 2017, this currently-a-college-sophomore writer finished sixth grade). He later decommitted and decided to try to play professionally, skipping college entirely.
NEWS: Former G League player Kyree Walker, who is exploring a move to college basketball, will officially visit Maryland on Wednesday 🐢 pic.twitter.com/p4UWUSz0FS
After playing a season in the G League, Walker went to the Greek league for a year. Since then, he has had multiple stops with teams in the Canadian and Mongolian leagues.
Maryland football alum Stefon Diggs had three catches for 37 yards in the Super Bowl — his most notable action was spinning a ball following a first down while his team was down 22 points with two minutes remaining.
Maryland men’s basketball head coach Buzz Williams had some kind words for former beat writer Gene Wang following the Washington Post’s closure of the sports section.
Sometimes it’s about more than sports. Our hearts go out to @gene_wang and all the wonderfully talented journalists affected by the Washington Post cuts. pic.twitter.com/fj8gLLbsSz
SANTA CLARA, CA - FEBRUARY 08: QB Sam Darnold (14) of the Seattle Seahawks and Head Coach Mike Macdonald of the Seattle Seahawks withe the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. (Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Seattle Seahawks emerged victorious in rather dominant fashion last night over the New England Patriots by a score of 29-13. And while the Seahawks had some decent play on offense, it was their defense that stymied the Patriots, holding them to almost nothing before some garbage time yards added up in the fourth quarter.
Now, we look forward to Super Bowl 61. What are the odds that our Cleveland Browns can be in this spot a year from now? According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Browns have 125/1 odds of winning the Super Bowl in 2027. While that’s still a big step back from two years ago, when they were 35/1, it’s actually an improvement from last year, when they were 140/1.
The Browns may not have Jim Schwartz returning as defensive coordinator, but a large percentage of their top defense will return. Then, on offense, you can only hope there will be improvement with new head coach Todd Monken bringing a new approach on offense, and Cleveland having two first round picks to upgrade the talent on that side of the ball.
The odds for the AFC North teams are listed below:
The early favorites for next year’s Super Bowl are the Seattle Seahawks (7.5/1), Los Angeles Rams (8/1), Baltimore Ravens (12/1), Buffalo Bills (12/1), and Green Bay Packers (13/1).
What do you think of the Browns’ odds? Would you place an early bet, hoping to hit big?
The Seattle Seahawks are your Super Bowl 60 champions. After going 14-3 and getting the number one seed in the NFC, the Seahawks beat the 49ers and Rams to get to the Super Bowl. The New England Patriots and head coach Mike Vrabel also went 14-3 during the regular season, beating the Chargers, Texans, and Broncos in the playoffs on their way to Super Bowl 60.
The Seahawks were the favorites going into the game, they completely controlled the game flow from start to finish. Yes, Seattle was the better team, but Vrabel and his coaching staff did their team no favors in this game. Rather than coach to win, they looked like they were coaching to lose.
The first half:
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talks to quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025.
In the first half, the Patriots offense was nonexistent. They took no shots down the field, they made no adjustments from drive to drive, and their playcalling made it seem like they were comfortable just not turning the ball over. They were playing scared in their offensive playcalling, hoping that their defense could capitalize on a Seattle mistake and set their offense up with good field position.
That tactic worked for them against the Texans and CJ Stroud’s five turnovers, and worked for them against the Broncos, who started a backup quarterback. It didn’t work in the first half of the Super Bowl, though, and it’s why they trailed 9-0 going into halftime.
The second half:
Sep 7, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel reacts against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
The Patriots got the football to begin the half and were given a chance to get right back into the football game. They had an extra-long halftime to make offensive adjustments, script plays, and drive down and change their fortunes. There were no adjustments to be made, though. The Patriots came out looking flat, calling conservative plays that didn’t work in the first half, giving Seattle the ball back within the first minute of the third quarter.
It was only when Seattle went up 19-0 that New England began to try to push the ball downfield. They attempted no big plays through the first three quarters, and rather than try to make something happen offensively throughout the game, they played conservative and scared football offensively.
Of course, once they actually opened up their playcalling, they scored their first points of the game. They never called plays to get QB Drake Maye into a rhythm, and frankly, they looked outplayed and outcoached.
U.S. skaters had their skates messed up after the medal ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 8, and needed to get them fixed, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.
The issue was a result of the medal podium, as it was not covered in carpet or a similar soft surface, the person said, leading to scratches and potential damages to the skates.
Typically, skaters put on skate guards whenever they are not on the ice to prevent damage. All the medalists came onto the ice for the medal ceremony, but there were not skate guards for them to put on when they stepped on the podium, leaving them without a chance to protect the blades.
Team USA did do a jump on the podium.
It’s unknown the severity of damage to some skates, or who was affected, but damage to blades at the Olympics is not an ideal scenario.
Issues with blades could lead to having to change skates, a doomsday scenario for skaters since it usually takes some time to break them in before they feel comfortable with them.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
In the past day, Dustin Poirier has spent some time thinking back on the greatest rivalry of his career.
Poirier holds a 2-1 record against Conor McGregor.
His second victory came by TKO after ‘The Notorious’ broke his leg at UFC 264.
Earlier that year, ‘The Diamond’ knocked out the Irishman in their rematch at UFC 257.
Dustin Poirier on UFC 178 and early stoppage talk
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Poirier spent part of his weekend trading barbs with McGregor on X, but when it came to their first meeting back in July 2014, he gave a straightforward answer.
He was stopped just 106 seconds into their featherweight bout at UFC 178, after an early knockdown led to a barrage of ground strikes from McGregor.
Recently, a fan took to social media to ask if referee Herb Dean might have stepped in too soon during that fight.
@terenceflood wrote: “I thought your loss against him was a premature stoppage. Did you think you could have fought on?”
Poirier did not leave any room for debate in his response: “Hell no,” he replied, putting the topic to rest more than a decade later.
Dustin Poirier leaves the door open for a UFC return
‘The Diamond’ stepped away from MMA after losing a decision to Max Holloway at UFC 318 last July.
Since then, he has been open about how much he misses the sport.
Recently, Poirier said he would be willing to come back for a trilogy fight with interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
The two are currently tied 1-1 in their series, and both seem interested in settling it once and for all.
Gaethje responded to the idea during an interview with Bloody Elbow, by saying: “Dustin’s a warrior, and I’ll always respect him. If he really wants to come back and the UFC wants that fight, I’d do it.”
He continued: “But I’m focused on moving forward, not backward. I’ve got goals I’m chasing, and that’s where my attention is.”
The women's Big Air Snowboarding Final at the 2026 Winter Olympics takes place Monday, Feb. 9. Here's how to watch. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Patrick Smith via Getty Images
There are three different freestyle snowboarding disciplines at the Winter Olympics this year, half-pipe, slopestyle and big air, and on Monday, you can tune in to the first women's medal event, the big air final, live. The top 12 riders from the qualifying round have advanced to the women's big air snowboarding final airing Monday at 1:30 p.m. ET, with all the action airing live on Peacock and NBC.
Read on for a complete schedule of every Team USA Snowboarding event at this year's games, a rundown of who's competing, and how to watch all the action. And if you want to learn even more about every event at this year's Winter Games, here's a guide to everything you need to know about the Milano Cortina Games.
How to watch the women's snowboarding big air Finals:
‘What a difference’: Deeney raves over Carrick’s impact on ‘creative’ Man Utd star in Team of the Week picks
Bruno Fernandes has unsurprisingly been named in Troy Deeney’s Premier League Team of the Week.
The Manchester United talisman etched his name onto the scoresheet to secure all three points – and therefore a fourth successive win – with an 81st-minute goal at Old Trafford.
His decisive strike came after he had assisted at least once in the last four league outings following his return from a brief injury layoff, which has now taken his goal contributions in red up to a stunning 200.
The 314 games that it took Fernandes to achieve such a feat are only bettered by Wayne Rooney’s time to reach the milestone, as the club legend did so in 295 games.
After including the Portuguese star in his picks for matchweek 25, Deeney said: “What a difference a manager makes – being able to be free, get on the ball, go wherever he wants and be creative. I think Michael Carrick takes a lot of credit for that but again, another goal for him against Spurs, another win for United – he has to go in.”
Saturday’s win strengthened United’s standing in the top-four race, with the side still holding a one-point lead over fifth-placed Chelsea while sitting only three points adrift of third-placed Aston Villa, whom they face on March 15.
Liverpool’s subsequent, dramatic defeat to Manchester City yesterday evening meant that the Reds are now five points clear of their arch-rivals.
Carrick’s side don’t play Liverpool again until the closing stages of the season on May 2 at Old Trafford, by which point the race for Champions League football may be as good as wrapped up if results keep going in United’s favour.
The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX, and now that the game is over, we can look ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft. All 32 first-round picks are locked in, with the Seahawks officially landing final pick of Round 1.
Unfortunately for the Atlanta Falcons, they traded their first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams last year to move up for edge rusher James Pearce Jr. While the move initially panned out well for the Falcons, Pearce was arrested over the weekend and now faces five serious felony counts.
Atlanta won't be the only team without a first-round pick, though. The Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Green Bay Packers also traded away their 2026 first-round selections. The Colts traded their pick to the New York Jets. The Packers traded theirs away to the Dallas Cowboys, while the Jags sent their pick to Cleveland.
Let's take a look the official draft order for Round 1 below.
The U.S. women's hockey team improved to 2-0 at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Saturday by cruising past Finland 5-0. Next up for the Americans, a date with Switzerland on Monday, Feb. 9.
Team USA captain Hilary Knight scored for the second consecutive game against the Finns, giving her 14 career goals in Olympic competition and tying her with Natalie Darwitz and Katie King for the most in U.S. women's hockey history.
Perhaps the only danger for the American squad on Monday is if they look past the Swiss with a much-anticipated clash against reigning Olympic champion Canada on tap Tuesday. Swiss goalie Saskia Maurer made 51 saves in a 4-0 loss to Canada on Saturday.
What TV channel is U.S. women's hockey vs Finland on today? How to watch, stream
USA Network will broadcast Monday's U.S. women's hockey Group A matchup against Switzerland at the Milano Cortina Olympics. Streaming options for the game include NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Olympic App (with a TV login).
What time is U.S. women's hockey vs. Finland today?
Date: Monday, Feb. 9
Time: 2:40 p.m. ET
Location: Milano Santaguilia arena (Milan)
U.S. women's hockey roster for 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics
If anything has been apparent since the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics, it's that the United States women's hockey team is not messing around.
Through two games, the American women are 2-0 and have outscored their opponents by nine goals, most recently shutting out Finland 5-0 on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Today, they'll take on Switzerland, and USA captain Hilary Knight can break the record for U.S. Olympics women's hockey career goals if she scores. She's tied with Natalie Darwitz and Katie King with 14 goals.
But that isn't the only contest happening today. In fact, there are four women's hockey games on the schedule today — two in Group A, two in Group B — meaning the standings could really take a turn depending on the results.
Here's a look at Monday's Olympic women's hockey schedule:
Winter Olympics ice hockey schedule today: Monday, Feb. 9
All times Eastern. TV and streaming listings are subject to change, according to NBCOlympics.com
Group B (Women's): Japan vs. Italy | 6:10 a.m. | Peacock (digital only) and NBCOlympics.com
Group B (Women's): Germany vs. France | 10:40 a.m. | Peacock (digital only) and NBCOlympics.com
Group A (Women's): Switzerland vs. United States | 2:40 p.m. | USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com
Group A (Women's): Canada vs. Czechia | 3:10 p.m. | USA Network (starting at 5 p.m.), Peacock (digital only) and NBCOlympics.com
What channel are the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics ice hockey games on today? How to watch, stream Feb. 9 games
The USA-Switzerland game will be shown on USA Network at 2:40 p.m. ET. The network will show the end of the Canada-Czechia game, starting at 5 p.m. ET.
2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics ice hockey scores, results today: Monday, Feb. 9
This section will be updated as games are finished
Group B (Women's): Japan vs. Italy | 6:10 a.m. | Peacock (digital only) and NBCOlympics.com
Group B (Women's): Germany vs. France | 10:40 a.m. | Peacock (digital only) and NBCOlympics.com
Group A (Women's): Switzerland vs. United States | 2:40 p.m. | USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com
Group A (Women's): Canada vs. Czechia | 3:10 p.m. | USA Network (starting at 5 p.m. ET), Peacock (digital only) and NBCOlympics.com
Just when the first three weeks of the PGA Tour looked as if it would be the start of another dominant season by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, another player with New Jersey ties has pushed his way to the top of the money list
Chris Gotterup, who was born on Maryland’s Eastern Shore but raised in Little Silver, N.J. (Scheffer was born in Ridgewood, N.J.), beat Hideki Matsuyama in a playoff to win the WM Phoenix Open on Feb. 8, his fourth Tour title in two years and his second of the season.
Gotterup, who won the Sony Open last month to start the season, earned $1,728,000 for winning at the TPC Scottsdale and moved to first on the money list with $3,498,000. Scheffler, who shot 65-64 on the weekend after nearly missing the cut, ended up tied for third with four other players, who all finished one shot out of the playoff.
Scheffler earned $439,680 and is second behind Gotterup with $2,095,680. Ryan Gerard, the money leader last week, did not play and dropped to third.
Big changes in store at Pebble Beach
This week’s tournament, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, is the first Signature Event of the season and will bring a total purse of $20 million, with the winner earning $3.6 million. The top 11 players on the money list and 18 of the top 20 are in the field, so expect some turnover when the past putt drops at Pebble’s iconic par-5 18th hole.
After coming oh-so-close to winning a state championship last season, Jupiter High's baseball team came up with an appropriate name for this year's group chat.
#UnfinishedBusiness.
"You can't really get closer than that," pitcher Ethan Trivison said, reflecting on the Warriors' 3-2 loss to national power Parkland-Stoneman Douglas in the Class 7A title game.
"Ever since that game, that's all we've been talking about," Trivison said. "Something we've been saying a lot is we have unfinished business. ... That's the one goal we have here, getting back there and finishing the job."
At first glance, that might seem to be a far-fetched dream. Jupiter lost 16 seniors from that 25-win team, including heavy hitters Gabe Graulau, Ryan Senecal, Brady Blanks, Colton Schwarz and Jake Finnegan.
"This is a totally different team," second-year coach Joe Giummule said.
But the Warriors still appear to have enough talent — via returnees and transfers — to rate as Palm Beach County's best team entering the 2026 season.
Start with Trivison, a 6-foot-4 left-hander who has been committed to Clemson since his freshman year. Despite facing most opponents' aces last season, he went 10-3 with a 2.42 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings, gaining plenty of big-game experience during three regional rounds and the state tournament.
"His body's better this year, he's healthy, there's no reason he won't duplicate or do better than he did last year," Giummule said.
Trivison leads a senior-heavy staff that includes closer Braeden Hopkins (1-1, four saves, 2.69 ERA), who pitched in both state tournament games.
The Warriors' lineup may not be as imposing as last year's, but center fielder Griffin Miller returns after hitting 11 home runs (three more than any other player in Palm Beach County) and batting .349. Miller, a Wake Forest commit, went on a tear during the postseason after missing seven regular-season games due to injuries.
"He goes, we go," Giummule said. "He's the sparkplug. He's the best hitter in Palm Beach County and he's a projected draft pick, so we need him to play at that level."
Perhaps the key to Jupiter's success is a senior shortstop who played a handful of varsity games as a freshman at Dwyer but hasn't played at all the past two years. Colby Young earned a starting job during the Warriors' preseason last year — and likely would have batted fifth in their stacked lineup — but reinjured his hand and spent the season as a spectator. "That was a big loss," Giummule said.
"It sucked that I couldn't help out," Young said. "I definitely think I could have contributed a lot to the team last year. ... I have a great feeling about this year."
Despite his injuries, Young has been on the radar of Division I scouts for years and has committed to South Alabama.
In an era of virtually free movement among premier high school athletes, Jupiter has become a destination school, so Giummule will be reloading with the help of five key transfers.
The biggest prize was catcher Dom Demarzo, a three-year varsity starter (Wellington, Cardinal Newman) who joins the Warriors for his senior season. He has committed to North Florida, giving the team four Division I players.
Last year at Cardinal Newman, Demarzo excelled at the plate (.333, three home runs, 24 RBIs) and worked with one of the county's top pitching staffs. The Crusaders were the county's top-ranked team for most of the season and finished 26-5-1.
"He's the best catcher I've had, offensively and defensively, in 23 years as a high school coach," Giummule said. "I'm super excited to have him back there."
Other newcomers include third baseman/catcher Mason Ryder (Palm Beach Gardens), first baseman Casey Crews (King's Academy), pitcher/outfielder Brett Hobbs (Wellington) and outfielder Malachi Rivas (Cardinal Newman).
"They give us the kind of manpower you need to compete for a state championship," Giummule said. "Without those guys, we have talent, but it's young talent."
Giummule is willing to sacrifice some regular-season wins to better prepare his team for the playoffs. The Warriors lost 10 games last year while playing a schedule that included five state champions. Six teams on this year's schedule are ranked higher than the Warriors in the Prep Baseball Report preseason poll, which encompasses all classes.
"We want to be challenged," he said. "I don't care what our record is, I want to play good teams. I want to show up to the field knowing we have to coach well and we have to play well to win."
The coach prefers to take a "first things first" approach to the season, insisting that the initial goal is to win a district championship. It still rankles him that the Warriors lost to Wellington on a dramatic seventh-inning grand slam in last year's District 11-7A final before going on their long postseason run.
When pressed, however, Giummule concedes that the Warriors set a very high bar in his first season.
"Every team wants to get to states," he said. "In reality, only one team from our region gets to do that. Yeah, that's a goal, it's a lofty goal, it's an attainable goal. We've got to coach well, play well and stay healthy. That's a lot to accomplish."
NEWARK – Jordan Rogers walked out of the locker room after helping the NJIT basketball team beat Binghamton Saturday, and a young fan was waiting for him. They took a selfie on the court and chatted for a bit.
Behind them, up the steps of the 3,500-seat Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center, NJIT head coach Grant Billmeier signed autographs for a long line of kids.
It was a remarkable scene if you understand the context. NJIT, which hasn’t finished above .500 in conference play since 2016 and never has sniffed the NCAA Tournament, sits atop the America East Conference with an 8-2 record. In the preseason, the Highlanders were picked to finish eighth in the nine-team league by the coaches. They’ve already beaten perennial power and preseason favorite Vermont on the road. And they’ve done this with a roster of homegrown overachievers – because of its rigorous academics, the school does not accept transfers who are heading into their junior or senior years.
“They put a lot of work in,” Billmeier said. “There’s no easy classes here.”
In this third year as a head coach, Billmeier has assembled a group that is winning with toughness and teamwork. After losing star guard Tariq Francis to Rutgers last offseason, NJIT has four starters averaging between 13.5 and 8.5 points per game. The fifth starter is Rogers, a former walk-on out of Ridgewood High School who chalked up 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds against Binghamton.
“We always knew we could do this,” Rogers said. “We knew we could accomplish something big here. Still, it’s nothing short of incredible.”
His story is emblematic of the program’s rise from the ashes.
'Playing hard is a skill'
Rogers, a 6-foot-6 sophomore, is the son of former NBA player and current Memphis assistant coach Roy Rogers. He had no scholarship offers coming out of Ridgewood High, and even after a postgrad year at The Phelps School in Pennsylvania, his only Division 1 interest consistent of offers to walk on at NJIT and Iona. Billmeier’s pitch won him over.
“Coach Grant said, ‘I can’t promise you any minutes, but I can promise you one thing: You will have a chance to play,’” Rogers said. “'I don’t hold favorites. Whoever performs the best in practice, whoever plays hardest, is going to play.'”
That was music to Rogers’ ears.
“Everybody in the country thinks that every coach just wants somebody who can score 20 points a game,” he said. “If you can be the guy who goes for offensive rebounds, who cuts off the ball on defense, you’re going to find a spot somewhere. Playing hard is a skill. That’s something my dad always taught me. Playing hard is just as important as hitting threes, being able to dribble, all that stuff.”
NJIT has guys who can do all of those things – David Bolden and Sebastian Robinson are an explosive backcourt duo, and forward Ari Fulton is a double-double machine. But the common denominator is connectedness. NJIT leads the conference in field-goal percentage defense because the players are adept at mixing defensive looks with relentless physicality.
“For a young team, they do a really good job switching up and adjusting on the fly,” Billmeier said.
Anchoring it is postgrad center Melvyn Ebonkoli, whose eight points, eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals stymied Binghamton. He missed the first 12 games with foot and calf injuries that might have sidelined someone else for the entire season.
“This team is special,” he said. “Toughness is one of our core values.”
Billmeier recruits for that – an approach that is an extension of how Seton Hall recruited while he was an assistant there under Kevin Willard.
“We’ve figured out what’s a good fit here at NJIT,” he said, “and what’s a good fit for me.”
Against Binghamton Billmeier called two timeouts. Both came after the Bearcats beat his defense for dunks. Both times, he didn’t make use of a clipboard in the huddle.
“Coach Grant wants you to play as hard as he played as a player,” Rogers said. “Every once in a while, if we mess up a drill he’ll jump in and say, ‘Man, this is how you got to do it.’ Sometimes when we’re not playing hard enough, he’ll be the first one to dive on the floor.”
Word is spreading
As a freshman, Rogers dove to the floor enough to get called into an offseason meeting where, with the entire coaching staff present, Billmeier elevated him to scholarship status. It was a fulfilling moment, but Rogers still thinks of himself a walk-on.
“I like to wear it on my sleeve – it’s such an important part of who I am,” he said. “I’m grateful to the coaches, but it’s a reminder of where I came from and what I need to keep doing.”
Rogers is majoring in financial technology – a mix of finance and computer science – and minoring in floor burns. He’s averaging 6.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 47.5 percent from the field.
“You have a chance to do something special and make history here,” Billmeier told him during the scholarship meeting.
That vibe is in the air for the entire program. The prize for finishing first in the America East’s regular season is enormous – the higher seeds host in the conference tournament. The Wellness and Events Center has the potential to be a suffocating home-court advantage for a high-stakes game. It’s intimate, and the acoustics are phenomenal. On Saturday, a crowd of about 500 sounded more like 1,500.
Word about this team is starting to spread. NJIT’s baseball and men’s lacrosse teams attended the Binghamton game in big numbers, creating a student-section feel.
“I’ve been telling my guys for three years: The crowd comes when you win,” Billmeier said.
He could have talked about this team all day, but the line for autographs was forming.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
South Carolina women's basketball's game at LSU is next on the Gamecocks schedule and it should be one of the biggest games of the 2025-26 season.
The game matches two of women's basketball's top coaches in South Carolina's Dawn Staley and LSU's Kim Mulkey.
In addition, star guard MiLaysia Fulwiley left South Carolina after two seasons and transferred to LSU last offseason. She is second on the team, averaging 13.7 points per game off the bench.
No. 3 South Carolina (24-2, 10-1 SEC) is traveling to face No. 5 LSU (22-3, 8-3) on Feb. 14 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC) in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It's a rare Saturday night women's basketball game.
South Carolina vs LSU, Dawn Staley vs Kim Mulkey history
South Carolina beat LSU 66-56 in Columbia last year and the two didn't meet again in the SEC tournament. It was the Tigers' first loss of the season.
The Gamecocks are 21-22 all-time against the Tigers but 18-5 in the Staley era, including winning the last 17 meetings.
Mulkey took over LSU beginning in the 2021-22 season and won the national championship just a year later, defeating Iowa in 2023. Iowa beat South Carolina in the Final Four two days before.
Mulkey spent her first 21 seasons at Baylor, where she won the national championship in 2005, 2012 and 2019. Overall Mulkey has been to five Final Fours and has won four national titles.
Staley is 6-2 against Mulkey overall, with five of the wins in the last four seasons (beat LSU twice in 2023-24). Mulkey had a 2-1 advantage over Staley while at Baylor before coming to the SEC.
South Carolina vs LSU stat leaders
South Carolina is led by sophomore forward Joyce Edwards, who is third in the SEC at 20.4 points. Transfer guard Ta'Niya Latson is second on the team at 15.2 points but has been dealing with a knee injury. Guard Tessa Johnson is next at 13.6 points, followed by Mississippi State transfer center Madina Okot at 13.3 points.
LSU is led by guard Flau'jae Johnson, who is averaging 14 points. Mikaylah Williams is third on the team, averaging 13.3 points.
LSU leads the nation by scoring 97.4 points per game, and South Carolina is fourth at 87.9 points.
Where to watch South Carolina vs LSU, College GameDay
South Carolina women's basketball vs LSU will air on ABC on Feb. 14 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
In addition, "College GameDay" will air on ESPN 30 minutes prior to tipoff starting at 8 p.m. ET.
The pre-game show will begin at 8 p.m. ET and is hosted by Andraya Carter, Chiney Ogwumike and new to the show this season, Christine Williamson. Williamson took the place of Elle Duncan who left ESPN and was hired by Netflix.
"College GameDay" was supposed to come to Columbia for the 2024-25 matchup but weather pushed the game from a Thursday to a Friday, forcing the ESPN to cancel. The crew then came to the game against UConn last season when the Huskies won 87-58.
“My boyfriend sent it to me,” Britcher said Friday when asked about the sketch. “And as I was watching it, just more and more the details stood out. I was like, ‘Hey, hang on a second! That sled’s an interesting color!”
The difference between Britcher and Wickline’s character “Gertie Burper” – who hates the luge because “it’s way too fast” and “scares me to death” – is that Britcher is teeming with excitement at this, her fourth Olympic Games. She had media at Friday’s USA Luge press conference cackling with constant jokes and wisecracks at the podium, like lobbying to borrow a helicopter to Milan for figure skating and sharing a “personal request” to mic up teammate Ansel Haugsjaa while the whole team is “strutting” at the opening ceremony. It’d be “a treat for the whole world.”
It’s all part of her intention to “appreciate the process” and “enjoy every race” as she has all season. She’s trying desperately to hold onto that mindset in Cortina, knowing it’s been a determining factor of her success, while also being acutely aware of how results build pressure and expectations.
Positivity was actually the impetus for her unique sled choice.
Eight or so years ago, her pod got hit during shipment, causing two chunks of paint to chip off. As a joke, she drew a curved line under them to make a smiley face. Which annoyed her old coach Bill Tavares. But it stuck. Even after she retired that sled, Britcher continued to draw smiley faces on whatever pod she used for every race.
For a while, she thought about getting a yellow sled to go all-in on the smiley face motif. It wasn’t until this season that she actually decided to do it.
“It's kind of a risky color move… so I was always too nervous,” Britcher said last month. “And then I thought, ‘You know what? I want to do it. I'm just trying to really enjoy myself and enjoy sliding this year. And I think it'll be fun, even if it turns out terrible.’ But it turned out really cool.”
Meditation and manifestation are a big part of elite athletes’ success. Britcher’s sled offers a constant reminder to take a deep breath, to take it easy and to smile.
And hopefully it’ll also remind whoever laughed at Gertie Burper this week to tune into some luge runs.
Reach USA TODAY Network sports reporter Payton Titus at ptitus@gannett.com, and follow her on X @petitus25.
Since launching its baseball program in 2013, the West Palm Beach private school hasn't had a true home field. While football, soccer and lacrosse players have competed in a state-of-the-art stadium on campus, complete with artificial turf, baseball players have had to shuttle to nearby parks for practices and games.
But thanks to an anonymous donation of $1.8 million — presumably from a baseball fan — construction is underway on a new baseball facility on the northeast corner of the campus, along Military Trail.
When athletic director Stan Ross and baseball coach Juan Bustabad visit the site, they see more than smoothed-over dirt and heavy machinery. They envision a brighter future for a program that has fallen on hard times.
When Ross became AD four years ago, he said his two main goals were to bring back football and build an on-campus baseball facility. Now he'll be able to check both boxes.
Bustabad was the Thunderwolves' first baseball coach and had some initial success, posting a 35-27 record in three-plus seasons. In recent years, however, the team hasn't been able to keep pace in a talent-rich district that includes Cardinal Newman, Benjamin and King's Academy. After a 4-13 season that included nine double-digit losses, Ross brought Bustabad back to try to revive the program.
Bustabad is playing a more manageable schedule, avoiding most district rivals in favor of games that give Oxbridge at least a fighting chance. Three returning players provide leadership — seniors F.J. Bahl and Thomas Murray and junior Carlo Vasquez — but most of the roster is made up of freshmen and sophomores.
"To be able to have a facility on your campus where the kids can just walk outside to practice, where the student body can come out and watch a game right after school, I think it changes everything," Ross said.
"We're rebuilding," Bustabad said. "We have three seniors and next year we'll only have one, so it's a very young team. The goal is to get back to where we were before. It takes time."
The new facility is scheduled to be completed in mid-March, although construction delays are common in South Florida. The Thunderwolves have four home games after spring break and are hoping to play at least one or two on the field. "It would really be nice to have Senior Night here," Ross said.
Looking forward, the Thunderwolves are hoping the field will help attract players who once might have gone elsewhere.
"I think when you're looking at a school and you're an athlete, the first thing you look at is where am I going to practice? Where am I going to play?" Ross said. "Now when you drive down Military, you're going to see it right on the street. ... It's going to be beautiful. We're really excited about it."
Serie A: Atalanta vs. Cremonese – probable line-ups, where to watch on TV
Gianluca Scamacca, Giacomo Raspadori and Charles De Ketelaere are expected to start in the Atalanta attack in a home Serie A match against regional rivals Cremonese.
It kicks off at 18:30 CET (17:30 GMT) at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo.
The Nerazzurri are in good mood, having recently eliminated Juventus from the Coppa Italia, but they are also climbing the Serie A table, being undefeated in the last five matches with three wins and two draws.
BERGAMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 05: Gianluca Scamacca of Atalanta celebrates scoring his team’s first goal from a penalty, after Mattia Perin of Juventus (not pictured) failed to make a save, during the Coppa Italia Quarter-Final match between Atalanta BC and Juventus FC at the New Balance Arena on February 05, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Cremonese, on the other hand, are still five points above the relegation zone, but they haven’t won since December 7 and haven’t scored in the last four league games.
Atalanta must cope without the suspended Honest Ahanor and Marten De Roon, while David Okereke, Warrne Bondo, Michele Collocolo, Jari Vandeputte, Matteo Bianchetti and Mikayil Faye are injured for Cremonese.
CREMONA, ITALY – JANUARY 19: Jamie Vardy of US Cremonese reacts during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and Hellas Verona FC at Stadio Giovanni Zini on January 19, 2026 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)
According to Tuttosport and Gazzetta, Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino will field Scamacca, De Ketelaere and Raspadori in attack, while Cremonese’s Davide Nicola will reply with Jamie Vardy and Federico Bonazzoli, but Antonio Sanabria and January signing Milan Djuric are available on the bench.
Atalanta vs. Cremonese – where to watch on TV
The match will be broadcast live on DAZN in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. You can also follow a live commentary on Football Italia’s liveblog.
New Liverpool signing Jérémy Jacquet may require surgery on shoulder injury
Jérémy Jacquet (20) sustained an injury to his left shoulder during Stade Rennais’ 3-1 defeat to RC Lens on Saturday. L’Équipe understands that the new Liverpool signing may require surgery, which could compromise the end of his season.
Jacquet signed for Liverpool on deadline day, however, he will only move to Anfield at the end of the season. He will see out the remainder of the season at his formative club, but exactly how much he will play has now come into question.
The defender was forced off with a shoulder injury in the 69th minute of the defeat to Lens. Post-match, manager Habib Beye confirmed the nature of the injury, adding that it seemed “quite serious”. There are now fears that Jacquet could miss several weeks of action, as surgery on the injured shoulder cannot be ruled out, as L’Équipe report.
To make matters worse for Les Rennais, one of their other centre-backs, Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, sustained a thigh injury on Saturday and is also expected to spend a period on the sidelines.
Sassuolo 0-5 Inter Milan – Well-Deserved Victory At Mapei As Italy & Argentina Megastar Continue To Rack Up Numbers
Federico Dimarco and Lautaro Martinez shone in Inter Milan’s thumping 5-0 Serie A victory over Sassuolo last night.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport via FCInterNews, it was a dominant and well-deserved triumph for Cristian Chivu’s rampant side.
Inter Milan maintained their formidable league form at the Mapei Stadium, extending their winning run in Serie A to five matches.
As a result, they’re now boasting an eight-point lead over second-placed AC Milan, though the Rossoneri still have a game in hand.
Dimarco & Lautaro Run Show in Sassuolo 0-5 Inter Milan Rout
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 04: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Bologna FC 1909 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Federico Dimarco has re-established himself as one of the world’s best wingbacks under Chivu this season.
Indeed, his hat-trick of assists yesterday stretched his Serie A tally to 13, making him the division’s most creative player.
Meanwhile, Lautaro Martinez netted his 14th league goal of the season, steering six clear of Como talisman Nico Paz.
Therefore, El Toro has already laid the groundwork for the Capocannoniere-winning campaign.
More importantly, the Argentine has set himself up perfectly for the upcoming clash against Juventus at Stadio San Siro.
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A “reply all” email by a Tennessee swim coach, another coach’s two-word greeting to a recruit and a Lady Vols travel miscue broke NCAA rules.
A UT student worker was also terminated from his job on the sports broadcast team because he bet on a Vols football game.
Those were among six minor NCAA violations that UT athletics reported in the second half of 2025, according to a document obtained by Knox News through a public records request.
They were all Level III infractions, defined by the NCAA as minor breaches of conduct. They are common and routinely reported by athletic departments at every school. They almost always result in low-level penalties, as was the case with these instances at UT.
UT’s violations also provide a glimpse into the convoluted nature of the NCAA rulebook. Here’s a breakdown.
Lady Vols broke rule by swapping coaches on the road
By NCAA rule, no more than four women’s basketball coaches can evaluate recruits off campus during an evaluation period. And coaches are not allowed to swap out from day to day.
During two weekends last July, Kim Caldwell’s staff put five coaches on the road total, although never more than four at a time. At the end of a recruiting day, one coach would return to Knoxville, and a different coach would go on the road to replace them.
It was a violation because the replacement coach counted as as fifth recruiter during that period.
According to the NCAA report, the infraction was discovered by an inquiry to the SEC office, presumably from a competing school. UT placed some of the responsibility on its compliance staff for misadvising Caldwell’s coaches about the NCAA’s intricate recruiting guidelines.
As a self-imposed penalty, UT reduced its off-campus recruiters to three coaches for five days during the fall evaluation period. The NCAA also docked the Lady Vols five recruiting days by a single staff member in 2025-26.
Coach said two words to recruit, and that was too many
In June, a cross-country assistant coach attended the New Balance National Championships in Philadelphia. They were walking along the public path surrounding the track when two high school runners approached from the opposite direction.
One was a 2026 recruit who had previously visited UT. The other was a 2027 recruit who could not yet have in-person contact with a college coach, per NCAA rule.
The UT coach said, “Great job!” to the 2027 recruit, which violated NCAA rules. They later connected via phone call, which was allowed.
UT self-imposed penalties. UT cross-country coaches were not permitted to contact the 2027 recruit for two weeks, and the two-word interaction counted as an in-person recruiting contact. Coaches also underwent additional training on NCAA rules.
The SEC also banned the coach from all recruiting activities for 14 days.
Cross-country committed another infraction by requiring athletes to participate in a 45-minute workout following a race. The team was still under NCAA-mandated hours of athletic activity for that week, but mandatory workouts are not allowed after a competition.
The team was docked 90 minutes of practice time as a penalty.
Swim coach shouldn’t have sent ‘reply all’ email
Last summer, a recruit sent an email to the UT swim coaching staff before contact was allowed. It would only be a violation if a coach replied, which they inadvertently did.
An assistant coach hit “reply all,” when they intended to only email the other staff members. That counted as impermissible contact with the recruit.
UT self-imposed a two-week ban on recruiting that prospect after contact was allowed.
Violation happened because two recruits had the same name
A recruit in an unnamed sport visited campus without being approved through the NCAA eligibility clearinghouse, but the mix-up was due to a coincidence and clerical error.
A UT compliance director approved a recruit who had the same first and last names as the intended recruit. When the correct recruit arrived on campus, they were not registered because they didn’t have an NCAA eligibility clearinghouse account.
The staffer received additional training to prevent repeating the same mistake.
The first runs of the giant slalom and slalom, where Shiffrin will be favored to win a third Olympic gold medal, begin at 4 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Feb. 10. But don’t worry! The second runs, where medals are determined, aren’t until 7:30 a.m. ET.
Peacock and USA Network will have live coverage, and NBC will have live coverage of the second run of the giant slalom.
Here’s all you need to know:
When does Mikaela Shiffrin compete at the Milano Cortina Olympics?
Shiffrin will race the slalom and giant slalom, as well as the team combined. There is also a possibility she will do super-G, though she’s only raced it once in the last two seasons. The four races are spread out over nine days in the middle of the Games.
The team combined is Tuesday, Feb. 10. The downhill run begins at 4:30 a.m. ET and the slalom run, which Shiffrin will do, follows at 8 a.m. ET.
The giant slalom is Feb. 15. The first run begins at 4 a.m. ET and the second is at 7:30 a.m. ET.
The slalom is Feb. 18. The first run begins at 4 a.m. ET and the second at 7:30 a.m. ET.
If Shiffrin races the super-G, that’s at 5:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 12.
All of this is weather-dependent, of course.
Is Mikaela Shiffrin a medal contender?
Yes. And in more than one race.
Shiffrin has won seven of the eight slalom World Cups this season, and was second in the one she didn’t win. She also won gold with Breezy Johnson when the team combined made its debut at the world championships last season.
Though it’s taken Shiffrin longer to get her form back in giant slalom after last year’s crash that left her with a puncture wound in her oblique muscles, she’s been making progress and has been in the top six in five of her six GS starts this season.
The question is whether Shiffrin will race super-G. Because of the crash last year, she hasn’t trained it much. And in her only super-G race in the last two seasons, she DQd right before the finish line in St. Moritz.
But Shiffrin has said if her GS racing is solid, she can do super-G.
What is the format for slalom and giant slalom races?
Unlike downhill and super-G, which are only one run, there are two runs in both slalom and giant slalom. The fastest skiers go first for the first run, and the order is reversed for the second run. That means Shiffrin will be at or near the top of the order in the first run and at the bottom for the second.
What is the team combined?
The team combined replaces the individual combined, which Shiffrin has a silver medal in from the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang.
It’s two runs, one downhill and one slalom, but instead of one skier doing both, it’s now a team of two skiers. A speed skier will do the downhill run and a tech skier will do the slalom.
The team combined made its debut at last year’s world championships, and Shiffrin and Breezy Johnson won gold. If U.S. Skiing creates teams based on season standings, as it did at worlds, Shiffrin would be paired with Lindsey Vonn in Milano Cortina, and the internet would likely explode.
They are two of the greatest skiers in history, with Shiffrin having the most World Cup victories of any skier and Vonn at No. 3. Shiffrin leads the overall and slalom standings this season while Vonn is atop the downhill rankings.
Today in Boston Celtics history, DeCovan Kadell (better known to fans by his nickname as Dee) Brown threw down one of the most famous dunks of all time. The dunk was done in that year's All-Star Game Slam Dunk Competition. Brown was a rookie recently taken by the Celtics out of Jacksonville University with the 19th overall selection of the 1990 NBA Draft. He made a lasting impression on NBA fans around the world with the flush, which was (and still is) among the flashiest ever completed at the All-Star Week's annual dunk contest.
The event also featured Shawn Kemp of the Seattle SuperSonics, Rex Chapman of the Charlotte Hornets, Kenny Smith of the Houston Rockets, Kenny Williams of the Indiana Pacers, and Blue Edwards of the Utah Jazz. Also featured were Otis Smith of the Orlando Magic, and Kendall Gill of the Atlanta Hawks. In the end, it came down to Kemp and Brown, which the latter managed to steal by pumping up his Reeboks (remember those?) and covering his eyes.
The dunk has become iconic for not just Brown and the Celtics, but also the contest itself.
Transactions
It is also the date of the trade of that would have sent Danny Fortson to the Toronto Raptors. In return, the Celts were to receive Alvin Williams and Sean Marks, but the trade was voided after Williams failed his physical. Fortson returned to the team for the remainder of the season, only to be included in the league's first four-team deal that offseason that sent him to the Golden State Warriors the following offseason.
The deal also saw the Celtics trade Dana Barros to the Dallas Mavericks, the Mavs trading Robert Pack, Hot Rod Williams, and cash to Boston, and the Jazz trade a 2001 first-round draft pick which would eventually become Joseph Forte.
Preseason All-American teams are always part projection, part reputation, and part, “who already proved it on a national stage.”
Ohio State has plenty of candidates for 2026, but the list really starts with two names who have already lived in the sport’s biggest conversations.
First team lock: Jeremiah Smith
If you’re building a preseason first team, Jeremiah Smith is the easiest Ohio State player on the board. He’s already produced like a national award finalist in back to back seasons, and the volume and efficiency both scream All-American.
Smith followed his monster 2024 line (76 catches, 1,315 yards, 16 TDs) with 87 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 TDs in 2025, even while defenses treated him like the weekly No. 1 problem to solve.
Preseason teams love three things, elite production, highlight plays, and name recognition. Smith checks all of them, and he’s doing it in an offense that will again be on national TV basically every week. If Ohio State has a written in pen first team guy, it’s him.
The quarterback case: Julian Sayin, with one obstacle
Julian Sayin already has the exact credentials that drive preseason All America voting, he was in the Heisman mix and ended 2025 as an AP All-American selection (second team). He also has the clean statistical profile voters gravitate toward, high completion rate, big yardage, big touchdowns. Reuters had him at 3,610 passing yards, 32 TDs, 8 INTs, and a 77% completion rate.
The only real hang up for “first team” is the position itself. There are always too many QB candidates, and the 2026 preseason conversation is going to be crowded, including the types of names that voters will love to rank in August, like Arch Manning.
Still, Sayin is absolutely in the first team argument from day one, and at worst he’s the kind of player who lands on preseason second team lists and can force his way up with another heisman campaign season.
The trench star who should be in the conversation: Austin Siereveld
If you’re looking for the Ohio State lineman with the best chances to be in these conversations, it’s Austin Siereveld. He started all 14 games at left tackle in 2025 and earned second team All Big Ten honors. That matters because preseason All-American teams often reward known quantities up front, especially guys who were already decorated the previous year and return as multi year starters.
The other reason Siereveld fits the preseason mold, position flexibility. If Ohio State slides him back inside to guard, which many would consider his more natural position, interior OL spots can be easier to crack nationally than tackle depending on the year’s depth. Either way, he’s the Buckeye lineman most likely to be on multiple preseason All-American lists.
The could get there tier: Terry Moore, Earl Little Jr., Jermaine Matthews Jr., Bo Jackson
This is where projection gets tricky, because preseason honors at defensive back and running back tend to be driven as much by visibility and counting stats as by on-field impact.
Ohio State’s portal additions in the secondary bring real resume value, with Earl Little Jr. arriving as a proven ACC level veteran and Terry Moore carrying an all-conference foundation that can quickly turn into preseason momentum if spring buzz is strong and the Buckeyes are viewed as an elite defense again.
Jermaine Matthews Jr. fits a different profile. He feels like the kind of corner who could play like an All-American but may never be voted like one, as corners often need national spotlight games and signature matchups to fully break through.
Bo Jackson already sits firmly on the radar after a 1,000-yard freshman season, but running back is one of the most crowded positions nationally, and preseason teams often default to backs with massive yardage and touchdown totals as well as pre-established hype.
Still, if Ohio State is viewed as a national title contender, Jackson’s name will be part of every preseason conversation.
Dark horse: Connor Hawkins (and why it’s realistic)
If Ohio State’s surprise preseason All-American candidate is anyone, it might be the kicker. Connor Hawkins came over from Baylor after going 18 for 22 on field goals (81.8%), perfect on PATs (37 for 37), and 3 for 4 from 50 plus, with a long of 54.
Kickers crack preseason All America teams when two things are true: (1) they’re already trusted from distance, and (2) they’re attached to a high visibility team that creates high leverage kicks. Hawkins has the leg and the numbers.
If his range and reliability translate into offseason buzz and early watch lists, the “dark horse” conversation can shift quickly toward serious preseason recognition.
So how many preseason first teamers does Ohio State get?
If I’m calling it today, Ohio State’s most likely preseason first team All-American is Jeremiah Smith. After that, Sayin and Siereveld are the two most plausible to rise into first team status depending on which outlet you’re reading and how the QB and OL fields shake out.
For everyone else, the safer projection right now is just outside the preseason All-American cut, but that line is thinner than it looks. Ohio State proved in 2025 that when the program is operating at the highest level, individual recognition follows quickly, with four Buckeyes landing on the AP First Team in 2025.
That kind of national credibility has a way of bleeding into preseason ballots, and if expectations remain sky-high, it wouldn’t take much for a few more names to push their way into the conversation.
It all started on the basketball court at Laney High School, and after graduation, his greatness was on display at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. After helping the Tar Heels secure an NCAA basketball championship, he then went on to play in the NBA, becoming one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Since then, he’s taken on new roles as team owner — for the Charlotte Hornets — and now as an owner of 23XI Racing.
Now, he’s making a name for himself in health care as he gives back by investing in clinics in North Carolina. Here’s a look at his investment by the numbers.
The amount Michael Jordan donated for three medical facilities in Wilmington.
4
The number of family medical clinics that bear his name: two in Wilmington and two in Charlotte.
7,800
The square footage of the family medical clinic at 1423 Greenfield St., Wilmington.
2024
The year Wilmington’s first Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic opened.
2025
The year Wilmington got its second Michael Jordan clinic.
7,300
The square footage of the family medical clinic at 416 N. 30th St., Wilmington.
3,000+
The number of patients served at the two Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinics in Wilmington.
16,000+
The number of appointments made at the two Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinics in Wilmington.
720
The number of essential screening services made by providers at the two Michael Jordan clinics in Wilmington. This includes, but is not limited to, mammograms, colonoscopies, and lung cancer screenings.
2026
The year Novant Health is planning to hold a formal unveiling and dedication ceremony for the Novant Health Deloris Jordan Neuroscience Institute at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
CASTELLON DE LA PLANA, SPAIN - JANUARY 24: President of FC Barcelona Joan Laporta celebrates following the Final Supercopa de España Femenina match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Nou Castalia on January 24, 2026 in Castellon de la Plana, Spain. (Photo by Luciano Lima/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Barcelona’s presidential elections have now officially begun. The Board of Directors will meet on Monday to announce the resignation of the direcftors who will be standing for re-election.
Hansi Flick convinced Marc Bernal to stay at Barcelona this winter by telling the midfielder to stay calm and keep working. Bernal did end up staying and scored his first goal for the club at the weekend against Mallorca.
Barcelona returned to training after the win over Real Mallorca but were once again without Raphinha. The Brazilian continues to work alone as he recovers from an overload.
Real Madrid closed the gap to Barcelona at the top of the table in La Liga to just one point by beating Valencia 2-0. Alvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappe were on target for Los Blancos.
Galatasaray are said to have made a €30m offer for Barcelona midfielder Marc Bernal in the January transfer window but the Catalans made it clear they would not let him go.
Dro Fernandez made his debut for PSG on Sunday against Marseille. The club posted a video of him on the pitch at Parc des Princes with the message: “You are loved here!”
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has given a wide-ranging interview where he has spoken about the tension with Real Madrid and why the decision was finally made to quit the European Super League.
SANTA CLARA, CA - FEBRUARY 08: New England Patriots Christian Gonzalez tips the ball during the Seattle Seahawks versus the New England Patriots Super Bowl LX game on February 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The New England Patriots dropped Super Bowl LX to the Seattle Seahawks 29-13 on Sunday night.
Here is who caught our eye for better or worse upon live-viewing the Patriots’ playoff loss.
Winners
CB Christian Gonzalez: If New England had prevailed Sunday night, Gonzalez had a serious case for MVP honors. The top cornerback saved a pair of touchdowns in the first half with a pair of near interceptions while in coverage downfield on Rashid Shaheed and in the end zone on Jaxon Smith-Njigba — a matchup Gonzalez allowed just one catch for 16 yards on in 14 coverage snaps. Gonzalez then had a third pass breakup on Cooper Kupp. The All-Pro corner played his best football down the stretch and should be in line for a monster extension.
S Craig Woodson: The rookie safety continued his playoff heater, recording a team-high 10 tackles with three coming for a loss — helping the Patriots defense limit Seattle to field goals early in the game. His best TFL may have come on a reverse to the speedy Shaheed. Woodson also broke up a pair of passes to end his rookie season on an extreme high note.
Losers
QB Drake Maye: It was a rough Super Bowl debut for the Patriots young quarterback, as Maye finished 27-of-43 for 295 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions en route to posting -0.44 EPA per dropback. Much of that production came late in the fourth quarter and Maye also lost a fumble on a strip-sack.
Maye’s best throws of the night came on back-to-back completions to Mack Hollins, where he layered one over and in-between defenders over the middle before lofting a 35-yard touchdown in the bucket for a score. Maye’s second interception of the day came on the next drive which was an aggressive misfire downfield to Kyle Williams.
OT Will Campbell and the Offensive Line: Some of Maye’s troubles led to pass protection issues up front, as the quarterback was under pressure on nearly half of his drop backs despite Seattle blitzing on less than 20 percent. New England struggled to pick up those blitzes with CB Devon Witherspoon generating four pressures — including one against left tackle Will Campbell. Most of the pass pro issues came off that left side, as Campbell was initially charted with a whooping 14 pressures allowed by NextGenStats.
Honorable mentions
Rhamondre Stevenson did his best work as a pass catcher hauling in five receptions for 40 yards — making multiple defenders miss on check downs — and a late touchdown. Him and TreVeyon Henderson managed just 3.25 yards per carry, with the rookie appearing to continue to struggle with his vision.
Mack Hollins led New England’s pass catchers with four receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown. Both downfield explosives were impressive contested grabs.
The Patriots other pass catchers were quiet Sunday night. Diggs finished with three catches for 37 yards and Kayshon Boutte had one reception for 21 yards. In live action, separation seemed to be an issue.
Milton Williams continued his hot streak with five pressures, a sack, and two tackles for loss. Anfernee Jennings also logged five run stops with a TFL, QB hit and pass pass breakup.
Jack Gibbens appeared to be on scene on A.J. Barner’s late touchdown, getting caught against Seattle’s play-action.
In a busy day for Bryce Baringer, the punter recorded four i20s and a 44.5 average across eight punts — helping limit dangerous return man Rashid Shaheed to two punt returns for 16 yards.
A late Pierre Kalulu header secured a point for the Juventus Men’s First Team against Lazio on Serie A Matchday 24, with the game at the Allianz Stadium ending 2-2.
Let’s take a look at the stats from Sunday evening’s match.
CHIPPING IN | Weston McKennie is the Serie A midfielder who has scored the most goals across all competitions since Luciano Spalletti joined Juventus (30th October 2025): He has seven, three of which were headers.
INVOLVED | Pierre Kalulu has been involved in five goals in 24 games in Serie A this season (2G+3A), which is as many goal involvements as he got in the previous 100 matches in Serie A (3G+2A).
LEAVING IT LATE | Kalulu's goal (95:40’’) is the latest goal scored by a Juventus player in Serie A since Andrea Cambiaso, on 28th October 2023 with Hellas Verona (96:00’’).
PERSONAL BEST | Weston McKennie set his season scoring record across all competitions in Europe's Top Five leagues (7).
SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 29: Sam Darnold #14 and General Manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Levi's Stadium on October 29, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. The Bengals defeated the 49ers 31-17. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Schefter reiterates 49ers’ stance on Mac Jones “”Despite continued speculation, the 49ers have no plans to trade QB Mac Jones this off-season and fully intend to bring him back to back up Brock Purdy, per sources,” Schefter wrote.”
Barcelona midfielder knows he will be important for Flick despite limited role so far
The past few months have been quite difficult for Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado, as he has found regular game-time hard to come by this season.
The La Masia graduate, who enjoyed a proper breakthrough into the first team last season, is low on the pecking order under Hansi Flick.
The likes of Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Dani Olmo, Eric Garcia, and even Marc Bernal appear to be ahead of Casado in the manager’s preference order.
As such, it gave way to speculations that Casado could leave Barcelona in January, with clubs like Atletico Madrid and Galatasaray showing interest.
Casado knows Flick has him in his plans
But nothing came of it in the end as manager Flick closed the doors on any potential exit for Casado in January.
Now, SPORT reports that the young midfielder is fully aware that he will be important for the Barcelona manager, whether as a starter or coming on in the second halves of matches.
Casado did not play a single minute in Barcelona’s first three matches of 2026 against Espanyol, Athletic and Real Madrid, the latter two in the Spanish Super Cup.
He played in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 tie against Racing Santander, before returning to the cold of the bench against Real Sociedad and Slavia Prague.
This period of ostracism in the middle of the winter transfer window fuelled rumours about a possible departure from Barcelona.
Real Oviedo game a turning point
However, on 25 January, Casado received a major opportunity in the league match against Real Oviedo. He was once again given 90 minutes, and his performance satisfied Flick.
Patience paying off. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Since then, to a greater or lesser extent, he has featured in every match: FC Copenhagen (12 minutes), Elche (6 minutes), Albacete (25 minutes) and RCD Mallorca (90 minutes).
The match against Oviedo was particularly decisive. It came just before the winter transfer window closed, a period when moves could still take place.
His inclusion in the starting XI was interpreted as a way of securing his continuity, but it was not a gesture for appearances’ sake to retain the player. But it made it clear that the manager’s confidence in Casado was genuine.
In the press conference after the match, Flick was asked about the possibility of Casado leaving, and he was unequivocal.
“There is no option for me, I do not want anyone to leave, we need everyone. And there is no other option that we want,” he said.
The German coach also offered strong praise for the player, saying: “Casado is super professional and deserved to start. I really liked what I saw from him in the match, he is the Casado we want.”
Casado did not lower his head during the toughest moments, nor did he intend to leave Barcelona. That patience has been highly valued by Flick, who continues to trust the youngster completely.
The season is very long, with all three competitions still in play, and Casado knows he will get opportunities to be important.
Habib Beye set to learn Rennes future amid reports of Franck Haise appointment
On a run of four straight defeats in all competitions and amid reports of discontent in the dressing room, Habib Beye’s future as manager of Stade Rennais is set to be decided on Monday, as per a report from L’Équipe.
RC Lens’ 3-1 win over Rennes on Saturday was Rennes’ fourth defeat in succession. It came at the end of a week in which they lost 4-0 to a struggling AS Monaco side, before being dumped out of the Coupe de France by Olympique de Marseille in midweek (3-0).
Beye has been here before, earlier in the season, when he already had half a foot out of the door. Then, he managed to salvage the situation, but on Monday, there will be fresh talks about the Frenchman’s position at the club.
Monday will be decisive amid reports that Franck Haise could take up the mantle. The former Lens manager has been out of work since leaving OGC Nice at the end of December.
A special day at AC Milan as Niclas Füllkrug celebrates his 33rd birthday. The German striker, who arrived in the most recent transfer window, has already impressed with his drive and attitude. Füllkrug has stood out for his selflessness, leadership and ability to make an impact in decisive moments, as shown against Lecce, working hard for the team with professionalism and grit. His hard work, consistency and determination has already made him a talisman both on and off the pitch. Happy birthday, Niclas!
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks on during the second half of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was reported yesterday that the Miami Dolphins were likely to move on from Tua Tagovailoa and are exploring trade options. The situation is complicated with Tua’s contract and from the sounds of it, the Dolphins are willing to eat some cost to move the former Pro-Bowl quarterback. But with how Tua regressed last season and his extensive injury history, it’s hard to fathom that a team would want to trade for him with that contract.
You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below.
Thomas Frank's Spurs lost 2-0 at Manchester United on Saturday as captain Cristian Romero was sent off and he let down his team. Spurs are now seriously in the relegation scrap as they sit just six points above the bottom three and despite reaching the Champions League last 16, Frank has to start picking up wins in the league. Fast.
Newcastle lost 3-2 at home to Brentford on Saturday as Eddie Howe was booed by some home fans as they continue to underperform. Newcastle have made the Champions League playoff round but sit just four points above Spurs heading into this game and despite injuries impacting them all season, Howe is under pressure.
For live updates and highlights throughout Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle, check out PST's live blog coverage below.
How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle live, stream link and start time
Kick off time:2:30pm ET Tuesday (February 10) Venue:Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — North London TV Channel: Peacock Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
Tottenham Hotspur team news, focus
Spurs are still without James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Bergvall, Richarlison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pedro Porro, Ben Davies and Kevin Danso, while Romero is suspended and Djed Spence is battling to be fit. All of that adds extra pressure on Frank as he will likely go with the same starting lineup as the defeat at United on Saturday with Dragusin coming in for Romero. Solanke will lead the line up top and be supported by two of Kolo Muani, Simons and Odobert with Gallagher breaking forward from midfield.
Newcastle team news, focus
Fabian Schar, Tino Livramento, Joelinton and Emil Krafth remain out, while Lewis Miley and Anthony Gordon are being assessed. Howe will mix things up a little bit after the poor display at home against Brentford and it's likely he starts Woltemade, Burn, Elanga and Ramsey.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle prediction
This is going to be pretty intense and tight given that both teams know how important a win will be. Spurs have fewer options off the bench but will likely be shattered. Go for an away win. Spurs 1-3 Newcastle.
🚨Breaking news: Champions League final ball unveiled
The grand final of the Champions League will take place next May 30 in Budapest, and the official match ball has already been revealed.
With nods to Hungarian culture, its vibrant colors like gold, purple, pink, and green blend with the white of the Champions League stars. The official ball for the grand final on the 30th has already been unveiled.
Without a doubt, it will be the great judge that will decide which team will reign over Europe in 2026, in an event where everyone wants to be, but only two will make it.
But for many athletes at the Milan Cortina Games, particularly those who compete in sports that would be inherently dangerous for regular people, the entire concept of acceptable risk isn’t relatable at all.
“In a lot of ways, it’s kind of like driving your car,” said retired ski racer and four-time Olympic medalist Julia Mancuso. “It’s supposed to be safe but there’s car accidents all the time.”
While the outcome of Vonn’s decision to compete played out in horrifying fashion for everyone to see — to be clear, it’s uncertain whether weakness in her knee or an over-aggressive strategy caused her to clip a gate and go tumbling toward further injury — the unfortunate result does not inherently mean she was reckless.
In an array of winter sports that take place on snowboards and skis, typically involving human beings moving down a mountain at top speed or spinning and flipping through the air, there is no competition if there is no risk.
The athletes who have chosen to make those sports their life’s work face the potential of severe injury and death every day. But that does not mean they approach competition with fearlessness. Often, it’s quite the opposite.
“You’re about to fly through the air with these heavy sticks and weights on your feet and you’re going to take off on ice and land on ice,” said Alex Ferreira, a freestyle skier who specializes in the halfpipe. “And if you don’t do it perfectly, the consequence is extremely high.”
Ferreira, a 31-year old who won a silver and bronze medal at the last two Winter Games, does not fit the outdated stereotype of an X Games athlete rolling out of bed after a night of partying and hitting the mountain in baggy pants. Maybe some of that was true in his younger days, but as one of freeski’s elder statesmen, he’s in bed by 8 p.m., brings his own food on the road and approaches his job with extreme seriousness.
That’s because the job is to launch himself into a curved, hollowed-out icicle with 22-foot walls, ski up the sides and use the momentum to get airborne. From there, he will perform complex, highly technical tricks that get bolder and more dangerous every year to remain competitive in a sport where each generation of athletes pushes past old boundaries.
A bad day at the office doesn’t mean failing to medal. It’s broken bones, as Vonn suffered on Sunday, concussions and maybe even a loss of life.
What is going through Ferreira’s mind when he’s getting ready to drop in and perform some of these tricks, particularly ones he’s never tried in competition? It’s not fearlessness. Sometimes, it’s quite the opposite.
“I’m scared ****less,” he said.
Even after all the training, Alex Ferreira still feels the nerves whenever he flies out of a halfpipe. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Sean M. Haffey via Getty Images
Knowing your limit
But for the best in the world, a healthy respect for the worst-case scenario isn’t just a requirement, it’s a superpower.
It never guarantees that everyone is going to make it through safely. But it does tilt the risk profile further in their favor than most of us civilians can wrap our minds around.
That can be hard to quantify with a number, but it’s the seed of doubt that keeps them safe on days when the wind blows a little too hard or when they’re not physically at their best. It’s the meter in the back of their minds constantly calculating the likelihood of landing a trick or nailing a run — and the potential danger waiting for them if they don’t. In many cases, it’s what prevents a bruising fall from becoming broken bones or worse.
It’s the necessary boundary between being an adrenaline junkie and doing something that turns risk into recklessness.
“I’ve never tried anything where I was like, ‘Oh, this might not be the day for it,’” said Alex Hall, the freestyle skier who won slopestyle gold in Beijing four years ago. “You want to be on the upper edge of your comfort level, but there’s a fine line between (approaching it) and going beyond it.”
United States' Lindsey Vonn crashes into a gate during an alpine ski women's downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Did Vonn go too far?
Mancuso can only relate it to a similar experience she had at the Sochi Games in 2014, where her confidence after winning the first portion of the women’s combined event got the better of her and she took more aggressive lines than she should have in more difficult conditions.
“I think she went into the Olympics and was like, ‘This is it. I’m leaving it all on the line,’” Mancuso said. “And she kind of forgot she was injured. And rightfully so, you don’t want to go out of the gate thinking I’m injured. But in this situation, she probably shouldn’t have been pushing the limits above that line. It looked to me like the course ran faster and you could see her kick out of the start gate with everything she had to give and went really tight across the traverse.
“If you’re really trying to not leave anything on the hill, you cut the line to these tiny bits. So in that sense, she was really trying to be perfect and the snow was a little bit grippy or a bit harder and it didn’t push her down the hill probably like she thought and launched her right into that gate.”
Bar continues to rise
Much like in speed racing, where the improvement in technology has made skiers faster and their task more treacherous, the trend lines in freeski and snowboard have moved in the direction of more dangerous maneuvers. Tricks that might have won medals two or three Olympics ago are now considered pedestrian.
Take, for example, the big air competition. Added to the Olympics in 2018, competitors ski or snowboard down a massive ramp, launch into the air and perform a trick that is judged on a variety of factors including creativity, difficulty, number of flips and rotations and, of course, execution.
It is an inherently dangerous endeavor, one that has always given pause to Red Gerard, a slopestyle specialist who won the gold medal in 2018. In the Olympics, making the team means qualifying for both events automatically. After failing to qualify for the Big Air final on Thursday night here, he questioned why snowboarders have to do both and criticized the setup of the jump, a freestanding structure built on scaffolding, rather than cut into the mountain.
"I don't understand why we're forced to do this," he said. "I just want to be focusing on slopestyle. Not to dig on anyone that does it — everyone that does this are badasses that are very good at the sport — but this is not my gig."
LIVIGNO, ITALY - FEBRUARY 02: A general view of the Big Air venue inside the Olympic Snow Park on February 02, 2026 in Livigno, Italy. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
David Ramos via Getty Images
Gerard is among the many snowboarders who watched as Canada's Mark McMorris crashed during big air training on Wednesday and withdrew, citing the fact he hit his head during the fall. Though it appears McMorris did not suffer serious injuries and could compete in slopestyle, it was one more factor giving pause to riders like Gerard who do not want to compromise themselves for their best event.
"He's like a GOAT of our sport," Gerard said. "You think those guys are invincible in a lot of ways and it sucks to see when it does happen like that. I think, personally, maybe that could have been avoided, doing a jump on scaffolding and stuff like that."
And Big Air only gets bigger and more dangerous every Olympic cycle.
Snowboarder Jamie Anderson, now 35, won silver at the first big air in Pyeongchang with a frontside 1080-degree trick — three full rotations in the air. She was one-upped by Austria’s Anna Gasser, who executed a more complex 1080.
Four years later in Beijing, it took a double cork 1260 — 3 ½ full off-axis spins — for Gasser to repeat as gold medalist while Anderson finished off the podium. Anderson, who failed to qualify for this year’s Olympic team after taking time away from the sport to have children, acknowledged that her new status as a mother changed her risk profile.
“The tricks are crazy,” she said. “Girls are doing triple corks and 1440s and maybe even 1620s. In four years to see how much it’s evolved and progressed just goes to show how insane all the training facilities and modern technology has become.”
Anna Gasser of Team Austria performs a trick during the Women's Snowboard Big Air final at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Elsa via Getty Images
No guarantees
These skiing and snowboarding labs are where the elaborate and dangerous tricks get built. Before one of these athletes ever tries something risky on the snow, they will have practiced all the moves on a trampoline, progressing to rollerblades into a foam pit and then jumping into a 300-foot by 100-foot airbag with their skis or snowboard on.
Still, even after months of development, it’s different when you’re on the mountain with no air bag for protection.
“You have to go, you have to try it and you have to fully commit the first time,” said Nick Goepper, a freestyle skier who has medaled in slopestyle at the last three Winter Games.
But what happens if you get into the heat of competition and realize everything you’ve practiced and perfected isn’t going to be good enough?
That’s certainly the situation Hall faced four years ago in Beijing, knowing he needed something special in his final attempt to medal in big air. Instead of trying an easier trick that would have given him a 50-50 shot to be on the podium, he took on extra risk trying to win it all.
“I didn’t make that decision until about five seconds before dropping in,” he said. “It didn’t quite go my way — I landed on my feet and barely tipped over — but I’m proud of trying it.”
In a way, that innate desire to reach for something a little more is what animates so much of the progression in these dangerous winter sports. It’s not just about winning, it’s about looking good and pushing your own limits — even if you fail.
“The guys you really respect in your sport, you want them to be excited about what you’re doing too,” Hall said.
As a result, it’s practically impossible to compete in these sports over a long stretch of time without suffering a few injuries along the way, forcing athletes to hone their own instincts about what’s too dangerous, how to safely eject from a bad situation and mitigate damage if something goes wrong.
“Once you take a crash, you learn quickly, ‘Oh, I don’t want that to happen again,’” Ferreira said. “You realize it can’t happen again or I won’t be able to keep going.”
But there are never any guarantees, and with each Olympic cycle, the bar for danger gets raised. Younger competitors are willing to take on more and more risk. The outgoing generation has to decide whether it’s worthwhile to try and keep up.
Vonn ended up on the wrong side of that line Saturday. But after a lifetime of managing the inherent risks of her sport, it wasn’t because she didn’t respect the potential for danger. It’s because she was comfortable with it in ways most of us will never understand.
Former red doubts Liverpool securing Champions League spot
Carragher Raises Fresh Concerns Over Alisson and Van Dijk After Liverpool Setback
Jamie Carragher has questioned Liverpool’s reliability in key moments after their recent defeat to Manchester City, placing particular focus on Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk. Speaking after the 2–1 loss at Anfield, the former defender suggested that repeated high-profile errors have undermined the club’s push for Champions League qualification.
As the campaign enters a decisive phase, scrutiny is intensifying around leadership, consistency, and whether Liverpool can still recover ground in the race for Europe.
Erling Haaland of Manchester City scores a goal and celebrates 1-2. Liverpool v Manchester City, Premier League, Football, Anfield, Liverpool, UK – 08 Feb 2026Liverpool Anfield United Kingdom EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxGRExMLTxCYPxROUxBULxUAExKSAxCHNxDENxINDxITAxPORxESPxSWExTURxMEXxCOLxVENxPERxECUxBRAxARGxCHIxURUxPARxPANxONLY Copyright: xRyanxBrowne/Shutterstockx 16524446cu
Carragher’s post-match analysis centred on what he described as “unbelievable” errors from players expected to set standards. In his view, Liverpool’s season has been defined by moments that swing matches against them.
He pointed to Virgil van Dijk’s recent lapse against Bournemouth and Alisson’s costly decision-making against Manchester City as emblematic of wider problems. For Carragher, these incidents are not isolated but form part of a worrying pattern.
The former Liverpool vice-captain argued that elite sides are built on reliability at the back. When centre-backs and goalkeepers lose composure, even briefly, the consequences are severe. In tight matches against top opposition, there is little margin for recovery.
This erosion of defensive authority, he suggested, has prevented Liverpool from establishing consistent control in games.
Alisson and Van Dijk Under Growing Spotlight
Alisson has long been regarded as one of Europe’s finest goalkeepers, while Van Dijk remains a central figure in Liverpool’s defensive structure. However, recent performances have brought renewed scrutiny.
Against Manchester City, Alisson conceded a decisive penalty after colliding with Matheus Nunes, a moment Carragher described as avoidable. Meanwhile, Van Dijk’s earlier mistake against Bournemouth raised further questions about concentration levels.
Individually, both players continue to produce strong performances across the season. Statistically, Alisson remains among the league’s top shot-stoppers, while Van Dijk still ranks highly for aerial duels and defensive actions.
Yet football at the elite level is often judged on key moments. For Liverpool, these lapses have directly contributed to dropped points and stalled momentum.
As pressure builds, maintaining composure will be essential if the pair are to reassert their authority.
Champions League Qualification Now in Doubt
Liverpool’s defeat to City left them sitting sixth in the table, four points behind the final Champions League qualification spot with 13 matches remaining. While the gap is not insurmountable, Carragher believes the current trajectory is concerning.
He has questioned whether Liverpool possess the consistency required to overhaul rivals who are currently in stronger form. Injuries and suspensions have further complicated matters, particularly in defensive areas.
With Dominik Szoboszlai suspended and options limited at right-back, squad depth is being tested. Carragher warned that dropped points in this period could prove decisive.
He also noted that cup competitions may now represent Liverpool’s most realistic route to salvaging their season. However, relying on knockout football carries its own risks.
For now, league performance remains the primary focus, and improvement is urgently required.
Arne Slot Faces Crucial Tactical Decisions
Head coach Arne Slot is entering a defining phase of his tenure. Having delivered a title last season, expectations were high for sustained success. This campaign, however, has been marked by inconsistency and tactical adjustments.
Carragher has questioned whether the current balance of the side allows Liverpool to control matches effectively. He highlighted the tendency for games to become open and transitional, placing additional strain on the defence.
Slot now faces important decisions regarding midfield structure, attacking combinations, and defensive protection. Greater stability may require sacrificing some attacking freedom in favour of control.
Internally, there is still belief in the manager’s long-term project. However, results over the coming weeks will shape perceptions of his first full cycle in charge.
With Champions League qualification on the line, Slot’s ability to address defensive fragility and restore confidence will be central to Liverpool’s prospects.
Former Manchester United player compares Mbeumo to Salah
Former Manchester United player compares Mbeumo to Salah
Bryan Mbeumo continues to impress at Manchester United. Following last weekend's 2-0 victory over Tottenham, former Red Devil Owen Hargreaves compared the player to Mohamed Salah for the impact he's having in United's attack.
Mbeumo, who scored against Tottenham, is now Manchester United's leading scorer this season with 10 goals and an assist to his name. Hargreaves praised his maturity and attitude on the pitch:
I like that he doesn't over-celebrate his goals; it seems like scoring is just business for him. He has a great sense of the game and a remarkable finishing touch, a bit like Salah at Liverpool.
The former England international added that Mbeumo is at the perfect age to shine in the Premier League (26-27 years old) and believes he can have an even bigger impact on the team. For his part, Mbeumo wants to keep adding to his goal tally and is aiming for another strong performance against West Ham this weekend.
Classique: The French press tears apart OM after humiliation at the Parc des Princes
Classique: The French press tears apart OM after humiliation at the Parc des Princes
OM gets ripped to shreds on Monday morning after their humiliation at the Parc des Princes against PSG (5-0).
Last night, OM was dismantled on PSG's turf (0-5) in Ligue 1. This is the heaviest defeat in the Marseille club's history in a Classique. And it's the headline this Monday. The regional daily La Provence sets the tone right from its title: "Hopeless". "As usual for several seasons now, OM got crushed at the Parc des Princes. Outclassed in every area of the game, the Olympians hit rock bottom in the second half," the paper writes.
Le Parisien openly mocks OM. "Marseille blanked in Paris!" reads the front page. Highlighting "a masterful slap," the paper heaps praise on Paris's performance, stating that the capital club “set the clasico alight with an exceptional display, at times bordering on a European masterclass, capped off by two finishing masterpieces.”
Sports daily L'Equipe saw "a world apart" between the two squads. OM paid "the price of a big night" and PSG punished "their rival in historic proportions." Le Figaro echoed this analysis, calling it "a one-sided Classique." "PSG humiliates OM and returns to the top of Ligue 1," the newspaper reminded. A real slap in the face for Marseille.
Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City: Salah and Marmoush ratings
After Liverpool – City, the ratings for Salah and Marmoush revealed
Salah et Marmoush / @x.com
At Anfield on Sunday evening, the clash between Liverpool and Manchester City was anything but ordinary. This Premier League showdown featured a 100% Egyptian duel between two national team stars: Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush.
A summit at Anfield in Egyptian colors
Right from kick-off, both Egyptian internationals started the match as part of the starting eleven. However, Marmoush did not finish the game, leaving the pitch in the 61st minute to make way for his teammate Rayan Cherki, while Mohamed Salah played the entire match.
As for individual performances, Omar Marmoush received a score of 5.9 out of 10 according to the specialized site (Sofascore), marking the lowest rating among the Manchester City squad.
On the other hand, Mohamed Salah was awarded a 6.7, ranking among Liverpool's best players despite the Reds' defeat.
Ilzer slams red card call following Hoffenheim’s clear loss to Bayern
TSG Hoffenheim’s hopes of challenging Bayern Munich in Sunday's Bundesliga top-of-the-table clash at Allianz Arena took a significant hit when Kevin Akpoguma was sent off in the first half for pulling down Luis Diaz, with the referee also awarding a penalty.
Speaking after the game, Hoffenheim coach Christian Ilzer insisted it was the wrong call and expressed pride in his team despite the 5-1 defeat.
“Before the game, I said that if my team showed what we're capable of and we believed in ourselves, I'd be satisfied. And I am. I saw a team that played a top-notch game in all areas we could control. But that was definitely not a red card,” Ilzer said in a post-match interview.
“We found a lot of solutions in tight spaces afterward and we have learned a lot today that we can use in the future. I'm proud of our team. We're leaving with our heads held high.”
LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Snowboarder Benjamin Karl might be looking for a new nickname after the Austrian’s impressive victory celebration following his second straight Olympic title.
The move might have seemed spontaneous, but Karl said it was a long-planned tribute to alpine skiing legend Hermann Maier, who was nicknamed “The Herminator” and often celebrated victories in a similar manner.
“He was one of the greatest skiers of all time in Austria and he once did this,” Karl said. “I always wanted to do the same. I lost the chance in Beijing because I was so overwhelmed from emotions, and today I took the chance.
“I needed to wait 25 years to make this pose like Hermann Maier. Now I did it and this is the crown of my career.”
The 40-year-old Karl is competing at his fifth Olympics. As well as the gold he won four years ago in Beijing, he has a silver medal from 2010 and bronze from 2014.
Karl also has a slew of world championship medals, including five golds.
NEW YORK – No matter what Cole Hocker achieves in the rest of his running career – and, at age 24, he has peak years left – he reasons nothing can surpass Paris 2024.
Unless the Indianapolis runner can win a second Olympic gold medal in the 1,500 meters at Los Angeles 2028.
“That, in my mind, is the only thing that could top it -- doing it again,” he said. “What beats the first time, also?”
Paradoxically, the fact the Cathedral High School graduate has done so much already frees him to do so much more. After all, no one asked Michael Jordan to stop after a first NBA title or Tom Brady to quit after one Super Bowl. They finished with six and seven championships, respectively.
Hocker has two global gold medals now, and maybe he accumulates six or seven. Or sets a world record. He hasn’t done so yet.
There are no Olympics or outdoor World Championships in 2026, so the off year turns him on to other challenges.
“I put times on the back burner the last couple of years to focus on championships,” Hocker said. “More opportunities just to go after something fast and think less about how I’m going to feel in September.”
One such opportunity comes Saturday, Feb. 14 at Winston-Salem, N.C., where he could chase a world indoor record in the mile. The Sound Invite will be run on the JDL Fast Track.
Hocker allowed that Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen “kind of buried it” with last year’s time of 3:45.14. That came five days after Yared Nuguse lowered the world indoor record to 3:46.63 -- a time more within reach. Hocker’s best, set last July at Eugene, Ore., is 3:47.43 in a mile in which he finished fourth.
That mile was the eighth of nine successive finals in which Hocker was 0-9. Since then, he is 5-0 -- at four distances.
He won national and world titles at 5,000 meters, set an American indoor record at 2,000, took his first Millrose Games victory in the two-mile and ran the year’s second-fastest 1,000. Any shot at a two-mile record Feb. 1 disappeared after front-runner Grant Fisher withdrew -- leaving Hocker with no one to push the pace -- but victory was gratifying nonetheless. Hocker’s time was 8:07.31, featuring a 3:59.70 second mile.
“It’s nice to run fast,” he said, “but it’s better to win.”
Hocker’s career could be defined as much by his win at Tokyo’s World Championships as his gold at the Paris Olympics. He was disqualified in a semifinal of the 1,500 at September’s worlds for what officials ruled was “jostling.”
After the DQ, he went into isolation with his family and refocused. In the 5,000, he was 12th with a lap to go but near enough to the front to overtake everyone with a last 400 of 52.62 seconds.
Left in his wake were the likes of Jimmy Gressier, world champion at 10,000; Fisher, world record-holder in the indoor 5,000, and Ingebrigtsen.
“I think internally I really processed it as, the only way I’m going to walk away from there fully satisfied, and I really didn’t mess this up, is to win that 5K,” Hocker said. “I knew that was a lot easier said than done. But having executed that, it’s almost sweeter than if I had just won the ’15.’”
Hocker is one of five men to have won global gold medals at 1,500 and 5,000 meters. The others: Paavo Nurmi, Hicham El Guerrouj, Bernard Lagat, Ingebrigtsen.
As recently as two years ago, a fast pace could blunt Hocker’s finish and leave him in arrears. No more, he said.
“You’re going to have work pretty hard to break me now,” he said.
Hocker prefaced his Olympic gold by winning a silver at the 2024 World Indoor Championships.
He is targeting a 1,500/3,000 nationals double so he can go for two golds in next month’s indoor worlds at Torun, Poland. Only men to have won such a double were Ingebrigtsen in 2025 and Haile Gebreselassie in 1999.
“I value these various medals, these global medals,” Hocker said. “These are the checkpoints in my career. That’s what I want to acquire through these years of racing.”
If history is a guide, it makes sense to chase records now.
Of the past five outdoor world records in the 1,500, mile and 5,000, none was set by a runner older than 25. Age range is not as narrow for the Olympic 1,500, in which golds were won by Matt Centrowitz (26) in 2016, El Guerrouj (29) in 2004, Noureddine Morceli (26) in 1997 and Sebastian Coe (27) in 1984. Hocker would be 27 at the L.A. Olympics.
“Cole has the ability to visualize things and manifest them,” said his father, Kyle, who helped coach his son from third grade through high school. “He has this uncanny ability to know what it’s going to feel like in his mind after the race is over. And he’s already run the race in his head.”
At Paris, Hocker was a 21-to-1 long shot, with a collective 0-14 record against co-favorites Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr. The Hoosier beat both, setting an Olympic record of 3:27.65, in one of the biggest upsets in the sport’s history.
“The Olympics are like a different beast,” he said. “It feels like a completely different event from any kind of worlds and different from Diamond League. There’s no shortage of more accolades but that one’s going to live in my head forever.
“I feel like I’ve checked the biggest box in my career.”
He recently relocated to Portland, Ore., from Blacksburg, Va., where he still owns a home. He trains under Virginia Tech’s Ben Thomas, who began coaching him at the University of Oregon. Hocker has said Thomas always knows his fitness better than he does himself.
Other than sprinter Noah Lyles and shot putter Ryan Crouser, there is no more recognizable name among American men in this sport than Hocker. Not that it makes him a celebrity. There aren’t many in track and field.
Closest he has ever felt to being a celebrity, he said, was when he returned to Indianapolis last November in connection with the Monumental Marathon.
“I go back to my same training group, running the same trails. It’s not that different,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to be that different as long as I’m doing this for my career. It’s kind of nice, in a way, to know what to expect in that one event, no matter which way it goes, it’s not going to flip your life upside down.
“I feel I’ve been at the highest peak of his sport now, and I’ve managed it and traversed it, and it’s still something I’m figuring out. But it kind of gives me assurance that I can handle anything this sport throws at me.”
That included an incident in which he let a 2-year-old hold his gold medal in an appearance at a Blacksburg winery. The child promptly dropped it, denting the precious symbol. Hocker was “over it,” his father said, in the immediate aftermath.
Besides, there’s a chance to win another one at Los Angeles.
Contact IndyStar correspondent David Woods at dwood1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
Michael Leask and George Munsey starred as Scotland beat World Cup debutants Italy by 73 runs at Eden Gardens.
Munsey - dropped on 40 - blasted 84 as Scotland set 207-4 off their 20 overs, helped by Leask taking 22 from the final five balls of the innings.
Leask carried that momentum into the field, dismissing Italian opener Justin Mosca first ball as Munsey took an excellent diving catch to his right.
Despite a 73-run partnership between brothers Ben and Harry Manenti, Italy were always behind the rate and once they were removed, Scotland skittled the tail for a comfortable win.
Leask finished with magnificent figures of 4-17, while Mark Watt chipped in with 2-24 as Munsey pouched four catches.
Scotland - with one win from two - are next in action against England on Saturday, while Italy face Nepal on Thursday.
Scotland pass 200 for first time at T20 World Cup
Michael Leask smashed 22 off five deliveries before taking four wickets in Italy's chase [Getty Images]
With a rushed build-up to the tournament having replaced Bangladesh, Scotland gave themselves a chance chasing 183 against West Indies in their opener before ultimately falling 35 short.
They built on that showing with an excellent batting display aided by a flat pitch and a rapid outfield.
Two thick edges brought Munsey boundaries in the opening over and that set the tone as the left-handed opener struck 13 fours and two sixes in a powerful knock.
Dropped by Anthony Mosca off the final ball of the powerplay, he and Michael Jones (37) added 126 for the opening wicket, laying the platform for Scotland's middle order.
Brandon McMullen was unperturbed by the loss of both openers, striking stylish six after stylish six to up the run-rate further.
He finished 41 not out off just 18 balls and had the best seat in the house to watch Leask close out the innings by smacking Thomas Draca for two sixes and two fours.
Those fireworks took Scotland past 200 for the first time at a men's T20 World Cup and also set the highest total by an associate team in the competition.
Spinners go to work against depleted Italy
George Munsey (left) struck 15 boundaries [Getty Images]
Although Leask and Munsey combined with the first ball of the reply, former South Africa international JJ Smuts and Anthony Mosca took 23 off Brad Wheal to spark life into the debutants.
However, both men were out within the powerplay as Brad Currie and Watt struck for the Scots.
The Australia-born Manenti brothers kept Italy in the contest, but Harry picked out Munsey at long-off from the returning Leask and Ben holed out to Jones off Olly Davidson as hope drained away.
Grant Stewart and Gian-Piero Meade both chipped straightforward catches back down the ground, before Wheal came back to dismiss Ali Hasan and wrap up proceedings.
Spin trio Leask, Watt and Davidson took combined figures of 7-80 as Scotland avenged their defeat by the Italians at last summer's qualifier in the Netherlands.
Austin Dillon has been associated with his grandfather’s team, Richard Childress Racing, since the beginning of his full-time career in the NASCAR Cup Series and has bagged six wins off 435 starts. His best finish in a season is P11, which came in 2017, 2020, and 2022. However, looking ahead to 2026 and the revised format, Dillon believes he can contest for multiple wins.
His confidence comes from the prior victories he earned during the previous Chase format. Dillon grabbed titles in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the Xfinity Series under the Chase format. For instance, his 2011 Truck Series title came with two wins and nine top-five finishes across 25 races.
Two years later, his Xfinity Series championship came, despite Dillon not recording a single trip to victory lane. Yet he remained a fixture near the front. He qualified on the pole six times during a seven-week stretch in the summer and led the series with seven poles overall. Over the full campaign, he logged 13 top-five finishes and 22 top-10 results. Dillon also ranked either first or second in the standings for 14 weeks, including each of the final 11 races.
And that’s why in his recent appearance on The Backstretch Podcast, Dillon said, “Yeah, I do,” feel pretty good about the new format. “My two championships come from being consistent. I think the biggest thing at the cup level is you got to have the speed and the performance behind you. That helps the consistency part of it. And I think we’ve learned a lot from stage racing that you have to stay aggressive to be able to gain stage points.”
“So, one focus or emphasis for us is to gain more stage points this year. But for me personally, the goal is to win multiple races this year. If I could get two wins in a season, that would mean a lot to me. Um, we’ve been able to win one a lot of different seasons throughout my career, but I’d like to win two,”he continued.
Dillon closed the most recent season fifteenth in the final standings. He earned his lone victory in the penultimate race of the regular season at Richmond, the same track where he also visited Victory Lane in 2024. Beyond that win, his year included five top-10 finishes, though no additional top-five results followed.
Dillon is excited about the new season
The previous season featured visible frustration from Richard Childress, who voiced concern over the inability of both Dillon and Kyle Busch to secure consistent finishes. At Dover, where Busch entered as the winningest active driver, the team failed to reach the top 10.
Over the radio, Childress showed his frustration, “Gotta get some race cars. We are in trouble. Period.” And seems after that, even Dillon is positive about Childress doing everything to get better cars for his drivers, and also about Chevrolet’s new body that’s going enter this season.
Dillon said the team’s continuity fuels that outlook. He pointed to familiar personnel returning to the garage and expressed confidence in the incoming Chevrolet body. From Daytona onward, Dillon views the 2026 season as a chance for Richard Childress Racing to reset expectations.
The Cadillac Formula 1 team unveiled its highly anticipated 2026 livery in a TV advert during the Super Bowl on Sunday 8 February.
The American outfit, led by team principal Graeme Lowdon, is preparing for its debut season in the championship with former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas.
Here is everything you need to know about the Cadillac 2026 F1 livery reveal.
Catch up on the Cadillac 2026 F1 livery reveal
Coinciding with the Super Bowl advert, Cadillac also unveiled its livery in Times Square, New York. From 6 February until 9 February, a frosted exhibit will be in the iconic streets of the Big Apple. As the countdown to the launch closed in, the frost 'thawed' to eventually reveal the livery.
Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac Formula 1 Team Holdings, said: "The unveiling of a livery in Formula 1 is an important moment as it is a reflection of the team’s identity.
"The reveal at the Super Bowl and in Times Square represents both a launch moment and an invitation for fans to join in our journey.
"The Super Bowl spot will take the team into millions of homes, while the Cadillac Countdown will give a front-row view in one of the busiest areas in the US."
U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn revealed she received a “scary amount of hate/threats” following comments she made, last week ahead of competing at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, about Donald Trump’s treatment of the LGBTQ community.
Glenn, the first openly queer woman to represent the United States in Olympic figure skating and who team gold on Sunday, said she would now be taking some time away from social media.
During a press conference ahead of the start of the Milan Cortina 2026 Games last week, Glenn told a reporter it had been “a hard time” for the community and said she wanted to “encourage people to stay strong,” while vowing to continue speaking up.
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Gold medallist Amber Glenn following the podium ceremony of the figure skating team event. WANG ZHAO via Getty Images
On Saturday, Glenn addressed the backlash to those comments in an Instagram story, writing: “When I chose to utilize one of the amazing things about the United States of America (Freedom of speech) to convey how I feel as an athlete competing for Team USA in a troubling time for many Americans I am now receiving a scary amount of hate/threats for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel.”
Several athletes have acknowledged feeling a mix of emotions about representing the U.S. this year. American skier Hunter Hess drew the ire of Trump, who branded him a “real loser.”
There's something intrinsically special about a Friday night at The Valley under the lights.
They used to be quite common, but that only makes them feel more magical now. It was heartening, too, to see another 20,000-plus crowd at our dear old ground.
After the Millwall debacle, a point against London rivals QPR was no bad return, especially after the three secured at Leicester City last time out.
As goalless draws go, it was an enjoyable one, full of energy and purpose.
The January influx has injected new life into Charlton, and hopefully steadied a defence that has caused us headaches since October.
Conor Coady played the full match despite a nasty early head knock. He could have been an instant hero, only to be denied by QPR keeper Joe Walsh, who impressed all night.
Harry Clarke's deliveries from wide were dangerous, while Lyndon Dykes battered away up front against his former club and young Luke Chambers went close to opening his Addicks account.
New signing Collins Sichenje was an unused substitute but has already made waves - his arrival sparking excitement among fans back home in Kenya. Charlton's profile has suddenly gone global and we'll take that all day long.
Coady and Sichenje are real characters and will give Nathan Jones - our very own Marmite manager - extra depth after he marked two years in charge recently. I love Marmite, by the way.
There was no early lethargy this time. Charlton played with intent, cutting down the sideways and backwards passing, looking more assured in possession.
Greg Docherty was steadier, Sonny Carey was lively, if occasionally wild, and Matty Godden is getting sharper with each outing. Hopefully Miles Leaburn returns against Stoke. He's buzzing to get back.
All told, it was a decent point - 14 more should secure safety and if Leicester's six-point deduction helps nudge us there, so be it.
A gritty night under the lights, hard-earned progress and a team finally looking like it belongs again.
NFL free agency is just over a month away, but some teams are already preparing. The Dallas Cowboys have arguably the top free agent available in wide receiver George Pickens, but do not plan on allowing him to hit the open market.
Per a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Cowboys will place the franchise tag on Pickens. If Pickens plays on the tag in 2026, he will earn around $28 million.
Dallas acquired Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers last offseason for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. The Cowboys also received a 2027 sixth-round selection in the trade. Pickens would have his best NFL season, playing all 17 games, recording 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl and also selected as a second-team All-Pro.
Teams can begin applying the franchise tag on February 17 until the March 3 deadline.
Owner/GM Jerry Jones has made it clear that the Cowboys want to re-sign Pickens, despite quarterback Dak Prescott ($74 million) and fellow wide receiver CeeDee Lamb ($38 million) having significantly high cap numbers for 2026.
The Cowboys could also trade Pickens after franchising him, something NFL insider Ian Rapoport brought up as a possibility on Sunday.
"The Cowboys have shown a willingness to trade their star players for significant draft pick compensation," Rapoport said on NFL GameDay Morning, via Bobby Kownack of NFL.com, alluding to the trade of Micah Parsons to the Packers. "Maybe those players have the same agent in David Mulugheta. I'm just saying, it's an interesting situation to consider."
Pickens being off the market impacts every team looking for receiver help, including the Washington Commanders. Washington has only three receivers under contract for next season — Terry McLaurin, Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane. Deebo Samuel is a free agent, and Washington could be looking for a more well-rounded receiver to complement McLaurin in the starting lineup.
Alec Pierce, Romeo Doubs and Rashid Shaheed are expected to be the top receivers available, but Pierce could also be a tag candidate for the Colts. San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, a former college teammate of quarterback Jayden Daniels, is also expected to be available.
Regardless, Dallas' decision to franchise Pickens takes a top option off the market.
Federico Chiesa arrived with pedigree and promise, yet his Liverpool spell has drifted into uncertainty. According to a report from Caught Offside, the Liverpool board is “open to letting him go” this summer, a striking admission given the player’s contract runs until 2028. The suggestion is not about attitude or commitment, but about fit, with concerns over adapting to Premier League pace shaping thinking behind the scenes.
Chiesa has offered flashes rather than sustained influence, moments that hint at quality without ever fully embedding him into the rhythm of Liverpool’s attack. That context matters, especially in a squad recalibrating its forward options. January whispers of a move away never truly went away, and now the summer window looms large.
Photo @LFC on X
Serie A interest grows quickly
Italian clubs have noticed. Juventus are testing the waters to bring back a former favourite, while Roma and Napoli have him on their shortlist to sharpen attacking depth. No formal bids have landed, but conversations are expected to accelerate once the window opens. Juventus supporters are already animated by the idea of a return in black and white, and Italian media increasingly frame a homecoming as the likeliest outcome.
Caught Offside reports Liverpool’s asking price at around €25–30 million. That valuation would allow the club to avoid a loss while easing pressure on the wage budget. It is a pragmatic stance rather than a forced sale, aligning financial sense with squad planning.
Contract situation shapes talks
With no extension planned and the player reportedly open to a slightly reduced salary back in Serie A, the ingredients for a deal are forming. Liverpool’s openness is not a judgement on ability, but an acknowledgement that timing and environment matter. Chiesa has shown quality in glimpses, yet consistency has been elusive.
Summer turning point ahead
Sitting on the bench will not benefit either party. Juventus lead the chase, but Roma and Napoli could yet complicate matters. For Chiesa, this summer feels like a turning point, a chance to reset and reclaim momentum in a league that understands his strengths.
Our View – EPL Index Analysis
There is frustration that a player of Chiesa’s reputation has not fully ignited at Anfield, but also realism about squad evolution. The phrase “open to letting him go” reads less like surrender and more like sensible housekeeping. Liverpool cannot afford luxury pieces who only sparkle intermittently, especially with a forward line that thrives on intensity, repetition and trust.
€25–30 million feels fair in the current market. It protects value, respects the contract length, and creates room to reinvest in profiles better suited to the league’s tempo. Liverpool supporters have seen enough to believe Chiesa is a quality footballer, but also enough to accept that fit matters as much as talent. A return to Serie A could be the making of him again, just as some players need England to sharpen them, others need Italy to set them free.
If the move happens, most fans will wish him well rather than lament a mistake. Liverpool’s edge has always been clarity of purpose. Moving on when something does not quite click is part of that identity, and this feels like one of those moments.
United hunt fifth straight win to crack the top three, but Nuno’s resurgent Hammers stand in the way
Manchester United travel to the London Stadium to face West Ham United in their next Premier League fixture knowing that momentum, rather than history, is firmly on their side.
The Red Devils arrive in east London in red-hot form under Michael Carrick, a run that has reignited their season and propelled them up the Premier League table.
United are unbeaten in their last five league matches and, alongside Chelsea, are the only side to have won each of their last four games in a row.
That sequence has lifted them to the top of the form table, a remarkable turnaround that has also left them just three points behind Aston Villa with designs on climbing even higher.
Their latest success came against Tottenham Hotspur, where a familiar red card for Cristian Romero eased the path to a controlled 2–0 victory at Old Trafford.
That win followed an equally impressive 3–2 away triumph over Arsenal, underlining United’s growing confidence on their travels.
Despite that result, United sit only seventh in the away table, a reminder that consistency on the road remains the next hurdle in Carrick’s revival.
They will attempt to address that against a West Ham United side whose own resurgence has added intrigue to Tuesday night’s contest.
West Ham are fourth in the form table, having taken significant strides in their battle against relegation over recent weeks.
Their recovery continued last time out with a return to winning ways following a narrow defeat to Chelsea, restoring belief after that brief setback.
At home, however, the numbers remain unconvincing, with West Ham ranked 19th in the home table and still searching for sustained comfort at the London Stadium.
That said, their most recent home outing brought a confidence-boosting 3–1 win over Sunderland, a result that demonstrated their ability to seize opportunities when presented.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have been far more resilient, energetic and direct in recent matches, traits that suggest United will not be handed anything easily.
This fixture therefore shapes up as a clash between two teams trending upwards, albeit for very different reasons.
United are chasing European qualification and have rediscovered fluency and authority under Carrick’s guidance.
West Ham, by contrast, are scrapping for survival and drawing strength from momentum built through necessity rather than ambition.
The contrast is also reflected in the stakes, with United looking to overtake Villa while West Ham aim to pull further clear of the bottom three.
Form suggests a compelling contest, statistics hint at unpredictability, and recent results on both sides point towards an open, competitive evening.
With both teams carrying confidence and incentive, the London Stadium appears set to host one of the more absorbing Premier League encounters of the midweek round.
The Super Bowl is behind us, and the NFL offseason is officially here. All eyes will turn toward the 2026 NFL draft. The first day will feature only the first round, the second day will feature the second and third rounds, and the draft will conclude with the final four rounds on the third day.
This year, the NFL Draft Main Theater and Main Stage will be located just outside Acrisure Stadium on Pittsburgh's North Shore, placing the Draft at the heart of one of the country's most recognizable sports districts.
With the new league year fast approaching, we're releasing our first seven-round mock draft for the Ravens Wire via the PFF draft simulator and sending reinforcements to Baltimore at several key positions on both sides of the football.
Pick 14 Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State
Ioane plays with intense power and quickness, using 330 pounds of elite force, earning second-team All-America honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation as an offensive guard. Ioane is the 158th Nittany Lion (192nd selection) to be named an All-American by an NCAA-recognized outlet (AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, The Sporting News, Walter Camp Football Foundation). Ioane was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team in 2024 and to the Honorable Mention Team in 2023. He'll exit State College having played in 44 games and made 32 starts at Penn State. According to PFF, he allowed zero sacks and three pressures in 310 pass blocking snaps in 2025.
Pick 45 Lee Hunter, DI, Texas Tech
A huge interior defender and run game destroyer at Texas Tech, Hunter earned first-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 in his redshirt senior season. The 6-4, 330-pound defensive tackle posted 8.5 tackles for loss in addition to 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He finished his career with 168 total tackles and 7.5 sacks.
#RedRaiders NT Lee Hunter is so powerful. He has a real chance of being an impact starting nose at the next level. When you are 6060u, 330u with brute power, heavy hands, and block recognition, it translates.
Slaughter is a 6'4", 303-pound center prospect who started 33 career games at center for the Gators, earning AP All-SEC First Team honors in 2024 and 2025. Slaughter turned 23 years old in December.
Pick 115 Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan
During his final year at Michigan, Klein appeared in 11 games, with six starts at tight end, catching 24 passes for 248 yards and one touchdown.
Pick 152 Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State
Another player for Roseman to watch: Igbinosun's allowed catch rate is among the nation's best. According to PFF, he's forced 11 incompletions on the season and has allowed only 15 receptions, including zero touchdowns. A former freshman All-American at Ole Miss who has since earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades each of the past two years at Ohio State.
Pick 160 from LAC Quintayvious Hutchins, ED, Boston College
An undersized edge rusher, Hutchins developed into a disruptive presence up front with 3.5 sacks, 8 QB hits, and a forced fumble in his final season.
Pick 172 (Compensatory) Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU
Thomas had his best season in 2025, logging 41 receptions for 488 yards with four touchdowns. He also had 99 rushing yards and a score on the ground.
With experience at both guard spots and center, Burton is big and athletic.
Pick 249 (Compensatory) Miller Moss, QB, Louisville
Moss had a solid 2024 season at USC and posted nearly identical numbers in 2025 with Louisville, completing 64.2 percent of his passes for a career-high 2,679 yards while posting a 16:7 touchdown to interception ratio.
Pick 252 (Compensatory) Eli Heidenreich, RB, Navy
Heidenreich is a versatile running back who became only the second player in FBS history since 1956 to achieve both 475 or more rushing yards and 925 or more receiving yards in the same season. The only other player to accomplish this feat is Tavon Austin from West Virginia, who did so in 2012, recording 643 rushing yards and 1,289 receiving yards. Heidenreich holds the school record for the most career receiving touchdowns, with a total of 16. Additionally, his six touchdown catches in each of the last two seasons tied the school's single-season record.
Heidenreich holds the school record for the most career receiving yards with 1,994 yards. In 2025, he also set a school record with 941 receiving yards. Additionally, his 51 receptions in a single season are tied for the fifth-most in school history, and his total of 109 career catches ranks as the second most in the school's history.
Middlesbrough could rise to the top of the table should they defeat hosts Sheffield United on Monday (20:01 GMT).
Coventry's goalless draw to Oxford on Saturday afternoon means that Boro can retake their place at the apex with a victory, having previously been kept off the top spot by goal difference.
But the Blades are undefeated across their past three games (W2 D1) and are proving to be difficult to beat on home soil in recent times.
Sheffield United have won seven of their last nine home league games against Middlesbrough, losing the others in April 2011 and February 2023.
Middlesbrough have won three of their last four league games against Sheffield United (L1), and are looking to complete the double over them for the first time since 2010-11.
Sheffield United have won each of their last four home league games, netting three goals in each match. They last won five in a row at Bramall Lane while scoring 3+ goals each time between April/August 1971.
Middlesbrough have won each of their last five league games, last having a longer run in September/October 2023 under Michael Carrick (6).
Sheffield United's Andre Brooks has scored in each of his last three league games. He'd only scored in four of his first 66 league appearances for the Blades.
Marquette Golden Eagles (9-15, 4-9 Big East) at Villanova Wildcats (18-5, 9-3 Big East)
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Villanova plays Marquette after Acaden Lewis scored 26 points in Villanova's 80-73 victory against the Georgetown Hoyas.
The Wildcats are 10-2 in home games. Villanova has a 1-0 record in one-possession games.
The Golden Eagles are 4-9 in Big East play. Marquette leads the Big East scoring 15.3 fast break points per game.
Villanova averages 9.9 made 3-pointers per game, 2.2 more made shots than the 7.7 per game Marquette gives up. Marquette averages 6.6 more points per game (75.5) than Villanova gives up (68.9).
The Wildcats and Golden Eagles meet Tuesday for the first time in Big East play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tyler Perkins is averaging 13.1 points and 5.3 rebounds for the Wildcats. Lewis is averaging 13.0 points over the last 10 games.
Ben Gold is averaging 8.3 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Golden Eagles. Nigel James Jr. is averaging 19.7 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wildcats: 7-3, averaging 77.2 points, 29.1 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 7.3 steals and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.6 points per game.
Golden Eagles: 4-6, averaging 74.0 points, 27.8 rebounds, 15.6 assists, 9.9 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.3 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Virginia Cavaliers (20-3, 9-2 ACC) at Florida State Seminoles (11-12, 4-6 ACC)
Tallahassee, Florida; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Florida State takes on No. 18 Virginia after Chauncey Wiggins scored 22 points in Florida State's 82-79 win against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The Seminoles are 9-4 on their home court. Florida State averages 80.8 points while outscoring opponents by 1.2 points per game.
The Cavaliers are 9-2 against ACC opponents. Virginia is sixth in the ACC with 25.1 defensive rebounds per game led by Thijs De Ridder averaging 3.9.
Florida State averages 10.4 made 3-pointers per game, 4.0 more made shots than the 6.4 per game Virginia gives up. Virginia has shot at a 46.7% clip from the field this season, 1.6 percentage points above the 45.1% shooting opponents of Florida State have averaged.
The matchup Tuesday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams in conference play.
TOP PERFORMERS: Robert McCray is shooting 44.9% and averaging 14.4 points for the Seminoles. Wiggins is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
De Ridder is averaging 16.4 points and 6.5 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Malik Thomas is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Seminoles: 4-6, averaging 75.4 points, 31.3 rebounds, 13.2 assists, 6.5 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 42.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 81.2 points per game.
Cavaliers: 9-1, averaging 77.3 points, 36.0 rebounds, 16.7 assists, 5.5 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 66.8 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Stogie — and Super Bowl — in hand, Sam Darnold walked into the Seahawks locker room.
And right into a huge hand clasp and smile from big DeMarcus Lawrence.
The Pro Bowl quarterback holding a cigar and Pro Bowl defensive end with skiing goggles atop his head didn’t say much. They thanked and congratulated each other. Twenty NFL seasons combined. Zero Super Bowl wins.
Until now.
Darnold kept walking to his locker. Klint Kubiak was waiting there for his quarterback.
Kubiak was Darnold’s offensive coordinator and play caller two seasons ago in San Francisco. They reunited this season in Seattle.
Now Kubiak is leaving, Monday to become the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. This win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60, 29-13 and it wasn’t that close, was Kubiak’s final game with Darnold and the Seahawks.
“Thanks for a job well done,” Darnold told Kubiak.
A few minutes later, Darnold said: “I didn’t know what else to say.”
Jaxon Smith-Njigba did. The 23-year-old wide receiver Darnold made the NFL’s offensive player of the year this season with 1,793 yards receiving shouted over the mass of people encasing Darnold in a semicircle in front of his locker.
“Put some respect on it!” Smith-Njigba said.
“We’re not here without this guy!
“Hey, look at him. Beautiful.”
Yes, the 28-year-old quarterback Seahawks legend Marshawn Lynch affectionately (we think) calls “Ginger Cuz” looked beautiful Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium.
Sam Darnold does his job
Oh, his passing numbers weren’t pretty: 19 for 38, 202 yards, a single touchdown pass. That was tight end AJ Barner early in the fourth quarter. The first TD of this beatdown by the Seahawks defense made it 19-0 Seattle.
What Darnold did was all he had to do to win the Super Bowl, given coach Mike Macdonald’s dominant defense. The NFL’s leader with 20 turnovers during the regular season did not turn the ball over against New England. Again.
That’s five straight games to end the season Darnold took care of the ball.
That’s five straight wins for the Seahawks, including overthre 49ers, Rams and now Patriots in succession to storm through the NFL’s postseason to Seattle’s second Super Bowl win in the franchise’s 50-year history.
After he posed for pictures with the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the front of the locker room, Devon Witherspoon held up an instant newspaper. Darnold was on its cover, with a huge photograph of the quarterback under the headline blaring “CHAMPIONS!”
“My dog, m***** f****** Super Bowl winner!” the three-time Pro Bowl cornerback said of Darnold.
The guy the rest of the league — particularly the Jets, Panthers and Vikings that gave up on him — thought couldn’t win the big one just won the biggest one.
Darnold wins lately. A lot. He’s 31-6 the last two seasons. He joined immortal Tom Brady as the only NFL quarterbacks to win at least 14 in consecutive seasons. Darnold is the first to do that with two different teams.
Because, you know, teams don’t usually discard 14-win quarterbacks like Minnesota did Darnold following the 2024 season.
Sam Darnold’s path to Seattle
General manager John Schneider, coach Mike Macdonald and the Seahawks pivoted to Darnold last spring, almost instantaneously after previous QB Geno Smith wanted more money after a playoff-less 2024 Seahawks season. They traded Smith, to the Raiders. They signed Darnold for three years and up to $100.5 million.
After winning the Super Bowl Sunday night, that deal is a Seattle bargain. There is already talk Darnold may get new money in a new, renegotiated deal higher toward the league’s elite QBs this coming offseason.
Macdonald said he gained a new appreciation for Darnold this past Super Bowl week in San Jose. The coach and QB were the most popular subjects, often together, in the upon days of media interviews and press conferences the Seahawks had from Sunday through Saturday before Super Bowl 60.
“I was just spending more time with Sam on all these interviews. It’s like Sam doesn’t care about the obstacle,” Macdonald said Sunday night.
“Like, everyone’s made a narrative of this guy. They have tried to put a story and a label on who he is as a person, who he is as a quarterback.”
Such as: Vindicated. That and the synonym of “redemption” for Darnold from his stints losing for the Jets and Panthers to begin his career were the themes assigned to Darnold the last seven days. They were more common than warm sun in the Bay Area this Super Bowl week.
“He does not care,” Macdonald said.
“He is the same guy every day since he showed up. He’s so steadfast. He’s a great teammate. His teammates love him.
“All he has done since he’s walked in the door has just been a tremendous player on our football team and a tremendous leader who is the same guy every day. And that’s who he is.
“And that’s how we need to talk about him moving forward.”
Real Madrid set sights on Barcelona superstar as Florentino Perez eyes new Luis Figo saga
Real Madrid caused all kinds of controversy when they snatched Luis Figo away from Barcelona in 2000, and 26 years on, a new saga could be on the agenda. Bernabeu bosses, headed up by president Florentino Perez, believe they can steal another of the Catalans’ world class players, with in-house talks already underway.
The Barcelona player in question is Pedri, with El Desmarque (via Sempre Barca) reporting that Perez views him as the dream signing for Real Madrid. The 23-year-old midfielder is one of the best in the world in his position, and while Barcelona are enjoying him now, their El Clasico rivals believe he could be theirs.
Image via Angel Martinez/Getty Images
Real Madrid are keen on adding a new central midfielder to their squad, given that it is an area where they have struggled ever since Toni Kroos’ retirement in 2024. They’ve been linked with Rodri Hernandez and Vitinha among others, but Perez is clear that Pedri, who is currently unavailable for Barcelona due to a hamstring injury, would be the ideal addition.
Real Madrid see deal as possible in 2027
The report states that Real Madrid would try to sign Pedri in the summer of 2027. Perez wants a deal done in order to strengthen his club, while in the process, weakening Barcelona by a significant amount. However, the Catalans will be relaxed about the situation, given the Spain international is protected by a €1bn release clause in his contract, which has another four years left to run.
There is no doubt that Pedri would significantly improve Real Madrid, but Barcelona are clear that Pedri is not for sale at any price – meaning the only way for them to get a deal done is by paying his release clause, which is a non-starter. Nevertheless, Perez continues to dream of a possible seismic transfer.
DeMarcus Lawrence delivered one of the most human moments of Super Bowl LX seconds after lifting the Lombardi Trophy.
As confetti fell and celebrations erupted, the veteran defender’s first concern had nothing to do with football.
DeMarcus Lawrence checks on wife moments after Super Bowl win
Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images
In footage shared by NFL Network, Lawrence was interviewed on the field immediately after his team secured the Super Bowl LX victory.
Before talking about the game, he blurted out, “Where is my wife at, she’s not in labor right?”
The question instantly went viral. In the middle of the sport’s biggest celebration, Lawrence’s mind went straight to his family.
The timing made the moment even more striking as Lawrence’s wife was present at Levi’s Stadium despite being 37 weeks pregnant.
For a player who has spent years battling injuries, expectations, and pressure, the moment felt grounding. It was not scripted. It was instinct.
Why DeMarcus Lawrence’s words resonated beyond the trophy
Once he confirmed everything was okay, Lawrence shifted to reflection. He said, “Man, what an amazing ride. All glory goes to God.”
The comment captured the emotional arc of the night. Lawrence’s journey to a Super Bowl title was not smooth or guaranteed. It required patience, resilience, and belief.
By the time the final whistle blew, the achievement represented more than a single season. It symbolised years of commitment and sacrifice, not just for Lawrence, but for his family as well.
Winning the Super Bowl is often described as the pinnacle of professional football. Yet Lawrence’s reaction showed that even at the peak, personal priorities remain intact.
For DeMarcus Lawrence, Super Bowl LX will always be remembered not just for the ring, but for the instinctive question that followed it.
There is more than one way to build a champion, and the Seahawks are a good example of figuring out a different method instead of chasing the rest of the league. That includes a quarterback who realized that all he needed to do to win a Super Bowl was not turn the ball over.
“Defense wins championships!” Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba said after the game. “We’re not here without our defense.”
The Seahawks did have a star quarterback in Russell Wilson, but when they could see the end of the road coming for their relationship, they made a bold trade that allowed them to move onto a new championship era.
They shifted to a quarterback in Darnold who is the 18th highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, in terms of annual average vaue on his deal. Darnold’s tale, of winning a Super Bowl on his fifth team after the NFL had mostly given up on him following a tough start to his career, is rare. And while he has unquestionably become a good quarterback, nobody would put him on the same tier as Josh Allen or a healthy Patrick Mahomes. But when the Seahawks wanted to upgrade from Geno Smith, Darnold was available and they found the right fit.
“We see him each day: He’s there early, he’s there late,” Seahawks safety Julian Love said. “He’s committed to the process and he puts in the work. And above all that, he’s just a good guy. It’s so easy to love him and cheer for him.”
Between Darnold winning the title this season and Jalen Hurts — who has played good football but has plenty of skeptics as well — winning the Super Bowl last year with the Eagles, there’s some proof that you don’t need an MVP-level quarterback to win it all. It makes life easier in many ways, but there aren’t many of those guys to go around.
Seattle didn’t reinvent football and how it’s played. Having a great defense with a special teams unit that consistently makes winning plays has never been a secret, though it doesn’t get talked about as much in this era of offensive football. There’s nothing wrong with the Seahawks’ offense either, it just got the job done with a quarterback who probably isn’t on the elite tier and was on the discard pile not long ago.
If the Seahawks can put together a champion based on sound, smart moves without an elite quarterback, what’s everyone else’s excuse?
Here are the winners and losers from Super Bowl LX:
Witherspoon has been an impact player since coming into the NFL as the fifth overall pick in 2023, and with Mike Macdonald’s scheme he has become one of the NFL’s best defensive players. After Sunday, he’ll get more notice. Witherspoon did it all against the Patriots. He had a sack and three quarterback hits on well-timed blitzes. Macdonald had Kyle Hamilton when he was the Ravens’ defensive coordinator and while Witherspoon isn’t the same player, they both are tremendous assets in the scheme due to their versatility.
Witherspoon can do it all and after his Super Bowl dominance, he should start to get mentioned along with the great cornerbacks in the game.
“Whatever my coach needs me to do, I go out there and do,” Witherspoon said.
Devon Witherspoon (21) hassled Drake Maye and the Patriots' offense all Super Bowl long. (Adam Hunger/AP Content Services for the NFL)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Metrics already loved Witherspoon. He was Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 graded cornerback this past season. Now he has a ring to go with it after a stellar Super Bowl. This was a day in which his reputation got a huge bump.
“I just made the plays that came to me,” Witherspoon said. “It’s nothing crazy.”
Kenneth Walker III: Walker will be remembered as a Super Bowl MVP. He broke a strangely long drought for running backs winning the award, going back to Terrell Davis in Super Bowl XXXII, which was 28 years ago.
It also validates Walker as a player. He had been good for the Seahawks, with a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his first four years in the NFL, but when the Seahawks needed more of him after Zach Charbonnet’s torn ACL, he delivered in a big way. /
Walker handled 27 of Seattle’s 29 running back carries in Super Bowl LX and gained 135 yards. Before the Super Bowl he had not had 20 carries in a game all season. Coming up big in the biggest game will now be remembered forever, thanks to his MVP.
“He’s a special player,” Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba said. “He’s a special player.”
Mike Vrabel: It didn’t seem like it in the moment after being dominated in the Super Bowl, but Vrabel and the Patriots had a remarkable season.
They went 14-3 in the regular season, a stunning 10-game improvement from 2024. They’re a young team and while it’s hard to bank on going to another Super Bowl right away, they are set up well for the next few years.
Vrabel noted after the loss he had been on the job 307 days (Drake Maye repeated that number later, so it’s something Vrabel had made his team aware of), which was to point out that they’re still fairly early in the process of building a long-term winner.
“I’m sorry we didn’t get this done, but we’ll be back,” Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez said. “‘Vrabes’ has done an amazing job. Everybody on this team loves playing for him.”
Seahawks special teams: Seattle had the No. 1 special teams unit in DVOA this season, and it continued to show against the Patriots.
Kicker Jason Myers hit five field goals, the most in a single Super Bowl ever, and he also surpassed LaDainian Tomlinson for the most points by a player in a single year (regular season and playoffs) in NFL history, with 206 to Tomlinson’s 198 from his MVP season in 2006.
Michael Dickson, meanwhile, punted seven times for an average of 47.9 yards and pinned New England deep on several occasions. That proved important in a game where the Seahawks largely leaned on their defense and run game.
LOSERS
Drake Maye: Fair or not, a rough Super Bowl will cast some doubt on Maye going into his third season.
It was a curious season. Maye barely missed winning NFL MVP over Matthew Stafford. He was great for most of the regular season. Then he had a poor postseason, though it didn’t cost the Patriots until the Super Bowl.
Maye simply didn’t play well. He was under pressure a lot but when throws were available to him, he often missed. For three quarters it looked like the Patriots might be the first Super Bowl team to be shut out.
“There’s plays I’ll think about for the next seven months,” Maye said.
Maye has a solid foundation. It’s hard to believe he won’t be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL for a while. But after a rough Super Bowl and uninspiring playoff run, there will be more questions about him than you’d expect from an MVP runner-up.
Patriots offensive line: The Patriots weren’t supposed to be as far along in their rebuild as they were. Having a great season doesn’t change that they still have things to work on within the roster.
One of those things is the offensive line. The Patriots had a terrible offensive line before this past season, and it was reasonable for most of this season. But it struggled in the playoffs. Maye was sacked six times in the Super Bowl. He was sacked five times in each of the Patriots’ first three playoff games. That’s unacceptable.
Rookie left tackle Will Campbell, the fourth overall pick of the draft, struggled in the last few games as he seemed to hit a rookie wall. The Patriots will have to figure out what caused that, and keep building the line around him. Vrabel said the Seahawks didn’t do anything with their pressures that was unexpected. New England just struggled to protect.
“Sometimes we blocked them, sometimes we didn’t,” Vrabel said.
🥐Revenge, thrashings and more: the top 5️⃣ stories this Monday
Thrilling matches in La Liga, Premier League, and Bundesliga, key players, and much to discuss at the start of this week.
Madrid wins, but...
After Barça's victory, Madrid needed the three points, and although they didn't play a great match, the three points went to Chamartín, keeping the race alive. Mbappé, once again, didn't miss his appointment with the goal.
Chaos at Anfield
Ten minutes of added time, a comeback by Manchester City, and a final play between Haaland and Szoboszlai that enrages some and delights others. Undoubtedly, one of the hottest clashes of the Premier League season.
Revenge is a dish best served cold
Just three days ago, Betis had suffered a heavy defeat at home against Atlético de Madrid in the Copa del Rey. Well, the green-and-white revenge was exacted in La Liga, taking three points from a Metropolitano that sees the league slipping away.
Luis Díaz, the lord of chaos
The Colombian was the star in Bayern's thrashing of Hoffenheim with three goals. The Bavarian team made a statement in a Bundesliga where they are not slowing down.
Dembélé, lord of Le Classique
The Ballon d'Or winner was the standout figure in the French classic, which fell to the Parisian side, sending a message to the rivals for the rest of the season.
Hartlepool United have appointed former defender Gary Liddle as first team coach to strengthen manager Nicky Featherstone's backroom staff.
The 39-year-old made 364 senior appearances for Pools over three spells with the club and helped them to promotion from the National League through the play-offs in 2021.
Liddle, who has also worked in Hartlepool's academy as a lead professional development phase coach, has left his position as manager of Northern Premier League side Whitby Town in order to take on the role.
"I know this club extremely well and a large part of my adult and football life has been spent here, so it means a great deal to me," Liddle said.
"It's been great to be back around the club again through my work in the academy and now I want to help Nicky take the first team to where we believe it should be."
TURIN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 08: Kalulu of Juventus scores a second goal during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and SS Lazio at the Juventus stadium on February 08, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi - SS Lazio/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This couldn’t possibly be happening again.
That’s what I was thinking two minutes into the second half of Juventus’ Sunday prime-time tilt against Lazio, when the Biancocelesti took an inexplicable 2-0 lead despite Juve dominating every facet of the game up to that point, save for a freak breakthrough that had come after Manuel Locatelli was jumped in the final minute of first-half stoppage time and Pedro converted the team’s first shot on target via a deflection.
Days after Juventus generally outplayed Atalanta in the Coppa Italia only to crash out of the competition 3-0, Juve had been far and away the better team against Lazio, but those two freakish goals had the team trailing by two and on their way to yet another loss in a game that they had been far and away the better side.
I was still thinking it as the last minutes of stoppage time ticked away. Despite having gotten back into the game just before the hour mark, Juve were still staring defeat in the face, before the man who has played every single minute of the 2025-26 season produced a massive moment. Pierre Kalulu’s thunderous header off a Jérémie Boga cross in the final minute of stoppage time salvaged a 2-2 draw, even though the point still felt very much like a missed opportunity given the way Juve dominated the game and the teams’ respective form coming into the match. One point was better than none, but the way the game went Juve would’ve expected to finish with three points, and instead had to wait for Monday’s Roma result to see if they would remain in the top four past the week.
Luciano Spalletti decided to rotate after the quick turnaround from the Coppa. Dusan Vlahovic was still out, but Kenan Yildiz returned from a minor injury with his new contract in hand. The rotation necessitated a reversion to a 3-4-2-1 formation, backstopped by Michele Di Gregorio. Kalulu, Bremer, and Teun Koopmeiners played in front of him in defense, with Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal playing at wing-back. Manuel Locatelli and Khéphren Thuram took up their normal positions in midfield, while Weston McKennie and Yildiz supported Jonathan David in attack.
Maurizio Sarri returned to the Allianz with a much different squad than the one that surprised Juve 1-0 in the andata and lost Igor Tudor his job. Luca Pellegrini was unavailable due to suspension, while Manuel Lazzari, Mattia Zaccagni, and Samuel Gigot were hurt. Sarri’s depth had also been sapped by the winter sales of Matteo Guenduzi and Taty Castellanos. He presented a 4-3-3, anchored by Ivan Provodel. Adam Marusic, Oliver Provstgaard, Mario Gila, and Nuno Taveres provided defensive cover. Toma Basic, Danilo Cataldi, and Kenneth Taylor made up the midfield, while Gustav Isaksen and Pedro offered width to false nine Daniele Maldini.
Juve clearly are growing to enjoy putting the ball down the middle right off the corner, as they did it again after a false start brought things back. David couldn’t quite control it, but it was an early harbinger of things to come.
Juve completely wiped the floor with Lazio in every aspect of the game in the first half, save for the one that counted the most: the scoreline. It felt like whenever they lose the ball, their press immediately took possession back and began to hunt for a gaol. Cambiaso came out of a good combo with Yildiz to fire on goal in the ninth minute, but he put it right at Provodel for an easy save.
Provodel was much called into a much larger role a few minutes later when Kalulu, on the left after a corner, lifted a beautiful cross into the box that found Bremer rising for the header, but the Lazio keeper somehow get a hand up to claw the ball out from under the bar.
Halfway through the first period Juve saw a pair of officiating calls go adversely. First, Cabal was tripped up as he advanced the ball into the box, a clear penalty that both referee Marco Guida and VAR Paolo Mazzoleni declined to take action on. In fairness, Guida could’ve at least played advantage, as seconds later Koopmeiners ran onto a layoff by Yildiz and swept it home first time, but Thuram was quickly—and correctly—flagged for a passive offside, screening Provodel’s vision from an offside position.
Koopmeiners wanted to put that goal on his sheet and fired another long-range dart six minutes later, only to see it bend wide at the last minute. Bremer blasted another header just over the bar, and Cambiaso was blocked by Taylor after being found in all sorts of space on the right. Lazio finally fired a warning shot with less than five minutes to go in the half when Tavares hit a pacy cross through the goalmouth but didn’t have any targets near it, while David headed over from another Kalulu cross.
But Juve were to end up walking into the locker rooms stunned after a big mistake let Lazio nab the breakthrough. Locatelli took too long to offload the ball and was jumped from behind by Maldini in his own territory. The ball quickly zipped upfield to Pedro. The venerable Spaniard tried to put the ball across Di Gregorio to the far post, but a deflection by Bremer as he tried to block turned into a disaster: the Brazilian’s touch redirected it to the near post, leaving Di Gregorio completely stranded to watch Lazio create a stunning breakthrough.
Spalletti immediately made an attacking change at the break, sending on Edon Zhegrova for Cabal. Turns out he’d need it, because another lapse put Juve firmly behind the eight ball just two minutes into the second period. An excellent long ball by Cataldi found Isaksen, who had gotten behind Cambiaso far too easily. The Swedish winger quickly settled the ball and blasted it over Di Gregorio and into the roof of the net.
Juve immediately tried to find their footing again, and Yildiz nearly mustered a quick response with one of his trademark far-post curlers, only to be denied by a flying save from Provodel. In the 58th minute Cambiaso’s cutback was cleared away by Provstgaard seconds before it could be fired on frame, but less than 60 seconds later the wing-back made up for his error a bit when he collected the rebound off another excellent Provodel save and floated a cross in from the left that met McKennie perfectly. His header from seven yards surprised Provodel at his near post and bounced into the net off the inside of the upright, announcing it was game back on with half an hour to go.
Invigorated by the goal, Juve started moving at a frenetic pace to try to pick up the equalizer. Cambiaso came close to another assist minutes after his first, but the ball flew just over McKennie’s head and Bremer was too late to reach it at the back post. Locatelli went for his own redemption strike two minutes later but missed a foot or two wide.
Lazio’s chances to try to reestablish their lead were few and far between, and Taylor wasted a good one after Matteo Cancellieri dispossessed Yilidz to start a quick counter. A few minutes later Thuram sent David into the box, who squared the ball perfectly for what would likely have been a tap-in by Bremer, but Tavares came out of nowhere and slid in from behind the big Brazilian to get his foot to the ball a split-second before.
Juve continued to push, and Lazio continued to hold on for dear life, thanks in most part to their goalkeeper. Provodel again denied Yildiz. In the 82nd minute McKennie again put the ball into the net, but this time there were no questions over the offside call as he was well off after Kalulu gathered his own blocked shot and tried to cross.
Lazio should’ve sealed the game four minutes from time when they managed to break out for a three-on-two counterattack, but Tijjani Noslin airmailed his shot from a free position in the box. Zhegrova put a curler just over the far corner, and Yildiz was denied once more, this time at the near post, just as stoppage time commenced.
The game was headed into the last of the six minutes added on by Guida when Kalulu’s moment arrived. Fabio Miretti switched play to Boga, who took a touch to the byline and sent the ball in to the Frenchman, who took advantage of a ball-watching Romagnoli to float into a pocket of space devoid of defenders and deliver a powerful header to even the score.
Things weren’t done, as Guida tacked on two more minutes to the added time to account for the goal and an injury stoppage for Provodel. In the second of the two Loïs Openda had two chances within 30 seconds to complete the comeback and give Juve a stunning victory, but he first pushed a ball into empty space and then headed wide from 10 yards after another good cross from Boga. That turned out to be the final action of the match, and Juve trudged off the field, likely feeling very much like they had left two very big points on the table.
Real Madrid captain upset after being overlooked again vs Valencia
Real Madrid secured an important 2-0 win over Valencia on Sunday night at Mestalla – a venue that has not been easy for them in recent years.
Goals from Alvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappe clinched the victory for Los Blancos, who were without some important players like Vinicius Jr., Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo.
Manager Alvaro Arbeloa also made some interesting selection decisions for the game, one of which was handing young David Jimenez a start, despite having his senior right-backs, Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold, available and in the squad.
On the 76th minute mark, Arbeloa opted to shuffle things at right-back, sending on Trent in place of Jimenez, leaving Carvajal on the bench.
Carvajal upset
Now, according to journalist Rodra, Carvajal was left visibly upset at what had happened after the game as he continues to be overlooked by the new Real Madrid manager.
The 34-year-old Real Madrid captain was seen talking to fitness coach Antonio Pintus after the game and he seemed quite upset during the conversation.
Pintus tried to console the veteran right-back and explain things, but it did not seem to work as Carvajal appeared to be finding it hard to understand why he was being overlooked.
Carvajal has barely played under Arbeloa. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
After all, the Spanish international has been back fit and in the squad for over a month now, but has only played two games during that period – both as a substitute (13 mins vs Albacete and 14 mins vs AS Monaco).
In contrast, Trent, who returned to the squad only yesterday, got to play right away, while Arbeloa opted to start with Jimenez in the lineup.
What did Arbeloa say?
Talking to the media after the match, Arbeloa explained why Carvajal was not playing for Real Madrid despite being available, saying:
“I’ll be very clear. I’m seeing Dani improve in training day by day. Gradually. Obviously, I’m not going to take any risks.”
At the same time, he highlighted the importance of the 34-year-old defender, saying: “Inside the dressing room, I don’t need to explain the importance of Dani. He’s the one who always has something to say before and after matches.
“The players need to have a reference like him in the dressing room, and I’m sure he’s going to find his best form. With the patience and effort we’re putting in and his dedication, I’m confident that he’s getting closer to regaining his relevance.”
It all seems a bit ‘meh’ at the moment. I argued after the 2-2 draw against Exeter City that there is a bigger, perhaps more positive, picture than the last few results and performances had suggested.
However, even I left the unique AFC Wimbledon home ground feeling pretty flat, detached and apathetic, which wasn’t helped by my train back to Birmingham being delayed for over two and a half hours.
Here’s how the fans reacted to a game defined by uncharacteristic errors…
Sloppy errors
It was a lacklustre performance all round, but all three of Wimbledon’s goals stemmed from poor individual errors. Joel Pereira would’ve had a sleepless night from the first two goals, and Liam Fraser gave the ball away far too cheaply for the eventual winner.
The errors were perhaps symptomatic of the wider performance, but they still shouldn’t be happening, and it’s a kick in the teeth for all three to happen in one game.
There was despair, shock and anger from the fans…
Oh Pereira has had a nightmare there, what a clanger and what a gift. But once again we've started a half like we have no interest in getting on top #readingfc
That Pereira performance has been coming. His distribution has been, in the main, appalling this season and it was only a matter of time before an awful mistake happened. I love him to bits, he’s a great keeper, but I’d love some consistency. #readingfc
i’m also going to put it out there to all those richardson haters, he can’t do anything about individuals being incompetent and making stupid mistakes, pereira at fault for two and fraser for one #readingfc
As mentioned, although they certainly didn’t help, the errors were not what lost us the game – the performance over the entire 90 minutes did.
I’m more of an optimist than most, I think, but there needs to be so much more evidence of progress than we saw against the Dons. Jack Marriott’s equaliser aside, I can’t remember a genuine chance we created from open play, and although we managed to fight back twice, we also allowed Wimbledon to do the same.
Wimbledon seemed to find the extra few percent that we just couldn’t and that’s always a difficult pill for a fan to swallow…
I have no words for that. A truly awful performance. #readingfc
That’s the worst performance of the season so far. Dorsett and O’Connor aren’t good enough to play next to each other. Ritchie and Kelvin are useless should’ve cashed in on Savage. Ward and Young come straight into this team on Tuesday. #readingfc
Desperate performance. Beaten by a team that simply wanted it more. Lewis Wing losing his head after a comment from the away end ain’t great either. Thought those days were long gone. #Readingfc
Another awful away performance against a side bang out of forms & goals, we turn up & they score 3 & get their first win since September, shocking, I’d love to know what they do all week on the training ground #readingfc
The problem is that we always let teams end their bad record or form.
It's ok to lose matches but when it is like that today, it is just frustrating. It wasn't good enough. We have depth but our subs were poor again. The style of play is frustrating fans as well.#ReadingFC
It seems on Saturday evening the Reading FC hashtag turned into a bit of a melting point. Perhaps this loss is the one that has broken the camel’s back.
I think the consensus is that the club have lost something in recent times. The rebuild after Rob Couhig’s takeover hasn’t been what we all perhaps envisioned, and it’s a real struggle for fans to emotionally attach to this team at the moment.
Some fans reminisced on former managers and players after the game, while others are just a bit fed up…
We really do miss Knibbs and Mbengue, not just the footballing quality they brought to the squad but how they made the fans feel connected to the club.
We’re going to be in League One for a long, long time. So disillusioned with this club right now. No passion, no clue, no connection, no cohesion #readingfc
This team was put together, rather than built, over the summer and today it showed. No real cohesion in any area. Already looks like a big summer needed.. #readingfc
Last season we had a group of players that had some fight in them – they wanted to win & fight against all the odds. This season we are back to seeing players not looking like they care, they don’t look happy & the connection between players and supporters has gone. #readingfc
I’m not really sure where to start in summing up this game, and in particular the last hour or so I’ve just spent scrolling through the reaction of the fans.
While none of us want to experience anything like the last two or three years again, it brought us all together as a club – fans, players and staff. We were a united front, it was us against them.
So while Couhig was inheriting a club quite frankly a mess off the pitch, he – or the owner group in general – just haven’t been able to build on the momentum and cohesion. The conclusion of a Fans Verdict isn’t the place to delve into the nuances of that, but it’s led to a pretty sorry state of affairs.
🗞️Today's front pages: Madrid on the hunt, elections at Barça
The victory of the white team over Valencia and the announcement of elections at Barcelona are making headlines at the start of this week.
Following in Barcelona’s footsteps, Real Madrid is keeping up the pace in La Liga, and their win at Mestalla is front-page news in the sports press. There is also space for Laporta, who takes stock ahead of the elections, and a green-and-white revenge.
Madsen holds an Italian passport courtesy of his Italian grandmother [Getty Images]
Captain Wayne Madsen dislocated his left shoulder in the fourth over of Italy's debut match at the T20 World Cup.
The 42-year-old's journey to leading Italy at their first World Cup has been one of the eye-catching stories in the build-up, having been a stalwart of county cricket with Derbyshire and a former South Africa hockey international.
But he was injured attempting a diving stop against Scotland in Kolkata and immediately left the field. The Scots posted 207-4 from their 20 overs.
He will be assessed again in 24 hours before any decision is made on his participation in the rest of the tournament.
"The physio managed to get it back in but he'll have to go and get more scans to see how serious it is," said Italy head coach John Davison.
"I think it'd be doubtful. I'm not going to say he's out, but I think it'd be doubtful if you dislocate your shoulder."
Italy play Nepal in Mumbai on Thursday before a game against England in Kolkata on 16 February.
Their final group match is against West Indies on 19 February, also in Kolkata.
Oscar Piastri may have a long-term contract with McLaren, but that hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from linking him to other teams for the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Last year, talk about future seats was mostly limited to Red Bull and how their decisions might affect Mercedes’ plans for 2026. This time around, more than half the grid is either playing for a new contract or hoping to move up the pecking order.
Piastri doesn’t fall into that category. He and Lando Norris are both locked into long-term deals at McLaren. Even so, there’s been chatter about whether he’s getting a fair deal under McLaren’s current structure.
Mark Webber, who manages Piastri, is well aware of his client’s ability. If things don’t improve, there could be discussions about exploring other opportunities.
Experienced F1 journalist Jose Maria Rubio has suggested that Piastri could be an ideal candidate to step in if Fernando Alonso decides it’s time to retire from Aston Martin. There are plenty of twists still ahead before any moves like that take shape.
Oscar Piastri labelled ‘perfect candidate’ to replace Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin
Rubio was discussing the situation on Roldan Rodriguez’s YouTube channel, saying: “This year, I’m convinced that McLaren has gone for Norris, the Englishman, but we’ll see, and the other Australian, I mean, the Australian there was like the local lad.
“Look, I think Piastri will be racing for big teams for many years to come. And look, I would bet on Piastri [to go to] Red Bull or Aston Martin in 2027. In 2027 Aston Martin could easily go [for him].”
When asked if this move would be tied to Alonso’s future with Aston Martin, Rubio responded: “Yes yes yes. Fernando is retiring because my opinion is that unless he has a car that allows him to be second in the championship and say: ‘Damn if we were second this year next year we’ll win.’”
“I’m telling you that Piastri is a perfect candidate to replace Fernando.”
Fernando Alonso could shape the 2026 F1 driver market
Most of the top drivers have long-term contracts in place, but each deal includes break clauses that could come into play if teams struggle to adapt to the next set of regulation changes.
Alonso is nearing the end of his time with Aston Martin, and whether he stays on may depend largely on what Adrian Newey can deliver.
F1 Oversteer has reported that Aston Martin is already considering a complete overhaul of their driver lineup for 2027, with Piastri among those being considered.
Piastri would likely back himself against Lance Stroll, even though Stroll’s father still hopes to see his son lead the team as world champion one day.
This season, there are questions about Honda’s power unit reliability. If those concerns persist, Alonso’s chances of fighting for podiums may be limited before he even gets started.
If Honda manages to resolve their issues over time, and with Newey’s track record for designing quick cars, it could mean that whoever steps in after Alonso retires inherits a very competitive seat.
Piastri currently seems settled alongside Norris at McLaren. But if it becomes clear that Norris is being prioritised within the team—as Rubio suggests might be happening—interest from other teams will only grow stronger.
Seattle Seahawks Sam Darnold (14) looks to pass during the first quarter of Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle)
The NFL almost broke Sam Darnold. His time with the Jets framed him as a bust. Decked out in gear that deemed him a Super Bowl champion, Darnold tried to reflect on his long road to Sunday, and found himself back with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023.
It was a reset year. The former No. 3 overall draft pick backed up quarterback Brock Purdy, who alongside head coach Kyle Shanahan led the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII. Darnold attempted less than 50 passes and made his lone start in Week 18, with the team having already clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
He entered the league with such high expectations. But in Santa Clara, his one job was to learn.
"It's funny how it works," Darnold said after he captained the Seahawks to a 29-13 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LX. "I didn't play great football the first few years of my career, and then I come here to San Francisco and I learn a ton. … I played good football (in Minnesota). And I was able to come to Seattle and do the same."
Seahawks general manager John Schneider signed Darnold to a three-year contract worth over $100 million - $55 million guaranteed - in the offseason. Darnold had earned as much with 4,319 passing yards, 35 touchdowns and a 14-win season with the Vikings. His comeback was already in motion. Perhaps most importantly, he demonstrated an ability to win over a locker room immediately.
What makes him so easy to follow? Schneider remembered Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre from his time as a scout and front office executive in Green Bay. Darnold resembled Favre, according to Schneider, who mentioned nothing about how either played football.
"He's just a real person," Schneider said. "He doesn't fake anything. He's very similar to Brett Favre in that manner. He's like, ‘Hey, I am who I am. Deal with it.' "
Darnold barely completed half his throws Sunday with 202 passing yards and a lone touchdown, so he did not named the Super Bowl MVP. His running back, Kenneth Walker, got the nod. He probably preferred it that way.
"You won't hear him talk about himself at all," Rashid Shaheed told the Chronicle. "He just cares about how his guys are operating, how they're doing, and that's why he's our leader, that's why he's our captain, and that's why he has the success he has, because he cares about everybody else around him."
Darnold led the NFL in turnovers with 20 during the regular season. It became an easy talking point to detract from what he had already accomplished, especially after he petered out in his playoff debut with the Vikings a season ago. His latest run dispelled the questions.
The Seahawks became the first team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with zero turnovers in the playoffs, per Elias Sports Bureau.
Darnold had vacated the 49ers home locker room, which the Seahawks occupied on Super Bowl Sunday, as he attended to his media obligations. But he was gone so long that backup quarterbacks Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe wondered where he went. Milroe said they all needed to take a picture with the Lombardi Trophy.
It seemed a microcosm of how Darnold brought together the Seahawks, who were already well into their offseason around this time last year.
His leadership was among the reasons why cigar shrapnel and shotgunned beers capped their first season with him at quarterback: "Dude, he relates to everybody," Lock said. "He's the guy to talk to. Loves football, works super hard, leads by example, and he produces when he goes out there on Sundays. … He got us all to believe in him."
Rookie guard Grey Zabel echoed as much, and then added: "I can't wait to kick his ass in golf this offseason."
Darnold did not get his old 49ers locker, the one that current Niners backup quarterback Mac Jones was assigned this past season. He joked about letting left tackle Charles Cross have it. But he was close enough, at the adjacent corner locker, splitting the pathway to the training room in between.
Mostly, Darnold was happy to be the person his teammates relied on for Levi's Stadium directions on the most chaotic day of the NFL calendar.
"I think honestly, it was just nice to know where everything was, walking in here today," Darnold said. "A lot of times in a visiting stadium, you don't really know where anything is. You're asking people where the tubs are, where the bathrooms are. … I had a lot of guys like Drew over there, coming up to me asking me where the bathrooms were."
At Anfield the signs were there that a Manchester City midfielder is getting back to his best
This season has been a frustrating one for Rodri. The Spanish midfielder has been battling to return to his best. Rodri sustained an ACL injury last season, and throughout this season, he has battled nagging injuries and, at times, faced a battle with himself so to speak to get back to his best. It has taken time for Rodri to work his way back. Against Liverpool last night, Rodri played an important role for Manchester City in their pivotal 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield. It was clear at the final whistle yesterday that the signs are there that Rodri is getting back to his best after an understandably frustrating experience this season.
Rodri battled through at Anfield to play key role in a special Manchester City win.
As much as Bernardo Silva was superb last night at Anfield, Rodri was just as brilliant, especially in the first half. Rodri’s second-half display wasn’t as smooth as his first-half display, but he battled through fatigue and Liverpool’s efforts to play a key role in Manchester City’s huge win.
In the first half, Rodri played a key role in the dominance that Pep Guardiola’s side had over Liverpool. Manchester City were by far and away the better team in the first half of yesterday’s match. Rodri played a key role in City’s first half display. His passing was on point, and Rodri’s cross-field balls were a highlight of his display. The Spanish midfielder also broke lines superbly well as his passing was a highlight of his display. Rodri also read the danger when Liverpool went forward extremely well and helped his team play out from the back when Arne Slot’s side pressed City at the back. Rodri’s first half performance was superb and it was reminiscent of Rodri’s Ballon d’Or winning displays.
In the second half, Liverpool came at Pep Guardiola’s side and the dynamic of the game changed. Arne Slot’s side came at City and the visitors had to dig in to stay in the game. In the case of Rodri, he did look like he was struggling physically in the face of Liverpool’s second half onslaught. But to his credit, Rodri, like his team, came through that spell. When the game had to be won by Manchester City, Rodri helped ensure that his team left Anfield with all three points which could be crucial in this season’s title race and for the development of this new-look Manchester City team.
The signs are there that Rodri is getting back to his best.
Last night’s performance from Rodri felt like a moment for a Ballon d’Or winner. In a big game, against a team at a venue where City typically struggle, Rodri put in a quality performance. Rodri’s performance represents a victory for the Spanish midfielder. This season has been frustrating for him, and at times you can sense that he has been frustrated with himself and his body. At Anfield yesterday, Rodri was a vital contributor in a big game for his team. Rodri playing well in big games isn’t a story in itself. He is a proven big-game player for Manchester City. But after the battle with his body that he has endured this season, the performance from Rodri felt like a significant moment in his season and his bid to get back to being the midfielder that dominated European football before injury struck.
Codie Le Flem's goal gave Guernsey an early lead [Guernsey FC]
Guernsey FC Women ended a seven-game winless run as they beat bottom side Shaftesbury 2-1 at Victoria Park.
The victory - Guernsey's first since mid-November - moves them up to sixth place in Southern Region Women's Football League Division One South.
Two early goals proved crucial for the Green Lionesses, as Cody Le Flem got her fifth of the season in the second minute after being put in by Ruby Smith.
Smith turned from provider to scorer 12 minutes later when she blasted home after a goalmouth scramble.
She almost made it 3-0 midway through the second half but had an effort well saved and Shaftesbury set up a tense finish with nine minutes left through Becca Roberts' long-range effort.
Seattle Seahawks Kenneth Walker III (9) is pursued by New England Patriots Christian Gonzalez (0) during the second quarter of Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle)
At 8:12 p.m. Sunday, in the bowels of Levi's Stadium, a 25-year-old man approached two doors, one to his left and another to his right.
He chose right. It was wrong. He was stopped by two yellow-jacketed members of the security and redirected.
It was perhaps the only bad move Kenneth Walker made all evening.
The Seahawks running back became the first player at his position to earn Super Bowl MVP honors in 28 years by rushing for 135 yards on 27 carries in a 29-13 romp over the Patriots in Super Bowl LX, a game in which he had 61 more total yards (139-78) than New England when Seattle had a 12-0 lead after three quarters.
Walker was nicknamed "Thundershoes" as an eighth grader in Arlington, Tenn., but ran more like lightning Sunday: He had three of the Seahawks' four longest plays, runs of 30 and 29 yards and a 20-yard reception, before his 49-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown run that was negated by a holding penalty.
Walker pocketed $178,000, the winner's share, for the victory. But he might have added millions more to future bank account after stylishly capping a three-game postseason run that included 313 yards on 65 carries, nine catches for 104 yards and four touchdowns.
Walker will be an unrestricted free agent in March. Is general manager John Schneider concerned Walker became more expensive over the past month?
"I'm happy for him," Schneider said. "You want to see people be able to take care of their families and do whatever they can do to increase their earning power."
Said tight end Eric Saubert: "It couldn't happen to a better person."
And wide receiver Rashid Shaheed: "He's a super humble guy, man. He probably won't talk about this at all, but he deserves it."
It was easy to see why the soft-spoken Walker is so popular after observing him leave the Seahawks' locker room and walk over to a nearby news conference room, getting stopped by security before he entered. Before he strode up a few stairs to a stage that included a table and two chairs, he hesitated and looked at a member of the NFL's public-relation staff: Could he sit in either chair? Later, after his eight-minute meeting with reporters was over, he made it clear all that attention really wasn't his thing as he walked back to the locker room.
"That was the most questions ever," he said, smiling and shaking his head.
Walker should be used to some of the fuss over him considering the last month wasn't a sudden star turn. A second-round pick from Michigan State, he's had 4,560 total yards and two 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his four-year career. But he reached another level Sunday by becoming the first running back to earn Super Bowl MVP honors since Terrell Davis in January 1998.
The near-30-year drought is partly a reflection of how the position has been deemphasized in the increasingly pass-happy NFL. The highest-paid wide receiver, Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase, has an average annual salary of $40.25 million. The highest-paid running back, Philadelphia's Saquon Barkley, earns $20.6 million.
"Back in the day, people used to love running backs," Walker said. "So I just hope we get that same energy back."
Eight years ago, Walker wasn't dreaming of starring in a Super Bowl. He was just hoping to play football again. In the spring of 2018, before his senior season, Walker's mother, Shaunteshia Brown, rushed him to the emergency room after he struggled to breathe after waking up. Tests revealed Walker had blood clots in his lungs and the standout at Arlington High School was told he might have played his last snap.
"I just thought football was over," Walker said. "That's all what I was doing all my life, so it was a shocking moment."
Walker made a full recovery after a three-month period during which he was on blood thinners and took two shots a day. He rushed for 1,403 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior and earned a scholarship to Wake Forest, where he played for two seasons before transferring to Michigan State.
"It just made me grateful for each and every day," Walker said. "To be able to go out there and strap up and play this game and just still be alive."
Walker brightened Sunday night at a happier memory: How he got his "Thundershoes" moniker.
"How did you know about that?" he asked a reporter. "That's crazy."
The story? In junior high, Walker's mom bought him cleats that lit up whenever he took a step, meaning he'd flash down the field during his long runs. However, the nickname didn't travel with Walker once he graduated high school, which is why he was caught off-guard by the question Sunday.
Years after being known as "Thundershoes," Walker, as of Sunday night, goes by Super Bowl MVP. It's not as catchy, but it will last forever.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Chris Gotterup did his part, charging up the Phoenix Open leaderboard with a closing flourish of five birdies in six holes.
As he kept loose on the first tee at TPC Scottsdale, the 26-year-old knew he would need some help with Hideki Matsuyama still on the course with a one-shot lead.
Gotterup got what he needed with a wild tee shot by Matsuyama on 18 and took advantage when the Japanese star did it again in the playoff.
Gotterup shot 7-under 64 and won with a long birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff Sunday after Matsuyama pulled his tee shot into the water.
“You never know what to expect,” Gotterup said. “We went over to the first tee, hit a couple balls, was watching, and then all of a sudden you’re out there on 18 and everyone is going nuts and you’re like, all right, this is it.”
The leader by one heading into the final round, Matsuyama had converted all of his previous five 54-hole leads into wins, but limped to the finish.
The two-time Phoenix Open champion nearly hit his tee shot in the water left of the reachable par-4 17th, leading to a par, and pulled his drive on 18 left into the church pew bunkers — his 11th missed fairway of the day.
Matsuyama hit his second shot into the face of the bunker and couldn’t get up-and-down from 43 yards to send the tournament to a playoff. He shot 68 to match Gotterup at 16-under 268.
“I wanted to avoid the playoff as much as I could, but I just hit a bad tee shot there in regulation at 18,” Matsuyama said through an interpreter.
Gotterup, winner of the season-opening Sony Open, closed with a 3-foot birdie on 18 in regulation despite hitting his tee shot near the grandstands right and he watched Matsuyama finish in between swings off the first tee.
The long-hitting Gotterup wanted to put pressure on Matsuyama in the playoff and did, uncorking a massive drive down the right side of the fairway.
Matsuyama yanked his tee shot even further left than he did in regulation, caroming it off the far bank of the lake into the water. He hit his third shot onto the green after a drop, but Gotterup left no doubt by sinking his 27-foot birdie putt for his fourth career PGA Tour win — second in three starts this season.
“I feel confident in what I’m doing and feel like I have played well enough to feel confident to be able to be in those positions,” Gotterup said. “So far, I’ve been able to capitalize on those.”
He and the rest of the field had to endure a charge from Scottie Scheffler.
The world’s No. 1 player went from being in danger of the missing the cut with a shaky first round to turning heads as his name moved toward the top of the leaderboard.
The two-time Phoenix Open champion had a run of four birdies in five holes on the back nine to pull within a shot, but couldn’t take advantage of a massive drive on 18. He closed with a 64 to finish in a five-way tie for third at 15 under.
Matsuyama won consecutive Phoenix Opens in 2016 and 2017, rallying both times.
The Japanese star started the final round with a one-shot lead over four players with several others still in the hunt — led by Scheffler.
The world No. 1 opened the sport’s rowdiest tournament with a 73, then shot 65 in the second round to extend the PGA Tour’s longest active cuts streak to 66.
Scheffler was seven behind after the second round, trimmed it to five after the third and started inching up the leaderboard Sunday.
Scheffler had three birdies on the front nine and a run of three straight on the back — highlighted by a 72-foot putt from the fringe on 14 — pulled him within one of the lead. A two-putt for birdie from 63 feet on 17 to got Scheffler back within one, but he missed a 24-foot birdie putt on 18 to see his charge fall short.
“I played pretty well — only one round where I didn’t have my best stuff,” Scheffler said. “If I get in the house the first day with a couple under par it’s a little different story today.”
Gotterup ended up writing the final chapter — with some help from Matsuyama.
Two-thirds of the way into the season and Liverpool are closer to Brentford than Chelsea, nearer in terms of points to their neighbours Everton than their old enemies Manchester United. Still more damningly, they are further from league leaders Arsenal, 17 ahead of them, than West Ham, 16 behind them in the relegation zone.
It was an understatement to say their campaign was not supposed to go this way; not as defending champions, not with the £450m of spending that Arne Slot prefers to see referenced in terms of the £300m Liverpool have brought in during his reign.
Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool react after a late loss to Man City (Getty)
Last February, it was victory against Manchester City that, in effect, seemed to seal the title. It sent Liverpool 11 points clear with 11 games to play. A year on, defeat to Pep Guardiola’s team, in another game when Dominik Szoboszlai scored, left Liverpool with a very different equation. A loss at the Etihad Stadium in November had Slot conceding Liverpool could not talk about the title. As City completed a first league double over Liverpool since 1937, it leaves them as outsiders to qualify for the Champions League.
Arguably Liverpool have had worse results of late without losing – the home draws with Leeds and Burnley – but the context rendered this a terrible weekend. Chelsea won, Manchester United too. Liverpool are four points from fifth; and while fifth is almost certain to bring Champions League football, they are playing catch-up when short of players, without the benefit of form, and with an intimidating fixture list.
Some 13 other teams have taken more points in 2026. Liverpool have 13 matches to go. But only six are at home. Their trips include Sunderland, the only team unbeaten at home, Everton, for the first derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium, United and Aston Villa. It is more an obstacle course than a fixture list.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot faces an uphill battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League (PA Wire)
The sands are shifting, and not in the direction Slot would want. “If you compare that to three or four months ago, you see so much improvement,” he said. “But the issue is you don’t see the improvement in the league table.” The broader picture may support his analysis. Liverpool had lost nine of 12 in all competitions. Now they have only been beaten twice in 17. Yet if those damaging draws could make the difference, other elements may be decisive.
Liverpool started the season as the specialists in late goals. Now, equalling a Premier League record, they have been condemned to defeat in injury time four times: at Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Bournemouth and now at home to City. “It’s every time a different goal, of course,” said Slot. The latest stemmed from a rare Alisson error, conceding the penalty Erling Haaland scored. Liverpool could still rue over-committing to attack at Stamford Bridge, which brought a three-point swing in Chelsea’s direction. Both Palace and Bournemouth’s late goals came from long throws: if set-pieces are a theme of Liverpool’s season, their expensive overhaul has seemed to leave them without enough height.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s absence will highlight a weakness in Liverpool’s squad planning (REUTERS)
Or enough available defenders. Liverpool are unfortunate to have four defensive injuries, including season-ending ones to Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley, but even as they prioritised next season by arranging the summer signing of Jeremy Jacquet, they failed to address an immediate need on deadline day. Szoboszlai was only a stand-in right-back and now he is suspended. Jeremie Frimpong will not be back at Sunderland on Wednesday and Joe Gomez probably won’t. That may mean Curtis Jones or Wataru Endo is the next emergency right-back.
A lack of strength in depth is a wider problem, and perhaps a reason why they can concede late. They have been breached 12 times in the final 15 minutes of games – only Newcastle, Leeds and Bournemouth have let in more – and it could reflect a shortage of high-class substitutes. Which, given the outlay, might sound ridiculous, but Liverpool have seemed permanently stretched, Slot left short-staffed. Injuries are only part of the explanation for that. The decision-makers, Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards, who assume more responsibility for the transfer business, are partly culpable.
Rayan Cherki’s presence off the bench exposed Liverpool’s shortcomings (Getty Images)
On Sunday, a substitute, Rayan Cherki, helped make the difference for City. It seemed indisputable that Guardiola had the stronger bench. Liverpool contrived to spend a fortune and yet look in need of several more signings.
That can come with a cost and Slot invariably talks of Liverpool’s self-sustaining model. Jurgen Klopp was equally aware of it, and of the financial significance of qualifying for the Champions League. He felt it was a priority every season even when outsiders assumed it would come automatically. Now the risk is that Liverpool’s income drops considerably next year.
For Slot, there is an added importance. He has the backing of the Liverpool hierarchy for now, even if not all of the fanbase are behind him. It may be harder to retain that support without Champions League qualification. And now it has started to look more likely that their European football will come on Thursday nights next season.
Al Ahly secured qualification by reaching 9 points after their goalless draw away against JS Kabylie (0-0). That result was enough to guarantee their place in the next round.
Meanwhile, Pyramids FC underlined their dominance by moving to the top of their group with 13 points, following a convincing 4-1 away win over Rivers United, thereby sealing early qualification.
Stade Malien also booked their spot in the quarter-finals thanks to a 1-0 victory over Espérance de Tunis, taking their tally to 11 points and maintaining their grip on first place in their group.
It's worth remembering that the competition rules stipulate that the qualified teams are split into two pots for the quarter-final draw: group winners go into the first pot, runners-up into the second, and teams from the same group cannot be drawn against each other.
Matchday 5 results
Here are all the results from matchday five:
Power Dynamos (Zambia) 2-0 RS Berkane (Morocco)
Petro Atlético (Angola) 1-1 Simba SC (Tanzania)
Pyramids FC (Egypt) 4-1 Rivers United (Nigeria)
MC Alger (Algeria) 2-1 Al Hilal (Sudan)
JS Kabylie (Algeria) 0-0 Al Ahly (Egypt)
AS FAR (Morocco) 1-0 Young Africans (Tanzania)
Saint-Éloi Lupopo (DR Congo) 1-1 Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Stade Malien (Mali) 1-0 Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia)
Group standings
Here are the CAF Champions League group standings after matchday five:
Seattle Seahawks players celebrate with the Lombardi trophy after the Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle)
Clouds of celebratory cigar smoke filled the San Francisco 49ers' locker room. Empty Champagne bottles littered the floor. Seahawks players shotgunned beers and danced in front of the sound system. And smack in the middle of everything, shiny and silver and the center of everyone's attention, was the Lombardi Trophy.
There had never before been a scene like this or a celebration like this in the 49ers' locker room. On the 49ers' home field, in the 49ers' own private space, the Seattle Seahawks partied and strutted and reveled in their prowess, after their dominating 29-13 Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.
"Lumen South," safety Julian Love called Levi's. "We love this field. We've had a good year here."
On the one hand, the 49ers should want the team that eliminated them to win the whole thing: It proves that they were beaten by the very best. On the other hand, this is Seattle - the 49ers' most bitter rival - who just got to the promised land, ahead of the 49ers and way, way ahead of schedule.
"Oh yeah, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't," said John Schneider, general manager and architect of the Seahawks.
"It's surreal. These guys want to play for each other, they care about each other. They were super confident. They're just a together team."
The Seahawks, one of the youngest teams in the NFL, led by a second-year head coach in Mike Macdonald, did something the 49ers have not been able to do for a very long time. Five of the past eight NFC representatives in the Super Bowl have come out of the NFC West. The Rams lost one Super Bowl but won on their second try. Now Seattle has won. Only the 49ers have not been able to bring back the Lombardi Trophy despite two shots at it.
That's going to be a bitter pill when the 49ers return to the room where Seattle had so much fun late on Sunday night. After the Golden State Warriors won their first championship on the road in Cleveland, Stephen Curry irritated the Cavaliers the following season when he said he hoped the visiting locker room "still smells like Champagne." When the 49ers gather in their locker room for the offseason program sometime in mid-April, it's very likely - given the vast amount of partying that Seattle was doing - that their room will still smell like Seahawk cigar smoke.
And, as with the Rams in 2022, the 49ers will find themselves chasing a division rival for the trophy they've found so elusive for 31 years.
"We're going to take it day by day, but we're on the clock now," said tight end A.J. Barner. "Everyone wants what we got."
"We're going to see what we can do," said Eric Saubert, the tight end who played for the 49ers in 2024. "We hope we can run it back."
On Sunday evening, in front of a pro-Seattle crowd and an audience expected to be upwards of 125 million, the Seahawks flexed their defensive muscle. They had been getting better and stronger all season. In two January games against the 49ers, the regular-season finale at Levi's and a divisional playoff game in Seattle, the Seahawks smothered the 49ers' offense, leaving it helpless.
Kyle Shanahan, appearing on NBC's pregame show, was even able to poke some fun at those grim outings. Asked about the Seahawks defense, the 49ers head coach said, "I know you guys want my expert opinion, but I haven't scored a touchdown on these guys the last two times we played them. So I don't know how good that is."
On Sunday, Seattle shut out the Patriots for three quarters, holding their offense to just 78 yards. Things loosened up in the fourth: New England finally got on the board and tallied 253 yards in offense in the quarter.
"Guys were getting tired," said Love, who intercepted Drake Maye in the fourth. "Our defense started this and we wanted to finish it."
The game - with its 15 punts and a Super Bowl-record five field goals - won't go down in the Super Bowl annals as a particularly entertaining game. Bad Bunny's joyous, upbeat halftime show - transforming the Levi's field into a tropical island full of special guests and a strong message of love and unity - was by far the highlight of the event. No shade to Seattle's excellent running back Kenneth Walker III, who won the Super Bowl MVP Award, Bad Bunny was the real MVP.
But Seattle's defensive prowess was awe-inspiring.
"This game may not be exciting to some," former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman wrote on social media, "but this film will be studied by every team trying to mimic what this Seahawks Defense is doing. Great defensive football is art!"
"It's what I expected from us," said linebacker Ernest Jones IV. "We've been doing this all year. We've been battle-tested. This was nothing."
Well, it was something. Something that will be remembered for a long time.
Over a decade ago, Seattle put its imprint on Levi's. In the stadium's first season, the Seahawks, then the defending Super Bowl champions, humiliated the 49ers on Thanksgiving night and ate turkey on the 50-yard line, while Jed York sent out rash tweets apologizing to the fans for the poor performance. That bitter memory has lingered for years.
That Seattle team grew old. Its stars moved on. The franchise faltered. And then Schneider reloaded through the draft, rebuilt the team, and now - way ahead of schedule - the Seahawks are champions again. And again leaving their mark on Levi's. That cloud of cigar smoke - and all the implications that come with it - will hover over the 49ers' stadium, and the 49ers' franchise, for a very long time.
"It wasn't a lot of defence for us for a change, we had a lot of possession, which is quite nice to see," joint-head coach Gavin Cattle told BBC Radio Cornwall.
"This team's learning how to play this pitch, I felt we did it better than we did when we played against Ampthill last time.
"We looked to run it out a little more, get a bit more elevation up the hill, and then when you get to that halfway [line] potentially get into that contestable game.
"We kept momentum and I think we managed possession well because, as you know, in the first half we had a lot of territory, it's hard to get out of that 22 then."
Pirates had their bonus point secured after 22 minutes as they blew away their opponents, who are second-from-bottom of the table.
Angus Mawson gave them a sixth-minute lead before Josh King crossed four minutes later.
Moody scored twice in a six-minute spell to secure the four-try bonus point before completing his hat-trick shortly prior to half-time as Pirates led 31-0 at the break.
The visitors' Robbie McCallum reduced the deficit 24 minutes into the second half, but two tries in as many minutes from Rory Suttor and Alex Everett snuffed out any hope of a Scottish comeback before London's Tom Marshall got a consolation try in the closing moments.
The win consolidates ninth place in the table for Pirates, who travel to eighth-placed Caldy in their next game.
Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/NurPhoto via Getty Images
One of the players who helped West Ham United win promotion to the Premier League back in 2012 has eyes on becoming the villain in the next James Bond film.
No, this isn’t a joke.
Several former West Ham United stars have interesting careers these days. Neil Ruddock, for example, became something of a reality TV star after hanging up his boots.
Teddy Sheringham briefly entered the world of professional poker, while Rio Ferdinand tried his hand at boxing before returning to football as a pundit.
Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Carew was already quite famous before joining West Ham. Standing six foot five and having played at clubs such as Valencia, Roma, Aston Villa and Lyon will do that for you. And now that he’s turned his attention to acting, it appears he hasn’t lost that ambitious edge one bit.
Former West Ham striker John Carew wants to play Bond villain
The 44-year-old Norwegian made 19 appearances for West Ham across all competitions during the Hammers’ 2011/12 Championship season (Transfermarkt). That said, he’s not exactly one of those players who could be accused of overstaying their welcome at Upton Park.
And given some comments from quite recently (December 2023), it appears that may not change anytime soon either.
Speaking on BBC Radio London (16 December), Carew said: “To become a villain in James Bond or Marvel or something like this would be absolutely amazing.”
John Carew explains how acting has filled his life since retirement
He then spoke about why he didn’t want to go down any traditional football-related path after retirement from professional football:
“When I finished football I knew it wasn’t going to be coaching. It was so far from me doing anything like that,” Carew explained. “But then I came into TV production with my friends who had a big production company and we were developing things together and producing things. That gave me an introduction into TV and how everything worked behind there.”
John Carew is quickly building an impressive list of credits as an actor
Carew has since starred in several Norwegian films while also taking on English-speaking roles in movies such as Vikings: Valhalla on Netflix and Locked Down starring alongside Anne Hathaway.
John Carew Shares His Acting Aspirations
While his time at West Ham is well known among Hammers fans, most people probably remember him more for his spells at Valencia and Aston Villa.
Carew ended his playing days at West Ham, stepping away from the game soon after the club’s 2012 play-off final victory.
Since then, he’s made a name for himself in acting, with one of his notable roles coming in the 2019 film Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, where he appeared alongside Angelina Jolie and Ellie Fanning.
One of Carew’s inspirations is British actor Tom Hardy, who has also been linked to the role of James Bond. Carew has spoken about how much he’d love to be part of that franchise someday.
Speaking to The Athletic, he said: “I want to be a villain in a James Bond movie. Not the main villain, but a hitman. I want to be the baddie’s right-hand man, like a silent assassin who loses a fight to Bond halfway through.”
West Ham’s A-list fans go beyond East London
Hollywood has more than a few West Ham fans in its ranks.
There’s Danny Dyer, who’s always been vocal about his love for the club, and Ray Winstone is another familiar face backing the Hammers. Olivia Dean is also on that list.
But it might surprise some to learn that Jason Momoa, known for his roles in Game of Thrones and Aquaman, is also a supporter.
The actor explained his connection during an interview with talkSPORT.
“Yeah, that’s like the first place I settled in. That’s why I’m a Hammer. But I’m also like childhood, childhood, Manchester United,” he said when asked about living in east London.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots looks on against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A magical year for Mike Vrabel’s New England Patriots came to an end in Santa Clara on Sunday night with a 29-13 loss in Super Bowl LX.
For Vrabel, the message to his team afterwards was simple.
“I’m proud of everything they did. I’m disappointed, just like they are,” he said. “I reminded them that we’re 307 days in to what hopefully is a long and successful relationship and program. It’s okay to be disappointed. We have to be disappointed and upset together. I tell them what I always do: I tell them I’m appreciative, I’m thankful, I’m grateful I get to coach them.”
Vrabel led the Patriots to a remarkable turnaround in his first season in charge. After back-to-back four win campaigns, New England won 14 regular season games and powered through the playoffs to reach the Super Bowl.
There were few low points throughout the year, which made Sunday’s nights defeat sting even more. But as the head coach explained roughly one year ago during his introductory press conference, a team’s culture is revealed most clearly in in its lowest moments.
The team will now look to turn that disappointment into motivation.
“Part of our identity is not being a front runner,” Vrabel said. “Just like every year someone is going to lose this game. We have to remember what it feels like and make sure it’s not repeatable.”
Inside the locker room, the prevailing belief was that this young team will be back on this stage sooner rather than later. Much of that optimism centers on 23-year-old quarterback Drake Maye, even if he didn’t deliver his best performance in his Super Bowl debut.
Another key reason for that confidence is the man leading the program.
“He’s coach of the year for a reason,” Maye said. “He’s somebody that we all love playing for — no other coach we’d rather play for. He’s a constant reminder of why we believe, why we show up to work, and have an identity.”
For now, Vrabel is choosing to focus on pride in the journey rather than frustration with the ending.
“Unbelievably rewarding,” Vrabel said. “I can’t tell these players enough how proud I am of them. And again, we’re disappointed, not discouraged.
“We have to be disappointed. We have to be upset. We have to be those things together. We can’t be divided. We can’t be frontrunners. We can’t be a good teammate and can’t care about the team and do the right things only when you win. Sometimes in this game of professional football you lose and you still have to be able to do those things. Hopefully they will.”
Laporta reflects on his term ahead of Barcelona presidential elections: ‘We had to act boldly and quickly’
Earlier today, FC Barcelona announced the start of their electoral process for the presidential elections set to take place on 15 March.
What it also meant is that Joan Laporta has now resigned from the presidency as he gets set to contest in the elections to return to the post next month.
On the eve of the resignation, the 63-year-old sat down with the club media for an extensive interview, during which he took stock of his presidential tenure and highlighted his motivations for the upcoming elections.
Looking back
Kicking things off, Laporta gave a detailed assessment of his most recent tenure as Barcelona president and how things unfolded over the past five years, saying:
“The overall assessment is positive. We’ve worked collectively to bring joy back to the Barça faithful. The institution is strong, and the team is captivating. We’ve returned to the Spotify Camp Nou. It’s an environment that embodies what Barça is today.
“The Spotify Camp Nou is one of the best decisions we’ve made, and now it’s time to finish it. The third tier is still missing. It shows that the club is alive and active. The fans have returned and are enjoying themselves.
“We are a multi-sport club with 48 European Cups. We are experiencing a very sweet moment in our history. The sporting structure is very solid and has earned the respect of the Barça fans.”
On being asked the biggest challenge he faced during this tenure, Laporta highlighted the financial situation of the club that they had inherited from the previous board, saying:
“It has been about reversing the economic legacy we inherited. To recover, we had to provide guarantees of viability, such as the financial levers, and now it’s time to consolidate the economic recovery.”
Spotify Camp Nou renovation was a massive undertaking by Laporta’s board. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
The resigning president also noted how renovating the Spotify Camp Nou was a challenging task, saying:
“The Spotify Camp Nou project has been another challenge. Implementing it has been difficult. We encountered unforeseen problems and had to move to Montjuïc. The return has also been complex.
“These were difficult decisions, and we made them. We can say that we are overcoming the difficulties.”
The highlights
On being asked to name the decision he was most proud of, Laporta said: “To recover our economic situation and restore order and institutional prestige, to return to the Camp Nou and to have La Masia as a cornerstone.
“On the sporting side, signing Hansi Flick and betting on homegrown talent alongside others from abroad is a formula that has worked for us. As has the work of Deco and the partnership he forms with Flick.
“It’s not about making money here, but about winning titles, although we do need to make money to have a competitive team.”
Laporta then talked about the challenges that are pending, that he intends to complete if he returns as president again, saying:
“We need to consolidate the economic recovery. We have to finish Espai Barça and move into the final stages of the Spotify Camp Nou project. We need to consolidate our unique governance model and achieve budgetary stability for the various sections.
“I’m referring to basketball, to make it more competitive. With the addition of Xavi Pascual, it’s on the right track.”
On Barcelona’s economic situation
Laporta went into detail about the economic situation Barcelona were in when he returned as president, and their recovery over the past few years, explaining:
“We faced an extremely difficult situation. There was an economic, sporting, and institutional crisis. We had to renegotiate the debt, improve revenue, and activate various levers. We’ve had two years of positive sporting results.
“We have record sponsorships thanks to Nike and other agreements, also a result of the international growth of e-commerce.”
Laporta highlighted Deco’s contributions in improving Barça’s economic situation. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Highlighting Deco’s work in helping reduce the wage bill, he added: “The wage bill has been reduced from 98% to 54% of ordinary income. This is fundamentally thanks to Deco’s work.
“We are meeting the standards recommended by UEFA and haven’t lost competitive edge. The team has been rejuvenated and has a higher market value. This is a merit I attribute primarily to Deco.
“The good results are not due to a miracle or divine intervention, but rather the fruit of hard work, courageous decisions, and the support of our members, who have understood our decisions and maintained their trust and stability.”
The legacy
The 63-year-old once again highlighted the tricky situations that the club had to navigate, including the negotiations with Nike and Spotify over the sponsorship extension, saying:
“We had to act boldly and quickly to avoid collapse, with a clear vision. Renegotiating the debt, reorganizing the wage bill, activating the levers to restructure the debt.
“Another bold decision was a new sports apparel contract (Nike), as well as Spotify, which perhaps offered less money than other offers that we didn’t believe were the best fit for the club’s identity.
“We’ve kept players who are giving us moments of glory, players with potential who we saw would achieve worldwide recognition, without succumbing to the temptations of other clubs that wanted some of them with a bright future.”
Standing by all the decisions he made, Laporta added: “All the decisions were made to defend Barça. I don’t regret anything. Some decisions I regretted, but above all else comes Barça.
“In such a difficult situation, the mistake would have been not to make any decisions. The decisions I regretted most were those that affected people: letting go of a coach, not renewing a contract of a player. But it’s for the good of Barça.”
Laporta also highlighted the improved relations between the club and La Liga as well as the RFEF, after having had some problems in the past.
“There has been some controversy with La Liga regarding the interpretation of the rules, but we have returned to normal, and Barça, understanding La Liga’s needs, has helped. There is dialogue,” he said.
“Things are being explained to us more clearly each time. We have a very good relationship with the Spanish Federation. It’s fluid and constant.”
Finally, shedding light on his motivation heading into the new elections, Laporta said:
“I’m facing the elections with a strong spirit and a desire to explain the work we’ve done and how we’ll complete it if we win. There’s a strong desire to defend Barça because we love it, and that means doing it against all odds.
“I like the elections because I have more contact with the Barça fans. There’s so much left to do, and I want to explain it.”
Sky pundit critical of rules for Szoboszlai red card
Liverpool Collapse Late as Man City Punish Costly Errors at Anfield
Liverpool’s season lurched into deeper uncertainty after a chaotic late collapse handed Man City a dramatic victory at Anfield, a result that further intensified scrutiny on Arne Slot and his faltering campaign.
For long stretches, Liverpool played with purpose and clarity. For the decisive moments, they unravelled.
The sense of control that had briefly settled over Anfield dissolved in a frantic closing spell, one that swung momentum, emotion, and ultimately points towards Pep Guardiola’s side.
Bright Start Raises Anfield Belief
For half an hour, Liverpool looked convincing. Their pressing carried bite, their passing had tempo, and Man City appeared unsettled.
That early authority found its reward through Dominik Szoboszlai. Standing over a free kick from well beyond thirty yards, with Gianluigi Donnarumma curiously deploying a minimal wall, the Hungarian seized initiative.
Szoboszlai, operating out of position but brimming with intent, bent his effort beyond the static goalkeeper. Anfield stirred, belief swelling that Liverpool might claim a statement result in a difficult season.
In that moment, Liverpool looked energised, coherent, and capable of toppling the reigning champions.
Photo: IMAGO
Momentum Swing Changes Contest
Football, though, can pivot on the smallest lapses.
Szoboszlai’s evening took a cruel turn when he inadvertently played Bernardo Silva onside, allowing the City midfielder to level the match. The equaliser shifted the emotional temperature inside the stadium and injected urgency into City’s play.
Liverpool’s earlier composure gave way to anxiety. Passes shortened, challenges mistimed, structure loosened.
City sensed vulnerability and pressed forward with growing conviction.
Haaland Decisive From Spot
The decisive blow arrived from the penalty spot, Erling Haaland converting with authority to complete the turnaround.
Liverpool, chasing the game, committed bodies forward in desperation. That urgency almost produced one of the season’s most extraordinary moments when Rayan Cherki found the net from inside his own half after a loose scramble involving Szoboszlai and Haaland.
Celebrations, however, proved premature.
After a VAR intervention, the goal was ruled out, Szoboszlai was dismissed, and City were awarded a free kick, a sequence that deepened Liverpool’s frustration.
Gary Neville Reaction Sparks Debate
The decision ignited strong reaction, most notably from Gary Neville, who voiced disbelief at the intervention.
“I just don’t get this. He’s fouled him. That’s the foul,” Gary Neville said on Sky.
“That feels so unjust. I know there’s rules but there is the smell of the game. No referee should disallow that goal but it is going to be disallowed.”
“Talk about killjoy. Just let the goal be. You have just killed one of the great moments of the season.”
His comments captured the wider sense of deflation, not only at the decision but at how the evening slipped away from Liverpool.
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs the ball during the second quarter against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
I guess defense really does win championships. Or, at least for the Seattle Seahawks, a dominant defense has won them two championships.
It was not a pretty game to watch for the neutrals, but it was a thing of beauty to watch if you like smashmouth football. Drake Maye was the MVP runner-up and was made to look like a bottom-five quarterback. The Seahawks passing game may not have been crisp, but Sam Darnold made timely throws and Kenneth Walker was phenomenal in the running game. Special teams? Well, you know the deal there.
The most balanced, dominant team in the NFL got the job done. That’s all that matters. They can never take this away, as the late, great John Madden once said.
Let’s get to our final Winners and Losers of this magical season.
Mike Macdonald pantsed Josh McDaniels, showed he is an elite coach
This was a non-contest. Macdonald is the defensive mastermind who should be the envy of the NFL. He’s the first Super Bowl champion head coach to be the team’s primary defensive play-caller. Other than the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, no other teams put up more than 22 offensive points against the Seahawks defense. The Patriots offense could do barely anything against the Seahawks. It was a mismatch of the highest order and it was obvious within the first quarter.
But it’s not just the defense that makes Macdonald and outstanding coach. This roster was fully bought into the program from the start of the offseason. They are exceptionally coached and disciplined, hence the lack of penalties, coverage busts, blown assignments, miscommunications, etc. It’s a well-oiled machine that could somehow get better in seasons to come.
Coach Macdonald has delivered a champion in two seasons. This is the greatest start to a Seahawks coaching career bar none, and now he joins his predecessor as the only ones to deliver a Super Bowl to Seattle.
John Schneider is a Seattle sports legend
I can’t pretend (and frankly, neither can many of you) that I haven’t been deeply critical of Schneider over the past several seasons. The team was winning but not winning a whole lot in the playoffs, and it felt like things had gotten stale. Schneider freshened things up with the greatest offseason in franchise history, with every move of consequence paying off. To win a second Super Bowl as GM with a completely different roster and coaching staff is greatness.
This is the end of me doubting John. He’s now an all-time important figure in Seattle sports history, let alone the Seahawks.
The Patriots run defense has been very good for much of the season. Kenneth Walker did not care. He was cutting sharply, juking defenders at the line, breaking tackles, and by halftime he had 100 yards from scrimmage. By the end of the game, he became the first running back since Terrell Davis to win Super Bowl MVP. A whopping 161 yards of total offense marked his fourth game in a row with at least 100 yards of total offense.
Walker is a must re-sign and I will hear no other counterarguments. He played every game, he produced late in the year when it mattered, and he looks as good as he’s ever looked. I’m so happy for K9.
Sam Darnold is a ghostbuster
Darnold did not play well enough to ever be in Super Bowl MVP contention. He was uncharacteristically off-target on many throws and 19/38 for 202 and a TD is nothing special. I don’t care. If you believe the real Super Bowl was two weeks ago against the Los Angeles Rams, then Darnold already gave you the MVP performance. What Darnold did do tonight was make smart plays in the pocket, make a few timely throws to keep the chains moving, and after halftime he stopped really putting the ball in dangerous spots, going 10/16 for 114 yards and a TD.
The narrative surrounding Darnold was that he couldn’t win the big games. He beat the Rams after the nightmare he had with the Minnesota Vikings. He avenged the Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers twice over. No one should’ve cared about the win-less mark against the Patriots but that’s off the list, too. New England was the “I’m seeing ghosts” opponent back in 2019 when he was with the Jets.
Sam Darnold isn’t seeing ghosts anymore, he’s seeing his name immortalized as the starting quarterback for a Super Bowl champion. It’s the real ultimate turnaround story.
Jason Myers is flawless
The last time Myers played at Levi’s Stadium, he missed two field goals, one of which was a chip shot. When they need him most, J-Money was perfect. Five-for-five on field goals for the first time in Super Bowl history, giving him exactly 50 field goals on an outstanding year.
Michael Dickson is the punt god
They don’t get any better than Michael Dickson at the punter position. Four of Dickson’s seven punts were pinned inside the 20, while the only major return was called back for holding. A special shout out to Velus Jones Jr for great special teams by downing two of those Dickson punts.
Derick Hall dominates
It was a quiet season for Hall in terms of sacks, but he clearly played better than that. Against the Patriots offensive line, he was on a seek and destroy mission. Two sacks recorded, including a strip-sack of Drake Maye that effectively wrapped up the win. What a phenomenal showing for the former Auburn star.
Devon Witherspoon blitzes Drake Maye into doom
‘Spoon was locking receivers down in coverage and casually just picking up a sack and a pressure that led to the game-ending pick-six by Uchenna Nwosu. It almost transpired that Witherspoon had two sacks and a forced fumble, which might have been grounds to consider giving him Super Bowl MVP. The biggest piece of the Russell Wilson trade shined the brightest.
Uchenna Nwosu lives the dream
A Super Bowl pick-six as your first NFL touchdown? You love to see it, especially given Chenna had battled injuries in the past two seasons but was healthy this year and played his ass off.
DeMarcus Lawrence does get his ring
Hawkblogger’s interview with Lawrence belongs in soundbite lore. Lawrence knew he wasn’t winning a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys so he joined the Seahawks, which was laughed at as a thought that Seattle could contend. Well who’s laughing now? All the best to Tank and his wife, who’s 37 weeks pregnant and ready to deliver their sixth kid. Tank was instrumental in Seattle’s defensive turnaround.
Byron Murphy II is worth that first-round pick
Two sacks on the night for Big Murph, not to mention more excellent run defense that prevented the Patriots from a single explosive rush on the night. His second-year leap was instrumental to the Seahawks’ success on the defensive interior.
AJ Barner pulls off the CFP/NFL double
Barner told me on Thursday he should have a big game on Sunday. Needless to say, he did exactly that. His outstanding second season is capped up with a Super Bowl title courtesy of his first playoff touchdown. Four catches on four targets for 54 yards and the teeder. He’s your favorite tight end’s favorite tight end. National champion at Michigan and now a Super Bowl champion with the Seahawks.
Rylie Mills arrives at the right time
Last year, Rylie Mills tore his ACL during Notre Dame’s run to the National Championship Game. He missed most of his rookie season, but was able to return for the home stretch. What a way and what a time to get your first career sack!
Julian Love seals the deal
That interception was effectively the end of New England’s comeback. You love to see it from the veteran safety, who started the game with a missed open field tackle on a third-down conversion, then was outstanding the rest of the night.
Cooper Kupp has a postseason to remember
Now a two-time Super Bowl champion, Kupp had a terrific postseason: 15 catches for 157 yards and a crucial touchdown against the Rams that was technically the game-winner. He did not have a single 15-catch stretch over any three-game period in the regular season. Kupp saved his best for last and proved to be a savvy veteran signing by John Schneider. The Washingtonian returns home to great success!
Seattle Seahawks Losers
None, the Seahawks are Super Bowl champions!
Riq Woolen annoyed me with the touchdown he gave up but that’s literally it. Why would you want a Losers column?
Final Notes
There’s nothing else to add. There are many other Winners I could add but it’s midnight and I’m very tired and possibly coming down with a cold after a week’s worth of Super Bowl coverage here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I fly out to Portland tomorrow and therefore won’t do Enemy Reaction until Tuesday. Until then, a big thank you to everyone who viewed, shared, and/or commented on Field Gulls this season, as well as a thanks to the entire staff for their excellent work all year. This was a trying time for me personally due to a serious family health emergency that led to me covering the majority of the Seahawks season in medical facilities. When those trips stopped, the Seahawks did not lose another game. Cherish this win, cherish this season, cherished your loved ones, and celebrate into the night. Field Gulls will be your go-to place for offseason content, which thankfully isn’t going to be about whether they can make the playoffs, it’s whether they can repeat as Super Bowl champs.
It's best against best as the No. 1 team in the country travels to take on the player who may be the No. 1 pick in this summer's NBA Draft.
Top-ranked Arizona (23-0) visits Darryn Peterson and No. 11 Kansas on Monday night as college basketball inches closer to March with another marquee matchup.
The Jayhawks (18-5) have been playing some of their best basketball of the season lately, picking up key wins against ranked BYU and Texas Tech teams within the last two weeks. While Peterson continues to battle cramping issues, the freshman produces when he's on the court, leading KU with 20.5 points per game.
On the other side, Brayden Burries has broken out offensively in recent weeks and leads a balanced Wildcats offense at 15.3 points per game. Arizona has seven players averaging between 8.3 and 15.3 points.
The first of two regular-season matchups between these powerhouse programs should be a good one. Here's everything you need to know to watch.
Kansas vs. Arizona will be televised by ESPN, and fans can stream the game live on the ESPN app.
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What time is Kansas vs. Arizona tonight?
Date: Monday, Feb. 9
Time: 9 p.m. ET | 8 p.m. CT | 7 p.m. MT
The Jayhawks and Wildcats are set to tip off at 9 p.m. ET on Monday. The game will be played at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas.
Fans can listen to Kansas vs. Arizona live on SiriusXM. For those in vehicles, the Jayhawks' broadcast will be on channel 84 and the Wildcats' call on channel 198.
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.
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 07: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall of Everton celebrates following the team's victory in the Premier League match between Fulham and Everton at Craven Cottage on February 07, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by James Fearn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Everton come from behind to defeat Fulham 2-1 on the road. Here’s how it happened. [RBM]
Watch the highlights below.
And check out some behind-the-scenes clips.
“For us to come here and win at Fulham is an incredible result. I mean, we’ve just come away from Brighton with a draw. We’ve now come to Fulham and picked up three points. Both teams, whether it be Brighton or Fulham, are very close in the league table, so for us to keep picking up points is so important. We make sure that we’re definitely not going to be in amongst the bottom teams now,” says David Moyes. [EFC]
Hear from some supporters following the crucial win. [BBC]
Hear from new Everton Women coach Scott Phelan following his side’s 1-0 win against the London City Lionesses in his first game in charge. [RBM]
“If there’s these teams that are interested, it means that you’re doing something good. As long as I’m at Everton, I’ll always give my best for them. And I want to achieve things with Everton starting with this season and getting into Europe,” says Iliman Ndiaye. [The Times]
Everton Under-18s defeat Liverpool 2-1 in mini-derby. [EFC]
Check out a preview of tomorrow’s match against Bournemouth. [Sports Mole]
Breakout star of the Celtiis Benin Ligue 1 with 10 goals and 2 assists in 17 games.
Sahid Ngobi: "My idol? Kylian Mbappé"
If you had to sum up Sahid Ngobi in a single image, it would be that of a striker driven by a clear role model. The top scorer of the first half of the Celtiis Benin Ligue 1 with 10 goals and 2 assists in the colors of Association Sportive du Port Autonome de Cotonou (ASPAC FC), the Kandi native is building his career inspired by a name that makes an entire generation dream: Kylian Mbappé.
"My idol is Kylian Mbappé. I admire his mentality, his self-discipline, his maturity, and his consistency," confides the U20 international forward. Those values are reflected in his on-field attitude: always on the move, always hungry, never satisfied.
I was given my league debut by Dynamo de Parakou. Then I went through AS Takunnin, SOBEMAP FC before arriving at ASPAC FC.
This growth extends beyond club football. Youth national teams, especially at U20 level, have broadened his horizons:
In youth selections, I worked with players who now really motivate those of us still playing in the local league. These experiences have greatly contributed to my development, both athletically and personally.
With 10 goals and 2 assists, ASPAC's number 19 leads the statistics for this first half of the season in Benin. Yet, far from getting carried away, he keeps a cool head:
Alhamdoulillah first of all, but personally I don't think I'm efficient enough yet. Given the chances I have, I know I can do better.
Sahid Ngobi's ambitions are as big as his character. "On a personal level, my greatest dream is to remain a good person and give to others. In football, I want to work even harder, stay humble and keep demanding more of myself. The rest is in God's hands," he says. And when asked about his dream club, one name comes up: Arsenal.
As the second half of the season, scheduled for February 28, approaches, all eyes will naturally be on Saïd Ngobi, who has become the player to watch in the Beninese league for the rest of the campaign.
BARCELONA, SPAIN - JANUARY 28: Raphinha celebrates scoring his team's third goal from the penalty spot with Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between FC Barcelona and F.C. Copenhagen at Spotify Camp Nou on January 28, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Catalan giants have scored 63 times in La Liga and on 22 occasions in the Champions League. Barca have also netted six in the Copa del Rey and eight at the Spanish Super Cup to take their total to 99.
Flick’s side now have the chance to hit 100 goals for 2025-26 next time out when they take on Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey on Thursday night.
Given the fact that Barca put three past Atletico earlier in the season (and scored five against them last season across two legs in the Copa del Rey semi-finals) it would be no surprise if the Catalans did hit that landmark on Thursday.
Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Fermin Lopez and Marcus Rashford are the most likely candidates, with all six expected to be fit and available for Barca’s next match.
So which player are you backing to bring up Barca’s century? Tell us what you think in the comments below!
LIVIGNO, ITALY - FEBRUARY 08: Romy van Vreden of Team Netherlands competes in run one of the Women's Snowboard Big Air Qualification on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on February 08, 2026 in Livigno, Italy. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Oof
83 – Liverpool were leading up to the 83rd minute against Manchester City (1-0), with this the latest they have ever led in a Premier League game at Anfield and gone on to lose (1-2). Snatched. pic.twitter.com/IuT9h39QwM
Erling Haaland has scored away from home against every side he has played multiple times against in the Premier League:
⚽️ 6 vs. West Ham ⚽️ 5 vs. Crystal Palace ⚽️ 3 vs. Tottenham ⚽️ 3 vs. Arsenal ⚽️ 3 vs. Fulham ⚽️ 3 vs. Wolves ⚽️ 3 vs. Chelsea ⚽️ 2 vs. Man Utd ⚽️ 2 vs.… pic.twitter.com/ECtDfyy4Xc
2 – This will be just the second Super Bowl in which both teams ranked top four in both scoring offense and scoring defense, along with Super Bowl IV following the 1969 season (Chiefs vs. Vikings). Heavyweights.
Watch: Juventus & Lazio Share the Spoils in Four-Goal Thriller – The Highlights
The official Lazio YouTube channel uploaded the highlights from Sunday’s exciting 2-2 draw against Juventus in Turin.
Pedro & Gustav Isaksen Silence the Allianz Stadium
The home side had the upper hand in terms of possession and chances created in the first half. And yet, it was the visitors who snatched the lead just before half-time. Daniel Maldini stole the ball from Manuel Locatelli before feeding it to Pedro. The veteran’s shot was deflected off Gleison Bremer’s foot and beat Michele Di Gregorio.
Player Ratings: Juventus 2-2 Lazio – Maldini Announces His Arrival
After the break, the Biancocelesti stunned the Allianz Stadium once more, this time through a swift counter-attack. Danilo Cataldi picked up Gustav Isaksen with a sublime long ball, and the latter managed to ward off Andrea Cambiaso before riffling his shot into the roof of the goal.
Lazio Waste Three Golden Chances
Lazio had several chances to kill the match with a third goal, but Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Kenneth Taylor and Tijjani Noslin couldn’t hit the target from close range. On the other hand, Juventus launched an onslaught on Ivan Provedel’s goal.
Pierre Kalulu Rescues a Point for Juventus
While the goalkeeper was able to deny Kenan Yildiz and others with fantastic saves, the Bianconeri completed their comeback thanks to two close-range headers courtesy of Weston McKennie in the 59th minute, and Pierre Kalulu deep into added time.
Munich, Germany - December 3: Sacha Boey of Bayern Muenchen and head coach Vincent Kompany of Bayern Muenchen gestures during the DFB Cup - Round of 16 match between FC Bayern München and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Allianz Arena on December 3, 2024 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images) | DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Sacha Boey has had a very rough time in Germany. Since joining Bayern Munich in January 2024, he has suffered multiple injuries, looked unsure on the pitch and has struggled to secure regular game time. Any promising performances are followed up with porous ones and the German media has delighted itself in constantly calling out these struggles.
Therefore an exit in the January transfer window seemed like it would be the right step for the Frenchman. Though it took a while, that transfer did happen as Boey officially returned to Galatasaray on a loan until the summer transfer window, though the Turkish club retains an option to buy.
Asked about the loan in the press conference ahead of Bayern’s clash with TSG Hoffenheim, the Bavarians’ head coach Vincent Kompany spoke about why Boey was allowed to leave.
“He was ill for eight weeks. Then there’s our squad. We have [Konrad] Laimer and [Josip] Stanišić who can play right-back, plus several players on the left are back now too,” Kompany explained, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “That’s why we came to the decision with Sacha. I wish him all the best. He deserves to show his qualities again and enjoy these 4, 5, 6 months.”
Bayern have been accused of having too small a squad to compete in all competitions this season and they made it even smaller by letting Boey leave, but the Frenchman never enjoyed full trust at Bayern and, as Kompany mentioned, his position is already well covered. Hopefully Boey can finally blossom again the familiar environment at the Turkish champions.
Gasperini undecided between Pellegrini and Zaragoza
A week after Udine, Roma returns to the pitch.
The Giallorossi suffered a significant setback against the Bianconeri, and now they have the chance to make up for it: Cagliari arrives at the Olimpico.
The first leg wasn’t an easy match for Lorenzo Pellegrini and his teammates, but Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have no intention of losing again.
There are new players compared to the first meeting with the Rossoblu: Donyell Malen will start, while Bryan Zaragoza is a question mark.
Currently, the number 7 is ahead of the Spaniard, but everything is still up for grabs.
Matias Soulé will complete the confirmed attacking trio. Below are the odds from the main sports newspapers.
Scott McTominay expected to recover for Roma clash
Napoli snatched the three points against Genoa thanks to a late penalty from Rasmus Hojlund, but the Neapolitans were concerned about Scott McTominay’s forced substitution.
At the end of the first 45 minutes, Antonio Conte took out the number 8, and post-match the coach said: “I didn’t want to risk him.”
The Scotsman, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, will miss the Coppa Italia match against Como, scheduled for February 10th.
However, his condition is not a concern: he will be available for the match against Roma at the Maradona, scheduled five days after the match against Como.
For the match against the Giallorossi, Conte has McTominay and former Roma player Matteo Politano back, but will still be without Kevin De Bruyne, Zambo Anguissa, David Neres, and Giovanni Di Lorenzo, as well as the suspended Juan Jesus.
Gian Piero Gasperini, however, hopes to count on several returns. Paulo Dybala, who was not called up for the match against Cagliari, is expected to be available for Roma-Napoli.
The goal is also to have Manu Koné back in midfield, but whether this will be possible will only be known during this week’s training sessions.
The opening round of the Six Nations has come and gone with plenty of drama across the first three games.
France cemented their place as favourites to defend their title with a highly-impressive dismantling of Ireland, who face a few tough truths as the plot their way back into the tournament.
But who were the standout performers of round one? We’ve picked our team of the week.
Loosehead prop: Jean-Baptiste Gros, France
France’s front five did not necessarily dismantle Ireland at scrum-time but Gros helped anchor a really solid set-piece effort, as well as popping up in spaces tight and open, including in the build-up to Charles Ollivon’s score with a lovely bit of handling.
Hooker: Jamie George, England
While Wales wilted, George’s leadership and calm really stood out in England’s big win. His communication with officials remains a real strength, and his darts were typically excellent, too, giving England a stable platform on a far from easy day for the throwers.
Tighthead prop: Simone Ferrari, Italy
A dominant performance from Ferrari in the wet, putting the normally rock-solid Pierre Schoeman on skates a couple of times at the scrum. Italy’s performance was made all the more impressive by their absentee list, and Ferrari should keep the starting tighthead shirt when Marco Riccioni returns from injury.
Lock: Ollie Chessum, England
Chessum suggested after England’s win over Wales that he and Alex Coles felt they had a bit of a point to prove having been given a rare start together in the absence of Maro Itoje. Consider that point well made, with Chessum’s running of the attacking and defensive lineouts outstanding alongside a few eye-catching carries out in midfield as he flashed his athleticism.
(Getty Images)
Lock: Mickael Guillard, France
Guillard may only have lasted 49 minutes on the opening night but the lock dealt all sorts of damage to Ireland. Almost every one of his 16 carries was bruising, while his softer skills were shown by his neat inside ball to assist lock partner Charles Ollivon, also very impressive. Italy’s Niccolo Cannone deserves a mention, too - tireless in the torrent.
Blindside flanker: Francois Cros, France
A surprise choice, perhaps, given Cros lacked the eye-catching impact of some of his teammates but the flanker is very much the oil in the French machine. His ability to resource rucks and link play was crucial to a fluid French performance. Their breakdown detail was superb, as evidenced by going a whole half without conceding a penalty for the first time in Opta’s records.
Openside flanker: Manuel Zuliani, Italy
(AFP via Getty Images)
Run very close by Oscar Jegou, Zuliani just gets the nod for his work in holding Scotland at bay in the storm. The flanker made 19 tackles, with four of those dominant hits, and was a persistent menace as per usual at the breakdown.
No 8: Ben Earl, England
Earl’s ability to marry high efficacy with high output makes him a vital figure in an English side in which he has to shoulder a significant carrying load. A late cameo at centre was lively, too. It was a good weekend for No 8s, mind: Jack Dempsey and Aaron Wainwright were standouts for their sides in defeats, while Anthony Jelonch and Lorenzo Cannone gave France and Italy real go-forward.
Scrum half: Antoine Dupont, France
There were a few ideas that didn’t come off for Dupont against Ireland, but rewatching the game one is reminded of just how much of an impact he makes in every facet of the game. His capacity to clear off either boot helped France win the territory battle, while he single-handedly forced a turnover at one stage by biffing back opposite number Jamison Gibson-Park before snaffling the ball on the floor.
Fly half: Matthieu Jalibert, France
(Adam Davy/PA Wire)
The game against Ireland was as assured a fly half performance as we’ve seen from Jalibert in a French shirt, with he and Dupont linking up far more effectively than in their last two outings together. With Romain Ntamack out of the Wales game at least, the Bordeaux Begles playmaker looks set to remain at No 10. George Ford was very good, too, albeit against overmatched opposition.
Left wing: Louis Bielle-Biarrey, France
Bielle-Biarrey is just a freakish athlete, a threat to score virtually every time he touches the ball. But France’s work in the aerial contest was just as important having worked hard to improve that area since November, leaving Ireland unable to gain a foothold.
Inside centre: Tommaso Menoncello, Italy
(AFP via Getty Images)
A thunderous carrier, Menoncello seemed the only player able to find sure footing as the rain tumbled down at the Stadio Olimpico. His midfield marriage with Juan Ignacio Brex remains a delicious combination, with Brex’s subtler skills a perfect foil to his explosive other half.
Outside centre: Tommy Freeman, England
There will be bits of his performance that Freeman may wish to tidy up, with one poor pass over Tom Roebuck’s head showing there is a way to go as a distributor. Yet as a front-door carrier and defensive marshal of the 13 channel, the Northampton man is already showing why Steve Borthwick has been so keen to get him into that slot. His late try, which came after a move to the wing, marked the seventh successive Six Nations game in which he’s scored.
Right wing: Henry Arundell, England
Wales found Henry Arundell unstoppable in England’s crushing Six Nations victory (PA Wire)
Yes, Arundell played on the left wing but his try-scoring exploits necessitate inclusion. While they were three simple finishes, a few flashes of speed elsewhere complemented a strong all-round performance, including one thumping tackle on Louis Rees-Zammit. Louis Lynagh can count himself unfortunate to miss out.
Full-back: Thomas Ramos, France
Perhaps no player in world rugby manages to produce a moment of magic from seeming disaster as often as Ramos. That slightly frenetic energy contrasts with his consistency off the tee.
Joe: We're now boring as well as disjointed and dreadful. With Fabian Hurzeler at the helm the admiration and pundit plaudits we once had have turned to ire and disenchantment. He's taken us backwards, or at best stagnated, and truly lost the fans, and perhaps the dressing room too.
Graham: The second half was abysmal. The stats are an embarrassment. The team selection wasn't the best and the players should be playing at a higher level, or at least at the level that they once played. Something clearly is not right. This game should have been regarded as a must win but I saw no evidence that was the mindset.
Chris: No passion. No cohesion. No creativity. A dire performance. The fans are growing restless and this can only be addressed with improved results. This match showed the pressure is beginning to mount on Hurzeler.
Dan: A very, very poor performance in a game the players and manager should know the meaning of to the fans. We have a Brighton fan as an owner so this will have been made very clear. I'm not in the Hurzeler out group - yet. But I do think he won't be our manager come August. Where we go from here, I have no idea!
Palace fans
Al: 60 years ago I started watching Crystal Palace so what a birthday present this win was. Gritty, dour, stubborn and no nonsense. New signings fitted in nicely. Dean Henderson blowing kisses to the home fans at the end was priceless. Always fun beating the wannabes at the seaside. Next four games are key to build momentum for the rest of the season. Sorry, JP [Jean-Philippe Mateta], but you weren't missed.
Stephen: Palace looked again like the team at the beginning of the season. Evan Guessand and Jorgen Strand Larsen look good additions to the team. It's nice to get back on the winning trail and even better to beat Brighton at the Amex for the second year running! Great goal from Ismaila Sarr!
Les: An improvement. Beating Brighton is the be all and end all. Performance doesn't matter in this game. With two home games to come against Burnley and Wolves, this week we are safe. Get rid of Oliver Glasner and bring the new manager in to work with the players in the 10 games that are left.
Martin: Important players back from injury and Afcon. Decent debuts. No surprise the intensity returned. Jefferson Lerma immense AGAIN. Time to look upwards again.
“Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has won his arbitration hearing against the team, reportsESPN’s Jeff Passan. He’ll be paid a record-shattering $32MM in his final season of arbitration eligibility and, in doing so, radically alter subsequent arbitration earnings for top-tier starting pitchers with five-plus years of big league service,” MLB Trade Rumors’ Steve Adams wrote.
The Tigers should once again be a fun team to watch this season if they’re able to keep everything together amid all the moving parts. Recently, Detroit strengthened its starting rotation by signing left-hander Framber Valdez.
“Left-hander Framber Valdez and the Detroit Tigers are in agreement on a three-year, $115 million contract, sources told ESPN, linking the best free agent left-hander on the market with the team looking to win its first division title in more than a decade,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote.
Just Baseball’s Ryan Finkelstein doesn’t believe the Tigers should stop there, predicting they could also sign veteran Chris Bassitt.
“After being left off the playoff roster until the ALCS, Bassitt emerged as a weapon out of the Blue Jays’ bullpen, allowing just three hits and one run across 8 2/3 innings pitched. Bassitt even struck out 10 batters compared to issuing only two walks,” Finkelstein wrote. “The playoff performance for Bassitt shows that he can become a valued swingman for a contending team as well, able to fill a variety of roles depending on your roster situation. Again, pick any team, and you can make a case for signing Bassitt, but our landing spot choice is the Detroit Tigers.”
If Detroit makes this move, it will be difficult for anyone in the AL Central to keep pace. It could also help convince Skubal to stay through the entire season before entering free agency, where he would likely command a lucrative deal.
Adding Bassitt would give the Tigers one of the strongest rotations in baseball while also bringing in a veteran presence. Detroit is aiming to return to the playoffs and reach the World Series this season rather than falling just short again.
Seattle Seahawks' fans vie for an autograph from Jake Bobo before Seahawks play New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, February 8, 2026. (Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle)
Check your mailboxes, Bay Area citizens, for your complimentary Super Bowl souvenir t-shirts, emblazoned with, "YOU'RE WELCOME!"
That's right, you hosted a sensational week-long party for the football world, and for the world as a whole, and lived to tell about it.
The game itself, that was out of your control. Blame that disaster on the Seattle Seahawks, who make a habit of turning football Sundays in Santa Clara into snoozefests. It's just as well; after all that partying, we all needed a four-hour nap.
But you pulled it off, Bay Area, and let's be honest, there was a segment of American society that was rooting for you to blow it and embarrass yourself. But you survived and overcame traffic worries, a Presidential boycott, a 70-degree heat wave, ICE concerns, a halftime "controversy," and purportedly harmful electromagnetic waves drifting over Levi's Stadium from that power substation next door.
Take a moment to pat yourselves on the backs for the memories that the Super Bowl visitors will carry with them forever. Like:
• The $180 hamburger. The food folks at Levi's Stadium created this symbol of America, and sold 40 of ‘em. Each burger came with a saddle. The monstrous burger was probably cooked with the defibrillator paddles included in your purchase. Proceeds were donated to the Future Farmers of America, which is odd, since the way things are going, there are no farmers in America's future.
One of the burgers reportedly was grub-hubbed to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., with a side of fries.
• Alcatraz as a football studio. NBC's endless pregame show included a segment live from Alcatraz, making Tony Dungy the island's most illustrious guest since Al Capone. Before you complain about your lousy Super Bowl hotel, talk to Dungy.
• Free speech exemplified. The nation's journalists descended on San Francisco with one assignment: Find a pile of poop. To which San Francisco said, "Take your best shot, and may the Pulitzer be with you."
The winners of the Charles Barkley Award for Gratuitous Insulting of San Francisco went to a couple of Boston radio guys, who discovered a "zombie apocalypse," and spoke of running in fear from street people in wheelchairs.
Along with the Barkley trophy, those Boston radio guys won a free trip to Boston, a city which they have apparently never visited. The last time I was in Boston, I got mugged by a guy wielding a clam fork.
In contrast, ESPN's Pat McAfee, nobody's idea of a source of woke commentary, was part of the pushback, recognizing what's obvious to folks from here: "We were so surprised by what we had been told and expected vs. when we walk through the streets and got here… This place has been gorgeous. It has been incredible. You can feel it's a football town."
• A truly international halftime show, which some Americans missed because they were too busy tweeting about what a horrible show it was. Bad Bunny danced and sang up a storm. At one point, he presented the Grammy he won recently to a young boy many on social media quickly saw as a stand-in for one caught up in an ICE sweep last month.
Donald Trump may have been jealous, having been snubbed by the Grammy voters in his quest to be given every prize ever. I guess the president did try to be helpful, tweeting out criticism of the NFL's (not so) "new" kickoff rule. Too wimpy! The prez longs for the old days of frequent kickoff concussions. Make American Groggy Again?
The selection of Bad Bunny as the halftime star sparked a backlash, and the creation of an alternative halftime show, which featured Kid Rock, one of America's most popular 55-year-old rapping redneck retirees. The show did not feature Rocky Balboa, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Knute Rockne, nor the Rockettes. Or anyone else you might have heard of.
At one point in the real halftime show, Bad Bunny fell through the collapsing roof of a building, but escaped without injury, thus disproving the crank theory that electromagnetic energy spraying out willy-nilly from the power substation next door causes football injuries. So Jed York might not have to move the stadium, after all.
It wasn't a perfect Super Week or Super Bowl.
There were traffic snarls downtown, thanks in part to the fleet of driverless Waymos that aren't programmed to obey common-sense traffic-flow rules and struggle to do so despite getting assistance from folks working from the Philippines. Afraid of the robot cars, many visitors fled to the safety of cabs and ride-share cars driven by angry, impatient, overworked and underpaid humans.
One bus carrying media members from downtown San Francisco to the Super Bowl Sunday got lost in Santa Clara, either because the driver was looking for the Golden Gate Bridge regularly featured in NBC's promotions or because his astrolabe was on the fritz.
Maybe because of that $180 chokeburger, beef-related deaths were rumored to be up. Perhaps shocked by surge pricing, many visitors couldn't be blamed for reporting being robbed by hotel desk clerks armed with credit-card readers.
But the City and the Bay did itself proud, with cultural and sporting events and parties. You trotted out that old red bridge, the cable cars, the sea breezes, the Irish coffee, the barking seals, the breathtaking hills and even the parts of town that remind you that we still have work to do.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Lauren Betts had 16 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and three blocks to help No. 2 UCLA hold off No. 8 Michigan for a 69-66 win on Sunday.
The Wolverines trailed by 11 points with less than two minutes left and with a chance to tie the game, Syla Swords shot an airball on a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left.
UCLA (23-1, 13-0 Big Ten) took a two-game lead over Michigan (20-4, 11-2) in the conference with its 17th straight victory since losing to No. 4 Texas in November.
The Bruins outscored Michigan by 14 over the second and third quarters, leading by as much as 13 points, and finished with their NCAA -high ninth win over an AP Top 25 team.
The Wolverines’ school-record, nine-game winning streak in Big Ten games was snapped by a big and experienced team that plays stifling defense and is led by a 6-foot-7 preseason All-America center that does it all.
Betts was 8 of 17 from the field, grabbed rebounds at both ends of the court, set up teammates for shots after drawing double teams and used her size to block or alter shots.
Her surrounding cast is talented, too.
UCLA’s Kiki Rice scored 20, Gabriela Jaquez had 13 and Gianna Kneepkens scored 12.
Michigan’s Olivia Olson had 20 points, Mila Holloway had 15 and Te’Yala Delfosse added 10. Swords was limited to eight points, missing 10 of 13 shots.
The highly anticipated matchup drew a season-high 6,108 crowd to Crisler Center a few hours before the Super Bowl.
Carreras, Jimenez react after Valencia 0-2 Real Madrid – ‘A jersey I will frame in my room’
Goals from Alvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappe helped Real Madrid to a 2-0 win against Valencia at Mestalla last night, marking the team’s fourth win in their last 12 games at the venue.
For long, the men in white struggled to break past Valencia’s low block and suffered to open the scoring. Carreras’ neat cut-in and finish, however, broke the deadlock and opened the game up.
It was then eventually in extra time that Kylian Mbappe struck and doubled the lead, securing all three points.
The goalscorer speaks
Alvaro Carreras, the team’s goalscorer on the night, first spoke to the media after the game and commented on how the team knew well of the challenge of playing at Mestalla.
“We knew it was going to be a tough match, that they would push hard and that they needed the 3 points. But we came here to win, to continue securing away very important victories.”
“The goal was a drive inside without overthinking, I saw the space and ended up shooting, and it went in,” he added on his goal.
“You step onto the pitch thinking about the team, about defending and keeping a clean sheet, but wherever I can contribute offensively, I’ll help the team as much as possible,” he concluded on the topic.
Speaking on Real Madrid’s improved defensive stability on the night, Carreras said,
“For me, it’s very important to keep a clean sheet, not allowing any clear chances for the opposing team because we know that up front we’ll create opportunities and finish them.”
Finally, he praised Kylian Mbappe for his rich goalscoring form and spoke about how it was a privilege to have him on the team.
“He’s a beast. It’s a privilege to have him in our team and share the day-to-day with him. From the first day, he has treated me very well, and I’m very happy with his achievements.”
Academy star speaks
David Jimenez played for over an hour before making way for Trent Alexander-Arnold. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
“We are very happy to take home the three points. We knew how challenging today’s match was. I want to thank the coach and the entire technical staff for their trust, and especially my teammates for making me feel like one of them,” he began.
He then revealed the advice Arbeloa handed him before the game, saying,
“To play as if I were playing with Castilla. Besides, being surrounded by the best players in the world makes everything much easier.”
Finally, the youngster opened up on his experience training and travelling with the first team, saying,
“In every training session I do with them, I try to observe because they are the best in the world in their position.”
“I want to thank both Trent, Carvajal, and Valverde because they have been very generous with me and have given me all the advice. I felt super comfortable. This is another jersey that I will frame in my room,” he added.
Mara, a junior from Spain, didn’t attempt a shot beyond the arc in his first two years at UCLA. He missed his first four long-distance shots in Michigan’s first 22 games before finally connecting.
“I’ve been practicing. I don’t want to rush or take bad shots,” said Mara, who had a career-high 24 points. “I saw that I was open and just shot it.”
Mara joins Purdue’s Daniel Jacobsen and Missouri’s Trent Burns as players at least 7-foot-3 to make a 3-pointer in a Division I game this season, according to Sportradar.
However, Mara is only the fourth Division I player at that height since 2002-03 to have at least two in a game. Connor Vanover was the last to do it, with two for Oral Roberts against San Diego State on Feb. 25, 2023.
Vanover, who also played at California, Arkansas and Missouri, made multiple 3s 28 times over his career. Bol Bol did it four times at Oregon, and Matt Haarms twice with Purdue.
Mara missed his first 3-point shot less than five minutes into the game but then made one from the right wing with 6:14 left in the first half to give Michigan a 29-24 lead as Christoph Tilly defended too late.
“Every NBA scout just took note of that one. Holy cow,” CBS Sports analyst Bruce Pearl said after Mara’s shot.
“We’ve spent a lot of time with him working on his 3s. We want that to be a part of his game going forward,” coach Dusty May said. “Sometimes if you just give a guy a little bit of ice cream, then he will eat the broccoli and the protein to get to that point.”
May noted there were times when Mara might have practiced too much. Before home games, May looked up at a monitor in the locker room and saw Mara practicing only 3-pointers.
“I wish there was a little more variety in his pregame routine, but that’s his time, and it paid off for us. Those 3-pointers were big today,” May said.
Mara went 11 of 16 from the floor in 26 minutes, and had six rebounds and two blocked shots.
If Mara continues to show a long-range shooting touch, it could make Michigan more of a threat in the postseason.
“He does so many things well. We want them (shooting 3-pointers) at the right time, and each game dictates something different,” May said. “I was more impressed with his rim protection and with the way he was running the floor, and he puts pressure on the rim. The big guy has come a long way.”
The boos at half-time and full-time told their own story. This was a damaging defeat for Newcastle and head coach Eddie Howe.
His weary side desperately looked in need of home comforts following a gruelling run of away fixtures against Carabao Cup finalists Manchester City, Premier League champions Liverpool and Champions League holders Paris St-Germain.
But some familiar vulnerabilities on the road have now started to rear their head at this one-time fortress after three home defeats in just four games at St James' Park.
This was a night when Newcastle were found wanting at both ends of the pitch.
Veteran full-back Kieran Trippier endured a difficult night against Dango Ouattara, and was caught out in the build-up to all three goals.
At the other end, forward Yoane Wissa failed to shine as he faced Brentford for the first time since pushing to leave his former club for Newcastle last summer in acrimonious circumstances.
Wissa did have one effort cleared off the line by Vitaly Janelt in the first half, but this was the night he endured the ignominy of the away end chanting "what a waste of money" and asking him "what's the score?"
Yet having found a way to draw level through the returning Bruno Guimaraes, Newcastle should never have lost this game.
But they somehow found a way to do so and are sitting in 12th place for a reason.
Newcastle are favourites to reach the last 16 of the Champions League through the play-offs and can still reach Wembley again through the FA Cup, even if a testing fourth-round tie against Aston Villa awaits next week.
Monster £1.2m offer changes EVERYTHING at Liverpool
A new mega offer will transform Liverpool into a different team. If it's accepted, of course.
Liverpool will continue their rebuild in 2026, though it's going to be a bigger challenge than they'd hoped for. The bulk of it should have happed last summer but it's safe to say the squad hasn't quite worked out as hoped.
The Reds have dropped off dramatically after winning the Premier League title, with clear holes appearing all over the place. While it won't take another £400m spend in order to fix things, the club must invest more if they're to fit this jigsaw together.
But there's another variable here and it's a massive one. Mo Salah has a gigantic offer from Saudi Arabia to move over there, essentially as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo as the face of their league.
The Mirror reports they would triple his salary should he make the move in the summer. It's something that will inevitably tempt Salah and we imagine Liverpool would accept an offer for the Egyptian if he wanted to leave.
But in doing so, that offer would transform the Reds into something new.
New-look Liverpool
Losing Salah would send waves through the Liverpool squad, forcing all sorts of change. First and foremost, though, it takes around £400k off the wage bill every week.
That's an enormous amount that could be recycled back into the squad on new contracts or new signings. Given what Liverpool typically pay superstar arrivals, you're looking at two genuine first-team starters for that money.
And the Reds would need at least one, given selling Salah creates an immediate need for a new right-winger. Liverpool literally do not have a replacement and one would have to arrive, something that may take up around half of the freed-up salary and likely the entire transfer fee.
Now, such a player likely has a much more long-term future at Liverpool. At the same time, they're not going to be Salah and any changes in style of play naturally affects the entire team.
Will they be a creator or a goalscorer? Because if they're not both, this team needs to change.
Liverpool aren't turning towards Salah the same way they were last season, for instance, but he's still one of the go-to players every time the team has the ball. It's a team built around the no.11 and has been for some time.
Moving him on brings another change, then. Liverpool would likely want a new focal point - be it Florian Wirtz or Hugo Ekitike or Alexander Isak or whoever else.
And that's another significant change. Losing Salah is far from a simple move and would actually be one of the biggest Liverpool have made in their recent history.
There's no reason that change can't be positive - but it's certainly something that piles pressure on everyone at Anfield as they seek to make the right decisions in the wake of it.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce fires exciting message ahead of Champions League
Manchester United Women defeated Leicester City on Saturday to maintain their grasp on second place in the league.
Marc Skinner’s side have been in fantastic form in 2026 so far, and both Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Julia Olme were delighted with their side’s victory.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Speaking to the club’s website, Tullis-Joyce revealed just how difficult a match it was for United to win.
She claimed, “it was a tough one we had to grit out, grind out. I think we could have made it a bit easier for ourselves but now we have a lot of good lessons that we learned and we will pull it out in the next match.”
The American goalkeeper was also delighted with yet another clean sheet for her side, and she claimed, “very pleased. All of our defenders had stand out moments today and I’m really happy with them. Great for the team.”
Finally, she was asked to look forward to the huge match against Atletico Madrid this Thursday in the Champions League, and she had an exciting message for the fans.
She claimed it was vital to “carry the momentum and increasing that level even more because we have so much more in our locker than we showed today. So yeah, we are going to rev it up.”
Julia Olme
United’s Swedish midfielder has now scored three goals in her last four matches and was asked if this was the midfielder’s new role in the team. She joked, “yeah, hopefully!” but then admitted that the goal was actually a cross for Lea Schuller that drifted in.
She explained, “today’s (goal) was supposed to be a cross for Lea but luckily it went in. They made it difficult for us but it is also up to us. We need to be cleaner on the ball and more composed around the box. But yeah, it was a nice win.”
Olme was also asked to give her thoughts on United scoring yet another goal from the bench when Elisabeth Terland made sure of the points late on.
She explained, “of course, we have amazing players on and off the pitch, so it doesn’t matter who starts or comes on, we have good players everywhere. It’s good with competition and it just shows that we have a good squad.”
The 25-year-old versatile star, at one point, was close to leaving the club in search of regular game-time, but manager Hansi Flick stepped in and stopped his departure.
From that point on, the defender has not looked back, becoming a reliable player and delivering strong performances – be it at centre-back, right-back, or in defensive midfield.
World Cup push continues for Eric
As such, Mundo Deportivo reports that Eric Garcia is continuing to show that he is a serious and consistent candidate to be included in the Spain squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This comes as the versatile star has now played 55 games consecutively for Barcelona, with his last absence dating as far back as March 2025, when he missed the Champions League fixture against SL Benfica.
This season he has accumulated more than 2,700 minutes out of a possible 3,240. He has not missed any of Barcelona’s 36 matches, which makes him one of the players with the greatest regularity and leadership in the squad.
55 games without a break for Barcelona. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Not even a broken nose suffered against Club Brugge kept him out of the team. And his excellent season has reopened the debate about a return to the Spanish national team.
Garcia is one of the defenders with the highest passing accuracy, hovering between 89 and 91 per cent this season in LaLiga and other club competitions.
In the 2025/26 Champions League, he has maintained an accuracy rate of 90.5 per cent, completing 468 of 506 attempted passes in European matches.
Garcia’s presence helps the team concede fewer goals per game, with an average of 0.83 when he is on the pitch, underlining his physical reliability and availability.
Not played for Spain in a while
Eric has not featured for the senior national team for some time. After representing Spain at youth levels, he made his senior debut on 6 September 2020, coming on for Sergio Ramos in the second half of a 4-0 win against Ukraine in the 2020/21 Nations League.
In 2021, he was selected for the Euro 2020 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The following year, he was included in the squad for the World Cup in Qatar, a tournament in which he did not play a single minute.
Garcia was part of the Spain U-23 side that won gold at the Paris Olympics in 2024. But he has not played for the senior national team since September 2022. His current form, though, has sparked a strong debate over his presence in the squad for the World Cup.
Although this contest for Manchester City was against the reigning champions at a ground where they have had little joy, it was a game they could ill-afford to drop points in their hunt to chase down leaders Arsenal.
And until the 84th minute it looked like they were heading back across the M62 with nothing.
But up stepped captain Bernardo Silva and star striker Erling Haaland to inspire an incredible rescue act at Anfield and stay within touching distance of Mikel Arteta's men, who they host in April.
City were on top for large periods of the first half but unable to capitalise on their early dominance, with Haaland having an early effort smothered by Alisson in front of the Kop.
It looked to be a crucial moment when Liverpool took the lead, but the Norwegian played a major part in turning the game around in the breathless finale.
Haaland knocked down Rayan Cherki's cross for Silva to poke home the equaliser from close range - the midfielder's first goal since May, but fourth against the Reds.
Despite missing a penalty against Liverpool in the 3-0 win at Etihad Stadium back in November, Haaland remained calm to roll in the injury-time spot-kick this time for his first goal for City at Anfield and second in eight league games.
City defender Marc Guehi made some timely challenges at the back, but was fortunate to stay on the pitch when receiving only a yellow card for a tug on Mohamed Salah on the edge of the box.
But the former Crystal Palace captain will have enjoyed the victory, having been jeered throughout by home supporters after his move to Liverpool collapsed last summer and he joined Guardiola's men in January.
Tempers boiled over after Cherki's disallowed goal - and Dominik Szoboszlai's red card - deep into injury time, with the two benches exchanging words and a spectator being led away after running on to the pitch.
But City - with centre-back Ruben Dias returning to action - held on for the final few seconds to record a success they desperately needed, not only to end their Anfield hoodoo, but warn Arsenal they are not champions yet.
New England Patriots Drake Maye (10) gets sacked by Seattle Seahawks Rylie Mills (98) during the second quarter of Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle)
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV arrived in the postgame interview tent flouting the spoils of victory. He fiddled with the 2021 Rams Super Bowl ring on his left hand, as a cigar rested not-so-subtly atop the table in front of him.
Everything about the scene – his appearance, his demeanor, his tone – confirmed Jones' role as one of the anchors of a dominant championship defense.
"That's a bunch of bad boys," he said of his teammates. "For me to be in the middle, leading this group, boy I'm blessed."
Then one reporter attempted to coax historical context from Jones, wondering where these Seahawks might fit in a wider conversation. How do they compare to, say, the 1985 Chicago Bears? Or their own franchise's defensive standard, the Legion of Boom?
"I'll say this," Jones said. "I'll match our defense against anybody."
The Seahawks supplied compelling evidence in Sunday's 29-13 win over New England in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. They smothered the Patriots for most of the game, relentlessly harassing New England quarterback Drake Maye and holding the Pats scoreless through three quarters.
Put another way: New England had 10 possessions through three quarters. Eight resulted in punts, one ended the first half and the other finished with a fumble.
Seattle's defense was so ferocious, it sparked a premature dive into the record books. None of the previous 59 Super Bowls had ended in a shutout (nor did this one, ultimately). The fewest yards of total offense allowed was 119 – Pittsburgh against Minnesota in the Super Bowl ending the 1974 season – followed closely by the 123 permitted by the Bears against the Patriots in the ‘85 season.
The Seahawks were on track to eclipse the record until they allowed two fourth-quarter touchdowns. They still made their point, carrying Seattle to its second NFL title.
This counted as no surprise to San Francisco 49ers fans, of course. Twice last month, the Seahawks stuffed Brock Purdy and the 49ers – beating them 13-3 in the regular-season finale in Santa Clara, then crushing them 41-6 in the NFC divisional playoffs in Seattle.
So the scene Sunday made sense in many ways – Maye sacked six times and perpetually under siege. The Seahawks intercepted him twice and forced one fumble. They took away New England's hope until it was too late.
"Once we got to halftime, and they hadn't scored, I think we came out saying we had enough points to win the game," Seattle defensive tackle Leonard Williams said. "We were definitely seeking that goose egg."
The Seahawks led the NFL in scoring defense in the regular season, allowing 17.2 points per game. They ranked sixth in total defense, relinquishing an average of 285.6 yards. Maye highlighted Seattle's strength on all three levels – on the line, among the linebackers and in the secondary – and how the Seahawks "mix it up."
But any great defense demands a catchy nickname, as Williams acknowledged. The long-ago Rams formed the Fearsome Foursome, the Vikings had the Purple People Eaters and Pittsburgh was the Steel Curtain.
And then the Seahawks had their own Legion of Boom, defined by cornerback Richard Sherman and linebacker Bobby Wagner among others. They pushed Seattle to Super Bowl appearances in the 2014 and ‘15 seasons, with one title.
This year's defense labeled itself The Dark Side.
"We just came up with that name," Williams said. "We've had a tremendous defense this year, and people were comparing us to the Legion of Boom. We have a lot of respect for the Legion of Boom, a lot of respect for all the players on that defense.
"We wanted our own name, to respect the guys who have been here before and also respect our team right now, creating a new standard."
Several key players creating this new standard are in their mid-20s, an ominous sign for the division rival 49ers. Seattle struggled to stop the run last season, causing some changes – including an October 2024 trade for Jones, then with Tennessee.
That helped solidify the Seahawks – Jones collected a game-high 11 tackles Sunday – as did the development of 25-year-old cornerback Devon Witherspoon. He's made the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons, and he tormented the Patriots by repeatedly bursting into the backfield on blitzes (including one for a sack).
Jones called Witherspoon "a walking Hall of Famer," lofty praise for a third-year player. But the Seahawks were understandably giddy after Sunday's game, rising to the moment to deny the Patriots what would have been their seventh Super Bowl title.
Witherspoon, asked what it said that his defense produced one of its finest performances on the game's biggest stage, offered a straightforward response.
"This says we handled our business like we did all year," he said. "We have a group of guys who play together out there, and give each other everything they need. We don't let the other person down."
(Photo Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) (Photo Credit: @alixearle/Instagram)
Tom Bradyand Alix Earle have reportedly partied together ahead of the Super Bowl, amid growing romance speculations. A recent video appears to show the pair dancing together and sharing some intimate moments, further fuelling the dating buzz.
Tom Brady and Alix Earle spotted at Super Bowl party
Tom Brady and Alix Earle were recently spotted sharing a cozy moment at a party, ahead of the 2026 Super Bowl on Sunday. Videos obtained by DeuxMoi capture the pair dancing and having a chat while enjoying drinks together.
Brady and Earle are all smiles in the clip as they show off their dance moves. The Dancing with the Stars alum held a drink in one hand as she continued to sway. Meanwhile, the former New England Patriots star went incognito, wearing a pair of black rimmed glasses and a baseball cap along with a black T-shirt.
The outing comes just a month after Brady and Earle first sparked dating rumors on New Year’s Eve. Fans had spotted the pair dancing together at a party in St. Barths. The footage captured the 25-year-old influencer whispering something into Brady’s ears as the two grooved to the music (via TMZ).
Shortly after the clip emerged, an insider reportedly told Star Magazine that “Tom and Alix were all over each other,” adding, “She couldn’t keep her hands off him.” The source further shared, “He kept leaning in, whispering in her ear. It looked like they kissed. She was rubbing his back really affectionately. The PDA was off the charts. They didn’t care who was watching.”
Furthermore, Earle spoke about this trip to the Caribbean in one of her recent YouTube vlogs. “I think it was the best trip of my entire life,” she shared in the video. “It was a lot of, like, new people, but just everyone was on the same vibes, like, making friends, having fun. The girls were all really nice. It was just fun,” Earle added. Earle’s recent outings with Brady have sparked romance rumors. However, neither has publicly confirmed the speculations so far.
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV is not going to let anyone disrespect what they accomplished on Sunday.
The first and most notable hater was Rams receiver Puka Nacua who posted on X “Sam Darnold” with laugh/crying emoji amid the Seahawks blowout of the Patriots in Super Bowl 60.
Rams are NFC West division rivals with the Seahawks. Nacua is one of the more outspoken players in the league.
The post caught the attention of Jones, who responded on X, “Ain’t you at home. Goofy ass.”
Jones is not going to let anyone disrespect his quarterback. Darnold didn’t have a perfect game but also didn’t turn the ball over. Jones, the signal-caller of the defense, had a team-high 11 tackles on Sunday.
In Nacua’s defense, he did post in support of former teammate Cooper Kupp for winning his second ring. The star receiver is coming off a career year – a league high 129 catches for 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
And Darnold will likely face some skeptics his entire career because of how terrible his time with the New York Jets was during his initial years in the league. A win like Sunday helps quiet some of the criticism, despite a mundane performance. Darnold was 19-of-38 for 202 yards and had one touchdown.
“Offense, I feel like we didn’t play as good as we could have,” Darnold told reporters postgame, according to Yahoo. “I certainly didn’t play as good as I could have.
“I didn’t have my best stuff, but our team had my back.”
Manchester United target midfielder from Premier League rivals
Tonali Emerges as Manchester United’s Midfield Priority
Manchester United’s summer rebuild is already taking shape and, as reported by The Telegraph, Sandro Tonali has surged high on the club’s shortlist to replace Casemiro. It is a signal of intent from Old Trafford, a move that would blend long term planning with immediate competitive ambition.
United’s need is obvious. Casemiro’s confirmed summer departure removes not only experience but also tactical security from the engine room. For a side still searching for rhythm, control, and authority in central areas, recruitment here will define the next phase of the project.
Tonali, 25, represents both pedigree and Premier League adaptation, a rare combination in a volatile market.
Midfield Succession Planning
United’s interest in Tonali sits within a broader scouting framework. Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton are also under consideration, while previous inquiries into Brighton’s Carlos Baleba underline the club’s desire for athletic, progressive midfielders.
Yet Tonali’s profile stands apart.
Photo IMAGO
Three seasons in England have hardened his tactical awareness. Newcastle’s £55m investment in 2023 now looks modest in an era where Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo and Declan Rice all commanded fees beyond £100m. Newcastle would expect similar territory for Tonali, particularly given his contract running to 2029.
There is risk attached, notably his betting ban earlier in his Premier League spell, but United appear focused on the footballer rather than the controversy.
Agent Comments Fuel Transfer Speculation
Transfer narratives rarely ignite without agent intervention and Giuseppe Riso’s remarks have ensured this story gathers pace.
“Newcastle are having a hard time letting go of Sandro, and he wants to lead the club to the Champions League,” Riso said.
He added, “We’ll evaluate and decide what to do in the summer. These transfer discussions will take place later. We’ll see how the season ends and then we’ll decide what to do.”
Perhaps most telling was the ambiguity, “There’s no preference. It’s still early. What we’re saying today won’t apply tomorrow.”
Such language keeps every elite suitor engaged, Juventus, Manchester City, Arsenal, and now United most prominently.
Champions League Factor in Decision
European qualification may ultimately shape Tonali’s future. Newcastle sit 12th in the Premier League and face Qarabag in a Champions League play off, their route back to the competition remains uncertain.
Riso acknowledged the emotional tie, stating, “Newcastle couldn’t let him go now, and there’s no point moving, especially since Sandro is very attached to the club.”
Attachment, though, often bends under competitive gravity. Tonali wants Champions League football. United believe they can offer it, or at least return to it swiftly.
From a strategic lens, this pursuit feels calculated. Tonali is entering his peak years, already Premier League tested, tactically disciplined, and technically secure under pressure. He would not merely replace Casemiro, he would recalibrate United’s midfield identity.
Our View – EPL Index Analysis
From a Manchester United supporter’s perspective, this report lands somewhere between excitement and caution.
Tonali is undeniably elite. His tempo control, positional intelligence, and ability to dictate transitions would address long standing midfield imbalances. United have too often lacked composure in high leverage matches, particularly against top six rivals. Tonali would change that dynamic.
Yet £100m territory demands scrutiny. Fans will remember recent midfield spending sprees across the league and question value versus urgency. Is Tonali transformative, or simply premium stabilisation.
There is also squad context. When Casemiro departs, United require not one midfielder but two, possibly three, depending on outgoings. Investing heavily in a single profile could restrict broader rebuild flexibility.
Still, the upside is compelling. Tonali offers leadership without theatrics, control without slowing play, and durability in England’s most demanding fixtures.
If United are serious about restoring midfield authority, this is the calibre required. The question is not quality, it is whether the club can align finance, Champions League qualification, and long term squad architecture around one decisive signing.
Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary.
During the Lakers' 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years.
Stu Lantz, a 6-foot-3 guard, starred at the University of Nebraska before being taken in the 1968 NBA Draft by the San Diego Rockets. His best season came during the 1970-71 campaign, when he averaged 20.6 points, five rebounds and 4.2 assists a game.
He was traded to the Lakers during the 1974-75 season and stayed with them through the following season, which was his last in the NBA. He retired with career averages of 12.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists a game, including averages of 7.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 20.9 minutes per game with Los Angeles.
Lantz, of course, is best known as the Lakers' longtime television color commentator. He started in that role in the fall of 1987 and worked alongside legendary play-by-play man Chick Hearn until Hearn's death in 2002. Today, Lantz works alongside Bill Macdonald, who has been the Lakers' television play-by-play man since the 2011-12 campaign.
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