Bill Belichick reportedly drawing interest from 2 NFL teams
Bill Belichick’s first season as a college football head coach did not go well by any means.
Could Belichick ditch North Carolina and return to the NFL? According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, a pair of teams have had interest in speaking with Belichick on an “exploratory basis”, as she reported on Thursday.
While Anderson didn’t explicitly say which teams have shown interest, she did say that there are “upper-level personnel still fond of him in Atlanta, New York, Cleveland.”
Belichick spent 24 seasons as the New England Patriots head coach, winning six Super Bowls and three AP NFL Coach of the Year awards. Belichick’s 31 playoff wins as a head coach are the most in NFL history.
After leaving the Patriots following the 2023 NFL season, Belichick took a year off from coaching but was hired by the North Carolina Tar Heels in December 2024 in a bit of a surprise move.
North Carolina went 4-8 with a 2-6 record in ACC play, and the Tar Heels lost the final three games of the season.
Currently, the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants have head coach openings with Brian Callahan and Brian Daboll being fired during the 2025 season. The Giants are one franchise Anderson mentioned that is “fond” of Belichick.
When the NFL season comes to an end, other jobs will likely open, so even more teams could be considering bringing Belichick back to the NFL.
Belichick has a total of 302 regular-season wins as an NFL head coach and a 31-13 record in the postseason in 29 seasons. He also spent five seasons with the Browns as a head coach before coming to the Patriots.
So, there is a path to Belichick coaching in the NFL in 2026.
Timberwolves will finally retire Kevin Garnett’s jersey
Kevin Garnett is nothing short of a Minnesota Timberwolves legend. He leads the franchise all-time in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.
Now, the Timberwolves will finally retire Garnett’s jersey over the next two seasons as the legendary big man is reuniting with the franchise in an off-court role, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
Garrett is reuniting with the Timberwolves and joining the Minnesota Lynx in an “all-encompassing role involving business, community and fan-engagement efforts and content development.”
Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett is reuniting with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Lynx in a new, all-encompassing role involving business, community efforts and content development, sources told ESPN. His long-awaited No. 21 Wolves jersey retirement will also happen in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/DedJhDezd3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 18, 2025
Garnett refused to have his jersey retired due to a fallout with former owner Glen Taylor. However, the new group that includes Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez has decided to bring Garnett back in a new role while also pledging to retire his jersey.
Garnett was the 5th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft and spent the first 12 seasons of his career in Minnesota. He was then traded to the Boston Celtics before the 2007-2008 season in a deal that sent all of Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, and two first-round draft picks to the Timberwolves.
Garnett returned to Minnesota for a few games in the 2014-2015 season and played his final NBA season with the Timberwolves in 2015-2016 before retiring from the league.
Garnett is a 15-time All-Star and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. Finally, after a long wait, he will have his jersey retired by the Timberwolves.
Dylan Raiola in contact with one program after transfer portal decision
When the college football transfer portal officially opens on January 2, Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola should have no shortage of suitors.
Raiola revealed his decision to enter the portal, and now he has already been in touch with one school, as Pete Nakos of On3 reported.
“I know that there’s been some communication with Louisville and the idea of Jeff Brohm and how he can help Dylan Raiola,” Nakos said.
Nakos also mentioned Oregon while adding that the Ducks are focusing on trying to hold on to QB Dante Moore for the 2026 season.
“There’s been some communication with Louisville…Oregon has also been mentioned”@PeteNakos has early intel on transfer QB Dylan Raiola. There's also one school he will NOT be heading to 👀
— Josh Newberg (@josh_newberg) December 17, 2025
MORE: https://t.co/UBjyprKAOl pic.twitter.com/SqR1Fvt0ho
Raiola announced his decision on Monday, and it comes after a series of noteworthy events with the Raiola family. Dylan’s brother, Dayton, is a QB prospect in the Class of 2026, and he decommitted from Nebraska in November.
Donovan Raiola, Dylan’s uncle, was fired as the Nebraska offensive line coach at the beginning of December.
Raiola threw for 4,819 yards with 31 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in his two seasons starting at Nebraska. This past season, he played nine games before suffering a broken fibula against USC on November 1. He missed the rest of the season following that injury.
Raiola was the No. 2 QB in his class coming out of high school behind Florida’s DJ Lagway, who also is entering the transfer portal.
Angels drop hint on Mike Trout’s 2026 outlook
Mike Trout could be back in his old office in 2026.
Moved from the center field to the right field in the 2025 MLB season due to health concerns, Trout reportedly could be doing center field duties again in the next campaign.
While nothing is set in stone yet, Angels general manager Perry Minasian did not rule out the possibility of Trout getting his gig back as a center fielder.
“I’m not ruling anything out,” Minasian said, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. “We’ll see where the team looks like when we get to Spring Training and what’s in place and what gives us the best chance to win games. Might be playing center. One day might be playing left. One day might be DHing. I don’t know.”
The three-time American League Most Valuable Player did not see action as a center fielder at all in 2025. After he returned from a long absence because of a bone bruise in his left knee, Trout never got to play in the outfield, as he instead served as a designated hitter for the Halos the rest of the way.
Managing Trout has become a tricky business for the Angels, given his injury history and age. But if he stays healthy in the offseason and his body holds up in Spring Training, there could be more clamor for Trout to play in the outfield again.
In 2025, Trout hit just .232, but a 15.6% walk rate helped him finish with a still very good 121 OPS+.
Tom Brady leaves fans guessing after post-retirement admission
Tom Brady is 48 years old, but there are people out there who think he could still sling it in the NFL.
Brady is already retired, and as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, he can’t just unretire like Philip Rivers and give it a go, which probably is music to the ears of the New York Jets and all the other teams he torched during his incredibly long and successful career under center with the New York Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
When asked recently if there was a team that tried to convince him to come back and play after he retired the second time in 2023, the seven-time Super Bowl champion did not deny it, but he stopped short of revealing which franchise it was.
“Yes. When I retired the second time, there was a team that reached out, but I’m not going to tell you,” Brady said in a video shared by FOX Sports on X.
“I’m going to leave you guys guessing on that. But it was actually a little bit intriguing, but at that time, I was pretty certain that I was done done. Not as done done as him [Terry Bradshaw] but I was done.”
Which team do you think reached out to @TomBrady to unretire? 👀🤔 pic.twitter.com/AEY5ACC9I4
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 17, 2025
For a time, Brady felt like an inevitable force in the NFL, which is also why, despite his age at the time of his retirement, teams and fans thought that there was at least one more good year in him.
In his NFL career, Brady threw for 89,214 passing yards and 649 touchdowns against 212 interceptions in 335 games.
Macaulay Culkin names Rams’ ‘unsung hero’
Actor Macaulay Culkin recently got the chance to talk about something close to his heart, and it’s not about setting up traps to catch the bad guys.
Apparently, Culkin knows a thing or two about football.
In an appearance on an episode of “Mythical Kitchen,” which was uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday, the 45-year-old “Home Alone” star talked in depth about one particular Los Angeles Rams player — defensive tackle Poona Ford.
Culkin specifically discussed how important Ford is to the Rams’ defense against the run, which he said had been a vulnerable area of Los Angeles’ defense before the team signed the former Texas Longhorns star in the offseason. He agreed with the notion that Ford was the more important offseason acquisition by the Rams.
“If he was one inch taller, if he was six feet tall, he’d be making bigger bank,” Culkin said of Ford, who signed a 2-year, $44 million contract with Los Angeles in March.
“He’s got this little kind of stigma that, man, we haven’t had a guy plug up the hole like that since [Ndamukong] Suh was on the team, really. That’s what it’s all about. Poona Ford, he’s the quiet MVP of the season because that was a big hole in our defense, was the run, and Poona, man, he just does it. Unsung hero.”
NEWS: Legendary actor Macaulay Culkin was breaking down the #Rams and how important Poona Ford is to the run defense.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) December 17, 2025
Macaulay made an argument that Ford was a more important off-season acquisition than Davante Adams.
(Via Mythical Kitchen)
pic.twitter.com/euCalCP9JZ
The metrics back up Culkin’s claim. Pro Football Focus gives Ford an 84.0 run defense grade, which is the third-best rating among 129 interior defensive linemen.
With Ford plugging the middle and regularly stuffing opposing players on the run, the Rams are allowing just 3.9 yards per carry, so far in the 2025 season. For comparison, the Rams gave up 4.6 yards per rushing attempt to opponents in 2024.
Patrick Mahomes had unexpected words to Andy Reid after devastating news
After suffering a season-ending torn ACL injury in his left knee in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes said in a social media post that he “will be back stronger than ever.”
Even before he shared that message to his supporters, he was already singing the same tune to Kansas City head coach Andy Reid.
“He’s so positive right now,” Reid told reporters on Wednesday about Mahomes’ status.
“He attacked this thing the day of. You wouldn’t expect anything less. ‘Get me up, get me going,’ he’s basically saying, an hour after the game. ‘Brace me up and let me go.’ It’s not one of those injuries, obviously, but that’s his mindset.”
Most people wouldn’t even think of getting back to work just an hour after such a devastating, potentially career-altering injury. But most people also don’t have three Super Bowl rings and three NFL Most Valuable Player awards, and Mahomes’ mentality after the injury explains why he’s got all those in his resume.
Mahomes is facing a long journey to recovery. For the 6-8 Chiefs, they are just looking to finish the season with at least some wins to uplift their spirit. They will take on the very beatable 2-12 Tennessee Titans on Sunday in a Week 16 matchup at Nashville, Tenn., with Gardner Minshew expected to start under center in place of Mahomes.
Mahomes, 30, concluded his ninth season in the NFL with 3,587 passing yards and 22 touchdowns against 11 interceptions on a 62.7% completion rate.
Amon-Ra St. Brown seriously questions NFL over wild celebration
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has a bone to pick with the officiating in the NFL.
In Week 15’s game between the Lions and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., St. Brown and teammates Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams were all told by the refs that they couldn’t mimic picking their noses and flicking the booger away when celebrating on the field.
At least that’s what St. Brown said in an episode of the ” St. Brown Podcast.”
“We do it on the first drive. Our receiver coach comes through after the first drive, ‘Hey man, ref said you guys can’t do that no more,’” St. Brown revealed. “I’m like, what the f–k,” he added.
"NFL, why can't I dig in my nose and flick it? What is bad about that?"
— St. Brown Podcast (@StBrownPodcast) December 17, 2025
After Amon-Ra, Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs all did the booger flicking celebration on the Lions first drive vs. the Rams, the refs told the Lions it would be a penalty if anyone did it again. https://t.co/pDHse20xat pic.twitter.com/83lBqcvYmC
St. Brown then asked the league directly: “NFL, why can’t I dig in my nose and flick it? What is bad about that?”
Flicking imaginary boogers does seem like a pretty harmless gesture, but the refs were not having it that day, apparently.
The NFL has made a clear effort to crack down on some celebratory gestures, including the nose wipe celly. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was already fined for doing it back in Week 13. But what St. Brown and his teammates did doesn’t fall under that category.
Perhaps the safest route to take here is to just avoid involving the nose completely when celebrating on the field.
Rick Pitino gets brutally honest about facing Kentucky
The No. 22 St. John’s Red Storm had just defeated the DePaul Demon Deacons at Carnesecca Arena in Queens, N.Y., on Tuesday for their third win in a row, but head coach Rick Pitino has a much bigger challenge ahead.
The Red Storm are scheduled for a marquee matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday for a CBS Sports Classic game at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga.
The Wildcats haven’t been playing like a blue-blood powerhouse in the 2025-26 college basketball season, but Pitino remains wary of his former team, which is now coached by Mark Pope, one of his former Kentucky players.
“Kentucky is very big,” the 73-year-old Pitino told reporters, via Zack Geoghegan of On3.
“They’re plus 10 on the glass. They rebound the ball great. They’re terrific on defense. It’ll be a hell of a game, it’ll be a tough game. We know that,” Pitino said when asked about the matchup. “When you go to Atlanta, they call it in Lexington: Catlanta.
They’ll have about six, seven thousand of their fans. It’ll be somewhat of a road game (for St. John’s). But that’s okay. We’re playing good defense right now. I think it’ll be a good basketball game.”
Like St. John’s, Kentucky is coming into this contest with some momentum, having won its last two games. The Wildcats defeated North Carolina Central Eagles on Dec. 6, 103-67, before taking down the Indiana Hoosiers, 72-60, on Saturday. Both of those games took place at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.
The similarities between the two teams don’t end there. St. John’s and Kentucky are both stout defensively, ranking 15th and 16th on KenPom’s adjusted defensive rating, respectively. But they also vary so differently in terms of pace. While the Red Storm are 45th in the nation in adjusted tempo, the Wildcats are 149th.
In any case, this SEC matchup will have the attention of the college basketball world.
Doug Gottlieb makes a major announcement about his radio show
Doug Gottlieb is officially removing one of his hats.
The Green Bay head basketball coach and longtime sports analyst Gottlieb announced on Wednesday that he is stepping away from his radio program “The Doug Gottlieb Show.” Gottlieb made the announcement after coaching Green Bay to a 67-64 victory over UC Santa Barbara at Kress Events Center in Green Bay, Wisc.
“These kids owe a fully dedicated coach,” said Gottlieb, per Awful Announcing. “I know I’m fully dedicated … But you only get one shot at this thing.
“If there is any ounce of lack of preparation or any ounce of fatigue,” Gottlieb added. “This is going to sound crazy, but last week we go down to Indy and because of the timing of my show the bus had to leave without me and I flew. And I don’t think that’s what I want to do as a coach.”
Gottlieb did also note that he would continue to do podcast work moving forward. But Gottlieb’s days of doing his radio show in the afternoons are now on hiatus as he transitions into a full-time head coaching role for Green Bay.
The 49-year-old Gottlieb, a Wisconsin native, is a former college basketball player who went on to make a name for himself in sports broadcasting. Gottlieb has worked for ESPN (including serving as an anchor for “SportsCenter), CBS Sports, and FOX Sports over the years. Meanwhile, “The Doug Gottlieb Show” debuted on ESPN in 2006, moved to CBS Sports along with Gottlieb in 2013, and is now in its third iteration, having been aired by FOX Sports since 2017.
Gottlieb became the head coach at Green Bay in 2024 and controversially decided to continue doing his radio show at the same time. He went on to struggle in his first year at the helm as the Phoenix went a woeful 4-28 and finished dead last in the Horizon League.
Fortunately, things are going better for Gottlieb and Green Bay this season as Wednesday’s victory improved their overall record this season to 6-7. But Gottlieb did recently make the headlines again for throwing a chair after his team blew a big lead and lost earlier this month.
Puka Nacua’s brother Samson arrested for stealing a Lakers player’s car
Los Angeles professional sports are intersecting in a very unfortunate way this week.
Samson Nacua, the older brother of Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, has been arrested for allegedly stealing a car belonging to Los Angeles Lakers forward Adou Thiero, NBC4 Los Angeles reported on Wednesday. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says that Samson was one of two men arrested last weekend for supposedly taking Thiero’s SUV without his consent.
The vehicle was tracked to the One Hotel in West Hollywood, Calif., where the two men are said to have valeted the car prior to entering the hotel. After reviewing security footage, sheriff’s deputies identified and located the suspects and took them into custody on suspicion of stealing the SUV.
The suspects were identified as Samson and one Trey Rose, both 27 years old. Now they are each facing a charge of taking a vehicle without consent, and they both reportedly remain in jail. You can read NBC4 Los Angeles’ full report on the situation here.
Samson is himself a pro wide receiver who previously played with his younger brother Puka in college at BYU. After going undrafted in 2022, Samson spent time on the offseason rosters of the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints (once making a crazy play in a preseason game for the Saints). He had most recently played professionally for the Michigan Panthers of the United Football League (UFL) earlier this year.
You may recall that Samson was also recently investigated over a video of him slapping a fan during a UFL game.
As for Theiro, he is a 21-year-old rookie forward for the Lakers who went to them with the No. 36 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Theiro, who played his college ball at Kentucky before transferring over to Arkansas, has averaged just 1.1 points per game over nine appearances for the Lakers this season. After being involved in a notable game-ball controversy earlier this year, Thiero now finds himself as the alleged victim of a criminal situation.
Dillon Brooks takes more shots at LeBron James in the media
Dillon Brooks is continuing to prod The King.
The Phoenix Suns swingman Brooks spoke with reporters on Wednesday a few days after his team’s game against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. During the game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., Brooks and James were seen talking trash to each other multiple times.
Eventually, Brooks was even ejected after getting knocked to the ground by James after a shot attempt and then proceeding to angrily get into James’ face. You can see the video of the incident here.
During his media session on Wednesday, Brooks continued the barbs aimed at James.
“I guess he’s a social-media junkie,’’ Brooks said of James, per Griffin DeMarrais of AZ Family. “He be all over the socials, so he be seeing I guess what I’m saying. … He thinks that people should think a way about him or not say nothing about him or play a certain way, and I’m not going to play that way.
“He gets in his moods or in his modes or whatever it is, and I’m all for that,” added Brooks. “I wish we let him shoot that shot [on Sunday]. S–t would have been an airball.”
Brooks appeared to be referring to James being fouled on a late three-point attempt in the final seconds of Sunday’s game. James went on to make two of his three ensuing free throws, and the Lakers walked away with the 116-114 win over the Suns.
Meanwhile, Brooks and James have developed a real rivalry over the last few years (mainly at the former’s behest). Brooks made a point of antagonizing James during a head-to-head playoff series back in 2023 and has continued to irritate James during virtually every meeting since, also including the previous time that they played this season in Los Angeles.
Notable update emerges on Michael Porter Jr’s future
Michael Porter Jr. might be on the move for the second time in a year.
The Brooklyn Nets are “likely” to gauge offers for the veteran forward Porter ahead of the February trade deadline, Erik Slater of ClutchPoints reported this week. Slater notes that Porter is expected to draw interest from rival teams amid his hot start to the 2025-26 season.
Porter, the 27-year-old former first-round pick, spent his first six career seasons with the Denver Nuggets and was a starter on their NBA championship team in 2023. But he got traded to the Nets last July as part of the deal that sent fellow forward Cameron Johnson to Denver.
Now on a Brooklyn team devoid of offense, Porter is enjoying a career year. Through 21 games played, Porter is averaging a stout 25.6 points per game (13th in the entire NBA) on fantastic 50/40/81 shooting splits. He is also posting 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
Still, the Nets are very much a rebuilding team and sit at 7-18 (13th in the East) despite Porter’s statistical output. With Porter under contract for $38.3 million this season and $40.8 million next season, he could be a piece that Brooklyn eventually tries to shed.
Porter is known as a poor defender and can often be streaky, failing to offer much when his shot is not falling. But as a 6-foot-10 elite scoring forward who has been in many big playoff games over the course of his career, Porter (who is also known these days for making polarizing podcast comments) would likely have many trade suitors.
Bo Bichette is willing to make a big change for interested teams
Bo Bichette is open to shifting from 6 to 4.
The free agent shortstop Bichette has begun to tell interested MLB teams that he is willing to move to second base, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported on Wednesday. Bichette remains unsigned this offseason in the middle of a shortstop market that Feinsand characterizes as “not great.”
Now 27 years old, the righty-hitting Bichette has spent his entire MLB career with the Toronto Blue Jays (since 2019). He made All-Star teams in 2021 and 2023 and then improved his value again in 2025 by batting .311 to go along with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs over 139 games.
That said, Bichette is generally regarded as a poor defender at shortstop. Though Bichette has made 713 of his 744 career regular season starts at short (with the other 31 coming at designated hitter), a move to the easier defensive position of second base would indeed make a lot of sense for him.
Notably, Bichette also already made a cameo at second base during the 2025 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bichette, returning from a PCL injury in his left knee that had cost him the entire postseason up to that point, was eased into action by the Blue Jays and played five World Series games at second.
It is still unclear where exactly Bichette might sign, and it is even possible that he could end up with a Jays rival. But in the interest of making himself as appealing as he can, Bichette is now willing to declare his shortstop days over if need be.
Ja Morant has another new weapons-themed celebration
Ja Morant continues to stick to the theme.
The Memphis Grizzlies star Morant drew attention this week for his latest celebration. After hitting a three-pointer against the LA Clippers during Monday’s game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., Morant went back up the floor and pretended to aim a gun.
This time around however, Morant finished off his celebration by using his other hand to effectively “put the gun down.” Here is the video.
Ja Morant new celebration
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) December 18, 2025
(h/t @BIGMEM12) pic.twitter.com/Maj4UPjmj6
Morant, who had missed extended time with a calf injury, scored a modest 12 points on 4/12 shooting against the Clippers, but the Grizzlies still managed to win 121-103. Unfortunately though, Morant is now dealing with another injury (a left ankle sprain) and missed Memphis’ game Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves as a result.
The two-time NBA All-Star Morant has notoriously been suspended by the league multiple times over the years for flashing weapons on social media. But poking fun at his history of trouble with weapons has been one of Morant’s favorite things to do since.
Last season, Morant got disciplined by the NBA for aiming an imaginary shotgun at the opposing bench. Right after that saga, he then debuted a controversial grenade-themed celebration. Now the gun gestures are back for Morant, but maybe this counts as character development since he is at least pretending to holster his weapon this time.
George Pickens has 6-word response to his critics
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens does not seem to be impacted too much by mounting criticism of his recent play.
Pickens spoke Wednesday after his second straight underwhelming performance, this one in a home loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The wide receiver suggested that he was being targeted by clickbait, then concluded with a very simple response.
“Everybody has a job to do. Some people’s job is to do that, tear down character, see how many clicks they can get,” Pickens said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “I’m just here to play football and help the team.
“It’s starting to get kinda old, honestly.”
Pickens was strongly criticized for a perceived lack of effort in the team’s Week 14 loss to the Detroit Lions. The wide receiver responded to his critics with a profane social media post that he later deleted.
The 24-year-old has had a breakout season in his first year with the Cowboys, making 81 catches for 1,212 yards and eight touchdowns. He only has eight catches for 70 yards in his last two games, both of which were Dallas losses.
Perhaps Pickens is not sweating things because Jerry Jones seems unbothered by the recent criticisms of the wide receiver. He is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, and the Cowboys still plan to keep him in the fold.
Ohio fires head coach Brian Smith for ‘serious’ misconduct
Another college football coach has been fired for conduct his university deemed unacceptable.
Ohio University announced Wednesday that head coach Brian Smith has been fired for cause. In a statement, the school said an investigation found that Smith was “engaging in serious professional misconduct and participating in activities that reflect unfavorably on the University.”
Ohio University Head Football Coach Brian Smith relieved of his duties https://t.co/ORMaEDPzxk pic.twitter.com/j3vt7Gx4eL
— Ohio Bobcats (@OhioBobcats) December 17, 2025
Smith was previously placed on administrative leave on Dec. 1. The school has not commented on the nature of the allegations that led to their decision.
In a statement to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN, Smith’s attorney, Rex Elliott, said Smith is an “ethical man” who will fight the dismissal for cause.
“We vigorously dispute Ohio University’s grounds for the termination for cause of Coach Brian Smith,” Elliott said. “He is shocked and dismayed by this turn of events, and we plan to fight this wrongful termination to protect his good name.”
Smith had just finished his first season as Ohio’s head coach. The 45-year-old had been on the staff since 2022 as the Bobcats’ pass game coordinator and offensive coordinator, and his team posted an 8-4 record this season.
Ohio is not the only Midwestern school dealing with a coach who allegedly engaged in some sort of misconduct, though the other incident certainly overshadows this one.
Eagles could try to trade star player in offseason
The Philadelphia Eagles are still hopeful of winning a second consecutive Super Bowl this year, but changes may be coming either way for 2026.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that executives around the NFL believe the Eagles could look to trade AJ Brown during the offseason. Brown’s public comments are at best a distraction, and there is reason to believe both sides would welcome a fresh start.
Brown is still owed $50 million over the next two seasons and is still just 28. Fowler believes there would be a solid trade market for him if the Eagles did make him available, even if there are concerns about his personality.
It’s not hard to understand why Brown might be on the trade block. He has regularly voiced his frustration with the team’s offense all season. While he does not appear to be the only Eagles player with issues, he has been by far the most vocal, and was making those public comments even when the team was still consistently winning.
Brown has 64 catches for 840 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. He has consistently been a 1,000-yard receiver, especially when the Eagles had a more robust passing game than they have shown this season.
New allegations emerge against Sherrone Moore
New allegations emerged against former Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore on Wednesday.
In sworn testimony dating back to last Friday obtained by Katie Strang, Austin Meek, and Sam Jane of The Athletic, a Pittsfield Township Police Department detective alleged that Moore had a “long history of domestic violence” with the Michigan staffer he was having an affair with. The detective, Jessica Welker, said Moore admitted he and the woman “were in an intimate relationship for approximately two years” during interviews with police on the night of his arrest.
The staffer alleged that Moore called her “approximately a dozen times” and also sent text messages during the ensuing two days after she ended the relationship. She had been preparing to leave town when Moore allegedly barged into her apartment and threatened to harm himself.
Moore denied that he threatened to harm the staffer. The Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office said Moore did not face any assault charges because there “was not sufficient evidence to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, an intent to assault or batter the victim.”
Moore was fired as Michigan’s head coach last Wednesday. Based on various reports, the staffer ended the relationship on Monday and reported it to the university on Wednesday, which led to his firing. Moore then confronted her at her apartment and threatened to harm himself while forcing her to watch.
The former Michigan coach is facing three charges over the incident, including a felony home invasion charge.
Cardinals sign former World Series champion pitcher
The St. Louis Cardinals may be rebuilding, but they still have added to their pitching rotation for 2026.
The Cardinals on Wednesday signed pitcher Dustin May to a two-year deal. May is set to earn $12 million in 2026, and there is a mutual option for 2027 for $20 million. He has a $500,000 buyout, making his total guarantee $12.5 million.
May began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers after being drafted by them in the third round in 2016. He made it up to the majors in 2019, and won World Series championships with them in 2020 and 2024. May pitched 10.2 innings for the Dodgers in the 2020 postseason, but he missed the 2024 postseason. May missed the 2024 season entirely while recovering from elbow surgery and a freak torn esophagus injury.
May has shown plenty of promise at times during his career. He went 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA in 2020 and finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting during that shortened season. He went 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA in 2023 before suffering an elbow injury.
Last season, May pitched 132.1 total innings, which was the most of his career. He went 7-11 with a 4.96 ERA while spending time with both the Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, who had acquired him from LA in a July trade.
Big Red in Cardinal Red.
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) December 17, 2025
We have signed RHP Dustin May to a one-year contract for 2026 with a mutual option for the 2027 season. pic.twitter.com/jqKW9TXvNM
