Lakers crowd serenaded LeBron James with fitting song during his birthday chalk toss
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James got more than just the “Happy Birthday” song on Tuesday during his birthday battle against the Detroit Pistons.
As he warmed up for his iconic chalk toss, James got serenaded with “You Are My Sunshine” by the capacity crowd at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. The four-time MVP ignored the singing, instead staying locked in just moments before tip-off.
The arena is singing “You Are My Sunshine” to LeBron James —
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 31, 2025
This is wild. 🤣🤣
(via @LADEig)
pic.twitter.com/T9rFhAeFLT
Based on James’ self-awareness of his social media presence, he surely understands the reasoning behind the song choice. The Lakers star is often the subject of various memes, with one in particular involving fans calling LeBron their “sunshine” in posts that include an edited photo of James illuminated like a sun.
On this day 2 years ago, one of the earliest examples of the LeBron James "You Are My Sunshine" meme was posted by TikToker 'lukesher17'. pic.twitter.com/vOAmDNOTBz
— Know Your Meme (@knowyourmeme) December 29, 2025
With Austin Reaves out for at least a month due to a grade 2 calf strain, the Lakers surely need James to be a guiding light for the next few weeks.
James entered Tuesday as the greatest birthday scorer of all time. Among players with at least 5 games played on their birthday, James’ 32.9 points per game average ranks first in NBA history.
The Lakers surely need James to play like it’s his birthday every time for the next month or so, given that Austin Reaves is out for at least a month due to a grade 2 calf strain.
Illinois QB Luke Altmyer runs over a referee during Music City Bowl
Luke Altmyer left a referee with tire marks all over his face during Tuesday’s bowl game.
The senior quarterback Altmyer and Illinois squared off against Tennessee in the Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl. On a 1st-and-10 play in the third quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Altmyer could not find anyone open to throw to, so he decided to tuck it and run.
Altmyer found some daylight in the middle of the field with no one in the area … well, no one except for a referee. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound quarterback flattened the poor ref, knocking him to the ground and then continuing to run for another handful of yards like nothing had even happened.
Here is the hilariously unfortunate video.
Luke Altmyer – 1
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) December 31, 2025
Referee – 0pic.twitter.com/D2PfI5KOhR
The 23-year-old Altmyer was 20/33 for 196 passing yards and one passing touchdown, and he also added 10 rushes for 54 more yards and one more touchdown. Illinois needed every bit of that production as well as they just barely squeaked out a 30-28 victory over Tennessee on a game-winning field goal by kicker David Olano as time expired.
Meanwhile, it has been a pretty tough year for referees in college football. You may recall it was just a month ago that a Michigan player headbutted a referee in the middle of a game too.
Ex-Warriors champion Festus Ezeli becomes a meme for his ridiculous TV outfit
Festus Ezeli needs to have his NBA championship ring taken away for what he wore on television this week.
The retired former Golden State Warriors big man Ezeli went viral over the absurd outfit that he wore on NBC Sports Bay Area. Ezeli was serving as a guest analyst on the Warriors’ postgame show … but his horrific sense of fashion ended up speaking louder than any of his commentary ever could.
In an outfit that can only be described as completely and utterly diabolical, Ezeli decided to sport a hoodie and a pair of sweatpants … but also a dress shirt and tie … and also a blazer. Take a look at the abhorrent combination.
Festus. Cmon now dog. pic.twitter.com/MfMN9jGIyP
— Dom Izzo (@DOM_iZZO) December 30, 2025
Ezeli’s aggravated fashion felony ended up getting him the meme treatment online.
FESTUS EZELI: I'm looking for an outfit for work.
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) December 30, 2025
SALES ASSOCIATE: Which profession?
FESTUS EZELI: All of them. https://t.co/8dzhZDj8m3
This is what you wear to an interview after spilling coffee all over your shirt on the drive over https://t.co/cU5WR39BPu
— Anthony Reinhard (@reinhardNFL) December 30, 2025
10 POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR! https://t.co/U6UAbOssQ1
— Coach Vass (Join Me on the Other App) (@CoachVass) December 30, 2025
This might actually be the worst fit I’ve ever seen. Who let my man on live TV like that
— Luka in LA (@LakerLukaSZN77) December 30, 2025
If he would do this murder aint that far behind
— whysomeechlive (@FeelinGawdly) December 30, 2025
Now 36 years old, Ezeli was a first-round draft pick by the Warriors back in 2012 (No. 30 overall). He played for them from 2012-16 and won a championship with Golden State during the 2014-15 season. Ezeli finished his NBA career with averages of 4.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game over 170 total appearances.
The last that we heard of Ezeli was from a few years ago when he told an amazing story about his former Warriors teammate Klay Thompson. Now we are hearing from Ezeli again, albeit because of his psychotic choices of attire.
Bulls dealt rough injury news on Josh Giddey
The Chicago Bulls will have to soldier on without Josh Giddey for the foreseeable future.
The Australian point guard hurt his hamstring early in the third quarter of the Bulls’ game Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the United Center in Chicago, Ill. Giddey came up limping after bringing the ball up on the opening possession of the second half.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Giddey was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain and is expected to be sidelined for “at least a few weeks.”
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey has sustained a left hamstring strain and will miss at least a few weeks, sources tell ESPN. Tough injury blow as Giddey has averaged 19.2 points, 9 assists and 8.9 rebounds. pic.twitter.com/fH4KtEQjov
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 31, 2025
Losing Giddey for an extended period of time would be a serious blow to a Bulls team that heavily relies on his playmaking ability.
Through 30 games played this season, Giddey has averaged a team-best 9.0 assists and is tied for the lead in both points (19.2) and rebounds (8.9) per contest. All marks are career highs for the 23-year-old.
Look no further than Monday’s game as a testament to Giddey’s impact on team success. The Bulls trailed 55-53 when Giddey checked out and ended up losing 136-101 without their lead guard.
With Giddey on the sidelines, Chicago will lean more heavily on Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu for backcourt production.
Ketel Marte fires back at the claims of him being a bad teammate
Ketel Marte is returning fire at his critics this week.
The Arizona Diamondbacks star second baseman Marte took to Instagram on Tuesday with a notable post. He reposted an image of himself celebrating with teammate Corbin Carroll during a game last season.
“Not Good teamate [sic],” Marte wrote, along with some smiley-face emojis.
Ketel Marte posted an Instagram story mocking rumors that have circulated that say he’s not a good teammate pic.twitter.com/92Qc0F9aI1
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 30, 2025
Marte, a three-time All-Star at 32 years old, was clearly responding to the rumors that dogged him during the 2025 season of alleged bad teammate behavior. Most notably, Marte took an unpaid leave of absence in the second half of the year after his home was burglarized during the MLB All-Star Game. While Marte later ended up apologizing for doing so, a report claimed that Marte had caused frustration among his Arizona teammates with his time off (read the full details here).
This winter, we have heard that the Dbacks are supposedly motivated to trade away Marte (though that may be more based on certain financial motivations than the clubhouse dynamic). The Boston Red Sox, once seemingly a frontrunner to trade for Marte, are now less likely to do so in the wake of acquiring another infield power hitter in Willson Contreras earlier this month. That said, some interesting suitors are still very much in the mix for Marte.
Marte, who hit .283 with 28 home runs and 72 RBIs over 126 games last season, is making roughly $17 million per season through 2030 and has an $11.5 million option for 2031 as well. As the longest-tenured Dbacks player who has been with the team since 2017 and has been in Major League Baseball since 2015, Marte clearly feels that he deserves more slack than he is getting right now.
Maxx Crosby speaks out amid growing tension with Raiders
Maxx Crosby may have indirectly addressed his ongoing standoff with the Las Vegas Raiders, who have ruled the star defensive end out for the remainder of the season.
Crosby, who has been playing through a knee injury since Week 9, reportedly stormed out of the Raiders’ team facility upon being told that he was being shut down. On Monday, Crosby appeared on the “Let’s Go!” podcast about his approach to the game of football.
While Crosby was not asked directly about his lingering frustration with the Raiders over their decision to end his season, the Pro Bowler’s words sounded like an veiled response to the move.
“For me, my love for the game has been since the day I started, since I could remember,” Crosby told Jim Gray, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. “My whole life has been football and sports. That has been my obsession since I was a little kid. Yeah, I’ve always — I mean, I’m an addict to the core. I’ve had an obsessive mindset and that addictive personality my whole life.
“But when it comes to football, there’s certain things that I truly believe in, and I feel like there’s core principles that you gotta live by, and there’s a certain way the game needs to be played. And there’s a certain approach that you have when you go into the field. And the way you look at it, from my perspective, is you play to win. You play for your teammates, you put everything you have into the game, no matter what it is. There’s gonna be bumps and bruises. You’re gonna be banged up. That is a part of the game and the nature of the beast.”
Crosby added that he treats the game of football as his “whole life.” With his mindset about the sport, it’s no surprise that Crosby was furious about having his season cut short.
Raiders head coach Pete Carroll backed Crosby last week, stating that he agreed “a thousand percent” with how his star has responded to the Raiders opting to sit him. Despite Carroll’s support and some shots fired on social media, Crosby remained sidelined for Las Vegas’ Week 17 loss to the New York Giants — an all-important result for the Raiders’ draft positioning.
Joel Embiid gives a bizarre intro on NBC
Joel Embiid is delivering his version of “Ball So Hard University.”
Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers played on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn. The game was nationally televised on NBC as this is the first season of the network having officially won back the rights to NBA games.
Similar to NBC’s broadcasts of the NFL and “Sunday Night Football,” an introductory graphic aired in which the starters for both the 76ers and the Grizzlies gave their names as well as their alma maters. When it got to Embiid though, he delivered a rather unusual intro.
“Joel Embiid, Big Guard University,” said Embiid. Here is the video.
Joel Embiid NBC introduction
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) December 31, 2025
“Big Guard University”pic.twitter.com/TaJ7eqG3KA
The former NBA MVP Embiid actually went to Kansas, playing for them for one season from 2013-14. But that intro was very much in line with Embiid’s personality as he is known for his sense of showmanship (even busting out some vulgar celebrations earlier this season).
“Big Guard University” is a decent enough start for Embiid. But he still has a long way to go to catch some of the more creative NFL intros on NBC that we have seen over the years (including from one player who once said that he went to Hogwarts).
New video shows Giants’ Rico Payton stomping on the head of Raiders player
New York Giants cornerback Rico Payton apparently pulled an Albert Haynesworth during Sunday’s game.
Payton sparked a brawl during his team’s matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders after an incident with Raiders counterpart Chigozie Anusiem. In the middle of a second-quarter special-teams sequence at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., Payton and Anusiem got tangled and ended up wrestling with each other into the Giants sideline.
The two players began brawling after Payton pushed Anusiem deep into the sideline towards some Gatorade coolers, and several Giants players in the area also got involved. Here is the broadcast video.
Things got physical on the sideline between Chigozie Anusiem and Rico Payton pic.twitter.com/thI7xcN6vx
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 28, 2025
On Tuesday though, a fan-shot video surfaced from the stands near where Payton and Anusiem were fighting. The video showed that Payton stomped on the head and helmet area of Anusiem while Anusiem was down on the ground. Payton seemingly managed to make contact with Anusiem’s facemask area in the clip.
You can see that video at the link here (but beware of the bad language).
The Giants went on to defeat the Raiders by a final score of 34-10. With the former now at 3-13 on the season and the latter at 2-14, that puts the Raiders in pole position to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
With one game left in the regular season for each team, it seems very likely that both Payton and Anusiem (who was seen throwing punches too) will be facing discipline from the NFL over the brawl. It was also a weekend of bad behavior in the league overall as Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was caught pulling a dirty move on an opponent as well.
Cowboys pulled petty move on Trevon Diggs days before releasing him
The Dallas Cowboys tried to play the role of Grinch in Trevon Diggs’ Christmas tale this holiday season.
Diggs, a Maryland native, reportedly requested that the Cowboys grant him a little extra time with his family after the team’s Christmas Day clash against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md.
According to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, Diggs asked Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer if he could stay behind after the road contest, seeing as players were set to receive the next few days off anyway. Schottenheimer denied the request despite Diggs arguing that he would take the next flight back to Maryland once the team landed in Dallas.
On Tuesday, the team announced that it was releasing Diggs. It’s possible the Cowboys wanted to have Diggs at the team facility as they prepared for his then-imminent release. Whatever the reason, Diggs would agree that the move was very much not in the spirit of Christmas.
News of the release may actually be a late Secret Santa gift for Diggs, who has had a severed relationship with the Cowboys over the past several months. Getting cut allows Diggs to sign with any team before Week 18 once he clears waivers. The All-Pro cornerback will likely get a ton of interest from various playoff-bound squads looking to shore up their secondary.
Diggs has missed half of the 2025 campaign dealing with a concussion he suffered in a home accident. Through 8 games played this season, Diggs has tallied 25 tackles and has yet to record an interception.
Jaylen Brown slams NBA All-Star voting as a ‘PR contest’
Jaylen Brown thinks that NBA All-Star voting has become a bit of a dog and pony show.
On Monday, the NBA released the first fan voting returns for the 2026 All-Star Game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. this coming February. There were a few surprises on the list of initial returns, including how low Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James ranked.
In response to the ballot drop, retired former NBA All-Star Michael Redd gave a strong opinion on X. Redd said that he thought the vote was nothing more than a “popularity contest.”
The Boston Celtics star Brown agreed with Redd’s assessment and penned a critical message of his own. “I agree PR contest,” Brown wrote.
I agree PR contest https://t.co/Qpsswy0VNs
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) December 29, 2025
The NBA has tried its best in recent years to lessen the overall impact of the fan vote (now having it account for only 50 percent of the total weighting while the player vote and the media vote account for 25 percent each). But PR narratives about certain players can easily penetrate those latter two categories as well, fueling the argument for All-Star voting being a popularity contest at its core.
Interestingly enough, Brown, who is averaging 29.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game this year to help lead the Jayson Tatum-less Celtics to a 19-10 record, is currently in a strong position when it comes to the fan vote. He ranks at sixth among all Eastern Conference players, which puts Brown in the running for an automatic starting spot (given to the top five vote-getters in each conference). But even so, Brown, who has always been one to speak out against big business, is still not a fan of the whole NBA All-Star voting setup in general.
Stats show how bad Shedeur Sanders has been
It’s been a rough rookie season for Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders became the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback in late November after Dillon Gabriel got hurt. He led the Browns to a 24-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in his first career start. Then the Browns lost four games in a row before claiming a victory over the Steelers in Week 17.
Sanders has passed for 7 touchdowns with 10 interceptions this season, and has a rushing touchdown. Over the last three games, he has thrown 2 touchdown passes and 7 interceptions.
Sanders has ranked among the worst quarterbacks in the league in terms of efficiency. His completion percentage above expected is higher only than Gabriel and J.J. McCarthy. His EPA (expected points added) per play is the lowest.
Shedeur Sanders has now had six straight starts. here's where he ranks amongst the 40 QBs with at least 200 plays this season by EPA per play and CPOE pic.twitter.com/JaQFfEpnK3
— Jordan Zirm (@JordanZirm) December 29, 2025
Shedeur Sanders through Week 17, per @FantasyPtsData:
— Dataroma (@ffdataroma) December 29, 2025
+ 4.02 ANY/A (37/38 QBs)
+ -4.7% CPOE (37th)
+ 67.9% Catchable throw rate (38th)
+ 6.8% Turnover worthy throw rate (38th)
+ 68.5 Passer Rating (38th)
Though the stats for Sanders are bad, he has helped the team win two games this season, so it’s not all bad. He also is a rookie, and adjusting to the speed of the NFL — especially while being on a bad team — is tough. The question is whether the Browns should give Sanders a shot to be their quarterback or continue looking for someone new. There is little doubt that he will continue to face scrutiny in the meantime.
Report: Browns have looked into firing Kevin Stefanski
Could Kevin Stefanski be out in Cleveland after six seasons as the Browns’ head coach? It seems like that is a possibility.
There is only one more week left in the NFL regular season, meaning teams that get eliminated from playoff contention are likely to make coaching changes in the days after the season ends. During a discussion on ESPN about which coaches might get fired, reporter Jeremy Fowler said that the Browns have done “preliminary research” on making a coaching change.
The Browns have done “preliminary research” on a potential coaching change, per @JFowlerESPN. pic.twitter.com/qMWYQgzlID
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) December 30, 2025
Stefanski has gone 44-56 over his six seasons. He started off strong with a pair of 11-win seasons in his first four years, but he has only won seven games since then. The Browns entered the season without a good starting quarterback option, and have used Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders at the position.
Stefanski is a good coach who has won games when he has had a decent quarterback. He even won 11 games one season using Deshaun Watson and Flacco. Firing Stefanski seems like the kind of move that would set back the franchise yet again, but the Browns have always been known for making moves that make little sense. Don’t count out the possibility of them doing it again.
Jalen Green fined $25,000 by the NBA
Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green may not have been concerned about what he did during a recent postgame interview, but his bank account might.
Green has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for cursing during a live postgame interview on Monday. The guard, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, crashed teammate Collin Gillespie’s interview after a 115-101 win over Washington and dropped some profanity.
“They can’t even f— with you,” Green told Gillespie after Gillespie dropped 25 points.
🚨 The NBA has fined Jalen Green $25,000 for using profanity during Collin Gillespie’s post game interview following the Suns-Wizards game. https://t.co/D2BOnwbIun pic.twitter.com/4X2jrRsq4z
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 30, 2025
Gillespie tried to warn Green that they were live, but Green said he didn’t care. Perhaps his sentiments will change after he gets the bill.
The NBA has strict rules about cursing during live interviews after a game, and Green is not the first player to be hit with a substantial fine for doing it. It’s highly unlikely to completely eliminate such incidents, however, as players get caught up in the moment at times and simply let loose. Green might be a bit more discerning in the future, though.
Report: Kyler Murray could return to Cardinals on 1 condition
The Arizona Cardinals are widely expected to move on from Kyler Murray this offseason, but there is one circumstance where the quarterback could reportedly be brought back.
Some around the Cardinals believe that Murray could return if the organization cleans house and brings in a new coach and general manager, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. An entirely new regime might be willing to give Murray another shot, though it is not clear if that will actually be the case.
The expectation is that if coach Jonathan Gannon is fired, a new coach would want to bring in his own quarterback. The fate of general manager Monti Ossenfort is also up in the air, and it is not clear if one or both will be fired.
Murray is simply not seen as a franchise-changing quarterback anymore, both because of injuries and underachievement. His massive contract, which includes $36.8 million in guaranteed money for 2026, is also unappealing, both to the Cardinals and other teams.
There is a chance Murray will have a market this offseason, though the Cardinals are unlikely to get anything of value for him. Odds are he will move on, but it is not quite a guarantee just yet.
Jimmy Butler had racist comments for opponent Danny Wolf
Jimmy Butler is the latest NBA star player who was caught making racist comments to a white opponent during a game.
Butler scored 21 points in 31 minutes of his Golden State Warriors’ 120-107 win over the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Monday night. During the third quarter of the game, Butler was being guarded by Nets rookie Danny Wolf. Butler pulled up at the edge of the key and made a jumper to give his two more points to make it 88-85. Butler was also knocked down to the ground and received a foul shot.
After rising to his feet, Butler taunted Wolf with some racist comments.
“White boy! White boy! Every time! Shut up. Shut the f— up!” Butler said to Wolf.
Jimmy Butler to Danny Wolf after the And-1:
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) December 30, 2025
"WHITE BOY…. WHITE BOY….. WHITE BOY…. EVERY TIME… SHUT UP…. SHUT THE F*CK UP" pic.twitter.com/XyzFnKlIJ0
That must be a thing among the Warriors considering Draymond Green did the same thing while facing the Phoenix Suns a week ago.
Wolf was drafted in the first round by the Nets and has played in 16 games so far during his rookie season. This sort of thing probably is not new for him. It’s definitely not new among the Warriors.
Ole Miss officials are worried about Lane Kiffin tampering with players
Ole Miss officials are trying to take steps to prevent Lane Kiffin’s assistant coaches from tampering with their players during the College Football Playoff.
Many around Ole Miss believe tampering is an issue with the six Ole Miss assistants that are following Kiffin to his new job at LSU, according to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports. Those assistants are remaining at Ole Miss through the College Football Playoff, creating a very awkward situation for the Rebels to navigate.
Several of the assistants even temporarily left Ole Miss last week to return to Baton Rouge for LSU duties. While everyone is saying all the right things, those at Ole Miss familiar with Kiffin think there are conversations happening in the background. One Ole Miss official even joked about bringing in the FBI to bug the phones.
“You think Lane is minding his own business and meditating? Come on. I think there are kids he’ll try to get from Ole Miss,” says Matt Bowers, a car dealership owner and friend of Kiffin’s who graduated from Ole Miss.
Many at Ole Miss expect there to be “player swaps” when the transfer portal opens. Ole Miss has hired former LSU general manager Austin Thomas to fill the same role, meaning some LSU players may head to Ole Miss while Rebels players jump to the Tigers. Another notable name has already made the move from LSU to Ole Miss.
This is the sort of messy situation that Ole Miss had hoped to avoid, but Kiffin was set on moving to LSU. Kiffin himself had hoped to continue coaching the Rebels in the playoff, but was denied that by Ole Miss. By the sounds of it, some of his former players would not have wanted him around anyway. Perhaps that will actually benefit Ole Miss, but for now, it has put a low of people in awkward situations.
Details emerge on Stefon Diggs strangulation incident
Details have emerged regarding the felony strangulation charge Stefon Diggs is facing.
Diggs is facing felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery charges over an incident on Dec. 2. He has an arraignment scheduled for January 23.
According to what was listed in documents related to the case, a woman who was serving as a chef for Diggs had a text message dispute with the wide receiver over the amount of money she was owed. Diggs allegedly entered her unlocked bedroom to discuss the matter. After becoming angry, Diggs allegedly smacked the woman across the face and then tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck.
The woman was hesitant to involve authorities but reported the incident to police on Dec. 16. She claims she had been hired by Diggs in July to serve as his chef during the NFL season. She supposedly was set to be paid weekly, but that got changed to monthly. She claims she hadn’t been paid for a month at the time she had her exchange with Diggs. She also claims that Diggs did not want to pay her for a week of work in November.
After learning that the woman had spoken to police, Diggs’ girlfriend tried to make the matter go away. But the woman told police on Dec. 23 that she wanted to move forward with the charges.
Diggs’ attorney has issued a statement in response to the matter.
“Stefon Diggs categorically denies these allegations. They are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, and were never investigated — because they did not occur. The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction. Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law,” the statement said.
Diggs, 32, is in his first season with the Patriots. He has 82 catches for 970 yards and 4 touchdown catches this season.
Angels finally get rid of Anthony Rendon
The Los Angeles Angels are finally putting an end to the Anthony Rendon era.
The Angels have agreed to restructure Rendon’s contract and end his time with the Angels, according to Sam Blum of The Athletic. The restructure involves Rendon’s contract being deferred over the next several years, though it is unclear how much money the Angels will save in the short-term.
Rendon had been slated to make $38 million in 2026. That number will be reduced, possibly significantly.
The move puts an end to one of the most disappointing free agent signings in recent MLB history. Rendon only played in 257 out of a possible 1,032 games for the team after signing a 7-year, $245 million contract prior to the 2020 season. Injuries were the main issue, but he did not perform all that well even when healthy, and came off as being rather indifferent about his struggles.
Rendon hit 22 home runs and drove in 125 during his tenure with the Angels. Those numbers are far short of what was expected of him when he signed.
Rendon’s future plans are unclear, though he is not expected to be around the Angels in any way next season after undergoing offseason hip surgery. There have been some rumors that he might just retire at this point.
Cowboys abruptly release former Pro Bowl player
The Dallas Cowboys have released a former Pro Bowl selection with one game still to play in the season.
The Cowboys released cornerback Trevon Diggs on Tuesday. Assuming he goes unclaimed on waivers, he will become a free agent and eligible to sign with any team prior to Week 18.
The Cowboys have released cornerback Trevon Diggs. He goes through the waiver process and if unclaimed, he will be a free agent.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) December 30, 2025
The decision to part ways with Diggs is not a shocker, but the timing somewhat is. He even played for the Cowboys last Thursday, albeit in a limited role.
Diggs spent most of the season injured, with a concussion keeping him out for over a month. The team did not activate him even once he said he was healthy enough to play, and it appeared at that point that the two sides were headed for a split at some point.
Diggs is best remembered for his 2021 season when he intercepted 11 passes and was named first-team All-Pro. He has only played in 19 games over the last three seasons, largely due to knee injuries. The Cowboys signed him to a five-year, $97 million contract extension in 2023.
The cornerback’s release comes on a difficult day for the Diggs family, as his brother is facing some serious legal problems.
Nikola Jokic’s injury could end his MVP award hopes
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic avoided the worst-case scenario regarding his knee injury, but it may still cost him significantly.
Jokic has been diagnosed with a hyperextended knee, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The Nuggets will re-evaluate him in four weeks, which likely means he will miss the entire month of January.
Just in: Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic has been diagnosed with a hyperextension in his left knee and will miss at least four weeks. An immense sigh of relief as tests show the three-time NBA MVP's knee ligaments are intact. pic.twitter.com/u8qLE0GDd3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 30, 2025
While the injury does not appear likely to derail Denver’s season, it probably spells the end of Jokic’s MVP hopes. NBA rules state that players must play in 65 games to be eligible for end-of-season awards. As of Tuesday, Jokic has played 32 games. If he were to return on Feb. 1, he would miss the next 18 games, and could not play more than 64 games in the season.
If Nikola Jokic misses all of January, that will leave him at 63 eligible games played this season, falling two games short of the required 65 games played to qualify for his fourth MVP award — which he was the favorite to win at the time of the injury. https://t.co/PzeVyOkpg0
— Jake Shapiro, but festive 👻🦃🎄 (@Shapalicious) December 30, 2025
Essentially, Jokic probably has no path to winning his fourth MVP award now. That is a shame, and the rule was passed more to deal with load management and less about legitimate injuries like this, but there is nothing that can be done about it now.
Jokic suffered the knee injury Monday night. He was averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game before getting hurt.
