Ja Morant still has 1 team interested in trading for him
Ja Morant may be down to his final interested trade suitor.
The Brooklyn Nets are one of the last teams “truly interested” in potentially trading for the Memphis Grizzlies star guard Morant, Grizzlies beat writer Chris Dodson of ClutchPoints reported on Monday. Dodson adds that Brooklyn has the salary and the picks to make such a move happen and could be motivated by a desire to steal some of the spotlight away from the local rival New York Knicks.
Morant, the two-time NBA All-Star, was an extremely hot trade candidate earlier this month. That came in the midst of reports claiming that Morant has had problems with his teammates in Memphis and that he was possibly eyeing a move to one particular team.
But interest in Morant seems to have cooled significantly over the last couple of weeks. That may be in part because Morant is hurt again (dealing with an elbow injury that will cost him the next three weeks) and because Memphis’ asking price for him is said to be a bit high.
When it comes to the Nets though, they have one of the few situations that might actually be conducive to a Morant trade. At a putrid 12-32, Brooklyn is once again bottoming out this season. They also have the lowest payroll in the NBA this year and own a treasure chest of future draft capital thanks to their blockbuster trades of Kevin Durant (in 2023) and Mikal Bridges (in 2024).
Morant, who is in Year 3 of a five-year, $197.2 million contract, recently hinted that he would be perfectly content with staying in Memphis. But if the Nets view the 26-year-old Morant as a potential foundational piece who could drum up renewed interest in their franchise, they would certainly have the means to make such a trade happen.
Report: Rich Paul is making a run at Giannis Antetokounmpo
Rich Paul is trying to add to his list of superstar clientele.
The Klutch Sports mega-agent Paul would like to represent disgruntled Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Henry Abbott of TrueHoop reported on Monday. Abbott notes that Paul has been talking to Antetokounmpo’s brother Thanasis lately and is trying to make the case that he is the guy who can help get a superstar to his desired destination.
Additionally, Antetokounmpo is said to have been close to firing his longtime agent Alex Saratsis over Saratsis’ continued failure to secure a move out of Milwaukee. You can read Abbott’s full report on the situation here.
The former NBA MVP Antetokounmpo, who is expected to be sidelined through the Feb. 5 trade deadline due to a calf injury, is clearly unhappy right now with the 18-26 Bucks. He already requested a trade from Milwaukee over the summer, and now Antetokounmpo’s frustration with the team is said to be at an all-time high.
As for Paul, he already represents some enormous names such as LeBron James. Paul has also successfully gotten some of his other star clients traded to their preferred destinations over the last several years (including Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers, De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, and most recently, Trae Young to the Washington Wizards).
One reporter even went so far as to say this week that he believes Antetokounmpo has already played his last game for Milwaukee. Now it appears that Paul is trying to take advantage of the situation by making a well-timed bid to represent the 10-time NBA All-Star Antetokounmpo.
Royals land former World Series-winning pitcher
The Kansas City Royals are adding a former World Series winner to the team’s pitching staff.
The Royals on Monday reportedly signed veteran relief pitcher Hector Neris. According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the right-handed hurler agreed to a minor league deal with a training camp invite.
Neris spent the first eight years of his MLB career with the Philadelphia Phillies. He had an ERA of 3.42 and a WHIP of 1.19 across over 400 games. He also served as a closer for a couple of seasons, with 84 saves during that span.
The Dominican had his most successful stint with the Houston Astros. He played an integral part in the Astros’ 2022 World Series run. He allowed just one earned run across eight playoff games to help Houston hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy at season’s end. He followed that up with his best regular season in 2023, when he posted a career-best 1.71 ERA over 71 games.
Neris’ effectiveness has waned since then. He played for three different teams last season and posted a combined 6.75 ERA in 35 games.
The 36-year-old joins a Royals bullpen that ranked 4th in the American League with a 3.63 ERA last season. While Kansas City’s relief corps was effective, only the Cleveland Guardians’ bullpen pitched fewer innings. Adding some veteran depth on a low-risk contract couldn’t hurt going into the 2026 season.
Todd Monken ‘still in the mix’ for 1 head coaching job
This year’s NFL head coaching cycle saw 10 openings, and six of them have been filled as of Monday afternoon.
The four remaining openings are the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and the Las Vegas Raiders. One name who is still a finalist for one of the openings is former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Monken is reportedly still “in the mix” for the Browns’ opening, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
As of earlier today, #Ravens OC Todd Monken was still in the mix for the #Browns HC. He's flown under the radar, but isn't out of it yet.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 26, 2026
Monken is also in the mix to be the New York Giants’ offensive coordinator, especially with former Ravens coach John Harbaugh being hired as the new coach there.
The Browns saw Jacksonville Jaguars OC Grant Udinski withdraw his name from consideration on Monday, and the Browns then had a long in-person interview with Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.
But, despite that, Monken remains in consideration for the Browns HC job, and other finalists are Browns DC Jim Schwartz, as well as Washington Commanders running backs coach Anthony Lynn.
Monken has a ton of coaching experience, with his first coaching job coming in 1989 as a graduate assistant at Grand Valley State. Monken’s stints include time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as OC, the Jaguars as WRs coach, and the Georgia Bulldogs as the OC and WRs coach.
Monken also spent one season as the Browns’ OC before taking the Georgia job, and he went 13-25 in three seasons as the head coach at Southern Miss, which marks his only stop as a head coach at either level.
Nonetheless, as the browns search continues, Monken is still a name to watch, and the decision could come very soon.
Alabama adding 3-time Super Bowl winner to coaching staff
After the Alabama Crimson Tide’s season came to an end, Kalen DeBoer decided to move on from offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic.
Kapilovic had been with the program for two seasons, but after some disappointing OL play, the Crimson Tide made the move. Now, all signs point to three-time Super Bowl champion OL and USC offensive analyst coach Adrian Klemm taking over the job, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
Alabama is expected to hire USC’s Adrian Klemm as offensive line coach, sources tell me, @ByScarborough and @C_Morrissette.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 26, 2026
Before USC, the former NFL starting offensive lineman was an offensive line coach for the New England Patriots, Oregon and the Pittsburgh Steelers. pic.twitter.com/xcFu1voL9N
Alabama’s season came to an end with an ugly 38-3 Rose Bowl loss to the Indiana Hoosiers.
Then, DeBoer moved on from Kapilovic, but bringing in Klemm is a big move for the program. Klemm won a pair of Super Bowls during his playing days with the New England Patriots.
Klemm was a second-round draft pick in 2020 after playing in college at Hawaii. His coaching experience is vast, as he has stops with each of the UCLA Bruins, SMU Mustangs and Oregon Ducks in college before he joined the USC Trojans in 2025.
Klemm also spent three seasons as the assistant OL and OL coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was the Patriots OL coach in 2023, so he has a lot of valuable experience working under coaches such as Bill Belichick and Mike Tomlin.
Alabama’s OL allowed the most pressures and fourth most sacks in the SEC this season, so this group needed a shake-up going forward.
Cowboys make series of coaching changes after DC hire
The Dallas Cowboys made sure to cast a wide net this time around in their search for a new defensive coordinator.
After firing Matt Eberflus following his only season as the Cowboys’ DC, Dallas hired Christian Parker, who spent the past two seasons as the passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach with the Philadelphia Eagles.
On Monday, a series of defensive coaching changes were announced as the staff continues to change. According to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News, three coaches were let go.
As part of the defensive coaching changes with the Cowboys, Andre Curtis, David Overstreet II and Dave Borgonzi will not return for the 2026 season according to a person with knowledge of the decision.
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) January 26, 2026
Borgonzi was the linebackers coach, Overstreet coached the safeties and secondary, and Curtis was the defensive pass game coordinator.
Curtis, Borgonzi and Overstreet all just finished their first season at Dallas after being with Eberflus with the Chicago Bears, so it seems there is even more turnover than initially expected with the defensive staff.
This move comes on the heels of Watkins’ previous report, which stated that the assistants were allowed to search for other jobs.
Cowboys assistant coaches have been given permission to seek other jobs and to interview with new DC Christian Parker to remain with the staff. Some coaches are at Senior Bowl getting ready for those practices next week.
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) January 24, 2026
Parker’s move to Dallas is a big one, and it is a bit different than the route the Cowboys have gone in the past for the DC role.
Fans puzzled by Diego Pavia’s Senior Bowl measurements
The Reese’s Senior Bowl is the first step for many college football players in their NFL Draft process.
This year’s Senior Bowl game is on Jan. 31, 2026, in Mobile, Ala. On Monday, some measurements were released, including those for Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist this season.
Pavia’s official height measurement came in at 5’9 7/8”. However, it was quite different from Vanderbilt’s measurement listed on the team website, which fans quickly took notice of.
https://t.co/cCG8B7FQD6 pic.twitter.com/AiZuZTYYwd
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) January 26, 2026
Vanderbilt listed Diego Pavia as 6’0”.
— Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) January 26, 2026
His official Senior Bowl height: 5’9 7/8” https://t.co/kZwkYuGhfy pic.twitter.com/dOS2BP3d9J
You lied to us @VandyFootball https://t.co/udd6OxNQIb pic.twitter.com/1rdsUK2i0R
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 26, 2026
🤨 https://t.co/oNfwD5YQQL pic.twitter.com/YASzL5uR16
— Barstool SEC (@SECBarstool) January 26, 2026
For what it’s worth, the shortest QBs to be measured during the Senior Bowl’s history are Bryce Young and Kyler Murray, both of whom came in at 5’10” 1/8, per Peter Burns of ESPN.
Pavia is one of six quarterbacks on the Senior Bowl roster, with LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier another notable name.
Pavia’s height has been a topic of discussion, especially in regard to his NFL Draft hopes. However, there is still potential for Pavia, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the former Vanderbilt star at No. 7 on his big board.
At the end of the day, his listed height on the team website is different from the Senior Bowl measurement, which is interesting.
NBA reporter thinks Giannis Antetokounmpo has played his last game with Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo may be set to miss roughly a month due to another injury, but that is not turning down the trade speculation at all.
ESPN’s Marc J. Spears speculated on Monday that Antetokounmpo has played his last game with the Milwaukee Bucks. Spears suggested that the Bucks might just shut Antetokounmpo down for the rest of the season, even if they do not trade him before the Feb. 5 deadline.
“I think he’s played his last game in a Bucks uniform,” Spears said. “There’s so much benefit for him not playing. You could make a trade for him now, get that generational piece, maybe the No. 1 pick, the No. 2 pick. If you play him and they win, it just pushes back their potential pick further.”
Marc Spears on Giannis: "I think he's played his last game in a Bucks uniform" pic.twitter.com/fU46fgObxr
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 26, 2026
The Bucks enter play Monday at 18-26, and that is with their star player unlikely to suit up again until at least March. Their record may well get worse before Giannis is able to play again, and at that point, they might be out of the playoff race entirely.
The chances the Bucks trade Antetokounmpo before Feb. 5 likely did drop some thanks to the injury, though it won’t help long-term. The star forward is said to be frustrated with the franchise, though if they can land a high lottery pick and get a foundational piece to pair with him, that might change the equation.
Antetokounmpo has been the subject of trade rumors for much of the season as the Bucks keep floundering. He was averaging 28 points and 10 rebounds per game this year before his latest injury.
Lions hire former NFL interim coach for interesting role
Former New York Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka is leaving the organization for a new opportunity.
Kafka is taking an offensive assistant job with the Detroit Lions, according to Jordan Ranaan of ESPN. The 38-year-old was the Giants’ interim coach for their final seven games this season.
Mike Kafka is being hired by the Lions, per source. As others noted it's expected to be a high-ranking offensive assistant role.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) January 26, 2026
Kafka was Giants interim coach this year. Also their OC and assistant HC. NY's offense was noticeably better when he called plays during his tenure.
The Lions have already hired a new offensive coordinator, so Kafka’s role will be different. After the team regressed on offense last season, they are clearly determined not to have that happen again by loading up their staff with bright offensive minds.
The Giants’ offense looked fairly sharp under Kafka last season. They finished the year by scoring 34 points in back-to-back games. Notably, they also put up 27 points against Detroit in an overtime loss, despite backup Jameis Winston quarterbacking them during that game.
Kafka has been linked to head coaching jobs before, and did not really hurt himself during his time in New York. The Lions have to be pleased to land him without even having to give him a coordinator job.
Rams’ Nate Scheelhaase is strong head coach candidate for 2 teams
Now that the Los Angeles Rams’ season is over, pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase can take part in in-person interviews for head coaching jobs. Based on his activity on Monday, he appears highly likely to get one.
Scheelhaase is set to interview for the Buffalo Bills head coach position, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He was already speaking to the Cleveland Browns for a second time on Monday.
Buffalo Bills now have requested to interview Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase for their head coach job, per source. Scheelhaase currently is interviewing in person for the Cleveland Browns head coach job, with the Bills now on deck.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 26, 2026
Scheelhaase was already thought to be a strong candidate for the Cleveland job. Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com had reported earlier Monday that there was even a chance Scheelhaase might be offered the job before leaving the building.
#Rams Nate Scheelhaase, 35, has good shot to become #Browns head coach if he can convince them in his 2nd interview today in Los Angeles that he has what it takes to elevate this team and make it a perennial contender.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 26, 2026
Scheelhasse has spent the last two seasons with the Rams under Sean McVay. He was an offensive assistant at Iowa State before that, but has seen his profile rise strongly thanks to his successful work with the Rams offense.
The Browns are trying to develop a young quarterback, while the Bills want to get Josh Allen over the hump and into a Super Bowl. It makes sense that both would be looking for a bright offensive mind in their coaching searches.
Sean Payton went against his instincts on key 4th down call
Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton seemingly went against his instincts on a key fourth down call in the second quarter of Sunday’s AFC Championship game.
Seth Wickersham of ESPN did a deep dive into Payton’s decision to go for it on 4th-and-1 from the New England 14-yard line late in the second quarter, with the Broncos already leading 7-0. Instead of attempting a field goal, Payton wanted the first down, but the Patriots got the stop and the Broncos never scored again.
One week earlier, however, Payton had watched the NFC Divisional game between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears when the Bears were faced with a similar decision on their first drive. On a 4th and 2 at the Rams’ 21, the Bears went for it and failed.
According to Wickersham, Payton immediately called on the Bears to kick it, and was befuddled when they did not.
“Why are coaches not kicking field goals?” Payton said.
Had Payton taken his own advice, the Broncos would have gone up 10-0. Whether they would have won from there is anyone’s guess, but they would have had more wiggle room to maneuver in what was ultimately a 10-7 loss.
Payton had plenty of reason to second-guess his call, and not just because the Broncos lost the game. Plenty of people were questioning it as soon as he made it, even before it was apparent how much it would wind up mattering.
Everyone said the same thing about Shedeur Sanders’ Pro Bowl selection
Cleveland Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders was added to the Pro Bowl as a replacement on Monday, but few people were impressed.
The rookie quarterback was reportedly named to the AFC team, presumably to replace Drake Maye, who will be playing in the Super Bowl instead. Sanders made the team despite playing in just eight games and throwing 10 interceptions to seven touchdowns.
Sanders’ selection was criticized on social media. The general consensus was that picking Sanders further diminishes the importance of a Pro Bowl selection, with many labeling the whole situation a “joke.”
Shedeur Sanders to the Pro Bowl is a perfect example of what a joke it has become
— Tyler (@ZoneInSports) January 26, 2026
There’s legit no way Shedeur Sanders made the Pro Bowl. What a joke. pic.twitter.com/kSx4FPM8Iw
— Caleb Williams Fan Club (@CalebFC18) January 26, 2026
Shedeur Sanders had 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season.
— JPA (@jasrifootball) January 26, 2026
You can no longer use “Pro Bowls” when arguing about players. The Pro Bowl has completely lost all it’s value. https://t.co/Qn6tsxohS5
Nothing against Shedeur Sanders, but him getting named as an replacement for the Pro Bowl just goes to show big of a joke that game really. It always has been.
— John Sabol (@John_Sabol) January 26, 2026
shedeur sanders was 41st out of 42 qualified QBs in passer rating. just get rid of the pro bowl entirely if this is what it is.
— shea (@sheanorling) January 26, 2026
Realistically, the league did not have many options to fill Maye’s AFC spot. Josh Allen and Justin Herbert are already on the team. Patrick Mahomes and Bo Nix are both injured. There are plenty of other options, including Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson, but they probably were not terribly interested in the invitation.
This is not the first time a bizarre quarterback has been named to the Pro Bowl roster. Considering it is basically a fan event at this point, Sanders’ appearance will likely be welcomed by a lot of those in attendance. Whether he deserves the nod or not, he is a significant draw, and that might matter to the league more than anything else at this point.
NFL addresses wild conspiracy theory about Super Bowl matchup
Did the NFL call the Super Bowl LX matchup at the start of the season? The answer is no, but that was not enough to dissuade some conspiracy theories based on a graphic from last September.
The NFL posted a graphic on Sept. 4, the date of the regular season opener, depicting players from all 32 teams walking toward Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara and the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The art was meant to represent the pursuit of a Super Bowl title for each of the league’s teams.
On Sunday, however, fans quickly noticed something suspicious: Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye are front-and-center in the image, right at the front of the line. Naturally, that spread on social media, with some joking — or perhaps not joking — that the league had tipped off the Super Bowl matchup four months ago.
The post went viral enough that NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy took to X to make sure nobody was actually buying the conspiracy theories.
“Re: the ‘controversy’ over this image – no,” McCarthy wrote.
Re: the “controversy” over this image – no. https://t.co/KHB55pDDvm
— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) January 26, 2026
The placement of Darnold and Maye was pure coincidence, of course. Cam Ward and Malik Nabers are also up in the front, and their teams came nowhere close to contending this season. It’s a funny coincidence, but the NFL certainly doesn’t want anyone thinking there was some conspiracy at play.
Since Maye is positioned closer to the trophy than Darnold, does that mean the Patriots should be favored? Someone might have to ask the artist about that one.
Eagles pursued a Lane Kiffin assistant for their offensive coordinator job
The Philadelphia Eagles’ search for a new offensive coordinator is taking them to some unexpected places.
The Eagles spoke with LSU offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. about their job vacancy, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Weis, however, said he is choosing to remain at LSU.
LSU offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. spoke to the Philadelphia Eagles about their offensive coordinator vacancy but informed the team he has chosen to remain with Lane Kiffin and the Tigers, per sources. pic.twitter.com/l4KaWkCVqM
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 26, 2026
Weis had only just moved from Ole Miss to LSU, having followed Lane Kiffin to his new job. His status was a flashpoint during the College Football Playoff, as he ultimately remained with Ole Miss before moving full-time to Baton Rouge with Kiffin.
While Weis has shown a lot of ability at Ole Miss, this is not the type of name the Eagles presumably expected to be speaking to at this stage of the process. Since demoting Kevin Patullo at the end of the season, the organization has struggled to find a replacement, with a number of high-profile options going elsewhere. Brian Daboll remains in the frame, but he appears to be prioritizing a head coaching job instead.
On paper, the Eagles job looks like a good one. However, the extensive pressure from fans, combined with potential concerns about Jalen Hurts, appear to be making it difficult to find a candidate. The organization will probably have to settle for a name that is not quite as attractive as what they expected to get at the beginning of the process.
Philip Rivers withdraws from Bills head coach search
Philip Rivers will not be the Buffalo Bills’ next head coach.
Rivers withdrew his name from consideration for the Bills job, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The decision comes three days after he sat for a job interview.
Philip Rivers is out of the Bills HC sweepstakes. After interviewing with Buffalo, he’s withdrawing himself from consideration, per sources. pic.twitter.com/2RhouF270c
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 26, 2026
Rivers was a surprise candidate for the Buffalo job, but apparently a serious one. The opportunity to work with Josh Allen would certainly be appealing, even though Rivers has never coached at the NFL level before.
This is not the first time Rivers has been mentioned as a possible head coach candidate. In the past, he balked at the interest, and while things went further this time than they had previously, the same thing has happened again. That said, this might give teams encouragement that he may eventually be enticed into becoming a head coach.
The Bills will now have to pivot to other options as they seek to replace Sean McDermott, who was fired after the team’s AFC Divisional loss. That could be very good news for one coach who is thought to badly want the job.
Drew Lock had words for Sam Darnold after the NFC title game
Who doesn’t love a good story in the NFL? Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has become one, as he is now on the verge of winning a Super Bowl before many other bigger names in the league.
At one point in his career, Darnold appeared to be on the way out of the league after subpar stints with the New York Jets and the Carolina Panthers, but he’s turned things around, with his story touching many, including his backup in Seattle, Drew Lock.
Darnold and Lock have known each other a long time, as they go all the way back to their high school day. Seeing Darnold become successful at his job with the Seahawks and watching him lead Seattle to a 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC title game at Lumen Field on Sunday in Seattle, Wash., despite recently being bothered by an oblique issue, left Lock emotional and full of praise for the former USC Trojans star signal-caller.
“He is, in lack of better words, he is very, very good at his job,” Lock said about Darnold, via Kalyn Kahler of ESPN. (You can watch the entire clip here.)
“He is a competitor. He studies like no other. He’s so smart. Couple that with the throws that we all get to visually see. He’s outstanding. He’s really, really good at his job. He is a great leader for this team. He cares so much. And he’s just, he’s a silly dude.”
Darnold surely deserves getting flowers from Lock for the way he’s carried himself under center. Not many believed that he could lead Seattle this far in the NFL playoffs, but he’s turned critics into believers with the season he is having with his fifth team.
Darnold went toe to toe with Rams star Matthew Stafford in the NFC title gameand emerged on top, passing for 346 yards and 3 touchdowns on 25-of-36 pass completions.
Robert Griffin III gets called out for a glaring mistake in his comment on Drake Maye
Robert Griffin III tried to underscore the incredible season Drake Maye, but he ended up getting called out by the internet.
After Maye and the New England Patriots defeated the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo., the former NFL quarterback Griffin confidently shared to his followers on X that Maye has “made it to a Super Bowl before Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Jared Goff, Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield and Trevor Lawrence.”
Drake Maye made it to a Super Bowl before Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Jared Goff, Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield and Trevor Lawrence.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 25, 2026
That appeared to be a simple statement of fact, except that it wasn’t.
As pointed out by many social media users, Jared Goff, who now plays for the Detroit Lions, has already seen action before in the Super Bowl, rendering Griffin’s take effectively false.
Goff was under center for the Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl LIII against the New England Patriots, who defeated Sean McVay’s team in that contest at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.
It can be easy to forget about the quarterback of a losing team in the Super Bowl, but that doesn’t make Griffin’s claim correct.
Maye threw for only 86 yards and without a touchdown on 10-of-21 completions and was sacked five times in the snowy conference championship matchup against Denver. He’ll look to be better at Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., against the NFC champions Seattle Seahawks.
Tariq Woolen sets the record straight on his heated moment with teammates
The Seattle Seahawks are headed to the Super Bowl for the first time since the Russell Wilson era, though cornerback Tariq Woolen nearly cost them the NFC Championship with a blunder.
After Woolen taunted the Rams in the third quarter, he was slapped with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, resulting in a fresh set of downs for Los Angeles. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford capitalized on the opportunity, as he found wide receiver Puka Nacua for a touchdown to trim Seattle’s lead from 11 to just four points.
Following Nacua’s touchdown, Woolen was seen on the broadcast seemingly having an argument with his teammates on the sidelines.
Riq Woolen getting pressed by his teammates after the taunting penalty and getting burnt for a TD
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) January 26, 2026
pic.twitter.com/pl4X7cUDLQ
It was understandable that some Seahawks were disappointed by Woolen’s blunder, given what was at stake. They didn’t go that far in the NFL playoffs just to get burned by his undeniably boneheaded play.
However, Seattle survived the Rams’ comeback bid and came away with a 31-27 victory at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash., to book a ticket to Super Bowl XLIX.
Woolen also clarified what happened between him and his teammates.
“Wasn’t getting pressed. We brothers and we all chasing greatness we on the same mission,” the 26-year-old Woolen wrote in a post on X.
Still, the Seahawks will want better play from Woolen and the rest of their defense when they square off against Drake Maye and the New England Patriots on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Video of Fred Hoiberg’s locker room eruption vs. Minnesota emerges
The No. 7 Nebraska Cornhuskers remain undefeated through 20 games, thanks in part to head coach Fred Hoiberg’s fiery halftime message during Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
The Cornhuskers found themselves trailing Minnesota by six points at halftime of their game at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minn., mainly because of their faulty defense. The Golden Gophers hit nine 3-pointers in the first half, which was a slap in the face of Nebraska’s stout defense.
Fortunately, Nebraska woke up just in time to turn things around, as the Cornhuskers responded to Hoiberg’s outburst.
Here is the video of Hoiberg giving it to his players in the locker room.
“That’s as bad as a half as we’ve played all year”
— Jake Bartecki NCN-TV (@bartecki_jake) January 25, 2026
Fred Hoiberg was HOT at the half against Minnesota.
These recaps are so electric.
🎥Nebraska Men’s Basketball #Huskers pic.twitter.com/ty4xF6QLJi
The Cornhuskers took control of the game with a 23-8 salvo in the first 10 minutes following the halftime break.
Minnesota showed some life with a mini 4-0 run after a timeout, but the Cornhuskers retaliated with a debilitating 14-0 run on their way to a 76-57 win to collect their ninth victory against a Big Ten opponent and match the program’s best start to conference play since going 9-0 in the Big Eight in the 1965-66 season.
As it stands, the Arizona Wildcats, Miami (OH) RedHawks and Nebraska are the only NCAA Division I teams with unblemished records through Sunday.
Nebraska, which ranked 11th nationally on KenPom with a 94.8 adjusted defensive rating, will have a tough assignment next, as Hoiberg’s squad is scheduled to face the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Tuesday.
Nathan Eovaldi provides a significant 2026 update
Nathan Eovaldi is feeling optimistic about his body as the 2026 Spring Training draws near.
The Texas Rangers right-hander was having a strong 2025 MLB campaign, but his campaign ended in August due to a rotator cuff strain. In October, he went under the knife to address a sports hernia.
But the 35-year-old Eovaldi appears to be raring to get back on the mound, as he expressed his readiness to pitch competitively again.
“I don’t expect to have any limitations coming into Spring Training,” Eovaldi said during an appearance on the “SportsDay Rangers podcast.”
“I’ve been throwing multiple bullpens, and my arm feels great, body feels great, and I’m ready for the season to get going.”
Given how far away the 2026 MLB season still is, what Eovaldi said about his health status is a great sign for his availability right from the get-go of the new campaign.
After winning the World Series in 2023, the Rangers have not been back to the MLB postseason and finished third in the American League West Division in 2024 and 2025 with 78 and 81 victories, respectively.
Having Eovaldi back and possibly in his old, reliable form will give the Rangers’ pitching staff a big shot in the arm after already finishing No. 1 in the big leagues in 2025 with a collective 3.41 ERA among starting pitchers. That takes into account Eovaldi’s 1.73 ERA and 0.854 WHIP across 22 starts.
