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
Dwight Howard thinks Knicks are making a mistake
Dwight Howard thinks the New York Knicks are making a mistake with their approach to winning the NBA Cup.
The Knicks on Tuesday beat the San Antonio Spurs 124-113 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., to win the NBA Cup. They have won six games in a row and 10 of their last 11, so they are hot. But they are not getting too excited early in the season. In fact, the Knicks do not plan to hang a banner to celebrate their NBA Cup victory. The banners they care more about are for winning the championship.
Howard, who is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, thinks the Knicks should celebrate the NBA Cup championship.
“I’m going to be second hand embarrassed if the Knicks don’t raise the NBA Cup Banner (sic) then don’t make it to the championship this year,” he wrote in a post shared to his X account on Wednesday. “Celebrate your wins while you can.”
I’m going to be second hand embarrassed if the Knicks don’t raise the NBA Cup Banner then don’t make it to the championship this year 🤷🏾♂️ Celebrate your wins while you can
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) December 17, 2025
This is the third year the NBA Cup has been held. The Los Angeles Lakers won the first year of it, and the Milwaukee Bucks won it last year. The Lakers were derided for celebrating so hard after winning the first NBA Cup. But Howard’s point is to just celebrate your wins when you can.
The Knicks reached the Eastern Conference finals last season before losing. They haven’t won an NBA championship since 1973.
Puka Nacua trashes fame-hungry NFL referees
Puka Nacua may not be getting some very favorable calls from officials in the near future.
Nacua appeared on a live stream for popular streamer Adin Ross that was published on Ross’ Kick page on Tuesday. During the stream, Ross and Nacua were talking about NFL officials. Nacua wasn’t exactly careful when talking about the refs.
“The refs are the worst. These guys are lawyers … they want to be on TV too. You don’t think he’s texting his friends in the group chat like, ‘Yo, you guys just saw me ‘Sunday Night Football’? That wasn’t PI, but I called it,’” Nacua said, suggesting that some NFL officials might throw flags for personal attention.
When one of the other people suggested that the officials might show more professionalism than that and not do such things, Nacua disputed it.
“These guys are normal human beings too,” Nacua said.
Here is a clip of the comments made by the Los Angeles Rams star receiver:
Rams WR Puka Nacua on NFL referees on Adin Ross’ stream:
— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) December 17, 2025
“The refs are the worst. These guys are lawyers. They want to be on TV too. You don’t think he’s texting his friends in the group chat like, ‘Yo, you just saw me on Sunday Night Football. That wasn’t PI but I called it.’” pic.twitter.com/roNonieP0d
Nacua is in his third NFL season, so he has plenty of game experience. But this probably isn’t what the Rams need when they’re trying to make a Super Bowl run at 11-3 and tied for the NFC West lead. The last thing they need is any officials having a reason not to give them calls.
Nacua is having a huge season. He has 102 catches for 1,367 yards and 6 touchdowns in 13 games this season.
Mets sign another player away from the Yankees
The New York Mets’ offseason plan appears to be to raid the New York Yankees’ bullpen.
The Mets agreed to a two-year contract with reliever Luke Weaver on Wednesday. The deal is worth $22 million over two years, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
When finalized, the Weaver deal will be for 2 years and $22M with the Mets. It is pending physical https://t.co/CUPzBFelxY
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 17, 2025
Weaver spent the last two-plus seasons with the Yankees, where he was relied upon as a key arm in the back end of the bullpen. He posted a 3.22 ERA with the Yankees, and even served as the team’s closer at times.
The Mets already signed Devin Williams away from the Yankees earlier in the offseason. The team also has a third former Yankee closer in Clay Holmes, though he was converted to a starter by the team last season.
Signing Weaver is part of the Mets’ effort to replace Edwin Diaz, who spurned them to join the Los Angeles Dodgers. It is fair to question whether these moves will be enough to sufficiently do that, especially since the team’s offseason has been widely criticized up to this point.
The Mets are essentially resetting their franchise after their late-season collapse in 2025. Whether it has actually improved their roster, however, is a matter of debate.
Knicks have simple explanation for not raising an NBA Cup banner
The New York Knicks do not plan to raise a banner to commemorate their NBA Cup win, though it is not because they think the event was pointless.
The Knicks plan to celebrate the team’s NBA Cup triumph on Friday when they host the Philadelphia 76ers. However, they will not raise a banner at Madison Square Garden because the team simply has bigger ambitions, according to Ian Begley of SNY.
Instead, the Knicks prefer to remain focused on winning an NBA title.
Knicks will not raise an NBA Cup banner at Madison Square Garden, per league source. NYK doesn't want to diminish accomplishment but has bigger goals in mind, winning title in June, source said. NYK is very proud of players & staff winning NBA Cup and will celebrate…
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) December 17, 2025
The Knicks are the first NBA Cup winners to opt against celebrating the accomplishment with a banner. The Los Angeles Lakers raised one after winning the inaugural event, and the Milwaukee Bucks also hung one when they won last season.
The NBA likely will not be thrilled with the Knicks’ decision, as the league wants to legitimize the in-season cup as a significant title that teams should prioritize. On the other hand, Knicks fans are unlikely to be too disappointed, especially in light of the team’s stated reason for passing on the opportunity.
The NBA Cup win does have huge ramifications for some Knicks players. As a team accomplishment, though, they are much focused on other things.
Tyreek Hill sends message after Tua Tagovailoa’s benching
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill sent a pointed message after the team decided to bench quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for the remainder of the season.
Hill went X to post a GIF of a man throwing up a peace sign and then disappearing after news spread that Tagovailoa was being benched. Most took this as Hill signifying that he is finished with the Dolphins as a result.
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) December 17, 2025
It is theoretically possible that Hill’s sentiment is directed at Tagovailoa himself. The two did seem to have some issues at the start of the season. However, Hill has been an ardent supporter of the quarterback in the past. Plus, the wide receiver realistically would not want to be part of a rebuild with a new quarterback anyway.
Hill may not have to do anything else to get his wish, as it would make sense for the Dolphins to cut him loose once the season is over. He has not played since September due to a serious knee injury that could keep him out into 2026.
The Dolphins certainly face an uncertain future now. There is a real chance they will have to essentially rebuild the offense without Hill and Tagovailoa, who have formed the core of the offense for four seasons.
Dolphins decide on their new starting quarterback
The Miami Dolphins are making a quarterback change, and have opted to go an interesting route with their new starter.
The Dolphins are benching Tua Tagovailoa and will start rookie Quinn Ewers against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
A major move in Miami: the Dolphins are benching QB Tua Tagovailoa and turning to Quinn Ewers as their new starting QB, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2025
Ewers’ first start comes Sunday vs. the Bengals. pic.twitter.com/lzs2J1EfjP
The choice of Ewers to start is an intriguing one. The former Texas quarterback was a seventh-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft and was initially the team’s third-string quarterback. He was eventually promoted to the backup role, and even got some playing time in a blowout Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel had hinted fairly strongly that Tagovailoa would be benched after a poor showing against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. By starting Ewers ahead of Zach Wilson, the coach is likely seeing if the seventh-round pick can flash enough potential to demonstrate that he might have an NFL future.
Tagovailoa has thrown for 2,660 yards with 20 touchdowns and a career-worst 15 interceptions this season. His long-term future with Miami is murky at best.
