Dillon Brooks takes another shot at ‘overrated’ LeBron James
Dillon Brooks never shies away from an opportunity to diss LeBron James.
The Phoenix Suns forward was on a live stream Saturday with internet personality N3on when he was asked who he believes is the most overrated player in the league. After giving it some thought, Brooks name-dropped a familiar foe.
“Overrated? I’ll probably say LeBron right now,” Brooks responded. “I feel like he’s overrated right now. I feel like his time is coming to an end. He’s got to pass that on to one of our world guys, whether Luka or Shai.
“When you’re on the floor, and it’s between those four lines, no matter if you’re LeBron James or my grandmother, bro, it’s war from when the buzzer sounds.”
llkNBA star Dillon Brooks told Streamer N3on that LeBron James is the most overrated player in the NBA 😳
— NBA Bangers (@NBABangers) February 1, 2026
pic.twitter.com/dPko1VW9kV
Given Brooks’ history with James both on and off the court, it probably would’ve been more of a surprise if the Canadian swingman had given a different answer. Brooks similarly took shots at James in December, calling the Lakers star “a social media junkie” who cares too much about what people are saying about him.
Brooks doesn’t really discriminate on who he’s willing to have beef with. The former Houston Rockets wing feuded with Kevin Durant last season and even got under Anthony Edwards’ skin.
In all fairness to Brooks, he’s backed up a lot of his talk this season with his own play on the court. Through his first 43 games with the Suns, Brooks has averaged 21.1 points on 44.8% shooting — both career highs.
Cavaliers agree to surprising trade with Kings
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings have kicked off trade season days before the Feb. 5 deadline.
The Cavaliers have reportedly agreed to trade wing De’Andre Hunter to the Kings in exchange for guards Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Sacramento also sends Dario Saric and two second-round picks to the Chicago Bulls as part of the deal.
BREAKING: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, sources tell ESPN. The three-team deal includes the Chicago Bulls acquiring Kings forward Dario Saric and two future second-round picks. pic.twitter.com/Hoc6bP0hhj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 1, 2026
The move comes almost a year after the Cavaliers acquired Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks to shore up their small forward spot.
Hunter was projected to be the ideal wing to play alongside the backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. But the Virginia product never really meshed with the rest of the team’s core.
The 6’7″ swingman has seen his shooting efficiency dip to career-worst levels so far this season. Through 43 games, Hunter has averaged 14.0 points on 42.3% shooting and a career-low 30.8% from the three-point line.
The trade coincides with the emergence of second-year guard Jaylon Tyson, who has firmly supplanted Hunter in the starting lineup. Tyson turned heads when he made a rather disrespectful comment toward LeBron James earlier this week, but he has since apologized.
While Tyson’s promo skills still need a bit of work, the trade of Hunter shows how much faith the Cavaliers have in him.
Bulls announcers go bananas after 5-foot-7 Yuki Kawamura wins a jump ball
Chicago Bulls guard Yuki Kawamura proved Saturday that height isn’t always might.
Kawamura got his first taste of NBA action this season in a weekend clash against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla. The Japanese-born player wasted little time making an impact, flying all over the floor and making hustle plays to help his team.
No sequence embodied Kawamura’s efforts more than his torment of Heat guard Kasparas Jakučionis midway through the fourth quarter. Yuki ferociously fought to force Kasparas into a jump ball, then somehow stole the tip away from the Lithuanian, who stood a foot taller than him.
Bulls announcers Adam Amin and Stacey King were absolutely loving the whole thing.
Yuki Kawamura forces the jumpball.
— NBA (@NBA) February 1, 2026
Yuki Kawamura wins the jumpball!
"HE WON THE TIP, HE WON THE TIP!"
Hilarious moment in South Beach 🤣 pic.twitter.com/dE4MzAeRWx
The Bulls signed Kawamura to a two-way contract before the season began, but let him go after he suffered a leg injury. Chicago signed him to another two-way contract again earlier this month and let him take the floor for the first time Saturday against the Heat.
Kawamura made sure to repay the Bulls for their trust. He finished with 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals across 11 minutes of action. The man hit a pair of threes and dropped a couple of dimes during crucial stretches for Chicago.
Yuki Kawamura drops a slick dime to Matas Buzelis 😲 pic.twitter.com/tTtj6RRWzY
— NBA Philippines (@NBA_Philippines) February 1, 2026
Yuki also made several effort plays that didn’t show up in the box score, helping the Bulls score a 125-118 victory over Miami.
Boxer’s toupee flies off his head after taking haymakers
Jaylen Brown now has some competition for the worst athlete hair fail of the past year.
Heavyweight boxer Jarrell Miller appeared to have a fresh cut for his bout against Kingsley Ibeh at Madison Square Garden in New York City, N.Y. But Miller’s slick fade was exposed as a fake not long into the fight.
Ibeh landed a few heavy blows to the head, knocking Miller’s noggin back every time. Each punch helped dislodge the toupee Miller was wearing until it was completely off his dome. The scene looked reminiscent of a Three Stooges skit or something straight out of the Looney Tunes universe.
Jarrell Miller getting his hair knocked off his head 😂😂😭 pic.twitter.com/d27dr4KwEO
— Hassan (@Hassanwellss) February 1, 2026
Rather than get embarrassed, Miller embraced the moment. He ripped off the toupee between rounds and chucked it into the crowd and right into the hands of Australian boxer Skye Nicolson. That’s quite the unconventional post-match souvenir.
Looks like Skye Nicolson caught Jarrell Miller's wig 🤣 pic.twitter.com/4xQzWnW1wq
— Pro Boxing Fans (@ProBoxingFans) February 1, 2026
The moment Jarrell Miller ripped his wig off.#Boxing #MillerIbeh pic.twitter.com/vEDNTIlWwz
— Ayman Khan (@TakeAymz) February 1, 2026
Miller shook off the hilarious moment and kept his composure throughout the match. He fittingly won by a hair in a split decision victory over Ibeh.
During his post-fight interview, Miller explained that he had accidentally used bleach instead of shampoo during a visit to his mom’s house a couple of days before the fight.
It took Miller a while to realize that bald is truly beautiful. Maybe Jaylen Brown will learn to understand that soon enough, too.
Kevin Durant pulls off a wild nutmeg pass against the Mavericks
Kevin Durant isn’t exactly known for his passing skills, but he definitely has some tricks in his dime bag.
He reached for one of them on Saturday night during a Houston Rockets home game against the visiting Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
After attracting a soft double team in one possession early in the contest, Durant immediately made Dallas pay for that decision by getting the leather to Amen Thompson in style.
The former NBA Most Valuable Player split the Mavs’ defense with a slick pass that went through the legs of Dallas guard Max Christie, whose facial reaction to Durant’s dime added a touch of perfection to the moment. Thompson was not able to finish the play with a bucket, but drew a foul at the rim.
Also worth noting was Thompson’s great presence of mind, as he made a great cut to the basket after realizing all the attention the Mavs were paying Durant.
You can watch that play here.
If Amen Thompson finished this 😦
— ESPN (@espn) February 1, 2026
What a pass by Kevin Durant!! Watch Mavs-Rockets NOW on ABC and the ESPN App 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SnxBRM2gcv
With Fred VanVleet out for the 2025-26 NBA season due to an injury, the Rockets have been operating without a true star point guard.
That helps explain why Houston entered Saturday as the league’s second-worst team with just a 57.7% assist rate. Still, the Rockets own one of the best offenses in the league, as they are top five with a 118.0 offensive rating heading into the meeting with the Mavericks.
Everyone said the same thing after Darryn Peterson cooked AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Darryn Peterson needed just 20 minutes to sway fans to hop on his bandwagon.
The Kansas guard was en fuego in the first half of his team’s high-profile matchup Saturday against AJ Dybantsa and BYU. Peterson torched the nets at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., putting up 18 points in the first half alone to help the Jayhawks cruise to a 90-82 win over the Cougars.
Peterson took his 1-on-1 showdown with Dybantsa personally. The Kansas star looked a cut above his BYU counterpart in the opening half, with several electrifying plays when the two were matched up with one another.
DARRYN PETERSON TOUGH BUCKET ON AJ DYBANTSA 🍿
— ESPN (@espn) January 31, 2026
Watch BYU-Kansas now on ESPN and the ESPN App. pic.twitter.com/x0IxjFnanb
Just watch Peterson blow by Dybantsa and throw down a ferocious slam over BYU big man Keba Keita.
OMG DARRYN PETERSON😱
— ESPN (@espn) January 31, 2026
“I’m no doctor Jay, but I think he’s feeling pretty good right now.” 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/EPoFnjfKRe
Peterson and Dybantsa are expected to be the first two names called in the 2026 NBA Draft. Several fans viewed Saturday’s game as evidence that Peterson was the far superior prospect between the two.
You can watch any given AJ Dybantsa or Cam Boozer game and wonder how they’re not gonna be the No. 1 pick… then Darryn Peterson plays and reminds us all there are levels to this.
— Tyler King (@King_TylerB) January 31, 2026
Special, special hooper. pic.twitter.com/WkNfKDVLa2
AJ Dybantsa is a great prospect. Cam Boozer is a great prospect.
— Tyler Edsel (@tyleredsel76) January 31, 2026
Darryn Peterson comes around once every 25 years.
After having watched exactly 10 minutes of college basketball this season I have decided that Darryn Peterson is much better than AJ Dybantsa.
— Noops Christenson (@_Noops) January 31, 2026
AJ Dybantsa really isn’t in the same tier as Darryn Peterson.
— Brooklyn Netcast (@BrooklynNetcast) January 31, 2026
Peterson the best guard prospect in atleast 10 years, maybe this century.
The only thing really holding Peterson back right now is his inability to stay on the court. He played just a few minutes of the second half before being taken out of the game for what Bill Self labeled a bout with cramps.
It was right in line with the mysterious injury woes Peterson has dealt with throughout the season. Peterson finished with 18 points and 3 steals on 6/8 shooting across 20 minutes of action. Dybantsa tallied 17 points on 6/12 from the field in 34 minutes.
Giants land 3-time All-Star on 1-year deal
The San Francisco Giants continue to make moves in MLB free agency.
On Saturday, San Francisco landed one of the top remaining free agents, according to several reports.
“The Giants and Luis Arraez are in agreement on a one-year contract, sources tell ESPN,” Jorge Castillo of ESPN shared via a post on X
Earlier, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported that Arraez had multiple offers on the table, with a return to playing second base a “determining factor.” It appears that he’ll have his wish granted in the Bay Area, as the Giants now add him to their offense.
During the 2025 MLB season with the San Diego Padres, the three-time All-Star Arraez served mostly at first base and as a designated hitter. This time with the Giants, he’ll take over the second base slot, which means a likely move for Casey Schmitt to a utility role.
Given his well-known lack of power, Arraez isn’t exactly a perfect fit for the pitcher-friendly Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., but the Giants are adding him for his ability to make contact.
The 28-year-old Venezuelan is a three-time batting champion and a career .292 hitter in the big leagues.
One drawback of Arraez, aside from his lack of power, is his dismal walk rate (6.5% in his career). However, he can still provide a major spark to San Francisco’s offense while batting in front of Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman, who combined for 71 homers with the Giants in 2025.
Draymond Green responds to rumors he could be traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Draymond Green is not in denial that his days with the Golden State Warriors could be numbered.
The Warriors have emerged as a top contender in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. With the Greek Freak carrying with him an annual salary north of $50 million, Golden State would need to send back large contracts to make any prospective trade work.
The Warriors could throw Jimmy Butler’s salary in any deal to match Giannis. But if the team decides they’d rather keep Butler instead, Green would almost certainly be involved to make salaries work. A combination of Draymond and Jonathan Kuminga would total just shy of $50 million.
On Saturday, Green was asked about the possibility of being included in a Giannis trade package.
“I’ve been here for 14 years. I have no reason to sit and worry about leaving,” Draymond said. “But if I’m traded, that’s part of the business, so it is what it is. I ain’t losing no sleep though. I slept great last night. Incredible. I slept longer than I’ve slept in a long time. So, sleep’s well. Sleeping good.”
Green has indeed been a pillar of the Warriors’ dynasty over the past decade and a half. But folks could say the same about Klay Thompson before he was sent packing two seasons ago.
On the one hand, trading Green would feel like a betrayal for some fans, given what he’s meant to the franchise. On the other hand, sacrificing Draymond to land Giannis could also be seen as the team’s show of dedication to surrounding Steph Curry with the right pieces in the twilight years of his career.
Ex-Mavericks star gets hit with backlash for Cooper Flagg comment
Former Dallas Mavericks star forward Jamal Mashburn is getting dunked on for his hot take on NBA rookie Cooper Flagg.
Just a day after Flagg scored 49 points in an NBA game, Mashburn said the former Duke star wouldn’t have cracked the top five on his list of best freshmen had Flagg stayed for another college season.
“If I was to put him on that list, he would be sixth,” Mashburn said about where he would have Flagg on his current list of top freshmen in college basketball, a take that drew a surprised reaction from fellow TNT Sports personality Adam Lefkoe.
While the current group of freshmen in the college level is indeed stacked with incredible talent, with the likes of Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Caleb Wilson and Darryn Peterson all grabbing headlines on a regular basis, there is a strong case to be made that Flagg would still be better than all of them if he remained in Durham.
But Mashburn surely doesn’t share that stance.
“I just think that this freshman class and you contribute everybody from last year. Those guys will still be at the top of the list. Cooper Flagg has some holes in his game,” added Mashburn, who played parts of his first four seasons in the NBA with the Mavericks.
"If I was to put [Cooper Flagg] on that list [of current Freshman], he would be 6th." 😳@jamalmashburn breaks down why this year's top Freshman stand out to him 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/qGkknRPSgp
— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) January 31, 2026
Meanwhile, Mashburn has triggered a lot of fans with his take.
🤣🤣 flagg just put up 49 in the nba the other night
— choonz (@lostTobobbyflay) January 31, 2026
The cooper Flagg hate is really weird lol 😂
— Jay (@Iminit8228) February 1, 2026
Former Mav saying outlandish things about Flagg? Say it ain’t so, Mash?!
— Adam (@Bravo_0ne) January 31, 2026
Embarrassing comment
— Bill Hurst 🇺🇸 (@billhurst) February 1, 2026
As mentioned, Flagg had just set a new career-high on Friday in a 123-121 loss to the Charlotte Hornets at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, so the proximity of Mashburn’s comment to that performance added an extra flavor to his spicy claim.
A major factor in Luis Arraez’s MLB free agency decision has emerged
Luis Arraez is still looking for a job with spring training just less than three weeks away.
A three-time All-Star who is still very much in his prime, Arraez being an MLB free agent this deep into the offseason may be confounding to some, but it shouldn’t be long before he lands a new contract.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, multiple teams have offers on the table for Arraez, with the three-time batting champion favoring a particular position.
“Luis Arraez is currently weighing one-year and multi-year offers from clubs, but sources say his priority is to return to second base, which could wind up being the determining factor in his decision,” wrote Feinsand in a post on X.
The 28-year-old Arraez played multiple positions in the infield in the 2025 MLB season with the San Diego Padres, but mostly spent his time at first base and as a designated hitter. While he’s an extremely dependable contact hitter, Arraez’s suspect defense and weak bat weigh down his overall value.
In the 2025 season, Arraez hit .292, but only had a .719 OPS, thanks to his below-average walk rate (5.0%) and unimpressive slugging percentage (.392). Moreover, he finished the 2025 season in the 4th percentile with a minus-9 OAA (Outs Above Average).
That being said, a hitter like Arraez will always find a job in the big leagues, and it should just be a matter of time before he puts pen to paper for a new contract.
Rapper Toosii blames ‘bozo’ coach for his Syracuse decision
Rapper Toosii will apparently not be playing college football at Syracuse this fall after all.
Toosii, whose real name is Nau’jour Grainger, backed out of his commitment based on a TikTok video he posted this week. He suggested that he only planned to go to Syracuse if he was offered a scholarship, but Syracuse coach Fran Brown had publicly said Grainger would be a walk-on.
“No coach, that ain’t what happened,” Grainger said. “I told you I wasn’t coming there no more, and you feel like you wanted to break the news first before I told people what school I was going to. (Brown) is a bozo for that.”
The 25-year-old had publicly committed to Syracuse late last year. He had other scholarship offers elsewhere, but Syracuse was the best one on the table, or so he thought.
Grainger gave up playing football at age 16 so he could focus on his music career, which has become a success. He has more than 3 million monthly subscribers on Spotify and has had multiple platinum singles. Toosii also has millions of followers combined across his social media accounts. It remains to be seen if he intends to latch on at a different school or will give up on playing college football entirely.
Long-shot team could attempt to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo would draw trade interest from virtually every NBA team, though there are only a few he would realistically consider re-signing with. One of those long-shot teams, however, might make a real attempt to bring him in.
The Portland Trail Blazers have informed the Milwaukee Bucks that they have real interest in acquiring Antetokounmpo, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line. The team does accept that a deal is unlikely, and if they play a part in an Antetokounmpo trade, it will likely be as a third team to facilitate someone else getting him.
The Blazers are 23-26 this season and do not profile as a contender. The Bucks tried the Antetokounmpo-Damian Lillard combination unsuccessfully, so it is even more puzzling that the Blazers might try to do better with it. They also have former Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, but it makes for an aging core that does not have a long-term future together.
The Bucks have yet to decide whether they will even trade Antetokounmpo, and are essentially canvassing the market at this stage. A trade may be more likely in the offseason due to the complexity of such a transaction.
If Antetokounmpo is traded this week, one team is expected to have a leg up on the competition.
A new North Carolina record was set in huge win against Georgia Tech
North Carolina Tar Heels freshman Caleb Wilson is expected to be selected early in the 2026 NBA Draft, and he showed why again during Saturday’s dismantling of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, Ga.
Wilson led the way for the Tar Heels, as he finished with 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting from the field in North Carolina’s 91-75 road victory over another ACC rival.
With that performance, he broke his tie with Tar Heels legend Tyler Hansbrough for most 20-point games by a freshman in a season.
Hansbrough had 14 such games during the 2005-06 season, which Wilson tied in North Carolina’s 85-80 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers on Jan. 24.
UNC freshman Caleb Wilson went off for 22 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists against Georgia Tech 🔥
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) January 31, 2026
This marked his 15th 20-point game of the season, the most ever by a freshman in Tar Heels history 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Wo7PjhGttu
In addition to his scoring, Wilson grabbed 6 rebounds and dished out 5 assists with 1 steal and 1 block for the Tar Heels, who improved to 17-4 overall and 5-3 in conference play.
Wilson is widely viewed as a one-and-done for North Carolina, and it’s not hard to see why, as he’s consistently shown that he’s too good for the college level.
As a team, North Carolina shot just 46% versus the Yellow Jackets, but the Tar Heels dominated the possession battle, as they had 19 more attempts from the field than Georgia Tech.
Wilson can add to his new record on Tuesday, when the Tar Heels host the Syracuse Orange at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Report reveals whether Myles Garrett wants to leave Browns
The Cleveland Browns reportedly are not sweating Myles Garrett’s recent cryptic social media activity.
The Browns are not concerned about Garrett requesting a trade, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. While the team understands how loyal Garrett is to defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, they also kept him in the loop during their coaching search, and he was aware that Todd Monken would be the team’s choice to replace Kevin Stefanski. They also are not making much of Garrett’s Instagram post, which seemed to be a reference to Schwartz not getting the job.
The Browns do not expect Garrett to ask for a trade. If he does, they plan to refuse to grant him one, just as they did last year.
Schwartz was said to be furious that he was not promoted to head coach. The team wants him to remain in his current role, but he may not be willing to do that, which sparked speculation of how Garrett might react if Schwartz leaves.
The Browns cannot afford to lose Garrett, who just set the NFL single-season sack record with 23. He signed a four-year contract extension with the team last year, and the Browns are fully expecting him to see it through, whether Schwartz stays or not.
Dodgers star claims blocked him from playing in World Baseball Classic
One Los Angeles Dodgers star said the team prevented him from playing in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, leaving him with no say in the matter.
Pitcher Roki Sasaki was asked this week what went into his decision to skip the WBC and not play for Japan in the event. Sasaki said it had not been up to him at all, and the Dodgers made the call for him.
“That’s actually a team decision. I’m just going to go focus on the season,” Sasaki said via his translator.
Roki Sasaki says that it was the team’s decision for him not to pitch in the WBC.
— AM 570 LA Sports (@AM570LASports) January 31, 2026
(@THEREAL_DV) pic.twitter.com/rQRedH5XAa
Sasaki did not seem upset about the decision, but he did make clear the choice was not his. The Dodgers are well within their rights to make that decision, though it is unusual if it happened without any consultation with the player.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is going to the World Baseball Classic, but will not pitch during the event. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that had been Ohtani’s decision, however.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Shohei Ohtani will not pitch in the WBC, adding that it was Ohtani’s decision.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) January 31, 2026
The Dodgers have good reason to play it safe with Sasaki. He is still just 24 and dealt with shoulder issues last season. The team would undoubtedly prefer it if he did not pitch in such a high-intensity environment so early in the season.
Sasaki was a disappointment last season, even putting aside the injuries. However, he posted an 0.84 ERA in the playoffs and emerged as a weapon in the back of the Dodger bullpen as they won another World Series.
Lonzo Ball linked to 1 team in trade rumors
Lonzo Ball may end up going even further east.
The Washington Wizards are showing interest in trading for the Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ball, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Saturday. Scotto notes that the Wizards are in a prime position to accept salary dumps as they have $30 million in luxury tax room space as well as multiple traded player exceptions to work with.
Ball, 28, is averaging 4.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game this season in a limited bench role for the Cavaliers. Earlier this week, we heard that the chances of the former No. 2 overall pick being traded ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline were increasing.
The Wizards are not obviously going anywhere this season at 12-35 (14th in the Eastern Conference). But over the last year or so, they have taken on several forgotten names with sizable contracts, including Khris Middleton, CJ McCollum, and Marcus Smart.
Washington was able to turn some of those players (and ancillary assets) into a blockbuster move for Trae Young earlier this month. They have also managed to pick up some future draft compensation in exchange for accepting those salary dumps from other teams.
Ball’s contract makes him a similarly appealing option for the Wizards. He is making $10 million this season and has a $10 million club option for next season.
That means Washington could trade for Ball and keep their books clear for next season by simply cutting bait with him in the summer. But if Ball does well for them over the next couple of months, the Wizards would also have the option of keeping him around in 2026-27 as a veteran role player and guide for some of their younger talents.
Tariq Woolen gets fined by the NFL
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen is still paying for his taunting penalty during the NFC Championship.
The NFL announced Saturday that Woolen would be fined $17,389 by the NFL for his costly taunt, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. He was the only player fined from championship weekend.
Woolen very nearly cost the Seahawks with a stupid taunting penalty that directly led to a Los Angeles Rams touchdown and raised doubts about whether the Seahawks would even hold on and win the game. The 15-yard penalty extended a Rams drive and allowed them to make it a 31-27 game, though the Seahawks held the rest of the way.
The foul seemingly got Woolen’s teammates on his case, too, though the cornerback later downplayed the situation.
Woolen probably did not need the financial hit to remind him to keep his composure better in the future, but he is getting it anyway. The 26-year-old played in 16 regular season games this year, and will not face any further discipline ahead of next Sunday’s Super Bowl.
Update emerges on Patriots DC Terrell Williams amid cancer battle
The New England Patriots are getting some very welcome news on defensive coordinator Terrell Williams.
Williams has officially been declared cancer-free after a battle over the last several months with prostate cancer, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on Saturday. Rapoport adds that Williams will be traveling with the Patriots for next weekend’s Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
That will mark the first time that Williams has traveled with the Patriots ever since his diagnosis. You can read Rapoport’s full report on the situation here.
The 51-year-old Williams is in his first season as the defensive coordinator for New England after gaining nearly a decade-and-half of experience as a defensive line coach in the NFL. But he had to step away from the Patriots in September (days after their regular season opener) after receiving his prostate cancer diagnosis. Prior to that, Williams had collapsed during a New England practice in August.
In Williams’ absence, inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr has taken over for the Patriots as the interim defensive coordinator. New England went on to post the NFL’s eighth-best defense during the regular season in yards allowed and the fourth-best defense in points allowed.
Williams was in the news again several days ago after ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith made a bad mistake about him on the air. But now the Patriots are set to get a major boost ahead of the Super Bowl on Feb. 8 with the fantastic news that Williams is cancer-free and is going to be back with them in time for The Big Game.
Nuggets announcer blasted ‘free throw merchant’ James Harden
Denver Nuggets announcer Scott Hastings made his feelings about James Harden very clear during Friday’s game between the Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers.
Harden was checking into the Nuggets’ 122-109 win at Ball Arena in Denver, Co. on Friday when Hastings, a former NBA player and current analyst, decided to take a rather disrespectful approach to his entry.
“Now you’ve got the other free throw merchant coming back in the game, so you want to try and defend without fouling down the stretch,” Hastings said.
Nuggets announcer when James Harden checks in the game:
— Logion Noops (@LogionNoops) January 31, 2026
“Here comes the other FREE THROW MERCHANT.” 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/XqGjB8hfIt
Harden is somewhat infamous for trying to initiate contact and draw fouls to get to the free throw line, a reputation that has trailed him for much of his career. While the title of “free throw merchant” has been usurped by a younger player, the reputation will undoubtedly follow Harden until the end of his career.
The irony of this is that Harden only shot five free throws during Friday’s loss, which is below his season average of 8.5 per game. That hardly mattered to Hastings, though his comments were somehow not the most scathing ones ever made about Harden by a media member.
Justin Jefferson makes brutal comment about Vikings’ QB situation
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson got brutally honest about his team’s quarterback situation in a new interview.
Jefferson spoke with Prince Grimes of USA Today and was asked about Sam Darnold leading the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl one year after the Vikings let him go. While Jefferson is rooting for Darnold, he admitted it has been “tough” to watch his former teammate succeed elsewhere.
“Yeah, for sure, definitely,” Jefferson said when asked if a part of him wished he could have run it back with Darnold. “Everyone knows the difficulty of the quarterback position this year, how we were dealt it. Having a quarterback that already had a season under his belt with us, knew the plays, knew the playbook, knew the players, throwing to me, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, all these guys, I definitely feel like we would have done better. But it is what it is, it’s on to newer and better things.
The Vikings infamously opted to let Darnold walk in free agency last year and turn the position over to second-year quarterback JJ McCarthy. McCarthy battled injuries and performed poorly even when healthy, throwing 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 10 games. That’s a far cry from the 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions Darnold posted for Minnesota last year, and the 25 touchdowns and 14 picks he had for the Seahawks in 2025.
Jefferson is not trying to throw McCarthy or anyone else under the bus. He is simply stating the obvious. The Vikings probably would have been a playoff team this season had they kept Darnold. The Vikings have stood by their decision, though it probably played a role in getting their general manager fired.
Jefferson’s production also suffered with the quarterback position being such a problem. Some thought it was bad enough to push him out of the franchise, but he still seems committed, for better or worse.
