Russell Westbrook now NBA’s highest-scoring PG ever
In a historic milestone, Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook surpassed Oscar Robertson to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer among point guards, reaching 26,711 career points during a 129-102 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
Westbrook, 37, sealed the record with a driving layup in the fourth quarter, finishing the game with 17 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.
He eclipsed Robertson’s mark of 26,710 points, an unofficial record long held by “The Big O.”
The achievement adds to Westbrook’s legendary resume: He already owns the NBA’s triple-double record and recently passed Magic Johnson for seventh on the all-time assists list last month.
Reflecting on that milestone, Westbrook revealed basketball wasn’t his childhood dream.
“I grew up wanting to play football,” Westbrook said, via Yahoo! Sports. “I grew up playing football, taking a bus, going to the park, playing, just being a normal kid in the city.”
Far from slowing down, Westbrook has insisted retirement is not on his mind.
“I just take it day by day,” he stated, crediting his longevity to relentless preparation.
Averaging 14.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.0 assists this season, the nine-time All-Star continues to defy age and cement his status as one of the greatest point guards ever.
T.J. Watt ‘excited to play’ after recovering from collapsed lung
Pittsburgh Steelers star edge rusher T.J. Watt is set to return in a critical AFC North showdown against the Baltimore Ravens after recovering from a partially collapsed lung.
The injury stemmed from a rare complication during dry needling treatment at the team’s facility. Watt experienced severe pain shortly after the procedure, leading to hospitalization and successful surgery on December 10 to repair the lung.
“I got dry needling at the facility. Didn’t feel right shortly afterwards. I was in a significant amount of pain,” Watt recounted, via NFL.com. “Ended up going to the hospital and getting surgery. Recovery was different because it was something I wasn’t used to.”
After missing three games, Watt progressed through recovery and became a full participant in practice this week, earning no injury designation for the game.
“I feel pretty good. Honestly, I don’t know if I could say that a week ago, but I feel really good,” Watt said. “I feel really confident about the week of practice, and I’m excited to play.”
Watt expressed gratitude to the Steelers’ medical staff and Dr. Ryan M. Levy at UPMC for guiding his unique recovery process. He also noted he’ll take a break from dry needling.
Sunday night’s showdown between the Steelers and Ravens will determine the AFC North champion and the likely futures of both Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh.
Watt hasn’t played since the teams’ last meeting in Week 14, a 27-22 Steelers victory.
Giants star appears at Knicks game after being ruled out with illness
New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson raised eyebrows Friday night when he appeared courtside at Madison Square Garden, looking energetic and healthy during the Knicks’ game against the Atlanta Hawks — just hours after being ruled out for the team’s Week 18 finale against the Dallas Cowboys due to illness.
Johnson was officially listed as out on the Giants’ final injury report of the season, marking the second straight week he missed games for the same reason.
An apparent illness has circulated through the locker room, previously sidelining players like defensive lineman D.J. Davidson, linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, cornerback Art Green, nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, edge rusher Abdul Carter, and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt during practice.
Earlier this week, reports indicated Carter, Johnson, and Hyatt were sent home due to symptoms.
Photos of Johnson at the game quickly went viral, prompting him to address the situation on his Instagram story with a photo from MSG and the declaration: “I am not sick.“
The discrepancy could draw scrutiny from the NFL, which strictly penalizes inaccurate injury reports, previously fining teams like the Baltimore Ravens for similar violations.
The league is likely to investigate, though neither the Giants nor NFL officials have commented yet.
Nebraska pleads with fans: Stop storming the court
No. 13 Nebraska survived a gritty defensive battle to defeat No. 9 Michigan State, 58-56, on Friday night, extending the program’s longest win streak to 18 games and improving to a perfect 14-0 (3-0 Big Ten).
Rienk Mast drained the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:54 left and finished with a team-high 19 points. Pryce Sandfort added 13 and Jamarques Lawrence 12 for the Huskers, who held the Spartans to poor second-half shooting and forced 19 turnovers.
The electric crowd at Pinnacle Bank Arena erupted at the buzzer, with thousands of red-clad fans storming the court in celebration — a scene captured in viral photos and videos of the sea of supporters surrounding players.
Yet in the postgame press conference, Nebraska’s players gently pushed back.
“We’re supposed to win that game, guys,” Lawrence said, via ESPN. “No more court storms, please.”
Mast agreed, but appreciated the passion, emphasizing the team now expects to beat ranked opponents.
“If you’re the No. 13 against the No. 9 and you’re at home, in my opinion, you’re supposed to win that game,” Mast said. “I don’t blame the fans. They got excited for that win. From here on out, we’ve proven we belong in these games, and we’re supposed to win these types of games.”
While the players downplayed the drama, the victory ranks among the biggest in program history.
Still, for a program seeking its first NCAA tournament victory, the message is clear — court storms are for upsets, not the new normal.
Ole Miss QB plans to enter transfer portal
Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons plans to enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility remaining, reports ESPN.
The decision comes after the No. 6 Rebels’ thrilling 39-34 upset victory over No. 3 Georgia in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Simmons, a Miami native, opened the 2025 season as the Rebels’ starter, throwing for 341 yards and three touchdowns in a 63-7 rout of Georgia State. However, an ankle injury suffered in a win at Kentucky the following week sidelined him, paving the way for Trinidad Chambliss to take over.
Chambliss went on to start the next 12 games, passing for 3,660 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for 520 yards and eight scores, finishing eighth in Heisman voting.
Simmons completed 60 percent of his passes for 744 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions in limited action this season. He intends to remain with Ole Miss through the CFP semifinal against No. 10 Miami on January 8 in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and enter the portal with a no-contact tag.
ESPN reports that Missouri is his likely destination.
The move adds uncertainty to Ole Miss’ 2026 quarterback outlook, especially with Chambliss’ waiver for a sixth season still pending.
Notre Dame coach charges referee after losing on controversial 4-point play call
Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry was livid Friday after the final buzzer sounded in his team’s dramatic loss to Cal.
The Fighting Irish led the Golden Bears 71-68 with less than 10 seconds left at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, Calif. One stop was all Notre Dame needed to escape the road venue with a victory.
Cal star Dai Dai Ames wanted to go for the tie, but ended up getting even more than that. With Notre Dame guard Logan Imes hounding him across the full length of the court, Ames got fouled while taking a side-step triple from the left wing. Ames sank the shot, which was initially ruled a four-point play.
The play was then overturned and deemed a foul on the floor, before referees conferred and reversed the call again. The final call was that Ames got fouled while shooting a three-pointer.CAL WALKS OFF NOTRE DAME ON A 4 POINT PLAY
— College Basketball Content (@CBBcontent) January 3, 2026
Notre Dame was trying to “foul up 3” pic.twitter.com/f0ssCEICmr
The Cal junior sank the go-ahead free throw to give his Bears a 72-71 victory on a shot that would make Larry Johnson proud.
Shrewsberry was furious once the final buzzer sounded. The Notre Dame coach charged one of the referees who was on his way to the tunnel. Shrewsberry had to be restrained by members of his coaching staff to prevent the situation from escalating further.
A wild scene following Cal’s 72-71 win over Notre Dame. Micah Shrewsberry loses his mind and tries to go after an official. pic.twitter.com/isIIQGnlvh
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreeman05_) January 3, 2026
Notre Dame led by double digits in the first half but saw its lead evaporate after halftime. It was Ames’ huge second half that lifted Cal to victory.
Amex scored 17 of his 23 points after the break, including two triples in the final 11 seconds to stun the Irish on their way out of Haas Pavilion.
Wild stat emerges about Panthers’ path to playoffs
The Carolina Panthers are in line to make an unusual mark on NFL history.
The 8-8 Panthers can clinch a postseason berth this weekend via a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or a New Orleans Saints loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Either result would ensure that Carolina clinches the NFC South crown.
If the Panthers do make the playoffs, they would become the first team since the 1970 NFL merger to make it without being favored in a single one of their victories. The feat would stand even if Carolina wins on Saturday, as they are slight underdogs against Tampa Bay on the road.
2 teams have 0 wins as a favorite this season. The 3-13 Jets and 8-8 Panthers.
— Doug Clawson (@doug_clawson) January 2, 2026
Carolina can be the 1st team since the 1970 merger to make the playoffs with 0 wins as a favorite.
Carolina has only been an outright favorite twice this season. Both instances were against the Saints and the Panthers went 0-2 in those contests.
The closest the Panthers had to a win as the betting favorite came against the New York Jets, coincidentally the only other team without a win as a favorite this season. Carolina was the very slight underdog in the Week 7 matchup against what was then a 0-6 Jets squad at MetLife Stadium.
The Panthers’ wins over the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams both came with Carolina considered double-digit underdogs.
If anything, Panthers head coach Dave Canales would be wise to use the shot at history as bulletin board material for his team. A Carolina squad playing with “nobody believes in us” energy could very well play spoiler in the Wild Card round, assuming they get there.
Giannis Antetokounmpo drew up his own play for game-winning alley-oop dunk
Giannis Antetokounmpo made Doc Rivers’ job much easier Friday by serving as a player-coach for at least one play during the Milwaukee Bucks’ win over the Charlotte Hornets.
The Bucks trailed the Hornets 121-120 with 8.8 seconds left on the clock at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. The Bucks broadcast panned the camera over to the home team as they prepared for the final possession. Instead of Rivers commandeering the huddle, it was Giannis dictating what he wanted Kevin Porter Jr. to do.
Giannis Antetokounmpo literally draws up alley-oop from KPJ to him, and they pull it off to win the game pic.twitter.com/EvtMfATT8K
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) January 3, 2026
Lo and behold, Antetokounmpo and Porter teamed up for a picture-perfect game-winning alley-oop dunk that gave the Bucks the 122-21 win.
KPJ TO GIANNIS! pic.twitter.com/FnVZO4XdTp
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 3, 2026
It’s possible Rivers drew up the play, and Antetokounmpo was simply emphasizing a portion of it to his point guard. But Giannis clearly had a hand in the strategy that landed Milwaukee the victory.
On top of moonlighting as a coach, Antetokounmpo wasn’t too shabby on the court during Friday’s contest. The Greek Freak finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists against a Hornets squad that was severely depleted at the center spot.
Giannis got the exact stat line he needed to become the player with the most 30-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist games in NBA history with 158. He broke a three-way tie with former Bucks legends Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to do it.
Jaylen Brown did not hide his frustration after latest slight against him
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown did not stay quiet after getting snubbed for Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson got the nod over Brown in the East, while Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the award out West. The announcement was made on Friday. Hours later, Brown shared his feelings about not being selected while on a live stream on Twitch.
“Yeah, honestly, I’m not going to say too much, but I’m going to be honest,” Brunson said when asked about the snub. “No disrespect, no diss to none of those guys, Shai or Brunson, but neither one of them had a better month than I had.”
“No disrespect, no diss to Shai or Brunson. But neither one of them had a better month than I had.”
— jb (@lockedupjb) January 3, 2026
— Jaylen Brownpic.twitter.com/3UV2Z8TVJV
Brown initially threw some shade at both Brunson and Gilgeous-Alexander in an X post. He doubled down, and then some, on his live stream.
Brown does have a point. The Celtics star averaged 31.7 points, 5.4 assists, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game on 53.8% shooting from the floor and 42.6% from three. Brunson edged Brown out in the assist department with his 7.1 average in December, but lagged behind his fellow All-Star in every other category.
The Celtics also had a better winning percentage (9-3) than the Knicks did (10-4) during the final month of 2025, with Brown having a significantly worse supporting cast than Brunson does in New York.
Brown has long been seen as the second fiddle to Jayson Tatum in Boston. With Tatum still working his way back from his torn Achilles, Brown has turned into a bona fide superstar to keep the Celtics afloat. But his efforts were not rewarded with what would have been his first Player of the Month nod, a title Tatum has earned five times in his career.
Lenny Dykstra facing drug charges after latest arrest
Former MLB All-Star Lenny Dykstra could be facing drug charges to start the new year.
Dykstra, 62, was sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle that got pulled over on New Year’s Day by a state trooper in Pike County, Penn. According to a police report obtained by TMZ Sports, Dykstra was found in possession of “narcotics and narcotic-related equipment/paraphernalia,” with Dykstra being listed as the “arrestee” on the report.
The Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement that it plans to file charges against Dykstra. However, it remains unclear what the charges are going to be and what kind of drugs were allegedly on Dykstra’s person.
Dykstra’s attorney, Matthew Blit, argued that the driver was the one who ended up being taken into custody for suspected driving under the influence, with any charges against Dykstra expected to be “swiftly absolved.”
“Lenny Dykstra was merely a passenger in a vehicle that did not belong to him,” Blit told TMZ. “Undeniably, the actual driver and owner was taken into custody at the scene under the suspicion of driving under the influence. Lenny was not accused of being under the influence of any substance at the scene, nor was he arrested or taken into custody at the scene. To the extent charges are brought against him, they will be swiftly absolved.”
It’s not the first time Dykstra has been accused of being in possession of illegal drugs while in a motor vehicle. In 2018, Dykstra was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of meth, and making terroristic threats after an altercation with an Uber driver.
A few years ago, Dykstra jokingly celebrated that he had not been arrested for over three years. That streak came to an end on the first day of 2026.
Matas Buzelis destroys Jalen Suggs with the craziest poster dunk of the year
Jalen Suggs may have to announce his retirement from professional sports after what went down during Friday night’s game.
Suggs and the Orlando Magic played on Friday against Matas Buzelis and the Chicago Bulls at United Center in Chicago, Ill. Unfortunately though, the basketball game quickly turned into a murder scene in the second quarter.
Off a blocked shot by his Bulls teammate Jalen Smith, Buzelis collected the loose ball with only the Magic guard Suggs standing in between him and the basket on the other end of the floor. Buzelis proceeded to attack the rim with bloodthirsty intentions and promptly dunked Suggs into an entirely different realm of consciousness altogether.
Take a look at the unreal video.
MATAS BUZELIS JUST ENDED JALEN SUGGS pic.twitter.com/pvOktHQnNr
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 3, 2026
As far as poster dunks go, it does not get much purer than that. Buzelis took off a good distance away from the rim, had Suggs meet him directly and at the apex of his jump, and then violently threw down the poster slam anyway right on top of Suggs’ head.
These kinds of high-flying theatrics are not all that surprising for the 21-year-old Buzelis, who already competed in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest last season. But after the Bulls big man Smith (who ignited that entire sequence with the blocked shot) took Joel Embiid’s soul with a poster dunk of his own a few days ago, it was Buzelis’ turn on Friday to add to the Bulls’ growing list of basketball slaughters.
Bo Bichette linked to 3 new contenders in free agency
Bo Bichette has some of Major League Baseball’s elite knocking on his doorstep.
Three new teams have checked in on the former All-Star shortstop Bichette in free agency, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported this week. They are the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Chicago Cubs.
All three teams are obviously among the cream of the crop in MLB. The Dodgers are the reigning back-to-back champions, the Yankees made it to the World Series in 2024, and the Cubs were a 92-win team last season that narrowly lost in the NLDS.
Bichette, the 27-year-old righty hitter, had a superb year in 2025 for the Toronto Blue Jays, batting .311 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs over 139 games played. We also recently heard that Bichette was willing to make a major positional change for any interested suitors.
Up to this point, it had seemed like Bichette was most likely to return to the Blue Jays, the team he has spent his entire MLB career with since its inception in 2019, on a new deal. But now it looks like Toronto has some other big priorities in free agency ahead of Bichette’s situation.
Several weeks ago, Bichette was also linked to a different Blue Jays rival on the free agent market. Now it appears that Bichette’s list of outside suitors has expanded even further to include some of the game’s top teams.
Quinn Ewers sends strong message to college stars abusing transfer portal
Quinn Ewers opened up this week about his decision to leave college early to make the leap to the NFL. His reasoning sounded like a wake-up call to college athletes who enter the transfer portal year after year.
Ewers opted to forego his final year of eligibility to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. Once touted as a potential top pick in the draft, the 22-year-old fell all the way to the seventh round, where he was selected 231st overall by the Miami Dolphins.
The San Antonio, Texas, native reportedly turned down a gargantuan NIL offer to go pro. Ewers was asked about the decision earlier this week. He said that he didn’t want to tarnish the legacy and relationships he had built at Texas to chase money elsewhere.
“To me, it’s not about the materialistic things of this world because it comes and goes,” Ewers told reporters. “What’s important to me is the relationships that are built along the way. And I didn’t want to disrupt or rub anybody the wrong way, being selfish and trying to go get money from another team, because I was a lifelong Longhorn.
“Growing up, I wanted to play there. Ended up being the quarterback there, living out my dreams. My 10-year-old self wouldn’t transfer away and go somewhere else. So, at the end of the day, that was the right decision for me.
“And I think that’s important for these younger kids to take into account. Stop being so focused on the materialistic things, whether it’s NIL or whatever, and start building relationships that matter that’ll last you a lifetime.”
Ewers knew the writing was on the wall for him at Texas, with fans clamoring for Arch Manning to get the starting job after two years of serving as a high-profile backup. Despite his draft stock being at an all-time low, Ewers chose the NFL over donning a different college football uniform.
After serving as the Dolphins’ third-string quarterback for most of the season, Ewers finally got the opportunity to start in Week 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He went 20/30 for 260 yards with 2 interceptions in a 45-21 loss.
Ewers started for the second time last Sunday and notched his first NFL win in a 20-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had a 14/22 passing clip for 172 yards and a pair of touchdowns, much to the delight of benched QB Tua Tagovailoa.
MLB teams have doubts about Tatsuya Imai
Tatsuya Imai was a big free agent pitcher on the market who ended up signing this week. Though the Houston Astros decided to give it a go with the Japanese pitcher, apparently other teams had some concerns.
ESPN’s Buster Olney reported on Thursday that there are “some doubts” among MLB teams about whether Imai will find success in MLB. Olney says that is the reason why Imai structured his contract with Houston to have opt-outs after each season.
There are doubts among some teams about whether Imai will succeed in MLB, so his contract — with the opt-outs — is effectively a bet on himself. If he has a strong year in ‘26, he could hit the open market again after the next CBA is resolved, when teams are typically more…
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 1, 2026
Imai’s contract is for three years and totals $54 million, though it can be worth up to $63 million. Imai will have the option to terminate his contract after the first and second seasons, which means he can turn it into a 1-year deal if he has a big season and decides he wants to retest free agency.
Imai, 27, was a three-time NPB All-Star for the Saitama Seibu Lions. Last season for Seibu, Imai went 10-5 with a glowing 1.92 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP, and 172 strikeouts over 24 total appearances (spanning 163.2 innings pitched).
Teams apparently have some concerns about how his fastball will fare in MLB.
“Teams liked Imai — around 15 at least checked in on him, per league sources — but some scouts and executives from different clubs said pitch data hurt his market. Some evaluators harbored concerns over how Imai’s fastball would fare in the majors.”https://t.co/jtM2Xs7A4w
— Electro (@ImNotHuman123) January 2, 2026
Imai averaged just under 95 mph on his fastball in Japan last season.
Report: Blue Jays have made biggest offer for Kyle Tucker
Kyle Tucker is one of the best free agent players remaining on the market, and it sounds like the Toronto Blue Jays are a top contender to land him this offseason.
ESPN MLB reporter Buster Olney was a guest on “First Up with Korolnek & Colaiacovo” on TSN 1050 Toronto on Friday. He talked about some of the top free agents, including Tucker. Olney said that he thought the Blue Jays have (perhaps unofficially) made the biggest offer to Tucker.
“I think that the Blue Jays have the most money offered to Kyle Tucker, or they’ve indicated that,” Olney said on the show.
Olney said he thinks the Blue Jays will end up having offered Tucker the greatest amount of money in free agency. He feels Toronto will end up signing either Bo Bichette or Kyle Tucker.
“They’re going to get one of these two guys — either Bichette or Tucker — at a price that they’re comfortable with. One of the two,” Olney said.
"I think the Blue Jays are in a great position to get one of the two"@Buster_ESPN joined #FirstUp to weigh in on where the Blue Jays stand with Kyle Tucker and the likelihood of Tucker or Bo Bichette being with the Blue Jays next season. pic.twitter.com/M0wcEhf498
— TSN 1050 Toronto (@TSN1050Radio) January 2, 2026
Bichette was drafted by the Blue Jays in 2016 and has been in the majors since 2019. Toronto would love to have him back, but that depends on how much he will cost. He has been linked to one of their AL East rivals.
The Blue Jays met with Tucker in early December. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is hoping the team will end up signing the outfielder. Tucker played for the Chicago Cubs last year and batted .266 with 25 doubles, 22 home runs and an .841 OPS in 136 games. He is a four-time All-Star.
Jaylen Brown throws shade at Jalen Brunson in a social media post
Jaylen Brown continues to be a generational hater.
New York Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December by the NBA. The league made the announcement on Friday with Brunson winning in the East and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winning the award in the Western Conference.
The @Kia NBA Players of the Month for December!
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
West: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (@okcthunder)
East: Jalen Brunson (@nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/2isdzPUin4
The Boston Celtics star Brown apparently did not agree with Brunson’s victory however. He took to his X page to complain about the news.
“Smh,” Brown wrote.
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) January 2, 2026
It appears that Brown thinks he deserved to win the award instead. In the month of December, Brunson averaged 30.6 points and 7.1 assists per game as the Knicks went 10-4 (including a big victory in the NBA Cup). Meanwhile, Brown averaged 31.7 points and 5.4 assists per game as the Celtics went 9-3 (though Brown missed two games due to injury in December compared to Brunson’s one).
Brown might have a fair argument that he had a better December, especially given that he produced those results with far less of a supporting cast in Boston. But it is also probably true that Brown was hating on Brunson there considering that he took a profane shot at the division rival Knicks on a video game stream a few days ago.
Antonio Pierce emerges as a candidate for 1 NFL head coaching job
Antonio Pierce has come sprinting out of the tunnel once again.
The former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pierce is set to interview for the New York Giants head coaching job, Jordan Raanan of ESPN reported on Friday. Ranaan also notes that ex-Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula are among the other names on the Giants’ interview list.
Pierce, 47, has plenty of familiarity with the Giants franchise. He played as a linebacker for the Giants from 2005-09, making a Pro Bowl team in 2006 and winning Super Bowl XLII with the Giants in the 2007 season.
However, Pierce’s run as an NFL head coach has been far less successful. Pierce served as head coach of the Raiders for one-and-a-half seasons from 2023-24, going 9-17 overall (.346) and failing to secure a single playoff berth. He ended up getting fired by Las Vegas in Jan. 2025 after seemingly having trouble co-existing with some of the team’s star players.
The Giants, meanwhile, are 3-13 heading into the final week of the season and have been led by interim head coach Mike Kafka ever since Brian Daboll was fired back in November. They have been particularly rough defensively as well, ranking 29th in the NFL this season with an ugly 364.1 yards allowed per game.
Pierce obviously has a defensive background as a former linebacker who has also worked as both a linebackers coach and a defensive coordinator over the course of his coaching career. But if the Giants want to base their head coach hire around developing 22-year-old franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart instead, another candidate (such as this big name who has been linked to the Giants in recent months) might make more sense.
Ole Miss player took a shot at Lane Kiffin
Ole Miss players are not letting the Lane Kiffin story distract them during the College Football Playoff. In fact, they seem to be making the most of it.
Few references were made to Kiffin in the locker room following the Rebels’ 37-34 win over Georgia in the College Football Playoff, with most preferring to focus on the players who stuck around to get it done. Defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, however, was willing to make a few comments about his former coach.
Harris said Kiffin had been trying to “steal our shine,” but it didn’t work.
“He’s been trying to steal our shine,” Harris said, via Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports. “All of our coaches could leave now and we’d still operate as a close team. We are our own team. Coaches can only do so much.
“I heard [Kiffin] was trying to get [on TV] with the announcers [at the game]. We’re not worried about Kiffin. Kiffin gone.”
Harris may have been joking, as Kiffin was elsewhere on Thursday night. Either way, there appears to be no love lost between the players and their former coach. Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU on the eve of the playoff, and tried to publicly save face after doing so, at least according to one player.
Ole Miss will now face Miami in the semifinal. Kiffin clearly will not be on their minds whether they win or lose.
Rice safety Daveon Hook suffers frightening injury
Rice safety Daveon Hook suffered a frightening injury during Friday’s Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl against Texas State at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Tex.
Hook was going for a tackle late in the third quarter of Friday’s game when a Texas State player accidentally struck him in the neck area. The safety went down on the turf and remained down for at least ten minutes as medical personnel tended to him.
Rice safety Daveon Hook was carted off the field after this play. pic.twitter.com/wQx7MacGO3
— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2026
The game stopped for an extended period of time, and both teams were clearly shaken up by the injury.
Hook was immobilized on a stretcher and taken off the field. He did have visible movement in his arms while being stretchered off.
Emotional moment in Fort Worth as Rice safety Daveon Hook is loaded onto a stretcher, with all teammates joining him on the field.
— Steve Helwick (@s_helwick) January 2, 2026
Was down for at least 10 minutes. Showing movement in his arms. pic.twitter.com/qDno9DHGCQ
Hook, a senior from New York, had 19 total tackles and a sack on the season entering Friday’s bowl game. He was named an American Conference All-Academic in 2024 and 2025. He had not played since Oct. 31 against Memphis due to a separate injury, but managed to make it back and take the field for one final game before graduating.
Beloved ex-UCLA coach Jerry Neuheisel lands an interesting new job
Jerry Neuheisel is reuniting with a well-known former colleague.
The beloved former UCLA coach Neuheisel is joining Northwestern as their new quarterbacks coach, Adam Rittenberg of ESPN reported this week. The move reunites Neuheisel with Chip Kelly, who recently signed on with Northwestern as their new offensive coordinator.
Neuheisel, 33, is the son of ex-UCLA quarterback and head coach Rick Neuheisel. The younger Neuheisel himself served as a backup QB for UCLA and once even led the Bruins to a dramatic victory over Texas back in 2014.
Then in 2018, Neuheisel returned to UCLA’s football team as a graduate assistant before slowly rising up the coaching ranks to wide receivers coach and then to tight ends coach. After UCLA fired offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri in the middle of the 2025 season, Neuheisel then took over playcalling duties for the Bruins as the interim O.C. That culminated with an incredible scene in which UCLA upset Penn State for their first win of the season, leading to a triumphant Neuheisel getting carried off the field by the team.
While many believed that the beloved Neuheisel was positioning himself to become UCLA’s new head coach, the Bruins (after winning three straight to kick off Neuheisel’s tenure as interim O.C.) ended up losing their last five games of the season. They instead decided to hire James Madison’s Bob Chesney as their new head coach, and Chesney cleaned house with the entire staff including Neuheisel in order to bring in his own hires.
Now though, Neuheisel is getting to stay in the Big Ten with Northwestern, who went 7-6 this year and defeated Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl. Neuheisel will once again be working with Kelly, the former UCLA head coach whom he served under from 2018-23.
