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Fans cracked the same joke about Kenny Pickett’s media day photo

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Kenny Pickett may want to ask for a reshoot from the Cleveland Browns’ PR team.

On Monday, the Browns held photoshoots for Pickett and the rest of the roster during the team’s 2025 media day. The Browns’ official X account uploaded individual snapshots of Cleveland’s quarterback room (sans Deshaun Watson). The picture of Pickett wasn’t exactly flattering.

Instead of posing or pretending to throw, Pickett simply stood still and kept a straight face. Fans clowned the photo for various reasons. Some compared the background to graffiti found in a gas station bathroom. Others joked that Pickett looked the least intimidating that anyone has ever looked.

But a handful of fans paid most attention to Pickett’s hand size. The Pitt product gripped the football with his left hand, barely seeming to cover a third of the pigskin.

The angle may not be the most flattering for the 27-year-old, but it’s widely known that Pickett has the smallest hands in the NFL. He’s made a habit of wearing gloves to better grip the football, which many attribute to his hand size.

Pickett may have the palm size of a normal American man. But he can accessorize his hand with a piece of jewelry unavailable to most of the population: a Super Bowl ring.

Pickett served as Jalen Hurts’ backup during the Philadelphia Eagles’ championship run last season. Kenny’s hands were big enough to throw a pass during the Eagles’ Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs. That clearly wasn’t enough, however, to shield him from mean-spirited fans online.

Umpire cam shows fans what it feels like to be cussed out by Manny Machado

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Fans daydreaming about being an MLB umpire got a taste of what it’s like on Monday night.

Manny Machado was at the plate during a critical juncture of the San Diego Padres’ game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers took an 8-6 lead over the Padres in the top of the 10th inning at Petco Park in San Diego, Calif.

Machado, who led off the inning for San Diego, worked a full count against Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott. The payoff pitch was a borderline pitch that just barely grazed the outside part of the strike zone.

Home plate umpire Mike Estabrook called Machado out on strikes, provoking the six-time All-Star to chew him out. The entire exchange was caught on camera from Estrabrook’s point of view.

Padres manager Mike Shildt was able to de-escalate the situation enough to prevent Machado from getting thrown out. But it did not change the call, which completely swung the game.

Three pitches later, Jackson Merrill smashed a double into the gap in right-center field to drive the ghost runner in. If Estabrook had given Machado the call, the Padres star could have feasibly scored off first base or, at the very least, made it to third with nobody out. Shildt could have also brought in a pinch runner in his place.

Instead, Gavin Sheets popped out and Xander Bogaerts flied out as the Padres lost 8-7.

DeMarcus Cousins pelted with drinks after heated moment with fan

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Former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins on Monday had a heated altercation with fans while playing basketball overseas.

The four-time All-Star has been playing for the Guaynabo Mets in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, the premier basketball league in Puerto Rico. Cousins was ejected from the Mets’ Monday road game against Vaqueros de Bayamon at Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon.

The crowd booed and taunted Cousins heavily as he walked toward the locker room. As he confronted one fan near the tunnel, fans began pelting him with drinks.

Here’s another angle of the moment fans started tossing drinks at Cousins. The situation may have escalated had several security staff not restrained Cousins from retaliating.

The NBA has some unruly fans who sometimes cross the line when trash-talking players on the court. But the Puerto Rican fans seemed to be at a completely different level.

One video captured before Cousins’ ejection showed one courtside fan flipping the double bird at Boogie. Cousins and the fan started getting physical as other Mets players tried to keep the peace.

Cousins may have been frustrated that his team was losing against the top-seeded Vaqueros, who have a stacked roster filled with NBA players. The Vaqueros got a combined 52 points from JaVale McGee, Danilo Gallinari, and Chris Duarte en route to a 101-91 win over Cousins’ Mets.

Cousins has not played in the NBA since the 2021-22 season when he served as Nikola Jokic’s backup on the Denver Nuggets. He has since carved out a career playing overseas, including an Asian stop with another former All-Star center.

Denzel Clarke makes Catch of the Year to rob a home run

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Denzel Clarke’s Gold Glove case continues to grow one spectacular play at a time.

The Athletics center fielder made headlines last month when he pulled off a Spider-Man catch to prevent what would have been a 407-foot home run off the bat of Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk. Clarke, a Toronto native, leapt over the wall to make the grab in front of his hometown crowd at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada.

But as incredible a catch as that was, Clarke was able to one-up himself in the first inning of Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. A’s pitcher Grant Holman hung a breaking ball that Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel sent deep to left-center field.

The ball would probably be a home run 99% of the time. Unfortunately for Schanuel, Clarke wanted to be in the 1%.

Clarke threw his body past the wall to make an electric catch, robbing Schanuel of a home run. Both Holman and Schenuel were left speechless as Clarke made the near-impossible play.

The catch was so good that the crowd started cheering for Clarke despite the A’s outfielder taking away a run for the home team. The applause continued for well over a minute.

The highlight play will be the Catch of the Year only until Clarke does something even more preposterous.

Full details emerge on Aaron Rodgers’ contract with Steelers

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Aaron Rodgers finally agreed to put pen to paper last week to become the starting quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

When news of the Rodgers signing first broke, not much was known about the contract other than the fact that it was a one-year deal. More details have since emerged about the four-time MVP’s incentive-laden contract.

Rodgers’ deal has a base salary of $13.65 million with $10 million guaranteed. It also gives the 41-year-old a chance to earn up to $5.85 million worth of incentives. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer shared a breakdown of Rodgers’ long list of incentives.

The first requisite for Rodgers to be eligible for any incentive is that he play at least 70% of the Steelers’ snaps during the regular season. Rodgers’ lone individual performance-based incentive is a $1.5 million bonus if he wins his fifth MVP award.

The rest of the incentives involve Rodgers leading the Steelers into the playoffs and beyond. He would get $500,000 if Pittsburgh makes the postseason.

Rodgers would earn an additional $600,000 if the Steelers make it past the Wild Card round or get a bye. He would score $750,000 for a Divisional Round win, $1 million for an AFC Championship Game victory, and $1.5 million more if the Steelers win the Super Bowl. All four playoff victory incentives require Rodgers to play at least 50% of the respective postseason games to qualify.

Pittsburgh went to great lengths to sign Rodgers to the bonus-filled contract. But the future Hall of Famer was essentially the Steelers’ third QB option this offseason.

Roman Anthony makes brutal blunder in his MLB debut

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Roman Anthony on Monday had an eventful MLB debut for the wrong reasons.

MLB’s No. 1 overall prospect made his highly anticipated debut for the Boston Red Sox against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass. Instead of getting treated to some first-game fireworks courtesy of Anthony, Red Sox fans witnessed the 21-year-old commit a costly blunder in right field.

With the Rays leading 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning, Tampa Bay slugger Yandy Diaz came up to the plate with a man on first and two outs against Red Sox starter Brayan Bello. Diaz hit a rope to right field that had an exit velocity of 111.2 mph off the bat.

Anthony ran toward the ball, not realizing how hard it had been hit. The ball went right under his glove, which allowed Brandon Lowe to score from first on a fielding error.

Anthony was unable to make up for the mistake with his bat. The young slugger went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and a walk in his first four MLB plate appearances.

Red Sox fans have been begging for the team to call up Anthony for months. The fan base has had to stay patient for him to make his big league debut. They may have to exercise that same patience before Roman starts crushing 500-foot home runs like he did in the minors.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has scary slip-and-fall on court in Brazil

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Giannis Antetokounmpo must have put a real scare into the Milwaukee Bucks this week.

The Bucks star forward Antetokounmpo had a frightening moment while in Brazil, a viral video showed on Monday. Antetokounmpo was in Rio de Janeiro to dedicate a basketball court in his name in the city.

In front of the crowd that had gathered, Antetokounmpo decided to inaugurate the court with a dunk. Unfortunately for Antetokounmpo though, he slipped on the court as he was going up for the jam and took a pretty hard spill.

Here is the video.

The former NBA MVP Antetokounmpo popped right back up and appeared to be moving around just fine after his slip-and-fall. But that had to be an awfully scary sight for the Bucks with their $175 million man (who was in Brazil as part of a larger vacation with his family).

The timing is especially sensitive right now for Milwaukee as the nine-time All-Star Antetokounmpo is the subject of widespread trade rumors at the moment (after the Bucks’ first-round playoff exit and co-star Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear). Several very interesting suitors have already been mentioned in connection with Antetokounmpo.

While even Antetokounmpo himself is said to be warming up to the possibility of a trade, some local figures have their doubts that The Greek Freak will actually be moved this summer. In any case though, it would probably benefit the Bucks at this point to keep Antetokounmpo bubble-wrapped until further notice.

Wander Franco now facing new weapons charge

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Wander Franco now finds himself in even more legal trouble.

The Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Franco was charged in his native Dominican Republic on Sunday with illegal possession of a handgun, according to a report by the Associated Press. The charge stems from an incident last November during which Franco was arrested after an altercation at an apartment parking complex in San Juan de la Managua, D.R.

Nobody was injured in the altercation. However, responding police officers found a semiautomatic Glock 19 in Franco’s vehicle, per a statement from local prosecutors.

Franco’s weapon was said to be registered under the name of his uncle. Prosecutors are requesting that Franco stand trial on the gun charge, but Franco’s legal team says no crime was committed since the gun was legally registered.

The 24-year-old Franco is already currently standing trial on charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking against a minor. Those charges stem from Franco allegedly having entered into an inappropriate relationship with a girl who was 14 years old at the time. Franco has also been accused of paying hush money to the mother of the victim in exchange for her consent to the relationship (full details here).

Franco signed an enormous 11-year, $182 million contract with the Rays in 2021 and went on to make an All-Star team in 2023. However, he has not played in a game since the allegations first broke in Aug. 2023. Franco was placed on paid administrative leave by Major League Baseball at the time but was eventually moved to the restricted list (meaning that he is no longer collecting money or service time).

The Associated Press report adds that Franco, who is currently on supervised release in the Dominican Republic, is facing up to 30 years in prison pursuant to his sexual abuse trial. It remains to be seen if Franco will be facing any further jail time as a result of this new weapons charge as well.

Dick Vitale makes decision on his broadcasting future

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ESPN’s Dick Vitale is not ready to call it quits just yet.

ESPN announced Monday that Vitale has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him with the network through the 2027-28 college basketball season. The network will also create a new college basketball event, the Dick Vitale Invitational, to be held annually in his honor.

The announcement was timed to coincide with Vitale’s 86th birthday on Monday. The new contract will take Vitale’s time at ESPN to close to 50 years.

Vitale has had multiple battles with cancer in recent years, which has limited his broadcast work. He missed part of last season, but was able to return in January and call a number of games throughout the conference schedule, primarily in the SEC.

Despite his advanced age and health, Vitale remains as enthusiastic as ever about his broadcasting work, and he has put in a lot of effort to be able to continue doing it. The fact that he has agreed to extend his contract to cover three more seasons suggests he has no intention of slowing down anytime soon, and that he plans to keep working as long as he physically can.

Surprising details emerge about Nick Chubb’s new contract

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The Houston Texans have officially landed Chubb and have done so on what appears to be an absolute steal of deal.

Chubb passed his physical with the Texans and has now formally signed with the club, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Monday. Rapoport also shared the surprising details on Chubb’s new contract with the Texans. Chubb is getting a one-year, $2.5 million deal. The contract can also be worth up to $5 million in incentives.

The 29-year-old Chubb was reported to be closing in on a deal with Houston over the weekend. After spending the first seven seasons of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns, Chubb now officially has a new team.

$2.5 million seems like a real bargain for a player with Chubb’s kind of resume. He is a four-time Pro Bowler as well as a one-time All-Pro selection who has produced four separate seasons of 1,000 yards rushing or more (peaking out in 2022 with 1,525 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns).

But Chubb suffered a major setback in 2023 when he sustained a horrific knee injury during a Week 2 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers (video here). Chubb suffered a torn MCL and a damaged ACL on the play and had to miss the remainder of the season as a result. He did return to make eight appearances last season for the Browns but rushed for just 332 yards and three touchdowns before suffering another bad injury to the same leg.

Nevertheless, many are surprised to see Chubb get a deal that only puts him on par with the likes of fellow running backs Ty Johnson (Buffalo) and Elijah Mitchell (Kansas City) in terms of average annual value. Chubb will likely spend next season splitting work with Joe Mixon in Houston and will also be getting an opportunity to earn more than $2.5 million thanks to the incentive package contained in his new contract.

Incredible rumor surfaces about Michael Jordan’s NBC salary

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An incredible rumor has surfaced about Michael Jordan’s potential salary at NBC Sports, though it was quickly debunked.

Internet rumors have suggested that NBC agreed to pay Jordan as much as $40 million to accept a special contributor role as part of the network’s NBA coverage next season. That number was referenced by Patrick Bet-David on his “PBD” podcast recently.

If true, Jordan would immediately become the most highly-paid figure in NBA media, beating out even Charles Barkley. However, Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reported Monday that those rumors are not accurate, though it is still unclear how much Jordan will make as part of the gig.

It remains unclear what exactly Jordan’s role will entail. One report suggested he will mostly stick to pre-taped segments and will not be a regular presence on NBC’s studio shows. That is still more than we usually get from Jordan, who has largely shunned the media since ending his playing career.

The fact that Jordan took a media gig at all came as a surprise to some people, but one figure thinks there is a reason he is coming off the sidelines now. A big payday might be another reason, but it does not sound like Jordan will be making quite as much as the rumors have suggested.

Former NBA All-Star center expected to change teams this summer

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One of the last men standing from the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks championship may be headed for the exits himself.

Bucks center Brook Lopez is expected to leave the team this offseason, veteran NBA writer Matt Moore reported to Substack on Monday. Moore writes that “most everyone I’ve spoken to assume[s] Brook Lopez is gone” from Milwaukee and adds that the seven-footer Lopez could be “one of the bigger names on the market.”

The former NBA All-Star Lopez has been with the Bucks since 2018, serving as their top shot-blocker as well as a strong three-point threat. He is one of just four players remaining from Milwaukee’s 2021 title team along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, and Pat Connaughton.

Lopez is 37 years old now and about to enter his 18th NBA season. But he should still command plenty of interest as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

A two-time All-Defensive selection, Lopez is also extremely durable and has appeared in at least 78 games for three consecutive seasons now. On top of his defensive prowess, Lopez is extremely efficient with limited touches as well, averaging 13.0 points per game this season on 51/37/83 shooting splits (elite percentages for a center).

When it comes to potential suitors for the former lottery pick Lopez, there are a few intriguing options. In fact, a former Lopez team (and one that is still very much in need of size at that) was linked to a potential reunion with him around this time last year.

Update emerges on potential Jrue Holiday trade

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Jrue Holiday may be inching closer to wearing a different uniform.

The Boston Celtics have set their asking price in any potential trade of the veteran guard Holiday, longtime NBA writer Matt Moore wrote to Substack on Monday. Boston is seeking a first-round draft pick in exchange for Holiday (along with whatever reduced salary comes back in the deal).

Holiday, who will be turning 35 later this week, joined the Celtics in 2023 in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers (who had acquired Holiday from Milwaukee as part of the Damian Lillard blockbuster). He has had a nice two seasons in Boston since then, including as a starter on the Celtics’ 2024 NBA championship team.

The two-time All-Star Holiday is known for his superb one-on-one defense and also still has an ability to create his own shot. This season for Boston, Holiday averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game in a lower-usage role.

But the Celtics, who lost in the second round this year and could be without star player Jayson Tatum (Achilles tear) for the entire 2025-26 season as well, are all about trimming payroll right now. As such, Holiday and several other well-known Boston players are said to be likely trade candidates this summer.

Holiday does come with concerns, particularly when it comes to age and durability (having gone seven consecutive seasons now without hitting 70 games played). But a first-round pick in exchange for Holiday is a fairly reasonable ask by the Celtics, who are expected to hold onto at least three other key players on their roster this offseason.

Packers president offers brutal quote about Jaire Alexander’s release

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The Green Bay Packers released veteran cornerback Jaire Alexander on Monday, and one quote from team president Mark Murphy perfectly summed up why they made that decision.

Murphy spoke to the media Monday and called Alexander an “elite talent” who had been a great player for the Packers. However, he suggested the Packers would be able to move on without Alexander, because the cornerback’s history of injuries has meant that the team has already been playing without him for a majority of their games.

“The reality is, for the last four years (with) Jaire, it’s about half of the games he’s been able to play, so we’ve kind of been used to it,” Murphy said.

Murphy is spot on with his commentary. Alexander has played in 34 of a possible 68 regular season games for the Packers since the start of the 2021 season. He was able to play virtually a full 2022 season, but in the other three campaigns, he missed the majority of games.

Alexander was an expensive player for the Packers, and he simply was not on the field frequently enough to justify that expense. It is entirely possible that the 28-year-old is able to stay healthy going forward, but the Packers are not being unreasonable to have doubts about that outcome.

A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Alexander has played in seven games in each of the last two seasons. He has 12 career interceptions and 287 total tackles since entering the league in 2018.

Red Sox finally make the move fans have been begging for

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The Boston Red Sox have finally given their fans what they want, as the top prospect in baseball is set to make his MLB debut.

Roman Anthony has been called up to the Red Sox from Triple-A, according to multiple reports.

Anthony confirmed the news to Katie Morrison-O’Day of MassLive.com.

Anthony will be in the lineup on Monday night against the Tampa Bay Rays and batting fifth. Wilyer Abreu has been placed on the injured list with the ankle injury he suffered earlier in the month.

Anthony is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball. The 21-year-old outfielder batted .288 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI across 58 games with Boston’s Triple-A affiliate.

Anthony’s most recent home run was an absolute bomb that traveled further than almost every homer hit in the Statcast era (video here).

The Red Sox are 32-35 and have played poorly for the better part of the last month, which has led to even louder calls for Anthony to be promoted.

While pitching has been a bigger issue for Boston than hitting, the hope is that Anthony will provide some juice both on and off the field. Alex Bregman has been sidelined with an injury after his hot start to the season. Marcelo Mayer, the Red Sox’s No. 2 prospect, has struggled mightily at the plate since being called up.

With Anthony in the lineup, Red Sox fans will at least have a reason to tune in as the team looks to climb out of yet another hole in the AL East.

Tyrese Haliburton gets called out by ESPN analyst

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Despite a parade of clutch game-winning shots during the NBA Playoffs, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton still has his critics.

ESPN’s Jay Williams had some sharp criticism of Haliburton for not starting quickly enough during the Indiana Pacers’ 123-107 loss in Game 2 of the NBA Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Ok. Williams argued that Haliburton needs to be much more assertive earlier in the game for the Pacers to win the series.

“Haliburton can close games, but champions open the games with intent. They set the tone, they don’t just react to it,” Williams argued. “Going into the third quarter, Haliburton, 26 minutes last night, 5 points on 2-of-7 field goals. I need him to look at the rim at the beginning of the game.

“You can make a case, if he didn’t hit that game-winner after Game 1, we would be talking about the same tone. He wasn’t aggressive, and this Indiana team is better when he comes out and attacks, (and) just doesn’t settle for passing the ball and getting people involved.”

Haliburton scored 14 points in Game 1 and 17 points in Game 2. His dramatic Game 1 winner salvaged that performance, but there is certainly merit to Williams’ argument that Haliburton needs to do more to take over games before his team falls behind.

There is no doubt that Haliburton can rise to the occasion in clutch moments. Williams wants to see him seize control of games so he does not have to author such moments as regularly. Perhaps the Pacers will make that a point of emphasis as they head into a crucial Game 3 at home.

Mike Breen shares update on ESPN reporter Lisa Salters

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ESPN announcer Mike Breen offered an update on Lisa Salters, who was absent from her reporter duties during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday.

Early in the third quarter, Breen revealed that Salters is away from the ESPN crew as her mother deals with a serious health issue. Breen wished Salters and her family well during the broadcast.

“We’re thinking of our dear friend and colleague, Lisa Salters,” Breen said. “Lisa’s mom has been dealing with some very serious health issues for a while now, so we want to send our love to Lisa and her mom. Although we’ve never met her mom, we owe her a debt of gratitude for giving us the gift of Lisa Salters, who is the teammate everyone in our business should strive to have.”

ESPN had previously announced that Salters would be absent from the network’s Game 2 coverage due to a “personal matter.” Jorge Sedano filled in for her on the broadcast. It is not yet clear if she will be able to return for Wednesday’s Game 3 in Indiana.

Salters has been ESPN’s NBA Finals sideline reporter since 2022. She has also been the sideline reporter for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” since 2012. She was absent from a game last season for a personal matter as well.

NBA All-Star likely to miss start of next season after surgery

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The 2024-25 season is not even complete yet, but one NBA All-Star is already looking at an absence that could extend into the 2025-26 season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced on Monday that guard Darius Garland has undergone surgery to repair a great toe injury. Garland will be sidelined for an estimated 4-to-5 months as a result but is expected to be able to resume basketball activities by the start of training camp.

However, that does not mean that Garland will be ready for full game action by the start of training camp. The new season will begin in approximately four-and-a-half months (on Oct. 21), and Shams Charania of ESPN reports that Garland is likely to miss time to begin the 2025-26 campaign.

The 25-year-old Garland was initially diagnosed with a big toe injury towards the end of the regular season in late March but played through the issue into the postseason. He then reaggravated the injury in the playoffs and missed multiple games during Cleveland’s upset second-round loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Garland was the Cavaliers’ No. 5 overall pick in 2019 and has since blossomed into a multi-time All-Star. One of those All-Star appearances came this season as Garland averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 assists per game on 47/40/88 shooting splits. Meanwhile, Garland will be entering the third season of a five-year, $197.2 million contract with Cleveland next season.

The Cavaliers won an impressive 64 games this season but flamed out with their second-round defeat to Indiana (which was an embarrassing exit in more ways than one). Now they will have to go back to the drawing board for next season but will probably have to kick things off without the services of Garland.

Report: Steelers preferred 1 surprising QB over Aaron Rodgers

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The Pittsburgh Steelers spent nearly two months pursuing Aaron Rodgers, but he reportedly was not the team’s first choice at the start of the offseason. Some were surprised to learn of one option that the Steelers preferred over the four-time NFL MVP.

In a recent appearance on “NFL Live,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that signing Rodgers was essentially Option C for the Steelers. Pittsburgh inquired about trading for Matthew Stafford, who wound up signing another restructured contract with the Los Angeles Rams. Schefter says the Steelers tried to re-sign Justin Fields, too.

Fields signed a 2-year, $40 million contract with the Jets prior to the start of free agency. That was after Pittsburgh attempted to keep him.

“Let’s also remember that this was the third option for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They were in on Matthew Stafford and couldn’t get done a trade. They tried to re-sign Justin Fields. He opted to go to the New York Jets, where he will meet Aaron Rodgers on opening day,” Schefter said. “After they couldn’t get a trade done for Stafford and couldn’t get Fields re-signed, they pivoted to Aaron Rodgers. So, Aaron Rodgers right now was their third choice, their best choice right now, but their third choice.”

It is unclear if the Steelers were willing to pay Fields as much or more than he got from the Jets. What we do know, however, is that the 25-year-old did not seem overly thrilled about his time in Pittsburgh.

Fields entered last season as the Steelers’ starting quarterback after Russell Wilson dealt with a calf injury. Fields went 4-2 as the starter before Wilson returned and took the job back. While he said at the time that he did not feel he played well enough to remain the starter, Fields has since suggested he was not all that happy about Mike Tomlin’s decision.

Fields finished the 2024 season with 1,106 yards 5 touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed for 289 yards with 5 scores on the ground.

Had the Steelers gone all-in on re-signing Fields, he probably would still be in Pittsburgh. Even if they preferred Fields to Rodgers, it seems unlikely that Fields would have turned down a significantly better offer to sign with the Jets.

Jason Kidd’s stance on Knicks head coach job revealed

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Jason Kidd was immediately mentioned as a candidate to become the next head coach of the New York Knicks after Tom Thibodeau was fired, and it sounds like the Hall of Fame point guard might have interest in the job.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on “SportsCenter” Monday that there is “mutual intrigue” between the Knicks and Kidd. The reporter also laid out the options that the Dallas Mavericks have if New York does make a run at their coach.

“They have three options as I see it,” Windhorst said. “One, they could just say, ‘No, thank you very much. Jason, we’ll see you in the fall. Look forward to the season. Look forward to Cooper Flagg.’ They could try to make Jason Kidd have zero interest in the Knicks, possibly with a new contract. They did just give him an extension last year. Or, they could negotiate a trade.

“We have seen a handful of trades of coaches over the last 15-18 years, including Jason Kidd being traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Milwaukee Bucks for two second-round picks 11 years ago.”

Marc Stein reported last week that the Knicks are planning to formally request permission to speak with Kidd. The reality is if Kidd were to decide he would rather coach in New York, there would be no point in the Mavericks trying to force him to remain in Dallas. In that scenario, a trade would probably make the most sense.

Kidd played for the Knicks for a brief period during his Hall of Fame career in 2012-13. He is also close with veteran NBA trainer Casey Smith, who was controversially phased out by the Mavericks a while back. Smith has since taken a job with the Knicks.

The 52-year-old Kidd just completed his fourth season as the head coach in Dallas. He led the team to the NBA Finals a year ago, but things changed dramatically for the Mavericks after Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a stunning move. Kidd suggested publicly that he had no say in the deal.

The Knicks have been linked to multiple coaches who are under contract with other teams, so their search has the potential to create some tension around the NBA.

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