Fans could not believe what Fernando Mendoza said during his postgame interview
Some fans felt Fernando Mendoza accidentally dropped a double entendre during his postgame interview after winning the national championship.
The Indiana quarterback has become must-see TV for his postgame monologues that often sound like something out of an inspiring 80s sports movie centered on friendship. Mendoza gave fans a similar speech Monday after beating Miami in the College Football Playoff title game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Mendoza, however, unintentionally dropped in a rather indecent-sounding comment when he was explaining just how far he would go to help his team win.
“I would die for my team. Whatever they need me to do, they need me to take shots from the front or the back, whatever it is,” Mendoza said.
FERNANDO MENDOZA WAS UNHINGED IN HIS POST-GAME INTERVIEW.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) January 20, 2026
“IF THEY NEED ME TO TAKE SHOTS – IN THE FRONT OR THE BACK.”
“I’LL DIE FOR MY TEAM”
💀💀💀
pic.twitter.com/b4tZLKZYbZ
Mendoza was obviously referring to taking as many big hits as possible to help Indiana win the national title. But some fans felt scandalized by the way Mendoza phrased it.
Did Mendoza just say he was taking shots from the front and back today? pic.twitter.com/ddwALloE3K
— Wiz Betz 🧙♀️ (@WizBetz) January 20, 2026
Fernando Mendoza really said he would take back shots for his team 💀
— Tim Jones (@TimothyJones92) January 20, 2026
A true winner pic.twitter.com/3NlT03QY2u
fernando mendoza offering to take back shots for his team pic.twitter.com/5UXDpmBVLN
— c (@kh3dira) January 20, 2026
Mendoza taking shots in the front or the back. Wherever they want it. pic.twitter.com/phqKcVEyv9
— gatsby (@Grategatsby) January 20, 2026
Given Mendoza’s wholesome public persona, it’s clear he didn’t mean anything salacious by the line. The Hurricanes’ defense beat up on Mendoza throughout the game, even giving him a bloody lip and a seriously bruised throwing arm. It was simply the Indiana QB’s way of saying all the damage his body took was worth it.
Mendoza can say whatever he wants and still have the eternal love of Hoosiers fans for bringing a CFP championship to Bloomington.
Mendoza went 16/27 for 186 yards in Indiana’s 27-21 win over Miami. Mendoza also scored a rushing touchdown on what can now be considered the Play of the Year for helping the Hoosiers win it all.
Fernando Mendoza had epic quote about his clutch 4th down play
Fernando Mendoza played his heart out in Indiana’s 27-21 win over Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Monday night. The Heisman Trophy winner went 16/27 for 186 yards and rushed for a score on an incredible 4th-down quarterback draw in the fourth quarter.
Mendoza went airborne on his touchdown, and took some big hits while scoring, but he didn’t stop until he reached the end zone. He delivered an epic quote about his TD, saying he would die on the field for his teammates.
“I had to go airborne,” Mendoza told ESPN’s Holly Rowe. “I would die for my team. Whatever they need me to do, they need me to take shots — the front, the back, whatever it is — I’m going to die for my team out there, and I know they’re going to do the same for me. That’s what makes us so close. That’s what makes this national championship so special.”
"I got declined to walk-on at the University of Miami. Full circle moment here playing in Miami."
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 20, 2026
Fernando Mendoza's full interview with @sportsiren after winning the CFP National Championship ❤️ 🥺 pic.twitter.com/2cWbD9sc3H
Mendoza’s play on the field matches his quote — he looked like he would leave it all out there. And that’s part of why the Hoosiers went 16-0 and won the national championship in improbable fashion.
Indiana used to be the worst team in FBS based on total losses, but that was until Curt Cignetti was hired and turned them around. Now they’re a monster and the best team in college football. Who saw that coming?
Carson Beck pulls an unsportsmanlike move after Miami’s loss in CFP final
Carson Beck apparently did not learn the value of sportsmanship during his six total years of college eligibility.
Beck and the Miami Hurricanes lost in the College Football Playoff National Championship to Indiana on Monday. They fell by a final score of 27-21 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. after Beck threw a game-sealing interception on a 1st-and-10 play from the Indiana 41-yard line with under 50 seconds left.
INDIANA PICKS IT, THE HOOSIERS ARE ON THE VERGE OF A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP pic.twitter.com/YFTgZUVC4x
— ESPN (@espn) January 20, 2026
After the Hoosiers then knelt out the clock to clinch their first-ever football championship in the history of their program, Beck was shown on the ESPN broadcast pulling an unsportsmanlike move. He walked off the field without shaking hands with Indiana.
Beck walks off The Field. Carson Beck doesn't want to shake hands. Poor Sport pic.twitter.com/ioGCx1qlVk
— GRAFFA_OH! (@GRAFFA_Oh) January 20, 2026
Beck, the 23-year-old redshirt senior, finished Monday’s CFP title game having gone 19/32 for 232 yards and a touchdown. But his only turnover of the game couldn’t have possibly come at a worse time as it stamped out any chances whatsoever that Miami had of an improbable comeback victory.
The former University of Georgia star Beck then compounded the mistake by pouting his way off the field after the final whistle. Many fans were especially disappointed that Beck did not seek out even just Indiana QB counterpart Fernando Mendoza for a postgame handshake.
Carson Beck did NOT shake Fernando Mendoza hands…. Zero Class pic.twitter.com/Qdl5k7vYlg
— OrangeCrush (@BeamTeamSac) January 20, 2026
Beck did already manage to win two national titles at Georgia and also had some real heroics for Miami during their CFP run this year. But the final image of Beck’s college career will be of him throwing a game-losing interception and then storming off the field in a huff without shaking hands.
Fans react to Abella Danger being shown on ESPN during CFP title game
ESPN knew exactly what they were doing during Monday’s CFP championship game.
No. 1-ranked Indiana and No. 10-ranked Miami faced off on Monday for the College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. While the game itself was extremely entertaining for a number of different reasons (including some heroics by reigning Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza of Indiana), one interesting sidelight was the celebrity who made her way onto the ESPN broadcast during the fourth quarter.
After a pass by Miami’s Carson Beck fell incomplete on a 1st-and-10 play with 6:44 remaining, ESPN cut to Abella Danger sitting in the stands. Here is the video.
ESPN REALLY PUT ABELLA DANGER ON THE SCREEN
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) January 20, 2026
pic.twitter.com/NhI0SWYFu6
Many fans were stunned that Danger, a famous adult film actress, managed to get screentime on The Worldwide Leader, especially at such a crucial point of the game. Take a look at some of the reactions to the cut to Danger.
They really showed Abella danger everyone pointing like pic.twitter.com/ncLhAlqxbw
— r3hab3000s burner (@R3HAB3K) January 20, 2026
Never thought I’d see Abella danger on ESPN pic.twitter.com/gqGYru3eLc
— Josh Ceranic (@joshceranic) January 20, 2026
Camera man panning to Abella Danger like the NFL did with Taylor Swift after every big play
— Tommy Norris (@Daguch77) January 20, 2026
pic.twitter.com/QcN78hrqfX
Miami’s best weapon isn’t even on the field pic.twitter.com/wPoW0mfL9H
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 20, 2026
If the goal by ESPN was to draw attention and go viral with that camera shot of Danger, they definitely succeeded. Within minutes, Danger quickly became the top trending topic on X for the evening.
Danger, 30, is actually a student at the University of Miami taking law classes and thus was there to cheer on the Hurricanes. You may recall that Danger was also spotted cheering on Miami during a previous CFP game on the road a few weeks ago.
Fernando Mendoza made the Play of the Year on ballsy 4th-and-5 call
Fernando Mendoza and Curt Cignetti combined for one of the ballsiest play calls of the season late in Monday’s College Football Playoff title game.
Indiana led Miami 17-14 midway through the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. Mendoza failed to convert on an end zone strike on 3rd-and-5 from the Hurricanes’ 12, leading most to assume that the Hoosiers were going to settle for a field goal.
Cignetti instead called a timeout, signaling that Indiana was going to go for it. The play was a designed run for Mendoza to get a first down. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner got more than just a fresh set of downs, getting past several defenders to muscle his way for a touchdown.
FERNANDO. MENDOZA.
— ESPN (@espn) January 20, 2026
THE PLAY OF A LIFETIME ‼️ pic.twitter.com/g3o5nNNslr
Mendoza took some serious contact on his way into the end zone. The Hoosiers star was not to be denied with college football immortality at stake. Considering the context, it’s hard to deny that Mendoza’s stellar TD run deserves to be called the Play of the Year.
The 22-year-old was battered, bruised, and bloodied throughout the contest. But he was still willing to put his body on the line for Cignetti and the Hoosier faithful.
Mendoza’s efforts paid off as Indiana held on for a 27-21 victory over Miami to win their first college football championship in program history.
Curt Cignetti blasts officiating in live interview during CFP title game
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti did not stay quiet about the officiating midway through the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
ESPN’s Holly Rowe interviewed Cignetti heading into halftime of the Hoosiers’ clash against the Miami Hurricanes. As he walked toward his team’s tunnel, the Indiana coach called out the referees for missing illegal contact made against his quarterback, Fernando Mendoza.
“Well, there’s three personal fouls on the quarterback not called in one drive, that need to be called because they’re obvious personal fouls,” Cignetti told Rowe.
“I’m all for letting them play. But when you cross the line, you’ve got to call it. They were black-and-white calls.”
Curt Cignetti: "There's three personal fouls on the quarterback not called in one drive that need to be called because they're obvious personal fouls. I'm all for letting them play. But when you cross the line, you gotta call it. They were black and white calls." 🏈🦓🎙️ #CFP pic.twitter.com/bHaOMTtAiw
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 20, 2026
Mendoza was battered and bruised by an aggressive Miami defense in the first half. Some fans felt like the Hurricanes got away with a couple of penalties as they punished Mendoza with big hits.
One huge tackle even left Mendoza with a bloodied lip — a play that Cignetti felt was deserving of a targeting penalty that wasn’t called.
Despite Cignetti seeming to be in a dour mood after the first two quarters, Indiana still led 10-0 at halftime. It was a fitting reaction for a Hoosiers coach who has developed a reputation for acting like a curmudgeon on the gridiron.
Reggie Miller makes a big claim about Kyrie Irving
Reggie Miller appears to have some fresh intel when it comes to Kyrie Irving.
The retired Basketball Hall of Famer Miller was on the call for NBC during Monday’s game between the New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks. During an aside in the first half at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y., Miller made a big claim about the injured Mavericks star guard Irving.
Miller said that Irving is targeting mid-February for his return from injury. Irving has not played at all since tearing his left ACL during a game in March 2025.
ACL tears usually come with a 9-to-12-month recovery time for NBA players. Though Irving is right smack in the middle of that timeline right now, a previous report was much more pessimistic about the potential of the nine-time All-Star playing at all this season.
That said, the Mavericks do have a bit of life right now. They went on to beat the Knicks on Monday by a final score of 114-97 for their third straight win to improve on 18-26 on the season overall. That puts Dallas at just two games out of a play-in tournament spot in the Western Conference.
But a lot could still change for the Mavericks over the course of the next month. With Irving set to turn 34 in the next couple of months (and already having landed a major contract extension from Dallas over the summer), the greater priority here might be his long-term health rather than the short-term pursuit of the play-in.
DeMeco Ryans had message for CJ Stroud after his rough final game
DeMeco Ryans had some encouraging words for CJ Stroud after the Houston Texans’ unceremonious exit from the 2025 NFL Playoffs.
The Texans quarterback had arguably the worst game of his career Sunday in Houston’s 28-16 loss to the New England Patriots in their divisional round clash at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Stroud went 20/47 for a 42.6% completion rate — the second-worst mark of his career in both the regular season and playoffs.
Stroud also coughed up a career-high four interceptions in the Texans’ two-score loss to the Patriots. The performance led Stroud to become a lightning rod for criticism from both fans and media members alike.
Ryans spoke to reporters Monday and was naturally asked about Stroud. The 41-year-old coach said that he urged his QB to mentally “flush” away the game and instead focus on improving in the offseason.
“I talked with C.J. today and my message is the same,” Ryans said, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. “Right now, it’s just about him flushing this one. It’s going to be a lot of negative talk, a lot of attention on him. He can’t listen to it all. He’s just got to get back to work in the offseason of going back to the basics, the fundamentals of playing the quarterback position, playing it really well, understanding how we need to play the game to win the game. He understands that already.”
Stroud appeared destined for superstardom after his rookie season in 2023. The Ohio State alum threw for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns and 5 interceptions across 15 games. His stellar first-year campaign earned him the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and even some MVP votes. At least one former NFL star believes the pressure of living up to his rookie-year hype has weighed Stroud down.
Stroud’s numbers declined across the board this season, throwing for 3,041 yards with 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in 14 games. The Texans and their formidable defense netted 12 wins in 2025 seemingly despite Stroud rather than because of him.
At least one former NFL star believes the pressure of living up to his rookie-year hype has weighed Stroud down.
Mike Brown responds to the boos from Knicks fans during latest loss
Mike Brown is somewhat welcoming the boobirds after his team’s latest humiliation.
The New York Knicks were blown out at home by the sub-.500 Dallas Mavericks on Monday. They lost by a final score of 114-97 at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y., marking their fourth straight loss as well as their ninth loss in their last 11 games.
As the Knicks were down to the Mavericks by 28 points heading into halftime, a loud chorus of boos began ringing out from the stands. Check out the video.
Boos are raining down at MSG with Knicks losing 75-47 at the half. pic.twitter.com/NEGSY7gR5w
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) January 19, 2026
After the game, the Knicks head coach Brown responded to the booing from the MSG faithful.
“I’m okay with the boos,” said Brown. “If we’re playing crappy, boo. If I was in the stands, I’d boo too. You pay hard money to come to the game, and this is a form of entertainment for the fans.
“They know good basketball, and they know bad basketball,” Brown added of the Knicks fans. “We didn’t play good basketball in the first half. So I’m OK with the boos.”
The loss dropped the Knicks to a mediocre 25-18 on the season. With the Eastern Conference looking fairly wide-open this year, many fans feel like this represents the Knicks’ best chance to win an NBA championship and are getting antsy that the team does not look the part right now.
As for Brown, he is in his first year on the job after taking over for the fired Tom Thibodeau, who had just led the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in a quarter-century. While Brown is a former Coach of the Year who has nearly a decade-and-a-half of NBA head coaching experience under his belt, the New York fans clearly feel that Brown has yet to live up to the enormous contract that he got from the Knicks over the summer.
Nets announcer drops a savage Grayson Allen-Ted Cruz line during game
Brooklyn Nets color commentator Tim Capstraw said the quiet part out loud during Monday’s game against the Phoenix Suns.
Capstraw was on the call for YES Network during Monday’s matchup between the two teams at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. In the second quarter of the game, Suns guard Grayson Allen was called for a shooting foul, leading to some airtime for him on the television broadcast.
As a result, Capstraw proceeded to drop a ruthless line about Allen. “Grayson Allen, I can’t look at him and not think of Ted Cruz. I’m not Mr. Politics or anything. I don’t wanna get into that. But that guy, that’s a young Ted Cruz to me.”
Capstraw also then joked that Allen, 30, might not feel too good about the comparison to the United States Senator Cruz, 55. Here is the video.
Brooklyn Nets announcer on Grayson Allen:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 20, 2026
“I can't look at him and not think of Ted Cruz.”
pic.twitter.com/eMHE5U66h3
In fairness, the Internet has been making Allen-Cruz lookalike jokes for many years now. Those jokes even date all the way back to Allen’s time in college at Duke University.
Cruz himself once even acknowledged the resemblance to Allen in a funny social media post back in 2017. Now on Monday, it was Capstraw’s turn to get in on the fun during the Suns-Nets game.
Bills had a bad typo in their post announcing Sean McDermott’s firing
Sean McDermott’s surprise firing was a spectacle in more ways than one.
The Buffalo Bills announced the news on Monday that they have relieved their head coach McDermott of his duties after nine seasons in charge. The unexpected news led to everyone asking the same question on social media about the Bills.
Making matters even more unusual was the fact that Buffalo had a pretty glaring typo in their post announcing McDermott’s firing. While quoting Bills owner Terry Pegula at the very beginning of the statement, the team accidentally wrote, “Sean has done an admiral job” instead of, “Sean has done an admirable job.”
The #Bills make it official: Sean McDermott is out pic.twitter.com/1IJZrWiXh6
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 19, 2026
Plenty of users noted the typo and made some United States Navy and David Robinson-themed jokes in response.
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) January 19, 2026
They fired the Admiral
— Mitch Lafon (@mitchlafon) January 19, 2026
The "job" he did: pic.twitter.com/1zGIe2yiMH
— Mike (@m1kephenix) January 20, 2026
— Ryder Analytics (@RyderAnalytics) January 19, 2026
That typo made the McDermott firing seem so hasty that the Bills didn’t even have time to proofread their official statement announcing it. Coming just two days after Buffalo’s heartbreaking overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in their divisional playoff game, that might not be a bad theory either.
Even more unusual is that it seems the Bills did not consult their players before sending McDermott packing. In the hours after the firing, one Buffalo player even profanely sounded off on how “stupid” he thought it was.
Fernando Mendoza was bloodied after taking vicious hit
The Miami Hurricanes made sure to make Fernando Mendoza feel them early in their clash for the College Football Playoff title.
Mendoza took a huge hit on a run fake in the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Hoosiers quarterback got clocked by Hurricanes safety Jakobe Thomas moments after making the handoff to running back Kaelon Black.
Miami is absolutely DRILLING Fernando Mendoza whenever they can. Bloodied his lip and everything pic.twitter.com/4V6wzkEp6p
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) January 20, 2026
The collision busted up Mendoza’s lip. The Heisman Trophy winner was seen with blood seeping out of his mouth for the remainder of the drive.
Fernando Mendoza took a hit on this play 😳 pic.twitter.com/phaZoT2X92
— ESPN (@espn) January 20, 2026
Mendoza was later seen wiping it off on the sideline and eventually returned to the field with no issues.
Some fans felt like Thomas should have been called for a targeting penalty for his damaging hit against Mendoza, pointing to the Indiana QB’s bloodied lip as clear evidence. But referees kept their flags in their pockets, likely chalking it up to increased physicality for the final game of the college football season.
Dolphins make decision on their new head coach
The Miami Dolphins have reportedly zeroed in on the team’s next head coach.
Several reporters confirmed on Monday that the Dolphins are hiring Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to succeed Mike McDaniel as the head coach in Miami. The Dolphins officially announced the news shortly after.
We have agreed to terms with Jeff Hafley to become our head coach. pic.twitter.com/boqhQH9jxK
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) January 20, 2026
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, it’s a “done deal” that the Dolphins are signing Hafley to a five-year contract.
Rapoport added that Hafley “blew everyone away” during his first interview with the Dolphins. There were reportedly “several” teams hoping to bring Hafley in for a second interview, which pushed Miami to get a deal done right away. Hafley was immediately considered the frontrunner for the position after his first interview with the Dolphins.
Hafley was named the Packers’ defensive coordinator in January 2024 after five seasons as the head coach at Boston College. His impact was immediately felt upon arrival.
Under Hafley, the Packers were top 10 in total defense (5th, 314.5 ypg), run defense (7th, 99.4 ypg), scoring defense (6th, 19.9 ppg), yards allowed per play (5th, 5.16), takeaways (4th, 31), and sacks (T-8th, 45).
After being under an offense-focused mind in McDaniel for four seasons, the Dolphins may be looking to build a defensive identity with Hafley at the helm.
Eric Bieniemy lands a new offensive coordinator job
Eric Bieniemy is coming back to his most high-profile role.
Bieniemy is joining the Kansas City Chiefs as their new offensive coordinator, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. He previously served as Kansas City’s offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022.
The Chiefs are expected to hire Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy to be their next offensive coordinator, per source.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 19, 2026
Bieniemy would return to the post he previously occupied from 2018-2022 in Kansas City. https://t.co/Xs9arknt4N
Bieniemy will replace Matt Nagy, whose contract expired. Nagy is widely expected to land a head coaching job, so the Chiefs did not expect to have him back.
Since Bieniemy last left the Chiefs, his career has taken several turns. He had unsuccessful spells with the Washington Commanders and UCLA before spending this past season as the Chicago Bears’ running backs coach. During his heyday with Kansas City, he was frequently named as a head coach candidate, but never landed one of those jobs, much to the confusion of his players.
Bieniemy’s stock has certainly fallen over the past few years as he has been unable to replicate his success with Kansas City elsewhere. However, the Chiefs’ players should be comfortable with him, and he certainly would seem to be a safe pair of hands for the organization as it tries to recover from a down season.
Candidate emerges as ‘name to watch’ in Bills’ head coach search
The Buffalo Bills suddenly have a coveted head coaching position, and one name has quickly been mentioned as being one to watch in association with it.
In an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show” Monday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said there has been very little coming out of Buffalo about who they might target to replace Sean McDermott. He said that the expectation is that the Bills might target an offensive-minded coach, and named Denver Broncos assistant Davis Webb as a name worth watching.
“I would watch Davis Webb as a potential candidate for that position. A backup quarterback for several seasons in Buffalo who is really close with Josh Allen,” Pelissero noted.
💻 @TomPelissero
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) January 19, 2026
Who's on #BillsMafia head coach radar after they fired Sean McDermott after nine seasons?#NFL #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/L35OS15kts
Pelissero added that Webb is in high demand. The Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach is likely to get multiple second interviews once he can speak to teams again in a week, and he has also been linked to a different job recently.
Webb spent three years with the Bills, largely as a member of the practice squad. He clearly got to know Allen well during that time, and if the Bills are prioritizing their quarterback’s opinions on the hire, Webb might have a real chance. On the other hand, Webb is only 30, and has never even been a coordinator before.
The Bills should have their choice of options given how attractive that job is. The role will also come with high expectations, as Sean McDermott was fired despite making the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons.
Lions decide on their new offensive coordinator
The Detroit Lions have made their pick to fill their highly-coveted offensive coordinator position.
The Lions are hiring former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing as their new offensive coordinator, according to multiple reports. Petzing is expected to handle playcalling duties.
While former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel interviewed for the position, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported that Dan Campbell did not view McDaniel as the right fit, and the Detroit job was the one he was least likely to land.
Of coordinator jobs that Mike McDaniel has interviewed for, the Lions gig was the least likely to materialize. Campbell liked McDaniel a lot, but Lions didn’t view it as quite the right fit for them.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 19, 2026
As for other OC vacancies? Mike is very much in play. Ball is in his court. https://t.co/urG1cDmg4T
Petzing, 38, served as the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator from 2023 to 2025. He has also been an assistant with the Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings. While the Cardinals did not necessarily excel under Petzing, he got high-level performances out of the likes of tight end Trey McBride, and quarterback Jacoby Brissett just had the best season of his career under Petzing.
Petzing will replace John Morton, who was fired after one season. The Lions are essentially still trying to find a suitable replacement for Ben Johnson a year after he left to coach the Chicago Bears, but Petzing fits the mold better than Morton seemed to.
Dan Orlovsky made the most ridiculous excuse for Josh Allen
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky alienated some people with what they saw as excessive excuse-making for Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Orlovsky seemingly refused to blame Allen for the Bills’ 33-30 loss to the Denver Broncos during Saturday’s AFC Divisonal game. In one clip, Orlovsky is analyzing Allen’s costly fumble just before halftime, and seemingly put as much blame on the offensive linemen for failing to recover the fumble as he did on Allen for losing the ball in the first place.
“Buffalo’s there to recover the fumble and they don’t. Their big guy doesn’t get on the ball and they don’t,” Orlovsky argued.
Dan Orlovsky is paid by the Bills organization to be part of Josh Allen’s PR team and you can’t convince me otherwise pic.twitter.com/uRtx4z53Wr
— JacksonMuse (@Jackson_muse) January 19, 2026
Most would pin this on Allen for fumbling in the first place. The play happened right before halftime and the Bills had little to gain by trying to be aggressive, but they did it anyway and cost themselves three crucial points. Most would not try to pin this one on the offensive linemen for not falling on the loose ball.
Allen was, in many ways, the one who kept Buffalo in the game. He also missed a few throws and was part of a Bills offense that turned the ball over five times. Both of those things can be true, and Orlovsky just sounds like he is making excuses for the quarterback when he says things like this.
LeBron James’ incredible All-Star streak is officially over
For the first time in over two decades, LeBron James will not be starting the NBA All-Star Game.
The league announced the starters for the Eastern and Western Conference on Monday, and James was not included among them. That marks the first time in 21 years that James was not voted as an All-Star starter by the fans.
For the first time in 21 years, LeBron was not voted an All-Star starter 😳 pic.twitter.com/MYMy1Xenk3
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 19, 2026
Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama received the five nods instead of James.
James has only played in 24 games this season and did not make his debut until Nov. 18. That undoubtedly played a role in him falling behind, as did the emergence of young stars like Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama.
The last time James was not selected as an All-Star starter was his rookie year of 2003-04. That was also the only time in his career he did not make the team at all. Coaches could still select him for this year’s game as a reserve.
James’ numbers are still fine, as he is averaging 22.6 points and 6.9 assists per game for the Lakers this season. That may be enough to get him on the team anyway. However, for someone who has consistently ranked as one of the most popular players in the NBA, it will be a bit jarring to see him not featured among the starters.
Brock Purdy had 6-word message for Sam Darnold
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had a great message for Sam Darnold after the Seattle Seahawks’ blowout win in the NFC Divisional round on Saturday.
The NFL released audio of Purdy meeting up with Darnold on the field after the same, and Purdy had an encouraging six-word message for his Seahawks counterpart.
“You’re gonna go win it all,” Purdy told Darnold.
.@brockpurdy13 to Sam Darnold…
— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2026
"You're gonna go win it all." ❤️@insidetheNFL NFL Playoffs Mic'd Up on X pic.twitter.com/whgw6m6854
There is certainly an argument to be made that the Seahawks are the favorites to do just that. Their 41-6 win was by far the most impressive of any team’s in the Divisional round, and they appear to be humming on all cylinders. They will also have home field advantage next week when they take on the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship.
A Super Bowl win would be quite a turnaround for Darnold, who was written off as a draft bust not long ago. Even this season, he has had plenty of doubters who question whether he can get it done in the biggest of games. Admittedly, the Seahawks did not need to lean on him too much during Saturday’s blowout, but he certainly does not appear to be holding them back.
Darnold threw for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns this season. He is 28-6 as a starter over the last two seasons dating back to his time with the Minnesota Vikings.
Bills player sounds off on ‘stupid’ Sean McDermott firing
The Buffalo Bills seemingly did not take player opinion into account too much when deciding to fire head coach Sean McDermott.
The Bills fired McDermott on Monday, two days after the team lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional round. The decision came as a shock to many, as McDermott had been consistently successful in his nine seasons with the organization.
Among those shocked was defensive tackle Jordan Phillips. He reposted a graphic about McDermott’s firing on Instagram and bashed the team for what he saw as a short-sighted decision.
“This s–t here is so stupid honestly sickening,” Phillips wrote. “The best coach I’ve ever been around.”
If Phillips’ opinion is shared by others in the locker room, the Bills may have made a significant mistake here. There was no evidence that McDermott had lost the locker room, and his dismissal appears to have been motivated by the team’s inability to get over the hump in the playoffs.
It is not yet clear who the Bills might target to replace McDermott. The most accomplished candidates on the market already went elsewhere, which takes several options off the board. This is a quality job that many candidates would want a look at, but the Bills are joining the process well after most other teams have done the majroity of the legwork in finding a new coach.
McDermott went 98-50 in his nine seasons as Buffalo’s head coach. He went just 8-8 in the playoffs, however, and never got past the AFC Championship game. That does not matter to some Buffalo players, who clearly liked their coach and might not be very happy with the franchise’s decision to let him go.
