Dec 30, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; A Michigan Wolverines football helmet sits on the field prior to the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Michigan Wolverines at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
The Michigan Wolverines reportedly are close to hiring a new offensive coordinator.
Michigan fired offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell just days after their win over Ohio State. According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Michigan is expected to hire Chip Lindsey as their next OC.
Lindsey has been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for North Carolina the last two seasons. The Tar Heels were 20th out of 133 schools in points per game last year and are 36th of 134 schools this season. Though they went 6-6 in the regular season, offense wasn’t really the problem for them, which is why Michigan fans shouldn’t be disappointed. The Tar Heels are also making changes to their coaching staff with Mack Brown being fired.
Lindsey, 50, grew up in Alabama and played college ball at North Alabama from 1992-1993. He has mostly coached in the state of Alabama in both the high school and college ranks. Lindsey served as Troy’s head coach from 2019-2021 and went 15-19 in three seasons. That came after a successful two-year stint as Auburn’s offensive coordinator.
Michigan went 7-5 this season and their 22.2 points per game had them 112th of 134 schools. They need this hire to inspire some confidence in incoming quarterback Bryce Underwood, who is the No. 1 recruit for 2025.
Aug 14, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The Toronto Blue Jays logo during batting practice against the Cleveland Guardians at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
After getting spurned multiple times on the free agent market, the Toronto Blue Jays are now turning to the trade market for improvements.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported Tuesday that the Blue Jays are acquiring veteran second baseman Andres Gimenez in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians. The trade ends Gimenez’s time in Cleveland after four seasons.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic adds that the Blue Jays are sending infielder Spencer Horwitz back to the Guardians as part of the return while RHP Nick Sandlin goes to Toronto along with Gimenez.
The lefty-hitting Gimenez, 26, is a three-time Gold Glove Award winner at the second base spot. He was also an AL All-Star for Cleveland in the 2022 season and hit .252 with nine home runs, 63 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases in 152 games last season.
While the Guardians were the AL Central champions in 2024 and went on to make an ALCS appearance, there was incentive for them to trade Gimenez since he is on a backloaded contract that will take him through age 31. But with the Blue Jays finishing last season as a fifth-place team at 74-88, they need to take some swings to improve the roster (especially after their latest free agent whiff).
Toronto did not get much last season out of a ragtag group at second base that included Davis Schneider (a primary outfielder), Horwitz (a primary first baseman), Cavan Biggio (who was designated for assignment in June), and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (who was traded in July). That means that Gimenez should be able to fit like a glove for them.
Sep 4, 2022; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried (54) pitches against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Yankees may have lost out on Juan Soto in free agency, but they are trying to make it up to their fans.
The Yankees and pitcher Max Fried have agreed to an 8-year, $218 million deal in free agency. That is the largest deal ever for a left-handed pitcher. This is also the second time recently that the Yankees have sprung for a left-handed pitcher.
Two years ago, the team signed Carlos Rodon to a 6-year, $162 million deal. Though Rodon struggled with injuries in 2023 and had a 6.85 ERA, he bounced back in 2024 and went 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA. The way Rodon has pitched may have convinced the Yankees that the way to continue building and fighting back is to add another good pitcher — especially a lefty.
Fried has gone 73-36 with a 3.07 ERA in his career, which has all been spent with the Atlanta Braves. The 30-year-old is a two-time All-Star and has made at least 28 starts four times in his career.
The combination of Rodon, Fried and Nestor Cortes will give the Yankees some of the toughest southpaws in MLB. Combine them with Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, and the Yankees’ rotation should have them contending for a title.
At a time when many teams are afraid to give long-term contracts to pitchers, the Yankees are showing they are not only not afraid to buck the trend, but that they also see it as a path to building a strong team.
Top college basketball prospect AJ Dybantsa on Tuesday announced his commitment to BYU, and it’s believed the Cougars paid big money to keep the forward in Utah.
Dybantsa is the No. 1 prospect for 2025 and also expected by many to become the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. He goes to Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah, and BYU worked hard to pull him in as a recruit. According to Adam Zagoria of Zags Blog, Dybantsa got close to $7 million in his Name, Image and Likeness deal from BYU. A previous report had said BYU was willing to go into the $4 million range to land him.
Dybantsa chose BYU over Alabama, Kansas, Kansas State and North Carolina, though he really had his choice of any school in the country.
A previous report said that Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and Jazz executive Danny Ainge are trying to rebuild BYU basketball, so throwing big money at Dybantsa to keep him home was part of a big plan. Not only will landing Dybantsa help the image and performance of BYU, but it will also make the top player an even bigger name in Utah. That could prove valuable if the Jazz somehow land the top pick in the 2026 draft, which seems to be a possibility.
Dybantsa averaged 21.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last season at Prolific Prep in Napa. He began his high school career at St. Sebastian’s School in Needham, Mass.
Oct 8, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) reacts after striking out to end the eight inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game two of the Wild Card series for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Baseball’s new evil empire may not be getting quite that evil.
Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported Tuesday that on the possibility of the Los Angeles Dodgers pursuing a trade for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. Ardaya writes that a deal for Arenado is not something the Dodgers organization has considered. Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes also stated on the record earlier this week that Max Muncy will be the team’s starting third baseman on Opening Day 2025, Ardaya adds.
Arenado, an eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glover at third base, is very likely to be traded this offseason as the Cardinals look to do a hard reset. But in Muncy, the Dodgers already have a hot-corner option who is much cheaper (owed $14.5 million next season with a $10 million club option for 2026) and is actually a better power hitter at this point (producing an .852 OPS last season compared to Arenado’s .719).
The Dodgers were indeed interested in trading for the Newport Beach, Calif. native Arenado not all that long ago. But fresh off their 2024 World Series victory with their current offensive core, it appears the interest has cooled. That said though, there are still some prominent playoff contenders who remain in the mix for an Arenado trade.
Joe Burrow and Sports Illustrated model Olivia Ponton appear to have some sort of relationship.
Burrow’s home in Anderson Township, Ohio, was broken into during the Cincinnati Bengals’ 27-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
A woman called into 911 to report the break-in at Burrow’s house. That woman was the mother of Ponton. Ponton also called in and told authorities that “someone broke into my house … It’s like completely messed up.”
What’s interesting is that despite calling it “my house,” Ponton is listed in documents as being an employee of Burrow.
Ponton has nearly 3 million followers on Instagram and is a model. What kind of work is she doing at Burrow’s house that makes her an employee of his? Or was that just a cover-up so she wouldn’t divulge the two are dating?
The 27-year-old Burrow has passed for 3,706 yards, 33 touchdowns and 6 interceptions this season. His Bengals are 5-8.
Athletes have been targeted by burglars while on the road for games recently, which prompted the NFL to issue a security alert to players.
In this case, Burrow’s home appears to have been burglarized when Ponton was not there.
Nov 22, 2019; Dallas, TX, USA; Former Dallas Mavericks player Dirk Nowitzki smiles to the crowd during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Having laid low ever since retiring in 2019, Dirk Nowitzki may be ready to bust back in like the Kool-Aid Man.
Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that the retired Basketball Hall of Fame big man Nowitzki is a name to watch as a potential analyst for Amazon’s NBA coverage. Amazon is set to air 66 NBA games per season (including NBA Cup and Play-In Tournament games) as part of their new media agreement with the league that runs from 2025-26 through 2035-36.
The 46-year-old Nowitzki played in the NBA from 1998-2019, making 14 All-Star teams and winning both regular season MVP (2007) and Finals MVP (2011). He has since done a bit of spot work as an analyst for Dallas Mavericks games on Bally Sports (now the FanDuel Sports Network) and had some very entertaining moments in his playing career as an unofficial guest commentator.
Meanwhile, Amazon is shooting big for their maiden voyage into NBA coverage. A little while ago, we learned that they were in hot pursuit of another very well-known former NBA All-Star too.
The College Football Playoff made a big expansion from just four teams to 12 this season, and it seems inevitable that the field will grow again in the future.
While speaking at Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum on Tuesday, College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark confirmed that there will be discussions about adding more teams to the CFP beginning in 2026. Clark said a 14-team field is already in consideration.
“Commissioners are gonna look at it, right? They’re gonna step back. We’re gonna give them some options and some other things that they can do. But in the end, they’re gonna look at whether 14 is a better number,” Clark said. “I’m sure they’ll look at it. That doesn’t mean that that’s the foregone conclusion, but after they see the results of this season and this playoff, they’re gonna say, ‘How can we make it even better?'”
The revelation from Clark was hardly a shocking one. There is one driving force behind College Football Playoff expansion, and that, of course, is money. More games would mean higher ratings and more profitable media rights deals. Very few people believe that CFP expansion will stop at 12 teams. It is more a matter of when, not if, more teams will be added.
Many fans are excited to have additional playoff games this year, but there could be serious consequences for the regular season if the CFP continues to expand.
Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks the sidelines as his team takes on the ASU Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Oct. 7, 2023. Photo Credit: Joe Rondone/USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Las Vegas Raiders are in contention to receive the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which has led to questions about whether they might draft Shedeur Sanders. The team’s poor record has also led to some speculation that Shedeur’s father Deion could end up joining the team too as their head coach.
Would the Raiders bring in all the Sanders are a package deal? One sportsbook suggests it’s a possibility.
SportsBetting.ag has posted odds on whether the Raiders will add Shedeur, Deion, or both for next season.
As of now, their odds indicate it’s likely the Raiders will draft Shedeur, and it’s possible they will add Shedeur and Deion.
The odds for the Raiders in Week 1 of 2025 are:
Shedeur Sanders only 1/2 (-200)
Both Deion and Shedeur 5/2 (+250)
Deion Sanders only 4/1 (+400)
5/2 odds for both Deion and Shedeur to be with the Raiders indicates it’s not such a far-fetched idea. For that to happen, the Raiders would have to fire Antonio Pierce as their coach. Pierce went 5-4 as the team’s interim head coach last season but is 2-11 this season.
Even if the Raiders do not end up with the top pick, Shedeur is still favored to be the first overall pick. The second-best odds to go No. 1 in the draft belong to Travis Hunter.
The odds to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft are listed as:
Shedeur Sanders 2/3 (-150)
Travis Hunter 3/2 (+150)
Cam Ward 15/2 (+750)
Why should we stop with the Deion and Shedeur package to the Raiders? They should add a trifecta option that includes Shilo, who is a safety with 59 tackles and a sack this season for Colorado.
The Buffaloes have gone 9-3 this season, which is impressive considering they had gone an atrocious 1-11 the year before the Sanders crew arrived last year.
We also know that Deion is fully on board with the Raiders adding his sons.
Apr 28, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; TNT broadcaster Reggie Miller attends game five of the first round of the NBA playoffs between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
With the rights to the NBA set to move from TNT to NBC in 2025, Reggie Miller could be making an identical move as well.
Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that the Basketball Hall of Famer Miller is drawing interest from NBC for their NBA game broadcasts beginning next season. Marchand also notes that NBC has hired another former NBA guard, Jamal Crawford, to call some games for them in a still-to-be-determined role.
The five-time NBA All-Star Miller has worked as a broadcaster for TNT since 2005 and currently serves as their No. 1 color commentator for NBA games alongside play-by-play man Kevin Harlan. While Miller can still be prone to cringeworthy moments and some really awful takes on the air, the general consensus is that he has improved over the years and become a staple of sorts in the NBA broadcasting space.
As for NBC, their roster of on-air talent for when they take over NBA coverage in 2025-26 is quickly taking shape. We already know who the expected lead play-by-play voice will be, and Miller could soon be joining the network as a featured voice as well.
