Jeremiah Fears takes a shot online at Lu Dort after their heated encounter
New Orleans Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears lived up to his name after the final buzzer sounded in Tuesday’s game against the reigning NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Showing that he doesn’t back down against anyone, Fears got into a shoving match with Thunder guard Lu Dort as regulation time expired, leading to a gaggle of players, officials and other team members crowding the court as tempers flared.
Even Detroit Pistons “Bad Boy” alumnus Joe Dumars, who is now New Orleans’ president, had to help out in pacifying the situation.
You can watch the clip of the game’s wild ending here.
Lu Dort and Jeremiah Fears got into it on the final play of the game 😳 pic.twitter.com/pd57nEKb5f
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 28, 2026
Fears and Dort were eventually separated, with Fears being escorted off the court and into the tunnel, where he still had to be held back from going back out.
Still holding Fears after the game. pic.twitter.com/AzL7FLwaGS
— Jerry Ramsey (@TVsJerry) January 28, 2026
The former Oklahoma Sooners star Fears was not done even after the scrum. He took a shot at Dort by commenting “soft ah” with three laughing emojis on an Instagram post that shows a photo of his altercation with the Thunder guard.
Jeremiah Fears comment on Lu Dort:
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) January 28, 2026
“Soft ah” 😭 pic.twitter.com/rUyjU6fmap
Their beef will have to linger for a while, and it’s not going to be resolved on the court anytime soon, as the Pelicans and Thunder already played the last game of their series in the 2025-26 NBA regular season, with Oklahoma City completing a sweep of New Orleans with a 104-95 victory on Monday.
Craig Berube had a pointed message for the Maple Leafs after their loss to the Sabres
Home ice offered no comfort to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, as they suffered a 7-4 loss at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
It has been the trend of late for the Maple Leafs, which went 0-4-1 in their five-game homestand that ended with a loud thud, as the Sabres had their way on the host team.
Unsurprisingly, the effort shown by Toronto, especially defensively, was criticized by Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube.
“Well, that we have to keep the puck out of the net is what I learned,” the 60-year-old Berube said when asked in the postgame press conference about his takeaway from Toronto’s ugly homestand, via Sportsnet.
The Maple Leafs scored 12 goals during the homestand but gave up more than twice that total, allowing their visitors to rack up 25, and Berube made sure to stress that point.
“We didn’t do that here at home, other than the Detroit game. It is the only game we did. Until we decide to do things right and keep the puck out of our net — and that is the goalies included — this is what you are going to get.”
Underscoring the Maple Leafs’ leaky defense was the fact that a blueliner had a hat trick for Buffalo, as defenseman Rasmus Dahlin collected 5 points on 3 goals and 2 assists.
Toronto can expect things to get better, as evidenced by its PDO of 95.2 ( 5-on-5 ) in the homestand.
A change of scenery could give the Maple Leafs the spark they need, with a showdown against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. on Thursday kicking off Toronto’s six-game road trip.
Aryna Sabalenka jokes that men can’t handle Australian Open heat
Aryna Sabalenka brought the jokes to her post-match press conference at the Australian Open.
Sabalenka routed Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 in their quarterfinal match at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, on Monday night. The roof at the arena was open, making for a hotter match between the women, though Sabalenka finished Jovic off quickly.
Though the roof was open for her match, it was closed for the matches afterwards. Sabalenka was asked after her match about the roof being open during her competition, but being closed for the men who played afterwards.
“It was hot out there,” Sabalenka said.
“As a woman, we stronger than the guys, so they had to close the roof for the guys so they don’t suffer,” Sabalenka joked.
Aryna Sabalenka on the roof being open for her match against Iva Jovic at Australian Open:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 27, 2026
“It was hot out there. I guess yeah, as a woman we are stronger than the guys, so they had to close the roof so they don’t suffer you know?” 😂
(via Australian Open Press) pic.twitter.com/Ityh4NWSEY
The temperatures were high enough that Australian Open heat protocol was triggered, leading to the roof being closed for the later matches. The tournament was following its protocol, though it’s funny hearing Sabalenka talk about how much tougher the women on tour are compared to the men.
Reason Alex Honnold took such a small amount for Taipei 101 climb on Netflix revealed
Alex Honnold risked his life live on Netflix, but was only paid a relatively pittance to do so.
Honnold had millions of folks feeling a mix of awe and panic when he climbed the 1,667-foot Taipei 101 building on Saturday. Despite getting a global audience to tune into their Netflix apps, Honnold was only paid $500,000 to take on his death-defying feat.
In the days leading up to the ascent, Honnold himself described the amount as “embarrassingly small” relative to what some of the world’s top athletes make.
“Actually, if you put it in the context of mainstream sports, it’s an embarrassingly small amount,” Honnold told the New York Times’ Adam Skolnick before the climb. “You know, Major League Baseball players get like $170 million contracts. Like, someone you haven’t even heard of and that nobody cares about.
Sports and business reporter Joe Pompliano published a report Tuesday shedding light on Honnold’s motivations for the climb. It boiled down to how Honnold viewed the climb. He reportedly “didn’t think the climb was that hard” and would have accomplished it for free had Netflix not given him a paycheck to do so.
Compared to Honnold’s famous ascent of El Capitan in 2017, the Taipei 101 climb was virtually a walk in the park for Honnold. But that still doesn’t take away the possibility of external factors playing a part in the event going awry. One faulty panel or a sudden change in weather could have impacted Honnold’s climb for the worse.
Imagine what Scott Boras or David Falk could’ve gotten coaxed out of Netflix had Honnold had the same mindset as some of the major sports’ top athletes.
Jayson Tatum throws shade at random West team with his latest bold take
The Memphis Grizzlies caught a stray from Jayson Tatum that seemingly came out of nowhere.
The Boston Celtics star appeared on a recent episode of “The Pivot” podcast and spoke candidly about the challenges of playing for such a historic franchise. Tatum named a few of his Celtics predecessors and the expectation of winning in Boston.
The 6-time All-Star had an interesting way of illustrating his point.
“The career I have right now, if I had it with the Grizzlies, I would have a statue outside the arena,” said Tatum. “But now, I’m chasing people like Larry Bird where the standard is so much higher.”
Fans couldn’t help but chuckle at Tatum taking an inadvertent shot at the Grizzlies, who remain one of 10 NBA teams that have yet to win a championship.
Us Memphis fans right now: pic.twitter.com/sMfW9mZYvz
— Andrew Haner (@AndrewDHaner) January 27, 2026
Memphis: pic.twitter.com/I73mrpMREd
— n a t a l i e (@nataliethehero) January 27, 2026
Memphis just minding its own business pic.twitter.com/CD3muPMW3z
— Detroit Deadpool (@DetroitDeadpool) January 28, 2026
Jokes aside, Tatum does have a point. The reverence that Dallas Mavericks fans have for Dirk Nowitzki or even Toronto Raptors supporters have for Kawhi Leonard is clear after the two superstars brought their respective franchises their first championship.
Had Tatum done the same for the Grizzlies, he probably would have already earned a statue to be built years after his retirement. However, one could argue that some of Tatum’s success is partly because he plays for a legacy franchise like the Celtics, who operate with the same expectation of contending that Tatum mentioned.
Look no further than the current Celtics, who remain a top-3 team in the East despite Tatum having yet to play a single game for the team this season. Does the franchise make the player, or do the players make the franchise? It’s usually some mix of both.
Russell Westbrook gets the meme treatment for his latest hideous outfit
The Sacramento Kings are losing games left and right, but at least Russell Westbrook is not losing his sense of fashion.
Westbrook went viral before Tuesday’s game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. for his latest hideous outfit. The Kings posted a pregame photo of Westbrook leaving the team hotel in a very ridiculous-looking choice of attire.
The former NBA MVP Westbrook was in an all-gray outfit, including shorts, an oversized blazer, a button-up vest, a tie, socks, and an oversized beanie. Some users also noted that temperatures were below 20 degrees in New York on Tuesday while Westbrook was rocking that fit.
Russell Westbrook’s fit for tonight’s game in New York
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 28, 2026
It’s 16 degrees… (h/t @ClutchPoints) pic.twitter.com/2oyKYnPAkN
Westbrook’s fashion faux pas had him looking more like he was headed to Hogwarts than to an NBA game. Take a look at some of the funniest memes that resulted from Westbrook’s appalling outfit.
mf dressed like those school of rock students
— Stressed Dave Roberts (@givemesometopps) January 28, 2026
What in the Harry Potter is that
— Weather with Ty!! (@tennessen40471) January 28, 2026
Immediately thought of Peaky Blinders with the fit lol https://t.co/ivRPogRb10
— Jonathan (@Jon_94_) January 28, 2026
takes a brave individual to rock something that ridiculous https://t.co/BB0aWZ0vEI
— Alexander (@Alexander_1link) January 28, 2026
Unfortunately for Westbrook, his Draco Malfoy impression ended up being bad luck for the Kings. They ended up getting their doors blown off on Tuesday by the Knicks, losing by a final score of 103-87. Westbrook would finish with 14 points, four rebounds, and five assists, shooting just 6/19 from the floor and also turning the ball over six total times.
At least the 37-year-old Westbrook is consistent when it comes to … bold outfits. Over the years, Westbrook has showed up in public wearing everything from a poncho to even a skirt and blue hair.
Bill Belichick reportedly had fitting reaction to his wild Hall of Fame snub
Bill Belichick was just as baffled as everyone else that he was not named a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
The legendary New England Patriots head coach did not receive the required 40 out of the 50 votes for him to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The result prevents him from getting the nod on his first year of eligibility — a stunning result for arguably the greatest coach in NFL history.
A report from ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham gave a bit of insight into how Belichick took the news. The 73-year-old coach was “puzzled” and “disappointed” upon learning about the snub, and believed that “politics kept him out” rather than his coaching resume not being worthy enough.
Belichick reportedly asked an associate, “Six Super Bowls isn’t enough?” and told another, “What does a guy have to do?”
There’s no question Belichick has accomplished enough in the NFL to be deserving of a first-ballot entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He has six Super Bowl rings as the head coach of the Patriots, and two more as a defensive coordinator during his time with the New York Giants.
In a sporting landscape where winning regularly trumps any other accolade, Belichick was the most successful coach by a wide margin. But Belichick did have to quell a few controversies over the years, which played a part in keeping the Patriots icon out of the Hall of Fame for at least one summer.
Tyrese Haliburton has gained 30 pounds since his injury
Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles injury has led to some other changes in his body.
Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals in June. He underwent surgery to repair the tendon, and has been recovering since then.
Haliburton appeared on the “Mind the Game” podcast for an interview that was published on Tuesday. During the interview, Haliburton revealed that he has put on 30 pounds since tearing his Achilles tendon. He says some of the weight gain is by design as part of an effort to be more physical.
“That’s really something I’m trying to focus on through my rehab, through my time to get back, is being more physical. I was 180 pounds on Game 7 day. I’m 210 right now. I’m up 30 pounds, bro. Obviously when I start to run I’m going to get that off. Some of it’s not, like, good, because I’ve been drowning my sorrows in cookies ice cream. … it’s a way for me to be more physical at the rim to get more free throws,” Haliburton said.
Haliburton is out for all of this season and is expecting to be ready for the start of the 2026-2027 season. The Indiana Pacers star will have plenty of time to figure out his weight gain ahead of next season.
The 25-year-old guard averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game last season. He has been an All-Star twice.
You can listen to the clip of him talking about his weight gain:
Tyrese Haliburton says he wants to be more physical when he returns from injury
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) January 28, 2026
“I was 180 pounds on game 7 day, I’m 210 now — I’m up 30 pounds bro. Some of it’s not good because I’ve been drowning my sorrows in cookies and ice cream.”
(Via @mindthegamepod) pic.twitter.com/1w1iQ84FYG
Dillon Brooks gets a flagrant foul for striking Nic Claxton
Dillon Brooks was at it once again during Tuesday’s game.
The Phoenix Suns guard Brooks was hit with a flagrant foul during the first quarter of his team’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz. Brooks was driving to the basket when he lost control of the ball.
As Brooks was trying to recover the loose ball, he ended up striking Nets big man Nic Claxton in the midsection area before successfully regaining possession. Here is the video.
Dillon Brooks was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul for striking Nic Claxton in the midsection while attempting to go for the ball. pic.twitter.com/ujCjWZSzLe
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) January 28, 2026
Brook was given a Flagrant 1 upon review, resulting in two shots and possession for the Nets. It also marked Brooks’ fourth flagrant foul of the 2025-26 season.
The former All-Defensive selection Brooks is infamous for physical and borderline-dirty plays on opponents. During a game last month against the Golden State Warriors, Brooks was ripped for a dangerous foul that he committed on Steph Curry.
Brooks’ flagrant foul incident on Claxton looked to be a little bit more inadvertent. But it is very possible that the referees are keeping a closer eye these days on Brooks, who also kept getting away with a rule violation in a game earlier this month.
Notable update emerges on Zach LaVine’s future
Zach LaVine may be angling for a second trade within a span of just one year.
The Sacramento Kings guard LaVine wants to move on from the team, James Ham of ESPN 1320 Sacramento reported on Tuesday. Ham made the revelation during an appearance on the “Locked On Kings” podcast.
“Zach LaVine would absolutely love to move on from Sacramento,” said Ham. “He would … He’s a straight-up hostage at this point [with the Kings]. That’s what it feels like.”
LaVine, the two-time NBA All-Star, was just acquired by the Kings in a trade with the Chicago Bulls at last year’s deadline. This season for Sacramento, LaVine is averaging an underwhelming 19.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.
Owed $47.5 million this year with a $49 million player option for next year as well, LaVine’s stance makes perfect sense. The Kings are the second-worst team in the Western Conference this season at a wretched 12-35, and there isn’t a lot of reason for them to keep around a ball-dominant scorer like LaVine who is coming out of his physical prime (he turns 31 years old in March).
LaVine has also had a complicated relationship with the local fans in Sacramento and even had a heated incident with a Kings fan during a game in November. Now it sounds like LaVine is a very strong candidate to be shipped out of Sacramento with just over a week to go before the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
Caitlin Clark lands a prominent new media gig
Caitlin Clark is about to branch out into the men’s game.
NBC Sports announced on Tuesday that the Indiana Fever superstar Clark is joining their network as a special contributor. Clark will be serving as part of the “Basketball Night in America” studio team on select Sunday nights and is set to have her first on-site assignment on Feb. 1 when the Los Angeles Lakers play the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y.
“I’m really excited to be part of the ‘Basketball Night in America’ crew this season,” Clark said in a statement. “Carmelo [Anthony], Vince [Carter], and Tracy [McGrady] are legends of the game and Maria [Taylor] is a true professional. It will be really fun to join them a few times this season.”
NBC is in its first season of owning broadcast rights to NBA games after a 23-year hiatus. As part of their package, NBC is airing 100 total regular season games a year, including an eight-week bundle of “Sunday Night Basketball.”
As for Clark, she is coming off an injury-plagued sophomore season for the Fever in which she only managed to appear in 13 total games (averaging 16.5 points and 8.8 assists per game overall). With continued uncertainty over whether or not the WNBA will even have a 2026 season due to stalled negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement, Clark is making sure to keep busy in the meantime.
Going into broadcasting is actually a very fitting new gig for Clark. A couple of years ago, we learned that the two-time WNBA All-Star Clark has a real hidden talent when it comes to commentating.
Report: Knicks are targeting Giannis Antetokounmpo’s former co-star
The New York Knicks are doing everything that they can to position themselves for The Greek Freak.
New York is eyeing Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported to his Substack page this week. Stein notes that the Knicks have already explored pathways to try to acquire Holiday via trade.
The Knicks’ interest in Holiday is said to be coming from two different angles — because they would like to make themselves an even more attractive options for Giannis Antetokounmpo and also because they have a longstanding interest in Holiday as a complement to Jalen Brunson in the backcourt. You can read Stein’s complete report on the situation here.
Holiday, a six-time All-Defensive selection at 35 years old, is averaging 15.3 points and 6.9 assists per game this season for the Blazers. He has appeared in just 19 total games though as he recently came back from a 27-game absence due to a calf injury.
Notably, Holiday (who is now in Year 2 of a four-year, $134.4 million contract) used to be teammates with Antetokounmpo on the Milwaukee Bucks from 2020-23. Holiday played a co-starring role to Antetokounmpo, making an All-Star team in 2023 after helping Antetokounmpo and the Bucks win the NBA championship in 2021.
The former MVP Antetokounmpo is very unhappy with the Bucks right now and was recently even said to be most interested in the Knicks of all potential destinations. While adding both Holiday and Antetokounmpo would likely require parting ways with at least two of Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby, it appears that New York is extremely interested in that very possibility.
Patrick Mahomes posts a strong message about Bill Belichick’s HOF snub
Patrick Mahomes is just as confused as everybody else is that Bill Belichick somehow did not make the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
The stunning news broke Tuesday that the legendary former New England Patriots head coach (and current North Carolina head coach) Belichick fell short of the 80 percent threshold required to make the Hall of Fame this year, which marked his first on the ballot. As a result, Belichick will have to wait until at least next year to be inducted and will never go down as a first ballot Hall of Famer.
That led to sharp backlash from the football community. Among those who posted a message of disagreement was the Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Mahomes.
“Insane,” Mahomes wrote on X. “don’t even understand how this could be possible.”
Insane… don’t even understand how this could be possible https://t.co/EiKUeRPffn
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) January 27, 2026
Belichick’s resume obviously speaks for itself. He led the Patriots to a whopping six Super Bowl victories (on top of winning two more before that as the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants). Belichick was a three-time AP NFL Coach of the Year too and ranks third on the all-time list with 302 head coaching wins.
But it is clear that some voters wanted to make a statement by leaving Belichick off their ballot, despite his more-than-deserving track record. After the news broke on Tuesday, we learned that the Hall of Famer voters were influenced by the multiple scandals that surrounded the Patriots’ dynasty during Belichick’s tenure.
As for Mahomes, he battled Belichick and the Patriots in the AFC early on in his career and notably lost to them in the AFC Championship Game during the 2018 season. Mahomes was also just one of numerous big names in the NFL world to voice opposition to Belichick’s shocking HOF snub.
Broncos announce more firings after falling short of Super Bowl
Broncos Country is going through some sweeping changes heading into next season.
The Denver Broncos announced Tuesday that the team was firing offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, wide receivers coach Keary Colbert, and cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch. Head coach Sean Payton shared the news during his press conference two days after the Broncos fell short of the Super Bowl.
“I want to thank these coaches for playing an important role in elevating our program over the last three seasons,” Payton said. “I’ve been fortunate to work with Joe Lombardi for 15 years and am particularly grateful for his many contributions to our success as offensive coordinator.
“We sincerely appreciate Joe, Keary and Addison’s hard work and wish them all the best in the future.”
Lombardi, the grandson of legendary coach Vince Lombardi, first started working under Sean Payton in 2007 as an offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints. He was later promoted to quarterbacks coach, working alongside a prime Drew Brees until 2014.
After a two-year stint as the Detroit Lions’ OC, Lombardi reprised his QB coach role under Payton from 2016 to 2021. Payton hired Lombardi to be his offensive coordinator when he became the Broncos’ head coach in 2023.
Lombardi was the first name reported to be fired, with Payton later breaking the news that Colbert and Lynch were also headed out the door.
Several fans piled on Payton for his “arrogance” for one particularly bold call he made during the AFC Championship. Could Lombardi have actually been behind the play that may have swung the AFC title game? It’s within the realm of possibility.
Jaylen Brown has stern message about Celtics playing well without Jayson Tatum
Jaylen Brown took a victory lap past his doubters Monday after leading the Boston Celtics to their 29th win of the season.
Most expected the Celtics to flounder this year with Jayson Tatum sidelined by injury and Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford all wearing different uniforms. Instead, Boston has flourished with Brown at the helm. The Celtics sit second in the East midway through the season, the same position they were in this time last year.
Brown spoke to reporters after the Celtics’ 102-94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers and was asked whether he took offense to those who doubted Boston would succeed without Tatum and the rest.
“I take everything personally, lowkey. I’m always looking for something,” Brown said. “But yeah, I felt like I’ve sacrificed over the years in order for us to be a championship-caliber team. And I think now, we’re getting to see that a little bit. What exactly I was capable of, and what I was sacrificing.
“I think, before, maybe it wasn’t so obvious. I think now, being able to be at the helm of things, and us being the second seed in the east, versus last year we finished second seed in the east. It’s almost been no drop off with four players, five players that are essentially gone. The work from the coaching staff. The work from our leadership has has been great. And you know, I just try to make myself available every single night.”
Brown has looked every bit the dark horse MVP candidate that Jayson Tatum has been over the past several seasons. The Cal product leads the NBA with 22.5 shot attempts per game and has thrived while carrying the heavier offensive workload. Through 46 games, Brown has averaged career highs in points (29.6) and assists (4.9) while shooting 48.3% from the floor.
Joe Mazzulla also deserves a lot of credit for empowering some of the Celtics’ newer rotation pieces, such as Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, and Hugo Gonzalez. But it’s Brown who’s been the stabilizing centerpiece for the Celtics all year.
Eugenio Suarez linked to 3 teams in MLB free agency
The MLB free agency period has started to cool down ever since Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette signed their new deals.
However, one big bat available is third baseman Eugenio Suarez. He spent the last portion of the 2025 season with the Seattle Mariners after being traded by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
On Tuesday, MLB insider Jon Heyman gave an update on Suarez’s free agency. He mentioned the Mariners in the discussions still, but he also named the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds.
However, Heyman isn’t sure if the Mariners will do a long-term deal given their loaded group of prospects, but it is still an option for a reunion with the slugger.
Which teams are in on Eugenio Suárez? 🤔
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) January 27, 2026
(w/ @JonHeyman) pic.twitter.com/9hQFBaayKb
Suarez spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Mariners, but he was traded to the Diamondbacks after the 2023 campaign, only to return this past season.
In 2025, Suarez hit .228 with 49 home runs and 119 RBIs combined between Arizona and Seattle. However, he became a Mariners legend after hitting a game-winning Grand Slam in Game 5 of the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Pirates have been active this offseason, and adding a power bat such as Suarez would make sense, and the Reds could also use an extra bat in hopes of competing in the National League Central with the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers.
Ron Rivera interviewed for 1 NFL head coach opening
As of Tuesday, seven NFL head coach openings have been filled.
The last three left to be filled are the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland browns and Las Vegas Raiders. And, surprisingly, former Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera interviewed for the Cardinals job, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
This flew under the radar!
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 27, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals interviewed former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera in person for their head coaching vacancy, per source.
Rivera currently serves as the general manager for Cal football.
Rivera is a 2-time AP Coach of the Year who spent nine seasons with the Panthers, including taking them to the Super Bowl with Cam Newton.
Rivera then spent four seasons as the Commanders’ coach before being fired following the 2023 campaign. Rivera’s career record is 102-103-2 as a head coach, so he brings a lot of experience to the table.
On Tuesday, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced that defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile was returning to the team, and he had interviewed for the Cardinals HC job as well.
Rivera took the 2024 season off, but he landed a new job and was hired by the California football program to be the GM.
The Cardinals brought in Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur for an interview, but adding Rivera to the mix is an interesting choice for the franchise.
It remains to be seen which direction the Cardinals go in, but there should be some clarity on the head coach front sometime in the near future.
Everyone said the same thing about Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub
While it doesn’t seem real, long-time NFL head coach Bill Belichick will not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
A report surfaced on Tuesday stating that Belichick didn’t receive 40 of the 50 required votes to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
And, everyone had the same reaction to the surprising news.
Bill Belichick not being a first ballot Hall of Famer means that no coach should ever be. It means that the voters have decided there isn’t a coaching resume that warrants First Ballot consideration!
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) January 27, 2026
He is the GREATEST, most ACCOMPLISHED coach of all time! This is egregious!
Seriously?!
— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) January 27, 2026
By every metric, Bill Belichick is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. The fact that he wasn’t selected is more of a reflection of the voters than the coach. How can you respect the opinions of the “experts” when they blatantly disrespect legendary coach’s on-field… https://t.co/bZiqORYrkw
Absolutely shameful and ridiculous https://t.co/BseeQs6m1a
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) January 27, 2026
Regardless of your opinion of Bill Belichick, him not being a first ballot Hall of Famer is a disgrace — and a direct indictment on the Hall of Fame itself.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 27, 2026
Just an absolute joke. pic.twitter.com/TBuyVnbZAg
There is nobody more deserving of being first ballot, no coach with more Super Bowl wins or greater reverence for the history of the game. There should be public explanation from those failing to vote for him. https://t.co/Wojlncevzq
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) January 27, 2026
Say what you want about him as UNC's coach, but the man should've been a first-ballot NFL HOFer. This is ridiculous. https://t.co/ca3qH24fOV
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) January 27, 2026
It wasn’t just fans and NFL insiders, or reporters, but Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was also puzzled by Belichick’s exclusion.
Insane… don’t even understand how this could be possible https://t.co/EiKUeRPffn
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) January 27, 2026
Former Super Bowl-winning head coach Jimmy Johnson also let his feelings be known.
PLEASE…If you did not vote for BB identify yourselves!!! Probably too much of a coward..Hide behind your SECRET BALLOT!!! https://t.co/mApEhMNg1K
— Jimmy Johnson (@JimmyJohnson) January 27, 2026
Belichick has six Super Bowl wins as a head coach with the Patriots and he had another two as a defensive coordinator with the New York Giants.
Belichick has the most playoff wins and Super Bowl wins of any NFL head coach, and he is second on the all-time wins list behind only Don Shula, so there is no reason why he shouldn’t be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
The ESPN report stated that Spygate and Deflategate were issues with some Hall of Fame voters, but still, a six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach not being a first-ballot choice is shocking.
Reason Bill Belichick denied by Hall of Fame voters revealed
Bill Belichick was not inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during his first appearance on the ballot, causing much confusion — and anger from some. Belichick is one of the greatest NFL coaches in history, and his six Super Bowls as a head coach are unmatched.
So why did Belichick fall short of the 80 percent vote threshold needed for induction? It all comes back to the Spygate and Deflategate scandals.
According to an article published by ESPN on Tuesday, the scandals that surrounded the Patriots’ dynasty run under Belichick came up during deliberations by the voters. Many voters were “bothered” by the scandals involving the teams.
Bill Polian, who is a supporter of Patriots owner Robert Kraft and was a rival GM for the Colts, reportedly felt Belichick should have to wait a year before being inducted as penance for the scandals.
To refresh your memory, “Spygate” was a scandal exposed by former Patriots assistant coach Eric Mangini. He said the Patriots had illegally filmed opposing teams to gain advantages. The “Deflategate” scandal revolved around the Patriots allegedly using complex schemes to deflate footballs beyond the legal limit in order to fit Tom Brady’s preference.
One item to note is that Belichick being blocked for a year could come at a time when Kraft gets inducted, which would give the team owner a leg up in a rivalry between the two.
Bill Belichick gets denied by Hall of Fame voters
Bill Belichick has six Super Bowl victories as a head coach and two more as a coordinator.
Yet, Belichick is not a first-ballot Hall of Famer in a stunning surprise, according to a report from Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham of ESPN.
It was Belichick’s first time being on the ballot, but he reportedly fell short of the 40 out of 50 votes needed to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The ESPN report stated that Belichick received a call on Friday with the news, and the longtime head coach was “puzzled” and “disappointed” by the decision.
Belichick’s resume is no doubt Hall of Fame worthy. He boasts a 333-178 career record, including the playoffs, and sits second in all-time wins behind Don Shula (347).
According to the report, the infamous Spygate and Deflategate scandals were discussed during the process, with one voter even saying that it “really bothered some of the guys.”
Belichick has nine Super Bowl trips as a head coach with six victories, and he has the most Super Bowl wins and the most playoff wins of any NFL head coach in history.
The other semifinalists this year in the coaching category were Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert and Mike Shanahan.
Belichick spent the 2025 season as the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, although the year ended with a disappointing 4-8 record.
Nonetheless, Belichick not making it into the Hall of Fame is a shocking decision.
