Justin Herbert’s lone MVP voter explains his choice
The lone voter who cast a first-place NFL MVP vote for Justin Herbert explained what went into his thought process.
Sam Monson offered an explanation for his decision to cast his vote for Herbert instead of eventual winner Matthew Stafford or runner-up Drake Maye. Monson focused on the “value” aspect of the award and argued that Herbert did more with less than Stafford or Maye did.
“The guy had the worst offensive line in the NFL all season and despite that he was working miracles in almost every single game,” Monson said of Herbert. “Stafford’s OL became 2/5ths as bad as Herbert’s for 5 minutes and he became a turnover howitzer. He embodied ‘value.’”
I was the Justin Herbert vote.
— Sam Monson (@SamMonsonNFL) February 6, 2026
The guy had the worst offensive line in the NFL all season and despite that he was working miracles in almost every single game.
Stafford's OL became 2/5ths as bad as Herbert's for 5 minutes and he became a turnover howitzer.
He embodied 'value'.
In another post, Monson said Stafford and Maye were both deserving MVP candidates, but neither overwhelmingly deserved to win the award, and he felt that Herbert also deserved consideration.
Herbert threw for 3,727 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions for the Chargers on the season. Stafford’s numbers were overwhelmingly superior with 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns, and eight picks. Maye was also superior in all three statistical categories.
Monson’s vote would have gone largely unnoticed had the voting not been so close. Stafford beat Maye by five voting points and one first-place vote. If Monson’s ballot was different, Maye could have easily won the award, and that is made even more notable by the fact that Herbert did not even finish in the top five overall.
This is hardly the first time a single MVP ballot drew scrutiny, though in the past it has been because of glaring errors made by the voter. Monson meant to do what he did, like it or not.
Lindsey Vonn conquers slope on torn ACL ahead of 2026 Olympics
Lindsey Vonn, the 41-year-old American skiing legend, achieved a remarkable milestone on Friday, completing a successful downhill training run on Italy’s Olympia delle Tofane slope in Cortina d’Ampezzo — just one week after tearing her ACL during a World Cup event in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
Airlifted off the mountain after losing control on a jump, Vonn faced a devastating injury that typically demands surgery and months of recovery.
Defying conventional medical timelines, she navigated the course in 1:40.33 (placing mid-pack), wearing a brace and reporting minimal pain, no swelling, and excellent knee stability.
The session, delayed over an hour by fog, served as both a critical test and a qualification requirement for Sunday’s Olympic women’s downhill — her chance to claim a fourth medal, 16 years after her 2010 Vancouver gold.
Vonn, who retired in 2019 after repeated knee issues but launched a comeback, expressed unwavering determination. She acknowledged reduced odds but insisted, “As long as there’s a chance, I will try,” comparing her current state favorably to past injuries.
Experts praised her individualized resilience, calling it inspirational. With one more training opportunity possible, Vonn’s grit keeps her Olympic dream alive.
Imane Khelif affirms female identity while confirming SRY gene
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, the 2024 Paris Olympic women’s welterweight gold medalist, addressed ongoing questions about her gender eligibility in interviews with French outlet L’Équipe and CNN.
Assigned female at birth, raised as a girl, and identifying as a woman, Khelif confirmed possessing the SRY gene — typically on the Y chromosome and associated with male development — describing it as a natural genetic variation.
She emphasized she is not transgender and has not altered her natural state.
“This is who I am. I haven’t done anything to change the way nature made me,” Khelif said.
Khelif revealed undergoing medical hormone treatments to lower her naturally elevated testosterone levels for competition compliance, including before the 2024 Olympics.
She expressed willingness to undergo required genetic sex testing for future events, including the 2028 Los Angeles Games, while appealing World Boxing’s mandatory testing policy — introduced in 2025 and barring her from events pending verification — through the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The topic remains divisive. Khelif previously faced disqualification by the International Boxing Association in 2023 over eligibility tests (amid its derecognition by the IOC), sparking debates on fairness, safety, and inclusion in women’s sports.
She described the scrutiny as causing significant psychological trauma for her and her family, urging protections that avoid harming athletes who were assigned female at birth and raised accordingly.
Deontay Wilder crashes out on reporter over Tyson Fury questions
Deontay Wilder, the former WBC heavyweight champion known as “The Bronze Bomber,” recently unleashed a fiery outburst during a talkSPORT interview with host Simon Jordan.
Promoting his upcoming April 4 bout against Derek Chisora at London’s O2 Arena, Wilder explicitly refused to discuss Tyson Fury. When Jordan persisted, referencing their storied trilogy and Wilder’s longstanding cheating allegations — including glove tampering, spiked water, and slow counts — Wilder exploded.
Shouting phrases like “I know the truth, I have the facts,” “I don’t give a (expletive) about that,” and branding Fury “the biggest cheat in boxing,” Wilder stood up, confronted Jordan, and stormed off the set as security intervened.
The incident highlights lingering bitterness from their rivalry.
The pair first clashed in December 2018, battling to a controversial split draw where Wilder scored two knockdowns but Fury dominated much of the fight. Fury won the 2020 rematch via seventh-round TKO (notably licking Wilder’s bloodied neck during the bout) to claim the WBC title.
Wilder triggered a rematch clause, leading to their 2021 trilogy decider, where Fury secured an 11th-round knockout victory in an epic, back-and-forth war widely hailed as one of boxing’s greatest heavyweight battles.
At 40, Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KOs) seeks redemption after recent setbacks, calling the Chisora fight a must-win knockout opportunity.
Fury has dismissed Wilder’s claims, recently calling him a “lost soul.” The feud’s intensity continues to captivate fans.
Ole Miss slams NCAA’s ‘indefensible’ decision on Trinidad Chambliss’ appeal
The NCAA has denied Ole Miss’ appeal for a sixth-year eligibility waiver for quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, upholding its initial rejection from January.
The decision, announced on Wednesday, stems from Chambliss’ request for a medical hardship redshirt tied to his 2022 sophomore season at Division II Ferris State, where severe respiratory issues — including chronic tonsillitis, adenoiditis, and post-COVID complications — limited him to just two games and prevented him from dressing for any others.
Chambliss transferred to Ole Miss, where he emerged as a star in 2025, throwing for 3,937 yards and 22 touchdowns while adding 527 rushing yards and eight scores. He led the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals and earned SEC Newcomer of the Year honors.
Ole Miss called the NCAA’s ruling “indefensible,” citing undisputed medical evidence and precedent.
Chambliss’ legal team, led by attorney Tom Mars, has sued the NCAA in Mississippi state court, alleging arbitrary application of rules and bad faith breach of contract. They seek an injunction for eligibility in 2026, with a hearing set for February 12.
The NCAA opposes, warning that court interventions could make collegiate sports ungovernable.
This case highlights ongoing tensions over eligibility waivers amid high-stakes NIL opportunities for players like Chambliss.
U.S. halts WADA funding: Donald Trump requires audit for dues payment
President Donald Trump signed a government appropriations bill into law this week to avert a partial shutdown, embedding a provision that withholds the United States’ annual dues to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The U.S., WADA’s largest government contributor, pays about $3.6 million annually — plus matching funds — toward the organization’s roughly $56 million budget.
The law conditions future payments on an independent audit by external anti-doping experts and auditors, verifying that WADA and its executives operate consistently with their duties.
This stems from longstanding U.S. concerns over WADA’s alleged susceptibility to Chinese influence, particularly its 2021 handling of 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned substance but faced no sanctions after WADA accepted claims of tainted food contamination.
Critics, including U.S. officials, argue that this lacked transparency and accountability.
The policy continues a bipartisan stance: The U.S. withheld 2025 dues under the prior administration, and ONDCP Director Sara Carter emphasized that the U.S. “will not be bullied or manipulated” into paying without reforms.
USADA CEO Travis Tygart praised the move for prioritizing clean sport and athlete rights ahead of the LA Olympics. WADA maintains it undergoes regular audits, insists contributions are unconditional, and says other funding has offset the impact while keeping it financially strong.
The standoff risks straining global anti-doping efforts but shows no immediate threat of broader collapse.
Matthew Stafford makes a major announcement during his MVP speech
Matthew Stafford’s plans for the future are coming straight from the horse’s mouth.
The Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stafford was officially named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the 2025 season. Stafford received the award on Thursday during the NFL Honors gala at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, Calif.
To conclude his MVP acceptance speech, Stafford, who very narrowly beat out New England Patriots counterpart Drake Maye for the award, made a major announcement. Stafford revealed that he will be returning for the 2026 NFL season.
“So I’ll see you guys next year,” Stafford said in his closing remarks.
"So I'll see you guys next year."
— NFL (@NFL) February 6, 2026
Matthew Stafford is coming back next season
NFL Honors on NBC/NFL Network
Stream on @NFLPlus & Peacock pic.twitter.com/sWtZcmrnKk
There you have it, folks. Stafford, who turns 38 later this week, is returning for his 18th career NFL season next fall.
After the Rams lost in the NFC Championship Game to the Seattle Seahawks last month, there was some talk that Stafford could potentially retire from the league. Even Rams head coach Sean McVay admitted that he was unsure if Stafford would be back.
But Stafford, who is under contract with the Rams for next season at a total cap hit of $48.3 million, clearly still has plenty left to offer after winning his first career NFL MVP in his late 30s. With the Rams’ home of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. set to host Super Bowl LXI in Feb. 2027, Stafford is officially ready to give it one more go.
Ex-Chargers OC Greg Roman lands a new job after his firing
Greg Roman is going from one Harbaugh back to the other.
The former Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Roman will be joining the coaching staff of the New York Giants, Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic reported on Thursday. Carroll adds that Roman’s role for the Giants will be on the offensive side of the ball.
Roman, 53, has been coaching in the NFL for over three decades now. He had spent the last two seasons as the OC of the Chargers under head coach Jim Harbaugh (whom Roman had previously worked with at both Stanford and with the San Francisco 49ers).
But Roman was fired last month after the Chargers’ Wild Card round playoff loss to the New England Patriots. The Chargers have since tabbed former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to serve as their new offensive coordinator instead.
A move to join the Giants in East Rutherford, N.J. is fitting in more ways than one for Roman. He is a native of Atlantic City, N.J. and served as the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens from 2019-22. That made Roman plenty acquainted with John Harbaugh, who was just hired as new head coach of the Giants last month.
Roman, the 2019 AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year, used to be a very in-demand coaching name who even drew interest for college head coaching jobs a few years ago. While Roman’s stock has fallen significantly since then due to concerns over his seemingly bland and run-heavy offenses, he will now be getting a chance for a fresh start with the elder Harbaugh and the Giants.
Bucks’ post-deadline plan for Giannis Antetokounmpo is revealed
Giannis Antetokounmpo stayed put with the Milwaukee Bucks through the trade deadline, but we still might not be seeing much of him.
The Bucks are expected to deactivate Antetokounmpo now that he is still on their roster, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Thursday on “First Take.” In other words, Milwaukee would not be playing Antetokounmpo for the rest of the NBA season.
Antetokounmpo, the 31-year-old former MVP, was the single hottest name at this year’s NBA trade deadline. He had reportedly lost patience with the Bucks amid their rough 2025-26 campaign and was even linked to some big-name teams on the trade market.
But Milwaukee was seemingly never actually serious about trading Antetokounmpo ahead of the deadline. Antetokounmpo himself then posted a great reaction over social media to not getting dealt.
Now the attention for the Bucks shifts to the rest of this season. Milwaukee is now 20-29 on the year (not even in the play-in tournament conversation), and Antetokounmpo is in the middle of an extended absence after suffering a calf injury.
The Bucks own their first-round draft pick this year, so they don’t have much reason to rush Antetokounmpo back from his injury. While the Antetokounmpo trade circus could easily start up again this summer, it sounds like Milwaukee will exercise an abundance of caution and keep The Greek Freak bubble-wrapped until then.
Report: 1 team tried to trade for LaMelo Ball at the deadline
LaMelo Ball almost got a chance to play with his fellow 2020 draftee … Anthony Edwards.
The Minnesota Timberwolves attempted to trade for the Charlotte Hornets star guard Ball ahead of Thursday’s NBA deadline, Chris Haynes of NBA TV reports. Haynes notes however that Hornets GM Jeff Peterson effectively stiff-armed the Timberwolves’ overtures for Ball.
A former All-Star at 24 years old, Ball is in his sixth career season with the Hornets. He is having a down individual year (19.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game), but Charlotte is looking far better than they have in past seasons at 23-28. That puts the Hornets at 11th in the Eastern Conference and just one game out of the play-in tournament.
There was some chatter last month that Ball was supposedly not seeing eye-to-eye with Charlotte head coach Charles Lee. Ball was even linked to three notable teams in trade rumors earlier this season.
As for the Timberwolves, they made a couple of interesting clear-out moves at the trade deadline that had fans thinking they were priming themselves to trade for Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo. But Antetokounmpo ended up staying put with the Bucks, and now it appears that Minnesota tried to use some of those same assets in order to make a run at Ball.
For now, Ball remains a part of a strong young core in Charlotte that also features Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and Moussa Diabate. But if the Hornets end up going nowhere again this year, there appears to be a strong chance that Ball could once more become a trade candidate in the summer.
Notable twist emerges in the Emmanuel Clase gambling case
Some surprising new information has been uncovered in the Emmanuel Clase federal gambling case.
The Cleveland Guardians pitcher Clase is being accused of throwing suspect pitches to benefit bettors in at least 48 games over the span of two years, David Purdum of ESPN reported on Thursday. Purdum notes that is significantly more than was originally revealed by federal prosecutors.
A court document filed earlier in the day on Thursday made the surprise relevation. Clase is being accused of conspiring with bettors to manipulate his performance during Guardians games from 2023-2025. He appeared in 197 total regular season games over that span, meaning that Clase allegedly threw suspect pitches during nearly a quarter of those appearances.
You can read Purdum’s full report on the situation here.
Clase, 27, was a three-time All-Star for the Guardians from 2022-24 and led the American League in saves during all three of those years as well. But he (along with his teammate Luis Ortiz) got placed on leave by Major League Baseball last summer amid the gambling allegations. Clase and Ortiz are each now facing multiple federal charges related to fraud, conspiracy, and bribery (and are looking at lengthy prison sentences as a result).
The accusations have to do with prop bets on individual pitches (whether or not the pitch would be a ball or a strike). Video has since emerged of questionable pitches that were thrown by Clase during the period for which he is under investigation for. Alleged text messages from Clase about the gambling scheme would later emerge as well.
Cam Thomas takes a parting shot at the Nets after his exit
Cam Thomas is really happy to be out of Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn Nets made the decision to waive their veteran guard Thomas on Thursday. Thomas will now be free (after clearing waivers) to sign with any team as an unrestricted free agent.
After the news broke of his exit, Thomas took a parting shot at the Nets.
“Super excited [and] ready to actually help and contribute to another team,” Thomas said to Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “My next team is getting elite scoring, good playmaking, and a good combo guard.”
Thomas, 24, was Brooklyn’s first-round pick in 2021 (No. 27 overall). He showed some impressive ability as a one-man offensive engine during his four-and-a-half seasons in Brooklyn. Thomas peaked at 24.0 points per game for the Nets last season and gained a reputation as one of the NBA’s best difficult shotmakers.
But Thomas’ 2025-26 season in Brooklyn was marred by a hamstring injury (limiting him to just 24 total games played) and tension over his role. Thomas was brought off the bench for the majority of the year, resulting in an underwhelming average of 15.6 points per game.
The former LSU standout Thomas was also notably benched a couple of weeks ago by the Nets for stat-padding during a game. Now the two sides have officially split, and Thomas could not be happier about getting a fresh start.
Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa plan gets new update
After the Miami Dolphins hired Jeff Hafley as the new head coach and Jon-Eric Sullivan as the new GM, the biggest question is about the future of Tua Tagovailoa.
During Sullivan’s introductory press conference, the new Dolphins GM insisted they had yet to have those conversations. The Dolphins could choose to trade or release the quarterback this offseason, but Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reported on Thursday that the team’s preference would be to try to work out a trade.
While Jackson added that releasing Tagovailoa is an option, sources told him that the Dolphins would make “every attempt to trade” the signal-caller.
The Dolphins turned to Quinn Ewers at the end of the season, and all signs have been pointing to Tagovailoa’s time with Miami coming to an end in one way or another.
The big issue is the money tied up in Tagovailoa. The Dolphins signed him to a four-year, $212.1 million extension in July 2024.
Tagovailoa has a $56.4 million cap hit next season, and if Miami cuts him before June 1, it would result in a $99.2 million dead cap hit in 2026.
So, that will likely make things even more difficult in finding a trade partner, and the Dolphins might need to eat a large chunk of money just to move on from him this offseason.
Miami Hurricanes assistant coach leaves for NFL job
The Miami Hurricanes were so close to defeating the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
Miami will enter the 2026 season with plenty of changes, including Carson Beck going to the NFL and former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah coming to town. On Thursday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Miami running backs coach Matt Merritt is leaving the program to take the same job with the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals were one of the final teams that needed to hire a new head coach, and they chose Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
The Cardinals also hired former Green Bay Packers OC and ex-Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett to be the OC in Arizona, so LaFleur has been working quickly to put his staff together.
Prior to coming to Miami, Merritt spent one season at USF, and he was at Georgia Southern in 2022 and at Tennessee the year before that. He also spent time at Elon and Ohio State, and he was a part of the Bill Walsh Minority Fellowships with the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers.
LaFleur was with the 49ers from 2017 until 2020 as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach, so the two were together with SF in 2019.
This is the second departure for Mario Cristobal’s coaching staff. Cody Woodiel, who was the tight ends coach, left for a job with the Ole Miss Rebels.
Cavs star was ‘aware’ of James Harden trade conversations with Clippers
The Cleveland Cavaliers got ahead of the trade frenzy by sending Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for James Harden.
While the Harden-Garland swap surprised many around the sports world, it turns out that this had been discussed weeks ago. And, even Cavs star Donovan Mitchell was aware of such discussions, according to Mark Spears of Andscape.
Cleveland Cavaliers had their first conversation about a James Harden trade six weeks ago, a source told @andscape. @spidadmitchell was aware of the talks. Mitchell said he used to workout with Harden and Chris Paul early in his career and go on adidas trips with Harden as well.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 5, 2026
Harden reportedly wants to compete for an NBA title, and he feels the better option than LA is going to Cleveland.
So, while the Harden-Garland trade surfaced on the internet rather quickly, it appears that the Cavs and Clippers had discussed it to some extent at the end of 2025.
The Cavs defeated the Clippers 124-91 on Wednesday at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, Calif., although neither player involved in the trade suited up just yet.
After the Cavs win, Mitchell said that Harden will “make life easier for everybody.”
The expectation is that Harden will make his Cavs debut on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif.
Caitlin Clark reacts to Pacers’ blockbuster trade
The Indiana Pacers got into the NBA trade deadline action right before the 3 pm ET cutoff.
The Pacers acquired Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, along with Kobe Brown, in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks and one second-round pick.
After the trade was made, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, an avid Pacers supporter, took to X to share her thoughts on the move.
Pacers 2027 world champions
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) February 5, 2026
Clark has shown support for Indiana’s NBA team since she came to the Fever, and she has spent plenty of time at Allen Fieldhouse, which is also the home arena of the Fever.
The Pacers made an NBA Finals run last postseason, but they lost in Game 7 to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Game 7 and is out for the entire 2025-26 season, so it’s been an unfortunate turn of events for Indiana.
However, the addition of Zubac gives the Pacers a quality center to run alongside Siakam, Haliburton and a potential top-5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, so there is a lot to like about the move Indiana made at the deadline.
Zubac is under contract through the 2027-28 season, and he is having the best statistical season of his career this year, so this is a big trade for the Pacers as they look ahead to next year.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has great reaction to not being traded
Giannis Antetokounmpo is not going anywhere.
The NBA’s trade deadline passed on Thursday, and Antetokounmpo was not dealt by the Milwaukee Bucks. In fact, one report alleged the team was never serious about trading their star player.
If Antetokounmpo had any disappointment over the outcome, he did not show it — at least not via social media. Antetokounmpo posted a note on his X profile in which he described himself as a “legend” who wouldn’t “chase” a title by joining another team.
“Legends don’t chase. They attract,” Antetokounmpo wrote in his post.
The Bucks star also shared a video clip from “The Wolf of Wall Street” in which Leonardo DiCaprio’s character makes a passionate statement saying he would not be leaving his company despite calls for him to do so.
Legends don’t chase. They attract 💯😎 pic.twitter.com/62r1jg93vt
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) February 5, 2026
What’s interesting is that just last week, a report had said Antetokounmpo was ready to be traded by Milwaukee. Despite all that, the team ended up keeping him.
If Milwaukee is going to trade Antetokounmpo, maybe they will wait until the offseason to do so. Or maybe they will commit to build around him instead.
The Bucks entered play on Thursday 20-29, which is three games behind for the 10th spot in the East.
Warriors discussed trade for All-Star big man before Giannis Antetokounmpo talks
After Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo revealed that he wanted tond a new home, the Golden State Warriors were commonly linked to the Greek Freak.
In the end, the Bucks held on to Antetokounmpo past the deadline. The Warriors acquired center Kristaps Porzingis in a trade that sent Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks. And, it turns out that the Warriors had discussions regarding a potential deal for former Memphis Grizzlies big man and two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr., according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
“A couple of weeks ago, the Warriors had some pretty extensive conversations with the Memphis Grizzlies about Jaren Jackson Jr.,” Shelburne said on ESPN after the trade deadline passed. “They tabled those conversations…But then Giannis was maybe available. And so they tabled those conversations.”
Ramona:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 5, 2026
"Couple weeks ago the Warriors had some pretty extensive conversations with the Memphis Grizzlies about Jaren Jackson Jr…but then Giannis was maybe available and so they tabled those conversations because they needed those (two 1st round) picks in the Giannis trade and… pic.twitter.com/ce6NTVfnIr
Before the deadline, the Grizzlies ended up trading Jackson and three others to the Utah Jazz for Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three future first-round picks in a massive blockbuster move.
As for Golden State, it ended up with Porzingis, and not Antetokounmpo, although those talks could pick back up again in the summer.
Rams, 49ers to play in first ever NFL game in Australia
Seven countries besides the United States have hosted an NFL regular-season game.
In 2026, that number will grow to eight as it was revealed that the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers would play a game in Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
THE FIRST-EVER REGULAR SEASON GAME IN AUSTRALIA IS SET! 🇦🇺@49ers vs @RamsNFL at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. pic.twitter.com/Ae2w9ukd6J
— NFL Australia & NZ (@NFLAUNZ) February 5, 2026
The Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Las Vegas Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles have marketing rights in Australia and New Zealand as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program.
NFL Australia & New Zealand General Manager Charlotte Offord released a statement after the matchup was announced.
“As we continue our preparations for the NFL’s first-ever regular season game touching down at the MCG in Melbourne, we are delighted to have the San Francisco 49ers announced as the opposing team to take on the Los Angeles Rams,” the statement said.
Offord added that the 49ers are a “popular franchise within the Australian market” and called it an “important next step” toward the sports footprints in Australia.
The 49ers and Rams both made the postseason this season, with the Rams falling just short of a Super Bowl after a loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game.
The date and time have yet to be announced for the first ever NFL game in Australia.
Tarik Skubal wins historic amount in arbitration case
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal will get paid a handsome amount for the 2026 MLB season.
Skubal filed for arbitration after he and the Tigers couldn’t agree to a deal. Skubal had filed to receive a $32 million salary in 2026. On Thursday, the verdict came in that Skubal had won his arbitration case and will get paid $32 million in a historic move, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
BREAKING: Two-time reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal won his arbitration case and will make $32 million this year, sources tell ESPN. Skubal’s bet to go for the largest salary ever in the arbitration system paid off, as he’ll make $13M more than Tigers argued.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 5, 2026
The arbitration win for Skubal and the $32 million salary he will receive shattered the previous high of $19.9 million awarded by a panel.
The Tigers had offered a $19 million salary for Skubal in 2026, making the $13 million spread the largest in the history of the salary-arbitration era. His salary is higher than the previous record of $31 million for Juan Soto in 2024.
The Skubal news comes a day after the Tigers stunned everybody by signing former Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez to a three-year deal worth $115 million, giving the Tigers one of the best 1-2 pitching duos in the league.
Skubal won the 2025 American League Cy Young Award after posting a 13-6 record with a 2.21 ERA in 31 starts. Now, he is set to earn a whopping $32 million in 2026.
