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Giants going ‘all-out’ for John Harbaugh

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The New York Giants want John Harbaugh to be their next head coach, and they want him badly.

Harbaugh already interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach vacancy this week. Then on Wednesday, he met with the Giants about their job. He went to their facility and met with the team’s ownership group. NFL Media reporter Ian Rapoport described it as a “full-court press” to get Harbaugh.

“What the Giants did was … full-court press on John Harbaugh. Jaxson Dart was in the building. You had the building basically cleared out except for the really important people running the search, which was Giants owners …. You had all of the people involved in the search very explicitly dealing with John Harbaugh, giving him a tour. Trying to do everything they can to sell Harbaugh on the Giants,” Rapoport reported. “Everything the Giants can do to sell him.”

Rapoport added in his report that the Giants are willing to do whatever Harbaugh wants. That means they are willing to pay him and his desired coaching staff any amount, according to another report.

In addition to the Giants and Falcons, Harbaugh is set to interview with the Tennessee Titans for their head coach job on Thursday. The Raiders, Browns and Cardinals are other teams with vacancies who are said to have interest in Harbaugh.

Harbaugh coached the Ravens for 18 seasons before they parted ways with him. He won the Super Bowl once and AFC North six times during his head coach tenure at Baltimore.

Tony Romo explains his weird moments in Sunday’s broadcast

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Tony Romo garnered a lot of negative attention for his broadcast of Sunday’s AFC Wild Card game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills, but he had something of an explanation for it.

In an appearance on SiriusXM Wednesday, Romo admitted he was dealing with an illness during Sunday’s game. He said there was no thought of missing the broadcast because of the excitement of a playoff game.

“Oh yeah, we had a bunch of guys sick. We were just grinding through it, but you’re not gonna miss a playoff game. It’s too much fun,” Romo said.

Romo also somewhat acknowledged his critics, saying that no broadcast would ever be perfect and that the criticism comes with the job. He has said similar things in the past.

“There’s always gonna be moments where there’s great stuff and then other stuff, it’s just part of being in your position,” Romo said.

Romo’s illness might explain some of the weird noises he was making during Sunday’s broadcast. To many critics, however, the surface-level analysis and meandering commentary were much bigger issues. A lot of fans have grown tired of him for a whole host of reasons this season.

Romo was once appointment viewing, but his act has grown stale to many people. That is troubling news for CBS, as they are paying him an enormous sum of money for the foreseeable future with no clear way to make a change if they want to.

Dylan Raiola gets the meme treatment after Dante Moore announcement

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Dylan Raiola got the meme treatment on Wednesday following the surprising announcement by Dante Moore.

Moore announced on Wednesday that he will be returning to Oregon for the 2026 college football season rather than enter the NFL Draft, where he was expected to be a high draft pick. Moore’s decision comes two days after Raiola announced that he would be transferring to Oregon.

Fans gave Raiola the meme treatment for transferring to a school where he would be serving as a backup quarterback rather than the starter.

Though Raiola is getting the meme treatment, it’s quite possible — and actually likely — that he transferred to Oregon despite knowing Moore might return to school.

CBS Sports had reported that Raiola’s camp told Oregon that Dylan would be willing to redshirt for the 2026 season if Moore were to return to the Ducks. Redshirting would allow Dylan to develop and then take over as the starter in 2027 and 2028.

The way Oregon has developed quarterbacks recently — Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel and Moore — apparently is part of what attracted Raiola to the school.

Raiola played two seasons at Nebraska. He passed for 4,819 yards with 31 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, while the Cornhuskers went 7-6 in both seasons.

Eagles pursuing 2 former NFL head coaches for their OC job

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The Philadelphia Eagles have a high-profile offensive coordinator job open, and they are targeting big names for it.

Former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and former New York Giants coach Brian Daboll are at the top of the Eagles’ list of candidates, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Eagles have only just started to touch base with potential candidates.

McDaniel will be in very high demand. He could land another head coaching job, and even if he doesn’t, the Eagles might not be his only option if he wants to take an offensive coordinator position. He certainly appears to be the prime candidate, but anyone who wants him will face some serious competition.

Daboll’s name is not circulating quite as much, but it was not that long ago that he was regarded as one of the game’s best offensive coordinators for his work with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. His time with the Giants did not go great, but it left him with plenty of familiarity with the NFC East.

The Eagles are trying to replace Kevin Patullo, who was fired on Tuesday. The offense has an outstanding core of talent, but lacked the right coach to get the most out of the unit last season.

Fernando Mendoza’s comments about Indiana’s defense were spot-on

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Fernando Mendoza was completely correct with his initial assessment of the Indiana Hoosiers’ football team this season.

Mendoza transferred to Indiana for the 2025 college football season after spending his first two seasons with the Cal Golden Bears. When he first began practicing with his new team, he was blown away by how good they looked. During a recent interview with “The Pat McAfee Show,” Mendoza recalled his initial reactions to the Hoosiers.

“First couple days of spring camp, this is either the best defense in the country or I’m not as good as I thought I was,” Mendoza recalled thinking.

Mendoza turned out to be completely correct about the defense, and quite a bit off about his abilities. Indiana is No. 2 in the country with just 11.1 points allowed per game. They are also No. 2 in the country with 42.6 points scored per game. The Hoosiers are 15-0 and have blown out their first two opponents in the College Football Playoff. Yes, they look like they have the best team in the country, so Mendoza was spot-on with his thoughts.

Indiana will look to complete the perfect 16-0 season when they face the Miami Hurricanes in the national championship game on Monday.

Dante Moore makes big decision about his future

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Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has thrown the NFL Draft for a loop with a huge decision about his future.

Moore announced in an appearance on “SportsCenter” Wednesday that he will return to Oregon for his junior season. The decision comes despite the fact that Moore had a very good chance to be a top five selection in next April’s NFL Draft.

Moore is still just 20 and perhaps feels he needs a bit more seasoning before going pro. He threw for 3,565 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season, showing flashes of brilliance mixed in with inconsistency in big moments. His draft stock will likely remain very high, and he figures to be one of the first players off the board in the 2027 draft barring something hugely unexpected.

Teams near the top of the draft will likely have to re-assess their boards now, as Moore had been widely expected to declare. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza figures to be the clear No. 1 quarterback on the board now. Moore’s decision could also prove hugely beneficial to Alabama’s Ty Simpson, who turned down huge amounts of money to go pro.

Moore’s decision also leaves Oregon in an awkward spot for 2026. Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola had just transferred to the Ducks, likely with the expectation that Moore would leave for the NFL. Now Oregon might wind up having both players.

Red Sox sign free agent pitcher to $130 million contract

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The Boston Red Sox moved quickly to make up for Alex Bregman’s departure by spending big money on a starting pitcher.

Former Philadelphia Phillies starter Ranger Suarez is heading to Boston on a 5-year, $130 million deal, according to multiple reports. It marks the longest free agent contract the Red Sox have handed out in four years.

Suarez, 30, developed into one of the most reliable left-handed starters in the game in recent years. He posted a 3.20 ERA for the Phillies last season while striking out 151 batters in 157.1 innings of work. He also has a 1.48 ERA in 42.2 innings of work in the postseason over the course of his career.

The Red Sox had hoped to retain Bregman, but failed to do so, reportedly because of their own intransigence. To their credit, they did not simply pocket the money they saved by his departure, and acted quickly to find a quality pitcher instead.

There are suggestions that the Red Sox might not be done, though perhaps spending big money on Suarez will cool their interest in other expensive targets.

Ty Simpson turned down enormous NIL offers to enter NFL Draft

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Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is officially headed to the NFL Draft, but he certainly passed up on some very lucrative opportunities to avoid doing so.

Simpson said he received enormous offers to transfer and play out his senior season, and that he had been strongly tempted to do so. The Miami Hurricanes offered him $6.5 million to play for them, which Ole Miss later said it would match.

“Miami was kind of like, ‘All right, we’re moving on,’ and then they lost out on Sam Leavitt and came back with that big number,” Simpson told Chris Low of On3. “And then Ole Miss called again and said they could match it.”

Some advice from Nick Saban ultimately drove Simpson to pursue the NFL opportunity anyway. Saban advised Simpson to take money out of the equation and do what he would want to do if no one was offering him anything. The quarterback added he did not want to taint his reputation at Alabama by jumping to another school. Simpson had made it very clear how much playing for the Crimson Tide had meant to him in his NFL Draft announcement.

Simpson turned down huge money to play another season. The Hurricanes were apparently willing to pay him more than they paid Carson Beck this season, and they were not the only ones offering such figures. Simpson, however, believes he has a good chance of being a first-round pick, and does not want to wait another year to make it happen.

Simpson threw for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and 5 interceptions this year as he guided Alabama into the College Football Playoff.

New details emerge regarding Jordan Addison’s arrest

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New details have come to light regarding Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison’s arrest for trespassing.

According to a police report, Addison caused a disturbance early Monday morning at the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, Fla. The casino wanted Addison removed from the premises, but he initially refused to leave.

Police arrived to escort Addison out, and they had to “repeatedly” redirect him toward the exit. He was ultimately arrested for trespassing in an occupied structure or conveyance, a misdemeanor, and released on $500 bond.

Addison’s agent said Tuesday that the wide receiver expects to be exonerated, and is even looking into a false arrest claim.

This is not the first time Addison has run into off-field issues. He was arrested and charged with a DUI prior to the 2024 season. He wound up having to serve a 3-game suspension to start the 2025 campaign as a result of that arrest.

Addison caught 42 passes for 610 yards with three touchdowns last season, as he was a victim of Minnesota’s inconsistent quarterback play.

Ex-Pro Bowl WR has announced his retirement

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A former Pro Bowl wide receiver is calling it a career.

Veteran receiver Adam Thielen confirmed Wednesday that he is retiring now that his season is over. In an Instagram post, the former Minnesota Viking thanked fans for the support over the course of his career.

Thielen finished his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he at least got to go out on a playoff team. He spent the bulk of his career with Minnesota, where he caught 55 touchdown passes over a ten-year stint. Those are great numbers for a player who entered the league undrafted in 2014.

Thielen had strongly implied that 2025 would be his final season. Even though he and his team went out in disappointing fashion, that did not change his stance.

During his prime, Thielen was one of the more reliable receivers in the NFL. He topped 1,000 yards three times, and was even a second-team All-Pro selection in 2017. He split 2025 between Minnesota and Pittsburgh, and he had two catches for 25 yards in the Steelers’ AFC Wild Card loss to Houston, which will end up being his final NFL game.

Ja Morant caught on video in heated practice exchange with teammate

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Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant only invited more speculation about his future when he appeared on video Wednesday in a heated confrontation with one of his teammates.

Morant and the Grizzlies are in Berlin for Thursday’s game against the Orlando Magic. During a Wednesday morning shootaround, the guard got into what appeared to be some sort of heated discussion with guard Vince Williams.

The discussion carries on for over a minute, with Morant growing increasingly animated.

Whatever the cause or reason for Morant’s aggravation, it will only boost rumors that he is on the way out of Memphis. The Grizzlies are said to be willing to listen to trade offers for him, and there have also been reports of him having friction with teammates. This certainly would add some evidence to the latter claim, especially since he was also suspended by the team earlier this season over a confrontation with head coach Tuomas Iisalo.

Morant is averaging 19 points per game on the season in 18 games. He has already been ruled out for the Grizzlies’ game in Berlin due to a calf issue.

Video of Texans player shamelessly trolling Mike Tomlin emerges

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Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair took advantage of a perfect opportunity to troll Mike Tomlin.

After sending the Pittsburgh Steelers home via a 30-6 win in an AFC Wild Card showdown on Monday at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., Al-Shaair saw a camera in the tunnel and made fun of Tomlin.

Al-Shaair’s gesture was a parody of Tomlin’s viral celebration following the Steelers’ miraculous Week 18 win over the Baltimore Ravens. That was the same game where Tyler Loop infamously missed what would have been a game-winning field goal for the Ravens.

Al-Shaair, who had 6 total tackles versus Pittsburgh,  likely had no idea that Tomlin was about to step down as head coach of the Steelers, but all he wanted at that time was to troll the Steelers and celebrate the Texans’ huge win in enemy territory.

The job is far from finished for Houston, however. Standing in the Texans’ way from an appearance in the AFC Championship Game is another road game in the playoffs, as they are scheduled to face the New England Patriots in an AFC Divisional Round showdown at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on Sunday.

If Houston gets by the Pats, Al-Shaair may have to think of another way to celebrate.

Fans are all upset after LeBron James was denied a historic achievement

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LeBron James had a great time embarrassing Father Time again on Tuesday.

Playing in the second game of a back-to-back set, the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player put up another eye-popping performance that defied his age, as he helped the Los Angeles Lakers notch a 141-116 win over the Atlanta Hawks at Crypto.com Arena at Los Angeles, Calif. 

James, who turned 41 years old in December, scored 31 points, dished out 10 assists and grabbed 9 rebounds against the Hawks, falling just a board shy of a triple-double. There was ample time in the fourth quarter for him to chase a rebound and become the oldest player in NBA history to record a trip-dub, but he checked out of the game with 3:43 remaining in regulation.

Several fans on social media lamented that decision, as they all had to wait for at least another game to see James break Karl Malone’s record.

As it stands, Malone is still the oldest player in NBA history to author a triple-double, but with the way James’ body has been holding up even at this stage of his career, it’s a good bet that he’ll end “The Mailman’s” rule atop that particular all-time list for old guys.

James can try again for a triple-double on Thursday, when the Lakers host the Charlotte Hornets.

For what it’s worth, James has career averages of 28.0 points, 7.7 assists and 7.6 rebounds against the Charlotte franchise.

Laura Rutledge speaks out after interaction with Texans player

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Laura Rutledge of ESPN has interviewed countless athletes in her career, but some just stand out. 

She named one on Tuesday, when she gave Houston Texans star defensive end Will Anderson Jr. a shoutout on social media after the two spoke to each other following the AFC South team’s playoff win on Monday over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa.

“One of my favorite interviews ever. Never taking the opportunity to do this for granted. Thank you Will for sharing your joy!” Rutledge wrote.

Anderson was simply being himself during the interview, as he professed his faith and thanked Jesus for his strong performance and the Texans’ victory. 

The interview got more entertaining when he animatedly shared that he told his teammate, Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, before the game that he dreamed something good was going to happen on defense against the Steelers. 

In the fourth quarter, Rankins recovered an Aaron Rodgers fumble after a sack by Anderson and took the ball to the house to stretch Houston’s lead on the way to a 30-6 win.

Anderson will have to sustain that energy, as the Texans face another tough assignment in the NFL playoffs on Sunday for an AFC Divisional Round matchup against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had an unexpected response to boos at home

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It doesn’t matter where Giannis Antetokounmpo is, he will boo back whenever he feels like it.

In the third quarter of Tuesday’s game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player scored a tough bucket and drew a foul from Timberwolves star Julius Randle. 

While on the ground, Antetokounmpo broke out a double thumbs-down gesture and booed at the crowd. What he did was a response to Bucks fans who were booing the Bucks in the first half, as a lethargic Milwaukee squad ended the second quarter trailing the visiting Timberwolves by 31 points.

Here’s a clip of Antetokounmpo’s emphatic behavior.

Antetokounmpo had done the same before, but it was surprising to see him do it to Milwaukee fans, let alone in a home game. 

It has been quite a 2025-26 NBA season so far for Antetokounmpo, who could leave Milwaukee via free agency in 2027 if he doesn’t pick up his player option with the Bucks for the 2027-28 season. 

Between injuries and nonstop trade rumors, he’s always found himself in the headlines, while the Bucks struggle to win games. Booing at Bucks fans only adds to the colorful season he is having.

Against the Timberwolves, Antetokounmpo had 25 points on 9-for-13 shooting with 8 rebounds and 5 assists, though he also committed 7 turnovers.

Connor McDavid reaches rare milestone on 29th birthday

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Connor McDavid celebrated his 29th birthday with another milestone in his incredible hockey career.

During Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., McDavid successfully extended his point streak to 20 games, as he finished the contest with a pair of assists. He assisted on Zach Hyman’s goal on the man advantage in the first period and helped set up another power-play goal by Hyman in the second frame.

With his performance, the three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner became the latest member of an extremely exclusive statistical club in the NHL, as he is just the ninth player in the last 35 years to have a point streak of at least 20 games.

In the last 20 Edmonton games, McDavid racked up 19 goals to go with 27 assists for a total of 46 points. He has been playing as well as someone who’s arguably the best player of his generation, though a Stanley Cup title remains missing in his resume. 

Unfortunately for McDavid, his big day was not rewarded with a win, as the Oilers suffered a 4-3 loss via overtime, with veteran defenseman scoring the game-winning goal for the Preds.

McDavid can keep his streak going and the Oilers can look to get back to their winning ways on Thursday, when they host the New York Islanders at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.

Jake DeBrusk got brutally honest after Canucks’ eighth-straight loss

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All the losing is taking a toll on Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk.

The Canucks are still winless since the calendar flipped to 2026, and their losing streak reached eight games following a 2-1 loss at the hands of the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario.

The 29-year-old DeBrusk appeared to be missing the good old days with the Boston Bruins when he spoke about the current state of the Canucks following the loss to Brady Tkachuk and the Sens.

“I mean for me personally I’ve never gone through this before, so I keep feeling like I’m saying that,” DeBrusk said, via Sportsnet. 

“But yeah, I mean it is. You know we’ve got to figure it out quick.”

DeBrusk and the Canucks have a lot of figuring out to do if they are to turn things around soon.

Vancouver can begin with its defense, as the Canucks are allowing 3.59 goals per game, second-worst in the league. But their offense isn’t looking good either. The Canucks are only 27th overall through Tuesday in the NHL with only 2.63 goals per contest.

DeBrusk had consistently made the Stanley Cup Playoffs during his time with the Bruins, but as things stand in Vancouver, he’s unlikely to return to the postseason in 2026.

After 46 games, the Canucks are just 16-25-5, the worst record in the entire NHL.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had the most profane taunt for Stephon Castle

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showed a side of himself that we rarely see during Tuesday’s game.

Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder were victorious over the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. The final score was not at all close (119-98) as the Thunder got their first win over the Spurs in four tries this season.

During one sequence in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander hit a three-pointer over the outstretched arm of San Antonio’s Stephon Castle to give the Thunder an 18-point lead. As he was going back up the floor, Gilgeous-Alexander hit Castle with an extremely profane taunt.

“Hoe a– n—a,” Gilgeous-Alexander appeared to say in Castle’s direction. Here is the video.

The reigning NBA MVP Gilgeous-Alexander finished Tuesday’s game with a team-leading 34 points on 11/23 shooting (also adding five rebounds, five assists, and four blocks). With Nikola Jokic currently sidelined with a knee injury, Gilgeous-Alexander is once again looking like the frontrunner to win MVP this season.

Tuesday’s victory over the Spurs also had to feel very cathartic for the 27-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander. For one, Oklahoma City was able to put to rest all the memes that resulted when San Antonio beat them three times earlier this season within a 12-day span.

1 frontrunner has reportedly surfaced for Bo Bichette

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Bo Bichette may end up going from the AL East to the NL East.

Rival MLB clubs are beginning to view the Philadelphia Phillies as the most serious suitor for the two-time All-Star shortstop Bichette in free agency, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported on Tuesday. Gelb notes that Bichette and the Phillies met via video call earlier this week.

The Phillies are even said to be willing to potentially extend a 6-to-8-year contract offer to Bichette in order to sign him. You can read Gelb’s full report on the situation here.

Bichette, the 27-year-old righty hitter, remains a free agent after batting .311 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs last season for the Toronto Blue Jays. Though Bichette is a career-long shortstop, we learned last month that he was willing to make a big positional change for any interested teams.

That could really benefit the Phillies, who have reigning NL batting champion Trea Turner entrenched as their starting shortstop. The Phillies already re-signed Kyle Schwarber in free agency and also added a notable former World Series champion in the outfield, so now their focus appears to be on upgrading their infield corps.

Another report this week did claim that one AL contender is aggressively pursuing Bichette in free agency as well. But at this point, it sounds like the two-time AL hits leader Bichette may very well be Philadelphia’s to lose.

Details emerge on Mets’ contract offer to Kyle Tucker

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The New York Mets apparently mean business after losing Pete Alonso and others this offseason.

The Mets have made a sizable offer to free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker in free agency, Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reported on Tuesday. Nightengale says that the Mets have offered Tucker a three- or four-year contract that will pay him an average annual value of $50 million. That would mark the third-highest AAV in MLB history, trailing only Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers ($70 million AAV) and the Mets’ own Juan Soto ($51 million AAV).

Tucker, 28, is the best remaining free agent hitter on the market. A four-time All-Star as well as a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Tucker is drawing interest from the Mets, the Dodgers, the Toronto Blue Jays, and also one prominent new contender.

Earlier this month, we heard that the Blue Jays were the team that had made the biggest offer to Tucker up to that point of free agency. But it looks like Toronto’s offer to Tucker may be spread out over more years, resulting in a bigger total contract value but with a lower average value per year.

The Mets have been licking their wounds for most of the offseason, especially after their longtime slugger Alonso signed with the Baltimore Orioles in free agency. But Alonso “only” signed with the Orioles for five years and $155 million, and it looks like the Mets may be exceeding that overall value with their offer to Tucker.

Interestingly enough, the lefty-hitting Tucker reportedly wanted over $300 million at the beginning of free agency. The Mets’ offer appears to be topping out at $200 million, and if Tucker does not bite, there is at least one other big name that the Mets are seemingly eyeing as a Plan B.

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