Two-time NBA champion Isiah Thomas opened up about his personal health.
During a recent appearance on former NBA coach Mark Jackson's "Come And Talk 2 Me" podcast, Thomas revealed he was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy.
The condition resulted in his facial muscles drooping.
"I’ve gotten a lot of love from people saying, ‘Well, Isiah’s sick. What is he going through?'" he said. "I haven’t really told anybody, but I’ve got Bell’s palsy. … That’s why you see me like this. I appreciate the prayers and the love. That’s what’s happening with my mouth right now. I just wanted everyone to know that."
According to the Mayo Clinic, Bell's palsy is a neurological condition that can cause muscles on one side of the face to suddenly weaken. People diagnosed with Bell's palsy experience symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
A smile could appear one-sided and the eye on the affected side could be difficult to close. Over time, the condition can improve.
Thomas is not the first former or current NBA player who has dealt with Bell's palsy. Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers said he was diagnosed with the condition ahead of April's playoff series against the New York Knicks.
Embiid averaged 33 points during the series.
Thomas spent his entire NBA career with the Detroit Pistons, earning 12 All-Star team nods. He was named the NBA Finals MVP in 1990.
After he retired, Thomas made the leap to coaching and spent time leading the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks. He also coached at the collegiate level.
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler will be sidelined for at least the last two games of his team's road trip as he continues to recover from an illness.
The Heat's announcement means the six-time All-Star will not be available when Miami plays the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets this weekend.
Butler could return to action New Year's Day when the Heat host the New Orleans Pelicans. Although the franchise will likely closely monitor Butler's recovery over the next few days before clearing his return to the court.
Butler hasn't played since the first quarter of Miami’s Dec. 20 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, when he twisted an ankle, left the game and then was ruled out due to illness.
Miami has played three games since without Butler, two because of sickness and then Thursday’s win in Orlando with him back in Miami preparing for a return.
He is not with the team on the road trip.
The Heat said Thursday they are not going to trade Butler. ESPN reported that the 2021 NBA steals leader prefers to be moved before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
"We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches," Heat President Pat Riley said in a statement. "Therefore, we will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler."
Butler has not publicly expressed any desire to be traded. He is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists this season.
Earlier this week, Miami men's basketball coach Jim Larrañaga became the latest leader of a major college program to step down. Tony Bennett resigned from his position at Virginia before the regular season tipped off.
Despite being the winningest head coach in program history, Larrañaga abruptly ended his 14th season at Miami, at least partially due to name, image and likeness (NIL) in college sports.
During a press conference announcing his retirement Dec. 26, Larrañaga, 75, said contending with the transfer portal and NIL left him "exhausted."
"At this point, after 53 years, I just didn’t feel … I could successfully navigate this whole new world that I was dealing with," Larrañaga told reporters, referencing NIL.
"There’s one thing you’ve got to constantly ask yourself: Are you going to give everything you have, the commitment that it deserves, 100% of yourself, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually?" Larrañaga added. "And, quite frankly, I’ve tried to do that throughout my life and throughout my time here, but I’m exhausted."
While less than two years have passed since Larrañaga coached the Hurricanes to the Final Four, Miami had a 4-8 record when he decided to call it quits. Miami finished the 2023-24 season with a 15-17 record.
Assistant Bill Courtney has been tapped to take over the head coaching job on an interim basis.
Under Larrañaga, Miami qualified for the NCAA Tournament six times, advancing to the Sweet 16 four times. The Hurricanes also advanced to the program's first-ever Elite Eight in 2022 and the Final Four in 2023.
Miami won the ACC tournament title in 2013.
Before taking the Miami job, Larrañaga spent 14 seasons at George Mason. He led the mid-major program to a shocking appearance in the Final Four in 2006.
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles caught heat before the start of the NFL season for showing up to husband Jonathan Owens’ preseason game with the Chicago Bears in an outfit sporting the safety's former team.
But on Thursday night, she silenced the critics.
The decorated Olympian arrived at Soldier Field in Chicago before the Bears’ Week 17 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks wearing an outfit decorated entirely with photographs of her husband's face.
Owens reposted a photo of Biles to his Instagram Stories with the caption, "Ain’t she beautiful."
Fans received the outfit choice well this time around.
In August, before a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the gymnast irked some by wearing a jacket depicting Owens when he played for the Green Bay Packers. Unbothered by the criticism, Biles later shared the photos on social media with the message, "Bear down."
Owens signed a two-year contract with the Bears in March after spending one season with the Packers. He was excused from the start of training camp this summer to support his wife as she went on to make history at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Biles won four medals, including three gold, to bring her total Olympic medal count to 11 — the most by any American female gymnast.
Her amazing rebound in Paris, following her well-chronicled troubles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, earned her the runner-up spot for AP Female Athlete of the Year honors, just behind WNBA star Caitlin Clark.
Greg Gumbel, who broadcast the NFL on CBS and served as the network's studio host for March Madness, has died at the age of 78.
Emmy-winning producer Dan Forer announced Gumbel's death in a Facebook post.
"The holidays are supposed to be filled with joy, but they are often mixed with sorrow. I just learned that my dear friend Greg Gumbel has passed," he wrote, via the New York Post.
"Greg was the best announcer a young producer/director could have because he was extremely inclusive and never ever lost his cool — except for the time we were shooting a Super Bowl Anti-Drug PSA in the South Bronx at 2am and live gunfire erupted. That was the only occasion Greg raised his voice and had a few choice words for me; which I deserved.
"In addition to being a true professional he was a kind, magnificent man. May his memory be a treasured blessing for his family and friends."
Gumbel missed last year's tournament due to "family health issues."
Gumbel called the 2001 Super Bowl, becoming the first African American to call a major sports championship. He was the older brother of longtime "Real Sports" host Bryant Gumbel.
Prior to hitting it big with CBS, Greg worked for MSG, ESPN and WFAN in New York, also calling New York Knicks and Yankees games and hosting "SportsCenter."
He was also the anchor for several Olympic Games and last called an NFL game in 2022.
Navy held on to beat Oklahoma 21-20 in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Friday.
After Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. connected with tight end Jake Roberts for a 10-yard touchdown with under 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables decided to go for the win.
Venables sent his offense back out to the field down 21-20, and the Navy defense slammed the door shut.
Hawkins was in the shotgun, was immediately overwhelmed by Midshipmen defenders in the backfield and eventually was taken down for the game-sealing sack on the two-point conversion attempt.
Oklahoma started out red hot, ending the first quarter up 14-0 after running back Gavin Sawchuk ran for a 21-yard touchdown and wide receiver Zion Kearney caught a 56-yard touchdown pass.
The Midshipmen then scored 21 unanswered points, starting in the second quarter.
Horvath faked a handoff, dashed into the open field and took off for a 95-yard touchdown. He was initially ruled short of a touchdown as he was taken down right at the goal line, but a replay review ruled it was a touchdown.
Horavth’s 95-yard scamper tied the game at 14 with 3:49 left in the third quarter.
The previous record for the Midshipmen came during the Roger Staubach era, when Johnny Sai had a 93-yard touchdown run against Duke in 1963.
Horvath later found the end zone again, running it in from 6 yards out to give Navy a 21-14 lead.
Horvath completed seven of 12 pass attempts for 92 yards, while rushing the ball 18 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
Tecza carried 15 times for 43 yards and a touchdown in the win.
Hawkins played well in the loss, completing 28 of 43 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 17 times for 61 yards.
Sawchuk added 13 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown.
With the loss, Oklahoma finished the season with a 6-7 record.
After one of the most historic seasons in golf in 2024, 2025 will not get off to an ideal start for Scottie Scheffler.
The reigning PGA Player of the Year and No. 1 golfer in the world will miss next week's Sentry tournament after he underwent hand surgery.
In a statement released Friday, Scheffler's manager, Blake Smith, said Scheffler "sustained a puncture wound … from broken glass" in his right hand on Christmas Day preparing dinner.
"Small glass fragments remained in the palm, which required surgery. He has been told that he should be back to 100% in three to four weeks," Smith said, adding Scheffler has officially withdrawn from The Sentry.
Scheffler's next scheduled tournament is the American Express, which begins Jan. 16. This year, the Sentry is labeled a signature event, the first of eight.
Scheffler's injury comes months after he completed one of the greatest seasons the PGA has ever seen. He kicked off his season with four top 10 finishes in his first five tournaments. Then, he kicked into another gear. He had four wins and tied for second in his next five events. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Players, the RBC Heritage and the Masters.
His season took a wild turn in May, though, when he was arrested while headed to the second round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla. He spent time in a jail cell before casually shooting a 66 later in the day. He finished tied for eighth in the tournament.
Scheffler then won the Memorial and Travelers in June and then won Olympic gold in Paris. Including the Olympics, Scheffler posted eight wins, two second-place finishes, 17 top 10 finishes and zero missed cuts in 20 events. His seven victories in PGA events are the most since 2007.
With a $25 million payday from winning the FedEx Cup, Scheffler’s prize money for the 2024 season was over $54 million, by far the most ever won in one season.
It’s water under the bridge for Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and one of his former players, Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz.
The two were spotted in a heated confrontation on the field following the Eagles' loss to Washington on Sunday. Ertz, who signed a one-year deal with the Commanders during the offseason, appeared to high-five his former coach, who then reportedly made a comment about Ertz’s performance in passing.
Ertz turned back to share words with Sirianni before the two had to be separated by the Eagles' head of security, Dom DiSandro.
But a league source told ESPN that Sirianni later called Ertz to apologize.
When asked about the interaction by reporters on Thursday, the head coach declined to talk specifics but said the two are in good standing.
"I’ll just keep my conversations with any guys private," he said. "I’ve got a lot of respect for Zach. Great football player, great person to be around. I’ve really got a lot of respect for Zach, and all the good things that he’s done, and my relationship with him."
Ertz, who played six games under Sirianni before being traded to Arizona in 2021, echoed that sentiment when addressing the incident with the media.
"Nick and I had a great relationship when I was there, and we still have a great relationship. It’s definitely been blown way out of proportion," he said Thursday.
"We spoke. We’re good. There’s no ill feelings on my part, and I don’t think there are any ill feelings on his part. It’s just something in the heat of the moment that probably got blown out of proportion and maybe a misunderstanding. But him and I are fine. Everyone knows how I feel about that place and that building, but at the same time, I love being here."
Without Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts under center due to a concussion he sustained in the first quarter of Sunday's game, the Commanders rallied to defeat the Eagles, 36-33.
Ertz played more than eight seasons in Philadelphia. He scored a touchdown in their 2018 Super Bowl victory.
After a Lakers-Warriors thriller Christmas night, LeBron James made a bold claim with NBA ratings declining and the NFL as popular as ever.
"I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day," he said.
The numbers say otherwise.
It should be noted the NBA had a great day by its standards, averaging 5.2 million viewers on Wednesday, its most on the holiday in five years.
James' game against Stephen Curry and the Warriors averaged 7.7 million viewers, peaking at 8.3 million. The 10:30 p.m. ET game between the Suns and Nuggets was also the largest late window ever with 3.8 million people watching.
But the NFL still dominated, averaging 24.2 million viewers with the Chiefs-Steelers and Texans-Ravens games despite both games being blowouts on Netflix.
James was predictably trolled on social media.
NFL games will have been played on five separate days in Week 17 when it's said and done. Thursday, Sunday, and Monday are common game days, and Saturday games are played later in the season.
Christmas falls on a Thursday next year, so maybe the NFL will load up similarly to its Thanksgiving tripleheader.
The NFL's Christmas viewership didn't match Thanksgiving numbers, while the NBA had improved ratings after a decline early on in the season.
But it's clear the NFL is king, no matter the day.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said it’s going to be tough for quarterback Jalen Hurts to play in the upcoming game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
"He’s still in the (concussion) protocol, it’s going to be tough for him to make it this week," Sirianni said to reporters during a press conference on Friday.
Hurts sustained a concussion in the first quarter of the Eagles' 36-33 loss to the Washington Commanders this past Sunday.
The star quarterback was scrambling on a second-and-20 when he hit his head on the ground while being tackled at the end of his 13-yard run. Hurts was evaluated on the sideline before eventually being taken to the locker room and ruled out with a concussion.
The game against the Cowboys will be the first game Hurts has missed this season.
Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards with a touchdown and interception in relief of Hurts. Pickett, like Hurts, was also on the Eagles' injury report this week with a rib injury.
However, Pickett said during a press conference on Thursday that he will be "ready to go" on Sunday.
Sirianni said he liked what Pickett did in practice this week.
"I think (Pickett) has had a nice week of practice; he’s done a nice job. And you know, have had some good practices and walk-throughs this week," he said.
Philadelphia acquired Pickett from the Pittsburgh Steelers in March to back up Hurts. Now, the team's seed in the playoffs lies in his hands.
The Eagles still have an outside chance at the No. 1 seed in the NFC as they are currently 12-3, but both the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings are 13-2. Philadelphia would need some help to grab the top spot and the all-important bye week in the Wild Card round.
While the Eagles may be eyeing the No. 1 seed, the NFC East is still up for grabs after their loss to the Commanders on Sunday.
If the Eagles were to lose their next two games and the Commanders to win their next two, the NFC East would be decided based off tiebreakers.
The Eagles’ last two games are at home, as they play the Cowboys at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday and then the lowly New York Giants in Week 18.
The Commanders face a tougher schedule over the last two weeks of the regular season. They play the Atlanta Falcons, who are fighting for their playoff lives, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, and then the Cowboys in Week 18.
Saquon Barkley needs 268 yards rushing his final two games to become the NFL's new single-season rushing champion, and the current record holder is hoping Barkley misses the mark.
Barkley has proven to be the best signing of the offseason after the Philadelphia Eagles inked him to a three-year deal after six seasons with the division rival New York Giants.
Barkley has put himself in the league MVP conversation, averaging 122.5 rushing yards per game and taking the Birds to another level.
"I don't think he'll break it. But if he breaks it, he breaks it. Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not," Dickerson told the Los Angeles Times this week. "I don't pull no punches on that."
Dickerson set the record in 16 games, so Barkley has one extra contest to break the record. Dickerson doesn't mind that too much.
"I'm not whining about it. He had 17 games to do it? Hey, football is football. That's the way I look at it. If he's fortunate to get over 2,000 yards and get the record, it's a great record to have," he continued.
Barkley's mostly likely chance to break the record will come against his former team, which Dickerson said would be "a true slap in the face."
Barkley is on pace to become the ninth player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. The other eight all did it in 16-game seasons, including the most recent, Derrick Henry, four years ago.
Tommy Lazzaro, a former Central Michigan quarterback and a sergeant in the United States Army, was tragically killed in a hunting accident over the weekend, according to officials. He was 27.
Lazzaro, who served with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, was shot by a stray bullet at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida on Sunday when he was driving to help another soldier who was experiencing car trouble, a spokesperson for 7th Special Forces Group told Task & Purpose.
A hunter shooting on the range fired the shot. According to the report, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office described the incident as a "tragic hunting accident."
"We deeply mourn the loss of U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas Lazzaro of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)," Col. Patrick Nelson, 7th SFG(A) commander, said in a statement to the news site.
"We will never forget his dedication, courage, and commitment to safeguarding our freedoms. His absence leaves a void that will be felt professionally and personally among those who had the honor of working with Thomas. Our heartfelt condolences extend to his family, friends, and comrades during this difficult time.
Central Michigan also released a statement mourning the loss of the former Chippewas quarterback.
"When we took over the program, Tommy was truly our leader in so many ways," former head coach Jim McElwain said in a statement provided by the school. "CMU Football was blessed to have him and will always remember him for all he did for many of us. He will be missed by all of the Chippewas."
Lazzaro played four years at Central Michigan, where he had five starts from 2016-2019. During the 2019 season, he led the Chippewas to a 6-2 record in conference play and bowl appearance. He finished his career at Central Michigan with 542 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns and 758 passing yards and five touchdowns.
According to Central Michigan, Lazzaro graduated with a degree in entrepreneurship in 2019 and joined the Army to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.
Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts revealed what he really wanted to say to the Yankees fans who were trying to pry the ball out of his glove during Game 4 of the World Series.
"I would really say, ‘F--- you guys,’" Betts said after host Kevin Hart asked him what his message was to those fans during Peacock’s "Back That Year Up 2024" special.
"Try and get the ball, cool. But, like, you’re trying to grab my s---," Betts continued.
"I was in the moment, so I thought about throwing the ball up, and then I realized, ‘Mook, you ain’t gonna do s---. You ain’t gonna do s---, go back to right field!'"
During the first inning of the Yankees' 11-4 Game 4 win, Gleyber Torres hit a foul ball down the right field line. The ball tailed into the stands and Betts made a fantastic catch along the wall.
However, as Betts was coming off the wall, two fans tried to pry the ball out of Betts’ glove and rip the glove off his hand.
The umpire immediately called fan interference and ruled Torres out, while security rushed over to the area.
The fans were identified as Austin Capobianco and John Peter. The two fans were season ticket holders, and they had been preparing for a moment like what had happened with Betts.
"We always joke about the ball in our area," Capobianco told ESPN. "We’re not going to go out of our way to attack. If it’s in our area, we’re going to ‘D’ up."
"I know when I’m in the wrong and as soon as I did it, I was like, ‘Boys, I’m out of here,’ I patrol that wall, and they know that."
The fans were banned from attending Game 5 of the World Series because of the incident.
Nearly 600 Americans traveled to France this summer for the 2024 Paris Olympics with one goal in mind: bring home the gold.
The U.S. was represented by 592 athletes across 34 different sports, which helped the Americans top the medal count with 126 overall. The second closest with 91 medals was China. The U.S. also tied for first with 40 gold medals.
The Americans saw the most success in track and field, winning a total of 34 medals, including 14 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze. American track star Noah Lyles earned his first Olympic gold with a first-place finish in the men’s 100-meter final, while Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon and Kaylyn Brown set a world record in the mixed 4x400-meter relay.
USA Swimming topped the gold medal count in swimming with eight golds, edging out Australia by one. Katie Ledecky continued her dominance in the pool, becoming just the sixth Olympian to ever win nine gold medals. Team USA took home 28 total medals in swimming, including 13 silver and seven bronze.
Simone Biles returned to the Olympics with vengeance after her heartbreaking run in Tokyo. She made history in Paris by winning three gold medals to cement her legacy as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. American Stephen Nedoroscik also captivated fans at home and earned himself a bronze medal in the men’s pommel horse. The U.S. won nine medals, including Biles’ three gold, one silver and five bronze.
Total medal count: two gold, two silver, three bronze
Vincent Hancock continued to make history at the Olympics by winning his fourth straight Olympic gold medal in men’s skeet, remaining as the only skeet shooter to win more than one gold medal in the event. Team USA walked away with five medals, including three silver and one bronze.
The U.S. women’s foil team joined the history books in Paris after claiming Team USA’s first gold medal in the event with a win over Italy. They took home four total medals, including four gold, one silver and one bronze.
Total medal count: two silver, one bronze
Team USA’s men’s basketball won its fifth straight gold medal and 17th overall after defeating the host nation, 98-87, in the men’s final, while the women’s team also defeated France by just one point to win their eighth consecutive gold medal.
The U.S. women’s national soccer team had something to prove in Paris, having not won gold since the 2012 London Olympics. But in the 57th minute of their final against Brazil, Mallory Swanson scored in what was her 100th appearance for the national team to lead Team USA to its fifth gold medal in the event.
Scottie Scheffler has been going for gold all year long, and he was able to capture his first Olympic medal in Paris, setting a record in the men’s individual for 72 holes at 19-under 265.
Caroline Marks – women's shortboard
Total medal count: one silver
Total medal count: one silver
Total medal count: one silver
Total medal count: one silver
Total medal count: one silver
Total medal count: one silver
Total medal count: one silver
Total medal count: one bronze
Total medal count: one bronze
Total medal count: one bronze
Total medal count: one bronze
The U.S. picked up its first-ever medal in rugby sevens when the women’s team upset Australia in the finals seconds of the bronze medal match.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams isn’t prepared to take full responsibility for the enduring frustrations of the fans.
During the Bears’ 6-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, fans at Soldier Field broke out into boos and "Sell that team" chants. The low-scoring loss marked the team’s 10th straight loss.
When asked about the fans' reaction after the game, Williams pointed out to reporters that their frustrations go beyond his time in Chicago.
"It’s my first year. Their frustrations go way longer back than I’ve been here," Williams, who was the first overall pick in last year’s draft, said.
"My job is to go out there and win games. We don’t focus on the outside noise. The fans, they’re gonna cheer and maybe boo sometimes, and you can’t react to that. It’s not something that we react to."
The Bears' offense struggled in their latest loss.
Williams was 16 for 28 with 122 yards, and the Bears finished with just 179 total offensive yards. For that, the rookie quarterback did take ownership.
"I didn’t play well enough. I didn’t help put the team in a good position to win – a better position to win, and it’s what it is."
The Bears will close out the season on the road against the Green Bay Packers next week.
Nothing was pretty from both offenses in this game, but the Seattle Seahawks came away with a critical win over the Chicago Bears, 6-3, on "Thursday Night Football."
Seattle moves to 9-7 on the season, and they will be watching what the Los Angeles Rams do against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night as Week 18’s matchup between both teams would determine the winner of the NFC West.
Meanwhile, the Bears are looking toward next season already at 4-12.
As the score indicates, no touchdowns were scored in this game as both teams had trouble finding pay dirt.
It didn’t appear that was going to be the case when the Seahawks’ first drive of the game ended after an incomplete pass from Geno Smith to Tyler Lockett on third-and-three from Chicago’s nine-yard line.
They moved the ball well on the game’s opening drive, settling for a field goal, but appeared to have the game plan to beat the Bears’ defense.
That wasn’t the case with three straight punts in the ensuing drives for Seattle before they settled for another field goal near the end of the first half. However, Caleb Williams and the Bears’ offense weren’t doing much to play spoiler on their end.
Chicago ran 11 total plays combined over their first three drives, continuously stalling until some life came in the fourth. In fact, it appeared we had our first touchdown of the game in this one when Williams found fellow rookie Rome Odunze for a 17-yard score with 3:27 remaining in the second quarter.
But right guard Jake Curhan was called for offensive holding, nullifying the touchdown, and the Bears ultimately settled for three points – their only score of the game.
The second half didn’t see a point on the scoreboard, as both offenses showed ineptitude. However, there was another moment the Bears seemed to score, and it was on defense after forcing a fumble on Seahawks receiver Pharoah Brown.
Kyler Gordon scooped up the ball and ran 62 yards to the house. However, it was later ruled that Gordon was down by contact, nullifying yet another Bears touchdown. Six plays later, generating just one total yard, the Bears punted away.
The final drive of the game saw the Bears in control, and despite the lack of scoring, they still had a chance to at least tie the game to force overtime. Williams kept the drive alive with multiple scramble plays, including a heave on fourth-and-5 to find D.J. Moore to move the chains.
However, facing fourth-and-10 just out of Cairo Santos’ field goal range, Williams was forced to launch one in the air with an all-out blitz called by Seattle and it was intercepted to seal the Seahawks’ win.
On the stat sheet, Smith was 17-of-23 for 160 yards, while Zach Charbonnet, starting once again in place of an injured Kenneth Walker III, rushed for 57 yards on 15 carries. Kenny McIntosh added 46 yards on seven carries.
For the Bears, Williams was 16-of-28 for 122 yards with his interception. Moore was the top recipient with six catches for 54 yards, while D’Andre Swift had 53 rushing yards and 28 receiving yards on the night.
During his decade-long NFL career, Martin Gramatica kicked for four different teams.
Gramatica last appeared in an NFL game in 2008, the second year of his two-year stint with the New Orleans Saints.
Now 49, Gramatica opened up about his past during a sitdown with TMZ to discuss his memoir, "Beyond The Uprights: The Intimate Memoir Of Martin Gramatica."
Gramatica opened up about what he experienced during his childhood, particularly the tense relationship he had with his father.
But he stressed he didn't talk or write about his past, seeking sympathy.
"I want to make sure people don't read the book and say, ‘Feel sorry for me,’ because everything that I lived, it made me a better person and made me a better father," Gramatica said.
Gramatica said his father provided an example of the type of relationship he did not want to have with his own children.
"It made me know what not to do with my kids. I want to make sure that if somebody reads the book and realizes, 'I need to break this,' and I want somebody to realize it sooner than when I did. I didn't realize how bad it was until I had my first son when Nico was born."
Martin's challenging relationship with his father led to an agreement between Martin and his siblings.
"I love that kid so much that you're thinking, 'How can I ever do what my father did to me?' So, that's what I feel. I talked to my brothers, and we made a pact. We got to break this," Martin noted.
"We haven't spoken [to our dad] since because we just don't want that type of abuse around our families. I have three kids. My brother Santiago has two kids. So, we don't want that around our kids. That's what the book's about."
Gramatica kicked for Kansas State before making the leap to the NFL in 1999. He spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning the Super Bowl with the Bucs in 2002.
He ended his professional football career with a 76.4% career field goal percentage.
Phillip Brooks, better known by his WWE ring name, CM Punk, is not happy with the state of his hometown NFL team.
Punk, who was born in Chicago, aired some of his grievances with the Bears during a guest appearance on Netflix's NFL coverage Christmas Day.
"Nothing’s going to change until the McCaskeys sell the team. I said it," Punk said in reference to the family that inherited ownership of the Bears from team founder George Halas several decades ago.
"We’re live on Netflix, I don’t care. I’ve been there. Oh, Lovie Smith is going to change the Bears. Oh, Trubisky is going to change the Bears. Then, we trade up and we lose [Patrick] Mahomes."
While quarterback Mitch Trubisky finished his four-year run in Chicago with more than 10,000 passing yards, his tenure was viewed as a disappointment.
"We’re going to just walk off the set and let you rant," pregame show co-host Devin McCourty said.
"Mahomes right now. No, he’d be on the Bears. Sorry," Punk responded.
Trubisky was the second overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, when the Kansas City Chiefs used the tenth overall selection for Mahomes. In April, the Bears had the draft's first overall pick after trading the 2023 top pick to the Carolina Panthers. This year, the Bears kept the pick and selected USC Trojans standout Caleb Williams.
Williams has struggled at times this season.
The Bears enter Thursday night's game against the Seattle Seahawks with a 4-11 record. The Bears have already been eliminated from playoff contention and parted ways with coach Matt Eberflus last month.
But Punk, a self-proclaimed "Chicago sports fan," suggested the franchise's shortcomings should fall at the feet of the team's leadership.
"I’m a Chicago sports fan," Punk said. "And, ladies and gentlemen, it doesn’t get any lower than that right now."
Another former NFL star will be leading a college program in 2025.
DeSean Jackson, the dynamic wide receiver who spent 15 years in the NFL, winning one Super Bowl and making three Pro Bowls, appears to be heading to Delaware State to become its next head coach.
Jackson and the school are reportedly finalizing an agreement, according to ESPN.
"He did an on-campus interview in recent days, and the sides are expected to come together in the near future," the report says.
ESPN adds that Jackson has always wanted to coach at an HBCU program, and Delaware State will fulfill that dream for him.
Jackson retired from the NFL in 2023, but he wasn’t away from the game long. He was coaching at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, as an assistant throughout the 2024 season.
Jackson will get a crack at leading a program, a Hornets group that went 1-11 in 2024.
Jackson is the latest notable former NFL star to join the collegiate ranks. Michael Vick, a former Philadelphia Eagle like Jackson, accepted the head coaching role at Norfolk State.
Bill Belichick became the next head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, a shocking development considering he’s never been a college coach during his illustrious career.
Deion Sanders made the leap to coaching in college with Jackson State before transforming the Colorado Buffaloes the past two seasons.
Jackson played his last NFL season with the Baltimore Ravens, catching nine passes for 153 yards in seven games. But many remember him from his days torching defenses with the Eagles, making all three of his Pro Bowls with the Eagles from 2008-13.
Through those eight seasons, Jackson recorded 6,512 receiving yards and 35 touchdowns, many of which left defenses in the dust. He was also involved in one of the most memorable special teams plays in league history with the "Miracle at the Meadowlands II," returning a punt against the New York Giants as time expired to win a game, capping a fourth-quarter comeback from a 31-10 deficit.
Jackson later played for the Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders before that final year in Baltimore.
Jackson finished his career catching 641 passes for 11,263 yards and 58 touchdowns.
Overtime was established in college football in 1996, and it was just a month ago that we saw Georgia and Georgia Tech go to eight overtimes. The most in any game is nine from an Illinois-Penn State battle in 2021.
In the first half, Toledo was down 12-6 but scored two touchdowns in a 14-second span – a 67-yard pass and then a 40-yard pick-six – to take a 20-12 lead.
Pitt rallied to go up 30-20 at a point, but Pitt tied the game with just under five minutes to go in regulation.
Both teams scored field goals on their first overtime possession, and then they matched one another with field goals on their next. New overtime rules state that from the third overtime on, teams must convert two-point conversion plays.
Both teams converted on each of their first three tries, but in the sixth overtime, after Toledo hit their fourth-straight, Pitt's pass fell incomplete.
In the fourth overtime, though, Toledo had actually celebrated twice. But their first stop was called back due to a penalty, and after thinking they stopped Pitt again, replay review reversed the call and continued the game. The Rockets got the victory anyway.
Toledo's Tucker Gleason went 26-for-50 for 336 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while also rushing for a score. Junior Vandeross III had 12 catches for 194 yards and a touchdown.
Desmond Reid ran for 165 yards on 32 carries for Pitt in the losing effort.
Toledo is now 12-10 in their bowl game history; it was the fourth year in a row they made a bowl game.
Pitt missed a bowl opportunity last year after taking home the 2022 Sun Bowl.
