The Tennessee Titans have their choice at the cream of the crop with the No. 1 pick in April, and there's a fairly decent chance it will be Colorado star quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
That's who Shawne Merriman would personally go with – although Travis Hunter is a close second – but Merriman knows all too well that the No. 1 pick doesn't necessarily guarantee you get your guy.
Merriman, of course, was eventually part of the infamous Eli Manning-Phillip Rivers trade in 2004. Manning was adamant about never playing for the Chargers, but the team, then in San Diego, drafted him anyway with the first overall pick.
Eventually, after the Giants drafted Rivers, the Big Blue sent Rivers, a 2004 third-rounder, and a 2005 first-rounder to San Diego for Manning. That first-round pick became Merriman (although, the Giants aren't complaining).
The Giants were in a great position to own the No. 1 pick, which led to Sanders himself actually being gifted a pair of Giants cleats for his bowl game. New York then won their third game of the season, losing control of the top selection, and they are now slated to pick third.
But, Merriman seems to believe there's a chance that Sanders' father and head coach, Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, could play a role in repeating history with the same team from 21 years ago.
"I think Deion is smart by putting it out there that teams need to tread lightly, as far as what they plan on doing… I think Prime is smart enough to at least put the word out there that we're not just going with anybody, right?" Merriman said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "But again, when you get drafted, I think things change, and anywhere in that top-five pick man is really a blessing for anybody."
Deion himself did say that "multiple IDIOTS… will say things that totally aren’t true regarding where I would like" his sons to play at the next level – but he didn't exactly rule out that he wouldn't influence it.
"If I say it I will say it directly to whom it may concern not a attention seeker," he said on X last week.
Merriman will get one more look at Sanders before the draft at the East-West Shrine Bowl, as his very own production company, Lights Out Sports TV, will live stream the game's practices later this month. Merriman got into television after his playing days were over a decade ago and felt the Shrine Bowl was a perfect opportunity to showcase his second dream.
"To get the opportunity now to have the live-streaming rights exclusively for us for the East-West Shrine Bowl practices, it's like, I wanted to play football as a kid. I dreamed about it. I wanted to play NFL, and to now be in this space that now, it's my ideas, it's my production, I'm putting together everything, and to have the ability to get in this space and get someone like the East-West shrine bowl, the 100th annual, it's a massive, massive deal for us. and we want go out and make this the most interactive practice week that anybody's ever seen," Merriman said.
The top pick figures to be either Sanders or Cam Ward, the latter of whom some sportsbooks have as the odds-on favorite at the moment. The Cleveland Browns, who own the second pick, are a true wild card with Deshaun Watson still rostered, so perhaps there is a chance Sanders will fall to the G-Men anyway. Deion also played professional baseball with the New York Yankees, so there is already a tie to the Big Apple.
The Giants announced on Monday that both general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll will be back for a fourth season despite going 9-25 in their last two seasons combined. Since joining the team ahead of the 2022 season, they have yet to draft a quarterback.
The mother of Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr evacuated from her home in the Los Angeles area as wildfires raged on Tuesday into Wednesday morning.
Kerr’s 90-year-old mother, Ann, left her Pacific Palisades home as evacuation orders were given. The coach talked about the harrowing situation unfolding after the team’s 114-98 loss to the Miami Heat.
"I want to send my thoughts and condolences to everybody in Los Angeles dealing with the fires," he said. "My mom lives in Pacific Palisades. She had to evacuate."
Everett Dayton, a member of the organization’s player development department, lost his family home in the area, Kerr said.
"Everything I’m seeing and reading is just terrifying what’s happening down there," Kerr said. "So just want to send thoughts to everyone who’s going through the devastation of the fire. Obviously the game is secondary to that and to many things in life. Perspective is important."
Ann Kerr was among the thousands who were forced to flee the area as three separate fires broke out across the Los Angeles area on Tuesday. The first started near a nature preserve in the inland foothills northeast of Los Angeles. The second occurred in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The third, which began around 10:30 p.m. PT, occurred in the San Fernando Valley.
On Monday, Los Angeles authorities warned of high winds that would plague the region. The winds helped fuel the fires on Tuesday as gusts topping 60 mph were seen in some places, increasing to 70 mph by early Wednesday.
A high-wind warning was in effect for the region through 6 p.m. PT, the weather service read.
Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young has proved time and time again he can nail a long-range 3-pointer when called upon, and Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz was no different.
The Jazz tied the game with under three seconds left to play. Atlanta inbounded the ball to Young, who took one dribble and pulled up before half-court and nailed the 49-foot game-winner.
"This is part of what I do," Young said after the game. "I always get guys involved, always been able to find people. I feel like I’m the kind of guy who can pass you open. You don’t just have to be open for me to get you the ball. I can see things and get you into a good spot."
Young had 24 points and 20 assists in the 124-121 victory.
"I knew we had three seconds," Young said. "I could take a couple of dribbles and be closer to half-court, and then I made sure I used my legs and put some air into the ball and that was important."
Hawks head coach Quin Snyder praised Young’s efficiency. The veteran guard was 6-for-16 from the floor but only had two turnovers.
"He has taken a lot of pride in being efficient and knowing when it is time to give the ball up and when it’s time to impress himself on the game from a scoring standpoint," Hawks coach Quin Snyder said.
Atlanta improved to 19-18 with the win.
Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen had 35 points, two rebounds and two steals to lead the team. Collin Sexton, who tied the game with only a few seconds left, had 24 points.
When Bill Belichick became the head coach at the University of North Carolina, he adamantly said he did not go there "to leave."
However, one of his former players, Rob Gronkowski, disagrees.
Belichick, after being off an NFL sideline for the first time in nearly 50 years, agreed last month to become the next head coach at UNC, saying it was a dream fulfilled to get into the college ranks.
However, Belichick has obviously found his success with the National Football League, and Gronk believes Belichick still has his eyes on returning home.
When asked during a recent interview with Fox News Digital whether he believed Belichick would retire as a Tar Heel, he said he did not think so.
"I think if Bill has success, he's gonna eventually hand that program off to his son, whose son is just developing to be a future head coach," Gronkowski said. "Love his son, and he's doing a great job in the defensive ranks of college… So I believe that Coach Belichick will have some good success at UNC, but I believe that his heart truly belongs in the NFL ranks, and he's eventually gonna go back to the NFL if it's in three years or four years. But I think he ends his career coaching as a head coach for an NFL team."
Belichick coached the New England Patriots for 24 seasons, winning six Super Bowls during his tenure – three of those came with Gronkowski as his star tight end. After the 2023 season, the coach and team mutually agreed to part ways.
Without Belichick, the Pats had one of their worst seasons in recent memory, going 4-13, although Drake Maye gave fans something to be excited about. Entering Sunday, they owned the first overall pick, but with their victory, they will now pick fourth. Gronkowski, who recently partnered with Bounty, says the paper towel brand may just be enough to clean up the current mess in Foxboro.
"I'm about a couple minutes away right now. If I just walk over, grab my Bounty paper towel, it's messy over there right now, and I just use the Bounty paper towels with a couple of wipes, man, I'll probably be head coach right after that," he joked.
Gronkowski joined fellow future Hall of Famer Drew Brees as his Bounty Wingman ahead of the playoffs, because as Buffalo native Gronk says, "You can't have football without wings, and you can't have wings without Bounty."
"That's why I'm the full package here. I'm all three of those: I love football ball, I love wings, and I love Bounty. And Drew Brees and I are going down to New Orleans, we're gonna dominate the city and we're gonna clean up our mess with the Bounty paper towels," Gronk, who, surprisingly, has never been out around the town, said of his partnership with the Saints legend.
In moving on from Belichick, the Patriots went to Jerod Mayo, a handpicked selection by Belichick himself years ago. But, after just one season, he was axed, and Gronk was not pleased.
"I was surprised to hear about Jerod getting fired. I mean, I felt like it was kind of unfair to him, because he took a team over where it was gonna need some time to build and develop to get back to the winning ways." he said. "I mean, the roster was depleted, Jerod was a rookie head coach, and I felt like he needed another year to be able to really judge him based on how he would develop and grow after that first season. But obviously, just after the first season, it was apparent that [Robert] Kraft felt like he was just not the guy to build a culture around back to its winning ways. So therefore, Kraft was just wasting no time and let go of Jerod's duties.
"Now I feel like Kraft will be doing all he can in the process of hiring a new head coach that he believes will turn around this program and get them back into the playoffs as soon as possible. It's kind of an ugly situation, but I feel for both sides. You gotta win, but also, I just feel like it wasn't enough time to evaluate Jerod Mayo."
The overwhelming speculation is that Mike Vrabel will man the Pats – he played for New England and became the coach of the Tennessee Titans after his playing days ended.
"A staple in our clubhouse from 2009-2016, Brian was beloved throughout Birdland, and his passion for baseball and our community was unmatched. He dedicated his time to connecting with any fan he could, was a cherished teammate, and always had a smile on his face," the team said.
"Brian’s family and loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time."
The Orioles selected the Colorado native in the first round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of the University of San Diego. He made his major league debut in August 2009 against the Detroit Tigers, going five innings with five strikeouts and getting the win.
He became a full-time starter in 2010 and finished fifth in American League Rookie of the Year voting after he recorded 143 strikeouts and a 10-12 record in 32 starts.
He missed two months of the 2011 regular season and by 2012 he was demoted to the bullpen.
Matusz played well in his bullpen role, lowering his ERA to under 4.00 in the 2013 season. He had an ERA of 2.94 during the 2015 season.
He was traded to the Atlanta Braves in May 2016 but never appeared for them. He signed with the Chicago Cubs and appeared in only one game for them as they snapped the Curse of the Billy Goat and won the World Series.
Matusz’s cause of death was unclear.
Former Orioles pitcher Matt Hobgood remembered the pitcher in a post on X.
"Just heard the news about Brian Matusz passing away this morning," he wrote. "This is awful…he was one of the first people to call me after I signed in 09’. Took the time to call, encourage me and wish me well in my career and it always meant a lot that he did that. RIP, my friend."
The two college football powerhouses will battle it out in Friday night's Cotton Bowl Classic for a trip to the national championship later this month.
The contest will also call for tremendous bragging rights between two of the biggest names in politics: Vice President-elect JD Vance and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
Cruz, of course, hails from Texas, while Vance is an Ohio native who has outwardly shown his Buckeyes fandom.
With the game creeping up, Cruz offered up a friendly wager to Vance on X.
"Hey @JDVance - care for a wager on the UT-Ohio State game? Loser brings beer & food from his home state & delivers it wearing the winning jersey?" Cruz posted, also adding "#HookEm."
Vance exuded confidence in his Buckeyes.
"Alright which Texas ice cream should I have Ted bring when the Buckeyes win?" Vance replied. He added, "To be clear, @tedcruz, you're on!"
Before the season started, Vance called this year's Ohio State team "maybe the best" he has seen. Their two losses this season were to Oregon (who they beat in the quarterfinals) and an unranked Michigan team, but they seem to have avenged that embarrassment quite nicely.
The Buckeyes received the eighth seed in the playoffs, as Oregon and Penn State battled it out for the Big Ten title game. Oregon, the top seed, remained undefeated on the season until last week's loss to the Buckeyes - Penn State, No. 6, will face No. 7 Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl.
Cruz's Longhorns earned the fifth seed after falling just short in the SEC title game, which gave the No. 2 seed an automatic bye to Georgia, who lost to the Fighting Irish in the Sugar Bowl.
Texas has never made it past the semifinal, while Ohio State is in its sixth playoff, aiming for their third championship appearance since the playoff was implemented.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was spotted in an episode of "Landman" on Paramount+, and his scene in a hospital alongside Jon Hamm and Billy Bob Thornton has many believing he was not acting as he got very emotional.
"Landman," a show about oil tycoons in Texas, saw Jones make a cameo during the ninth episode when he delivered a heartfelt speech to Jon Hamm’s character, who was in a hospital bed.
It makes sense that Jones made an appearance considering his own wealth was built through the oil business and real estate before purchasing the Cowboys.
"America’s Team" is what pulled Jones’ heartstrings, though, as he was telling Hamm’s character why he wanted to buy the team in the first place.
"I’m not saying I’ve done anything right, but I made my mind up a long time ago I was gonna work with my kids," Jones says to begin his monologue. "They’re involved in everything. They’re involved in my leasing, oil and gas, real estate.
"So, when I got the Cowboys, I got it so that we could all work together. I thought I was doing it for them. But the one that got the most out of it was me."
After Jones tells Hamm’s character that he believes the sickness he is dealing with will not take him to the next life, the Cowboys owner got emotional talking about his own family.
"I just know it’s not gonna be this time, but you’re gonna be sitting here sometime in the future, laying here sometime in the future and this room’s gonna be full of your business associates and the people you’ve worked with all your life. More than likely, your children and family are going to be there because they’re your children and your family," Jones said. "But you could have them there because they’re the people you spent your life with, you worked with, you fell down with, you got up with.
"Not just Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s who you want to be with. So, when that comes like this, it’s a celebration of your life and you’re not wishing you had spent a little more time seeing a few more suns come up. That’s the trick.
"I’m pretty proud of them Cowboys. I’m pretty proud of the stuff we’ve done in oil and gas. It pales in comparison to how proud I am to have lived my life working with my kids."
Jones’ journey in oil and gas started with his company in Arkansas, named Jones Oil and Land Lease, which boomed. Jones also bought into Comstock Resources, which also dealt with oil and gas exploration. Today, Jones and his family are the largest shareholders of Comstock Resources Inc.
With the money he now had, Jones bought the Cowboys on Feb. 25, 1989 for $140 million, and it has been his pride and joy ever since. Like Jones says in the speech, his children play a huge part in the Cowboys’ operations.
Jones continues to run the team as owner, president and general manager, the last of the titles he has been criticized for in recent seasons, but will not be giving up anytime soon.
His son Stephen is chief operating officer, director of player personnel and co-owner. His daughter Charlotte is chief brand officer and co-owner. Finally, Jerry Jr. is chief sales and marketing officer and co-owner.
Though it may have been on a show, the 82-year-old Jones clearly loves that his Cowboys have become a family affair, and family is something he certainly does not take for granted.
EXCLUSIVE: USC women's basketball teenage phenom JuJu Watkins isn't turning away any of the new fans in her sport, not even the ones that give her "headaches."
The meteoric rise of Caitlin Clark has injected women's basketball with waves of new fans, mainstream media hype and plenty of arguments between the new fans and old ones. These arguments are often about Clark's treatment by the league, other players and the media.
And some longtime women's hoops stars have denounced certain supporters of Clark and discouraged them from following the sport.
Former WNBA player and current Atlanta Dream executive Renee Montgomery said that many of Clark's fans "cannot be a representation of what the WNBA would want in their league" during an episode of her podcast in September. WNBA legend Sue Bird lashed out at this group in her podcast in November, claiming that some of them aren't even fans of Clark but are just "acting" as fans while "pushing racist agendas and pushing hate."
Clark herself said that some of her followers "aren't fans" but are "trolls" in her exit interview for her rookie WNBA season after Connecticut Sun players accused some of her fans of racism during a playoff series against Clark's Indiana Fever in September.
But the 19-year-old Watkins, who is currently on pace to break Clark's NCAA all-time career scoring record, isn't taking any of the new attention for granted as a college player.
"So many new fans being in the sport sometimes can be, not necessarily challenging, but can just kind of give you a headache a bit. Not a lot of people know what they're talking about sometimes. But it's great for the sport. The fact that people are watching is enough in itself," Watkins said, when asked by Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview about what challenges come with the sport's new attention.
"We would like it to be positive, but it's not always going to be like that, so as long as we continue to raise the numbers and viewership goes up, I think that's all we can ask for."
Watkins said she even wants those fans to cheer for her, too. But even if they end up "hating" her, she will still embrace the fact that they're paying attention.
When asked if she wants the sport's controversial new fans to cheer for her, too, Watkins answered, "Oh yeah. I love supporters and I also love haters.
"I think that's just a part of the game. There's so many sides to it. So it's the nature of the game and there's always going to be negative and positive aspects of it."
One of the most recent controversies surrounding Clark occurred when she was chosen as Time Magazine's Athlete of the Year. Some in the WNBA, including Washington Mystics owner Sheila Johnson during a CNN interview, criticized the decision to choose Clark for the award. Johnson said Clark was chosen because "It’s the way media plays out race" and it didn't do enough to recognize the other players in the league.
But Watkins thinks Time made the right call.
"I'm all for it," Watkins said. "I honestly think she deserves it. I don't think anyone has changed the trajectory of the sport so much, so I honestly think she deserves every bit of it."
Clark herself stoked backlash from some of her own supporters during the Time interview when she made the statement, "As a White person, there is privilege."
"It's super dope," Watkins said when asked about Clark's comments on White privilege. "For her to kind of bring that to light was cool."
Clark herself has acknowledged the outrage her comments sparked and, like Watkins, embraces the positive and negative attention that has come with it.
"With the way things are going and where the WNBA is going, you want that attention, and you embrace it, and that’s what makes this so fun," Clark said of the backlash at the "A Year in TIME" event in New York on Dec. 11.
Controversy has been a driving force behind the rise in women's basketball's popularity over the last two years. The rivalry between Clark and Angel Reese became one of the hottest in sports after their meeting in the 2023 NCAA women's basketball championship game, when Reese's LSU Tigers defeated Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes.
Reese pointed to her ring finger at the end of that game, unleashing mass controversy.
Then, after Clark led her team back to the title game in her senior year in 2024, the women's championship outperformed the men's game in TV ratings for the first time in history.
Watkins hopes and believes that the women's college game will continue to beat the men's in viewers, and she will do her part as one of the top stars in college to make that happen.
"I think that it's definitely a trend now," Watkins said of the women's college game getting more attention from men.
Watkins pointed to her recent history against UConn star Paige Bueckers as an example of something that can keep eyeballs on their sport with Clark and Reese now in the pros. USC's game vs. UConn on Dec. 21 averaged 2.23 million viewers, making it the second-highest-rated game ever shown on Fox Sports and the most-watched women's college basketball game so far this season.
"For that to not even be a March Madness matchup, and to see that, I can only imagine what it will be like in March," Watkins said.
As Watkins looks to keep the eyeballs on her sport and potentially chase down Clark's all-time scoring record, she has the choice to even tap into Clark herself as a resource to do this.
Watkins said Clark has offered her phone number, and that the teenager can reach out for advice from Clark any time.
Watkins hasn't taken Clark up on the offer yet, but is keeping the offer in her back pocket for the right time.
Former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya ripped Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday after the billionaire announced he would get rid of Facebook’s fact-checking program.
The third-party fact-checking system will be replaced with community notes similar to X, Zuckerberg said in a video.
The company’s system was put into place after the 2016 election and was used to "manage content" and misinformation on its platforms, largely due to "political pressure," executives said, but admitted the system has "gone too far." Political bias from the fact-checkers appeared to be one of the main issues.
Tafoya appeared on OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich" to talk about Zuckerberg’s decision. Dakich asked her what gave Zuckerberg the right to do the about-face now.
"Absolutely nothing. This is not unique to Facebook. I had a guest on my podcast yesterday, Gad Saad, a professor out of Canada, so much has gone on up there under the Justin Trudeau administration that has been really similar," Tafoya said. "People being absolutely wiped out of their professions. We’re talking doctors, researchers, professors, medical experts because they either said something kind of cutesy that someone was uncomfortable with.
"This suppression of human thought, this suppression of human opinion, is completely antithetical to America and free speech. People don’t see it happening or they’re OK with it. This should be massive, flashing red light.
"Mark Zuckerberg knows what he did was wrong, and now he’s going to try and fix it and hope we just say, ‘Oh, good for you, you fixed it, Mark.’"
Meta’s chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, told Fox News Digital earlier Tuesday that using community notes is a better option.
"Instead of going to some so-called expert, it instead relies on the community and the people on the platform to provide their own commentary to something that they’ve read," Kaplan explained, noting that if a note gets support from "the broadest cross-section of users," that note can be attached to the content for others to see.
"We think that’s a much better approach rather than relying on so-called experts who bring their own biases into the program," Kaplan said.
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
There were plenty of surprises to go around. The Kansas City Chiefs won 15 games despite not being the most dominant team. The Minnesota Vikings nearly won the NFC North with Sam Darnold as the quarterback. Jayden Daniels emerged as a star. And the Buffalo Bills got better after trading one of the top wide receivers in the league.
Those were only some of the storylines around the NFL and that just scratches the surface.
The Detroit Lions are arguably the best team ahead of the playoffs and sit on top of the final NFL power rankings of the season.
Sunday night proved that if the defense wants to, it can be dominant. Allowing just nine points to the Minnesota Vikings was a tremendous leap forward; the only worry is if the bye week will cool down what might just be the best offense in the league. But it’s difficult to believe that will happen.
Last week: 2
Let the (real) games begin for the Chiefs. They locked up the top seed in the AFC, despite at times looking like they weren't even trying, and appeared to peak on offense in the last month before running out their backups for a meaningless game against Denver. The three-peat dream is right in front of them, and they left no meat on the bone this season in giving themselves the best shot to make it come true.
Last week: 1
The Bills enter the postseason with a lot of momentum. Despite finishing second in the AFC, many consider this team to be the most dangerous in the NFL. Again, though, everything hinges on postseason performance. A quick out in January could spell big changes in Buffalo.
Last week: 3
The Eagles wisely rested their starters in Week 18, meaning Saquon Barkley did not break Eric Dickerson’s single-season record for most rushing yards in a season. The Eagles will take on the Packers at home, and the big question in Philadelphia is if/when quarterback Jalen Hurts will clear the concussion protocol. Hurts sustained the concussion in Week 16, and as of Monday had not yet cleared the protocol. The Eagles hope their star quarterback will be back in action come Sunday.
Last week: 5
The Ravens put the finishing touches on their incredible season. Lamar Jackson is a favorite for MVP and Baltimore is a favorite to win the Super Bowl. It’s all about the postseason from here.
Last week: 6
Kudos to Sam Darnold for revitalizing his career, but it’s fair to say whether he can perform when the lights are the brightest. His offensive line didn’t help, but he did miss some throws early. They do get an indoor game to open up their playoffs, but they need to figure it all out quickly.
Last week: 4
It’s hard to judge the Packers after a slew of players took the field against the Chicago Bears, but losing at home to them is not what you want. At the end of the day, they still have a superb run game with lots of weapons, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if they take care of business against the Eagles.
Last week: 7
The Commanders beat the Cowboys on a walk-off touchdown, and secured the No. 6 seed in the NFC, setting up a matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the playoffs. Their matchup is a rematch of Week 1, when the Bucs beat the Commanders 37-20. Regardless of how the playoffs go for Washington, this season is already a success. The Commanders have finally found their franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels and with a 12-5 record, they are finally headed in the right direction.
Last week: 8
The Jim Harbaugh era began last January for the Chargers, but this is the part where fans will really get to see just how different things are for the franchise. It was a positive yet familiar script in the regular season, finishing well behind the Chiefs in the division for a wild-card spot, with a hard ceiling on their ability to compete with elite teams. Now is their chance to flip the script in the playoffs, and the last few weeks have shown they have the ammunition to do it.
Last week: 9
That's going to be a dangerous offense in the postseason.
Last week: 12
The best thing that could’ve happened for the Rams was winning the division before Week 18 kicked off, as Sean McVay was able to give his offense, especially quarterback Matthew Stafford, some much-needed rest heading into a big wild-card round against the Minnesota Vikings. While the Vikings were a win away from earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC, Los Angeles had them at SoFi Stadium earlier this season, and they handled business on their home turf. This Monday night game could be a thriller given both offenses' ability to take the top off defenses and put points on the board.
Last week: 11
The Broncos may have very well collapsed out of the playoff picture had the Chiefs not played their backups in Week 17, but a 10-win season is still a 10-win season. Sean Payton and Bo Nix delivered a shocking success story to Denver this year amid low expectations. But considering how they played in the final few weeks, they've earned plenty more cynicism regarding their ability to compete against Buffalo in the wild-card round.
Last week: 15
The Steelers’ defense is still formidable, but can Russell Wilson and his receivers get on the same page to make a postseason play?
Last week: 10
The Texans are heading to the playoffs rested and optimistic after a 23-14 win over the Titans on Sunday. Houston won the AFC South with a 10-7 record and move on to host the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round on Saturday afternoon having rested most of their starters this weekend. Quarterback C.J. Stroud went 6-of-6 for 50 yards and a touchdown in the opening series and looks more than ready for the playoffs.
Last week: 13
In another life, Joe Burrow has the Bengals in the playoffs. But it was too little too late. Cincinnati will stay home.
Last week: 14
They might not have been heading to the postseason, but Geno Smith secured a big $2 million incentive with a win and passing for over 185 yards. The win for Seattle gave first-year head coach Mike Macdonald a 10-7 record, which is a great foundation to build on for next season. Seattle doesn’t need to rebuild this offseason given that record, but filling some key holes on the roster could elevate this squad to a playoff team next year if they continue clicking on the offensive end.
Last week: 16
They really had more talent than the record indicates, so a disappointment.
Last week: 17
Jonathan Gannon’s group certainly showed improvement in his second season, and a lot of that had to do with a healthy Kyler Murray and James Conner leading the way on offense. Also, hats off to Trey McBride for solidifying himself as one of the best tight ends in the league, constantly giving Murray someone to throw to when he needed it. Doubling their win total from a year ago, the Cardinals will continue building, especially on the defensive side of the ball after seemingly adding the right offensive pieces.
Last week: 20
The Dolphins had a chance to make the playoffs all the way up until the Broncos win in Week 18, yet the team is in complete disarray. Stars Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey are both hinting that they want out of Miami, and that’s not a good sign for head coach Mike McDaniel.
Last week: 18
Health is all Kyle Shanahan will be preaching this offseason, as he hopes to have his group back to normal in 2025. Losing Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and many others throughout the season wasn’t something the reigning NFC champs could fight through. One thing to watch this offseason is Brock Purdy’s contract situation, though, as the franchise could move to lock him in and continue building around "Mr. Irrelevant."
Last week: 19
The Cowboys finished the season 7-10 despite key injuries to star players, and now the focus in Dallas turns to the future of head coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy has been with the team for five seasons, and his contract has expired. The team fought hard for him down the stretch, and now Jerry Jones will decide whether the Cowboys bring him back or let him go.
Last week: 21
Despite sliding late in the season and missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year, the Colts are sticking with general manager Chris Ballard and coach Shane Steichen. But changes are still coming in Indy as the team announced Monday that it will be moving on from defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
Last week: 22
Bryce Young is your 2025 quarterback, as it should be.
Last week: 24
The Bears will not be heading into the offseason with a sour taste in their mouths. Maybe the Packers let up on the gas pedal a bit during the game, but giving your No. 1 pick a walk-off win with a field goal can swing some sort of momentum their way. Now, they need to hit big on their hires.
Last week: 23
The Jets did the most Jets thing ever and won their final game of the regular season to worsen their draft position in 2025. Add in the fact that Aaron Rodgers seems destined for retirement, and this is a franchise that must go into a complete rebuild. They need to find the right head coach, but how desirable is the job? Not very, quite frankly.
Last week: 27
Onward to their coaching search.
Last week: 25
Four wins it is for Antonio Pierce in his first full season as a head coach. But the Raiders may have been the most competitive uncompetitive team in the league this year, as they kept plenty of games close despite one of the most incomplete rosters and hapless quarterback situation. They will be looking for a new coach.
Last week: 26
Doug Pederson is out and the Jaguars are wasting no time in looking for his replacement. On Tuesday, the team announced eight interviews, including one with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson – one of the most highly sought after coaches this offseason.
Last week: 28
So, the Patriots fired Jerod Mayo after he led the team to a Week 18 victory that bumped New England from the No. 1 overall pick in 2025 down to No. 4. With a roster as bleak as the one the Patriots currently have, they needed all the draft capital they could get. Like the Jets (and possibly the Dolphins), New England is an AFC East team that needs a head coach. But with Drake Maye at the helm, it’s a more desirable job than New York.
Last week: 30
The Giants lost to the Eagles backups, securing the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft. John Mara is bringing back both general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll for a fourth season. The top priority for the Giants this offseason is to find a quarterback, whether that be through free agency, the draft, or maybe both. There is certainly an urgency in New York to turn things around next season, as Schoen and Daboll certainly head into next season on the hot seat.
Last week: 32
The Titans will be looking for new leadership when they make the first pick of the 2025 NFL Draft after deciding to part ways with general manager Ran Carthon after just two years. Big spending couldn’t solve Tennessee’s issues last offseason. It’ll be interesting to see their approach this time around.
Last week: 29
The Browns’ putrid season has finally ended.
Last week: 31
The Fox News Digital Sports NFL power rankings were compiled by the Fox News Digital Sports staff and the OutKick.com staff.
Sheel Kamal Seidler, the widow of deceased team owner Peter Seidler, has filed a lawsuit against his two brothers in attempt to seize control of the team.
The widow has alleged in her complaint that Peter, before his death, revealed his dying wish was for her to take control of the Padres, followed by their children, and that her children hold the largest stake in ownership. She adds that Peter's two brothers, Matt and Bob, "are trying to erase Peter's vision and legacy, as well as falsely cast themselves as Peter's true heirs."
The suit also alleges that Bob’s wife made multiple "racist, profane and hateful communications directed at Sheel—a woman of Indian descent—in communications."
The widow released a statement addressing the complaint on social media.
"The complaint alleges claims against Matthew and Robert for breaches of fiduciary duty and fraud. I would urge anyone who is interested in the details to read the full complaint. This was not a decision I made lightly. During this difficult period, I have done everything in my power to avoid unwanted distractions and resolve the matter privately. I have focused on supporting the work of the many dedicated professionals within the Padres organization, as well as the incredible players we have the privilege of watching nearly every day throughout the season.
"I made this decision as a very last resort, but I am confident it is the right one, and the best way to protect the Padres franchise and ensure the vision that Peter and I shared for the team will continue."
Matt released a statement via Sportico, claiming that Sheel's allegations are "without merit."
"The complaint filed by Sheel Seidler, the widow of Peter Seidler, is entirely without merit," Seidler said. "Peter had a clear estate plan. The plan specifically named three of his nine siblings, with whom he had worked closely for many decades, as successor trustees of his trust, and Peter himself prohibited Sheel from ever serving as trustee."
Peter died in November 2023 at the age of 63. He had been ill for months, though it has not been disclosed what exactly he’d been dealing with. Seidler is a cancer survivor who had health issues for quite some time.
He said in July 2023 that the Padres would stay within his family for generations after he passed away.
Seidler was the founder of Seidler Equity Partners, which was a key piece of the group that purchased the Padres in 2012. Seidler’s uncle, also named Peter, and Ron Fowler were a part of the group, too.
The name of the group derives from Seidler’s grandfather, Walter O’Malley, who owned the Dodgers from 1950, when they first relocated from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, until 1979. Fowler transferred the role of chairman to Seidler in 2020, and then Seidler purchased part of Fowler’s stake in the organization to become the team’s largest stakeholder.
Prior to his death, he dealt out a series of high-cost contracts to superstar players in an effort to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West division and win a World Series.
These contracts include Manny Machado's $350 million, deal, Fernando Tatis Jr.'s $340 million deal, Xander Bogaertz $280 million deal, and Yu Darvish's $108 million deal.
The Athletic reported in November 2023 that the team took out a $50 loan to help pay for the costs of the contracts.
Longtime Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bob Veale, who helped the franchise win a World Series championship in 1971, died over the weekend at 89 years old.
The Pirates released a statement on Veale, who spent 11 of his 13 seasons with Pittsburgh.
"Bob was an integral member of the Pirates who helped our team capture back-to-back division titles as well as the 1971 World Series," team owner Bob Nutting said in a statement. "He was one of the most dominant left-handed pitchers in all of Major League Baseball during his remarkable big league career that he proudly spent a majority of as a member of the Pirates. He was a great man who will be missed."
Veale earned himself back-to-back All-Star nods in 1965 and 1966 during his Pirates career, which began in 1962 as a 26-year-old left-hander.
Pitching in just 11 games that year, Veale earned a 3.74 ERA before making his name known with a 1.04 ERA over 34 games (seven starts) during the 1963 season. It came over just 77.2 innings of work, but the Pirates saw a starter they could utilize for years to come.
In 1964, Veale took on an even bigger workload on the mound, pitching 279.2 innings (40 games) to a 2.74 ERA. He went 18-12 that season, striking out 250 hitters to lead the league.
Veale would rack up 1,703 strikeouts over 1,926 innings in his career. And during the 1971 World Series, Veale helped his Pirates take down the Baltimore Orioles to win the title.
Veale was traded midway through the 1972 season to Boston, but not before he made MLB history as part of the Pirates’ lineup that became the first-ever all-Black or Afro-Latino lineup, per AL.com.
When Veale’s playing days were over, he eventually moved into the scouting department for the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees. He would go on to be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, while also helping launch the Negro Southern League Museum in his hometown of Birmingham in 2015.
After his draft stock skyrocketed thanks to a once-in-a-generation type of season, Ashton Jeanty is going pro.
The Boise State running back, fresh off of coming up just short of rewriting the record books, has announced that he will declare for the NFL Draft.
"The opportunity to play in the NFL is a dream of mine, and I'm proud to represent Boise State and all of those who have helped me along the way at the next level," Jeanty wrote in a social media post.
As a sophomore in 2023, Jeanty ran for 1,347 yards — this past season, he almost doubled that.
Jeanty ran for 2,601 yards, 28 shy of surpassing Barry Sanders for the most in a college season. His epic campaign, though, put him second on the all-time list, as he surpassed both Melvin Gordon and Kevin Smith during his lone College Football Playoff game against a stout Penn State defense.
Jeanty's performance propelled the Broncos to winning the Mountain West and earning a bye into the CFP quarterfinals. However, Jeanty ran for just 104 yards, his lowest of the season, as the Nittany Lions moved on to the semifinals. Entering the Fiesta Bowl, Jeanty had rushed for over 125 yards in each of his previous 13 games of the season.
The running back figures to be a first-round pick this season, and it's hard to see why he wouldn't be. The 2024 season saw a revitalization of the running back position, and Jeanty is without a doubt the best on the board this year.
It is rather rare to see running backs taken in the first round, although there were two such cases in 2023 — but again, with his skillset and how the position regained its value this year, some mock drafts Jeanty being picked in the teens.
Jeanty finished in second place in the Heisman Trophy voting, falling to Travis Hunter in the closest vote since 2009.
More than 13,000 buildings and 26,000 people are in the evacuation zone, which has been labeled "under immediate threat," according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Redick said members of his and his wife's family are among those that have evacuated.
The head coach offered his thoughts ahead of his team's game against the Mavericks in Dallas.
"I just want to acknowledge and send thoughts and prayers to everyone in the Palisades right now. That's where I live. Our family, my wife's family, my wife's twin sister, they've evacuated," Redick told the media on Tuesday. "I know a lot of people are freaking out right now, including my family. From the sound of things, I know a lot of people are scared. So I just want to acknowledge that. Thoughts and prayers for sure, and hope everybody stays safe."
Over 250 LAFD firefighters were battling the blaze, in addition to firefighters from neighboring agencies. Approximately 30 vehicles left abandoned on Sunset and Palisades will be moved by the county to provide clear access, the fire department said.
LA Mayor Karen Bass is currently out of town attending the inauguration of John Dramani Mahama in Accra, Ghana, according to a statement from the White House.
Los Angeles County Lifeguards said elevated fire weather conditions with dry offshore winds were expected to persist through Wednesday.
"Residents should remain prepared to evacuate and stay clear of the area to allow emergency responders to operate safely," the agency said.
Fox News' Alexandra Koch and Louis Casano contributed to this report.
Elon Musk has already made his mark on the political landscape — now he may be turning his eyes to the sports world.
The tech billionaire and notorious Trump ally is reportedly interested in buying the English Premier League soccer club Liverpool. Liverpool, nicknamed "The Reds" is one of the flagship teams in English soccer, having won 19 league titles, eight FA Cups, a record 10 League Cups and sixteen FA Community Shields.
In international competitions, Liverpool has won six European Cups, three UEFA Cups, four UEFA Super Cups — all English records — and one FIFA Club World Cup.
As of May 2024, Liverpool is valued at $5.37 billion, making it the fourth most valuable football team in the world, according to Forbes.
He also said: "I can’t comment on that. They’ll raise the price."
A spokesperson for Fenway Sports Group told The Associated Press there was "no truth to these rumors."
In September 2023, the group sold a minority stake to U.S. investment firm Dynasty Equity.
At that time, Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon said: "Our long-term commitment to Liverpool remains as strong as ever. We have always said that if there is an investment partner that is right for Liverpool then we would pursue the opportunity to help ensure the club’s long-term financial resiliency and future growth."
Errol Musk said they have relatives in Liverpool and that "we were fortunate enough to know quite a few of the Beatles because they grew up with us — my family."
Elon has gotten himself involved in British politics since the center-left Labour Party was elected in July. Musk has used his social network, X, to call for a new election.
Miami Dolphins star receiver Tyreek Hill made it pretty clear after Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets that he was ready to move on, but according to general manager Chris Grier, that wasn’t the case the following day.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Grier addressed Hill’s comments, adding that he and head coach Mike McDaniel met with the veteran wideout on Monday to discuss his postgame remarks and the fact that he appeared to leave the game early.
"I will say Mike and I both had conversations with Tyreek here yesterday, productive conversations. I will keep those between us," he said, according to the team’s transcript.
"The one thing I would say is in a frustrating season, he was very emotional in a game where we had a chance coming back from 2-6. I would say that’s probably the thing I’m most proud of the players and Mike and the coaching staff; that we were 2-6 and were playing Week 18 to potentially sneak in the playoffs. And I think all of that with him playing through his injury just kind of bubbled to a point and from our conversations – again, we’ll keep that private – but we had productive conversations."
Grier said that while Hill did not "backtrack" on his comments, he did not specifically request a trade.
"No, I would say, but he never asked for a trade with me."
The Dolphins’ slim chances of making the playoffs were taken away by a 30-22 loss to the already-eliminated Jets on Sunday. Hill was not available in the fourth quarter and after the game he indicated that he was ready to move on.
"This is the first time I haven’t been in the playoffs," he said. "For me, I have to do what’s best for me and my family, if that’s here or wherever the case may be. I’m (going to) open that door for myself. I’m opening the door.
"I’m out, bro. It was great playing here, but at the end of the day, I've got to do what's best for my career.... I'm too much of a competitor to be just out there."
McDaniel echoed Grier’s perspective of Monday’s meeting, adding that he also leveled with Hill over his decision to pull himself out of the game early.
"I was very direct with him. He was very honest and it was great terms that we were discussing. Discussed multiple things, including, without wavering, that it’s not acceptable to leave a game and won’t be tolerated in the future, and he embraced accountability."
Of their relationship, McDaniel added, "I wouldn’t say there’s anything necessarily to fix as much as we had to clear the air in a rough and tumultuous situation."
The racket hit the woman in the front row, and Norrie was assessed a warning.
The woman was not hurt and actually played it off quite well.
"[The fan] was laughing, and I just said, ‘So sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.’ And she said, ‘Yeah, I’m completely OK.’ That was not a big deal," Norrie said after the match. "But as we saw with some other players, you can easily be defaulted if it catches them in the wrong spot or they’re not looking or something."
The racket throw occurred while Norrie was trailing 6-2, 5-3. He would lose that game shortly afterward to drop the match.
"It is completely not me to do something like that. I apologized very quickly, and I want to apologize in general. I’m not happy with how I behaved," Norrie said.
The first-round exit for Norrie comes two years after he made the final in the tournament.
At the 2020 U.S. Open, with the stands empty due to COVID-19 restrictions, Novak Djokovic was disqualified after accidentally hitting a line judge with a ball. At the 2023 French Open, Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi were defaulted from the women's doubles after a ball hit by Kato struck a ball girl.
The Auckland tournament gives players one final warm-up before the Australian Open. The singles draw will be revealed on Thursday, with the first round beginning Sunday.
Scottie Scheffler withdrew from The American Express on Monday, missing his second consecutive tournament due to injury.
Scheffler, 28, underwent minor surgery to repair a glass puncture in his right hand suffered on Christmas.
The world’s No. 1 player was preparing for Christmas dinner when he hurt his hand, which forced him to miss the beginning of the PGA Tour season at The Sentry in Hawaii, a signature event.
"After consulting with my medical team, I have made the decision to withdraw from next week's American Express tournament to give my injury more time to heal," Scheffler said in an Instagram post.
Scheffler is hopeful of making his 2025 PGA Tour debut at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, a signature event that starts Jan. 30.
The star American golfer is coming off an historic season, where he won nine times worldwide.
Scheffler won seven PGA Tour titles, while winning The Masters for a second time in his career. He also represented the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and won a gold medal after a late surge.
With his strong showing in 2024, he became the first player since Tiger Woods to win PGA Tour player of the year in three consecutive seasons, since Woods did in 2005-2007.
Scheffler also became the first player since Woods in 2009 to hold the No. 1 ranking for an entire calendar year.
With Scheffler dominating the competition, he set a record for prize money won in one season. He won $25 million for winning the FedEx Cup, making his total prize money for the 2024 season over $54 million.
The American Express tournament is in Palm Desert, California, and is scheduled for Jan. 16-19.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The man charged with killing NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, with his vehicle while they were biking pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, turning down the prosecution's offer of 35 years in prison.
Just one day before their sister's wedding, the Gaudreau brothers were riding bikes near their childhood home when they were struck and killed by a vehicle on Aug. 29, 2024.
Sean Higgins, 44, was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated manslaughter, two counts of vehicular homicide, evidence tampering and leaving the scene of an accident.
Police noted that Higgins had a blood alcohol level of .087, above New Jersey's legal limit to drive, and he failed a field sobriety test. Police also said Higgins was driving aggressively, which included speeding up to drive around multiple vehicles, when he hit the Gaudreaus.
Higgins' lawyers said in a statement in New Jersey court that they hope to prove the incident didn't occur due to "malfeasance" but instead "a combination of uniquely unfortunate circumstances unlikely to ever occur again."
It's not yet been determined when Higgins is due next in court, though a trial is upcoming.
Johnny spent 11 seasons in the NHL, tallying 743 points (243 goals, 500 assists) over nine seasons with the Calgary Flames and two with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Johnny was set to begin his third season in Columbus.
The Blue Jackets held a remembrance for Gaudreau in their home opener this season, raising a banner with members of the Gaudreau family attending the game and participating in a ceremonial puck drop.
The Flames followed suit but waited until the Blue Jackets were in town for their game in December for an emotional pregame ceremony that included members of the Gaudreau family as well.
Matthew was a Boston College standout during his four years with the program. He played for several teams after his college days were over, including the New York Islanders' AHL squad, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
A Dallas Cowboys cheerleader has shared the apology she received from kicker Brandon Aubrey after he drilled her in the back of the head with a ball during the first half of Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders.
Michelle Siemienowski was standing on the sidelines when Aubrey’s kick went out of bounds near the 10-yard line at AT&T Stadium.
Despite a cameraman’s attempts to deflect the ball, it hit Siemienowski in the back of the head, knocking her over.
She quickly stood up as her teammates checked on her. The broadcast caught Siemienowski smiling after the incident.
She took to social media Monday to share that she was "fine," and to thank everyone for checking in. She also shared with fans a note that Aubrey wrote to her apologizing.
"This past 24 hours has been a whirlwind! I got a ton of messages and I wanted to thank you all for checking in and for your kind words. I am all okay, so no need to worry," she wrote in a post on her Instagram Stories.
"Also… Thank you [Aubrey] for this apology note! I was told he wanted to come find me on the field after the incident, but unfortunately I kept moving around on the field. He was so kind to write me a note anyways! No hard feelings here! And now I have a souvenir for my last game of my rookie season!"
The note from Aubrey read, "Michelle, so sorry about hitting you on (kickoff)! Hope you are doing well! Love watching y’all!"
Despite Sunday’s loss to the Commanders and the mishap on kickoff, Aubrey set a record with 40 field goals this season to become just the fifth kicker in NFL history with at least 40 field goals.
