Here’s an up-to-date list of all NFL Players from Palo Verde High School, Las Vegas, NV.
The list includes only those players who have played in an NFL game.
See where it ranks among other schools in the state here.
Sports
Pyramids of Egypt Officials Hail Godswill Akpabio Stadium Turf as One of Africa’s Best
Officials of Pyramids FC of Egypt have praised the pitch at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, describing it as one of the best in Africa.
Speaking on Saturday, February 7, 2026, ahead of their CAF Champions League Matchday Five clash against Rivers United, the reigning African champions said the grass surface was excellent and suitable for high-quality football.
The comments were made after their inspection of the pitch before the mandatory pre-match press conference at the facility. They noted that the good condition of the pitch would allow both teams to play their best football, entertain fans expected at the stadium on Sunday by 5pm, and help them pursue their target of victory.
Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurčić, the current manager of the Egyptian side, said he had visited many stadiums across Africa, but poor pitches often made it difficult for his team to play their passing style of football.
“I have been to many stadiums in Africa, and most pitches make it hard to play good football. That is why many teams rely on long balls,” Jurčić said. “But this is a natural grass pitch in very good condition, and it will make for an interesting game on Sunday evening.”
Egyptian international defender Ossama Galal also echoed his coach’s views, adding that the excellent pitch allows players to “display their best qualities” during matches.
The 11-year-old stadium is the home of the Super Eagles of Nigeria and has hosted several international and continental club matches, continuing to earn praise from visiting teams and officials.
Pyramids FC are the reigning champions of the CAF Champions League and will face Rivers United of Nigeria at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium at 5pm on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
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Sports
Shakur Stevenson targeted for 140lb unification fight after being stripped of lightweight title
After becoming WBO super-lightweight champion and being stripped of his lightweight belt, it seems as though Shakur Stevenson may stick around in the 140lb division.
Stevenson beat Teofimo Lopez concincingly in New York last weekend and despite calling out welterweight Conor Benn, he also had the option of returning to the lightweight scene in an attempt to become undisputed champion
However, the WBC have since made the sudden decision to strip Stevenson of their green and gold belt – a decision that did not go down well with the fighter himself.
As a result, Stevenson may now remain at super-lightweight and continue his WBO reign, particulary given the fact that he is only willing to take on welterweight contenders that agree to a 10-pound rehydration clause – a stipulation many not be willing to sign up for.
Speaking to Smitty Lewis, WBA super-lightweight world champion Gary Antuanne Russell explained that Stevenson’s fight with Lopez went exactly how he thought he would, before declaring that he is ‘belt chasing’ – opening the door to a clash with Stevenson.
“I already said how the fight was possibly going to go. I said that Shakur was going to put him on the ropes and keep him on the end of that stick. If Teofimo didn’t got the game plan, he was going to lose.
“If he didn’t come with the right game plan and the right mental, in the right shape, like how he fought [Vasyl] Lomachenko, he was going to lose.
“It was a 50/50, he got the ability to win, both of them is nice but styles make fights and I saw that Teofimo didn’t show up how he was supposed to.
“[I will fight any champion at 140lbs] and 140 is boomin’. I am straight belt chasin’.”
Before Russell can truly focus on unifications, he must first get past mandatory challenger Andy Hiraoka, whom he fights in two weeks’ time on the Mario Barrios vs Ryan Garcia undercard in Las Vegas.
PurplePTSD works in partnership with Vikings Territory, similarly doing their utmost to offer top-notch coverage of the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, we’re promoting five of their top articles of the past month in “The P/PTSD Perspective.” Take a peek at some of their best stuff.
The P/PTSD Perspective: February 7th, 2026
1) Report Suggests Brian Flores Has a Surprising Draft Priority: At this point, DC Brian Flores is known as precisely that: a defensive coordinator. Do note, though, that his background involves being a scout as well as a coach who has helped on offense and special teams. He happens to have a knack for identifying strong talent.
2) Exiled Vikings Player Projected to Sign Monster Contract: The growth from RG Ed Ingram in Houston has been tricky for the Vikings. Did that solid play down in Texas lead to the decision to move on from OL Coach Chris Kuper? At no point did Ingram play particularly well in Minnesota, a trend that broke once he became a Texan.
3) Why the New GM Wants to Work in Minnesota: Coming to Minnesota means inheriting a team with an unsettled QB position, a salary cap that needs a ton of work, and few young players coming up. The positive is that Minnesota has great facilities, Justin Jefferson at WR, and a talented coaching staff. Who ends up getting signed to be the new leader in the front office?
4) The Buzzy Vikings Rumor Gets a Fresh Gust of Wind: Being able to pick Drake Maye would have made a major difference. Already, Maye is an elite passer who has led his team to the Super Bowl. Winning it all in just his second season will have fully solidified that he was more than worth the Patriots sticking at No. 3 to choose him.
5) Aaron Jones Slams the Vikings: Veteran running back Aaron Jones is a great leader. When Jones speaks, people should listen. Being disappointed in how things have gone at quarterback is sensible enough. After all, the QB spot in Minnesota is largely responsible for keeping the Vikings out of the playoffs.
Enjoy the extra reading, Vikings fans.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
A championship title is up for grabs on Sunday, but that’s not the only thing at stake in Super Bowl LX.
When the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks take the field in Santa Clara, there are narratives to rewrite, new chapters to open, and legacies to build.
Here’s a look at everything on the line this Sunday.
For nearly a decade, Sam Darnold’s career has been defined by the labels other people put on him. And there have been many. First, he was considered the consensus “safe pick” of the 2018 draft class, then crowned saviour and franchise future for the Jets after being selected third overall by New York. Within three years, he was branded a “bust” — a label that stuck to him during his two years in Carolina, then one season in San Francisco, with both stops furthering the narrative that he’d been relegated to career backup. He was slated to play the same role in Minnesota when he signed with the Vikings, but instead wore a new and more hopeful label: Comeback story. In the year that followed, we referred to him as the Vikings’ reclamation project, then a pending free agent, then a hot name on a cool QB market, a journeyman and, of course, finally, a Seahawk.
Now, after a season at the helm of Seattle’s explosive offence, he’s a Super Bowl starting quarterback. And he’s not just along for the ride. While Seattle’s defence was the biggest reason why the Seahawks claimed the top seed in the NFC, Darnold’s gusty performance against the Rams in the conference championship is the primary reason the club is back in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2015.
Now, how we talk about Darnold after Sunday’s game is wholly up to the player himself. He is, at last, in position to define what his own NFL legacy is. A victory on Sunday would see him usher in this new chapter of his career with a real statement — and a label coveted by all who play: Super Bowl champ.
In just his second season as a pro, Drake Maye is already in rarified air. At 23 years and 162 days old, he can surpass Ben Roethlisberger as the youngest starting QB to win the Super Bowl (Roethlisberger was 25 days shy of his 24th birthday when his Steelers defeated the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL).
The near-instant success Maye has had at the helm of New England is reminiscent of the rapid rise of a certain other Patriots QB. Tom Brady, too, led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his second pro season, going 4-0 in his first four playoff appearances at age 24. A win Sunday would see Maye match that feat.
Obviously, Maye is not Brady — he’ll need eight more Super Bowl appearances and six rings to match the GOAT’s accomplishments in New England. But we can appreciate the budding career of the young franchise QB without saddling him with near-impossible expectations. For a franchise defined by two decades of dominance under the Brady-Belichick dynasties, Sunday brings an opportunity to open the beginning of the Maye-Vrabel era and appreciate it in its own right.
After breaking out in his second season last year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba took over highlight reels in 2025 with an incredible campaign that put his chemistry with Sam Darnold on full display. Over the course of 17 regular-season games, Smith-Njigba averaged 15.1 yards per catch and totalled a league-leading 1,793 yards. It’s no surprise he was honoured as the NFL’s offensive player of the year as a result.
With Darnold throwing him dimes against the L.A. Rams in the NFC Championship, we saw JSN at his best — including that casual one-handed grab we’ve all watched at least 20 times by now. That performance gave us all a front-row seat to a masterclass in catches, considering Rams WR1 Puka Nacua was on the other side of the matchup.
Another masterful performance for JSN on the Super Bowl stage would solidify his status as one of the biggest stars in today’s NFL, which has no shortage of dynamic offensive weapons. It would also make him the youngest wide receiver to lead the league in receiving yards and then go on to win the Super Bowl in the same season. At 24 years and 359 days, come Sunday, he’d be in a league of his own in that respect.
The last WR to lead the NFL in receiving yards and hoist the Lombardi Trophy in the same season? His own teammate, Cooper Kupp.
Already a well-respected coach from his time in Tennessee, Mike Vrabel’s homecoming in New England has been one of the best stories of the 2025 season. It’s hard to look at a franchise with such a winning tradition from the Bill Belichick days and call it a Cinderella story, but it’s still wildly impressive to see what Vrabel has done in such a short time with this organization.
Even before being named the new head coach in New England in January 2025, Vrabel was already a Patriots legend. As a longtime linebacker, he helped lead the club’s fearsome defence to three Super Bowl titles during the first dynasty years of the early 2000s.
That he just took over a 4-13 squad and turned it into a 13-win powerhouse, complete with a division title and a berth in Super Bowl LX in the span of a single year, makes Vrabel a franchise icon on the field and on the sidelines. He was awarded coach-of-the-year honours for his remarkable turnaround, and can put the cherry on top of an incredible year this weekend. If he can guide the Patriots to a win on Sunday, Vrabel will become the first coach to take a losing team and turn it into a Super Bowl-winning squad in his first season. He can also become the first person to win a Super Bowl as both a player and a head coach with the same franchise.
Mike Macdonald is a defensive mastermind. His work at the helm of the Baltimore Ravens’ top-ranked defence in 2023 earned him the top job in Seattle, and in the two years since he took over as head coach, the Seahawks have become a fearsome unit. That he posted back-to-back double-digit-win seasons in his first two years on Seattle’s sideline is incredibly impressive. That he did so with two different quarterbacks adds to that feat. A Super Bowl victory in Year 2 would solidify his status as one of the best coaches in the game today and would also mark a major victory for the defensively inclined.
As the saying goes, defence wins championships. But recent Super Bowls have seen offensive-minded head coaches take over the spotlight, and hiring cycles have reflected that.
Recent coaching trends have seen offensive co-ordinators getting the most attention on the hiring circuit, but Macdonald’s success — and Vrabel’s too — could sway the trend in the other direction. The last defence-first head coach to win the Super Bowl was Bill Belichick.
For Macdonald, there’s a little more history on the line. Not only can a win over the Patriots help ease the sting of football’s most shocking loss against the franchise in 2015, but he could also add his name to an impressive list. At just 38 years old, a win on Sunday would make Macdonald the third-youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl in NFL history, after Sean McVay and Mike Tomlin, both of whom were 36 when they won.
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Robert Kraft’s Blue Square Alliance Against Hate antisemitism ad faced criticism from a columnist on Thursday.
The ad called on Americans to stand up against antisemitism and all forms of hate through the “Sticky Note” campaign. The commercial featured a young student who is victimized in the halls of his school for being Jewish, with classmates sticking a degrading, antisemitic note on his backpack without him noticing.
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New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft before the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High on Jan. 25, 2026. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)
It goes on to show a fellow student silently overlaying the hateful sticky note with one of his own, a blue square. The student also places a similar blue square on his chest and proudly walks alongside the Jewish boy.
Tablet Magazine’s Liel Leibovitz appeared to be seeing more red than blue. He wrote that Kraft would “go down in history as having created the single most embarrassing, idiotic, abominable, counterproductive, no good, very bad ad in the big game’s history.”
Leibovitz went on to compare Kraft’s push to raise awareness about stopping hate against Jews to the Black Lives Matter movement. He wrote that the New England Patriots owner “thought it was a swell idea to promote precisely the same spineless brand of clicktivism that embodied the worst of the #BLM moral panic days.”
Owner Robert Kraft introduces Mike Vrabel as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Jan. 13. (Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
RAMS’ PUKA NACUA REACTS TO MATTHEW STAFFORD’S MVP, 2026 RETURN: ‘I ALMOST DID A BACKFLIP’
“But the new ad is so offensive not only because it blows—or because, in reality, prominent American Muslims have spent the past three years acting very un-Bilal-like and drumming up everything from modern-day blood libels to violent antisemitic pint-sized pogroms on college campuses—but also because of what it tells us about the mindset of so much of organized Judaism these days,” he added.
Leibovitz argued that ads like that need to be tougher and more to the point.
The Blue Square Alliance Against Hate has released ads calling on Americans to rid of antisemitism. The group has had previous campaigns showcasing powerful ads, including its “When There Are No Words” message that had a heavy impact in October 2025.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft smiles before the NFL 2025 game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, on Oct. 19. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)
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During last year’s Super Bowl, Tom Brady and Snoop Dogg were among those featured in “No Reason To Hate.” Blue Square also ran its “Silence” ad during the Super Bowl in 2024.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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Former New York Jets first-round draft pick Darron Lee was arrested in Tennessee and charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend earlier this week, according to police.
Lee, 31, was arrested by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Thursday and charged with first-degree murder and tampering with or fabricating evidence, according to online records. He is currently being held without bond and is due back in court Wednesday.
New York Jets linebacker Darron Lee was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in the first move made by interim general manager Adam Gase. (Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com)
The Ohio State standout’s arrest stems from the death of his girlfriend, who has not yet been identified by law enforcement pending family notification.
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ESPN reported that deputies were dispatched to residence with reports of CPR in progress Thursday afternoon. Once on the scene, first responders attempted to perform life-saving measures on a woman before she was later declared dead.
The sheriff’s department later ruled her death a homicide.
“Due to the condition of the victim and the residence, HCSO Criminal Investigative Services Detectives responded. Preliminary findings indicate the victim’s death was the result of a homicide,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Lee, 31, was arrested by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Thursday and charged with first degree murder and tampering with fabricating evidence. (Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office)
Lee has had previous run-ins with the law. In 2023, he was arrested in Ohio following allegations of domestic violence against his own mother and the mother of his son. He reached a plea agreement, which included a one-day jail sentence.
A national champion with the Buckeyes, Lee was drafted by the Jets in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He played three seasons with the Jets, but was suspended four games at the end of the season due to a PED violation.
Kansas City Chiefs inside linebacker Darron Lee (50) reacts as he defends against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh won 17-7 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 17, 2019. (Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports)
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He was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 and was a member of the Super Bowl-winning team that season, though he was not active for the game.
He was suspended a second time in 2020 and later signed with the Buffalo Bills and played in two games that year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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A total of 270 athletes selected to represent Akwa Ibom State at the 2026 Niger Delta Games in Edo State have successfully completed a screening exercise in line with approved competition rules.
According to the Information/PR Unit, Ministry of Sports, Akwa Ibom State, the screening was held on Friday, February 6, 2026, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. It was organised to ensure eligibility, transparency and fair play among athletes from the nine Niger Delta states that will take part in the Games, scheduled for February 20 to 27, 2026.
Speaking during the exercise, Chairman of the NDG Screening Team, Sir Braveman Wordi, said the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), in partnership with Dunamis Icon Ltd, organised the Games to boost grassroots sports and discover young talents who can compete at national and international levels.
He explained that the Games are part of the NDDC’s wider plan to develop human capacity beyond the oil and gas sector, with sports identified as a key tool for youth empowerment in the region.
Sir Wordi listed the eligibility requirements, stating that athletes must be 19 years and below, must be indigenes of the states they represent, and must be properly registered in a verifiable database. He urged coaches to focus on long-term athlete development rather than short-term medal targets, adding that the screening was an important step towards a successful outing at the Games.
Addressing journalists after the exercise, he praised the organisation and discipline of the athletes and coaches, describing the process as transparent and in line with standard sports administration practices.
“I am impressed with the high level of organisation and discipline among the athletes and coaches,” he said. “I commend the organisers, Dunamis Icon Ltd, for putting together this competition. It is important in preparing young talents from the region for national and international opportunities.”
In a related development, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, who also chairs the state’s NDG Liaison Committee, earlier met with NDG officials and stressed strict compliance with competition rules and proper documentation of athletes.
He warned that any breach of the Games’ regulations would lead to outright disqualification, but expressed confidence that with strong government support and proper preparation, Team Akwa Ibom would perform well and make the state proud.
Team Akwa Ibom is expected to begin camping on February 17 and 18, 2026, to improve fitness and readiness ahead of the Games.
The screening delegation was received by Elder Paul Bassey, members of the NDG Liaison Committee, 46 officials, directors from the Ministry of Sports, and members of the media.
MANCHESTER, England — It’s four Premier League wins in a row for Manchester United under Michael Carrick, and a season that was unravelling just weeks ago now looks full of promise.
A 2-0 victory against Tottenham on Saturday extended Carrick’s 100 per cent start as head coach and will further strengthen his case to be given the job on a long-term basis.
It was the first time in two years that United has won four straight league games and boosted its hopes of a return to the lucrative Champions League.
Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes scored in each half at Old Trafford in a game that saw Spurs reduced to 10 men after captain Cristian Romero was sent off in the 29th minute.
Carrick has transformed United’s fortunes since he was parachuted in to replace the fired Ruben Amorim last month. Initially given a contract until the end of the season, his impressive impact will likely put him in serious contention to keep the job as the club’s hierarchy considers its long-term plans.
United is fourth, and after moving up to 44 points, the 20-time English champion has already exceeded last season’s total of 42 points for the entire campaign.
UFC bantamweights are front and center. The four highest-ranked bantamweights all recently competed in major fights. On Saturday, Mario Bautista and Vinicius Oliveira step into the spotlight.
People are starting to wake up to the skill of Bautista (16-3). The Arizona native had won eight fights in a row since 2022 before getting a step up opportunity against top contender Umar Nurmagomedov. While he was swept on the scorecards, Bautista put up a strong effort in defeat. Bautista stunned Nurmagomedov with a knee and nearly yanked his foot off with a toehold. His strong showing, plus a dominant win over former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix, helped mend fan feelings after his contentious win over the great Jose Aldo.
“I thought I blew the [Nurmagomedov] fight. That’s the mindset I had,” Bautista told CBS Sports. “Being around people saying, ‘That was an awesome fight. You actually went out there and fought him. You didn’t hold anything back.’ I’m glad people saw that from me. I think that’s what landed me this main event.”
On Saturday, Bautista can utilize his wealth of experience against a fighter with a rapidly rising profile.
Sign up for Paramount+ and Watch UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!
“His hand placements,” Bautista said of Oliveira’s technical gaps. “Outside of the UFC, I saw three separate videos of him getting knocked out. He lives and dies by the sword. I think there’s a higher possibility for that to happen the higher you climb up the UFC rankings.
Oliveira (23-3) is a madman. He marches forward with his hands down and strikes from odd angles. Oliveira is already calling out elite stars like Nurmagomedov, Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili only four fights into his UFC career. “Lok Dog” won’t be far from those conversations if he makes good on his first-round knockout prediction.
“No one in the top five wants to fight me. They’re all close to fighting for the belt. If UFC asked them to fight ‘Lok Dog,’ they’d say no…” Oliveira told CBS Sports. “They don’t want to fight me because they have many things to lose.
“I’m dangerous in this division. When you see me fight, you can see I’m crazy. I move forward with my hands down. I dodge stuff and throw punches from nowhere. I’m not technical or orthodox. It’s strange to fight me. If I were someone in front of me, I’d run away. I wouldn’t want to face me.”
Saturday’s co-main event has important implications for the flyweight division. Kyoji Horiguchi, who enjoyed four title reigns between Rizin and Bellator, has the second fight of his second UFC stint. To date, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is the only flyweight to beat Horiguchi. The Japanese star could make a serious splash in the title conversation by beating Amir Albazi. Once considered a future title contender, significant health issues have stunted Albazi’s career. Heart and neck surgery are among the serious procedures that Albazi underwent over the last few years.
Plus, grappling expert Jailton Almeida is back in a heavyweight bout with Rizvan Kuniev in a featured slot. Almeida, 34, debuted in 2022 after earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. He ripped off six straight wins, including a strong decision over former title challenger Derrick Lewis in 2023. After a setback against Curtis Blaydes by knockout in 2024, Almeida bounced back with a pair of finishes against Alexander Romanov and Serghei Spivac.
Let’s take a look at the rest of the fight card with the latest odds from DraftKings before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event below.
UFC Fight Night card, odds
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
|
Mario Bautista -170 |
Vinicius Oliveira +142 |
Bantamweight |
|
Kyoji Horiguchi -375 |
Amir Albazi +295 |
Flyweight |
|
Jailton Almeida -155 |
Rizvan Kuniev +130 |
Heavyweight |
| Michal Oleksiejczuk -500 | Marc-Andre Barriault +380 | Middleweight |
| Farid Basharat -285 | Jean Matsumoto +230 | Bantamweight |
| Dustin Jacoby -185 | Julius Walker +154 | Light heavyweight |
UFC Fight Night viewing information
Date: Saturday, Feb. 7 | Start time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Meta APEX — Las Vegas
Stream: Paramount+ (subscribe now for as little as $8.99 per month)
Prediction
Mario Bautista vs. Vinicius Oliveira: Oliveira doesn’t seem concerned with Bautista, technique, or much else. You can chalk up his swagger to some combination of confidence and stubbornness. Oliveira was a vicious KO artist on the regional scene. Things haven’t come so easily for him in the UFC. He might not like that, but I do. Oliveira showed that his skills hold up over 15 minutes.
Saturday’s headliners are surprisingly similar considering their contrasting personalities and game plans. They have comparable striking offense and defense stats, though Oliveira sees less artillery coming his way. They’re also difficult to ground. I’m torn here. Bautista’s performance against Nurmagomedov opened my eyes to how good he is. I don’t think he’ll finish Oliveira, and that creates concerns about a potential KO loss over 25 minutes. However, Oliveira’s inexperience against elite fighters and failure to finish his last three opponents are more concerning. I’ll side with the veteran over five rounds. Pick: Bautista via unanimous decision
Who wins Bautista vs. Oliveira, and how exactly does the fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks and analysis from the advanced model that showed a 6.1% ROI from over 500 fights from 2023-25, and find out.
Feb 4, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at a EA Sports Madden 26 display at the Super Bowl LX media center at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images A last-second 52-yard field goal lifted Drini “Drini” Gjoka to a 30-27 win over Jaylen “Astro” Morrow-Reynolds in the Madden Bowl final on Friday in Redwood City, Calif.
Drini, a McKinney, Texas, resident, joins Henry “Henry” Leverette as the only two-time winners in the 10 editions of the event featuring 1-on-1 competition. Henry was also part of a three-player team that won the Madden Bowl in 2021, when a different format was used.
The latest victory was worth $250,000 and the championship ring. Astro, from Waldorf, Md., pocketed $150,000 as the runner-up.
“This is the biggest win of my life,” Drini said. “I’ve had so many big wins in my life, but this right here tops it all, I’m not going to lie. This feels so good. Like, I’m shaking in my hands. This is insane, man.”
Drini captured his first Madden Bowl crown in 2019, a year after losing in the final. He has been competing in the Madden Championship Series for eight years.
“It’s been seven years since I won my last Madden Bowl, since I won my last belt,” Drini said.
He added that he felt disrespected by those who were overlooking him.
“I’m just here to prove a point that I’m still that guy,” he said.
In the semifinals, Drini got past John “MrFootball88” Britt of San Diego 24-12, and Astro topped seeded David “DavidT” Tampellini of Patchogue, N.Y., 38-29.
Madden Bowl 26 prize pool
1. $250,000 — Drini “Drini” Gjoka
2. $150,000 — Jaylen “Astro” Morrow-Reynolds
3-4. $100,000 — John “MrFootball88” Britt, David “DavidT” Tampellini
5-8. $55,000 — Jonathan “JonBeast” Marquez, “GoatGeezy,” Peyton “Dez” Tuma, Henry “Henry” Leverette
9-14. $30,000 — “Drip,” Christian “No Mercy Lambo” Webb, “Cobo,” “Abram,” Dwayne “Cleff” Wood, “Gabagol”
Madden Bowl championship-round history, with final score and winner’s prize money 2016 — Frank “Stiff” Sardoni Jr. def. Eric “Problem” Wright 37-21; $20,000
2017 — Michael “Skimbo” Skimbo def. Eric “Problem” Wright 24-20; $100,000
2018 — Shay “Young Kiv” Kivlen def. Drini “Drini” Gjoka 28-24; $107,000
2019 — Drini “Drini” Gjoka def. Mike “Spoto” Spoto 41-0; $41,000 2020 — Raidel “Joke” Brito def. Daniel “Dcroft” Mycroft 17-0; $65,000
2021 — (3 vs. 3) Henry “Henry” Leverette/Wesley “Wesley” Gittens/Jack “NBG” Kronstein def. Jacob “Jwall” Wallack/Jacob “Fancy” Worthington/Joshua “DatBoi” Wright 31-3; $150,000
2022 — Henry “Henry” Leverette def. Wesley “Wesley” Gittens 35-31; $250,000
2023 — Peyton “Dez” Tuma def. Henry “Henry” Leverette 24-21; $250,000 2024 — Henry “Henry” Leverette def. Wesley “Wesley” Gittens 35-24; $250,000
2025 — Jacob “Fancy” Worthington def. Jonathan “JonBeast” Marquez 31-28; $250,000
2026 — Drini “Drini” Gjoka def. Jaylen “Astro” Morrow-Reynolds; $250,000
–Field Level Media
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