“We understand politics and we know we don’t operate in a vacuum. But our game is sport. That means keeping sport a neutral ground. A place where every athlete can compete freely, without being held back by the politics or divisions of their governments,” she said.
Of course that statement was in itself political. An emphasis on remaining neutral was the clearest signal yet that Russia could be welcomed back into the Olympic fold, while it was also a non-comment on the continued participation of Israel at the Games, and a conciliatory hand extended to the American organisers of the next Olympics just two years away, despite the US administration’s brutality against its own citizens in Minneapolis.
Protests have broken out in Milan at the role of ICE agents in policing the Games; they are unlikely to have felt calmed by vice president JD Vance’s refusal this week to apologise to the family of Alex Pretti, who was gunned down by federal agents last month. “For what?” was his flippant response.
In a case of inauspicious timing, Vance himself has been deployed to the Games. The vice president arrived in Milan on Thursday morning alongside his family and secretary of state Marco Rubio, to visit the US athletes and lead a delegation at the Opening Ceremony, in a diplomatic blitz before heading on to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Vance told an assortment of American freestyle skiers on Thursday morning that “this is one of the few things that unites the entire country. The whole country, Democrat, Republican, independent, we’re all rooting for you, and we’re cheering for you.”
That in itself seems unlikely; one can only imagine the vitriolic response pending on Truth Social if any of the American squad were to loudly disavow ICE, or any of the Trump administration’s other policies and projects.
Several major American stars, notably cross-country skier Jessie Diggins and downhill skier Lindsey Vonn, have already issued polite rebukes. Diggins said she would race for “an American people who stand for love, for acceptance, for compassion, honesty and respect for others”; Vonn said her “heart is incredibly heavy” after the recent violent crackdowns.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also in attendance (Getty Images)
It was against this backdrop that Team USA, USA, USA got their Games underway on Thursday afternoon, as the women’s ice hockey team took on Czechia in their first preliminary game.
But it seemed that the healthy crowd inside the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena had indeed bought Coventry’s message – or switched off from the demands of politics for a couple of hours, at least. And not even the presence of Vance and Rubio inside the arena could chill the enthusiasm.
But Vance’s presence can’t be seen as anything other than political. The US women’s ice hockey team are the favourites to win the tournament. The reigning champions are arch-rivals Canada, who if this US administration had its way wouldn’t be competing at all, but would be subsumed into the United States as a 51st state.
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The atmosphere in the Rho Arena was buoyant on Thursday evening; that may not remain the case if the US and Canada meet in the knockout rounds.
Perhaps it was a deliberate decision, then, for the Vance party to sneak into the arena some seven minutes before the end of the first period, rather than make a big song and dance of turning up, a la Donald Trump at last year’s US Open. The cameras, too, avoided the vice-president and his entourage, including his wife and children.
The US fans had plenty to celebrate as Team USA won 5-1 (Getty Images)
And perhaps in a bid to distract, the organisers leaned into the ‘festival of sport’ atmosphere, with a DJ, club tunes at every minute break in play, flashing lights, and Mexican waves. Anywhere the cameras panned were scores of American fans decked in flags, hockey jerseys, and Team USA merch.
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And the predominantly American crowd went suitably wild when, just shy of 16 minutes into the first period, the US finally broke the deadlock, helped by having a woman advantage after a two-minute penalty to Czechia’s Dominika Laskova. The inevitable chants of “USA, USA, USA” broke out; the outnumbered Czech fans went grimly silent.
Megan Keller, appearing on her third Games, scored the opener; she no doubt would go into the Vance good books for a carefully stated pre-Games message: “The powerful thing about sport in the Olympics is it’s everybody uniting together.”
Poignantly, however, she was assisted by Laila Edwards, the trailblazing 21-year-old who is the first black woman to make a US Olympic ice hockey squad, and the first to even make the senior national team.
Joy Dunne and Hayley Scamurra built on their advantage in the second period, and even a lightning-fast counter-attack by Barbora Jurickova couldn’t turn the tide as goals from five-time Olympian Hilary Knight and another from Scamurra sealed the game. It was a triumphant start and a well-deserved sporting victory for the team.
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But even as Vance hid in relative anonymity in the stands, the bigger political questions around this Olympics refuse to be simply waved away. That party atmosphere feels unlikely to last long off the ice.
Jan 31, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (15) reacts to his three pointer against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The New York Knicks acquired guard Jose Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for guard Dalen Terry and two second-round draft picks on Thursday ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
New Orleans also sent the draft rights for Latavious Williams to New York.
Alvarado, 27, is averaging 7.9 points, 3.1 assists, 21.9 minutes and a career-high 2.8 rebounds in 41 games as a reserve this season. The native of Brooklyn, N.Y., posted career-high averages of 10.3 points, 4.6 assists and 24.4 minutes in 56 games (23 starts) last season with the Pelicans.
For his career, all with New Orleans since the 2021-22 campaign, Alvarado is averaging 8.1 points, 3.1 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 20.3 minutes in 268 regular-season games (34 starts).
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Terry, 23, was traded earlier from the Chicago Bulls to the Knicks for forward Guerschon Yabusele, 30.
Terry averaged 3.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 11.1 minutes in 34 games off the bench this season for the Bulls. His career averages in parts of four seasons are 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 11.1 minutes in 204 games (seven starts).
Chicago selected Terry with the 18th overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft out of Arizona.
Williams, 36, was picked in the second round of the 2010 draft by the Miami Heat but has never played in the NBA. He is currently playing for Al-Ittihad Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
Super Eagles forward Terem Moffi has been tipped to make a bigger impact at FC Porto than Viktor Gyökeres has done at Sporting, following his winter move to the Portuguese giants.
Moffi joined FC Porto on loan from French club Nice during the January transfer window. The deal includes an option to buy, valued at eight million euros, with an additional 250,000 euros in bonuses.
The move followed a difficult period for the Nigerian striker in France, where he struggled for form and was affected by off-field issues, including an incident involving a group of fans targeting players.
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Speaking on Moffi’s character and development, former teammate Mindaugas Grigaravicius said the striker has the mindset and quality to succeed at the highest level. The two played together at Lithuanian club FK Riteriai, where Moffi joined at the age of 18 after leaving England.
Grigaravicius recalled that Moffi found life and football in Lithuania difficult at first but later proved his critics wrong.
“I lived with him for three weeks in a hotel, while the club looked for apartments for the players. I was the one who took him to training, we went for rides in the car and ate together,” he said.
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“He was a shy and quiet boy who didn’t speak at first. He didn’t show his emotions; he seemed like a boy who had come from Africa just chasing his dream of playing football. His first training sessions were terrible.”
He added that many people doubted Moffi’s ability in the early weeks.
“We were discussing amongst ourselves what he had come here to do, he couldn’t fit in or play. He was strong and tall, but he seemed weak, he lost every ball,” Grigaravicius said.
“After a month, we said he had no chance of staying… But he showed us how wrong we were.”
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According to Grigaravicius, Moffi’s improvement began when he accepted the physical and tactical demands of European football and put in extra work, especially in the gym and on the training ground.
“He had a complicated adaptation… He had to do extra work, and that’s where the progress began,” he said.
Once he settled, Moffi’s rise was rapid.
“He showed passion, power, a lot of strength… he crushed the defenders, he killed them! He started scoring a lot of goals,” Grigaravicius added.
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Looking ahead to Moffi’s time at FC Porto, Grigaravicius said the striker has everything needed to succeed in Portugal.
“At a big club like FC Porto, there’s no time for adaptation… he will surely be successful,” he said.
“In good form, with everyone’s confidence, he has no limits. He could be better than Gyökeres at Sporting.”
NEW DELHI: Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered a stunning performance in the U-19 World Cup final on Friday, producing one of the most dominant innings ever seen at this level. Playing against England on the biggest stage, the young Indian opener showed remarkable composure and attacking intent from the very start.
Why this T20 World Cup could well see a 300 plus total | Will India create history?
Sooryavanshi reached his century in just 55 balls, making it the second-fastest hundred in U-19 World Cup history. Only Australia’s Will Malajczuk has scored a quicker ton in the tournament. He brought up his century with a single and then marked the moment with a calm and respectful celebration. After a brief roar, he removed his helmet and gloves, paused for a brief prayer, and applauded the dressing room.Watch:The Indian batter brought up his first fifty in 32 balls and then accelerated even further, scoring his next fifty in only 23 deliveries as England’s bowlers struggled to slow him down.He shared a rapid 142-run partnership with captain Ayush Mhatre, who contributed a steady half-century before getting out. Together, they completely took control of the final and pushed England onto the back foot.Sooryavanshi eventually fell for a breathtaking 175 off 80 balls, an innings filled with 15 fours and 15 sixes. His dismissal finally gave England a moment to regroup, as the scoring rate had made even an extremely high total seem possible.Despite missing out on a double century, the young prodigy walked off to a standing ovation. At the time of reporting, India have crossed 300 runs with over 15 overs left to play.
A wrestling veteran said that the former AEW World Champion, Chris Jericho could return to WWE in a non-wrestling role. The veteran believes that Y2J could join the Stamford-based promotion in an off-screen role.
Chris Jericho may not return to the WWE as a talent, according to the wrestling veteran, Dutch Mantell. Jericho last appeared on AEW TV back in April 2025. While he has been heavily rumored to be returning to the Sports Entertainment Juggernaut for months, Y2J is still listed on the official roster page of Tony Khan’s promotion.
Speaking on his Story Time podcast recently, Dutch Mantell assumed that Jericho may not return to the WWE as a talent, but could become a part of the promotion’s creative team instead:
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“Well, he may be in shape, but when people hear he’s 55-56, to me, he is an old guy in a young man’s game; it’s what he is. I don’t care how good he is, he is great. I’ve seen him do a lot of great stuff and he hits all the points. But at 55, and he’s not going back till next year, I would say there is a possibility that he doesn’t even go now, as a talent, let me say that. He may not go as a talent; he could go as a part of the creative team, but I don’t think he wants to do that.”
Why Did WWE Waste This Year’s Royal Rumble? Find Out!
Veteran believes Chris Jericho will end his wrestling career in WWE
The wrestling veteran, Jim Ross recently claimed that Chris Jericho wants to finish up his wrestling career in the WWE. Speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, Ross also recalled hiring Jericho to the Stamford-based promotion decades ago:
“I don’t think going to WWE is a matter over paychecks. I think he wants to end his career in wrestling in WWE. I hired Chris Jericho. Jerry Brisco and I had a couple of meetings as I recall to get him pointed in the right direction,” JR said.
Only time will tell what the future holds for Y2J.
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If taking quotes from this article’s first half, H/T ‘Sportskeeda Wrestling’ for transcription and credit ‘Story Time with Dutch Mantell on YT.’
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Canada’s chance of going undefeated in mixed doubles curling has come to an end at Milano Cortina 2026..
The husband-and-wife duo of Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant dropped their first match of the competition against the United States, 7-5, on Friday. The loss drops Canada’s record to 3-1.
Through the first six ends, not much separated the two rivals with the game tied 4-4.
But USA’s Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin (3-0) changed that in the seventh end while using their power play.
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Peterman was facing four U.S. stones while without hammer, and with no easy triple to limit the Americans from scoring a big end, she elected to try and freeze onto one of the rocks.
Keep up with Olympic mixed doubles curling
The Milano Cortina 2026 mixed doubles curling event runs Feb. 4-10. Follow along with the scores, standings and schedule on Sportsnet.ca
For seemingly the first time all week, Peterman was just a tad off, coming down heavy and bumping the U.S. stone, leaving an easy hit for Thiesse to score three to take a 7-4 lead.
The strong U.S. crowd, including Snoop Dogg, erupted, knowing how big of an end it was.
With no opportunity for Canada to score three in the eighth end on Peterman’s final shot, they shook in defeat.
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Peterman and Gallant will have the rest of the day off for the opening ceremony but will be back on the ice to play twice on Saturday. Canada meets Great Britain at 4:05 a.m. ET / 1:05 a.m. PT before facing Estonia at 1:05 p.m. ET / 10:05 a.m. PT.
Elsewhere in Draw 5, Italy beat Switzerland 12-4 and Great Britain beat Sweden 7-4.
The top four teams after nine round-robin games advance to the playoffs starting Monday.
At the 2022 Olympics, Canada’s pair of Rachel Homan and John Morris missed out on playoffs with a 5-4 record.
Consider how Minnesota has opted to beef up the front office, per Ian Rapoport: “The #Vikings are hiring Matt Thomas as a football administration consultant, per me and @TomPelissero, and he will assist the team through the 2026 NFL Draft. One of the most respected salary cap executives, Thomas spent 11 seasons as #Seahawks VP of Football Operations. He’ll allow interim GM Rob Brzezinski to focus on the big picture.”
Vikings Pivot from Inactivity, Hire Short-Term Help
Hiring Thomas is akin to signing a bridge starter at QB, someone to help in the immediate as the team looks for someone to fill the job for a long time. Onboarding the stopgap solution for the front office has generated some commentary within the Vikings chatter.
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Consider the word from Kevin Seifert of ESPN: “The Vikings have hired longtime NFL executive Matt Thomas as a football administration consultant through the draft. Thomas will work on cap/contracts with senior manager of football admin Emily Badis while EVP Rob Brzezinski focuses on his interim role leading the front office.”
And a follow-up from Seifert, who connects the dots: “Matt Thomas, who retired after the 2024 season, was a front office colleague of Rob Brzezinski when both were with the Miami Dolphins in 1998-99.”
Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings fans perform the ÒSkolÓ prior to a game against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Some thoughts based on the insight provided by Seifert.
Minnesota appears to be relying on an established relationship — the one that exists between Brzezinski and Thomas — to plug-in a veteran executive to help Minnesota navigate what is the busiest time of the year for the front office. Note, as well, that Rick Spielman used to work in Miami, further solidifying the idea that the Dolphins and Vikings have some connections at the executive level.
Worth noting, as well, that Thomas is coming out of retirement. The suggestion could be that Thomas is going to function as short-term help to grind through these unusually busy months. Maybe there could be a long-term job on the other end, but the likeliest scenario appears to be hiring someone for busy season before Thomas then gets to fade back into the luxury of retirement.
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The Seattle tidbit is similarly of note. Thomas is a cap guy, but do remember that he has worked from within a franchise that has drafted several excellent players recently.
From 2020 to 2023 (Thomas stepped away in 2024), the Seahawks have drafted linebacker Jordyn Brooks (1st — No. 27 in 2020), offensive tackle Charles Cross (1st — No. 9 in 2022), running back Kenneth Walker III (2nd — No. 41 in 2022), corner Devon Witherspoon (1st — No. 5 in 2023), receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (1st — No. 20 in 2023), and running back Zach Charbonnet (2nd — No. 52 in 2023). Not an exhaustive list by any means, but a large enough sampling to underscore how several of Seattle’s best players are homegrown talents.
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
In fairness, a lot of these drafted players got picked high, so it’s not like Seattle is snagging All Pro talents out of Day 3 of the draft. Still, there’s something to be said for not missing the layups.
How much further along would the Vikings be if the decision had to been to draft Kyle Hamilton, the All-Pro safety, instead of dropping twenty spots for Lewis Cine? At the time, the decision to snag the Notre Dame safety felt like a layup but the ball clanked off the rim.
One could arrive at a similar conclusion in opting for Dallas Turner instead of Jared Verse, though that’s not as bad of an outcome.
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In football, there’s so much competition that nailing the seemingly easy decisions is vital. Just as a quarterback needs to hit his open receiver (ahem, J.J. McCarthy), so does the front office need to avoid overthinking easy decisions. Take the surefire win and move on to the next battle.
Ideally, Matt Thomas will allow Rob Brzezinski do so. The former Seahawk can help on money matters as the fill-in at GM looks to welcome a hearty helping of high-end young fellas. Minnesota will have nine draft selections going into the 2026 NFL Draft.
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks on from the sideline during a matchup with the New York Giants, Dec 21, 2025, as Minnesota continued navigating the latter portion of the season. Adofo-Mensah, hired in 2022, has overseen the franchise’s roster construction and long-term vision following the departure of former general manager Rick Spielman. Mandatory Credit: VikingzFanPage–Twitter
After April, Minnesota’s ownership group will get going with the search for a new general manager. Rob Brzezinski will be in the mix. Other names to emerge include the Denver Broncos’ George Paton and the LA Rams’ Ray Farmer.
We’ll learn of others generating interest in a few months. In the meantime, Matt Thomas will shoulder some of the load within Minnesota’s front office.
WASHINGTON — Pierre-Luc Dubois scored in his first game since Halloween, Jakob Chychrun added a pair of goals and Washington beat Nashville.
Logan Thompson returned in goal from an injury of his own and made several sparkling saves, and the Capitals won for the fourth time in five games entering the Olympic break. Tom Wilson, who is on Canada’s roster for those Olympics, also scored for the Caps.
Jonathan Marchessault and Michael McCarron scored for Nashville, which had its five-game points streak snapped.
Dubois had no points in his first six games this season and underwent surgery on injuries to his abdominal and adductor muscles. He hadn’t played since Oct. 31.
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Wilson opened the scoring for Washington, and then Dubois made it 2-0. The flashiest goal belonged to Chychrun, however. The defenceman left Nashville’s Tyson Jost behind with a 360-degree spin near the boards, then entered the offensive zone and scored.
TAMPA, Fla. — Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 33 shots to improve to 16-0-1 in his past 17 games, helping the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 6-1 on Thursday night in the final game for both teams before the Olympic break.
Brandon Hagel, Oliver Bjporkstrand, Jake Guentzel, Erik Cernak, Pontus Holmberg and Zemgus Girgensons — who will all participate in the Olympic Games — scored for Tampa Bay. The Lightning are 19-1-1 in their last 21 games.
Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov extended his scoring streak to 10 games, his 13th career scoring streak of at least 10 games — which is tied for fifth in NHL history.
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Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Panthers. Danil Tarasov finished with 20 saves for Florida before leaving due to injury in the third period. Sergei Bobrovsky finished the game for the Panthers, who played without regulars Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, Evan Rodrigues. They all sat out after playing Wednesday against Boston.
NEW YORK — Rookie Brandon Bussi made 16 saves for his second shutout, Andrei Svechnikov gave Carolina an early lead in the first period and Carolina topped New York to extend its points streak to 10 games.
Jordan Staal scored into an empty net with 54 seconds left to seal it for the Hurricanes in the final game for both teams before the Olympic break.
The Eastern Conference-leading Hurricanes are 8-0-2 since Jan. 16 and 12-1-3 since Jan. 4.
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Jonathan Quick made a season-high 41 saves for the Rangers, who were shut out for the ninth time this season and the seventh at home. New York has lost four in a row.
Svechnikov made it 1-0 game 6:26 into the first period on a wrist shot off an assist from Mark Jankowski. And Bussi, who has won his last seven starts, made that goal hold up.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Avery Hayes scored twice in his NHL debut, Arturs Silovs made 26 saves and Pittsburgh beat Buffalo in the final game for both teams before the Olympic break.
Called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League with the Penguins hit by a series of injuries, Hayes tied at 1 at 9:18 of the period on his first shot on goal. He raced to beat defenceman Jacob Bryson to the puck and put a wrister past goalie Alex Lyon.
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Hayes made it 2-1 with 1:13 left in the period, taking Anthony Mantha’s short, backward pass and knocking it in. He’s the third Penguins player to score twice in his NHL debut, joining Rob Brown (two goals on Oct. 21, 1987) and Jake Guentzel (two goals on Nov. 21, 2016).
Hayes has 13 goals and 10 assists in 31 games this season in the AHL. He made his NHL debut with Blake Lizotte out for the birth of his first child, Rickard Rakell nursing a lower-body injury and Noel Acciari sidelined by an illness.
NEWARK, N.J. — Bo Horvat broke a tie late in the third period and New York went into the Olympic break with a win over New Jersey.
Horvat went to his backhand off the draw, slipping the puck past goalie Jake Allen, with only 3:27 left to play. Casey Cizikas scored in the second period for the Islanders and Mathew Barzal scored an empty-net goal to seal the win for New York.
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Cizikas put the Islanders up 1-0 at 6:30 in the second period, cleaning up a rebound in front of the net. From behind the net, Allen sent the puck around the boards right to Marc Gatcomb while the Devils were in a line change. Gatcomb fired the puck to the slot, where Kyle MacLean got a stick on it, tipping it to Cizikas. Allen made the save on the first tip by Cizikas, but couldn’t control the rebound.
PHILADELPHIA — Tim Stutzle charged past Philadelphia defenceman Travis Sanheim and scored on a back-hand shot 47 seconds into overtime, giving Ottawa the win.
It was Stutzle’s 28th goal of the season. The Senators won their fifth game in six outings heading into the Olympic break.
Flyers defenceman Jamie Drysdale scored on a wrist shot from the left circle with 1:14 remaining in regulation.
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That came on only the 14th Philadelphia shot of the game against unexpected Ottawa starting goalie James Reimer.
Reimer, 37, was playing in his seventh game since signing with the Senators last month. Would-be Ottawa starter Linus Ullmark recently returned from a personal leave of absence, but he was a late scratch Thursday, reportedly due to illness.
Former Flyer Nick Cousins scored a second-period goal and Reimer made 15 saves for the Senators.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4, KINGS 1
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LAS VEGAS — Mark Stone had a goal and two assists and Vegas took control early by scoring four times on its first six shots for a victory over Los Angeles.
Vegas heads into the Olympic break with back-to-back victories after losing seven of eight games. The Kings have lost four of five.
Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights. Mitch Marner scored a goal for his 799th career point and Ivan Barbashev extended his points streak to five games with two assists.
Barbashev’s four-game goal streak, however, ended. Eichel extended his points streak to four games and now has 200 assists in a Golden Knights uniform.
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Vegas’ Adin Hill made 32 saves for his 100th career victory, his most stops since having 34 on March 15, 2025, against Buffalo.
Trevor Moore scored for the Kings and Anton Forsberg stopped 18 shots. Adrian Kempe’s eight-game points streak ended.
A Minnesota Vikings helmet rests along the sideline at Ralph Wilson Stadium during second-half preseason action on Aug 16, 2013, as Minnesota faced Buffalo in Orchard Park. The image reflects a quiet evaluation setting, with coaches using the contest to assess depth, execution, and roster-bubble decisions ahead of final cuts and the approaching regular season. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports.
The 2026 NFL Honors ceremony will unfold on Thursday night at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, and one Minnesota Viking could take home some bacon: defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Flores’ case is built on results, and the Vikings’ defensive prowess gives him a credible path to the ACOTY trophy.
Flores is in the running for Assistant Coach of the Year, and with no clear frontrunner, the Vikings’ defensive boss could win the trophy.
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Flores Has a Real Case on Thursday Night
Is it Flores’s turn?
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores surveys the field late at U.S. Bank Stadium during fourth-quarter action on Jan 4, 2026, as Minnesota faced Green Bay. The image captures Flores’ sideline focus and situational awareness, reflecting in-game command as the defense adjusted alignments and pressure packages during a high-leverage divisional sequence. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Flores Up for ACOTY
Flores pulled down the nomination last month, and Yahoo Sports‘ Andrew Harbaugh wrote, “On Wednesday, the Minnesota Vikings and defensive coordinator Brian Flores agreed to a contract extension, despite him being in contention for several head coaching jobs. On Thursday, the prominent defensive mind earned another honor: AP Assistant Coach of the Year nominee.”
“Flores showcased himself once again in 2025 as he was able to make the Vikings one of the best and most feared defenses in the NFL. He also schemed and coached up the likes of Jalen Redmond, Eric Wilson, and Isaiah Rodgers, who had breakout seasons. The team remained one of the more aggressive defenses overall and was a main component of the team finishing the season on a five-game winning streak.”
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Now, it’s time to reveal the winner of the award, and it wouldn’t be weird one bit for Flores to earn the recognition.
The Contenders
Who’s Flores’ competition? Quite the field:
Vic Fangio | Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator
Brian Flores | Vikings defensive coordinator
Vance Joseph | Denver Broncos Defensive Coordinator
Josh McDaniels | New England Patriots Offensive Coordinator
Kubiak and McDaniels will be spotlighted in the Super Bowl, perhaps giving them a bit of an advantage in the court of public opinion.
Flores was a runner-up last year, as well, to Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who now leads the Chicago Bears as head coach.
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The Case for Flores
The case for Flores is straightforward. His defense performed marvelously, and in fact, propelled the Vikings to a winning record after the club started the season with a sad 4-8 record.
Over the last two seasons, for context, Minnesota has ranked first in the NFL per EPA/Play. In 2025 alone, Flores’s group pulled down the No. 3 ranking behind the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans.
Here’s the statistical skinny for Flores as ACOTY:
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores addresses reporters during a midweek media session on Dec 3, 2024, following a narrow win over Arizona. The moment reflects Flores’ analytical approach and communication style as he discussed defensive adjustments, player usage, and preparation details while shaping Minnesota’s evolving identity after the 23–22 result. Mandatory Credit: YouTube
Flores is now also handsomely paid, having recently secured the aforementioned $6 million-per-season extension. Our Janik Eckardt noted on the deal, “That number is eye-opening for an assistant coach. Most coordinators operate in the low-seven-figure range, which makes Flores’ deal closer to low-end head-coaching money than a typical defensive coordinator salary. In other words, Minnesota didn’t just keep him — they treated him like a franchise pillar.”
“Flores has earned every penny of his new contract, as he turned a subpar unit into one of the best in the business that can single-handedly carry a struggling offense to wins. After a one-year acclimation period in 2023, his squad has been among the league’s best over the last two years and there’s no reason to believe that it would change in the upcoming campaign.”
USA Today Picks Kubiak
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today predicted that former Vikings offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, the current offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks and presumptive next head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, will win ACOTY.
He defended the prediction: “After a run of admittedly chalk picks, maybe there’s some mystery in the final few awards, which lack any consensus surrounding them. Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph could be the pick here after leading the way for the NFL’s most fearsome pass rush, and Josh McDaniels did superlative work in positioning Maye and the rest of the Patriots’ offense to thrive despite some lingering personnel limitations.”
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“Kubiak, however, was at the controls for one of this year’s most impressive reworkings with Seattle’s offense, and the unit managed to pull off the high-wire act thanks to his guidance.”
New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak observes rookie minicamp drills at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on May 11, 2024, in New Orleans. The scene captures evaluation mode, with Kubiak tracking execution, tempo, and teaching points as young players worked through early installs and fundamentals in a controlled practice setting. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph took home the ACOTY award from the Pro Football Writers of America last month.
The race could truly bend in any direction, with Flores lurking as a possible winner. In February 2025, Vikings skipper Kevin O’Connell took home the NFL Coach of the Year award for the 2024 season. It could be back-to-backers for the purple team.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are upon us, as the best athletes in the world of winter sports meet in Milan Cortina, and for Team USA, the quest to rack up medals is set to begin.
Unlike in the Summer Olympics where Americans often dominate the podium, Team USA has lagged behind a bit in recent Winter Games. In 2022, Team USA finished fifth in the medal count with 25 total medals — although their nine gold medals was good for third.
This year, there are a number of American medal hopefuls looking to top that performance from four years ago, and become household names over the course of the next two weeks. (And here’s the 2026 Winter Games medal tracker.) There is nothing quite like the Olympics, where the entire nation can become infatuated with a breakout star in a sporting event rarely thought of on the national stage in non-Olympic years.
In 2026, Team USA is headlined by some longtime stars, first-time medal hopefuls and some youngsters that have been dominating their sport but haven’t yet gotten to do so on the Olympic stage. Below you can find some of the biggest American names to watch in various events throughout the next two weeks of competition.
Alpine Skiing
Lindsey Vonn
Mikaela Shiffrin
Ryan Cochran-Siegle
Vonn’s comeback at 41 years old was already one of the headlines of the 2026 Games, but she’s become an even bigger story as she plans on competing on a torn ACL suffered a week ago. Vonn was viewed as a serious medal threat in the downhill, and it remains to be seen how effective she can be on her injured knee. But if video of her post-crash workout is any indication, she’s going to give it everything she’s got.
Shiffrin is a two-time gold medalist and one of the most decorated skiiers in history, and will be looking to add to her trophy case in the Giant Slalom and Slalom events this year. Her presence has been a bit overshadowed by her legendary teammate’s return, but she is one of the stars of Team USA and will look to remind the world of that over the next two weeks.
Cochran-Siegle was the only American to medal in alpine skiing at the 2022 Olympics, picking up a silver in the Super-G, and he’s a threat in multiple events on the men’s side.
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Figure Skating
Ilia Malinin
Amber Glenn
Alysa Liu
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
The American figure skating team is expected to rack up the medals in Milan Cortina, with Malinin leading the way as the favorite in the men’s event. The “Quad God,” known for his routine filled with quadruple jumps, is entering his first Olympics but carries lofty expectations to take home gold.
Glenn and Liu are among the favorites in the women’s competition and will push each other for a podium spot. Glenn edged out Liu at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships for her third consecutive U.S. title. Liu is returning to the Olympics after retiring at 16 years old following the 2022 Olympics, and won gold at the 2025 World Championships.
Chock and Bates have won three consecutive world titles and five consecutive U.S. titles, and will be the favorites for gold in the pairs competition.
Hockey
Laila Edwards
Aerin Frankel
Hilary Knight
Connor Hellebuyck
Auston Matthews
The U.S. women’s hockey team is the favorite to win gold and feature a mixture of veterans — like Knight, competing in her fifth Olympics — and young stars like Edwards and Frankel. It is a team loaded with talent that could produce a number of stars at this year’s Games.
On the men’s side, it’s the first time since 2014 that NHL stars are allowed to compete, and the result is a star-studded roster that will have eyes on gold as well. Two of the standouts are Hellebuyck, a goalie, and Matthews, a center, but there are big names up and down the roster for Team USA — and Canada and others — in the most anticipated Olympic men’s hockey tournament in some time.
Speedskating
Jordan Stolz
Erin Jackson
Brittany Bowe
Corinne Stoddard
On the men’s side, Stolz is the best speedskater in the world and is the favorite for gold in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m after winning season-long World Cup titles in all three events in 2024 and 2025.
On the women’s side, Jackson is the defending gold medalist in the 500m competition, but will face stiff competition from Stoddard, who is a threat to medal in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m distances. Bowe is a four-time Olympian and a former bronze medalist in the 1000m.
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Freestyle Skiing
Alex Hall
Alex Ferreira
Jaelin Kauf
Nick Goepper
Mac Forehand
Tess Johnson
The Americans boast a deep roster in freestyle skiing, where they have medal contenders and past medal winners in multiple competitions.
Hall is the defending gold medalist in slopestyle, with Goepper a two-time silver medalist, but they’ll be challenged by a rising star in Forehand. Ferreira has two medals in halfpipe, but is still seeking his first gold. Kauf and Johnson are both threats for medals in the women’s moguls competition, with Kauf winning silver in 2022.
Snowboarding
Chloe Kim
Red Gerard
Ollie Martin
Kim will have her sights set on a three-peat in the women’s halfpipe, but will come in without the practice time she hoped for as her training was interrupted by a crash that dislocated her shoulder last month. Gerard looks to get back on the podium after winning slopestyle gold in 2018, but will face stiff competition from Martin, a youngster who took home bronze in slopestyle and big air at the 2025 World Championships.
Curling
Corey Thiesse and Korey Dropkin
Danny Casper
Thiesse and Dropkin won the 2023 world title in mixed doubles and are the best bet to medal for Team USA in curling, which becomes everyone’s favorite sport for two weeks every four years. On the men’s side, Casper is the fresh face skipper for the American side, as he took down longtime stalwart and former gold medalist John Shuster at the trials, and he’ll be looking to shock the world and lead his team to a deep run in Milan Cortina.
Bobsled
Kaillie Humphries
Elana Meyers Taylor
Kaysha Love
Humphries is a three-time gold medalist — winning two with Canada and one for Team USA after becoming a U.S. citizen in 2021 — and even at 40 years old remains a medal contender. Meyers Taylor is also a legend, with the most bobsled medals of any American in history with five, going for more at 41 years old. Love is the up-and-comer on the team, and after winning gold in the monobob at the 2025 World Championships is a clear threat to take the throne as the top American bobsledder.
Luge
Summer Britcher
Chevonne Chelsea Forgan and Sophia Kirkby
Britcher won twice during the World Cup circuit this year and is a threat to medal in Milan Cortina. In the doubles competition, Chelsea Forgan and Kirkby have twice won bronze at the World Championships and will aim for a podium finish in their first Olympic Games.
Skeleton
Ro is a former Summer Olympian in track and field, but made the move to the ice and has found tremendous success in skeleton. She won silver at the 2025 World Championships and will be a medal contender for Team USA.
Cross-Country Skiing
Diggins is the most accomplished American cross-country skiier in history and will retire after this year. The 2026 Olympics will be her fourth and she’s chasing after her first individual gold, and will be a podium threat in most every cross-country event.
Biathlon
Campbell Wright
Deedra Irwin
Irwin’s seventh place finish in 2022 was the best by an American woman in history, and she hopes to improve upon that with a podium finish in 2026. Wright, who gained U.S. citizenship from New Zealand in 2023, is a podium threat on the men’s side and, alongside Irwin, figures to make Team USA a threat to medal in the mixed relay.
Jul 8, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Texas Tech defensive lineman Lee Hunter answers questions from the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings have not featured a consistent and true nose tackle in their defense since Dalvin Tomlinson left the team a few years ago. And before Tomlinson, Linval Joseph was the last guy; he left after the 2019 campaign. So when some recent mock drafts have connected Minnesota to Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter, few have complained.
Minnesota’s interior remains a priority, and Hunter’s blend of power and movement is starting to look like a realistic fit.
Hunter could be gettable in Round 2, and the Vikings cannot be ruled out of his sweepstakes.
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Hunter Enters Minnesota’s Draft Mix
Get to know the name Lee Hunter.
Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter signals toward the sideline during second-quarter action at Milan Puskar Stadium, shown on Nov 29, 2025, as the Red Raiders faced West Virginia. The image captures in-game communication and awareness from the interior defender while Texas Tech managed personnel and alignment adjustments in a road environment. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images
Mock Drafts Go on Spree of Hunter to Vikings
Hunter turned heads with an impressive Senior Bowl showing last week, and accordingly, he’s entered Minnesota’s mock draft fold.
ESPN’s Matt Miller recently mock-drafted Hunter to the Vikings in Round 2 and noted, “The Vikings badly need to get younger and hit on picks outside Round 1. Hunter might eventually move into the first round after a superstrong Senior Bowl week and could start right away as a nose tackle or 1-technique.”
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Over at A to Z Sports, Tyler Forness did the same thing: “The Vikings didn’t have a nose tackle last season, choosing to prioritize the pass rush over a solid run defense. To a point, it worked, as the Vikings had the No. 7 overall defense and the No. 2 pass defense. What would it look like with a penetrating run-defender who can also attack as a pass rusher?”
“Hunter was on the best defensive line in the nation this season, and he continued to force double teams due to his combination of quick penetration and power. This could take a huge step forward on a defensive unit that honestly doesn’t need it.”
At this time on the NFL calendar, most of the buzz hits Round 1 hopefuls, but Hunter has wiggled into Minnesota’s Round 2 orbit.
The Hunter Details
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Hunter is 6’3″ and 330 pounds. He’ll turn 24 by the time the regular season starts, so it’s not like the Vikings would onboard the youngest of rookies. Perhaps that age has nudged him down to Round 2 in most mock drafts. Hunter is known for run defense and speed at his size. He also has a lengthy college resume, so in theory, he may not need a redshirt year in the NFL.
NFL Draft Buzz‘sAndrew Moore on Hunter: “The combination of size, power, and proven production against Power Four competition makes Hunter a safe mid-round selection who should contribute immediately on run downs. His floor is higher than his ceiling given the athletic limitations and lack of pass-rush diversity, but teams investing a Day 3 pick will receive a player who understands his role and consistently delivers what he does well.”
“Hunter won’t become a Pro Bowl interior rusher, but he has the traits to develop into a dependable rotation player who earns starter snaps if he improves his conditioning and maintains consistent effort. The tape shows a physically impressive defender who needs refinement rather than a project, making him attractive for teams seeking immediate depth with developmental upside.”
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s take: “Hunter is a two-gapping nose tackle for odd or even fronts. He has the size, strength and length to do battle in the heart of the trenches but requires better block take-on technique to sit firmer in his grass. He won’t win in the gaps, but he can stack and shed single blocks or slide and stabilize his run fit against zone blocks.”
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“Hunter’s girth and length are advantages when aligning over the center as a run defender. He doesn’t have enough quickness or skill as a rusher to see many passing downs, but he can dent the pocket with his power. Hunter projects as an early down space-eater who can make interior offensive linemen work for their gaps.”
What a DT Room Might Look Like
If the Vikings fulfill the prophecies from Miller and Forness, scooping Hunter from Round 2 of the draft, the 2026 DT unit might look like this:
There are also some early offseason whispers that Minnesota will cut Hargrave as a cap casualty, making the DT need more front and center in the draft.
Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter works through drills during National Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium, framed on Jan 29, 2026, in Mobile. The moment highlights Hunter’s evaluation setting, emphasizing technique, leverage, and movement as NFL scouts observed interior prospects competing in a controlled, pro-style environment. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
The Vikings haven’t used Round 1 or 2 draft capital on a defensive tackle since 2013.
Consensus Big Board
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Nose tackles don’t often rumble their way into Round 1. Per the Consensus Big Board as of early February, Hunter is considered No. 37 to be drafted in April, deemed as the type of player who could slip into the back section of the 1st Round or anywhere in Round 2.
New Vikings interim general manager Rob Brzezinski is scheduled to pick 18th in Round 1 and 49th in Round 2. With a bit of a slide, Hunter could be available at No. 49.
Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter addresses reporters following a road victory at Milan Puskar Stadium, captured after the final whistle on Nov 29, 2025. The scene reflects postgame reflection and composure, offering a glimpse of Hunter handling media responsibilities after a physical defensive performance against West Virginia. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images
It’s also worth noting that Minnesota needs defensive secondary help this offseason, a cornerback and a safety, and the 1st-Round pick could be used on one of the positions.
The Vikings haven’t drafted a player from Texas Tech in nearly 30 years: defensive back Tony Darden in 1998.
