NEW DELHI: Enigmatic former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has virtually ruled out stepping into the commentary box, calling the popular post-retirement role a “difficult” balancing act that demands sharp statistical recall — something he admits doesn’t come naturally to him.The 44-year-old, who led India to three ICC titles, has largely stayed away from public cricket discussions since retiring in 2020, with his on-field involvement now restricted to IPL appearances for Chennai Super Kings.
T20 World Cup: Squads, Full Schedule, Venues and Key Details Explained
“Commentary is very difficult. I feel there is a very fine line between describing the game and in that process getting into a zone where you start criticising individuals who are playing the game. It’s a very thin line,” Dhoni told sports broadcaster Jatin Sapru during a YouTube interaction.“Often, you don’t even feel that what you are doing is may be borderline wrong. You would always like to be on the other side where you are describing the game. If you feel something is wrong you say it out.“But how to put it, that is also an art, how to politely put it forward where nobody feels targetted…If the team is losing there are reasons behind it, and you need to have the skill of describing those reasons without anybody feeling bad. That is the art of commentary,” he said.Beyond the nuances of commentary, Dhoni said his inability to memorise statistics also works against him.“I’m not good with stats…but there are a lot of people who are very good with stats. They know stats…If you ask me about my stats, I’ll be like hmmm and there are certain people who know stats about not just Indian cricket team or the Indian players but everyone throughout the era,” he said.Good listener but not good with phonesRenowned for his calm decision-making during his playing career, Dhoni was also asked whether he ever seeks advice on cricket or life. The wicketkeeper-batter said he rarely feels the need, crediting his tendency to listen more than speak.“I’m a very good listener. Yes I do speak with people who I’m comfortable with. But I’m more of a listener than a speaker. And if I don’t know about the topic I don’t speak much because I will be absorbing more if I’m listening,” he said.“I never feel that urge to contribute if I don’t know…being a good listener you don’t always have to look for advice…They keep floating around just with certain people who you are having a conversation with.“You need to have that intelligence to figure out what works the best for you,” he added.With a broad smile, Dhoni also confessed he still struggles with phone conversations.“I’m not good in that way of communicating. I like to sit across and speak to people. I’m not someone who’s very good over the phone because I can’t see a face. So, I’m a very awkward guy when it comes to speaking on the phone.“So that’s something I want to improve but I’m glad I haven’t improved,” he joked.“You know when initially mobile phones came it was for the benefit of the people who own the phone. Now your mobile phone is for my benefit,” he said.
After a few weeks of deliberation, the Las Vegas Raiders have presumptively hired their next head coach to replace Pete Carroll, and that man is ex-Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
It’s a leap from coordinator work into the main chair in Las Vegas for Kubiak.
The Raiders conducted an extensive search in the last few weeks, landing on Kubiak, who will run the Seattle Seahawks’ offense this Sunday in the Super Bowl.
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The Raiders Circle Klint Kubiak as Their Next Skipper
Another former Vikings coach hits paydirt.
Klint Kubiak stands on the field in his role as Minnesota’s offensive coordinator during the 2021 season, surveying pregame activity as the Vikings prepare their offensive plan, offering a snapshot of his early playcalling responsibilities before later coordinator stops reshaped his league profile within a developing staff structure and evolving expectations. Mandatory Credit: Image Courtesy of PanthersWire
Kubiak to LV
Las Vegas’s agreement with Kubiak will be formally announced after the Super Bowl.
Until then, ESPN’s Ryan McFadden wrote, “The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to hire Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their next head coach after the Super Bowl, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday. A deal between Kubiak and the Raiders cannot be finalized until after the Super Bowl, in which the Seahawks will play the New England Patriots next Sunday.”
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“After meeting Saturday with the Raiders and Arizona Cardinals, Kubiak intends to work out a deal with Las Vegas, sources told Schefter. Once a deal is reached, Kubiak — the son of former Denver Broncos coach Gary Kubiak — would become the franchise’s fifth full-term coach since 2021. With Kubiak off the board, the Cardinals hired Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur as their new head coach, the team announced.”
Some thought Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores might gain some traction for the Raiders’ top job because of his connection to Tom Brady from the New England days, but Flores never secured an interview.
Career to Date
Kubiak has a few more days to stand in the brightest possible NFL spotlight. Coordinating a Super Bowl offense has a way of reopening doors, and the Raiders were watching. It’s the same path Kevin O’Connell rode into Minnesota in 2022.
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The soon-to-be Raiders’ boss’s actual body of work lands closer to competent than commanding. Three stints calling plays have produced middle-tier results, and the offensive efficiency rankings reflect that reality without much interpretation: 17th (2021), 25th (2024), then 14th (2025) in EPA/Play. Decent offense — not stellar ones.
Seattle’s current run complicates the evaluation a bit. The defense has carried the weight, but the offense peaked at the right time. The NFC Championship performance mattered to the utmost. Sam Darnold throwing for 346 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions is the snapshot that front offices remember.
Then there’s the name. Gary Kubiak’s legacy still travels well in hiring rooms, and that association builds credibility before a single question is asked. Add Super Bowl exposure to that, and the head coaching interest becomes a no-brainer.
Mendoza + Kubiak = Raiders’ Future
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Las Vegas controls the top of the draft, and the league already assumes it points toward Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. With most of the quarterback class staying put for another year, the board thinned out fast. Mendoza stands alone as the cleanest, most immediate option. The Raiders will draft Mendoza, and that’ll be that.
That’s where Kubiak enters the picture. When the Raiders officially hand him a head coaching opportunity, it likely comes with a ready-made quarterback. Mendoza’s profile checks every early-box: polish, processing, arm talent, and production. The Heisman and National Title are evidence.
Other names exist, but they carry longer timelines. Ty Simpson still projects as a developmental bet. LaNorris Sellers and Dante Moore left the conversation by returning to school. So, it’s Mendoza or bust for the Raiders.
Klint Kubiak reacts along the sideline during pregame routines at Caesars Superdome on Sep 8, 2024, preparing New Orleans’ offense for Carolina while coordinating communication and tempo, a moment reflecting his expanding responsibilities as a playcaller ahead of kickoff in a high-profile divisional matchup under national attention and early-season scrutiny conditions. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Kubiak won’t be starting totally from scratch. He’ll be inheriting a potential franchise quarterback on Day One.
Reactions from Raiders-Themed Media
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The reviews of the Kubiak hire-to-be are pretty favorable.
Just Blog Baby‘sLevi Dombro wrote, “Look, the odds of Kubiak coming to Las Vegas seem incredibly high at this point, and if the Raiders did land their top candidate, it would be a morale boost and massive schematic advantage. Pairing Kubiak with Fernando Mendoza, Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty would be a dream scenario for Raider Nation. One that the fanbase has wanted for a long time. But until pen hits paper, fans know better than to call anything ‘official, even if they look wildly likely.”
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza watches from the field during the third quarter against Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium on Nov 28, 2025, processing game flow as pressure mounted, capturing a poised moment for the Hoosiers signal-caller amid rivalry intensity and late-season evaluation as scouts monitored his command and decision-making traits closely. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
SI.com‘s Ezekiel Trezevant pumped the brakes just a bit: “Only time will tell if Kubiak is the right pick. There is reason to believe in Kubiak, who has undoubtedly earned the opportunity. However, the Raiders’ head coaching position is unlike any coaching or coordinator position in the league.”
“The job will present things Kubiak was not expecting, just as it did for the previous three head coaches the Raiders have fired over the past three seasons. How Kubiak responds to the natural, unexpected twists and turns that come with the Raiders will decide his fate.”
German Football Federation president Bernd Neuendorf can’t understand the criticism surrounding a German bid for the Olympic Games.
“I don’t really understand it. When you apply to host a major football tournament, it’s never an issue in Germany,” Neuendorf said at the SpoBis sports business conference.
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When it comes to major football tournaments, such as the World Cup or the Euros, Neuendorf pointed out that there are no referendums.
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“Only when it comes to the Olympics. And I don’t really understand that. I always find it inspiring to watch the Olympics, whether in Paris or elsewhere,” he said, adding that he would like to bring something like that to Germany.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) plans to decide in September which candidate it will put forward in Germany’s bid for the 2036, 2040, or 2044 Olympic Games.
Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, and the Rhine-Ruhr region, with Cologne as its core city, are aiming to become the German candidate.
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The citizens of Munich have already voted in favour of the Olympics in a referendum. A vote will be also held in in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and in Hamburg on April 19 and May 31 respectively.
Berlin, meanwhile, is not planning to host a referendum.
In recent years, German bids for the Olympics have repeatedly failed due to referendums. The last Olympic Games in Germany were held in Munich in 1972.
Feb 3, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Dominick Barlow (25) shoots over Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) during the second period at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images
VJ Edgecombe scored a game-high 25 points, Andre Drummond produced a double-double while subbing for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers ran away from the Golden State Warriors for a 113-94 victory in San Francisco on Tuesday.
Six other Philadelphia players scored in double figures in a balanced attack that allowed the 76ers to extend their winning streak to five games while completing a sweep of the Los Angeles Clippers and Warriors in a road back-to-back.
The Warriors were playing their seventh straight game without Jimmy Butler III (knee), and Stephen Curry sat out for the second time in four games because of a sore knee.
Embiid was given the night off after putting in 32 minutes and contributing 24 points to the Sixers’ 128-113 victory over the Clippers.
The 76ers led by just three at halftime before scoring the first nine points of the third quarter to pull away.
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Kelly Oubre Jr. nailed a 3-pointer and Edgecombe hit a 10-footer during the surge that opened a 12-point lead before Gui Santos got Golden State on the scoreboard for the first time in the second half with a 3-pointer at the 7:32 mark.
The visitors’ shared approach kept the Warriors at arm’s length the rest of the way, as the 76ers used a 25-8 dominance on the offensive boards and a 16-1 advantage in free-throw points to overcome being outshot 47.4% to 45.2% overall and 39.6% to 34.2% on 3-point attempts.
Golden State were awarded just two free-throw attempts over the 48 minutes — by Buddy Hield. It was just the ninth time in NBA history (regular season and postseason) a team attempted two or fewer foul shots in a game.
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Drummond had six of the 76ers’ offensive boards among 12 total to go with 12 points in 29 minutes. Dominick Barlow snatched six off the offensive glass — his night’s overall total — to complement 10 points.
Tyrese Maxey chipped in with 14 points for the visitors, going 7-for-7 at the foul line. Trendon Watford finished with 16 points, Oubre 15, Adem Bona 11 and Quentin Grimes 10.
Edgecombe, who shot 11-for-20, also had a game-high seven assists.
Santos and Pat Spencer shared Golden State team-high scoring honors with 13 points apiece in the club’s fifth loss in seven games.
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Moses Moody added 12 points for the Warriors, while Al Horford, Quinten Post and De’Anthony Melton each had 10 apiece.
Melton also found time for six rebounds and a team-high six assists, while Draymond Green was Golden State’s leading rebounder with seven to complement six points.
Feb 3, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) is congratulated by left wing Brandon Hagel (38), defenseman Victor Hedman (77) and center Jake Guentzel (59) after he scored a goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Jake Guentzel scored a breakaway goal with 15 seconds left in overtime as the host Tampa Bay Lightning won their ninth straight home game, beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on Tuesday night despite trailing with less than 30 seconds left in regulation.
Nikita Kucherov spun and fired a half-length-of-the-ice pass to Guentzel, who snared it and beat Buffalo goaltender Colten Ellis (31 saves) for his second straight game-winner. Kucherov increased his point streak to nine games (six goals, 17 assists) with a tally and three helpers.
Tampa Bay defenseman Darren Raddysh scored a goal in his fifth straight game — tying the contest with 26 seconds left in regulation — and also had an assist.
Guentzel logged two points, and teammate Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied on the man advantage. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 23 shots as the Lightning improved to 18-1-1 in the past 20 games. The Sabres fell to 6-1-1 in the past eight after splitting their back-to-back Florida trip.
Maple Leafs 5, Oilers 2
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Matias Maccelli scored twice as visiting Toronto upended Edmonton.
Matthew Knies added a goal and an assist and John Tavares and Bobby McMann also scored for the Maple Leafs, who have won three straight. Anthony Stolarz made 34 saves.
Jake Walman and Kasperi Kapanen responded for the Oilers, who have lost back-to-back games. Connor Ingram stopped 22 shots.
Blue Jackets 3, Devils 0
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Elvis Merzlikins made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season and Mathieu Olivier scored two goals as Columbus scored three times in the third period to beat New Jersey in Newark, N.J.
The Blue Jackets extended their season-high winning streak to six games. Columbus is 10-1-0 in its past 11 games and has won five straight away games after completing a 3-0-0 road trip on Tuesday. Merzlikins earn his 12th career shutout while improving to 11-8-1 on the season.
Olivier’s two goals and Dante Fabbro’s go-ahead goal all came during a commanding third period for the Blue Jackets, who outshot the Devils 13-7 in the final frame. Jacob Markstrom stopped 23 of 25 shots in the game for New Jersey, which is 1-4-0 in its past five games.
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Islanders 5, Penguins 4 (OT)
Bo Horvat scored a breakaway goal 52 seconds into overtime Tuesday night for New York, which overcame a trio of deficits to edge Pittsburgh in Elmont, N.Y.
Barzal, Matthew Schaefer and Ryan Pulock also scored for the Islanders, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Ilya Sorokin made 31 saves. Barzal notched two assists while Schaefer and Horvat had one apiece.
Anthony Mantha, Egor Chinakhov, Bryan Rust and Justin Brazeau scored for the Penguins, who have lost two straight following a six-game winning streak. Brazeau registered two points, and Stuart Skinner recorded 18 saves.
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Flyers 4, Capitals 2
Jamie Drysdale scored a power-play goal with 5:23 remaining as host Philadelphia snapped a four-game losing streak by topping Washington.
Dan Vladar (26 saves) authored a terrific performance, while Owen Tippett, Carl Grundstrom and Rasmus Ristolainen also scored for the Flyers and Travis Konecny picked up two assists.
Anthony Beauvillier notched a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who came in on a three-game winning streak. Aliaksei Protas also scored for Washington, while Clay Stevenson turned aside 18 shots.
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Hurricanes 4, Senators 3
Seth Jarvis scored two goals and Jordan Staal scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:07 remaining as Carolina hung on to beat Ottawa in Raleigh, N.C., the Hurricanes’ final home game before the Olympic break.
Brandon Bussi made 22 saves, including strong work down the stretch, to boost his record to 22-3-1 as a rookie. The Hurricanes, whose points streak increased to a season-best nine games (7-0-2), saw a two-goal lead vanish. However, they recovered on Staal’s 14th goal of the season when the Senators were slow to respond on a line change.
Stephen Halliday, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson, who also had an assist, scored for the Senators, who fell short of notching their first five-game winning streak of the season. Dylan Cozens provided two assists. James Reimer, a former Carolina goalie (2019-21), made 14 saves in defeat.
While he is widely considered the greatest player in NFL history, Tom Brady has given that unofficial title to another gridiron great. A diehard 49ers fan during his childhood, Brady anointed former San Francisco receiver Jerry Rice as the greatest football player of all time.
“Jerry sets the standard for every football player that’s ever played and will play in the future,” Brady said during the second episode of “Rise of the 49ers,” an AMC documentary about the 49ers’ dynasty. “He had a relentless drive to pursue his own excellence.
“Jerry Rice is still the GOAT.”
A fixture in the documentary, Brady conducted a sit-down interview Rice during the episode. Like Brady, Rice said that the secret to his success was in the dirt. His peerless work ethic led to him becoming unquestionably the best receiver of his era, but any era.
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While their greatness can be debated, everyone can agree that Rice is to receivers what Brady is to quarterbacks. Both players at the top of their proverbial food chains.
Rice is the NFL’s all-time career leader in receptions (1,549) and receiving yards. His 22,895 receiving yards are 5,403 more than Larry Fitzgerald, who is second all time behind Rice in both categories. Rice’s 197 career touchdown receptions are 41 more than the next closest receiver, Randy Moss.
Speaking of Moss, Brady helped him break one of Rice’s most iconic records in 2007, when Moss broke Rice’s single-season touchdown receptions mark. Moss caught 23 that season, one more than Rice caught during the strike-shortened 1987 season. Rice caught 22 touchdowns in 12 games.
Rice was at his best on the game’s biggest stage. He is the Super Bowl’s career leader in receiving yards (589) and touchdown catches (8). Rice’s 215 receiving yards in Super Bowl XXIII remains a single-game Super Bowl record. He caught seven passes for 148 yards and three touchdowns a year later in Super Bowl XXIV and pulled down 10 passes for 149 yards and three scores in the 49ers’ win over the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. He was truly a cut above the rest.
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In all, Rice won three Super Bowls with the 49ers before playing in a fourth Super Bowl with the Raiders.
Rice was the third receiver to win Super Bowl MVP.
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Brady tops the charts in career passing yards (89,214) and has nearly 9,000 more yards than Drew Brees, the second most prolific passer in league history. His 649 career touchdown passes are 78 more than Brees, who retired as the career leader in both categories before Brady passed him.
Super Bowls, however, may define Brady’s NFL career more than anything else. His seven Super Bowl wins are two more than any other franchise. He won a record five Super Bowl MVP awards and owns just about every Super Bowl career record and also owns the single-game record for passing yards (505). He also helped engineer the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history that was also the first Super Bowl to go to overtime.
Brady’s fifth title cemented his legacy as the greatest QB of all-time.
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Another similarity between the two is how well they both played well into their 40s.
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Brady won two Super Bowls after turning 40 while becoming the second starting quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with multiple franchises. During his age-44 season, Brady led the NFL with 5,316 yards and 44 touchdown passes.
At the age of 40, Rice earned his 13th Pro Bowl nod after catching 92 passes for 1,211 yards and seven touchdowns. He capped off that season with a 48-yard touchdown catch in the Super Bowl.
While their careers did overlap, Brady and Rice never played together, which would have been similar to watching LeBron James and Michael Jordan join forces on the hardwood. And like LeBron/Jordan debate, any debate between Rice and Brady simply comes down to preference.
For Brady, though, there is no debate to be had when it comes to the greatest football player of them all.
Feb 3, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (61) celebrates his goal scored against the Seattle Kraken with defenseman Jackson LaCombe (2) during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Cutter Gauthier scored his team-leading 25th goal of the season as the Anaheim Ducks defeated the visiting Seattle Kraken 4-2 Tuesday night.
Jacob Trouba, Alex Killorn and Ross Johnston also scored and Jackson LaCombe and Jansen Harkins added two assists apiece for the Ducks, who won their second in a row and for the ninth time in their past 11 games to move past Seattle and into third place in the Pacific Division entering the Olympic break. Goaltender Lukas Dostal made 26 saves.
The Kraken, who saw their four-game winning streak snapped, will have a chance to regain that spot in the standings as they have one game left, Wednesday night in Los Angeles, before their three-week hiatus.
Seattle’s Jordan Eberle scored on a tip-in of Jared McCann’s shot at 15:31 of the third to spoil Dostal’s bid for his first shutout of the season.
The Kraken’s Shane Wright tallied at 17:29 after Dostal’s attempt at an empty-net goal was knocked down.
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Seattle goalie Philipp Grubauer stopped 27 of 31 shots.
Tuesday’s game completed the regular-season series between the division rivals, with the teams splitting the four matchups.
The Ducks outshot Seattle 11-7 in a scoreless first period.
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Anaheim opened the scoring at 4:01 of the second on a one-timer from the top of the right faceoff circle by Gauthier past a screened Grubauer just after a Kraken penalty had expired.
The Ducks made it 2-0 on defenseman Trouba’s goal at 19:27 of the period. Harkins carried the puck down the right wing before dropping a pass back to Trouba for a slap shot from the point that made it through a maze of players in front of the net.
Anaheim extended its lead to 3-0 as Killorn tallied just 24 seconds into the third on a wrist shot from low on the right wing through a screen.
Johnston made it 4-0 at 13:54 after Grubauer mishandled the puck behind his own net.
French footballer N’Golo Kanté has joined the Turkish side Fenerbahce after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intervened to push through a transfer deal with Saudi club Al-Ittihad.
Miach Parsons was named to the Pro Bowl in his first year with the Green Bay Packers. Although the superstar defensive end was in San Francisco to attend the Pro Bowl festivities on Tuesday, he was on an electric scooter while moving around Moscone Center due to his knee injury. In one of the videos from the festivities that went viral on social media, Parsons was spotted filming the female cheerleaders doing a routine for the crowd.
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When fans caught wind of the video clip in which Parsons was filming the cheerleaders while on an electric scooter, they slammed the Packers star.
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“Creep behavior,” one tweeted.
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“Kinda hate that this streamer a*s dude is a packer now. Like bruh… get us to the nfc championship mr highest paid ever,” another added.
“Tell that lame a*s podcaster to show up in the playoffs. Don’t nobody care bout Micah,” a user tweeted.
Micah Parsons finished the 2025 season with 41 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 6.5 stuffs, two forced fumbles and one pass defended. However, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 15 against the Denver Broncos.
Although Parsons helped the Packers qualify for the playoffs, his team was eliminated in the wildcard round with a 31-27 loss to the Chicago Bears.
Micah Parsons explains how his relationship with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones soured last offseason
Green Bay Packers DE Micah Parsons – Source: Getty
Micah Parsons’ relationship with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones soured last offseason, which led to the team trading the DE to the Packers in August. On Tuesday, Parsons opened up his acrimonious split with the Cowboys.
“I just wish some of those things never happened. You know what I mean?,” Parsons told Clarence Hill of All City DLLS Cowboys. “I wish that he never brought me into the office and just let the agent speak. And I wish he hadn’t compromised our relationship. I thought me and Jerry had a good relationship up to that point until this offseason, and it’s sad that it went to sh*t like that.”
Parsons played four years with the Cowboys, earning a Pro Bowl selection in each season. He signed a 4-year, $188 million extension with the Packers after the Cowboys traded him last year.
PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, February 4, 2026: Team USA’s Olympics base camp is making headlines since it had to change its name from Ice House to Winter House. But first, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced the country is planning a social media ban for under-16s. Next, Russian athletes could soon be back competing under their national flag. Meanwhile, the 2030 Olympic Games in France are off to a slow start. Finally, scientists study what love might look like in space.
Snooker legend and BBC commentator John Virgo has died aged 79. Virgo enjoyed an 18-year professional career, but is perhaps best known for presenting popular snooker TV show Big Break alongside comedian Jim Davidson from 1991 to 2002.
