Cleveland Browns rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year for the 2025 NFL season.

Schwesinger won the award over New York Giants’ Abdul Carter, Seattle Seahawks’ Nick Emmanwori, and Atlanta Falcons’ Xavier Watts and James Pearce Jr.

Schwesinger finished with 40 of 50 first-place votes, beating out Emmanwori, who came in second place with 199 points total and seven first-place votes.

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Carson Schwesinger of the Cleveland Browns celebrates the team’s 13-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Huntington Bank Field on Dec. 28, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images)

Schwesinger was the favorite coming into the night after a tremendous year at middle linebacker for a formidable Browns defense despite what the record may say in 2025.

He’s also just the fifth non-first-round pick that has won the award in the last 40 seasons.

MIKE VRABEL WINS COACH OF THE YEAR AFTER HISTORIC PATRIOTS TURNAROUND AHEAD OF SUPER BOWL LX

The second-round pick out of UCLA led all rookies with 146 combined tackles, which has him in the top five all-time for tackles in a rookie season.

Schwesinger also notched two interceptions, 11 tackles for loss and three passes defended.

Jonnu Smith of the Pittsburgh Steelers catches a pass against Carson Schwesinger #49 of the Cleveland Browns during the third quarter at Huntington Bank Field on Dec. 28, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images)

Schwesinger also battled through an ankle injury this season, playing 16 of 17 games for Kevin Stefanski’s club. He tallied 2.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits as well, showcasing his ability to get to the quarterback.

Speaking of the coaching staff, the team gave Schwesinger the “green dot” on his helmet, meaning he was calling the defense in the huddle for Cleveland all season as a rookie.

While first-rounders get the spotlight, it’s players after day one of the NFL Draft that make a team whole.

Carson Schwesinger of the Cleveland Browns is introduced prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field on Dec. 21, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images)

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The Browns clearly got their second-rounder right this past year, as Schwesinger proved to be a cornerstone piece, and he has the hardware to prove it now.

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Where to watch Illinois high school cheerleading championship: Schedule, channel, live stream for IHSA cheer event originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

With the state’s annual dance competition behind us, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) will now host its 2026 cheerleading championship this weekend.

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With two days chock-full of performances on the docket, nearly 100 squads will flaunt their best routines across 1A, 2A, 3A and co-ed classes. Only a handful of the most dominant teams will leave Bloomington with state title hardware.

As per usual, preliminary rounds will take place on Friday and finals on Saturday, marking the end of the competitive cheerleading season. Be sure to tune in and cheer on your favorite teams.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 Illinois high school cheerleading championship, including TV channel and streaming options for the annual event.

Where to watch Illinois high school cheerleading championship: TV channel, live stream

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Illinois’ high school competitive cheerleading championship will not be broadcast on a TV channel. You can stream both days of the event live on NFHS Network.

The NFHS Network offers two basic plans: an Annual Pass ($6.67 per month) or a Monthly Pass ($13.99 per month). These plans give subscribers the ability to watch live sporting events and create clips of their favorite moments from games.

When is the Illinois high school cheerleading championship?

• Date: Friday, Feb. 6 – Saturday, Feb. 7

• Time: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., 11 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. CT

Illinois’ high school competitive dance championship will take place Friday, Feb. 6 and Saturday, Feb. 7. Friday’s docket will take place from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., while Saturday’s will only be from 11 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. CT. The competition will be held at Grossinger Arena in Bloomington.

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Illinois high school cheerleading championship schedule 2026

The 2026 IHSA cheerleading championship will be split into three sessions. All classifications (1A, 2A, 3A) will compete in preliminary rounds on Friday, and then team finals on Saturday.

Friday, Feb. 6

Session 1 — 1A and 2A Preliminaries

Session 2 — 3A and Co-ed Preliminaries

Saturday, Feb. 7

Session 3 — 1A, 2A, 3A and Co-ed Team Finals

Head Coach Cullie Tucker has named the Ireland XV Match Day Squad for Friday night’s clash against England ‘A’ at Thomond Park.

Leinster’s Max Deegan will captain the side as one of six senior capped Test internationals in the starting team.

Shane Daly, James Hume and Ciaran Frawley all add international experience to the backline, while Deegan, Gus McCarthy and Fineen Wycherley are named in the pack.

Daly, Zac Ward and Joshua Kenny start in Ireland XV’s back three, with Hume joined by Dan Kelly in midfield. There is an all Leinster half-back pairing as Fintan Gunne starts at scrum-half alongside Frawley at out-half.

In the pack, Billy Bohan, McCarthy and Scott Wilson are in the front row, while Charlie Irvine and Wycherley start in the engine room.

Deegan leads the side from blindside flanker and is joined in the back row by Bryn Ward at openside and Brian Gleeson at number eight.

On the bench, Diarmuid Barron, Sam Crean, Jack Aungier, Harry Sheridan, Paul Boyle and Sean Jansen provide the forward replacements, while backs Matthew Devine and Cathal Forde complete the Match Day Squad.

Friday’s match, which kicks off at 7.15pm, is live on Premier Sports.

Ireland XV (Club/Province/Test caps)

15. Shane Daly (Cork Constitution/Munster)(2)
14. Joshua Kenny (Terenure/Leinster)
13. James Hume (Banbridge/Ulster)(3)
12. Dan Kelly (Munster)
11. Zac Ward (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
10. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(9)
9. Fintan Gunne (Terenure/Leinster)

1. Billy Bohan (Corinthians/Connacht)
2. Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(7)
3. Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)
4. Charlie Irvine (Queen’s University/Ulster)
5. Fineen Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster)(1)
6. Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(4)(captain)
7. Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
8. Brian Gleeson (Garryowen/Munster)

Replacements:

16. Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen/Munster)
17. Sam Crean (Ulster)
18. Jack Aungier (Clontarf/Connacht)(1)
19. Harry Sheridan (Dublin University/Ulster)
20. Paul Boyle (Buccaneers/Connacht)(1)
21. Matthew Devine (Corinthians/Connacht)
22. Cathal Forde (Corinthians/Connacht)
23. Seán Jansen (Connacht).

Ireland will have a four-athlete team at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, which get underway on Friday, 6 February.

Irish competitors will compete in events across four competition clusters in northern Italy.

Team Ireland combining emerging talent and established experience, with three first-time Olympians and one athlete competing in his third Olympic Games.

Irish athletes will compete in Alpine Skiing, Freestyle Skiing and Cross Country Skiing.

Meet Team Ireland

Anabelle Zurbay 

Anabelle will compete in Alpine Skiing, specifically focusing on the technical events – Slalom and Giant Slalom, the latter being her favoured event. The Colorado-based athlete is not only the youngest member of the team; she is also the youngest Irish athlete to ever compete in Alpine Skiing at the Olympics, and she turned 17 last December. Zurbay’s family, via her maternal grandmother, comes from Rosemount, outside Moate. Anabelle, also known as Annie, will be competing in the Cortina cluster.

Ben Lynch 

Ben will compete in the Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe event. The Dublin-born skier moved to Vancouver, Canada, with his family when he was three, where he discovered skiing. Despite his family mostly being successful rowers, Ben enjoyed the freedom of skiing, and specifically the expressive element of freestyle disciplines. He is a first-time Olympian and will be based in Livigno for the duration of the Games.

Cormac Comerford 

Cormac will compete in Alpine Skiing, with the Slalom being his favourite discipline. The Dublin skier first learnt his love for skiing at the Kilternan dry slopes, and is also competing in his first Olympic Games. Working as a Mechanical Engineer in the off-season, Cormac spends most of the winter travelling Europe, training and competing. He will be competing in the Bormio cluster.

Thomas Maloney Westgård 

Thomas is the veteran of the team, and is set to compete in his third Olympic Games, when he will become only the second man to ever compete in three winter games. He competes in the Cross Country events, with the 50km race his favourite discipline. Thomas was born in a small island called Leka in Norway to a Galway mother and Norwegian father, and following a hugely successful few seasons, he competes for professional team Team Aker Dæhlie. Thomas will be competing in Predazzo, in the Val di Fiemme cluster.

Team Ireland Schedule

Saturday 7 February: Cormac Comerford – Downhill (Alpine Skiing), Bormio; RTÉ Player, 11.20am to 12.55pm

Sunday 8 February: Thomas Maloney Westgård – 10km + 10km Skiathlon (Cross Country), Predazzo; RTÉ Player, 11.20am to 12.55pm

Wednesday 11 February: Cormac Comerford – Super-G (Alpine Skiing), Bormio; RTÉ Player, 10.20am to 12.45pm

Friday 13 February: Thomas Maloney Westgård – 10km Free (Cross Country), Predazzo; RTÉ Player, 10.35am to 12.45pm

Saturday 14 February: Cormac Comerford – Giant Slalom Run 1 & 2 (Alpine Skiing), Bormio; RTÉ Player, 8.50am to 11.05am, 12.20pm to 2.10pm

Sunday 15 February: Anabelle Zurbay – Giant Slalom Run 1 & 2 (Alpine Skiing), Cortina; RTÉ Player, 8.50am to 11.05am, 12.20pm to 2.10pm

Monday 16 February: Cormac Comerford – Slalom Run 1 & 2 (Alpine Skiing), Bormio; RTÉ Player, 8.50am to 11.05am, 12.20pm to 2.10pm

Wednesday 18 February: Anabelle Zurbay – Slalom Run 1 & 2 (Alpine Skiing), Cortina; RTÉ Player, 8.50am to 11.05am, 12.20pm to 2.10pm

Thursday 19 February: Ben Lynch – Halfpipe Qualification (Freestyle Skiing), Livigno; RTÉ Player, 9.25am to 11.30am

Friday 20 February: Ben Lynch – Halfpipe Final (Freestyle Skiing), Livigno; RTÉ Player, 9.25am to 11.30am

Saturday 21 February: Thomas Maloney Westgård – 50km Classic (Cross Country), Predazzo; RTÉ Player, 9.50am to 1pm

Sunday 22 February: Closing Ceremony – Verona (All athletes); RTÉ Player, 6.45pm to 10pm.

Scottish Muay Thai sensation ‘King of the North’ Nico Carrillo is proud of his achievements in ONE Championship, most especially coming back from the jaws of defeat to now being on the brink of winning the coveted gold.

Carrillo will challenge for the interim featherweight Muay Thai belt next week in what is his second opportunity at the ONE world title.

Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Carrillo looked back on his journey to reach this point in his career. And he says the setbacks he’s faced have made his time in the ring more meaningful.

‘King of the North’ told the world’s largest martial arts organization:

“It doesn’t change anything. It just makes it feel sweeter for me. In the end, it’s to look back and tell people how epic [the story is] because it’s amazing coming up on ONE Championship, winning every fight, and then just winning the title. Yeah, that would have been an amazing thing.”

Needless to say, Carrillo is confident he will get the job done this time after missing the chance to win gold against Nabil Anane last year.

Fans won’t have to wait long to see ‘King of the North’ Nico Carrillo back in action.

Nico Carrillo to face Shadow Singha Mawynn for interim featherweight Muay Thai world title at ONE Fight Night 40 on Prime Video

‘King of the North’ Nico Carrillo will step into the ONE Championship ring to face Thailand’s Shadow Singha Mawynn for the right to be crowned the ONE interim featherweight Muay Thai world champion.

The two lock horns at ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II on Prime Video, which broadcasts live in American primetime on Friday, Feb. 13 from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Nico Carrillo’s next fight.