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 WWE Universe has seen a major evolution in the women’s professional wrestling picture over the years. However, appearance has been one of the most important factors in the wrestling business, and many acknowledge that. Recently, a former female superstar made a similar confession about herself.
The former star in question is Brooke Adams. Speaking in an interview with WrestlingNewsCo’s The Velvet Ropes, she talked about how women had to trust in the process and opened up about her time in the Stamford-based promotion. She came in as a dancer when she didn’t even know how to dance, and also said that she had a “beautiful booty.”
Thanks for the submission!
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“Another example of trust the process, I came in as a dancer. Honey, I cannot dance. I know it kinda looks like it. Fake it till you can make it. I can just pop it. I was twerking before twerking was a thing because I was blessed with a beautiful booty, okay, I cannot dance, and you get into that ring with a double bounce, and you want me to hear a beat on some speakers that don’t match, and I am like no, trust the process,” she said. (From 6:45 – 7:08)
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Why Did WWE Waste This Year’s Royal Rumble? Find Out!
Top WWE women’s champion made Brooke Adams question herself
Speaking on the same interview, Brooke Adams spoke highly about one-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Rhea Ripley, and said that she is obsessed with The Nightmare. Here is what she expressed:
“I’m obsessed with her [Rhea]. If I was going to be a lesbian, girl, let’s be honest, you couldn’t get me off you. I don’t know what it is, but she makes me question [myself]. She’s so hot, and it’s just her aura. She walks in, and you just have it. She’s one in a million girls, and I don’t think you’ll ever see anybody like her. She gets the attention and brings the energy like the men do, and that’s very rare for the women,” she said.
Currently, the former Women’s World Champion is ruling the WWE Women’s Tag Team division on Monday Night RAW alongside IYO SKY.
SAN FRANCISCO – As long as Christian McCaffrey is on the field, he’s going to show out.
The San Francisco 49ers star running back was the only non-quarterback to be an MVP finalist, and was also in the running for his second Offensive Player of the Year Award in three years after putting up 2,126 scrimmage yards and scoring 17 total touchdowns.
In most cases, that should surprise nobody, but given McCaffrey’s devastating 2024 season, when he missed 13 games due to Achilles tendinitis and a knee injury, “what if” was in the conversation.
Kyle Juszczyk of the San Francisco 49ers and Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate after McCaffrey’s receiving touchdown during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Oct. 15, 2023, in Cleveland, Ohio.(Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
“Yeah, you know, I think last year was tough. There was a lot of uncertainty for me the whole offseason just working extremely hard day and night to try to come back to where I needed to be,” McCaffrey told Fox News Digital on Radio Row. “I really just thank God. I feel very fortunate that I played in every game. You know, that’s something I don’t take for granted ever anymore. And I feel blessed to be able to come out of the season healthy.”
McCaffrey became just the second player ever to be nominated for MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, and Comeback Player of the Year in the same season. He was also voted by fans as one of FedEx’s Air & Ground Players of the Year.
“This is a cool award. Voted for by the fans, which makes it really cool, and it’s been going on for 23 years now, so it’s one of the longest NFL awards. So, I’m super thankful,” McCaffrey said. “They’re also giving $15,000 to Feeding America, a local food bank here in San Francisco. So, you know, getting an award, being able to give back a little bit, it’s pretty cool.”
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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey celebrates after scoring against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona.(AP Photo/Matt York)
McCaffrey won the Comeback Player of the Year on Thursday night given last year’s injuries and this year’s rousing success. Given his age, many were worried that it was the beginning of the end.
McCaffrey, too, was admittedly nervous, but that is not exactly a new feeling for him.
“I’ve been worrying since I was in high school. Most of my mindset is just worrying. You know, part of what drives me is just that, you know, that anxiety of not living up to my potential or not being able to play. So, that’s definitely something that’s always in my head transparently,” McCaffrey said. “But I think that’s the beauty of training. Whenever that’s kind of how you start, and then you train and train and train and do all the things you can to get to where you want to be, which will instill confidence that, you know what? I trust my training. I know that I can do this now. I feel good about where I’m at.”
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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, right, celebrates his touchdown with offensive tackle Trent Williams during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, in Inglewood, California.(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
McCaffrey will be 30 years old by the time he plays meaningful football again, but after nearly another 1,000-1,000 yard season, there’s not much to worry about.
The second round of the 2026 WM Phoenix Open gets underway Friday morning at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the tournament on Friday, including full WM Phoenix Open TV coverage, streaming details and Round 2 tee times.
How to watch WM Phoenix Open on Friday
The stars of the PGA TourTour are battling it out this week at one of the most popular tournaments of the year, the 2026 WM Phoenix Open.
Now the stage is set for Friday’s second round, where players will be fighting to make the cut or position themselves for a run at the title over the weekend.
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You can watch the second round of the WM Phoenix Open on TV via Golf Channel starting at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide streaming coverage beginning at 9:15 a.m. ET Friday morning, as well as featured group and featured hole coverage all day long.
Below you will find everything you need to know to watch the second round of the 2026 WM Phoenix Open.
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Get ESPN+
With an ESPN+ subscription, you gain access to PGA Tour Live, where you can stream the best PGA Tour events live from wherever you want.
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How to watch on TV Friday
Golf Channel will air second-round TV coverage of the 2026 WM Phoenix Open from 3:30-7:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
How to stream online Friday
You can stream the second round of the 2026 WM Phoenix Open via PGA Tour Live on ESPN+, which will offer streaming coverage starting at 9:15 a.m. ET on Friday in addition to featured group and hole coverage.
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9:20 a.m. – Emiliano Grillo, Rico Hoey, Takumi Kanaya 9:31 a.m. – S.H. Kim, Mac Meissner, Kristoffer Reitan 9:42 a.m. – Matthieu Pavon, Chad Ramey, Sam Stevens 9:53 a.m. – J.T. Poston, Davis Riley, Stephan Jaeger 10:04 a.m. – Andrew Novak, Harry Hall, Akshay Bhatia 10:15 a.m. – Brian Campbell, Aldrich Potgieter, Cam Davis 10:26 a.m. – Sami Valimaki, Garrick Higgo, Nico Echavarria 10:37 a.m. – Erik van Rooyen, Hank Lebioda, Johnny Keefer 10:48 a.m. – Jordan Simth, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Pontus Nyholm 10:59 a.m. – Austin Smotherman, John Parry, Christo Lamprecht 11:10 a.m. – Alejandro Tosti, Adrien Saddier, Jeffrey Kang 2:00 p.m. – Mackenzie Hughes, Ryo Hisatsune, Max McGrevy 2:11 p.m. – Max Greyserman, Nicolai Hojgaard, Pierceson Coody 2:22 p.m. – Brice Garnett, Mark Hubbard, Vince Whaley 2:33 p.m. – J.J. Spaun, Sahith Theegala, Sam Burns 2:44 p.m. – Ben Griffin, Wyndham Clark, Matt Fitzpatrick 2:55 p.m. – Scottie Scheffler, Chris Gotterup, Jordan Spieth 3:06 p.m. – Michael Brennan, Karl Vilips, Tony Finau 3:17 p.m. – Pater Malnati, Patrick Rodgers, Alex Smalley 3:28 p.m. – Zecheng Dou, John VanDerLaan, A.J. Ewart 3:39 p.m. – David Chatfield, S.T. Lee, Thomas Avant
Tee No. 10
9:20 a.m. – Rafael Campos, Corey Conners, Chandler Phillips 9:31 a.m. – Tom Kim, Thorbjorn Olesen, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen 9:42 a.m. – Max Homa, Joel Dahmen, Keith Mitchell 9:53 a.m. – Viktor Hovland, Hideki Matsuyama, Collin Morikawa 10:04 a.m. – Xander Schauffele, Cameron Young, Brooks Koepka 10:15 a.m. – Min Woo Lee, Rickie Fowler, Si Woo Kim 10:26 a.m. – Maverick McNealy, Matt McCarty, Billy Horschel 10:37 a.m. – Austin Eckroat, Charley Hoffman, Matti Schmid 10:48 a.m. – Zach Bauchou, Emilio Gonzalez, Chandler Blanchet 10:59 a.m. – Haotong Li, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Neal Shipley 2:00 p.m. – Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Rasmus Hojgaard, Kevin Roy 2:11 p.m. – Patton Kizzire, Michael Thorbjornsen, Danny Walker 2:22 p.m. – Daniel Berger, Michael Kim, Bud Cauley 2:33 p.m. – Jake Knapp, Chris Kirk, Webb Simpson 2:44 p.m. – Ryan Fox, Sepp Straka, Nick Taylor 2:55 p.m. – Brian Harman, Harris English, Davis Thompson 3:06 p.m. – Kurt Kitayama, William Mouw, Joe Highsmith 3:17 p.m. – Adam Schenk, Gary Woodland, Jacob Bridgeman 3:28 p.m. – Tom Hoge, Eric Cole, Marco Penge 3:39 p.m. – Dan Brown, Kensei Hirata, Keita Nakajima
The much-anticipated Honkai Star Rail 4.0 livestream revealed the upcoming banner schedule. With that, Trailblazers now know which limited-time 5-stars will accompany Yao Guang and Sparxie. Like most updates, this one is split into two phases that feature different banners.
This article goes over all the Honkai Star Rail 4.0 banners and details every character and Light Cone that Trailblazers can get during the patch.
Honkai Star Rail 4.0 first half banners
Characters
Yao Guang banner (Image via HoYoverse)
When Honkai Star Rail version 4.0 commences, players can get the brand-new Elation unit, Yao Guang, alongside the rerun characters, Black Swan, Evernight, and Hysilens. Although a brand-new destination is getting introduced, the 4-star roster remains unchanged.
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While phase one is active, three 4-star characters will be featured in all gacha banners. However, players can get every unit from the aforementioned rarity as well.
That said, here are all the characters that Trailblazers can obtain during the first phase:
5-star: Yao Guang (Physical, Elation Path)
5-star: Evernight (Ice, Remembrance Path)
5-star: Hysilens (Physical, Nihility Path)
5-star: Black Swan (Wind, Nihility Path)
4-star: Pela (Ice, Nihility Path)
4-star: Hanya (Physical, Harmony Path)
4-star: Qingque (Quantum, Erudition Path)
Note: Similar to Cyrene, Yao Guang’s banner will be available until version 4.1.
Light Cones
HSR 4.0 first half Light Cones (Image via HoYoverse)
Alongside all the characters, the Light Cone banners will be available to all players. These will feature Yao Guang, Evernight, Black Swan, and Hysilens’ signature LCs simultaneously. Although the banners are separate, their pity carries over to the other.
Moreover, three 4-star Light Cones will be featured on the banner with a boosted drop rate. Hence, if players want one of them, they can specifically pull for them.
Let’s take a look at all the LCs that Trailblazers can get from the gacha banners:
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5-star: When She Decided to See (Elation Path)
5-star: To Evernight’s Stars (Remembrance Path)
5-star: Why Does the Ocean Sing (Nihility Path)
5-star: Reforged Remembrance (Nihility Path)
4-star: Planetary Rendezvous (Harmony Path)
4-star: The Story’s Next page (Remembrance Path)
4-star: Resolution Shines As Pearls of Sweat (Nihility Path)
Honkai Star Rail 4.0 second half banners
Characters
Sparxie’s banner (Image via HoYoverse)
When the second phase goes live, Sparxie’s limited-time banner will go live alongside the rerun characters, Sparkle, Cerydra, and Rappa. During this time, Trailblazers can spend their Special Passes to get the unit they desire. Similar to the first half, the second phase gacha banners also feature three 4-star units.
Here are the units players can acquire while the Honkai Star Rail 4.0 second half is active:
5-star: Sparxie (Fire, Elation Path)
5-star: Cerydra (Wind, Harmony Path)
5-star: Rappa (Imaginary, Erudition Path)
5-star: Sparkle (Quantum, Harmony Path)
4-star: Pela (Ice, Nihility Path)
4-star: Hanya (Physical, Harmony Path)
4-star: Qingque (Quantum, Erudition Path)
Light Cones
HSR 4.0 second half Light Cones (Image via HoYoverse)
Sparxie’s signature Light Cone will be available during the second phase of Honkai Star Rail 4.0. Besides that, the rerun units’ 5-star LC will be featured in a separate banner alongside Dazzled By a Flowery World. Although there will be multiple Light Cone banners, the 4-star with boosted drop rate will be identical.
The following section lists every LC that can be obtained from the gacha banners during phase two of HSR 4.0:
5-star: Dazzled By a Flowery World (Elation Path)
5-star: Epoch Etched in Golden Blood (Harmony Path)
Adrian Bott welcomes a Listed triumph at Randwick to initiate ties with heavyweight owner John Stewart, but envisions Lady Moscato bringing even more substantial rewards to her syndicate moving forward.
The youngster, a Home Affairs filly from several-times Group 1 runner-up Champagne Cuddles, sold for $1,050,000 as a yearling and served as Resolute Racing’s inaugural Tulloch Lodge runner for Stewart, placing second in the Magic Millions The Debut (1000m) at the Gold Coast a month ago.
“It was the first year we were able to put something together with them at the sales. John Stewart partnered with Coolmore on this filly, and a few other partners as well,” Bott said.
“She’s a really nice type for him and she fits into his model well in terms of what he’s trying to achieve internationally in racing.
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“Some black type would obviously be very important to fit into that model.”
Recovering strongly from her Queensland excursion, Lady Moscato now contests Saturday’s Lonhro Plate (1000m) in Sydney, rated highest among the three stable entries.
The trainer was impressed by her debut, where despite a wide draw she surged home late, and predicts she will take positives from it.
“We always intended to have her up there then wanted to see her in some of the (Golden) Slipper lead ups and this race gives us the right timing,” Bott said.
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“After this we can go into one of the fillies’ races and hopefully give ourselves a Slipper chance.”
Stable companions Caloocan Beauty, who was fourth behind Satin Summer at her debut, and first-starter Agrarian Girl, who trialled superior to eventual Canonbury Stakes winner Hidrix, join her.
“Caloocan Beauty was very good the other day and will be better for that experience. She looks to have improved and gone the right way,” he said.
“Agrarian Girl is giving away a bit of race experience.
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“It’s an ask on debut but it’s her home track, but the form around her trial looks good now following the Canonbury and has been validated in the last seven days.”
The planned joint venture between a new women’s league association ‘Frauen-Bundesliga FBL e.V.‘ (FBL) and the German Football Association (DFB) has fallen through. The news was announced by the 14 clubs in the Women’s Bundesliga after their first general meeting in Frankfurt this week. In a statement, the DFB said they “regretted” the clubs’ decision. DW answers the most important questions about the dispute and its bearing on women’s football.
Why does the Women’s Bundesliga need to change?
Simply, Germany’s domestic league has been overtaken by other European rivals, as evidenced by the Champions League. The last time a German team won Europe’s biggest club trophy was over a decade ago, when 1. FFC Frankfurt triumphed in 2015. Since then, the winners have come from France (Lyon six times), Spain (Barcelona three times) and England (Arsenal last season).
In these countries, the women’s leagues have become significantly more professional over the past decade compared to the Bundesliga, both structurally and in terms of earning potential. As a result, Europe’s best players favor them over German clubs.
What has been done so far to professionalize the women’s Bundesliga?
In 2022, the DFB presented its FF27 (Women’s Soccer 2027) program. This set out to promote the sport in Germany and make it more visible. The Bundesliga should become more professional, it said, and top German clubs should win international titles again by 2027.
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At the start of the 2024/2025 season, the Bundesliga was expanded from twelve to fourteen teams. It now consists mainly of clubs that also have teams in the men’s Bundesliga. The only exceptions are SGS Essen and Carl Zeiss Jena – and they are at the bottom of the table.
Attendance figures have been stagnating recently, but this season the curve is pointing upwards. The average (as of February 6, 2026) is about 3,600 spectators per game. By comparison, an average of around 6,400 fans attend games in the Women’s Super League in England.
What did the original plan for a new Bundesliga structure entail?
In order to further professionalize the league, a joint venture between the Bundesliga clubs and the DFB was mooted—based on the model of the men’s Bundesliga, where the German Football League (DFL) is responsible for organizing and marketing the league. The 36 clubs in the first and second divisions are represented in the DFL and there is a cooperation between the league association and the DFB.
The DFB and the clubs wanted to establish such a structure for the women’s Bundesliga.
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What went wrong?
Last December, the 14 Bundesliga clubs launched the new league association (FBL) as planned – but without the DFB. The clubs accused the association of breaking its word. They claimed that the DFB had subsequently tried to enforce a rule that no important decisions could be made in the new league without its involvement. The clubs argued that they should have the final say because they invest significantly more money in the Bundesliga than the DFB.
At a meeting in Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, in November, the DFB announced that it would contribute a total of €100 million ($118 million) over a period of eight years to further professionalize women’s football in Germany. The Bundesliga clubs reportedly want to pump up to €700 million into the league in the coming years.
Katharina Kiel heads up the FBL and believes that power must lie with the clubs, not the DFBImage: Josh Hoffmann/Jan Huebner/IMAGO
Despite intensive negotiations on both sides, no agreement could be reached.
“The future of the women’s Bundesliga must be shaped where the sporting and economic engine lies – with the clubs,” said FBL President Katharina Kiel.
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What happens next?
Both sides have stated that they want to continue talks. This is necessary, because otherwise nothing will change in terms of responsibility for the women’s Bundesliga.
Until now, it has been the sole responsibility of the DFB, who have made it clear that they will “continue to ambitiously run the women’s Bundesliga under its umbrella for the time being.” The current season is just over halfway through.
However, the DFB also knows that the Bundesliga is dependent on the clubs. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement, the clubs could be tempted to boycott the old league and form a new breakaway league of their own.
Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has expressed hope that Nigeria can still qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite the uncertainty surrounding the team’s campaign.
The Fulham player admitted that the national team is currently in a waiting position as Nigeria hopes for a possible lifeline to the tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Speaking in an interview, Iwobi reflected on the emotional weight of possibly missing the World Cup and was asked whether he would prefer to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations or qualify for the World Cup.
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The 29-year-old, who represented Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, said the decision was not an easy one and placed the focus on his teammates rather than himself.
“I mean we’re still waiting, well hopefully we can go to the World Cup, but I feel it’s a tough one. It’s a tough one because winning AFCON is like… It’s a great legacy, it’s a great thing to have like in your career, a memorable moment,” Iwobi said.
“But then at the same time, because I’ve been to the World Cup already, a lot of the players haven’t been. They would like to say ‘I want to go to the World Cup,’ so I can’t be selfish and say win the AFCON and for my teammates to not go to the World Cup. So it’s a tough one. I don’t know. I don’t know.”
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Iwobi’s cautious optimism reflects the general mood within the Nigeria Football Federation, which is awaiting a decision from FIFA following a petition over Nigeria’s World Cup qualification play-off defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“We are still waiting. Hopefully we can go to the World Cup,” the midfielder added.
Nigeria’s hopes were dealt a blow after a penalty shootout loss to DR Congo at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in November. However, the Super Eagles’ qualification chances may not yet be over.
The NFF has submitted a formal complaint to FIFA, alleging that DR Congo fielded up to six ineligible players during the decisive match. The case is based on what the federation describes as a “dual nationality trap”, arguing that while FIFA rules allow nationality switches, the Congolese constitution does not permit dual citizenship.
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NFF General Secretary, Dr Sanusi Mohammed, has stated that the federation believes it has a strong case.
Despite the uncertainty, Nigeria remain one of Africa’s most talented teams and recently finished third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, keeping hopes alive for a return to the World Cup stage.
The Patriots punched their ticket to Super Bowl LX with a 10-7 win over the Broncos in the AFC Championship. The two teams combined for the second-lowest point total in AFC title game history (Dolphins 14-0 over Jets in 1982).
The Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl for an NFL-record 12th time, and to get there, Drake Maye did something that Tom Brady never did: He won a playoff game in Denver. Brady went 0-3 in his career in the Mile High city with two of those losses coming in an AFC title game.
On Seattle’s end, the Seahawks earned their way to the Super Bowl by beating the Rams in a 31-27 thriller. Sam Darnold threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns in the win. The Seahawks are now headed to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in franchise history and the first time since the 2014 season when they faced the Patriots.
In that game, Russell Wilson was famously picked off by Malcolm Butler at the 1-yard line with under 30 seconds left to play in a game that the Patriots ended up winning 28-24.
Super Bowl LX will feature the AFC’s highest-scoring offense going up against a Seahawks defense that gave up the fewest points in the NFL this year. Not only that, but the matchup on the other side of the ball should also be solid with the NFL’s third-highest scoring offense in Seattle going up against a Patriots defense that surrendered the fourth-fewest points in the league this year.
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A great AFC offense vs. a great NFC defense? A great AFC defense vs. a great NFC offense? We could be in for another classic, just like the two teams gave us in Super Bowl XLIX.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the full playoff schedule.
Sunday, Feb. 8
Patriots vs. Seahawks — Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, California), 6:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
Championship Sunday
Sunday, Jan. 25
AFC Championship
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(2) Patriots 10-7 over (1) Broncos. This was a dominant performance by a New England defense that has now played three straight dominant games in the playoffs. The Broncos scored on their second possession of the game, but after that, the Patriots’ defense shut Denver down. The biggest play of the game came in the second quarter when the Patriots forced a Jarrett Stidham fumble that New England recovered at Denver’s 12-yard line. Drake Maye scored on a 6-yard run just two plays later to provide the Patriots’ only touchdown of the game. Maye didn’t put up huge numbers, but he came up big with his legs: Not only did he score, but he also iced the win with a 7-yard run on third-and-5 with under two minutes left to play in the fourth quarter.
NFC Championship
(1) Seahawks 31-27 over (5) Rams. With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line Sam Darnold came up big for the Seahawks. Darnold threw for a season-high 346 yards along with three touchdowns to propel Seattle to the win. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has been Darnold’s favorite weapon all season, had another huge game. JSN caught 10 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. The Seahawks defense struggled some against Matthew Stafford, but the unit also came up with a huge stop on a fourth-down play from Seattle’s 6-yard line in the fourth quarter that essentially sealed the win.
Divisional Round results
Saturday, Jan. 17
(1) Broncos 33-30 (OT) over (6) Bills. The Broncos have had one of the best defenses in the NFL all year and Josh Allen found out firsthand why they’re so good. The Bills turned the ball over five times with four of those coming from Allen. The Bills QB threw an interception in overtime that set up Denver’s game-winning drive. Bo Nix also came up big for the Broncos, throwing for 279 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
(1) Seahawks 41-6 over (6) 49ers. Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and this game was essentially over after that. The Seahawks defense absolutely suffocated the 49ers, forcing three turnovers while sacking Brock Purdy twice. They also kept San Francisco out of the end zone for the second straight time after also holding the 49ers without a touchdown in Week 18. With Sam Darnold dealing with an oblique injury, the Seahawks put their offense in the hands of Kenneth Walker, who rushed for 116 yards and three touchdowns.
Sunday, Jan. 18
(2) Patriots 28-16 over (5) Texans. The Texans’ defense was the best in the NFL all season, but it was the Patriots’ defense that stole the show in this game. The Patriots forced five turnovers, including a pick-six from Marcus Jones in the second quarter that gave New England an early 14-10 lead. Drake Maye had some fumbling problems, but he also came up with some huge plays, including a 32-yard touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte in the fourth quarter that iced the win. The Texans are now 0-7 in the divisional round in franchise history and are the only team in the NFL that has yet to make it to the conference title game.
(5) Rams 20-17 (OT) over (2) Bears. The Rams pulled off a dramatic win that wasn’t decided until Harrison Mevis drilled a 42-yard field goal in overtime. The only reason the game made it to overtime is because Caleb Williams threw a miraculous 14-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with under 30 seconds left to play. The Bears looked like they were going to pull out the win in overtime, but Williams threw an interception that set up the Rams’ game-winning drive.
Rams vs. Panthers recap: The Panthers almost pulled off the upset, but they couldn’t stop Matthew Stafford with the game on the line. With the Rams trailing 31-27, Stafford engineered a 71-yard game-winning scoring drive that ended when he hit Colby Parkinson with a 19-yard touchdown with just 38 seconds left to play. Stafford threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
Packers vs. Bears recap:The Bears pulled off the third-largest fourth-quarter comeback in NFL history. Going into the final quarter, the Bears were trailing by 15 points, but they were able to erase that deficit during a miracle quarter where they outscored the Packers, 25-6. Caleb Williams threw for more yardage (184) in the fourth quarter than he did in the first three quarters combined (177). Williams capped things off with a 25-yard score to DJ Moore with just 1:43 left to win the game.
Bills vs. Jaguars recap:For the first time in his career, Josh Allen led a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter of a playoff game. The Bills’ franchise quarterback scored the game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard run with just one minute left to play. Allen also threw a 15-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to help propel Buffalo to the win. Allen totaled 306 yards and three touchdowns in the win. For the Bills, it was their first road playoff win in 33 years.
49ers vs. Eagles recap:The 49ers pulled off a shocker by going on the road and knocking off the Eagles. After losing George Kittle, the 49ers had some unlikely heroes, including Demarcus Robinson, who caught six passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. Christian McCaffrey also came up big with two touchdowns, including the game-winning score, which came on a 4-yard pass from Brock Purdy with just 2:54 left to play.
Chargers vs. Patriots recap:The Patriots defense took over and carried New England to the win. Justin Herbert was sacked six times as the Patriots kept the Chargers out of the end zone and held them to fewer than 210 total yards.The offense didn’t light up the scoreboard, but Drake Maye was impressive in his first career postseason start, throwing for 268 yards and rushing for 66 more. The Patriots are headed to the divisional round for the first time since 2018.
Texans vs. Steelers recap. The Texans had the best defense in the NFL during the regular season, and that unit carried them to a win against Pittsburgh. The Texans defense sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, held the Steelers to just 175 yards and scored two touchdowns, which both came in the fourth quarter. The first one came on a 33-yard fumble return by Sheldon Rankins, and then Calen Bullock followed that up with a 50-yard pick six with just 2:39 left in the game. It was a defensive masterpiece by a Texans team that picked up its first road win in franchise history
Oct 15, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) knocks the ball away from Boston Celtics center Chris Boucher (99) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Two days after acquiring center Nikola Vucevic, the Boston Celtics traded forward Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz on Thursday.
Guard John Tonje heads to Boston, while Utah also receives a second-round draft pick and cash.
Boucher, 33, signed a one-year contract in the offseason but played just one game since Nov. 23.
In nine games off the bench with Boston, he averaged 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per game. In nine seasons with the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors and Celtics, Boucher has averaged 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 416 games (23 starts).
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Along with opening up a roster spot for the Celtics, shipping out Boucher sheds $2.3 million from their salary cap.
Tonje, 24, was selected by Utah in the second round of last year’s NBA draft out of Wisconsin, but he has yet to make his NBA debut. He is averaging 18.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists through 18 games in the NBA’s second-tier G League.
The Vucevic deal, which sent guard Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, shored up the Celtics’ frontcourt and saved the team about $6 million.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell looks on against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
There has been a lot of hoopla surrounding the Minnesota Vikings and the quarterback position so far this offseason.
That topic has only picked up steam in the aftermath of the firing of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah last Friday, following which many talking points circulated that not everybody was on the same page with how the position was handled last offseason when Sam Darnold was let go.
Now, the Vikings have to make a really big decision this offseason at that quarterback spot, which could shape the direction of the franchise for the next decade. With so many options being thrown out there, here are the four paths Minnesota can take at quarterback this offseason.
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Stand Pat with J.J. McCarthy as the Sure Starter
Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy drops back and delivers a first-quarter throw at U.S. Bank Stadium, Jan 4, 2026, in Minneapolis against the Green Bay Packers. The snapshot captured McCarthy operating within the structure of the offense early, as Minnesota looked to establish rhythm and tempo during a high-stakes divisional matchup. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
This probably won’t happen based on the Minnesota’s current QB options, but technically, they could decide to just stick with what they have.
Perhaps there is no doubt that McCarthy is the starting quarterback heading into 2026, which wouldn’t be entirely out of the realm of possibility after his fairly strong conclusion to the season prior to his hand injury, and they don’t want to spend more money on the position when there are other pretty glaring needs on the roster.
That being said, this is very unlikely to happen given McCarthy’s concerning injury history over his first two NFL seasons. As of now, the Vikings only have Max Brosmer as the backup option behind their 2024 first-round pick. Brosmer was signed as an undrafted free agent last season, and when he did play last year while McCarthy was out with various injuries, it was pretty apparent he is not ready to start at the NFL level.
Bring in a Veteran Free Agent to Compete
Nov 21, 2022; Mexico City, MEX; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) celebrates after his touchdown pass against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at Estadio Azteca. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images.
Let’s say the Vikings are still plenty confident that McCarthy is capable of starting at the NFL level, but they just want to give him an extra “umph” of competition heading into training camp while also having an insurance policy in case the injury bug bites him again.
There are a number of free agents out there who could be cheap enough to reasonably bring in as a backup quarterback while also pushing McCarthy in camp and potentially being an extra voice in his ear this season.
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One name that comes to mind is Jimmy Garoppolo, who spent the 2025 season as the backup for the Los Angeles Rams. Vikings fans will remember that Kevin O’Connell came from Sean McVay’s system before he took the head coaching job in Minnesota. Garoppolo also had plenty of experience with Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco. If there is a veteran QB who will immediately be ready to play in O’Connell’s system, it’s hard to rationalize one better fitted for it than Garoppolo.
Trade for a Bonafide Starter
Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) against the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Vikings could go down this path for a number of reasons.
Perhaps they flat out don’t believe McCarthy should be the starting quarterback moving forward, and Minnesota simply wants to turn the page by bringing in an established starter and not having to think about the position again for a few years.
On the other hand, maybe they think McCarthy can be a starter down the road, but the play he put on tape in 2025 showed the coaching staff and front office that the time for him to be under center is not right now if Minnesota wants to compete sooner than later.
Two names have continuously circulated around the Vikings if they were to try to trade for a true, bonafide starting quarterback: Kyler Murray and Joe Burrow.
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Murray makes a bit of sense if they want to go all in on 2026 while still offering McCarthy a chance to develop and eventually start down the road. He is under contract through 2027, and while his cap hits of $52.66 million and $43.5 million over the next two years may seem daunting, they rank 8th and 10th in the NFL over those two years. The Vikings would also only eat $7.2 million of that $43.5 million in 2027 if they decided it was time to part ways.
However, if the Vikings ended up going the Burrow option and somehow put together a package of picks and players to convince the Bengals to part with the 2020 No. 1 overall pick, that would instantly indicate they are building around their new quarterback for the long haul. Burrow is under contract through 2029 with ever growing cap numbers through that year.
Take Another Stab in the Draft
Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) passes against the Indiana Hoosiers in the first half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Given the depth of the QB class in this year’s draft, this is probably the least likely option heading into 2026. Of course, Fernando Mendoza is being chalked in as the No. 1 overall pick this April whether that be to the Las Vegas Raiders or another team via trade.
After that though, the options get thin in a hurry, especially now that Dante Moore has announced he will be going back to Oregon for another year.
The most obvious choice would be Ty Simpson out of Alabama, who is the other QB who could end up landing in the latter half of the first round or early in the second round. Simpson isn’t the most physically gifted player with underwhelming size and arm speed, but he has tremendous poise in the pocket that could turn him into a starting caliber player at the NFL level.
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In this scenario, Minnesota almost certainly would ship McCarthy out for picks. The question is: are the Vikings really ready to use another high end pick on a quarterback experiment without landing the best player in the class?
Editor’s Note: Information from Spotrac helped with this article.
Josh Frey is a senior writer at both PurplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com, with a fascination for the NFL Draft. To … More about Josh Frey
