The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Green Bay Packers have their starting left tackle for the upcoming season in Jordan Morgan. The former first-round pick is penciled in to be Jordan Love’s blindside protector for the upcoming season and hopefully for the foreseeable future.
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In Zach Tom, the Packers have one of the best right tackles in the league. With those two in place, the Packers are set at offensive tackle.
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What they need to address this offseason is adding a swing tackle. A potential target late on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft is Riley Mahlman. The Wisconsin Badgers‘ offensive tackle checks in at No. 78 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
A four-star recruit and native of Lakeville, Minnesota, Mahlman started 31 games at right tackle prior to the 2025 season. During his final season as a Badger, Mahlman started the season opener at right tackle and started the final 11 games at left tackle.
“One of the most important developments in Mahlman’s final year was his positional versatility,” Christian Boorman, of Badger Backer, said. “He spent the majority of his career as a right tackle, but injuries along the line forced him over to left tackle to help stabilize the Badgers’ line. Although he had a slight adjustment period, he settled in and proved he could protect the blind side.”
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Standing at 6-8 and 304 pounds, Mahlman is an impressive physical specimen. The Badger offensive tackle has quick, active and powerful hands. He has a strong anchor against power and has agile feet to mirror. Through the first four games of the 2025 campaign, Mahlman gave up two sacks and eight pressures. During the final eight games, the Lakeville native gave up one sack and six pressures, including an impressive outing against a talented Oregon Ducks defensive front, a game in which he gave up zero sacks and zero pressures.
“Mahlman is a reliable pass protector,” Boorman said. “He has been among the leaders in pass blocking grades in the Big Ten on Pro Football Focus. He’s allowed just three sacks the past two seasons. He has relatively quick feet for such a big guy, too.”
Mahlman has strong hands and the grip strength to latch on and drive defenders as a run blocker. He looks comfotable climbing to the second level and he usually hits his landmarks.
“His mobility helps him with any pulling he’ll need to do, but also allows him to get to the second level,’ Boorman said. “He does a good job of keeping his legs driving and finishing blocks through the whistle.”
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Fit with the Packers
The Packers will almost certainly invest heavily in the offensive line this offseason, either via the draft or free agency. Given his track record, Brian Gutekunst will likely use a pick or two, maybe even three, on the position group.
Since taking over as general manager in 2018, Gutekunst has drafted 12 offensive linemen on Day 3 of the draft. As it stands right now, the Packers are projected to have six Day 3 picks and smart money would lead you to believe that at least one of those picks will be used on the offensive line group.
With Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan set to hit free agency, and Elgton Jenkins and Aaron Banks potential cap casualties, the Packers will have seats that need butts in them at the offensive line room inside 1265 Lombardi Avenue.
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Mahlman makes sense as a late Day 3 target for the Packers. With his ability to play both tackle spots and his well-rounded skill set, Mahlman could be Green Bay’s swing tackle of the future.
Lando Norris has shared his admiration for how Max Verstappen goes racing, as he admits he’s still not at the level he needs to be. The reigning F1 champion is heading into the 2026 season hoping to defend his crown with McLaren. It also coincides with a change in regulations that will see the start of a completely different era in the sport.
We’re going to see completely new power units that will have a 50-50 split in terms of power produced by fuel and electric. The first pre-season test/shakedown is already done, and it once again showed that the top four teams have emerged more or less as the frontrunners. For Lando Norris himself, this is an opportunity to not only defend his title but also show what progress he’s made after winning his first championship in 2025.
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Often, however, Lando Norris does get compared to Max Verstappen, who is the benchmark in F1. The Dutch driver fell short of what would have been a fifth consecutive title in 2025 by just two points. Even then, the driver was considered the cream of the crop for the season.
Talking to the media, including PlanetF1, Lando Norris was questioned about his approach compared to Max Verstappen, to which the Brit admitted that both drivers had a slightly different way of approaching racing. He did, however, reveal that there were things he admired about Verstappen’s driving and knew he’s yet to reach the level he needs to be at. He said,
“It’s quite clear that I have a different mentality and a different approach to, say, what Max has. Good or bad, you decide. There are a lot of things that I still admire about Max, and I wish I had a little bit more of that, here and there. I’m always trying to improve my things. I know there are still areas where I’m not at the level I need to be. It’s still a good level but, when you’re fighting these guys, you need to be close to perfection.”
He added,
“So there are still plenty of things I want to work on and I want to be better at, but the baseline level of where I’m at now is already pretty good, and my motivation to win is exactly the same.”
Lando Norris opens up on his approach after becoming a world champion
It is often stated by many drivers in the past that winning a championship takes the burden off the shoulders, and once that box is ticked, things become much easier. Lando Norris, however, felt that his approach and his thought process have continued to be the same as they were in the past. He said,
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“Honestly, no. As much as I say that, I don’t feel any different coming into this season. I still feel like I just want to go out and win. I feel like there’s just quite a baseline feeling, and there consistently is.”
He added,
“I think just more, at the end of the day, if I don’t achieve something again, I always have something that I’m very proud about and I know is a huge achievement, but it certainly hasn’t taken away any ambition or desire to want to do it again, or to come into this season and go and not care about it.”
Heading into the 2026 F1 season, Lando Norris will be hoping McLaren has produced a competent package as he tries to defend his maiden world championship.
Although Seattle Seahawks rookie safety Nick Emmanwori suffered a low-ankle sprain during practice Wednesday, he told reporters Thursday that he’ll “be good to go” Sunday for Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots.
Emmanwori, whom the Seahawks selected out of South Carolina in the second round of last year’s draft, has started the past 10 games for Seattle, including the playoffs.
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The injury he’s dealing with now is different than the high-ankle sprain he sustained in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers that cost him the next three games.
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“Not sure how extensive, if at all, he’s going to practice,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said Thursday, per The Athletic.
“But he’s confident. Got a great plan. Fully expect him to play. He’s doing great and moving around.”
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s captain Smriti Mandhana and teammate Georgia Voll (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)
The Women’s Premier League has quickly established itself as a landmark tournament in women’s cricket, delivering high-quality competition, packed stadiums and memorable finals since its inception in 2023. In just four editions, the league has already produced a clear pattern of dominance, heartbreak and recurring rivalries.Mumbai Indians were the inaugural champions in 2023, setting the benchmark in the league’s first season. Led by a balanced squad and strong leadership, MI defeated Delhi Capitals in the final, beginning a trend that would see DC repeatedly fall short on the biggest stage.
The Inside Story Behind India’s World Cup Win: Shafali & Deepti Reveal WPL’S IMPACT
Royal Challengers Bengaluru broke through in 2024, claiming their maiden WPL title by once again denying Delhi Capitals in the final. That defeat marked DC’s second straight runner-up finish, reinforcing their reputation as one of the most consistent teams without silverware.WPL winners list2023 – Mumbai Indians (Runner-up: Delhi Capitals)2024 – Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Runner-up: Delhi Capitals)2025 – Mumbai Indians (Runner-up: Delhi Capitals)2026 – Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Runner-up: Delhi Capitals)Mumbai Indians returned to the summit in 2025, lifting their second trophy and reaffirming their status as a powerhouse in the competition. For Delhi Capitals, the disappointment deepened as they finished runners-up for the third time in as many finals.The 2026 season followed a familiar script. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, inspired by captain Smriti Mandhana, lifted their second WPL title with a commanding six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in the final. Mandhana’s magnificent 87 off 41 balls, combined with Georgia Voll’s fluent 79 in a record 165-run stand, powered RCB to a memorable chase of 203. The victory also saw RCB draw level with Mumbai Indians as the most successful teams in WPL history.Despite valiant efforts from Jemimah Rodrigues, Chinelle Henry, Laura Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee, Delhi Capitals once again stumbled at the final hurdle, finishing runners-up for the fourth time in four finals.
Ireland’s Men’s U20s begin their 2026 U20 Six Nations campaign on Saturday night with a demanding opening assignment against France in Perpignan — and fans will be able to watch the match live on free-to-air television.
The game takes place at Stade Aime Giral, with kick-off at 8pm Irish time, and will be shown live on the RTÉ News Channel (Sky 517) as well as streamed on RTÉ Player, ensuring easy access for supporters across Ireland.
Byrne handed starting role in back three
Head coach Andrew Browne has named a youthful but well-balanced matchday squad, captained by tighthead prop Sami Bishti, with one of the standout selections being Noah Byrne at full-back.
Byrne, a former Dublin minor footballer, continues his impressive sporting journey by starting in the Ireland back three alongside Derry Moloney and Daniel Ryan. Comfortable under the high ball and composed in broken play, Byrne’s transition from Gaelic football to elite rugby has marked him out as one of the more intriguing prospects in the squad. His ability to read space and counter-attack could be key against a typically athletic French backline.
In midfield, Johnny O’Sullivan partners James O’Leary, while Christopher Barrett and Tom Wood link up at half-back, tasked with steering Ireland around the pitch in what is expected to be a high-tempo contest.
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Strong UCD influence in the pack
Ireland’s pack features a strong Leinster core, with UCD well represented. Bishti captains the side from tighthead prop, packing down alongside Max Doyle and Rian Handley in the front row. Dylan McNeice and Donnacha McGuire form the second row partnership, while the back row of Josh Neill, Billy Hayes and Diarmaid O’Connell offers a blend of physicality and mobility.
Browne has also named a well-rounded bench, with impact options available across both forwards and backs should the game open up in the final quarter.
Ireland U20s:
15. Noah Byrne (Dublin University FC/Leinster) 14. Derry Moloney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 13. Johnny O’Sullivan (Dublin University FC/Leinster) 12. James O’Leary (UCC/Munster) 11. Daniel Ryan (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht) 10. Tom Wood (Garryowen FC/Munster) 9. Christopher Barrett (UCC/Munster)
The team at Ciaron Maher’s stable has the blueprint for landing a Derby with an exciting three-year-old stayer and believes Dad And Dave could be next in line.
In the Listed 2200m race at Hobart on Friday night, Dad And Dave will seek to grant the Maher stable another Tasmanian Derby conquest.
Maher’s National Assistant-Trainer Jack Turnbull explained that they had eyed Dad And Dave as a Derby type before his maiden victory at Kyneton during December.
“Which Derby we weren’t sure,” Turnbull said.
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“But he’s got here at the right time.
“When he ran and won his maiden, it didn’t scream to set him for any other Derby at the moment, so we’ll see how he runs on Friday night but there is the potential to come back and look at Adelaide if he was still sound and well.”
Back in 2021, Explosive Jack became Maher’s Tasmanian Derby hero and subsequently conquered the Australian Derby at Randwick, the South Australian Derby at Morphettville, while earning third in the Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm.
Dad And Dave heads to Friday night’s showdown after prevailing in the Listed Launceston Guineas (2000m) most recently.
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The gelding is targeting the same double accomplished by three-year-olds Dunkel in 2023, Bold Soul in 2024, and Likeakalix last year.
Turnbull highlighted the appeal of targeting solid prizemoney with the developing stayer Dad And Dave.
“It’s good racing down there, the prize money is decent, they look after you really well and the facilities are really great,” Turnbull said.
“It’s only a short flight and it’s attractive to go there.
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“He’s a lighter-framed horse that has always been straight forward and is one we have been wanting to get out a trip.
“The 2200 metres, it’s a nice step for him. He’s had a good foundation, and it doesn’t look too strong a race.”
The World Anti-Doping Agency could investigate if evidence emerges that male ski jumpers are injecting their penises in a bid to improve sporting performance.
In January, German newspaper Bild reported that jumpers were injecting their penises with hyaluronic acid before being measured for their suits.
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Hyaluronic acid, which is not banned in sport, can be used to increase penis circumference by one or two centimetres.
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This would increase the surface area of their suits during competition, which, according to FIS, the international ski and snowboard federation, could increase their flight in the air.
“Every extra centimetre on a suit counts. If your suit has a 5% bigger surface area, you fly further,” said FIS ski jumping men’s race director Sandro Pertile.
Asked about the claims in Bild at a press conference at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Wada director general Olivier Niggli said: “I am not aware of the details of ski jumping, and how that could improve performance.
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“If anything was to come to the surface, we would look at it and see if it is doping related. We don’t address other [non-doping] means of enhancing performance.”
Clearly entertained by the question, Wada’s Polish president Witold Banka joked: “Ski jumping is very popular in Poland so I promise you I’m going to look at it.”
FIS communications director Bruno Sassi told BBC Sport: “There has never been any indication, let alone evidence, that any competitor has ever made use of a hyaluronic acid injection to attempt to gain a competitive advantage.”
Before the start of each season, ski jumpers are measured using 3D body scanners, in which they must wear only “elastic, body-tight underwear”.
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Rules state their suits must have a tolerance of only 2-4cm, and as part of the measuring process, their crotch height is also measured.
The crotch height of their suit must conform to the athlete’s crotch height, with the addition of 3cm for men.
Hyularonic acid injected into the penis can last up to 18 months.
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There have been previous attempts to improve performance through manipulations of the suits.
In August, Norwegian Olympic medallists Marius Lindvik and Johann Andre Forfang accepted three-month suspensions for their part in the tampering of suits during the men’s large hill event at the World Ski Championships in Trondheim, Norway, in March.
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While it later transpired the athletes themselves were not aware of the tampering, FIS said their team had “tried to cheat the system” by putting reinforced thread in their jumpsuits.
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Both athletes are set to compete at these Winter Olympics, which officially start on Friday.
The men’s ski jumping competition begins on Monday.
The 2026 WM Phoenix Open continues on Friday with the second round at TPC Scottsdale. You can find full WM Phoenix Open tee times for Friday’s second round at the bottom of this post.
Featured tee time for Round 2
Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth is hoping to spark a career comeback this week at the WM Phoenix Open.
Spieth last won a PGA Tour event in 2022 at the RBC Heritage, and the last major title he captured was the 2017 Open Championship. But Spieth has shown signs of a turnaround in recent years. In his first start of the 2026 season, he finished T24 at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Now he’s hoping the racous atmoshpere at the WM Phoenix Open can jolt him back into the winner’s circle. But World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler stands in his way.
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After starting the opening round on the 10th tee, Spieth will switch to a front-nine start on Friday.
Spieth tees off for Round 2 at 2:55 p.m. ET alongside Scheffler and Chris Gotterup.
You can watch Friday’s second round of the 2026 WM Phoenix Open from 3:30-7:30 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage in addition to featured group and featured hole coverage on Friday.
Check out the complete Round 2 tee times for the WM Phoenix Open below.
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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2026 WM Phoenix Open tee times for Friday: Round 2 (ET)
Tee No. 1
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
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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
Michael Carrick’s Manchester United will target fourth successive win when Tottenham head to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime.
Manchester United are expected be without at least three first-team players for Saturday lunchtime’s Premier League showdown against Tottenham. Michael Carrick‘s side host Spurs at Old Trafford looking to make it four successive victories after beating Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham.
It’s a run of form that has seen United move up to fourth place in the Premier League table, just five points behind third-placed Aston Villa and six adrift of City in second. But the Reds are aware that failure to beat Spurs could see them drop to as low as sixth position with Chelsea and arch rivals Liverpool close behind them.
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With Tottenham winless in six top-flight matches, however, United are going to no doubt be confident of securing yet another important victory. This is despite the Reds still having some players not available.
Here, we take a closer look at the United treatment table;
Matthijs de Ligt has missed the last 12 matches due to a back problem. He is not expected to be available to face Tottenham, either, with Carrick confirming that it is “a little bit too soon at the moment.”
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A return for De Ligt is anticipated at some point in February.
“Matta [De Ligt], he’s working his way back, taking good steps and improving,” Carrick said on Thursday. “It’s a little bit too soon at the moment but, hopefully, it won’t be too long [before De Ligt is back].”
Potential return date: Late February 2026
Mason Mount
Mason Mount missed out against Fulham last time out, due to a knock that he suffered in training. The England international is a major doubt to face Tottenham.
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“Probably, Mason [will be available] sooner [than De Ligt],” Carrick said on Thursday. “He’s not too far away really. We’re hopeful it won’t be too long.”
Potential return date: Tuesday, February 10 – West Ham (A)
Patrick Dorgu
Patrick Dorgu had been in inspired form for United before injuring his hamstring injury against Arsenal – and now the Denmark international is facing at least another two months on the side-lines.
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“Pat, unfortunately, he’s going to be out for a period of time. We’re still working through how long that’s going to be,” Carrick said last Friday. We’ll have to see, it’s disappointing, he’s had such a big couple of weeks, Pat.
“We weren’t sure whether it was a little bit of cramp or whether it was something a little bit more serious and, at the moment, it looks a little bit more on the serious note.
“So, it’ll be a few weeks for that. How many weeks? We’ll have to wait and see. So, that’s disappointing for all of us really, and for Pat, he’s in such a good place but, unfortunately, it is part of football and it’s something we’ve got to work through and get him back as soon as we can.”
SAN FRANCISCO — Welcome to the Thursday edition of the Pick Six newsletter!
I don’t know how it happened, but the Super Bowl is now only three days away — at least, that’s what I’ve been told. I actually have no idea how far away it is because I’ve lost all sense of time out here in San Francisco. If I’ve learned one thing this week, it’s that nothing about the Pacific Time Zone makes sense. I never know what time it is. I wake up at odd hours and never know when to go to bed.
If you’re wondering what I’ve been up to over the past 24 hours, I got to go down to Levi’s Stadium on Wednesday and sample EVERY piece of food that’s going to be served at the Super Bowl — and that includes oysters. Yup, they’re going to have oysters at the Super Bowl, and someone will even be shucking them.
Let’s stop talking about food, though, and start talking about football. In today’s newsletter, we’ll be making some predictions for the awards being handed out at NFL Honors. Plus, we’ve got some Super Bowl picks.
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As always, here’s your reminder to tell all your friends to sign up for the newsletter. Let’s get to the rundown.
1. NFL Honors is here: Here are our predictions
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If there’s one thing that always seems to get lost in the shuffle during Super Bowl week, it’s the fact that the NFL hands out all of its major awards. That will be happening during the NFL Honors ceremony.
This year, that means if you want to know who’s going to win MVP, you’ll need to tune in to the NFL Honors show, which will air at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. During the two-hour ceremony, hosted by Jon Hamm, we’ll see every award handed out — from Coach of the Year to Offensive Player of the Year to Defensive Rookie of the Year and everything in between.
Show: 2026 NFL Honors Date: Thursday, Feb. 5 Location: Palace of Fine Arts (San Francisco) Time: 9 p.m. ET TV: NBC
Before the awards get handed out, our NFL crew here at CBS Sports voted on each award. Several tight races will come to an end at the ceremony. There are five finalists for MVP, but that race feels like it’s down to Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye. Coach of the Year is also up for grabs, and it feels like that will probably go to Mike Vrabel, Mike Macdonald, Liam Coen or Ben Johnson.
So who did we vote for? Let’s check it out.
We had 12 voters, and seven of them used their MVP vote on Maye while the other five voted for Stafford (I voted for Stafford). The Coach of the Year award was also a nail-biter, with Vrabel beating out Macdonald by two votes (6-4). The only other vote-getter was Kyle Shanahan, who received three votes. You can check out our full list of award winners here.
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2. Super Bowl LX picks: We’re all taking the Seahawks
I’ve basically spent half my week tracking down everyone’s Super Bowl pick here at CBS Sports. Pete Prisco claims he’s in San Francisco, but it’s been three days and I still haven’t seen him. The good news for me is that I didn’t need to see him in person to get his pick because he wrote it for the website on Wednesday.
Anyway, I have four picks here, and we’re all taking the Seahawks, which seems like a giant jinx waiting to happen.
With that in mind, let’s get to the Super Bowl picks for a game where the Seahawks are currently favored by 4.5 points.
Pete Prisco: Seahawks 27-10 over Patriots. “I don’t think Seattle’s offense will spend the game moving up and down the field, but the Seahawks will be able to feast on short fields given to them by the defense. I think Maye will turn it over a few times and the sacks will start to wear on him. This will be a day for the Seattle defense.” For a full explanation of Prisco’s Super Bowl pick, be sure to click here.
Tyler Sullivan: Seahawks 30-17 over Patriots.“It’s hard to imagine Drake Maye and the Patriots’ offense suddenly turning the tide in this Super Bowl against a Seattle defense that was the No. 1 scoring defense this season. Moreover, the No. 1 scoring defenses that have squared off against All-Pro quarterbacks (like Maye) in the Super Bowl are 5-1 in the previous six matchups. Seattle wins this in a rather convincing fashion.” For a full explanation of Sullivan’s Super Bowl pick, be sure to click here.
Jordan Dajani: Seahawks 20-13 over Patriots.“This is the seventh Super Bowl since 1970 between an All-Pro quarterback (Maye) and the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense (Seattle). The No. 1 scoring defense is 5-1 in the previous six matchups. … They say defense wins championships, and I think that will be proven Sunday.” If you want to read Dajani’s full pick, be sure to click here.
John Breech: Seahawks 34-20 over Patriots.“For me, the deciding factor in this game is going to be Mike Macdonald. Since being hired by the Seahawks in 2024, Macdonald has absolutely dominated young quarterbacks, and now he gets to face the second-youngest starting quarterback in the history of the Super Bowl (Drake Maye). In his two seasons on the job, Macdonald has coached six games against first- or second-year quarterbacks, and he’s gone 6-0 in those games. Those wins have come against good quarterbacks like Bo Nix, Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams. Not only is he undefeated, but the six quarterbacks have averaged just 168.8 yards passing while throwing nine interceptions compared to just two touchdowns. If Macdonald forces Maye into a bad game, the Seahawks will likely win big.” For the rest of my pick, be sure to click here.
3. Super Bowl on Madden: We simulated Seahawks-Patriots and here’s what happened
Madden NFL 26 (EA Sports)
Alright, now that we’ve got the writer picks out of the way, let’s move on to the Madden simulation. We had Tyler Sullivan simulate the entire game on Madden — and yes, this means Sullivan got paid to play video games for two hours, and yes, I’m jealous — but the important thing here is that if his simulation turns out to be correct, then we now know who’s going to win the Super Bowl.
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Here’s what happened:
Sam Darnold takes a beating in the first half, but keeps Seahawks in the game. The Seahawks QB took a beating in the first half, getting sacked five times. Seattle’s offense sputtered for most of the half, but Darnold bounced back with a touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp late in the second quarter to tie the game at 10 heading into halftime.
Drake Maye has the longest pass of the game. The second half opened with one of the biggest plays of the game when Maye hit Hunter Henry for a 64-yard touchdown pass to give the Patriots a 17-10 lead in the third quarter.
The game comes down to a field goal. The Seahawks mounted a comeback thanks to Darnold and Kupp, who connected for a second touchdown in the fourth quarter. In the end, though, the game was decided on a Jason Myers field goal. The Seahawks kicker drilled a 20-yarder to give Seattle a 23-20 win.
This is the sixth year Sullivan has done a Super Bowl simulation, and the sim is 4-1 so far, which would seem to bode well for the Seahawks. Last year, the simulation predicted a three-point win by the Eagles, who ended up beating the Chiefs, 40-22.
If you want every detail on how the simulation played out, plus watch highlights from the game, then be sure to click here.
4. Super Bowl injury report: Seahawks could be missing a key player
There usually aren’t too many surprises on the injury report during Super Bowl week, but there was definitely one on Wednesday.
Here’s the latest on the health of both teams:
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Nick Emmanwori dealing with an ankle injury. The Seahawks rookie safety, who has been a key part of their pass defense this year, injured his ankle at practice while trying to defend a pass. Mike Macdonald didn’t offer many details. “He had an ankle today,” Macdonald said. “We brought him in to look at it, and we’ll kind of go from here and figure out what are the next steps.” On Wednesday night, video surfaced of Emmanwori returning to the team hotel, and the positive news for Seattle is that he wasn’t using crutches or wearing a boot. It’s still unclear if he’ll be able to play Sunday, so this will be a situation to monitor.
Sam Darnold’s oblique feeling better. The Seahawks QB was listed as a limited participant Wednesday, but he sounds ready to go. “It feels really good,” he said. “Definitely the time off has helped a little bit. I’m always just going to take it one step at a time, do my rehab and do everything I need to do to make sure it feels great going into practice and the game.”
Drake Maye’s shoulder improving. Maye was a full participant in practice, so the Patriots are confident in the health of his shoulder. He said Wednesday that it “feels great.” Maye was one of just five players on New England’s injury report. LB Robert Spillane (ankle) was the only player who didn’t practice.
5. Ranking all 59 Super Bowls: Two Giants wins are at the top
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There have been 59 Super Bowls played in NFL history, and Bryan DeArdo decided to rank ALL of them this week. Since he took the time to rank every Super Bowl ever played, it only makes sense for us to take a look.
I don’t want to spoil the entire list, so here’s his top 10 — plus the game he ranked last:
1. Super Bowl XXV:Giants 20-19 over Bills 2. Super Bowl XLII: Giants 17-14 over Patriots 3. Super Bowl LI: Patriots 34-28 over Falcons (OT) 4. Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots 28-24 over Seahawks 5. Super Bowl XLIII:Steelers 27-23 over Cardinals 6. Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots 20-17 over Rams 7. Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams 23-16 over Titans 8. Super Bowl LVIII: Chiefs 25-22 over 49ers (OT) 9. Super Bowl XXXII: Broncos 31-24 over Packers 10. Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers 20-16 over Bengals … 59. Super Bowl XXXV: Raven 35-7 over Giants
With the Patriots and Seahawks set to meet again, we should probably cross our fingers for another classic. I absolutely agree with DeArdo that their first meeting was one of the five best Super Bowls of all time. It had everything, and of course, it gave us the longest-running NFL debate ever: Should the Seahawks have given the ball to Marshawn Lynch at the 1-yard line?
6. Extra points: Most expensive ticket at the Super Bowl
It’s been a busy 24 hours in the NFL, and since it’s nearly impossible to keep track of everything, I put together a quick roundup for you.
Super Bowl’s most expensive seat. I was inside Levi’s Stadium on Wednesday, so I decided to look up the most expensive ticket on the secondary market and check out the view. The priciest seat is going for $30,000, and if you want to know what the view looks like, I’ve got you covered here.
49ers will likely play an international game in 2026. The 49ers have only played one international game over the past 12 years, but that number could be going up in 2026. During an interview this week, owner Jed York said the team will likely be leaving the country for one game this year, and he already has a spot in mind for that game. “We will most likely give up a home game this season to play abroad, and Mexico is always No. 1 on my list,” York said. The NFL is playing a total of nine games abroad this year, and so far, we already know five teams who will be leaving the country (Rams, Saints, Commanders, Lions and Falcons). If York is right, the 49ers will soon be joining that group.
Lions fan files $100 million lawsuit against DK Metcalf and others. In Week 16, Metcalf got into it with a Lions fan while the Steelers were in Detroit, and now, that fan has filed a $100 million lawsuit against multiple parties, including Metcalf, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ford Field Management LLC, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, Shay Shay Media LLC and All Time Sports LLC. The man is seeking monetary damages because he claims he was physically harmed and that he was also falsely accused of making racist comments towards Metcalf. If you want the full details of the lawsuit, we’ve got those here.
Maxx Crosby might be ready to move on. There are always interesting rumors during Super Bowl week, and here’s one more: During an interview Wednesday, Fox Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer was asked if he thought Crosby was done with the Raiders. His two-word answer: “I do.” That doesn’t mean a trade is imminent, but he’s certainly a player to watch this offseason.
Black Ops 7 Ranked Play is finally here with the release of Season 2. This highly competitive mode follows Call of Duty League (CDL) rules, and you need to compete against players of your same skill level. By winning matches, you can climb up the ranks.
Also, there are several rewards to look forward to. You need to reach certain win milestones, kill milestones, and rank milestones to earn various rewards.
In this article, we will cover all the rewards available in Black Ops 7 Ranked Play starting with Season 2. We will also include other important information like rules and restrictions, the SR (Skill Rating) mechanism, and more.
How to unlock all the Black Ops 7 Ranked Play rewards in Season 2
There are two types of Black Ops 7Ranked Play rewards: Seasonal Rewards and Career Rewards.
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Seasonal Rewards are different each season, and you must complete the requirements to earn them before that specific season ends.
Career Rewards are counted across all seasons of Ranked Play. These rewards won’t change with a new season; they remain available for the entirety of the mode’s existence in the game.
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Black Ops 7 Ranked Play Seasonal Rewards: Season 2
Black Ops 7 Season 2 Ranked Play rewards (Image via Activision)
These rewards are exclusive to Season 2 and must be earned before the season concludes.
Reach Silver Rank in Season 02: “Ranked Season 02 — Silver” Calling Card
Reach Gold Rank in Season 02: “Ranked Season 02 — Gold” Calling Card, and “Ranked Season 02 — Gold” Weapon Camo (Universal).
Reach Platinum Rank in Season 02: “Ranked Season 02 — Platinum” Calling Card, and “Ranked Season 02 — Platinum” Weapon Camo (Universal).
Reach Diamond Rank in Season 02: “Ranked Season 02 — Diamond” Calling Card, and “Ranked Season 02 — Diamond” Weapon Camo (Universal).
Reach Crimson Rank in Season 02: “Ranked Season 02 — Crimson” Calling Card, and “Ranked Season 02 — Crimson” Weapon Camo (Universal).
Reach Iridescent Rank in Season 02: “Ranked Season 02 — Iridescent” Animated Calling Card, and “Ranked Season 02 — Iridescent” Weapon Camo (Animated, Universal).
Finish Season 02 at the Top 250 Rank: “Ranked Season 02 — Top 250” Animated Calling Card, and “Ranked Season 02 — Top 250” Weapon Camo (Animated, Universal).
Finish Season 02 at the Top 250 Rank: #1 Overall: “Ranked Season 02 – Top 250 Champion” Animated Calling Card.
Black Ops 7 Ranked Play Career Rewards: Win Challenges
These rewards are earned by accumulating wins throughout your entire Ranked Play career.
3 Wins: “2035 Competitor” Emblem
10 Wins: “BO7 Ranked Competitor” Operator Skins (four separate Skins, Home Male and Female, Away Male and Female).
20 Wins: “Pro Issue M15 MOD 0” Assault Rifle Blueprint
Black Ops 7 Ranked Play Career Rewards: Rank Skins
These Rank Skins are acquired once you reach the specific Rank milestones below. Once reached, you unlock four different skins per rank: Home Male, Home Female, Away Male, and Away Female.
Finish a Season in the Top 250 Rank: Top 250 Competitor (4x Skins)
Finish a Season at Top 250 #1 Overall: Top 250 Champion (4x Skins)
Black Ops 7 Ranked Play rules and restrictions
The first rule is that you need to win 50 matchmade Multiplayer matches to unlock the Black Ops 7 Ranked Play mode. After you unlock this competitive mode, you should know that there are certain rules and restrictions based on CDL rules and “Gentleman’s Agreements” (GAs).
Friendly Fire: Friendly fire is enabled.
If you are inactive, disconnect during matches, or shoot friendlies, you will face consequences like SR penalties or suspensions.
Weapon restrictions: Only assault rifles, SMGs, pistols, and melee weapons are allowed in matches. Although you can use snipers in Search & Destroy, they are restricted in other modes like Hardpoint and Overload.
Attachment restrictions: Many attachments are restricted and are not allowed to be used in Ranked matches.
Scorestreak restrictions: Individual Loadout and Scorestreak item types are also restricted.
Allowed Wildcard: Only the Perk Greed Wildcard is allowed in Ranked matches.
Perk restrictions:Core and Hybrid Perk Specialties are restricted and cannot be activated in Ranked matches.
Overclocks:Overclocks are also not available in Ranked Play.
Black Ops 7 Ranked Play Skill Rating (SR) mechanism
Skill Rating (SR) is the score that determines your skill and rank in the Ranked Play mode. You can earn SR by winning matches and eliminating opponents, and you lose SR by losing matches or being inactive or disconnected during matches. However, the SR calculation is not very straightforward and is calculated a bit differently, as explained below:
Winning matches grants you SR: If you win a match, you will earn SR, but the amount will differ in every match. The amount of SR you earn is directly dependent on how you perform in the match, the skill levels of your opponents, and the margin of your victory.
SR Calculation Mechanism: When you see a large amount of SR earned in a match, it usually means you have played against players of higher ranks, meaning the SR system determines that you are currently in a lower rank compared to your actual skill level (and is boosting you up).
SR Losses: When you lose a match, you will lose SR.
Furthermore, this competitive mode also features the SR Forgiveness mechanism, which works as mentioned below:
New Season Protection: When a new season arrives, your first three match losses won’t result in SR reduction.
Rank Up Protection: When you climb up a higher rank, then your first three match losses wont have SR reduction.
Daily Loss Protection: Each new day, you get one match loss where you don’t lose SR.
Matchmade Teammate quit: If you are playing with randoms, and a matchmade teammate quits during an ongoing match, then there won’t be an SR reduction.
Matchmade Teammate rejoined: If playing with randoms, and a Matchmade Teammate quits but later rejoins, and you lose the match, then your SR reduction is reduced, meaning you will lose less SR in that particular match.
Available maps and modes in Black Ops 7 Ranked Play Season 2
There are six maps and three modes available in Black Ops 7 Ranked Play Season 2, but not every mode is available on every map. So, check out the table below to know which maps have which modes:
