The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will play in the first NFL game in Australia next season, the league announced on Thursday. Melbourne Cricket Ground will be the site of one of the two 2026 regular season meetings between the NFC West rivals.
The long plane ride to Melbourne will only add to the miles both teams are used to traveling. This past season the NFC West led the NFL in miles traveled with 114,833. The Rams (34,832) and 49ers (28,363) finished in the top five among all teams.
The Rams are one of four NFL teams, along with the Seattle Seahawks, Las Vegas Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles, that hold international marketing rights in Australia and New Zealand. Los Angeles was awarded rights in Australia in 2021. A year later, the NFL opened an office in Australia and has since created a flag football program and an academy.
This past season games were played in São Paulo, Brazil; Berlin, Germany; Dublin, Ireland; Madrid, Spain; and three in London, England.
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NFL’s 2026 international schedule
Melbourne, Australia: Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers at Melbourne Cricket Ground Paris, France: New Orleans Saints vs. TBA at Stade de France Madrid, Spain: TBA at Bernabéu Stadium Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: TBA at Estádio do Maracanã Munich, Germany: TBA at Allianz Arena Monterrey, Mexico: TBA at Estadio Banorte London, England: TBA at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (two games) London, England: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. TBA at Wembley Stadium
SAN JOSE, Calif. — By 6:30 a.m. on weekdays throughout the NFL season, Seattle Seahawks coaches and players could walk past the far left room of their facility and see a meeting in session led by one of two men.
Sometimes, quarterback Sam Darnold manned the computer near the window as he rolled through film, lights off and breakfast already procured. Other times, veteran receiver Cooper Kupp rolled the film. The two would exchange playful ribbing, often jabbing about which arrived to the building first. Then, they would solve the problems most likely to arise in the quarterback-receiver connection.
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How should Kupp adjust his route if Darnold is under pressure? Should those adjustments focus more on timing or depth of route?
“They almost look like mad scientists,” defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Karl Scott told Yahoo Sports. “I don’t know what they’re doing in there, but obviously they’re doing something right.”
The Seahawks, and Darnold, are creating a reality far removed from what Darnold experienced to start his career. The meeting room overlooking an idyllic Lake Washington belies the journey that the California native traveled before landing back on the West Coast.
Since he was drafted at 20 years old in 2018, Darnold has started for the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers (just one game), Minnesota Vikings and Seahawks. The 28-year-old’s fall and subsequent rise may seem storybook. And yet, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak pushed back on what seems like the obvious lesson of a player reaching his greatest heights in his eighth season.
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“You’d like to think patience is the lesson, but the NFL is not about patience,” Kubiak said Monday. “It’s not fair. It’s not a fair league. So the cool thing about the NFL is sometimes you get your tail fired and then you get to go try somewhere else and you just make sure that you got better from that last experience. So myself, players, we all get fired. And if we get another chance, then you go make the most of the next opportunity.
“That’s what Sam’s done.”
What he has the chance to do next is rare.
Sunday, Darnold will become the third quarterback in NFL history to start a Super Bowl after playing for five-plus teams in his NFL career, and the second to start in a season opener for four-plus teams then later start in a Super Bowl. No quarterback has accomplished either in the last two decades. And if Darnold leads a 4.5-point favorite Seattle team to beat the New England Patriots on Sunday, he’ll be the first quarterback to start for four-plus teams and win a Super Bowl.
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By Wednesday, Seahawks players and coaches were preaching about his resilience in their sleep, understanding the disbelief surrounding one of the unlikeliest NFL paths in recent years. Even businesses were stunned: The NFL’s official licensing company, Fanatics, issued an apology this week for far underestimating the potential playoff run and related jersey demand the Patriots and Seahawks’ sudden success has elicited. A Hollywood ending is in reach.
“America loves an underdog, rightfully so,” tight end AJ Barner said. “These stories God’s writing right now, no script[writer] could write a better script than this.”
But as he prepares to start on the biggest stage, the phoenix legend begs questions. How did Darnold rise from the ashes of NFL quarterback failure?
League views Sam Darnold as only partially responsible for his early failures
To fully appreciate Darnold’s rise, first understand his fall. The now two-time Pro Bowler and those close to him are not afraid to describe his early career as a period of failure. League talent evaluators identify two key culprits.
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The first: Darnold’s relative inexperience. When the Jets spent the third overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft on a 20-year-old, Darnold had played just two seasons at USC. Darnold ranked fifth in the NCAA with 4,143 passing yards his final season — but his 13 interceptions ranked worse than 509 quarterbacks. He needed molding, which leads to culprit No. 2: Was he at the right place at the right time to receive development?
“Respectfully, the Jets were not the right time,” a high-ranking NFC executive told Yahoo Sports. “And I think they’ve shown for the last how many years that that’s not the right place. [But] the reality of the NFL … is that we’re very impatient.”
Among quarterbacks who started at least 10 games from 2018-2020, Darnold’s 78.6 passer rating ranked 45 of 47. He won fewer games in three Jets seasons (13) than he won this year alone (14).
That led to a third culprit, Darnold admitted this week: spiraling after moments of bad play.
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“As a young player, too, early in my career, I was really hard on myself after a bad rep or a bad practice,” Darnold said Wednesday. “I would let it affect my attitude a little bit.”
Years later Darnold would accept: “It’s not always going to be perfect. That’s why everybody loves this game and people call it some of the best reality TV there is.”
Sam Darnold started 17 games in two seasons with the Panthers in 2021-2022 . (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
(Chris Graythen via Getty Images)
After three losing seasons, the Jets dealt Darnold to the Panthers on April 5, 2021. Darnold’s play would improve, particularly during a 2022 stretch when he led the Panthers to four wins in six starts. But Carolina wasn’t sold enough on Darnold not to draft Bryce Young first overall. So on Darnold went to the 49ers, where Brock Purdy was rehabilitating from an elbow injury. Purdy recovered to start all but one game, but Darnold gained something even more valuable: a crash course from head coach Kyle Shanahan, one of the architects of the popular Shanahan-McVay offensive system.
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That background, and a training camp meniscus tear to rookie 10th overall pick J.J. McCarthy the following August, would elevate Darnold to Vikings QB1 in 2024. He was still just 27 years old and now entering a system in which he had familiarity with a level of maturity (or scarring, depending whom you ask) and the stars were finally aligning. Darnold lit it up with a 4,319-yard, 35 touchdown-to-13-interception season.
“Guys develop,” Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told Yahoo Sports of the takeaway. “These quarterbacks, if they get enough time on the job, they just get better.”
Still, struggles in the regular-season finale and a wild-card loss in which he took nine sacks convinced the Vikings to roll with McCarthy’s cost-effective salary rather than pay Darnold. As Seattle offered a three-year, $100.5 million contract with a dose of the belief that four teams had lost, Darnold reunited with former 49ers colleague in Kubiak, now the Seahawks offensive coordinator.
“It kind of gave him a leg up,” quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko told Yahoo Sports. “Allowed us to kind of get ahead.”
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Seahawks’ unwavering in belief in Darnold key ingredient to Super Bowl run
Seahawks colleagues liken Darnold joining Seattle under Kubiak’s coordinating to a student showing up to an exam having already completed a take-home test. He understood much of Kubiak’s terminology and footwork aims; Kubiak, in turn, understood how a strong run game and heavy dose of play action would benefit his quarterback.
The Seahawks began the year 7-2 before Darnold faced the team that had wrecked his rhythm in the playoffs 11 months earlier. Darnold threw four interceptions in a 21-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 16. Questions about his ability to rise to the moment bubbled, but teammates clapped back.
“If we want to try to define Sam by this game, Sam’s had us in every f***ing game,” linebacker Ernest Jones IV said then. “So for him to sit there and say, ‘That’s my fault.’ No, it’s not. There were plays that, defensively, we could have made plays. There were opportunities where we could have gotten better stops. It’s football, man. He’s our quarterback.
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“We’ve got his back and you got anything to say about it, quite frankly, f*** you.”
The Seahawks haven’t lost any of nine games since.
Seven more regular-season wins included an overtime escape from the Rams. Darnold joined Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to lead different teams to 14 wins in consecutive seasons. The Seahawks earned the wild-card bye, then faced a pair of NFC West foes for the third time. Despite an oblique injury that kept him from practicing, Seattle crushed the 49ers, 41-6. And with a chance to make a statement against the pesky Rams, Darnold played his best in the NFC championship, completing 69.4% of passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns.
And notably: After turning the ball over a league-high 20 times in the regular season (14 interceptions, six lost fumbles), Darnold has not turned the ball over in the playoffs. He credits an increased willingness to check down the ball on first and second downs, and to remember on third down that he can lean on a No. 1-ranked scoring defense.
“This year, especially the latter half of the season, I always felt like I never really had to force anything,” Darnold said. “And that’s a big key for me as a quarterback and kind of a security blanket almost. I can feel really confident in just moving onto the next play and letting our special teams and our defense go to work. Understanding that we just got to protect the football at all costs and being able to move on as a quarterback from there.”
Darnold knows he will err at times, but Kubiak credits the short memory his quarterback has developed. Darnold’s approach is fitting for the son of a plumber.
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“Learning how to flush bad plays, flush bad games always at the end of the day,” Darnold said. “No matter if I had a bad game, a bad rep or a bad series of plays, I always [am now] able to wake up the next day and be able to move on.
“I learned a ton from my early years.”
With Lombardi Trophy in reach, what will Darnold’s legacy be?
Even if the Seahawks win the Super Bowl, debates will rage. Does Darnold’s odds-defying journey by definition catapult him to the level of elite, or at least great, quarterbacks? A related question: Can a team win a Super Bowl without a great quarterback?
The high-ranking NFC executive said that as long as a quarterback is “functional,” a Super Bowl win is possible. Great quarterback play makes a Super Bowl path more likely; but it’s not the only route there.
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“As long as they’re not keeping you from winning,” a high-ranking AFC executive agreed, “you let whatever strengths you have guide your team.”
No one’s arguing that Darnold’s ceiling looks higher than that of recent MVPs in the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen or Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson. But Darnold reaching a Super Bowl before his fellow 2018 draft classmates must prompt questions about the range of recipes that can produce a world championship.
And if the Seahawks win with Darnold, whether or not they win because of him, what contractual value does he warrant?
Darnold joins Baker Mayfield, Daniel Jones and Geno Smith as recent NFL quarterbacks to become effective starters only later in their careers with teams other than those that drafted them. But Darnold is the first in that crop to reach a Super Bowl, or even a conference championship. An NFC executive told Yahoo Sports they see Darnold as leading the “resurgence of the middle class quarterback.” Other executives, however, wonder if a win will compel the Seahawks to raise Darnold from the middle class.
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Two more seasons remain on Darnold’s $33.5 million per year deal, a contract that ranks 18th among quarterbacks. Would the Seahawks extend Darnold now, offering him new money that hovers above $50 million as they recognize his relatively inexpensive two existing years can offset the hit?
For now, the franchise is not focused on that.
The Seahawks are focused on finishing their underdog journey to win at the highest level, hoping a great defense and balanced offense will clinch their goal. They’re focused on not getting too caught up in any one play, Darnold remembering that unlike during his Jets tenure, he must not let mistakes sink his attitude.
“You want to be hard on yourself, but I think you don’t want to be hard on yourself in the moment,” he said. “You can be harder on yourself without getting mad at yourself.”
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Three years in this offense, eight years in the NFL and dozens of 6:30 a.m. meetings with Kupp later, Darnold will take the biggest stage.
He’ll do so not trying to put his failures behind him. He will instead take them with him.
“The biggest thing is to just believe in yourself,” Darnold said. “I think that’s really what it comes down to is as long as I’ve always believed in myself and I’ve always had confidence in myself to do my job and I learned, learned a ton from the mistakes that I made early on in my career.
“That kind of mindset has kind of gotten me to this point.”
The 2026 NFL Draft is still several months away, but this is the ideal time of year to get caught up on the prospects who will make an impact on the fantasy football landscape for redraft and dynasty leagues.
With the main fantasy season complete, I’ve had time to go over game tape, collegiate production, interviews and more, in order to project what this incoming crop of rookies will become at the next level.
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We’ll get more precise athletic testing numbers to work with at the NFL Combine in late February, before eventually finding out how NFL front offices value this class when draft day arrives in April.
Consider this a starting point in the pre-draft process, while understanding that landing spots will have an important impact on the fantasy value of each player. Once we know which organization they’ll be joining, it reveals a larger part of the puzzle in terms of their opportunity, coaching, scheme and team culture.
For now, we’ll continue this series by focusing on the incoming wide receivers who have the best chance to become fantasy-relevant in the NFL.
Prospect Fantasy Outlooks
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Two at the top
There’s at least one high-end talent at every position in this year’s class, but the receivers are by far the most intriguing and deep group for fantasy managers to target.
That begins with Lemon and Tate as the top tier, both expected to go off the board early in the first round of the draft — and for good reason.
Lemon is a scrappy playmaker who’s dangerous all over the field, with his best work coming in the short-to-intermediate range. His contested-catch ability and toughness are notable given his 5-foot-11, 195-pound frame. He’s also quick and decisive with the ball in his hands, shaking defenders en route to extra yards.
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While he lacks elite speed, he moves very well and will always find ways to beat the defense he’s facing. The slot is where he does his best work, but he can be effective all over the formation.
Tate is a more traditional big-bodied X-receiver who also overcomes a lack of elite speed with a variety of high-level traits. The 21-year-old is a smooth athlete with good awareness, who carves up defenses with strong hands, quality route running and excellent contested-catch ability. He does a great job tracking the ball, high-pointing passes and using his body to box out defenders.
His college production wasn’t as massive as you might expect, due to the level of target competition at Ohio State and some durability issues. While he would be wise to add some bulk to his frame, Tate has all the tools to become a difference-maker in the NFL.
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Fantasy Outlook: Given their talent profiles and the likely top-10 draft capital they should get in April, Lemon and Tate will be highly coveted by fantasy managers in dynasty and redraft formats.
In the right situations, we could see them emerge as top-24 fantasy wideouts right away, which is why they occupy two of the top three spots in my dynasty rookie rankings, behind only Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love. Even if it takes time for them to learn how to win in the pros, both Lemon and Tate offer high ceilings as potential fantasy WR1s.
Dynasty rookie value (Superflex): 1.02-1.03
Immense upside
Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Denzel Boston, Washington
This category contains three wideouts who are extremely talented and could also see first-round draft capital in April.
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Tyson often gets mentioned in the same tier as Lemon and Tate, but I see him as a slight step down. That doesn’t mean I’m not interested in the player, though. The 21-year-old is a versatile weapon who separates well and is a smooth route runner. He displayed a knack for making clutch plays in college and will be a reliable target for his next quarterback, thanks to a big catch radius, but he doesn’t offer the same amount of elite attributes as the guys above him.
Boston might have an equally high ceiling as Tyson, but will likely be drafted after him. In Boston, I see a strong possession receiver and red-zone threat with ideal size who has trustworthy hands, which serve him well in contested-catch situations. He also shows veteran savvy near the sidelines, pulling off toe-tapping grabs with ease. If you’re going to include Tyson in the top tier, then Boston needs to be there as well.
That brings us to the final member of this section in Concepcion. The 21-year-old plays like a more physical Jordan Addison. His willingness to square up and take on a defender is worth highlighting, given his size at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds.
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Concepcion is a high-end athlete who’s a versatile and dynamic playmaker. While he might not have lightning-fast, straight-line speed, he can still threaten deep and is tricky to deal with in tight spaces.
Fantasy Outlook: This trio has a longer path to becoming top-12 fantasy receivers, but it’s not out of the question. A more realistic projection for them long-term would have them settling in as fantasy WR2s.
The good news is they all look the part of being potential stars from their skills to athleticism to confidence on the field. That, combined with their suspected first-round draft capital, makes for a smart bet in the opening round of dynasty rookie drafts.
Dynasty rookie value (Superflex): 1.04-1.09
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Believe the hype
Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
Zachariah Branch, Georgia
If you’re looking for the best fantasy values, they’re likely to come from this group.
Cooper really stood out to me as a versatile receiver who has great contact balance and a big catch radius for his size. He fights for every yard after his receptions, pushing off and evading defenders along the way. He’s a smooth mover and powerful ball carrier. While it’s a lofty high-end comparison, his playing style has shades of Deebo Samuel Sr. meets Odell Beckham Jr.
Fields is another favorite of mine who profiles as a strong No. 2 receiver in the NFL, but showcased enough Alpha traits to make me want to invest heavily in dynasty. The Notre Dame product has an excellent size-speed combo, even though his true speed comes as a long strider when he opens it up downfield. It’s impossible to deny his circus-catch abilities, stemming from his high-pointing the ball and using his expert body control to adjust on the fly. He’s also surprisingly sneaky after the catch, not going down easily and spinning off defenders.
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Branch is from the Zay Flowers mold as a dynamic athlete with high-end speed, soft hands and obvious playmaking ability. He’s the kind of receiver who can change direction without losing a step and is incredibly dangerous after the catch, capable of taking any pass to the house. Let’s hope he finds an offense willing to feature him and not just use him as a gadget option and special teamer.
Sarratt has all the makings of a strong possession receiver on the outside or perhaps a big slot, depending on the offense he ends up in. Either way, he has confident hands that pluck the ball out of the air, which pairs well with his quality route running. He’s not going to blow anyone away with his athleticism, but he’s a physical wideout who appears to have that clutch capability that will make him a quarterback’s best friend.
Bell will be tough to evaluate over the next few months after suffering a torn ACL in late November. Though we’ve seen many players return from serious knee injuries before the following season, that’s much harder to do as an unproven rookie. Bell is a physical possession receiver who isn’t afraid to mix it up over the middle of the field, but he lacks elite skills, which makes him an even riskier pick given the injury.
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Fantasy Outlook: While my personal preferences could have led to more tiers within this section, I wanted to stay true to my analysis and keep this quintet together.
All five players project to be meaningful starters in the pros and deserve to be drafted on Day 2. If that comes to pass, they’ll have the necessary draft capital to get them on the field early in their careers. That makes them enticing for fantasy, especially if they fall into the second round of dynasty rookie drafts.
Cooper, Fields and Branch are my favorites in this bunch, but Bell would have a strong case to lead the tier if it weren’t for his injury.
Dynasty rookie value (Superflex): Late-first to mid-second round
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Growing concerns
Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee
Distancing yourself from prospects at this stage of the pre-draft process puts you at risk of looking foolish. However, I’m struggling to see the upside case for these three wideouts at the moment.
Brazzell is tall, has a good catch radius and decent downfield ability, but he needs significant development if he’s going to become a starter in the pros. He needs to haul in more contested-catch opportunities and add some muscle to his frame. That might help him become a little more physical, because at the moment, he lacks the scrappiness you’d like to see from an incoming rookie. And though you shouldn’t factor this in too much, it’s hard not to think of all the Tennessee receiving prospects who have disappointed in the NFL in recent years.
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For Lane, the word I wrote down most in my notes was “decent.” That describes his hands, route running, red-zone skills and more. He glides around the field and looks the part, but doesn’t have the speed to put pressure on defenses deep and he’ll need some grit if his lanky frame is going to hold up at the next level.
Bernard seems like a good college player whose traits aren’t strong enough to excel in the pros. He’s a limited athlete, which will become more evident against tougher competition. That will put a lot of pressure on him to be a savvy player who can find ways to outwork defensive backs, since his physical tools aren’t going to get the job done on their own. You should expect a depth role for him unless some serious evolution occurs in his game.
Fantasy Outlook: This section features a trio of pass-catchers who need a lot of work to reach their high-end outcomes in the pros and even then, we’re only talking about them becoming No. 2 or No. 3 receivers in NFL offenses.
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The further we go down this list, the lower the draft capital likely gets. That means teams will have less invested in these players, so they have to do more in order to earn playing time.
From a fantasy perspective, unless you feel particularly strong about a receiver from this point on, they are often better off left for your opponents to draft. For every Puka Nacua, there are a ton of Day 3 wideouts clogging up dynasty benches with no breakout in sight.
Dynasty rookie value (Superflex): third-to-fourth round
Works in progress
Antonio Williams, Clemson
We’ll have plenty of time before the draft to discuss deep sleepers, but consider these two names as a sneak peek.
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Williams is unlikely to be an elite fantasy producer, but he’s a smart slot receiver who could be a high-volume earner at the next level — if given the opportunity. He offers very reliable hands and is a great route runner, with his short-area quickness shining through. He also comes down with more contested catches than you would expect for a 5-foot-11, 190-pound receiver.
Hurst might be a bit more of a project with a tall and thin frame. However, he shows excellent ball skills and boxes out defenders very well, which is one of the reasons why he stands out in the red zone. The biggest worry for Hurst is the jump in competition that will occur, going from Georgia State to the NFL.
Fantasy Outlook: Don’t let yourself get too attached to deeper prospects like these. Just consider them intriguing developmental players whom you can stash on deeper dynasty benches or keep on your waiver wire watchlist in case they start to make some noise in offseason practices.
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Dynasty rookie value (Superflex): Fourth round or later
MILAN — If U.S. women’s hockey goalie Aerin Frankel stumbles across friends from opposing teams at the Olympic Village, she won’t be greeting them with a hug.
Norovirus, according to the Center for Disease Control, is a “very contagious” illness that is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea in the United States. Most people with norovirus illness recover in 72 hours or less, the CDC says, but they can still spread the virus for several more days afterward.
Complicating the U.S. team’s quest to avoid an outbreak is the fact that the Americans’ next scheduled group-stage opponent is Finland. Assuming the Finns are healthy enough to play Saturday, U.S. players won’t have the option of keeping their distance.
The IOC consulted with medical professionals before canceling Thursday night’s scheduled match between Finland and Canada. In a statement, the IOC described the decision as “responsible and necessary” and called the health of athletes and team staffers “the highest priority.”
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What can the U.S women’s hockey team do to avoid a similar norovirus outbreak? Players emphasized washing hands and not touching surfaces that lots of other people touch.
“You get this many athletes and people eating at the same cafeteria, you have to try to stay diligent,” U.S. defender Megan Keller said. “Nobody wants to go down here. We’ve worked so hard to get here.”
Added Frankel, “So many people living in one place, sharing a dining hall, you’ve gotta be careful.”
Antetokounmpo all but requested a trade in the weeks before the deadline, as ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Jan. 28 that the 31-year-old was “ready for a new home,” and the Bucks, at long last, were “starting to listen” to “aggressive offers” from “several teams.”
Among those suitors, we came to learn from multiple outlets, were the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Miami Heat. The Bucks, obviously, are reportedly eyeing a package of “blue-chip young talent and/or a surplus of draft picks.”
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The Warriors may have had the picks — as many as four first-rounders, to be exact — but their offer, which reportedly included Jonathan Kuminga as a foundational figure, was not enough to persuade the Bucks to part with Antetokounmpo at this juncture. So, instead, Golden State shipped Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porziņģis’ expiring deal.
None of the Timberwolves, Knicks and Heat could match Golden State’s draft haul, at least not at the moment. New York and Miami — both thought to be attractive destinations from Antetokounmpo’s perspective — will have additional draft capital to offer in the offseason.
Which is precisely why it always made sense for the Bucks to wait on an Antetokounmpo deal. As more realistic trade partners enter the fray, offers will only get more competitive.
2. The league can’t stop paying James Harden
For a fourth time in five years, James Harden had a trade request granted, this time landing him on the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have eyes for championship contention.
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Only, with Harden in place of Darius Garland and a second-round draft pick, they appear no closer to a title than their second-round playoff exits from the previous two seasons.
Raise your hand if you think Harden will elevate the Cavaliers from their current standing, fourth place in the Eastern Conference, to a berth in the NBA Finals? We are still waiting and have been since he was a sixth man on the West champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
It has been 15 years since then, and Harden has come no closer. His Houston Rockets did make the 2015 conference finals, largely because he was benched in a Game 6 comeback. He has been no better in Game 7s. We have as much evidence of his playoff failures as we do his successes, if not more, and still the league cannot stop giving him tens of millions.
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Harden reportedlyrejected a two-year, $103 million contract extension offer from the Rockets in 2020 and a three-year, $161 million extension from the Brooklyn Nets in 2021, seeking a four-year, $227 million offer in the summer of 2022, when he was to turn 32 years old. For myriad reasons, ranging from Kyrie Irving’s vaccination status to Harden’s hamstrings, that offer never came. Not from Brooklyn. Nor from the Philadelphia 76ers.
That is when Harden called Sixers executive Daryl Morey “a liar” and sought a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers, who extended him twice, first for $34 million for the 2024-25 season, and then for an additional $39 million this season. He also owns a $42 million player option for the 2026-27 season, when at one point he could have been making north of $60 million.
This is so much money. Harden has been guaranteed almost half a billion dollars in salary, let alone what he has made in endorsements, and still he is chasing what he sacrificed by not signing one of those aforementioned extensions — some $50 million in lost earnings.
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This is why he is in Cleveland now, for another extension, he surely thinks. And maybe he gets one. I do not begrudge anyone for prioritizing individual salary over team success; I just have never seen a superstar player so blatant about it. He is the greatest of all time at finding the next NBA owner to offer him as much money as possible, regardless of the fit.
Why it makes any sense for the Cavaliers is a separate matter. As I’ve mentioned before, they traded a 26-year-old two-time All-Star (Garland) for a 36-year-old future Hall of Famer (Harden), and used a small asset (their second-round draft pick) to do so. This is usually bad business but for the fact that Harden has been healthier than Garland in recent years.
What did that get the Clippers? A first-round playoff exit last season and a sub-.500 record this season. Yes, Harden has set a playoff floor for his teams, which may be good enough for some, but his ball-dominance and defensive deficiencies also set a sub-championship ceiling. And isn’t the point of the NBA to win rings? In the meantime, Harden will get paid.
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3. So much of the trade deadline is financially driven
Speaking of the point of the NBA, which we thought was to win championships, why does it seem like so many deadline deals are more motivated by finances than they are winning?
This is why you cannot blame Harden for pursuing maximum money at all times.
Why were Trae Young and Anthony Davis moved to the Washington Wizards ahead of the deadline? Not because D.C. envisioned them as a championship contender but because the Wiz had to pay someone to play for them, and it may as well be a pair of ticket sellers.
You see, there is a salary floor and a salary cap. Teams must spend at least 90% of the salary cap, which for the 2026-27 season is projected to be $166 million. Teams must spend at least $149.4 million of it, or surrender the difference to every other team instead.
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Teams can spend beyond the salary cap, to a point, before they incur penalties associated with the luxury tax ($202 million), first apron ($210 million) and second apron ($223 million). You will hear more about these aprons than you ever care to learn, but know this: Nobody wants to spend more than $223 million for fear of losing additional assets.
It is, in the end, why the Cavaliers dumped Lonzo Ball’s $10 million contract, why the Minnesota Timberwolves shed Mike Conley’s $10 million salary, and why the Boston Celtics swapped Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vučević. All to save some cash and duck an apron. Follow the money, and you can almost always figure out why a deal went down.
Why did the Detroit Pistons trade Jaden Ivey to the Chicago Bulls for Kevin Huerter and Dario Šarić? Same reason the Golden State Warriors traded Jonathan Kuminga to the Hawks for Porziņģis’ expiring salary, and why the Bulls dealt Coby White to the Charlotte Hornets. Ivey, Kuminga and White are due contracts, their current teams did not want to pay them their worth, so they discovered the next team that might ahead of the deadline.
4. There is going to be some creative tanking
Both the Wizards and Utah Jazz made moves for All-Stars, only to realize: Oh, shoot, they are going to help us win games, and our first-round draft picks are only protected so much.
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The Wizards traded for Trae Young last month and Davis on Wednesday. Their first-round pick is protected 1-8, or else it is owed to the New York Knicks. Right now, the Wizards are 13-36, tied for the league’s fourth-worst record. Right now, they would keep their selection.
Win a few games, though, and they could quickly find themselves in danger of losing their pick in what is considered a loaded draft, depending on how the ping-pong balls pop out.
This is probably why we have not seen Young in a Wizards uniform. He has been nursing a quadriceps injury since December, and Washington executive Michael Winger recently hinted at the idea that we may not see the four-time All-Star point guard until next season.
Could the same be true of Davis on the Wizards? The oft-injured 10-time All-Star has not played since early January with a hand injury. Might it linger into the offseason as well?
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The Jazz, who just traded for two-time All-Star and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr., are in the same boat. Their first-round pick in the forthcoming June draft is also protected 1-8, otherwise owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder. No way they send that selection to the defending champions, and they can’t afford to win much more.
Likewise, the Indiana Pacers reportedly traded Bennedict Mathurin, two first-round picks and a second-round selection to the Clippers for Ivica Zubac, who will be the center of Tyrese Haliburton’s offense next season. This season? Well, the Pacers are also going to want to lose as many games as possible, and Zubac does not exactly help in that regard.
And what becomes of the Sacramento Kings, who held on to Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, despite their rumored interest in shopping all three of them?
It can’t be great for morale. Then again, morale was at an all-time low, as the Kings already owned the league’s worst record (12-40). Everyone is chasing them, including the Bucks. Well, everyone except for the New Orleans Pelicans, who owe their first-round pick to Atlanta. They, like the Kings, are just bad for no other reason than mismanagement.
The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks are headed to Santa Clara, CA, to play in Super Bowl LX. The Big Game kicks off on Feb. 8, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium. Bad Bunny, the most-streamed artist in the world, is set to headline the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show. Looking to tune in in person? Super Bowl tickets are on sale now. Want to watch from home? The 2026 Super Bowl will be broadcast on NBC and will stream live on Peacock. Here’s what you need to know to tune in to Super Bowl LX.
The 2026 Super Bowl kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Feb. 8, 2026. Green Day will also be performing a pre-game special starting at 6 p.m. ET.
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2026 Super Bowl game channel
Super Bowl LX will air on NBC. A Spanish-language broadcast available on Telemundo.
Who are the 2026 Super Bowl teams?
The AFC champions, the New England Patriots, will play the NFC champions, the Seattle Seahawks, at Super Bowl LX.
How to watch the 2026 Super Bowl without cable
You can stream NBC and Telemundo on platforms like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV, both of which are among Engadget’s choices for best streaming services for live TV. (Note that Fubo and NBC are currently in the midst of a contract dispute and NBC channels are not available on the platform.) The game will also stream on Peacock and NFL+, though with an NFL+ subscription, you’re limited to watching on mobile devices.
For $17 monthly you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
Who is performing at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show?
Bad Bunny is headlining the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance. You can expect that show to begin after the second quarter, likely between 8-8:30 p.m. ET. Green Day will also perform a pre-game show starting at 6 p.m. ET. If you’re tuning in before the game, singer Charlie Puth will perform the National Anthem, Brandi Carlile is scheduled to sing “America The Beautiful,” and Grammy winner Coco Jones will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
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.
The injury he’s dealing with now is to his right ankle, the same one he hurt in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, although that high-ankle sprain was more severe, Emmanwori clarified.
“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.”
Emmanwori, a finalist for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, has done a bit of everything for a vaunted Seahawks defense during his first season in the NFL. He ranked third on the team with 11 passes defended and 81 total tackles. Plus, he added 2.5 sacks and an interception.
In the regular season and postseason combined, he’s lined up 420 snaps in the slot, 329 in the box, 103 along the defensive line, 15 on the outside corner, and seven at deep safety, according to Pro Football Focus.
Emmanwori explained that his most recent ankle issue sprouted toward the end of Wednesday’s practice when he rolled his ankle.
He noted that practice was “nothing crazy” and that the injury took him by surprise.
“Nobody really wants to get hurt or banged up during the Super Bowl week, or any week at that, so it just kind of caught me off guard. It was just a little scare,” Emmanwori said, per Gregg Bell of The News Tribune.
Emmanwori said it felt different than his Week 1 setback, which cost him the subsequent three games.
“I feel like I could walk off on my own and just had to give it a break,” he said. “It feels good.”
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Macdonald said the Seahawks will be “overcautious” with Emmanwori in the coming days to make sure he’s all set for Sunday’s matchup.
The 2025-26 NBA trade deadline just wrapped, and fantasy basketball rosters are about to look very different. Here’s who’s eating and who’s getting buried in the chaos. But I gotta be honest, there aren’t many waiver wire pickups to make based on the moves that were made by Thursday — sigh.
Let’s get to it.
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📈 Fantasy Winners
Jalen Smith, FC – Chicago Bulls
Nikola Vučević was shipped to Boston, leaving Smith in an optimal position to take on more frontcourt responsibilities. Here’s my whole take on Smith’s upside, but in summary, I’m projecting he’d be at least a top-60 type of player across formats. The Bulls sold off a few of their key starters, leaving a lot of uncertainty everywhere else — but not for Smith (and Josh Giddey).
Kawhi Leonard, FC – Los Angeles Clippers
James Harden’s gone, Darius Garland’s in and Kawhi’s usage is about to detonate. The Clippers just handed him the keys to the offense again. Garland’s a complementary piece — not a co-star, plus he’s out with a toe injury. It’s Leonard’s show now, and if he stays healthy-ish, we’re looking at top-10 fantasy upside rest of season. It’s undoubtedly an “if” though.
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Bennedict Mathurin, G/FC – Los Angeles Clippers
A new home breeds new opportunity. I love this deal for Mathurin’s fantasy value, as he’ll join Kawhi and Garland as the Clippers’ primary scoring options. He’ll likely get a new contract and be given free rein to cook. I doubt he’s available in many leagues, but I’d hold if you have him rostered.
Santi Aldama, FC — Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis traded Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jock Landale, accelerating the franchise’s development plans. Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke are hurt, leaving Aldama as one of the last frontcourt players left standing for the Grizz. He returned to the court on Wednesday, scoring 12 points with 6 boards in under 25 minutes.
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Once the minutes trend back up, he’s a guy I’d want to hold onto for the remainder of the season across formats. Cedric Coward gets a boost here, too, along with Taylor Hendricks, who came over from the Jazz. He’s on my deep league watchlist.
Onyeka Okongwu, FC — Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks added Jock Landale in a minor deal, but Okongwu remains the starting center. Once Okongwu gets his teeth fixed, he’ll be squarely in the top-50 conversation the rest of the way.
Russell Westbrook, G – Sacramento Kings
With Dennis Schröder joining the Cavs, Russ will continue soaking up a majority of PG minutes for the Kings. He’s had a nice resurgence under Doug Christie, averaging 15-6-7 in under 30 minutes per game. The Kings retained all their vets, so even though the team is terrible, they’re not mailing it in yet.
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Other winners:
Wizards’ young core (Tre Johnson, Justin Champagnie and Bilal Coulibaly)
Naji Marshall – Dallas Mavericks
Isaiah Collier – Utah Jazz
Daniel Gafford – Dallas Mavericks
Jarace Walker – Indiana Pacers
📉 Fantasy Losers
Jaren Jackson Jr., FC — Utah Jazz
I expanded on it here, but landing in Utah in the midst of vying for a top pick in 2026 isn’t good for JJJ’s fantasy value. I’d look to sell, but most fantasy managers are likely well aware of Utah’s late-season shenanigans.
Anthony Davis, FC — Washington Wizards
I covered the full fallout from Dallas trading AD to the Wizards, but the TL;DR is: a move to Washington is essentially the nail in the coffin for AD this season. I don’t expect him to play much, if at all, for the Wizards. Drop him and move on with no regrets.
Coby White, G — Charlotte Hornets
White goes from a featured, starter role to the presumed sixth man of the Hornets.
He’s still looking for a new deal, so he’ll play well enough for the Hornets to consider keeping him around beyond this season. I wouldn’t drop White in fantasy yet. He’s better than Collin Sexton, and they’ll surely use him as the primary option off the bench and a secondary playmaker in certain lineups.
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Nikola Vučević, C — Boston Celtics
I’m anticipating a timeshare for Vooch in Boston. Neemias Queta is the better defender and frankly, Vooch won’t have to do as much offensively for Boston. What he does is provide them with another floor-spacing threat who can rebound and play-make enough to warrant 25-28 minutes a night — essentially the Kristaps Porziņģis role from last season. You’re not dropping Vučević, but I’d expect some decline in his raw counting stats in Boston.
Jusuf Nurkić, FC — Utah Jazz
Sorry, Nurk, your run is done. Nurk will likely be in and out of the rotation the rest of the season with unpredictable minutes. Once a waiver wire gem, Nurk will be a frustrating hold for fantasy managers across formats.
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Bulls Guard Rotation (Sexton/Simons/Ivey)
Chicago’s backcourt is complete chaos after deadline day. It moved Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu out and brought in Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton and Jaden Ivey. Nobody knows who’s starting, closing or getting consistent minutes. Avoid this entire situation until rotations stabilize post-deadline — it’s a headache.
Players on the move — still relevant though
Ivica Zubac, FC – Indiana Pacers
The Pacers made a move to get their big man of the future to pair with Tyrese Haliburton next year. What I don’t know is how much they’ll use him when they’re tanking. Still, he’s an easy double-double no matter the team he plays for.
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Ayo Dosunmu, G/FC – Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves made one of the better deals at the deadline. Dosunmu is having a career year, and he’ll step into a Nickeil Alexander-Walker-type role for Minnesota. Ayo is both physical and versatile, and the Wolves will utilize his skill set well. There might be a drop-off in counting stats, but I don’t anticipate it being dramatic enough that he won’t be a fantasy asset. Keep holding.
Ali vs. Frazier. Godzilla vs. King Kong. Everyone loves a rematch. And this year’s Super Bowl promises to deliver a great one when the New England Patriots face the Seattle Seahawks at Super Bowl LX. The two teams met back at the 2014 Super Bowl, which ended with a 28-24 Patriots win, and now they meet on the championship stage again. Super Bowl LX will be held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 8, with a 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff.
You can watch Super Bowl LX live on NBC and Peacock this year. Here’s everything you need to know to tune in to Super Bowl LX when it airs on Feb. 8.
The New England Patriots, winners of the AFC Championship this year, will play the NFC Champions the Seattle Seahawks at Super Bowl LX.
2026 Super Bowl kickoff time
The 2026 Super Bowl kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Feb. 8, 2026.
2026 Super Bowl game channel
The 2026 Super Bowl airs live on NBC and a Spanish-language broadcast will be available on Telemundo.
Where is the 2026 Super Bowl being played?
Super Bowl LX will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
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How to watch the 2026 Super Bowl without cable
You can stream NBC and Telemundo on platforms like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV, both of which are among Engadget’s choices for best streaming services for live TV. (Note that Fubo and NBC are currently in the midst of a contract dispute and NBC channels are not available on the platform.) The game will also be streaming on Peacock and on NFL+, though with an NFL+ subscription, you’re limited to watching the game on mobile devices.
For $17 monthly, you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription, which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
Who is this year’s Super Bowl halftime performer?
This year’s halftime performer is Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny. His performance will begin after the second quarter, likely between 8-8:30 p.m. ET. San Francisco Bay Area band Green Day will also be putting on a hometown show featuring some of their biggest hits, which will air on NBC at 6 p.m. ET. You can also catch pre-game performances from singer Charlie Puth, who is performing the National Anthem, Brandi Carlile, who is scheduled to sing “America The Beautiful,” and Grammy winner Coco Jones who will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
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Where to buy tickets to the 2026 Super Bowl:
Tickets to the 2026 Super Bowl are available on third-party resale platforms like StubHub and Gametime, but prices are pretty high, starting at over $6,000.
The Washington Commanders added some veteran pieces last offseason. There figure to be plenty more roster changes in the coming months, as the Commanders try to rebound from a 5-12 campaign and continue building around franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels.
So who would Daniels add, if his bosses were listening?
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“There’s a couple individuals that are out there. Maybe somebody from Arizona State in my past,” Daniels told Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice on on radio row in San Francisco ahead of Super Bowl LX this week.
“Lives on the west coast?” Tice followed up.
“Yeah, most definitely,” said Daniels, who was appearing on behalf of Xfinity.
Aiyuk, who spent a season as Daniels’ teammate at Arizona State in 2019 and has been friends with him for years, was placed on the 49ers’ reserve/left squad list in December and didn’t play a snap for the 49ers in 2025. He signed a reported four-year, $120 million contract extension just before kickoff of the 2024 season, but hasn’t played for San Francisco since tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 7 of that year.
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The 49ers placed Aiyuk on the active but physically unable to perform (PUP) list ahead of training camp last summer. Questions hovered over when he’d be ready to play again, but and reports began to surface the 49ers were getting frustrated with Aiyuk’s behavior behind the scenes.
It certainly feels like Aiyuk will be playing elsewhere next season despite being under contract with the 49ers.
Daniels seems to want it to be Washington.
“There’s people like that out there. I don’t wanna give too much,” Daniels said. “But when that time comes, hopefully we can sign those types of players.”
