Author: rb809rb

Each year, the sports world gives us thrills and memories that we carry with us for the rest of our lives. Unfortunately, some of those memories aren’t always positive, as we have to say goodbye to sporting figures, young and old, who made those moments matter.

Here’s a look back at the sports figures we lost — some beloved, some polarizing, all memorable in their own ways — in 2025.

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Tiger Bech, a football player at Princeton from 2016-2018, was killed in the terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day. He was a second-team All-Ivy League return specialist in his final two seasons, and his contributions helped lead Princeton to a pair of Ivy League championships, including its first undefeated season since 1964 in 2018. Bech’s younger brother Jack, a rookie wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders who starred at TCU in college, caught a touchdown wearing Tiger’s number during the Senior Bowl just weeks later.
— Tarohn Finley

A former major-league catcher who became one of the most recognizable voices in baseball history, long-time Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker delighted fans of every team with his wit, humor and baseball acumen. His stardom extended beyond the game, as Uecker made regular appearances on “The Tonight Show,” starred in the ‘80s sitcom “Mr. Belvedere,” and played broadcaster Harry Doyle in “Major League.” Uecker’s delivery of the line “just a bit outside” continues to be cited on MLB broadcasts today and is just one example of the joy and enthusiasm he brought to the game.
— Chris Cwik

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Dick Button was a man of firsts. During the 1948 Winter Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, he became the first American figure skater to win Olympic gold as well as the first skater to land a double axel jump. Four years later, at the 1952 Oslo Olympics, he became the first skater to land a triple jump in competition. A pioneer in the sport, Button invented the flying camel spin, a move that transitions a skater from a jump into a single-leg spin that positions the free leg parallel to the ice. Eventually, Button embarked on a 50-year broadcasting career, during which he won an Emmy and was unapologetically honest in his commentary.
— Andy Backstrom

Fay Vincent served a brief but eventful tenure as MLB commissioner from 1989 to 1992. Vincent was elected from deputy commissioner to the top post in September 1989 after commissioner Bart Giamatti died of a heart attack. Vincent’s first task of note was to navigate MLB through the 1989 earthquake that rocked the Bay Area during the A’s-Giants World Series. In the spring of 1990, Vincent helped negotiate the end of a lockout. That summer, he issued a “lifetime” ban to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner that was rescinded two years later. Vincent oversaw MLB’s expansion to include the Rockies and Marlins. And as deputy commissioner, Vincent played a role in banning Pete Rose from baseball. Displeased with his role in negotiations with the players union, owners voted to pressure Vincent out in 1992 and replaced him with Bud Selig.
— Jason Owens

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The eldest daughter of Chicago Bears founder George Halas, Virginia McCaskey took control of the Bears in 1983. Two years later, she watched as the team toppled the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl XX. McCaskey remained the team’s owner over the next 40-plus years, eventually becoming the longest-tenured owner of an NFL franchise and one of 10 women owners in the league. Fittingly, the last Bears game of McCaskey’s life was a 24-22 win over the rival Green Bay Packers, a rare occurrence in recent years, and the perfect final game for the franchise icon to experience.
— Chris Cwik

Irish boxer John Cooney was making his first defense of the Celtic title when he was knocked down by Nathan Howells in the ninth round of a match in January. The fight was called, and Cooney was transported to the hospital, where it was determined he had an intracranial hemorrhage and would undergo emergency surgery. A week after the fight, Cooney died due to his injuries. He was 28.
— Chris Cwik

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Christman was a highly-touted offensive line prospect from Akron, Ohio. He starred at Revere High School in Richfield before enrolling at Ohio State, where he spent the first two seasons of his college career. While he didn’t see significant action for the Buckeyes, he made an impression in Columbus. “He was a very good football player, but a better person,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. Christman then made stops at Kentucky at UNLV. He appeared in all 12 games during Kentucky’s 2024 season, primarily in a special teams role, and earned a degree in communications. Shortly after transferring to UNLV, Christman died from heart disease and an irregular heartbeat. He was 21.
— Andy Backstrom

In 2000, Larry Dolan purchased his hometown Cleveland Guardians for $323 million. Over the next 25 years, he and his family saw the team post 14 winning seasons and make nine playoff appearances, though a World Series title remained elusive. Under the Dolan family, Cleveland became well known for contending despite a limited budget. The team could rarely retain its home-grown talent, but still found ways to win thanks to shrewd acquisitions and smart draft picks. The Guardians honored Dolan with a pre-game tribute before the team’s 2025 home opener, a 1-0 walkoff win over the White Sox.
— Chris Cwik

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Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman was a dominant force both on and off the basketball court. Bridgeman was the star of Louisville’s team in 1975, which reached the Final Four before losing to John Wooden’s UCLA, and is one of the program’s all-time greats. He was the No. 8 overall pick in the 1975 NBA Draft, and spent nearly all of his 12-year career with the Milwaukee Bucks, who eventually retired his No. 2 jersey. Bridgeman later became an incredibly successful businessman, which started with the purchase of three Wendy’s fast-food franchises. He had an estimated net worth of about $1.4 billion in February, about a month before he died at 71.
– Ryan Young

John Feinstein was a legend in the sports writing community. He authored 44 books during his career, more than half of which were New York Times bestsellers, on virtually every sport. The former Washington Post columnist, who died in March at 69, was arguably best known for “A Season on the Brink,” which followed former Indiana men’s basketball coach Bob Knight and the 1985-86 Hoosiers. Feinstein was inducted into the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame and received the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, among various other accolades throughout his career.
— Ryan Young

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George Foreman lived a life in stages. He rose to the top of boxing with an Olympic gold medal and a complete mauling of Joe Frazier to become heavyweight champion. He fell by losing to Muhammad Ali in the Rumble in the Jungle, one of the most famous bouts in history. He retired and became an ordained minister. He returned and became the oldest heavyweight champion. He retired again and became a grill pitchman. He left behind a layered legacy, defined most of all by some of the greatest punching power boxing will ever see.
— Jack Baer

A long-time major-league reliever, Octavio Dotel played for a then-record 13 MLB teams following his retirement after the 2013 season. The late-inning standout and occasional closer amassed 109 saves and a 3.78 ERA over his 15-year MLB career. Dotel spent five of those seasons with the Houston Astros, but mostly bounced from team to team, providing strong back-end numbers to clubs looking to shore up their bullpens. His most notable post-Astros stint came with the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals, whom he helped lead to a World Series title. Dotel had a sterling 2.61 ERA over 12 appearances during the team’s postseason run. Dotel died after a nightclub collapsed in the Dominican Republic in April. He was 51. 
— Chris Cwik

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Karenna Groff was a standout soccer player at MIT, where she ranked second in career goals and points. But it wasn’t until 2022 that she earned the NCAA’s Woman of the Year award for her work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Groff, who majored in biological engineering, co-founded openPPE, a project aimed at designing and manufacturing masks during the pandemic. Groff was killed in a plane crash in April. She was on the plane with her parents, her brother, her boyfriend and her brother’s partner, all of whom were killed in the crash.
— Ryan Young

Todric McGee died in April after he was found with what authorities called a “possible accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.” He was just 21. The Missouri State safety was a key player for the Bears and was in position to play a big role in their defense in 2025 as they moved up to the top level of the sport. He was the team’s first player in two years to have more than 100 tackles, which he accomplished during the 2023 campaign, and McGee was coming off a season-ending injury in 2024. He was set to be a fifth-year senior. 
— Ryan Young

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A key figure in the Bears’ Super Bowl season, Steve “Mongo” McMichael also has the distinction of being one of the toughest players Mike Ditka ever coached. After a Hall of Fame NFL career, McMichael found stardom as a World Championship Wrestling commentator and member of the pro-wrestling group known as the Four Horsemen. McMichael was known for his boisterous and outgoing personality, and remains the only person ejected from Wrigley Field while singing during the seventh-inning stretch. McMichael was diagnosed with ALS in 2021. He was remotely inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024, just months before his death.
— Chris Cwik

During his 16 seasons in the majors, Chet Lemon was not a player opposing base runners wanted to test. He twice led the league in defensive putouts, emerging as an excellent defensive player in center field. His offense was equally as strong, as Lemon finished his career with an OPS 21% higher than the league average. He made three All-Star teams and helped the Detroit Tigers win the 1984 World Series. He started the Chet Lemon Baseball School after his retirement and worked as an AAU coach, overseeing the development of future major leaguers like Zack Greinke and Prince Fielder. 
— Chris Cwik

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Jim Irsay inherited the Indianapolis Colts from his father in 1997 and experienced success almost immediately. After a down season, the team earned the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and Irsay made the right choice, bringing in Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. That decision would pay off in a major way in 2006-07, as the Colts defeated the Bears to win Super Bowl XLI. Throughout his run as an owner, Irsay was known for his eccentric and outgoing personality. He was also upfront about his struggles with substance abuse and launched a charity in 2020 in support of those experiencing mental-health struggles. The Colts are wearing a jersey patch in honor of Irsay during the 2025 NFL season.
— Chris Cwik

From 2007 to 2009, John Brenkus entertained and educated viewers on the program “Sports Science.” The show, which netted Brenkus six Emmy awards, aimed to teach viewers the technical aspects of the game using science. Benkus investigated serious questions, like what made Tyreek Hill the fastest player in the NFL, but Brenkus also took on more whimsical questions, like what enabled Joey Chestnut to eat so many hot dogs. Brenkus spoke openly about his struggles with depression. Following his death in June, those who enjoyed Brenkus and loved “Sports Science” paid tribute to the show’s curious and enthusiastic host.
— Chris Cwik

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Jim Marshall was known for his role in the “wrong way run,” but he was the perfect example of an NFL ironman throughout his career. The longtime Minnesota Vikings captain started in 270 consecutive regular-season games for the team from 1961 to 1979. He helped the team reach the Super Bowl four times on their “Purple People Eaters” defensive line. But, famously, Marshall scooped up a fumble and ran it back 66 yards … into the wrong end zone. Instead of a scoop-and-score touchdown, it was a safety.

“A lot of the people have come up to me talking seriously about this and said, ‘You know, we really have a lot of respect for you continuing on after that and doing as well as you did and playing as long as you played,’” Marshall said.
— Ryan Young

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Known as The Cobra, Dave Parker held down the Pittsburgh Pirates’ outfield for 11 of his 19 seasons in the game. Parker could do it all, making seven All-Star teams, winning three Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, two batting titles and the 1978 MVP award. He also played a crucial role in the Pirates winning the 1979 World Series. Parker hit .341 over 10 playoff games that season. He later won another World Series, this time with the Oakland Athletics. Despite his excellence, Parker had to wait until 2025 to make the Baseball Hall of Fame. He knew he made the cut, but died just weeks before he was officially inducted into the Hall.
— Chris Cwik

Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva, were killed in a July car crash in Spain. The 28-year-old arrived in England in 2017 with Wolves and joined Liverpool in 2020. He would make 123 appearances for the club, scoring 47 goals and helping them to the titles in the Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup. Internationally, he represented Portugal 49 times, scoring 14 goals, and was a part of squads that took part in Euro 2020 and Euro 2024. Following his death, Liverpool permanently retired his No. 20 jersey.
— Sean Leahy

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The story of the Chicago White Sox’s 2005 World Series title can’t be told without Bobby Jenks. With the team desperate for a shutdown closer, Jenks seemingly emerged out of nowhere, throwing 100-plus mph fastballs at a time when that was still a rare feat. After making his major-league debut in July, Jenks quickly claimed the team’s closer role. He rose to the occasion in the World Series, making future Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell look feeble in a big moment. Jenks closed out the team’s 1-0 Game 4 win, helping the White Sox win their first championship in 88 years. He revealed a stomach cancer diagnosis in February and died in July. He was 44.
— Chris Cwik

Frank Layden was the architect of the Utah Jazz’s success in the 1980s. Layden was initially hired to be the Jazz’s GM in 1979 and became the head coach in 1981 following a slow start. Layden drafted and helped develop future Hall of Fame players such as Karl Malone and John Stockton. The Jazz made the playoffs every season from 1984 to 1988. Layden finished with a career record of 277-294 and was the Coach of the Year and the Executive of the Year in 1984. Layden last served as the head coach of the WNBA’s Utah Starzz, now known as the Las Vegas Aces, in the 1998-1999 season.
— Tarohn Finley

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Former Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs manager Lee Elia had a fine career as a player and coach in baseball. But he etched his name in baseball lore in 1983, when he went on a profane, obscenity-laced tirade aimed at Cubs fans who “ought to get a f***in’ job.” Elia dropped 23 f-bombs during the three-minute rant, which was immortalized thanks to former Chicago radio producer Les Grobstein, who recorded Elia’s tirade. Years after his managerial career was over, Elia said he knew he would always be remembered for that moment.
— Chris Cwik

Bryan Braman finished his NFL career on top. He went from undrafted free agent to Super Bowl champion. The linebacker out of West Texas A&M caught on in the league with the Houston Texans. After three seasons with the Texans, he landed with the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he won a ring during the 2017 season. In seven NFL seasons, Braman became a fierce special teamer and piled up 45 solo tackles, the last of which he recorded in a 41-33 Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots. Braman, also a father to two daughters, died from an aggressive form of cancer. He was 38.
— Andy Backstrom

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Terry Bollea, known as Hulk Hogan, was one of the most recognizable celebrities worldwide. He wasn’t just the face of the WWF (now WWE), but of professional wrestling itself. His WrestleMania matches against Andre the Giant, Macho Man Randy Savage and The Ultimate Warrior remain some of the most talked-about bouts in pro wrestling history. From wrestling to Hollywood and back again, Hogan became a household name and one of the most beloved stars of his generation. But in 2012, a tape from 2007 was leaked on which Hogan used a racial slur. WWE cut ties with Hogan, though they later brought him back a few years later. Hogan also became the face of PED use in wrestling in 1994 when he admitted to steroid use under oath during Vince McMahon’s steroid trial. Despite the scandals, Hogan’s name will forever be synonymous with pro-wrestling.
— Criss Partee

For 15 seasons, Ryne Sandberg defined the Cubs. The infielder made 10 All-Star teams, won nine Gold Glove awards, picked up seven Silver Sluggers and announced his presence to the baseball world in style, winning the 1984 MVP award during his breakout season. After a year-long retirement in 1995, Sandberg decided he wasn’t done with the game and returned to the Cubs for two more seasons. After his playing career, Sandberg managed the Phillies for three seasons. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2024, Sandberg revealed two separate cancer diagnoses. Following his death in July, Sandberg was honored by the Cubs, who all wore his number – 23 – during a game to pay tribute to the franchise legend.
— Chris Cwik

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Laura Dahlmeier was one of the most successful athletes of the 2018 Olympics, where she became the first woman to ever win gold in both the sprint and pursuit events of the biathlon. She also won a bronze medal in the 15km individual event. She retired just a year later at the age of 25 and pursued mountaineering as her second act, competing in mountain running and becoming a certified mountain and ski guide in 2023. Tragically, one sojourn into the mountains of Pakistan resulted in her being struck by a sudden rockfall, with weather conditions preventing any immediate help. Her body remains on the mountain.
— Jake Baer

Green Bay Packers legend Billy Howton was believed to have been the oldest living NFL player (95) at the time of his death. Howton was a leader on and off the field, as he went on to become the first NFL Players Association president. He was drafted by the Packers as a second-round pick in 1952. The Texas product played 12 seasons in the NFL with Green Bay, Cleveland, and Dallas. During Howton’s rookie year of 1952, he led the NFL in receiving yards (1,231) and receiving yards per game (102.6), a feat he repeated in 1956. The Packers inducted Howton into the franchise’s Hall of Fame in 1974.
— Criss Partee

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After spending two years at North Dakota, Deng Mayar transferred to the University of Nebraska Omaha to continue his college basketball career as a graduate student. In August, however, Mayar died in a drowning accident in Utah. Prior to transferring, Mayar averaged 6.3 points and four rebounds per game in his final season with North Dakota. In a statement, the University of Nebraska Omaha said Mayar “had a gentle nature and kind soul off the court” and that the forward “will be greatly missed by all of those that knew and loved him.” He was 22. 
— Chris Cwik

In 1973, jockey Ron Turcotte etched his name in the history books by winning the Triple Crown atop Secretariat. It was a dominant performance, with Secretariat setting multiple records at the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Turcotte remained active for five more years as a jockey before a fall from a horse rendered him paraplegic. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1979 and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1980. He died in August at the age of 84 and was the last living member of Secretariat’s Triple Crown-winning team.
— Chris Cwik

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Lee Roy Jordan played 14 NFL seasons, all with the Dallas Cowboys, from 1963 to 1976. He was part of the franchise’s first championship team in 1971, beating the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI. Jordan was selected in two drafts in 1963. He was the No. 6 overall pick of the Cowboys in the NFL and a second-round pick for the Boston Patriots in the AFL. Jordan went on to become a five-time Pro Bowl selection for Dallas and was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 1989. His induction to the ring was the first under Jerry Jones’ ownership of the team. Jordan helped lead the Alabama Crimson Tide to a national championship in 1961 and was voted a unanimous All-American in 1962. Jordan was 84 years old. 
— Criss Partee

George Henry Raveling first made his name as a star basketball player at Villanova before going on to have one of the most prestigious careers within the game. After graduating, Raveling joined Villanova as an assistant coach. He would later move to Maryland in the same role, becoming the first Black coach in the ACC. Raveling eventually got a head coaching role in 1972 at Washington State. He also coached at Iowa and USC, building a Hall of Fame career. After his coaching career, Raveling served as a Nike executive and played a pivotal role in Michael Jordan signing with the brand. Raveling also attended Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington, where King delivered his famous “I have a dream” speech. Raveling was gifted the original typewritten pages of the speech, which he donated to Villanova in 2021. 
— Chris Cwik

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A three-time World Series winner as a player and manager, Davey Johnson died in September at the age of 82. After a playing career that saw him suit up for 1,435 games with the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs, the four-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner turned to managing. He would lead the New York Mets to a championship in 1986 and later manage the Cincinnati Reds, Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Washington Nationals. He also guided Team USA to a gold medal in the 2007 Baseball World Cup, and bronze medals in the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2009 World Baseball Classic. His 1,372 wins rank No. 33 on MLB’s all-time list, and he is one of seven skippers to win Manager of the Year in both the American and National Leagues.
— Sean Leahy

Ken Dryden’s NHL career was short, just eight seasons, but it was impactful. From 1971 to 1979, he helped the Montreal Canadiens win six Stanley Cups. Over that same period, he won the Vezina Trophy five times after allowing the fewest goals during the regular season. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983 and made the “100 Greatest NHL Players” list in 2017. After his playing days, Dryden remained influential, writing several books, including the beloved “The Game” about the 1978-79 Canadiens, working in Canadian politics, and serving as president of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1997-2004. He also worked as a hockey commentator for three Olympics and was most famously alongside Al Michaels during the call of the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980.
— Sean Leahy

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After a standout career at Syracuse, Tiana Mangakahia played basketball professionally overseas. She was diagnosed with cancer a number of times during her playing career, the first of which occurred when she was still at Syracuse. After a double mastectomy, Mangakahia returned to the school for the 2020-21 season. She decided to play internationally after her graduation. Her cancer returned in 2023, causing Mangakahia to retire from the sport. But she returned in 2025, playing in 14 games with the Southern Districts Spartans. She was set to play in New Zealand for the Tokomanawa Queens, but her health deteriorated in the weeks before the season. She died in September at the age of 30.
— Chris Cwik

British-born boxing champion Ricky Hatton was known as “The Hitman” in the ring and came to prominence in the early 2000s. Hatton won the British light-welterweight title and defended it successfully from 2000 to 2004, and eventually won the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Federation championships unifying the light welterweight titles. In 2005, Hatton was named fighter of the year by Ring Magazine, ESPN and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Hatton is one of a few fighters to have faced both Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao in their primes, although in losing efforts. He was able to win his first 43 professional fights before losing (vs. Mayweather) and finished his career 45-3. Hatton was 46 years old.
— Criss Partee

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Longtime NHL goaltender Bernie Parent died in September at the age of 80. The Montreal-born Parent made his name while with the Philadelphia Flyers, backstopping the franchise to Stanley Cup titles back-to-back seasons in 1973-74 and 1974-75, which also saw him named playoff MVP in both years. Those two years also saw him win the Vezina Trophy as the goaltender who allowed the fewest goals during the regular season. Parent finished his career with 271 wins and 54 shutouts, earning his place into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984 and the “100 Greatest NHL Players” list in 2017.
— Sean Leahy

After two seasons on the bench, an injury pushed Rudi Johnson into the starting running-back role with the Cincinnati Bengals. After impressing in limited duty in 2003, Johnson etched his name in the Bengals’ record books, rushing for a franchise-record 1,454 yards in 2004. He was even better the following year, breaking his own record with 1,458 yards. Johnson went on to post another season with over 1,300 rushing yards in 2005 before injuries sapped his effectiveness. His time in the NFL spotlight wasn’t long, but it was impactful.
— Chris Cwik

Arthur Jones was part of a family full of athletes, as the brother of former UFC Heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones and two-time NFL All-Pro Chandler Jones. The biggest spotlight of Jones’ NFL career came with the Baltimore Ravens capping off the 2012 season in Super Bowl XLVII, when he recorded a sack and fumble recovery en route to Baltimore’s 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Arthur Jones played seven NFL seasons, four of those with Baltimore, before moving on to Indianapolis and Washington. Jones was 39.
— Criss Partee

Jean Dolores Bertha Schmidt — best known in basketball circles as Sister Jean — is arguably the biggest star of the NCAA tournament to have never played or coached in a game. The chaplain for Loyola Chicago, Sister Jean’s star rose with each subsequent round of the 2018 tournament as the Cinderella Ramblers crashed the Final Four as a No. 11 seed. From there, she was a public fixture of the program and enjoyed two more NCAA tournament runs in 2021 and 2022. She became an icon of the Chicago sports scene, throwing out pitches at Cubs games and having her own bobblehead. Throughout, she took pride in sharing joy and life with young athletes. Sister Jean was 106 when she died in October.
— Jason Owens

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin didn’t take long to make his presence felt in the NFL. The first-round pick rushed for 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie, making the Pro Bowl in his first NFL season. After two injury-riddled years, Martin returned to prominence in 2015, rushing for 1,402 yards, getting back to the Pro Bowl and being named to the NFL’s All-Pro team. After three more seasons cut short due to injuries, Martin retired after 2018. Martin dealt with “mental health challenges” following his playing career. He died while in police custody in October. He was 36.
— Chris Cwik

For a little over a decade, Nick Mangold epitomized the toughness and grit of the New York Jets. A first-round pick by the team in 2006, Mangold lived up to all the expectations, making seven Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams over his 11-year career. Known for his durability, Mangold missed just four games in his first 10 seasons in New York. He retired from the game after 2016 and was inducted into the Jets’ Ring of Honor in 2022. Mangold announced in October that he was seeking a new kidney after he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2006. He died 12 days later at age 41.
— Chris Cwik

Victor Conte became the face of PEDs in sports in the 2000s after his Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) was raided by the IRS and a San Mateo County task force. The list of athletes alleged to have been involved with Conte and BALCO ranges from the NFL, MLB, boxing and Olympic track and field stars, including MLB legend Barry Bonds, four-time Super Bowl champion Bill Romanowski, track star Marion Jones and boxer Shane Mosley. Conte would eventually plead guilty to steroid distribution and money laundering and was then sentenced to four months in prison in October 2005. Later, Conte would create the Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Competition (SNAC) supplement brand, which is still in operation. Conte was 75.
— Criss Partee

A second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Marshawn Kneeland died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after the Dallas Cowboys’ Week 9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He was 24. Kneeland’s career was just getting off the ground after a modest rookie season, in which he started just one game. During the team’s loss to Arizona, Kneeland made the best play of his NFL career. In the second quarter, Kneeland recovered a blocked punt in the end zone, scoring his first NFL touchdown. The Cowboys will honor Kneeland for the rest of the 2025 NFL season by wearing a decal featuring his number (94) on their helmets.
— Chris Cwik

After a courageous battle with a rare form of kidney cancer, Washington goalkeeper Mia Hamant died in November at the age of 21. Hamant was diagnosed last spring while preparing for her senior year, and sat out the 2025 season while undergoing treatment. Washington rallied around Hamant throughout the season, finishing with a Big Ten-leading 15-3-7 record and honoring the senior by wearing orange for kidney cancer. Following Hamant’s death, the Huskies surged on a stunning postseason run, winning the Big Ten tournament and advancing deep into the NCAA tournament before falling in the Elite Eight.
— Kari Anderson

Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue led the league from 1989 to 2006, overseeing a period of growth. During Tagliabue’s tenure, he implemented record-breaking television deals and negotiated the pioneering 1993 collective bargaining agreement, while adding four expansion teams to the league. He also laid the groundwork for the NFL’s expansion into international markets, and is known for guiding the league through the aftermath of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Tagliabue was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, joining other league commissioners in receiving the honor.
— Kari Anderson

The longtime NBA coach is one of only four Hall of Famers to be inducted both as an NBA player and coach. He made nine All-Star appearances for the St. Louis Hawks, Seattle SuperSonics and Cleveland Cavaliers during a 15-year playing career. He then had a decades-long coaching career that saw him guide the SuperSonics to a championship in 1979. He would retire as the NBA’s winningest head coach ever with 1,332 victories over a 32-year tenure for six different franchises.
— Sean Leahy

The No. 4 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft, Micheal Ray Richardson went on to make four All-Star teams and win the 1985 NBA Comeback Player of the Year award. Richardson’s time in the NBA was cut short in February 1986 when, after his third violation of the NBA’s drug policy, commissioner David Stern made him the first active player to be banned for life by the league. After being reinstated in 1988, Richardson decided against returning to the NBA and continued playing in Europe. Following his playing days, Richardson coached in the Continental Basketball Association, the Premiere Basketball League and the National Basketball League of Canada.
— Sean Leahy

John Beam was an accomplished junior college coach and legend in the Bay Area, providing guidance in both football and life to hundreds of players during his time at Laney College and Skyline High School before that. Netflix’s “Last Chance U” documented him as an empathetic coach relentlessly dedicated to his players, several of whom reached the NFL. Even NBA star Damian Lillard remembered him as giving him his first job at Laney football games. He was tragically shot and killed on campus at 66 years old, allegedly by a man with whom he had little connection.
— Jack Baer

Kenny Easley brought an intensity to the strong safety position in Seattle that foreshadowed the days of the “Legion of Boom.” Easley wasn’t in the NFL for a long time, but he was there for a good time. He picked up five All-Pro honors in his seven-season career, which was cut short by a kidney ailment that forced him to retire before he reached his 30s. Nicknamed “The Enforcer,” Easley was known for his hard hits. He also had a knack for playmaking. He logged 32 interceptions, including a league-leading 10 in 1984 when he won NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Easley, who died at 66 after battling health issues for years, is a member of the Seahawks’ Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
— Andy Backstrom

Before Randolph Childress, Tim Duncan and Chris Paul, there was Rodney Rogers. During the early 1990s era when Duke and North Carolina were winning national championships, Rogers stood out at Wake Forest as a face of the ACC. A bruising, athletic forward, Rogers made an indelible mark on the conference as a three-time All-ACC selection. He was named ACC Player of the Year and an All-American during his final season and led the Demon Deacons to three consecutive NCAA tournaments. Rogers played 12 NBA seasons and won Sixth Man of the Year in 2000 with the Suns. An ATV accident in 2008 tragically left Rogers paralyzed from the shoulders down. He died in November.
— Jason Owens

Frank “Fuzzy” Zoeller did something very few other people had ever done back in 1979. He won the Masters in his very first appearance at Augusta National in a dramatic three-way playoff with Ed Sneed and Tom Watson. Zoeller, who died in December at 74, also won the U.S. Open. However, his career was overshadowed by racist comments he made about Tiger Woods on CNN in 1997. Zoeller eventually apologized and said that making those comments was “the worst thing I’ve gone through in my entire life.”
— Ryan Young

Mike White led the Raiders for two seasons when they moved back to Oakland in the mid-1990s, marking a homecoming of sorts for the Bay Area native. While he spent decades working in the NFL, and he won a Super Bowl ring with the St. Louis Rams before retirement, it was what he did at the college level that defined his coaching career. White spent six seasons at Cal, where he was a four-sport athlete himself, and led the Bears to a share of the Pac-8 title while earning Coach of the Year honors in 1975. He later spent eight seasons at Illinois and led the Illini to both a Big Ten title and their first Rose Bowl appearance in two decades.
— Ryan Young

Greg Biffle was voted one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers for the sanctioning body’s 75th anniversary in 2023. One of only two men to win both the NASCAR Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series titles, Biffle scored 19 wins in NASCAR’s Cup Series across a career that spanned two decades. Biffle finished second in the points standings to Tony Stewart in 2005 and was third in 2008. A likely NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee in the near future, Biffle helped countless lives in 2024 with his relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Biffle used his helicopter to fly supplies and even rescue people from western North Carolina. Biffle, 55, died in a plane crash along with his wife, Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder.
— Nick Bromberg

The 12-team College Football Playoff is down to seven teams, and the quarterfinal matchups for New Year’s Day are set. The first quarterfinal game saw a big upset, as Miami (FL) beat No. 1 Ohio State outright 24-14 as a 7.5-point underdog.

Our college football handicapping trio of Corbie Craig, Ed Feng and Matt Russell provide a best bet on the CFP quarterfinal games below.

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Odds courtesy of BetMGM. This file will be updated.

Craig: Oregon looked dominant against James Madison, and credit to JMU for reaching the CFP — but that game did little to prepare the Ducks for what’s next. There’s been no meaningful carryover from that matchup into this spot against Texas Tech, a team that quietly benefited the most from the bye week.

[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]

After dealing with significant injuries all season, the Red Raiders now get extra rest with their starting QB Behren Morton finally healthy and back into rhythm — a factor the market hasn’t fully priced in. Texas Tech is the more complete team here and set up to prove it.

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Bet: Texas Tech +2.5 (-110)

Craig: Alabama’s comeback win over Oklahoma looks far better in the box score than it did on the field. The Sooners jumped out to a 17–0 lead and controlled much of the game before a pick-six, muffed punt and multiple missed field goals flipped the script and allowed Alabama to escape with an outright win. In my postgame simulations, Oklahoma still won that matchup nearly 60% of the time despite losing by double digits.

That mispricing opens value in Round 2, where the market continues to overrate Alabama. Health remains a concern, and the Tide have relied heavily on opponent mistakes rather than clean execution (case in point Auburn, which fumbled on its final drive in its attempt tie the game). With neutral turnover variance, my numbers make Indiana closer to an 8-point favorite.

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Bet: Indiana -6.5 (-120)

Feng: Alabama is not an elite team, and the Crimson Tide were lucky to have made the playoff with three losses. They started the season getting crushed 31-17 by a Florida State team that ended the season 5-7. Alabama had a stretch during the season in which it made that game seem like a fluke, beating Georgia and pulling away from a good Vanderbilt team.

Then Alabama had a stretch of games in which it won close games at Missouri, vs. South Carolina and at Auburn … followed by getting destroyed by Georgia in the SEC championship game, and the game against Oklahoma that could have turned out differently if not for a pick-six gift from John Mateer. My numbers have an elite Indiana team by 11.

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Bet: Indiana -6.5

Craig: It was fun while it lasted, but I’m selling Ole Miss in the post–Lane Kiffin era after an easy opening win in the College Football Playoff against Tulane. As discussed last week, former defensive coordinators elevated to the role of head coach midseason often see a dip in defensive efficiency as responsibilities expand beyond one unit. That regression didn’t show up against an inferior opponent, but an SEC-level matchup is far less forgiving — and asking the Rebels to squeeze by again feels optimistic at best.

Bet: Georgia 1H team total over 14.5

Feng: Georgia and Ole Miss sailed over the pre-game total of 56.5 in a 43-35 win for Georgia at home earlier this season. How will this playoff game at a neutral site be any different?

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I have more confidence in the Georgia defense to have a better game in its second meeting against Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss. The Bulldogs pass defense hasn’t been great, but I would expect high recruits like CBs Ellis Robinson IV and Demello Jones to play better towards the end of their first year with significant snaps. The Georgia offense had an excellent game against a suspect Ole Miss defense, and I suspect QB Gunner Stockton will have another solid game (9.3 yards per pass attempt in the first game). My model predicts 32.5 points for Georgia.

Lean: Georgia team total over 31.5

Big picture, the NBA is in a really good place. We’re seeing record-setting attendance. Viewership is up significantly year-over-year. The league just struck a $76 billion media deal. Franchise values are higher than ever.

But it’s not perfect. To steal the HoopIdea motto from my pals Royce Webb and Henry Abbott: Basketball is the best game ever. Now let’s make it better.

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The biggest slack in the system is that star players aren’t playing enough games. The biggest names used to miss only one out of every 10 games. Nowadays, we’re seeing one out of every three games. Nikola Jokić, arguably the best player in the game, is the latest superstar to be sidelined for a big chunk of the season. At the moment, the Jokić injury has brought a lot of hot-button topics to the forefront.

So, let’s get to it. Here are seven New Year’s resolutions for commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA to consider.

1. Make it a 58-game regular season

It’s time. Play each team twice. Once at home, once on the road. Raise the stakes for every game. Kill the dreaded back-to-back. Football-ify the weekly schedule (say, Tuesdays and Sundays). Lower the risk of injury. Let everyone breathe. Let everyone prosper.

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In 2019, Kevin Arnovitz reported that the league and its teams formally explored the 58-game idea as part of a comprehensive plan to add a not-yet-established in-season tournament and play-in tournament. Those two tournaments have been a success. Now it’s time for the other part of that to come to fruition: the 58-game season.

Any momentum of a 58-game season came to a screeching halt during the pandemic-shortened seasons, which did not see a dramatic improvement on the injury front. Silver has argued the league studied the COVID-affected seasons and found no evidence that reducing games would lead to a corresponding improvement in player health. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see why using the pandemic seasons as a control group would be a foolish idea.

The NBA knows the best product is when games are spaced out without back-to-backs and plenty of days allowing for the body to recover. Proof of that understanding has been staring at us all along: look at the playoffs! The NBA doesn’t allow back-to-backs in the playoffs. I wonder why! Games lost due to injury go way down in the playoffs, partly because players are willing to play through bumps and bruises when the stakes are highest. But star participation skyrockets in the playoffs, I would posit, because the NBA has built in proper recovery time and bodies aren’t still raw from the night before.

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Beyond the upside of injury prevention, I’m a firm believer that a 58-game season would do wonders for the NBA product. It would solve much of the tanking problem. Fewer games means more teams in the hunt for playoff and play-in spots for a larger chunk of the season. Furthermore, and this is a huge one, it would standardize the schedule so every fan and every team would know what day of the week they’re playing. College football has Saturdays. NFL has Sundays. Fans build their entire week around football. It’s appointment viewing. NBA has … well … it depends. A 58-game schedule would make appointment viewing a reality.

I also don’t think a 30% reduction in games would lead to a 30% reduction in revenues. At least not in the long run. If players aren’t run into the ground trying to play 100 games a year (with playoffs), they’re more likely to have longer (and more reliable from a fan/TV partner perspective) careers.

2. Abolish the draft. Establish rookie free agency

Charlie Munger once said, “Show me the incentive and I’ll show you the outcome.” By giving the bottom-three teams the best odds at the No. 1 pick, the NBA is indirectly asking teams to lose on purpose to maximize the chance that the next superstar falls into their laps.

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Instead of a draft, the league should televise a Rookie Signing Week and — gasp! — allow the most-qualified individuals to choose their workplace. Rather than guaranteeing ping-pong balls, the league should replace draft odds with a cap exception proportional to their previous record. The worst teams would have marginally more money to offer the Cooper Flaggs of the world, but the advantage would only go so far. Organizational competence would matter much more when teams have to pitch the best prospects about why they should be the team they sign with. Right now, organizational incompetence is what matters most.

Anyone clutching their pearls about the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks loading up on talent should take a deep breath. Elite players want to be the star. That means playing time, the ball in their hands and, yes, money. If you don’t believe me, look at how top recruits choose their college program.

Massachusetts native AJ Dybantsa chose BYU. Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey went to Rutgers. Cade Cunningham handpicked Oklahoma State. Anthony Edwards opted for Georgia. Allen Iverson attended Georgetown. Shaq landed at LSU. Notice none of these programs reside in Miami, Los Angeles or New York.

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Yes, blue-chip programs like Duke, Kansas and Kentucky have cleaned up top-shelf talent in the one-and-done era, but that can only happen in a system that clears rosters every year, and colleges can promise a prospect that he’d be The Guy. That doesn’t fly in the NBA. Also, small-market teams should rejoice because last time I checked Durham, North Carolina; Lawrence, Kansas; and Lexington, Kentucky, are not coastal metropolises.

Let’s be real: the NBA Draft and Draft Lottery are an awkward charade. Remember how Cooper Flagg looked ill when Dallas won the lottery? If we’re being honest, the optics and general idea of the draft aren’t super awesome to begin with. It’s littered with wrong hats, delayed trade calls and sad 19-year-olds with nerve-wracked families lingering in the green room. Let the players pick their proverbial hat and watch bedlam ensue as each team has to reassess once top players go off the board. It’d be amazing television.

3. Eliminate the 65-game rule — or any game requirement — for awards

It was a bad idea to begin with, and I have zero idea why the NBPA signed off on it in the first place. The policy indirectly paints star players in a horrible light by suggesting that they were taking games off for load management/rest, and not actually, you know, injured. It clearly hasn’t been a motivator. Since it was established in 2023, star players are missing the cut more, not less.

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In reality, the media was already holding players accountable and rewarding players that played more games. In fact, there has been only one player in an 82-game season that won MVP while playing fewer than 65 games: Bill Walton in 1977-78. It’s a classic case of a cure being worse than the disease.

By implementing the rule, every MVP and All-NBA conversation (hello, Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo!) is now stained by constant injury talk rather than using that oxygen for praising a player’s greatness. Instead, many people will accuse SGA of skating to another MVP award that will artificially and potentially eliminate Jokić, Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić and Victor Wembanyama. If the goal is to promote player health and champion those who play the most games, it is doing the opposite. Get rid of it.

4. Let top seeds choose playoff opponents

Think of the drama! Think of the spice! Think of the … fairness? Yes, fairness!

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The integrity of the playoff system is being threatened by, yes, injuries. In the past, when the league was healthier and stars suited up almost every game, the playoff seeds were a fair representation of the best teams. But because player health has become such a scourge and disrupts the standings, we could have a situation in which a top seed faces a loaded team that fell in the league hierarchy due to a star player (or players) getting sidelined for long stretches.

[Jones: New Year’s resolutions for all 30 NBA teams]

Congrats to the OKC Thunder for earning the top seed, now you have to face … Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets! Hey, Detroit, kudos to you for winning the East, good luck against the No. 8 seed featuring … checks notes … Giannis Antetokounmpo! 

To avoid this scenario and inject more excitement in the playoff structure, the NBA should allow the top seeds (Nos. 1-3 in the first round; top seeds again in the semifinals) to choose their opponents. It’s a more efficient system that rewards regular-season performances, builds storylines and makes the playoffs a lot juicier. It’ll also clear up the weird loophole that the No. 1 seed has the least amount of time to prepare for its first-round opponent thanks to the play-in tournament.

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5. Bring back traditional home/away jerseys for national TV games

The NBA added prestige to the NBA Cup by changing the floors to highlighter colors and signaling to the audience that This Is Different. But what if we added prestige by … going back to normal.

Let’s restore some recipes and go back to the good old days when — and stay with me now — home teams wore white. I know! Crazy! Let’s dial it back and make sure that, for big games, teams wear the standard jerseys rather than seemingly flip through different jerseys every game. Please, we need Celtics green and New York white at Madison Square Garden. This is elemental to the NBA experience.

If the game isn’t on national television, then teams can choose whichever jersey they want. But for the big games, bring back some normalcy in an increasingly confusing world.

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6. Tighten up the gather-step rules

It’s too easy to score in the NBA. The Chicago Bulls and Atlanta freakin’ Hawks just scored 302 points in regulation and no one batted an eye. The worst offense in the league, the Indiana Pacers, score 108.1 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com/stats. You know where that would rank in the 2000-01 season? Not 15th. Not 10th. Not fifth. It would be first! Better than the Kobe-Shaq Lakers that won 56 games with an offensive efficiency of 107.0 points per 100 possessions that led the league. In fact, the injury-marred Pacers are scoring more on a per-possession basis than any of the Kobe-Shaq Laker teams.

Scoring inflation has happened fast. You know the 12-20 Utah Jazz led by Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George? They’re currently scoring at a higher rate than the KD/Steph Warriors’ best offensive season. I know. It’s disorienting.

We need to bring defense back. We can start with bringing back the travel to the spirit of the rule. Players have studied travel rules and stretched legal basketball innovations to the extreme and, I would argue, way past the limit. Gather step plus one step.

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Call it The Grayson Allen Rule. Look at this play. I don’t know what this is, but this is not basketball.

Whatever rule that makes that an illegal play, I’m all for.

And this?

Yeah, that can’t be legal. Except it is. When @mdwbasketball (go follow that account btw) says it’s legal, it’s legal. I just don’t think it should be legal.

It’s too easy to score in the NBA. Let’s pull it back a bit and call travels like we used to.

7. Allow referee press conferences

Frankly, it’s overdue. With gambling allegations and investigations ensnaring Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, Damon Jones, Malik Beasley and Jontay Porter (who has pled guilty, unlike the other names on this list), trust in the integrity of the game may be at its lowest since the Tim Donaghy scandals. And I’m not just talking about angry fans on social media. Recently, the NBA had to step in and announce four five-figure fines in just one week, penalizing teams and players for publicly criticizing officials.

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It’s time to further ensure transparency and integrity of the game by having referees available to speak freely with credentialed reporters after the game and have that media session broadcast on public channels.

On most nights, ref press conferences may not be needed. But allowing at least one beat reporter from each team to be present for a postgame news conference would be a big win for the trust in the system. Such a forum would cultivate an educational and informative context for rules to be explained, decisions clarified and calls defended. Currently for every game, the NBA assigns a pool reporter who has to submit questions ahead of time and the resulting Q&A is posted in text form on its website. For instance, is this at all helpful or productive?

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In my opinion, current measures don’t go far enough. The NBA has already opened the door by allowing the crew chief to announce a coach’s challenge ruling to the fans over the PA system. Having the crew chief sit and answer questions in a professional setting among reporters would be a step in the right direction. By and large, referees are good at their jobs. Let them show us.

New Orleans Saints wideout Chris Olave’s breakout year will come to an end a week earlier than expected. Olave will reportedly miss the team’s Week 18 game against the Atlanta Falcons after a blood clot was discovered in his lung, according to NewOrleans.Football.

The issue was caught early, per Nick Underhill. While Olave will miss Sunday’s game, he’s expected to be fine moving forward.

The injury ends an extremely promising season from the 25-year-old former first-round draft pick. After playing in just eight games last season due to multiple concussions, Olave had played in all 16 games with the Saints.

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He’s put up excellent numbers, setting career-highs in targets, receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

[Get more Saints news: New Orleans team feed]

While Olave has been a consistent bright spot for the Saints the entire season, he’s really excelled with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough under center. In the past three games, Olave has combined for 352 yards and four touchdowns with Shough. The Saints have won all three contests.

Though New Orleans is out of the playoff hunt, the team can still play a big role in the postseason in Week 18. In order for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make the playoffs, the team needs to defeat the Carolina Panthers on Saturday and have the Falcons lose against the Saints on Sunday.

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The Saints’ chances at pulling off the upset will take a hit with Olave sidelined, leaving Shough to rely on his other targets against Atlanta. While Shough started his NFL career slowly, he’s rounded into form over his past couple starts, and will look to prove he can still be a productive player without his top target.

While the Olave news puts a damper on the Saints’ end-of-season surge, it doesn’t sound like the wideout is in danger of missing time next season. If Shough can continue to develop, that could set the Saints up as a key team to watch early next season.

The No. 5 Oregon Ducks defeated James Madison 51-34 during last weekend’s first round College Football Playoff game to earn their spot in this week’s Orange Bowl, where they’ll face No. 4 Texas Tech. The game, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL, is one of the more even matchups of the CFP quarterfinals, though some analysts are predicting a Red Raiders win.

The Orange Bowl game is the first of three major New Year’s Day bowl games airing on ESPN and will stream on ESPN Unlimited. You can catch the Rose Bowl game between Indiana and Alabama at 4:00 p.m. ET, and the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Ole Miss at 8:00 p.m. ET. Here’s how to watch the Orange Bowl when it airs this Thursday, and take a look at the complete schedule of this week’s playoff and bowl games below.

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How to watch Texas Tech vs. Oregon in the Orange Bowl game:

Date: Thursday, January 1

Time: 12:00 p.m. ET

TV Channel: ESPN

Streaming: ESPN Unlimited, DirecTV, Fubo and more

When is the Texas Tech vs. Oregon game?

You can watch coverage of this week’s Texas Tech vs. Oregon Orange Bowl game starting at 12:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 1.

Where to watch the Texas Tech vs. Oregon game without cable

You can tune in to the Orange Bowl game on ESPN. ESPN is available on streaming platforms, including DirecTV and Sling, but for the most comprehensive college football coverage, you can also watch this game and hundreds more on the ESPN app with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.

New Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham is hiring familiar faces as his top two assistants.

According to ESPN, BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill is set to take the same position with the Wolverines and Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck will be the team’s offensive coordinator. Both Hill and Beck had been prominently mentioned as Whittingham’s top choices ever since the former Utah coach was named the replacement for the fired Sherrone Moore.

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Like Beck, Hill has ties to Utah, where Whittingham was the second-longest tenured coach in college football before stepping down at the end of the season. Hill, who just finished his third season as BYU’s defensive coordinator, was an assistant for the Utes from 2001 through 2013. He coached positions on both offense and defense for the Utes before he became the head coach at Weber State from 2014 through 2022.

[Get more Wolverines football news: Michigan team feed]

BYU’s defense has been one of the most reliable units in the country over the past two seasons. After a rough first year in the Big 12, the Cougars have allowed fewer than 20 points per game in each of the last two seasons. Texas Tech was the only team to score more than 27 points against BYU all season in 2025.

Beck was at Utah for just one season after arriving from New Mexico after the 2024 season. Whittingham turned to Beck — and, subsequently, former UNM QB Devon Dampier — after a rough offensive season in 2024 that featured four quarterbacks seeing significant playing time.

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The Utes averaged 6.6 yards per play and scored over 41 points per game in 2025. Only four teams averaged more points per game. Dampier, who threw for over 2,000 yards and rushed for over 1,000 in 2024 at New Mexico, had nearly 2,500 passing yards in 2025 while rushing for 835 yards. True freshman QB Byrd Ficklin also appeared in 12 games and rushed 61 times for 513 yards and 10 TDs.

Utah had three players — Ficklin, Dampier and RB NaQuari Rogers — with at least 10 rushing touchdowns this past season.

Beck’s offense should fit Michigan QB Bryce Underwood well. Underwood, a former five-star recruit and Michigan native, was the Wolverines’ starter in his true freshman season. He showed promise as a dual-threat QB but games against top-tier opponents in 2025 showed that he has a ways to go to develop as a passer.

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2025 World Series behind the arm of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the team’s prized free-agent signing in 2024. And Yamamoto had plenty of help along the way, with Roki Sasaki, the Dodgers’ prized free-agent signing in 2025, and Shohei Ohtani, whose two-way status is a modern-day cheat code, pitching in.

At one point, all three players were stars in Nippon Professional Baseball with the desire to prove their talent could shine in Major League Baseball. Now the Houston Astros are hoping Tatsuya Imai will be the next Japanese pitcher to make that leap. The Astros agreed to a deal with Imai on Thursday, according to multiple reports.

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The contract is reportedly for three seasons and $54 million guaranteed, according to John Heyman of the New York Post. The deal can max out at $63 million, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Imai’s contract also reportedly contains opt-outs after each season.

While it’s a shorter deal than expected, Imai will receive the second-highest average-annual salary of any Japanese-born MLB pitcher, behind Yamamoto in the top spot.

The move gives the Astros a potential top-of-the-rotation starter to replace Framber Valdez, who is currently a free agent. The Imai deal doesn’t prevent the Astros from bringing back Valdez, but it could signal that Houston is willing to move on from its former ace.

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The Astros don’t have many set rotation spots. Hunter Brown will likely move into the team’s No. 1 spot, but there’s an argument to be made that Imai is now the team’s second-best starting pitcher. That might depend on whether Cristian Javier can regain his form after a down year in 2025.

The oft-injured Lance McCullers Jr. slots in next in the team’s rotation. The team’s lack of starting pitching depth not only makes the Imai deal necessary for Houston but also essentially ensures he’ll open the season as one of the team’s top options in the rotation. Houston is looking to bounce back after missing the playoffs last season despite an 87-75 record.

[Get more Astros news: Houston team feed]

The 27-year-old Imai comes to MLB after an impressive year with the Seibu Lions in Japan. In 2025, he posted a 1.92 ERA over 163 2/3 innings. He registered 178 strikeouts and 45 walks.

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While those numbers are strong, Imai is coming to the majors with less hype than any of the Dodgers’ three stars who made the same transition. Given Ohtani’s status as a two-way player, comparing him to other players is foolish. But from purely a pitching standpoint, Sasaki and Yamamoto had more impressive track records than Imai when the Dodgers’ duo came to the majors.

That, combined with offense being slightly down in NPB, caused Imai to be viewed as a step below some of the top starting pitchers on the free-agent market. He ranked No. 14 on Yahoo’s list. However, at 27 years old, he still has the potential to develop further in MLB.

As things stand, the righty boasts strikeout stuff with the ability to limit walks and home runs. And he brings a unique repertoire to the majors. In addition to a fastball and a slider, Imai throws a splitter and a changeup, a rarely used combination. That could give him a leg up early on, when major-league hitters will be learning how to hit against him without fully developed scouting reports.

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The typical concerns for a pitcher coming over from NPB apply for Imai, including the different size of the baseball and the increased workload that comes with pitching in an MLB rotation. Imai showed some signs the latter won’t be an issue, as he not only upped his workload his last two years with the Lions but also showed better fastball velocity during that stretch, a sign that the increased workload didn’t add too much fatigue to his arm.

Given the success of the Dodgers’ trio — as well as pitchers such as the Chicago Cubs’ Shota Imanaga and the New York Mets’ Kodai Senga — there will be pressure on Imai to perform at a high level immediately. The Astros believe he’s capable of delivering on that promise and were willing to commit significant money to have him on their side.

Let’s be honest: The final game of the NFL season isn’t the greatest matchup.

The Baltimore Ravens are 8-8 and one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL. The Pittsburgh Steelers are just 9-7 and have been inconsistent all season, including last week when they lost to the Browns as favorites, with a chance to clinch the AFC North. Now the Steelers host the Ravens in the final game of the regular season on Sunday night, with the winner getting the AFC North title and the loser headed to the offseason.

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While we’ve seen better Ravens-Steelers matchups, not many have had more drama attached.

The future of the losing coach will be questioned (maybe the winning coach too, depending on what happens in the playoffs). It could be Aaron Rodgers’ final game in the NFL. There will be a lot of criticism of Steelers receiver DK Metcalf for getting himself suspended for the final two games of the season if that costs Pittsburgh a playoff spot. Lamar Jackson has had a bumpy season with plenty of controversy, and while it seems he’ll play through a back injury that kept him out last week, will he be anywhere near his usual self? He hasn’t been all season. There could end up being questions about his future too.

The Ravens are 3.5-point favorites at BetMGM, which is a bit surprising. They are just 6-10 vs. the spread this season but oddsmakers haven’t given up on them. The Steelers just beat the Ravens in Baltimore in Week 14. Derrick Henry had a monster game last week, but it’s not as easy as giving him 36 carries again this week. That’s a lot to ask, even for Henry. Maybe the Ravens win, but anything over a field goal on the road seems like a bit much. Whoever wins, the real fireworks might start for the losing team after the game.

Here are the rest of the picks for Week 18 in the NFL, with odds from BetMGM:

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Panthers (+2.5) over Buccaneers

Based on the last eight weeks, there’s no way the Buccaneers should be favored over practically anyone. Well, except the Raiders. The Bucs are 1-7 since their bye with a -52 point differential. The only win was a three-point home win against the Cardinals, who are 1-13 since Week 2. The Panthers just beat the Buccaneers two weeks ago. Carolina isn’t a very good team either, but trusting the Buccaneers seems foolish.

Seahawks (-1.5) over 49ers

The first game Saturday has important stakes, but is between two deeply flawed teams. This is the main event. The Seahawks are 13-3, the 49ers are 12-4 and the winner gets the NFC West and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. It’s hard to go against the 49ers, whose offense has been unstoppable lately. But the Seahawks are the better overall team, have a great defense and are 14-2 on the road in the Mike Macdonald era. This will be a great game. This pick is a slight lean to the superior team.

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Saints (+3.5) over Falcons

Now we get to the Sunday games and figuring out who’s even playing, and for what. That’s the riddle of Week 18. The Falcons seem like they’re playing for something meaningful because it has been mentioned all week that their game could ultimately decide the NFC South, but they probably don’t care much if the Buccaneers or Panthers win the division. And the Falcons get a bump from looking great on Monday night with everyone watching. But the Saints have been playing quite well long after everyone stopped paying attention. They’ll compete.

Bengals (-7.5) over Browns

Shedeur Sanders has been reasonable for a late-round rookie quarterback, but the Browns have also failed to score more than 13 points in three of his last five starts. The Bengals have put up at least 32 points in four of their last five games, with a weird shutout loss to the Ravens mixed in. I’ll trust Cincinnati’s offense.

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Packers (+7.5) over Vikings

Matt LaFleur learned his lesson. He played starters in a mostly meaningless Week 18 game last season, and Jordan Love got banged up and Christian Watson suffered a season-ending injury. Green Bay has the No. 7 seed clinched, and LaFleur said he’ll sit some starters. The players out there want to impress, however, and it’s way too many points to lay for a Vikings offense that produced just three net passing yards last week.

Giants (+3.5) over Cowboys

Dak Prescott will start the game, but will he finish? Dallas has some offensive line injuries, which could cause coach Brian Schottenheimer to pull Prescott early. The Giants might benefit from losing, due to draft position, but we saw last week the players and coaching staff don’t care much about that.

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[Check out all of Yahoo’s sports betting content here in our betting hub]

Titans (+12.5) over Jaguars

The Jaguars can clinch the AFC South with a win and the 3-13 Titans are playing for nothing, right? Don’t be so sure. Playing spoiler to ruin the Jaguars’ chances at a division title would be a great way for Tennessee to enter the offseason. We saw Cleveland fight hard to beat the Steelers in a similar situation last week. And Tennessee has fought hard in the last half of the season. This one might not be easy for Jacksonville.

Texans (-10) over Colts

I don’t question the Colts’ desire in this game. But rookie quarterback Riley Leonard making his first NFL start vs. Houston’s defense is a rough assignment. And the Texans have to play hard for two reasons: They can still win the AFC South if the Titans upset the Jaguars, and if that doesn’t happen getting the fifth seed (and the chance to play a weak AFC North winner) is still worth playing to win.

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Bills (-7) over Jets

Let’s run this back from last week’s picks: The Jets have lost six of seven, and the losses have been by 13, 13, 24, 28, 23 and 32 points. Josh Allen is probably playing just one series to keep his consecutive games streak alive. But I’m not taking the Jets against anyone, even the Bills’ backups.

Bears (-3) over Lions

The difference between the No. 2 and No. 3 seed in the NFC probably matters. You’d rather play the depleted Packers rather than any NFC West team. The Bears get the No. 2 seed and a third game against the Packers with a win. The Lions won’t quit (this is a Dan Campbell production, after all) but true motivation will be hard to come by.

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Chargers (+12.5) over Broncos

This is why assuming a team has nothing to play for is often misguided. Trey Lance will start at QB for the Chargers and he knows this is a huge showcase. The same goes for any Chargers backup who is replacing a starter. The Broncos don’t blow teams out, and the large spread is an overreaction to Justin Herbert sitting.

Raiders (+5.5) over Chiefs

This is one weird game. Would I put it past the Chiefs to secretly not be too upset if the Raiders win, perhaps pushing them to the No. 1 overall pick and the quarterback Las Vegas prefers in the draft? We saw last week that the Raiders really want that top pick, and even if the players on the field don’t care about the draft they’re not good enough (especially with Brock Bowers and Maxx Crosby being put on IR) that it matters. I’ll just throw up my hands and take the points.

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Rams (-7.5) over Cardinals

The line has moved from Rams -9.5 to -7.5. Bettors must believe the Rams will sit starters, regardless of what Sean McVay said after last week’s game. If the Rams have a shot at the No. 5 seed (they get it with a 49ers loss combined with a win over Arizona), do they play to win? I think so. It would be much better to play the NFC South champ than the Eagles or Bears, and McVay knows that. However, Arizona is probably the better side if the Seahawks lose on Saturday, which would lock the Rams into the sixth seed.

Dolphins (+10.5) over Patriots

Don’t assume the Dolphins won’t play hard just because they were eliminated from the playoff race long ago. Miami has won four of its last six.

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Eagles (-4) over Commanders

It seems like the Eagles will sit starters, which they should. I’d still rather have Tanner McKee and the Eagles backups than the shell of this Commanders team.

Last week: 8-8

Season to date: 127-124-6

Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons has some extra time on his hands after suffering a torn ACL in December. While his team preps for the playoffs, Parsons is stuck at home recovering after undergoing surgery, and that means he has more time to scroll social media.

Parsons was apparently doing that Thursday when he stumbled upon a post about his former team that compelled him to respond.

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The original post featured an image of Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who told Cowboys media Thursday that the Parsons trade “changed” how the team’s defense operated. Parsons responded to that tweet with multiple “laughing” emojis.

He then took it a step further. After apparently getting some hate in the comments, Parsons defended his actions, saying he felt slandered by Jerry Jones “for months.”

Parsons was likely referencing a series of comments Jones made ahead of trading the superstar to the Packers. Since that trade, there hasn’t been much of a back-and-forth between the two. In the weeks after the deal, the pass rusher said he didn’t hear from Jones following the trade. Since then it’s been fairly quiet on both sides, though Jones did wish Parsons the best following his season-ending injury.

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But Parsons’ tweet re-opened that wound, and made it clear that he still harbors some feelings about the trade. He has a few reasons for that. While Parsons is currently injured, the change of scenery proved to be beneficial for both him and the Packers. Parsons got paid, and then put up excellent numbers when healthy. Despite losing Parsons, the Packers still managed to secure a playoff spot in the NFC.

The Cowboys can’t say the same. Despite the addition of Eberflus as its defensive coordinator, the team ranks dead last in points allowed per game in 2025. That’s not a huge decline compared to last season, when the Cowboys ranked 31st in the same category, but that’s hardly a consolation.

As last season shows, though, the presence of Parsons in 2025 may not have lifted the Cowboys all that much. The team’s defense was miserable with him last year. While it was worse in 2025, it’s unclear how much he could have single-handedly lifted Dallas’ defense to better numbers.

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Without Parsons, the Cowboys will improve their winning percentage in 2025, though the team has already been eliminated from postseason contention. It will look to use the picks it acquired in the Parsons trade to reload for the 2026 NFL season.

Despite the injury, Parsons still has a shot at winning a ring this season. And if the Packers can’t accomplish that, there’s a decent chance the team will get Parsons back early next season to try and make another run at a Super Bowl title.

While the trade was clearly painful for Parsons, he’s in a better spot right now. The Packers look like perennial contenders with the All-Pro. The Cowboys, meanwhile, look like a team with multiple holes to fill if they want to contend next year.

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Kevin O’Connor shares his 2026 NBA predictions in this solo episode, delivering one key forecast for every team in the league. From blockbuster trade hypotheticals—like Anthony Davis to Atlanta and Giannis possibly landing with the Knicks—to unique player trajectories, Kevin predicts potential statistical trends, trade rumors and team dynamics for the upcoming year.

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(0:52) Hawks prediction

(2:52) Mavericks prediction

(4:51) Lakers prediction

(8:28) Nuggets prediction

(10:07) Spurs prediction

(13:48) Nets prediction

(14:13) Thunder prediction

(15:13) Celtics prediction

(16:16) Pacers prediction

(17:21) Pelicans prediction

(18:57) Rockets prediction

(20:23) Warriors prediction

(21:58) Trail Blazers prediction

(22:56) 76ers prediction

(24:07) Clippers prediction

(26:13) Heat prediction

(27:17) Hornets prediction

(28:13) Wizards prediction

(29:41) Jazz prediction

(32:02) Timberwolves prediction

(35:31) Grizzlies prediction

(37:03) Kings prediction

(38:22) Bulls prediction

(39:57) Raptors prediction

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(40:51) Pistons prediction

(42:05) Suns prediction

(42:39) Magic prediction

(43:20) Cavaliers prediction

(44:36) Knicks & Bucks predictions

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