Author: rb809rb

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — About 10 minutes into a despondent postgame sigh, the reality settled in for Drake Maye. The one that drops into the stomach for many quarterbacks who crumble into the negative side of the ledger in the biggest game of their lives. The one where you’ve lost a Super Bowl, and next comes losing part of the team that helped deliver  it.

One question after another, the New England Patriots quarterback stared just over the top of the microphone in front of him, but just below the gaze of the reporters encircling him. Eventually, his eyes began to well and his voice cracked.

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“I’m so proud,” he said, contemplating the Patriots’ unlikely run to Sunday’s Super Bowl. “That’s probably the reason I’m choked up the most.”

He took a beat between his words, trying to hold his composure.

“This team is uh … ”

“Something that uh … ”

“I’m just glad to be part of.”

This moment hurt for Maye, who also revealed to reporters that he received a pain-killer injection in his right shoulder before Sunday’s game. The emotions were understandable. There are many ways to lose a Super Bowl. And New England’s 29-13 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks was not remotely pretty. The offense was suffocated, overwhelmed and often bullied. The defense, while stout much of the night, couldn’t carry the load alone. And the magical season — which saw New England go from last place in the AFC East in 2024 to this Super Bowl stage — felt like it was fighting off a closing curtain at halftime, despite facing only a 9-0 deficit.

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It was the kind of loss that sets the offseason in motion with the burden of knowing the roster, coaching staff and personnel department all have an uphill hike ahead. The kind of journey where you have to work hard and smart to anchor the franchise to this 2025 success, lest it become a cautionary tale of arriving too early with an overall team that is still too fragile to establish consistency into 2026 and beyond. The Washington Commanders were that kind of franchise in 2024, storming into the NFC championship game with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and a roster that was nowhere ready to backstop elite success in the event of health issues at the quarterback spot. And when that quarterback spot went sideways in 2025, so did the feel-good story of 2024 Commanders.

That could be these Patriots. That’s why the next 307 days of head coach Mike Vrabel will matter as much as the previous 307 days.

The saving grace — once the hurt of Sunday’s loss subsides, if it ever really does — is that Maye is experiencing this defeat at 23 years old and in his second year as an NFL starter. As historical quarterback continuums go, he resides in an impressive fraternity of Super Bowl starters who experienced this stage ahead of the curve, joining eight others who managed to play in a Super Bowl as NFL sophomores. Among them: Pro Football Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Kurt Warner; expected future Hall of Famers in Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger and Russell Wilson; still-in-motion starters Joe Burrow and Brock Purdy; and the lost career (or however you wish to view it) of Colin Kaepernick.

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That group is an interesting NFL mashup of success and failure sprawled across decades, showcasing that while some quarterbacks are destined for more Super Bowl opportunities — Brady, Warner, Roethlisberger and Wilson — others either never again stepped on the biggest stage (Marino and Kaepernick) or are still trying to find their way back (Burrow and Purdy). The direction of Maye? It now depends on both his own progression and the strides of virtually everything around him in the Patriots organization.

That thought should have represented the undercurrent in the minds of New England fans when Vrabel opened his Sunday night remarks intent on reminding everyone that all of this is just beginning.

Asked what he told his team after Sunday’s loss, Vrabel replied, “That I’m proud of everything they did. That I’m disappointed just like they are.”

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“I reminded them that we’re 307 days into what is hopefully a long, successful relationship and program,” Vrabel said. “And that it’s OK to be disappointed. We have to be disappointed and upset together. Like I always do, I [told] them I’m appreciative and thankful and grateful that I get to coach them. Part of our identity not being a frontrunner. Just like every year, somebody is going to lose this game and we have to remember what it feels like and make sure it’s not repeated.”

Of course, reaching another Super Bowl and making sure past mistakes aren’t repeated, is more than just remembering a feeling, especially when a franchise is still a significant work in progress. For all the well-built dynasty-era Patriots rosters that found consistent success like winding a clock each season, you have something different in this New England team that will spend this offseason trying to reconfigure a dozen components inside a Swiss watch containing 200 parts. There’s meticulous work ahead here. And even in the midst of Maye’s sudden rise to a near-MVP level in 2025, the raising of his ceiling has to be one of the cogs within it.

That includes all the euphoria of winning that accompanied the 14-3 regular season. And now it includes all the losing Sunday, a rebuke that delivers New England back to a 2026 starting line with little more than the stinging reminder of missed opportunity in the form of an AFC championship trophy.

It’s a haunting hurt that Maye seemed to understand clearly in defeat.

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“That’s what fuels you,” Maye said of the emotional low taken from the Seahawks loss. “I think that’s the biggest thing about life. It’s gonna have times like this. It’s how you bounce back. All the guys in that locker room are gonna use this as fuel. I’d go to war with those guys anytime, any day, anywhere. That’s motivation to get back here and not have this feeling. … I told those guys in the locker room, this is fuel. If it’s not, then I don’t know what this feeling can do for you, because this is tough.”

It’s fuel for the coaching staff, too. While the exact responsibilities for a litany of Super Bowl breakdowns will be unraveled over the next few hours, days and weeks, there’s little hiding that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels didn’t have his best performance. Or that Seattle’s ability to disguise some pressure looks weren’t always recognized by Maye. Or that the offensive line — most especially left tackle Will Campbell — has an absolutely vital offseason ahead.

New England’s $35 million to $40 million in 2026 salary cap space — while an above-average margin — will have to be spent very wisely this offseason. The skill position pieces around Maye (most especially at wide receiver) will require a lot of attention. His line will need additions, and possibly even some reshuffling. The defense will require depth and extensions, most notably with cornerback Christian Gonzalez. And the well of 11 draft picks will have to produce some players capable of stepping in and having an impact as rookies.

For any franchise, that’s a lot of work. For a team that just lost in the Super Bowl, it’s a surprising amount of heavy earth that still has to be moved. But there’s also one significant step forward that appears to finally be out of the way: Even in a postseason when he accounted for only six touchdowns against four interceptions, seven fumbles and was sacked 21 times — even when he made several costly mistakes in the biggest game of his life — New England’s quarterback sounded resolute in the desolation of his first title shot.

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“There’s plays I’ll think about for the next probably seven months, until we’re back in September playing the first one [of the season],” Maye said Sunday night. “That’s the nature of it.”

On some days, in the absolute biggest game, so is losing. And Maye didn’t know that a year ago.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The strategy was ironic.

To outwit the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald tapped into one of his trademark idiosyncrasies.

Seahawks colleagues describe the second-year, 38-year-old defensive guru as an analytical thinker for whom “Excel is his best friend.”

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Players and coaches know that when they talk to Macdonald, he may not respond immediately. He is not ignoring them. He is calculating his response.

“He usually has the look where he would literally pause, look off, and it’s like the most awkward five seconds of your life,” defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Karl Scott told Yahoo Sports on Thursday. “It’s him getting to where he needs to get to give you the answer that he feels best about.

“His processor is working up there.”

The calculating and recalculating is effective for the creation of a game plan.

It’s lethal for a quarterback playing on the biggest stage.

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So as the Seahawks prepared to face second-year quarterback Drake Maye and the Patriots, a defense that prides itself on running myriad plays out of identical pre-snap looks understood: Seattle needed the opposing quarterback to do what its coach so often does in conversation.

The Seahawks needed Maye to pause, to hesitate, to wonder what the Seahawks were going to do after the snap. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had drilled film that showed Seattle employing late rotations and drops that confounded quarterbacks who trusted their initial read.

McDaniels told Maye: “You gotta confirm it once the ball’s snapped.”

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But waiting to confirm the Seahawks’ defensive plan left Maye exactly where the Seahawks wanted him.

“Once he [gets] on point, he get[s] the ball out very early, it’s very hard to stop him,” cornerback Devon Witherspoon said as cigar smoke and Champagne bottles signaled the Seahawks’ 29-13 Super Bowl LX victory. “So I think we had a great game plan for that. …

“Just make him hold the ball a little bit longer than he normally do.”

Make Maye pause just as Macdonald regularly does in conversation. Better yet, force that hesitation and then attack a quarterback who’s no longer in rhythm.

In an NFL era that increasingly favors high-flying offenses and quarterback-centric team builds, the Seahawks won their first Super Bowl in 11 years by bucking trends. When they needed a head coach, they hired not the latest Los Angeles Rams offensive mind whom they tabbed as the next Sean McVay but instead a defensive mind whom past colleagues have long hailed as a defensive Sean McVay of sorts.

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When the Seahawks needed a quarterback, they did not draft one with a premium pick nor pay top dollar to acquire the most proven option; they instead bet on 2018 No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold’s potential to do enough among a highly talented surrounding cast and instructed Darnold in the final game: Protect the ball, and we’ll win. Sunday, Darnold became the first quarterback to start for at least four teams (he’s started for five) then win a Super Bowl.

The Seahawks won with a head coach whom colleagues say coaches defense like offensive coaches coach offense, which is to say that Seattle’s defense doesn’t bank on reacting when it could instead detail out plays with specific roles for each player and an unusual emphasis on situational football, disguises and blitzes that could come from anywhere.

That combination buoyed Seattle to a win that was closer than the final result suggested. And it could leave many of the 31 other NFL teams wondering if their recent offensive obsession is the straightest path to a Super Bowl.

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“We lost and we were beat,” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said. “Outcoached and outplayed.

“Give them credit.”

With heavy pressure, Seahawks knocked Maye off Super Bowl mountain

During offseason practices and training camp last summer, McDaniels drew a picture of a mountain on the board of a meeting room and explained his quarterback philosophy.

Many NFL offenses, including the increasingly popular Shanahan-McVay system, are trending toward alleviating responsibilities and stressors off of quarterbacks. McDaniels, whose six Super Bowl berths as offensive coordinator are a league record, believed in the opposite. The more he teaches quarterbacks every intricate detail, the more they can process the information that defenses threw at them, he figures. Even without grizzled vet Tom Brady under center, McDaniels clings to that premise.

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So last summer, alongside the edge of the mountain imagery, McDaniels spelled out lessons in ascending order of difficulty. Cadence formed the base of the mountain, followed by breaking the huddle, alignment, footwork and progression reads, Patriots second-string quarterback Josh Dobbs told Yahoo Sports. Then came concepts ranging from red zone and short-yardage to third-and-long and end-of-game situations.

“And then at the top of the mountain, there’s all these difficult things that defenses do, you know, to try to make you make mistakes,” McDaniels said Thursday. “It’s not easy all the time going up the mountain cause you’re gonna be asked to do some of these things and they’re gonna trick us and they’re gonna get us.

“But once you learn, and then you get to the top of the mountain? I’ve always told them that the view from the top is a lot better than the view from the bottom.”

McDaniels’ philosophy helped guide Maye to a league-best 72% completion rate, the MVP runner-up by one vote and an AFC championship title. But on the biggest stage, the Seahawks’ concepts at the top of the proverbial mountain thwarted rather than empowered Maye.

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Seattle, rather than New England, hoisted the Lombardi Trophy atop the pro football mountain.

Maye wasn’t able to carry an offense that relied heavily on him to elevate the Patriots most of the season. Maye was pressured on 52.8% of his dropbacks, the most since Next Gen Stats began tracking such data, and he absorbed six sacks while turning the ball over three times on the night.

Through three quarters, Maye had completed just 8 of 18 pass attempts for 60 yards as the Patriots converted just 2-of-11 third downs before the final period.

Late in the game, the Patriots found the end zone in what some Seahawks later described as garbage time. But before the Patriots ruined Seattle’s shutout bid with 12:30 to play, New England punted eight times and fumbled another possession away.

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The Seahawks’ blitzes were one source of Maye’s disorientation.

Seattle’s designated blitzer was unexpected.

With Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks bucked their playoff blitz pattern 

Remember how Macdonald coaches defense like his rivals coach offense?

Well, Seattle’s top mind schemed cornerback Devon Witherspoon the way San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan schemes Christian McCaffrey and Atlanta Falcons brass scheme Bijan Robinson.

Witherspoon, the fifth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, had rushed the passer just 21 times in 12 regular-season games this season. He had not rushed the passer, which is to say the defensive back had not blitzed, in either of the Seahawks’ prior playoff games.

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So what did “Defensive Sean McVay” dial up against a quarterback who had fumbled more times in three playoffs games than 17 regular-season games?

Witherspoon blitzed six times, generating a career-high four pressures, including a sack, that encapsulates why Maye had such a long and frustrating night.

As the Patriots faced third-and-9 with 7:23 to play in the first quarter, Seattle lined up not four, not five, but six defenders at the line of scrimmage. Then, as New England snapped the ball, linebacker Ernest Jones IV dropped into coverage and Witherspoon creeped up from behind the line to blitz Darnold.

Witherspoon sacked Darnold for a loss of 10 yards and forced the first of what would become a very routine Patriots play on Sunday: a punt. The Patriots were so unprepared for Witherspoon’s blitz that he managed to race through unblocked. Witherspoon was unblocked on all four of his pressures, according to Next Gen Stats.

“I haven’t been blitzing a lot this year but like I said, it was best for our team,” Witherspoon said. “I enjoy them a lot.”

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The Patriots would not enjoy them.

Instead, in the fourth quarter, Witherspoon’s pursuit would cause a play in which he did not show up on the stat sheet or even the description of the play in the NFL’s official record of how the game unfolded.

And yet, the play was “just a microcosm of our whole season,” Scott said, because Seattle’s defense hinged less on one star than the average NFL defense and instead on a swarming collective that set each other up for home-run plays. With 4:37 to play in the fourth quarter, after the Patriots had finally found a glimpse of momentum, including their initial score, Witherspoon waited for the tell that Macdonald had outlined during film study and indeed saw the timing of an offensive line movement that gave him a green light. Witherspoon burst through the line again and punched it out of Maye’s hands.

Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu grabbed the loose ball before it hit the ground and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown. The Patriots were mathematically a long shot to rally before that. With the 14-point swing on the drive, Seattle’s win clarified further.

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“Spoon had a phenomenal game,” Macdonald said. “Affected the quarterback, made the play on the ball. We haven’t blitzed him that much this year. He hasn’t made that many plays on the quarterback. Not for a lack of wanting to on his end.

“Called his number today and made it happen.”

‘Illusion of complexity’ gave Seahawks a trophy that is no mirage

From the San Jose Marriott in the days preceding Super Bowl LX, Macdonald told his team in a meeting that their best recipe for winning was to be themselves.

Perhaps the message will sound cliché to some; and perhaps it will convey stability and consistency to others. But Macdonald wasn’t just floating vague sentiments. He was explaining to his players how he tempered his own nerves ahead of the biggest moment, during a week in which he said too much time was one of his biggest challenges.

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The analytical, spreadsheet-loving mind had too much time to crunch numbers. The calculating, scheming defensive mastermind was still installing wrinkles on Saturday, Love said.

“Lot of thought, lot of effort, lot of adjustments,” Love said. “It always goes up to the whistle because we’re just chasing that edge.”

So Macdonald’s message to his players in their team meeting, after a season of defining their ethos as “loose and focused”?

“He’s like, ‘I go through the game plan every week and I get to Friday and start stressing and stuff,’” edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence told Yahoo Sports. “He’s like, ‘Next thing you know, I see you guys and it’s like all of [the stress] is thrown away. Just because of y’all’s attitudes and you know how y’all approach each and every day.’

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“He told us the key was being ourselves.”

So on Sunday, in sunny Northern California, the Seahawks leaned into their identity of disguises and they ran zone at times after they aligned pre-snap bluffing they would run man. The Seahawks painted pictures for Maye other than the truth of what they would run, and they married their rush and their coverage to create pressure he was unable to overcome.

“We use disguise and shell coverage to play everything out of and create that illusion of complexity,” defensive coordinator Aden Durde told Yahoo Sports on Thursday. “I’ve been on teams that you want to disguise, but I feel like teams I’ve been on, they want to disguise multiple different looks, where here it’s just like, ‘This is what we are.’

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“We don’t pressure a lot, but when we do pressure, everyone pressures, and if everyone pressures that means everyone drops. So it’s all connected on all three levels.”

On Sunday, the blitzes and pressures and disguises all connected to light the way to a Seahawks championship.

“They had a hard time operating,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said of the Patriots. “[Macdonald] worries himself overthinking and overstrategizing, but he’s amazing at it. And he knows football. He knows the offensive side and the defensive side.

“He did a great job and he did a great job of being himself. And when players see that authenticity, they buy into that right away. They can recognize a fake right away, and he’s not fake at all.”

Neither, on the floor of the home locker room at 9:25 p.m. local time, was the Lombardi Trophy. Fingerprints dulled its luster some. But the trophy that Seahawks players and coaches had lifted and posed with and danced around and kissed sat abandoned on the carpet of the locker room as its new owners fled for the party that awaited.

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Perhaps it was fitting: The trophy that had shuffled hands and stages all night now reflected the image of the head coach who won it, taking a pause that was not awkward before more action awaited it later that night.

The trophy that Macdonald had earned in large part because of his calculating pauses, and those pauses’ ability to make Maye pause, could breathe.

So could a locker room of Seahawks players with different faces and backstories than the last Seattle dynasty. Schneider discussed, as one of the few holdovers, how difficult it was to again reach the elusive stage and how much he appreciated team owner Jody Allen’s willingness to grant a front office a caliber of longevity the league often doesn’t when a decade passed between Lombardis.

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Witherspoon celebrated the championship reputation his coach had earned, albeit with a dose of shade toward the NFL Coach of the Year contest that had crowned Vrabel, rather than Macdonald, its winner. (Ballots incorporate only regular-season performances.)

“It was just so easy to follow his game plan because you know he wanted the best for you,” Witherspoon said of Macdonald. “I mean, he means everything to me. And [when] he didn’t get Coach of the Year, I felt some time of way about that because I mean, who outperformed him this year, really?

“We etched ourselves in history, so it really don’t matter [now] to be honest, though.

“But talking about a coach who [is] going to battle for you, who [is] going to treat you right, man, who’s a player’s coach — it’s hard to put these words in. It’s hard to put it together in the words, man.

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“I just love Coach Macdonald. That’s my guy, man.”

Pause to think about it, and that’s a Super Bowl champion.

The Winter Games have begun in Italy. From the rink to the slopes, a new generation of stars has emerged to chase gold. We’ll keep you connected to all of the thrilling moments and top stories as we track the medal race each day of the Games.

The U.S. curling team bounced back to advance to the semifinals for the first time in team history, while the US women’s hockey team and figure skaters look to continue their domination. Erin Jackson and Brittany Bowe look for another medal, while a new face has emerged in the women’s freeski slopestyle.

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Here are the top five things to watch today at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics:

1. U.S. mixed doubles to compete in first curling semifinal

Survival was the best word to describe Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin’s back-to-back wins over Estonia and Sweden in round-robin play on Sunday. After going into Saturday’s matchups with a record-setting 4-0 start, the U.S. mixed doubles pair dropped back-to-back matches to undefeated Great Britain and previously winless South Korea.

Team USA got back on track on Sunday. They defeated Estonia’s Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill and Sweden’s Isabella and Rasmus Wranaa to clinch a semifinal berth for the first time in team history.

After early play Monday, the semifinal stage is set: USA vs. Italy, Great Britain vs. Sweden.

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For the American and Italians, it will be a rematch of … Monday morning’s match, where the Italians rode a four-point end to a 7-6 victory.

2. Will Hilary Knight break the Olympic scoring record against Switzerland?

The U.S. women’s hockey team is off to a commanding start, entering Monday’s matchup against 1-1 Switzerland undefeated at 2-0. Only Sweden (3-0) has a better record. Each of Team USA’s games has featured a balanced attack, scoring five goals in each game.

In Saturday’s 5-0 shutout over Finland, Hilary Knight made history, tying the Olympic record for the most goals by an American woman in hockey history, with 14. It was her second goal of these Games, and it’s only a matter of time until she shatters that record, and then some.

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3. Madison Chock, Evan Bates aim to turn three straight world titles into Olympic gold

Team USA duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates will look to continue their domination when they enter Monday’s rhythm dance portion of the individual ice dance competition. On Friday and Saturday, they posted the top scores in the rhythm dance and free dance portions of the team event, helping push the U.S. over the edge to take gold on Sunday.

While Chock and Bates have won three straight world championships, they have no individual Olympic medals, finishing just off the podium at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Games.

4. Erin Jackson, Brittany Bowe look to medal in speed skating

U.S. speed skaters Erin Jackson and Brittany Bowe will begin their quest to repeat as medalists in this year’s Winter Olympics with the women’s 1000m on Monday. Jackson won gold in the 500m in 2022, while Bowe won bronze in 2022 (1000) and 2018 (team pursuit).

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This is a special Olympics for longtime friends Jackson and Bowe. Jackson, 33, was a U.S. flag bearer in the Opening Ceremony. This will be the 37-year-old Bowe’s final time competing in the Winter Olympics.

5. One of Team USA’s youngest competitors looks to make a name for herself

Seventeen-year-old Avery Krumme qualified for Monday’s women’s freeski slopestyle final after finishing fourth in the qualification run. She looks to become the first American to medal in the history of the event.

Krumme was born in Canada and switched her nationality to represent the United States in 2024.

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But she’ll have to compete with Eileen Gu, American born but competing for China. Gu is the favorite and was the silver medalist in Beijing.

Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 (Day 3)

Alpine Skiing

Men’s team combined

• 4:30 a.m.: Downhill (USA Network)

• 7:50 a.m.: Slalom (USA Network coverage begins at 8 a.m.)🏅

Curling

Mixed doubles round-robin

• 4:05 a.m.: Switzerland vs. Canada, Italy vs. USA, Norway vs. South Korea, Czechia vs. Estonia

• 12:05 p.m.: Semifinals (airs on CNBC at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.)

Figure Skating

• 10:20 a.m.: Rhythm dance (USA Network)

Freestyle Skiing

Slopestyle

• 6:30 a.m.: Women’s final (USA Network)🏅

Hockey

Women’s pool play

• 6:10 a.m.: Japan vs. Italy

• 10:40 a.m: Germany vs. France (USA Network coverage begins at 12 p.m.)

• 2:40 p.m.: USA vs. Switzerland (USA Network)

• 3:10 p.m.: Canada vs. Czechia

Luge

Women’s singles

• 11 a.m.: Run 1 (USA Network)

• 1 p.m.: Run 2 (USA Network)

Ski Jumping

Normal hill

• 1 p.m.: Men’s final (airs on USA Network at 5:30 p.m.)🏅

Snowboarding

Big air

• 1:30 p.m.: Women’s final (NBC)🏅

Speed Skating

1000 meters

• 11:30 a.m.: Women’s final (USA Network)🏅

New England quarterback Drake Maye said he received shoulder injections before Sunday’s 29-13 Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

“I shot it up, so not much feeling,” Maye said when asked how his shoulder felt. “It was good to go, and it felt all right.”

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Heading into the Super Bowl, Maye was limited in practice with a shoulder injury he suffered in the AFC championship win over the Denver Broncos. On the team’s initial injury report, the 23-year-old quarterback was listed as questionable with a shoulder injury and an illness that caused him to miss a practice.

Despite being removed from the injury report and telling reporters he felt well heading into the game, Maye struggled in the Super Bowl. Maye completed 27-of-43 passes for 295 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and a fumble, with most of his passing yards coming in the fourth quarter. Maye’s second interception was returned for a touchdown and all but closed the game.

Maye’s protection also did him no favors. He was sacked six times on Sunday, compared with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, who was sacked once. Patriots rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson struggled against the power of the Seahawks’ pass rushers and the quickness of secondary players on blitzes sent by head coach Mike Macdonald on the left side of the offensive line.

[Get more Patriots news: New England team feed]

Despite Maye’s performance, he didn’t know if his shoulder limited him in Sunday’s game.

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“I think it would be hard to say that,” Maye said. “I was feeling good enough to be out there. I wouldn’t put the team in harm’s way to not be myself. Just didn’t make plays tonight.”

Maye struggled this postseason. The MVP runner-up finished with a 40.0 QBR in the playoffs, which ranked only above the Chicago Bears’ Rex Grossman in 2006 and the Denver Broncos’ Peyton Manning during his final season in 2015. Only Manning won a Super Bowl in that group.

Despite facing four of the top six regular-season defenses in yards allowed, Maye was able to win in different ways and help lead his team to the Super Bowl in his second NFL season. Maye moved the ball on the ground when defenses shut down the passing game or when winter weather conditions limited air yards against the Broncos in the AFC championship game.

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In the end, it was not enough to win it all.

“This hurts,” an emotional Maye said after the Super Bowl. “It definitely hurts. They played better than us tonight,” he said. “They deserved to win that game. For the whole team and myself, what a journey it’s been for us. I love this team and those guys in the locker room. We left it all on the field and just came up short. We didn’t play our best, and that’s what happens. … It’s going to sting for a while, but that’s what you sign up for.”

Monday is another busy day at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Five gold medals are up for grabs in men’s team combined alpine skiing, women’s slopestyle, men’s normal hill individual, women’s big air and the women’s 1000m speed skating.

Also, the U.S. women’s hockey team looks to improve to 3-0 when they take on Switzerland at 2:40 p.m. ET.

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As we wait for those events, there were several that took place early Monday morning, including one that saw another gold medal handed out.

Here are the top stories of the day so far:

1. Mathilde Gremaud owns slopestyle again

Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud won her second straight gold medal in the women’s slopestyle, besting China’s Eileen Gu in a tight final day of competition.

Gu held the top spot following the first run with a score of 86.58 compared to Gremaud’s 83.60. But the second run saw Gremaud move ahead of Gu with an 86.98.

Needing a strong score to have a shot at gold, Gu fell on first rail in her third and final run to give Gremaud her second consecutive Olympic title. Gu had to settle for silver for the second straight Olympics.

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Avery Krumme, the youngest competitor in the field at 17 years old, finished in 11th place with a score of 52.90

2. Breezy Johnson, Mikaela Shiffrin team up

The women’s combined event will take place on Tuesday and U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced the pairings for the event that sees a downhill skier teamed up with a slalom skier.

Johnson, who earned the USA’s second gold medal in women’s downhill on Sunday, is paired with two-time Olympic gold medalist and eight-time World Champion Mikaela Shiffirin.

Here’s who the U.S. will send out together on Monday:

• Team 1: Breezy Johnson (downhill), Mikaela Shiffrin (slalom)

• Team 2: Jackie Wiles (downhill), Paula Moltzan (slalom)

• Team 3: Bella Wright (downhill), Nina O’Brien (slalom)

• Team 4: Keely Cashman (downhill), AJ Hurt (slalom)

3. U.S. mixed curling doubles team loses, moves on to semifinals

The U.S. team of Cory Thiesse and Kory Dropkin lost their final round-robin match to Italy 7-6, but they won’t have to wait long for revenge. Both teams finished 6-3 and will meet in the semifinals on Monday at 12:05 p.m. ET.

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Great Britain (8-1) will meet Sweden (5-4) in the other semifinal. Tuesday will be a medal day with the bronze medal match at 8:05 a.m. ET and the gold medal final at 12:05 p.m. ET.

4. Italy out front in men’s team combined

Giovanni Franzoni won silver in Saturday’s downhill and followed with a strong showing in the downhill portion of the men’s team combined with a time of 1:51.80. The Italian will now wait to see what teammate Alex Vinatzer can do in the slalom portion later this morning.

Three Swiss teams are right behind the Italians, with Alexis Money (+0.17), Marco Odermatt (+.28) and Franjo von Allmen, who won gold in the men’s downhill on Saturday, placing second, third and fourth, respectively.

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The U.S team of Kyle Negomir and River Radamus have work to do with Negomir placing 16th (1:53.99).

Highlight of the morning

Mathilde Gremaud knew gold was hers and used her third run to celebrate.

For the 14th straight year, Yahoo Sports is here to escort you through the dizzying array of celebrity cameos, awkward jokes and heartstring-tugs of this year’s waves of ads, updating live as they air.

As always, we graded ads on a completely subjective, utterly biased, totally nonscientific basis, and all grades are final. Feel free to contribute your own takes in the comments or on our social media channels. Now … on with the ads!

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Grade: A

Hellman’s, “Meal Diamond”

Andy Samberg looks nearly unrecognizable as Neil Diamond during a parody of “Sweet Caroline.” And while the ad looks like it’s going to be a standard, silly song initially, Samberg is able to inject enough of his desperate, self-loathing and pathetic humor into the commercial, elevating it over your standard wacky Super Bowl ad. Meal Diamond has a backstory and an actual character, which is an incredibly stupid (complementary) thing to say about a 30-second commercial. Also, singing bologna.

Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, “Will Shat”

Genius! It’s rare these days for an ad to make you laugh out loud, but this one just might. William Shatner stars as “Will Shat,” who’s on a valiant mission to bring more fiber to America via Raisin Bran (haven’t you heard fiber is the new protein?). We won’t spoil the jokes here, so just give it a watch.

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Toyota, “Superhero Belt”

No wacky celebrities. No crazy stunts. It’s just a simple, touching commercial about giving back to family. There are plenty of Toyota logos in the ad, but no obnoxious voiceover trying to sell you on the product. It’s a subtle ad meant to tug on your heartstrings, and it gets the job done.

Dove, “The Game is Ours”

Dove continues to emphasize body positivity here, specifically for young girls in sports, noting the surprising statistic that one in two girls who quit sports are criticized for their body type, as a young girl donning a flag football belt looks solemnly in the mirror. But the commercial took a celebratory turn, showcasing young female athletes crushing it in a variety of sports, from cheer to track, swimming and everything in between. We love body positivity. We love supporting women’s sports. Win-win.

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Dunkin’, “Good Will Dunkin”

Dunkin’ and Ben Affleck have done it again, this time with a spoof of one of the actor’s most famous films, “Good Will Hunting.” Adding iconic sitcom actors in Jennifer Aniston, Jaleel White, Jason Alexander, Alfonso Ribiero, Jasmine Guy, Matt LeBlanc and Ted Danson — not to mention the Tom Brady cameo — pushed this one over the edge.

Michelob Ultra, “The Ultra Instructor”

It’s hard to go wrong when you combine Olympic stars past and present — TJ Oshie and Chloe Kim — and throw in Kurt Russell, who famously played Team USA coach Herb Brooks in the 2004 hit “Miracle.” Lewis Pullman is also there, because why not, and he does a nice job as the student to Russell’s sensei. The ad was shot on a real mountain, and it will get you in the Olympic spirit – if you’re not already.

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e.l.f. Cosmetics, “Melisa”

This Melissa McCarthy telenovela fever dream hits all the right notes. You’ve got a comedy star in McCarthy doing what she does best (being both hilarious and ridiculous), and the product is actually showcased in a way that makes sense (relatively). You’ve also got a tie to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show, the inclusion of telenovela actress Itatí Cantoral and phrases you’ve never heard before, like “fuego, fuego, queso, juego.”

Disney, “Hoppers” trailer

A new Disney-Pixar movie, and it looks good. Not much else to say.

Universal Pictures, “Disclosure Day” trailer

Steven Spielberg directing an alien movie? That will work. The “Disclosure Day” trailers look good, and given Spielberg’s track record, it’s easy to feel confident that this will be a hit.

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Lay’s, “Last Harvest”

This one has all the right ingredients for your classic Super Bowl tear-jerker: a touching parent-child relationship and a yellow lab getting older over the years. The actual storyline is not only made for a movie, but it hits all the right notes for the product it’s selling. And there’s just something about Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” that sweeps you up into all the feels.

Grade: B

Volkswagen, “Drivers Wanted”

In an attempt at recreating its success from the ‘90s, Volkswagen revived its “Drivers Wanted” campaign, which originally debuted in 1995. Back then, the campaign led to record sales numbers in the U.S. The 2026 version of the ad is fine, focusing on various slice-of-life vignettes. Will it have the same effect on Volkswagen sales in 2026? Who knows. But it was inoffensive.

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Pringles, “Love at First Bite”

Sabrina Carpenter creates a Pringles man who constantly breaks when she’s not eating him. It’s a silly enough premise, though the twist at the end where the fans are more interested in Pringleleo instead of Carpenter is a pretty good bit.

Bud Light, “Keg”

Post Malone, Peyton Manning and Shane Gillis are back for another Bud Light ad in the Super Bowl. This one features guests tumbling down a hill, chasing after a fallen Bud Light keg. There’s not much to it other than that, though at least there’s one shot of a yelling Post Malone as he “falls” down the hill.

Pepsi, “The Choice”

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A Pepsi ad that spoofs the Coca-Cola polar bears re-ignites the rivalry between the brands, and pokes fun at the couple at the Coldplay concert (which happened in July, but feels like it happened seven years ago). You don’t see a lot of brand rivalries these days, so at least Pepsi is bringing something a little different to the table, even if it’s invoking ads of old. The Coldplay concert thing almost knocks it down a peg, though. It already feels like a dated reference.

Oikos, “The Big Hill”

Hey, shouldn’t the 6-foot-2, 252-pound Derrick Henry be the one pushing the trolley up the hill? That’s the entire joke behind the ad, in which actress Kathryn Hahn saves the day. It’s a simple premise, but Hahn is always entertaining. And it’s also fun to see a giant like Henry next to regular people. Also, he absolutely chucks that bottle at the end, so style points for that.

Ro, “Healthier on Ro”

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You knew there were going to be GLP-1 commercials during the Super Bowl. Tennis legend Serena Williams has been vocal about her use of Ro — she is a paid spokesperson for the product, after all. She’s an effective spokesperson, too, as Williams dropped 30 pounds since retiring from tennis. If more casual fans weren’t aware of that, they are now, making the Ro ad an effective one.

Verizon, “Tap That App”

Kevin Hart is back for another Verizon spot, this time acting as a coach of a football team, delivering what would probably be the least inspiring halftime speech ever. “We will not win this game; we won’t come close.” Ouch. “Talent won’t get you [to the Super Bowl],” Hart hammers on. Don’t worry, though. Verizon customers have the opportunity to get to the Super Bowl via a ticket giveaway. In short, Verizon’s promo may be the closest any of us will ever get to the Super Bowl. Tough reality.

Ramp, “Multiply What’s Possible”

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Brian Baumgartner, who famously played dopey accountant Kevin Malone on “The Office,” is … back in an office, and he’s apparently on a deadline — a very tight one. As he approaches the five-minute mark leading up to this deadline, he discovers Ramp. Suddenly, he’s got body doubles swarming all over the office, accomplishing the tasks he clearly couldn’t have finished on his own. A+ for “The Office” references, including Kevin’s vat of chili, but we’ll give it a B because we’re still not entirely sure specifically what this product does.

Uber Eats, “Hungry for Truth”

Uber Eats continues its concept from last year, with Matthew McConaughey trying to convince Bradley Cooper that football is selling food. The duo is fairly entertaining, but the cameos (Jerry Rice in particular) and the final scene, referencing Cooper’s role in “A Star is Born,” help make it pop.

Oakley Meta, “Athletic Intelligence is Here”

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This sleek ad, featuring Marshawn Lynch, Spike Lee and Sunny Choi, among others, succeeds with captivating visuals of skydiving, skateboarding, mountain biking and more while showcasing the capabilities of the Oakley Meta glasses. Whether this will entice people to purchase the glasses, which come with a hefty price tag, is another story.

Grubhub, “The Final Course”

You kind of have to appreciate how on-message this one is, and how well it’s integrated into the story of the ad. And George Clooney adds heft to pretty much anything he appears in.

Skittles, “Deliver the Rainbow”

We’re so on board with the concept of a Skittles horn, as well as the Napoleon Dynamite vibes of this commercial. Elijah Wood does a great job here, and the teens not knowing who he is is played perfectly.

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T-Mobile, “Tell Me Why (T-Mobile’s Version)”

Backstreet’s back, did you hear? With the ‘90s boy band having a moment thanks to their Sphere shows in Las Vegas, it’s hard to go wrong having them tailor their hit song to include T-Mobile promo. The MGK cameo at the end was a nice touch.

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Andy Cohen was an interesting choice to star in this spot, but the vibrant colors popped and it was effective in showcasing the product.

Bosch, “The More You Bosch”

This one was simple and clever, drawing well on Guy Fieri’s infamous spiky blonde hair to showcase the difference between when he uses Bosch products and when he doesn’t.

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TurboTax, “The Expert”

It’s always kind of fun to see an Oscar-winning actor poking fun at himself — “I don’t do happy” — and Adrien Brody does a nice job dramatizing the pain of doing taxes that we all know too well.

Xfinity, “Jurassic Park…Works”

Playing into Jurassic Park nostalgia, featuring Jeff Goldblum and Laura Dern, works here with the concept of Xfinity helping the park come back online after a network outage. The new-and-improved Jurassic Park looks downright lovely, complete with the pool and flying dinosaur ride.

Fanatics Sportsbook, “Bet on Kendall”

Playing on the much-talked-about Kardashian curse, we are led to believe Kendall Jenner has made her millions by betting on her significant others, rather than modeling. The concept is middling, but it will probably get people talking, which is half the battle when it comes to Super Bowl ads.

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Manscaped, “Hair Ballad”

It’s very easy to be worn out on Manscaped ads … especially if you listen to most podcasts. But this one was begrudgingly entertaining. And it even showed a little restraint with the last line in the song.

Liquid Death, “Exploding Heads”

This had the cadence of an ad from the past. A silly, outlandish presence. Some physical comedy. A little weirdness. It grabbed your attention and was funny enough. Not laugh-out-loud funny, but entertaining.

Grade: C

Hims, “Rich People Live Longer”

“Rich people live longer,” boasts the ad, about trying to shorten the “health gap” by making medication and healthcare more accessible for everyone. Maybe the goals are admirable, but the reminder that rich people have it so much better isn’t exactly the strongest message, even if the ad is trying to close that gap.

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Budweiser, “American Icons”

Who doesn’t love an unlikely animal friendship? Well, this one, between the signature Budweiser Clydesdale and a bald eagle that it befriends from birth, just doesn’t quite land and doesn’t feel all that original. We’ll give it some props for the cool visual at the end of the eagle’s wings atop the horse.

Hyundai, “John Krasinski’s Epic Mission”

In case you forgot, John Krasinski is an action star now, and this spot sees him drive the Hyundai Palisade Hybrid through various action-movie obstacles. It’s a nice showcase for the car, but otherwise, it’s pretty ho-hum.

Boehringer Ingelheim, “Mission: SOS”

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Boehringer Ingelheim likely accomplishes its mission here by educating the public about its health testing, and including stars like Octavia Spencer and Sofia Vergara helps pack a punch. The action scenes don’t make a ton of sense, but that’s not really the point here.

Instacart, “For Papa”

A commercial built on Benson Boone’s flips isn’t the most original, but it’s always fun to see Ben Stiller in a “Dodgeball”-esque character. The Instacart message comes across well in the first part of the ad, but then things get a little off the rails with Stiller throwing himself all over the place.

Squarespace, “Unavailable”

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The biggest draws of this one are Emma Stone bringing the drama and Yorgos Lanthimos’ art-house vibe. Otherwise, the spot doesn’t do a whole lot for us besides look nice.

Kinder Bueno, “Yes Bueno”

There’s nothing wrong with this ad, necessarily. The concept is decent and it’s pretty snappy — the “yes bueno” and “no bueno” of it all could get stuck in your head — but it’s also not one you’re going to be talking about the next day.

Rocket, “America Needs Neighbors Like You”

Lady Gaga’s rendition of Mister Rogers’ “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” soundtracks this spot, which has a poignant message but is also a little messy. Between the young girls going through a move and a divorce, respectively, neighbors seemingly at odds and a lost dog, there’s a lot to take in. But it’s possible this one could resonate.

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Illumination, “Minions & Monsters” teaser

The actual trailer wasn’t shown on the broadcast, only a teaser, and one that really didn’t show much. The Minions are well-loved, but there just wasn’t enough here shown during the Super Bowl that was cause for excitement.

State Farm, “Stop Livin’ on a Prayer”

Danny McBride and Keegan-Michael Key are back alongside Hailee Steinfeld — plus a cameo from Katseye — to star as ‘80s rocker types who aren’t going to cover your boat, home, or anything else very well. It’s mildly entertaining, but nothing spectacular.

Grade: D

Liquid I.V., “Against All Odds”

Liquid I.V. tries to capitalize on the success of the hit movie “KPop Demon Hunters” by featuring EJAE, who sings Phil Collins’ “Take a Look at Me Now” beautifully, but the connection to the brand feels thin at best. A sip of Liquid I.V. makes EJAE’s voice sound clearer, and she’s constantly reminding herself to hydrate, but why is she in a giant bathroom that has a piano just sitting there? Why that song? Seems like a bit of a missed opportunity.

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Base44, “It’s All App to You”

If you’re not familiar with Base44 at all, this commercial provides a lot of info about what it can do. In a vacuum, this is an ideal ad! But for the Super Bowl, it’s pretty bland.

Salesforce, “How I Made a Super Bowl Ad”

This one was very long, and it was hard to tell where they were going with this. It relied heavily on Mr. Beast’s involvement, and while the thought was creative, it could’ve been better executed if he had just announced his giveaway earlier.

Totino’s, “Somehow Chazmo Returns?”

It was going to be tough to follow up last year’s spot with Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson. Here, we don’t see Chazmo until the final seconds, and it was easy to forget that this was a Pizza Rolls commercial — showing more food in a Super Bowl ad is never a bad idea.

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Grade: F

Ritz Crackers, “Shell Phone”

This one has all the ingredients for a great ad, including stars Jon Hamm, Scarlett Johansson and Bowen Yang, but it falls about as flat as the product it’s promoting. The story of the Ritz party doesn’t really make any sense, though Yang’s aversion to sand is quite relatable. Overall, a swing and a miss.

Svedka, “Shake Your Bots Off”

There is pretty much nothing redeeming about this ad, which features robots dancing to Rick James’ “Super Freak” while doling out Svedka. That’s about all there is to it.

Anthropic, “Can I get a six pack quickly?”

The answer is maybe, but also, yikes! This ad underscores the fact that not only is A.I. coming for us, but it’s coming in a very annoying way. While Anthropic’s chatbot Claude allegedly won’t have ads, that doesn’t make it much more palatable.

Things got a bit heated on Sunday afternoon at Levi’s Stadium.

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe and New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs got into it early in the fourth quarter of their Super Bowl LX matchup in Santa Clara, California.

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Things started after Jobe was covering Diggs on a route in the final period of the game. Jobe came in and blindsided Diggs after he was already out of bounds, away from the play in question. Diggs immediately hopped up and confronted Jobe, and things escalated quickly.

Eventually, as an official was trying to separate them, Jobe threw a left-handed punch that drilled Diggs right in the facemask.

Neither Jobe nor Diggs were penalized for the altercation. As a flag wasn’t thrown on the field, the NFL wasn’t able to step in and assess further punishment, either.

The Patriots did score their first touchdown of the game, finally, a few plays later. Quarterback Drake Maye found Mack Hollins for a 35-yard score to get them on the board. That gave them a bit of life, too, after it looked like the Seahawks were going to roll to a blowout win.

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But the Seahawks sealed the deal after Devon Witherspoon drilled Maye in the backfield and forced an interception, which Uchenna Nwosu ran back 44 yards for a touchdown. That powered them to the 29-13 victory and gave them their first Super Bowl win in more than a decade. Diggs ended the night with 37 yards on three catches. Jobe had seven total tackles, one of which was for a loss.

While both players avoided an in-game penalty, the league could be coming with a fine of some sort for at least one of the two guys in the coming days.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are trying to win during Paul Skenes’ prime. The team continued its offseason spending spree Monday, reportedly agreeing to a one-year, $12 million deal with designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman.

The deal also reportedly contains a $16 million mutual option for 2027, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Ozuna, 35, is coming off a season in which he slashed .232/.355/.400 with 21 home runs over 592 plate appearances. While that slash line was 14% better than league-average, it was a steep decline for Ozuna, who hit 48% better than league-average over his previous two seasons. Between 2023 and 2024, he had a .289/.364/.552 slash line and combined for 79 home runs.

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The move marks yet another offseason addition for the Pirates. Prior to the reported Ozuna signing, the team traded for power-hitting second baseman Brandon Lowe and signed free-agent Ryan O’Hearn to one of the biggest deals in the franchise’s recent history.

Power was clearly a focus this offseason for the Pirates, who finished dead last in the majors last season with 117 home runs. That figure was 31 home runs fewer than the tally of the St. Louis Cardinals, who finished 29th in the majors with 148 home runs.

Whether Ozuna has anything left in his bat, however, remains to be seen. At 35, he is a threat to experience major age-related decline and appeared to show signs of that decline last season. After averaging a roughly 92-mph exit velocity across 2023 and 2024, Ozuna’s exit velocity dropped to 89.9 last season. His max exit velocity also fell to 112.1 mph, his lowest figure since the stat started being tracked in 2015.

[Get more Pirates news: Pittsburgh team feed]

That, combined with Ozuna’s bat speed dropping, is cause for concern moving forward. While Ozuna has recovered from down seasons in the past, getting back to his peak numbers could be tough, especially if last year’s struggles were due to his age and not injury.

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The Pirates are going to need Ozuna’s bat to show some life because he’s extremely unlikely to play the field. Ozuna has not appeared as a defensive player since 2023, when he played two games in the outfield.

If Ozuna can hit like he did in 2025, even that would represent an upgrade for the Pirates. The team was desperate for offensive help heading into the offseason and has now addressed that need in multiple ways.

The Pirates’ strength is certainly in the starting rotation. At 23, Paul Skenes already has an argument for the title of best pitcher in the majors. He posted an ERA under 2.00 in each of his first two seasons and already has a Cy Young award.

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But despite his excellence, the Pirates haven’t won. In his debut season, the team went 76-86. With Skenes putting up Cy Young numbers in his second season, the Pirates declined to 71-91.

Those struggles have led to speculation that the Pirates could trade the young pitcher in hopes of receiving a massive package to help them get back to contention. But the Pirates have publicly shut down that speculation, and the team’s offseason strategy suggests it wants to build around Skenes moving forward.

While that’s an admirable goal, the Pirates haven’t landed major names this winter. Instead, the team has shopped in a lower tier, focusing on under-the-radar upgrades. Even so, the Pirates, on paper, look like a much better team heading into the 2026 MLB season.

In a competitive National League, the Pirates have done enough this winter to be in the conversation for a wild-card spot in 2026. Whether they reach that goal could depend on how much the team continues to add or how quickly it’s willing to pivot if players such as Ozuna fail to live up to expectations.

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🚨 Headlines

⛳️ Gotterup wins again: Rising star Chris Gotterup beat Hideki Matsuyama in a playoff to win the Phoenix Open, capturing his second victory of the year after also taking last month’s season-opening Sony Open. The 26-year-old, who began last year ranked 191st, is up to No. 5.

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🏀 Top teams fall: No. 14 UNC stormed back to beat No. 4 Duke, 71-68, at the buzzer and hand the Blue Devils just their second loss; No. 22 St. John’s upset No. 3 UConn, 81-72, to end the Huskies’ 18-game win streak; No. 10 Michigan State beat No. 5 Illinois, 85-82 (OT), behind a huge game from sophomore Jeremy Fears Jr. (26 pts, 15 ast).

🏈 Canton makes change: In light of the Bill Belichick controversy, the Pro Football Hall of Fame vote will return to being an in-person discussion among the 50-member committee. Since the pandemic, voting has been virtual.

🏀 Who ya got? Damian Lillard (ruptured Achilles) isn’t expected to play this season, but the Trail Blazers star will still compete in the All-Star 3-Point Contest alongside Devin Booker (Suns), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Tyrese Maxey (76ers), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Bobby Portis Jr. (Bucks) and Norman Powell (Heat).

🏈 NDSU to MWC: FCS powerhouse North Dakota State will shell out $17 million to join the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member starting this coming season. The Bison have won 10 of the past 15 FCS national championships.

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🏈 Seahawks reign supreme

The Seahawks put the clamps on the Patriots in Super Bowl LX, holding them scoreless for three quarters en route to a 29-13 victory and the franchise’s second championship.

New team, same formula: The Seahawks won this Super Bowl the same way they won their first: with a suffocating defense. Back in 2014, it was the “Legion of Boom” stifling Peyton Manning and the Broncos. 12 years later, it was the “Dark Side” shutting down Drake Maye and the Pats.

• Two years ago, Seattle bucked the “offensive guru” trend and hired the defensive-minded Mike Macdonald to lead their team. Little did they know he’d lead them all the way to the mountaintop, while vanquishing two such gurus (Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan) along the way.

• Maye couldn’t get anything going against the league’s No. 1 defense, ending the night with three turnovers and six sacks while facing near-constant pressure. The MVP runner-up was also battling an injured throwing shoulder that required a pain-killing injection before kickoff.

Recipe for success: The Seahawks are the first Super Bowl champions to go the entire postseason without committing a single turnover. That elite ball security helped them cruise most of the way, winning their three playoff games by an average margin of 18.3 points and trailing for a grand total of 1 minute, 35 seconds.

Player of the Game: Kenneth Walker III (27 carries, 135 yards; 2 receptions, 26 yards) became the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis in 1998. The award held special meaning for the Tennessee native, who shared with reporters that this was the first game his father ever attended, due to a fear of crowds:

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“My dad, he comes up to Seattle all the time to watch the games, but never goes to [them] because he don’t like crowds. So this was his first NFL game, and we won a Super Bowl … It means a lot to me, and I know he’s proud of me for real.”

More standouts:

• Devon Witherspoon (Seahawks): Walker deserved his MVP, but you could also make a strong case for Witherspoon. The defensive back made plays all over the field, including a sack and three QB hits on well-timed blitzes. Get to know the name, if you don’t already.

• Jason Myers (Seahawks): Seattle’s longtime kicker made five field goals (Super Bowl record), had 17 points (Super Bowl record) and finished the season with 206 total points (NFL record), breaking LaDainian Tomlinson’s previous mark of 198.

• Michael Dickson (Seahawks): 7 punts, 335 yards (47.9 average). Three were downed inside the 6-yard line. Two were returned… for four total yards. He’s the highest-paid punter in football ($4.05 million per year) and he showed why on Sunday.

• Christian Gonzalez (Patriots): New England’s Pro-Bowl cornerback was spectacular in defeat, breaking up every pass that came his way… in jaw-dropping fashion. His final line: 22 coverage snaps, 2 targets, 2 forced incompletions.

What are the odds? The Seahawks are one of the unlikeliest championship teams ever when judging by preseason title odds (60-1). In fact, the only U.S. pro sports teams to overcome longer preseason odds and win a championship were the 1999 St. Louis Rams (150-1), the 1991 Minnesota Twins (80-1) and the 2003 Florida Marlins (75-1).

Yes, but: This was no Cinderella story. While the Seahawks didn’t garner much preseason hype, they quickly emerged as a juggernaut and were considered legitimate contenders for much of the year. In the end, Seattle won 17 of their 20 games and lost three by a combined nine points, putting them in elite company among some of the best NFL teams ever assembled.

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More Super Bowl 60:

📸 Super Bowl snapshots

Pregame: Picture perfect weather and a thrilling jet flyover — timed up beautifully to the end of Charlie Puth’s rendition of the National Anthem — set the stage for Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Field.

Other performances: Green Day got things started with a medley of their biggest hits, Brandi Carlile sang “America the Beautiful” and Coco Jones performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Halftime: Bad Bunny’s celebrity-filled performance featured an elaborate set that transformed the field into his native Puerto Rico. In addition to cameos from the likes of Pedro Pascal and Ronald Acuña Jr., as well as a real wedding that took place live on stage, Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin both joined for guest singing appearances.

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A message of unity: The Grammy winner’s final number concluded with him holding a football that read, “Together, we are America,” while the scoreboard behind him read, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”

Postgame: Thousands of Seattleites poured out of their respective bars and watch parties, and swiftly migrated to Pioneer Square to celebrate late into the evening. There will be a parade on Wednesday, but why wait to party?

Live on the scene: “Bad Bunny beats filled the air with jubilation … With fireworks going off and car horns blaring, a dance party formed outside the Polymarket Portal, where fans in Seattle and Boston could see each other live.” (Seattle Times)

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🎿 Vonn breaks leg in harrowing crash

Lindsey Vonn’s remarkable attempt to compete in the Olympics on a torn ACL ended in devastation on Sunday when she crashed just 13 seconds into her run, losing control after her pole clipped a gate.

Heartbreaking scene: The event, later won by American Breezy Johnson, was halted for more than 20 minutes as Vonn, screaming in pain, was airlifted off the mountain. She underwent surgery for a fractured left leg (the same leg that was missing an ACL) and is reportedly in stable condition.

From Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wolken:

It was devastating to watch, even more brutal to hear. For a nation that had become enraptured in Lindsey Vonn’s comeback story, the helpless cries of pain as she lay on her back and as the mountain fell silent will be hard to erase from memory.

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Downhill skiing is often breathtaking. It is sometimes gruesome. And for the second time in nine days, the image of an American sports heroine being strapped to a board and lifted into a helicopter churned the stomach.

But that’s skiing down a mountain at 80 miles per hour. That’s the risk Vonn signed up for when she decided to compete in an Olympics nine days after an ACL tear during a different competition in Switzerland.

That’s what happens sometimes when you go for it. And that’s exactly what Vonn did.

Like clockwork, there will undoubtedly be detractors who say Vonn shouldn’t have tried something so dangerous, so audacious.

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But Vonn, 41, has lived her entire life audaciously. She also knows more about what can happen on a ski slope, for better and worse, than the rest of us put together.

She understood what could happen. She deserved the chance. And now, only she can answer whether the consequences for her body were worth it. It’s not our business.

Read the full story.

🥇 Big numbers: Olympics edition

⛸️ 50 years

Ilia Malinin pulled off the first legal Olympic figure skating backflip in 50 years on Saturday — then landed another on Sunday — to help the Americans defend their gold medal in the Team Event with a narrow victory over Japan.

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Welcome back(flip): Backflips were banned from the Olympics for safety reasons after American skater Terry Kubicka became the first to pull one off in the 1976 Games. France’s Surya Bonaly landed one illegally at Nagano 1998, receiving a deduction, before the ban was finally lifted in 2024.

📺 21.4 million viewers

Friday’s Opening Ceremony averaged 21.4 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, a 34% jump from the 2022 Beijing Olympics, which were the least-watched Winter Games in history.

ICYMI: Some of the most memorable moments included musical performances from Mariah Carey and Andre Boceilli, a parade of colorful espresso makers in a nod to Italy’s place in coffee culture, and “White Lotus” actress Sabrina Impacciatore’s musical number depicting 100 years of Olympic history.

🥇 13 completed events

Norway is the early leader with three gold medals (men’s skiathlon, men’s 5000m speed skating, women’s normal hill ski jump) out of the 13 events that were completed through Sunday, while host nation Italy has an Olympics-leading nine total medals (1 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze).

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History in sight: Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (skiathlon) won his sixth gold medal, putting him just two shy of matching the record. With five events left, he could leave Italy as the winningest Winter Olympian ever. Some people are just built different.

💰 $23 million

Eileen Gu, an American-born freestyle skier who competes for China, was the fourth highest-paid female athlete of 2025 with $23 million in earnings. According to Sportico, all but $20,000 of that came from endorsements.

The social media age: While sponsorships have always been crucial to the earning potential of Olympic athletes, financial success no longer hinges on whose image lands on the Wheaties box. Now most of the action happens on social media, where Gu and her 2 million Instagram followers are near the top of the “influencer” food chain.

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📺 Watchlist: Monday, Feb. 9

⛸️ Figure Skating, Rhythm Dance

Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates, skating partners since 2011 and married since 2024, kick off their Ice Dance competition today with the Rhythm Dance (1:20pm ET, USA). The duo already helped power Team USA to gold in the Team Event over the weekend.

How it works: Rhythm Dance features performances of no more than 2 minutes, 50 seconds, set to this season’s theme of “music, dance styles, and feeling of the 1990s.” The second segment, Free Dance, is longer and has fewer restrictions.

 🥌 Curling, Mixed Doubles Semifinals

The final four take the ice this afternoon in Cortina (12pm, USA), where Team USA will face Italy in one semifinal and Great Britain will face Sweden in the other.

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Meet Team USA: Cory Thiesse (Duluth, Minnesota) and Korey Dropkin (Boston), former college classmates and curling partners since 2022, will contend for a medal after advancing to the semifinals for the first time in team history.

🏒 Women’s Hockey, Prelims

Team USA continues its quest for a third gold medal in today’s match against Switzerland (2:40pm, USA) after dominating their first two games against Czechia and Finland by a combined score of 10-1.

Collision course: Canada, the only other nation to win Olympic gold (five times), faces Czechia this afternoon (3:10pm, Peacock) before taking on the U.S. tomorrow in a potential preview of the gold-medal match.

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🥇 Medal Events

Austrian snowboarder Anna Gasser has won both Olympic gold medals in Women’s Big Air since the event debuted in 2018. Can she make it 3-for-3 in her final Winter Games?

• 🎿 Skiing: Men’s Team Combined, Slalom (8am, USA)

• ⛸️ Speed Skating: Women’s 1000m (11:30am, USA)

• ⛷️ Ski Jumping: Men’s Normal Hill (12pm, Peacock)

• 🏂 Snowboard: Women’s Big Air (1:30pm, Peacock)

Daily schedule.

More to watch:

• 🏀 NCAAM: No. 1 Arizona at No. 11 Kansas (9pm, ESPN) … The top-ranked Wildcats (23-0) are off to the best start in Big 12 history.

• 🏀 NBA: Thunder at Lakers (10pm, Peacock) … OKC is 0-2 since Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) hit the injury report.

• 🏀 NCAAW: No. 16 Kentucky at No. 4 Texas (7:30pm, SEC); No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 7 Vanderbilt (9pm, ESPN2) … Four of the SEC’s nine ranked teams.

• 🏒 NCAA Hockey: Boston University vs. Boston College (7:30pm, NHL) … The 73rd Beanpot Championship.

• ⛳️ TGL: The Bay vs. Los Angeles (7pm, ESPN2) … Luke Clanton, Neil Shipley and Min Woo Lee vs. Tommy Fleetwood, Tony Finau and Sahith Theegala.

Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events happening in your city. Get tickets now!

🏆 Super Bowl trivia

The Seahawks are one of nine NFL franchises to win multiple Super Bowls since the turn of the century (2000-present).

Question: Can you name the other eight?

Hint: Four AFC, four NFC.

🍿 Baker’s Dozen: Top plays of the weekend

Watch all 13.

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_________________________________________________________________________________

Trivia answer: Patriots (6x) Chiefs (3x), Buccaneers, Eagles, Giants, Rams, Ravens, Steelers (2x)

We hope you enjoyed this edition of Yahoo Sports AM, our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.

After the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots Sunday night, the offseason has officially arrived for all 32 teams. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold became the first quarterback to start for at least four teams (he’s started for five) and then win a Super Bowl. Before his Super Bowl run with the Seahawks, Darnold struggled in big games, with turnovers and injuries, and had only one postseason appearance.

In a copycat league, teams are already looking for the next Darnold, a quarterback who needs a change of scenery, or a few, to get their career back on track.

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The quarterback who most closely fits the Darnold archetype has reportedly already been taken off the market. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that the 49ers plan to keep Mac Jones as the team’s backup quarterback behind Brock Purdy rather than trade him. Jones performed admirably when Purdy went down last season, throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, and was 5-3 in the eight games he started.

[Get more 49ers news: San Francisco team feed]

Jones started his career with the Patriots before being traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. Jones then signed a two-year, $7 million prove-it deal under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to play behind Purdy, a step that Darnold called pivotal to his revival.

While Jones has expressed his desire to get another chance as a starting quarterback, he reportedly told ESPN he rediscovered his joy this season. Shanahan and general manager John Lynch also spoke highly of Jones and said they expected him to be back after the season ended with their loss to the Seahawks in the divisional round. Jones is under contract for another year at a salary cap number of $3.07 million.

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Two quarterbacks who could reportedly be on the move are the Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray and the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa. Schefter listed the Dolphins, Cardinals, the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings as teams that could be in the market for a quarterback this offseason.

Murray threw for 962 yards, 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in 5 games before missing the rest of the season with a foot injury. Murray, 28, spent his first seven seasons with the Cardinals and has played in only one playoff game. Murray has missed 30 games in his NFL career.

[Get more Cardinals news: Arizona team feed]

Tagovailoa threw for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Only Darnold and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith had more turnovers than Tagovailoa. The 27-year-old quarterback was benched in favor of seventh-round rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers in Week 16. Tagovailoa has also lost his only playoff game in his six-year career and has played a full season only once.

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[Get more Dolphins news: Miami team feed]

Despite NFL teams potentially being interested in both of the former first-round picks, financial complications will be the biggest hurdle.

The Dolphins signed Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.1 million extension in July 2024. They reportedly already owe him $54 million guaranteed in 2026, and another $3 million of Tagovailoa’s 2027 salary becomes guaranteed on the fifth day of the new league year, March 15.

Cutting Tagovailoa would leave a $99 million dead-money salary cap charge, the largest in NFL history, while designating him as a post–June 1 cut would spread the money over two years.

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Murray is in the second year of a $230.5 million contract that he signed in 2022. Per The Athletic, he is on the Cardinals’ books for $125.1 million through 2028. Nearly $40 million is fully guaranteed in 2026. If the Cardinals outright release Murray in March, they’ll have a dead-cap hit of $57.7 million. If they release him after June 1, the dead cap would split: $50.5 million in 2026 and $7.2 million in 2027.

Both teams could hit the reset button at quarterback after head coaching changes this offseason.