Category: Sport

Dillon Brooks’ breakout season has been one of the most surprising stories of the NBA season. That story is now on hold.

The Phoenix Suns star sustained a broken left hand seven minutes into Saturday’s 113-110 victory over the Orlando Magic, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The injury is reportedly expected to keep Brooks out for 4 to 6 weeks.

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Brooks scored five points and grabbed three rebounds in the Magic game before he went down.

It’s a rough development for the Suns, who also have Devin Booker out for at least one week with a right hip strain.

Brooks has made his presence felt since joining the Suns in an offseason trade that sent him and Jalen Green to the Suns, while Kevin Durant was sent to the Houston Rockets. Brooks, 30, has averaged a career-high 21.2 points per game, plus 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals on 44.1% shooting this season.

Brooks’ presence went beyond his numbers. He served as a stabilizer, enforcer, defensive presence and a veteran on a young team.

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The Suns have also been one of the most surprising teams in the NBA, currently holding a record of 33-24 after bringing in new head coach Jordan Ott this offseason and despite having both Devin Booker and Green miss portions of the season.

With Brooks out, the Suns can be expected to rely on Green, Grayson Allen and Collin Gillespie to pick up the scoring load. Green filled in for Brooks when Brooks missed Thursday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs. Allen scored 27 points against the Magic.

Brooks spent his first six years with the Memphis Grizzlies before playing with the Rockets for two seasons.

An emotional Lindsey Vonn shared Monday on Instagram that she could have lost her left leg following her crash in the Winter Olympics.

Vonn revealed the trauma from the crash led to compartment syndrome in her leg. Compartment syndrome is a condition caused by the building of high pressure within enclosed muscle compartments, which can restrict blood flow and damage nerves and muscles.

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The 41-year-old alpine skier expressed her appreciation for Dr. Tom Hackett.

“Dr. Tom Hackett saved my leg,” Vonn said. “He saved me.”

She also said Dr. Hackett would not have been there to save her leg if she had not torn her ACL in the World Cup downhill race. Vonn also broke her ankle in the crash. She said she has transitioned from lying in a hospital bed, almost completely immobile, to moving to a hotel. The next steps in her rehab are going home and progressing from being in a wheelchair to using crutches.

Vonn continued to compete despite her ACL tear, completing multiple training runs just weeks after her injury. Despite Vonn’s resilience, she went down 13 seconds into her downhill run.

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Despite the outcome, she still has no regrets. For her, the hard work was worth it. After retiring in 2019 after dealing with severe injuries, Vonn would make a comeback in December 2024 after a successful knee replacement.

Driven by watching the younger skiers compete in 2022, Vonn would begin her quest to compete in the Winter Olympics, 16 years after she won gold in the downhill and bronze in the super-G at the 2010 Games.

“I’d rather go down swinging than not try at all,” Vonn said. “I think what I was able to achieve was more than anyone expected to begin with.”

Despite being sidelined, she was fully supportive of her teammates.

“It is not the way I wanted to end it, but it has been inspiring to watch my teammates,” Vonn said.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and Miami Heat forward Myron Gardner were fined $35,000 by the NBA on Monday after both players engaged in an on-court altercation during Saturday’s game, the league announced.

Gardner was fined for initiating the altercation, per the NBA. Pippen escalated the situation, which led to his fine, per the release.

The incident occurred with roughly two minutes to go in the contest. After Pippen put up a shot, Gardner knocked him down from behind. Pippen jogged back down the court, immediately pointed at Gardner and rushed the Heat forward, shoving him to the ground. An official noticed the altercation immediately and moved to break it up.

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Players from both teams also ran over to try to stop the fight.

Following the altercation, both Pippen and Gardner were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the contest, which the Heat won 136-120.

Pippen — the son of legendary Chicago Bulls forward and Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen — was playing in just his fourth game this season with the Grizzlies. The 25-year-old guard missed most of the year while recovering from a toe procedure, making his debut Feb. 6. Prior to being ejected, Pippen was enjoying his best game of the season. He finished the contest with 18 points.

Gardner, 24, has mostly played in a reserve role this season, though he started three of the Heat’s past seven games due to various injuries. Gardner played just over six minutes in Saturday’s win, finishing with six points.

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The Grizzlies and Heat are not scheduled to play again in the regular season. The only way the two teams would square off again would be in the NBA Finals, an unlikely scenario considering the Grizzlies are 21-34 entering play Monday.

The franchise tag window is here, and there are several big names to keep an eye this offseason.

While there are plenty of players who could pick up the tag over the next two weeks, it’s unclear how many actually will get the franchise tag. Last offseason, only two players — Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith — were tagged. The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly already planning to use the tool, so we we’re halfway to reaching last year’s mark before the window even open. Kyle Pitts, assuming the Cowboys actually make the move, then got us there.

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Here’s everything you need to know, and who to watch out for, during the franchise tag window.

What dates is the franchise tag window open?

The franchise tag window opened on Tuesday, Feb. 17 and runs until 4 p.m. ET on March 3.

What are the franchise tag rules?

During this two-week window, teams are allowed to tag one player who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. That would then keep that player with the team for the 2026 season. The sides can still negotiate a long-term deal up until July 15. If that deadline passes without a new deal, a tagged player will play on a one-year contract under the tag’s price determined by position.

Franchise tag salaries by position for 2026

The projected franchise tag costs for each position in 2026, per Spotrac.

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Offense
QB: $47.242 million
RB: $14.186 million
WR: $28.037 million
TE: $16.007 million
OL: $27.764 million

Defense
DE: $26.710 million
DT: $27.424 million
LB: $27.559 million
CB: $20.783 million
S: $20.758 million

Special Teams
K/P: $6.846 million

Which players have been franchise-tagged?

Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

UPDATE: The Falcons will place the franchise tag on TE Kyle Pitts, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Monday.

Pitts looked significantly better last season, much more like the dominant tight end he was during his rookie campaign. He had 928 yards and a career-high five touchdowns on 88 catches, and was a very reliable piece for the Falcons’ offense that lost both quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and wide receiver Drake London due to injuries.

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But Pitts has been underwhelming for much of his career. Outside of his first and most recent season, Pitts has largely failed to live up to the expectations that came with being the No. 4 overall draft pick.

It’s unclear how the Falcons’ new leadership feels about Pitts, but tagging him for one final season appears to be their safe strategy. The Falcons can now revisit his long-term future with the organization this fall, depending on how his fifth campaign with them goes.

Top franchise tag candidates for 2026

George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys

This is an easy one, and a move the Cowboys have been planning to do for quite some time.

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Pickens is coming off the best season of his career in 2025, his first with the Cowboys after being traded there from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pickens had 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns on 93 catches last season alongside star CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys will have the second-most expensive wide receiver duo in the league next season when the deal is done. The Cowboys have made it clear they want Pickens on a long-term contract, too.

While negotiations on that deal could take some time, the Cowboys aren’t going to risk losing Pickens to free agency this offseason.

Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets

The Jets may want to spend their money elsewhere this offseason amid yet another rebuild, but Hall would be a great franchise tag option for them. That is, if they want to keep him.

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Hall racked up a career-high 1,065 rushing yards with five total touchdowns last season, his fourth in the league. The former Iowa State star was easily the most consistent part of New York’s offense amid a 3-14 campaign, and he may be the top running back in the free agent market this offseason. There will undoubtedly be interest for him, and Hall would get paid if he left.

But Hall, remember, was a big name to watch at the trade deadline. So who knows if the team even wants to utilize this option.

Odafe Oweh, LB, Los Angeles Chargers

Oweh looked like a different player once he landed with the Chargers ahead of the trade deadline. Oweh had 7.5 sacks and 28 total tackles in just 12 games, and he had three total sacks and a pair of forced fumbles in L.A.’s playoff loss in New England. He seemed to be a very good fit for a Chargers defense that struggled frequently last fall.

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The Chargers have a lot of money to spend this offseason, too, so securing Oweh could be a very easy move if the two sides can’t agree to a long-term deal. But letting Oweh walk after his revival of sorts feels like something the Chargers need to avoid.

Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts

This may not even be necessary, but it’s something to look out for. Both the Colts and Jones have made it clear that they want to reunite next season after Jones’ career-best start with the franchise last fall. He’s currently recovering from a torn Achilles he went down with in December, but said he expects to be ready for training camp.

If the Colts use the tag on Jones — they’ve used it only once in the past decade — expect it to be a short-term option before a real extension is reached.

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Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks rarely use the franchise tag, and it doesn’t seem like that’s going to change, even if they don’t want to let Walker go this offseason. But last week, ESPN reported the Seahawks won’t use their franchise tag on Walker.

Walker racked up 1,027 yards and five touchdowns on 221 carries last season while leading the Seahawks to their Super Bowl title. He was the game’s MVP, with 135 rushing yards and 26 receiving yards in the Seahawks’ 29-13 win over the Patriots. That made him the first running back to win the award in decades.

Walker will be a free agent this offseason if the Seahawks don’t reach a long-term deal with him. And the team is very likely going to want him back this fall, especially since fellow running back Zach Charbonnet is recovering from an ACL injury. Yet, considering Walker’s injury history — he made it in only 11 games during the 2024 campaign, and last season was his first full season in the league — securing Walker on the tag would be an easy short-term solution for the Seahawks as they work to defend their title. Then a long-term deal, or the decision to move on, will be an issue for another day.

The story of the NBA cannot be told without mentioning LeBron James and Pat Riley.

For those wondering what might have been had their run in Miami lasted more than four years, you aren’t alone. Both men admit to having thoughts about what more they could’ve done together in Miami had James’ run with the Heat not ended in 2014, after four years and two NBA championships.

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On Sunday night, the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Boston Celtics. Before the game, Pat Riley was honored with the unveiling of a statue for his contributions as head coach of the “Showtime” Lakers, situated between the statues of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Following the Lakers’ loss to the Celtics on Sunday, Riley and James had nothing but good things to say about one another and even reflected on their time on South Beach.

“I wish him nothing but the best, but I’m going to be selfish here and say I wish had him for another six or eight years,” Riley said. “Would have been great. But we’ll never know, will we?”

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James spent four years with the Heat and Riley, advancing to four NBA Finals appearances and winning back-to-back titles during that run. When James opted to leave after four years, it was to head back to Cleveland and bring a championship to the franchise that drafted him.

“I never said, ‘I’m going to go there for four years and decide to [leave],’” James said. “That’s just how the cards was played. But it’s human nature to look back and say, ‘Yeah, what could have been?’ That’s part of life. The four years that we had was great. Was able to pick up two chips. We lost two of them, unfortunately, but a lot of great memories. A lot of great time there. It would have been interesting to see what could have happened.”

In the end, Riley understood the allure of returning home for James, but still wonders about what more they could’ve accomplished had Miami’s big three been given more time.

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“I thought getting the Big Three — Dwyane [Wade], Chris Bosh and especially LeBron — that we had finally put together what I thought could become a dynasty, [and] it was,” Riley said. “Four trips to the Finals in a row, two world championships, it was an incredible run. And as a coach and as somebody who really thought about how to build that particular team, I saw something that could have lasted eight to 10 years. But I understood.”

As head coach of the Lakers, Riley led the franchise to four championships in the 1980s, and even won back-to-back titles in 1987 and 1988. Riley then added another championship as coach of the Heat in 2006.

Saturday explained quite a bit throughout college basketball and gave us a new No. 1 team in the country as we enter the final stretch.

Here’s everything you missed in the 16th week of the regular season, and the latest Associated Press poll.

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Duke jumps to No. 1

Duke came out on top after a busy weekend in college basketball.

The Blue Devils handled Michigan on a neutral court Saturday behind 18 points from Cameron Boozer, marking easily their biggest win of the season after a pair of bad losses. That moved them up to No. 1 in this week’s poll for the first time all season. Michigan, now with just two losses on the year, moved to No. 3.

In the other marquee matchup of the day, Arizona held off Houston for a commanding Big 12 win that gave it the solo lead in the conference. The Wildcats jumped to No. 2 as a result and seem to have bounced back after back-to-back losses knocked them out of the top spot in the national rankings. With both of the underdogs winning, it marked the first time in over a year that both the Nos. 1 and 2 teams lost on the same day.

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The Cougars have now lost back-to-back games to top-10 opponents, following a loss at Iowa State last Monday. They now sit at No. 5 in the poll and have a critical matchup at No. 14 Kansas on Monday night. If they can’t steal a win in Lawrence, Houston will be in a very rough position with just a single ranked win to its name since mid-January.

Iowa State, despite a loss at BYU on Saturday night, moved up two spots to No. 4. The Cyclones have both Utah and No. 13 Texas Tech this week before a trip to Arizona next week. Miami (Ohio) is still the last undefeated team left standing. The RedHawks, at 27-0, will take on Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan on the road this week.

Is Duke set at No. 1?

While it’s undoubtedly another down year for the ACC, Duke won’t have a simple path to retaining the top ranking the rest of the season.

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The Blue Devils have to take on No. 14 Virginia on Saturday, after a trip to Notre Dame on Tuesday. The Cavaliers have won eight straight, thanks to a late foul that pushed them past Miami on Saturday, and are currently second in the ACC standings. NC State is up next week for an in-state battle, too. While the Wolfpack have had some bad losses this season, they did just roll over North Carolina by more than 20 points for a huge upset win.

And then, of course, there’s the rematch with the Tar Heels to close out the regular season.

Duke’s win over Michigan was a massive statement for the program as the season wraps up, especially looking at its losses before. The Blue Devils fell to Texas Tech by a single point in early January, and they blew a 13-point lead at North Carolina. The win over Michigan very likely gave them the inside track for a top seed in the NCAA tournament, too. Boozer, who is putting up 22.6 points and 10 rebounds per game while making better than 58% of his shots, is playing as good as just about anyone in the country. Duke is not a team one wants to face in the NCAA tournament.

But the final two weeks of the season will be far from easy.

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Games to watch this week

All times ET | * denotes neutral site

Monday, Feb. 23

No. 24 Louisville at No. 18 North Carolina | 7 p.m. | ESPN
No. 5 Houston at No. 14 Kansas | 9 p.m. | ESPN

Tuesday, Feb. 24

No. 21 Miami (OH) at Eastern Michigan | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN+

Wednesday, Feb. 25

No. 15 St. John’s at No. 6 UConn | 7 p.m. | Peacock/NBCSN

Thursday, Feb. 26

No. 13 Michigan State at No. 8 Purdue | 8 p.m. | Peacock

Friday, Feb. 27

No. 21 Miami (OH) at Western Michigan | 6 p.m. | CBSSN
No. 3 Michigan at No. 10 Illinois | 8 p.m. | Fox

Saturday, Feb. 28

No. 11 Virginia at No. 1 Duke | 12 p.m. | ESPN
No. 14 Kansas at No. 2 Arizona | 4 p.m. | ESPN
No. 16 Texas Tech at No. 4 Iowa State | 4 p.m. | CBS
No. 20 Arkansas at No. 7 Florida | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN

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AP Top 25

The full Associated Press men’s basketball poll from Feb. 23, 2026.

1. Duke (25-2)
2. Arizona (25-2)
3. Michigan (25-2)
4. Iowa State (23-4)
5. Houston (23-4)
6. UConn (25-3)
7. Florida (21-6)
8. Purdue (22-5)
9. Gonzaga (27-2)
10. Illinois (22-6)
11. Virginia (24-3)
12. Nebraska (23-4)
13. Michigan State (22-5)
14. Kansas (20-7)
15. St. John’s (22-5)
16. Texas Tech (20-7)
17. Alabama (20-7)
18. North Carolina (21-6)
19. BYU (20-7)
20. Arkansas (20-7)
21. Miami (OH) (27-0)
22. Tennessee (20-7)
23. Saint Louis (25-2)
24. Louisville (20-7)
25. Vanderbilt (21-6)

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 47, Saint Mary’s 30, Villanova 15, Miami 10, Utah State 8, NC State 7, SMU 4, Texas A&M 3, Iowa 3, UCF 3, High Point 2, Stephen F. Austin 2, Navy 1

It has been no secret the Dallas Cowboys plan to use the franchise tag on receiver George Pickens. But that’s not the only free-agent decision they’ll need to figure out with the start of the league year less than a month away.

Cowboys COO Stephen Jones told the media Monday what has been widely assumed for weeks: The team plans to put the franchise tag on Pickens, and will finalize plans on that in the next week, via Judy Battista of NFL.com. That’s the easy part. The hard part will be figuring out a long-term solution with Pickens, or what the receiver will do if he’s stuck with the one-year tag worth about $28 million.

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The situation that hasn’t gotten as much attention is with kicker Brandon Aubrey. Aubrey is a restricted free agent, but he might be a rare RFA who gets an offer on the open market. Aubrey has become one of the best kickers in the NFL and a weapon for the Cowboys because of his ability to hit kicks from 60 or more yards out.

The Cowboys cleared up one potential issue this past weekend, signing running back Javonte Williams to a three-year, $24 million extension.

The Cowboys have plenty of other decisions to make this offseason, but those two are the most pressing.

Cowboys continue talks with Brandon Aubrey

Jones said the Aubrey negotiation has been going on since before last season started.

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“That’s been a journey, but we haven’t been able to get to a point where we all agree,” Jones said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic.

The highest-paid kicker in the NFL is Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs, who has a four-year, $25.6 million deal. Aubrey has been a brilliant find for the Cowboys, with one first-team All-Pro nod and two inclusions on the All-Pro second team in his three seasons. He has hit 88.2% of his field goals, which is impressive considering how often the Cowboys ask him to kick from long range. Aubrey has made 35 field goals from 50 yards or longer in his three seasons. He will presumably get more than Butker’s league-leading $6.4 million per season. It’s just a matter of the player and team figuring out a contract that should make Aubrey the highest-paid kicker in league history. The Cowboys plan to use a first- or second-round tender on Aubrey, according to the Dallas Morning News, which means if the restricted free agent gets an offer sheet from another team the Cowboys can decide to match or get a high draft pick in return.

It’s good to have stellar players, but having to pay a kicker top dollar makes things even more challenging for the Cowboys.

[Get more Cowboys news: Dallas team feed]

George Pickens very likely to get tagged

Pickens’ situation isn’t unusual. He had 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cowboys after they traded for him, putting himself in position for a big contract as a free agent. But the franchise tag allows the Cowboys to keep him from hitting the open market.

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Like every other player who gets tagged, Pickens wants a long-term deal. Jones said the team wants that as well.

“We want Pickens here,” Jones said, via Machota. “We think the world of him. We want him here, love him, and I think he wants to be here.”

The Cowboys have remained steadfast with their stance on keeping Pickens in the fold. Jones told Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein during the Senior Bowl in January that Pickens’ importance, combined with CeeDee Lamb’s skills, became magnified as the team interviewed defensive coordinator candidates to replace Mike Eberflus.

“Talking to these defensive guys we brought in, we were a pain for them,” Jones said. “They start talking about, ‘Oh my gosh, when we had to play you guys, that was a problem.’ They have to decide, ‘Hey, put your best cornerback on one and double the other,’ or do a lot of moving parts how they did it …

“[Candidates] said: ‘Your offense caused a lot of problems.’”

Jones would not put a timeframe on getting a long-term deal done with Pickens, and it will be complicated. (If tagged, the two sides have until July 15 to reach a long-term deal.) Pickens was traded by the Steelers due in part to maturity issues. The Cowboys are also paying a lot to Lamb, who is playing on a four-year, $136 million deal. It’s hard to pay two receivers deals that are both near the top of the market.

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Talks between teams and agents often happen at the NFL’s scouting combine, which is taking place this week. The Cowboys have a lot to discuss.

The Atlanta Falcons are planning to apply the franchise tag to tight end Kyle Pitts, according to multiple reports.

The franchise tag salary for tight ends in 2026 is projected at roughly $16 million. Franchise tag values are calculated by averaging the top five salaries in the league at a given position.

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NFL teams have until March 3 to apply the franchise tag to a single player. Players under the franchise tag will then have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term contract. After that deadline passes, a player is required to play under the franchise tag, barring a holdout.

Pitts, 25, played in 2025 on the $10.9 million fifth-year team option of his four-year, $32.9 million rookie contract that he signed as a first-round pick in 2026. He has $43.9 million in career earnings.

After tallying 68 catches for 1,026 yards as a rookie, Pitts has failed to reach 1,000 yards again and has largely failed to meet the expectations that he arrived to the NFL with as a first-round pick. He entered the final year of his rookie deal without a contract extension.

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In 2025, Pitts had his most productive campaign since his rookie season with 88 catches for 928 yards and five touchdowns. His yardage tally was second highest in the NFL for a tight end behind Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals. He reached that tally despite shaky production at quarterback from Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins.

It was enough for the Falcons to prioritize using the franchise tag on Pitts. Whether it turns into a long-term contract for Pitts is yet to be seen.

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Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros break down the latest soccer headlines, starting with reports that USMNT striker Josh Sargent could be headed back to MLS with Toronto FC. Is it a smart career move or a major step backward for the American forward? The guys also react to rumors linking Timo Werner to the San Jose Earthquakes and debate whether the club made a massive mistake by failing to keep star winger Cristian Espinoza. Plus, with Chucky Lozano’s exit from San Diego seemingly inevitable, they discuss who the club should target as his replacement.

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Former Premier League defender Anton Ferdinand then joins the show to preview the West Ham vs. Tottenham derby and relive his legendary stoppage-time equalizer against Spurs in 2005. They also chat West Ham’s tough season so far and how the club can push forward to avoid relegation.

Finally, the guys debate whether Real Madrid made a massive mistake by firing Xabi Alonso and what it means for the club’s future. Christian and Alexis wrap things up with their AFCON Final predictions as Senegal and Morocco prepare to battle for continental glory.

Timestamps:

(6:45) – Josh Sargent heading back to MLS? Smart move or disaster?

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(17:30) – Timo Werner is headed to San Jose: redemption tour or flop?

(30:15) – Chucky Lozano is leaving San Diego – who will replace him?

(37:15) – Anton Ferdinand joins The Cooligans

(57:00) – Xabi Alonso now Real Madrid’s biggest enemy?

(1:10:00) – AFCON Final Predictions

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Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

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Divisional round weekend is right around the corner and we have Matt Harmon and Joel Smyth here to get you ready. The two preview each game and provide their favorite matchups and prop bets along the way. Smyth also shares his favorite DFS lineup for Divisional weekend.

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(5:00) #6 Bills @ #1 Broncos

(21:50) #6 49ers @ #1 Seahawks

(37:35) #5 Texans @ #2 Patriots

(49:00) #5 Rams @ #2 Bears

(1:01:50) Joel’s Divisional Round DFS Lineup

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or yahoosports.tv