The Denver Broncos fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi on Tuesday, two days after they played in the AFC championship game.
The Broncos announced the decision Tuesday evening in a news release, confirming earlier reports. The Broncos also announced that they’ve fired wide receivers coach Keary Colbert and cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch.
Advertisement
The news arrives as offensive pass game coordinator Davis Webb is considered a candidate for openings around the league, including the head coaching vacancy of the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s not clear if the Broncos intend to pursue Webb to replace Lombardi and entice him from leaving for another team.
The news broke hours after Broncos head coach Sean Payton held his end-of-season news conference. Payton joked about Webb’s potential departure to the rival Raiders, but gave no indication that Lombardi’s job was at stake.
Payton offered a boilerplate statement in the Broncos’ news release.
“I want to thank these coaches for playing an important role in elevating our program over the last three seasons,” Payton said, per the release. “I’ve been fortunate to work with Joe Lombardi for 15 years and am particularly grateful for his many contributions to our success as offensive coordinator.”
Why did Broncos fire Lombardi?
The news of Lombardi’s dismissal arrives as a bit of a surprise following a season in which the Broncos finished tied for the best record in football, earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC and advanced to Sunday’s conference championship game, which they lost 10-7 to the New England Patriots in a snowstorm while starting quarterback Bo Nix sat with a fractured ankle.
Joe Lombardi is reportedly out as Denver’s offensive coordinator.
(Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Broncos advanced as far as they did largely on the strength of a defense that ranked second in the NFL in yards allowed and third in points allowed (18.3 per game) during the regular season. But the offense was no slouch. Denver ranked 10th in yards and 14th in points per game (23.6). The Broncos presumably would like to see those numbers improve, and perhaps they believe that Webb is the man to lead them there.
Advertisement
Whoever takes over for Lombardi will be tasked with further developing Nix. Nix showed slight signs of regression from his surprising rookie campaign last season, with dips in completion percentage (66.3 to 63.4) and yards per attempt (6.7 to 6.4) while seeing his touchdown-to-interception ratio drop from 29-to-12 to 25-to-11.
The Broncos frequently found themselves playing from behind in the fourth quarter, only for Nix to help lead a comeback. It’s not a sustainable model for success, and the Broncos would be better served next season with an offense that can create some separation prior to the fourth quarter.
Belichick, according to ESPN’s Seth Wickersham and Don Van Natta, apparently has fallen short of the 80 percent voting mark necessary to earn enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. Given that there are 50 Hall of Fame voters, that could mean at least 11 voters — 11! — decided that one of the most successful coaches in NFL history didn’t deserve the honor of a Hall of Fame berth, at least in 2026.
Advertisement
Before we go any further — and oh, are we going to go further — let’s just remember exactly what Belichick did as an NFL head coach. Don’t let the gossipy chaos of his current North Carolina tenure obscure the fact that this man could lead men:
333 career victories, including playoffs, second only to Don Shula’s 347
12 Super Bowl appearances and eight wins, six as a head coach and two as a Giants assistant
17 division titles in New England, most in NFL history
21 winning seasons as a head coach, fifth all time
… plus redefining literally every element of the coaching game, from gamesmanship to roster management to sleeve alterations. For two decades in the NFL, Belichick was the rock around which every other coach in the league flowed.
It’s worth noting exactly how Hall of Fame voting goes, as of 2025, for the Senior and Coach categories. Per voter Mike Sando of The Athletic, each voter picks three of the five total finalists in these categories, including Belichick, and as few as one and as many as three will make it, should they receive at least 80% of the vote (or 40 of the 50 votes). So there’s a chance the Hall’s new voting mechanics penalized Belichick if some voters, say, assumed other voters would wave him in and allocated their votes elsewhere.
Fundamentally, though, there is this: any system that doesn’t put Bill Belichick in the Hall of Fame on the first ballot is, by definition, a deeply flawed system.
Bill Belichick was not elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, which surprised many around the NFL. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)
Thing is, once we get past all the “Holy [expletive]!” spluttering, this vote — whether for principle or spite — is going to have some serious ripple effects.
Advertisement
First off, this decision exposes the Hall of Fame to (well-deserved) ridicule and, frankly, irrelevance. Belichick doesn’t need the approval of a committee to validate his career, true. But if a Hall of Fame can’t recognize these achievements as they stand, how does it have any claim to be a true Hall of Fame?
According to ESPN, Belichick’s Patriots scandals — Spygate and Deflategate — apparently weighed heavily on several voters’ minds. One ESPN source indicated that Bill Polian, a Hall of Fame voter and general manager of the Colts and Bills during Belichick’s reign, said Belichick should “wait a year” as punishment for the scandals. (Polian, for his part, denied that he attempted to influence a vote against Belichick, telling Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame “I voted for him.”)
That then creates an incredibly awkward and presumptuous dynamic: Either the Hall of Fame voters are setting themselves up as judges after the fact — Belichick and the Patriots were punished for both scandals — or they’re drawing a line in the sand that Belichick can’t ever cross. It’s not like Spygate is going to get any less scandalous, right? So if he’s not in right now, if he’s been penalized for past misdeeds, why should he ever get in?
Advertisement
Plus, this decision creates a second, complementary question: Shouldn’t Tom Brady now “wait a year,” at the very least, when he comes up for the Hall of Fame in 2028? After all, Brady was Belichick’s quarterback through both of these scandals. Brady even sat four games as a result of the NFL’s Deflategate investigation.
And if Tom (expletive)ing Brady doesn’t get into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot, well …
Here’s the basic truth. Multiple Hall of Fame voters tried to get too cute, or they tried to settle personal vendettas with Belichick at the expense of a fair recounting of the game’s history. There are ways to convey the stains on a Hall of Fame inductee’s record to future generations — including it as part of his official profile, for instance. But to exclude Belichick, even for a year, comes across as petty and unbecoming.
Look, there are so many reasons for the rest of the NFL to loathe Belichick and the Patriots — six shiny Lombardi-shaped ones, to start — but you have to recognize his absolute mastery of the NFL for two decades. Love him or hate him, the one thing you couldn’t ever do is disregard him.
Advertisement
One measure of a candidate’s worthiness for the Hall of Fame is whether you can tell the full story of the game’s history without including him. It’s impossible to tell the story of the NFL in the 21st century without Bill Belichick, just like it was impossible to imagine navigating a season from 2001 to 2019 without accounting for the Patriots.
Now, unfortunately, some Hall of Fame voters have made themselves part of the story as well. That’s not honoring the game, that’s grandstanding. They did not — as Belichick himself would say — do their job.
Cooper Flagg, Stephon Castle and VJ Edgecombe headline the selections announced Monday for the NBA’s Rising Stars showcase slated for All-Star Weekend. On Tuesday, rookies were coveted early as captains selected their teams.
Castle is the reigning Rookie of the Year for the San Antonio Spurs, and Flagg is the favorite to win the award this season amid a standout rookie campaign for the Dallas Mavericks.
Advertisement
In total, 21 first- and second-year NBA players and seven G League players make up the pool of competitors who will participate in the mini-tournament of four teams. The NBA player pool was selected by NBA assistant coaches. The G League players were selected by the league office.
Vince, Melo, T-Mac choose teams
NBC analysts and former NBA stars and Hall of Famers Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady will serve as team captains and coaches. On Tuesday, they selected their teams in a snake draft from the pool of 21 players.
Anthony had the first pick and chose Flagg, who was the first of four straight rookies selected before a second-year player was taken off the board. McGrady selected Flagg’s former Duke teammate and Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter Kon Knueppel at No. 2. Carter took Edgecombe at No. 3 and New Orleans Pelicans rookie Derik Queen at No. 4.
Advertisement
Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware was the first second-year player selected at No. 5 to Team T-Mac, followed by fellow sophomores Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets) and Castle to Team Melo.
Reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle (right) and the favorite to win the award this year, Cooper Flagg, have both been selected to play in the NBA’s Rising Stars showcase.
(Stacy Revere via Getty Images)
NBC analyst and former NBA player Austin Rivers will coach the team of G League players. The tournament will take place Friday, Feb. 13, and tip off the NBA’s All-Star festivities that will take place at Intuit Dome, the home of the Los Angeles Clippers.
NBC has taken over broadcast rights for the NBA’s All-Star Weekend, hence the involvement of NBC analysts in the process.
Team Melo
1: Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks (Rookie) 2: Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets (Sophomore) 3: Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs (Sophomore) 4: Dylan Harper, Spurs (Rookie) 5: Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans (Rookie) 6: Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers (Sophomore) 7: Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors (Rookie)
Advertisement
Team T-Mac
1: Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets (Rookie) 2: Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat (Sophomore) 3: Tre Johnson, Washington Wizards (Rookie) 4: Alex Sarr, Wizards (Sophomore) 5: Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder (Sophomore) 6: Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers (Sophomore) 7: Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies (Sophomore)
The No. 5 Cornhuskers went into Michigan and controlled most of Tuesday’s matchup against the third-ranked Wolverines. But Michigan kept things close in the face of hot early 3-point shooting and rallied for a 75-72 win.
Advertisement
Nebraska got two looks at a game-tying 3-pointer in the game’s final seconds. But both missed the mark, allowing Michigan to escape with the win.
Nebraska led for most of the game
Michigan took a 3-2 lead and didn’t lead again until a 9-2 run secured a 74-72 advantage with 1:04 remaining. From there, the Wolverines didn’t relinquish the lead and handed Nebraska its first loss of the season following a 20-0 start that was the best in program history.
Nebraska (20-1) now joins Michigan (19-1) among the ranks of the one-loss teams.
Nimari Burnett and Michigan rallied to hand Nebraska its first loss of the season.
(Jaime Crawford via Getty Images)
Nebraska couldn’t maintain scorching start from 3
The matchup was the toughest test yet for a Nebraska team that was unranked in the preseason and didn’t join the AP Top 25 until a 9-0 start forced voters to take notice in the sixth poll of the season. Until the final minutes Tuesday, the Cornhuskers looked up to the task, despite playing without starting center Reink Mast, who was a late scratch due to an illness.
Nebraska shot 10-of-19 from 3 in the first half and went into halftime with a 50-48 lead despite Michigan’s 66% shooting effort from the field. Nebraska countered with a 59% halftime field-goal rate buoyed by its hot 3-point shooting.
Advertisement
Nebraska extended that lead to 64-56 midway through the second half as Michigan’s hot shooting went cold. But ultimately, Nebraska’s 3-point shooting betrayed it. After a 52.6% effort in the first half, the Cornhuskers shot 1-of-13 in the second to finish with an 11-of-32 (34.4%) effort.
Michigan, meanwhile, climbed back at the free-throw line, where it enjoyed a tremendous advantage while shooting 19-of-23 (83%). Nebraska attempted just four free throws the entire game, hitting three.
Michigan survived late looks by Nebraska
With the game on the line, Nebraska went back to the 3-point shot in the game’s final seconds. But Jamarques Lawrence missed an open look from the top of the key with 4.3 seconds remaining. And Sam Hoiberg missed a contested shot from the corner as time expired.
Advertisement
In the end, Michigan overcame an 11-point first-half deficit and a 6-of-26 (23.1%) shooting night from 3. A 27-point second half was enough to secure the comeback as Michigan limited Nebraska to 22 second-half points.
Sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. led the Michigan effort with 17 points and 12 rebounds as the Wolverines avoided their second loss of the season after losing to unranked Wisconsin at home on Jan. 10. Up next is a date with rival and No. 7 Michigan State at home on Friday (8 p.m. ET, Fox).
Nebraska got 20 points each from Lawrence and Pryce Sandfort. But without Mast, it was outmanned on the boards as Michigan secured a 35-23 rebounding advantage. Up next for the Huskers is another tough test against No. 9 Illinois (4 p.m. ET, FS1) at home on Sunday.
Indiana and Ohio State will meet for a third straight season in October 2026.
The Big Ten released its 2026 football schedule Wednesday, and the defending national champions will host the team that won the national title after the 2024 season in Week 7 on Saturday, Oct. 17. Indiana played at Ohio State in 2024 before the two teams met in the Big Ten title game at the end of the 2025 regular season. Indiana won that game 13-10, and the Hoosiers went on to cap a 16-0 season with a win over Miami in the national championship game.
Advertisement
Indiana plays Ohio State, Michigan and USC over a four-game stretch this fall. After hosting the Buckeyes, the Hoosiers visit Michigan in Week 8. Following a game against Minnesota in Week 9 and a bye in Week 10, Indiana hosts USC in Week 11 before ending the season with a road trip to Washington and its annual rivalry game with Purdue.
There are more games among the top teams in the Big Ten across the 2026 season. Oregon plays USC, Ohio State and Michigan, in addition to its rivalry game with Washington, and USC hosts Ohio State in Week 9. Penn State appears to have the best schedule rotation of the traditional Big Ten powers; the Nittany Lions avoid games against Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon.
There is still one game that needs to be figured out for every team’s schedule to be complete, however. Since USC and Notre Dame are not playing in 2026, the Trojans have an opening in Week 0. USC has off weeks in Week 7 and Week 10 and is scheduled to play a yet-to-be-named team at the end of August.
Here’s the complete Big Ten schedule for the upcoming season. Northwestern plays nine straight games to end the season after a bye in Week 2, while Indiana and USC have the latest bye weeks.
Rutgers forced No. 7 Michigan State into a halfcourt game Tuesday night at Jersey Mike’s Arena. The Spartans came averaging 17.3 fastbreak points per game — good for 12th nationally — and had only two of those by intermission.
They eventually found themselves down 12 with 9:39 remaining in regulation against a Rutgers team hovering near the bottom of the Big Ten standings and four days removed from a 23-point home loss to Indiana. What looked like a potential trap game on the schedule, which features a Friday night showdown with No. 3 Michigan in East Lansing, was playing out as such.
Advertisement
Jeremy Fears Jr. had other plans.
The redshirt sophomore guard inspired a Spartans comeback that resulted in an 88-79 overtime win. Fears scored 27 of his season-high 29 points over the course of the second half and extra frame. He also clocked out with nine assists, two shy of Rutgers’ team total.
Fears delivered his most memorable dime in the final seconds of regulation. He started to penetrate before firing a pass to the left wing, where Divine Ugochukwu hit the game-tying 3 with 11.1 ticks left.
Michigan State (19-2, 9-1 Big Ten) went on to preserve its now-seven-game winning streak, denying the Scarlet Knights (9-12, 2-8) their sixth top-10 win under head coach Steve Pikiell.
Advertisement
Rutgers came in 283rd in the country in 3-point percentage, with a 31.9% clip, and knocked down 10-of-27 attempts (37%) from long range. Freshman Harun Zrno accounted for four triples while chipping in 16 points off the bench. The Scarlet Knights were led by Tariq Francis’ 23 points. The former NJIT standout shot a combined 2 of 11 from the field in the second half and OT, though.
Pikiell’s group couldn’t buy a bucket in overtime. In fact, the Scarlet Knights didn’t record a field goal for more than four minutes in the extra frame.
Michigan State pulled ahead at the charity stripe, and that’s where Fears tallied the team’s final eight points.
Rutgers’ two Big Ten wins this season arrived in overtime. But this time, the Scarlet Knights didn’t have enough left in the tank to pull off one of college basketball’s biggest upsets of the new year.
Advertisement
In addition to Fears, three other Spartans scored in double figures. Forwards Jaxon Kohler and Coen Carr piled up 12 and 13 points, respectively, and center Carson Cooper turned in 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Fears and Cooper worked a two-man game throughout the second half as Michigan State whittled its deficit.
Tom Izzo’s crew will now head home to prepare for a heavyweight match with their in-state rival.
Bill Belichick won six Super Bowls as a head coach, two more as an assistant and is considered by some to be the greatest coach in football history. Even those who disagree cannot in good faith contend that he’s not the most accomplished coach in the history of the game.
On Tuesday, news broke that his résumé is not good enough to earn Belichick induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot.
Advertisement
This is according to ESPN, which reported Belichick fell short of the 40-vote threshold (out of a possible 50) required for induction to the Hall. Per the report, Belichick received the bad news directly from the Hall on Friday.
‘Don’t even understand how this could be possible’
Belichick has not responded to the news in public, but proclaimed, “Six Super Bowls isn’t enough?” when he heard the news, according to the report. And he had plenty of high-profile support in his corner on Tuesday with reactions from peers and rivals ranging from dismay, outrage and shock that Belichick didn’t make the Hall on his first ballot.
Patrick Mahomes, whose Kansas City Chiefs were Belichick’s biggest rival at the end of his New England Patriots tenure, called the news “insane.”
Hall of Fame former Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson had choice words for the voters who did not vote for Belichick.
Retired 3-time Defensive Player of the Year and future Hall of Famer JJ Watt couldn’t believe his eyes.
Ryan Clark, who played for New England’s rival Pittsburgh Steelers during Belichick’s reign, wrote that the decision disqualifies any future coach from entering the Hall on his first ballot.
Former Patriots Julian Edelman and Jason McCourty, both of whom won Super Bowls with Belichick, weighed in.
Other players, NFL executives, reporters, media personalities and longtime Hall of Fame voters were among the others to express their dismay at the news.
In case you have trouble reading the above tweet, that’s venerated NFL reporter and 32-year Hall of Fame voter Peter King responding to the ESPN report:
Advertisement
“Holy f***! … I’m very, very surprised,” King said, per ESPN.
LeBron James weighed in from the basketball world.
Hall of Fame voter Mike Sando wrote that he considered Belichick to be a “slam-dunk” candidate, but offered an explanation of newly enacted voting rules that may have impacted Belichick’s first-ballot candidacy.
Regardless, people wanted to know as soon as the news broke who didn’t vote for Belichick. And why? Who did and didn’t vote for Belichick was not clear from the report.
As for the why? It’s not like coaches don’t make it on the their first ballot. It’s rare, but Tom Landry, Don Shula and Chuck Noll all made it on their first ballot in classes that weren’t the Hall’s inaugural. Belichick certainly stands alongside and arguably above those coaches in the annals of NFL history.
Advertisement
Did scandals cost Belichick?
During and since his tenure with the Patriots, Belichick has generated his share of unflattering headlines. His name is tied to a pair of scandals — Spygate and Deflategate — whose respective egregiousness depends on the eyes of the beholder.
Per ESPN, this was enough to compel former rival executive Bill Polian (Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo Bills) to launch a campaign among voters that Belichick should “wait a year.” Polian is a Hall of Fame voter. Polian denied the report in an interview with Sports Illustrated Tuesday, declaring that he voted for Belichick.
Polian later backtracked on that claim in an interview with ESPN, telling the reporters who initially broke the news that he didn’t remember with certainty whether or not he voted for Belichick.
In an interview with ESPN on Tuesday night, Polian denied telling fellow voters that Belichick should serve a one-year penance for Spygate. But he said he heard his fellow voters “float that idea” but he insisted he didn’t agree or disagree with the proposal.
Polian said he voted for Kraft and even spoke up on his behalf during the deliberations, saying Kraft had no knowledge of the Spygate scheme. Polian added that he could not remember with 100% certainty if he voted for Belichick, saying he was 95% sure he voted for the coach and a player, “most likely” L.C. Greenwood.
Belichick’s post-Patriots tenure as the head coach of North Carolina can be aptly described as embarrassing on multiple levels. But again, the guy won eight total Super Bowls, and this is the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His UNC tenure is not relevant here.
Until and unless voters explain themselves, the reason for Belichick’s snub will remain a mystery.
Bill Belichick will not be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.
ESPN reports the former New England Patriots head coach, and current UNC head coach, fell short of the 40 out of 50 votes needed for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility.
Advertisement
Belichick was reportedly “puzzled” and “disappointed” by the development, reportedly asking one associate, “Six Super Bowls isn’t enough?” and “What does a guy have to do?” with a different associate.
Simply stated, the decision is a shocker. No coach in the history of professional football has a résumé better than Belichick, who is the NFL’s all-time leader in Super Bowl titles, postseason wins and division titles, as well as third in regular-season wins. He and Tom Brady turned the New England Patriots into a machine for two decades, and he presided over the league as the standard to which other coaches were compared.
Belichick’s list of rings also expands to eight when you factor in his tenure as New York Giants defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells, who was enshrined in 2013.
Advertisement
Per ESPN, the reason why Belichick fell short was the Patriots’ history of cheating under his watch. Spygate and Deflategate were both embarrassing spectacles for the Patriots and the NFL. Former executive Bill Polian, who faced off with Belichick’s teams repeatedly as general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, was reported by one voter via ESPN to have told the voting body that Belichick should have to “wait a year” for induction as penance.
“The only explanation [for the outcome] was the cheating stuff,” a veteran Hall voter told ESPN on Tuesday. “It really bothered some of the guys.”
Polian denied ESPN’s report, telling Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame that he voted for Belichick and that any claim he tried to influence voters away from Belichick is “totally and categorically untrue.” However, hours later, ESPN updated its article with an interview with Polian, in which the 83-year-old admitted he could not remember with 100% certainty that he voted for Belichick.
There are other nitpicks for Belichick’s legacy. His first year as UNC head coach was widely seen as a failure, with a 4-8 record and questions about his fitness for such a job at 73 years old. Brady winning a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after leaving Belichick and the Patriots also caused a shift in their respective reputations, but not nearly enough for Belichick to not be considered an all-time great.
Advertisement
Whatever the reason, Belichick’s exclusion is sending shockwaves throughout the football world. Not helping the situation is the Hall of Fame’s notoriously opaque voting process. Former Houston Texans star JJ Watt, a future Hall of Famer himself barring a similarly shocking development, was among those questioning Belichick’s exclusion.
Ultimately, the decision says so much more about the Hall of Fame and its voting body than Belichick’s legacy. When the Hall’s Class of 2026 is both announced and enshrined, the voters have essentially guaranteed the conversation will be focused as much on who didn’t make it.
“Darian extends his sincere gratitude to Duke University for engaging in good-faith discussions and reaching this resolution,” a statement from Mensah’s Young Money APAA Sports agency said. “He wishes the Blue Devils, Coach [Manny] Diaz, the staff, and the entire fan base continued success in the seasons ahead.
“The 2025 ACC Championship run will forever stand as a remarkable chapter in Duke football history, one Darian is proud to have been part of.”
Then, hours later, Mensah committed to play at Miami next season, according to On3’s Pete Nakos and Hayes Fawcett. Mensah had been heavily linked to Miami ever since he announced he wanted to leave Duke. The Hurricanes needed a new starting quarterback after Carson Beck played the final game of his six-season college football career in Miami’s national title game loss to Indiana.
“We are committed to fulfilling all promises and obligations Duke makes to our student-athletes when we enter into contractual agreements with them, and we expect the same in return,” Duke said in a statement. “Enforcing those agreements is a necessary element of ensuring predictability and structure for athletic programs. It is nonetheless a difficult choice to pursue legal action against a student and teammate; for this reason we sought to resolve the matter fairly and quickly.”
Mensah isn’t the only Duke player who is heading to Miami, either. Duke wide receiver Cooper Barkate entered the transfer portal late like Mensah did. And he also said Wednesday night that he was heading to Miami.
Advertisement
Barkate had 72 catches for 1,106 yards and seven TDs in 2025. He’s a perfect second option for Mensah at Miami alongside star wide receiver Malachi Toney.
A week ago, Duke filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent Mensah from enrolling at another school. The TRO was granted, though Mensah was permitted to enter the transfer portal.
Duke had said that Mensah’s “enrollment at another school and commitment to play football at that school” would be a violation of the terms of the NIL deal he signed with Duke ahead of the 2026 season and that the contract stipulated that “no other school can use Mensah’s NIL.” There was reportedly no buyout in Mensah’s contract with Duke.
Miami allegedly made a big offer for Mensah after the Hurricanes had struck out on quarterbacks through the winter transfer cycle. Alabama QB Ty Simpson declared for the draft after the 2025 season and said that the Hurricanes had offered him $6.5 million to enter the transfer portal instead and play for the Hurricanes.
Advertisement
Simpson elected to stay in the draft. And Miami kept searching.
Mensah will be the third straight transfer quarterback to start for the Hurricanes in 2026 as he follows Cam Ward and current starter Carson Beck. And it’s hard to dispute the Hurricanes’ success with either of those two.
Miami went 10-2 in the regular season in 2024 and just missed out on the College Football Playoff. Ward, who came to Miami from Washington State, threw for over 4,300 yards and tossed 39 TDs in 13 games. He parlayed that success into a fourth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting and the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Beck has led the Hurricanes to the title game after he transferred from Georgia. Beck came to Miami on what was one of the richest NIL deals for a quarterback ahead of the 2025 season despite his late-season elbow injury. Beck suffered a serious injury to his throwing elbow at the end of the first half of the SEC title game in December and wasn’t able to throw during spring practice.
Advertisement
However, he was healthy for Week 1 as Miami beat Notre Dame. That turned out to be pivotal, as it ultimately got the Hurricanes into the College Football Playoff in the final rankings.
Mensah arrives at Miami with better stats in a previous season than either QB, too. As Duke won the ACC title — Miami tied for first but didn’t make the title game due to tiebreakers — Mensah was 334-of-500 passing for 3,973 yards and 34 TDs with just six interceptions.
In that ACC title game win over Virginia, Mensah was 19-of-25 for 196 yards and two scores and an interception. In the Blue Devils’ bowl win over Arizona State, he competed just 57% of his passes but threw for 327 yards and four scores along with an interception.
Advertisement
His transfer is a massive blow to Duke — especially as the Blue Devils made their own big-money move to get him from Tulane after the 2025 season. Mensah proved to be well worth Duke’s investment and it wasn’t too long ago that the school celebrated his return for 2026.
Instead, Mensah is heading to a conference rival. And yes, the two teams will play each other in 2026. Miami hosts the Blue Devils in November.
The college football transfer portal is now closed, but the last few players in the system are making their final decisions.
Quarterback Darian Mensah was one of the biggest names still lingering, but he’s headed to Miami, according to On3, after settling a legal dispute with Duke. That settlement allowed him to freely enter the portal, clearing his path to become Miami’s starter for 2026.
Advertisement
LSU landed one of the final big names remaining in the portal by securing a commitment from former Colorado offensive tackle Jordan Seaton. He was the top-rated offensive lineman in the portal, according to On3, and the No. 4 overall player on the list.
There’s more clarity with Washington QB Demond Williams and Baylor QB DJ Lagway, who both signed with their schools after initial reports indicated they were looking elsewhere.
Below is a recap of the frenzy of transfer movement that started on Jan. 2.
Live coverage is over191 updates
Yahoo Sports Staff
The college football transfer portal is open through Friday, but we have a pretty good idea of which teams have done well and which teams still have to fill some needs before spring practices.
After a dramatic legal battle with Duke over his ability to enter the transfer portal, he reached a settlement in court that allowed him to transfer to Miami.
He’s expected to become the starter for the Hurricanes in 2026 after Carson Beck used up his eligibility. Mensah is On3’s fourth-ranked QB in the portal this year and the 10th player overall.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Duke QB has reportedly been on campus at Miami as he likely prepares to enroll at the school and complete his transfer following the court settlement Tuesday that will allow him to leave Duke.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Brown spent the last two years at Stanford, where he was a four-star recruit out of high school. He started 3 games last season.
He’s expected to back up Demond Williams with the Huskies next season.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Missouri earns its second commitment of the day with the addition of wideout Cayden Lee, who is coming off a junior season in which he tallied 44 catches for 635 yards and three touchdowns.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Former Miami offensive tackle Tommy Kinsler has committed to Ole Miss, according to On3. He appeared in 22 games across the last two years in Miami, and he’ll have two years of eligibility remaining.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Miami is hanging onto its leading tackler, linebacker Mohamed Toure, while losing fellow LB Bobby Washington to Missouri.
Saturday is the final day for players from national title game participants, Miami and Indiana, to enter the transfer portal.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Jordan Seaton, On3’s top offensive lineman in the transfer portal, has committed to LSU, he announced on Instagram.
Seaton played his first two years of college ball at Colorado, where he came in as a five-star recruit. He’ll arrive at LSU with two years of eligibility remaining.
Tarohn Finley
After the commitment of Damon Wilson II, University of Miami defensive line coach Jason Taylor receives reinforcements at pass rusher. Last season, Wilson led Missouri with 12 quarterback hurries and recorded nine sacks.
Wilson began his college career with two seasons at Georgia before transferring to Missouri for the 2023 season. He committed to Miami after a season at Missouri and is expected to step in for edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, who are both likely to declare for the NFL draft.
Miami finished as runners-up for the National Championship after Monday’s 27-21 loss to Indiana.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Alberto Mendoza, the brother of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, has reportedly signed with Georgia Tech one day after winning a national championship with the Hoosiers.
Nick Bromberg
Darian Mensah’s departure from Duke is getting messier.
According to Sportico, Duke contends that “enrollment at another school and commitment to play football at that school” would violate the terms of the NIL deal he signed with the Blue Devils and that the contract he signed with the school stipulates that “no other school can use Mensah’s NIL.”
Emory Williams appeared in 12 games over three seasons for Miami. He was 73-of-116 passing for 813 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions. Per multiple reports, East Carolina is considered his likely destination.
Chris Cwik
In a last-second move, Indiana quarterback Alberto Mendoza, the brother of Fernando, is expected to enter the transfer portal, according to On3.com. The news comes less than 24 hours after Indiana won the National Championship.
Alberto, a three-star prospect, spent the 2025 season sitting behind his brother on the team’s depth chart. Through two seasons, Alberto has thrown for 292 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in limited playing time.
Alberto’s decision comes after Indiana brought in TCU quarterback Josh Hoover in the portal. Hoover is expected to start next season after Fernando Mendoza leaves for the NFL Draft, where he could be the No. 1 overall pick.
Ian Casselberry
Mere days after pulling himself out of NFL Draft consideration and entering the transfer portal, linebacker Arion Carter will return to Tennessee.
Last season, Carter registered 76 total tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 passes defended and 1 fumble recovery in 10 games.
Though the Vols fired defensive coordinator Tim Banks and replaced him with Jim Knowles, linebackers coach William Inge is still on staff and that may have factored into Carter’s decision.
Burnett recorded 6.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss with 28 total tackles in 12 games last season for the Golden Hurricane. He played his first four college seasons with Louisiana Tech and has one season of eligibility remaining.
Iowa, Florida State and Washington were each hoping to land Burnett out of the transfer portal.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Vols finally landed a signal caller from the portal: former Colorado backup Ryan Staub, who started one game last year but mostly served as a backup in his three years with the Buffaloes.
Tennessee tried to add a big name in the portal but mostly struck out until now. Other than Staub, the Vols will enter 2026 with freshman Faizon Brandon and redshirt freshman George Macintyre competing for the starting QB job.
Chris Cwik
DJ Lagway didn’t need much time to decide on his next destination. The former Florida quarterback will reportedly sign with Baylor on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Lagway was expected to sign with the school shortly after visiting it in early January. After initial reports suggested Lagway committed to the school, a report emerged suggesting it wasn’t a done deal, and that Lagway wanted to visit other programs.
A few weeks later, Lagway will apparently sign with Baylor after all.
Ole Miss WR Cayden Lee was a late portal entry on Friday. He had 44 catches for 635 yards and three scores in 2025. In 2024, Lee had 57 grabs for 874 yards and two touchdowns.
That led to Beaver committing to Georgia on Friday night, according to On3. The Bulldogs had not added a quarterback during the 2026 recruiting class following Jared Curtis’ flip from Georgia to Vanderbilt.
Ian Casselberry
Wide receiver and defensive back Salesi Moa is following head coach Kyle Whittingham from Utah to Michigan.
The four-star recruit and Ogden, Utah native signed with the Utes in December, but entered the transfer portal after Whittingham left Utah and took the Wolverines’ head coaching job.
Michigan initially recruited Moa out of high school as a defensive back, but he prefers to play wide receiver. He’ll play the position for coach Micah Simon, who also left Utah to join Willingham’s staff in Ann Arbor. Moa’s uncle, Lewis Powell, is also on the Michigan staff as defensive line coach after leaving Utah.
Moa joins EDGE John Henry Daley, DT Jonah Lea’ea and CB Smith Snowden as Utah players transferring to Michigan in the portal.
Ian Casselberry
Quarterback Malachi Nelson is off to his fourth school in four seasons. The junior has committed to Syracuse, according to On3.
Last season, Nelson played six games for UTEP before being benched, passing for 1,163 yards, 8 touchdowns and 9 interceptions while completing 55% of his throws.
He first committed to USC as a top high school recruit, but transferred to Boise State after spending his freshman season behind Caleb Williams and Miller Moss on the depth chart. The QB transferred again after he couldn’t beat out Maddux Madsen at Boise.
Nelson will have two seasons of eligibility at Syracuse.
