Category: Sports

FRIEDMAN’S TAKE: Jeremiah Smith

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GARCIA’S TAKE: Jeremiah Smith

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GORNEY’S TAKE: Jeremiah Smith

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SMITH’S TAKE: Jeremiah Smith

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Greg Smith
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TAMPA, Fla. — Jason Licht still remembers the first time he saw wide receiver Mike Evans.

It was 2014. He’d just become general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he knew his team needed a quarterback.

“See, I just got hired. … I was kind of the lone ranger that year,” said Licht, who hadn’t gotten to know his scouts yet outside of meetings. “I would just lock myself in my office and just watch all the top players. I started doing the quarterbacks one by one.”

There was Blake Bortles (Central Florida), Teddy Bridgewater (Louisville), Derek Carr (Fresno State), Jimmy Garoppolo (Eastern Illinois), Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M), A.J. McCarron (Alabama) and Aaron Murray (Georgia). He was particularly intrigued by Manziel, but for reasons he didn’t initially expect.

A 6-foot-5, 231-pound receiver with a colossal catch radius was on the receiving end of Manziel’s magic, and Licht couldn’t take his eyes off of him.

“It was like, ‘Is Mike making him look good or is he making Mike look good?’ Then it just kind of, after time, it was just obvious to me that Mike just made this guy look very good,” Licht told ESPN. “And I’m not taking anything away from Johnny Manziel because he was a great college football player.”

A decade later — Evans is coming off of one of his best seasons. He was named to his fifth Pro Bowl and second team All-Pro for the second time in his career. He finished with 13 touchdowns — tied for the most in the NFL with Tyreek Hill.

While the Bucs have come to a crossroads with Evans, whose last game with the team could be as soon as Sunday when the Bucs travel to face the Detroit Lions (3 p.m. ET, NBC) in the divisional round of the playoffs, Licht has plans to try to keep his guy in Tampa.

In 10 seasons, Evans has amassed 12,242 yards and 98 touchdowns in the regular season and postseason combined. He holds virtually every receiving and scoring record in franchise history. He is the only player in NFL history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 10 seasons, but his 10 1,000-yard seasons ties him with his idol Randy Moss for second most behind Jerry Rice’s 14, and his 10 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons puts him just one behind Rice’s 11.

Evans accomplished this feat under one organization with six different starting quarterbacks, five offensive coordinators and four head coaches.

“It would mean everything for the franchise, ownership, all of us,” Licht said of Evans spending his whole career with the Bucs. “Mike and I — our relationship is still the same and has never changed. And we’ve got a mutual understanding of when we’re going to begin talking.”

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EVANS WAS AT the top of the Buccaneers’ 2014 draft board despite other needs. Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Notre Dame offensive lineman Zack Martin and LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. were listed next. But Evans was No. 1.

He could dash into a full sprint and tear the roof off a defense despite his larger frame, weave his way through traffic with defenders diving at his ankles and showed impeccable body control and concentration on the most complicated catches. And all Manziel’s improvising didn’t seem to faze Evans.

“I couldn’t get anybody to convince me that there was another player that was better,” Licht said.

Licht said an undisclosed team called and offered to trade up a “couple of spots” into the No. 7 position, where Evans was ultimately drafted. He certainly could have done that in a receiver class that also featured Brandin Cooks, Kelvin Benjamin, Marqise Lee, Paul Richardson, Davante Adams, Allen Robinson and Jarvis Landry.

“I could have got a really good return on it, and it was close,” Licht said. “But then I just said, ‘No I can’t do it.’ And then the person on the other line said, ‘Fine, go take your guy, Mike.’”

And so he did. Evans was the one he sought when the Bucs defeated the Green Bay Packers in the 2020 NFC Championship Game to go to their first Super Bowl in almost 20 years.

“I think the favorite moment was beating the Packers and me running after him on the field going, ‘My first pick! My first pick!” Licht said. “It brings a tear to my eye right now.”

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AHEAD OF THE 2023 season, Evans and his agent, Deryk Gilmore, gave the Bucs a Sept. 9 deadline for a new deal or no discussions would take place for the entire season. No deal was offered at the deadline, and they stuck to their word this season.

A third consecutive NFC South title may have softened any hard lines in the sand, and he and quarterback Baker Mayfield have formed a palpable chemistry in their first year together.

There were missed connections in the playoff opener — a 32-9 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round Monday — with six dropped passes, including one by Evans. But Mayfield, who called Evans a “special player” and a “safety blanket” said, “We’re going to take our shots with him. The kind of guy he is when he’s one-on-one — we’re looking for him.”

At age 30, Evans has shown no signs of slowing down. Against the Carolina Panthers in Week 13, when the Bucs were 4-7 and had dropped five out of six games, Evans put up a masterful 162 yards receiving.

“That 75-yard touchdown — it showed that he hasn’t lost the speed at all. In fact, in some ways, he looks faster,” Licht said. “Just the effort, the determination. … He runs harder with the ball, too.”

Added wide receiver Chris Godwin on the play, “I think people will sleep on his speed because he don’t really get to like open up too many times, not a lot of long catch-and-run opportunities.”

Six seconds prior to that play, the Panthers had grabbed the lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Chuba Hubbard with 5:04 to go in the fourth quarter. Coming from the slot on the left side, Evans ran vertically, turned his hips and raced past cornerback Troy Hill and then CJ Henderson before diving for the pylon.

“I’ve just been blessed. God has blessed me tremendously with durability,” said Evans, who has missed nine games in 10 seasons. “I have great people around me that help me maintain my health. That’s been good for me.”

First-year offensive coordinator Dave Canales’ favorite play was against the Indianapolis Colts, although he didn’t score; Evans had two touchdowns in that game.

“The climb-the-ladder catch that goes down to the 1-yard line. … That was incredible,” said Canales, who also praised Evans’ demeanor towards teammates, as did Godwin.

“There are not enough nice words to say about how impressive Mike is,” Godwin said. “He has done something that nobody in NFL history has done and that is a testament to who he is as a person and who he is as a player. … He is not some diva who is demanding the ball.”

There were stunners against the Houston Texans in Week 9 where Evans fell backwards into the end zone after a 53-yard grab (officials initially ruled it a touchdown but then determined he was down at the 1-yard line), and against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7, working against A.J. Terrell one-on-one along the left sideline as Mayfield heaved a 40-yard pass.

Every Mike Evans catch ever.

You’re welcome. pic.twitter.com/igT6VkOPbS

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 7, 2023

“Some of the go-ball shots where it’s like, ‘This guy shouldn’t let him behind him’… Just his way to find a way to get past the defense,” said Canales, who believes Evans is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. “Across the league, you see these guys running 21 miles per hour, 22 miles per hour, he’s running his steady 20’s-ish but he’s running by the guy.”

Coach Todd Bowles added, “30 is a good age for him. I think he’s in his prime right now. I haven’t seen any dropoff. … It seems like he’s ageless at this point with the stats he’s putting up, the numbers he’s putting up, the way he competes and the way he goes out there to play.”

It’s been a challenge for new wide receivers coach Brad Idzik to find fresh things for someone that has “run every route in the book.”

“It’s like, ‘How can we put a little wrinkle on it to make it fresh for him and make him feel youthful and energized?’ And he does it,” Idzik said.

Evans has played a big role in Mayfield’s success in reviving his career after three teams in the previous two seasons. Mayfield has called Evans the “best I’ve ever played with.”

“His body language at the top of routes and how he communicates within how he runs his routes is truly unique and special,” Mayfield said. “We’ve seen guys try and double team him, but he still finds a way to win. No matter what the coverage is, he always has a plan based on what route he has or how he is going to try to win based on leverage or coverage. It’s something you really can’t teach. It’s a God-given ability that he has.”

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THE PASSAGE OF time has shown. It’s reflected in the team’s championship banners in an indoor practice facility that hadn’t been built when Evans arrived. It took six seasons before Evans got to taste the postseason, and he hasn’t missed one since with a Super Bowl ring to highlight it all.

Instead of breaks from his training after every season, he does a little each day to maintain his physical condition and credits that for helping prolong his career.

He and his wife have four children. And making good on his promise to help others if he ever reached the NFL, his Mike Evans Family Foundation has awarded $470,000 in college scholarships to students in Florida and his home state of Texas while supporting survivors of domestic violence.

Licht’s oldest son, Charlie, was 5 at the time Evans was drafted, and now he’s 15. He too has been asking about Evans’ status for next season.

“My kids — they ask about Mike all the time,” Licht said.

When he was drafted, Evans autographed a No. 13 Buccaneers jersey that read, “To Charlie: Your dad made the right pick! #13 Mike Evans Go Bucs!”

“It’s crazy,” Licht said. “And he hasn’t changed as a person either. He’s like a family member in our household. I mean, he’s got a relationship with each of my kids, my wife, my wife and his wife. … He’s the same person in the community off the field and with his fans. He’s a dream.”

Licht’s dream is Evans finishing his career as a Buccaneer, pointing to Ring of Honor and Pro Football Hall of Famers Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks, who spent their entire careers with the Bucs. It is possible with the team no longer carrying the burden of $75 million in dead cap money like in 2023.

But moves would need to be made to ensure the team can re-sign Evans, Mayfield, All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and inside linebacker Lavonte David, the longest-tenured player on the team. A long-term extension also looms for left tackle Tristan Wirfs, but the team has the benefit of his fifth-year option kicking in for 2024.

If this is Evans’ last hoorah, he knows the stamp he’s left in Tampa is an impactful one. He continues to take things day-by-day and refuses to live beyond the moment, but for whatever fate has for him, he knows he’ll look back and reflect on things one day.

“It seems surreal at times, but you know I’m in the moment,” Evans said heading into the playoffs. “So maybe when I’m long gone from the game I’ll look back and really think about what I’ve done.”

The rivalry between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs has become a full-blown saga, with another chapter due in Sunday’s AFC divisional round matchup at Highmark Stadium (6:30 p.m. ET, CBS). The teams will be playing for the seventh time this decade — the series is split 3-3 over that time — but it’s the 2021 playoff matchup that has overshadowed them all.

It was Jan. 23, 2022 when Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to a 42-36 overtime win over Josh Allen and the Bills at Arrowhead Stadium, leading an improbable game-tying drive that started with 13 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Fans in Kansas City and Buffalo know the rest, but much has changed in the nearly two years since the event.

We took a look at the similarities and differences in a series that — new faces and all — should retain its inherent drama:

What has changed for the Chiefs since their epic playoff win over the Bills on Jan. 23, 2022?

The Chiefs turned over much of their defense in the two seasons since last meeting the Bills in the playoffs. Only four defensive starters from that game remain. Instead of a Chiefs defense stacked with veterans, the Bills will see a group that is the youngest in the NFL. Five defensive regulars for the Chiefs are in their second NFL seasons. On offense, the Chiefs no longer have Tyreek Hill and in fact all of their wide receivers except Mecole Hardman are new to the team since then. The major change on the coaching staff is that Eric Bieniemy, then the offensive coordinator, has moved on. He’s been replaced by Matt Nagy. — Adam Teicher

What has changed for the Bills since that game?

The Bills are on the team’s second offensive coordinator change since that game, with Ken Dorsey hired to replace Brian Daboll in the 2022 offseason, and then Joe Brady hired as interim offensive coordinator when Dorsey was fired after Week 10 of this season. The change in playcaller to Brady has led to an increase in the team’s designed rush percentage (up from 35.3% in 2021 to 40.8% in 2023), including a big rushing performance vs. the Cowboys.

On the defensive side, coach Sean McDermott has taken over playcalling this season after Leslie Frazier left the team after the 2022 season.

Most of the key players are the same for the Bills, but there are new faces on the defensive side of the ball, including pass rushers Leonard Floyd and Von Miller and new linebackers with Tremaine Edmunds in Chicago and Matt Milano (right leg) out for the year. The Bills also added new offensive skill players through the draft in James Cook, Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid. — Alaina Getzenberg

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play

McAfee: Mahomes vs. Allen is the new Brady vs. Manning

Pat McAfee compares Patrick Mahomes’ rivalry with Josh Allen to Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning.

What looks the same for the Chiefs since the 2021 playoff win?

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. The last time the Bills played against the Chiefs without either one in the lineup? 2013. The Chiefs also have the same group of interior offensive linemen in center Creed Humphrey and guards Joe Thuney and Trey Smith. All are superior pass blockers. Only the four starters remain on defense, but each is a key player: tackle Chris Jones, linebackers Nick Bolton and Willie Gay and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is back, as is much of the defensive coaching staff. Nagy replaced Bieniemy, but the offensive system and playcalling are still guided by Andy Reid. — Teicher

What’s the same about the Bills since that loss?

Allen and Stefon Diggs, to start. While the wide receiver has not had his normal production this season — his last 100-yard receiving game was in Week 6 — he remains someone to watch in this matchup, especially as wide receiver Gabe Davis continues to deal with a knee injury. Allen continues to be a threat as both a passer and a rusher behind an offensive line that has only seen change at the guard positions.

The other major familiarity for Mahomes is with safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, who have been mainstays of the Bills’ defense since 2017, and nickel corner Taron Johnson, who is progressing through concussion protocol. — Getzenberg

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How has Patrick Mahomes evolved since the 2021 playoffs? Anything different about his game/approach?

Mahomes had in many ways the worst statistical season of his career. His QBR was a career-low 63, he had his fewest yards per game (261) and lowest yards per attempt (7.0). He threw more interceptions (14). He was affected by often sloppy play at wide receiver and on the offensive line, where penalties were a big problem. He was frustrated and even despondent at times when he felt let down by teammates after dropped passes or blocking issues. He went on an uncharacteristic rant after the Week 14 loss to the Bills when a late penalty cost the Chiefs a go-ahead touchdown. His game to an extent evolved with the Chiefs playing better defensively than they have since he became the starter. He became more content with throwing shorter passes. — Teicher

How has Josh Allen’s game evolved since the 2021 playoff loss?

Earlier in the season, this space would have been dedicated to Allen having fewer rushing attempts, but that number adjusted when Brady took over the playcalling. While Allen in general is sliding more as a runner and the number of hits he has taken overall are a bit fewer — including a career-low with 24 sacks — he also knows how to protect his body a bit better. He’s always going to make the risky plays that either work or end in a turnover, but the Bills’ effectiveness on the ground has adjusted Allen’s game. That includes Allen connecting with running backs as receivers more often, which has increased his yards after catch per completion to 5.1, highest since 2018. — Getzenberg

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Beyond the above, what are the Chiefs doing better/worse than they did in the 2021 playoffs?

The Chiefs aren’t close to the high-scoring machine they were earlier in Mahomes’ career. They finished 15th in the regular season in scoring. Offensive sloppiness was a season-long problem. The Chiefs dropped more passes than any other team and only one team had more offensive penalties. The Chiefs once routinely rallied for victories, but not so much this season. They lost five games by one score and in four, the Chiefs had the ball late with a chance to win or send it into overtime. They failed to score each time. But the Chiefs are stronger defensively. They were second in the league in points allowed and sacks. They had two players (George Karlaftis and Jones) with more than 10 sacks for the first time since 2018. — Teicher

What are the Bills doing better/worse than they did in the 2021 playoffs?

This isn’t the same Bills defense that gave up a field goal drive with 13 seconds left two years ago. Many of the faces are different, but beyond that, this is a unit that has seen an uptick in overall yardage allowed over the course of seasons since 2021 (from 289.2 yards per game to 308.1 this season) while creating more sacks (6.7% of sacks per dropback in 2021 to 8%). The Bills’ defense is blitzing less since 2021 (24.7% to 21.1%).

One area harder to quantify is the Bills’ ability to adjust to the loss of injured players. Losing cornerback Tre’Davious White for the end of 2021 was significant, but this year as injuries have continued to pile up, the Bills have been able to adjust and shown off depth. — Getzenberg

Order of play for day nine at the Australian Open with British No 1 Cameron Norrie, Carlos Alcaraz and Elina Svitolina all in action.

(All times are GMT)

Rod Laver Arena

From 1am: (18) Victoria Azarenka (Blr) vs Dayana Yastremska (Ukr), Nuno Borges (Por) vs (3) Daniil Medvedev (Rus)

From 8am: Miomir Kecmanovic (Ser) vs (2) Carlos Alcaraz (Spa), (12) Qinwen Zheng (Chn) vs Oceane Dodin (Fra)

Margaret Court Arena

From 1am: Linda Noskova (Cze) vs (19) Elina Svitolina (Ukr)

Not before 5am: (6) Alexander Zverev (Ger) vs (19) Cameron Norrie (Gbr)

John Cain Arena

From 1am: (5) Santiago Gonzalez (Mex) & Neal Skupski (Gbr) v Ariel Behar (Uru) & Adam Pavlasek (Cze), Arthur Cazaux (Fra) v (9) Hubert Hurkacz (Pol), (26) Jasmine Paolini (Ita) v Anna Kalinskaya (Rus)

Kia Arena

From 11am: Cristina Bucsa (Spa) & Alexandra Panova (Rus) v (8) Beatriz Haddad Maia (Bra) & Taylor Townsend (USA), (11) Lloyd Glasspool (Gbr) & Jean-Julien Rojer (Ned) v (7) Hugo Nys (Mon) & Jan Zielinski (Pol), (14) Wesley Koolhof (Ned) & Nikola Metkic (Cro) v (2) Rohan Bopanna (Ind) & Matthew Ebden (Aus), (8) Ellen Perez (Aus) & Jean-Julien Rojer (Ned) v Heather Watson (Gbr) & Joe Salisbury (Gbr), (3) Su-Wei Hsieh (Tpe) & Jan Zielinski (Pol) v Demi Schuurs (Ned) & Hugo Nys (Mon)

1573 Arena

From 2am: (5) Barbora Krejcikova (Cze) & Laura Siegemund (Ger) v Emma Navarro (USA) & Diana Shnaider (Rus), Ena Shibahara (Jpn) & Joran Vliegen (Bel) v (5) Laura Siegemund (Ger) & Sander Gille (Bel)

Court 3

From 11am: (4) Marcel Granollers (Spa) & Horacio Zeballos (Arg) v Yannick Hanfmann (Ger) & Dominik Koepfer (Ger), (6) Desirae Krawczyk (USA) & Ena Shibahara (Jpn) v (9) Demi Schuurs (Ned) & Luisa Stefani (Bra), (11) Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukr) & Jelena Ostapenko (Lat) v Fang-Hsien Wu (Tpe) & Lin Zhu (Chn), (6) Gabriela Dabrowski (Can) & Nathaniel Lammons (USA) v Yana Sizikova (Rus) & Jamie Murray (Gbr), (1) Storm Hunter (Aus) & Matthew Ebden (Aus) v Jaimee Fourlis (Aus) & Andrew Harris (Aus)

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The 31st time was the charm for the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers entered Sunday’s NFC divisional round playoff matchup with the Green Bay Packers 0-30 under coach Kyle Shanahan when trailing by seven-plus points entering the fourth quarter. But quarterback Brock Purdy led the first fourth-quarter comeback of his career to lead the Niners to a 24-21 win over the Packers at Levi’s Stadium.

Running back Christian McCaffrey scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:07 left, allowing the 49ers to overcome a 21-14 deficit to defeat a pesky Packers squad and advance to the NFC Championship Game, where they’ll host the winner of Sunday’s NFC divisional playoff game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions next Sunday.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers picked the best possible time for their first second-half, come-from-behind win of the season.

On a night when the well-rested Niners looked rusty, San Francisco managed to keep the game close with a combination of lucky breaks and big plays to set the stage for Purdy and the offense to forge the money-time drive that had eluded them all season.

Taking over down 21-17 with 6:18 to go at their 31-yard line, the Niners marched 69 yards on 12 plays in 5 minutes, 10 seconds. After struggling most of the night, Purdy was 6-of-7 for 47 yards and carried twice for 11 yards on the game-winning drive, which was capped by McCaffrey’s 6-yard touchdown run for the final margin.

It was only the second game-winning drive with Purdy under center and the first in which he had to do more than simply take a knee to set up the game-winning field goal. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw‘s second interception of the night sealed the victory.

Nobody knows better than the Niners the thin line between winning and losing in the postseason, and though it was far from their best performance, it was enough to get them one step closer to a Super Bowl return.

QB breakdown: In a week 6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, Purdy had one of the worst games of his young career in rainy conditions against a top defense. The rain was again a factor on Saturday night, but Purdy wasn’t facing that same vaunted defense.

Purdy looked uncomfortable in the pocket for large chunks of the game, seemingly a tick slow going through his progressions and misfiring to open receivers. But when his team needed him the most, he rebounded to finish 23-of-39 for 252 yards with a touchdown pass and no interceptions.

Biggest hole in the game plan: At the end of the first half, the Niners held a 7-6 lead and had the ball with 4:09 to go and three timeouts in their pocket. It looked like a golden opportunity for Shanahan and the Niners to “lap” the Packers with a touchdown before the half and then another to open the third quarter.

Shanahan played it ultra-conservatively, running the clock down in an apparent attempt to prevent the Packers from getting the ball back rather than being aggressive in an effort to put another touchdown on the board.

That approach backfired as kicker Jake Moody‘s 48-yard field goal was blocked, and the Niners went three-and-out on the opening possession of the second half. Instead of a potential 21-6 lead, it was 7-6. Green Bay then seized the lead with 9:27 left in the third quarter.

Key injury: The 49ers lost receiver Deebo Samuel to a left shoulder injury in the first half, and he did not return. Samuel had two catches for 24 yards on San Francisco’s opening possession but left the game to first be evaluated for a concussion. When he cleared those tests, he departed again because of a shoulder issue.

At halftime, the Niners ruled Samuel out for the rest of the game with Jauan Jennings and Ray-Ray McCloud III stepping in opposite Brandon Aiyuk. — Nick Wagoner

Next game: vs. winner of Buccaneers-Lions at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 28.

Green Bay Packers

This still seems like the beginning of something significant.

After all, the Packers were the youngest team in the league and few expected Jordan Love‘s first season as the starting quarterback to even get this far.

But despite Saturday’s disappointing loss to the top-seeded 49ers, the window for this team is just beginning to open. Consider all the young skill players the Packers have around Love — receivers Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Bo Melton, along with tight ends Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave — will be together for multiple years to come.

And running back Aaron Jones showed down the stretch that he still has plenty left in the tank to come back for another run.

Love’s last pass — an ill-advised deep throw over the middle that was picked off by Greenlaw — will linger as the one that ended the season, but it could ultimately prove to be a learning experience for Love.

Pivotal play part 1: After Jones was stuffed for no gain on the first play of the second quarter, coach Matt LaFleur elected to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the 49ers’ 14 rather than trying a field goal that would’ve given Green Bay a 6-0 lead. Love’s sneak attempt was stuffed by Greenlaw. LaFleur didn’t like the spot, but it wasn’t moved. The 49ers then scored a touchdown on the next possession.

Pivotal play part 2: Two plays before that 49ers touchdown, Purdy appeared to get away with intentional grounding on first-and-10 from the Packers’ 37. From within the pocket, Purdy threw it away deep down the field, but there wasn’t a receiver anywhere in the vicinity. On third-and-5 from the Packers’ 32, Purdy hit tight end George Kittle for the score.

Troubling trend: Anders Carlson‘s missed field goal from 41 yards in the fourth quarter was the rookie kicker’s 10th missed kick in the past 12 games of the season, including both field goals and extra points.

Bold prediction for the offseason: Joe Barry will be back as defensive coordinator. It once seemed like he was a sure thing to be fired, but it would be a surprise now after the way the Packers finished the season despite the 49ers’ last drive.

Consider this quote from LaFleur last week when asked about Barry: “I couldn’t be happier. I know what Joe Barry is all about in terms of the resiliency. There’s tough moments, and there’s tough moments in every season. I felt like I know what we have in him and was confident that if anybody could kind of right the ship, so to speak, it was him.” — Rob Demovsky

Next game: 2023 season is over.

TORONTO — The UFC has its first champion from South Africa.

Dricus Du Plessis dethroned Sean Strickland in an entertaining, bloody, back-and-forth fight Saturday night in the main event of UFC 297 here at Scotiabank Arena. The final result was a split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) for Du Plessis. It very easily could have gone Strickland’s way, too.

Upon the scorecards being read, Du Plessis called for the South African flag.

“This is history,” Du Plessis said in his postfight interview.

Strickland had a lot of success early in the fight with a nasty, piston-like jab. Du Plessis not only struggled to defend it but had trouble getting off his own offense due to that. Du Plessis called Strickland’s jab “super, super, super” good.

“It feels like somebody hits you with a rock,” he said. “It’s very deceptive when he throws the jab, and he can turn it into a left hook. He does that really, really well.”

In the fourth round, Du Plessis turned things around in a major way, cutting Strickland near his left eye and hurting Strickland with a big right hand. Strickland closed well in the fifth, but Du Plessis proved his meddle in a championship fight, silencing critics of his cardio.

“Who says I’m not a five-round fighter?” Du Plessis said.

Afterward, Du Plessis called for a matchup against rival Israel Adesanya, the former longtime UFC middleweight champion who has said he will be taking time off from the Octagon. Adesanya and Du Plessis had a confrontation in the cage last July. The two were supposed to fight last September, but Du Plessis suffered a foot injury.

Coming in, ESPN had Du Plessis ranked No. 2 and Strickland ranked No. 5 in the world at middleweight.

Du Plessis (21-2) has won nine straight and is 7-0 in the UFC. The Pretoria native was coming off a TKO win over former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 last July. Du Plessis, 30, is a former two-division EFC champion and KSW champion.

Strickland (28-6), 32, won the middleweight title by shocking Adesanya via dominant unanimous decision at UFC 293 last September. The California native, who lives and trains in Las Vegas, had a three-fight winning streak snapped but has won eight of 11 since moving up to 185 pounds in 2020.

Mikaela Mayer has urged Natasha Jonas to give her a rematch after the Brit retained her welterweight world title in a contentious split decision on Saturday.

IBF champion Jonas and former super-featherweight world champion Mayer delivered an instant classic in an action-packed bout in Liverpool, with many at ringside believing the American had done enough to win.

One judge scored it 97-93 in Mayer’s favour, but the other two gave it to Jonas – by margins of 96-95 and 96-95 – to give her a split decision victory.

While Jonas had a rematch clause that she could have activated in the event Mayer won, the challenger doesn’t possess one.

“I think you could see at the end, I thought I did enough to win,” Mayer said. “I would have given her the first round or two, but after that I feel like I outpunched her and landed the cleaner shots.

“At the end of the day I think that fight is worth seeing again, like she said, one of the toughest fights she’s had. I think the fans really enjoyed it.

“I didn’t have a rematch clause on my side but I’m hoping we can get this fight done again for the fans if they want it.

“I hope that her being the champion that she is, she’d want to give me a rematch. I didn’t have a clause on my side, but a rematch is warranted, the fans want to see it.”

Jonas, 39, said she would consider a rematch but might look to pursue other options as her career nears its end.

“Anything is possible,” the Brit said.

“The fights that I thought winning tonight would keep the doors open for, obviously for me with so many limited fights left, they’re the ones that I’m looking for.

“But if it’s something that the fans want, I’m always happy to oblige.”

Jonas: Mayer one of my top two opponents

Before becoming a world champion – at light-middleweight – for the first time in 2022, Jonas had been cruelly denied by close decisions in title fights against Terri Harper and Katie Taylor.

The former Olympian said she knew how Mayer would be feeling after being on the wrong end of a tight call and urged the American to use the defeat as motivation in the future.

“I know this girl here is going to be absolutely devastated with that result because I’ve been there and it feels like the world is over,” Jonas said.

“She is in my top two people I’ve fought, she’s a very skilled operator, her time will come again. She beats a lot of the champions that are already here.

“So please use that as motivation to go on and get the title that you deserve and become a two-weight world champion.”

After less than two seasons, Lane Lambert is out as coach of the New York Islanders, with the club announcing Saturday it has hired Patrick Roy behind the bench.

Firing Lambert comes as the Islanders have struggled to find consistency while also trying to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Islanders (19-15-11) entered Saturday two points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final wild-card spot in what has become a crowded Eastern Conference landscape.

Even though the Islanders are two points out of a wild-card spot, they have lost four straight games, which is currently the NHL’s longest active losing streak. The Islanders have only won twice in their past 10 games.

Hiring Roy sees the Hall of Fame goaltender return to an NHL bench for the first time since the 2015-16 season, when he coached the Colorado Avalanche for three seasons. Roy won the Jack Adams Award in his first season after he led the Avs to the playoffs, only to miss the postseason in his final two campaigns.

Roy, who had been coaching the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL before he took the Avs job, returned to the Remparts’ bench at the start of the 2018-19 season. The Remparts reached the playoffs in four of their five seasons under Roy, with the 2019-20 playoffs being cancelled because of the pandemic.

Last season may have been Roy’s best as a head coach. He guided the Remparts to a 53-win season that saw them win their sixth QMJHL title and then capture the Memorial Cup for the third time in franchise history.

Roy’s first game behind the Islanders’ bench could come Sunday when they face the Dallas Stars at UBS Arena.

Roy will now be charged with trying to get the Islanders into the playoffs for a consecutive season while also seeking to find solutions for a team that has struggled to stop opponents from scoring. Natural Stat Trick’s metrics show that the Islanders entered Saturday allowing the second-most shot attempts per 60, the third-most scoring chances per 60 and the third-most high-danger scoring chances per 60.

The mounting losses. The inability to gain traction in the wild-card race. The fact there are six teams within four points of the final wild-card spot. The realization their defensive issues have contributed to why they have a minus-21 goal differential. These are among the factors that led to questions about whether the Islanders would part ways with Lambert.

Lambert had been with the Islanders since the start of the 2018-19 season, serving as an associate coach for four seasons. He was hired as head coach at the start of the 2022-23 season and led the Islanders back to the playoffs after they missed the 2021-22 postseason. The Islanders would lose in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round.

His second season faced a tumultuous start, with the club losing seven straight in November. That streak saw them allow more than four goals per game in each of their defeats. The Isles would then go on a stretch that saw them win nine of their 12 next games between November and December, only to end 2023 with a loss on New Year’s Eve to begin another losing run, dropping eight of the next 10 games.

Questions around Lambert’s future further escalated Friday after their 4-3 overtime defeat to the Chicago Blackhawks — a team that has only six points more than the San Jose Sharks, who have earned the fewest points in the NHL.

“I know what you’re probably alluding to, but we don’t want that,” Islanders forward Matt Martin told the New York Post after the team’s loss to the Blackhawks. “We want to come out and start playing hockey. At the end of the day, it’s on us. It’s just on us as players.

“Coaches, they can give you all the X’s and O’s, the game plan, the systems, all the video. If we don’t come out and execute and play well enough to win, that’s on us.”

The NFL divisional round didn’t stop players from looking their best with a spot in the conference championships on the line.

Saturday’s opening slate between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans had a mix of casual and eye-popping outfits.

Odell Beckham Jr. arrived with a cow-print leather jacket, while Roquan Smith rocked denim paired with a cowboy hat. The opposing quarterbacks opted for a more casual look — Lamar Jackson wore matching sweats and a sweater and C.J. Stroud wore all black with a navy puffer jacket.

In the later San Francisco 49ers–Green Bay Packers showdown, 49ers tight end George Kittle arrived in a full custom denim jacket and pants look alongside a casual outfit from teammate Nick Bosa. For Green Bay, Jayden Reed rocked a clean leather jacket and Aaron Jones arrived in his trademark sombrero. Much like the earlier quarterbacks, Brock Purdy and Jordan Love kept their outfits simple.

Here are more of the best arrivals from the divisional round.

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Saturday’s best

George Kittle arriving in a 1-of-1 fit

📺: #GBvsSF — 8:15pm ET on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/j1yvWUidgP

— NFL (@NFL) January 20, 2024

Playoff Deebo is back 🔥

📺: #GBvsSF — 8:15pm ET on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/yDUx5ZutVa pic.twitter.com/JV5JwrR4iF

— NFL (@NFL) January 20, 2024

CMC has arrived. #GBvsSF x #FTTB pic.twitter.com/JsNpvB0v0y

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 20, 2024

All business 💼 #GBvsSF pic.twitter.com/hjYbuoxNkT

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 20, 2024

📍 Santa Clara, Calif.

In the building. 🏟️#GBvsSF | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/WlA9UMt2xQ

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 20, 2024

Rain-deflecting sombrero. ✅@Showtyme_33 | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/RFn9hfwNy4

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 20, 2024

🐦 in the Bay Area.@JaydenReed5 | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/HGKjrfL3y3

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 20, 2024

Stunt on ’em, @obj

📺: #HOUvsBAL — 4:30pm ET on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/mOqD2jeWfe pic.twitter.com/DKQMZC6ZpY

— NFL (@NFL) January 20, 2024

🤠 pic.twitter.com/9vthBfOIB2

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 20, 2024

MVP in the building ‼️ pic.twitter.com/33mqNnR8I8

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 20, 2024

7 is in the building 📍 pic.twitter.com/STzzrRDXwQ

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 20, 2024

Eyes behind shades pic.twitter.com/Psxzai61Sm

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 20, 2024

PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0ncmEtY29udGFpbmVyIGRpc3Ryb19hZCc+CjxkaXYgY2xh
c3M9J3ZpZGVvLWFkLXdyYXBwZXInPgo8c2NyaXB0IGFzeW5jIHNyYz0nLy9j
LmpzcmRuLmNvbS9zL2NzLmpzP3A9MjI1NDYnIHR5cGU9J3RleHQvamF2YXNj
cmlwdCc+PC9zY3JpcHQ+CjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9J3ZpZGVvLWNvbnRhaW5lcicg
aWQ9J2RzX2RlZmF1bHRfYW5jaG9yJz48L2Rpdj4KPC9kaXY+CjwvZGl2PgoK

Greg Smith
•
Rivals.com

National Recruiting Analyst

Dominic Kirks has found his home. The former Washington commitment backed off his pledge after coach Kalen DeBoer took the job at Alabama. The four-star defensive end has committed to Ohio State. Kirks picked the Buckeyes over opportunities with Alabama and USC.

WHAT THE BUCKEYES ARE GETTING 

Kirks comes from a basketball background and is still growing into his body. He currently stands at 6-foot-5, 250-pounds with room to add more weight. He’s an athletic big man but his game isn’t all finesse. Kirks uses his hands well and is strong at the point of attack.

As he continues to fill out, Kirks could make for a prototypical base defensive end, slide inside in certain situations or stay out on the edge to rush the passer. Kirks fits into a number of defensive fronts and situations which makes him an appealing prospect.

WHY THIS IS BIG FOR OHIO STATE

Simply put, the defensive line is a position of need for the Buckeyes. Every school would like to add more defensive linemen but the Buckeyes have worked very hard at it this cycle. The team already has five-star prospect Eddrick Houston in the fold. That’s a terrific start but prior to Kirks he was the only defensive lineman in the class.

The team missed on other priority flip targets at the end of the cycle and needed another quality addition. Landing the highest-rated defensive player left uncommitted is quite the accomplishment. Coach Ryan Day and his staff are having a great offseason and this commitment is just another feather in their caps.

The Buckeyes are loading up and it’s not just big-name transfers flocking to Columbus right now.

Bair’s final decision

*****

What’s next for Sayin?

*****

Arizona prospects have decisions to make

*****

A watchful eye on Arizona stars

The 2024 MMA calendar is off and rolling with big events on the immediate horizon. The UFC will host its first pay-per-view of the year in Toronto with UFC 297. The first joint event between the PFL and Bellator will follow in February with a fascinating “champion vs. champion” card. Plus, big stars could make their anticipated returns to the cage, including Francis Ngannou and Conor McGregor.

Which fighters are poised to have the best 2024? We assembled our panel of MMA experts to determine who will rise up and thrive the most. This isn’t a ranking of the best fighters on the planet. Instead, it’s a projection of who will succeed over the next 12 months based on current performance, upcoming fights and other out-of-the-cage variables.

We’ve expanded this year’s rankings from 30 to 50, to better recognize fighters across all promotions and various weight classes. Did your favorite fighter make the cut?

Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi, Jeff Wagenheim, Carlos Contreras Legaspi, Andres Waters and Eddie Maisonet assess what might be in store for the top fighters in the sport.

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1. Islam Makhachev  

Previous rank: 1
UFC lightweight champion
MMA record: 25-1

For the second year in a row, the UFC’s lightweight champion will have higher expectations on him than anyone else. In 2023, he met those high expectations by solidifying himself as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and winning ESPN’s Fighter of the Year. It will be more of the same in 2024. Expect two appearances, likely both at lightweight. And if he’s impressive again, he’ll be looking at a potential move to welterweight in 2025. — Okamoto

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2. Alex Pereira  

Previous rank: 10
UFC light heavyweight champion
MMA record: 9-2

If middleweight Pereira was a problem, the light heavyweight version is an absolute destroyer. His power carried over to the heavier weight class, as Pereira knocked out Jiří Procházka to win the 205-pound title at UFC 295 in November. “Poatan” became only the ninth fighter to win championships in two UFC weight classes, and he was the quickest to do so — in only seven UFC fights. The Brazilian kickboxer will likely be the favorite in potential title defenses against Jamahal Hill and Magomed Ankalaev. If he holds the title for all of 2024, Pereira will work his way close to the top of the pound-for-pound list. — Raimondi

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3. Leon Edwards  

Previous rank: 12
UFC middleweight champion
MMA record: 22-3

Expectations for Edwards soared after his two defenses of the UFC welterweight title in 2023, first a tight decision win against former champ Kamaru Usman, then a shut-him-up domination of Colby Covington. And now the Brit has Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov headed his way — two sizable challenges, but they also present Edwards with a couple of opportunities to show why he is firmly established in the pound-for-pound top five. If “Rocky” Edwards ends 2024 still holding the 170-pound belt, it will have been a very fine year. — Wagenheim

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4. Alexa Grasso  

Previous rank: NR
UFC women’s flyweight champion
MMA record: 16-3-1

At the beginning of 2023, few considered Grasso the next title challenger in the UFC women’s flyweight division. However, Manon Fiorot‘s injury elevated Grasso to a challenge of champion Valentina Shevchenko. With brilliant preparation for that fight and seven years of evolution in the UFC, Grasso pulled off one of the biggest UFC championship fight upsets by submitting Shevchenko in the fourth round to win the belt. With the retirement of Amanda Nunes and another fight against Shevchenko that ended in a draw, Grasso established herself as the top women’s star of the year. She could solidify her place in 2024 by either winning a trilogy bout against Shevchenko or successfully defending her title against the winner of the March 30 fight between Fiorot and Erin Blanchfield. — Legaspi

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5. Zhang Weili  

Previous rank: 9
UFC women’s strawweight champion
MMA record: 24-3

ESPN has Zhang ranked as its No. 1 pound-for-pound women’s fighter. Dominant performances in UFC strawweight title fights against Carla Esparza and Amanda Lemos solidified her atop that list and earned her a higher spot than last year on this list. First up for Zhang in 2024 will be a fight against Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300 on April 13. If Zhang defends her title twice this year, she’ll tie Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the most title fight victories in UFC strawweight history (6). If she defends it three times, she’ll be on one of the best runs in women’s MMA ever. — Raimondi

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6. Alexandre Pantoja  

Previous rank: NR
UFC men’s flyweight champion
MMA record: 27-5

Six months ago, Pantoja was an inactive enigma, having competed only once in 1½ years. Then, suddenly, he was a champion. In his first fight of 2023 in July, Pantoja scored a narrow decision win over Brandon Moreno — his third win over Moreno, if you count their exhibition bout on “The Ultimate Fighter” — to become UFC men’s flyweight champ. Pantoja followed with a December win over Brandon Royval in another rematch. Looking ahead, Pantoja has some brand-new challengers lined up, if they can get past the fighters he has already defeated. — Wagenheim

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7. Erin Blanchfield  

Previous rank: NR
UFC women’s flyweight
MMA record: 12-1

The expectations placed on Blanchfield going into 2024 are strapped to a rocket, thanks to what she did in 2023. It’s one thing to beat Jessica Andrade and Taila Santos, but it’s another to make her victories look as effortless as Blanchfield did. The only knock on her was that maybe, at age 24, she was a little too young to have monumental expectations placed on her. That is no longer the case. The goal for Blanchfield in 2024 is nothing short of winning a UFC championship. — Okamoto

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8. Tom Aspinall  

Previous rank: NR
UFC interim heavyweight champion
MMA record: 14-3

The future — and present — of the UFC heavyweight division. Aspinall rebounded from a knee injury in 2022 to knock out Marcin Tybura and Sergei Pavlovich in 2023 in a combined time of 2 minutes, 22 seconds — the latter win earning him the interim heavyweight title. In a perfect world, Aspinall would get to prove his mettle against champ Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic, the most accomplished heavyweight in UFC history. Those matchups might not come together, but Aspinall can still have a banner year and continue to build his legacy with a couple of big wins in 2024. — Raimondi

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9. Alexander Volkanovski  

Previous rank: 2
UFC featherweight champion
MMA record: 26-3

Volkanovski entered 2023 as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in men’s MMA, riding a 22-fight winning streak and just a few months removed from his third victory over all-time great Max Holloway. Even the UFC featherweight champ’s narrow loss to lightweight titlist Islam Makhachev in February did not diminish Volkanovski’s status. He fought twice more during the year, including a second loss to Makhachev. So, while Volkanovski enters 2024 with his 155-pound ambitions doused, he remains the man at 145 going into next month’s title defense against Ilia Topuria. — Wagenheim

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10. Ilia Topuria  

Previous rank: 19
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 14-0

Topuria went into 2023 as an exciting, yet somewhat unproven, featherweight contender. In other words, the jury was still out. This year is different. He heads into 2024 with a title shot against Volkanovski already on the books. If he wins, he’ll immediately jump into pound-for-pound conversations, opening a ton of options for potential 145-pound title matchups. If things fall right, Topuria could be a Fighter of the Year candidate. — Okamoto

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11. Shavkat Rakhmonov  

Previous rank: 29
UFC welterweight
MMA record: 18-0

Many people believe Rakhmonov is the UFC welterweight champion in waiting. He is 18-0 with 18 finishes in his professional MMA career and stopped Geoff Neal and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in 2023. The Uzbekistani-born Kazakh fighter sports a well-rounded game, dangerous on the feet and with his wrestling and grappling. — Raimondi

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12. Sean O’Malley  

Previous rank: 16
UFC bantamweight champion
MMA record: 17-1

O’Malley has been an MMA star seemingly forever — at least since he put on a show on “Dana White’s Contender Series” that left Snoop Dogg screaming “O’Malley! O’Malley!” from cageside on the broadcast. But it was in 2023 that “Suga Sean” went from a fun character with a Technicolor hairdo to an actual fighting standout. His knockout upset of Aljamain Sterling in August to take away the UFC men’s bantamweight title made O’Malley a star with a championship pedigree. — Wagenheim

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13. Israel Adesanya  

Previous rank: 6
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 24-3

Expectations for Adesanya are lower going into 2024 than in perhaps any other year he has been in the UFC, and a large part of that is due to Adesanya himself. He has been outspoken about his intent to fight less frequently moving forward. He still has the name and skill to put together a monster year, but that’s no longer quite the expectation. — Okamoto

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14. Jon Jones  

Previous rank: 7
UFC heavyweight champion
MMA record: 27-1

Jones is still the best fighter to ever live, with a résumé — a 19-fight unbeaten streak and 15 title fight wins — that will be hard to ever match, let alone exceed. But he tore a pec in October and had surgery to shave bone spurs on an elbow, thus making it unclear when he will return. Jones, the UFC heavyweight champion, probably won’t see the Octagon again until summer, at the earliest, which drops him on this list. — Raimondi

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15. Belal Muhammad  

Previous rank: NR
UFC welterweight
MMA record: 23-3

Muhammad seems to spend half of his energy fighting in the cage and the other half fighting against being overlooked in the UFC’s welterweight hierarchy. He fought only once in 2023, but his win over Gilbert Burns in May extended Muhammad’s unbeaten run to 10 straight. Does it prove him worthy of a title shot? Stay tuned. — Wagenheim

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16. Marlon Vera  

Previous rank: 13
UFC bantamweight
MMA record: 21-8-1

Since defeating Dominick Cruz with a spectacular kick to the head in August 2022, the Ecuadorian fighter has been on the short list to be the next UFC bantamweight contender. A loss to Cory Sandhagen in March caused Vera to fall in the rankings, but a victory over Pedro Munhoz in September and his history with champion Sean O’Malley now position him as the challenger at UFC 299. — Legaspi

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17. Merab Dvalishvili  

Previous rank: NR
UFC bantamweight
MMA record: 16-4

The bantamweight that nobody really wants to face. Dvalishvili’s wrestling is oppressive, and he sets an absolutely maniacal pace. There’s no doubt that he’s among the top 135-pound fighters in the world, and if he beats Henry Cejudo at UFC 298, he might finally earn a title shot. — Raimondi

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18. Sean Strickland  

Previous rank: NR
UFC middleweight champion
MMA record: 28-5

Strickland is a train wreck with a microphone in front of him, with offensiveness oozing from practically every word. But in September he went on the offensive in the way fighters are supposed to, and he emerged as UFC middleweight champ after an aggressive beatdown of Israel Adesanya. On Saturday, we’ll find out whether Strickland can keep the momentum going, when he defends his belt against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297. — Wagenheim

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19. Max Holloway  

Previous rank: NR
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 25-7

The Blessed Express ain’t shut down yet. Holloway enjoyed a comeback year of sorts in 2023, as he looked great in wins against Arnold Allen and Chan Sung Jung at a time when some were wondering whether he would slow down. He’s still in an awkward spot, having lost to Volkanovski three times, so he took a lightweight bout against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. The future could still look bright for Holloway at age 32. — Okamoto

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20. Khamzat Chimaev  

Previous rank: 4
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 13-0

In terms of pure in-cage skill, Chimaev would be near the top of this list. But his volatility — weight-cutting issues, travel woes, illnesses and injuries — has affected his standing, which in some cases is not his fault. Chimaev has fought only four times since 2020, when he set the UFC’s modern record for the quickest fighter to get three fights in the promotion (66 days). — Raimondi

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21. Charles Oliveira  

Previous rank: 21
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 34-9

Oliveira fought only once in 2023, but it was a strong performance, a first-round knockout of a hot Beneil Dariush. In April, Oliveira faces fellow top-10 lightweight Arman Tsarukyan, and a win would give Oliveira a strong claim to being the division’s next title challenger. Again. — Wagenheim

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22. Jiri Prochazka  

Previous rank: NR
UFC light heavyweight
MMA record: 29-4-1

Prochazka went into 2023 with pretty low expectations, because no one truly knew whether he would even compete last year because of a shoulder injury. He’s coming off a loss in a UFC title fight to Alex Pereira, but Prochazka is still one of the top light heavyweights in the sport, without question, and he could easily exceed this ranking if he strings together a few wins. — Okamoto

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23. Dricus Du Plessis  

Previous rank: NR
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 20-2

The South African fighter can be the UFC middleweight champion before the end of the weekend. Du Plessis was a bit of an afterthought at 185 pounds before 2023, but then he knocked out Derek Brunson and former champ Robert Whittaker. There was no denying him after that. — Raimondi

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24. Valentina Shevchenko  

Previous rank: 3
UFC women’s flyweight
MMA record: 23-4-1

Shevchenko’s longtime hold on the UFC women’s flyweight championship ended in 2023 in a submission loss to Alexa Grasso in March, and then she settled for a split draw in the September rematch. At age 35, does Shevchenko have it in her to make another run at the 125-pound title or even try for the belt at 135? — Wagenheim

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25. Arman Tsarukyan  

Previous rank: NR
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 21-3

There is more than a decent chance we’ll look back on these rankings at the end of the year and wonder how in the world we didn’t rank Tsarukyan higher. He’s going into 2024 with a booked matchup against Charles Oliveira. If he wins that fight, the UFC has indicated he would fight for the 155-pound belt next. Tsarukyan is phenomenally gifted, and it’s certainly not unthinkable that he could close out the year as the champ. — Okamoto

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26. Usman Nurmagomedov  

Previous rank: 23
Bellator lightweight champion
MMA record: 17-0

Still one of the best young fighters on the planet at age 25, Nurmagomedov slid in these rankings after testing positive for a banned substance in October. The failed drug test came from a prescribed medication that Nurmagomedov did not disclose, so it doesn’t taint what he has been able to accomplish as Bellator lightweight champion. Nurmagomedov will be eligible to return from a six-month suspension in April. — Raimondi

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27. Francis Ngannou  

Previous rank: 8
PFL heavyweight
MMA record: 17-3

Ngannou did not fight in a cage in 2023, and who knows whether he will in 2024. No matter. He has elevated the status of MMA among combat sports, putting on a stirring performance in the boxing ring against heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, and with a second lucrative boxing match scheduled for March against another big name, former champ Anthony Joshua. As Ngannou’s star power soars, when will the PFL reap the benefit of an Ngannou fight in MMA? — Wagenheim

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28. Tatiana Suarez  

Previous rank: NR
UFC strawweight
MMA record: 11-0

In 2023, we were reminded that Suarez is one of the most skilled grapplers on the UFC roster. She ended a nearly four-year layoff with dominant victories over Montana De La Rosa and former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade. Suarez returned to ESPN’s divisional rankings, showcasing her potential as a contender in two weight classes. A minor injury forced her off UFC 298, but she should be back soon. — Legaspi

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29. Cory Sandhagen  

Previous rank: NR
UFC bantamweight
MMA record: 17-4

Sandhagen has some of the most electrifying knockout wins ever in the UFC bantamweight division. But his 2023 was all about gutting out victories. He beat Marlon “Chito” Vera via split decision and used his wrestling and grappling to defeat Rob Font in a bout in which Sandhagen was injured. There’s no doubt “The Sandman” is one of the world’s best at 135 pounds. — Raimondi

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30. Justin Gaethje  

Previous rank: NR
UFC lightweight and BMF champion
MMA record: 25-4

Gaethje just keeps on rolling — and keeps on entertaining. His two fights in 2023 showed what he is made of. He took on a tough, lower-ranked fighter no one else in the UFC lightweight division wanted to fight, Rafael Fiziev, and won a tight decision. Then Gaethje rematched Dustin Poirier and wowed the crowd with a head-kick KO victory. Up next: A clash with Max Holloway in April. — Wagenheim

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31. Umar Nurmagomedov  

Previous rank: NR
UFC bantamweight
MMA record: 16-0

The only thing that would hold Nurmagomedov back from improving this ranking might be his inability to book the right matchups. Nurmagomedov’s talent is blatantly obvious, which has made it more difficult to book him a big fight. If he gets the right opportunities, he could easily have a breakout year in 2024. — Okamoto

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32. Jailton Almeida  

Previous rank: NR
UFC heavyweight
MMA record: 20-2

The UFC’s heavyweight division is a little messy at the moment, so it’s hard to predict exactly what opportunities Almeida will get this year. As long as he just continues to perform at the level he has, however, the arrow on his career is pointing nowhere but up. — Okamoto

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33. Larissa Pacheco  

Previous rank: NR
PFL women’s featherweight champion
MMA record: 23-4

With a dominant 2023, the Brazilian slugger more than proved that her 2022 win over Kayla Harrison was no fluke. Pacheco went 4-0 to win PFL’s featherweight title, her second straight $1 million championship. Pacheco won two of those fights with highlight-reel knockouts in less than a minute. — Raimondi

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34. Patchy Mix  

Previous rank: NR
Bellator bantamweight champion
MMA record: 19-1

One could argue that at the time Bellator was purchased by the PFL in November, Mix was both the best and most exciting fighter in Bellator. He spent 2023 on the rise, capturing the Bantamweight World Grand Prix in April, then the bantamweight championship in November. The PFL is bullish on Mix, even with no 135-pound division for him to compete in. — Wagenheim

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35. Aljamain Sterling  

Previous rank: 11
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 23-4

Expectations are far lower on Sterling going into 2024 compared to 2023 for a number of reasons. For one, he’s no longer a champion. Secondly, he’s moving up to featherweight, a weight class he hasn’t competed in for over a decade. He’s also getting a little up there in age, as he’ll turn 35 this year. But Sterling is no stranger to exceeding expectations. — Okamoto

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36. Vadim Nemkov  

Previous rank: NR
Bellator light heavyweight champion
MMA record: 17-2

Nemkov may not be on the short list of the biggest names at 205 pounds, but the Bellator light heavyweight champion is undoubtedly among the most talented. Nemkov (12-0, 1 NC) hasn’t lost a fight since 2016 and has held the Bellator title since August 2020 (five defenses). Following the PFL’s recent acquisition of Bellator, there should be many opportunities for Nemkov to generate more buzz. — Waters

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37. Brandon Moreno  

Previous rank: 14
UFC men’s flyweight
MMA record: 21-7-2

Moreno started 2023 with a win in Brazil against Deiveson Figueiredo in their fourth fight to end the rivalry with the UFC flyweight belt around his waist. But then, in July, Moreno lost to Alexandre Pantoja in one of the best fights of 2023. Now, after six consecutive championship bouts, Moreno must start his journey back to contention, facing Brandon Royval in Mexico City on Feb. 24. — Legaspi

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38. Dustin Poirier  

Previous rank: NR
UFC men’s lightweight
MMA record: 29-8

While he may not currently be in the UFC lightweight title picture, Poirier, 34, is still one of the best 155-pounders in the world. He has a chance to begin his climb back up the ladder when he takes on Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event at UFC 299 in March. — Waters

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39. Johnny Eblen  

Previous rank: NR
Bellator middleweight champion
MMA record: 14-0

Eblen sits atop Bellator’s middleweight division for good reason. He’s undefeated as a pro, and as the level of competition has increased, so has his game. Although he has beaten some talented fighters to claim and defend his belt, Eblen will face his toughest test to date when he takes on 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay in his next fight on Feb. 24. — Waters

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40. Deiveson Figueiredo  

Previous rank: 18
UFC bantamweight
MMA record: 22-3-1

After ending an iconic quadrilogy with Brandon Moreno with a loss to start 2023, Figueiredo finished the year with an impressive bantamweight debut win over Rob Font. Figueiredo has his eyes set on Sean O’Malley’s UFC title, and with a few more wins on his ledger, he could get his title shot soon. — Maisonet

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41. Yan Xiaonan  

Previous rank: NR
UFC strawweight
MMA record: 17-3

This could be a big year for Yan. Following a big knockout win over former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade at UFC 288, the talented striker has earned her first UFC title shot and will challenge her fellow Chinese fighter Zhang Weili in April. — Waters

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42. Kamaru Usman  

Previous rank: 5
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 20-4

Usman was highly ranked on last year’s list despite having his three-year reign as the king of UFC welterweights ended by Leon Edwards in August 2022. This past year proved more challenging for Usman, with unanimous decision losses to Edwards, in a rematch, and Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight. Usman is still a talented fighter, but his ranking hints that fighting for titles may no longer be in reach. — Maisonet

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43. Yair Rodriguez  

Previous rank: 27
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 16-4

“El Pantera” earned the label of “future champion” from his early Octagon appearances and finally achieved that level by securing the interim featherweight title at UFC 284 with a surprising submission over Josh Emmett. However, at UFC 290, he was knocked out by Alexander Volkanovski in the title unification bout. With a rematch against Brian Ortega on the horizon, it seems Rodriguez needs a remarkable performance in 2024 to maintain his place as a top contender. — Legaspi

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44. AJ McKee  

Previous rank: 22
Bellator lightweight
MMA record: 21-1

McKee’s ranking here probably has more to do with the fighters above him earning titles and having opportunities in the spotlight than his move to lightweight and having to restart his journey to a championship. After dropping his Bellator featherweight belt in April 2022, McKee is 3-0 in a heavier weight class. If he keeps that up while navigating the new PFL/Bellator arrangement, that ranking should improve in no time. — Maisonet

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45. Jamahal Hill  

Previous rank: NR
UFC light heavyweight
MMA record: 12-1

Hill, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, has been out of action due to injury since claiming the title over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in January 2023. When he returns, the slugger is expected to challenge the reigning title holder for the belt that he never lost in the cage. — Waters

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46. Michael Chandler  

Previous rank: NR
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 23-8

On one hand, having a 1-3 record in your past four fights could warrant raising eyebrows for a high ranking. On the other, having those four fights against fighters who have carried title belts deserves praise. Chandler’s ability to give fight fans a drama show is always appreciated, and if a matchup against Conor McGregor comes to pass, it would represent the biggest money-making opportunity of Chandler’s career. — Maisonet

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47. Jalin Turner  

Previous rank: NR
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 14-7

Don’t be fooled by his results in 2023. Turner, who dropped two of his three fights last year, is one of the best up-and-coming fighters in the UFC at 155 pounds. He was able to get back on track with an impressive knockout win over Bobby Green in his last fight, which could be the spark he needs to regain some momentum in 2024. — Waters

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48. Conor McGregor  

Previous rank: NR
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 22-6

No fighter in MMA history has ever had more spotlight than McGregor, and “The Notorious” could finally make his return to the Octagon this summer. There was a time when McGregor being ranked No. 48 would be ludicrous, but the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion is 1-3 in his past four fights and hasn’t fought in almost three years. With a win over Michael Chandler, and the possibility of another fight, McGregor could end the year being ranked much higher. — Maisonet

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49. Cris Cyborg  

Previous rank: NR
Bellator women’s featherweight champion
MMA record: 27-2

Cyborg is one of the greatest fighters in the history of women’s MMA. The Bellator women’s featherweight champion has only two losses (Erica Paes in 2005 and Amanda Nunes in 2018) since making her pro debut in 2005, and she has successfully defended her title five times since claiming it in 2020. Cyborg is a former UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta FC featherweight champion, and even at 38 years old, she has proven that she can still compete at the highest level. — Waters

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50. Kayla Harrison  

Previous rank: NR
PFL women’s lightweight
MMA record: 16-1

Harrison ended 2023 with a win over Aspen Ladd and will look to remind the MMA world why she is one of the most imposing talents in the sport. Harrison’s fighting options in 2024 may include some PFL megafights or jumping to the UFC. She could move up on this list depending on her results. Seeing Harrison in big fights is something we’ve been wanting from the two-time PFL lightweight champion. — Maisonet

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The moments don’t get much bigger than this.

A chance to host the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs after losing at Arrowhead Stadium in consecutive postseasons (2020 and 2021) is here for the Buffalo Bills. The significance can’t be overstated. The phrase “13 seconds” needs no context amongst Bills Mafia.

Sunday’s game (6:30 p.m. ET, CBS) is an opportunity to put that 2021 game fully in the rearview mirror, for the defense to prove it can stop quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the postseason and advance to the AFC Championship for only the second time since 1993.

To come away with a win, the Bills must continue to work around missing pieces due to injury — a reality they’ve dealt with all season.

Only two defensive starters started all 17 games for the Bills — nickel corner Taron Johnson and middle linebacker Terrel Bernard. But Johnson and Bernard, two of the team’s most consistent players, are questionable for Sunday because of injury. The team lost two key starters for the season in Weeks 4 and 5 — cornerback Tre’Davious White and 2022 first-team All-Pro outside linebacker Matt Milano.

“Not that I can recall,” assistant head coach and defensive line coach Eric Washington said when asked if he’s seen a unit with more injuries. “… The coaches have done a really good job of making sure that everyone in our respective meeting rooms, everyone’s plugged in. … it’s also given us an opportunity to really identify the character that we have.”

In yet another test during a season full of them, the banged-up Bills defense will have to stop Mahomes and the Chiefs ahead of significant decisions about the unit to be made in the offseason.

“[This defense is] very resilient. It’s just something that’s in their fabric,” coach Sean McDermott said. “… It’s in their DNA and it’s become our team’s DNA really with next man up. We’ll figure it out and … I think you can accomplish a lot when you have that type of attitude.”

Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer have started 92 games together since 2017, by the far the most games by an NFL safety duo during that stretch, per Elias Sports Bureau. (Broncos’ Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson are second at 62.) They are two of seven current Bills who were on McDermott’s first team in Buffalo in 2017.

Hyde, 33, who is in the final year of his contract with the Bills, played in 14 regular-season games in 2023 while dealing with a stinger after undergoing September 2022 neck surgery. Poyer, 32, was brought back to the Bills in free agency in 2023 on a team-friendly two-year deal. The two captains have been part of this defense for every step of the Bills’ rise over the years, but how much longer they remain is a question for the offseason.

“To the defense, I mean, I think they’re our heartbeat,” cornerback Dane Jackson said. “They’re our leaders, the guys that we look to step up. To make those big plays, cause we know they can, and we trust them to lead us.”

The Bills don’t have an obvious next generation at safety. Backup Taylor Rapp, who is out vs. the Chiefs with a calf injury, is set to become a free agent. Backup Damar Hamlin, who appeared in five regular-season games and was active in Monday’s wild-card win over the Steelers, will be in the final year of his rookie contract next season.

At cornerback, the team acquired Rasul Douglas just before the trade deadline to compensate for the loss of White to a torn right Achilles suffered in Week 4. Douglas made quite the impression with four interceptions, including a pick-six, eight passes defensed and two fumble recoveries, but is questionable for Sunday with a knee injury.

Douglas is under contract through 2024, which complicates the future of White, who will be recovering from a second significant injury and is set to account for $16.44 million in cap space next season.

“[Douglas’] personality is the first thing that we notice here in the building. I mean, the guy’s a pro, the young man is pro,” Washington said. “… He’s a good person for our secondary to kind of really pay attention to in terms of how he approaches a situation practice. … It’s great to have another person with that type of a mindset.”

Also part of the long-term cornerback picture is second-year cornerback Christian Benford, who will miss Sunday’s game vs. the Chiefs with a knee injury. Jackson, a pending free agent, should start in his place.

Bernard, a second-year linebacker who rose to fill the departed Tremaine Edmunds ‘ shoes from Week 1 on, appears to be the long-term answer alongside Milano — who is out for the season with a right leg injury but signed through 2026.

“[Bernard’s] play speaks for itself,” McDermott said. “The year that he’s had as a young player stepping in with basically no experience and leading our defense, not only being productive, but also the leadership aspect of the job at the middle linebacker position.”

The defensive line will be key to a Bills win over the Chiefs, especially as the Bills face running back Isiah Pacheco for the first time this season. Only one defensive tackle is under contract for next season — Ed Oliver, who is having a career season after signing a four-year, $68 million extension in the 2023 offseason. DaQuan Jones, who came off injured reserve at a great time for the defense in Week 17, has paired well alongside Oliver.

At pass-rusher, Von Miller is set to carry the Bills’ second-biggest cap hit next season, and after not reaching a level of play that the team hoped, including being a healthy scratch in Week 17, his play in the postseason will be something to keep an eye on. Miller continues his attempt to recapture his previous All-Pro form after major surgery on his right ACL in December 2022. Miller also remains under investigation for allegedly assaulting his pregnant girlfriend in their Dallas apartment on Nov. 29.

While Miller was the big free agency move in 2022, Leonard Floyd, who signed with the Bills on a one-year deal in June, will go down as general manager Brandon Beane’s move of 2023 with 10.5 sacks this season.

The 34-year-old Miller and 31-year-old Floyd are visible members of a decidedly veteran group. Though several young players have taken on significant roles this season, this year’s Bills roster has an average age of 27.6 years — second oldest in the league. Only the Dolphins (27.8) were older in 2023. Contributions have come from players ranging in experience, such as in the linebacker room where 32-year-old A.J. Klein and 22-year-old rookie Dorian Williams have worked together in harmony.

“It’s all you can preach as the older guys for young guys to step on the field and know what they’re doing, ” Hyde said. “… We have a foundation here, we have a culture. It doesn’t matter who’s on the field, we’re expecting you to go out there and do your job and make plays. There’s no compensating.”

There are significant questions about how different a group that has dealt with missed games and new personnel might look next season. For the moment, after allowing 22 points or fewer during a six-game winning streak, the unit appears to be clicking at the right time with big goals for the rest of the postseason.

“You probably can only name a couple of weeks, a few weeks, when somebody, a key player, wasn’t hurt,” Oliver said. “You can name the weeks where the guy that was hurt, his backup stepped up or it was the next man up and he made a big play. So, we just have that mindset and trust in each other and we’ve done worked all year for this, so we’re just here to play.”