The San Francisco 49ers battle the Arizona Cardinals in their home opener at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 1:25 p.m. PDT.
The Niners are coming off consecutive road victories to open the season, including a 26-21 win in New Orleans with backup quarterback Mac Jones directing the offense.
Arizona comes in at 2-0 on the season, as well, after beating the Saints and Panthers.
Brock Purdy just may make his return for the 49ers as he returned to practice this week.
How to watch on local TV
FOX is broadcasting the game in California; in the Bay Area, tune in to KTVU-TV (channel 2) with an antenna or a cable TV provider. You can also log in to the FOX Sports app or website with your cable TV subscription credentials.
How to stream
DirecTV Stream includes Fox in its local channel lineup. Subscriptions currently start at $49.99 for the first month.
FuboTV offers a free trial and $10 off the first month; after that, it is $55.99 per month.
Hulu+Live TV is a premium service with all the local channels and starts at $82.99 per month.
NFL+ is a mobile app that streams all local and primetime games. Plans start at $6.99 per month or $39.99 a year.
YouTube TV costs $82.99 per month, but it’s currently on sale for $49.99 per month for the first two months.
How to watch outside the Bay Area
If you are outside the local coverage area, you have some options.
NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV broadcasts all the games on Sunday afternoon outside of the matchups showing in the local market. If you are a Niners fan living in another state, this is a good option. New users can get the service at the starting price of $34.50 a month for eight months or $85 a month, cancellable anytime.
NFL+ Premium carries live audio of all regular-season NFL games, and video only after the game has concluded. You have the choice of full or condensed replays on a computer, phone or tablet only for $14.99 per month.
SANTA CLARA — Authorities on Friday released additional details about a fatal police shooting earlier this month in Santa Clara, including the deceased man’s name and possible motive for stabbing his roommate, which led an officer to open fire.
The Santa Clara Police Department identified the man as Nizamuddin Mohammed in an update on its investigation into the shooting.
In the update, Santa Clara police Lt. Eric Lagergren said an investigation determined Mohammed’s relationship with the victim had deteriorated in recent months. The two shared a home with one other person in the 1800 block of Eisenhower Drive.
“Disagreements escalated over household matters, including thermostat use, and tensions increased after an incident in July 2025, when the suspect damaged property after an argument with the victim,” Lagergren said.
That incident led Mohammed’s landlord to initiate eviction proceedings against him, and on Aug. 29, the victim testified in support of the eviction, according to the update.
“Preliminary information indicates this testimony was a significant factor leading up to the attack,” Lagergren said.
Social media posts attributed to Mohammed also indicate he believed he was facing racial discrimination in the workplace and “ascribed blame to perceived ‘white supremacy,’ ” according to the update. He had been previously employed as a contracted worker through a third-party agency until his termination in February 2024.
“He had publicly stated online that he believed his job loss was the result of discrimination,” Lagergren said, adding that search warrants are pending to confirm he wrote the posts.
On Sept. 3, officers went to the home after a resident called 911 to report a stabbing. The first officer to arrive, Robert Allsup, broke through the front door and found Mohammed straddling the victim while holding a kitchen knife, Santa Clara police Chief Cory Morgan said at a news conference days after the shooting.
Allsup told Mohammed to stop and opened fire when he did not comply, according to Morgan. Mohammed was hit four times and taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Morgan said the victim suffered stab wounds to his hands, chest, lung and abdomen, and was treated and released.
The investigation into the shooting is continuing.
Anyone with information related to the case can contact Detective Sgt. D. Bell at 408-615-4814 or dbell@santaclaraca.gov, or the anonymous tip line at 408-615-4847.
REDWOOD CITY — A man was arrested in unincorporated San Mateo County on Wednesday for allegedly stalking a woman over a two-year span and, on one occasion, throwing gasoline on her, authorities said.
The 59-year-old Millbrae man was booked into the Maguire Correction Facility on suspicion of felony stalking and felony assault with chemicals, according to a news release from the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
On Tuesday at around 6:45 p.m., deputies responded to a house in Kings Mountain, an unincorporated community west of Woodside, after the victim reported the stalking, authorities said.
The victim told police that the suspect had visited her home unannounced about 41 times and left more than 20 notes over the past two years, authorities said. In July, the suspect allegedly threw gasoline on the victim’s legs.
A judge granted an emergency protective order for the victim, authorities added.
The suspect was taken into custody without incident while driving on El Camino Real in Millbrae, authorities said. He remains in custody and was scheduled to appear in court Thursday, according to jail logs.
SAN JOSE — A security guard was arrested last week on suspicion of assaulting an unhoused person with a firearm in San Jose, police said.
The incident happened around 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 2 in the area of West San Carlos Street and Leland Avenue, in the city’s Burbank neighborhood, according to San Jose police Officer Tanya Hernandez.
Officers learned the suspect had chased the victim with a firearm, pushed him to the ground and brandished a firearm, Hernandez said, adding that “the suspect was wearing a silver badge on his belt and appeared to be law enforcement or security.” The victim was not injured.
Detectives identified the suspect as a 43-year-old San Jose man and discovered he was working as a guard for a San Jose-based security company, according to Hernandez.
Hernandez said detectives obtained an arrest warrant and an emergency gun violence protection order for the suspect, as well as a search warrant for his home.
On Sept. 11, the man was arrested and served with the order. He was booked into Santa Clara County jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to Hernandez.
Anyone with information related to the case can contact Detective Carlos Soria of the SJPD Assaults Unit at 4793@sanjoseca.gov or 408-277-4161. Tips can also be left with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-7867 or at siliconvalleycrimestoppers.org.
OAKLAND – A teenager was injured in a shooting on a BART train Tuesday night in Oakland, according to officials.
The shooting happened on a northbound train approaching the Fruitvale station around 7:30 p.m., BART said in a news release. The 15-year-old victim was taken to an area hospital.
The teen was listed in stable condition Tuesday night.
BART police officers are searching for a suspect. The victim and suspect likely knew each other, according to officials.
The shooting resulted in minor service delays. The train on which the shooting occurred was also taken out of service and moved to another location for evidence processing.
SAN JOSE — The Valkyries’ season hangs in the balance.
Down 1-0 in their first-round series against the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, Golden State faces a win-or-go-home Game 2 at SAP Center on Wednesday.
The expansion team has lost each of its last five games against the Lynx, and most recently suffered one of their worst losses of the season in Game 1 on Sunday in a 29-point defeat.
But while the Valkyries will be clear underdogs playing in an arena they haven’t called home, the gritty first-year team is confident anything can happen in front of their favorable crowd.
“It’s win or die time,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said after Tuesday’s practice. “We understand that, but we’ve been approaching it every game since the time we played the L.A. Sparks (Aug. 9) and we made it a thing. In order to make the playoffs, it’s a must win mentality.
“We don’t think of it potentially being our last, we just think it’s a must win. And then we got to do our job. Minnesota did their job at home and we got to take care of doing our job here at home. It’s a must win.”
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, right, drives past Golden State Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle (14) during the first half of an WBA basketball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
With the season on the line, the Valkyries will be playing in front of a sold out crowd on Wednesday night. Golden State opted to stay in San Jose and held practice at SAP Center on Tuesday.
Here are three keys for the Valkyries going into Game 2:
Stopping guard penetration
While Napheesa Collier is the driving force of Minnesota’s offense, it’s been the guard duo of Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, also known as the viral steaming pair called the StudBudz, that have given Golden State’s vaunted defense problems.
Williams, the steady floor general, has a knack for finding a way to get into the paint to score or dish to shooters. The veteran point guard is a threat to pull up from the 3-point line or in the mid-range as she has averaged 13.2 points per game on 40.3% shooting from the field and 38.1% from the 3-point line.
Point guard Natisha Hiedeman has torched the Valkyries coming off the bench. The sixth woman of the year candidate has scored 24, 21, and 18 points in the last three games against the Valkyries and has routinely been the spark plug for Minnesota in stopping the Golden State’s runs.
Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) reacts after making a three point shot against the Golden State Valkyries during the first half of an WBA basketball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
On Sunday, Hiedeman posted the second-highest plus-minus rating in Lynx postseason history with a +32.
“We really need to try to be more solid on defense, but as a unit,” Valkyries center Iliana Rupert said. “Be more aware when to shift and try to help more. Even if there’s a lot of rotations, at least not letting them get easy buckets. So we saw all of that on the video, and hopefully tomorrow will get even better.”
Make open looks
This one is simple. The Valkyries need to hit more shots.
After a hot start in which they hit nine of their first 18 shots, and five of their first eight 3-pointers in the first quarter, the Valkyries finished the game making just 11 more field goal attempts.
In the five games the Valkyries played against the Lynx this season, they shot just 36% from the field and 25.7 from beyond the arc.
A common thread in each of the five losses has been Golden State’s inability to stop Minnesota when it gets on a roll. The Valkyries have kept the game close in spurts, but the Lynx have always been able to deliver a crushing run that puts the game out of reach,
“We have to respond better,” Valkyries shooting guard Kate Martin said. “We have to know that basketball is about a game of runs, and they’re a really good team. So they’re gonna go on their runs. We’re gonna have to limit that as much as possible and make adjustments quicker.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 14: Cecilia Zandalasini #24 of the Golden State Valkyries shoots against Courtney Williams #10 of the Minnesota Lynx during the first quarter in game one of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs at Target Center on September 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images)
A big factor going into Wednesday’s game will be if the Valkyries could get consistent scoring out of sharpshooting forward Cecilia Zandalasini.
Zandalasini will be playing in her fourth game since coming back from a calf injury that kept her sidelined for eight contests. She shot just 3-of-10 from the field and 1-of-5 from the 3-point line on Sunday.
Play off the momentum of the crowd
While the venue will be new, the Valkyries have consistently shown that they are at their best when they could feed off the home crowd’s energy.
The Valkyries have not been worried about the change in location as they have faith the home crowd will come through.
Golden State Valkyries fans watch the action during the fourth quarter of their WBNA game against the New York Liberty at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
“Someone told me the arena is smaller than Chase Center, but I’m sure the fans are going to come through,” Valkyries rookie forward Janelle Salaün said. “I just know the fans are going to come through and it’s going to be amazing.”
The Valkyries are 14-8 at home this season.
Notable
Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase revealed that she was fined by the league after her comments regarding Game 1’s officiating. The first-year coach said she didn’t know how much the fine was, but said she stands by what she said.
“I heard it’s a tax write off,” Nakase said. “I moved on. We’ve already talked about the new game plan, offensively and defensively. That’s where I got to make sure my girls are at.”
Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase (35) reacts to a call during their game against the New York Liberty in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Linkin Park then followed two months later with “From Zero,” the group’s eighth studio outing — and its first with Armstrong — which has been both a critical and commercial success.
The Linkin Park comeback continued with a winning show at SAP Center at San Jose, which drew a massive crowd of some 17,500 fans — a good 2,000-3,000 more than a typical SAP sold-out concert — on Monday night (Sept. 15). The added capacity was made possible by the group’s decision to go with a 360-degree “in-the-round” setting, which allows for seating on all sides of the stage and vastly more tickets sold.
Of course, all eyes were on Armstrong in San Jose to see how she would attempt to fill the huge shoes of Bennington, the famously shrill-voiced vocalist who died from suicide.
Linkin Park’s Emily Armstrong performs during their From Zero World Tour at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Wisely, Armstrong didn’t overtly try so much fill Bennington’s shoes as she did attempt to cut her own distinct path on vocals during the group’s 26-song set. She adopted a much-more melodic approach to the vocals, especially earlier on in the show, than what one got from Bennington. As the evening went on, however, she’d up the ante and deliver her own brand of howls and screams to some of the band’s best-known songs.
As powerful as Armstrong was on the microphone, however, she just couldn’t top the chorus of voices from the crowd. At times, it felt like all 17,500 people in the building were chanting along, at top volume, to the music, underscoring just how strongly these songs of angst and alienation continue to resonate with generations of listeners.
There was a strong contingent of 30-and-40 somethings, people who likely bough Linkin Park’s classic rap-rock debut — the diamond-certified “Hybrid Theory” — on CD when it first came out in 2000. But there were also a bunch of younger fans in attendance, ones who have latched onto the band due to its continued relevance and popularity in the mall-rock world.
Taking the stage just after 8:30 p.m., Linkin Park started out in the past, powering through solid versions of “Somewhere I Belong” from the multiplatinum-selling sophomore effort “Meteora” from 2003 and the “Hybrid Theory” cut “Points of Authority.”
Linkin Park performs during their “From Zero World Tour” at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
The group — which consists of Armstrong, vocalist-keyboardist-guitarist Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, DJ Joe Hahn, bassist Dave Farrell and drummer Colin Brittain — then zoomed forward to the present for “Stained,” one of nine numbers performed from “From Zero.”
In general, the new offerings — including “The Emptiness Machine,” “Two-Faced” and, especially, “IGYEIH” — sounded every bit as strong as the older material. Of course, there were some notable exceptions — in large part due to the way the crowd energy would propel the music to incredible heights on such fan favorites as “One Step Closer” and “Faint.’
The stage setup was fairly straightforward and, by today’s standards, simple — basically just a rectangular space, beneath two large video screen blocks, allowing for unobstructed views of the band from all sides. There were some neat, but somewhat underutilized, laser effects, but nothing that really impacted the overall show.
The musicians were pretty stationary for much of the night — which, of course, makes total sense when it comes to a drummer stationed at a kit or a DJ at the turntables, but not so much when you are talking about a pair of singers. Armstrong and Shinoda did far more roaming later in the evening — especially the former, who spent the last quarter of the show really racing up and down the stage.
Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda performs during their “From Zero World Tour” at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
I have been watching Linkin Park in concert ever since the band’s very first headlining tour, which brought the group to the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco in January of 2001. What I remember most about that first show was not the music, but the way the group treated its fans — spending time signing autographs, shaking hands and taking other measures to make these attendees feel important and valued.
Some 100 million albums sold later, Linkin Park is still going out of its way to prioritize its connection with fans. That was evident in San Jose when Shinoda went out into the pit, between the stage and the crowd barriers, and walked about touching hands and sharing moments with the audience. He’d even give one six-year-old fan a signed hat.
The group closed the main set with a flurry of terrific tunes, sandwiching in the new album stand-out “Good Things Go” between the all-time faves “Numb” and “In the End” before finishing off with a towering “Faint.” Linkin Park then returned for a three-song encore highlighted by the “Hybrid Theory” gem “Papercut.”
By the end of the show, one thing was perfectly clear:
This rebooted Linkin Park appears to just be getting started.
Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda performs during their “From Zero World Tour” at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Linkin Park setlist: 1. “Somewhere I Belong” 2. “Points of Authority” 3. “Stained” 4. “New Divide” 5. “The Emptiness Machine” 6. “The Catalyst” 7. “Burn It Down” 8. “Up From the Bottom” 9. “Where’d You Go” 10. “Waiting for the End” 11. “Castle of Glass” 12. “Two Faced” 13. “When They Come for Me”/”Remember the Name” 14. “IGYEIH” 15. “One Step Closer” 16. “Lost” 17. “Unshatter” 18. “What I’ve Done” 19. “Overflow” 20. “Numb” 21. “Good Things Go” 22. “In the End” 23. “Faint” Encore: 24. “Papercut” 25. “Heavy Is the Crown” 26. “Bleed It Out”
If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Call or text the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where chat is available.
In the top of the seventh, Rashi tried to sneak an 88.9 mph four-seam fastball past Eldridge for a strike. Eldridge sent the heater 407 feet to left-center field, the crack of the bat reverberating throughout Chase Field. Rashi lifelessly hunched over, likely believing he’d be responsible for Eldridge’s first hit, homer, run and RBI — all in one.
Luckily for Rashi, he was pitched at one of seven ballparks that could contain Eldridge’s blast, one that registered at 105.9 mph off the bat. Center fielder Jorge Barrosa tracked down the fly ball at the warning track, lightly jumped into the padding for style and Eldridge remained searching for his first hit.
Eldridge ended the night hitless over three at-bats as the Giants lost 8-1 to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday, their third straight defeat that puts them two games back of the Mets for the third and final NL wild card spot. But with that one loud swing, he provided a glimpse of the awesome power he possesses.
“I know I hit it good, so I was just hoping it was going to drop somewhere,” Eldridge said. “Barrosa made a good play, but definitely a confidence booster.”
“He looks good up there. He had some good swings,” said manager Bob Melvin. “It’s too bad he didn’t get the one hit there, but certainly didn’t look like he was overmatched. Didn’t look like he was nervous. I’m sure there were some nerves there, but looks pretty hitter-ish at the plate.”
Along with playing in his first career game, Eldridge had another rather obscure first experience: his first time using a team-issued bat.
After learning of his promotion on Sunday at the OKC Will Rogers International Airport, Eldridge re-routed from Sacramento to Phoenix. Eldridge’s gear, however, was already en route to Sacramento, leaving him without his tools of the trade. The only equipment Eldridge had on Monday was from what he left in his car at the nearby Papago Park, the team’s minor league facility.
The list of items in Eldridge’s locker on Monday included a black first baseman’s mitt with the inscription “Wayne,” one of Eldridge’s nicknames. People began calling him “Wayne” because his first name often auto-corrected to “Bruce,” prompting someone to call him “Bruce Wayne,” the alias of Batman.
No amount of familiarity with his gear would’ve helped him against the Diamondbacks’ Zac Gallen, who allowed one run over six innings with six strikeouts.
Gallen, a one-time All-Star, won both battles against Eldridge, getting him to ground out in their first meeting and striking him out in their second meeting. Still, Eldridge held his own against one of the game’s better right-handed pitchers, having some impressive takes on changeups out of the zone.
“I think that’s a good start facing a guy like him,” Eldridge said. “I had fun. He had a good plan against me, and it as fun to get to face him and I felt like I belonged. I feel like I competed and did my best.”
Added Eldridge: “We have a good idea of what these guys are trying to do. I think just being able to spit on those definitely gave me some confidence, not going to try and reach down low for those ones.”
The 20-year-old’s deep drive and Casey Schmitt’s third-inning solo homer were just about all the Giants could celebrate on a night where they mustered two lone hits — both off Schmitt’s bat.
Right-hander Kai-Wei Teng pitched a serviceable four innings, allowing one unearned run on an errant pickoff attempt. Once Teng departed, the Diamondbacks tagged the Giants’ bullpen for seven runs, six of which came in a game-deciding six-run sixth.
San Francisco’s bullpen has been one of this team’s strengths even with a rotating cast of characters, but that unit’s lack of depth has been exposed in recent days. During this three-game losing streak, the Giants’ relievers have allowed 19 earned runs over 14 innings. On Tuesday, they’ll roll with what amounts to a quasi-bullpen game as Tristan Beck gets a start.
“(Joel) Peguero and (Joey) Lucchesi might be our most trusted arms down there (minus Ryan) Walker,” Melvin said. “We’re just trying to get through that inning and gave up a six spot. Just middle-of-the-plate pitches.”
NAPA – An East Bay man was found shot to death Sunday morning on a Napa County road, according to authorities.
Around 9:40 a.m., the California Highway Patrol received a call about a possible fatality in the 2600 block of Monticello Road, the Napa County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. The caller said a man had blood on his clothes and was not moving.
Deputies found the man on the side of the road, the sheriff’s office said. He had been shot several times.
The sheriff’s office identified the man as Salvador De Jesus Castillo-Hernandez, 20, of Concord.
The motive and circumstances surrounding the homicide are under investigation, the sheriff’s office said.
Anyone with information related to the case can contact Detective Phil Tieu at 707-253-6030 or philip.tieu@countyofnapa.org.
For 26 years, Silicon Valley engineer John Vink had a weekly lunch routine.
Every Wednesday he’d head to the nearest Armadillo Willy’s barbecue restaurant for the Pit-Smoked Boneless Chicken Sandwich, a juicy thigh topped with jalapeno-spiked barbecue sauce and fresh jalapenos.
“When I worked for Apple I went to the Cupertino location. Then when I worked for Nest I went to Los Altos. Then Google bought Nest, so we” — by then it was a group, the VIM, Very Important Meeting lunch club — “had to come to this location,” he said, sitting in what was formerly the Sunnyvale Willy’s.
It’s now his restaurant.
The abrupt closure of three Armadillo Willy’s in late June set Vink in motion. “I had to buy it,” he said, or lose his favorite sandwich. “We moved fast.”
Vink negotiated a bankruptcy court sale and a new lease on the El Camino Real property and partnered with restaurant veteran Ousmane Barry, who was general manager of the Santa Clara Willy’s. They renamed the place Empire Armadillo BBQ & Deli, which reflects both the Texas barbecue side of the menu and the new New York City-inspired deli sandwiches.
The John Vink sandwich of choice is on the new menu. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Empire Armadillo opened quietly a few weeks ago and will hold a big public celebration starting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday with a blues band, local dignitaries, the obligatory ribbon-cutting and a food deal for the first lunch and dinner customers.
Former customers have been posting excited reactions on social media and hugging and thanking the staff when they arrive. “It’s open!” customer Lani Ogilvie rejoiced when she spotted the sign Friday. She ordered a baby back rib plate and said she couldn’t wait to break the news to her colleagues.
Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein praised the restaurant team’s innovation. “Empire Armadillo is a story of loyalty, creativity and community spirit,” he said. “When John stepped in to preserve a beloved Bay Area BBQ tradition, he also gave Sunnyvale something brand news: a place where Texas barbecue and New York deli flavors come together.”
Empire Armadillo BBQ & Deli owner John Vink, left, and company president Ousman Barry get a bite of a chicken sandwich with jalapeños and cheese, jalapeño sauce, served with spicy peanut coleslaw, and a pastrami and provolone cheese on rye bread at the former Armadillo BBQ & Deli in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Vink, a longtime Apple engineer who had been a customer for 26 years at the former Armadillo Willy’s BBQ, bought the restaurant. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Besides a refreshed restaurant with new tables, diners will find something else new: A display case of iPhones and other products that Vink had a role in creating over the decades..
For his nascent culinary venture, he has engineered a knowledgeable team, hiring several of the restaurant chain’s longtime pitmasters,
“It’s great that they wanted to keep the Armadillo Willy’s legacy going,” said Jerzy Alanis, chef and assistant GM, who is a 30-year veteran. He’s joined by pitmaster-cooks Maricruz Sanchez (28 years), Mario Miranda (26 years) and Omar Hernandez (17 years).
A clock from the former Armadillo BBQ & Deli hangs on the wall at the new Empire Armadillo BBQ & Deli in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Empire Armadillo BBQ & Deli owner John Vink, a longtime Apple engineer who had been a customer for 26 years at the former Armadillo Willy’s BBQ, bought the restaurant. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
They’re stoking the familiar fire pit near the front door with oak wood and making recipes they’ve been churning out for all those years. Besides the bestselling brisket and ribs, they smoke pork, turkey breast, tri-tip and Texas jalapeno sausage.
Willy’s side dishes are particularly popular. “People come in for the beans, the coleslaw.” a slightly spicy peanut version, Alanis said, “And the cornbread muffins,” Miranda chimed in. Those are served with honey cinnamon butter.
A pastrami and provolone cheese on rye bread is one of the menu options served at the Empire Armadillo BBQ & Deli in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A trip to SAP Center led to the expanded menu vision. Vink was inspired by the Augie’s Montreal Deli sandwich he had at a San Jose Sharks game, so he and Barry hit the road to visit delis in New York and Los Angeles. They settled on a Pastrami, a Corned Beef and a Reuben, along with a French Dip.
And then there’s the prominent addition to the dessert menu. Barry, who worked in management at Magnolia Bakery for years, has developed a recipe for Banana Pudding that dials back the Southern-style sweetness to a more appealing West Coast level.
A framed note from Empire Armadillo BBQ & Deli owner John Vink is part of a display case featuring his iPhone and iPods at the former Armadillo BBQ & Deli in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Vink, a longtime Apple engineer who had been a customer for 26 years at the former Armadillo Willy’s BBQ, bought the restaurant. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Founded 42 years ago in Cupertino by John Berwald, the venerable Armadillo Willy’s chain grew to several Bay Area locations. One restaurant, in San Mateo, remains. Prior to the June shutdown of the Sunnyvale, San Jose (Blossom Hill) and Santa Clara restaurants, the San Jose (Camden), Los Altos and Dublin ones closed.
Could customers see the resurrection of any of those locations?
If there’s news on that front, Vink won’t keep fans waiting. But the priority now is reminding locals that this spacious smokehouse is back in business and ramping up for group events and catering gigs. The beer-and-wine license should be issued soon.
And he has a lot of eating to do. Devoted as he was to that chicken sandwich, “I never had the ribs until I bought the place!” he said, laughing. So he’s on a mission to familiarize himself with everything on the massive menu. “I’m not done yet.”
Details: On Thursday, the first 25 customers in line for lunch will receive a free side dish with their order, as will the first 25 customers in line at 5 p.m. The High Water Blues Band will play from 4:30 to 8 p.m., and the ribbon-cutting ceremony will start at 5 p.m. Empire Armadillo is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 161 E. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale; www.empirearmadillo.com
Authorities at CHP’s Contra Costa office received a call around 3:26 a.m. Saturday of a sideshow involving over 100 vehicles blocking the intersection of Pomona Street and Merchant Street near the entrance and exit ramp for I-80 westbound on Pomona Street.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers received reports of a spectator who climbed over the concrete safety barrier of the Pomona Street entrance ramp to westbound I-80 and fell to the ground. The responding officers went to the site where the teenager fell. Their preliminary investigation indicated that the boy had climbed over the barrier and accidentally fallen to the ground below. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
CHP said the incident is under investigation. Anyone who witnessed the incident or the events leading up to it are instructed to contact CHP’s Contra Costa office in Martinez at 925-646-4980 or email your contact information to 320Investigations@chp.ca.gov to be contacted by the investigating officer.
SAN FRANCISCO — In theory, the Giants can say they had a productive week.
They entered Monday sitting four games back of the New York Mets for the third and final wild card spot after dropping two of three to the St. Louis Cardinals. With 13 games remaining, they’re now only 1.5 games back of the Mets, a team in the midst of a complete collapse.
Despite their progress, this series against the Los Angeles Dodgers amounted to a wasted opportunity.
The Giants began their weekend with Patrick Bailey’s walk-off grand slam, a momentous win that brought them within a half game of the Mets. They then kicked off Saturday night by scoring four in the first off Clayton Kershaw, someone who has historically dominated at Oracle Park. With the Mets losing earlier in the day, that elusive wild card spot was in their hands.
Over the next 17 innings, Los Angeles discarded San Francisco’s plans with an offensive onslaught. Saturday ended with a loss as Logan Webb allowed six runs over four-plus innings. Sunday’s rubber match was even more one-sided, a 10-2 loss as Robbie Ray, whose start day was moved up, surrendered five runs over four-plus innings.
Now, the Giants will depart San Francisco for a seven-game road trip against two teams they just faced at Oracle Park: three games against the Diamondbacks, then four against the Dodgers.
Ray’s lone start of the road trip projects to be at Dodger Stadium, and the Giants will need him to re-discover his All-Star form for that crucial outing. Over his last five starts, Ray has allowed 20 earned runs with 14 walks over 23 innings.
Ray breezed through the first inning and retired the side in order but labored through the second, issuing three walks and tossing 34 pitches — 16 balls, 18 strikes.
The left-hander allowed one run in the second on Enrique Hernández’s sacrifice fly, but the Dodgers threatened to put up a crooked number when Shohei Ohtani walked to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. Ray avoided surrendering Ohtani’s 50th homer of the season, striking out the three-time MVP and stranding all three runners.
Ray allowed another run in the third, but the fifth is where his afternoon went sideways. Like Webb on Saturday, Ray faced three batters in the fifth and was pulled after failing to retire a single one. Right-hander Joel Peguero allowed all three inherited runners to score, then allowed a run of his own to score when he was called for a balk with a runner on third.
Westmont High School student Kaylee Garcia was among 25 student leaders who helped their peers from Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) center in the Breaking Down the Walls (BDTW) on Aug. 29.
Garcia and the other student leaders completed a three-hour training to prepare them to guide their peers through a full day of activities designed to build meaningful connections. More than 100 students participated in the BDTW event, organized by ignite2unite.
“What inspired me to step into this student leadership position was I felt it was a really great opportunity to put myself out there in a way that I wasn’t really familiar with, and I just felt like it was a really great chance to get to know my peers and people that I maybe kind of recognized but never got a chance to talk to otherwise,” Garcia said in a release.
Run by the Metropolitan Education District, SVCTE provides career technical education for high school students in Santa Clara County. Mobile apps and web development teacher Jesus Correa, who co-led the event, said the goal in bringing in BDTW was to “create an opportunity for students from all of our different courses and from the 45-plus schools that attend SVCTE to come together in a meaningful way.”
Correa said student leaders were nominated by their teachers and staff for their leadership potential, positivity and willingness to support their peers.
“Their role was crucial because they set the tone for the activities, encouraged participation and helped create a safe environment for honest conversations,” he added.
The NFL is a small world — a high school reunion with shoulder pads.
Guys are shuffled around the deck of 32 teams year in, year out. And all too often, they end up staring across the field at someone they used to game plan with.
That’s what’s happening this Sunday in New Orleans. Kyle Shanahan and his San Francisco 49ers will be in town, and on the other sideline, waiting for them, will be Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.
And Staley, who was an assistant with vague assignments for the Niners last season (he was certainly not the team’s shadow defensive coordinator), has a defense that’s an absolute nightmare for Shanahan’s wide-zone run game.
Yes, this game will be anything but Big Easy for San Francisco.
Staley’s defensive scheme was, ironically, popularized by Shanahan’s predecessor in Santa Clara, Chip Kelly. It’s called the Tite Front, and it’s a real nasty look to face if you’re a team whose entire identity is based on the wide zone run.
It’s a 4-0-4 front, which means you’ve got two big defensive linemen lined up in the “4i technique” — smack dab between the offensive guards and tackles in the B gap — and an even bigger nose guard staring the center eye-to-eye. It’s a front designed to gum up the works for a team that wants to stretch the field horizontally.
And that’s exactly what the 49ers want to do. Particularly with a backup quarterback at the helm, likely down the team’s top two pass catchers from 2024.
Kelly, the offensive mad scientist, cooked this scheme up back in his Oregon days. He made it to stop his own offense. Seriously. His run-pass-option scheme became so dominant, he had to invent a defense to counter all the teams that were ripping it off. It turns out that defense is just as good at making life miserable for the wide-zone mafia that dominates the league.
The basic idea is that those defensive ends at the 4i force the offensive tackles to occupy them. The whole thing creates a traffic jam that makes it near-impossible for offensive linemen (typically the guards and center) to do their two main jobs on zone runs: double-teaming along the line and then getting to the second level to block linebackers.
While most guys on defense these days want to get into the backfield as fast as possible, Staley preaches a different kind of gospel. His linemen are supposed to fill one gap off the snap and then, depending on where the ball carrier moves, fall into another. It’s called a “gap-and-a-half” defense, and when it works, it frees up the linebackers to clean house and stop the run before it even gets started. It also lets Staley keep two safeties deep in the pass game, but because those second-level blocks rarely arrive on time (if at all), they can crash down in the run game, too.
In short, the Tite Front allows defenses to receive all the benefits of stacking the box without actually doing so.
This is the kind of defense that once made Staley a hot commodity on the coaching market. Both Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan saw his work and decided they’d rather hire the guy than have to face him. McVay brought him to the Rams in 2020 after seeing his work with the Bears, where he helped devise a late-season defensive plan against McVay that later became the basis for the Patriots’ Super Bowl game plan. You know, the one that left the Rams with three points. As the Rams’ DC in 2020, Staley’s defense was the best in the NFL. That got him the head coaching job with the Chargers.
After three years with the Chargers, he came back to the Niners last season as an assistant. No one can quite tell you what he actually did for the team. For whatever reason, the Niners didn’t see fit to put him in charge of the defense either before or after last season. Perhaps it was the other coaches and the way they wanted to do things — the Niners run a very different defense.
So now, Staley’s with the Saints. And he’s inherited a roster that’s better suited for his defense and a head coach and front office that’s all-in on his plan to blow up the Shanahan offense, league-wide.
The first thing Staley did as Saints DC was trade for 330-pound nose guard Davon Godchaux, an absolute beast who is a nightmare to handle at the 0 technique. Thoughts and prayers to Niners center Jake Brendel this week.
Last week, the Saints held the Cardinals to just 80 yards on outside-zone runs, and most of that came on one play where two Saints defenders ran into each other, leading to a 52-yard scamper. You take that away, and the Cardinals’ running backs averaged 2.5 yards per carry.
Compare that to the Niners’ Week 1, when San Francisco, with Brock Purdy at quarterback, averaged just three yards on 21 outside-zone carries against a five-man front from the Seahawks.
What’s going to happen when Mac Jones — who defenses don’t ever have to consider as a runner — is running this show?
“It goes back to when Kyle’s dad was calling plays back in Denver,” Staley said this week. “They’re going to run their offense… It really forces the defense to declare itself.”
Unless Shanahan has some new tricks up his sleeve and the guys up front who can execute those tricks, that declaration isn’t a problem for the Saints. Their defense — built by a former Niners head coach and brought to the NFL by a former Niners’ defensive coordinator’s protégé, as well as Shanahan’s former assistant and now top rival — was built to stop Shanahan’s basics.
It’s a small world, this NFL.
And that could very well be a big problem for the 49ers on Sunday.
STANFORD – Quarterback Ben Gulbranson had his best game of the season Saturday, but the Stanford football team turned to its defense to help earn its first win under interim coach Frank Reich.
A huge goal-line stand by Stanford late in the third quarter quickly led to a go-ahead touchdown run by Micah Ford, helping to propel the Cardinal to a 30-20 win over Boston College in the ACC opener for both teams.
Stanford’s defense came up with a game-changing play late in the third quarter.
On 4th and goal on the Cardinal 1-yard line, Eagles running back Turbo Richard tried to leap the pile at the line of scrimmage, but had the ball knocked loose by defensive lineman Clay Patterson, with safety Jay Green recovering in the end zone.
On the ensuing play, Ford darted up the middle for a 75-yard run to the Boston College 5, then scored on the next play to give Stanford a 27-20 lead after the extra point.
For the game, the Cardinal scored 21 points off Boston College turnovers to help earn their first win of the year and open the season at home on a badly needed positive note.
Gulbranson, a transfer from Oregon State, completed 13 of 22 passes for 186 yards, and Ford had 157 yards on 17 carries.
Stanford (1-2, 1-0 ACC) also had two huge plays in the second quarter to take a 20-17 lead.
Gulbranson completed his first touchdown pass of the season late in the first half. On 3rd and three at the Cardinal 31, Gulbranson found tight end Sam Roush along the sideline at the 50-yard line, where Roush eluded a tackle and outraced Boston College cornerback Isaiah Farris to the end zone as Stanford cut Boston College’s lead to 17-13.
On the Eagles’ ensuing possession, Cardinal corner Collin Wright intercepted an off-target pass by Eagles quarterback Dylan Lonergan and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown, giving Stanford a 20-17 lead with 1:29 left in the second quarter.
Stanford moved the ball inside Boston College’s 20-yard line on its first two drives but had to settle for a pair of field goals from fifth-year senior Emmet Kenney, with the second from 35 yards that gave the Cardinal a 6-0 lead with 1:04 left in the first quarter.
Boston College’s offense started to find a rhythm in the second quarter. Trailing 6-3, Lonergan eluded a blitz and connected with Richard for a 49-yard touchdown with 10:43 left in the first half.
On the next possession for Boston College (1-2, 0-1), Lonergan found Reed Harris for a 46-yard gain to the Stanford 2, with running back Jordan McDonald scoring on the next play.
Gulbranson, before Saturday, had an uneven start to his Cardinal career, completing 32 of 62 passes for 251 yards, three interceptions, and no touchdowns.
Lonergan, meanwhile, had completed 60 of 79 passes for 658 yards and eight touchdowns before Saturday, with the second-quarter interception he threw being his first of the season.
Through two games, the Cardinal’s longest play from scrimmage this season was a 36-yard pass from Gulbranson to Chico Holt in the third quarter of their season opener against Hawaii.
Starting left guard Nick Fattig left the game with a leg injury in the second quarter, further decimating an already thin Stanford offensive line. Already out with injuries for the Cardinal were guards Nathan Mejia and Simione Pale. Redshirt freshman Ziron Brown, playing just his fourth game, replaced Fattig, a transfer from Texas Tech.
A San Rafael mansion once owned by tennis great Brad Gilbert is for sale for $7,995,000.
Brad Gilbert’s former Marin house for sale (Arbor Media)
The Oakland native, who retired in 1995, ranked as high as No. 4 in his tennis career. Gilbert then went on to coach legend Andre Agassi and later stars Andy Roddick, Andy Murray and Coco Gauff.
Brad Gilbert’s former Marin house for sale (Arbor Media)
The 8,535-square-foot home touts five bedrooms and five baths and was completely renovated this year. It has a professional-grade tennis court with lights that hosted tennis stars, and a spa with a traditional and infrared sauna and steam room for muscle recovery. Other features of the home include a chef’s kitchen, a full gym and an au pair suite.
Brad Gilbert’s former Marin house for sale (Arbor Media)
Butch Haze from Compass is the listing agent.
Brad Gilbert’s former Marin house for sale (Arbor Media)
The compound sits on three acres of manicured grounds.
Brad Gilbert’s former Marin house for sale (Arbor Media)
BERKELEY — Under the lights at Memorial Stadium and in front of a national TV audience, Cal faces its biggest challenge of the young season Saturday when Minnesota pays a visit.
Both teams bring 2-0 records to the 7:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN.
“We will need to play our best game so far,” coach Justin Wilcox said. “I’m confident we can do that.”
“It’s Big Ten football. They’re going to try to wear you down until you give up,” said Cal offensive lineman Bastian Swinney, who grew up in Edina, Minnesota, just 13 miles from the Golden Gophers’ campus. “We’re fired up. It’s going to be a good time.”
Wide receiver and return specialist Jacob De Jesus said there was a different vibe at practice this week.
“I would definitely say there’s a little bit more energy going into this game,” he said. “It’s going to be a big challenge for us, which I’m excited for . . . to see where we’re at as a team.”
We’ll find out how the Bears’ defense, which has been solid so far, contends with a Minnesota offensive line that averages nearly 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds.
We’ll see if Cal’s running game, which showed encouraging signs against an outmatched FCS opponent last week, can consistently move the ball against a defense that has given up just 63 rushing yards over two games.
And we’ll get our first look at how freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele functions against the level of opponent the Bears will see every week once ACC play begins on Sept. 27 against Boston College.
Kyle Cefalo, Cal’s first-year receivers coach and passing game coordinator, said everyone has been impressed by Sagapolutele’s poise.
“He’s not scared of the big moment. He embraces it, he enjoys it. He can rally the troops,” Cefalo said. “It’s hard to show leadership as a freshman because you’re just trying to make sure you know what to do.
“You can’t lead if you don’t have your own self in order. He’s starting to make strides in that area. You can just see his confidence building.”
Sagapolutele was sharp from the start in the road opener against Oregon State, completing his first nine passes while playing turnover-free football with three touchdowns.
A week later, the Bears were much less crisp to start the game, producing just three points on their first six possessions against Texas Southern.
“It wasn’t just him. It was on all of us, the whole offense,” De Jesus said. Sagapolutele found his rhythm, and the Bears grew their lead to 25-0 by the middle of the third quarter.
“I’m not surprised,” De Jesus said. “He has that kind of swagger, that kind of confidence about himself. That’s who he is.”
Cefalo said Sagapolutele showed his talent and feel for the position from his first few spring practices.
“It’s funny because he’s still a freshman . . . (but) he plays the position like an adult,” Cefalo said. “From a receiving standpoint, he’s going to give us a chance. That’s incredible for a young guy to see the field the way he does, to see space the way he does and to be willing to pull the trigger and be fearless.”
Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck has taken notice.
“He doesn’t look like a true freshman. He looks like he’s been there a long time,” Fleck told reporters this week. “He’s got good pocket presence. He knows when to use his legs. He’s very accurate.
“He is a really, really talented QB. The poise for him as a true freshman is very rare. We’ve got our work cut out for us, that’s for sure.”
