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Tag: Football

  • 15 games for your at-home Super Bowl party to keep the fun going from kickoff till the final whistle

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    Sure, the big game is the main event, but your Super Bowl party can be a real celebration! Make your at-home bash unforgettable by keeping your guests laughing, playing, and entertained from kickoff to the final whistle. Shop our top picks of Super Bowl party games.

    Pop-A-Pass Electronic Arcade Football Toss Game

    Pop-A-Pass Electronic Arcade Football Toss Game

    Let your guests compete for party champion with this fast-paced electronic football toss. It features multiple targets with different point values, electronic scoring, a countdown timer, and announcer commentary. Start the competition and see who wins.

    Inflatable Football Throwing Target with Blower

    Let your guests throw like the pros with this stadium-style inflatable target that looks like a football field. It has three target holes, side netting, and mesh backing for nonstop play and easy ball pickup. It inflates quickly so you can start playing right away.

    Cornhole Bean Bags Set with Tote Bag

    Cornhole Bean Bags Set with Tote Bag

    Set up a football-themed cornhole game and see who comes out on top. This set will fit right in with your party decor, and guests of all ages can play to see who reaches 21 points first.

    Inflatable Receiver Touchdown Toss Game

    Inflatable Receiver Touchdown Toss Game

    Host a football showdown at home with this touchdown toss game. Guests compete for MVP by throwing the best touchdown pass. Players take turns throwing four footballs and keep score on the dry-erase board.

    FlikIt Football Tabletop Game

    They can try tabletop football with this fun FlikIt game. Players take turns flicking their ball toward the opponent’s end zone. It’s a game that can be played by sports fans, young and old.

    Your City’s Sports Trivia Game

    Your City’s Sports Trivia Game

    Test your knowledge of your hometown sports team with this trivia game. Each deck has over 500 questions and fun facts, so everyone will have a real challenge.

    Partico Football Bingo Game

    Anyone can win this game! Choose a Bingo master to call out numbers between the actual game plays, and guests can race to fill in the winning pattern. Get ready for some lively competition.

    Guess Who? NFL Edition Board Game

    Guess Who? NFL Edition Board Game

    See who can prove their football knowledge first. In this game, players guess their opponent’s mystery NFL player by asking the right questions and using their detective skills.

    XXL Giant Football Toss Game & Tailgating Chair Combo – 8′ Tall

    Invite your guests to try this football toss game, which works like cornhole. After tossing the football, try for extra points by kicking it between the posts. If you’re playing indoors, clear any breakables first. The game and chair combo stands 8 feet tall.

    2-in-1 Football Party Cards

    Use these game cards with a pen or pencil. Guests can write their predictions and score commercials and plays during the game. The cards are double-sided with prompts for playing.

    Sinkoo Football Squares Pool Poster

    These pool posters make tracking the game more fun. Guests pick numbered squares that match possible final scores, and the poster shows who wins.

    Pin The Football on The Goalpost Poster with Stickers

    Try pinning the football on the goalpost instead of the tail on the donkey. Put on the blindfold, stick the sticker on the poster, and whoever gets closest to the outline wins.

    Drinking Game for Adults

    This drinking board game brings plenty of laughs with 89 prompts to keep everyone entertained, and maybe a bit tipsy, while you watch the game. Two to eight people can play at once.

    Franklin Sports NFL Football Target Toss Game

    Franklin Sports NFL Football Target Toss Game

    Step into the quarterback role with this football target toss game. Aim for touchdowns to score big. Play solo or in teams using the mini football target, and keep track of points with the built-in two-player scoring.

    Franklin Sports NFL Football Target Toss Game

    This game sets up in a minute and is a fun way to introduce kids to football. Players race to get rid of their cards by using action cards to challenge their opponents and empty their hands.

    * By clicking on the featured links, visitors will leave Localish.com and be directed to third-party e-commerce sites that operate under different terms and privacy policies. Although we are sharing our personal opinions of these products with you, Localish is not endorsing these products. It has not performed product safety testing on any of these products, did not manufacture them, and is not selling, distributing, or making any representations about their safety or caliber. Prices and availability are subject to change from the date of publication.

    Copyright © 2026 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.

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  • C.J. Stroud’s 4 Interceptions Dig a Hole the Texans’ Defense Can’t Get Out of in Loss to Patriots

    FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — One interception after another, C.J. Stroud dug Houston into a deeper hole.

    And this time the Texans’ defense couldn’t save them.

    A week after Stroud committed three turnovers in a wild-card victory over the Steelers, the Houston quarterback threw four interceptions in the first half on Sunday to hand New England a 28-16 victory and a spot in the AFC championship game.

    “Ball security is everything, especially the way our defense has played all year, and it’s something that I’ve done a pretty good job of up to this point,” Stroud said. “I think my whole team trusts me. They believe in me. Today just wasn’t my day, and I’m appreciative of my teammates having my back once again.”

    Houston turned the ball over a fifth time when running back Woody Marks — a hero of the wild-card win — fumbled on the doorstep of a potential touchdown while trailing 21-13 in the third quarter.

    “We’ve done a great job all year protecting the football and running the ball well. That’s been our formula,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “To come here when we needed it most, and we didn’t protect the ball — it’s tough to think that you’re going to win a game and you turn the ball over five times.”

    On a cold afternoon that mixed rain and wet snow, Houston’s top-ranked defense hassled Drake Maye all game, forcing four fumbles (recovering two) and sacking him five times. The MVP contender finished 16 for 27 for 179 yards, but he also threw for three touchdowns.

    “When the snowflakes stop, I think it’s a little easier to throw the football, got a little better grip,” Maye said. “I think C.J. probably would say the same thing. We both probably had some throws that were tough, it was tough to get a grip on it.”

    The Texans only had 12 giveaways during the regular season and had a plus-17 turnover differential that was second-best in the league. Stroud threw one interception and fumbled five times at Pittsburgh last week, losing two, but the defense also scored a pair of touchdowns in the 30-6 victory.

    “For us to come out in these past two games and have the amount of turnovers we’ve had, it’s not winning football,” Ryans said. “So we’ve got to find a way to not have that, clean it up and get it fixed.”

    That will be a job for the offseason, with Houston reaching the playoffs for a franchise-record third straight year but losing in the divisional round each time.

    “We’ve got to play better football when we get in this moment. For the past three years, we have not,” Ryans said. “It’s not a magical elixir that’s going to happen to get past the divisional round.”

    The Texans took a 10-7 lead in the second quarter despite an early interception that cost the them a potential field goal. After forcing New England to punt, Stroud’s next pass was picked off by Marcus Jones and returned for a touchdown.

    The 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year was also picked off on the next possession, just four plays later, and again coming out of the two-minute warning. In their last seven possessions of the first half, the Texans had four interceptions, two three-and-outs and one touchdown.

    “I think I’m a pretty self-confident person,” Stroud said. “I think when (the mistakes) started to pile up, I tried my best just to stay locked and realizing I’ve just got to be there for my teammates. … I’m just grateful my teammates were picking me up.”

    What might have been most damaging was Marks’ fumble at the Patriots 17 in a one-score game. After stripping the ball from Maye at the New England 33, Houston ran four plays before Marks — who ran for 112 yards and a touchdown last week — gave it right back.

    Though the Patriots only scored seven points off the Texans’ turnovers, the giveaways also twice took Houston out of position for a field goal and possibly more.

    Ryans said he never lost faith in his quarterback.

    In a sideline interview at halftime with his team trailing 21-10, the Texans coach said: “C.J. needs to understand: This team has his back. The first half is over. As bad as it looked, we still have a second half to go finish.”

    Afterward, Ryans said, “C.J. is our guy. I believed that he could come back out in the second half and flip it. I believed that he could play better, and he did that in the second half. He did play better.”

    Only a little bit better, though.

    After completing 10 of 24 passes for 124 yards and the four interceptions in the first half, Stroud finished 20 of 47 for 212 yards. More important, he led the Texans to 10 points in the first half and just a pair of field goals in the second.

    “We’re in this thing together from day one. It doesn’t change for me,” Ryans said. “When things don’t go your way, you have bad performances, it’s not a time to point fingers or say it’s on one person. … We stick together.”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

    Associated Press

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  • Maye throws 3 TD passes, Stroud has 4 INTs as Patriots top Texans 28-16 to advance to AFC title game

    FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes, Marcus Jones returned one of C.J. Stroud’s four interceptions for a score and the New England Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16 on Sunday to advance to the AFC championship game for the first time in seven years.

    In Mike Vrabel’s first season as coach, the Patriots (16-3) will take on the Broncos (15-3) in Denver next Sunday, with the winner advancing to the Super Bowl.

    The Patriots will make their 16th conference championship game appearance and first since their run to their sixth Super Bowl title under Bill Belichick in the 2018 season. New England has won its last nine divisional round games.

    Maye finished 16 of 27 for 179 yards, but had an interception and fumbled four times, losing two in cold conditions in which snow and rain fell throughout the game. One of Maye’s fumbles set up Houston’s first touchdown.

    “Just proud of the guys,” Maye said. “Battled the elements. This is New England. This is what we’re trying to embrace and we want to embrace all season long. Props to our defense, played a hell of a game. We’ve got to protect the football better, but we made enough plays to win it.”

    Carlton Davis III had two interceptions for New England. Craig Woodson added an interception and fumble recovery.

    “They bring it every week,” Maye said of his defense. “It’s fun to watch. And we could help them out some more, but just proud of the guys. Enjoy this one, and we’re back on the road.”

    The eight combined turnovers — Woody Marks also lost a fumble for Houston — were the most in a playoff game since 2015 when the Cardinals and Panthers combined for eight in the NFC championship game.

    The Texans (13-6) have lost in the divisional round in three straight seasons under coach DeMeco Ryans. The franchise is now 0-7 all-time in this round.

    Stroud finished 20 of 47 with a TD pass. All of his interceptions came in the first half as he became the first player with five or more INTs and five or more fumbles in a single postseason. Will Anderson forced two fumbles for the Texans.

    Leading 21-16 in the fourth quarter, the Patriots stretched their lead to 27-16 when Kayshon Boutte got behind Derek Stingley Jr. and pulled in a diving, one-hand catch in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.

    The Texans had the ball with 5:48 to play, but punted on fourth-and-18 at their own 21 with 4:18 remaining.

    New England’s next drive took the clock under two minutes. But the Texans turned it over on downs when Stroud’s fourth-down pass to Xavier Hutchinson was batted down by Robert Spillane.

    With the Patriots leading 7-3 early, a series of miscues produced the next two scores.

    Maye was strip-sacked by Danielle Hunter deep in Patriots territory, but left tackle Will Campbell fell on the ball and the Patriots punted.

    The Texans gave it right back when Stroud’s deep pass along the sideline was intercepted by Davis III.

    Maye fumbled again when he attempted to run on a busted play and had the ball stripped by Tommy Togiai and recovered by Azeez Al-Shaair. Six plays later, Stroud linked up with Christian Kirk on a 10-yard touchdown pass.

    But on Houston’s next drive, Stroud was rushed up the middle by K’Lavon Chaisson and he lofted a pass that was intercepted by Jones and returned for the score to put New England back in front.

    Later in the quarter, the Patriots’ lead increased to 21-10 when they capped a five-play, 56-yard drive with a 7-yard TD pass from Maye to Stefon Diggs.

    Jones scored on an interception return for the second time this season. It was the first of his career in the playoffs and first for New England in the postseason since Asante Samuel had one vs. Indianapolis on Jan. 21, 2007, in the AFC championship game.

    Texans: TE Dalton Schultz (calf) left in the first quarter and didn’t return. … LG Tytus Howard limped off and RB Woody Marks exited with a shoulder injury in the second quarter. … TE Cade Stover left in the fourth with a knee injury and didn’t return.

    Patriots: LB Robert Spillane left in the first quarter with a thumb injury, but returned. … RB TreVeyon Henderson was shaken up after a second quarter run before jogging off. … S Craig Woodson exited after his INT with a head injury, but returned. … RB Rhamondre Stevenson left in the second quarter with an eye issue. … Davis left in the fourth quarter with a head injury.

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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  • How a Sixtysomething Coach from a So-So School Turned Indiana into World-Beaters

    There was little reason to think that Indiana would turn into the new Alabama—or that Indiana would humiliate the old Alabama in the Rose Bowl, 38–3. Cignetti had been an assistant to Nick Saban at Alabama, but that was nearly two decades ago. He’d left Tuscaloosa for a low-paying job as head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Division II school, and then moved on to Elon University; from Elon, he went to J.M.U. When he came to Indiana, he brought many of his assistants and the core of the team from J.M.U. with him.

    He’s toned down the boasts since then. Cignetti has said that he leaned into a more arrogant persona in part to give Indiana fans—which is to say, basketball fans—a reason to talk about the football team. Now he can let his team’s results speak for him. This is the first college-football season to feature a twelve-team playoff. On its way to the title game, Indiana has beaten Ohio State, Alabama, Penn State, and Oregon (twice). It has won the Big Ten, the Rose Bowl, and the Peach Bowl, and is heavily favored to win the championship. It could become the first team to go 16–0 since 1894.

    How? Everyone is trying to figure out the blueprint. Maybe it has to do with Cignetti’s attention to detail, his emphasis on execution and not making mistakes; he obsesses over things like hand placement and how many inches a player should step. Or maybe it’s the culture of the team: Indiana’s coaches tuck in their shirts, and players are expected to have solid handshakes. Or the recruiting: Cignetti used the transfer portal to build a team largely out of overlooked players by focussing on past productivity instead of raw athletic traits—except for those traits that he believes really matter, such as joint mobility. Or maybe it’s his coaching staff: Cignetti has hired coördinators and coaches who are especially good at developing players. Or it could be continuity and experience: Indiana’s starters have, on average, played more than four years of college football, and much of the coaching staff has been with Cignetti for a long time. Or is it accountability? Cignetti is known to have high expectations. Others point to faith: the quarterback, Mendoza, seems to begin every sentence by praising God. Or maybe it’s the doubt from outsiders: the players call themselves a “bunch of misfits” who are proving everyone wrong. Or possibly it’s simply common sense: practices are brief and hyperefficient, because Cignetti has the radical idea that healthy, rested players are better than exhausted, injured ones. (He could be on to something!) Maybe Indiana made a deal with the devil. (Bobby Knight?)

    I like to think that it has something to do with Cignetti’s infamous expression on the sideline. It’s the same half scowl whether his team has just scored or been stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Every once in a while, he’ll pop his left eyebrow.

    It serves a purpose, that face. Cignetti is not unfeeling; he is capable of enjoying a moment. After Indiana beat Oregon, an on-field interviewer took it for granted that Cignetti was already concentrated on beating Miami, until Cignetti told her, “I’m really not thinking about the next game, I’m thinking about cracking open a beer.” His game face, though, serves as a reminder to focus and move on. Cignetti has said that he asks his players to approach every play, from the first one in the first game to the hundred-and-fiftieth of the season, the same way. “I can’t be seen on the sideline high-fiving people and celebrating, or what’s going to happen, right? What’s the effect going to be?”

    It’s possible, of course, that high-fiving people would have a galvanizing effect: players sometimes respond to joy, or to anger, better than they do to stoicism. Just look at Mendoza, Indiana’s quarterback, who is so ebullient that his smile seems to strain with happiness. But part of Cignetti’s power seems to stem from predictability and routine—the same expressions, the same gameday conversations, the same Chipotle order every day (rice, beans, and chicken, no toppings, side of guacamole).

    “Repetition is the mother of learning,” he likes to say. Repetition makes skills automatic. It helps players improve. And the awareness that you have been there, that you have done it before—even if, really, you haven’t—is the best, perhaps the only, way to deal with the uncertainty inherent in football. “I don’t have any idea what they’re going to do,” Cignetti said before playing Oregon in the semifinal, at that press conference with Lanning. “They don’t know what we’re going to do. As I sit here right now, I know everything we’ve practiced, but I have no idea what that tape is going to look like the day after. And that’s every game,” he went on. “That’s football. There are a lot of variables.”

    Louisa Thomas

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  • Broncos Advance to AFC Title Game, Beating Bills 33-30 After McMillian’s INT in Overtime

    DENVER (AP) — Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Josh Allen’s deep throw in overtime, and Bo Nix led the Broncos into position for Wil Lutz’s 23-yard field goal that sent Denver to the AFC championship game with a 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.

    McMillian’s pick was Denver’s fifth takeaway of the game — the Broncos went into the playoffs at minus-3 in turnover differential. McMillian wrested the ball away from Brandin Cooks at the Broncos 20-yard line when a field goal would have won the game for Buffalo.

    The Broncos (15-3) will face either New England or Houston for the AFC title next Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High, where top-seeded Denver has won 14 of its past 15 games.

    “We played a really good football team,” Nix said. “They played really well tonight. They gave us a great shot on a short week after a tough game last week, so hat’s off to them. We found a way to win again and our defense made stops and I’m just proud of our guys. I’m just proud of this organization. I’m proud of the way we compete, we fight.

    “We’re just never out of it and I think that’s just the character piece. It wasn’t always pretty, we had a good lead and they came back and it wasn’t looking good, but the fourth quarter and overtime, we just found a way to win.”

    Broncos coach Sean Payton lamented Denver’s sputtering offense and 1-for-4 performance in the red zone: “We weren’t good in the red zone. But we were good enough when it mattered.”

    The Bills (13-6) were flagged for pass interference twice on Denver’s final drive.

    Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater nailed a 50-yard field goal with 5 seconds left in regulation, knotting it up at 30-all. That came after Nix’s 26-yard touchdown throw to Marvin Mims Jr. with 55 seconds left had given Denver a 30-27 lead.

    Allen, who hadn’t turned the ball over in his previous six playoff appearances, threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles. P.J. Locke also picked off Allen.

    “Extremely difficult,” a teary-eyed Allen said afterward. “I felt like I let my teammates down.”

    The Bills failed once again to reach the Super Bowl with Allen under center even though Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson weren’t standing in his way this time as that trio of franchise quarterbacks all missed the postseason party.

    Payton insisted the game should have ended earlier in overtime when a Denver defender was held in the end zone before Allen escaped from the end zone on second-and-9 from his 8.

    Coming off the first road playoff win of his career, Allen’s first three turnovers helped Denver built a 23-10 lead before he threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman and a 14-yarder to Dalton Kincaid to give Buffalo a 24-23 lead early in the fourth quarter.

    Allen also fumbled the ball at the Denver 23 late in the fourth quarter but right tackle Spencer Brown recovered the loose ball, setting up Prater’s 31-yarder for a 27-23 Buffalo lead.

    Also in the second half, Allen threw an interception when P.J. Locke cut in front of wide receiver Curtis Samuel, who appeared to be wide open for what would have been a 43-yard touchdown.

    The Broncos scored 10 points in the final 22 seconds of the first half to take a 20-10 lead into the locker room, and they got their third takeaway just two plays into the second half on Bonitto’s strip-sack of Allen that was recovered by Malcolm Roach at the Bills 17, leading to Lutz’s short field goal to make it 23-10.

    Nix’s 29-yard TD pass to Lil’Jordan Humphrey broke a 10-all tie and then Bonitto stripped Allen of the ball after a long scramble up the middle. Devon Key recovered for Denver with 2 seconds left before halftime and Lutz’s 50-yarder as the half expired made it 20-10.

    The Broncos’ other touchdown in the first half came from an unlikely source. They went ahead 10-7 when Nix threw to tackle-eligible Frank Crum, a second-year pro from Wyoming, Allen’s alma mater. He caught the short pass and tumbled into the end zone for a 7-yard score.

    James Cook ran for 117 yards on 24 carries but lost a fumble.

    When the Broncos lost to the Bills 31-7 in Buffalo last playoffs, Payton said, “We have to figure out how to get these games at home.”

    They did it by leading the league in sacks (68), tying a franchise record with 14 regular-season victories, winning 11 one-score games and having 11 comebacks.

    “We weren’t ready last year,” Payton said. “But we were ready today.”

    Bills: Inactive for the game were two defensive starters: S Jordan Poyer (hamstring) and LB Terrel Bernard (calf). … LB Dorian Williams (neck) got hurt covering the opening kickoff and was taken via ambulance to a hospital. … C Connor McGovern was cleared to return just before halftime after being evaluated for a concussion. … DT Ed Oliver, who just returned to the active roster, went out late in the third quarter with a knee injury. The seven-year veteran was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 28 with a left biceps tear that required surgery. He suffered meniscus damage while rehabbing and had another procedure on Dec. 29.

    Broncos: WR Pat Bryant sustained a concussion on Denver’s initial drive after he caught three passes for 32 yards. … WR Troy Franklin pulled a hamstring in the second quarter.

    The Bills head into another offseason wondering what it’ll take to get to the Super Bowl.

    The Broncos host their first AFC championship game in a decade, since the “No Fly Zone” defense that helped them win Super Bowl 50.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

    Associated Press

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  • Minnesota Gophers bring back career rushing leader Mohamed Ibrahim to coach running backs


    Minnesota has brought back all-time leading rusher Mohamed Ibrahim as running backs coach, one of eight new hires to the staff announced Friday by coach P.J. Fleck.

    Ibrahim, who spent six years at Minnesota and the 2023 season in the NFL with the Detroit Lions, worked with the Gophers in 2024. He was running backs coach at Kent State last year. Ibrahim finished his college career with 4,668 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns, which was also a Gophers record.

    Another former Gophers player, Isaac Fruechte, was hired as wide receivers coach after serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at North Dakota for the last two seasons. Fruechte played for Minnesota from 2012-14 and spent three years in the NFL with the Vikings and Lions before beginning his coaching career.

    Fruechte replaces Matt Simon, who was not retained after finishing his ninth season under Fleck with the Gophers. Simon also served as co-offensive coordinator, so that role will now be handled solely by Greg Harbaugh Jr. Simon was one of four primary position coaches and eight assistants overall who won’t return in 2026.

    Another notable addition was Matt Limegrover as assistant offensive line coach. Limegrover was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Gophers from 2011-15 under coach Jerry Kill, before departing for Penn State. He was most recently the offensive line coach at Kent State from 2023-24.

    CBS Minnesota

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  • Tracking 2026 Super Bowl ticket prices

    There’s less than a month to go before Super Bowl 60 kicks off in Santa Clara, California. While the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears are still vying for a spot in this year’s Super Bowl, fans from around the country are looking ahead at ticket prices for the big game. Video above: Trailer released for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl 60 Halftime ShowThe California Bay Area has hosted the Super Bowl twice before, in 1985 at Stanford Stadium and in 2016 at Levi’s Stadium — where this year’s game will be played Sunday, Feb. 8.The 49ers have a shot at playing the Super Bowl in their home stadium, making ticket options on the secondary market quite pricey at this stage in the game. Before kickoff of Saturday’s NFL divisional round playoff games, the most expensive tickets for the Super Bowl were found on SeatGeek at $110,300 in a field box. The site also has tickets listed for as much as $84,947 in a sideline VIP section.StubHub has field box seats, like SeatGeek has listed, but at a lower price. For seats in a VIP section on this site, it is $64,947. Three other sites have hundreds of listings for Super Bowl tickets, at much lower prices than SeatGeek and StubHub.But they shouldn’t be considered a bargain. The most expensive ticket on VividSeats is listed at $27,694, right on the 50-yard line a few rows back from the field.The most expensive ticket on Gametime is listed at $23,161 at the 35-yard line, 10 rows back. The most expensive ticket on Ticketmaster is listed at $27,281, though the location is not quite as prime as the previous two sites. This ticket is in Section 110, around the 20-yard line and 37 rows back from the field. Looking for the cheapest way for you and a friend to see the big game? The get-in price falls quite a bit. The cheapest pairs of tickets on these five secondary sites run from the $6,000 to $8,000 range. VividSeats: $6,078 each for two ticketsGametime: $6,665 each for two tickets StubHub: $6,906 each for two tickets SeatGeek: $7,991 each for two ticketsTicketmaster: $8,184 each for two tickets At this point, prices for Super Bowl 60 are the highest seen in quite some time. Last year, when Super Bowl 59 was held in New Orleans, ticket prices were dropping considerably the closer it got to game time. That could be the case this year, too, depending one which teams advance to the AFC and NFC conference championships after this weekend’s divisional round.

    There’s less than a month to go before Super Bowl 60 kicks off in Santa Clara, California.

    While the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears are still vying for a spot in this year’s Super Bowl, fans from around the country are looking ahead at ticket prices for the big game.

    Video above: Trailer released for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl 60 Halftime Show

    The California Bay Area has hosted the Super Bowl twice before, in 1985 at Stanford Stadium and in 2016 at Levi’s Stadium — where this year’s game will be played Sunday, Feb. 8.

    The 49ers have a shot at playing the Super Bowl in their home stadium, making ticket options on the secondary market quite pricey at this stage in the game.

    Before kickoff of Saturday’s NFL divisional round playoff games, the most expensive tickets for the Super Bowl were found on SeatGeek at $110,300 in a field box. The site also has tickets listed for as much as $84,947 in a sideline VIP section.

    StubHub has field box seats, like SeatGeek has listed, but at a lower price. For seats in a VIP section on this site, it is $64,947.

    Three other sites have hundreds of listings for Super Bowl tickets, at much lower prices than SeatGeek and StubHub.

    But they shouldn’t be considered a bargain.

    The most expensive ticket on VividSeats is listed at $27,694, right on the 50-yard line a few rows back from the field.

    The most expensive ticket on Gametime is listed at $23,161 at the 35-yard line, 10 rows back.

    The most expensive ticket on Ticketmaster is listed at $27,281, though the location is not quite as prime as the previous two sites. This ticket is in Section 110, around the 20-yard line and 37 rows back from the field.

    Looking for the cheapest way for you and a friend to see the big game? The get-in price falls quite a bit.

    The cheapest pairs of tickets on these five secondary sites run from the $6,000 to $8,000 range.

    • VividSeats: $6,078 each for two tickets
    • Gametime: $6,665 each for two tickets
    • StubHub: $6,906 each for two tickets
    • SeatGeek: $7,991 each for two tickets
    • Ticketmaster: $8,184 each for two tickets

    At this point, prices for Super Bowl 60 are the highest seen in quite some time. Last year, when Super Bowl 59 was held in New Orleans, ticket prices were dropping considerably the closer it got to game time.

    That could be the case this year, too, depending one which teams advance to the AFC and NFC conference championships after this weekend’s divisional round.

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  • Tracking 2026 Super Bowl ticket prices

    There’s less than a month to go before Super Bowl 60 kicks off in Santa Clara, California. While the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears are still vying for a spot in this year’s Super Bowl, fans from around the country are looking ahead at ticket prices for the big game. Video above: Trailer released for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl 60 Halftime ShowThe California Bay Area has hosted the Super Bowl twice before, in 1985 at Stanford Stadium and in 2016 at Levi’s Stadium — where this year’s game will be played Sunday, Feb. 8.The 49ers have a shot at playing the Super Bowl in their home stadium, making ticket options on the secondary market quite pricey at this stage in the game. Before kickoff of Saturday’s NFL divisional round playoff games, the most expensive tickets for the Super Bowl were found on SeatGeek at $110,300 in a field box. The site also has tickets listed for as much as $84,947 in a sideline VIP section.StubHub has field box seats, like SeatGeek has listed, but at a lower price. For seats in a VIP section on this site, it is $64,947. Three other sites have hundreds of listings for Super Bowl tickets, at much lower prices than SeatGeek and StubHub.But they shouldn’t be considered a bargain. The most expensive ticket on VividSeats is listed at $27,694, right on the 50-yard line a few rows back from the field.The most expensive ticket on Gametime is listed at $23,161 at the 35-yard line, 10 rows back. The most expensive ticket on Ticketmaster is listed at $27,281, though the location is not quite as prime as the previous two sites. This ticket is in Section 110, around the 20-yard line and 37 rows back from the field. Looking for the cheapest way for you and a friend to see the big game? The get-in price falls quite a bit. The cheapest pairs of tickets on these five secondary sites run from the $6,000 to $8,000 range. VividSeats: $6,078 each for two ticketsGametime: $6,665 each for two tickets StubHub: $6,906 each for two tickets SeatGeek: $7,991 each for two ticketsTicketmaster: $8,184 each for two tickets At this point, prices for Super Bowl 60 are the highest seen in quite some time. Last year, when Super Bowl 59 was held in New Orleans, ticket prices were dropping considerably the closer it got to game time. That could be the case this year, too, depending one which teams advance to the AFC and NFC conference championships after this weekend’s divisional round.

    There’s less than a month to go before Super Bowl 60 kicks off in Santa Clara, California.

    While the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears are still vying for a spot in this year’s Super Bowl, fans from around the country are looking ahead at ticket prices for the big game.

    Video above: Trailer released for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl 60 Halftime Show

    The California Bay Area has hosted the Super Bowl twice before, in 1985 at Stanford Stadium and in 2016 at Levi’s Stadium — where this year’s game will be played Sunday, Feb. 8.

    The 49ers have a shot at playing the Super Bowl in their home stadium, making ticket options on the secondary market quite pricey at this stage in the game.

    Before kickoff of Saturday’s NFL divisional round playoff games, the most expensive tickets for the Super Bowl were found on SeatGeek at $110,300 in a field box. The site also has tickets listed for as much as $84,947 in a sideline VIP section.

    StubHub has field box seats, like SeatGeek has listed, but at a lower price. For seats in a VIP section on this site, it is $64,947.

    Three other sites have hundreds of listings for Super Bowl tickets, at much lower prices than SeatGeek and StubHub.

    But they shouldn’t be considered a bargain.

    The most expensive ticket on VividSeats is listed at $27,694, right on the 50-yard line a few rows back from the field.

    The most expensive ticket on Gametime is listed at $23,161 at the 35-yard line, 10 rows back.

    The most expensive ticket on Ticketmaster is listed at $27,281, though the location is not quite as prime as the previous two sites. This ticket is in Section 110, around the 20-yard line and 37 rows back from the field.

    Looking for the cheapest way for you and a friend to see the big game? The get-in price falls quite a bit.

    The cheapest pairs of tickets on these five secondary sites run from the $6,000 to $8,000 range.

    • VividSeats: $6,078 each for two tickets
    • Gametime: $6,665 each for two tickets
    • StubHub: $6,906 each for two tickets
    • SeatGeek: $7,991 each for two tickets
    • Ticketmaster: $8,184 each for two tickets

    At this point, prices for Super Bowl 60 are the highest seen in quite some time. Last year, when Super Bowl 59 was held in New Orleans, ticket prices were dropping considerably the closer it got to game time.

    That could be the case this year, too, depending one which teams advance to the AFC and NFC conference championships after this weekend’s divisional round.

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  • NFL sees increased viewership for wild-card round, eyes more for divisional games

    After double-digit increases in its regular-season and wild-card playoff round ratings, the NFL is looking for another large bump in ratings during this weekend’s division round.

    The league and Nielsen said last weekend’s six wild-card games averaged 32 million viewers, a 13% jump from last year. It was also the most-watched opening weekend of the NFL playoffs since the field expanded to 14 teams in the 2020 season.

    Overall, it was the most-watched wild-card round since the 2015 season and the fifth highest since average viewer numbers started being tracked in 1988.

    Five of the games saw increases compared to the same time frames a year ago while the sixth game was even.

    The regular season averaged 18.7 million viewers per game, a 10% increase. It also was the second-highest average on record.

    Some of the increase can be attributed to a change in the way viewers are counted. Nielsen began using its Big Data + Panel methodology for all events last September with the start of the current television season.

    Earlier this year, Nielsen began measuring out-of-home viewers for all states but Hawaii and Alaska, along with including data from smart TVs along with cable and satellite set-top boxes.

    Nielsen previously measured only the top 44 media markets, which covered 65% of the country.

    “It was a great weekend of football all around,” said Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s executive vice president of media distribution. “Every year, there’s a new set of stars and players emerging. You have (New England’s) Drake Maye, who’s a potential MVP and on the other end you have an established star like (Los Angeles Rams QB) Matthew Stafford, who may be the other MVP favorite playing a heck of a game with the fourth-quarter comeback.”

    Last year’s four divisional matchups averaged 37.1 million viewers. The record for the NFL’s second weekend of the playoffs is 40 million, set two years ago. That was led by the Kansas City-Buffalo matchup, which averaged 50.4 million, making it the most watched divisional or wild-card game on record.

    Fox averaged 37.5 million for the Green Bay-San Francisco Saturday night divisional matchup two years ago, which was the most-watched Saturday NFL playoff game on record.

    The 49ers will face the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night, which drew some criticism in some quarters because they played in Philadelphia in the late afternoon Sunday window and have a short week. Meanwhile, the Rams and Chicago Bears both played on Saturday.

    The Rams and Bears though will close the weekend on Sunday night on NBC.

    The last time at least one team didn’t have a short week between the wild-card and divisional rounds was the 2018 season.

    “We have teams every week playing from Monday night to Sunday,” Schroeder said. “That’s just the way it breaks every year, which is some team on Sunday has to play Saturday the next weekend. We work very hard with our football ops team and making sure we’re starting with what’s competitively fair.”

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  • 49ers’ Brock Purdy gets another chance at Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks D that shut him down in Week 18

    SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Two of Brock Purdy’s worst performances in an otherwise stellar career came when he matched up against a Mike Macdonald-coached defense.

    Now thanks to one of his more memorable moments when he led the short-handed San Francisco 49ers to a fourth-quarter comeback in a wild-card win at Philadelphia, Purdy gets another chance against Macdonald’s defense.

    The 49ers (13-5) will take on Seattle (14-3) on Saturday night in a divisional round matchup two weeks after the Seahawks clinched the division title by shutting down Purdy and the San Francisco offense in a 13-3 win.

    “He just does a good job of making the quarterback have to earn everything,” Purdy said. “I feel like there’s not a lot of easy gimme plays out there. You have to play quarterback for four quarters, be smart with the ball and go through your progressions truly. Then on top of that, the front, how they coach up the front with the push in the pocket, playing pretty deep to short on a lot of things and not allowing you to have a lot of explosive plays across the board. You have to go earn every single yard.”

    This will be the fifth time that Purdy and the 49ers will face a defense run by Macdonald with the first coming on Christmas night in 2023 when Purdy threw a career-worst four interceptions in a 33-19 loss to Baltimore when Macdonald was defensive coordinator for the Ravens.

    Macdonald turned that success in Baltimore into a head coaching job in Seattle starting in 2024, setting up two matchups each season against the 49ers.

    Purdy got the best of the first matchup when he threw three touchdown passes in a 36-24 win last season in Seattle. But the Seahawks won the rematch in 2024, holding the Niners to just 17 points. Seattle allowed only 20 points in the two games this season as the Seahawks have been able to slow down San Francisco’s running game while playing primarily nickel defense with two deep safeties to cut down on big passes.

    Purdy overcame two interceptions in the season opener to lead a fourth-quarter comeback for a 17-13 win but managed just 127 yards passing in the rematch in Week 18.

    In five career matchups, Purdy has a 79.7 passer rating with six TD passes and eight interceptions.

    “It’s a huge challenge, but the challenge is on us,” offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said. “We got to run the ball better; we got to be better on third down so we can get more ops to run the ball. That’s really the biggest thing is we got to stay on the field so we can keep calling runs then hopefully, you can get the defense to commit another guy in the box, which helps other things.”

    Purdy has performed well in the postseason and has a chance to become the sixth player ever with at least five straight playoff games with 250 or more yards passing and a touchdown.

    But he has been at his best in clutch moments.

    The Week 1 comeback in Seattle capped by an improbable 4-yard TD pass to Jake Tonges with 1:34 left was one of just four fourth-quarter comebacks by Purdy in 14 opportunities. Purdy ranks near the bottom of the league with a 63.8 passer rating when the Niners trail by less than eight points in the regular season, but he has risen to the moment when those chances have come in the postseason.

    He engineered a comeback win in the 2023 division round against Green Bay and did it again last week in Philadelphia, when his 4-yard TD pass to Christian McCaffrey with 2:54 to play provided the go-ahead score in a 23-19 win.

    Purdy also led San Francisco to a 17-point comeback against Detroit in the 2023 NFC title game, and threw a go-ahead TD pass and led two go-ahead drives for field goals in the fourth quarter and overtime in Super Bowl 58 when the Niners fell 25-22 to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

    In all, Purdy has a 115.1 passer rating in his comeback attempts in the playoffs.

    “I can’t say enough about Brock’s poise and his competitiveness there at the end of the fourth quarter,” Kubiak said. “I think Brock would tell you he didn’t play his best game for the first three quarters of that game. … But when it came down to the drives that mattered, the fourth quarter, the pressure of that moment, he was locked in. He didn’t blink. That’s kind of who he’s been his whole career to me.”

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  • Mike Tomlin stepping down as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach

    Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has informed the team that he is stepping down from his position.

    Steelers president Art Rooney II released a statement on Tuesday afternoon, thanking Tomlin for his contributions to the team.

    “During our meeting today, Coach Tomlin informed me that he has decided to step down as our Head Coach,” Rooney said.  

    “Obviously, I am extremely grateful to Mike for all the hard work, dedication and success we have shared over the last 19 years. It is hard for me to put into words the level of respect and appreciation I have for Coach Tomlin. He guided the franchise to our sixth Super Bowl championship and made the playoffs 13 times during his tenure, including winning the AFC North eight times in his career.”

    PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 12: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the fourth quarter of the AFC Wild Card playoff game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

    Lauren Leigh Bacho / Getty Images


    Tomlin also issued his own statement, thanking the organization, players, and fans for their support during his tenure.

    “This organization has been a huge part of my life for many years, and it has been an absolute honor to lead this team. I am deeply grateful to Art Rooney II and the late Ambassador Rooney for their trust and support.

    “While this chapter comes to a close, my respect and love for the Pittsburgh Steelers will never change. I am excited for what the future holds for this organization, and I will forever be grateful for my time coaching in Pittsburgh.”

    Since Tomlin stepped down while under contract, the team will retain his coaching rights. 

    Tomlin resigns after wild-card round defeat

    Tomlin’s resignation comes less than 24 hours after the Steelers lost 30-6 to the Houston Texans in the AFC wild-card round.

    Pittsburgh’s last playoff win came against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2016 playoffs. Since then, Pittsburgh has lost its last seven postseason games. Tomlin’s seven-game postseason losing streak ties former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis for the longest playoff losing streak by an NFL coach.

    Steelers coaching search 

    Including Tomlin, the Steelers have only employed three head coaches since the 1969 season. Chuck Noll served as head coach from 1969 through the 1991 season, giving way to Crafton, Pennsylvania, native Bill Cowher, who helmed the position from 1992 through the 2006 season. Both Noll and Cowher have since been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

    During Tomlin’s 19 seasons as head coach, he famously never finished with a losing record, with his teams finishing at a .500 record or better during his entire tenure.

    Tomlin became the youngest head coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl at 36 years old, leading the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals, a record later surpassed by Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay after McVay won Super Bowl LVI in 2021.

    Tomlin’s Super Bowl victory in his second season as head coach made him the fastest Steelers coach to win a championship.

    AFC North coaching turnover

    Within the span of nine days, three of the four teams in the AFC North have made head coach changes. 

    Kevin Stefanski was fired by the Cleveland Browns on Jan. 5 after going 46-58 during six seasons as the team’s head coach. One day later, the Baltimore Ravens fired head coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons. His final game was a 26-24 loss to the Steelers in Week 18. 

    Now, after Tomlin announced he is stepping down, Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor is the only returning coach in the division.

    Overall, nine NFL teams have head coaching openings. 

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  • Eagles move on from OC Kevin Patullo after one lackluster season with him calling plays

    PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles are moving on from offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.

    Coach Nick Sirianni announced Tuesday that he’s going in a different direction after one year with Patullo calling plays.

    The Eagles (11-7) lost OC Kellen Moore after winning the Super Bowl in 2025 — Moore took the head job in New Orleans — and turned to Patullo to maintain familiarity and continuity for quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley and receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Patullo had been the Eagles’ passing game coordinator since 2021.

    But the in-house move failed to pan out. Philadelphia seemed out of sync most of the season, finishing 24th in total offense at 311.2 yards a game and 19th in scoring at 22.3 points a game.

    “I met with Kevin today to discuss the difficult decision,” Sirianni said in a statement. “He is a great coach who has my utmost respect. He has been integral to this team’s success over the last five years, not only to the on-field product but behind scenes as a valued leader for our players and organization.

    “I have no doubt he will continue to have a successful coaching career. Ultimately, when we all fall short of our goals, that responsibility lies on my shoulders.”

    Now the Eagles will have a fifth different offensive coordinator in Sirianni’s six seasons, with the next one following Patullo, Moore, Brian Johnson (2023) and Shane Steichen (2021-22).

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  • US and Mexico flag football teams will play a game during the Super Bowl week in an Olympic preview

    The week of the Super Bowl next month in San Francisco will feature not one but two marquee flag football games.

    It’s just another way to gain even more exposure for the game ahead of flag football’s Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

    First, the NFL’s elite take the field on Feb. 3 as part of the Pro Bowl festivities. Then, the flag football specialists will stage an exhibition match two days later, with Team USA taking on rival Mexico.

    In LA two years from now, the roster could very well be a mix of NFL players — or former players — and flag football experts. USA Football, the national governing body for the sport, will select and train the men’s and women’s teams ahead of the Olympics.

    “The opportunity to have NFL players join our elite talent pathway leading up to the LA28 Olympics is exciting for athletes and fans alike,” USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck said Tuesday in a statement announcing the game, which will be streamed on the NFL’s YouTube channel. “We have one goal for the Olympics, and that’s to win the men’s and women’s gold medals. Support and interest from elite athletes across the sports world only strengthens our chances of success as we seek to build the best teams possible.”

    The NFL moved its Pro Bowl festivities to Super Bowl week this season. It was the latest adjustment for the all-star event that became a flag football game three years ago. The sport was added to the Olympic program in October 2023.

    For Team USA, the game may be a “friendly” against Mexico, but the players will be treating it like a Super Bowl. The gold-medal match between the two nations at the IFAF Americas Continental Championship in Panama last September was scrubbed because of severe weather.

    So it’s a chance to unofficially settle the score.

    “This matchup is overdue. Our guys want it, and I’m sure Team Mexico does, too,” quarterback Darrell “Housh” Doucette III said. “We plan to approach this exhibition with the same preparation and intensity as a regular game. This is a dream opportunity to showcase the sport we all love while at the center of football’s biggest stage.”

    Players from Mexico felt the same way.

    “This opportunity that both teams are going to have is incredible,” said Ramón Alonso Gaxiola, a defensive back and captain for Mexico. ”Playing a final is something we have always dreamed of.”

    The game, presented by Toyota, will be played at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, which is hosting the Super Bowl experience fan fest.

    “The Olympic announcement in 2023 was rocket fuel for a sport that was already surging in popularity,” Hallenbeck said, “and with the league’s leadership and support through opportunities like this exhibition, we’ll ignite even more passion, participation and fandom.”

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  • Packers’ Micah Parsons says he can recover from torn ACL in time to play early next season

    GREEN BAY, Wis. — Green Bay’s Micah Parsons calls his torn anterior cruciate ligament “the most challenging thing that I think I’ve ever faced as a human.”

    But the All-Pro defensive end believes he can recover in time to play early next season.

    Speaking to reporters for the first time since his Dec. 14 injury, Parsons said Monday that he hopes to be back for the start of the season, but added that a more realistic goal is “probably like Week 3, Week 4.”

    “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” Parsons said. “I don’t think people realize how much the knee is. It’s the most challenging thing that I think I’ve ever faced as a human. When you talk about pain, can’t sleep, can’t move around. … I can’t remember the last time I slept through the night. My body’s tired. My mind’s tired. I’m exhausted, man. But it’s going to be worth it once I’m going to be able to move and play again.”

    Parsons and tight end Tucker Kraft both discussed their recoveries from torn ACLs as the Packers packed up their lockers two days after blowing a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead in a 31-27 wild-card playoff loss at Chicago.

    Kraft, who tore his right ACL on Nov. 2, compared this injury to the torn pectoral muscle that caused him to spend part of the 2024 preseason on the physically unable to perform list. Kraft returned in time to play all 17 games that season.

    “By the time Week 1 rolls around, I’ll be 10 months post-surgery and hopefully bulletproof by then,” Kraft said.

    The Packers were leading the Denver Broncos in the second half when Parsons hurt his left knee, knocking him out for the rest of this season. They didn’t win again, losing their last five games.

    It’s the first major injury of Parsons’ career. It ended his first season in Green Bay prematurely after the Packers acquired him in an August trade with the Dallas Cowboys.

    “I’m not a very vulnerable person and during this period I’ve probably been the most vulnerable I’ve been in the last like, probably my whole life, Parsons said. “I’m telling people how much I need them and appreciate them being there for me.

    “Because to be honest, man, you can’t go through this injury by yourself. … Like I can’t shower by myself. I can’t even get off the bed myself. So I couldn’t imagine being alone. So I’m so appreciative of my family being there for me.”

    The injuries to Parsons and Kraft left the Packers without two of their best players.

    Parsons had 12 ½ sacks this season to earn All-Pro honors despite missing the Packers’ final four games. Kraft had 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns despite playing only eight games.

    “I was on the cusp of putting together one of the greatest seasons by a Packer tight end, and that was something I was looking forward to, just leaving my legacy on this game and playing as hard as I could every snap for the for this team, because the end of the day, the guys in this room, they mean so much to me,” Kraft said.

    Although the Packers were winless after his injury, Parsons said “there was no point in the season where I felt like we weren’t a championship-caliber team.”

    The Packers led by at least nine points after halftime in three of their five losses to end the season. Another loss came when the Packers rested their starters in the regular-season finale at Minnesota.

    Parsons and Kraft both expressed support for Matt LaFleur as speculation swirled about their coach’s future.

    “I think Matt’s an outstanding head coach,” Kraft said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll remain here as a Packer. I think a lot of that talk is pretty silly.”

    Parsons said LaFleur’s presence was part of the reason he wanted to come to Green Bay. Parsons said he mentioned that to LaFleur after seeing questions about the coach’s job status.

    “You can get spoiled with good coach and good people, and you don’t realize until they’re gone,” Parsons said. “I don’t want to be at that point where we realize like, ‘Damn, we let such a great coach go.’ “

    Parsons said players must take accountability regarding the way the season ended.

    “There’s a lot of reality checks that us as players need,” Parsons said. “Yeah, I think as fans and people I see the same things you see. People want to look at the play-calling and people want to look that, but I’m looking at the effort of the guys. I look at the how guys are playing. Are we blocking? Are we getting blocks? Are we attacking? Those are the things us players we can control. And I think more people need to realize that.”

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  • Dylan Raiola announces he’s transferring from Nebraska to Oregon

    Quarterback Dylan Raiola announced Monday on social media he intends to transfer from Nebraska to Oregon.

    Raiola was the highest-ranked recruit to sign with Nebraska and started 22 games over two seasons. He broke his leg against Southern California on Nov. 1 and missed the Cornhuskers’ last four games.

    Oregon’s quarterback room for 2026 remains unsettled even with the addition of Raiola as Dante Moore decides whether he will enter the NFL draft.

    Moore said Friday after a 56-22 loss to No. 1 Indiana in a College Football Playoff semifinal that he was uncertain on declaring for the draft or returning to Oregon for a final season. Moore went 24-of-39 for 285 yards with an interception and two fumbles against the Hoosiers.

    He completed nearly 73% of his throws for 3,280 yards, with 28 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season.

    Two of Moore’s backups, Austin Novosad and Luke Moga, have entered the transfer portal. Should Moore remain at Oregon, Raiola could redshirt next season before taking over as starter in 2027.

    Raiola completed 72.4% of his passes for 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns in nine games this season. In his freshman year in 2024, he threw for 2,819 yards with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

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  • Will Cannabis Be At The California Super Bowl

    Will cannabis be at the California Super Bowl as gummies quietly rival beer at America’s biggest game

    As the state prepares to host, a familiar question is quietly circulating alongside conversations about commercials, halftime performers, and watch parties: will cannabis be at the California Super Bowl, the biggest sporting event in America?

    California has long been a pioneer in cannabis legalization and normalization. From the passage of medical marijuana laws in the 1990s to full adult-use legalization in 2016, the state helped transform cannabis from a taboo substance into a regulated, mainstream consumer product. Today, legal dispensaries operate across California, cannabis brands advertise on billboards and podcasts, and infused products are as familiar to many adults as craft beer or fine wine.

    RELATED: Sara Carter Bailey Approved For New Drug Czar

    Yet the Super Bowl remains a complicated space for cannabis. The game itself is governed by the non-profit NFL and broadcast standards still prohibit cannabis advertising and on-site consumption, even in fully legal states. Inside the stadium, cannabis will not be sold, promoted, or consumed legally, despite California law allowing adult use elsewhere.  Some guests might bring in edibles, but even tobacco vapes are banned. Alcohol, however, will once again dominate. Beer sponsorships, liquor ads, and branded cocktails are a staple of Super Bowl culture, both in the stands and in living rooms across the country.

    At home, the contrast is even sharper. Super Bowl Sunday has become one of the biggest alcohol consumption days of the year in the United States. Viewers are encouraged to drink early, drink often, and associate the game with beer runs and party coolers. In California, however, a growing number of adults are choosing cannabis as an alternative. This shift is subtle, but real, particularly among consumers looking to avoid hangovers, reduce calories, or simply enjoy a different kind of social experience.

    If cannabis does make an appearance connected to the Super Bowl, gummies are the most likely form. Gummies are by far the most popular edible category in legal markets, favored for their discretion, precise dosing, and lack of smoke or smell. Unlike flower or vapes, gummies can be consumed quietly at home without disrupting guests or drawing attention. For many California viewers, a low-dose gummy has become the equivalent of a beer or glass of wine during the game.

    RELATED: Greenland And Cannabis

    Brands know this, even if they cannot advertise directly. In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, dispensaries often see increased sales, with consumers planning their game-day experiences just as carefully as their snack menus. While cannabis won’t appear in commercials or on the field, it may still be part of Super Bowl Sunday rituals across California.

    So will cannabis be at the California Super Bowl? Not officially, and not visibly. But in living rooms, backyard watch parties, and quiet moments between plays, cannabis, especially gummies, is likely to be part of how many Californians experience the biggest game of the year.

    Anthony Washington

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  • Trevor Lawrence has to ‘live with’ costly turnovers in Jaguars’ playoff loss to Bills

    JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s hard to blame Jacksonville coach Liam Coen for relying on quarterback Trevor Lawrence against Buffalo on Sunday.

    After all, Lawrence pretty much carried the Jaguars to the playoffs.

    But Lawrence looked little like the AFC player of the month for December and January in a 27-24 loss to the Bills that ended one of the franchise’s most surprising seasons.

    Lawrence threw two interceptions, including one on the final possession, and turned the ball over on downs early in the second quarter when replays showed his shin touched the ground on a fourth-and-2 run deep in Buffalo territory.

    It was a significant momentum swing in the game. The Jaguars (13-5) could have gone up 14-3 and put pressure on Buffalo (13-5). Instead, they failed to score off a turnover and allowed Josh Allen to lead a 92-yard TD drive.

    “I wish we played cleaner in certain areas,” Lawrence said. “I wish I had made one or two decisions a little bit differently, threw a better ball here or there. You’ve got to live with it. It’s life. You don’t get do-overs. It’s a bummer.

    “But I know that we left everything out there. I know I put everything into this this year. It’s sucks that we don’t get to keep playing. This is a special group.”

    Lawrence completed 18 of 30 passes for 207 yards, with three touchdowns to go along with the turnovers. He also ran six times for 31 yards. He was late on several passes and rarely looked crisp, especially early. He found a rhythm in the fourth quarter and put Jacksonville ahead twice.

    He became the third quarterback in NFL history to deliver multiple go-ahead TD passes in the fourth quarter of a playoff loss, joining Allen (at Kansas City in 2021) and New Orleans’ Drew Brees (at San Francisco in 2011), according to ESPN Research.

    He connected with Parker Washington and Travis Etienne for scores in final frame, putting the Jags up 17-13 and 24-20. But Allen kept carrying the Bills back into the lead — and ultimately the win.

    Coen surely will get questioned for leaning on Lawrence instead of running backs Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten. The duo combined for 118 yards on 15 carries, averaging nearly 8 yards a run against one of the NFL’s most porous run defenses.

    “Just called the game like I always call the game,” Coen said.

    It was an obviously disappointing ending for Jacksonville, which won its most games since 1999 and built a foundation of success in Coen’s debut season. Lawrence was a big reason for it. He accounted for 25 touchdowns in the team’s eight-game winning streak in which it averaged 33.6 points.

    He also played fairly cleanly in those games, with just four turnovers. But it ended against the Bills.

    “In any playoff game, mistakes are always magnified,” Lawrence said. “It always comes down to the end. You don’t see a lot of blowouts in the playoffs. Everything’s on the line, and everyone’s fighting.

    “So whether it’s turnovers or turnovers on downs – we had three of those today, total – those add up and take points of the board. … I got to be better, cleaner there.”

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  • Aaron Rodgers, Football’s Rorschach Quarterback

    How much of his declining skills—or growing media presence—actually mattered to what he might contribute to the Steelers? Tomlin had previously demonstrated an inexplicable ability to lead teams to wins with terrible offenses. His Steelers had won games with Mason Rudolph and Duck Hodges at quarterback. They had made the playoffs with Kenny Pickett and Mitchell Trubisky as starters. Last season, Tomlin benched Justin Fields for Russell Wilson, who took the team off a cliff in the last four games of the regular season—and the Steelers still finished 10–7. But, coming into this year, the Steelers had lost six straight playoff games, and they haven’t won during the post-season since 2016. For years, people have whispered that Tomlin was near the end of his tenure. And it’s possible to see something a little desperate in the Steelers’ pursuit of Rodgers. But Rodgers is also a four-time M.V.P. award winner, a future Hall of Famer, a model for the modern quarterback. And he could still, on occasion, flick a long spiral up the seam and hit a receiver in stride, the kind of throw that seems to turn chaos into perfect, thrilling order. Rodgers had already declined the chance to be Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.,’s running mate during the 2024 Presidential campaign, he said, because he wanted to keep playing. And the whole Jets thing hadn’t worked out. He needed a job. And Tomlin needed a quarterback.

    Perhaps the vision wasn’t the result of a bad burrito, or of taking ayahuasca with Rodgers on one of Rodgers’s spiritual quests. Perhaps there was something logical about it. It seemed that way for a while. The Steelers started the season 4–1. Rodgers began the season by laughing at his old team, the Jets, scoring four touchdowns. The Steelers beat the New England Patriots (one of only three teams to do so all season) and then went to Ireland to beat the Minnesota Vikings. They lost to the Cincinnati Bengals—who, with their star quarterback Joe Burrow injured, employed another fortysomething, Joe Flacco—but Rodgers put in a vintage performance, with four touchdowns and nearly a fifth, a Hail Mary attempt that flew sixty-eight yards through the air before it was batted down. He’s still got the arm, at least some of the time.

    But not the legs, it seems. No one this season got rid of the ball faster than he did, whether the situation seemed to call for a quick pass or not. Only one wide receiver, DK Metcalf, had Rodgers’s obvious trust; his targets were often the Steelers’ running backs, closer to hand. That Hail Mary was an anomaly: no other quarterback’s completions travelled a shorter distance, on average, past the line of scrimmage. And when the pocket broke down, he usually crumbled with it. Yet there he was, in the final moments of the regular season, with his arms triumphantly raised.

    Was he responsible for bailing his teammates out under pressure, or for putting them in trouble to begin with? Rodgers is football’s Rorschach test, one of the league’s most polarizing players. It’s a role he seems comfortable in; it fits with his contrariness, and provides an ongoing relevance. The Steelers finished the season with their usual 10–7 record. (Maybe Tomlin’s vision was actually for more of the same.) On Monday, in any case, he’ll get another chance to finally win a big game: the Steelers host the Houston Texans during the wild-card round of the playoffs, with the winner advancing. It will be Rodgers’s twenty-second playoff start; his first came when the Texans’ quarterback, C. J. Stroud, was eight years old.

    The Texans are a flawed and beatable team, but they have one of the league’s best defenses, which means that it won’t be an easy night for Rodgers, most likely. But when has Rodgers ever made things easy? Before the start of the season, he said that he was “pretty sure” he’d retire after it was over. But after the Ravens game, he refused to close the door on his career. Who knows what visions may lie ahead? ♦

    Louisa Thomas

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  • Matt LaFleur and the Packers Face Uncertain Future After Blowing Big Lead in Wild-Card Loss

    CHICAGO (AP) — At the very end of his seventh season as Green Bay’s coach, Matt LaFleur saw a team that lacked composure at big moments in a playoff game.

    It was an all-too-familiar scene for the Packers — one that will follow LaFleur for a long time.

    “We’ve got to look at it. We’ve got to talk. There’s a lot of pieces,” he said. “All you’re trying to do in the moment is, when mistakes are made, you’re correcting them. There’s not long discussions on the sideline. It’s just you correct the mistakes and you try to keep it moving. And I felt like just our team got a little bit disheveled in the second half.”

    Green Bay blew a 21-6 lead in the fourth quarter of a wild 31-27 loss to the Chicago Bears in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Saturday night. The collapse included two big misses by Brandon McManus on an extra point and a 44-yard field goal, along with a delay-of-game penalty coming out of a timeout and a fumbled snap on the final play of the game.

    It was the fifth consecutive loss for Green Bay (9-8-1), a season-ending slide that featured two dramatic losses at Chicago. The Packers blew a 16-6 lead in the final minutes of regulation in a 22-16 overtime loss to the Bears on Dec. 20.

    Green Bay dropped to 33-3 in the playoffs when it led by at least 10 points. The other losses were against the Seattle Seahawks in the 2014 NFC title game and the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2003 divisional round.

    “We had a game where we couldn’t finish it and let a team come back and beat us,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “So it’s very disappointing to end the season on a note like that. So, yeah, everybody is very disappointed. I’m very disappointed, and that’s it.”

    The tough finish could lead to major changes for Green Bay.

    LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst each have one year remaining on their contracts. Ed Policy, who took over as Green Bay’s president and CEO last summer, has said he’s “generally opposed” to the idea of having a coach or GM enter the final year of a contract without an extension.

    LaFleur, 46, declined to get into the specifics of his situation after the loss, but he said being Green Bay’s coach “means everything” to him. He also got a vote of confidence from his quarterback.

    “I definitely think Matt should be the head coach,” Love said. “I’ve got a lot of love for Matt, and I think he does a good job.”

    Love threw three of his four touchdown passes in the first half. The Packers had a 21-3 lead when McManus missed a 55-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter.

    Love’s 23-yard TD pass to Matthew Golden made it 27-16 with 6:36 left, but McManus was wide left on the extra-point attempt. His missed 44-yard try would have provided a 30-24 lead in the final minutes.

    “It’s disappointing,” McManus said. “My role on the team is to make kicks and these guys pour in thousands of plays over the course of the season and I leave seven points on the board today. Like I said, it’s the most disappointing part of my career right now.”

    A delay-of-game flag coming out of a Green Bay timeout played a role in the drive stalling ahead of McManus’ final kick of the night. LaFleur called the penalty “inexcusable.”

    The Packers drove to the Bears 23 on their final possession, but offensive lineman Rasheed Walker was called for a false start before Love threw two incomplete passes. The timing on the final play was thrown off when Love dropped the snap.

    “We had a play called to be able to take a shot to the end zone,” Love said. “And then, depending on the coverage they were playing, how soft they were, trying to pick up an easy couple yards to the sidelines, that’s what we went to. When I fumbled the snap, couldn’t get that, it kind of turned into last-second Hail Mary.”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

    Associated Press

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  • NFL football today: What stories to watch for in wild-card playoff games

    For those who were going through NFL withdraws after not having a “Monday Night Football” game this week, the good news is that football action starts up again on Saturday, Jan. 10.

    So, when do the NFL playoffs in the wild-card round get going this weekend?

    NFL Wild-Card Schedule for Saturday, Jan. 10

    The NFL wild-card games start on Saturday, Jan. 10, with a double-header.

    At 4:30 p.m. ET the No. 5 Los Angeles Rams will play at the No. 4 Carolina Panthers, and the game will air on FOX and FOX Deportes. The, at 8 p.m. ET, the No. 7 Green Bay Packers will be at the No. 2 Chicago Bears, airing on Prime Video.

    NFL Wild-Card Schedule for Sunday, Jan. 11

    The NFL wild-card matchups continue on Sunday, Jan. 11, with three games.

    First, at 1 p.m. ET, the No. 6 Buffalo Bills will head to the No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars, and the game will air on CBS and Paramount+. Next, at 4:30 p.m. ET, the No. 6 San Francisco 49ers will go to the No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles, airing on FOX and FOX Deportes. Finally, at 8 p.m. ET, the No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers will take on the No. 2 New England Patriots, airing on NBC, Peacock and Universo.

    NFL Wild-Card Schedule for Monday, Jan. 12

    Finally, “Monday Night Football” returns on Jan. 12 with another playoff game.

    At 8 p.m. ET, the No. 5 Houston Texans will play at the No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers, and the game will air on the usual “Monday Night Football” spots: ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes.

    Stories to Watch For in These Games

    So, what stories should you watch for here? The main thing is that the Seattle Seahawks are heavily favored to take it all. They have this weekend off, since they’re the top seed in the NFC, so they’ll have their first playoff game next weekend. It will be a big upset if they fall in either of their two games leading up to the Super Bowl.

    After this weekend concludes, the NFL’s divisional round start on Saturday, Jan. 17, and continues on Sunday, Jan. 18. The AFC and NFC championship games are set for Saturday, Jan. 25, with the AFC Championship at 3 p.m. ET and the NFC Championship at 6:30 p.m. ET.

    Then, the Super Bowl LX will pit the AFC champion against the NFC champion at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 8.

    More sports news: 49ers Draw Tough Matchup in Wild Card Round of Playoffs After Seahawks Loss

    According to NFL research and reported by ESPN, NFL viewership is up for the 2025-26 season. Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” had the largest gains at 16%.

    “The NFL averaged 18.7 million viewers per game during the regular season, the second-highest since audience averages began being kept in 1988,” ESPN states in a piece out on Wednesday, Jan. 7.

    More sports news: Jim Harbaugh Shares Reaction to Ravens Firing Brother John Harbaugh

    “The per-game average on TV and digital platforms was a 10% increase from last season’s 17.5 million and up 7% from 2023, according to the league and Nielsen,” they add. “It also was just off the record average of 19 million, which was set in 1989.”

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