Category: News Feeds

Matthew Stafford says he understands why the Los Angeles Rams drafted Ty Simpson last month, even though they happen to have got the NFL’s reigning MVP quarterback under contract for at least the next two years. “Listen, I’m not 25 years old, and I get that,” Stafford said Thursday after organized team activities at the Rams’ training complex. “So we’re doing everything we can to be as good a football team as we can for now, for the future, for all of it.” The 38-year-old Stafford said he has “constant dialogue and a great relationship” with coach Sean McVay, who called him last month to tell him the Rams were about to stun the NFL by using the 13th overall pick on Simpson, the Alabama quarterback who was not expected to go that high in the draft — or to go to the Rams, who already knew Stafford was returning for 2026. The sixth-leading passer in NFL history then inked a hefty contract extension for 2027 last week, cementing his future in a role that was already rock-solid. McVay has repeatedly stated that Stafford is the Rams’ starting quarterback for as long as he wants to play, even after the Rams used their highest draft pick in 10 years on a quarterback. But Stafford also underlined why the Rams drafted a quarterback when he reiterated Thursday that he’s still going to take a year-by-year approach to his future, even after making a two-year contractual commitment. “Happy to have next year taken care of if I decide to play — and they still want me back,” Stafford said with a grin. “Excited to get that behind me, because I just want to come out here and play, and not think about the extra stuff. It’s good to get it done sooner rather than later.” Stafford and Simpson have been working out alongside returning backup Stetson Bennett and undrafted rookie Matthew Caldwell this month. Bennett and Simpson are expected to compete for the No. 2 job behind Stafford, who is heading into his 18th NFL season. Stafford and the 23-year-old Simpson appear to be getting along well so far, although Stafford is understandably focused less on mentorship and more on a genuine chance to secure his second Super Bowl ring in the upcoming season. “He’s a guy that asks questions,” Stafford said. “I’ve been trying to answer those as honestly and as thoroughly as I possibly can. He’s a smart kid. He’s got talent, obviously. Happy to add good players to our team. He’s one of them. But my job is to go out there and get myself and our team as ready to play as we possibly can.” Stafford is coming off one of the best seasons of his career in which he won his first MVP award. He passed for an NFL-best 4,707 yards and a career-high 46 touchdowns against just eight interceptions while leading the Rams to a 12-win season, two road playoff victories and a spot in the NFC championship game. While Stafford will wait until the next offseason to decide whether he’s coming back for 2027, it’s increasingly clear that he doesn’t want to play for another team. He turned down overtures from around the league a year ago, and he quickly cemented his future with the Rams this year after his MVP season. When asked if he intends to finish his career with the Rams, Stafford replied: “That would probably be a ‘Yes,’ but … this is life, and I don’t know what’s going to happen. I do love playing here. I love playing for this organization. Love my teammates, and my family loves it here.” Reporting by the Associated Press.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Argentina, the World Cup defending champion, is looking to achieve something only done twice in the history of the men’s World Cup. Something that’s almost impossible. To win it back-to-back. Two other great footballing countries – Italy and Brazil – have previously achieved that feat. Yes, I’ll get to Lionel Messi in a moment, but after seeing manager Lionel Scaloni’s 26-man roster for this summer’s tournament, I do wonder if this brotherhood and its steel-minded tenacity that we have seen so much in competition is good enough to repeat the glory of what happened four years ago. Time will tell. Here are my takeaways: Back-to-Back Destiny? The Italians under the legendary manager Vittorio Pozzo were the first to do it in 1934 and 1938. They probably could have kept going had it not been for the tragic introduction of the Second World War, which postponed the tournament until 1950. Eight years later, a young 17-year-old Brazilian phenomenon by the name of Pelé led his nation’s first World Cup title. In 1962 in Chile, despite Pelé’s injury in the group stage, Brazil won it again thanks to a wonderful squad that included Garrincha and Amarildo. France, who won in Russia in 2018, got dramatically close to joining that esteemed group in 2022. But Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez had something to say about it thanks to his incredible save that denied Randal Kolo Muani’s attempt in the 123rd minute…and this now brings me back to Argentina. And destiny. The wonderful thing about Argentina under Scaloni is that when you analyze the roster, it shows that it is probably the most united squad in international football. Their bond, their cohesiveness speaks of something greater than strategy. It’s the football definition of a fraternity, and it’s in this togetherness where this team truly delivers. From winning the World Cup in Qatar and Copa América two years later, to topping CONMEBOL’s qualifiers by nine points, this remains the best team in South America – and the champion – until said otherwise. But things are changing. This is an older team, and you can’t count out some of Europe’s contenders on a mission (France, Spain, Portugal or England), their great rivals Brazil, or even dark horse candidates from across the globe. Lionel Messi’s Last Dance … How Will He Look? Messi will enter his sixth World Cup, and alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, will make history as the first player in the men’s game to reach this milestone. The problem is that with longevity comes the absence of security as Messi is currently dealing with muscle fatigue in his hamstring after he left the pitch last week, holding his left thigh, during Inter Miami’s match against the Philadelphia Union. Scaloni now waits the waiting game with Messi and time, my friends, is our most valuable and fragile gift. It’s just fatigue and things could have been way worse but in a strenuous tournament in the U.S. with a demanding schedule and unforgiving climate, this is the one World Cup where Argentina’s physical training team have to do the very best to make sure he’s well-prepared. Messi is not like any other player so his role in this remains key to Argentina’s plans as they will wait until the last second to have him ready. But as he turns 39 during the World Cup, one thing is for sure—which is the sad reality for all of us—Messi’s last dance on the biggest stage is fast approaching and this Argentina squad has to find a way to perhaps contemplate the concept of relying less on him. And win it all. Again. New Kids On The Block There is no Franco Mastantuono but frankly, I am not surprised. The 18-year-old sadly did not live up to the glowing hype after joining Real Madrid, and did not make the squad. The good news is that time for him is on his side. There are eight new players on La Albiceleste for this World Cup that join 18 returning icons who lifted the trophy in Qatar in 2022. One new arrival to point out is José “Flaco” López, who is a welcoming surprise from Scaloni and lesser known outside of South America. López is the 25-year-old striker from Brazilian club Palmeiras who has 14 goals in all competitions and is attracting a lot of interest from the Premier League and La Liga. The list of Argentina forwards is obviously deep but López offers something different and his ability to also create (nine assists) will make him a good choice in a bench that needs diversity, especially without the recently retired legend Ángel Di María. Alvarez Ready For Golden Boot? I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Diego Simeone’s impact is ever so present with this squad. Scaloni wants metal-minded resilience in this tournament and Atlético Madrid’s six players in the squad — more representatives than any club — will undoubtedly show that. And I am not even talking about the players who previously played under Simeone at the Spanish powerhouse. But of all of them, for me, this is the World Cup for Julián Alvarez as I think his role will be the most impactful, especially as Messi’s role often alters deeper in midfield (as we saw at Copa América in 2024). Wanted by Barcelona (and the feeling is reportedly mutual), this is a major summer for La Araña, who I think has a chance of challenging for top scorer in the tournament. Argentina’s first mission is to win its group (Algeria, Austria, Jordan) which on paper is more than doable. After that? The challenges surely come so it will be absolutely imperative for this team to stay healthy, continue on this path of compactness with or without Messi, and believe wholeheartedly that it can do it again. Will they? Only time will tell.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Pep Guardiola is reportedly open to taking over as England manager in the future as he begins his life after Manchester City. The legendary coach, who has just ended a trophy-laden decade at the Etihad Stadium, is viewed as the ultimate ‘dream’ candidate for the Football Association. A Legendary Tenure Ends Guardiola has finally called time on his historic spell with Manchester City, leaving a legacy that includes 20 major trophies and six Premier League titles. Following his emotional departure on Sunday, the tactical mastermind is expected to take a sabbatical from the dugout, mirroring the break he took after leaving Barcelona. As Enzo Maresca prepares to step into the massive void left by the Spaniard, attention has quickly shifted to what lies ahead for Guardiola. While a return to club football will always be an option for a man of his caliber, it appears international management is increasingly becoming his preferred next destination. England’s ‘Dream’ Candidate Despite Thomas Tuchel recently committing his future to the Three Lions with a contract extension through to Euro 2028, Guardiola remains the name at the top of the FA’s wishlist. Sources close to talkSPORT indicate that the outgoing City boss is intrigued by the possibility of leading a national team, and would be “keen” to take the England job at some stage. Transfer insider Ben Jacobs discussed the situation on talkSPORT: “The England job, he’s always been a dream candidate. We know that Thomas Tuchel extended, but in the long run… My feeling is that Pep will one day go into international management. He doesn’t have anything else lined up. “It’s unlikely he’ll take another job within the Premier League, but keep an eye on Pep just doing what Jürgen Klopp’s done, taking on strategic roles. He’s going to be a club ambassador for City Football Group and then in the more medium to long-term future, is his head turned by an international vacancy?” Interest From Saudi Arabia England are not the only nation hoping to lure Guardiola into the international arena. Saudi Arabia have emerged as a serious contender for his services, with the Gulf nation looking ahead to their hosting of the 2034 World Cup. While Georgios Donis is currently in charge, the ambition of the Saudi Federation could see them make a massive play for the 55-year-old. “Saudi is the viable option. Although, naturally, UAE because of the links with Manchester City could be another possibility too. I think Saudi will make a play for Pep Guardiola with a view more to the longer-term future,” Jacobs explained. “They won’t be panicked if they don’t get him now. They’ll be thinking more about, is he the right manager for the 2034 World Cup?” The Long-Term Outlook For now, England remain settled under Tuchel, who succeeded Gareth Southgate in early 2025. However, the FA are well aware that the opportunity to appoint Guardiola may only come around once. The door remains open for a future approach should the circumstances align after the next major tournaments. As Jacobs concluded during his talkSPORT appearance: “The Saudi Football Federation would love to bring Pep Guardiola as manager one day, but he still remains a kind of dream target for England. “Of course, Thomas Tuchel is the man they’ve gone for. He signed a new deal, he’s the manager in place at the moment for the home Euros. If it was not to work out and end more abruptly, and there’s no signs of that at this stage, then don’t be surprised if England come calling for Pep Guardiola as well.” 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19). The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Ah, revenge games. Whenever an NFL player or coach goes up against an old team, it always makes for a good storyline. Sometimes, there’s no real hardcore animosity, and at least publicly, you’ll hear a lot about how it’s really just another game. So we’re not trying to manufacture hostility as much as highlight games where prominent personalities will run into their exes. If we headlined it as “Top 10 Water Under the Bridge Games for 2026,” you’d still understand what we’re going for. Will there be hugs on the field in pregame? Will the old fans cheer or boo the guy they bought a jersey of who signed elsewhere? These are the games where those questions will be asked and answered in 2026. There are a handful of coaches facing old teams every year, but this could be fun. Mike McDaniel got the Miami Dolphins to the playoffs twice in his four-year tenure as head coach (2022, 2023) after only one appearance in the previous 13 years, but they let him go as part of an overhaul. He went 35-33 as Miami’s head coach, but he now gets to be Justin Herbert’s coordinator. Miami is in a hard rebuild and unlikely to be competitive in 2026. His return to Miami, which will be two days after Christmas, will be one to watch, though. It didn’t make the cut, but we’ll also point out that a week earlier, the Dolphins will go to Green Bay to face the Packers, so it’s a return trip for head coach Jeff Hafley and quarterback Malik Willis, though an upset feels unlikely. We chose Romeo Doubs here, joining the defending AFC champs, but there are so many good receiver-vs.-old-teams on the 2026 schedule. Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle takes on his old team (Dolphins), as does new Buffalo Bills wide receiver D.J. Moore (Chicago Bears). Michael Pittman takes on the Indianapolis Colts after they traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Jauan Jennings faces the San Francisco 49ers following his decision to sign with the Minnesota Vikings. That list doesn’t even count the unsigned wide receivers (Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel), who could add even more diva behavior against their former clubs. Kevin Stefanski spent six years as the Cleveland Browns’ head coach, getting the team to the playoffs twice and winning NFL Coach of the Year honors both times. Alas, he went 8-26 the last two years and was cut loose, landing quickly with the Atlanta Falcons, who will likely need a road win here if they want to compete for the NFC South title. Also worth circling are both Falcons games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as Baker Mayfield made it clear he remembers that Stefanski never called or texted him after the Browns traded him away. Beefs aplenty! The Los Angeles Rams actively addressed their secondary by raiding the Kansas City Chiefs this spring, giving up four picks (including a first-rounder) to acquire Trent McDuffie, then signing him to a $124 million extension. Jaylen Watson, a former seventh-round pick for Kansas City, signed a three-year, $51 million deal with the Rams in free agency. They won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs, but they’ll go up against them in a high-profile game on a Thursday night in early December. Again, no real ill will here, as Derrick Henry has said he’ll always have love for the Tennessee Titans. He played eight years for Tennessee, rushing for 9,502 yards and 90 touchdowns. He continues to be a dominant bell cow back at age 32 and will likely finish his career with the Baltimore Ravens, but he gets his first game against his old team this season. It’s a big challenge early on as Tennessee tries to show its defense will be better than 28th in scoring, as it was last year. The New York Giants’ only playoff win in the last 14 seasons came with Daniel Jones at quarterback, leading them to a nine-win season in 2022. That got him a massive four-year, $160 million contract, and Jones went 3-13 as a starter in 2023-24 before he was cut loose. He found himself with the Colts last year before tearing his Achilles tendon. Both of these teams have aspirations of improving in 2026, so Jones vs. Jaxson Dart on Thanksgiving weekend is quite the side dish. Trey Hendrickson made the Pro Bowl four straight years with the Cincinnati Bengals, led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024, but this was a nasty split, with holdouts and one-year band-aid deals and a final breakup this offseason. The Bengals are trying to get a terrible defense improved after losing one of their best players, and now they have to face him twice in the division as well. Keeping Joe Burrow healthy and upright is always a Bengals priority, but Hendrickson will be motivated to pile up sacks in these two games. Robert Saleh’s return as an NFL head coach will come against the team that fired him after a 20-36 record in three-plus seasons in 2024. It’s two mostly bad teams squaring off for the right to start 2026 with a dose of optimism. It would be better if this were against the Jets in New York, but you get a little of that in Week 3 when Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll gets to go back home to face the Giants, who fired him last season after a 20-40-1 record in New York. There might be some actual hostility here. Baker Mayfield gets his second crack (and his first joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) against the team that he led to a playoff win, who later traded him to the Carolina Panthers after giving $230 million guaranteed to Deshaun Watson in 2022. Mayfield wasn’t able to get the revenge he was hoping for against the Browns in his first meeting against his old team, losing to Cleveland in his first game as a member of the Panthers. But Mayfield has settled in nicely with the Bucs since then, and Cleveland is 8-26 in the last two seasons. It’s five times more interesting if this game’s in Cleveland, but the idea of Mayfield getting to play his home opener against the team that shipped him off — potentially against Watson, who didn’t play in the 2022 Browns-Panthers matchup — is peak NFL soap opera. Kenneth Walker III won a Super Bowl MVP with Seattle, rushing for 135 yards in their win over the Patriots, but then he left in free agency, signing a three-year, $43 million deal with Kansas City. Other key players left the champs as well, but he’s arguably the biggest name, and he’s going back to Seattle, so will the K9 fans be barking? Will the 12th Man be more “12 Angry Men?” And how motivated will Seattle’s run defense — allowing a league-low 3.74 yards per carry last year — be to not let him break a big run against them? Walker has said that he knew during the 2025 season that he wouldn’t be returning to Seattle for 2026, so there should be plenty of motivation on his end.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports