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Men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball – there’s no shortage of college ball, every night. Don’t worry, we’re here to help you figure out what you missed but shouldn’t have. Here are all the best moments from last night in college basketball. UConn shows off its depth, extends win streaks UConn faced off against Xavier on Wednesday without starting senior forward Serah Williams — last year’s Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year before her transfer from Wisconsin — and freshman forward Blanca Quinonez, who is averaging 10.6 points in 19.6 minutes per game off the bench this season. You would not know this was the case unless you were told or saw it yourself, given the way the game played out. Junior guard Ashlynn Shade stepped up with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and a career-high and Division I-leading 9 steals, helping UConn force an absurd 34 turnovers. And sophomore guard Allie Ziebell was red-hot off the bench: she played 29 minutes and scored a career-best 34 points on 11-for-15 shooting while sinking 10 3-pointers, which tied the Huskies’ program record. Ziebell also had 3 assists and 2 steals, and her 34 points represented more than what Xavier’s starters managed, combined — the fivesome put up 33 points as a unit, with the bench adding the other half-dozen in a 97-39 defeat. Ziebell just likes shooting against Xavier: every time she has made at least 5 3-pointers — this is the third time it’s happened — it has been against the Musketeers. What’s maybe most incredible about the final score is that UConn was up just 22-17 after the first quarter, and Xavier even had a lead for a bit. Then things got very ugly for the Musketeers. The Huskies not only forced 34 turnovers, but scored 48 points off of them, and the defense held Xavier to 7, 7, and 8 points in each of the three remaining quarters. UConn stole the ball 22 times as a team; Xavier didn’t register a single theft. And again, this was without Williams and Quinonez, a starting defensive-minded forward and the primary option off the bench that’s trusted to run things when Williams or sophomore star forward Sarah Strong needs a breather, and the two top scorers after Strong and fifth-year guard Azzi Fudd. (Williams, incidentally, is now behind both Shade and Ziebell in points per game after last night.) UConn has now won 50-straight Big East matchups, tied for the 12th-longest conference winning streak in Division I women’s basketball. It was also the Huskies’ 38th win in a row overall, breaking a tie with 2013-2014 Notre Dame for the 11th-longest streak in women’s D-I history. Three more victories would give UConn half of the top-10 such streaks in Division I women’s basketball, as the Huskies would pass 1985-1987 Texas’ 40-game run. Standing in UConn’s way on Sunday is the last team that it lost against: No. 15 Tennessee. The Huskies lost to and in Tennessee on Feb. 6, 2025, 80-76. They then won the final seven games of the regular season, however, then the Big East tournament and the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, and are now 22-0 in 2025-2026. Sunday’s big game, by the way, will air on Feb. 1 at 12 p.m. ET live on FOX and the FOX Sports app. Washington upsets Maryland in 2OT No. 25 Washington took on No. 16 Maryland on the road, and some killer basketball was the result. Not only did the Huskies upset the Terps, but they did so in double-overtime, 83-80. Junior guard Sayvia Sellers was the driving force behind the Huskies’ attack, with a career-best 38 points — the most in Division I men’s or women’s ball last night — on 15-for-32 shooting with 5 3s, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. There was also a serious battle for boards in this game. Maryland junior forward Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu D-I led all of D-I’s women with 16 rebounds, tied with Army’s Kya Smith, and she got more than a little help from 6-foot-2 senior guard Saylor Poffenbarger, who logged a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, and senior guard Yarden Garzon, who dropped 24 points with 7 rebounds. Maryland, as a team, pulled down 52 boards, but that was barely enough to beat out Washington, which had 50 of its own rebounds thanks to sophomore guard Avery Howell and freshman forward Brynn McGaughy collecting 11 each. The two were basically this close in everything. Both sank 30 shots, with the Huskies shooting 37% and the Terps 38%. Both hit 13 free throws, were one apart in assists and Washington scored 40 points in the paint to Maryland’s 36. There was some real separation in the score for a bit, however, with Maryland going up 13 at one point, and leading for 59% of the game as a whole. Then, Washington won the third quarter, 23-11, and senior guard Ella Ladine hit a 26-footer with 13 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 59; Maryland would miss both of its layup attempts to win as time expired. With no time left in overtime, Poffenbarger was fouled and had a chance to win it for the Terrapins. Instead, she got the first to tie the score, 72-72, then missed the second, while Washington grabbed the rebound. Poffenbarger would once again get the chance to be the hero in the second OT with 12 seconds left and the Huskies up 82-80, but she missed a layup, got her own rebound, passed it out and then watched Kyndal Walker also miss a layup. McGaughy got the rebound with 2 seconds left, and outside of one more sank free throw for Washington, that was that — the Huskies won, 83-80, and moved to 7-3 in Big Ten play, half-a-game behind fifth-place Ohio State, while Maryland fell to 5-5 and a tie for eighth. Wisconsin comes back from down 20 With 14 seconds left in the first half, Wisconsin had managed all of 15 points, but Minnesota had just hit a 3 to extend its lead to 20. The Badgers would manage another bucket before heading to the locker room down 35-17. When play resumed, it would be the Gophers unable to put together any offense — with 10:37 left in the second half, junior guard John Blackwell hit a 3-pointer to bring Wisconsin within 2, 39-37. In those nearly 10 minutes, the Golden Gophers had managed just 4 points. While Minnesota’s offense eventually woke back up, that stretch of nearly 10 minutes cost them. The Gophers scored 24 points over the next 10:37, but the Badgers put up 30. Blackwell scored 23 points total (and Wisconsin’s final 7 points) with 7 rebounds and an assist and steal each, while senior guard Nick Boyd contributed 21 points and 5 assists. Wisconsin got very little from anyone else besides this duo as far as the box score goes, but defensively? Minnesota didn’t even get many opportunities to shoot in the second half, as they shot 8-for-18 total in the last 20 minutes, and didn’t even attempt a bucket until the first five minutes of the second had nearly gone by. Wisconsin is now 7-3 in Big Ten play, tied with Purdue and UCLA for fifth in the conference. All three teams are one win and two losses behind Illinois and the possibility of a double bye in the conference tourney. Iowa State upsets Texas Tech When junior forward Addy Brown suffered a lower body injury, it was a disaster for Iowa State. The Cyclones lost the last game she played in, as well as the next four matchups — Brown was not only the second leading scorer on the team, but also its best facilitator and a key rebounder. After those five losses, however, Iowa State seems to have found its footing again. They dropped 93 points on Cincinnati and 90 on Arizona in back-to-back wins, and on Wednesday upset No. 21 Texas Tech, 84-70, on the road. Division I women’s leading scorer and junior center Audi Crooks scored 33 points on 13-for-19 shooting while grabbing 12 rebounds — her best night since Brown’s injury, which also included her 2,000th career point. Junior guard Jada Williams added 15 points with 9 assists, and senior forward Sydney Harris played 31 minutes off the bench, filling at least part of Brown’s shoes with a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double. Outside of the second quarter, when the Lady Raiders asserted themselves with a 20-14 showing, Iowa State was in control throughout. The Cyclones are now back to 5-5 in Big 12 play, and look like they are capable of being a dangerous opponent even without their key facilitator. If Iowa State can get the ball to Crooks in the paint, good things are going to happen for its offense, and that’s exactly what went down on Wednesday. Iowa State’s coach, Bill Fennelly, is now also the winningest coach in Big 12 women’s basketball history after Wednesday’s W: it was the 297th Big 12 win of his career. Houston, Florida rebound from defeats Both No. 10 Houston and No. 19 Florida had been surging of late, until they were not. The Cougars fell from No. 6 in the poll after an upset against ranked Texas Tech, while the Gators were upset by unranked Auburn, 76-67, on Saturday, dropping them from No. 16. Both teams avoided a losing streak in Wednesday’s action, though, with Houston topping TCU, 79-70, while Florida routed South Carolina, 95-48. While beating TCU by nine points might not wow in a vacuum, the Horned Frogs entered play ranked 44th in the NCAA Evaluation Tool — that’s a top-50 team with aspirations for March. Freshman guard Kingston Flemings was the key to the W for the Cougars, as he scored a game-high 27 points on 8-for-16 shooting and a perfect 9-for-9 from the line, while grabbing 5 boards with 5 assists. Senior guard Emmanuel Sharp added 23 points, and the team as a whole shot an excellent 22-for-24 from the line while also outpacing TCU from deep, 9 3-pointers to 4. South Carolina isn’t as significant of an opponent as TCU, but it still came into the game ranked 90th in NET. Florida beat them by 47 points, nearly doubling up on the Gamecocks. Four of the five Gators’ starters scored between 10 and 18 points, and junior guard Urban Klavzar scored 11 points in 20 minutes off the bench, as well. Florida outrebounded South Carolina, 45 to 24, had 28 assists to the Gamecocks’ 4, and shot 62% overall compared to South Carolina’s paltry 26%. It was a thrashing, and just what Florida needed to right itself. Troy beats Marshall despite Lewis-Eutsey The Sun Belt is a competitive conference in the sense that it’s got plenty of teams vying for the top, but it might also have just the one March Madness bid — the automatic one each conference receives for its champion. Which makes games like Wednesday’s between Troy and Marshall significant for the Sun Belt: Arkansas State sits atop it at 9-1, Georgia Southern second at 9-2, then came Marshall (8-2) and Troy (7-2) behind them. The Trojans would win this matchup, 85-82, and did so despite a huge effort from the Thundering Herd’s Timaya Lewis-Eutsey. The senior guard scored 33 points on 12-for-24 shooting with 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks and a D-I leading 10 assists. Troy made up for those points and then some, though, with four starters reaching double-digits and three of them scoring at least 17. Senior forwards Zay Dyer and Fortuna Ngnawo both logged double-doubles, with 17 points and 14 rebounds for the former and 21 points with 12 rebounds for the latter, helping the Trojans to a commanding 51-31 lead in rebounds that allowed for significant opportunities for second-chance points: Troy pulled down 23 offensive boards to Marshall’s 9. Marshall had the lead, 81-80, with 1:39 left on the clock after a Lewis-Eutsey and-1, but Dyer hit her own free throw to tie it up and then senior guard Ashley Baez sank a 3-pointer with 57 seconds left to go up 84-81 — all 18 of her points came in the second half, helping Troy make its 21-point comeback. The win was also the 500th of Troy coach Chanda Rigby’s collegiate career. Of those, 272 wins have come with Troy, leaving her three shy of becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach. St. John’s wins 7th-straight Things were rough for St. John’s for a while there. Ranked No. 5 in the preseason, the Red Storm fell and fell in the poll until they slipped off it entirely for four weeks. St. John’s reentered the poll at No. 25 this week, however, and then faced off against a top-50 team in Butler in Big East action on Wednesday. The Red Storm won handily, 92-70, pushing Butler to 57th in NET while moving their own rank in the NCAA Evaluation Tool up to 24th. St. John’s shot 56% overall and outrebounded Butler 41-31, allowing them to also handle the Bulldogs in the paint, 46-32. St. John’s is now 14-1 in the past two seasons in January — non-conference play might have been tough for the Red Storm, but they went right back to beating up on the Big East when conference play opened. They are now 9-1 in conference play, second in the Big East behind 10-0 UConn. While the conference has left a little to be desired this season as far as March aspirations go, St. John’s reviving its season could go a long way toward changing that.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

A monumental event such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup merits a historic broadcast schedule. FOX Sports’ FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule is set to take over the summer airwaves with all 104 tournament matches airing live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in primetime across FOX (21) and FS1 (19). “FIFA is putting on the biggest World Cup in history, and FOX Sports is living up to that standard,” said Eric Shanks, CEO & Executive Producer, FOX Sports. “Our broadcast schedule affirms FOX is truly going to be America’s home for the beautiful game over a span of 39 incredible days. We look forward to bringing the country together for its 250th birthday with all the world here for the greatest event on the planet.” The biggest-ever edition of the global showcase, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first tournament hosted by three countries – United States, Mexico and Canada – with 48 teams competing across 16 host cities. Eleven cities will be hosting the tournament in the U.S. including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area. Expanded Coverage for USA The broadcast schedule will also have expanded coverage of the U.S. men’s national team, with all three of the USA’s Group D stage matches airing on FOX.  The USA’s opener vs. Paraguay on Friday, June 12, in Los Angeles (9 p.m. ET, FOX) will feature a three-hour pregame show beginning at 6 p.m. ET. The USA’s second group stage match vs. Australia takes center stage Friday, June 19, from Seattle with live coverage starting at 1:00 PM ET before the match begins at 3:00 PM ET. The team’s third group stage match vs. the winner of UEFA Playoff C (Slovakia, Kosovo, Türkiye and Romania) will take place Thursday, June 25, in Los Angeles with coverage beginning at 9:00 PM ET. Other FOX Sports FIFA World Cup 2026 Highlights​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Why have 900 when you could have 1,000? “Getting 900 [career wins as a head coach] is a nice thing certainly, but getting 1,000 would be a lot better,” Rick Pitino said on Wednesday night in a postgame press conference following St. John’s getting a 92-70 win over Butler. “That means I’ve got to be blessed with good health, good players and just keep recruiting, and the better you recruit, the better coach I am.” Pitino got win No. 900 last Saturday in a road victory over Xavier, whose head coach, Richard Pitino, is Rick’s son. After Wednesday, Pitino has 901 career wins as a collegiate head coach — split between his time as the head coach at Hawai’i, Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville, Iona and St. John’s — which is fourth in men’s college basketball history. Pitino is two wins away from tying Roy Williams for third place. As for the Red Storm’s win over the Bulldogs, Dillon Mitchell finished with 14 points, a game-high 13 rebounds, four assists and three blocks for St. John’s; Zuby Ejiofor had 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks; Ian Jackson had a team-high 18 points; Joson Sanon had 13 points in 19 minutes. The win moved St. Johns’s to 16-5 overall and 9-1 in Big East play, good for second in the conference. As for individual standouts, Ejiofor is averaging 15.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.2 steals per game; Bryce Hopkins is averaging 13.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game; Mitchell is averaging 9.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game; Jackson is averaging 11.1 points per game; Oziyah Sellers is averaging 11.0 points per game. St. John’s is second in the Big East in points (85.4 per game) and third in field goal percentage (46.9%) and 3-point shooting percentage (35.8%). On the other end of the floor, the Red Storm are tied for third in the conference in opponent field goal percentage (42.6%), while being fourth in 3-point shooting percentage (33.5%) and fifth in opponent points (72.5 per game). The Red Storm are in their third season under Pitino, boasting a combined 67-23 record, highlighted by being a No. 2 seed in last season’s NCAA Tournament. Next up for St. John’s is a road matchup against DePaul on Feb. 3, followed by a ranked clash against No. 2 UConn at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 6 (8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The NFL offseason is in full swing. Free agency has come and gone, with many of the top players available finding homes. But there are still some notable free agents out there who have yet to be signed, and several other players appear to be Here’s the latest look at some of the most notable rumors around the NFL. [2026 NFL Free Agency: Top 100 Players Available and Potential Fits] Odell Beckham Jr. meets with Giants’ coach John Harbaugh Amid the rumors of his return to New York, Odell Beckham Jr., reportedly, met with Giants coach John Harbaugh during the owners meetings in Arizona this week. Beckham was out of the NFL last season, after playing nine games with the Miami Dolphins in 2024. He spent time in Baltimore, Cleveland and with the Los Angeles Rams over the last five years. But before that, he was a three-time Pro-Bowler with the Giants, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards in four of his five seasons in New York. Beckham would join a wide receiver room that includes Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III. Klint Kubiak doesn’t want a rookie Week 1 starting QB Fernando Mendoza won’t start right away for the Las Vegas Raiders if coach Klint Kubiak has his way. The Raiders are expected to select the Heisman Trophy winner with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft next month. Mendoza led Indiana to its first national championship and became the overwhelming favorite to go first. “Ideally, you don’t want him to start from day one,” Kubiak said Tuesday. “You’d love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That’s in a perfect world. It doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from day one and it’s our job as coaches to get them ready to go. I think it does help the player if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show.” Aidan O’Connell is the only other quarterback currently on the Raiders after the team traded Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett. Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo and Russell Wilson are among the veterans who remain unsigned. Kubiak, who was the offensive coordinator for Super Bowl champion Seattle, replaced Pete Carroll and aims to rebuild a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since the AFC championship game following the 2002 season. It starts with landing a franchise quarterback. “He’s a national champion, he’s a winner,” Kubiak said of Mendoza. “He’s quick. He’s intelligent.” Shedeur Sanders to switch jersey number Shedeur Sanders will have a new look in 2026. The Cleveland Browns quarterback will switch his jersey number to No. 2 next season, the team announced. Sanders previously wore No. 12. Sanders actually wore No. 2 during his college career, but he couldn’t wear that jersey number during his rookie season with the Browns. Wide receiver DeAndre Carter had possession of the jersey number when Cleveland selected him in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. As for on-field matters, Sanders seems in line to compete for the starting quarterback job in 2026. Browns general manager Andrew Berry previously said that Sanders, Deshaun Watson and other quarterbacks on their roster will get the opportunity to potentially win the starting job. Sanders started the final seven games for the Browns in 2025, posting a 3-4 record. He threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions to go with 169 rushing yards and a rushing score last season. Safety Damar Hamlin returns to Buffalo Safety Damar Hamlin is returning to Buffalo for a sixth season after signing a one-year contract with the team on Friday. Hamlin was a free agent after his one-year contract expired. And he’s staying in Buffalo where the 28-year-old has served as an inspiration for perseverance following his remarkable comeback after a near-death experience three years ago. Hamlin has shown no signs of a setback since he went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field during a game at Cincinnati in January 2023. Though he was eased back into action in being limited to playing five games the following season, Hamlin had a career-high 14 starts in 2024. He was relegated to a backup role last season and limited to just five games after landing on injured reserve because of a pectoral injury sustained in practice. Hamlin is expected to compete for a backup spot on a team and defense in transition. Jim Leonhard takes over as coordinator under new coach Joe Brady, who was promoted in January after Sean McDermott was fired. The Bills have since signed free-agent safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone, who are anticipated to compete for the starting job opposite Cole Bishop. Buffalo selected Hamlin in the sixth round of the 2021 draft out of Pittsburgh. He has two interceptions in 53 career games, including 27 starts. Tommy DeVito new backup for Patriots After QB Josh Dobbs’s release, Tommy DeVito is in line to be the New England Patriots backup quarterback under Drake Maye in this upcoming season. In 2024, DeVito was released by the New York Giants, being the odd man out in a competitive QB pool with players like Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and first-round pick Jaxson Dart. The season prior, he played three games, completing 70.5% of his passing attempts. After signing with the Patriots, he aims to provide support at quarterback and help support Maye. Trent Williams update The San Francisco 49ers opted not to exercise the $10 million option bonus on their star left tackle, per ESPN. Williams, who has no remaining guaranteed money on a three-year, $82.7 million deal with the 49ers past 2026, is set to count for roughly $47 million on San Francisco’s 2026 payroll, but the team reportedly plans to discuss altering the terms of his contract. Williams, a three-time All-Pro and 12-time Pro Bowler, will be 38 at the start of the 2026 season. Dolphins won’t trade Achane Multiple teams have contacted the Miami Dolphins this offseason to see if they were willing to part with running back De’Von Achane as part of a larger roster blowup, but per ESPN, Achane is not available. The fourth-year back is expected to be part of Miami’s future, assuming an extension can be worked out with the 24-year-old, as his rookie deal expires at the end of this season. Achane led the league in yards per carry, with 5.7, and set a new career-high in rushing yards with 1,350, blowing past his previous mark of 907. He finished with over 1,800 yards from scrimmage total, thanks to also making 67 receptions for 488 yards, and scored 12 touchdowns overall. [4 Takeaways: Broncos Trade for WR Jaylen Waddle from Dolphins] The Dolphins released quarterback Tua Tagovailoa earlier in March, traded five-time Pro Bowler Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Jets and, on Tuesday, dealt top wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos. Earlier in the offseason, wide receiver Tyreek Hill was cut; all told, per ESPN, the Dolphin have roughly $175 million in dead money against the salary cap in 2026. WR Mike Evans leaving Buccaneers? Not only will Evans test free agency, but the star wide receiver could be on the move. He’ll likely have five potential suitors when free agency opens, FOX Sports’ Henry McKenna reported. Teams have offered Evans a contract worth north of $27 million per year as well, according to FOX Sports’ Greg Auman. There’s also a sense that his time in Tampa Bay could be coming to an end, NFL Media reported. Evans is the third-highest-ranked wide receiver in our top 100 NFL free agents list. He also ranks 15th in the overall ranking. WR A.J. Brown’s trade wish list Where does the Eagles’ star wide receiver want to play next if he’s traded this offseason? Brown has the Bills, Chargers, Chiefs and Patriots on his preferred list of teams to get traded to, according to Sports Illustrated. New England has been commonly linked to Brown in recent weeks as the Patriots seek to add another wide receiver following the release of Stefon Diggs. However, talks have stalled between the two sides, NFL Media reported. Chargers extend edge rusher Khalil Mack Nine-time Pro-Bowler Mack agreed to a one-year, $18 million deal to remain with the Chargers. That figure is fully guaranteed. The 35-year-old will officially return for his 13th NFL season. Mack missed time early in 2025 with a dislocated elbow but still finished the season with 5.5 sacks, 32 tackles, four forced fumbles and a safety. Eagles extend DT Jordan Davis Philadelphia has extended Davis to a three-year, $78 million deal that includes $65 million guaranteed, with the $26 million average annual value an NFL record for a nose tackle. Last season, Davis totaled a career-high in sacks (4.5), passes defended (six) and combined tackles (72). Davis hasn’t missed a game since his 2022 rookie campaign. Bills retain C Connor McGovern The Bills have re-signed McGovern on a four-year, $52 million deal, according to ESPN. The deal includes $32 million guaranteed. McGovern, a 2024 Pro Bowler, has spent the last three seasons in Buffalo (2023-25). Cowboys tender K Brandon Aubrey Dallas has placed a second-round tender worth $5.76 million on its star kicker, per ESPN. Aubrey can now sign an offer sheet with another team, but the Cowboys have the right to match any deal. If Aubrey signs a contract with another team and Dallas doesn’t match the deal, the Cowboys will receive a second-round pick. Aubrey, a one-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler in each of his three seasons in the NFL (2023-25), was 36 of 42 on field goal attempts in 2025 (85.7%), including 11 of 17 on kicks of 50 or more yards (64.7%). He holds the NFL record with six made field goals from 60 or more yards. Texans cut RB Joe Mixon, extend TE Dalton Schultz Houston is releasing Mixon in a move which saves it $8 million, per ESPN. Mixon, a two-time Pro Bowler, spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Bengals (2017-23) before being acquired by the Texans in 2024. In 2024, the veteran back rushed for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns on 4.1 yards per carry across 14 regular-season games for the Texans, while tallying 309 receiving yards. Mixon didn’t play in 2025 due to a foot injury. Meanwhile, Houston recently acquired veteran running back David Montgomery from the Lions. Meanwhile, Houston has extended its starting tight end on a one-year, $12.6 million deal. He had one season remaining on a three-year, $36 million deal. Last season, Schultz, who has spent the last three years in Houston after a five-year stint with the Cowboys, totaled a career-high 82 receptions for 777 yards and three touchdowns. Patriots trade starting center to Bears The Bears have their new center. Chicago has reportedly acquired center Garrett Bradbury from the Patriots in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Bradbury started every game for New England last season. The deal comes days after Bears center Drew Dalman surprisingly retired at 27 years old. Bradbury, 30, just finished his seventh NFL season after starting his career with six years in Minnesota. Browns alter QB Deshaun Watson’s contract Cleveland restructured Watson’s contract, clearing roughly $36 million in cap space. Watson, a three-time Pro Bowler who hasn’t played since Oct. 2024 due to injury, is entering the final season of a five-year, $230 million deal. Rams keep S Kamren Curl Los Angeles has re-signed Curl to a three-year, $36 million deal, with a maximum value of $39 million. Curl, who has spent the last two seasons with the Rams (2024-25), totaled two interceptions, 2.0 sacks and 122 combined tackles in the 2025 regular season. He then had one interception and 27 combined tackles in the postseason. Carson Wentz-Frank Reich reunion … again? Wentz is the “preferred” free agent quarterback option for new Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich, according to SNY. Reich was Wentz’ offensive coordinator on the Eagles over his first two seasons in the NFL from 2016-17 and was his head coach on the Colts in 2021. Last season, Wentz played for the Vikings, initially serving as the team’s backup quarterback before starting five games in place of the injured J.J. McCarthy before suffering a season-ending injury to his non-throwing shoulder (left). Wentz earned his only Pro Bowl nod while being coached by Reich in 2017. Chargers sign new center Los Angeles has signed Tyler Biadasz to a three-year, $30 million deal, per NFL Media. Biadasz, a 2022 Pro Bowler with the Cowboys, was released by the Commanders last week after two seasons in the nation’s capital. Commanders to release CB Marshon Lattimore The Commanders are the latest team to make a cap-clearing move in the week ahead of free agency, releasing Lattimore. The move will clear $18.5 million in cap space for Washington, which will now have nearly $90 million available in cap space this offseason, per Over The Cap. Lattimore ranked 17th in Greg Auman’s top cap casualty candidates entering the offseason. He’s played just 18 games over the last two years, dealing with multiple injuries. Browns land RT Tytus Howard from Texans The Browns are getting some much-needed help along their offensive line, making a deal that could also have ramifications at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Texans are trading Howard to the Browns for a fifth-round pick. Howard will also reportedly receive a three-year, $63 million extension as part of the deal. Cleveland’s O-line was among the worst in the league in 2025, with Pro Football Focus ranking the group the second-worst offensive line last season. Offensive tackle Dawand Jones was also the Browns’ only Week 1 starter on their offensive line who was under contract for the 2026 season. With the Browns in desperate need of O-line help, many mock drafts projected them to select an offensive tackle with the sixth overall pick. Monday’s trade, which can’t be made official until March 11, might allow the Browns to address other needs at the top of the draft, like wide receiver. Chiefs cut OT Jawaan Taylor to open up major cap space In terms of the salary cap, the Chiefs were well underwater entering the offseason. They’ve given themselves some breathing room, though, after cutting Taylor. The move creates $20 million in cap space, and Kansas City is now roughly $15 million under the salary cap, per Over The Cap. Taylor was one of the NFL’s top cap casualty candidates entering the offseason, according to FOX Sports’ Greg Auman, ranking eighth on the list. Taylor, who had been the Chiefs’ starting right tackle since 2023, led them in penalties in each of his three years in Kansas City. Von Miller the general manager? The two-time Super Bowl champion, three-time All-Pro and Super Bowl MVP reportedly spent time at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine learning the ropes of what it takes to be an NFL general manager. The 36-year-old Miller, an eight-time Pro Bowler, spent last season with the Commanders, totaling 9.0 sacks and 26 combined tackles. Eagles LB Nakobe Dean to NFC East rival? Dean is expected to hit the open market, and the Cowboys will be among the teams that pursue him. Last season, Dean totaled a career-high 4.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and 55 combined tackles. He was limited to 10 regular-season games due to knee and hamstring injuries, respectively. This comes after Dallas created roughly $66 million in cap space by restructuring the contracts of quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and guard Tyler Smith. Prescott, a four-time Pro Bowler, is entering the second season of a four-year, $240 million deal; Lamb, a one-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler, is entering the second season of a four-year, $136 million deal; Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler, begins a four-year, $96 million deal in 2027. Smith had minor surgery on his right knee after the 2025 Pro Bowl Games but is expected to be ready for OTAs. NFL salary cap number revealed The NFL announced that the 2026 salary cap will be $301.2 million. This is a $22 million increase from 2025. Agents of NFL free agents can begin negotiating contracts with teams at noon ET on March 9, with NFL free agency officially opening at 4 p.m. ET on March 11. Cowboys tag WR George Pickens Dallas announced on Feb. 27 that it has placed the franchise tag on Pickens, which is worth roughly $28 million for the 2026 NFL season. Pickens, who was set to be arguably the best wide receiver on the free agent market, is coming off a breakout season in what was his first year with the Cowboys, totaling a career high in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429) and receiving touchdowns (nine). Pickens, who earned his first career Pro Bowl nod in 2025, spent the first three seasons of his career with the Steelers (2022-24). Commanders release OL Tyler Biadasz Biadasz had one year remaining on a three-year, $29.2 million deal, and his release will incur a $10.9 million cap hit and leave $8.1 million in dead cap. Biadasz was a key part of Washington’s NFC championship run last season. He was a Pro Bowler for the Cowboys in 2022. He’s now an unrestricted free agent. Colts QB Anthony Richardson cleared to seek trade The Colts have granted Richardson permission to seek a trade, according to ESPN. Richardson, who was selected by the Colts with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has started just 15 games in his NFL career; he suffered shoulder and head injuries in 2023, was benched during 2024 and lost his starting job to veteran Daniel Jones last summer while also dealing with an eye injury in 2025. Jets, Titans make a trade New York is sending defensive end and 2022 first-round pick Jermaine Johnson to Tennessee for nose tackle and 2024 second-round pick T’Vondre Sweat, per NFL Media. Johnson, a 2023 Pro Bowler, totaled three sacks and 43 combined tackles in 14 games in 2025. Meanwhile, over the first two seasons of his career (2024-25), Sweat has averaged 1.5 sacks and 42.5 combined tackles per season. Bears’ Tremaine Edmunds trade on the horizon? The Bears have granted Edmunds permission to seek a trade, according to the Chicago Tribune. Edmunds, a two-time Pro Bowler, is entering the final season of a four-year, $72 million deal. Last season, he totaled 1.0 sacks, four interceptions, nine passes defended and 112 combined tackles across 13 regular-season games. The 27-year-old, who spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Bills (2018-22), missed four games in 2025 due to a groin injury but returned for the postseason. Edmunds has totaled 100-plus combined tackles in each of his eight seasons. 49ers contract dispute? Star left tackle Trent Williams and the 49ers are “struggling to find a contractual solution,” per ESPN. Williams, a three-time All-Pro and 12-time Pro Bowler, is entering the final season of a three-year, $82.7 million deal. Williams played through a hamstring injury down the stretch of the 2025 season, which ended for San Francisco at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl-champion Seahawks in the NFC divisional round. Falcons cutting QB Kirk Cousins Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham revealed that the team will release Cousins on the first day of the new league year (March 11). The 37-year-old Cousins, who has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $180 million deal which included $100 million guaranteed when the deal was inked, was benched for Michael Penix Jr. with three games remaining in the 2024 regular season, with Penix opening 2025 as the Falcons’ starter. A season-ending knee injury for Penix put Cousins back under center, with the veteran posting 1,721 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, five interceptions and an 84.8 passer rating, while completing 61.7% of his passes across 10 appearances (eight starts). Chiefs targeting RB Travis Etienne? Jaguars running back Etienne has interest in joining the Chiefs this offseason, The Kansas City Star reported. Etienne is set to become a free agent on March 9 when his rookie contract expires. After an up-and-down start to his career, Etienne closed out his rookie deal on a high note. He rushed for 1,107 yards on 4.3 yards per carry, adding 292 receiving yards as he scored 13 total touchdowns. Chiefs running backs Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco are both set to become free agents this offseason as well. So, the Chiefs certainly have a need for a running back this offseason. Etienne is ranked 20th in FOX Sports’ top 100 NFL free agents list, placing third among the running backs on the list. Eagles RT Lane Johnson coming back Philadelphia’s longtime right tackle will return for a 14th NFL season, Johnson told The Philadelphia Inquirer. Johnson, a two-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler, missed the Eagles’ past eight combined games in 2025 (seven regular-season games and one playoff game) due to a foot injury. Following its Super Bowl LIX triumph, Philadelphia won the NFC East at 11-6 last season but lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round. Chiefs restructure QB Patrick Mahomes’ deal Kansas City has restructured Mahomes’ contract, bringing his 2026 salary down from $78.2 million to $34.65 million and creating $43.56 million in cap space. The Chiefs are currently over the cap. Mahomes’ 2025 campaign ended in Week 15 after he tore both his ACL and LCL, but the three-time Super Bowl MVP is targeting a Week 1 return. Dolphins release edge rusher Bradley Chubb The Dolphins are already making some roster moves, releasing veteran edge rusher Chubb, NFL Media reported on Feb. 16. Chubb, who’ll turn 30 in June, had a productive season in 2025, logging 8.5 sacks. However, he was set to have a cap hit of over $31 million in the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Miami was also over the salary cap when the offseason began, and cutting him cleared $7.34 million in cap space, per Over The Cap. NFL wins grievance, bans “team report cards” An arbitrator determined that the NFL Players Association violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL by distributing annual “team report cards” and ordered the union to stop making public any future reports, per ESPN. “We are pleased with the decision from the arbitrator, upholding the parties’ collective bargaining agreement and prohibiting the NFLPA from disparaging our clubs and individuals through ‘report cards’ allegedly based on data and methodologies that it has steadfastly refused to disclose,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. “We remain committed to working in partnership with the NFLPA and an independent survey company to develop and administer a scientifically valid survey to solicit accurate and reliable player feedback as the parties agreed in the CBA.” Decision looming on Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan provided somewhat of an update on the future of the team’s current starter. “I don’t know what the future holds right now, and I told Tua that,” he revealed on Feb. 12. “We’re working through some things. What I can tell you is that we’re going to infuse competition into that room — whether Tua is part of the room [or not]. … Tua knows where we are. We’ve been very honest and upfront, and Tua also knows that he will be the first to know when we make a decision. … We’re getting close to a decision, and when we do, we’ll let Tua know whether he’s going to be part of this or not, and we’ll move forward.” Tagovailoa is entering the second season of a four-year, $212.4 million deal with the Dolphins, who have a new general manager in Sullivan and a new head coach in Jeff Hafley. Last season, Tagovailoa, a 2023 Pro Bowler, threw a career-high 15 interceptions in 14 starts, while posting an 88.5 passer rating, his lowest mark since 2020. If the Dolphins release Tagovailoa, they would incur an NFL-record $99.2 million dead cap hit. Browns TE David Njoku leaving Cleveland Njoku, who spent the first nine seasons of his NFL career with the Browns (2017-25) and is set to become a free agent, posted on Instagram that “the time for [him] to find a new home has come.” Last season, Njoku totaled 33 receptions for 293 yards and four touchdowns across 12 games; he missed five games due to a knee injury. Njoku, who Cleveland selected with the No. 29 overall pick in 2017 out of Miami (Fla.), was a Pro Bowler in 2023 in a season that saw him total a career-high in receptions (81), receiving yards (882) and receiving touchdowns (six). He’s third in Browns history with 384 receptions, sixth with 34 touchdowns and 12th with 4,062 receiving yards. Rams extend HC Sean McVay, GM Les Snead McVay and Snead have agreed to multiyear extensions to stay with the Rams, the team announced on Feb. 2. The pair have led the Rams through one of the longest stretches of success in franchise history. The Rams are 92–57 in the regular season and 10-6 in the playoffs since Snead and owner Stan Kroenke hired a then-30-year-old McVay in 2017, one year after the franchise returned home from St. Louis. The Rams immediately ended a 12-year playoff absence and reached the Super Bowl one year later before winning the franchise’s second Super Bowl title in February 2022. Los Angeles has had eight winning seasons, seven playoff berths and four NFC West titles in nine years under McVay, the youngest coach to reach the Super Bowl and to win it. The Rams went 12-5 this season before winning two road playoff games to reach the NFC championship game, where they lost to the Seahawks. McVay said the Rams are optimistic that quarterback Matthew Stafford will return for an 18th NFL season, but the team will wait for the quarterback to make his own announcement. McVay said the Rams would love to stick with Stafford if he wants to come back after his MVP-caliber season in 2025. McVay also confirmed he has hired Bubba Ventrone as his new special teams coordinator. He hasn’t decided who will become his offensive coordinator after Mike LaFleur left to become the Cardinals’ head coach. Packers add former HC as DC Ex-Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is joining the Packers’ staff as defensive coordinator, the team announced on Feb. 2. Gannon will take over for Jeff Hafley, who left after two seasons when the Dolphins hired him to be their next head coach. “He possesses tremendous experience as an NFL coordinator and head coach,” Matt LaFleur said in a statement. “I am confident that he will be an outstanding addition to our organization, as well as a strong leader of our defense.” The Cardinals fired Gannon the day after their season ended with a ninth consecutive loss. Gannon went 15-36 in three years, including a 3-14 record this past season. Gannon had been the Eagles’ defensive coordinator for two seasons before Arizona hired him. In his second season in Philadelphia, the Eagles ranked second in the NFL in total defense and won the NFC championship before losing 38-35 to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. The Eagles had a franchise-record 70.0 sacks — 15 more than any other NFL team — in 2022. They also had 27 takeaways that season to rank fourth in the league. Gannon takes over a defense that ranked 12th in yards allowed per game (311.8), ninth in yards allowed per play (5.0) and 11th in points allowed per game (21.2) this past season. Green Bay’s defense ranked higher earlier in the season but struggled after season-ending injuries to All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons and defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt. Eagles DC Vic Fangio considered retirement The Eagles nearly had to make two coordinator changes this offseason. Fangio informed the team shortly after their season ended that he planned to retire before the Eagles convinced him to return, PhillyVoice reported on Feb. 1. If Fangio had held firm in his decision to retire, the Eagles were planning to contact former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon and Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, according to PhillyVoice. Gannon was the Eagles’ defensive coordinator for two seasons (2021-22) before leaving for Arizona in 2023. Fangio has been widely regarded as one of the top defensive minds in the NFL for several years. The Eagles’ defense has also been one of the game’s top defensive units since Fangio joined the team in 2024, ranking in the top five in scoring in each of the last two years. The Eagles hired Packers quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion to be their next offensive coordinator after parting ways with Kevin Patullo. Packers extend coach, multiple executives Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball have joined coach Matt LaFleur in signing multi-year contract extensions. Packers president/CEO Ed Policy announced the extensions for all three on Friday. The extensions come after the Packers went 9-8-1 and made their third straight playoff appearance, and sixth in the last seven years. A 31-27 loss at Chicago in the NFC wild-card playoff round capped a five-game skid that ended Green Bay’s season, though one of those defeats came when the Packers rested their starters in their regular-season finale. “We are excited to extend our commitment to Brian, Matt and Russ as the leaders of our football operations,” Policy said in a statement. “Their steadfast dedication, passion and collaboration have remained constant in our drive to compete at the highest level. While we are all disappointed with the way this season ended, we remain aligned in purpose and have spent considerable time over the past weeks collaborating on a path forward. “I am exceedingly confident we have the right people to achieve our goal. The entire Packers organization looks forward to supporting every effort to bring our community and fans another championship that they very much deserve.” LaFleur owns a 76-40-1 regular-season record and has led Green Bay to the playoffs in all but one of his seven years on the job. That includes NFC championship game appearances in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Green Bay has been the NFC’s seventh and final playoff seed each of the last three seasons. The Associated Press contributed to this report.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The NFL world has reacted similarly to Bill Belichick’s Pro Football Hall of Fame snub, as a lot of fans were wondering how this could happen. On Tuesday, news broke that Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach, was not a first-ballot entry into Canton. He needed 40 of 50 votes to get in, but there were reportedly 11 people who did not vote for Belichick. Here is how the NFL reacted to this news, according to our sources. NFL sources offer differing reactions on Belichick’s HOF snub Eric D. Williams: Much like the voting process itself, there was no consensus from league sources I spoke with on Bill Belichick not making the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. One NFL agent offered a strong rebuke to the Hall of Fame for leaving Belichick on the outside looking in this year. “It’s a complete f—-ing joke and they should close the Hall of Fame until further notice,” the NFL agent told me. “If current players and coaches voted, he would get 100%. Those voters are jealous and insecure fools.” That individual also felt it tarnished the legacy of the Hall of Fame. “Without question, and it already was questionable to begin with,” they said. And how much should his involvement in Spygate have any impact on his HOF candidacy? “None,” the NFL agent told me. “Because it has no meaningful role in his coaching career. Eli (Manning) not being in is a joke, too.” However, an NFC coach told me the Belichick snub was justified because of his involvement in Spygate. “In my personal opinion, he’s the greatest coach of this generation and I don’t think we’ll see anyone else quite like him,” the coach told me. “With that being said, he does have a stain on his name. I don’t get why people are trying to brush over that or trying to turn that page really quickly. “He got caught cheating. So, if you have cheated the game of football, I completely understand why you’re not a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I completely understand if you got caught stealing what’s not yours – yeah, wait a year. Don’t sweep that sh– under the rug. Nobody gets a freaking pass.” However, the NFC coach does believe that Belichick eventually deserves entry into the Hall of Fame. “No, put the man in the Hall of Fame,” the coach told me. “Yeah, you cheated and got caught. But he should be in the Hall of Fame. We’re not doing that.” Two more league sources I spoke with echoed the coach’s sentiments that Belichick will eventually get in. “Belichick will get there,” an NFL scout told me. “It’s not a snub. It’s just the process. The process could use refining in not enough personnel people who are the blood of an NFL team are not included.” Said another longtime NFL coach about Belichick’s chances: “He will be in the Hall of Fame soon enough.” NFL coaches fume at ‘embarrassing’ Belichick snub Ralph Vacchiano: The outrage over the news that Bill Belichick had been snubbed by Hall of Fame voters was swift and loud. And may have been loudest among Belichick’s peers. A group of NFL coaches was still in disbelief that at least 11 Hall of Fame voters did not vote for one of the greatest coaches in NFL history to be a part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. “Embarrassing,” one current assistant coach told me via text. “He’s the best to ever do it. If he’s not in, you can’t have any coaches in.” Another assistant coach put it in even stronger terms: “A f—ing disgrace” he told me in a text. And none of the coaches contacted cared much about the reasons behind Belichick’s snub, whether it’s eventually blamed on the Hall’s flawed and confusing selection process or whether the voters held the “Spygate” cheating scandal against the former Patriots coach. “There’s no excuse. None,” a former NFL head coach told me. “If you don’t think he’s the best candidate, you don’t deserve to vote. Seriously, outside of Tom Brady, who’s more deserving of (a spot in) Canton than him?” “There’s not a coach in NFL history more deserving than him,” one of the assistants told me in a text. “There’s not a coach in sports history more deserving. Anyone who thinks he’s not a Hall of Famer doesn’t deserve a vote.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Who’d have thought that Bill Belichick would steal the news cycle of a Super Bowl that he’s not even in — in a league that he no longer coaches in? Who’d have thought that Bill Polian, who hasn’t worked in an NFL front office since 2011, would end up getting almost as much attention? But that’s what has happened since ESPN reported that Belichick would not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when the results are announced on the “NFL Honors” show on Feb. 5. The news was a major shock, given Belichick’s Super Bowl titles — six as a head coach, two more as an assistant — make for an impossible-to-deny case for the Hall. And yet, the Hall is making Belichick wait. ESPN’s initial report is the primary reason why Polian has taken on such a prominent role. Polian is a former Indianapolis Colts general manager and a current Hall of Fame voter. In that ESPN story, Polian was reported to have told voters Belichick should have to “wait a year” due to Spygate, the videotaping scandal back in 2007. Polian later denied saying that, but he told ESPN that he heard other voters “float the idea.” The backlash for Belichick’s impending rejection has been significant. And fair or not, Polian initially stood as a scapegoat for the committee. There are 50 voters, all members of the media in one way or another — including Polian, who works for SiriusXM (and is a Hall of Famer himself). Polian released a statement on Wednesday to clarify. “I voted for Coach Belichick in the Hall of Fame selection meeting,” Polian said on Sirius XM. “The Pro Football Hall of Fame has confirmed that fact through the auditors of the selection process. Again, I’ll state that I never said that I believed that Coach Belichick should ‘wait a year’ for enshrinement. This has been confirmed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, numerous selectors who were in the room and my vote for Coach Belichick. “As a Hall of Fame member and selector, I realize the import of what we do. I’ve always tried as a selector to make these difficult choices with the utmost objectivity. I’ve said on Sirius XM Radio and numerous other media outlets that I believe Coach Belichick to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. My vote confirms that.” The ESPN report wasn’t the only reason Polian became such a feasible scapegoat. It was also his history of contention with the Patriots. Throughout New England’s dynasty under Belichick and Tom Brady, there was one AFC team that wanted to take the Patriots down as much as anyone. It was the Colts. New England had plenty of other rivals, of course. The Ravens were often a threat in the playoffs. Belichick loved beating up on the Jets, whom he left at the altar to join the Patriots (resigning as New York’s coach to take the job in New England). But the Colts’ rivalry was something fierce. The first iteration of that rivalry had the Brady-Peyton Manning duel at its center. But Manning, coach Tony Dungy and GM Bill Polian were often on the losing side of things. From 1998 to 2011 (the Polian era), the Patriots were 11-6 in the regular season and 2-1 in the postseason against the Colts. The rivalry between New England and Indianapolis spilled off the field as well. In the mid-2000s, the Colts were one of the teams that suffered from Belichick’s Spygate scandal, with the Patriots’ illegally videotaping opponents’ signs, including Indy. Polian also engineered a rule change in 2004 that limited defensive back contact with receivers — dubbed the “Ty Law Rule,” in reference to the former New England cornerback. That rule adjustment traced directly back to a postseason game during which Law and the Patriots got extremely physical with the Colts’ receivers, particularly downfield. Polian apparently didn’t like that, so he played a big part in making the rule that led to stricter enforcement of contact past five yards downfield. It’s worth noting that Indy later turned in a football that sparked the Deflategate scandal — but Polian played zero role in that. It simply increased the rivalry and dislike between Belichick’s Patriots and the Colts. If Polian did in fact vote for Belichick, then hopefully this is the end of the former GM taking the brunt of the criticism in the Belichick-Hall snub saga. And perhaps the voters who snubbed Belichick will come out and explain why, like Vahe Gregorian did.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The overarching theme I could not ignore when asking some college football coaches and NFL scouts about Bill Belichick’s legacy in the NFL was clear: cheating. Not his six Super Bowls won as a head coach, not his coaching tree nor his decision to start a former sixth-round NFL Draft pick, Tom Brady, who became the greatest quarterback the sport has ever seen. Belichick’s cheating defines who he is to some in the NFL and college football. And that seems to be the message this year’s Hall of Fame voters wanted to impart, as Belichick fell short of receiving at least 40 votes of 50, or 80 percent, for Canton as a first-ballot inductee. Now, the former New England Patriots coach and current North Carolina coach will have to wait until at least 2027 to be voted in. “My personal opinion is I definitely feel like he’s a first-ballot guy,” former New York Giants scout and two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Watts told me. “Regardless of all the negative stuff floating around on him, I feel like he’s earned it.” Fans and current and former athletes — including Sanders, Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James and Jimmy Johnson — were shocked by Belichick’s exclusion. Brady was mystified. And those I spoke to Wednesday echoed their sentiments. “‘That was insane’ was my first thought, given his resume,” a Big 12 position coach told me. “Then I saw the Bill Polian angle, punishing him, even if it’s just for one year, due to the cheating allegations. It’s more symbolic to make him wait, but he’s the greatest of all time.” “Not sure what to make of it,” a former NFL general manager told me. “It’s not good for the game. The Polian stuff is concerning, if true.” “How do you ignore getting caught cheating three times?” a former NFL scout during the Patriots’ Belichick era told me. “And twice for the same thing. For those who said the first ‘Spygate’ wasn’t a big deal, why did he keep doing it? That’s a big part of his legacy. … I also don’t believe Polian didn’t tell them he shouldn’t go in on the first ballot.” [HALL OF FAME: Bill Belichick’s Snub Result of Flawed Voting Process] Did deciding to pursue college football hurt his NFL legacy? Perhaps, but one college football staffer told me that shouldn’t be a factor. “That sounds crazy that that’s the narrative,” the Power 4 assistant player of personnel said. “How can one season of college affect him on the Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot? I think it’s all about cheating.” Maybe it is. Going 4-8 in his first season as head coach at North Carolina couldn’t have helped him. Months of tabloid headlines about Belichick’s girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, playing a not-so-quiet part in building the image of not just Belichick on Chapel Hill but also the Tar Heel football program surely didn’t help either. Still, if Belichick had finished the 2025 season at 16-0 with a national championship, fans would have crowned him as the best football coach — NFL or college — who has ever lived. We love a conqueror in football, and we enjoy watching winners. And that is who most people believe Belichick is in the NFL — except his peers with the power to vote. [BELICHICK SNUB: Hall of Fame Voter on Not Voting For Bill Belichick] This snubbing will not enhance his legacy in the NFL, but it will have no bearing on how he is remembered in college football. That part is still up to him. There’s still time for Belichick to show us in college football that he can coach with the best in our sport. There’s still time for him to enjoy the two-year turnaround Deion Sanders, a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer, enjoyed at Colorado — going from 3-9 to 9-4 with a Heisman Trophy winner in tow. Now, he knows what the league he gave 24 years of his head-coaching life to think of him. We’ll find out if he coaches differently, wins more or cares less what college football does of him, too.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Tom Brady championed Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame candidacy and was outspoken after learning of his former coach’s first-ballot snub.​FOX Sports Digital

Check out just how prolific Bill Belichick’s head coaching career was through 29 seasons.​FOX Sports Digital

The Pro Football Hall of Fame released a statement on Wednesday to address widespread criticism from a report on Tuesday that revealed that NFL coaching legend Bill Belichick will not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.​FOX Sports Digital