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PHOENIX — Joe Brady still remembers his first day under James Franklin at Penn State. Franklin chewed out Brady for a mistake that he and the other graduate assistants made. It wasn’t the triumphant moment he’d hoped for. But in the infancy of his coaching career, he’d already locked in a core memory. “I didn’t even know what he was yelling at me for, but it was just his [emphasis on] detail. I’ve taken that everywhere I’ve been,” the new Buffalo Bills head coach told me at the NFL owners meetings on Monday. At age 36, Brady is stepping into one of the most coveted jobs in the NFL, rising from offensive coordinator to replace Sean McDermott, who was fired in January. With MVP quarterback Josh Allen, Brady takes on the exciting — but high-stakes — task of trying to win Buffalo’s first Super Bowl. McDermott and Allen didn’t even make it to the title game in their eight seasons together. As Brady builds the Bills in his image, I realized how committed he has been to drawing influences from every step he’s taken along the way. So I asked him to play a sort of game: Could he name the most salient lesson from every stop of his coaching career? We’ve already hit his time at Penn State. Let’s move on to his experience working for Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints, where Brady served as an offensive assistant in 2017-18. What was the biggest lesson there? “It was [Payton’s] understanding of attacking schemes — not only just attacking the weaknesses, but with our strengths,” Brady told me. “He opened my eyes to: It’s not, ‘Hey, what coverages do they run? Oh, they play quarters. All right, so let’s get our quarter speeders.’ It’s like, ‘Who is the weakness in their quarters? And then how do we get the best person matched up on that element in the quarters.’ “So that was critical for me.” It’s a good lesson. Find the opponent’s weakness. Attack it with your strength. Repeat. In 2019, Brady moved on to LSU, where he was passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for Ed Orgeron. “Ed O taught me to just be yourself,” Brady told me. “He was straight up from the jump, like, ‘Hey, look, I’m not good at this. I’m not good at this. I’m great at this, so I need you to do this.’ And it showed me that you don’t have to be a certain way to be a head coach. As long as you’re comfortable being yourself, everything will take care of itself.” Stay authentic. Stay humble. Work on weaknesses and delegate when necessary. None of that is easy. But those are outstanding goals for every line of work — and for life in general. And by the way, this was when Brady was a big deal. He was at LSU with Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson when the Tigers went undefeated and won the national championship, blowing out Clemson 42-25 in the title game. It was a high point in Brady’s progression. He won the 2019 Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach. And then came what Brady once called his “downfall.” It might be more fair to classify it as a correction or a moment of non-linear progress. Regardless, in 2020, the Carolina Panthers hired Brady, then 30 years old, to be their offensive coordinator. He was the youngest active OC at the time. “I didn’t have success there, however that’s defined,” Brady told me. But he also emphasized: “I wouldn’t be talking to you right now if I didn’t go through the Carolina days.” Because Brady’s rise was fast and extremely impressive, he hadn’t yet experienced adversity like he did in Carolina. But there was a unique lesson in seeing his head coach, Matt Rhule — yes, the one who fired Brady — weather the defeats with his team. “He had standards that he believed in, and he held on to that rope,” Brady said of Rhule. “And there’s so much power in that. It’s like, ‘Hey, I’m a first-time head coach right now. These are things that I believe in, regardless of the results. Am I going to stick and hold true to it, or am I going to be like, ‘Hey, we lost, so now I can’t believe in this anymore.'” Brady lost his job in 2021 before completing his second season in the role. The Panthers went 10-18 during his time in Carolina. If this was his “downfall,” he didn’t fall far. He landed as a quarterbacks coach with the Bills and McDermott. And even if that was a less impressive title, the consolation prize was Josh Allen. After never spending more than two years in any one place, Brady rose from QBs coach to OC to head coach in Buffalo, where he’s been since 2022 — studying under McDermott. “Sean was a combination of a little bit of everything,” Brady told me. “I got to see how he’s grown, how he’s changed his thought process, his mentality. And then being able to just be like, ‘Oh, he is who he is, and he has a lot of success, and he didn’t feel like he had to be someone different.’ No matter who we signed and no matter the ups and downs of the season, he was consistent. And I hope I can bring an element of that.” And this is where all these influences should and could come together in a fascinating culture where Franklin meets Payton meets Orgeron meets Rhule meets McDermott. In other words, these influences should come together to create Brady’s authentic culture. It’s notable that when Brady was named Bills head coach, he did not simply promote the coaches around him, which can be a pitfall for an internal hire. Instead, he launched a lengthy search and dug into his past stops to seek out people he thinks will elevate and build the Buffalo organization anew. “It wasn’t easy, right? You know, there’s a lot of guys, especially on offense, that are why I’m in this position,” he told me. While Brady heard from several people that his most important hire would be his defensive coordinator, he didn’t agree. He thought he needed help on offense to catalyze something special. So Brady dipped into his Rolodex from his days with the Saints and looked to Payton’s staff in Denver to find his offensive coordinator. “Getting Pete Carmichael was the biggest hire for me,” Brady said of the former Broncos senior offensive assistant and longtime Saints OC. “It was about getting a guy that was going to make my life a lot easier. … I know it wasn’t somebody that was in the room before, and that’s what made it hard. But a guy like Pete was critical for me.” Brady added: “I wanted new. Even though things have been quote-unquote working, we have to continue to evolve, so that’s why it was important for me to go outside of my comfort zone.” Brady’s staff will fuse Carmichael’s ideas with what the Bills were already doing in Buffalo. That’ll include voices like offensive line coach Pat Meyer (previously with the Steelers) and quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree (previously with the Titans). As one Broncos staffer told me by text: “It’s still going to be Brady’s offense.” And that’s a highly efficient offense. But everyone could see that it wasn’t beyond criticism at the end of last season. The most obvious issue was in the passing game, where the Bills lacked explosive plays. And since we’re discussing all the ways Brady has dipped into his past, let’s talk about DJ Moore, the receiver the Bills acquired in a major trade with the Chicago Bears. Buffalo sent a second-round pick to Chicago to bring in Moore and a fifth-rounder. The veteran receiver’s best seasons were under Brady in — of all places — Carolina. “Through the ups and downs in the Carolina days, DJ was consistent — his work ethic, his approach, his ability to go out there and make plays, being able to move him around,” Brady told me. “He’s played with so many different quarterbacks, and he’s found ways to have success, and that’s really hard. … I thought he would be a great addition both in the locker room and on the field. I’m excited to work with him again.” Brady’s calculated dedication to draw upon what has worked in his career — and to learn from what has not — will be crucial in accomplishing what no Bills team has: winning a Super Bowl.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

MARIETTA, Ga. — As he settled into his podium seat for Monday’s packed pre-match press conference inside the sprawling and pristine training facility of MLS side Atlanta United, U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino cut a businesslike figure. The Argentine answered the first dozen or so questions matter-of-factly, displaying little sign of the charm that endeared him to fans of clubs across Europe — including the all-world squads like Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain — during the 15 years he spent managing on the continent. – Will Defender Chris Richards Play vs. Portugal?- World Cup Schedule, Matches Exactly 24 minutes into the back-and-forth with reporters, Pochettino’s demeanor changed. Asked how the American squad can keep its intensity high for all 90 minutes, something it failed to do in Saturday’s 5-2 capitulation against Belgium, in Tuesday’s World Cup preparation match versus No. 6-ranked Portugal, the 54-year-old instantly became animated. He gesticulated as he spoke. That trademark charisma was suddenly on full display. “If you watched the game [between] France and Colombia, that is intensity,” said Pochettino, referring to Sunday’s exhibition between the 2018 World Cup champions (and 2022 runners-up) and Los Cafeteros in Landover, Maryland. Les Bleus won 3-1, yet the victory was anything but comfortable. “You can win, or you can lose,” Pochettino said. “But do you think the coach of Colombia, [despite] losing the game, is going to complain about [the effort of] some players? They played like this was the final of the World Cup. And France, when they saw the intensity and the aggression of Colombia, said, ‘If we aren’t as intense, they’ll kill us.’ That is intensity.” In stark contrast, the U.S. all but folded up shop when a Belgian penalty put the home side down two goals on Saturday with more than 30 minutes of the contest still left to play. The response, goalkeeper Matt Turner and others said afterward, should’ve been the opposite. As the saying goes: If you can’t beat them, beat them up. Pochettino didn’t go that far, of course. And although English is his third language after his native Spanish and the French he learned playing as a central defender for Ligue 1 sides PSG and Bordeaux in the early 2000s, he couldn’t have expressed himself more clearly. This isn’t the first time intensity has been a problem for the Americans since Pochettino arrived on these shores 18 months ago. Exactly this time last year, a flat and toothless USA dropped home games to regional foes Panama and Canada in the Concacaf Nations League finals. Pochettino was so upset that he and his staff “destroy[ed] what we needed to destroy” and began to rebuild the team in his own image by bringing in a gaggle of newcomers who have since become mainstays. By the end of last year, the lack of fight was no longer an issue: The U.S. literally brawled toward the end of a November win over Paraguay before beating the brakes off two-time World Cup champ Uruguay — arguably the hardest team, pound for pound, on planet fútbol. It’s something Poch’s lot must rediscover between this month’s two games. “It’s a conscious decision. It’s just an overall effort,” captain Tim Ream said when asked why the U.S. faded so badly against Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “It’s not that guys don’t want to do it. I think sometimes it’s like ’I’ve just made an effort,’ and now it’s about making the second, the third, the fourth. And sometimes, that doesn’t happen. “That’s something that’s non-negotiable, really,” Ream continued. “It’s something that we were doing really well in the fall last year. And it’s something we have to get back to.” Pochettino noted on Monday that unlike last autumn, his players have been inundated with pre-World Cup media responsibilities this week. That wasn’t the case in November or in the two international windows that preceded it. Yet he also pointed out that it’s not a switch that can simply be turned on when the World Cup kicks off in June. That’s the big lesson from Saturday. It’s the mandate for Tuesday. The 2026 World Cup co-hosts still might not win the match. Portugal has a legitimate chance of hoisting the most coveted trophy in sports next July 19. Even at home, the U.S. would require a miracle even to reach the final four. Failure to rediscover their pugilistic spirit could end in catastrophe. As Pochettino asked rhetorically of whoever his team comes up against next summer: “Do you think that they are not going to fight?” “There’s still time to realize that we need to compete,” he reiterated on Monday. “The players need to believe in that.” We’ll find out on Tuesday how much. 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The 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 apps.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Austin Reed’s first start at quarterback in the UFL was one to remember. The Western Kentucky product engineered a scintillating debut for the Dallas Renegades, completing 26 of 40 passes for 376 yards — the most in league history in a regular-season game — three touchdowns and no interceptions in his team’s 36-17 win over the Houston Gamblers in the season opener for both teams. Veteran UFL receiver Tyler Vaughns led Dallas (1-0) with seven receptions for 144 yards and a score, while fellow receiver Greg Ward added three catches for 93 yards and a touchdown in a runaway victory over Houston (0-1). “It was really a team effort more than anything,” Reed said. “[The] guys were playing well, and we had a really good game plan. We felt good about what we had going into this game, and what we were going to do. It just came down to whether we were going to execute or not.” Reed said despite how well the offense moved the ball, the Renegades can play even bigger, which makes for an interesting matchup next week against one of the best defenses in the league in the St. Louis Battlehawks (1-0). “I feel like we could have played even better, and that’s a great thing to see when your Week 1 output looks like this,” Reed added. “There’s so much more we can improve.” [UFL 2026: Everything To Know About the Upcoming Season] Speaking of St. Louis, former legendary NFL receiver Ricky Proehl earned his first victory as a head coach, leading his hometown Battlehawks to a 16-10 victory over the defending UFL champion DC Defenders (0-1) in front a league-high crowd of 31,191 at The Dome at America’s Center. The Louisville Kings (0-1) couldn’t hold onto the lead late, falling to the Birmingham Stallions (1-0) by two, 15-13, in AJ McCarron’s first victory as head coach. The Kings played in front of 14,034 at Lynn Family Stadium in Kentucky. Leading the Orlando Storm (1-0) for the first time, head coach Anthony Becht helped to engineer a 23-16 victory over the visiting Columbus Aviators (0-1). Here are my takeaways from Week 1 of the UFL: 1. Opportunistic defense leads Stallions to road win over Kings Birmingham forced 13 takeaways last season, and it continued its ball-hawking ways to start the 2026 season. The Stallions thwarted an early promising drive for Louisville when Kings tight end Zach Davidson failed to corral a pass from his quarterback, Jason Bean, with Birmingham linebacker Dyontae Johnson winding up with the loose ball. The Stallions turned that into a 5-yard touchdown, courtesy of Snoop Conner, for an early lead. Later in the game, Birmingham safety Hudson Clark intercepted a Bean pass in the fourth quarter to help salt away a two-point victory — McCarron’s first as a head coach, as he replaced three-time spring football champion coach Skip Holtz this year. Birmingham finished with three takeaways overall, the most for a defense in Week 1. 2. Matt McCrane drills first 60-yard, 4-point field goal It didn’t take long for a kicker to take advantage of one of the UFL’s newest rules implemented to generate more points. Defenders kicker McCrane booted a 60-yard field goal on his team’s opening drive on the road against St. Louis on Saturday, marking the first 4-point field goal in UFL history. However, McCrane did miss from 55 yards later. Elsewhere, Battlehawks kicker Tucker McCann made a 58-yarder in the opening quarter but missed from 45 yards. “Matt was hitting the ball well on field goals and things like that,” Defenders head coach Shannon Harris said. “He had the long miss, but he’ll make that 10 out of 10 times. So, we’re going to always continue to put him in those situations because of the faith we have in him.” In Week 1, kickers went 15-for-20 on field goals, including four from beyond 50 yards, and 8-for-10 on extra points. 3. Battlehawks’ defense looks legit after seven-sack performance Led by 2025 UFL Defensive Player of the Year Pita Taumoepenu, the Battlehawks sacked the Defenders seven times on their way to a tough win. Taumoepenu finished with 2.5 of those sacks, along with a combined six tackles in the win. St. Louis lost to DC at home in the playoffs last season, so the win was a little measure of revenge for St. Louis. “When one guy gets to the ball carrier, I want 11 guys getting to the football,” Proehl said. “They bought in, and they’ve done it in practice every day for the last two weeks. They showed up today. They wore them down. We were in better shape, in my opinion. We were in great shape, and we finished.” 4. Jordan Ta’amu and DC’s offense show early struggles Led by 2025 UFL Championship Game MVP Ta’amu, the Defenders struggled to move the ball on the road against the Battlehawks. One of the top offenses in 2025, DC mustered just 153 total yards offensively against St. Louis’ stingy defense. The Defenders averaged 22.4 points per game last season but were held to a league-low 10 points this week. Considered one of the most dynamic quarterbacks returning in the UFL this season, Ta’amu was sacked seven times and held to 123 passing yards. He also threw two interceptions. The only way is up for DC’s offense in Week 2. “We’ve got to clean things up,” Harris said. “We’ve got to understand that every game thus far is going to be everyone’s Super Bowl. We’ve got to understand that magnitude of it.” 4 ½: What’s Next The Kings and the Battlehawks are on the road next week after hosting in Week 1, while the Renegades and the Storm have their second consecutive home matchup of the season. One game will be played on Friday (Defenders at Aviators), one on Saturday (Kings at Storm), one on Sunday (Stallions at Gamblers) and the final game on Tuesday (Battlehawks at Renegades).​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

John Harbaugh didn’t pour water on the possibility of the New York Giants bringing back star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. In fact, the Giants’ first-year head coach added some fuel to the idea that Beckham could potentially close his NFL career out with the team that drafted him. “The obvious pat answer would be you look at every option, and if Odell is an option, we’ll be looking at him for sure,” Harbaugh told reporters when asked about the possibility of signing Beckham at the owners meeting on Monday. Beckham, 33, didn’t play in the NFL in the 2025 season, remaining unsigned for the entire year following a stint with the Miami Dolphins as he was also suspended six games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. However, he has indicated that he’d like to play another season in the NFL. His showing at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic earlier in March also sparked chatter about him potentially signing with a team for the 2026 season, with Beckham telling reporters after the event that he hoped it would be a “starting point” toward a return. While Beckham emerged as one of the NFL’s top receivers during his Giants tenure, he also has a connection to New York’s next head coach. Harbaugh coached Beckham when the wide receiver was with the Baltimore Ravens for the 2023 season. The three-time Pro Bowler had 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns that year, helping quarterback Lamar Jackson win his second MVP honor and the team reach the AFC Championship Game. Even though the Ravens didn’t retain Beckham after that season, Harbaugh said that he’s remained in communication with his former wide receiver since he departed Baltimore. “He and I do talk. We do text,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve maintained a really great relationship. He’s one of my very favorite people in the world. It’s not like you don’t talk to guys on things like that. And certainly we have.” Beckham, whom the Giants took with the 12th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, was arguably one of the league’s top wide receivers during his five-year stint in New York. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014, logging 1,305 receiving yards and making his memorable one-handed grab that season. He also tied Lance Alworth for the NFL record for the fewest games needed to reach 4,000 career receiving yards as he had at least 1,300 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons. The Giants traded Beckham to the Cleveland Browns in 2019. New York has some depth questions at wide receiver ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. While Malik Nabers might be one of the top wide receivers in the league, he’s returning from an ACL tear that ended his second season prematurely. The team also lost veteran wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency, but signed Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin. They also added tight end Isaiah Likely, signing him on a three-year deal from the Ravens.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

An eight-team field. Loaded with talent. Half-a-million in NIL money on the line. The College Basketball Crown returns to Las Vegas this week with some must-see stars and matchups. Several all-conference performances will take the court in the single-elimination tournament, which tips off with first-round games scheduled for April 1-2, followed by the semifinals on April 4 and the championship game on April 5. The tournament will be played at MGM Grand Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena with a $500,000 NIL prize pool. The complete bracket features Oklahoma, Colorado, Baylor, Minnesota, Stanford, West Virginia, Rutgers and Creighton. Who are the top names in this year’s College Basketball Crown, and what should fans expect to see this weekend in the desert? Here is a breakdown of the top-10 players to watch in this year’s event. [COLLEGE BASKETBALL CROWN: Schedule, Bracket, Teams] Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford This 6-foot-2, 182-pound guard from New Hampshire is an elite-level scorer with the potential to be the star of this tournament. He averaged 22.8 points per game, which ranked eighth among Division I players, joining BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. and Duke’s Cameron Boozer as the only first-year players to average more than 22 points per contest this season. Okorie scored at least 30 points on seven occasions this season, including a memorable 40-point outing in Stanford’s 95-72 win over ACC foe Georgia Tech back on Feb. 7. He is the best pure scorer in the field and has the ability to lead the Cardinal on a run to the College Basketball Crown title. Cameron Carr, G, Baylor After spending the past two seasons at Tennessee, Carr transferred to Baylor and made an immediate impact in Waco. The 6-foot-5 redshirt sophomore leads the Bears in scoring at 19.2 points per game while also contributing 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest. He shoots 51% from the field and sports a 39% clip from 3-point range. Carr has put up 21 or more points in four of Baylor’s last five games heading into the College Basketball Crown, including a 25-point outing against Arizona State in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament. Tounde Yessoufou, G, Baylor A five-star recruit out of Benin, Yessoufou has lived up to his billing during his first year on campus. The 6-foot-5 guard is averaging 17.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game en route to being named All-Big 12 honorable mention this season. He has elite physical strength for a guard, but he has shown to be inconsistent at times on the defensive end of the court. His best game of the season came in a mid-February matchup against BYU when he put up 37 points and six rebounds on 12-of-19 shooting from the floor and 5-of-8 from 3-point range. [CBB CROWN: How to Bet the Crown’s First Round] Barrington Hargress, G, Colorado With Colorado freshman guard Isaiah Johnson reportedly set to enter the transfer portal, a massive opportunity awaits for Hargress, who was the team’s second-leading scorer behind Johnson this season.  Hargress, a 6-foot-1 junior guard from Inglewood, California, put up 14.2 points and a team-best 4.5 assists this season for the Buffaloes. He is coming off one of the best games of his career, an 18-point, nine-rebound, four-assist showing against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament. Look for Hargress to step into a leading role for the Buffs in Las Vegas this week. Josh Dix, G, Creighton Dix spent the first three seasons of his college career at Iowa and made the decision to transfer to Creighton last offseason. He has made an instant impact, averaging a team-high 13 points per game on the season. Dix has topped the 20-point mark in three of his last six games heading into the Crown, including a memorable 21-point, eight-rebound performance in Creighton’s 91-84 upset win over UConn back on Feb. 18. 6. Cade Tyson, G, Minnesota Tyson is on his third stop in four years after spending the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Belmont with a year at North Carolina in between. He has developed as the Gophers’ most consistent offensive threat in his senior season, averaging a team-high 19.6 points per game, the sixth-highest average in the Big Ten. He is also an above-average 3-point shooter, hitting at a 42% clip from beyond the arc. 7. Tariq Francis, G, Rutgers Francis, a junior guard out of Pittsburgh, is one of the top bucket-getters in this tournament. He is a crafty scorer who averaged 16.9 points per game this season, which led the Scarlet Knights. He had 30 or more points on three separate occasions this season, as well as a 29-point showing on 5-of-7 shooting from downtown in a Big Ten Tournament win over fellow Crown participant, Minnesota. 8. Honor Huff, G, West Virginia Huff is not only one of the top 3-point shooters in this year’s College Basketball Crown, but the 5-foot-10 senior guard is also one of the most successful shooters from downtown in West Virginia program history. Huff knocked down 109 3s this season, which ranked third among Big 12 players this season. He led the Mountaineers in scoring at 15.8 points per game and has scored in double-figures in eight straight games. 9. Nijel Pack, G, Oklahoma Pack is a sixth-year senior who began his career at Kansas State, where he played for two years before transferring to Miami. He spent three years at Miami and is now in his final year at Oklahoma. The 5-foot-10 senior guard has been a scoring threat throughout his collegiate career, totaling more than 2,300 points. He led the Sooners in scoring this season, averaging 16.5 points per game while shooting 47% from the field and 45% from 3-point range. 10. Xzayvier Brown, G, Oklahoma After playing his freshman and sophomore year at S. Joe’s, Brown transferred to Oklahoma this offseason and became a full-time starter in the Sooners’ backcourt, averaging 15.3 points per game, which ranked second on the team. He led the Sooners in both assists (3.2) and steals (1.3), while shooting 46% from the field.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Clearly, we can extrapolate a lot from the first few games of a season. Remember last year when the Brewers started 0-4 with a minus-32 run differential, and then they…uhh, they did what, now? Led all of Major League Baseball in wins? Look, it’s deflating to start a season winless (as the Giants, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Athletics and White Sox have), and it feels more exciting winning the first three games of the year (as the Dodgers, Brewers, Blue Jays, Yankees, Marlins have) than three games in the middle of June. But, as the Brewers example goes to show, it’s best not to overreact or draw any sweeping conclusions over a single series. The Giants probably aren’t going to shatter the record for fewest runs scored in a season, and the NL East isn’t likely to end with the Marlins in first and the Phillies in last. If your favorite team got off to a slow start, don’t let a couple bad games stifle your optimism. For now, all we can do is take what we’ve seen so far in a small sample, try to factor in what we know about the teams and expect moving forward, and do our best to provide a starting point for conversation based on my preseason power rankings. So, without further ado, below are my power rankings after the first weekend of play, which includes at least one player on every team who has jumped out to a hot start. Be on the lookout for new rankings every week, each with a slightly different theme. After only hitting nine home runs last year, Ezequiel Tovar already has his first of 2026. I’m expecting a bigger year ahead for the 24-year-old shortstop. The White Sox have only scored 10 runs, but three of them have come on solo shots from Munetaka Murakami, who has homered in each of his first three big-league games. I can’t expect this to be a good year in Anaheim, but a Mike Trout resurgence? We can all get behind that. He’s 6-for-13 with two homers, seven walks and a stolen base in a sizzling start to the year. Brady House, a 2021 first-round pick, had a .574 OPS with an average exit velocity of 89.8 mph in 73 games last season. This year, three of his four batted balls have been hard hit (95+ mph) while starting the season with an .895 OPS. Joe Ryan had the best start of the weekend for the Twins, firing 5.1 scoreless innings while only allowing one hit. The most intriguing performance, however, might’ve been Taj Bradley, who struck out nine batters in 4.1 innings. Shea Langeliers has started the year 6-for-12 with three home runs; the rest of the team is a combined 10-for-90 (.111) with 46 strikeouts. Well, that was not the start new manager Tony Vitello was looking for. The Giants scored one run…total…in three games against the Yankees. Hard to find a standout there, but I guess we can go with Robbie Ray who gave his team a chance when he allowed two runs in 5.1 innings. Coming off a standout performance against Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Eduardo Rodriguez held the potent Dodgers offense to one unearned run in five innings in his first start of 2026. The Diamondbacks’ shaky bullpen, however, could not hold the lead. Brandon Lowe provided the boost all Pirates fans hoped to see for the lineup with three home runs in three games. Here’s assuming Paul Skenes won’t get chased in the first inning … maybe ever again? The Rays scored 23 runs in three games against St. Louis…and still lost the series. They have five players with an OPS over 1.000, including Yandy Díaz, who leads MLB with nine hits. Top prospect JJ Wetherholt homered in his first career game and then walked the Cardinals off with a win one day later. Also keep an eye on Jordan Walker, who’s 4-for-10 with a homer and two doubles to start the year. Sure, it was against the Rockies. But Sandy Alcántara didn’t allow an earned run in seven innings in his first start of 2026, and prospect Owen Caissie’s walk-off home run secured Miami’s first 3-0 start since 2009. The Royals dropped two of three games in Atlanta despite Michael Wacha throwing six scoreless innings and Seth Lugo throwing 6.1 scoreless innings in their respective starts. Last year, Randy Vásquez struck out more than five batters in a game just once in 26 starts. He has already accomplished that feat in his first start of 2026, fanning eight batters in six scoreless innings against the Tigers. MLB’s home run leader after opening weekend? That would be rookie Chase DeLauter, who joined Trevor Story as the only players in MLB history with four home runs in their first three career regular-season games. In case anyone missed what Sal Stewart did late last year in Cincinnati, he’s showing why he should be among the top contenders for the NL Rookie of the Year Award this year by starting the season 7-for-10 with a homer, three doubles and three walks. The 22-year-old can flat-out hit. After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016, a rebound season may depend on the health of Yordan Alvarez, who has already reached base nine times in the Astros’ four games. Cristopher Sánchez struck out 10 in six scoreless innings on Opening Day, securing the only win of the opening series for the Phillies. A better week should vault them back in the top 10, but for now they have to take a hit as the only one-win team in the NL East. Important weekend for the Jakes: After Jacob deGrom was scratched with neck stiffness, Jacob Latz stepped in and delivered four hitless innings in a Rangers win. Meanwhile, Jake Burger led the Rangers on the weekend with six hits and two home runs. If anyone’s going to challenge Tarik Skubal for the Cy Young Award this year, Garrett Crochet is as good of a bet as anyone. Crochet struck out eight in six scoreless innings in his 2026 debut. Meanwhile, Wilyer Abreu kept building off a standout World Baseball Classic with two home runs on the weekend. The offense overall, however, managed just 10 runs over three games in Cincinnati. While the first starts of the year didn’t go well for Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, 2025 Rookie of the Year runner-up Cade Horton kept his arrow trending up by securing the Cubs’ lone win of the weekend, allowing just two runs in 6.1 innings. In case anyone needed a reminder of what Trevor Rogers did last year (1.81 ERA in 18 starts), the Orioles lefty fired seven scoreless innings in his first start of 2026. If the Braves want to bounce back, a rebound from Michael Harris II will be crucial. So far, so good. He had four hits and a home run in the opening series. For a team that didn’t do anything to change its lineup, there was a lot of faith placed in top prospect Kevin McGonigle. He spent the weekend demonstrating why, joining Billy Bean as the only players in Tigers history with four hits in their MLB debut. One night later, McGonigle broke a tie game in the eighth inning with a two-run base hit to lift Detroit to victory in San Diego. For all the standout prospect performances over the weekend, there were also a handful of players turning back the clock. Christian Yelich’s pinch-hit go-ahead homer in the eighth inning Sunday finished off the Brewers’ sweep of the White Sox, and he went 6-for-10 in the opening series. Coming off two seasons in which he was a below league average hitter with the White Sox, Luis Robert Jr. has started his Mets career 5-for-11 with a home run and more walks (3) than strikeouts (2). Strong start to the Brendan Donovan era in Seattle: He became the first player in franchise history to hit a leadoff homer on Opening Day, and he has started his Mariners career 6-for-14 with two homers. On the pitching side, Emerson Hancock delivered six hitless innings with a career-high nine strikeouts Sunday against the Guardians. While the Yankees wait on Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón, the pitching staff still seems to be in good hands. As a team, the Yankees allowed just one run all weekend to the Giants. Starter Cam Schlittler was especially overpowering, holding the Giants to just one hit while striking out eight in 5.1 scoreless innings. Welcome to Toronto, Dylan Cease. Fresh off securing a $210 million contract, Cease backed up the Blue Jays’ faith by following Kevin Gausman’s 11-strikeout performance with 12 strikeouts against the A’s, setting a record for a Blue Jays debut.  Together, Gausman and Cease became the first duo to strike out at least 11 batters apiece in a team’s first two games in MLB’s modern era. Will Smith was back at it with another game-changing home run, this time providing a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning Saturday on his bobblehead night to finish off a sweep over the Diamondbacks. He also helped navigate a Dodgers bullpen that fired 11.2 scoreless innings on the weekend.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The Entertainment Capital of the World will host one of the premier events in all of sports for the second time in just six years. Super Bowl LXIII will take place at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium in 2029, the NFL announced Monday. Allegiant Stadium, which is the Las Vegas Raiders’ home stadium, was expected to be named the host stadium for Super Bowl LXIII, with team owners voting to approve Las Vegas as the host city of the event at this week’s owners meeting. The stadium hosted its first Super Bowl in February 2024, when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. “We’re excited to bring the Super Bowl back to Las Vegas and provide our fans another incredible experience in one of America’s greatest sport and entertainment destinations,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement on Monday. “Super Bowl LVIII demonstrated the scale, energy and hospitality the city brings to global events, and we look forward to working alongside the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the Raiders and the community to deliver an even greater experience this time around.” “We’re excited that the Super Bowl will be returning to Las Vegas and Allegiant Stadium in 2029,” Raiders owner Mark Davis added in the statement. “It’s a testament to the Raiders, the LVCVA (Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority), civic leaders, the community, and the NFL working together as one. Super Bowl LVIII set a high bar, and for Super Bowl LXIII we are committed to raising it even further.” The NFL’s decision to award Allegiant Stadium a second Super Bowl in six years marks a somewhat recent trend of cities playing host to multiple Super Bowls in a relatively short span. It will also be the sixth time in eight years that a Super Bowl will be played in California, Arizona or Nevada. Super Bowl LX was played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, this past February after hosting the event 10 years prior. Super Bowl LXI will be played in Los Angeles in February 2027, which will be five years after SoFi Stadium hosted its first Super Bowl. Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host Super Bowl LXII in February 2028. That’ll mark the first Super Bowl played in the Eastern Time Zone since February 2021. However, Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosted the Super Bowl in February 2019. Allegiant Stadium opened in 2020, but it has quickly become one of the top venues to host some of the nation’s biggest events. In addition to hosting two Super Bowls, Allegiant Stadium will host the College Football Playoff National Championship in January 2027 and the Final Four of the men’s college basketball tournament in April 2028. The stadium also hosted WrestleMania 41 in April 2025 and will play home to WrestleMania 42 in April.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

PHOENIX – Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay isn’t ready to give up on talented wide receiver Puka Nacua. McVay said the team was already aware of the latest off-field incident with Nacua that occurred on New Year’s Eve before a TMZ report surfaced last week, and the Rams are continuing to gather information on that incident. “I trust his heart,” McVay told reporters here at the NFL owners meeting on Monday. “I trust the human being. And I want to be able to put my arm around him. One of the most important things you can do as a coach is help guys grow. You don’t ever really say there’s one size that fits all. But what I’ve really leaned into the last couple years is let’s build and develop relationships, let guys continue to grow and give them grace in the middle of that journey. “But also, let’s have an understanding of what the expectations are and who you want to become.” Nacua faces a civil lawsuit for an alleged assault and battery by a woman who claims he made an antisemitic statement and bit her on the shoulder on New Year’s Eve. Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, has already strongly denied that his client made any antisemitic statements. He described the bites as “horseplay.” Nacua had previously issued an apology last December after performing a gesture that plays upon antisemitic tropes while appearing on an internet live stream. McVay says Nacua’s off-the-field issues have not risen to the level that the Rams do not want him to be part of the team’s long-term plans. McVay doesn’t believe that Nacua’s behavior hasn’t reached the point of being a distraction to the team, either. “He and I have a close relationship,” McVay said. “We communicate clear, open and honest. The play on the field is amazing. And with what the play has dictated and determined, there’s a responsibility in terms of representing all things, not exclusive to just that. “He knows that. Those are the expectations, and we’re hopeful that this will be an opportunity for him to learn and grow. And we are real hopeful that he’s going to be a Ram for a really long time. But he understands what the responsibility is, not exclusive to the production on the field.” The Seattle Seahawks recently made Jaxon Smith-Njigba the highest-paid receiver in the league, inking him to a four-year, $168.6 million contract. Nacua, 24, would seem to be the next receiver in line to receive a life-changing new deal as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. However, sources I spoke with around the league said Nacua might have to wait to get paid, pointing to how the Rams traditionally handle contract extensions, along with his issues away from the field. “Good players get paid,” an NFL personnel executive recently told me. “[Smith-Njigba’s] numbers will look remarkably low in two years. Puka is a tough one, because his injuries, style of play and hiccups off the field have to be considered.” A fifth-round selection by the Rams in the 2023 draft, Nacua is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is set to make $5.77 million in 2026. Over the last three seasons, Nacua is second in receiving yards (4,191) and fourth in receptions (313). Last year, Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions, with 1,715 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. In other roster news for the Rams, McVay shared the team is still exploring the possibility of who will backup 38-year-old quarterback Matthew Stafford. Last year’s backup, Jimmy Garoppolo, remains unsigned, and third-string quarterback Stetson Bennett is the only quarterback other than Stafford currently on the roster. McVay threw another name into the ring on Monday. “I would love to have Jimmy Garoppolo back with us,” McVay said. “That’s a big deal for us. He’s earned the right to be able to take his time and do whatever he wants. Is there an opportunity to explore if it’s not Jimmy, maybe it’s Kirk Cousins? Of course, I’d love to be able to see what that looks like.” Cousins, 37, is still a free agent after getting released by the Atlanta Falcons earlier in March. McVay has worked with Cousins in the past, serving as the quarterback’s offensive coordinator for three seasons when they were in Washington.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

PHOENIX — In late January, Matt LaFleur received a major nod of approval from the Green Bay Packers in the form of a contract extension. That solidified his position in the organization, likely for years to come. But then came the annual NFLPA player survey, which complicated the picture slightly. The report, which was not supposed to be public this year but leaked through multiple media outlets, revealed that players gave him a B- grade, tied for third-worst in the NFL. That’s after LaFleur received an A- grade after the 2024 season. This year, it came down to “respect for players,” per the report. At the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix on Monday, LaFleur, who’s entering his eighth season with Green Bay, discussed how he’s handling the assessment of his coaching. “I try to take that with a grain of salt, but you don’t want to just dismiss that stuff. You got to look into it,” he told reporters. “I feel pretty confident with my conversations with the majority of our players, but certainly some guys felt a certain type of way. And the one thing I’ve learned in this business is: You can’t please everybody. You can’t be all things to all people. And ultimately, you got to make decisions that you feel are in the best interest of your football team. “Great leaders are great listeners, but that doesn’t mean we’re always going to do what that person suggests. It’s impossible.” The Packers traded for All-Pro edge Micah Parsons at the beginning of the season in a blockbuster deal with Dallas that made them look like a Super Bowl front-runner. But Parsons suffered a knee injury in December and the Packers’ defense looked thin without him. It didn’t help that the offensive line suffered injuries and underperformed. And Green Bay lost its final five games of the season, including its wild-card matchup against the rival Chicago Bears. “If I’m being honest about it, I think there were some guys that were upset about roles last year, and I think that took a toll on our football team,” LaFleur said. The late-season issues increased speculation that, perhaps, LaFleur might not receive an extension. And the losing streak probably didn’t help with morale in the locker room. He was asked, specifically, about comments in the survey regarding his “respect for players.” “I don’t feel that way, but unfortunately, some guys did,” LaFleur said. “And so that tells me I got to do a better job of communicating. And it goes back to the relationship piece. I think it’s so critical. We always talk about, ‘Connected teams are powerful teams.’ And we’ve got to grow that connection. “So certainly, that’s been a topic of conversation within our building. How do we get these guys a little closer? The more they know each other, the more they’re going to battle for one another. Although they may be competing within a certain position, they’re going to help each other grow and ultimately be better individual players, which should help our collective football team.” LaFleur and the Packers didn’t have any blockbuster acquisitions over the offseason, instead bringing in a group of role players — and trading veteran edge Rashan Gary to Dallas for a 2027 fourth-round pick. Green Bay largely stuck with last season’s core. As a result, the Packers must feel optimistic they can recreate the way they started their 2025 season, going 9-3-1 in their first 12 games. In a way, that’s yet another nod of confidence in LaFleur to generate better results with the same ingredients.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Here’s what’s happening this week Inside The Garage: Alan Gustafson doesn’t need social media for his crew chief job, so he doesn’t spend time scrolling and looking at what people say about him. He knows he’s the crew chief for the sport’s most popular driver. And considering that the 2020 Cup champion had only three wins from 2023-25, Gustafson knows his fans wouldn’t be happy. Gustafson has worked as a Hendrick Motorsports crew chief for 22 seasons, starting in 2005 with Kyle Busch. He has confidence in what he can do and has the experience to know he must change with the times. He showed what he can do Sunday as he made a strategic call to pit earlier than most in the final stage of the Cup race at Martinsville Speedway. The strategy worked as they got the benefit of a timely caution (they feel they would have been good either way), giving Chase Elliott the track position he needed to win. “Whether it was Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Chase Elliott, whoever is the popular driver in the series, there’s a lot of critics that want to sit on the sidelines and evaluate it,” said Hendrick Vice Chairman and four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon during the winners’ post-race news conference. [NASCAR TAKEAWAYS: Chase Elliott Outduels Denny Hamlin at Martinsville] “You cannot let that tear you apart. You got to keep strong on the inside and believe in yourself and believe in your team, all the things you’re doing. That’s what Alan and Chase fall back on.” Gordon knows something about Gustafson, who was his crew chief from 2011-15. If Gordon felt a change was warranted, Hendrick Motorsports would have made one. And it wouldn’t be unprecedented to see an Elliott-Gustafson divorce. Elliott, driver of the No. 9 car, and Alan Gustafson have the longest driver-crew chief pairing in the Cup garage. And at 11 years, it’s not even close to another relationship. Joey Logano and Paul Wolfe are next as they work their seventh season together. “Alan was my crew chief,” Gordon said. “I love the work and effort he puts in, how smart he is, the team he builds. Nobody is a tougher critic than he is of the team and their performance.” That’s why the Elliott-Gustafson relationship works. They are both relatively tough critics. They both want to go about the business of getting their team better with as little sideshow as possible. When I was visiting Hendrick Motorsports on Wednesday shortly after lunchtime, there was Gustafson in the team’s workout room, doing his workout. He didn’t appear stressed that the team had not won yet this year nor that Hendrick Motorsports as a whole hadn’t won. He’s been through the ups and downs. And so has Elliott. “The more you do this, I think the more you keep an eye internally more than you do externally,” Elliott said during the postrace news conference. “For us, we’re just super honest with each other, what we need to do, where our deficiencies are, where the areas are that we’re good at, whatever. “As time has gone on, we’ve done nothing but just get better at being able to kind of sort out our weaknesses in our own meetings, doing what we need to do to get the job done. It is a very, very straightforward approach.” Some Elliott fans won’t want to hear that. They’ll want to hear that Elliott thinks he needs a change in crew chief. And if he really did want a change, there’s also no doubt he could get one. Then there are days like Sunday. At Martinsville, Gustafson talked with his engineers and made a call that could potentially win the race using a different strategy than most of the other teams. “You can’t sit on your hands and run 10th. You got to do something, right?” Gustafson said in his postrace news conference. “I think that was the best shot.” Sometimes when he takes those shots, whether during a race or the car setup, they don’t work. And that’s when fans get frustrated. “[He] made a great call,” Elliott said. “Glad he picked up on that, saw that. I don’t think anybody else did. “[It] goes to show that he’s pretty good at what he does, which I try to tell y’all that all the time. But he does a pretty good job. I’m happy to work with him. Appreciate his effort, hanging in there, to our whole team for doing that, too. I appreciate that out of all of them.” And there’s no plan to change. “I enjoy working with him,” Elliott said. “I genuinely feel that way. I hope he feels the same way about me. I give him all I got every week, even when it’s not pretty. “I think because of that, it works. It’s simple. We just show up and go to work, man. We try to do the best we can to put the best result out there for everybody involved.” Graham Rahal Shows He’s Got It, Too Chase Elliott’s crew chief Alan Gustafson wasn’t the only person who has had his share of criticism about needing to have a good race weekend. On the INDYCAR side, Graham Rahal placed third at Barber (Ala.) Motorsports Park. It was his first podium since May 2023. The veteran driver of the No. 15 car and son of team co-owner Bobby Rahal, now has 34 podiums in 313 career starts. “There’s enough bull—- out there that I got to deal with,” Rahal said in his postrace news conference. “It’s nice [to perform]. I’ll still hear it. … There’s a whole lot of dumb asses out in this world right now. Got to live with it.” This wasn’t a fluke. Rahal started third and finished third. He sits 12th in the standings among the 25 drivers. “[The podium] is a great reward for the guys and gals,” Rahal said. “Everybody has worked so hard to be back here.” The one eye-opening part of his race is that, while Rahal shined, his two teammates struggled. Granted, they have much less experience with Louis Foster in his second INDYCAR season and Mick Schumacher in his first. “They copied my setup today,” Rahal said. “The last two days they were slightly different. Mick and I are always about the same, which is why we were both good at Phoenix. We both have been very consistently like that. “Louis tends to go off down a little bit of a different tangent. Today they started the day in the exact same car. We all got to sit down and try to understand. I think Louis ran a different gear strategy, but that was kind of small.” What isn’t a small difference? Rahal is listed at 185 pounds in the INDYCAR media guide, 13 pounds heavier than Foster and 31 pounds heavier than Schumacher. “I’m a much heavier driver than they are,” Rahal said. “That does move the center of gravity, that moves the weight distribution and stuff. They tried to get quite close. “We all need to go back and try to understand where the variances may be.” In The News — Denny Hamlin indicated that a contract extension for No. 45 driver Tyler Reddick will be finished soon to keep Reddick at 23XI Racing. Reddick won the regular season in 2024, didn’t win in 2025 but then won four of the first six races of 2026. Hamlin: “He will be [staying here]. Tyler’s one of those guys that was very important for us to get our hands on him very early. … Certainly, last year was not great, but like when his not great years are still in the top 10, those are the elite drivers.” — NASCAR has announced the nominees for the 2027 NASCAR Hall of Fame class. There are four new nominees, one more than usual. Typically, there are three to replace the three inductees but Bob Welborn, a star in NASCAR’s convertible series in NASCAR’s beginning years, was dropped off the Pioneer Ballot. There are 10 nominees in the Modern Era ballot, with two getting in and five nominees from the Pioneer ballot with one getting in. FOX analyst and 60-time race winner Kevin Harvick is on the Modern Era ballot in his first year of eligibility. Engine builder Ernie Elliott and West Series star Ray Elder also were added to the Modern Era ballot. Crew chief Harry Hyde moved from the Modern Era to Pioneer after being on the ballot for 10 years without getting voted in. Herb Nab, a crew chief with 92 victories, was also added to the Pioneer ballot. Voting is May 19. — Musician Darius Rucker has joined Legacy Motor Club as an investor. The news release stated: “As an investor, Rucker will collaborate with the organization on select initiatives that bridge sports, music and fan engagement, while supporting the Club’s continued business and brand development.” — Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced its Carb Day concert for the Friday before the Indianapolis 500. Counting Crows will headline, with Switchfoot opening the show. Under The Radar Eleventh isn’t always a great result. But for two drivers this past NASCAR weekend at Martinsville, it was big as it showed continued relative strength. Shane van Gisbergen was a solid 11th in the Cup race at Martinsville as the three-time Supercars champion continues to adjust to the ovals. The Trackhouse driver is 14th in the Cup standings. In the O’Reilly Series, Parker Retzlaff was 11th. The Viking Motorsports driver, who has shown glimpses of talent but not the consistency (which could be attributed to him, the teams he drove for or a little bit of both) is ninth in the O’Reilly standings. They Said What? Alex Palou, after earning his 13th career pole, wasn’t sure if that number was a good thing or if he should be superstitious about it. You would think the four-time champion wouldn’t get superstitious but the Chip Ganassi Racing driver does. “There’s a lot of superstitions,” he said in his pole-winning news conference. “I could get superstitious about this [red plastic] cup. These glasses? I changed the glasses. I’ve been with the same sunglasses for five years. I changed them this year. … I didn’t know if it was sunglasses [that make a difference].” [PALOU’S REPEAT: 4 Takeaways From Alex Palou’s Victory at Barber] They Said It “We finished P2; we shouldn’t be that frustrated. But when you are up against a car that’s been the most competitive and best car in INDYCAR for the past many years, to have a chance to beat him fair and square, that hurts.” — Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard after finishing second to Alex Palou at Barber. In Inside The Garage, Bob Pockrass takes us behind the scenes of the motorsports world the way only he can. [SPEED: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Divulges Biggest Regret of Illustrious Racing Career]​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports