January 2026

There were 1,518 posts published in January 2026 (this is page 69 of 152).

Kings’ Domantas Sabonis returns from injury vs. Wizards, weeks before NBA trade deadline

Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis returned on Friday night against the Washington Wizards, scoring 13 points with 6 rebounds and 5 assists in a 128-115 win. Sabonis has been sidelined with a partial meniscus tear for the last 27 games. 

He played 21 minutes, hitting 5 of his 6 shots from the floor. 

Sabonis last played on Nov. 16, and in his 11 games this season, he’s averaged 17.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. The three-time All-Star ultimately opted against surgery and rehabbed carefully, per Slater. 

Trade speculation has surrounded Sabonis and the Kings in general, and that will only ratchet up as the deadline looms less than three weeks away. Sabonis signed a four-year, $186 million contract before the 2024-25 season, and has three years and $136.3 million remaining.

The Kings are 12-30, which is the second-worst record in the Western Conference, and they went 8-19 without Sabonis in the lineup. But after seven straight losses, Sacramento is on a four-game win streak, after prevailing over the 10-30 Wizards.

Packers and coach Matt LaFleur agree to contract extension, AP source says

Matt LaFleur has agreed to terms on a contract extension to remain the Packers’ coach, a week after Green Bay’s season ended with a wild-card playoff loss to the Chicago Bears, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced. ESPN and NFL Network first reported the agreement.

LaFleur had one year remaining on his contract. New Packers president and CEO Ed Policy had said last summer he would prefer not to have a lame-duck coach, saying it “creates a lot of issues.”

Green Bay has missed the playoffs only once under LaFleur, who has a regular-season record of 76-40-1 (.654). The only active coaches with better winning percentages over a minimum of 50 games are Philadelphia’s Nick Sirianni (.694), the Los Angeles Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh (.679) and Buffalo’s Sean McDermott (.662).

But LaFleur hasn’t been able to get the Packers to a Super Bowl. Green Bay won its last title in the 2010 season and hasn’t played in the Super Bowl since.

LaFleur’s future was in doubt after Packers’ wild-card loss to the Bears, in which they led 21-3 at halftime and 21-6 through three quarters. Green Bay went 9-8-1 and finished with five straight losses, although LaFleur rested his starters in the meaningless regular-season finale.

LaFleur is 3-6 in the playoffs, including five losses in his past six games. The Packers lost back-to-back NFC championship games in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. They owned the NFC’s No. 1 seed in 2020 and 2021 but lost at home both years.

While cleaning out their lockers Monday, several Packers players said they hoped LaFleur would return.

All-Pro defensive end Micah Parsons said LaFleur was among the reasons he had expressed interest in Green Bay before the Packers acquired him from the Dallas Cowboys in August. Parsons said he mentioned that to LaFleur after hearing that the coach’s job might be in jeopardy.

“He’s a great guy and I just think he cares so much, like he cares so much about the players,” Parsons said. “I don’t think people realize that. And you can get spoiled with a good coach and good people, and you don’t realize until they’re gone and I don’t want to be at that point where we realize like, ‘Damn, we let such a great coach go.’”

LaFleur led the Packers to NFC North titles in each of his first three seasons with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, and he kept Green Bay competitive after Rodgers was traded in 2023. The Packers have made the playoffs in each of their first three seasons with Jordan Love as the starter.

But those three appearances all came as the NFC’s seventh seed. The Packers limped into the postseason in 2024, too, finishing with three straight losses.

The Packers were 9-3-1 and leading the NFC North this season when Parsons tore an ACL on Dec. 14. They didn’t win another game.

Star tight end Tucker Kraft, defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt and center Elgton Jenkins also had season-ending injuries. The Packers entered the playoffs with 15 players on injured reserve.

Had he lost his job in Green Bay, LaFleur would have become an attractive head coaching candidate because of his reputation for getting the best from his quarterbacks.

Rodgers won his third and fourth MVP awards while playing for LaFleur, and Green Bay made a relatively seamless transition to Love. Malik Willis, acquired from Tennessee for a seventh-round pick, had six touchdown passes, three touchdown runs and no interceptions in two years as Love’s backup.

LaFleur’s preference was to stay in Green Bay.

“I love our players, the locker room, everybody in our organization,” LaFleur said Sunday. “I mean, this is a unique place. The community has been outstanding, just I mean, I grew up in the Midwest, and it’s got the same type of vibe that I grew up in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. … Unless you’re I think from here, you don’t understand how friendly everybody is. No matter who you are, you’re walking down the street and people say hello to one another. And I’ve lived other places, so I think this is a unique place, and it’s a special place. My kids love it here. My family loves it here.”

___

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

Packers and coach Matt LaFleur agree to contract extension, AP source says

Matt LaFleur has agreed to terms on a contract extension to remain the Packers’ coach, a week after Green Bay’s season ended with a wild-card playoff loss to the Chicago Bears, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced. ESPN and NFL Network first reported the agreement.

LaFleur had one year remaining on his contract. New Packers president and CEO Ed Policy had said last summer he would prefer not to have a lame-duck coach, saying it “creates a lot of issues.”

Green Bay has missed the playoffs only once under LaFleur, who has a regular-season record of 76-40-1 (.654). The only active coaches with better winning percentages over a minimum of 50 games are Philadelphia’s Nick Sirianni (.694), the Los Angeles Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh (.679) and Buffalo’s Sean McDermott (.662).

But LaFleur hasn’t been able to get the Packers to a Super Bowl. Green Bay won its last title in the 2010 season and hasn’t played in the Super Bowl since.

LaFleur’s future was in doubt after Packers’ wild-card loss to the Bears, in which they led 21-3 at halftime and 21-6 through three quarters. Green Bay went 9-8-1 and finished with five straight losses, although LaFleur rested his starters in the meaningless regular-season finale.

LaFleur is 3-6 in the playoffs, including five losses in his past six games. The Packers lost back-to-back NFC championship games in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. They owned the NFC’s No. 1 seed in 2020 and 2021 but lost at home both years.

While cleaning out their lockers Monday, several Packers players said they hoped LaFleur would return.

All-Pro defensive end Micah Parsons said LaFleur was among the reasons he had expressed interest in Green Bay before the Packers acquired him from the Dallas Cowboys in August. Parsons said he mentioned that to LaFleur after hearing that the coach’s job might be in jeopardy.

“He’s a great guy and I just think he cares so much, like he cares so much about the players,” Parsons said. “I don’t think people realize that. And you can get spoiled with a good coach and good people, and you don’t realize until they’re gone and I don’t want to be at that point where we realize like, ‘Damn, we let such a great coach go.’”

LaFleur led the Packers to NFC North titles in each of his first three seasons with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, and he kept Green Bay competitive after Rodgers was traded in 2023. The Packers have made the playoffs in each of their first three seasons with Jordan Love as the starter.

But those three appearances all came as the NFC’s seventh seed. The Packers limped into the postseason in 2024, too, finishing with three straight losses.

The Packers were 9-3-1 and leading the NFC North this season when Parsons tore an ACL on Dec. 14. They didn’t win another game.

Star tight end Tucker Kraft, defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt and center Elgton Jenkins also had season-ending injuries. The Packers entered the playoffs with 15 players on injured reserve.

Had he lost his job in Green Bay, LaFleur would have become an attractive head coaching candidate because of his reputation for getting the best from his quarterbacks.

Rodgers won his third and fourth MVP awards while playing for LaFleur, and Green Bay made a relatively seamless transition to Love. Malik Willis, acquired from Tennessee for a seventh-round pick, had six touchdown passes, three touchdown runs and no interceptions in two years as Love’s backup.

LaFleur’s preference was to stay in Green Bay.

“I love our players, the locker room, everybody in our organization,” LaFleur said Sunday. “I mean, this is a unique place. The community has been outstanding, just I mean, I grew up in the Midwest, and it’s got the same type of vibe that I grew up in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. … Unless you’re I think from here, you don’t understand how friendly everybody is. No matter who you are, you’re walking down the street and people say hello to one another. And I’ve lived other places, so I think this is a unique place, and it’s a special place. My kids love it here. My family loves it here.”

___

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

St. Louis Cardinals Winter Warm Up Day 1 Recap:

The “unofficial” kick-off to the 2026 season is underway, and Winter Warm-Up day 1 is in the books. Chaim, Oli, and 13 players graced the media stage inside Busch Stadium. Spirits were high as each player expressed their enthusiasm for the upcoming season and the opportunities that lie ahead, as the roster churn this offseason has led to openings in several positions. I will share video recordings from our friend Kyle Reis from “Wednesdays with Walton and Reis.” I’m sure the recordings will be far more entertaining than my recounting and transcribing for you!

Joshua Baez and Nathan Church

Blaze Jordan

Oli Marmol

Gordon Graceffo

Quinn Matthews

Liam Doyle

Jimmy Crooks

Jordan Walker

Matthew Liberatore

Chaim Bloom

Richard Fitts and Andre Granillo

Ivan Herrera

Riley O’Brien

As we look forward to day two of Winter Warm Up tomorrow, we will have the chance to talk to Dustin May, Leo Bernal, JJ Wetherholt, Brycen Mautz, Kyle Leahy, Alec Burleson, Michael McGreevy, Hunter Dobbins, Jose Fermin, Thomas Saggese, Andre Pallante, Masyn Winn, Yohel Pozo, Victor Scott II, and of course, the Dewitts.

NFL Divisional Round: 49ers vs. Seahawks

The Saturday night game in the Divisional Round of the 2026 NFL playoffs will feature an NFC matchup between the No. 6 San Francisco 49ers and the No. 1 Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks leads the all-time series between these NFC West teams, 31-23, but the away team has won six of their last seven meetings. They last faced off just two weeks ago, when the Seahawks won in San Francisco, 13-3. It could be an interesting night, with Seattle QB Sam Darnold dealing with an oblique injury the last few days.

Here’s everything you need to know about the game:

San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks

Game time: 8:00 PM EST
Channel: FOX
Online Streaming: FuboTV| FOX One
Location: Lumen Field | Seattle, WA
Announcers: Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews / Tom Rinaldi (field reporter)

Odds via FanDuel

San Francisco 49ers: +6.5 (+250)
Seattle Seahawks: -6.5 (-310)
Over/under: 44.5 points

SB Nation Blogs

Bills: www.BuffaloRumblings.com
Broncos: www.MileHighReport.com

Open thread: Discuss Saturday’s game in the comments below.

Oregon point guard Jackson Shelstad might be out for rest of season

Oregon will likely be without point guard Jackson Shelstad for the rest of the season.

Coach Dana Altman said after the Ducks lost 81-71 to Michigan on Jan. 17 — the fourth straight missed game for Shelstad — that tests taken on Friday revealed tendon and ligament damage in his right hand and it may require surgery, the recovery time for which is six to eight weeks.

“If he has to have surgery, it’ll be the season,” Altman said. “So, I’m sure that we won’t have him the rest of the year. There will be a decision made next week on surgery … but there’s just some tendon and ligament damage, it looks like, that hasn’t healed.”

Shelstad injured his hand against Omaha on Dec. 28 and has been sitting out ever since.

The three-year starter and an all-Big-Ten Conference preseason selection, is second on the team in scoring at 15.6 points per game and leads the Ducks in assists (59) and steals (17).

He missed the first game of the season as he recovered from surgery after breaking his right hand in a preseason practice. Altman reiterated Saturday that Shelstad’s current injury is not related to his injury or surgery from last fall.

Oregon was also without starting center Nate Bittle against Michigan. The Ducks’ leading scorer was on the bench with a boot on his left foot. Bittle used a scooter to move around without putting pressure on what Altman labeled a “lower leg” injury that Bittle suffered Tuesday at Nebraska.

Forward Sean Stewart said the team recently held a players-only meeting to address the loss of their top two players and how to move forward.

“We basically said, everybody’s just got to come together, next man up,” Stewart said. “Nobody plays less hard against us because Nate and Jackson are out, so we just have to play harder than ever.”

Chris Hansen covers University of Oregon football, men’s basketball, track and field, cross country and softball for The Register-Guard. You can reach him at chansen@registerguard.com.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Will Oregon PG Jackson Shelstad play again this season? Ducks fear no

Seahawks vs. 49ers: Divisional Playoff Open Thread

Tonight, the Seattle Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers in the second of two Divisional Playoff games.  Seattle comes into the game as the NFC’s top seed and should be well-rested off of their bye, while the Niners come in off a thrilling Wild Card win in Philly last week. Seattle is the favorite here, but San Francisco may be every bit the equal of their division rivals. This should be a great way to conclude the first day of the 2026 Divisional Playoff weekend!

NFC Divisional Playoff

#6 San Francisco 49ers at #1 Seattle Seahawks

Lumen Field – Seattle, Washington

Kickoff – 5:00pm PST / 7:00pm CST / 8:00pm EST

Network – FOX

Odds – Seahawks -7, O/U 44.5

Enjoy the game with the CSC family and join the thread below!

WATCH: Bills hook and ladder play sets up game-tying field goal vs. Broncos

Follow along with live updates from the Broncos-Bills divisional round playoff game here.

The Buffalo Bills are locked in a close battle with the Denver Broncos for a berth in the AFC championship game.

With time running down in the fourth quarter, the Bills used a little trickery to get crucial yards to get into range for a game-tying field goal. Buffalo executed a hook and ladder play with quarterback Josh Allen finding wide receiver Khalil Shakir for a short gain. Shakir then flipped the ball to running back Ray Davis, who crossed midfield and into field goal range for Bills kicker Matt Prater.

Bo Nix Uses Eye Black Against Buffalo Bills as Studies Discuss Its Impact on Sun Glare

Jan 17, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws during the fourth quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Bo Nix stepped onto the field against the Buffalo Bills with a familiar streak of black beneath his eyes, reviving a look many fans remember from his college days. While quarterbacks are usually defined by arm strength and decision-making, Nix’s choice of eye black sparked a different conversation. Does that thin layer of grease actually help an athlete see better under stadium lights and winter sun?

The roots of eye black stretch far beyond modern football. Early baseball players in the early 1900s were known to rub mud or charcoal under their eyes to fight sun glare, inspired by animals such as wolves and badgers that naturally have dark markings around their eyes.

By the 1940s, Washington running back Andy Farkas was photographed wearing eye black, helping popularize the look in the NFL. Legends like Babe Ruth reportedly used similar mixtures of beeswax and soot long before the product became commercialized.

The belief behind it is simple: the color black absorbs light rather than reflecting it, which may reduce the amount of glare bouncing into a player’s eyes. Mental Floss explains that by cutting down peripheral brightness, eye black could improve contrast and make it easier to track fast-moving objects like a spiraling football.

Players across the NFL continue to rely on it, even in the age of high-tech visors and advanced helmet designs. For some, it’s functional; for others, it’s part of the ritual of competition. Nix appeared to embrace both on Saturday night, wearing eye black as he tried to carve through Buffalo’s defense.

The effectiveness of eye black has been debated for years, and surprisingly few formal studies have examined it. The most cited research came out of Yale University in 2003. Ophthalmologist Dr. Brian M. DeBroff and his team compared three approaches: traditional eye black grease, anti-glare stickers, and petroleum jelly. Their results showed that only real eye black made from beeswax, paraffin, and carbon had any measurable benefit, slightly improving contrast sensitivity and reducing glare.

“We were surprised to find a benefit from the grease,” DeBroff later told The New York Times, admitting he initially expected the product to be more psychological than practical.

Two years later, a study from the University of New Hampshire challenged those findings. Using a larger sample size and more controlled lighting conditions, researchers reported no significant difference between athletes who wore eye black and those who wore nothing at all. Since then, little new research has been conducted, leaving the debate unresolved.

Today, many players opt for stick-on eye black strips, which are cleaner and easier to apply. Some athletes swear it sharpens their vision in bright conditions; others admit it’s more about confidence, intimidation, or superstition.

Against Buffalo’s fierce pass rush, any edge, real or perceived, matters. Eye black may not transform a quarterback into an MVP, but in a game decided by inches and split-second reads, even the possibility of clearer vision is enough reason for many players to keep the tradition alive.

The post Bo Nix Uses Eye Black Against Buffalo Bills as Studies Discuss Its Impact on Sun Glare appeared first on The SportsRush.

Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills – Live Discussion

The AFC’s top seeded Denver Broncos (14-3) will host the Buffalo Bills (13-5) in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. The action around the country is centered around Josh Allen and his quest for a championship, but very little attention has been paid to the rise of these Broncos from castaway to AFC powerhouse. Can they send Allen and the Bills packing and punch their ticket to the AFC Championship Game? We certainly hope so!

Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Mile High time on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. You can watch the live stream of the game through FuboTV or on CBS. The game will be called by Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Tony Romo (analyst), and Tracy Wolfson (sideline). You can also check local Broncos radio network affiliate stations.

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Broncos vs. Bills score predictions

According to FanDuel, the Broncos opened as slight home underdogs, but are now slightly favored over the Bills at 1.5-points. I still feel like they will need to be the overdogs in this game and come out with a win. While the odds have them slightly favored, no one else nationally are picking them to win really. I hope for a good old fashioned beat down, but that hasn’t been their style all season long. Give me another hard-fought, climb higher type win.

Prediction:Broncos 24, Bills 22.

Join the discussion in the comments section below.

Broncos vs. Bills live updates