The New York Jets did not have the season they hoped for in 2023, and owner Woody Johnson is clearly expecting change while taking shots at the team.

Johnson was in attendance at the NFL Honors in Las Vegas on Thursday night, and spoke with reporters for the first time since the team ended its season 7-10 and missed the playoffs. Expectations were high with the arrival of Aaron Rodgers, but they quickly faded when he tore his Achilles during the first series of the season, something Johnson compared to feeling like ‘having your arm chopped off.’ Johnson said it’s evident he’s mad with the team’s season, especially on offense, and while he said he wouldn’t demand a playoff appearance in 2024, he heavily indicated it needs to happen.

‘We have all this talent and we have to deploy talent properly. So I think they all got the message. This is it. This is the time to go. We’ve got to produce this year,’ Johnson said per multiple reports. ‘We have to do a lot better than seven (wins), definitely.’

Johnson also gave insight into what the team needs heading into the offseason, and took a shot at quarterback Zach Wilson.

‘You need a backup quarterback,’ he said. ‘We didn’t have one last year.’

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The No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Wilson was seen as the franchise quarterback when he was selected by New York, but inconsistent play led to the acquisition of Rodgers with Wilson being demoted to backup. After Rodgers got hurt, Wilson became the starter and started the next nine games, but was benched for Tim Boyle after the team fell to 4-6 while the signal caller continued to struggle. He eventually started two more game amid reports he was reluctant to return to the role, but after suffering a concussion in Week 15, he didn’t play for the rest of the season, with Trevor Siemian taking over the starting duties.

The Jets have missed the playoffs in 13 straight season, the longest drought in the NFL.

The Dallas Cowboys are turning to another former NFL head coach to lead the defense on Mike McCarthy’s staff.

The Cowboys are expected to hire former Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Thursday.

Zimmer, 67, would take over for Dan Quinn, who was officially named the Washington Commanders’ head coach last week.

Zimmer served as the Vikings’ head coach from 2014-21, leading the team to three playoff appearances while compiling a 72-56-1 record. He began his NFL coaching career as an assistant with the Cowboys in 1994. After serving as a defensive backs coach for three seasons, he held the role of the team’s defensive coordinator from 2000-06.

In Dallas, he will take over a star-studded defense that featured two finalists for Defensive Player of the Year in pass rusher Micah Parsons and cornerback DaRon Bland, who set the NFL record for pick-sixes this season with five pick-sixes.

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Quinn’s defenses were known for creating takeaways and big plays. His units finished fifth in points allowed in each of the last two years.

Dallas’ 2023 season unraveled, however, with a 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round.

The Cowboys also interviewed former Commanders coach Ron Rivera and New York Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel for the defensive coordinator role, according to multiple reports. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed Thursday that the team also spoke with former Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan for the position.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Caitlin Clark scored 27 points, putting her just 39 from the all-time NCAA women’s record, but it was another Hawkeye who shined brightest Thursday night during Iowa’s 111-93 win over Penn State.

Take a bow, Hannah Stuelke.

The sophomore post player, who had big shoes to fill with the graduation of Monika Czinano, was simply spectacular against the Nittany Lions, scoring a career-high 47 points on 17-of-20 shooting. Clark fed her all game, recording 15 assists (and a not-so-great 12 turnovers). It was the seventh time this season Iowa has scored 100 points or more. 

‘My teammates just did a really great job of getting me the ball inside,’ Stuelke said during a TV interview. ‘Our connection is amazing. I like playing with her. She sees the court really well and she always knows when I’m open. Just playing our ball, not listening to the outside noise. Staying focused.’ 

The stage is now set for Clark to top Kelsey Plum’s record of 3,527 points, set in 2017, if she wants it, on Super Bowl Sunday against Nebraska. But the Hawkeyes will be on the road, so maybe she’ll hold off until Feb. 15, when Iowa returns home to host Michigan. Clark has 3,489.

One thing’s for sure: If Clark and Stuelke are unstoppable, Iowa could very well get all the way back to the title game.

‘That’s what everybody has been waiting for,’ Clark said of Stuelke’s performance. ‘She’s had glimpses of being really, really great like that. I’m just proud of her.

‘To come out here and play like that, that’s exactly what we needed. I think she dominated. To see her confidence grow like that, to see her smile, as a team–mate, you’re just really happy.

‘I just said that’s what you’re capable of every single game. I want her to know that, I want her to know how much I believe in her.’ – Lindsay Schnell and Nancy Armour

Caitlin Clark, Iowa vs. Penn State highlights

How close is Caitlin Clark to NCAA women’s scoring record?

Caitlin Clark is 39 points away from breaking Kelsey Plum’s NCAA scoring record following her 27-point outing against Penn State.

Iowa could have another record-breaker on its hands

Stuelke, who earlier in the game established a career high, is flirting with Iowa’s single-game scoring record. That’s 48 points, set by Megan Gustafson against Minnesota on March 2, 2018.

As it is, Stuelke’s 47 points on 17-of-20 shooting make her the third Big Ten player to go over 40 this season. – Nancy Armour

4Q, 4:53: Iowa 91, Penn State 81

This is kind of a weird game. The Hawkeyes are only up 10 according to the scoreboard, but it feels like they’re in total control — especially now that Stuelke has subbed back in. The super sophomore has 38 — can she be the second player on Iowa’s roster to have a 40-point game this season? – Lindsay Schnell

4Q, 7:39: Iowa 85, Penn State 72

It’s getting chippy in here.

According to some people watching the Big Ten broadcast of this game, some not-so-friendly words were exchanged between Clark and Penn State’s Ashley Owusu. As you’ll likely remember from the 2023 Final Four, Clark has a habit of talking trash. But to her credit, she can both take it and dish it out.

Clark has 23 points and a season-high 13 assists. She also has 12 turnovers (statistically, that’s still a decent ratio).

We’ve got quite a bit of time left though — what are the odds someone gets a technical before the game is over? – Lindsay Schnell

End of 3Q: Iowa 79, Penn State 63

It’s crazy how quickly Iowa games can get out of hand, but that’s a testament to Clark running the show — and how fast she runs it. Clark loves to push pace — and coach Lisa Bluder gives her the freedom to do so — which means the Hawkeyes often score in bunches.

Something to keep an eye on as we head to the fourth quarter: Clark has 23 points (she scored just two points during the third period) and 12 assists, tying her season high. With 10 minutes left to play, does she set a new season high? – Lindsay Schnell

3Q, 3:10: Iowa 72, Penn State 51

And there it is, the 16th triple-double of Clark’s career … well, kind of.

With her 10th turnover of the game, Clark has technically recorded a triple double, to go with her 21 points and 10 assists. I’m guessing this isn’t the kind she wants publicity for, but we are here to cover everything.

Also, Clark turning the ball over 10 times speaks to her brilliance — every other player throwing the ball away that much would be yanked and find a seat on the bench. But Bluder and Clark’s teammates understand that she is the epitome of high risk, high reward, and they keep her on the floor because they know she can take over at any time. She can also continue to deliver them perfect passes, and no one wants that to go away. – Lindsay Schnell

‘Don’t be a Sheryl’: Hawkeyes fans rock T-shirts in support of Clark

Sheryl Swoopes might want to stay away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the foreseeable future.

Some fans at Tuesday night’s game wore T-shirts with “Don’t be a Sheryl” on the front. That was in reference to the “misinformation” Swoopes’ spouted about Caitlin Clark during an appearance on the YouTube show co-hosted by former NBA player Gilbert Arenas.

Her comments went viral, for their obvious pettiness and even more obvious errors.

Clark is adored by Iowa fans, so it’s no surprise they’d come to her defense. – Nancy Armour

Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke sets career high

Iowa is more than Clark.

Sophomore Hannah Stuelke had already set a career high midway through the third quarter with 24 points. The junior was on fire, shooting 10-of-12 from the floor. The last time Clark was outscored by a teammate was vs. Drake on Nov. 13, 2022, when Monika Czinano bested her, 33-28.

Stuelke’s previous career high was 22 points, against Fairleigh Dickinson in the season opener. – Nancy Armour

3Q, 6:19: Iowa 68, Penn State 49

It’s nice to have Clark on your team. It’s also nice to have Stuelke in the paint.

A career-high from Stuelke is a huge part of why Iowa has created separation in this game. It’s more than just her 24 points though — she also has six rebounds and has owned the paint. Her development this season, after the Hawkeyes bid goodbye to Czinano, has been more than impressive. And if Iowa is going to make another run to the Final Four, Stuelke’s play on the block will be critical. – Lindsay Schnell

Iowa coach praises Clark’s … passing? Oh, yes

While the rest of the country is fixated on how many points Clark has, Bluder is just as happy with another of Clark’s stats.

Clark had seven assists in the first half, dealing with Penn State’s defensive pressure by feeding Stuelke. Stuelke had 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

“I love it when those two get going together,” Bluder said at halftime. “Her passing is so good and she’s able to find that open person on the court.”  – Nancy Armour

Halftime: Iowa 55, Penn State 44

This game has become one in which everything happens in threes — as in, Penn State hits three field goals in a row, and then Iowa hits three field goals in a row.

Iowa’s three in a row with a few minutes left in the first half are why the Hawkeyes lead by 11 at the break. That, plus their 60% (!) shooting percentage.

Also of note: Iowa has taken 16 free throws; Penn State has only been to the line twice. Clark does have nine turnovers, tying a career high — and Penn State has scored 11 points off 11 turnovers — but her 21 points mostly make up for it. That, plus she has seven assists and four rebounds.

One of the most remarkable things about Clark’s game is her ability to flip the switch. Midway through the first half, she was playing pretty poorly. Now she looks like the player of the year (again).  

Penn State’s best stat so far is that the Nittany Lions’ bench is outscoring Iowa, 22-6. That’s great — but it’s not great that their starters have only accounted for 22 points. – Lindsay Schnell

Clark treated for cut on right hand

TV analyst Autumn Johnson said Iowa trainers are monitoring a cut on Clark’s right hand. They showed a shot of Clark holding her right hand above her head, wrapped in a towel. But right after they mentioned that, she made a pair of free throws. – Nancy Armour

2Q, 4:06: Iowa 39, Penn State 38

Clark is inching closer to a double-double, but not the kind you want. Clark already has 11 points, including three 3s, but she’s also got seven turnovers. Not ideal.

At the other end, Penn State has hit all three of its past three shot attempts to pull within one. It doesn’t look like Ciezki will be back, but maybe the Nittany Lions can hang around without her.

The most crucial thing for Iowa these last four minutes is to make sure Clark doesn’t pick up her third foul. – Lindsay Schnell

Penn State coach on her team guarding Caitlin Clark: ‘They’re not scared’

Carolyn Kieger is happy with the way her Penn State team contained Clark in the first quarter. Penn State has been tough on Clark throughout her career, and this game was no different. She had six points on 2-of-6 shooting but also picked up two fouls in the first 10 minutes and had five turnovers.

“They’re not scared. They took it right at her,” Kieger said before the second quarter began. “I like where we’re at right now.” – Nancy Armour

2Q, 5:49: Iowa 37, Penn State 30

Quick timeout while Penn State deals with an injury to Shay Ciezki, who rolled her ankle on the last play. She scored six quick points for Penn State early, and PSU will need her to pull off an upset — let alone stop this little 14-3 run Iowa has been on the last 3:21. Ciezki had to be helped off the court and later helped to the locker room, clearly in pain.  – Lindsay Schnell

End of 1Q: Penn State 25, Iowa 23

Since I commented on Penn State’s long-distance shooting, the Nittany Lions have hit four 3s. They’ve also scored seven points off six Iowa turnovers, including a layup to end the first quarter. Seven Penn State players have already scored. Meanwhile, Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke leads all scorers with 10 points.

If you want to beat Clark & Co., hitting 3s is necessary. After one period, Penn State is 5-of-14.

Also: Clark is back to start the second quarter.  – Lindsay Schnell

1Q, 1:57: Caitlin Clark’s second foul

Another interesting development: Clark was just whistled for her second foul (much to the displeasure of Iowa’s crowd.) Clark was furious as she headed to the bench — she’ll probably have to sit till midway through the second — and jawing at the officials. It’ll be interesting to see how much talking they put up with from her. That foul was also Clark’s fifth turnover.  – Lindsay Schnell

‘Clark tracker’ part of Big Ten broadcast

It wasn’t long ago women’s sports struggled to get space on television. Now broadcasters are pulling out all the stops for Clark.

The Big Ten Network had a “Clark tracker” in the upper left corner of the screen during the game, letting viewers know how many points Clark needs to break the NCAA women’s scoring record held by Plum. It even had a sponsor, State Farm, which has a deal with Clark and has featured her prominently in commercials the last few months. – Nancy Armour

1Q, 4:38: Iowa 11, Penn State 9

Well that’s an interesting start … Clark currently has more turnovers (four) than points (three). 

Talk about a trend you don’t see every day — something that I doubt continues. 

Penn State is good though, and won’t be intimidated. The unranked Nittany Lons are smart, athletic and scrappy — and they gave USC a great game early this season. They had to deal with another prolific scorer that game in JuJu Watkins, so they’re likely not starstruck by Clark. 

However, they probably can’t beat the No. 2 Hawkeyes if they continue to shoot 13% (1-for-8) from the 3-point line. – Lindsay Schnell

Caitlin Clark honored for becoming Big Ten’s all-time leading scorer 

The accolades just keep coming for Clark. 

In Iowa’s last game at Northwestern last week, the senior guard became the Big Ten’s leading scorer when she passed former Ohio State All-American Kelsey Mitchell with a nifty left-handed layup vs. the Wildcats. Tonight at Carver-Hawkeye Arena — the first time the Hawkeyes have been home in three games — Clark was presented with a commemorative basketball as the sold out crowd roared its approval. 

Also of note tonight: The Hawkeyes are celebrating national Girls and Women’s Sports Day. As they just said before introductions, “There’s no better time to be a female athlete than right here, right now at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.” 

It’s tough to argue with that. – Lindsay Schnell

Who is the all-time leading scorer in women’s college basketball?

Will Caitlin Clark break the scoring record Thursday night? It seems unlikely, but it’s all anyone is talking about as they stream into the arena and find their seats. Everyone here knows exactly how far away she is (66 points) from becoming the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, and most know passing Kelsey Plum still won’t make her the all time leader in women’s college basketball.That honor belongs to Lynette Woodard, who played at Kansas from 1977-81 and scored 3,649 points over her career. That was back before the NCAA included women’s sports; women’s college basketball then belonged to the AIWA. That’s why, when people talk about Clark chasing Plum, they always distinguish it as the NCAA record.Woodard recently told the Wall Street Journal of Clark’s accomplishments, “I think she’s an awesome player, and what she’s doing is great for the game. Got interest at an all-time high, and that’s what is supposed to happen. Bring it on.”For more on Woodard’s accomplishments, read the WSJ story here. — Lindsay Schnell

Caitlin Clark takes the floor

No surprise here, but Caitlin Clark is the first player on the floor, casually shooting around with about 85 minutes until tip. Fans are streaming in — many of them in Clark jerseys — and many are walking over to watch her warm up.

How to watch Caitlin Clark, Iowa vs. Penn State

Iowa vs. Penn State will begin at 9 p.m. ET and be broadcast on the Big Ten Network, with Kylen Mills and Christy Winters-Scott serving as the announcers. The game can also be found on Fubo and streamed on Fox Sports Live. — Scooby Axson

Sheryl Swoopes engages in old-fashioned player hatin’

Sheryl Swoopes’ fact-free broadside against Iowa star Caitlin Clark that went viral on social media last weekend is an undeniably bad look for the 52-year-old legend.

Appearing as a guest on the YouTube show co-hosted by former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, Swoopes made the following assertions:

That Clark is a 25-year-old beating up on young kids. (She’s 22.)
That Clark takes “about 40 shots a game.” (She’s at 22.3 field goal attempts for the season and 19.7 for her career, while Swoopes averaged 24.9 in two years at Texas Tech.)
That the all-time Division I scoring record Clark is about to break isn’t legitimate because she has a fifth year of eligibility due to COVID-19. (Clark will break the record in less than four.)

Wrong.

Wrong.

Wrong. 

But rather than pile on Swoopes, who briefly acknowledged on social media that she was mistaken about the scoring record but didn’t walk back the rest of it, let’s look at this a different way.

Read more of Dan Wolken’s columnhere.

Want to see Caitlin Clark? Buy season tickets

EVANSTON, Ill. — Greg Mittelman just wanted to see Caitlin Clark play. As a University of Iowa alum living in Chicago, his best chance was the NCAA runner-up Hawkeyes’ Jan. 31 game at Northwestern. He tried to snag single-game tickets. But when they sold out in October — just days after becoming available — he found another option.

“I am a season-ticket holder for Northwestern women’s basketball,” Mittelman said.

He has yet to attend a game, but the investment was more than worth it. He purchased four season tickets for $150 total. For Wednesday’s game, general-admission seats like Mittelman’s were listed at an average price of $230 on SeatGeek. Each.

“I tried to get my friends to do it, but they’re all like, ‘You’re an idiot,’ ” Mittelman said. “But I think I’m the smart guy now.”

Read more from King Jemison, a graduate student at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism,here.See how far fans are traveling to see Clarkhere.

Three reasons Caitlin Clark is so relatable

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maybe you have to witness the Caitlin Clark Experience in person to truly comprehend it.

From floor level, you see it all closer: the behind-the-back dribbles, the flying rebounds and coast-to-coast layups before the other team can get settled on defense. You see the twisting, slashing moves to the basket and the 3-pointers that go down after you think a defender has her smothered.

You see the smile, too. It can come in the huddle with teammates, or sitting at the podium with one of them after a game, or looking back at you when you ask her a question.

‘I came to Iowa with huge aspirations and now I’m getting to play in front of 15,000-plus every single night and that’s so cool,’ Clark said Saturday night after scoring 38 points to help beat Maryland and get within 66 points of the NCAA women’s scoring record. ‘Those are moments that you really can only dream of and now I’m living it every single day of my life and that’s really special.’

Read more of Stephen Borelli’s columnhere.

Caitlin Clark becomes NCAA’s No. 2 all-time leading scorer

Caitlin Clark is officially the second-best scorer in the history of NCAA women’s basketball. 

With a crafty layup with 4:58 left in the first half against Northwestern on Feb. 1, Clark officially passed fellow Big Ten All-American Kelsey Mitchell, who starred at Ohio State from 2014-18, on the NCAA’s all-time scoring list. (With this bucket, she became the leading scorer in Big Ten history.) Her layup followed a 3 late in the first quarter that moved her up to No. 3 all-time, passing Jackie Stiles. 

Caitlin Clark game-by-game points this season 

Here’s a breakdown of Clark’s scoring this season for the Hawkeyes: 

at Maryland, 2/3/2024: 38 points
at Northwestern, 1/31/2024: 35 points
vs. Nebraska, 1/27/2024: 38 points 
at Ohio State, 1/21/2024: 45 points (season-high) 
vs. Wisconsin, 1/16/2024: 32 points 
vs. Indiana, 1/13/2024: 30 points 
at Purdue, 1/10/2024: 26 points 
at Rutgers, 1/5/2024: 29 points 
vs. Michigan State, 1/2/2024: 40 points 
vs. Minnesota, 12/30/2023: 35 points 
vs. Loyola Chicago, 12/21/2023: 35 points 
vs. Cleveland State, 12/16/2023: 38 points 
at Wisconsin, 12/10/2023: 28 points 
vs. Iowa State, 12/6/2023: 35 points 
vs. Bowling Green, 12/2/2023: 24 points 
vs. Kansas State, 11/26/2023: 32 points 
vs. Florida Gulf Coast, 11/25/2023: 21 points 
vs. Purdue Fort Wayne, 11/24/2023: 29 points 
vs. Drake, 11/19/2023: 35 points 
vs. Kansas State, 11/16/2023: 24 points 
at UNI, 11/12/2023: 24 points 
vs. Virginia Tech, 11/9/2023: 44 points 
vs. FDU, 11/6/2023: 28 points 

What is Caitlin Clark’s highest-scoring game?

Clark’s highest-scoring game came when she hung 45 points on Ohio State on Jan. 21. Clark shot 12-for-25, including 7-for-18 from 3. She also grabbed three rebounds and handed out seven assists in the 100-92 loss. See how many other college players have scored more than 3,000 pointshere.

Caitlin Clark’s remaining games

Clark and Iowa will be on the road on Super Bowl Sunday against Nebraska. Tip is set for 1 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on Fox.

Iowa’s schedule the rest of the season:

Sunday, Feb. 11 at Nebraska, 1 p.m. ET on Fox
Thursday, Feb. 15 vs. Michigan, 8 p.m. ET on Peacock
Thursday, Feb. 22 at Indiana, 8 p.m. ET on Peacock
Sunday, Feb. 25 vs. Illinois, 1 p.m. ET on FS1
Wednesday, Feb. 28 at Minnesota, 9 p.m. ET on Peacock
Sunday, March 3 vs. Ohio State, 1 p.m. on Fox
March 6-10, Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis, times and TV vary

How tall is Caitlin Clark?  

Clark is 6-foot. Big guards have become more common in women’s basketball the last decade or so, and Clark’s size absolutely helps her because she’s able to see over defenders on the break and get vertical separation when she goes up for a shot.  

Also of note: Clark worked hard last summer to put on eight pounds of muscle and that has made a huge difference in her game, particularly when she drives to the rim. 

Is Caitlin Clark a senior?  

Yes … but she could come back next year and be a super senior if she wants. Though she’s projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, she could return to Iowa City next season. Because Clark was a freshman in the 2020-21 season, she has a COVID year (basically, that season didn’t count toward anyone’s eligibility).

Devin Hester will be the first player who was primarily a return specialist to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Hester was revealed at Thursday night’s NFL Honors along with Julius Peppers, Dwight Freeney, Andre Johnson and Patrick Willis as the modern-era selections for the 2024 Hall of Fame class, which will be enshrined into the Canton, Ohio, museum on Aug. 5.

A finalist for a third straight year, Hester — arguably the greatest return specialist in league history — finally got the call.

Hester owns the NFL record for most punt return touchdowns (14). He also returned five kickoffs for touchdowns. His combined 19 kickoff and punt return touchdowns are the most of any player in league history.

What to know about Devin Hester

The Chicago Bears selected Hester in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft after his career at Miami (Fla.), where he made an impact as a receiver, return specialist and defensive back. He also excelled in track and field for the Hurricanes, winning the Big East indoor long jump title in 2004.

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Hester was drafted as a cornerback but immediately made an impact on special teams as a rookie in 2006 (including an 84-yard punt return touchdown in his first NFL game). Hester was a major catalyst for a Bears team that reached Super Bowl 41, with a league-leading five return touchdowns (three via punts, two on kickoffs) while also returning a missed field goal 108 yards for a score.

Hester continued to be one of the NFL’s most dangerous return specialists, leading the league three times (2006, 2007 and 2010) in punt return touchdowns en route to setting the career record. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time first-team All-Pro pick. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-Decade teams for both the 2000s and 2010s.

Hester played eight seasons for the Bears (2006-2013) before signing as a free agent with the Atlanta Falcons. During his first season with the Falcons, Hester had his 20th career non-offensive touchdown, breaking a record he had shared with Deion Sanders. He was released by the Falcons following the 2015 season. In 2016, he played for the Baltimore Ravens, but was released that December. The Seattle Seahawks picked up Hester for the playoffs, and the return specialist announced plans to retire when the Seahawks were eliminated in the divisional round.

Hester finished his 11-year NFL career with 20 return touchdowns, including the one off a missed field goal. He also scored 16 receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. He compiled 255 receptions for 3,311 yards. He best season as a receiver came in 2009, when he had career highs in receptions (57) and yards (757).

Devin Hester’s Super Bowl 41 kickoff return touchdown

A total of 10 players have returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the Super Bowl, but only Hester did so on the opening kickoff. It was a questionable decision by the Indianapolis Colts to even kick to Hester, who entered the game with an established reputation for game-breaking returns. After the touchdown, the Colts rectified their strategy and only used squib kicks on kickoffs to try to keep the ball out of Hester’s hands. The Colts went on to win Super Bowl 41, 29-17.

Special teams players in the Hall of Fame

While Hester is the first return specialist who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he won’t be the first special teams player to be enshrined.

There are two kickers (Morten Andersen and Jan Stenerud) and one punter (Ray Guy) in the Hall of Fame. Two other players who were placekickers, but also played other positions, are enshrined: George Blanda (who played quarterback) and Lou Groza (who played offensive tackle).

Devin Hester’s selection puts spotlight on special teams players

Hester is the first return specialist to go into the Hall of Fame, but there are others who might at least receive more attention now that the value of the position finally has earned this level of recognition.

The first player to come to mind in this respect is Billy ‘White Shoes’ Johnson, who played 14 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Houston Oilers (1974-1980) and Atlanta Falcons (1980-87). Johnson, who is almost as famous for his ‘funky chicken’ dance as he was for his electric returns, is a highly decorated player whose Hall of Fame omission is almost startling. Johnson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time All-Pro pick, was a member of the Hall of Fame’s 1970s and 1980s All-Decade teams, as well as the NFL’s 75th anniversary team.

Second and third, respectively, on the NFL’s all-time punt return touchdown list behind Hester are Eric Metcalf (10) and Brian Mitchell (nine). Metcalf was a dynamic triple-threat player, excelling as a receiver, running back and returner. Mitchell is second only to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time all-purpose yardage list, with more than 1,700 yards than the league’s all-time leading rusher (Emmitt Smith) and more than 1,500 yards than the NFL’s previous all-time leading rusher (Walter Payton). Mitchell is the career leader in kick and punt return yardage, more than 4,000 yards ahead of the next player on the list. Neither Metcalf nor Mitchell has ever been a finalist for the Hall of Fame.

Dante Hall, ‘the Human Joystick,’ was the NFL’s premier return specialist before the arrival of Hester. He has a combined 12 punt and kickoff return touchdowns (six of each). A two-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time All-Pro, Hall also was named to the Hall of Fame’s All-Decade team for the 2000s (he is actually a first-team selection while Hester is second-team).

Whether he wants to admit it or not, Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey has cast himself as the man who will either preserve the big-tent model of college that we’ve known for generations, or the man who will light the fuse that finally implodes the NCAA.

It has come to that through years of passive-aggressive threats toward the little guys of college sports who are just trying to hang on for dear life amidst a tidal wave of changes they have little to do with. 

It has come to that through incessant whining and blame-shifting about how badly others – never his mighty SEC, mind you – are screwing up the enterprise with their inaction and failure to see the future. 

And finally, it has come to that through the new SEC-Big Ten “advisory group” that is being talked about around the industry as something much more significant than a few college administrators exchanging ideas.

“We have a responsibility for leadership,” Sankey said Wednesday during an appearance on the SEC Network’s “Paul Finebaum Show.”

But what will they do with that responsibility? And do the people assuming it even have the capacity or desire to truly wield it – beyond Sankey’s proclivity to tweet his reading list and the high-minded but mostly vacuous way he speaks about the very real problems facing college sports?

“There aren’t magical answers to what are historic realities that have worked really well in college sports over decades,” he told Finebaum. “And now we’re being challenged in different ways, whether it’s within our own campus settings, challenged in courts, challenged in state legislatures or challenged in Congress. 

“But bringing it back to the responsibility that these two highly prominent conferences share to help introduce some new perspective, perhaps some new ideas, some new thinking or maybe even more important, help cut through the bureaucratic tape that we face so often as we try to affect change in college athletics. All of those are part of that phrasing that this is bigger than just us.”

What does that actually mean? There are thousands of people – literally – working in athletic departments from Grand Valley State to Gonzaga and everywhere in-between who would like to know. 

When you talk to some of those people, reaction to the SEC-Big Ten partnership is a mix of sheer terror and hope. 

On one hand, it is easy to see a future in which those two conferences just go off on their own and form some kind of new enterprise, taking the spoils for themselves and leaving everyone else holding the bag. And they can do it quite reasonably under the guise of the NCAA being too unwieldy to thread the needle between the haves and have-nots, and too slow to react to the litany of lawsuits that are challenging pretty much every facet of the current model. 

Sankey practically lays the groundwork for that kind of move every time he opens his mouth, saying Wednesday he left the recent NCAA convention in Phoenix with the feeling that “we’re just not making the kind of progress (necessary) on the really important issues.” 

But the other perspective you’ll hear falls along these lines: If the SEC and Big Ten don’t take the lead in figuring this out, who will? The larger NCAA membership? Congress? Good luck with that. At least a system built around the realities of the SEC and Big Ten – revenue-sharing, an athlete employment model or whatever is necessary to stabilize the ecosystem – would give everyone an idea of what’s necessary to fall in line. 

Here’s the rub, though: We’re a decade into this slow-moving disaster, and still nobody in a position of power – even Sankey – is willing or able to articulate what actually needs to happen or what they want to do.  

And it’s beyond time for that. It should have happened years ago. And Sankey is not blameless – far from it – in the failure to act with adequate urgency. Now we get yet another committee, only this time, there’s a longstanding personal friendship between Sankey and relatively new Big Ten commissioner Tony Pettiti at the forefront rather than the frostier relations and rivalries keeping the two leagues apart.

“Here’s an opportunity to slim down the participants, focus between two conferences with the idea we can introduce (ideas) others can consider and react to,” he told Finebaum. “We have no unilateral authority. We have a set of pressing issues upon us that merit this type of conversation.”

This is not a new notion, much less a revolutionary one. It’s just another way to repackage the same schlock they’ve fed us for years.

After the Ed O’Bannon vs. the NCAA trial in 2014 – a trial, by the way, in which Sankey went on the witness stand and argued that players shouldn’t be paid – the NCAA granted power conferences “autonomy” to make their own rules on a wide variety of issues. They did very little with it. 

In the summer of 2020, the NCAA pivoted to asking Congress for help as state legislatures began passing laws to allow athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness. Sankey went to Capitol Hill and submitted written testimony that said, in part, “If universities are allowed to pay student-athletes for NIL rights, at minimum, the public will begin to perceive college athletics as a semi-professional sport, and the level of support for other student-athletes and their sports programs will decrease.” He also said, “We must protect the integrity of the college recruitment process by keeping NIL activity out of recruiting.”

Fast-forward nearly four years, and Sankey is now ripping the NCAA for pursuing an infractions case against Tennessee that falls along those very lines, telling Finebum, “I’m really one who thinks it’s important to look, given the environment we’re in, on the really big issues facing college sports, not cases.” Meanwhile, the attorney general of Tennessee is suing the NCAA so that NIL activity can be part of recruiting out in the open – the very thing Sankey once argued against.

Then in 2021, the NCAA announced the formation of the so-called “transformation committee,” whose charge was to “identify opportunities to modernize college sports and recommend forward-looking changes for consideration by the NCAA.” Sankey was made co-chairman. Its work accomplished little, and the entire endeavor has been memory-holed. It was a huge waste of time. 

And now we have the next big thing: The Big Ten and SEC finally partnering up, finally ready to move college sports past its current state of paralysis. The speed bump, though, is not skepticism – it’s their own history of fumbling around on anything and everything except making gobs of money for themselves. 

When it comes to expanding their conferences and negotiating huge television deals, Sankey and his colleagues have been undeniably successful. When it comes to building a sports enterprise that treats college athletes fairly, complies with federal antitrust law and acknowledges the reality that amateurism is dead, they haven’t shown that they have the foggiest idea what they’re doing.

Now the Big Ten and SEC are moving closer and closer to putting their hand on the red button. Are they going to save college sports or screw it up even more?

Given their history, best to strap that helmet tight and look out below.

LOS ANGELES — The date is 2-8-24, numbers synonymous with Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. It’s only appropriate that the team decided to unveil Bryant’s statue on this date.

Or should we say, statues.

Bryant’s widow Vanessa revealed Thursday night that the five-time NBA champion would have three statues. The first, unveiled before the Lakers’ game against the Denver Nuggets, shows Bryant wearing the No. 8 jersey in a pose from his 81-point game, a pose Vanessa said he chose.

The second will be of Kobe and daughter Gianna, who died with her dad and seven others in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020.

And the third will be of Kobe in jersey No. 24.

The Bryant statue is located at Star Plaza outside of Crypto.com Arena and Vanessa said all three would be there, although there was no timeline given for when the remaining bronze likenesses will be revealed.

Bryant is the seventh Lakers icon commemorated with a statue. He joins Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Chick Hearn. 

‘The statue is a wonderful contradiction. It captures a person frozen in time. While at the same time acknowledges that the reason that there is a statue in the first place is because that person is timeless,’ Abdul-Jabbar said Thursday. ‘We’re all here to honor a man who represents not just extraordinary sports achievement, but also timeless values that inspires us all to try harder to be not just better but our best.’

Black Mamba uniforms

In addition to the statue reveal, the Lakers sported Kobe-inspired Black Mamba uniforms in Thursday’s game against the Nuggets.

Bryant helped design the “Black Mamba” uniform. It features snakeskin-themed black print and drop shadows on the jersey numbers. The uniform also has “LA 24” on the belt and Bryant’s Nos. 8 and 24 under the flap of each leg of the shorts.

Kobe Bryant’s lasting legacy

Bryant won five NBA championships, was a two-time Finals MVP and an 18-time All-Star all as a member of the Lakers. He retired in 2016 as one of the best basketball players in NBA history.

Bryant was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.

“Kobe had so many people who have supported him all over the world from the very beginning. This moment isn’t just for Kobe, but it’s for all of you that have been rooting for him all of these years,” Vanessa Bryant said Thursday.

“To the fans here in LA, this is a special city Kobe was so proud to represent. You welcomed him with open arms and have been so important to him, our family and his legacy.”

Follow Tyler Dragon on social media @TheTylerDragon

Who will face Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 40?

It’ll be Cody Rhodes − for now.

After all sorts of speculation, the WWE universe was left confused at the WrestleMania 40 kickoff Thursday. Reigns chose to face The Rock, and The Rock accepted, but 2024 Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes wasn’t going to let it stand.

‘At WrestleMania 40 in the main event, I choose you Roman Reigns,’ Rhodes said in front of the crowd at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, invoking his title opportunity.

Reigns told Rhodes he already had his moment, and insisted that he instead face World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins with the ‘No. 2s.’ Reigns called Rhodes an embarrassment ‘just like your dad.’ Rhodes then made it personal with Reigns and The Rock, saying both of them ‘haven’t been doing any of the cooking for two years’ and that their families and ancestors would be ashamed of Reigns. The Rock stepped in, said disrespecting Reigns is disrespecting him, and he slapped Rhodes. Rhodes and Rollins were then held back as the two sides yelled to cap off the wild and confusing event.

After the show, WWE chief content officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque tried to make sense of what happened, but he was approached by The Rock and Reigns. The Rock told Levesque to ‘fix it’ and said the scene was what happens when you talk about their family.

Levesque then took to social media to say it will be Reigns vs. Rhodes at WrestleMania.

What’s next for Roman Reigns, The Rock and Cody Rhodes?

It’s been clear WWE fans prefer Rhodes face Reigns over The Rock. When Reigns announced he chose to face The Rock at WrestleMania, it produced a mixed reaction from the crowd.

By the time The Rock took the microphone, the crowd was mostly booing, with chants ‘Rocky sucks’ and ‘We want Cody’ echoing through the arena. The Rock made it clear the crowd was full of ‘Cody crybabies’ while explaining why it was important for him and Reigns to finally face at WrestleMania.

Clearly, this story is far from over, and it seems shaky to think Reigns vs. Rhodes will stand as long as The Rock is in the picture. There are different ways WWE could go forward with it:

The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes for the right to challenge Reigns at WrestleMania.
The Rock and Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins, and the winner between The Rock and Rhodes facing Reigns at WrestleMania.
Roman Reigns vs. The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania.

While there is less than two months left until WrestleMania, the build-up is already intensifying, and could lead to one of the biggest matches in the company’s recent history, regardless of who is in it.

As usual, there are interesting NBA players in this season’s list of potential buyout candidates.

And as usual, teams searching for that player who might be able to help them get to the next level will scour the buyout market hoping for a brilliant discovery.

But a word of caution: the buyout market typically does not yield a player who leads to a championship.

In 2020 during the COVID-19 season, Markieff Morris was bought out by the Pistons and joined the Los Angeles Lakers, helping them win a title. Obviously on a team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Morris wasn’t the key piece but he was a valuable contributor.

In 2012, Boris Diaw with San Antonio and Derek Fisher with Oklahoma City were important buyout additions.

But those are the exceptions. Still, it won’t stop teams from exploring the buyout market.

Top potential NBA buyout candidates

Spencer Dinwiddie

The Toronto Raptors acquired Dinwiddie from the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline and then waived him. Dinwiddie isn’t having his best season (12.6 points and 6.0 assists and shooting 39.1% from the field), but he is still a scoring guard who might get better and easier opportunities with a quality team.

Kyle Lowry

Davis Bertans

The Hornets need to decide what they want to do with Bertans who came over in the trade that sent Gordon Hayward from Charlotte to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Bertans has played in just 15 games this season but has maintained his shooting touch, hitting 41.7% of his 3-point attempts.

Seth Curry

Marcus Morris

Cedi Osman

Another San Antonio player who could hit the buyout market, Osman is shooting 37.3% on 3s this season and scored 20 points against the Washington Wizards late last month.

Evan Fournier

Fournier fell out of favor with the New York Knicks, making just three appearances this season. Two seasons ago for the Knicks, he played in 80 games and averaged 14.1 points and shot 38.9% on 3s. He was traded to the Detroit Pistons, and if he hits the buyout market, he could help a team looking for shooting.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith was cited for careless driving for his involvement in a car accident that left a man with a partially amputated leg.

Highsmith was on his way home from Miami’s Kaseya Center Tuesday evening following the Heat’s 121-85 win over the Orlando Magic – where Highsmith played three scoreless minutes – when the incident happened.

According to a Miami-Dade Police Department crash report obtained by the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Highsmith was driving 45 miles per hour, five mph above the posted speed limit, when he crashed into a disabled car in the road with its lights off. A man, who was helping the owner of the disabled car in the road, was directly behind the vehicle when it was struck by Highsmith, the crash report added. The car traveled 50 to 60 yards after impact.

‘Haywood struck a pedestrian pushing a disabled car without lights on down the middle of a dark road,’ Highsmith’s agent, Jerry Dianis, said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. ‘Haywood immediately rushed to help the person pushing the car who had been injured. A tourniquet was applied to the injuries by a bystander and Haywood stayed on the scene continuously talking to the injured man, offering words of comfort.’

The man was transported to the hospital in critical condition with ‘a partial amputation on his right leg,” a fractured left leg and a possible broken left arm, the crash report said. On Thursday evening, Dianis said the injured man ‘is in stable condition.’

Highsmith, who was not injured in the crash, was cited for driving in a “careless or negligent manner,’ Miami-Dade Police spokesperson Angel Rodriguez told the Sun Sentinel.

Dianis called the incident ‘an unfortunate accident,’ and added that Highsmith ‘had not consumed alcohol or drugs and was not speeding.’

USA TODAY Sports reached out to the Miami-Dade Police Department for comment.

‘Our hearts go out to those who were injured,’ the Heat said in a statement issued to USA TODAY Sports.

Highsmith was ruled out of the Heat’s 116-104 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night due to ‘personal reasons.’

Highsmith played collegiate basketball at Wheeling University from 2014 to 2018, and, after going undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft, he signed with the NBA G League’s Delaware Blue Coats. Highsmith had stints with the Blue Coats and Philadelphia 76ers before singing a three-year deal with the Heat in December 2022.

Tom Brady said he was surprised that his former coach Bill Belichick wasn’t hired this offseason after parting ways with the New England Patriots after 24 years.

Belichick reportedly was interviewed by the Atlanta Falcons twice, who ultimately hired Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.

‘I don’t know the criteria for hiring coaches. I’ve never been a part of it,’ Brady said on the ‘Let’s Go!’ podcast. ‘I mean, I’m surprised that the greatest coach ever doesn’t have a job, absolutely. But I’m surprised (by) a lot of things in the NFL.’

Brady and Belichick spent 20 seasons together with the Patriots, winning six Super Bowls before Brady announced that he was leaving the franchise via free agency after the 2019 season.

The five-time Super Bowl MVP said there weren’t many teams vying for his services, as he was 42 years old at the time of the announcement.

SUPER BOWL CENTRAL: Latest Super Bowl 58 news, stats, odds, matchups and more.

‘When I was a free agent, there (were) a lot of teams that didn’t want me,’ Brady said on the podcast.

Brady went on to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and led the team to a Super Bowl victory in his first seasons. He stayed with the team for two more seasons before retiring after the 2022 season.