The NCAA recorded nearly $1.3 billion in revenue for its 2023 fiscal year and ended the year with almost $565 million in net assets, the association’s new audited financial statement shows.

The revenue figure represents an increase of almost $150 million over the association’s revenue for its 2022 fiscal year, but a substantial portion of that increase was due to changes in the valuation of its investments.

In 2022, the NCAA recorded net investment losses of more than $72 million. In 2023, it recorded $62 million in net investment gains. As a non-profit organization, the NCAA has to annually record unrealized investment losses, its director of accounting, Keith Zapp, told USA TODAY Sports last year.

The association did not have immediate comment on the new figures, which cover period ending Aug. 31, 2023, and were first reported by Sportico.

Not adjusting for inflation, the NCAA’s total revenue for 2023 represents a new high. When adjusting for inflation, however, the association’s revenue was greater in fiscal 2019 — the last full fiscal year that was not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the NCAA’s new net asset total is greater than it was in 2019, even adjusting for inflation. The association and the current Power Five conferences are facing the possibility of billions of dollars in damages from a pending antitrust lawsuit.

During a recent Congressional hearing, NCAA President Charlie Baker — who took office on March 1, 2023 — that, if it comes to be, such a payment would be “applied probably across most of college sports” rather than being absorbed centrally by the NCAA.

In 2016, when the association settled the damages portion of another antitrust case for just over $208 million, the NCAA Board of Governors decided to fund the settlement from NCAA reserves and that no conference or school was required to contribute.  

The annual revenue total’s relative stagnation is largely because of the way NCAA’s primary revenue source is structured. The money from its 14-year media and marketing rights contract with CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports that is tied to the Division I men’s basketball tournament has been growing annually at a modest pace. It was $873 million in fiscal 2023.  

The NCAA’s overall TV marketing rights revenue, which also includes money from ESPN for other championship events, increased to $945 million in 2023, the new statement shows. That’s compared to $940 million in 2022.

The NCAA’s TV revenue is scheduled to remain largely unchanged in the 2024 fiscal year. In fiscal 2025, the first year of an eight-year extension to the men’s basketball tournament contract that was negotiated in 2016, that revenue is set to jump to $995 million, the statement shows. But after that, it will return to gradual increases, as the NCAA again chose a stable, long-term approach to the deal.

Also in fiscal 2025, a recently announced extension of the championships deal with ESPN will be worth an annual average of $115 million (more than double its current value), according to Sports Business Journal and other other outlets.

On the expense side, the NCAA modestly reduced its total expenses in fiscal 2023 to $1.178 billion. That’s about $17 million less than it spent in 2022.

The NCAA decreased its association-wide expenses such as legal services and business insurance, but increased it distribution to Division I member schools and conferences.

Run it back. Super Bowl 58 will mark the ninth “rematch” between franchises that have previously collided on Super Sunday (the Cowboys and Steelers the only clubs to meet three times). It was only four years ago that the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers battled in South Florida, K.C. ending a 50-year Super Bowl drought by prevailing 31-20 in a game that was far closer and dramatic than the final score indicates.

As Super Bowl 58, which will be the first ever staged in Las Vegas, approaches, here are my all-time Super Sunday game rankings (cardinal number, season noted in parentheses):

1. LI (51, 2016) New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28 (OT)

This game lacked nothing. Patriots QB Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick cemented their legacies, each becoming the first at his respective post to earn five Super Bowl titles. But securing immortal greatness required an all-time performance. Brady threw for a then-Super Bowl record 466 yards, leading his team to 31 unanswered points and earning MVP honors a record-breaking fourth time as New England forged the greatest comeback ever on Super Sunday – Atlanta led 28-3 in the third quarter – while taking the game into overtime for the first time. WR Julian Edelman made a miraculous catch that benefited New England for a change in the Super Bowl. RB James White was the unsung hero, catching a record 14 passes while also scoring the game-tying and game-winning TDs on his way to a game record 20 points. Oh, and the Falcons, with league MVP Matt Ryan and Co., sure were impressive on both sides of the ball for nearly three quarters before their epic collapse.

2. XLII (42, 2007) New York Giants 17, Patriots 14

Arguably the biggest upset in Super Bowl history, the Giants derailed New England’s march to the never-achieved 19-0 campaign with an unrelenting pass rush, WR David Tyree’s miraculous helmet catch and QB Eli Manning’s MVP performance.

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

3. XLIX (49, 2014) Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24

It will forever be remembered for QB Russell Wilson’s goal-line interception with the game hanging in the balance – when the Seahawks could have given the ball to bruising RB Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch, who had 133 total yards. The loss likely denied Seattle’s shot at a dynasty while burnishing the ‘Patriot Way.’ Brady won a record-tying third MVP award as he and Belichick collected their fourth title together after a decade-long dry spell.

4. XXIII (23, 1988) San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16

Probably the first legitimate Super Bowl classic. In what was perhaps QB Joe Montana’s defining performance – ironically the only time he didn’t win game MVP honors – he led an 11-play, 92-yard drive that culminated with a game-winning TD pass to WR John Taylor with 34 seconds to go. WR Jerry Rice’s Super Bowl-record 215 receiving yards earned him the MVP award. It was also Hall of Famer Bill Walsh’s final game as an NFL head coach.

5. XLIII (43, 2008) Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23

It had a little bit of everything – Pittsburgh LB James Harrison’s 100-yard INT return to end the first half, a furious fourth-quarterback comeback led by WR Larry Fitzgerald and decided underdog Arizona, and QB Ben Roethlisberger’s laser shot to the back corner of the end zone to toe-tapping MVP Santonio Holmes for the win. The Steelers snagged their sixth Lombardi Trophy, a mark since tied by the Patriots … and surpassed by Brady.

6. XXXIV (34, 1999) St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16

The ‘Greatest Show On Turf’ scored its third-fewest points of the season, but MVP Kurt Warner’s then-record 414 passing yards and LB Mike Jones’ tackle of Tennessee WR Kevin Dyson just shy of the goal line on the final play proved sufficient.

7. LII (52, 2017) Philadelphia Eagles 41, Patriots 33

Maybe a nearly six-decade wait between championships and a first Super Bowl crown was almost worth it for The City of Brotherly Love? MVP Nick Foles (373 yards and 3 TDs through the air) led the charge, his 1-yard TD grab before halftime on the now-legendary ‘Philly Special’ serving as the indelible sequence. But Eagles DE Brandon Graham basically assured the result by serving up the game’s lone defensive highlight with a strip sack of Brady with 2:09 to go. TB12 fired off a game record 505 yards through the air before succumbing on a day when the clubs combined for an NFL record 1,151 yards of total offense.

8. XXV (25, 1990) Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19

New York played keep-away from Buffalo’s explosive K-Gun offense, holding the ball for nearly 41 minutes, and got nice efforts from MVP Ottis Anderson (102 yards, TD) and backup QB Jeff Hostetler. But the Giants only survived thanks to K Scott Norwood’s wayward 47-yard field-goal try in the final seconds.

9. XXXVI (36, 2001) Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17

Despite one of Super Sunday’s biggest stunners, few realized this game also represented the beginning of a dynasty, coronation of a genius (Belichick) and birth of an icon as Brady won his first MVP. And there’s no forgetting K Adam Vinatieri’s game-winning, upright-splitting 48-yard FG at the gun.

10. XLVI (46, 2011) Giants 21, Patriots 17

For the second time in five seasons, New York broke New England’s heart as Eli Manning completed another improbable throw – this time to WR Mario Manningham – before the Giants scored a late go-ahead TD and weathered the Patriots’ final drive.

11. XXXII (32, 1997) Denver Broncos 31, Green Bay Packers 24

Denver QB John Elway finally got his first ring (on his fourth attempt), though MVP Terrell Davis was the day’s star (157 rushing yards, 3 TDs). The AFC also ended a 14-year losing streak to the NFC.

12. XLV (45, 2010) Packers 31, Steelers 25

QB Aaron Rodgers completed Green Bay’s four-game run as playoff road warriors with a 304-yard, three-TD effort that earned him the MVP award and a place next to Bart Starr and Brett Favre as a Packers legend while denying Pittsburgh’s “Stairway to Seven.”

13. XIII (13, 1978) Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31

In the original Super Bowl shootout, Pittsburgh became the first team to win the game three times by outlasting a Dallas comeback bid in another memorable matchup full of big plays (mostly the Steelers’) and missed opportunities (TE Jackie Smith’s drop) that would ultimately doom ‘America’s Team.’

14. LVI (56, 2021) Los Angeles Rams 23, Bengals 20

In their first season with veteran QB Matthew Stafford at the controls, the Rams became the second consecutive team to win the Super Bowl on their home field – it was also the Rams’ first Lombardi Trophy while representing LA. MVP Cooper Kupp capped what was probably the greatest single season ever for a wide receiver, hauling in the game-winning TD pass from Stafford with 85 seconds to go, while the Aaron Donald-led defense dogged Bengals QB Joe Burrow with seven sacks – and needed all that pressure to prevent a last-minute Cincy comeback. Rams coach Sean McVay, 36, became the youngest to win on Super Sunday.

15. XXXVIII (38, 2003) Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29

One of the stranger games in Super Bowl history – the teams combined for 61 points despite scoreless first and third quarters – may be better remembered more for Janet Jackson’s infamous halftime show than a pivotal late-game drive led by Brady and capped with more heroics from Vinatieri.

16. X (10, 1975) Steelers 21, Cowboys 17

MVP Lynn Swann only made four catches, but they were laden with drama over the course of 161 yards and a decisive touchdown in a game that would help establish Pittsburgh as the team of the 1970s.

17. XLVII (47, 2012) Baltimore Ravens 34, 49ers 31

A second-half Superdome power outage sparked the Niners, who nearly completed a comeback after finding themselves in a 28-6 hole in the third quarter. MVP Joe Flacco finished one of the best postseason runs by a quarterback, Ravens LB Ray Lewis earned a second ring in his final ride and WR/KR Jacoby Jones compiled a single-game record 290 all-purpose yards … just enough to fend off QB Colin Kaepernick and San Francisco.

18. XLIV (44, 2009) New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17

The Saints ended decades of futility courtesy of MVP Drew Brees’ pinpoint passing, coach Sean Payton’s surprise onside kick to start the second half and CB Tracy Porter’s game-sealing pick six of Indy QB Peyton Manning.

19. XIV (14, 1979) Steelers 31, Los Angeles Rams 19

Despite winning just nine regular-season games, the Rams gave the Steelers all they could handle before Pittsburgh pulled away in the fourth quarter on its way to becoming the only team to win four Super Bowls in six years. QB Terry Bradshaw was named MVP for the second year in a row.

20. III (3, 1968) New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7

It wasn’t a scintillating game, but it was probably the most important one in NFL history. MVP Joe Namath made good on his pre-game guarantee as New York struck a blow for AFL equality a year before the merger took effect by stunning the NFL’s heavily favored Colts. It remains the Jets’ only title.

21. LIV (54, 2019) Kansas City Chiefs 31, 49ers 20

K.C. ended its 50-year championship drought in style. MVP Patrick Mahomes rescued the Chiefs from their third consecutive double-digit deficit of that postseason, starting the fourth-quarterback comeback with his third-and-15 completion to WR Tyreek Hill on a spectacular 44-yard throw. RB Damien Williams’ pair of TDs late in the final period provided the coup de grâce.

22. LVII (57, 2022) Chiefs 38, Eagles 35

A fun and frenetic affair for 55 minutes of game action, Mahomes and Philly QB Jalen Hurts – he probably should’ve gotten the MVP award after accounting for 374 yards of offense and four TDs – trading haymakers for most of the night. But the holding penalty called on Eagles CB James Bradberry during K.C.’s final drive rendered the ending anticlimactic, Mahomes bleeding out the clock before Harrison Butker’s game-winning, chip-shot FG. Felt like what should have been an all-time classic wound up with a cheapened conclusion.

23. XXXI (31, 1996) Packers 35, Patriots 21

Thirty years after winning the first Super Bowl, the Pack returned to win their third as Gulf Coast native Favre passed for two TDs and rushed for another in front of a New Orleans crowd. However return man Desmond Howard was named MVP.

24. XXXIX (39, 2004) Patriots 24, Eagles 21

New England withstood a late Philly charge – or did the Pats benefit from a lack of conditioning on the part of Eagles QB Donovan McNabb? – to become the second team to win three Super Bowls in four years.

25. XVII (17, 1982) Washington 27, Miami Dolphins 17

MVP John Riggins’ 43-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter gave Washington a 20-17 lead it wouldn’t relinquish and coach Joe Gibbs the first of his three titles. Riggins finished with a then-record 166 yards, giving him 610 in four playoff games during that postseason.

26. XXX (30, 1995) Cowboys 27, Steelers 17

Dallas endured, thanks to some gift interceptions from Pittsburgh QB Neil O’Donnell, and became the first team to win three Super Bowls in a four-year span. The Cowboys also joined the 49ers as five-time Super Sunday winners.

27. XVI (16, 1981) 49ers 26, Bengals 21

San Francisco launched its dynasty and Montana won the first of his three Super Bowl MVP awards. The Niners hung on thanks in part to a key goal-line stand to thwart Cincinnati, which scored three second-half touchdowns after trailing 20-0 at halftime.

28. XLI (41, 2006) Indianapolis Colts 29, Chicago Bears 17

MVP Peyton Manning earned his only ring with Indy, while Tony Dungy became the first Black coach to win on Super Sunday amid a rainy night in South Florida.

29. VII (7, 1972) Dolphins 14, Washington 7

Miami’s ‘No Name Defense’ didn’t allow a point – Washington scored on K Garo Yepremian’s unforgettable special teams blunder – as the Dolphins, deemed underdogs by some, completed the only undefeated season (17-0) of the Super Bowl era.

30. XXII (22, 1987) Washington 42, Broncos 10

Washington QB Doug Williams struck a social blow as the first Black quarterback to win the Super Bowl after orchestrating a breathtaking, 35-point second quarter that saw him throw four TD passes on his way to MVP honors. Timmy Smith rushed for 204 yards, a record that still stands, behind “The Hogs,” Washington’s famed offensive line.

31. XXI (21, 1986) Giants 39, Broncos 20

MVP Phil Simms had one of the greatest Super Sundays, completing 22 of 25 passes for 268 yards and three TDs, as the Giants rode 30 second-half points to their first Super Bowl triumph.

32. I (1, 1966) Packers 35, Chiefs 10

Green Bay, with help from hung-over backup WR Max McGee (138 receiving yards, 2 TDs), did the expected in the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game – that’s what the Super Bowl was called at the time – which didn’t even sell out the Los Angeles Coliseum. However not everyone remembers that Vince Lombardi’s troops only led by four points at halftime.

33. V (5, 1970) Baltimore Colts 16, Cowboys 13

It was the first Super Bowl with any sense of drama as rookie K Jim O’Brien, who had an extra point blocked earlier in the game, drilled the decisive 32-yard FG with 5 seconds left. But a sloppy game was marred by 11 turnovers and a rib injury to Colts QB Johnny Unitas.

34. LIII (53, 2018) Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3

This one lacked the offensive fireworks that had been a hallmark of the season. But even if there were nearly as many punts (14) as total points in a game where New England matched Pittsburgh with its sixth Lombardi – while putting a dent in McVay’s genius label – this matchup wasn’t lacking for drama. It was only the second Super Bowl to enter the fourth quarter with the score tied (3-3) though, ultimately, the Rams would match Miami’s 47-year-old mark for fewest points scored on Super Sunday.

35. XXVIII (28, 1993) Cowboys 30, Bills 13

Buffalo gave Dallas a better fight, leading 13-6 at the half, in a rematch but ultimately couldn’t contain league MVP (and Super Bowl MVP) Emmitt Smith (132 rushing yards, 2 TDs). It was the Bills’ fourth consecutive Super Bowl loss, a dual accomplishment and curse.

36. XL (40, 2005) Steelers 21, Seahawks 10

Pittsburgh joined the club of five-time Lombardi Trophy winners as RB Jerome Bettis ended his career in style in Detroit (his hometown) and Roethlisberger, 23, became the youngest quarterback to win the game despite forgettable numbers and amid controversial officiating that hurt Seattle.

37. 50 (2015) Broncos 24, Panthers 10

Super Bowl MVP Von Miller (2½ sacks, 2 forced fumbles) terrorized league MVP Cam Newton from the start, triggering a golden defensive effort on Super Sunday’s golden anniversary and allowing Peyton Manning to shift into game-management mode as he captured his long-awaited second crown in what turned out to be his final NFL appearance.

38. XIX (19, 1984) 49ers 38, Dolphins 16

A highly anticipated matchup between Montana and Dan Marino fizzled after the first quarter. MVP Montana (331 yards, 3 TDs) completely outclassed fellow western Pennsylvania native Marino (in his lone Super Bowl), as the Niners became the first team to win 18 games in a season.

39. XI (11, 1976) Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14

At the sun-splashed Rose Bowl, the Raiders won their first title – and only one under coach John Madden – by physically dominating the Purple People Eaters. The Vikings failed to win the Super Bowl in their fourth and most recent attempt.

40. IX (9, 1974) Steelers 16, Vikings 6

After 42 barren seasons, a young Steel Curtain gave Pittsburgh its first NFL title thanks to suffocating defense and MVP Franco Harris’ 158 rushing yards, a Super Bowl record at the time.

41. XX (20, 1985) Bears 46, Patriots 10

The upstart Patriots actually led 3-0 before the vaunted ’85 Bears defense shuffled its way to a blowout that did not include the touchdown Hall of Famer Walter Payton had long desired.

42. XXXIII (33, 1998) Broncos 34, Falcons 19

Elway’s final game minted him as an all-time great, Denver repeating thanks to an MVP effort (336 passing yards, TD pass, TD run) from its 38-year-old gunslinger.

43. XXVII (27, 1992) Cowboys 52, Bills 17

Dallas’ Triplets – MVP QB Troy Aikman (4 TD passes), RB Smith (108 rush yards, TD) and WR Michael Irvin (114 receiving yards, 2 TDs) – were too much for the Bills (9 turnovers) in the final Super Bowl played at the iconic Rose Bowl. However Buffalo WR Don Beebe’s goal-line strip of DT Leon Lett, who was returning a recovered fumble, prevented Dallas from setting a new scoring record for the game.

44. XV (15, 1980) Oakland Raiders 27, Eagles 10

With the New Orleans Superdome wrapped in a yellow ribbon welcoming home American hostages from Iran, the Raiders were less than hospitable to Philly as they became the first wild-card team to go all the way.

45. IV (4, 1969) Chiefs 23, Vikings 7

In a dominant performance, the Chiefs ensured the AFL-NFL rivalry would forever be knotted 2-2 just months before the leagues officially merged. QB Len Dawson won MVP honors after being erroneously linked to a gambling scandal before the game.

46. II (2, 1967) Packers 33, Oakland Raiders 14

The aging Pack won their fifth and final championship of the 1960s in Lombardi’s last game coaching the franchise.

47. XVIII (18, 1983) Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington 9

Washington entered the game viewed as one of the most formidable teams of all time. The Raiders put that notion to rest with MVP Marcus Allen (then-record 191 rushing yards) providing the exclamation point with his epic 74-yard TD run.

48. XXIX (29, 1994) 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26

No one gave the Bolts a chance, and the Niners proved that outlook correct. MVP Steve Young emerged from Montana’s shadow to pass for a game-record six TDs as San Francisco became the first team to win five Super Bowls.

49. LV (55, 2020) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9

The ballyhooed battle between Brady and Mahomes – ‘The GOAT vs. The Kid’ – never materialized, the showdown every bit as dissatisfying as Montana vs. Marino years before. TB12 was stellar (3 TD passes) on the way to bolstering his legacy with a seventh ring and fifth Super Bowl MVP trophy. Fleeing on a bad foot behind a tattered O-line, Mahomes had the worst game of his four-year career as the Bucs, largely propelled by their relentless defense, became the first team to hoist the Lombardi on its home field.

50. XXXVII (37, 2002) Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21

It’s remembered as the Jon Gruden Bowl after the coach was traded from the Raiders to Tampa Bay before the season. But an elite defense that returned three Rich Gannon INTs for TDs highlighted the first title in Bucs history.

51. XXIV (24, 1989) 49ers 55, Broncos 10

Montana saved his best Super Sunday for last, winning his third MVP with 297 passing yards and five touchdowns as the Niners repeated while setting Super Bowl records for points scored and margin of victory.

52. XXVI (26, 1991) Washington 37, Bills 24

The game wasn’t nearly as close as the score indicates. Washington won its third and final championship under Gibbs, who had a different quarterback each time, including MVP Mark Rypien on this day.

53. XII (12, 1977) Cowboys 27, Broncos 10

In the first Super Bowl staged indoors (the Superdome opened in 1975), Dallas crushed its former quarterback, Craig Morton, and error-prone Denver (eight turnovers). It’s the only Super Bowl with co-MVPs (D-linemen Harvey Martin and Randy White).

54. VIII (8, 1973) Dolphins 24, Vikings 7

MVP Larry Csonka rushed for a then-Super Bowl record 145 yards (QB Bob Griese only threw seven passes) as Miami repeated with a team some consider stronger than the 1972 17-0 group.

55. XXXV (35, 2000) Ravens 34, Giants 7

One of the most dominant defenses in history pitched a shutout (the Giants’ points came via a kickoff return). Controversy swirled around Lewis all week, but he finished it with MVP honors.

56. VI (6, 1971) Cowboys 24, Dolphins 3

Coach Tom Landry’s team finally shed a reputation for choking in big games by holding Miami to a FG (tied for fewest points with the 2018 Rams) on a 39-degree day at New Orleans’ Tulane Stadium.

57. XLVIII (48, 2013) Seahawks 43, Broncos 8

The chasm between pre-game expectations and outcome may have been the widest in the game’s history. Seattle’s Legion of Boom defense stifled a Peyton Manning-led offense that scored a league-record 606 points but surrendered two on a safety to start the game.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.

When the music stopped Thursday and the Washington Commanders reportedly filled the final 2024-25 head coaching vacancy, former Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn’t find a seat among the eight open head coaching jobs.

He wasn’t the only coach replaced in this cycle, but none of those coaches approach his credentials—except for maybe the other 70-something replaced in this cycle: Seattle’s Pete Carroll.

Should Belichick never find another head coaching assignment, he already ranks among the all-time greats. Perhaps none will ever match his six Super Bowl wins. Still, his legacy seems in limbo with couple other major career records within his grasp.

Here’s a look at what Belichick has accomplished and is on the cusp on accomplishing.

Where Belichick leads the head-coaching pack

Longevity: By Pro Football Reference’s count, 524 coaches helmed a professional football team for at least one game since 1920. Only six have served as a head coach for a quarter century or more. Belichick would have started his 30th season this year. The Chiefs’ Andy Reid is the only other active coach and still has a chance to win his third Super Bowl in his 25th season.

Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them.

Super Bowls: No other coach approaches Belichick and the Patriots’ six Super Bowls quarterbacked by Tom Brady. Only three other coaches have won three or more, and none are still coaching.

Winning percentage: Belichick’s teams have won almost two-thirds of their games. That puts him among the top 10 of all Super Bowl-era coaches who have coached more than 10 seasons. That’s an impressive feat considering his five-year stint with the Cleveland Browns combined with the Patriots stumbles since Brady departed.

A perfect regular season: Belichick and Don Shula are the only two Super Bowl-era coaches to lead their teams to perfect regular seasons. Shula and the Dolphins completed the NFL’s only perfect season in 1972. Few Patriots fans will ever forget the Super Bowl catch that ended their aspirations for a perfect season.

How close Belichick is to becoming the NFL’s winningest coach

Belichick is also within striking distance of another of Shula’s marks. He’s the only other Super Bowl-era coach with more than 300 regular-season wins. Chicago Bears’ George Halas coached 318 wins between 1920 and 1967. Admittedly Halas overlapped a bit in the Super Bowl era.

Not unsurprisingly, Shula’s 347 total wins (regular and postseason combined) are also an NFL record. Because of the Patriots’ 18 years of post-season appearances, Belichick could just be one very good season away from that record. His 333 career wins are just a couple touchdowns short of Shula.

Belichick could become the losingest coach ever, too

Belichick flirted with the ‘losingest’ title this past season. The Patriots helped him avoid the indignity with wins over the Steelers and Broncos late in the year. Still, the 4-13 record was the worst of Belichick’s career and ultimately ended his 24-year run with the Patriots.

His 165th loss in Week 18 to the Jets placed him in three-way tie with Dan Reeves (190-165-2) and Jeff Fisher (173-165-1). He’s also tied with Tom Landry with 178 regular- and post-season losses.

How Belichick’s losses piled up

It’s no secret Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is scoring at a historic rate. But there’s something else noteworthy, too: According to Big Ten Network analyst Meghan McKeown, Clark is also passing the ball on a different level.

“Caitlin Clark is playing Guitar Hero on expert mode, while everyone else is playing it on easy mode,” McKeown said. “That’s how I would describe her passing ability.” 

McKeown has watched Clark enough to notice the game seems to move in slow-motion for the reigning Naismith Player of the Year, allowing her to shred defenses with a deluge of dimes. Clark leads the nation in total assists this season with 170 and surpassed the all-time Big Ten assists record of 901 on Dec. 30, tallying 10 against Minnesota. She averages 7.7 assists per game, also best in the nation this season. 

Fans in sold-out arenas love the logo 3s and Clark’s chase for Kelsey Plum’s NCAA women’s scoring record, but it’s the way the Iowa guard can set her teammates up to score — taking advantage of all the attention she draws from defenses — that makes many consider Clark the most complete offensive player in women’s college basketball.

Another 10 assists against Northwestern Wednesday in No. 4 Iowa’s 110-74 win displayed just how much Clark loves to pass.

“When I can reach that 10 assists mark, we’re very, very successful as a team,” Clark said.

“It opens up the floor for the other shooters that we have, and that’s what our offense is all about. It’s a read and react offense, setting up your teammates for really great shots. And that’s what makes it fun.” 

Split-second decisions on soccer field translate to basketball court

Clark developed her elite passing ability in part by playing varsity soccer for Dowling Catholic High in West Des Moines, Iowa. Her freshman season, she was named to the 2017 Class 3A All-Iowa girl’s soccer team by the Des Moines Register. Clark stopped playing soccer after her sophomore season to focus on basketball, but she picked up a spatial awareness and an understanding of how to work with tough angles, according to those who have studied her game. 

Christy Winters-Scott, a former First Team All-ACC forward at Maryland and another Big Ten Network analyst, thinks Clark’s ability to pass the soccer ball to put teammates in advantageous positions — and make split-second decisions — translates to hoops.

“Does it need to be a bounce pass? Does it need to be to her left hand or her right hand? Does it need to be right to her collarbone? Or do I need to pass it up high? Caitlin has, in a split second, the awareness and the ability to make the proper pass,” Winters-Scott said. “That is an elite level skill not everyone has.”

Notre Dame junior guard Sonia Citron was also an all-state soccer player at The Ursuline School in New Rochelle, New York. She played until her sophomore year, and noticed movements of players in soccer were similar to basketball. As a result, she knew what to look for when passing on the hardwood.

“I think soccer just really trains your eyes to identify what space is open, and what players are cutting and making runs. That definitely translates to basketball,” said Citron, who is handing out 2.6 assists per game this season for the No. 16 Irish. “On a smaller scale, when things are moving faster, your eyes are trained to look for players making those movements to free themselves from defenders.”

Since high school, Clark has had what her former AAU coach Dickson Jensen calls an “innate” ability to know where every player is at all times, and credits soccer for helping her ridiculous court vision. Playing on a larger soccer field, having to pass to teammates over further distances, means Clark isn’t confined to half-court offense in basketball. It’s common to see her grab a defensive rebound and immediately rifle the perfect pass to a teammate open at the other end of the court.

“I think that the scale of soccer allows the scale of basketball to be bigger and broader for Caitlin,” Jensen said “Her decisions are being made in the back court. Most point guards, you know, their first goal is get the ball into the front court.”

Highlight-reel assists add to Clarkmania

Clark’s combination of ability and vision have allowed her to add plenty of highlight-reel assists to the Clarkmania lore. There was a no-look, behind-the-back bounce pass to Addison O’Grady for a layup against Wisconsin Jan. 16. And a wraparound pass, with two defenders draped on her in the paint, to set up Hannah Stuelke for an easy bucket against Nebraska Jan. 27. 

The passes come from every angle in every offensive situation, whether it be the half-court, pick-and-roll or fast break. McKeown calls the ball a “yo-yo” in Clark’s hands, because she looks like she is in complete control of the game when she’s dishing.

“She had a pass tonight to Hannah that was just ridiculous,” said Iowa coach Lisa Bluder Wednesday. “I mean, I just love watching it. “

With 35 more points against Northwestern — her fifth straight game with at least 30 —  Clark is now second on the all-time scoring list and just a handful of games away from surpassing Plum. Yet, she is still passing as much as anyone in the country.

Per CBB Analytics, Clark has the nation’s second highest usage rate, a measure of how often a player contributes to a play scoring and assisting. But among the players who are top 10 in usage rate, she has the highest assist percentage, a measure of how many of her teammates’ field goals a player assists on while she is on the floor. 

Put simply: Of the players who have the ball in their hands the most, Clark is the one looking to pass most.

“She’s not hunting her shot. She’s hunting for the best opportunity for the team,” Winters-Scott said. “If it’s not her opportunity to score, then you’d better have your hands ready, because that ball is going to find you.”

Colin Capece is a graduate student at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews was able to be one of a few people to help a woman suffering a medical emergency on a plane.

Springs said then a man asked, ‘Could it be her blood sugar? I have a diabetic testing kit,’ revealing to be Andrews. The tight end instructed the doctor and nurse on how to use the test kit, and eventually the woman’s heart rate stabilized. Paramedics met the flight once it landed and Andrews left the plane quietly, according to Springs.

‘As he has done his whole career, he stepped up in a huge moment when people needed him most. Watching complete strangers spring into action to help save someone’s life is truly amazing,’ Springs said.

The Ravens confirmed the story to the USA TODAY Network on Thursday and put out a statement on social media from Andrews. It was not revealed what emergency the woman had or her condition once the plane landed.

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‘In addition to the fast-acting flight attendants, the real heroes are the nurse and doctor who also happened to be on the plane,’ the statement read. ‘Thankfully they were able to provide the woman the quick assistance she needed.’

Andrews has been open about his Type 1 diabetes, which he said he was diagnosed with at 9 years old. In 2019, he told USA TODAY Sports he pricks his fingers before kickoff and approximately 30 times over the course of a game to monitor his blood sugar levels to make sure he’s not too high or too low.

‘I’m always checking this thing before the games and making sure that my numbers are flat and steady and ready to go,’ Andrews said.

Drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Andrews just finished up his sixth season with the Ravens. He played in only 10 regular-season games, missing the final six games due to an ankle injury suffered in the Week 11 win against the Cincinnati Bengals. He returned in the AFC championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs, hauling in two catches for 15 yards in the 17-10 loss.

It’s a new era for the Washington Commanders.

Nearly a month after the team fired former coach Ron Rivera, Washington is hiring former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to be the team’s 31st coach in franchise history, according to multiple reports Thursday.

Quinn had been available to hire once the Cowboys were eliminated from the playoffs after a wild-card round defeat against the Green Bay Packers, though the Commanders had still been interested candidates from teams that were still alive.

Quinn has widely been considered one of the top assistants available for the work he had done in building the Cowboys into a ball-hawking defense. Dallas ranked fifth in scoring defense, allowing an average of just 18.5 points per game. He unleashed star edge rusher Micah Parsons, helping him become one of the highest-impact defenders in the NFL.

Dallas’ defense struggled significantly, however, in the team’s wild-card round loss to the Packers, giving up 20 points in the first half (not counting a pick-six that came late in the second quarter). The Cowboys defense would go on to give up 41 points in the loss.

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The Commanders struggled during Rivera’s four seasons with the team, going 26-40-1 in that time, with just a single playoff appearance. Washington failed to find consistency at the quarterback position, cycling through players such as Alex Smith, Taylor Heinicke, Carson Wentz and Sam Howell. The Commanders also brought in offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy from the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2023 to help revive the offense, which continued to sputter in 2023.

This marks the first head coaching hire made by owner Josh Harris, who formally took possession of the franchise in July. The Commanders hired former 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters on Jan. 12.

As his first order of business, Quinn will need to work alongside Peters to find and develop a franchise quarterback to stabilize the offense. From there, the Commanders will need to continue to add talent on both sides of the ball, after the team traded away its top two pass rushers with a looming rebuild.

The U.S. Women’s National Soccer team is accustomed to being in the spotlight. And its players are no strangers to controversy.

So it should come as no surprise that team captain Lindsey Horan could be in line for some criticism after her comments to The Athletic in a recent interview about American soccer fans.

‘Most of them aren’t smart,’ Horan said. ‘They don’t know the game. They don’t understand. (But) it’s getting better and better.’

The point she was trying to make was that soccer commentators on TV tend to shape public perception, especially of the USWNT.

‘We’re always in the magnifying glass on every single thing we do or anything we say,’ Horan said.

The U.S. team took plenty of heat for its poor showing at the 2023 Women’s World Cup − where Horan and Co. were bounced in the Round of 16 in a penalty-kick shootout against Sweden. The loss cost coach Vlatko Andonovski his job and put the USWNT into scramble mode in the run-up to the 2024 Olympics in Paris this summer.

‘We need to get back to the football. The football is the most important thing,’ Horan said in the December interview. ‘We need to focus on the game. We need to focus on being the absolute best we can be.’

With the Olympics getting underway in late July, Horan, 29, will have a lot of responsibility on her shoulders in the meantime.

‘We need to change every bit of culture that we had prior to the last World Cup and going into this Olympics,’ she said, ‘because we need to win.’

Mike Martin – Florida State’s legendary baseball coach whose consistency and all-time wins record are unequaled – died Thursday less than three years after being diagnosed with Lewy body dementia.

Martin was 79.

Martin is synonymous with FSU baseball over 47 years as a player, assistant coach and head coach, elevating the program into a national powerhouse and perennial contender despite never winning the College World Series.

When Martin retired after his 40th season at Florida State in June 2019, he stepped down as the winningest coach in college sports with a record of 2,029-736-4.

In October 2023 in an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat, Carol Martin – Mike’s wife of 58 years – shared Martin’s dementia diagnosis for the first time publicly. She also revealed her husband had been initially diagnosed with the disease in the summer of 2021, two years into his retirement.

Carol described how her husband experienced changes in attention, alertness and behavior. The family worked with physicians and specialists to identify strategies that help Martin’s symptoms. He was a patient at a Tallahassee memory care center and had been under hospice care since mid-January.

She said his thoughts would often turn to the diamond, adding that he would sometimes share baseball instructions with her.

“We laugh at some of the things that transpire – though it is a tragedy,” Carol said. “You try to laugh to lift your spirits. In his mind at these times, he’s okay and still doing what he loves. We are hoping in his mind he’s happy and at peace.”

Bill Smith, one of Martin’s closest friends and chairman, president and chief executive officer of Capital City Bank Group, said Thursday, ‘What a great man, what a great life. He is one of my best friends. We are blessed to have known him.’

Mike Martin Sr. led FSU baseball to NCAA tournament all 40 years as head coach

Martin, nicknamed “Eleven” for his jersey number, made a record 40 consecutive postseason appearances, won eight Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championships and appeared in 17 College World Series games, including his final season.

Martin was recognized with multiple national honors and awards, and the field at Howser Stadium was dedicated in his name in 2005.

On Jan. 5, Martin was recognized as the recipient of the 2024 ABCA/Wilson Lefty Gomez Award at the organization’s national convention in Dallas. The award is presented to an individual who has contributed significantly to the game of baseball.

Martin’s Florida State teams won 40 or more games and made the NCAA tournament every year he was the Seminoles’ head coach starting in 1980 when he took over for Dick Howser.

Martin balanced his passion for winning with graciousness.

“To say nothing was overlooked, there’s no way,” Martin told the Democrat in 2019. “I always want to feel like I gave each player everything I had. You always want to feel you gave it your best shot.”

Martin’s first victory as Florida State coach was 9-8 at Miami Feb. 24, 1980; his last and 2,029th was 1-0 over Arkansas in the CWS June 15, 2019, in Omaha, Nebraska.

“He has built a legacy and tradition there that is pretty unmatched,’ former FSU All-American infielder (1999-2000) Marshall McDougall told the Democrat in 2018. ‘It’s impressive what he’s done and how long he has done it. He has had tons of great players come through there. I think that’s what you remember the most, all the people who have helped contribute. You remember all the good times.’

Buster Posey, Jack Nicklaus, others send FSU’s Mike Martin good luck messages via video

Mike Martin’s legacy includes Buster Posey, J.D. Drew among 4 Golden Spikes winners

More than 70 players Martin coached at FSU, headlined by Buster Posey, J.D. Drew, Paul Wilson, Mike Loynd, Mike Fuentes, and Doug Mientkiewicz, were named All-Americans. Eight were named national player of the year, four won the Golden Spikes Award and two won the Dick Howser Trophy.

Posey, a Georgia native and three-time World Series champion while he played with the San Francisco Giants, has called Martin the ‘best college baseball coach in history’ and said, ‘it was just a dream come true to just have the opportunity to put on that uniform.’

Martin’s son Mike Martin Jr. coached under his father at FSU for 22 seasons before succeeding him as head coach for three seasons. Current FSU coach Link Jarrett also played and coached under Mike Martin.

During his opening 2024 press conference on Jan. 26, Jarrett unveiled a dedicated space to Martin in the program’s renovated tradition room at Howser Stadium. The field at the stadium was named after Martin in 2005.

‘This is the best that ever was to put on a uniform. The number of wins, they way he carried himself,’ Jarrett said of Martin. ‘I saw Carol and Mike last week (mid-January). Phenomenal human beings. (He) means the world to me, the program. And I wanted to have a dedicated space for him.’

Martin passed the late Augie Garrido (1,975) for the college baseball wins record with a 3-2, 13-inning win at No. 9 Clemson on May 5, 2018.  On March 9, 2019, Martin became the first coach to achieve 2,000 career wins with a 5-2 victory over Virginia Tech in the second game of a doubleheader.

“One time after we beat Texas in the College World Series, we came out and shook hands after the ballgame,’ Mike Martin Jr. told the Democrat in 2018. ‘I think one of the highest compliments was when (Texas head coach) Augie Garrido said, ‘Mike, you’re so good that you beat me with your guys and you could turn around, take my team and beat me with my team.’ I was taken aback by that. I thought that was a pretty cool compliment when one of the greatest of all-time says you’re so good you can do it in many different ways.”

Martin’s Seminoles appeared in two national title games in 1986 and 1999, losing to Arizona 10-2 and Miami 6-5.

FSU’s 1970 team under Mike Stallings also reached the title game, losing to Southern Cal in 15 innings.

Mike Martin Sr. and wife Carol Martin were integral parts of Tallahassee community

Martin, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Carol arrived in Tallahassee as newlyweds in 1964 – and never left.

‘We fell in love with Florida State from day one,” Carol Martin told the Democrat in 2018. “When we came to Tallahassee on your honeymoon – seriously, we did – from the moment he stepped on campus, he just loved everything about Florida State. To this day, he’s such a competitor that he wants Florida State to win every race, every game, every match. He’s such a die-hard fan at heart.

‘Having gone to Florida State, he’s proud of that. He breathes garnet and gold, that’s for sure.”

Martin played center field for the Seminoles (1965-66), hitting .354 and helping the team reached the 1965 College World Series. (He missed the series with a broken arm).

After Martin played minor league baseball for three seasons, he returned to Tallahassee as a coach and teacher in the Leon County school system. He also was the basketball coach at Tallahassee Community College (1970-71) for one season.

Martin returned to Florida State as an assistant coach in 1974 under Woody Woodward. When Woodward departed before the 1979 season, the school hired former FSU All-American Dick Howser, who had been an assistant with the New York Yankees. When the Yankees hired Howser as their manager in 1980, Martin stepped in as the Seminoles’ coach.

HIs legacy will certainly endure, even though Martin chuckled and admitted his start might not have suggested success. Martin and FSU dropped its first two games in 1980 at Miami, 10-0 and 4-3 on a throwing error.

“That particular night – the first game I ever coached as a head coach – I’m coaching third base,’ Martin told the Democrat in 2018. ‘We did not get a man to third base. We got beat 10-0 (by Miami). I’m sitting there after the game thinking, “Is this what I signed up for? This is not really what I thought it would be.’”

Forty years later, Martin left an indelible mark on the game and players.

‘For me, when I got to Florida State, it was really just making me feel like I was able to compete,’ former FSU All-American outfielder (1999-2001) John Ford-Griffin told the Democrat in 2018. ‘He made me buy into my game more than anybody. He made you believe that you were good and he brought that out of you. You want to play for people like him. Wanting to play for him, wanting to win for him and how he impacted my game.”

In the classroom, Martin’s players were selected to the academic team of distinction 72 times since its 2006 inception, while leading the ACC six times in 13 years. Three of Martin’s players earned ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors on five occasions, while his teams were twice honored with the ACC Sportsmanship Award.

Away from the baseball field, Martin was an avid golfer.

“I want to be remembered as a guy that did it right, that put education first, that made sure that guys understood what’s expected of them, that they’re coming to Florida State to get a degree first,” Martin told the media following the 2019 CWS.

“We’re not a school that just wants baseball players. We’re a university that demands that you do what you’re supposed to do in the classroom, and that’s give it your best shot.”

Christianity also became an important element of Martin’s life in the mid-1980s.

“I reassessed my life from the standpoint of what was really important,” Martin told the Democrat. “I tried to get more involved with learning about Christianity.  I had been raised as a Christian, but my relationship with the Lord was more superficial. 

“As a result of my studying…I became more relaxed, and more sensitive to the players.”

The closest Martin ever came to leaving Florida State for another coaching opportunity was in 2001,when the University of Georgia wanted to interview him.

“I’ll tell you how close I was. Had I gone up there, I know I would have taken it,” Martin told the Democrat in 2018. “I didn’t go because I said I don’t want to leave this place. This is home. This is my university. I love Florida State. I don’t want to go anywhere else. I know that they would have almost doubled my salary. That wasn’t going to be the reason that I was going to leave.”

“I thank God that I stayed.”

Martin and Carol have three children (Mary Beth, Melanie and Mike, Jr.) and four grandchildren.

All About Mike Martin

BORN: Feb. 12, 1944 in Charlotte, North Carolina

DIED: Feb. 1, 2024

HIGH SCHOOL: Garinger High School, Charlotte, North Carolina

ALMA MATER, YEAR: Florida State, 1966

COLLEGIATE BASEBALL EXPERIENCE: 1965-66, Florida State, center field; 1963-64, Wingate Junior College, center field

HONORS: 1966 All-District Selection 1963-64 Junior College All-American

WIFE: The former Carol Dellinger

CHILDREN: Mary Beth, Mike Jr., Melanie

GRANDCHILDREN: Hannah Elizabeth, Tyler, Thomas Joseph (T.J.) & Lexi

COACHING: Basketball – TCC (1970-71); Godby High (1971-74). Baseball – FSU (assistant, 1975-79); FSU (head coach, 1980-2019).

RECORD: Overall: 2029-736-4; Conference/NCAA Tournaments 142-83