Team USA is a back-to-back champion for the first time at the world junior hockey championship.

It took a major rally against Finland on Sunday in Ottawa to make it happen.

Outplayed in the first period and trailing 3-1 early in the second period, the USA took advantage of a Brandon Svoboda fluke goal that deflected off a Finnish player and a skilled goal off the rush by Cole Hutson to tie the game before the second intermission.

Teddy Stiga then scored on a breakaway at 8:04 of overtime for a 4-3 victory and a second consecutive gold medal at the under-20 tournament.

Finland, which had won five in a row coming into Sunday’s game, received silver medals.

The USA went undefeated last year in winning gold. This year, the Americans lost 4-3 in overtime to Finland in the preliminary round. But they turned around that score in the title game and will enter next year’s tournament in Minnesota as back-to-back defending champions.

Captain Ryan Leonard was named tournament MVP. He played the last two games with a full shield after taking a puck off the face in the quarterfinals. He had two assists in the gold medal game, a goal and an assist in the semifinal and five goals and five assists for the tournament.

Czechia defeated Sweden 3-2 in a 14-round shootout to win a second consecutive bronze medal.

Here are highlights from the medal games at the world junior hockey championship:

Top players at the tournament

USA wins gold in overtime

Teddy Stiga breaks in alone and scores the winner. It was his first goal of the tournament for a 4-3 victory and back-to-back gold medals for the USA.

Petteri Rimpinen stellar

He stops a Zeev Buium one-timer and a Ryan Leonard breakaway.

Overtime begins

The USA is outshooting Finland 34-22 in the game.

Finland and USA head to overtime again

Finland beat the USA 4-3 in overtime in the preliminary round. Tuomas Uronen scored the winning goal in that game.

End of third period: USA 3, Finland 3

There will be a 15-minute intermission, then they will play 3-on-3 overtime for 20-minute periods until someone scores. This is the second game of the day that went to overtime after Czechia beat Sweden in a shootout for the bronze medal.

Three minutes left

Still 3-3. Trey Augustine stops a shot by Tuomas Uronen.

Eight minutes left

Still 3-3.

Ryan Leonard stopped

Petteri Rimpinen stops the U.S. captain on his charge to the net.

Third period underway

Score is 3-3.

End of second period: USA 3, Finland 3

If Finland controlled the first period, the USA controlled the second part of the second period. They get a Brandon Svoboda fluke goal that goes off a Finnish defender and a high-skilled goal by Cole Hutson to tie the game. Hutson and Ryan Leonard have two points apiece.

USA-Finland score: Cole Hutson ties it up

Cole Hutson ties the game with 28.7 seconds left in the second period. Hutson shows his speed and mobility after taking a pass from Ryan Leonard. Nice moves. Better shot.

USA-Finland score: Brandon Svoboda scores

He circles to the blue line and fires a long shot that deflects in off a Finnish player. USA down 3-2 with 2:22 left in the second period.

Good chance by USA

Zeev Buium and Ryan Leonard work a give-and-go, but Petteri Rimpinen stops Buium and the rebound goes out of play.

USA takes lead in shots

They’re up 18-17, but still trail 3-1.

Midway point of second period

USA starts to get some more chances. Petteri Rimpinen loses his goalie stick, but Finland is able to clear.

USA-Finland score: Finns take two-goal lead

Two U.S. players collide, which creates space for Finland’s Emil Pieniniemi to skate into the right faceoff circle and rip a shot to Trey Augustine’s blocker side at 4:52 of the second. This is the USA’s first two-goal deficit of the tournament.

Second period underway

Finland leads 2-1.

End of first period: Finland 2, USA 1

Finland comes out with the lead after controlling play for most of the period. Its once-struggling power play connects again. The USA doesn’t get much of a sustained attack and is outshot 13-8. A positive: The Boston College line connects after being shut out in the teams’ meeting in the preliminary round.

USA-Finland score: Finns retake lead

Tuomas Uronen beats Trey Augustine from the right faceoff circle at 13:03 for a 2-1 lead less than a minute after the USA tied the game. He had scored the overtime winner against the USA in the preliminary round.

USA-Finland score: James Hagens ties game

USA had been outplayed for much of the game, but captain Ryan Leonard takes a shot and James Hagens finesses the rebound over a diving Petteri Rimpinen. Score is 1-1.

USA-Finland score: Finns score on power play

Jesse Kiiskinen scores from between the faceoff circles for a 1-0 lead. He has a goal in six consecutive games. Finland scored the first goal against the USA in the preliminary round, too.

Finland goes on power play

Max Plante is called for hooking. Finland scored two power-play goals against Sweden in the semifinals.

Five minutes in

Finland getting the better chances so far.

Game underway

Winner gets gold. Loser gets silver.

USA vs. Finland goalies

USA’s Trey Augustine vs. Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen

When is USA vs. Finland world juniors hockey game?

The United States and Finland will play for gold at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, though the game start might be delayed because of the length of the bronze medal game.

How to watch USA vs. Finland world juniors hockey game

Both games will be shown on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.

How to stream USA vs. Finland world juniors hockey game

Fubo and Sling carry NHL Network in the United States.

Which USA players are back from last year’s gold medal team?

Goalies: Trey Augustine, Michigan State; Sam Hillebrandt, Barrie Colts

Defensemen: Zeev Buium, Denver University; Drew Fortescue, Boston College, Aram Minnetian, Boston College

Forwards: Ryan Leonard, Boston College; Oliver Moore, University of Minnesota; Danny Nelson, Notre Dame; Gabe Perreault, Boston College; Carey Terrance, Erie Otters

USA’s projected lines

What is the U.S. record vs. Finland at the world juniors?

The USA has 16 wins and 19 losses at the world juniors vs. Finland. They also tied once. One of those losses was Finland’s 4-3 overtime win this year in the preliminary round.

Czechia wins bronze medal in shootout vs. Sweden

Otto Stenberg and Eduard Sale go again in the 14th round. Sale scores on a backhander to give Czechia the bronze and three consecutive medals at the world junior hockey championship. Sweden finishes out of a medal a year after winning silver.

Round 13

Sweden’s Otto Stenberg and Czechia’s Eduard Sale score. Still tied.

Heading to round 11

Sweden shooting first.

Tied after eight rounds

Jakub Stancl hits the post.

Tied after five rounds

Sweden now shooting first.

Shootout tied 1-1 after two rounds

Czechia’s Jakub Stancl and Sweden’s Axel Sandin-Pellika score in the second round.

Bronze medal game going to a shootout

It’s five rounds in international hockey before sudden death. Sweden elects to go second.

Two minutes left in overtime

Czechia’s Eduard Sale has a couple good chances, but Marcus Gidlof stops him.

End of third period: Sweden 2, Czechia 2

Sweden will go to overtime for the second game in a row. Not much action in the third period. They’ll play 10 minutes of 3-on-3 overtime, then a shootout, if necessary.

Nice save by Michael Hrabal

Sweden picking up play. Czechia goalie Michael Hrabal gets his glove on a deflection.

Midway through the third period

When Sweden was trailing Finland on Saturday, it played a dominant third period. With the score tied in this game, both sides are playing a tight defensive game. Not many chances out there. Still 2-2.

Third period underway

Score tied 2-2.

Where is the 2026 world junior hockey championship?

It will be held in Minneapolis-Saint Paul from Dec. 26, 2025, to Jan. 5, 2026. The ceremonial passing of the puck took place in Ottawa on Sunday afternoon.

End of second period: Sweden 2, Czechia 2

Pretty evenly played period. Czechia’s Eduard Sale scores after a turnover and Sweden’s Felix Unger Sorum sets up David Edstrom for a second goal. Shots are 11-10 Sweden in the period.

Sweden-Czechia score: David Edstrom ties it up

David Edstrom scores his second goal of the game with a deflection for a 2-2 tie with 4:20 left in the second period. Felix Unger Sorum gets his second assist of the game.

Sweden-Czechia score: Czechs capitalize on turnover

Linus Eriksson’s pass goes right on the stick of Czechia’s Miroslav Holinka. He finds Eduard Sale alone in front and he roofs a backhander for his sixth goal of the tournament. 2-1 Czechia.

Second period underway

Score is 1-1.

End of first period: Sweden 1, Czechia 1

Czechia scores on its first shot, then Sweden controls play, thanks to three power plays. A Czechia deflection goes just wide in the last seconds. Shots are 9-5 Sweden.

Sweden-Czechia score: Sweden ties it up

Czechia’s Jiri Felcman is in the penalty box for charging. David Edstrom scores on a rebound to tie the game 1-1. Axel Sandin-Pellika gets the secondary assist for his 10th point of the tournament.

Sweden goes on power play

Sweden has the second-best power play in the tournament. They generate two shots, but Czechia kills the penalty.

Sweden-Czechia score: Czechs score on power play

Jakub Stancl remains hot with his seventh goal of the tournament. The Czechs pass the puck around well on the power play and Stancl scores on a one-timer at 3:47 for a 1-0 lead. A Swedish defender got his stick on the puck but it snuck through to Stancl.

Sweden vs. Czechia underway for bronze medal

Michael Hrabal is back in net for Czechia but Marcus Gidlof is starting for Sweden. He has played one game in the tournament, beating Kazakhstan. Melker Thelin had played in Saturday’s semifinal loss to Finland.

Today’s world juniors hockey games

All times p.m. ET

Sweden vs. Czechia, 3:30

United States vs. Finland, 7:30

USA vs. Finland players to watch

United States: The Boston College line of Ryan Leonard, Gabe Perreault and James Hagens has combined for 25 points. Leonard has a team-best five goals. Perreault and Boston University’s Cole Hutson have a team-best nine points. Hagens (eight points) is considered the top prospect in the 2025 NHL draft.

Finland: Draft-eligible goalie Petteri Rimpinen has played every minute and has a 2.12 goals-against average. Forward Jesse Kiiskinen has a five-game goal streak. Forward Konsta Helenius has seven assists.

Medal games feature familiar opponents

This year’s medal games are a rematch of the 2024 semifinals. The USA beat Finland 3-2 and Sweden beat Czechia 5-2 last year.

How many gold medals has the USA won at the world juniors?

The USA has won six goal medals: 2004, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2024.

How many gold medals has Finland won at the world juniors?

Finland has won five gold medals: 1987, 1998, 2014, 2016 and 2019.

How many total medals has the USA won at the world juniors?

The USA has won 15 medals: six gold, two silver and seven bronze.

How many total medals has Finland won at the world juniors?

Finland has won 17 medals: five gold, five silver and seven bronze.

Sweden vs. Czechia players to watch

Sweden: Defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellika has nine points. Forward Otto Stenberg scored twice against Finland.

Czechia: Forward Jakub Stancl has a tournament-best six goals.

Sweden vs. Czechia lines

World juniors schedule

Dec. 26

Sweden 5, Slovakia 2
United States 10, Germany 4
Czechia 5, Switzerland 1
Canada 4, Finland 0

Dec. 27

Slovakia 2, Switzerland 1
Finland 3, Germany 1
Sweden 8, Kazakhstan 1
Latvia 3, Canada 2 (SO)

Dec. 28

Czechia 14, Kazakhstan 2
United States 5, Latvia 1

Dec. 29

Sweden 7, Switzerland 5
Finland 4, United States 3 (OT)
Czechia 4, Slovakia 2
Canada 3, Germany 0

Dec. 30

Slovakia 5, Kazakhstan 4 (OT)
Latvia 4, Germany 3 (OT)

Dec. 31

Switzerland 3, Kazakhstan 1 
Finland 3, Latvia 0
Sweden 4, Czechia 2
United States 4, Canada 1

World juniors hockey playoff round

All times Eastern

Jan. 2 (quarterfinals)

Sweden 3, Latvia 2
United States 7, Switzerland 2
Finland 5, Slovakia 3
Czechia 4, Canada 3

Jan. 4

Finland 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
United States 4, Czechia 1

Jan. 5

Bronze-medal game: Sweden vs. Czechia, 3:30 p.m. ET, NHLN, TSN
Gold-medal game: USA vs. Finland, 7:30 p.m. ET, NHLN, TSN

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The NFL playoff schedule is set.

As the final components of the playoff picture fell into place in Week 18, the league revealed its slate for the wild-card round. The Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans will kick things off Saturday afternoon, with an AFC North grudge match between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens to follow. Sunday’s tripleheader will begin with the Buffalo Bills hosting the Denver Broncos, followed by the Green Bay Packers visiting the Philadelphia Eagles. The Washington Commanders will square off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to close the night. And the action will wrap up Monday, when either the Detroit Lions or Minnesota Vikings travel to face the Los Angeles Rams.

Here’s the schedule for the wild-card round and beyond:

NFL playoff schedule: Wild-card games

Jan. 11

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Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens, 8 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video

Jan. 12

Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox

Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8 p.m. ET, NBC

Jan. 13

Minnesota Vikings/Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC

NFL playoff schedule: Divisional-round games

Jan. 18

TBD vs. TBD

TBD vs. TBD

Jan. 19

TBD vs. TBD

TBD vs. TBD

NFL playoff schedule: Conference championship games

Jan. 26

AFC championship – TBD vs. TBD

NFC championship – TBD vs. TBD

NFL playoff schedule: Super Bowl 59

Feb. 9

AFC champion vs. NFC champion, 6:30 p.m. ET, Fox

The Denver Broncos’ postseason drought is over.

Playing in front of their home fans, the Denver Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 38-0 to clinch their first playoff berth since the 2015 season.

The Broncos received a little assist from the Chiefs who rested many of their starters – including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones and Trent McDuffie – having already clinched the No. 1 seed in AFC. But don’t tell that to a proud Broncos franchise who was yearning to end an eight-year playoff drought.

Sean Payton’s Broncos scored on their first four possessions as they raced out to a 24-0 first-half lead against an undermanned Chiefs club already eyeing an historic third-straight Super Bowl run.

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Denver had an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot last month but lost consecutive games to the Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals.

The two-game losing streak put Denver in a must-win Week 18 game against Kansas City to stave off the Bengals (9-8) who ended the regular season on a five-game winning streak.

“That’s all we’re focused on honestly. That’s all we’re focused on. I know that’s all I’m focused on,” Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said earlier this week. “Like Coach (Sean Payton) said, we’re not ready to be done. We still feel like we have a lot of football ahead of us, and a lot of football to be played.”

The Broncos aren’t finished yet. Denver has a date with the Bills in Buffalo in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

Denver is the third AFC West team to reach the playoffs this season, joining the Chiefs and Chargers.

The New England Patriots named Jerod Mayo their successor to Bill Belichick after parting with the coaching legend following the 2023 NFL season.

Mayo lasted just one season as New England’s head coach before being ousted.

Just hours after the Patriots won their final game of the 2024 NFL season to improve to 4-13, the team announced that it had fired Mayo after just one season. Patriots owner Robert Kraft referred to firing Mayo as ‘one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made’ in a statement announcing the news.

‘I have known Jerod for 17 years. He earned my respect and admiration as a rookie in 2008 and throughout his career for his play on the field, his leadership in the locker room and the way he conducted himself in our community,’ Kraft wrote. ‘When he joined our coaching staff, his leadership was even more evident, as I saw how the players responded to him. When other teams started requesting to interview him, I feared I would lose him and committed to making him our next head coach. Winning our season-opener on the road at Cincinnati only strengthened my convictions. Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team’s performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped.’

Kraft went on to thank Mayo and said that he believed the move ‘was the best option at this time.’

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As such, the Patriots will be searching for a new head coach for the second time in as many years after enjoying 24 years of stability with Belichick.

Who will the Patriots look to interview as they try to replace Mayo? There are a few options with ties to New England and a handful of top-tier offensive minds to consider for the role.

Who will replace Jerod Mayo? 6 Patriots replacements

Mike Vrabel, former Tennessee Titans head coach

Vrabel seems like the obvious replacement option for Mayo. That may seem strange given that Vrabel and Mayo share many similarities as defensive-minded head coaches that spent plenty of years playing for the Patriots before their coaching careers.

The difference between Vrabel and Mayo is Vrabel is a proven head coach. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that there were concerns about Mayo’s ‘ability to tactically manage the staff, and build a program;’ the same issues would not exist with Vrabel, who built a reputation for getting the most out of his players with the Tennessee Titans, especially on defense.

Vrabel posted a 54-45 record over his six seasons with the Titans and helped guide a Ryan Tannehill-led squad to the AFC’s No. 1 seed in 2021. The 49-year-old should be able to instill a hard-nosed mentality in New England and give the organization the direction and vision Mayo’s team was lacking.

Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator

Flores is another head coaching candidate who has ties to the Patriots. He spent 11 years in New England as a defensive assistant before being hired as the Miami Dolphins’ head coach and posting a 24-25 record over three seasons in that role.

Flores’ record may not look overly impressive, but like Vrabel, Flores’ rosters in Miami were lacking in high-end talent. He did a good job coaching up his teams and making them competitive and his blitz-heavy defensive scheme has been among the peskiest in the NFL in recent seasons.

The concern with Flores is that his offenses in Miami tended to struggle, and Tua Tagovailoa didn’t enjoy a great relationship with him. The Patriots won’t want the same thing to happen with Drake Maye, so Flores would need to convince the Kraft family of his plans on offense to become a top candidate for the job.

Pete Carroll, former Seattle Seahawks head coach

Carroll coached the Patriots for three years before the Belichick era began. Could New England go back to Carroll as it transitions away from Belichick and Mayo? It shouldn’t be ruled out, as Kraft thought highly of his former coach and called firing him a difficult decision.

‘A lot of things were going on that made it difficult for him to stay, some of which were out of his control,’ Kraft said, per the Los Angeles Times. ‘And it began with following a legend (Bill Parcells).’

This time, Carroll would benefit from Mayo taking on the challenge of following in a legend’s footsteps. Carroll would be a proven NFL head coach at this time too, as he has a 170-120-1 career record, including a 27-21 mark during his three years with the Patriots. He would provide the team with a fresh perspective and a system that has been proven to work both on and off the field.

So long as Carroll doesn’t harbor any resentment about his firing, a return could be possible. But as always with defensive-minded coaches, his choice of offensive coordinator would be critical in evaluating his fit in New England.

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator

Would the Patriots opening be intriguing enough to lure Johnson out of Detroit? It’s possible. New England has its franchise quarterback in Maye and while the rest of its roster is less than impressive, the team has over $130 million in cap space and a top-four pick to revamp things during the offseason.

Johnson is one of the top offensive minds in the NFL and has led the Lions to top-five offenses in yards and points per game in each of his first three seasons as offensive coordinator. The 38-year-old has helped turn Jared Goff from a quarterback on the verge of being benched into a Pro Bowl-level talent; he may similarly develop Maye into a star quarterback.

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator

Brady is another up-and-coming offensive-minded coach. The 35-year-old would be the NFL’s youngest coach, but he has already built one of the most impressive resumes among coaching hopefuls.

Brady worked under Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints, coached Joe Burrow and a record-breaking LSU offense to a national championship and has spent the last two seasons turning Josh Allen into a more efficient and productive quarterback. Both Burrow and Allen have blossomed into MVP-caliber talents under Brady’s tutelage, so the Patriots could envision him doing the same thing with Maye.

Stealing Brady from the Bills would add some additional benefits in considering the young offensive coordinator. Besides, there’s just something about the idea of bringing another Brady to New England that should intrigue Patriots fans.

Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys head coach

If the Patriots just want a stable, proven, veteran coach to guide them in the post-Belichick and Mayo days, McCarthy could draw some consideration. The Cowboys coach may not stick around in Dallas even if Jerry Jones and Co. want him back as his contract is set to expire on Jan. 14.

McCarthy may not have as much upside as the likes of Johnson or Brady. However, he has a career record of 174-112-2 in his career and led the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl 45 win. He has led the Cowboys to 12-5 regular-season records in each of the three seasons Dak Prescott hasn’t suffered a season-ending injury, so he could raise the floor of the Patriots, especially if he can help Maye take some steps forward.

McCarthy’s 6-9 playoff record since Super Bowl 45 will likely bring skeptics about if New England considers him. Even so, the veteran coach has the experience needed to smooth over the Patriots’ transition away from Belichick, so don’t discount him as an option.

On what was suppose to be a milestone day for Connecticut guard Paige Bueckers turned into a scary one for the Huskies’ women’s basketball star.

The 2021 national player of the year played in her 100th game for UConn when the Huskies faced Villanova on Sunday. Things were going well for No. 8 UConn against the Wildcats with a 26-point lead late in the third quarter, but the mood shifted when Bueckers tried to grab a loose ball and Villanova’s Jasmine Bascoe dove for it. Bueckers’ leg got caught under Bascoe and the Huskies guard awkwardly went down on the court.

Bueckers held onto her knee and was in visible pain before she limped to the locker room. She later came back to the bench with ice on her knee but didn’t return in the 83-52 UConn victory.

Geno Auriemma update on Paige Bueckers

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma was asked about Bueckers postgame on the SNY broadcast. He said she is ‘pretty good’ after getting into a ‘weird situation.’

‘She’ll be fine. She looks good. I’m optimistic, let’s put it that way. I feel good,’ Auriemma said.

Auriemma, the NCAA all-time wins leader, later compared Bueckers’ injury to one teammate Azzi Fudd suffered, presumably in 2022 when she missed a month of action after a similar injury.

‘Like when it was with Azzi, it’s not the worst thing that we could imagine. So that’s great news, considering how awkward it was,’ Auriemma said.

Paige Bueckers’ injury history

So far, the news seems to be good for Bueckers, considering the unfortunate injuries she has suffered during her college career. After missing a significant amount of time in her sophomore season, she missed the entire 2022-23 season after she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the offseason.

Bueckers is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft.

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In typical NFC South fashion, the division title came down to the final moments of the regular season.

And in the end, it was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last standing.

The Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints 27-19 despite a sluggish first half to win the division for the fourth consecutive season.

Tampa Bay trailed 16-6 at halftime but quarterback Baker Mayfield connected with receiver Jalen McMillan, who made a spectacular catch in the end zone with 10:09 to play for a go-ahead, 32-yard touchdown. Rookie running back Bucky Irving provided some breathing room with an 11-yard touchdown rush on the first play out of the two-minute warning.

The Buccaneers capped the win off by getting Mike Evans a 9-yard gain to put him over 1,000 yards for the season, tying him with Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons (11).

All things Buccaneers: Latest Tampa Bay Buccaneers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

The Falcons needed a Buccaneers loss and to win their own contest against the Carolina Panthers, which went to overtime as the Tampa Bay game finished. With no path to the playoffs once the Buccaneers’ result was finalized, the Falcons fell to the Panthers 44-38.

Atlanta, before making the change from Kirk Cousins to Michael Penix Jr. late in the season, defeated the Buccaneers in a pair of one-score contests in October to hold the tiebreaker for the division title. That didn’t end up mattering, however, as the Falcons faltered down the stretch, including in a Week 17 overtime loss against the Washington Commanders that returned Tampa Bay to the top of the division standings.

Evans came into the day with a simple task ahead of him. Collect five catches for 85 yards to cash in on a $3 million contract incentive bonus.

Those five catches and 85 yards would also put him in the same boat as Jerry Rice, tying him for the most consecutive seasons with 1,000 yards receiving at 11. While things weren’t looking great for Tampa Bay in the regular season’s final week, cooler heads prevailed as the Bucs clinched a playoff spot.

As is always the case in Week 18, victory formation is put on hold until the bonuses are met. With Evans needing just five yards with 36 seconds left and Tampa Bay up by eight, the Bucs lined up to run another play. Baker Mayfield hit Evans for a nine-yard pass, which would stand as the final play of the game as Tampa Bay celebrated.

Evans etched his name into the history books and will go for the record next year, having gone over 1,000 yards in every season he’s played thus far. He’ll also do it with an extra $3 million in his bank account.

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The Buccaneers, who officially clinched the NFC South with a win over the Saints, can now turn their attention to the postseason. They’ll now watch in the late window to see how the seeding will shake out. The bottom line is that Tampa Bay will host a game at their place next weekend.

Hopefully, Evans will buy his teammates some good food to celebrate tonight.

Mike Evans stats today

9 receptions
89 receiving yards
14 targets

The United States will try to make history and avenge its only loss at the 2025 world junior hockey championship when it faces Finland in Sunday’s gold-medal game in Ottawa.

The defending champion Americans lost 4-3 in overtime to Finland in the third game of the preliminary round. They have been perfect since then, beating Canada, Switzerland (quarterfinals) and Czechia (semifinals) to reach the championship game. Finland has won five games in a row.

With one more win, the USA will become back-to-back champions for the first time in its history at the tournament. The Americans, who brought back 10 players and coach David Carle from last year’s team, had never before reached the final in the year after winning it all.

Czechia defeated Sweden 3-2 in a 14-round shootout to win the bronze medal for the second year in a row. It was the longest shootout in tournament history.

Follow along for the medal round of the world junior hockey championship:

Midway point of second period

USA starts to get some more chances. Petteri Rimpinen loses his goalie stick, but Finland is able to clear.

USA-Finland score: Finns take two-goal lead

Two U.S. players collide, which creates space for Finland’s Emil Pieniniemi to skate into the right faceoff circle and rip a shot to Trey Augustine’s blocker side at 4:52 of the second. This is the USA’s first two-goal deficit of the tournament.

Second period underway

Finland leads 2-1.

End of first period: Finland 2, USA 1

Finland comes out with the lead after controlling play for most of the period. Its once-struggling power play connects again. The USA doesn’t get much of a sustained attack and is outshot 13-8. A positive: The Boston College line connects after being shut out in the teams’ meeting in the preliminary round.

USA-Finland score: Finns retake lead

Tuomas Uronen beats Trey Augustine from the right faceoff circle at 13:03 for a 2-1 lead less than a minute after the USA tied the game. He had scored the overtime winner against the USA in the preliminary round.

USA-Finland score: James Hagens ties game

USA had been outplayed for much of the game, but captain Ryan Leonard takes a shot and James Hagens finesses the rebound over a diving Petteri Rimpinen. Score is 1-1.

USA-Finland score: Finns score on power play

Jesse Kiiskinen scores from between the faceoff circles for a 1-0 lead. He has a goal in six consecutive games. Finland scored the first goal against the USA in the preliminary round, too.

Finland goes on power play

Max Plante is called for hooking. Finland scored two power-play goals against Sweden in the semifinals.

Five minutes in

Finland getting the better chances so far.

Game underway

Winner gets gold. Loser gets silver.

USA vs. Finland goalies

USA’s Trey Augustine vs. Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen

When is USA vs. Finland world juniors hockey game?

The United States and Finland will play for gold at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, though the game start might be delayed because of the length of the bronze medal game.

How to watch USA vs. Finland world juniors hockey game

Both games will be shown on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.

How to stream USA vs. Finland world juniors hockey game

Fubo and Sling carry NHL Network in the United States.

Which USA players are back from last year’s gold medal team?

Goalies: Trey Augustine, Michigan State; Sam Hillebrandt, Barrie Colts

Defensemen: Zeev Buium, Denver University; Drew Fortescue, Boston College, Aram Minnetian, Boston College

Forwards: Ryan Leonard, Boston College; Oliver Moore, University of Minnesota; Danny Nelson, Notre Dame; Gabe Perreault, Boston College; Carey Terrance, Erie Otters

USA’s projected lines

What is the U.S. record vs. Finland at the world juniors?

The USA has 16 wins and 19 losses at the world juniors vs. Finland. They also tied once. One of those losses was Finland’s 4-3 overtime win this year in the preliminary round.

Czechia wins bronze medal in shootout vs. Sweden

Otto Stenberg and Eduard Sale go again in the 14th round. Sale scores on a backhander to give Czechia the bronze and three consecutive medals at the world junior hockey championship. Sweden finishes out of a medal a year after winning silver.

Round 13

Sweden’s Otto Stenberg and Czechia’s Eduard Sale score. Still tied.

Heading to round 11

Sweden shooting first.

Tied after eight rounds

Jakub Stancl hits the post.

Tied after five rounds

Sweden now shooting first.

Shootout tied 1-1 after two rounds

Czechia’s Jakub Stancl and Sweden’s Axel Sandin-Pellika score in the second round.

Bronze medal game going to a shootout

It’s five rounds in international hockey before sudden death. Sweden elects to go second.

Two minutes left in overtime

Czechia’s Eduard Sale has a couple good chances, but Marcus Gidlof stops him.

End of third period: Sweden 2, Czechia 2

Sweden will go to overtime for the second game in a row. Not much action in the third period. They’ll play 10 minutes of 3-on-3 overtime, then a shootout, if necessary.

Nice save by Michael Hrabal

Sweden picking up play. Czechia goalie Michael Hrabal gets his glove on a deflection.

Midway through the third period

When Sweden was trailing Finland on Saturday, it played a dominant third period. With the score tied in this game, both sides are playing a tight defensive game. Not many chances out there. Still 2-2.

Third period underway

Score tied 2-2.

Where is the 2026 world junior hockey championship?

It will be held in Minneapolis-Saint Paul from Dec. 26, 2025, to Jan. 5, 2026. The ceremonial passing of the puck took place in Ottawa on Sunday afternoon.

End of second period: Sweden 2, Czechia 2

Pretty evenly played period. Czechia’s Eduard Sale scores after a turnover and Sweden’s Felix Unger Sorum sets up David Edstrom for a second goal. Shots are 11-10 Sweden in the period.

Sweden-Czechia score: David Edstrom ties it up

David Edstrom scores his second goal of the game with a deflection for a 2-2 tie with 4:20 left in the second period. Felix Unger Sorum gets his second assist of the game.

Sweden-Czechia score: Czechs capitalize on turnover

Linus Eriksson’s pass goes right on the stick of Czechia’s Miroslav Holinka. He finds Eduard Sale alone in front and he roofs a backhander for his sixth goal of the tournament. 2-1 Czechia.

Second period underway

Score is 1-1.

End of first period: Sweden 1, Czechia 1

Czechia scores on its first shot, then Sweden controls play, thanks to three power plays. A Czechia deflection goes just wide in the last seconds. Shots are 9-5 Sweden.

Sweden-Czechia score: Sweden ties it up

Czechia’s Jiri Felcman is in the penalty box for charging. David Edstrom scores on a rebound to tie the game 1-1. Axel Sandin-Pellika gets the secondary assist for his 10th point of the tournament.

Sweden goes on power play

Sweden has the second-best power play in the tournament. They generate two shots, but Czechia kills the penalty.

Sweden-Czechia score: Czechs score on power play

Jakub Stancl remains hot with his seventh goal of the tournament. The Czechs pass the puck around well on the power play and Stancl scores on a one-timer at 3:47 for a 1-0 lead. A Swedish defender got his stick on the puck but it snuck through to Stancl.

Sweden vs. Czechia underway for bronze medal

Michael Hrabal is back in net for Czechia but Marcus Gidlof is starting for Sweden. He has played one game in the tournament, beating Kazakhstan. Melker Thelin had played in Saturday’s semifinal loss to Finland.

Today’s world juniors hockey games

All times p.m. ET

Sweden vs. Czechia, 3:30

United States vs. Finland, 7:30

USA vs. Finland players to watch

United States: The Boston College line of Ryan Leonard, Gabe Perreault and James Hagens has combined for 25 points. Leonard has a team-best five goals. Perreault and Boston University’s Cole Hutson have a team-best nine points. Hagens (eight points) is considered the top prospect in the 2025 NHL draft.

Finland: Draft-eligible goalie Petteri Rimpinen has played every minute and has a 2.12 goals-against average. Forward Jesse Kiiskinen has a five-game goal streak. Forward Konsta Helenius has seven assists.

Medal games feature familiar opponents

This year’s medal games are a rematch of the 2024 semifinals. The USA beat Finland 3-2 and Sweden beat Czechia 5-2 last year.

How many gold medals has the USA won at the world juniors?

The USA has won six goal medals: 2004, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2024.

How many gold medals has Finland won at the world juniors?

Finland has won five gold medals: 1987, 1998, 2014, 2016 and 2019.

How many total medals has the USA won at the world juniors?

The USA has won 15 medals: six gold, two silver and seven bronze.

How many total medals has Finland won at the world juniors?

Finland has won 17 medals: five gold, five silver and seven bronze.

Sweden vs. Czechia players to watch

Sweden: Defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellika has nine points. Forward Otto Stenberg scored twice against Finland.

Czechia: Forward Jakub Stancl has a tournament-best six goals.

Sweden vs. Czechia lines

World juniors schedule

Dec. 26

Sweden 5, Slovakia 2
United States 10, Germany 4
Czechia 5, Switzerland 1
Canada 4, Finland 0

Dec. 27

Slovakia 2, Switzerland 1
Finland 3, Germany 1
Sweden 8, Kazakhstan 1
Latvia 3, Canada 2 (SO)

Dec. 28

Czechia 14, Kazakhstan 2
United States 5, Latvia 1

Dec. 29

Sweden 7, Switzerland 5
Finland 4, United States 3 (OT)
Czechia 4, Slovakia 2
Canada 3, Germany 0

Dec. 30

Slovakia 5, Kazakhstan 4 (OT)
Latvia 4, Germany 3 (OT)

Dec. 31

Switzerland 3, Kazakhstan 1 
Finland 3, Latvia 0
Sweden 4, Czechia 2
United States 4, Canada 1

World juniors hockey playoff round

All times Eastern

Jan. 2 (quarterfinals)

Sweden 3, Latvia 2
United States 7, Switzerland 2
Finland 5, Slovakia 3
Czechia 4, Canada 3

Jan. 4

Finland 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
United States 4, Czechia 1

Jan. 5

Bronze-medal game: Sweden vs. Czechia, 3:30 p.m. ET, NHLN, TSN
Gold-medal game: USA vs. Finland, 7:30 p.m. ET, NHLN, TSN

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Thanks to a loss in their Saturday season finale, the Cleveland Browns entered Sunday in position for the No. 1 overall pick. That could change with three other teams in contention for the top pick.

Follow along here for updates to the 2025 NFL draft order as Sunday’s results come in:

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Who has the No. 1 pick?

After the early slate, the Tennessee Titans have clinched the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

The last time the Titans had the No. 1 overall pick as a franchise was in 1978 when they drafted Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell as the Houston Oilers. They had the No. 1 overall pick in 2016 but traded that selection to the Los Angeles Rams.

2025 NFL draft order

Here’s the projected 2025 NFL draft order as Week 18’s results come in, according to Tankathon.com:

Tennessee Titans: 3-14 record; .521 strength of schedule (SOS)
Cleveland Browns: 3-14; .539 SOS
New York Giants: 3-14; .554 SOS
New England Patriots: 4-13; .468 SOS
Jacksonville Jaguars: 4-13; .479 SOS
New York Jets: 4-12; .498 SOS
Las Vegas Raiders: 4-12; .541 SOS
Carolina Panthers: 5-12; .500 SOS
New Orleans Saints: 5-12; .507 SOS
Chicago Bears: 5-12; .554 SOS
San Francisco 49ers: 6-10; .565 SOS
Dallas Cowboys: 7-10; .523 SOS
Arizona Cardinals: 7-9; .538 SOS
Indianapolis Colts: 8-9; .454 SOS
Atlanta Falcons: 8-9; .516 SOS
Miami Dolphins: 8-8; .415 SOS
Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8; .475 SOS
Seattle Seahawks: 9-7; .502 SOS
Denver Broncos: 9-7; .502 SOS
Houston Texans: 10-7; .482 SOS
Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7; .502 SOS
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 10-7; .502 SOS
Los Angeles Rams: 10-6; .504 SOS
Green Bay Packers: 11-6; .536 SOS
Los Angeles Chargers: 10-6; .468 SOS
Washington Commanders: 12-5; .434 SOS
Baltimore Ravens: 12-5; .530 SOS
Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3; .455 SOS
Buffalo Bills: 13-4; .466 SOS
Minnesota Vikings: 14-2; .470 SOS
Detroit Lions: 14-2; .519 SOS
Kansas City Chiefs: 15-1; .486 SOS

2025 NFL draft top prospects

Below is a look at the consensus top 40 prospects in the 2025 NFL draft as of mid-December:

Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
Will Campbell, OL, LSU
Jalon Walker, LB/EDGE, Georgia
Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
Kelvin Banks Jr., OL, Texas
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Aireontae Ersery, OL, Minnesota
Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas
Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State
Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Wyatt Milum, OL, West Virginia
Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Jonah Savaiinaea, OL, Arizona
Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon