Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin is expected to be out for the rest of the season after injuring his ACL in a loss to the New York Rangers.

He was injured on Tuesday, Dec. 2, when Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov fell on his right leg during the first period.

‘He’s got an ACL and he’ll be out for months,’ Stars coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters on Wednesday, Dec. 3. ‘We didn’t get great news today. I haven’t spoken to Tyler yet, but letting everybody know that he’s going to be out for a significant amount of time, probably the rest of the season.’

Tyler Seguin injury update

Seguin is expected to miss the rest of the season with the injury. It’s his second consecutive season with a major injury. Last season, he was limited to 20 games in the regular season after hip surgery, though he was able to return in the season finale and the playoffs.

He had played all 27 games this season before his knee injury, recording seven goals and 17 points.

Seguin has a history of injuries, including being cut by a skate on two separate occasions.

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While most of you were sleeping, the Los Angeles Clippers sent one of the game’s future Hall of Famers home.

On Wednesday, Dec. 3, at nearly 3 a.m. ET, the Clippers announced that point guard Chris Paul would not be part of the team moving forward, in a fairly stunning move that has tacked onto Los Angeles’ struggles this season.

The Clippers have started 5-16, which currently ranks them second-to-last in the Western Conference. They have lost five consecutive games and are in the middle of a road trip on the East Coast; the team was in Atlanta Wednesday when the news dropped.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Chris Paul situation with the Los Angeles Clippers:

Why did the Clippers send Chris Paul home?

This is, in simplest terms, a wildly unconventional move.

Though he may have had his detractors across the league, Paul is widely seen as a player with solid stature among the league, a veteran leader with ample experience and tenacity and a probable first-ballot Hall of Famer, once eligible.

Paul also served as president of the National Basketball Players Association, overseeing the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement, in a mostly successful eight-season term from 2013-21.

For a team to unceremoniously send him home in the middle of a road trip may suggest that there was some internal disagreement. To that point, ESPN reported that Paul’s leadership style clashed with Clippers management, specifically coach Tyronn Lue. Per ESPN, Lue and Paul were not on speaking terms for several weeks, and Paul was reportedly vocal in holding management, coaches and players accountable. According to ESPN, the team found this to be disruptive.

This is not just any team making this decision; Paul is arguably the best Clipper in franchise history, leading the team in assists (4,076) and analytics metrics such as plus/minus (8.3) and value over replacement (36.6).

The Clippers were in Atlanta, preparing for their game later that night against the Hawks, when news of the move broke. Assuming Paul did not ask for this, the decision borders on being disrespectful, though it’s unclear though it’s unclear how much his leadership style may have chafed against L.A.’s vision.

Granted, the Clippers have to reassess the direction their franchise will take for the remainder of the season. They entered as the oldest team in the league and held expectations to compete for a championship behind Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

It has fallen apart, and Paul, 40, has looked every bit his age, averaging career lows across most major statistics.

For the Clippers to execute the move, they will have three options.

They can waive him, which would force them to pay his one-year salary of $3.6 million, per Spotrac.com. They could also offer a buyout, to which Paul would need to agree, or they could trade him after Monday, Dec. 15.

A trade, however, might be difficult to execute, given what should be a depressed market for Paul after his slow start to the season.

Chris Paul landing spots

It’s tough to project exactly where Paul might end up, or even if he’s actively seeking to play somewhere else. Paul had announced Saturday, Nov. 22 that this would be his final season in the NBA. Presumably, Paul, who has never won an NBA Finals, would want to join a contender.

His family is also closely tied to the Los Angeles area, so the Lakers could be an option. Paul and LeBron James are close, and the Lakers might be looking to add depth at point guard. The Lakers, however, have subtly shifted away from the influence and sway James holds with the team, indicating they would be building around Luka Dončić.

The Rockets, a team Paul played for from 2017-19, are looking for a point guard after Fred VanVleet tore his anterior cruciate ligament prior to the start of the season. The Celtics are also in need of a veteran point guard.

Retirement, however, might be the most likely scenario.

What has Chris Paul said about the Clippers matter?

In a message that posted early Wednesday, Dec. 3 to his Instagram account, Paul wrote: “Just Found Out I’m Being Sent Home,” adding a peace sign emoji.

What have the Clippers said about the Chris Paul matter?

In a statement issued early Wednesday morning, Clippers president Lawrence Frank announced the move, saying the team was not blaming Paul for its record.

‘We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be with the team,’ Frank said. ‘We will work with him on the next step of his career. Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we’ve struggled. We’re grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise.”

Chris Paul stats

In his 21st season, Paul is averaging career lows in most major statistics, including points (2.9 per game), assists (3.3), rebounds (1.8), steals (0.7), field goal percentage (32.1%) and minutes (14.3).

Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft are one step away from a grand reunion in Canton.

Go ahead, Tom Brady. Put it on your calendar.

Nearly two years since their infamous split with the New England Patriots, the franchise’s owner and most accomplished head coach have advanced as finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.

Kraft – who purchased the Patriots in 1994 and is one of the NFL’s most influential powerbrokers – has again advanced in the Contributors category.

Belichick – who guided the Patriots to six Super Bowl crowns and just completed his first season as the North Carolina Tar Heels coach – has advanced in his first year of eligibility in the Coach category.

Three former players – Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood – have also advanced as finalists in the Seniors category.

Anderson, the former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1981, when he led the way to the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance.

Craig, the former running back who won three Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers, in 1985 became the first player in NFL history to total 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. In the 40 years since, just two others – Marshall Faulk and Christian McCaffrey – have achieved that feat.

Greenwood, a six-time Pro Bowl defensive end, was a key member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Steel Curtain” defense who won four Super Bowl rings with the team during the 1970s.

The five finalists for these categories were chosen by three Hall of Fame subcommittees. They will be considered with 15 modern-era player finalists by the Hall’s full selection committee during its annual selection meeting before Super Bowl 60.

According to the Hall’s bylaws, the 50-member selection committee will vote for three of the five finalists from the Coach, Contributor and Seniors categories, separate from the modern-era players. No more than 3 of 5 finalists from these categories will be chosen for the Class of 2026, which requires approval from 80% of the selection committee.

Balloting to reduce a pool of 26 modern-era player semifinalists is currently underway, with the 15 finalists to be revealed later this month.

The entire Class of 2026 will be unveiled during the NFL Honors show on Feb. 5 and enshrined during ceremonies in early August at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell

On Tuesday, Dec. 2, Vanderbilt saw its College Football Playoff hopes take a hit when the Commodores were revealed as the No. 14 team in the latest batch of rankings from the playoff selection committee, failing to move up despite being three days removed from a 21-point road beatdown of in-state rival Tennessee.

Faced with an increasingly difficult predicament, Diego Pavia knew just where to turn for help — the leader of the free world.

The star Vanderbilt quarterback, one of a handful of front-runners for the Heisman Trophy, reached out to President Donald Trump on social media shortly after midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 3 to try to get the playoff expanded from 12 to 16 teams.

“MAKE THE EXECUTIVE ORDER PLEASE,” Pavia wrote while tagging Trump in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

The post that Pavia was referencing suggested a 16-team model in which the SEC and Big Ten would receive four guaranteed berths while the ACC and Big 12 would each get two, with the four remaining spots going to at-large teams decided by a computer ranking system.

The Commodores’ 45-24 victory against Tennessee improved them to 10-2, the most wins in a season in program history. They’re part of a crowded playoff picture, though, one that has them on the outside looking in, with little room for advancement.

Of the nine teams directly ahead of Vanderbilt in the playoff rankings, seven of them have completed their regular seasons and won’t be competing in a conference championship game, meaning there’s little, if any, chance that the Commodores could move ahead of them.

Pavia’s belief that Trump might issue an executive order for something as relatively trivial as a college football tournament isn’t necessarily the worst idea. Since taking office in January, Trump has signed 217 executive orders, significantly more than the 77 his predecessor, Joe Biden, did in his first year in office in 2021 and even more than the 55 Trump did in the first year of his first term in 2017.

If his plea goes unanswered, Pavia could always sign up for a Truth Social account and try there.

Mike Tomlin has been the Pittsburgh Steelers’ coach since taking over for Bill Cowher in 2007. Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is among those wondering whether both Tomlin and the team might benefit from a split.

Roethlisberger – who spent 15 of his 18 NFL seasons playing for Tomlin – spoke about the possibility of the Steelers making changes in an episode of his ‘Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger’ podcast.

‘Maybe it’s a clean-house time. Maybe it’s time,’ Roethlisberger said in the Dec. 2 episode. ‘I like Coach Tomlin. I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin, but maybe it’s best for him, too.’

Roethlisberger went onto outline that his opinion stems from his frustrations watching the Steelers over the last few seasons. He noted the offense has struggled to perform consistently under several different coordinators while Pittsburgh’s defense – which is the highest-paid in the NFL – has also been up-and-down in 2025.

Roethlisberger also floated an idea of what could be next for Tomlin if the 53-year-old coach does leave Pittsburgh.

‘Maybe a fresh start for him is what’s best,’ Roethlisberger said. ‘Whether that’s in the pros, maybe go be Penn State’s head coach. You know what he would do in Penn State? He would probably go win national championships, because he’s a great recruiter.’

Roethlisberger’s suggestion comes as Penn State has struggled to land a replacement for James Franklin, who was fired after 12 seasons following a 3-3 start to the 2025 campaign. The Nittany Lions have targeted several top names, including a recent failed pursuit of BYU coach Kalani Sitake, but have not yet landed a new coach.

It isn’t clear whether such an option would appeal to Tomlin should he and the Steelers part ways. The 53-year-old has not coached at the collegiately level since the 2000 season, during which he was a defensive backs coach at Cincinnati under Rick Minter.

And Roethlisberger also made it clear any split between Tomlin and the Steelers would have to come mutually.

‘Here’s what you don’t do: you don’t fire a guy like Coach Tomlin,’ Roethlisberger said. ‘He’s a Hall of Fame coach, he’s respected. What you do is you come to an understanding and agreement, and it’s like, ‘Hey, listen, I think it’s probably best for both of us.”

‘You go, ‘Hey Coach, listen, it’s probably best for all parties involved, let’s start over,” he later added. ‘It happened with Chuck Noll, it happened with Coach Cowher.’

Tomlin has posted a 189-113-2 record to date across his 19 seasons with the Steelers. He is just the third coach the team has had since 1969, has never had a losing season and helped the team to win Super Bowl 43.

However, the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 NFL playoffs (contested in January of 2017). That’s why many, including Roethlisberger, believe a fresh perspective could benefit the Steelers.

‘Coach Tomlin’s been here a long time,’ he added. ‘You’d give him a statue, do whatever you’ve got to do, because he deserves it, he’s earned it. But it’s time to find that next guy. Who’s that next guy that could be here for the next 20 years?’

Sportico dropped its list of the top earning women’s athletes and, again, tennis players dominated. Ten of the top 15 earners in 2025 came from the sport, with Coco Gauff leading the way.

The American tennis phenom totaled $31 million, $23 million of which came from endorsements. Eileen Gu, who has competed for China in the halfpipe, slopestyle and big air events since 2019, is the first non-tennis entry on the list. She has made nearly all of the her money — $23 million — off endorsements.

Two golfers, one gymnast and one basketball player make up the rest of the list.

Here’s the top 15, according to Sportico:

The arc of Tyler Skaggs’ dependence on painkillers and the clubhouse culture of exchanging them came under scrutiny during Dec. 2 testimony in the wrongful death trial filed by the late pitcher’s family against the Los Angeles Angels.

Skaggs’ widow, Carli, took the stand for a second time – this time under questioning from the Angels – as did Skaggs’ former primary care physician as the ballclub aimed to shift the onus for Skaggs’ 2019 death on the pitcher rather than former communications director Eric Kay, who is serving a 22-year sentence for providing a fentanyl-laced pill that resulted in Skaggs’ death.

In testimony reported by The Athletic, Carli Skaggs said it was ‘sad (the players) felt like this was what they needed to do,’ amid a culture where returning from injury and playing through pain was paramount. Attorneys for the Angels displayed a text message exchange between Skaggs and former Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker in which Skaggs asked the right-hander for a pain pill ‘so I can take it during the game haha,’ and Shoemaker replied in the affirmative.

‘Tyler was the ringleader,’ Angels attorney Todd Theodora said, per The Athletic, outside the presence of the jury. ‘Tyler has his fingerprints over everything. Their claim is that Tyler is as pure as the driven snow.’

Yet the plaintiffs gained a key victory when the judge ruled they could use deposition testimony between Kay and a Texas police detective in which the Angels employee claimed his direct supervisor had knowledge that Kay’s relationship with Skaggs involved drug use or distribution.

Skaggs’ former physician also testified that Skaggs successfully kicked a Percocet habit in 2013 ‘cold turkey,’ as he’d claimed. A year later, Skaggs underwent Tommy John elbow surgery.

The judge had ruled the Angels hadn’t proven Skaggs’ drug dependency was continuous since 2013, eliminating a trove of text messages the ballclub hoped to use in evidence.