One day after the WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBPA) agreed to extend the current collective barging agreement (CBA) through Jan. 9, the league has reportedly come to the negotiating table with a new proposal that increases player compensation.

The league’s latest offer includes a maximum $1 million guaranteed base salary with projected revenue sharing raising max players’ total earnings to more than $1.2 million in 2026, a source close to the situation told USA TODAY Sports. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak publicly about ongoing negotiations.

The offer also raises the league’s minimum salary to more than $225,000 and the average salary to more than $500,000, up from $220,000 and $460,000, respectively, in the WNBA’s previous proposal on Nov. 18.

The latest proposal also raises the salary cap to $5 million a season per team, an increase from $1.5 million salary cap in 2025. The salary cap would reportedly increase over the length of the CBA and be directly tied to the league’s revenue growth each year, although the specific revenue sharing details weren’t disclosed.

USA TODAY Sports reached out to the WNBA and WNBPA for comment. 

Although the WNBA and WNBPA are on the record saying players deserve a significant pay increase in the next CBA, the sides have differing opinions on how to go about it has led the current standoff.

The league previously proposed a maximum salary of more than $1.1 million — including both the base salary and revenue sharing component — available to more than one player per team on Nov. 18, but the proposal didn’t move the needle for the players. Both sides subsequently agreed on the Nov. 30 deadline to extend the CBA for a second time as revenue sharing and pay structure remain points of contention in negotiations.

Last season, the minimum salary was $66,079, while the supermax was worth $249,244. Only five WNBA players made more than $225,000 last season and they included Kelsey Mitchell at $269,244, Arike Ogunbowale at $249,032, Jewell Loyd, at $249,032, Kahleah Copper at $248,134 and Gabby Williams at $225,000

The current CBA was previously set to expire on Oct. 31 after the WNBPA exercised its right to opt out of the agreement in October 2024. However, the WNBA and players association agreed to a 30-day extension to extend the deadline to Nov. 30 to allow more time for a deal to be reached. The new deadline has been moved to Jan. 9, 2026, and both sides have the option to terminate the extension with 48 hours’ advance notice.

The league and players association previously agreed to a 60-day extension in 2019, three days before the last CBA was set to expire on Oct. 31, 2019. A new deal was subsequently reached on the current CBA on Jan. 14, 2020 and singed into effect three days later on Jan. 17, 2020. The WNBA has not had a work stoppage in its nearly 30-year existence.

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We are officially one week away from the 2025 fantasy football playoffs.

With ‘Monday Night Football’ pending, the following quarterbacks failed to record 15 fantasy points: Baker Mayfield, Justin Herbert, Matthew Stafford, Caleb Williams, Lamar Jackson, and Sam Darnold. Meanwhile, two of the top four passers are Marcus Mariota and Bryce Young. At running back, Jahmyr Gibbs, Josh Jacobs, Ashton Jeanty, Rico Dowdle, Saquon Barkley and Travis Etienne all rank outside the top 25. Wide receiver was no different, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle injury), DeVonta Smith, Emeka Egbuka, Justin Jefferson, Jaylen Waddle, DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. all scoring fewer than 10 half-PPR points. Weirdly, tight end felt like the most predictable position.

Here’s a look at Week 14 fantasy football rankings. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception) and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format. Scroll to the bottom to view the complete rankings.

Our team at USA TODAY Sports has you covered with plenty of content to help with your Week 14 waiver wire and roster decisions. Looking for up-to-date player news? We’ve got it. Don’t forget to check out the rest of our content:

Waiver wire and transactions: 9 players to add | 10 players to buy or sell

Please note: These rankings will change significantly as the week goes on. Check back on Sunday morning for final updates.

(The risers and sleepers sections will focus on players available in at least half of Yahoo leagues. All snap and target data from PFF.)

Week 14 fantasy football quarterback rankings: Risers and sleepers

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (52% rostered) – This one is cheating a bit, as Lawrence is rostered in 52% of leagues, but the state of streaming options in Week 14 is not pretty. The 26-year-old has posted at least 16 fantasy points in seven of his last eight games, and he’ll be going up against a Colts defense that will likely be without star corner Sauce Gardner.
Commanders QB Marcus Mariota (10%) – There’s a slight possibility that Jayden Daniels will be back in Week 14, but if he isn’t, Mariota would be a top streaming option. The veteran has eclipsed 16 fantasy points in five of his six starts, including 24.3 against a tough Denver defense.
Saints QB Tyler Shough (7%) – Starting Shough is not for the faint of heart, but the rookie has dropped 19.0 and 18.4 fantasy points in two of his last three outings. Shough will get the benefit of facing a Bucs defense that’s allowed the most fantasy points to quarterbacks since their Week 9 bye.
Other QB streamers to consider – Jets QB Tyrod Taylor (4%), Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (20%), Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy (31%)

Week 14 fantasy football running back rankings: Risers and sleepers

Commanders RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. (24%) – Washington’s backfield is a mess, but Rodriguez has seen fairly consistent usage recently. The 26-year-old has garnered at least 12 opportunities in three of his last four games, including an average of 2.8 red zone carries during that stretch. He’ll be a good bet to reach the end zone against a Vikings defense that’s surrendered seven rushing scores to backs over their last six games.
Cardinals RB Bam Knight (25%) – Trey Benson looked like he was on the verge of returning, but then he didn’t practice last Thursday, suggesting his return might not be as imminent as we thought. In his stead, Knight and Michael Carter split the load, with the former seeing a 14-10 edge in opportunities. Knight is now averaging 13.4 opportunities per game over his last seven outings. A brutal matchup with the Rams makes the 24-year-old a desperation-only play in Week 14.
Bengals RB Samaje Perine (3%) – While Chase Brown was still the lead back in Week 13 against the Ravens, Perine saw plenty of work. The veteran totaled 14 games and two targets in a game where the Bengals were leading for the entirety of the second half. That kind of volume puts him in play against a Bills defense that’s ceding the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs.
Other RB streamers to consider – Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell (3%), Jaguars RB Bhayshul Tuten (44%), Rams RB Blake Corum (16%), Cardinals RB Michael Carter (5%)

Week 14 fantasy football wide receiver rankings: Risers and sleepers

Jets WR Adonai Mitchell (2%) – Without Garrett Wilson in the lineup, Mitchell has joined John Metchie II atop the Jets’ wide receiver depth chart. Over his last three games, Mitchell has racked up 6, 7, and 12 targets, respectively. This past week, he turned his 12 targets into 8 receptions for 102 yards and a score. The 23-year-old will be in the WR3 conversation as long as he maintains that kind of volume.
Packers WRs Jayden Reed (38%) and Dontayvion Wicks (1%) – Over the final nine weeks of his rookie season, Reed ranked as the overall WR9 despite missing a game to injury. Reed could be back this week, and he should be rostered in most leagues. Meanwhile, Wicks is coming off one of the best games of his young career. While he ranked behind Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs in snaps and routes, he finished with seven targets, six receptions, 100 total yards, and two tuddies. Four of Green Bay’s next five games are against teams that are in the bottom 10 against fantasy wideouts, making both Reed and Wicks worth picking up.
Texans WR Jayden Higgins (35%) – Higgins’ run as Houston’s WR2 didn’t end with C.J. Stroud’s return, as the rookie finished second on the team in snaps (44) and routes (24), as well as third in targets (5). Higgins has now generated at least five looks in five of his last six games. The 22-year-old has totaled at least nine half-PPR points in four of his last six.
Saints WR Devaughn Vele (1%) – With Brandin Cooks and Rashid Shaheed out of the picture, Vele seems to have cemented himself as the WR2 in New Orleans. On Sunday, he led the team in targets (8), tied for the team lead in snaps (64), and ranked second in routes (40). Vele turned his eight targets into eight receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown. He’s a solid streaming option against a Bucs secondary that’s surrendered the eighth-most fantasy points to the position since Week 3.
Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa (1%) – The Lions, who were already down tight end Sam LaPorta, could be without Amon-Ra St. Brown for a week or two. On Thanksgiving, TeSlaa finished just one snap and route behind Jameson Williams for the team lead. Given how electric he’s looked on just a few targets, he should be more involved against Dallas in Week 14. No team has allowed more fantasy points to wideouts than the Cowboys in 2025.
Other WR streamers to consider – Colts WR Josh Downs (48%), Broncos WR Pat Bryant (2%), Lions WR Tom Kennedy (0%), Bears WR Luther Burden III (10%)

Week 14 fantasy football tight end rankings: Risers and sleepers

Jaguars TE Brenton Strange (32%) – Strange has recorded 11.8 and 12.0 half-PPR points in the two games since he returned from injury, putting him very much on the TE1 map going forward. The 24-year-old will be a top-10 play against a Colts defense that’s allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Dolphins TE Darren Waller (30%) – Waller played just 46% of the snaps in his return from IR, and he ended up leading the team in receiving on just three targets. The veteran will face the Jets, Steelers, and Bengals over his next three games, making him a priority pickup at the position.
Other TE streamers to consider – Rams TE Colby Parkinson (2%), Bills TE Dawson Knox (3%), Browns TE Harold Fannin Jr. (33%), Ravens TE Isaiah Likely (5%)

Week 14 fantasy football rankings: PPR, half-PPR and standard

After one of the most dramatic exits in recent college football memory saw Lane Kiffin leaving Mississippi for LSU — one of the most dramatic athletic departments in the country — both sides will look to settle the noise with an introductory press conference Dec. 1.

Quieting the outside noise won’t be easy. The Kiffin-Mississippi divorce was messy and held the college football world’s attention for weeks. The dust had hardly settled from LSU’s firing of Brian Kelly before the rumor mill around Kiffin started to churn again, and the Rebels’ 2025 season suddenly became a backdrop for the Kiffin sideshow. It culminated Sunday, Nov. 30, when Kiffin officially departed Mississippi to take the LSU coaching job, with his reported ultimatums and threats to finish out the season going unheeded.

Now, Kiffin enters Baton Rouge as one of the most reviled figures by one fanbase since… Lane Kiffin. When he left the Tennessee Vols to take the job at USC in 2010. The college football world has changed a lot since then, of course, and Kiffin will enter a recruiting hotbed in Louisiana. With all of that in mind, he’s hoping this stint goes better than it did with the Trojans, where he was fired in 2013 before rehabbing his coaching reputation as a coordinator at Alabama and a head coach at FAU and Mississippi.

Here are the highlights from Kiffin’s introductory press conference at LSU.

Lane Kiffin press conference live updates

This section will be updated.

Lane Kiffin concludes press conference photo

Kiffin’s press conference concludes with press taking photos of him, president Wade Rousse and athletic director Verge Ausberry.

Lane Kiffin says he talked to Ed Orgeron

Kiffin says he talked to former LSU coach Ed Orgeron after arriving in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Kiffin says Orgeron told him LSU is the best job in America, and Kiffin also gave an Orgeron-esque ‘Go Tigers’ to the crowd in attendance.

Lane Kiffin says he doesn’t know his contract at LSU

Kiffin says he made his decision to be at LSU not because of money. He notes he’s unsure of the details of his new contract, although he jokes it’s likely a great deal.

Kiffin also says he’s more focused on how players can be compensated at LSU.

Lane Kiffin says Frank Wilson will remain interim coach

Frank Wilson will remain LSU’s interim coach in the Tigers’ bowl game, Kiffin confirms.

Lane Kiffin shares advice from Pete Carroll, Nick Saban

Kiffin says Pete Carroll, one of his mentors and the current Las Vegas Raiders head coach, said Kiffin’s dad, Monte Kiffin, would tell Kiffin to take the job.

Kiffin then jokes about former Alabama coach Nick Saban, saying he can’t quite share what Saban told him due to his affiliation with ‘another place in this conference.’

Lane Kiffin says his family had four options

Kiffin says his family basically had to think about four different places on where he’d coach in 2026. The former Mississippi coach also saw substantial interest from Florida.

Lane Kiffin says leaving Mississippi was ‘extremely difficult’

Kiffin says the last six years at Mississippi were the best six years of his life and said leaving the program was ‘extremely difficult.’

‘We tried every single thing possible to continue to coach the team through the playoffs,’ he said. ‘In the end, that was their decision, and we totally respect that.’

Verge Ausberry says Kiffin fits LSU culture

LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry says it was clear from the beginning that Kiffin was the man for LSU’s coaching vacancy.

“As a former player, and an administrator for 30 years, we knew we had to get someone who knew our culture,’ Ausberry said. ‘We knew that was Lane Kiffin.’

Verge Ausberry takes the stage

LSU president Wade Rousse gives a few remarks before introducing LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry, who hired Kiffin, to the lectern.

Kiffin will speak after Ausberry.

Lane Kiffin press conference livestream

Here’s the livestream of Kiffin’s introductory press conference at LSU:

A tense handshake line moment occurred between Tennessee’s Janiah Barker and her former UCLA coach, Cori Close.
Barker, who transferred from UCLA, seemed to pull away from an attempted embrace by Close after the game.
Both Barker and Close made public statements wishing each other well after the incident.

The handshake line following UCLA’s win over Tennessee women’s basketball on Sunday appeared to get tense after Lady Volunteers forward Janiah Barker rebuffed her former UCLA head coach Cori Close.

Barker was one of six UCLA players to enter the transfer portal after the Bruins reached the Final Four for the first time in program history in the 2025 NCAA Tournament last season. Barker transferred to Tennessee for her senior year after spending one season at UCLA under Close, but Sunday’s reunion seemed less than warm.

Following UCLA’s 99-77 win over Tennessee on Sunday, where Barker dropped a season-high 25 points against her former team, Barker and Close briefly shook hands before Barker pulled away from Close’s attempted embrace. Close shrugged her shoulders in response as she continued down the handshake line.

After the incident, Barker took to social media to clear the air, writing, ‘Respect! We shook hands. I wish nothing but the best for Coach (Cori) and my UCLA fam.’

Close was nothing but complimentary of Barker in her postgame press conference, saying, ‘I want to wish Janiah Barker nothing but the best. I think she is a spectacular player, she gave us a lot on the court, off the court. And I just want to make sure that I say I wish her nothing but the best the rest of the way through.’

Close said Barker was presented her UCLA Final Four ring ahead of the game, in addition to a handwritten note.

‘I actually wrote her a card today… I just said, one of the things I’m always going to appreciate about you is how hard you always worked on your game,’ Close said. ‘And to see her shoot the ball the way she did today, this is the best shooting, three-point shooting night maybe she’s had of her career and she works at that.’

Barker said returning to Pauley Pavilion was ’emotional,’ but said her mindset was to ‘focus on the game’ and ‘not let my emotions go too high or too low.’

‘It was definitely an emotional game,’ Barker said. ‘My mindset was just truly just focus on the game. I know there’s a lot of other things that can play into it, but my thing was just keep the main thing, the main thing… Don’t take it too personal. I don’t even take it personal at all. It’s just basketball.’

Barker shot 9-of-17 from the field and 3-of-7 from the field in Sunday’s loss and rounded out her stat line with three rebounds, two steals and four turnovers in 27 minutes. However, ‘If I’m being honest, I don’t care how many points I scored. I’m upset that we lost. I wish that we would have came out here and won,’ Barker added.

Barker spent the first two seasons of her collegiate career at Texas A&M, where she averaged 12.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 49 games (34 starts). She transferred to UCLA for her junior year and averaged 7.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 36 games (three starts) last season.

Barker applauded Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell for ‘just really letting me be myself.’

‘She’s letting me do everything that I wanted to do in college and I’m so thankful for that,’ Barker said postgame. ‘She also has me in a role of being a leader… I’ve been to a Final Four before, so I know what it looks like to win and it’s put me in a position to lead this team. I feel like I didn’t do that well today. It’s a lot of things that I’m learning as well in this role, so I’m giving myself grace.’

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The NBA schedule is marching on as the NBA Cup knockout rounds are set to kick off later this month.

Three of the Top 5 teams by standing in each of the Eastern and Western Conferences are in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, but there is one team that has dominated and stands well beyond all other squads. The Oklahoma City Thunder have been dominating opponents so thoroughly that many of their stars, namely Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, aren’t even playing fourth quarters.

Everyone is chasing the defending champs, who may be poised for a dominant season.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings after Week 6 of the 2025-26 regular season:

USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings

Note: Records and stats through Nov. 30. Parentheses show movement from last week’s rankings

NBA Week 6 power rankings: Top 5

1. Oklahoma City Thunder, 20-1 (—)

2. Los Angeles Lakers, 15-4 (+2)

3. Detroit Pistons, 16-4 (-1)

4. Houston Rockets, 13-4 (+1)

5. Denver Nuggets, 14-5 (-2)

Oklahoma City just got Jalen Williams (wrist) back, and the Thunder are the most complete team in the NBA, and one that may put forth the most prolific season in league history. The Lakers have won seven consecutive, but their competition since LeBron James returned has a combined winning percentage of .260. And the Nuggets (123.9) and Rockets (122.3) are battling for top offenses in the NBA.

NBA Week 6 power rankings: Nos. 6-10

6. New York Knicks, 13-6 (+7)

7. San Antonio Spurs, 13-6 (+1)

8. Miami Heat, 13-7 (+2)

9. Minnesota Timberwolves, 12-8 (-2)

10. Toronto Raptors, 14-7 (-1)

On a four-game winning streak, the Knicks have found their rhythm on offense, being deliberate in the half-court, but ranking third in offensive rating (120.5). San Antonio continues to shine, even in the absence of Victor Wembanyama (calf) and Stephon Castle (hip), including a key NBA Cup victory Friday, Nov. 28, over the Nuggets. And the Raptors are on a two-game losing streak, but have been one of the surprises in the NBA and lead the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.08).

NBA Week 6 power rankings: Nos. 11-15

11. Atlanta Hawks, 13-8 (+1)

12. Phoenix Suns, 12-9 (-1)

13. Cleveland Cavaliers, 12-9 (-7)

14. Orlando Magic, 12-8 (—)

15. Boston Celtics, 11-9 (+1)

The Suns continue to outperform, and Dillon Brooks’ offensive game — he’s averaging career-bests points per game (21.7) and shooting percentage (45.1%) — is a key reason why. The Cavaliers have lost three in a row and Cleveland’s offensive rating (115.7; 14th) is 5.3 points off of last year’s league-leading mark. Orlando, without Paolo Banchero (groin) have steadied their play as Desmond Bane’s usage has increased.

NBA Week 6 power rankings: Nos. 16-20

16. Philadelphia 76ers, 10-9 (+1)

17. Golden State Warriors, 11-10 (-2)

18. Memphis Grizzlies, 9-12 (+3)

19. Milwaukee Bucks, 9-12 (-1)

20. Chicago Bulls, 9-10 (-1)

Whereas the Bucks have floundered without Giannis Antetokounmpo (going 2-8 over their last 10), the Grizzlies have been steady without Ja Morant (winners of three consecutive). Nikola Vučević’s frustration with his young teammates shows the Bulls might be headed toward an inevitable rebuild, and the Warriors are also facing tension and drama, with Stephen Curry (quad) sidelined.

NBA Week 6 power rankings: Nos. 21-25

21. Portland Trail Blazers, 8-12 (-1)

22. Dallas Mavericks, 6-15 (+1)

23. Charlotte Hornets, 6-14 (+2)

24. Utah Jazz, 6-13 (—)

25. Indiana Pacers, 4-16 (+3)

The early-season success has faded for the Trail Blazers, whose pace has slowed significantly. The Mavericks are starting to find a rhythm as Cooper Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to score 35 points, breaking the mark previously held by LeBron James. And the Pacers are finally starting to get (a little) healthier.

NBA Week 6 power rankings: Nos. 26-30

26. Los Angeles Clippers, 5-15 (-4)

27. Sacramento Kings, 5-16 (-1)

28. New Orleans Pelicans, 3-18 (+1)

29. Brooklyn Nets, 3-16 (-2)

30. Washington Wizards, 2-16 (—)

It’s time to wonder whether Tyronn Lue’s job is in trouble and if the Clippers are about to embark on a full rebuild. The Kings posted solid consecutive victories against the Timberwolves and Nuggets, but have since lost three in a row. And the Wizards beat the Hawks in a 46-point gem from CJ McCollum, but they continue to hold the NBA’s worst net rating (-12.2).

Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk has been named the new head coach at Southern University.
Faulk has one year of college coaching experience, serving as the running backs coach at Colorado under Deion Sanders.
Southern alumni Aeneas Williams and Avery Johnson were instrumental in recruiting Faulk for the position.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk introduced himself as the new head coach at Southern University by saying he found his calling as coach despite his lack of experience in the profession and was “sold” to take the job by two prominent Southern alumni — Pro Football Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams and former NBA player Avery Johnson.

Faulk talked about it Monday Dec. 1 at his introductory news conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Faulk, 52, has only one year of coaching experience in college football after spending the past season as running backs coach at Colorado under head coach Deion Sanders.

“I could have stayed at Colorado. I was comfortable,” Faulk said. “But I’ve never done well in life when comfortable. Like, I’m the kind of person who needs to be a little uncomfortable. And I’m not gonna lie to you. This is uncomfortable. and I like it.”

Aeneas Williams and Avery Johnson ‘sold’ Southern to Faulk

Before coaching at Colorado, Faulk worked in financial services and as an analyst for the NFL Network. He is from New Orleans and played high school football there before playing college football at San Diego State.

Asked about his lack of experience, Faulk downplayed it. He is the latest in a trend of NFL legends with little or no coaching experience to take over at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), including Deion Sanders (Jackson State), Eddie George (Tennessee State), DeSean Jackson (Delta State) and Michael Vick (Norfolk State).

“What’s there to question?” Faulk said when asked about his lack of experience. “You know and I know this is my first head coaching job. I don’t think there’s a question. You can’t give answers to anything like that. You know, it’s like anything else. Just wait and see. Like, time will tell. You’ll get to decide whether what they’re saying or what I’m doing works.”

Williams and Johnson “sold” Southern to him, Faulk said. He said they’re “like brothers to me.” Williams was a teammate of Faulk’s with the St. Louis Rams.

“This is indeed a pivotal moment for Southern University football,” said Johnson, who also was an NBA coach. To demonstrate how big of moment it was, Johnson added that “I’ve never flown here for a football press conference.”

Marshall Faulk said he’s decided on 90% of his coaching staff

Faulk said 90% of his coaching staff is in place but declined to reveal names until the hirings were made official. Some coaches from Colorado could join him after the Buffaloes finished the season with a 3-9 record.

Faulk takes over a Southern team that finished 2-10 in 2025 but won the Bayou Classic against Grambling State on Saturday in New Orleans, 28-27.

Southern athletic director Roman Banks said he wanted a “game-changer” to help Southern compete in this new age of college sports, when players are paid for their name, image and likeness. Faulk’s fame already has drawn more attention to Southern. Banks said the hire recently led to “phone calls that we’ve never been able to get to upgrade” facilities.

Looking forward to the 2026 season Faulk just had a special request for Southern supporters. He said he hopes they stay after the halftime show featuring Southern’s famed band.

“I hope that you guys like football in the second half as much as well as you do in the first half,” Faulk said. “Although I love the band, there will be football played in the third and fourth quarters.”

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

Pittsburgh Steelers fans chanted for coach Mike Tomlin to be fired during a recent home loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Tomlin, who has never had a losing season in his tenure, acknowledged his and the team’s frustration with their performance.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers defended Tomlin, stating players need to take accountability for the team’s struggles.

PITTSBURGH – It would have been so much like Mike Tomlin to rip off some clip-and-save catchphrase in response to the instant feedback that got so personal as his Pittsburgh Steelers were embarrassed on Sunday in yet another debacle under his watch.

This had to sting. The Steelers couldn’t stop Buffalo, couldn’t score and took the fun out of waving those Terrible Towels. Not even the traditional Renegade serenade helped. They also booed that. The mood has become so sour, which is what happens when a team plummets from a promising 4-1 to half-empty 6-6 in a little more than a month.

If there was ever a time for a pointed one-liner from Tomlin to put it in some hopeful perspective, this was it. You know the messages.

The standard is the standard.

We don’t live in our fears.

Excuses are the tools of the incompetent.

Tomlin certainly heard the catcalls. Yet during a game in which his offense was shut out in the second half and his defense was gashed for 249 rushing yards – most ever by a Steelers opponent at Acrisure Stadium/Heinz Field – what Tomlin saw was much worse than what he heard.

No, there was no inspirational quote to counter that.

Fire Mike Tomlin? After 18 winning seasons, coach doesn’t deserve this

When someone asked Tomlin whether he had a sense of how restless and frustrated the crowd was, he said: “I know how restless and frustrated I was, so I assume they were in the same state we were in.”

What went through his mind when the crowd is chanting to fire you?

“Man, I share their frustration tonight,” Tomlin responded. “We didn’t do enough. That’s just the reality of it.”

Tomlin, who has never had a losing season during his nearly 19-year run as Steelers coach, doesn’t deserve this. That’s not to suggest the fans can’t scream for changes. He knows. That comes with the territory of his high-profile, high-powered job. There are no untouchables. Ask Bill Belichick. Coaches are hired to be fired.

Yet Aaron Rodgers, who followed Tomlin at the podium on Sunday night, maintained that his coach doesn’t deserve all the heat because the players share in the accountability realm.

Sure, Rodgers heard the negative noise coming from the fans.

“That’s part of it,” Rodgers said. “They pay money for a ticket. So, they have a right – good, bad, indifferent – to say what they want. I totally understand the frustration. I’ve been booed on offense, even at Green Bay over the years.

“That was a boo-worthy performance, and I understand the frustration.”

Still, Rodgers echoed linebacker T.J. Watt in considering how flat the Steelers were for such a big game. He pointed to a lack of energy on the practice field last week, although he stopped short of concluding that it carried into Sunday’s game.

Regardless, it’s reasonable to expect the tone to be set by the head coach, and in this case Tomlin. When asked, Rodgers pushed back on that theme.

This response came wrapped with its own dramatic vibe. Rodgers hesitated before he answered, grabbing a bottle of water and twisting the cap as he apparently settled on his words.

“I know what you’re trying to ask, and I’m not going down that road at all,” Rodgers said. “I believe in the coaching staff. I believe in Mike Tomlin. That’s why I came here.”

Then Rodgers, nobly, shared the responsibility.

“Players need to take accountability, myself included, and I will,” he said. “I will continue to. I’ve got to play better. But there’s 11 starters on offense, 11 on defense, plus (more) with the personnel groupings that we run.”

‘Keep watching’? On field product must improve for Steelers faithful to believe

Later in the session, someone asked Rodgers about players not holding themselves accountable, which prompted an instant correction.

“I didn’t say that,” Rodgers shot back. “I said we need to hold ourselves accountable.”

Indeed, that’s what he said.

Still, in the context of the here-and-now, there’s enough accountability for all involved.

For the fans calling for Tomlin’s job, hold that thought. The Steelers have had just three coaches since 1969, with Tomlin following Bill Cowher, who followed Chuck Noll. And the philosophy of Steelers owner Art Rooney II is hardly driven by knee-jerk reaction.

No, the fact that Tomlin hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016 is not a good look. Yet the immediate matter involves trying to claim the AFC North crown that once seemed firmly in Pittsburgh’s grasp, with much to be determined by the showdown at the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 7.

Instant feedback is one thing. Yet there’s still a season to finish for Tomlin, Rodgers and the rest of the Steelers.

Tomlin had a succinct response when maintaining that the people are already in place for the Steelers to turn around their drab performances of late to make a legitimate run.

What makes him so confident of that?

“Keep watching,” he said.

Rather than a catchphrase from Tomlin, it sounded like truth or dare because what the Steelers have given their faithful to watch lately is clearly part of the problem.

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

The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Monday, Dec. 1 on a bipartisan bill to allow the NCAA, and potentially the newly formed College Sports Commission, to create and enforce national rules that have come under legal dispute in recent years.

The SCORE Act (Student Compensation And Opportunity Through Rights and Endorsements) intends to provide more regulation and calm the chaotic environment created by the introduction of name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation, revenue sharing and the transfer portal to college sports. The proposed bill, which was introduced in July with backing from leaders of three House committees, would permit the NCAA to set a cap on how much schools can spend on NIL deals and parameters for the manner in which athletes transfer, so long as they can transfer at least once and be immediately eligible.

Other aspects of the proposed bill would put into law the fair-market-value assessment of athletes’ NIL deals with entities other than schools provided under the House vs. NCAA settlement and allow universities to prevent athletes from having NIL deals that conflict with school sponsorship deals. The bill also notably shields the NCAA, the Commission, conferences and schools from antitrust and state-court lawsuits that could come from rules.

The NCAA has lobbied for Congressional antitrust provisions throughout the past decade as its regulations over athlete compensation and transfer eligibility were challenged and eventually changed by state legislatures and lawsuits.

‘It is long past time that we take action to ensure that we have sustainable future for college sports, especially for women’s sports and the Olympic sports,’ said Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee, when he led a markup of the SCORE Act in July. ‘That creates predictability and certainty for all student-athletes. We must act now to protect and preserve the uniquely American institution of college sports we have all come to know and love.”

The bill would still need to work its way through the Senate if it passes in the House, but could lead to bipartisan discussions even if it is voted down by the Senate.

U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act in September, aiming ‘to codify athletes’ rights and protections in law, expand revenue for all schools, support women’s and Olympic sports and bring much-needed stability to the college sports system.’

The key provisions in the bill provide federal NIL protections, pooling of media rights, new broadcast revenue for Olympic and women’s sports, local market broadcast access for football and basketball, protections from bad actor agents, national standards for the transfer portal and preserves the House vs. NCAA settlement’s revenue share cap.

Monday’s House vote will occur hours after Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), a former Division-I volleyball player, also announced plans to introduce a competing bill modeled after the Senate proposal with federal standards for NIL rights and the pooling of media rights, in addition to the creation of a bipartisan Commission to Stabilize College Sports with a two-year timeline to develop recommendations for an enduring governance model. 

‘Despite years of intense lobbying from the most powerful institutions in college athletics, Congress is increasingly divided on how to address the challenges threatening the industry,’ Trahan said in a news release. ‘Too many proposals pushed by entrenched power brokers focus on regaining control at the expense of the athletes who drive college sports, rather than on creating a sustainable system, particularly for women’s and Olympic sports and smaller schools.’

A week of holiday hoops tournaments produced some changes in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll. The No. 1 team didn’t change, but three other squads are getting first-place support.

Purdue remains on top, as it has been since the preseason. The Boilermakers picked up 21 of 31 firsts this week, but they have company from another Big Ten contender. Michigan vaults from sixth all the way to No. 2 after their successful stint in Las Vegas. The Wolverines were voted first by six panelists. No. 3 Arizona hangs on to three No. 1 nods, with the final first-place vote going to No. 4 Duke. Connecticut rounds out the top five, edging unbeaten Louisville by eight poll points.

Houston drops from the second spot to No. 7 after taking its first loss of the season. No. 8 Michigan State and No. 9 Iowa State each move up four positions, and Brigham Young climbs a notch to No. 10 after swapping places with Gonzaga.

Defending champion Florida tumbles six places to No. 14, staying ahead of Illinois by a single point. Vanderbilt makes the biggest move within the poll, vaulting seven spots to No. 16 thanks to a 7-0 start.

Kansas is back in the rankings at No. 21, and Iowa nudges in at No. 25. UCLA and North Carolina State are the week’s dropouts.