Lionel Messi may not have ever played in colder conditions, but the Inter Miami star shook it off, scoring the game’s only goal in a 1-0, first-leg win against Sporting Kansas City in Concacaf Champions Cup play Wednesday night.

The game was postponed from Tuesday to Wednesday to avoid several inches of snow, but the bitter cold in Kansas City, Kansas, saw kickoff temperatures of 4 degrees, with a feels-like estimate around minus-9.

Despite the frigid conditions sparking reports that Messi might sit the match out, the Argentine played the full 90 minutes, delivering the goods in the form of a second-half finish to give the Herons a clear edge heading into next Tuesday’s second leg.

This first-leg scoreline sets Miami up to advance to the round of 16, where Jamaican league champions Cavalier FC await. A win or draw by any score next week will do the job, while Kansas City would only advance with a multi-goal win, or by scoring two or more goals in a one-goal victory at Chase Stadium.

Here’s a look back at how Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City played out, including highlights of Messi’s first official goal of the 2025 season:

Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City highlights: Messi scores game-winning goal

Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City: Post-game quotes

Speaking to reporters after the match, Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano called Lionel Messi’s game-winning goal ‘normal.’

‘For people who know him, it’s normal, he’s scored goals like this a thousand times,’ said Mascherano. ‘We’re very lucky to have him.’

There was little disagreement from his opposite number, with Sporting Kansas City boss Peter Vermes seemingly resigned to Messi’s inevitability. ‘There’s one guy who can turn the game over, and he did,’ explained the veteran coach.

On the bone-chilling temperatures, Mascherano said he’d never dealt with anything like it.

‘I’ve never experienced such a cold situation, we couldn’t feel our limbs,’ said the 40-year-old. ‘The same thing happened to the players, after five minutes you couldn’t feel your feet or hands.’

Inter Miami 1, Sporting Kansas City 0: Final score

Inter Miami has gotten off to the start they had hoped for, defeating Sporting Kansas City 1-0 in brutally cold conditions at Children’s Mercy Park. Lionel Messi scored the game’s only goal, offering his typically nimble footwork to secure the win with a second-half finish.

These sides will meet again next Tuesday in far superior weather, with Miami hosting the second leg. A 1-0 lead looks pretty promising, especially given that Concacaf still uses the away-goals tiebreaker in club competition. A win or tie will send Miami through.

Inter Miami makes final sub, Messi swaps out hand warmers

Luis Suárez is replaced by winger Robert Taylor in the 90th minute as Inter Miami looks to put this game to bed. Like Picault, Taylor brings more speed, which might benefit Miami if Sporting Kansas City takes too many risks pursuing an equalizer.

Lionel Messi has come to the bench as well, but it looks like he’s asking for hand warmers to put inside his gloves.

Sporting Kansas City makes last of five substitutions

Stephen Afrifa has entered the match for Sporting KC, replacing Dániel Sallói in the 83rd minute.

That leaves the hosts with no more substitutions available. Inter Miami, for its part, can make three more subs, but has only one remaining window to do so.

Inter Miami narrowly escapes big Sporting KC chance

The sequence ended up being offside, but Sporting Kansas City served a reminder that Inter Miami doesn’t have this game won. Dániel Sallói got free on the left flank, picking out Erik Thommy only for his shot to be kicked away by Oscar Ustari. A goal wouldn’t have counted had that shot sneaked by, but Miami should be alarmed by how easily they were carved open.

Meanwhile, two noteworthy developments for Miami: Telasco Segovia has made way for Benjamin Cremaschi in the 79th minute, while Federico Redondo picked up a yellow card seconds later, with a high foot drawing attention from referee Marco Ortíz.

Inter Miami makes first substitution

Miami is going to its bench as well, but will only bring in one new face. Veteran attacker Fafà Picault has come on in the 73rd minute, replacing Tadeo Allende.

Meanwhile, Manu García’s first real contribution is a late tackle that gets him the first yellow card we’ve seen in this game.

Sporting KC goes to the bench with triple sub

Peter Vermes wasted no time at all responding to Inter Miami taking a 1-0 lead. The Sporting Kansas City coach has made a triple sub in the 62nd minute.

Out: Memo Rodríguez, Dejan Joveljic, Tim Leibold
In: Manu García, William Agada, Logan Ndenbe

García is the man to watch, as the playmaker arrived just a week ago following three years at Aris Thessaloniki in Greece. KC has big hopes that he can boost the side after a disappointing 2024 season.

Messi goal! Inter Miami takes 1-0 lead vs. Sporting Kansas City

Can he do it on a cold night in Kansas City? He sure can. Lionel Messi has scored the opener, steering home a 16-yard shot in the 56th minute to put Inter Miami ahead 1-0.

Sergio Busquets had the assist, lobbing a ball into the box towards Messi, but the Miami captain still had plenty to do. Messi calmly brought the ball down, surrounded by KC defenders — yet he danced out of trouble before steering a pinpoint shot into the bottom corner. John Pulskamp saw it late, and just like that the Herons have the lead.

Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City: Second half begins

We’re back underway in the frozen tundra that is Children’s Mercy Park, with Inter Miami and Sporting Kansas City battling for a first-leg advantage in the Concacaf Champions Cup.

Miami has returned to the field with the same lineup they fielded at the start, while KC has made one change: center back Dany Rosero has left the match during the break, with Joaquín Fernández replacing him. That’s a like-for-like change, but Sporting has made a seemingly unrelated tactical tweak: forward Dániel Sallói has moved out to the left, dropping deeper in what is now a 4-1-4-1 formation.

Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City: Few highlights as halftime arrives

Inter Miami and Sporting Kansas City have reached halftime, with the score 0-0. Temperatures are approaching zero at Children’s Mercy Park, which is coincidentally the number of truly dangerous chances in the game thus far.

Luis Suárez’s 20-yard curler that flew wide was probably Miami’s best chance, while Kansas City has the game’s only shot on goal (which resulted in a very easy save for Oscar Ustari). KC has taken a damage limitation posture, while Miami has looked a little disorganized and predictable at times.

In lieu of actual highlights, the below photo sums up the first half:

Messi’s first shot goes high

Perhaps losing a bit of patience, a relatively rare touch for Messi found him in some space roughly 30 yards from goal. It’s the first time all game Inter Miami has really generated that combination, but Messi opted to fire one up from long range rather than his normal preference to combine and move closer to goal.

The result? A long-range shot that flew yards over the crossbar and into the stands.

Inter Miami dominating possession in game of few chances

We’re in the 29th minute, and it’s safe to say that Sporting Kansas City has chosen defensive solidity over tactical aggression. Inter Miami currently holds around two-thirds of the possession, but KC is resolutely dropping off into a 4-4-2 formation without the ball, only really confronting Miami once play passes midfield.

Miami appears plenty comfortable with keeping the ball this much, and Messi has faced this approach literally hundreds of times, but thus far it’s preventing any interesting action in front of either goal.

Inter Miami survives dangerous Sporting KC free kick

Erik Thommy just won Sporting a free kick in a good spot as the hosts have made their first concerted push forward.

The German midfielder was tripped up by Tomás Avilés, but ultimately Memo Rodríguez’s free kick was catching practice for Inter Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari.

Messi hits the deck after hard tackle

Inter Miami is getting a rude welcome from Sporting Kansas City, with Messi the first recipient of a robust tackle. Barely two minutes into the game, center back Robert Voloder came in late as Messi dished the ball at midfield, slamming into the Argentine and being called for a foul.

Sporting has always been willing to get physical under head coach Peter Vermes, the longest-tenured coach in MLS, and that extends to Messi.

Inter Miami vs. Sporting KC has kicked off

The teams are on the field, with Inter Miami and Sporting Kansas City underway from a frigid Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Every starter on both teams is wearing gloves, long sleeves, and many have gone with neck gaiters and compression leggings, too.

For his part, Lionel Messi has gone with every garment he’s allowed to wear, which is veteran know-how if nothing else.

Inter Miami vs. Sporting KC start time

Inter Miami will face Sporting Kansas City Wednesday night in Concacaf Champions Cup play, with kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local).

With teams warming up ahead of the game’s start, there are no signs that Concacaf has any plans to further postpone this one. Temperatures are hovering around 7 degrees at the moment, with breezy conditions compounding the freezing conditions.

Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City: Messi takes field for warm-ups

In a hat, at least one pair of gloves, and what appears to be several layers, Lionel Messi is out on the pitch at Children’s Mercy Park for pregame warm-ups.

Of course, the available footage doesn’t show him limbering up aggressively. Instead, he appears focused on a discussion with a member of Miami’s coaching staff who is so bundled up that we can’t identify who they are.

Sporting Kansas City lineup: KC announces starters to face Inter Miami

Sporting Kansas City has put out a starting eleven with few surprises, with key offseason addition Dejan Joveljic leading the line up top.

Inter Miami lineup: Messi starts Concacaf Champions Cup game

Ending the Messi speculation, Inter Miami has released its starting lineup to face Sporting Kansas City in Wednesday’s first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup battle, and the Argentine icon will lead the team out.

Despite single-digit temperatures leading to speculation that Messi might sit out, the 37-year-old will captain Miami, while fellow ex-Barcelona stars Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets will join him on the field at kickoff.

Messi appears set to play some part in Concacaf Champions Cup game

There has been plenty of speculation about whether Lionel Messi will play for Inter Miami in this Concacaf Champions Cup game due to the extraordinarily cold conditions.

However, Miami’s social media posts seem to indicate that Messi will at least be in uniform. With the Herons arriving at Children’s Mercy Park, the club tweeted a photo montage that included a Messi No. 10 jersey hanging up, a pretty solid sign that Messi will be somewhere on the team sheet.

That tracks with Miami head coach Javier Mascherano’s pre-game comments, with the Argentine denying reports earlier this week claiming that Messi might sit the match — which was pushed back a day due to Tuesday’s snow — out.

Inter Miami vs. Sporting KC: Brutally cold temperatures before kickoff

As expected, the weather in Kansas City is dangerously cold. Per WeatherUnderground, the current temperature is just 9 degrees, and it’s expected to drop throughout the game. A consistent breeze is only making matters worse, with the ‘Feels Like’ reading coming in at minus-6 degrees.

It looks like Miami is absolutely delighted to be in town:

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City match tonight?

The match will be available on FS2 in English, ViX+ in Spanish, and on Concacaf’s YouTube channel in Spanish. It is also available on Fubo.

Will Messi play in Kansas City?

Yes, Messi is expected to play despite the weather conditions. Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said Monday that Messi is healthy and available.

What happened the last time Miami team played in frigid Kansas City?

The Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs played in a cold-weather NFL playoff game on Jan. 13, 2024.

At least 10 people were hospitalized and treated for frostbite and hypothermia. The game was played at negative 4 degrees with a wind chill of negative 27, marking the third-coldest kickoff wind chill ever, the Chiefs communications team said at the time. The Chiefs won 26-7.

What happened the last time Messi played in Kansas City?

Messi will play for the second time in the Kansas City area. This time, however, will be in Kansas.

Messi scored a goal and had an assist when Inter Miami beat Sporting Kansas City 3-2 on April 13, 2024. The game was played at the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium in front of a reported crowd of 72,610 – the most-attended soccer match in state of Missouri and the third-most attended MLS game in history.

Inter Miami season opener time changed

Inter Miami will host New York City FC at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday to begin the 2025 MLS season at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The start time was pushed back five hours due to the postponement of tonight’s Champions Cup game.

Sporting Kansas City’s MLS opener on the road at Austin FC in Texas will proceed at its scheduled time Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET.

When does Inter Miami and Sporting Kansas City play again?

The second leg of the Champions Cup first-round series between Inter Miami and Sporting Kansas City will be played next Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Chase Stadium.

Which team does Inter Miami or Sporting Kansas City play if it advances in Champions Cup?

The winner will face Jamaica Premier League champions Cavalier FC in the round of 16. The first leg will be on March 5, and the second leg will be on March 13. Cavalier received a bye to the round of 16 in the Champions Cup.

Michael Lombardi spoke last week for the first time since being named general manager of North Carolina football, and immediately threw into question the power structure at the university famous for its men’s basketball program. 

“Everything here is predicated on building a pro team,” Lombardi said. “We consider ourselves the 33rd team.”

There are 32 teams in the NFL, and that statement was Lombardi – by way of new Tar Heels coach and NFL legend Bill Belichick – spreading out and clearing space for an inevitable fight.

Not on the field, but with North Carolina’s legendary basketball program for revenue sharing and NIL funds. There’s only so much to go around. 

The question is, who gets it?

The basketball program of Dean Smith and Michael Jordan and those six national championship banners hanging in the rafters of the Smith Center? The program that believes it’s synonymous with the best of the best, the elite of the elite? 

When you think college basketball, you think Carolina blue. 

Or the football program, the perpetual little brother in the athletic department that has been pushed to the tip of the spear by the sheer will of a sport that has overtaken everything college athletics? No national title banners flying at Kenan Stadium, just five ACC championship flags of decades gone by.

Just the hope of a coach who won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots standing in the breach, and proudly declaring we’re the 33rd team. And we’re going to need cash to make it happen. A lot of cash. 

Much more cash than – here’s the key – your wildly successful and beloved men’s basketball program. 

See the fight now?

When pay for play officially begins on July 1 (the beginning of the 2025-26 school calendar), FBS schools will be allowed to spend as much as $20 million in ‘pay-for-play’ payments to athletes. In all sports — not just football. 

The payment structure of that expected $20 million pool is built by each school, and not every player in every sport will receive the same amount of money. That’s not even considering external NIL deals, which will still be widely available — and more important, another area of contention between football and basketball. 

At some point, the fight will come to this: what’s the biggest bang for the buck? 

The football team that Belichick and Lombardi believe can be built into a national power despite its inherent obstacles in recruiting against the elite of college football? Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, LSU and Texas, among the many, aren’t going anywhere — and have more resources.

Or the basketball team, which is the DNA of college basketball, a program so prominent, recruits (and transfer portal recruits) will flock to with the right coach. 

This, of course, brings us to the next inevitable subject: The possibility of moving on from struggling coach Hubert Davis. If North Carolina decides replace Davis, who is under contract through the 2027-28 season, where does it go for his replacement? 

Does it spend top dollar and try to hire the top of the coaching field (college or NBA), or does it go cheap and hire a rising assistant? Or worse, if the program bottoms out this season, does it stick with Davis and hope for the best?

In no previous world where NIL and pay for play didn’t dictate decisions, would North Carolina “hope” about anything with the basketball program. It would take action, immediately. 

It would hire the biggest, baddest coach it could find, and celebrate the transition to a new beginning. It would declare that things were returning to the Carolina Way, and that nothing would be left to guess in the quest to return to the elite of college basketball. 

Sort of like what the football team just did with Belichick. 

See the fight now?

Make no mistake, this power struggle is a numbers game. How much money is available to spend on player procurement, and how much is spent on football and basketball.

Roster limits are another part of the House settlement that is awaiting final approval in April. Football will be limited to 105 players. The men’s basketball limit is 15. 

That’s 120 players that could be paid within the structure of one of the nation’s top athletic programs. And North Carolina isn’t going to simply ignore successful non-revenue sports that have won 46 national championships for the sake of the 33rd team.

Or will it? 

We already saw the power play by the North Carolina Board of Trustees, forcing athletic director Bubba Cunningham to hire Belichick and throwing ridiculous amounts of money at a sport that prior to this offseason was treated as a functional distraction – by those same board members – until basketball tipped.  

A guaranteed $30 million deal (over three years) for Belichick in addition to – as stated in his term sheet – $10 million annually for an assistant coach salary pool and $5.3 million annually for support staff. 

That’s a $25.3 million annual investment in football — before player procurement, revenue sharing and NIL agreements. The total investment could surpass $40 million.

Forty million.

I don’t think I’m speaking out of turn here, but there’s no chance that the investment in the shining beacon of a basketball program along bucolic Skipper Bowles Drive – even per capita – reaches those ridiculous levels.

See the fight now? The 33rd team did, and planted its flag early. 

There’s only so much cash to go around. 

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football wtiter for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

Deebo Samuel’s time with the San Francisco 49ers may come to an end during the 2025 NFL offseason, as the team is allowing the veteran receiver to seek a trade.

George Kittle knows the 49ers have depth and talent at receiver, but he still cautioned the team about moving on from Samuel.

‘You can’t really replace Deebo,’ Kittle told USA TODAY’s Mackenzie Salmon in a recent interview. ‘I think he’s one of the most unique players in the NFL because of what he can do.’

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Kittle described Samuel as one of the best yards-after-catch (YAC) receivers in the NFL along with himself. He also praised his long-time teammate for his versatility.

‘He’s so good when he gets the ball in his hands,’ Kittle said of Samuel. ‘The fact that you can line him up in the slot, out wide, in the backfield and do all the fun stuff with him and he breaks tackles, he runs like a running back and he has the burst, he has the speed, he has the agility to get away from guys too, he’s just such a unique player, so I don’t think you can really replace him.’

Kittle believes that the 49ers would ‘have to build their offense a little bit differently’ if Samuel is no longer with the team. He also noted that Brandon Aiyuk may not be ready for Week 1 as he returns from a torn ACL but expressed Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall have proven they are ready for bigger roles.

Kittle also opined Christian McCaffrey’s return would add an element to San Francisco’s offense that was missing for most of the 2024 season. McCaffrey played in just four games and 167 snaps while dealing with several injuries, including a season-ending PCL sprain.

Even so, Kittle believes it will be hard for anyone to fit the exact role Samuel played in the 49ers offense.

‘Deebo’s a hell of a football player,’ Kittle said. ‘I’ve loved being his teammate, I’ve loved sharing the field with him, I’ve loved going to war with him. If that is what happens and he gets traded, I’ll be very sad.’

‘At the same time, I’m always happy for guys to get opportunities and that’s all you can ask for in the NFL,’ he added. ‘But yes, Deebo’s one of my guys, and I always love playing with him.’

Before the NFL’s free agency frenzy can begin, teams have to take stock of their financial standing and weigh some difficult moves.

All 32 teams must be compliant with the league’s salary cap by the start of the new league year on March 12. For some, the coming days and weeks might simply entail restructuring contracts and clearing end-of-roster deals to clear that bar. For others, however, the process will necessitate releasing some notable players in cost-cutting moves. The sequence is sure to reshape free agency, as players who are released will be free to sign with other organizations immediately, giving them a head start on their peers with expiring contracts.

While more could become clear after the NFL scouting combine next week, here are some of the biggest names who could be cut soon (all cap figures courtesy of Over The Cap):

Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta Falcons

General manager Terry Fontenot claimed at the end of the season that Atlanta is ‘very comfortable’ with the notion of retaining Cousins as a backup to second-year signal-caller Michael Penix Jr., who took the starting reins in Week 16. But is that merely a bluff? While the Falcons would be saddled with a $65 million dead cap hit if they release the 13-year veteran, they can avoid his $10 million roster bonus for 2026 becoming guaranteed so long as they move on by March 17. Cousins seemed to be pushing his way to the exit by revealing earlier this month on ‘Good Morning Football’ that he injured his right shoulder and elbow in Week 10, contradicting the narrative he and the team pushed during the season. With Cousins holding a no-trade clause, a release with a post-June 1 designation looks to be the most reasonable solution.

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Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints

With the league’s youngest coach in Kellen Moore now at the controls, the Saints are set up for what would appear to be a transition year. The extent of the team’s reset, however, will likely be revealed by how it handles Carr, whose 2025 cap hit of nearly $51.5 million necessitates some sort of action. The 11-year veteran has already shot down the possibility of a pay cut, and he also holds a no-trade clause in his contract. Yet unless New Orleans is prepared to embrace the full teardown it has long resisted, dropping him might not be a very appealing option given the looming dead cap hit of more than $50 million. Moore remained noncommittal when addressing Carr’s future in his introductory news conference, but the organization – which is more than $54 million overdrawn for the cap – will need to choose a path soon.

Kyle Juszczyk, FB, San Francisco 49ers

In 2024, the all-purpose standout said he was ‘hurt’ by general manager John Lynch’s request that he take a pay cut. This time around, he might not be given a choice in the matter of his future with the franchise. Juszczyk, who turns 34 in April, might be a luxury for a team that has been preparing to reconfigure its financial outlook around what should be a sizable extension for quarterback Brock Purdy. The nine-time Pro Bowler has been an essential part of Kyle Shanahan’s system, but his cap figure is set to be just short of $6.5 million.

Davante Adams, WR, New York Jets

His close friend Aaron Rodgers has already been dismissed by the new regime, though not officially yet. Adams seems bound to be next headed out of own. The six-time Pro Bowl selection has the largest cap hit of any non-quarterback at $38.34 million, and the Jets could clear nearly $30 million by parting ways. Adams could try to reunite with Rodgers in the quarterback’s next landing spot, or he could move on and capitalize on a free agent market that could be light on top-flight pass catchers.

Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

At nearly $31 million, his 2025 cap hit is currently set to be the fourth largest of any receiver. That figure seems untenable for a 32-year-old who finished third on the team in catches (49) and receiving yards (600). Between the emergence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and coach Mike Macdonald’s pivot to a run-led offense likely leading to fewer three-receiver sets, it makes plenty of sense for Seattle – which is currently more than $13 million over the cap – to grant itself $17 million in cap savings by releasing Lockett.

Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

The Super Bowl 56 MVP broke some news when he revealed earlier this month that the Rams were working to deal him. But with a $12.5 million salary – and a $7.5 million roster bonus due March 16 – Kupp might not have a robust trade market, even if the Rams are willing to pay a sizable chunk to facilitate a deal. His outlook could change, however, if he hits the open market as a free agent, as he would be an enticing No. 2 target capable of making his mark over the middle and as a blocker. Releasing him outright would afford Los Angeles $7.52 million in cap space while leaving the team with a dead cap hit of more than $22.2 million.

Christian Kirk, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Kirk’s surprising four-year, $72 million contract in March 2022 helped accelerate the explosion of the receiver market. While that deal no longer seems quite as outlandish as it did initially, the slot receiver hasn’t been able to recreate the highs of his debut campaign in Jacksonville, notching just 27 catches for 379 yards in eight games before suffering a season-ending broken collarbone. With first-year coach Liam Coen installing a new offense and Brian Thomas Jr. firmly in place as the focal point of the passing attack, there’s little reason to forge ahead with a player who has a cap hit of more than $24 million and whose release could clear up more than $10 million in space.

Evan Engram, TE, Jaguars

His departure might not be quite as clear-cut as Kirk’s, but Engram is facing a similar situation. The two-time Pro Bowler is closer to his peak after recording career bests of 114 catches and 963 receiving yards in 2023, but he averaged a career-low 7.8 yards per reception last season and missed eight total games with hamstring and labrum injuries. Brenton Strange, a second-round pick in 2023, already established himself as a capable replacement last season by tallying 40 catches for 411 yards.

Jack Conklin, OT, Cleveland Browns

Still boxed in by Deshaun Watson’s contract, Cleveland has a pressing need to free up its books and few avenues to do so. A sensible starting point would be bidding farewell to Conklin, the two-time All-Pro who missed five games last season and played in just one in 2023 after tearing multiple knee ligaments. Dawand Jones could take over as the starter on a line that could be facing massive changes.

David Onyemata, DT, Falcons

Dropping Grady Jarrett is also a possibility for an organization that is currently almost $12 million overdrawn, as his departure would free up $16.25 million. But splitting with the two-time Pro Bowler could prove difficult for a defense still in desperate need of difference-makers up front, so the alternative could be dropping Onyemata. The run-stuffing nose tackle’s $16.25 million is exorbitant for a player of his skill set, and 2024 draft picks Ruke Orhorhoro (second round) and Brandon Dorlus (fourth round) might represent the future on the interior.

Jonathan Allen, DT, Washington Commanders

Ditching a proven interior pass rusher might seem antithetical to Washington’s offseason mission, especially with the team having the third-most cap space ($75.2 million) of any franchise. But Allen is set to carry a $22.35 million cap hit, and his play isn’t in line with the other elite talents at his position in that category. With 2024 second-rounder Jer’Zhan Newton waiting in the wings as a potential replacement to put alongside Daron Payne, the Commanders could move on and pocket $16.47 million in cap savings.

Joey Bosa, OLB, Los Angeles Chargers

The Bolts clung onto both of their high-priced pass rushers last offseason, as both Bosa and Khalil Mack accepted pay cuts to stay in place. The outlook is significantly murkier in Year 2 for Jim Harbaugh, with Mack set to test free agency and Bosa carrying a $36.47 million cap hit that ranks as the highest of any defender. That figure is hard to swallow for a player who, despite replacing the injured Mack as a Pro Bowl selection this year, has started just 18 games the last three seasons due to injury. While Los Angeles has more than $63 million in available cap space, the $25.36 million in savings might be too much to pass up, especially if the team brings back Mack.

Von Miller, OLB, Buffalo Bills

Miller rediscovered a spark in 2024, recording six sacks after failing to notch one in 2023. Still, a situational pass rusher who hasn’t cracked more than a third of the defensive snaps since he arrived in 2022 isn’t likely what the Bills bargained for when they handed the eight-time Pro Bowl selection a six-year, $120 million deal. Renegotiating the contract might be the preferable route for both parties, but something has to give for a team that again faces a tight cap situation this spring.

Jaire Alexander, CB, Green Bay Packers

Green Bay might have reached its breaking point with Alexander, who became the highest-paid cornerback in 2021 but has played just seven games in each of the last two seasons. ‘(T)here’s frustration, I think, on both sides, from the fact that he can’t get out there,’ general manager Brian Gutekunst said in January after the Packers’ wild-card exit. With Keisean Nixon openly pushing to be given the No. 1 cornerback job and moved off kick-returning duties, it seems clear that many in and around the organization expect the team to be moving on from the two-time Pro Bowler.

Jamel Dean, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Zyon McCollum enjoyed a breakout season in Tampa and now could be positioned for a big payday with an extension this offseason. But with less than $1 million in available cap space, the Buccaneers have to be mindful about their overall financial picture. That could prompt them to take a closer look at Dean, whose $15.1 cap hit could be rich for a player who has topped out as a solid starter. But the four-time defending NFC South champions might be reticent to detract from their secondary given the overall shaky state of their 29th-ranked pass defense.

Darius Slay, CB, Philadelphia Eagles

The changing of the guard on the back end of Philadelphia’s defense began last April, when Howie Roseman broke from past precedent to use his first two draft picks on cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. With both having finished as Defensive Rookie of the Year finalists, could the new Super Bowl champions turn the page on Slay? The 34-year-old has indicated that next season will be his last and acknowledged the possibility his days with the Eagles might be over. While Roseman might be reticent to part with a player who still played a critical role in the Eagles’ title run and is only one year removed from his last Pro Bowl campaign, keeping together the core of the roster as several key contributors hit free agency could prompt some difficult decisions.

Chicago Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull was posthumously diagnosed with CTE, his widow said, joining a growing list of former NHL greats afflicted with the brain disorder linked to multiple instances of repetitive head trauma. 

Deborah Hull announced Wednesday that her late husband had stage 2 CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, when he died at age 84 on Jan. 30, 2023. Hull decided to donate his brain to Boston University’s CTE Center for research after watching former Blackhawks teammate Stan Mikita’s decline before he died in 2018. 

Hull struggled with short-term memory loss, impaired judgment and other cognitive symptoms of CTE during the last decade of his life, his widow said in her statement.

‘Seeing the pain and heartache suffered by his lifetime friend Stan Mikita’s family, Bobby felt strongly no other family should have to endure CTE,’ Deborah Hull said in the statement, according to Reuters. ‘He insisted on donating his brain, feeling as though it was his duty to help advance research on this agonizing disease.’

Hull was a two-time Hart Trophy winner who scored 610 goals over 16 NHL seasons primarily with the Blackhawks beginning in the 1957-58 season. He won the Stanley Cup with Chicago in 1961. He also had another 303 goals over seven seasons with the Winnipeg Jets (1972-79), who were in the World Hockey Association at the time.

Hull, nicknamed ‘The Golden Jet’ because of his speed and hair color, is part of an unfortunate trend being exposed within professional hockey, as the focus and research concerning the development and progression of CTE moves from mostly football players to those in other full-contact sports.

A study published by researchers at Boston University’s CTE Center in December found that 18 of 19 former NHL players whose brains were studied had the neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated concussions and hits to the head. It also found that that the odds of having CTE increased by 34 percent for each year of hockey played.

Hull joins Henri Richard and Mikita as Hockey Hall of Famers to test positive for CTE after their death. The disease can only be diagnosed through a posthumous examination. The NHL Players Association announced in November it would be forming a committee to help hockey players better understand CTE and related issues.

‘We are grateful to Bobby Hull and all of the NHL players and families who are helping us learn how to prevent, diagnose, and treat CTE,’ said Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center. ‘We encourage retired players and their families to reach out for help and care if they are concerned about CTE, as we are learning how to effectively treat symptoms, especially in mid-life.’