The NBA trade deadline has come and gone.

While a few smaller trades still will be reported as paperwork clears the league office, the run of blockbusters and headline-grabbing surprise deals are over.

The Cavaliers, who are leading the Eastern Conference, picked up guard De’Andre Hunter from the Hawks on Thursday to pad their backcourt as they hope for a dominant playoff run.

And the Sixers, mired in another disappointing season with Joel Embiid suffering a rash of injuries and Paul George having a subpar year, added guard Jared Butler from the Wizards.

Late Wednesday, the trading block heated up again with Golden State getting Jimmy Butler from Miami, Toronto dealing for Brandon Ingram and the Los Angeles Lakers picking up Mark Williams. That was on the heels of a wild weekend that saw the biggest trade in NBA history – a shocking development that had 2024 NBA finalist Dallas sending Luka Doncic packing for L.A.

The trades that have happened since the start of the 2024-25 NBA season:

2024-25 NBA trade deadline tracker

Wizards get Marcus Smart, first-round pick in three-team deal

Feb. 6: The Washington Wizards obtained Marcus Smart and a 2025 first-round pick from the Memphis Grizzlies and Alex Len, Colby Jones and a 2028 second-round pick from the Sacramento Kings in a three-team deal. The Grizzlies acquire Marvin Bagley Jr. and two second-round picks, and the Kings get Jake LaRavia from Memphis.

Clippers acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic from Hawks for Bones Hyland, Terance Mann

Feb. 6: The Atlanta Hawks traded Bogdan Bogdanovic to the Los Angeles Clippers for Bones Hyland and Terance Mann, a person with knowledge of the trade told USA TODAY Sports. The person was granted anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly until the trade is official.

76ers get Jared Butler, draft picks from Wizards for Reggie Jackson

Feb. 6: The Philadelphia 76ers have acquired Jared Butler and four second-round draft picks from the Washington Wizards for Reggie Jackson and a 2026 first-round pick (least favorable of first-round picks among the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets (if Houston is 5-30)), the 76ers and Wizards said in news releases.

Cavaliers make trade with Hawks for De’Andre Hunter

Feb. 6: The Atlanta Hawks reached an agreement to trade De’Andre Hunter to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a move that will involve Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, second-round draft picks and pick swaps, a person with knowledge of the deal told USA TODAY Sports. The person was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly until the trade is official.

Suns acquire Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic from Hornets

Feb. 6: The Phoenix Suns will trade Jusuf Nurkic and a 2026 first-round draft pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic and a 2026 second-round pick, ESPN reported.

Celtics trade Jaden Springer, draft picks to Rockets

Feb. 6: The Boston Celtics traded Jaden Springer, a 2030 second-round pick and a protected 2027 second-round pick to the Houston Rockets for a protected 2031 second-round pick, both teams announced.

Lakers pick up Mark Williams from Hornets

Feb. 5: The Lakers landed promising 7-foot center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets, a person with knowledge of the trade told USA TODAY Sports. The person was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly until the trade is official. Charlotte yielded rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap in the deal with the Lakers, who are trying to win now with the 40-year-old LeBron James and prepare for a future without him under first-year coach JJ Redick.

Raptors acquire Brandon Ingram from Pelicans

Feb. 5: The Toronto Raptors landed Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Pelicans received Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, a first-round pick and a second-round pick from the Raptors, a person with details of the trade told USA TODAY Sports. The person was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly until the trade is official.

Lonzo Ball signs extension with Bulls

Feb. 5: Chicago signed Lonzo Ball to a two-year, $20 million extension, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the deal until it is officially announced.

Warriors trade for Heat’s Butler in multi-team deal

Feb. 5: The Golden State Warriors have reached an agreement to acquire Jimmy Butler in a trade with the Miami Heat in a multi-team swap, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the deal until it is officially announced. Butler plans to sign a two-year, $121 million extension that will have him under contract through 2026-27. Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schröder, Kyle Anderson and a first-round draft pick are on the move in a deal that also involves Golden State’s Lindy Waters III and Miami’s Josh Richardson.

Kings trade for Jonas Valanciunas in deal with Wizards

Feb. 5: The Washington Wizards traded Jonas Valanciunas to the Sacramento Kings for Sidy Cissoko and two second-round picks (2028, 2029). The Wizards plan to waive Cissoko, giving them financial flexibility for next season.

Thunder get Daniel Theis, draft picks from Pelicans

Feb. 5: The New Orleans Pelicans traded Daniel Theis and a 2031 second-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for cash considerations. The move allows the Pelicans to avoid luxury tax payment.

Pistons acquire KJ Martin Jr. from 76ers

Feb. 5: The Detroit Pistons swung their first in-season trade of the Trajan Langdon era, acquiring forward KJ Martin Jr. and two second-round picks from the Philadelphia 76ers, who needed salary cap relief. 

The trade is agreed upon, a person with direct knowledge of the Pistons’ front office told the Detroit Free Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been finalized. It is unknown what the Pistons are sending in return. The second-round picks the Sixers are sending are from the Milwaukee Bucks in 2027 and Dallas Mavericks in 2031. – Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press

Wizards trade Kyle Kuzma to Bucks for Khris Middleton

Feb. 5: The Washington Wizards traded forward Kyle Kuzma to the Milwaukee Bucks for forward Khris Middleton. Milwaukee will also send AJ Johnson and a 2028 first-round pick swap to Washington, and the Wizards will also send Patrick Baldwin Jr., and a second-round pick to the Bucks.

Sixers add Quentin Grimes in deal with Mavericks

Feb 4: The Philadelphia 76ers acquired Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick from the Dallas Mavericks for Caleb Martin, both teams announced.

Spurs add De’Aaron Fox in trade involving Zach LaVine

Feb. 2: The San Antonio Spurs reached a deal to acquire De’Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings in a three-team trade that also sends the Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine to the Kings. In addition to Fox, the Spurs also acquired Jordan McLaughlin, while the Kings get Sidy Cissoko, three future first-round picks (2025, 2027 and 2031) and three future second-round picks (2025, and two in 2028). The Bulls receive Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter and a 2025 first-round pick..

Luka Doncic traded to Lakers for Anthony Davis

Feb. 1: The Los Angeles Lakers have reached a deal to acquire Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks as part of a three-team trade that has Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick going to Dallas in a stunning blockbuster trade that also involves the Utah Jazz. The Lakers will also receive Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris from Dallas. The Jazz will acquire Jalen Hood-Schifino and a 2025 second-round pick from the Lakers and a 2025 second-round pick from the Mavericks.

P.J. Tucker situation resolved in Jazz-Clippers trade

Feb. 1: The Los Angeles Clippers traded forward P.J. Tucker, who hasn’t played this season as the Clippers found a trade for him, center Mo Bamba, a 2030 second-round pick and cash considerations to the Utah Jazz for forward/center Drew Eubanks and guard Patty Mills.

Suns receive first-round picks from the Jazz

Jan. 21: The Utah Jazz sent three first-round picks (2025, 2027 and 2029) to the Phoenix Suns for the Suns’ 2031 unprotected first-round pick.

Suns trade for Nick Richards

Jan. 15: The Charlotte Hornets sent center Nick Richards and a second-round draft pick to the Phoenix Suns for guard-forward Josh Okogie and three second-round picks.

Lakers land Dorian Finney-Smith

Dec. 29: The Los Angeles Lakers traded guard D’Angelo Russell, forward Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks (a protected pick in 2027 and unprotected picks in 2030 and 2031) to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton.

Warriors acquire Dennis Schroder from Nets

Dec. 15: The Golden State Warriors acquired guard Dennis Schroder and a 2025 second-round pick (via Miami) from the Brooklyn Nets for guard De’Anthony Melton, guard Reece Beekman and three second-round draft picks – one in 2026 from Atlanta, one in 2028 from Atlanta and one in 2029 from Golden State.

Heat sends Thomas Bryant to Pacers

Dec. 15: The Heat traded center Thomas Bryant to the Indiana Pacers for the right to swap second-round picks in 2031. Miami will receive the more favorable of the two teams’ second-round picks in 2031.

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The 4 Nations Face-Off begins in less than a week, and the USA and Canada are dealing with a few injuries.

U.S. defenseman Quinn Hughes has missed two games and didn’t accompany the Canucks to San Jose.

How does that affect his status for the tournament?

‘It depends on the next 48 hours, I guess that’s what it comes down to,’ Canucks coach Rick Tocchet told reporters on Wednesday. ‘We’ll sit down with Quinn and talk to him.’

Hughes will have to balance playing in the tournament against being healthy for the stretch run.

‘I know Quinn is a USA guy,’ Tocchet said. ‘He loves his country, playing with his brother (Jack). There’s a lot of positives to it, but he’s a smart kid, too. He understands what’s at stake.’

U.S. defenseman Zach Werenski missed the Columbus Blue Jackets’ game Tuesday but says he’s feeling better after two days of rest and was hoping to play Thursday night.

‘If I thought I was going to go the 4 Nations and make anything worse, I wouldn’t go but I don’t think that’s the case at all,’ he told reporters.

Hughes leads NHL defensemen in scoring and Werenski ranks third.

Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, meanwhile, is being evaluated for an upper-body injury. He left Tuesday’s game holding his arm after a collision but returned. He didn’t practice on Wednesday, though he skated on his own on Thursday. Coach Mike Sullivan said he would know more on Friday.

Canada has to replace Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who withdrew to rest an injury and prepare for the rest of the season.

Finland and Sweden already have made injury replacements.

Sweden picked the Penguins’ Rickard Rakell to replace injured Vegas Golden Knights forward William Karlsson. Last week, it replaced injured New Jersey Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom with the Philadelphia Flyers’ Samuel Ersson.

Finland earlier this week added the Buffalo Sabres’ Henri Jokiharju and New York Rangers’ Urho Vaakanainen to replace injured Miro Heiskanen and Jani Hakanpaa.

The tournament – featuring NHL players from the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden – will run from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston.

Here are the updated rosters, leadership teams, schedule and broadcast information for the 4 Nations Face-Off:

USA 4 Nations Face-Off roster

Initial six players (listed alphabetically)

F Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
F Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
F Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers
D Adam Fox, New York Rangers
D Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks (day-to-day)
D Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins

Rest of the roster

F Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
F Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets
F Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning
F Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
F Chris Kreider, New York Rangers
F Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
F J.T. Miller, New York Rangers
F Brock Nelson, New York Islanders
F Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
F Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers
D Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
D Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights
D Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
D Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets (day-to-day)
G Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
G Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
G Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins

Captain: Matthews. Alternate captains: Matthew Tkachuk, McAvoy

Canada 4 Nations Face-Off roster

Initial six players

F Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins (being evaluated for injury)
F Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
F Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
F Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
F Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
D Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

Rest of the roster

F Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers
F Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning (missing Thursday’s game)
F Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay Lightning
F Seth Jarvis, Carolina Hurricanes
F Travis Konecny, Philadelphia Flyers
F Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
F Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers
F Mark Stone, Vegas Golden Knights
D Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
D Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
D Alex Pietrangelo, Vegas Golden Knights (won’t play, replacement not named yet)
D Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers
D Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights
D Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche
G Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
G Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights
G Sam Montembeault, Montreal Canadiens

Captain: Crosby. Alternate captains: McDavid, Makar

Finland 4 Nations Face-Off roster

Initial six players

F Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
F Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
F Mikko Rantanen, Carolina Hurricanes
D Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars (won’t play because of injury)
D Esa Lindell, Stars
G Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators

Rest of the roster

F Joel Armia, Montreal Canadiens
F Mikael Granlund, Dallas Stars
F Erik Haula, New Jersey Devils
F Roope Hintz, Dallas Stars
F Kaapo Kakko, Seattle Kraken
F Artturi Lehkonen, Colorado Avalanche
F Anton Lundell, Florida Panthers
F Patrik Laine, Montreal Canadiens
F Eetu Luostarinen, Florida Panthers
F Teuvo Teravainen, Chicago Blackhawks
D Henri Jokiharju, Buffalo Sabres (injury replacement)
D Niko Mikkola, Florida Panthers
D Olli Maatta, Utah Hockey Club
D Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers
D Juuso Valimaki, Utah Hockey Club
D Urho Vaakanainen, New York Rangers (injury replacement)
G Kevin Lankinen, Vancouver Canucks
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo Sabres

Note: Vaakanainen and Jokiharju are replacing injured defensemen Heiskanen and Jani Hakanpaa.

Captain: Barkov. Alternate captains: Aho, Granlund, Rantanen

Sweden 4 Nations Face-Off roster

Initial six players

F Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators
F William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
F Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers
D Gustav Forsling, Florida Panthers
D Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
D Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins

Rest of the roster

F Viktor Arvidsson, Edmonton Oilers
F Jesper Bratt, New Jersey Devils
F Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks
F Joel Eriksson Ek, Minnesota Wild
F Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings
F Elias Lindholm, Boston Bruins
F Gustav Nyquist, Nashville Predators
F Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
F Rickard Rakell, Pittsburgh Penguins (injury replacement)
F Lucas Raymond, Detroit Red Wings
D Rasmus Andersson, Calgary Flames
D Jonas Brodin, Minnesota Wild
D Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
D Mattias Ekholm, Edmonton Oilers
G Samuel Ersson, Philadelphia Flyers (injury replacement)
G Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild
G Linus Ullmark, Ottawa Senators

Note: Rakell replaces William Karlsson. Ersson replaces Markstrom.

Captain: Hedman. Alternate captains: Ekholm, Erik Karlsson, Nylander

4 Nations Face-Off schedule, TV

(Times p.m. ET)

Wednesday, Feb. 12:  Canada vs. Sweden at Montreal, 8, TNT
Thursday, Feb. 13: USA vs. Finland at Montreal, 8, ESPN
Saturday, Feb. 15: Finland vs. Sweden at Montreal, 1, ABC
Saturday, Feb. 15: USA vs. Canada at Montreal, 8, ABC
Monday, Feb. 17: Canada vs. Finland at Boston, 1, TNT
Monday, Feb. 17:  Sweden vs. USA at Boston, 8, TNT
Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game at Boston, 8, ESPN

MEDLEY, Fla. — Unrivaled and WNBA star Dearica Hamby is going to have a tough time planning out future birthdays for her children.

Hamby surprised her daughter, Amaya, for her eighth birthday by taking her to play tennis with star Coco Gauff. Amaya also received sneakers from her favorite WNBA player, Sabrina Ionescu.

“It was a really neat experience, so thank you to Coco,” Hamby told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. “My daughter kinda just blacked out when she met her. I knew it was going to happen. She’s done that with her and Sabrina. Now, she thinks her and Coco are best friends.”

Hamby first met Gauff at the Paris Olympics, where they took a selfie during the opening ceremonies. “About to be the coolest mom in the world,” Hamby wrote when she posted their photo on social media.

Hamby’s daughter got to meet Gauff for the first time last Friday, when the 20-year-old tennis star and Unrivaled investor attended games to watch the new women’s basketball league.

Amaya was a little starstruck before realizing she was spending her birthday with her favorite tennis player. Hamby said she tried to drop some hints about the surprise. It didn’t help they were listening to Taylor Swift songs on the way to Gauff’s practice.

“I told her we’re going to meet somebody, and she’s like ‘Taylor Swift?’” Hamby said.

Hamby has some time before her son, Legend, who is turning 2 next month, wants to meet a celebrity for his birthday. But it’s clear she must raise the bar for her daughter moving forward.

“Now, I have to work on Taylor Swift. Maybe her 10th birthday I can make something happen,” Hamby said. “That’s next on my mommy list. If I can do that, then she’s done. She gets no more birthdays out of me.”

Hamby posted photos and videos of her daughter with Gauff on Wednesday, and her slew of birthday gifts, which included two new pairs of Nike sneakers from Ionescu.

Hamby saw new colors of Ionescu’s shoes were coming out, and told Ionescu she was going to get them for Amaya. Ionescu told Hamby, ‘I’ll just send them’ for her.

“Sabrina knows Amaya just adores her,” Hamby said.

Hamby, 31, won a WNBA title with the Las Vegas Aces in 2022, and will enter her second season with the Los Angeles Sparks later this year.

She won bronze during the women’s 3-on-3 basketball tournament at the Paris Games last summer.

She’s the third-leading scorer in Unrivaled, averaging 21.2 points for the Vinyl (2-4), and will participate in the league’s midseason 1-on-1 tournament next week.

The youngest members of the Los Angeles Lakers have realized over the past few days that nothing is a guarantee in the NBA.

The suspense from the trade deadline and the change in reality has proven to be an eye-opening experience.

“This is the first situation that’s kind of been like a shock,” Reaves said about the Lakers’ trading Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic unexpectedly last weekend. “You create real relationships with these guys and that’s been the toughest part for me.”

Reaves, 26, shared a story about how emotional of a time it had been, using the personal connection he formed with Davis and his son as an example.

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He mentioned that Davis would FaceTime one of his kids after games, who’d ask for Reaves. The guard would then ask for his 3-point celebration, and Davis’ child would happily do it.

“Just little things like that are why it’s tough,” Reaves said. “It’s a business and you got to get past that and look forward to what we have now.”

The fourth-year guard mentioned that he’s leaned on LeBron James and other veteran teammates for advice on how to handle these situations.

‘I asked LeBron ‘You’ve been in the league a billion years and you’ve had a million teammates and you’ve seen people come and go. How do you deal with that?’ because the last couple of days have been tough for me,” Reaves said. “I feel like I have an empty pit in my stomach.’

No word on what advice James may have provided.

As a rookie, Dalton Knecht, 23, has also had to learn quickly that the NBA is a business. 

Knecht was selected 17th overall by Los Angeles in the first round of the draft in June and was beginning to prove that he could become a promising role player for the franchise.

He averaged 9.4 points and 3.1 assists in all 48 of the Lakers’ games. Knecht will finish out his rookie season as a member of the Charlotte Hornets.

Who did the Lakers trade Dalton Knecht for?

General manager Rob Pelinka acknowledged that the Lakers still need to find a center when speaking Tuesday during Doncic’s introductory news conference.

Pelinka also hinted that securing the franchise’s next big man could take more time to develop than the short window remaining before the trade deadline.

Pelinka and the Lakers made a trade Wednesday that sent Knecht, guard Cam Reddish, a 2030 first-round pick swap and their 2031 first-round pick to the Hornets for center Mark Williams.

The age of the 23-year-old center aligns with Doncic, who is 25, and potentially forms a tandem the Lakers can invest in and build around as they plan for a future without James, who is 40.

The biggest concern with Williams is his injury history.

The third-year center played in 43 games as a rookie in 2022-23 but has only managed to play in 42 games over the past two seasons, including 23 of the Hornets’ 48 games this season.

 Williams has had a series of lower leg injuries including his knee, foot and ankle.

Who is at the top of the Lakers’ rotation?

The Lakers may not be done making moves. Following their trade Wednesday night, the team has an open spot on its roster.

The Lakers can use that spot to explore the buyout market to add depth to any positions of need.

Here’s what the Lakers’ starting lineup is expected to look like to finish the season, plus some key reserves.

Lakers’ starting lineup

Luka Doncic
Austin Reaves
Rui Hachimura
LeBron James
Mark Williams

Lakers’ key reserves

Jaxson Hayes
Jarred Vanderbilt
Dorian Finney-Smith
Gabe Vincent

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu says she would welcome a rematch with Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry in a three-point shooting contest during All-Star weekend if asked to participate.

During last year’s All-Star Game in Indianapolis, Curry won the challenge by totaling 29 points, while Ionescu had 26 points.

Indiana Fever All-Star guard Caitlin Clark has already said she won’t participate in the NBA’s 3-point contest but will enter the WNBA’s contest when its All-Star Game comes to Indianapolis in July.

Ionescu, who won a WNBA title with the Liberty in 2024, was asked if she would like a rematch. She said she will be at this year’s NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco, but she is unsure if the league has anything planned.

‘Whether it happens this year or in the future, we both have a lot of basketball left, so we’ll definitely get to it at some point,’ Ionescu told USA TODAY Sports. ‘It’s kind of TBD on that. But I am excited to get to the Bay. Obviously I am from the Bay, so my whole family is very excited to be able to see me and welcome me home.’

The All-Star weekend from the Chase Center starts on Feb. 14 with the Rising Stars game, followed by a three-point and slam dunk contest on Saturday and the game on Sunday night. The NBA has yet to announce the participants of the three-point contest.

The main focus of the NFL MVP debate will be on quarterbacks Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills.

But there’s another AFC signal caller who had a pretty good season as well in that mix.

Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals led the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns during the regular season, yet he’s a relative afterthought because – unlike Jackson and Allen – his team failed to make the playoffs.

‘I don’t think anybody was playing any better than I was this year,’ Burrow said Thursday in an interview with USA TODAY Sports. ‘I doubt I win the award, but I think I was playing my best ball.’

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As for who does win MVP, Burrow stopped short of making a prediction.

‘Those guys are incredible. They’re great for the game,’ he said. ‘I don’t know who’s going to win but they’re both incredible players.’

Burrow set career highs with 4,918 yards, 43 touchdowns and a 70.6% completion percentage this past season, but the Bengals repeated their history of slow starts, losing four of their first five games. However, they caught fire and were one of the most dangerous teams by the end of the season, falling just short of a playoff spot despite winning their final five games.

‘We just have to execute better early in the year,’ Burrow said. ‘I’m happy with how our training camps have gone. We work hard. We get good work in, but for whatever reason, the slow starts have continued.

‘We have to find a way to get that fixed. Those conversations will be had throughout the offseason.’

Another of the primary goals for the Bengals is keeping Burrow’s receiving corps intact.

Star wideout Ja’Marr Chase was looking for a long-term contract extension last summer, but ended up playing on a team option and having his best season as a pro – leading the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17).

‘We’re gonna re-sign him. It’s just a matter of when,’ Burrow said. ‘He’s gonna get what’s coming to him. He deserves all of it. He’ll be back.’

Burrow said he would also like to retain wide receiver Tee Higgins, who’s now a free agent. after a 10-TD season of his own.

‘Hopefully we can do what it takes to get him back.’

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Virginia Halas, owner of the Chicago Bears and daughter of team founder George ‘Papa Bear’ Halas, has died. She was 102.

The Bears announced McCaskey’s death Thursday morning.

‘While we are sad, we are comforted knowing Virginia Halas McCaskey lived a long, full, faith-filled life and is now with the love of her life on earth,” the family said in a release from the team. “She guided the Bears for four decades and based every business decision on what was best for Bears players, coaches, staff and fans.” 

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said McCaskey left a legacy of ‘class, dignity and humanity.’

‘Faith, family, and football — in that order —– were her north stars and she lived by the simple adage to always ‘do the right thing,’’  Goodell said. ‘The Bears that her father started meant the world to her and he would be proud of the way she continued the family business with such dedication and passion.’

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McCaskey was born in Chicago in 1923 to Halas and his wife, Min, and was the couple’s oldest child and only daughter. She went to Drexel University, where she met her future husband, Edward McCaskey. The couple married in 1943 and lived out East for a few years before returning to Chicago in 1949.

While McCaskey was a stay-at-home mother, her husband began working with the Bears at his father-in-law’s request in 1967. But when her younger brother, George ‘Mugs’ Halas, died suddenly in 1979 and her father died in 1983, McCaskey found herself as the owner of the Bears.

‘She never sought the spotlight. She understood the importance of emphasizing to family members how important the legacy of the franchise was, not in terms of money or value, but in terms of what the team meant to people in Chicago and beyond,’ the team said in its statement.

McCaskey might have kept a low profile, but she was a passionate fan. After the Bears went 5-11 in 2014, leading to the dismissals of coach Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery, her son George, the Bears chairman, said McCaskey was ‘pissed off.’

‘At one point in our conversations, I asked her for her assessment of our season, and she said, as only a mother can, ‘I’m very, very disappointed,’” George McCaskey said then.

Though the Bears have been a disappointment in recent decades, McCaskey saw them reach the Super Bowl twice and win it all in the 1985 season. When the Bears beat the New Orleans Saints to make Super Bowl 41, McCaskey beamed as she accepted the George Halas Trophy, named for her father and given to the NFC champions.

‘It’s beautiful,’ she said at the time. ‘Just beautiful.’

McCaskey was a hands-off owner, leaving most decisions about the team to family members and trusted advisers. But even as the NFL became a multibillion dollar enterprise, she and the McCaskeys still saw the Bears as a team they had stewardship over more than owned. McCaskey grew close with several long-tenured players and their families, treating them as if they were her extended family.

In a tribute posted on X, Jarrett Payton, Pro Football Hall of Famer Walter Payton’s son, called McCaskey ‘one of the kindest, most loving, & thoughtful individuals I’ve ever had the privilege to meet.’

‘You always welcomed my family into yours with open arms, treating us as if we were your own,’ he wrote. ‘Our hearts are heavy, & our thoughts & prayers are with the entire McCaskey family during this difficult time,’ Payton said in the post, including a photo of him and McCaskey and another of the Bears matriarch with him, sister Brittney and their children.

McCaskey also was a driving force in the Bears’ charitable efforts. Bears Care, founded in 2005, has distributed more than $31.5 million to benefit education, youth sports, medical research and health awareness. She also supported several programs personally.

‘At the core of everything she did was Mrs. McCaskey’s faith. A devout Catholic, she always reflected on what God would want her to do in daily life,’ the team statement said. ‘She focused on trying to help encourage people to be better to one another and once stated she was always working on her faith through good times and bad.’

It’s not clear what will happen to the Bears with McCaskey’s death. Nine of McCaskey’s 11 children are still alive, and George McCaskey has been the team’s chairman since 2011. McCaskey also had 21 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.