Lenny Wilkens, known as the godfather of Seattle basketball, died at his home on Sunday, Nov. 9, at age 88. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Wilkens is one of five people inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player (1989) and a coach (1998).

‘Lenny Wilkens represented the very best of the NBA – as a Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach, and one of the game’s most respected ambassadors,’ NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. ‘Four years ago, Lenny received the unique distinction of being named one of the league’s 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches of all time.’

He spent 32 years as a coach, including 11 with the Seattle Supersonics from 1969 to 1985. He won an NBA Championship with the Supersonics during the 1978-79 season.

A statue of Wilkens was unveiled outside Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle in June.

‘He was an unbelievable man. Just an incredible man,’ Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters on Sunday upon hearing the news. Kerr played for Wilkens in Cleveland early in his career.

Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie, who was born and raised in Seattle, became emotional when talking about Wilkens prior to the Kings’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

‘Just want to send out a lot of love to Lenny Wilkens and his family,’ Christie said. ‘Lenny probably doesn’t even know that without him I’m not here.’

Wilkens served as head coach for the U.S. men’s basketball team, leading them to an Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. He was also an assistant coach on Chuck Daly’s staff for the 1992 ‘Dream Team’ that won the gold medal in Barcelona.

Wilkens had a 15-year career as a player, earning All-Star honors nine times and winning MVP of the 1970-71 All-Star Game. He averaged 16.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 1,077 career games played.

He was second in the MVP award voting with 26 first-place votes for the 1967-68 season, finishing behind Wilt Chamberlain (88 first-place votes). Wilkens averaged 20 points, 8.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds that season.

The St. Louis Hawks selected Wilkens, who played college basketball at Providence, with the No. 6 overall pick in the 1960 NBA draft.

Wilkens was an All-American at Providence in 1959 and 1960 and was named MVP of the NIT in 1960. He was inducted in the Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1972 and his number 14 was hung in the rafters of the Amica Mutual Pavilion in 1996.

That will create difficult roster decisions for fantasy managers, especially when assessing injured players. While fantasy footballers aren’t going to be moving on from the likes of Bucky Irving, there are plenty of other banged-up, flex-level players that may be worth releasing as they remain sidelined.

Fantasy managers will also be keeping a keen eye on matchups in the coming weeks. That doesn’t mean anyone will drop a star just because he’s facing a difficult stretch. However, fantasy managers looking to create roster spots can look at the upcoming schedules of fringe starters and streamers to identify potential cut candidates.

Who can you cut ahead of the Week 11 waiver wire? Here’s a look at the players you can drop from your fantasy rosters as the playoffs draw nigh.

Waiver wire players to drop: Week 11

QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

Darnold flashed his high-end potential with a four-touchdown performance in Week 9 against the Commanders. In Week 10, he reminded fantasy managers of his floor, attempting just 12 passes in a blowout win over the Cardinals and logging 178 yards, one touchdown and three turnovers.

Granted, Darnold isn’t likely to see that low volume of passing most weeks. Seattle simply built an insurmountable lead early, thanks to a couple of defensive scores, and didn’t need to throw often.

Still, Seattle would prefer to be a team that relies on its running game and defense. That could limit Darnold’s fantasy potential, especially in more difficult matchups, like his Week 11 meeting with a Rams defense that entered Week 10 having allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.

RB Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers

The timeshare between Hubbard and Rico Dowdle appears to be over. Dowdle has won the No. 1 overall role in Carolina’s backfield and out-touched Hubbard 21-4 in the Panthers’ 17-7 Week 10 loss to the Saints.

Hubbard has totaled just 121 yards on 37 touches across four games since returning from a calf injury. With that in mind, he can be safely released, as he doesn’t appear to be anything more than a handcuff at this point in the fantasy season.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

The Patriots are playing on ‘Thursday Night Football’ against the Jets in Week 11. Stevenson hasn’t been able to practice over the last two weeks while dealing with a toe injury, so his status for Thursday’s game is murky at best.

Even if Stevenson does return, he may cede his lead back role to TreVeyon Henderson, who is coming off the best game of his career against the Buccaneers. The second-round rookie had 147 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries against a tough Tampa Bay run defense.

WR D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears

Moore appeared to be on the right track after posting back-to-back games with four catches and 72-plus receiving yards. Then came Sunday’s game against the Giants, during which he was targeted four times but was unable to make a catch.

Moore continues to rank a disappointing third in targets on the Bears behind Rome Odunze and Olamide Zaccheaus. As such, Moore remains an inconsistent, boom-or-bust flex from whom frustrated fantasy managers can move on.

WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts

Downs’ three-game touchdown streak ended against the Falcons. He recorded just a single catch during that contest for 3 yards despite Daniel Jones attempting 26 passes in a 31-25 Colts overtime win.

Downs hasn’t yet topped 57 receiving yards in a game this season, so his fantasy value is more touchdown-dependent than anything else. With so many mouths to feed in Indianapolis’ offense – including Tyler Warren, Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce – dropping Downs would be understandable, especially as Indianapolis heads for a Week 11 bye.

TE T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings

J.J. McCarthy threw 42 passes against the Ravens in Week 10. Only two of them were in Hockenson’s direction, continuing a trend of the veteran tight end being an afterthought in Minnesota’s offense.

Hockenson has posted exactly two catches in three consecutive games and hasn’t yet surpassed 49 receiving yards in a game this season. Barring a change in his usage, it’s hard to imagine Hockenson re-emerging as a quality fantasy starter.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was well aware of who was in attendance for the Lions’ Week 10 clash with the Washington Commanders in the nation’s capital.

After scoring a touchdown in the first quarter, St. Brown pointed toward the suite level at Northwest Stadium – where President Donald Trump was taking in the Week 10 game – before celebrating his score with a ‘Trump dance.’

The dance, inspired by the president’s unique dance moves, involves pumping both fists in the air while swaying the hips.

The dance’s use as a celebration first swept across the sports world last fall, shortly after Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. Multiple athletes across a variety of professional sports leagues – and college athletics – have mimicked Trump’s dance moves to use as a celebration the 12 months since.

USA TODAY confirmed that Trump would be attending the Commanders’ Week 10 game on Nov. 7. ESPN’s Pat McAfee initially reported the president was joining Josh Harris, the Commanders’ principal owner, in a suite at Northwest Stadium.

On Nov. 8, ESPN reported that Trump and the White House had been in contact with Harris and the Commanders to express his desire for the team’s new stadium to be named after him. Washington plans to have its $3.7 billion project built on the site of the old Robert F. Kennedy Stadium – the home of the football team from 1961 to 1996 – within the city limits of the nation’s capital.

The Nov. 9 game between the Commanders and Lions is the second NFL game President Trump has attended since his inauguration in January. The first was Super Bowl 59 in February.

Trump has also attended the FIFA Club World Cup, Daytona 500, U.S. Open men’s singles final, Ryder Cup and two UFC fights during his second term in the Oval Office.

Every week for the duration of the 2025 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the league’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting after Sunday afternoon’s late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too.)

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 10 of the 2025 season nearly complete:

NFC playoff picture

1. Seattle Seahawks (7-2), NFC West leaders: They reside atop the conference and division … for now. Winners of four in a row, they currently have a better record in NFC West games than the Rams, who are also 7-2. But those clubs will meet in LA in Week 11. Also, Seattle could lose the No. 1 spot Monday night. Remaining schedule: at Rams, at Titans, vs. Vikings, at Falcons, vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers

2. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2), NFC East leaders: Something catastrophic (not uncommon in Philly) would have to occur for the defending champs not to be the first back-to-back winners of this division since they last did it … 21 years ago. A superior record in NFC games would allow the Eagles to move ahead of the Seahawks if they can win at Green Bay on Monday. Remaining schedule: at Packers, vs. Lions, at Cowboys, vs. Bears, at Chargers, vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders

3. Green Bay Packers (5-2-1), NFC North leaders: With losses to Cleveland and Carolina, it’s certainly been an uneven campaign to date for an ultra-talented team. But a loss Monday to the Eagles would drop the Pack from first place to third in their division. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Giants, vs. Vikings, at Lions, vs. Bears, at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3), NFC South leaders: You can afford to drop two of three in a division the Bucs have ruled since 2021. Remaining schedule: at Bills, at Rams, vs. Cardinals, vs. Saints, vs. Falcons, at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

5. Los Angeles Rams (7-2), wild card No. 1: Winners of four straight, all in dominant fashion, they have a strong case as the league’s best team at the moment. Yet a Week 3 loss at Lincoln Financial Field could come back to haunt them when the NFC playoff field is seeded. Remaining schedule: vs. Seahawks, vs. Buccaneers, at Panthers, at Cardinals, vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

6. Detroit Lions (6-3), wild card No. 2: The offense responded Sunday as Dan Campbell assumed the offensive play-calling. Detroit could assume first place in the NFC North on Monday night. Remaining schedule: at Eagles, vs. Giants, vs. Packers, vs. Cowboys, at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears.

7. Chicago Bears (6-3), wild card No. 3: They’ve won six of seven since an 0-2 start but have struggled to beat seemingly weaker teams − as happened Sunday against the Giants. Remaining schedule: at Vikings, vs. Steelers, at Eagles, at Packers, vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions

AFC playoff picture

1. Indianapolis Colts (8-2), AFC South leaders: The schedule’s been soft, but you can’t control whom you play − though the second-half lineup seems much less forgiving. A 6-1 record in conference games currently gives Indy the advantage over Denver and New England. Remaining schedule: BYE, at Chiefs, vs. Texans, at Jaguars, at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

2. Denver Broncos (8-2), AFC West leaders: They’re also winning a lot of ugly games − as they did Thursday night against Las Vegas. But wins are wins − and the Broncos have one more in AFC play than the Patriots do right now. Remaining schedule: vs. Chiefs, BYE, at Commanders, at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

3. New England Patriots (8-2), AFC East leaders: They’re in position to win the division for the first time since Tom Brady led them to first place in 2019 and maybe their first No. 1 seed since 2017. Not a whole lot of seemingly tough matchups from here on out. Remaining schedule: vs. Jets, at Bengals, vs. Giants, BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4), AFC North leaders: Don’t look now, fellas, but you’re only one game up on Baltimore for the division lead. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals, at Bears, vs. Bills, at Ravens, vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

5. Los Angeles Chargers (7-3), wild card No. 1: They manhandled Pittsburgh in prime time, offering fresh evidence that maybe they can overcome their litany of injuries. Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, BYE, vs. Raiders, vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

6. Buffalo Bills (6-3), wild card No. 2: They’re starting to lose sight of the Patriots atop the AFC East after a pathetic performance at Miami on Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, at Texans, at Steelers, vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4), wild card No. 3: Tough loss at Houston on Sunday. But their Week 5 defeat of the Chiefs, who are also 5-4, could eventually loom large for both teams. Remaining schedule: vs. Chargers, at Cardinals, at Titans, vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs are through the best-of-three Round 1 series and the journey toward the Dec. 6 championship game will continue with the conference semifinals.

In Round 1, the higher-seeded teams won seven of the eight matchups. The Philadelphia Union, the 2025 Supporters’ Shield winners, swept their first-round series; so did Los Angeles FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami avoided a first-round playoff upset this time around, dispatching Nashville SC in three games.

Here is a look at the schedule for the conference semifinals for the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs:

MLS Cup Playoffs 2025: Results and upcoming schedule

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Eastern Conference

FC Cincinnati vs. Inter Miami — Sunday, Nov. 23, 5 p.m. ET
Philadelphia Union vs. New York City FC — Sunday, Nov. 23, 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1)

Western Conference

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Los Angeles FC — Saturday, Nov. 22, 9:30 p.m. ET
San Diego FC vs. Minnesota United — Monday, Nov. 24, 10 p.m. ET

Watch the MLS playoffs on Apple TV

ROUND 1

Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire

Philadelphia Union win series, 2-0

Game 1: Philadelphia Union 2, Chicago Fire 2 (Philadelphia won penalty shootout, 4-2)
Game 2: Philadelphia Union 3, Chicago Fire 0

FC Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew

FC Cincinnati wins series, 2-1

Game 1: FC Cincinnati 1, Columbus Crew 0
Game 2: Columbus Crew 4, FC Cincinnati 0
Game 3: FC Cincinnati 2, Columbus Crew 1

Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC

Inter Miami wins series, 2-1

Game 1: Inter Miami 3, Nashville SC 1
Game 2: Nashville SC 2, Inter Miami 1
Game 3: Inter Miami 4, Nashville SC 0

Charlotte FC vs. New York City FC

NYCFC wins series, 2-1

Game 1: New York City FC 1, Charlotte FC 0
Game 2: Charlotte FC 0, New York City FC 0 (Charlotte won penalty shootout, 7-6)
Game 3: New York City FC 3, Charlotte FC 1

San Diego FC vs. Portland Timbers

San Diego FC wins series, 2-1

Game 1: San Diego FC 2, Portland Timbers 1
Game 2: Portland Timbers 2, San Diego FC 2 (Portland won penalty shootout, 3-2)
Game 3: San Diego FC 4, Portland Timbers 0

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. FC Dallas

Vancouver Whitecaps win series, 2-0

Game 1: Vancouver Whitecaps 3, FC Dallas 0
Game 2: Vancouver Whitecaps 1, FC Dallas 1 (Vancouver won penalty shootout, 4-2)

Los Angeles FC vs. Austin FC

LAFC wins series, 2-1

Game 1: Los Angeles FC 2, Austin FC 1
Game 2: Los Angeles FC 4, Austin FC 1

Minnesota United vs. Seattle Sounders

Minnesota United wins series, 2-1

Game 1: Minnesota United 0, Seattle Sounders 0 (Minnesota won penalty shootout, 3-2)
Game 2: Seattle Sounders 4, Minnesota United 2
Game 3: Minnesota United 3, Seattle Sounders 3 (Minnesota won penalty shootout, 7-6)

WILD-CARD ROUND

Chicago Fire FC 3, Orlando City SC 1
Portland Timbers 3, Real Salt Lake 1

2025 MLS playoff schedule

Oct. 22: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
Oct. 24-Nov. 9: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
Nov. 22-24: Conference semifinals (single-elimination matches)
Nov. 29-30: Conference finals (single-elimination matches)
Dec. 6: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)

MLS Cup: Results of every championship game since 1996

2024: Los Angeles Galaxy over New York Red Bulls (Dignity Health Sports Park), 2-1.
2023: Columbus Crew over Los Angeles FC (Lower.com Field), 2-1
2022: Los Angeles FC over Philadelphia Union (Banc of California Stadium), 3-3 (LAFC won penalty shootout, 3-0)
2021: New York City FC over Portland Timbers (Providence Park), 1-1 (NYCFC won penalty shootout, 4-2)
2020: Columbus Crew over Seattle Sounders FC (Mapfre Stadium), 3-0
2019: Seattle Sounders FC over Toronto FC (CenturyLink Field), 3-1
2018: Atlanta United over Portland Timbers (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), 2-0
2017: Toronto FC over Seattle Sounders FC (BMO Field), 2-0
2016: Seattle Sounders FC over Toronto FC (BMO Field), 0-0 (Sounders won penalty shootout, 5-4)
2015: Portland Timbers over Columbus Crew (Mapfre Stadium), 2-1
2014: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (StubHub Center), 2-1 (extra time)
2013: Sporting Kansas City over Real Salt Lake (Sporting Park), 1-1 (SKC won penalty shootout, 7-6)
2012: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo (Home Depot Center), 3-1
2011: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo (Home Depot Center), 1-0
2010: Colorado Rapids over FC Dallas (BMO Field), 2-1 (extra time)
2009: Real Salt Lake over Los Angeles Galaxy (Qwest Field), 1-1 (RSL won penalty shootout, 5-4)
2008: Columbus Crew over New York Red Bulls (Home Depot Center), 3-1
2007: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution (RFK Stadium), 2-1
2006: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution (Pizza Hut Park), 1-1 (Dynamo won penalty shootout, 4-3)
2005: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (Pizza Hut Park), 1-0 (extra time)
2004: D.C. United over Kansas City Wizards (Home Depot Center), 3-2
2003: San Jose Earthquakes over Chicago Fire (Home Depot Center), 4-2
2002: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (Gillette Stadium), 1-0 (extra time)
2001: San Jose Earthquakes over Los Angeles Galaxy (Crew Stadium), 2-1 (extra time)
2000: Kansas City Wizards over Chicago Fire (RFK Stadium), 1-0
1999: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy (Foxboro Stadium), 2-0
1998: Chicago Fire over D.C. United (Rose Bowl), 2-0
1997: D.C. United over Colorado Rapids (RFK Stadium), 2-1
1996: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy (Foxboro Stadium), 3-2 (extra time)

USA TODAY Sports’ 48-page special edition commemorates 30 years of Major League Soccer, from its best players to key milestones and championship dynasties to what exciting steps are next with the World Cup ahead. Order your copy today!

Despite Gardner’s debut, the Colts narrowly defeated the Atlanta Falcons 31-25 in overtime, relying on running back Jonathan Taylor.
The trade signals the Colts are betting on their current roster, which may lead to a large contract extension for quarterback Daniel Jones.
History suggests a lockdown cornerback alone is not enough to guarantee Super Bowl success, which typically depends on elite quarterback play.

Having a lockdown cornerback in the NFL is basically the same as having a lockdown left tackle – awfully nice but hardly predictive of Super Bowl success.

Maybe the Indianapolis Colts, who forked over two first-round draft picks to the New York Jets for corner Sauce Gardner ahead of the league’s Nov. 4 trade deadline can disprove that. But Sunday’s (very) early returns suggest otherwise.

The Colts are now 8-2 and back atop the overall AFC standings after escaping the Atlanta Falcons 31-25 in overtime in the first-ever regular-season game staged in Berlin. After a crash course into his new playbook, Gardner, who hasn’t exactly been airtight in coverage after earning All-Pro honors in 2022 and ’23, seemed to do fine in his Indy debut.

He was regularly deployed to guard Drake London, Atlanta’s top receiver and a guy coming off a three-touchdown performance at New England in Week 9. London wound up with six catches for 104 yards Sunday. However, per Next Gen Stats, he only secured two of four targets for 26 yards against Gardner, who nearly registered his first pick of 2025 while covering him. London did snare a TD on a play that Gardner was either schemed out of or made a bad decision on.

“I mean, man, I’m going to be honest; it was like a tough week for me, like mentally, just trying to learn all the plays,” said Gardner.

“I started watching tape on Cleveland, then already had to switch and watch tape on Atlanta, and that’s besides having to hurry up and fly to Indy and then hurry up and fly to Berlin.”

London also beat Gardner, who slipped, on a two-point conversion inside of two minutes to go that gave Atlanta a three-point lead before Indianapolis tied the game in the final minute of regulation.

“I was sick after that,” said Gardner, who vowed to tighten things up in overtime, when the Falcons had -8 yards on five plays.

But that’s really the rub.

Gardner couldn’t much help a team that was so often abysmal in gotta-have-it situations, the Colts 4-for-16 combined on third and fourth downs. He couldn’t bolster the blocking of an offensive line that struggled in key spots and surrendered seven sacks. He wasn’t able to limit the mistakes of quarterback Daniel Jones, who turned the ball over twice – giving him seven giveaways over the past two games (after committing three in the first eight) in a frightening reversion to the version of himself whom New York Giants fans were so familiar with. Defensively, the Colts seemed to miss injured defensive tackle DeForest Buckner much more than they needed whatever Gardner gave them Sunday.

Ultimately, running back Jonathan Taylor, a legit MVP candidate, saved the day with 244 rushing yards and three touchdowns, including an 83-yarder in the fourth quarter and the decisive score from 8 yards out in overtime.

“They go as Jonathan Taylor goes,’ said NFL Network analyst and former Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy.

‘You take away JT, you put it in Daniel Jones’ hands – we don’t know what’ll happen.”

Yup.

As pleasant a surprise as the conference-leading Colts have generally been this season – I certainly didn’t foresee this level of success unfolding – general manager Chris Ballard has now made a bed with what could be a mattress on a short shelf life. By acquiring Gardner for the hefty price he paid, Ballard has bet big on his team – and GMs should do that when they feel like their roster is Super Bowl-caliber or close to it. Gardner is a player who would need to earn his stripes in the playoffs against quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson – but he’s likely not going to make that much of a difference immediately in what’s typically an eminently winnable AFC South.

By extension, Ballard is also obligated to re-sign Jones, who’s playing on a one-year deal, to a sizable contract extension – the same mistake the Giants made after the 2022 season and ultimately regretted. Yet given Ballard’s next Round 1 selection is scheduled for the 2028 draft and 2023 first-rounder Anthony Richardson is just about relegated to bust status (at least in Indianapolis), the GM now has little recourse but to hope Jones’ marriage with head coach Shane Steichen is built to last in a way the union to Brian Daboll wasn’t.

The Colts – their losses this season have come against the division-leading Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers – have fattened their record this season against the likes of the Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans (twice) and now the Jekyll-and-Hyde Falcons, who fell to 3-6 Sunday and have been manhandled this season by the Dolphins and the Carolina Panthers.

Moving forward, with potential future battles against Mahomes, Jackson, Allen, et al. looming, the Colts are banking that Jones can be a rarity – a largely ordinary QB1 like Nick Foles or Joe Flacco who can break through with a postseason hot streak that leads to Lombardi glory. If that happens, then Gardner will join a list that includes Stephon Gilmore, Darrelle Revis, Jalen Ramsey and even the incomparable Deion Sanders – topflight corners who couldn’t lead their original teams to success but subsequently won rings with squads largely propelled by Hall of Fame-caliber quarterbacks.

Barring that?

After betting the farm on Gardner and eventually Jones, Ballard’s years-long quarterback conundrum could ultimately be his undoing … perhaps thanks in part to his new cornerback.

President Donald Trump became the first sitting president to attend a NFL regular-season game since 1978 when he showed up to the Detroit Lions’ drubbing of the Washington Commanders in Landover, Maryland on Sunday, Nov. 9.

The crowd let the 45th president know how they felt by booing him (with a smattering of cheers) while being shown on the video board at Northwest Stadium and during a halftime military swearing-in ceremony, which Trump led.

Trump also spent a few minutes of the third quarter being interviewed by the FOX broadcast team of Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma.

‘It’s a microcosm of life,’ Trump answered when Albert asked him why he loved sports. ‘It’s sort of like life: the good, the bad, the ugly.

‘You have the triumph. You have the problems. You got to get through the problems to hit the triumphs. You can never quit. You can never give up.’

Standing between the two broadcasters, Trump complimented injured Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and praised backup Marcus Mariota – without mentioning their names and referring to them as ‘second-string’ and ‘first-string.’ He alluded to the Lions’ trade of Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff and said it worked out for both sides.

The broadcast showed a team photo from Trump’s football-playing days, uniform No. 85, at New York Military Academy. Trump admitted he never scored a touchdown.

‘I actually loved playing football … at least you realize that I never tell a lie,’ Trump said.

It seems Trump has strayed from his New York allegiances as a fan of both the Giants and Jets. There was praise of one of Vilma’s teammates with the New Orleans Saints, quarterback Drew Brees. As far as his game analysis, Trump harped on the importance of the Commanders’ drive as they trailed 32-10.

Vilma asked him about the general health of the nation. The stock market hit an all-time high, Trump said, along with his claim that ‘prices are coming down.’

‘We’re doing great,’ Trump said. ‘Just how (the Commanders) are doing right now.’

Mariota hit Deebo Samuel for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 32-16 after he said that.

‘I love ratings,’ Trump later said. ‘But you guys have the ratings.’

Trump went on to wax poetic about Washington coaches of the past and name-dropped George Allen and Joe Gibbs.

When Albert gave Trump the opening to exit stage left, Trump replied, ‘I’d love to have your job.’

Trump is no stranger to sporting events. He attended Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans in February shortly after beginning his second term. He was also on hand for the first day of play at the Ryder Cup in New York, the Major League Baseball playoffs and the men’s final of the US Open.

Trump attempted to purchase the Buffalo Bills in 2014 and his relationship with the league while in office is a complicated one, from his bashing of the protests that took place during the national anthem during his first term to standing in the Oval Office with commissioner Roger Goodell earlier this year to announce that the 2027 NFL draft will be held in Washington D.C. ESPN reported Nov. 8 that Trump wants the Commanders’ new stadium, at the former RFK Stadium site in Washington, to be named after him.

The NWSL quarterfinals are behind us. Only four teams remain in the hunt for the 2025 championship.

Regardless of the sport, the playoffs always bring unexpected results and this year’s NWSL playoffs were no different. After a dominant regular season, the Kansas City Current (21-3-2) were knocked out in the first round by No. 8 seed Gotham FC (9-8-9) in a shocking upset. Gotham’s win made them the first No. 8 seed to win in a match in the NWSL playoffs.

Despite the unexpected result though, the games themselves were absolutely thrilling, with only one quarterfinals match resulting in a two-score differential. Two games even went into extra time. If the quarterfinals were any indication, this year’s postseason is going to be one for the ages.

Here’s everything to know for the remainder of the NWSL playoffs:

2025 NWSL playoffs bracket

Quarterfinals

No. 8 Gotham FC 2, No. 1 Kansas City Current 1 (extra time)
No. 4 Orlando Pride 2, No. 5 Seattle Reign FC 0
No. 2 Washington Spirit 1, No. 7 Racing Louisville FC 1 (Washington won 3-1 in penalties)
No. 3 Portland Thorns FC 1, No. 6 San Diego Wave FC 0 (extra time)

Semifinals

All times Eastern

Game 5, Nov. 15: No. 2 Washington Spirit vs. No. 3 Portland Thorns FC, 12 p.m. | CBS
Game 6, Nov. 16: No. 4 Orlando Pride vs. No. 8 Gotham FC , 3 p.m. | ABC

Championship final

At PayPal Park in San Jose, California

Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6, 8 p.m. | CBS

All games will be available for viewing with NWSL+. The championship game will also be available to watch on Paramount+.

Stream the 2025 NWSL championship game with Paramount+

2025 NWSL schedule

The NWSL semifinals will take place on Saturday, Nov. 15 and Sunday, 16. The first game will feature the No. 2 Washington Spirit hosting No. 3 Portland Thorns FC Saturday at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. at Noon ET. The game will be televised by CBS.

On Sunday, No. 4 Orlando Pride will host No. 8 Gotham FC – a shocking second home game for Orlando as very few people expected Gotham to defeat the top-seeded Kansas City Current. That game will start at 3 p.m. ET at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando Florda. The game will air on ABC.

The championship game will take place on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m. ET. The game will be played at PayPal Park in San Jose, California, and will air on CBS while streaming on Paramount+.