Rodgers, a 27-year-old cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings who’d had a decent season prior to Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, his former club, was the target of racial slurs in the aftermath of his performance.

‘Some of the most racist comments I ever seen or read since i enter the league (sic),’ Rodgers wrote on his official X account on Monday.

He added: ‘Racism is real keep football, football. Thats not even the worst Ive Seen. Stay solid or stay silent ‘F A N S’ Fake Applause, No Support Or Faithful And Never Switching Pick a side and stay on it !’

Rodgers also shared screenshots on Instagram, which showed users directing decades-old hateful slurs at him with another declaring ‘ur worse than Hitler’ − though that individual eventually apologized.

The Vikings weighed in with a statement of their own while coming to Rodgers’ defense.

‘We are disgusted by the racial slurs directed at Isaiah Rodgers following yesterday’s game,’ read the Vikes’ statement on X, while urging fans ‘to eliminate racism.’

Rodgers surrendered a 79-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith in the third quarter Sunday and a 45-yard completion to A.J. Brown in the fourth that effectively clinched Philadelphia’s 28-22 victory.

Last month, Rodgers was named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week for Week 3 after becoming the first player since 2000 with two forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns in the same game while playing a pivotal role in a defeat of the Cincinnati Bengals.

After earning a Super Bowl ring with Philadelphia last season, Rodgers signed a two-year, $11 million deal with Minnesota in March.

It’s a battle between air and land in the Emerald City to close Week 7.

Normally, there is no place like home for the Seattle Seahawks. However, in 2025, the home cooking has been far from edible. Mike Macdonald’s 4-2 team owns a 1-2 record at Lumen Field and now they face another test against an unfamiliar foe – the Houston Texans.

Monday night will be just the sixth all-time matchup and the first since 2021 between the two sides, with Seattle winning four of the previous five.

Seattle is trying to keep pace in the NFC West race, but the Texans are trying to get back into the AFC South’s after an uneven start to the year. The Texans are certainly well-rested coming into ‘Monday Night Football,’ coming off a bye in Week 6.

Houston appeared to finally figure out their problems on offense before the vacation, winning their last two games by a combined score of 70-10. Now they’ll look to pick up where they left off heading into Monday’s matchup.

C.J. Stroud and co. have some work to do if they want to get back into the AFC South division race, setting up an important showdown in Seattle against the Seahawks’ dynamic duo Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the Week 7 ‘Monday Night Football’ game between the Seahawks and Texans below. All times are Eastern.

What time is Seattle Seahawks vs. Houston Texans?

Start time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PST)

The Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans will kick off at 10 p.m. ET. It’s the second game of the ‘Monday Night Football’ doubleheader to finish off Week 7.

What channel is Seahawks vs. Texans?

TV channel: ESPN

The Seattle Seahawks vs. Houston Texans game will be broadcasted on ESPN on Monday night.

It will be ESPN’s No. 2 commentary team on the call in Seattle with Chris Fowler handling the play-by-play. Louis Riddick and Dan Orlovsky join Fowler in the booth to provide analysis. Katie George and Peter Schrager will report from the sidelines.

Seahawks vs. Texans live stream

Fans looking to stream ‘Monday Night Football’ in Week 7 have no shortage of options. Cord cutters can find the game on Fubo, which comes with a free trial, and also ESPN’s streaming services, ESPN Unlimited and ESPN Select.

Watch Seahawks vs. Texans with a Fubo free trial

Seahawks vs. Texans prediction

The Texans appeared to find something before their bye week and are set to enter some unfriendly confines on Monday night – or are they? Seattle hasn’t enjoyed much of a home field advantage in 2025, posting a 1-2 record at Lumen Field. They are fresh off another trip to the east coast and now have to contend with a Texans team that is determined to shake off an uneven start to the season. Underdogs have printing money in prime time lately and Houston had plenty of time to get ready for this contest. It may not be glamorous, but the Texans get the job done in Seattle.

Prediction: Texans 21, Seahawks 16

Seahawks inactives vs. Texans

The Seahawks will be without Devon Witherspoon and Julian Love vs. the Texans, hurting their secondary vs. Houston.

Texans inactives vs. Seahawks

Wide receiver Christian Kirk will be inactive for tonight’s game vs. Seattle.

Seahawks vs. Texans live betting odds, moneyline, O/U

Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers just finished her rookie season in the WNBA but, if the Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday is any indication, she can also spin it.

Bueckers, who is celebrating her 24th birthday Monday, attended the Cowboys game against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It’s the third in a string of local games Bueckers has been to, including a Dallas Mavericks preseason game and Oklahoma-Texas football.

The WNBA Rookie of the Year signed autographs for fans from the front row of the end zone at the Cowboys game. Someone handed Bueckers a football and asked her to throw it to him. She told the little boy to go out for a pass. He didn’t go out far enough for her liking and she let him know with a 20-yard dart to another kid on the field. The second kid brought the ball back and she hit him with another long pass.

Bueckers also hooked up with another No. 5, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, to exchange jerseys. Daniels was injured during the game, tweaking his groin. If the Commanders are looking for a backup, maybe they should give Bueckers a call.

Seth Rollins reportedly suffered a significant shoulder injury that will possibly require surgery and sideline him for several months.
An official update on Rollins and the status of the World Heavyweight Championship will be provided on the Oct. 20 episode of Raw.
If the injury is confirmed, Rollins will likely have to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship.

The World Heavyweight Championship is no longer in the vision for Seth Rollins.

Raw general manager Adam Pearce confirmed on the Monday, Oct. 20 edition of Raw Rollins had ‘major surgery’ and will be out of action ‘for quite a while’ due to a significant shoulder injury. As a result, the World Heavyweight Championship has been stripped from Rollins.

The injury comes on the heels of the shocking betrayal from Rollins’ stablemates Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed and Paul Heyman on Oct. 13.

While Pearce said the surprise attack was why Rollins needed surgery, it was reported the injury happened before then and was done to write him off TV. Fans were rightfully cautious of any Rollins injury news after he pulled off the ‘Ruse of the Century’ when he appeared to suffer a devastating leg injury in July, only to return a month later to cash in his Money in the Bank contract in stunning fashion.

However, the injury is in fact real, and it’s a significant blow to WWE’s plans. Here is what to know about Rollins’ injury:

What happened to Seth Rollins?

According to multiple reports, Rollins suffered a significant shoulder injury at WWE Crown Jewel 2025, where he faced Cody Rhodes for the Crown Jewel Championship.

It’s not clear when the injury happened or how it occurred, but wrestling reporter Dave Meltzer said in a recent edition of the ‘Wrestling Observer Radio’ that Rollins is ‘100%’ having surgery.

The sudden attack by The Vision on Rollins likely was a way to write off Rollins from on-screen so he could undergo surgery and begin his rehab.

How long will Seth Rollins be out?

A definitive timeline is unknown, but Rollins ‘is on the shelf for quite a while.’ Before Raw, Meltzer said the extent of Rollins’ injury is unknown, but he is expected to miss several months.

‘They don’t know all the damage in his shoulder and they will find out the damage when they open him up and when they do the surgery,’ Meltzer said. ‘He’s out for months for sure.’

Will Seth Rollins vacate World Heavyweight Championship?

Yes, Pearce stripped the World Heavyweight Championship from Rollins.

Pearce announced a new World Heavyweight Champion will be crowned at Saturday Night’s Main Event on Nov. 1. CM Punk, who became the No. 1 contender for the title last week, will have a shot at the championship and his opponent will be determined in a battle royale that will take place during Raw.

It is similar to what happened to Rhea Ripley in 2024. After she suffered a shoulder injury in April 2024, Ripley was forced to vacate the Women’s World Championship. Ripley eventually returned three months later.

Seth Rollins injury history

The possible injury would be another devastating one for Rollins, as his WWE career has been plagued by them − and it wouldn’t be the first time he has had to give up a title.

It’s mostly been leg injuries that have bothered Rollins, which started in November 2015 when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and meniscus in his right knee during a live event in Ireland. He was the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and had to relinquish the title as he required surgery, missing seven months of action.

Rollins re-tore the MCL in the same knee in January 2017. Despite requiring another surgery, he didn’t miss much time. He tore his meniscus in his left knee in January 2024, but even though he was injured, Rollins still appeared in WWE in the build-up to WrestleMania 40 and wrestled in both nights of the event. He missed two months of action following the event.

It was believed he suffered another knee injury at Saturday Night’s Main Event in July, when he appeared to take a bad landing in a match against LA Knight. Rollins looked visibly injured and the match had a quick ending so he could be assisted out of the ring. The injury was thought to sideline him for months and images of him showed Rollins wearing a brace with crutches.

However, it was all a ruse as he shockingly returned at SummerSlam in August and dropped the injury act so he could cash in his Money in the Bank contract on longtime rival CM Punk to win the title.

While knee injuries have mostly been Rollins’ issue, he’s also dealt with back problems.

Doug Martin died while in police custody, the Oakland Police Department (OPD) confirmed after multiple outlets first reported the news.

The former NFL running back and Boise State standout was 36. His passing was confirmed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Oct. 19.

OPD identified Martin as ‘Douglas Martin of Stockton.’

‘Prior to his death, Martin was involved in a break-in at a residence in Oakland,’ the authorities said in their Monday, Oct. 20 afternoon update. ‘While responding officers were attempting to detain him, a brief struggle occurred. After being taken into custody, Martin became unresponsive.’

According to a prior social media post by the Oakland (California) Police Department, the incident associated with Martin’s death occurred just after 4:15 a.m. local time on Saturday, Oct. 18 on a street near the Oakland Zoo.

‘Officers responded to the area for an individual who had broken into a nearby residence,’ the advisory said. ‘Simultaneously, officers were notified of an individual who was experiencing a medical emergency and was believed to be the same individual related to the break-in.’

Officers located the individual inside the residence and ‘a brief struggle ensued.’ The person became unresponsive after being taken into custody and, despite aid from paramedics and being transported to a local hospital, died. The officers involved in the incident have been placed on paid administrative leave, as is customary.

The Oakland Police Department’s homicide section and internal affairs unit are investigating the incident, as are the Oakland City Police Commission, the Community Police Review Agency and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.

No additional details will be provided until the investigation concludes, the Oakland Police Department said.

Martin’s family released a statement saying a cause of death was unconfirmed and the Bucs called Martin’s passing ‘sudden.’ The family referred back to the statement when contacted by news outlets.

Martin played in the NFL from 2012-18 and was a northern California native.

The College Football Playoff can wait, because firings and the hot seat rules the zeitgeist. Luke Fickell and Hugh Freeze are up next.
Florida State kicks the can on a decision on Mike Norvell.
CFP bracket selection chaos would involve multiple bids for Big 12 and ACC.

The College Football Playoff can wait, because firings and the hot seat rules the zeitgeist.

Billy Napier became the latest coach to unlock the magic of buyout bliss, with Florida finally firing its long-embattled coach. In a twist of dark comedy, the Gators fired their sub-.500 coach after a victory.

So, who’s next?

That’s where my mind is after Week 8:

Will ‘frustration’ at Wisconsin result in James Franklin?

In a letter obtained by Madison’s 96.7-FM, Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh wrote he and underwater coach Luke Fickell share “disappointment and frustration” about the team’s 0-4 start to Big Ten play that’s produced a mere 20 points.

Well, I should hope so, but what does McIntosh plan to do about it? He suggested throwing more money at the problems. In the meantime, a 2-10 record remains on the table for Wisconsin.

‘We must provide our coaches the tools necessary to succeed,’ McIntosh wrote.

If McIntosh hasn’t done that already, then he needs to go, too, because providing coaches with the necessary tools to succeed is literally his job.

As the losses mount, one question lingers: Is Wisconsin prepared to fork over $27-plus million in failure money to fire Fickell?

Here’s an idea: James Franklin wants a job, badly enough he went on “College GameDay” and darn-near begged someone to hire him.

“I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I don’t have hobbies. I don’t golf. I don’t fish,” the former Penn State coach said on ESPN. “This has been such a big part of my identity.”

You’d think Franklin could afford a nice set of clubs and a golf instructor with the $49-plus million buyout coming his way, but, hey, if he wants to coach, he’d be an upgrade at Wisconsin.

Not hip on Franklin? That’s fair. Hiring from the scrap heap isn’t an ideal model for success.

Well, Iowa State’s Matt Campbell would be worth a call if Wisconsin fired Fickell. A career winner, he’d suit Wisconsin’s needs, but it seems like it would take a SWAT team to get Campbell out of Ames.

Campbell’s former understudy, Alex Golesh, is lighting up the scoreboard as South Florida’s coach. Golesh previously worked as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator when the Vols led the nation in scoring in 2022.

Golesh’s up-tempo spread system would be the ultimate zig to Wisconsin’s usual zag.

Or, ride it out another season with a sunken coach who’s proven he’s not the answer. Remind me, how’d that work for Florida?

Will Hugh Freeze join Billy Napier among fired coaches?

Name one way in which Freeze has elevated Auburn since it hired him to replace Bryan Harsin. That’s an impossible task, because Freeze hasn’t elevated Auburn in any discernible way. Even recruiting has stalled. With Napier fired, Freeze inherits the SEC’s hottest seat.

“I certainly know we fit what Auburn is all about,’ Freeze said after his team’s fourth straight SEC loss by 10 points or fewer, the latest to Missouri in overtime. ‘But Auburn is also about winning football.”

Not anymore. That’s the problem. Under Freeze, Auburn has taken on a culture of losing.

Freeze’s quote sums up why he’s lasted this long and also why he’ll be fired if he doesn’t start winning at warp speed. He fit Auburn’s culture better than Harsin. That helped him outlast Harsin, whom Auburn officially fired in Year 2 after becoming a fired-coach-in-waiting on Day 1.

Being a good fit, though, only takes a coach so far.

Freeze failed to produce a competent quarterback in three seasons as Auburn’s coach. His offensive guru status got revoked years ago. He’s now a coaching liability.

Freeze’s 14-18 record and his inability to do what he once did so well at Mississippi — generate scoring — will be his downfall. By Year 3, winning matters more than fit. 

Five years ago, Auburn fired a coach who’d never produced a losing season. Now, the standings say Auburn is one of the SEC’s four worst teams. That’s a recipe for a buyout check.

What is Florida State doing?

You’ve heard of a vote of confidence, but Florida State tried a different strategy with its own embattled coach, Mike Norvell.

It offered a vote of vapidness.

Florida State, in the midst of a four-game losing streak, put out a statement that said it plans to kick the can down the road for a month and re-evaluate Norvell at the end of the season.

“Our comprehensive assessment of the football program will be completed at season’s end,” FSU athletic director Mike Alford said in the statement. “Meanwhile, we are fully committed to helping Coach Norvell and the 2025 Seminoles strongly rebound in the coming weeks.”

That loosely translates to: We acknowledge we stink, but we’ll spend the next month deciding whether the coach stinks badly enough to eat a buyout that tops $58 million.

I guess you can’t put that in an official statement. Maybe, just say nothing.

College Football Playoff musings

Ready for playoff selection chaos scenarios? Here’s one:

Brigham Young goes 12-0 before losing to one-loss Texas Tech in the Big 12 championship. Plus, Georgia Tech goes 12-0 before losing to one-loss Miami in the ACC championship. BYU and Georgia Tech would still merit playoff qualification at 12-1, right?

Toss in 10-2 Notre Dame and Group of Five qualifier, and there’s half of the 12-team field.

That’s a doomsday scenario for the SEC and Big Ten bubble.

Keep up with the latest news and analysis from college football’s top two conferences: Check out our Big Ten Hub and our SEC Hub to get school-by-school coverage from across the USA TODAY Network.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

Despite nine-and-a-half years of service, 222 home runs, and an All-Star nod with the Los Angeles Angels during his career, Albert Pujols will not be the team’s next manager.

According to ESPN, talks between the Los Angeles Angels and Albert Pujols regarding the managerial opening have fallen through. That doesn’t mean Pujols’ return to the dugout has passed him by, though. Per reports, Pujols already has an interview with the San Diego Padres regarding their open managerial position. Furthermore, the Baltimore Orioles have expressed interest in Pujols as well.

MLB manager openings: Which MLB teams have vacancies?

San Diego Padres
Los Angeles Angels
Baltimore Orioles
San Francisco Giants
Washington Nationals
Atlanta Braves
Minnesota Twins
Colorado Rockies

Pujols’ managerial experience

Since retiring from MLB, Pujols has worked as a special assistant for the Angels, as part of a 10-year, $10 million contract that started after Pujols retired.

That said, he has expressed interest in managing a big league club for many years now, even finding success managing other professional teams. He led a Dominican winter ball team, Leones del Escogido, to a championship in January this year. He was also named manager for the Dominican Republic team in next year’s World Baseball Classic.

The task of facing the Buffalo Bills in Week 8 just got even more imposing for the Carolina Panthers.

Quarterback Bryce Young is expected to miss the home tilt with a high ankle sprain suffered in Sunday’s 13-6 win over the New York Jets, NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reported.

Young injured his ankle in the third quarter on a sack and did not return to the game. Andy Dalton took over for the remainder of the contest, throwing for 60 yards on 4-of-7 passing. The 15-year veteran, who last season stepped into the starting role when Young was benched after Week 2, is set to once again lead the offense against Buffalo.

Young could miss time beyond Sunday’s matchup, Pelissero reported, with a precise timetable for a return yet to be set.

‘We’re taking all the information in,’ Panthers coach Dave Canales said after Sunday’s win. ‘We’re going to look at him when we get home some more and see where we are.’

Carolina won its third consecutive game to boost its record to 4-3, marking the first time since 2019 that the franchise has been above .500 this late in a season.

Panthers QB depth chart

Bryce Young
Andy Dalton

Carolina does not have another quarterback on the active roster beyond Young and Dalton, though former Detroit Lions third-round pick Hendon Hooker is on the practice squad.