The revival of the Detroit Lions has been one of the best NFL storylines the past two years. Detroit snapped a playoff win drought that spanned over three decades and just capped off a team record 15-win regular season.

The success of the team has obviously been noticed by one of the city’s favorite sons: Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders.

“What coach (Dan) Campbell has done, what (general manager) Brad Holmes has done has been miraculous,’ Sanders said to USA TODAY Sports on behalf of Sleep Number. ‘It really goes back to every decision that they made, personnel wise and how they treat the players. Coach Campbell’s in-game philosophy, he’s really changed the story about the Lions.

‘You see how he does things like going for it on fourth down, giving his team so many more opportunities. And it’s not even a question, right? So much of everything that’s happened can be attributed to what they’ve done and their philosophy. That’s why I feel confident going forward. They have the ingredient, and they understand the kind of players they’re looking for. I’m excited to see what we do next season.”

The Lions are one of 12 NFL teams to have never won a Super Bowl. Sometimes teams get close before they finally get over the hump. The Philadelphia Eagles just won their second Super Bowl title. But before that quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 57 and they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round the following year.

Detroit’s gotten close the previous two seasons.

The San Francisco 49ers rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the Lions in the 2023 NFC championship game. Last season ended unceremoniously as the NFC’s No. 1 seed Lions lost to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the playoffs. Detroit had 16 players on injured reverse at the time of their playoff loss to Washington. Injuries certainly took a toll on the team down the stretch.

Yet, Sanders believes the agony of defeat the last two years could be beneficial for the Lions going forward.

“I hope the experience we had in 2023 against the Niners was a learning experience. And even this year, winning home field advantage and losing to a young Commanders team. Hopefully that was a learning experience. All those things I think can help a team understand what it takes when you get into the playoffs. (Playoff) football is a different monster,” Sanders said. “Sometimes it just takes kind of getting there and getting close and not quite getting there. If you have the good fortune of being in that situation again, then you realize there is no margin for error or very little margin for error.”

One of the main reasons Sanders believes the Lions have the capability to get over the hump is the two-headed monster they boast in the backfield. David Montgomery’s averaged over four yards a carry and has 25 rushing touchdowns in two seasons in Detroit. While Jahmyr Gibbs has emerged as a star. Gibbs compiled a career-high 1,412 rushing yards in his sophomore season and led the NFL with 20 touchdowns from scrimmage.  

“I think it’s the best dual combo in the NFL. David Montgomery, he’s been a great running back in the NFL for many years. Putting him with this Lions offensive line, and then you see what Jahmyr Gibbs was able to do last season,” Sanders said. “I feel like last year was more of a breakout season for (Gibbs). He eclipsed 1,000 yards. Just the type of exciting, dynamic plays that he’s able to make. His speed and his vision. They are the best duo in the in the NFL, and there’s no reason to believe that’s going to change anytime soon. If a Super Bowl is in our future, in the near future, then you would think that those two guys would be a big part of it.”

The combination of Gibbs and Montgomery running behind a stout offensive line, combined with four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Jared Goff, two-time first-team All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and what’s slated to be a healthy defense, the Lions remain a contender and are projected to win their third straight NFC North title. Maybe past experiences can help propel the Lions if they earn another playoff berth.

“We still have a great nucleus. We still have coach (Dan) Campbell and we’re still one of the top teams in the NFC,” Sanders said. “We won the division again last year. Minnesota isn’t far behind, but I feel like we’re still the team to beat in that division.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

After playing just 32 games in the minor leagues and being asked to learn a new position this spring, Cam Smith was a longshot to make the Houston Astros’ opening day roster.

But that was before he opened eyes with his bat early in camp and never stopped hitting. The 22-year-old was the centerpiece of the offseason trade that sent star outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs, but he was seen mostly as an important piece of the Astros future.

Instead, he’s now part of the present as the team’s opening day starter in Tucker’s old spot, right field.

In a touching moment, the Astros secretly invited Smith’s family to deliver the good news.

Astros manager Joe Espada gathered the players together before Tuesday’s exhibition game in Houston for a special announcement.

“I always said if someone tells me, ‘Joe, you’re going to the big leagues, who would be the first person you would call?” he said as Smith’s mother, Stephanie Hocza, walked in.

“So Cam, do you know why we’re here?” asked Hocza, who was accompanied by family members including his grandmother and stepdad. “You made the roster.”

Smith’s tearful reaction was priceless.

Who is Cam Smith?

Smith was the Cubs’ first-round pick (14th overall) in last year’s draft after he starred as a third baseman at Florida State.

But when the Astros made Tucker, a three-time All-Star, available on the trade market, the Cubs were willing to send Smith, third baseman Isaac Paredes and pitcher Hayden Wesneski to Houston.

Smith destroyed Grapefruit League pitching this spring with a .342/.419/.711 slash line in 43 plate appearances — essentially hitting his way onto the Astros roster, while at the same time adapting to a new position in the outfield.

‘I always thought it was possible,’ Smith later told reporters. ‘I had a great group of guys to help me out to get here today. I always thought it was a possibility for it to happen. And we’re here today talking about it now. So I’m very blessed.’

For the 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament, winning two games is all that’s left from making a trip to San Antonio for the Final Four.

All four No. 1 seeds remain, and the SEC’s fingerprints are all over the Sweet 16 with seven teams left in the field. The Big Ten and the Big 12 have four teams each, and Duke is left holding up the banner in the ACC.

Here’s what to know about the Sweet 16:

Who is in the Sweet 16?

Here’s who’ll be playing to punch their ticket to the Elite Eight starting Thursday:

(1) Duke
(1) Florida
(1) Houston
(1) Auburn
(2) Michigan State
(2) Alabama
(2) Tennessee
(3) Texas Tech
(3) Kentucky
(4) Purdue
(4) Arizona
(4) Maryland
(5) Michigan
(6) Ole Miss
(6) BYU
(10) Arkansas

Sweet 16 bracket

Here’s who will tip off starting March 27:

Thursday, March 27:

(2) Alabama vs. (6) BYU
(1) Florida vs. (4) Maryland
(1) Duke vs. (4) Arizona
(3) Texas Tech vs. (10) Arkansas

Friday, March 28

(2) Michigan State vs. (6) Ole Miss
(2) Tennessee vs. (3) Kentucky
(1) Auburn vs. (5) Michigan
(1) Houston vs. (4) Purdue

As for the Elite Eight matchups, here’s how they would break down:

(1) Auburn OR (5) Michigan vs. (6) Ole Miss OR (2) Michigan State (South final)
(1) Duke OR vs. (4) Arizona vs. (2) Alabama OR vs. (6) BYU (East final)
(1) Florida OR vs. (4) Maryland vs. (3) Texas Tech OR vs. (10) Arkansas (West final)
(1) Houston OR (4) Purdue vs. (2) Tennessee OR vs. (3) Kentucky (Midwest final)

Sweet 16 teams by conference

The SEC leads the way with a record seven teams in the Sweet 16. The Big 10 and the Big 12 each have four teams and the ACC’s lone representative left in the tournament is Duke.

Here’s a quick rundown of the remaining quads in the 2025 NCAA Tournament and which conference they represent:

(1) Duke: ACC
(1) Florida: SEC
(1) Houston: Big 12
(1) Auburn: SEC
(2) Michigan State: Big Ten
(2) Alabama: SEC
(2) Tennessee: SEC
(3) Texas Tech: Big 12
(3) Kentucky: SEC
(4) Purdue: Big Ten
(4) Arizona: Big 12
(4) Maryland: Big Ten
(5) Michigan: Big Ten
(6) Ole Miss: SEC
(6) BYU: Big 12
(10) Arkansas: SEC

Here’s how you can catch the Sweet 16 starting Thursday night (all times Eastern):

Thursday, March 27

(2) Alabama vs. (6) BYU, 7:09 p.m. | CBS (stream with free trial from FUBO)
(1) Florida vs. (4) Maryland, 7:39 p.m. | TBS/truTV (stream with Sling TV)
(1) Duke vs. (4) Arizona, 9:39 p.m. | CBS (stream with free trial from FUBO)
(3) Texas Tech vs. (10) Arkansas, 10:09 p.m. | TBS/truTV (stream with Sling TV)

Friday, March 28

(2) Michigan State vs. (6) Ole Miss, 7:09 p.m. | CBS (stream with free trial from FUBO)
(2) Tennessee vs. (3) Kentucky, 7:39 p.m. |  TBS/truTV (stream with Sling TV)
(1) Auburn vs. (5) Michigan, 9:39 p.m. | CBS (stream with free trial from FUBO)
(1) Houston vs. (4) Purdue, 10:09 p.m. |  TBS/truTV (stream with Sling TV)

Russia will be absent from the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Some Russian figure skaters have switched nationalities to continue competing internationally.
The International Skating Union has developed a narrow pathway for a limited number of Russian athletes to potentially qualify for the 2026 Olympics.

BOSTON — The 2025 world figure skating championships at TD Garden this week will feature the best skaters, coaches and judges from every corner of the world − with one notable exception.

For the third consecutive year, Russia will be absent.

Since its invasion of Ukraine at the end of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Russia has been largely sidelined from the world of international sports, with prominent international federations moving to either place strict neutrality requirements on the participation of Russians at their world championships or opting to ban them altogether.

In figure skating, their absence has been particularly noticeable. Prior to the country’s ban, Russia had won more medals at the world figure skating championships than any other country. And it had been particularly dominant in women’s singles, with five of the six world champions between 2015 and 2021 all hailing from Russia.

The continued exclusion of Russia from international figure skating has prompted some of its former athletes to leave and continue competing for other countries. It’s opened the door for new talent, including women from Japan and the U.S., to make world podiums. And it’s raised questions about when Russian figure skaters might return − and whether such a return might come in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.

‘It’s something that’s completely out of our control,’ American ice dancer Evan Bates said last week. ‘We can never control who’s going to be let in and what the political ramifications are. It’s just completely outside of our scope of control. And the more that we focus on it, it really detracts from where our focus needs to be.’

Ice dancers Gleb Smolkin, Diana Davis now compete for Georgia

Over the past three years, the Russian Figure Skating Federation has continued to host its own separate figure skating competitions, including a national championship in December. And although Russia is formally ostracized from this week’s world championships, there will continue to be signs of its outsized influence on the sport.

At least six skaters competing in Boston this week previously represented Russia but switched nationalities following the country’s sports ban in 2022. That includes ice dancers Gleb Smolkin and Diana Davis, who competed for the Russian Olympic Committee at the 2022 Olympics but now represent Georgia.

‘It was pretty difficult, because it was very unclear what’s going to happen,’ Smolkin said. ‘The only thing that was clear was competing for Russia, we wouldn’t be able to for quite a lot of time. And we proved ourselves right, unfortunately.’

Smolkin said he and Davis opted to represent Georgia because Davis’ mother, Eteri Tutberidze, is of Georgian heritage. (Tutberidze drew scrutiny in Beijing as the coach of burgeoning Russian star Kamila Valieva, whose positive doping test became one of the dominant storylines of the Games.) The ice dancers will continue to represent Georgia even if or when Russia’s ban is lifted, Smolkin said.

‘There is still a Russian-speaking community inside of the ice, people who are able to speak Russian,’ he added, when asked about the impact of Russia’s formal exclusion from the world championships. ‘We’re just athletes and we’re here to perform and that’s it.’

Russians hopeful they will be allowed to return

The International Olympic Committee allowed some athletes from Russia − and Belarus, which has faced similar bans − to compete as neutrals at the 2024 Summer Olympics, but only if they met a strict set of conditions. Russian leaders, however, have expressed hope that their situation might soon change.

The United States, which had been staunchly supportive of Ukraine during President Joe Biden’s time in office, has softened its stance on the war and Russia under Donald Trump. The White House has tried to work with Russia to negotiate an end to the war, and it announced separate agreements with Russia and Ukraine over a ceasefire in the Black Sea on Tuesday.

There is a possibility that the IOC’s stance on Russia could similarly shift following the election last week of its new president, Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe. Russian president Vladimir Putin and Belarussian president Alexander Lukashenko were quick to congratulate Coventry following her win, and Russian sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev expressed hope that a new IOC president would result in a new IOC policy toward Russia.

‘We are waiting, in this era of a new leader, for the Olympic movement to become stronger, more independent and more prosperous and that Russia will return to the Olympic podium,’ Degtyarev said on a messaging app last week, according to Reuters.

When asked specifically about the potential reinstatement of Russia, Coventry only spoke broadly about the need to protect athletes from conflict areas and develop an IOC policy around the issue. She will formally take the office in June.

While the IOC could give the final OK for Russian and Belarussian athletes to return at the 2026 Milan Games, the decision is first in the hands of the International Skating Union, the federation that oversees the qualifying process.

The ISU announced late last year that, following a recommendation by the IOC, it had developed a narrow pathway for Russian athletes to work toward Olympic qualification. That pathway is so narrow, in fact, that it only will allow one athlete or team in each of figure skating’s disciplines to compete at a single qualifying event, in Beijing in September. That would mean that, barring any changes, Russia would have no more than six figure skaters at the 2026 Olympics.

‘The ISU has maintained its condemnation of the invasion of Ukraine,’ the organization said in a news release.

In Olympic circles, the general assumption has been that Russia’s status in figure skating and other major sports would change when the war in Ukraine ends. And it’s unclear, of course, when that end will come or whether it is getting closer.

Ukrainian skater Kyrylo Marsak is skeptical. He said the war upended his life, prompting him to move to Finland to continue training − and, in turn, pulling him away from his family. He said his father is in the Ukrainian military, and he’s only able to visit his family about once a year.

‘Of course it’s making pressure on me, because I’m worrying about them,’ Marsak said. ‘This whole situation is really difficult to deal with. But as I said, the skating is something that makes me take it easier.’

As for the return of Russian athletes to competition, the 20-year-old said it should happen only when Ukraine is safe.

‘We need some pretty good safety guarantees from most countries, from the U.S. and from Europe,’ he said. ‘Then Ukrainians could sleep calmly.’

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @tomschad.bsky.social.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will have another stop to make in the naion’s capital next month before they begin a series with the Washington Nationals: the White House.

The Dodgers on Tuesday announced they have accepted an invitation to the White House to celebrate the World Series title they won last November over the New York Yankees.

‘It’s certainly a huge honor to get the invitation to the White House,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the team’s exhibition game against the Los Angeles Angels. ‘It allows us to celebrate our 2024 championship. To my understanding, every World Series champion gets that honor, so it’s a great honor for all of us.’

This will be the second trip to the White House in four years for Roberts and many of the Dodgers players. The team was honored during Joe Biden’s presidency after they won the title the end of the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.

The announcement comes on the heels of the Department of Defense temporarily removing an article from its official website lauding the accomplishments of former Dodgers star Jackie Robinson’s military service.

The article was apparently taken down as part of the Trump Administration’s directive to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. But after a brief public outcry, the page was restored.

Roberts, a frequently vocal supporter of diversity efforts in Major League Baseball, said he was unaware of the controversy and it did not play a factor in the team’s decision.

‘I respect the position,’ Roberts said. ‘It’s the highest office in our country, certainly in the world, so, looking forward to it.’

Despite its relatively short existence, the UFL has already forged what it has characterized as a positive relationship with the NFL.

The NFL has worked collaboratively with many of the recent spring-league start-ups to test new rules that could potentially enhance the game. This process has helped the NFL discover its dynamic kickoff, which debuted during the 2024 season, and has also allowed the league to assess data on onside kick alternatives and technological innovations to improve its broadcasts.

While the current relationship between the UFL and NFL is mutually beneficial, many are curious as to whether they could eventually expand their partnership. After all, the NFL is the lone major North American sport not to have a minor-league system, so could the league eventually consider loaning some of its back-end roster candidates to the UFL?

‘Boy, I would love that,’ UFL executive vice president Daryl Johnston told USA TODAY in a phone interview.

Could UFL, NFL teams ever share players?

Johnston was quick to clarify there had not been any discussions about a potential path for the UFL and NFL to share players. However, he opined that such an arrangement could benefit both parties.

Why? Because it would allow players more time to get live, on-field reps, which he believes is key in player development.

‘With the restriction in [practice] time at the collegiate level, the restriction in [practice] time at the professional level, sometimes the detail and the time on task is not enough for these guys to really understand,’ Johnston said.

Johnston believes NFL coaches would agree with his assessment, citing a 2019 conversation he had with Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland in 2019 as evidence.

At the time, Johnston was the general manager of the San Antonio Commanders, a member of the short-lived Alliance of American Football (AAF). He and Stoutland were discussing Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, who was a rugby star before the Eagles selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL draft.

‘The greatest thing in the world would be for Jordan to come down to you and be able to play football and see it at game speed,’ Johnston recounted Stoutland saying.

That’s why Johnston believes the NFL and UFL creating a partnership would be ‘tremendous’ for both leagues. It would add an influx of talent to the spring league while enabling NFL teams to get fringe roster prospects in need of more seasoning – like Mailata in 2019 – live game reps in major roles.

Houston Roughnecks head coach CJ Johnson agrees with Johnston and is confident such a deal will happen sooner rather than later.

‘I guarantee you it’s coming right down the pipe,’ Johnson told USA TODAY of a UFL and NFL player-sharing partnership in a phone interview.

Johnson’s belief stems from the 63-year-old’s communications with NFL personnel. He noted that he has ‘a lot of contacts’ from his 12 NFL seasons with the New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears and the tone of his discussions with them changed markedly entering his third spring-league season.

‘They are on board with helping us with players,’ Johnson said. ‘Players that they probably want to take an extra look at, [I] call my buddies and they always tell me.’

‘They’ve been phenomenal,’ Johnson added. ‘The first year, not so much. The second year was a click better. But this year, that’s the thing: the partnership with the NFL and the spring league is going really well.’

So, while nothing is imminent for a UFL and NFL player sharing program, the spring league remains hopeful it could be a part of its long-term future.

‘I definitely think the timing is getting to that point where it could be a really, really good fit and a win-win for both sides,’ Johnston said. ‘So hopefully, that’s a conversation we can get on the table here in the near future.’