Mike Tirico simultaneously hosted NBC’s Super Bowl 60 and 2026 Winter Olympics coverage.
This was Tirico’s first time calling a Super Bowl.
Immediately after the Super Bowl, Tirico flew from California to Milan to continue his Olympic hosting duties.

LIVIGNO, Italy – This is not Mike Tirico’s first rodeo – or first February trip crisscrossing the globe to announce the world’s most popular sporting events, the Super Bowl and the Olympics.

Tirico was simultaneously the centerpiece of NBC’s Super Bowl 60 production and the network’s 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics coverage. He hosted the opening ceremony from Beijing in 2022 ahead of Super Bowl 56 coverage, flew to Los Angeles for his ‘Football Night in America’ hosting duties on top of his Olympic responsibilities and stayed stateside (at NBC headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut) for the remainder of the Games.

But this year was the first time Tirico led play-by-play for the Super Bowl, a 29-13 Seattle Seahawks victory over the New England Patriots, before hopping a plane for Italy and the Olympics.

“It was as great as I could have imagined,” Tirico told USA TODAY Sports by phone from Milan. “At no point did I sit there and go ‘It’s over a billion people watching.’ There was none of that.”

NBC Sports executive producer Rob Hyland checked in with Tirico last week and reminded him to enjoy the experience. That remained in the back of his mind. The gorgeous California day that greeted Super Bowl attendees only reinforced it.

“I had a blast … it was as enjoyable a day as I’ve had in this business,” he said.

Tirico spent the halftime show featuring Bad Bunny on an Olympics production call – Bruce Springsteen was the only act he would have skipped it for, he joked. He was part of Sunday night’s Olympics coverage and contributed with confetti strewn at his feet from the field at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. There was the familiarity with hosting in that environment from Super Bowl 56, but he didn’t have to host the Lombardi Trophy presentation onstage this time.

“It was actually easier this time around,” he said.

Lindsey Vonn’s crash starts Tirico’s Super Sunday at 2:30 a.m.

Earlier that morning, at roughly 2:30 a.m. Pacific time, Tirico woke up to watch Lindsey Vonn, whose crash resulted in a complex tibia fracture.  

“You just feel awful for her,” said Tirico, who’s gotten to know Vonn over the past three Winter Games cycles.

Although he missed Breezy Johnson’s gold-medal-winning women’s downhill run live, he stayed awake to watch her clinch the top spot. Then he went back to sleep for 90 minutes before starting his day.

After the Super Bowl, Tirico and about a dozen fellow NBC staffers boarded a private Bombardier Global 7500 for the 10.5-hour flight from the West Coast to Milan.

“So appreciative that we were able to get over on time, and very comfortabl(y),” Tirico said. “It’s, again, not something that you get to do ever in life and it was just the ideal way to get off the plane and be ready to do the prime-time show (Feb. 9), with enough time to do it as well.”

Tirico slept for about half of the flight and spent the other half watching the prime-time show. He also reviewed materials for the Feb. 9 show. Tirico said he’s watched highlights of the Super Bowl but hasn’t sat down to rewatch the broadcast and critique it, something that might not happen until after the Olympics. He’ll have plenty of time during his NBA travels once the Olympics end or during his eventual, actual offseason, he said.

Wheels down in Milan, Tirico stays prepped for East Coast time

The group landed just before 9 p.m. Milan time and Tirico was in another production meeting during the drive from the airport to his hotel. After about an hour there, he was at the International Broadcast Center and hosted “Primetime in Milan” from 11:30 p.m. local time. After the show, he was even able to unpack back at the hotel.

But there was a point Monday night that the travel and work had Tirico feeling tired for a few minutes. But hardly 16 hours after landing in Italy, he’s back in his Paris 2024 Summer Olympics routine – and the key is to keep his body on East Coast time.

After the Feb. 9 show, he slept for five hours, snuck in a 25-minute session on the treadmill and headed to work.

Tirico’s Olympic preparation has lasted years, he said. He hosted the World Figure Skating Championships in March 2025. He sat down with stars such as Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin prior to the NFL season and was able to concentrate on the Super Bowl throughout January – once NBC’s playoff games during the wild-card round and divisional round concluded.

“All these building blocks were in place, and you’re just adding on,” Tirico said. “So I’d say it was probably a little heavier toward the Super Bowl, but a lot of the Olympics planning was hay in the barn already.”

Tirico said he has full trust and confidence in NBC’s producers and editorial crew to address topics that expand beyond the realm of sport, such as president Donald Trump’s social-media criticism of men’s free skier Hunter Hess.

“That’s not what Americans are tuning in for in prime time,” Tirico said.

Tirico said he’d love to have the chance to pop up to Cortina were it a 40-minute train ride, but that’s not the case. He still expects these games to be “a helluva lot better than Beijing” in terms of having the chance to showcase Milan and the rest of northern Italy where the Olympics are taking place.

“There’s a feel in Milan of things that are going on,” said Tirico, who had only been in Italy for one night.

Not that he needed much sleep anyway.

Team USA captain Hilary Knight, appearing in her fifth Olympics, has tied two career U.S. Olympic records at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

Her assist against Canada on Tuesday, Feb. 10, gave her 32 career points, tying U.S. recordholder Jenny Potter. She picked up an assist on Caroline Harvey’s opening goal, though it wasn’t awarded until later in the game.

Knight earlier tied a U.S. Olympics women’s hockey record when she scored in the 5-0 win against Finland on Saturday, Feb. 7. That gave Knight her 14th career Olympic goal, matching the U.S. record jointly held by Natalie Darwitz and Katie King.

Knight next suits up in the quarterfinals against host Italy (time and date TBA).

Here’s what to know about Team USA women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight:

How many Olympic goals and points does Hilary Knight have?

Knight has 14 goals, tying the U.S. Olympic record shared by Natalie Darwitz and Katie King. She has 32 points, tying Jenny Potter’s U.S. Olympic record. Her 18 assists are three behind Potter’s record of 21.

How many Olympics has Hilary Knight played in?

Milano Cortina is Hilary Knight’s fifth Olympic appearance. She also played in Vancouver (2010), Sochi (2014), Pyeongchang (2018) and Beijing (2022).

How many medals does Hilary Knight have?

She won a gold medal in 2018 and silver medals in 2010, 2014 and 2022.

Where does Hilary Knight play in the PWHL?

Knight plays for the expansion Seattle Torrent in the Professional Women’s Hockey League. She played for Boston the previous two seasons.

How old is Hilary Knight?

Knight is 36 years old.

MILAN — The men of figure skating took their first turn in the singles competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday, and ‘Quad God’ Ilia Malinin lived up to the hype with a short program that scored a 108.16 and drew a massive standing ovation from the crowd.

“I definitely felt like I was in a better zone this time,” he said.

The gold medal favorite sits atop the standings entering the free skate on Feb. 13, after which medals will be awarded.

“Having that attention, all those eyes on you, that pressure really shows you who you truly are on the ice,” he said. “It’s another skill to be able to perform it under pressure. I think that’s something I really enjoy.”

Watch Olympics figure skating on Peacock

Teammate Maxim Naumov, making his Olympic debut, skated second in the lineup, scoring a season-best 85.65. In the kiss-and-cry section after, the 24-year-old held with him a photo of him as a 3-year-old with his parents, who died the plane crash that killed 67 people near Washington D.C. just more than a year ago. Fellow American Andrew Torgashev turned in a score of 88.94, putting him in second through Group 3.

The men’s singles competition began just two days after Malinin’s clutch performance earned the U.S. gold in the team event. There were 29 skaters in the field and the top 20 advance to the free skate on Feb. 13, after which medals will be awarded.

Follow along below for USA TODAY Sports’ live results and highlights from the men’s short program.

Ilia Malinin short program

Ilia Malinin screamed in joy halfway through his short program in the men’s competition Tuesday night at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He had just completed his three industrial strength jumping passes without a hitch, including two majestic quadruple jumps. Now he was flying past center ice, and his emotions got the better of him, and he let out a yelp into the icy arena air. He was back, and he knew it.

His score? 108.16 points, a healthy five points ahead of Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, who had 103.07. With a long program packed with his record-breaking seven quads, Malinin is back to being the strong favorite to win the gold medal Friday night. How things have changed for him since his shaky short program in the team event over the weekend. 

Figure skating live results, updates

Here are the standings after the short program of the men’s singles competition.

Ilia Malinin (United States): 108.16 total segment score, 62.35 technical elements score, 45.81 program components score.
Yuma Kagiyama (Japan): 103.07 total segment score, 56.50 technical elements score, 46.57 program components score.
Adam Siao Him Fa (France): 102.55 total segment score, 57.27 technical elements score, 45.28 program components score.
Daniel Grassl (Italy): 93.46 total segment score, 52.73 technical elements score, 40.73 program components score.
Mikhail Shaidorov (Kazakhstan): 92.90 total segment score, 52.45 technical elements score, 40.49 program components score.
Junhwan Cha (Korea): 92.72 total segment score, 50.08 technical elements score, 42.64 program components score.
Kevin Aymoz (France): 92.64 total segment score, 48.55 technical elements score, 44.09 program components score.
Andrew Torgashev (United States): 88.94 total segment score, 48.56 technical elements score, 40.38 program components score.
Shun Sato (Japan): 88.70 total segment score, 46.77 technical elements score, 41.93 program components score.
Stephen Gogolev (Canada): 87.41 total segment score, 48.23 technical elements score, 39.18 program components score.
Kyrylo Marsak (Ukraine): 86.99 total segment score, 49.20 technical elements score, 37.69 program components score.
Petr Gumennik (Neutral Athlete): 86.72 total segment score, 48.43 technical elements score, 38.29 program components score.
Boyang Jin (China): 86.55 total segment score, 47.79 technical elements score, 38.76 program components score.
Maxim Naumov (United States): 85.65 total segment score, 47.77 technical elements score, 37.88 program components score.
Nika Egadze (Georgia): 85.11 total segment score, 45.85 technical elements score, 39.26 program components score.
Matteo Rizzo (Italy): 84.30 total segment score, 42.49 technical elements score, 41.81 program components score.
Deniss Vasiljevs (Latvia): 82.44 total segment score, 42.34 technical elements score, 40.10 program components score.
Aleksandr Selevko (Estonia): 82.02 total segment score, 41.33 technical elements score, 41.69 program components score.
Lukas Britschgi (Switzerland): 80.87 total segment score, 40.61 technical elements score, 40.26 program components score.
Adam Hagara (Slovakia): 80.30 total segment score, 45.17 technical elements score, 35.13 program components score.
Vladimir Samoilov (Poland): 77.57 total segment score, 40.88 technical elements score, 36.69 program components score.
Kao Miura (Japan): 76.77 total segment score, 37.44 technical elements score, 40.33 program components score.
Donovan Carrillo (Mexico): 75.56 total segment score, 39.71 technical elements score, 36.85 program components score.
Yu-Hsiang Li (Chinese Taipei): 72.41 total segment score, 39.84 technical elements score, 32.57 program components score.
Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté (Spain): 69.80 total segment score, 34.25 technical elements score, 35.55 program components score.
Hyungyeom Kim (Korea): 69.30 total segment score, 37.92 technical elements score, 32.38 program components score.
Andreas Nordeback (Sweden): 67.15 total segment score, 31.45 technical elements score, 35.70 program components score.
Fedora Kuliss (Latvia): 66.86 total segment score, 35.83 technical elements score, 32.03 program components score.
Vladimir Litvintsev (Azerbaijan): 63.63 total segment score, 31.13 technical elements score, 32.50 program components score.

When does Ilia Malinin skate next?

After the short program Tuesday, Malinin will next perform his free skate Friday, Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. ET. After the free skate, medals will be awarded for the men’s individual competition, which combines scores from both the long and short programs.

Are backflips allowed in figure skating?

They are now. For nearly 50 years, the backflip was banned in figure skating, after American skater Terry Kubicka became the first one to execute it at the 1976 Innsbruck Games. French skater Surya Bonaly did it at the 1998 Winter Olympics, landing it on one blade, but the move was illegal and she was deducted for it. 

The International Skating Union reversed course and made the move legal in 2024, paving the way for it to be done at the 2026 Winter Olympics, 50 years after it was first done.

Maxim Naumov’s parents

Maxim Naumov made sure to bring the memory of his parents to the 2026 Winter Olympics. 

The U.S. figure skater made his Olympic debut Tuesday, Feb. 10 in the men’s short program, fulfilling the lifelong dream of his parents, former skaters Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova. 

Naumov’s parents died in the midair collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C in January 2025 that killed 67 people. Vadim and Evgenia were among the 28 figure skating coaches, young athletes and parents killed who were returning from a development camp.

After delivering an emotional performance inside the Milano Ice Skating Arena, Naumov held up a picture of his parents in the kiss-and-cry section as he waited to hear his scores. Before a skater begins their program, a message from them is displayed on the Jumbotron inside Milano Ice Skating Arena. His message was, ‘Mom and Dad, this is for you.’

He was the second skater of the 29 scheduled to compete on the day, and Naumov was clean in his program, starting it off strong with a quad Salchow. By the end of it, he earned a score of 86.65, a season-best.

Andrew Torgashev nails program

There were no misses from the “pizza king,” as Andrew Torgashev stunned on the ice to deliver a season-best performance and catapult himself up the leaderboard for the moment.

He executed his first two elements in the quad toeloop and the triple Axel in perfect fashion, with no slip-ups for the rest of the performance. He got a score of 88.94, becoming the second American to have a season-best on the night after Maxim Naumov did it earlier.

It’s a stellar start for Torgashev as the short program wasn’t necessarily his strong suit; the free skate is where he has really shined. But he has carried a huge amount of momentum ever since 2026 began, and it puts him in the conversation for a high finish in the long program.

AIN at Olympics? It’s not a country

Officially, Russia is banned from the Olympics because Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. At the 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina, there will be no Russian flags, no Russian anthems and no Russian national colors incoporated in the competition. (The same holds true for Belarus, which has supported Russia in the war.)

But there will be athletes with Russian and Belarussian passports competing as ‘Individual Neutral Athletes,’ or AINs for short, if they meet specific conditions. That contingent will include 13 Russians and seven Belarussians, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Jan. 29. Read the full explainer about AIN. — Josh Peter

When did figure skating start in the Olympics?

Figure skating first made its Olympic debut at the Summer Games in London in 1908 and made another appearance in Antwerp in 1920, before becoming a Winter Olympic staple at the inaugural 1924 Chamonix Winter Games with men’s singles, women’s singles and pair skating events. Ice dancing was added to the program at the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympics, and the team event was first contested at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Ilia Malinin backflip

The ‘Quad God’ performed his first skate during the team event Saturday, Feb. 7, and he became the first skater since 1998 to perform a backflip at the Games, and the first since it was unbanned.

Malinin closed his performance with the stunning move than wowed the crowd at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. However, Malinin finished second in the event with a score of 98.00 after Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama pulled off a stunning routine that received 108.67 points.

Malinin then landed a backflip on one foot during his long program of the team event. Malinin was the first to pull off the one-foot move since French figure skater Surya Bonaly at the 1998 Nagano Winter Games. Bonaly landed it on one blade despite it being banned at the time and was deducted for it.

Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté‘s short program

After a whirlwind of a saga over music, Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté got to skate his beloved program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in the men’s short program on Tuesday, Feb. 10. Donning the signature Minion outfit, he skated to the music from the animated movie, with the crowd happily cheering him on every step of the way.

Sabaté was able to skate to his program after he revealed one week before the Olympics began he wouldn’t be able to use it due to copyright issues. It drew outrage from fans and even U.S. figure skaters who were eager to see it.

Shortly afterward, ClicknClear, a company that helps figure skaters use licensed music, got involved and worked with Universal Pictures and Sony to get all of the music approved just in time before the men’s singles event began.

Andrew Torgashev, what to know

An up-and-down 2025-26 season ended on high with Torgashev making his first Olympics. It didn’t seem possible a few months ago, when he didn’t finish in the top five of his Grand Prix events. However, all was fixed when he came up big at the U.S. championships, capped by a stellar outing in the free skate that earned him a second-place finish at nationals for the second straight year.

‘Took some time to just completely reset, reconnected with family, reconnected with my roots, and got back to skating,” Torgashev said after he made Team USA. “I knew I was capable, and some things were tight. Worked out the kinks and performed when I needed to.”

Facts about figure skating

Athleticism meets grace in figure skating, one of the most popular sports at the Winter Olympics. Whether skaters are performing gravity-defying jumps or experiencing a wide array of emotions in the designated ‘Kiss and Cry’ area, figure skating has captivated Olympic audiences across the world for more than a century. The 2026 Milano Cortina Games will be no different.

Here’s everything you need to know about figure skating and how it works at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Team USA figure skating roster

Men: Ilia Malinin, Maxim Naumov, Andrew Torgashev
Women:Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito
Pairs: Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea; Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe
Ice dance: Madison Chock and Evan Bates; Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik; Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko

How is figure skating scored?

A figure skating routine is made up of two scores: Technical elements score and program components score. The technical elements score is exactly what it sounds like: It’s for the jumps, spins and step sequences in a performance. The program components score is made of up composition, presentation and skating skills.

Why was the backflip banned in figure skating?

After American skater Terry Kubicka became the first person to execute a backflip at the 1976 Innsbruck Games, the International Skating Union banned it within a year because it believed it was too dangerous of a move.

Quad axel in figure skating

Malinin is the only skater in history to achieve a quadruple axel in competition. That feat earned him the nickname ‘Quad God.’

What is a quad axel though? Here’s a full explanation of Malinin’s iconic move. A quadruple axel requires four-and-a-half rotations in order to complete. It’s so difficult, in fact, that it was once considered impossible to perform.

Who is Maxim Naumov?

After Maxim Naumov finished in fourth place at the 2025 U.S. figure skating championships for the third straight year, his father, Vadim, wanted to game plan.

Vadim and Maxim’s mother, Evgenia Shishkova, were two-time Olympic pair skaters for Russia, and they knew Maxim’s upcoming year was critical with the 2026 Winter Olympics on the horizon.

A few days later, Vadim and Shishkova were among the 67 people killed in the midair collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C. They were among the 28 figure skating coaches, young athletes and parents who were returning from a development camp. An unimaginable tragedy, and Naumov didn’t know if he could skate anymore.

Read the full story from reporter Jordan Mendoza.

Listen to ‘Milan Magic’ on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch full episodes on YouTube or on USA TODAY.

Figure skating jump types

Toe jump: A skater drives the toe pick of their non-takeoff foot into the ice to launch themselves into the air and generate momentum into the jump.

Toe loop: A skater takes off backward and lands on the same back edge of their blade.
Lutz: A skater moving backward jumps off the back outside edge of their skate and uses the toe-pick of their other skate to catapult into the air in the opposite direction and lands on the back outside edge of the picking leg.
Flip: A skater launches off the back inside edge of one skate and lands on the back outside edge of the other skate.

Edge jump: A skater takes off not with their toe pick but off the edge of their skate.

Salchow: A skater launches off the back inside edge of one skate and lands on the back outside edge of their other skate.
Axel: The only forward-facing jump, a skater lands on the back outside edge of their non-takeoff foot while traveling backward. The axel is the hardest jump because of the extra half-revolution that comes with a forward takeoff and a backward landing.
Loop: The skater jumps off a back outside edge of their skate and lands on the same edge.

CORTINA d’AMPEZZO, Italy ― There was no way the number could be right.

Next to Mikaela Shiffrin’s name was a 15, and it wasn’t her bib number.

The greatest slalom skier of all time had finished 15th in her run in the team combined, dropping her and Breezy Johnson to fourth place Tuesday, Feb. 10. It is shocking enough when Shiffrin isn’t on the podium after a slalom race, let alone being outside the top five.

But 15th? Aside from a few ‘did not finishes,’ that hasn’t happened in a slalom race in more than a decade, since before she won her first Olympic gold medal and rewrote the record book.

‘I was so inspired and proud of (Breezy),’ a somber Shiffrin said, referring to Johnson winning the downhill run two days after winning the Olympic downhill title. “And I was really taking that into my own mentality coming out for the solemn run and didn’t quite nail — I didn’t quite find a comfort level that allows me to produce full speed.”

Shiffrin is never one to make excuses, and she wasn’t about to start now. Asked why she couldn’t find that comfort level, she said it’s a “feeling under the feet.” But what prompted that, she didn’t want to get into the details.

Besides, does it really matter? In a season when Shiffrin has been near-unbeatable in slalom races — she has won seven and been second in the other — she was third-to-last. A full second slower than Germany’s Emma Aicher, who had the fastest slalom run to boost her and Kira Weidle-Winkelmann to the silver medal.

‘It comes from a lot of different variables. It is a sport of fine margins and a lot of variables,” Shiffrin said. ‘This kind of thing happens more often than not in training where it’s like, ‘Oh, I don’t quite feel comfortable enough.’

‘There’s a certain amount of luck when it goes right, but there’s also a feeling that I’m going to work to achieve for the slalom race coming up.”

But hanging over Shiffrin, like the clouds and snow that had descended over the Olimpia delle Tofane course, is the specter of Beijing.

Shiffrin won three medals, two of them gold, in her first two Olympics, and she went to the 2022 Winter Games favored to add a few more to her collection. Instead, she skied out of three races: the slalom, the giant slalom and the slalom portion of the individual combined. Her best individual finish was a ninth in the super-G.

It’s an aberration in her illustrious career, something to be written off as a fluke or the convergence of a perfect storm of circumstances. Especially since she hasn’t experienced anything like that since.

Until now.

In a race when other skiers were going all out, Shiffrin appeared almost tentative. Instead of her usual almost hypnotic rhythm that carries her from one gate right into the next, she seemed to be picking her way down the course.

‘It’s very specific in the conditions we saw today where it’s the first time that we’ve seen any conditions like that this season,’ Shiffrin said. ‘And I didn’t adjust to it, not yet. But that was a great opportunity to learn.’

It is far too soon to say that Shiffrin has a mental bloc about the Olympics. This is one race, and there is more potential for unexpected results in slalom than other disciplines. Austria’s Katharina Truppe, who is fourth in the slalom standings this season, was 13th. Switzerland’s Melanie Meillard, who was eighth in slalom last year, DNFd.

But there is a different standard for Shiffrin, whose 108 World Cup wins are more than any other skier, male or female, and a record that is unlikely to ever be broken. Fairly or not, until Shiffrin steps on an Olympic podium again, the doubts caused by Beijing will follow her.

‘The work we’ve done, I’ve been so prepared for so much, for all the slaloms this year,’ Shiffrin said. “So there’s something to learn from this day and I’m going to learn it.”

A bad day is sometimes just a bad day. At the Olympics, though, everything is magnified, and for no one more than Shiffrin.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), would not commit to pausing operations for the 2026 World Cup during a hearing on Tuesday, Feb 10.

Lyons was one of three senior immigration officials called to testify before the U.S. House Department of Homeland Security Committee.

It was the first hearing since federal law enforcement officers fatally shot two U.S. citizens last month in Minneapolis.

The incidents in Minneapolis occurred amid a widespread immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, which has impacted U.S. citizens and non-citizens alike.

With the U.S. set to serve as a co-host of the Men’s World Cup this summer, there have been concerns over how welcoming the country will be to visitors, as well as how it will treat some residents of the United States.

Even former FIFA president Sepp Blatter said last month that he believes fans should avoid traveling to the United States for the tournament.

One of the U.S. lawmakers who expressed concern during the hearing on Tuesday was Rep. Nellie Pou, a New Jersey Democrat whose district includes MetLife Stadium, which will host eight matches during the World Cup, including the final.

‘My district will host World Cup matches and hundreds of thousands of visitors will come,’ Pou said during the hearing. ‘Visitors’ confidence is plummeting and jeopardizing the World Cup.’

Pou asked if Lyons and ICE would commit to pausing operations at World Cup games and ‘other FIFA-sanctioned public events.’

‘ICE, specifically Homeland Security Investigations, is a key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup,’ Lyons responded. ‘We’re dedicated to securing that operation, and we’re dedicated to the security of all our participants as well as visitors.’

‘You realize that if they feel that they’re going to be wrongfully incarcerated or wrongfully pulled out, that’s going to hurt this entire process?’ Pou said. ‘I hope you realize that.’

Lyons replied, ‘Yes, ma’am, and ICE is dedicated to ensuring that everyone that visits the facilities will have a safe and secure event.’

Pou replied: ‘Without these assurances, our local communities and national reputations will indeed be (harmed).’

Lyons’ words echoed those of Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House’s 2026 World Cup task force.

In December, Giuliani was asked directly if the Trump administration would rule out conducting immigration raids at World Cup matches.

‘The president does not rule out anything that will help make American citizens safer,’ Giuliani replied.

It’s been a decade since the Rams franchise returned to Los Angeles from St. Louis. Only one player on the Rams’ 2025 roster had played for the franchise in St. Louis.

Today, he called it a career.

Right tackle Rob Havenstein announced on his Instagram page that he is retiring from the NFL after 11 years with the Rams franchise.

’11 years, 150+ starts, 4 time captain, 4 NFC West Championships, 2 NFC Championships and 1x Super Bowl Champion. What a ride it’s been! I can look back on my career and smile knowing I have given everything I had and more to the game I love,’ Havenstein wrote.

‘In saying that, I am officially retiring from the NFL.’

The then-St. Louis Rams selected Havenstein in the second round, No. 57 overall from Wisconsin in the 2015 NFL Draft.

He was in the same Rams draft class as running back Todd Gurley and quarterback Sean Mannion, who was recently signed by the Philadelphia Eagles to be the team’s offensive coordinator.

‘Thank you to all my teammates, coaches, and fans who have supported me and helped me over these past 11 years,’ Havenstein wrote. ‘I have had the time of my life with the Los Angeles Rams (formerly known as the St. Louis Rams) and can’t thank the whole organization enough for giving me a shot back in 2015.’

Havenstein thanked his wife, Meaghan, and his parents.

‘I need to thank my wonderful wife [Meaghan] for being by my side the entire way,’ he wrote. ‘The support you have given me over the years can’t be put into words. But I see it every time I look at our 3 beautiful daughter’s faces. Love you always.

Mom and Dad, from when I picked up the game freshman year at Linganore, through my time at the University of Wisconsin, and still to this day you have supported me in every venture of life. I can’t thank you enough.’

Havenstein played in 148 games for the Rams over his 11 seasons in the league.

‘As this chapter ends, I couldn’t be more grateful, hopeful, and excited to see what comes next!’ he said.

Havenstein’s retirement leaves just two players from the 2015 St. Louis Rams still in the NFL: punter Johnny Hekker and quarterback Case Keenum. Hekker played for the Tennessee Titans and Keenum for the Chicago Bears in 2025.

Andrew Torgashev is becoming a household name as one of three Americans competing in the figure skating competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics. But he ate his way into one of the more distinct nicknames at the Milan Cortina Games.

As Torgashev completed his short program during the men’s individual skate on Tuesday, Feb. 10, the NBC broadcast made sure to highlight that the 24-year-old also goes by ‘The Pizza King.’ It’s even in his official Team USA bio and stems from an unorthodox ‘pizza diet’ a few years ago in which Torgashev ate pizza for 53 days in a row.

‘My relationship with pizza started (in) 2022,’ Torgashez said last month at U.S. Nationals. ‘I ended up losing weight and getting my quad toeloop back during this time. So it was successful. Since then, I’ve ramped down the amount of pizzas I eat.’

Whatever he’s doing seemed to be working in his first individual skate at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Torgashev notched a score of 88.94 and was in second place with the short program about halfway complete. He also won a gold medal representing the United States in the team event earlier this week.

Torgashev, when asked about his favorite pizza last month, said ‘barbecue chicken is awesome, and if you do like honey and prosciutto.’

— USA TODAY Sports reporter Jordan Mendoza contributed to this story