The Buffalo Bills defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-24 in an AFC wild-card playoff game.
This victory marked the Bills’ first road playoff win since January 1993.
Quarterback Josh Allen scored the game-winning touchdown with just over a minute remaining.
Buffalo will advance to the AFC divisional round to play either the Broncos or Patriots.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It is a battered, well-traveled and playoff-tested cape that Josh Allen seems to put on when the going gets tough.

And it still works.

Allen, the rugged Buffalo Bills quarterback and reigning NFL MVP, added to his legend to open the AFC playoffs on Sunday at EverBank Stadium.

In a game that included Allen retreating twice to the medical tent on the sideline for injury evaluations – first it was to check a possible concussion, then he had an exam after twisting a knee – he sure stood tall at the end.

Never mind that Allen came into the game nursing a foot injury. Forget that on his biggest completion of the game, just before the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter, it would have never happened if he had flinched.

To connect with the 36-yard strike to Brandin Cooks, who ran a post pattern while Allen was forced to throw the ball off his back foot, the quarterback had to wait, wait and wait to absorb a blow to his midsection.

Next thing you know, Allen was seen barreling 10 yards on the Bills’ version of the “Tush Push” – have you ever seen one of those rugby-styled scrums move a pile so far? – to set up his 1-yard winning score in a 27-24 verdict that just had to break the hearts of the Jacksonville Jaguars and their rabid fans.

This is what you get from the 6-foot-5, 237-pound Allen, especially in the playoffs: An NFL version of The Bionic Man.

“He’s a fricking dog,” Bills tight end Dawson Knox explained from his stall in the visitor’s locker room. “He’s a warrior. I’ve never seen him miss more than a play or two at a time without trying to fight someone to get back on the field. No one probably fully understands what type of pain he’s going through, but he makes it seem like it’s nothing.

“You ask him if he’s fine. ‘Yeah, yeah I’m good.’ But the dude’s a warrior, man. That’s what gets the guys going and makes us want to put everything out there for him as well.”

At one point in the game, Allen threw a pass and smashed his throwing hand off the helmet of one of his linemen. He grimaced, then kept on ticking. For a brief period, some of his passes seemed to lose a little zip. But none of that doomed the Bills.

Allen completed 28 of 35 passes for 273 yards, with a 15-yard TD toss to Dalton Kincaid early in the fourth quarter – a pretty floater to the wide-open tight end in the left corner after he threw off the scent with a pump-fake that baited the defense to react to a screen – and he ran for 33 yards and two other scores. He didn’t commit a turnover, either.

Yet this wasn’t about stats as much as it was about the grit. The Bills (13-5) had to take the wild-card route to the playoffs after the Patriots seized the AFC East crown Buffalo had won for five consecutive seasons. And to get here, they had to take all sorts of body blows and survive through all sorts of adversity. The season started with the near-miracle comeback against the Ravens. They survived a shootout against Tampa. They came back big against the Bengals and at New England. Those could have easily been four losses.

Allen, though, is the perfect leader by example for the Bills – and sure enough it was demonstrated again with the season on the line.

“It trickles down from him, in terms of the team’s toughness,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “When your quarterback is that type of warrior, that type of competitor, from a leadership standpoint it just flows through your whole team.

“We’ve got to get him as healthy as we can next week. So, it’s not something we’ll take lightly. He took some hits today, but there were times we protected him well.”

McDermott brought up a couple relevant stats. Allen was sacked once and hit just three times by a physical Jaguars defense. “Credit to the O-line there,” the coach added.

Typically, Allen was rather nonchalant when meeting the media afterward. He certainly can take a bow for the history that came with the latest effort.

Fittingly, the Bills prevailed in a game that swung wildly in the fourth quarter – keeping with the flow from Saturday’s playoff openers and the topsy-turvy regular season. That the lead changed four times in the fourth quarter tied an NFL postseason record.

Then there was that other bit of history. Allen won a road playoff game for the first time in his career after four previous tries; and the franchise won its first road playoff game in 33 years. Still, a man who has been in the tournament before he obviously has bigger goals.

“Feels good,” he said. “At the same time, it just means we get another game, and we’ve got to find a way to put our best foot forward this week in practice, put together a good game plan and go out there to execute again next Saturday or Sunday, whenever we play.”

Allen knows. The reward for putting the negative road playoff streaks to bed is the opportunity to do it again. The sixth-seeded Bills will play at Denver or New England next weekend.

And with that, Allen may be on the verge of his best chance yet to lead the Bills to the Super Bowl – the prospects perhaps enabled by the fact that postseason nemesis Patrick Mahomes is not in this round of playoffs. Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson are not in the mix, either. Maybe the stars are aligning for something special.

Especially if the Bills employ mantra that Allen says they have adopted this season: Don’t blink.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell.

FOXBOROUGH, MA – The image looked like a modern-day tar and feathering. One New England Patriots defender beneath him and another crushing him from above, Justin Herbert looked upward from the turf of Gillette Stadium as Christian Elliss pounced on a loose ball with 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter and any chance of a Chargers’ comeback road victory in the AFC wild-card round gone. 

The Los Angeles Chargers’ season, for the second straight year, ended with a blowout loss on the road on the first weekend of the postseason. The list of excuses for this season’s finale is lengthy. Both starting offensive tackles, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, missed a combined 28 of 34 regular-season appearances between the two. Herbert himself played through a broken hand for the final month of the season. The Chargers struggled to run the ball all year long, and offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s scheme looked outdated by the end of the Patriots’ 16-3 victory on Sunday, which left Herbert still in search of his first playoff victory. 

“Haven’t figured that out yet,” Herbert said after the game. “That’s the tough part about the NFL. There (are) a lot of good teams, and (I) wasn’t good enough today.” 

Negligence is not the reason Herbert and the Chargers are once again in this position. Herbert didn’t throw four interceptions like he did a year ago against the Houston Texans, arguably the worst game of his professional career. But he and the offense came up with practically nothing against a Patriots defense that deserves more credit than it receives, sure, but is by no means a world-beater. 

Since taking Herbert sixth overall in 2020, the Chargers invested three first-round picks into the offensive line from 2021-24. The last five first-round picks by the team have been on the offensive side of the ball. Alt played in just six games and Slater missed the entire season. 

Running back Omarion Hampton battled injuries throughout his rookie campaign of 2025, including the week of the playoff game. Left guard Zion Johnson was the lone recent first-round pick available against New England (right guard Mekhi Becton was also a first-rounder, albeit not drafted by the Chargers), and receiver Quentin Johnston – the team’s 2023 first-round pick – finally blossomed into a reliable and productive target for Herbert this season. In 2024, the team took receiver Ladd McConkey 33rd overall; he had three catches on four targets for 32 yards. 

(The last defensive first-rounder taken by LA, Kenneth Murray in 2020, came as a result of a trade with the Patriots, coincidentally enough.)

“If anything, he’s the reason we’re in this position,” wide receiver Keenan Allen said of Herbert. Allen added that injuries “came back to bite us (Sunday).” 

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said last offseason that he is obsessed with the idea of helping Herbert gain entrance to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to the point that the thought of it keeps him awake at night. Herbert has a long way to go in that case, and Harbaugh better snag some NightQuil. With his talent, Herbert is certainly capable of that vision. The surrounding cast and various infrastructures around him may not be. 

“I really don’t have the answers. I wish I did. If I did, there would’ve been a different result,” Harbaugh said Sunday. “But that I am going to be spending – we’ll be spending a lot of hard work and maybe even sleepless nights getting it figured out. The way these players fight, the way they just give it their very best, their all, you know, we’ll owe them that and get on. Like I told the team, those that stay will be champions. Not looking at this as an end but as another beginning.”

If it’s not resource-allocation, then the most pressing issue is keeping these players healthy. 

Herbert is now 0-3 in the postseason and experienced a variety of crushing defeats to end a year. He’s been on the wrong side of an epic collapse, as the Chargers cratered against the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2022 season. He’s been utterly dominated by a good defense that went nuclear on the right afternoon (last year’s Texans game). And as of Sunday, he’s lost a defensive slugfest in which he had to run for his life – as he had all season. 

“Doing what he does. Taking hits. Getting back up. Trying to go back the next play and keep us in the game,” Allen said.  

Entering the playoffs, Herbert was hit 129 times, 18 more than any other quarterback. According to Next Gen Stats, he was pressured 268 times, 39 more than any other quarterback. Of those, 109 were defined as “quick pressures,” and he’s the only quarterback to face more than 100.

“Toughness, man. He was just trying to give us a chance. Every time I (saw) him – guys hitting him from the left, hitting him from the right – he just kept battling,” Chargers safety Derwin James said. “Nobody knows how hard it is back there when it’s like that. Credit to him for going out there and giving it his all all season. Not just this game. I got a lot of respect for ‘10.’” 

Another scary number for Herbert is that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings has as many playoff touchdown passes as he does (2). Jennings plays for one of the game’s most creative minds in 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. Herbert has been burdened by Roman’s scheme. Harbaugh said everything regarding the team would be evaluated and wouldn’t comment specifically on Roman’s future.

The Chargers’ defense handed the offense a pair of takeaways. Herbert certainly did enough to keep plays alive and target receivers downfield. Separation was not the standard for his wideouts. The embattled offensive line held up most of the time, but the Patriots nonetheless put enough pressure on him without blitzing additional defenders. 

He also had a broken bone in his non-throwing hand down the stretch, and Herbert still didn’t want to discuss the limitations he faced during the most important part of the season. 

“The training staff did a great job getting me ready to go,” he said. “As long as they felt safe and comfortable and I did as well, there was no issues. Just have to do a better job holding on to the ball.” 

Peyton Manning lost his first three playoff games and didn’t crack the win column in the postseason until his sixth season. Herbert’s sixth season just ended. Hosting playoff games – and therefore winning a division with the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and the new AFC power center of Denver –  feels like one way to snap the winless streak. Back-to-back 11-win seasons and making the playoffs in the first two years of the partnership is a solid foundation. It starts in the training room, keeping the offensive line healthy. Leaning into that will be the path forward for any Harbaugh-coached team. 

Perhaps that will make Harbaugh sleep better when it comes to assuring the greatness of Justin Herbert. Otherwise, the nightmare continues. 

Perhaps you don’t realize how urgent this matter really is. You’ve been coasting by, watching the All-Star voting updates thinking you still had time to vote for your guy, but time is running out! The NBA All-Star Game itself is little more than a month away, meaning voting ends this week!

You could be a Sacramento Kings fan looking to get some representation in one of the NBA’s biggest events of the season. You could be an Oklahoma City Thunder fan trying to remind everyone just how stacked your roster is. You could even be an Indiana Pacers fan looking at your team’s stats through tears. Regardless, you still have an opportunity to shape this year’s All-Star Game. And with a new format featuring the United States vs. the World, this could be one of the most-viewed NBA All-Star Games in recent memory. Why not take advantage, huh?

Here’s everything to know regarding All-Star voting and All-Star festivities for 2026:

When does NBA All-Star voting end?

NBA All-Star voting ends Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 11:59 p.m. ET (8:59 p.m. PT).

Votes have counted for triple on various days since polls opened: Dec. 21, Dec. 25, Dec. 30, Jan. 7. And votes will count for triple on Jan. 14 as well, meaning there is still time for small gaps in voting to be overcome by a dedicated fanbase.

The game will air on NBC, with streaming options available through Peacock.

Watch the NBA, including All-Star Game, on Peacock

When will All-Star starters be announced?

The starters will be revealed through a show on both NBC and Peacock on Monday, Jan. 19.

When will All-Star reserves be announced?

While an exact date has yet to be revealed, the reserves for the NBA All-Star Game are likely to be announced the last week in January.

NBA All-Star week events schedule

The festivities will begin on Friday, Feb. 13 with the HBCU Classic. That game will begin at 5 p.m. ET on Peacock and will take place at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.

That will be followed up with the Celebrity All-Star Game, beginning at 7 p.m. ET, also at the Kia Forum. That game will air on ESPN. Rosters for the Celebrity All-Star Game have not yet been announced.

The final event for Feb. 16 will be the Rising Stars Game, featuring several of the NBA’s best up-and-coming stars. That game has a 9 p.m. ET start time on Peacock from the Intuit Dome.

Saturday’s festivities will kick off with NBA All-Star Media Day on NBA TV. Later on Saturday will be the classic All-Star events such as the dunk contest, skills competition, and three-point challenge. NBA All-Star Saturday will begin airing at 5 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

When is the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?

The game is set for Sunday, Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. ET from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

We also got some big midseason recruiting news recently, as Boston College added Finnish national Oscar Hemming, while crosstown rival Boston U. brought in center Tynan Lawrence. Hemming, the younger brother of Dallas Stars prospect Emil Hemming, had been searching for a North American home since splitting with his Finnish club back home. He’s a potential first-round draft pick in 2026. Meanwhile, Lawrence will battle Penn State’s Gavin McKenna for the first slot overall in that same draft. He was previously in the USHL with Muskegon.

In the meantime, here’s a look at the top teams in the nation:

1. Michigan Wolverines (18-4-0)

Michael Hage (MTL) had a monster world juniors for Canada, leading the tournament in scoring and earning himself a bronze medal in the process. But Michigan got some bad news on the weekend when star netminder Jack Ivankovic (NSH) was injured during a sweep of Notre Dame.

2. North Dakota Fighting Hawks (17-5-0)

The Hawks have won nine of their past 10 games and have carved a path to the top of the NCHC in the process. It’s been a total team effort, but two of the notable contributors of late are forward Dylan James (DET) with five points in his past three games and defenseman Abram Wiebe (VGK) with three in the same span.

3. Western Michigan Broncos (16-6-0)

The defending champs are coming off a sweep of Denver and that’s no easy feat. Pesky forward William Whitelaw (CBJ) has been a terror of late, while goaltender Hampton Slukynsky (LA) has only surrendered a total of four goals in his past five outings – all wins, mind you.

4. Wisconsin Badgers (15-3-2)

Should the Wolverines falter without Ivankovic, the Badgers will be ready to pounce. Wisconsin has a tough schedule, however, with Michigan State and Penn State on consecutive weekends. Quinn Finley (NYI) has been a point-per-gamer for the squad and is currently on a four-game point streak.

5. Quinnipiac Bobcats (16-4-2)

An ECAC fan’s worst nightmare is a hot Quinnipiac team and unfortunately for them, the Bobcats are back at it. The 2023 national champions have won nine of their past 10, getting some incredible performances along the way. Freshman Ethan Wyttenbach (CGY) leads the charge with 31 points through 22 games.

6. Michigan State Spartans (15-5-0)

Splitting with Ohio State on the weekend wasn’t ideal, but a number of Spartans have been busy lately, from Sweden’s Eric Nilson (ANA) to Canada’s Porter Martone (PHI) and Team USA’s Ryker Lee (NSH). That showdown with Wisconsin next weekend will be a great acid test for both programs.

7. Penn State Nittany Lions (14-6-0)

It was a long, long break for the Nittany Lions, but at least a bunch of them were busy: Gavin McKenna (2026) ripped it up at the world juniors, while a number of Penn State players and coach Guy Gadowsky stole the hearts of the local Swiss fans at the Spengler Cup as part of a U.S. college selects team.

8. Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (16-6-0)

Bulldogs fans must have held their collective breath when Max Plante (DET) got hurt at the world juniors with Team USA, but luckily it wasn’t serious. He was back this weekend in a sweep of Lindenwood, doing what he does best: Racking up points. And of course, Jayson Shaugabay (TB) was in on the action, too.

9. Cornell Big Red (11-4-0)

It’s never fun to play big, bad Cornell and now the team is on a roll with five straight wins. The Big Red just swept back-to-back non-conference series against Omaha and Alaska, with a big match looming soon against Quinnipiac. Forwards Ryan Walsh (BOS) and Jonathan Castagna (UTH) are leading the offense.

10. Boston College Eagles (11-6-1)

The addition of Oscar Hemming (2026) will be very intriguing for the Eagles, who have some great offensive weapons already. James Hagens (BOS) didn’t exactly dominate at the world juniors, but there’s no need rushing him to the pro ranks anyway. Dean Letourneau (BOS) continues to thrive as a sophomore.

FOXBOROUGH, MA – In Mike Vrabel’s words, and his world, January football – the NFL playoffs in layman’s terms – are for the big dogs.  

And bloody lips, apparently. 

The New England Patriots head coach was on the receiving end of a celebratory head-butt from a helmeted Milton Williams late in the Pats’ 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday in the wild-card round. 

“We talked to them about spilling some blood out there, that the big dogs come out in January,” Vrabel said. “I think Milt took that to heart in the way he played the game, in the way he finished the game. He came over and got me pretty good.” 

New England will host the winner of the Pittsburgh Steelers-Houston Texans game (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC) next weekend. It was the Patriots’ first postseason win since Tom Brady and Bill Belichick defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 13-3, in Super Bowl 53. This time, it was Vrabel’s unit holding a different team from Los Angeles to three points. 

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, playing behind a banged-up and beleaguered offensive line for the final time this season, wasn’t bloodied as much as he was battered. The Patriots racked up 11 hits and six sacks across 31 dropbacks, with the signal-caller taking off on 10 rushing attempts (for 57 yards) on top of that. Herbert finished 19-for-31 with 159 passing yards. 

The final Patriots sack, by Williams on fourth down with less than two minutes remaining, is what sent the first-year Patriot to the sideline in a frenzy. Vrabel had brought up the “big dog” mantra in the first meeting of the week to him and fellow defensive lineman Christian Barmore. 

“We were hearing it all week,” said Williams, who won Super Bowl 59 as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles last season. “We showed up.” 

Williams’ was receptive to Vrabel’s patented needling.  

“I was like ‘All right, talk that (expletive), I want to hear it,’” he said. “I like when people talk (expletive), so I can – gives me a little extra juice.” 

Which resulted in him head-butting everybody – even his helmet-less coach.

“He’ll be all right,” Williams said. 

Patriots beat Chargers without MVP version of Drake Maye 

There were 26 touchdowns scored in the first four games of NFL wild-card weekend. Only one was needed to put the game decidedly in the hands of the Patriots. Quarterback Drake Maye hit tight end Hunter Henry with a perfect pass near the front-left pylon that turned a one-possession game into a two-score game with 9:15 remaining. 

For a quarterback who finished with the best competition percentage in the league and highest in team history (72.0), the final stat line – 17-for-29 for 268 yards through the air – will make his passing performance look better than the game tape. It was an inauspicious start for Maye in his playoff debut. The second-year signal-caller’s first halves have contained the bulk of his production in his MVP-contending campaign. Twenty-one of his 31 passing touchdowns and three of his four rushing scores came in the first half of games in 2025. But he was 6-for-15 in the first half with 95 passing yards, 48 of those coming on a checkdown to Rhamondre Stevenson. 

His legs were the deciding factor against the Chargers. As the first half concluded, he relied on his wheels – once to sneak for a first down, another to take off to move the chains again for a pickup of 8. The most effective rush was a 37-yard scramble – the longest run by a quarterback in Pats history – into the red zone to set up Andy Borregales’ 35-yard field goal to close out the first half and give New England a 6-3 advantage. 

“Bittersweet the season ended like this,” Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen said. “Definitely felt like we had a team that was capable of making a run for it.” 

The Chargers’ defense, meanwhile, kept the team in the game for nearly all 60 minutes. Two takeaways – one tipped interception and one strip-sack of Maye – were vital in that effort. But the Chargers were 1-for-10 on third down. The interception, induced by Teair Tart putting his hands up and deflecting it to Derwin James, who bobbled the ball that was finally hauled in by Daiyan Henley, set the Chargers up 10 yards from the end zone. 

“We got to take care of the football,” Vrabel said of his quarterback’s performance. “Thought he came through when we needed him. The tipped pass is something that was unfortunate. That turned into an interception. But the throw to Hunter I thought when we needed him was elite.”

Jim Harbaugh kept his offense on the field on fourth down instead of settling for a field goal and the Patriots came up with a key red-zone stop; the Chargers were 0-for-2 in the red zone. 

“We have to do better than three points,” Herbert said. “As an offense, it’s got good enough. Quarterback play wasn’t good enough. We let the defense down today.” 

New England outgained Los Angeles 381-207. Vrabel credited inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr for coming up with the game plan and calling the defensive plays. 

“They won the game for us,” Maye said of the Patriots’ defense. “I didn’t throw very well tonight. Need to be better. We did what we had to do. That’s what it takes in the playoffs. Proud of this team. That was fun to get one at home. Look forward to being back here next week.”

Herbert has been navigating a broken left hand for the last month of the season. His offensive line that had been without its best players (tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater) for most, if not all (as in Slater’s case), of the season. 

Maye had 55 rushing yards on 5 carries to sustain the Pats in the first half. He was the game’s leading rusher with 69 rushing yards on 7 attempts (prior to the three ceremonial kneel-down attempts to run out the clock) and avoided a relentless Chargers pass rush despite taking five sacks. 

And he showed off his elite arm talent, with a trio of intermediate touch passes against Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s zone-heavy scheme that went for chunk gains – including the touchdown to Henry. 

There have been plenty of “MVP” chants for Maye at Gillette Stadium this season. The ones following his touchdown toss to Henry were the loudest.

The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 in the NFC wild-card round.
San Francisco won despite losing tight end George Kittle to an Achilles injury during the game.
Christian McCaffrey scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including the game-winner from Brock Purdy.

PHILADELPHIA − The San Francisco 49ers may have suffered another rattling body blow in the NFC’s final wild-card bout of this postseason, but they still managed to deal the knockout punch to the reigning Super Bowl champions.

On a blustery day in the city where Rocky was deified, the decimated and bloodied Niners – despite losing Pro Bowl tight end and team captain George Kittle to an Achilles injury before halftime – emerged from their corner to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 23-19. The haymaker came on All-Pro Christian McCaffrey’s second touchdown catch of the fourth quarter, a 4-yard dart from quarterback Brock Purdy with 2:54 to go.

The Eagles were on the ropes at the period’s outset, with 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings – a highly recruited quarterback in high school – throwing a 29-yard TD to McCaffrey on a trick play similar to the one the team used in the Super Bowl two years ago on the first play of the quarter. McCaffrey finished with 114 yards from scrimmage, 66 of them through the air.

Overall, the Niners stacked up 361 yards − 70 better than coach Kyle Shanahan had averaged in four previous matchups with Philly defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who’d come out on the winning side three times prior to Sunday.

San Francisco will face the top-seeded Seahawks in the Pacific Northwest next weekend, two weeks after losing to them 13-3 in Silicon Valley – a defeat that conferred home-field advantage to Seattle.

The 49ers persevered on a day largely spent without Kittle and one when Ricky Pearsall, the club’s most dynamic wideout, was inactive. They’ve spent most of the season without star defenders Nick Bosa and Fred Warner as well as rookie D-lineman Mykel Williams, a first-round pick last spring. A team that’s lost 74 collective games to injuries to its Week 1 starters is now charged with overcoming its rested divisional rivals.

But history is on San Francisco’s side. In four previous trips to the playoffs under Shanahan, the Niners have never failed to advance at least as far as the NFC title game and reached the Super Bowl twice.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni suffered his first playoff loss at home after winning his first five at Lincoln Financial Field. Philly’s star-studded offense continued its disjointed pattern from throughout the season, with quarterback Jalen Hurts frequently off target and unable to rally the team on the final drive. It remains to be seen if much-maligned offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo will retain his role.

ST. LOUIS — The U.S. figure skating team for the 2026 Winter Olympics was revealed Sunday after four days of competition at the national championships. 

The roster, comprised of 16 skaters, includes some of the biggest stars in figure skating, including Ilia Malinin, Amber Glenn and Alysa Liu. Veteran ice dance pair Madison Chock and Evan Bates are in for their fourth Games together while Malinin and Glenn will make their Olympic debuts in Italy and Liu is headed for her second Games.

Isabeau Levito grabbed the last spot on the women’s side with Andrew Torgashev and Maxim Naumov joining Malinin on the men’s side.

Here are all the updates and reactions from the U.S. figure skating Olympic team reveal.

Who’s on US figure skating Olympic team?

The U.S. Figure Skating selection process focuses on the athlete’s body of work over the last two seasons.

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

Ilia Malinin makes first Olympic team

The “Quad God” is ready to shine on Olympic ice. Malinin is arguably the best skater on the planet, fully equipped with an elite arsenal others aren’t able to match, headlined by the quadruple Axel that earned him the nickname. He has dominated the competition, winning every event he’s been in since December 2023, including two World Championships. He will be the favorite to win America its second straight gold in men’s after Nathan Chen did in 2022.

Malinin on making the team: ‘It’s honestly a lot of work internally. A lot of people don’t see it from us because we come out here and perform when you have to be at our best out here for you guys, but it’s really a struggle for us behind the scenes and we all of you appreciate all of our energy and everything we’ve put out here and it just means so much to make this Olympic team.”

Watch our exclusive conversation with Ilia Malinin in the debut episode of ourMilan Magic Olympics podcast. Subscribe and listen:Apple Podcasts |Spotify |Amazon

Amber Glenn makes first Olympic team

After just missing out in 2022, Amber Glenn had a sensational season that left no doubt she would make her first Olympics. A fierce and powerful skater that is among the best in technical skill, she excelled at the U.S. championships for her third consecutive title, the first woman to accomplish the feat since Michelle Kwan. She can win medals at the Games. She is a major mental health advocate and has helped change the conversations about it in figure skating.  

Glenn on the feeling of being an Olympian: ‘It’s doesn’t feel real. I’ve been working at this for so, so long and I wouldn’t be here without the people behind me.’

Alysa Liu makes second Olympic team

Reigning world champion Alysa Liu retired in 2022 and has been nothing but marvelous since returning in 2024. She made a major statement by winning the 2025 world championship and capped off the year by winning the Grand Prix final, assuring she would return to the Olympics. She had two silver medals in the last two U.S. championships. She is very creative in her programs and with her carefree attitude, Liu possess the talent to win some hardware in Milano Cortina.

Liu on how different this feels from 2022: ‘Well, I’m not the youngest this time so I’m feelin’ older. Not really, but I’m really, really good and there’s people in the crowd, so I’m feeling the support.’

Liu on how she feels with this team announcement: ‘At 16, oof, I would’ve been so mad to see me up there,’ she said, motioning to the arena big screen, ‘but me right now, I’m really happy.

Maxim Naumov makes first Olympic team

It was less than a year ago that Maxim Naumov lost his parents in the midair plane crash near Washington, D.C., that devastated the figure skating community. Despite the immense loss, Naumov persevered and put on an incredible performance at the U.S. championships, including an emotional short program.

Naumov was the sentimental favorite to get the third spot on the Olympic team, and he did it. His performance afterward drew a standing ovation from the crowd as the emotions were out inside the Enterprise Center. Naumov covered his face with his hands almost in desbelief after he put on his official Team USA jacket.

Naumov on this moment: ‘We did it. We absolutely did it. God is good. God is good. Every day, year after year, we talked about the Olympics. It means so much in our familly and it’s what I’ve been thinking about since I’m 5 years old … So I can’t say into words how much this means to me.’

Naumov on the support he’s gotten the last year: ‘Unbelievable. Every message, every letter, every call, every text, I see it and it helps me.’

Naumov on what his parents would think of this moment: ‘I really hope that my mom watched because she never used to watch me skate. But they say we’re proud of you, but job’s not finished, we’re just getting started.’

Isabeau Levito lands on first Olympic team

Isabeau Levito, the 2023 national champion, defines beauty and grace on the ice that propelled her to a third place finish at nationals this week. The Olympics will be somewhat of a homecoming for her family as her mom is from Italy and she has family in Milan. She also speaks Italian and Russian.

Levito on what she’ll remember most from this week: ‘How perfect it went in, my opinion. This was my goal and my dream, and it feels so special that it came true.’

Levito on being able to skate in front of family in Italy: ‘Just crazy because this is what we all dream of and they’ve always supported my skating career. Just to be able to watch me in person, in real life, on the biggest stage is just insane.’

Chock and Bates make fourth Olympic team

The ice dance pair of Madison Chock and Evan Bates are headed to their fourth Olympics together. This comes on the heels of winning their fifth straight U.S. title and seventh overall. Their moms gave them their official Team USA jackets as they skated off the ice in a sweet moment.

Bates on what the tears after the free dance were about: ‘These guys,’ he said, motioning to their moms, ‘all of you, I mean, this is so special in an Olympic year to have support.’

Andrew Torgashev makes first Olympic team

Torgashev on the feeling of making the team: ‘The reality is better than what I imagined. My God, this is awesome.’

Torgashev on having his family with him: ‘It’s amazing. These are the peple that have my back through thick and thin, no matter what the weather is, they’re always here. I don’t have the words to extend my appreciation to them and thank you so much.’

Jason Brown misses Olympic team

With Andrew Torgashev and Maxim Naumov announced as two of the men’s skaters, and Ilia Malinin as a lock on the final spot, that means there won’t be a third Olympic appearance for Jason Brown.

It’s a tough break for the figure skating veteran. The beloved skater was the reason Team USA earned three spots in the men’s discipline. Going into U.S. championships, he seemed like a likely choice for the Olympic squad. However, he struggled immensely in the free skate, and it dropped him all the way to an eighth place finish. It ultimately cost him a chance to return to the Olympics.

Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe score final pairs spot

No top three finish this week, no problem for Emily Chan and Spencer Akria Howe as they secured the final pairs spot. They’ve had fourth place finishes at the last two U.S. championships.

Chan on how they rallied after the short program: ‘It’s been such a dream, even from the beginning, after what happened and how it ended up. We’ve stuck together and it’s still a dream.’

Howe on taking time off for basic training: ‘I just have to say a big thanks to the Army with that support, and me and Emily, it was a crazy roller coaster and through it all, I told her after the short, ‘Job’s not finished,’ and now here we are. It’s literally a miracle.’

Ellie Kam and Daniel O’Shea celebrate with Pitbull medley

The first Olympic appearance for Kam and O’Shea results in a showcase program that is to a medley of Pitbull. It’s an exciting program full of lifts that includes O’Shea diving underneath Kam’s legs, and they had plenty of family on hand to celebrate the achievement. 

Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik make first Olympic team

Zingas and Kolesnik have turned it up when it mattered, reaching the podium in four of the five events this season, capped off with the second place finish at the 2026 U.S. championships that punctuated the resume to send them to the Olympics. Kolesnik was born in Ukraine and obtained his American citizenship over the summer. They are also a couple, in a relationship since 2022.

Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko snag final ice dance spot

Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko have been in the top five of every event they’ve done since 2024, and they’ve placed in the top five of the past four U.S. championships, including two second place finishes. Their selection comes right on time as Carreira, a Canada native, obtained her American citizenship in November. Before then, they would drive across the Canada-U.S. border every day for practice. 

US figure skating Olympic team alternates

Women’s alternates: Bradie Tennell, Sarah Everhardt, Starr Andrews
Men’s alternates: Jason Brown, Tomiki Hiwatashi, Jacob Sanchez
Pairs alternates: Audrey Shin and Balazs Nagy; Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez; Chelsea Liu and Ryan Bedard
Ice dance alternates: Caroline Green and Michael Parson; Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville; Oona Brown and Gage Brown

Who won U.S. figure skating championships?

Ilia Malinin won the men’s title, Amber Glenn won the women’s crown. In ice dance, Madison Chock and Evan Bates won their seventh national title. In pairs, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov took the championship.

When do 2026 Winter Olympics start?

The opening ceremony for the Milano Cortina Games is Feb. 6. The closing ceremony is Feb. 22.

‘Quad God’ of figure skating: Ilia Malinin’s nickname

Simply put, Ilia Malinin has the greatest array of jumps any figure skater in history has ever possessed. He’s launched himself into the air for seven quadruple jumps in a single long program at last month’s Grand Prix Final and was the first skater to land a quad Axel.

Malinin’s username used to be Lutz God, but he changed it to Quad God after landing his first quad jump. 

“i didn’t think much about it … Days go by and people started asking, ‘Why’d you name yourself Quad God, you only landed one jump,’’ he said on Milan Magic, USA TODAY’s new Olympics podcast that drops its first episode Saturday. ‘And then I was like, ‘Oh, OK maybe I should be come a Quad God.’ From there I found my rhythm of landing quad after quad after quad and then of course landing the first quad axel.”

“In the most humble way possible, I think it’s definitely helped my confidence in not only to skating in general but just feeling like I deserve to be recognized as who I am.”

Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu on their friendship

USA TODAY Sports’ Jordan Mendoza spoke to Amber Glenn and Alysa Liu on the tight friendship they have formed. Here’s what they said.

What Liu said about Glenn: “She’s just such a big sister to me. The idea that we compete against each other, it’s so weird to me. I really just see her as one of my friends and truly one of my teammates. I don’t know, doing things with her is really fun.”

When Glenn said about Liu: “It’s been great to have someone that has such a positive outlook on skating and on her career around me. And then on the flip side, I have an extra pair of tights if she rips them and doesn’t have a backup, or I have the schedule ready because she doesn’t have it.”

Ilia Malinin’s parents

Malinin was born into figure skating. His mother, Tatiana Malinina, is from the Soviet Union, Siberia specifically, and competed at 10 consecutive world figure skating championships for Uzbekistan. She finished eighth at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, the competition in which Tara Lipinski won the gold medal and Michelle Kwan the silver. Malinina finished fourth at the 1999 world championships as well, and she also competed at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, but withdrew after the short program with the flu.

Malinin’s father, Roman Skorniakov, represented Uzbekistan at the same two Olympics, 1998 and 2002, finishing 19th both times. He and Malinina were married in 2000 and became skating coaches in the United States, moving to the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., where, in December 2004, Ilia was born. He took the Russian masculine form of his mother’s last name because his parents were concerned that Skorniakov was too difficult to pronounce.