ST. LOUIS — Ilia Malinin won his fourth consecutive U.S. figure skating championship on Saturday, the “Quad God” bringing the crowd to its feet in his final competition before he makes his Olympic debut at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games.

The free skate earned him a 209.78, bringing his championship-winning score to 324.88, a whopping 57.26 points ahead of second-place Andrew Torgashev and 75.72 points ahead of third-place Maxim Naumov. Malinin, who’s been breaking in new skates, did three quad jumps in his free skate, what he called playing it safe.

“I was coming into this one, I was a little unsure what I was gonna do, so I decided not to go for any risks and I wanted to play it safe because I know that hopefully in a few weeks I’ll have to go again,’ he said.

He said he will ‘really try to get comfortable with (the new skates), and I’m sure in a few weeks they’ll be in perfect condition, so I’m really looking forward to that process.”

Earlier Saturday, the ice dance duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates captured their seventh national title, an all-time record. It’s their fifth consecutive championship and it propels them to their fourth Olympic games together. U.S. Figure Skating will announce the 2026 Olympic team on Sunday.

‘The feeling that we got from the audience today was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before,’ Chock said after, tears welling in her eyes. ‘It felt so special, I felt so much love and joy and I’m so grateful for this moment to share with everyone here and to share with Evan. It’s been the most incredible, incredible career. Couldn’t have asked for anything more.’

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

Check out all the results and highlights from Day 4 of nationals below.

US figure skating championships results, standings

Here are the overall men’s standings.

Ilia Malinin: 324.88
Andrew Torgashev: 267.62
Maxim Naumov: 249.16
Jacob Sanchez: 249.07
Tomoki Hiwatashi: 247.24
Liam Kapeikis: 235.13
Daniel Martynov: 229.95
Jason Brown: 227.52
Lucius Kazanecki: 227.07
Kai Kovar: 225.75
Jimmy Ma: 225.71
Lorenzo Elano: 213.34
Goku Endo: 203.42
Michael Xie: 196.78
Samuel Mindra: 190.04
Emmanuel Savary: 188.14
Will Annis: 175.80
Ken Mikawa: 145.91

Here are the free skate scores.

Ilia Malinin: 209.78 total segment score, 116.17 technical elements score, 93.61 program components score.
Andrew Torgashev: 182.63 total segment score, 95.69 technical elements score, 86.94 program components score.
Jacob Sanchez: 167.80 total segment score, 85.24 technical elements score, 82.56 program components score.
Maxim Naumov: 163.44 total segment score, 80.08 technical elements score, 83.36 program components score.
Tomoki Hiwatashi: 157.98 total segment score, 76.29 technical elements score, 81.69 program components score.
Liam Kapeikis: 156.27 total segment score, 79.46 technical elements score, 76.81 program components score.
Lucius Kazanecki: 151.35 total segment score, 78.95 technical elements score, 72.40 program components score.
Jimmy Ma: 150.15 total segment score, 73.96 technical elements score, 77.19 program components score.
Kai Kovar: 148.84 total segment score, 73.41 technical elements score, 75.43 program components score.
Daniel Martynov: 148.32 total segment score, 73.56 technical elements score, 75.76 program components score.
Lorenzo Elano: 141.69 total segment score, 69.19 technical elements score, 73.50 program components score.
Jason Brown: 139.03 total segment score, 58.98 technical elements score, 82.05 program components score.
Michael Xie: 136.83 total segment score, 72.40 technical elements score, 64.43 program components score.
Goku Endo: 130.74 total segment score, 56.91 technical elements score, 73.83 program components score.
Emmanuel Savary: 127.93 total segment score, 59.63 technical elements score, 70.30 program components score.
Samuel Mindra: 125.02 total segment score, 53.76 technical elements score, 71.26 program components score.
Will Annis: 120.85 total segment score, 56.27 technical elements score, 64.58 program components score.
Ken Mikawa: 94.22 total segment score, 40.04 technical elements score, 55.18 program components score.

Ilia Malinin ‘Quad God’ 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.”

Andrew Torgashev dazzles, then gets pizza

We’ve reached the point of the lineup where the fight is on for the final men’s spots in the Olympics, and Andrew Torgashev made his case with a big statement.

He had an exceptional skate, starting with two quad toeloops to get the rhythm going and closing it with a tough choreo sequence. He got a standing ovation, and then got a box of pizza to celebrate it.

He received a season-best 182.63, and is now in first with a combined score of 267.62.

Jacob Sanchez’s emotional free skate

The future is bright for Jacob Sanchez, as the 18-year-old put on an exceptional performance in his free skate to take first place through Group 2. He began to cry once he completed his program as the crown serenaded him with an ovation. He was then greeted by his family just outside the rink as they waved their Puerto Rican flags.

Sanchez has had a meteoric rise since joining the senior ranks in November 2024, putting himself in the conversation for the third and final men’s spot on the Olympic team. Regardless of whether he makes it, Sanchez is making a name for himself and will be one to watch in the next Olympic cycle.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates win 7th US figure skating championship

Madison Chock and Evan Bates have another ice dance record.

The husband-and-wife duo have been on the podium at U.S. nationals every year since 2013. They have won five straight ice dance titles. And now they hold the record for most U.S. titles of all time, breaking a tie with Meryl Davis and Charlie White for most all-time.

‘The feeling that we got from the audience today was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before,’ Chock said after, tears welling in her eyes. ‘It felt so special, I felt so much love and joy and I’m so grateful for this moment to share with everyone here and to share with Evan. It’s been the most incredible, incredible career. Couldn’t have asked for anything more.’

Ultimately, their free dance yielded a double-digit victory — a program score of 137.17 and a total score of 228.87, 15.22 points than the second place team of Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik.

It’s just the latest feat in what’s been a dominant season for the married couple. Since the start of 2025, they have won all but one of the seven competitions they entered, including winning the Grand Prix final in December for the third straight year.

The couple’s return to the Winter Olympics is all but official, making Milano Cortina their fourth Games. The only thing that’s eludes them in their decorated careers is that ice dance Olympic medal after finishing just short of the podium in 2022.

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. 

Who is on the US Olympic figure skating team?

The team will be named on Sunday at 2 p.m. Three men and three women singles skaters will be chosen, as will three ice dance teams and two pairs, 16 athletes in all. The USFS selection process includes past performances, focusing on the athlete’s body of work over the past two seasons.

Ilia Malinin, Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito are roster locks, as are Madison Chock and Evan Bates. That leaves two spots open on the men’s side, two ice dance team spots and both pairs spots.

How does Ilia Malinin train for his quad jumps?

Malinin shared with Christine Brennan and Brian Boitano on Milan Magic, USA TODAY’s new Olympics podcast that drops its first episode Saturday, that he likes to skate a full program at least once a day, but that doesn’t mean every jump in that practice session must be a quad. It depends on how his body feels.

“For me, at least the standard base can be all triple jumps, just to keep that stamina, just to keep that stamina in there. But then, of course, depending on how I feel or how the training is going, then I can say, ‘Maybe tomorrow I can go for a full quad layout or maybe do a full quad and the rest can be triples.’ 

“I think the main focus for me is just running the whole program in itself with all the jumps, all the spins and really just getting that muscle memory in your head because I think a lot of the times, especially with me, if I do a certain amount of triple jumps and I feel comfortable with it, then I can go and the quad jumps will get a little easier for me because I’ve been practicing that muscle memory for a while.”

Ice dance overall standings

Madison Chock and Evan Bates: 228.87
Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik: 213.65
Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko: 206.95
Caroline Green and Michael Parsons: 202.05
Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville: 197.29
Oona Brown and Gage Brown: 194.31
Katarina Wolfkostin and Dimitry Tsarevski: 186.60
Leah Neset and Artem Markelov: 176.46
Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani: 173.17
Amy Cui and Jonathan Rogers: 172.39
Eva Pate and Logan Bye: 170.49
Elliana Peal and Ethan Peal: 169.60
Raffaella Koncius and Alexey Shchepetov: 166.62
Isabella Flores and Linus Colmor: 160.75
Vanessa Pham and Anton Spiridonov: 158.62

Here are the free dance scores.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates: 137.17 total segment score, 77.89 technical elements score, 59.28 program components score.
Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik: 127.67 total segment score, 72.17 technical elements score, 55.50 program components score.
Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko: 123.66 total segment score, 69.24 technical elements score, 54.42 program components score.
Oona Brown and Gage Brown: 118.59 total segment score, 67.15 technical elements score, 51.44 program components score.
Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville: 117.86 total segment score, 66.38 technical elements score, 51.48 program components score.
Katarina Wolfkostin and Dimitry Tsarevski: 111.61 total segment score, 62.33 technical elements score, 49.28 program components score.
Leah Neset and Artem Markelov: 105.18 total segment score, 57.74 technical elements score, 47.44 program components score.
Amy Cui and Jonathan Rogers: 104.79 total segment score, 59.23 technical elements score, 45.56 program components score.
Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani: 101.93 total segment score, 54.63 technical elements score, 47.30 program components score.
Raffaella Koncius and Alexey Shchepetov: 101.47 total segment score, 57.27 technical elements score, 44.20 program components score.
Elliana Peal and Ethan Peal: 100.00 total segment score, 55.38 technical elements score, 44.62 program components score.
Vanessa Pham and Anton Spiridonov: 97.21 total segment score, 54.07 technical elements score, 43.14 program components score.
Eva Pate and Logan Bye: 96.95 total segment score, 51.15 technical elements score, 46.80 program components score.
Isabella Flores and Linus Colmor Jepsen: 94.38 total segment score, 51.44 technical elements score, 42.94 program components score.
Caroline Green and Michael Parsons: 121.50 total segment score, 68.06 technical elements score, 53.44 program components score.

Ice dancing vs. figure skating

Ice dancing does not feature jumps or lifts, like you see figure skating pairs execute. Ice dancing is made up of two segments, the rhythm dance and the free dance.

How does Ilia Malinin come up with his programs?

It takes an innovative mind to be as sensational as Malinin, and his creative process is far from ordinary. He said much of it comes from his love of gymnastics and acrobatics, which is the reason why he’s able to perform so much stunning jumps.

“It really pushes me to push the envelope in skating, not only just in a performance aspect, but also give it even more athleticism, other than all the jumps, all the spins and all of the hard things,” he said. “It gives me a lot of fun, but at the same time, I feel like it’s very useful for the sport to bring in something new, so everyone has something unique to watch.”

When do 2026 Winter Olympics start?

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

Milan Magic: Listen on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Don’t call it a comeback.

It’s business as usual for the 2025 Chicago Bears, who live for the drama. They faced an 18-point halftime deficit. They faced an 11-point deficit with just under seven minutes to go. They trailed by three with just under three minutes to go.

None of that mattered.

In a true tortoise and the hare moment, Caleb Williams and the Bears crossed the finish line first to claim victory in the NFC wild-card game, defeating the rival Green Bay Packers, 31-27.

The comeback kids will now advance to the divisional round of the 2025 NFL playoffs, when they’ll host another game at Soldier Field. It was a familiar story for Ben Johnson’s Bears, who have flirted with disaster all season long before pulling off an improbable comeback in the final moments.

Even with that, this was a comeback for the history books. It was the Bears’ biggest postseason comeback in franchise history, which was capped by DJ Moore’s 25-yard touchdown from Williams with just 1:48 to go in regulation.

The NFL’s oldest rivalry has seen a lot through the years, but nothing like this. Chicago’s comeback is the story, but Green Bay’s first-half dominance will be forgotten after a second-half collapse when they were outscored 25-6 in the fourth quarter.

After all, it’s not how you start. It’s how you finish.

Here’s how the action unfolded in a wild, wild-card matchup between the Bears and Packers. USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more from the Bears-Packers game.

Bears vs. Packers takeaways

The Bears are never out of it: Chicago had every reason to quit. They were down three scores and the home crowd was demoralized as the Bears’ hated rival got whatever they wanted and more in the first half. Chicago had costly fourth-down failures that gifted the visitors great field position. Despite having every reason to pack it up, the Bears kept fighting like they had all year. It’s a great quality to have in a team and the type of stuff champions are made of. Time will tell if they get there, but you’d have to be crazy to count them out now.
Not all fourth downs are created equal: Being aggressive is one thing. Being reckless is another. Ben Johnson put on his Dan Campbell hat at points tonight, going for it on fourth down regardless of field position. While Chicago’s defense couldn’t get a stop in the first half, those decisions put the Bears in an almost impossible situation. Everyone likes to go for it on fourth down, but it will eventually cost them. Sometimes you just have to live to fight another down.
Chicago will need 60-minute efforts to win the Super Bowl: The Bears have spent most of this season playing 30-minute games. Unfortunately for them, NFL games are at least 60 minutes in length. As the stakes get higher going forward, Chicago might not be able to rely on pulling off improbable comebacks in the fourth quarter. The Packers couldn’t seal the deal, but everything had to go wrong for them to lose. It’s hard to believe that it can happen three more times for Chicago to win the Super Bowl. They need to start better going forward.
The Packers have a Matt LaFleur problem: Again, the Packers had to have everything go wrong for them to lose. The defense couldn’t hold the lead. The offense was stuck in quicksand for almost the entire second half. The costly penalties. The lack of awareness of the play clock. At some point, all of that comes down to coaching. The Packers played the second half like a team that already booked their flights and accommodations for Seattle next week. Now, if they want to use them, it’ll be because they bought a ticket to watch the Seahawks play the Rams or 49ers.

Caleb Williams stats vs. Packers

24-of-48 (50% completion rate)
361 passing yards
2 passing touchdowns
2 interceptions
71.6 passer rating
4 rushing attempts
20 rushing yards
0 rushing touchdowns

Jordan Love stats vs. Bears

24-of-46 (52.1% completion rate)
323 passing yards
4 passing touchdowns
0 interceptions
103.8 passer rating
1 rushing attempt
11 rushing yards
0 rushing touchdowns

Bears. Packers wild-card playoff game highlights

Bears vs. Packers final score: Chicago 31, Green Bay 27

Bears vs. Packers score update: Chicago comes all the way back to take the lead

Caleb Williams to DJ Moore. Touchdown. Bears lead.

Hours ago, that would’ve been unimaginable. These Chicago Bears are all about making the unimaginable, imaginable though. They have erased an 18-point halftime deficit to take a four-point lead with 1:43 to go.

Bears 31, Packers 27

Bears vs. Packers score update: Caleb Williams finds Olamide Zaccheaus to keep the Bears alive

They don’t quit. Just when you thought the Bears could be put on ice, Williams and co. answer with a 10-play, 76-yard drive in just 2:18 to cut the deficit to three. It took some heroics from the quarterback on fourth down, but Zaccheaus scored the touchdown and Colston Loveland got the two-point conversion. It hasn’t been pretty, but the Bears are one stop away from being able to tie or take the lead.

Packers 27, Bears 24

Bears vs. Packers score update: Matthew Golden’s first career TD pushes Chicago to the brink

The Packers’ offense finally woke up when they needed it most. After avoiding disaster on the kickoff, Green Bay only needed six plays to march 54 yards to answer Chicago’s touchdown with one of its own. Golden gets his first career touchdown on the 23-yard catch-and-run, but Brandon McManus misses the extra point to keep the lead at 11. That could prove important in the final minutes.

Packers 27, Bears 16

Bears vs. Packers score update: D’Andre Swift TD makes it a one-possession game

Well, hopefully you haven’t changed that streaming service. This one just got interesting. Swift and the Bears are all the back way into this contest, trailing by only five with 10 minutes to go. The comeback kids marched 66 yards in just seven plays. Now Jordan Love and the Packers have to get their offense back in gear to avoid an embarrassing collapse.

Packers 21, Bears 16

Bears vs. Packers score update: Cairo Santos cuts Green Bay’s lead to 12

For the first time in a long time, we have points on the board. The Bears’ comeback hasn’t really taken shape yet, but they’re slowly cutting into the lead. Green Bay’s offense continues to struggle in the second half, but it remains to be seen if Chicago will have enough time to erase the 12-point deficit with just over 13 minutes remaining.

Packers 21, Bears 9

Who is the Packers’ defensive coordinator?

Jeff Hafley is the Packers’ defensive coordinator. His unit put on a masterclass in the opening 30 minutes of their wild-card matchup against the Chicago Bears. Hafley has risen through the ranks and become a potential candidate for head coaching jobs this offseason. Despite being a coordinator at the NFL level, Hafley does have experience as a head coach. He held that job at Boston College from 2020 to 2023.

Bears vs. Packers score update: Packers take a three-possession lead on Doubs TD

It’s all Packers in the first half. After another failed fourth-down attempt by the Bears, the Packers enjoy a short field and, eventually, another end zone celebration. Love tosses his third touchdown of the first half, this time finding Romeo Doubs on fourth-and-goal to open up an 18-point lead.

Packers 21, Bears 3

Bears vs. Packers score update: Jayden Reed TD extends the Green Bay lead

The Bears’ defense can’t get off the field. It’s now two drives and two touchdowns for the visiting Packers, who take advantage of Caleb Williams’ interception. This time, it’s Love finding Reed for the 18-yard score as a dominant first half continues for the Green Bay signal caller. It puts a bow on the 10-play, 87-yard drive with just under seven minutes left in the half. Packers 14, Bears 3

Packers 14, Bears 3

T.J. Edwards injury update

Edwards was carted off the field with a foot injury. The linebacker’s foot was twisted significantly after being caught with Christian Watson’s in what was an ugly-looking injury. He has battled injuries throughout the 2025 season, limiting him to just 10 games. Now the Bears will have to replace the seventh-year linebacker, who was supposed to be the glue in the middle of that defense.

How old is Al Michaels?

Michaels is 81 years old and will continue calling games through at least the 2026 season, when he’ll turn 82. The legendary announcer has been the play-by-play voice for the NFL on Amazon Prime since 2022.

Bears vs. Packers score update: Packers answer with a Christian Watson TD

Classic rivalry. The Bears got the field goal. The Packers had to one-up the home team and marched down the field for a Love-to-Watson seven-yard TD to cap off the nine-play, 85-yard drive in just under five minutes. Chicago’s defense showed little resistance on this series, as Love sliced and diced his way through the Bears without showing any signs of rust.

Packers 7, Bears 3

What does ‘GSH’ on the Bears uniform mean?

That acronym is a reference to the team’s founding owner, George Stanley Halas Sr. It has been incorporated into Chicago’s uniforms since 1983, following his death at age 83.

Bears vs. Packers score update: Bears strike first with Cairo Santos FG

The Bears certainly aren’t in a hurry. Chicago opens the scoring by eating up most of the opening quarter with a 16-play drive that takes 7:58 off the clock. Despite that hard work, the Bears settled for a 27-yard field goal from Santos to grab the early lead.

Bears 3, Packers 0

What is the temperature in Chicago? Bears vs. Packers weather update

The temperature at tonight’s kickoff is 33 degrees but feels like 17 degrees in Chicago at Soldier Field.

How to watch the Bears vs. Packers playoff game?

TV: National: N/A | Fox 32 (Chicago) | NBC 26 (Green Bay) and Fox 6 (Milwaukee)

The Bears-Packers matchup will not be broadcast nationally because it’ll be streamed exclusively on Prime Video. It will be available in local markets for both teams.

What time is the Bears vs. Packers playoff game?

Start time: 8 p.m. ET

The Bears and Packers are scheduled for kickoff at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday night.

Bears vs. Packers stream

Live stream: Prime Video

The Bears-Packers contest will stream exclusively on Prime Video.

Watch the Bears and Packers wild-card matchup on Prime

Bears vs. Packers prediction, picks

Here’s what the experts at USA TODAY think will happen in the Bears vs. Packers playoff matchup in the wild-card round:

Jarrett Bell: Bears 20, Packers 17
Nick Brinkerhoff: Bears 27, Packers 23
Chris Bumbaca: Packers 31, Bears 28
Nate Davis: Bears 27, Packers 23
Tyler Dragon: Packers 27, Bears 24
Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Bears 28, Packers 21

Bears vs. Packers odds, moneyline, O/U

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Line last updated Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Over/Under (O/U): 44.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Moneyline (ML): Packers -118 (Bet $118 to win $100) | Bears -102 (Bet $102 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): Packers -1 (-115) | Bears +1 (-105)

Bears vs. Packers weather report

The temperature is expected to be 32 degrees around kickoff in Chicago. There are snow flurries in the forecast, but not accumulating and wind gusts will max out at 21 MPH.

Is Jordan Love playing today vs. Bears?

Yes, the Green Bay Packers quarterback is expected to start tonight’s wild-card playoff game against the Bears. Love missed Green Bay’s final two games of the season after suffering a concussion in Week 16.

Chicago Bears inactives today vs. Packers

QB Case Keenum
S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
LB Ruben Hyppolite
DE Joe Tryon-Shouinka
WR Jahdae Walker
LB Amen Ogbongbemiga
OL Luke Newman

Green Bay Packers inactives today vs. Bears

QB Desmond Ridder (emergency 3rd QB)
WR Dontayvion Wicks
CB Jaylin Simpson
DL Collin Oliver
T Zach Tom
WR Jakobie Keeney-James

NFC North standings

Chicago Bears (11-6)
Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)
Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
Detroit Lions (9-8)

NFL wild card playoff schedule

All times Eastern.

Saturday, Jan. 10

Carolina Panthers vs. Los Angeles Rams, 4:30 p.m., FOX
Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers, 5 p.m., Prime Video

Sunday, Jan. 11

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m., CBS
Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4:30 p.m., FOX
New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 8 p.m., NBC

Monday, Jan. 12

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Houston Texans, 8:15 p.m., ABC/ESPN

NFL playoff picture: NFC bracket

Seattle Seahawks (14-3, NFC West winners)
Chicago Bears (11-6, NFC North winners)
Philadelphia Eagles (11-6, NFC East winners)
Carolina Panthers (8-9, NFC South winners)
Los Angeles Rams (12-5, wild card No. 1)
San Francisco 49ers (12-5, wild card No. 2)
Green Bay Packers (9-7-1, wild card No. 3)

Bears schedule 2025

Packers schedule 2025

2026 NFL Draft order

Here’s a look at the latest draft order entering wild-card weekend, via Tankathon. Record indicates that of the original owner of the pick:

Las Vegas Raiders: 3-14 record; .538 strength of schedule
New York Jets: 3-14, .552
Arizona Cardinals: 3-14; .571
Tennessee Titans: 3-14, .574
New York Giants: 4-13; .524
Cleveland Browns: 5-12, .486
Washington Commanders: 5-12; .507
New Orleans Saints: 6-11; .495
Kansas City Chiefs: 6-11; .514
Cincinnati Bengals: 6-11; .521
Miami Dolphins: 7-10; .488
Dallas Cowboys: 7-9-1; .438
Los Angeles Rams (from ATL): 8-9; .495
Baltimore Ravens: 8-9; .507
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9, .529
New York Jets (from IND): 8-9; .540
Detroit Lions: 9-8; .490
Minnesota Vikings: 9-8; .514
Carolina Panthers: 8-9, .522
Dallas Cowboys (from GB): 9-7-1; .483
Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7; .503
Los Angeles Chargers: 11-6; .458
Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6; .476
Buffalo Bills: 12-5, .471
Chicago Bears: 11-6; .458
San Francisco 49ers: 12-5, .498
Houston Texans: 12-5; .522
Los Angeles Rams: 12-5, .526
Cleveland Browns (from JAX): 13-4; .478
New England Patriots: 14-3; .391
Denver Broncos: 14-3; .422
Seattle Seahawks: 14-3; .498

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At the time, hiring Curt Cignetti, fresh from James Madison, would have been seen as a wild choice for a program like Alabama.
Many other potential Nick Saban disciples were either unavailable or not considered viable candidates when the GOAT retired.
Kalen DeBoer came off as a solid choice when Alabama needed to replace Saban.

Imagine, for a moment, that Alabama hired Curt Cignetti.

I don’t mean now. If Alabama pulled off that hopeless feat now, they’d hold a three-day tent revival in Tuscaloosa and the surrounding lands and ask Cigs to baptize a football.

I’m talking about then. Back when Nick Saban retired two years ago.

Imagine if Alabama had hired a guy who’d been on the job at Indiana for all of six weeks, who had encouraged people at his introductory news conference to Google him (because, let’s be honest, the football casuals had never heard of him), and who’d last coached a game against Coastal Carolina as James Madison’s coach.

Imagine that’s who Alabama introduced as Saban’s heir.

“We’re pleased to announce we’ve replaced the GOAT by hiring the best coach from the Sun Belt. Curt, would you like to say a few words?”

Cignetti: “Nope.” Bored stare.

“Well, there you have it. Join us next year, when we’re celebrating a national championship.”

Nobody in Alabama would’ve bought it. Everybody in Alabama would’ve demanded to know why the heck the Tide hired a coach from a basketball school.

Never mind that Cignetti once worked for Saban. I don’t recall anyone in Alabama clamoring for athletic director Greg Byrne to hire Saban’s former wide receivers coach. I don’t remember reading his name on a single candidate watch list. I don’t remember Saban anointing Cignetti.

If Alabama had hired the ex-James Madison coach to replace Saban, Paul Finebaum could’ve hosted a 72-hour special and still not have had time to answer all of the angry phone calls. In the middle of that three-day meltdown, infamous Finebaum caller Legend might have forced Byrne to walk the plank.

So, when people ask, why didn’t Alabama hire Cignetti to replace Saban, that cannot be a serious question. You know the answer. Sure, the hire might seem obvious in hindsight, but that’s the thing about hindsight. You don’t see it until after it happened and you’ve observed the proof of concept.

Nobody could have seriously expected Alabama to take inspiration from a Big Ten basketball school and hire a guy who’d never been a Power Four coach, to replace the legend at a football blue blood.

Indiana football endured more than a century’s worth of challenges, but there must be something freeing about making a football hire there. You can take a chance on a sexagenarian who’s in a perpetual state of looking like he’d rather be anywhere but where he’s standing.

At Alabama, you don’t take those kinds of chances. You hire the best coach on the market.

DeBoer hasn’t done a bad job in two seasons at Alabama, even if every Tide fan would put him on the next Greyhound headed north if it meant replacing him with Cignetti.

Cignetti’s success puts extra pressure on DeBoer, as if he needs any, because it makes fans ask and the pundits holler: Why didn’t Alabama hire a Saban disciple?

Each of the four guys coaching the playoff’s semifinalists worked for Saban, but let’s consider where those guys were two years ago.

Cignetti was settling in at a longtime Big Ten doormat, fresh off a stint in the Group of Five.

Mario Cristobal wasn’t receiving any celebratory toasts as Miami’s coach. He’d gone 12-13 in his first two seasons at the U. His Hurricanes were fresh off a loss in the Pinstripe Bowl. Think Alabama could’ve sold that hire? Yeah, right.

Pete Golding was Mississippi’s defensive coordinator. Plenty of Alabama fans had been happy to see him go when he left Saban’s staff. He would’ve been a non-starter.

Dan Lanning, a former Saban grad assistant, would have been a celebrated choice, but he wasn’t leaving Oregon and walking away from Phil Knight and Mr. Nike’s checkbook.

So, why didn’t Alabama hire a Saban disciple?

“I’m not sure if anybody was available that they could’ve maybe gotten to come here,” Saban recently explained on ESPN.

That’s probably close to the truth.

Well, maybe there was someone. If Byrne and Saban had wanted Lane Kiffin, I suspect he’d be tweeting elephants right now. That’s a story for another time.

But, this idea that Alabama should have hired Cignetti, well, nobody had that idea two years ago, because it would’ve sounded loony.

More than bold. Crazy.

Almost as crazy as Indiana football playing for a national championship game with a coach who’s two years removed from James Madison.

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

Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was ejected with 5:44 left in the first quarter during a game against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.

Kidd had exchanged words with veteran NBA official Scott Foster, expressing his displeasure about a call.

It was just the second time that Kidd had been ejected from a game since taking over as coach of the Mavericks in June 2021.

The Bulls built an 18-13 lead to start the game before a key moment involving Mavericks shooting guard Max Christie and Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu. Christie was called for goaltending after blocking a layup attempt by Dosunmu on the glass.

Kidd intended to challenge the call, but it was not granted by the officials after calling a timeout.

The Mavericks struggled to match the Bulls’ pace after Kidd’s ejection. The Bulls managed to outscore the Mavericks 36-28 in the first quarter before securing the 125-107 victory.

The two teams comprising the NFL’s most storied rivalry, the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, are writing another chapter in their decades-long history in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs.

Chicago’s hosting a playoff game for the first time since 2018 and fell behind early in the first half. They’ll potentially have to hold off the Packers’ potent offense without one of their starters.

Linebacker T.J. Edwards had to be carted off with his left foot in an air cast after getting tangled up with Packers wide receiver Christian Watson. Players from the Bears’ defense stayed on the field and patted him on the shoulder pads as he was helped onto a cart and off the field.

Prime Video sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung reported that Bears owner George McCaskey followed Edwards into the locker room to bring him his helmet off the field.

With Edwards out, third-year linebacker D’Marco Jackson took his spot in the middle of the Bears’ defense. Jackson started four games during the regular season in Edwards’ place.

This story will be updated with more information when available.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford played every offensive snap of his team’s 34-31 wild-card win over the Carolina Panthers but wasn’t quite at 100% while doing so.

Stafford suffered an injury to his throwing hand while attempting a pass at the end of the first half. The 37-year-old quarterback banged his hand on D.J. Wonnum’s arm while trying to follow through.

Stafford immediately recoiled in pain after the play and doubled over on the ground, clutching his hand.

Stafford was able to stay in the game despite the injury and immediately flashed a thumbs-up to Sean McVay after the play. Nonetheless, the veteran quarterback endured some uncharacteristic struggles with his accuracy throughout the third quarter, leading many to wonder about the severity of his potential injury.

Here’s what to know about Stafford’s hand as the Rams start to look ahead toward the NFL’s divisional round.

Matthew Stafford injury update

Stafford was asked about his hand injury during a postgame news conference. He told reporters he ‘got a finger bent back’ on the play in question, which led to his reaction on the field.

‘They saw it on the TV on the sideline or whatever. I didn’t obviously know exactly what had happened,’ Stafford explained. ‘It wasn’t pleasant. It wasn’t great.’

Stafford didn’t seem overly worried about the injury being a long-term issue for him.

‘We’ll see what it is,’ Stafford said. ‘I was obviously able to finish the game and throw it decent. Once the ball’s snapped, the adrenaline’s pretty good. So we’ll hopefully just keep it going.’

Nonetheless, Stafford’s practice status will warrant monitoring as the Rams prepare for their divisional-round playoff game.

Who is the Rams backup QB?

If Stafford’s injury ends up being worse in severity than initially anticipated, Los Angeles would turn to Jimmy Garoppolo to lead it as the team chases a Super Bowl.

Garoppolo, 34, is in his second season with the Rams. He didn’t attempt a pass this season but went 0-1 as a starter for Sean McVay’s squad last year while completing 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Garoppolo has started 64 games across his 12 NFL seasons since being a second-round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2014 NFL Draft. The Eastern Illinois product has a 43-21 career record across those starts and helped lead the San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl 54. They lost that game 31-20 to the Kansas City Chiefs in what was Patrick Mahomes’ first career Super Bowl win.

Rams QB depth chart

The Rams have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. Below is a look at the pecking order within the group:

Matthew Stafford
Jimmy Garoppolo
Stetson Bennett IV

Bennett was a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at Georgia and helped lead the Bulldogs to two national championships.

Bennett has not yet played a snap at the NFL level but was designated the team’s emergency third quarterback for the team’s wild-card win over the Panthers.

USA TODAY Sports has officially debuted a new video podcast that will be the cornerstone for coverage of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games in Italy.

The video podcast, or vodcast, called ‘Milan Magic’ is hosted by veteran USA TODAY Sports columnist Christine Brennan and Olympic gold medal champion figure skater Brian Boitano as they provide in-depth analysis through extensive coverage, behind-the-scenes reporting and exclusive interviews with athletes.

The duo couldn’t have been a more perfect match for the project.

Boitano is a three-time U.S. Olympian who won gold in men’s singles figure skating at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary. He outmatched his Canadian rival Brian Orser by making Olympic history, becoming the first person to land eight triple jumps.

Brennan joined USA TODAY as a national sports columnist in 1997. She has covered every Olympic Games since 1984 – both summer and winter games. She’s authored eight books on sports and became a New York Times best-seller with ‘Inside Edge’ which dives into Olympic figure skating.

Their first episode includes an exclusive interview with American figure skating prodigy Ilia Malinin, who goes by ‘Quad God’ on social media.

Milan Magic, Episode One: Meet the ‘Quad God’

Malinin is a two-time World champion, three-time Grand Prix Final champion, seven-time Grand Prix gold medalist, four-time Challenger Series gold medalist, and three-time U.S. national champion.

He’s going into the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games in Italy with confidence. His sights aren’t set, necessarily, on just winning gold, but rather being in the best condition for the Olympics.

‘I’m really just looking forward to that,’ Malinin said in a USA TODAY Sports ‘Milan Magic’ podcast episode recorded on Dec. 12, 2025.

He added: ‘Especially coming back from that Grand Prix Final win with that seven-quad layout. Now is the time for me to give myself a little cool down so I can kind of regroup and refocus, spend the next few weeks coming up with a strategic plan to prepare myself to have the best condition I can for the Olympics.’

Malinin or the ‘Quad God’ is highly regarded as a favorite in competition, but he doesn’t let the chatter get to his head and inflate the ego.

Although the thought can be good for confidence, he said, instead, his focus continues to be on his preparation and his performance.

‘When I go to competitions, I don’t think about the medals,’ Malinin said. ‘I always think about the performance and think about what I have to do, what my job is as a skater. A lot of the times, I prepare myself very well so that I can go on the ice and deliver to the best of my ability. And of course, if you have a clean skate, I’m assumed that the medals can come with you, as well.’

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

Steve Gardner contributed to this story.

The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2025 NFL playoffs as one of the favorites to win Super Bowl 60. They suffered a scare in the wild-card round of the playoffs, edging the Carolina Panthers in the final minute of a tight, 34-31 victory.

Early on, it seemed like the Rams would be able to cruise to victory. They built an early 14-0 lead in the first half and were moving the ball at will against the Panthers.

But at the end of the first half, Los Angeles was dealt what looked like it might be a fatal blow. Matthew Stafford appeared to bang his hand on D.J. Wonnum’s arm while trying to follow through on a pass. The 37-year-old quarterback immediately grabbed his throwing hand after taking the blow and doubled over in pain.

Stafford was able to remain in the game despite the apparent injury. He flashed a thumbs-up to Sean McVay on the sideline after the play and later told reporters he just ‘got a finger bent back’ during his postgame news conference.

‘They saw it on the TV on the sideline or whatever,’ Stafford said of his injury. ‘I didn’t obviously know exactly what had happened. It wasn’t pleasant. It wasn’t great. I was obviously able to finish the game and throw it decent. Once the ball’s snapped, the adrenaline’s pretty good.’

Even so, Stafford wasn’t quite as effective in the immediate aftermath of hitting his hand. He endured uncharacteristic struggles with his accuracy during the third quarter of Saturday’s game before snapping out of it in the nick of time to save Los Angeles’ season.

Here’s what to know about Stafford’s performance against the Panthers.

Matthew Stafford stats vs. Panthers

Stafford ended up completing 24-of-42 passes for 303 yards, three touchdowns and an interception against the Panthers. That said, his outing felt very much like a performance in three acts, with two elite segments sandwiching a brutal, midgame lull that aligned perfectly with his hand injury.

Before injuring his hand, Stafford enjoyed a prolific start to Saturday’s game. He completed 10 of his first 15 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown while generally keeping Los Angeles’ offenses on schedule.

After it, Stafford endured one of the worst stretches of his season. He went just 2-of-12 passing for 24 yards and an interception over the end of the first half and in the third quarter. He was every bit as off as those numbers suggest.

Stafford struggled to consistently deliver accurate passes to his receivers. He missed in a variety of ways, occasionally overthrowing his top targets but also underthrowing Davante Adams on his lone interception of the game.

Stafford’s spotty ball placement hamstrung the Rams’ passing game and allowed the Panthers to hang around a game many thought Los Angeles would win with ease.

But once the fourth quarter rolled around, Stafford looked a lot more like himself. He was able to see the field better and routinely got the ball to his receivers in rhythm. He completed 12-of-15 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a perfectly placed game-winning strike to Colby Parkinson.

What led to Stafford’s fourth-quarter resurgence? It simply seemed like he was able to adjust to the trouble his hand was giving him.

That helped Stafford pilot the Rams to a last-minute victory and keep the MVP candidate’s squad in the running for Super Bowl 60.

Move over Audi Crooks. Make room for Maggie Doogan.

The Richmond Spiders forward now owns the single-game scoring mark for the 2025-26 women’s college basketball season after pouring in 48 points in a triple-overtime 91-84 home victory over Davidson on Saturday.

Iowa State’s Crooks previously held that title by scoring 47 points in a win over Indiana.

Doogan, a 6-foot-2 forward from Broomall, Pennsylvania, shot 17-of-28 from the floor including 8-of-12 from 3. The reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year also grabbed 13 rebounds in the crucial win for Richmond. 

“I’ve never played a three-overtime game before. My body is kind of feeling it, not going to lie,” Doogan told the ESPN+ broadcast crew after the game. “This was an unbelievable team win. We wanted this one, for sure.”

Doogan really turned on her shot-making ability in the third period of overtime, sinking three straight shots — an eight-foot jumper and a pair of 3-pointers — to give Richmond an eight-point lead. Doogan had scored north of 30 points five previous times in her career, but had never topped 40.

“That’s just a testament to my team and how they’re able to get me the ball,” Doogan said. “I didn’t create much of my shot today. Everybody was finding ways to get me open.”

Doogan came into the matchup against Davidson — which was previously unbeaten in A-10 play and had won eight of its last 10 games — averaging 22.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 50.7% from the floor and 41.3% from behind the arc. She’s the only player in the country this season averaging at least 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game.

After finishing her postgame interview, Doogan was mobbed at midcourt by her teammates who sprayed and soaked her with water bottles.

“I just shot the ball and it went in, thank God. I don’t really know what else to say,” Doogan said. “It was a really good win. I got to figure out what I ate today to make sure I do that again.”

Doogan was invited to Team USA trials last summer ahead of the AmeriCup. If she keeps playing like this, she could earn an invite to the WNBA draft, too.

After capturing an at-large bid the NCAA Tournament last season, Richmond is again building a resume worthy of consideration. The victory over Davidson goes down as a Quad 2 win, the second of the season for coach Aaron Roussell’s Spiders. Richmond has the best NET ranking among A-10 teams at 48. Three of their four losses are to teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season — Texas, TCU and Fairfield — and the fourth is to fellow A-10 contender Rhode Island.

With Richmond, Davidson and Rhode Island all playing at a high level, it could be another season in which the A-10 is a multi-bid league. That would give Doogan the opportunity to create some more on-court magic in March Madness.

Jake Canter won the men’s slopestyle at the U.S. Grand Prix, securing his spot on the Olympic team.
Canter landed a rare 1980 backside twist to earn the top score in the competition.
Hunter Hess also qualified for the Olympic team with a second-place finish in the men’s freeski halfpipe.
New Zealander Finley Melville Ives won the freeski halfpipe, preventing an all-American podium.

ASPEN, CO – The screen showing the slopestyle competition cut to black for the biggest trick of the day.Jake Canter made sure it would live on replays for a long time.

The 22-year-old landed a 1980 backside twist — although spectators were momentarily left in the dark — and finished his second run clean Saturday in the men’s finals at the 2026 U.S. Grand Prix. The judges rewarded him with the top score of 85.16 to take home first and lock up his spot (one of four) on the men’s slopestyle/big air Olympic team.

Canter, of course, had no idea everybody near the finish line was left feeling like they relived the finale of “The Sopranos.”

“I remember landing it so clearly,” said Canter, who hadn’t tried the 1980 in two months. “It felt crazy.”He spent a lot of autumn trying to figure out the 1980 – an extra half-revolution (180 degrees) from the more common 1800, which he hit during his first run. Stepping it up in the second run landed him atop the podium.

Like many of his teammates, Canter has his own comeback story. A trampoline accident when he was 16 resulted in a traumatic brain injury. He spent weeks in a hospital, and after he awoke from a coma, he passed the time watching snowboarding videos.

A Colorado kid, Canter spent a lot of time at Aspen’s four mountains while growing up.

“I know these jumps and this mountain pretty well,” he said.

Canter received a call from U.S. ski and snowboard director of high performance Gillian Bower, who informed him he made the Olympic team.

“Just can’t believe this is happening … to be in this position I’m in, I’m so grateful, so thankful,” he said. “It really means the world. It’s everything I wanted.”

His first call will go to his mother, who now has to book some flights to Italy, Canter said.

Red Gerard, the 2018 slopestyle gold medalist, finished sixth. The final two spots will be determined after the final World Cup of the season in Laax, Switzerland.

On the women’s side, Jamie Anderson took a terrible fall seconds into her first run of finals. She did not take a second run, but organizers said she was OK.

Hunter Hess makes men’s freeski team

A teenager spoiled an all-American podium in the men’s freeski halfpipe finals.

Finley Melville Ives, 19, wowed the crowd – and the judges – with a first-run 95.0. Nobody could touch that in the second run, and the New Zealander took home first place.

Americans placed second through seventh, with Hunter Hess locking up his spot on the highly-competitive Olympic roster thanks to a second-place finish. Nick Goepper, already clinched to the team thanks to his win in Calgary last month, took third.

The competition unfortunately started on a scary note after American Aaron Blunck had a ski hit the top of the halfpipe. The resulting crash left Blunck injured in the middle of the halfpipe.

“It was tense. You can feel it,” Hess told USA TODAY Sports. “It was a bad vibe up there.”

The last few weeks have been more than stressful, Hess said, with opportunities to make the team dwindling.

“You’re trying to enjoy it, and you’re trying to enjoy it, but it’s a scary ordeal,” he said. “I’m happy I was able to do it and that all of the hard work paid off.”

And he certainly appreciates making this team. Being one of the four American men’s freeski entrants is an accomplishment in itself.

“Everyone crushes it, which makes you want to push it a little harder,” he said.

An outsider on the team bus might not think anybody takes it too seriously with the way everyone jokes with one another, Goepper said.

“When I witness these guys put their life on it, like days like today, it’s pretty cool,” he said. “A lot of respect is earned for sure.

“More than anything, I’m really proud of these guys.”

Goepper, 31, is trying to medal in a fourth consecutive Olympics. He has a bronze from Sochi 2014 and back-to-back silvers to his name.

“I think it’d be unprecedented to go four-for-four,” Goepper said. “I try not to think about it that much though.”

Goepper prefers focusing on things such as making his bed and completing his stretching program. His entire family is attending the Olympics and rented a house near the halfpipe in Livigno, Italy more than six months ago, well before he qualified for the Games.

“Now they can finally talk about it in front of me,” he said, “and it’s no big deal.”