Sports
Hall calls Brees, Fitzgerald on first ballot, leaves Belichick on hold
Jan 28, 1990; New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; San Francisco 49ers quarterback (16) Joe Montana hands to (33) Roger Craig during Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos at the Superdome. The 49ers defeated the Broncos 55-10 to earn their fourth Super Bowl victory and their second consecutive championship. Mandatory Credit: Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK SAN FRANCISCO — Six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick was officially left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, likely opening the door to revisions in the selection process later this year.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald were elected in their first year of eligibility, and Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly was another headliner in the class.
Former New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri was also among those chosen for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday at the Palace of Fine Arts during the annual NFL Honors program before Super Bowl LX.
San Francisco 49ers great Roger Craig was the lone seniors candidate elected from the pool of five that featured Belichick.
In Vinatieri’s second year of eligibility, the 24-year NFL kicker (1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts) got the call. He holds numerous kicking records, including the marks for career points (2,673), consecutive field goals made (44), career field goals (599) and most seasons with 100-plus points (21).
His 48-yard field goal in the Super Bowl win over the Rams in February 2002, largely remembered for the performance of 24-year-old Tom Brady and Belichick’s mix of young and old talent, all but kickstarted the Patriots’ dynasty.
But Belichick’s trophy collection with the Patriots and the franchise owner who hired him to spark a dynasty lasting parts of two decades, Robert Kraft, remained a sizzling hot topic inside the scenic Bay Area theater setting.
Belichick was the “coach finalist” and Kraft the “contributor” in a mutually exclusive category separate from the 15 finalists chosen by the Hall’s Selection Committee in December. The committee can elect up to five Modern-Era Players for each class, with nominees needing 80% of the vote to be elected to the Hall.
A Super Bowl winning quarterback under Sean Payton with the Saints, Brees (2001-05 San Diego Chargers, 2006-2020 Saints) and Fitzgerald (2004-2020, Cardinals) earned Gold Jackets in their first year on the ballot.
Brees ranks second in NFL history with 80,358 passing yards and 571 passing touchdowns and was a 13-time Pro Bowl selection in addition to Super Bowl XLIV MVP. Brees is the only member of the Saints to enter the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
Fitzgerald was drafted third overall in 2004 and played 17 seasons for the Cardinals. He had 1,432 career receptions for 17,492 yards and ranks second in NFL history in both categories. He is sixth on the all-time receiving touchdowns list with 121.
Kuechly, a finalist in 2025, was in his second year on the Hall of Fame ballot. He played only eight NFL seasons (2012-19 Panthers) and retired due to chronic head injuries after posting 1,092 tackles, 18 interceptions, 66 passes defensed, 12.5 sacks and 31 quarterback hits. He was named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s.
Belichick, Kraft and senior player candidates Ken Anderson, Craig and L.C. Greenwood were in the same pool of candidates. The versatile Craig, now 65, was elected on the back of winning three Super Bowls with the 49ers with Joe Montana and Jerry Rice in featured roles. He was the first running back with 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season, accomplishing the feat in 1985. He scored three touchdowns in San Francisco’s Super Bowl XIX victory over the Miami Dolphins.
The Class of 2026 will be enshrined Aug. 8 in Canton, Ohio, as part of a weekend of festivities that includes the Aug. 6 NFL preseason Hall of Fame Game.
Former Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty said he would be surprised if the heat on the Hall weren’t at an all-time high during the summertime inductions.
“I think the travesty of all of this is this summer, there’s gonna be a Hall of Fame induction and there’s gonna be guys who are deserving of being in the Hall of Fame. And we can probably all bet that the top topic is gonna be Bill Belichick not being there,” McCourty told Field Level Media on Tuesday. “And I think that’s unfortunate because there are going to be players, coaches, contributors that are Hall of Fame-worthy, but because this feels like a huge mistake, the only talk is going to be about the guys that didn’t get into the Hall of Fame.”
The Pro Football Hall of Fame defended its process for selection saying the limits of between four and eight enshrinees per class “aligns with the Hall of Fame’s important Mission to ‘Honor the Greatest of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values and Celebrate Excellence Together.'” The Hall also said it would remove members of the Selection Committee found to be in violation of written bylaws.
Belichick was widely viewed as a lock as a first-ballot Hall of Fame selection. His greatness, and worthiness, bears out by almost every measure. He won two Super Bowls as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants and has been on the sideline in a total of 12 Super Bowls — he was assistant head coach of the Patriots in January 1997, when New England lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI — with a 6-3 record as head coach.
Former Dallas Cowboys coach and Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson, 82, skipped the Thursday ceremony because he was “pissed” about Belichick’s omission.
“He is the greatest of all time. Yes, he had a great QB, but we all did,” Johnson said.
The Hall of Fame said in response to backlash over reports of voting results earlier this week it understood and accepted the uproar, but it did not name Belichick directly.
“It’s that very passion that propels the game. The Hall also respects the members of the Committee when they follow the selection process bylaws. It is an honor to serve as a selector,” the Hall of Fame said in a release. “… The selection of a new class is the most important duty the Hall of Fame oversees each year, and the integrity of that process cannot be in question.”
–Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media
Sports
U.S. loads World Baseball Classic roster with MVPs, Cy Young Award winners
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) watches from the dugout in the sixth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. The Reds won, 2-1. The United States finalized its roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic on Thursday, locking in a group that features both reigning Cy Young Award winners, multiple Most Valuable Players and retired Los Angeles Dodgers icon Clayton Kershaw.
Most players already had confirmed their plans to compete in the tournament that begins March 5, but Thursday’s announcement revealed the Americans’ complete arsenal of arms and deep collection of infielders to go with just four primary outfielders.
“We constructed this roster with one goal in mind: to bring home a WBC Championship for the U.S. fans,” Team USA general manager Michael Hill said in a statement. “I would like to thank the Major League Clubs for trusting us with this incredible group of talented players.”
“Building this team was never easy, but it was done with purpose and pride,” Team USA manager Mark DeRosa added. “These players know what it means to wear USA across their chest, and we’re ready to go to work and bring the World Baseball Classic trophy back home.”
The U.S. has won only one WBC, in 2017. The Americans lost to Japan in the 2023 final — the last time the tournament was played.
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge serves as the team’s captain and will be joined in the outfield by veteran Byron Buxton and up-and-comers Corbin Carroll and Pete Crow-Armstrong.
The 37-year-old Kershaw, who retired from his legendary MLB career after the Dodgers’ World Series title, previously had said he would pitch in this WBC. It’s not clear to what extent he will be used.
The Americans don’t have to worry about starting pitching. American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes will anchor the rotation.
The United States opens pool play against Brazil on March 6 in Houston before facing Mexico on March 9 and Italy on March 10. The championship game will be played March 17 in Miami. Here’s the team’s 30-man roster:
Catchers
Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers
Infielders/utility
Alex Bregman, 3B, Boston Red Sox
Ernie Clement, UTIL, Toronto Blue Jays
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, free agent
Bryce Harper, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies
Gunnar Henderson, SS, Baltimore Orioles
Brice Turang, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Kansas City Royals
Outfielders
Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins
Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks
Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Designated hitter
Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
Pitchers
David Bednar, RHP, New York Yankees
Matthew Boyd, LHP, Chicago Cubs
Garrett Cleavinger, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Clay Holmes, RHP, New York Mets
Griffin Jax, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Brad Keller, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Clayton Kershaw, LHP, retired
Nolan McLean, RHP, New York Mets
Mason Miller, RHP, San Diego Padres
Joe Ryan, RHP, Minnesota Twins
Paul Skenes, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Tarik Skubal, LHP, Detroit Tigers
Gabe Speier, LHP, Seattle Mariners
Michael Wacha, RHP, Kansas City Royals
Logan Webb, RHP, San Francisco Giants
Garrett Whitlock, RHP, Boston Red Sox
–Field Level Media
Sports
No. 2 Michigan crushes Penn St.; Nimari Burnett drops 31 in 21 minutes
Feb 5, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Nimari Burnett (4) dunks in the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Nimari Burnett scored a career-high 31 points to lead No. 2 Michigan to a 110-69 rout of Penn State in a Big Ten contest on Thursday in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Burnett went 11 of 16 from the field overall and 7 of 10 from 3-point range while playing just 21 minutes. L.J. Cason, Trey McKenney and Morez Johnson each scored 12 points for Michigan (21-1, 11-1 Big Ten), which is now off to its best start in school history.
Michigan shot 60.6% from the field overall (40 of 66), including 51.7% from 3-point range (15 of 29), and held a 44-21 rebounding advantage.
Freddie Dilione V scored 19 points and Josh Reed and Melih Tunca each had 15 points in defeat for Penn State (10-13, 1-11), which shot 2 of 20 from 3-point range and 37.1% overall (23 of 62).
Going up against a bigger Michigan frontline was going to be challenging enough for Penn State, but the task got harder for the Nittany Lions at the beginning of the game when 7-foot freshman center Ivan Juric was ruled out with an illness.
Michigan dominated the first half, taking a 56-24 lead into the locker room. The Wolverines shot 21 of 32 from the field overall and made 7 of 13 shots from 3-point range in the half. Meanwhile, Penn State was 0 of 10 from the 3-point line in the first half.
The second half wasn’t much different, as Michigan built a 42-point lead on Burnett’s triple that made it 76-34 with 14:40 remaining.
The Wolverines reached the 100-point mark with 3:23 left when a 3-pointer by Will Tschetter gave Michigan a 100-59 lead.
It was the eighth time this year that Michigan has scored at least 100 points in a game.
Michigan left little doubt from the start, opening the game on a 15-2 run and going up 26-10 with 8:50 remaining in the first half.
The Wolverines later went on a 9-2 run to grab a 44-18 lead with 3:38 until halftime.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Super Bowl LX: Patriots work on red-zone offense, 2-minute drill
Feb 5, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel talks to media members at the Santa Clara Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images PALO ALTO, Calif. — As quarterback Drake Maye and the New England Patriots’ first-team offense jogged onto the field for the first of nine plays focused on red-zone situations in practice at Stanford Stadium on Thursday, the team employee in control of the playlist had a song ready to go: “Be Legendary” by Pop Evil.
The track wasn’t Mike Vrabel’s choice, but New England’s head coach did have one request for the DJ: crank the music loud. The Patriots haven’t pumped in crowd noise through the stadium speakers, but turning the volume of the music up can in part simulate the crowd noise the Patriots expect to hear when they are on offense during the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
“We’ll have to be ready for anything that comes up,” Vrabel said.
The Patriots spent 75 minutes running through an up-tempo practice session with a focus on the two-minute drill, red zone situations and special teams. The team will finish its on-field preparations for Super Bowl LX on Friday.
“We wanted to try to get some of those things with speed and in the red zone, the plays that we’ll have to come back to and hit again (on Friday), but those are obviously critical plays down there,” Vrabel said.
Maye was sharp during that red-zone series, as the team worked through plays from the high red zone down to the goal line. But that wasn’t the case during a sloppy two-minute drill for the offense.
“We’ll have to have better execution on Sunday, without a doubt,” Vrabel. “There’s going to be mistakes, they just can’t pile up and we can’t let one mistake turn into another mistake and another mistake. So it’s going to be about how we regroup, and I thought they did that.”
Maye was once again a full participant in practice, though he remains on the injury report because of the right shoulder ailment. Linebacker Robert Spillane returned to practice and was a limited participant after sitting out on Wednesday with an ankle injury. Linebacker Harold Landry III did not practice after he was limited on Wednesday due to a knee injury.
Other players on the Thursday injury report include starting right tackle Morgan Moses (limited, rest), backup offensive tackle Thayer Munford Jr. (limited, knee) and defensive tackle Joshua Farmer (full, hamstring).
–Pro Football Writers of America
U.S. loads World Baseball Classic roster with MVPs, Cy Young Award winners
No. 2 Michigan crushes Penn St.; Nimari Burnett drops 31 in 21 minutes
