Sports
Reports: Vikings retain RB Aaron Jones on restructured 1-year deal
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (33) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images The Minnesota Vikings are retaining running back Aaron Jones on a restructured one-year deal, according to multiple media reports.
Jones, who signed a two-year, $20 million contract last offseason, is set to make $5.6 million ($5 million guaranteed) instead of the $10 million he was set to earn.
ESPN reported early this month that the Vikings had told Jones they would be releasing him unless they could find a trade partner for his services.
Jones, 31, spent his first seven seasons with Green Bay before signing with Minnesota ahead of the 2024 season when the Packers released him. He had a strong debut season for the Vikings, rushing for a career-high 1,138 yards to go with five touchdowns, 408 receiving yards and two more scores.
However, he was limited to 12 games in 2025, finishing second on the team in rushing yards (548) to Jordan Mason (758) and had just three total touchdowns.
In his nine seasons, Jones has appeared in 126 games (114 starts) and rushed for 7,626 yards and 52 touchdowns, catching 351 passes for 2,683 yards and 21 receiving touchdowns.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Florida International fires coach Jeremy Ballard
Nov 8, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Florida International Panthers head coach Jeremy Ballard talks during a timeout in the first half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images Florida International fired men’s basketball coach Jeremy Ballard on Wednesday after eight seasons and a 113-141 record.
Ballard, 44, guided the Panthers to just one postseason appearance, reaching the CIT second round in his first year at the Westchester, Fla., program in 2018-19.
Florida International just completed a 15-17 campaign (8-12 Conference USA) with a 75-72 loss to Missouri State in the first round of the conference tournament on Tuesday.
Including a 20-14 record in his debut season at FIU, Ballard’s only other winning record came the following season at 19-13. The Panthers have not been to the NCAA Tournament since their lone appearance in 1995.
“I want to thank Jeremy for pouring his heart and soul into the program the past eight years, and for the genuine and respectful manner in which he operated every day,” FIU athletic director Scott Carr said. “Jeremy is one of the best human beings and leaders I have ever encountered, and his authenticity carried over into the student-athletes he coached and the culture he established.
“Jeremy has left the program in a better position than what he inherited, and I want to thank him for that improvement. However, the on-court success has not been to the level we aspire to; we want to be competing for conference championships and NCAA Tournament berths. With that standard in place, a comprehensive national search will begin immediately, and there will be no further comment until that is completed.”
Ballard was an assistant coach at VCU, Pitt, Illinois State, Tulsa and his alma mater, Colgate, before taking over at FIU.
Associate head coach Jesse Bopp has been named the Panthers’ interim head coach.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Returned to sender: Maxx Crosby at Raiders' facility, sides mending fences
Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field after loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Signs point to the Las Vegas Raiders welcoming Maxx Crosby back into the fold as a result of the return-to-sender rejection of a trade with the Baltimore Ravens.
Sports Illustrated reported the star defensive end was back at the team facility to rehab from left knee surgery at 8 a.m. on Wednesday and considers himself an employee of the Raiders going forward.
The Raiders agreed to a trade on Friday with the Ravens, sending Crosby to Baltimore in exchange for multiple first-round picks. But the deal was pending the results of Crosby’s physical and was not official until Wednesday, the first day of the league year. On Tuesday night, the Ravens informed the Raiders the deal was off, according to multiple reports, because of questions surrounding Crosby’s health and what they considered a “failed physical.”
On Wednesday morning, the Ravens reportedly agreed to a four-year contract with free agent defensive end Trey Hendrickson. The 31-year-old is also coming back from surgery. He played in seven games last season and underwent core muscle surgery. The terms of the agreement, with a value of around $112 million according to multiple reports, matches the total compensation remaining on Crosby’s deal.
NFL Network reported the Chicago Bears were willing to part with two first-round picks to acquire Crosby but were outbid. The Ravens likely jumped ahead because Baltimore’s 2026 first-round pick is 11 slots better than Chicago’s No. 25 overall pick.
The Raiders and Crosby, 28, had been at odds since fired head coach Pete Carroll decided to sit him late in the 2025 season when the fiery Pro Bowl talent argued he wasn’t hurt.
By reversing direction, the Ravens retained the No. 14 overall pick and their 2027 first-rounder promised in the handshake agreement.
The Raiders signed two edge rushers — Malcolm Koonce and Kwity Paye — but remain responsible for Crosby’s contract and the $35.7 million cap hit for 2026, per Spotrac. Las Vegas also signed Ravens free agent center Tyler Linderbaum.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Why Bam Adebayo’s 83-Point Game Isn’t the Same as Kobe Bryant's Historic Night
On Tuesday night, Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards.
Adebayo’s big game dethroned Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game as the second-best individual performance in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point game. By dropping 83 points, Adebayo also became the highest-scoring living NBA player.
It’s a moment that deserves celebration. Clearly, it meant something to Adebayo, who was hunting baskets on a random Tuesday in March against one of the worst teams in the NBA.
But that last part is exactly why Adebayo won’t get all of the flowers for this feat. Because partially, his 83-point game is what’s wrong with the NBA.
The Wizards deserve to be relegated.
Seriously.
Of course, the NBA has evolved over the years. There are plenty of players in the league capable of scoring 50, 60, 70, and clearly 80+ points on a given night. But on the list of players capable of surpassing Bryant’s 81 points? Adebayo’s name is pretty far down on that list.
A 31-point first quarter gave this feat hope on Tuesday evening. But it just goes to show that the Wizards aren’t even trying to win games at this point in the season.
With the defeat, Washington devolved to 16-48. They’re two losses away from their 50th loss of the season. Unfortunately for the NBA, the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings have already claimed their 50th loss.
For casual NBA fans, there was no reason to tune into Tuesday night’s game against the lowly Wizards and Heat. Miami is the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, but there’s no reason to believe they’ll do anything of substance in the postseason.
Did Adebayo’s 83-point game really change anyone’s belief about the Heat this season? No.
Adebayo shot 43 free throws against the Wizards. He’s a great player who proved capable of an incredible feat. But beyond that? The Wizards are actively trying to lose games and had no intentions on stopping him even before the opening tip.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver is likely to step in at some point this offseason to try and fix tanking in the NBA. It’s a difficult issue. But teams like the Wizards, who have been bad for seemingly forever, need to find a way to get themselves off the mat.
Adebayo deserves his moment in the limelight for what he accomplished on Tuesday night.
But let’s not pretend this feat is anywhere near what Bryant did when he scored 81.
Florida International fires coach Jeremy Ballard
Returned to sender: Maxx Crosby at Raiders' facility, sides mending fences
