Sports
Broncos’ Sean Payton: Bo Nix predisposed to ankle injuries
Jan 17, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) drops to throw during the fourth quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images According to coach Sean Payton, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had a condition that left him “predisposed” to fracturing his ankle.
At the Broncos’ end-of-season press conferences Tuesday, Payton revealed that doctors made the discovery as Nix underwent an operation last week at Andres Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center in Alabama.
Nix, 25, has had a number of ankle operations dating back to his high school playing days.
“It wasn’t a matter of ‘if,’ it was a matter of ‘when,'” Payton said. “Because when you look at the play and you’re trying to evaluate it, he said, the doctor, operating surgeon, said that this was going to happen, sooner than later. Now you go about the rehab, proper orthotics, all those things.”
Payton went on to assert that he does not feel Nix would be injury-prone going forward.
“He’s been one of those players that I would say has been available. There were others in that draft class that weren’t as available,” Payton said. “I think the rehab coming off of this will be strong, but the news that was something we … the way it was explained (was) that it was coming sooner than later. So listen, he’ll rehab his tail off and get ready and get back to being healthy.”
Nix is with the team as he’s begun his rehab. Broncos general manager George Paton said he believes Nix is on target to return to the field in May, when OTAs begin.
“I think he’s going to be fine,” Paton said. “He’s going through it. I mean, he’s in the building. He’s working every day, and he’ll be back. I’m not sure the exact date. We feel good about that.”
Nix broke a bone in his right ankle during one of the final plays to help set up the Broncos’ game-winning field goal against the Buffalo Bills in their 33-30 overtime victory in the divisional round. With Jarrett Stidham starting in place of Nix at quarterback, Denver fell 10-7 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
The Broncos had an opportunity to score more than seven in the second quarter, but on fourth-and-1 at the Patriots’ 14-yard line, Payton elected to go for it rather than attempt a field goal.
Stidham tried a pass to RJ Harvey that was incomplete. Denver could not score the rest of the day.
“I don’t know which is the greater regret — the decision, certainly the play call,” Payton reflected Tuesday. “… There was something about (getting) a measurement that did two things. I knew he was short (on third down), and when you look at the film, he was actually a little shorter than they marked it, but it also buys you time to think of the call you want. So we used the timeout.
“I think probably what irks me more is the call more than the decision. It’s still early in the game. Now we knew there were going to be flurries (later in the game). Well, we have a new feel for flurries here, or what can change at the base of the mountain. There are those moments that you wish you had back.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cavs, unbeaten with James Harden in action, clash with Wizards
Feb 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) during the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Trade-deadline acquisition James Harden came through in the clutch during his first two games with the Cavaliers, rallying Cleveland to road victories over the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets.
“The Beard” and the red-hot Cavaliers will look to continue their winning ways on Wednesday when they host the Washington Wizards. Cleveland has won four straight games, nine of its past 10 and is 11-2 since Jan. 14.
Harden buried the tying 3-pointer with 32 seconds left on Monday in Denver, and he finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in Cleveland’s 119-117 triumph over the Nuggets. Donovan Mitchell made a pair of free throws with 0.9 ticks left to provide the margin of victory.
Mitchell had 32 points and 10 assists while Jarrett Allen continued his surge with 22 points and 13 rebounds as the Cavaliers wrapped up a 4-1 trip against Western Conference foes.
“We’re just hooping on vibes,” said Mitchell, who attended the Super Bowl with his fiancee, singer Coco Jones, who performed in the pregame on Sunday at Santa Clara, Calif. “That’s a testament to who we have on the team right now. We just figured it out.”
The starting backcourt of Harden and Mitchell combined for 58 points and 12 assists in its debut Saturday, a 132-126 Cavaliers win over the Kings. Allen made 11 of 12 shots and had 29 points and 10 rebounds in that contest, helping Cleveland score 75 points in the second half.
Mitchell said it only took one half of one game to develop chemistry with Harden, who was traded by the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for fellow point guard Darius Garland on Feb. 4.
“No practices, a couple of film sessions, that’s the way it’s supposed to happen,” Harden said. “We find a way to just get it done.
“Donovan could go out there and literally average 35 points per game, but his willingness to pass and be unselfish is a testament to him as a basketball player.”
The Cavaliers have moved into fourth place in the East, while Washington is mired in 14th following a 132-101 loss to the visiting Miami Heat on Sunday. The Wizards have dropped 13 of their past 17 games, including the past two in a row.
Second-year center Alex Sarr had 12 points, 12 rebounds and five assists after missing one game with an ankle injury, but Washington only dressed 10 players.
“You flush the experience and you focus on the next one,” Wizards point guard Bub Carrington said. “We couldn’t get rebounds, we missed a couple of shots and we turned the ball over. The game changed just like that.”
Carrington, who had 13 points and five assists against Miami, has provided consistent effort and performance. His averages of 10.2 points and 4.6 assists are virtually identical to last season, when he made the All-Rookie second team.
“He’s growing daily and we like how he’s playing,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe said. “He sets a good standard for us, bringing a level of intensity and joy for the game we love.”
Recent trade pickup Anthony Davis (finger) may or may not play for Washington this season, but former All-Star Trae Young (knee, quadriceps) is scheduled to be examined next week and could suit up for the initial time in late February.
The Wizards have had no success against Cleveland over the past four years, losing 14 straight — seven at home and seven on the road. They have given up 278 points in two games against the Cavaliers this season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tennessee focuses on inside offense ahead of Mississippi St. matchup
Feb 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) passes the ball against Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) during the first half at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images The remedy is simple for the Tennessee men’s basketball team: start making more layups.
An abundance of missed shots at the rim cost the Volunteers a Southeastern Conference game Saturday at Kentucky, a contest that Tennessee led by 14 points at halftime. The 74-71 loss also cost them a spot in the Top 25 rankings.
When the Volunteers (16-7, 6-4 SEC) oppose Mississippi State (11-12, 3-7) on Wednesday night in Starkville, Miss., they will attempt to get back on track.
“These guys will bounce back,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “They have too much pride. They work too hard. Their work ethic is too good.
“We have not reached the ceiling with this team, and that’s a good thing right now.”
Tennessee’s shortcomings on finishing at the rim have been an issue throughout the season. The Volunteers’ inability to convert Saturday — Tennessee missed four of its seven layup attempts — led to Tennessee’s four-game winning streak ending.
Freshman sensation Nate Ament has been doing his part for the Volunteers. He scored 28 points in a victory over Ole Miss last week and poured in 29 against Kentucky.
In addition to missed layups, Ament lamented his team going just 17 of 25 (68%) at the free-throw line.
“We’ve got to make shots at the rim and free throws, and we’ve got to be mentally tougher,” he said.
Mississippi State will enter the game coming off an 88-68 loss to then-No. 21 Arkansas on Saturday. The Bulldogs allowed a 20-2 run early in the first half and never recovered. Mississippi State trailed by 16 after that sequence and never got closer than 13 points in the second half.
Against Tennessee, the Bulldogs will need to shore up some of their defensive deficiencies.
“Point-of-attack defense,” Mississippi State coach Chris Jans said, referring to where the team has struggled. “We are not doing a good enough job on a consistent basis with old-fashioned guarding the basketball.
“Too many times the offenses are getting the ball where they want to go. (Opponents) are getting us in rotation where this defense is not built to be in rotation. And we’re not providing the resistance needed to keep offenses from where they are trying to get.”
Josh Hubbard, the Bulldogs’ leading scorer at 20.6 points per game, led the team with 16 against the Razorbacks.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Birk Ruud grabs gold, American Alex Hall silver in men's slopestyle
Livigno, Italy – February 10, 2026. Gold medalist Birk Ruud of Norway celebrates on the podium after winning the Men’s Freeski Slopestyle with silver medalist Alex Hall of United States and bronze medalist Luca Harrington of New Zealand LIVIGNO, Italy — Freestyle skier Birk Ruud of Norway earned the gold medal in the men’s slopestyle event on Tuesday after an impeccable first run at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Alex Hall, the gold medalist four years ago in Beijing, won silver under cloudy skies on the slopes in the mountain town of Livigno to extend Team USA’s remarkable run in the event over the years.
Luca Harrington of New Zealand claimed bronze as one of the youngest competitors at 21.
The slopestyle event features skiers who slide across rails and perform aerial tricks to impress the judges with difficulty and originality. The best score from each skier’s three runs determines the rankings.
Ruud’s superb first run put him at the top of the leaderboard from the start. Hall tried to catch him but fell backward after coming off a rail in his third run.
Final scores came in at 86.28 for Ruud, 85.75 for Hall and 85.15 for Harrington.
Ruud, 25, pumped his fists and hugged the other medalists as he took the podium. Hall, 27, clapped his hands and smiled.
Team USA have earned a slopestyle medal in every Olympics since the event was introduced to the schedule in 2014.
Jesper Tjader, the bronze medalist in Beijing, was in medal contention going into his third run of the day but crash-landed off a rail, sending one of his skies flying.
–Reuters, special to Field Level Media
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