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Falcons' new regime not committing to Michael Penix Jr. as starting QB

NFL: Carolina Panthers at Atlanta FalconsNov 16, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) throws the ball in the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

If Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was looking for a vote of confidence from the revamped Atlanta front office, he didn’t get it during new GM Ian Cunningham’s introductory press conference on Tuesday.

When asked if Penix, who is recovering from a torn ACL that prematurely ended his second NFL season in November, will be the team’s starter in 2026, new Falcons president of football operations Matt Ryan — also a former Atlanta quarterback from 2008-2021 — did not give a definitive answer.

“Neither of us are the head coach of the football team, so we can’t answer your question on that,” Ryan said. ” … I think as we start to get into this process and dive deeper into the roster — how it currently stands, where it’s going in the future — I think those are conversations that’ll be a part of it.

“Quarterback’s obviously very important, and we’re excited about Mike and what he’s doing with his rehab. I’ve been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael’s been in there attacking that and he’s in a good space right now, so we’re excited about where he is at. But certainly, a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster.”

Penix, who Atlanta selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft months after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal in free agency, took over the starting job late in his rookie season and entered 2025 as the starter.

This past season, he completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions in nine starts. The Falcons went 3-6 in games he started compared to a 5-3 record in Cousins’ starts after he replaced Penix following his injury.

Cousins is likely to be released this offseason due to his significant salary, especially after the team restructured his contract in January.

With Penix’s return timeline for the start of the 2026 season uncertain, that could force Atlanta to look for a quarterback either in free agency or April’s draft if it elects to move on from Cousins after two seasons.

–Field Level Media

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Spacestation Gaming stay hot in Overwatch Champions Series

Syndication: The Courier-JournalA custom gaming keyboard backlit with red LED lights waits for tactile input before Manual took on Boone County in a Rocket League match, which was streamed on YouTube on Thursday, March 5, 2020.

Spacestation Gaming recorded their second win in as many days by posting a 3-2 victory over Disguised on Sunday in the Overwatch Champions Series 2026 — North America Stage 1.

The Overwatch 2 online competition, with a prize pool of $75,000, features six teams playing a regular season with a round-robin format from March 21 to April 5. All matches are first-to-three.

The top four teams advance to the regional playoffs, which are April 10-12 and feature a double-elimination bracket. All matches are first-to-three except for the grand final, which is first-to-four.

Spacestation Gaming followed up their 3-0 victory over LuneX on Saturday by outlasting Disguised on Sunday.

Disguised jumped out to a fast start by sandwiching a 2-1 victory on Lijiang Tower and a 3-1 triumph on Aatlis around a 3-0 setback on Rialto. Spacestation Gaming, however, bounced back with a 3-1 win on Numbani and 89.69m-62.11m victory on Runasapi.

LuneX Gaming rebounded from Saturday’s setback with a 3-0 victory over Extinction.

LuneX notched a 2-1 win on Lijiang Tower, a 128.06m-51.42m victory on Esperanca and 3-2 triumph on Suravasa.

Saturday’s Week 2 matches:

–Team Liquid vs. Dallas Fuel

–Disguised vs. Extinction

Standings

1. Spacestation Gaming, 2-0, +4

2. Dallas Fuel, 1-0, +2

3. Team Liquid, 1-0, +1

4. LuneX Gaming, 1-1, 0

5. Disguised, 0-2, -3

6. Extinction, 0-2, -4

Prize pool:

1. $30,000, qualifies for Champions Clash, NA Stage 2

2. $15,000, qualifies for Champions Clash, NA Stage 2

3. $12,000, qualifies for NA Stage 2

4. $8,000, qualifies for NA Stage 2

5-6. $5,000, qualifies for NA Stage 2 promotion/relegation

–Field Level Media

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OpTic Texas atop final standings at CDL Major 2 qualifying

Syndication: Arizona RepublicA backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.

Jordan Woodruff

OpTic Texas finished with the best record at 10-1, including a win on Sunday in the conclusion of Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major qualifying.

The 12 Call of Duty League teams were playing a full qualifying round robin to determine seeding for the second major of the season, to be held March 27-29 in Marston Green, England, as part of the DreamHack Birmingham event.

First place in the standings was worth 100 CDL points for OpTic Texas, who along with the next five teams will head straight into the Stage 2 Major playoffs. The teams in seventh through 10th place will compete in a play-in round.

Boston Breach and Cloud9 New York, which finished 11th and 12th, did not advance.

The Stage 2 Major champion will receive $150,000 and 100 Call of Duty League points. The runner-up will get $90,000 and 75 CDL points.

On Sunday, the Vancouver Surge outlasted the Riyadh Falcons 3-2. Vancouver opened with a 250-237 win on Scar Hardpoint and 6-4 win on Raid Search and Destroy. But the Falcons drew even with wins on Scar Overload (6-3) and Exposure Hardpoint (250-83). The Surge captured the last map, Colossus Search and Destroy, 6-2, for the win.

Kenyen “Capsidal” Sutton of the United States was match MVP with 105 kills to 101 deaths as the only Surge player in positive numbers.

The Los Angeles Thieves went the distance to down Paris Gentle Mates 3-2. The Thieves started fast with a 250-107 win on Den Hardpoint and 6-4 win on Colossus Search and Destroy. PARIVISION rallied with a 5-3 win on Exposure Overload and 250-176 victory on Colossus Hardpoint. Los Angeles took the match with a 6-2 win on Raid Search and Destroy.

Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez of France was match MVP with 90 kills and a plus-6 kill-death differential for Los Angeles.

The Miami Heretics swept Boston Breach, winning 250-157 on Den Hardpoint, 6-4 on Exposure Search and Destroy and 6-2 on Exposure Overload.

Diego “SupeR” Escudero of Spain was match MVP with 59 kills and a plus-15 differential for Miami.

OpTic Texas closed out the week with a sweep of Toronto KOI, winning 250-216 on Den Hardpoint, 6-3 on Raid Search and Destroy and 5-4 on Scar Overload.

Brandon “Dashy” Otell of Canada was match MVP, pacing OpTic with 64 kills and a plus-18 differential.

Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major qualifying final standings (match record, map differential, CDL points)

1. OpTic Texas, 10-1, +21, 100

2. Miami Heretics, 7-4, +11, 70

3. Los Angeles Thieves, 7-4, +9, 70

4. GS Minnesota, 6-5, 0, 60

5. Riyadh Falcons, 6-5, +6, 60

6. FaZe Vegas, 6-5, +3, 60

7. Carolina Royal Ravens, 6-5, 0, 60

8. Toronto KOI, 5-6, -1, 50

9. Vancouver Surge, 4-7, -1, 40

10. Paris Gentle Mates, 4-7, -4, 40

11. Boston Breach, 3-9, -13, none

12. Cloud9 New York, 2-9, -20, none

–Field Level Media

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Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka sails through third round at Miami Open

Tennis: Miami OpenMar 22, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Aryna Sabalenka hits a forehand against Caty McNally (USA) (not pictured) on day six of the 2026 Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka won 10 of the last 12 games in dispatching Caty McNally 6-4, 6-2 in one hour, 25 minutes in a third-round match on Sunday night at the Miami Open.

Sabalenka of Belarus, coming off the BNP Paribas Open championship at Indian Wells, Calif., is defending her title in Miami Gardens, Fla.

It wasn’t all that easy, as Sabalenka blew a 4-2 lead in the first set for 4-4, then needed six deuces to hold serve — despite a 15-30 start — before breaking McNally’s serve for the third time to win the set.

Sabalenka converted 5 of 8 break points in the match, to 2 of 3 for McNally, and won 67.4% of her first serve points (29 of 43), to 55.3% (21 of 38) for her American opponent.

Next up for Sabalenka is No. 23 Qinwen Zheng of China, who had a much tougher match in beating 15th-seeded Madison Keys of the United States 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in two hours, 17 minutes.

“The ball was just like a bomb for me at the beginning,” Zheng said of the early going against Keys. “I couldn’t react. I haven’t had this speed of match in a long time.”

Zheng would catch up, finishing with 31 winners — 23 in the last two sets — to Keys’ 15. Zheng had more aces (11-4) and fewer double faults (3-5). She converted four of 13 break-point opportunities, but Keys succeeded on just 2 of 12.

Sabalenka won the first six meetings against Zheng, who won two of the next three of nine total.

“I’ll focus on myself. I’ll focus on my game. I’ll try to stay focused from the first point ‘til the last,” Sabalenka said of playing Zheng. “She’s an incredible player. We played a lot of matches. I have a good record against her, but it doesn’t say anything. It’s always tough battles. I’m always looking forward to play her. It’s always a fight and I really enjoy it.”

Third-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated No. 27 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-3, 6-4. No. 5 Jessica Pegula downed No. 26 Leah Fernandez of Canada 6-2, 6-2.

Other high seeds didn’t make it out of the round. No. 7 Jasmine Paolini of Italy was knocked out by No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 5-7, 6-2, 7-5. No. 9 Elina Svitolina of Ukaine fell to American Hailey Baptiste 6-3, 7-5. No. 11 Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia was eliminated by No. 34 Jaqueline Cristian of Romania 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5).

Australia’s Talia Gibson, coming off of a quarterfinal run at Indian Wells where she earned her first three top-20 wins, notched her fifth on Sunday. Gibson, who beat Naomi Osaka in straight sets on Saturday, downed 18th-seeded Iva Jovic of the United States 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday.

Gibson did not face a break point while converting four of eight.

–Field Level Media

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