Sports
Mike Vrabel, Pats' coach and ex-LB, on verge of Super Bowl history
Feb 2, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks to media during Opening Night for Super Bowl LX at San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images SAN JOSE, Calif. — Mike Vrabel will be in an exclusive club if he can steer the New England Patriots to a victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX on Sunday. In fact, Vrabel will be the club’s only member.
A New England win would make Vrabel the only person to win a Super Bowl as a player and as a head coach for the same franchise.
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls with the Patriots as a linebacker, is in his first season as New England’s head coach. Gary Kubiak is the only other person who reached the Super Bowl with the same team as both a coach and a player; he directed Denver to a 24-10 victory over Carolina in Super Bowl 50, but was winless in three trips to the Super Bowl as a player for the Broncos.
Tom Flores, Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy and Doug Pederson each won a Super Bowl as both a player and a head coach, but none did so with the same team.
To Vrabel, there are just as many similarities as there are obvious differences between playing and coaching in the Super Bowl.
“You have to be focused,” he said. “You have to be locked in and be prepared, and be able to be in a state of mind to do your job and help the football team whether you’re a player or you’re a coach.”
Vrabel is the eighth head coach in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl in his first season with a team. That group includes Kubiak, Jim Caldwell, Jon Gruden, Bill Callahan, George Seifert, Red Miller and Don McCafferty.
The Patriots went 4-13 in each of the last two seasons, but Vrabel guided them to a 14-3 record and an AFC East title in Year 1. That stellar regular season tied the largest single-season improvement by an NFL team (10 games), matching the feat accomplished by the 1999 Colts and 2008 Dolphins.
Adding New England’s three playoff wins to the equation makes it the single greatest turnaround year over year in league history.
“(Vrabel’s) just got a great sense of what’s needed,” Patriots center Garrett Bradbury said earlier this week. “He played, obviously, and at a high level, so he knows the players’ perspective, but he’s not just strictly, like, ‘player’s coach’ because there’s never any doubt who’s in charge. I think the way he’s been all year has just prepared us all to meet this moment, because you can see the vision and the belief, and you know he has your back.”
Vrabel was the Tennessee Titans’ head coach from 2018 to 2023, but was fired after the 2023 season. He worked as a consultant with the Cleveland Browns last season.
“I would tell you that the thing I learned most about last year is that there’s nothing that I want to do more than to coach this football team — that’s what I learned,” Vrabel said. “Being around players is so critical and the connections that you make, and you can’t lose sight of that. No matter how long you’ve been a head coach, finding a way to make connections with players is important.”
The Patriots failed to qualify for the playoffs in four of the last five seasons before this Super Bowl run. A victory Sunday would earn New England its seventh Super Bowl title, which would break a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the NFL record.
“I’m a little bit more reserved here in this role,” Vrabel said. “A lot more to focus on I think, and think about. Make sure everybody’s moving in the right direction, being where we’re supposed to be. But it’s certainly a unique feeling. I’ve always told our players to play as long as you can. Then you have to get a real job. There’s nothing that beats playing in the National Football League, but this is pretty close.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: 76ers trade veteran G Eric Gordon to Grizzlies
Feb 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Eric Gordon (23) controls the ball against the Miami Heat in the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images The Philadelphia 76ers traded veteran guard Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday for a 2032 second-round draft pick swap in 2032, multiple outlets reported.
The Sixers also land the rights to Justinian Jessup, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia. Jessup, who is playing for Bayern Munich in Germany, was a second-round draft pick by the Golden State Warriors in 2020, with his rights traded to the Grizzlies in July 2025.
Gordon, 37, was scoring 5.5 points in six games off the bench for the Sixers this season. In 18 career NBA seasons, including seven with the Houston Rockets, Gordon has averaged 15.2 points with 2.7 assists in 931 games (665 starts).
–Field Level Media
Sports
After near-upset last month, No. 2 Michigan locked on Penn State
Jan 6, 2026; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) drives the ball to the basket during the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images No. 2 Michigan rightfully has been basking in the glow of a terrific week.
The Wolverines beat a pair of Top 10 teams last week – recording a 3-point home win over then-No. 5 Nebraska on Jan. 27 before going to archrival Michigan State’s floor and claiming a 12-point win over the then-No. 7 Spartans last Friday. The latter victory made Michigan head coach Dusty May an even more popular figure among Michigan faithful.
It also propelled Michigan (20-1, 10-1 Big Ten) to the top of the league standings with Illinois, a position it will attempt to maintain on Thursday when the Wolverines host Penn State in Ann Arbor, Mich.
While the game appears to be a mismatch on paper, so did the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 6 in State College, Pa. Yet the Nittany Lions rallied from an eight-point deficit with just over three minutes remaining to make it a one-point game in the final minute before Michigan prevailed 74-72.
“We’ve got a Penn State team that gave us everything and then some,” May said. “We’re focused on that game.”
While May is locked on Penn State, the Michigan fanbase gets to enjoy the big-picture excitement enhanced by Friday’s win over Michigan State.
With fewer than six weeks to go until Selection Sunday, Michigan finds itself on everyone’s short list of national championship contenders thanks largely to the four NBA prospects who transferred in during the offseason: Yaxel Lendeborg (team-leading 14.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game), Morez Johnson Jr. (13.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg), Aday Mara (10.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.6 blocks per game) and Elliot Cadeau (10.4 ppg, 5.3 assists per game).
“I love our guys last year, but we just didn’t have enough dog,” May said. “So we were able to solve that issue in recruiting. We were close. We just didn’t have enough. I think our staff did a great job of being intentional about fixing the things that needed to be fixed instead of just hoping that things change or go away.”
Penn State also comes in feeling good about itself, having snapped an eight-game losing streak on Sunday with a 77-75 home win over Minnesota.
The Nittany Lions (10-12, 1-10) will be at a size disadvantage against Michigan’s massive frontline but will try and give the Wolverines problems with the smaller, quicker lineup that trapped and pressed Minnesota effectively.
“If we play on our heels, we’re going to lose,” Penn State head coach Mike Rhoades said. “If we’re going to play little and don’t be aggressive and hawk the ball, we’re probably going to lose. It’s not rolling the dice. It’s how I always want to play anyway.”
Penn State has three players averaging double figures: Kayden Mingo (14.1 ppg, 4.7 apg), Freddie Dilione V (13.9 ppg) and Josh Reed (10.0 ppg). Mingo, who leads the Big Ten with 2.1 steals per game, did not play in the teams’ first meeting.
Penn State has lost the last three games it has played in Ann Arbor. The last time Penn State won at Michigan was a 72-63 triumph on Jan. 22, 2020.
The only road game Penn State has won this year came on Nov. 8 at New Haven, which is in the Northeast Conference.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Eagles OL coach Jeff Stoutland to vacate role on staff
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach and run game coordinator Jeff Stoutland announced Wednesday that he will vacate his longtime role as new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion arrives.
“Philadelphia, I’ve decided my time coaching with the Eagles has come to an end,” Stoutland posted to X. “When I arrived here in 2013, I did not know what I was signing up for. I quickly learned what this city demands. But more importantly, what it gives back.
“The past 13 years have been the great privilege of my coaching career. I didn’t just work here, I became one of you. Stout out.”
Stoutland, 63, was exclusively a college coach before joining the Eagles’ staff in 2013 after serving as the offensive line coach at Alabama. Philadelphia went to the playoffs eight times during his run with the team and won two Super Bowls.
According to NFL Network, Stoutland will not completely sever ties with the organization, although no future role was specified.
–Field Level Media
How to watch the 2026 Six Nations online for free
Google reveals Pixel 10a with one subtle change
