Sports
Super Bowl LX: QB Drake Maye shows no sign of shoulder injury
Feb 4, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) speaks to the media at the Santa Clara Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images PALO ALTO, Calif. — New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice as on-field preparations for Super Bowl LX against Seattle shifted gears.
The second-year quarterback, who injured his right shoulder during the AFC championship game, took all of the team’s first-team reps during a 90-minute practice at Stanford Stadium. He had told reporters earlier in the week that he was “feeling good” and that certainly appeared to be the case as the team worked through seven-on-seven and full-squad drills in full shoulder pads.
While the team installed much of its game plan during practices last week in Foxborough, head coach Mike Vrabel said his staff saved several elements of that plan so they would have new information to present to players in meetings and practices here in the Bay Area. This was a suggestion from offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who is coaching in his 10th Super Bowl as a member of the Patriots’ staff.
“No one has more experience than Josh with this, and he felt like that we needed to do something to keep them engaged and stimulated, so they weren’t looking at some things for the second or third time,” Vrabel said.
Vrabel is taking that engagement literally. After practice ended, Vrabel pulled a group of interior defensive linemen aside for extra instruction. Vrabel even got down into a three-point stance to work with defensive tackle Cory Durden on pass rush technique.
“We’re now talking about 36 hours being critical here, before people come in, friends and obligations that come with this game,” Vrabel said.
Team owners Robert and Jonathan Kraft arrived at Stanford with legendary Patriots receiver Julian Edelman. Like McDaniels, those three men are quite familiar with the Super Bowl preparation process, but it’s all new for most of Vrabel’s squad. No Patriot remains on the roster from their last Super Bowl and only five players on the current roster have prior Super Bowl experience.
“We’ve got some things to clean up, and then we’ve got to forge ahead,” Vrabel said. “We want to continue to keep the energy and the enthusiasm, but the execution is going to end up really helping us win the game.”
Maye was listed on the team’s first injury report with the shoulder, but as a full participant. Linebacker Robert Spillane was the only Patriots player who did not participate as he continues to recover from an ankle injury he suffered in the AFC title game in Denver. Linebacker Harold Landry was listed as a limited participant with a knee injury. Other players listed on the injury report were backup offensive lineman Thayer Munford Jr. (limited, knee) and defensive tackle Joshua Farmer (full participant, hamstring.) Farmer remains on the injured reserved list but has been designed to return.
–Pro Football Writers of America
Sports
Reports: Tigers, Framber Valdez agree to 3-year, $115M deal
Sep 14, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Framber Valdez is finally off the market.
Valdez has agreed to a three-year, $115 million deal with the Detroit Tigers, according to multiple reports.
The contract includes an opt-out after the second season, as well as deferrals, according to The Athletic.
Valdez’s new deal is the highest average annual value ever for a southpaw and the highest for a Latin American hurler.
The Dominican starter has spent all eight seasons of his career with the Houston Astros, with whom he made two All-Star teams and posted an ERA of 3.20 since 2021. Valdez’s move to Detroit will reunite him with his former manager in Houston, A.J. Hinch.
The 32-year-old Valdez is tied for first in the majors in wins (73), is sixth in pitcher WAR (20.3), fifth in innings pitched (973) and first in groundball rate (62%) since becoming a full-time starter in 2020, according to ESPN. He also won a World Series in 2022.
Valdez joins a rotation currently led by ace and fellow lefty Tariq Skubal, who’s undergoing arbitration with the Tigers. Detroit is coming off a wild-card berth last season and a division series appearance, where the team lost to the Seattle Mariners in five games.
The Astros will receive a compensatory pick for losing Valdez after the ace declined the team’s $22.025 million qualifying offer before the Nov. 18 deadline.
–Field Level Media
Sports
No. 5 Illinois rolls to 12th straight win, routing Northwestern
Feb 4, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) drives past Northwestern Wildcats forward Tre Singleton (8) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images Andrej Stojakovic scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures as fifth-ranked Illinois blitzed visiting Northwestern 84-44 on Wednesday in Champaign, Ill., to earn its 12th straight win.
Torrid long-range shooting and effective ball movement boosted Illinois (20-3, 11-1 Big Ten), which led by as many as 49 points.
The Illini had 20 assists on 28 made baskets while shooting 48.3%. That included 17 3-pointers.
Ben Humrichous, Zvonimir Ivisic and Keaton Wagler each scored 13 points while swishing three treys apiece. David Mirkovic hit four 3s and finished with 12 points.
Northwestern struggled to 29.2% shooting while falling 14 points shy of its previous season low. The Wildcats (10-13, 2-10) started 1-for-16 from 3-point range and finished 4-of-25.
Nick Martinelli, who entered play as the top scorer in the Big Ten at 23.7 points per game, had four points on 2-for-10 shooting. Tre Singleton paced the Wildcats with eight points and Jayden Reid scored seven.
Tomislav Ivisic grabbed 12 rebounds to help the Illini finish plus-27 on the glass. He added five assists to match Wagler for the team lead.
Northwestern stayed afloat in the early going, taking a 7-5 lead on a Tyler Kropp jumper with 15:57 to go in the first half. Jake Davis hit a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession and the Illini never looked back.
The trey sparked Illinois to a 25-2 run over the next seven minutes, a surge that included long-distance makes from five different players. Humrichous paced the barrage with three 3s during the spurt.
Illinois rolled to a 47-19 lead at the break behind 51.7% accuracy from the floor that featured 11 first-half treys. Wagler punctuated the dominance and sent the State Farm Center crowd into a frenzy when he banked home a 3 from just inside midcourt to beat the buzzer.
Wagler led all scorers with 10 first-half points.
Illinois earned a sweep of Northwestern for the first time since 2021-22 while defeating its in-state rival in Champaign for the 10th straight game.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Free-throw shooting propels Arizona State to win at Utah
Feb 4, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) goes to the basket against Utah Utes forward James Okonkwo (32) during the first half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Massamba Diop scored nine of his 15 points at the free-throw line as Arizona State snapped a six-game Big 12 road losing streak with a 71-63 victory over Utah on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.
Diop shot just 3-for-11 from the floor but hit nine of 10 free-throw attempts as the Sun Devils (12-11, 3-7 Big 12) made 22 of 25 (88%) at the line, marking their second-best showing of the season.
Arizona State’s Anthony Johnson added 14 points and hit 5 of 6 free throws to offset a 4-of-12 showing from the floor. Maurice Odum added 13 for the Sun Devils, who led by 18 in the first half but shot 23.1% in the second half and 38.6% overall.
Arizona State played seven players while improving to 7-0 when allowing 70 points or fewer.
Don McHenry led all scorers with 23 points, but Utah (9-13, 1-8) lost for the ninth time in 10 games. Seydou Traore added 16, but leading scorer Terrence Brown shot 2-of-16 and was held to six.
The Utes shot 39%, went 9-for-27 from 3-point range and only attempted 13 free throws, sinking eight. Utah was held to its second-lowest point total this season.
Arizona State scored 12 consecutive points and took a 29-14 lead when Bryce Ford hit a fadeaway near the baseline late in the shot clock shortly after the midpoint of the first half. The Sun Devils expanded their lead to 37-19 on a layup by Andrija Grbovic with 3:56 left in the half and held a 41-25 cushion at the break.
Utah started the second half with an 11-2 run, and McHenry’s transition layup sliced the lead to 43-36 with 15:08 left. McHenry continued keeping the Utes within striking distance, and his open corner 3-pointer cut the deficit to 50-43 with 11:41 to go.
Arizona State took a 61-49 lead on a trey by Odum with 5:36 left following an offensive rebound Grbovic. Utah countered with a 12-4 run, capped by McHenry’s coast-to-coast layup that sliced the lead to 65-61 with 1:41 to go.
Utah was within 67-63 following a putback by James Okonkwo with 20 seconds left, but Arizona State finished it off by making four free throws.
–Field Level Media
Reports: Tigers, Framber Valdez agree to 3-year, $115M deal
No. 5 Illinois rolls to 12th straight win, routing Northwestern
