Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams showed NFL fans once again that they're a match made in heaven.
Chicago didn't give the New England Patriots much of a shot in Week 7's Thursday night matchup. The Bears comfortably beat the Pats, 30-24, improving to 5-2.
In a game decided by just six points, Drake Maye leaving guaranteed points on the turf with a killer second-quarter end-zone pick loomed large. It forced New England into chase mode all night. It was Maye's third INT in the end zone this season.
New England almost went into the halftime break facing a scary deficit, if not for a 48-yard TD run by Pats RB Rhamondre Stevenson. Chicago's defense fell asleep at the wheel; an effort on D unbecoming of this franchise.
In his second game back from a hamstring injury, Caleb continued to ride an offensive groove, throwing for 308 yards (22-of-32) and two touchdowns.
On the Al Michaels front — the play-by-play icon had another sleepy outing, stumbling through a few sequences, including calling a Pats "fumble" that never occurred. The 81-year-old broadcaster also mistook Williams and Maye for QBs from the "class of 2014." They were drafted in 2024.
Chicago extinguished New England's last-minute comeback bid courtesy of exceptional clock management by coach Johnson and a nail-in-the-coffin, career-best 58-yard field goal from Cairo Santos. The kick let the former Vrabel disciple stick it to his old boss, leaving the Patriots coach grimacing on the sideline knowing he'd been out-dueled.
Maye finished with 321 passing yards (24-of-31) with two touchdowns and that costly turnover.
The final play of the first half between the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears on "Thursday Night Football" was the definition of: "What in the world did we just watch?"
After Luther Burden III scored for the Bears on third-and-17 near the red zone, Chicago went up 20-7 in the waning seconds of the second quarter. With the Bears getting the ball to start the third quarter, it would’ve been the perfect ending to the first half at home.
The Patriots took over with just 14 seconds left to play, but quarterback Drake Maye didn’t just kneel the clock out and head to the locker room. Instead, the Patriots were going to at least take a shot to get some points back before going to halftime.
After A.J. Brown hauled in his first catch of the night for 18 yards, the Patriots were near midfield for what should’ve been a Hail Mary attempt. But when Maye dumped the ball off to running back Rhamondre Stevenson, it seemed no points were coming the Patriots way in the end.
But Stevenson found some space and waited for his teammates to make a couple of blocks. Then, the Bears defenders, who didn’t seem to have urgency to bring Stevenson down, over-pursued the veteran back, and he found a crease toward the end zone.
Stevenson sprinted into the end zone for a 48-yard score as the clock expired, shocking the entire Soldier Field crowd as the Bears were only up 20-14.
NextGenStats found that Stevenson only had a 4.3% chance of scoring once the ball hit his hands.
We’ll see if this miraculous touchdown will come back to haunt the Bears, who are playing their first home game since the passing of legendary coach Mike Ditka. The night began with a moment of silence for the Super Bowl-winning coach, while fans were given fake mustaches to replicate his iconic look.
Todd Benzinger, the first baseman who caught the final out of the Cincinnati Reds’ 1990 World Series sweep, died Wednesday at age 63. His cause of death has not been released.
A Cincinnati-area native, Benzinger was drafted out of high school by the Boston Red Sox in 1981. After two seasons in Boston, he was traded to his hometown Reds ahead of the 1989 season. His defining career moment came on Oct. 20, 1990, when he caught the game-ending out in foul territory against the Oakland Athletics, securing Cincinnati's most recent title.
The Reds posted on X:
"The Cincinnati Reds are saddened by the passing of former first baseman and 1990 World Series champion Todd Benzinger. Todd will be remembered with great affection and gratitude for his place in one of the most memorable chapters in Reds history. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, former teammates and all who knew and loved him."
The Reds traded Benzinger to the Kansas City Royals in 1991. He retired after the 1995 season, finishing a nine-year major league career with a .257 batting average, 733 hits, and 376 RBIs over 924 games.
Benzinger stayed active in local baseball after his playing days, managing Cincinnati's Class-A affiliate, the Dayton Dragons, from 2009 to 2010.
"Todd will forever be remembered by Reds fans for catching the final out of the 1990 World Series, but those of us who had the privilege of knowing him will remember so much more," said Rick Walls, executive director of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.
"Todd remained close to the Cincinnati community and was a tremendous friend to the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, generously participating in our events and sharing his time with fans. We will miss his friendship, his kindness and his presence in our community."
For Reds fans, Benzinger's glove reaching into the foul territory at the Oakland Coliseum remains the definitive image of Cincinnati's crowning baseball moment.
Super Bowl champion and Southern University football coach Marshall Faulk is facing a personal battle off the field. The Pro Football Hall of Famer announced Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Faulk, 53, said during an appearance on "The Caring Neurologist" podcast that medication has helped limit his symptoms to hand rigidity. He added that he believes the rigidity has not worsened during the year and a half he has been dealing with the disease because of his treatment. Faulk also said he has experienced "little tremors."
Faulk told host Dr. Sandeep Thakkar that he hopes speaking publicly about his diagnosis will help others. "I want to help as many people as I can," he said.
Faulk initially dismissed the hand rigidity he experienced while golfing as normal nerves but grew concerned when it continued even when he was not competing.
"I just thought it was normal nerves when putting and stuff like that," he said. "But it started to be times where ... I was playing, but I wasn't in a match, and it would still do that. And I was like, 'Wow, is that something -- is that normal?' And the doctor was -- he literally was like, 'You need to go get checked.'"
Faulk’s outlook was shaped in part by a dinner with Muhammad Ali, who also had Parkinson’s. He left that interaction thinking, "He’s all there," and said the diagnosis did not make him believe his life was over.
"So, knowing that, I didn't look at it like if I got a diagnosis, life was going to end," Faulk said. "I treat it like -- I've had a bunch of surgeries on my right knee. There's some parts in it that aren't mine, that aren't original. My back, you know, it hurts every once in a while."
Faulk was selected No. 2 overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1994 NFL Draft. The standout running back spent his first five NFL seasons in Indianapolis before joining the St. Louis Rams, where he played a key role in the team’s Super Bowl run during the 1999 season. Faulk was named NFL MVP the following year.
Faulk last played in an NFL game in 2005. He is a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Faulk was named Southern University’s head coach in November 2025 after serving as Colorado’s running backs coach under Deion Sanders earlier that year. Southern is 3-4 so far in Faulk's debut season.
Charles Barkley is ready to pull the plug on television soon, and he wants zero part of the Aaron Rodgers farewell playbook.
During an appearance on SiriusXM, the 11-time NBA All-Star and 2006 Hall of Fame inductee laughed off any comparison between his own planned exit and the veteran quarterback's messy final tour.
"But I tell you what though, I'm not gonna bury everybody going out the door like Aaron," Barkley said, roasting the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer. "I'm not gonna burn every bridge and talk bad about all my exes on my way out the door like he's doing."
Barkley took aim at Rodgers' appearance on the Not Just Football podcast, where the quarterback focused heavily on his bitter family rift. Between jabs at exes and former teammates, Rodgers rehashed a decade of bad blood with his parents and brothers, Luke and Jordan. That feud went public during Jordan's 2016 stint on The Bachelorette, kicking off years of familial cold-shouldering and skipped family weddings.
Now in his 25th year on television, Chuck has built a beloved media career through brutal honesty.
Rodgers is currently grinding through his 22nd NFL season and is widely expected to finally hang 'em up once the season wraps.
Barkley's own retirement talk always comes with a massive grain of salt, as media peers routinely doubt whether he will actually follow through after teasing it for the better part of a decade.
L’Olympique lyonnais a cédé ses premiers points en Ligue Europa en s’inclinant jeudi en Allemagne, tandis que Marseille a enchaîné à Sturm Grazune troisième défaite en trois matches. Le Stade rennais a lui décroché un nul à Turin face à la Juventus, ce qui le porte à cinq points.
For the first time since he passed away on Oct. 9, the Chicago Bears held a home game at Soldier Field, and it didn’t kick off until they honored their legendary coach on Thursday night.
Ditka, a Pro Football Hall of Famer as a tight end and a beloved Bears coach, died at age 86, and it hit the entire city of Chicago hard.
With their first home game back, it was expected that many Bears faithful would honor their former coach with his signature sweater, glasses and mustache combo.
In fact, the Bears were handing out fake mustaches for fans to wear during the game – an ode to the most iconic facial hair in the city.
As fans showcased their love for Ditka with their attire and more, a moment of silence was held for him before kickoff.
"Tonight, we remember Mike Ditka, a Hall of Fame tight end and coach of the 1985 Super Bowl-champion Chicago Bears. Tough, strong and fearless, ‘Iron Mike’ will always belong to the Bears," the PA announcer said over the speakers.
Before he led the Bears to a Super Bowl victory in 1985, he was a Super Bowl winner with the Dallas Cowboys as a player. But he was drafted by the Bears in 1961, becoming the first modern receiving tight end, while also being the first tight end selected to the Hall of Fame.
He won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1961, while making five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1961-65. He was also a five-time All-Pro.
"It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka," a statement from his family earlier this month read. "While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family.
"Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever."
After his illustrious playing career came to an end, Ditka worked his way into the head coaching role with the Bears, and he embodied everything the city and fan base was known for: no-nonsense, strong-willed people that showcased toughness and grit no matter the circumstances.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of legendary and treasured Chicago Bear and Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka," the Bears said in a statement. "Mike’s impact on the Chicago Bears organization, over decades as a player, coach, and proud icon and ambassador for our organization, is immeasurable.
"His integral role in bringing world championships to our city and our franchise, both as a player and as our coach, established prominence and excellence at a world-class level, but also created a lifetime of cherished memories in the hearts and minds of Bears fans that will last for generations. We extend our love, prayers, and heartfelt condolences to the Ditka family, and join all Bears fans in deep sadness and reverence as we remember and honor Mike Ditka."
Nearly 500 days had passed since Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton last played in a regular-season NBA game. On Wednesday, the two-time All-Star made his long-awaited return, scoring 23 points to help Indiana secure a 123-120 season-opening victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Haliburton was sidelined for the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon suffered during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder went on to win the championship that year.
During Wednesday’s on-court postgame interview, the conversation took an emotional turn as Haliburton reflected on his long road back to the hardwood.
Asked about his performance in the season opener and how much fun he had playing with his teammates, Haliburton became visibly emotional.
"It means a lot to be back out here," Haliburton said as he fought back tears.
"We've got a lot to pick up, the second quarter wasn't good. But, we're battle-tested so we finished this game the right way. Just really proud of this group."
Haliburton added: "... I’m just really thankful to be back out here."
The Pacers experienced a significant drop-off without their star guard last season, finishing with just 19 wins. That was a far cry from the team that had come within one victory of winning an NBA championship the year before.
With Haliburton back, Indiana expects to contend in a competitive Eastern Conference. The Pacers host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday for their home opener.
Asian Para Games 2026 Day 5 LIVE Updates: After clinching 26 medals on Day 4, India will look to cross the 100-medal mark on Day 5 of the ongoing Asian Para Games on Friday in Aichi-Nagoya.
World Series champion Mitch Garver has announced his retirement from baseball at age 35.
Garver played for the Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners during his 10-season major league career. He confirmed his retirement to MLB.com in a text message.
The Albuquerque native spent the first five seasons of his career with the Twins. The catcher and designated hitter won a Silver Slugger Award in 2019 when he hit 31 home runs, drove in 67 runs and posted an impressive .995 OPS.
In 2022, Garver was traded to the Rangers and became a key contributor to their 2023 World Series championship team. During the 2023 postseason , Garver played in 14 games, hitting .226 with three home runs and 14 RBI.
Following his postseason success, Garver signed a two-year, $24 million contract with the Mariners. At the time, it was the richest contract Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto had ever handed out. First baseman Josh Naylor set a new high mark with his five-year, $92.5 million contract last offseason.
Garver struggled offensively in Seattle compared with his time in Texas and was relegated to a backup role behind catcher Cal Raleigh. Despite no longer being a starter, Garver remained an important clubhouse presence and helped Raleigh during his record-setting 2025 season.
The Mariners released Garver in August, and he signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees but never appeared in a major league game for the team.
The New York Knicks raised their first NBA title banner in 53 years on Tuesday night before tipping off their 2026-27 season, and we were all reminded of just how much this championship meant to the city of New York.
For one family, the championship was so impactful, it inspired the name of their firstborn son.
Yvonne Gonzalez-Bradford and her husband Vance were expecting their son when the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games during the NBA Finals this summer, capping a run of destiny in the best way possible – ending a 53-year title drought for a city that has been waiting forever to celebrate them again.
The historic moment ultimately led the Bradfords down a path of names, and they settled on one: Knickson Fyve Bradford.
The Bradfords spoke with TODAY.com about the name choice, saying they already had Prestige Wisdom in place if the baby were a boy, and Lady Victoria if it were a girl.
But the Knicks changed everything.
"You know how when something happens so well in your favor, you don’t want to jinx it?" Vance said. "I was just like, ‘Yep! Absolutely. That’s it!"
Knickson was the first time, but Fyve as the middle name brought together the "Knicks in Five" slogan this fan base rallied around after they defeated the Spurs in five games.
Knickson was born on Aug. 8, weighing a healthy eight pounds, eight ounces. And for Yvonne, he was born on her birthday.
"We wanted to have a very strong and firm name that would lead to a cool life," Vance told the outlet. "Knickson Fyve is definitely our motto, Knickson Fyve forever!"
It’s also worth noting the Bradford family has a strong Knicks connection, with Vance’s mother being a scorekeeper for the 1972-73 Knicks. They went on to win the NBA title that season as well – and it remained the last time New York hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy before this group, led by Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, got the job done.
Brunson spoke to a sold-out, emotional Madison Square Garden crowd on Tuesday night before facing LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers, thanking the crowd and the Knicks fans at home for their support throughout the playoff run.
Well, he and his teammates have one new supporter who has no choice but to be a Knicks fan for life now that his name is attached to franchise history.
Getting angry with officials can cost coaches on the field — and off it, too.
The NFL fined New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn and Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni $250,000 each for their conduct toward officials, according to Sports Illustrated. The fines are being held in abeyance, meaning they could be waived if the coaches demonstrate good behavior, according to the report.
It is unclear whether the fines stemmed from specific incidents or a pattern of conduct by the coaches.
In Week 4, Vrabel was flagged after expressing his displeasure with an official's call.
"I told him it was a terrible — I’m not going to say effing — call," Vrabel said after the game. "I’ve said that 87 times since I’ve been a head coach. It was nothing derogatory. You’d have to ask him. I think he was a little sensitive."
Officials have also made headlines this season, as the NFL disciplined two officials for their conduct in Week 5. Line judge Jeff Seeman was fined for apparently cursing at Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride.
Referee Adrian Hill was suspended for one game for unprofessional conduct toward Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson.
Wilson was pushed into Hill by a Miami Dolphins player after the play was blown dead, knocking the referee to the ground. Wilson offered to help Hill up, but the referee jumped to his feet, pointed at Wilson and yelled at him to get away.
"That was funny, honestly," Wilson told reporters in the Vikings' locker room, according to ESPN. "I ended up apologizing to him and explained the situation. He was cool about it. He understood what was going on. He just said he didn't want us fighting, me and (Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II). He said he was just trying to break us up."
The NFL hopes to prevent further incidents involving coaches and officials from becoming distractions for the remainder of the season.
The NBA season may be only two days old, but Charles Barkley already appears to be in midseason form. During the first hour of Wednesday night’s "NBA Tip-Off" pregame show, Barkley appeared to surprise host Ernie Johnson with an unexpected revelation about Shaquille O’Neal.
Barkley suggested that O’Neal knows FBI Director Kash Patel, delivering the comment so casually that the entire "Inside the NBA" crew broke into laughter.
"Hey, Kenny. Should we be standing this close to Shaq?" Barkley asked.
Fellow NBA analyst Kenny Smith responded: "Why is that?"
"He’s been hanging out with Kash Patel," Barkley explained. "That’s dangerous."
"Oh!! Oh! Oh, I didn’t know you were gonna be going there," Johnson said. "But I should have known you would."
"Alright, Chuck," O’Neal replied as he continued to laugh. "Alright, Chuck."
For more than three decades, Ernie Johnson has hosted "Inside the NBA," which originates from a television studio in Atlanta. Two-time NBA champion Kenny Smith joined the show in 1998, Barkley came aboard in 2000 and O’Neal became a permanent fixture in 2011.
"I got your back, big fella," Barkley said. "We can hang out with who the hell we want to."
Barkley was hinting to Patel’s decision in September to name O’Neal an honorary FBI special agent.
"This session is historic – FBI was honored to be joined by one of the best supporters of law enforcement in the country -Shaq- who graduated with this session and became an honorary FBI Special Agent," Patel wrote on Sept. 17, in a post to X.
During his graduation ceremony, O’Neal joked that Barkley could be his first arrest. "Some of you will go back to your regular jobs, some of you will go to specialized training," O’Neal said in a speech to the graduating class.
"Some of you will go do what I do, be undercover. Well, I was undercover… But I just wanna say I appreciate you guys so much. Congratulations. I am not here for this; I am here for you… And if you see Charles Barkley, arrest him."
Parker McCollum has spent years chasing big whitetail bucks with his bow. And when the opportunity of a lifetime finally presented itself earlier this month, he almost blew it … because of a can of ZYN.
The country star joined OutKick OutDoors this week and enthusiastically recounted the story of a massive buck he harvested in northern Oklahoma on just the second day of archery season.
"I've been bowhunting for so long, and to finally have that kind of encounter with that caliber of a deer was just my 'finally' moment," McCollum said. "So rare for that to go down the way it did."
The funny part is that he wasn't even particularly excited about this buck when he'd seen it on his trail cameras. There were a couple of other deer in the area that had really caught his attention.
McCollum was sitting in his stand on Oct. 2 when the deer suddenly appeared directly beneath him. Unfortunately, the singer happened to be reaching for a ZYN at that exact moment.
"This mature, heavy-horned deer walks right underneath my stand, and I was putting a ZYN in," he recalled. "I was closing the can right as I saw him."
Watch Parker McCollum's entire interview with OutKick OutDoors here:
The buck heard the plastic can snap shut and stopped.
"I'm like, oh no," McCollum recalled. "Thinking, you know, he's about to bust ass out of here."
Fortunately, the buck didn't bolt. But the ZYN incident wasn't the only thing that threatened to derail McCollum's hunt. What followed were several nerve-racking minutes of trying to get into position for a shot without spooking the deer.
At one point, he even managed to hit his elbow against the tree while drawing his bow.
"I'm feeling it. My heart's racing. The whole deal is going," McCollum said. "And in my mind, I'm like, 'This is the encounter you have been waiting for.'"
Fortunately for McCollum, the story has a happy ending. He made a clean shot and recovered a buck that turned out to be even more impressive than he'd imagined.
"I've never shot a deer that I underestimated that much and was surprised by that much," he said. "It was phenomenal."
And while McCollum is heading overseas with Cody Johnson this weekend for his first UK and Ireland tour, he's already counting down the days until he can get back in the stand.
Here's hoping he can keep that ZYN can quiet next time.
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As is so often the case with modern college football, it seems like the decision to move to a 24-team College Football Playoff was made without thinking through potential long-term side effects.
While the endless search for more money throughout the sport is justifiable, given the increasing costs of fielding a competitive coaching staff and roster, the conferences that pushed the 24-team format through may not have fully considered the obvious implications. One of which is the necessary end of conference championship games.
In decades past, winning the Big Ten, ACC or SEC meant something. Both for the teams and their fanbases, and for poll voters who helped determine bowl selections. But in this new era, with a massive tournament field, if conference championships are meaningless, it raises a number of other questions. Namely, why should conferences even exist?
Theoretically, conferences are designed to create regional groupings, making travel and scheduling easier. In reality, as the modern ACC and Big Ten have demonstrated, they now exist mostly to make negotiating group media rights easier. There's no reason for UCLA and Rutgers to be in the same conference, other than a collective desire to increase their media value. Or Stanford and the Miami Hurricanes.
But with the 24-team playoff in place, a whole new world of possibilities could now be available. Chief among them, independence and the advantages that it offers. Why share television revenue with other schools? Why essentially give away your flexibility with scheduling? Notre Dame has more flexibility than anyone, and their schedule in 2026 gives them a tremendous leg up in the race for a 12-team playoff over, say, SEC teams playing much tougher opponents week in and week out.
In a new interview with Yahoo Sports!and Ross Dellenger, University of Miami president Joe Echevarria was very forthcoming about his interest in leaving the ACC and the potential opportunity to go independent.
"We are proud members of the ACC," he told Dellenger. "If the economics were even, we wouldn't be having any of these conversations. Thing is, we sit in the second tier. It's a reason we don't get a vote on the 24-team playoff and the Big Ten and SEC do."
One provision in the endlessly shifting Protect College Sports Act would prevent teams from switching conferences without going independent for several years. Echevarria strongly prefers that provision removed, to put it mildly, "You cannot lock us into a conference," he explained.
The Big Ten and SEC already shell out around $25 million more per team than the ACC does, which could increase significantly in just a few years when those conferences are able to negotiate new deals. If the ACC continues to fall behind, it could put Miami at a major competitive disadvantage relative to peer institutions. So would the Hurricanes go independent? Echevarria didn't shy away from the possibility, through brought up that it presents challenges for other, non-football sports.
"If we have to go independent, I like our chances because we are a national brand," he said. "I wouldn't like to do that because scheduling [other sports] is really tough. It's great for football but what about track, volleyball and the golf team?"
Still, as we've seen, conferences have been willing to figure out scheduling challenges in other sports. USC plays Penn State in other, non-football sports, even though it makes little sense and comes with immense travel difficulties. Miami now has a conference rivalry with the Cal Bears. If streaming services, television networks, or other sports broadcasters are willing to shell out more money for television rights for independent programs, and conference championships are now meaningless, what's to stop big brands from Miami from following Notre Dame's example?
And if they start the trend, how many others will follow?
Would programs like Alabama, Georgia and Texas bolt as opposed to sentencing themselves to the rigors of an SEC schedule for little reward? Or Ohio State and Michigan? Or USC?
As always, once conference realignment started, it seemed inevitable that the future would some sort of breakaway college football league. 64 teams, or whatever the number is, of the top programs competing against each other, ensuring that most games would pair a relatively big name against another. Which would mean a smaller playoff again, a far more popular configuration with fans anyway, and the potential for even more media revenue thanks to higher-profile matchups. With Group of Six teams left behind.
Once again, the desire to push relentlessly ahead toward more revenue might backfire for the major conferences, as teams like Miami question the need to remain in the ACC. Though it would be ironic if the 24-team playoff winds up being the straw that broke the camel's back when it comes to maintaining the conference structure.
Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson's one-game suspension for spitting at an opponent was upheld, the NFL announced Thursday.
The Bills have a bye in Week 7, so Gardner-Johnson will miss the team’s Week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens. Appeals hearing officer Jordy Nelson heard the appeal.
Bills head coach Joe Brady called Gardner-Johnson's actions inexcusable.
"It’s hard enough to win enough in this league with 48 guys, much less 47. He knows that that can’t happen, it’s inexcusable, that’s not the standard that we’re going to have and play with. He’s addressed it, it’s been addressed," Brady told reporters on Monday.
"Those are the things that can’t happen on a football field. We want to toe the line in everything we do but we can’t cross the line."
Brady said Gardner-Johnson would remain in the starting lineup when he returns in Week 9. The 28-year-old was ejected from the game after spitting toward Las Vegas Raiders center Tyler Linderbaum and tight end Brock Bowers just before halftime.
Gardner-Johnson told reporters he would accept the consequences and needed to better control his emotions.
The Bills also had safety Sam Franklin Jr. suspended for spitting toward a player during the team’s win Sunday. Franklin denied the allegations in a social media post.
"Not a dirty play what so ever! Will always defend myself though. Still won't spit on anyone," Franklin posted on his Instagram Story Wednesday.
The NFL is gearing up for the next international game on its annual slate, with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints battling it out at Stade de France.
Of course, there has been some criticism of this plan, as France is experiencing some pretty nasty civil unrest at the moment, but the game will go ahead, with the Saints having been in the country for a few days already.
The Steelers? Well, people are already questioning their travel plans a little bit.
According to reports, the Steelers plan to take a red-eye to France that will depart on Thursday night.
Now, there are plenty of reasons why they might want to do this. It allows for more game prep at home; plus, with all the uncertainty around the game, there's a case to be made that it's less disruptive to players' sleep habits, and it makes some sense to hang around to make sure it's all going to happen.
We did get an example of why it might work better to go abroad earlier rather than later.
The Los Angeles Rams were goofed on for their decision to fly to Melbourne, Australia very close to game time, with some blaming it for their big loss to a San Francisco 49ers team that had been down under so long, they were starting to develop a taste for Vegemite.
Of course, in hindsight, the Rams aren't quite the worldbeaters we all thought before the season, but that travel schedule couldn't have helped matters.
While a red-eye to France isn't as brutal as a red-eye to Australia, travel is exhausting, and many people on social media were quick to point that out.
So who is going to end up being right on this one? The early-to-the-party Saints, or the fashionably late (compared to the Saints) Steelers?
Paul Finebaum says ESPN did, indeed, sideline him after an interview with OutKick last year.
Last September, Finebaum told Clay Travis during a podcast that he was considering leaving ESPN to run for U.S. Senate in Alabama as a Republican, revealing that he had also voted for President Donald Trump in 2024. A week later, Travis reported that ESPN had removed Finebaum from his scheduled television appearances because of the interview.
"Per sources: Disney/ESPN has removed @finebaum from appearing on @ESPN since his @outkick interview expressing interest in running as a Republican for senate in Alabama. ESPN has canceled all network appearances on all shows, including some that have occurred for a decade plus," Travis posted on X.
An ESPN public relations executive disputed the report, despite the obvious fact that Finebaum had disappeared from his usual ESPN television appearances, even following a weekend of major college football upsets.
"This is not true at all. The below is TOTALLY FALSE," ESPN's Bill Hofheimer wrote above Travis' report.
Finebaum sided with Travis' version of events this week.
"Of course, I was sidelined," Finebaum told Awful Announcing when asked about the story. "I’d done the same shows every day for 13 years, and the next thing you know, I’m not on there after a college football weekend."
OutKick asked ESPN for comment Thursday following Finebaum's remarks. The network sent the following statement:
"As we stated last year, Finebaum was never banned."
The dispute is largely a matter of semantics. Finebaum was not booked for his regular appearances on shows like SportsCenter and Get Up the week after his interview with OutKick. He did, however, continue hosting his eponymous show on SEC Network and ESPN Radio. He remained on some ESPN platforms.
The network can also claim it simply chose not to book him for certain television appearances and tried out other personalities in case Finebaum ultimately left the company to run for office. In fact, that is what we hear ESPN told people who inquired at the time.
As a matter of technicality, ESPN did not "ban" Finebaum. However, what is technically true is not always the same as what is obvious.
What appears obvious is that ESPN responded to Finebaum's interview by not booking him on the shows he has spent the past decade appearing on during the college football season.
Further, it would have been understandable for ESPN to take issue with Finebaum making national news about a potential political campaign while still employed by the company. We wouldn't have faulted ESPN for deciding not to use Finebaum on television while he was publicly flirting with a run for office, which he ultimately decided against.
Stephen A. Smith has spent years publicly discussing the possibility of running for president as a Democrat. ESPN did not respond by removing him from his regular television appearances or publicly preparing replacements in case he left the company to seek office.
That contrast makes ESPN's handling of Finebaum harder to dismiss as ordinary programming rotation.
Finally, there is the broader question of how much longer Finebaum will remain at ESPN.
Nearly every football season seems to bring another story about Finebaum potentially leaving the network, whether for political office or a media competitor. At some point, that recurring uncertainty begins to say something about the partnership.
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Shortly after Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh came to the defense of a released player following a gun-related incident, the other person involved in the altercation did the same.
Offensive lineman JC Latham got into an altercation with Jordan Elliott, and afterward, Elliott retrieved a gun from his car in the parking lot.
Latham was mostly mum on the incident, saying it was "an unfortunate situation."
"Heat of the moment, s— happens," Latham told reporters on Wednesday.
Despite the wild moment, Latham is hoping for the best for his now-former teammate.
"There ain’t never been no bad blood between us two," Latham said. "We were here over the summer getting treatment. Before that, we hung out whenever we were in the same city together. We actually had never had an argument leading up to it."
Saleh described the incident as a possible cry for help, a notion Latham appeared to agree with.
"I do think mental health is extremely important. That's just one of those situations where you just pray for a guy like that, if you can, reach out to him, hope for the best for him. There's no bad blood. It's nothing personal on my end."
"I will stand on the table for Jordan's character. Unfortunately, rules are rules with regards to guns on property. And sometimes it's far greater than the knee-jerk reaction of kicking somebody when they're down," Saleh told reporters on Wednesday.
"My message to 31 other teams would be if you need a hell of a run stopping d-tackle that can help you on a playoff run, give me a call. I'll tell you everything you need to know about him. He's a good man. Had a terrible lapse in judgment that I recognized as a call for help more than a criminal act."
"The reason why I think the NFL and the organization did an outstanding job is because this is a man who is a father, a great husband, he's never committed a crime in his entire life, and he pulled a gun in the parking lot. And the first question that I think everyone forgets to ask is why would a great man, a great father, a man who shows up on time every day, works his a-- off every day, contributes the way he's supposed to contribute, is well-liked in the locker room, why did he go off the rails and grab a gun?" Saleh added.
"And to me, those are small signs of a cry of help if you in terms of obviously there's something greater happening. And I thought the team in the NFL did an outstanding job in regard to pausing and asking those questions and checking every single box with regards to getting him the help that he needs."
Did everyone involved in the Arch Manning story create an edgier monster this week ahead of the Longhorns' showdown against Ole Miss on Saturday night?
In the middle of a season that has warranted a lot of questions pertaining to this Texas offense, the story of offensive woes from this Steve Sarkisian-led football team has created more drama than one could have foreseen before the first game in September.
Should it come as a surprise that Texas is currently feeling the pressure as it pertains to making the college football playoffs?
Absolutely not. The expectations around Austin are to put themselves in a position that could lead to a postseason run.
The problem centers around the fact that this offense has not produced enough with Arch Manning up to this point that would keep them from losing to consecutive unranked opponents.
Outside of a fourth quarter comeback against Ohio State, there has not been a moment where we looked at this football team and thought that they were living up to expectations.
Making it past the CFP quarterfinals and having a shot at competing for a national title with four other teams.
Those aren’t the goals from within the media, but more so centered around the fact that Steve Sarkisian made it abundantly clear that the semifinals were no longer good enough for this Texas football program.
Did we in the media create a monster in Arch Manning? Guess we'll find out ...
Did we in the media, along with the coaches at Texas, turn this whole ordeal into a massive storyline around Manning?
Did we imply that Arch had taken on the persona of the family legacy that came before him?
I don't know. But what I do know is that the Texas quarterback has looked pretty timid in the pocket for a majority of this season, though it obviously doesn’t fall on just Manning. This is a Sarkisian problem as well, for his interesting and inept play-calling through this point in the season.
So, has the demeanor of Arch changed this week as the volume continues to get louder in Austin?
"I would use the word edgy, and I like it. He’s edgy right now," Steve Sarkisian noted. "And I think that somebody texted me today that we lost the ‘Aw Shucks’ kid and we created something else. I don’t know if we lost him. We created this. We did. All of us. Y’all included. Me. The whole thing, right. Everybody on ESPN, we’ve created this. And so we’ll see what comes out of it.
"But he’s edgy right now. And honestly, I appreciate that about him. At some point, he’s gotta fight back. And the best way for him to fight back is going out and playing really good football with his teammates and enjoy playing football with his teammates. And so I’m looking forward to watching him compete Saturday night."
Will we get the quarterback who looks to play timid at times, or will we see Arch just "let it rip" as he proclaimed this week after the loss to Florida?
I think we all know which passer Texas fans want to see against Ole Miss.
That type of quarterback has essentially been buried deep within the body of Manning over the past two months. But we have all seen the fierce side of Arch before, dating back to last season on multiple occasions.
We have also seen it against Ohio State, with a quarterback that was playing with an aggression on the field that circumvents throughout this football team.
I guess we're about to find out if we created a monster or not, even if that means Steve Sarkisian can use the outside noise to entice his quarterback into playing with more aggression.
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