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The Buffalo Bills have reportedly made a decision on general manager Brandon Beane after firing head coach Sean McDermott. The Buffalo Bills shocked the NFL on Monday by firing head coach Sean McDermott, who was still under contract through 2027. The team, however, is reportedly making a different decision with general manager Brandon Beane. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Bills are retaining Beane, who will lead the search for a new head coach for the first time in years—with many candidates to replace McDermott as the Bills HC already emerging. McDermott served as the Bills head coach since 2017, but another playoff collapse sealed his fate. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Bills‘ brass thought the Divisional Round playoff against the Denver Broncos was winnable, and they got tired of seeing Buffalo fall short in the playoffs under McDermott. “From recent conversations with people in the Bills’ organization, the sense I get is that it felt that there were opportunities to win Saturday in Denver, officiating or otherwise. Leadership felt a change was necessary after coming up short of the Super Bowl yet again,” Russini wrote on X. Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott. Bills’ lack of playoff success seals Sean McDermott’s fate Two things can be true. While McDermott led the Bills back to prominence after years of struggles, his team failed to deliver when it mattered most. Despite leading Buffalo to postseason appearances in eight of his nine years at the helm, he never made the Super Bowl. And with a quarterback of Josh Allen’s caliber at his disposal, not reaching the big game in almost a decade is seen is a huge failure. Not even the five consecutive AFC East titles can hide that fact. Overall, McDermott is leaving Buffalo with a 98-50 regular season record, in addition to an 8-8 playoff record. Now, Beane and the Bills will try to get their next coaching hire right to get over the hump once and for all.

The championship’s opening moments in Miami are taking a different path, blending tradition, community and a powerful sense of inclusion before the first snap sets the night in motion. Miami will host more than a title game when the College Football Playoff National Championship arrives. Before kickoff, a familiar ritual will set the tone, blending sport, spectacle and tradition under the South Florida lights. The national anthem has become a moment of pause amid the chaos, often elevating the event beyond football. Recent championships have turned that performance into a headline of its own, shaped by star power and symbolism. As preparations intensify in Miami, attention is quietly shifting toward the voice chosen to open the night. The NCAAF decision reflects more than music, it hints at the mood the championship wants to strike. Who is performing the national anthem? There will be no traditional vocal performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship. Instead, the national anthem will be performed in American Sign Language (ASL) by 18-year-old Maria Pernalete, a senior at Miami Palmetto Senior High School. A view of the American flag during the national anthem in 2015 (Source: Tom Pennington/Getty Images) Her performance places accessibility and inclusion at the center of one of college football’s most visible moments. She is part of Miami-Dade County Public Schools and receives support through the district’s Department of Exceptional Student Education, which serves Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students across the county. How the anthem ceremony will be presented in Miami The ceremony will begin with the presentation of the Nation’s Colors by a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard from the Military District of Washington, featuring members of the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. A giant American flag will then be unfurled on the field by volunteers from the Miami-Dade community. Before the national anthem, “America the Beautiful” will be performed by the Florida Memorial University Ambassador Chorale, led by Dr. Argarita Johnson. The song will also be signed in ASL by 17-year-old Brianna Therve, a junior at Barbara Goleman High School. Florida Memorial University, the only historically Black university in South Florida, brings historical and cultural significance to the championship’s opening sequence.

As a former quarterback, Alex Smith is known for offering thoughtful insight in his analyst role, and this time he didn’t hesitate to weigh in on Jarrett Stidham and how he could benefit the Denver Broncos with Bo Nix out. Alex Smith was blunt during a recent segment on NFL on ESPN, offering a clear warning that starting Jarrett Stidham at quarterback might not be a bad idea for the Denver Broncos after all. Smith pointed to Sean Payton’s track record with backup quarterbacks, calling it an encouraging sign for Denver with Bo Nix unavailable. “He has a history of success with backup QBs,” Smith said, highlighting how well the Broncos’ head coach has performed in those situations. He also cited past results under Payton: “Jameis Winston went 5–2 with Sean Payton. Teddy Bridgewater went 5–1.” Smith added that the Broncos are unlikely to drastically change their approach without Nix. “You think the game plan isn’t gonna change, right? That game we saw [vs. the Bills], they were throwing haymakers at each other. You better believe whatever they play next week is gonna be the same,” Smith said. Smith believes the Broncos can reach the Super Bowl Smith didn’t stop at praising Payton’s résumé with backups or discussing how Denver might operate without Nix. When asked whether he believes the Broncos can reach the Super Bowl with Stidham under center, Smith answered, “Absolutely.” "He has a history of success with backup QBs. … Jameis Winston went 5-2 with Sean Payton. Teddy Bridgewater went 5-1."Alex Smith "absolutely" believes the Broncos can win the Super Bowl with Jarrett Stidham at QB 👀 pic.twitter.com/waXhn9qfog— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 18, 2026 Smith also recalled Payton’s demeanor during the press conference announcing Nix’s absence, suggesting the head coach was already prepared for the challenge. “Did you almost see it in his press conference? Heartbroken for Bo Nix, but there was almost a sparkle on Sean Payton’s face. He literally said, ‘Watch out!’ That’s him,” Smith said. Looking further back, history has shown backup quarterbacks can still be part of championship runs. Tom Brady once won a ring after replacing Drew Bledsoe, and Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl after taking over for Tony Banks during the season.

One of the most iconic players in Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox history has now confirmed his definitive MLB retirement timeline, something he had never addressed publicly before, with only rumors circulating until now. There are not many active players in MLB today with four or more World Series rings, but Mookie Betts is one of them. He won one with the Boston Red Sox and three with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he recently confirmed the year he plans to retire. In a conversation on What Drives You with John Cena, Betts made it clear that his decision to retire in 2032 is not based solely on age, but on family. “I’ll be 40, my little girl will be 14, my son will be 10. My parents were always there and I want to do that same thing for my kids,” Betts said. Betts had never previously spoken publicly about retirement, much less put an exact date on it. Until now, any discussion about his future had largely been limited to speculation, especially following criticism of his 2025 season and occasional rumors about a reduced role with the Dodgers. Betts’ 2025 season was not his best Despite winning his fourth World Series ring in 2025, that season was labeled by some analysts and MLB writers as disappointing. Mark Timmons of LA Dodger Talk called it the worst season of Betts’ career, pointing to his offensive numbers. Mookie Betts confirms he plans to retire when his Dodgers contract ends in 2032:“I’ll be 40, my little girl will be 14, my son will be 10. My parents were always there and I want do that same thing for my kids.”🎥: What Drives You with John Cena pic.twitter.com/bJOTe54LuE— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) January 18, 2026 “Yes, last season was the worst of Mookie’s career. He hit .258 with a .732 OPS to go with 20 HR. That is pretty poor for a right fielder (which is what I thought he was), but it’s much better for a Gold Glove shortstop!” Timmons wrote. What Timmons is pointing out is that Betts’ offensive production dipped, although he still cleared the 150-hit mark. He totaled 130 hits in 2024 and 123 in 2023, suggesting growth in that category over time. While 20 home runs may not stand out, from 2020 through 2025 Betts has averaged 25.33 homers per season.

The Los Angeles Lakers face the Toronto Raptors in a matchup that promises high intensity and quality, but questions arise around two stars: Will LeBron James and Luka Doncic play? Los Angeles Lakers face the Toronto Raptors in a key NBA regular-season. The matchup carries major implications for the Gold and Purple. Los Angeles plays its fifth game in seven nights on Sunday, also marking the second night of a back-to-back after the Lakers lost to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday. With the schedule tightening, a major question looms over the game: will LeBron James and Luka Doncic be available? Los Angeles updated the injury report and lists both LeBron James, dealing with foot and sciatica soreness, and Luka Doncic, managing a groin issue, as available for tonight’s game. Head coach JJ Redick confirms that Doncic is considered day-to-day after an MRI reveals no structural damage.. James suited up in Saturday’s loss to Portland, finishing with 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in just over 32 minutes. The Lakers played that game without Doncic, and there is a real possibility that both stars sit out Sunday night as the team weighs workload and recovery. James has played both ends of just one back-to-back this season, which came earlier this week. With the four-time champion logging heavy minutes throughout the year, Los Angeles carefully manages his availability as the team looks ahead to the stretch run of the season. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers Luka Doncic and LeBron James by the numbers Doncic averages 33.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 33.4 percent from three-point range. The Lakers hold a 20-12 record in games he plays, but they sit at 4-4 when he is unavailable, underlining his impact on both ends of the floor. James posts 22.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game during the 2025-26 NBA season, shooting an efficient 50.8 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from beyond the arc. Even as he balances scoring and playmaking, his presence continues to shape the Lakers’ offensive rhythm. Positive injury updates for Los Angeles Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart are set to play after exiting the previous game against Portland with minor issues. More importantly, centers DeAndre Ayton, dealing with a knee concern, and Jaxson Hayes, managing a hamstring injury, are no longer listed on the injury report, giving Los Angeles added depth in the frontcourt. The Lakers enter the night at 24-16 and ride a two-game losing streak. Sitting sixth in the Western Conference, Los Angeles understands that a win against the Raptors is critical to stabilize its position in a tightly packed standings race.