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The Buffalo Bills made shockwaves through the NFL world on Monday when they announced that they fired head coach Sean McDermott, and the team is getting some blowback from their official statement on the dismissal. McDermott led the team to a 12-5 record and a trip to the divisional round this season, but lost his job after a 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos. The Bills stuck with general manager Brandon Beane, who earned a promotion and will lead the search for the next head coach. While the statement itself was shocking enough, the Bills are attracting further attention for the tone — and typos — in their statement about McDermott. Bills Knocked for ‘Unprofessional’ Post News broke early on Monday that McDermott had been fired, and it took the team more than an hour to release an official statement confirming his firing. The team took to social media to share a quote attributed to owner Terry Pegula, one that contained a typo in the first sentence. The post commended McDermott for doing an “admiral” job — which the team later corrected to “admirable.” “Missed among all this, if there was ever a clearer example of how piss poor Bills PR is, they had a typo in the first line — THE FIRST LINE — of their statement after firing the head coach,” noted reporter Alex Brasky on X. Longtime Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullivan, who clashed with the team during his tenure, insinuated that it was unprofessional for the team to put out the statement. “This from a PR staff that called me unprofessional,” Sullivan wrote. Even without the typo, many close to the team knocked the Bills for what they saw as a lack of respect toward McDermott. “Amazing typo notwithstanding, I think this Bills statement is chilly toward McDermott,” noted WGR 550 host Mike Schopp in a post on X. “Admirable? That’s what you say when a coach goes 21-29 or whatever. Hey, the guy worked hard. McDermott deserved much better than this firing form letter” McDermott had just shown an unusual level of fire after the loss on Saturday, directly criticizing officials for an interception in overtime that he believed should have been ruled a catch for wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Bills Hint at Big Changes Ahead In the statement, Pegula hinted that the team would be taking a different direction after moving on from McDermott. “Sean has done an admirable job of leading our football team for the past 9 seasons,” Pegula said. “But I feel we are in need of a new structure within our leadership to give this organization the best opportunity to take our team to the next level. We owe that to our players and to Bills Mafia.” The Bills found great success during McDermott’s tenure, winning five straight AFC East titles, but advanced to the AFC Championship game just two times and failed to reach a Super Bowl. Quarterback Josh Allen, the reigning league MVP, will be 30 in the coming season, and the team could be nearing an end of his peak seasons. Like Heavy Sports's content? Be sure to follow us. This article was originally published on Heavy SportsThe post Bills Under Fire for ‘Unprofessional’ Statement on Sean McDermott Firing appeared first on Heavy Sports.

The New York Knicks have lost three games in a row, and while the mid-season struggles appear to be catching up with the NBA Cup champions, all three of those losses came without Jalen Brunson, but the latest injury update on the star could signal some good news.According to the injury report offered up by the Knicks, Brunson, as well as Josh Hart, are both listed as questionable for New York’s upcoming MLK Day contest against the Dallas Mavericks.Before the team’s latest loss to the Phoenix Suns, Knicks head coach Mike Brown said that Brunson is day-to-day, according to team insider Ian Begley. Brown also said the team was going to be cautious with Hart, but the questionable tag for both could mean good news, considering neither played on Saturday. Mike Brown was asked tonight if there was concern about Jalen Brunson's ankle sprain. "No. He’s day to day." On Josh Hart, Brown said, "He’s just a little sore so we’re just going to be cautious especially this time of year." Hart is out with right ankle soreness. — Ian Begley (@IanBegley) January 17, 2026 Jalen Brunson Injury UpdateBrunson was injured early on in New York’s recent contest against the Sacramento Kings. While there were initially major concerns about his ankle, James L. Edwards of The Athletic quieted some of those worries after reporting that the star guard did not leave the arena with either a walking boot or crutches. Brown has since made it clear that he didn’t expect Brunson to miss major time, but since he’s been gone, it’s clearly taken a toll on the team, as they’ve now lost three games in a row, first the game in which Brunson went out, then to the Golden State Warriors, and most recently to the Suns.In that span, the Knicks’ offense has taken a sharp turn, as they’ve drastically missed Brunson’s 28.2 points per game. While they were previously thought to be top title contenders in the East, Brunson’s absence has shed a big light on major issues around the team, and players have made that clear. But for now, the star being listed as questionable is a good sign for the 25-17 Knicks. They’ve lost eight of their last ten games, but getting back their main scorer could help stop some of the bleeding before the All-Star break. If he can’t return against Dallas on Monday, he’ll have the chance to get back on the court on Wednesday as they take on the Brooklyn Nets.Josh Hart Injury Update Before Mavericks GameLike Brunson, Hart is currently listed as questionable against the Mavericks, currently dealing with an ankle injury of his own. Hart has already missed a decent chunk of the season with several health concerns, and like his teammate and podcast partner, the team has missed his rebounding and defensive versatility.However, as Brown mentioned, New York is taking a cautious approach with Hart and his recovery and playing time. On the season, he is putting up 12.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 31 games, while being compared to Draymond Green in a ‘do it all’ type role for the Knicks.In what is also good news for the team, there is a massive injury report for the Mavericks ahead of their upcoming contest. Dallas has eight players listed as out, including Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, and obviously, Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively. Cooper Flagg is listed as questionable. Mavericks Get Major Injury Update On Cooper Flagg Regardless of whether the Knicks can get Brunson and/or Hart back or not, the contest against the Mavericks should be a bounce-back game to put them back on track. Brown, as well as some of the players, have made it clear that they aren’t happy with the team’s recent form, so a win is needed as much as ever as the trade deadline and All-Star break approach. Like Heavy Sports's content? Be sure to follow us. This article was originally published on Heavy SportsThe post Knicks Get Jalen Brunson Injury Update Ahead Of Mavericks Game appeared first on Heavy Sports.

There’s a level of trust J.J. McCarthy must gain back if he is going to be the Minnesota Vikings‘ starting quarterback next season, and if not, there is an ideal veteran who has a history with Kevin O’Connell waiting in the wings.General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell were non-committal on McCarthy remaining the starting quarterback next season in their end-of-year news conferences. O’Connell emphasized the importance of having a deep quarterback room and his desire for competition.Meanwhile, Adofo-Mensah pivoted to team success when asked about McCarthy’s prospects of starting next season.“I want the Vikings to achieve our goals, and I think one of those goals is to make playoff runs and do different things like that. I think [McCarthy] has the character and ability to be the person and do that for our organization. If I say that in 2026, that kind of binds us into a certain area,” Adofo-Mensah said on January 13. “The way we’ve set this team up, we built this corridor, really like we’ve always talked about, give ourselves multiple shots at it, because you never know when there’s going to be a year where the field feels a little bit wide open and you can make that run.“So, that’s what we’re really focused on talking about. Whether it’s this year or next year isn’t really my immediate reflection. It’s my job to really bring that deep, competitive room that we’ve talked about to the Vikings.”Several names have begun circling the Vikings fan lexicon, and while some require far-fetched, blockbuster deals that would shake the NFL, there is one quarterback who has familiarity with O’Connell and is coming off a season that would be ideal for the Vikings to replicate.Marcus Mariota Deemed an Ideal QB to Pair With Vikings’ JJ McCarthy GettyWashington Commanders QB Marcus Mariota reacting after an NFL game. Playing quarterback matchmaker, Sportsnaut’s Matt Johnson urged the Vikings to pursue Washington Commanders veteran Marcus Mariota in free agency.“The Minnesota Vikings are not going to pursue a quarterback who would be viewed as a serious challenger to J.J. McCarthy in training camp. What Kevin O’Connell wants is a veteran who can, if needed, come off the bench and play effectively within the structure of the offense,” Johnson wrote.“Look at what Marcus Mariota has done in the last two seasons when Jayden Daniels was sidelined. Across 14 games, he posted a 93.4 passer rating with a 14-7 touchdown-to-interception line, a 63.8 percent completion rate and 7.6 yards per attempt. Plus, he offers rushing ability. He is an ideal and cost-effective option for Minnesota. If McCarthy struggles early next season, the offense could improve with Mariota under center.”Mariota played eight games this season in Washington with Daniels out. And while the 2-6 record is far from encouraging, the Vikings have shown to have the offensive infrastructure to prop up veteran quarterbacks who can operate a higher-level of O’Connell’s offense.Other Vikings Veteran QB CandidatesAppraising the upcoming quarterback market, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert gave his thoughts on who the Vikings could target this offseason.Seifert discounted the likelihood that Joe Burrow or Daniel Jones could land in Minnesota, but below that tier of quarterbacks are veterans who could be content taking a back seat to McCarthy, but also catch fire if given a chance to start.“Green Bay Packers backup Malik Willis, who has started six games in four seasons, is a pending free agent but is likely to have multiple suitors. The Atlanta Falcons could release former Vikings starter Kirk Cousins, 37, in mid-March. Aaron Rodgers, 42, and Joe Flacco, 41, will be free agents. So will Jimmy Garoppolo, who has started seven games in the past three seasons, and Russell Wilson, who is 37 and ranks No. 32 in NFL QBR since the start of the 2021 season,” Seifert wrote.The following quarterbacks would likely push more competition in training camp.“The San Francisco 49ers‘ Mac Jones and the Las Vegas…

The Milwaukee Bucks have struggled to play consistently so far this season. Right now, they sit 11th in the Eastern Conference standings. The biggest reason has been their poor offense. Milwaukee has just the eighth-best offense in the NBA.With the offense playing so poorly, the Bucks have been linked to adding a star point guard at the trade deadline. Ja Morant is that star guard, as it looks like his time in Memphis is about to end. Morant seems exceedingly unhappy with the Grizzlies, and the Bucks desperately need offensive help.When healthy, Morant has proven to be an offensive force. Unfortunately, health has been a massive issue for him. He has played in just 19 games this year, continuing a concerning trend. According to a recent report, the Bucks are unlikely to trade for him. GettyMemphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant dribbles the ball. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP via Getty Images) The Bucks are Unlikely to Add Ja Morant in a TradeAccording to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, the Bucks are unlikely to add Morant at the trade deadline. He said so on the Hoop Collective Podcast.“I feel confident that Ja Morant will not be a Heat and will not be a Buck. That’s what I would say. I don’t believe he’s going to Miami, and I don’t believe he’s going to Milwaukee.”Adding Morant and his giant contract would be a desperation move aimed at keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo happy. Antetokounmpo could be on the move if the Bucks don’t start getting better in a hurry. Even if the Bucks don’t trade him at the deadline, he could ask for a trade in the summer.Morant’s trade value is the lowest it has ever been in his career. Unless he can prove that he can stay healthy and be an active member of the Grizzlies, teams are going to give Memphis low-ball offers. It doesn’t sound like Milwaukee will be one of those teams. GettyMilwaukee Bucks GM Jon Horst talks to the media. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) The Bucks Will Likely be Active at the Trade DeadlineMilwaukee is desperate to keep Antetokounmpo by any means necessary. That means they are likely going to be active at the trade deadline and will likely be adding players to the roster when the deadline rolls around. Adding players is the only course of action to keep Antetokounmpo happy.Whoever Milwaukee adds needs to have an offensive-minded game. The poor offense is the biggest reason why they are so far down the standings in a relatively weak Eastern Conference. Adding a player with a big contract is probably something they should avoid, though.Milwaukee will be one of the teams to watch at the trade deadline. It would be shocking if they didn’t make any moves and decided to stand pat. Jon Horst is in charge of making these moves, and he will have some tough decisions to make in the next couple of weeks.The trade deadline for the NBA is February 5th. Like Heavy Sports's content? Be sure to follow us. This article was originally published on Heavy SportsThe post Bucks Unlikely to Land Star Guard at Trade Deadline: Report appeared first on Heavy Sports.