Football

12/31/2025 |  NFL’s fourth-down revolution and new rules lead to record-low punts in 2025 (Associated Press (AP)) There were three times in the first 59 years of the Super Bowl era that a team went back-to-back regular-season games without punting once.
That total has been matched during the 2025 season as part of a growing trend that has led to punts becoming more and more rare.
The new kickoff rule, the K-balls that have contributed to more long field goals and an increase in fourth-down aggressiveness by coaches have conspired to take the punt out of the game.

12/31/2025 |  NFL program provides resources to help retired players find new career paths after football (Associated Press (AP)) Eric Lee was just a few years into his NFL career and fresh off playing in a Super Bowl when he started preparing for life after the game.
Johnson Bademosi played nine seasons in the league and now works as an analyst at an asset management company after participating in a development fellowship at NFL offices.
Brandin Dandridge spent part of a season with the Chiefs and recently started a career in sales after participating in a technology training and career transition program specifically for retired NFL players.

12/31/2025 |  No. 3 Georgia is eager to make better Sugar Bowl memories while No. 6 Ole Miss eyes payback (Associated Press (AP)) NEW ORLEANS (AP) — For the Georgia Bulldogs and coach Kirby Smart, last year’s Sugar Bowl brought a heavy dose of sadness that had more to do with life — and the loss of it — than football.
As fate would have it, the third-ranked Bulldogs (12-1, No. 3 seed CFP) are back one year later to take on No. 6 Mississippi (12-1, No. 6 seed CFP) in the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff on Thursday night.

12/31/2025 |  Role reversals: Alabama returns to the Rose Bowl as a CFP underdog to face powerhouse Indiana (Associated Press (AP)) LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nick Saban coached his final game for Alabama just two years ago in the Rose Bowl. Although the sport didn’t know it at the time, an era ended for the 21st century’s most dominant program to date when Jalen Milroe got stopped on fourth down in overtime by Michigan.

12/31/2025 |  Patriots star receiver Stefon Diggs faces strangulation charge, denies allegations (Associated Press (AP)) BOSTON (AP) — New England Patriots star wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with a dispute with his former private chef, police said.
News of the charges emerged after a court hearing Tuesday in Dedham, Massachusetts. Diggs is charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery.