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World Cup Hero Balogun Returns For USA’s Nations League Quarterfinal

The U.S. men’s soccer team’s new core is taking shape in Mauricio Pochettino’s second term.

Ahead of the USA’s first competitive games of the 2030 World Cup cycle, the Argentine coach named a 25-player roster that doesn’t include several longtime mainstays who were members of Pochettino’s roster at the 2026 tournament.

Headliners like Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie return after being left off the young U.S. squad that won four exhibition matches in September and October. Sebastian Berhalter, Malik Tillman and Auston Trusty — all scorers at the 2026 World Cup — are back, too.

Folarin Balogun was a key part of the United States roster during the 2026 World Cup. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

It’s no surprise that teenage standouts Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall and Justin Ellis were included after combining for six goals in those victories over Canada, Mexico, Chile and Peru.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Pochettino said Wednesday during a video conference with reporters, “to mix younger [players] with experienced players.” 

Yet there was no room for two-time World Cup veterans like Brenden Aaronson, Tim Weah, Joe Scally or Matt Turner. 

In their spots are several intriguing names instead. 

There’s the uncapped duo of Nashville SC fullback Reed Baker-Whiting and Santiago Castañeda, a defensive midfielder who has played every minute for German Bundesliga side Paderborn this season. There’s journeyman defender Bryan Reynolds, whose last cap came more than three years ago.

“They are performing with their clubs,” Pochettino said. “It’s good to have different options, and it’s really important to give the chance to these players because I think they deserve [it]”. 

Poch also retained projected 2028 Olympians Mathis Albert and Adri Mehmeti, both 17, and 18-year-old center back Neil Pierre and 20-year-old keeper Diego Kochen instead of sending them to Spain this month for a training camp and friendlies with Steve Cherundolo’s U.S. under-23s.

“The priority always is for the first team,” said Pochettino, who called Albert “one of the most talented player in USA.” 

“We all believe that if the players are involved with the first team,” he added, “it’s [an opportunity] to keep growing and, of course, adding more experience.” 

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Familiar faces round out the rest of the list, with Sergiño Dest Alex Freeman, Gio Reyna, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Auston Trusty and captain Tyler Adams all included for the two-leg, total-goals-wins Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti.

Balogun, who was also omitted last month because of a minor injury, has played sparingly for Monaco since his proposed move to Premier League Everton collapsed in the final hours of the summer transfer window. 

The goal, Pochettino said, is “to keep helping him to evolve after a tough summer after the World Cup.” Though the former PSG and Tottenham boss conceded that his top striker still isn’t fully fit, “I think the combination between Balogun, Ellis, and Hall is perfect.

George Campbell also returns, though Pochettino said that the former CF Montreal central defender could be replaced if the groin injury he sustained captaining English second tier club West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday is serious.

“Already we are thinking about different options to bring” if Campbell can’t travel early next week. The players summoned will begin reporting to U.S. Soccer’s training facility near Atlanta on Sunday. 

With security issues in the Caribbean nation preventing the Nov. 14 opener from being played in Port au Prince, the Haitian federation was granted permission to host it in Miami. The decisive contest will kick off three days later in Cincinnati.

The Stars and Stripes and Les Grenadiers last met during the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup group stage, with the USA winning 2-1. The team is unbeaten in 10 games against Haiti, with its last loss way back in 1973.

“We know their physicality and the quality,” Pochettino told me.  “It’s important to show respect, because I think it’s going to be a tough, tough, tough two games.”

United StatesConcacaf Quarterfinals Roster

Pochettino’s full squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Matt Freese, New York City FC; Diego Kochen, Lyngby (Denmark); Brian Schwake, Nashville

Defenders: Reed Baker-Whiting, Nashville; George Campbell, West Brom (England); Sergiño Dest, PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands); Alex Freeman, Villarreal (Spain); Neil Pierre, Philadelphia Union; Bryan Reynolds, Stade Rennais (France); Chris Richards, Crystal Palace (England); Antonee Robinson, Fulham (England; Auston Trusty, Celtic (Scotland)

Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Bournemouth (England); Mathis Albert, Borussia Dortmund (Germany); Sebastian Berhalter, Middlesbrough (England); Santiago Castañeda, Paderborn (Germany); Weston McKennie, Juventus (Italy); Adri Mehmeti, Red Bull New York; Gio Reyna, Strasbourg (France); Malik Tillman, Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)

Forwards: Folarin Balogun, Monaco (France); Justin Ellis, Orlando City; Julian Hall, Red Bull New York; Christian Pulisic, AC Milan (Italy); Cavan Sullivan, Philadelphia Union

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On the way to the FIFA 2030 World Cup, U.S. men’s soccer prospects Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall could be key members of the 2028 Olympic hosts’ squad in Los Angeles.



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Brandon Aiyuk Files For NFL Reinstatement, Plans To Report To

Receiver Brandon Aiyuk has applied to be reinstated to the San Francisco 49ers from the reserve/left squad list and plans to report to the team later this week.

Aiyuk’s new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Wednesday that Aiyuk has officially submitted his paperwork to the NFL to get back and is planning to return to the 49ers on Friday.

Aiyuk hasn’t played a game in more than two years since going down with a knee injury in October 2024 and has been on the reserve/left squad list after leaving the Niners late last season.

He fired agent Ryan Williams during his long-running dispute with the 49ers and was without representation until he recently hired Rosenhaus.

Aiyuk will remain under contract with the 49ers after he is reinstated by the NFL. San Francisco general manager John Lynch previously has said he doesn’t expect Aiyuk to play for the Niners again.

They previously voided $27 million guaranteed in Aiyuk’s contract for 2026 for failing to participate in meetings and other team activities last summer when he was rehabilitating his knee injury.

Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million extension just before the start of the 2024 season following a lengthy contract hold-in that kept him out of training camp. He was coming off a 2023 season when he had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns and was a second-team All-Pro.

Aiyuk had only 25 catches for 374 yards in seven games in 2024 before getting injured. The 28-year-old has 294 catches for 4,305 yards and 25 TDs since being drafted in the first round in 2020.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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‘A Long Time Coming’: Micah Parsons Returns to Packers Practice

Micah Parsons is practicing again with the Green Bay Packers as the All-Pro edge rusher approaches a return from the torn anterior cruciate ligament that has sidelined him since mid-December.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Wednesday that Parsons would be participating in individual drills at that day’s practice session. Parsons’ return to practice means the Packers now have 21 days before they need to activate him from injured reserve.

“It’s been a long time coming,” LaFleur said. “He’s put a lot of effort and work into this. To get him back out there will be a big boost to our team.”

Parsons had 12 ⅓ sacks in 13 games for the Packers last season before tearing the ACL in his left knee in a Dec. 14 loss at Denver. The Packers acquired Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys just before the start of the 2025 season and signed him to a four-year, $188 million contract with $136 million guaranteed.

“The thing that impressed me most about him was his impact in the running game as well,” LaFleur said. “He’s a dominant force.”

Parsons was in a contract dispute with Dallas when the Packers acquired him in exchange for their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks as well as three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark.

Parsons’ value to the Packers is apparent from the way they performed with and without him last year. The Packers owned a 9-3-1 record and were leading the Broncos when he got hurt. They went on to lose that game and wouldn’t win again the rest of the season.

Green Bay has managed to produce a quality pass rush without Parsons so far this season. The Packers have 2.8 sacks per game, putting them in a tie for seventh in the NFL. Lukas Van Ness leads the way with 4 ½.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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NASCAR Title Picks: Back The Drivers Leading The Standings To

Who will win the NASCAR Cup Series championship?

That question is less difficult to answer this year than in the previous 12 years, as NASCAR doesn’t have four drivers with an equal shot of winning a title. 

The other two NASCAR national series are not so clear-cut.

But in Cup, it’s so clear who will (likely) win that NASCAR will have only one Cup driver meet with the press Thursday at its championship weekend media day.

Kyle Larson holds a 67-point lead on Christopher Bell and a 70-point lead on Denny Hamlin. 

Kyle Larson will be the only NASCAR Cup driver available for championship media day. (Getty Images)

Larson needs just nine points on the day — meaning he could clinch with just eight stage points — to clinch the title. And even if he doesn’t get that, Bell would need to win and earn 17 stage points (16 with the fastest lap) or Hamlin would need to win and earn 14 stage points (13 with the fastest lap).

That makes this an easy prediction: Larson wins the title. Even if he collapses, the chances that Bell or Hamlin have such dominant days seem remote.

Bell did earn 73 points earlier this year at Darlington, earned 18 stage points at the last 1.5-mile track (Charlotte) and does have a win in 2023 at Homestead. 

So he has a better chance of obtaining the 69-point day he needs (at 67 points behind and Larson guaranteed one spot for starting the race and owning the tiebreaker, Bell needs a minimum 69 points).

Christopher Bell coming back to win the title at Homestead is a long shot. (Getty Images)

Regardless, Homestead still appears to be a track where Larson (two wins in the last four years) and Tyler Reddick will be the drivers to beat.

Hamlin has not had a 72-point day all year, although he has earned 17 stage points in four races this season. That 72-point day isn’t going to happen Sunday. 

What about the O’Reilly and truck championships?

I’d say go with the points leaders there, too. Sorry, not sorry for taking the easy road to predicting.

Justin Allgaier leads Jesse Love by 22 points in the O’Reilly standings while Corey Day is 23 points behind. Carson Kvapil is 31 points back and Sheldon Creed is 42 points behind.

Allgaier is the defending winner of the Homestead race (March 2025), and he has qualified in the top five the last three years. He’s going to be fast and will be in the driver’s seat.

Allgaier is the defending winner of Homestead. (Getty Images)

Love has finishes of sixth last year and fourth the year before at Homestead. But he will need a better qualifying effort than in the past to put himself in position. He could, though, choose to go with an alternate strategy and with enough speed and savvy, win his second consecutive title.

Many people want to pick Day, considering his sprint-car roots and likely comfort racing up near the wall. 

But in trucks, he did not start better than 16th nor finish better than 15th in two starts. Now, he does have four wins this year and Homestead would seem to be his track. But that’s a lot of pressure on a 20-year-old driver with limited asphalt experience.

Kvapil was 10th last year in his one start at the track and while he is much improved, him winning and likely earning enough stage points to out-point Allgaier seems like a long shot. Creed pretty much needs to win and has led 17 laps in seven national series starts at the track.

The feeling here is that Allgaier will hold on and win the title, being the lone regular-season champion to earn the crown.

And in the trucks, regular-season champ Layne Riggs sits 20 points behind Kaden Honeycutt. 

Could Kaden Honeycutt bring home the crown in trucks? (Getty Images) 

The pick in this race should go to Riggs but Corey Heim is in this race and if Heim has no issues, he’ll be the prohibitive favorite. 

Riggs gaining 20 points on Honeycutt without the victory is a tall order because both will likely be top-five caliber.

Riggs would be the favorite to beat Honeycutt straight up, but Honeycutt should keep him in his sights at the very least.

So there you have it. My championship picks are in: Larson, Allgaier and Honeycutt.

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Chiefs Stick With Struggling Harrison Butker Despite Justin Tucker Signing

The Kansas City Chiefs are sticking with embattled kicker Harrison Butker, one week after signing former All-Pro Justin Tucker to the practice squad and days after Butker missed another crucial field-goal attempt in a late-game collapse in Denver.

Coach Andy Reid confirmed Wednesday that Butker would be active when the Chiefs play the New York Jets on Sunday.

“Harrison will be up, yeah,” Reid said.

The Chiefs led the Denver Broncos 24-13 at the start of the fourth quarter last weekend, only to watch their division rivals score a pair of touchdowns to take the lead. In between them, Butker missed a 54-yard try that ultimately would have meant Kansas City needed only another field goal rather than a touchdown on the final play of what became a 28-24 loss.

It was the 16th kick that Butker has missed since the start of last season, the most in the NFL over that span.

“Just missed it. Didn’t even give it a chance,” Butker said afterward. “When I say bad miss, like, just completely missed the ball. Didn’t even give it a chance. Didn’t feel good off the foot. Just not good.”

What made the miss more baffling to Butker is that he responded to Tucker’s signing with one of his best weeks of practice.

“Justin’s been great. Enjoyed talking with him and getting to know him a little bit more,” Butker said. “So it was a good week of practice, but doesn’t matter — you’ve got to make them in the game.”

In other news, first-round pick Mansoor Delane was back at practice Wednesday after the cornerback missed a second game this season because of shoulder injuries, and offensive guard Kingsley Suamataia was expected back in the lineup after missing a second straight game for what Reid would only describe as a coach’s decision.

“There’s a good chance for Kingsley,” Reid said.

NOTES: DL Peter Woods remained out of practice Wednesday with a neck stinger, Reid said. … The Chiefs are widely expected to pursue a wide receiver ahead of next week’s trade deadline, though Reid deferred to general manager Brett Veach when asked about the possibility of a deal. “Just see where it all goes,” Reid said. “He’s great with all that. If he can make things happen, he’ll make things happen.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.



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Eagles Reportedly Making QB Change, Will Start Joe Milton vs

The Philadelphia Eagles are making another quarterback change, but this time it’s not due to injury.

Joe Milton III will start Sunday’s game against the New York Giants (1 p.m. ET on FOX), replacing Tanner McKee, NFL Network reported on Wednesday afternoon. The move comes less than one month after the Eagles signed Milton off the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad.

Milton is slated to become the fourth Eagles quarterback to throw a pass this season, following Jalen Hurts, Andy Dalton and McKee.

McKee took over as Philadelphia’s starter in Week 6 after Hurts was sidelined by blood clots in his lungs, which are expected to keep the Super Bowl MVP out for the rest of the season. McKee went 0-3 as the starter, with losses to the Carolina Panthers and NFC East-rival Cowboys and Washington Commanders. 

Dalton, who competed with McKee for the backup job in the preseason, has since been released. The 26-year-old Milton was promoted to McKee’s backup last week against the Commanders.

A 6-foot-5 former Tennessee quarterback known for his arm strength, Milton was a sixth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2024 and later traded to the Cowboys in 2025. He has appeared in five NFL games and completed 69.8% of his passes.

Milton’s mobility could also help a Philadelphia offense that has struggled to run the ball.

The Eagles have lost six straight games, falling to 2-6. Hurts’ injury has been one of several setbacks this season, but Sunday’s game against the Giants gives Milton his chance to lead the Eagles’ offense and try to end the skid.



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Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald Reveals QB Sam Darnold Injury, Talks

The Seattle Seahawks have lost three of their last four games and are coming off a 34-17 loss at home to the Chicago Bears on Monday night.

To boot, their starting quarterback is banged up again.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald revealed in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that Sam Darnold will miss the team’s Week 9 home matchup against the Arizona Cardinals (Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX) due to a quad injury; Drew Lock will start at quarterback. Granted, Lock has been dealing with an “elbow injury” and “hasn’t thrown much,” per the head coach.

Macdonald considers Darnold “week to week” and expressed that now at 4-4, Seattle doesn’t anticipate placing the quarterback on injured reserve. Macdonald also noted that Darnold “cracked his rib” on the second play of the game and the door is open for the team to add another quarterback; Seattle also has second-year quarterback Jalen Milroe. 

Darnold played the entirety of Seattle’s Week 8 loss to Chicago, completing just 50.0% of his passes (17 of 34). 

The Seahawks defeated the Cardinals in Arizona on Sept. 20, 31-7, with Lock also under center, as Darnold left the team’s Week 1 showdown against the New England Patriots with a glute injury.

Across the two appearances Lock has made this season, he has totaled 422 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 127.3 passer rating, while completing 72.9% of his passes.

Darnold has totaled 1,478 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 79.5 passer rating, while completing 60.2% of his passes. 

For context, Darnold posted a 99.1 passer rating and completed 67.7% of his passes in the 2025 regular season, earning a second consecutive Pro Bowl honor en route to helping the Seahawks win Super Bowl LX.



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Lane Kiffin Calls End of Annual Alabama-LSU Series ‘Sad’

Alabama and LSU have spent decades giving college football fans a reason to mark their calendars.

Next year, those fans will have to find another game.

The longtime Southeastern Conference opponents have played every season since 1964, a stretch that will end after No. 9 Alabama visits No. 15 LSU on Saturday. The series will resume in Tuscaloosa in 2028, but its annual place on the schedule is going away.

A matchup that has helped decide national championships didn’t make the cut when the SEC selected three annual opponents for each school under its new nine-game conference schedule.

LSU coach Lane Kiffin called the change “sad.”

“And I understand, so I’m not being critical,” he said Monday. “All the decisions, usually, I think all of them probably really come down to money, whether that’s the realignments, whether that’s the rivalries. So, I think it’s all sad in general in the big picture of things that money drives to make (changes to) such great traditions and rivalries.”

There’s still plenty riding on this one.

The Crimson Tide and Tigers are both 6-2, with the loser facing a more difficult path to the College Football Playoff. Alabama was fifth in the selection committee’s initial rankings Tuesday, while LSU came in 14th.

For LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, reminders of the game’s importance come well before he reaches the practice field. Fans tell him to beat Alabama when he goes to the store or gets food.

He grew up in Oregon, but Alabama-LSU was a game he made time to watch.

“Being from the West Coast and, you know, fantasizing about watching a game down here, not being a part of it, uh, it’s a surreal and special experience,” Leavitt said Tuesday.

Alabama Crimson Tide LSU Tigers The SEC’s Scheduling Change

The expanded conference schedule gives each school three annual opponents and six rotating matchups. Every team will face each SEC opponent at least once every two years and home and away over four years.

Alabama will play Auburn, Tennessee and Mississippi State annually. LSU’s annual opponents are Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas A&M.

The league considered traditional rivalries, competitive fairness and geography, among other factors, in making those matchups. Annual opponents will be evaluated after each four-year cycle.

Alabama-LSU was left among the rotating games.

“And there’s really good things that have changed in college football over the years, but there’s also a lot that I think myself and a lot of people wish that they were the way that they were, rivalries and conferences the same,” Kiffin said. “And so unfortunately it’s where we are that really doesn’t seem like much is going to be protected when it comes to TV contracts and money and other people’s ideas.”

Kiffin has experienced the matchup from Alabama’s sideline, too. He spent three seasons as the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator from 2014-16 under Nick Saban.

Saban’s connection to both programs helped turn an established conference series into one of the sport’s biggest games.

Alabama Crimson Tide LSU Tigers Championships, Rematches And Memorable Finishes

Saban led LSU to the 2003 national championship before leaving for the NFL. He took over at Alabama in 2007, putting him across the field from the program he had helped build.

By the 2011 season, the teams were competing for more than the SEC West.

No. 1 LSU beat No. 2 Alabama 9-6 in overtime in Tuscaloosa. Two months later, they met again in New Orleans with the national championship on the line. Alabama won 21-0.

The rematch started an eight-game Crimson Tide winning streak in the series, one LSU ended with a 46-41 victory in 2019 on its way to an undefeated national championship season.

The Tigers delivered another memorable finish in 2022, winning 32-31 in overtime in Baton Rouge.

Alabama linebacker Yhonzae Pierre grew up in the state watching those matchups. Asked Tuesday about his memories of LSU games, he pointed to what they mean for the players involved.

“We going to be remembered by it,” Pierre said.

Alabama Crimson Tide LSU Tigers One More Game With Postseason Stakes

Neither team has much room for another loss.

Alabama beat Texas A&M 31-20 before its bye week, ending a two-game skid. The Crimson Tide now head back on the road after losing at Tennessee in their previous trip away from Tuscaloosa.

LSU has its own difficult stretch ahead, with No. 10 Texas and No. 16 Tennessee following Alabama.

Leavitt said Tuesday, before the first CFP rankings were released, that he wasn’t concerned with where the Tigers would land.

“Hearing the rankings right now, it doesn’t matter,” he said.

Winning Saturday would give either team another result to build its postseason case around. It would also give its fans something they’ve had the chance to claim every season for more than six decades: a win over the other side.

Next year, that opportunity won’t be there.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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2026 NFL Odds: Will There Be A First-Time Super Bowl

Winning the Super Bowl isn’t for everyone, but 12 teams are holding out hope this season. 

Well, maybe not all 12 — but a handful of them.

The Brewers won their first World Series in franchise history last week. Could the NFL crown a first-time champion this season, too?

Let’s check out the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Nov. 4, as well as what to know about each franchise’s playoff history.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

National Football LeagueFirst-Time Super Bowl Winner Odds

Yes: +145
No: -175

National Football LeagueTeams To Never Win Super Bowl

Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals

Best finish: Lost Super Bowls XVI, XXIII, LVI
Super Bowl odds: +1400 (eighth)

Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills

Best finish: Lost Super Bowls XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII
Super Bowl odds: +600 (second)

Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns

Best finish: Five Conference Championship Game losses
Super Bowl odds: +15000 (T-23rd)

Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals

Best finish: Lost Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl odds: +70000 (27th)

Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Chargers

Best finish: Lost Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl odds: +100000 (T-Last)

Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons

Best finish: Lost Super Bowls LI, XXXIII
Super Bowl odds: +8400 (20th)

Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars

Best finish: Three Conference Championship Game losses
Super Bowl odds: +950 (third)

Detroit Lions Detroit Lions

Best finish: Two Conference Championship Game losses
Super Bowl odds: +1900 (T-10th)

Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers

Best finish: Lost Super Bowls XXXVIII, 50
Super Bowl odds: +7000 (18th)

Houston Texans Houston Texans

Best finish: Seven divisional round losses
Super Bowl odds: +3500 (14th)

Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans

Best finish: Lost Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl odds: +100000 (T-Last)

Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings

Best finish: Lost Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX, XI
Super Bowl odds: +1900 (T-10th)

National Football LeagueWhat To Know

A franchise winning its first Super Bowl isn’t all that common. 

The last time it happened was back in Super Bowl LII (2017-18 season), when the Philadelphia Eagles took home the Lombardi Trophy for the first time. Since then, Philly has made it back to two more championship games, losing to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVII and beating K.C. in Super Bowl LIX. Prior to that, the last team to win its first Super Bowl was the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV (2009-10 season). 

In the last 30 years, only 13 franchises have won it all: Seattle, Philadelphia, New England, Kansas City, Denver, Green Bay, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Tampa Bay, the New York Giants and the Rams (St. Louis and Los Angeles). 

In terms of this year, 12 teams will have another crack at it, including three teams in the top eight on the Super Bowl oddsboard. 

Buffalo has been close in recent years, but has struggled to get past other AFC big dogs. It has made the postseason every year from 2019 to 2025, and in that span, has four losses to Kansas City, one to Denver, one to Cincinnati and one to Houston.

As for the Bengals, they took down the Chiefs in the 2021 AFC Championship Game, but fell just short against the Rams in Super Bowl LVI, losing 23-20 after a controversial pass interference call at the end of the game. The next year, Cincy fell to Kansas City in the AFC title game rematch, and the Bengals have not been back to the playoffs since.

The Jaguars are currently third on the Super Bowl oddsboard but have never advanced past the AFC Championship Game.



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Jets Star Garrett Wilson In Concussion Protocol; Week 9 Status

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson is in the concussion protocol, and it’s uncertain if he’ll be available to play Sunday on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Head coach Aaron Glenn said Wednesday that Wilson is day to day after the team’s No. 1 receiver was injured in the closing moments of New York’s 38-33 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday. Wilson took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn on a 15-yard catch and Chinn was called for unnecessary roughness.

Wilson stayed in and was Geno Smith’s intended target in the end zone on the next play when Chinn came up with a game-sealing interception. Glenn said Wilson came to the facility Monday, apparently feeling some effects from the hit, and was placed in the protocol.

Not having Wilson on Sunday would be a huge blow for the Jets (2-6), who have dropped three in a row and face a Chiefs team coming off a disappointing 28-24 loss on the road to the Denver Broncos.

Wilson has 43 catches, tied for the most in the AFC and ninth in the NFL, for 527 yards and three touchdowns. His 63 targets are second in the AFC, though he was frustrated the last few weeks by his sporadic usage in games and in crucial moments. Against the Raiders, Wilson had six receptions for 83 yards on a team-high 12 targets.

Adonai Mitchell had seven catches for a career-high 142 yards and a touchdown in his second game back after missing four with a finger injury that required surgery. If Wilson is out, Mitchell and rookie Omar Cooper Jr. – who was held without a target after consecutive 100-yard receiving games – likely would be counted on to pick up the slack in the passing game.

Isaiah Williams, Tim Patrick and rookie Malik McClain are also on the active roster. Sterling Shepard, Jamaal Pritchett and Joseph Manjack IV, who was signed Wednesday, are on the practice squad.

Breece HallNew York Jets

There’s some potential good news for the Jets’ offense, which could get running back Breece Hall back after he missed the last five games with a quadriceps injury.

Glenn said Hall would be limited at practice but is “trending in the right direction – as are tight end Mason Taylor and edge rushers David Bailey and Joseph Ossai, who are dealing with injuries. Taylor was banged up against Las Vegas, while Bailey (groin) and Ossai (ankle) missed the game.

Hall’s return could present an interesting situation for Glenn and offensive coordinator Frank Reich. Braelon Allen has had a breakout season in Hall’s absence, rushing for more than 100 yards in three of his last four games. Glenn has maintained since the summer that he was excited to use Hall and Allen as a 1-2 punch out of the backfield.

“Both guys will play,” Glenn said when asked how he anticipates using them moving forward.

VJ PayneNew York Jets

Safety VJ Payne, a seventh-round draft pick out of Kansas State, had his 21-day practice window opened Wednesday.

Payne suffered a bone bruise during training camp and missed all of the preseason and was placed on injured reserve before the start of the regular season.

Reporting by The Associated Press.



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