Month: January 2025

The NFL announced that a contingency plan has been put in place ahead of the Los Angeles Rams-Minnesota Vikings wild-card matchup Monday at SoFi Stadium, while it continues to monitor the ongoing wildfires in California. The No. 4-seeded Rams are scheduled to host the No. 5 Vikings on Monday; however as the fires continue to rage on, there is a strong chance the venue will not be viable for use. SoFi Stadium is located in southwest Los Angeles, about 10 miles from the Palisades Fire that has devastated parts of Santa Monica.

The league issued a statement noting it was monitoring the situation, and stating if SoFi Stadium can’t be used, the game will be moved to a different venue.  If necessary, State Farm Stadium — home of the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, AZ — will be the backup location for the wild-card game.

The statement read: “The NFL’s priority is the safety of the Los Angeles community. We are grateful for the tireless efforts of the first responders. Our hearts are with Los Angeles and everyone affected by the fires. We will continue to closely monitor developments in the area and will remain in contact with public officials, both clubs and the NFLPA .. We continue to prepare to play the Vikings-Rams game as scheduled Monday night at SoFi Stadium. As with all games, there are contingency plans in the event a change in location is needed. In this instance, the game would be played on Monday night at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, if necessary.”

The Los Angeles Chargers, who share SoFi Stadium with the Rams, limited players’ time outside during practice due to poor air quality. As of Wednesday afternoon, the air quality index in Inglewood hit 281 (air is considered unhealthy at 150 or higher).

The Rams made an announcement that no players or staff members have been affected by the fires, but the team is closely monitoring the situation: “Our hearts are with those affected by the Eaton Fire in the Altadena/Pasadena area and the first responders protecting our community. Be safe.”

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers will not play in this weekend’s wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after sustaining a knee injury in Saturday’s Week 18 regular-season finale.

Flowers, the Ravens’ leading receiver, did not practice all week. Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after Thursday’s practice “we’ll see how it looks next week,” adding that it will be a group effort from the team to make up for the loss of Flowers: “he’ll get started again next week and we’ll move forward with the guys we have. We’re excited about the guys we have, which is everybody else.” (per ESPN.)

Flowers exited Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Browns after going down hard on a catch-and-run. The 24-year-old receiver immediately grabbed at his right knee and was in visible pain; and was brought to the medical tent. The Ravens initially announced Flowers as questionable to return with a knee injury, but later downgraded his status to out.

Now in his second NFL season, Flowers finished with 1,047 receiving yards and four touchdowns for the AFC North division champions, earning him his first career Pro Bowl selection (and becoming the first Ravens player to reach the Pro Bowl as a wide receiver). He leads the Ravens with 74 receptions and 1,059 receiving yards and also has four touchdown catches.

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The Baltimore Orioles announced that their former pitcher Brian Matusz has died at the age of 37. The Orioles said Matusz died Tuesday; his cause of death was not disclosed.

The Orioles statement on X reads: “Our hearts are heavy tonight as we mourn the passing of former Oriole, Brian Matusz. A staple in our clubhouse from 2009-2016, Brian was beloved throughout Birdland, and his passion for baseball and our community was unmatched. He dedicated his time to connecting with any fan he could, was a cherished teammate, and always had a smile on his face. Brian’s family and loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.”

The left-handed pitcher played at the University of San Diego where he was the West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2008, leading him to be the fourth overall pick of that June’s MLB Draft by Baltimore. San Diego baseball head coach Brock Ungricht said in a news release: “Brian was one of the best players to ever wear a Torero uniform. His dedication to the USD community and passion for the game of baseball were evident to all who knew him. Brian’s unexpected passing leaves a void in our hearts, but his legacy will continue to inspire us, both on and off the field. We will forever be grateful for his friendship and unwavering support of San Diego baseball. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

Matusz began his eight-year-long MLB career in 2009 with Baltimore, where he began his career as a starter. His best season as a starting pitcher came in 2010, when he went 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA over 32 starts. Matusz found more success later as a relief pitcher, appearing in 186 games out of Baltimore’s bullpen between 2013-2015. He posted a career-best 2.94 ERA over 58 relief appearances in 2015 for the Orioles. Matusz finished up his career pitching in one game for the 2016 Chicago Cubs, who went on to win the World Series that fall for the first time since 1908.

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Per multiple sources and a report from the NFL Network, “multiple” NFL teams have approached new North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick about a possible return to the NFL – including the Las Vegas Raiders, where Tom Brady is a minority owner.

Multiple organizations are inquiring about whether Belichick would consider stepping down from his recently-acquired gig as North Carolina’s head football coach to resume his legendary career in the NFL.  Brady, Belichick’s long-time quarterback with the Patriots, is said to have recently spoke with his former coach about what it would take to make a reunion happen in Las Vegas.

The report from NFL Network states that Brady was in touch with Belichick while the Raiders were deciding the future of Antonio Pierce (who was fired by the Raiders on Tuesday). The Raiders have posted losing seasons in each of the past three years, and were 8-9 a season ago when Pierce took over for Josh McDaniels during the season.

Belichick accepted his new role as North Carolina’s head coach back in Dec. 11, and has been photographed making recruiting visits to high school prospects in recent weeks.  His contract with North Carolina has a $10 million buyout that drops to $1 million this summer. When he was asked during his introductory press conference if he would consider a return to the NFL if an opportunity presented itself, he replied: “I didn’t come here to leave.”

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