ESPN and Major League Baseball appeared headed for an ugly separation after the network opted out of its rights deal in February.
Nine months later, it appears to be the best thing to happen to both parties.
ESPN has a reworked deal that includes out-of-market streaming rights while NBC and Netflix will televise games as part of a new three-year media rights agreement announced Wednesday by MLB.
Commissioner Rob Manfred also was able to maximize rights for the Home Run Derby and wild-card series.
NBC/Peacock will become the new home of Sunday Night Baseball and the wild-card round while Netflix will have the Home Run Derby and two additional games.
Netflix will have MLB at Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, on Aug. 13 when the Phillies face the Minnesota Twins. It will be the first time the game has been played in Dyersville since 2022.
Netflix also has the first game of the season on March 25 when the New York Yankees visit the San Francisco Giants. It also has the Home Run Derby and will stream an MLB special event game each year.
The three deals will average nearly $800 million per year. ESPN will still pay $550 million while the NBC deal is worth $200 million and Netflix $50 million.
How ESPN benefits
ESPN, which has carried baseball since 1990, loses postseason games and the Home Run Derby but gains something more valuable for its bottom line by becoming the rights holder for MLB.TV, which will be available on the ESPN app.
ESPN also gets the in-market streaming rights for the six teams whose games are produced by MLB — San Diego, Colorado, Arizona, Cleveland, Minnesota, and Seattle.
Even though ESPN no longer has Sunday Night Baseball, it will have 30 games, primarily on weeknights and in the summer months.
Baseball is the second league that has its out-of-market digital package available in the U.S. on ESPN’s platform. The NHL moved its package to ESPN in 2021.
Welcome back, NBC
NBC, which celebrates its 100th anniversary next year, has a long history with baseball, albeit not much recently. The network carried games from 1939 through 1989. It was part of the short-lived Baseball Network with ABC in 1994 and ’95 and then aired playoff games from 1996 through 2000.
Its first game will be on March 26 when the defending two-time champion Los Angeles Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The 25 Sunday night games will air mostly on NBC with the rest on the new NBC Sports Network. All will stream on Peacock.
The first Sunday Night Baseball game on NBC will be April 12 with the next one in May after the NBA playoffs.
The addition of baseball games gives NBC a year-around night of sports on Sundays. It has had NFL games on Sunday night since 2006 and will debut an NBA Sunday night slate in February.
NBC will also have a prime-time game on Labor Day night.
The Sunday early-afternoon games also return to Peacock, which had them in 2022 and ’23. The early-afternoon games will lead into a studio whip-around show before the Sunday night game.
NBC/Peacock will also do the Major League Futures game during All-Star week and coverage of the first round of the MLB amateur draft.
Don’t forget the others
The negotiations around the other deals were complicated due to the fact that MLB was also trying not to slight two of its other rights holders. MLB receives an average of $729 million from Fox and $470 million from Turner Sports per year under deals that expire after the 2028 season.
Fox’s Saturday nights have been mainly sports the past couple of years with a mix of baseball, college football, college basketball, and motorsports.
Apple TV has had Friday Night Baseball since 2022.
The deals also set up Manfred for future negotiations. He would like to see MLB take a more national approach to its rights instead of a large percentage of its games being on regional sports networks.
When Ethan Ruiz was diagnosed with leukemia in 2024, he decided to tackle it rationally, just like he tackled the monsters under his bed.
“Why would a monster want to jump me specifically, right?” Ruiz joked. “That never really went away. Even as things got scarier and bigger, I was able to rationalize that I’m going to be able to get through things.”
Ruiz is this year’s recipient of the Flyers’ Building Hope for Kids grant, which will renovate his family’s home in Northeast Philadelphia in an attempt to “create a more comfortable, accessible, and uplifting space as he continues treatment.” But the 19-year-old isn’t the type to ask for help, his mother said, which is part of why Blair Listino and Flyers Charities were drawn to the family for this year’s grant.
“Building Hope for Kids is one of the most meaningful programs we’re part of each season,” saidListino, the chair of Flyers Charities and an alternate governor of the Flyers, in a news release. “It’s about more than transforming a home. It’s about surrounding families with care, comfort, and love during some of life’s hardest moments. The Ruiz family’s strength and positivity are inspiring, and we can’t wait to see their faces when they walk into their new home this March.”
“Partnering with Flyers Charities is amazing. Everyone jumps in with such enthusiasm and dedication,” added Chris McElwee, founder of Michael’s Way and president of Fastrack Construction. “It’s a huge team effort from start to finish. We all share the same goal: to create a peaceful, supportive space for Ethan throughout his fight and during his recovery. This project is, without question, a labor of love.”
This year's Building Hope for Kids recipient is 19-year-old Ethan Ruiz of Philadelphia. 🧡
Ruiz is still living in his childhood bedroom, so one major piece of the renovation will be taking the family’s basement and turning it into a new, much larger bedroom for him to stay in while he attends the Community College of Philadelphia.
“I’ve lived in the exact same room that I’ve always lived in since I was a little baby, the smallest room in the house, and I’m going from there to the biggest room in the house,” Ruiz said. “As my interests and I have grown up, I feel like I’ve gotten too big for it. The main thing is just taking all my interests and being able to have a space for me to actually output that into something that I feel like is representative of me now, instead of me as a kid.”
Having their home renovated will help Ruiz and his mother, Yomayra Carrer, focus fully on his treatment and care, instead of saving up for what repairs might be needed on their house at any given time.
The Flyers announced this year’s recipient of the Building Hope for Kids initiative on Tuesday as part of a fashion show. The show featured children receiving treatment for cancer who are beneficiaries of Michael’s Way, modeling outfits they chose themselves from the Flyers’ store, and some of their own favorites.
From left, Ethan Ruiz, Adonis Carlos Ruiz, and Yomayar Carrer pose for a photo after becoming the recipients of the Building Hope for Kids initiative during the Michael’s Way Fashion Show on Nov. 18.
The group included three former Building Hope for Kids recipients, and the wives and girlfriends of Flyers players, coaches, and staff, many of whom take the lead in decorating the home for the initiative each year.
“We have a great turnout,” Alex Sanheim said. “Everyone’s always willing to help. All the new ones, I feel like the first thing when you come in, we all discuss this project, and no one really understands the hype of it until you’re a part of it. Once you are, it’s truly magical, and everyone looks forward to it every year.”
Flyers Charities increased its financial contribution to the initiative to $100,000 in 2025 because of the increased cost of building materials and the success of the previous home renovations.
The Ruiz family is the 10th beneficiary of the Building Hope for Kids initiative, which returned last year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. The finished renovation will be unveiled in March.
“This means the world to my family and me. I don’t think I fully believed this blessing was real until people showed up at my door,” Ruiz in the news release. “It’s incredibly reassuring to know I’ll have a home tailored to our needs. Everything I’ve needed has been provided, and having no loose ends or added worries has been such a relief.”
Sloane, 5, and Laurence Couturier walk the runway during the Michael’s Way Fashion Show.
It’s not just Dallas week for the Eagles. It also happens to be the start of the NFL’s 10th annual My Cause My Cleats initiative, which allows players to wear their hearts on their feet — by highlighting a charity of their choice with custom cleats through creative artwork and designs.
“My Cause My Cleats is a player-driven platform that does a tremendous job of amplifying the voices, charitable causes, and social issues that matter most,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement. “I am especially proud of our players for always taking this opportunity to drive change and draw attention to the organizations that work year-round to help others. The dedication of those in our building is inspiring and a testament to their ongoing commitment to making a positive difference in the community.”
This year’s My Cause My Cleats campaign will take place during Weeks 12 and 13. While the players will lace up their cleats Sunday against Dallas, the Eagles’ coaching staff will highlight the Eagles Autism Foundation during the team’s Black Friday game against the Chicago Bears by wearing custom Nike sneakers on the sideline.
Game-worn cleats will be auctioned off at NFL Auction, with all proceeds donated to the charities chosen by players. Ahead of Sunday’s game, we’ve picked out some of the Eagles’ custom cleats, but you can check them all out — and find out more on the charities they support — here …
Jalen Hurts’ custom Jordan 1 cleats will highlight the Jalen Hurts Foundation.
Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts will be highlighting the Jalen Hurts Foundation, which aims to “strengthen communities by servicing and advancing the youth.” Similar to last year’s cleats, the quarterback’s baby blue Jordan 1s will have the foundation’s logo painted across the toe of the shoe.
A.J. Brown will support the A.J. Brown Foundation with his custom green and purple Vapor Edge 360 “Untouchable” cleats.
A.J. Brown
Similar to last year’s look, wide receiver A.J. Brown will stick with a bold colorway — sporting green and purple Vapor Edge 360 Untouchable cleats to support youth development with the A.J. Brown Foundation. The Joker-like cleats feature a silhouette of Brown walking hand-in-hand with children above the foundation’s name.
Cooper DeJean will highlight cancer awareness and prevention with his custom cleats.
Cooper DeJean
Cornerback Cooper DeJean is highlighting cancer awareness and prevention with custom cleats designed to honor the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
Representing the school’s colors, the cleats feature a yellow colorway with a painting of the hospital on the inside of the shoe. Different colored handprints decorate the cleats, and “Iowa” is painted along the outside.
DeVonta Smith will support the Eagles Autism Foundation with custom Under Armour Spotlight Pro Suede cleats.
DeVonta Smith
Wide receiver DeVonta Smith will honor the Eagles Autism Foundation, wearing custom Under Armour Spotlight Pro Suede cleats that feature the autism puzzle pieces decorating an all-lime green body.
Nakobe Dean is supporting youth development with custom cleats designed to honor Kind Hearts 4 Lyfe.
Nakobe Dean
Nakobe Dean is supporting youth development with custom cleats designed to honor Kind Hearts 4 Lyfe. The Eagles linebacker started the foundation to “provide community outreach programs and services that support, assist, and positively impact the lives of people of all ages.”
Dean’s all-red cleats have the organization’s logo on the heel with its slogan, “Reaching for the hand, but touching the heart,” running along both shoes. Hearts decorate the inside of the Nike logo.
Zack Baun’s custom Nike Alpha Menace 4 Varsity cleats highlight the Special Olympics.
Zack Baun
Linebacker Zack Baun is highlighting the Special Olympics. His custom Nike Alpha Menace 4 Varsity cleats feature a sleek red, white, and black design with the Special Olympics logo on the toe of the shoe.
Britain Covey’s all-pink cleats are decorated with horseshoes to honor Bridle up Hope and the Rachel Covey Foundation.
Britain Covey
Britain Covey is supporting women’s mental health by highlighting Bridle Up Hope and the Rachel Covey Foundation. Its mission is to “inspire hope, confidence, and resilience in girls and women through horses and habits.” The foundation was founded after the death of Rachel Covey, Britain’s cousin, who battled depression for many years. Covey’s all-pink cleats are decorated with horseshoes and the foundation’s name.
Grant Calcaterra is supporting first responders by highlighting the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
Grant Calcaterra
Grant Calcaterra is supporting first responders by highlighting the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, whose mission is to “honor America’s fallen fire heroes and support their families, colleagues, and organizations,” as well as reduce the number of preventable fires.
The tight end’s custom Jordan 1 cleats are painted to replicate a firefighter extinguishing a fire in a burning building, with the artist utilizing the Nike swoosh as the water from the hose. The organization’s logo decorates the heel of the cleats. Calcaterra previously pursued becoming a firefighter before continuing his football career.
Joshua Uche’s custom Jordan 11 cleats support the Innocence Project.
Joshua Uche
Edge rusher Joshua Uche is using his platform to support social justice by highlighting the Innocence Project, which works to exonerate those who have been wrongly convicted of crimes. His custom Jordan 11 cleats are decorated in broken chains with the words “reform,” “justice,” and “equity” written across the cleats’ upper.
Lane Johnson’s camouflage cleats honor the Travis Manion Foundation.
Lane Johnson
Lane Johnson won’t be playing, but the Eagles right tackle is again highlighting the Travis Manion Foundation, supporting veterans and the families of fallen military members. His cleats feature a black and gray camouflage design with a gold star alongside the outside of both cleats.
The opening round of the PIAA state football playoffs arrived with a number of achievements and several firsts for area programs. This weekend promises more in the state quarterfinals.
Three defending state champions remain alive: Class 1A Bishop Guilfoyle of Blair County (District 6), Class 3A Northwestern Lehigh of Lehigh County (District 11), and Class 5A Bishop McDevitt of Dauphin County (District 3). Of the 48 teams that have reached the state quarterfinal round, 10 teams remain alive from District 12 and District 1.
In District 12, there is a team alive at each level (Belmont Charter-1A, Lansdale Catholic-2A, Neumann-Goretti-3A, Cardinal O’Hara-4A, Roman Catholic-5A, and La Salle-6A), with two major games coming this Friday in the District 1 Class 6A championship (Pennridge vs. North Penn) and Class 5A championship (Chester vs. Springfield).
Here’s a breakdown of the local teams competing in the state quarterfinals:
La Salle (10-1) vs. District 11 champion Easton (13-0) at Liberty High on Friday (7 p.m.).
This is the deepest La Salle has gone in the state playoffs since reaching the quarterfinals in 2015, when the Explorers lost to Parkland in the final year of the Class 4A system. The Explorers entered this season with the goal of winning the program’s first state championship since 2009.
After leading 24-0, La Salle scrambled to stave off a furious rally by Philadelphia Public League champion Imhotep Charter on Saturday and did it by leaning on its running game to win, 31-16.
“Easton is a very good football team, that is a senior-heavy team whose quarterback [Cole Ordway] has rushed for over 2,000 yards this year,” La Salle coach Brett Gordon said. “Easton historically likes to establish its running game, and that will be an important piece of the game to stop that.”
Brett Gordon speaks to his team after beating St. Joe’s Prep at Villanova Stadium on Nov. 1.
North Penn (11-2) at Pennridge (12-1) in District 1 Class 6A championship on Friday (7 p.m.)
This is a rematch of Pennridge’s 34-10 regular-season victory over traditional Southeastern Pennsylvania powerhouse North Penn, the first time the Rams beat North Penn since Oct. 19, 2012. Pennridge has never won a District 1 championship in football. Until this season, the Rams had not won a district playoff game during a full season since 2017. Pennridge has won more games this season (12) than its previous three years combined (2-8 in 2022, 3-7 in 2023, and 4-7 in 2024). The Rams will lean on 6-foot-3, 215-pound four-year starting quarterback Noah Keating, and running backs Ryan Rowe, a Princeton pledge, and William Dougherty.
“It’s always really hard to beat a good team twice, and they have changed a lot since they played us,” Keating said. “They have changed up personnel on both sides. We have changed some things, too. I think we are pretty confident going into this. We have been tested. We beat three really good defenses to get here in Plymouth-Whitemarsh, Downingtown East, and Coatesville.”
North Penn is riding an eight-game winning streak since the Pennridge loss. The Knights have not won a District 1 Class 6A championship since 2016, the first year that PIAA instituted the Class 6A classification system. The Pennridge-North Penn winner will face the La Salle-Easton winner in the state semifinals next weekend.
Pennridge running back Ryan Rowe running for a touchdown against Coatesville on Nov. 14.
PIAA Class 5A
Roman Catholic (9-3) vs. District 6 champion Hollidaysburg (13-0) at Mechanicsburg’s Memorial Park on Friday (7 p.m.).
This is a rematch of last year’s state quarterfinals, won by Roman, 48-14. Over their last three games, the Cahillites have averaged 53.3 points, having outscored their opponents by 160-28. Akron-bound senior quarterback Semaj Beals is the only Philadelphia-area quarterback to throw for more than 11,000 yards in his career, and he has two Division I threats in Ash Roberts and Eyan Stead Jr., both committed to Temple.
Roman coach Rick Prete may have the best team in the state. The Cahillites beat La Salle during the regular season and suffered one-point regular-season losses to St. Joseph’s Prep and Providence Day (N.C.). Hollidaysburg is averaging 50 points in its last three games. But the Golden Tigers have not faced a team as fast as Roman.
“Hollidaysburg is good, and faster than they were last year,” Prete said. “I feel good how we are playing right now, and we exposed ourselves early to learn what are flaws were. I feel we are battle-tested. Playing in the Catholic League and our nonleague schedule, and I don’t think we face anyone like the teams we saw. Styles make fights, and while we are battle-tested, we still have work to do. Springfield is really good, and Chester is really good and very well-coached. We are playing our best at the right time, but they are kids and we are trying to make sure we do not skip over any steps.”
Roman Catholic’s Semaj Beals is the only Philly-area quarterback to throw for more than 11,000 yards in his career.
Chester (13-0) at Springfield (Delco)(13-0) in District 1 Class 5A championship on Friday (7 p.m.).
This is the game of the weekend. Springfield, the No. 1 seed, is expecting more than 6,000 fans. It is a classic clash of the only two undefeated teams in the area, and they have been circling each other all season. Neither team has ever won a District 1 championship in football. Springfield has been to the district final four previous times (2014, 2016, 2017, and 2024).
Chester, the No. 2 seed, has reached the final once, losing to Strath Haven in 2023. Chester is having a historic season, winning the most games in a season. This is the longest the Clippers have ever gone undefeated. The Clippers have won their last two district playoff games without their best player, Daron Harris, who was serving a two-game suspension after being ejected in the Marple Newtown opening-round playoff game. Harris will be eligible to play, and he will be joined by 6-foot, 170-pound junior receiver Sekai Brown-Murray, who missed five games with a pulled hamstring. Jalen Harris, Daron’s twin and the Clippers’ quarterback, has filled in nicely as a defensive back with five interceptions this season. Senior running back and linebacker Jerrell Palmer anchors the middle while 6-8, 330-pound tackle Semaj Henry, who’s committed to Syracuse, blocks everything else out.
“Springfield is a good football team, they are well coached, but we like where we are as a team right now,” Clippers coach Dennis Shaw said. “We are playing our best at the right time. We have seen everything teams can do to us with the power run.”
Springfield is 13-0 for the first time since 2017, when the Cougars lost to Unionville in the district final. Cougars coach Chris Britton has been successful behind his offensive line comprised of juniors Shane Kilroy (tight end), Zion Culbreth (left guard), Jaxon DeConti (center), and Alex McGinnis (right guard), along with seniors Dom Stewart (left tackle) and Michael Francks (right tackle). It is a young team made up of primarily sophomores and juniors.
“We are playing selfless football, and we focus on details,” Britton said. “We have very coachable kids. We hit adversity various times of the season and these guys didn’t get flustered. Chester is well coached; they do a good job of mixing things up. They throw well, they run well. They check a lot of boxes. We need to keep them off the field. If we give up explosive plays, we are going to have problems.”
Jalen Harris avoids a tackle against Interboro High School on Oct. 11.
PIAA Class 4A
Cardinal O’Hara (9-4) vs. District 2 champion North Pocono (13-0) at Whitehall on Friday (7 p.m.).
The Lions get to play at Saquon Barkley’s alma mater after beating West Philadelphia, 34-6, in the District 12 championship on Saturday for O’Hara’s first district championship and first state playoff victory. Senior tailback Amahj Gowans has been exceptional, carrying the offensive load. O’Hara’s defense will rely on Hakim Allah, Sammy Dantonka, and Jalen Patterson, who were game wreckers against West Philly, combining for seven tackles for losses of 32 yards.
Amahj Gowans of Cardinal O’Hara pushes through a group of West Philadelphia defenders on Nov. 15.
PIAA Class 3A
Neumann Goretti (8-4) vs. District 3 champion Trinity High School (10-3) at Exeter Township High on Friday (7 p.m.).
Neumann Goretti coach Albie Crosby continues to produce winners. He guided Imhotep Charter to the PIAA Class 3A state championship in 2015, enabling the Panthers to become the first Philadelphia Public League team to win a state championship. This year, he lost his starting quarterback, sophomore Shane “King” Salley, to injury in the season opener. He has since found 6-1, 170-pound freshman quarterback Marquis Coleman, who has produced a 6-1 record as a starter.
“We are playing hard and gritty — there is nothing pretty about our wins,” Crosby said. “We look like a South Philly boxer or point guard. We believe in Marquis. He’s very poised. Nothing bothers him. We need to go 3-0.”
Lansdale Catholic (11-2) vs. District 11 champion Williams Valley (12-1) at Lehighton High on Friday (7 p.m.).
This is Crusaders coach Dom D’Addona’s seventh season at the helm and this is the deepest Lansdale Catholic has gone in the PIAA state playoffs, since the late Hall of Fame coach Jim Algeo led the Crusaders to the 2004 PIAA Class 2A championship.
The Crusaders’ 43-7 victory over District 2 champion Lakeland last weekend was their first state playoff victory in 21 years. The Crusaders offense revolves around two-year senior quarterback Yeboa Cobbold. Cobbold threw for two touchdowns and scored one rushing in Lansdale Catholic’s opening-round romp over Lakeland.
Belmont Charter (9-1) vs. District 2 champion Lackawanna Trail (12-1) at Northern Lehigh High on Friday (7 p.m.).
This is Belmont’s fifth season as a program, and the Tigers have reached the PIAA quarterfinals for the first time. Freshman quarterback Nafis Watkins threw three touchdown passes and rushed for another score in Belmont’s 36-20 victory over York Catholic. Lackawanna Trail’s Isaac Ryon is a game-wrecking threat. He rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns in the Lions’ state playoff-opening 31-20 win over District 4 champion Line Mountain.
The James Franklin era at Penn State ended Oct. 12 after a 22-21 loss to Northwestern, ending his 11-plus seasons in Happy Valley. Thirty-eight days later, he walked into Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum with “Enter Sandman” blaring on the speakers, the song that plays when the Hokies enter each home game at Lane Stadium.
On Wednesday, two days after making the move official, Virginia Tech introduced Franklin as its new football coach.
“Been in this profession for over 30 years, and I’ve learned a ton of lessons,” Franklin said at the news conference. “… Got my first big break in the ACC, been a head coach in the SEC, been a head coach in the Big Ten, and now obviously fortunate to have this unbelievable opportunity in the ACC at Virginia Tech.
“All these experiences, all these lessons that I’ve learned, we’re going to pour them into Virginia Tech.”
Before he spoke at the podium, Franklin received glowing reviews from Virginia Tech’s board of visitors member, John Rocovich, president Tim Sands, and athletic director Whit Babcock. Babcock called Franklin “a proven program builder, a winner, an elite recruiter, a strong developer of men, and a relentless competitor.” Rocovich said “Blacksburg, Va., and Virginia Tech will be the best place he ever lived.”
Franklin, 53, has a 128-60 record in 15 years as a head coach at Vanderbilt and Penn State.
Franklin mostly discussed his vision for the program. He did not talk much about Penn State, where he went 104-45, but he did use a moment in his opening statement to show appreciation for his former school.
“I want to thank Penn State. I had 12 years there,” Franklin said. “It’s very unusual in college football, to get 12 years at a place, most importantly, the relationships, the staff, the players. The players here at Virginia Tech are going to find out I’m a players’ coach. That’s what it’s all about for me. That’s what it always will be.”
Franklin also thanked several people at Virginia Tech, including former longtime coach Frank Beamer, whom he called for his blessing the night before he took the job. But Franklin got choked up talking about Brent Pry, the Hokies’ former head coach, alongside whom Franklin worked for 11 seasons at Vanderbilt and Penn State.
Pry was Penn State’s defensive coordinator from 2014 to 2021. Franklin wanted to make sure his former colleague and his family “got the respect they deserve.”
Penn State coach James Franklin (right) with defensive coordinator Brent Pry in 2021.
“Brent’s dad was my offensive coordinator in college. I’ve known Brent for over 30 years,” Franklin said, holding back tears. “I’ve got a ton of respect for Brent and his family. I know he poured his heart and soul into this place. I know this place is better today because of Brent and the commitment that he made.”
For the first time in a long time, Franklin said he had time to reflect and “take a deep breath” in the month in between jobs.
“Me and my family, to take a take a minute to recharge our battery was very important,” he said.
Virginia Tech was aggressive in its pursuit of him, Franklin said. “The very first time we met — I don’t want to speak for them, but I feel like they were ready for me to say yes that night,” he said. As the talks played out, the former Penn State coach said he used the notes app on his phone, compiling “next staff” and “things that I learned through the process.”
“Some of those things are for public consumption. Some of those things are private for me and my family but areas that I know we need to grow and get better,” Franklin said. “People that have been following my career and the things that we did at Penn State, what I’m talking about is what you see right now, the leadership, the commitment, and the alignment. And the nice thing for me is I’m walking in here, and that alignment already exists.”
Franklin already has hit the recruiting trail, he said, and has spoken with more than 40 Virginia Tech pledges and most of the top players in Virginia. He even sent offers to former and current Penn State pledges, including Timber Creek’s Roseby Lubintus, an offensive tackle.
Franklin’s recruiting philosophy largely will remain the same and rely on high school recruiting with the transfer portal supplementing the roster. Now he has the task of leading a program that hasn’t won the ACC since 2010 and has played for the national championship just once in school history (1999).
“You could not have found a coach that’s going to pour his heart and soul into this place more than me and my family,” Franklin said. “I give you my word on that.”
Paul George didn’t waste any time in his return to NBA action on Monday night, taking just 36 seconds to block a James Harden shot and turn a quick give-and-go with Tyrese Maxey into a catch-and-shoot three-pointer for his first made basket since March 4. It was a much-missed glimpse into the do-it-all player that PG had been billed as when he first came to the 76ers as a major free-agency coup in the summer of 2024 — a sight that was all too rare with George limited to 41 games in a disappointing Philly debut.
Of course, the rest of George’s night wasn’t quite as smooth: He scored six additional points and went 1-for-8 from the field (0-for-3 from deep) after drilling that early jumper, while the Sixers were outscored by 12 in his remaining minutes — though he did grab seven rebounds and dish three assists in his 21 minutes of court time. All told, it was roughly what you could have expected out of a 35-year-old who hadn’t suited up in 259 days.
Because of this — along with the fact that Joel Embiid was out — it’s tough to draw too many sweeping conclusions from George’s season debut. But between what we saw on Monday and the general profile of similar players at this age, we do have some clues about what PG might have left in the tank this season, when he’s available — which is always a question mark — and how it could help the Sixers improve at both ends while lightening the load on Maxey.
For one thing, it’s already clear George is going to get plenty of touches even while coexisting alongside Maxey’s ongoing development into a huge scorer. His usage rate on Monday was 28%, which was higher than both his figure last season (23.5%) and what it was during his final season with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2023-24 (26.6%). Along the way, he launched some threes, got to the line plenty, and made a few plays as a ballhandler and passer as well. Despite easing himself back into live play, George is still a future Hall of Famer who commands plenty of attention from opponents.
And the Sixers do need a guy like that. Aside from Maxey, who had a sky-high 39.1% usage rate on Monday and carries a 30.8 share — 15th-highest in the NBA — this season overall, the Sixers haven’t had anyone else who can consistently initiate and/or finish possessions when Embiid is sidelined. Not including Maxey, Embiid, and George, the only other Sixers player (in at least 20 total minutes) with a usage above the league average of 20% is Quentin Grimes at 21.5%. Usage rate estimates the percentage of a team’s possessions a player “uses” while on the court, showing how much the offense is centered on them.
Sixers forward Paul George scored nine points in 21 minutes during his season debut.
To be sure, others have been efficient within their roles. Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond and Trendon Watford are all comfortably above the league’s average true shooting percentage, while Justin Edwards and Dominick Barlow have made great use of their chances when their number gets called.
But the Sixers offense has been notably top-heavy in its distribution of plays toward just a small number of players so far this season. And we can see this if we look at each Sixer player’s share of total team plays (FG and FT attempts, assists and turnovers), tracking how concentrated those plays are among a given number of players.
For instance, Maxey has personally been responsible for 26.1% of his team’s total plays this year, the highest rate in the league. Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have combined for 40.9% of plays, which is the highest share for any teammate tandem in the league. Maxey, Edgecombe, Grimes, and Oubre have collectively shared 66.8% of Philly’s plays, the highest rate for any quartet of players in the league … and so forth:
This isn’t inherently a bad thing, and one needs only to look back upon the 2022-23 Sixers to find a team with the fourth-best offense in the league despite a disproportionately large share of possessions going to Embiid, Harden, Maxey and Tobias Harris. But Maxey in particular is being asked to carry a massive load so far this season, as one of just 10 players across the league with a usage rate and an assist rate north of 30%.
So anything George can do to alleviate that burden — and not merely be an expensive role player for the 2025-26 Sixers — would do wonders for an offense that ranks 11th in the league efficiency-wise but may not be able to sustain that level while asking Maxey to play 40.4 minutes per game at his current level of usage.
Can George do that, though, given his age and injury profile?
Based on his percentile grades relative to the league last season, PG had already slipped from a 95th-percentile to a 49th-percentile player overall, with notable drops in his true shooting (77th to 19th) and turnover percentiles (67th to 17th). If we look for the most similar players by skills at a similar age, George’s top comps went from Manu Ginóbili, Clyde Drexler, Kawhi Leonard, Michael Jordan, and Eddie Jones in 2023-24 to Stephen Jackson, Bobby Jackson and old versions of Dwyane Wade, Scottie Pippen, and Vince Carter in 2024-25.
That doesn’t exactly inspire tremendous confidence in what he can do this season, even when healthy, although Pippen (as a Trail Blazer) in 2002 and Carter (as a Maverick) in 2012 were more effective than we probably remember them being. The average themes across George’s top-20 comps from last year as they got a year older were that they scored less (down 9 percentile points in usage and 7 points in per-possession scoring), though perhaps a bit more efficiently, had fewer assists (down 6 points) and were less of a factor in rebounding (down 4 points), steals (down 6 points) and defense overall (down 8 points).
Those changes would leave George further diminished as an aging star wing, if still a useful one for his above-average scoring, passing, and defense. And based on what we saw in his season debut Monday, that’s probably about what George’s potential is for the season at large. He may not be the MVP candidate of his prime nor even the All-Star he was for L.A. in 2024, but he can still provide the Sixers with plenty of things they need if he can stay on the court.
While the Eagles (8-2) topped the Lions, 16-9, on Sunday and continue to lead the division, not all has been to Philadelphia’s standard.
Unsurprisingly, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce had some constructive criticism for what he called a “frustrating” Birds offense. He shared his thoughts on the game in the latest episode of his New Heights podcast, alongside his brother and Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce.
Defense continues to impress
In Jason Kelce’s view, the most notable success of Sunday’s win was limiting a potent Lions offense to just nine points. Travis Kelce also recognized the Philadelphia defense’s ability to stop Detroit on fourth down on all five of its attempts.
“The [Eagles] defense is playing unbelievable right now,” Jason said. “Probably the best they’ve played since Vic Fangio’s been here. … And it’s at every single level of the defense. The defensive line is playing out of their minds. Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter were playing volleyball out there, batting down passes left and right.”
One of those deflected passes turned into an interception for cornerback Cooper DeJean, who picked off Lions quarterback Jared Goff in the first quarter, leading to an Eagles field goal.
“Batting down those passes early, that clearly got [the Lions] out of their rhythm,” Kelce added.
After finishing with 2,005 yards last season, Saquon Barkley is on pace to finish with 1,125 this season.
Kelce’s ‘biggest concern’ with the Eagles
The longtime Eagles center was less satisfied with his former team when it came to the offensive side of the ball.
He recognized the midgame blow of not having Lane Johnson on the field. The offensive tackle went down in the first quarter with a foot injury and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks.
“I don’t know how long [Johnson] is going to be out, but that’s something that has decimated this offense in years past,” Kelce said. “Whenever Lane’s been out, it’s been very detrimental. Positively, Fred Johnson has played well in his snaps that he’s had to go in for Lane. But make no mistake, they’re going to miss Lane.”
However, Kelce stated that the Eagles have wider struggles on offense to address — particularly, not maximizing their potential to run the ball.
“We have to get the ground game going,” Kelce said. “Everyone wants to talk about this year’s offense vs. last year’s offense, and vs. previous offenses with Jalen Hurts. The number one difference is that we can’t run the football. We’re not running it at a consistent, successful rate. …
“We have to be demoralizing in the ground game. And [the Eagles] can be. They should be, and they’re just not. It’s frustrating to watch.”
The Union said Wednesday that they have put sporting director Ernst Tanner on “administrative leave” as Major League Soccer reopened its investigation into Tanner’s alleged misconduct.
While Tanner’s lawyer denied the claims, the league said it reopened its investigation after “new allegations and potentially new information.”
Some of those allegations were raised to the league by the MLS Players Association, although the league said Wednesday that the allegations “had not been independently verified.”
On Wednesday, The Inquirer received this statement on behalf of Tanner through his legal team: “I continue to firmly deny these accusations. My priority is the team, the employees, and the Philadelphia Union community, particularly at this important time when the team has the opportunity to continue to excel in the playoffs. I will cooperate fully with the league’s investigation as I work to clear my good name and reputation.”
Tanner has been the Union’s sporting director since 2018. He’s widely regarded as the architect of the team’s rise to one of the top clubs in MLS, all on a tight operating budget. In 2022, he was named the league’s Executive of the Year after putting together the team that reached the MLS Cup final for the first time in the Union’s history.
The league said that in its investigation, it contacted “more than a dozen current and former players and club employees” and “all individuals were offered the option to participate anonymously and assured they could speak without fear of retaliation.”
From there, the league said, “a majority of those contacted participated — several anonymously — while others declined. After reviewing all available information and documentation, the investigation was unable to substantiate the allegations.”
The Guardian, a British newspaper and website, reported that in the league’s initial investigation, it contacted 13 people to potentially interview and that eight of them, “who the Guardian understands to be current and former players and employees of the Philadelphia Union, chose to speak with the league.”
MLS said, as the Guardian reported, that Tanner “has been required to participate in a structured remedial program focused on professional workplace conduct.” The Guardian’s report said this is the second time he has gone through that program.
Ernst Tanner, who joined the Union in 2018 as its sporting director, has been placed on administrative leave after allegations of misconduct.
The Union, in their statement, said the team “takes all allegations of misconduct extremely seriously and is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for everyone associated with our club. Discrimination, harassment, or abusive conduct of any kind has no place here, and all staff are required to complete annual sensitivity training.”
The team also said it “continues to cooperate fully” with the league and that “throughout this process, our top priority remains the well-being of our players, fans, staff, and community.”
The Union have a home playoff game on Sunday, an Eastern Conference semifinal against New York City FC (7:55 p.m., FS1, Fox Deportes, Apple TV). The winner of that game advances to the Eastern Conference final against either FC Cincinnati or Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
The Union have home-field advantage in the playoffs for as long as they’re playing, including if they reach the Dec. 6 MLS Cup final.
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The tiny Caribbean island country Curaçao will go to the 2026 World Cup as the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for the marquee event in men’s soccer.
Curaçao, an autonomous territory of about 156,000 people within the Netherlands kingdom, breaks the record of Iceland, with a population of just over 350,000, which was previously the smallest country to reach the World Cup when it qualified for Russia 2018.
A team relying heavily on players born and raised in the Netherlands rode its luck Tuesday to take a 0-0 draw in Jamaica and finish top of a four-team group. Its other opponents were Trinidad and Tobago and last-place Bermuda.
Jamaica’s side of the result means the Reggae Boyz, captained by Union goalkeeper Andre Blake, must play the final round of intercontinental playoffs in March to try to reach their first men’s World Cup since 1998.
Jamaica’s Shamar Nicholson (center) is consoled after the final whistle.
Curaçao has actively recruited from its diaspora, getting permission from FIFA within world soccer’s rules to change the national-team eligibility of players who once represented the Netherlands at youth or Under-21 level, including five since August.
Defender Joshua Brenet even played a World Cup qualifying game for the Netherlands in 2016.
Tahith Chong, a former Manchester United youth player, is one of the few squad members born in Curaçao, which was called Netherlands Antilles until getting its autonomy 15 years ago.
A storied Dutch coach has led Curaçao on to the elite stage for the first expanded 48-team World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Dick Advocaat, at age 78, is set to lead his third team at a World Cup, and his second in the U.S. He took his native Netherlands to the quarterfinals at the 1994 edition and coached South Korea at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
CURAÇAO HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THEIR FIRST-EVER WORLD CUP ❤️
Curaçao’s adventure is set to put players from unheralded clubs on the biggest stage. The squad that clinched qualification included players from Rotherham in England’s third-tier league, Bandırmaspor in the Turkish second division and Abha in Saudi Arabia.
Curaçao got the historic result despite not having Advocaat on the bench. He missed the match in Jamaica because he had to return to the Netherlands last weekend for family reasons.
His team saw Jamaica strike the woodwork three times in the second half in Kingston. A potentially decisive penalty kick awarded to the home team in stoppage time was overturned after a video review.
Curaçao will be joined by regional neighbors Panama and Haiti, which also booked their World Cup spots Tuesday.
Absolute scenes as Panama qualify for their second-ever World Cup 🇵🇦
Panama advanced to its second World Cup after defeating El Salvador 3-0 on first-half goals from César Blackman and Erick Davis, plus Jose Luis Rodriguez late in the game.
Panama’s only previous World Cup appearance was in 2018. It overtook Suriname, another Dutch-influenced team, which started play atop the group before losing 3-1 against Guatemala.
Haiti, a troubled Caribbean country, had a surprising campaign and beat Nicaragua, 2-0, to win its group over favorites Honduras and Costa Rica, which was a quarterfinalist at the 2014 World Cup.
Haiti’s only previous trip to the World Cup was in West Germany in 1974.
Les Grenadiers’ squad includes Union midfielder Danley Jean Jacques and former Penn midfielder Duke Lacroix, who has played for eight years in the USL Championship since graduating in 2015.
The Caribbean and Central American results Tuesday also finalized the six teams that will take part in the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico in March.
Two teams will qualify from the playoffs, which includes Jamaica and Suriname, plus Iraq from Asia, Congo from Africa, Bolivia from South America and New Caledonia from Oceania.
Staff writer Jonathan Tannenwald contributed to this article.
TAMPA, Fla. — From the time Mauricio Pochettino took over the U.S. men’s soccer team last year, each moment has had two meanings.
Along with trying to win games, every pass, shot, tackle, save, or failure has been about trying to make the World Cup team. That mentality is burned deep into American soccer’s psyche, as it has been for many decades, and it’s even deeper when the tournament is on home soil.
That is the same number of games (24) the Eagles played in their entire 2024 campaign, from the preseason through the Super Bowl — to say nothing of how many games there are in other sports’ calendars.
U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino.
On top of that, in none of those 22 games has Pochettino had every member of his A squad healthy. Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards, Sergiño Dest, and others have missed significant time along the way.
Then combine those absences with the Nations League flop in March, which forced Pochettino to blow up his plans and bring in a bunch of less-talented challengers to try to outhustle the stars. The result is the roller-coaster path the U.S. team has been on this year, reaching a smooth track only in the last two months.
This has made projecting a World Cup roster quite difficult. It’s a game fans love to play, and the media often enjoys it too. But the absences, the results, and the quick cadence of FIFA windows this fall made it more sensible to wait.
Now, though, the Americans have wrapped up their work for the year. The 24 players on this month’s squad headed back to the club world on Wednesday morning, and that side of the game will reign until late March.
Gio Reyna is one of the players who left a big and positive impression in this month’s games.
So this moment feels right to look at the bigger picture. Here’s my view of the race to make the plane to Atlanta, where the 26-player World Cup team will gather at U.S. Soccer’s new national training center before its pretournament friendlies.
The projection is broken down by the six main positions in Pochettino’s tactics: goalkeeper, outside back, centerback, central midfielder, attacking midfielder, and striker. Each position then has players who look like they’re in, those on the bubble (in alphabetical order), and a few words of analysis.
Matt Freese making a save during one of the U.S. men’s team’s practice sessions in Chester last week.
Analysis: Unless something goes off the rails for Freese, the Wayne native is in line to become the most surprising U.S. starting goalkeeper at a World Cup for generations. He was given a chance in June and has not let it go, playing 13 of the Americans’ 14 games since the start of the summer.
Schulte, at age 24, is a fine starter in Columbus, a capable backup with the U.S., and a leading name for the 2030 cycle.
Turner’s fall is as surprising as Freese’s rise. The locked-in starter from the 2021 Gold Cup through this past March is now not just out of games, but out of rosters. Even a move back to New England to get the playing time he lacked in Europe hasn’t gotten him back in Pochettino’s good graces.
Matt Turner is on the outside looking in with the U.S. squad right now.
Celentano and Klinsmann, son of former U.S. manager Jürgen Klinsmann, have been in a few U.S. camps. Steffen, of Downingtown, unfortunately is on the outside looking in right now, despite his talent. He’ll have to hope for a strong start next year in Colorado that vaults him over the field.
Sergiño Dest (2) in action against Paraguay at Subaru Park on Saturday.
Analysis: With one exception, this position is easy to line up. All five of the “in” names are locks to make the squad unless Robinson can’t recover from a long-term knee issue. From here, the view is if he’s healthy on June 1, that’s all that matters.
Dest and Weah are the other big names, each capable of thriving in the right wingback role and playing the left side if necessary.
Earlier this year, a reader complained to me on social media that the underwhelming Gold Cup squad might only produce the last players picked for a World Cup squad. I responded that if that was to happen, that squad would be a smashing success, no matter its results.
Arfsten and Freeman are the proof of that, having shot to well-earned prominence this year. Though they wouldn’t start if the three others are healthy, they are more than capable backups.
Lund and Tolkin are on the bubble in case Robinson ends up out. Tolkin played well against Uruguay on Wednesday in his first U.S. cap since the Gold Cup; Lund hasn’t been called in since October of last year.
Chris Richards working out during a practice in September.
Analysis: Ream and Richards aren’t just locks, they’re expected starters. The third starting spot is up for grabs, and there’s a lot of competition.
McKenzie isn’t just projected as in here out of hometown loyalty to the Union alumnus from Bear, Del. His play for the national team and Toulouse puts him above a field in which no one else has truly stepped up.
From here, the bet is Pochettino will take two more, and the race is wide-open.
Blackmon has played some for Pochettino but isn’t at the needed level. Carter-Vickers didn’t play for the U.S. in October, a big warning sign, then suffered an Achilles injury at Celtic. Robinson is a U.S. regular but hasn’t quite done well enough to ensure a plane ticket.
Scally can play multiple positions and is listed here because right centerback is where he projects under Pochettino. After being out of the picture for a while, he played there against Paraguay, got torched on a goal, then didn’t play vs. Uruguay.
Mark McKenzie (left) and Auston Trusty (right) grew up with the Union together, and could go to the World Cup together.
Trusty played the full game vs. Uruguay and did well at both ends of the field. Zimmerman is last in line, but if he lands at a big club in MLS free agency and starts the year strong, he could be an emergency option.
Banks is a big wild card. The 18-year-old Hawaii native stands 6-foot-4, is starting to earn regular playing time at Augsburg, and has held his own in the Bundesliga’s cauldron. Pochettino called him up in September, but hasn’t since. If Banks keeps playing, he might just make it.
Tyler Adams (left) is one of the U.S. team’s biggest stars.
Analysis: Adams is a lock — a star, a veteran, and the team’s most vocal leader. From there, the question will be how deep Pochettino goes at the position.
Tessmann, Roldan, and Morris lead the way, with Tessmann the closest to a lock. That takes the total to four, and the guess here is one more will make it.
Berhalter made quite a statement in Tuesday’s win over Uruguay, with a goal and an assist off a corner kick. That puts him ahead for now of Cardoso, who has tons of talent and is at a huge club but has a history of playing poorly for the U.S. He’s also coming off an injury. If he’s healthy by March, he could get one shot at a ticket in that month’s friendlies.
Sands helps his case with versatility, as he also can play centerback. He got a look in October and wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t called back this month even though there was room for him.
Union alum and Medford native Brenden Aaronson in action for the U.S. on his former home field at Subaru Park.
Analysis: The “in” players are locks as long as they’re healthy, with Zendejas the only one close to a question. Pulisic obviously is a starter, with Tillman or McKennie in line to run next to him.
From there, Pochettino can make subs based on situations. Medford’s Aaronson is an ideal defensive closer, and Zendejas provides width and creativity.
The last pick could come down to Luna, whom Pochettino rightly adores for his toughness; or Reyna, whose talent is forever followed by injury fears. It would be great to see both make it, but there might not be room unless another position is sacrificed. Reyna has the advantage now and will keep it if he plays regularly for his club.
McGlynn is a long shot, but a hot streak with Houston next year could bring his magic left foot back to the picture.
Folarin Balogun (center) might finally be the U.S. team’s long-awaited top striker.
Analysis: It’s truly remarkable that the highest-profile position is one at which the U.S. has the fewest questions. Never before in the program’s 36-year modern era has there been a striker depth chart with this much quality.
If Balogun, Pepi, and Wright are healthy, they’ll be on the plane, and that will be it. If any of them are injured — which Pochettino and every U.S. fan will pray doesn’t happen — Agyemang is first in line to come in.
The field drops so far from there that right now no other strikers truly are in consideration.
