SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Kenneth Walker III capitalized on his timely stint as an unquestioned RB1.
After his tandem backfield partner Zach Charbonnet suffered a season-ending torn ACL during the divisional round playoffs, Walker went on a dominating three-game stretch that ensured he will enter free agency with a higher price tag and a Super Bowl LX MVP trophy.
What made Walker’s 135 rushing yards and 26 receiving yards in the Seahawks’ 29-13 victory against the Patriots even more special? His father was at Levi’s Stadium as one of 70,823 fans to see him play for the first time in his four-year NFL career.
“My dad comes out to Seattle all the time to watch games, but he doesn’t go to the game because he doesn’t like crowds,” Walker said. “This is his first NFL game and we won the Super Bowl, so it means a lot to me. I know he’s proud of me for real.”
Walker’s agent convinced his father to make the trip.
“I didn’t think he would come,” Walker said. “They ended up mic-ing him up and everything, so he got out of his comfort zone.”
During the regular season, Walker out-carried Charbonnet 221-184, but Charbonnet was the pay-dirt finisher (12 touchdowns), as all fantasy football managers know. Without Charbonnet, Walker rushed for 116 yards and three touchdowns against the 49ers, 62 yards and a touchdown against the Rams and stepped up as the primary weapon for an offense that played part of the Super Bowl without star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi trophy after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 2026 at Levi’s Stadium Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Walker’s three highest single-game touches totals were the final three games of the season, including 29 on Sunday.
Now the Seahawks face a post-celebration decision: Pay Walker the increasing going rate for a free agent running back, franchise tag him for slightly north of $14 million in 2026 or let him walk and trust Charbonnet to recover well enough to be a lead back. They were second-round draft picks in back-to-back years.
Kenneth Walker III of the Seattle Seahawks runs the ball during the third quarter of Super Bowl 2026. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“K-9 is special,” safety Julian Love said. “There’s not a person in the building that doesn’t believe we are a better team when he is going. To see him winning Super Bowl MVP is crazy. He’s earned it. There’s been so much doubt on his name. He’s a menace with the ball in his hands.”
Walker became the eighth 100-yard rusher in a Super Bowl this century, joining a not fully esteemed list of Jamaal Lewis (Ravens), Michael Pittman (Buccaneers), Dominic Rhodes (Colts), Thomas Jones (Bears), Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Frank Gore (49ers) and Damien Williams (Chiefs). None of those running backs were Super Bowl MVPs — the award last going to a running back in 1999 (Terrell Davis).
Walker’s 100 yards from scrimmage in the first half were more than twice as many as anyone else on either team.
The key characters of the Super Bowl aren’t just limited to those on the field. There are the players, yes, but there are the coaches, the broadcasters, the entertainers, the significant others and more, too. It takes dozens upon dozens of personalities to shape arguably the largest and more prominent sporting event in the United States. Here are The Post’s top 60 people to watch around Super Bowl LX:
Seahawks players
1. Sam Darnold
From Jets castoff, Panthers castoff, 49ers backup, discarded Vikings star to Super Bowl champion? It’s a story made for Hollywood, just five hours south of where Darnold will quarterback the Seahawks on Sunday. In a 2018 draft that also included Baker Mayfield (No. 1), Josh Allen (No. 7) and Lamar Jackson (No. 32) as first-round quarterbacks selected that year, Darnold (No. 3) has taken a long, winding path to being the first one from that group to reach a Super Bowl.
2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
It didn’t take long for the third-year wideout to establish himself as one of the most prolific in the league, and he was named the AP Offensive Player of the Year after leading the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards. The Seahawks picked him No. 20 overall in 2023 out of Wide Receiver U. (Ohio State), a program that has churned out five first-round picks at that position over the past four drafts.
3. Kenneth Walker III
A second-round pick in 2022, Walker surpassed 1,000 yards for the second time in his career, and with running mate Zach Charbonnet sidelined with a torn ACL, it’ll be the dynamic running back’s show again in the Super Bowl. His average top speed of 13.2 mph on rush attempts is the second-fastest in the NFL this year.
Here are some of the 60 most interesting people to watch in this year’s Super Bowl. Photo illustration: Jenifer Cozzolino
4. Cooper Kupp
The Rams didn’t want him, but at 32 years old, Kupp proved that he still had something left — even if his days of recording nearly 2,000 yards, like he did in 2021, are well behind him, and even if it needed to happen in a complementary role to Smith-Njigba. It all led to a chance for a second Super Bowl ring after his title, and Super Bowl MVP honor, with the Rams to cap his historic 2021 campaign.
Cooper Kupp reacts after the Seahawks defeated the Rams in the NFC Championship on Jan. 25, 2026 in Seattle. Imagn Images
5. Rashid Shaheed
Talk about a trade deadline steal. Acquired for just fourth- and fifth-round picks, Shaheed has already produced three return touchdowns in his first 11 games for the Seahawks, and during his one on the opening kickoff in the divisional round, he hit 19.33 mph, according to Next Gen Stats. The speedy wideout has emerged as a vertical threat (12.5 yards per catch during the regular season) for Darnold, too.
6. DeMarcus Lawrence
Lawrence spent 11 years as a face of the Cowboys defense — and, Giants fans will remember, a Big Blue tormentor — but could never crack the Super Bowl. That changed after one year in Seattle. He’s the senior-most Seahawk and still managed to record eight sacks across the regular season and playoffs.
7. Devon Witherspoon
The No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 draft made his third consecutive Pro Bowl, earned a second-team All-Pro spot and possesses an integral role in the Seahawks secondary — which has acquired the nickname “The Dark Side” around a decade after the end of “The Legion of Boom.” Witherspoon, a cornerback, finished with seven passes defended and an interception during the regular season.
8. Leonard Williams
Williams started his career with the Jets and Giants, but after Big Blue dealt him to Seattle before the trade deadline in 2023, he has made consecutive Pro Bowls and was named a second-team All-Pro for the first time. At 31 years old, the defensive tackle finished with seven sacks, nine tackles for loss and 22 quarterback hits.
Julian Love (left) talks with Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald during the Seahawks’ blowout win the 49ers in the NFC divisional round on Jan. 18, 2026 in Seattle. Getty Images
10. Jason Myers
Myers is the oldest Seahawk, and in his seventh year with the franchise (and following previous stints with the Jets and Jaguars), he set the record for most made kicks in franchise history. He hit 41 of 48 field goals during the regular season, finishing just three shy of David Akers’ record-setting 44 makes in 2011.
11. Nick Emmanwori
Can the Seahawks’ starting safety overcome an ankle injury to still play in the Super Bowl? That’s the expectation for the rookie out of South Carolina, who ranked first among rookies with 13 forced incompletions and 22 pass stops, according to Pro Football Focus.
12. Ernest Jones
Jones was traded to the Seahawks by the Titans in the middle of last season, and since then, the linebacker has picked off seven passes — including one in the divisional round. He has also already tasted a title, too, after winning a ring with the 2021 Rams.
Ernest Jones reacts during the Seahawks’ win over the Rams on Dec. 18, 2025 in Seattle. AP
13. Coby Bryant
Named after the late Lakers superstar, Bryant shifted to safety from cornerback and blossomed the past two seasons. He finished with a career-best four interceptions in 2025, while adding seven passes defended and a forced fumble. In college, he and ex-Jet Sauce Garnder formed a shutdown duo at cornerback for Cincinnati.
Patriots players
14. Drake Maye
Will the former No. 3 overall pick be the conductor of the next Patriots dynasty for years to come? There are plenty of current parallels to the roots of the Tom Brady-led run, one of which is Maye’s emergence — over 4,300 yards, a league-best 72 percent completion rate, a narrow second-place finish for MVP — in his second year.
Drake Maye throws a pass during the Patriots’ win over the Broncos in the AFC Championship on Jan. 25, 2026 in Denver AP
15. Stefon Diggs
The four-time Pro Bowler and former first-team All-Pro revived his career with a 1,000-yard, four-touchdown campaign coming off a torn ACL. He has the celebrity relationship of the Super Bowl with Cardi B, too. But his latest off-field issue — he was accused of allegedly assaulting his personal chef and has an arraignment scheduled for Feb. 13 — has loomed over everything that transpired during Diggs’ games for the past month.
16. TreVeyon Henderson
A second-round pick in 2025, Henderson has the chance to go from a College Football Playoff title with Ohio State in his final collegiate season to a Super Bowl ring in his first professional one. He’s a key piece of the Patriots’ two-pronged rushing attack, with 911 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns during the regular season.
17. Rhamondre Stevenson
Stevenson, in his fifth year, is a link to the Bill Belichick era and the perfect complement to Henderson in the running game — especially over the final half of the season. He has also needed to play the 2025 season while navigating the aftermath of his father Robert’s sudden death in March, with Stevenson recently describing the support of his New England teammates throughout the campaign as “instrumental” for navigating a difficult time.
18. Mack Hollins
He showed up barefoot and with a chess board to his media availability this week at the Super Bowl. He’ll probably show up barefoot Sunday, too — and has been known for his elaborate arrival outfits throughout his career. Oh, and he’s also a critical piece of the Patriots’ passing attack who made his return from an injured reserve stint in the AFC Championship game.
Mack Hollins plays chess during a Feb. 5 media availability. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
19. Hunter Henry
An 11-year career that started with Henry catching passes from Philip Rivers as the Chargers’ Antonio Gates replacement has finally reached the Super Bowl. He has caught the fourth-most touchdowns (26) among tight ends the past five seasons — trailing three future Hall of Famers in George Kittle (38), Mark Andrews (36) and Travis Kelce (34).
20. Christian Gonzalez
Some quarterbacks won’t even throw in his direction. Those who do often don’t find success. One of the best young, shutdown cornerbacks in the league, Gonzalez will face perhaps the most difficult test — especially given the stakes — of his career when he squares off against Smith-Njigba.
21. Tommy DeVito
The folk hero chapter of “Tommy Cutlets” — when the undrafted New Jersey native started eight games for his hometown Giants in 2023 and 2024 — ended in August when the Patriots claimed him off waivers. DeVito hasn’t taken a snap this year, but he still has a chance to add a ring.
Patriots backup quarterback Tommy DeVito is pictured during a Feb. 5 media apperance. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
22. Kayshon Boutte
Boutte, the No. 2 wideout in the Patriots’ offense, recently opened up about hitting “rock bottom” at LSU with a gambling addiction that nearly ruined his NFL dream. Since overcoming that, Boutte has established a strong chemistry with Maye, as the pair have combined for 10 touchdowns since the signal-caller entered the league last year.
23. Robert Spillane
The veteran linebacker, signed to a three-year deal in free agency, led the Patriots with 97 tackles in the regular season after reuniting with Vrabel, who coached the Titans during Spillane’s rookie campaign in 2018. That’s why his appearance on the injury report — with an ankle issue he insists he’ll play through — ahead of the Super Bowl was so concerning.
24. Harold Landry III
Another Vrabel guy who signed with the Patriots after his former Titans coach took over. Landry led New England with 8.5 sacks this year — his fifth time in six seasons hitting at least that number — but a lingering knee issue forced him to miss the AFC Championship and has clouded his status for the Super Bowl, though he anticipates playing.
Harold Landry III is pictured before the Patriots’ wild-card win over the Chargers on Jan. 11, 2026. AP
25. Marcus Jones
Jones, a cornerback, has scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams for the Patriots throughout his career, including a pick-six in the divisional round. He possesses an ability to alter the game at any moment with punt returns.
26. Milton Williams
When the Patriots signed Williams to a four-year, $104 million deal, he became the highest-paid player in franchise history, and at just 26 years old, he’s about to play in his third Super Bowl. The first two occurred with the Eagles, including Philadelphia’s win last year when he sacked Patrick Mahomes twice. Could Williams produce some more history on this stage one year later?
27. Andy Borregales
He’s no Adam Vinatieri or Stephen Gostkowski (yet), but the rookie — whose family fled Venezuela before he turned 2 to escape the Hugo Chavez-led government, according to MassLive.com — has the chance to establish himself as the Patriots’ next great kicker after hitting 27 of 32 field goals all but two of his 155 extra point attempts this year.
Coaches
28. Mike Macdonald
The 38-year-old walked back accepting a job at accounting firm KPMG, instead starting his coaching career as an intern for the Ravens. After rising to become John Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator, Macdonald has the Seahawks in the Super Bowl in his second season as head coach — while overseeing the unit that allowed the fewest points per game (17.2).
Mike Macdonald reacts after the Seahawks’ win over the Rams in the NFC Championship on Jan. 25, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
29. Klint Kubiak
As soon as the Super Bowl ends, he will become the Raiders’ next head coach, but for now, the son of longtime NFL coach Gary Kubiak has one more game as the offensive coordinator of the unit that averaged the third-most points (28.4) and ninth-most yards (351.4) per game.
30. Aden Durde
The Seahawks’ defensive coordinator — an England native whose first coaching job came as the defensive coordinator of the BAFA National Leagues’ London Warriors — has already received a head-coaching endorsement from Macdonald. He’s the first British-born coordinator in league history, according to The Athletic.
31. Mike Vrabel
The Titans are probably regretting firing Vrabel and his 54-45 regular-season record right about now. But after a year off, Vrabel returned to his Patriots roots, turned 4-13 into 14-3 and earned Coach of the Year because of it. He just needs to finally complete the deep postseason run with a championship, something his Tennessee teams never accomplished.
Mike Vrabel is pictured during the Patriots’ win over the Texans in the AFC divisional round on Jan. 18, 2025. Getty Images
32. Josh McDaniels
In Act III with the Patriots, he has continued to remind everyone that he’s as good of an offensive coordinator as a team could ask for, even if his two stints as a head coach have been absolutely woeful. He’s a major reason why Maye took off in his second year, just like he played a major role in the ascension — and maintained success — of Brady.
33. Zak Kuhr/Terrell Williams
When defensive coordinator Williams was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September and couldn’t travel with the team, Kuhr, who was a Giants defensive assistant last year, took over control of the unit. But Williams was recently declared cancer-free and able to travel with the Patriots to at least be with them ahead of the Super Bowl.
34. Ben McAdoo
His stint as Giants head coach didn’t even last two seasons, but he has been with the Patriots the past two seasons — as a senior offensive analyst in 2024, as a senior defensive analyst in 2025 — and overlapped with Darnold as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator in 2022.
Broadcasters
35. Mike Tirico
The iconic play-by-play broadcaster will be calling his first Super Bowl, and as soon as it ends, Tirico will shift into Winter Olympics mode — hosting the Sunday night coverage of the Milan Games from the field at Levi’s Stadium.
Mike Tirico will be calling his first Super Bowl as NBC’s play-by-play broadcaster. AP
36. Cris Collinsworth
The former NFL wideout, lead NBC analyst and seemingly Patrick Mahomes’ biggest advocate — bets can be made on whether he will name-drop the Chiefs superstar on the broadcast —will call his sixth Super Bowl.
37. Melissa Stark
Stark, an NBC sideline reporter, will return to the Super Bowl stage for the first time in 23 years — she was the sideline reporter for ABC Sports in the 2003 Super Bowl — and call the second of her broadcasting career. She returned to the NBC broadcast crew in 2022 as the network’s Michele Tafoya replacement.
38. Kaylee Hartung
The Prime Video “Thursday Night Football” sideline reporter will join Stark on the field Sunday for her Super Bowl debut.
39. Terry McAulay
NFL officiating has never been more scrutinized and under the microscope than it has been recently, and McAuley — an NFL official for 20 years, a referee for the final 17 and a three-time member of a Super Bowl crew — gets the honor of trying to handle the spotlight for explanations and controversial calls as the NBC rules analyst.
WAGs/family members
40. Cardi B
The rapper and 2019 Grammy winner for Best Rap Album went Instagram official with Diggs in June, and the celebrity couple welcomed their first child together in November. She was on the field after the AFC Championship, too. How many times will NBC cut to her during the game, like networks have done with Taylor Swift when Travis Kelce and the Chiefs reached this stage?
Cardi B and Stefon Diggs are pictured after the Patriots win over the Broncos in the AFC Championship. Getty Images
41. Katie Hoofnagle
Hoofnagle and Darnold went Instagram official in April 2023 and announced their engagement just over two years later in July. She played club soccer at South Carolina, according to Us Weekly.
It started out as Jen asking an Ohio State professor for Mike’s number in a class on time management, according to the Tennessean. The couple have been married since 1999 and have two sons, Tyler and Carter.
44. Stephanie Macdonald
She’s a former cheerleader for the Titans, Commanders and Ravens — and was named a Pro Bowl cheerleader with Baltimore in 2014 — who married the Seahawks’ coach in 2021. The Macdonalds welcomed their first child, Jack, in December 2024.
45. Hailey Lott
The daughter of Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott is married to Seahawks defensive end, and former Giant, Leonard Williams.
46. Anna Marie Kupp
The pair of high school sweethearts met in 2012, got married in 2015 and share three children. Anna Marie competed as a heptathlete at Arkansas before transferring to Eastern Washington, according to People.
Entertainment
47. Bad Bunny
The artist, one week after a Grammys where he took home three awards that included Album of the Year, will take over the halftime show. Commissioner Roger Goodell has maintained his support for Bad Bunny’s selection despite pushback that it might take a political turn.
Bad Bunny is pictured at the Grammys on Feb. 1. Getty Images for The Recording Academy
48. Green Day
The pregame festivities at Levi’s Stadium will include a return to the 1990s when the punk-rock band — which formed in nearby Rodeo, Calif. — performs.
49. Charlie Puth
All eyes will be on whether the “See You Again” and “One Call Away” artist, who has been nominated for four Grammys, goes Over or Under the betting line for his national anthem time.
50. Coco Jones
The rising star just won the Grammy for Best R&B Album with her debut studio album “Why Not More?” and will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
51. Brandi Carlile
Carlile, the 11-time Grammy winner and two-time Emmy winner, will sing “American the Beautiful” pregame.
Miscellaneous
52. Shawn Smith
As if officiating wasn’t scrutinized enough already, recent controversial calls have only added to the potential backlash that Smith, who started as an official in 2015 and became a referee in 2018, and his crew could face. It will mark Smith’s first time as an on-field referee after serving as an alternate for the 2021 and 2024 Super Bowls.
53. John Schneider
The Seahawks’ president of football operations and general manager built the Seattle rosters that made Super Bowls 2014 and 2015, and won the former. Then, with an entirely new roster and an entirely new coaching staff, they’re back again. Schneider is regarded as one of the NFL’s best architects.
John Schneider addresses reporters during a Jan. 29 press conference. AP
54. Robert Kraft
The Patriots owner might have been snubbed from the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, but he already has executed his second rebuild with New England — and his first one ended with six Super Bowls.
55. Jody Allen
Allen has run the Seahawks since 2018 following the death of her brother, Paul — the Microsoft co-founder who bought the team in 1997. But a recent ESPN report indicated the Seahawks are expected to be up for sale following the season as part of a directive from Paul for both the Seahawks and the NBA Trail Blazers, who he also owned.
56. Roger Goodell
There’s never a dull moment for Goodell, but the NFL commissioner recently expanded the league’s footprint again with an announcement this week that the Rams and 49ers will meet in the first-ever game in Australia next season. Could an 18-game schedule be next?
Roger Goodell is pictured during a Feb. 2 press conference. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
57. Kendall Jenner
The model and “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” celebrity will appear in an 85-second Fanatics Sportsbook ad taking a jab at her NBA exes — and the “rough patch” they hit — by referencing the “Kardashian curse.”
58. Peyton Manning/Shane Gillis/Post Malone
The former quarterback, comedian and Grammy-winning artist teamed up for a Bud Light ad, in which they try to save a runaway keg at a wedding.
59. Sabrina Carpenter
The two-time Grammy winner, whose “Man’s Best Friend” was recently nominated for Album of the Year, will star in a Pringles ad in which she constructs “Pringleleo” — the man of her dreams — out of chips before watching him get destroyed, and eaten, by fans on the red carpet.
60. Ben Stiller/Benson Boone
The actor, director and avid Knicks fan couldn’t quite replicate Boone’s famous flips during an Instacart ad.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 7: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles during the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 7, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When the NBA made the schedule, they probably had a much different game in mind than the one that played out on Saturday.
On one side, Luka Dončić was out after a recent hamstring injury while, on the other side, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler both were out. That left Austin Reaves, who was still on a minutes restriction, and LeBron James against Draymond Green and…Pat Spencer?
It wasn’t exactly the star-studded showdown everyone had hoped for.
The Lakers weren’t great for much of the game but did enough to hold off the Warriors and come away with the win. Perhaps this should serve as another reminder to cherish every LeBron and Steph meeting we have left.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
While we should cherish the games, we should also probably forget this one. A really bizarre LeBron game where he was bad in the first half, fantastic for the first 90 seconds of the third quarter, then faded away again.
This has been a gradual process, but we’re now at the point where, when Rui gets the ball swung to him for an open three, everyone just expects it to go in.
It wasn’t an awful return for Hayes, but I still haven’t forgiven him for a dumb decision to tackle the Wizards mascot. And his explanation was pretty awful, too.
Jaxson Hayes apologized to his teammates and the Wizards mascot for the incident leading to a one-game suspension. However, he explained that the shove was prompted by his foot being stepped on by the mascot. pic.twitter.com/vXHPsxG4RY
It’s pretty clear at this point that LaRavia is going to mix in some stinkers like this with his scoring outbursts. Reaves will likely move into the starting lineup soon and it seems pretty clear LaRavia will be the one going to the bench.
It wasn’t quite as big of a scoring night as Thursday, but it also felt like he made more than five field goals, too. I guess every one of his field goals was a highlight play on Saturday. The Lakers looked significantly better with him on the floor.
If Vando makes multiple threes, you almost certainly got a great game from him, which was the case on Saturday. He went toe-to-toe with Draymond Green at times and held his own. It was a really good rebounding night from him, too.
A very encouraging debut for Kennard, who immediately showed his value to the team with his first touch as a Laker. As his comfort level and knowledge of the Lakers system grows, I expect his production will, too.
After a standout game against the Sixers, Kleber parlayed it into another strong showing against the Warriors. The stats show a bit more of what he did in this contest, the biggest being him again leading the team in plus-minus.
Grade: A+
JJ Redick
Redick is really trying all he can defensively to get something out of this group. But even then, the Warriors were “breaking down” the zone defense with one pass leading to an open look from three. I also have to imagine that there was plenty of discussion about the Warriors and their offensive system, but just about every player on the court allowed a backdoor cut leading to a basket.
This team is just really, really bad defensively and I’m not sure how much blame I can place on Redick for that.
Also, he gets credit for not playing Gabe Vincent.
Grade: B+
Saturday’s DNPs: Bronny James, Dalton Knecht, Drew Timme, Nick Smith Jr.
Saturday’s inactives: Luka Dončić, Adou Thiero, Chris Mañon, Deandre Ayton
San Francisco 49ers' Christian McCaffrey and his wife, Olivia Culpo, during NFL Honors' red carpet at Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on Thursday, February 5, 2026. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
49ers’ George Kittle shares encouraging Achilles recovery update
“”I’m literally only in this when I’m outside of my house,” Kittle said. “The nice thing, too, is my trainers are coming to me right now, which is really convenient. But I do a whole bunch of iso-holds, ankle stuff. Basically, I have like a three-inch heel lift in my boot right now, so I can stand up on this right now and just kind of hang out.
“But walking, we’re not doing that yet. I’ll be in a shoe next week, and I’ll be back and forth between a shoe and a boot. And then, I’m on crutches for like another two to three, four weeks, and then, I’m rolling again.”
Kyle Shanahan hiring son of 49ers great to coaching staff
“Roman Sapolu previously participated in the 49ers’ Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship in 2018, gaining early experience within the organization. Later that year, he became the offensive line coach at Idaho State before spending three seasons (2019–2021) as Fresno State’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator.
Sapolu continued building his résumé at the University of Hawai’i, serving as offensive line coach from 2022 to 2023 before being promoted to co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. He made the coaching jump to the NFL in 2024, working as an offensive assistant with the Miami Dolphins.
Before transitioning into coaching, Sapolu played interior offensive line at Oregon State from 2010 to 2014.“
Concepcion’s production backs up that projection. In 2025, he earned a 79.9 receiving grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) and totaled 440 yards after the catch. For his career, 1,232 of his receiving yards have come after the catch, underscoring his playmaking ability in space.
Coby White #0 of the Chicago Bulls dribbles the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum on February 03, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The Hornets had a big trade deadline — but one of their moves was tweaked thanks to an injury.
Coby White will still be a Hornet, but the team will now send the Bulls two second-round picks instead of three. The reason for the alteration is that White has a calf strain that will sideline him for at least some amount of time.
In the amended deal, the Hornets are sending 2031 second-rounders owned by the Knicks and Nuggets to the Bulls, according to The Athletic.
Coby White dribbles up court during the Bulls’ blowout loss to the Bucks on Feb. 3, 2026 in Milwaukee. Getty Images
White is making $12.9 million in the final year of his deal and is heading toward free agency this offseason.
White, in Charlotte, is expected to come off the bench for the red-hot Hornets, who have the league’s longest winning streak at eight straight victories.
The North Carolina alum enters a guard rotation highlighted by former All-Star LaMelo Ball and Rookie of the Year contender Kon Knueppel.
White is averaging 18.6 points with 4.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game this season.
The 6-foot-4 combo guard is shooting 44 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from 3.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Patriots wide receivers coach Todd Downing started laughing this week when he was asked if Stefon Diggs was having a “down year?”
“Doesn’t he have 85 catches and over 1,000 yards coming off an ACL and he’s 32?” Downing said. “I think he’s doing OK.”
Some may see 1,013 receiving yards and four touchdowns as a “down year,” but not the Patriots. New England is in Super Bowl 2026 on Sunday in part because of their signing of Diggs in free agency last offseason.
That three-year, $69 million investment has paid off in helping second-year quarterback Drake Maye elevate his game and turn the Patriots from a 4-13 team in 2024 to a 14-3 team in 2025.
Stefon Diggs jogs during Patriots practice on Feb. 4, 2026 ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Seahawks. AP
Downing was on the Vikings coaching staff in 2018 when Diggs was in his fourth season. When the Patriots considered signing him last year, Downing pushed the team to do so.
Despite perceptions that he is not a team guy, Downing said Diggs has been a great leader for the team.
“What I’ve seen in this go-round with him is a true commitment to helping elevate the game of those around him,” Downing said. “He’s got a competitive spirit that’s unmatched. He’s tenacious in trying to win anything he does between the white lines. He’s got a contagious personality. It’s been great to see him work with the younger guys, to support Drake as a young quarterback. I think he’s learned different things along the way from the scars he had in the past. It’s been cool to watch him operate in this locker room.”
For Diggs, the Patriots are the latest stop on a winding NFL journey that took him from Minnesota to Buffalo to Houston, where he tore his ACL in 2024, to New England.
He’s had some big moments in his career, like catching the Minneapolis Miracle, and has experienced team success before in Minnesota and Buffalo, but now he’s in the Super Bowl for the first time with a chance to enhance his legacy.
“I had an interesting conversation. It was somebody close to me,” Diggs said. “They were asking, ‘Why do I play?’ And I said, ‘I don’t really do it for other people.’ And they said, like, ‘So what do you do it for? If you’re not doing it for validation?’ I said, ‘I wanted to prove it to myself.’ When I say I want to prove it to myself, I’ve been playing the game for a long time.
“When it comes to legacy, I want respect, not notoriety. Notoriety is a lot of people knowing you. I’m saying when it comes down to respect, they respect my game. They respect how I approach this game and the things that I did for this game.”
Diggs has been seen as a diva receiver at times, but the Super Bowl is a chance to alter perceptions forever.
Stefon Diggs celebrates with the Lamar Hunt Trophy after the Patriots’ win over the Broncos in the AFC Championship on Jan. 25, 2026, in Denver. AP
“I wanted to always be a playmaker,” he said. “I wanted to be a Hall of Fame receiver. I wanted to be a Super Bowl champion. I wanted to be an MVP. I said all these things to myself because that’s what I believe. I can’t change it. I can only try to work for it. I only try to earn it. I don’t take a day off.
“So, when it comes down to legacy, that’s what I want to be known for. People say they don’t want to be known for football, but this is what I’ve been doing since I was 5. I’m saying I want the respect. I don’t want all this time to be wasted. I want all this time to be validated in a spot of respect, not because everybody knows you or everybody said you were a good player. I’ve been doing this for a reason and a purpose.”
Downing was asked if people on the outside have a misperception of Diggs.
“I think that’s fair to say,” the longtime coach said. “I think that’s true for a lot of people if you don’t know them personally and you just judge them by snapshots you see from highlights or lowlights. I think, to a man, if you ask anybody in here about Stefon Diggs, they’d say they’re really glad he’s on our team.”
The lead-up to the NBA trade deadline continued its frenzied pace on Wednesday night.
The Hawks acquired Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield from the Warriors in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.
The move ends speculation about Kuminga’s future, who demanded a trade away from the team in January.
Jonathan Kuminga dribbles the ball upcourt during the Warriorls’ blowout home loss to the Raptors on Jan. 20, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco. NBAE via Getty Images
General manager Mike Dunleavy said in the days after Kuminga’s desire to be traded became public that there needed to be a reciprocal demand from teams in the league for anything happen.
“I think as far as the demand, we’re aware of that. In terms of demands, when you make a demand, there needs to be a demand in the market,” Dunleavy said.
“So, we’ll see where that unfolds. But heard, always with these guys, I tell them I’m willing to work with them, want to help people out whether that’s J.K. or any player on our roster. We’re good with, if that’s his wishes, trying to figure that out, but we got to do what’s best for our organization and that’s what we’ll do, as far as it goes with the deadline coming up.”
That demand came in the form of the Hawks, who sit at 25-27 and in ninth in the Eastern Conference standings.
In Kuminga, the Hawks get a 23-year-old forward who is averaging 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Hield, in his 10th year in the NBA, is averaging 8.0 points per contest.
Kristaps Porzingis shoots over Yves Missi during the second half of the Hawks’ win over the Pelicans on
Jan. 7, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
As for the Warriors, The Athletic reported the team had offered Draymond Green, Kuminga, four first-round picks, a first-round swap in an attempt to land Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Milwaukee had been radio silent in recent days.
So Golden State gets Porzingis, who has played in just 17 games this season and none since Jan. 7.
After battling what was first called a mystery illness last year during the playoffs with the Celtics, he was formally diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, an autoimmune issue that can cause one’s heart rate spike, particularly when standing up.
When he has been on the court this season, Porzingis has averaged 17.1 points and 5.1 boards.
The Warriors, shortly after sending away the two players to the Hawks, traded away Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Raptors for a second-round pick in 2026, Charania reported.
