February 7, 2026

It seems Tom Brady has done a U-turn ahead of Super Bowl LX.

The veteran Patriots icon, who faced considerable backlash this week after stating he didn’t have a “dog in the fight” for Sunday’s Super Bowl between New England and the Seattle Seahawks, hinted in a social media post on Friday night that he is supporting his former team.

“You know I got your back RKK,” he wrote in an Instagram story, referring to Patriots owner Robert Kraft. “Get that seventh ring so we can match.”

Brady secured six Super Bowl titles with New England (and added a seventh with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), so many expected him to back his old team this Sunday against the Seahawks.

but, that wasn’t the case earlier this week when, during the latest episode of the “Let’s Go!” SiriusXM podcast with Jim Gray, he stated: “I don’t have a dog in the fight in this one. May the best team win.”

Fans, former teammates, and some current Patriots criticized Brady’s comments. Vince Wilfork labeled it “bullcrap.” Rob Gronkowski questioned whether there were hidden motives behind Brady’s words. Asante Samuel suggested that Brady might be envious of current New England quarterback Drake Maye.

Following Brady’s post on Friday night, Samuel, who won Super Bowls in his first two seasons with New England, raised the question of whether it might be too little, too late.

What do you think… Tom Brady got the message and corrected his foolishness

Do we forgive him??? pic.twitter.com/w1yXW7tgcz

— Asante Samuel (@pick_six22) February 7, 2026

Brady is currently an NFL analyst for Fox and a part-owner of the Raiders.

Darron Lee, the former NFL linebacker and first-round draft pick of the New York Jets in 2016, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend, as reported by the Hamilton County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office on Friday.

At 31 years old, Lee, who excelled at Ohio State, was taken into custody on Thursday at the scene after being identified as the suspect, according to officials.

Authorities were called to a residence on Thursday afternoon for a report of ongoing CPR. Upon their arrival, first responders located a woman and attempted to administer life-saving measures, but she was unfortunately declared dead at the scene.

Preliminary results suggest that the victim’s death resulted from a homicide, according to the sheriff’s office. The identity of the victim is being withheld until family members are notified.

In addition to the murder charge, Lee has been charged with tampering with evidence. More charges may be filed based on the ongoing investigation.

Currently, Lee is being held at the Hamilton County prison, as indicated by inmate records. He has a court appearance scheduled for February 11.

No further details have been disclosed at this time.

In 2023, Lee faced charges related to assault and domestic violence.

The Jets drafted Lee with the 20th overall pick in 2016; he eventually became a key player on the team. Over three seasons with the Jets, he started 36 games and recorded three interceptions.

He was released in 2019 and subsequently joined the Kansas City Chiefs for a season, the same year they won Super Bowl LIV, though Lee did not play in the game. He participated in two games with the Buffalo Bills in 2020 but did not see any action thereafter.

Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Lee moved to New Albany, Ohio as a child. He played for the Buckeyes and earned the title of defensive MVP in the 2015 Sugar Bowl.

NEW YORK — After over 50 years of coaching, it’s rare for Rick Pitino to be genuinely surprised. yet, following his most significant regular-season victory with St. John’s, the Hall of Fame coach made a bold statement about his Red Storm squad.

“This is the finest group of individuals, character-wise, that I’ve ever coached,” Pitino remarked. “In my 52 years, there’s not a single player who doesn’t give me their all.”

No. 22 St. John’s achieved its first significant victory of the season on Friday night, defeating No. 3 UConn 81-72, ending the Huskies’ 18-game winning streak in front of a lively audience at Madison Square Garden. This victory marked Pitino’s first over a top-five team since Feb. 1, 2016, as per ESPN Research, making him the only second coach to guide five different programs to top-10 victories.

The triumph also put Pitino even with Roy Williams for third place in Division I history, totaling 903 career wins.

“That was one of the toughest games we’ve had to play this season,” UConn coach Dan Hurley commented.

St. John’s strategy was clear from the game’s early minutes. After UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr. went to the bench with a six-point lead six minutes into the match, the Red Storm found their offensive flow, led by Big East Preseason Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor. Ejiofor quickly scored, drew a foul for free throws, then assisted on a Joson Sanon three-pointer, igniting a 7-0 run that shifted the momentum in favor of St. John’s.

UConn only reclaimed the lead three times for the rest of the game, never exceeding a two-point advantage.

The Red Storm have increasingly embraced an identity of toughness and physicality throughout the season, a theme that continued on Friday. They targeted UConn in the paint, dominating with a 42-34 score in that area. They also secured nine offensive rebounds, converting those into 16 second-chance points, and attempted 31 free throws compared to the Huskies’ 12.

Ejiofor (21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists), Dillon Mitchell (15 points, six rebounds), and Bryce Hopkins (14 points, six rebounds) were too much for UConn’s frontcourt defensively.

“They’re grown men,” Hurley expressed. “Mitchell, Hopkins, and Ejiofor are built for Big East battles, especially with the way officiating operates during conference play.”

At the other end, St. John’s intense full-court pressure consistently troubled UConn. The Huskies committed 15 turnovers, which led to 20 points for the Red Storm. UConn struggled with inbounding the ball, coming perilously close to several five-second violations. even if Silas Demary Jr. was UConn’s standout player that night with 18 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, he also tallied nine turnovers.

“There were probably 15 instances that could’ve led to a five-second count that we didn’t get called,” Pitino remarked. “But it wears you down. Oftentimes, a team’s pressing can exhaust you physically, making it harder to rebound and pass.”

although the impressive frontcourt performance, the unsung hero was former Idaho State transfer Dylan Darling. After a scoreless first half with minimal playing time, he emerged as a crucial player in the second half, scoring nine points along with two assists and one steal.

Darling sparked momentum early in the second half with a steal from Demary, followed by two significant baskets, including a 3-pointer with 3:13 remaining that expanded the Red Storm’s lead to five points.

“This is the best group of people, character-wise, that I’ve coached. In my 52 years, there’s not one guy that doesn’t give me everything.” St. John’s coach Rick Pitino

“It’s a challenging transition from where he was to this level. It requires time,” Pitino added. “His desire to take charge of a game is truly impressive. … What he’s accomplishing right now is remarkable.”

After overcoming a 9-5 start, St. John’s has now secured nine consecutive victories, tying them with UConn for the top of the Big East standings. A rematch is scheduled for Feb. 25 in Hartford, and they are likely on a path to face each other again in the Big East tournament championship.

On this occasion, St. John’s successfully defended their home court — often referred to as “Storrs South” due to UConn fans dominating Madison Square Garden when the Huskies visit. yet, this time there was no ambiguity about which fanbase held the advantage.

“The Garden was the best I’ve ever seen it,” Pitino reflected. “It was incredible. I thought it was 70/30, 60/40 — but it was actually 90/10. What a fantastic crowd.”

LOS ANGELES — Former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is joining the coaching staff of the Los Angeles Rams, sources have informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Peter Schrager on Friday.

Kingsbury had spent the last two seasons with the Commanders, parting ways in January, according to Schefter. He still had one year remaining on his contract.

The Rams, who had the highest-scoring offense this season, will be making staff changes after offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur accepted the head coach position with the Arizona Cardinals. Rams coach Sean McVay noted earlier this week that they would undertake an “extensive search” for LaFleur’s successor and mentioned the presence of “strong in-house candidates” for the position.

After losing to Seattle in the NFC Championship Game, Los Angeles is expected to retain a significant portion of its offense for next season. Quarterback Matthew Stafford, recently named NFL MVP, has confirmed he will return for his 18th season.

In 2025, the Commanders faced substantial injuries, particularly to quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin. The season following Daniels’ accolade as Offensive Rookie of the Year saw Washington finishing 22nd in both scoring and yards. Team sources revealed to ESPN’s John Keim that there was a split in Washington regarding the direction of their offensive strategy.

Kingsbury had previously spent four seasons as the head coach of the Cardinals before being dismissed after the 2022 season.