Sports Desk

Ryan Garcia will return to the ring nine months after his loss to Rolando “Rolly” Romero in May 2025, and he will do so in a world championship fight against Mario Barrios, the current World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion. The 12-round bout will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Feb. 21.

Turki Alalshikh, president of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, confirmed the matchup. The event will be called “The Ring: High Stakes” and broadcast by DAZN pay-per-view.

Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) won the WBC welterweight world championship in September 2023 and has defended the title twice, both times in fights that went the full 12 rounds. In November 2024, he fought to a split draw against Abel Ramos, and in July 2025, he recorded a majority draw against legendary former world champion Manny Pacquiao.

“This is my division, my moment and I’m ready to show the world why the WBC title is staying here,” Barrios said in a statement.

Barrios, who has faced Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Keith Thurman, was also world champion in the super lightweight division, where he won the World Boxing Assn. (WBA) title in 2019. Before his draws against Pacquiao and Ramos, he defeated Argentina’s Fabián Maidana and Cuba’s Yordenis Ugás, a fight in which he won the vacant WBC title.

For his part, García (27-1, 19 KOs) returns after losing to Romero in a fight in which he did not appear to enter the ring in optimal condition. During that fight, the Victorville native was knocked down in the second round and ended up losing by unanimous decision after 12 rounds. Garcia came into that fight with physical problems, suffered an injury during training camp and underwent surgery on his right hand after the fight, which kept him out of the ring for months.

“I will be world champion on February 21,” Garcia said in a statement.

Mario Barrios punches Manny Pacquiao during a July bout in Las Vegas. Barrios will next face off with Ryan Garcia.

(John Locher / Associated Press)

García’s return comes after a turbulent period in his career. In 2024, he defeated Devin Haney by decision in the super lightweight division, although he weighed in 3.25 pounds overweight, making him ineligible to compete for Haney’s title. He subsequently tested positive for the banned substance ostarine, which resulted in the fight being declared a “no contest,” as well as a lawsuit from Haney and a one-year suspension.

Now, Garcia will seek redemption in a new division against an established champion, while Barrios will attempt to reaffirm his dominance at welterweight against high-profile opponent.

This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.

England scrum-half Raffi Quirke has announced he will leave boyhood club Sale Sharks at the end of the season, having been linked with Newcastle Red Bulls.

The 24-year-old, who has won two caps and memorably scored a try in England’s November 2021 win over South Africa, has been hampered by a string of injuries, with Scotland’s Gus Warr often preferred at club level.

However, Quirke has enjoyed a decent run of form this campaign and was part of England’s squad for the autumn internationals, retaining his place for a recent January get-together despite Leicester’s Jack van Poortvliet and Bristol’s Harry Randall both returning from injury.

“This has been the hardest decision of my life so far because Sale is the club that I grew up supporting and dreaming of playing for,” said Quirke.

“Playing here since I was 15 has been an amazing experience and a privilege that has shaped me as a player and a person and I will be forever grateful to [director of rugby] Alex [Sanderson], the owners, the coaches, the players and the supporters for truly believing in me.

Less than 48 hours following their latest playoff exit, the Chargers fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman and offensive line coach Mike Devlin on Tuesday.

Coach Jim Harbaugh was noticeably noncommittal about Roman’s future after the Chargers’ 16-3 loss in the AFC wild-card playoffs on Sunday night, saying the team was “going to look at that.”

The decision comes after two dreadful performances by the Chargers’ offense in consecutive one-and-done playoff losses. Last season, the Chargers lost to the Houston Texans 32-12 after Justin Herbert threw four interceptions.

Against the Patriots, the Chargers appeared even more listless as Herbert struggled to connect with his receivers, completing 19 of 31 passes for 159 yards. The Chargers’ final five possessions ended with three punts, a fumble and a turnover on downs. The Chargers had just 207 total yards of offense.

Herbert was sacked six times behind an injury-ravaged offensive line that proved to be the offense’s weak point after Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt were lost to season-ending injuries.

Adding to the difficulties was a running game that struggled for consistency after Najee Harris tore his Achilles tendon in Week 3. Rookie running back Omarion Hampton missed six games with a fractured left ankle and played sparingly against the Patriots after injuring his right ankle in Week 17.

Harbaugh and Roman have a long history. Harbaugh hired Roman to his Stanford staff in 2009 and he served as Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers a decade ago. Roman also worked under John Harbaugh as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator from 2019-22.

This is a developing story. The Times will have more on Roman and Devlin soon.

Tomlin released a statement of his own, saying his “respect and love for the Pittsburgh Steelers will never change”.

“This organisation has been a huge part of my life for many years and it has been an absolute honour to lead this team,” he added.

“Coaching in Pittsburgh is unlike anywhere else and I will always take great pride in having been a steward of this team.

“I am excited for what the future holds for this organisation and I will forever be grateful for my time coaching in Pittsburgh.”

Tomlin guided the Steelers to their sixth Super Bowl title in 2008 and made the play-offs 13 times during his tenure.

However, their defeat to Houston was the seventh consecutive postseason defeat and fans had voiced their displeasure at his coaching during the season, chanting ‘Fire Tomlin’ at games.

The departure of Tomlin means the Steelers will be looking for only their fourth head coach since 1969.

It also represents the ninth NFL coaching change since the conclusion of the regular season.

The long-awaited debut of star USC freshman Alijah Arenas will have to wait at least another week.

Arenas is “progressing well” from the knee injury he suffered in the summer, but not ready to return, a person familiar with his status not authorized to speak publicly told The Times.

The five-star prospect has already been ruled out for this week’s matchups against Maryland or Purdue, which had initially been the target for his return.

When Arenas will suit up for USC is uncertain. The expectation is that he’ll play for the Trojans at some point during Big Ten play, possibly by the end of this month.

Arenas returned to practice last month after sitting out since July. He said at the time that he’d been undecided on whether to return to play for the Trojans versus just declaring for the draft, but that his teammates “were kind of the key factor in me wanting to come back.”

They could use him back as soon as possible. The Trojans (13-3, 2-3 Big Ten) narrowly escaped a third straight loss Friday in Minneapolis and are still scraping by with a ballhander-by-committee approach. When he does return, Arenas is expected to step into a significant role.

Two of USC’s next three games are at home against the Big Ten’s two worst teams — Maryland and Northwestern — but after that, road matchups against Iowa and Wisconsin, each of which have lost just one home game this season, will loom large for the Trojans.

Without Arenas, USC will continue to lean heavily on sixth-year senior Chad Baker-Mazara, who bounced back in a big way from a two-game slump Friday, scoring 29 points.

Bob Chesney and Mick Cronin have a new major ally in their bid to compete in the Big Ten.

A $17.3-million gift from late alumnus and longtime donor Lawrence “Larry” Layne will benefit the UCLA football and men’s basketball programs, giving them essential financial resources as they try to keep up with their cash-infused conference counterparts.

The football team will receive $9.6 million and the men’s basketball program $7.7 million as part of Layne’s more than $40-million pledge to various university programs. The donation to the athletic department is believed to be the biggest in more than a decade.

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for Larry’s longstanding history of generosity to both campus and the athletic department, including this transformational gift,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said in a statement. “I am fortunate to have spent time with Larry and get to know his deep passion for UCLA Athletics, particularly his desire to help our football and men’s basketball programs thrive in this new era of collegiate sports. His investment in our programs positions us, and future generations of Bruin athletes, for long-term success.”

A former men’s rugby player and women’s rugby coach at UCLA, Layne received his master’s of business administration from the school in 1977 and went on to found Nova Storage. He was a fan of multiple Bruins sports and a donor for six decades, his generosity extending beyond his passing in December 2024 at 75.

Layne has supported UCLA athletics since giving to the women’s rugby club in 1979 and becoming the team’s first coach. He also supported the renovation of Pauley Pavilion and the construction of the Wasserman Football Center. Over the years, he’s also given to UCLA baseball, softball, women’s tennis and men’s water polo, his gifts totaling $18.8 million, including his latest donation.

“As a former UCLA student-athlete and coach, Larry fully understood the hard work and determination that was needed to be at his best both on and off the field,” Chesney said, “and this incredibly generous gift will make a big impact on helping us build a championship football team. I am very grateful to Larry and his wife Sheelagh for their support of UCLA and our football program. We will make sure that Larry’s legacy lives on by continuing to support our student-athletes and upholding our university’s True Bruin values.”

Layne’s gift also includes $11.4 million to UCLA Health, assisting research in cardiology and hepatology; $5.7 million to the UCLA Anderson School of Management to support entrepreneurial and real estate studies; $3.8 million to men’s rugby; and $1.9 million to UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance.

Cronin, who has spoken about wanting to be the moneyed Dodgers of college basketball instead of the cash-strapped Cincinnati Reds, will now be closer to reaching that status thanks to this gift.

“I would like to thank Larry for his generosity and long-time support of our athletics department, specifically toward our men’s basketball program,” Cronin said. “This university has so many fantastic resources for its student-athletes, but we simply would not be able to thrive if not for the generosity of our many loyal donors such as Larry. His generous gift will help us in the future as we continue to build a basketball program with elite young men who all of our fans can be proud to support.”

A graduate of Sylmar High, where he was captain of the football team, Layne later raised money to install lights for the school’s football field and went on to attend Occidental College before going to UCLA for graduate school. His lifelong love of rugby took him to London to play for the Harlequins, and his Los Angeles team was known as the Flying Pumpkins.

David Greenwood, one of the best high school basketball players in Southern California history, will have his jersey retired on Friday night during a ceremony at his alma mater, Verbum Dei.

Greenwood, who died on June 8 at the age of 68 after a bout with cancer, teamed with Roy Hamilton to make Verbum Dei one of the best teams during his high school days in the 1970s. He’d go on to be an All-American at UCLA and played 12 years in the NBA. He came back to coach at Verbum Dei.

Verbum Dei is playing Gardena Serra on Friday at 7 p.m. The ceremony will be held at halftime.

Greenwood was the No. 2 pick in the 1979 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. Magic Johnson went No. 1 to the Lakers. He’d win an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons.

He coached Verbum Dei to state championships in 1998 and 1999.

“David was a hero to me,” said Verbum Dei alumnus DeAnthony Langston. “He’s one of the all-time greats in Verbum Dei history.”

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Welcome back to The Times’ Lakers newsletter, where things are about to get extra busy.

The Lakers started a stretch of five games in seven days on Monday with a 124-112 loss to the Sacramento Kings. They’ve lost three games in a row and could have a tough time turning the tide during an incredibly difficult schedule this month. This week’s five-game sprint leads directly into an eight-game marathon trip that starts on Jan. 20 in Denver.

The Lakers (23-14) are in danger of letting their slump stretch further as LeBron James could be limited Tuesday against Atlanta. He has not played back-to-back games all year and already played 33 minutes against the Kings, scoring 22 points.

If James is out, the Lakers could at least still welcome someone else back.

Reinforcement on the way

Rui Hachimura was available against the Kings after missing two weeks with a calf injury, but didn’t play. He could be more valuable against the Hawks on Tuesday in the second game of a back-to-back.

Hachimura will begin on a minutes restriction and won’t immediately reprise his starting role. But the struggling Lakers know what they will need from him when he returns.

“He’s our best catch-and-shoot guy,” coach JJ Redick said of Hachimura. “He’s one of the best guys in the league. … This is the balance that we’ve been battling all years: We can play better defenders and our offense isn’t as good. We can play better offensive players and our defense isn’t as good. So we’re continuing to find that balance.”

Hachimura is shooting 43.6% on catch-and-shoot attempts, which ranks 23rd among players with 100 or more such attempts. He started the season on a Michael Jordan-esque shooting streak, but cooled off in recent games. He was four for 14 from three-point range in his last four games before the latest injury. Averaging 12.7 points per game, Hachimura is still shooting a team-best 44.5% from three. He’s the only player shooting better than 40% from beyond the arc on a team that is one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league.

But Hachimura has never been known as a stout defender. He’s averaging 3.8 rebounds per game this year, which equals his career-low.

Meanwhile, Jake LaRavia, who has started in Hachimura’s place, has been the Lakers’ most consistent defender all season. He can be a scorer, too. Only last week, we dedicated this newsletter to LaRavia’s back-to-back 20-point games.

But Redick also said that the team won’t count on that from him every night. LaRavia’s job is to be a perimeter anchor on defense and he has delivered in that role.

Redick said he hasn’t made any decisions about the starting lineup going forward as the team gets healthier.

The Lakers were 11th in offensive rating and 24th in defensive rating before Monday’s game. They were getting outscored by 0.7 points per 100 possessions. They’re the only team with a negative net rating with a winning record.

All-Star voting winds down

Luka Doncic is on top of All-Star voting.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

It’s election season in the NBA. All-Star elections, that is.

Lakers star Luka Doncic led the league in fan All-Star voting after two reveals, the league announced last Tuesday. His 2,229,811 votes were more than 137,000 ahead of Eastern Conference leader Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has led the league in All-Star fan voting for the last two seasons.

“Honestly it’s pretty amazing,” Doncic said of the early voting results. “Just, I mean, a kid from Slovenia only can dream about that, can dream about being in the NBA.”

Fan voting ends Wednesday at 8:59 p.m. PST. Doncic is in line to earn his sixth All-Star honor.

It’s already been quite the year for Doncic. After signing a three-year contract extension with the Lakers in August, the 26-year-old superstar is leading the league in scoring with 33.6 points per game. He had a second child. He launched a new signature shoe.

And he’s become the unquestioned leader of the Lakers in his first full season in L.A. Even LeBron James called Doncic “the franchise.”

“One, I think, [Doncic has] established himself as a global superstar. He has for years now,” Redick said. “Certainly speaks to the popularity of the Lakers’ brand and the amount of fans that follow us and cheer for us and live and breathe with every shot in every game like everybody in that locker room does. And I think he’s a fantastic representative of this organization.”

James was eighth in Western Conference voting in the second fan returns and 14th overall. The superstar who led the league in voting for seven consecutive seasons from 2017 to 2023 may see his 21-year All-Star streak end this season.

He has appeared in just 20 games, averaging 22 points, 6.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds while managing sciatica and foot arthritis. James was named a starter last season, but was a late scratch from the event because of foot and ankle injuries. It was the first time James didn’t participate in the NBA’s midseason showcase event since his rookie season.

This could be Austin Reaves’ first All-Star honor but a recent calf injury has hurt his campaign. Reaves was 11th in the West in fan voting after two returns.

Reaves appeared to be a lock for the honor earlier this season. He is averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds a game, all career-highs. He scored 51 points in a game against Sacramento.

The All-Star game will be held at Intuit Dome on Feb. 15 with yet another unorthodox format that hopes to generate some legitimate competition at the exhibition that has seemingly lost its luster in recent years. Voting takes place in traditional East vs. West format to decide the five players from each conference that are named “starters.”

But the group may not actually play together during the game.

The format will instead have two, eight-man teams of U.S. players and one “world” team of international players. They will compete in a round-robin tournament of four, 12-minute games. If the voting doesn’t yield 16 U.S. players and eight international players, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select additional players to reach the minimum required.

Voting for starters is determined by fan vote (50%), NBA players (25%) and media (25%). After the starters are announced on Monday, NBA coaches decide the seven reserves for each conference.

On tap

Tuesday, vs. Hawks (20-21), 7:30 p.m.

The Hawks have won three consecutive games, including two after trading star Trae Young to Washington on Jan. 9. While Young — who ended up in Atlanta after in a draft-day trade that sent Doncic to Dallas — was the unquestioned headliner in the organization, the Hawks were just 2-8 in games with him this season. They didn’t need Young to beat the Lakers by 20 points in November.

Thursday, vs. Hornets (14-26), 7:30 p.m.

LaMelo Ball has returned since the last time the Lakers faced the Hornets in Charlotte. The former Chino Hills High star is averaging 19.9 points and 7.8 assists per game while Kon Knueppel leads all rookies with 19.1 points per game.

Saturday at Trail Blazers (19-21), 7 p.m.

Deni Avdija (averaging 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.9 assists) left Sunday’s loss against the Knicks in the fourth quarter with a back injury. The loss ended a five-game winning streak for the Trail Blazers, who had won seven of eight. Point guard Jrue Holiday (calf) also returned from a nearly three-month absence.

Sunday, vs. Raptors (24-16), 6:30 p.m.

This is the second game of the Lakers’ second back-to-back in a week. The Lakers have five games in seven days. Brace yourself for some ugly basketball during this stretch.

Status report

Austin Reaves: left calf strain

There’s about two weeks left until Reaves is reevaluated for the calf injury he aggravated on Christmas Day.

Adou Thiero: right MCL sprain

The rookie won’t be reevaluated for at least another two and a half weeks.

Favorite thing I ate this week

Simpang Asia’s festival rice: A platter of turmeric rice, and, clockwise from bottom left: fried wonton sheets, steamed vegetables under peanut dressing, tumeric chicken under shredded egg, fried noodles, potatoes under sambal balado, a red chili sauce with red peppers and tomatoes.

(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)

I’m an indecisive eater. Choosing a dish at a restaurant feels like a very high-stakes decision. So a variety platter always hates to see me coming.

When I don’t want to just settle for one thing, the festival rice (nasi kuning komplit) from Simpang Asia in Palms helps cover all the bases. The Indonesian feast has a little bit of everything. A tower of turmeric rice stands at the center of the plate and is surrounded by potatoes under sambal balado — a red chili sauce with red peppers and tomatoes — fried noodles, turmeric chicken under shredded egg, steamed vegetables under peanut dressing and fried wonton sheets.

We also ordered roti paratha, Bali sea bass, which is grilled in banana leaves, and kwetiau goreng, a wok-fried rice noodle dish with bean sprouts, Chinese greens and eggs. We even uncovered a secret menu item: They don’t list their croquettes — fried potato balls filled with chicken — on the menu but you can still ask for them. You should ask for them.

In case you missed it

Luka Doncic scores 42 points, but poor defense dooms Lakers in loss to Kings

Lakers’ Rui Hachimura getting closer to returning from injury

NBA suspends Kings’ Dennis Schroder for reported confrontation with Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic and LeBron James both falter at finish as Lakers lose to Bucks

Luka Doncic has a triple-double, but LeBron-less Lakers lose to Spurs

Luka and LeBron go 30-30 as Lakers defeat the Pelicans

Until next time…

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

Former Great Britain sprinter Reece Prescod says he will not take performance-enhancing drugs despite signing up for the controversial Enhanced Games.

The competition, scheduled to take place in Las Vegas in May, will allow athletes to take substances, under medical supervision, that are banned in mainstream sport.

The 29-year-old, who retired last year, is the fourth-fastest British man over 100m, with a personal best of 9.93 seconds.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme, Prescod replied “no” when questioned on whether he had taken any substances so far.

Asked “But will you?” he again replied: “No.”

“Obviously, medical-wise it’s always confidential, but I think for me right now the biggest priority is getting back into that sub-10 shape,” he added.

The Enhanced Games has been criticised for endangering athletes’ health and undermining fair play, with the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) describing it as a “dangerous and irresponsible project”.

Only substances approved by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration, (FDA) can be taken. That is a different list to the one the Wada allows for elite athletes.

UK Athletics’ chief executive Jack Buckner said he was “appalled” when it was revealed Prescod had signed up earlier in January.

The medal range for the Winter Paralympics, which are set to run between 6-15 March, is lower than Beijing 2022 because of “challenges throughout the cycle with injury and international competition opportunities”.

Last month, Menna Fitzpatrick, Britain’s most decorated Winter Paralympian with six medals, suffered a serious knee injury in training, but is undergoing treatment in a bid to compete.

The GB team is still expected to be “competitive” for medals “across a wide range of disciplines”, with Phil Smith, ParalympicsGB chef de mission, adding he was “confident we have a plan in place to give each and every athlete the best possible chance to deliver incredible performances”.

Funded through the National Lottery and government, UK Sport has invested more than £32.5m across the current four-year cycle for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, with the “ambition for the UK to become an ever-greater force” in winter sports.

From Broderick Turner: Luka Doncic scored 40 points through three quarters for the Lakers against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night, going 15 for 21 from the field. He had seven assists and six rebounds and had played more than 30 minutes.

But then Doncic got his left thigh wrapped.

He scored only two points in the fourth quarter, making one of four shots and missing both of his three-point attempts in the Lakers’ 124-112 loss to the hot-shooting Kings.

After the game, Doncic didn’t provide much clarity on what he might be dealing with, saying his ailment was “somewhere” in the inner thigh or groin area.

“Yeah, I was really uncertain. Before the game … I felt something,” said Doncic, who was unsure before the game if he would play. “But tomorrow, we’ll see how I wake up.”

Doncic finished with 42 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. He was two for nine from three-point range. He didn’t let the injury be an excuse for his fourth-quarter struggles.

Continue reading here

Lakers box score

NBA standings

James Harden passes Shaq

Kawhi Leonard scored 35 points and James Harden had 32 to move into ninth place on the NBA’s career scoring list, and the Clippers beat the Charlotte Hornets 117-109 on Monday night for their fourth win in five games.

Jordan Miller added 14 points and Ivica Zubac had nine points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers.

LaMelo Ball had 25 points and nine rebounds to lead the Hornets in their third loss in four games. Kon Knueppel scored 18 points, Moussa Diabaté had 13 points and 15 rebounds, Brandon Miller also scored 13 and Miles Bridges 11.

Harden, who began the night 14 points behind Shaquille O’Neal’s 28,596 points for ninth, had 13 in the first half and then moved ahead on a three-pointer early in the third quarter.

Continue reading here

Clippers box score

NBA standings

Matthew Stafford has a sprained finger

From Gary Klein: Matthew Stafford suffered a sprained right index finger in the Rams’ wild-card victory over the Carolina Panthers, but he will be ready for Sunday’s divisional-round game against the Bears in Chicago, coach Sean McVay said Monday.

“He’s as tough as it gets and will be good to go,” McVay said during a videoconference with reporters.

Stafford injured his finger Saturday when his hand hit the helmet of a Panthers player during the Rams’ 34-31 victory in Charlotte, N.C. He played through the injury and passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns, including a game-winner to tight end Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds left.

Continue reading here

Commentary: Why Stan Kroenke was the only NFL owner who could bring football back to L.A.

The 10 greatest moments in Rams history since their return to L.A.

Chargers discuss their loss

From Benjamin Royer: Ladd McConkey paused for a moment in front of his locker.

“I don’t know,” he said, less than 24 hours after another humbling Chargers playoff loss.

“To be honest with you, it’s like, I don’t know — but you gotta get that monkey off our back,” McConkey said.

A tormenting 16-3 defeat to the New England Patriots in the AFC wild-card round sent the Chargers’ season to an early finish Sunday for the second consecutive season. Little went right against the Patriots in coach Jim Harbaugh‘s second year in L.A., prompting questions about what needs to change to make the Chargers a Super Bowl contender.

Harbaugh, general manager Joe Hortiz and the rest of the team’s staff will have a full offseason to delve into went awry against the Patriots and a season that fell short of expectations.

Center Bradley Bozeman, often at the heart of public criticism over the Chargers’ offensive line, fought back tears when speaking about his struggles on the field. But the eighth-year veteran got choked up the most talking about Justin Herbert.

“It just sucks that we can’t get him there,” Bozeman said. “That’s what sucks. He’s one of my best friends — and it sucks, like it just sucks, because I want it bad for him. I want it bad for myself, I want it bad for everybody, but him especially.”

Continue reading here

NFL playoffs schedule

All times Pacific
Wild-card round
AFC
Monday
No. 5 Houston 30, No. 4 Pittsburgh 6 (summary)

Divisional round
NFC
Saturday
No. 6 San Francisco at No. 1 Seattle, 5 p.m., (FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes)

Sunday
No. 5 Rams at No. 2 Chicago, 3:30 p.m. (NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo)

AFC
Saturday
No. 6 Buffalo at No. 1 Denver, 1:30 p.m., (CBS, Paramount+)

Sunday
No. 5 Houston at No. 2 New England, noon (ESPN/ABC, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes)

Conference championships
Sunday, Jan. 25
AFC
Noon, (CBS, Paramount+)

NFC
3:30 p.m. (FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes)
Noon

Super Bowl
Sunday, Feb. 8, NBC, Time TBA

Kings fall to Stars

Jason Robertson scored late in the third period, Wyatt Johnston scored his 25th goal of the season, and the Dallas Stars defeated the Kings 3-1 on Monday night.

Robertson looked to be trying a centering pass, but the wobbling puck deflected in off Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson with 3:46 remaining. Matt Duchene added an empty-net goal with 17.4 to go, and the Stars have won two of three after a season-worst six-game winless streak.

Jake Oettinger made 24 saves, and Esa Lindell and Sam Steel had two assists.

Quinton Byfield scored on the power play and Darcy Kuemper made 15 saves for the Kings, who have dropped three of four.

Continue reading here

Kings summary

NHL standings

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1962 — Wilt Chamberlain scores an NBA regulation-game record 73 points to lead the Philadelphia Warriors to a 135-117 triumph over the Chicago Packers.

1971 — Lenny Wilkens of the Seattle Supersonics, at 33, becomes the oldest All-Star MVP as he scores 21 points to give the West a 108-107 victory over the East.

1974 — The Miami Dolphins win their second straight Super Bowl in their third straight appearance with a 24-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Larry Csonka, the game’s MVP, gains 145 yards in 33 carries and scores a touchdown.

1986 — NCAA schools vote overwhelmingly in favor of adopting the controversial Proposition 48. The rule requires that incoming freshman maintain 2.0 grade point averages and score 700 or more on the Scholastic Aptitude Test or a 15 on the American College Testing program.

1987 — Lewis Lloyd and Mitchell Wiggins of the Houston Rockets become the third and fourth NBA players to be banned from the league for using cocaine.

1991 — Phil Mickelson overcomes an 8 on the 14th hole to become the second amateur since 1954 to win a PGA Tour event as he posts a one-shot victory over Bob Tway and Tom Purtzer in the Northern Telecom Open.

1995 — America3, the first all-women’s team in the 144-year history of America’s Cup, wins the first race of the America’s Cup defender trials, beating Team Dennis Conner by 1 minute, 9 seconds.

1999 — Basketball superstar Michael Jordan announces his second retirement just prior to start of lockout-shortened 1998-99 NBA season; returns in 2001 with Washington.

2003 — Jennifer Capriati becomes the first women’s Australian Open defending champion to lose in the first round in the Open era. Capriati, seeded third, loses 2-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4 to 90th-ranked Marlene Weingartner of Germany.

2006 — Larry Brown becomes the fourth coach in NBA history to win 1,000 regular-season games as New York beats Atlanta 105-94. Brown, 1,000-762 in 23 seasons in the NBA, joins Lenny Wilkens, Don Nelson and Pat Riley in the 1,000-win club.

2013 — Matt Bryant kicks a 49-yard field goal with 8 seconds left and the Atlanta Falcons bounce back after blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter, defeating Seattle 30-28 in an NFC divisional playoff game. The Falcons lead 27-7 at the start of the final quarter before rookie quarterback Russell Wilson leads the Seahawks to three fourth-quarter touchdowns and a 28-27 lead with 31 seconds left.

2013 — Tom Brady becomes the winningest quarterback in postseason play, throwing for three touchdowns to beat Houston 41-28 and lift the New England Patriots into the AFC championship game. Brady gets his 17th victory, surpassing Joe Montana, by throwing for 344 yards.

2017 — Kelsey Plum scores 36 points to become the 12th player in women’s basketball history to top 3,000 career points and Washington routs Arizona 90-73.

2020 — Houston Astros manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow are fired by team owner Jim Crane for their roles in the sign-stealing scandal after MLB suspends both for one year

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Brittany Hampton is blasting Olivia Dean as she scurries through her apartment, impeccably decorated with art deco furniture sourced from Facebook Marketplace. Monographs from esteemed Black artists cover her coffee table; hundreds of vintage Vogue magazines line the wall. Littered with luxury candles, the apartment smells as good as her.

The Filipina-American stylist has come off a jam-packed year. Last May, she was named a member of the Golden State Valkyries Collective and creative-directed the team’s inaugural fashion show, celebrating the intersection of sports and fashion. In October, she headlined a panel on sports and fashion at the espnW: Women + Sports Summit in Ojai. She has been an active part of crafting Sloane Stephens’ image ahead of her return to pro tennis. Her client Nika Mühl, a point guard for the Seattle Storm, was recently named best–dressed rookie by GQ. And Paige Bueckers, whom Hampton calls her “good luck Chuck,” was recently named WNBA Rookie of the Year.

When the pair first met, for a StockX shoot in 2022, Bueckers was a NCAA player, edgy and cool yet with little fashion knowledge, said Hampton. Two years later, Bueckers wore an internet-uproaring all-white Louis Vuitton suit to the 2024 draft. Hampton also styled Buecker’s own professional debut in 2025, when she was drafted No. 1 to the Dallas Wings.

Brittany Hampton wears an SRG by Sofia Richie Grainge top, Maison Margiela trousers and Amina Muaddi pumps.

Buecker’s transition, under Hampton’s guidance, from sneakers to designer loafers (she favors androgynous looks) mirrors the industry itself. With a $200 million battle for the next WNBA expansion teams (Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia were ultimately rewarded contracts), women’s basketball has certainly come a long way since the financial instability of the early 2000s. But no one was looking out for the young female athletes — limited from the robust contracts of their male counterparts — who lacked the funds to match their wardrobes to their playmaking.

“That was a field that I feel like no one was willing to touch,” says Hampton, who initially made the transition to dressing and designing for athletes through her work with Russell Westbrook’s brand Honor the Gift.

Brittany Hampton wears an Arthur top and Aligrace jeans.

This penchant for mentorship has been a lifelong through line for Hampton, who herself was nurtured in fashion by her maternal grandmother — her Apo — who ran an organization called Fashion Arts & Youth Enterprise that taught young girls how to sew. Working retail as a teenager, Hampton found any excuse, and any form of transportation, to make her way down to Los Angeles — her closest geographical in to the fashion industry. On graduation day from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in San Francisco, she and her parents drove down to Koreatown, Hampton’s first neighborhood in L.A., with a mattress strapped to the car. After two years, her hard work paid off: As a 23-year-old, Hampton was tapped to lead in-house styling internationally for Nickelodeon.

“Building out characters was the main thing that I did at Nickelodeon,” she says. “Understanding that Sam and Cat, the characters, also had to play Sam and Cat on the red carpet, and Sam and Cat in any appearance that they made.” And where Nick executives initially wanted Miranda Cosgrove et al. in runway looks, Hampton understood her audience and instead went shopping at Macy’s, Old Navy, Nautica and Nike.

For Hampton, styling young female athletes is not so different from the charge of styling young Hollywood. “We are curating the trajectory of who these women are about to become,” says Hampton, who refers to her celebrity-athlete clients as “kids” despite being only 36 herself.

But for all the encouragement she offers her “kids,” stepping into her own power, she says, has been “hard, f— hard.”

Brittany Hampton wears a RC Caylan trench coat and Gianvito Rossi pumps.

“Coming up in this industry, stylists were very behind the scenes,” she explains. “They weren’t the image curators, they weren’t [at the forefront].” That has changed in recent years, due in no small part to Law Roach, famously Zendaya’s stylist, whom Hampton assisted immediately after leaving Nickelodeon. But comfortability in the public eye is still an ongoing journey for the stylist, even as she understands the need for designers and brands to know who she is, in order to know who her clients are.

If you were to catch the stylist off-duty she would most likely be sporting athleisure. As she gets older, comfort has become key, she says. But when she puts it on — and she can put it on — she always considers her grandmother’s fashion big three: quality, color and taste.

“Things that you might think, ‘Oh I’m only gonna wear that one time’ — that’s what you grab,” she says of her “eclectic” style. “Sometimes I can be this femme fatale, sometimes I can be super sporty, sometimes I can pop up to Paige on set and be super goth and she’s like ‘What are you wearing?’ and I’m just like, ‘Oh, please.’”

Image asked Hampton to share five statement pieces that belong in every woman’s wardrobe. Here are the stylist’s starting five.

SACRAMENTO — Luka Doncic scored 40 points through three quarters for the Lakers against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night, going 15 for 21 from the field. He had seven assists and six rebounds and had played more than 30 minutes.

But then he got his left thigh wrapped.

After that, Doncic only made one of four shots, missing both of his three-point attempts in the Lakers’ 124-112 loss to the hot-shooting Kings.

Doncic didn’t provide much clarity on what he might be dealing with, saying his ailment was “somewhere” in the inner thigh or groin area.

“Yeah, I was really uncertain. Before the game … I felt something,” said Doncic, who was unsure if he would play before the game. “But tomorrow, we’ll see how I wake up.”

Doncic finished with 42 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. He was two for nine from three-point range. He didn’t let the injury be an excuse for his fourth-quarter struggles.

“If I’m out there, I’ll try to go,” Doncic said. “So that’s never an excuse. I’m good.”

The Lakers were down by 20 points in the third quarter and were forced to play catch-up the rest of the way. They got to within seven points in the fourth quarter before the Kings pulled away.

Lakers star LeBron James, right, drives against Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa during the first half Monday. James finished with 22 points.

(Justine Willard / Associated Press)

They shot decently from the field, shooting 49%. But they were horrible from three-point range, making just 22% (eight for 36).

“It’s literally we can’t make a shot,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

The Kings shot 59% from the field and 65% from three-point range.

“Defensively, I mean, I think we played solid defense,” LeBron James said. “I mean, they made a bunch of threes. We didn’t make many, but I thought we played. We had our game plan. We executed our game plan. Tonight was just one of those cases where you didn’t make shots.”

DeMar DeRozan torched the Lakers inside, scoring 32 points on 14-for-19 shooting.

Malik Monk came off the bench and scored 26 points, going seven for nine from three-point range. Even Russell Westbrook torched the Lakers, scoring 22 points in making four of his eight three-pointers.

When the Lakers got to within 112-104, the Kings put the game away with a DeRozan jumper and three-pointers from Monk and Precious Achiuwa.

Redick pulled his starters with 1:53 left.

“We faced a hot-shooting team tonight,” Redick said.

Rui Hachimura was in uniform but didn’t play after missing the previous six games with right calf soreness. There’s a good chance he will see playing time against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

LeBron loves his ‘super cool’ patch

LeBron James wears a special patch on his jersey commemorating his unprecedented 23rd NBA season.

(Justine Willard / Associated Press)

James, who scored 22 points, wore a patch on his jersey commemorating his unprecedented 23rd NBA season in the city where he played his first NBA game. It features a silhouette of his pregame chalk toss and three colored stripes that represents the three franchises he has played on — the Lakers, Cavaliers and Heat.

He will wear the patch for the remainder of the season. After each game, the patch will be removed from his jersey for that game, dated and shipped to a Topps’ production facility to be authenticated and inserted into a pack of trading cards.

“Super cool. Super surreal. Super humbled, blessed,” James said. “I walked in here and saw it for the first time. It was like an emotional moment as well. Just think about the journey thus far and have an opportunity to be here where it kind of all started obviously, but in this city.

“And it’s been a heck of a journey and people have followed my career and my fans have followed my career to get an opportunity to be a part of it.”

Lakers fans might not get the chance to see James and his patch up close on Tuesday night. There’s a good chance he will not play in the second game of a back-to-back.

“We’ll see how he feels in the morning,” Redick said.

MONDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS

CITY SECTION

Animo Robinson 66, Animo Leadership Academy 27

LACES 73, L.A. University 47

Los Angeles 58, Diego Rivera 19

Marquez 89, Elizabeth 25

Rise Kohyang 63, Smidt Tech 46

Sotomayor 57, Maywood CES 31

Sun Valley Poly 85, Monroe 32

Torres 74, Maywood Academy 44

Vaughn 53, East Valley 48

Van Nuys 68, Canoga Park 43

Venice 56, LA Hamilton 43

Verdugo Hills 76, Arleta 58

SOUTHERN SECTION

Anaheim Canyon 65, Esperanza 54

Azusa 62, Baldwin Park 36

Beverly Hills 61, Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 51

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 71, Salesian 64

Corona 79, Calvary Baptist 47

Corona del Mar 70, Edison 46

Damien 96, Norte Vista 52

Eastside 59, Palmdale 44

Flintridge Prep 64, SEED School 29

Gabrielino 54, Arroyo 48

Geffen Academy 57, Long Beach Cabrillo 48

Grace 65, Castaic 38

Hillcrest Christian 82, Ojai Valley 54

Holy Martyrs Armenian 75, Buckley 64

Inglewood 117, Santa Monica 76

Jurupa Hills 63, Rialto 55

Long Beach Poly 95, Long Beach Jordan 60

Los Alamitos 79, Fountain Valley 65

Los Osos 66, Claremont 48

Mesa Grande Academy 73, Public Safety Academy 44

Millikan 81, Long Beach Cabrillo 50

Monrovia 78, Southlands Christian 37

Newbury Park 66, Calabasas 63

Nogales 71, Garey 36

Oaks Christian 64, Agoura 39

Oxford Academy 59, Glenn 45

Palm Springs 58, Rancho Mirage 43

Pilgrim 52, Glendale Adventist 45

Rosemead 55, Mountain View 45

Royal 58, Santa Clara 55

Shalhevet 87, Pacific Lutheran 32

Sierra Vista 64, Duarte 46

Southwestern Academy 33, Waverly 30

St. Anthony 57, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 55

St. Genevieve 69, Mary Star of the Sea 62

Summit Leadership Academy 71, Lucerne Valley 32

Temecula Prep 101, Desert Hot Springs 45

Trinity Classical Academy 79, St. Monica Academy 48

Vistamar 82, Chadwick 76

Westlake 54, Thousand Oaks 51

Whitney 59, Artesia 50

INTERSECTIONAL

Weston Ranch 67, Santa Ana Foothill 51

GIRLS

CITY SECTION

Animo Robinson 63, Neuwirth Leadership Academy 23

Arleta 53, Verdugo Hills 31

Diego Rivera 35, Los Angeles 18

Garfield 48, Carson 32

Grant 57, North Hollywood 35

LACES 52, L.A. University 15

Marquez 75, Elizabeth 11

Maywood CES 42, Sotomayor 29

Northridge Academy 59, LA Marshall 23

Smidt Tech 26, Rise Kohyang 12

Torres 36, Maywood Academy 28

Van Nuys 49, Canoga Park 18

SOUTHERN SECTION

Baldwin Park 54, Azusa 25

Bishop Diego 59, Santa Paula 46

CAMS 58, Geffen Academy 19

Carpinteria 49, Fillmore 41

Cerritos 69, Pioneer 55

Channel Islands 48, Santa Clara 6

Downey 76, Warren 40

Fullerton 51, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 25

Gabrielino 33, Arroyo 23

Glendale Adventist 40, Pilgrim 20

Hemet 40, Ramona 35

Hesperia 61, Quartz Hill 57

Indian Springs 44, Fontana 36

Lakewood 65, Compton 34

Loma Linda Academy 78, RSCSM 6

Lucerne Valley 71, Sunnit Leadership Academy 11

Mesa Grande Academy 48, Public Safety Academy 4

Mission Viejo 38, Capistrano Valley Christian 31

Moreno Valley 100, Canyon Springs 12

Newbury Park 66, Calabasas 45

Norco 44, Don Lugo 38

Oaks Christian 78, Agoura 20

Ontario Christian 97, Los Osos 48

Oxford Academy 55, Glenn 9

Palm Springs 65, Rancho Mirage 8

Pomona Catholic 24, Pomona 4

Riverside Notre Dame 56, San Gorgonio 37

Rosemead 55, Mountain View 16

Royal 38, Santa Barbara 32

San Jacinto Leadership Academy 45, SJDLCS 2

Santa Maria 54, Valley Christian Academy 47

Saugus 48, South Pasadena 38

Sierra Canyon 82, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 45

Sierra Vista 70, Duarte 65

Southlands Christian 49, OCCA 4

Twentynine Palms 62, San Jacinto Valley Academy 30

Villa Park 45, Anaheim Canyon 32

Whitney 50, Artesia 43

INTERSECTIONAL

St. Bonaventure 66, El Camino Real 27

The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics will take place from 6-22 February, with ice hockey matches split between the new Santagiulia Arena and the existing Milano Rho Arena.

The rink in Milan, approved by the IIHF, is shorter than the minimum requirement in the NHL, leading to suggestions there could be an increase in high-speed collisions.

During the test event, there was a short delay while a small hole in the ice had to be repaired on Friday before the other matches took place without incident.

IIHF president Luc Tardif said “the puck was sliding and not bumping” and believes “there is no reason that the NHL will not come”.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters: “There are still challenges because the building is still under construction and the ice is new.

“We’ve been assured that, or we expect, that everything that needs to be done on a timely basis will get done.

“But, as you know, it’s not our event. We’re invited guests. We’ve offered to help and consult and advise as they feel they need and would be appropriate because we do have a little bit of expertise in that area.”

Kawhi Leonard scored 35 points and James Harden had 32 to move into ninth place on the NBA’s career scoring list, and the Clippers beat the Charlotte Hornets 117-109 on Monday night for their fourth win in five games.

Jordan Miller added 14 points and Ivica Zubac had nine points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers.

LaMelo Ball had 25 points and nine rebounds to lead the Hornets in their third loss in four games. Kon Knueppel scored 18 points, Moussa Diabaté had 13 points and 15 rebounds, Brandon Miller also scored 13 and Miles Bridges 11.

Harden, who began the night 14 points behind Shaquille O’Neal’s 28,596 points for ninth, had 13 in the first half and then moved ahead on a three-pointer early in the third quarter.

After Tre Mann’s three-pointer gave Charlotte a 100-99 lead with 7:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, Harden scored eight points during a 15-1 run that gave the Clippers a 13-point lead 4:02 later.

The Hornets followed with six consecutive point to pull to 114-107 with 1:22 to go, but that was as close as they got.

Leonard scored 20 points with five three-pointers in the third quarter for the Clippers. Harden made two free throws and a layup, and Leonard hit a three for a 73-64 advantage. Ball scored seven consecutive points as Charlotte pulled one point behind with 2:21 left in the quarter and took the lead twice before Miller’s layup just before the buzzer gave the Clippers an 86-84 lead heading to the fourth.

Harden scored 11 points while playing the entire first quarter. He shot three for seven from the field and five for six from the free-throw line. Harden then had two points in the second quarter on one-for-seven shooting as the Clippers took a 45-43 lead at the break. Leonard had 10 points in the half.

Jason Robertson scored late in the third period, Wyatt Johnston scored his 25th goal of the season, and the Dallas Stars defeated the Kings 3-1 on Monday night.

Robertson looked to be trying a centering pass, but the wobbling puck deflected in off Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson with 3:46 remaining. Matt Duchene added an empty-net goal with 17.4 to go, and the Stars have won two of three after a season-worst six-game winless streak.

Jake Oettinger made 24 saves, and Esa Lindell and Sam Steel had two assists.

Quinton Byfield scored on the power play and Darcy Kuemper made 15 saves for the Kings, who have dropped three of four.

Johnston scored on a wrist shot from the slot 3:44 into the first period, reaching the 25-goal mark for the third straight season.

The Kings finally netted a response when Byfield tied it up at 8:42 of the third period, scoring from close range after Corey Perry set him up with a backhand pass through the paint. It was Perry’s 500th career assist, making him the first player in league history to reach the milestone at age 40.

Los Angeles has been held to one goal 12 times in 45 games.

The Stars got captain Jamie Benn back after missing three games because of a cut on his nose, which he sustained Jan. 4. Benn, a 17-year veteran, played with a visor for the first time in 1,216 career games, leaving Nashville center Ryan O’Reilly, Minnesota defenseman Zach Bogosian, and Sharks winger Ryan Reaves as the last three active players who have never worn a visor in an NHL game.

Houston’s pass rush has wreaked havoc this season, helping the Texans to a 12-5 record and a third straight play-off appearance.

And they gave Rodgers a torrid time on his 23rd play-off appearance and first in four years.

The one-time Super Bowl winner failed to get the Steelers offence going, although their defence also made life difficult for Houston quarterback CJ Stroud.

They forced the game’s first three turnovers – two from Stroud fumbles, plus an interception – but the best Pittsburgh could muster on the following possessions was a solitary field goal.

That made the half-time score 7-6, with Christian Kirk having scored a touchdown for Houston, before their defensive pressure paid off in the final quarter.

Rodgers fumbled after being sacked by Will Anderson and Sheldon Rankins recovered the loose ball to score a 33-yard touchdown.

Woody Marks then got into the end zone with a 13-yard rush and four plays later Rodgers was intercepted by Calen Bullock, who returned it for a 50-yard touchdown.

Ladd McConkey paused for a moment in front of his locker.

“I don’t know,” he said, less than 24 hours after another humbling Chargers playoff loss.

“To be honest with you, it’s like, I don’t know — but you gotta get that monkey off our back,” McConkey said.

A tormenting 16-3 defeat to the New England Patriots in the AFC wild-card round sent the Chargers’ season to an early finish Sunday for the second consecutive season. Little went right against the Patriots in coach Jim Harbaugh‘s second year in L.A., prompting questions about what needs to change to make the Chargers a Super Bowl contender.

Harbaugh, general manager Joe Hortiz and the rest of the team’s staff will have a full offseason to delve into went awry against the Patriots and a season that fell short of expectations.

Against New England, there were offensive line woes and Justin Herbert getting pressured on 30 of 44 drop-backs, which, according to Pro Football Focus, was the second-highest pressure rate of the entire season (behind the Chargers’ Week 14 effort against the Philadelphia Eagles).

Herbert, still searching for his first postseason victory after his third defeat Sunday, showed up in uncharacteristic fashion against the Patriots.

Last season, he tossed a career-worst four interceptions in a playoff loss to Houston. Against New England, Herbert struggled to find open receivers and was sacked six times while the Chargers failed to implement a run game, leading to questions about offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s future with the team.

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh walks of the field after a 16-3 loss to the Patriots in the AFC wild-card playoffs Sunday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Center Bradley Bozeman, often at the heart of public criticism over the Chargers’ offensive line, fought back tears when speaking about his struggles on the field. But the eighth-year veteran got choked up the most talking about Herbert.

“It just sucks that we can’t get him there,” Bozeman said. “That’s what sucks. He’s one of my best friends — and it sucks, like it just sucks, because I want it bad for him. I want it bad for myself, I want it bad for everybody, but him especially.”

Whatever the fix, if the Chargers have one, the makeup of the franchise will dramatically shift. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is being courted by a host of NFL teams — including the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders — for head coaching jobs.

Wide receiver Keenan Allen, linebackers Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack and defensive lineman Teair Tart are among 27 players set to hit free agency. The Chargers also are set to have more than $100 million in salary-cap space to deal with for potential additions.

Tart expressed interest in a potential extension contract with the team, as did Oweh: “Hopefully I see Joe Hortiz on my phone,” the veteran linebacker said.

Mack, who also mulled retirement a season ago, is going to think about whether he wants to come back for a 13th NFL season.

The 34-year-old declined to say whether he’d be back with the Chargers if he decided to play.

“Just trying to stay as present as possible,” Mack said. “Make a decision based on how I’m feeling, how my family’s feeling. … Just figuring it out day by day.”

Outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, who emerged in his third season in the NFL with 13 sacks, was asked if he felt anything needed to shift to turn playoff heartbreak into victories.

Tuipulotu repeated a sentiment that defensive back Tarheeb Still and safety Daiyan Henley repeated earlier Monday:

“I just hope everyone on defense comes back,” Tuipulotu said.

Aston Villa have signed Chelsea midfielder Oriane Jean-Francois on a permanent deal for £450,000.

The 24-year-old joined Chelsea from Paris St-Germain in 2024 and the fee is a club record sale for the Blues.

The France midfielder struggled to get regular game time at Chelsea, making 28 appearances, but will hope to play a key role for Villa.

“This is another signing that strongly supports our ambitions as a club,” said Villa director of women’s football Marisa Ewers.

“Oriane impressed throughout the European Championships as a starter for France, consistently performing at the highest level.

“We believe she will add immediate quality and further raise standards within the group.”

Villa have shown ambition this season, bringing in Arsenal’s Jenna Nighswonger on loan until the end of the season on Saturday.

Natalia Arroyo’s side sit sixth in the Women’s Super League with four wins and four draws from their opening 12 matches.

They have an option to make the move permanent for defender Nighswonger.

The 25-year-old, who was part of the USA squad that won Olympic gold at Paris 2024, has played only 16 minutes in the WSL this season.

“We have been tracking her for some time and are delighted that she has bought into our exciting project,” added Ewers.

“This signing forms part of our growing ambitions as we continue to build an exciting and competitive squad, and we believe Jenna will add real quality to the group.”

Manchester City are keen on England international Elliot Anderson, Bayern Munich continue chase for Marc Guehi and Roma agree deal for Aston Villa‘s Donyell Malen.

Manchester City have made contact over a deal for 23-year-old England and Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson. (Teamtalk, external)

Bayern Munich have not given up on signing Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi, 25, with Manchester City and Liverpool also in the chase. (Sky Germany), external

Roma have agreed a loan deal with an option to buy Aston Villa and Netherlands forward Donyell Malen, 26, for 28.5m euros (£24.6m). Sky Sports Italia, external

Atletico Madrid are mulling over a 35m euros (£30m) offer from Manchester United to sign Spain utility player Marcos Llorente, 30. (Fichajes in Spanish), external

Manchester City and Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva, 31, has been linked with a summer move to Como. (Sky Calcio Club via Four Four Two), external

Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle United are all monitoring 22-year-old centre back Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo. (CaughtOffside, external)

England and Roma striker Tammy Abraham, 28, who is currently on loan with Besiktas, is keen on returning to England with Aston Villa a potential suitor. (Talksport, external)

Bournemouth have emerged as a serious contender alongside Lazio in the pursuit of Ferencvaros and Hungary midfielder Alex Toth, 20. (Teamtalk), external

Real Madrid midfielder Arda Guler, 20, has no plans to leave his current club despite interest from Arsenal. (Teamtalk, external)

Monaco are interested in signing Leicester defender Wout Faes. The 27-year-old Belgium centre-back joined the Foxes from the French top flight in 2022. (FootMercato), external