Falcons expected to release Kirk Cousins in March, adding another veteran QB to free-agent market

When the NFL's free-agent signing period opens in March, one more veteran quarterback will be added to the list of available players. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins will be released on the first day of the 2026 league year, Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said Tuesday.

Cunningham made those comments during a local radio interview. He said hespoke to Cousins and the QB's agent about the move.

Cousins, 37, still showed some ability with the Falcons down the stretch. Following a season-ending injury to Michael Penix Jr., Cousins started the final seven games of the regular season for Atlanta. He threw for 1,471 yards, 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions during those contests. The Falcons went 5-2 with Cousins under center down the stretch, but that wasn't good enough to push the team into the playoffs.

While Cousins already knows his fate, the Falcons will wait until March 11 — when the 2026 league year begins — to make the move for salary cap reasons.

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[Get more Falcons news: Atlanta team feed]

Once he becomes available, Cousins will join a free-agent quarterback market littered with older veterans like Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Joe Flacco. All four of those players could draw interest from teams, though none of them, with the exception of Rodgers, seems likely to be guaranteed a starting job.

Cousins turned in an excellent 12 seasons to start his NFL career, but an Achilles injury in his final season with the Minnesota Vikings cast doubt on his future. Cousins returned quickly from that injury, but struggled in his first year with the Falcons in 2024, eventually being benched for Penix.

While Cousins showed signs of life down the stretch, it's unclear whether that will lead to a significant role in 2026. The veteran might still have some ability in his right arm, and could help a team win some games next season, but he may have to compete for playing time on his new club.

byAdministrator

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February 24, 2026

Falcons expected to release Kirk Cousins in March, adding another veteran QB to free-agent market

When the NFL's free-agent signing period opens in March, one more veteran quarterback will be added to the list of a...

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Lions will play in the NFL's 2026 Germany game, which will be somewhat of a homecoming for Amon-Ra St. Brown

Detroit Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown has quite the connection to Germany. St. Brown's mother, Miriam, was born in the country, and St. Brown hosts football camps there. Now, he has another reason to visit, as the Lions were announced as participants in the NFL's 2026 Germany game.

The league announced the news Tuesday, though did not name the Lions' opponent just yet.

It will mark the first time in over a decade the Lions will play in an international game. The last time they played overseas occurred in 2015, when the Lions took on the Kansas City Chiefs in London. The Lions lost that contest 45-10.

While the Lions will play in Germany in 2026, the NFL has yet to reveal many details about the game. Fans know it will be played at FC Bayern Munich Stadium, but don't know the Lions' opponent, game date or kickoff time just yet. All of that information will be revealed — at the latest — during the league's schedule release.

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[Get more Lions news: Detroit team feed]

St. Brown, who isfluent in German, said it was adream of his to play in his mother's home country.

"I cannot wait to play in front of the incredible fans that I've gotten to know through my visits and football camps in the country,"said St. Brown, whose mother, Miriam, hails from Cologne."Their support for me and the country's instant connection to the Lions brand is inspiring, and I'm looking forward to our team getting to showcase Detroit football on an international scale."

The NFL will play a record nine international games in 2026. The league has revealed a few details about those games, including ahandful of teamsthat willplay overseas next season.

There are still three international games in which the league has yet to reveal much information, including two of the London games and the 2026 game in Spain.

byAdministrator

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February 24, 2026

Lions will play in the NFL's 2026 Germany game, which will be somewhat of a homecoming for Amon-Ra St. Brown

Detroit Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown has quite the connection to Germany. St. Brown's mother, Miriam, was born in...

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Can Jalen Green step into go-to role with the Suns slipping and their stars sidelined?

In the midst of aThursday night onslaughtcourtesy of the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams' internal frustrations had reached a boiling point. The 24-year-old, who was struggling to generate any clean looks with Victor Wembanyama draped all over him, sat on the bench unable to pay attention to anything else going on around him.

Jalen Green, who was in the huddle of players and coaches seeking to chip away at a double-digit deficit, noticed the sulking Williams and briefly broke away from the group to uplift his teammate, speaking words of encouragement before the buzzer sounded to get back on the floor.

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In that moment, Green — who had been shouldering the bulk of Phoenix's offensive burden with Dillon Brooks serving aone-game suspensionand Devin Booker sidelined with a hip injury — was suddenly thrust into a leadership role.

"I'm never going to complain about having the opportunity to be that," Green told reporters about being in a go-to role two days later after hitting agame-winning 3to lift the Suns over the Magic in double overtime, 113-110.

The reliance on Green wasn't in the cards when he arrived nearly eight months ago as part of the blockbuster Kevin Durant trade. Phoenix's hierarchy was already outlined, with Booker as the centerpiece and Brooks, who also was traded from Houston, emerging rapidly as an efficient two-way second fiddle. It also wasn't part of the plans when Green finally returned to action a month ago, having missed the bulk of the season with hamstring and hip ailments. The Suns, who were a surprising 30-19 at the time, opted to ease Green back into a rhythm by bringing him off the bench.

That luxury is now nonexistent for Green, whose minutes have nearly doubled since his return to a Suns team that is in a slump, having lost six out of their past nine games since Feb. 1. It's also indicative of Phoenix's unfortunate stop-and-start campaign, a season that has seen just 41 shared minutes between Green, Brooks and Booker. (The latter two have played just 37 out of 58 possible games together, and Brooks will nowmiss the next 4-6 weekswith a fractured left hand.)

"That's the NBA," head coach Jordan Ott said last week. "You never know. You can't really anticipate what's going forward, if we're going to get healthy. All those things change so fast; the ability to go out and compete every single night, no matter the circumstances, that's what this group does. We're gonna have to keep doing it, if or when we get healthy."

So what does that look like for Green in the interim? As of Tuesday morning, the fifth-year guard has played in just 10 games this season, averaging a modest 13.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists on .382/.313/.684 splits. There's some obvious context here in that one of the most athletically gifted talents in basketball has dealt with hamstring and hip problems, which raw data doesn't account for. Factoring in minutes restrictions, ramp-up periods and the Suns' lineup inconsistency, Green's production — or lack thereof — becomes clearer.

Last season in Houston, Greenled the teamin drives per game and was a 60th-percentile player in transition, scoring 1.174 points per chance, according to Synergy tracking data. This season, he's driving less and attacking the rim less because of the lack of normal burst (just 7.5 drives per game and 9% of his offense coming in transition, down from 16%), which puts the onus on his shot-making ability. As he continues to add games under his belt, expect these sectors of his arsenal to normalize.

"I think I bring a little bit of everything," Green told Yahoo Sports. "Play faster, get some steals and get into the open lane. I think that's where my biggest impact is, getting to the rim, the 3 and scoring."

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Green's efficiency struggles over the past three seasons are well-documented, although it's never been as low as it is currently, scoring just 93.4 points per 100 shot attempts — 6th percentile among wings, according to Cleaning the Glass. His playmaking, however, has improved considerably,turning the ball over less and creating moreopportunities for his new teammates. He's also converting 48% of his long 2s and 42% on midrange shots overall, the highest marks in his career by some distance.

In Ott's system, the offensive engines (Booker, Brooks, Green) are encouraged to be confident on the ball. It consistently puts them in ball screens and has others relocate and move without the ball. Essentially half of Green's possessions have come in pick-and-roll scenarios, according to Synergy, which, paired with the likes of Williams and Oso Ighodaro — smart screeners — give him a myriad of decisions to make.

"It's kind of how I've been playing my whole career," Green said. "It's either [the defender] will be up high or they're going to be in a drop. So just having that in-between game will open up a lot of things — especially when we have a healthy team."

[Get more Suns news: Phoenix team feed]

Giving Green the keys temporarily (Booker will miss at least a week, Brooks is likely to return right before the postseason)shouldmake the Suns a quicker unit overall. They're just 29th in pace since his return (again, the hamstrings!), but between him and Collin Gillespie, a quick-twitch, deep-shooting marksman, Phoenix should find it easier creating advantages and capitalizing on them. Advanced metrics like DARKO still have Green as a high-impact offensive option who parlays his high usage rate into a good helping of potential assists, rim creation and low turnover rate.

Green has actually fared well on defense, too, his biggest need for improvement since he entered the league. What he's lacked in offensive consistency, he's made up for with timing, anticipation and confidence at the other end. The Suns allow 12 fewer points per 100 possessions while he's on the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass. It's an extremely small sample size, but it's enough to make you go, "Hmmmm." Opponents are also shooting nearly 18% worse when Green contests and 26% worse at the rim,both in the 99th percentile, according to Databallr.

(Databallr has a new metric defined as "Stop Percentage," a combination of steals, drawn offensive fouls and blocks recovered by the defense per 100 possessions. Green ranks in the 78th percentile among NBA players. That's good!)

It's important for Phoenix, currently clinging to a play-in spot (2.5 games ahead of 8th), to find some consistency, though it'll be a difficult task with Boston and the Los Angeles Lakers being its next two games to close out the month.

(It should be noted that the Suns have arelatively light schedulefor the remainder of the season. There's not a realrest advantagethe rest of the way, though, which lines up with their 44.5 win projection, per CTG, and makes theirnet rating comparisonto 76ers teams of the late 2000s — good but not great playoff units — more palatable.)

Assuming Grayson Allen is able to return soon, the Suns will still have their three most voluminous 3-point shooters available (Allen, Gillespie and Royce O'Neale), all of whom are shooting better than 36%. And fortunately for the Suns, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, Phoenix was only a +2.6 with both Booker and Brooks on the floor — per CTG. It's not as if the Suns were completely blowing teams out of the water whenrelativelyhealthy; figuring out what this team looks like with Green manning the ship shouldn't be a night-and-day difference.

If the Suns continue to dominate on the offensive glass, convert 3s at a high clip, force opponent turnovers and win the possession battle, the math with Green — as incomplete as it may be — should work itself out until Booker and Brooks are back.

byAdministrator

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February 24, 2026

Can Jalen Green step into go-to role with the Suns slipping and their stars sidelined?

In the midst of aThursday night onslaughtcourtesy of the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams' inter...

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No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Arizona and No. 3 Michigan get top-15 tests this week

The committee that will select the NCAA Tournament field has zeroed in on a clear top tier of Duke, Arizona and Michigan.

Duke Michigan Preview Basketball

Those three teams — now ranked 1-2-3atop the AP Top 25— have matching 25-2 records and a similar path for the week ahead: a Tuesday game against an opponent lower down the conference standings followed by a challenging test against a top-15 squad.

The Blue Devils, who pushed their record total ofNo. 1 appearances to 148 on Monday, visit Notre Dame before hosting No. 11 Virginia on Saturday in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In the Big 12, the second-ranked Wildcats visit Baylor before hosting No. 14 Kansas on Saturday.

And in the Big Ten, the Wolverines follow a home game against Minnesota with Friday's trip to No. 10 Illinois.

The committee had Michigan as its top overall seedin Saturday's reveal of the top 16 seeds for March Madness, followed by Duke and Arizona. But theBlue Devils beat the Wolverinesand theWildcats won at Houstonlater that day, shuffling the order in Monday's new AP poll.

No matter the order, selection committee chairman and Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill pointed to that trio as having a clear separation from Iowa State, the fourth 1-seed in those preliminary rankings.

And those rankings generally experience only minor fluctuations by Selection Sunday. For example, 25 of the 32 teams (78.1%) to hold a No. 1 seed in the preliminary rankings since the debut show in 2017 ultimately secured a 1-seed for the NCAAs. That data excludes 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the cancellation of that year's tournament.

As of Monday afternoon, KenPom and Evan Miyakawa ranked the order as Michigan-Duke-Arizona, while Bart Torvik had it Michigan-Arizona-Duke.

"This is where there was some consensus though in terms of these teams being 1, 2 and 3," Gill said during Saturday's CBS show to unveil the seedings. "When we get to the 4 overall seed, that's where there was a lot more debate."

Round 2

The Big East has a marquee throwdown between its top two teams, with sixth-ranked UConn (25-3) hosting No. 15 St. John's on Wednesday. That comes just shy of three weeks since the Red Stormtook an 81-72 win at Madison Square Gardento end the Huskies' 18-game winning streak.

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St. John's (22-5) has won 13 straight games since falling to Providence in early January.

Notable matchups

Four other games stand out on the AP Top 25 schedule:

—No. 8 Purdue hosts No. 13 Michigan State on Thursday in the first meeting between the longtime Big Ten foes;

—No. 4 Iowa State hosts No. 16 Texas Tech on Saturday in the Big 12, with the Red Raiders trying to regroup after losingAP preseason All-America selection JT Toppinto a season-ending knee injury;

—And there are two ranked-vs.-ranked games in the Southeastern Conference on Saturday, with No. 7 Florida hosting No. 20 Arkansas, and No. 17 Alabama visiting No. 22 Tennessee lookingto avenge an earlier home loss.

Still unbeaten

The nation's lone undefeated team remains Miami (Ohio) of the Mid-American Conference, which opens this week at 27-0 and with a No. 21 ranking.

The RedHawks have a pair of road games against teams that enter the week with a combined 7-22 league record, first with Tuesday's stop at Eastern Michigan and then Friday's visit to Western Michigan.

Watch list

Wisconsin (19-8) fell out of the poll from No. 24 last week and was the leading vote-getter among unranked teams. The Badgers' schedule this week takes them to the Pacific Northwest in the westernmost reaches of the Big Ten's coast-to-coast footprint, starting with Wednesday's game at Oregon followed by Saturday's trip to Washington.

Saint Mary's (25-4) is next up. The Gaels host 23-win Santa Clara on Wednesday, then host No. 9 Gonzaga on Saturday to close the regular season in the West Coast Conference.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign uphereandhere(AP mobile app). AP college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

byAdministrator

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February 24, 2026

No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Arizona and No. 3 Michigan get top-15 tests this week

The committee that will select the NCAA Tournament field has zeroed in on a clear top tier of Duke, Arizona and Michigan...

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Meet the cast of 'Survivor 50': Mike White returns, plus a Season 1 favorite

Survivoris back and bigger than ever: The super-size 50th season of the hit reality show is the largest yet, with a whopping 24 fan favorites from previous games seeking to outwit, outlast and outplay their competitors.

This season, titledSurvivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans, will see the group divided into three tribes, each starting with eight players before whittling down their numbers at each tribal council. And with the playersalready well aware of each other's approach to game play(with the exception of the Season 49 competitors, who played back-to-back games) these aspiring Sole Survivorsare entering the island with many preconceived ideas about their fellow competitors. That includes who they want booted ASAP.

Among the players this year areThe White Lotuscreator Mike White, marking his second time seeking out the Sole Survivor crown. Meanwhile, Jenna Lewis-Dougherty, who appeared on the first season of the show in 2000, as well as Season 8's all-star season, will also compete. So, too, will Cirie Fields, who has appeared on four previous seasons of the show — and went on to win the first season ofThe Traitorsand compete onBig Brother.

Here's a rundown of all the players.

The Cila Tribe

Rick Devans

Previous season:Edge of Extinction

Though he only played one season of the show, Devens is deeply rooted in theSurvivorfandom as host of the show's official podcastOn Fire.

Jenna Lewis-Dougherty

Previous seasons:Borneo,All-Stars

Lewis-Dougherty was a part of the very first season ofSurvivorback in 2000, becoming the second tribal council member when she exited the game in eighth place. She returned for the show'sAll-Starsseason in 2004, when she finished in third place.

Cirie Fields

Previous seasons:Panama, Micronesia, Heroes vs. Villains, Game Changers

Prior to the current season ofSurvivor, Fields appeared on four seasons of the U.S. version. Last year, she represented her home country onAustralian Survivor.Fields, however, has yet to earn the title of Sole Survivor.

"Cirie scares me because she's so good," Jonathan Young toldthe Hollywood Reporterof Fields. "She's like a mom out here. Everybody respects Cirie, but I think everybody fears Cirie."

Emily Flippen

Previous season: Season 45

Flippen, a financial analyst, came in seventh place during her oneSurvivorgame. She told THR she's concerned about the brawnier players, such as Young, who tend to be protected early on.

Christian Hubicki

Previous season:David vs. Goliath

Hubicki, who placed seventh on his season, is a robotics professor, and once recited hismaster's thesis during an immunity challengeto stay focused.

Joe Hunter

Previous season: Survivor 48

Hunter, who went viral forassisting fellow player Eva Erickson during an autistic "episode" on her season, finished third after playing a compassionate game.

Savannah Louie

Louie is one of the few Sole Survivors competing this season, having taken home the $1 million prize on the 49th season. She is also one of the two players this season to play back-to-back games, something that could be an advantage to her.

Wade toldTHRthat he doesn't have a "good vibe" from the two Season 49 players for that reason. "I don't know them but I'm having flashbacks of Russell [Hantz] and how he came intoHeroes vs. Villainsand nobody knew how he played and he lied to us," Wade said. "I have a fear of the two new players because they know all of us, and none of us know how they play."

Ozzy Lusth

Previous seasons:Cook Islands, Micronesia, South Pacific, Game Changers

The strong competitor crushed many physical challenges during his four previous games, but lacked some of the other skills necessary to become Sole Survivor — he finished as the runner-up to his first season, which wasCook Islands, and in third place onSouth Pacific.

The Kalo Tribe

Charlie Davis

Previous season: Season 46

Davis,Survivor's biggest Swiftie, played only once before, having been betrayed by his ally Maria in the final tribal council.

Tiffany Ervin

Previous season: Season 46

Ervin previously finished in eighth place on Season 46, and previously toldEntertainment Weekly,she'd love to return to the game before her Season 50 casting was announced.

Chrissy Hofbeck

Previous season:Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers

Hofbeck was a runner-up on her only season playingSurvivor. She took home four different immunity challenges during her run.

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Kamilla Karthigesu

Previous season: Season 48

Karthigesu played just two seasons ago, but she's back, having previously gotten to the final episode of the series. That season was won by Kyle Fraser, who is also competing onSurvivorthis season.

Stephenie LaGrossaKendrick told THR that Karthigesu is someone who "concerns" her a lot in the game. "She prides herself on lying and likes to lie," she said, noting that she's a "huge threat."

Dee Valladares

Previous season: Season 45

Entrepreneur Valladares took home the Sole Survivor trophy her first time playing, becoming the first Cuban-American to earn the win.

Benjamin "Coach" Wade

Previous seasons:Tocantins, Heroes vs. Villains, South Pacific

The self-described "Dragon Slayer" and former soccer coach returns to the game for the fourth time.

Mike White

Previous season:David vs. Goliath

The writer, director and actor came in second place on theDavid vs. Goliathseason. For anyone concerned that Season 4 ofThe White Lotuswill take a creative dip due to White's focus onSurvivor, he said it'sactually the opposite.

"To be totally honest, it's one of the appeals of coming here is I need to stop thinking aboutThe White Lotus," he told Entertainment Weekly. "I love it, but I also feel like it's a fire hose into my mouth of feedback on the show coming up. And I want the next season to be inspired. I want it to really be great and not just trying to fulfill another slot or something. And I think the only way it can be that is if I really get a reset."

Jonathan Young

Previous season: Season 42

The brawny Young — he's both an athlete and a bodyguard — is back, having previously finished in fourth place on his sole season.

The Vatu Tribe

Angelina Keeley

Previous season:David vs. Goliath

Keeley is one of the three players from Season 37. Sheappeared in a cameo roleon the third season ofThe White Lotusin Thailand, thanks to her connection to White. Ahead of Season 50, Donaldson revealed to THR that he considers Keeley a "big threat" to the other players.

Aubry Bracco

Previous seasons:Kaôh Rōng, Game Changers, Edge of Extinction

Bracco, who debuted in the 32nd season subtitledBrains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty, used her wit to outplay her competitors throughout her three seasons. She was the runner-up of that initial game but failed to make it as far in her next two attempts.

Q Burdette

Previous season: Season 46

Burdette, who fans may remember became the subject of another player's ire when hetook home an Applebee's reward, brought plenty of charm to the show. Ultimately, he came in sixth place.

Colby Donaldson

Previous seasons:The Australian Outback, All-Stars, Heroes vs. Villains

Donaldson, an earlySurvivorfan favorite, hasn't played the game in more than a decade, having come in fifth place — and the last "hero" standing — onHeroes vs. Villainsin 2010.

Kyle Fraser

Previous season: Season 48

Fraser became Sole Survivor of Season 48, right ahead of his Season 50 competitor Karthigesu. The two had a secret alliance during the game, allowing them both to make it to the end.

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick

Previous seasons:Palau, Guatemala, Heroes vs. Villains

Kendrick was the show's runner-up in Season 11, but wasn't so lucky her third time playing, as she was booted off early inHeroes & Villains— something she admitted she wasquite salty over.

Genevieve Mushaluk

Previous season: Season 47

The corporate attorney was one of the villains of the 47th season, placing fifth and becoming a jury member. She toldEntertainment Weeklyshe'd happily come back for another season: "You've got to say yes because it's such an adventure," she said.

Rizo Velovic

Previous season: Season 49

Velovic is playing back-to-back games, with the so-called RizGod coming in fourth place on Season 49.

WatchSurvivorSeason 50 on CBS and Paramount+ on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 8 p.m.

byAdministrator

in

February 24, 2026

Meet the cast of 'Survivor 50': Mike White returns, plus a Season 1 favorite

Survivoris back and bigger than ever: The super-size 50th season of the hit reality show is the largest yet, with a whop...

Read More