WNBA executive committee meets, Stewart says players still unified amid CBA talks

MEDLEY, Fla. (AP) — Breanna Stewart, who teamed with fellowWNBAstar Kelsey Plum on a letter to the players' association this week expressing concerns about thestate of labor talks with the league,said Wednesday she feels better about where things stand and is convinced players are still unified in what they want in the next collective bargaining agreement.

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And the union, later Wednesday, released a statement saying the league's latest offer "is not worth taking" — with less than a week remaining until the deadline for getting a deal done and preserving a full 2026 WNBA season.

Stewart was part of a call with other members of the players' executive committee on Tuesday night, hours after the letter that she and Plum wrote to WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson — one where they expressed "serious concerns about how (the union) is handling the current negotiations."

Several media outlets, including The Associated Press, obtained copies of the letter, which was dated Monday.

"The call made me feel better," Stewart told AP, speaking after her Mist team finished its final shootaround practice in advance of Wednesday night'sUnrivaledchampionship game against the Phantom team that features Plum. "Sometimes hard conversations need to be had. I felt better after it and know that we finished that call understanding that we're representing the larger body (of players) and we have work to be done and we're going to do that work."

The union — in a statement from its executive committee, of which Stewart and Plum are members — echoed Stewart's comments in its statement, saying it remains "united and focused on delivering a transformational CBA ... and are committed to negotiating for as long as it takes."

There is obvious urgency to get a deal done.

The WNBA has told the players' union that it needs to get a deal in place by this coming Tuesday to start the season on time. That would allow the new CBA to be written and signed by the end of the month, which would in theory be followed by expansion drafts for the new franchises in Portland and Toronto during the first week of April. Free agency would follow, signings could start on April 12, training camps would open about a week later and the season would begin May 8.

The league and the players have been unable to reach anew collective bargaining agreementsince the union opted out of the previous deal.

Stewart and Plum are in unique roles; both are vice presidents of the players' association, both are among the biggest names in women's basketball, and both have been dealing with the CBA uncertainty while on Unrivaled playoff runs with their clubs.

"I've always approached anything in life, any adversity, by staying in the game," Plum said after shootaround Wednesday, when asked about simultaneously dealing with an Unrivaled title push amid the WNBA's labor uncertainty. "I'm a human being. It's hard. I definitely have moments, but at the end of the day, I know my heart. I know I'm super excited about tonight, and when you work all year for something, you want to finish it."

Added Stewart: "We've been in CBA negotiations for more than just the past two weeks. It's been 17, 18 months. I don't know exactly how long. And to be able to compartmentalize that hasn't been easy."

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In the letter, Stewart and Plum said WNBA players "are at one of the most consequential moments in the history of this league" and called upon Jackson to provide many things, including:

— a detailed breakdown of the WNBA's expenses and revenue.

— analysis between the potential losses players would face in a delayed or strike-shortened season vs. the gains that could be earned through a new CBA.

— player opinions on the WNBA's latest proposal.

— clarity on the rookie salary scale.

— an explanation of what Jackson thinks the executive committee's "role and responsibilities should be in this process."

Stewart said it wasn't her intention for the letter to get out publicly.

"This is a letter that was meant for Terri, and for the EC, for us to really have a conversation and stay strong in all the things that we're negotiating, and I believe that we are," Stewart said. "We are still unified and understanding what we're fighting for and that's the messaging that we had on our call last night. ... Our main goal is to make sure that we have the best possible deal for all players."

AP Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg in New York contributed to this report.

AP WNBA:https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

byAsher Jeferson

in

March 04, 2026

WNBA executive committee meets, Stewart says players still unified amid CBA talks

MEDLEY, Fla. (AP) — Breanna Stewart, who teamed with fellowWNBAstar Kelsey Plum on a letter to the players' associat...

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Who won the Trent McDuffie trade? Grading blockbuster Rams-Chiefs deal

TheLos Angeles Ramsand Kansas City Chiefs have swung the first major trade of the NFL offseason.

The Chiefsare trading cornerback Trent McDuffieto the Rams in exchange for the No. 29 overall pick in April's NFL Draft, along with fifth- and sixth-round picks this year and a third-round pick in 2027, a person with knowledge of the deal told USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade could not become official until the start of the new league year on March 11.

The deal significantly changes the landscape for two teams desperate to claw back to the front of the pack in their respective conferences. For Los Angeles, it serves as the latest marquee veteran addition – at perhaps the most pressing area of need – for a team seeking to capitalize onNFL MVP Matthew Stafford's return. The Chiefs, meanwhile, receive more ammunition for resetting a roster that still has several needs and is undergoing some salary cap-related shifts.

But who came out ahead in the deal? Here are grades for each team:

Rams trade grade: B

Turns out Rams general manager Les Snead wasn't kidding about trying to maximize Stafford's competitive window.

After the 38-year-old quarterback announced after taking home the league's top individual award that he would be returning for the 2026 season, Snead later suggested that the team was intent on catering its offseason to "make the most of the time we have" with the passer. On Tuesday, Snead seemed to tease the possibility of using one of his two first-round picks to swing a splashy deal.

"Is there an All-Pro that you could add?" Snead told reporters. "That would be nice."

Less than 24 hours later, he has one in the former Chiefs standout.

McDuffie's arrival shores up the back end of a Rams defense that unraveled down the stretch, culminating with Sam Darnold torching the group for 346 yards and three touchdowns in Los Angeles' NFC championship game defeat. Coverage performance can be volatile, but the four-year veteran has reliably clamped down on opposing receivers. And parting with the latter of the Rams' two first-rounders and holding onto their payoff from the Atlanta Falcons' ill-conceived gamble last year was a nice touch from Snead.

Still, this is a fairly considerable compensation package – including the a likely extension that should be costly – for a player not in an elite tier at his position group. And there are at least a couple areas of concern.

At 5-11 and 193, McDuffie doesn't solve Los Angeles' lingering problem of matching up with bulkier receivers. Those size limitations led Kansas City to place the 2022 first-round pick in the slot early in his career, and the result was an All-Pro campaign in 2023. Staying there full-time with the Rams might be a non-starter given how much the team gave up to land him, but moving him inside at least occasionally should be a consideration.

McDuffie also struggled last season with the Chiefs tilting more toward zone coverages, allowing a career-worst catch rate of 67.9% and a passer rating of 96.3 when targeted, according to Next Gen Stats. That might seem like a bad fit for defensive coordinator Chris Shula's scheme, which tends to live in zone looks. Maybe the move indicates the team wants to deploy more man coverage to better combat the likes of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and other top-flight targets capable of burning the secondary.

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There's plenty to like about the configuration the Rams have to make this work, including the presence of Jimmy Lake, McDuffie's college coach at Washington, as the newly appointed defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator. And perhaps this was merely an overdue investment for Snead, who had largely scoured the bargain bin at cornerback since parting with Jalen Ramsey in 2023.

Still, as Snead somewhat returns to his "(expletive) them picks" roots, it seems clear that the Rams paid a premium to address their most glaring deficiency with a proven entity rather than one of the draft's top cover men. Whether that apparent overpay will be justified in the end won't become clear until at least next January.

MORE:Latest NFL free agency news, rumors, trade buzz and more

Chiefs trade grade: A-

The knee-jerk reaction for many in Kansas City might be best summed up by Patrick Mahomes.

"Damn," the Chiefs quarterback wrote after news broke of McDuffie being sent packing.

Some disappointment is only natural for an organization attempting to reclaim its status as the AFC's alpha after falling to 6-11 last season, the franchise's worst mark in a decade-plus. Viewed through the proper lens, however, this deal might actually help fast-track a resurgence.

That general manager Brett Veach bailed on paying yet another standout cornerback should come as no surprise. Veach previously walked away from both L'Jarius Sneed and Charvarius Ward rather than pay them top-of-market contracts.

If McDuffie wasn't in Kansas City's long-term plans, offloading him before he reaches free agency might simply have been good business. Not only do the Chiefs not have to worry about fitting him into a cap-crunched roster this year and beyond, they can now focus on re-signing fellow cornerback Jaylen Watson, whoranked 13th on Nate Davis' top 100 free agent rankingsand likely would not have been able to return without the secondary's sea change.

But the big boon here is the draft picks. As Kansas City gets set to make its earliest selection (No. 9) since 2013, the breadth of the team's needs at premium positions is rather imposing. Yes, a wide receiver to assist Mahomes would be of massive value. Then again, a massively disruptive defensive end or defensive tackle could also be required. And don't forget about the lackluster outlook at running back, safety and potentially tight end if Travis Kelce retires.

With a second Day 1 selection and additional draft resources in hand, Veach now is well-positioned to build something formidable for the latter half of Mahomes' career rather than merely cling on to the vestiges of a bygone era. And going this route was necessary given what Kansas City faced with its salary cap.

Pressure on Veach, however, ramps up considerably in April. Describing the general manager's draft track record as uneven would be charitable, and his various missteps in evaluating young talent have played a central role in Kansas City's roster becoming so lopsided.

But Veach has also displayed a shrewd sense for when to sell high on his existing veterans, and he might have timed the market correctly again here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trent McDuffie trade grades: How Rams, Chiefs fared in huge NFL deal

byAsher Jeferson

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March 04, 2026

Who won the Trent McDuffie trade? Grading blockbuster Rams-Chiefs deal

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Lily Allen's receipt dress features lyrics dissing ex David Harbour

British pop starLily Allenstunned in a sheer black knit dress at "The Hunger Games: On Stage" premiere at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre on Nov. 12, 2025, in London.Allen's record "West End Girl," which ispacked with revelatory lyricsabout the dissolution of her relationship with "Stranger Things" star David Harbour, has been making waves since the album's debut in October 2025.

British pop star Lily Allen stunned in a sheer black knit dress at "The Hunger Games: On Stage" premiere at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre on Nov. 12, 2025, in London.

Allen's record "West End Girl," which is packed with revelatory lyrics about the dissolution of her relationship with "Stranger Things" star David Harbour, has been making waves since the album's debut in October 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lily Allen in a sheer, black knit John Galliano-designed Dior dress from 1999.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lily Allen

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lily Allen

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lily Allen

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lily Allen

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See Lily Allen's sheer black dress at 'The Hunger Games: On Stage' red carpet

Lily Allendoesn't just keep receipts; she flaunts them on stage.

Proudly showcasing her vulnerability and brutal honesty on stage in true Allen fashion, the "Smile" singer donned a sage green dress that, in the form of a receipt, featured a long train with handwritten lyrics from one of her songs, "4Chan Stan," which allude to the demise of her marriage to "Stranger Things" actorDavid Harbour.

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In that song, Allen sings, "You don't want her thinking that you cheat on your wife."

According toPage Six, the fabric of her dress also included receipts from tequila bars and Bergdorf Goodman. The latter, which is a designer store where Allen, in the track "4Chan Stan," discovers that her husband bought another woman a pricey handbag.

Othersocial media users also speculatedthe receipt dress was a nod to Harbour and his alleged infidelity.

byAsher Jeferson

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March 04, 2026

Lily Allen's receipt dress features lyrics dissing ex David Harbour

British pop starLily Allenstunned in a sheer black knit dress at "The Hunger Games: On Stage" premiere at ...

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'Lanterns' trailer shows Green Lanterns at odds while solving mystery

The Green Lanterns are about to ring in for their appearance onthe new DC Universe's center stage.

In a new teaser trailer, you can see the first action footage ofKyle Chandler("Friday Night Lights") as Hal Jordan, the legendary Green Lantern, andAaron Pierre("Mufasa: The Lion King"), whose John Stewart is a new Lantern recruit, in the upcoming series "Lanterns," scheduled to debut in August on HBO and available to stream on HBO Max.

The two men work together and spar as they investigate a murder in the American heartland – a plot that may sound mundane, but is expected to have repercussions for the new DC Universe, launched last year with"Superman"and 2024's animated series"Creature Commandos."

Another Green Lantern,Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner, from 2025's "Superman" will also turn up. The events in "Lanterns" play out after season 2 of "Peacemaker," which had an appearance by Gardner and the Justice Gang – including Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), with whom Gardner also played parts in "Superman." The next DC Universe event? The upcoming"Supergirl"film, starring Milly Alcock, in theaters June 26.

'Game of Thrones':A movie is in the works – Everything we know so far

Two Green Lanterns at work in 'Lanterns'

To many DC Comics fans, Hal Jordan is the Green Lantern they know. The character starred in the comics for more than four decades and was portrayed byRyan Reynolds in the 2011 "Green Lantern" film.

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Some background: Many Green Lanterns exist in DC Comics lore and they are galactic police officers. They wield a powerful ring, from which they can create powerful green-shaped objects and gain the power of flight. Hal Jordan was the first to join the Justice League of America, which also included Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, the Martian Manhunter and Aquaman. John Stewart also appeared in DC Comics starting in the 70s.

But in this teaser trailer for "Lanterns," we see an aging, irritable Hal Jordan (Chandler) training an impatient Stewart (Pierre). When Stewart says he hasn't gotten to wear the ring once in two months of training, Jordan tells him, "Don't get hung up on the jewelry, junior."

We see Jordan find his Green Lantern suit in a closet, wear his ring and take off into the sky. Still, Stewart (Pierre) tells him, "You're old. You're tired. And your time is up."

Watch 'Lanterns' trailer

DC Studios co-CEOJames Gunndescribed "Lanterns" as "almost like 'True Detective' with a couple of Green Lanterns, who are space cops watching over Precinct Earth," in aJanuary 2023 videoabout the developing DC Universe. "In it, they discover a terrifying mystery that ties into our larger story of the DCU," Gunn said.

Contributing: Brian Truitt

Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him atmikegsnider&@mikegsnider.bsky.social&@mikesnider& msnider@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'Lanterns' trailer shows Green Lanterns solving mystery, butting heads

byAsher Jeferson

in

March 04, 2026

'Lanterns' trailer shows Green Lanterns at odds while solving mystery

The Green Lanterns are about to ring in for their appearance onthe new DC Universe's center stage. In a n...

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Jayson Tatum's return now would be ahead of the norm. Is that a good thing?

It was early December in 2013 when the Los Angeles Lakers' Facebook page posted atwo-minute video of a jersey floating in the wind. Tens of thousands of captivated fans couldn't wait to reshare and comment as dramatic music played over the social media post.

The No. 24 jersey hung in the sky as sunshine pierced through some clouds. Then, over the course of the next 120 seconds, a thunderous storm battered the jersey until it tore in half.

Finally, after a beam of light, the jersey was made whole.

The symbolism relayed the message: Kobe Bryant wasback. "Seasons of Legend. The Lakers announce Kobe's return," the post's caption read. The then 35-year-old Bryant, who had torn his Achilles less than eight months prior, was returning in near-record time, missing just 21 Lakers regular-season games with an injury that infamously had ended NBA careers.

Unfortunately, Bryant's comeback season lasted only six games. Just nine days after his return, Bryant suffered a serious knee injury in the same leg of his torn Achilles, quickly dimming all the excitement over his fast return. His season was over and Bryant's playing abilities were never the same.

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has idolized Bryant and his Mamba Mentality ever since Tatum was a child. The 28-year-old has said Bryant's story has driven him to become the NBA player he is today. As Tatum nears his own return from an Achilles tear, he should continue to take lessons from Bryant's career. The Lakers star's historic 2013 return offers a cautionary tale about what could happen in a highly anticipated and quick midseason return.

Tatum should also take heed of the rehab schedule of another NBA legend, one that tells the greatest Achilles tear story of all time: Kevin Durant.

Kobe vs. KD: A contrast in Achilles recoveries

Watching Kevin Durant dominate in the year 2026, an uninformed observer would never guess the Houston Rockets All-Star tore his Achilles tendon just as he entered his thirties. Durant's injury occurred in the 2019 NBA Finals while playing for the Golden State Warriors and he took the next season off as he joined his new team, the Brooklyn Nets.

While Bryant struggled to return to his pre-Achilles form, Durant's superstar status hasn't wavered. The 37-year-old is averaging an unthinkable 27.6 points with white-hot efficiency in the six seasons since the longest tendon in the human body snapped in his leg. His post-Achilles-tear résumé, consisting of six All-Star appearances and two All-NBA nominations, shines brighter than most players' entire careers.

To be clear, no two Achilles tears are the same. Different mechanisms of injury, different bodies and all that. Beyond the difference in age between Bryant and Durant at the time of their injuries — Bryant was 34, Durant was 30 — the most interesting dynamic is a contrast of time in another dimension: recovery time.

Durant's absence from NBA games lasted 18 months, more than twice that of Bryant's eight months.

We will never know if Durant would have fared as well in the back nine of his career if he returned midseason in 2019-20. Complicating matters was the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted everything in March of that season, including Durant's injury rehab process with the Nets. Durant decided not to pursue a comeback in The Bubble when the Nets resumed the season in late July. Instead, he took extra time to get himself ready for the following season, which would begin in December 2020.

In aninterviewwith Andscape's Marc J. Spears, Durant said the decision to not play in the 2019-20 season was made well before the pandemic hit.

"My season is over," Durant said in June 2020. "I don't plan on playing at all. We decided last summer when it first happened that I was just going to wait until the following season. I had no plans of playing at all this season. It's just best for me to wait. I don't think I'm ready to play that type of intensity right now in the next month. It gives me more time to get ready for next season and the rest of my career."

Though Durant missed some time in 2020-21 dealing with various injuries, his play on the floor didn't seem to suffer at all. Leading the Nets in the postseason, the long layoff may have paid dividends. He scored a scorching 34.3 points per game in the playoffs, the most of any player who suited up at least 10 games during that postseason.

Plenty of speculation has surrounded Tatum about when he may return this season, if at all. If Tatum decides to sit out the season, he would give himself about 17 and a half months of a layoff before next season kicks off in mid-October — basically the Durant timeline.

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Should Tatum suit up for the Celtics this week, though, he'd be returning about 10 months after he went down in the closing minutes of Game 4 of last year's Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks. In this sense, he's given himself two months of a buffer behind Bryant's timeline when the Laker legend got back on the floor in December following his April injury. But it still would be a remarkably quick timetable in the modern era. A 10-month return would mark the shortest post-Achilles absence for a starting player since the 2015-16 season when Rudy Gay came back in under nine months with the Sacramento Kings.

For another comparison, Tatum can look at fellow former All-Star Dejounte Murray.

Achilles recovery timelines are getting longer lately

Last Tuesday, the New Orleans Pelicans guard scored 13 points in a home win over the Warriors, making his return from his Achilles tear suffered in January of the 2024-25 season. Thirteen is also a notable number because it represents the number of months that it took for the former All-Star to get back on the floor.

Murray's timeline is increasingly becoming the norm. According to Yahoo Sports research supported by injury expert Jeff Stotts of Instreetclothes.com, Murray marks the 30th player since 2005-06 to return to playing NBA games after suffering an Achilles tear in the league. The Pelicans guard headlines a growing number of players who are taking longer than a year to return from the major tendon rupture.

In the decade between the 2005-06 and 2014-15 seasons, there were 12 instances of an NBA player returning from an Achilles injury and, on average, those players spent 10.4 months away from the game. Bryant took only eight months. Same went for Elton Brand and Mehmet Okur, who barely took eight months to hit the hardwood again following their Achilles tears. In 2015, Wes Matthews took 7.7 months to return from his Achilles tear and still enjoyed an impactful nine-year post-Achilles run in the NBA while playing for several playoff teams until he was 37 years old.

At the time of Brandon Jennings' Achilles tear, he was averaging 15.4 points as a 25-year-old with the Detroit Pistons. As one of the more talented young players in the game, Jennings took a little over 11 months to return, getting back on the floor in December. The Pistons moved him later that season and, after bouncing around the league for three years, he never averaged double-digit points again.

Lately, the timelines have gotten longer. In the Achilles ruptures from 2015-16 to 2024-25, the timeline stretched from 10.4 months on average to 13.6 months. In that sample, only two of the 18 players (Rudy Gay and Dru Smith) returned well ahead of the 10-month mark, something that happened with regularity in the previous decade.

Klay Thompson spent nearly 14 months away from the NBA floor after he tore his Achilles in November 2020, perhaps delayed because of his earlier ACL injury. More recently, Brandon Clarke and Thanasis Antetokounmpo also saw more than 12 months pass before they took the floor again.

It's not as simple as to say that longer is always better. DeMarcus Cousins, who was a four-time All-Star before he tore his Achilles in January 2018 with the Pelicans, came back the following January with the Warriors. He needed 12 months to get back onto the court, but never regained his All-Star status and was out of the league by 2022.

Recovery timelines don't always lend themselves to perfect apples-to-apples comparisons. Nothing about injury data is squeaky clean. A return to play could be artificially delayed because the player is waiting for the start of the season. COVID and lockout-shortened seasons could also affect an NBA player's recovery time in ways out of his control. But in general, as we await Tatum's return, it does seem that players are taking longer to get back onto the court.

Tatum and Boston's ticking clock

For Tatum, there are positive signs that he's on track to a full recovery. Because his surgeon, Dr. Martin O'Malley, was in New York at the time of the injury in a game that happened to be at Madison Square Garden, Tatum was able to have his Achilles stitched in quick order. According to Tatum'sdocumentary seriesaired on NBC, O'Malley had an opening in his calendar at 3 p.m. the next day and made time for Tatum.

"There's pretty strong data," O'Malley said, "that if you do [Achilles surgery] within 24 hours [of injury], patients have better outcomes."

In O'Malley's view, Tatum's recovery was headed in the right direction early on. "I don't think I've seen a person's calf look as strong as his,"he said in September."At six or eight weeks he was doing double heel rises. He worked his calf so hard that the side effect of loss of strength, I don't think he's going to have any."

The Celtics have been tight-lipped about possible return dates. The team confirmed he has been practicing with the team and the G League Maine Red Claws when the opportunity arises.

While other players could decide to return in 12 or 13 months, Tatum may not have that luxury. The Celtics' season could be over by then. There are 21 games left in Boston's regular season, which ends in a little over a month on April 12. That would mark 11 months since the injury. As the No. 2 seed in the East, the Celtics are expected to make a deep playoff run that could reach the NBA Finals in June. But if they're a first-round out, a 12-month timetable for Tatum goes out the window, with his return rolling over to October. It's worth noting that of the 30 Achilles returns to play since 2005, none came during the playoffs when gradual ramp-ups aren't as easy.

If the Durant plan is in place, Tatum would eye next season for his debut. But if Tatum and his medical team believe he's ready to go now, he wouldn't be copying KD. Or Kobe. He'd be writing his own story.

byAsher Jeferson

in

March 04, 2026

Jayson Tatum's return now would be ahead of the norm. Is that a good thing?

It was early December in 2013 when the Los Angeles Lakers' Facebook page posted atwo-minute video of a jersey floati...

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Aaron Rodgers says Steelers haven't given him deadline to make decision about playing in 2026

It's the first week of March, and Aaron Rodgers is in no hurry.

The 42-year-old Rodgerstold "The Pat McAfee Show"on Wednesday that the Pittsburgh Steelers haven't given him a deadline to decide if he wants to play next season, what would be his 22nd in the NFL.

"I want to say that anybody on here who's expecting me to make some big decision, just turn it off now. Just leave," Rodgers said bluntly.

Host Pat McAfee then said that he understands the weight of the call Rodgers has to make on his NFL future, but McAfee also noted that he imagines the four-time league MVP has done some daydreaming about what another chapter with current Steelers and former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy could look like.

While Rodgers praised McCarthy, and the Steelers for hiring him, the veteran quarterback didn't tip his hand about his plans for a potential reunion during the 2026 season.

"We're sitting here, it's March 4th. Free agency starts in a week," Rodgers explained.

"I've been spending a lot of time with my wife. We went on a ski trip, just been laying low. ... But I've talked to Mike, I've talked to [general manager] Omar [Khan]. There's been no deadline that's been put in front of me. There's no contract offer or anything, so there's nothing that I'm having to debate between.

"I'm a free agent. And, again, I'm enjoying my time with my wife and enjoying this part of the offseason, and I think there's conversations to be had down the line, but right now there hasn't been any progressive conversations."

Aftercontemplating retirement last offseason, Rodgers signed aone-year dealahead of Steelers minicamp.

He went on to lead Pittsburgh to an AFC North title — the franchise's first since 2020 — but the Steelers once again went one-and-done in the playoffs. They're still searching for their first postseason win since the 2016 season.

Mike Tomlin stepped down from his post as head coach, and the Steelers filled his vacancy with McCarthy, who overlapped with Rodgers from 2006-18 before coaching the Dallas Cowboys for five seasons. The pair won a Super Bowl together during the 2010 season, ironically against the Steelers.

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During McCarthy's introductory news conference in January,he told reporters that he "definitely" wants Rodgers back.

Then, in early February,NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that the "odds are increasing" Rodgers comes back to play for the Steelers in 2026.

​​[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]

Later that month, at the NFL scouting combine,Khan said at the podium that Rodgers would be welcomed back next season. He also indicated that Rodgers' decision wouldn't drag on like it did a year ago.

But with free agency looming, and a thin quarterback draft class on the horizon, it's fair to wonder just how long the Steelers will be willing to wait this time around.

Rodgers had plenty of good things to say about McCarthy

Rodgers emphasized that, at the moment, he's spending a lot of time with his wife, whose identity is still undisclosed. The two got married last offseason.

He spoke about her Wednesday, but he also effused about McCarthy.

"Yeah, Mike's one of the great guys in the league," Rodgers said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "Just an absolutely exceptional human being with a huge heart. We had a lot of great years together, a lot of fun. He really cares about the players, but he also holds guys accountable and creates a lot of structure and details in the process."

The Steelers bringing in McCarthy bucked their trend of hiring 30-something-year-old defensive coaches to lead the franchise. Plus, on a league-wide scale, the decision went against the grain, in terms of an NFL pattern established in recent coaching cycles.

Rodgers believes the league is cyclical and thinks football lifers like McCarthy remain valuable.

"I don't give a s*** about how old he is, how long he's been in the league or the trend of the new young play-caller who's been on the staff of one of the Shanahan disciples," Rodgers said. "It seems like that's kind of the hot thing. I get that. There's a lot of great scheme in there, but there's something to an old-school organization ... bringing in a guy not only who brings accountability in a program that's proven to work at multiple places now, but he's a f***ing yinzer."

Rodgers added: "Mike bleeds Pittsburgh, Pa."

byAsher Jeferson

in

March 04, 2026

Aaron Rodgers says Steelers haven't given him deadline to make decision about playing in 2026

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Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis following hospitalization

Val Chmerkovskiyis back on his feet.

The"Dancing with the Stars"pro gave fans an update on his health after sharing that he had been hospitalized for vertigo between performances on theshow's live tour.

"So I got BPPV, which isn't too bad, thank God. There's no tumor in my brain, God forbid," the 39-year-old said in avideo posted to social mediaon March 3.

He continued, "And thankfully, it's not related to my neck injury. And so having ruled those things out, I feel a lot better."

Two days earlier, the dancer shared avideofrom his hospital bed in Peoria, Illinois, revealing that he had been experiencingvertigo, a false sense of motion.

"I'm just spinning everywhere," he said.

BPPV, short for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, is the most common cause of vertigo and includes symptoms like dizziness and loss of balance, according to theMayo Clinic.

Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez 

Met: Season 3 (2006)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Willa Ford and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Met: Season 3 (2006)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mark Ballas and Sabrina Bryan

Met: Season 5 (2007)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough

Met: Season 6 (2008)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mark Ballas and Shawn Johnson

Met: Season 8 (2009)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Cheryl Burke and Chad Ochocinco

Met: Season 10 (2010)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff
Met: Prior to DWTS in 2003, but dated after Smirnoff's split from Lopez.
Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> James Maslow and Peta Murgatroyd

Met: Season 18 (2014)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Val Chmerkovskiy and Janel Parrish

Met: Season 19 (2014)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec

Met: Season 20 (2015)

Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Val Chmerkovskiy and Amber Rose

Met: Season 23 (2016)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella

Met: Season 25 (2017)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd
Met: Outside of DWTS in 2009, but became a couple when Murgatroyd joined the show a few years later.
Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten

Met: Season 27 (2018)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sasha Farber and Emma Slater
Met: Outside of DWTS in 2009.
Status: Divorced

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy
Met: Season 18 (2014)
Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess

Met: Season 30 (2021)

Status: Still together

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Britt Stewart and Daniel Durant

Met: Season 31 (2022)

Status: Still together

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Gleb Savchenko and Brooks Nader

Met: Season 33 (2024)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber

Met: Season 33 (2024)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

It's a romance on – and off – the dance floor. See which 'DWTS' couples are still together.

Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez

Met:Season 3 (2006)

Status:Broken up

More 'DWTS' news:'Dancing with the Stars' is launching its first fan convention

Val Chmerkovskiy returns to 'DWTS' tour after hospitalization

Chmerkovskiy returned to the tour stage for the March 3 show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after missing the live performance in Peoria, Illinois, on March 1.

"I'm still a little fuzzy here and there, but good enough to perform. And I'll see you all tonight," he said.

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After initially opening up about his hospitalization, Chmerkovskiy's "Dancing with the Stars" family shared well wishes in the comments of his March 1 video.

"Get better soon! But take time to heal we need our ballroom diva back when he's ready to serve,"Xochitl Gomez, Chmerkovskiy's partner and winner of Season 32, wrote.

"We got you Val," fellow proEmma Slaterwrote.

The 2026"Dancing with the Stars" live tourkicked off in January and is planned for nearly 100 total shows before wrapping up in May.

In addition to starring a slew of fan-favorite pros, including Chmerkovskiy's wifeJenna Johnson, the tour featuresseveral stars from Season 34.

What is BPPV? Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis

BPPV causes brief periods of dizziness and is often set off by changes in the head's position, like lying down, turning over or sitting up in bed, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The condition occurs when tiny calcium crystals come loose from their normal location within the inner ear, perJohns Hopkins Medicine.

A common treatment for BPPV is known as the Epley maneuver, an exercise to reposition the head in a way that helps move the crystals.

"Thankfully, our PT is certified in getting those crystals back and doing the Epley maneuver," Chmerkovskiy said.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached atmelina.khan@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Val Chmerkovskiy updates fans after hospitalization during 'DWTS' tour

byAsher Jeferson

in

March 04, 2026

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