Olympic speedskating champion Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca have been selected as the flag bearers for Team USA’s delegation at the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina Winter Games.

Jackson, who won gold in the women’s 500 meters in Beijing in 2022, will be back to defend her title and compete in the 1,000 meters as well. This will mark her third Olympic appearance.

‘Being chosen to represent the United States on the world stage is a tremendous honor,’ Jackson said in a news release. ‘It’s a moment that reflects far more than one individual – it represents my family, my teammates, my hometown, and everyone across the country who believes in the power of sport.’

Del Duca − a sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed in Lake Placid, New York − made his Olympic Winter Games debut in Beijing, and has been in the sport for over a decade. He is part of the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP).

‘Being flag bearer for Team USA is an incredible honor,’ Del Duca said. ‘It was also quite the surprise. I’m grateful for the support from my teammates, coaches and staff, Team USA, U.S. Army WCAP, family and friends, and everyone who has helped me on this journey.’

Jackson and Del Duca were chosen by a vote of fellow Team USA athletes, and their selection was announced Tuesday, Feb. 3, by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Jackson becomes the eighth speedskater in history to earn the honor of Team USA flag bearer, while Del Duca becomes the sixth bobsledder to carry the flag.

The opening ceremony will be held Friday, Feb. 6 at Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan.

It will be broadcast live Friday on NBC and Peacock beginning at 2 p.m. ET. Primetime coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock. 

LOS ANGELES – Grammy Award winner Bad Bunny appeared in Ritz’s debut Super Bowl ad in 2025. But on the Universal Studios soundstage where the 2026 commercial is filming, there’s no sign of the Super Bowl halftime show performer.

‘I’m still not convinced he’s not gonna be here,’ actor and No. 1 Bad Bunny fan Jon Hamm jokes. ‘I’m waiting to see if there’s a surprise.’

‘Wait, he’s not here?’ actress Scarlett Johansson asks. She then looks at Hamm, turns to her other costar in the commercial, actor Bowen Yang, and throws her hands up in dismay and begins to leave the set.

Spoiler alert: Bad Bunny is not in this year’s spot. And Johansson only made it a step or two before returning. Mondelez International, Ritz’s parent company, invited USA TODAY to get a behind-the-scenes look at the brand’s Super Bowl commercial entitled ‘Ritz Island’ and speak exclusively with the ad’s three stars.

Ad Meter: Rate best and worst commercials this year!

The trio of celebrities are far from strangers: They were all in Studio 8H when Hamm, 54, hosted ‘SNL’ in April 2025. The ‘Mad Men’ star appeared in a sketch with Johansson, who is married to ‘Weekend Update’ coanchor Colin Jost. Their bit was a spoof on ‘The White Lotus’ called ‘The White POTUS.’ And Yang reveals that he was originally supposed to join the actors in the sketch but got cut.

‘It just didn’t play,’ Yang, 35, laments. He was set to portray Vice President JD Vance, an impression that the actor jokes ‘America clamored for weekly.’

‘I remember Colin came into my dressing room, he was like, ‘Hey, we might have to cut you,” Yang recalls, referencing Jost. ‘I was like, ‘Please. No problem.”

‘Why?’ Johansson, 41, asks. ‘It’s our favorite. You were born to play (Vance).’

All three laugh. And Yang immediately predicts this will be the headline of the interview.

Ritz explains why it’s back in the Super Bowl with big star power

Mondelez brought its Oreo brand into the big game for the first time in 2024 with an ad starring Kris Jenner. In 2025, it was Ritz’s turn with ‘Ritz Salty Club,’ a commercial that featured Aubrey Plaza and Michael Shannon, who played up their famously ‘salty’ personas. Bad Bunny made a cameo at the end of the spot.

Now for 2026, Ritz returns with arguably Bad Bunny’s most recognizable fan in America. Hamm, who shares a birthday with the music artist, is so well known as a supporter of the Puerto Rican star that he received the nickname ‘Juan Jamón (Spanish for ham).’

‘The strategy is about reminding people that Ritz is for everyone,’ says Steven Saenen, head of savory snacking for Mondelez. ‘The ‘Salty Club’ with the salty trio that we had (in 2025) was perfect to establish the saltiness platform. Now we want to really double down and dial up the energy and impact and come with something that’s a little bit more fun and celebratory.’

On ‘Ritz Island,’ Hamm and Yang look from afar and wonder why they weren’t invited to yet another Ritz party. The two agree that they should go, but Yang will only leave their perch if his feet don’t touch the sand.

Enter Johansson, who rides in on a ski jet. Yang quickly ditches Hamm and heads in.

‘We were looking for talent that was first, culturally super-relevant,’ Saenen says of the casting. ‘Second, just creative powerhouses, at the top of their game. And then three, amazing chemistry between them.’

The chemistry is evident during the interview. When a viral video of Hamm dancing at Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rican residency is brought up, the actor won’t confirm or deny that he was ‘lit’ (Bad Bunny’s words, not ours). Yang immediately chimes in with an ‘exclusive.’

‘Jon was trying to rally some people to go (to the concert), and you did reach out to confirm,’ Yang alleges.

‘Wait, where was my… I don’t remember that,’ Johansson interjects.

‘Colin said you didn’t want to go,’ Hamm replies. ‘Colin was like, ‘Nah, she doesn’t want to go.”

Johansson gets up to leave… again.

Hamm, Yang and ScarJo all dish on how they eat their Ritz

Saenen notes that Ritz saw an increase in market share in both February and the first quarter of 2025 with its inaugural Super Bowl campaign.

‘We recruited 1 million new households in the first half of the year,’ the marketing executive continues. ‘And we’re starting to shift brand perception, which is a really important part of why we’re doing this in the first place. We’re casting the brand in a much more modern light.’

All three of the commercial’s stars enjoy the snack. Hamm eats Ritz crackers with and without toppings. Johansson likes to add ‘a little square of cheddar.’ And Yang notes that whenever he’s on a group vacation, he usually orders Ritz for the house.

‘This is the easiest day of work I’ve had in a long time,’ Yang adds, eliciting laughter from his costars. ‘Because it’s with them.’

SAN FRANCISCO − Crafting a list of the greatest players in Super Bowl history is a near-impossible endeavor. Do you favor the biggest stars? Those who shone brightest on Super Sunday? The ones with sustained levels of excellence?

While undertaking this fool’s errand, I weighed each consideration, attempting to also make it representative of all positions rather than skew too heavily toward quarterbacks or offensive players who more easily show up in the box score (and MVP log).

With that prologue in mind, here’s my list of the 60 greatest players in Super Bowl history as we head into Super Bowl 60 between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots:

1. QB Tom Brady

The longtime Patriots star, who was also crowned with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has more rings (7) than any other franchise − for now − and more Super Bowl MVPs (5) than any other player. His record 10 Super Bowl starts have allowed him to become the game’s all-time leader in pass attempts (421), completions (277), yards (3,039) and TDs (21). Brady aired it out for a Super Sunday record 505 yards in New England’s Super Bowl 52 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles following the 2017 season, breaking his mark of 466 set the previous year. But his Super Bowl 51 effort may be the most impressive given he orchestrated the greatest comeback in the game’s history, successfully leading Super Sunday’s inaugural overtime drive against the Atlanta Falcons after digging out of a 25-point hole. The storybook ending came five years ago, when he and the Bucs proved way too much for Super Bowl 54 MVP Patrick Mahomes and the defending champion Chiefs … even if TB12 added a two-season epilogue.

2. QB Joe Montana

He’s been overtaken in several categories by Brady, who grew up idolizing the man who set the gold standard for Super Bowl quarterback play. Montana went 4-0 on Super Sunday with the San Francisco 49ers, was named MVP thrice and had 11 TD passes with nary an interception, which explains his remarkable record for passer rating (127.8). And who can forget the methodical, 92-yard TD drive he led – capped by the game-winning throw to John Taylor in the final minute – to win Super Bowl 23?

3. WR Jerry Rice

As you’d expect of the original ‘GOAT,’ he’s in a class by himself. He owns Super Bowl career records for receptions (33), receiving yards (589) and TDs (8). No one else save Rob Gronkowski (5) has more than three TD catches, a total Rice posted himself in Super Bowl 29. His single-game record of 215 receiving yards made him Super Bowl 23’s MVP despite Montana’s signature march.

4. QB Terry Bradshaw

He’ll always have his detractors. But it was Bradshaw, not the Pittsburgh Steelers’ famed Steel Curtain, who showed the way to victory in Super Bowls 13 and 14, taking MVP honors in both games. He was the first quarterback with four Lombardi Trophies, and his nine TD strikes trail only Brady and Montana. And what about the toughness factor? Bradshaw threw the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl 10 while taking a helmet to the jaw that literally knocked him out.

5. OLB/DE Charles Haley

Count ’em, five Super Bowl rings (two with the 49ers, three with the Dallas Cowboys) – a figure exceeded only by Brady. Since sacks became official in 1982, Haley’s 4½ are tied for the most in the Super Bowl record book. He bagged Cincinnati Bengals QB Boomer Esiason twice in Super Bowl 23, the Niners’ narrowest Super Sunday win.

6. QB Doug Williams

He only played on Super Sunday once. But all the Washington star did was prove to any remaining naysayers that a Black quarterback could win it all … while doing it on a hyperextended knee … while throwing four TD passes in an unreal 35-point second quarter … on his way to MVP honors in Super Bowl 22.

7. RB Emmitt Smith

The Super Bowl 28 MVP was the Cowboys’ closer that night (132 yards, 2 second-half TDs) and again in Super Bowl 30. Smith’s five rushing TDs are a record, and his 289 rushing yards rank third.

8. QB Eli Manning

This is not a suggestion that he’s better than big brother Peyton. But Eli is definitely more deserving of a spot on this list given his heroics in twice winning Super Bowl MVP honors for the New York Giants with some truly miraculous plays in upsets of the heavily favored Patriots.

9. RB Terrell Davis

In what was arguably the greatest Super Bowl effort by a tailback, he ran for 157 yards and a record-tying three TDs – while combating a migraine – on his way to Super Bowl 32 MVP honors as the Denver Broncos won their first title. Davis added 102 rushing yards and 50 more receiving when Denver repeated the next year.

10. QB Joe Namath

He was more game manager than gunslinger on Super Sunday and didn’t throw a touchdown in the New York Jets’ monumental upset of the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl 3. But Broadway Joe was still that contest’s MVP, wisely calling for effective gainers from his backs − remember when quarterbacks called plays? − taking what was available when passing, all while delivering on his epic pregame guarantee and changing the course of pro football history by vanquishing the NFL establishment – which had already agreed to absorb the American Football League.

11. K Adam Vinatieri

His 34 Super Bowl points rank fourth. None were bigger than the pair of game-winning field goals Vinatieri drilled for the Patriots to end Super Bowls 36 and 38. He snagged a fourth ring with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006.

12. QB Bart Starr

The numbers won’t wow you – 452 passing yards and three TDs combined over the course of two games – but the steady hand of the Green Bay Packers great also clutched the first two Super Bowl MVPs as a capstone to a legendary dynasty.

13. WR Lynn Swann

He basically built a Hall of Fame career over four Super Sundays. Three of his four catches (totaling 161 yards) in Super Bowl 10 were of the acrobatic variety, including the game-deciding 64-yard TD in the fourth quarter, which is why Swann was the MVP. His 364 career receiving yards are tied with Gronkowski for third most after Rice and Travis Kelce.

14. QB Steve Young

His six TD passes in the Niners’ Super Bowl 29 victory remain a single-game Super Bowl record. And don’t forget, Young collected two more rings as Montana’s backup.

15. QB Patrick Mahomes

Yes, he’s awesome. Obviously. But the Super Bowl résumé is slightly checkered. Mahomes is the only quarterback to start five times on Super Sunday before his 30th birthday. He’s already won the game three times and come away with the MVP trophy in each of those victories (only Brady has more). Yet Mahomes has also thrown seven INTs (against 10 TDs), played heroically (but poorly) behind a tattered line versus Brady’s Bucs in Super Bowl 55 and again last year against Philadelphia and wasn’t the best quarterback on the field in the Super Bowl 57 victory against the Eagles. His SB QB rating is an unimpressive 86.9. But he was his typically spectacular self late – meaning the fourth quarter and overtime – in K.C.’s Super Bowl 58 win over San Francisco. Mahomes threw the game-winning TD pass and nearly accounted for 400 yards of offense, his 333 passing and 66 rushing both personal bests for the Super Bowl.

16. MLB Jack Lambert

The vampire-toothed man in the middle racked up 46 tackles during Pittsburgh’s four victories and famously chucked Cowboys S Cliff Harris after he taunted Steelers K Roy Gerela in Super Bowl 10.

17. QB Kurt Warner

With a break here and there, he’d have three championships instead of one. But credit Warner for leading the long woebegone Rams and Cardinals out of the wilderness. And not only did the Super Bowl 34 MVP set a then-record with 414 passing yards, his 377 yards in Super Bowl 43 and 365 in Super Bowl 36 gave him the three most prolific passing days in the game’s history until Brady’s explosions in Super Bowls 51 and 52.

18. RB Franco Harris

A four-time champion, nearly half of his career record 354 rushing yards came when the Super Bowl 9 MVP posted a since-broken standard of 158 en route to Pittsburgh’s first title. Harris’ four rushing scores trail only Smith, and his 468 yards from scrimmage are second to Rice (604).

19. MLB Ray Lewis

He was the villain of the week prior to the game, but Lewis emerged as Super Bowl 35’s MVP after the dominant 2000 Baltimore Ravens defense shut out the Giants offense. Twelve years later, Lewis collected more bling in his final ride.

20. DE L.C. Greenwood

His four sacks of Dallas QB Roger Staubach in Super Bowl 10 represent an unofficial record since the NFL didn’t officially recognize sacks until 1982. Same goes for the five career sacks by Greenwood, who started all four of Pittsburgh’s victorious Super Sundays in the 1970s.

21. RB Roger Craig

The Niners’ main man in the backfield, he earned three rings as one of the original do-it-all backs. Craig piled up 410 yards from scrimmage, good for third place in the Super Bowl record book, and scored four TDs.

22. TE Rob Gronkowski

No tight end has truly taken over a Super Bowl, but Gronk came pretty close against the Eagles, finishing with nine receptions, 116 yards and a pair of scores in a losing effort. His impact in New England’s Super Bowl 49 victory went beyond six catches for 68 yards and a TD as he thoroughly occupied the attention of the Seahawks. In Super Bowl 53, his 29-yard reception on a badly bruised thigh set up the game’s only touchdown (a 2-yard run by Sony Michel) on the following play. Despite playing on a bum ankle that would require surgery, Gronkowski nearly corralled what would have been a game-winning Hail Mary on the final play of Super Bowl 46. Finally, the four-time champ scored the Bucs’ first two TDs against K.C. in Super Bowl 55, and Tampa Bay never looked back. Gronk’s five career TDs are bested only by Rice, while his 29 receptions and 364 receiving yards rank third.

23. OLB Von Miller

A rare defender who won the game’s MVP, Miller was picked as the guy from the vaunted 2015 Broncos defense to take the hardware home after registering 2½ sacks and two forced fumbles in Super Bowl 50. He scored another ring with the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 56, adding a pair of sacks, which allowed him to match Haley for the Super Sunday lead.

24. OLB Ted Hendricks

He’s usually remembered as a Raider, but the first of Hendricks’ four Super Bowl wins came with the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl 5. None of the defenses he played on surrendered more than 14 points.

25. WR John Stallworth

Like Swann, his Steelers wingman, he has three Super Bowl TD grabs, two covering more than 70 yards. Stallworth’s 73-yard TD from Bradshaw in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 14 broke the backs of the plucky LA Rams.

26. RB Larry Csonka

The workhorse for the Miami Dolphins, including the 17-0 1972 team, his 297 rushing yards in three games are second only to Harris. Csonka scored twice and had a then-record 145 yards to net Super Bowl 8 MVP honors and had 112 yards the previous year when Miami capped its perfect season.

27. WR Julian Edelman

He owns three rings after his 10-catch, 141-yard showing in Super Bowl 53 earned him the MVP trophy. Two years earlier, Edelman’s epic shoestring scoop of a Brady pass that was deflected by Falcons CB Robert Alford helped spark New England’s historic comeback. The Super Bowl 52 loss to Philadelphia might have had a different outcome had Edelman not been sidelined by a knee injury. His 337 Super Bowl receiving yards trail only Rice, Gronkowski, Swann and Kelce.

28. QB Troy Aikman

He captained the ’90s Cowboys to three titles and was named MVP for the first one in Super Bowl 27 after throwing for 273 yards and four TDs. Aikman’s 70% completion rate in his three appearances makes him the most accurate Super Sunday passer.

29. TE Travis Kelce

In five starts, he’s racked up 35 grabs (overtaking Rice for most last year) for 389 yards with a pair of scores. His nine-catch, 93-yard showing in Super Bowl 58 got the Chiefs into overtime. However it must be noted a good chunk of his numbers (10 catches, 133 yards) held little significance during that Super Bowl 55 blowout loss to Tampa Bay.

30. QB Phil Simms

He threw 25 passes in Super Bowl 21, and only three hit the ground. Pretty high bar as the MVP led the Giants to the first of their four Lombardi Trophies.

31. S Jake Scott

His pair of interceptions, including the game-clincher, put a bow on the Dolphins’ perfect season and brought him Super Bowl 7’s MVP. Scott got another ring the following year, recovering a pair of Minnesota Vikings fumbles. He also handled kickoff and punt returns for Miami.

32. OLB Rod Martin

The only man to pick off three passes in one Super Bowl – Martin thrice victimized the Eagles’ Ron Jaworski in Super Bowl 15 – he got one ring when the Raiders were in Oakland and another after they moved to LA.

33. DT Joe Greene

No one embodies the Steel Curtain Steelers more than Mean Joe, who started all four Super Bowls in the 1970s.

34. WR Deion Branch

He’s best remembered as MVP of the Patriots’ Super Bowl 39 triumph, when he posted a then record-tying 11 catches for 133 yards. But Branch may have been even better the previous year against the Carolina Panthers, when he snatched 10 Brady passes for 143 yards and a TD.

35. DT Aaron Donald

36. CB Malcolm Butler

He was an undrafted rookie no-name when he made arguably the clutchest of all Super Bowl plays by undercutting Seahawks WR Ricardo Lockette’s route at the goal line to intercept Russell Wilson’s pass and turn what seemed near-certain defeat into the Patriots’ fourth title. Butler will never be a no-name the rest of his life … though he did garner unwanted attention for essentially being benched by Bill Belichick in Super Bowl 52, a decision that seemed to backfire.

37. OLB Chuck Howley

He’s the only man to win the MVP award despite playing for the losing side when the Cowboys fell in Super Bowl 5. Howley, a Hall of Famer who established the Super Bowl career record with three INTs, won a ring the following year.

38. DT Manny Fernandez

He had a remarkable 17 tackles and one sack – unofficial totals – in the Dolphins’ Super Bowl 7 win and almost certainly should have been named the MVP. Fernandez got a Super Sunday sack and ring the next year, too.

39. CB Ty Law

His 47-yard pick-six off Warner in Super Bowl 36 helped chart the course for New England’s dynastic run. Law wound up winning three championships with the Patriots.

40. DE Justin Tuck

His contributions typically get overshadowed in the Giants’ dual victories over New England. But Tuck was Brady’s personal nemesis, sacking him twice in each game.

41. G Gene Upshaw

The Oakland Raiders stalwart played in three Super Bowls, each in a different decade. In Super Bowls 11 and 15, he teamed with fellow Hall of Famer Art Shell – they formed probably the best left side of any O-line in history – to embarrass both the Vikings’ famed Purple People Eaters and Eagles defense as the Silver and Black won their first two titles.

42. CB Mel Blount

The Steelers’ super-sized corner collected a pair of Super Bowl picks and four rings.

43. CB Deion Sanders

The original shutdown corner went back-to-back with the 49ers and Cowboys in Super Bowls 29 and 30, respectively. Sanders picked off a pass for San Francisco, and the Steelers’ unwillingness to test him the following year was a big reason MVP Larry Brown snagged two INTs. However Sanders did make an impact on offense, catching a 47-yard pass from Aikman.

44. QB Jalen Hurts

He accounted for three TDs and nearly 300 yards of offense to win the MVP award in Philadelphia’s 40-22 Super Bowl 59 beatdown of the Chiefs. Yet Hurts also outplayed Mahomes in Philly’s Super Bowl 57 loss, passing for 304 yards and a TD while rushing for 70 yards and three more scores, tying Davis’ mark. A two-point conversion allowed Hurts to match James White’s 20 points individually. With 72 rushing yards last year and 70 in Super Bowl 57, Hurts has the top two rushing outputs by a quarterback in Super Bowl history.

45. DE Richard Dent

One of the few D-linemen honored as the game’s MVP, Dent was picked as the guy from the vaunted ’85 Bears defense to take the hardware home after registering 1½ sacks and two forced fumbles in Super Bowl 20.

46. DB Ronnie Lott

The tone-setting defender of the 49ers’ great teams started at both cornerback and safety on his way to four championships.

47. DE Reggie White

Maybe the greatest defensive end ever, he set the official Super Bowl record with three sacks of Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe in the Packers’ Super Bowl 31 victory.

48. T Joe Jacoby

He was one of only two Hogs to start on the offensive line in all three of Washington’s Super Bowl wins. RBs John Riggins (166 rushing yards in Super Bowl 17) and Timmy Smith (204 yards in Super Bowl 22) both had record days running behind Jacoby and Co.

49. OLB Mike Vrabel

A consummate Patriot − and now New England’s head coach going into Super Bowl 60 − he played in four Super Bowls and wound up with three rings. He also racked up 16 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble … and two TDs on two receptions while lining up as a tight end in goal-line packages. Not bad.

50. OLB James Harrison

He picked up a pair of Lombardis in three trips with the Steelers. He also left his imprint with an unforgettable 100-yard INT return off a Warner misfire – producing at least a 10-point swing – in Pittsburgh’s 27-23 victory over the Cardinals in Super Bowl 43.

51. C Mike Webster

Another four-time Steelers champ, he was a tough-as-nails throwback who also handled long-snapping duties.

52. T Lane Johnson

One of the greatest right tackles in league history, he’s the only Eagles O-lineman to start in each of Philadelphia’s past three Super Bowl appearances. Johnson helped anchor an offense that averaged 38.7 points and more than 430 yards – all three times against dynastic competition.

53. RB James White

Compelling case to be made that he, not Brady, should have been Super Bowl 51’s MVP. White set single-game records with 14 receptions and 20 points (he scored 3 TDs and a key 2-point conversion in New England’s comeback). His 2-yard TD run in overtime provided the winning margin against the Falcons. He added 66 yards from scrimmage and a TD against Philadelphia the next year.

54. WR Max McGee

Love this guy. After a long night of partying on the eve of the first Super Bowl – McGee thought he’d be warming the pine for the Packers – he stepped in for injured Boyd Dowler … and scored again. Despite being less than 100%, McGee caught seven passes for 138 yards and two TDs, one a behind-the-back snare.

55. WR DeVonta Smith

His 46-yard TD catch from Hurts was the downfield exclamation point on the Eagles’ rout of the Chiefs last year. The ‘Slim Reaper’ has racked up 11 catches and 169 yards during his pair of Super Sunday appearances.

56. CB Dwight Smith

He had a pair of pick-sixes (covering 94 yards) in the Bucs’ Super Bowl 37 beatdown of the Raiders.

57. OLB Lawrence Taylor

He never tallied a Super sack, but we’re not leaving the two-time champion and greatest pass-rushing linebacker ever off the all-time team.

58. KR/WR Jacoby Jones

He gets the nod over Super Bowl 31 MVP Desmond Howard as our return ace. Jones had a strong case to be the Ravens’ Super Bowl 47 MVP after posting a single-game record 290 all-purpose yards, which included a record 108-yard TD on the opening kickoff of the second half. That occurred after he ended the first half with his only catch of the game – a 56-yard TD.

59. OL Randy Cross

Had to give the linemen some more love. Cross was a Pro Bowl guard for the 49ers’ first two title teams and moved to center for their third Super Bowl win, which happened to be his final game.

60. LB Mike Jones

A journeyman who would have receded into NFL anonymity had he not seized his Super Bowl moment by making a game-ending, title-saving tackle of Tennessee Titans WR Kevin Dyson just shy of the goal-line (and a potential game-tying TD) in the St. Louis Rams’ only Super Bowl victory.

(This story was updated to add a video.)

Step up to the plate: The 2026 softball season is here.

Texas won its first national championship in program history after defeating instate rival Texas Tech in a winner take all Game 3 in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. But the Red Raiders are ranked No. 1 in at least one preseason poll on the strength of NiJaree Canady’s right arm and the team’s top-ranked transfer class.

‘Obviously it will be very difficult to improve upon our 2025 season, but as a staff we feel like we have made tremendous improvements as we enter our second season at Texas Tech,’ head coach Gerry Glasco said.

Here’s five storylines heading into the 2026 softball season, including some early player of the year nominations:

NEBRASKA softball coach refuses to project ceiling for Huskers’ season

Who won the college softball transfer portal?

The addition of Stanford transfer NiJaree Canady paid instant dividends for Texas Tech in Gerry Glasco’s first season as head coach. The Red Raiders made their first Women’s College World Series appearance last season and fell just short of the program’s first national championship as runner-up to Texas.

Don’t be surprised to see Texas Tech back in Oklahoma City. The Red Raiders reloaded their roster with a top transfer class that brings depth at the pitcher position and extra pop to the lineup. The seven newcomers combined for 105 home runs last season, an upgrade from Texas Tech’s 60 homers.

Texas Tech added All-Americans Mia Williams (Florida), Taylor Pannell (Tennessee) and Jasmyn Burn (Ohio State), plus Kaitlyn Terry (UCLA), Lagi Quiroga (Cal) and Jackie Lis and Desirae Spearman (Southern Illinois).

‘We wanted to add depth and experience in as many places as possible as we try to win the national championship,’ Glasco said.

Can Texas defend NCAA softball championship?

The Longhorns are in prime position to repeat with many contributors of their championship squad returning. Sure, the departure of senior third baseman Mia Scott is a blow, but Texas will have continuity in the circle with ace pitcher Teagan Kavan and catcher Reese Atwood back. Kavan had a 28-5 record with a 2.16 ERA and 230 strikeouts last season, while Atwood was named the NFCA Catcher of the Year after leading the team in home runs (21), RBIs (89), slugging percentage (.822) and walks (41).

Atwood and Kavan are among 10 players from Texas’ championship squad that are coming back. Four of those players — Atwood, Kavan, Kayden Henry and Katie Stewart — were named to the 2026 preseason All-SEC Team selected by a vote of the conference’s 15 head coaches. Texas’ four selections tie Oklahoma for the most. The Longhorns were also picked to win the 2026 SEC Championship.

The Longhorns will also get a boost from the return of shortstop Viviana Martinez, who was sidelined the entire 2025 season with an injury. Martinez started 61 games in 2024 and had a .376 batting average with 70 hits, 52 RBIs and 46 runs.

Texas led the nation in hits (630) last season and its lineup will be even more dangerous with the additions of transfers Kaiah Altmeyer (Arizona), Taylor Anderson (Oklahoma State) and Brenlee Gonzales (Texas Tech).

What’s up with Oklahoma softball this season?

Oklahoma’s reign of four consecutive national titles ended last season, but the Sooners look to return to softball supremacy with a squad that features a mix of veterans, the top-ranked 2026 recruiting class and key transfers.

Let’s start in the circle. Right-handed pitcher Sam Landry was the Sooners’ ace last season with 191.2 total innings pitched, 114 more innings than left-handed pitcher Kierston Deal. With Landry having graduated, Deal will most likely get the ball and look to bounce back from a down year, where her ERA was up and strikeouts were down. She posted a 10-2 record with 50 strikeouts and a 3.42 ERA in 77.2 innings last season, compared to her 1.97 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 78.1 innings in 2024. Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso brought in reinforcements with transfer pitcher Sydney Berzon, who recorded a 18-8 record and 2.46 ERA as LSU’s ace in 2025.

That’s not the only additions. Oklahoma’s recruiting class includes Keegan Baker, Ki’ele Ho-Ching, Jerrell ‘Ori’ Mailo, Malaya Majam-Finch, Ella Kate ‘EK’ Smith and Payton Westra. 

‘This is one of the best incoming freshman classes that we’ve had in a while,’ Gasso said. ‘There’s a little bit of everything from pitching to great defense, but some big time hitters are going to make this offense powerful and elite. All of these athletes fit the championship mindset mentality.’

We can’t forget about the returning Oklahoma players. Gabbie Garcia, Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering were all named to the 2026 All-SEC team. Despite battling an injury much of the season, Parker hit 15 homers and drove in 53 runs while batting .423.

College softball 2026 Player of the Year candidates

• Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady: The 6-foot right-handed senior was unanimously named to the Big 12 preseason team after posting a 1.11 ERA last season and leading the Red Raiders with 11 home runs. Canady was named to the USA Softball 2026 Collegiate Player of the Year watch list. She was one of three finalists in for the award in 2025 after winning it in 2024 at Stanford.
• Texas catcher Reese Atwood: The 6-foot senior became the first Longhorns player to hit 20 or more home runs in back-to-back seasons and led the nation in with 89 RBIs, the second most in program history behind her own 90 mark in 2024. She was also solid behind the plate and posted a .988 fielding percentage with 313 putouts, 18 assists and four errors.
• Nebraska pitcher Jordy Frahm: The 5-foot-8 two-way player recorded 23 homers and a .462 batting average last season, in addition to 286 strikeouts and a 1.56 ERA. She was named Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, becoming the first player to earn both in the same season.
• Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens: The 6-foot-1 senior pitched over 226.2 innings last season and posted a 25–11 record with a 1.17 ERA and 306 strikeouts. She was named SEC Pitcher of the Year after leading the conference in ERA, games started (34), complete games (25), shutouts (7), innings pitched and strikeouts.

How much more parity is there in college softball?

No. 1 overall seed Texas A&M was upset in its home regional in College Station, Texas, by Liberty in the postseason, marking the first time in history the top overall seed failed to advance out of its own regional.

The defeat highlights the growing parity in college softball, which can be tied directly to the transfer portal and NIL money being poured into programs. Landing a star player can change a program’s entire trajectory.

Texas Tech won the program’s first Big 12 championship and made its first WCWS appearance following the addition of NiJaree Canady in the transfer portal. It was made possible by Canady’s landmark NIL deal which paid her upwards of $1M, believed to be the largest in softball history. Canady landed another deal for the 2026 season and helped attract the team’s top transfer class.

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• Jessie Diggins, the most decorated U.S. cross-country skier, will retire after this season.
• Diggins keeps her three Olympic medals in tote bags rather than displaying them at home.
• She focuses on the joy of skiing, not results, and wears glitter as a pre-race ritual to remind her of her why.
• Diggins has been a vocal advocate for mental health after her own recovery from an eating disorder.

Diggins’ team sprint win at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics with teammate Kikkan Randall was the Team USA’s first gold medal in cross-country skiing. Her bronze medal finish in individual sprint at the 2022 Beijing Games made Diggins the first American to win an individual cross-country skiing medal. Her silver in the 30k freestyle in Beijing completed her set.

Yet the hardware that earned her a place in the annals of history are not displayed in her home. ‘That’s actually for a very specific reason,’ Diggins told USA TODAY Sports ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, the fourth and final Games of her prolific career.

Diggins’ three Olympic medals are tucked away in tote bags that make it easy to transport to school visits and show-and-tells. They are symbols of her success, but Diggins said she rarely looks at them because she doesn’t want to become complacent or satisfied. She wants to stay in the moment.

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‘I never take them out. They’re not on display … It’s because I want to wake up every single day and go do something that makes me feel proud of how hard I work,’ Diggins said. ‘Having Olympic medals, that was three different, amazing days, but it doesn’t give you this hall pass for life.’

In November, Diggins announced this season will be her last on the trails. She plans to finish her career on home soil at the World Cup Finals in Lake Placid, New York, in late March following the 2026 Games. Knowing this will be her last Olympics makes the opportunity ‘even more special,’ she said.

‘I’ve tried to see every Olympics just that way,’ Diggins added. ‘This is the only time that I will ever be here like this, at this point in my life with these feelings and emotions and this scenario. And so it’s so special. I really want to enjoy that.’

Jessie Diggins chasing joy, not results

Becoming an Olympian was always a dream for Diggins. Her passion for skiing dates back to her early days of riding in a backpack on her father’s back as her parents skied every weekend. ‘Some of my formative memories (are) pulling on my dad’s hair and yelling at him to go faster,’ she said with a smile. Diggins instantly fell in love with the speed of downhills, but also appreciated the climbs. ‘It never felt like training or practice,’ she said.

Following along with the cross-country skiing wasn’t as easy as it is now. With no social media and her dialup internet rendered useless in their isolated home in the woods, her father, Clay Diggins, got creative with film.

‘My dad had VHS tapes of old Olympic races and he would put it on … our old giant box TV in the basement,’ she said. ‘It was really cool to see people just working really hard racing. I would ask questions and be like, ‘What’s an individual start? Why is it important? How do they push themselves so hard?’ And it was fun to have that moment to connect with my dad and watch the races in that way.’

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Diggins immediately gravitated toward Olympic gold medalist Beckie Scott, who became her ‘first-ever hero’ after Scott made history as the first Canadian to medal in cross-country skiing at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. It wasn’t winning that captivated Diggins — it was Scott’s infectious energy.

‘She had the biggest smile and that was why I liked her, not because she won,’ Diggins said. ‘I just love that she seemed so happy and joyous and it seemed like, ‘Oh, that’s someone who loves what they do.”

Joy is what Diggins chases on the trails, not results, even though success has followed. You can tell how happy Diggins is based on the amount of sparkles on her face. It’s a pre-race ritual she’s done for as long as she can remember.

‘Putting glitter on and the sparkles before a race … it’s a reminder, I get to do this. I love skiing, I love challenging myself. I love going out there and putting it all out there, and I’m doing this for me,’ she said. ‘I used to feel so much pressure and expectation. I would get so jittery and so nervous that it was stealing the joy out of what I was doing. Well, you can’t be too serious when you have glitter all over your face.’

Expect lots of sparkles — biodegradable, of course, which matters to Diggins, a climate change advocate — at these Games. Diggins hasn’t decided on a color just yet, although she’s been feeling metallics lately and may try to match her racing suit. ‘Who knows, I’m bringing options,’ she said.

Longevity starts with fundamentals

Diggins’ 2025-26 World Cup season got off to an unexpected start. The reigning overall World Cup champion broke her pinky toe after stubbing it on the couch in October, 100 days out from the Milano Cortina Games.

‘With all the things I do for sport and for training, I am taken down by a piece of living room furniture,’ she joked.

Diggins has fully recovered from what she called a ‘ridiculous’ injury and hasn’t missed a step in her Olympic preparations, which have largely remained the same throughout her 15-year career. She likes to focus on the basics — ‘Doing them well, doing them with consistency and doing it over time.’ Her process-oriented mindset, in addition to the ‘wonderful’ team behind her, has helped Diggins avoid burnout and stay grounded.

‘The Olympics is just one more day in that training progression,’ she said. ‘Same as every other day for the last 15 years. You show up and you do the best you can. And maybe that means you win an Olympic medal and maybe it doesn’t fall that way. And that’s OK. You still did the best you could and you can and should be proud of that.’

Diggins said her 10-year-old self would be proud of all she’s accomplished. So would the 18-year-old dreamer who watched the 2010 Vancouver opening ceremony at a sleepover with her high school teammates. Diggins’ childhood dream became a reality when she made her Olympic debut in Sochi in 2014 at age 22.

‘It was a pretty surreal, almost out of body experience,’ said Diggins, whose best result in 2014 was a seventh-place finish in the 4×5km relay. ‘When I was 22, I definitely wasn’t going in with any pressure. No one was watching. There was really no expectations settled on my shoulders, and that was a beautiful, wonderful gift … It was about taking it in and now it’s more about the high performance.’

‘Mental health is human health’

Mental preparations are as important as physical preparations, a message Diggins wants to spread following an eating disorder and recovery. Through her treatment at The Emily Program, Diggins discovered her eating disorder was a ‘coping mechanism for stress and perfectionism’ she placed on herself.

Diggins hopes her vulnerability on and off the snow can inspire others to be brave enough to not only follow their passions, but also face their own struggles. It’s a legacy Diggins wants to leave behind when she hangs up her skis.

“I hope I’m remembered not just for the pain cave and ability to suffer deeply for a team that I love and a sport I care about so much, but for the joy, sense of fun on snow, heart-on-sleeve racing, deep vulnerability and openness that I’ve brought to everything I do,’ she said in her retirement announcement on Nov. 19.

Follow Cydney Henderson on Twitter @CydHenderson

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The Seattle Mariners, who have been trying to get St. Louis Cardinals utilityman Brendan Donovan since the World Series concluded, finally got their man Monday in a three-way trade that included the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Mariners’ price was steep, giving up two prospects and a draft pick to grab the man who they believe could be the missing piece for their first World Series appearance.

The Cardinals, who are in a massive rebuild, will receive prized pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje and outfield prospect Tai Peete from Seattle; outfield prospect Colton Ledbetter from Tampa; and two Comp B draft picks — the 68^th overall from Seattle and the 72^nd overall from Tampa.

The Tampa Bays will receive young third baseman Ben Williamson from the Mariners.

Donovan, an All-Star last season and Gold Glove winner in 2022 as a utilityman, headlines the package. While scouts are divided about Donovan’s best position between second base and left field, he is expected to primarily play third base for the Mariners. The reality is that his best position is at the plate. He has a career .282 batting average with a .361 on-base percentage and .411 slugging percentage with 40 homers and 97 doubles with a .772 OPS. He struck out in just 13% of his plate appearances last season.

The acquisition of Donovan, 29, who will be a free agent after 2027, gives the Mariners five players at the top of the lineup who made the All Star team in the past two seasons, joining Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor and Randy Arozarena.

For the Cardinals, Donovan represents the last major player to be sent packing in the Cardinals’ massive rebuild. They traded ace Sonny Gray and first baseman Willson Contreras earlier this winter in separate trades to the Boston Red Sox, and Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenando was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Their payroll is expected to be the lowest in the NL Central, dropping below $100 million.

Cijntje, selected with the 15th pick in the 2024 draft, is the best prospect in the trade, ranking as baseball’s 91^st-best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Cijntje actually throws right-handed and left-handed, but the Mariners were planning to have him pitch exclusively right-handed this spring. Peete was the No. 30 overall pick in the 2023 draft.

The Mariners, who are now AL West favorites, believe this could be the finishing touch to a season to remember.

The Cardinals, who have traded eight players off their major-league roster since last year’s trade deadline, are hoping they have the makings of a team that can be competitive again in a few years.

And for the Rays, they got the right-handed third baseman they’ve been seeking, trying to stay relatively competitive in the loaded AL East.

Follow Bob Nightengale on X @Bnightengale.

A junior hockey team in Canada lost three of its own on Monday Feb. 2, in a tragic car accident.

The young men – members of the Southern Alberta Mustangs – were on their way to practice when their car was hit by a large gravel truck at an intersection in Stavely, Alberta, about an hour’s drive south of Calgary.

Caden Fine, 17, and 18-year-olds Cameron Casorso and JJ Wright were declared dead at the scene of the crash. The 40-year-old man driving the truck received minor injuries, according to Claresholm Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Police said they’re continuing their investigation into the collision.

‘There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our grief,’ the team said in a statement on social media. ‘We are a family, and today our family is hurting.

‘Whether it’s Swift Current or Humboldt or Stavely, where the Mustangs played, any time a tragedy of this nature happens, it hits all of the hockey world very hard. Caden Fine, Cameron Casorso and JJ Wright were three boys chasing their dreams.

‘Our hearts go out to their families and everyone their lives touched.’