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Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sean Payton believes Broncos are capable of winning Super Bowl 60
The post Sean Payton believes Broncos are capable of winning Super Bowl 60 appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Denver Broncos were once perennial contenders. Making it to the playoffs was almost a foregone conclusion. They, however, have tapered off over the last few years, and Broncos coach Sean Payton want to put an end to that. The Broncos qualified for the playoffs last season, ending an eight-year drought. While they were booted out by the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round, it's clear that Payton has steered the squad to the right direction. Now entering his third year in Denver, buoyed by the continued improvement of sophomore quarterback Bo Nix and a slew of roster changes, the 61-year-old Payton's confidence is as high as the Rocky Mountains. 'I like this team a lot,' said Payton in a report from Yahoo! Sports' Charles Robinson. 'I've talked about a Super Bowl. (Since the) first meeting I had with them. First meeting.' When he signed with the Broncos in 2023 to end a brief retirement, he stressed the relevance of the job in trying to lead them back to the top. The team hasn't made it to the Super Bowl since winning it all in 2016. For Payton, all the pieces are in place in Denver, and he can already envision the squad lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy this season. 'The short-term goal is winning the division. But this is a team capable of winning the Super Bowl. I've coached six teams that I thought could win the Super Bowl. Some went to championship games, some to the playoffs,' said the one-time AP Coach of the Year. 'This is my seventh team that I think has that.' Of course, it will be easier said than done for the Broncos, especially with the Kansas City Chiefs still lording it over in the AFC West. But sometimes, believing is half the battle, and Payton is a perennial believer. Related: Broncos' Sean Payton makes 'hurricanes' quip about Bo Nix's interceptions Related: Sean Payton can't hold back Bo Nix excitement in 4-word voicemail
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
North Carolina Reacts to Bill Belichick Announcement
North Carolina Reacts to Bill Belichick Announcement originally appeared on Athlon Sports. There's a lot of excitement surrounding the North Carolina Tar Heels, as head coach Bill Belichick is looking to come in and improve the program after it went 6-7 last year. He has not won a bowl game since 2019. Advertisement The expectations are high considering that during his time in the NFL, Belichick established himself as one of the greatest coaches in league history. Further, on Wednesday, he was named to ESPN's "NFL All Quarter Century team." It's certainly an impressive honor as the list comprises a total of 53 players and four coaches, all selected based on their production since 2000. It even drew a reaction from North Carolina, which commemorated the achievement with its own X post, captioned, "Congratulations to @Belichick_B on being selected as Head Coach of the @espn NFL All Quarter Century Team!" It's unsurprising to see Belichick chosen to represent the head coach spot, as he dominated in his 24 years with the New England Patriots (2000-2023), winning AP Coach of the Year three times. Advertisement During that time, he accumulated a 266-121 regular season record, went 30-12 in playoff matchups and helped guide the Patriots to nine Super Bowl appearances, winning six of them, which is the most for a head coach in NFL history. It also won't be the last time Belichick is recognized for his impact in the NFL, as he's eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026, where he is likely to be a first-ballot selection. North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick.© Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Now, it will remain to be seen if he can come in and make an immediate impact for North Carolina, as he and the Tar Heels are tied for the seventh-best odds (+3000) to win the ACC in 2025. Advertisement Related: Tennessee Reacts To Exciting Peyton Manning News This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
15-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Mark Jackson grateful for Rick Pitino's Knicks coaching endorsement: ‘Got great taste'
The Knicks coaching search has gone from sloppy to embarrassing, and one of their former coaches, Rick Pitino, proactively said he has no interest in the job. But Pitino did stump for one of his former Knick players, suggesting they hire Mark Jackson in the Garden. Advertisement And the seemingly blackballed Jackson — who hasn't coached in over a decade — appreciated the endorsement of his mentor. 'He's a legend. I love him to death,' Jackson, speaking on SiriusXM NBA Radio, said of Pitino, who coached the point guard during his first two seasons with the Knicks. Jackson won NBA Rookie of the Year under Pitino in 1988 and was an All-Star the next season. 3 Rick Pitino addresses reporters during a press conference on March 21, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Advertisement 'I'm not in the league 17 years playing if he's not my first coach,' Jackson said. 'I'm forever grateful, and he's Coach to me. 'He's a brilliant basketball mind. He's turned over St. John's University and turned back the hand of time to bring them back to their glory days. It's great to watch. It's fun to watch. He's one of the greatest coaches in the history of sports, not just basketball. And on top of that, he's got great taste by that statement.' One can question the Knicks' taste in abruptly firing Tom Thibodeau on June 3, just three days after they were eliminated from their first Eastern Conference finals since 2000. Advertisement 3 ESPN analyst Mark Jackson is pictured before a December 2018 game. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Since then, Knicks president Leon Rose has been denied permission to speak with Dallas' Jason Kidd, Houston's Ime Udoka, Minnesota's Chris Finch, Atlanta's Quin Snyder and Chicago's Billy Donovan, according to multiple reports. The Post's Stefan Bondy has confirmed the Knicks are expected to interview former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and former Kings coach Mike Brown, each fired earlier this season. The Post reached out to the agents for both Jenkins and Brown on Saturday, with neither returning calls. Advertisement 3 Mark Jackson coaches during a December 2013 game for the Warriors. Getty Images Though there is no indication Jackson is a candidate for a Garden return, Pitino — who coached the Knicks from 1987-89, and earned AP Coach of the Year this season for St. John's — took to social media earlier this week to tell his former employer that there is an ideal candidate actually available. 'I obviously coached our rookie of the year, Mark Jackson,' Pitino tweeted Wednesday. 'I believe he spent 18 years in the NBA as a player. Great coach with the Warriors and one of the brightest minds I've coached. Would love to see the Knicks bring Mark Jackson home!!' Certainly New York would be a return home for Jackson, after growing up in Brooklyn and starring at St. John's before having two stints with the Knicks in a 17-year playing career. What's happening on and off the Garden court Sign up for Inside the Knicks by Stefan Bondy, a weekly exclusive on Sports+. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters He coached Golden State from 2011-14 and played a key role in turning around a losing Warriors team into a contending team. But after posting a 121-109 record with two playoff appearances in Golden State, Jackson was fired in 2014 and hasn't coached since. The Post also has reported that ex-Villanova coach Jay Wright isn't interested in the Knicks job despite the presence of former Wildcats Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. Advertisement UConn's Dan Hurley also preemptively withdrew. Michael Malone (who won the 2023 NBA title with Denver), Frank Vogel (who won with the Lakers in 2020) and Mike Budenholzer (who won with Milwaukee in 2021) are available, as are Detroit assistant Luke Walton and Cleveland assistant Johnnie Bryant, the latter of whom was Thibodeau's associate head coach from 2020-24.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NCAA Sends Strong Message on Geno Auriemma After National Championship
When UConn closed the 2024-25 campaign at 37-2 and captured its 12th NCAA women's basketball crown with an 82-59 dismantling of South Carolina, it reaffirmed a dynasty built over four decades. On Wednesday, the NCAA March Madness X account shifted its focus from the hardwood to something more tangible: the gleaming collection of rings that symbolize Geno Auriemma's sustained supremacy. Advertisement In a brief video, Auriemma surveys a table laden with championship rings and deadpans, "How am I going to get all of these on? Sheesh, these hurt... After a while, you run out of shapes, you run out of styles. It's a good problem to have, right?" The clip is a playful yet pointed reminder that no coach in women's basketball has amassed hardware like Auriemma. Since 1985, Auriemma has won 12 national titles, 24 Final Fours, 23 conference tournament crowns, and has put together six perfect seasons. Over four decades, he has an all-time career mark of 1,250-165 (.883), has won eight Naismith Coach of the Year awards and nine AP Coach of the Year awards. Advertisement He's also helped to develop some of the game's brightest stars, including icons like Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart and the WNBA 2025 No. 1 overall pick, Paige Bueckers. UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma.© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Burying the trumpets, the NCAA instead let the rings do the talking, underscoring that the UConn standard remains the summit all programs chase. And as he grapples with the good 'problem' of too many rings, the rest of the sport is left grappling with how to catch up. Related: Former UConn Star Paige Bueckers Leaves Fans in Tears Over New Post Related: South Carolina Sends Message on Dawn Staley's Transfer Portal Addition
USA Today
04-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Bruce Pearl earns AP Coach of the Year honors
Bruce Pearl earns AP Coach of the Year honors Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl earned AP Co-Coach of the Year honors on Friday. Auburn's leading man, who led the Tigers to their second Final Four in six years this season, shared the award with Saint John's head coach Rick Pitino. It was the first time in AP history two coaches received the same amount of votes (20) for the honor. Pearl became the winningest coach in Auburn history during a 2024-2025 campaign in which the Tigers have already secured program record for most wins (32) in a season. Pearl's Tigers, who have already won three championships - Maui Invitational, SEC Regular Season, South Regional - have as good a chance as any program to win a fourth, and most important, on Monday. The No. 1 overall seeded Tigers spent a program record 8 weeks ranked as the top team in the AP Poll this season. Auburn never fell outside of the top five after it received the No. 11 ranking in the preseason poll. The love in the polls, as well as from the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, was mainly due to the fact the Tigers won a country-leading 16 Quadrant 1 contests in the regular season. Auburn's head coach navigated a schedule he referred to as the "most difficult in Auburn history" to near perfection. Pearl and his staff led the Tigers into battle 29 times against programs that appeared in the NCAA Tournament. Auburn lost just 5 of those 29 games, two of which were against teams currently in the Final Four. If Pearl can cap off his magnificent season with an National Championship in a few days, Auburn's 2024-2025 season will be considered one of the greatest of all time for a college basketball program. The road will be difficult, but if any coach can lead a group of immensely talented players to the promised land, it's the SEC, AP, NABC Division I Coach of the Year. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter@TheRealBHauch
