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Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL Quarter Century: 25 moments that changed the league
The NFL is entering its 2025 season, which means we're a quarter of the way through this century of football. All week long, Yahoo Sports Senior NFL Writer Frank Schwab will dive into the past 25 years in the league. More: All-Quarter Century Team | 25 best draft picks | Top 25 teams | Top 25 games It's hard to say the NFL is more popular than it was 25 years ago. It was wildly popular at the turn of the century too. But it seems like we're all paying closer attention year-round to the most popular sport in the United States. It makes the big moments seem even bigger. That's why we're going to count down the 25 moments of the last quarter century that changed the NFL the most. There are many on-field and off-field controversial moments on the list, but it's not a list of 25 controversies. There isn't much that's controversial about Tom Brady winning championships, but that definitely changed the game. It's a list of the moments that shaped the way we view the NFL now vs. a quarter century ago: Eli Harold (58), Colin Kaepernick (7) and Eric Reid (35) of the San Francisco 49ers kneel on the sideline during the National Anthem prior to a game in 2016. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) (Thearon W. Henderson via Getty Images) 25. Calvin Ridley suspended for betting The mere mention of point spreads or betting was taboo in the NFL 25 years ago. Then a 2018 decision by the Supreme Court paved the way for states to decide if legal sports betting would be allowed, and that has changed how games are presented and how they're viewed. It also opened up more punishments for coaches and players betting on sports than we had seen in the NFL's first 80 years combined. The biggest name to get caught was then-Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley, who was suspended a year for betting on NFL games while he was on injured reserve during the 2021 season. Ridley's bets were legal but broke the NFL's gambling policy, and was a sign that the NFL was in a new world when it came to betting on its games. 24. Wardrobe malfunction When you hear the term "wardrobe malfunction," you can thank the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show from more than 20 years ago. Justin Timberlake exposed Janet Jackson's breast at the end of the performance, setting off a controversy that extended far beyond football. After that, the NFL reverted to headlining the wildly popular halftime show with just as many old rockers as it could find, to avoid any more negative attention. The NFL changed course again after a while to include more modern artists, including inviting Timberlake back to do the Super Bowl LII show. 23. The NFL goes abroad International games are a normal part of the NFL schedule now, but they weren't in 2007. That season, the Dolphins and Giants played at Wembley Stadium in London, which was the first time a regular-season game had taken place outside of North America. That was a success, and in the NFL's endless quest to increase revenue, the international series continues to grow. This season, there will be seven international games across five countries. There will be more to come. 22. Eagles hire Chip Kelly Kelly didn't work out with the Eagles in his three seasons as the team's coach. But when he was hired from the University of Oregon in 2013, NFL offenses all looked mostly the same. That changed, as Kelly brought in offensive concepts that were growing in college, like spreading the field, running no-huddle offense to increase the tempo, and run-pass option plays. When you watch the NFL in 2025 you see many of those concepts all across the league, and that started with Philadelphia's Kelly experiment. 21. New way to watch NFL: online streaming In 2000, the idea of having to subscribe to anything other than cable to watch an NFL game was ludicrous. Now fans needing multiple streaming services to catch every game. When did it start? The first game exclusively streamed online was a 2015 Bills-Jaguars game in London that was shown on Yahoo Sports. It was viewed by more than 15 million people and the NFL was happy with the result, which paved the way for the league to look at other outlets to broadcast games other than traditional networks. 20. Andrew Luck retires Over the last 25 years, NFL players retiring in the middle of their primes has become more prevalent. No retirement was more shocking than Luck's a few weeks before the 2019 season. Luck was just 29 years old, but stepped away due in part to lingering injuries. Luck kept a low profile in retirement until becoming the general manager of the Stanford football program. Luck was an ascending star and we'll never know what was next for him and the Colts in his prime. 19. Tom Brady wins Super Bowl with Bucs Brady's historical stature grew after leaving the Patriots. He already was a legend after winning six Super Bowls, but going to the Buccaneers and winning a title in his first season there took him to an even higher level. He changed the conversation about his legacy (and in some ways, Bill Belichick's legacy) by winning a title outside of New England. 18. Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest One of the scariest moments in NFL history happened early in a high-profile Monday night game between the Bengals and Bills during the 2022 season. What looked like a normal hit was anything but, as Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed after tackling Tee Higgins. Hamlin had a cardiac arrest, and medical personnel performed CPR and used a defibrillator on him to save his life on the field. The game was canceled, the first time an NFL regular-season game was canceled and not replayed since 1935 (not counting labor disputes). Hamlin had a full recovery and has returned to be a key member of Buffalo's defense. Plus, the ordeal raised awareness of commotio cordis and got the NFL involved in medical advocacy regarding cardiac arrest research and prevention. 17. Rams move back to Los Angeles The Rams moving from St. Louis, including a legal battle over whether the NFL and the team lied to St. Louis as it planned to relocate, affected multiple franchises. The Rams moved to Los Angeles before the 2016 season, then into luxurious SoFi Stadium after a short time at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The Chargers ended up moving from San Diego to Los Angeles before the 2017 season and ended up sharing SoFi Stadium with the Rams. The Raiders got caught up in the relocation as well, with the team trying to move from Oakland to Los Angeles but eventually being rerouted to Las Vegas. Those relocations, which are the only ones the NFL has navigated this century, changed football on the West Coast. The league had not had a team in the Los Angeles market for 21 seasons prior to the Rams moving back. 16. Dez Caught It The Cowboys are still complaining about a replay review that went against them in a divisional playoff game at the end of the 2014 season against the Packers. Bryant made a great fourth down catch near the goal line late in a close game, which seemingly set them up for what would have been a go-ahead touchdown. But the ongoing debate about what constitutes a catch popped up, and after a review Bryant's catch was ruled incomplete. The Cowboys' longstanding drought of not appearing in an NFC championship game (which dates back to the 1995 season) continued, and the ruling led to more debate on the catch rules. Eventually the NFL simplified the catch rules, and the dustup over this play was a big reason. Dez Bryant caught it. Or did he? (Photo by) (Mike McGinnis via Getty Images) 15. OT rules change after Chiefs beat Bills The 2021 season divisional playoff game between the Chiefs and Bills has an argument as the greatest game of the last 25 years. It also led to a huge rules change. After the Chiefs rallied in the last 13 seconds of regulation to force overtime, then won it on their first possession of OT, there was a lot of complaining that Bills quarterback Josh Allen never got a chance to touch the ball in overtime. That led to the NFL changing the longtime overtime rule, which allowed both teams a possession in overtime of a playoff game. In 2025, the NFL changed the regular season rules to guarantee both teams a possession in overtime. 14. Deshaun Watson's guaranteed contract There was a time when Watson was the hottest commodity in the NFL. Multiple teams were desperate to land the young Houston Texans quarterback in a trade. The Browns came over the top with a huge package of draft picks and also an unprecedented five-year, $230 million contract for Watson. The NFL has resisted guaranteed contracts, and the Watson deal obviously irked owners. There was a reason Lamar Jackson didn't get any attention when he was on the franchise tag in 2023. That became part of a collusion claim by the NFLPA. Watson flamed out badly with the Browns, and his contract will be part of the NFL conversation for years to come. 13. Deflategate This is when terms like "PSI" and "ideal gas law" became well-known by football fans. The Patriots were accused of deflating footballs below the minimum allowed by the rules, after the Colts brought the issue to the league's attention after the AFC championship game at the end of the 2014 season. The league conducted a full investigation, and even though there were many holes in the Wells Report on the issue, the NFL suspended Tom Brady four games. It was a stunningly harsh punishment given the unproven crime. And it gave Patriots haters more reason to discredit the team's dynasty. 12. Seahawks don't give the ball to Marshawn Lynch Super Bowl XLIX had the most debated play call of the century, and perhaps ever. The Seahawks, at the 1-yard line, called a pass instead of handing it to Lynch. Unknown (at the time) Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler made perhaps the most impactful single play in NFL history, changing who won a Super Bowl with one interception. The Seahawks looked like a growing dynasty at the time, but they'd never reach another Super Bowl. The Patriots played in four of the next five Super Bowls, starting with Super Bowl XLIX, winning three to solidify themselves as arguably the greatest dynasty in sports history. That play changed NFL history. 11. Spygate In this era, NFL fans like tearing down anything good, and Spygate allowed them to denigrate the Patriots dynasty. The Patriots were caught filming their opponents' signals, and the NFL got caught in the storm when it destroyed evidence right after its investigation and discipline against the Patriots. That would play a role in the over-punishment of the Patriots for Deflategate years later. Bill Belichick was fined $500,000, the Patriots were fined $250,000 and stripped of a first-round pick, and Patriots haters had a way of diminishing the team's dynasty for many years to come. Bill Belichick's Patriots were embroiled in multiple off-field scandals, but Spygate was the biggest. (Getty Images) (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) 10. Pacman Jones suspended a year In one of Roger Goodell's first big acts as NFL commissioner, he announced a new player conduct policy in April of 2007 amid numerous off-field incidents. The face of the new policy was cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, who was arrested multiple times and was suspended for the entire 2007 season. That set a new tone for player discipline from the league. 9. Michael Vick changes QB play There were other running quarterbacks before Vick, like Steve Young, Randall Cunningham and Fran Tarkenton. But Vick took it to another level with the Falcons, setting a new bar for quarterbacks who could make plays with their legs. Vick's 173-yard rushing game against the Vikings in 2002, which ended with an oft-replayed and electric Vick touchdown run in overtime, seemed like a turning point at the position. In 2002, an undersized dual-threat quarterback was an anomaly. Now it is common in the league, and that traces back to Vick changing the game. Of course, Vick's career was also defined by an infamous off-field scandal. 8. Michael Vick goes to prison for dogfighting In 2007, an investigation discovered evidence that Vick and three other men ran a dogfighting ring called Bad Newz Kennels. Vick eventually pleaded guilty and spent nearly two years in prison. The Falcons cut Vick. Vick would play seven more seasons in the NFL, including a Pro Bowl season in 2010 with the Eagles, but remained a controversial figure for his role in the dogfighting ring. 7. Chiefs draft Patrick Mahomes In the 2017 NFL Draft, the Chiefs traded the No. 27 overall pick, a third-round pick and a 2018 first-round pick to the Bills for the 10th overall pick. That got them ahead of the Saints, who liked a raw but talented quarterback out of Texas Tech named Patrick Mahomes. We didn't know it at that time, but that move by the Chiefs to draft Mahomes would change the entire NFL landscape, with the Chiefs taking over as the NFL's new dynasty when the Patriots' time was done. 6. Dan Snyder sells Snyder's missteps could have been a top 25 list of its own. No owner did more to ruin a franchise on and off the field, causing many longtime Washington fans to turn on the franchise until Snyder sold it. Finally, amid allegations of sexual harassment and also underreporting NFL revenues, Snyder sold the Commanders in 2023. That ended a terribly embarrassing era for one of the NFL's most historic franchises. It also allowed many fans to embrace their favorite team again. LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 18: Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder during a game between the Washington Redskins and the Houston Texans at FedEX Field on November 18, 2018, in Landover, MD. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images) (The Washington Post via Getty Images) 5. Tuck Rule The 2001 Patriots had plenty of moments that shaped the past quarter century. Drew Bledsoe getting injured on a hit by Mo Lewis, which led to Tom Brady taking over as New England's starter, was a huge moment. As was New England winning a Super Bowl later in the season. But we'll pick the Tuck Rule, which allowed the Patriots' playoff run to keep going when Brady's fumble — which would have finished a divisional round win for the Oakland Raiders — was reversed and ruled an incomplete pass. Who knows how NFL history is different if that little-known rule wasn't invoked? 4. Congress grills NFL about concussions In October of 2009, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith were called to testify in front of Congress about the league's handling of concussions and whether the league knew of a link between concussions and long-term health issues. That contentious testimony led the NFL to overhaul how it handles concussions within games and establish a protocol for when players can return after they have been diagnosed with a head injury. Go back and watch an old NFL broadcast; it's startling how flippant teams, players and broadcasters were about concussions when they happened. 3. Ray Rice video The NFL's history with domestic violence before Rice was too lenient. Rice was suspended two games for a domestic violence incident in 2014, but then when a shocking video surfaced of the Baltimore Ravens running back punching his fiancée, the NFL turned the suspension into an indefinite one. That led to an avalanche of criticism to the NFL for its handling of prior domestic violence cases, and a tougher policy with longer suspensions. Rice never played in the NFL again. 2. Roger Goodell becomes commissioner Goodell is a lightning rod for criticism, which is one reason he is reportedly paid more than any NFL player. Since taking over as commissioner in 2006, Goodell has been criticized repeatedly for the league's handling of player discipline for off-field transgressions and other messy incidents (many of which are on this list), but he has been on the job for nearly two decades because he has overseen tremendous financial growth for the league. Goodell's ultimate legacy will be complicated, but he has been a focal point of the league and its fans since taking over the top job, and many of his policies have shaped the league for better or worse. 1. Colin Kaepernick takes a knee No story in the NFL over the last 25 years drew a stronger reaction than Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, taking a knee for the national anthem during the 2016 season. It has been nine years since that happened — it quietly started during the preseason, with hardly anyone noticing — and Kaepernick is still a divisive topic among NFL fans and non-football fans as well. Kaepernick took a knee to bring attention to social injustice, and his intent got twisted to fit certain agendas. It became part of the 2016 presidential race when Donald Trump attacked the NFL and its owners, and when other players joined Kaepernick in taking a knee, the league desperately scrambled to figure out how to deal with an issue that went far beyond football and split the league in many ways. Kaepernick and 49ers safety Eric Reid reached a financial settlement with the NFL in their joint collusion complaint, after Kaepernick said the league conspired to keep him out after his protests. Kaepernick played with the 49ers during the 2016 season at age 29, but never played again as teams ignored him as a free agent. Politics have been a part of sports for a long time, but the intersection was never stronger than when Kaepernick and many other players around the league were taking a knee to bring attention to social injustice. In many ways, coverage of all sports and how social issues are incorporated in the discussion has changed significantly since then.
Newsweek
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Phillies Need Major Upgrades at These Two Positions
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. If not for the scorching hot start from the division rival New York Mets, the Philadelphia Phillies would be in the driver's seat in the National League East. The Phillies entered Monday just 2 1/2 games behind the Mets for the top spot in the division. That might appear to indicate that changes are not needed for Philadelphia, but that is indeed not the case. There are a couple things the Phillies could do at the trade deadline to improve the roster, and here are the two positions that need the most help. SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 23: Manager Rob Thomson #59 of the Philadelphia Phillies signals the bullpen to make a pitching change against the Athletics in the bottom of the seventhj inning at Sutter Health Park... SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 23: Manager Rob Thomson #59 of the Philadelphia Phillies signals the bullpen to make a pitching change against the Athletics in the bottom of the seventhj inning at Sutter Health Park on May 23, 2025 in Sacramento, California. More Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images Bullpen According to Wins Above Average, Philadelphia's relief pitchers have been worth minus-0.4 this season. That continued pace will not give the Phillies many chances to hold late-inning leads and secure wins in close games. The bullpen as a whole has the eighth-worst ERA in baseball at 4.50, just behind the Miami Marlins, Colorado Rockies and Baltimore Orioles. The offseason signing of Jordan Romano has not paid off, as he is currently worth minus-0.6 WAR and has a 7.11 ERA across 28 appearances. Jose Alvarado was far and away the best pitcher in the 'pen before his 80-game suspension. With an assumed surplus of relief pitching available at the trade deadline, Philadelphia would be wise to go out and acquire multiple arms to add to its bullpen. Outfield Going right back to Wins Above Average, the Phillies rank 27th in baseball at negative-2.9 from the outfielders so far this season. Nick Castellanos has been the lone bright spot while Max Kepler, Johan Rojas and Brandon Marsh have performed below average, as they all have an OPS+ under the league average of 100. With there not expected to be a ton of elite outfield talent on the market, Philadelphia may have to get creative in the way it addresses the outfield situation. That could mean moving Kyle Schwarber back to the outfield and opening the designated hitter role for free agent JD Martinez or even swinging a trade for a DH like Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves or Ryan O'Hearn from the Baltimore Orioles. Whichever way they decide to do it, the outfield will certainly need to be upgraded if the Phillies front office has any real aspirations of another deep postseason run. More MLB: Red Sox 'Can Bank' on Harsh Alex Bregman Decision After Rafael Devers Move: Insider
Forbes
23-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
NCAA March Madness: Just 2 Brackets Remain Perfect—Out Of 34 Million Submitted
Only two brackets submitted for this year's NCAA March Madness men's tournament remained perfect Sunday afternoon, during the fourth day of the college basketball competition, as entrants face near-impossible odds of perfectly predicting the outcomes of the tournament's 63 games. Over half of the brackets submitted to the NCAA were busted after game one of the tournament. (Photo ... More by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) The NCAA said Sunday that of the over 34 million brackets submitted on major platforms at the start of March Madness, only two remained perfect on the final day of the second round—both on ESPN's Men's Tournament Challenge. That number will be down to one after the Duke-Baylor game concludes Sunday afternoon, as the two brackets are split between picking the No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils and the No. 9 seed Baylor Bears. Most brackets were busted after the first game of the tournament Thursday afternoon, when No. 9 seed Creighton's win over No. 8 seed Louisville busted more than 13.3 million of the nearly 24.4 million brackets submitted to ESPN. No. 12 seed McNeese State's upset win against No. 5 seed Clemson University in a 69-67 nail-biter Thursday afternoon took out the next-biggest chunk of brackets, ending perfection for more than 6.6 million. Brackets that remained perfect after the first round concluded Friday also had to navigate correctly picking upset wins for 12-seeded Colorado State, 11-seeded Drake, 10-seeded Arkansas and 10-seeded New Mexico, while the second round Saturday delivered the biggest upset of the tournament so far when Arkansas knocked off No. 2 seed St. John's. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here. One in 9.22 quintillion if bracket submitters flip a coin or just guess for their picks. The odds improve but stay infinitesimally small if submitters have knowledge of the competing teams and NCAA basketball, lowering to one in 120.2 billion, according to the NCAA. A perfect bracket requires the outcome of a whopping 63 games to be called correctly. X, formerly known as Twitter, is offering a trip to Mars to anyone who submits a perfect bracket and $100,000 to the best bracket. If the potential perfect bracket winner does not want to make the roughly 140 million-mile voyage to Mars, they can instead receive $250,000, a SpaceX astronaut training experience and a Starship launch viewing. ESPN has randomly drawn prizes including 20 grand prizes of $5,000 for people who predict the national champion. USA Today Sports will reward $1 million to people who submit a perfect bracket. The NCAA's Bracket Challenge Sweepstakes gives the contestant with the best bracket two tickets to next year's men's Final Four, a four-night hotel stay, $1,500 for airfare and $750 in spending money. (See here for other men's and women's March Madness bracket rewards). Nobody has ever picked a verifiably perfect March Madness bracket, according to the NCAA. The closest a contestant has come was in 2019, when an Ohio man predicted 49 out of the tournament's 63 games, losing his streak during the Elite Eight round. Duke University is favored to win this year's tournament, according to DraftKings odds, which lists the powerhouse at a +320 betting line, meaning a $100 bet could net bettors $320. Following Duke in the odds race is the University of Florida (+380), Auburn University (+450) and the University of Houston (+600). March Madness Starts This Week—As Rewards For Perfect Bracket Include Trip To Mars (Forbes) Meet The Billionaire March Madness Boosters (Forbes)
Forbes
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
NCAA March Madness: Less Than 1% Of Brackets Remain Perfect On Second Day Of Tournament
A sliver of bracket submissions for this year's NCAA March Madness men's tournament remained perfect Friday afternoon, during the second day of the college basketball competition, as entrants face near-impossible odds of perfectly predicting the outcomes of the tournament's 63 games. Over half of the brackets submitted to the NCAA were busted after game one of the tournament. (Photo ... More by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) The NCAA said Friday that of the over 34 million brackets submitted at the start of March Madness, approximately 21,000 remained perfect. No. 9 Baylor University's win over No. 8 Mississippi State University busted 14,000 brackets. No. 12 seed McNeese State University held on for a win against No. 5 seed Clemson University in a 69-67 nail-biter Thursday afternoon, the biggest upset of the tournament thus far, reducing perfect brackets from 11 million at the start of the game to just under 2 million after the buzzer. When No. 10 Arkansas secured a 79-72 win over No. 7 Kansas, the number of perfect brackets dropped below 1%. The second biggest upset of Monday saw No. 11 seed Drake University beat No. 6 Missouri 67-57, slashing the number of perfect brackets by more than half once again. The first game of the tournament, Creighton University's 89-75 win over the University of Louisville, busted over half of the brackets submitted to the NCAA. About 15,000 brackets submitted with ESPN remained perfect after the tournament's first eight games, a small fraction of the 24.3 million brackets submitted to the sports network. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here. One in 9.22 quintillion if bracket submitters flip a coin or just guess for their picks. The odds improve but stay infinitesimally small if submitters have knowledge of the competing teams and NCAA basketball, lowering to one in 120.2 billion, according to the NCAA. A perfect bracket requires the outcome of a whopping 63 games to be called correctly. X, formerly known as Twitter, is offering a trip to Mars to anyone who submits a perfect bracket and $100,000 to the best bracket. If the potential perfect bracket winner does not want to make the roughly 140 million-mile voyage to Mars, they can instead receive $250,000, a SpaceX astronaut training experience and a Starship launch viewing. ESPN has randomly drawn prizes including 20 grand prizes of $5,000 for people who predict the national champion. USA Today Sports will reward $1 million to people who submit a perfect bracket. The NCAA's Bracket Challenge Sweepstakes gives the contestant with the best bracket two tickets to next year's men's Final Four, a four-night hotel stay, $1,500 for airfare and $750 in spending money. (See here for other men's and women's March Madness bracket rewards). Nobody has ever picked a verifiably perfect March Madness bracket, according to the NCAA. The closest a contestant has come was in 2019, when an Ohio man predicted 49 out of the tournament's 63 games, losing his streak during the Elite Eight round. Duke University is favored to win this year's tournament, according to DraftKings odds, which lists the powerhouse at a +320 betting line, meaning a $100 bet could net bettors $320. Following Duke in the odds race are the University of Florida (+380), Auburn University (+450) and the University of Houston (+600). March Madness Starts This Week—As Rewards For Perfect Bracket Include Trip To Mars (Forbes) Meet The Billionaire March Madness Boosters (Forbes)
Forbes
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
NCAA March Madness: Less Than 1% Of Brackets Remain Perfect On First Day Of Tournament
A sliver of bracket submissions for this year's NCAA March Madness men's tournament remained perfect Thursday night, during the first day of the college basketball competition, as entrants face near-impossible odds of perfectly predicting the outcomes of the tournament's 63 games. Over half of the brackets submitted to the NCAA were busted after game one of the tournament. (Photo ... [+] by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) The NCAA said Thursday evening that of the over 34 million brackets submitted at the start of March Madness, approximately 36,000 remained perfect. No. 12 seed McNeese State University held on for a win against No. 5 seed Clemson University in a 69-67 nail-biter Thursday afternoon, in the biggest upset of the tournament thus far, reducing perfect brackets from 11 million at the start of the game to just under 2 million after the buzzer. When No 10. Arkansas scored a 79-72 win over No. 7 Kansas, the number of perfect brackets dropped below 1%. The second biggest upset of the night then saw No. 11 seed Drake University beat No. 6 Missouri 67-57, slashing the number of perfect brackets by more than half once again. The first game of the tournament, Creighton University's 89-75 win over the University of Louisville, busted over half of the brackets submitted to the NCAA. About 540,000 brackets submitted with ESPN remained perfect after the tournament's first eight games, a small fraction of the 24.3 million brackets submitted to the sports network. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here. One in 9.22 quintillion if bracket submitters flip a coin or just guess for their picks. The odds improve but stay infinitesimally small if submitters have knowledge of the competing teams and NCAA basketball, lowering to one in 120.2 billion, according to the NCAA. A perfect bracket requires the outcome of a whopping 63 games to be called correctly. X, formerly known as Twitter, is offering a trip to Mars to anyone who submits a perfect bracket and $100,000 to the best bracket. If the potential perfect bracket winner does not want to make the roughly 140 million-mile voyage to Mars, they can instead receive $250,000, a SpaceX astronaut training experience and a Starship launch viewing. ESPN has randomly drawn prizes including 20 grand prizes of $5,000 for people who predict the national champion. USA Today Sports will reward $1 million to people who submit a perfect bracket. The NCAA's Bracket Challenge Sweepstakes gives the contestant with the best bracket two tickets to next year's men's Final Four, a four-night hotel stay, $1,500 for airfare and $750 in spending money. (See here for other men's and women's March Madness bracket rewards). Nobody has ever picked a verifiably perfect March Madness bracket, according to the NCAA. The closest a contestant has come was in 2019, when an Ohio man predicted 49 out of the tournament's 63 games, losing his streak during the Elite Eight round. Duke University is favored to win this year's tournament, according to DraftKings odds, which lists the powerhouse at a +320 betting line, meaning a $100 bet could net bettors $320. Following Duke in the odds race are the University of Florida (+380), Auburn University (+450) and the University of Houston (+600). March Madness Starts This Week—As Rewards For Perfect Bracket Include Trip To Mars (Forbes) Meet The Billionaire March Madness Boosters (Forbes)
