Dolphins fire Mike McDaniel, the quirky, inventive coach who they once viewed as their future
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins have fired coach Mike McDaniel following a 7-10 season in which Miami missed the playoffs for the second straight year. The decision Thursday ends McDaniel’s four-year tenure in Miami, a period defined by soaring expectations that ultimately went unfulfilled. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said he spoke with McDaniel on Thursday morning to inform him of the decision. The Dolphins went 35-33 under McDaniel, reaching the playoffs in his first two seasons but losing in the first round each time.
Patrick Kane becomes 50th player in NHL history to reach 500 goals
DETROIT (AP) — Patrick Kane became the 50th player in NHL history to reach 500 goals, scoring his second goal of the game into an empty net with 3:53 left to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 on Thursday night. The 37-year-old Kane is the fifth U.S.-born player to reach the milestone, following Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538), Jeremy Roenick (513) and Joe Mullen (502). Brett Hull, a dual citizen who was born in Canada and played internationally for the United States, had 741 goals. Kane opened the scoring on a two-man advantage with 29 seconds left in the first period. Kane has 1,369 points, five behind Modano for the U.S.-born mark.
2-time Olympic champion Chloe Kim injures shoulder, ‘trying to stay optimistic’ for Italy
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim says she dislocated her shoulder in training and doesn’t know whether she’ll be able to compete at the Winter Games in Italy next month. Kim posted footage of her fall on the halfpipe in Switzerland, where the world’s top snowboarders compete later this month in a key pre-Olympic tune-up. She remains optimistic and has full range in the shoulder and expects to know more after tests Friday.
Stuffed dragons rain after Ilia Malinin’s brilliant short program at US Figure Skating Championships
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ilia Malinin delivers a flawless short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, setting him on track for a fourth straight title. On Thursday night, the 21-year-old scores 115.10 points, nearly 25 points ahead of Tomoki Hiwatashi. Malinin’s performance shatters the world-best score he set earlier this season. Known as the “Quad God,” he impresses with a quad flip and a quad lutz-triple toe loop. Fans shower the ice with stuffed dragons, a nod to his role in promoting the Winter Games. Malinin is a favorite for the Olympic team, with the announcement expected Sunday.
No. 1 Indiana and No. 5 Oregon turn CFP Peach Bowl semifinal into celebration of Big Ten’s supremacy
ATLANTA (AP) — The College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl is a celebration of the Big Ten’s strength with No. 1-seed Indiana facing No. 5-seed Oregon. The game is a rematch. Indiana won at Oregon 30-20 on October 11 to hand the Ducks their only loss. Indiana is undefeated. Each team is coming off dominant wins. Indiana overwhelmed Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl as Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza threw three touchdown passes. The Ducks shut out Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl. Brandon Finney Jr. had two interceptions and a fumble recovery. The Peach Bowl winner will face Miami for the national title.
In Cristobal’s image, Miami’s beefy offensive line steamrolls a path to title game
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Mario Cristobal is taking his Miami Hurricanes to the national championship after the kind of performance that the former offensive lineman had to love. The No. 10 seed Hurricanes dominated the line of scrimmage for the majority of their 31-27 victory over No. 6 Ole Miss on Thursday night in the Fiesta Bowl, racking up an impressive 191 yards rushing as a veteran offensive line spent much of the night steamrolling the Rebels’ defense. Miami’s veteran, massive line has been one of the team’s strengths all season and created some big holes for Mark Fletcher Jr., who ran for 133 yards on 22 carries. The Hurricanes finished with 459 total yards.
T-wolves hold a pregame moment of silence for Renee Good, the woman fatally shot by an ICE officer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have held a moment of silence before their game for Renee Good, the 37-year-old woman fatally shot in her car by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. Good was killed following a brief confrontation with ICE officers Wednesday morning on a Minneapolis street about 3 miles from Target Center. The shooting fueled further protests around the Twin Cities in light of a recent surge of ICE activity in the area as part of the Trump administration’s illegal immigration crackdown. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch says the Minneapolis community “has suffered yet another unspeakable tragedy.”
Washington QB Demond Williams Jr. announces he will return to Huskies, won’t enter transfer portal
Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. will return to the Huskies for the 2026 season rather than enter the transfer portal. Williams announced his decision on social media Thursday evening. His change of heart heads off a potentially messy dispute with the school. According to multiple reports, Washington was prepared to pursue legal options to enforce Williams’ lucrative name, image and likeness contract. Williams had announced on Tuesday that he would leave the Huskies after his sophomore season. Athletic director Pat Chun says in a statement that contracts with student-athletes need to be enforced and respected.
Tarik Skubal asks for record $32 million in arbitration while Detroit Tigers offer $19 million
NEW YORK (AP) — Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal asked for a record $32 million in salary arbitration while the Detroit Tigers offered the left-hander $19 million. Skubal was the most prominent of the 18 players who swapped figures with their teams. Those without agreements face hearings before three-person panels from Jan. 26 to Feb. 13. A two-time All-Star, the 29-year-old Skubal will be eligible for free agency after the World Series. He is 54-37 with a 3.08 ERA in six major league seasons. Seattle outfielder Randy Arozarena was among 148 players reaching deals, agreeing at $15.65 million).