Sports
Landon Donovan on San Diego Wave gig: 'I don't worry about the next job'
From the San Diego Wave hotel in Panama City, Landon Donovan addressed reporters for the first time since being named the team’s interim head coach. The former U.S. men’s national team forward said he has a “steep” learning curve as he coaches women’s professional soccer for the first time, but it’s a challenge he can’t wait to start.
“Every day, I wake up after not sleeping because I’m so excited. My wife’s like, ‘Why are you out of bed again at 3 a.m.?’ I’m excited to do this every day, and the project’s phenomenal. There’s amazing resources,” Donovan said. He said Wave ownership has promised to help him achieve whatever he wants for the team, something any head coach — interim or not — would like to hear.
GO DEEPER
Landon Donovan named San Diego Wave interim coach
The Wave traveled early to Panama ahead of their first CONCACAF W Champions Cup match against Santa Fe FC on Tuesday night, in part to get Donovan some extra time with the team, as it’s only had a handful of training sessions since he took over. Donovan wants to balance stabilizing the team with implementing his ideas, while also being aware that Wave president Jill Ellis and general manager Cami Ashton value the CONCACAF tournament as much as they do the NWSL playoffs.
Monday, Donovan said he had spoken directly with the Wave’s leadership group — and planned to speak to defender Naomi Girma once she returns from her break following the Olympics — and planned to meet with over a dozen players later in the day.
The Wave won the 2023 NWSL Shield, earning them a spot in the Champions Cup. (Elsa / Getty Images)
“It’s important for me to get to know them as individuals quickly,” he said. “I want to get to know them as human beings. We spend a lot of time on that, and we build real human connections with our players, and that’s important for me.”
Donovan said multiple times that he’s been impressed by the speed at which the players are picking up new ideas, but he stressed there’s more to it than tactics as he hits the ground running with the 10th-place Wave.
How Donovan got the Wave job
Donovan’s connections with the Wave go beyond his time as head coach of the former USL Championship men’s team, the San Diego Loyal, and the crossover the teams had early in the Wave’s existence.
“I’ve known Jill (Ellis) since 2015. I was at the World Cup final in Vancouver, and we spent a lot of time together after the match and got to know each other,” Donovan said of his connection to the former USWNT head coach. “She’s an incredible human being. She’s an incredible leader. We’ve kept in touch over time.”
Donovan said he had texted Ellis when the team was going through “a hard time.”
The Wave are currently in 10th place but only 3 points out from the final playoff spot, thanks to the league’s expanded playoff format. In June, the team parted ways with head coach Casey Stoney, who had led it to win the NWSL Shield in 2023, earning the team a spot in the CONCACAF W Champions Cup.
Last month, Ellis was accused of workplace abuse, which she denied. The NWSL confirmed that Ellis and the Wave were the subject of reports of misconduct, which the league investigated via an independent third party. No league policy violations were found. At the end of July, Ellis filed a lawsuit against a former Wave employee who alleged workplace misconduct on social media.
GO DEEPER
Jill Ellis files lawsuit against former San Diego Wave employee for defamation
Ellis texted Donovan back, asking if he had any interesting coaching candidates for her to consider.
“I didn’t (immediately) respond to the message,” Donovan said Monday. “I thought about it for a little bit that evening. I talked to my wife. I said: ‘I love San Diego. We’ve loved watching and supporting the Wave. I miss coaching. Maybe I should think about it.’”
He replied to Ellis, saying that if she was interested in having the conversation, he’d be ready to talk.
“That’s how it started, and now we’re here,” he said. Those conversations, according to Donovan, were “really open and honest.” They were about building something identifiable, something the club as a whole could be proud of. Donovan said that with Ashton stabilizing the soccer side of the staff, they needed someone to help stabilize things with players, particularly “confidence and culture.”
How Donovan’s experience can help the Wave
“My No. 1 core value is compassion,” Donovan said Monday, citing his experience with mental health. He said he was fully aware of what the players have been through, not just this year but throughout their careers.
“I don’t view this as purely a soccer job,” he said. “My job is to have a positive impact on their life every day. That doesn’t have to be on the field.”
He brought up a recent conversation he had with San Diego and U.S. forward Alex Morgan after she was left off the Olympic roster.
“I went through the same thing that she went through this summer. I got left off a team, and I have the ability to empathize because I went through that,” Donovan said. “We had a long talk — ‘How do you make the last stretch of your career still positive?’ I was able to come back and win a championship that season with my team, and that was the lasting impression of that season, not getting cut.”
GO DEEPER
Alex Morgan has designed her own USWNT exit by setting the next generation up for success
Landon Donovan spoke to Alex Morgan after she was left off the U.S. Olympic roster. (Ira L. Black – Corbis / Getty Images)
Donovan was also asked about his approach to developing younger talent, like 16-year-olds Melanie Barcenas and Kimmi Ascanio. He leaned again on his experience.
“I’ve been in (Barcenas’) shoes. I was a 16-year-old who had a lot of talent that people were talking about, and I know exactly what she’s going through. So that will be one of my personal projects, for sure,” he said. He has yet to see Ascanio play in person due to some injuries, but he’s watched the film, and he mentioned other young players such as Jaedyn Shaw.
But Donovan remained consistent about his objective.
“Because of all the experiences I’ve been through, I think I can connect with them on a really personal level,” he said. “If I make them better soccer players, that’s great, and I think I will, but I want to make them better human beings too.”
Does Donovan view this job as a stepping stone?
Though Donovan holds a U.S. soccer A-level coaching license, he has no experience in the NWSL or professional women’s soccer, and some questioned whether he viewed the Wave job as a potential stepping stone.
US soccer legend Landon Donavon is set to become the San Diego Wave interim coach 🌊🇺🇸@susannahcollins, @Nicocantor1, @CharlieDavies9 and @TMeola1 weigh in on the new appointment 👇 pic.twitter.com/sMwCYiCYgk
— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) August 16, 2024
“Let me share something that I’ve never shared publicly before because that’s an interesting take from people,” Donovan said Monday. “I’ve been offered four MLS jobs in my life since I started coaching, and I turned down all of them.”
Donovan said there were a few reasons for declining those offers, including his love of San Diego and his desire to work with “good people.” For Donovan, the Wave gig checks both boxes.
“There is no better place in the world for me to be working right now than where I’m working with the Wave. I am so content and so at peace, and so I understand why people question that, or question my motivation or whatever,” he continued. “People questioned my motivation when I didn’t play in Europe my whole career. I was happy to play in LA and help grow MLS around good people and have passion for a project that I believed in and be close to my family.
“I don’t worry about the next job or the next gig or what this means or a stepping stone. I am present and happy to be here, and I want to help this team succeed.”
He did say the door is open to a permanent position, but his contract only goes through the end of the 2024 season.
“If one side doesn’t want it or the other, no problem. There’s no hard feelings, and we’ll move on,” Donovan said. “But let’s put our whole heart into it and go for it, and then we’ll figure out where we go from there.”
(Top photo: John Wilkinson / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes will be out for the rest of the season as he suffered a torn ACL on Sunday in a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, according to multiple reports.
Mahomes’ knee buckled while he was scrambling and as he was getting hit by Chargers defensive end Da’Shawn Hand. He was helped off the field and he limped to the locker room. An MRI reportedly confirmed the extent of the damage.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes grabs his knee after being injured during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)
The quarterback wrote a message to fans as word of his injury trickled out.
“Don’t know why this had to happen,” Mahomes wrote on X. “And not going to lie (it) hurts. But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again. Thank you Chiefs kingdom for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I Will be back stronger than ever.”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid offered a gloomy outlook for Mahomes as he spoke to reporters following the loss.
PHILIP RIVERS THROWS FIRST TOUCHDOWN PASS SINCE 2020 SEASON
Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Odafe Oweh (98) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 14, 2025. (Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)
“… It didn’t look good,” Reid said when asked whether he knew if Mahomes’ injury was serious. “I mean you guys saw it. We’ll just see where it goes.”
The loss to the Chargers also meant the Chiefs will not be making the postseason. Kansas City made it to the AFC Championship each season since 2018. They made it to the Super Bowl in each of the last three seasons, winning two titles in that span.
Mahomes will finish the season with 3,398 passing yards and 22 touchdown passes.
Bundle FOX One and FOX Nation to stream the entire FOX Nation library, plus live FOX News, Sports, and Entertainment at our lowest price of the year. The offer ends on Jan. 4, 2026. (Fox One; Fox Nation)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Kansas City is 6-8 on the year.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On a day when the Chargers took a big step toward the postseason, the Kansas City Chiefs lost their most important player.
What started in balmy Brazil ended Sunday in the bitter cold of Arrowhead Stadium. The Chargers completed a season sweep of AFC West bully Kansas City with a 16-13 victory that ultimately knocked the Chiefs out of playoff contention for the first time in 11 years.
It was the third-coldest game in Chargers history — 15 degrees at kickoff — and showcased a red-hot defense that paved the way to Los Angeles wins over Philadelphia and Kansas City, last season’s Super Bowl teams, in consecutive weeks.
“This is a ball team,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said, gleeful after his team won for the sixth time in seven games. “A real ball team.”
This Chargers season, which began with a 27-21 victory over the Chiefs in São Paulo, is just the second in the last 13 years in which they beat their division rival twice.
Harbaugh began his postgame remarks on a somber note, wishing the best for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who left the game late in the fourth quarter after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee when he was hit by defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand.
Gardner Minshew closed out at quarterback for the Chiefs, and the game ended when Derwin James Jr. intercepted his final pass. There would be no fantastic finish for the franchise that won the last nine division titles.
“We’ve been going at those guys for a while, going back to Baltimore,” said Chargers edge rusher Odafe Oweh, acquired in a trade with the Ravens this season. “It was long overdue.”
A week after Cameron Dicker kicked five field goals in the win over Philadelphia, he kicked three more against the Chiefs.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes grabs his left leg after sustaining a torn ACL in the fourth quarter.
(Reed Hoffmann / Associated Press)
Oweh had two sacks of Mahomes, and Tuli Tuipulotu had two more. The defense had the Chiefs in a hammer lock, limiting them to 190 yards in the air and a mere 49 on the ground.
Still, the Chargers had to dig themselves out of a hole. They faced a 13-3 deficit late in the second quarter before tearing off 13 unanswered points.
Justin Herbert threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith with five seconds left in the first half to start the comeback. After that it was Dicker and defense for the visitors.
“It was really cool that we were able to close out a one-score game like that,” said Herbert, who said his surgically repaired left hand felt tight in the cold weather but was better, as was his grip on the ball. “How many times we’ve played them and it’s been those one-score games? The defense came up with the turnovers and the stops.”
Kansas City, trailing by three, got all the way down to the visitors’ 17 early in the fourth quarter but the Chargers yet again came up big on defense. Linebacker Daiyan Henley intercepted a third-down pass near the goal line, getting position on running back Kareem Hunt and essentially becoming the receiver on the play.
“I was surprised to even see the ball go up in the air, but I had to revert back to my receiver days and get an over-the-shoulder look,” said Henley, who last lined up as a pass catcher six or seven years ago at the University of Nevada Reno. “Eye-hand coordination is something you just have to have in those moments.”
Not everything the Chargers defense did was so smooth. Safety Tony Jefferson was ejected in the fourth quarter after a helmet-to-helmet hit that knocked Chiefs receiver Tyquan Thornton out of the game. The call to send Jefferson packing was not made by officials on the field, who flagged him for unnecessary roughness, but by league officials watching from New York.
Earlier in the second half, Jefferson flattened receiver Rashee Rice with another devastating hit, and Rice came after him as the Chargers safety made his way off the field and toward the locker room. Players from both sides intervened.
Chargers safety Tony Jefferson leaves the field after being ejected against the Chiefs on Sunday.
(Reed Hoffmann / Associated Press)
In response to the booing crowd, Jefferson raised both middle fingers, a gesture that likely will draw more attention from the league.
“I apologize for that,” he said afterward. “I’m classier than that. I was just caught up in the moment. Emotions get high. I won’t sit here and act like I’m a perfect man. I messed up when I did that.”
The Chargers (10-4), who finish the season at Denver, have yet to lose an AFC West game. They are 5-0 in those and remain within striking distance of the division-leading Broncos.
It won’t be an easy road. The Chargers play at Dallas next Sunday, then play host to Houston before closing out the regular season against the Broncos.
“I started thinking, this is my favorite ball team I’ve ever been on,” Harbaugh said. “Been on some good ones. None better than this one.
“They’re tight. Fates are intertwined. It’s unselfish. Nothing anyone is doing is for themselves.”
And on this frigid Sunday, that paid some unforgettable dividends.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the first Hoosier to win the coveted Heisman Trophy, college football’s most prestigious award.
Mendoza claimed 2,392 first-place votes, beating Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 votes), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 votes) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 votes).
Mendoza guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a nation-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores.
Indiana, the last unbeaten team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl Jan. 1.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza runs off the field after a game against Wisconsin Nov. 15, 2025, in Bloomington, Ind (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Mendoza, the Hoosiers’ first-year starter after transferring from California, is the triggerman for an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last season’s surprise run to the CFP.
A redshirt junior, the once lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. The trophy was established in 1935.
NO 2 INDIANA CAPS OFF COMEBACK WIN OVER PENN STATE WITH SENSATIONAL TOUCHDOWN, KEEPS UNDEFEATED SEASON ALIVE
Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top 10 finish in Heisman balloting, and it marks another first in program history. It now has had players in the top 10 of Heisman voting in back-to-back years. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year.
Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the last five years. Travis Hunter of Colorado, who played wide receiver and cornerback, won last season.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza throws before a game against Wisconsin Nov. 15, 2025, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Mendoza was named The Associated Press Player of the Year earlier this week and picked up the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards Friday night while Love won the Doak Walker Award.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers Announce Starting Lineups For Tonight’s Game
World Junior Championships: Team USA arrives to Minnesota
Philip Rivers fell one throw short of storybook ending in his couch-to-Colts return
NFL Week 16 opening odds: Lions favorites over Steelers in final home game
AU’s Healthy Grandparents program holds Christmas party
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Bill and Hillary Clinton’s Stance on Epstein Testimony Nov. 3
Small Business Administration unveils new initiative to roll back federal regulations
Analysis: Trump’s policies set to widen EU-US innovation gap
With federal relief on the horizon, Black farmers worry it won’t come soon enough
Trump’s election win filled Hamas with ‘fear,’ hostage held like ‘slave’ for 505 days recounts
-
Alaska1 week agoHowling Mat-Su winds leave thousands without power
-
Texas1 week agoTexas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
-
Washington6 days agoLIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
-
Iowa1 week agoMatt Campbell reportedly bringing longtime Iowa State staffer to Penn State as 1st hire
-
Miami, FL1 week agoUrban Meyer, Brady Quinn get in heated exchange during Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami CFP discussion
-
Iowa2 days agoHow much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals
-
Cleveland, OH1 week agoMan shot, killed at downtown Cleveland nightclub: EMS
-
World1 week ago
Chiefs’ offensive line woes deepen as Wanya Morris exits with knee injury against Texans
