GREEN BAY, Wis. — Jordan Love celebrated the Green Bay Packers’ victory on Thanksgiving by taking a bite out of a turkey leg and raising it in the air.
His feast was a long time coming.
Love led the Packers to a Thanksgiving Day triumph in Detroit last year but wasn’t given a turkey leg afterward, as is customary in these televised postgame interviews.
Jordan Love (left) and Tua Tagovailoa meet on the field during the Packers’ 30-17 Thanksgiving win over the Dolphins on Nov. 28, 2024. AP
His teammates vowed to make sure Love got a turkey leg this time, and he earned it by throwing two touchdown passes to Jayden Reed in a 30-17 win over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night.
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“To be able to come in here, get the win, get the turkey leg after, it was very delicious,” said Love, who went 21 of 28 for 274 yards. “Just a little something to celebrate.”
Josh Jacobs brought a turkey platter into the locker room as Green Bay (9-3) commemorated a third straight victory.
The Packers, who have won seven of their last eight games, built a 27-3 lead and made a goal-line stand to thwart a comeback attempt.
Miami (5-7) continued its recent history of struggling in cold weather.
The kickoff temperature at Lambeau Field was 27 degrees (-2.7 Celsius) with 10 mph winds, light flurries and a wind chill of 18.
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“I would say, from my standpoint and our team’s standpoint, we’re not going to use any of that as an excuse for why we didn’t get the start that we wanted,” said Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was 37 of 46 for 365 yards with two touchdowns despite getting sacked five times.
A dejected Tua Tagovailoa exits the field after the Dolphins’ loss to the Packers. Getty Images
The Dolphins have lost their past 12 regular-season or postseason games in which the temperature at kickoff has been below 40 degrees (4.4 Celsius).
The Dolphins’ most recent victory in a game with a kickoff temperature at 40 or lower was a 34-31 overtime triumph at Buffalo on Dec. 24, 2016.
Green Bay is playing three games in a 12-day stretch.
The Packers beat the San Francisco 49ers 38-10 on Sunday and will visit the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions next Thursday night.
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“I thought we played well for it being a short week,” Packers safety Xavier McKinney said. “I thought we came out there and had the right mindset. And we started fast, and that was the key to today’s win.”
A smiling Jordan Love (10) and Josh Jacobs enjoy some turkey while being interviewed by Melissa Stark and Leroy Butler after the Packers’ Thanksgiving win. Getty Images
Love and Reed connected on touchdown completions of 3 and 12 yards, Jacobs scored from 1 yard out and Brandon McManus kicked two field goals as Green Bay led 27-3 midway through the third quarter.
Miami tried to rally.
Tagovailoa’s 14-yard pass to De’Von Achane – and a 2-point conversion pass to Jaylen Waddle – cut Green Bay’s lead to 27-11 with 2:43 left in third. After Miami stopped Jacobs for a 2-yard loss on third-and-1 to force a punt, the Dolphins drove again and had second-and-goal at the 1 early in the fourth quarter.
“We fought hard,” Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. “We have no quit in us. I really genuinely believed we were going to give ourselves a chance to win at the end.”
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Green Bay’s goal-line defense vanquished those hopes. After Rashan Gary stopped Achane on second down and Tagovailoa couldn’t connect with Jonnu Smith on third down, Quay Walker made a fourth-down sack with 9:33 remaining.
Christian Watson makes a 46-yard reception after beating cornerback Storm Duck during the Packers’ win. Mark Hoffman -Imagn Images
A 49-yard completion from Love to Jacobs then set up McManus’ 33-yard field goal with 5:02 left.
Miami completed the scoring on a deflected 12-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to Tyreek Hill with 3:04 remaining.
Miami’s slow start enabled the Packers to take command.
After forcing a three-and-out on the opening possession, the Dolphins gave Green Bay a first-and-goal opportunity when Malik Washington muffed a punt and Robert Rochell recovered at the 9.
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The turnover set up Love’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Reed on third-and-goal.
Green Bay reached the end zone again on its next series as Jacobs’ touchdown capped a 12-play, 76-yard drive that lasted nearly seven minutes.
The Dolphins had first-and-goal at the 9 in the second quarter but settled for Jason Sanders’ 33-yard field goal.
Green Bay then scored 10 points in the final 96 seconds of the half to make it 24-3.
On third-and-2 from the 12, Reed caught a pass around the line of scrimmage and used a downfield block from Dontayvion Wicks to reach the end zone.
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After Tagovailoa overthrew Achane on fourth-and-5 from the Green Bay 38 with 22 seconds left, a couple of completions from Love to Tucker Kraft helped the Packers get into position for McManus’ 46-yard field goal as time expired.
From that point on, it was pretty much just a matter of making sure Love didn’t go hungry.
“That was the one thing that was the most important to me, was making sure Jordan got his leg,” Kraft said.
MIAMI (WSVN) – A 21-year-old man was arrested on a charge of sexual battery on a minor by an adult and lewd or lascivious molestation stemming from an alleged incident involving a 10-year-old girl, according to an arrest report.
According to the report, Alvin Davis was arrested due in connection from an alleged incident that occurred Oct. 16, 2025, in Miami. The child’s mother, who became suspicious and placed a recording device in the child’s bedroom.
The report states the girl told investigators that Davis touched her inappropriately on multiple occasions.
Authorities said Davis was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and is being held without bond.
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Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is expected to be a late first-round draft pick on Thursday night, which will bring him a guaranteed four-year contract worth around $20 million. But he considered turning that down for a big-money offer to stay in college.
Simpson, who has previously said that Miami offered him $6.5 million to transfer and play for the Hurricanes in 2026, said on David Pollack’s podcast that the money was too good not to at least think about.
“I think the last offer was definitely one that I just had to sit down and consider, because it would have been life-changing money,” Simpson said. “It would have made me the highest-paid player in college, and it was something to where I was like, I can’t just ignore this. I have to sit down and think about it. That’s how I am, I don’t want to do anything sporadic. I want to sit down and think it all out, and it really just came down to how I wanted to be remembered and what do I want to do.”
Simpson, who spent three years as a backup at Alabama before becoming the starter last year, went to his former coach, Nick Saban, for advice.
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“I actually talked to Coach Saban about this,” Simpson said. “The things he was talking about were, do you want to play football in college, or do you want to play football professionally? And he was like, ‘Take the money out of it, take the rounds out of it, what do you want to do next year?’ And without a doubt, without hesitation, I said, ‘I want to play professional football.’ And he was like, ‘Well, there’s your answer.’ It was something that I’ve always dreamed of, and I felt that I was ready to take that next step and be the face of a franchise and lead a locker room.”
It’s a different world in football now that players might make more money with another year in college than their annual average salary will be in the NFL. Now, players have to think about whether the NCAA or the NFL will be more lucrative. NIL deals have changed both college football and pro football.
Photo Credit: @CanesFootball via X // redshirt senior wideout Cooper Barkate catches a 29-yard touchdown from Darian Mensah during Miami’s Spring Game on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at Cobb Stadium.
After more than three months removed from a devastating national championship loss, over 5,000 fans gathered at Cobb Stadium on Saturday morning for a first look at Miami football’s 2026 squad.
The annual spring game offered exactly that: a mix of evaluation and entertainment. Miami structured the day differently this year, using the first half for position drills, including passing, red zone and agility work, before transitioning into a live scrimmage in the second half.
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Much of the attention centered on new quarterback Darian Mensah, a transfer from Duke. While he started slow, Mensah quickly settled in and showed why he’s expected to lead the Hurricanes this fall.
Mensah connected multiple times with familiar target Cooper Barkate, his former teammate at Duke. The duo picked up right where they left off, highlighted by a 29-yard touchdown to the back corner of the end zone. Mensah added a 33-yard touchdown pass to Daylyn Upshaw and a five-yard score to Cam Vaughn, another transfer addition.
Calm in the pocket and effective under pressure, Mensah extended plays and delivered accurate throws, flashing the kind of playmaking ability Miami fans have been eager to see.
With several returning starters such as wide receiver Malachi Toney and running back Mark Fletcher seeing limited action, opportunities opened for younger players to contribute. RB Jordan Lyle capitalized, breaking off multiple strong runs and showing quick footwork in the open field.
Behind Mensah, Miami showcased its quarterback depth. Judd Anderson, Luke Nickel and early enrollee Dereon Coleman all saw snaps, with Nickel making a strong case for the backup role. Coleman flashed potential but remains a longer-term development piece.
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Photo Credit: @CanesFootball via IG // Miami quarterback Darian Mensah performs handshake with redshirt senior wideout Cooper Barkate during Miami’s Spring Game on April 18, 2026, at Cobb Stadium.
Defensively, Miami may have delivered the most impressive performance of the day.
Despite losing key contributors such as Ruben Bain and Akheem Mesidor to the NFL, the Hurricanes controlled the line of scrimmage and limited offensive production. Defensive lineman Damon Wilson, a transfer from Missouri, along with tackles Justin Scott and Jarquez Carter, consistently disrupted plays. Scott’s quickness stood out against the run, while Wilson applied steady pressure off the edge.
In the secondary, Boston College transfer Omar Thornton, along with JJ Dunnigan and Xavier Lucas, contributed to multiple stops with tight coverage and physical tackling.
The offensive line, featuring several new faces and only one returning starter, showed flashes but remains a work in progress. Freshman Jackson Cantwell has big shoes to fill with Sisi Mauigoa declaring for the NFL draft. At 6-foot-8, 330 pounds, Cantwell acted as a brick wall protecting his QB and winning the battle at the line. However, the second team offensive line had some struggles, with two bad snaps in a row.
For many in attendance, however, the spring game was about more than just performance. It served as a rare opportunity for families and fans to connect with the program in a more personal setting, celebrating players beyond what they show on the field.
“It’s him fulfilling his dream and doing what he wants to do,” said the grandmother of wide receiver Milan Parris. “He’s my oldest grandson, and I’m just over the moon. I’m extremely proud of him.”
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While the defense may have controlled much of the action, the day ultimately served as an early glimpse into a team balancing new talent, developing depth and high expectations.
With nearly five months until the season opener against Stanford on Sept. 4, Miami leaves the spring with promise and plenty to still refine.
