Alabama
NFL Monday night: Former Alabama prep star becomes league career leader
Marcus Jones returned a punt 94 yards for a touchdown to send the New England Patriots on their way to a 33-15 victory over the New York Giants on Monday night.
With its 10th consecutive victory, New England became the first NFL team to reach 11 wins in the 2025 season.
Jones’ touchdown return came off a 54-yard punt by New York’s Jamie Gillan and put the Patriots ahead 10-0 with 5:17 left in the first quarter as they raced to a 30-7 halftime lead.
The punt return was the 75th of Jones’ career, qualifying the former Enterprise High School and Troy standout for the NFL’s career record book, and his 14.63-yards-per-return average went to No. 1 in league history.
Jones replaced George McAfee, who averaged 12.78 yards on 112 punt returns for the Chicago Bears from 1940 through 1950, with three years missed for military service in World War II.
Later in the game, Jones had punt returns of 17 and 13 yards, bringing his all-time best average to 14.64 yards.
Only twice in NFL history has a player from an Alabama high school or college had a longer punt-return touchdown than Jones did on Monday night.
On Nov. 24, 1968, San Diego Chargers cornerback Speedy Duncan from Druid High School in Tuscaloosa returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown in a 37-15 loss to the New York Jets in an AFL game.
On Jan. 1, 2017, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill from West Alabama returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown in a 37-27 victory over the Chargers.
The third punt-return touchdown of Jones’ career was his second of 2025. Jones returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown during a 42-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 28.
Jones’ Monday-night effort tied the franchise record for the longest punt-return touchdown, equaling Julian Edelman’s 94-yarder in a 38-7 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 2, 2011.
New England quarterback Drake Maye completed 24-of-31 passes for 282 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions on Monday night.
In addition to Jones, who started at cornerback for the Patriots, seven other players from Alabama high schools and colleges got on the field during the New York-New England game:
- Christian Barmore (Alabama) started at defensive tackle for the Patriots. Barmore made five tackles.
- Carlton Davis (Auburn) started at cornerback for the Patriots. Davis made five tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and broke up two passes.
- Patriots tight end CJ Dippre (Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive.
- Cor’Dale Flott (Saraland) started at cornerback for the Giants. Flott made five tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.
- Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (Dadeville, Alabama) made two tackles on defense, recorded one tackle for loss and had one tackle on special teams.
- Giants offensive linebacker Evan Neal (Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
- Giants defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Central-Phenix City) made one tackle.
- Patriots safety Dell Pettus (Sparkman, Troy) did not record any stats.
- Darius Slayton (Auburn) started at wide receiver for the Giants. Slayton had two receptions for 41 yards and one touchdown. Slayton’s first touchdown of the 2025 season came on a 30-yard pass from quarterback Jaxson Dart as New York reduced New England’s lead to 17-7 with 12:46 left in the first half. Slayton also caught a 2-point conversion pass after New York’s second touchdown.
- Patriots wide receiver Jeremiah Webb (South Alabama) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
- Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (Hueytown) dressed for the game but did not play. Winston had started the previous two games and thrown for 567 yards in a 27-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 16 and a 34-27 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions on Nov. 23. Winston returned to the sideline with the return of rookie QB Jaxson Dart from a concussion.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
New England (11-2) does not play against until Dec. 14 as the Patriots enter their bye week. New England will return against the Buffalo Bills at noon CST Dec. 14 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
New York (2-11) also is set for its open date in Week 14 of the NFL season. The Giants return against the Washington Commanders at noon Dec. 14 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Alabama
South Alabama named first team in 88th National Invitation Tournament
INDIANAPOLIS – Ahead of the 88th National Invitation Tournament, South Alabama has been named as the field’s first team.
The automatic berth for South Alabama is based on a prior agreement made between the NIT Board of Managers and the university following the 2025 selection process that resulted in the Jaguars not being included in the NIT field.
The agreement included minimum requirements for South Alabama’s regular season results. The Jaguars surpassed the requirements with ease, finishing with a 21-10 regular season record. At 11-7 in Sun Belt Conference play, South Alabama tied for second in the league.
Regular season champions that do not make the NCAA Tournament either as an automatic qualifier or as an at-large team automatically get a bid to the NIT if they have an average ranking of 125 or better across the seven metrics that appear on team sheets.
A full overview of selection principles and procedures is available here.
The NIT semifinals and finals will take place in Indianapolis as part of a five-day celebration of basketball during which the NIT and NCAA Divisions I, II and III champions will be crowned. The semifinals will be played April 2 at Hinkle Fieldhouse at 7 and 9:30 p.m. on ESPN. The championship game on April 5 will tip at approximately 8 p.m. on ESPN2 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse following the conclusion of the Division II and III national championship games. The Men’s Final Four will be on TBS and takes place Saturday, April 4 and Monday, April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium. For tickets, visit www.ncaa.com/mbbtickets.
Alabama
Is flashing your headlights legal in Alabama? Here’s what the law says
How much does it cost to fix damage to your car from a pothole?
Springtime is often the season of potholes. Here are some tips to keep your tires safe from damage.
A quick flash of your headlights can catch someone’s attention faster than a horn. On busy or quiet streets, it’s a simple, wordless way drivers communicate.
Sometimes it’s a quick “thanks,” a warning or just a mystery. But is this way of communicating legal? Here’s what Alabama law says about flashing headlights.
Is it legal to flash your headlights at other cars in Alabama?
Yes, in Alabama, it technically is legal to flash your headlights at another car. There are no laws that explicitly say it’s illegal. However, some codes prohibit the use of high beams.
Alabama law says drivers must use low beams when within 500 feet of oncoming traffic or 200 feet of the vehicle ahead. These rules help everyone see clearly and stay safe.
Is flashing headlights to warn drivers of speed traps a form of free speech?
See a speed trap? Flashing your headlights to warn others is common. Is it legal? The Free Speech Center at MTSU notes that courts have protected this as free speech.
In 2012, Michael Elli of Ellisville, Missouri, was pulled over for warning of a speed trap by flashing his headlights. Officials said he hindered police, but later agreed he did not.
Other similar cases were Elliott v. Warrick County in 2014 and Beaver v. City of Federal Way in 2018.
Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter in Alabama for USA TODAY’s Deep South Connect Team. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@usatodayco.com.
Alabama
Breaking Down Auburn’s Path to the NCAA Tournament Ahead of Alabama Clash
The Auburn Tigers are firmly on the bubble heading into the final game of the regular season, and the urgency couldn’t be higher for Steven Pearl and company.
Auburn travels to Tuscaloosa for a rematch with the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, currently standing at 16-14 overall and 7-10 in the SEC. Alabama knocked off the Tigers on their home floor at Neville Arena just over three weeks ago, meaning Auburn should be seeking revenge this weekend inside Coleman Coliseum.
The Tigers have dropped seven of their last nine games, most recently falling to Ole Miss 85-79 last Saturday and defeating LSU by 14 points on Tuesday’s senior night. Auburn played like two extremely different teams in these two matchups, and it certainly needs to carry the momentum it garnered from the midweek win into Saturday.
The newly updated NCAA Tournament projections feature Auburn on the outside looking in, according to multiple outlets. The Tigers are listed as ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s second team out of the field, which is disappointing after sitting as a solid No. 7-seed just a few weeks ago.
In CBS Sports’ latest bracketology, Auburn is projected to land as the First Team Out, alongside New Mexico, Seton Hall, and Indiana. However, the Tigers actually boast a higher NET ranking than all seven of the other squads featured in CBS Sports’ Last Four In and Last Four Out.
Prior to its clash with Ole Miss last Saturday, the general consensus was that if Auburn took care of business on its home floor against the Rebels and LSU, the Tigers would put themselves in a good position to crack the tournament, assuming they lost to Alabama in the season finale.
However, obviously, Auburn was unable to get both tasks done, as Pearl’s squad, frankly, seemed uninspired in what was a near must-win game for the Tigers versus Ole Miss. Auburn looked slightly more motivated in its victory over LSU on Tuesday, but could it be too late?
Now, with Auburn sitting just two games over .500 overall and playing some of its worst basketball as of late, it feels as if its season is absolutely on the line in Tuscaloosa on Saturday.
ESPN’s most recent betting odds lean toward Auburn missing the tournament, but a win over the Crimson Tide could, and would, certainly shift that line.
If the Tigers are able to emerge from Coleman Coliseum victorious, which would be a top-20 Quad-1 win on the road, they will most likely hear their name called on Selection Sunday.
But on the flip side, if Auburn falls to its arch rival to close the regular season, it would likely need to win three games or more in the SEC Tournament next week to feel somewhat hopeful about its postseason fate.
Nonetheless, as mentioned previously, there’s no excuse why urgency shouldn’t be at an all-time high on Saturday. With their NCAA Tournament hopes virtually on the line and a chance for revenge on their most-hated rival, the Tigers should come out desperate and hungry from the tip.
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