Sports
Jared Goff proves again he's the impetus behind turnarounds as Lions oust Rams
Jared Goff telegraphed this pass.
We should have known he would flip a U-turn in the Motor City, leading the Detroit Lions to their first playoff victory in 32 years.
He was a big part of dramatic turnarounds in college and with the Rams but this is different. The Detroit Lions are Goff’s team. Their offense runs through him. And on a monumental stage Sunday night, he came through in a huge way, leading the Lions to a 24-23 victory.
For the first time, the Ford Field crowd chanted his name and vigorously booed Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, a legendary Lion. It was nothing personal, but the stakes were that high and this was a landmark moment.
All the Rams were loudly booed as they emerged in position groups from the locker-room tunnel. A parade of Teslas would be received more warmly in this automotive capital.
Goff felt the love from the hometown fans.
“This place is special to me, these people are special,” he said. “That’s the best home atmosphere I’ve ever played in front of. I expect next week to be on top of that, or second.”
That there is a “next week” for the Lions is a testament to Goff, who completed his first 10 passes on his way to a turnover-free, 277-yard performance. Detroit will host the noon PST game Sunday against the winner of Monday’s game involving Philadelphia and Tampa Bay.
“He looked loose, he looked relaxed,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of Goff. “I thought he threw the ball with conviction, was strong in the pocket, got us into the right play, and he felt that way all week.
“He’s one of the reasons that we won this division and he’s another reason why we just won our first playoff game here in 30 years, so what a stud.”
Detroit quarterback Jared Goff (16) walked off Ford Field as the winner against his former team, the Rams, and the Lions’ former quarterback, Matthew Stafford.
(Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Operating out of his territory with 2 minutes left, Goff completed an 11-yard pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown that essentially clinched the game. It gave the Lions a first down and forced the Rams to use their final timeout.
Three kneel-downs later and the game was over.
Check out Goff’s history. When he was at the University of California, his teams went from 1-11 his freshman season to winning a bowl game. The No. 1 overall pick played sparingly for the 4-12 Rams during his rookie year but found himself in the Super Bowl two years later.
And while Stafford was guiding the Rams to a Super Bowl victory two years ago, Goff and his new Detroit teammates were slogging through a 3-13-1 season.
But it was clear from the wild ovation he received Sunday night that Goff has found a home in Detroit. He’s a rock star here, even though he’s the same slim, unassuming, sleepy-eyed guy people knew in Los Angeles.
“I feel like it just confirms for everybody what we already know,” Lions tackle Taylor Decker said. “He’s a special player and we wouldn’t be where we’re at without him.”
About half an hour after the game, wearing his uniform pants, a gray Lions T-shirt and flip-flops, he did a live interview for a national broadcast, then got a warm greeting from a handful of people from the Rams. Tim McVay, father of coach Sean McVay, came over to congratulate him. So did Brendan Burger, Rams equipment director.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff, right, meets with former Rams teammate Cooper Kupp (10) before their NFC wild-card game.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Then Goff shared a bear hug and longer conversation with Rams tight end Tyler Higbee, who hobbled off the field after a low hit flipped him on his head. Higbee suffered a knee injury but the extent was not immediately known.
“He’s one of my best friends,” Goff said. “Him sustaining the injury he did is hard. It’s hard for me to sit on the sidelines and watch that. But he’ll be just fine and I love him.”
Also evident, the love Detroit fans have for Goff. The ear-splitting ovation he received during pregame introductions had Ford Field shaking. That ceremony, in general, was overwhelming to at least one Lions player.
“I had to do some little breathing exercises to slow me down because I was getting too hyped,” tackle Penei Sewell said. “Truly. I loved it, though.”
Goff had a signature moment near the end of the game. After taking that first knee, he turned to the end zone closest to him, threw his arms in the air and basked in the cheers.
“It was surreal,” he said. “It was something you imagined for so long, from the moment I got here you imagined getting that playoff win and having this type of atmosphere in front of our home crowd. To be able to sit on the ball like that and finish it out.”
Ex-Ram turned X-Factor.
Caitlin Clark hit in throat during WNBA loose-ball scramble, sparking backlash and game suspension
WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark was hit in the throat during a loose-ball scramble, sparking outrage and a one-game suspension for Alyssa Thomas. Fox News’ Garrett Tenney reports on the ‘absolutely unacceptable’ incident and the coach’s reaction. Political analyst Gianno Caldwell discusses Clark’s immense impact on WNBA viewership, including a $2.2 billion deal, and the role of gender and race in the controversy.
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Phoenix Mercury All-Star Alyssa Thomas is the latest villain to Caitlin Clark fans after punching Clark in the throat during a game on Wednesday night.
The referees missed the punch in real time, but fans and the league office did not.
A viral clip of the punch in slow motion spread across social media, pouring gasoline on the ongoing culture war surrounding Clark’s physical treatment by opposing players, which has been a controversial issue dating back to Clark’s rookie season in 2024.
And Less than 24 hours after the incident, the WNBA slapped Thomas with a one-game suspension for what was deemed a “reckless” and “non-basketball act.”
Who is the woman behind the punch?
If Thomas wasn’t in the WNBA, she says she would go pro in combat sports
In a 2019 interview with Nike PLAYlist, Thomas answered what sport she would have gone pro in if she didn’t go pro in basketball.
“Either boxing or MMA,” Thomas said.
If Thomas never went pro in any sport, she said she would have gotten into dentistry.
“Since I was a kid, I loved going to the dentist. I just was fascinated with teeth and still am. I’m passionate about that whole process of cleaning,” according to a profile on WNBA.com.
The first time Thomas stepped on a basketball court, she threw a ‘hissy fit’
Thomas was signed up to try basketball for the first time at the age of five by her mother, Tina, per the WNBA.
Thomas said she “Threw myself all down the stairs, down the hallway,” while her mom said “She just threw an absolute hissy fit.”
WNBA SUSPENDS ALYSSA THOMAS FOR ‘RECKLESSLY’ HITTING CAITLIN CLARK IN THROAT DURING SCRAMBLE
Her parents didn’t let her win a popular board game
Thomas’ parents never took it easy on her when they played “Candyland” as she was growing up.
“We weren’t the parents that were just going to let you win,” Tina said, per the WNBA.
“In life, you have to fight, and how are you going to fight if you don’t teach your kids to fight? So if she fell over, ‘get up, you’re alright,’ and if she didn’t get up, you knew something was wrong.”
It was a parenting tactic also used by the father of New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter, who famously never let Jeter win in board games or card games when he was growing up, to instill harsh competitiveness at an early age.
Thomas added that her mom was especially hard on her and helped develop her toughness.
“By no means was it easy, and it’s still not easy,” Thomas said.
Thomas plays more physically because shoulder issues hinder her shooting ability
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas scrambles to get up over Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark during a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on June 24, 2026. The Phoenix Mercury defeated the Indiana Fever 111-109. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Thomas currently plays basketball with torn labrums in both of her shoulders.
The injuries are so severe that she completely lacks the structural integrity to lift her arms and shoot a traditional, fluid jump shot. Instead, she is forced to use a rigid, one-handed pushing motion from her chest just to get the ball to the rim.
Because she cannot rely on outside shooting, Thomas adapted by leaning entirely into her physical frame. She drives directly into the teeth of opposing defenses, absorbing heavy contact in the paint to score closer to the basket.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark shown after falling in the lane while Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas watches the ball at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Indianapolis, Indiana on June 24, 2026. (Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
That brutal, driving style requires her to initiate intense physical collisions on nearly every single possession.
Despite the mechanical limitations and constant pain, the tactical shift worked. She transformed herself into a six-time All-Star, three-time First-Team All-WNBA, an Olympic gold medalist and the undisputed triple-double queen of the WNBA.
Thomas has been the center of immense criticism this week
The throat punch on Clark ignited a fierce wave of backlash.
Indiana Fever Head Coach Stephanie White led the charge, completely unloading on Thomas and the league’s officials during her postgame press conference.
“We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren’t called,” White said, pointing directly at Thomas’s actions. “Absolutely unacceptable.”
White argued that Thomas regularly crosses the line from playing physical defense into inflicting dangerous, non-basketball contact.
“It’s absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful,” White continued to fume to reporters. “The fist in the throat is crazy. It’s crazy. It’s dangerous.”
On Thursday, Fever President Kelly Krauskopf released a statement praising the decision to suspend Thomas.
“Player safety should be paramount in our league. We appreciate the WNBA’s review of last night’s incident and the action taken. Right now our focus is on Caitlin and our entire team as we prepare for Saturday,” Krauskopf wrote.
Former Minnesota Vikings captain and prominent conservative activist Jack Brewer said the punch would be considered a “hate crime” if the roles were reversed.
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“This would be considered a hate crime if it were the other way around,” Brewer told Fox News Digital.
Other critics have expressed their own outrage on social media.
Sports
Parents of ex-NFL player Doug Martin allege excessive force by Oakland police in wrongful death suit
The parents of Doug Martin filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that police officers used excessive force in trying to subdue the former NFL running back while he was “experiencing a mental health crisis” last October.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the Northern District of California, also claims that paramedics contributed to Martin’s death by failing to “provide timely medical care.” The city of Oakland, several police officers and emergency medical service provider Falck USA/Northern California were named as defendants.
Martin died Oct. 18 in a hospital following his arrest by officers responding to reports of a break-in at a residence. He was 36. His death remains under investigation by Oakland police.
According to the Alameda County coroner’s office, Martin’s autopsy reports still are being finalized. Martin family attorney John Burris told the Athletic that an independent pathologist told the family that Martin potentially died from restraint asphyxia.
“Plaintiffs allege, on information and belief, that Decedent Martin died from restraint asphyxia caused by Oakland police officers and the FALCK NORCAL paramedics’ failure to provide timely medical care,” the lawsuit states.
The Oakland Police Department and Falck Norcal did not immediately respond to messages from The Times.
According to the complaint, Martin was “experiencing a mental health crisis” when his mother called for paramedics. He then fled and hid in a neighbor’s basement, where officers found him.
“After a brief struggle, defendant police officers physically restrained him,” the complaint states. “During the restraint, decedent Martin was placed face down while one or more officers pressed on his back. After a period of time, defendant Officers turned him onto his side.
“When they did so decedent Martin was unresponsive seemingly unconscious; However, the defendant officers initially believed he was sleeping or pretending to be sleep. When decedent Martin remained unresponsive, an officer requested medical assistance.
“Plaintiffs are informed and believe that decedent Martin did not receive immediate medical attention. Falck paramedics arrived over 15 minutes after the call for service and, and when they arrived, did not promptly provide medical care.”
A Stockton native, Martin was a first-round pick by Tampa Bay in the 2012 draft. He played six seasons for the Buccaneers, making the Pro Bowl in 2012 and 2015, before spending his final season with the Oakland Raiders in 2018. In his career, Martin rushed for 5,356 yards and 30 touchdowns.
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With 48 teams competing and a grueling path through the knockout stage, reaching the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be an accomplishment in itself.
Only four nations will survive the tournament’s first 100 matches and earn a spot in the final four, putting themselves within two victories of lifting the most coveted trophy in sports.
Let’s take a look at the latest odds to reach the semifinals at FanDuel Sportsbook as of June 26.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
To Reach Semifinals
Argentina: +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total)
France: +110 (bet $10 to win $21 total)
Spain: +120 (bet $10 to win $22 total)
England: +165 (bet $10 to win $26.50 total)
Portugal: +210 (bet $10 to win $31 total)
Brazil: +270 (bet $10 to win $37 total)
Netherlands: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)
Germany: +330 (bet $10 to win $43 total)
USA: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)
Norway: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Colombia: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Belgium: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Morocco: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Switzerland: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Mexico: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Japan: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Croatia: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Ecuador: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Canada: +1700 (bet $10 to win $180 total)
Austria: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)
Here’s what to know about this oddsboard:
The Top 10: Argentina, France, Spain, England, Portugal, Brazil, the Netherlands and Germany — all considered powerhouse countries — stand at the top of the board, with each nation listed at +330 or better to reach the semifinals. But right after that group? The USA and Norway. The Americans have never made it to the semifinals of the World Cup, and this is Norway’s first appearance in the tournament since 1998.
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