Connect with us

Sports

NFL’s Christmas games lose major star power as key quarterbacks sidelined with injuries

Published

on

NFL’s Christmas games lose major star power as key quarterbacks sidelined with injuries

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

On paper, Netflix had great divisional matchups on Christmas Day for Week 17 when the season began.

Of course, the NFL season never goes as planned, and the three matchups scheduled for the holiday are not what anyone had planned.

The reason? Star quarterbacks won’t be playing in each game.

Advertisement

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott walks off the field after the team’s NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)

Christmas Day’s first kickoff will be an NFC East battle between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders, with both teams already eliminated from playoff contention.

And while Dak Prescott and company are looking to finish the season strong, the Commanders shut down Jayden Daniels, their second-year quarterback who led them to the NFC Championship Game in his rookie season just a year ago, after reaggravating his elbow injury.

In fact, the Commanders won’t even see Marcus Mariota, Daniels’ backup who has had to start eight games this season, as he’s dealing with an injury as well. It will be veteran Josh Johnson making the start in Landover, Maryland, on Christmas Day for a 4-11 Commanders squad that hoped to at least make the playoffs after a fantastic finish in 2024.

CHIEFS ANNOUNCE RELOCATION TO KANSAS BY THE 2031 NFL SEASON WITH NEW DOME STADIUM

Advertisement

“When you do circle those matchups, that’s exactly what you’re thinking: This is going to be cool. How it’s all laid out — division games right here at the end between two games of Philadelphia with a Dallas game in between,” Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said.

“Playing these division games, they still mean a lot.”

Unfortunately for both squads, it will only be for bragging rights.

Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders looks on from the sidelines after leaving the game during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)

In the 4:30 p.m. ET slate, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, a storied NFC North rivalry, the home team in Minneapolis will be without its own second-year signal caller — J.J. McCarthy.

Advertisement

McCarthy suffered an injury in the win over the New York Giants last week, and it will be Max Brosmer having to start again for Kevin O’Connell’s group.

The Minnesota product’s first career start didn’t work out too well in Seattle, as the Seahawks had their way on defense against Brosmer. Perhaps a home crowd will do him and the Vikings’ offense better, but the Lions at least still have something to play for.

Detroit heads into this game following a tough loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where a game-winning touchdown was called back after Amon-Ra St. Brown was penalized for offensive pass interference, negating Jared Goff flying into the end zone after a pitch-back from the star receiver.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes chews his mouth guard during warmups before an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)

The Lions need to win their remaining two games, while also needing the Green Bay Packers to lose their last two games to secure the final NFC wild card spot.

Advertisement

Finally, and perhaps the biggest disappointment for Netflix, is the Kansas City Chiefs not having Patrick Mahomes on the field this holiday season.

Mahomes suffered a torn ACL, which he quickly had surgery to repair, following a loss that knocked them out of playoff contention two weeks ago. The Chiefs were hoping that his backup, Gardner Minshew, could finish out the season, but he tore his ACL last week in a loss to the Tennessee Titans.

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)

That leaves USF alum Chris Oladokun, who filled in for Minshew last week, starting against Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos — a 12-3 squad who already clinched their playoff berth. Denver will still be playing hard, as they’re competing for the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC, which would ensure home games throughout the playoffs.

Advertisement

These games were supposed to be potential division/playoff clinching matchups, but the NFL and its fanbase will be hoping these games are not as lopsided as some believe they could turn out to be.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Advertisement

Sports

New York Attorney General Letitia James joins FIFA investigation into possible ticket price gauging

Published

on

New York Attorney General Letitia James joins FIFA investigation into possible ticket price gauging

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

New York Attorney General Letitia James has joined New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport to launch an investigation into FIFA’s high World Cup ticket prices on Wednesday, the New York Post reports.

Officials say the steep prices have sparked a “gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices,” ahead of the soccer tournament next month.

FIFA FACES LAWSUIT OVER PLAN TO BAN IRAN’S PRE-REVOLUTION ‘LION AND SUN’ FLAG AT 2026 WORLD CUP STADIUMS

New York Attorney General Letitia James stands silently during a press conference at the office of the Attorney General in New York City on Dec. 15, 2025. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Advertisement

Both James and Davenport announced the joint probe — which includes subpoenas sent to FIFA by the two attorneys general — to focus on the myriad issues that stem from the soccer federation’s ticket sales for the tournament, including reports that fans were being misled about where their seats were located in addition to the exorbitantly high prices.

“Being honest about ticket sales is not complicated. But FIFA has turned buying a ticket to the World Cup into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices — all at the expense of consumers and hardworking New Jerseyans,” AG Davenport said in a statement.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

The FIFA World Cup 2026 winner trophy is displayed at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, as the draw for the 2026 World Cup European qualifiers begins on Dec. 13, 2024. (Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu)

The joint probe from both states makes sense when considering a number of World Cup games, including the final on July 19, are being played at nearby MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Advertisement

Sky-high ticket prices for the World Cup seem to be a bipartisan issue, as this probe comes in the wake of President Donald Trump also making disparaging comments regarding the high prices earlier this month, which were routinely rumored to be north of $1,000.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

President Donald Trump dances at the end of the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington on Dec. 5, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)

“I did not know that number,” President Trump said, “I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you.”

The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Sports

Noted New York menace Spider-Man crashes J.K. Simmons’ night at the Mets game

Published

on

Noted New York menace Spider-Man crashes J.K. Simmons’ night at the Mets game

Look, up in the stands — it’s J.K. Simmons and your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!

The Academy Award-winning actor, who portrayed Daily Bugle chief J. Jonah Jameson in director Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy, was reunited with his onscreen nemesis at the New York Mets game Tuesday.

After a clip from “Spider-Man” was shown on the stadium screen at Citi Field during the Mets game against the Cincinnati Reds, the camera cut to Simmons in the stands. In the row behind him was Jameson’s favorite masked menace, reading a copy of the Daily Bugle.

The “Whiplash” actor played along with the bit, turning around to face Spider-Man and waving his arms to express his displeasure. Channeling his inner Jameson, a spirited Simmons then motioned for Spider-Man to get tossed from the game. Photos and videos of the moment have been shared across social media.

(A devoted Detroit Tigers fan, Simmons repped his favorite team under the Mets jersey he wore at the game.)

Advertisement

After playing Jameson in Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy that wrapped in 2007, Simmons returned to the role for a mid-credits cameo in the 2019 film “Spider-Man: Far From Home” when the vocal Spider-Man critic revealed the hero’s identity to the world. Simmons’ incarnation of the character has since appeared in “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” (2021), “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021) and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (2023).

The next installment of the webslinging superhero’s adventures is “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which hits theaters July 31. Simmons’ involvement has not officially been confirmed.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Thunder push Spurs to brink with dominant Game 5 win as Wembanyama posts series-low 20 points

Published

on

Thunder push Spurs to brink with dominant Game 5 win as Wembanyama posts series-low 20 points

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

The Oklahoma City Thunder are just one win away from a second consecutive NBA Finals berth. The Western Conference Finals shifted back to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night, with the defending league champions pulling away in the second half for a 127-114 victory in Game 5.

The reigning two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points and nine assists Tuesday night.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder watches during the fourth quarter of Game Five against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on May 26, 2026. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Advertisement

Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 24 points and five rebounds, while Victor Wembanyama finished with a series-low 20 points.

Entering Tuesday, the Spurs appeared to follow a relatively simple formula for success in the Western Conference Finals: When Wembanyama was the best player on the floor, they won. When he wasn’t, they lost.

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama looks on during the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Wembanyama, who delivered 41- and 33-point performances in the Spurs’ two wins earlier in the series, never appeared to fully find his rhythm in Game 5. He was 4 for 15 from the floor, missing all five of his 3-point attempts.

He offered an impassioned speech to teammates during a timeout barely two minutes into the third quarter, after the Thunder opened an 18-point lead. And it worked — to a point. Oklahoma City scored again to get the lead up to 20, but the Spurs closed within eight later in the third.

Advertisement

Elsewhere, the New York Knicks will have to wait until at least Thursday to find out which team emerges from the Western Conference.

Jared McCain of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates during the fourth quarter of Game Five against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 26, 2026. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Even before Game 5 of the Spurs-Thunder series tipped off, San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson was asked about Knicks fans in Manhattan chanting, “We want Wemby! We want Wemby!”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I know New York’s on fire. They won so that city is obviously enjoying it and they’ve had a heck of a playoff run,” Johnson said. “But unfortunately, I’ve been pretty locked-into what we’ve got going right here in front of us.”

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending