Sports
No joke: Chargers' Jim Harbaugh reminds Denzel Perryman of Will Ferrell
The expanding list of first impressions made by Jim Harbaugh on the Chargers grew by one Monday — a rather hilarious one.
“I don’t want to get in trouble for this, but he reminds me of Will Ferrell,” linebacker Denzel Perryman said. “The way that he talks, his analogies and everything. They really remind me of Will Ferrell.
“It’s funny to me. I know that he means well and everything’s coming from the heart, but I feel like you gotta have a sense of humor to understand some of his lines and gimmicks.”
Perryman had no history with Harbaugh before returning to the team that signed him in March as a free agent. About eight weeks earlier, the Chargers had hired Harbaugh as head coach.
Now the two are trying to rally the team back from a 5-12 finish, Perryman one of options to man the middle of a defense being revamped in the image of what Harbaugh ran at Michigan.
“I love him as a coach,” Perryman said. “I love the direction that he’s got us going in. He played the game. He played here. He understands.”
As the Chargers continued their offseason program in Costa Mesa, their defense looked as complete as it has since the middle of 2023. That’s because edge rushers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa both were present.
The two multiple-Pro Bowlers joined their teammates on the field for the first time this offseason during the portion of practices open to the media. Both restructured their deals in March to remain with the team.
Now, Perryman is back, too, after spending two seasons with Las Vegas and one with Houston. The Chargers drafted Perryman in the second round in 2015, and he emerged as a hard hitter during his first six NFL seasons.
“Feels good to be back, back where it all started,” Perryman said. “Feels like I’m back home.”
Rookie linebacker Junior Colson has impressed the Chargers with his understanding of the defense, the same scheme played at Michigan.
(Paul Sancya / Associated Press)
He is the learned presence at a position where the Chargers also feature a pair of risers in second-year pro Daiyan Henley and rookie Junior Colson, along with veterans Nick Niemann and Troy Dye.
Perryman and Henley took the first snaps during 11-on-11 drills Monday, after Colson left the workout early — walking off the field with trainers — and did not return.
Having played for Harbaugh in college, Colson is familiar with the scheme being implemented by first-year coordinator Jesse Minter, who also came from Michigan.
That experience, plus Colson’s sideline-to-sideline play-making and overall on-field command, have boosted his projections since the Chargers drafted him in the third round last month.
“We’re in meetings, and he’s answering every single question,” linebacker coach NaVorro Bowman said. “He’s there to settle them [fellow linebackers] down and really just say, ‘Hey, coach is talking fast, but it’s just this.’ ”
As for Colson’s development, Bowman said he “just needs to learn how to be a pro. I think that’s where I come in.”
An eight-year veteran, Bowman began his career with San Francisco, where he played for Harbaugh from 2011-14. He was named a first-team All-Pro four times and led the NFL in tackles in 2015.
Bowman said his tutelage of Colson will include everything from when to take chances on the field to how to care for his body off it. In watching Colson play at Michigan, Bowman said he “saw a leader.”
He also said Perryman will provide an example for the Chargers’ young linebackers.
“He’s a 10-year vet,” Bowman said. “He’s doing the things that a lot of 10-year guys I played with wouldn’t do. He’s approaching it the right way.”
One change for Perryman in his Chargers return will be his jersey number. He will wear No. 6, which he had last season with the Texans. During his first stint with the Chargers, Perryman was No. 52. That now belongs to Mack.
“Honestly, I wasn’t paying Khalil Mack millions of dollars for No. 52,” Perryman said, laughing. “I was like, ‘Yeah, he can have it.’ Six was available, so I just started rocking with it again.”
Known for his light and engaging personality, Perryman was in midseason form during his first session with reporters, the highlight being his comparison of Harbaugh to a comedian known for his often goofy characters.
Perryman was asked if he’s mentioned the Will Ferrell observation to his new head coach.
“Not yet,” he said. “But I’m pretty sure he’ll hear this and talk to me about it tomorrow.”
Trump says there’s ‘no time frame’ to secure Iran deal
Republican Minnesota Senate candidate Tom Weiler joins ‘Fox & Friends’ to discuss President Donald Trump’s blockade in the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S.-Iranian conflict continues and react to Gov. Tim Walz’s, D-Minn., criticism of the president.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Saudi Arabia was among the countries seeing missiles fly into their airspace as a conflict broke out in the Middle East between the U.S. and Iran.
The prospect of Iran targeting its Middle Eastern neighbors like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates put some sporting events on hold and questioned others. Formula 1 races in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were canceled and rumors swirled around whether future WWE events could be held in the kingdom.
Roman Reigns celebrates his win during WWE’s Royal Rumble at Riyadh Season Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Jan. 31, 2026. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
As the Trump administration brokered a ceasefire with Iran, WWE announced on Thursday that its Night of Champions premium live event will be held in Riyadh on June 27.
“We are proud to welcome Night of Champions back to Riyadh and look forward to delivering another unforgettable night of WWE action for fans in the Kingdom and around the world,” General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Al-Sheikh said in a news release.
PRO WRESTLING STARS CHRIS SABIN, ALEX SHELLEY TALK POSSIBILITY OF WWE USING TNA’S GIMMICK MATCHES
Sami Zayn makes his entrance during Night of Champions at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 28, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
The release touted that WrestleMania 43 will still be held in Riyadh in 2027. It will be the first time that WrestleMania is held outside the U.S.
WWE president Nick Khan was adamant before WrestleMania 42 that the event will still take place in Saudi Arabia despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“We’re doing WrestleMania next year in Saudi,” he said at a Sports Business Journal event, via The Sporting Tribune. “First time ever, WrestleMania will be outside the United States or Canada. And we’ve had a big, fruitful partnership with them.”
John Cena wrestles CM Punk during Night of Champions at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 28, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
He added that those complaining about WrestleMania being held in Saudi Arabia were a “vocal minority.”
Thousand-dollar tickets and hundreds of dollars in fees shocked some hopeful Olympic fans this month, but they did not keep LA28 from boasting strong sales in the committee’s first ticket drop.
LA28 announced Thursday that it sold more than 4 million Olympic tickets during the first ticket drop. The private organizing committee will have a second ticket drop in August with “refreshed inventory across all Olympic sports at a range of price points.”
But after the popularity of the first purchasing period, many of the lower-priced tickets have already been scooped up.
LA28 said roughly half of the total 1 million $28 tickets were sold during the locals presale, which was limited to people living near venue cities in Southern California and Oklahoma City.
The average price per Olympic ticket is less than $200, which includes a mandatory 24% service fee, and LA28 said about 75% of all tickets, including final events, will be under $400. The premier seats at high-demand events command more than $1,000 per ticket, but the highest priced categories make up about 5% of the total ticket inventory.
Artistic gymnastics sold out the quickest in Drop 1. Four new Olympic sports — flag football, lacrosse, softball and squash — sold all their available inventory for the first drop. After five days of local presale, global ticket sales opened and drew fans from 85 countries and all 50 states and U.S. territories. The largest international sales came from the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico and Japan.
For the first female-majority Olympic Games, LA28 reported that women’s Olympic sessions outsold men’s 93% to 88% during the first drop.
“The response to our initial on-sale was nothing short of historic. Fans from near and far have spoken: the world wants to be part of the LA28 Games,” LA28 chief executive officer Reynold Hoover said in a statement. “The success of Drop 1 is about more than momentum — it reflects LA28’s commitment to delivering a fiscally responsible Games that create a lasting legacy for Los Angeles and its communities.”
Drop 2, which will begin in August, will have additional tickets across all Olympic sports, including those that may have sold out during the first purchasing windows. The registration period for Drop 2 opened Thursday and will continue until July 22. Fans who registered for the first drop of tickets but did not receive a time slot and fans who did not buy their maximum 12 general ticket allotment will automatically be entered into the random lottery Drop 2. The new registration period is only required for anybody who did not sign up for the initial drop.
Fans are still limited to 12 Olympic tickets and up to 12 soccer tickets that don’t count toward the general maximum. There is a four ticket per ceremony limit for the opening and closing ceremony that count toward the 12-ticket maximum, which is cumulative across all LA28 presales and ticket drops.
LA28 will have multiple ticket drops with assigned purchasing time slots before ticket sales move to a first-come, first-served format closer to the Games, which open on July 14, 2028. LA28 began its ticketing process earlier than most other Olympic Games with tickets going on sale more than two years in advance of the opening ceremony. The early timeline has created excitement for the first Summer Olympics in the United States since Atlanta 1996, but also prompted concerns about scheduling. Fans clamored for tickets with little information about which teams or athletes would be competing in most sessions.
Tickets are not refundable, but fans can opt for verified resale when LA28 launches its official resale system in 2027. AXS and Eventim is the official secondary ticket marketplace of the LA28 Games and Ticketmaster and Sports Illustrated Tickets have also signed on as additional verified resale platforms.
LA28 will have 14 million tickets available for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which would eclipse the record of 12 million tickets sold for the Paris Games. Paris 2024 sold an about 9.5 million tickets for the Olympics, but used a different ticket system than LA28. For Paris, 3.5 million tickets were sold during the first phase, during which fans were required to buy tickets to at least three different sports instead of the option for single-event tickets available during LA28’s Drop 1 process.
Tickets for the 2028 Paralympics, which will be the first in L.A.’s history, will go on sale in 2027. Ticket sales and hospitality are expected to cover about $2.5 billion of LA28’s expected $7.1 billion budget for the first Games in L.A. in more than 40 years.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
An envoy for President Donald Trump has reportedly asked FIFA to replace Iran with Italy in the 2026 World Cup this summer.
The Financial Times reported the plan is an effort to repair the relationship between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which soured after the former’s comments against Pope Leo XIV regarding the war with Iran.
United States special envoy Paolo Zampolli suggested the idea to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
President Donald Trump receives the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5, 2025. (Emilee Chinn/FIFA)
“I confirm I have suggested to Trump and Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup. I’m an Italian native, and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a U.S.-hosted tournament,” Zampolli told the outlet. “With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.
Italy had a chance to be in the World Cup already, but it lost in a penalty shootout to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff final.
CHELSEA STAR SAYS HE WAS ‘CONFUSED’ TRUMP SHARED STAGE AS PLAYERS CELEBRATED CLUB WORLD CUP WIN
Italy became the first World Cup-winning team to miss three consecutive tournaments after the 4-1 penalty shootout loss earlier this month.
“We still don’t believe it that we’re out and that it happened in this manner,” Italy’s Leonardo Spinazzola told reporters at the time, according to the New York Post.
“It’s upsetting for everyone. For us, for our families and for all the kids who have never seen Italy at a World Cup.”
While Zampolli told Infantino about his proposed plan, FIFA’s president said Iran “for sure” will play in the World Cup despite the conflict involving the U.S.
Mehdi Taremi of Iran celebrates after scoring a goal during a 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers Group A game against Uzbekistan at Azadi Stadium in Tehran March 25, 2025. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu)
“The Iranian team is coming, for sure,” Infantino said during the CNBC Invest in America Forum earlier this month in Washington, D.C.
“We hope that, by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. That would definitely help. But Iran has to come, of course. They represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play.”
Infantino visited the Iranian national team in Turkey, which is where it has its training camp.
All three of Iran’s group stage games are scheduled to be played in the U.S. That remains the case after Iranian government officials suggested to FIFA that their games be moved to Mexico because they could not travel to the U.S.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed FIFA’s rejection of Iran’s request, and it is insisting Iran play where it’s scheduled — SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and Lumen Field in Seattle. Iran said earlier this month it would only decide on its team’s participation once it heard from FIFA regarding its relocation request.
Iran is scheduled to play at SoFi Stadium against New Zealand June 16 to begin its tournament. It will also play Belgium at the stadium before finishing group play against Mo Salah and Egypt in Seattle June 26.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends an international friendly between Mexico and Portugal at Banorte Stadium in Mexico City March 28, 2026. (Antonio Torres/FIFA/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Trump wrote in a Truth Social post last month that Iran would be welcome to compete in the World Cup as scheduled, though it might not be “appropriate” considering the conflict.
“The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” he wrote.
Trump also told Politico, “I really don’t care,” when asked about Iran’s participation in the tournament. Infantino, who has a strong relationship with Trump, said Trump has “reiterated” to him that the U.S. welcomes Iran’s team to compete.
Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj and 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.
-
Montana4 minutes agoMontana Class AA girls track and field leaders ahead of Optimist Invite
-
Nebraska10 minutes agoToday in History – April 23: Cottonwood named Nebraska’s state tree
-
Nevada16 minutes agoThree more Nevada counties included in disaster declaration
-
New Hampshire22 minutes agoN.H. lawmakers to vote on increasing tolls, civil rights, and k-12 education – The Boston Globe
-
New Jersey28 minutes agoWhen do hummingbirds return? See the migration map
-
New Mexico34 minutes agoState Police investigate shooting involving US marshals in Deming
-
North Carolina40 minutes ago
Halifax County man wins $209 million in Powerball drawing
-
North Dakota46 minutes agoNorth Dakota Lands All-Conference ATH Brady Lee Out of Wisconsin
