Sports
Pro Football HOF revises eligibility requirements for coaches
Super Bowl-winning coaches Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll are potentially closer to Canton as the Pro Football Hall of Fame has revised its selection process, reducing the time a coach must wait to become eligible for enshrinement. But other changes to the process could raise the bar for enshrinement.
Coaches now will only have to wait a year for eligibility after retirement as opposed to the previous five-year period, the Hall of Fame announced Friday.
Although Belichick hasn’t officially retired from coaching after parting ways with the New England Patriots earlier this year, the changes could see him being fitted for a bust in 2026 should he decide to call it a career — the same with Carroll who parted ways with the Seattle Seahawks following the 2023 season.
The revisions also include another benefit for coaches as it separates them from the contributors category, meaning their candidacy will only be judged against other coaches. The change ensures that at least one coach and one contributor will be among the 20 finalists the Selection Committee will discuss and vote on when it meets ahead of the Super Bowl.
While Belichick in particular figures to breeze into the Hall the first time he’s eligible, the changes announced could narrow the path for coaches and contributors whose credentials are not as strong.
The new process will send three Senior candidates (players retired at least 25 years), one coach and one contributor to the finalist stage. Once those five are identified, selectors will cast ballots for three of them, with an 80 percent approval rate required for any candidate to earn selection. Vote splitting could make it more likely for only one or two of the maximum three to advance. The process will pit players against coaches and contributors, a setup that has in the past favored players.
The five slots available to modern-era candidates also could be harder to secure under the new format. In the past, selectors reduced from 15 finalists to 10 to five. Once the final five were identified, selectors voted “yes” or “no” on each of the final five, and any with 80 percent “yes” votes was enshrined. Under the new setup, selectors will reduce from 15 finalists to 10 to seven. At that point, voters will pick their final five, with only those candidates receiving 80 percent approval earning enshrinement. Vote splitting makes it more likely for candidates to miss the bar for enshrinement.
The revisions also call for the formation of two 11-person screening committees comprised of members not on the selection committee that will separately review the full list of nominees. They’re set to take effect beginning with the Class of 2025.
Which contributors could this benefit?
Among the contributors who could be near the front of the line based on past votes are Roone Arledge, Robert Kraft, Bucko Kilroy, Art Rooney Jr., Clark Shaughnessy, Lloyd Wells and John Wooten. But past votes aren’t always an indicator of future votes in sub-committee selections — Pompei
Kraft’s chances for becoming a finalist improved now that he doesn’t have to compete with coaches. However, the fact that he’ll have to compete with long-retired players and a coach for three spots makes it difficult to predict what might happen. — Sando
Required reading
(Photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
Sports
Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Becky Lynch entered an atmosphere no other WWE women’s superstar has ever reached as she won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over AJ Lee on Saturday night at WrestleMania 42.
Lynch became the first person to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times after she pinned Lee. She first won the title against Lyra Valkyria in June 2025 and then again against Maxxine Dupri in November.
Becky Lynch celebrates with the belt after defeating AJ Lee during their women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
She dropped the belt to Lee at the Elimination Chamber, sparking a monthslong feud with her.
Lee gave Lynch the chance at the title in the weeks prior to WrestleMania 42. But it appeared Lee played right into Lynch’s plans. Despite arguing with referee Jessica Carr for most of the match, Lynch was able to tactfully tear down a rope buckle and use it to her advantage.
Lynch hit Lee with a Manhandle Slam and pinned her for the win.
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AJ Lee reacts after losing to Becky Lynch in their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
It’s the second straight year Lynch will leave Las Vegas as champion. She returned to WWE at WrestleMania 41, teaming with Valkyria, to win the women’s tag titles. She will now leave Allegiant Stadium as the women’s intercontinental champion.
Lynch is now a seven-time women’s champion, three-time women’s intercontinental champion and two-time tag team champion.
Becky Lynch withstands AJ Lee during their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Lee’s reign as champion ended really before it could really begin. WrestleMania 42 was her first appearance at the event in 11 years. It’s unclear where Lee will go from here.
The Clippers’ season has come to an end but better than anyone expected. No consolation but a great job by head coach Tyronn Lue for guiding the Clippers from a disastrous 6-21 start and finishing with more than 40 wins.
Coach Lue led the team, overcoming major obstacles throughout the season with a player investigation, injuries, internal strife and major roster changes at the trade deadline. As usual for Clipper fans, wait till next year.
Wayne Muramatsu
Cerritos
The Clippers are the NBA’s version of Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle With You.” Yes, they have had 15 straight seasons of playing .500 or better, and owner Steve Ballmer has brought them respectability, but for their entire 56-year existence — which has contained many clowns and jokers — they still have never [attained] their goal of winning (or even reaching) the NBA Finals.
Ken Feldman
Tarzana
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LAS VEGAS – Paul Walter Hauser is an actor who has been in “The Naked Gun,” “Blackbird,” and “Richard Jewell.” But on Friday night at Maple Leaf Pro’s first U.S. event, MLP Multiverse, there was no acting going on.
Hauser squared off against QT Marshall in a sin city street fight at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It was the final show of Slam Fest. The two pro wrestlers pulled out all the stops and left the ring in complete disarray.
Paul Walter Hauser competed against QT Marshall at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
It was a rematch of their brawl at Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor event. Marshall went on the attack first, throwing in all kinds of foreign objects into the ring, including a piece of wood wrapped with barbed wire, a table, a cane, chairs and even a door was brought into the match.
Hauser was able to regain momentum in the match. He set up the barbed-wire object in the corner. Marshall countered and was trying to whip Hauser into the barbed wire. However, Hauser stopped himself. As Marshall tried to take Hauser by surprise, the movie star avoided Marshall and tossed him into the barbed wire.
Marshall was busted open, but wasn’t done. Hauser was trying to inflict more pain. He set up a table near one corner of the ring and poured thumbtacks on top of it. Marshall was able to powerbomb Hauser through the tacked table.
Paul Walter Hauser is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. (Nathan Congleton/NBC)
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Hauser was left with thumbtacks in his back and one in his head. He managed to power through and put Marshall into a sharpshooter. Marshall tapped out. Hauser picked up the victory.
Hauser got his start in pro wrestling in 2023 at Pro Wrestling Revolver. He worked his way through appearances at All Elite Wrestling before he signed with Major League Wrestling in 2024.
He’s currently Progress Wrestling’s Progress proteus champion.
Elsewhere, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) world heavyweight champion Hechicero defended his championship against Jonathan Gresham, Maple Leaf Pro Canadian women’s champion Gisele Shaw fended off Shotzi Blackheart, Persephone and surprise entrant Killer Kelly to keep the title.
Mistico, Mascara Dorada and Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
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The show started with Subculture, the tag team duo of Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster, defeated Vaughn Vertigo and Guy Cool. The Demand’s Ricochet, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona defeated Sidney Akeem, Michael Oku and Rich Swaan, Steve Borden defeated Kiran Gray and Mistico, Mascara Dorada, Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz – Desmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz and Myron Reed.
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