Sports
Joe Burrow, Derek Stingley Jr., Logan Cooke Named AFC Players of the Week for NFL Week 16
Published
11 months agoon
By
FNN SPORTSNEW YORK (FNN SPORTS) — Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., and Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke were named the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played during Week 16 (December 18, 20–22), the NFL announced.
OFFENSE: QB JOE BURROW, CINCINNATI BENGALS
Burrow completed 25 of 32 passes (78.1 percent) for 309 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, posting a 146.5 passer rating in Cincinnati’s 45-21 road victory over Miami.
Burrow led the NFL in passer rating and ranked first in the AFC in touchdown passes for the week. He also became the third player in NFL history to reach at least 150 touchdown passes (152) and the fifth player ever to surpass 20,000 passing yards (20,269) within his first 75 career games.
The honor marks Burrow’s eighth career Player of the Week award and his first of the 2025 season, tying him with Boomer Esiason as the only Bengals players to earn eight or more weekly honors.
Burrow Player of the Week Awards:
2021: Weeks 4, 16
2022: Weeks 7, 13, 16
2023: Week 8
2024: Week 17
2025: Week 16
Since entering the NFL in 2020, Burrow has the fourth-most Player of the Week awards among quarterbacks, trailing only Josh Allen (16), Lamar Jackson (nine) and Patrick Mahomes (nine).
DEFENSE: CB DEREK STINGLEY JR., HOUSTON TEXANS
Stingley recorded two tackles, forced a fumble and returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown in Houston’s 23-21 victory over Las Vegas. He was the only player in the NFL in Week 16 to record both a forced fumble and an interception.
This is Stingley’s third career Defensive Player of the Week award, making him the third Texans player to earn weekly honors this season, joining C.J. Stroud (Week 5) and Danielle Hunter (Week 10).
Stingley now owns the second-most Defensive Player of the Week awards in franchise history, trailing only J.J. Watt (seven).
Stingley Player of the Week Awards:
2023: Week 13
2024: Week 15
2025: Week 16
The former LSU standout also tied Patrick Peterson for the most Defensive Player of the Week honors (three) by an LSU cornerback.
SPECIAL TEAMS: P LOGAN COOKE, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Cooke punted six times, placing four inside the 20, including two inside the 10 and one inside the 5, while averaging 52 yards per punt with a season-long 63-yard kick in Jacksonville’s 34-20 win at Denver.
The award is the first of Cooke’s career and the first earned by a Jaguars punter since Chris Hanson in Week 11 of 2002.
Cooke joins Boobie Dixon (Week 12, 2014) as the only former Mississippi State players to be named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
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Sports
LIV Golf to begin winding down operations Nov. 9 after five years, $5 billion spent
Published
4 days agoon
November 7, 2026By
FNN SPORTSNEW YORK CITY, NY (FNN SPORTS) – LIV Golf plans to begin winding down operations Monday, Nov. 9, following five years and more than $5 billion in spending.
Attorney Matthew Williams outlined the league’s plans during a bankruptcy court hearing Thursday, Nov. 5, in New Jersey. The process includes selling its remaining assets.
“We believe the wind down path is the best path,” Williams told the court.
LIV Golf confirmed the decision after a proposed restructuring deal fell through. The league said it will continue considering alternatives during the shutdown process.
Basketball
USF Women’s Basketball Opens Season With 80–54 Victory Over Furman
Published
5 days agoon
November 5, 2026By
NISEY LOU S.TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — On Monday November 2, at the Yuengling Center, the South Florida women’s basketball team opened with a successful debut undernew head coach Kristy Curry.
The Bulls established control early with a 9–0 opening run, taking a 27–12 lead after the first quarter. Furman narrowed the margin before halftime, but South Florida maintained a 46–32 advantage heading into the break.
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A dominant third quarter proved decisive, as USF outscored Furman 23–9 to extend its lead to 69–41 entering the fourth.
Balanced Scoring Leads the Bulls
Stefanie Ingram led South Florida with 15 points, followed by Hannah Kohn with 13 and Kendall Puryear with 12 points and nine rebounds.
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The Bulls placed six players in double figures, shot 51.6 percent from the field and controlled the boards with a 48–25 rebounding advantage.
A Winning Debut for Kristy Curry
The victory marked Curry’s first win leading South Florida after arriving from Alabama.
Ahead of the season opener, Curry expressed confidence in the program’s potential:
“I’m so excited to be here. I truly think the sky’s the limit at USF.”
— Kristy Curry, USF Head Coach, in pregame remarks published by USF Athletics.
South Florida (1–0) will face Belmont on Friday, November 6, in Nashville, Tennessee.
– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
Central Florida News
USF Defeats UAB 30–10, Secures Fourth Consecutive Bowl-Eligible Season
Published
1 week agoon
November 3, 2026By
NISEY LOU S.Bulls overcome early deficit behind defensive touchdowns and a record-tying performance from C.J. Hicks.
TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The University of South Florida (USF) secured its sixth victory of the season Saturday, October 31, defeating the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) 30–10 at Raymond James Stadium. The victory improved the Bulls’ record to 6–2 overall and 2–2 in American Conference play, making the program bowl-eligible for the fourth consecutive season.
Defense Turns the Game Around
UAB opened the game with a 10–0 first-quarter lead, but South Florida responded with 30 unanswered points, highlighted by two defensive touchdowns.
Defensive end C.J. Hicks delivered one of the game’s most significant performances, recording four sacks to tie the USF single-game record. Two of those sacks forced fumbles that resulted in touchdowns.
Late in the second quarter, Hicks forced a fumble by UAB quarterback Ryder Burton, allowing USF defender Asani Redwood to recover the football and return it six yards for a touchdown. The play gave South Florida a 17–10 halftime lead.
Asani Redwood and UAB #71 UAB defensive lineman #71 attempts to tackle USF’s Asani Redwood during the October 31, 2026, matchup at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News
Hicks created another scoring opportunity in the fourth quarter, forcing a second fumble that linebacker Grayson Howard recovered and returned 13 yards for a touchdown, extending USF’s lead to 27–10.
South Florida’s defense finished with six sacks and 11 tackles for loss, limiting UAB to just 177 total offensive yards, including 17 rushing yards.
Offensive Adjustments Provide Momentum
Following an injury to starting quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr., sophomore Luke Kromenhoek entered the game and helped shift momentum in South Florida’s favor.
Luke Kromenhoek (#17) USF quarterback Luke Kromenhoek (#17) carries the football while facing pressure from a UAB defender during the Bulls’ 30–10 victory at Raymond James Stadium on October 31, 2026. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News
Kromenhoek finished with a career-high 92 rushing yards, including a 42-yard run that helped establish the Bulls’ offensive rhythm.
Running back Jason Collins Jr. added a six-yard rushing touchdown late in the second quarter to tie the game at 10–10.
Kicker Nico Gramatica contributed three field goals, connecting from 31, 30 and 33 yards to help secure the victory.
Bowl Eligibility Marks Another Program Milestone
With its sixth win, South Florida secured bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive season, matching the second-longest such streak in program history.
The accomplishment allows USF to qualify for postseason bowl consideration, although an official bowl invitation and destination have yet to be determined.
The victory also kept the Bulls competitive in the American Conference standings, with four regular-season games remaining following the UAB matchup.
Looking Ahead
USF will return to conference competition Friday, November 6, traveling to face East Carolina as the Bulls continue their pursuit of a stronger conference finish and a postseason bowl invitation.
Final Score: USF 30, UAB 10
– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
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