Falcons hire Ian Cunningham as GM; NBA, MLB Power Rankings; Top 25 stories of 2025 NFL season

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Good morning and happy Friday! Carter Bahns here to close out the month of January. This weekend brings the final matches of the Australian Open, another numbered UFC event on Paramount+, a big-time college basketball battle between the projected top two NBA Draft picks and a whole lot more. Not a bad way to flip the calendar into the second month of the year, if you ask me.

Let's talk about it.

🤝 Five things to know Friday

1. The Falcons have hired Ian Cunningham as general manager. After a four-year run as assistant GM with the Bears and following interviews with the Jaguars and Commanders over the last two years, Cunningham finally landed his first GM job. In Atlanta, he'll work with president of football Matt Ryan and coach Kevin Stefanski as the Falcons reshape their front office and sideline. Among Cunningham's achievements in Chicago were the hiring of Ben Johnson and the drafting of Caleb Williams.
2. Josh Allen underwent surgery on his broken foot. Allen played through a broken fifth metatarsal during the Bills' final four games, he revealed. His projected recovery timeline is eight to 10 weeks, which sets him up to return at full strength for voluntary offseason workouts this spring. He was on crutches and wearing a boot at Thursday's press conference.
3. The Nuggets cannot catch a break: Aaron Gordon has re-injured his hamstring. Gordon will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks after straining the same hamstring that forced him to miss over a month earlier this season. He was one of the seven players Denver listed on its lengthy and constantly growing injury report for Thursday's game.
4. The UEFA Champions League knockout phase playoffs are set. Eight teams avoided the playoffs and will head straight to the round of 16. But for teams Nos. 9-24 in the final league phase standings, they must first win a two-leg matchup to punch their ticket into the bracket. This morning's draw set those 16 matchups, which will unfold from Feb. 17-25. Which squads are contenders and which are pretenders? We sorted them into groups.
5. Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes will stage their rematch Saturday at UFC 325. The second numbered UFC event in as many weekends gets underway Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on Paramount+ with the main card set for 9 p.m. Volkanovski begins the defense of his second featherweight title reign in a rematch of last year's fight against Lopes as the headliner of UFC 325. We have picks and predictions for every main card fight.

📝 Do not miss this: The 25 biggest stories of the 2025 NFL season

Before the Seahawks and Patriots duke it out in Super Bowl 60, it's time for a retrospective on the season that was. From the blockbuster Micah Parsons trade ahead of opening week to Sam Darnold's run as one of two quarterbacks left standing this postseason, we compiled the 25 biggest stories of the campaign.

Here's a glimpse at five of those key developments that defined the season:

25. Pete Carroll is one-and-done as Raiders coach
24. Aaron Glenn endures tough first season as Jets coach
23. Giants fire Brian Daboll midseason
22. Cardinals collapse in Week 5 loss to Titans
21. Josh Allen leads epic comeback as Bills top Ravens in wild opener

🏀 Timberwolves plummet in NBA Power Rankings, but help could be on the way

The Timberwolves are among the teams in the running for the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes at the trade deadline, and acquiring the top player on the market would be a timely boost to a squad that recently suffered a five-game losing streak. Pulling off that move on the heels of a 123-111 statement win over the Thunder last night would erase Minnesota's seven-spot drop in our NBA Power Rankings.

On the other side of things, the Cavaliers are this week's biggest riser, up six places. Brad Botkin explained the surge.

• Botkin: "Make it seven wins in their last eight games for the Cavs. Donovan Mitchell ramped up the aggression without Darius Garland to the tune of 81 points on 55 shots in back-to-back wins over the Magic, and then the Lakers were no match even without Garland and Evan Mobley."

Further up the ladder are the top five teams in Brad's power rankings:

1. Thunder (Last week: 1)
2. Spurs (3)
3. Pistons (6)
4. Nuggets (2)
5. Rockets (5)

⚾ Dodgers top MLB Power Rankings as free agency settles down

Adding Kyle Tucker to an already loaded lineup solidifies the Dodgers as the best team in baseball. Especially considering the rotation is even more star-studded than the bats. This season will be a race to catch the defending two-time World Series champions. Who has the best chance of dethroning the kings?

The Braves, for one, could bounce back as challengers. They are the biggest risers from the end of 2025, up five spots in our MLB Power Rankings. The same cannot be said for the Phillies, though, who dropped five spots after whiffing on Tucker and Bo Bichette.

It is the Brewers, though, that have the makings of the biggest challengers to Los Angeles. Matt Snyder explained why he ranked them No. 2 behind the Dodgers.

• Snyder: "This feels like a big step forward year for Jackson Chourio. I was gonna say 'bounce-back' year but he's still only 21 years old, at least until March 11. Anyway, I hated the Freddy Peralta trade, but I would never doubt the Brewers' ability to get the most out of what they have."

And here are the top five teams in the Matt's power rankings:

1. Dodgers (End of season: 1)
2. Brewers (2)
3. Blue Jays (3)
4. Cubs (6)
5. Yankees (4)

👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest

• The Eagles hired Sean Mannion as offensive coordinator.
• One Pro Football Hall of Fame voter explained why he did not vote for Bill Belichick.
• Jayson Tatum may not return this season from his torn Achilles after all.
• Jaxson Hayes and Carter Bryant are reportedly the first two players to accept invitations for the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend.
• Crystal Dunn called it a career after winning a World Cup, an Olympic gold medal and three NWSL championships.
• The best prospect matchup of the college basketball season features Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa on Saturday.
• Washington surged into the top 20 of our women's college basketball power rankings. The ACC, on the other hand, continues to disappoint.
• After two days of Senior Bowl practices, it is clear the 2026 NFL Draft class is weak at the skill positions. But breakout wide receiver Tyren Montgomery is making a name for himself.
• Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour with a 73 in the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open.
• We made predictions for Saturday's WWE Royal Rumble.
• The Golden Knights will visit the Stars at AT&T Stadium in the 2027 NHL Stadium Series.
• The Miami Gardens Police Department arrested Gervonta "Tank" Davis on charges of battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping.
• Take a look at the uniforms the Seahawks and Patriots will wear in the Super Bowl.
• Yankees GM Brian Cashman defended his team's quiet offseason.
• Bo Nix clarified the nature of his broken ankle, contradicting Sean Payton's comment that he was "predisposed" to the injury.
• After Bills owner Terry Pegula made eyebrow-raising comments about Keon Coleman, coach Joe Brady emphatically backed his wide receiver.
• New Ravens coach Jesse Minter laid out his plans for both Lamar Jackson and the defense.
• Three teams reportedly continue to show interest in free agent pitcher Zac Gallen.
• Bronny James shared fond memories of Cleveland after the Lakers' loss to the Cavaliers.

📺 What we're watching this weekend

Friday

⚽ Genoa at Lazio, 2:45 p.m. on CBS Sports Golazo Network/Paramount+
⛳ Farmers Insurance Open, second round, 3 p.m. on Golf Channel
🏀 No. 5 Vanderbilt at No. 17 Ole Miss (W), 3 p.m. on SEC Network+
🏀 Raptors at Magic, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Dayton at No. 21 Saint Louis (M), 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
🏀 No. 3 Michigan at No. 7 Michigan State (M), 8 p.m. on Fox
🏒 Blue Jackets at Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m. on NHL Network
🏀 Pistons at Warriors, 10 p.m. on ESPN

Saturday

🎾 Australian Open, women's final: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Elena Rybakina, 3:30 a.m. on ESPN
⚽ Sassuolo at Pisa, 9 a.m. on Paramount+
⚽ Arsenal at Leeds United, 10 a.m. on USA Network
🏀 Cincinnati at No. 10 Houston (M), Noon on Fox
🏀 No. 4 Duke at Virginia Tech (M), Noon on ESPN
⚽ Fiorentina at Napoli, Noon on Paramount+
⚽ West Ham United at Chelsea, 12:30 p.m. on USA Network
🏒 Avalanche at Red Wings, 1 p.m. on ABC
🏀 No. 1 Arizona at Arizona State (M), 2 p.m. on TNT/truTV
🤼 Royal Rumble 2026, 2 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited
🏈 Senior Bowl, 2:30 p.m. on NFL Network
⚽ Hellas Verona at Cagliari, 2:45 p.m. on Paramount+
🏀 Spurs at Hornets, 3 p.m. on Prime Video
⛳ Farmers Insurance Open, 3 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
⚽ Newcastle United at Liverpool, 3 p.m. on NBC
🏒 Rangers at Penguins, 3:30 p.m. on ABC
🏀 No. 13 BYU at No. 14 Kansas (M), 4:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏒 Canadiens at Sabres, 7 p.m. on NHL Network
🏀 UConn at Creighton (M), 8 p.m. on Fox
🏀 Mavericks at Rockets, 8:30 p.m. on ABC
🤼 UFC 325: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes 2, 9 p.m. on Paramount+
🏀 Saint Mary's at No. 6 Gonzaga (M), 10:30 p.m. on ESPN

Sunday

🎾 Australian Open, men's final: Novak Djokovic vs. Carlos Alcaraz, 3:30 a.m. on ESPN
⚽ Lecce at Torino, 6:30 a.m. on Paramount+
⚽ Atalanta at Como, 9 a.m. on Paramount+
⚽ Brentford at Aston Villa, 9 a.m. on USA Network
⚽ Manchester City at Tottenham Hotspur, 11:30 a.m. on NBC Sports Network
🏀 No. 24 Alabama at No. 6 LSU (W), Noon on SEC Network
🏀 No. 9 Michigan at No. 13 Michigan State (W), Noon on FS1
🏀 No. 15 Tennessee at No. 1 UConn (W), Noon on Fox
⚽ Inter Milan at Cremonese, Noon on Paramount+
🏀 No. 12 Purdue at Maryland (M), 1 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
🏀 No. 23 Alabama at No. 19 Florida (M), 1 p.m. on ABC
🏀 No. 14 Baylor at No. 22 West Virginia (W), 1 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 No. 8 Iowa State at Kansas State (M), 2 p.m. on Fox
🏀 No. 7 Louisville at California (W), 2 p.m. on The CW
🏀 No. 12 TCU at No. 21 Texas Tech (W), 2 p.m. on FS1
⚽ Juventus at Parma, 2:45 p.m. on Paramount+
🏀 No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 4 Texas (W), 3 p.m. on ABC
⛳ Farmers Insurance Open, final round, 3 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
🏀 Bucks at Celtics, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 No. 9 Illinois at No. 5 Nebraska (M), 4 p.m. on FS1
🏀 Florida at No. 5 Vanderbilt (W), 4 p.m. on SEC Network
🏀 No. 8 Iowa at No. 2 UCLA (W), 4 p.m. on Fox
🏒 NHL Stadium Series: Bruins at Lightning, 6:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Lakers at Knicks, 7 p.m. on NBC
🏁 Cook Out Clash, 8 p.m. on Fox
🏀 Thunder at Nuggets, 9:30 p.m. on NBC
🏒 Golden Knights at Ducks, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN