Deadspin | South Korea’s Choi Ga-on upsets Chloe Kim to win women’s halfpipe gold

Sports news February 12, 2026

Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics – Snowboard – Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final – Livigno Snow Park, Livigno, Italy – February 12, 2026. Choi Ga-on of South Korea in action during run 1

LIVIGNO, Italy — Choi Ga-on of South Korea won the gold medal in the women’s snowboard halfpipe after recovering from a frightening crash in her first run at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on Thursday.

Double defending champion Chloe Kim of the United States took silver and the bronze went to Mitsuki Ono of Japan in the Alpine town of Livigno.

Choi, 17, was nearly knocked out of the contest after the first round when she flipped upside down and landed on her head. She sat on the ground for several minutes as medical staff attended to her before standing up and riding down on her own.

In the second round of three, she flubbed a landing and fell backward.

In the third round, Choi put a stunning 90.25 on the board, elevating her above Kim’s leading 88.

Kim, recovering from a recent shoulder injury, had a final chance to grab the gold but fell backward on a landing. Choi began crying when she realized Kim’s misstep guaranteed her the gold.

The halfpipe features riders sliding across a 22-foot-tall, U-shaped ramp and performing acrobatic maneuvers in the air. Kim took halfpipe gold in Pyeongchang in 2018 and at Beijing 2022.

No snowboarder – not even men’s great Shaun White – has been able to win three straight Olympic golds. White, who was in the crowd on Thursday night, claimed three but they were in 2006, 2010 and 2018. He is now retired from the sport.

While Kim missed out on a three-peat, she smiled and laughed at the bottom of the halfpipe as she stood with the other medalists.

Kim was competing with her shoulder held in place by a brace and has said she will need surgery soon.

A steady snow fell during the contest. Seven of the 12 riders fell during the first round.

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #South #Koreas #Choi #Gaon #upsets #Chloe #Kim #win #womens #halfpipe #gold

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Mike and mic loomed as a natural fit after the talkative Mike Tomlin resigned as Pittsburgh Steelers coach in January.

As with his Steelers teams of 19 seasons, Tomlin doesn’t figure to have a losing record as a TV studio analyst, either.

A report Tuesday from The Athletic cemented Tomlin’s long-anticipated transition. He’ll join the NBC “Sunday Night Football” pregame show “Football Night in America” beginning this season.

Surely, video editors and social media managers already have their popcorn ready.

That’s “popcorn” as in the salty snack, not the alternative definition Tomlin once served up during a press conference.

“You know, there’s been popcorn,” Tomlin said. “It hasn’t been any one man specifically; it’s been popcorn. But you can’t have popcorn.”

Asked to expound, Tomlin explained “popcorn” as: “A splattering of incidences. One here. One there. One there.”

That’s some tasty imagery, indeed.

Sustained coaching success boosted Tomlin’s profile as a would-be analyst. He guided Pittsburgh to a 193-114-2 regular-season record, while his 8-12 postseason mark included a 1-1 record in the Super Bowl.

His unique turns of phrase, however, set him apart. In a broadcast climate rife with programs and platforms for former players and coaches to fill, Tomlin, 54, should climb seamlessly into the mix at “FNIA,” a leading national brand.

“I think Mike is great at painting pictures, and those sayings, those Tomlinisms, they can immediately have a context,” Tony Dungy, Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and Tomlin’s mentor, told NFL Films in 2021.

Per The Athletic, Fox also coveted Tomlin as a replacement for Jimmy Johnson, who’s retiring from its “Fox NFL Sunday” show.

At NBC, Tomlin will fill a void left by Dungy, who NBC did not retain for an 18th season. While various reports have stated that the “FNIA” lineup could undergo further shuffling, host Maria Taylor and analysts Jason Garrett and Devin McCourty are expected back.

In late 2015, “FNIA” explored Tomlin’s well-documented physical resemblance to actor Omar Epps, showing photos of either man and asking Steelers fans and Tomlin’s wife, Kiya, whether it was Tomlin.

Tomlin never should be confused with Epps’ Darnell Jefferson, the cocky freshman running back from 1993’s “The Program.” That character aimed to impress college coed Halle Berry with a forced, hyperintelligent vocabulary that indubitably would make Tomlin roll his eyes.

“I don’t think a lot about the things that I say, to be honest with you,” Tomlin once said when asked about the origins of his oft-celebrated, “The standard is the standard.”

He continued: “I’m just trying to use words to vividly capture the imagination of our guys so that they can remember the messages so they can somehow be ingrained in their mind so they can somehow make it come alive inside stadiums on the grass. By whatever means we get that done, I’m for it.”

Substitute “inside stadiums on the grass” with “on sofas across the nation,” and there’s Tomlin’s value to any network suitor.

NBC doesn’t want viewers to leave their couches, of course. But with Tomlin aboard, they may well leap from them – or at least sit up – while hanging on every word.

#Mike #Tomlin #Perfect #Television #Fit #NBC #Deadspin.com">

mwasimuddin125 0

Mike and mic loomed as a natural fit after the talkative Mike Tomlin resigned as Pittsburgh Steelers coach in January.
As with his Steelers teams of 19 seasons, Tomlin doesn’t figure to have a losing record as a TV studio analyst, either.
A report Tuesday from The Athletic cemented Tomlin’s long-anticipated transition. He’ll join the NBC “Sunday Night Football” pregame show “Football Night in America” beginning this season.
Surely, video editors and social media managers already have their popcorn ready.
That’s “popcorn” as in the salty snack, not the alternative definition Tomlin once served up during a press conference.
“You know, there’s been popcorn,” Tomlin said. “It hasn’t been any one man specifically; it’s been popcorn. But you can’t have popcorn.”
Asked to expound, Tomlin explained “popcorn” as: “A splattering of incidences. One here. One there. One there.”
That’s some tasty imagery, indeed.
Sustained coaching success boosted Tomlin’s profile as a would-be analyst. He guided Pittsburgh to a 193-114-2 regular-season record, while his 8-12 postseason mark included a 1-1 record in the Super Bowl.
His unique turns of phrase, however, set him apart. In a broadcast climate rife with programs and platforms for former players and coaches to fill, Tomlin, 54, should climb seamlessly into the mix at “FNIA,” a leading national brand.
“I think Mike is great at painting pictures, and those sayings, those Tomlinisms, they can immediately have a context,” Tony Dungy, Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and Tomlin’s mentor, told NFL Films in 2021.
Per The Athletic, Fox also coveted Tomlin as a replacement for Jimmy Johnson, who’s retiring from its “Fox NFL Sunday” show.
At NBC, Tomlin will fill a void left by Dungy, who NBC did not retain for an 18th season. While various reports have stated that the “FNIA” lineup could undergo further shuffling, host Maria Taylor and analysts Jason Garrett and Devin McCourty are expected back.
In late 2015, “FNIA” explored Tomlin’s well-documented physical resemblance to actor Omar Epps, showing photos of either man and asking Steelers fans and Tomlin’s wife, Kiya, whether it was Tomlin.
Tomlin never should be confused with Epps’ Darnell Jefferson, the cocky freshman running back from 1993’s “The Program.” That character aimed to impress college coed Halle Berry with a forced, hyperintelligent vocabulary that indubitably would make Tomlin roll his eyes.
“I don’t think a lot about the things that I say, to be honest with you,” Tomlin once said when asked about the origins of his oft-celebrated, “The standard is the standard.”
He continued: “I’m just trying to use words to vividly capture the imagination of our guys so that they can remember the messages so they can somehow be ingrained in their mind so they can somehow make it come alive inside stadiums on the grass. By whatever means we get that done, I’m for it.”
Substitute “inside stadiums on the grass” with “on sofas across the nation,” and there’s Tomlin’s value to any network suitor.
NBC doesn’t want viewers to leave their couches, of course. But with Tomlin aboard, they may well leap from them – or at least sit up – while hanging on every word.

#Mike #Tomlin #Perfect #Television #Fit #NBC #Deadspin.com">Why Mike Tomlin Will Be Perfect Television Fit for NBC | Deadspin.com

Mike and mic loomed as a natural fit after the talkative Mike Tomlin resigned as Pittsburgh Steelers coach in January.

As with his Steelers teams of 19 seasons, Tomlin doesn’t figure to have a losing record as a TV studio analyst, either.

Surely, video editors and social media managers already have their popcorn ready.

That’s “popcorn” as in the salty snack, not the alternative definition Tomlin once served up during a press conference.

“You know, there’s been popcorn,” Tomlin said. “It hasn’t been any one man specifically; it’s been popcorn. But you can’t have popcorn.”

Asked to expound, Tomlin explained “popcorn” as: “A splattering of incidences. One here. One there. One there.”

That’s some tasty imagery, indeed.

Per The Athletic, Fox also coveted Tomlin as a replacement for Jimmy Johnson, who’s retiring from its “Fox NFL Sunday” show.

“I don’t think a lot about the things that I say, to be honest with you,” Tomlin once said when asked about the origins of his oft-celebrated, “The standard is the standard.”

Substitute “inside stadiums on the grass” with “on sofas across the nation,” and there’s Tomlin’s value to any network suitor.

NBC doesn’t want viewers to leave their couches, of course. But with Tomlin aboard, they may well leap from them – or at least sit up – while hanging on every word.

#Mike #Tomlin #Perfect #Television #Fit #NBC #Deadspin.com

Deadspin | Bryson DeChambeau not leaving LIV: ‘I haven’t given up’ Apr 10, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Bryson DeChambeau chips onto the 18th green during the second round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Grace Smith-Imagn Images Bryson DeChambeau addressed speculation that he could be leaving LIV Golf after this season by pledging, “As long as LIV is here, I would figure out a way for it to make sense.” DeChambeau told Flushing It Golf, in an interview published on Wednesday, that he is still working on “a potential contract” as he plays out the final season of his original LIV Golf deal. The circuit is facing questions about its future as rumors circulate that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund may be preparing to end its immense financial support of the league. However, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said last week that the league would not fold. O’Neil later added that LIV Golf is financed through the 2026 season. DeChambeau had spent part of his time while competing at the Masters Tournament earlier this month to discuss a possible return to the PGA Tour, according to a report by The Athletic. In his interview published on Wednesday, DeChambeau said he is committed to LIV Golf as long as the league continues next year. “We’re still working on a potential contract,” he said. “I haven’t given up on that and I think there will be a solution. But as of right now, my job is to help make the league work after this year. I just feel like I have a responsibility. I’ve put a lot of effort into it. So that’s what I’m going to do, we’re going to make this work.” Adversity comes with the territory, DeChambeau said, as in any new venture. “There’s a lot of moving parts like in any business,” he said. “It’s a startup, right? And so there’s going to be times where we’re squeezed and punched. This is one of those moments. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make it work and I really see the value in franchise golf.” DeChambeau, 32, prevailed in a playoff in consecutive weeks in March by winning at both LIV Golf Singapore and LIV Golf South Africa. The two-time U.S. Open champion has won five individual LIV Golf titles. When LIV Golf began in 2022, DeChambeau reportedly signed a 5 million contract for 4 1/2 years. According to The Daily Telegraph, he had been seeking as much as 0 million on a new contract to remain with the league. DeChambeau did have the opportunity to return to the PGA Tour earlier this year through the Returning Member Program but reportedly declined. That program was developed as Brooks Koepka departed LIV for his return to the PGA Tour earlier this year. Also declining the option to return were Jon Rahm and Cam Smith. DeChambeau, Rahm and Smith were the only three LIV stars who were offered a path to return amid new parameters that were restricted to players who had departed for at least two years and had won a major tournament or a Players Championship title between 2022 and 2025. DeChambeau, as captain of the Crushers GC team, turned the focus beyond his own situation and fellow stars Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Spain’s Rahm to younger golfers committed to the league. “And, you know, another reason why I’m doing this is not just for myself and the team aspect that I really believe in on the Crushers side,” he said. “It’s for Michael La Sasso. It’s for Caleb Surratt. It’s for Josele Ballester. It’s for David Puig. “Jon, Phil, DJ, myself and the guys that have been here from the start, we’re OK. It’s now our responsibility to take care of these kids that believe in us. That’s why I’m really doing it. There’s so much value to squeeze out of this whole thing for golf in general.” The league’s fourth season has eight tournaments remaining — five in the United States — after last week’s event in Mexico. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Bryson #DeChambeau #leaving #LIV #havent

#Deadspin #Bryson #DeChambeau #leaving #LIV #havent">

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Apr 10, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Bryson DeChambeau chips onto the 18th green during the second round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Grace Smith-Imagn Images

Bryson DeChambeau addressed speculation that he could be leaving LIV Golf after this season by pledging, “As long as LIV is here, I would figure out a way for it to make sense.”

DeChambeau told Flushing It Golf, in an interview published on Wednesday, that he is still working on “a potential contract” as he plays out the final season of his original LIV Golf deal.

The circuit is facing questions about its future as rumors circulate that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund may be preparing to end its immense financial support of the league. However, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said last week that the league would not fold. O’Neil later added that LIV Golf is financed through the 2026 season.

DeChambeau had spent part of his time while competing at the Masters Tournament earlier this month to discuss a possible return to the PGA Tour, according to a report by The Athletic.

In his interview published on Wednesday, DeChambeau said he is committed to LIV Golf as long as the league continues next year.

“We’re still working on a potential contract,” he said. “I haven’t given up on that and I think there will be a solution. But as of right now, my job is to help make the league work after this year. I just feel like I have a responsibility. I’ve put a lot of effort into it. So that’s what I’m going to do, we’re going to make this work.”

Adversity comes with the territory, DeChambeau said, as in any new venture.

“There’s a lot of moving parts like in any business,” he said. “It’s a startup, right? And so there’s going to be times where we’re squeezed and punched. This is one of those moments. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make it work and I really see the value in franchise golf.”

DeChambeau, 32, prevailed in a playoff in consecutive weeks in March by winning at both LIV Golf Singapore and LIV Golf South Africa. The two-time U.S. Open champion has won five individual LIV Golf titles.

When LIV Golf began in 2022, DeChambeau reportedly signed a $125 million contract for 4 1/2 years. According to The Daily Telegraph, he had been seeking as much as $500 million on a new contract to remain with the league.

DeChambeau did have the opportunity to return to the PGA Tour earlier this year through the Returning Member Program but reportedly declined. That program was developed as Brooks Koepka departed LIV for his return to the PGA Tour earlier this year.

Also declining the option to return were Jon Rahm and Cam Smith. DeChambeau, Rahm and Smith were the only three LIV stars who were offered a path to return amid new parameters that were restricted to players who had departed for at least two years and had won a major tournament or a Players Championship title between 2022 and 2025.

DeChambeau, as captain of the Crushers GC team, turned the focus beyond his own situation and fellow stars Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Spain’s Rahm to younger golfers committed to the league.

“And, you know, another reason why I’m doing this is not just for myself and the team aspect that I really believe in on the Crushers side,” he said. “It’s for Michael La Sasso. It’s for Caleb Surratt. It’s for Josele Ballester. It’s for David Puig.

“Jon, Phil, DJ, myself and the guys that have been here from the start, we’re OK. It’s now our responsibility to take care of these kids that believe in us. That’s why I’m really doing it. There’s so much value to squeeze out of this whole thing for golf in general.”

The league’s fourth season has eight tournaments remaining — five in the United States — after last week’s event in Mexico.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Bryson #DeChambeau #leaving #LIV #havent">Deadspin | Bryson DeChambeau not leaving LIV: ‘I haven’t given up’

Apr 10, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Bryson DeChambeau chips onto the 18th green during the second round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Grace Smith-Imagn Images

Bryson DeChambeau addressed speculation that he could be leaving LIV Golf after this season by pledging, “As long as LIV is here, I would figure out a way for it to make sense.”

DeChambeau told Flushing It Golf, in an interview published on Wednesday, that he is still working on “a potential contract” as he plays out the final season of his original LIV Golf deal.

The circuit is facing questions about its future as rumors circulate that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund may be preparing to end its immense financial support of the league. However, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said last week that the league would not fold. O’Neil later added that LIV Golf is financed through the 2026 season.

DeChambeau had spent part of his time while competing at the Masters Tournament earlier this month to discuss a possible return to the PGA Tour, according to a report by The Athletic.

In his interview published on Wednesday, DeChambeau said he is committed to LIV Golf as long as the league continues next year.

“We’re still working on a potential contract,” he said. “I haven’t given up on that and I think there will be a solution. But as of right now, my job is to help make the league work after this year. I just feel like I have a responsibility. I’ve put a lot of effort into it. So that’s what I’m going to do, we’re going to make this work.”

Adversity comes with the territory, DeChambeau said, as in any new venture.

“There’s a lot of moving parts like in any business,” he said. “It’s a startup, right? And so there’s going to be times where we’re squeezed and punched. This is one of those moments. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make it work and I really see the value in franchise golf.”

DeChambeau, 32, prevailed in a playoff in consecutive weeks in March by winning at both LIV Golf Singapore and LIV Golf South Africa. The two-time U.S. Open champion has won five individual LIV Golf titles.

When LIV Golf began in 2022, DeChambeau reportedly signed a $125 million contract for 4 1/2 years. According to The Daily Telegraph, he had been seeking as much as $500 million on a new contract to remain with the league.

DeChambeau did have the opportunity to return to the PGA Tour earlier this year through the Returning Member Program but reportedly declined. That program was developed as Brooks Koepka departed LIV for his return to the PGA Tour earlier this year.

Also declining the option to return were Jon Rahm and Cam Smith. DeChambeau, Rahm and Smith were the only three LIV stars who were offered a path to return amid new parameters that were restricted to players who had departed for at least two years and had won a major tournament or a Players Championship title between 2022 and 2025.

DeChambeau, as captain of the Crushers GC team, turned the focus beyond his own situation and fellow stars Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Spain’s Rahm to younger golfers committed to the league.

“And, you know, another reason why I’m doing this is not just for myself and the team aspect that I really believe in on the Crushers side,” he said. “It’s for Michael La Sasso. It’s for Caleb Surratt. It’s for Josele Ballester. It’s for David Puig.

“Jon, Phil, DJ, myself and the guys that have been here from the start, we’re OK. It’s now our responsibility to take care of these kids that believe in us. That’s why I’m really doing it. There’s so much value to squeeze out of this whole thing for golf in general.”

The league’s fourth season has eight tournaments remaining — five in the United States — after last week’s event in Mexico.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Bryson #DeChambeau #leaving #LIV #havent

The logo of the 2026 NFL Draft is showcased at the big screen inside the theater Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from outside Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Time is shorter and the wait is longer when the 2026 NFL Draft takes the stage in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

The vagabond event marks a return to the home of the Steelers for the first time since 1948. Across three days, seven rounds and 257 total picks at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium, which opened in 2001 as Heinz Field, players anxiously await to hear their name and, when chosen, embark on their NFL careers.

Barring a trade, the home fans will be waiting awhile for the Steelers to be on the clock at pick No. 21. But not as long as years past. A change will be implemented to reduce the time between each first-round selection from 10 minutes to eight minutes. The NFL reduced the time from 15 minutes to 10 in 2008.

Speaking of trades, there has already been significant wheeling and dealing of draft picks. General managers are also planning to be nimble on the clock Thursday in the first round. 49ers GM John Lynch anticipates “there’ll be a lot of trade movement this year.” Chiefs GM Brett Veach, drafting in the top 10 for the first time, echoed the sentiment.

“There’ll probably be a lot of trades,” Veach said.

Nobody expects the Raiders to trade out of the top spot, where they appear determined to select Heisman Trophy-winning Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall. It’s the first time the Raiders enter the draft with the No. 1 spot since selecting LSU’s JaMarcus Russell in 2007.

After months of waiting, at least three in-person meetings and additional conversations with Mendoza, Raiders general manager John Spytek still expects a little alone time with the telephone in the draft room Thursday.

“Unless you’re super convinced that you’re making the pick, you kind of just sit there and wait for a little bit and see if your phone will ring,” Spytek said. “Sometimes, you can get really good trade offers that maybe you didn’t expect and other times your phone doesn’t ring, so then you just pick.”

Veach comes armed with two first-round picks courtesy of a trade with the Rams, who acquired cornerback Trent McDuffie for the No. 29 pick in the first round.

The Jets, Browns, Cowboys, Giants and Dolphins also own multiple picks in the top 32.

Trades have been a prevailing storyline for the Jets, who follow the Raiders on the clock at No. 2 and possess No. 16 overall courtesy of their trade of cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts last year. New York has a second pick in Round 2 as well — No. 44 from the Dallas Cowboys, part of the deal for Quinnen Williams last year — and a total of five in the top 103 in this draft.

It’s enough of a stockpile that the Jets could move down or stay put and draft any number of blue-chip options — four of them products of Ohio State. Linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, safety Caleb Downs and wide receiver Carnell Tate are premier players at their position in this draft class. Any of them could be fits for the Jets, whose list of positional needs runs deep.

But the top-ranked pass rusher in the draft is David Bailey out of Texas Tech. Bailey and head coach Aaron Glenn downplayed the Jets canceling his “top 30 visit” to team headquarters. Bailey said Wednesday in Pittsburgh he has spent a lot of time with the Jets’ brass and recently caught up again on FaceTime. As far as Bailey is concerned, he’s very much an option for the Jets with the No. 2 pick Thursday.

“It’s been good, man. I’ve had great interaction with them,” Bailey said.

At No. 3, the Arizona Cardinals have a new head coach and no set plan at quarterback. While the Jets reacquired Geno Smith, the Cardinals haven’t tipped their hand. Consensus opinion of the 2026 draft class implies the answer might not be in this draft.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is not a consensus first-round prospect but demand outweighs supply at the NFL’s most vital position, which could push the one-year Crimson Tide starter up draft boards.

With that in mind, Arizona has room on the roster for most of the brigade of Buckeyes, Bailey or could be a candidate to trade down.

The Titans are looking for a sidekick for 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward and might be antsy with the Cardinals on the clock. Tennessee has been closely connected to Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who said Wednesday he’s open to any outcome that could transpire in Pittsburgh on Thursday.

“You draft me, I’m not doing too much of nothing other than football,” Love said of his mindset and what he shared with interested NFL teams the past several months. “I want to be a Hall of Famer, I want to be a Pro Bowler my very first year. I want to win offensive rookie of the year. I tell them all these goals that I have.”

Alabama (2021) and Miami (2004) hold the record for most first-round picks produced by one program in a draft. If projections for four Buckeyes to be selected in the top 12 picks hold up, Ohio State nose tackle Kayden McDonald, who accepted an invitation to attend the draft in Pittsburgh, could be the fifth.

Multiple teams join the Colts (Gardner) by starting Thursday on the sideline without a first-round pick.

The Denver Broncos traded the No. 29 pick to the Dolphins in the Jaylen Waddle deal last month. Cincinnati sent the No. 10 pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence last week and the Falcons and Jaguars parted with 2026 first-rounders during the 2025 draft.

The Packers acquired Micah Parsons from the Cowboys in the August deal that cost Green Bay its 2006 first-rounder (20th overall).

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Raiders #Jets #comb #Buckeyes">

mwasimuddin125 0

The logo of the 2026 NFL Draft is showcased at the big screen inside the theater Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from outside Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Time is shorter and the wait is longer when the 2026 NFL Draft takes the stage in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

The vagabond event marks a return to the home of the Steelers for the first time since 1948. Across three days, seven rounds and 257 total picks at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium, which opened in 2001 as Heinz Field, players anxiously await to hear their name and, when chosen, embark on their NFL careers.

Barring a trade, the home fans will be waiting awhile for the Steelers to be on the clock at pick No. 21. But not as long as years past. A change will be implemented to reduce the time between each first-round selection from 10 minutes to eight minutes. The NFL reduced the time from 15 minutes to 10 in 2008.

Speaking of trades, there has already been significant wheeling and dealing of draft picks. General managers are also planning to be nimble on the clock Thursday in the first round. 49ers GM John Lynch anticipates “there’ll be a lot of trade movement this year.” Chiefs GM Brett Veach, drafting in the top 10 for the first time, echoed the sentiment.

“There’ll probably be a lot of trades,” Veach said.

Nobody expects the Raiders to trade out of the top spot, where they appear determined to select Heisman Trophy-winning Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall. It’s the first time the Raiders enter the draft with the No. 1 spot since selecting LSU’s JaMarcus Russell in 2007.

After months of waiting, at least three in-person meetings and additional conversations with Mendoza, Raiders general manager John Spytek still expects a little alone time with the telephone in the draft room Thursday.

“Unless you’re super convinced that you’re making the pick, you kind of just sit there and wait for a little bit and see if your phone will ring,” Spytek said. “Sometimes, you can get really good trade offers that maybe you didn’t expect and other times your phone doesn’t ring, so then you just pick.”

Veach comes armed with two first-round picks courtesy of a trade with the Rams, who acquired cornerback Trent McDuffie for the No. 29 pick in the first round.

The Jets, Browns, Cowboys, Giants and Dolphins also own multiple picks in the top 32.

Trades have been a prevailing storyline for the Jets, who follow the Raiders on the clock at No. 2 and possess No. 16 overall courtesy of their trade of cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts last year. New York has a second pick in Round 2 as well — No. 44 from the Dallas Cowboys, part of the deal for Quinnen Williams last year — and a total of five in the top 103 in this draft.

It’s enough of a stockpile that the Jets could move down or stay put and draft any number of blue-chip options — four of them products of Ohio State. Linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, safety Caleb Downs and wide receiver Carnell Tate are premier players at their position in this draft class. Any of them could be fits for the Jets, whose list of positional needs runs deep.

But the top-ranked pass rusher in the draft is David Bailey out of Texas Tech. Bailey and head coach Aaron Glenn downplayed the Jets canceling his “top 30 visit” to team headquarters. Bailey said Wednesday in Pittsburgh he has spent a lot of time with the Jets’ brass and recently caught up again on FaceTime. As far as Bailey is concerned, he’s very much an option for the Jets with the No. 2 pick Thursday.

“It’s been good, man. I’ve had great interaction with them,” Bailey said.

At No. 3, the Arizona Cardinals have a new head coach and no set plan at quarterback. While the Jets reacquired Geno Smith, the Cardinals haven’t tipped their hand. Consensus opinion of the 2026 draft class implies the answer might not be in this draft.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is not a consensus first-round prospect but demand outweighs supply at the NFL’s most vital position, which could push the one-year Crimson Tide starter up draft boards.

With that in mind, Arizona has room on the roster for most of the brigade of Buckeyes, Bailey or could be a candidate to trade down.

The Titans are looking for a sidekick for 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward and might be antsy with the Cardinals on the clock. Tennessee has been closely connected to Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who said Wednesday he’s open to any outcome that could transpire in Pittsburgh on Thursday.

“You draft me, I’m not doing too much of nothing other than football,” Love said of his mindset and what he shared with interested NFL teams the past several months. “I want to be a Hall of Famer, I want to be a Pro Bowler my very first year. I want to win offensive rookie of the year. I tell them all these goals that I have.”

Alabama (2021) and Miami (2004) hold the record for most first-round picks produced by one program in a draft. If projections for four Buckeyes to be selected in the top 12 picks hold up, Ohio State nose tackle Kayden McDonald, who accepted an invitation to attend the draft in Pittsburgh, could be the fifth.

Multiple teams join the Colts (Gardner) by starting Thursday on the sideline without a first-round pick.

The Denver Broncos traded the No. 29 pick to the Dolphins in the Jaylen Waddle deal last month. Cincinnati sent the No. 10 pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence last week and the Falcons and Jaguars parted with 2026 first-rounders during the 2025 draft.

The Packers acquired Micah Parsons from the Cowboys in the August deal that cost Green Bay its 2006 first-rounder (20th overall).

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Raiders #Jets #comb #Buckeyes">Deadspin | Raiders back at No. 1, Jets comb best of Buckeyes

The logo of the 2026 NFL Draft is showcased at the big screen inside the theater Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from outside Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Time is shorter and the wait is longer when the 2026 NFL Draft takes the stage in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

“There’ll probably be a lot of trades,” Veach said.

Veach comes armed with two first-round picks courtesy of a trade with the Rams, who acquired cornerback Trent McDuffie for the No. 29 pick in the first round.

The Jets, Browns, Cowboys, Giants and Dolphins also own multiple picks in the top 32.

“It’s been good, man. I’ve had great interaction with them,” Bailey said.

With that in mind, Arizona has room on the roster for most of the brigade of Buckeyes, Bailey or could be a candidate to trade down.

Multiple teams join the Colts (Gardner) by starting Thursday on the sideline without a first-round pick.

The Packers acquired Micah Parsons from the Cowboys in the August deal that cost Green Bay its 2006 first-rounder (20th overall).

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Raiders #Jets #comb #Buckeyes

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