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Sources: Panthers’ Niko Mikkola gets 8-year, $40M extension

by admin October 2, 2025

The Florida Panthers have agreed to an eight-year extension with defenseman Niko Mikkola, and as a result have locked in each of their top four defensemen until at least 2030.

Sources said the extension has an average annual value of $5 million.

Mikkola’s new deal, announced Thursday by general manager Bill Zito without financial terms, comes as the Panthers begin their quest for a three-peat without two of their biggest stars. Matthew Tkachuk is recovering from offseason surgery and is expected to be back around December. Captain Aleksander Barkov tore an ACL and MCL at a preseason practice and has a projected recovery from surgery of seven to nine months.

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Mikkola, 29, has found his game with the Panthers, where he was a key defensive cog in each of their Stanley Cup wins. He has appeared in 46 playoff games over the past two seasons, averaging 19:23 per contest. He also scored some clutch (if unlikely) goals, including the game winner in Game 3 of the 2025 Eastern Conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. At 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds, Mikkola’s game blends physicality with strong skating.

“Niko has proven himself to be a dependable defenseman who uses his speed and physicality to impact both ends of the ice,” Zito said in a statement. “He was an indispensable piece of our past two championship campaigns, and we are thrilled that Niko will be continuing his career with the Florida Panthers.”

A native of Finland, Mikkola was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fifth round (No. 127) of the 2015 NHL draft. After three seasons in St. Louis, he was traded to the New York Rangers in 2023 as part of the Vladimir Tarasenko deal.

He signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract with the Panthers in 2023 as a free agent. This season is the final year of that deal; the extension will kick in for 2026-27 and runs through 2033-34. Fellow Panthers defensemen Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones have already committed to long-term deals.

Mikkola is expected to be named to the Finnish team for the 2026 Olympics in Milan.

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October 2, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Despite tush push debate, no guarantee for new vote, sources say

by admin September 21, 2025

Despite the anger about another year of the tush push and the debate it already has sparked this season, the controversial play might not be going anywhere.

League sources told ESPN that there are no assurances that the tush push issue will be brought up for conversation or a vote by the NFL this offseason.

One source told ESPN that, after the hotly contested conversation the play raised last offseason and the emotions it aroused, he believes the issue needs to be tabled for a year before it could be raised again.

There also is the practicality of another attempt to ban the play. Former Green Bay Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy authored the proposal to ban the tush push this past offseason, but he retired in July, once he reached the organization’s mandatory retirement age of 70.

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The proposal to ban the tush push got 22 votes last spring, but it needed 24 to pass.

A new proposal to ban the play would need a new author, more support, and more votes. One source told ESPN that he didn’t know whether that could or would happen, adding that there has been no movement to make it happen, at least this early in the year.

Criticism of the play could eventually prompt a team to draft a new tush push ban proposal later this season, but that is not the case as the NFL enters its third Sunday of the season. And regardless of whether the league votes on a new proposal, the tush push is here to stay this season.

The tush push has come under renewed scrutiny after the Philadelphia Eagles used the play six times in their victory last Sunday over the Kansas City Chiefs. The NFL instructed officials this week to call the play “tight” going forward, and also announced that Philadelphia should have been flagged for at least one false start when it used the tush push last Sunday.

The reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles have defended their use of the play in recent days. Left tackle Jordan Mailata ripped critics who used the tush push “as an excuse to why we won the game” during a radio interview Tuesday with 94 WIP in Philadelphia.

One day later, center Cam Jurgens said the Eagles are “not trying to worry about what other teams or people are saying.”

“We’re trying to worry about what we’re doing in here,” Jurgens said. “If the league wants to come down and say something and make an emphasis with the rules, we’re going to take that into account. But it’s the same thing going forward — playing Eagle football.”

The Eagles have converted the tush push 96.6% of the time in fourth-and-1 scenarios since 2022. AP Photo/Ed Zurga

Critics of the tush push have argued that it’s a dangerous play, but there wasn’t enough injury data to ban it for safety concerns.

The Eagles (2-0) have mastered the tush push in short-yardage situations, converting the play 96.6% of the time in fourth-and-1 scenarios since 2022.

Former Eagles center Jason Kelce, who defended the tush push and gave a detailed presentation to NFL owners last spring, said he believes that the rekindled criticism will lead to the play being banned.

“I think the play is done,” Kelce said Friday during an interview with WIP. “I think that there’s a lot of people within the league, at multiple levels, that want the play to be gone, which is fine.

“I think [the Eagles] will still go back to running quarterback sneak, and I’m sure they’ll figure out ways to be successful. I’m not really that concerned with it, to be very candid.”

The Athletic reported earlier Saturday that there is momentum around the league to ban the play next offseason.

But as Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast, my friends!” Despite the building frustration with the play, there isn’t meaningful opposition that could result in it being banned.

ESPN’s Tim McManus and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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September 21, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Sources – Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka expected to play vs. Jets

by admin September 20, 2025

Jenna LaineSep 20, 2025, 12:51 PM ET
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie WR Emeka Egbuka, who is listed as questionable with hip and groin issues, is expected to play Sunday against the New York Jets, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Egbuka, the Bucs’ 19th overall draft pick who is tied for a league-leading three touchdown catches in two games, missed two days of practice this week. He returned to practice Friday but was limited, Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said.

Should Egbuka not play, the Bucs will lean more on former undrafted free agent Ryan Miller, who scored the first touchdown Monday night at Houston, as well as Sterling Shepard, rookie Tez Johnson and Kameron Johnson, who delivered a 54-yard punt return against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1.

The Bucs have started off 2-0 each of the past three seasons but have not had a 3-0 start since 2005.

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September 20, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Sources — Cowboys make Tyler Smith NFL’s highest-paid interior OL

by admin September 13, 2025

Todd ArcherSep 13, 2025, 04:34 PM ET
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FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys have made left guard Tyler Smith the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in the NFL.

As sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Smith agreed to a four-year extension worth $96 million that includes $81.2 million in guaranteed money. Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith was the highest-paid guard with a four-year, $94 million deal he signed on July 15.

Tyler Smith was under contract through 2026 after the Cowboys picked up the $21.27 million fifth-year option on his contract. He is now signed through 2030.

Though the team dealt star pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 28, Smith is the third player the Cowboys have signed to an extension since training camp began. Tight end Jake Ferguson signed a four-year extension worth up to $52 million that included $30 million guaranteed and a $12 million signing bonus. Last month the Cowboys signed cornerback DaRon Bland to a four-year extension worth up to $92 million that included $50 million guaranteed and a $22 million signing bonus.

All three of the deals were negotiated as the Cowboys kept hope that they could resolve the Parsons situation with an extension.

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Smith was the Cowboys’ first-round pick in 2022, and he has started all 47 games he has played. As a rookie, he moved to left tackle following a training camp in which he played mostly guard after Tyron Smith suffered a hamstring avulsion that required surgery.

In 2023, he moved to left guard, and he has been selected to the Pro Bowl the past two seasons. In 2024, he joined Larry Allen, Zack Martin and Travis Frederick as the only four offensive linemen in team history to garner multiple Pro Bowl appearances in their first three seasons.

On Friday, coach Brian Schottenheimer called Tyler Smith “the best guard in football.”

“I don’t think I’m overselling him,” Schottenheimer said. “I really think he is.”

With the retirement of Martin this offseason, Smith, who is just 24, has become the leader of the offensive line room that projects to start a rookie (right guard Tyler Booker) and two second-year players (left tackle Tyler Guyton, center Cooper Beebe).

“He’s important, the leader, and it’s showing up out here,” Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said on July 27. “I’ve been watching it with his reps. He’ll of course elevate from where he has been the first couple of years. Boy, we’ve got to have his leadership.”

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September 13, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Sources: Alyssa Thompson flies to London amid Chelsea links

by admin September 4, 2025

Jeff KassoufSep 3, 2025, 09:33 PM ET
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Angel City FC forward Alyssa Thompson boarded a London-bound plane from Los Angeles on Wednesday as six-time reigning English champions Chelsea attempt to finalize a deal for the American, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.

England’s transfer deadline closes at 11 p.m. local time Thursday. Multiple sources confirmed that Angel City and Chelsea have not yet agreed to a deal, but Thompson’s departure for London signals that a transfer agreement will be reached.

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The 20-year-old Thompson missed Angel City’s league match on Monday and was listed as an excused absence. The team’s head coach Alexander Straus, who arrived on the job in June, said after Monday’s 2-1 victory over Bay FC that the prior days had been “difficult.”

Angel City has not commented on the transfer saga as it has played out over the past week.

Thompson has scored six goals and added two assists for Angel City this season in the NWSL. In January, Thompson signed a three-year extension with Angel City that runs through the 2028 NWSL season.

Her 19-year-old sister, Gisele, also signed an extension through 2028 at the same time. Thompson is a Los Angeles native who skipped college — after committing to Stanford — to turn professional. Angel City selected her first overall in the 2023 NWSL Draft.

Thompson became the first player to be drafted straight out of high school. She was the youngest player on the United States’ 2023 World Cup team later that year at 18 years old. Thompson debuted for the senior USWNT against England on Oct. 7, 2022, in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in London.

Chelsea is already home to United States international forward Catarina Macario and USWNT vice-captain and defender Naomi Girma. The club paid a then world record $1.1 million transfer fee to San Diego Wave FC for Girma in January.

Chelsea have made a point to go after more USWNT talent in recent scouting efforts. A fee for Thompson, one of the NWSL’s emerging stars, is expected clear the $1 million threshold at minimum. The Orlando Pride set a new world record in August when the NWSL team paid $1.5 million to Tigres for Mexico forward Lizbeth Jacqueline Ovalle.

ESPN’s Emily Keogh and Charlotte Gibson contributed to this report.

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September 4, 2025 0 comments

Esports

“Performance didn’t matter” in King layoffs, sources claim in new report

by admin August 27, 2025

A new report has called King’s layoffs “haphazard,” with anonymous sources claiming staff performance didn’t appear to factor into decision-making.

Mobilegamer.biz spoke to multiple King staff members affected by Microsoft layoffs in July, and in a report published on August 26, 2025, claimed morale at the company is “pretty low.”

According to claims by the publication’s anonymous sources, on July 2, 2025, the regular company-wide call was renamed Important Kingdom Update and required mandatory attendance. It was at this meeting that King’s president, Todd Green, allegedly told staff that 200 jobs were to be cut.

Sources alleged that staff were offered a severance package and an exit agreement to sign, with some given three weeks to sign the document. However, some staff had “serious questions” over the terms offered, the publication reports.

“We all took lawyers and they were pretty clear that the proposals weren’t legal,” an anonymous source claimed. “But I decided in the end to sign, simply because I fear getting even less and I don’t believe we can win against a corporation like Microsoft.”

The publication reports that other staff members are proceeding with legal action against King.

The report also claimed the layoffs were “haphazard,” with a senior manager alleging that, while King has a five-point scale for ranking employees’ performance, this “did not seem to factor into who was eliminated.”

“The logic for who has been chosen to be laid off has been hard to figure honestly…the rationale outlined was our heavy management layer and inefficient product development, but looking at the people let go, it doesn’t align,” the senior manager told Mobilegamer.biz.

“It didn’t matter that it was people who worked there for ten or more years or who contributed to the success and earned promotions,” another source claimed. “Performance didn’t matter.”

According to one source, the Farm Heroes Saga team, which reportedly lost half its staff (roughly 50 people), was close to hitting its annual operation plan (AOP) targets, while the company’s catalog games, including Candy Crush, were “far behind their AOP”.

Sources also alleged that some staff were rehired within weeks of being laid off and that some “toxic” managers have been investigated multiple times by Activision Blizzard’s Right Way2Play workplace ethics and conduct team, without repercussions.

“The Right Way2Play is about fostering an ethical, speak up culture,” the code of conduct reads. “It means doing the right thing, even when it’s difficult.

“The Right Way2Play is about taking responsibility. It means a work environment that’s safe, so everyone can bring their creativity. And where we all act with integrity.

“The Right Way2Play means speaking up for ourselves, for each other, and for our community of players. I’m committed to fostering an ethical culture. One that is open, respectful, and inclusive.

“No matter where you work across the globe, or what group you support, we all live by our shared Code of Conduct. And that’s the Right Way2Play.”

However, one source claimed that “HR has often protected toxic leaders and put pressure on the ‘difficult’ employees for reporting the issue.”

“Employees that were vocal and known for being vocal have been targeted by HR on several occasions,” the source alleged.

In July, Mobilegamer.biz reported that laid off King staff would be replaced by the AI tools they helped to create.

“AI was being introduced by Microsoft as mandatory a while ago,” one source told the publication.

“The goal for last year, if I recall correctly, was having a 70 or 80% daily usage of AI on general tasks. And the goal for this year was to get up to 100%, so that every artist, designer, developer, even managers have to use it on a daily basis.”

However, another source alleged that King is “AI sceptic” and AI adoption is “very low apart from ChatGPT.”

This same source claimed that King’s workforce was “bloated” and that “there will definitely be more layoffs.”

GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to King and Microsoft for comment on this story.

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August 27, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Sources – Commanders trading Brian Robinson to 49ers for pick

by admin August 22, 2025

John KeimAug 22, 2025, 12:45 PM ET
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ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders are trading running back Brian Robinson to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2026 sixth-round pick, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Robinson did not play in Washington’s preseason game Monday vs. Cincinnati, signaling the end of his relationship with the franchise. The Commanders had planned to release him if they could not find a trade partner.

Washington had been shopping Robinson since earlier this month, in part because of the depth coaches say the team has at running back.

The Commanders will save $3.3 million in salary cap space thanks to this move.

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In adding Robinson, the 49ers add much-needed depth at a position that has been hit hard by injury.

San Francisco has been without rookie Jordan James for most of camp, placed Patrick Taylor Jr. on injured reserve with a shoulder injury and just got backup Isaac Guerendo back from a shoulder injury of his own.

Starter Christian McCaffrey has made it through camp without issue but Robinson should provide a power element the Niners backfield otherwise lacks.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury boasted of their improved depth at running back this summer, signaling the potential for parting ways with Robinson.

Their intentions became clear when Robinson did not play in — nor did he attend — Monday’s preseason game vs. Cincinnati.

Washington could end up using a running back by committee approach. The Commanders top two backs Monday were Chris Rodriguez and rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Both managed long runs vs. the Bengals vs. the starting defense — Rodriguez gained 40 yards on one run; Croskey-Merritt scored from 27 yards out to cap the second series. They combined for 17 carries and 108 yards.

The Commanders also have veteran third-down back Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols. “Going into training camp, we really thought this was a deep room,” Quinn said Monday night. “There would be real competition. We knew this was one of our strengths going into training camp.”

Robinson’s journey in the NFL started with a difficult situation. The third-round pick in the 2022 draft was shot on Aug. 28, 2022, in an attempted robbery in Washington, D.C. Despite undergoing surgery on his knee because of the shooting, he returned to play 12 games and rushed for 797 yards and two touchdowns.

Robinson has rushed for 2,329 yards in 41 games with Washington since being drafted by the organization. He rushed for a career-high 799 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

He has averaged 4.1 yards per carry in his career, which ranks 40th among running backs since he entered the league. He ranked 29th in yards after first contact and his percentage of 10-yard runs (9.8) ranked 86th. But he was 17th in rushing yards per game (56.8).

Information from ESPN’s Nick Wagoner was used in this report.

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August 22, 2025 0 comments