Sports
Chelsea’s Palmer out of action for another six weeks: Maresca | The Express Tribune
The Italian admits losing his key playmaker is a major setback as the team hunts for consistency
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer faces an extended period on the sidelines. PHOTO: AFP
LONDON:
Cole Palmer has been ruled out of action for six more weeks, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said on Friday.
The England midfielder has not played since Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on September 20 — when he came off midway through the first half.
Maresca initially said he hoped Palmer, 23, would be back after this month’s international break.
“I was wrong. Unfortunately, he needs to be out probably six more weeks. So, yes, this is the update,” he said.
The Italian said he was confident that the forward would not require surgery.
“We try just to protect Cole as much as we can and the most important thing is that when he comes back he’s fully recovered,” he added.
Maresca, whose team face Nottingham Forest on Saturday, said replacing “one of the best players in the Premier League” was difficult.
“For sure, we need to find a different solution, we need to find different skills, because we don’t have another player like Cole,” he said. “Because Cole is unique.”
Sports
Trump vows to protect Army-Navy game from ‘Big TV Money’ interference with executive order
Trump arrives at 2025 Army-Navy game
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and others arrive at the Army-Navy game just outside of Washington, D.C., and salute during the national anthem.
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President Donald Trump said Saturday that he plans to sign an executive order protecting the broadcast slot for the Army-Navy football game.
Trump’s announcement on Truth Social comes amid a push to expand the NCAA College Football Playoff, which could potentially affect the Army-Navy game’s traditional time slot.
“The Army-Navy Game is one of our Greatest American Traditions — Unmatched Patriotism, Courage, and Honor!” Trump wrote. “This incredible Tradition is now at risk of being pushed aside by more College Playoff Games, and Big TV Money. NOT ANYMORE!”
PROTESTS ERUPT OUTSIDE ARMY-NAVY GAME AMID TRUMP’S ATTENDANCE
President Donald Trump walks onto the field with Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland, Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, left, and Lt. Gen. Michael Borgschulte, Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, right, unseen, before the start of the 126th Army-Navy NCAA college football game on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Baltimore. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
The president said his executive order will secure an exclusive four-hour broadcast window in December for the event that cannot be challenged by another postseason football game.
“Under my Administration, the second Saturday in December belongs to Army-Navy, and ONLY Army-Navy!” Trump said. “I will soon sign a Historic Executive Order securing an EXCLUSIVE 4 hour Broadcast window, so this National Event stands above Commercial Postseason Games. No other Game or Team can violate this Time Slot!!!”

President Donald Trump (C) greets players after the coin toss and before the start of the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 13, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Trump praised the rivalry, adding that “on the battlefield they are America’s unstoppable Patriots, defending our Country with tremendous Strength and Heart.”
“We must protect the Tradition, and the Players, who protect us,” he added. “Please let this serve as Notice to ALL Television Networks, Stations, and Outlets.”
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President Donald Trump walks onto the field for the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen on Dec. 13, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Trump attended the 126th installment of the rivalry game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Dec. 13, his seventh appearance at the game. The Navy Midshipmen captured the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy with a 17-16 victory over Army.
The president said he will also attend the College Football Playoff championship Monday in Miami, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Sports
Sources: Packers bringing back Matt LaFleur on multiyear deal
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers are keeping Matt LaFleur as head coach, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
He has signed a multiyear contract extension that a source said is “not a prove-it deal but a real commitment.”
The two sides met early in the week to discuss the future direction of the organization. They were joined by general manager Brian Gutekunst and vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball, and the first order of business was to make sure they had the right threesome in place.
Once they all agreed to move forward, LaFleur’s contract was the first order of business. It didn’t take long, and the deal was agreed to on Friday evening and signed on Saturday. Deals for Gutekunst and Ball are also in the works, sources said.
It was the first major decision by new team president Ed Policy, who took over in July for Mark Murphy. It was Murphy who hired LaFleur in 2019 to replace Super Bowl-winning coach Mike McCarthy.
The Packers are keeping their organizational structure in place even with the new extensions, sources said, as Gutekunst and LaFleur will continue to report to Policy.
The Packers lost in the wild-card round of the playoffs for the second straight season, but this time it was in a devastating fashion. Not only did they blow an 18-point halftime lead and give up 25 points in the fourth quarter, but they did it against the rival Chicago Bears.
LaFleur and Policy spoke briefly on the plane ride home from Chicago after the loss and then again after they returned to Green Bay to discuss the coach’s future.
LaFleur had one year left on the contract extension he signed in 2022. He would not say whether he would be willing to coach the 2026 season without a contract extension, but he reiterated that he would prefer to remain as the Packers’ coach even though he would likely be a top candidate for other NFL head coaching jobs.
“This is one-of-one,” LaFleur said Sunday when he met reporters the day after the season ended. “I love this place. I love the people. … I love our players, the locker room, everybody in our organization. I mean, this is a unique place. The community has been outstanding.
“I’ve lived in other places, so I think this is a unique place, and it’s a special place. My kids love it here; my family loves it here.”
Policy said last summer that he would prefer not to have a coach or general manager work into the final year of their contract, but at that time also said he was not ready to offer any extensions.
“I’m generally opposed — I’d never say never — [but] I’m generally opposed to a coach or GM going into the last year of their contract,” Policy said last June, shortly before he officially took over as president. “That creates a lot of issues. I think normally you have a pretty good idea of where that relationship is going when you have two years left — not always, but normally.
“So I think generally speaking I would avoid lame-duck status. It’s oftentimes difficult on everybody involved. But there are certain situations that probably call for it, so I would not say never.”
That ramped up the pressure on the 2025 season, which ended with five straight losses.
LaFleur has a 76-40-1 regular-season record as the Packers’ coach, the fourth-highest winning percentage (.654) among all active NFL head coaches, and his 76 wins tied for second most in NFL history by a coach in their first seven seasons.
LaFleur received a strong vote of confidence from quarterback Jordan Love after Saturday’s loss.
“I definitely think Matt should be the head coach,” Love said. “I’ve got a lot of love for Matt, and I think he does a good job. And that’s it.”
The Packers have made the playoffs in all but one of LaFleur’s seven seasons. However, after posting three straight 13-win seasons and going to two NFC Championship Games, LaFleur is 37-30-1 over the past four seasons with only one playoff win — a wild-card game in the 2023 season.
LaFleur was hired in 2019 in part to get Aaron Rodgers back to an MVP level, and that’s exactly what happened. Rodgers won the award twice (2020 and 2021) under LaFleur. He also was charged with developing Love, who three seasons into his starting career appears to be Green Bay’s franchise quarterback.
LaFleur came to the Packers after one season as playcaller with the Tennessee Titans. Before that, he was part of the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay coaching family.
Perhaps the biggest issue during LaFleur’s tenure was his hiring of coordinators. He fired four coordinators in his first five seasons. He retained defensive coordinator Mike Pettine from previous coach Mike McCarthy’s staff but moved on after two seasons. Pettine’s replacement, Joe Barry, lasted three seasons before LaFleur hired Jeff Hafley in 2024. LaFleur also had three different special teams coordinators. Rich Bisaccia has been in that position since 2022 after LaFleur fired Shawn Mennenga after two seasons and Mo Drayton after one.
LaFleur said he expects to lose Hafley to a head coaching job but would not say whether he planned to make any other coaching changes.
Sports
New transfer windows approved in basketball, other sports
Changes to the transfer windows in several sports were approved by the NCAA’s Division I cabinet Wednesday, most notably shortening and moving back those in men’s and women’s basketball to the day after the national championship games.
The transfer windows in basketball will now open for a 15-day period the day after each sport’s championship game.
The changes are effective immediately, meaning this spring the basketball window will be open April 7-21 for men and April 6-20 for women.
Previously, the window was open for 30 days and began after the second round of the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments. This is the fourth change to the windows since they were introduced for the 2022-23 academic year, with the initial one lasting 60 days and opening the day after the tournament field was announced. That was cut to 45 days in 2023 and trimmed to the most recent 30-day window in October 2024.
Wednesday’s changes were proposed in November by the men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees.
The cabinet also approved another committee proposal, one more in line with a change that was adopted in football in October.
Following a head coaching change, a 15-day period will open five days after the new coach is hired. If no new coach is announced within 30 days and the transfer window has already closed, a 15-day window will open on the 31st day for players from that school.
Transfer window changes were also enacted in other sports.
In men’s wrestling, the window has been shortened from 45 days to 30 days. Men’s ice hockey has approved the same changes as basketball, with a 15-day window following the championship game. The men’s and women’s track and field oversight committee recommended the removal of the transfer window that opened following the indoor season.
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