FELONY CHARGES: SHERRONE MOORE SCANDAL FORCES KEY RECRUITS TO ABANDON MICHIGAN
The fallout from Sherrone Moore's firing and felony charges deepens: four-star TE Matt Ludwig and OL Bear McWhorter have both decommitted from Michigan.
The Michigan Wolverines are dealing with more fallout after the firing of head coach Sherrone Moore.
Moore was dismissed on Wednesday for an inappropriate relationship with a staff member and later detained for an alleged assault in Ann Arbor.
Following the scandal, two football recruits have backed out of their commitments to Michigan.
Matt Ludwig, a highly rated four-star recruit, was released from his national letter of intent after Moore's firing.
Ludwig, a tight end from Billings West High School in Montana, had planned to start at Michigan in January.
But after Moore's firing, he was allowed to back out of his agreement.
Ludwig's high school coach told USA Today that he was really devastated and shocked—all the emotions—by the news.
Ludwig has since committed to Texas Tech and will join the Red Raiders in January.
Also, offensive lineman Bear McWhorter announced on Friday that he is backing out of his commitment to the Wolverines.
McWhorter, a three-star prospect, committed to Michigan in February and signed with the school last week.
He called it a difficult decision in a post on X, adding that he is grateful to the staff at U-M for everything they've done.
The university started an investigation after getting a tip about Moore's relationship with a staff member.
The initial inquiry found no evidence of a relationship, as both Moore and the woman denied the claim.
Moore, 39, allegedly threatened to kill himself and make a woman watch after breaking into his assistant's apartment after his fired from Michigan.
Moore and his wife, Kelli, have been married since 2015 and have three daughters.
The school hired an outside law firm for more information. The Wall Street Journal reported that the woman contacted the firm on Wednesday to change her story, saying she and Moore had been involved for two years until 2024.
The school fired Moore on Wednesday, according to the Journal, which did not name the woman.
On Friday, Moore was charged with breaking, home invasion, and stalking after allegedly entering his assistant's apartment, terrorising a woman, and threatening to harm himself.
Prosecutor Kati Rezmierski said Moore and the woman had been in an intimate relationship for years. Magistrate Odetalla M. Odetalla forbade the court from identifying the alleged victim. The 911 call that led to Moore's arrest was made from an apartment belonging to his executive assistant, Paige Shiver.
Police and prosecutors said Moore entered a residence unarmed through an unlocked door and engaged in a verbal argument with the victim that escalated. He then allegedly grabbed knives and scissors and threatened to harm himself.
"I'm going to kill myself," Moore told the woman, according to prosecutor Kati Rezmierski on Friday. I'm going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You ruined my life.
Moore allegedly left before police arrived. He was arrested on Wednesday evening at a church parking lot. He has since been released on bond, according to court records.
If convicted, Moore could face up to six and a half years in jail and $3,500 in fines, according to the county's statement on Friday.
He was granted a $25,000 bond and ordered to wear a GPS device while continuing mental health treatment. His next court appearance is January 22.
Defence attorney Joe Simon said there is no evidence to suggest that his client is a threat to the public while out on bond.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES TRADE JAREN JACKSON JR. TO UTAH JAZZ IN 8-PLAYER BLOCKBUSTER
The Memphis Grizzlies have traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz, creating a record $28.8 million trade exception for 2026.
The Memphis Grizzlies turned heads on Tuesday, pulling off a blockbuster trade that sent two-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr to the Utah Jazz. Along with Jackson, the Grizzlies shipped out Vince Williams Jr, John Konchar, and Jock Landale. Coming back their way: Walter Clayton Jr, Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, and, maybe the most important part, three future first-round picks.
And honestly, it feels like Memphis isn’t done stirring the pot. Inside the organisation, they see Zach Edey and Cedric Coward as the future. Both went late in the lottery in the past two drafts, and the Grizzlies landed some value in the second round this year, too, grabbing Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer.
All this movement means Ja Morant’s future in Memphis suddenly looks shaky. He’s been the face of the franchise since they took him No. 2 overall back in 2019. When he’s healthy, he’s electric—no question. But injuries and off-court drama have slowed him down, and now, with the trade deadline closing in, the Grizzlies are openly shopping him. Teams around the league are watching.
There’s another wrinkle here: by dealing Jackson, Memphis created a massive trade exception—$28.8 million, the biggest in NBA history, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Shams Charania. It’s a huge chess piece. With that exception, the Grizzlies can absorb big, ugly contracts from other teams in exchange for more draft picks. Think of what the Thunder did a few years back—stockpiling picks by taking on bad deals until they rebuilt into a contender.
Now, you’ve probably heard Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name floating around in trade rumours. He hasn’t officially asked out of Milwaukee, but everyone in the league expects something to happen soon. Teams like the Timberwolves and Knicks are circling. The Grizzlies? They’re not likely to chase Giannis directly. But with that trade exception, they could play a big role as a third team—taking on salary dumps or unwanted contracts, collecting more picks, and helping another franchise pull off the Giannis blockbuster. Memphis just put itself squarely in the middle of the NBA’s hottest rumour.
KLINT KUBIAK SNUBS NFL RIVALS TO LEAD RAIDERS’ NEW ERA UNDER TOM BRADY
The Las Vegas Raiders are zeroing in on Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next head coach, with Tom Brady leading the search.
The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of a huge shakeup right now. Klint Kubiak, the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, is set to become their new head coach—and honestly, he’s nothing like Pete Carroll.
Kubiak’s still in his 30s, calling plays on offence, while Carroll just wrapped up last season as the NFL’s oldest head coach. The Raiders had their eyes on Ben Johnson previous year, but when he decided to take the Bears job, they turned to Carroll instead.
This time, Las Vegas seemed to have that same level of interest in Kubiak, but they had to wait things out because Seattle was still in the playoffs. Tom Brady, who’s a minority owner with the Raiders, clearly played a big part in picking the new coach.
Since nothing’s official until after the Super Bowl, Brady can’t come right out and talk about Kubiak joining the team. Still, he didn’t hold back when it came to sharing what he liked about the guy.
“Klint’s played to his team’s strengths. Last week, he did a ton of good things against a really strong Rams defence,” Brady said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “That’s what it took for them to win. The Rams are a tough team. That game in Seattle could’ve gone either way... Seattle really had to play a complete game in all three phases to pull it out, and they’ll need to do the same this weekend in Santa Clara.”
Brady also talked about Fernando Mendoza.
Another big reason the Raiders’ coaching job is so appealing? They’ve got the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Everyone expects them to grab Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Brady doesn’t have to be secretive about it—nobody’s jumping ahead of them in the draft. He was pretty open about how much he likes Mendoza.
“What do I value most? When I see him, he’s always talking up his teammates. He wins the Heisman, and he’s giving credit to everyone else,” Brady said. “That’s the kind of attitude you want in a leader.”
Kubiak focused on the Super Bowl, not the job switch.
Kubiak’s career is about to take off, but right now, he’s locked in on trying to win his first Super Bowl. So, he isn’t ready to talk about the Raiders just yet.
“I’m coaching the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and that’s all I’m thinking about,” Kubiak told reporters on Monday. “I’m just excited for this week and this game.”
Not everyone in Seattle is thrilled to see Kubiak go. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had nothing but praise after working with him this year.
“He was unbelievable,” Darnold said Monday. “The stuff I picked up from Klint—just with schemes, and then learning from him as a coach and a person—the grit. He’s up before the sun, gets to the facility at 4 or 4:30, and leaves later than anyone. The guy just grinds. He loves football, and he’s always straight with his players. I know I really appreciated that, and so did the rest of the guys.”