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JUST IN: J.J. MCCARTHY OUT, SEE THE SHOCK NFL CHRISTMAS QB DISASTER NOW

J.J. McCarthy and Patrick Mahomes are out for Christmas. See the SHOCK backup QB lineup REVEALED for Netflix's games.

JUST IN: J.J. McCarthy Out, See The SHOCK NFL Christmas QB Disaster Now
The Unknown Rookie Replacing J.J. McCarthy

Looks like the Minnesota Vikings' QB, JJ McCarthy, has a hairline fracture in his hand and won't play against the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day.

This is bad news for Netflix, which is paying a lot—like $150 million each year—to have exclusive rights to NFL games on Christmas Day. They had a doubleheader last year and planned a tripleheader for December 25, 2025.

The games sounded cool initially, but it turns out that most of the teams playing are already out of the playoffs. Injuries to big-name guys like Patrick Mahomes haven't helped either, and now McCarthy is out for the Vikings.

McCarthy is just one of several QBs who won’t be playing on Christmas Day. The Vikings are saying Max Brosmer will start against the Lions, who aren't likely to make the playoffs.

The first game of the tripleheader is the Washington Commanders playing the Dallas Cowboys, but both of those teams aren't going to playoffs. The Commanders have had a rough year with injuries, and backup QB Marcus Mariota got hurt on Saturday.

Their main QB, Jayden Daniels, has been out most of the year with an injury, and Mariota had to leave their 29-18 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, Josh Johnson, the third-string QB, might start against Dak Prescott and the Cowboys.

The second game is the Vikings versus the Lions, with Brosmer stepping in for McCarthy. Detroit only has a tiny chance (like 7%) of making the playoffs after losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, 29-24, because of a call that people didn't like.

For the Lions to get to the postseason, they need to win their last two games and hope the Green Bay Packers lose twice. The last game was going to be a big one between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos, but things haven't gone as planned.

The Chiefs used to own the NFL recently, but they won't be in the playoffs this year, which is the first time that's happened with Patrick Mahomes. Travis Kelce will be there, but Chris Oladokun, the third-string QB, will be leading the Chiefs' offense.

Mahomes hurt himself badly in their 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers a while back, and things got worse on Sunday. Gardner Minshew hurt his knee against the Tennessee Titans and is out.

Oladokun is going to start for the first time for the Chiefs against the Broncos on Christmas Day. Even though the Lions barely have a shot at the playoffs, this game matters a lot for the Broncos.

Denver has already made the playoffs and is the No. 1 seed in the AFC Conference right now. They are at the same level as the New England Patriots, and both teams are 12-3.

If the Broncos win against the Chiefs, they could lock up the No. 1 seed and win the AFC West. They are just one win ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers, who are 11-4.

KENDRICK BOURNE REVEALS THE STRICT DISCIPLINE THAT SPARKED THE PATRIOTS' TURNAROUND

Kendrick Bourne speaks out! Discover why he thinks Mike Vrabel is the right fit and why he’s eyeing a 2026 return to the 49ers.

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Kendrick Bourne tops the list of receivers San Francisco wants to retain

Kendrick Bourne’s path through the NFL has zigzagged all over – some highs, plenty of lows, and now, another fresh start. He took a shot with the Patriots in 2025 after building his reputation with the 49ers. But honestly, that New England chapter ended before it even got going. Bourne didn’t just slip out the back door. He left with a lot to say about what he saw brewing in New England as Mike Vrabel took charge.

Once Vrabel arrived, you didn’t need to listen for rumours about a culture shift; it was obvious. Bourne noticed right away. He’s already got his eyes set on home, back with the 49ers, but even from a distance, he could see the Patriots were heading somewhere new long before their record showed it.

Talking about his exit from New England, Bourne didn’t sugarcoat anything. Losing the job itself wasn’t the hardest part. What stung was watching Vrabel put his stamp on the team, laying down the kind of structure and discipline Bourne knew would eventually pay off. He was blunt; things just felt different under Vrabel compared to before.

He put it like this: “After going through OTAs and camp with Vrabes, you just knew. Nothing against Mayo, but he just wasn’t ready. With Vrabes, the structure was totally different in how we studied, how we met, and just the whole vibe. Honestly, I was sad about it.”

This wasn’t just a guy being bitter. Bourne respected what was happening in New England and genuinely wished he could have been part of it, especially with a Super Bowl push on the horizon. He even admitted he’d wanted to be in that locker room when the Patriots finally made it back to the big stage.

Now he’s back with the 49ers, hoping to stick around. At 30, Bourne wants a new contract in San Francisco. He had a solid 2025, racked up 551 yards, picked up a contract bonus, and gave the offence a spark. The 49ers needed reliable hands, and Bourne delivered. He’s clear: he wants to stay, but only if the deal makes sense for him.

So now, the offseason gets interesting. Bourne knows where he fits best, but he’s still keeping an eye on what’s building in New England. That mix of looking back and chasing what’s next makes this part of his career one to pay attention to.

MRI SCARE: STEVE KERR ADMITS STEPH CURRY’S "NEBULOUS" KNEE MAY REQUIRE SECOND IMAGING

Warriors crisis! Discover why Steph Curry may need another MRI and how Jimmy Butler’s ACL tear shifts GSW to the play-in.

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Warriors star to undergo new MRI as knee pain lingers

The Warriors have been scrambling since Jimmy Butler went down with that ACL tear. He’s done for the year, and now Stephen Curry has to carry the offence on his own.

Right after the All-Star break, the Warriors are sitting in eighth place out West. That’s already shaky, and now Curry’s dealing with a knee injury too. The team calls it runner's knee; basically, he just needs time to heal. But then Steve Kerr gave an update that didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Turns out, Curry might need another MRI. He tried to push through a full workout, but his knee just wasn’t right. Now, they’re waiting on imaging to figure out how long he’ll actually be out.

Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis still hasn’t suited up for Golden State. If Curry misses significant time, everyone else needs to step up in a big way. The Warriors already have one of the most average offences in the league, 15th at the break. No curry, and things get ugly fast. He’s already missed 16 games this season, and the team went 6-10 without him.

Losing Butler already knocked the Warriors out of serious contention. They’re pretty much locked into the play-in. Unless Curry suddenly goes supernova, it’s hard to see them catching the Thunder or making any real noise out West.

So, what’s next? The front office tried to swing big at the deadline, going after Giannis Antetokounmpo, though who knows if the Bucks ever really considered it. Giannis stayed put, but you can bet the Warriors will chase him again this summer.

If that doesn’t work, they’ll turn to other stars. They know the championship window is closing with Curry still on the roster. He’s still elite, but time’s ticking.

LeBron James even comes up as a possibility. If he declines his player option and hits free agency, maybe he’d team up with Curry for one last run at a ring.

Most likely, though, Golden State will look at trades instead of free agents to try to reload. Curry’s health isn’t what it used to be, and the Warriors know they have to make the most of whatever prime he’s got left.

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