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With the 2022 Winter Olympics fast approaching and NHL players still on track to participate, excitement is growing for American fans.

(Not over Team USA’s new sweaters, unless Patrick Kane will be playing rugby in Beijing. But USA Hockey has answered the nagging question of what the men’s national team would look like if Mike Ditka designed the jerseys.)

The U.S. team’s goaltending depth is stronger than Canada’s. The team has forwards like Auston Matthews, which is great, although not “Canada great,” considering our friends from the North could have Connor McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon playing on their second line.

But the most fascinating part of the potential Team USA roster is the defense, because the growth of that position in this hockey nation has itself been fascinating.

The country has produced Hall of Fame defensemen like Phil Housley, Brian Leetch, Chris Chelios and Mark Howe. The current crop has the potential to yield a few more.

Here’s a look at the state of American defensemen, taking into account recent history and their starts to the season. We’ve ranked them in tiers according to our own observations and with input from those we informally polled, including Chelios, now an ESPN studio analyst.

The elite

Adam Fox, New York Rangers
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins

They’re the consensus top two American-born defensemen in the NHL today. Fox, 23, has 107 points in his first 143 NHL games with the Rangers, winning the Norris Trophy last season. McAvoy, 23, is still looking for his awards breakthrough, but with 134 points in 250 games and a 200-foot game, he’s the next in the great tradition of outstanding Bruins defensemen.

The main differences between the two: Fox has been an ace on the power play, with 6.38 points per 60 minutes with the man advantage. McAvoy (4.05) is no slouch, and he finally has been given the keys to the Bruins’ power play and has excelled (7.87 this season). McAvoy also gets credit for being a stouter defender in his own zone.

“McAvoy has the best overall game. You can put him on the No. 1 power play, the penalty kill, he can play a physical game against physical players and can play the speed game against the faster players,” said one NHL veteran. “Fox is a very good player in the offensive zone. He’s a heck of a defenseman. But if he’s going against a physical player in the corners, he might not come up with that puck as often as McAvoy would.”

The divisive ones

John Carlson, Washington Capitals
Seth Jones, Chicago Blackhawks

Perhaps having a name that sounds like “Karlsson” means dominating offensively but getting dragged for defensive deficiencies. No American-born defenseman has more points (349) since 2014-15 than the 31-year-old Carlson, whose passing acumen has helped power the Capitals at even strength and on their deadly power play. But his only Norris Trophy nomination was in 2019-20, when he was the runner-up. The winner that season, Roman Josi, was seen to have a more “complete” all-around game. Despite 75 points in 69 games, Carlson couldn’t overcome that perception.

Jones, 27, has represented one of the widest gaps between the analytics community and the NHL’s “eye test” dogma for a few seasons, to the point where it’s become a study in and of itself.

“Players like Jones force us to consider the ways that flashy displays of talent do not necessarily translate to macro-level on-ice results; how a player can be really good at certain very visible things but quietly ineffective in other areas,” noted the analytics writer JFresh.

Jones is having a bounce-back campaign with the Blackhawks, after a tough start. “He likes to get up the ice and lead the play. He’s settled down quite a bit from the beginning of the year. He’s playing a lot smarter,” Chelios said.

Former Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman committed eight years, $76 million and full no-move protection to Jones in a contract that starts next season. That salary did little to help bridge the perception gap. One NHL veteran we spoke with believed that Jones is actually a better defenseman than Adam Fox, but that his contract with the Blackhawks obscures that.

“He’s a really good defenseman, but not at $9.5 million [against the cap],” he said.

The expected Olympians

Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

Jones has already been named to the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team for the Beijing Games in 2022. It’s assumed that Fox and McAvoy will join him. Carlson played in Sochi and is one of the youngest of the old guard, so he’s expected to be there, too.

Three other spots could go to these three defensemen. Hughes, 22, is an instant-offense player with speed and creativity, although his defensive game is still coming along.

Chelios said he likes everything about Hughes but his size, as he’s listed at 5-foot-10. “He’s not a hard guy to play against in D-zone, but he’s great with the puck. He’s got unbelievable skill,” he said.

Slavin, 27, graduated from annual “most underrated player” lists to become one of the NHL’s most respected defensive defensemen, and the perfect complement for players like Hughes and Carlson. “He’s awesome,” said one NHL veteran of Slavin. “If you’re looking for an all-around guy you can throw out there in all situations, then Jaccob Slavin is my guy.”

Werenski has emerged from the shadow that Seth Jones cast as his partner in Columbus. The 24-year-old signed a long-term deal with the Blue Jackets, and had 13 points through 16 games for them to start the season.

Chelios pushed back on the idea that Werenski was overshadowed by Jones. “I would say the opposite. I think he’s a more complete defenseman,” he said. “I’m a big fan of him. Size, strength. He’s good in every aspect.”

The old guard

Justin Faulk, St. Louis Blues
Erik Johnson, Colorado Avalanche
Alec Martinez, Vegas Golden Knights
Ryan McDonagh, Tampa Bay Lightning
Kevin Shattenkirk, Anaheim Ducks
Ryan Suter, Dallas Stars
Keith Yandle, Philadelphia Flyers

Some of these names were synonymous with U.S.-born defensemen in the past decade, and a few are proving to have a bit more left in the tank.

Suter (36), Johnson (33), McDonagh (32) and Shattenkirk (32) are all previous Olympians. Of the four, Shattenkirk has arguably had the best 2021-22 season, with 14 points in 19 games with the surprising Ducks. Martinez, 34, has gained newfound respect since joining the Golden Knights, after being an overlooked performer with the Kings. Yandle, 35, isn’t the offensive powerhouse he once was, but is closing in on Doug Jarvis’ NHL ironman streak record (964 games), having played in 939 straight as of Wednesday.

Faulk is the youngest of the “old guard” at 29 years old. It only seems like he’s been around forever because he started with the Hurricanes as a 19-year-old rookie in 2011. He has been the embodiment of “solid but unspectacular” for St. Louis.

The regression squad

Jakob Chychrun, Arizona Coyotes
Matt Grzelcyk, Boston Bruins
Jeff Petry, Montreal Canadiens
Mike Reilly, Boston Bruins
Brady Skjei, Carolina Hurricanes

Chychrun, 23, has dual citizenship and has represented Canada internationally but was born in Florida. With four points in his past five games, he’s starting to pick up the pace offensively, but he has a long way to go: A player who quietly built a Norris Trophy case last season started this campaign with five points in 19 games, potentially dashing his Team Canada Olympic hopes.

Petry, 33, has suffered an even steeper decline. He had four straight seasons with at least 40 points playing for the Canadiens. This season, he tallied two points in his first 20 games, which is a big yikes.

Chelios said the absence of Carey Price so far this season has impacted Petry. “When you’ve got a good goalie behind you, it bails you out. I’ve been in that position a lot in my career. But I still like [Petry] a lot,” he said.

Grzelcyk, 27, has struggled to fulfill the promise of his potential. Grzelcyk had two points in his first 15 games this season after posting 20 points in 37 games last season. A decrease in power-play time can carry some of that blame.

Skjei, 27, has four points in 17 games, but some of his underlying numbers are both underwhelming relative to his teammates and continue a two-year dive into below-average play.

Reilly, 28, went from being one of the best-kept secrets in the league with Montreal and Ottawa to a solid contributor for the Bruins last season, who kicked him a new three-year deal in the offseason. But it hasn’t been the best start for him, as the Bruins made him a healthy scratch on a couple of occasions. After being one of the better defensemen in puck retrieval for them, “he’s leaving some of that dirty work to his partner too often when it’s his turn,” said coach Bruce Cassidy.

The resurgent squad

Shayne Gostisbehere, Arizona Coyotes
Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks
Noah Hanifin, Calgary Flames
Nick Jensen, Washington Capitals
John Marino, Pittsburgh Penguins
Torey Krug, St. Louis Blues
Nate Schmidt, Winnipeg Jets

It took a season, but Krug looks like Krug again. Leaving Boston to ostensibly replace Alex Pietrangelo in St. Louis was a tough transition, but he’s playing improved defense and is on his way to generating a great portion of points on the power play, where he was extremely effective in Boston.

Fowler, 29, is off to a great start offensively (13 points in 19 games) after a couple of middling scoring campaigns for the Ducks.

Marino, 24, has been unable to build on an outstanding rookie season (2019-20), but he has shown signs early this season that he might be bouncing back from his sophomore slump. Hanifin, 24, has also rebounded from a couple of rough campaigns, with better possession numbers under coach Darryl Sutter, which is to be expected. He’s got something good going with partner Rasmus Andersson.

A couple of players just needed new addresses. Schmidt, 30, has wiped off the stink from his ill-fated stint with the Vancouver Canucks and has helped steady the game of Josh Morrissey in Winnipeg. And how about that Ghost Bear with the Coyotes, huh? Gostisbehere is currently posting his highest points-per-60 minutes average (2.1) since the 2017-18 season with the Flyers.

Jensen, meanwhile, has seen his ice time jump by nearly two minutes with the Capitals as Dmitry Orlov‘s primary partner. The 31-year-old is fourth in the league among defensemen at 5.5 goals scored above average.

The underrated

Brandon Carlo, Boston Bruins
Nick Leddy, Detroit Red Wings
Ryan Lindgren, New York Rangers
Brett Pesce, Carolina Hurricanes
Neal Pionk, Winnipeg Jets

With Slavin having graduated off the “underrated” list, he has symbolically passed the torch to his teammate Pesce. The 27-year-old can contribute offensively and play steady on defense, and has been mentioned as being on a long list for the Olympics.

Pionk, 26, plays a solid blue-collar game for the Jets. He had breakout offensive seasons from 2019-20 to 2020-21, yet still hasn’t landed on many radar screens as a Winnipeg defenseman. But his underlying numbers are strong and he can play in all phases of the game.

The Islanders could certainly still use Leddy, who was a steadying regular-season presence for them since 2015. But the salary cap dictated his move to the Red Wings, where he has been a good veteran partner to Filip Hronek and Moritz Seider this season.

Lindgren, 24, has been one of the secrets to Adam Fox‘s success in the NHL, pairing perfectly with the Norris winner. He’s solid in his defensive role and not a bad skater himself, either.

The unbalanced

Tony DeAngelo, Carolina Hurricanes
Connor Murphy, Chicago Blackhawks
Jacob Trouba, New York Rangers

All three of these players cannot claim to have great all-around games, even if they have some great facets to their games.

Trouba, 27, was an average defenseman with some outstanding offensive potential with the Jets. In his two previous seasons with the Rangers, he didn’t fulfill that potential offensively. His underlying numbers are promising at the start of this season, and he had seven points through his first 18 games.

Murphy has contributed offensively here and there, despite being a defensive defenseman. But that’s dried up so far: 0.3 points per 60 minutes through 19 games this season. Then again, it hasn’t exactly been the best ride for him overall with a 35.8% Corsi for percentage.

DeAngelo, whom the Rangers infamously let go last season, has reminded everyone why he was sought after despite his reputation: 16 points in 17 games with the Hurricanes, with six of them coming on the power play. They brought him in to help fill the offensive hole left by Dougie Hamilton, and fill it he has. But he remains a player whose offensive prowess can help obscure his shortcomings.

The next ones

Mikey Anderson, Los Angeles Kings
Luke Hughes, New Jersey Devils
K’Andre Miller, New York Rangers
Scott Perunovich, St. Louis Blues
Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators

The next class of American defensemen features some who have already made the show — Anderson (22), Miller (21) and Perunovich (23), who was just called up by the Blues — and a couple of recent draftees in Sanderson and Hughes.

The past was solid. The present is outstanding. With these players, and the young stars who are still improving, the future is bright for U.S.-born defensemen.

Three things about jerseys

1. Jersey Devils

I grew up a New Jersey Devils fan. I understand the initial disappointment fans had from seeing their all-black third jerseys, because they were radically different than the ones we’d all imagined since the team switched its color palette three decades ago. There wasn’t a radical reimagining of the logo or a menacing visage of a devil on the front. It’s a jersey that has “JERSEY” on the front of it and more white stripes than an alt-rock station’s 2003 playlist.

When something doesn’t match what the mind’s eye sees, disenchantment sets in, and the dunk party begins. Fun as it’s been, I can’t join the party, because (shrug) I like them. Sure, I could use fewer stripes and some sort of logo — either a Devils insignia or a silhouette of the state — near the wordmark on the front. But I like them for their boldness. I like that’s a little street art adjacent. And I like that for millions of us who say “we’re from Jersey” when asked about our geographic lineage, the only major pro team with the state’s name in its moniker wears that with pride.

Now, go make the hat that says “HAT,” will ya, Devils?

2. Team USA

There’s so much wrong with these national team jerseys that it’s hard to know where to start, so I’ll focus on the absurdity of that third jersey, aka a second blue jersey.

From the ad copy: “Drawing inspiration from American ‘muscle cars’ and traditionally bold hockey designs, Team USA’s alternate jersey bears a deep blue double stripe running around the chest and arms.” Finally, a hockey sweater for Jay Leno!

Inside the collar is the message “Driven By Pride,” a statement meant to inspire our athletes to win for their nation … or buy a BMW, which made that slogan its ad campaign in 2020.

3. Team Canada

I have no idea what Canada was thinking with this logo, because the maple leaf on the front of its national team’s jerseys looks like the backside of a turkey. I hate that I’m the one that had to point this out, because it makes it absolutely impossible for you to see anything but the posterior of a Meleagris gallopavo domesticus when you see Team Canada at the Olympics. I’m truly sorry, although not really.

Winners and losers of the week

Winner: Jared Bednar

What a pleasant surprise. Bednar, the winningest coach in Colorado Avalanche history, looked destined to take the fall if the team fell apart in the playoffs again. Another postseason dud, and general manager Joe Sakic would dump Bednar and opt for “the guy with the Stanley Cup ring” to get the Avalanche over the top. (A Claude Julien or Mike Babcock type.)

Instead, Bednar was extended through the 2023-24 season. That’s an endorsement not only of his coaching prowess, but an indication that Sakic isn’t going to overreact if Colorado can’t scale the mountain again. More on the move here from Adrian Dater.

Loser: Travis Green

Can the plummeting Vancouver Canucks finally excuse this man from the apocalypse? Green’s hands aren’t clean in this mess — at a .350 points percentage, this appears to be the fourth of his five seasons in Vancouver with a team under .500. But this version of the team’s problem is construction and not coaching, and word is that total regime change is coming. As Patrick Johnston reports, a disagreement among team owners may be preventing GM Jim Benning from doing what should have already been done.

Winner: Calgary Flames

The Flames haven’t lost in regulation in seven games (5-0-2) and shredded the Eastern Conference on a recent road trip. We figured coach Darryl Sutter was going to get this team in shape defensively, and they’re first in the league with a 1.90 goals-against average. But the Flames have a plus-30 goal differential because they’re seventh in team offense (3.40 goals per game). Hiring Sutter was a Hail Mary last season from GM Brad Treliving. Sometimes those passes connect for a score.

Loser: New York Islanders

Losing players to COVID-19 protocols and injuries, the Islanders opened UBS Arena with three straight losses — part of a seven-game losing streak overall in which they were outscored 31-7. But hey, at least there are 17 bars to take the edge off.

Winner: Connor McDavid‘s house

Here’s the problem with Connor McDavid’s house: perception. Architectural Digest used the word “cozy” in its description, which is like describing McDavid’s skating as “plodding.” This is not a warm sweater of a house. This is an ostentatious luxury hotel with a dog. And that’s OK! It’s gorgeously designed and a stunner. You do you, Connor and Lauren.

Loser: The discourse on the discourse

For years, I’ve been told that NHL players who say controversial things shouldn’t get goofed on by fans, because they’ll run away like scared little bunnies and never say anything interesting again. Now I’m hearing “don’t goof on a player’s Architectural Digest spread or else they won’t show us their houses anymore.”

If players require 100% approval ratings to do and say things, we might as well ban booing at games. Or, you know, assume they understand what comes with the territory as a famous person in professional sports, which is a depository for our hyperbolic reactions and emotions.

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Minus Hagel, Lightning storm back, dodge 3-0 hole

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April 26, 2025

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Minus Hagel, Lightning storm back, dodge 3-0 hole

  • ESPN News Services

Apr 26, 2025, 05:00 PM ET

SUNRISE, Fla. — Without suspended winger Brandon Hagel in the lineup, the Tampa Bay Lightning stormed back to defeat the Florida Panthers 5-1 Saturday, cutting their deficit in this Eastern Conference first-round series to 2-1.

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 33 shots, and Tampa Bay registered five unanswered goals in front of a stunned crowd at Amerant Bank Arena that was hoping to celebrate a commanding 3-0 series lead in this playoff matinee.

Hagel was suspended one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Friday night for what it labeled “an extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting opponent” that injured Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2 at Amalie Arena.

Barkov, Florida’s captain, returned to action in Game 3, registering five shots in his 18:52 time on the ice. But it wasn’t enough, as Tampa Bay set up a pivotal Game 4 on Monday and handed Florida its first postseason loss since Game 6 of last season’s Stanley Cup Final.

“Obviously, we had a great start,” Barkov said. “We did the right things, but they’re a great team also. They played really well and won the game today. All we’ve got to do is learn.”

Tampa Bay’s offense came alive, with goals from Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point, Nick Paul and Luke Glendening. Anthony Cirelli added an empty-netter with five minutes left, and Nikita Kucherov had three assists.

“To be honest, you would have never known sitting in the locker room after Game 2 that we were down 0-2,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “And, so, riding into this game wasn’t going to guarantee the result, but I knew damn well how the effort was going to be. And they delivered”

Paul gave the Lightning their first lead of the series when he slipped a shot just inside the pad of Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky in the second period. Guentzel made it a two-goal lead just 21 seconds into the third before the Lightning pulled away later in the period.

Matthew Tkachuk scored for the Panthers, his third of the series. Bobrovsky finished with 17 saves in the loss.

Vasilevskiy had given up seven goals in the first two games but was huge on Saturday. He bounced back from an early Panthers punch and withstood a flurry of Florida shots in the second and third.

Tkachuk, who scored twice in the opener, got on the board 2:43 into the game when he tapped a feed from Sam Bennett past Vasilevskiy, giving the star his 20th playoff goal with the Panthers. The Lightning responded when Guentzel’s shot bounced off Point and past Bobrovsky later in the first to give the NHL’s highest-scoring team in the regular season its first goal in nearly five periods.

In addition to Barkov’s return, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad was also back with his team. The veteran blueliner returned from a 20-game suspension for violating the NHL and NHL Players’ Association’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Browns select Shedeur Sanders, topping list of notable father-son combos

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April 26, 2025

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Browns select Shedeur Sanders, topping list of notable father-son combos

After a longer than expected wait, Shedeur Sanders is finally an NFL player after the Cleveland Browns traded up with the Seattle Seahawks to select him with the 144th pick in the fifth round in the 2025 NFL draft.

Sanders, whose father is Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, played two seasons each with Jackson State and Colorado before declaring for the draft. He threw for 14,327 yards and 134 touchdowns during that span. Deion famously played nine MLB seasons while being an eight-time NFL Pro Bowler. Shedeur will suit up for the Browns, topping a long list of father-son combos across professional and collegiate sports.

Here is a look at other successful father-son combos in sports history.

Multiple sports

Deion Sanders/Deion Sanders Jr./Shilo Sanders/Shedeur Sanders

Father’s accomplishments: Deion played 14 seasons in the NFL. He was drafted No. 5 overall in 1989 by the Atlanta Falcons after being named a two-time All-American at Florida State. Sanders was named a Pro Bowler eight times with 53 interceptions throughout his career and two Super Bowl wins. He also played nine seasons of professional baseball for the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. He famously played in a game for the Falcons against the Miami Dolphins, then immediately flew to Pittsburgh to dress for his baseball game with the Braves against the Pirates in the NLCS. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

How his sons followed: Deion Sanders Jr. was a two-star athlete in the 2012 class, signing with SMU as a wide receiver and kick returner. As a sophomore kick returner, Sanders was named a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection. Shilo was the No. 287-ranked prospect in the 2019 class and signed as a cornerback with South Carolina.

Shilo and Shedeur were coached by their father during their college football seasons with the Jackson State Tigers and Colorado Buffaloes. The Browns selected Shedeur with the No. 144 pick in Round 5 in the 2025 NFL draft.

MLB

Ken Griffey Sr./Ken Griffey Jr.

Father’s accomplishments: Ken Griffey Sr. played 19 seasons in the major leagues, mostly with the Cincinnati Reds. He was part of the Big Red Machine that won World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. Griffey Sr. was a three-time All-Star and finished his career with a .296 batting average, 152 home runs and 859 RBIs. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1980 All-Star Game and has been inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame.

How his son followed: Ken Griffey Jr. also had a long career, playing 22 seasons in the big leagues, including 13 with the Seattle Mariners and nine with Cincinnati. Griffey Jr. was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. He is seventh all time with 630 career home runs, was a 13-time All-Star and won 10 Gold Gloves for his play in center field. He was the American League MVP in 1997 and led the AL in home runs four times during his career.

In 1990, Griffey Sr. and Griffey Jr., both playing for the Mariners, made history when they became the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs in a game.

Bobby Bonds/Barry Bonds

Father’s accomplishments: Bobby Bonds played the majority of his 14 seasons with the San Francisco Giants and became just the second player to hit 300 career home runs and steal 300 bases, joining Willie Mays. He set records for most times leading off a game with a home run in a season (11) and in a career (35) — both of which have since been broken. Bonds was a three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner.

How his son followed: Barry Bonds played 22 seasons, mostly with the Giants, and was a seven-time National League MVP. Bonds holds the records for most career home runs, with 762, and most home runs in a season, with 73. He was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time Silver Slugger Award winner and eight-time Gold Glove Award winner. Bonds tied his father for the most seasons with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, with five. He also holds the MLB records for walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688) in a career.

Sandy Alomar/Roberto Alomar/Sandy Alomar Jr.

Father’s accomplishments: Sandy Alomar Sr. competed in 15 seasons and could play all infield and outfield positions. He was an All-Star in 1970 and played a full 162-game season that year and in 1971. Alomar Sr. was a talented bunter and aggressive on the base paths, totaling 227 stolen bases in his career, including 39 in 1971.

How his sons followed: Twelve-time All-Star Roberto Alomar was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. He won World Series championships with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993. He won more Gold Gloves (10) than any other second baseman and finished his 17-year career with a .300 batting average, 2,724 hits and 210 home runs. Sandy Alomar Jr. was the first rookie catcher to start an All-Star Game, and he won Rookie of the Year and a Gold Glove Award in 1990. Alomar Jr. was named an All-Star six times during his 20-year career and had a 30-game hitting streak in 1997.

Cecil Fielder/Prince Fielder

Father’s accomplishments: Cecil Fielder was a three-time All-Star and won a World Series title with the New York Yankees in 1996. In 1990, he was the first player since George Foster in 1977 to hit at least 50 home runs in a season. Fielder led the American League in home runs in 1990 and 1991 and in RBIs from 1990 to ’92. He hit 319 career home runs, recorded 1,008 RBIs and was a two-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award.

How his son followed: Fielder was the youngest player (23) to hit 50 home runs in a season. Prince Fielder was a six-time All-Star and won the Home Run Derby twice — once as an NL All-Star and once as an AL All-Star. He totaled 319 career home runs, the same number as his father, and drove in 1,028 runs. Fielder was a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner and the AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.

Cecil and Prince Fielder are the only father-son duo to each hit 50 home runs in a season.

Vladimir Guerrero/Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Father’s accomplishments: Guerrero spent 16 seasons playing in the MLB for the Montreal Expos, Anaheim Angels, Texas Rangers and the Baltimore Orioles. He was a nine-time All-Star, the 2004 American League MVP and an eight-time winner of the Silver Slugger award. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018 and finished his career with 2,590 hits.

How his son followed: Guerrero Jr. signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015 and made his major league debut in 2019. He hit 48 home runs in the 2021 season and became the second father-son duo to hit 40 home runs in a season, joining Prince and Cecil Fielder in accomplishing that feat. Guerrero has since been a four-time All-Star and a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner for the Blue Jays.

NBA

LeBron James/Bronny James/Bryce James

Father’s accomplishments: LeBron James is still going strong in his 22nd NBA season. He’s the league’s all-time scoring leader and eclipsed 40,000 points last season. LeBron has won four NBA championships and made an NBA-record 20 straight All-Star appearances.

How his sons followed: The Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, pairing him with his dad, LeBron, in the NBA. The two appeared in a game together in October 2024, becoming the first father-son duo to do so in NBA history. Bronny is expected to split time between the Lakers and their G-League affiliate. Bryce, LeBron’s youngest son, committed to Arizona in January as part of the Wildcats’ 2025 class.

Dell Curry/Stephen Curry/Seth Curry

Father’s accomplishments: Dell Curry retired as the Charlotte Hornets‘ career scoring leader (9,839 points) and ranked first in 3-pointers made (929). Curry was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1994 and averaged 11.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in his 16-year career.

How his sons followed: Stephen Curry has led the Golden State Warriors to four NBA championships and been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player twice. Curry is a 10-time All-Star and was the NBA scoring champion in 2016 and 2021. He holds the NBA record for most made 3-pointers in a regular season, with 402, and most consecutive regular-season games with a made 3-pointer, with 268. Seth Curry was a two-time NBA D-League All-Star and has spent time with several NBA teams. He averaged 12.8 points over 70 games in 2016-17 with the Dallas Mavericks.

Doc Rivers/Austin Rivers

Father’s accomplishments: As a player, Doc Rivers was known for his defense, but he averaged a double-double during the 1986-87 season, with 12.8 points and 10.0 assists per game. He was an NBA All-Star in 1988 and played with four teams during his 13-year career. Rivers was named Coach of the Year in 2000 with the Orlando Magic and led the Boston Celtics to an NBA title as their coach in 2008. He was the head coach of the LA Clippers from 2013-2020 and Philadelphia 76ers from 2020-2023. He was announced as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach in January 2024.

How his son followed: In 2015, Austin Rivers was traded to the Clippers and became the first NBA player to play for his father. Rivers has averaged 9.2 points per game in his seven-year career, including 15.1 PPG in 2017-18 with the Clippers. He then played for the Wizards, Rockets, Knicks, Nuggets and the Timberwolves.

Mychal Thompson/Klay Thompson

Father’s accomplishments: Mychal Thompson, the No. 1 pick in the 1978 NBA draft, won back-to-back NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1987 and ’88. Thompson was on the All-Rookie team in 1979 and went on to average 13.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his career. He averaged a double-double in 1981-82, with 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.

How his son followed: Klay Thompson won four NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors. Mychal and Klay Thompson became just the fourth father-son duo to each win an NBA title as a player and the first to each win back-to-back championships. Klay is a five-time All-Star, was named to the All-Rookie team in 2012 and won the 3-point contest in 2016. He holds the NBA playoff record for most 3-pointers made in a game, with 11.

Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant/Kobe Bryant

Father’s accomplishments: Joe “Jellybean” Bryant played eight seasons in the NBA before heading to Europe and playing seven seasons with teams in Italy. He scored 53 points in a game twice during the 1987-88 season with Pistoia. Bryant played into his 50s, suiting up for the American Basketball Association.

How his son followed: Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant is fourth in career scoring, with 33,643 points. He played 20 seasons for the Lakers and was named an All-Star 18 times. Bryant was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2008 and the Finals MVP in 2009 and ’10. He was the NBA scoring champion in 2006 and ’07 and was named to the All-NBA first team 11 times and the All-Defensive first team nine times. Kobe had both his No. 8 and his No. 24 retired by the Lakers.

NFL

Archie Manning/Peyton Manning/Eli Manning

Father’s accomplishments: Archie Manning was a quarterback in the NFL for 13 seasons, mostly with the New Orleans Saints. Despite never leading a team to a winning record, Manning made the Pro Bowl in 1978 and ’79. He threw for 125 touchdowns and rushed for 18 during his career. He has been inducted into the Saints’ Ring of Honor and the Saints’ Hall of Fame.

How his sons followed: Peyton Manning was the first pick in the 1998 NFL draft and holds the NFL records for career passing yards (71,940) and passing touchdowns (539). He is the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl for two franchises. A 14-time Pro Bowler, Manning was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player five times and a first-team All-Pro seven times.

Eli Manning was the first pick in the 2004 NFL draft and led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl titles, earning Super Bowl MVP honors both times. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, ranks sixth in passing yards in NFL history and started 210 consecutive games from 2004 to 2017, the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history.

Howie Long/Chris Long/Kyle Long

Father’s accomplishments: Eight-time Pro Bowl selection Howie Long played his entire 13-year career with the Raiders organization. The defensive end helped the Raiders win the Super Bowl in 1984, and he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985. Long finished his career with 84 sacks and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He also made 10 fumble recoveries and two interceptions during his time in the NFL.

How his sons followed: Chris Long was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NFL draft and won back-to-back Super Bowls — with the New England Patriots in 2017 and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. The defensive end recorded 70 sacks in his 11-year career.

Kyle Long, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, was a guard for the Chicago Bears. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2014 and made the All-Rookie team in 2013.

He returned from his 2019 retirement with a one-year stint with the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2021 season but did not play due to injuries.

Clay Matthews Jr./Clay Matthews III/Casey Matthews

Father’s accomplishments: Clay Matthews Jr. played 19 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Cleveland Browns. He appeared in 278 games, the most by a linebacker, and recorded 1,561 tackles, 69.5 sacks and 16 interceptions in his career. Matthews was a four-time Pro Bowler and was first-team All-Pro in 1984, recording 12 sacks that season.

How his sons followed: Clay Matthews III, a six-time Pro Bowler, helped the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl title after the 2010 season. The linebacker was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and totaled 91.5 sacks, 17 forced fumbles and six interceptions in his 11-year career.

Linebacker Casey Matthews played from 2011 to ’14 for the Philadelphia Eagles and recorded 2.5 sacks.

Christian McCaffrey/Ed McCaffrey

Father’s accomplishments: Ed McCaffrey’s 13-year NFL career included three Super Bowl wins and one Pro Bowl appearance. He earned 7,422 receiving yards and notched 55 receiving touchdowns, a majority of which came with the Denver Broncos. Ed McCaffrey played a key role in the Broncos winning back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998.

How his son followed: A highly touted recruit out of Stanford, Christian McCaffrey has lived up to the hype in the NFL. In his eighth season, the running back has rushed for 6,224 career yards and 52 touchdowns, including a league-leading 1,459 yards in 2023, when he earned Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Jeremiah Trotter Jr./Jeremiah Trotter

Father’s accomplishments: Drafted by the Eagles in the third round, Jeremiah Trotter suited up for the franchise in eight of his 11 NFL seasons, starting at middle linebacker for the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and member of the All-Pro team once. Trotter recorded 723 solo tackles and nine interceptions during his career.

How his son followed: The Eagles also selected Trotter Jr., this time in the fifth round. Hailing from the Clemson Tigers, Trotter had 25 combined tackles in his first season. He appeared in Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LIX victory, recording one tackle.

NHL

Bobby Hull/Brett Hull

Father’s accomplishments: Bobby Hull received the Hart Memorial Trophy twice as the NHL’s most valuable player and earned the Art Ross Trophy three times as the NHL’s leading points scorer. The left wing won the Stanley Cup in 1961 with the Chicago Blackhawks and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. Hull led the NHL in goals seven times and was the second-leading goal scorer in NHL history, with 610, when he retired. Hull won back-to-back All-Star Game MVP awards in 1970 and ’71.

How his son followed: Brett Hull scored 741 goals in his career, the fourth-highest total in NHL history. The right wing won Stanley Cups in 1999 with the Dallas Stars (including scoring the championship-winning goal) and in 2002 with the Detroit Red Wings. Hull scored at least 50 goals in five consecutive seasons, and his 86 goals in 1990-91 are the third most in a season in NHL history. He was named the NHL’s MVP that season and received the Hart Memorial Trophy. Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, joining his father to become the first father-son duo in the Hall.

Keith Tkachuk/Matthew Tkachuk/Brady Tkachuk

Father’s accomplishments: Keith was selected 19th overall in the 1990 NHL draft and played for 18 years with four different teams. He finished his career with 527 goals and 1,065 points. At the time that he scored his 500th goal, he was just the fourth American-born player to achieve that milestone and was the sixth American-born player with 1,000 points.

How his sons followed: Matthew was selected sixth in the 2016 NHL draft by the Calgary Flames but has since been traded to the Florida Panthers, where he helped lead the team to a 2024 Stanley Cup title.

Brady was taken with the fourth pick in the 2018 draft by the Ottawa Senators. He was named the team’s captain in 2021 and has scored 171 regular-season goals in his career.

Auto racing

Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Father’s accomplishments: Dale Earnhardt won 76 Winston Cup races, including the 1998 Daytona 500. Earnhardt claimed seven NASCAR Winston Cup championships, tying Richard Petty for the most all time. It was 22 years before Jimmie Johnson matched the accomplishment in 2016. Earnhardt died as a result of a collision on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 and was posthumously inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame inaugural class in 2010.

How his son followed: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won 26 Cup series races, including the Daytona 500 twice (2004, 2014). He had 260 top-10 finishes in Cup races in his career. Junior was a fan favorite, winning the Most Popular Driver award 15 times. He was the Busch Series champion in 1998 and ’99 before being named NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 2000. He is retired and a broadcaster now.

Next generation

Gilbert Arenas/Alijah Arenas

Alijah Arenas, a five-star, 6-foot-6 guard from Southern California, announced his commitment to USC in January 2025. He picked the Trojans over his father’s alma mater, the Arizona Wildcats, while also receiving offers from the Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals and Kentucky Wildcats. He reclassified in December from the class of 2026 to 2025.

Carmelo Anthony/Kiyan Anthony

A four-star shooting guard from New York, Kiyan Anthony announced his commitment to Syracuse in November 2024. Kiyan follows in the footsteps of his father, Carmelo, who averaged 22.5 points and 6.2 rebounds across a 19-season NBA career. Carmelo spent a season at Syracuse, leading the Orange to the 2003 national championship.

Dikembe Mutombo/Ryan Mutombo:

Ryan followed in his father’s footsteps and played for the Georgetown Hoyas as a 7-foot-2 center. He transferred to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets after three seasons with the Hoyas.

Penny Hardaway/Jayden Hardaway/Ashton Hardaway:

Both Jayden and Ashton played for their father with Memphis. Jayden is a guard who averaged 3.1 points per game in the 2023-24 season, while Ashton averaged 2.3.

Dajuan Wagner/D.J. Wagner:

D.J. spent the 2023-24 season with the Kentucky Wildcats, averaging 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. He transferred to the Arkansas Razorbacks after the season.

Dennis Rodman/DJ Rodman:

DJ was a 6-foot-6 forward for USC. He averaged 8.4 points per game and made 36.2% of his 3-point shots in the 2023-24 season for the Trojans. He went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft.

Shaquille O’Neal/Shaqir O’Neal:

Shaqir is a 6-foot-8 forward at Florida A&M. He averaged 1.8 points per game in the 2023-24 season for Texas Southern.

Peja Stojakovic/Andrej Stojakovic:

Andrej was a McDonald’s All-American out of high school before committing to the Stanford Cardinal. He averaged 7.8 points per game as a freshman for the Cardinal. He transferred to UC Berkeley after the 2023-24 season.

Jerry Rice/Brenden Rice:

Brenden transferred to the USC Trojans from the Colorado Buffaloes prior to the 2022 season and led the Trojans with 12 touchdown receptions in 2023. He had 791 yards receiving on the year and was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2024 NFL draft.

Marvin Harrison/Marvin Harrison Jr.:

Harrison Jr. won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best wide receiver and finished the 2023 season with 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was selected No. 4 by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2024 NFL draft as one of the best receiver prospects available.

Frank Gore Sr./Frank Gore Jr.:

Gore Jr. was No. 32 among all FBS running backs in rush yards in 2023 with 1,131. He had 10 rushing touchdowns and averaged 4.9 yards per rush. Gore Jr. went undrafted in 2024 but signed with the Buffalo Bills.

Emmitt Smith/E.J. Smith:

E.J. had a slow start to his collegiate career with just 587 rush yards and five touchdowns in four seasons with Stanford. He transferred to Texas A&M in 2024.

Honorable mentions

Ray Boone/Bob Boone/Bret Boone/Aaron Boone; Felipe Alou/Moises Alou; Tom Gordon/Dee Gordon/Nick Gordon; Rick Barry/Brent Barry/Jon Barry; Bill Walton/Luke Walton; Larry Nance/Larry Nance Jr.; Tim Hardaway/Tim Hardaway Jr.; Bruce Matthews/Jake Matthews/Kevin Matthews; Jackie Slater/Matthew Slater; Gordie Howe/Mark Howe; J.P. Parise/Zach Parise; Peter Stastny/Paul Stastny; Lee Petty/Richard Petty/Kyle Petty; Mario Andretti/Michael Andretti/Jeff Andretti/Marco Andretti; Ken Norton Sr./Ken Norton Jr.; Calvin Hill/Grant Hill; Peter Schmeichel/Kasper Schmeichel

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Arch Manning the only top-four 2023 QB to bypass portal; where did the other three go?

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7 hours ago

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April 26, 2025

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Arch Manning the only top-four 2023 QB to bypass portal; where did the other three go?

  • Jason Jordan

Apr 26, 2025, 11:11 AM ET

Two years after the five-star quartet of quarterbacks in the ESPN 300 were wowing fans and garnering “next big thing” buzz for their abilities, reality has hit harder than the most ferocious blitzing linebackers.

As college football’s spring transfer portal closed Friday, Malachi Nelson, Jackson Arnold and Dante Moore are looking to ignite their careers at schools different from their initial ones. Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is the only one from that 2023 group who has stayed with his first choice.

All four quarterbacks were ranked in the top five of the ESPN 300 that year.

“It’s really just a sign of the times,” ESPN’s director of football recruiting Billy Tucker said. “That class wasn’t any less special because they transferred. It’s just that the culture now is about instant gratification. I don’t know that what happened with the 2023 quarterbacks isn’t the norm.”

Nelson was the top ranked prospect in 2023 and began his collegiate career with the USC Trojans.

As a freshman, he served as a backup to Caleb Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner. Nelson threw only three passes that season.

Nelson transferred to Boise State, where he lost out on the starting spot to Maddux Madsen, who led the team to a 12-2 record and an appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Again, Nelson barely saw playing time, going 12-of-17 for just 66 yards last season before reentering the portal.

In January, he reportedly turned down more lucrative offers to join Scotty Walden at UTEP, where the path to being a starter seems like a forgone conclusion.

Moore checked in at No. 2 in 2023 and began his career at UCLA, where he struggled to find a rhythm in limited playing time. In nine games with the Bruins, Moore threw 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions and got sacked 16 times. He transferred to Oregon in December 2023 — after a year sitting behind star quarterback Dillon Gabriel in 2024. Moore appears to be the heir apparent in Eugene though it isn’t guaranteed.

“For most high-profile prospects these days, and certainly quarterbacks, the path to the starting spot needs to be clear by spring of their freshman year,” Tucker said. “And if it’s not then there’s a really good chance they’ll leave.”

The opposite happened for Arnold at Oklahoma, but it still wasn’t enough.

The 6-foot-1, 211-pounder was ranked No. 3 in 2023 and won Gatorade National Player of the Year as a high school senior. By his sophomore season in Norman, he earned the starting position.

Arnold amassed 1,421 passing yards, 444 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns in a dismal 6-6 season that saw him get demoted and promoted. The tumultuous experience prompted Arnold to transfer to Auburn in December. His path to outright starter seems imminent.

Then there’s Manning, who checked in at No. 5 overall in 2023.

Being the grandson of New Orleans Saints legend Archie Manning and nephew of Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, Arch summed up his thought process about remaining at Texas in five words in a recent news conference, simply saying, “Sometimes it’s worth the wait.”

In two years in Austin, Manning has appeared in nine games, two of which he started.

Last season, he went 61-of-90 passing for 939 yards and nine touchdowns and rushed for 108 yards and four more scores.

Now, the stage is set for him to lead the Longhorns during the 2025 season.

“This used to be the norm,” Tucker said of Manning waiting his turn. “You wait the two years and you’re starting as a junior. Now, even if you’re getting paid, it’s not enough if you’re not starting. Any adversity and the guys are leaving. It’s just the current landscape in college football.”

Tucker, who also serves as director of the Under Armour All-America Game, said he would caution current and future stars about using the transfer portal entry as a knee-jerk reaction.

“Look at Georgia, a lot of their defensive guys are one-year starters and then they’re in the NFL first round,” Tucker said. “It’s not like you need three years of proven production to make it. That NIL money could get multiplied by at least five in my opinion. If you can stay the course and have one to two good years at a proven program, you’ll more than make up any money you could’ve lost in NIL. It’s more about the people guiding these players not being as informed as they need to be. It stinks, but until there are rules to govern the current landscape, we’ll continue to see this.”

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