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Every December, we celebrate the best sound bites in college football and a collection of quotes, tweets and memories that exemplify the arc of the season.

Except for the ones by Mike Leach. They always seemed to be about anything but football. Leach, who died last week at 61, was the most quotable coach in the country and will be remembered as the most unpredictable, yet most anticipated, interview in the history of the sport.

So, like Leach, we won’t waste any time getting to the good stuff. Presenting the 2022 Mike Leach Memorial Quotes of the Year.

Leach’s legacy

SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang got some personal advice from The Pirate on her upcoming wedding. “We’ll keep a close eye on it,” he said. “But whatever you and Trevor decide, I would keep it on the down-low, which you failed to do that.” Listen to the rest of his advice here.

After Leach’s death, colleagues and archrivals alike reacted emotionally to the loss. New Mississippi State coach Zach Arnett, Leach’s defensive coordinator who has been named as his replacement, wanted to play the bowl game in Leach’s honor.

“I’m grateful to be part of his final win, hug him and watch him walk off like the winner that he is.”
— Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, whose Rebels lost to Leach and Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl, Leach’s final game, on his sadness over his friend Leach’s death.

“Coach Arnett has made it clear that we’re going to finish what we started and honor Coach Leach. It’s only fitting that we play this game and honor Coach Leach in a stadium that has a pirate ship.”
— Mississippi State interim athletic director Bracky Brett, saying the Bulldogs would play the bowl game despite Leach’s death.

Not to be overshadowed, this Nick Saban reference is brought to you to remind everyone that Leach changed football forever.

Meanwhile, Spurrier’s still got it

“I almost feel sorry for Tennessee. They’re not going to win the division, they’re not going to win the SEC, they’re not going to get in that Final Four. They’re just going to have a little bit better than average year now. Someone told me, ‘Tennessee is probably headed for the Citrus Bowl now.’ I guess that’s kind of a mean thing to say.”
— Noted Vols antagonist Steve Spurrier, who famously said “you can’t spell ‘Citrus’ without U-T” 25 years ago this year to the Charleston Post & Courier after South Carolina’s 63-38 upset of No. 5 Tennessee.

Boy, this seems like forever ago

Jimbo Fisher and Nick Saban dominated headlines in the spring after a comment Saban made followed by a news conference where a fiery Fisher went ballistic.

“We were second in recruiting last year, A&M was first. A&M bought every player on their team. Made a deal for name, image and likeness. We didn’t buy one player. But I don’t know if we will be able to sustain that in the future because more and more people are doing it.”
— Saban, on May 18, speaking to a group of business leaders in Birmingham about how college football recruiting had changed.

“Some people think they’re God. Go dig into how God did his deal. You may find out … a lot of things you don’t want to know. We build him up to be the czar of football. Go dig into his past, or anybody’s that’s ever coached with him. You can find out anything you want to find out, what he does and how he does it. It’s despicable.”
— Fisher ripped Saban, calling him a narcissist, saying “we’re done” and that Saban had called him but he didn’t answer the phone.

“Maybe I can get better from some of these things … I don’t feel any differently. I really don’t because I don’t take things personally. You know, some people take things personally — when they win and when they lose. I mean, when you play pickup basketball, some people take things personally and some people don’t.”
— Saban, on Aug. 25 on how he viewed the spat.

The day a message board poster became a legend

“This $30 million thing is a joke. This idea there’s some fund out there and it was written on BroBible by a guy named Sliced Bread and now all of a sudden the country believes it?”
— Fisher, addressing a rumor that started on message boards and was later aggregated across websites saying the Aggies had a substantial NIL fund to sign their top-rated recruiting class.

Kiffin knows how to keep it going

“We got outbid. Kind of a common theme with that program.”
— Kiffin, on losing defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin to Texas A&M.

After Kiffin and the Rebels beat the Aggies on Oct. 29, piling up 390 yards rushing “against a bunch of five-stars,” as Kiffin kept repeating, he was quick with the jokes when asked if he had a Halloween costume in mind that weekend. Fisher had alluded to Kiffin when talking about “clown acts” in the SEC after Kiffin asked if the Aggies incurred a luxury tax for how much they paid for their signing class.

The Horned Frogs are cooking

“Not really. If I can’t do that, I need to go work for Ricky Chicken at Chicken Express.”
— TCU coach Sonny Dykes, referencing the nickname of Ricky Stuart, owner of a Texas fast food chain, when asked if the fans’ hostility bothered him in his return to play against former school SMU, the Horned Frogs’ Iron Skillet rivals.

Old rivalries die hard, Vol. 1

“They ran for 194 yards against Texas A&M, the number whatever team in the country. They ran for 68 against us. They averaged 1.6 yards per carry — they gave us $1.5 million, but they got 1.6 yards per carry … You know, it just … I don’t know where that came from.”
— Middle Tennessee State coach Rick Stockstill, a Florida State grad, in a radio interview with 104.5 The Zone in Nashville after the Blue Raiders beat Miami 45-31.

Giving ’em the bird

“A chicken is a chicken but a fighting gamecock is something different. This is dumbing down the Gamecocks. Whenever a new coach goes to a school that’s been struggling, you always hear a statement similar to, ‘You’ve got to change the culture.’ I don’t know what ‘culture’ in our day and age means, but if it means making a gamecock look like a chicken, or not hurting him because it might make the chicken feel good, it’s not preserving what we’ve built. This is dumbing down our culture.”
— Ron Albertelli, former owner of South Carolina mascot Big Spur, who is upset that the new mascot handlers, Beth and Van Clark, do not trim the comb, the little red thing on the top of roosters’ heads.

Prime grade beef

“He ain’t SWAC. I’m SWAC, he ain’t SWAC. He’s in the conference, doing a great job, can’t knock that, got a great team, his son should be up for the Heisman Trophy, I love Shedeur, great player, I love what he’s doing for the conference. … But you’re not going to come here and disrespect me and my team and my school and then want a bro hug. Shake my hand and get the hell off.”
— Alabama State coach Eddie Robinson Jr., after refusing a postgame hug with former Jackson State coach Deion Sanders, taking issue with Sanders saying that they were picked as Alabama State’s homecoming opponent because of the crowds and attention that follow Sanders.

“I was a darn good salesman leading up to the week. Did we sell the game out? Did we sell the game out, yes or no? Had they ever been sold out here? So I thought I did my job. I thought I should be applauded, really.”
— Sanders, in response to Robinson’s comments.

Cutting to the chase

Not cutting to the chase

“I’m not going to comment on whether it’s a felony or not, or whether it should’ve been charged as a felony or not, but I think if you do your homework you’re going to realize you can’t compare this to the low-hanging fruit that’s out there. I’d encourage you not to pander to the Twittersphere and really, the haters that like to drink their haterade and eat their hater tots.”
— Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh on Dec. 4 on his decision to play Mazi Smith all season despite an arrest in October on felony concealed weapons charges. Smith pleaded guilty on a misdemeanor charge Dec. 8 and his sentencing will be announced Jan. 12.

They’d still say it’s worth it

“When you first see all the cigars you’re like, what is all that? They got dropped, but then they got shredded. So we had all this tobacco laying everywhere. But between shoes and cigar tubes … we couldn’t get over the amount of clothes. OK, what’d you do, walk out of here nekkid?”
— Tennessee director of sports surface management Darren Seybold, on the trash left behind from fans storming the field after the Vols beat Alabama

Like Dua Lipa said: ‘Don’t show up, don’t come out’

“I tell people all the time, the audacity for other people to even step on the field is disrespectful to me. … People ask me what motivates me, and I say, ‘The audacity for the fans to show up and for the team to come step on the field and play with us.'”
— Alabama outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr., who might just drink haterade and eat hater tots.

Old rivalries die hard, Vol. 2

“I was a little scared of Boz. Boz scared me a little bit. Boz was on a different type of artificial nutrition than I was. Period.”
— Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, on his memories of his first Bedlam rivalry game in 1986 and playing against Oklahoma legend Brian Bosworth, who had written Gundy’s name on his shoes.

Gundy also had plenty to say at Big 12 media days in the spring, particularly on realignment.

“Well, we all know, conference realignment, it’s kind of almost the old Karen Carpenter ‘We’ve Only Just Begun’ concept. I think it’s just getting started, in my opinion … I like the Carpenters. I heard that song the other day, and the first thing I thought about was conference realignment. I think that she cut that record on the first take. That was a one-take deal.”
— The Oklahoma State coach on a 1970 pop hit and Carpenter’s studio skills.

“It’s interesting. We go to conference meetings, and OU and Texas are in there. They’re still in the conference. But I’m guessing when they leave, they’re scratching down things that can help them when they’re in the SEC. So it is an unusual situation. I think there’s a business side of it that nowadays people say, ‘It is what it is.’ Which, 10 years ago, they might not even let them in meetings. The new commissioner, I mean, honestly, if I was him, I wouldn’t let OU and Texas in any meetings.”
— Gundy on Texas and Oklahoma still being in the Big 12 until (allegedly) 2025 despite plans to move to the SEC, and the advice he has for new Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark

Brian Kelly, man of the world

“Understand now, I have a Boston, Midwestern and Louisiana accent now. So it’s three dialects into one. It’s no longer family — I’ve got all kinds of stuff to throw at you.”
— LSU coach Brian Kelly, at SEC media days, after being mocked for the elongated way he said “fam-uh-lee” in a makeshift Southern accent when he first spoke to LSU fans last December at a basketball game.

That’s good? Or bad?

“There’s two options in life in any situation. You can surrender, and if you surrender, then I think the results are pretty much guaranteed. Or you can dig in, you can continue to fight and you can try to improve and do things better. I will always choose option A. … I wouldn’t be able to go home and look my children in the eye if I wasn’t an option B person. I think I said option A. I started with option surrender, right? That’s not me. Let me be crystal clear about that. That’s number one.”
— Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, on Oct. 12, as Iowa’s offense ranked 131st of 131 teams nationally in total offense.

Cade McNamara, who announced he was transferring from Michigan to Iowa earlier this month, might find some takers.

Michigan’s tunnel vision

“I didn’t get a sandwich thrown at me, but R.J. [Moten] came up to me and said I just got hit with a PB&J in the face. So I guess they were.”
— Michigan offensive lineman Trevor Keegan, who said teammates said food was thrown at them after the Penn State game.

Some B1G twists and turns

“You go to USC and UCLA games, and quite honestly, it’s just kind of boring. Without all the people. They kind of just are there on vacation. You go to the other schools out of state and their fans are kind of like fanatics.”
— Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, on Dec. 29, 2021 (technically, it’s within the last year, since this happened after our list last year).

Then USC and UCLA stunned the college football world in July by announcing they were splitting from the Pac-12.

“We wanted to operate in a position of strength, and that was the Big Ten.”
— UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond, to ESPN on why his school made the move.

“You’re going to wake up watching Big Ten football and go to bed watching Big Ten football. So that’s exciting for our players, exciting for our fans. Will there be a travel component to it? There is, but we’re going to Dublin in the opener, so it won’t be that big of a deal.”
— Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald

“I got asked, ‘How are you going to feel when you play your first conference game at SC?’ Just hope I’m f—ing still there.”
— Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst, at Big Ten media days July 27. Chryst was fired Oct. 2.

Saban’s dad jokes

“Before you ask, you oughta see the other guy. And you know I took one of the hardest hits of the entire game, and unlike some of our players who had to go to the medical tent … like I always say, they don’t make ’em like they used to.”
— Saban on a cut he suffered when he was hit in the face by a player’s shoulder pad during the Iron Bowl win over Auburn.

Drink it in, Sam

“I think the first couple series are going to be really important to kind of figure out what they’re bringing to the party. Some guys bring iced tea, and some guys bring liquor. You’ve just got to figure out what they’re bringing.
— Arkansas coach Sam Pittman, before the Razorbacks’ season opener against a Cincinnati offense with two quarterbacks still competing to replace four-year starter Desmond Ridder.

“I don’t have a whole lot of friends and I don’t get invited to a whole lot of parties. So I don’t know what I’ll do. I just know who I am. And I guess they’ll find out.”
— Then Bearcats coach Luke Fickell, in response to a question about Pittman’s comment.

After Arkansas’ 31-24 win over Cincinnati, Pittman decided “an ol’ cold beer” is what he was up for after all.

The Dawgs’ dominance

“People ask the question, ‘How does it feel to be hunted?’ We will not be hunted at the University of Georgia. I can promise you that. The hunting we do will be from us going the other direction. We’re not going to sit back and be passive.”
— Georgia coach Kirby Smart, at SEC media days, on life after winning a national championship.

“I told our kids I don’t want one kid to walk out of our program without a championship ring, and that was about to happen. They said enough was enough, and they got them one tonight.”
— Smart, after Georgia’s 50-30 SEC championship game win over LSU gave him his first SEC title since 2017 and the first 13-0 record in school history.

The last word

“Mike [Leach] had a bigger impact on football, whether pro football, high school football or college football, than anybody in my generation. He just changed the way people approach the game. “
— TCU coach Sonny Dykes, a former Leach assistant at Kentucky and Texas Tech

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Journalism 3-1 morning line favorite for Derby

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April 27, 2025

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Journalism 3-1 morning line favorite for Derby

  • Associated Press

Apr 26, 2025, 08:59 PM ET

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Red-hot Journalism is the 3-1 morning line favorite for the 151st Kentucky Derby with a favorable No. 8 post position that has tied for the second-most victories in horse racing’s marquee event.

Sovereignty is the 5-1 second choice of 20 horses and will start from the No. 18 post outside Sandman, who drew the No. 17 spot on Saturday night and is the 6-1 third choice for the $5 million Grade 1 race at Churchill Downs.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s two entrants face longer odds in his return to Churchill Downs after a four-year suspension by the historic track after now-deceased colt Medina Spirit failed a postrace drug test after crossing the finish line first in 2021. Rodriguez is a 12-1 choice from the No. 4 post while Citizen Bull is a 20-1 longshot after drawing the No. 1 post.

“Well, we got the 1 [spot] out of the way,” joked Baffert, who seeks a record seventh Derby victory. “I’m glad I didn’t get the 2 with the other horse.”

Filly Good Cheer is the 6-5 favorite from the No. 11 post for the 151st Kentucky Oaks on May 2. La Cara drew the No. 7 post of 14 entrants with 6-1 odds for the $1.5 million showcase for 3-year-old fillies. Simply Joking (No. 2 post) and Ballerina d’Oro (No. 6) are co-third choices at 10-1 odds.

Journalism’s spot drew the most attention for horse racing’s marquee event on May 3 for 3-year-olds. He has been the presumptive favorite with a four-race winning streak. including both starts this year, along with a fourth in his debut last fall at Santa Anita.

“I’m very pleased,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “What’s not to like?”

The No. 8 spot has yielded nine wins in 94 starts since the starting gate was first used in 1930, tied for second-most with the No. 10 post (88 starts). The No. 5 post has forged 10 victories in 95 starts.

The most recent Derby winner from the No. 8 post was Mage two years ago.

Those other two spots went to Todd Pletcher-trained Grande (20-1, No. 10), while D. Wayne Lukas’ American Promise is a 30-1 long shot from the No. 5. Japan-based Admire Daytona is also a 30-1 choice.

California-based Journalism is coming off a three-quarter-length victory over Baeza, an also-eligible Derby entrant, in the Grade 1 San Anita Derby on April 5. It was the bay colt’s third straight graded stakes win, earning him 122.5 points during the qualifying season, good for third.

Sandman, trained by Mark Casse, was second on the Derby trail with 129 points after winning the Arkansas Derby. Bill Mott-trained Sovereignty was seventh with 110 and enters with a runner-up finish in the Florida Derby to Tappan Street, whom Louisville-born trainer Brad Cox scratched Saturday morning with a leg injury.

That defection allowed Render Judgment into the field, giving trainer Kenny McPeek a chance to repeat as Derby winner after Mystik Dan’s victory last May, a day after filly Thorpedo Anna won the Oaks.

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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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