Unique venues, loud jerseys: The factors that make the Stadium Series special
It was the end of the KISS concert at Dodger Stadium in 2014, when the group hit the final bombastic notes of “Rock and Roll All Nite” and the pyrotechnics illuminated the palm trees near the hockey rink. That was the moment I fell in love with the bizarre, audacious spectacle that is the NHL Stadium Series.
Picture the Winter Classic as the nicest wedding you’ve ever attended. The Stadium Series is the after-party. Picture the Winter Classic as a Norman Rockwell painting. The Stadium Series is a black light poster with a flying saucer on it.
“The Winter Classic is more traditional, historic. It’s got that touch of snow — whether it’s real or fake,” Steve Mayer, the NHL’s senior executive vice president and chief content officer, told ESPN.
“The Stadium Series is a little more modern. Colorful, graphic-oriented, progressive, interactive,” Mayer said, entering into a brief word association mode, “nighttime, lighting, pyro … let’s go. It’s where we do a lot of future thinking.”
Mayer was speaking from Raleigh, North Carolina, the site of Saturday night’s game at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium between the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes (8 ET, ABC and ESPN+).
It’s the 13th edition of the Stadium Series. There have been 14 Winter Classic games, with the next edition scheduled for T-Mobile Park in Seattle in January 2024.
The Heritage Classic, the NHL’s outdoor series held in Canadian venues, actually predates the Winter Classic. Its first edition was held in 2003 at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium, which is the site of the seventh Heritage Classic scheduled for October. There have been special edition outdoor games like the NHL 100 Classic and Centennial Classic in 2017, and those two melty 2021 outdoor games in Lake Tahoe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those other series have their singular charms. But none of them gave us California teams in outdoor hockey games or rinks inside military academies or NHL jerseys designed to be seen from space.
In other words, none of them are the Stadium Series.
The Stadium Series was, in some ways, born out of necessity.
The Winter Classic was packing football and baseball stadiums, so it wasn’t a surprise that the NHL wanted to expand the outdoor program in the U.S. outside of New Year’s Day — and give it a different vibe.
“I think the success of the Winter Classic was why the Stadium Series was established,” said Mayer, who joined the NHL in 2015. “Go back to that time: The Winter Classic was on fire. Everyone was talking about it. There was an interest to do more, but an interest to do something a little different.”
But the Stadium Series’ debut in 2014 was a direct result of the revenue lost during the 2012 lockout, which cut the 2012-13 regular season from 82 to 48 games.
Holding five outdoor games — Los Angeles, Chicago, two at Yankee Stadium in New York and a Heritage Classic in Vancouver — was a surefire way to create a river of new revenue, and the owners and players both signed off on it.
“When you get into markets like Vancouver and see the mittens and the toques and the scarves and everything, it’s almost like having [another] NHL team with all the revenue that’s created,” John Collins, then the COO of the NHL, told me in 2013.
But another motivation for the games was to get more teams involved. By 2013, there had been five Winter Classic games but only eight teams were involved — the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers had already played twice. Only two Western Conference teams — the Original Six stalwart Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks — had appeared in the Classic. The Stadium Series would provide more outdoor game opportunities to other teams and cities, while allowing the NHL to reuse some franchises outside of the Winter Classic.
“That’s certainly the opportunity. To get to more markets sooner, and to get back to markets that worked,” Collins told me in 2013. “Boston was a great experience. Philadelphia was a great experience. But if we’re only doing one game a year, we’re not getting back there in 10-15 years.”
(In fact, it would be 13 years before the NHL hit Fenway Park again, with a visit to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough for the 2016 Winter Classic.)
The participants themselves are one of four reasons the Stadium Series rocks:
1. The teams
With the Hurricanes hosting the Capitals on Saturday and the Seattle Kraken hosting the Vegas Golden Knights next January, there are now only three teams that have yet to participate in an NHL outdoor game: The Arizona Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets — seriously, CBJ vs. Pittsburgh at the Horseshoe has to happen — and the Florida Panthers, whose ears perked up when commissioner Gary Bettman recently said the NHL was exploring an all-Sunshine State outdoor game with the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
“We’re really proud that we’re almost there, where every single NHL team will have participated in an outdoor game,” Mayer said. “Without the Stadium Series, we wouldn’t have that.”
The Stadium Series got weird right from the start in 2014: The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings playing an outdoor hockey game at Dodger Stadium, complete with palm trees around the rink and KISS on levitating platforms. The New York Rangers were the away team — per their contract with Madison Square Garden — for two games against the New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils at Yankee Stadium. The other Stadium Series game that year played the hits: The Penguins and the Blackhawks, two Winter Classic veterans, at Soldier Field.
It was one of six outdoor games in which the Blackhawks appeared from 2009 to 2019.
“I can laugh about it now. About how at one point the running joke was, ‘Oh, the Chicago Blackhawks are playing? It must be an outdoor game,'” Mayer said. “There was a consistency of a few teams playing in these games. But they were participating in these games for all the right reasons: They were incredibly successful and drew big ratings.”
The Kings returned to the Stadium Series in 2015 to face the San Jose Sharks at Levi’s Stadium, home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. In 2016, the Minnesota Wild made their outdoor game debut against the Blackhawks at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, and the Colorado Avalanche played their first outdoor game against the Red Wings at Coors Field.
The Penguins and Flyers played a home-and-home Stadium Series duo of games in 2017 (Heinz Field) and 2019 (Lincoln Financial Field). Sandwiched in between was a game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Capitals at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. The NHL went military again in 2020 with the Kings and Avalanche at the Air Force Academy in Colorado, which happened right before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Stadium Series returned in 2022 with an absolute party in Nashville between the Predators and the Lightning at the home of the Tennessee Titans. Please recall the “Outlaw Bikers vs. Canadian Tuxedos” battle during player arrivals.
“I think that what we’ve done in the last few years is try to share the wealth and open it up to more teams,” Mayer said.
And more teams meant more distinctive locations.
2. The venues
I still think about that Dodger Stadium game. Not just because it gave us this iconic photo of Gary Bettman meeting KISS, but because of the audacity of its staging: Having volleyball players and deck hockey games on the field and embracing all that California kitsch inside of an iconic venue.
It was really the first time the NHL let its freak flag fly for one of these outdoor games. I’m not sure we get the giant cowboy boot at the Cotton Bowl or the “Ice Diamond” at Fenway without this game setting the surreal tone.
It was also the first event in the “outdoor game era” that was intended to be played at night. The 2011 Winter Classic between the Penguins and Capitals was shifted to the evening due to weather concerns. When the Hurricanes host the Capitals this weekend, it’ll be under the lights in prime time.
There’s another first for the Stadium Series in Raleigh: NC State students in attendance will enjoy the entirety of the game from the field, giving the whole thing a college sports vibe.
The Stadium Series has been played in four college stadiums, including the only two games the NHL has played at military academies, as well as five NFL venues and three MLB parks.
The first military academy the NHL approached was the United States Military Academy at West Point. But Michie Stadium was due to undergo renovations that didn’t fit the NHL’s timeline, so the league turned its attention to the Naval Academy in Annapolis instead for a 2018 game.
“That obviously was one of our more successful games,” Mayer said. “Then we went to the Air Force Academy … and we’re still waiting on Army. That’s still out there. At some point, we’d love to go. I just have no idea when.”
(If the NHL is looking for a spot to get the Florida Panthers into an outdoor game and doesn’t want to risk the Floridian climate, they seem like a natural fit for Army. Owner Vincent Viola is an Army grad who was nominated to be Secretary of Army during the Trump administration. Also, their logo is inspired by the Army’s 101st Airborne Division patch.)
Both of those venues featured sharply dressed cadets. And fashion is a key part of the Stadium Series’ appeal.
3. The jerseys
This is, perhaps, the greatest point of demarcation between the Winter Classic and the Stadium Series. Look no further than the Predators.
In 2020, Nashville played in the Winter Classic against the Dallas Stars. Their jerseys featured the team name in script across the chest inside a bright yellow stripe. Adidas, which helped create the jersey, said it had a “heritage aesthetic, featuring designs inspired by Nashville’s rich hockey history and its passionate hockey fan base.”
In 2022, Nashville hosted the Stadium Series. This time, their sweater had the word “SMASHVILLE” written in the same block lettering as an old concert poster, with a guitar pick in the middle.
“The object of the Winter Classic is to look back. That’s what informs all of our design and storytelling,” said Nic Corbett, director of sports marketing for Adidas. “When we look at the Stadium Series, it’s all about the future. It gives us a chance to work with the teams and the league to really create some bold looks.”
The NHL, led by executive vice president of marketing Brian Jennings, and Adidas have thrown every forward-thinking idea they could into the Stadium Series jerseys. There were metallic logos. There were logos that stretched from arm to arm, like the Capitals’ “Weagle” jerseys this season. There were never before seen variations of classic jerseys: Remember the gold logo on that Penguins sweater?
The single greatest fashion show in Stadium Series history happened at Air Force Academy. The Kings wore a diagonal “LA” logo with little speed lines that made it look like it was rushing uphill — maybe a little roller hockey, but hey, what do you think they play in SoCal? They also rocked metallic chrome helmets that became so iconic that the team used them again as part of their heritage jerseys in 2021.
The Avalanche, meanwhile, wore an “A” logo that mimicked both the triangular shape it modeled after Air Force’s Cadet Chapel and the Rocky Mountains. Matty Merrill, director of design for Adidas hockey, called it “probably the largest hockey crest of all time on perhaps the largest hockey stripes of all time.”
Corbett said the designers were also inspired by those who might be watching a game at the Air Force Academy.
“One of the bullet points that we had was that there’s probably a graduate from the Air Force Academy on the International Space Station,” he said. “And when that space station circles around that stadium in that day, we want that individual to be able to see the uniforms. We want them to be that bold.”
Now that’s bold.
4. Finally, the undersaturation?
Mayer remains in awe that the NHL produced five outdoor games in 2014.
“Now that I know how difficult these games are to put on, I have no idea how they pulled that off,” he said.
Five is a bit much. Then again, a lot of NHL fans feel two are a bit much. Cries of “oversaturation!” have echoed since the past decade, leading directly to things like Blackhawks fatigue.
“Are there too many games? Should we just do the Winter Classic?” Mayer asked rhetorically.
His answer, unsurprisingly, is of course not. His justification is that, like politics, all NHL outdoor games are local.
“It’s amazing here. Everybody is talking about this game,” Mayer said. “Whether it resonates nationally or internationally like it used to … maybe it doesn’t. But in the local market, it kicks butt. And we see this every single time.”
It’s the same argument you hear the NHL make when it comes to the Winter Classic and the NHL All-Star Game: Maybe they don’t dominate the conversation or draw the television audience that they once did, but if you’re in town for one, it’s like the Super Bowl.
“This market is outstanding,” Mayer said of the upcoming NC State game. “I’m telling you: If we put another game up for sale, we’d sell it out as well.”
Mayer also believes that there are so many more outdoor locations to conquer.
“I don’t think there are too many venues we haven’t visited and scouted,” he said. “I always love the suggestions: ‘We should play a game at Lambeau Field!’ Every building is in play. There are just so many factors as to when and why. We want to spread the wealth.”
But the Stadium Series could also offer the chance for the NHL to revisit some of its previous outdoor hits. The league has used the same U.S. outdoor venue only three times: Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Yankee Stadium in New York and Fenway Park in Boston.
“There are other buildings that we’ve gone to that we might go to again,” Mayer said. “They’re not off the table at all. We may revisit a few places in a creative way.”
Creativity has been the essence of the Stadium Series. Unique venues. Bold fashions. Uncommon participants. It’s only going to get weirder, and we’re here for it.
“Some fans might think that we’ve done too many,” Mayer said. “But we think there’s value in doing them. So we’re going to keep doing them.”
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
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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Eli Lederman
Four-star quarterback Brady Smigiel, ESPN’s No. 4 pocket passer in the 2026 class, has committed to Michigan, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
A 6-foot-5, 210-pound prospect from Newbury Park, California, Smigiel is the No. 45 overall recruit in the 2026 ESPN 300 and began the weekend as the cycle’s No. 2 available quarterback. The former Florida State commit becomes the highest-ranked member of coach Sherrone Moore’s 2026 recruiting class.
Smigiel visited the Wolverines’ for the program’s spring game on April 19.
“We just thought it was time to make the decision and when I went out to Michigan I knew it was the spot for me,” Smigiel told ESPN. “Being able to see the strength staff and how they handle the players — the discipline within the program — it was all really impressive.”
Smigiel noted his connection with first-year Michigan offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, who previously recruited Smigiel at North Carolina, as a key factor in his decision. Program tradition and the opportunity to step into the Wolverines’ thin quarterback depth behind five-star freshman Bryce Underwood also played a role in Smigiel’s move to commit prior to previously scheduled official visits to Washington and South Carolina later this spring.
With Smigiel’s pledge, Michigan now holds two ESPN 300 commitments in the 2026 cycle following the February addition of four-star offensive guard Bear McWhorter (No. 186 overall).
The Wolverines also hold pledges from three-star cornerback Brody Jennings and wide receiver Jaylen Pile in 2026. The Wolverines remain in the mix for a handful of top 2026 targets, including linebacker Anthony Jones (No. 25 overall), tight end Ian Premer (No. 60) and running back Javian Osborne (No. 81).
Michigan was a leading finalist for Smigiel’s pledge last June when he committed to Florida State over the Wolverines, Ohio State, Oregon and Washington.
Smigiel shut down his recruitment following his summer pledge and remained a cornerstone of the Seminoles’ 2026 class through the program’s 2-10 finish last fall before pulling his commitment from Florida State in late-January. At the time, Smigiel pointed to the offseason reshuffle of the program’s coaching staff and a scheme change under first-year offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn as the primary driver in his decision.
“I just didn’t feel like Florida State was that spot for me anymore,” Smigiel told ESPN in early February. I committed to coach (Mike) Norvell calling the plays and now that he’s not, it’s a completely different situation.”
Auburn, Michigan, Ohio State, South Carolina, UCLA and Washington emerged as early leaders in Smigiel’s renewed process in February, and he later took unofficial trips to Washington, South Carolina and UCLA.
Sources told ESPN that Washington was a serious contender for Smigiel’s pledge before four-star quarterback Derek Zammit committed to the program on April 19. North Carolina and South Carolina also made significant pushes over the last week prior to Smigiel’s commitment to the Wolverines.
Equipped with standout arm strength and elite downfield accuracy, Smigiel is one of the most polished quarterback prospects in the 2026 class.
Smigiel is a three-year starter and will enter his senior season with 11,228 passing yards and 147 touchdowns for his prep career. He threw for 3,521 yards and 49 touchdowns and led Newbury Park to a division title as a junior last fall.
Upon Smigiel’s pledge, only five of the 18 quarterbacks ranked inside the ESPN 300 remain uncommitted, led by No. 1 overall quarterback Jared Curtis and fellow top 100 passer Ryder Lyons (No. 50 overall).
Curtis, No. 5 in the ESPN 300, is set to choose between Georgia and Oregon on May 5.
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