It’s no secret that Giants QB Daniel Jones wants a massive payday after a career-defining year. The drama comes in where the Giants can only use their franchise tag on either Jones or star RB Saquon Barkley, two guys they absolutely need to pay.

Jones is looking for greater than $45 million a year on his new deal, which would put him in the company of the following: Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Josh Allen, Matt Stafford, and Dak Prescott all earn north of $40 million. 

If the Giants decide to franchise tag Jones he would earn over $32 million a year. Still impressive, but well below his ask. Throwing over 3,000 yards and rushing for over 700 while leading New York to the playoffs has certainly convinced Jones that he’s a top-tier player. 

The Mets’ reconnection to their history under owner Steve Cohen will mean an increased alumni presence in spring training.

David Wright, Edgardo Alfonzo, Darryl Strawberry, Mookie Wilson, Howard Johnson, John Franco and Al Leiter make up the roster of guest instructors the team will bring to camp, according to manager Buck Showalter.

A notable absentee will be Mike Piazza, who is managing Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

Franco’s appearance at camp will be his first in several years. Johnson returned to the Mets family last season, following a rift with the previous regime that had kept him separated from the franchise following his firing as the team’s hitting coach after the 2010 season.

The Zach Wilson era with the New York Jets may be coming to an end after this season.

Many believe the Jets will move on from Wilson, the 2021 No. 2 overall pick, after just two seasons.

Wilson has shown almost no improvement in his two years as the Jets’ starter, and has been benched on two different occasions this season for undrafted quarterbacks Mike White and Chris Streveler on Thursday night. 

The Jets’ offense has moved the ball significantly better with the two replacements than it has with Wilson. That is not a good sign for a player that was selected with the No. 2 pick in the draft and expected to be a franchise player.

The only reason Wilson got his starting job back the past two weeks has been an injury to White. Wilson has not exactly taken advantage of the opportunity. 

In 22 career games he has completed just 55 percent of his passes with only 15 touchdowns to 18 interceptions. He has failed to reach the 160-yard mark in six of his appearances this season, including two of his past three starts. 

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57. Now it’s time for the XFL, which kicked off its third iteration at Choctaw Stadium (former home of MLB’s Texas Rangers) in Arlington, Texas.

The first of 10 regular-season four-game slates opened with the Arlington Renegades rallying for a 22-20 win over the Vegas Vipers on Saturday and concluded with the DC Defenders’ 22-18 win over the Seattle Sea Dragons on Sunday night. 

The league co-owned by actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has a number of rule differences from those in the NFL, and those changes added intrigue to the XFL’s opening weekend.

Not only do football fans have the treat of spring football, but the XFL is treating them to an entirely new TV viewing experience.

The live feeds of both teams’ offensive and defensive coordinators calling plays — and then having announcers break down the terminology — adds a unique dimension for those who monitor the dueling strategies during a game.

The New York Jets are going shopping, seeking to purchase or trade for a starting quarterback to add to a roster they see as missing that most critical ingredient. They will bring in free agent Derek Carr for a visit, although it is believed the Jets have their sights set on landing the biggest fish in the sea: Aaron Rodgers. 

Carr, 31, is certainly an option, given his track record during his nine-year stay with the Raiders, the only NFL team he has played for. 

The Raiders released Carr after he declined to waive his no-trade clause. The timing of the release allowed the Raiders to avoid paying Carr more than $40 million on his contract, which would have become guaranteed if he had remained on the roster. 

The Jets have no plans to go into the 2023 season with Zach Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, as their first option at quarterback after his disastrous 2022 showing. Rodgers remains under contract with the Packers, but most likely not for long. If he becomes available, he instantly would be one of the most heralded players to ever hit the trade market and the Jets would be there with an offer. 

The Shamrock Shake and Oreo Shamrock McFlurry are making their much-anticipated return to McDonald’s.

First introduced in 1970, the iconic Shamrock Shake features vanilla soft serve, blended with Shamrock Shake syrup and whipped topping.

Meanwhile, Oreo Shamrock McFlurry, which made its nationwide debut in 2020, features vanilla soft serve blended with Shamrock Shake flavor and Oreo cookie pieces.

You can find both minty treats at participating McDonald’s locations nationwide for a limited time. 

Circle K and Mountain Dew have teamed up for the debut of new Mountain Dew Purple Thunder.

Mountain Dew Purple Thunder features the flavors of blackberry and plum for the ultimate berry combination.

You can find Mountain Dew Purple Thunder at Circle K locations across the nation in 20-oz bottles and on fountain.

The Mountain Dew Purple Thunder bottle design features its own biker gang of Dew characters, including a plum and blackberry enjoying the sweetest ride of their life.

The Brooklyn Nets traded Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster move. The Suns will send forward Jae Crowder  to the Nets, and Brooklyn will also receive Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and four unprotected first-round draft picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2028.

After the Nets traded Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, Durant reportedly met with Brooklyn’s front office to discuss “the direction of the franchise and its ability to be a championship contender.” Apparently, those conversations were not fruitful.

Durant previously requested a trade with a strong preference to join the Suns with Chris Paul and Devin Booker. Neither Paul nor Booker have won an NBA title, and the addition of Durant could have vaulted them to championship favorites.

Durant is in the first year of a four-year, $194 million extension he signed in August 2021 when the Nets had a Big 3 of Durant, Irving and James Harden. None of them no longer wear a Nets uniform.

For the second time in the last four seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl champions. Coming back from 10 points down at halftime, the Chiefs scored touchdowns on each of their first three possessions in the second half to claim a 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. 

In doing so, the Chiefs became the second team in NFL history to come back from a double-digit halftime deficit to win the Super Bowl. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes also became the first player since Kurt Warner in 1999 to win NFL MVP and lead his team to a victory in the Super Bowl.

Mahomes was simply spectacular in the second half, completing 13 of 15 passes for 93 yards and two scores while adding a crucial 26-yard scramble on what would eventually become the game-winning drive. The newly-crowned NFL MVP completed 21 of 27 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns and rushed six times for 44 additional yards.

Each of Mahomes’ touchdown passes went to different receivers with tight end Travis Kelce grabbing an 18-yard score on the Chiefs’ first possession of the game. Wide receivers Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore found the end zone in the second half with a first-half fumble return touchdown serving as Kansas City’s other entry into the end zone. 

For the Eagles, QB Jalen Hurts was nearly as marvelous as Mahomes throughout the game. He became just the second player in NFL history to rush for three or more touchdowns in the Super Bowl, and he added a fourth score through the air. On the evening, he completed 27 of 38 passes for 304 yards and a touchdown while taking 15 carries for 70 yards plus the three scores. 

The Kyrie Irving melodrama is finally over, the Nets shipping him to Dallas in the end of an era. 

The Brooklyn Nets traded Kyrie Irving and veteran forward Markieff Morris to the Dallas Mavericks in return for guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Dorian Finney-Smith, an unprotected 2029 first-round selection and 2027 and 2029 second-rounders. 

Talented but troubled, Irving arrived in 2019 along with star Kevin Durant, whose status with the Nets will now be thrown into question. Irving was averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds, the eight-time All-Star brilliant when he plays. 

In the end, Irving’s unavailability outweighed his ability, suiting up for just 143 out of a possible 278 games in Brooklyn and seeing his relationship with the organization break down over the past two years.

Irving missed two-thirds of last season due to his refusal to adhere to New York’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates, was suspended eight games without pay this season for promoting an anti-Semitic movie and has had multiple contentious contract negotiations. The last one was the final breaking point in the marriage.