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The San Francisco 49ers had injury issues that were out of their control this past season. They overcame those challenges to make the playoffs, but missing several key players undoubtedly capped their potential to make a deeper run.

The NFL's league year doesn't even start until March, but we already know the 49ers have another massive roadblock awaiting them.

The 49ers announced they will play in Mexico City during the 2026 NFL regular season. That's not too unusual, but it is unprecedented that they'll play two international games next season in different continents. Add on the 49ers' announced game in Australia against the Los Angeles Rams, and suddenly travel becomes a big issue.

The 49ers will travel more miles than anyone in the NFL next season and more than any team ever has. That's a hefty challenge no other team is going to be dealing with next season.

A new record for the 49ers

The 49ers will travel more than 38,000 miles. There's the trip to Melbourne, Australia, the one to Mexico City, and also trips to face the Giants and Falcons in the Eastern time zone.

If that sounds like a lot of travel for one season, it is. That mileage will break an NFL record, set by the Chargers when they traveled more than 37,000 miles last season,according to Bill Speros of Bookies.com. That's despite having only eight road games in the 17-game schedule (that Mexico City game is a designated 49ers home game).

International travel can be tough on teams, and it can take a few weeks to feel back to normal. That's why most teams take a bye week after playing an international game. And the 49ers will get two international games. They will be the first team to play two international games in non-consecutive weeks. The Jaguars have played two games in London before. Last season the Vikings played two international games in a row, but both of those were in Europe with one in England and the other in Ireland. What the 49ers are being asked to do hasn't been done before.

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The good news for the 49ers is there is a long break between the two international trips.John Ourand of Puck reportedthe game against the Rams in Australia will be in Week 1, with a specific day to be determined. The Mexico City game, with an opponent that will be determined later, willbe in December.

But, that also means the 49ers have two international trips practically bookending their season.

49ers have a big challenge

The 49ers' leadership is happy to be making that second international trip.

"We are thrilled to return to Mexico and to play in front of one of the most passionate fan bases in the league," 49ers CEO Al Guido saidin a statement. "After two unforgettable experiences in 2005 and 2022 we are excited to reunite with the Mexico faithful."

The players might not be so excited to have 38,000 miles to fly during the season.

This will happen more often with theNFL's stated desireto get to 16 international games. There will be nine during the 2026 season. All that travel will make it tougher on the players, who already have a hard time getting through the expanded 17-game season healthy.

The 49ers know all about that. They had numerous star players miss games last season, though coach Kyle Shanahan did a marvelous job to get them to a 12-5 record. They go right from that strife to having to deal with the toughest travel schedule the NFL has ever seen, at least in terms of flight miles. They have to do that while trying to navigate one of the NFL's toughest divisions, with the Super Bowl champion Seahawks and NFC runner-up Rams.

The 49ers will get to see the world during the upcoming season. There will be a hidden cost attached.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears have promoted pass game coordinator Press Taylor to offensive coordinator to replace the departed Declan Doyle, one of four coaching moves announced by the team on Wednesday.

Bears Offensive Coordinator Football

Taylor was Jacksonville's offensive coordinator from 2022 to 2024. His promotion comes after Doyle left to call plays in Baltimore undernew Ravens coach Jesse Minter.

Coach Ben Johnson will continue to call plays after the Bears made the playoffs in his first season. Chicago's offense ranked sixth overall, with quarterbackCaleb Williams making big stridesin his second year. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, he threw for a franchise-record 3,942 yards with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The Bears were third in rushing, with D'Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai leading the way. Chicago also committed a league-low 11 turnovers.

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The Bears also hired Eric Studesville as running backs coach, Will Lawing as offensive analyst and Isaiah Ford as offensive quality control coach. A 29-year NFL coaching veteran, Studesville was a Bears assistant in the late 1990s and spent the past eight seasons in Miami, working alongside Johnson for part of that time. Studesville takes over forEric Bieniemy, who left to become Kansas City's offensive coordinator.

Chicago went 11-6 and won its first NFC North title since 2018 after finishing last the previous season. The Bears advanced in the playoffs for the first time in 15 years, rallying to beat Green Bay in a wild-card thriller before losing to the Los Angeles Rams in overtime in the divisional round.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Javier Báezhad little choice but offer a full mea culpa, even if the situation proved a little absurd.

"This is all my fault," hetold reportersin Lakeland, Florida regarding apositive test for marijuanathat will prevent him from representing Puerto Rico in next month's World Baseball Classic.

"I'm the one that failed the test. It really hurts my family, my reputation, but it's part of it. Other than that, I got a long season to go, and I got to prepare for that."

Báez, aDetroit Tigers2025 All-Star, would not have been caught up in a positive test simply under MLB's auspices. The league has not tested members of the 40-man roster for marijuana and after the 2019 season stopped suspending minor league players for positive tests for pot.

Yet the World Baseball Softball Federation, which administers the WBC, still considers it a banned substance, even in this era when other governing bodies prefer players use marijuana rather than opioids to manage pain and other maladies.

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His suspension landed at a particularly inopportune time for Puerto Rico's squad, which learned the same week that fellow All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor will not play due to insurance concerns; Lindor eventually suffered a hamate bone injury, anyway.

Báez, 33, is expected to play a key multi-positional role again for the Tigers. He just hoped to rep his home territory in the WBC before then.

"I understand the rules," says Báez, per the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. "It's not like I was taking steroids or anything to last longer or whatever. They made that decision.

"I'm fine with it – I mean, I'm not fine with it. I just keep my mouth shut."

MLB spring training 2026: Sunshine, good vibes in Arizona and Florida

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tigers' Javy Baez takes blame for failed drug test that cost him WBC

Dave Benett/WireImage

Shia LaBeoufhas just two words to share after his arrest in New Orleans on Tuesday.

"Free me," the 39-year-oldTransformersstar wrote in anX poston Wednesday morning. The brief update comes one day afterthe actor was arrestedat Mardi Gras on allegations of getting into a physical altercation with two men outside a Royal Street business.

Officers were called to the scene just after midnight, after LaBeouf was ejected from the establishment for alleged aggressive behavior that was causing a disturbance, authorities toldEntertainment Weekly.Per the police, one of the men reported that they were once outside LaBeouf struck them several times with his closed fists. The other claimed that the actor punched him in the nose.

In their statement to EW, police said several onlookers stepped in to hold LaBeouf down until officers arrived on the scene, at which point the actor was transported to a hospital and subsequently arrested after being discharged.

LaBeouf is facing two charges of simple battery. He was released from jail in New Orleans on Tuesday, and his pretrial hearing is scheduled for March 19. The actor returned to celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans hours after his release,multipleoutletsreported.

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Representatives for LaBeouf and the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.

Rich Fury/Getty

A day before his arrest, aHollywood Reporterstory said employees at several New Orleans businesses claimed that LaBeouf had been frequenting various drinking establishments in the city's Uptown neighborhood,as he seemed to be on a bar crawlthat began on Thursday. One bouncer claimed LaBeouf was "inebriated" and "somewhat belligerent," though other employees reported that they'd had no incidents or disruption while he was there.

LaBeouf, who has discussedembracing sobrietyin recent years, has a history of alcohol-related arrests. The star was court-ordered to attend rehab followinga 2017 arrestin Georgia on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct. Before that, he was arrested in October 2015 on charges of public intoxication and in 2014 on charges ofdisorderly conductafter interrupting a performance ofCabaret.

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

Last year LaBeoufsettledasexual assault and battery lawsuitthat his former girlfriendFKA Twigsfiled against him after he denied the allegations. Before Twigs dropped the charges, LaBeouf blamed his struggles with PTSD and alcoholism for his allegedly abusive behavior towards the singer. He stated that being forced to reckon with his actions "saved my f‑‑‑ing life."

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

Christy Carlson Romano revealed on Tuesday that she recently received a positive result from a cancer screening.

TheEven Stevensstar began by disclosing her family's history of cancer. She explained that both her parents had the disease and that her mom "beat it" while her dad "eventually didn't." Her maternal grandmother died from lung cancer as well, Romano added. The 41-year-old actress and her husband, Brendan Rooney, both decided to take cancer screening tests as a result.

"My husband's came back completely negative. Mine did not come back negative," Romano said in an Instagram reel. "What that means is I may have stageable cancer. The steps are to get a PET scan. I'm fighting with companies to get that covered."

A PET scan, or positron emission tomography scan, is a radioactive imaging test that is often used to detect the spread of cancer, accordingto the Cleveland Clinic.

Romano went on to talk about James Van Der Beek, who died on Feb. 11from a years-long battle with Stage III colorectal cancerat 48 years old. Van Der Beek, like Romano, resided in Austin, where the actress said he was "a pillar of our community."

TheDawson's Creekactor's family and friends set upa GoFundMe pagefor his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children, to help the family rebuild financially following his death. The Van Der Beeks, according to a statement on the GoFundMe page, experienced "significant financial strainas they did everything possible to support James and provide for his care."

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"I live in Austin and I was able to meet James Van Der Beek a bunch. His family's amazing," Romano tearfully said. "They always were raising money for the most amazing charities, and he's not with us anymore. Cancer is everywhere. Which is why I got this test."

Romano said that she "kind of was in disbelief" about her positive result, as she had just begun filming a movie in Florida. "I didn't really want to think about it much until I got home," she said, before adding that this is a "very vulnerable time for me."

"About 367 days since I gotshot in the face," Romano said, referring to an incident at a shooting range last June. "Time to have a strong sense of faith and know that it's in God's hands, most of it. I'm sure people think I'm overreacting, but I'm not, because cancer's pretty serious and I have two little girls."

Romano added, "When you're somebody like me, you kind of have to take life a day at a time. Really be grateful for all the amazing stuff around you."

In her Instagram caption for the reel, Romano admitted that she was hesitant to share her health update because she didn't want to seem "cringe." Ultimately, though, she felt it was "her duty to share so that people get out there and get screenings."

The former Disney Channel actress received an outpouring of support in the comments from her husband, fellow child actors Jaleel White (Family Matters) and Giovonnie Samuels (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody), and more.

Romano famously starred as Ren Stevens on the hit seriesEven Stevensfrom 2000 to 2003, alongside Shia LaBeouf. She went on to voice the titular teen hero onKim Possibleuntil 2007, before eventually launchingVulnerable, her podcast on which she interviews former child stars. She is also actively working onher memoir, which she's previously teased.

Nicole Curtis/Instagram

NEED TO KNOW

• Nicole Curtis was caught saying the n-word on camera in a video that circulated online on Wednesday, Feb. 11

• Her show, Rehab Addict, was immediately cancelled by HGTV and pulled from its streaming platforms as a result

• In a Feb. 17 Instagram post, Curtis said she was turning off the comments as a result of the "hate" she was receiving

• She apologized for using slur in a previous Instagram post and claimed the footage showing the incident was "stolen" from her

Nicole Curtisis speaking out again after she wascaught using a racial sluron video.

The former HGTV star, 49, shared a lengthy message onInstagramregarding herlatest controversyin a post shared on Tuesday, Feb. 17. The post comes almost one week after a video of Curtis using the n-word was posted byRadar Onlineon Wednesday, Feb. 11, the same day her HGTV show,Rehab Addict,was set to return to television.

While she begins her latest post by referencing the "many moments of kindness" she says she's experienced after the video went viral, the renovation expert noted that she's turning off the comments on her post due to the "hate" coming her way.

The caption reads, in part: "I'm reading the DMs -ignoring the headlines. I'm turning of [sic] the comments - if the hate was just geared at me, I could take it, but the hate toward each other is exactly what we should all be working diligently to work through — go back to human connection, actual conversations instead of internet tit for tat. Let's do better together."

Nicole Curtis/Instagram

She concludes her caption by clarifying again where she claims the leaked footage, taken "4 years ago," came from, writing "someone personal" had access to it. She claims the person wanted money for the footage, and because she "didn't pay" them, "here we are."

"4 years ago - I was not contracted to any network or show. (think free agent in sports). Any crew hired, paid by me, the footage is mine. My crew didn't steal my footage," she wrote in part.

She continued, alleging of the footage, "Someone personal (not crew) had access, demanded $, I didn't pay - here we are."

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Her latest message comes after she initially apologized for her use of the slur in a text sent toTMZ, saying, "I want to be clear: the word in question is wrong and not part of my vocabulary and never has been, and I apologize to everyone."

Nicole Curtis/Instagram

She laterdoubled down on her apologyin a Feb. 13Instagrampost and reiterated that it was her own footage that was circulating online, not HGTV's or for any show on the network.

"I am sorry. I am filled with remorse and regret, just as much as I was one second after that word was said 4 years ago in 2022," the caption read. She added, "I'm not addressing this because I was 'caught'. I'm here because I am not okay with the fact that I said that."

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After the clip surfaced online, HGTV confirmed to PEOPLE that they made the decision to pull the new season ofRehab Addict, saying her language is "hurtful and disappointing" and "does not align with the values of HGTV."

The statement added, "We have removed the series from all HGTV platforms. We remain dedicated to fostering a culture of respect and inclusion across our content and our workplace."

Read the original article onPeople

A U.S. Immigration judge ruled that the Trump administration cannot deportMohsen Mahdawi, a key organizer of pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, his attorneys said Tuesday.

In the ruling, judge Nina Froes said the administration failed to certify a memo that it had hoped to use as evidence in its case to remove Mahdawi from the U.S. The document was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The judge said that the administration "sought to establish removability by way of a photocopy of a document," adding that the filing is relevant to the case, but "it is not admissible as it lacked proper authentication."

In the memo, Rubio alleged that Mahdawi's "presence and activities in the United States would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences and would compromise a compelling U.S. foreign policy interest."

The Trump administration has used similar reasoning to try to deport other foreign students, who were active in the pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses or who were critical of Israel.

As a result of the error, Mahdawi's removal proceedings were terminated last week, the immigration judge said.

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"I am grateful to the court for honoring the rule of law and holding the line against the government's attempts to trample on due process," said Mahdawi. "This decision is an important step towards upholding what fear tried to destroy: the right to speak for peace and justice."

The immigration court ruling was filed by Mahdawi's attorneys in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City, where he is challenging his arrest and detention, which remains ongoing.

Mahdawi, a U.S. permanent resident born and raised in a refugee camp in the West Bank, was detained last year during his naturalization interview in Vermont as part of the administration's crackdown on pro-Palestine protests on college campuses.

Still, the federal government could appeal the immigration judge's decision, however, it remains unclear whether they intend to do so.

In a statement to NBC News, a DHS spokesperson said, "It is a privilege to be granted a visa or green card to live and study in the United States of America."

The spokesperson added, "No activist judge, not this one or any other, is going to stop us from doing that."