📰🏟️ Open Mike
Tomlin steps down as Steelers coach…
Good afternoon. Today’s edition brings you the top news from around the sports world. Let’s get right to it.
—Kyle
1) Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin steps down
Tomlin decided to step away from Pittsburgh yesterday following the team’s seventh straight playoff loss, ending his reign as the longest-tenured head coach of a North American pro sports franchise (now the Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra).
Tomlin’s 19-year tenure included a Super Bowl victory in 2008-09, as well as zero losing seasons—an all-time record that no other active coach has come close to matching.
- Since Tomlin wasn’t fired, the Steelers retain his rights for the two years left on his contract, meaning another team looking to sign Tomlin would have to trade for him.
- However, Tomlin, 53, reportedly isn’t expected to coach elsewhere in 2026.
- Pittsburgh is now searching for just their fourth head coach since the Apollo Moon landing in 1969.
2) Anthony Davis’ injury saga takes a left turn
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported earlier Tuesday that the Mavericks’ star big man would need surgery to repair ligament damage in his injured hand, sidelining him for several months.
- The news came at a precarious time for Dallas, who’s lagging in the standings and has reportedly been trying to trade Davis before the upcoming NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5.
- However, Charania updated his report later on Tuesday to confirm that Davis won’t have surgery at this time, after receiving a second opinion.
- Davis will now be re-evaluated in six weeks, while the Mavs are reportedly still looking to trade him despite the injury.
Inside AD’s latest injury twist
3) Little-known amateur beats world #2 Jannik Sinner, earns ~$700k
Jordan Smith, an amateur tennis player from Australia, upset Sinner earlier this morning en route to winning the 1 Point Grand Slam, a pre-tournament event ahead of the Australian Open, and taking home the prize money.
- All matches in the 1 Point Grand Slam lasted for—you guessed it—one point, with the serving player determined by rock-paper-scissors.
- The knockout bracket included men and women, top-ranked professionals and amateurs, plus a few celebrities.
Explore Smith’s Cinderella run
4) Kansas City Royals change dimensions of their stadium
In a press release yesterday, the Royals announced plans to move the left- and right-field walls at Kauffman Stadium in by 9-10 feet and lower it by ~1.5 feet, citing “competitive reasons” and a desire to have their stadium play more like other MLB parks.
- Kauffman currently features the second-deepest average wall distance of any MLB stadium (384 feet), second only to Coors Field in Colorado (where balls fly further due to thinner air).
- Over the past two seasons—which have seen the Royals return to competitive relevance—KC has hit just 329 home runs, fewer than any other MLB playoff contender.
5) Fanatics to launch new content studio
The merch/trading cards/collectibles company announced the launch of Fanatics Studios, a new production studio the company says will be focused on content at the intersection of sports and culture.
- This content will include feature films, documentaries, scripted and unscripted content, live events, and digital series.
- Fanatics Studios already has a slate of projects in development, including a flag football tournament in Saudi Arabia, a multipart documentary on Tom Brady, and serving as content partner for the 2028 LA Olympics.
Dive into the new Fanatics Studio
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