Mexico riding wave of confidence ahead of showdown vs. USA: 'We can do this'

HOUSTON — They stomped their feet, danced in the aisles, screamed, sang, partied, and proudly waved their green, white and red Mexican flags Sunday night in every single section of Daikin Park.

When the crowd of 36,380 finished singing a rendition of "El Rey'' at the end of the game, they headed to the parking lots, climbed into their cars, and horns could be heard blaring for more than an hour after the game.

And this was for a simple ho-hum game against an outmatched Brazilian team, winding up in a 16-0 rout, called after six innings with the mercy rule being implemented after Julian Ornelas' two-run home run, the third-largest blowout in World Baseball Classic history.

So imagine what the raucous atmosphere will be like Monday night (8 p.m. ET on FOX])when Mexico takes on powerful Team USAin their critical World Baseball Classic matchup at Daikin Park in Houston, with a little trash-talking already being exchanged between the two rivals.

"It's going to be insanely loud,'' Mexico first baseman Rowdy Tellez says. "It's going to be sold out, standing room only, and everyone going crazy. The Mexican fans and the US fans are high energy, and they've both been anticipating this game. It's going to be awesome.

"Really, this is what everyone's been waiting for since the last time we played them.''

See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

The teams last met back in 2023, when Mexico stomped USA,11-5, en route to reaching the semifinals, and were three outs away from eliminating Japanin the semifinals. They were the team that would have faced the USA in the championship game, withthe Shoehi Ohtani-Mike Trout matchupnever existing.

And, as everyone in Mexico will tell you, they were convinced that if they had gotten past Japan, they would have beaten the USA in the championship game, just as they have the last three times they've played.

Now, they've got their chance again, knowing that a victory will put them in the driver's seat for a spot in the quarterfinals, with the opportunity to become the first sports team from Mexico to win an international championship.

"If that happens, you're going to see a party in Mexico like you've never seen,'' says Vinny Castilla, Mexico bench coach and former All-Star third baseman, born and raised in Oaxaca, Mexico. "It would be the greatest sports moment in the history of Mexico. It would be unbelievable. I don't even have the words to even imagine what it would be like.''

'BOYS ARE PUMPED':USA vs Mexico showdown should be WBC's Houston jewel

Well, Mexico manager Benji Gil certainly can, and already is envisioning the country-wide celebration.

"That's going to be awesome to be the first team to win the championship in Mexico,'' Gil tells USA TODAY Sports. "I can see myself at the ballpark hoisting the trophy, and just watching all of our players and coaches and staff celebrating with their families, and red and green confetti coming down.

"Yeah, it's going to be special.''

Teams Mexico knows the road to the title goes through the United States, at least in this Pool B, and with a victory Monday it could virtually write its ticket to the quarterfinals, leaving Mexico three victories away from winning the WBC championship.

"It's going to be unbelievable,'' Castilla said. "I don't know the words to describe how happy we would be to win it all, man. I mean, especially with all of the names the other teams have like USA, Dominican and Venezuela.

"We have a great team, we know we can do this.''

While Team Mexico certainly respects Team USA, there is absolutely no fear. When Gil announced that 37-year-old Manny Barreda, who pitched last season for the Wei Chuan Dragons of Taiwan, would be their starter against Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, Gil was immediately reminded about USA manager Mark DeRosa's comments a day earlier.

"Honestly, I think we have the best 30 players in the world in that clubhouse,'' DeRosa said Saturday night, "and they're coming together as a team. I don't really think it's going to matter who [Mexico] starts.''

Gil's reaction?

Advertisement

"Do you want me to get into a pickle here?" Gil said. "But, yeah, he's right. It doesn't matter who is the opener for us. And I can say the same thing about them. It doesn't matter. It's an American pitcher against a Mexican pitcher. One is going to play against the other.

"Does he have the 30 best players in the world. I think the Dominican Republic has something to say about that. I think Japan has something to say about that, too. I don't know if they have the best 30 players out there, but the Dominican Republic should have the right. Japan should have the right to say something. Venezuela should have the right to say something as well.

"I don't know if they're the best in the world. We just want to be the best players of that day.''

Gil took a breath, and kept going.

"They are a super team,'' he said. "They have a roster full of stars. They got All-Stars, MVP candidates, Cy Youngs, Golden Gloves, Silver [Sluggers]. But it's not about rewards, it's about a game. And we're going to go out there and give it our best.''

Mexico knows they will have the home-field advantage, even though they technically are the visiting team. Houston has the third-largest Hispanic population in the country, with more than 600,000 residents born in Mexico, and nearly 12 million Hispanics and Latinos residing in Texas.

The place will be jammed, it will be loud, and the Mexico fans will definitely be ready to celebrate long into the night with a victory over their bitter rivals.

"It's a big ticket,'' Gil said. "It's not just a baseball game, it's one of the most anticipated baseball events of the year. ... We have such fans, countrymen who saved money, probably two or three weeks worth of salary, to travel and come here. I appreciate all of them.''

It wouldn't be this way, of course, if Team Mexico was a pushover, but they're for real, and they're a serious threat to USA's title hopes.

"Credit to the ugly duckling, which is Mexico,'' Gil said, "that maybe never should have been their rival, but we've done it by doing our job on the field.''

Indeed, Mexico-USA has blossomed into a rivalry since Mexico has given the Americans fits. Mexico hasn't lost to the United States in the WBC since 2006, losing the first game 2-0, and winning the three games since, outscoring USA, 18-8.

"We love representing Mexico,'' Tellez. "We're Mexican. We're proud of where we're from, so for us to come here and be able to wear Mexico in the front means everything for us. And with every win, we just bring more and more pride to the country. We know that soccer is the No. 1 sport, but we want to be neck-and-neck.

"But if we win this WBC, we'll go down as the greatest Mexican sports team in the history of the country."

While this is easily the most talented team that USA has fielded, it's also Mexico's best team, too, even with only one major league starting pitcher in Taijuan Walker, who pitched 3 1/3 hitless innings Sunday. Their newcomers include Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, catcher Alejandro Kirk, shortstop Joey Ortiz and infielder Nick Gonzales. They also have perhaps the most talented bullpen at the back end with All-Star closer Andres Munoz, Robert Garcia, Javier Assad and Robert Garcia.

"We still think about how close we were last time, and it motivates us, because we proved what we can do,'' Team Mexico GM Rodrigo Lopez, who spent 11 years as a big-league reliever. "Now, it's taking the next step. We have the opportunity to make history in our country.

"We can be the first sports team in Mexico to win a championship.''

And Mexico can take that massive first step with a victory against USA, showing the world they can beat anyone, and everyone.

"We're excited to play another great team,'' Gil said, "and we know they're great. But we're just going to try to be just a tiny bit better.

"Even if we win by half a run, we'll take it.''

Follow Bob Nightengale onBlueskyand X@Bnightengale.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Mexico vs USA World Baseball Classic rivalry heats up in Houston

byAlex Forten

in

March 09, 2026

Mexico riding wave of confidence ahead of showdown vs. USA: 'We can do this'

HOUSTON — They stomped their feet, danced in the aisles, screamed, sang, partied, and proudly waved their green, white an...

Read More

NFL free agency starts (kinda) Monday − ranking top 100 players available, including Tua

Happy new year. Almost.

The ball doesn't drop on the 2026NFLleague year – officially – until 4 p.m. ET on March 11. But pending free agents will begin charging their glasses at noon on March 9, when they can begin negotiating contracts with outside teams. (Those same players can re-sign with their current employers at any time, and those who have already been released from their present deals can sign wherever they please immediately.) Clubs can also continue putting the framework in place for trades, likeFriday night's blockbuster involving Maxx Crosby's movefrom theLas Vegas Raidersto theBaltimore Ravens, though no transactions on that front can become official until the league year starts.

With that in mind, here is the latest iteration of USA TODAY Sports' list of top 100 NFL free agents in 2026 – it will be updated accordingly as players begin striking it rich − in what is, honestly, something of an uninspiring group overall (^denotes a franchise tag; *denotes a player whose contract was terminated, making him eligible to sign immediately; **denotes a player who's been informed of his pending release):

OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

2026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades

OT Tytus Howard:Traded to Cleveland Browns(previous team: Houston Texans)

1. WR George Pickens^

TheDallas Cowboys have already franchised him, Pickens now due a guaranteed $27.3 millionfor the 2026 season – assuming he signs the tag at some point. Yet he could also still be traded or even potentially sign an offer sheet from another team – which the Cowboys would have the right to match or receive two first-round picks as compensation if they chose not to. But don't bet on such a bold scenario materializing.

"Very clearly, the Cowboys want George Pickens to be a part of our future,"Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told a select group of reporters, including USA TODAY Sports' Jarrett Bell, at the scouting combine.

Regardless, Jones has a big decision ahead on Pickens,just as he did last year with former Dallas DE Micah Parsons. Pickens is coming off a career year (93 catches for 1,429 yards and 9 TDs, all personal bests) just turned 25 … and may be absent from the team's offseason program as along as he's without a long-term extension. Obviously a good fit in Dallas' offense last season, Pickens isn't for everyone. But his 2025 effort strongly suggested his production and potential are quickly coming into alignment.

2. C Tyler Linderbaum

Full transparency, he was ranked third in this list's original version – but his age and ability may render him the richest man to emerge from this year's free agency cycle. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta revealed at the combine that the team had made Linderbaum "a market-setting offer." (Creed Humphrey's four-year, $72 million pact with the Kansas City Chiefs is currently the financial benchmark among centers.) However, DeCosta wasn't willing to franchise his 25-year-old three-time Pro Bowler because the lofty tag is based on all O-line deals, which would mean paying a center left tackle money. DeCosta is also trying to address QB Lamar Jackson's contract − he currently carries a cap charge of $74.5 million in 2026and'27 – while taking on Crosby's deal, limiting the team's financial flexibility to some degree. Now, an immediate (and likely frenzied) bidding war will doubtless commence around Linderbaum.

Best fits:Ravens, Giants, Titans, Commanders

3. OLB/DE Jaelan Phillips

It's hard to come by untethered edge defenders theoretically entering their prime. But Phillips, 26, could be one of the belles of the FA ball afterbeing acquired by the Philadelphia Eagles at last year's trade deadline. He finished the season with five sacks and 63 quarterback pressures, per Next Gen Stats. More importantly, he appeared in 17 regular-season games for the first time since 2022 after injuries ruined his following two seasons. Strong against the pass and run, the 6-foot-5, 266-pounder should find a very robust market.

Best fits:Patriots, Eagles, Ravens

4. DE/OLB Trey Hendrickson

After registering 35 sacks between the 2023 and '24 seasons, including a league-leading 17½ in the latter campaign, the 31-year-old was limited to seven games by injuries last year − that in the wake of acontentious offseason with the Cincinnati Bengals. Regardless, his services should be in high demand now that he's going free.

Best fits:Patriots, Colts, Cowboys

5. QB Daniel Jones^

Jones was tagged March 3 − but with a transition tag, not the franchise variety, meaning he is exposed if another team swoops in with an offer the Indianapolis Colts aren't willing to match (or get compensated for). A torn Achilles last December cut short what had been his best season statistically (238.5 passing yards per game, 100.2 QB rating) to that point. The QB trend du jour that may be forming in the NFL could be finding a reclamation project who won't necessarily eat up a massive chunk of the salary cap − and Jones, 28,can thank Sam DarnoldandBaker Mayfield for their ongoingheroics. Hard to believe Indy will allow Jones to gauge his worth with the rest of the league, though ... especially when his previous team, the Minnesota Vikings, could suddenly become very interested if he's not secured soon.

Best fits:Colts, Vikings

6. OLB/DE Odafe Oweh

He has 17½ sacks and 98 pressures as a part-time starter over the past two seasons, which were split between the Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers. Heady numbers for a 27-year-old who should be ready for a bigger role ... and certainly a larger paycheck.

Best fits:Titans, Chargers, Patriots

7. QB Malik Willis

He could be this year's version of Justin Fields − a quarterback with intriguing skills but limited experience who can nevertheless capitalize financially given the high demand but low supply at his incomparably critical position. Willis, 26, has far fewer NFL reps than Fields but really impressed while filling in as a spot starter for the Green Bay Packers the past two seasons, completing nearly 80% of his passes while throwing six TDs and zero INTs. In addition to a gaudy 134.6 passer rating, Willis can also move like a tank. Keep an eye on theMiami Dolphins, who just plucked their new GM (Jon-Eric Sullivan) and coach (Jeff Hafley) from the Pack, as a potential buyer. The Cardinals, too, given new coach Mike LaFleur is the brother of Green Bay HC Matt LaFleur. Willis is another passer who didn't pan out after he was drafted yet could be a relative bargain now if his limited sample size proves reflective of his long-term prospects.

Best fits:Dolphins, Cardinals

8. WR Alec Pierce

Similar to Rashid Shaheed, he could be an elite No. 2 receiver in the right system. Unlike Shaheed, he doesn't bring any special teams value. However Pierce, 25, has led the league in yards per reception each of the past two seasons (21.8 ypc over the duration) and is coming off a breakout year with 47 grabs for 1,003 yards. Pierce should get paid nicely, especially if a prospective employer views him as more of a deep threat.

Best fits:Colts, Broncos, Titans

9. OT Rasheed Walker

He's been a solid, if unspectacular, starter for the Packers since 2023. But serviceable, 26-year-old left tackles don't grow on trees and tend to get paid outrageously well − maybe especially so in a year when there aren't any blue-chip incomers in the draft.

Best fits:Browns, Bears

10. WR/KR Rashid Shaheed

The big-play ability he flashed for years with the New Orleans Saints translated beautifully − and crucially − when theSeattle Seahawks obtained him last November. Shaheed, 27, seemed like the final piece for the 'Hawks' championship puzzle and delivered huge catches and returns in pivotal games down the stretch and in the postseason. However it should be captivating to see what Shaheed can fetch given he's never been a No. 1 receiver nor averaged 600 receiving yards during his four-year career. Still, his return ability − at a time when the kickoff is becoming an increasingly important component of the game − could really drive up his price tag.

Best fits:Seahawks,Raiders, Broncos

11. TE Kyle Pitts^

The No. 4 overall pick in 2021 − the highest-drafted tight end ever − Pitts, 25, never seemed to fully reach his potential with the Atlanta Falcons, which isn't completely an indictment of him. But he was a second-team All-Pro in 2025 and did just put together his best season since he was a rookie, catching a career-high 88 passes and five TDs. Pitts could really take off in an offense that truly leverages his estimable abilities ... and maybe even has the foresight to feature him in the red zone. He stands to make $15 million under the tag in 2026, though it remains to be seen if new coach Kevin Stefanski's offense will sustain Pitts' production.

12. RB Breece Hall^

Though the New York Jets seemingly purged much of their talent atlast year's trade deadline, they hung on to their 24-year-old back. And why not? Hall has averaged 1,260 yards from scrimmage and nearly seven TDs during his four seasons − and for a pop-gun offense. Explosive and an excellent receiver, Hall is the best runner on the market and may yet be a cornerstone for the NYJ as they lay the groundwork to welcome their next franchise QB … eventually. Hall's 2026 tag is worth $14.3 million.

13. QB Kyler Murray**

Heoffered a digital goodbye on Xamid reports on March 3 that the Arizona Cardinals will be officially releasing the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 draft. An Offensive Rookie of the Year and two-time Pro Bowler, Murray's talent has never been in question. But his durability and work ethic have been at issue during his career, and his play plateaued even though former coach Kliff Kingsbury's offense was supposed to optimize Murray's abilities. Murray will be 29 when Week 1 rolls around and maybe he becomes the league's latest successful franchise QB turnaround project if he lands in the right spot. If he doesn't? His days as a starter could be numbered.

Best fits:Vikings, Jets, Falcons

14. S Coby Bryant

After struggling as a corner earlier in his Seattle career, he's flourished as a safety the past two seasons − and the 26-year-old should get a nice bump given the league's other teams always look to raid the most recent Super Bowl champions.

Best fits:Seahawks, Chargers, Ravens

15. LB Devin Lloyd

A first-rounder of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022, he blossomed into a Pro Bowler last season as the team blossomed around him. If the Jags don't pony up to keep their 27-year-old defensive quarterback, someone will.

Best fits:Panthers, Commanders, Jets

16. CB Jaylen Watson

He's big (6-2, 197), young (27), still experienced (29 starts) and playoff tested. Watson is coming off his best season but is probably a luxury for the capped-out Chiefs.

Best fits:Chiefs, Jets, Seahawks

17. S Bryan Cook

He's emerged as a key component of Steve Spagnuolo's K.C. D in recent years. A steady, reliable player, Cook, 26, should be a stabilizing presence if not one who's going to make a ton of splash plays.

Best fits:Chiefs, Raiders, Titans

18. RB Kenneth Walker III

The 25-year-old Super Bowl MVP will get a hefty raise in Seattle or elsewhere. But Walker is not the second coming of Saquon Barkley, isn't as good an every-down player as Hall and has spent most of his career in a platoon. The guess here is that Walker won't come close to resetting the compensation scale at a position that generally doesn't command top dollar.

Best fits:Seahawks, Steelers, Chiefs

19. WR Jauan Jennings

A 6-3, 212-pounder, the 28-year-old caught 132 balls (15 for TDs) over the past two seasons for the San Francisco 49ers. Jennings' roots as a quarterback also make him quite a threat on trick plays. He's also the proverbial dog that some locker rooms covet ... and others won't.

Best fits:Commanders, Raiders, 49ers

20. WR Mike Evans

He'll be 33 by Week 1 and is coming off the worst of his 12 NFL seasons. But 6-5 and 231 pounds don't fade like speed does, and a healthy Evans (he wasn't in 2025) should be a dangerous offensive weapon, red-zone monster and top-tier leader again in 2026 − whether it's for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or someone else.

Best fits:Buccaneers, Patriots, Seahawks, Bills

21. CB Nahshon Wright

Though he's already 27, he's hardly a finished product. He's also a 6-4, 199-pound corner who led the NFL with eight takeaways (5 INTs, 3 fumble recoveries) after becoming a surprise starter (and surprise first-time Pro Bowler) for the Chicago Bears. The upside and production spike are going to make Wright rich.

Best fits:Bears, Seahawks, Cowboys

22. WR Romeo Doubs

He's 25 with good size (6-2, 204) and has averaged roughly 50 receptions and 600 yards during four years with the Pack, who have widely dispersed their target share in the post-Davante Adams era. Doubs could be far more impactful as a 1A or second option elsewhere.

Best fits:Cardinals, Jets, Titans

23. QB Aaron Rodgers

Last season was his best since 2021, his most recent MVP effort. Hard to imagine the 42-year-old legend playing anywhere besides the Pittsburgh Steelers, who just hired Mike McCarthy,formerly Rodgers' coach in Green Bay. Again, monitor the Vikings as a possible dark horse.

Best fits:Steelers, Vikings

24. QB Kirk Cousins**

Given the structure of his reworked deal, the Falcons will let him go on March 11. More than a year removed from Achilles surgery, Cousins, 37, looked more like himself last season – after replacing injured Michael Penix Jr. – than he did in 2024. He could be a valued for stopgap for several teams.

Best fits:Browns, Vikings, Jets, Falcons

25. OLB/DE Boye Mafe

Despite being a rotational player in Seattle, he was still credited with 41 pressures even while playing fewer than half the defensive snaps. Only 27, he's another who could get a Lombardi raise from an outside suitor.

Best fits:Titans, Cowboys, Raiders

26. DE/OLB Joey Bosa

He'll be 31 this season and has a checkered injury history. But Bosa's 2025 campaign with the Buffalo Bills was his best since 2021. He had five sacks and 43 pressures in 15 games and led the league with five forced fumbles. He'd be wise to find a home where his snaps can be maximized but limited.

Best fits:49ers, Bills, Titans

27. WR Wan'dale Robinson

He may be 5-8 and 185 pounds, but the 25-year-old was targeted 140 times each of the past two years with theNew York Giants− and posted his first 1,000-yard season in 2025. Robinson isn't a No. 1 receiver, either − doesn't mean he won't heavily impact his next offense.

Best fits:Jets, Giants, Titans

28. CB Jamel Dean

He was All-Pro-caliber in his seventh season, allowing just 22 completions in 14 games. And Dean is only 29.

29. G David Edwards

Want a highly capable 28-year-old interior offensive lineman whom the Bills probably can't afford to keep? Then Edwards might be your guy.

30. CB Riq Woolen

He's a 6-4, 210-pound athletic freak who will be 27 in May. He also lost the starting job he'd held for 3½ years midway through the 2025 season – though that's at least partially due to Seattle's embarrassing riches of talent, and Woolen remained a significant contributor. He'll be a starter elsewhere soon … and a well-compensated one.

31. RB Travis Etienne

He rebounded from a miserable 2024 to rack up 1,399 yards from scrimmage and a career-best 13 TDs for the AFC South champion Jags. Etienne, 27, may not be an every-down back, but he's a highly capable receiver who should always be on the field during high-leverage situations.

32. DL Dre'Mont Jones

Physically imposing at 6-3 and 281 pounds, he can be a valuable end for teams that favor 3-4 fronts. Traded to the Ravens midway through last season, the 29-year-old had his best year – actually appearing in 18 games (no bye due to the trade) and finished with seven sacks and 55 pressures, both the best of his seven-year career.

33. CB Cor'Dale Flott

He'll be 25 at the beginning of next season and has shown steady improvement over the past two years with the Giants – allowing just two TD passes while starting 24 of 28 games over that span.

34. QB Tua Tagovailoa**

At his best, an accurate, affable, Pro Bowl-caliber passer ... but also one with a troubling concussion history along with limited arm strength and mobility, all while coming off a poor season when he started 14 games. Quite a conundrum,albeit one who won't cost his next teammore than the veteran minimum.

35. LB Bobby Wagner

He doesn't play a premium position, and he's 35 – not that you'd know it. A great leader and great guy who should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he's done, championship-aspiring teams should be lining up to sign him.

36. TE Travis Kelce

He doesn't play a premium position, and he's 36 – not that you'd know it, especially after playing better in 2025 than he did the previous year. Hard to imagine Kelce plays anywhere but Kansas City, assuming he plays at all and can find a financial middle ground with the team after making more than $17 million last season.

Advertisement

37. OL Alijah Vera-Tucker

An immensely talented player who was the 14th overall pick by the Jets in 2021, he can excel pretty much anywhere on the line … provided he can play. Vera-Tucker has played more than seven games twice in his career and missed all of last season with a triceps injury.

38. OLB/DE Bradley Chubb**

After missing the entire 2024 season while recovering from a torn ACL, the 29-year-old had 8½ sacks and 54 pressures for Miami in 2025. The two-time Pro Bowler should be even better in 2026.

39. S Jaylinn Hawkins

He really hit his groove with the New England Patriots in 2025, his sixth year but third team, picking off four passes – doubling his career total entering the season. Other teams tend to love 28-year-olds who just played in the Super Bowl.

40. DL John Franklin-Myers

A 29-year-old who's done a lot of the dirty work during his career, he collected a career-best 7½ sacks for the Denver Broncos in 2025. Franklin-Myers, who's mostly played in three-man fronts, has averaged 43.2 pressures since 2020.

41. TE Isaiah Likely

He's 25 and extraordinarily talented. But 2025 was also his least productive season, partially derailed by a foot injury early in the year. But it was notable the Ravens chose to extend TE Mark Andrews, who's five years older than Likely, in December.

42. G Zion Johnson

A first-rounder in 2022, he was decidedly average for the Chargers. But a lot of teams would take decidedly average if it's available for 1,000-plus snaps per season, as Johnson has been. Still only 26, we've moved him up this list given the premium on blocking – and while other players like Cincinnati G Dalton Risner and Buffalo C Connor McGovern re-signed early.

43. RB Tyler Allgeier

He was a 1,000-yard rusher in 2022 … the year before Bijan Robinson arrived in Atlanta. Yet Allgeier, 25, still averaged nearly 750 yards from scrimmage and five TDs over the next three seasons in a valuable secondary role to Robinson.

44. LB Devin Bush Jr.

A first-round pick of the Steelers in 2019, the 27-year-old has come into his own the past two years in Cleveland, his third NFL team.

45. WR Stefon Diggs**

He was a big reason the Patriots reached the Super Bowl, finishing with 85 catches and more than 1,000 yards the season after he suffered a torn ACL. However Diggs will turn 33 next season, and his pending legal issues will give any team some level of pause.

46. S Jalen Thompson

Only 27, he's quietly been Budda Baker's backline partner in crime for seven years in Arizona.

47. OT Braxton Jones

A series of injuries starting late in the 2024 season waylaid him, but he was a reliable left tackle for the Bears for the three years up to that point. Jones turns 27 next month and should have a lot of good football left in him.

48. DL Calais Campbell

Even at 39, he continues to be a phenomenal player and leader – one who remarkably hasn't missed a game since 2022.

49. G Teven Jenkins

A second-round pick in 2021, he's more than solid inside but can also shift out to tackle in a pinch.

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Best images of the 2025 NFL season

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18)makes a catch for a touchdownagainst the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

50. CB Cobie Durant

The 28-year-old has allowed a 54% completion rate on passes thrown in his direction the past two years as a full-time starter for the Rams.

51. C Cade Mays

After taking over the pivot in Carolina last year, the 26-year-old could find himself enriched as the Linderbaum consolation prize somewhere.

52. LB Nakobe Dean

He's little more than a year removed from suffering a torn patellar tendon in the 2024 playoffs and it impacted his '25 campaign. The Eagles could get a bargain if they can get the 25-year-old, who played 10 games last season, back for at least one more year.

53. RB Rico Dowdle

He has 2,701 yards from scrimmage while splitting the last two years between Dallas and Carolina. A tough runner who's only 27, his production really tailed off in the second half of last season after an explosive October.

54. S Kevin Byard

A three-time All-Pro, he led the league with seven INTs in 2025, and his 36 picks are the second most among active players. Byard will be 33 in August but still clearly has gas left in the tank.

55. LB Leo Chenal

He's started 44 games during his four-year career with the Chiefs, but 2025 was the first time he was on the field for more than half the snaps – and barely then (53.2%). Only 25, Chenal is an exceptional athlete who could shine given the opportunity to play more for another team – though he probably needs to factor more as a pass rusher.

56. CB Alontae Taylor

He's not a shutdown guy. He is 27, largely lives in the slot and is extremely durable − all traits that will make him valuable.

57. DE Kwity Paye

Reliable if unspectacular, the 27-year-old has started 74 games since being a first-round pick of the Colts in 2021. Paye has 30½ career sacks, at least 40 pressures in each of the past three seasons and defends the run well enough.

58. OT Jermaine Eluemunor

A fifth-rounder in 2017, he's been better than average during his career and has become an especially good pass blocker in recent years – starting 62 games since 2022.

59. S Jaquan Brisker

Not a lot of flash, but a 26-year-old who started in Chicago for four years can stabilize the back end of a defense.

60. DE-OLB Al-Quadin Muhammad

He's nearly 31 but picked the right time to have a career season – registering 11 sacks and 59 pressures for the Detroit Lions in 2025, by far personal bests. TBD how much his outlier season and age will allow Muhammad to cash in.

61. G Isaac Seumalo

A decade into his career, Rodgers sung his praises last season. Seumalo, 32, won't get Linderbaum-level money … but he likely won't be waiting long for a new deal, either.

62. WR Deebo Samuel

He's a big name. He's also 30, isn't a polished receiver and has averaged fewer than 900 yards from scrimmage over the past four years in what's largely a play-making role. He has handled kickoffs the past two years, a factor that boosts his value.

63. RB Rachaad White

He had more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage for the Bucs in 2023 but was overtaken on the depth chart by Bucky Irving in 2024. But White, 27, who's also averaged more than 50 receptions during his four-year career, should find a significant role elsewhere.

64. TE Dallas Goedert

He's 31 but also coming off one of his best seasons, his 11 TDs and 60 catches in 2025 both career highs. Blocking isn't the longtime Eagle's forte …the "Tush Push" notwithstanding.

65. NT Khyiris Tonga

Tough to find 6-2, 335-pounders who eat space and stress pockets. Tonga, 29, did it well for New England in 2025, playing a career-high 322 snaps.

66. S Alohi Gilman

Traded for Oweh last October, Gilman did a nice job in Baltimore – his ability to line up just about anywhere making him a nice complement to Kyle Hamilton.

67. DL Logan Hall

A 6-6, 283-pounder who was a second-round pick of the Bucs in 2022, he can eat up a lot of snaps and should be able to do so in even or odd fronts.

68. WR Jalen Nailor

His numbers would probably be much more impressive had he not been stuck behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in Minnesota. Still, Nailor, 26, had 47 first downs and 10 TDs over the past two seasons and has averaged 15.4 yards per catch during his four-year career.

69. TE Chig Okonkwo

An oversized receiver at 6-3 and 238 pounds, maybe it shouldn't be a surprise he doesn't block much. But Okonkwo, 26, had his best season in 2025 with 56 receptions for 560 yards.

70. DE/OLB Jadeveon Clowney

Something of a mercenary at age 33, the No. 1 pick of the 2014 draft had 8½ sacks and 38 pressures for the Cowboys last season despite playing about half of his typical snap count. He can also still set a nice edge.

71. RB J.K. Dobbins

Durability has always been the issue, and a foot injury limited him to 10 games in Denver last season. Yet Dobbins, 27, was averaging a career-best 77.2 rushing yards per game before going down.

72. DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson

He's 28, versatile and knows how to get underneath an opponent's skin … though that's also sometimes true of his own teams, too.

73. LT Taylor Decker**

He'll be 33 at the start of the 2026 season but good luckfinding a better stopgap guyto man the blind side.

74. G Kevin Zeitler

He'll be 36 next month. Otherwise? Still plug and play – at a very high level.

75. CB Josh Jobe

He doesn't have Woolen's physical gifts, but Jobe emerged as a consistent starter on Seattle's defense – yet probably won't command nearly as much as dough as his (in all likelihood) soon-to-be former teammate.

76. OLB/DE K'Lavon Chaisson

He finally showed why he was a first-round pick six years ago, providing 7½ sacks and 52 pressures – both career highs – during his first season with the Patriots. The 6-3, 255-pounder has to be in the right system but should have plenty of time to flourish in an ideal environment given he's only 26.

77. OLB Arden Key

A slightly older, slightly slighter version of Chaisson, Key does own 27½ sacks and more than 200 pressures since 2021.

78. CB Rasul Douglas

He bounced back nicely after a rough 2024 campaign in Buffalo. A big (6-2, 209) corner with 21 career picks shouldn't be unemployed for long, even at 30.

79. RB Kenneth Gainwell

He was the Steelers' MVP last season, when he had a career-high 187 touches and career-best 1,023 yards from scrimmage – along with a personal best eight TDs. Soon to be 27, Gainwell could be a perfect addition for an offense that favors a running back by committee approach.

80. TE David Njoku

He's still a physical marvel at 29, good for around 50 grabs, 600 yards and a handful of TDs annually. And unlike a lot of tight ends nowadays, he's also effective in-line as a blocker.

81. TE Cade Otton

He averaged 59 catches and nearly 600 yards over the past two seasons in Tampa. Decent blocker.

82. DT DJ Reader

Even at 31, the 6-3, 330-pounder can still crush a pocket – especially if his snaps are used judiciously.

83. TE Jonnu Smith*

He had a career year for Miami in 2024, but his numbers plummeted in Pittsburgh's tight end-heavy offense in 2025. But Smith is only 30 and should find a soft landing somewhere.

84. WR Brandon Aiyuk**

He was a 1,300-yard receiver in 2023. He tore up his knee in 2024. He didn't play in 2025 and basically ghosted the 49ers, leading the team to void $27 million of Aiyuk's guaranteed money. His talent and behavior will make for quite the cost-benefit analysis for potentially interested teams.

85. OLB/DE Arnold Ebiketie

He's 27 and has shown the ability to get to the quarterback (130 total pressures) during his four-year career. But he hasn't proven he can be any more than rotational defender with only 12 starts to his credit.

86. WR Keenan Allen

He'll be 34 in April but still moves the sticks, 49 of his 81 catches for the Chargers going for first downs last season.

87. OT Braden Smith

He's started 105 games in eight seasons for the Colts but has missed 16 over the past three seasons and has battled asevere obsessive-compulsive disorder.

88. CB Eric Stokes

A first-rounder of the Packers in 2021, he played for the Raiders last year and had his best season since he was a rookie.

89. LB Kaden Elliss

A tackling machine in Atlanta, where the 30-year-old averaged more than 125 stops over the past three seasons, Elliss is also a very effective blitzer.

90. LB Tremaine Edmunds*

He's 27 and the two-time Pro Bowler has never had fewer than 100 tackles during his eight-year career.

91. LB Alex Singleton

He's 32 but has averaged more than 100 tackles over the past six years and can quarterback a defense.

92. LB Alex Anzalone

He's 31 but has averaged more than 100 tackles over the past four years and can quarterback a defense.

93. TE Charlie Kolar

He's only got 41 catches in four seasons but is a hellacious blocker − and thus a potential asset at a time when more teams seem to be going to more tight end-heavy looks.

94. DE/OLB Cameron Jordan

His 10½ sacks in 2025 were his most in four years. Hard to imagine the 36-year-old playing a 16th season anywhere but New Orleans, but he seems to have more to give.

95. WR Marquise Brown

He's only caught more than 70 passes once during his seven-year career, but his speed remains a force multiplier.

96. OLB Von Miller

He's about to turn 37, yet he's transitioned into a highly effective situational pass rush specialist – the former Super Bowl MVP racking up 15 sacks and 67 pressures over the last two years, that despite starting just three games.

97. LB Demario Davis

Now 37, hard to imagine this longtime mainstay in the middle of any other defense but New Orleans'.

98. LB Lavonte David

Now 36, hard to imagine this longtime mainstay in the middle of any other defense but Tampa Bay's.

99. QB Geno Smith**

After a late-career surge in Seattle, last season, he resembled the player who struggled so mightily early in his career, serving up a league-most 17 interceptions for the Raiders in 2025. Now 35, Smith might be a better bridge option than another fading passer like Russell Wilson, but his most recent film isn't likely to earn him another lengthy QB1 shot.

100. WR Tyreek Hill*

He's a Hall of Fame-caliber player, but last season's dislocated knee might preclude him from playing in 2026 – if ever again for a diminutive player whose game has been so reliant on his signature speed. Doesn't mean someone won't take a flier on him at some point … even though he just turned 32.

All NFL news on and off the field.Sign upfor USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL free agency starts Monday: Ranking top 100 players, Tua Tagovailoa

byAlex Forten

in

March 09, 2026

NFL free agency starts (kinda) Monday − ranking top 100 players available, including Tua

Happy new year. Almost. The ball doesn't drop on the 2026NFLleague year – officially – until 4 p.m. ET on ...

Read More

Jennifer Runyon Corman, “Charles in Charge” actress, dies at 65

Jennifer Runyon Corman, best known for her role as Gwendolyn Pierce on the classic sitcomCharles in Charge, died on March 6 at the age of 65.

Runyon Corman's friend Erin Murphy, who starred as the young Tabitha Stephens onBewitched, confirmed that the actress "passed away after a brief battle with cancer" in a SundayFacebook post.

"Some people you just know you'll be friends with before you even meet. She was a special lady. I'll miss you Jenn. My thoughts are with your family and beautiful children ," she wrote.

A post from Runyon Corman's own Facebook account announced her death first before going private on Sunday.

"This past Friday our beloved Jennifer passed away, it was a long and arduous journey that ended with her surrounded by her family," read the post, perABC7.

Willie Aames, who played coreCharles in Chargecast member Buddy Lembeck across the series' five-season run on CBS, mourned his costar with a post tohis own Facebookon Sunday. Over several photos of himself with Runyon Corman throughout the years, Aames wrote, "Jenn was more than a friend. She was my dear dear friend, muse, and encourager. We shared family Christmas's together, vacations, weekends, lunches and dinners together… We did shows together, but most of all- we LAUGHED."

Advertisement

Aames called Runyon Corman his "rock," noting that watching the actress "slip away these last few months was one of the hardest times of my life… I can still hear your voice so clearly. No one will ever be able to fill the massive hole that's been left in our hearts… ever."

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

Runyon Corman was born Jennifer Runyon in Chicago on June 1, 1960. The daughter of famed DJ, radio announcer, and sometime TV star James "Jim" Runyon, Jennifer took no time following in her dad's footsteps when securing her first screen role in the 1980 slasherTo All a Goodnight.

She then cut her teeth as Sally Frame, a character played before her by Julie Philips and after her by Dawn Benz, on the NBC soapAnother World. Her most memorable roles came in the handful of years that followed, as Gwendolyn Pierce onCharles in Charge, Heather Merriweather inUp The Creek, and a female student who participates in a psychokinetic test inGhostbusters.

"When I got the part I was so excited," Runyon explained in a2014 interviewreflecting back on her time working withCharles in Chargecostar Scott Baio, whom she called "great.. he ended up becoming like a brother to me."

Runyon married basketball coach Todd Corman in 1991, later welcoming two children: a son, Wyatt, and a daughter, Bayley. In a2016 interview, Runyon Corman explained that she "left the business to raise my kids, and we left Hollywood, and we moved to Idaho and Oregon," but returned to take care of her own parents in recent years.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byAlex Forten

in

March 08, 2026

Jennifer Runyon Corman, “Charles in Charge” actress, dies at 65

Jennifer Runyon Corman, best known for her role as Gwendolyn Pierce on the classic sitcomCharles in Charge, died on March...

Read More

Eva Mendes Shares Rare Picture with Ryan Gosling After Birthday Surprise

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes seem like one of Hollywood's most solid couples, even though they keep most of their romantic life pretty private. They first sparked dating rumors in 2011 while filmingThe Place Beyond the Pinesand have been going strong ever since. Here, we look back at their connection over the last decade and beyond.

August 2011

The couple were friends for many years before they started dating, according toOprah Mag.

"We had known each other for a while already, so to work together was really exciting," Mendes said of filmingThe Place Beyond the Pinesin New York together. But soon, they seemed to be spending a lot of time together for just friends.

"There's always been this strong chemistry between them…this was just a matter of time!"saida source on set.

September 2011

In September of that year, the pair were seen smooching at Disneyland. An observer toldUs Weeklyhow flirty they were.

"They were very playful," they said. "Eva was skipping around like a little girl…She would lean into him and she held his arm the entire time."

October 2011

LikeZendaya and Tom Holland, Gosling and Mendes got busted while making out at a stoplight in Hollywood. Soon after, they flew out to Paris together.

June 2012

The next summer, the couple visited Gosling's native country, Canada, and spent time with his mother, Donna. Donna was apparently a big fan of Mendes.

"Donna and Eva get along really, really well,"said a source. "Donna wants Ryan to settle down, and Eva is all about getting him on that train too, so they're both on the same page."

Another source claimed that Mendes's family also gave the relationship the all-clear. "Eva says that's what sealed the deal with Ryan," the insider said. "They're going to make it."

September 2012

The Place Beyond the Pinespremiered at the Toronto Film Festival, and the couple posed on the red carpet together.

They were also each other's date when the movie premiered in New York City at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema.

September 2014

Mendes gave birth to the couple's first child, their daughter Esmeralda Amada. Mendes had apparently not planned to be a mom, but that changed when she and Gosling got together.

"Then it made sense for me to have…not kids, but his kids," she toldWomen's Health. "It was very specific to him."

April 2015

Gosling's directorial debutLost Riverwas released, co-starring Mendes.

December 2015

Gosling made some rare comments about his relationship, saying in an interview withHello!magazine, "I know that I'm with the person I'm supposed to be with."

When pressed about what qualities he looks for in a woman he said the only quality he looks for is "that she's Eva Mendes...There's nothing else I'm looking for."

May 2016

The pair welcome their second daughter, Amada Lee.

September 2016

Marriage rumors swirl around the couple, andUs Weeklyreportedthat they'd had a ceremony with "a small group of family and friends."

Soon after,TMZrefuted the story.

In 2011, Mendes hadtoldChelsea Handler, "I'm not like anti-marriage or the institution, like for other people. And I love the idea of a union—that's all very beautiful. But I think, you know, it's a very old fashioned, archaic kind of thing. We did it for land originally. How unromantic is that?"

She added that it would be fun "to be with someone in your fifties and sixties and be like, 'That's my boyfriend.'"

January 2017

Gosling received a Golden Globe award forLa La Land, and thanked "his lady" for her support.

"While I was singing and dancing and playing piano, and having one of the best experiences I've ever had on a film, my lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second, and trying to help her brother fight his battle with cancer," Goslingsaid. "If she hadn't taken all of that on, so that I could have this experience, there would surely be someone up here today, so, sweetheart, thank you."

September 2019

Mendes toldAccess Hollywooda little about parenting with Gosling.

"It's so fun and beautiful and maddening," shesaid. "It's so hard, of course, but it's that that feeling of ending your day and putting them to bed and Ryan and I look at each other like, 'We did it, we came out relatively unscathed.'"

October 2021

Much like their relationship, the couple try to keep their kids out of the spotlight. Gosling is not active on social media, and Mendes has responded to people accusing him of not being an active parent because he doesn't appear much in her feed.

"I don't talk about Ryan and all the wonderful things he does as a father because I keep that part private," shewrote. "I feel it's best that I continue to disclose what I'm comfortable with but not involve him or my kids too much. It's not about being cagey or weird, it's just about staying private in a public space. Does that make sense? Hope so. Because this is my honest answer."

But Gosling did share a little bit about what it was like parenting under lockdown conditions from the pandemic.

"Our kids are young, so it was a tough time for them to be separated from other kids and not being able to see family and whatnot," Gosling toldGQ. "So, we did our best to entertain them."

May 2022

Mendes promoted Gosling's new movie,The Gray Man, sharing a poster for the film in which Gosling looks like an undeniable dreamboat.

"My man making all my 1980's action star dreams come true," she captioned it.

June 2022

She also got excited about Gosling's role as the iconic Ken in the Margot Robbie-ledBarbiefilm.

"So. F. Funny. So. F. Good. So F excited for you to see this..." she joked, hashtagging it #Thatsmyken.

November 2022

On November 15, Mendes shared her new inner-wrist tattoo on Instagram, a design that spells "de Gosling."

Mendes, who was raised by her Cuban parents in Miami, may be referring to the tradition of adding a husband's last name onto the woman's original name after their marriage, using "de" or "of." If Mendes and Gosling were married, her name could be Eva Mendes de Gosling. Fans took the tattoo as a sign that Mendes and Gosling are secretly hitched.

Mendes then made an appearanceon Australia'sKyle and Jackie O Show, where they naturally asked about the tattoo. Co-host Brittany Hockley asked directly, "There's a rumor that you guys might have secretly tied the knot. Is that true?"

Mendes replied, "But who says we weren't already? I like to keep it all mysterious. I'm a very mysterious woman."

About the tattoo, she said, "I do have a tattoo. It's just a press on…no, it's not a press on. But I got it years ago. I posted a picture, and I've gotten a lot of funny questions."

April 2023

Mendes explained why she and Gosling don't do red carpets together to a user on Instagram expressing hope that they would appear together on theBarbiepress tour.

"What a cool comment, thank you," Mendes replied, viaEntertainment Tonight. "But we don't do those things together. Like these photos I've been posting, Im only comfortable posting because it's already out there. ♥️."

May 2023

Ahead of the release of theBarbiemovie, Mendes shared a rare public tribute to Gosling, celebrating his role as Ken. She posted a photo of herself on Instagram, wearing a shirt with him in character on it. "Got that real big Kenergy. Coz girls is players too," she captioned it.

Goslinglater spoke about Mendes in his interview withGQ. He revealed that he never imagined himself being a parent until "Eva said she was pregnant. I would never want to go back, you know? I'm glad I didn't have control over my destiny in that way, because it was so much better than I ever had dreamed for myself."

Meeting Mendes genuinely changed the course of his life. "I was looking for her, you know?" Gosling said, adding he wasn't even fully aware at the time. "But it all makes sense now."

When parenting their two daughters, "I just lean on Eva [when I'm not sure what to do]. She knows what's important, always. She just somehow knows. So if ever I'm in my head about it, I just ask her."

June 2023

During his press tour in Canada for his new movieBarbie, Gosling shared what it's like to be the "Barbie dad" to his two daughters who apparently have "complicated backstories" for their dolls. On June 29, he shared that Esmeralda and Amada like to make up their own universe while talking toET Canada.

"Well, you have to know, my kids, their Barbies aren't even named Barbie," he explained. "They all have their own names, very complicated lives, backstories, interrelationships, history, you gotta know it all."

He joked that when he jumped into play he was informed the dolls were "estranged now" and that "it's like, 'Get out of here.'"

"They don't even talk!" he added, explaining that in his daughter's Barbie world, Ken has been demoted.

"He works at a grocery store; he's not a fireman," Gosling said.

July 2023

Gosling wore a tribute to Mendes at theBarbieLos Angeles premiere: an "E" necklace in the Barbie font. He spoke toEntertainment Tonightabout how the couple's daughters influenced the way he played Ken.

"They've seen a lot pieces of [the film], and helped me a lot with it," he said. "They were huge inspiration for me." He also added that he may wait to take them to see the movie: "Well, it was, I think, weird enough for them that I played Ken anyway. I might like, you know, just hold off on them seeing the full Ken energy."

On Friday, July 14, Gosling shared more about his family in an interview withPeople.

"I think they're confused as to why I would want to play Ken," he said. "They have no use for Ken."

Gosling went on, "My kids were my introduction to [Barbie]...My kids were around for the months at home, as I was prepping for it. So they, inadvertently, were prepping for it too. And they came to set that day and were a huge sense of support and doing it with me off-camera."

August 2023

On Thursday, Mendes posted a short video clip of herself on Instagram, captioned, "When my kids ask me if they're old enough to go on the internet, social media or anything requiring Wi-Fi."

In the video, she is shaking her head and waving her hands in a very clear "no," because she apparently tries to keep her two daughters off the Internet. In the comments, Mendes responded to her followers, explaining why she and Gosling are so strict.

First, someone wrote, "Your smart @evamendes. I have limited it a lot for my now 10-year-old but feel like your way is better."

She replied, "I'm just sharing what I feel now, but I know it's gonna get harder as they get older. So, I hear ya, mama. I let my kids use the iPad to make movies and watch films I've downloaded, but I don't have internet access on the iPad. Lotsa love your way, fellow mama!"

A second comment said, "We are in the internet century, so eventually everyone will need or want to access the internet, sorry."

"Yes, true, but in my house, children do not have access to the Internet," Mendes answered. "It's too dangerous. Just like drinking or voting or getting a driver's license (etc.) isn't allowed for children, the Internet falls under that category for me. Especially social media."

One fan asked, "At what age do you think you'll allow them to use [the] internet/social media?"

Advertisement

She explained, "Honestly, I don't know. I'll have to see where it goes. For now, I'm observing them and keeping up with research about how social media can impact a child's brain. I'm taking it stage by stage."

December 2023

Gosling released four new renditions of hisBarbieanthem "I'm Just Ken" with musical artist Mark Ronson. Mendes was ecstatic for her husband and shared several clips on Instagram.

"So grateful to @iammarkronson for getting my man to make more music," she wrote, adding, "Dead Man's Bones is my favorite band… when I first heard Ryan sing, MY HEART EXPLODED...More Ryan & Ronson música por favor!"

Dead Man's Bones is the name of Gosling's former rock band he founded with Zach Shields in 2009.

In the comments, fans were almost as excited, asking Mendes not to refer to her husband as "my man," but instead "our man."

She was surprisingly willing to comply, saying, "You're right! Our Man. It'll never happen again. Merry Christmas! Lots of love!!"

Another fan commented, "THIS IS AMAZING!!! And damn, @evamendes your enthusiasm for your man is beautiful and electric. I love it!"

Mendes used the comment as an opportunity to gush about him even more in response.

"Thanks for saying that. I'm his number one fan, clearly," she joked. "But it's so much more than his talents. If he wasn't such an amazing man to me and [an] incredible father to the kids—trust me—I wouldn't be praising him like this! Happy Holidays to you. Sending you lotsa love!"

January 2024

On Saturday, January 13, Goslingacceptedthe Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. While giving his speech, he made sure to mention Mendes and their two children and how movies gave him his family—he did meet Mendes on set, after all.

"Most importantly, I got to meet the girl of my dreams, Eva Mendes, and have two dream children," said Gosling. "I dreamed of one day making movies, and now, movies have made my life a dream."

One week later, the Academy announced this year's nominees for the Oscars, and Gosling received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Ken inBarbie.On January 24, Mendes took to Instagram to post a supportive tribute for her husband.

"So proud of my man. So much hate when he took on this role. So many people trying to shame him for doing it. Despite all of the #Notmyken ridicule and articles written about him, he created this completely original, hilarious, heartbreaking, now iconic character and took it all the way to Oscars," she wrote in the caption along with a screenshot of aRolling Stonesarticle calling Gosling "cringe" for accepting the role. "So beyond proud to be this Ken's Barbie 💕."

February 2024

A source spoke toUs Weeklyabout Gosling and Mendes's life together. "They are trying to keep their daughters' lives as normal as possible and don't want them growing up in Hollywood," one source said.

Both are supportive of the other's career too, a second source said: "Ryan always encourages Eva to pursue the projects she believes in and gladly steps up to the plate to take care of the kids whenever she needs."

With their daughters, "he reads to the kids, takes them to games, puts them to sleep, cooks their dinners—everything, really. He devotes almost all his time to his family. He enjoys taking care of the girls and spoiling Eva, too," that source said.

That second source shared a bit about their dynamic as a couple: "Ryan loves to cook for Eva, and once the kids are asleep, they'll enjoy one of their favorite shows together." While they will sometimes go out for date nights, "[they] prefer hikes and trips to the beach over fancy restaurants or a big party," the insider finished.

March 2024

Mendes supported Gosling backstage at the Oscars, sharing two Instagrams of herself there. "Always by my man," she captioned her first one.

"You took Ken all the way to the Oscar's, RG," she wrote in her second. "Now come home, we need to put the kids to bed. 💋"

On March 11, a source explained toPeoplewhy Mendes and Gosling moved their family out of Los Angeles.

"For them, the most important job is their girls," the source said. "Everything else comes second. And their girls are thriving. They left L.A. to live a bit further north, away from Hollywood. They didn't want the girls to grow up around other celebrity kids."

They added that "Eva and Ryan love their life. It's admirable how they've been able to create balance and boundaries. They care so much about their marriage and just want their girls to live a happy life."

Gosling gave an interview toPeopleon March 12 where he revealed that Mendes did not attend the Oscars but a dress rehearsal for it with their daughters.

"It was great," he said. "It was so fun because they came to the dress rehearsal the day before and so they were in the front row. They gave me some tips and some notes, all great notes. They are such a huge part of this for me...it was my girls' interest in Barbie and disinterest in Ken that got me into this in the first place. It was beautiful to have them there at the end."

On Thursday, March 14, after showing so much support for her husband, Mendes posted about getting some time for fun at Milan Fashion Week. It was her first time attending since the birth of her kids. In a short video she posted of herself enjoying "La Dolce Evita," Mendes thanked Gosling for stepping up as a parent so she could take a break.

She started by saying her looked was "made possible" by fashion house Dolce & Gabbana, her stylists, and "by my man for holding down the fort at home so I could live the Dolce Evita for a couple days."

A few weeks ago, she also offered a glimpse of what fashion week can be like behind-the-scenes, trying to get a snack in between shows.

Later in the month, Mendes spoke about life with Gosling and their two daughters onThe Today Showon March 26. She opened up about her decision to step away from acting after having children.

"It was, like, a no brainer," she explained. "I'm so lucky, and I was, like, 'If I can have this time with my children.' And I still work. I just didn't act because acting takes you on locations; it takes you away. It was almost just, like, a non-verbal agreement that it was, like, 'OK, he's going to work, and I'm going to work, I'm just going to work here.'"

The actress also reflected on her time working with her future husband onThe Place Beyond the Pines.

"I have never experienced anything like that. The way he works, his commitment to his craft, how he wants to make everything as best as it can be, and that means making his co-stars as best as they can be," she shared. "But unfortunately—or fortunately—there is only one Ryan."

May 2024

While Gosling and Mendes typically keep their relationship relatively private, they each opened up about their lives together while doing press.

In conversation withPeoplefor the Beautiful issue, Mendes praised Gosling for being so supportive, saying, "He's got me in all the ways."

Because of his support, Mendes was able to step away from acting to raise their two daughters, Esmeralda Amada, 9, and Amada Lee, 8.

"It was the easiest decision I've ever made," she opened up."I was older, and I knew that my kids are going to be little once, and whatever I do or don't do right now is going to affect them the rest of their life."

"Your career comes and goes, but kids, yeah, that was easy for me. They're just formative years. I wanted to be there for all of it," she added.

Mendes also shared that Gosling is the chef of the household.

"I'm not a cook, so my man cooks and I clean, so it's a nice even. I can't cook. You don't want me to cook," she joked. "My girls, they're so cute, but they're like, 'Did you make these eggs, mama?' I'm like, 'They're eggs, yes. They're just regular eggs.' Who messes up eggs?"

Gosling even supports Mendes through his work. When promoting his upcoming film,The Fall Guy, onHits Radio,Gosling actually wore a T-shirt that read"Desi, Mami, and the Never-Ending Worries,"which is Mendes's new children's book. He also spoke about her book withExtrawhile on the red carpet ofThe Fall Guy's L.A. premiere.

"It's a wonderful book. It's also in Spanish. I highly recommend it," he said.

The interviewer asked Gosling if he thinks the story is a tribute to him and his children with Mendes, to which he replied, "I'll let [Eva] speak for it. It's such a beautiful book, it's been a few years in the making. We read a lot of kids' books, and it's one of the best I have read. It's really about something and beautiful."

As for Mendes, Gosling toldExtra, "She is with the girls, and when she works, I stay home with the girls, too. I couldn't be here without her."

"She's also like my acting coach," he added. "She has really become the best acting coach I have ever had. It's endless how much she helps me."

August 2024

The couple brought their daughter to watch the Women's Uneven Bars final at the Paris Olympics on August 4. Goslingworea green Olympics hat and plaid shirt, and Mendes was in a sleeveless black shirt and white sunglasses. They were alsoseenat the Palace of Versailles for an equestrian event, where Gosling wore a white baseball cap, and Mendes wore a straw sunhat.

September 2024

Mendes spoke onGood Morning Americaabout how working with Gosling led her to quit acting, perhaps for good. She was asked if she'd take up the profession again now that their daughters are a little older. "I don't know," she replied, viaEntertainment Weekly. "If there—you know—if there's interesting roles. I kinda felt like I did it, ya know? I was like, I just worked with Ryan Gosling, who's, like, the best. And I had such a—I don't know—it was such a high off my career to work with him and what we created together that I was like, 'This is a good time to justSeinfeldit and just walk out.' So, who knows?"

October 2024

Mendes spoke toThe Sunday Timesabout how Gosling changed the way she sees herself. She first shared that she would only return to acting if it was a project with her husband: "That's the one thing I would love to do."

Later in the interview, she spoke about how Gosling has shaped her view of herself. "I feel really fucking hot at times," she said with a grin. "The way my man looks at me is just…at times I'm like, oh my God. That might not sit well with people, but so much of how I feel is a reflection of what he's giving me."

She added, "There's so many things that can make me feel hot, and I'd say that I feel more hot than not. I guess because I've never considered myself beautiful, but I've always felt very hot."

April 2025

On April 11, Mendes shared a rare post on Instagram about Gosling to celebrate his latest cause. The carousel of pictures showed the actor promoting his filmThe Fall Guyand pushing to get the Academy Awards to add a category for stunts.

"My man is the F best!" she wrote. "Unfortunately, success is almost only measured by box office. So I'm extra proud of my man for turning his entire Fall Guy press tour into a campaign to get stunts recognized by the Oscars. And now after Almost 100 years of stunt design not being acknowledged by the Academy, it's officially a category!! This is a HUGE success! And an achievement that will last. Congratulations to the incredible stunt community!!"

She added jokingly, "BTW, this is the last time I post a pic of my man and the total babe that is Emily Blunt. No más!"

November 2025

Mendes shut down rumors that she and Gosling had relocated to London with their two daughters. In a November 3 Instagram Story, the actress reposted a screenshot of aDaily Mailarticle and wrote, "WRONG again @dailymail. Although I love my time in London, I can't wait to get back home and celebrate the @dodgers World Series championship!" She added, "Go Dodgers!!!"

February 2026

In an interview withAccess Hollywoodabout his film,Project Hail Mary, Gosling made rare comments about his kids and shared that they view his work.

"My kids have seen multiple cuts," Gosling said. "They give me multiple notes. They're basically the only critics I care about, and they are very critical and very honest."

He added that their opinions are "always better," and they inspire his work.

"I made this for them essentially," Gosling continued. "As a family, I'd like a movie like this that I'd like to see. I just feel really honored that I got to make one."

March 2026

Mendes joined Gosling onstage during hisThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Falloninterview on March 5, marking their first official public appearance in more than a decade. During the episode, Gosling surprised Mendes, who had been watching the interview backstage, with a birthday celebration.

Before she came out, Gosling joked to the audience, "Here's the thing, you might find me in the Hudson River tomorrow."

When Mendes was alongside him and Jimmy Fallon, she playfully asked the host, "You'll cut all this, right?"

She and Gosling held hands as the audience sang "Happy Birthday" and a marching band performed for Mendes during the surprise grand gesture.

On March 7, Mendes shared a black-and-white photo taken on The Tonight Show set, thanking and threatening Gosling in equal measure.

She wrote in the caption, "A huuuuge gracias to @jimmyfallon and @nbhs_bruins marching band. What a beautiful memory. And a special thank you to all the educators in the audience. We need you now more than ever. Lastly, my man ….i'll get you back for this. ♥️"

You Might Also Like

• The 15 Best Organic And Clean Shampoos For Any And All Hair Types

• 100 Gifts That Are $50 Or Under (And Look Way More Expensive Than They Actually Are)

byAlex Forten

in

March 08, 2026

Eva Mendes Shares Rare Picture with Ryan Gosling After Birthday Surprise

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Ryan ...

Read More

Huge fire in Scotland triggers train chaos as historic building partially collapses

A massive fire near one of Scotland's busiest train stations has engulfed a historic building in Glasgow, causing it to partially collapse.

Dozens of firefighters scrambled at Union Street just before 4 p.m. Sunday after the blaze started on the ground floor of a four-story commercial building, crews said.

Dramatic images captured orange flames curling around a domed roof beneath the night sky, as a silhouetted crane directed a powerful water jet over the raging blaze.

Specialist equipment was used to tackle the inferno. No casualties have been reported so far.

Advertisement

"At its height, 15 fire appliances and specialist resources, including three high-reach vehicles and a water rescue team, were mobilized to the area," the Scottish Fire and Resue Service said.

Scotland's First Minister John Swinney expressed deep concern over the fire and thanked emergency crews for their ongoing response in a post on X late Sunday, local time.

"Please continue to follow travel guidance, avoid the area and stay safe," Swinney added.

Glasgow Central has regular rail services across the United Kingdom including direct links to Edinburgh and London. It has been closed for now and major disruptions to train services have been reported, according to Britain's National Rail.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byAlex Forten

in

March 08, 2026

Huge fire in Scotland triggers train chaos as historic building partially collapses

A massive fire near one of Scotland's busiest train stations has engulfed a historic building in Glasgow, causing it ...

Read More

Crude oil prices surpass $100 a barrel as the Iran war impedes production and shipping

CHICAGO (AP) — Oil prices eclipsed $114 per barrel for the first time since 2022 on Monday as theIran warintensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East.

APTOPIX Iran US Israel

The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, surged past $114 after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. That was up 23% from its Friday closing price of $92.69.

West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, also was selling for about $114 a barrel. That's 25% higher than its close Friday at $90.90.

The war's toll on civilian targets grew early Monday as Bahrain accused Iran of striking adesalination plantvital to drinking water supplies, and oil depots in Tehran smoldered following overnight Israeli strikes.

The increases followed the U.S. crude price jumping by 36% and Brent crude rising by 28% last week.Oil prices have surgedas the war, now in its second week, ensnared countries and places that are critical to the production and movement of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf.

Roughly 15 million barrels of crude oil — about 20% of the world's oil — typically are shipped every day through theStrait of Hormuz, according to independent research firm Rystad Energy. The threat of Iranian missile and drone attacks has all but stopped tankers from traveling through the strait, which is bordered in the north by Iran, carry oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iran.

Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE have cut their oil production as storage tanks fill due to the reduced ability to export crude. Iran, Israel and the United States also have attacked oil and gas facilities since the war started, exacerbating supply concerns.

The last time Brent and U.S. crude futures traded near the current level was in 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The global surge in oil prices since Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran on March 1 has rattled financial markets, sparking worries that higher energy costs will fuel inflation and lead to less spending by U.S. consumers, the main engine of the economy.

Advertisement

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 index plunged more than 7% early Monday, while other markets also foundered.

In the U.S., a gallon of regular gasoline rose to $3.45 on Sunday, about 47 cents more than a week earlier, according to AAA motor club. Diesel was selling for about $4.60 a gallon, a weekly increase of about 83 cents.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright, speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," said U.S. gas prices would be back under $3 a gallon "before too long."

"Look, you never know exactly the time frame of this, but, in the worst case, this is a weeks, this is not a months thing," Wright added.

If oil prices stay above $100 per barrel, some analysts and investors say it could be too much for the global economy to withstand.

Iranian authorities said strikes by Israel on oil depotsin Tehranand a petroleum transfer terminal early Sunday killed four people. Israel's military said the depots were being used by Iran's military for fuel to launch missiles. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament, warned that the war's impact on the oil industry would spiral.

Iran exports roughly 1.6 million barrels of oil a day, mostly to China, which may need to look elsewhere for supply if Iran's exports are disrupted, another factor that could increase energy prices.

The price of natural gas also has climbed during the war, though not by as much as oil. It was selling for about $3.33 per 1,000 cubic feet late Sunday. That's 4.6% higher than its Friday closing price of $3.19, after rising about 11% last week.

U.S. stock index futures, a bellwether for the market, fell late Sunday, pointing to Wall Street's main indexes opening down on Monday. The future for the S&P 500 was down 2.2%, while the Dow's fell 2.3%. The future for the Nasdaq composite was down 2.6%.

On Friday, the S&P 500 dropped 1.3% and the Dow plunged as many as 945 points before finishing with a loss of roughly 450. The Nasdaq composite sank 1.6%.

byAlex Forten

in

March 08, 2026

Crude oil prices surpass $100 a barrel as the Iran war impedes production and shipping

CHICAGO (AP) — Oil prices eclipsed $114 per barrel for the first time since 2022 on Monday as theIran warintensified, thr...

Read More