Indiana quarterback Rourke earns Jon Cornish Trophy as top Canadian in NCAA football Kurtis Rourke has made the Jon Cornish Trophy a family affair. The Indiana quarterback received the award Monday, which is presented annually to the top Canadian playing football in the NCAA. Canadian Press Dec 23, 2024 12:15 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke plays against Ohio State during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. Kurtis Rourke captured the '24 Jon Cornish Trophy as the top Canadian playing football in the NCAA on Monday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Jay LaPrete Kurtis Rourke has made the Jon Cornish Trophy a family affair. The Indiana quarterback received the award Monday, which is presented annually to the top Canadian playing football in the NCAA. Rourke's older brother, Nathan, currently with the CFL's B.C. Lions, won the award twice in 2017 and 2018 at Ohio. "It's awesome," Rourke said. "Kind of getting introduced to the Jon Cornish Trophy back when Nathan won it a couple of times, I wanted to be able to have a shot and it was one of my goals to be in the conversation, be in the running. "It just means a ton to be recognized just because Canadian athletes don't get recognized too often. I'm just so glad we're able to get that recognition and continue to do it for our country." Rourke finished first in voting ahead of Montreal's Dariel Djabome, a junior linebacker at Rutgers. Stanford receiver Elic Ayomanor, last year's winner, was third, followed by Vancouver's Ty Benefield (sophomore safety, Boise State) and Jett Elad of Mississauga, Ont., a senior safety at UNLV. Cornish, of New Westminster, B.C., was a standout running back at Kansas who went on to have a decorated CFL career with the Calgary Stampeders (2007-15) before being inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2019. Rourke transferred to Indiana last December to boost his NFL draft stock after five years at Ohio, where he began as a backup to his older brother. The junior Rourke then captured the '22 MAC offensive player of the year award despite suffering a season-ending knee injury before heading to Indiana after the 2023 season. Rourke was instrumental in Indiana — traditionally known as a basketball school — emerging as a Big Ten contender in head coach Curt Cignetti’s first season. After winning 11 of their first 12 games, the Hoosiers' stellar campaign ended with a 27-17 loss to Notre Dame in the opening game of the expanded U.S. college football playoff bracket. Rourke finished 20-of-33 passing for 215 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in that contest. Overall, Rourke completed 222 of 320 passes (69.4 per cent) for 3,042 yards with 29 TDs and five interceptions. "What a privilege, opportunity to come join a program that had so much to prove," Rourke said. "It kind of aligned with what I was wanting to do, which was prove I could play at a higher level." The six-foot-five, 223-pound Rourke was named a finalist for the Manning Award, presented annually to the NCAA's top quarterback. He was also ninth in voting for the Heisman Trophy as U.S. college football's outstanding player. "College football has been everything to me," Rourke said. "Starting off my freshman year to be able to watch Nathan grow and play in his senior year and just learn from him in both how to live a college life but also be a college quarterback as well. "I won't forget my time at Ohio at all, it really created me and moulded me into the person, player I am. I’m extremely grateful for the entire college football experience." The former Holy Trinity star becomes just the second Canadian high school graduate to claim the Jon Cornish Trophy. Chuba Hubbard, of Sherwood Park, Alta., and currently with the NFL's Carolina Panthers, did so in 2019 while at Oklahoma State. The six-foot-two, 240-pound Djabome recorded 102 tackles (48 solo), three sacks and two forced fumbles this season. Rutgers faces Kansas State in the Rate Bowl on Boxing Day. The six-foot-two, 210-pound Ayomanor, a redshirt junior, was one of the few bright spots this season for Stanford (3-9). He registered 63 catches for 831 yards and six TDs after recording 62 receptions for 1,013 yards and six touchdowns in 2023. Last week, Ayomanor declared for the '25 NFL draft. The six-foot-two, 204-pound Benefield led Boise State in tackles (73), solo tackles (53) and interceptions (two) while also registering five tackles for a loss, a forced fumble and two recoveries. The Broncos are the third seed in U.S. college football's expanded playoffs and face Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. Elad registered 55 tackles, an interception and six pass knockdowns during the regular season. He added 12 tackles (nine solo) and a sack in the Runnin' Rebels' 24-13 win over Cal in the Art of Sport LA Bowl to finish with an 11-3 overall record. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2024. The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National Sports Montreal Alouettes sign Canadian offensive lineman Lawrence to extension Dec 23, 2024 11:40 AM Roughriders acquire quarterback Maier's rights from Stampeders for '25 draft pick Dec 23, 2024 11:18 AM Judge rejects lawsuit tied to controversial 2017 Montreal Formula E car race Dec 23, 2024 11:16 AM Featured Flyer‘You’re wrong’ viral mum hits back at trolls after boasting about mountain of Christmas presents she buys her three kids
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield embarrassed the woeful Giants with his arm and legs, and if that wasn't enough, he rubbed it in by mimicking New York fan favorite Tommy DeVito's celebratory dance after scoring a touchdown. Mayfield catapulted into the end zone on a spectacular 10-yard scramble for one of Tampa Bay's four rushing TDs, and the Buccaneers beat the Giants and new starting quarterback DeVito 30-7 on Sunday, snapping a four-game losing streak and extending New York's skid to six.
Jimmy Carter , the 39th President of the United States, has died at 100. The longest-living president in U.S. history died almost two years after entering hospice care in his Georgia home in lieu of continued medical intervention for his various health issues. Carter was a one-term but popular president, holding office from 1977-1981, and was unseated by Ronald Reagan. The former Commander in Chief’s nonprofit organization announced he was entering hospice care in February 2023. “After a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention,” the February 18 Twitter announcement read. “He has the full support of his family and his medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers.” Carter had undergone multiple hospital stints in recent years for various health issues, such as melanoma and several falls. On August 2, 2015, Carter underwent surgery to remove a small cancerous mass in his liver, and he recovered easily. However, the procedure revealed further health complications. On August 11, 2015, it was announced that the cancer had spread to other parts of Carter’s body. In an August 20, 2015 press conference, his doctor revealed the melanoma had spread to four parts of his brain. Hulton Archive/Getty Images The politician-turned-humanitarian had a history of cancer in his family. Carter’s parents and three siblings (two sisters and a brother) all died of different forms of cancer. His mother died of breast cancer; his father and siblings all died of pancreatic cancer. Age 90 at the time of his melanoma diagnosis, Carter believed he was nearing the end of his life but was at peace. “I just thought I had a few weeks left, but I was surprisingly at ease,” he said at the time, per ABC News . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I have thousands of friends...so I was surprisingly at ease, much more so than my wife was.” The former president underwent treatment (surgery, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy) to “extend” his life as much as possible. The treatment was successful, with Carter announcing in March 2016 that doctors stopped his treatment. Carter was hospitalized again the next year for dehydration due to building homes for Habitat for Humanity in Winnipeg, Canada. He was back at work on the homes the next day after some hours of observation. In May 2019, Carter broke his hip in a fall on his way out of his Plains, Georgia, home to go turkey hunting. He had a hip replacement a few days later and suffered another fall in October 2016, needing stitches over one of his eyebrows. In November 2019, he underwent surgery to address pressure in his brain caused by bleeding from the falls and recovered fine. Carter first served as a Georgia senator from 1963 to 1967 and then served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. He beat incumbent President Gerald Ford in the 1976 presidential election. The 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner sought to make the government “competent and compassionate” during his tenure. His accomplishments as president include creating the Department of Education, bolstering the Social Security system, hiring a record number of minority groups in government jobs, and protecting/improving the environment. Part of that effort was successfully adding 103 million acres of Alaskan land to the national park system. Carter was determined to see the U.S. switch from fossil fuel to clean energy with renewable resources. To that end, he had 32 solar panels installed on the roof of the West Wing in the summer of 1979, hoping to set an example for the future of renewable energy. The panels were used for seven years before Reagan had them removed. While he had notable accomplishments, rising energy costs, mounting inflation, and continuing tensions made it difficult for Carter to meet the high expectations he set for his administration. He shepherded in nearly eight million new jobs and a decrease in the budget deficit (per WhiteHouse.org ), but near record-high inflation and interest rates of the time, and the efforts to fix them, triggered a short recession in the economy. In foreign affairs, Carter led the Camp David Accords in 1978, a political agreement between Egypt and Israel reached through 12 days of secret negotiations at the President’s Maryland country retreat. His focus on human rights didn’t sit well with the leaders of the Soviet Union and some other nations. He obtained ratification of the Panama Canal treaties, set up diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, and finished the negotiation of the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union. Born James Earl Carter, Jr. on October 1, 1924, Carter’s family ran a peanut farm in Plains, Georgia. Talk of politics and his Baptist faith were tenets of his childhood. He graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1946, serving seven years as a naval officer. Carter married his wife, Rosalynn Carter — who died in November 2023 — after graduating from the Academy in 1946. They share three sons, John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip), Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff), and a daughter, Amy Lynn. Carter became a career politician in 1962 when elected to the Georgia State Senate. After his presidency, Carter focused his public efforts on humanitarian aid. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” More Headlines:The cryptocurrency realm continues to unveil thrilling opportunities for those eager to participate in the early stages of groundbreaking ventures. Presently, the most talked-about events are the top crypto presale gatherings that enable backers to champion inventive concepts from the outset. Projects such as Web3Bay, Wall Street Pepe, Solaxy, and Flockers are catching the eye due to their innovative attributes and growth prospects. Each presale provides a golden opportunity to join a venture poised for substantial impact, whether it’s transforming e-commerce, enhancing trading strategies, or cultivating community-led networks. These top crypto presales draw attention not only for their inventive proposals but also for the enticing incentives they offer to early supporters, making them standout choices. 1. Web3Bay: Innovating E-Commerce with Blockchain Web3Bay is making waves in the e-commerce sector by integrating blockchain technology. This platform enables users to conduct transactions using cryptocurrencies, including its native 3BAY token, along with conventional payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Emphasizing decentralization, Web3Bay cuts out middlemen, slashes transaction fees, and heightens transparency. The top crypto presale of Web3Bay’s 3BAY token spans 28 phases, beginning at $0.003 per token. Early birds stand to gain considerable returns, with token prices expected to surge to $0.1959 by the final phase. Holders of 3BAY tokens will benefit from governance rights and discounts on purchases. With ambitions to introduce staking options and an NFT marketplace, Web3Bay is crafting a holistic ecosystem set to transform the online shopping experience. 2. Solaxy: Boosting Solana’s Ecosystem Built on Solana, Solaxy is a Layer 2 solution designed to boost transaction speeds and scalability. As blockchain platforms expand, efficient scaling solutions become indispensable, and Solaxy is stepping up to meet this need with its cutting-edge approach. The crypto presale for Solaxy’s SOLX tokens has garnered considerable attention, securing over $5.4 million. The project's commitment to integrating flawlessly with Solana’s framework makes it a valuable expansion to the network, promising lower fees and quicker transactions for both developers and users. 3. Wall Street Pepe: Trading Tips for Meme Coin Fans Wall Street Pepe (WEPE) garners interest as a meme coin with added utility, offering exclusive crypto trading insights and strategies via a private channel for token holders. This project melds the whimsy of meme culture with the practical benefits of informed trading insights. The ongoing crypto presale for WEPE has amassed $34.9 million, reflecting robust community support. With future plans to broaden its ecosystem and introduce staking capabilities, Wall Street Pepe is shaping up to be more than just a meme—it's becoming an essential tool for astute traders seeking competitive edges. 4. Flockers: A Community-Driven Meme Coin Flockers (FLOCK) adopts a fresh angle on meme coins by prioritizing community involvement. The project rewards active participants with attractive staking rewards and a vote-to-earn system that incentivizes decision-making involvement. So far, the crypto presale for Flockers has raised $7.3 million, with daily contributions indicating increasing interest. The project’s blend of entertainment and functionality ensures broad appeal, attracting both dedicated crypto followers and casual investors seeking an engaging community-led initiative. Key Insights For those venturing into the crypto landscape, top crypto presale events present an enticing avenue. From Web3Bay’s e-commerce innovations to Flockers' community-centric approach, each project offers unique advantages while aiming for enduring success. Engaging in these presales means backing pioneering solutions and potentially enjoying substantial rewards as these ventures expand. If you’re on the hunt for crypto opportunities with robust potential, these top crypto presales represent an excellent starting point. Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey gambling regulators have handed out $40,000 in fines to two sportsbooks and a tech company for violations that included taking bets on unauthorized events, and on games that had already ended. In information made public Monday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement fined DraftKings $20,000. It also levied $10,000 fines on Rush Street Interactive NJ and the sports betting technology company Kambi. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get our free email newsletters — latest headlines and e-edition notifications.Romania's Coalition Government Faces Uphill Battle Against Far-Right SurgeVikings escape with 30-27 win over Bears in overtime thriller
An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's coalitionATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. He was 100 years old. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. He was 100 years old. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. He was 100 years old. The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. A moderate Democrat, Carter ran for president in 1976 as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiate cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to eradicate guinea worm infections as one of many health initiatives. Swinging hammers into their 90s, the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians revisit his presidency and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief” and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America’s dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. Emphasizing human rights, he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise” speech, even though he never used that word. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter’s diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. married fellow Plains native Rosalynn Smith in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and they soon turned their ambitions to politics. Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After a 2015 cancer diagnosis, Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” he said. “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___ Contributors include former AP staffer Alex Sanz in Atlanta. Advertisement Advertisement
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Robert McCray scored 22 points as Jacksonville beat East Tennessee State 60-52 on Saturday. McCray added five rebounds, five steals, and four blocks for the Dolphins (6-5). Zimi Nwokeji scored 15 points while going 5 of 6 (4 for 5 from 3-point range) and added five rebounds. Kendall Munson shot 3 of 4 from the field and 2 for 3 from the line to finish with eight points. The Buccaneers (6-5) were led by John Buggs III, who recorded 15 points. East Tennessee State also got 13 points and five assists from Quimari Peterson. Jaden Seymour also put up nine points and two blocks. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Abdelgowad scores 26 in UMass' 86-52 victory over UMass-BostonDefending national champion South Carolina women defeated by UCLA 77-62 for their first loss since the 2023 Final Four
Sam Kerr in the Hunter Valley as Matilda Emily van Egmond ties the knotNoneAAP FACTCHECK – Social media users are continuing to falsely claim the CEO of a global biotech company hasn’t been vaccinated for COVID-19, despite the claim being debunked multiple times. The latest claim was made in a New Zealand Instagram post that includes the caption: “THEY JUST TOOK THE PISS... Non (sic) of them took it.” It includes a video of BioNTech CEO and cofounder Ugur Sahin who is asked why he hasn’t received the vaccine. “I am legally not allowed to take the vaccine at the moment. We of course consider (sic) to make that possible. It is more important for us that our coworkers and partners get vaccinated,” he replies. Prof Sahin is then asked why he can’t legally take the vaccine and he replies that he is not on the priority list for the vaccine rollout. “The vaccine is not allowed to be taken outside of this priority list and what is also important, we were even not allowed to participate in clinical trials because per law it is not possible to include company people into such trials.” The clip, however, was filmed before the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Germany in December 2020, and Prof Sahin was vaccinated about a month later. German TV network DW News uploaded the interview from which the Instagram post is taken to YouTube on December 23, 2020. In the full video, Prof Sahin is interviewed outside what appears to be BioNTech’s headquarters in Mainz, Germany and is asked about the newly developed COVID-19 vaccine. BioNTech partnered with Pfizer in March 2020 to develop a potential mRNA-based COVID vaccine. The vaccine was first authorised for emergency use in the UK on December 2, 2020, with the first vaccines administered on December 8. Germany’s vaccine rollout began on December 26, beginning with healthcare workers, aged care residents and people aged over 80, meaning Prof Sahin, then aged 55 , would have been ineligible on December 23, 2020 when the interview took place. However, he was vaccinated the following year. In an interview with the Times in September 2021, Prof Sahin said he was vaccinated “at the end of January”. DW has reported Prof Sahin was vaccinated by March 2021 and BioNtech also confirmed to Reuters that he was vaccinated in early 2021. The claim has also been debunked by AP and USA Today . CEOs of other pharmaceutical companies that developed COVID-19 vaccines have also been vaccinated, despite the claim in the post. A similar claim was made about Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, also based on an interview during the early stages of the vaccine rollout. Mr Bourla was vaccinated in early 2021 and posted a photo of him getting his second dose on X, formerly known as Twitter, on March 11, 2021. Stephane Bancel, CEO of vaccine developer Moderna, recently posted a photo on LinkedIn of him getting a COVID-19 booster vaccine. All information, text and images included on the AAP Websites is for personal use only and may not be re-written, copied, re-sold or re-distributed, framed, linked, shared onto social media or otherwise used whether for compensation of any kind or not, unless you have the prior written permission of AAP. For more information, please refer to our standard terms and conditions .Lamar defeats Ragin' Cajuns 74-45
Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel winner, dies at 100Netflix will have one of its biggest days Wednesday since the site launched in 1998 when it airs two NFL games for the first time. "NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix" begins with a two-hour pregame show at 11 a.m., before Pittsburgh hosts Kansas City. Baltimore faces Houston in the second game. The streaming giant agreed to a three-year contract in May to carry Christmas Day games. Netflix's 282.3 million subscribers in over 190 countries will be able to stream the games, marking the first time one outlet has distributed an NFL game globally. Netflix will have the games available in five languages — English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German. The games will also air on CBS affiliates in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston. NFL policy dictates that games on cable or being exclusively streamed must also be on an over-the-air station in the competing teams' markets. It will also be available on mobile devices in the U.S. for those who have NFL+. The biggest reason is money. The league is getting $150 million from Netflix for the two games this season. It also continues the NFL's moves into streaming — Thursday night games are in their third season on Amazon Prime Video and the "Sunday Ticket" package moved to YouTube TV last year. But Christmas is on a Wednesday when games usually aren't played. That's true, but the league wasn't about to give up Christmas after seeing the ratings. Last year's three games averaged 28.68 million viewers. The early afternoon contest between the Las Vegas Raiders and Chiefs led the way, averaging 29.48 million. The Chiefs, Steelers, Ravens and Texans played on Saturday, giving them the same turnaround they would have if they played on Sunday and then Thursday. All four have clinched playoff spots in the AFC, but seeding remains up for grabs. Kansas City (14-1) can clinch the top seed — which would mean a first-round bye and home field throughout the playoffs — with a win over the Steelers. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are tied atop the AFC North at 10-5, with the Steelers holding the tiebreaker due to a better conference record. Houston (9-6) has wrapped up the AFC South and holds the fourth seed. Netflix hopes so. Brandon Riegg, Netflix's vice president of nonfiction series and sports, said the system was stress tested, and then some, during the Nov. 14 bout, along with internet service providers reporting they were also overwhelmed by the surge that occurred before and during the fight. The bout peaked at 65 million concurrent streams, including 38 million concurrent streams in the United States. According to the website Down Detector, nearly 85,000 viewers logged problems with outages or streaming leading up to and during the fight. Possible? Yes. Likely? No. The largest audience for a streamed-exclusive NFL game was 23 million on Peacock for last season's AFC wild-card game between the Miami Dolphins and Chiefs. Nielsen will measure the ratings for the Christmas Day games, with early numbers expected late afternoon on Thursday. It will probably be at kickoff for both games, but especially around 5:45 p.m. EST. That would be near halftime of the Ravens-Texans game, and when Beyoncé will be performing. Mariah Carey will kick off the day with a taped performance of "All I Want for Christmas is You." There is no word if Taylor Swift will make the trip to Pittsburgh to watch her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Swift has been spending time in Kansas City since she wrapped up her Eras Tour two weeks ago. How many Christmas games will Netflix carry in the next two seasons? The NFL will have at least two games on Dec. 25 in 2025 and '26, with Netflix slated to have at least one each year. Amazon Prime Video will have a night game with Christmas on a Thursday next year. Netflix's worldwide partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment will begin on Jan. 6 when "Monday Night Raw" moves to the streaming service. On Friday, Netflix secured the U.S. rights for the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup. Get local news delivered to your inbox!