MON SIX

Cousins is expected to be released by theFalconsbefore the NFL's new league year begins in March, a person close to the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

ESPN was the first to report the news.

Cousins' contract was amended at the end of the regular season to pave the way for his imminent release from the Falcons, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because the of the sensitivity of the matter.

ESPN reportedthat Cousins and the Falcons modified the final two years in his contract, changing his 2026 base salary from $35 million to $2.1 million but adding the leftover $32.9 million to his 2027 base salary to now make it $67.9 million. The $67.9 million would become guaranteed if Cousins is still on Atlanta's roster at the start of the league year, per ESPN.

2026 NFL Honors: Best of the league's awards ceremony red carpet

USA TODAY Sports interviewed Cousins this week in San Francisco at Super Bowl 60's radio row. The quarterback was measured and vague about his playing future with the Falcons.

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Cousins began the 2025 season as a backup to Michael Penix Jr. However, the veteran quarterback took over as Atlanta's starter when Penix suffered a season-ending torn ACL in November. Cousins registered eight starts and played in 10 games. He averaged 172 passing yards per game and threw 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. He went 5-3 in his eight starts.

The Falcons originally signed Cousins to a four-year deal worth up to $180 million in 2024. But Cousins lost his starting job to Penix before the end of the 2024 season.

Cousins' expected release from Atlanta currently makes Penix the early front-runner to resume the starting role. But the Falcons' new regime has been noncommittal about Penix being the team's starting quarterback following an up-and-down campaign.

The biggest question for Falcons president of football Matt Ryan, general manager Ian Cunningham and new coach Kevin Stefanski is who's going to be Atlanta's starting quarterback in 2026? The new regime, however, has apparently figured out it won't be Cousins.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X@TheTylerDragon.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Falcons, Kirk Cousins split on the horizon

The team is expected to place the franchise tag on the Pro Bowl wide receiver,according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, which would lock him in for next season on a one-year contract worth roughly $28 million. The tag can be officially applied anytime between Feb. 17 and March 3.

The decision is hardly a surprise. Playing alongside All-Pro CeeDee Lamb, Pickens enjoyed the best season of his career in 2025 after being traded to Dallas from the Pittsburgh Steelers, with 93 catches, 1,429 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns on 137 targets.

BothCowboys owner Jerry Jonesand his son,team COO Stephen Jones, have said they want Pickens back long-term, with Jerry saying he expects a long-term extension to get done:

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"I'm talking to George all the time by virtue of my excitement for him," Jones said when asked if contract extension talks have begun with Pickens. "He's better than, as far as what he contributed to our team, showing the potential that he could contribute. I'm looking forward to getting things worked out so George can be a Cowboy a long time."

The franchise tag ensures that however negotiations go, the Cowboys can plan for Pickens to be in the fold for the 2026-27 season.

Hitting Pickens with the franchise tag does mean the Cowboys would have the NFL's second-most expensive receiver duo next season between him and Lamb, who is currently on a four-year, $136 million deal. Combined with the average annual value of that contract, Dallas will be paying the pair $62 million, behind only the $69 million AAV currently going to the Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Pickens is one of several notable Cowboys to be hitting free agency this offseason. Starters Javonte Williams, Jadeveon Clowney and Donovan Wilson are all unrestricted free agents, while All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey is a restricted free agent and is likely seeking the richest kicker deal in NFL history.

Signing Pickens to an extension instead of the tag would free up a significant amount of money for this upcoming offseason, in addition to retaining a star at a premium position for years to come.

Sengun made his first public comments following the Rockets' 112-106 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. The 23-year-old had been ejected from Houston's 114-93 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday after calling official Jenna Reneau a "b----" multiple times.

"That was immature by me," Sengun said, per ESPN. "That was just in the moment, and I said some stuff I shouldn't say, but I felt bad about it."

The native of Turkey was upset with a no-call on a drive to the basket in the fourth quarter. His comments went viral on social media, with enhanced audio revealing what he said to Reneau, in her first season as an NBA staff official.

Sengun said he apologized to Reneau after the game.

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"Sometimes you can't control yourself, but I should have known better," Sengun said, per ESPN. "But I fixed it and then I went to the locker room and I apologized. I shake (her) hand and said that would never happen again. It just happened in the heat of the moment. Then she understood, and it was good on both ends."

An All-Star for the first time last season, Sengun averages 20.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 33.9 minutes through 43 games (all starts).

The native of Turkey entered Sunday with career averages of 16.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 29.1 minutes in 329 regular-season games (267 starts).

Oklahoma City selected Sengun with the 16th overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft and traded him the next day, July 29, to the Rockets.

--Field Level Media

While much of the debate (and excitement) centers on the selection ofPuerto Rican artist Bad Bunnyas the headliner, punk rock fans are eager to see how and whatopening band Green Daywill do with its moment in the national limelight.

Fans got their first taste of what's to come ahead of Sunday. Playing at a pregame party in San Francisco on Feb. 6,Green Day's frontman Billy Joe Armstrongused the moment to give some pointed career advice to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers expected at the game. "To all the ICE agents out there, wherever you are, quit your [expletive] job. Quit that [expletive] job you have."

Bad Bunny has touched down in the Bay Area ahead of his highly anticipated, and contested, Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on Sunday, Feb. 8, in Santa Clara, California.

The Puerto Rican superstar appeared at the Apple Music press conference with hosts Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden to chat all about what fans can expect from his solo halftime show debut (he previously hit the stage with Jennifer Lopez and Shakira in 2020).

"I feel more excited about all of the people than thinking about me," he said onstage, visibly nervous, and taking it all in. "My family and all my friends."

Scroll through for more photos of star sightings this Super Bowl weekend.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> From left: Charlie Puth, Coco Jones, and Brandi Carlile attend the Super Bowl LX Pregame & Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show press conference at Moscone Center West on Feb. 5, 2026, in San Francisco.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Octavia Spencer visits SiriusXM on Radio Row at Super Bowl LX on Feb. 4, 2026, in San Francisco, California.

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

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Caroline Fenton on the SiriusXM radio set at the Super Bowl LX media center in San Francisco on Feb. 4, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Too Short and E-40 during the Bay Area host committee press conference at the Super Bowl LX media center at the Moscone Center on Feb. 2, 2026.

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

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

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

Bad Bunny, Alix Earle, more stars flock to Bay Area for Super Bowl 60

Bad Bunnyhas touched down in the Bay Area ahead of his highly anticipated, and contested, Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on Sunday, Feb. 8, in Santa Clara, California.The Puerto Rican superstar appeared at the Apple Music press conference with hosts Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden to chat all about what fans can expect from his solo halftime show debut (he previously hit the stage with Jennifer Lopez and Shakira in 2020)."I feel more excited about all of the people than thinking about me," he said onstage, visibly nervous, and taking it all in. "My family and all my friends."Scroll through for more photos of star sightings this Super Bowl weekend.

Formed in California in 1987, Green Day - consisting of frontman Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tré Cool - has been putting out albums for decades and is often credited with reinvigorating the punk rock genre in the U.S. mainstream in the 1990s and 2000s.

Why are fans expecting something explosive? The trio isn't exactly known for being quiet about the political climate of the day - they are a punk band that has been performing since pre-9/11, after all.

Armstrong, historically, does not shy away from an FCC fine or contentious topic. In fact, his most recent public criticisms of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement actions will beless than a month oldat the time of the big game.

From offending an entire city so badly thatlocal stations boycotted their musicto dropping so many expletives on live radio that even shock jock Howard Stern clutched his pearls, Green Day has been nothing if not consistent in its nearly two decades as a band. Here's a look back at some of its most controversial and memorable performances.

2001 Howard Stern performance

In an early show of peak Green Day rebellion, the band performed a now-legendary act of defiance during a 2001 Howard Stern performance.

According to a 2020 retelling by Stern, the show's producers spoke with Green Day's label ahead of their appearance to confirm which songs the band planned to perform. Because Stern's show aired on public radio at the time, the conversation may have addressed using profanities on-air. The band misunderstood this as an attempt to dictate what they were able to play, said Stern, and in a protest of censorship, proceeded todeliver one of its most expletive-filled performancesto date. ("Platypus (I Hate You)," if you were wondering).

"Actually, that song was kind of a '(expletive) you' to the FCC and everything else in censorship," Stern said. "You know, Green Day takes that (as) seriously as I do too." Even so, the band didn't return to the show for another 15 years after its stunt.

The entire 'American Idiot' album that dropped in 2004

"American Idiot" includes hits like the titular "American Idiot," "Holiday," "Jesus of Suburbia," and "Favorite Son" with pointed and vocal criticisms of the Bush administration, American military action in Iraq and mainstream early aughts American culture as a whole.

When it dropped in 2004, "American Idiot" was a conversation piece, both as a chart topper and a scathing rebuke of the White House administration's political ideology. Alongside artists like The Chicks (formerly The Dixie Chicks) and P!nk, Green Day became known as one of the era's biggest Bush critics.

The album later became a full-fledged Broadway musical.

2016 American Music Awards

Less than two weeks afterDonald Trumpwas elected to his first term, Green Day led a chant of "No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA"at the 2016 American Music Awards. The refrain has endured and been repeated at many of the band's subsequent performances.

Armstrong made his view of Trump clear before the election, comparing the then-presidential candidate to Hitler in an August 2016 interview with the magazineKerrang.

"He just said, 'You have no options and I'm the only one, and I'm going to take care of it myself.' I mean, that's Hitler, man," he said, referring to Trump's speech accepting the Republican nomination. "I don't even know how else to explain it," he continued. "I wish I were over exaggerating. And sometimes maybe I do over exaggerate with Bush. But with Trump, I just can't wait 'til he's gone."

"Troubled Times," 2017

After the infamous "Unite the Right" rally in August 2017, known best for images of white supremacists carrying tiki torches, Green Day dropped a music video for the song "Troubled Times," which included clips from the rally and references to Trump.

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Heposted to Facebookat the time, "I feel like what happened in Charlottesville goes beyond the point of anger. It makes me sad and desperate. shocked. I (expletive) hate racism more than anything."

iHeartRadio Music Festival 2019

While it's unclear if it's the first time the band opted for what would become a very familiar lyric change, Green Day's performance at the2019 iHeartRadio Music Festivalmarked one of the earlier times that Armstrong swapped the lyrics in the song "American Idiot."

Instead of the original "I'm not a part of a redneck agenda," which at the time it was written referred to the Bush administration, Armstrong sang "I'm not a part of a MAGA agenda." The swap has since become fairly standard in the band's performances.

Renouncing US citizenship after Dobbs 2022

Armstrong expressed disgust at the overturning of Roe v. Wade during a London show in June 2022, telling the audience he wanted to renouncehis U.S. citizenship.

"(Expletive) America, I'm renouncing my citizenship. I'm coming here," he said. "There's just too much stupid in the world to go back to that miserable excuse for a country," Armstrong added. "Oh, I'm not kidding. You're going to get a lot of me in the coming days."

Armstrong still appears to live in the U.S. as of 2026, so it seems the statement may have been more symbolic than literal.

'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve' 2023

While the lyric swap to "I'm not part of a MAGA agenda" became something of a mainstay for the band during Trump's first presidency, Armstrong broadcast the refrain to perhaps the largest audience yetduring "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" in the final hours of 2023.

Trump was beginning his campaign for re-election at the time and Green Day had just returned from a hiatus. Trump-aligned figures, including Elon Musk and Lara Trump, criticized the move on social media.

In later renditions of songs from "American Idiot," Armstrong swapped in more names from Trump's orbit, including inserting"I'm not a part of the Elon agenda"into the titular song during a South African concert andinvoking Stephen Miller in "Holiday"alongside lyrics describing government-sanctioned violence.

Months before that, in August 2023, the band alsoreleased a limited-time shirtwith a picture of Trump's mugshot with the phrase "nimrod" printed across the front, a reference to its 1997 album by the same name. The money raised from the T-shirt sales was donated to charities helping the victims of the Maui wildfires. The sales purchased 50,000 meals for the Greater Good Music wildfire relief,according to the charity.

Coachella 2025

If you haven't caught on by now, Green Day likes to keep hits from its original protest album "American Idiot" fresh by switching lyrics up here and there.

Armstrong did just that at the 2025 Coachella festivalwhen he tweaked the lyrics to the song "Jesus of Suburbia," singing, "Runnin' away from pain, like the kids from Palestine / Tales from another broken home." The original lyrics were "Runnin' away from pain when you've been victimized."

While the reference to the war in Gaza caused the biggest stir, the band took several other creative liberties during their Coachella run, such as swapping the phrase "Am I (stupid) or am I just overjoyed?" also from"Jesus of Suburbia"to "Am I (stupid) or am I just JD Vance?" and the ever-popular "I'm not part of the MAGA agenda."

Armstrong later added, "Don't let these political bastards get you down. We don't stand for fascism."

2026 iHeartRadio ALTer EGO

Green Day apparently isn't shy when performing at iHeartRadio events. The band took the opportunity to criticize the current administrationas recently as Jan. 17,when they performed a fiery finale at the 2026 iHeartRadio ALTer EGO concert.

"Hey, everybody, please look out for your neighbors. Make sure you take care of each other. Make sure you love one another, protect each other," Armstrong said between the final verses of the finale song "Time of Your Life."

Contributor: USA TODAY's Terry Moseley

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Green Day's controversial history: What to expect at Super Bowl