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FBL-EUR-C1-BAYERN MUNICH-BODO/GLIMT - AFP

Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich will play no part in Wednesday night's heavyweight Champions League encounter against visiting Premier League champions Arsenal. The Bundesliga holders confirmed that the German international has been granted compassionate leave following a bereavement in his close family.

Compassionate leave rules out midfielder

Kimmich will be absent from the Die Roten squad for Wednesday night's league-phase clash against the Gunners after suffering a bereavement in his close family. The German champions announced the news in a brief statement on Wednesday after the midfielder missed Tuesday's final training session for personal reasons. His unavailability is a major blow for the hosts as they bid to capture a first European crown in seven years.

Bavarian giants request complete privacy

Losing their midfield lynchpin compounds a mounting selection headache for the Bavarian outfit ahead of kick-off in Munich. Winger Michael Olise is suspended following his dismissal last week, attacker Jamal Musiala is sidelined with a thigh injury, and veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer remains a doubt with a foot issue. Head coach Vincent Kompany has also been battling illness and missed his pre-match press conference, though he is still expected to take his place on the touchline.

Confirming the player's absence and offering their support in an official post on X, Bayern stated: "On behalf of the family, we ask that his privacy and grief be respected, and that further inquiries and reporting be refrained from. We send our deepest condolences to Joshua Kimmich and his loved ones."

Due to a passing in his immediate family, Joshua Kimmich is not in the squad today for the match against Arsenal.

On behalf of the family, we ask that his privacy and grief be respected, and that further inquiries and reporting be refrained from.

We send our deepest…

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) October 21, 2026Domestic dominance contrasts European hiccup

Despite those absentees, the German title holders enter the contest unbeaten across six Bundesliga outings while also progressing to the DFB-Pokal second round via a 4-1 victory at second-tier Osnabruck.

Their domestic campaign began with a 5-1 rout of Stuttgart before a goalless draw with Schalke, a narrow win over newly-promoted Elversberg and a 7-0 thrashing of Union Berlin inspired by an Olise hat-trick. After twice coming from behind to salvage a draw against Augsburg, they bounced back on Saturday by dismantling RB Leipzig 6-1 courtesy of a Luis Diaz treble.

In Europe, an opening 5-0 demolition of Bodo/Glimt was followed by a frustrating 3-3 draw away at Viking last week, where they overturned a two-goal deficit to lead 3-2 before conceding a last-minute equaliser.

Formidable home record faces examination

Even without Kimmich anchoring the midfield, Bayern can draw confidence from having lost just one of their last 31 home fixtures in the Champions League, recording 24 wins and six draws. Furthermore, they are unbeaten in eight European outings in Munich since a 2-1 quarter-final defeat to Inter Milan in 2024-25, winning seven of those matches. That imperious Allianz Arena record will now be put to the test against Arsenal.

Would you pay nearly $6,000 to have your ashes stored at your favorite team’s stadium? 

Some Jacksonville Jaguars fans already have as a result of a novel agreement between the NFL team and a company called Eternal Fan, which specializes in designing large-scale artwork that functions as shared memorials.

As the Jaguars’ “official fan memories partner,” Eternal Fan is creating a roughly 14-foot-by-14-foot installation that will be placed on the plaza outside the team’s “Stadium of the Future,” currently under construction and slated to open ahead of the 2028 NFL season. Fans can purchase dedicated space within the memorial—dubbed the 904Ever Club, a nod to Jacksonville’s area code—to store memorabilia and personal items, including sealed cremains.

Design details are still being finalized, but current renderings show a blockish structure topped with a giant football bearing the Jaguars logo and the 904Ever Club name. It will be made of bronze or granite.

“Would I say it’s a brick on steroids? Yeah, maybe,” Eternal Fan founder Matt Linn tells Front Office Sports. “But at the end of the day, we’re creating a type of fan engagement—fan legacies—that’s kind of never been done before.”

Linn has spent nearly 30 years in the funeral industry and currently owns and operates a funeral home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The idea for Eternal Fan came from decades of listening to end-of-life planning conversations. “So many people talk about wanting to be at their ‘happy place’,” he says, “and so often that has something to do with a sports team.”

Eternal Fan was founded in 2015, but the Jaguars are only the second sports property to embrace its thesis. The first was Richmond Raceway in Virginia, which installed a 21-foot stainless steel memorial shaped like an engine piston on its grounds in 2018. 

The Jaguars partnered with Eternal Fan out of a desire to “create a lasting tribute to the unwavering commitment” of their fans, according to Scott Massey, the team’s SVP of corporate partnerships. He tells FOS the monument will be accessible 365 days a year once finished, though Eternal Fan will control when customers can open and fill their “fan spaces” with approved items.

The Price of Forever

The 904Ever Club’s highest membership tier, the $5,904 “Founders Level,” provides fans with a private space within the memorial and perks such as invitations to special events. Two lower tiers, priced at $2,904 and $904, offer access to communal storage spaces, where fans can keep items in “living memory pouches.”

Eternal Fan sets the prices and keeps all revenue. But it also bears all costs of construction and operation, including annual fees to use the Jaguars’ brand marks and stadium grounds. All told, Linn says the installation will cost “well into the six figures.”

Eternal Fan

The company’s CMO Brad Zimmerman says a portion of each sale goes into a “stewardship account” to cover ongoing maintenance, security, and insurance, as well as any costs associated with relocating the memorial if the Jaguars ever move cities. (Of this situation, he says: “It’s a hypothetical right now, but I believe we would give people the option to stay or go.”)

Zimmerman declined to specify how many fan spaces have sold, but says purchasers tend to fall into two categories: those buying to honor their own fandom and those buying to memorialize a Jaguars fan who has already died.

Sizing the Afterlife Market

Funeral homes and funeral-product makers FOS reached said they don’t formally track sports-related end-of-life requests, but acknowledged they are made with some regularity. A spokesperson for Batesville Casket Company, which provides caskets and cremation urns, said: “Families today want a memorial that reflects who their loved one really was, and for many people, a favorite team is a big part of that identity.”

It’s also not uncommon for prisoners facing execution to use their last words to call out support for a beloved team, and some fans have even gone so far as to write already-wealthy athletes into their wills.

Zimmerman and Linn see these trends as proof that Eternal Fan’s offerings have a market, and they point to rising cremation rates as another reason to make alternative memorial options more visible. “It sounds crazy, but everyone knows there’s very few guarantees in life, and [death] is one of them,” says Zimmerman. “ A big part of our marketing moving forward is going to be to get this conversation out in the open and make people more comfortable and familiar with it.” 

For now, Eternal Fan is targeting partnerships with other NFL and college football programs—these have the most devoted fan bases and college, specifically, is always searching for more revenue. But the company eventually aims to expand into other properties like concert venues, amusement parks, and golf courses.  

The Jaguars deal is a major stamp of approval, and Linn says a second engagement with a “major Division I university” is also nearing the finish line. Still, he’s realistic that the concept may not ever go fully mainstream.

“This ultimately isn’t for everyone,” Linn tells FOS. “Maybe it ends up being right for half of Division I schools and half of the NFL. We want to make sure we can service everything properly, and we want to pick the right partners. This is a permanent piece of fandom—you have to get in there with [teams] and make sure they’re really going to be deeply connected.”

The post Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife appeared first on Front Office Sports.

While much of the focus in 2026 has been on high school football, basketball is starting to grab some headlines. As hard as it may be to believe, several states will tip off their seasons in just a few weeks.

Who are the nation's top players entering the 2026-27 season? USA TODAY High School Sports is taking a look at the answer, with a first look at the boys basketball composite rankings for the 2027 class, based on industry data.

Here are the top 50 seniors entering the season...

T-1. Beckham Black - Southeastern Prep (Orlando, FL)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-3

Weight: 180

Industry composite ranking: 2.00

College commitment: Uncommitted

T-1. CJ Rosser - Southeastern Prep (Orlando, FL)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6-10

Weight: 195

Industry composite ranking: 2.00

College commitment: Uncommitted

3. Demarcus Henry - Compass Prep (Chandler, AZ)

Position: Small Forward

Height: 6-7

Weight: 190

Industry composite ranking: 2.67

College commitment: Uncommitted

T-4. Cayden Daughtry - Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-0

Weight: 160

Industry composite ranking: 5.00

College commitment: Uncommitted

T-4. AJ Williams - Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (McDonough, GA)

Position: Small Forward

Height: 6-8

Weight: 210

Industry composite ranking: 5.00

College commitment: Uncommitted

6. Adan Diggs - Millennium (Goodyear, AZ)

Position: Combo Guard

Height: 6-5

Weight: 180

Industry composite ranking: 6.33

College commitment: Uncommitted

7. Lewis Uvwo - Prolific Prep (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6-11

Weight: 225

Industry composite ranking: 7.67

College commitment: Uncommitted

8. Asa Montgomery - Hillgrove (Powder Springs, GA)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6-7

Weight: 200

Industry composite ranking: 8.33

College commitment: Uncommitted

9. Reese Alston - Houston Second Baptist (Houston, TX)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-2

Weight: 175

Industry composite ranking: 9.33

College commitment: Uncommitted

10. Nasir Anderson - Prolific Prep (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-4

Weight: 205

Industry composite ranking: 11.33

College commitment: Uncommitted

11. NaVorro Bowman Jr. - Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, CA)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-3

Weight: 180

Industry composite ranking: 11.67

College commitment: UConn

12. Jordan Page - IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)

Position: Shooting Guard

Height: 6-5

Weight: 195

Industry composite ranking: 12.33

College commitment: UConn

13. Darius Wabbington - Sunnyslope (Phoenix, AZ)

Position: Center

Height: 6-10

Weight: 245

Industry composite ranking: 12.67

College commitment: Indiana

14. Moussa Kamissoko - SPIRE Academy (Geneva, OH)

Position: Small Forward

Height: 6-8

Weight: 180

Industry composite ranking: 13.67

College commitment: Syracuse

15. King Gibson - SPIRE Academy (Geneva, OH)

Position: Combo Guard

Height: 6-4

Weight: 185

Industry composite ranking: 14.33

College commitment: LSU

16. Jalen Davis - Bremerton (WA)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-3

Weight: 165

Industry composite ranking: 17.33

College commitment: Uncommitted

17. Kager Knueppel - Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, WI)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6-10

Weight: 220

Industry composite ranking: 18.00

College commitment: Duke

18. Dooney Johnson - East River (Orlando, FL)

Position: Combo Guard

Height: 6-6

Weight: 185

Industry composite ranking: 18.67

College commitment: Gonzaga

19. Malachi Jordan - Prolific Prep (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

Position: Small Forward

Height: 6-6

Weight: 205

Industry composite ranking: 21.00

College commitment: Uncommitted

20. Paul Osaruyi - Bella Vista Prep (Scottsdale, AZ)

Position: Center

Height: 6-10

Weight: 210

Industry composite ranking: 21.67

College commitment: Uncommitted

21. Isaiah Hill - Pike (Indianapolis, IN)

Position: Center

Height: 7-0

Weight: 205

Industry composite ranking: 22.67

College commitment: Purdue

22. Ryan Hampton - Rockwall-Heath (Rockwall, TX)

Position: Shooting Guard

Height: 6-6

Weight: 205

Industry composite ranking: 23.33

College commitment: Kentucky

23. Antonio Pemberton - Masters Academy International (Stow, MA)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-1

Weight: 165

Industry composite ranking: 24.33

College commitment: Michigan State

T-24. Ahmad Hudson - Ruston (LA)

Position: Center

Height: 6-6

Weight: 245

Industry composite ranking: 25.67

College commitment: LSU

T-24. Chase Lumpkin - McEachern (Powder Springs, GA)

Position: Shooting Guard

Height: 6-4

Weight: 180

Industry composite ranking: 25.67

College commitment: Alabama

26. Dawson Battie - St. Mark's (Dallas, TX)

Position: Small Forward

Height: 6-8

Weight: 215

Industry composite ranking: 26.67

College commitment: Nebraska

T-27. Micah Gordon - SPIRE Academy (Geneva, OH)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 5-11

Weight: 180

Industry composite ranking: 30.33

College commitment: Creighton

T-27. Zion Green - Compass Prep (Chandler, AZ)

Position: Small Forward

Height: 6-9

Weight: 190

Industry composite ranking: 30.33

College commitment: Uncommitted

29. Devin Cleveland - La Lumiere School (La Porte, IN)

Position: Shooting Guard

Height: 6-3

Weight: 160

Industry composite ranking: 30.67

College commitment: Uncommitted

T-30. Chase Branham - La Lumiere School (La Porte, IN)

Position: Shooting Guard

Height: 6-4

Weight: 175

Industry composite ranking: 31.67

College commitment: Indiana

T-30. Josh Leonard - IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)

Position: Small Forward

Height: 6-7

Weight: 205

Industry composite ranking: 31.67

College commitment: Uncommitted

32. Ahmed Nur- Bella Vista Prep (Scottsdale, AZ)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6-8

Weight: 190

Industry composite ranking: 33.33

College commitment: Uncommitted

33. Scottie Adkinson - Webster Groves (St. Louis, MO)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-4

Weight: 190

Industry composite ranking: 35.00

College commitment: Missouri

34. Kevin Savage - Wheeler (Marietta, GA)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 5-11

Weight: 160

Industry composite ranking: 35.33

College commitment: Purdue

35. Dylan Jones - Bartlett (TN)

Position: Small Forward

Height: 6-6

Weight: 180

Industry composite ranking: 35.67

College commitment: Uncommitted

36. Cherif Millogo - St. Francis (La Canada Flintridge, CA)

Position: Center

Height: 7-5

Weight: 250

Industry composite ranking: 37.00

College commitment: Uncommitted

37. Oneal Delancy - Montverde Academy (FL)

Position: Shooting Guard

Height: 6-3

Weight: 170

Industry composite ranking: 40.33

College commitment: Houston

38. Jarvis Hayes Jr. - Woodward Academy (Atlanta, GA)

Position: Shooting Guard

Height: 6-5

Weight: 160

Industry composite ranking: 41.33

College commitment: Georgia

39. J'lon Lyons - Clinton Grace Christian (MD)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-2

Weight: 175

Industry composite ranking: 42.33

College commitment: Butler

40. Kamsi Awaka - Blair Academy (NJ)

Position: Center

Height: 6-10

Weight: 250

Industry composite ranking: 43.67

College commitment: Uncommitted

41. Josiah Harrington - North Scott (Eldridge, IA)

Position: Center

Height: 6-5

Weight: 200

Industry composite ranking: 44.33

College commitment: Iowa State

42. TJ Jamison - Calvary Baptist Academy (Shreveport, LA)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-2

Weight: 170

Industry composite ranking: 44.67

College commitment: Baylor

43. Jaxson Davis - Monarch Academy (Kansas City, KS)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-1

Weight: 165

Industry composite ranking: 48.00

College commitment: Ohio State

44. Darrell Davis - SPIRE Academy (Geneva, OH)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 5-11

Weight: 160

Industry composite ranking: 49.00

College commitment: Houston

45. Jahari Miller - Faith Family Academy of Oak Cliff (Dallas, TX)

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6-2

Weight: 190

Industry composite ranking: 49.33

College commitment: Uncommitted

46. Howard Williams - Dynamic Prep (Dallas, TX)

Position: Small Forward

Height: 6-6

Weight: 225

Industry composite ranking: 52.00

College commitment: Arizona State

47. RJ Moore Jr. - Ambassador Christian (Huntersville, NC)

Position: Shooting Guard

Height: 6-6

Weight: 185

Industry composite ranking: 53.00

College commitment: Rutgers

48. Gene Roebuck - La Mirada (CA)

Position: Shooting Guard

Height: 6-4

Weight: 180

Industry composite ranking: 53.67

College commitment: Uncommitted

49. Justin Wise - North Oconee (Bogart, GA)

Position: Shooting Guard

Height: 6-4

Weight: 175

Industry composite ranking: 55.33

College commitment: Georgia

50. Tyran Frazier - Principia (St. Louis, MO)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6-9

Weight: 190

Industry composite ranking: 56.33

College commitment: Uncommitted

Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: JSpears@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2027 basketball recruiting rankings: Top 50 high school players

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings' training camp and preseason are officially behind us, and the 2026-27 regular season is set to start again.

There's excitement surrounding the team in California's capital for their upcoming season following a tumultuous 2025-26 that saw injuries and losses pile up. In turn, it resulted in one of the worst seasons in Kings history since moving to Sacramento in 1985, finishing 22-60.

But now they have a clean slate. 0-0. It's a new day. There's a newfound energy that fills the Kings' practice facility at Golden 1 Center. And a reason to be hopeful that the Kings won't be as bad as they were in the previous year.

"Everyone's excited," Domantas Sabonis told USA TODAY. "There was a lot of guys who were hurt. A lot of guys that didn't play above like 20 games. So just being out there. Everyone's happy to be out there, you know go out there and do what you love."

Sabonis appeared in just 19 games with a torn left meniscus injury, Keegan Murray only played 23 games mostly due to an ankle injury. Zach LaVine missed half the season with a right pinky injury. All three have reported to camp healthy, ready to compete. Second-year center Maxime Raynaud did have a setback with a right knee injury in a preseason game against the Golden State Warriors, but he'll be reevaluated in a week.

They recently lost newly signed former All-Star Ben Simmons after he sustained a torn Achilles injury that is believed to be a season-ending injury for Simmons.

The Kings' offseason wasn't very busy; it did have some moments. It was highlighted by the retirement of Russell Westbrook, a contract buyout for DeMar DeRozan and their 2026 draft class featuring No. 7 overall pick Darius Acuff Jr.

With their offseason acquisitions and multiple players returning from last year, there's good reason why the Kings won't be as terrible as they were in the previous year, despite the considerable loss of Ben Simmons. Here's what the Kings need in the 2026-27 season:

Everything needed for the Kings to have success

Here's what the Sacramento Kings need for a considerably successful season.

Darius Acuff Jr. is as advertised, if not better than expected

Darius Acuff Jr. was the Kings' No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. He has a superstar written all over him and Sacramento is just completely enamored with what the 19-year-old brings to the table.

As a freshman at Arkansas, he averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists on 48.4% field goal shooting. It's not just his skill or his potential. It's his work ethic that will really shine through.

Acuff is regularly one of the last ones to leave the practice facility. Once the session ends, another one begins for the rookie, where he's getting up shots, working on his spots, demonstrating his desire to make a name for himself in the league.

"That's how I got to get better," Acuff told USA TODAY. "I just got here, so I ain't really did nothing. I ain't did nothing to show nobody yet. But like I said, that's kind of been my whole motto my whole life. Just putting work in. If I see something that I didn't do well today, I'm gonna do it after to try to work on it. So that's just how I am."

Kings head coach Doug Christie will at times jaw at him to see if he could throw him off concentration. Acuff isn't phased by it. Christie knows the pedigree Acuff comes with. They're cut from the same cloth. He loves it.

"He is about as hard a worker as you see," Christie said to USA TODAY Sports. "For us to push him, we're going to push him in a lot of different ways. Obviously, defensively, offensively, he is special, man. I mean, he can make the shots, he can make the passes, he sees it all. You can't really speed him up like he plays on the ball, off the ball. So there's a lot of of things to be happy about with Darius."

Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis need to have All-Star caliber seasons

The Kings will be a solid team that surprises opponents if their best players produce All-Star seasons. Even if they get snubbed, playing at an All-Star level is still significant. Both players missed large portions of the 2025-26 season due to injuries.

Both have said their health is intact and they are ready for the campaign. LaVine has been selected to an All-Star team twice, in 2021 and 2022. He put up 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 39 games last season. He shot 47.9% from the field in 2025-26.

Sabonis is a three-time All-Star, appearing in 2020, 2021, and 2023. He only played in 19 games with Sacramento last season. He's played for the Kings for five seasons where he's averaged 19 points, 13.1 rebounds on 59% field goal shooting and 37% 3-point shooting.

Kings are healthy, stay healthy

The Kings were unfortunate in the health department last season. Their projected starting lineup did not log a single minute together. Guys were filling in or playing out of position throughout the 2025-26 campaign.

Sacramento cannot afford to miss guys, especially key players. Last year it happened and it got ugly at times. They enter this season relatively healthy. Their success will depend on how available their players are.

Team depth and bench production

A lot has been made of the Kings starting lineup but they have talent coming off the bench as well, but they will need consistent contribution from that group of guys, led by Malik Monk.

Last season, the Kings were ranked 13th in the NBA for total bench points and bench points per game during the 2025–26 regular season. But they need to be consistent on defense as well.

They will be heavily dependent on Monk, Raynaud, Emmanuel Sharp, Precious Achiuwa, De'Andre Hunter, Nique Clifford, Dylan Cardwell and Daeqwon Plowden.

And although a starter, not a reserve, Keegan Murray will have a major presence in this team's success. He's not being asked to do too much, nor too little. Just answer the phone when your number is called, because it will be often.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 4 reasons the Sacramento Kings are better than you think despite Simmons loss

Editor's note: The Tennessean is running a season-long, all-access series inside the Pearl-Cohn football program. To follow along with the project, please subscribe to The Tennessean here.

The Pearl-Cohn football program has won three state championships since 1996 and finished state runner-up four times, including in 2025.

It takes talented players to establish that type of winning tradition and the Firebirds have had plenty over the years. Many have gone on to also enjoy successful college football careers and some played in the NFL.

The Tennessean went back and looked at every Firebirds team since the school's football program began in 1983 and named the all-time Pearl-Cohn football team (the player's senior season is in parentheses):

OFFENSEDeaunte Mason

Quarterback (2007)

Mr. Football ... 2,375 passing yards and 1,052 rushing yards as a senior with 35 total touchdowns ... member of The Tennessean's inaugural Dandy Dozen ... signed with Kentucky, where he played one season before transferring to Alabama A&M, where he started three straight seasons.

Santonio Beard

Running back (1998)

Two-time Mr. Football ... helped lead the Firebirds to back-to-back state championships ... rushed for more than 5,600 career yards and 104 TDs as a three-year starter ... played at Alabama where he rushed for a total of 1,514 yards and 16 TDs over two seasons.

Ke'Shawn Vaughn

Running back (2015)

Mr. Football ... back-to-back 2,000-yard rushing seasons and a total of 75 TDs ... averaged 11.5-yards per carry as a senior ... Tennessean All-Midstate first team as a senior, second team as a junior ... led Firebirds to the Class 4A semifinals in 2014 and finals in 2015 ... Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year ... No. 12 on Tennessean Dany Dozen ... signed with Illinois and transferred to Vanderbilt where he became the Commodores' fifth all-time leading rusher with 2,272 yards in two seasons ... third-round NFL Draft pick by Tampa Bay ... played in the 2021 Super Bowl.

Barion Brown

Wide receiver (2021)

Mr. Football ... Tennessean All-Midstate first team as a senior, second team as a junior ... 25 catches for 372 yards with four TDs and rushed for 756 yards on 62 carries and seven TDs as a senior ... 4-star prospect ... also played quarterback, running back, defensive back and kick returner ... also won five individual track state titles ... played at Kentucky (2022-24) and LSU (2025) and finished his career second in NCAA history with six kickoffs returned for TDs (SEC record) ... sixth-round NFL draft pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2026.

Rontavius Groves

Wide Receiver (2015)

Two-time Tennessean All-Midstate ... Region 5-4A offensive MVP ... 105 catches, 2,290 yards and 33 TDs over his junior and senior seasons ... led Firebirds to the Class 4A finals ... played five seasons at North Carolina (41 catches, 474 yards, 1 TD) then finished his college career at Texas State in 2021.

Joel Johnson

Fullback (1990)

Played fullback but was also one of the top rushers in Metro in his junior and senior seasons ... rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 1989 and 1990 ... had 236 yards on 35 carries and scored four TDs in a 30-26 win over Chattanooga Howard.

William Griffin-Parker

Offensive line (2020)

Two-time Tennessean All-Midstate ... three-star prospect ... anchored offensive line that averaged 341.8 total yards and 40.1 points per game ... 6-foot-6, 315 pounds ... signed with Tennessee then transferred to UAB after his freshman season.

Jarrett Harris

Offensive line (1993)

Praised by longtime Pearl-Cohn coach Maurice Fitzgerald for his excellent technique, which included, "coming off the ball real low and explosive." ... also started on the defensive line ... all-region ... 6-2, 250 pounds ... signed with Tennessee State.

JaDarious Lee

Offensive line (2021)

Tennessean All-Midstate ... a dominating force at left tackle ... anchored the line that helped Pearl-Cohn go undefeated in the regular season and advance to the quarterfinals of the 4-A playoffs ... signed with Florida International, where he has started every game since the start of his junior season in 2025.

Joey Martin

Offensive line (1998)

All-State ... Tennessean All-Midstate ... also played defensive guard .... started as a junior on the 1997 state championship team ... instrumental in helping running back Santonio Beard rush for 2,432 yards and 38 TDs in 1998 ... committed to Carson-Newman.

Albert Washington

Offensive line (1997)

All-State ... at 6-1, 320 pounds, Washington was one of the biggest, strongest players in Metro ... played in the Down Under Bowl in Australia and the Tennessee East-West Shrine All-Star Game ... played at Carson-Newman.

Jimmyrious Parker

Athlete (2017)

Mr. Football finalist ... two-time Tennessean All-Midstate ... 2,340 all-purpose yards and led the Firebirds to the Class 3A semifinals as a senior ... set the school record (tied for second in TSSAA history) for longest run from scrimmage at 91 yards vs. Knoxville Catholic ... signed with Austin Peay where he moved to wide receiver and kick returner. Also played at Western Illinois and Tennessee Tech.

DEFENSEJohn Henderson

Defensive line (1997)

Mr. Football ... Tennessean Defensive Player of the Year ... 6-8, 280 pounds ... 150 career tackles and 32 sacks ... led Firebirds to back-to-back state championships ... Firebirds recorded six shutouts his senior year ... played at Tennessee where he was the Outland Trophy Award winner and a two-time All-American ... ninth overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by Jacksonville Jaguars ... played 10 years in the NFL ... inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2025.

Kevin Holmes

Defensive line (1990)

Tennessean All-Midstate first team ... earned the Steve Andrus Memorial Award, which goes to the top lineman in Metro.

Elijah Simmons

Defensive line (2018)

Region 5-3A defensive MVP ... 6-0, 353 pounds ... 54 tackles, 10 for loss ... two sacks, a forced fumble, an interception and a defensive TD ... signed with Tennessee where he made 59 career tackles ... currently in his second season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Chris Sims

Defensive line (1983)

After starting three years at Pearl High, Sims became Pearl-Cohn's best defensive player in the school's first year after the merger ... 6-4, 205 pounds ... also started at right offensive guard ... The Tennessean All-Metro Class AAA second team ... Davidson County Scholar-Athlete award winner presented by the National Football Foundation Middle Tennessee Chapter ... also played basketball.

Kenneth Gates

Linebacker (1997)

Tennessean All-Midstate ... one of the top tackles in Metro with more than 126 stops ... helped lead Firebirds to the 1997 state championship ... led Pearl-Cohn to eight shutouts ... ranked in The Tennessean's Top 40 college prospects in the Midstate ... played in the Tennessee East-West Shrine All-Star game ... played at Carson-Newman.

Tremont Lawless

Linebacker (1994)

Two-year starter ... teamed with John Henderson, a freshman at the time, to form one of the top tackling tandems in Metro ... also played tight end and wide receiver... also played basketball.

Wesley Holmes

Linebacker (1999)

Tennessean Defensive Player of the Year as a senior ... two-time All-Midstate ... 187 tackles, three interceptions, eight sacks ... voted No. 3 top hitter in the Midstate by area coaches ... started as a freshman on 1996 state championship team ... signed with Tennessee, but ended up playing at Tennessee State.

Demario Donnell

Defensive back (2011)

Two-time Tennessean All-Midstate ... led Firebirds with 63 tackles as a senior and 15 interceptions over his junior and senior seasons ... led the Firebirds to the Class 3A quarterfinals ... played at Tennessee Tech, where he was a three-year starting cornerback ... returned to Pearl-Cohn as an assistant coach.

Maurice "Buck" Fitzgerald

Defensive back (1997)

Helped lead Firebirds to back-to-back state championships as a starting quarterback and defensive back ... helped Pearl-Cohn post a 23-5 record over his junior and senior seasons .... Hume Award winner, which is Metro's top football honor ... also played basketball ... played at Tennessee.

Roger Jones

Defensive back (1986)

Three-year starter and one of the fastest players on the team ... also ran track ... National Scholar Athlete Award from the National Football Foundation Middle Tennessee Chapter ... signed with Tennessee State where he was a three-year starter ... played seven years in the NFL (Titans, Tampa Bay, Cincinnati) ... inducted into the Metro Nashville Public Schools Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

Dewain Trotter

Defensive back (2020)

Tennessean All-Midstate ... extremely athletic ... had 64 tackles with six interceptions and blocked a punt as a junior ... also played basketball ... played at Tennessee State for two seasons before transferring to Marshall.

McKinley Young

Athlete (1997)

Played several positions on both sides of the ball including linebacker, fullback, quarterback and long snapper ... 3-year starter ... vital member of the Firebirds 1996 and 1997 state championship teams ... also played basketball.

SPECIAL TEAMSJames Stowe

Kicker/Punter (1996)

Handled all three phases − kickoffs, field goals, punting − in the kicking game and helped the Firebirds win the 1996 state championship.

Wesley Schelling

Long snapper (2019)

Hume Award winner ... No. 8 long snapper in the nation by 247Sports Composite ... 6-5, 240 pounds ... played at Vanderbilt and was All-SEC in 2023.

COACHMaurice Fitzgerald

(1990-2005)

Fitzgerald turned the Firebirds into one of the top teams in the state in the 1990s ... Pearl-Cohn won the Class 4A state championships in 1996 and 1997 ... The Firebirds reached the playoffs for the first time in 1994 and returned nine more times under Fitzgerald... inducted into the Metro Nashville Public Schools Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Meet our Pearl-Cohn football all-time team, including John Henderson and Barion Brown