At the convent of Leonardo’s 'Last Supper,' Dominican friars still live, pray and welcome visitors

MILAN (AP) — The Rev. Paolo Venturelli never gets too close when he visitsLeonardo da Vinci's"The Last Supper." The Dominican friar prefers to stand away fromthe wallwhere it was painted, on the opposite side of the room once used by members of his order for meals.

Italy Milan Last Supper Friars

"From there, the painting looks as though it were painted in the middle of the refectory," said Venturelli of the masterpiece depicting the Gospel story of Jesus' final meal with his apostles. "It unleashes all kinds of human and spiritualreactions."

He lives in Santa Maria delle Grazie, a convent andbasilicainMilanwhereLeonardoworked in the 1490s at the request of Ludovico Sforza, then ruler of the city.

"The Last Supper," which illustrates the biblical account of Jesus announcing that one of his apostles will betray him, is located in the convent's original refectory. Such rooms still serve as dining spaces where monastic communities gather for food, prayer and reading. Yet at Santa Maria delle Grazie it is no longer part of the friars' daily life.

After the Napoleonic suppression of religious houses in the 18th century, the refectory passed into state hands. Today it is known as the Cenacolo Vinciano and is managed by Italy's Regional Directorate of Museums of Lombardy.

"We don't go often because we have to ask permission to enter," said Venturelli, who can stay inside for only 15 minutes like any other visitor because of preservation rules.

"It no longer belongs to us."

Living beside "The Last Supper"

A dozen priests and nine novices make up Santa Maria delle Grazie's current Dominican community. Dressed in the iconic white robes associated with their order — or brown hooded capes in winter — friars are regularly seen walking inside the basilica.

Not all tourists visiting the Cenacolo make a stop at its adjacent church. But among those who do, some look at Venturelli and the other friars with curiosity.

"We just came from the cloister and saw one of the friars taking care of the garden," said Maria Teresa Bruzzi, who traveled from Genoa with her husband in mid-February.

"We came to see Leonardo's Last Supper but we also wanted to see the church because it's quite special," she added. "This is a Renaissance church that combines two styles and was very important for the Sforza family."

According to Venturelli, visitors to the sanctuary are often blown away by its architecture. "When they visit the chapel of Our Lady of the Grazie, they can see that the beauty around them was built to give glory to the one who is beautiful in and of himself — God," he said.

Tickets for the Cenacolo are often sold out and the museum is closed on Mondays, preventing last-minute visitors to Milan from seeing the painting. The basilica, in contrast, opens daily and welcomes those wishing to attend Mass or go to confession.

"Confessions are very much sought after and we maintain this service for the citizens of Milan but also for all visitors," said the Rev. Llewellyn Muscat, prior of the Dominican community at Santa Maria delle Grazie.

Venturelli offers confessions to Italian-language speakers. Muscat can support those speaking English, Italian and Maltese, his mother tongue. And while other friars offer their services in French and German, the prior said they all make an effort to understand everyone.

"We cannot hold back the graces that the Lord gives to each one of us," Muscat said.

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A life of study and prayer

Dominicans arrived at Santa Maria delle Grazie as the complex was being built in the 15th century. However, the order had established an earlier presence in Milan.

Those first friars' devotion to St. Catherine of Siena is still visible in the basilica. Frescoes depict her alongside St. Catherine of Alexandria, associated with the Dominican tradition of study and considered the patron saint of philosophers.

That intellectual legacy is also evident inside the convent itself. A few steps away from the steady flow of tourists, dozens of shelves filled with books stand in the halls.

"Reading is part of our identity," Muscat said.

Neither he nor his fellow friars follow a strict daily schedule. But study, prayer and their ministry shape their routine.

Priests like him celebrate Mass on a regular basis and assist nearby parishes when clergy are needed. Others oversee the novitiate program, teach at local Catholic institutions, or collaborate with Santa Maria delle Grazie's cultural center, which organizes conferences and events.

"We try to offer the spiritual push that people need," Muscat said.

A bond beyond art

The fact that Leonardo was commissioned to paint "The Last Supper" inside a Dominican convent was no accident. Venturelli said most of his order's refectories have this scene depicted on their walls. And according to Muscat, it echoes Dominican principles.

"For us, it does not awaken an emotion about something that belongs to the past," he said. "It is like a continuation in which we eat together with Jesus and his apostles, as though his words are also spoken to us."

Muscat, like any other visitor who stands in front of Leonardo's mural, feels deeply moved by it.

In his case, however, it is not only the art but also a shared history that strikes a deeper chord. The painting, like the convent that houses it, has endured centuries of upheaval and has required collective efforts to survive.

"'The Last Supper' is a call to my personal conscience and a call to the conscience of the order," Muscat said. "Because here in the Grazie there are no individuals, but a community that works and welcomes."

The order's current refectory is housed away from tourists, deep inside the labyrinth-like convent where the friars find the quiet needed for reflection and prayer. It is a modest, wide room, with several square tables instead of a long one, like the table depicted in "The Last Supper."

It's nice, Muscat said. But who knows, he added, maybe one day the old refectory will belong to them again.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP'scollaborationwith The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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March 09, 2026

At the convent of Leonardo’s 'Last Supper,' Dominican friars still live, pray and welcome visitors

MILAN (AP) — The Rev. Paolo Venturelli never gets too close when he visitsLeonardo da Vinci's"The Last Supper....

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Alexander Butterfield, the Nixon aide who disclosed Watergate tapes, dies at 99

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alexander Butterfield, the White House aide who inadvertentlyhastened Richard Nixon's resignationoverthe Watergate scandalwhen he revealed that the president had bugged the Oval Office and Cabinet Room and routinely recorded his conversations, has died. He was 99.

Obit Butterfield

His death was confirmed to The Associated Press by his wife, Kim, and John Dean, who served as White House counsel to Nixon during the Watergate scandal and went on to, along with Butterfield, helpexpose the wrongdoing.

"He had the heavy responsibility of revealing something he was sworn to secrecy on, which is the installation of the Nixon taping system," Dean said. "He stood up and told the truth."

As a deputy assistant to the president, Butterfield oversaw the taping system connected to voice-activated listening devices that had been secretly placed in four locations, including Nixon's office in the Executive Office Building and the presidential retreat at Camp David.

Butterfield later said that, besides himself and the president, he believed that only White House chief of staff H.R. Haldeman, a Haldeman assistant and a handful of Secret Service agents knew about the taping system.

"Everything was taped … as long as the president was in attendance," Butterfield told Watergate investigators when testifying under oath during a preliminary interview.

The tapes would expose Nixon's role in the cover-up that followed the burglary in 1972 at the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate building. To avoid impeachment by the House, Nixon resigned on Aug. 9, 1974, less than a month after the Supreme Court had ordered him to surrender the relevant tapes to the Watergate special prosecutor.

Butterfield believed he'd had a hand in the president's fate. "I didn't like to be the cause of that, but I felt that I was, in a lot of ways," he said in a 2008 oral history for the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum.

Butterfield, a college friend of Haldeman's at UCLA who had contacted his friend to ask about opportunities in the new Nixon administration, served as a deputy assistant to Nixon from 1969 to 1973. In that capacity, he worked under Haldeman and, among other duties, was secretary to the Cabinet and helped oversee White House operations.

The Air Force veteran had left the White House to become administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration when Senate committee staffers privately questioned him on July 13, 1973, during their investigation of the Watergate break-in. A routine question about the possibility of a taping system had been prompted by former White House counsel John Dean's testimony that he believed a conversation he had had with Nixon may have been recorded.

When Butterfield acknowledged that a taping system indeed existed, he was brought before a public hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities. The public revelation on July 16, 1973, of a taping system designed to record all the president's conversations stunned Nixon friends and foes alike. The tapes promised Watergate investigators a rich vein of evidence in their quest to determine what Nixon and others knew about the break-in — a great deal, as it turned out.

Efforts by investigators to gain access to the tapes sparked a yearlong legal battle that was resolved in July 1974 when the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Nixon had to give them up.

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The thousands of hours of tapes made public over the years — they are now controlled by the National Archives — provide a unique, if often unflattering, view of Nixon. His words exposed a bad temper, vulgar language, bigoted racial and religious views, and unvarnished opinions about national and international figures.

"I just thought, 'When they hear those tapes …' I mean, I knew what was on these tapes … they're dynamite," Butterfield told the Nixon Library. "I guess I didn't foresee that the president might be put out of office or impeached, but I thought it would be a perilous few years for him. I guess I couldn't conceive of (Nixon) being forced out of office. It had never happened before."

Butterfield later said he believed that Nixon's successor, President Gerald Ford, fired him as FAA administrator in 1975 as part of an agreement worked out between the Nixon and Ford staff members. He said he had heard from White House friends that he had been targeted shortly after his testimony to the Senate committee.

After leaving the FAA, Butterfield worked as a business executive in California. He earned a master's degree from the University of California, San Diego, in 1994.

Alexander Porter Butterfield was born on April 6, 1926, in Pensacola, Florida.

He left UCLA to join the Navy and later earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland in 1956 and a master's degree from George Washington University in 1967.

In 1948, he joined the Air Force and served as an instructor at a base near Las Vegas during the Korean War and later served in Germany. In Washington, he was a military assistant to the special assistant of the defense secretary in 1965 and 1966 and later served as senior military representative of the U.S. and representative for the commander-in-chief, Pacific Forces, Australia. He retired at the rank of colonel after 20 years in the Air Force.

Butterfield was unsparing in his criticism of the former president in later years. While he commended Nixon's achievements in foreign affairs, he considered his former boss "not an honest man" and "a crook" and believed that Nixon knew about the Watergate break-in before it occurred and was the architect of the ensuing cover-up.

Butterfield found himself "cheering … just cheering" the day Nixon resigned, he told the Nixon Library, because "justice had prevailed."

"I didn't think that it would for a while," he said. "This guy was the ringleader."

Daniel, the primary writer of this obituary, retired from The Associated Press in 2023.

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March 09, 2026

Alexander Butterfield, the Nixon aide who disclosed Watergate tapes, dies at 99

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alexander Butterfield, the White House aide who inadvertentlyhastened Richard Nixon's resignationov...

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Two teen brothers in Texas mariachi band are released from ICE custody amid bipartisan criticism

RAYMONDVILLE, Texas (AP) — A family whose two teen boys are in a nationally recognized mariachi band in South Texas was reunited Monday afternoon after bipartisan criticism that the Trump administration'scampaign for mass deportationoverreached by detaining the family.

Immigrations Enforcement Texas Fatal Shooting

Brothers Antonio Gámez-Cuéllar, 18, and Joshua, 14, were detained along with their 12-year-old brother and their parents Feb. 25. The teenage boys were prominent members of the McAllen High School Mariachi Oro band, which has visited the White House, performed at Carnegie Hall and won eight state championships.

The two younger boys and their parents were released Monday from a family detention center in Dilley, Texas, said U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat who visited them, marking histhird visitto the detention center.

Antonio was released on Monday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from a detention center in Raymondville, Texas.

"They were ecstatic. They were crying. They were excited to be reunited with their son and brother, Antonio, who was being held separately in Raymondville," Castro said at a news conference in San Antonio. "But their mom kept asking, 'What did we do wrong? We followed all the rules. We went to court, we haven't done anything wrong.'"

The family had been checking in regularly with immigration authorities, as instructed, when they were detained, according to a relative and a girlfriend who organized a GoFundMe account for the family.

The Department of Homeland Security said the parents, Emma Guadalupe Cuellar Lopez and Luis Antonio Gamez Martinez, were arrested by immigration authorities and "chose" to bring their three children with them. The department said they entered the U.S. illegally in 2023 near Brownsville, Texas.

Efrén C. Olivares, an attorney with the National Immigration Law Center representing the eldest son, Antonio, clarified that the family entered lawfully through the CBP One app, a legal pathway, in 2023.

Olivares said Antonio was released after attorneys filed a parole request with ICE which ICE granted, and attorneys did not need to ask for a judge's order.

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Elected officials from across the political spectrum voiced support for the family, who are from Mexico and had sought asylum in the U.S. and were going through their immigration proceedings.

"I challenge my colleagues to work together for new enforcement policies that not only secure our border but make safer communities and that ultimately are common sense," U.S. Rep. Monica de la Cruz, a Republican congresswoman representing McAllen, in Raymondville after Antonio's release.

McAllen's Republican mayor, Javier Villalobos, said he supported the family and said he continues to advocate for "responsible pathways for law abiding individuals who want to contribute to our economy, support their families, and become productive neighbors in McAllen."

U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, a New York Democrat and chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, called the family's detention "outrageous."

The boys' mariachi directors visited the family held in Dilley earlier Monday. Alex Treviño, the mariachi director and Neri Fuentes, the assistant director, said the kids were concerned about losing their playing abilities.

"They were worried that their fingers weren't going to work, because they don't have instruments," Treviño said.

Antonio, who had been held apart from the family due to his age, recently won the first chair for trumpet in a state competition.

"This year he's going to be graduating from high school and going to college and joining some other groups in college. He wants to be a music educator," Fuentes said.

Castro attributed the release of the family to an "ensemble" effort and said he continues to push for the family detention center in Dilley to be closed. He said the population at the detention facility had gone down from about 1,100 people in January to about 450 people, with about 100 of them being children.

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March 09, 2026

Two teen brothers in Texas mariachi band are released from ICE custody amid bipartisan criticism

RAYMONDVILLE, Texas (AP) — A family whose two teen boys are in a nationally recognized mariachi band in South Texas was r...

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After training in deep snow and bitter cold, ex-reality show star seeks to win the Iditarod again

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Riches and paid appearances haven't followed Jessie Holmes since hewon the world's most famous sled dog race,the Iditarod, last year.

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

He doesn't mind.

A carpenter and a former cast member of National Geographic's reality show "Life Below Zero," Holmes has instead been content to return to his austere, hand-built homestead in the wilderness nearthe continent's tallest mountain. His life is solitary and frugal. His closest neighbors are 30 miles (50 kilometers) away.

"There's a lot of things that can happen in your life once you win the Iditarod," Holmes told The Associated Press in an interviewbefore this year's race. "You could become a real big deal, or you could just go back out in the bush and get right back to work, you know? And that's what I did."

Holmes took off Sunday along with 33 other competitive mushers in an effort defend his title in the rigorous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the 1,000-mile (1,610-kilometer) journey from Willow to Nome. A day later he was in the lead.

The winner is expected to reach the finish line around March 17 after traveling over two mountain ranges, along the frozen Yukon River and on the treacherous ice of the Bering Sea on Alaska's western coast.

Dreams of becoming a mountain man

Mushing was foreign to Holmes growing up in Odenville, Alabama, but he had an affinity for hard-luck dogs.

"I was always getting in trouble for bringing dogs home that I found on the streets and hiding them out in the woods and feeding them out of the fridge," he said.

His life found a calling after he saw the 1972 Robert Redford film "Jeremiah Johnson," based partly on the legend of a real-life 19th century mountain man.

At age 18, he set out to make that a reality, jumping on passing freight trains to go north. He eventually settled in Montana, where he hooked his hound dog up to a sled to help pull equipment during the winter.

He still had no clue there was a thriving competitive mushing lifestyle until he moved farther north, to Dawson City, in Canada's Yukon Territory, after the turn of the century.

"I thought, this is exactly what I want to do," Holmes said.

A rough introduction to competitive mushing

He moved two years later to Alaska, living off the land in a village on the Yukon River, near the Canada border. He used his dogs to haul wood and water and to assist him while hunting, fishing and trapping.

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Competitive mushing gnawed at him. "I could be really good at this," he thought. "I think I'm really good with dogs. I should race."

He learned some hard lessons in his first race. He finished last in a 200-mile (322-kilometer) competition in Fairbanks in 2006 and realized he needed faster dogs. He moved to a cabin without running water or electricity with nearly 40 dogs, regrouped and began to race again in 2012.

A reality show and Iditarod success

He also joined the cast of "Life Below Zero," documenting the daily struggles of living in remote parts of Alaska. He appeared in132 episodesover eight seasons, with pay that allowed him to buy better dog food and equipment. He eventually also bought the land near Denali National Park where he homesteaded.

The hard work of mushing his dogs in the backcountry paid off when he entered his first Iditarod in 2018. He came in seventh, earning rookie of the year honors and a $26,000 check.

He's been in every Iditarod since, placing in the top 10 all but two years. Last year's title came with a check for just over $57,000. He described the win as "magical" and gave all the credit to his dogs, which he called his family.

In the Iditarod's heyday, when it was a regular feature on ABC's "Wide World of Sports," winning mushers — especially those with multiple titles — were able to capitalize on their fame with big endorsements and sponsorships, some pocketing $250,000 a year.

But waning financial support, due in part to aanimal rights group targeting national sponsors, has shrunk the purse while inflation isstifling young musherstrying to make a go of it. This year a Norwegian billionaire, Kjell Rokke, has provided additional backing as he mushes in a new amateur or "expedition" category.

Pressure to repeat as champ

Holmes does have a sponsor — a local auto-repair chain. But he hasn't done paid appearances or events, and his income now primarily comes from race winnings and breeding dogs. And even though Rokke's contribution is boosting prize money this year, Holmes said he's not in favor of amateurs being on the trail.

"I don't really feel like it aligns with the spirt of the race," he said. "I just really don't want to say too much because I don't want to dig a hole for myself, but I don't mind saying that I'm not a fan of it."

In a social media post, he said he logged some 4,500 miles (7,240 kilomeers) training with his dogs this winter.

"Deep snow. Ferocious winds. 40 below and colder," he wrote. "But that's nothing new to us out here. Instead of letting it break us, we let it sharpen us."

The self-imposed stress of repeating as champion is burning at him. He calls this year's race the most important of his career. Many mushers have won multiple Iditarod titles, but only two — Susan Butcher andLance Mackey— won their second title the year after getting their first.

"That's hard to put that on yourself because you got to live with that pressure every day," Holmes told The AP. "And if I do not make it, it is going to absolutely crush me."

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March 09, 2026

After training in deep snow and bitter cold, ex-reality show star seeks to win the Iditarod again

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Riches and paid appearances haven't followed Jessie Holmes since hewon the world's most ...

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NFL free agency: From Matthew Stafford to Fernando Mendoza, early winners and losers

The Baltimore Ravens seem committed to maximizing Lamar Jackson's championship window, the Philadelphia Eagles still have A.J. Brown's contractual rights and the Seattle Seahawks let their Super Bowl MVP walk in free agency.

But beyond the obvious implications of 2026 NFL free agency's biggest moves, what are the underrated implications of this year's cycle?

In light of the NFL's legal tampering window opening Monday, following an active week of trades and high-profile scheduled releases, here are Yahoo Sports' winners and losers from the beginning of free agency:

Winners

Kenneth Walker's chance at a Super Bowl MVP repeat:In order to repeat as Super Bowl MVP, you've got to repeat on the Super Bowl stage. And while the Seattle Seahawks showed they could go all the way this season, the Kansas City Chiefs in the Patrick Mahomes era have shown they can go all the way and then get back there again. So insigning with the Chiefs in free agency, Walker didn't settle for money without a chance to be competitive. He joined a team that values playing at your best on the biggest stage, which Walker did both in a 135-yard, 5-yards-per-carry Super Bowl performance as well as his 116-yard, three-touchdown performance in a divisional round win over the San Francisco 49ers.Monday's news that tight end Travis Kelce will return to the Chiefsfor another year, per multiple reports, further suggests the 2026 Chiefs can still contend even if they are retooling their roster.

Dallas Cowboys' secondary:The Cowboys hired defensive coordinator Christian Parker to shore up a defense that allowed more points and more passing yards than any group in 2025. They valued Parker's résumé of developing young defensive backs, including Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, the last two years with the Philadelphia Eagles. But one aid to the young DBs' development was an excellent defensive front.Trading a 2027 fourth-round draft pick for edge rusher Rashan Gary on Mondayadds a proven veteran to a group that also has Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark and Osa Odighizuwa. That should help the Cowboys' secondary, which won't need to cover as long. "Rush and coverage working together is a beautiful thing," one Cowboys source told Yahoo Sports. An AFC assistant added: "Gotta give Jerry [Jones] and crew credit for being aggressive. With the way the offense played last year, if they can get the defense right, there's a legitimate shot to make a run."

​​[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]

Bills' chance to smooth over their Keon Coleman mess:Keon Coleman's limited production since the Buffalo Bills selected him in the 2024 NFL Draft has been unideal. But arguably more toxic to the Bills' passing game was a January news conference in which team owner Terry Pegula acted like the leadership still in place didn't want Coleman — even as the receiver remained on Buffalo's roster. The direct relationship may still need mending. But the Bills took a step toward placating the fan base wondering why a front office that failed to stock the team with adequate receiver talent outlasted former head coach Sean McDermott. TheBills are trading 2026 second- and fifth-round picks for Chicago Bears receiver DJ Moore, per multiple reports, in a transaction that can become official Wednesday. Moore's four 1,100+ yard seasons across Chicago and the Carolina Panthers show the type of receiver he can be. And while his production and catch percentage fell off his final year in Chicago, his familiarity with head coach Joe Brady's play-calls from their time in Carolina will help hasten his acclimation to a team with an MVP quarterback and a sense of urgency.

Sauce Gardner's lockdown coverage:The Indianapolis Colts acquired Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline because of his ability to lock down receivers. Last week, he wanted to lock down one of his own team's wideouts. Gardner posted to X: "should I lock Alec Pierce in my basement and force him to sign the contract papers?" The Colts' decision to tag quarterback Daniel Jones rather than Pierce seemed like it might cost them their player. Instead, on the cusp of what seemed like a chance to hit the market,Pierce and the Colts reached a four-year deal worth a reported $116 million. The decision may have cost the Colts fellow wide receiverMichael Pittman Jr., whom they promptly traded to the Pittsburgh Steelersafter paying up for Pierce. But Gardner's public plea came true. He tweeted Monday: "it worked chat".

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Fernando Mendoza, in part:Full disclosure, the Indiana quarterback and presumptive first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft earned his spot on the losers list first. More on that in a minute. But by Monday afternoon, he warranted a winning recognition too as theLas Vegas Raiders signed center Tyler Linderbaum to a record-breaking contractworth $27 million per year and $60 million guaranteed, per multiple reports. Protecting quarterbacks in the NFL is one of the most integral keys to ensuring a quarterback grows rather than falters. As a high-caliber, veteran center, Linderbaum doesn't only guard against pocket-collapsing defensive tackles. He'll also help Mendoza transition from college playbooks to pro protection schemes. He can help cover Mendoza's physical and mental blind spots as he develops. The Raiders had to bid high for Linderbaum, and Mendoza should celebrate.

The Broncos' salary cap department:When the Denver Broncos decided to shoulder an $85 million dead cap hit for Russell Wilson two years ago, they set the unenviable record for the largest dead cap hit in NFL history. Thanks to the Miami Dolphins, the Broncos will soon no longer hold that distinction. TheDolphins are expected to release quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, absorbing a $99.2 million dead cap hit to do so. Adding insult to injury: The Dolphins are making this move during a year of a weak rookie quarterback class. So while the Broncos were able to balance Bo Nix's rookie salary against Wilson's dead cap hit, theDolphins will be paying Malik Willis more than $20 million a year on a three-year dealworth up to $67.5 million, with $45 million guaranteed. Even with the chance to spread out both quarterbacks' cap hits over multiple years, the Dolphins will still be investing heavily in one room while needing to bolster several others.

Matthew Stafford's chance at another ring:When Matthew Stafford accepted his MVP award on stage with his four daughters last month, the now 38-year-old confirmed he'll return for another run with the Los Angeles Rams. The Seahawks edged the Rams in the NFC championship game by 4 points, despite Stafford's 374-yard, three-touchdown performance. That's because Seattle was able to pick apart the Rams' weakness: their secondary, particularly their cornerbacks. Now, Los Angeles is pivoting from its strategy to hope a strong defensive front will elevate a shaky secondary. The Rams instead traded for Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie and signed Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson to add talented players with playoff experience. Neither came cheap. As long as Stafford stays healthy, that should position the Rams right back in the strongest group of contenders ahead of the 2026 season.

Losers

Fernando Mendoza, in part:We stand by our belief that the Linderbaum signing was one of the most important moves the Raiders could make to help Mendoza develop if and when they draft him first overall. But high-ranking personnel executives across the league often say that the best schematic recipe for young quarterbacks isn't to give them top-tier weapons at wideout; rather, it's to give them a strong defense and run game to take the pressure off the quarterback that shootouts are needed to win. So while theRaiders' haul of two first-round draft picks for Maxx Crosby made sense with their team life cycleand could pay dividends in the medium- and long-term, Crosby's move to the Baltimore Ravens will not help Mendoza's early career. Facing the Raiders looks easier this week than it did last. "Maxx was [the] most disruptive player I've had to game-plan against since Aaron Donald," one offensive coach told Yahoo Sports. "Every play. Every down. Game wrecker." In Baltimore, Lamar Jackson is celebrating.

Rebuilding teams in search of veteran QBs:Stick with us here, but Malik Willis and Sam Darnold are among quarterbacks who have created a low-key trend. The pattern: Quarterbacks looking for their footing should go to winning teams with strong play-callers, not only because of the development they'll receive there but also because of the staff connections that will bolster their future market. While Darnold had a larger body of work when he hit free agency last year, the Seahawks' willingness to invest in him still came in large part because of then-offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's ability to vouch for Darnold from their overlapping year in San Francisco. Signing with the Dolphins, Willis is experiencing something similar: The decision-makers who saw him developing behind the scenes and evolving in practice were most willing to pay him. Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley practiced against Willis last year while Hafley was Green Bay defensive coordinator and now-Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan was in Green Bay's front office. That gave Willis a payday when a shifting market materialized less competitively for his services than initially warranted. QBs on the market this year should take note: Winning staffs are more likely to produce the next wave of decision-makers.

Howie Roseman's asking price, so far***:The Philadelphia Eagles' interest in shopping receiver A.J. Brown is no secret. But general manager Howie Roseman's asking price for his wideout appears too steep at this step. Roseman wants a first- and a second-round pick, per multiple reports, which has not materialized as receivers including Moore and Pierce settle into their 2026 homes. It's possible that Roseman's asking price could become more palatable as the week goes on and the receiver supply dwindles. The New England Patriots still seem to make the most sense as a trade partner: Brown played for Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee; the Patriots released Stefon Diggs, creating a hole in their receiver room; and the Patriots' first-round pick would be at No. 31, which could make that part of the package more palatable. This conversation is far from over, warranting the asterisks here. But if the Eagles and Roseman wanted it settled early in order to make subsequent moves accordingly, their bet on early bidders lost.

Jets' chance to continue making history:The New York Jets defense managing to secure zero interceptions in 2025 will remain hilarious to everyone except the Jets and some of their fan base. Prior to that, no team in the NFL had recorded fewer than two interceptions dating back to the Jets' establishment as a team in 1960. Extending that streak to two years would also be funny, but the Jets' free agency moves suggest they'll instead begin rebuilding a defense from which they willingly dealt Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. New upgrades include edge rusher Joseph Ossai, linebacker Demario Davis and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. With the bevy of draft capital from recent trades, expect the Jets also to add strong young defensive talent in April — beginning with the second overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Aaron Rodgers' market:Aaron Rodgers said last week on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he did not have a contract offer on the table, from his most recent team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, nor anyone. The four-time MVP's market has not gotten smoother in the last week, with a sudden influx of not just available but also extremely cost-effective veteran quarterbacks. Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Kirk Cousins and Geno Smith are all getting paid to not play for their former teams — making them attractive options for the veteran minimum cost of $1.3 million. Tagovailoahas reportedly already landed with the Falcons. Rodgers' arm still flashed during the 2025 season, he wasn't an in-season distraction, and his ability to diagnose defenses in real time is arguably the best in the game at the position right now. But will a suitor whom Rodgers wants also want him? The Steelers and Minnesota Vikings remain the most likely to appeal to him.

Right-handed QB3s interested in Atlanta:With the Atlanta Falcons on track to sign Tagovailoa, the Falcons will now have left-handed quarterbacks at each of their top two spots on the depth chart. Whoever joins Michael Penix Jr. and Tagovailoa should recognize that practices, and offensive installations, will be geared toward southpaws. This might sound silly, but protections and formations are often flipped for left-handed quarterbacks and thus coached accordingly. If teammates are used to running plays that way, a right-handed quarterback may have more difficulty getting on-field familiarity from players to the side favoring his dominant hand. And while third-string quarterbacks may seem like an obscure position to care about in March, both Penix and Tagovailoa have significant injury histories (torn knee tendons, concussions, respectively) that could thrust a third quarterback into action.

The Eagles' Super Bowl defensive corp:When the Eagles won the Super Bowl 13 months ago, their top-ranked defense's dismantling of Mahomes and Co. played a huge role. Already last spring, key contributors including defensive linemen Milton Williams and Josh Sweat departed in free agency. As of Monday, the Eagles have now also lost linebacker Nakobe Dean to the Las Vegas Raiders and safety Reed Blankenship to the Houston Texans. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is more likely than most in the league to identify and develop replacements. But as coaches and players are courted elsewhere, the defense that already dropped from first in yards per play allowed in 2024 to seventh last year must again hit on draft picks. Restocking the cupboard with some rookie contracts will help offset high-priced extended players including linebacker Zack Baun and defensive tackle Jordan Davis.

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March 09, 2026

NFL free agency: From Matthew Stafford to Fernando Mendoza, early winners and losers

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Report: Seahawks keep Rashid Shaheed with 3-year, $51M deal

On a day that saw NFL rivals poach several key contributors from their Super Bowl roster, the Seattle Seahawks made a big commitment to retain explosive playmaker Rashid Shaheed.

The wide receiver and kick returner has agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal that includes $34.7 million in guaranteed money, according to ESPN. He joins cornerback Josh Jobe and linebacker Drake Thomas in agreeing to new contracts with the reigning champions.

The news of Shaheed's deal came after the Seahawks lost a trio of players on Monday. Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III agreed to a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, defensive back Coby Bryant is joining the Chicago Bears and pass rusher Boye Mafe is departing for the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Shaheed, 27, was one of the Seahawks' biggest offseason priorities after the team sent fourth- and fifth-round picks to New Orleans to acquire the speedster in November. While Shaheed's production in the offense was spotty, he provided numerous big plays in the return game, including returning the opening kickoff of the NFC divisional round game against San Francisco 95 yards for a touchdown.

Undrafted out of Weber State in 2022, Shaheed produced 10 touchdowns of 30-plus yards for the Saints before being dealt to Seattle, where he was reunited with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. In 12 games with the Seahawks (including the playoffs), Shaheed caught only 18 passes for 266 yards and did not reach the end zone, although he did add 86 rushing yards on 11 attempts.

Kubiak departed to become the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach, leading some speculation about whether Shaheed would remain with Seattle. The Seahawks have replaced Kubiak at offensive coordinator with former 49ers tight ends coach Brian Fleury.

--Field Level Media

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March 09, 2026

Report: Seahawks keep Rashid Shaheed with 3-year, $51M deal

On a day that saw NFL rivals poach several key contributors from their Super Bowl roster, the Seattle Seahawks made a ...

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Jack White criticizes the 'Taylor Swift way' of songwriting — and 13 other rockers who have weighed in on the pop star's artistry

Jack Whitemay have battled a "Seven Nation Army," but does he know the power of overprotective Swifties?

The Detroit rocker seemingly took a shot atTaylor Swiftwhile talking about the nuances of his songwriting in a new interview withThe Guardian. Asked if his songs are "entirely autobiographical," White replied, "not too much," and explained why.

"Now, it's become very popular in the Taylor Swift way of pop singers writing about all of their publicly aired break-ups, which I don't find interesting at all," admitted White, who has fronted several bands including the White Stripes, Raconteurs, and Dead Weather.

"I think it's a little bit boring for me to write about myself," he continued. "Even if I've had a really interesting day, I feel like I've already lived that, I don't need to go through it every time I sing this song. If it's something really painful, I'm not going to put this important, painful thing that I went through out there for some idiot on the internet to stomp all over."

Swift has yet to publicly acknowledge White's remark — but she has spoken up to defend herself in the past. Read about the memorable moment with Blur's Damon Albarn below, as well as the 12 other rockers who have discussed the Grammy winner's unique artistry.

Damon Albarn

In 2022, the British singer was asked his thoughts on modern chart-toppers by theLos Angeles Times. As for Swift, he declared, "She doesn't write her own songs."LAT's tweet with Albarn's quote quickly went viral, making its way to the pop star herself.

"I was such a big fan of yours until I saw this," Swiftreplied on X. "I write ALL of my own songs. Your hot take is completely false and SO damaging. You don't have to like my songs but it's really f---ed up to try and discredit my writing. WOW."

Albarn swiftlyapologized"unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting."

Liam Gallagher

Another Brit rocker also came to Swift's defense against Albarn.

"Did he not get ran out of f-- -ing town by the Swifters?" the Oasis singer joked toNME. "I think [Taylor's] f---ing cool, man. She does write her songs and I'm sure she's co-wrote with people."

Courtney Love

The Hole frontwoman has never been one to keep her thoughts to herself. In a 2024 interview with theEvening Standard, she was critiquing female pop stars, including Beyonce and Lana Del Rey, when she decided, "Taylor is not important. She might be a safe space for girls, and she's probably the Madonna of now, but she's not interesting as an artist."

Billy Corgan

Love's very ownCelebrity Skinco-writer, Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, has a differing opinion. In the wake of complaints over the length of Swift's 31-songThe Tortured Poet's Department: The Anthology, Corgan questioned the criticism.

"Taylor Swift is one of the most gifted pop artists of all time," Corgan told theIrish Times. "How is it a bad thing that she's releasing more music? I can't follow that... You can go on Spotify and just skip it."

Stevie Nicks

The Fleetwood Mac singer has long admired Swift, dating back to 2010 when Nickspraisedher songwriting and compared it to icons Elton John and Neil Diamond. Thirteen years later, when her bandmate Christine McVie passed away, it was a track from Swift's discography that helped Nicks through her grief.

"Thank you to Taylor Swift for doing a favor for me, and that is, writing a song called 'You're on Your Own, Kid,'" the "Landslide" singersaidduring a concert in Atlanta in May 2023. "That is the sadness of how I feel."

Paul McCartney

The Beatles singer-songwriter has such an admiration for Swift, she inspired him to write "Who Cares," a 2018 song based on her "sisterly" relationship with Swifties.

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The lyrics, McCartney told theBBC, are meant to encourage people to ignore their bullies: "And I was imagining talking to one of these young fans and saying, 'Have you ever been bullied? Do you get bullied?' Then I say, 'Who cares about the idiots? Who cares about all this? Who cares about you? Well… I do."

McCartney's fellow Beatle echoed a similar sentiment in an interview withEsquire. Speaking on the state of music, the drummer mused, "There's a lot of good bands out there, but nobody's doing anything... Taylor Swift is the only one who's doing well. She likes to play by herself. I love her."

Neil Tennant

The Pet Shop Boys frontman paid Swift a backhanded compliment in 2024 while speaking on a music panel forThe Guardian.

"Taylor Swift sort of fascinates me as a phenomenon because she's so popular, and I sort of quite like the whole thing," began Tennant. "But then when I listen to the records… for a phenomenon as big, where are the famous songs? What's Taylor Swift's 'Billie Jean'?"

Paul Stanley

The Eras Tour was attended by an estimated 10 million people — including KISS legend Paul Stanley, who brought his whole family to see Swift at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in August 2023. "PHENOMENAL SHOW BY A PHENOMENAL ARTIST," Stanleytweeted, along with a photo of himself (sans KISS makeup) rocking an Eras Tour T-shirt.

Billie Eilish

Don't expect the "Birds of a Feather" singer to perform a three-hour concert like the Eras Tour any time soon.

"That's literally psychotic," Eilish candidly told fans during a2024 Stationheaddiscussion. "Nobody wants that. You guys don't want that. I don't want that. I don't even want that as a fan. My favorite artist in the world, I'm not trying to hear them for three hours."

Eddie Vedder

The Pearl Jam singer was introduced to Taylor's music by his Swiftie daughters Olivia, 21, and Harper, 17, and he's especially in awe of her 12-album discography.

"She's incredibly prolific," Vedder toldBill Simmonsin 2024. "So she's able to just keep putting out music and putting out music."

The rocker's favorite song, he teased, is a deep cut "that I just think is incredible." He wouldn't reveal which one, but months later, Vedder and Harper performed acoverof "Best Day" at the Ohana Fest.

Bruce Springsteen

One of Swift's early A-list supporters was "The Boss," who noticed that fans were able to connect to her music because "she's speaking to a large part of them very personally," Springsteen toldVarietyin 2017. "As far as craft, [her songs are] really, really well-built and well-made; they're very, very sturdy, and the records are too."

"Dear John," Swift's 2010 track offSpeak Nowwas a big hit with fans — but not with the ex who inspired it.

Mayer, who dated the 19-year-old pop star for three months, toldRolling Stonehe was "humiliated" by the lyrics, which hinted at "dark twisted games" he played during their brief relationship.

"It made me feel terrible," Mayer confessed. "Because I didn't deserve it. I'm pretty good at taking accountability now, and I never did anything to deserve that. It was a really lousy thing for her to do."

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Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byAdministrator

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March 09, 2026

Jack White criticizes the 'Taylor Swift way' of songwriting — and 13 other rockers who have weighed in on the pop star's artistry

Jack Whitemay have battled a "Seven Nation Army," but does he know the power of overprotective Swifties? ...

Read More