Rockies promote owner's son to leadership role amid one of worst MLB starts

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Rockies promote owner's son to leadership role amid one of worst MLB starts

2025-06-27 01:03 Last Updated At：01:21

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies have promoted the oldest son of team owner Dick Monfort amid one of the worst starts in baseball history.

Walker Monfort was named executive vice president of the Rockies on Thursday and will immediately begin leading the team alongside outgoing President and COO Greg Feasel, who is stepping down at the end of this year after 30 seasons in their front office, the team announced.

The Rockies went into Thursday's home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers with an 18-62 record. Colorado's 81st game marked the midpoint of its regular season.

Walker Monfort, 38, who had been the team’s vice president of corporate partnerships since 2015, will officially assume Feasel's responsibilities by January.

Feasel joined the Rockies in 1995 as vice president of sales and marketing. He was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2010 and club president in April 2021.

“Greg has been a pillar of this organization since its earliest days,” Rockies owner Dick Monfort said. “His leadership and vision helped shape not only the Colorado Rockies organization, but the entire baseball community throughout the Rocky Mountain region. He has been instrumental in our many successes over the years and has been a strong and steady presence throughout the past three decades."

Feasel said it is bittersweet to be stepping aside, but that it was something he had discussed with the owner for several years.

Walker Monfort began his career with the Rockies at an entry level, gaining hands-on experience across multiple departments, including the grounds crew, gameday promotions, ticketing and visiting clubhouse from 2006-2009. He officially joined the front office in a full-time capacity in late 2009, working in minor league operations and player development through 2013.

“While we thank Greg for his impact and service, we are excited to turn the page into our next chapter with Walker,” Dick Monfort said. ”He brings a deep understanding of this organization, earned through his 20 years of experience working both within and alongside every department of our operation. He offers a fresh, forward-looking mindset, and we’re confident his perspective, experience and leadership will benefit the club in the months and years to come."

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Texans, Patriots, 49ers, Bills, Bears and Rams advance to NFL's divisional round

Houston's stingy defense knocked Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the NFL playoffs, sending the Texans to the divisional round to complete wild-card weekend.

The Texans sacked Rodgers four times, scored two defensive touchdowns and held Pittsburgh to 175 yards in a 30-6 victory on Monday night. It was Houston's 10th straight win and the franchise's first on the road in the playoffs.

Mike Tomlin and the Steelers lost their seventh consecutive playoff game, and Rodgers may have played the last game of his Hall of Fame career.

Houston (13-5), the AFC's No. 5 seed, will face the No. 2 seed New England Patriots (15-3) next Sunday at 3 p.m. EST. The No. 2 seed Bears (12-6) will host the No. 5 seed Rams (13-5) in the second game Sunday.

The divisional round will kick off with the No. 6 seed Bills (13-5) at the No. 1 seed Broncos (14-3) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The No. 6 seed 49ers (13-5) will face the top-seeded Seahawks (14-3) in the night game.

In Sunday's wild-card games, Brock Purdy tossed a 4-yard TD pass to Christian McCaffrey with 2:54 remaining to lift the 49ers to a 23-19 comeback win at Philadelphia. McCaffrey also caught a 29-yard TD pass from wide receiver Jauan Jennings.

The Patriots sacked Justin Herbert six times and held Los Angeles to just 207 yards in a 16-3 win on Sunday night.

Josh Allen led Buffalo to a 27-24 comeback victory in Jacksonville in Sunday's first game. Allen scored on a 1-yard run late in the fourth quarter and Cole Bishop intercepted Trevor Lawrence's pass to secure Buffalo's first playoff win on the road since the 1992 AFC championship game at Miami.

On Saturday, the playoffs kicked off with two wacky games.

The Bears trailed the Green Bay Packers 21-3 at halftime and 27-16 with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter before Caleb Williams threw a pair of touchdown passes. His 25-yard TD toss to D.J. Moore put Chicago ahead 31-27 with 1:43 remaining. Then Jordan Love's desperation heave into the end zone from the Bears 28 was knocked down as time expired to secure Chicago's first playoff win since the 2010 season.

Williams finished with 361 yards passing, two TDs and two interceptions for the Bears.

In the opener on wild-card weekend, Matthew Stafford threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson in the final minute and Los Angeles rallied to beat the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in a game that was much closer than expected.

The Rams were double-digit favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook against the Panthers (8-10). The Rams jumped to a 14-0 lead, but couldn’t take advantage of first-half turnovers and allowed Carolina to get within 17-14 at halftime.

Stafford, who earned All-Pro honors for the first time in his 17-year career on Saturday, threw for 304 yards, three TDs and had one pick. Puka Nacua, who was a unanimous All-Pro selection, had 10 catches for 111 yards and one TD and also had a 5-yard TD run.

The Rams are back in the divisional round for the second straight season. Last year, they were 13 yards away from eliminating Philadelphia before a sack and an incomplete pass ended their season with a 28-22 loss.

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