GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay signed quarterback Desmond Ridder to its practice squad Wednesday as the Packers remained quiet on how they’d approach their final regular-season game with their playoff seeding already determined.
Packers quarterbacks Jordan Love and Malik Willis practiced Wednesday, though coach Matt LaFleur noted that Love remains in concussion protocol and Willis would be limited with a shoulder issue.
“Here’s what I told the team,” LaFleur said. “We have 53 spots on our roster. You can have two call-ups. You have 48 dressed on game day. So there’s going to be some starters that aren’t going to play. Shoot, they may not suit up, they might suit up. And then you’re going to have some starters that are going to play. So basically, you guys will find out on Sunday who’s playing.”
The Packers (9-6-1) are locked into the NFC’s No. 7 playoff seed for a third straight year by losing 41-24 to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. They close the regular season Sunday at Minnesota (8-8).
Green Bay needed to boost its quarterback depth because of the issues facing Love and Willis.
Love hasn’t played since taking a helmet-to-helmet hit in the second quarter of a 22-16 overtime loss at Chicago on Dec. 20. Willis played most of the Bears game and then started against the Ravens, but he injured his throwing shoulder in Chicago and hurt it again in the Ravens game.
Ridder has made 18 career starts with the Atlanta Falcons (2022-23) and Las Vegas Raiders (2024). He was on Minnesota’s practice squad earlier this season.
LaFleur noted that Ridder’s experience with teams that run similar schemes to Green Bay’s offense could help him learn the system quickly. Ridder played in Atlanta for Arthur Smith, who worked with LaFleur on the Tennessee Titans staff in 2018. Las Vegas’ offensive coordinator last season was Luke Getsy, who was on LaFleur’s Green Bay staff from 2019-21.
“So there is some common language I would say. … He seems like a smart guy, and we’ll see how fast he can pick it up,” LaFleur said.
Green Bay’s only other quarterback is Clayton Tune, who was activated from the practice squad for the Ravens game and ended up going 1 of 4 for 8 yards with an interception.
LaFleur also indicated Wednesday that it's unlikely that cornerback Nate Hobbs and safety Zayne Anderson play again this season. Hobbs hurt his knee and Anderson injured his ankle against the Ravens.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
FILE - Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Desmond Ridder in action during an NFL preseason football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File)
FILE - Green Bay Packers head coach Matt Lafleur in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Macklin Celebrini, the 19-year-old star for the San Jose Sharks, is going to the Winter Olympics.
Celebrini was among 19 players named to Canada’s 25-player men’s hockey roster Wednesday ahead of the NHL’s return to the Olympics in Milan, Italy, in February.
Celebrini, who is third in league scoring behind fellow Canadians Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, is one of six additions to the group that won the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament last February. Other newcomers at forward: Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens, Bo Horvat of the New York Islanders and Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals.
Canada, which plays its first game at the Olympics on Feb. 12 against Czechia, is keeping its 4 Nations defense corps intact, but is switching out two of the three goaltenders, with Washington’s Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings joining Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues. They replace Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal’s Sam Montembeault.
The 4 Nations forwards who did not make the Olympic team: Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers, Travis Konecny of the Philadelphia Flyers and Seth Jarvis of the Carolina Hurricanes.
McDavid, MacKinnon, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Colorado defenseman Cale Makar, Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point and Florida winger Sam Reinhart were named to the Olympic roster in June.
They will be joined by returning forwards Anthony Cirelli (Tampa Bay), Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay), Brad Marchand (Florida), Mitch Marner (Vegas) and Mark Stone (Vegas). The blue line led by Makar includes Drew Doughty (Los Angeles), Thomas Harley (Dallas), Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg), Colton Parayko (St. Louis), Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia), Shea Theodore (Vegas) and Devon Toews (Colorado).
The 38-year-old Crosby and 36-year-old Doughty are the only players with past Olympic experience. At 37, Marchand knew this was his last shot.
“It’s literally what has been the driving force of my training and what I’ve been focused on for the last 12 years, ever since I got a taste of Olympic camp before (Sochi 2014)," said Marchand, a two-time Stanley Cup champion. “It’s been the thing that I wanted to accomplish most — to be part of that team.”
Some notable omissions include Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, who is currently out with an upper-body injury, and Winnipeg forward Mark Scheifele. Washington defenseman Jakob Chychrun and New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer were also left out.
The NHL is returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of Jakob Chychrun’s first name.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) carries the puck toward the Winnipeg Jets net during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini (71) celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks with his teammates during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
