On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
AJ McLean has remembered Liam Payne as an "incredible human being".
The former One Direction star died in October, aged 31, and AJ has now lavished praise on the singer after working with Liam on the Netflix show 'Building the Band'.
The Backstreet Boys star, 46, told E! News: "He was an incredible human being. He was such a talent and such a bright light."
Liam struggled with substance abuse during his time in the spotlight, and AJ saw some strong similarities between himself and the 'Strip That Down' hitmaker.
AJ - who has struggled with alcohol and drug addiction - shared: "I know from personal experience, when you're going through something like that, you don't really reach out to people that are sober.
"It's not because you don't want to, it's you don't want to be held accountable necessarily. So, I totally get where he was at. I've been there."
Earlier this month, Rita Ora paid a heartfelt tribute to Liam at the MTV Europe Music Awards.
The 33-year-old pop star hosted the awards show at Co-op Live in Manchester, and Rita paid a glowing tribute to Liam during the ceremony.
Rita - who collaborated with Liam on the 2018 single 'For You' - said: "I just want to take a moment to remember someone very, very dear to us. We lost him recently and he was a big part of the MTV world and my world.
"Liam Payne was one of the kindest people that I knew."
Rita also observed that Liam "left such a mark on the world".
She said: "He had the biggest heart and was always the first person to offer help in any way that he could. He brought so much joy to every room he walked into and he left such a mark on the world."
More must-reads:
Breaking News
Trending in Entertainment
TODAY'S BEST
Donnie Wahlberg hails 'ride or die' wife Jenny McCarthy
Zooey Deschanel recalls filming 'Elf' as a 21-year-old: 'I basically just dropped out of college'
New details emerge on Cowboys trade Jerry Jones confirmed
On Monday, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed that the team made a trade that would help the team get a player on the field "immediately" for Week 10. "A lot of action going on right now in terms of trading, we certainly have made a trade and we may make a couple more trades before that deadline,” Jones said during an appearance on Sirius XM Radio, via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. “We’ve made one. We possibly could make two more and I’m going to wait and let you read about that when we send the papers in tomorrow.” Jones declined to provide any more details as to what team the Cowboys traded with or for what player. Tuesday's official trade deadline is 4 p.m. EST. More details emerge on the Dallas Cowboys' trade On Monday evening, NFL insider Jordan Schultz provided a few more details on the confirmed trade. Dallas had previously had discussions regarding linebackers and defensive ends with multiple teams. The Cowboys had talks with the Cincinnati Bengals for defensive end Trey Hendrickson and linebacker Logan Wilson. Dallas also spoke with the Miami Dolphins for pass-rusher Bradley Chubb. The timing of the trade is somewhat curious. Dallas is 3-4-1 before getting set to host the 2-5 Arizona Cardinals on "Monday Night Football." Frankly, the trade makes Monday night's contest even more of a high-stakes game for the Cowboys. If they lose to Arizona, Dallas might have given up precious draft capital for an incoming player to join a 3-5-1 team with an almost impossible chance to make the postseason. Even if Dallas wins on Monday night, the team's odds of making the playoffs (to say nothing of being a Super Bowl contender) still aren't great. The NFC's current No. 7 seed is a tie between the 5-3 Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears. The Bears own the tiebreaker over Dallas because of the Cowboys' loss in Chicago earlier this season. Dallas will play the Lions on Dec. 4. As the No. 11 team in the NFC before Monday night's game, the Cowboys should have considered selling on Tuesday. There was no need for Jones to make a trade before playing the Cardinals.
Chargers-Jets Linked In Unexpected Last-Minute Trade Deadline Buzz
The New York Jets are expected to be active at the trade deadline this season. They've already moved cornerback Michael Carter II, but they could have two or three more trades come together before Tuesday's trade deadline. The Jets have plenty of trade candidates like Breece Hall, Quincy Williams, and Allen Lazard. But there's also one potential trade candidate on their roster that nobody seems to be talking about. Thomas Martinez of Los Angeles Chargers OnSi recently suggested the Jets could trade backup offensive tackle Max Mitchell to the Los Angeles Chargers after Joe Alt's crushing ankle injury. Backup Jets OT Max Mitchell could be a trade candidate for the Chargers "Disaster struck in the second quarter as former Chargers defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day took and outside rush lane on right tackle Trey Pipkins. Unfortunately, Titans edge rusher Jihad Ward also took a wide outside rush working against left tackle Joe Alt," Martinez wrote. "Both Titans defenders met at the top of the arc as Justin Herbert stepped up in the pocket. Joseph-Day violently crashed into Alt's legs as he was engaged with Ward. Joe Alt was carted off the field with a reaggravation of his injured ankle. "No, not Breece Hall. The Chargers need offensive line help. Chargers assistant general manager Chad Alexander was the Jets director of player personnel for five seasons before joining the Chargers. He was on the staff when the Jets drafted offensive tackle Max Mitchell in the fourth round of 2022. The Jets have a pair of young talented tackles ahead of Mitchell on the depth chart." Mitchell isn't a star, but he could plug a hole and fill a role for the Chargers. They desperately need to find an offensive tackle to replace Alt for the time being and Mitchell would be one of the easiest players to trade for in the league. It would likely cost the Chargers a late round pick swap, if that, to land the offensive lineman. Mitchell could be used as a depth piece for the Chargers when Alt returns, but he would be a crucial piece for the time being. It's an idea that hasn't been mentioned much, but it could certainly work if the Chargers are desperate enough.
Matt LaFleur spills the beans on what the Packers really plan to do ahead of the NFL trade deadline
The Green Bay Packers don't tend to be the most active team ahead of trade deadlines. Since general manager Brian Gutekunst took over in 2018, he's never acquired a player in the week leading up to the deadline — on the other hand, he's sold Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Ty Montgomery, Rasul Douglas, and Preston Smith. However, Gutekunst did consider some trades — most notably, wide receiver Will Fuller back in 2020. Ultimately, the price requested by the Houston Texans wasn't right. This is mostly how the Packers will process things ahead of Tuesday's deadline. The roster is good enough The Packers already made two trades right before the season, acquiring Micah Parsons and Darian Kinnard. Asked about potential moves on Monday, head coach Matt LaFleur mentioned that the team doesn't need to add more players to be competitive, but the front office is making sure to evaluate opportunities. "I don't think so, not necessarily," LaFleur said about the need to add pieces. "I know Gutey and the rest of the guys upstairs are doing a great job of looking for things that could potentially help us, and if the right decision is there, I’ve got full confidence he’ll make it." Gutekunst and LaFleur have a close relationship, and the big roster decisions go through both of them, even though the GM has the final call. "We're in constant communication about everything," LaFleur added. While cornerback and defensive tackle were arguably the biggest needs on the roster, the tight end room also became thin with Tucker Kraft's season-ending knee injury. Right now, the only two TEs on the roster are Luke Musgrave and John FitzPatrick — Josh Whyle is on the practice squad and could be promoted or elevated. The trade deadline is at 3 p.m. (CT) on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Don't expect big moves from the Packers, but something might happen — and as always, only if the price is right. This article was originally published on A to Z Sports Green Bay, as "Matt LaFleur spills the beans on what the Packers really plan to do ahead of the NFL trade deadline."
Three offseason trade targets for Blue Jays to add an impact bat
The Toronto Blue Jays and their fans are fresh off the most heartbreaking loss in franchise history. Putting the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers on the brink of elimination with two cracks to win the World Series at home, only to lose two nail-biters that each came down to the final out. It’s going to take a long time to get over it, if that’s even possible to do. However, they'll have to turn the page rather quickly because in just three days, the negotiating window for free agents expires, and all are free to sign wherever they so choose. Toronto will be busy in an attempt to retain the likes of star shortstop Bo Bichette and starting pitchers Shane Bieber, Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer. At the same time, the front office must be active in improving its roster from the outside, whether that’s via free agency or trade. While there are some intriguing names for the Blue Jays to target on the open market, given their needs, heading down the trade route could make the most sense. Here are three ideal trade targets for the Toronto Blue Jays to add an impactful left-handed bat to their lineup for 2025-26 and beyond: Oneil Cruz | Pittsburgh Pirates Cruz’s name popped up in trade rumors ahead of the deadline in August, and it’s fair to wonder if he still could be available if Pittsburgh gets the right offer. The 27-year-old has all of the tools to be one of the best hitters in baseball, standing at 6-foot-7, 240 pounds with extreme power and bat speed. His numbers last season (20 HRs, 61 RBI), while solid, didn't reflect his talent, but it's understandable given the lack of protection around him on the Pirates. In Toronto, Cruz could slot in behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bichette, immediately becoming the most dangerous left-handed hitter in a right-heavy lineup. Matt Wallner | Minnesota Twins The 39th overall pick back in 2019 may not publicly be on the trade block, but after its sell-off at the deadline, it doesn’t feel like anyone is untouchable in Minnesota. Like Cruz, Wallner, at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, has big-time power, and the Blue Jays saw that firsthand when he crushed three HRs and six RBI during their three-game series in Toronto in late August. He does have some swing and miss in his bat (.231 career average), but with how often the top of the Blue Jays lineup gets on base, all it takes is one swing for Wallner to put up a crooked number on the scoreboard. Jarren Duran | Boston Red Sox The 2024 All-Star Game MVP has been in constant trade discussions for over a year now, and it feels inevitable that he gets dealt out of Boston this winter. Duran had more of an up-and-down 2025 campaign, though he's displayed the ability to drive in runs (84 RBI) and has power with even more untapped potential. Combine that with his speed and athleticism, and you can see why so many teams would love to acquire him. Trading within the division is never easy, but the 29-year-old would be a perfect fit in the middle of Toronto's lineup, so it's something they should absolutely look into.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
