Ex-Heat champion says Rich Paul cost him over $70 million
Rich Paul has another angry former client.
Retired ex-Miami Heat champion Norris Cole appeared this week on the “OGs Podcast” with his old Heat teammates Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller. During the episode, Cole spoke about his former agent Paul of Klutch Sports and said that Paul cost him tens of millions through botched free agent negotiations.
“I had a powerful agent, and I let him do everything, all the negotiating,” said Cole. “I didn’t even think twice about it. But he did some bad negotiations. I caught wind of it late, and I ended up firing him.
“And when you fire a powerful agent, of course they’re going to save face,” Cole added. “That’s what happened. They tried to make it seem like I was the greedy one.”
Cole added that he believes that the situation cost him “probably” $70 million-$80 million.
Now 37 years old, Cole played in the NBA from 2011-17 and then went onto a lengthy career overseas. Cole, who is still currently playing professionally in Uruguay, won back-to-back championships with the Heat from 2012-13 and also later played for the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder.
While Cole never mentioned Paul by name, Paul did represent Cole from 2014-16. In 2015, Cole accepted a one-year, $3 million qualifying offer from the New Orleans Pelicans and then went unsigned as an unrestricted free agent in 2016. Cole ultimately fired Paul at that point and believes that Paul then started a smear campaign on him, resulting in Cole never making it back into the league (save for a brief 13-game stint with the Thunder in 2017).
Cole was obviously a role player at best and averaged just 7.0 points and 2.7 assists per game over his NBA career. But considering the absurd money that was handed out in free agency as a result of the one-year salary cap spike in 2016 (e.g. $75 million for Allen Crabbe, $72 million for Bismack Biyombo, $64 million for Timofey Mozgov, etc.), Cole might not be too far off with his estimate on how much Paul cost him.
Paul is the best-known agent in the NBA today and represents some big names, including LeBron James, Anthony Davis, De’Aaron Fox, and Tyrese Maxey. But Paul has had plenty of misses over the years with lower-tier NBA clients and was once even sued a few years back by another former client who claimed that Paul cost him massive money through bad representation.
Kevin Durant is being linked to 1 possible suitor
Kevin Durant is being monitored by one team for any possible signs of discontent.
The Detroit Pistons would “loom large” for the Houston Rockets star Durant if he were ever to ask out of Houston, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported this week. Siegel notes that Durant has a “strong relationship” with Pistons star Cade Cunningham.
Durant, the former NBA MVP, just completed his first season with the Rockets. He averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game over 78 regular season appearances but only managed to play one game during the playoffs due to injury as Houston lost in the first round to the Los Angeles Lakers.
As for the Pistons, they were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference at 60-22 but got upset in the second round by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Detroit also has a fresh need in the frontcourt with Tobias Harris leaving for the San Antonio Spurs in free agency and with Jalen Duren still unsigned as a restricted free agent.
Set to turn 38 next month, Durant is signed for $43.9 million next season and has a $46.1 million player option for 2027-28. But the 16-time NBA All-Star is notoriously fickle and even caused some problems in Houston last season with yet another burner account saga.
The Rockets will be getting Fred VanVleet (ACL) back from injury next season, but it does not help that they lost a notable Durant favorite in free agency this summer. Meanwhile, the Pistons will be hoping that their 24-year-old All-Star Cunningham serves as a formidable selling point if Durant ever asks out of Houston.
Devin White lands with a new team in free agency
Former All-Pro linebacker Devin White has found a new team.
White is signing a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions, according to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz. The 28-year-old will be playing for his fourth team in four seasons after signing the deal.
Breaking: The #Lions are signing former All-Pro LB Devin White to a 1-year deal, per sources.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 1, 2026
The Super Bowl champion made 17 starts last season for the Raiders, while recording 174 tackles (3rd-most in the NFL), 11 TFLs and 1 INT. pic.twitter.com/Krm0jMi9Bd
White, the No. 5 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, was a star for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the start of his career, earning All-Pro honors during his second NFL season. A contract dispute and a decline in play eventually led to his exit, and he has spent the last two seasons bouncing around the league.
White did have a statistically strong season with the Las Vegas Raiders last season, posting a career-high 174 total tackles. The team still went just 3-14, and there were certainly some moments in which the team seemingly wanted a bit more from him.
Jack Campbell is the undisputed leader of the Lions’ linebacker corps, though the team did lose Alex Anzalone in free agency. Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez would likely be White’s primary competitors for playing time.
Dillon Brooks takes a shot at LaMelo Ball
LaMelo Ball has become the latest target of Dillon The Villain.
Phoenix Suns swingman Dillon Brooks appeared this week on a stream with Internet personality N3on. During the stream, the topic of the new Minnesota Timberwolves star Ball arose.
Brooks then proceeded take a cold swipe at Ball. He jabbed at Ball for playing his amateur ball in Lithuania and Australia instead of in the United States.
“He couldn’t survive here,” said Brooks of Ball. “He’s a preppy light skinned kid from Cali.”
Indeed, Ball, 24, cut his high school career short to play alongside his older brother LiAngelo in the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL). After a brief stint in the Junior Basketball Association (JBA) created by his father LaVar, Ball then played out his one gap season in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) before being selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2020 NBA Draft.
As for Brooks, 30, he himself played college ball at the University of Oregon from 2014-17. While that is still a strange criticism of Ball given that they have both been playing professionally in the NBA for several years now, it does continue on the trend of Brooks hating on the Timberwolves and their players.
Taysom Hill has interest from 1 NFL team
A sensible landing spot has emerged for Taysom Hill after his time with the New Orleans Saints came to an end.
Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton admitted Saturday that the team has some interest in Hill and will consider bringing him in. Hill, of course, played five seasons under Payton in New Orleans.
Broncos Coach Sean Payton told @cfrelund Cynthia Frelund and me today that the Broncos will explore bringing in free agent tight end Taysom Hill, who played for Payton with the Saints.
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) August 1, 2026
There is nothing terribly surprising about Payton having interest in teaming up with Hill again. It was Payton who originally conceived of Hill as a versatile offensive weapon who could play multiple skill positions and serve as something of a gadget player.
Hill confirmed earlier this week that he will be leaving the Saints after nine seasons, but intends to keep playing in the NFL. Injuries have limited him in recent years, but if anyone can find a role for him to make himself useful, Payton is the guy.
Hill produced 34 total touchdowns as a runner, 11 total touchdowns as a receiver, and 12 total touchdowns as a quarterback with the Saints. He even spent time over the years returning kicks and punts.
NFL fans are not buying Will Levis’ confident take
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis is not lacking in confidence.
Levis spoke to the media at Titans camp on Saturday and left little doubt about how he views himself. The former Kentucky quarterback said he fully believes he is a starter in the NFL and has already proven that.
“I know I’ve put the tape out there already that I’m a dang good quarterback in this league, and I’m even better than I ever have been,” Levis said. “There are not 32 quarterbacks in this league better than me. I know that for sure.”
Will Levis said he "100%" believes he has a future as a starting QB:
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 1, 2026
"There are not 32 quarterbacks in this league better than me." pic.twitter.com/YbmP9Lg8Io
Needless to say, the social media response to Levis’ remarks was mockery.
Your right there’s 32-33-34-35 and so on better then you 😭
— 𝟙𝟘 𝓳𝓫♨️ (@juulzfool) August 1, 2026
It’s hard to knock Levis for his confidence, but needless to say, few would agree with him. He has 21 starts to his name as an NFL quarterback, and has thrown 21 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. If anything, he actually regressed in his second season. Missing the entire 2025 season due to injury will not have been helpful to the 27-year-old’s development, either.
While Levis has shown a few flashes, he is much better known for some horrendous decisions under pressure. Until that changes, nobody is going to rank him among the league’s 32 best quarterbacks.
Yankees have traded a former All-Star pitcher
The New York Yankees are hoping to accomplish some addition by subtraction ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
The Yankees are shipping reliever Camilo Doval to the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to multiple reports. The Yankees are getting two low-level prospects in return.
The Yankees are trading RHP Camilo Doval and cash considerations to the Pirates for prospects C Omar Alfonzo and OF Luis Cruz, per source. @JeffPassan was on it.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) August 1, 2026
Doval was one of the Yankees’ marquee additions at the trade deadline last season, but it did not work out the way they had hoped. He was part of a bullpen meltdown in his first appearance, and things never got much better from there. In 66 appearances for New York, he wound up posting a 4.63 earned run average.
The risk is worth it for the Pirates, who are in serious need of bullpen help. Doval was an All-Star with the San Francisco Giants and posted a 3.29 career ERA there before he was dealt to the Yankees. Pittsburgh is betting that he can rediscover that form and that they will be rewarded for buying low.
The Pirates enter play Saturday at 55-56, just 2.5 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot. They have legitimate reason to be buyers this season for the first time in a decade.
Mariners could be open to trading star players
The disappointing Seattle Mariners are at least open to trading several key players on their roster, though not necessarily to sell.
The Mariners are open to dealing from their surplus of starting pitchers to address other needs, according to Adam Jude and Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. That includes Luis Castillo and Emerson Hancock. Impending free agent Randy Arozarena could also be dealt.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan added that other teams get the sense that George Kirby would be available in the right deal as well.
Multiple teams have engaged the Seattle Mariners on a potential trade for right-hander George Kirby and get the sense he is available and could be moved before the Aug. 3 deadline, sources tell ESPN. Mariners have been listening on starters Emerson Hancock and Luis Castillo, too.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 1, 2026
The Mariners are in a unique situation in that they could trade a starting pitcher without seriously hurting their rotation. The team has even used Castillo, a three-time All-Star, out of the bullpen on a few occasions because they have so many options to start games.
Arozarena, meanwhile, is hitting .280 with 13 home runs on the season. If they do not move him, however, they run the risk of losing him for nothing in free agency.
The Mariners find themselves in a complicated spot two days before the trade deadline. They enter play Saturday at 53-58 and third in the AL West, having struggled with injuries and underperformance all season. That is still just three games out of both the division lead and the final Wild Card spot, however, in what is turning out to be a very weak American League.
Calvin Ridley blames Chipotle for his offseason illness
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley pinned the blame on Chipotle for a stomach bug that caused him to lose significant weight during the offseason.
Ridley revealed Saturday that he endured a 24-hour stomach bug during the offseason that caused him to lose roughly 15 pounds in a short period of time. The culprit, according to Ridley?
“Chipotle,” the wide receiver admitted.
Calvin Ridley with a Chipotle stray pic.twitter.com/Ec1SzLo9eP
— Buck Reising (@BuckReising) August 1, 2026
Ridley did not appear too bothered by the health issue. According to him, he already gained the weight back and will be fully ready for the season.
Chipotle has gotten some pretty bad press from NFL wide receivers over the years. Believe it or not, Ridley is not the first player to blame the fast food chain for a severe stomach bug.
Ridley might want to avoid the fast food going forward, because he could really use a fully healthy season. Injuries limited him to just seven games last season on a Titans team that struggled to a 3-14 season. In 2024, he posted 64 catches for 1,017 yards and four touchdowns in his first season with Tennessee.
DeAndre Hopkins clears up his NFL future
DeAndre Hopkins is insisting he is not finished playing in the NFL despite taking a college football coaching job.
Hopkins took to X on Saturday to clear up questions about his NFL status after he joined Georgia Tech’s coaching staff. The longtime wide receiver offered up a recruiting pitch, but also said he is not done playing professionally.
“I Haven’t retired from the @NFL … But if you’re a WR and you want to be great, come to @GeorgiaTechFB,” Hopkins wrote.
I Haven’t retired from the @NFL … But if you're a WR and you want to be great, come to @GeorgiaTechFB
— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) August 1, 2026
Hopkins briefly spent time in New England Patriots camp as a coach last week, then promptly accepted a role on Georgia Tech’s staff. That raised questions about whether he is done playing or not, since he sounded interested in continuing his NFL career earlier in the offseason. Ultimately, however, no offers came his way.
The 34-year-old is certainly still young enough to play. He spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens, but only caught 22 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns. He suggested that the Ravens did not utilize him enough, and it’s possible he would rather just go into coaching rather than play a bit part role in someone’s offense in 2026.
Victor Wembanyama getting his own signature Nike shoe
Victor Wembanyama has agreed to a long-term contract extension with Nike that includes his first signature shoe, Jared Weiss of The Athletic reports.
The San Antonio Spurs star, who has been a Nike athlete since 2022, will join LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, Ja Morant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the brand’s current NBA signature collection.
Wembanyama, 22, has primarily worn Nike’s G.T. series, including a special-edition version featuring an early alien logo. A new, subtler VW alien logo was unveiled in a Nike video Friday, designed to reflect his status as the league’s rising star.
In a statement, Nike said it is “proud to continue supporting Victor Wembanyama’s journey” and called him “one of the most unique and influential athletes in the world” and “a generational talent.”
The extension arrives weeks after Wembanyama signed a five-year, $252 million maximum deal with the Spurs, keeping him in San Antonio through the 2031-32 season. Last season, he became the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, finished third in MVP voting, earned All-NBA First Team honors and helped the Spurs reach the NBA Finals.
Although the Spurs fell short of a title, losing to the New York Knicks, Wembanyama secured the signature shoe.
The deal marks the latest milestone for a player who has rapidly become one of the faces of the league and the brand.
Deion Sanders visits Browns camp after Shedeur kept him away as rookie
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders has welcomed his father, Deion Sanders, to training camp after previously requesting distance during his rookie season.
Last year, the younger Sanders told his dad to stay away.
“I don’t want him coming to see me right now because I want to get to where I want to go, then for him to see me,” Shedeur said at the time. “You can’t be proud of me right now. I gotta get to where I’m going.”
He also cited potential media distractions from the Hall of Famer’s presence.
This week, Deion attended Day 2 of Browns camp in Berea. Shedeur took all the first-team reps while alternating with Deshaun Watson in the quarterback competition. After practice, the two embraced near the fieldhouse as Deion offered encouragement.
Deion also met with head coach Todd Monken and general manager Andrew Berry. Monken called the conversation valuable, noting insights into Shedeur’s personality and competitive drive.
“That was Deion Sanders, are you kidding me?” Monken said, via Cleveland.com. “He did an unbelievable job with Shedeur — great kid, obviously an elite football player.”
The visit marks a shift as Shedeur continues developing in his second NFL season.
Hit by a truck in Athens, Bengals’ Erick All Jr. finds mental edge for return
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Erick All Jr. found an unexpected boost in confidence during a June vacation in Greece.
While preparing to cross a street in Athens, the Fairfield High School graduate was struck by a three-wheeled truck that swerved to avoid another person. The impact threw him and left scrapes on his face, but All rose immediately without pain.
“I got up and was like, ‘I’m [expletive] ready,’” All told reporters, via Mike Petraglia. “It didn’t hurt me at all. It just kind of gave me the confidence like, ‘Oh, I’m back.’”
He described the collision as the first time he had ever been pancaked, noting he is usually the one delivering the hit.
“That’s as big of a hit that anybody could give. If I can take that, I’m good,” he said.
The experience carried special weight for All, who has endured multiple ACL tears. After injuring the knee in college, he re-tore it midway through his 2024 rookie season and missed the rest of that year plus all of 2025. Now fully cleared and participating in training camp, All views the truck incident as mental proof that his body can handle contact again.
Bengals coaches have urged him to temper his intensity as he reintegrates, but All remains eager to play at full speed. The scare on a foreign sidewalk, he insists, did a lot of good things for his mindset heading into the 2026 season.
Too much leaked out in Oregon’s huddle tradition
Some team bonding activities are best left inside the huddle. Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson learned that lesson the hard way at Big Ten media day.
When Portland reporter Brenna Greene asked who was most likely to crack a joke during play calls, Johnson offered an unexpectedly fragrant answer.
“Sometimes Dante farts in the huddle, and we have like a little competition of who can fart,” he said of quarterback Dante Moore.
The revelation quickly spread, turning a lighthearted locker-room bit into the most discussed topic of the day. Moore, true to form, handled the airing of the dirty laundry with a grin.
“Oh my gosh. Who said that? JJ. I knew it,” he replied. “Too much stuff is getting leaked out. You got to find ways to connect with your team. So we do that.”
In a sport full of complex schemes and high-stakes pressure, the Ducks have found an unconventional way to stay loose. Whether the competition improves third-down conversions remains unclear, but one thing is certain: When Oregon breaks the huddle, the air quality is not always guaranteed.
Some secrets, it turns out, were never meant to leave the circle.
Dak Prescott has bold nickname for Cowboys’ offense
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is not holding back on his ambitions for the 2026 season.
While working out with teammates ahead of training camp, he coined the acronym GOTI, short for Greatest Offense There Is.
Prescott shared the idea with the skill players and said the group embraced it. The Cowboys ranked second in yards per game and seventh in scoring last season under first-year playcaller Brian Schottenheimer. They featured a 4,000-yard passer in Prescott, 1,000-yard receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and a 1,000-yard rusher in Javonte Williams.
“Why can’t we be, you know? Let’s be the greatest offense there is. You’ve heard the ‘Greatest show on turf’ and all the other different nicknames,” he told reporters, via NFL.com.
He also wore a vintage Super Bowl XXX T-shirt upon arriving in Oxnard, signaling his intent to end the franchise’s long championship drought. Prescott stressed that the team should not shy away from high expectations after missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons.
“To go into training camp and to go into the season to say that those are our goals, I mean, it’d be stupid or we’d be remiss not to own that, and take accountability in that, and take pride in saying this is what we want to be and what we want to do,” he said.
History suggests such bold declarations can backfire. The 2011 Philadelphia Eagles labeled themselves the “Dream Team” and finished 8-8, missing the postseason.
While the Cowboys remain “America’s Team,” this level of self-proclaimed superiority is likely to energize opposing fans and make neutral observers root against them.
Willson Contreras leaves game after getting hit in the head by 95-mph fastball
Boston Red Sox slugger Willson Contreras got rocked by a fastball to the dome Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Contreras came up to bat with runners at the corners and one out in the top of the 3rd inning at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. Dodgers reliever Will Klein nearly clocked Contreras with a first-pitch fastball that was mere inches from the batter’s face. Fortunately for Contreras, he was able to get out of the way of that one.
Contreras’ fortune ran out two pitches later, as Klein threw a similar pitch that hit right off the Venezuelan’s helmet.
Willson Contreras avoided one pitch then got hit in the head by another. He ultimately left the game pic.twitter.com/EwcHtfbdMo
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) August 1, 2026
The loud bang off Contreras’ headgear was audible on the live broadcast. The Red Sox veteran stayed in the game to take his place at first base, much to the amazement of the players and broadcasters alike.
Boston took him out before the next half-inning, replacing him with Anthony Seigler at first base.
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy shared an update on Contreras after the game, calling his removal “precautionary” rather than due to any glaring concerns.
The interim skipper noted that Contreras has undergone testing, with results being “fine” thus far. But he added the caveat that the team needs to exercise more caution with head injuries and the potential for a concussion.
Contreras sure needs some quiet time more than anyone in the majors. After getting an earful from Jarren Duran on Thursday over a baserunning decision, he had his ear ringing from an errant pitch one day later.
Alarming stat on Paul Skenes’ has fans concerned
A worrisome trend has some Pittsburgh Pirates fans beginning to worry about Paul Skenes.
Skenes looked nothing like a reigning NL Cy Young winner in his latest start Friday against the Cincinnati Reds. He was removed from the mound at exactly 100 pitches through just four innings of work at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. He gave up 5 runs on 7 hits and 4 walks in an 8-7 loss, raising his ERA to a pedestrian 3.90 across 23 starts this season.
The 24-year-old failed to throw a single pitch that read 98 mph on the radar gun — the latest data point on a troubling new trend. According to Codify Baseball, Skenes has not thrown 98+ mph in each of his first four starts. Such pitches have become a rarity for him over the past several months.
98+ MPH pitches thrown by Paul Skenes in each of his 78 career big league starts:
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) August 1, 2026
32, 38 34, 30, 46, 42, 32, 33, 21, 32, 21, 44, 22, 23, 14, 24, 30, 33, 40, 35, 31, 21, 11, 19, 26, 12, 29, 21, 25, 10, 22, 17, 26, 35, 27, 35, 29, 34, 29, 32, 40, 28, 30, 30, 25, 49, 35, 26, 27,…
In the 48 career starts in which Skenes has averaged 98+ mph on his four-seam fastball, his ERA has been a stellar 1.73. In the 30 starts in which it dipped below that benchmark, his ERA rose to 3.83.
Skenes has thrown just 95 pitches for 98+ mph throughout this entire season. During his rookie campaign, he exceeded that total with 104 such pitches just three games into his MLB career.
There could very well be some mechanical or health issue affecting Skenes this season, given the stark contrast in velocity and overall effectiveness. Until the Pirates figure that out, Pirates fans and Livvy Dunne may need to endure more poor outings from her longtime boyfriend.
Sean McVay drops telling comment on Aaron Donald’s potential return
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has dropped a pretty sizable hint about Aaron Donald’s potential comeback.
McVay sounded genuinely uncertain last week when asked about the chances of Donald donning a Rams uniform again in the not-too-distant future. He spoke about a “very strict” process that Donald would go through to figure out if he actually wanted to return or not.
McVay did not sound as unsure on Friday when he was asked about the topic once again.
“Things are going in the right direction,” McVay said of Donald’s decision. “If there’s an arrow, it’s trending upward.”
With the way things have gone over the past couple of months, an NFL return is sounding more and more like an inevitability than a genuine conundrum for Donald.
Whispers of a potential Donald comeback began to spread the moment the Rams traded for Myles Garrett in June. Donald himself reportedly told media members that he instantly began weighing the pros and cons.
Then there was the Donald sighting at the Rams’ training facility, with reporters confirming that the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year indeed went through a legitimate workout at his old stomping grounds.
Rams stars have also been publicly teasing Donald (or perhaps the rest of us) with posts littered across social media.
Previous reports suggested that Donald had planned to make his decision at the start of training camp. The 10-time Pro Bowler reportedly did not want to “parachute” into the middle of the season.
Donald remains noncommittal midway through Rams training camp, which runs from July 26 to August 7. An announcement, one way or another, could be just around the corner.
Packers fans will want to hear Tucker Kraft’s recent update on his knee injury
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft sounds ready to put his knee injury completely behind him.
Kraft suffered a torn ACL in a November 2 loss to the Carolina Panthers, which prematurely ended his 2025 season. The Packers star had surgery 10 days later.
To say that Kraft had a positive update on his injury when he spoke to reporters on Friday would be a massive understatement. Less than nine months after his surgery, Kraft revealed he’s recovered at an all-time rate.
“[The doctor] told me my knee looks spectacular, almost like he had never seen rehabilitation like mine,” Kraft said, via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “So the fact that we’re getting those results, the data will speak for itself and my comeback is ever-ascending day by day.”
Kraft was in the midst of a breakout season before his injury. He finished his 2025 campaign with 32 catches for 489 yards and 6 touchdowns across just 8 games — numbers that put him on pace to shatter his career highs had he not gotten hurt.
Right at the time of his injury, Kraft was the only tight end in the league with 30+ catches, 475+ receiving yards, and 6+ receiving touchdowns.
Kraft’s breakout year apparently continued in rehab, potentially setting him up to be healthy enough to play in the Packers’ Week 1 game against the Minnesota Vikings, barring any setbacks. He claimed that doctors compared his recovery progress to that of someone who already had a year of post-surgical healing.
The Green Bay star is expected to start 11-on-11 drills in a couple of weeks, once he hits the 9-month mark post-surgery.
Someone better tell former Packers wideout Romeo Doubs that Kraft is all but back from the dead.
Cam Skattebo sends mixed signals after his recent backflip scare
Cam Skattebo would not completely shut the door entirely on future backflips.
The New York Giants running back caused fans to panic earlier this month when he failed to stick the landing on a backflip while attending Fanatics Fest in New York City. Skattebo had been nine months removed from undergoing a season-ending surgery to repair a dislocated ankle.
During the event, Skattebo assured Giants fans that he would not injure himself before the start of the season. He did some damage control again on Friday as he spoke to reporters at training camp, but did not definitively squash the idea of doing another backflip in the future.
“Obviously, I do some dumb things here and there. I learn from it,” Skattebo said. “My coach talked to me and told me how he felt, and I learned from it. Will I go do that backflip again? Probably not. We live, and we learn, and we move on.”
The keyword there is “probably.”
"Obviously, I do some dumb things here and there. I learn from it. Will I go do that backflip again? Probably not."
— SNY Giants (@SNYGiants) July 31, 2026
– Cam Skattebo pic.twitter.com/xZDfo5CDDU
Skattebo was then completely noncommittal when asked about potentially eliminating the backflip as one of his touchdown celebrations.
“When game time comes around, we’ll see when game time comes around.”
One has to wonder how Skattebo’s conversation with Harbaugh went, given that the Arizona State alum seemingly still has a little Sun Devil on his shoulder telling him to do another flip.
Skattebo rushed for 410 yards with 5 touchdowns in the 8 games he played before getting injured.
