Reporter had amazing way to get Commanders GM to indirectly comment on Brandon Aiyuk
One veteran reporter found a cheeky way to get the Washington Commanders to talk about Brandon Aiyuk.
Commanders general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn held a press conference Tuesday to mark the start of the team’s training camp. Arguably the most interesting question fielded to the duo was a supposed hypothetical tossed out by NBC Sports reporter JP Finlay.
Finlay asked a “general” question, but everyone in the room, including the Peters and Quinn, knew he was referring to Aiyuk.
Reporter: “Just in a general sense, as you’re always looking into improving the team, when you’re evaluating guys to maybe bring in for workouts, what role, if any, does a player’s social media have in that evaluation process?”
The inquiry got a chuckle out of both Peters and Quinn, who called Finlay a “straight bada–” for concocting it. The Commanders GM appeared to appreciate it so much that he actually gave Finlay a real answer.
This was a fun moment but I do appreciate AP giving a real answer pic.twitter.com/tGV9zVMR46
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) July 28, 2026
Peters: “That’s a good, roundabout question. We look at everything, JP. It’s a great question. We do look at everything. We want to make sure it’s the right player to be in our locker room, in our bloodstream, and in our culture.”
Peters admitted that social media has never been the first thing the team assesses when evaluating potential roster additions. While the Commanders do look into a player’s online activity, he noted that game tape and first-hand assessments from former teammates and coaches matter much more.
Commanders franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels was notably teammates with Aiyuk at Arizona State. While Aiyuk’s social media activity pointed to him teaming up with Daniels again in D.C., reports indicated that the Commanders eventually soured on the talented wideout.
The fact that Aiyuk was sending Daniels deranged messages on Instagram didn’t help his chances of landing a contract.
LaMelo Ball is being sued over alleged missed rent payments
LaMelo Ball still has some unfinished (legal) business to take care of in Charlotte.
The new Minnesota Timberwolves star point guard Ball is being sued by a North Carolina landlord for allegedly failing to pay rent, Edward Lewis of The California Post reported on Tuesday. The lawsuit, which was filed on Monday, claims that Ball jointly owes nearly $200,000 in missed rent checks.
Agape Property Management Group, which owns the uptown Charlotte condominium complex in question, alleges that Ball rented out two of their units, living in one and subleasing the other one out to his manager and mentor Jermaine Jackson. Interestingly enough, Jackson used to be an NBA player himself, playing five seasons from 1999-2006 with the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, and Milwaukee Bucks.
The lawsuit claims that Ball agreed to buy his own unit in 2024 but continued to sublease the second unit out to Jackson. The two then allegedly fell way behind on rent payments for the second unit and are now being sued for rent payments exceeding $181,500 and also for $90,000 in unpaid HOA compliance fees.
You can read Lewis’ full report on the situation here.
Ball, 24, spent the first six seasons of his NBA career with the Hornets, making one All-Star team in 2022 before getting traded to the Timberwolves in a blockbuster last month. But Ball has had some notable off-court troubles in recent months, including a scary car crash that he was at fault for earlier this year.
Devin Booker is reportedly dating Tom Brady’s ex
Devin Booker is dating a woman with a notable history.
The Phoenix Suns star shooting guard Booker is now dating supermodel Irina Shayk, according to a report on Tuesday by People. Booker, 29, and Shayk, 40, have reportedly been spending a lot of time together this summer after being introduced by mutual friends a few months ago.
Interestingly enough, Shayk was previously in a relationship with retired NFL legend Tom Brady, 48. Shayk and Brady dated from 2023-24 following the latter’s divorce from Gisele Bundchen.
Shayk also used to be in a relationship with soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. The two even got engaged in 2011 before eventually breaking up in 2015 amid rumors of infidelity. Shayk later went on to date actor Bradley Cooper from 2015-19 and shares a nine-year-old daughter Lea with Cooper.
As for the five-time NBA All-Star Booker, he has an extensive dating history of his own as well. Most notably, Booker dated socialite Kendall Jenner on-and-off from 2020-24.
Booker averaged 26.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game on 46/33/87 shooting splits last season for the surprise 45-37 Suns. Now Booker will apparently be entering the 2026-27 NBA season with a (famous) new lady in his life.
Giants outfielder injures himself in a bizarre scooter accident
One San Francisco Giants player appears to have pulled a Monta Ellis.
Giants outfielder Harrison Bader injured himself in a scooter accident over the weekend, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reported on Tuesday. Pavlovic adds that the accident occurred on late Saturday evening into early Sunday morning.
Bader had already been dealing with a plantar fasciitis issue in his left foot. But the scooter accident reportedly injured his left foot even further, and Bader is now set to undergo an MRI for the new injury.
A former Gold Glover in 2021 with the St. Louis Cardinals, Bader arrived on the Giants as a free agent over the offseason. He signed a two-year, $20.5 million deal to join San Francisco, his seventh career MLB team.
But Bader was batting a woeful .170 with five home runs and 14 RBIs through his first 30 games with the Giants. He then went on the injured list with the plantar fasciitis issue, which had kept him sidelined since late May.
Now roughly two months later, Bader has suffered an unexpected setback with the foot by injuring it in a totally unrelated scooter accident. As such, it looks like Bader’s biggest contribution to the 45-61 Giants this season will be his involvement in their ridiculous group thrusting celebration.
Notable update surfaces on Kelsey Plum’s future
Kelsey Plum may be in her final months in The City of Angels.
The Los Angeles Sparks star guard Plum does not intend to re-sign with the team in free agency this offseason, Annie Costabile of The Athletic reported on Tuesday. Costabile does add though that the Sparks still have not engaged in meaningful trade talks on Plum ahead of the Aug. 2 WNBA trade deadline.
Plum, who turns 32 next month, is one of the better-known names in the league today. She is a five-time WNBA All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA selection who also won back-to-back championships with the Las Vegas Aces in 2022 and 2023.
Last year, Plum was traded to the Sparks as part of a three-team deal with the Aces and the Seattle Storm. She then re-signed with the Sparks this year on a $1 million contract, which marks a notable discount from the $1.4 million supermax that she could have gotten instead.
Plum also enjoyed a very productive start to the 2026 season, averaging 23.9 points and 6.4 assists per game on superb 53/38/81 shooting splits. But Plum has missed over a month and counting now due to a lower leg injury (though she is expected to return to the lineup shortly).
As for the Sparks, they are a non-contender this year at 10-16, which ranks sixth of eight in the Western Conference. Though the injuries to Plum and other key members of the roster have been partially to blame, it looks like Plum is ready to move on from Los Angeles one way or the other.
Colts GM puts himself on the hot seat with stern message before training camp
Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard does not think he deserves any job security right now.
Ballard spoke to reporters on Tuesday, a day before the Colts begin training camp for the 2026 season. The Colts executive answered several questions about the roster before the focus turned back to him.
Ballard, entering the final year of a 5-year contract extension he signed back in 2021, was asked about the possibility of signing another extension. His response was interesting to say the least.
“No. I wouldn’t do one,” Ballard said with a defiant look on his face. “I’m on the last year of my deal. We need to win.”
#Colts general manager Chris Ballard is on the last year of his contract.
— WISH-TV News (@WISHNews8) July 28, 2026
Does he expect a contract extension before the season?
"No. I wouldn't do one… We need to win." pic.twitter.com/3IrqSWDr2F
The Colts missed the playoffs last season for the fourth straight year. The team looked like it was finally going to end the drought when it started 8-2. Then Indy went on to lose its final seven games, falling just short of finally making the playoffs.
Colts quarterback Daniel Jones also suffered a season-ending injury during that downward spiral.
Indianapolis has a 70-78 record since handing Ballard the top job before the 2017 season. The Colts have only made the playoffs twice during Ballard’s tenure.
While the Colts are expected to have Jones healthy to start the 2026 campaign, Ballard’s squad may already have to overcome another major injury to a key player.
Jalen Duren is considering a dramatic move amid his ongoing free agency
Jalen Duren may be ready to escalate things amid his ongoing standoff with the Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons free agent center Duren is considering playing out the 2026-27 season on the one-year qualifying offer, veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported this week. Doing so would allow Duren, currently a restricted free agent, to become an unrestricted free agent in summer 2027.
Duren, 22, remains in a statemate with Detroit nearly a month now into the official free agency period. The last that we heard of Duren’s situation was that there was still a gap to be bridged between the two sides in negotiations.
The ex-lottery pick Duren earned All-Star and All-NBA honors during the regular season but largely disappeared during the playoffs as the No. 1 seed Pistons lost in the second round to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Though Duren is still holding out for a specific high number in free agency, neither Detroit nor any other outside suitors appear to be willing to give that to him at this point.
For Duren, the one-year qualifying offer would be worth roughly $9.6 million next season. While that would obviously be leaving a lot of money on the table and also putting him at risk of tanking his value in 2026-27 (through injury or reduced production), it could also led to Duren earning much more money next summer.
Interestingly enough, Duren is not alone in considering the qualifying offer route this offseason. In fact, another notable NBA restricted free agent is reportedly doing the same as well.
Details emerge on James Harden’s expected new contract
With LeBron James officially spurning their team this offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers can now move onto another key item on the agenda — star guard James Harden.
The Cavs are expected to give Harden a contract at no more than two guaranteed years, veteran NBA writer Jake Fischer reported this week. Fischer adds though that the specific salary number for Harden remains “fluid” given the team’s other offseason priorities, including interest in free agent Jonathan Kuminga and a desire to stay out of the second apron of the luxury tax.
Harden, who turns 37 next month, officially turned down his $42.3 million player option with the Cavaliers for next season. Cleveland was waiting with Harden to first see what James was going to do in free agency, but the four-time NBA champion ultimately decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.
A former NBA MVP himself, Harden arrived on the Cavaliers in a trade last February. He averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists per game for Cleveland during the regular season but a more modest 19.2 points and 5.5 assists per game during the playoffs (along with some major duds along the way).
Harden has been playing out the last several seasons on 1+1 contracts, so it makes sense that he could do so again with the Cavaliers next season. A max contract length of two years also protects Cleveland in the event that Harden, who now has 17 years of NBA experience, experiences a rapid decline in skills and/or production.
If and when a Harden extension finally gets done, it would mark a big sigh of relief for the former NBA scoring champion. After all, Harden has had a difficult offseason thus far that even included getting arrested on a weapons charge last month.
Interesting new reason shows why LeBron James never joined Warriors
LeBron James had the entire NBA world waiting before he surprised many by picking the Philadelphia 76ers as his next team.
The other rumored finalists were the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. Still, James is suiting up alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown in hopes of ending the 76ers’ title drought.
As it turns out, ESPN’s Anthony later heard that James would’ve considered playing with Warriors star Stephen Curry if it was a team other than Golden State.
“I had a source tell me they think LeBron would have been more interested in playing with Steph Curry elsewhere away from the Warriors than actually going to the Warriors just because of the history and they think that’s part of the reason they were never ultimately considered,” Slater said on Tuesday.
Anthony Slater on Draymond Green's comments on his podcast:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) July 28, 2026
"I had a source tell me they think LeBron would have been more interested in playing with Steph Curry elsewhere away from the Warriors than actually going to the Warriors just because of the history and they think… https://t.co/LwJsxlfZcx pic.twitter.com/vuIiZPb28Y
Curry had been extremely vocal while trying to sell the Warriors to LeBron James, as was Draymond Green, although it would’ve made for a bit of an awkward time in the Bay Area.
The Warriors and Cavaliers met in the NBA Finals four straight times, with Golden State winning the title three times.
James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a stunning 3-1 comeback in the NBA Finals over the Warriors in 2016, but the Warriors would win the title the following two postseasons.
For basketball fans, the thought of LeBron James and Steph Curry playing together was exciting, but it was never much of a reality due to the history between James and Golden State.
1 new team enters DeMar DeRozan discussions
Although NBA free agency has slowed down, one key veteran still available is DeMar DeRozan.
The Sacramento Kings released DeRozan at the start of July, and immediately teams such as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat were named as options for the six-time All-Star.
On Tuesday, ESPN insider Shams Charania gave an update on the DeRozan market, and while the Heat, Cavaliers, and Denver Nuggets have all expressed interest, a new team was revealed: The Washington Wizards.
“One new team over the last several days that has had some conversations with DeMar DeRozan is the Washington Wizards,” Charania said.
.@ShamsCharania gives an update on the remaining notable free agents 🏀 pic.twitter.com/nUoKPyTtpZ
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 28, 2026
The Wizards acquired Trae Young in January and then gave him a massive four-year, $212 million deal this summer. Washington also acquired Anthony Davis, and despite other reports, the franchise does not plan on trading the former Lakers and Pelicans star.
On top of that, the Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick, so Washington seems serious about winning after years of finishing toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
DeRozan would bring more veteran presence to a team mixed with young players as well as Davis and Young, although DeRozan might prefer a team that has more NBA title aspirations.
Still, it’s an interesting destination, and the market for DeMar DeRozan continues to heat up going into August.
Red Sox player suffers broken wrist just days after being traded
The Boston Red Sox got a head start on the trade action by sending young pitcher Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals in exchange for third baseman Curtis Mead.
On Monday, Mead made his Red Sox debut against the Athletics, but he was removed from the game in the fourth inning after being hit by a pitch.
On Tuesday, the Red Sox called up Nick Sogard, and a report came right after stating that Mead suffered a broken wrist.
I've been told by a source that Curtis Mead has a broken wrist, which led to the club calling up Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester. https://t.co/jsdjus4ie7
— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) July 28, 2026
Alex Speier of The Boston Globe also added that Mead was headed to the IL, although the Red Sox had not made any formal announcement at the time of publication.
Here was the play where Mead was hit.
Absolute nightmare scenario. Curtis Mead is out of the game after getting hit on the wrist earlier. pic.twitter.com/FAmMjp0fUu
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) July 28, 2026
Mead spent time with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox before joining the Nationals in 2026. This season, he hit .254 with 17 home runs and 48 RBIs before being traded, and Boston was hoping he could be a boost to the lineup.
Instead, Mead will miss significant time.
Browns star makes NFL history again with $62.2 million contract extension
Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward has cashed in once again with a massive new contract.
On Tuesday, the Browns and Ward agreed to a two-year, $62.2 million deal with $52.3 million guaranteed. This now makes him the highest-paid CB in NFL history, and he claimed that honor when he signed his last contract in 2022.
Sources: Browns and five-time Pro-Bowl CB Denzel Ward reached agreement on a two-year, $62.2 million deal that includes $52.3 million guaranteed and makes him the highest-paid DB in NFL history for the second time in his career. Tory Dandy of Athletes First and the Browns put the… pic.twitter.com/neCq9jShmP
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 28, 2026
The Browns gave Ward a five-year, $100.5 million extension with $70 million guaranteed in 2022, which then made him the highest-paid DB in NFL history.
Now, Ward is making $31.1 million per season, putting him at No. 1, just over Los Angeles Rams star Trent McDuffie ($31 million). Sauce Gardner ($30.1 million) and Derek Stingley Jr. ($30 million) are the next highest-paid DBs in the league.
Once the Browns traded Myles Garrett, questions swirled regarding Ward’s future with the team, although they insisted that trading Ward was not something they had planned.
Ward is a five-time Pro Bowler who enters the 2026 season with three straight trips, and he now has a shiny new contract going into Week 1.
Tom Brady reportedly had major say in Raiders’ QB decision
The Las Vegas Raiders have decided to have veteran Kirk Cousins as the starting quarterback for the preseason instead of Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza.
As it turns out, Raiders minority owner and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady had a big say in that decision, according to a report from Adam Schefter.
Schefter also mentioned that it “looks like” Cousins will start in Week 1 of the regular season in September.
“Tom Brady knew that he wanted a veteran to start the season to take the pressure off Fernando Mendoza,” Schefter said. “Kirk Cousins will be the starter. It will be him, it looks like, on Opening Day.”
"Tom Brady knew that he wanted a veteran to start the season to take the pressure off Fernando Mendoza."@AdamSchefter explains why Kirk Cousins will open training camp as the Raiders starting QB ✍️ pic.twitter.com/bD6NDlvP9W
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) July 28, 2026
The Raiders gave Cousins a fully guaranteed deal after he was released from the Atlanta Falcons, and the expectation all along was that he would start as the QB1 while Mendoza learns the ropes of the NFL.
The Raiders have a new head coach in place with Klint Kubiak, and they are trying to be patient instead of throwing Mendoza into a brand-new system.
Las Vegas begins the preseason against the Arizona Cardinals on August 13. The first game of the regular season for the Raiders is on September 13 against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium.
LeBron James and Jaylen Brown’s social media activity has fans excited
Concerns about the Philadelphia 76ers’ team chemistry are probably overblown based on the social media activity of two of their stars.
Fans noted Tuesday that both Jaylen Brown and LeBron James shared the same image to their Instagram stories. The image shows a message on a wall that reads “Someone pushing you to be better is not an attack, it’s an act of love.”
Jaylen Brown and LeBron’s IG Stories https://t.co/aeMMsHp2Fs pic.twitter.com/FupuQwTzck
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 28, 2026
There was some notion that Brown, in particular, wanted to be the focal point of any offense he wound up in. James might hamper that a little, but by all accounts, Brown actively recruited his new teammate. The two will need to get on the court together to make sure their new partnership works properly, but the early returns are very good.
It certainly will not hurt that the 76ers seem intent on using James in a role that might actually bolster Brown’s ability to score.
There are definitely some worries about whether there will be enough touches to keep James, Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid satisfied next season. Even some NBA legends have voiced that concern. Though everyone is in the honeymoon phase for the moment, there appears to be a mutual desire to make things work.
Micah Parsons’ best-case return date has been revealed
The Green Bay Packers will likely have to play a significant chunk of the regular season without the services of Micah Parsons.
Matt Schneiderman of The Athletic said Tuesday that he views Week 6 as the best-case scenario for Parsons to return from his ACL tear. The expectation is that Parsons will need at least a few weeks to ramp up once he is able to fully practice again, making an earlier return unlikely.
I think Parsons returning Week 6 is best-case scenario. Nine months no football gives him a practice return of Week 4 prep at best. Assuming he needs a couple weeks to ramp up. Never doubt a guy with his physical gifts, but we also don’t know how the rest of his rehab will go. https://t.co/EECUMlcJAX
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) July 28, 2026
Parsons has indicated that ACL recovery is essentially a nine-month period. He went down in mid-December, so the recovery time combined with getting back in game shape makes mid-October a reasonable estimate.
Parsons will want to get back as soon as possible, but he might have some added incentive to try and play in Week 6. The Packers will be hosting his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, that week, a game he would surely have circled on his calendar.
The Packers traded for Parsons a year ago to bolster their defense and he did just that. He collected 12.5 sacks in 14 games before suffering the season-ending injury.
Kyle Shanahan takes blame for his serious car accident
San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that he is responsible for the serious car accident that left him severely injured.
Shanahan spoke to reporters privately on Tuesday to clarify some of the details about the accident. The Niners coach denied rumors that he was on his cell phone at the time of the crash, but said he reached down to grab his phone after it got stuck in his seat.
“I was driving. I was going 20 mph. I was not on my phone but I dropped my phone and it was stuck in my seat. I took my eyes off the road looking for my phone and my car veered into someone,” Shanahan said. “It’s one of those roads where there’s no forgiveness. It’s one of those roads where I’ll teach my kids, you don’t drive in the left lane for no reason. You’re only allowed a foot. When I hit her, I’ll never forget how violent the impact was.”
Kyle Shanahan took fault for the car accident on Alma St. near downtown Palo Alto, which is a 4-lane way without a median (only a double yellow line):
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) July 28, 2026
"I was driving. I was going 20 mph. I was not on my phone but I dropped my phone and it was stuck in my seat. I took my eyes…
Some speculation had spread online that Shanahan was actively using his phone at the time of the crash. A California Highway Patrol report had also inaccurately faulted the other driver, a 21-year-old female.
The accident occurred in Palo Alto, Calif. on July 14, but was only publicly revealed on Sunday. One of Shanahan’s friends suggested that the 49ers coach nearly lost an eye because of the injuries he sustained in the crash.
Luke Kuechly lands a new NFL media job
Luke Keuchly is taking some more steps into NFL broadcasting work.
Kuechly will serve as the lead game analyst for Netflix’s NFL broadcasts next season, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. The Hall-of-Fame linebacker is set to work four of the five Netflix NFL broadcasts in 2026 alongside Noah Eagle, starting with the Week 1 game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.
Kuechly and Eagle took part in a tryout earlier this month, and Marchand says the two had immediate chemistry. That was enough to make Netflix comfortable with putting Kuechly on its No. 1 team.
Kuechly does have some previous broadcasting experience, having worked Carolina Panthers game on the radio before. There is obviously a significant difference between that role and the job of a No. 1 television analyst, but it does mean the former linebacker is coming into the gig with at least some experience under his belt.
Netflix has moved into live sports in recent years and already had the rights to broadcast Christmas Day NFL games. They have suggested they would like a bigger package of games in the future, so Kuechly could be in line for a rather significant role if that happens and he acquits himself well.
Draymond Green’s future with the Warriors is decided
Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors have finally put to rest any speculation about his future.
Green and the Warriors agreed to a new 1-year, $27.7 million deal for the 2026-27 season on Tuesday, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. That is the exact same contract Green would have received had he opted into the final year of his contract.
Draymond Green has agreed to return to the Golden State Warriors on a one-year, $27.7 million deal, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. The contract is the same Green opted out of to give the Warriors flexibility to pursue LeBron James, but the sides land his return Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/Hyf1xruzrx
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 28, 2026
Green essentially opted out solely to give the Warriors the cap flexibility needed to pursue the likes of LeBron James. Once James opted to sign elsewhere, Green’s return was inevitable, and the contract value was expected to be precisely what it turned out to be.
Though he has been on the market for nearly a month, Green never showed any interest in going elsewhere. From the moment he opted out, the expectation was that he would return to Golden State. The only question was what kind of contract he would get, as he presumably would have been willing to make some adjustments had James signed with the team.
The deal comes with the Warriors in an awkward spot. They have not really been able to upgrade around their aging core of Green and Steph Curry. Both players are extremely loyal to the organization, however, and the team will get chances to stage one more playoff run.
Everyone made the same joke about Justin Herbert’s engagement
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert announced some significant personal news on Thursday, but it also sparked a whole lot of jokes on social media.
Herbert and his girlfriend, singer Madison Beer, are engaged. Beer shared a series of photos from the proposal on her Instagram with the caption “meet my fiancé.”
Most of social media was congratulatory toward the couple. That did not stop a few people from getting a few jokes in about how Herbert is getting a ring before many of his quarterback contemporaries.
well, at least justin herbert has 1 ring now pic.twitter.com/ukWIMkEuGY
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) July 28, 2026
Justin Herbert ring before Dak Prescott https://t.co/CdJs3N9EMZ pic.twitter.com/2OEZD6pieU
— Ky (@_k_pn) July 28, 2026
JUSTIN HERBERT HAS MORE RINGS THAN LAMAR JACKSON >>> pic.twitter.com/D1PQL7ZTcV
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) July 28, 2026
Everyone can quit complaining that Herbert can’t get a ring now https://t.co/3jgCnr7Kih
— Anand Nanduri (@NanduriNFL) July 28, 2026
Herbert, of course, has yet to win an NFL playoff game, and has turned in some extremely underwhelming performances on the occasions that he gets there. Fairly or not, it has saddled him with a reputation of a quarterback who cannot come up big in playoff games, which is why people were so eager to make ring jokes.
Presumably, Herbert will not be paying the jokes any mind. He and Beer were first linked together last August. Less than a year later, they are engaged, making this something of a whirlwind romance for the two of them.
Eagles sign star defender to $160 million contract extension
The Philadelphia Eagles are breaking the bank to keep one of their crucial defensive players.
The Eagles confirmed Tuesday that they have signed defensive tackle Jalen Carter to a contract extension. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the four-year deal could be worth as much as $160 million, with $106 million of that guaranteed. That is the largest contract for a defensive tackle in NFL history.
Breaking: Eagles are signing two-time Pro-Bowl selection Jalen Carter to a four-year, $152 million extension worth up to $160 million, including $106 million guaranteed that now makes him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history, per his agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus.… pic.twitter.com/R8VZfbsKTy
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 28, 2026
The Eagles took a bit of time to get the Carter extension done, and there were even some rumors that it might not happen. A report last month suggested that the Eagles had some hesitance about giving Carter a big-money extension, but you would not know it from the deal that he ultimately agreed to.
Carter has certainly shown moments of immaturity, particularly in one incident with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. However, he has also established himself as an All-Pro with 13.5 sacks in the first three seasons of his career.
The Eagles selected Carter ninth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. He becomes the third first-rounder from that draft to earn a huge second contract after Houston’s Will Anderson and Detroit’s Jack Campbell.
