Astonishing Raiders stat emerges after Michael Mayer’s contract extension
An incredible stat about the Las Vegas Raiders’ recent draft ineptitude has surfaced after the team signed tight end Michael Mayer to a contract extension.
Mayer, the Raiders’ second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, agreed to a new three-year contract with the Raiders worth up to $45 million. The tight end had previously been on his rookie deal, and was heading into the final season of that pact.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted that Mayer is the first Raiders player to sign a contract extension on a rookie deal since wide receiver Hunter Renfrow did so four years ago.
Unbelievably, Michael Mayer is the first #Raiders player extended on a rookie deal since… Hunter Renfrow in 2022. https://t.co/vEwTrDo2wL
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 12, 2026
Renfrow was drafted by the Raiders in 2019. That means the organization went an entire three-year stretch without selecting a player who landed a second contract. Of the team’s first-round picks over that stretch, Henry Ruggs III is in prison, Damon Arnette has faced legal trouble and is out of the league, and Alex Leatherwood was an infamous draft bust. These selections were the work of former GM Mike Mayock, who was often criticized for perceived reaches in the draft. Ultimately, those critics were right and Mayock’s confidence in his picks was misplaced.
Mayer is finally breaking the trend. He showed real promise last season playing for the injured Brock Bowers, as he set career highs in receptions (35) and receiving yards (328).
Jalen Brunson had hilarious reaction to Josh Hart at U.S. Open
New York Knicks teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart added another chapter to their long-running comedy act on Friday night at the U.S. Open.
Hart spotted Brunson on the blue carpet at Arthur Ashe Stadium and shouted a greeting that put the reserved point guard on the defensive.
“Hi Jalen!” Hart called out.
Others nearby, including Hart’s wife Shannon and Brunson’s wife Ali, asked for a photo. Brunson’s response was instant: “No, no, no. No, no.”
The clip spread quickly among fans who have watched this dynamic. Hart is the outgoing instigator. Brunson is the straight man who knows what is coming and wants no part of it in public.
That push-and-pull is not new. The two have been close since their Villanova days, when Hart later admitted he first disliked the incoming freshman before realizing Brunson was humble and all business. They won a national title in college and, this past season, helped the Knicks capture their first NBA championship in 53 years.
Their off-court bits have become part of the package. After New York won the NBA Cup in December, a camera caught Hart poking Brunson during the trophy presentation. Months later, after the Knicks clinched the Eastern Conference, Brunson told Hart to get out of the frame during a live interview.
The U.S. Open moment fit the same pattern: Hart trying to pull his friend into the spotlight, Brunson waving him off, and both still ending up together with their partners for a picture anyway.
Brunson was at the men’s semifinal between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, seated near long-time Knicks fan Ben Stiller. The crowd roared when he appeared on the stadium screens, a reminder of how far the quiet Villanova product has come in New York.
Hart being Hart was never going to let the night pass without trying to get a rise out of him.
Titans postpone Chris Johnson’s Ring of Honor induction
The Tennessee Titans have postponed former running back Chris Johnson’s induction into the franchise Ring of Honor after he and his family were unable to travel to Nashville for Sunday’s season opener against the New York Jets.
The official ceremony had been scheduled for halftime at Nissan Stadium.
In a statement Friday, the team said unforeseen circumstances prevented the trip and that Johnson and his family want to be present when he is formally honored. Tennessee will celebrate the induction at a later date and still plans a halftime tribute Sunday dedicated to Johnson’s career and legacy with the club.
Johnson, who turns 41 later this month, was set to become the 20th member of the Ring of Honor. The Titans selected him 24th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft out of East Carolina. Over six seasons in Nashville from 2008 to 2013, he rushed for 7,965 yards and scored 58 total touchdowns. In 2009 he ran for 2,006 yards, earned the nickname CJ2K, set an NFL record with 2,509 yards from scrimmage and was named Offensive Player of the Year.
Johnson announced in June that he was diagnosed with ALS in 2025. The progressive disease has limited his mobility and speech. He spent one season with the Jets in 2014, the same team visiting Nissan Stadium this weekend.
The Titans said their thoughts remain with Johnson and his wife, Brittany.
Even President Trump thinks Dallas got dunked on in Luka Doncic trade
President Donald Trump walked into American Airlines Center on Wednesday and treated the building like a returns desk.
Between midterm applause lines at the GOP convention, he paused to review the Dallas Mavericks’ February 2025 decision to send Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. No scouting report was required.
“I must tell you, I don’t understand the trade,” Trump said. “It’s not going to go down as the greatest trade in the history of sports. It might go down as the worst trade in the history of sports.”
Then he delivered the line this city has been rehearsing for 18 months.
“Maybe we could redo that trade. I redo deals all the time,” he joked.
The crowd answered like people who once held a mock funeral for Doncic outside the same doors. A presidential mulligan, it turns out, still sells in Dallas.
Trump did leave one plaque on the wall. The Boston Red Sox selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1919, he said, remains the gold standard of regrettable transactions. The Mavericks are merely threatening the record.
The actual swap sent Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris west for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. Architect Nico Harrison was later fired. The Lakers received a 25-year-old superstar. Dallas received an explanation that still has not cleared customs.
“What do I know about basketball?” Trump asked, then graded the deal anyway.
In this market, that is less a gaffe than customer service. The receipt is still on the counter. The president just asked if they take returns.
Yankees, Mets fans unite with ‘USA’ chants amid 9/11 protest
A spectator waving a Palestinian flag interrupted the Yankees-Mets game at Yankee Stadium at 9:11 p.m. on Friday night, the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
The man entered the field from the left-field seats in the top of the seventh inning and sprinted toward center field. At the time, the Yankees led 5-2 with the bases loaded, two outs, and a 3-2 count on Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor.
The protestor evaded several security officers and police for a few seconds before being tackled on the outfield grass. The spectator wore a jersey that read “No Kings.”
Security detained him and escorted him off the field beyond the center-field wall. Fans seated above the Mets bullpen threw beer cans and drinks at him. The crowd booed as he was removed and then broke into “USA” chants.
The delay lasted only a few minutes. Reliever Brent Headrick threw warm-up pitches during the stoppage and needed just one pitch to retire Lindor on a line drive back to the mound when play resumed. The Yankees held on for a 6-4 victory before a sold-out crowd of 47,410.
The incident occurred after extensive pregame ceremonies honoring those killed on September 11, 2001. Members of the 2001 Yankees, including Derek Jeter, stood on the field. A husband and wife who each lost a father in the attacks threw the ceremonial first pitches. Country singer Lee Greenwood performed “God Bless the USA.”
The Yankees declined to comment on the field intrusion.
The game marked the first meeting of New York’s two teams on the anniversary date in five years.
Isaiah Marshall’s 360-spin pass goes viral as Kansas falls to Missouri
Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshall produced a highlight that raced across social media on Friday night, even as No. 23 Missouri defeated the Jayhawks, 38-21, in the Border War at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
Midway through the third quarter, Kansas trailed by two scores. On second-and-8 from their own 18-yard line, Marshall was flushed left out of the pocket and met a Missouri defender near the sideline. He completed a full 360-degree spin as he fell toward the boundary and released a high, off-balance pass.
Tight end Carson Bruhn caught the ball for a 16-yard gain and a first down.
Officials first ruled Marshall out of bounds. Replay review reversed the call after confirming the ball left his hand in time.
The improvisation drew immediate attention. Marshall was far less impressed.
“I’m gonna be honest, it was a bad play by me,” Marshall told reporters after the game. “You know, it was great that he caught it and great that we got the first down, but that’s something I can’t do no more.”
The circus throw could not offset a difficult night. Marshall finished 13-of-30 for 168 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He lost a fumble and rushed 20 times for 23 yards. Kansas was outgained 463-255.
Missouri linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. forced a fumble and intercepted Marshall on consecutive possessions early in the second half, turning both into touchdowns that broke a 14-14 tie.
The Tigers have won five straight meetings. Kansas last beat Missouri in 2008.
Fans were loving Yandy Diaz’s celebratory move after Rays clinching playoff berth
Tampa Bay Rays star Yandy Diaz had his special requested granted Friday night as his team celebrated in the clubhouse.
The Rays beat the Houston Astros 3-1 to become the first team in MLB to clinch a spot in the 2026 playoffs. Players quickly went from playing a tight game on the field to letting loose inside their home clubhouse at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
As his Rays teammates popped champagne and danced shirtless, Diaz made sure to get a hearty meal in. He was seen walking around holding a tomahawk steak.
Yandy Diaz is walking around with a tomahawk steak after clinching the postseason pic.twitter.com/y5GIlyiOvE
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 12, 2026
It’s now obvious why Yandy has the muscular frame that he does. The man is committed to getting his protein fix. He told reporters during the celebration that he was making sure to feed his biceps.
LEGENDARY! 🤣 Yandy Díaz is celebrating the Rays Postseason berth with a steak 🥩pic.twitter.com/rGVk22mvY4
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 12, 2026
Diaz won over several fans with his red meat shenanigans.
I love Yandy so much 😂 pic.twitter.com/B2zSWvyCAi
— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) September 12, 2026
Yandy Diaz walking around the Rays clubhouse aimlessly with a cut of steak in his hand is honestly hilarious pic.twitter.com/1hKuuAsVg8
— Calico Joe (@CalicoJoeMLB) September 12, 2026
Yandy Diaz walking around the clubhouse with a tomahawk steak like it's a turkey leg at a ren faire is fantasticpic.twitter.com/KuMpwf2amW
— Dan Why-Ner (@ReallyDanWeiner) September 12, 2026
Diaz’s muscles aren’t just for show.
The Rays All-Star entered Friday batting .305 with 22 home runs and 80 RBIs. He’s a big reason why Tampa Bay sits atop the AL with an 88-59 record, with only a few weeks left before October baseball.
Unexpected Diamondbacks pitcher throws immaculate inning
Immaculate innings are so nice, the Arizona Diamondbacks had to notch one twice already this season.
D-Backs relief pitcher Justin Martinez took the mound Friday after his team had taken a 4-1 lead over the Texas Rangers at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. Martinez channeled his inner Randy Johnson to make sure the score stood still in the top of the 6th inning.
Martinez blazed past leadoff hitter Wyatt Langford with two 100-mph pitches for strikes before getting him to swing and miss on a nasty splitter. turned up the heat against Evan Carter, sandwiching a splitter in the zone with a pair of triple-digit fastballs to induce a swinging strikeout.
The Dominican then struck out Jake Burger on three pitches via a low splitter to complete the immaculate inning.
Justin Martinez pitches an IMMACULATE INNING! pic.twitter.com/UzNjg4Tu4y
— MLB (@MLB) September 12, 2026
“I told myself, ‘Don’t think about that, don’t think about that. Just keep throwing strikes,’ and then it happened,” Martinez told reporters after the game.
Martinez’s immaculate inning was the fifth in franchise history and the second this season alone. Diamondbacks starter Michael Soroka had one of his own in a March 30 contest against the Detroit Tigers, striking out 10 batters, including three in a row in the 5th inning on nine pitches.
The 25-year-old entered Friday’s matchup with just 6.2 innings of work out of Arizona’s bullpen. But he had been outstanding in those appearances, with zero earned runs allowed across seven games.
Martinez’s pitching showcase must have fired up the Diamondbacks’ hitters. They went on to plate five runs in the next half-inning en route to a 9-1 win.
Drake Maye speaks out after his disastrous season opener vs. Seahawks
Drake Maye is taking full accountability for the New England Patriots’ brutal loss Wednesday against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Patriots looked like they had been handed a free win when Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold went down with an injury just five plays into the clash at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash. Maye did just enough to get his team a 10-0 lead late in the third quarter.
Maye went on to throw an interception on each of New England’s final three possessions, flipping the result to a 13-10 Seattle win.
After the game, Maye had nobody to blame but himself for the backbreaking turnovers that cost the Patriots a season-opening victory.
“Yeah, we had the game under control,” Maye told reporters. “Thought we had a good plan to start chipping away and be patient and lost patience and it cost us, decisions that cost us the game on my part, on my end.
“I vow to myself to be better and realize it’s a long season, but at same time, we can’t have those. We can’t have those. It’s unacceptable, and I know we got to get back to work. That wasn’t how I play football and how I want to represent my game and playing quarterback for the Patriots.”
Maye went 23/33 for 178 yards, a touchdown, and 3 interceptions.
Rather than silencing his critics following his lackluster Super Bowl performance in February, Maye became the butt of every joke, at least until the Los Angeles Rams embarrassed themselves even worse in Melbourne.
Ben Shelton had the most heartfelt message after reaching US Open final
Ben Shelton is dedicating his 2026 US Open final appearance to the reason he played tennis in the first place.
Shelton lost his first set to fellow American Francis Tiafoe in the US Open men’s singles semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, N.Y. The 23-year-old then took three straight sets from his veteran opponent to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5, setting up a date with No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev on Sunday for the championship.
The Atlanta-born tennis star was asked to relay what he felt in the moment after thwarting Tiafoe to make his first-ever Grand Slam final. Shelton made a special shoutout to his paternal grandmother, Regina Ann Shelton, who died in March.
“It’s a lot of emotion,” Shelton said. “My mom and dad sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position today. My dad lost his mom earlier this year. She’s the reason he was able to play tennis. Without her, there’s no Ben Shelton standing here today. This one is for her.”
Ben’s father, Bryan Shelton, was a former player on the ATP Tour who later coached collegiate programs while the younger Shelton was growing up. Bryan supported Ben in his tennis career the same way his mother did for him years ago.
Ben Shelton has shown much more maturity and poise throughout the tournament compared to years past, when more than a few fans saw him as a brash youngster. He has let his play do most of the talking in this year’s US Open thus far, with a chance to make an even bigger statement against Zverev.
Mike Tomlin reveals the wholesome reason he’s played Minecraft for 12 years
Mike Tomlin always put in the work throughout his football career. He showed as much dedication to the decade-old city he’s been building in Minecraft.
The former Pittsburgh Steelers coach revealed this week that he’s been playing Minecraft for longer than Jameis Winston has been in the NFL. In a recent interview with “Today Show” host Craig Melvin, Tomlin shared that he was inspired to play the beloved sandbox video game to connect with his three children. He fell in love with the game and kept going long after his kids went off to college.
“I’m a big Minecrafter,” Tomlin told Melvin on his “Glass Half Full” podcast. “Cause my kids were, and how do I connect with them? How do I meet them where they are and spend time with them? I started playing Minecraft, man, when my kids were young.
“I have a Minecraft city that I’ve been working on for like 12 years. … When they come home, they’re like, ‘Hey, Dad, pull your city up. Let me see what’s up.’”
The Super Bowl-winning coach admitted that his children have been helping him export his Minecraft save file across multiple consoles, from the PlayStation 3 up until the current PlayStation 5.
Tomlin’s kids have also been pushing him lately to show off his 12-year-old city to the world. The newly retired Tomlin has more than enough time to get his city ready for its public debut.
At the very least, Mike should have presented it to the extended clan when he recently attended his first Tomlin family reunion since 1997.
Saquon Barkley sends profane message to his critics
Saquon Barkley believes the best is yet to come in his career. The crude message below is for anyone doubting him.
The Philadelphia Eagles star turned 29 earlier this season, an age when running backs often start to see their on-field production dip. In a recent interview with The Athletic’s Zach Berman, Barkley doesn’t see that happening to him.
NFL legend Barry Sanders, Barkley’s favorite player, had his best season at age 29. The Detroit Lions icon was named league MVP after rushing for 2,053 yards and 11 touchdowns in 1997, the year Saquon was born.
Barkley wants to channel his inner Barry Sanders heading into next season.
“The competitor in me, who I am to the core, I want to say ‘F— everybody. You don’t think I’m able to put myself in that category?’” Barkley told Berman. “Why can’t I put myself in that category for another five more years? That’s the mentality I have.”
“When I look at the guys that I want to be in the category with when I’m done playing, they all played well when they got older. I think if you look at Walter (Payton), like the late 20s, a little bit into the early 30s, they still were playing at a high level. I think Barry’s a great example. Barry’s best year was when he was 29. Not saying that necessarily I’ll have my best (year) at 29. He had 1,500 yards the next year, and took a tackle for loss, and he had (1,491) yards when he was 30, and left on top.”
Barkley looked like a true MVP candidate at age 27, rushing for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns across 16 games en route to an Eagles Super Bowl victory. He saw his production nearly halved last season, prompting many to wonder whether Barkley’s best years are behind him.
Like Sanders, Barkley wants to break past the conventional expiration date for running backs and have another historic season.
Garrett Crochet takes another step toward postseason return
The Boston Red Sox are currently second in the American League Wild Card race, and they are sure hoping starting pitcher Garret Crochet can return for the postseason.
Crochet hasn’t pitched since April 25 due to shoulder inflammation, and he re-aggravated the issue in late May, which caused him not to throw in June or July.
On Friday, Crochet took a major step forward: He threw another bullpen session, this time on the field at Fenway Park.
Garrett Crochet just threw his third bullpen. This is his first one on the field. pic.twitter.com/PkqjAWLBDO
— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) September 11, 2026
Crochet was diagnosed with a lat strain in June, so it’s been a rough year for the Red Sox ace. Yet, they are currently considering bringing him back for the postseason without making an appearance in a minor league or major league game until then.
Crochet said he is pushing himself in hopes of being able to contribute, and he said he is “trending well” after the bullpen session on Friday.
“I’m not sure. Trending well, right now,” he said, via Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. “Have a lot more stuff to tick off. This is my first time throwing sweepers in a bullpen, so it’d be a pretty big leap to put myself in a game mindset right now.”
The Red Sox are comfortably ahead in the Wild Card race, so barring a sudden collapse, they should get into the playoffs.
Whether or not Crochet returns remains to be seen, and it might be a big risk. At the end of the day, the Red Sox ace is trying to do whatever he can, and another bullpen session is scheduled for Tuesday.
Lakers are looking to trade 2 players before the start of the season
The Los Angeles Lakers already parted ways with the majority of their roster from last season, and now even more cuts could be coming.
The Lakers are looking to trade two players on their roster before opening night, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported this week. Those two players are wing Dalton Knecht and forward Jarred Vanderbilt.
This news comes with just two-and-a-half weeks to go before the start of training camp. Fischer further adds that the Lakers would still like to make a trade upgrade at the wing/forward spot after missing out on Jonathan Kuminga in free agency.
Knecht, 25, was the Lakers’ first-round draft pick in 2024 (No. 17 overall). But after a promising rookie season, Knecht fell out of the rotation completely and averaged just 4.2 points per game last year. One recent report even suggested that Knecht might be in danger of getting cut outright.
As for Vanderbilt, 27, he is now one of the longest-tenured players left on the Lakers, joining in 2023. Vanderbilt has found some success as a role player thanks to his versatile defense but has been unable to make a consistent contribution due to his lack of offense and his constant injuries (including a gruesome one in last year’s playoffs).
The Lakers look almost completely different from last year’s team after the departures of LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton, and Jaxson Hayes. The likes of Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney, Matisse Thybulle, and Quentin Grimes were all brought in as replacements, and now it looks like Knecht and/or Vanderbilt might have to be replaced as well.
Fred Warner had the coldest Instagram post after beating the Rams
Beating up the Los Angeles Rams on the field apparently was not quite enough for Fred Warner.
The San Francisco 49ers started off their season in style on Thursday night, earning a statement 27-7 win over the division rival Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia. After his team’s victory, the 49ers linebacker Warner continued the onslaught over social media.
Warner took to Instagram to post a few action shots of himself from the game … followed by some ruthless troll posts at the Rams’ expense. Most notably, Warner posted a video of infamous fake football player Daejon Love wearing Rams gear.
Additionally, Warner posted a video of Rams head coach Sean McVay saying before the game that his team was “well-rested” and “feeling good.” Warner even included a screenshot of the Rams doing a sleeping celebration in the end zone after an early interception by 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (after which San Francisco scored 24 unanswered points to close out the game).
Take a look at Warner’s savage post.
The four-time All-Pro Warner, 29, led the 49ers on Thursday with 11 combined tackles and five solo tackles (adding one pass defended and one forced fumble as well). Warner has also been with San Francisco since the start of his NFL career in 2018 and properly despises the rival Rams (as evidenced by another time that he trolled them on social media last season).
Sean McVay’s blunt response to criticism of Rams’ travel schedule
The Los Angeles Rams stumbled with a 27-7 loss against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 in the first-ever NFL game in Melbourne, Australia.
The Rams couldn’t get anything going on offense or defense. LA had also made the decision to travel to Australia the day before the game and leave right after, instead of flying a week before to get adjusted, which is what San Francisco did.
After the ugly loss, Rams coach Sean McVay said that travel decision is not to blame for their poor play.
“I don’t believe that that’s why we didn’t play well enough. I really don’t,” McVay said. “I’ll always make decisions that I think are best for the football team. It’s easy in hindsight to be able to say it was a miss, but those are responsibilities that I’ll take.”
#Rams HC Sean McVay said he does not believe the team’s travel plan was responsible for how it played:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 11, 2026
“I don't believe that's why we didn't play well enough. … It’s easy in hindsight to say it was a miss.” https://t.co/iKYgHP5sEF pic.twitter.com/yf7GoBXr3U
The Rams reportedly spent a lot of time making the decision to fly the day before the game, although it sure looked like they were in another world on Thursday night.
Superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett was nowhere to be found in his first game with the Rams. Reigning NFL MVP winner Matthew Stafford threw for only 155 yards with no touchdowns, and LA went scoreless in the second half in a stunning turn of events.
The Rams have a chance to respond in Week 2, and they have a long break before facing the New York Giants on Monday Night Football on September 21 at SoFi Stadium.
Details surface on Freddy Peralta’s expected new contract
Freddy Peralta up-and-down season may have his free agent suitors feeling a little skittish.
The Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Peralta is expected to earn a one-year “make-good” deal in free agency this winter, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported this week. Passan notes that Peralta looks less likely to receive a nine-figure contract despite the relative weakness of this year’s free agent class.
Peralta, a two-time MLB All-Star and a former NL wins leader, will be one of the more accomplished pitchers on the market behind Tarik Skubal. But Peralta is coming off a forgettable stint with the New York Mets (going 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP over 22 starts before being traded to the Rays in August).
That said, Peralta has been pitching slightly better in Tampa Bay. Over his first seven starts for the team, Peralta owns a 3-2 record with a 4.35 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP.
While Peralta is not missing bats like we are used to (just 6.6 K/9 thus far for the Rays), he still has more time to prove himself before free agency. Tampa Bay sits at an AL East-leading 87-59 right now, so Peralta could really resurrect his value with a strong performance in October.
Before the 2026 season started, we learned that Peralta was primed for a major ask in free agency. Though his subpar year has all but ruined his hopes for such a deal, Peralta could still have an avenue there by taking that expected one-year prove-it deal this offseason.
Surprising news emerges about Skip Bayless’ future
Skip Bayless is having a very unlikely reunion.
Bayless will be returning to ESPN’s “First Take” on a part-time basis. Stephen A. Smith, Bayless’ longtime former co-host on “First Take,” made that announcement on Friday during the latest episode of his self-titled podcast.
Smith revealed that Bayless will be appearing with him on “First Take” on the last Friday of every month and will also be appearing with him on “The Stephen A. Smith Show” every Friday. Bayless himself even appeared on this Friday’s edition of “The Stephen A. Smith Show” for his first official reunion with Smith.
Stephen A. Smith & Skip Bayless share a wholesome moment together after reuniting and giving each other props for how far they’ve come
— Slime (@ItsKingSlime) September 11, 2026
Stephen A. also announces that Skip will be on his show to debate every Friday, and he will be featured on First Take on the last Friday of… pic.twitter.com/FhKNJuHbiv
Bayless, 74, and Smith, 58, were co-hosts on “First Take” from 2012-16, forming an iconic debate show duo and sending ESPN’s morning ratings soaring. But their partnership came to an end in 2016 when Bayless left ESPN for FOX Sports.
In more recent years, Bayless and Smith had a notable feud play out in the public eye (with both men retroactively claiming credit for the success of “First Take”). But with Bayless now working independently after his departure from FOX Sports in 2024, he is finally making peace with his old media partner Smith in a surprising twist.
Bulls had interest in Jonathan Kuminga with one notable caveat
The Minnesota Timberwolves ended up signing former Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga this offseason.
Kuminga also reportedly had offers from the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers, but he chose the Timberwolves’ two-year, $12.4 million offer.
As it turns out, Kuminga turned down the Bulls because they didn’t promise to play him down the stretch of games.
“Per that source, the Bulls wouldn’t promise Kuminga he’d start or close games most nights, considering the franchise’s most coveted young talents are also forwards,” according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. “This is to say nothing of Kuminga’s playstyle or decision-making reputation.”
The Bulls are a bit crowded at the position with Matas Buzelis, Guerschon Yabusele, Patrick Williams and Noa Essengue all on the roster.
The Lakers’ offer was reportedly $12 million per season for three years, but Kuminga was hoping for more flexibility to protect his future, which led to the decision to join Minnesota.
The Timberwolves had a busy offseason, which included a pursuit of LeBron James in free agency. They also acquired superstar point guard LaMelo Ball in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets, putting him alongside Anthony Edwards in a talented backcourt.
At the end of the day, it remains to be seen if the Bulls’ offer was good enough for Kuminga, but he ended up going to Minnesota.
Ben Simmons issues a profane response to Patrick Beverley’s criticism of him
Ben Simmons is taking some time this week to lash out at Patrick Beverley.
The ex-NBA guard Beverley had a notable criticism of Simmons during the latest episode of his self-titled podcast. Beverley said that he felt it was unfair that Simmons was able to return to the NBA after sitting out of last season.
“I don’t think that it’s fair to quit the game of basketball and come back,” said Beverley. “You can quit with not having a ton of success. You can quit because the game is hard and it’s stressful, you’re not playing well, the fans are on you, and the media is on you … I’m not with quitting the game of basketball because it’s hard at the time.”
Beverley also drew a comparison to former NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo, who was still unsuccessful in returning to the league despite multiple comeback attempts after numerous injuries.
That led to a profane response from Simmons himself in the Instagram comments section.
“Walk away??” wrote Simmons. “I played two years not physically right. This ain’t no hand out. I worked my a– off to be in the position. And I’m very grateful to even be in position to play the game I f–king love! Yall will continue to make up stories for your own benefits and that’s more telling about who yall are.”
The former No. 1 overall pick Simmons, now 30, went unsigned for the entire 2025-26 NBA season. But he was able to successfully get a deal from the Sacramento Kings earlier this month for one year and up to $3.5 million.
Simmons’ love for the game has been questioned countless times before, including by one well-known sports personality who once said called for Simmons to be arrested over all the hundreds of millions in salary that he had supposedly stolen. But the three-time All-Star Simmons did indeed play through a bad back for several seasons, and he believes that should say it all when it comes to his work ethic.
