Central Michigan coach has unfiltered response to College Football Playoff expansion rumblings
Talks of a 24-team College Football Playoff field are picking up steam, but Central Michigan coach Matt Drinkall is certainly not on board.
On Tuesday, Drinkall had plenty to say about the CFP expansion during a press conference, and here’s part of what he said.
Drinkall said they are “not interested in what’s good for the sport of football” while also saying it is a “downward spiral that is nonstop until it’s going to be a smoldering dumpster fire left like the Truffula trees and the Lorax.”
He also said they are going to “prostitute the sport for financial gain.”
Here is (part) of Central Michigan head coach Matt Drinkall’s quote in opposition to the proposed 24-team College Football Playoff: https://t.co/SzcEQiRg3D
— By the Belt: A MAC Sports Blog (@bythebelt) October 20, 2026
Drinkall spoke for nearly 10 minutes after the question, and that is just part of what he said.
The College Football Playoff just expanded to 12 teams, and the 24-team field has been in discussions for some time. Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal also expressed his frustration amid the expansion rumblings, but his response was nowhere close to the rant that Drinkall threw out there on Tuesday.
In September, the CFP took a big step forward with ESPN in discussions regarding a 24-team field, but it’s certainly been a hot topic as the season has progressed.
As of right now, this year’s College Football Playoff will be 12 teams, but it could expand to 24 teams next season.
College football team announces unique beer deal that fans will love
The Florida Atlanta Owls are doing whatever they can to bring fans to Saturday’s game against the Rice Owls.
Florida Atlantic is rolling out a unique beer promotion. The promo has prices starting at $3 for the first quarter and decreasing by $1 each quarter until the end of the third quarter.
FAU announced that there will only be two places of sale for this specific promotion, both of which will be at the first level of Flagler Credit Union Stadium.
Join us this Saturday for our 3-2-1 Beer Deal! $3 Pregame – 1st quarter $2 2nd quarter – halftime $1 3rd quarter 📰 https://t.co/x0pDwRBOLt #WIP🏝️ https://t.co/APwnKFKavq
— Florida Atlantic Athletics #WIP🏝️ (@FAUAthletics) October 20, 2026
Once this deal hit social media, fans from FAU and other places certainly showed their support.
This is beautiful 100% one of the best ways to get your fans to stay
— Kelly Green Report (@KellyGreenReprt) October 20, 2026
Liberty needs to do this
— CJ Sweat (@sweetsweatcj) October 20, 2026
On my hands and knees begging our Athletics office
— MGN Sports Guy 🦅 (@MGN_SG) October 20, 2026
College football teams have been getting more creative with promotions in years past. In 2025, Coastal Carolina offered a free concessions deal for certain tickets. This season, Akron chose one season ticket holder to be the team’s offensive coordinator for the season opener.
Now, Florida Atlantic is going in a different direction, and it will be interesting to see how it goes on Saturday.
Florida Atlantic is 4-2 and taking on a 1-6 Rice team, and the game is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET at Flagler Credit Union Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla.
Deion Sanders sends heartfelt message to Jalen Hurts after blood clot diagnosis
Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with blood clots, and Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders sent a message of support.
On Tuesday, Sanders began his press conference by saying he is “praying” for Hurts
“I know what he’s dealing with. I know what he’s going through. I’m praying for him,” Sanders said. “I pray to God that he’s not out for the rest of his career.”
Coach Prime Deion Sanders on Jalen Hurts | https://t.co/Hl6DHI5Rx7
— BiggDoggChico (@ChicoCleveland) October 20, 2026
Hurts was ruled out of the past game due to blood clots being found in his calf. He was then placed on Injured Reserve on Monday, and Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, stated that he could miss three months depending on how everything turns out.
Deion Sanders dealt with blood clots in recent years, so he sure knows what Hurts is going through at this moment.
It was reported that Hurts stayed up 36 hours just to play in the Oct. 4 game, which led fans to wonder why the Eagles even allowed their star QB to play in the first place with the health issue.
Nick Sirianni then got into a tense exchange with a reporter on Monday after the Hurts news surfaced, so it’s a difficult time in Philadelphia for the organization and Jalen Hurts.
Commanders receive major injury update on Terry McLaurin
The Washington Commanders are going to play the rest of the season without star wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
McLaurin was carted off the field on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers after suffering a scary knee injury.
On Tuesday, Dan Quinn revealed that McLaurin is out for the season and set to undergo surgery after suffering a torn patellar tendon.
Dan Quinn says to start his weekly Zoom call with media that Terry McLaurin suffered a torn patella tendon in Monday’s game with the 49ers. He will have surgery; out for the season. "Man, I’m gutted for him," Quinn says.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) October 20, 2026
McLaurin was battling with 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, and the Commanders star held his knee after hitting the ground. After the Commanders’ loss on Monday night, quarterback Jayden Daniels said “it sucks” to see McLaurin deal with a brutal injury.
McLaurin was a hold-in at camp over the summer, but the two sides agreed on a 3-year, $96 million contract extension right before Week 1. He is a two-time Pro Bowler with five 1,000-yard seasons, and he has spent his entire career with Washington.
This season, McLaurin recorded 15 catches for 230 yards and a touchdown in five games before the injury, so it’s a big loss to the now 1-4-1 Commanders.
The Commanders have a bye in Week 7, so they will try to figure out what to do without their star wide receiver.
Fans rip Brewers over Timeless Ticket dispute ahead of World Series
The Milwaukee Brewers are going to the World Series for the first time in over 40 years, but some fans aren’t happy with the franchise.
The Brewers clinched the National League pennant after a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and they still face the Tampa Bay Rays in a battle of No. 1 seeds.
Back in 2015, the Brewers sold 1,000 fans what is called a “Timeless Ticket,” promising them a seat to any home game, including th World Series. However, it was revealed that the “best seat available” is in the upper deck and standing-room-only sections, which has caused a lot of backlash.
The Brewers not offering best available seats for the Timeless Ticket folks is so bad. Once Misiorowski has his Debut Patch, they will have the most pathetic offer we have ever seen
— Steven (@cashmahne) October 20, 2026
For people not understanding Timeless Ticket holder frustrations, this sums it up pretty well. Brewers offered seats behind home plate in 2018 for a potential World Series. In 2026 we were ONLY offered nosebleeds or standing room only.
— jweis (@jweis1985) October 20, 2026
Two Kenosha brothers who paid $1,000 each for a Milwaukee Brewers "Timeless Ticket" more than a decade ago say the team isn’t fully honoring the promise that came with it — the chance to sit in the best available seats for a game as big as the World Series. More at the link in o https://t.co/u7RpUnhmy2
— TMJ4 News (@tmj4) October 20, 2026
I’ve said this before. In NO scenario did a #Brewers fan think they were purchasing a Timeless Ticket 12 years ago with an upper deck 400-level ticket in mind. Quite honestly, they should be given the SSH price to purchase the extra tix. #WinOurWay
— Dale Ryman (@DaleRyman_WSAW) October 20, 2026
This is DISGUSTING behavior by the Brewers SPITTING in the face of their very loyal fanbase EVERYONE. And I mean EVERYONE. Should be rooting for the Rays.
— 🅱️🚂 (@blakecowellx) October 20, 2026
Really bad look for the #Brewers
— NW Country (@NWcountrymusic1) October 20, 2026
Here is an interview from a ticket holder with a reply from another fan who also had issues getting a better seat choice.
@ScottFriedman3 @Brewers @dfoch23 Getting same treatment. My family has 4 tix and we did not redeem as we were told the 400 section or SRO were the only seats being allocated by Brewers. Only 1 of the 1,000 tickets were redeemed prior to this World Series per ticket agent. Shameful.
— K Deat (@KEVINDEATOsogc) October 17, 2026
Here is what the original offer says: “The Timeless Ticket and any additional purchased tickets may be redeemed for the best available seat location(s), subject to ticket availability at the time of redemption.”
For now, it remains to be seen if the Brewers will make any changes. Game 1 is on Friday night at American Family Field.
Wizards reveal key AJ Dybantsa injury update ahead of season opener
The Washington Wizards host the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday in their season opener, but No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa won’t be playing.
On Tuesday, head coach Brian O’Keefe revealed that Dybantsa is out for the opener and is considered day-to-day after suffering an ankle injury in the preseason finale.
AJ Dybantsa (ankle) will not play in Wednesday’s season opener, Brian Keefe said. Dybantsa is considered day-to-day after that, Keefe said.
— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) October 20, 2026
Dybantsa played just one season of college basketball for the BYU Cougars, and the debate was whether or not he or Kansas star Darryn Peterson would be the top pick in the draft.
Dybantsa said after his preseason debut that he wanted to continue to make an impact on the defensive end, something he didn’t do very much in college.
In the preseason finale, Dybantsa played just 14 minutes, scoring 12 points before leaving the game with an injury. He had double digits in points in every preseason game and was on his way to a preseason high before suffering the injury.
AJ Dybantsa injured his ankle on this play Dybantsa limped into the locker room 💔 https://t.co/FAWx312K03
— WizardsMuse (@WizardsMuse1) October 17, 2026
The next chance for Dybantsa’s NBA debut will be on Friday when the Wizards host the Toronto Raptors, and then they travel to Illinois to face the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
Kendrick Perkins gets brutally honest on Celtics’ NBA title hopes
Can the Boston Celtics make an NBA Finals run even without Jaylen Brown?
Former Celtics big man Kendrick Perkins certainly doesn’t think so, and he let his feelings be known during an episode of “First Take” ahead of NBA Opening Night.
“Hell no,” Perkins said when asked if the Celtics are contenders. “No. They don’t have the personnel. Jayson Tatum is on the clock…Jayson Tatum is one of those guys who is under the most pressure.”
"Hell no." —@KendrickPerkins on the Celtics being contenders this season 😳 https://t.co/N33YbFRRFD
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 20, 2026
Perkins even said the Celtics will make the postseason in the play-in tournament.
Boston traded away superstar Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George and more. The Celtics also signed former New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, so they still have a talented roster despite Brown’s departure.
Entering the 2026-27 NBA season, the Eastern Conference seems to be a toss-up. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst even said in September that he doesn’t view the LeBron James-led Philadelphia 76ers as a top-6 team in the East.
The New York Knicks are fresh off an NBA title, but none of the 15 ESPN experts picked them to repeat this season.
Despite all of that, Perkins still doesn’t view Boston as a title threat. The Celtics begin the season on Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich.
Giants release former first-round pick after five games
Najee Harris’ time with the New York Giants has come to an end after he appeared in just five games this season.
On Tuesday, the Giants released Harris, via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Harris, who was selected at No. 24 overall in 2021 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, rushed for just 9 yards on 31 carries for New York.
Source: The #Giants are releasing RB Najee Harris, another RB shakeup. https://t.co/N9C5GIIpeh
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 20, 2026
Harris spent the first four seasons with the Steelers before signing with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025. However, he suffered an eye injury in a Fourth of July fireworks incident that held him back for the preseason.
Harris then tore his Achilles in just his third game with LA, forcing him to miss the rest of the season.
After Harris signed with the Giants, he stated he had a lot to prove, but he wasn’t able to find much success and was in a crowded RB room.
Harris had just been named the RB1 for the Week 6 game against the New Orleans Saints after Cam Skattebo was demoted due to ball security issues.
However, Harris had just 4 carries for 2 yards, and it was Tyrone Tracy Jr. who had the most carries with 6, although he had just 18 yards rushing.
Harris had also expressed frustration at the plan for the RB room, and now he is headed elsewhere after a short run with the Giants.
Titans release player following incident at team facility
Veteran defensive lineman Jordan Elliott’s tenure with the Tennessee Titans has come to an end after just five games.
On Tuesday, the Titans announced that Elliott has been released after an “incident at our team facility.”
Statement from the @Titans on DL Jordan Elliott. https://t.co/blH9LdpFrt
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) October 20, 2026
The team said there was an incident on October 15, and Elliott missed Friday’s practice for personal reasons and he also didn’t play in Sunday’s win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Elliott signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Titans this offseason. He entered the league with the Cleveland Browns after being selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Elliott then spent four seasons with Cleveland before playing the previous two with the San Francisco 49ers, where he started 29 games.
New Titans head coach Robert Saleh had spent the previous two seasons with Elliott in San Francisco, where Saleh served as the team’s defensive coordinator.
This is a bit of a blow for the defense, and Elliott had done a solid job as a run stopper. In his absence against the Colts, it was second-year player Nazir Stackhouse who stepped in, and he also impressed after spending 2025 with the Green Bay Packers.
As of now, no further information has been reported about Elliott’s incident.
Bills make a move on two-time Pro Bowl cornerback
The Buffalo Bills are running it back with a fan favorite.
The team announced on Monday that it signed veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White to its practice squad.
This is White’s third stint with the Bills, who selected him in the first round (27th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. He suited up for the team from 2017 through the 2023 season, earning two Pro Bowl selections and a first-team All-Pro nod during that span.
White signed with the Los Angeles Rams in 2024 but was traded to the Baltimore Ravens within months. He reunited with the Bills on a 1-year, $3 million contract in 2025.
A torn ACL in 2021 and a torn Achilles in 2023 have taken a toll on White’s on-field abilities, but he could still help move the needle for Buffalo’s defense.
The Bills are 5-1 after six weeks in the 2026 NFL season. Only Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have a better record than Buffalo in the AFC, but the Bills aren’t without weaknesses. Their defense has been a glaring issue, allowing 171 points in total, the most in the NFL.
The 31-year-old White, who led the league with six interceptions in 2019, has 19 career interceptions and 83 passes defended in 109 games.
Auston Matthews makes a strong statement on Gavin McKenna after rookie’s game-winner
Gavin McKenna came to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ rescue on Monday, helping his team beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario.
His third-period game-winner and overall demeanor have seemingly left a positive impression on another former No. 1 overall pick.
“He’s not shy at the moment at all. I think if you give him a little bit of time and space like he had there, he’s gonna make something happen, and he did,” Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews said of McKenna while talking to reporters after the game.
McKenna, the No. 1 overall pick by Toronto in the 2026 NHL Draft, was benched in a recent game against the Buffalo Sabres, but appears to be responding positively.
“He’s been fine these last couple of games, and even what happened a couple nights ago, that stuff doesn’t shake him,” Matthews added. “He just keeps turning away, and it’s impressive.”
Thanks largely to McKenna, the Maple Leafs snapped a three-game losing skid and improved to 4-4-2. Matthews also had a hand in Toronto’s success, lighting the lamp on the man advantage and recording two assists, including a helper on McKenna’s goal.
On the season, McKenna has three goals and three assists.
H/T Leafslatest
Freddy Peralta had a great message for Milwaukee after winning ALCS MVP
It has been quite a ride in 2026 for Freddy Peralta. He began the year by being traded from the Milwaukee Brewers to the New York Mets in January, and he’s now just days away from facing his former team in the World Series.
Peralta has played a major role in the Tampa Bay Rays’ success in the 2026 MLB playoffs, even earning American League Championship Series MVP honors after helping his team eliminate the Cleveland Guardians with a 7-3 win on Monday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
No one would have guessed in January that Peralta would be preparing to face the Brewers in the Fall Classic several months later.
Either way, he remains thankful for his time in Milwaukee.
“Milwaukee is the team and the city that gave me the opportunity to make my dreams [come true], and also, Milwaukee is going to be always in my heart,” Peralta said, via Jake Rill of MLB.com. “But it’s time now to compete. I’m grateful to be here, and excited to go.”
The 30-year-old Peralta has made four total appearances so far in the 2026 postseason, including three in the Guardians series. During the ALCS, he went 2-0 and allowed only an earned run on nine hits through 12 innings.
Peralta, who led the National League with 17 wins with the Brewers in 2025, was traded to the Rays by the Mets in August.
Ben Simmons’ injury triggers a significant development
Ben Simmons’ NBA comeback ended before it could officially begin.
Just days before the start of the 2026-27 NBA season, the former NBA Rookie of the Year Award winner was ruled out for the entire campaign with an Achilles tear he suffered during practice on Sunday.
Sacramento signed Simmons to a one-year, $3.5 million contract in September, sparking excitement among fans about the former LSU Tigers star’s return to the NBA after missing the entire 2025-26 season.
But even with Simmons facing a long journey to recovery from his injury, the Kings are expected to keep him.
As John Hollinger of The Athletic pointed out, Sacramento is unlikely to release Simmons because of a salary continuation rule.
That provision states that players on non-guaranteed contracts who are injured must be paid until they recover. Simmons’ deal with the Kings is guaranteed for only $1 million, but the salary continuation rule means the team will have to pay him his full salary whether it keeps him or not.
A former No. 1 overall pick, Simmons last played in a non-preseason NBA game during the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Clippers. He has career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists with a 55.8% shooting from the field across 383 games (344 starts).
James Harden is not ruling out a drastic move after he retires
James Harden and his beard are one of the most recognizable duos in basketball, but there might come a time when he’ll get rid of his facial hair.
The Cleveland Cavaliers veteran guard isn’t ruling that out, but for now, he’ll keep his iconic look as he continues his basketball career.
“I’m definitely going to keep it while I’m playing basketball, honestly, like once I am away from the cameras, you know, all the time then I can figure out if I wanna try to cut it and see what that looks like, but for now, for sure, until I’m retired, I’m keeping this beard,” the 11-time NBA All-Star Harden said of his beard in a recent interview posted by the league on X.
"Until I’m retired, I’m keeping this beard." James Harden is known for his iconic beard… but is it here to stay forever? 🤔 @JHarden13 begins his first full season with the @cavs next Thursday (10/22) vs. the 76ers at 7pm/et on ESPN! https://t.co/l2NxeUNnqV
— NBA (@NBA) October 15, 2026
It’s difficult for most basketball fans to conjure up an image of Harden without his beard. One of his nicknames is “The Beard,” which essentially sums up everything one has to know about how important his beard is to his identity on the court.
The former Arizona State Sun Devils star, who turned 37 in August, probably still has a few years left before calling it a career, so we may have to wait a while to find out whether he would actually shave it all off after hanging up his sneakers.
Harden and his beard will make their appearance for an 18th season in the league, beginning on Thursday, when the Cavs play LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa.
Notable update on Mike Evans’ injury emerges after 49ers-Commanders game
It wasn’t all that rosy for the San Francisco 49ers in their 23-17 win over the Washington Commanders on Monday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
San Francisco star wide receiver Mike Evans couldn’t finish the contest, leaving the game in the first half with Achilles tendinitis.
It was an aggravation of an Achilles issue that put Evans’ status for Week 6 in question in the days leading up to the showdown against the Commanders.
After the game, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said, “I don’t believe so” when asked if Evans would need further testing on his Achilles, via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.
San Francisco will next play the Atlanta Falcons in a Week 7 game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., but Shanahan hinted Evans might not be available for that.
“I hope he recovers throughout the week, but you don’t think it’s a long-term thing, but right now it ended up costing him two quarters and hopefully he’ll be able to play next week, but if not, we’ll have to have the rest of the group step up and hopefully get him healed up by after the bye week,” Shanahan said.
The 49ers keep winning games despite a banged-up wide receiver room, with Ricky Pearsall, De’Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson, Deebo Samuel Sr., and Christian Kirk all sidelined entering Week 6.
Despite leaving the game early, Evans still led all 49ers players with 94 receiving yards on three catches and five targets.
Dan Quinn speaks out after MNF broadcast appears to catch him making a serious blunder
Dan Quinn has addressed the viral clip of him seemingly making a critical mistake during Monday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Washington Commanders had 4th-and-2 at the 49ers’ 13 early in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. With the Commanders trailing 13-3, Quinn had his team go for it rather than settle for three points.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels ended up throwing the ball out of bounds. The ESPN broadcast then shifted to Quinn, who appeared to be calling for a field goal before he realized his team had actually turned the ball over on downs.
“That was fourth down?” Quinn appeared to say with the camera panned to him.
Not a professional lip reader but did Dan Quinn just say/ask “That was fourth down?” https://t.co/ZUQZuMfDxA
— Mike Mutnansky (@MikeMutnansky) October 20, 2026
Even the ESPN broadcast believed Quinn had mistakenly thought his team had an extra down left.
this is SOOOO BAD how does the HEAD COACH not know the down??? https://t.co/UaXmbWzgvj
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 20, 2026
Quinn, however, claimed the internet lip-readers out there got it wrong. He pointed to the flag thrown against the Commanders for an illegal shift as what he got confused by in the clip.
“No, I definitely knew it was fourth down,” Quinn told reporters after the game. “We were going for it. I think what you’re referring to is that I was probably saying like, with the illegal shift, there’s not a penalty to go for a field goal.”
"I definitely knew it was 4th down." Commanders HC Dan Quinn on the 4th down play that Jayden Daniels threw the ball away in the second quarter. https://t.co/SiBP2SIClg
— ESPN (@espn) October 20, 2026
Quinn’s explanation didn’t make sense. If he had actually known it was fourth down, then it should have been obvious that the 49ers would decline the penalty to secure the turnover.
Daniels throwing the ball out of bounds instead of taking a risk on fourth down also added to the case against Quinn actually knowing the correct game situation.
The Commanders lost 23-17, dropping them to 1-4-1 in the standings and placing Quinn in the hot seat heading into the team’s bye week.
Junior Caminero copied LeBron James’ message after eliminating Cleveland in ALCS
Junior Caminero’s postgame message sounded very familiar to Cleveland sports fans.
The Tampa Bay Rays standout led his team to a 7-3 win in a Game 6 clincher over the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Caminero went 2-for-3 with a walk, including a two-run homer that gave the Rays a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the 7th.
Caminero’s jam-shot blast off the Trop foul pole instantly became the stuff of legend. The man made sure to celebrate the momentous big fly accordingly.
JUNIOR CAMINERO OFF THE FOUL POLE THE TROP IS ELECTRIC! https://t.co/E0hC0eAmBK
— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2026
After the game, Caminero addressed Rays fans both in attendance and watching from home.
“Tampaaaaa! This is for YOU!” Caminero shouted into the mic.
“TAMPA THIS IS FOR YOU” Junior Caminero channels his inner LeBron James https://t.co/nHIyW9fCUo
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 20, 2026
Caminero’s message sounded exactly like LeBron James’ message to the City of Cleveland when the Cavaliers won the NBA championship in 2016.
🗣️ "CLEVELAND, THIS IS FOR YOU." LeBron James had this iconic line after leading the Cavs to the 2016 title 🏆 LBJ returns to Cleveland as LAL & CLE face off on ESPN at 7pm/et 🍿 https://t.co/w3c2tReRyq
— NBA (@NBA) January 28, 2026
It’s unclear whether Caminero was actually going for the LeBron-esque celebration or if it was just a coincidence. But it must have been at least a little unsettling to hear for any Cleveland sports fans who had just watched their Guardians lose to Caminero’s Rays.
One big difference in the Caminero moment was that it came before Tampa Bay’s trip to the World Series. James had led the Cavaliers to their first championship in franchise history, and Caminero has a chance to do the same against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Steelers signing familiar face to reunite with Aaron Rodgers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are running it back with one of Aaron Rodgers’ longtime targets.
The Steelers have reportedly signed wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a new contract. According to The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo, the veteran wideout will start on the Steelers’ practice squad.
Valdes-Scantling was released by the Los Angeles Chargers over the weekend. He played in three games for the offensively inept Chargers, tallying just two catches for 22 yards.
Source: The #Steelers are expected to sign veteran WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling to their Practice Squad, reuniting him with Aaron Rodgers. MVS was also with Pittsburgh last season, but spent the start of this season with the Chargers. https://t.co/E5hg9JQGXs
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 20, 2026
The 32-year-old began next to both Rodgers and Mike McCarthy in 2018, when the Green Bay Packers drafted him in the fifth round. Valdes-Scantling developed into one of Rodgers’ most dependable targets. He recorded 123 catches for 2,153 yards and 13 touchdowns during his four seasons with the Packers.
Valdes-Scantling signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022. He won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs before brief stints with the Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, and San Francisco 49ers.
Rodgers lobbied for the Steelers to sign Valdes-Scantling last season. He caught 10 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown across 5 games in a Steelers uniform.
Valdes-Scantling joins a Steelers wide receiver room severely depleted by injuries. Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson are expected to remain on the injured list until the second half of the season.
Brutal update emerges on Rams kicker Blake Grupe
One tackle attempt has ended Blake Grupe’s season.
The Los Angeles Rams kicker made headlines when he risked his body trying to make a tackle during Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. Grupe threw all his weight — all 156 pounds — to shove Cardinals kickoff returner Devon Duvernay to the sideline at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
The collision with Duvernay sent Grupe flying, knocking him out of the game in the first quarter. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game with a leg injury and replaced by punter Ethan Evans.
Many suspected Grupe’s injury to be serious at first glance. ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed everyone’s suspicions on Monday, reporting that Grupe had sustained a torn ACL.
Rams kicker Blake Grupe tore his ACL.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 19, 2026
The Rams had just signed Grupe off the New York Jets’ practice squad to replace struggling kicker Harrison Mevis. Grupe converted a 44-yard field goal before sustaining the season-ending injury.
Spectators were torn over Grupe’s heroics during Sunday’s game. Some folks praised him for leaving it all out on the field. But others felt that Grupe’s tackle attempt was foolish considering his diminutive frame.
After losing out on a golden opportunity with the Rams, Grupe probably won’t be making many tackles going forward.
Junior Caminero had the craziest pimp job of his clutch Game 6 HR
Junior Caminero rose to the occasion in Game 6 of the ALCS.
The Tampa Bay Rays star Caminero stepped up to the plate in the seventh inning of Monday’s game with his team leading the Cleveland Guardians 3-1. Facing Guardians star closer Cade Smith with a runner on base, Caminero launched an absolute rocket to left field off a first-pitch ambush.
Caminero’s laser shot struck off the foul in left field for an epic two-run home run. As he was rounding the bases, Caminero stopped entirely (before he even touched first) to beat his chest and pose for the exuberant fans at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Here is the video.
JUNIOR CAMINERO BIG DONG https://t.co/0rTL3nZ6ln
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) October 20, 2026
The Rays entered play on Monday with a 3-2 series lead over the Guardians. As such, that home run by Caminero was effectively a pennant-clincher (and with a fitting celebration for a moment of that magnitude to boot).
Now a two-time All-Star, Caminero, 23, has really come into his own this season for Tampa Bay. He produced 42 home runs and 101 RBIs while playing in all 162 games and is also backing up some of the trash that he was talking before the postseason (and then some).
