MLB game sets season record with remarkably quick finish
Time flew by like a Jesus Luzardo fastball during Monday’s game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves.
Thanks in large part to Luzardo efficiently mowing down batter after batter, the Phillies won the game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa., and it took them just 1 hour, 51 minutes to dispatch the visitors for a 1-0 victory.
Through Monday, that’s the fastest game in the 2026 MLB season, according to ESPN Insights.
Imagine going to the ballpark on Labor Day ⚾
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) September 7, 2026
You're expecting to be out for the day, gonna grab a couple dogs and drinks and then… the game is over in 1 hour, 51 minutes — the fastest game in MLB this season.
That's what just happened in the Phillies' 1-0 win over the… pic.twitter.com/iARlcnpGfi
In addition, the game is the fastest one involving the Phillies since 1989.
Luzardo was incredible, pulling off his first complete game. He surrendered just two hits and walked one, while recording 12 strikeouts. His signature sweeper was on point throughout his start, as he struck out six Atlanta hitters with that pitch and five with his four-seamer. The other was via a sinker.
The best part of it all is that he needed just 109 pitches to finish off the Braves.
Atlanta’s pitching was also remarkable, with Grant Holmes and Didier Fuentes combining for 10 strikeouts and only four hits allowed. It was not until the eighth inning that a run was scored in the game, with Kyle Schwarber launching a 415-foot solo blast off Fuentes.
Derrick Henry had a strong message on Super Bowl goal with Lamar Jackson
There is only one outcome and one outcome only that Derrick Henry wants to see in his tenure with the Baltimore Ravens, and it’s none other than raising the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
After 10 years with the Tennessee Titans, Henry decided to take his rushing prowess to the AFC North, signing with the Baltimore Ravens in 2024.
Since then, however, Baltimore has won just one playoff game despite the terrifying combo of Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Henry and the Ravens will try again in 2026, with the five-time Pro Bowl running back underscoring his desire to avoid ending his partnership with Jackson without a ring.
“It would be crazy for me to say I played with Lamar Jackson, and we didn’t win no championships,” the former Alabama Crimson Tide star RB said on a recent appearance on “The Lounge” podcast.
“I cannot have that. I do not want that to be a thing. We’ve got to do it.”
With a new head coach in Jesse Minter, the Ravens are hoping they can get over the hump and make a deep playoff run. Henry’s window as an elite running back is also closing as he will turn 33 in January, adding more pressure for Baltimore to win it all before his football powers begin to fade significantly.
In his first two seasons with Baltimore, Henry racked up 3,516 rushing yards with 32 touchdowns on 632 carries through 34 games.
Report: Bucks player ‘floated’ as Nuggets target before Peyton Watson trade
The Denver Nuggets ended their offseason saga with Peyton Watson by sending the guard-forward to the Cleveland Cavaliers via a complex five-team trade in August that also involved the Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets.
According to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, as the Nuggets began exploring sign-and-trade options with Watson, the Bucks were among the teams that contacted Denver about a possible deal.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. appeared to pique the Nuggets’ interest, but Milwaukee ultimately did not make an offer to Denver for him. One interesting note about Watson and Jaquez is that they were former college teammates during their time with the UCLA Bruins.
Jaquez himself was involved in a huge trade in the offseason. The biggest of them all, in fact. The Miami Heat sent him to the Bucks as part of a package in exchange for two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo and veteran forward Bobby Portis.
The Clippers, Atlanta Hawks and the Portland Trail Blazers were the other teams that reached out to Denver about a potential sign-and-trade with Watson as the centerpiece. But at the end of the day, the Cavs won the Watson sweepstakes, as Cleveland looks to stay competitive in the East.
WNBA legend defends Caitlin Clark after Team USA close call
WNBA legend Tina Charles does not feel it’s fair to single out Caitlin Clark’s struggles in a recent close call by Team USA against Italy.
On Sunday, the Americans were nearly upset by Italy, with the tournament favorite USA coming away with a 55-52 victory.
The Indiana Fever star point guard Clark was held by Italy to just 1 point and a salty 0/6 shooting from the floor. For what it’s worth, she’s never failed to get a bucket in a college or WNBA game. The former WNBA Rookie of the Year received plenty of criticism for her forgettable performance, but Charles didn’t like hearing much of the derision focused on Clark.
“I think it’s a little bit unfair to isolate Caitlin Clark from Team USA,” she said on TNT’s pregame show before Monday’s game between Team USA and Czechia.
“Clark had the rhythm in the first game, so did Team USA. Clark struggled to find that rhythm (on Sunday), and so did Team USA. I think the lesson for Team USA and Clark, is okay, ‘What I’m used to doing is not available, or I’m not able to do that; what is the second thing I’m gonna do to impact this game? Like, what am I gonna do during this possession? What does this possession need from me?’”
Tina Charles on Caitlin Clark’s performance yesterday:
— Kyle Ingram (@SnapshotKyle) September 7, 2026
“I think it’s a little bit unfair to isolate Caitlin Clark from Team USA… pic.twitter.com/WYI5UWxs7a
To Charles’ point, none of Team USA’s players had a great game against Italy. Paige Bueckers scored 7 points on 2/5 shooting, while Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier combined for only 11 points on 3/14 shooting. For all the talent on the team, the Americans made only 28.6% of their field-goal attempts.
But Team USA bounced back against Czechia, finishing group play unscathed with a 105-64 win. This time around, the Americans shot 52.5%, with Clark scoring 9 points on 3/8 shooting.
Miami dunks on Florida State after power outage mishap against SMU
The University of Miami’s social media team is already in midseason form when it comes to trolling rivals.
Florida State University’s game on Monday against SMU was compromised by a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla. The two squads had to play in unusual conditions, such as reduced lighting, no scoreboards, and, most significantly, compromised coach-to-player communication.
Players and coaches had to go old-school with signals replacing in-helmet audio and no iPads available on the sidelines.
Miami took the opportunity to tout that the Hurricanes’ home venue, Hard Rock Stadium, actually has working electricity sufficient to host a college football game.
“The lights are ON at our house,” the caption read. “See YOU at Hard Rock on Thursday.”
The lights are ON at our house 😉
— Miami Hurricanes (@MiamiHurricanes) September 8, 2026
See YOU at Hard Rock on Thursday 🙌 pic.twitter.com/DRElnDpKWU
On top of rival Hurricanes dunking on them on social media, the Seminoles also lost the actual football matchup to the Mustangs 27-24. Florida State benefited from four SMU turnovers but still succumbed to a go-ahead field goal with under 30 seconds left.
The “ACC Huddle” crew pointed out before the game that SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings would have an advantage amid the game’s unusual circumstances, given that he already had three years of experience under head coach Rhett Lashlee. That proved to be the case, as Jennings was unafraid to let it fly without the assistance of helmet audio. He went 26/34 for 430 yards with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
Jennings outperformed counterpart Ashton Daniels, who was only playing his second game in a Seminoles uniform. The Florida State QB went 12/25 for 125 yards and a touchdown.
Patriots sign Christian Gonzalez to historic new contract
The New England Patriots have gone all-in on cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
Several reporters confirmed on Monday that the Patriots have agreed to sign Gonzalez to a historic 4-year, $135 million contract extension. According to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, the deal includes $102 million in guaranteed money. The agreement makes Gonzalez the highest-paid cornerback in the history of the NFL.
BREAKING: The #Patriots and All-Pro CB Christian Gonzalez have agreed to a 4-year, $135M extension with $102M guaranteed, per multiple sources.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 8, 2026
The deal, done by @WinSportsGroup, makes Gonzalez, who earned Pro Bowl honors last season, the NFL’s highest-paid CB in history. pic.twitter.com/gJF9WLNPDD
Per Schultz, negotiations on a Gonzalez extension “had gone dead” before the Patriots “suddenly got serious” about striking a deal before the start of the 2026 season. New England brass did not want to go into a new campaign with arguably the team’s best defensive player unhappy with his contract.
Gonzalez earned his first Pro Bowl nod last season, tallying 69 combined tackles and 10 passes defended across 14 games. He was also named 2nd-team All-Pro during his sophomore campaign in 2024.
The signing ensures Gonzalez is mentally unencumbered for Wednesday’s Super Bowl rematch against the Seattle Seahawks.
Shohei Ohtani shares major update on his pitching outlook for 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers fans may need to say goodbye to pitcher Shohei Ohtani for the rest of the year.
Ohtani’s struggles at the plate continued Monday as he returned from a four-game absence against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. The MVP slugger went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in a 6-3 win.
After the game, Ohtani told reporters through his interpreter that he planned to focus primarily on hitting for the rest of the year, all but confirming that he will not try for a comeback as a pitcher this season. The two-way superstar has not pitched since July 3 due to lingering bicep and knee injuries.
Last month, the Dodgers sounded much more encouraged about Ohtani’s recovery progress as a pitcher. The team was even providing target return dates until Shohei suffered a setback during his rehab.
Ohtani has been fantastic as a pitcher this season, posting a 1.79 ERA and 0.95 WHIP across 14 starts with an 8-2 record.
With Ohtani mired in a hitting slump, both he and the Dodgers may have felt that having him focus on one side of his game is better than him playing while compromised in both.
It’s worth noting that Ohtani also pitched in just 14 regular-season games last year, but went on to make four postseason starts. He even had arguably the greatest playoff performance in modern MLB history in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Since August 19, Ohtani has gone just 6-for-49 (.122) at the plate without a home run or RBI in 13 games.
Red Sox are considering a risky move with 1 injured All-Star
The Boston Red Sox may be feeling like gambling men.
Boston could potentially trot out injured star pitcher Garrett Crochet in the first round of the playoffs, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reported on Monday. Healey notes that Crochet is progressing towards a postseason return … despite likely not appearing in a single game (majors or minors) before then.
“I’ve done crazy things before,” Crochet was quoted as saying of the possibility. “I’m not Joe Schmoe. I’ve done impressive things. I think that that would be a big ask for some people, but I don’t think it’s a crazy ask for me.”
Crochet, 27, has not pitched at all since late April due to shoulder inflammation. He then suffered multiple setbacks in his recovery, including being diagnosed with a separate lat strain in June.
The lefty Crochet does have an impressive resume as a two-time All-Star as well as Major League Baseball’s strikeouts leaders in 2025 (with a whopping 255 of them). He also signed a six-year, $170 million extension with the Red Sox in 2025, meaning that the team has a whole lot of money invested in him.
But there would obviously be immense risk with turning to a rusty Crochet (who has not pitched in a real game for more than four months and couting) in an extremely high-leverage playoff situation. The 80-65 Red Sox will almost certainly be facing the rival New York Yankees in a three-game AL Wild Card series, and it looks like they could be rolling the dice there with Crochet, who has a reputation as a real gamer.
ESPN crew baffled by ‘insane’ decision amid power outage at Florida State-SMU game
Jimbo Fisher and his huddlemates were not fans of the decision to push through with Monday’s Florida State-SMU game amid a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla.
The lights in the venue went out shortly before the game’s original kickoff time of 7:30 p.m. E.T. Power eventually returned, but only in a limited capacity. Some of the lights were still non-operational, and the teams would need to deal with several issues, most notably a lack of coach-to-player communication. There would also be no scoreboards, no iPads on the sidelines, and no P.A. system.
Power outage in Tallahassee 👀
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 7, 2026
No. 19 SMU vs. Florida State has been delayed. pic.twitter.com/yDOpe1KNwE
The game had been delayed for about an hour when league and team officials announced they would continue with the contest.
The “ACC Huddle” crew of Fisher, Eddie Royal, Eric Mac Lain, and Taylor Tannebaum was incredulous once the game was confirmed to be pushing through, calling the decision “insane” to begin play under the strange circumstances.
The 'ACC Huddle' crew couldn't believe the decision to play Florida State-SMU with significant limitations amid power outage.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 8, 2026
"This is insane." pic.twitter.com/tSMjWods0A
“What gets me is no helmet-to-helmet communication,” Fisher said. “Those guys haven’t been signaling. They haven’t been doing that, the communication between quarterback and playcaller.
“Ashton Daniels, the biggest game of his life. Mike Norvell’s fighting his tail off to make Florida State relevant again. That communication is so vital. That’s unbelievable.”
The panel pointed out that SMU has an advantage in such a scenario because head coach Rhett Lashlee and quarterback Kevin Jennings have already been together for three years, while Daniels and Norvell entered Monday with one game of previous experience.
Royal stated he would rather they cancel altogether to ensure the contest was a “fair fight” that wouldn’t result in any excuses or complaints after the game. Fisher emphasized the game’s stakes for every player and coach fighting with their “lives, careers, and jobs on the line.” To Fisher, playing the game while heavily impaired was unfair for everyone involved.
Despite the pleas from the “ACC Huddle” contingent, the game kicked off at 9:30 p.m. E.T.
Notable update emerges on Ronald Acuña Jr’s future
Ronald Acuña Jr. may be nearing the end of his shelf life in Atlanta.
The Atlanta Braves star outfielder Acuña would welcome extension talks with the team this offseason, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on Monday. Rosenthal adds though that the Braves are hesitant to give Acuña such an extension due to his injury concerns.
Acuña, 28, has been with Atlanta for his entire MLB career since 2018 and emerged as an incredible homegrown success story for the Braves. The righty-hitting Acuña has now made five All-Star teams, won three Silver Slugger Awards, and taken home an NL MVP Award in 2023.
But the other side of the coin for Acuña has been his lack of availability over the last several years. Acuña first suffered a torn right ACL in 2021 and then suffered a torn left ACL in 2024.
While Acuña has managed to avoid any other major injuries in the last couple of seasons, he has still been limited to 91 of a possible 144 games played for Atlanta this year due to hand and hamstring issues. Acuña has not even been particularly productive when in the lineup this season, batting .255 with 16 homers, 45 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases.
What works in Atlanta’s favor is that Acuña is still on a very affordable contract for the next two seasons (with successive $17 million team options in 2027 and 2028). Acuña would obviously like some longer-term financial security, and that is not an unreasonable stance given that he is still good for some highlight-reel moments. But it sounds like the Braves would prefer to simply play out the remainder of Acuña’s deal and perhaps consider a trade if the Venezuela native starts to get restless.
Jazz Chisholm gets the meme treatment for his absurd outfit at the US Open
Jazz Chisholm Jr. apparently loves the attention any way that he can get it.
The New York Yankees infielder Chisholm showed up at the U.S. Open on Monday. Chisholm was in attendance at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, N.Y. as the Yankees did not have a game that day.
While walking the blue carpet, Chisholm posed in front of photographers in a very unusual outfit. Chisholm was sporting a T-shirt that read, “I’m a virgin.” He also matched it with a small purple-striped vest.
Take a look at the video.
Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. walks the US Open blue carpet. pic.twitter.com/9dMElhr8oH
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) September 7, 2026
Chisholm’s unserious outfit quickly prompted the meme treatment over social media. Here were some of the coldest roasts aimed at the two-time MLB All-Star.
Hating aside this is genuinely one of the worst fits I’ve ever seen https://t.co/Gw2fZY8tnW
— Bogaertsfan (@bogaertsgoat) September 8, 2026
My culture is not a costume https://t.co/GwDQ7yjdy2
— grecianfive (@grecianfive) September 8, 2026
My “I AM A VIRGIN ” t-shirt has people asking lots of questions already answered by the shirt https://t.co/XEARkX2YWw
— Lebron James MD, MPH, JD (@justsomeguyloI) September 8, 2026
Massively corny individual
— annoying ohtani fan 🇲🇽🇺🇸 (@owndodgerhaters) September 8, 2026
The 28-year-old Chisholm has had an up-and-down year for the Yankees, batting a mere .230 but still managing to produce 19 homers, 55 RBIs, and an AL-high 40 stolen bases on the season. Chisholm has gotten so unpredictable that New York may end up cutting ties with him this winter, but at least he is still having his fun in The Empire State while he can.
Aaron Judge’s return date from injury is revealed
The New York Yankees are finally getting their beefiest slugger back from injury.
Several reporters confirmed Monday that the Yankees have activated Aaron Judge from the injured list. According to ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, the three-time AL MVP is set to return to New York’s lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y.
The Yankees activated Aaron Judge from the injured list. He'll make his return tomorrow against the Rockies.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) September 8, 2026
Judge has not played since a May 31 contest versus the Athletics due to a fractured rib. He originally sustained the injury on a diving play in late April. He continued to play through it until the pain became unbearable, which explains why he only batted .243 in May.
Last month, the Yankees were targeting a mid-September return for Judge. The Tuesday comeback puts him right on the earlier end of the team’s initial “guesstimate.” The Yankees do want Judge to make one change to his day-to-day approach coming off his serious abdominal injury.
The Yankees have managed to maintain a winning pace even without their best hitter. The team has gone 41-36 since Judge went on the injured list, keeping them within striking distance of the Tampa Bay Rays atop the AL East.
With 19 games to go in their regular season, the Yankees get an Aaron Judge-sized jolt in their late-season push to secure a first-round bye.
49ers’ Raheem Morris had an unusual mishap on the way to Australia game
Raheem Morris became the ultimate victim of circumstance this month.
The San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Morris celebrated his 50th birthday on Thursday … well, at least in theory. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the 49ers spent Thursday traveling to Australia for their Week 1 game against the rival Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 10.
Due to crossing the International Date Line, the Rams left on Wednesday night local time (in California) and arrived on Friday morning local time (in Australia). As a result, Morris lost his 50th birthday to a travel quirk.
Morris is a two-time Super Bowl champion coach who served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons for two seasons from 2024-25. After going 16-18 (.471) with zero playoff appearances during his two seasons in charge of the Falcons, Morris got fired by Atlanta in January.
He then went on to become the defensive coordinator of the 49ers earlier this past February. The move reunited him with San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan, whom Morris had previously worked with on both the Falcons and on the then-Washington Redskins.
The 49ers probably still found some way to celebrate Morris despite his actual birthday being lost to the abyss of international travel. After all, the team is already using their temporary residence in Australia to their advantage in some unusual ways.
Justin Herbert narrowly avoids collision with photographer during practice
The Los Angeles Chargers had a brief moment of terror during practice on Monday when quarterback Justin Herbert came dangerously close to an unwanted collision with a photographer.
Video from practice taken by Kris Rhim of ESPN showed Herbert working on his dropbacks at the exact moment a photographer came running behind him. Herbert was able to stop just in time to avoid a potentially problematic collision.
Chaos just nearly avoided on this Justin Herbert drop back pic.twitter.com/s38nfZ56S1
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) September 7, 2026
There is certainly a chance that nothing would have come of any potential collision. There was also a risk of Herbert twisting something, or perhaps worse, if the two got tangled up the wrong way. Needless to say, any injury, however minor, would be very unwelcome with the start of the regular season just days away.
Herbert is getting some extra hype this season with the arrival of Mike McDaniel as his offensive coordinator. McDaniel has been very impressed with the quarterback, and big things are expected with Herbert leading McDaniel’s offense.
Herbert threw for 3,727 yards last season, tallying 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Giants have released their longest-tenured player
The New York Giants are parting ways with the longest-tenured player on their roster.
The Giants released wide receiver Darius Slayton on Monday, according to the NFL’s transaction wire. Slayton had been the team’s longest-tenured player, having been with the team since 2019.
The Giants are cutting WR Darius Slayton, per sources. Longest-tenured player on the team was near the bottom of the depth chart. Was set to make $13 million this season.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) September 7, 2026
Not long ago, Slayton was the Giants’ top-performing receiver who parlayed that success into a substantial three-year, $36 million contract that he signed last offseason. However, his role within the offense stalled out last season, and offseason surgery further complicated his situation. The team’s cap crunch, combined with Slayton falling down the depth chart, made him an easy cut.
With Malik Nabers healthy and third-round draft pick Malachi Fields set for a role in the offense, Slayton was inevitably going to see his workload reduced. The fact that Odell Beckham Jr. made the team was also very bad news for Slayton, as the two players would likely occupy similar roles.
Slayton was a fifth-round pick of the Giants in 2019. The 29-year-old caught 37 passes for 538 yards and a touchdown for New York last season.
Surprising news on Puka Nacua’s potential punishment has been revealed
Los Angeles Rams fans who have been worried about potential NFL discipline for Puka Nacua will be pleased with new information that emerged Monday.
In an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed that Nacua is unlikely to face any discipline stemming from an offseason lawsuit in which he was accused of biting a woman. The league is still investigating the incident, but no resolution is coming anytime soon.
“I think there’s a real possibility that Puka’s going to go through the season unscathed and not face any discipline for his part in that off-the-field incident,” Schefter said. “He’s going to be out there on Thursday night against the 49ers. It doesn’t sound like he’s going to face any discipline this year right now. We’ll see if anything comes of that.”
"I think there's a real possibility that Puka Nacua doesn't face any discipline this season..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 7, 2026
He's gonna be out there against the San Francisco 49ers" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/LvnBD47NKR
A potential Nacua suspension had been a concern for the Rams. He spent a portion of the offseason in rehab, and the headlines about the lawsuit were rather troubling. To be clear, eventual discipline is still on the table, but Schefter suggests it will not come anytime soon.
Nacua has become the center of the Rams offense. Last season he caught 129 catches for 1,715 yards and ten touchdowns.
Mike Vrabel reportedly wanted to defend Dianna Russini during their scandal
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel reportedly had to be talked out of offering up a more enthusiastic defense of Dianna Russini when photos of them together were initially published.
A new story from Ben Strauss and Kalyn Kahler of ESPN outlined how the offseason drama surrounding Vrabel and Russini impacted the Patriots. It contains one fascinating reveal about how Vrabel wanted to respond when the New York Post first sought comment from him before publishing the controversial photos.
Vrabel initially sought to issue a stronger statement that went out of its way to defend Russini’s ethics. He ultimately settled for a more vague statement that downplayed the photos as “a completely innocent interaction” that was being taken out of context.
Had Vrabel instinctively defended Russini like that, it would have looked more suspicious. Of course, that ultimately came to pass when more photos and rumors about the two surfaced publicly.
Russini ultimately left The Athletic amid an investigation into her conduct, while Vrabel said he sought counseling after the situation. The Patriots coach has avoided answering any questions of the subject and insists that he has moved on from whatever actually happened.
Bill Belichick addresses the investigation into North Carolina
North Carolina coach Bill Belichick made his first public comments on the school’s investigation into the conduct and culture of the football program.
Belichick opened his press conference on Monday by addressing the investigation in a prepared statement. He indicated that the program was cooperating with investigators and would make any recommended changes in order to run the program in the best way possible.
“Understand the importance of the work that’s being done by the investigative team and, obviously, our high standard here, our code of conduct, doing things the right way and making sure that our student-athletes are given the utmost, best treatment, the very best care and very best coaching that we can possibly give them. That’s critically important to us,” Belichick said, via Matthew Glenesk and Rodd Baxley of USA Today. “In the end, we want to run a program in the very best way. If there’s things we need to do to correct it, we’ll obviously do ‘em.”
Questions about the investigation have become more pertinent since GM Michael Lombardi’s resignation last week amid an ongoing investigation into a human resources complaint made against him. No details have been revealed publicly, but local news station WRAL has reported on allegations of drug use and inappropriate sexual relationships within the program.
There have been a few complaints about Tar Heels players on North Carolina’s campus as well. At some point, Belichick may have to answer questions about the culture within his program and his role in enforcing it.
Michael Penix Jr. had honest take about not being named Falcons’ starter
Michael Penix Jr. will not be the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons during their season opener, but he is not as disappointed by that as one might think.
Penix admitted that he told coach Kevin Stefanski that he was not quite where he wanted to be physically, and that he did not want to rush back from his ACL injury too quickly. That contributed to Atlanta’s decision to name Tua Tagovailoa as their Week 1 starter.
“I just told him I’m not where I want to be right now,” Penix told Will McFadden of the team’s official website. “And I want to be able to be 100% so I can help the team win football games. And I’m really close. Really close.
“I want to be stronger. I want to be able to be out there and give the team 100%. And if I don’t feel like I can do that, that’s not fair for this team. That’s not fair for this organization. I want to make sure whenever I am out there, I’m 100%, and there’s no doubt in my mind that I trust my knee and that I trust being able to go out there and help this team win football games.”
The Falcons announced Monday that Tagovailoa will be their Week 1 starter, though they did so almost begrudgingly. One has to wonder if that still would have been the case if Penix had felt more ready to go. It certainly suggests that Tagovailoa’s hold on the starting job might be quite tenuous, especially since he was not all that impressive during preseason.
Penix only received full clearance to practice in late August. He simply needs a few additional weeks of work after missing all of training camp. He should be available at some point early in the season, at which point the Falcons might have another decision to make.
Tom Brady addresses skeptics of his broadcast career
Tom Brady continues to hear rumors that he is not fully committed to his broadcast career or dedicated to improving.
Brady hit back at those claims in a new interview. The longtime quarterback dismissed such commentary as “clickbait” and affirmed once again that he is focused on his career.
“It’s clickbait for people and it’s something that people have no idea what they’re really glomming onto,” Brady said, via Richard Deitsch and Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal. “They just put it out there in the world and see what sticks. So to me, I just focus on what I need to do to be prepared. That’s what I did as a player, and I go out there every week as a broadcaster and try to do the same thing.
“I have a lot to prove to myself, to my teammates. I have a lot to prove to the executives. I want to go earn it and I don’t want anything given to me. I hope they’ll have me through the end of this contract. I love getting to enjoy the game. I love watching good football. There’s such great camaraderie and chemistry we all have together.”
Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with FOX to have him call games through 2032. There has been persistent speculation he will not see out that deal, particularly as he grows more involved with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he is a minority owner. Brady’s camp has always quickly denied such claims, but it does not stop them from resurfacing regularly.
In fairness to Brady, there really does not seem to be anything to claims that he might walk away from his FOX deal. He has consistently spoken about how he enjoys the job and wants to become as good as he can at it. As long as he really feels that way, the semi-regular speculation must be irritating.
