NFL running back retiring at age 24
An NFL running back has decided to call it quits on football before his 25th birthday.
The New York Jets announced on Monday that they have placed running back Zach Evans on the reserve/retired list. Evans had just signed with the Jets earlier this offseason on a reserve/future contract.
Still only 24 years old, Evans played two seasons in college with TCU before transferring to Ole Miss for his junior season. Evans led the SEC with 6.5 rushing yards per game in 2022, going for 1,055 overall yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns for Ole Miss.
After declaring for the NFL Draft in 2023, Evans, who is a native of Houston, Tex., went in the sixth round to the Los Angeles Rams (No. 215 overall). As a rookie in the 2023 NFL season though, Evans played mostly on special teams for the Rams and managed just 19 total yards on nine rushing attempts in 10 games.
Evans spent most of the 2024 NFL season unsigned after being released from the Rams’ practice squad. But in Dec. 2024, he signed with the Jets’ practice squad before landing the reserve/future contract with the Jets in Jan. 2025. Now a little over two years after being drafted, Evans is walking away from the sport of football.
With Evans deciding to retire, the Jets will move forward in the backfield this season with Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis, and Kene Nwangwu backing up starting running back Breece Hall. Meanwhile, Evans now becomes the second NFL skill player to surprisingly file his retirement papers in just the span of the last couple of weeks.
Ryne Sandberg’s health was the worst-kept secret at Hall of Fame induction weekend
Ryne Sandberg died on Monday at the age of 65 after battling prostate cancer. His death came a day after the 2025 class was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Apparently the late former second baseman’s health status was the worst-kept secret over the weekend.
MLB Network reporter Jon Morosi said on X that Wade Boggs had cried when mentioning Sandberg during an interview with Morosi recently. Boggs had cried because he knew his Hall of Fame classmate of 2005 was in declining health.
Wade Boggs cried as he mentioned Ryne Sandberg’s name during an interview the other day. Sadly, he knew this day was approaching.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 29, 2025
“He’s my classmate,” Boggs told me.
They are the HOF Class of 2005.
Boggs looked toward the sky, tears streaming down.
“Take care of him, Lord.”
Veteran MLB reporter Jayson Stark said that there was sadness around Cooperstown, N.Y., which is the location of the Hall of Fame, as people prepared to hear this news about Sandberg.
There was so much sadness in Cooperstown this weekend as his fellow Hall of Famers braced for this news.
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 29, 2025
Ryno was so beloved. His smile, his warmth, his kindness were ever present. He was always there for anyone who needed help.
RIP to one of my favorite people in baseball https://t.co/q2D1odVv4S
Sandberg played in Major League Baseball for 16 seasons from 1981-1997. He played 15 seasons with the Chicago Cubs and became a beloved figure in the city. Sandberg earned 10 All-Star selections, nine Gold Glove Awards, and seven Silver Slugger Awards while in Chicago. Sandberg also was named National League MVP in 1984 and led the NL with 40 home runs in the 1990 season.
Sandberg first announced in Jan. 2024 that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. A positive development then followed in August when Sandberg revealed that tests had detected no more cancer in his body following treatment. However, Sandberg announced just a few months later that his cancer had returned. Additionally, Sandberg revealed that the cancer had spread to his other organs as well.
After retiring as a player, Sandberg was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, his third year on the ballot. He also had his No. 23 jersey retired by the Cubs later that year and briefly had a stint from 2013-15 as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies (Sandberg’s first MLB team).
Man sentenced in Caitlin Clark stalking case
A Texas man has officially been sentenced in the stalking case involving Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark.
55-year-old Michael Lewis pled guilty in an Indianapolis court hearing on Monday to charges of stalking and harassing Clark, Mike Potter of WTHR in Indianapolis reported. Lewis was sentenced on the same day to just over 18 months in prison (with credit for time served).
Additionally, Lewis has been ordered to avoid any contact with Clark and to stay away from both Indiana Fever and Indiana Pacers games, events, or properties. Potter notes that the judge had to interrupt the hearing multiple times on Monday due to the behavior of Lewis, who has been held at the Marion County Adult Detention Center ever since his arrest in January.
Lewis reportedly said during his statement to the court before sentencing that “I want [Clark] to be safe” and that “I never threatened her.” Additionally, Lewis went on to prophesize that the end of the world was coming.
You can read Potter’s full report on the situation here.
News broke in mid-January that Lewis had allegedly sent disturbing and sexually violent messages to Clark over the span of several weeks from mid-December to early January. Lewis also claimed in those messages to have driven by Clark’s house and by Gainbridge Fieldhouse (home of the Fever and the Pacers) multiple times.
The two-time WNBA All-Star Clark reportedly told authorities that the messages had made her fearful to the point that she even altered her appearance while out in public. The FBI eventually traced the messages to Indianapolis, and Lewis was arrested in a downtown Indianapolis hotel on Jan. 12.
Clark is in the middle of her sophomore season with the Fever. She has quickly become the undisputed face of the WNBA but has only been able to appear in 13 of 26 games for Indiana this season due to quad and groin injuries.
Photo of Aaron Judge, Luka Doncic draws attention online
Aaron Judge is a giant in the baseball world, but he is actually fairly average when it comes to basketball players.
The New York Yankees slugger Judge met up on Monday at Yankee Stadium in New York, N.Y. with Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic. The two are both Jordan Brand athletes, and Doncic is in New York this week as part of a Jordan Brand sneaker tour.
Judge and Doncic posed for pictures together before the Yankees’ game on Monday against the Tampa Bay Rays (though Judge is currently on the injured list due to an elbow issue). The former even gifted the latter with his own custom-made Yankees jersey (as well as with a pair of cleats and a game-used bat).
Aaron Judge Luka Doncic
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) July 28, 2025
Fresh off of his Men's Health profile, Luka is hanging out at Yankee Stadium this evening
(h/t @LatinoSports) pic.twitter.com/EGdHlWsbGw
Here is a photo of Judge and Doncic posing with Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., another Jordan Brand athlete.
Luka Dončić flanked by Yankees stars Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. at Yankee Stadium tonight.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 28, 2025
: @Jumpman23 https://t.co/tg055ZjWtS pic.twitter.com/cwzrukyJfI
Judge is listed at 6-foot-7 and usually towers over everybody that he stands next to. But Doncic is listed at 6–foot-6 himself, resulting in the two looking just about the same height in those photos.
Much has also been made recently of Doncic’s physical build this offseason. He has been making a concerted effort to shed significant pounds this summer and looked absolutely ripped on a “Men’s Health” magazine cover that was released earlier in the day on Monday.
Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg has died at age 65
Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg has died at the age of 65.
The Cubs announced the sad news on Monday of Sandberg’s passing. They also shared a statement from Cubs executive chairman Tom Ricketts on Sandberg’s death. Ricketts called Sandberg “one of the all-time greats in nearly 150 years of this historic franchise.”
With great sadness, we share that Ryne Sandberg has passed away today. pic.twitter.com/LJJ0jGqSy5
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 29, 2025
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 29, 2025
Sandberg first announced in Jan. 2024 that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. A positive development then followed in August when Sandberg revealed that tests had detected no more cancer in his body following treatment.
However, Sandberg announced just a few months later that his cancer had returned. Additionally, Sandberg revealed that the cancer had spread to his other organs as well.
A righty-hitting second baseman, Sandberg played in Major League Baseball for 16 seasons from 1981-1997. 15 of those seasons came with the Cubs, and Sandberg earned 10 All-Star selections, nine Gold Glove Awards, and seven Silver Slugger Awards while in Chicago. Sandberg also was named National League MVP in 1984 and led the NL with 40 home runs in the 1990 season.
After retiring as a player, Sandberg was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, his third year on the ballot. He also had his No. 23 jersey retired by the Cubs later that year and briefly had a stint from 2013-15 as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies (Sandberg’s first MLB team).
Top hitter on MLB trade market exits game after hit-by-pitch
The Arizona Diamondbacks are getting hit with some disastrous timing right now.
Dbacks star slugger Eugenio Suarez had to exit Monday’s game against the Detroit Tigers. Suarez was batting in the ninth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit, Mich. when he took a 96-mph fastball from Tigers reliever Will Vest off his right hand.
Here is the video.
Eugenio Suarez exited the game after being drilled in the hand by a pitch pic.twitter.com/YFSxLr53iS
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 29, 2025
The two-time All-Star Suarez was clearly in pain and had to leave the game on the spot. Blaze Alexander came in as the pinch runner for Suarez as the Tigers held on to win by a 5-1 final score.
After the game, Dbacks manager Torey Lovullo revealed that Suarez was going for X-rays. Lovullo said that Suarez was seen as day-to-day but added that the infielder was dealing with a hand and finger that were tender to the touch, per Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic.
Suarez, 34, is widely considered to be the top hitter available ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. Through just 104 games this season, Suarez has already clubbed 36 home runs and an MLB-leading 87 RBIs (including an incredible four-homer game in April).
Additionally, the Dbacks are now 51-56 on the season and signaled an intent to sell earlier this month by trading away another major bat. For Suarez specifically, he has already been drawing interest from some heavy hitters in recent days. But Monday’s untimely HBP might just end up throwing a wrench into the plans of both the Dbacks and their prospective trade partners.
Suspect dies in NFL headquarters building after shooting
A suspect is dead after shooting multiple people in the New York building that houses the NFL’s headquarters.
Both a police officer and a civilian were shot on Monday in the lobby of an office building in Midtown Manhattan, N.Y., ABC7 in New York reports. The suspect in the shooting fled into the heart of the building, located at 345 Park Ave., and shot and killed himself. He was reportedly found on the 33rd floor of the building.
The initial shooting occurred just before 6:30 PM local time. Police say that the shooter entered the building and opened fire in the lobby, striking the police officer (who was working private security at the time) and the civilian.
ABC7 notes that the office building houses the headquarters of the NFL and the headquarters of investment company Blackstone. The incident resulted in the building going into a lockdown.
Additionally, ABC7 shared a security camera image of the suspected shooter carrying a weapon as he was about to enter the building.
A shooting suspect is dead after an NYPD officer and civilian were shot in Midtown Manhattan on Monday, according to police sources.
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) July 28, 2025
The shooting happened outside 345 Park Ave., which is the building that contains Blackstone and the NFL headquarters. The building is currently… pic.twitter.com/8AtRdZzC2L
The conditions of the victims were not immediately known. However, the police officer was transported to Weill Cornell Medical Center on the Upper East Side, and the civilian was transported to Bellevue Hospital in Kips Bay.
You can read ABC7’s full report on the situation here.
The 345 Park Ave. building in Manhattan houses the NFL’s main headquarters, which are located on the fifth floor (though the NFL also has a West Coast headquarters located in Inglewood, Calif. that opened in 2021). In the past, the New York building has been the site of protests by angry NFL fans.
Update: Officials revealed in a press conference late Monday night that four people had been killed in the shooting, including the off-duty police officer. A fifth victim was also critically injured.
Deion Sanders’ new girlfriend Karrueche Tran was with him for cancer surgery
The news about Deion Sanders undergoing surgery for cancer has resulted in another revelation: he has a new girlfriend.
Sanders on Monday announced that he had undergone surgery during the summer to remove his bladder, which was cancerous. The 57-year-old head coach is now said to be cancer-free.
On Monday, Deion Sanders Jr. uploaded a video to his YouTube channel that chronicled his father getting ready to go in for the surgery to remove his bladder. In that video, Karrueche Tran is featured heavily. She is seen crying ahead of the surgery, and holding Deion’s hand as he gets wheeled in for surgery.
Tran, 37, is well known among sports and pop culture fans. She dated singer Chris Brown previously, as well as former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz. The actress was also rumored to have been dating an NBA player a decade ago, though she denied the rumor.
Sanders had previously been dating Tracey Edmonds, but that relationship has ended. He has been married twice. His first marriage was to Carolyn Chambers (1989–1998). He later was married to Pillar Biggers-Sanders (1999-2015). He has two children from his first marriage and three from his second. Sanders and Tran have been rumored to be dating since February.
Sanders is entering his third season as the head coach at Colorado. He went 9-4 last year, which was a big turnaround from the 4-8 season he had in his first year, and the 1-11 season the Buffs endured the year before he was hiried.
Red Sox had unfortunate issue on their flight to Minnesota
The Boston Red Sox flew to Minnesota on Sunday night for their series against the Twins, and it sounds like they had an unpleasant travel experience.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters on Monday that there was a lot of turbulence on the Red Sox’s flight from Boston to Minnesota the night before. The flight was so bumpy that the pilots chose to stop in Detroit.
Cora said the flight from Detroit to Minnesota was still very bumpy and that some players even got motion sickness.
Red Sox had a super rough flight to Minnesota that required a stop in Detroit before an extremely turbulent resumption. Some players are still reeling from the motion sickness.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) July 28, 2025
Though, Cora claimed he slept through it all.
The Red Sox had a rough flight to Minneapolis last night, Alex Cora said. Bad weather forced them to make an unscheduled pitstop in Detroit. Turbulence hit some passengers hard.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) July 28, 2025
“Supposedly,” said Cora, who slept through it.
The Red Sox are squarely in the AL Wild Card hunt after taking two out of three from the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend. Cora’s team has played well since their stunning decision to trade Rafael Devers, though that may not come as a surprise to some people.
With the quick turnaround from Sunday in Boston to Monday night in Minnesota, the Red Sox will have to do their best to shake off the cobwebs from their rough plane ride.
Tyrese Haliburton gets engaged to longtime girlfriend Jade Jones
The NBA season may have ended in disappointing fashion for Tyrese Haliburton, but the Indiana Pacers star still seems like he is having a great summer.
Haliburton and his longtime girlfriend Jade Jones announced via social media on Monday that they are engaged. Haliburton recently proposed to Jones on the court at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa, which is where Tyrese played in college at Iowa State. He and Jones also met at the school.
“The place where our story started, and where our next chapter begins,” Haliburton wrote on Instagram.
Jones was very vocal with her support of Haliburton during Indiana’s run to the NBA Finals this year. The two have been together for Haliburton’s entire career, which began when the Sacramento Kings drafted him 12th overall in 2020.
Haliburton battled a calf injury during the playoffs and then tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He carried the Pacers to that point with clutch shot after clutch shot and proved he deserves to be viewed as an elite scorer.
Haliburton has a long road to recovery, but he will have the thought of getting married to help take his mind off of things.
Titans officially give up on former 1st-round pick
The Tennessee Titans have officially given up on one of their former first-round draft picks.
Wide receiver Treylon Burks has been waived by the Titans, the team announced on Monday.
The decision to cut Burks comes two days after the 25-year-old suffered a broken collarbone during training camp practice. Burks injured himself while making a fantastic one-handed catch on a deep ball from rookie quarterback Cam Ward.
Early reports suggest Burks will be out for several weeks and miss the start of the 2025 season.
The Titans drafted Burks with the No. 18 overall pick in 2022. They acquired the selection when they traded A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles, and they had hoped the former Arkansas star would eventually develop into their top wide receiver.
Burks, a three-time All-SEC selection, battled injuries throughout his first three NFL seasons. He played in just five games last year and finished with 4 catches.
Ward said last week that he believed Burks was going to be one of Tennessee’s “best targets” this season, so the timing of the injury was unfortunate.
“He is going to be one of our best targets this year… just hope he stays healthy”
— SleeperTitans (@SleeperTitanUp) July 23, 2025
Cam Ward on Treylon Burks 👀 pic.twitter.com/l36Bpx9Tn9
Videos emerge of questionable pitches from Emmanuel Clase
Cleveland Guardians reliever Emmanuel Clase was placed on leave by Major League Baseball on Monday amid a gambling investigation, and some videos that have surfaced of pitches that were thrown by the closer this season are raising questions.
The Guardians announced in a statement on Monday that Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of a sports gambling investigation. The probe is the same one that resulted in Cleveland starting pitcher Luis Ortiz being placed on leave in June.
MLB’s initial investigation began after a betting-integrity firm flagged suspicious wagering activity related to two different pitches that Ortiz threw in June. There was a notable amount of activity from bettors who wagered on Ortiz to miss the strike zone or hit the batter on two specific pitches.
Both pitches were well outside the strike zone, with one bouncing in the dirt. You can see the videos here.
After Clase was also placed on leave, fans began sharing videos that showed instances where the closer also threw pitches at the start of innings that were way outside the strike zone. Some of the pitches bounced in the dirt or nearly hit batters.
Emmanuel Clase has come in to the game at the beginning of the 9th inning 40 times this season. Here is his Statcast Waste% (pitches that aren't close to zone).
— Foolish Baseball (@FoolishBB) July 28, 2025
First pitch of 9th inning: = 17.5%
Every other pitch = 5.2%
Just speculating, but this how Luis Ortiz got flagged. pic.twitter.com/lZGwgQ2KdZ
MLB has not released any details about the ongoing investigation.
Clase has a 3.23 ERA across 48 appearances this season. The right-hander has saved 24 games in 29 tries and has 47 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings.
The Guardians entered Monday with a record of 52-53. They are eight games behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central and 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.
Clase was suspended 80 games by MLB in 2020 after he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
MLB has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to gambling on baseball. Last year, San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was banned from MLB for life after an investigation revealed he placed tens of thousands of dollars in MLB-related wagers. Not long after that, an umpire was fired over a different gambling probe.
Tulane basketball player dies at age 22
Tulane basketball player Gregg Glenn III has died at the age of 22 following an incident over the weekend.
Tulane issued a statement about the matter, saying only that Glenn was in a “tragic accident.”
“We have lost a cherished member of our university community, Gregg Glenn III, who died in a tragic accident this weekend,” a school spokesperson said in a statement. “He was a talented student-athlete who enriched our lives with his spirit, dedication, and passion for both sports and academics.
“Gregg was an outstanding athlete on our men’s basketball team and an individual who brought joy and light to those around him. His commitment to excellence inspired many of us.”
Glenn was a four-star recruit out of high school and originally played at Michigan as a freshman in 2022-2023. He spent the last two seasons with the Green Wave, and had a breakout season last year. Glenn averaged 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.0 steals per game in 34 contests.
Glenn was listed as a 6-foot-7 forward. He attended Calvary Christian Academy in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., prior to college.
Cordarrelle Patterson had sarcastic social media post about Steelers releasing him
The Pittsburgh Steelers have decided to move on from Cordarrelle Patterson, and the veteran running back had a very unique way of sharing the news.
Patterson revealed in what seemed like a very sarcastic social media post on Monday that he has been released by the Steelers. The four-time All-Pro returner referred to himself as “washed up” and noted that it was his day off.
“Breaking news!!! Pittsburgh Steelers release old washed up cordarrelle patterson on his day off!!!” Patterson wrote.
Breaking news❗️❗️❗️Pittsburgh Steelers release old washed up cordarrelle patterson on his day off!!!
— cordarrelle patterson (@ceeflashpee84) July 28, 2025
The Steelers had not announced the news at the time of Patterson’s post.
Patterson, who was drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings in 2013, is one of the best kick returners in NFL history. He has made the Pro Bowl four times for his work on special teams, though he was also effective as a runner and receiver out of the backfield for the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 and 2021.
Pittsburgh signed Patterson last offseason after the NFL revamped its kickoff rules, which encouraged more returns. The 34-year-old suffered an ankle injury midway through the season and was limited to just 240 yards on 11 kick returns. Patterson also had 135 rushing yards and 80 receiving yards in 13 games.
Patterson was almost certainly being sarcastic by referring to himself as “washed up,” but his best days are likely behind him. A team may decide to give him a look in training camp based on his special teams resume alone.
Report: Christian Wilkins kissed Raiders teammate on head
Christian Wilkins was shockingly released by the Las Vegas Raiders last week, and now more information is trickling out about the matter.
Over the weekend, a report said that Wilkins had an incident with a teammate. On Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Wilkins kissed a teammate on the head, which the teammate did not take well. The incident reportedly took place last week inside the Raiders’ locker room.
Though the interaction was said to have been playful, the teammate did not take it that way and reported the situation to human resources.
The Raiders released Wilkins with the designation of terminated vested veteran. They voided the remaining $35.2 million of guaranteed money Wilkins had on the 4-year, $110 million contract he signed with the team last year. The team released him and voided his remaining guaranteed money on the basis of them believing he was not rehabbing from his foot fracture seriously enough. The locker room incident suggests they may have had another reason for the release.
Wilkins was a first-round pick by the Miami Dolphins out of Clemson in 2019. He had 2.0 sacks and 17 combined tackles over five total games in his lone season with the Raiders.
Wilkins has a history of odd behavior. He grabbed an opponent in the junk in a 2017 game with Clemson. He did the same with Josh Allen last year. And of course there was the time he celebrated Clemson’s national championship win with the splits.
Wilkins was the same mf who did a split on national television after his team won the natty. No man who does shit like this is straight. Debate your mammy not me. pic.twitter.com/ZDCutYXT6l
— 24™ 🖤 (@haylow___) July 28, 2025
Luka Doncic looks ripped on cover of Men’s Health magazine
Luka Doncic has dedicated his offseason to silencing those who have criticized his fitness level, and a new magazine feature is further evidence that the Los Angeles Lakers star has undergone a huge transformation.
Doncic appeared on the digital cover of the latest issue of Men’s Health magazine, which was released on Monday. The 26-year-old spoke in an interview about how committed he has been to fitness since the Lakers’ season ended with a first-round playoff exit.
Doncic said he has been working out multiple times a day and on an intermittent fasting diet since June. He gave up basketball altogether for the first month of the offseason and instead focused on weight training and other sports like pickleball.
The five-time All-Star said he feels better than he has in years.
“My sleeping, my body, my everything … I felt more rested,” Doncic said.
Our digital cover star, Luka Doncic, ready to take his game (and the Lakers) to new levels of dominance. And this summer shred has been years in the making.https://t.co/aB19DY7rrL pic.twitter.com/bjVsf1ampI
— Men's Health Mag (@MensHealthMag) July 28, 2025
Doncic said he understands that former teammate Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant had incredibly strict offseason training regimens during their respective Hall of Fame careers. He is determined to approach the game the same way.
“Obviously, be the best that I can be, take care of myself,” Doncic told Men’s Health. “This year, with my team, I think we did a huge step. But this is just the start, you know. I need to keep going. Can’t stop.”
There have now been several photos this offseason in which Doncic looked shockingly slim. He has clearly lost weight after several people challenged him to get into better shape, including his own coach.
Doncic is already one of the best players in the NBA, and it remains to be seen if his commitment to a healthier lifestyle will help him elevate his game even further. At the very least, fans can no longer say he needs to put down the hookah and beer.
Deion Sanders announces he was treated for cancer
Deion Sanders revealed on Monday that he was recently diagnosed with a form of cancer, but the Colorado coach underwent treatment that was successful.
Sanders announced in a press conference with his medical team that he has been battling bladder cancer. Doctors discovered a tumor on Sanders’ bladder and performed a surgical procedure where they removed his bladder and created a new one.
The procedure resulted in Sanders being “cured of the cancer,” according to one of his doctors.
Deion Sanders' medical team says the football coach was diagnosed with a cancerous bladder tumor and had surgery for it
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 28, 2025
“I am pleased to report that the results from the surgery are that he is cured from the cancer” pic.twitter.com/OD5MoNWcRP
Sanders urged people to get themselves checked regularly and said it “could have been a whole ‘nother gathering if I hadn’t.”
“Please get yourself checked out… because it could have been a whole other gathering if I hadn’t.”@DeionSanders shares a message to everyone during his health update press conference ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/QBi2v8Ri2L
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) July 28, 2025
Sanders had been away from the Colorado football team this offseason while dealing with what was, at the time, an undisclosed medical issue. The 57-year-old said recently that he was “still going through something” but on the road to recovery.
Sanders has dealt with a number of health issues in recent years. He had two toes amputated on his left foot in 2021 because of blood clots that developed after a surgery. Sanders said at one point doctors feared he might lose his entire leg.
In 2023, Sanders had to have an emergency surgery to address a different blood clot.
There was speculation that Sanders’ latest health condition had to do with his previous blood-clot issues, but it sounds as though the two issues were unrelated.
Sanders led Colorado to a 9-4 record in his second season last year after the Buffaloes finished 4-8 in 2023. He is expected to return to coaching the Buffaloes in the near future now that he has been declared cancer free.
Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase also placed on leave amid gambling investigation
Another Cleveland Guardians pitcher has been placed on leave by Major League Baseball as part of a gambling investigation.
Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase was placed on paid leave Monday, according to a statement that was released by the team. The statement suggested that the decision to place Clase on non-disciplinary paid leave is related to the same investigation that involves Cleveland starting pitcher Luis Ortiz.
“The Guardians have been notified by Major League Baseball that as part of their sports betting investigation Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave per an agreement with the Players Association,” the statement read. “We have been informed that no additional players or Club personnel are expected to be impacted.”
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 28, 2025
Ortiz has been on leave since July 3. MLB initially stated that he would remain out through the All-Star break, but his leave has since been extended until at least Aug. 31.
The initial investigation was launched after a betting-integrity firm flagged suspicious wagering activity related to two different pitches that Ortiz threw in June. There was a notable amount of activity from bettors who wagered on Ortiz to miss the strike zone or hit the batter on two specific pitches.
Both pitches were well outside the strike zone, with one bouncing in the dirt. You can see the videos here.
It is not yet clear if similar allegations have been made involving pitches that were thrown by Clase.
Clase has a 3.23 ERA across 48 appearances this season. The right-hander has saved 24 games in 29 tries and has 47 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings.
The Guardians entered Monday with a record of 52-53. They are eight games behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central and 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.
MLB has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to gambling on baseball. Last year, San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was banned from MLB for life after an investigation revealed he placed tens of thousands of dollars in MLB-related wagers. Not long after that, an umpire was fired over a different gambling probe.
Report: Bryce Harper had heated confrontation with Rob Manfred
Bryce Harper reportedly had a vulgar message for Rob Manfred during a recent meeting between the MLB commissioner and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Manfred visited with the Phillies last week, as he does with all 30 MLB teams throughout the course of the season in an attempt to improve his relationship with players. It does not sound like he bonded with Harper, however.
On Monday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Harper angrily told Manfred to “get the f– out of our clubhouse” if the commissioner was looking to discuss the potential of MLB adopting a salary cap. Manfred reportedly did not use the term “salary cap,” but Harper was unhappy with the nature of the conversation about the economics of baseball.
MLB is the only major North American sport without a salary cap, and there has been talk for years that owners want to implement one. Players argue that a salary cap would serve only to increase the value of franchises and not address the issue of the spending gap between the teams with the highest payroll and lowest payroll in the league.
Harper sat quietly for the majority of the meeting before threatening that players “are not scared to lose 162 games” if team owners push for a salary cap. It was at that point that Harper told Manfred, “If you want to speak about that, you can get the f– out of our clubhouse,” according to Passan.
Manfred responded that he was not going to leave and that it was important to have open dialogue about how to address MLB issues and grow the game. Nick Castellanos stepped in to help diffuse the situation, and Harper and Manfred eventually shook hands.
“It was pretty intense, definitely passionate,” Castellanos told Passan. “Both of ’em, the commissioner giving it back to Bryce and Bryce giving it back to the commissioner. That’s Harp. He’s been doing this since he was 15 years old. It’s just another day. I wasn’t surprised.”
The current collective-bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association is set to expire on Dec. 1, 2026. The idea of a salary cap being implemented has been a source of tension for years and will almost certainly become one again.
Harper is one of MLB’s biggest star and has been outspoken about numerous issues over the years.
Brock Purdy and his wife Jenna share personal news
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has had quite the offseason.
Purdy and his wife Jenna recently welcomed their first child. The couple shared a joint post on Instagram Monday announcing the news of their daughter’s arrival.
The baby’s name is Millie Joleen Purdy.
“Life just became a whole lot sweeter,” Jenna Purdy captioned the photo.
Purdy met his wife when they both attended Iowa State, where Brock was a star quarterback and Jenna played volleyball. The couple got married last offseason.
It has been an eventful offseason for Purdy, who also signed a 5-year, $265 million extension with the 49ers in May.
Purdy made the Pro Bowl in 2023 and led San Francisco to the Super Bowl that season. He is coming off a down year in 2024 in which he threw for 3,864 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The 49ers went 6-11 and missed the playoffs.
