Report: Lakers could sign son of 9-time NBA All-Star
The Los Angeles Lakers already have the son of LeBron James on their roster, and now they could also be adding the son of Gary Payton.
Free agent guard Gary Payton II is “very much” on the Lakers’ radar, Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints reported on Thursday. Irwin notes that Payton II recently signed with agent Bill Duffy, who also represents Lakers star Luka Doncic (as well as Lakers centers Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes).
Payton II, 32, remains an unrestricted free agent after averaging 6.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 15.0 minutes per game off the bench for the Golden State Warriors last season. He is not expected to return to the Warriors this offseason and would make sense for the Lakers as a very versatile perimeter defender amid the loss of Dorian Finney-Smith to a West rival in free agency this offseason.
The family ties are also there for Payton II. His father, the nine-time NBA All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year, is a former Laker. The elder Payton played for the team in the 2003-04 season, making it to the NBA Finals with Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Karl Malone but losing in five games to the Detroit Pistons.
On top of that, Payton II himself had a brief stint with the Lakers early on in his NBA career. He was on a two-way contract with the Lakers in 2018, shuttling back and forth between the NBA roster and their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers (also returning for a second stint with South Bay in 2019).
Though he won a championship with the Warriors in 2022, there is also a strong argument against signing Payton, who has limited upside and could take away minutes from younger players that the Lakers want to develop. If they do decide to bring in “The Mitten” though, the Lakers would have three sons of former NBA stars on their roster (along with Bronny James and the son of a Hall of Famer that the Lakers just signed last month).
Executive director of NFLPA resigns in wake of Pablo Torre report
The executive director of the NFL Players Association has decided to resign after just two years in his post.
Lloyd Howell announced on Thursday that he is stepping down as executive director of the NFLPA. In an official statement, Howell noted that “it’s clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day.”
Here is the full statement from Howell.
Lloyd Howell announced his resignation as the NFLPA executive director. pic.twitter.com/T89ysy127p
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 18, 2025
Adam Schefter of ESPN notes that Howell was not asked to resign but instead made the choice on his own.
Howell, who assumed the job in June 2023, came under scrutiny in recent weeks amid reports shared by podcaster Pablo Torre. Initially in June of this year, Torre published a 61-page ruling from independent arbitrator Christopher Droney on a 2022 lawsuit filed by the NFLPA against the NFL for alleged collusion. The lawsuit claimed that the NFL had colluded with teams to limit guaranteed contracts in violation of the CBA (a response to QB Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed contract with the Cleveland Browns).
In the ruling, Droney stopped short of saying that there was full-fledged collusion to depress player salaries (thereby ruling against the NFLPA). But he did find by a “clear preponderance of the evidence” that the league office had encouraged team owners to reduce future guarantees. The ruling, issued back in January, was kept secret from both the union membership and the general public … until Torre published the ruling himself on June 24. That painted Howell in a negative light due to the lack of transparency with the union’s own members and due to the questions that it created over why the ruling was kept hidden in the first place.
Then earlier this week, Torre published another report that cast further doubts over Howell’s leadership. Torre uncovered a second document kept secret from union membership, this one a ruling on a 2023 grievance by the NFL against the NFLPA about running backs supposedly faking injuries. The report also revealed that Howell, just before becoming the NFLPA executive director, had served as a paid part-time consultant for The Carlyle Group, a public equity firm approved to invest in NFL teams (with up to a 10 percent minority stake). This led to questions over a potential conflict of interest as well as over how Howell was even able to land the job in the first place.
Here is the link to Torre’s latest report on the matter.
Come for the reveal of the second ruling, starring J.C. Tretter.
— Pablo Torre (@PabloTorre) July 17, 2025
Stay for the unearthing of the video the NFLPA selectively edited, starring Lloyd Howell on private equity: https://t.co/O18176TiZc
LBS had reported on the 2023 fake-injury grievance at the time that it was initially filed. Now it looks like the fallout from that grievance was one of several factors that led to Howell finally deciding to step down from his position this week.
Randy Moss slights Tyreek Hill
Tyreek Hill is one of the most highly regarded wide receivers in the NFL, but Randy Moss isn’t exactly a big fan of the star receiver.
Moss’ restaurant is partnering with the Miami Dolphins, which led him to have an interview with the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s David Furones. Furones asked Moss some questions related to the Dolphins, including about Hill. He asked where Moss ranks Hill among the great wide receivers.
“He’s nowhere all-time,” Moss said. “Where is he at in today’s game? Tyreek Hill is probably top five. I put him top five.”
Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase are probably in that top-five group, while players like Davante Adams, A.J. Brown and CeeDee Lamb could make a strong case for it too. And based on what he’s done over his career, Hill would definitely be in that group as well.
Hill is currently 42nd all time in receiving yards with 11,098 and 42nd with 798 receptions. He’s 30th with 82 receiving touchdowns. He’s likely to end up in the top 15 all time in all those categories, and he could get even higher if he keeps it going for a few years. For Moss to dismiss Hill among the greats all time is a slight. Hill is 31 and not that far away from being in that conversation.
Shedeur Sanders had bizarre answer to NFL Mount Rushmore question
Shedeur Sanders’ ball knowledge is coming under fire this week.
The Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders appeared recently on an episode of “The Rush Podcast” with Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby. In a clip of the episode that went viral this week, Sanders was asked to give his Mount Rushmore of NFL quarterback-and-wide receiver duos.
Sanders responded with Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski (though Sanders acknowledged that Gronkowski was a tight end) and then with Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams. Where things went a little haywire however is when Sanders followed that up by picking [checks notes] Derek Carr and Chris Olave and then by picking DK Metcalf and whoever the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback was going to be.
Shedeur Sanders’ Mount Rushmore of QB/Receiver duos:
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) July 16, 2025
1) Brady + Gronk
2) Rodgers + Adams
3) Derek Carr + Chris Olave
(@fullsendpodcast)
pic.twitter.com/ZvmnIWkbKQ
The Carr-Olave pick specifically threw Crosby for a loop, causing him to respond by saying, “That’s a curveball. I wasn’t expecting that.” That is probably the right reaction too considering that the Saints duo was together for just two years and did not produce even so much as a single Pro Bowl appearance during their time as teammates.
There were some obvious misses there for Sanders (e.g. Joe Montana-Jerry Rice, Peyton Manning-Marvin Harrison, Terry Bradshaw-Lynn Swann, etc.). But he even missed Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin, a duo that his father Deion played with on the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s.
It is possible that Sanders, who was born in 2002, was simply just trolling there. But those responses will not do Sanders’ reputation much good in the midst of an offseason during which he already got into trouble for speeding and largely failed to impress during rookie minicamp.
WNBA announces Caitlin Clark’s replacement for All-Star Game
Caitlin Clark is being replaced by a player with far less name recognition.
The WNBA announced on Wednesday that Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes is replacing the Indiana Fever star Clark in the 2025 All-Star Game (which will take place on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.). Sykes did not originally make the cut as either a starter or a reserve but is now set to make the first All-Star appearance of her WNBA career.
Brittney Sykes will join Team Clark as a replacement for Caitlin Clark in the 2025 @att WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday July 19 pic.twitter.com/xB4ZrlNyfV
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 17, 2025
Additionally, the league announced on Wednesday that Atlanta Dream center Brionna Jones has been tabbed as the All-Star Game replacement for Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally (ankle). The WNBA had previously named Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride as an All-Star replacement for Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (knee) earlier this week as well.
As for Clark, she was the highest vote-getter for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, thus making her a starter as well as a team captain. However, Clark announced earlier in the day on Wednesday that she would be unable to participate in any All-Star festivities this year due to her nagging groin injury.
The 23-year-old Clark has been hampered by injuries for much of this season, appearing in just 13 of Indiana’s 23 games so far. Overall on the year, Clark is averaging 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game on brutal 37/28/82 shooting splits. With the exception of her assists, that marks a regression in every single category when compared to Clark’s rookie season last year.
As for Sykes, she is averaging 17.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game for the 11-11 Mystics this season. Now Sykes will be getting a chance to compete on Saturday along with the All-Star team that Clark picked herself.
Chicago Sky earn dishonorable distinction in WNBA player poll
The Chicago Sky’s reputation is apparently in the toilet right now.
The Sky were selected by a poll of unnamed WNBA players as the single worst-run organization in the league. The poll was conducted by The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman, and the results were released this week.
Out of 27 total players who were polled on the question, “What is the league’s worst-run organization?” Chicago received a plurality of the votes with 11. Rounding out the top (or perhaps the bottom) four were the Connecticut Sun (eight votes), the Los Angeles Sparks (four votes), and the Dallas Wings (two votes).
Among the anonymous quotes given by players about the Sky were that they “don’t have a facility,” that they are “still practicing in a rec center,” and that “a lot of stuff always seems to be going on there.” You can read The Athletic’s full write-up on the poll here.
Led by two-time WNBA All-Star Angel Reese, the Sky do indeed still practice at Sachs Recreation Center in Deerfield, Ill. But they have a $38 million state-of-the-art practice facility that is currently in the works in Bedford Park, Ill. (though the facility is not expected to be ready until at least mid-2026).
The Sky are also struggling this season at 7-15 (fifth of six in the Eastern Conference) and were recently embroiled in a national anthem controversy earlier in the year. Now it appears that Chicago’s reputation among actual WNBA players (albeit in a small sample size) is not much better either.
JJ Watt had 3-word reaction to brother TJ’s new contract
TJ Watt on Thursday received a contract extension from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and that left his brother JJ in awe of the amount.
TJ’s contract is for three years and $123 million, with $108 million guaranteed. The contract makes TJ the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history, surpassing the deal Myles Garrett received from the Cleveland Browns.
JJ reacted to the news of his brother’s contract with three words:
“Earned. Deserved. Incredible,” JJ wrote in a post on X.
Earned.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) July 17, 2025
Deserved.
Incredible. @_TJWatt @steelers
After sharing his serious reaction, JJ then teased his brother.
“I swear, if this guy even lets me begin to reach for my wallet at dinner…,” JJ wrote, noting the difference in career earnings between them.
I swear, if this guy even lets me begin to reach for my wallet at dinner… https://t.co/R52TsWBgYP
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) July 17, 2025
JJ had career earnings of just under $130 million. TJ is set to make $123 million on this extension alone. He already has made nearly $111 million during his career, so you can add the two figures together and project his career earnings to be over $230 million.
TJ had 61 tackles and 11.5 sacks with 6 forced fumbles in 17 games last season. He has 108 sacks across eight NFL seasons, including the record-tying 22.5 sacks he had in 2021.
Former All-Star pitcher announces retirement from MLB
One former MLB All-Star is officially exiting the building.
Veteran right-handed pitcher Kyle Gibson announced this week that he is retiring from Major League Baseball. Gibson made the announcement during an appearance on the “Serving It Up” podcast.
“It has been exciting being home and turning the page to a new chapter,” said Gibson, per MLB Rumors. “I’ve taken the last couple weeks to call and text people who I really wanted to let know [the news] in person. I’m going to take the next few days and try to write something up to properly thank everybody that needs to be thanked for the last 15, 16 years in professional baseball.”
Gibson, 37, debuted in 2013 for the Minnesota Twins and later went on to pitch for the Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, and St. Louis Cardinals. He was an All-Star in 2021 with Texas and posted an overall 112-111 record with a 4.60 ERA and 1,520 strikeouts over 328 total starts.
Earlier this season, Gibson pitched for the Orioles but had a nightmare stint with 23 earned runs over just four starts. He was designated for assignment by Baltimore in mid-May and landed a minor-league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. But after just a handful of starts in Triple-A for the Rays organization, Gibson opted for free agency last month and had not been with a team since.
Gibson had some memorable moments in the bigs and a few less memorable ones too. But after a career spanning over a decade (and more than $71 million earned), Gibson, a married father of four, is ready to walk away.
Shohei Ohtani is publishing a children’s book
Shohei Ohtani can apparently add the title of “author” to his already impressive resume.
Ohtani revealed Thursday that he has written a children’s book featuring his dog Decoy. The book, titled “Decoy Saves Opening Day,” is scheduled to go on sale next February. Ohtani made the announcement with an Instagram post that naturally featured his dog.
According to the summary of the book, Decoy is going to throw out the first pitch of the new season on Opening Day, but forgot his lucky baseball at home and must retrieve it before it’s too late.
Decoy, of course, is Ohtani’s actual dog, who became something of a sensation already. Decoy got his own bobblehead and threw out the first pitch at a Dodgers game last August.
Ohtani remains as good as ever, as his 32 home runs lead the National League at the All-Star break. He is also back on the mound as a pitcher and looking as good as ever there, too. Next year he’ll be a published children’s author, too. There may be no end in sight to his exploits.
Nick Saban’s daughter addresses comeback rumors
Nick Saban’s daughter is not on board with all the speculation about her father potentially returning to coaching.
Kristen Saban inadvertently stoked the chatter on Thursday by sharing an Instagram video of Saban leading one of his Alabama teams out of the tunnel. The video was captioned “damn, I miss this.”
In a follow-up post, Saban made clear that the video should not be taken as a sign of anything.
“Apparently some of y’all feel trolled by my last story of Nick’s walkout. He’s not coming back to coaching, hate to break it to you,” Saban wrote. “You had your time.”
Speculation has ramped up this week, with both Lane Kiffin and Greg McElroy suggesting that Saban might not be completely done with coaching. One of Saban’s former coaches, however, is backing Saban’s daughter on this.
On the other hand, Kristen did not even know for sure when her father was retiring. If Saban did decide to come back, the world probably would not know about until he said so himself.
Damian Lillard agrees to sign with surprising team
Damian Lillard has chosen his new team, and the choice will come as a shock to many.
Lillard is returning to Portland to sign with the Trail Blazers. The 35-year-old is signing a three-year, $42 million contract, , according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Lillard is poised to miss the entire 2025-26 season as he rehabs from the Achilles tear he suffered during the playoffs with the Milwaukee Bucks. Charania added that Lillard turned down opportunities to sign with a contender for either the mid-level exception or the league minimum.
Lillard will use the 2025-26 season to rehabilitate a torn Achilles tendon, but a return to the franchise and Portland where his family and kids reside were of the ultimate importance. He also had multiple mid-level exception and minimum offers from NBA contenders. https://t.co/leLbfY8zab
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 17, 2025
Lillard spent the first 11 seasons of his NBA career with Portland and remained loyal even after the team failed to come close to winning a championship. They then traded him to the Bucks, where he failed to get out of the first round in two seasons.
Few would have expected Lillard to return to the Blazers. Rumors had linked him almost exclusively to contending teams and the belief was he would land with a team where he could win an elusive NBA title. Instead, he wanted to return to Portland, where his family still lives.
The Blazers are coming off a 36-46 season, and will not have Lillard this season. The hope is that he can come back in a year and play for a team that will be able to make the Western Conference Playoffs.
TJ Watt reacts to his record contract extension
Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher TJ Watt was very pleased with the record contract extension he signed with the team on Thursday.
Watt shared a post to Instagram just as news of the new contract was breaking. He posted a picture of himself celebrating during a game, with a caption consisting of three battery emojis.
Watt essentially broke his own news here, and made it very clear that he was thrilled to be staying with the Steelers. The agreement comes after months of trade rumors as the Steelers star was dissatisfied with his contract.
The Steelers maintained that they had no desire to trade Watt, and were solely focused on getting a deal done. They proved that with the amount of money they were willing to hand out to him.
Watt had 61 tackles and 11.5 sacks with 6 forced fumbles in 17 games last season. He will turn 31 in October.
TJ Watt signs record contract extension with Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed TJ Watt to a record-setting contract extension ahead of training camp.
Watt and the Steelers have agreed to a 3-year, $123 million extension, according to multiple reports. The deal includes $108 million fully guaranteed at signing.
Watt’s new average annual salary of $41 million makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
ESPN sources: Steelers star TJ Watt has become the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history for the second time in his illustrious career, reaching agreement today on a three-year, $123 million extension that includes $108M fully guaranteed at signing. The $41 million per year average… pic.twitter.com/si6V7FUdlp
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 17, 2025
Myles Garrett signed an extension with the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason that has an average annual value of $40 million. That deal served as the benchmark for Watt and the Steelers.
The Steelers maintained all along that they were not entertaining trade offers for Watt. Some people speculated that they might be willing to move the star pass-rusher after they acquired Pro Bowl defensive back Jalen Ramsey in a trade last month, but both players will now help anchor Pittsburgh’s defense.
Watt will turn 31 in October. He had 61 tackles and 11.5 sacks with 6 forced fumbles in 17 games last season. Watt has 108 sacks across eight NFL seasons, including the record-tying 22.5 sacks he had in 2021.
Dave Portnoy takes shot at ESPN in his FOX announcement
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy confirmed that he will be joining FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” in a deal that will also see Barstool content appear regularly on FOX Sports.
In an “emergency press conference,” Portnoy confirmed reports that he would be joining FOX’s weekly college football pregame show this fall. He added that Barstool’s new agreement with FOX would be “wide-ranging,” and in a post, took a thinly-veiled shot at ESPN.
“This is the 1st time in our illustrious and notorious history that we’ve got a Tv partner we believe in and believes in us,” Portnoy wrote.
Emergency Press Conference – Barstool Sports is Proud to announce a new wide ranging partnership with Fox Sports. This is the 1st time in our illustrious and notorious history that we’ve got a Tv partner we believe in and believes in us. I can’t wait to see what we create… pic.twitter.com/vQ19c7brof
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 17, 2025
In 2017, ESPN aired a single episode of “Barstool Van Talk” before pulling the plug on the show due to backlash. The network had always sought to distance itself from the Barstool brand, which is likely why Portnoy has no problem calling them out now.
Portnoy will essentially be FOX’s answer to Pat McAfee as “Big Noon Kickoff” seeks to go head-to-head against ESPN’s flagship “College GameDay.” For the Barstool chief, some element of this may even be personal.
Bengals 1st-round pick may try to return to college
Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick Shemar Stewart remains locked in a contract standoff with the team, and may try to do something radical if the two sides do not sort things out soon.
Stewart has been working out at Texas A&M, where he played collegiately, according to Mark Maske, Nicki Jhabvala, and Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. That has led to some speculation that Stewart might even try to return to school for another season in light of his standoff with the Bengals.
The report states that Stewart’s representatives “are believed to be keeping all options open” as long as the standoff continues.
Stewart might have to sue the NCAA to return to college, as he was drafted No. 17 overall and may have ended his NCAA eligibility. However, the rules about eligibility have not been tested in the NIL era.
If Stewart sat out the entire season, he would be able to re-enter the NFL Draft next season. If he returned to college, the Bengals would hold onto his rights.
The Bengals are trying to insert language into Stewart’s rookie contract that would allow them to void guaranteed money over potential misbehavior. The team has not used such language with draft picks before, which is a big reason why Stewart left minicamp and does not intend to report to training camp.
It has been a rough offseason in some respects for the Bengals, who also alienated one of their star players with their handling of that contract.
Report: Drew Brees lands high-profile broadcasting gig
Drew Brees has remained committed to pursuing a broadcast career since he retired from playing in the NFL, and the former New Orleans Saints quarterback has landed a prominent role for the upcoming season.
Brees will serve as a game analyst for Netflix’s NFL coverage on Christmas Day, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported on Thursday. Brees will be in the booth for either the Dallas Cowboys-Washington Commanders game or the Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings game.
Brees was also part of the Christmas Day lineup last season as part of Netflix’s international coverage.
The 46-year-old Brees worked as an analyst for NBC in 2021. He was initially viewed as a potential successor to Cris Collinsworth on “Sunday Night Football,” but he quickly fizzled out with the network. Brees was largely limited to studio work, though he did call some Notre Dame games and select NFL games alongside Mike Tirico.
Brees’ final booth assignment for NBC was a playoff game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals, and it did not go well.
Despite that, Brees has maintained that he could become the best NFL broadcast analyst in the business if given an opportunity. He is likely hoping that the Netflix gig will serve as a stepping stone for him.
Brees played 20 seasons in the NFL from 2001-2020, mostly with the Saints. He made the Pro Bowl 13 times and led New Orleans to a win in Super Bowl XLIV.
Shedeur Sanders had good reason for skipping the ESPYs
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders was a no-show at the ESPYs on Wednesday, but he had a good reason for being absent.
Sanders spent Wednesday hosting a fundraiser for victims of a June 23 explosion and fire at Cleveland’s Rainbow Terrace Apartments. In response, Sanders held a “Garden Valley Fun Fest” event, which was essentially a family fun day for members of the community.
Sanders said he felt it was important for him to “go out there and be in the flesh” to boost victims of the tragedy.
#Browns QB Shedeur Sanders found out about the Rainbow Terrace Apartment explosion/fire when he was out of town. He knew he didn't just want to send help, he wanted to spend time.
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) July 17, 2025
"Sending money and stuff, that's easy. But you have to actually go out there and be in the flesh." pic.twitter.com/iX0p0UyEq9
As such, Sanders was not at the ESPYs. He also was not nominated for any awards, though he was the subject of a joke from host Shane Gillis.
Nobody safe from Shane Gillis
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) July 17, 2025
“Shedeur Sanders had his Jersey # retired at Colorado this year. People are saying it's because of nepotism because of his father, it’s not; it’s because he went 13-12 over his career & he almost won the Alamo Bowl” 😭
pic.twitter.com/fI5j1Sf96P
Sanders’ NFL career has not been without its low points already, but he seems to be endearing himself to Cleveland fans. One might have expected him to want the face time the ESPYs could have afforded him, but he had more important things to do.
New info emerges about Anthony Richardson’s shoulder injury
Anthony Richardson missed minicamp last month as he dealt with another shoulder issue, but the Indianapolis Colts quarterback is on track to compete for a starting job in training camp.
Richardson aggravated the AC joint in his throwing shoulder leading up to minicamp. He experienced soreness, but tests did not show any structural damage.
On Monday, ESPN’s Stephen Holder reported that Richardson is believed to be fully recovered from his latest shoulder ailment and will participate in training camp, which begins on Tuesday for veterans.
Richardson first injured his shoulder midway through his rookie season in 2023. The former No. 4 overall pick suffered a sprained AC joint while being tackled on a designed run play, which eventually led to him having surgery.
Richardson was banged up again last season and drew criticism for the admission he made after subbing himself out of one game.
Daniel Jones signed with the Colts as a free agent this offseason and is competing with Richardson for the Week 1 starting job. Jones has reportedly been impressive while taking all of the first-team reps in Richardson’s absence.
Richardson has thrown 11 touchdown passes compared to 13 interceptions in 15 career games. If the former Florida star cannot beat out Jones for the starting job, his time with the Colts may soon come to an end.
Former 1,000-yard WR makes surprising decision to retire
Veteran wide receiver Mike Williams is walking away from the NFL.
Williams informed the Los Angeles Chargers on Wednesday night that he has decided to retire, according to multiple reports.
Williams was drafted by the Chargers with the No. 7 overall pick in 2017. He played for L.A. for the first seven seasons of his career before spending brief periods with the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers last year.
After a down year in 2024, Williams rejoined the Chargers in March on a 1-year, $6 million deal. Williams had recently been placed on the physically unable to perform list.
Williams is only 30, so his decision to retire comes as somewhat of a surprise. It is possible that his health was a factor.
Williams had two 1,000-yard seasons with the Chargers. His best campaign was in 2021, when he had 76 catches for 1,146 yards and 9 touchdowns. Williams averaged 15.5 yards per reception during his eight-year NFL career.
The Jets signed Williams last offseason but traded him to Pittsburgh midway through the year. A few weeks before the trade, Aaron Rodgers publicly called Williams out over a supposed mistake Williams made on a key play late in one of New York’s losses.
Williams took a shot at Rodgers on social media after the receiver made a game-winning play with the Steelers.
Caitlin Clark makes announcement about her All-Star availability
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark made an announcement Thursday regarding her availability for Saturday’s WNBA All-Star Game.
In a statement, Clark ruled herself out of both the game and the 3-Point Contest due to a recurrence of her groin injury. The star guard said she had to prioritize resting her body, but would be in attendance for the game.
“I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can’t participate in the 3-Point Contest or the All-Star Game,” Clark said. “I have to rest my body. I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action and I’m looking forward to helping Sandy (Brondello) coach our team to a win.”
a message from Caitlin Clark ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zRGZEpqF5R
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) July 17, 2025
This will particularly sting for Clark, as this is a home All-Star Game in Indianapolis. She had been on track to return before aggravating the right groin injury in Tuesday’s game, a contest that was very frustrating for her.
Clark would have been a starter and captain for the game after being voted in by fans. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert will now appoint a player to take her place.
Clark is averaging 16.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game so far this season. Injuries have caused her to miss 10 games already, with potentially more to come after the All-Star break depending on how quickly she recovers from her current injury.
